Summary: You and King Baldwin share an evening with your two daughters, as you tell the story of how you met.
It was late, but not too late, your chamber was warm with candlelight dancing on the walls.
Your daughters curl close to you, small bodies tucked under embroidered blankets, their hair still smelling faintly of rosewater.
Their father sits nearby, King Baldwin, your husband, your love, wrapped as always in his layers of linen and cloth. The mask rests on his face, pale and unmoving, yet his eyes find you as easily as it always has.
You know he wants to sit with you three. You can see the longing in his eyes. But you know why he refuses to join you.
It is your eldest who talks first.
“Tell it again,” she whispers, tugging gently at your sleeve. “How you met Father.”
You smile, looking toward Baldwin. His head tilts ever so slightly, approval, and interest. As if he also wished to hear the story.
“Again?” you tease.
“Yes,” your youngest insists, already crawling into your lap. “It’s my favourite.”
You press a kiss to her temple and begin with the story.
“You must remember, I was not meant to meet your father at all. I was sent to the court for entirely different reasons. I thought him distant. Cold, even.”
A noise of amusement leaves Baldwin. You choose to ignore him and continue.
“He said very little. Watched everything. It was quite unsettling.”
“I was observing,” he replies calmly.
“You were judging,” you counter.
“I was deciding,” he corrects.
The girls giggle.
“And what did you decide?” your eldest asks.
“That your mother was the most stubborn woman I had ever met.”
You gasp softly in mock offence.
“I was not.”
“You refused to bow properly,” he continues.
“I tripped,” you argue.
“You glared at me.”
“I was embarrassed!”
The girls dissolve into laughter, clinging to you.
“And then?” the youngest prompts, eyes wide.
“And then I realised,” you say, glancing at Baldwin, “that your father was not cold at all. Only careful. Kind, in ways that were quiet and easily missed.”
Baldwin stares at you. Even behind the mask, you feel it as clearly as if his face were bare.
“And I realised that your mother saw me as I was. Not as others feared.”
Silence falls, soft and full.
The youngest shifts slightly, her small fingers fidgeting.
“Father?” she asks hesitantly.
“Yes, little one?”
“Will we ever see your face? Or your hands?”
The question hangs in the air.
Almost knocks all of it out.
Your heart tightens, but Baldwin does not flinch. Instead, he leans forward slightly in his chair.
“My sweet girl, my body is… different. It is something I must protect, and something that could make others afraid if they do not understand.”
She frowns.
“But we wouldn’t be afraid.”
“I know, I know you would not. But part of loving someone is also keeping them safe. And this,” he gestures faintly to himself, “is how I do that.”
The eldest considers this carefully.
“So it’s like armour?” she asks.
“Yes,” he says with a nod. “Something like that.”
The youngest leans into you, still thinking.
“But we know what you look like,” she says suddenly.
Baldwin tilts his head. “Oh?”
She nods, very certain.
“You have the prettiest eyes, Mama says so.”
Your breath catches, and you smile, brushing her hair back.
“It’s true. The most beautiful eyes I have ever seen.”
Baldwin is still for a moment, but you speak up before him.
“And you both have them,” you continue, looking between your daughters. “His eyes. Bright and strong.”
The eldest beams. The youngest gasps in delight.
“We do?”
“You do. Both of you.” Your husband confirms.
They look at him now, completely unbothered by cloth or crown or anything else the world might whisper.
“Then we look like you,” the eldest says proudly.
“You do,” he repeats.
You shift slightly, gathering both girls closer.
The four of you, tucked into a small world of warmth and love.
“Tell us another story,” the youngest mumbles sleepily.
“Tomorrow,” you whisper, pressing a kiss to her hair before helping them both to lie down in their beds.
And as your daughters drift to sleep, you meet his eyes once more.
Finished this wip I’ve been carrying for ages!! Animated it and converted it into a gif!! U can see a better quality of the piece in my IG ☘️✨🫧 Tysm for sticking around to my art, I feel so well received here :’)
I have literally read all you stories and im so so impressed. Im not sure if your taking requests or if. If not than im very sorry. If yes then could you please write one where a modern doctor ends up being reborn as a Nobel princess who is about to marry king baldwin. She could then cure him.
♧ A Better Life - King Baldwin x Reader ♧
♧ Angst ♧
A/N: HELLO FRIENDS!!! I am back officially now!! Exams are over and the school year is done! I am so exited to be back!! Anon thank you so much for this beautiful request. This took me so long and I really hope you like it!!! This was an amazing one to return with, I hope yall enjoy it!!. As always this is based on the film Kingdom Of Heaven not the real historical figures. Enjoy!
TW: Leprosy, Slight mention of blood
Y/n remembered little to nothing from that night.
Simply getting into her car late, well after the sun had set, and driving. Then the lights. Then the crash. Everything else was fuzzy. Even in her life before the crash, the only knowledge she seemed to remember was what she had learnt in medical school all those years ago.
Nothing about her beautiful rooftop apartment where she lived alone. And certainly not the crippling loneliness she dreaded returning to every night after work at the hospital.
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Y/n’s eyes flew open and she sat up with a gasp, clutching at her pounding heart. After a few seconds of panic, she looked up at her surroundings.
There was no car, no wreckage, no blood.
Just a plush, white sheeted, four poster bed that held her trembling form. The curtains that hung around the top of the bed shrouded her view of the rest of the room, but from what she could see, an open balcony window allowed sun to shine through and into the large, beautifully decorated stone room.
Confusion soon replaced fear in the young doctor's mind. Was she in a hospital? No, it wasn't sterile enough to be a hospital. There was no beeping of machines, no bustling nurses. Something she was all too familiar with.
She tried to think back to what had happened, but all she could remember was the crash. Nothing else. Y/n pulled back the covers and cautiously stepped out of the bed. She barely got one foot on the ground before the large, wooden doors opened to reveal young woman carrying a tray with an assortment of dishes that y/n had never seen in her life.
“Good morning my lady” the young woman said with a smile, approaching y/n’s bedside.
“Good morning,” the doctor replied, trying to hide the confusion in her voice.
“I hope you are excited for today my lady, everybody in the maids chamber surely is!” the young woman said, her bright eyes practically glowing.
“I'm- excited for what?” y/n replied cautiously.
“Well your wedding of course, everybody has been anticipating this day for months now! Our kingdom will finally have a queen!” she was grinning now, y/n couldn't help but smile despite her confusion.
“Oh- yes! How could I have forgotten” the doctor said, once again attempting to hide the fact she had no idea where she was.
After the maid had left, y/n inspected the food. It looked delicious but eating was the last thing on her mind, for now. She slipped out of the bed to take a look around the room. There were books stacked on a shelf, a desk, a face washing basin and lots and lots of religious imagery, painted in typical pre-renaissance fashion.
Judging by the beautiful stone walls, she was most definitely not in the twenty-first century anymore. Nothing was boring and white. No white walls, no white marble countertops. Everything was handmade. Genuine. It was certainly a changeup from the old routine.
You see, y/n was intelligent. She always had been and on top of this, her years as a surgeon had taught her to act reasonable, calm, and logical even in the most outlandish situations.
Waking up in a different time period after a car wreck was no different.
She had to think of a plan.
“It's morning, people should be expecting me somewhere soon”. Turning to the bookshelf, y/n picked up a book and opened it. Handwritten. In Hebrew.
“That should place me somewhere in Israel, perhaps Jerusalem” she thought.
“And it's definitely before the renaissance, but after the birth of Christ”.
Placing the book back on the shelf, y/n continued to think. She had to figure out where she was and fast.
Y/n turned her attention to the other side of the room. The bed, a couch, and the open balcony doors. Approaching the balcony, y/n looked outside inspecting the area around the building she was in.
Knights. Many knights.
“Medieval “ was the first word that came to mind.
“That should place me somewhere around the 12th century-” was the last thing her mind concluded before the wooden doors opened again.
Six maids came into the room, each carrying something different. Some carried jewelry, some hairbrushes and combs, and others beautiful white fabric that appeared to be some kind of dress.
“Oh my lady, you have barely touched your breakfast!” one of them exclaimed as y/n entered the room from the balcony.
“You will need your strength for today!”
“Oh I'm terribly sorry, I forgot all about it! I was just getting some fresh air, I'm a little nervous” y/n said as calmly as she could, praying that they didn't notice something was off.
“That's alright dear” the oldest of the maids said, “it doesn't matter now because we need to get you dressed! Come, sit” she gestured to a vanity mirror and chair that y/n hadn't even noticed.
--------------------------------
It felt like hours that the doctor sat in that chair, as the maids worked tirelessly on her hair and face. Braiding and brushing, applying makeup and finally helping her into the beautiful white dress robes.
They fit perfectly, just like a glove. As if they were made for just her and her alone.
“You look immaculate, your majesty,” one of the maids said, taking a step back to admire their future queen. Y/n smiled, for a moment forgetting her predicament.
It felt as though she had lived in this world her entire life.
“Come now darling, we don't want to keep the guests waiting!” the oldest maid said, taking the doctor's hand and leading her towards the door. Y/n followed blindly.
“This should be interesting,” she muttered.
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It was a short walk from her chambers to the church. There were already plenty of people waiting inside. Y/n barely had any time to think before a bouquet of flowers were shoved into her hands and she was walking down the aisle, people standing left and right staring at her.
Taking a deep breath, y/n steadied her hands and continued walking at a slow, measured pace.
“Come on y/n, this has to be the least nerve racking thing you've done all week”.
Looking up, she could see her “future husband” standing at the end of the aisle. It was strange, she couldn't see his face, he was wearing white robes and a veil that shrouded his features almost entirely. But from what she could see, it appeared he was wearing some kind of mask.
Then it all connected.
Not only had y/n taken a myriad of science and math subjects in highschool, she had also taken an ancient history class. One unit had specifically focused on the “Leper King of Jerusalem, Baldwin IV”. This must have been him.
As she approached the end of the aisle, her mind wandered to a patient she had treated with severe leprosy, contracted while he was on a tropical holiday. She remembered how much pain he had been in and her heart broke thinking about this poor king who had gone untreated for so long.
She was only snapped out of her thoughts when she came face to face with her soon to be husband. His eyes met hers and what she thought would have been a neutral feeling (since she did not yet know this man at all) turned quickly to a feeling that she had not experienced in what felt like years.
Love.
The doctor's heart skipped a beat looking into those eyes. Those beautiful, blue eyes. The mask he wore was polished to perfection, the metal was perfectly shaped into sculpted, masculine features.
He was beautiful.
Y/n was far too focused on just how captivating the man who stood before her was to pay any attention to whatever the priest was saying, until once again she was snapped out of thought by the large crowd cheering as they were pronounced husband and wife, in the name of the Lord.
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Later on, the guests had left and all had returned to somewhat calm after a day of celebration. Y/n was slightly shy at first during the celebrations, doing everything in her power to read the room and understand her place in this new world. But after a while, she began to enjoy herself.
Her “husband” had barely spoken a word all day, but she had caught him looking at her as she talked with his sister and associates. She was told by a few maids that after getting changed from her wedding attire, she would go and meet privately with her new husband.
She was nervous, but not even half as nervous as somebody else was...
Baldwin paced up and down his chambers until his legs were in agony. The day had been strenuous on his body and the pacing did not help.
The young king slumped down on his couch, cursing his frail body. He had watched her all day, his wonderful y/n. So full of life, so intelegent, speaking with everyone and enjoying her time while all he could do was sit and watch.
Oh how he had wished to join her, to dance with her, to speak with her, to hear every word her beautiful voice had to say, to look into her eyes. Those perfect eyes.
He hoped that she knew just how much he had fallen for her, even though they had not spoken a single word all day.
He cursed the mask that shrouded his emotions, forcing him to look cold and stern when all he wanted was her to know how warmly and deeply he felt for her. Baldwin sunk deeper into the couch cushions. His body craved sleep, craved a break from the pain. But he couldn't. He had to see her right this instant.
Taking a deep breath, or as deep as his failing lungs could take, the young king sat up and stared down into his hands, anticipating the moment y/n knocked on his door.
He did not have to wait long because no more than a minute after he sat up, a small knock came from the wooden door. Baldwin got to his feet, perhaps too fast. He steadied himself and called for her to enter. Y/n pushed open the door. She looked as beautiful as she did in her wedding dress.
“Good evening your majesty” she said with a graceful curtsey.
“Hello” he replied, suddenly feeling incredibly shy.
Y/n smiled. He was truly adorable. He looked so soft and warm in those robes. Good lord what was she thinking? She had barely met this man and yet she was acting like a teenager in love!
“Would you like to take a seat?” he offered, his voice gentle and kind. “Of course,” she replied. The two sat in silence for a moment. But it was not an awkward silence, more of a comfortable silence as the young couple took each other in.
It wasn't long before they got to talking. Two intelligent, young minds in the same room were bound to connect almost instantly. And that's just what they did.
Y/n tried to not say anything about her “world of the future”. That was until they were brought to the topic of his disease.
“So, you have no issue in being wed to a leper?” Baldwin had asked, his voice growing sad. Her heart broke for him in an instant, remembering how terribly people with his disease were treated at this time.
“Of course I don't” the doctor replied.
Her kind voice soothed something deep inside Baldwin. Something untouched for so many years. His eyes burned with tears but he dare not let one fall.
“Really?” he asked, his voice breaking slightly.
“Of course! All I see is a beautiful, young man with a bright future. And from what I've heard, you're a wonderful ruler, and I know you will be a wonderful husband too”.
Baldwin smiled beneath the mask. He hoped she could see the smile through his eyes. Y/n took a deep breath before her next choice of words.
“You know, where I come from, lepers can be healed,” she said softly. Baldwin’s eyes widened.
“Truely?” he said in disbelief.
“Yes, but you can not tell anyone”
“I won't, of course! Please, share this with me” the young king said in a hushed voice taking her hands in his.
“Alright. I'm going to need a few things to do it and it may take a while-”
“Please, y/n. I'll do anything” Baldwin was on the verge of tears now. “Now I have you, I have a reason to live. I need to live, please” he begged.
Y/n’s heart sank as his previously strong demeanor shattered into a thousand pieces before her very eyes. As gently as she could, y/n wrapped her arms around her husband, pulling him into a gentle yet firm hug.
At that moment, the young doctor understood why all of this had happened. She was brought here for a reason. To cure this poor young man, to show him the love he deserves and to have a better life by his side.
“I promise Baldwin, I’ll make you well again. No matter what it takes. I'll do it”
Every Frankish Crusader King needs a Byzantine princess. ⚜️
→ Yes, Rusticana's real name is Anna Komnene. Rusticana is a mix of the Latin word "rustica" (rustic) + her name, Anna. Let's say it is a nick that became her identity. Just like Caligula 😭
Anyway, she is the niece of Emperor Manuel I Komnenos, so... She is a distant cousin of Maria Komnene, Baldwin's stepmother. Haha.
He is showing his face (without a mask). She is showing her hair (without a veil). I used "Madeline after prayer" as a reference for her pose.
🌹⚔️ / ☦️✝️
From: "The Leper King and the Rose of Constantinople" the (imaginary) series
(because I am too lazy to publish my stuff).
Their playlist:
"That's the difference between us." Rusticana paused "You, Latins... You see leprosy as a curse. However, I see it as a form of proximity to the Divine."
