(Baelon's POV)
[Four Months Later...]
"Look at this...." I said as I gently caressed Helaena's belly, "My child is healthy and growing...."
I had a big smile as I sat on bed with her, holding my hand on her belly as Helaena gave me a warm smile of her own.
"Baelon...." She said, "It is late already, my love....you should get some sleep...I know I need it..."
I leaned in and kissed her belly, "Not yet." I said, "I still wish to feel the little one's heartbeat through your belly....It is a wonderful feeling. I am excited as the days pass.....I cannot wait...even Balerion could feel it; my son is soon coming...."
"Balerion, hm?" She said, "I must admit, Dreamfyre herself has been aware of a life inside me. She has grown very protective of me. I did tell you that when I visited her last week, Vermithor approached the platform and she became very aggressive."
I straightened up, "What?!" I said, "And you were alone?!"
She chuckled, "N-No, I was with Daeron. Remember, he visited last week." She said, "Along with Aemond. The two of you decided to fly over the Narrow Sea, terrorizing those Tyroshi Pirates that harassed the coasts of the Stormlands."
"Ah, it was then...." I said with a frown, "I trust everything was alright, then?"
"Yes." She patted my cheek, "The Old Grouch did not want to fight, so he retreated into his cavern. I was a bit nervous but Daeron rushed me back inside."
"Do not do that again." I said as I leaned back down and kissed her belly, "I cannot have that kind of stress, not now...."
"I understand." She said, "Worry not, I have not done something like that since then."
"Good." I said as I leaned towards her and kissed her cheek, "You are so beautiful tonight, Helaena...c-could we....uhm...It has been a bit of a long time...."
She sighed, "I am so sorry, love." She said, "I am tired...I need to wake up early in the morrow to work on my tapestries...."
I nodded, "Very well." I said as I pulled away and gently rubbed her thighs, "It is okay, worry not about it."
"I-I could....you know..." She said softly and gestured at her hand while blushing
"No, it is fine." I said with a chuckle, "Go to sleep. I have some things to do in the library."
"Oh?" She said, "What could that be?"
"Studies." I said, "Well, boring ones at least."
"I like boring studies." She frowned
"I know." I said, "But go to sleep."
"I am sorry, Baelon." She said
I kissed her forehead, "Shhh, get some rest." I told her, "You deserve it."
**************
[A Few Days Later....]
"Here are the books you were asking for, My Prince." Maester Gerardys said as he set some tomes down in front of me
I was in my chambers at night; Helaena was already asleep after a long day of sewing blankets she intends to have for the child. I had asked the Maester to take some books to me before he settled for the night, which he gladly obliged.
I nodded, "Thank you."
"May I ask why are you studying alchemical herbs?" He asked me with a raised eyebrow, "Someone like you would not even dare to look that way."
"Someone like me?" I asked with a raised eyebrow
"A fighter." He said, "A warrior."
"Hm." I said, "Well, you know...warriors fight with poisons..."
"Poisons, My Prince...." He said, "Not alchemical herbs."
"Can herbs not be poison?' I asked
"Not these." He said, "But I will not pry. Should you need help, you can always ask me."
I nodded, "Thank you."
"Might I suggest some teas...?" He asked
"Teas?" I asked as I looked at him, "What do you mean?"
"You have been looking rather stressed as of late." He said, "Nothing drastic when it comes to your health, I can tell...but you are rather....Tense...."
"Tense, huh?" I said with a chuckle, "No, I am fine, Maester Gerardys, thank you."
"Well, if you require some teas, I can brew you some that could help you sleep." He said, "Also some are great for relieving tension."
"I will keep that in mind." I said as he walked out of my chambers
He does not know what I truly need.
It has been weeks....weeks.....
I have not laid with my wife, but I understand why. She has been tired as of late and I do not mind. But for some reason, the tension that I get from not being with her in bed for so long has been getting to me. The times that we do late, I have to be gentle because I do not wish to go overboard with her. All of that is fine, but I am beginning to get.....stressed due to it.....
And for some reason, I keep thinking of these alchemical herbs.
That is all that comes to my mind; these fucking herbs. Why am I so obsessed with this? What is it that I am missing?
Did something really happen that night? I do not remember anything at all. I do remember walking out of the Red Keep but after that, I was sitting in my bed like nothing happened. That was strange, but for some reason, I assumed I was just drunk. My clothes did reek of wine and I immediately changed them.
Is that why other assume that I was out?
I do not know. But all I could think of are these herbs.....
I sighed and flipped through the pages, finding nothing that I was looking for.
The thing is, I do not know what I was looking for.
I heard the door open and looked up to see Rhaenyra walking inside, immediately stopping when she saw me sitting in the table.
"Oh, Baelon." She said, "I assumed you were sleeping with Helaena."
"What are you doing here?" I asked with a raised eyebrow
She pointed at one of my shelves, "I was searching for a book that Father said he placed in here the last time he visited. The one based on agriculture before the Conquest." She said, "If you do not mind, I will just get it and leave you to your business."
"Agriculture?" I said with a scoff, "Why would father even bother thinking I would have any interest in that?"
She walked over to the shelf, "I do not know." She said, "But I do wonder what interest do you have in herbs."
"That is not your business." I told her
"You are right." She said as she grabbed the book, "Which is why I will leave you to it."
"Is this what you do? Walk into my chambers when I am not in it and rummage through my belongings." I said as I looked at the pages of the book in front of me
I could tell she stopped, feeling her eyes on me.
"Is that an issue with you, brother?" She asked
"Hm." I said, "I was just wondering."
"Well..." She said, "I was wondering what could cause you to be acting like a cold-hearted cunt."
I looked at her, "Pardon me?"
"You heard me." She said
I stood up from my seat, "Well, I did." I said, "But I was wondering if I misheard you. Who is a cold-hearted cunt? And why would you think that of me?"
She held the book with both of her hands, "It has been months since Father married us and not once have you spoken to me with an ounce of affection." She said, "All I have ever gotten from you is nothing but cold shoulders and apathetic stares."
"Is that so?" I said as I walked over to her, "Apathy, huh? That is how you see it?"
"That is how it is." She said seriously, "I understand, Baelon....neither of us wanted this."
I scoffed, "Neither of us?" I said, "I recall you telling me that you wanted me."
"Well, I did not want to place you in a position like this." She said, "I did not want to come between you and Helaena, I never did. I told you of my feelings, Baelon, I do not need to repeat them."
I nodded, "Yes, I suppose that is true." I said, "Well, you still got what you wanted; Me."
"Did I?" She asked, "Did I truly get what I want?"
"You tell me." I told her, "Father did you the favor of marrying you to me, preventing you from marrying another piece of filth like the one I killed."
She scowled, "Watch it, Baelon." She warned, "Now is not the time for an argument like this."
"No, you are right." I said as I turned around
"Is that all?" She asked, "You will not apologize?"
I looked at her, "Should I need to?"
"I am your wife..." She said
"Hm, in appearances." I said, "My wife is Helaena. You should know that."
She looked to the side, "Baelon..." She said, "I never wanted this...I never wanted us to be drifted apart. You should know that. Helaena....the woman that you love...she has tried her best to keep us together....I...."
"What about what I have tried?" I asked as I turned back around and looked at her, "I already told you of my feelings, Rhaenyra. Do I need to repeat them? I wanted you to make the choice, the proper one, not the one that ended up with your-...."
I stopped myself, not wanting to continue.
What has gotten in my head?
"Go on." She said seriously, "Say what you were going to say."
"No." I said
"I made a mistake..." She said, "And I have paid the price for it....."
"We all did." I muttered, "But I suppose we cannot-"
I was cut off by her slapping me in the face. That surprised me, it really did. I remember the last time she did this. It was when we fought. Not a fond memory.
I looked at her, She was giving me a glare, "Do that again...." I said, "It will not end well for you."
"Why?" She asked, "You will strike me?"
"No." I said, "But I will remind you of how we got to this point. Because of something that you did, a choice that you-"
I caught her hand; she was going for another slap. This time, she had tears in her eyes, giving me an angry glare.
"I..." She started, "You little...."
She tried to pry her hand away but I smacked the book of her hand and pushed her against the wall, holding her by her wrists as I looked at her.
"You are angry?" I asked as she looked at me
She huffed and panted, clearly agitated, "Let go of me." She said, "Now!"
I pressed tightly against her, "No." I said seriously, "You struck me, Rhaenyra. And you tried doing it again."
"You deserve it." She said, "Do not make me spit in your face like I did last time."
"Mayhaps I do deserve it." I leaned in closer to her face, "Mayhaps I deserve all of this. All of what I got is because of my own hubris. Because I will tell you this much, I did not want any of this...."
"You made that apparent." She scowled, "Now let go of me, you fucking-"
"Shut up." I said
I looked at her, she was giving me an angry glare. No matter how hard I tried, I could not bring myself to hold resentment towards her. I was in fact angry but no matter how hard I tried, I could not direct that anger at her.
"Helaena was right...." I said
"How so?" She said as she struggled to get free, "Let go of me, you are hurting me."
"Eventually, we will be driven apart." I said, "And she is trying her best to keep that from happening. But I do not want any of this, the position we are in....so tell me, Rhaenyra, why are we here?!"
"I don't know!" She said, "Let go of me, I beg of you..."
I stared at her for a couple of seconds, feeling my heartbeat get faster. My grip on her wrists loosened and she pried free, immediately smacking my chest in an attempt to push me off her. But I did not budge, I was too entranced by her that I could move from that spot.
"Ah....hells....." I said as I wrapped my arms around her waist in a swift motion
Leaning in, I kissed her on the lips, holding her tightly as she jumped up slightly in surprise. I kissed her vigorously and I felt her body melt against my embrace. After a few more seconds, she began to kiss me back in response, wrapping her arms around my neck.
I then picked her up and walked over to the table, setting her on the edge as I pulled away from kissing her.
With one hand, I cleared the table, smacking the tomes to the floor as she looked at me with a shocked expression.
"B-Baelon...." She said, "What are you...?"
"Shut up." I said, "Damn you, Rhaenyra....this is what you wanted, no? Well, be thankful to the gods and most importantly, Helaena.....because this is what you are getting...."
"I..." She said, "W-We do not have to...."
I patted her cheek, "Fuck's sake, Rhaenyra...." I said as I leaned in and kissed her on the lips again but briefly "I am sorry...fuck....forgive me for the way I acted....."
"I..." She said, "N-No, I....wait...."
I embraced her, feeling nothing but passion and lust in my body as I felt her warmth, an exhilarating feeling overwhelming me.
For some reason, as I kissed her again, my body began to tremble, "I am so sorry..." I said, "For everything.....for now...."
"This will happen..."