THE BASTARD QUEEN (Jacaerys Velaryon)

𝕲𝖔𝖉𝖘 𝖇𝖊𝖍𝖔𝖑𝖉

When you awoke the next day, this time, your husband was still by your side. You smiled smally at the warmth he provided. Looking down, you saw that his hand rested against your stomach, as his arm was thrown over you. Though there was nothing there yet, no bump or any proof of your pregnancy, you couldn't help but smile at the gesture, at the subconscious protection.

You leaned into him, close to his ear, "Jace," you whispered into his skin.

He smiled sleepily, eyes opening in flutters, "Yes, my love?"

"Nothing," you laughed quietly, butterflies in your stomach, "I just wanted to see that this was real."

He squeezed you tighter, closer to him, "It's real. I promise you, it's real."

You looked up to your husband, brushing hair out of his face. You rested your hand on his cheek, he just smiled down at you. He pressed his face closer into your hand, seeking warmth. You rubbed the soft skin, taking it all in, the feeling of your husband in your hands.

You broke the morning silence, bringing up a thought, one that laid with the baby you were carrying, "We should tell our family before someone else does."

He nodded, eyes rolling in a joke, "Tonight at dinner," he proposed, before he pushed his face into your neck, trying to hide from the day.

You ran your hands through his hair, untangling the knots caused by sleep, "We need to talk," you said slowly, dreading ruining this peace.

He hummed into your skin, kissing it lightly before pulling away, "About what?" He asked dumbly.

"Us," you supplied, sitting up before you continued, "Us being real changes things. We've been allies and friends, but to be husband and wife is different, to be in love is different."

He nodded, sitting up by your side. His skin folded at the move. It folded over muscles that moved under the skin. You had to force yourself to draw your eyes away from his bare chest and abdomen. He smirked, following your eyes. You simply rolled yours, though your skin felt hot.

"We should start with our fight," you said, immediately starting to pick at your skin, because of your own words.

He took your hands in his own, stopping the ripping of skin, "I will never forgive your mother," you winced at his words, "But I can move on, I will move on . I am not so cruel as to not understand the circumstances. I just needed time," he took a deep breath, "And in all honesty I felt betrayed that you didn't stand by my side," his words were steady, "I see now that wasn't fair. Your mother, the things that were done to her," his mouth was trapped in a line before he continued, "They were vile and wrong. My mother told me of Larys' doing, she pleaded with me to understand, and I can't," you scowled, "I truly will never be able to understand how she felt in those moments, Larys taking advantage of her, threatening her, threatening you."

You hadn't heard that, but you supposed that if Rhaenyra spoken to him, then she had spoken to your mother first, revealing details you didn't know. It didn't shock you that Larys had held you over her. It made your skin crawl, but it did not surprise you.

Your attention fell back on his words, "Even outside of Larys, with the King your mother was wronged, over and over. In truth your mother has been victimized by men her entire life. It does not bode any of us well to hang onto the past," he spoke clearly with his next words, "The murder of my father is on no one but Larys Strong."

Relied fled through your system, "I love you," you said firstly, watching his smile form at the words, "But I will not bend to what you think solely because you think it. My mother, I will never forgive her either, but the way you spoke about her, when it could have just of easily been me, I cannot tolerate it," he went to add on, but you continued instead, "You would not have me speaking of your mother in the way you did mine," you pointed out.