Concept for a HotD fic that I wanna write:
Viserys passes within days of Daeron's birth and the distress spirals into Alicent dying in childbirth. Daeron makes it of course but all four of Rhaenyra's siblings, plus herself, are now orphaned and now she has to ascend the throne. Thankfully Lyonel is Hand and makes sure her coronation is well handled, Rhaenyra is crowned with Laenor at her side as King Consort.
The young queen agonizes over what to do about her siblings. Aegon is a little boy but old enough to know and remember his parents and Heleana is just passed her third nameday. But Aemond is less than a year old and Daeron's only glimpse of his mother was of her dying. She considers the fact of her own child in her belly and how these children pose a challenge to her rule. But they are all that's left of her father and her girlhood friend. She will not abandon them.
No, they are her family and they need a mother.
Her first true act as queen is to adopt her siblings and raise them as her own. Many question the wisdom of such a choice, especially when she births a dark haired son. The whispers begin but she is not swayed, Jacaerys is her heir. Born of her body. And any who speak against him will be tried for treason.
She does worry that her siblings will feel neglected with the new baby, though. She spends many a day with them in the nursery. Placing Jacaerys and Daeron in the same cradle to foster closeness. She does not ask Aegon or Heleana to call her mother, but Aemond who hasn't yet spoken reaches for her hand one day and utters the phrase:
"You look sleepy, mama. Nap time?"
It breaks something in her to hear a chubby babe call her mama. She tells him that babies just take a lot of work and so does being a queen. She's struggling to balance the work of being queen with being a mother but the way Aemond crawls into her lap and insists it's nap time in the most serious of tones makes her fall in love. Aegon and Heleana soon follow in calling her mama, the months that come.
Aegon shyly tugging her skirt as she makes to head to a small council meeting. "Can I come too? Can I help, mama?" She walks into the small council chambers holding her seven year old adopted son's hand. He serves as her cupbearer after that.
Rhaenyra finds out that Heleana has been waking up crying for mama and the maids have thought that she just missed her mother. Rhaenyra asks who she's crying for one afternoon and Heleana just holds her arms out to be held.
Even as she births her second son a year after the first, she continues to dote upon her adopted children. She learns to tend their needs, as does Laenor. Her husband is found with Aegon passed out on his shoulders after sword practice quite often and takes Aemond flying on Seasmoke. The first word that Daeron speaks is 'papa'. Rhaenyra realizes that Laenor has fallen just as in love with them as she has.
Their family grows closer and better loved by the year. Rhaenyra gets to raise her family. Even with all the mixed emotions and the weight of the crown, she will not fail these children as her father failed her.
From the Cradle by TamKent on AO3!
annaxmalina
romaincrisis
snowghoul
kaledo-art
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