I was thinking about "into the rose garden" au and what if Maekar had nearly died giving birth to Valarr would it have snapped Baelor out of the haze? And if so, I wonder how they will get on from there, because young Maekar was also hoping that Baelor would change after the birth of the child and now he has but the trauma of those months after the wedding and during the pregnancy will follow him, wouldn't it? 🥹😭
so, I think this would change the structure of the whole AU,
I'll kinda start from the end because that will be necessary for what comes, but I imagine that would cause a gap between Valarr and the rest of the kids, because if we say that Maekar was about 15yo when he did gave birth to him, I think they would wait a few years until he's older and more prepared to have another child
so they wed as Baelor wished, and Maekar’s all over the moon, at least until their first night comes and he's suddenly treated coldly, left in their marital chambers to cry alone
still, he's hopeful that all Baelor needs is adjusting, because Maekar still has in mind that he's his brother and this marriage is a bit weird (although, at his ripe age of 15, he's more adjusted to it than his older brother, which makes sense since he had a crush on Baelor for years)
so, Maekar's trying to make a place for himself both in Baelor's life and in the Red Keep's hierarchy. he's not sure what to do since nobody really explained to him much about being a consort, on top of being an omega. his own mother couldn't be bothered to help him prepare for wedding and bedding ceremony. and after the wedding nothing really changed, he still was the fourth son of the King, overlooked by most of the people around him. not even marriage to Baelor seemed to change that (because little did Maekar know, it was all doing of his husband. it was his orders that took most of the servants and guards from Maekar's wing, and he was the one to look after his education, skipping many matters that could one day be important on purpose, all to keep Maekar clueless as long as possible)
it all doesn't last long, because week after week Maekar's condition seems to be worsening, but he keeps ignoring it because he doesn't want to be a burden to Baelor, and it's only after he finally passes out in the middle of a hall that he's taken to see a Maester and receives good news
he's pregnant with Baelor's heir, he's carrying a child, still being a child himself
that doesn't seem to move Baelor at all, he still doesn't say a word to Maekar, but he is claiming all the warm congratulations from family and from courtiers. nobody really notices Maekar standing there, forced to perform, act like he's some sort of a mannequin. everyone is focused on the fact that it's Baelor's heir, not that Maekar is carrying his first child
so I imagine the signs were there from the beginning, with Maekar being barely able to get up in the morning, being unable to eat, to focus on anything really. he tried to talk about it to anyone who would hear him, but Baelor ignored him because the Maester said it's all normal, and when he asked for advice Myriah called him dramatic, so he assumed that's how it's supposed to be
he tries to fight through it, ignore that he could barely swallow his meals for months, that his hair is thinning, his hands are constantly shaking, that his clothes are starting to get loose. he ignores how grotesque he's looking in the mirror, his belly is swollen with his child, while the rest of the body is getting ridiculously thin
and somehow, Baelor's ignoring all of that, as if he didn't care that because of the state Maekar's in his baby could be in danger
when the birth begins, Maekar is terrified. he's exhausted, he gave all he could for that baby while no one around cared about him, he's asking for anyone, for Baelor, for his mother, for Rhaegel who's in Vale, for Aerys who's on Dragonstone. and yet, no one comes to help him, it's him, the Maester and the nurses
there's too much blood, everyone around seems to be frantically whispering about something, and Maekar can only focus on excruciating pain piercing through his abdomen
it's truly a miracle that he delivered Valarr with his own strength, because the Maester was considering cutting him open (and Baelor would probably agree to do that)
when Baelor holds his firstborn, a small but strong boy, it's when he finally sees what his ignorance and coldness did to both his son and his brother-wife
Maekar's hollow face is pale, he's still laying in the blood-soaked sheets like he's dead, because the nurses focused on the heir before taking care of him
that's when Baelor snaps at them, ordering to take proper care of Maekar because the baby is perfectly fine
Maekar's health is soon getting worse, he's barely conscious, feverish, and it takes almost a moon for him to get a bit of his strength back
to his surprise, Baelor's by his side with little Valarr in a bassinet next to the bed, helping him sit up and hold his baby. and he doesn't leave the next day, he's helping Maekar to eat, wash, get dressed, all the daily things
Maekar's grateful, but deep down he has this feeling that it will all have a price. so when the Maester checks up on him, claiming that he's clear to try for another child, Maekar's waiting how long will it take Baelor to pup him again and leave for the next months
and yet, nothing like that happens
sweet Valarr is almost a year old and Baelor didn't try anything with Maekar. but he didn’t stop taking care of him either, often inviting him to a friendly sparring, or just having a meal with him in his Solar. it's so confusing to Maekar that he finally decides to try and seduce Baelor. he's terrified to get pregnant again but he knows that he has to perform his duty, even if it will cost him his life
Baelor's also terrified when he sees Maekar in his bed, dressed up in a silk, pretty gown, with forced smile and tears in his eyes. he's mad at himself for doing this to his sweetling, for making his dearest brother feel like he's only useful for carrying his children
they don't do anything that night. instead they have a talk, and Baelor apologises for those past two/three years they've been engaged and married, for his cold behaviour. he never confesses to Maekar his first plan, his petty idea of revenge. instead he finay acts like a man, saying they don't have to rush with another child, saying that they can wait until Maekar's older and more suited, more prepared for this
it doesn't fix their marriage, but it's a start of something
this came out longer that I expected XD that's all I have in me, hope that satisfies your expectations, dear Anon 🩷










