A/N: Here’s my first fic. This one will be about Aeron not a HUGE character but I wish he and Davos/Benjicot got more screen time so here’s me trying to rectify the situation. This one will be short (compared to others anyway) sort of a trial run. Hope you enjoy!
Warnings: mentions of child death.
Summary: (Y/N) Bracken, second daughter and youngest child of Viserys Targaryen and Alicent Hightower had married Aeron Bracken and had a son. After the news of her nephew, Jaehaerys’, murder (Y/N) becomes unable to let her own son out of arms reach.
(Y/N) was the youngest child and second daughter of Viserys Targaryen and Alicent Hightower. Being the youngest and a female, ascending the throne was never something (Y/N) had any interest in, or even thought attainable for herself she was so far down the line anyway. So when she fell in love with Aeron Bracken, who was a Lord and knight but not a prince, Viserys and Alicent allowed the marriage since they too never saw (Y/N) on the throne. It wouldn’t really matter if she married below her own stature.
(Y/N) would much rather marry the man she loves than marry someone she didn’t just on the possibility that she MAY inherit the throne one day and that was a strong MAY. She wanted to plan her life around what she wanted and what was practical for her. And that’s what she did. She and Aeron had been married 4 years now and (Y/N) enjoyed the Riverlands and living in Stone Hedge. The strife between House Bracken and House Blackwood was something she was aware of but didn’t let it control her every thought like the rest of her family by marriage did.
So she spent her days being with her son, Aeren, whom had just turned 4 (she and Aeron wasted no time trying to produce an heir) From the time Aeren was first placed in (Y/N) arms she was completely in love with him. She never even let the wet nurses feed him cause he was her baby and she’d be damned if another woman would breastfeed HER child. To say she was a fiercely loving mother would be an understatement.
Helaena was (Y/N) older sister. Though Helaena was teased growing up (by their own brother) for her introverted, dismissive ways and her odd fascination with insects, (Y/N) loved her sister no less and looked up to her and protected her when need be. Helaena and (Y/N) had always been close and even when (Y/N) married and moved to the Riverlands, Helaena and (Y/N) were never not sending ravens back and forth and when (Y/N) heard of the birth of her sisters twins her heart swelled with joy and excitement for her sister and she longed to go meet her niece and nephew but with such unrest between the Blacks and the Greens, Aeron felt better having his lady safe in Stone Hedge. Especially now that she was freshly pregnant with their second child.
Aeron hoped that (Y/N) family would just forget her and leave her to live out her days in Stone Hedge away from the war over the iron throne. Sure, the Blackwoods and the Brackens had issues but not a monarchy level dispute. As horrible as he felt thinking that he thought it no less. (Y/N) was safer there, with the Blackwoods than in Kings Landing.
It was early in the morning, and Aeron sat at his desk in his study when a raven landed on the window sill with a scroll tied to his foot. Aeron grabbed the scroll and the raven flew away, he looked down at the wax mark and saw the Greens sigil. Aeron knew it was most likely for (Y/N) but she was still sound asleep and something in his gut was telling him to read it first so he unrolled it and started to read. His face dropped and his stomach dropped even lower, but before he could even fully process what he’d just read on his own the door to his study creaked open and (Y/N) walked in. Clearly having just gotten out of bed she smiled a tired smile and wrapped her arms around Aerons waist from behind. “Good morning husband” (Y/N) said and kissed his shoulder, Aeron was still in shock by what he’d just read and now seeing his beautiful wife in such a good mood he hated to have to give her this news.
(Y/N) noticed how quiet and stiff Aeron was and she looked up at him and saw him just looking at the floor with tears welling up in his eyes.
“Aeron? My sun what’s the matter?” (Y/N) asked with concern in her features as she grabbed Aeron’s face in her hands and made him look at her.
Aeron just shook his head, his mouth slightly agape, “Aeron? What’s wrong?” (Y/N) asked more insistently now. Aeron looked down at the scroll in his hands and (Y/N) looked down at it to and saw her family’s sigil and her heart sunk. Was it Helaena? Her mother? (Y/N) snatched the scroll and Aeron came back to his senses.
“(Y/N), light of my life, please don’t-“ Aeron tried to get the scroll back from his wife but she’d already walked to the other side of the room with it. Aeron stood back while (Y/N) read the scroll, though her back was to him he saw her hands start to shake and her shoulders tremble and he felt his heart crack. “(Y/N)?” Aeron said and as soon as he said her name she screamed a blood curdling wail and fell to her knees. Aeron flew to her side and got on his knees behind her wrapping his arms around his wife as she cried and cried. With every grievous scream that ripped from her throat his heart fractured more, cursing himself for not hiding the note sooner to hopefully deliver this awful news to his wife a little more softly. But who was he kidding, there was no amount of sugar that could make this go down easier.
(Y/N) spent the rest of her day in her and Aerons chambers staring out the window tearfully. (Y/N) was sad about her nephew Jaehaerys, but she had never met him in person, her grief was more for her dear sister whom she loved so. The biggest thing other than DNA she and Helaena had in common was being mothers. (Y/N) knew her life’s purpose was to be a mother from the second she held her boy and to know what her sister had just endured, (Y/N) couldn’t imagine it. Her dear sweet Helaena, and poor little Jaehaerys, he was but an innocent child, a baby, only about 6 months older than Aeren.
That night as (Y/N) laid in bed trying to go to sleep but not succeeding thus far, too haunted by thoughts of her sister and nephew. She finally gave up and sat up in bed, no light but that of the fireplace. Aeron hadn’t come to bed and usually didn’t till late due to his many duties. (Y/N) threw the covers off of her and wrapped herself in her robe and headed out of her chambers and into the halls and made her way to Aerens room. She gently opened his door and there her baby boy was sleeping safely and peacefully in his bed. She smiled as she stared at him. Her beautiful creation, he had Aerons hair and nose but her eyes. He was, in her mind, living, breathing perfection.
As she admired Aeren her mind again transported her back to Kings Landing where her sister was right now, short one babe. And immediately (Y/N) felt sick again. She took a deep breath and she felt more tears coming which she tried to swallow down she’d look like she’d gotten stung in the eyes by a million bees come morning if she didn’t stop crying soon. (Y/N) took another deep breath then looked back at Aeren who still slept peacefully. She walked over to him and gently pulled his covers off him and lifted his sleeping body into her arms and he stayed knocked out. She held him close to her and leaned down to pick up his teddy bear and his little baby blanket he still had a tantrum over if it was taken from him and headed out of his room back down the halls to her and Aerons room. She shut the door and went over to the sofa that sat in front of the fireplace.
She laid across the sofa and stretched her legs out and laid Aeren across herself, his little head resting on her chest and his tiny hands gripping her robe and his arm squeezing his teddy. She laid his blanket across him and squeezed him tight against her. Now, she felt better. Her two babies right there with her, safe and sound.
About 10 minutes went by when Aeron burst through their chamber doors “(Y/N) Aeren wasn’t in his-“ Aeron was quickly shushed by (Y/N), who to his delight had his son safely in her arms. He too was made more paranoid by the whole Jaehaerys ordeal. Aeron took a deep shaky breath and softly closed the door behind him and went over to (Y/N). “I went to kiss him goodnight and he wasn’t in his bed” Aeron explained the reason for his terror just a moment ago. (Y/N) just stared at Aeron and then looked back at the fire “well he was here” (Y/N) replied. Aeron nodded in relief.
“Here I’ll take him back to bed-“ Aeron said as he started to reach for his son but if looks could kill a man then the look (Y/N) gave him surely would’ve made him fall backwards, dead as a doornail. Aeron gulped and put his hands up in surrender, “he’s fine here” (Y/N) said lowly. Aeron nodded and sat on the sofa with (Y/N) lifting her feet into his lap to rub them. (Y/N) took a deep breath to compose herself. “How was your day?” (Y/N) asked and Aeron continued to stare into the fire. “Busy…” Aeron replied “I was rather distracted all day” Aeron added and (Y/N) nodded and chuckled humorlessly “me also”.
“Could you not sleep?” Aeron asked “of course I couldn’t” (Y/N) replied. (Y/N) inwardly scolded herself for snapping at Aeron twice already.
“I’m sorry” (Y/N) apologized
“For what?” Aeron asked
“For being so short with you, you haven’t done anything I’m just-“
(Y/N) sighed “are you okay?” (Y/N) asked and Aeron looked at her “I should be asking that of you” Aeron said. (Y/N) looked back at the fire, “I don’t know how I feel” (Y/N) answered. “I feel devastated, confused.… scared”.
Aeron looked up “scared?” He asked. “Yes, scared.” (Y/N) confirmed “why are you scared?” Aeron asked and (Y/N) looked at him as if he’d grown a second head “why wouldn’t I be scared? Just now baby boys are being beheaded like traitors” (Y/N) said. “What does that have to do with Aeren?” Aeron asked “what did it have to do with Jaehaerys?” (Y/N) snapped. Aeron sighed “they’d have no reason to come after Aeren” Aeron reasoned “they had to reason to go after Jaehaerys! My brother killed Luke not my nephew” (Y/N) hissed trying to convey her full annoyance at her husband but not wake their son. Aeron knew his wife was simply scared so he needed to reassure her he’d die a thousand deaths before he’d let any harm come to a hair on her or their sons head.
Aeron got down on his knees by the couch next to (Y/N) and looked her deep in the eyes and he could see new tears brimming her lids. He put a hand on top of his wife’s hand that was resting on their son’s golden brown hair. “When I married you I swore to protect you by my own life and I will, I meant it when I said that, you and Aeren are the air I breathe” Aeron said his voice quivering at the last part. “And our new baby will grow up with Aeren and they’ll give us grand children and great grandchildren and great great grandchildren and on and on till there’s so many Brackens the Blackwoods will fall on their own swords” (Y/N) chuckled with real humor as tears continued to fall down her face.
Aeron reached up and wiped the tears from (Y/N) face and she smiled at him. Aeren stirred a little in his sleep and squeezed his bear closer to him and continued dreaming. (Y/N) took a deep breath and wiped her face with her hand then set it back down on her son’s head and kissed his soft hair, running her fingers across his face tenderly. “I can’t believe we created something so perfect” (Y/N) whispered “I can” Aeron replied and (Y/N) smiled as she continued to stare at her sleeping son. The picture of innocence. More tears brimmed her eyes.
Aeron looked at her concerned and she looked at him, “my sweet sister” (Y/N) whimpered and Aerons face glazed over with sadness “how could they do this to her? How could anyone take a mothers baby from her?” (Y/N) cried. Aeron felt a tear roll down his cheek as he shook his head, for that question he had no answer. It truly was pure evil. (Y/N) took in a shaky breath and pulled Aeren closer and Aeron leaned in too and kissed (Y/N) forehead then laid his head on their sons back and (Y/N) smiled and laid her other hand on Aerons back and scratched her nails comfortingly up and down. Right here, right now, in this moment (Y/N) had everything she needed. Her babies and her husband all safe and within perfect reach. Her world.
A/N: that’s that! Hope ya’ll enjoyed this gonna let this fic stew awhile see how it does before I write another. Thanks!
