House of The Dragon-The Beauty, The Bold, and The Black Dread: Chapter 170: Pain III

(Baelon's POV)

"Eat something." I leaned to Helaena and kissed her on the cheek, "My love...." 

We sat next to each other on the bed as she was holding my hand while she reapplied the bandages. 

"I am fine...." She said

"No." I said as I lifted her chin up, "You need to eat. I want you to eat." 

"How could I eat when my husband was dying right before me?" She asked me softly, "How?" 

"Am I dead?" I asked her

"No...." She said

"Then you can now eat." I told her, "You know it breaks my heart to see you like this." 

"Baelon...." She said when tears formed in her eyes, "You were dying.....what would I have done if you had actually died? You know I cannot live without you...." 

"Do not speak like that." I told her, "Even if I did, I cannot have you thinking like that. You are a Mother, Helaena.....you have to think of our son first..." 

"But I love you." She said, "You are the only man for me. If you are gone, what will I do? Do I have to marry some other one? Rhaenyra? What will we do?" 

"Enough." I leaned in and kissed her on the lips briefly, "I am here....I am alive. My heart is beating..." 

"I know." She said as she looked down, "It was so terrifying...." 

"I am sorry for that." I told her, "But it is okay. I will recover, I will be fine." 

The doors opened and I looked up to see Rhaenyra walking in while holding Daella in her arms, Elinda was behind her holding Valerion. 

My eyes widened, "V-Valerion...." I said softly, "Daella....m-my joys...." 

Rhaenyra walked up to us, "She was crying for you." She said as Daella looked down at me, her round and purple eyes staring right at me, "I figured since you were doing better, they can come and see their Father....." 

I slowly reached up for her, "Come...." I said, "L-Let me hold you...." 

Rhaenyra handed her over, "Right...." 

I gently held her in my arms, "Oh, my sweet girl..." I said

Feeling her warmth was a very relieving feeling, I could not even believe that I was holding her again after what I had dreamt. 

I looked at Valerion, "You too, my sweet boy." I said as I held Daella with one hand on my lap and reached for him with my other, "Come here..." 

Elinda got closer to me and handed Valerion to me. 

I took him into my arm as Helaena held my back as support, "Easy, Baelon..." She said softly

I held my two children in my arms, my hands trembling slightly due to the pain that throbbed my entire body. 

"It is fine..." I said as Daella leaned against my chest and Valerion was looking around in confusion, "I...I need this...." 

I leaned in to Valerion and kissed his head as Helaena patted his cheek. He looked up at me with a confused look, probably wondering why I looked like total shit. 

"My beautiful boy." I said with a smile, "Growing by the second...." 

Valerion then reached his arms for Helaena, "Mama...." 

Helaena took him into her arms, "Oh, Valerion..." She said with a shaky voice, "I am sorry for not being with you enough. I was too busy worried about your Father...." 

I patted his head with a chuckle, "Yes, son....have your Mother look after you instead of worrying about me." I said, "Do that." 

Valerion hugged her as Helaena kissed his head repeatedly, embracing him. 

I felt Rhaenyra's hand on my head, "You look better..." She said, "Father and Alicent are about to arrive. You should prepare for that." 

I kissed Daella on the forehead as I gave her a smile, "I know." I said, "I am expecting a serious repercussion for this." 

"How is your body?" She asked

"In pain." I said with a smile, looking at Daella who was staring at me, "Every moment causes me ache...and merely holding my daughter causes pain." 

"You should rest, then." Rhaenyra said

"No." I said, "I need this. This is real, I know it. Gods, I know this is real...." 

"Why would it not be?" Helaena asked

I hugged Daella as she hugged me back, not saying anything, "Because...." I said, "In that dream....none of this happened....and I felt nothing but despair and sadness...." 

"What do you mean?" Rhaenyra asked

"We had not gotten married yet." I told her as I ran my fingers through Daella's hair, "Helaena had not given birth yet....and Daella....she did not exist...." 

"Oh." Rhaenyra said softly, "Well...." 

"She does exist." Helaena said, "No matter how you look at it. She is here." 

"I know." I said, "And I do not want it any other way.....no matter how painful it was to know what happened to me....it does not matter because I have her....she is mine...she is my girl..." 

I looked at Daella who was looking at me with her pretty purple eyes. 

I then gently squeezed her cheek, causing her to grimace and pull away with a frown. 

"Come, sweetling." Rhaenyra said as she took her from my arms, "Your Father needs rest." 

"No." i said as I tried reaching for her again, "Just a bit longer...." 

"Lie back down." Rhaenyra said, "If Alicent sees you like this, you know of the scolding you will get." 

I sighed, "Fine." I said as I pointed at Helaena, "But only if she eats something." 

"Helaena." Rhaenyra said seriously, "Come. Let us eat, Sister." 

"N-No, i wish to stay with Baelon." Helaena said

"Go eat." I told her

"I could get some food brought up..." Elinda spoke up, "If it is not too much trouble." 

"Yes. Do that." I said, "My wife is going to be stubborn. Get some food for both of us. We might as well both eat." 

"As long as you rest." Rhaenyra said as she rubbed the top of my head, "I will get the children to bed and check on Daeron." 

"If he can walk, have him come to see me." I said, "If you do not want me walking about, that is." 

"Fine." Rhaenyra said, "Come, Valerion. Let us get you to bed." 

Elinda reached for Valerion and Helaena handed him to her, "Let us go, Little Prince." 

Valerion looked at me and waved me goodbye. 

I chuckled and waved back, "Sleep well, my son." 

Helaena sighed and hugged my arm, "Lie down, my love." She said, "Please." 

I watched as Rhaenyra walked away with Daella in her arms as Elinda followed with Valerion in hers. 

I sighed and slowly laid back down as Helaena crawled over and laid next to me, "Hm....." I said, "I am well aware that there is something that needs to be told to me. But nobody wants to say it." 

"I am sorry." She said softly, "I would rather not say it. I know that the moment you hear it, you will stand up and walk....and that is the last thing I want....." 

"I see...." I said

"Are you in pain?" She asked

"Yes." I said, "But it is manageable. Barely noticeable." 

"Rest is all you need." She said

"Do you want me to fall asleep?" I asked her with a gulp

"Well, if you sleep or not, I do not care." She said, "As long as you are in this bed, resting. You are a stubborn man sometimes." 

"Hm....." I said, "So....no slumber?" 

"Why do you ask?" She asked me

"In my dream...." I said, "You wanted me to sleep....you kept telling me to fall into slumber.....I realized....that if I had done that, I would have died.....the slumber....it was death...." 

"......were you going to do that?" She asked softly

"Your words were sweet and gentle...." I said, "And you know that I am a sucker for that....so perhaps I would have actually done it...." 

"I would never ask you to die." She said, "I hope you realize that." 

"I know." I said softly, "I know, love." 

"We live together, we die together." She said seriously, "Do you really think that I jest when I say I cannot live without you? I mean it, Baelon. I mean it. You are mine......your heart is mine. We are one. Rhaenyra is the only one that I can share you with....and that is it....nobody else....I hate the idea of leaving you alone....I hate the idea of you leaving us alone...." 

"Do not speak like that." I said, "That is what I do not like, love." 

"I am sorry." She said, "I....I just...." 

"It is okay." I said, "How about we wait for Mother's scolding, eh?" 

"Sounds fun, huh?"