Married life for Tommen Baratheon, the first of his name, had been relatively easy for a lad like himself. Life had been relatively easy for him, except for the untimely deaths of his monstrous brother, and the drunkard of a man he called father. The young King was only a fortnight away from his next name day; he would be ten and seven before anyone would know it.
To top of Tommen's well lived life, he just so happened to be married to the smartest and most beautiful woman in all of the Realm, Margaery of House Tyrell, and well technically House Baratheon now. They had been married just shy of two years and it had been a marriage of pure bliss. Margaery was Tommen's best friend, his lover and wife, and hopefully soon, the mother of his children. Margaery had been away for the last six weeks in High Garden, the death of Olenna Tyrell had come from nowhere, and it had cast the Keep in deep despair.
Margaery had kept to her room, only allowing a few handmaidens and Tommen in for the first two weeks after her death. Lady Olenna had meant the world to her granddaughter and for Margaery to lose her mentor so suddenly was a great tragedy. Tommen had never seen his darling wife cry so much, and it hurt him that he could not help her. She had asked to leave for High Garden one night, to help close this chapter of life, and the King couldn't help but to indulge her. She left the next morning, and Tommen had asked her to take as long as she needed. She did, it had been six weeks, and Tommen had missed his wife greatly.
She was to return home today and today was unusually hot, even for the summer. The long winter that had been prophesized about lasted for only a short period before the summer sun began to warm the land. Tommen was thankful, he hated the cold.
He had taken his doublet off early in the morning because there was no use in soiling fine dornish silk. The back of Tommen's undershirt was sticking to his ribs and neck; his feet were sweaty in the stockings and boots that he wore. The young King was sitting at his desk in his chambers. He was going over countless ration reports.
When Margaery had first become Queen, she had initiated a new ration system for Flea Bottom, that way no child would ever go hungry. She oversaw every detail and Tommen had thought that it would be nice for her to relax when she returned and tried to keep up with everything. He had never undertaken something so daunting. There were lists of every child in Flea Bottom, and then there were lists of everything each child needed specifically, and a list of all the bakers and blanket weavers within ten miles of the city. It all seemed endless to Tommen, but he knew this poverty issue couldn't be ignored.
He had just finished signing the next shipment of bread when the hot summer wind blew in some of the rose petals from outside. In order to make Margaery's return home special, the King had ordered red and white rose petals to be flung from every window and tower in King's Landing all day, and horns to announce that the Queen was in the city. Tommen had sent a squire to find Margaery and escort her to his chambers before they both go before the court for the evening feast.
The sweaty king stood from the overstuffed chair and walked out to the terrace. The scent of roses permeated the air. He sincerely had hoped the rose petals would have been a nice subtle touch, nothing to over the top. Anything Tommen and Margaery had done was always subtle, nothing to grand. They had both learned that lesson at Joffrey's wedding; too much splendor was a bad thing.
Tommen glanced over the city in search of the green bannisters with the Baratheon sigil on them. He barely discerned the green specks of color a ways out in the city. Ser Pounce had come out on to the terrace and began rubbing against the King's legs.
Tommen bent down and had rubbed the ears of his favorite cat, "She's almost here," he whispered as excitement crept into his voice. Tommen heard the sound of horns blare to confirm his previous statement. The king went back inside to wash up. The water was cold against his flesh and it was very soothing. He called for a new undershirt and tossed the old one at the squire. The fresh shirt felt stiff against his skin.
Tommen went back to his desk and read over a few more things worthy of his signature. She would be here soon, but Tommen's patience was wearing thin. These last weeks had been pure agony for him. His bed felt empty without her and even walking in the gardens wasn't very fun for him either. He just wanted to kiss her, and hug her, and tell her sweet nothings even though she was his sweet everything.
A maid had come in and brought extra bath sheets for the night, Tommen had hope to use them. As the maid exited the room he heard through the gap of the closing doorway, "Her Majesty Queen Margaery," echo up from the main floor. Tommen's heart began to race. He couldn't figure out why he felt so giddy, so childlike. There was much commotion going on outside his chamber door. Tommen felt the surge of energy and began looking around his room for any out of place items. Boots, the smallest of his trio of cats, was lazily snoring on the bed, and Lady Whiskers was nowhere to be found. His bed had been made with the silk sheets Margaery favored. His room had been dusted thoroughly, for Margaery sneezed when dust was mixed with the air. Everything Tommen did was for his adoring wife because he loved her so much.
The noise outside his door quieted down immediately, and he heard the intoxicating laughter of his wife. Tommen thought his heart stopped; his breath hitched and his knees felt weak. The King knew the only person to undo him was Margaery and no one else. He blinked rapidly, and began to move. He sat in his desk chair and then immediately stood up again. He moved over the side of his bed and sat lazily. He stood immediately again feeling awkward. In the end he ran towards the terrace.
He heard the creak of his door open and then it closed. Tommen pretended to look over the city as small footsteps approached him.
"Tommen, my love is that you?" Margaery asked stepping out onto the terrace.
The young king turned around and couldn't say anything. He was blown away by what he saw. Margaery was wearing a black sleeveless gown with silver beading at the top of the bust, it was a new silhouette he had never seen her wear. Her brown curly hair cascaded over her shoulder and framed her face perfectly. There was no way he would have survived another night without her.
Tommen darted for his wife and kissed her forcefully at first and then softened it.
"Oh Margaery, I've missed you." Tommen said against her lips.
Margaery broke their kiss after a few more moments and pulled back to look at her husband. He had grown since she was last with him; he was a whole head taller than her. "I have missed you too my love." Margaery took his hand and led him back inside out of the heat.
"We have much to talk about," she said sitting Tommen down in the chair at his desk. Margaery propped herself on top of his desk and continued to hold his hand.
"I have a surprise for you, but I wanted to tell you first that my House thanks you for the wonderful gift. My father cried when he received it. It was a lovely gesture." Margaery was referring to the solid gold rose bouquet with ivory petals and the Tyrell sigil engraved on each leaf that Tommen had sent with condolences.
"I'm happy he liked it, I hoped he would." Tommen kissed his wife's hand. "Go on."
Margaery game him her signature smirk, "My Grandmother was laid to rest in a funeral fit for a King. White roses were everywhere, and also, the falling roses were a beautiful touch Tommen. It will give the children something to play with for the day in Flea Bottom. Anyways, there was a very fat septon who after the funeral service didn't talk to anyone, he only ate the food and drank the wine." Margaery laughed, "It was quite a spectacle because he proceeded to dance with my Aunt and she was very uncomfortable. Let's just say Loras had to escort him out and try to comfort our dear old aunt. Now tell me Tommen, what have you been doing in my absence?"
Tommen smiled and gestured towards the papers on his desk, "This is what I've doing and nothing else."
Margaery picked up one of the various pieces of paper and examined it. Her eyes widened, "You kept up the food rationing for me?"
"Someone had to my love, and I figured it was worth yours and my own time that the rest of this month's work is done. You can now relax and ease back into your duties. However, as the king, I feel like we should get to work on the most important of your duties,"Tommen smiled coyly at his wife and pulled her into his lap playfully. Margaery giggled as Tommen began to kiss her neck.
"Tommen we have time for that later. We must go to feast soon," Margaery tried to climb out of her husband's lap but to no avail, he had trapped her.
The look he gave Margaery almost made her recant her wanting to go to the feast, but she couldn't help it. She was hungry all the time and that was the consequence when a woman ate for two.
"Tommen let me up please." Margaery asked. "I'm hungry and want to go downstairs."
Tommen let his wife up, and she stood up quite awkwardly. "Are you alright my dear?"
"I'm fine my love. Let us go make merriment with the court." Margaery grabbed Tommen's hand and pulled him from his chair.
"Wait, Margaery. I need my doublet." Tommen walked over to his wardrobe and pulled on a dornish silk doublet in red, Margaery walked over to him and helped button him up.
Tommen stopped her hands at the last button, "You said there was a surprise for me?"
Margaery finished clasping the last button, and walked away from Tommen and stood at the foot of the big bed. "While I was in High Garden, I missed my monthly bleeding for the third time in a row. I've also been throwing up regularly every morning. I had the Maester of High Garden examine me, and Tommen; I am with your child," Margaery smiled. She slid her hand down the front of her black gown and smoothed it so Tommen could see the small curve of her rounding belly.
Tommen's mouth dropped. He couldn't find the words to speak. He was going to be a father after all this time. His legacy would be supplanted, and if it were a boy, his heir would be born. Everything he and Margaery worked for in the last two years would come to fruition. Tommen's heart felt strange. It wasn't the usual flutter he got when Margaery was with him, but it was a whole new feeling entirely.
He walked over to Margaery and fell to his knees in front of her. He placed his hands on the curvature of her belly and kissed it. "My child, my beautiful white rose of a child, you are not even born yet, and I love you just as much as your mother." He kissed her belly again and looked up at Margaery. Tears were welling in her eyes but she wasn't sad. "I love you Margaery," Tommen rested his head on her belly, and neither one moved. Tommen couldn't have imagined a better way to mark the day of Margaery's arrival back in King's Landing. He didn't want to for this day was perfect.