Game of Thrones - One Shots/Imagines: Part Three

Young!Robert Baratheon X Reader - Young and Beautiful

A/N - This chapter is based on the song 'Young and Beautiful' by Lana Del Rey. I hope you all enjoy it.

Ever since you had agreed to marry your betrothed, you had been growing anxious about what life would bring you. You barely knew the man who was readying to become your husband, and you were almost certain he knew even less about you. Robert Baratheon was a man that rumours clung to; he was heroic, and charming, and likely a little too loose with his morals, and it made for wonderful stories. But beyond that, you had hardly had the chance to speak a single word to him past a polite greeting. 

Perhaps, you should be honoured that he had agreed to the match. After all, he was the head of his own household, and if he had wanted to, he could have married any of the young maidens that had likely been paraded in front of him. And yet, he had chosen you. 

Now, you weren't naive enough to begin formulating romantic ideas of love at first sight. There was no doubt in your mind that he had picked the prettiest girl he had seen. That was one of the rumours you had discovered from your maid. Your husband to be had a weak spot for pretty girls, and they, in turn, seemed to be all too welcoming to his charms. 

A few weeks before your wedding, your father had insisted on you moving to your knew home. He'd made some claim of you needing to familiarise yourself with the household you would have to run, and he'd packed you off with your belongings to start a new life in a completely alien part of the world. 

Robert had been striding towards the gates when you had come riding in, and you couldn't help but wonder how he had managed to get his timings so precise. For a moment, your mind had gone swimming, forgetting everything you had been taught as a child. And then he was smiling up at you. 

"Welcome to Storm's End, My Lady," he had started. His smile was contagious, the way it spread all the way up to his eyes was enough to have you smiling sweetly back at him. "I trust your journey was pleasant." 

You nodded as your guard came to help you down from your horse. "As pleasant as a weeks riding can possibly be," you uttered, petting the horse's neck for a moment before finally moving closer to your betrothed. There was a moment of awkward silence, and then you quickly shook your head. "I'm not used to having to make my own introductions," you started. "I've never even left home without my father at my side before." 

"How about I get us started?" Robert teased, holding his hand out to you. "I'm Robert." 

You couldn't help the small chuckle that dropped from your lips. "Y/N," you uttered, reaching out to take his hand in yours and giving it a firm shake. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Y/N."

After that, you had fallen into an easy companionship. You would sit with him whilst he worked, watching as his eyes roamed the pages until he grew frustrated. On occasion, he would explain the work to you, offer you the writings of Lords from all over the Seven Kingdoms and ask your opinion on their ramblings. Other times, he would just stare for a while, his eyes fixed on your face as he calmed his rising temper. Some days, you would spend every waking moment at his side, the two of you making far easier conversation than you would have expected. 

It was nice really, and you allowed yourself to fall for him far quicker than you had hoped. Robert was charismatic, and the way he spoke was enough to draw you in without even a hint of effort. And Gods, it was terrifying. 

There was a part of you that envied the girls who could marry some lesser Lord from an almost forgotten house. They could knock out a child or two and their husbands would remain enamoured for life. But there was far more pressure on you. Robert was expected to visit the capital regularly, and there was no doubt in your mind that pretty young girls would fawn over him. And as you got older, they would remain young. As you gained wrinkles and your hair grew grey, they would stay beautiful and perky. It was a horrifying prospect, really. You would age, and he would have his pick of the pretty young things at court. 

It was that thought that plagued you most evenings, as you awaited your wedding. You didn't doubt that the anxiety would continue to grow, flourishing in your mind until you were practically mad with it. 

It was only when your worries began to seep into your days with Robert that you had grown weary of them. He had noticed it immediately, too. The way you would sit with a small frown on your lips, your brows furrowed in concentration, unaware of his careful gaze on you. 

"What are you thinking about?" You flinched slightly as he spoke, suddenly very aware of his attention, and almost certain that he would run the moment you spoke of your worries. 

You hummed out some noncommittal noise, giving a short shrug as you settled down in the plush seat he had installed in his study for you. Your seat. The place he had carved out for you. Perhaps you were being silly. Robert was so kind to you, and you had no reason to believe he would ever be unfaithful-

"That wasn't an answer," he uttered, placing the parchment he was holding down on the desk and frowning over at you.

You allowed your eyes to meet his, your tongue darting out to wet your lips. "I was thinking about life," you started, so softly that it was barely audible. "And how terrifying the concept of forever is." 

A small smile pulled at his lips, his eyes still focused on yours. "Why is it terrifying?" he hummed, sitting back in his seat, relaxing now that he had his mind on something other than his work. 

"Does it not scare you? The idea that once we marry we're connected to one another forever? The idea that you'll be my person until one of us dies." 

Robert's brow furrowed slightly. "I'd never really thought about it-" he paused for a moment, looking so deep in thought that you were hesitant to break him out of it. "In all honesty, I've not even thought about another woman since I met you." 

Your face softened at his comment, and now there was guilt sitting in your stomach. "That's sweet, but-"

"No but," he interrupted, shaking his head. "You are the most beautiful creature I have ever met, and I am certain that I will never want another woman as long as I have you."

"You think that now, but in ten years time there will be another beautiful creature, and I'll just be me."

He was watching you so carefully that your stomach began tying itself in knots. "And you'll still be my beautiful creature, won't you?" You shifted in your seat, glancing away from him for a moment. "You'll still be the woman I get to spend my life with. The one who has brought me endless joy from the first time I met you. The only one who understands how my mind works. The only one I will ever truly love." 

Your breath caught in your throat at his words, your head shooting up to look at him. Love. It sounded so funny coming from his lips so effortlessly, and it had caught you so off guard that you were reeling from it. "You love me?" 

"Of course, I love you." 

A smile bloomed on your lips, and you gave a sharp nod. "Wonderful," you murmured, a bubble of laughter escaping you before you could catch it.

"You're my person," he added softly, and suddenly you were on your feet, moving around his desk to wrap your arms around him. You pressed your face into his neck as he manoeuvred you into his lap, his hand rubbing gently up your spine. "My clever," he hummed, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. "Funny," he added, nudging your head with one hand so that you would look at him. "Beautiful girl." With that, he leant in, pressing his lips to yours in a sweet kiss. "There is no one in this world I would rather spend my life with." 

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