A servant tapped Ernst's shoulder. He sighed and glanced away from watching Franz giving his speech at his meeting with his uncle and several other rather important aristocrats. The wildcount sighed and turned away as Ernst's friend glanced down at his notes.
"Yes, what is it?" he murmured impatiently.
"It's the archduke's wife, sir," whispered the servant in his ear. The man seemed quite awkward but he started to continue anyway. "She's-"
"Ah. It's THAT day, is it?" Ernst sighed again, sparing the man of speaking. He nodded. "Thank you. I'll tell Franz."
With that, the servant hurried away to other duties. Ernst bit down a groan and silently slipped around the edge of the room until he was behind the archduke. He crept forward and laid a hand on Franz's shoulder. His friend glanced up at him curiously as the other men glared at him in annoyance. Ernst ignored them and gestured for Franz to come away several meters.
"If you will excuse me a moment, gentlemen," the archduke said with his dashing smile as he stood. He strode after Ernst.
"What is it?" he hissed unhappily. "You know how important this is, Ernst!" Ernst brushed off his angry tone.
"Sophie's gone into labor, Franz," he whispered. He friend's face was immediately drained of all color, eyes growing wide.
"Now calm down," Ernst said hurriedly, grasping his shoulders and squeezing. Franz was becoming undone and it looked as though he would scream. "I received the message only minutes ago."
"Please finish for me!" Franz's voice was barely above a whisper. He was afraid he would scream too, then.
"What?" Ernst blanched loudly before he dropped his voice to a hiss, "What?"
"I have to be with Sophie!"
"You yourself said this was dreadfully important!"
"Ernst, please!"
"I am no archduke, Franz! I would help if I could!" Ernst snarled fiercely. Franz dropped his gaze and his shoulders sagged underneath the count's hands.
"Very well, Ernst," the archduke's voice was strangled. "You're right." A new worry popped into Ernst's mind. What if Franz broke down? That certainly wouldn't go down well at all. He did have notes... Perhaps...
"Franz," sighed Ernst, succumbing guiltily. His friend looked up at him, wide-eyed.
"I'll use your notes."
Franz broke into a grateful grin and threw his arms around Ernst. The count flinched and pushed him away.
"Thank you!" he said boisterously as he trotted out of the room. Ernst smacked his palm to his forehead and sat in Franz's seat, scrutinizing the notes.
"Where's Franz?" demanded the Kaiser. "Where is he going?"
"A pressing family matter has arisen, my Lord," Ernst said calmly despite the butterflies taking wing in his stomach. "Franz insisted I take his place, regretfully." The Kaiser glared bullets into him but remained silent. Ernst cleared his throat to fill the silence.
"Well, gentlemen, shall we resume?"

~X~X~X~

Ernst lingered in the room, packing Franz's notes and the additional ones he'd taken— in order not to forget anything— into his satchel. He sighed wearily. He certainly did not envy Franz. He would be driven mad with all the information and politics.
"It's HER, isn't it?" spat the Kaiser's voice behind him. Ernst closed the bag at his waist and turned to face the icy emperor.
"Sophie," he corrected coolly, bowing a bit. "Yes, their child was born." Joseph gave a snort of disgust.
"Just a pathetic thing, I'm sure," he spat. Ernst's mouth twitched protectively.
"As infants are, I've always thought, my Lord."
"Marrying that..." he paused then snarled, "impure whore in the first place! Fah!"
"I mean no disrespect, your highness," Ernst growled, bristling as he stepped closer. "but do not speak of Sophie in such a manner again."
"Or you'll what?"
Ernst went silent. In all honestly, he wanted to show the emperor a thing or too right now.
"Can you not be happy for your nephew?" the count continued, stepping past the old man.
"I cannot!" shouted Joseph after him. "Nor will I ever be!" Ernst pivoted on his heels and ground his molars. He barely manage to bow low from the waist.
"Have a good day, my Lord," he hissed through gritted teeth then strode away. He heard the Kaiser say nothing after him so he hurried from the vicinity.
He sighed as he stepped into the carriage that waited for him. His kneaded his brow and gazed out the window, conflicted. The emperor should mind his tongue. He may be the leader of a powerful empire but that didn't mean he should hate in such a way. There was a new Hapsburg, whether his— or her— blood wasn't pure. It would barely be an infant, only a few hours old.
As the carriage drew up in front of Franz's palace several minutes later, it had started to snow again. It was rather cold as Ernst trudged his way against the wind, with hands buried in his coat pockets, inside. The wind disheveled his hair and small shards of ice and snow stung his face.
"Where is Franz and Sophie?" he asked a maid as he stamped his boots.
"In the bedroom, sir," she answered cheerfully. "May I take your coat."
"Yes, thank you."
He shed his coat and she took it lightly from him before disappearing. Ernst strode through the palace, his boots squeaking on the tiles. He couldn't help but set his jaw in annoyance. Even as a child, he'd loathed that sound.
Shaking his head with a smirk, he politely knocked on Sophie and Franz bedroom door before entering. Franz was leaning back against the headboard, his wife's head resting on his shoulder and a child cradled in his arms. Sophie looked as though she were asleep, but then her eyes flickered open, settling on him warily. Franz grinned up at him childishly.
"Hello," Ernst said with a smile. It was hard not too, with that look on his friend's face. "How are you Sophie? Well?"
"Tired," sighed the woman, sitting up and pushing her messy brown hair away from her face. "but alright."
"Good."
Ernst crossed over to sit on the edge of the bed at Franz's feet. He leaned over to peak at the bundle close to the archduke's chest.
"Meet Aleksander," he said proudly. Ernst could only blink at the stirring newborn.
"Hello, Aleksander."