Chapter 12

Malfoy was in labor. The blonde's palace was chaotic with screams, moans, and running servants. The royal healers, in the midst of everything, were screaming orders for the servant girls to fetch more hot water and towels. The blood-soaked towels and water which had been replaced countless times told a grim story of how the labor was going.

Harry was in the common room where Malfoy entertained guests. He sat with his back straight trying not to put pressure on his wounds and trying to remain calm whilst sending soothing pheromones to the Emperor and absorbing some of the anxiety from Malfoy.

Truthfully, he was drained, already giving the baby most of his energy earlier in the afternoon. It has been more than five hours since Malfoy's water broke and Harry has been holding his pain and exhaustion back for quite some time now. While it may not have been such a big task had he been healthy, in his current situation, every emotion that was in the room was too much, making him feel dizzy and exhausted.

The concubines sitting in neat rows a few steps from Harry were all sitting in silence. Harry could feel worry permeating off them in waves, no doubt worrying about their complacent role in today's events. There was no question that they would be punished, but depending on the outcome of the labor, their punishment would change severely.

Thomas was confused when he saw Harry's head eunuch approaching and upon hearing the incident, they had excused themselves from the Persian King and started towards their palace immediately.

As they entered Draco's residence, he could feel the distress in the air, he noted Harry sitting on the edge of his chair and looking extremely pale. He called for the royal healer, "How is Draco feeling now, has he been hurt, and is the baby fine?" he asked imperiously. "Your Majesty, Imperial Concubine Malfoy has gone into labor, we are doing our best to see that the mother and the baby are fine at the end of this." Thomas nodded at the royal healer and gestured for him to go back to Draco. The Kings were sitting together with tense shoulders. Lucius especially, was staring at a far-off place with a menacing growl on his lips, face carefully controlled into an expression of rage while somehow still remaining regal.

Harry was so tired, the tense five hours of waiting were wearing on him. He managed to barely control his flinching at the rage that was emitting from the Emperor and his Kings.

Hermione, who was standing behind her mistress, looked on helplessly, not knowing what she could do to help her mistress. For the entire time that she had been his head maiden, she'd seen him in various forms of distress, but this was something different entirely. There were sweat beads on his forehead and eyebrows, his already fair skin was so pale, it looked translucent. She could see his hands were trembling slightly in their folded position on his lap. Harry turned his attention from Malfoy's bedroom door to the pacing Alpha.

The royal healer came out of Malfoy's room and exclaimed, "The Imperial Concubine is tiring and not able to push the child out, we might have to cut him open to take the child out but that will be risky for the mother" Before the Emperor could say anything, "Your Majesty, let me go, give me one more hour, I can encourage him. Please," Harry blurted out in a rush while bending down in a deep curtsy, his back screamed in protest. Seeing his already pale concubine asking him permission to help Draco jarred Thomas, he wanted to refuse, he could feel how tired the omega was, but seeing the determination to help Draco in Harry's eyes persuaded him. He inclined his head towards the brunette, giving his eunuch a harsh glare when he made a move to protest.

Harry moved towards Malfoy's bedroom chambers clenching his teeth, steeling himself, there was no way he would allow anything to happen to Malfoy and the baby. He had used up his energy all afternoon to protect Malfoy from the consort. He would not let that be in vain. As much as he would love for the consort to be dunked in hot water for her cruel behavior, he didn't want that to happen at the expense of Malfoy's life.

The gathered concubines and the Empress were all confused and a bit indignant that such a low ranking concubine was allowed to assist in a royal birth, even if it was just him encouraging the mother. If Harry had described the common room as chaotic due to the influx of maids, healers, eunuchs, and concubines, then Malfoy's bedroom was in the middle of a maelstrom. Harry had never been in the presence of so many healers and servant girls. He gathered his last energy reserves and made his way towards Malfoy's bed.

Although Harry had been annoyed by him numerous times, had been bullied and insulted by him, he still would not let him come to harm. He could feel some of his pain, and knew that all Malfoy needed was just a little bit of encouragement from a familiar face and not orders from stressed healers. "M-Draco, listen to me," Harry whispered softly, stroking the platinum blond hair and wiping some of the sweat from his forehead with a damp cloth. Malfoy groaned in attention. Harry shushed him and directed the last of his energy slowly towards the blond. "I am right here Draco, I promise. Now I need you to push very hard every time you feel the urge ok?" The blonde opened his blurry eyes and nodded.

He took his tired arms from the two long white strips of cloth attached to the bed for him to hold on to. Instead he blindly searched for Harry's hand, clutching it with a surprising amount of strength before taking a deep breath to steel himself. He nodded at Harry, clenching his teeth to stop the whimper at the back of his throat when he felt a contraction coming. Harry knew he was in excruciating pain because he was draining some of that pain. Male betas were not made for childbirth and had a very low threshold for pain.

This might be why there were so few male betas who could conceive. Clearing his head and focusing on the blond on the bed, Harry tried to be a reassuring presence because he couldn't do anything else, his energy and magic already stretched thin and nearly spent. Malfoy gripped Harry's hand, pushed with a yell, and fell back on the bed when the contraction stopped. He was shivering and whimpering softly. Harry could feel that the next few minutes would decide the fate of many people. He held Malfoy for a few seconds, allowing him to catch his breath. "This is the final push Draco, the healer can see the head, come on you can do it. This is the last one and then you can see your child." Harry looked at the Royal Healer for confirmation of what he had said.

When he received a nod, he looked back to Malfoy with an excited smile curling on his lips and once again took hold of the blonde's hand. "On the count of three Draco, come on," Harry held his breath, watching as the blond hunched his back and grunted with every last bit of energy from both of them to push out the baby. As soon as the baby emerged the healer laid the baby on Malfoy's stomach and he promptly started crying.

Harry almost forgot to breathe for a minute, so fascinated he was by the child who had exhausted him and yet made him so happy. The healers took the baby and started cleaning him. He diverted his attention from the baby being cleaned to Malfoy.

The blond was slumped on his bed, breathing harshly with tears falling freely from his gray eyes. The Healer made as to put the child in a bassinet before going to inform the Emperor but Harry stopped her, instead instructing them to give the child to Draco. Harry helped him sit up with his back cushioned on the pillow, watching as Draco held his baby close to his chest.

"It's a boy, Pot-Harry, it's a boy!" He exclaimed excitedly, "It's a prince." "Indeed," Harry assured, "Welcome to the world little prince. May peace and prosperity be your destiny," He blessed the child with a fond look in his green eyes. He tried very hard not to touch the child, allowing Draco to bond with him. With the amount of energy he had given to the child he was sure that if he touched him this early on, the baby would think that Harry was its mother. He rose from the side of the bed when the Emperor and his Kings entered.

They were clearly overjoyed, faces glowing and smiling genuinely for the first time. Harry averted his eyes mainly because he didn't like how his heart jumped at attention in their presence and also because he knew that deep down he felt slightly jealous.

He tried to make himself scarce amidst the commotion, but his escape was interrupted by Malfoy. "Harry," he stated softly but firmly, "Thank you for helping me." Harry turned to look at him, Malfoy didn't know half of it, but Harry nodded and smiled all the same. Harry knelt down slowly but gracefully, "Congratulations Your Majesty and my Lords, heaven has looked favorably upon you for you have been blessed with a prince." Hermione wasn't allowed inside the birth chamber, so Harry had no help when getting up, in his already exhausted state, his balance faltered, leading to him almost falling.

The Onyx King caught him at his slender waist just in time to prevent his fall. Harry blushed, "Thank you, My Lord, I apologize, I shall head to my palace, I'm afraid I am not feeling well." Severus nodded his assent and whispered in Harry's ear, "I will send a healer to your quarters to assess your health, we will come by later to visit you" without waiting for Harry's response he called for a maiden and asked her to escort Harry out.

He exited the chamber cautiously, helped by the maiden and being careful not to extend his arms too far. He had to slouch just a tad to relieve some of the pain radiating from his back from the whipping earlier on today. When he entered the waiting room, he saw that all the concubines were still assembled, waiting to be invited inside after the Emperor and his lovers have seen the child.

The Empress had a pensive expression on her face when she saw Harry's visage, and whether it was a worry or otherwise, escaped Harry. He was too tired to dissect the mind games being played tonight. Hermione rushed to his side, immediately picking up his arm to lead him while supporting his frame a bit. Held in place between the two servants, Harry made his way out but only after curtsying the Empress and taking his leave.

As they exited Malfoy's residence, Harry was confronted with Consort Delacour and her lead servant. They were prostrating on the ground, presumably waiting for the Emperor. When the consort saw Harry, she became alert, "What happened? Is the child alive?" Harry hesitated in answering her, just to see how she'd react. She took a small chunk of his robes in her hands and gripped it tightly, asking desperately, "What about Imperial Concubine Draco?" Harry watched the normally regal consort shake with fear and marvelled at the utter depravity that was palace life. He knew very well and could feel that she wasn't remotely sorry for any of the events that transpired today. All she was worried about was her place and power in the Emperor's harem. Harry was disgusted by it. He sighed and took hold of her hand gently and removed his robe from her fist. He was frankly so fed up with the palace.

Especially today, he has seen what jealousy and boredom could do to people. He did not want that to be him, he never wants to remotely resemble the pathetic creatures that filled this palace. "He is alive, and the child is well. You should thank the heavens for their favor, although you will be punished, it will be much less severe than your outcome should the Imperial Concubine or his baby come to harm. Goodnight and good luck Niang Niang."

Harry walked away feeling morose for the upcoming events that would undoubtedly change the atmosphere and pace of the forbidden city.

Thanks to jamie.huntington1, Ravenblad Bloodmoon, stevenvanhorenbeke, lily-flower15, Larsss and Grey Swan for following and favoriting my story.

Edited and updated on 20/12/2023