Chapter Six
Harry sighed a little as he signed another piece of parchment and pushed it to the side before glaring at the pile of paperwork still sitting to the side waiting for him.
"Harrison!" Maegor slammed the door open and walked into the room, Loral and Owen dropped their hands from their swords and relaxed with expressions that spoke of the adrenaline rush that they had just had.
They had been even more protective of him since they had confirmed with the Guard about his pregnancy, and where he had been close to them before he really felt that they were his friends and cared for him, his baby and his husband.
He looked to his husband and was concerned when he saw the frown on Maegor's face as he looked down at his hands, or more accurately the items in them.
"Maegor, is everything ok?" Harry asked, concerned standing.
"No!" Maegor snapped and then thrust the items out to Harry, "Are these ok?"
Harry blinked and looked down at the items, and then smiled brightly when he realised what it was that he was being offered.
"They're not right are they?" Maegor said and started withdrawing his hands but Harry quickly reached out and grabbed his wrists, pulling them back towards him and taking the items from him, smiling brightly at them.
"They're perfect," Harry said, pushing his paperwork to the side and laying them out in front of him, the baby clothes had been put together for them, tiny little robes and outfits, all of them with either a red three-headed dragon embroidered onto it or golden lightning bolts.
He bit his lip to try and stop the absolutely blinding smile that he wanted to give Maegor when he looked up and caught the slightly uncomfortable, embarrassed look on his husband's face, he was clearly feeling unsure of this.
He held up the tiny set of robes that looked exactly like a set of robes that Maegor had.
"These are gorgeous," Harry said softly.
"We can get other things for them as well," Maegor grunted.
"I love these Maegor," Harry insisted.
"I have someone coming tomorrow to look at making a cradle for us," Maegor said, looking to the side in that way that he had when he was feeling unsure of himself.
Harry walked around his desk and wrapped his arms around Maegor's waist and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
"You're sweet," Harry said.
"Shut up!" Maegor barked at the noise that Loral let out, trying to hide his smile, it was the look that Harry shot at him though, his face utterly unimpressed that made the Guard bow slightly and turn his head to the side.
Harry laughed when Maegor snapped at his cheek playfully getting his attention back to him.
"We need so many things for the baby coming," Harry sighed, reaching down to pick a sweet from the bowl on his desk.
"What is that?" Maegor asked curiously.
"Sweets from your mum, she sent them to me because I have been feeling a little sick, she said that it would help. They seem to be, she has had the servants make a few batches for me," Harry smiled happily.
"She knows her medicines and things like that, she helped Aenys when he was sick as much as she could," Maegor hummed and then blinked surprised when Harry smacked his hand as he reached for one of the sweets, turning to find green eyes glaring at him in a way that they hadn't before. "I…"
"Don't eat my sweets! I feel sick!" Harry huffed.
"I am sorry," Maegor said.
"Don't laugh at me!" Harry glared.
"I am sorry," Maegor repeated.
"You're laughing at me!" Harry glared darker.
"I practically grunted at you for the first month of our marriage and you just smiled at me, I try to take a sweet and you're glaring at me like I have insulted your ancestors," Maegor chuckled.
"They're going to be your child's ancestors as well," Harry huffed, turning his eyes to the side. He huffed again when his husband leaned down and kissed his cheek.
"I won't touch your sweets, I promise," Maegor smiled, wrapping his arms around Harry and pulling him closer.
"I want more of them," Harry admitted quietly.
"I will speak to my mother and get them," Maegor chuckled.
"A lot of them?" Harry pouted a little.
"As many as you want," Maegor leant down and pressed their lips together sweetly.
"...need to get things ready for the ball, Stark is sending news of some rumblings from the Wall that we really need to go and….are you ok?" Daemon looked at Maegor who was walking next to him and realised that he seemed to be a million miles away.
"I am fine," Maegor shook his head.
"You look tired, are you sure everything is ok?" Daemon asked as he and Maegor walked into Daemon's office, watching with concern as his King walked over to one of the chairs at his desk and dropped heavily into it.
"It is fine," Maegor grunted.
"If I may?" Daemon said, shutting the door to his office and making his way to his desk.
"What?"
"You're even less verbose than normal, are you sure that there isn't something wrong?" Daemon asked, concerned.
"You sound like Harrison," Maegor grunted. "Saying verbose,"
"I can use big words too," Daemon huffed.
"Still sound like him," Maegor glared faintly at him.
"Do you want to talk about t…"
"We need to organise the yearly festival," Maegor glared at him.
"Drop it!" Visenya barked and Harry stepped away with his hands held up trying to look as innocent as he possibly could. Her glare said that she wasn't fooled, and he backed away a little further.
"I was just looking!" Harry defended himself.
"Just looking, and that is why your hands were on it!" Visenya snapped and Harry took another few steps back.
"I was looking!"
"With your hands?!"
"Yes! It helps me look better!" Harry spluttered and then grimaced.
"What is going on?" Maegor asked, confused, walking into the room and looking between them.
"I was just looking!" Harry said quickly again before Visenya could say anything.
"With his hands!" Visenya glowered.
"I see better with my hands!" Harry repeated.
"Why were you seeing the cot with your hands?" Maegor asked with an air of amusement that made Harry mumble something. "What were you wanting?" Maegor asked a little softer.
"It isn't in the right place, I wanted it over there," Harry muttered.
"And you were going to pull it yourself?" Visenya scolded gently.
"I didn't want to bother anyone, and it was silly, I just feel like it is in the wrong place," Harry sighed. "It was bugging me,"
"Where did you want it instead?" Maegor asked, looking around the room.
"Over there," Harry pointed.
"Ok," Visenya nodded and moved to grip one end of the cot.
"Wait you…" Harry protested when Maegor moved and gripped the other end. "You don't have to," he said quickly.
"You want it moved, we will move it," Visenya said and then the two of them lifted the heavy cot and shuffled it over to the place that Harry had been eyeing up.
"Here?" Maegor asked.
"A little more to the right?" Harry said apologetically.
"Here?" Visenya asked.
"...can you move it over there?" Harry asked, pointing across the room.
Maegor and Visenya shared an amused look before they lifted the cot again and moved it across the room.
Twenty minutes later Clarke and Garlan were moving the cot back into the original place that the cot had been while everyone looked hopefully at Harry's thoughtful face.
"What about by the window?" He said turning towards the spot and so missing the pleading looks the Guards gave Maegor who just looked sternly back at them and pointed to the window.
Harry woke slowly, he was warm and comfortable, and as his brain slowly came awake he remembered that today he and Maegor were going to spend the day together. Aside from war breaking out, they had the day to themselves.
He was lying on his side with his back pressed to Maegor's warm chest, it was a position that they mostly slept in now as Harry's stomach grew, it being far more comfortable for him now that he was five and half months along.
He opened his eyes slowly and realised that there was a large hand cupping his stomach, rubbing it gently. He smiled realising that Maegor was awake and was stroking his stomach gently. He turned and met warm purple eyes, Maegor smiling a little at him seeing that Harry was awake, he leant forward and pressed a gentle kiss to Harry's lips, pressing swift little kisses to his lips until Harry grumbled and cupped the back of his head and pulled him into a deeper kiss.
He sighed happily when they parted and rested back onto the pillow, turning his body a little so that he could see Maegor better, smiling at his husband as he propped his head up on his free hand and gazed down at him.
"Did you sleep better?" Maegor asked.
"Much," Harry smiled, "the drink Visenya gave me definitely helped with the heartburn,"
"There is so much that you have to go through carrying a baby," Maegor frowned a little.
"It is worth it," Harry smiled.
"But it is…" Maegor started to say and then froze as Harry's eyes widened and then they both looked down at his stomach where Maegor's hand was resting. "Was that?"
"The baby," Harry grinned brightly. He had been feeling the baby moving around for nearly a month now, but Maegor hadn't been able to feel it, even though he had sat for hours one night with his hand on Harry's stomach, moving his hands around with a look of determination that had melted Harry's heart, but unfortunately had failed.
It seemed now, however, that the baby was ready, and Maegor's eyes widened even further and a bright, delighted smile crossed his face as the baby kicked again.
"Are they moving?" Maegor asked, his eyes widening at the feeling of more movement under his hand.
"Mm, I think that is them rolling over," Harry nodded, reaching down to take Maegor's hand and moving it a little to the side to follow the movement of the baby.
Maegor smiled even brighter when the baby kicked again and shuffled around. Harry watched his face, drinking his expression as Maegor stared at Harry's stomach and his own hand, his smile brightening a little more every time he felt the baby move.
Harry thought that he would remember this moment for the rest of his life, seeing the joy on Maegor's face meant so much to him, and he was certain that in that moment he fell in love with his husband a little bit more, which he hadn't thought was really possible at this point.
"It is amazing, they're in there," Maegor said happily.
"Did you think I was just getting fat until now?" Harry laughed.
"No, but…they're in there," Maegor said. Harry laughed and cupped his cheek, pulling him in so that he could kiss it.
"I know what you meant," Harry kissed him again, reaching down to move his hand again, watching those purple eyes warm and soften.
Harry had to fight down a smile as he walked into the banquet room and all eyes turned to him. They normally did when he entered the room, he was the King Consort after all, most of the time he entered a room it was with some form of fanfare, it came with the job so to speak.
But this time all eyes were locked onto him intently, and whispering started up right away, everyone muttering to their neighbours and talking intently, talking in their groups while not taking their eyes off of Harry as they all tried to work out what this meant for the country and the changes that they were going to cause.
Harry and Maegor had both agreed to keep the baby quiet until they were further along, only their family and the most loyal of their servants knew about it, Harry hadn't been showing until very recently so it had been easy enough to hide his belly, but now that he was in his sixth month they decided it was time to reveal it.
He was wearing a form-fitting black robe with a massive red three-headed dragon on the back of it, sparkling with the rubies that had been sewn into it. The cut of the robes was formed tightly around his stomach to make sure that his state was obvious, to make it clear that he was carrying the heir to the throne. Normally he would enter through the side doors with Maegor, this time it had been arranged for him to enter through the far door of the banquet room so that he would walk the length of it, allowing everyone to get a good look at him as he walked towards the head table, his guard surrounding him and keeping a sharp eye out for any negative reactions to the unspoken announcement.
Maegor stood when Harry reached the head table and once Harry had walked around it and to his normal seat Maegor reached down and took his chin, laying a firm and possessive kiss to his lips, the unusual public display of affection having everyone in even more of a buzz as Maegor took his hand and seated him before sitting down himself.
The banquet started, but nearly everyone except for Maegor, Harry, Visenya and Daemon were too interested in the gossip and talking about the turn of events to start eating.
"You looked so utterly stunning," Maegor muttered to Harry, "and so proud, I could not help myself," he explained.
"I am not complaining," Harry laughed, offering the bread to Visenya in return for the juice she passed his way, pointedly ignoring their conversation with a small amused look in her purple eyes. "And I am proud, I am carrying your child, your heir, the first of our children,"
"Everything ok?" Daemon asked, glancing out over the crown in concern for what could have caused the growl that Maegor let out.
"Fine," Harry grinned mischievously.
"Oh by the gods," Daemon shook his head and quickly distracted himself with the food, also pointedly ignoring him, though, for the rest of the meal, they pretty much had the eyes of the rest of the hall on them.
"Harry!" James called out happily, throwing himself out of the carriage and racing for his son. "Sirius!" he shouted when his best friend took off right after him, overtaking him and throwing his arms around Harry in a tight hug. It was only Harry hurrying forward that stopped his overprotective guards from trying to skewer Sirius.
"Please stop running around Sire," Loral whined.
"It is hardly running at this point," Harry snorted amused.
"Still, we would appreciate it if you would keep things to a slow, sedate walk," Owen nodded.
"Are you driving them mad?" James asked, shoving his friend out of the way and hugging his son tightly.
"He won't slow down on anything, My Lord," Loral snorted.
"His mother was the same, I could do nothing to stop her," James chuckled.
"No matter what we tried," Sirius nodded.
"We even tried locking her in a room once," James hummed.
"It did not go down well," Sirius grimaced.
"What happened?" Maegor asked walking over to them with Visenya and Daemon.
"We ended up sleeping in the kennels for a week," James sighed.
"A woman after my own heart," Visenya said.
"Which is why she is the one at home and we are here," James nodded. "She desperately wanted to be here,"
"I know, keeping the peace at home while I am giving birth to the heir is more important, and there will be more babies," Harry smiled.
"Will there now," Visenya asked amused.
"Many more," Harry nodded firmly.
"I think all the blood has gone in the wrong direction for your husband," Sirius chuckled, nudging Harry with his elbow, who started laughing at how scandalised those around them looked.
"I take it you are eschewing confinement?" James asked his son as he shot his unrepentant friend a look.
"It is ridiculous, I have agreed to take it easy because Maegor pouted at me when I am close to my date, but aside from that, no," Harry rolled his eyes. Loral and Clarke mouthed the words 'pouted' to each other with amusement, they all had no doubt it would have looked to anyone else like Maegor was about to go and burn down the entirety of Dorne, but to Harry, it was a pout.
"So much like your mother," James laughed.
"She did the same?" Visenya asked as they started walking into the Keep.
"I had to ban the servants from bringing her paperwork while she was in labour, she said that she wasn't really doing anything, just waiting, so she might as well get a few bits done before Harry arrived," James laughed.
"The servants weren't sure who to be more scared of James, or Lily," Sirius nodded.
"Who won?" Maegor asked curiously.
"Technically me," James grimaced.
"Why technically?" Daemon asked curiously.
"Because I ended up sitting at the door and refusing to let anyone pass when they tried to bring the paperwork she had been asking for," Sirius snorted.
"I won't ask for paperwork," Harry rolled his eyes at Maegor when his husband looked at him.
"Or have them already stashed in your room?" Visenya asked amused and smiled a little when Harry shot her a betrayed look. "Sweet?" She offered one of the bags of sweets that she, Maegor and Daemon now kept one their persons for Harry.
"Bribery," Harry huffed but took one of them anyway.
"I wish you would take it easy," Maegor sighed.
"You can wish all you like my love, you know that is not who I am," Harry smiled softly cupping Maegor's face with one hand.
"I will keep on wishing, you work too hard," Maegor huffed, taking Harry's hand and kissing the inside of his wrist. When Harry turned he found his father and Sirius watched them with warm, happy expressions on their faces.
He knew that they had been concerned when he had agreed to the marriage, they had been ready to flee with him to Pentos to avoid it, and he knew that they had been surprised when he had shaken his head and said that this was what he wanted to do. They had respected and supported his choice, while still obviously still being concerned for him.
Seeing him with Maegor when they had visited the Lightning Isle had eased their fears along with his letters, but even then Maegor had been cautious with his family and revealed himself. The baby had definitely helped something within his husband, the ache that was constantly there from losing his son, their baby would not erase that pain, but it helped ease it.
"We have rooms ready for you in the family wing," Visenya said as they made their way through the corridors.
"Oh, we will not be in the same rooms as last time?" James asked curiously.
"No, they were temporary ones for while you were here for the wedding, we have had proper ones created for you, for whenever you wish to visit," Maegor said. Harry entwined their fingers together as he looked at his husband, it had been Maegor's idea, just coming out with it one night when they had been sitting together reading, and he knew that it was to make him happy.
"Look at you," James beamed when he walked into the room. Harry smiled happily at his father and Sirius from where he was stretched out on the sofa in his living room.
"Where is the King?" Sirius asked, looking around.
"Maegor has a meeting," Harry said, shuffling a little further up the sofa.
"Maegor, it is so strange hearing you talk about him like that, knowing you are King Consort even though you have been married for nearly two years now," James laughed, hugging his son.
"You're glowing," Sirius said cupping Harry's face as he looked at him while James settled at his feet on the sofa.
"I am feeling pretty good, I am so happy," Harry admitted, unable to stop the blinding smile that crossed his face when he thought about his life. "Visenya has also helped with the negative sides of pregnancy, she has put together a few drinks and some sweets that help with the sickness that I felt and then some of the other side effects, and the servants are making things for me that she has said will help ease the symptoms, I am still a bit uncomfortable and aching, but on the whole, it has made it rather more bearable,"
"Things have settled between you?" James asked, concerned.
"Yes, the baby coming along seems to have eased things. She is so excited for the baby coming, for her grandchild coming," Harry said softly.
"Tell us what you have been up to," James asked, reaching out and taking his son's hand.
"Are you concerned about Harry and the baby? Daemon asked after sitting in silence with Maegor for a while. "It would make sense that you are with what has happened before, but I am sure that everything will be fine, I am sure that they will be just fine,"
"It isn't that," Maegor shook his head.
"Sire, I am worried about you, you look exhausted," Daemon placed his quill down and looked over his friend, his King, who was looking tired.
"I am fine," Maegor barked.
"I am worried," Daemon repeated.
"You have nothing to be worried about, I am concerned for Harry and the baby, and the birth of course I am, even without what happened before, there is always danger, and there is so much unknown about Harry carrying, about a man carrying. But that isn't it, it is nothing," Maegor shook his head, determinedly writing away still.
"I am your friend as well, I hope you know that, I am here for if you need to talk about it, this worry if it is keeping you awake and…"
"It isn't that!" Maegor threw his quill down, and then for good measure threw his hands up in the air.
"Then what is it?" Daemon narrowed his eyes in determination, but the concern was flickering all over his face.
"I am not sleeping as well as I normally do," Maegor grumbled.
"Because you are worried, we can…"
"Harry is insatiable at the moment!" Maegor blurted out. He stared at Daemon who stared right back at him, unable to believe that he had said that out loud.
"Pardon?" Daemon blinked, pinching his lips together to try and stop the laugh that desperately wanted to escape from coming out.
"He is…" Maegor hesitated and then figured he might as well carry on, "he is insatiable, he wants sex all of the time, and by the Gods I am willing, he is…I am…but I am exhausted!" Maegor groaned, covering his face.
"You are, you are being sexed into exhaustion?" Daemon said, and when Maegor lowered his hand and glowered at him he could not stop his laughter from exploding out. He had been so concerned about what was going through Maegor's mind with his exhausted purple eyes showing his tiredness, this had been the last thing that he had been expecting.
"It isn't funny! He wants sex all the time, and I want to have sex with him, he is stunning all the time, and I find him even more stunning knowing that he is carrying my child, seeing him, but I am exhausted! I have been drinking the coffee from Highgarden like it is oxygen! He woke me three times last night!"
"Do you want me to speak to him? Tell him to put you down and let you rest?" Daemon tried to ask seriously, laughter escaping him again when Maegor threw his quill at him.
"The Grand Maester is kicking up merry hell in Old Town and the Hightowers are joining in," Visenya said looking over the paperwork that they had received. "You have a thought on it?" she asked James when he snorted out loud.
"The Hightowers are a suspicious bunch, they want to be far too involved in everything, and they are too based around too many important things," James tilted his chin back and answered her question.
"Hmm," Visenya nodded to encourage him to continue.
"The High Septon is based there, the Grand Maester and the Citadel, it is two places of power throughout the country that hold a lot of power, and they are in the city that is acknowledged as being run by the Hightowers. The fact that they pressed for the marriage between yourself Sire and Lady Cerys, marrying into the royal family on top of the power that they held, it is a lot of influence,"
"Your son is now married to the King and carrying the heir to the throne, you have a lot of power," Visenya tilted her head.
"And we come from an Isle in the middle of the North and have no other form of influence in the country besides Harry," James said. Visenya looked at him for a moment and then inclined her head approvingly.
"We need to work out what we are going to do with the Hightowers," Harry said, breaking the moment, taking the letter that Visenya held out to him. "Preferably getting them taken from Hightower and installing someone that we can trust there,"
"Are we plotting?" Sirius asked, perking up from where he was lying stretched out on the floor.
"What are you plotting?" Maegor asked, concerned walking into the room with Daemon who looked as though he had been laughing for hours.
"Are you still friends with Remus?" Harry asked thoughtfully, looking at his father and Sirius.
"Remus? Yes, we write frequently enough," James nodded leaning forward.
"He thinks a lot about your Schools, and he is considering applying to them, though he did not want us to say anything as he wished to get into it on merit rather than his friendship with us, especially as he will be switching from being a Maester," Sirius added.
"Can you write to him, explain the situation and ask him if he has anything, or can get anything, truthful, on the Hightowers that would legally be able to be held against them," Harry partially requested, partially ordered.
"I will write to him now," James nodded, standing.
"Do you trust him enough to do this?" Maegor asked.
"Remus was a good friend to us when we were younger, and then friendship has stayed in place since. He and I have always been particularly close, I know him well enough to know that he will do this with the evidence of the danger that they hold that we will write about," Sirius nodded.
"Particularly close?" Daemon narrowed his purple eyes at Sirius. Harry snorted amused when his godfather wiggled his eyebrows at the Hand of the King, rolling his eyes when Daemon narrowed his eyes even further, and a small pout formed.
"Your majesties!" The knock on the door was frantic, and the two of them were awake in seconds.
"What is it?" Maegor barked hurrying from bed and tugged his trousers on.
"It is Dowager Queen Visenya, she is unwell!" Turner called through the door.
"Help me up," Harry said with determination, holding his hands out to Maegor.
"Harry you don't have to…" Maegor started to say and then hurried to help Harry from the bed as his husband started to wiggle to the edge of the bed.
"I will be fine," Harry said firmly to his husband before he quickly wrapped his robes around himself and shoved his feet into his slippers and headed for the door.
"What are you doing here?" Visenya groaned when they walked into her bedroom, she was clearly in a lot of pain, clutching her stomach as she glowered at them. Sweat was soaking her face and nightgown, and her greying blonde hair was sticking to her face.
"We were told you were unwell," Harry said walking further in while Maegor froze a little under his mother's glower.
"I believe it to be an abdominal blockage," Clarke said softly.
"The woman knows what she is doing with medicine, she can look after me," Visenya waved to Clarke.
"You're more stubborn than your son," Harry rolled his eyes and came to a stop by the bedside, holding his hand out to her.
"The baby," Visenya growled out through gritted teeth.
"Will be just fine, as will I," Harry said firmly.
"I will not risk it," Visenya shook her head.
"However this works, it doesn't drain me, or take anything from me, we will be just fine," Harry said reassuringly.
Visenya stared at him, but as she went to argue she grit her teeth and let out a loud groan as pain wracked through her body visibly.
"Please," Harry said softly. Sucking in deep breaths she reached out and took his hand, squeezing it when he squeezed her hand in comfort, in seconds those in the room watched as she sank into the pillows a little, clearly feeling relief as the pain eased inside of her.
"I wish that I could work out how you do what you do, Your Majesty," Clarke said, moving to check over the Dowager Queen.
"If you can work it out, I will be quite happy," Harry smiled at her as Maegor helped him settle onto the side of the bed so that he was not standing at an awkward angle.
"It is old magic," Visenya said as she settled back against her pillows with her eyes tightly closed, though her mouth was still pinched in pain, she was looking more comfortable.
"I will put things together for the cause of the illness," Clarke bowed and backed out of the room.
"Are you feeling better?" Harry asked, wrapping his other hand around Visenya's, hoping that it would offer her the comfort that he intended it to be.
"Have you been feeling ill for a while?" Maegor asked. Visenya's eyes opened when a cool cloth pressed to her forehead and found her son gently wiping the sweat from her face to try and make her feel more comfortable.
"A few days, I am getting old, aches and pains aren't uncommon," Visenya shrugged.
"You're not getting old," Maegor muttered sullenly.
"I am afraid I am, no matter how much either of us might dislike it," Visenya chuckled and then grimaced.
"You will be just fine," Maegor huffed.
"Not forever," Visenya said gently, shaking her head and taking his hand with her free one, pulling him to sit on the other side of the bed to Harry.
"I need your help in talking sense into him about naming the baby," Harry said after a few moments of silence where Mother and Son clearly did not know what to say to each other.
"What is he suggesting?" Visenya frowned, turning to Harry.
"It is a perfectly good name!" Maegor protested.
"Oh by the gods, what has he suggested?" Visenya groaned looking from her son to Harry.
"Balerion if it is a boy,"
"You can not name my grandson after your Dragon!" Visenya spluttered.
"It is a perfectly good name, the name of the biggest and oldest Dragon in the world!" Maegor protested.
"Yes, a DRAGON name!" Visenya shook her head, Maegor glared at Harry as she started ranting at him while Harry just grinned back at him, happily settling to watch the two of them bickering at each other.
Maegor groaned as he held Harry closer to him, his husband kissing him desperately, kissing him in a way that he had come to recognise as meaning his husband wanted him, desperately. He lost himself in the kiss, the desire coming from Harry easily fuelling his own that boiled below the surface almost constantly it felt like for his husband.
"Wait!" Maegor protested again as he had five minutes ago before Harry had distracted him with kisses.
"Maegor, I want you," Harry whined.
"Yes, but not on the bloody throne that is literally made up of blades!" Maegor groaned, nudging Harry backwards.
"We will be fine!" Harry tried to protest.
"Absolutely not," Maegor resisted with clear difficulty but managed to get Harry to his feet and started helping him down the steps.
"Maegor!" Harry grumbled when his husband dodged out of the way of a kiss.
"Not until we're at the bottom of the stairs and not risking serious injury," Maegor huffed.
"You're a spoilsport!" Harry glared.
"I am not risking you being impaled on a sword!" Maegor protested. "I can't believe that I am actually making this argument with you!"
"What is that meant to mean?" Harry spluttered.
"You're one of the most intelligent people that I know, and I am arguing with you against the risk of being stabbed!" Maegor snorted.
"Meaning?" Harry said with narrowed eyes as they reached ground level, turning to glare even darker at Maegor who gulped a little recognising that look for the last few months. Mentally he groaned.
Maegor was writing quickly, making his way through the many pieces of paperwork that came with being King, he would like nothing more than to be with Harry right now, but he needed to get this done and out of the way so that he could join Harry in their family rooms, he was also trying to get ahead of things for the birth of the baby, they were due in less than a month, and Maegor wanted to be able to spend as much time with the baby and Harry as he could once the baby arrived.
He was excited for the birth of the baby and apprehensive. The closer they got to the birth, the more the feeling of dread and anxiety washed over him, he remembered the excitement that he had had when Alys had been close to her date and how eager he had been to meet their baby. And he remembered what had happened to them.
He had such a mixed feeling as they came closer to the birth of the baby, and he found himself more and more praying to gods that he was not fully sure that he believed that everything would be ok, that everything would go smoothly. That Harry and the baby would be fine.
It was such a mixture of emotions, and he felt guilty every time Harry gave him an understanding look, and offered him a gentle touch, a comforting caress, a distracting conversation.
"Maegor!" Daemon slammed the door open and walked in with Garlan and Baelor, Maegor stood quickly, dropping his quill and feeling dread going through him as Daemon shut the door behind them and walked over to his desk.
For Daemon to break protocol between them in this way, he knew that it was serious.
As he looked at his friend's face, he immediately felt sick as his heartbeat rose, beating heavier and heavier in his chest, and it felt as though his breath was caught in his chest. Daemon's face was pale, his eyes too wide, and he looked scared.
"Is it Harrison?" he managed to ask.
"It is," Daemon said and then grabbed Maegor's arm when he went to move around the table, "Wait,"
"If the baby is coming I need to…" Maegor started to protest but again his men broke protocol, interrupting him.
"He is not in labour," Baelor shook his head.
"What is going on?" Maegor growled out, fear going through him.
"Perhaps you should sit down," Daemon suggested a gentleness to his voice that only raised the fear in Maegor.
"No! Tell me what is going on?!" Maegor snarled.
"A servant has been caught in the kitchens, putting something into the food that was meant for you and Harry for tonight," Daemon said to the point, clearly hating having to say it out loud, and Maegor staggered backwards, dropping back into his chair as he stared at Daemon.
"What…where…where are they?" Maegor asked.
"We have interrogated him," Daemon said.
"I should have been there!" Maegor snarled.
"You are our King, we needed to have information immediately, and we needed to make sure that…emotions were not in the way of the investigation," Baelor said firmly.
"I am your King!" Maegor snarled.
"Which is why we needed to do our jobs," Daemon nodded. "Sire, Maegor, we need to tell you what we have found," he said quietly, looking as though he would rather do anything but that.
"What…what did they say?" Maegor asked. He desperately wanted to close his eyes, he desperately wanted to block this moment out, for it to be a dream, he desperately wanted to block everything out. But instead, he kept his eyes on Daemon.
"It was a poison, to cause miscarriage or…or stillbirth, they have been putting it into Harry's food for months now. Since before the announcement of the pregnancy, there were four of them that have been doing it. They don't know who it is that is paying them to do it, but we have the method that they have been paid and we can…"
"Enough," Maegor held his hand up, grief welling through him, making him feel sick.
"The poison should not have affected you or Harry, it is used against…babies," Daemon said, knowing that it was of little comfort.
"Harrison…" Maegor said, standing.
"He doesn't know," Daemon shook his head.
"I will tell him," Maegor nodded, trying to pull his fractured thoughts together.
"Maybe that is not the best thing to do," Daemon said and then blanched at the look that Maegor gave him.
"I will not keep this from him, hide this from him. It is his body!" Maegor growled out, the anger enough to convince him to get his legs moving.
He stormed through the castle towards the family rooms, he must have looked utterly terrifying with the way people looked away from him, dodged out of his way, and in one case one of the lords that he snarled at when they tried to talk to him fell backwards trying to get away from him.
Inside though, inside he felt hollow, he felt as though he had been carved out, gutted and left numb, though the feeling of wanting to be sick was growing and growing inside of him. Why was he not allowed a family? Why was he not allowed to have that love? To know the joy that he had seen on his brother's face when he had held his children?
He had been right that first night when he had spoken to Harry, he was cursed.
And now he had brought that curse on Harry.
He walked into their family rooms, and his heart felt as though it were being clamped in a Dragon's jaws when he took in Harry's face, bright and happy, laughing at something that James had just said. His hand was resting on his swollen stomach, and he was glowing the way he had been throughout most of the pregnancy.
He had to take that away from him now.
"Maegor?" Harry's smile dimmed right away as soon as he turned and saw Maegor's face, concern washing over him visibly.
"Is everything ok?" James asked, standing.
"No, it is not!" Maegor snarled, and his father-in-law backed away, looking frightened at his reaction. Harry just shoved himself to his feet and made his way over, reaching out to take Maegor's hand. "Don't, not until I tell you," Maegor shook his head.
"Ok," Harry nodded, not protesting, just understanding. He stepped back into the room and over to the fireplace.
Maegor felt 100 times worse.
"What has happened?" Visenya frowned standing herself, along with Sirius when Daemon, Baelor and Garlan walked fully into the room as well, closing and locking the door behind themselves.
Maegor moved to stand in the centre of the room, far away from Harry but he did not take his eyes from his husband as he prepared what he was going to say to him.
"Someone, someone has been caught in the kitchens, putting poison into our food. Daemon, he interrogated them, and they gave up the names of three others who have also been doing so. The poison was not aimed at us, but at the baby, to cause miscarriage or stillbirth. They do not know at this moment who organised it, but they are going to find out," Maegor said, making sure that he was as understandable as possible. He wanted to stammer and trip on words that felt like ashes in his mouth, he did not want to say them out loud himself, but Harry deserved to hear this comprehensively, and he deserved to hear it from him.
Harry's hand stilled on his stomach as James, Sirius and Visenya started talking around them, asking questions to Daemon, to Maegor, to Harry. But Maegor did not take his eyes off of Harry's face as his husband stood there, a million thoughts a minute washing through his eyes even as his face stayed blank.
Loral and Owen had their hands on their hilts and were asking questions of Baelor and Garlan, guilt heavy across their faces at having missed this, just as the other King's Guard clearly felt.
"Are they in the Black Cells?" Harry asked, and as soon as he spoke, everyone stopped and turned towards him.
"They are, Sire, they are being prepared now for further interrogation, we will get everything that we know from them," Daemon bowed.
"Good," Harry nodded, his hand stroking over his stomach in what had become an absent habit, one that Maegor had loved, and now…now it made him feel sick.
"Harrison…" He said, before having to stop and lick his lips, fighting back that feeling of sickness, "the baby, it is my fault…I am sorry…. I…"
"No!" Harry held a hand up, and Maegor blinked at him as he watched a determined expression crossing Harry's face. "The baby will be just fine,"
"Harry, the poison…it has been months…" Maegor shook his head, feeling as though his own hopelessness swelled with Harry's certainty.
"The baby will be just fine," Harry said firmly.
"Harry," Maegor shook his head, and he felt tears burning them as he looked at his husband. Harry strode across the room to him, reaching up and grabbing his face between his hands and tugged him down so that burning green eyes could stare into his own purple ones with a determination that Maegor had never seen in them before.
"Do you trust me Maegor?" Harry asked.
"I do, you know I do, but this is…"
"If you trust me, then listen to me, hear me, and believe me. The baby will be just fine," Harry said firmly. "You think I can heal you? You think I can push out that black magic from over years of sinking its claws into you, and I couldn't shove away anything that could harm our baby?"
"Does it work like that?" Visenya asked softly, her hands clutched to her chest. "Can you do that? We don't know how your magic works, you don't know,"
"We don't know if you can do that," Maegor nodded.
"I am letting nothing happen to this baby Maegor, they're fine!" Harry said firmly.
"I want to believe you, I do, and I trust you but…" Maegor clenched his eyes together as tears spilt down his cheeks, Harry pressed their foreheads together, wrapping his arms around Maegor's shoulders and holding him tightly.
"It will be fine my love, I promise you, it will be," Harry murmured softly to him.
"This is my fault. I told you I was cursed, this is because of me. You and our baby don't deserve this," Maegor trembled in Harry's arms.
"We are going to be fine, you are not cursed, this baby is going to be born hale and hearty, you have done nothing," Harry shook his head.
"Harrison," Maegor opened his eyes, "You don't have to be strong for me, I can…I can comfort you too," He said, trying to pull himself together, reaching out and resting his hands on Harry's arms.
"There is nothing to comfort, I am not being strong Maegor, I am certain the baby is fine. I am furious that someone would try to harm them, and I am furious that they have done this to you, put you through this," Harry growled out. "Daemon!" he barked, turning to the Hand.
"Sire," Daemon bowed, grief clear on his face.
"I want you to dig your fingers into every single crack that you can, and whoever was behind this, whoever was involved with this, whoever had a suspicion of this, I want them in the Black Cells!" Harry snarled.
"Of course!" Daemon bowed and turned to hurry from the room, thankful to have the excuse as tears poured down his face.
"Baelor, Owen, I want you to go to Lady Clarke and Turner, I want you to work with them to figure out a way to check for poison in the food for any of the royal family, this time has caused no harm, I do not want to risk any poison being put in there to kill us. Until then I want a King's Guard in the kitchens at all times watching the preparation," Harry ordered.
"Your Majesty," They bowed and walked out.
"Harry," James stepped closer. "You know? For sure?" He asked.
"I know," Harry nodded.
"Ok," James nodded back, there was a hint of grief and uncertainty, but something inside of him seemed to steady at Harry's assurance.
"My Love," Harry brushed his hand across Maegor's face, brushing his tears away as his husband stood there looking utterly defeated and broken. He brushed his blond hair from his purple eyes that swam with tears. "It is going to be just fine," He said softly.
"Harrison…" Maegor shook his head.
"Not long now and the baby will be born, and you will be able to see for yourself, for now, hold onto my certainty, hold onto my confidence that they are going to be just fine until then," Harry brushed his hand gently over his face again.
"Harrison, I know you are confident in this, but I am scared that you are getting your and Maegor's hopes up when this could end differently," Visenya said as gently as she could.
"I can't put into words how I do what I do, you know that, and I can't put into words how it feels, but I can feel it, and I know, the baby is fine," Harry said to them both.
"Ok," Maegor nodded weakly. Harry smiled sadly when he turned and took in the grief in his husband, the sorrow and the defeat that was there. He knew Maegor was agreeing with him to try and prevent him from becoming distressed, to try and help him.
"It will be just fine, My Love," Harry murmured, kissing Maegor's temple and pulling him in so that he could rest his face on his shoulder, the feeling of tears soaking into Harry's shoulder fueling the burning rage inside of him.
"The Keep is already in mourning," Loral sighed to Visys even as the two of them watched with eagle eyes as the kitchen staff moved around preparing things.
"There is a weight to the whole place," Visys nodded. The kitchen staff were milling around performing their work, though they were making sure that the two guards could see everything that they were doing, everything that they were adding.
In the two days since the revelation of the poison, and their being here, they had thought that it was because the staff were scared of being accused, and though that was there, they realised that it was because most of the staff cared for Harry, and after hearing what had happened they wanted to make sure that everything could be as certain as possible for his safety.
"The King…" Visys said and drew off. Maegor was trying to be strong for Harry, they could all see that, and while he was holding onto a slither of hope in the face of Harry's certainty, everyone could see that grief and sorrow had taken him over, they could see the loss in his eyes, and the pain that he was feeling at losing a second child.
James Potter and Sirius Black seemed to be sitting in the middle, they were more confident in Harry's certainty that the baby would be fine, but at the same time they were watching Harry with caution, and in their eyes, grief was sitting in view for those who looked.
Visenya did not seem to believe that Harry's gift would be able to heal the baby after months of poisoning, and them not being aware of it, though she did not display her grief, she walked around blank faced and acted as though nothing had happened, her mouth twitching when Harry uttered the assurances of the baby's wellbeing.
The whole Keep though seemed to have fallen into a lethargic grief, sorrow blanketing the entire building, washing through the corridors with the air and seeping into everyone. And every eye watched as Harry carried on, not allowing the grief to touch him, so certain that everything was fine, ignoring the sympathetic eyes that followed him around.
Harry walked through the hall, ignoring the eyes that were glued to him as he moved. He was ignoring all the sympathetic looks that he was getting and ignoring the whispers that followed him.
He wanted to snap and snarl at everyone who looked his way with sympathy in their eyes, he was getting fed up with it, and with the air of sympathy that coated every single interaction that he had with everyone.
He knew logically that they thought it was his own grief talking when he was so certain that the baby was fine, and he knew that they were concerned for him and what it would do to him if he was wrong.
But he knew that the baby was going to be just fine!
He concentrated all of his anger and fury on finding the person who had done this, finding the person who had tried so hard to harm his baby, to kill the baby. And if that anger wasn't enough it was fired with the grief on Maegor's face, the hopelessness in his body language and the guilt in his eyes every time he looked at Harry.
If there was a definition of someone on a warpath, it was Harry right now. If someone thought they could get away with trying to poison his baby, and hurt his husband the way that he was hurting right now they were sadly mistaken! Harry was going to rip them apart limb from limb! He was going to make them regret this to the last breath that they took and then after that!
He felt like he was going to start breathing fire at any second himself.
He stormed into the Courtyard in time to see Vhagar landing, Visenya sitting in place in her saddle with a woman with bright red hair sitting in front of her, looking more than a little windswept.
Maegar, James, Sirius and Daemon were already here, and they all turned to watch Harry with that expression on their faces that he was coming to hate however well-intentioned it was, never mind the expressions of the Guards and servants on top of that.
As soon as Lily saw Harry she climbed down from the saddle of Vhagar before Visenya could assist her, scrambling down less than gracefully but hitting the floor safely and then raced across the Courtyard to him, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly.
"You're sure?" She asked him, pulling back and cupping his face.
"Certain!" He said firmly.
"Ok," Her green eyes were as steady as his as she looked at him, and he managed to smile a little when there wasn't a flicker of doubt in her face.
"Well, that was horrifically uncomfortable," The drawl had Harry looking away from Lily and to the man who was climbing out of the carriage that had been attached to Vhagar's saddle.
"Severus," Harry smiled, walking over to the man.
"You are doing well?" Severus asked, looking him over.
"Aside from wanting to get my hands on whoever this is and rip them apart inch by square inch," Harry tilted his head to the side and took a deep breath before turning back to Severus, "I am fine,"
"Good, point me towards the lab where I am to work," Severus said, collecting a few bags from the carriage.
"Who are you?" Daemon frowned.
"I am here to deal with poisons and to make sure that such a thing does not occur again," Severus said.
"Severus works with potions and poisons, he is the best person I know to deal with this," Harry said.
"The best person to deal with it, or the best person you know?" Visenya asked.
"Yes," Harry said simply before linking his arm with Severus' and marching away, Lily right behind them. "I want you to start with the poison I have been ingesting," He said, leaving those in the Courtyard staring after them.
He ignored them though and told Severus everything that he knew, and the credentials of Lady Clarke and Turner. He wanted this person found and he wanted them dealt with, he was on a warpath and whoever had started him on it was going to seriously regret it.
"I used to imagine my Father, sitting here ruling, being the good King that he was when I was a boy at Dragonstone," Maegor said as Harry walked into the throne room.
He was sitting on the Iron Throne in much the same way that he had been that first night, the night of their wedding. He had Blackfyre tip down into the stone in front of him, wearing only a black shirt which was stretched over his hunched shoulders. The difference, except for the colour of his shirt, was that his features weren't brooding and dark, they were hopeless and grief-ridden.
"I thought about what it would be like to be King, to be in charge, what it would be like to not have to answer to anyone. I thought about whether I could be a man like my father, as good a King as him," Maegor said watching Harry walking closer to the throne, his hands resting on his stomach.
"I don't particularly like your father," Harry said, and Maegor jerked back, wide-eyed and shocked. "Well, I don't, the way he treated you makes me angry for you, and seeing the things that he did to you infuriates me as well, never mind the things that he did to your mother and how he made her feel," Harry said walking to the base of the throne and stopping.
Maegor stood and hurried down the steps when Harry raised an eyebrow at him and raised his foot onto the first step, indicating that he would try and climb the steps if Maegor didn't come to him.
Harry took his hand and raised it to his mouth, kissing the palm tenderly before tugging, Maegor was helpless but to follow Harry, allowing his husband to lead him through the corridors to their private rooms.
"Stay outside please," Harry said to their Guards.
"Sire," Loral bowed. He closed his eyes when Harry patted his shoulder gently before pulling Maegor into the room, Harry seemed to understand the guilt that they were all feeling, and he was forgiving in that understanding.
Harry closed the door behind them and led Maegor to the sofa, letting go of his hand only once they were there and sitting down on it himself, he waited only a moment before Maegor seated himself next to him and looked at him with those hurt purple eyes that were making Harry's heart ache.
"Are you angry with me?" Maegor asked softly.
"No, I do not want you alone and going over and over what has happened though. I am worried for you," Harry said gently.
"I…I know that my difficulty believing you is hurting you, it has to be," Maegor lowered his eyes to his clenched hands, only for a smaller hand to come into view, resting over them as Harry moved closer to him.
"That isn't it, Maegor," Harry said gently. "I understand why you are struggling to believe me, I know you are all concerned that it is my own grief that is convincing me that the baby is fine. But after what happened with your first child, the fact that they were… harmed in the same way, how can I be anything but understanding for how you are feeling right now My Love," Harry cupped his face.
Maegor looked into Harry's understanding green eyes, and he could not prevent the tears that welled up in his eyes, unable to stop them from spilling over as he grabbed Harry's wrists and pressed his face into Harry's hands as sobs racked his frame.
"Maegor, my love, it is going to be fine, I promise you it is going to be fine," Harry pressed his head to Maegor's and clenched his eyes shut as he listened to him cry, hating, even more, the person that had done this to him.
"I am sorry, I am so sorry you have to go through this," Maegor sobbed.
"You have nothing to apologise for nothing at all, this isn't your fault, it is not your fault Maegor," Harry felt tears burning in his own eyes as Maegor sobbed against him.
"I don't believe you though, I can't believe you, there was so much…so much…poison and I can't trust it…even feeling the b…b…ba…baby move…the poison will kick in at the end, to cause the stillbirth…it is…I can't," Maegor managed to say through his sobs.
"It is ok, Maegor it is fine, I will have enough faith for the two of us until the baby is here. It isn't your fault, none of this is. My love, I completely understand why you can't trust it after everything that you have been through, after everything that you have lost. How could I hold that against you, how could I be angry with you?" Harry shook his head.
"But you're so sure and I can't trust it, I can't get my hopes up. So many people would hate me for not trusting them when you are as sure as you are,," Maegor fell into full sobs and Harry pulled his hands back and wrapped his arms around his shoulders, hugging him as tightly as he could, though knowing it wasn't going to offer much comfort for what his husband was going through right now. "I can't lose another child, I can't, I can't lose another child or you, my heart could not take it, it is my fault that this happened to you, it is my fault that you are going through this, that you're having to go through all of this, it is because of me, it is my fault,"
"It isn't your fault, not at all, not your fault," Harry said over and over, hoping that it would touch the grief that his husband was feeling.
An hour later Maegor had fallen asleep, having cried himself to exhaustion. Harry threw the blanket from the back of the sofa over him and shifted a little so that his head was resting a little more comfortably on Harry's lap, his breathing shuddering and heavy.
"You need to get a move on little one, please, to show your Father that everything is ok," Harry sighed, rubbing his stomach. It killed him seeing Maegor like this, so broken and hurt.
He closed his eyes tiredly and rested back against the sofa as he started combing his fingers through Maegor's blond hair to try and soothe him, even in his sleep.
"What was that?" Harry barked, stopping and turning, narrowing his eyes on the Lord who stared back at him with a stubborn look on his face. James, Lily, Sirius, Daemon, Visenya and Maegor paused where they had been walking ahead of Harry and turned back to look in confusion as Harry walked closer to the Lord.
"Sire," the Lord bowed.
"I have no interest in that! What did you just say?" Harry demanded. The Lord cast his eyes around and then focussed back on Harry.
"The person poisoning you and the heir, I bet it was the Dowager Queen Visenya!" The Lord said, and those around gasped at the implications of what had just been said, but also the stupidity of him not only having said it but repeating it. Harry glanced at his mother-in-law who was standing with no indication of the accusation affecting her besides her tightly clenched jaw. "Everyone knows that she poisoned King Aenys! Everyone knows that she used black magic to create the King! Everyone knows that…"
"Everyone seems to know a lot of things, but I only hear you speaking such shit!" Harry snapped over the man, and everyone - including his family - turned to gawp at him for the way that he had spoken. "Loral! I want his tongue!" Harry snarled.
"Sire," Loral and Owen stepped forward to grab the Lord.
"Queen Visenya…" Harry ignored the gasps from those around him for giving her that title and not calling her Dowager. "Queen Visenya loved King Aenys and did everything that she could for him, and she would never, ever dream of harming her Grandchild, her son's child! She used no such magic to create my husband, and these vicious rumours are nothing but the talk of bored, idle, stupid minds! The next person that wishes to express that my Mother-in-law has poisoned my child will lose more than their tongue!"
Harry turned and stormed away, feeling the anger that was burning inside of him burning even brighter.
"Harry…" Maegor seemed at a loss as to what to say to him as the rest of the group caught up with him.
"I am fed up with it all!" Harry growled.
"You did not need to do such a thing," Visenya shook her head.
"I did not need to, I wanted to! The ridiculousness of the accusation!" Harry shook his head right back at her, huffing and puffing to himself. "Ugh, I am fed up with the bunch of them!"
"Take a breath," Lily smiled, taking her son's shoulders. "It is going to do neither of you any good, getting so worked up," she added looking at his stomach and then back up at him.
"I swear he is being infected with Dragon fire," James joked.
"The stupidity of these people infuriates me!" Harry ground out.
"Now you know how I feel," Severus said walking into the room. "Why is one of your guards carrying a tongue?"
"What do you want us to do with it, Sire?" Loral asked, holding the tongue between his fingers.
"...I had not thought that far, ugh it is making me feel sick, throw it away," Harry waved his hands.
"Not in the bin! Be a little civilised!" Lily shook her head.
"There is a civilised way to throw someone's tongue away?" Sirius asked curiously.
"I…there has to be, somehow," Lily shrugged.
"I would nail it to a door somewhere for whoever had it done, and those around them to see," Severus drawled.
"...I will go and find a nail and hammer," Loral sighed, seeing the glint in Harry's eyes.
"Why…are there half the pineapples in the city sitting on our table?" Maegor asked as he walked into their family rooms.
"One of the maids said that it is good to help encourage the baby, that and spicy food," Harry motioned to some other bowls.
"Harrison…"
"The sooner the baby is here, the sooner everything will be better," Harry said firmly, taking another bite of pineapple.
"Harrison…I…" Maegor closed his mouth. His eyes said everything though, he wanted Harry to prepare for the eventuality that he might not be right, he wanted desperately to believe Harry, he wanted to carry on imagining the life that they had been talking about for months, but all he could picture was the worst case scenario. His brain couldn't come up with a scenario where this turned out ok, even when he tried it, his mind twisted it.
"I am getting a little fed up with the pineapple though, I might have to try eating it disguised in other things," Harry grimaced.
"Maybe if we have them crush it with other fruits, banana tends to cover most tastes," Maegor offered quietly, coming to sit by Harry.
"Severus said that I should eat more bananas, that is a good idea, I will have some brought up, maybe with a little honey as well," Harry hummed. He reached out and squeezed Maegor's hand, showing that he was aware of Maegor's sad eyes locked onto him even as he focussed on the paperwork in front of him.
The baby needed to come quickly.
"The baby is coming!" James panted as he slammed through the door to Maegor's office. Maegor froze, staring at his father-in-law before he was on his feet and racing after him, Daemon hot on his heels. They raced together with Maegor's guard through the corridors to the birthing rooms that had been specifically setup for Harry.
Just as they reached them Visenya came racing from one corridor and Sirius and Severus from another. James didn't even pause, just shoved the door open and went straight into the rooms, the sounds of Harry's shouts and groans of pain reaching them without the barrier in the way.
"He kicked us out of his rooms hours ago, he had seemed uncomfortable but he said that he had heartburn from all the pineapple and spicy food and needed to rest," Owen grimaced when Maegor turned to him.
"He has been in labour for hours and not told anyone, he didn't want to cause prolonged worry," Lily sighed, walking out of the room and closing the door behind her. "He said that you do not need to be in there if this is going to be too hard for you," she said gently to Maegor, while still managing to sound business-like.
"I…" Maegor started to speak but Visenya spoke over him.
"It is not traditional for men to be in the birthing room anyway," she shook her head.
"Tradition is a little skewed when there is a man in the birthing room giving birth, it isn't your choice" Severus sneered a little before turning to Maegor, "This is tough on you, we all know that, we all understand that, but Harry has been strong for the last three and a half weeks for everyone, he has been in labour for hours without telling anyone, in serious pain, because he wanted to protect everyone, he needs you in there!"
"I…yes," Maegor nodded. "Yes he does," Maegor moved to the door and shoved it open and stepped inside to a scene of slight chaos.
"Your majesty," Lily said before with surprising force shoving him fully into the room and over to where Harry was standing at the end of the bed, clutching his stomach with one hand, the other bracing himself on the bed. He was dressed in a simple white nightgown that was already soaked with his sweat, and he was red-faced and seemed a little hazy with pain and exhaustion, but his green eyes were as determined as ever as he grit down on a contraction and pushed.
"You're a foolish boy!" Severus snapped at Harry as he walked over to him.
"I am currently shoving a human out of myself, kindly fuck off!" Harry grit out.
"Touchy," Severus snorted before moving to talk to Clarke.
"You don't need to be in here Maegor," Harry shook his head, spotting his husband standing there a little awkwardly.
"I do," Maegor walked over and took the cloth from one of the servants around Harry, dipping it into the bowl and carefully brushing his sweaty hair from his face before wiping his face. "I am where I need to be, we do this together, we will also be talking about you waiting to tell anyone later,"
"Ugh I have already been scolded several times, including by Owen and Loral," Harry snorted before groaning and reaching out to grab a startled Maegor's lapels and yanking on them as he bore down. "They have been like clucking hens!"
"Should you not be lying down?" Maegor asked concerned.
"This position is more comfortable for him, and laying down can cause complications," Turner said from where he was kneeling at Harry's feet and checking under his nightgown.
"This is so undignified," Harry groaned.
"Ow!" Maegor yelped before flushing when eyes turned to him. "You caught my chest hair," he muttered.
"Oh, I am sorry for a little pain when I am pushing a human out of my body!" Harry said dryly.
"I wasn't complaining, I was just startled," Maegor muttered defensively before rubbing Harry's back. "You're doing amazing!"
"The baby is nearly there," Turner announced.
"If you don't want to get on the bed to lay down, will you get on it on your hands and knees please," Severus said walking over scrubbing his hands with soap, a servant hurrying after him with a bowl of steaming water.
"It isn't comfortable!" Harry snapped.
"And your baby is not one of the giraffes from Pentos, it will not appreciate being dropped to the floor!" Severus snapped back.
"There are three of you are you saying you can not fucking catch it!" Harry snarled and Maegor watched the whole interaction a little open-mouthed, never having seen Harry like this before. "Maegor!" Harry barked, turning furious green eyes to him.
"Yes, my love!" Maegor blanched.
"Don't fucking patronise me!" Harry snapped at him this time. "Catch our baby! I won't have anyone else doing it!" He demanded before gritting down and pushing.
"Pardon me," Maegor found himself saying to the healers kneeling down, nudging them out the way so that he could kneel at Harry's feet.
"Wash your hands!" Severus huffed grabbing the bowl and before Maegor could protest he found his arms being roughly, and thoroughly scrubbed with hot water and soap by the man. "He is stubborn, he won't change his mind now that he has said it,"
"I can hear you!" Harry growled before pushing down again.
"You were meant to!" Severus snapped before huffing and yanking Maegor's hands back towards him, "we have another couple of moments before the baby starts crowning, you don't want to give them an infection!" he scowled and finished scrubbing Maegor's hands.
"I can feel something," Harry said just as Maegor lifted his gown.
"The head," Turner said, looking along with Maegor.
"I have no clue how you're doing this," Maegor said a little weakly, reaching underneath Harry and watched as all his muscles rippled with the effort that he was putting into birthing their child.
"There is a little bit of spite in this now," Harry admitted with a rough chuckle, before clenching the sheets and giving an almighty push.
Maegor let out an awed sound as he watched their baby's head come free.
"You're nearly there Sire, a few more pushes!" Clarke said encouragingly.
"You can do it, Harry," Lily nodded, wiping his face.
"You can, you can do anything," Maegor said with so much sincerity from where he was kneeling at Harry's feet that the dark-haired man part laughed, part cried and part screamed as he pushed their baby out with one last push.
Maegor quickly caught up the baby and held them almost in one hand as he stared down at the goo covered tiny being in his hands, and as he did all the fears came swimming back to him, he had been so distracted by everything with the birth and encouraging Harry he had forgotten all about the poison and the…
The baby screamed in his hands, tiny legs and arms kicking and flailing so much that he had to tighten his grip on them a little bit to stop them from slipping loose from his hands as they cried loudly and determinedly into the room.
"She wants the whole of King's Landing to know she is not happy right now," Severus laughed, quickly reaching out and cutting the cord, tying it off efficiently without disturbing Maegor's view of his baby, his daughter, his healthy, crying…wailing daughter.
Harry was eased down to sit next to him, cushions quickly being placed on the floor for him to be able to sit at an angle so he could rest against the end of the bed where he lay panting and laughing happily as he looked at their tiny daughter.
"She is…she is…she…she is…" Maegor said looking quickly to Harry before looking back to their daughter who cried even louder in that split second as though she knew that he had not been paying attention to her.
"I told you so," Harry said gently, reaching out to cup Maegor's cheek as his husband started crying. He knelt on the floor, holding his daughter in his hands, staring down at her perfect little form, listening to every cry eagerly, every sound and every movement letting him know she was alive and well, that she was hale and hearty, exactly as Harry had said she would be.
"The afterbirth is out," Severus said.
"Leave us for a few moments," Harry waved his hand.
"We should get you on the bed," Lily protested.
"Leave us, please," Harry said gently but firmly. The room emptied fairly quickly, Lily, James and Severus touching Harry's shoulder and gazing at the baby before they hurried out, leaving the three of them alone together.
"She is alive, she is alive," Maegor cried, beaming through the tears in his eyes.
"She has your strength," Harry smiled tiredly.
"That is not a compliment," Maegor snorted and smiled softly when Harry blinked at him confused, "She has your strength, she can fight a thousand Dragons,"
"I can hardly do that," Harry laughed.
"I think you could," Maegor shook his head. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, for being strong enough for everyone, for me, for her, thank you," Maegor muttered leaning in to kiss Harry.
"You never have to thank me for that, you are my strength," Harry shook his head.
"Here," Maegor carefully pressed their daughter into Harry's arms, feeling his heart melting when she settled into Harry, still squawling a little and Harry gazed down at her with a look of utter love.
He settled against the foot of the bed next to Harry and wrapped his arms around Harry, helping his exhausted husband hold their baby daughter, resting his hand next to Harry's on her tiny little body as she started to settle down in their arms.
"She already has blonde hair," Harry smiled.
"Her eyes…" Maegor gasped when she opened them, one eye was purple and one eye was green already. "Perfect," he sighed happily gazing down at her.
"She is isn't she," Harry smiled proudly at her, unable to take his eyes from her.
"I am sorry I didn't believe you," Maegor closed his own eyes and rested his forehead on Harry's temple.
"None of it matters now, none of it, she is here, we have a daughter!" Harry laughed happily, and when Maegor opened his eyes again he found their daughter shuffling in Harry's arms, clearly settling and getting comfortable.
"A beautiful daughter," Maegor hummed.
"I don't know, she looks a little squished at the minute," Harry said, "and she is a little dirty, we should probably clean her off,"
Maegor blinked before he burst out laughing, the sound of it filling the room and seemingly in response to it, their daughter let out a stream of babble.
"What! I love her, but she is!" Harry defended through his grin.
"Here," Maegor chuckled, picking up a clean rag and dipping it into the warm water Severus had left to the side. With tender care, terrified of hurting the tiny being, Maegor cleaned her off of the gunk covering her, brushing carefully over the soft, downy blonde hair on her head before brushing over her tiny nose. Once she was clean he moved and quickly got the bed settled into a bit more order before coming back and carefully lifting Harry and their daughter from the floor and carrying them onto the bed, settling Harry into the centre of it as gently as he could.
"We should let the others in," Maegor said, but as he turned Harry grabbed his lapel again and tugged, he had very little strength behind it, but Maegor stopped immediately and turned to him.
"Not yet, let's just be the three of us, just for a little longer," Harry smiled without looking away from their baby.
Maegor settled down onto the bed next to him, lying on his side as he took in their perfect little, slightly squished, baby daughter, and his amazing husband.