| INTIMACY | - HPxTMR

Chapter 26- [Australia- Part 1]

The first bits are a bit boring, the last bit was spur of the moment and a tad dramatic :) Hoping to do a Tom POV next chapter to make up for the lack of Tom here ^-^

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12th December 1998- Saturday

The morning of the twelfth dawned on Harry quicker than he'd of liked, the hubbub of noise it brought along deafening. The Court was filled with the flurrying of maids and Eunuchs, some hurriedly readying their masters and mistresses for departure and others preparing the Palace for the absence of the Emperor and his official spouses. Bags were packed, suitcases filled to the brim with robes for each day and evening, fine jewellery and trinkets that obviously had to come along with them.

Harry was sure that the last time hadn't been quite so hectic, but maybe that was because he had been out of the way as a Noble. There was a lot for the personnel to sort out, even though this process had been underway for a week now and planned long before that. There were always last-minute additions and problems for them to sort out; such as that little Delphina was now taking notice that her mother would be away from her, and she'd have to be stuck with her maids and nurses for the duration. That had led to a meltdown, Harry had heard, and the Consort was still steadfastly refusing to pack much of her belongings.

They would be in Australia for under two weeks, hopefully arriving back on the twenty-third, within the Royal Palace the Emperor had built there the year he'd taken over; 1964. It was aptly named 'The Scorched Palace', situated in the middle of nowhere, accessible to only those the Emperor permitted and only habitable due to magic, as it was situated in the middle of a large stretch of land most couldn't survive in due to the extreme heat.

The Palace was apparently a replica of the Court, except only with enough Palaces to house each Concubine and Consort, with additional buildings for the veritable army of personnel they would be bringing along. From the description he'd heard from Regulus, the buildings were surrounded by a high wall, and the grounds were expansive enough that it would keep them entertained whilst the Emperor was involved in whatever politics apparently needed his personal, physical attention.

Harry stood back and watched as Anya commanded the other maids in his employ, queasily observing the proceedings. Out of all days to begin feeling the full effects of his pregnancy, it had to be on the day he would first meet the public and be under the intense scrutiny of all present. It would be the first time in over a year he had been out of the Court, although that was nothing on Cordelia, who was now facing her first breath of fresh air in sixteen years.

It still felt surreal to Harry, how quickly he'd ascended the ranks. However, he had to remember that he was yet the Emperor's favourite, and still had a while to go until he reached his new goal.

He had entered the Harem wanting a modicum of respect for his family, which meant he had needed the rank of Concubine.

Now, Harry was aiming for the position of Emperor Consort.

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Exiting the floo, Harry felt his stomach lurch uncomfortably, hand coming up to cover his mouth as his throat burned and eyes watered uncomfortably. Now, at just over eight weeks pregnant, his sickness had come forth full throttle. It was as if the baby protested his decision to keep their existence secret with vehemence, making it as obvious as possible that there was something going on. And the sickness wasn't just a morning occurrence either, it seemed to follow him throughout the day, set off by the slightest disturbances.

Sasha had to remain behind, if only so that the worst of his sickness wasn't revealed- the smell of her setting it off horrendously. He had given the kitten her own room, decorated with the softest beds and blankets he could procure, plants to give the semi-feral animal places to hide, and freely accessible to her by a large flap he'd had installed on the door.