| INTIMACY | - HPxTMR

Chapter 35: [Truths]

6th September 1999- Monday

After the long Monday morning meeting, Harry gratefully retreated to his new Palace, the Palace of Great Favour. He had moved in a little later than usual as the nursery had also needed to be moved over, the unexpected but delightedly received promotion making the time he had spent on the room for nothing.

Now, at just over a month old, Harry was beginning to see his daughter as more than an attachment to himself and instead as a baby with her own unique personality. She was finally staying awake for more than a few minutes at a time, nearly a whole hour as of a few days ago. It allowed them more time to bond, despite Harry's love for their sleepy cuddles on the sofa whilst she was napping.

"Alsie," He cooed, catching his daughter's attention. Her eyes were unfocused for a few moments, but she blinked up at him as if understanding he wanted her attention. Of course, Harry knew it was far too early for that, but it made his heart warm when she would stare up at him so trustingly. "You're going to meet your Auntie Luna today. She's my friend, and I bet she's going to love you dearly."

Alsephina blinked, head turning to the side as a flash of movement caught her eye. Harry huffed as she began to wail, hefting her up onto his shoulder, and cradling her head close as he did so.

"Hush now, sweetheart. It's okay, it's only Anya."

"My apologies, Your Highness. I didn't mean to startled the Princess."

"I know," Harry sighed. "She's been a bit sensitive the past few days. I think my recent actions have unsettled her."

His daughter had a small sniffle that started a few days back, and Harry had overreacted to the extreme. It had begun the night of Princess Freyja's birth, and Harry had ordered every Healer available to his Palace. It had turned out to be a very mild cold, mixed with agitation that her Dad hadn't been available for a few hours. The jostling she had gone through in that hour had startled her, and she was still unsettled even days later.

Thinking on the Seventeenth Princess-

Patricia's baby hadn't been removed entirely from her care, but the Emperor was keeping the Concubine on a tight leash. Maids were to care for the little Princess for the most part, despite the baby living within the Concubine's Palace, and the woman was only allowed supervised visits. Harry was surprised she was even allowed that, but he thought it was the best solution overall. The Princess was reliant on her mother, after all, and it would be cruel to refuse her the time she needed with her.

There had been calls for the Princess to be adopted out, most vocally from members such as Penny and Bellatrix, who cited that they had young children that would be beneficial for the Princess to develop around, but old enough not to be overlooked in favour of a younger and more needy baby.

The same discussions had come up when Evangeline's three children had been orphaned, but the creation of the Children's Court, Evana's own vocal derision for being adopted- aged ten at the time- and the Emperor's knowledge that many would use them for personal gain quietened them eventually. There had been little conversation when Eighth Princess Amelia had been orphaned at birth, having been born to a Second-Class Attendant, and therefore, not as useful in the harem's eyes.

The Emperor had given the discussion on the Princess' proposed adoption much thought, individually speaking with his Consorts and Concubines, Harry included.

When Harry had been asked if he would put an argument forward to claim the Princess as his adopted daughter, he had hesitated. It would be lovely, however, the backlash he would receive would have been horrendous and barely tolerable.

With such a young child depending on him already, Harry had denied the opportunity to fight for a claim.

The Emperor eventually decided that the Princess was to remain in her mother's Palace but under strict supervision, Knights and wards surrounding Freyja's rooms- a section cut off from the rest of the Palace.