Sorry guys I'm prolly not gonna rewrite the chapter intros. Unless theres TWs or if I have some jokes to share. Idk I'm lazy and mentally ill.
Edaline's POV:
The scream coming from my Lady's chamber echoed through the halls of the castle. There was an attack on the palace and as Queen Narcissa's personal knight, I was responsible for her well being. My hand was on my dagger the lady had gifted to me for Christmas, as I ran into her chambers to find her being attacked.
She had cuts all over her and her swollen pregnant belly was bruised. Her dress was torn and ripped, caked with blood as she tried to fight off the men attacking her.
I let out a primal scream, racing towards the men harming my Cissa, cutting the first mans throat in one swift swipe.
The second man threw Narcissa to the ground and turned on me, hitting me and trying to stab me.
It was a difficult fight but I managed to get the upper hand and straddle him before stabbing him in the chest repeatedly until he perished.
Narcissa was a mess on the floor, sobbing hysterically. I immediately bolted to her and helped her up, her arms flung themselves around me, clinging to me as she shook with sobs.
"My lady! Are you alright?" I asked worriedly.
She couldn't say anything. She nodded against my chest, still clinging to me. Her beautiful pale pink gown was stained and ruined.
"Shhh my daffodil. You're safe now. I'm here. I will never let anyone harm you again. I swear it." I shook, trying to stifle my sobs.
We stood crying in each others arms for a moment before I whispered in her ear.
"I need to examine you my lady. After I'm done and you're healed, I'll run you a bath alright?" I cooed, stroking her hair.
"Ok." She whispered, almost inaudible.
"Ok." I whispered, kissing her head as I rocked her.
"Lady Albrecht, I-"
"Edaline."
"Right sorry. Edaline... I- could I stay in your chambers tonight? I can't sleep here. Not after all that's happened." She whimpered.
"Of course my lady." I said, scooping her up bridal style.
She wrapped her arms around my neck as we made our way to my chambers.
I quickly analyzed her wounds, all were superficial and easy to treat, then sat her on the bathroom counter as I ran her bath.
As she lay in the warm water drifting in and out of consciousness, I couldn't help but marvel at how much I had grown to care for the woman.
Narcissa was no stranger to my room. Anytime King Lucius was away, she would sleep in here with me. Narcissa hated sleeping alone, especially during her pregnancy. She suffered from horrific nightmares of her miscarriages from previous failed pregnancies. But whilst Lucius had been cold and short with her during those times, I had been Cissa's shoulder to cry on. And through it all, I had fallen in love with my queen.
When I was first assigned to guard the queen, she was a cold snobby bitch. She wouldn't acknowledge my presence with more than a stuck up sniff and an eyeroll. Her nickname was the ice queen for a reason. The first time she began to acknowledge me as a knight was when she was out in the woods on a walk to escape the palace for a few hours. I had been humming an old tune that she recognized and gave me a barely visible smile. But still, she was cold towards me. And then, a few months after I started protecting her, I witnessed Lucius strike her across the face and I made him regret it. King or not, he has no right to harm his wife.
"HOW DARE YOU?! YOU STUPID SLUT! I AM YOUR KING!"
"SHE IS MY QUEEN! SHE IS MY CHARGE AND I WILL PROTECT HER FROM ANY HARM THAT COMES TO HER NO MATTER WHO IT IS!" I bellowed back. "SHOW YOUR WIFE SOME GOD DAMN RESPECT! YOU NEVER HIT A LADY!"
I smacked him once again hard enough to leave a mark for a few days.
He hasn't laid a hand in her since then. After that day, Narcissa and I had gotten close. Being there for her during her numerous miscarriages had allowed me to see a side of my queen I hoped to never bare witness to again.
-flashback-
"No! Oh god no!"
My senses flooded with worry.
"My queen? Are you alright?"
I asked worriedly, knocking on the bathroom door.
"Not again! Please no!"
I felt my stomach drop.
I knocked again, a bit louder this time.
"May I come in?" I asked.
She didn't answer. All I heard were the sounds of sobs and my soul shattered.
I opened the door to find Narcissa on the bathroom floor, curled up in a ball, her knees to her chest crying hysterically. And then I noticed the blood.
"Oh my queen..." I whispered, crouching down in front of her.
Her teary eyes found mine.
"Why is there so much blood? I... theres so much blood." She cried.
I quickly sat next to her and pulled her into my lap, holding her as she cried in agony over miscarrying.
"I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry petal."
That was the first time I called her that. Her nickname that fit her so well. My beautiful flower petal.
We made graves for each of her miscarriages. They all reside in her beautiful garden next to the daffodils.
I protected her from Lucius that day. And the other two times she miscarried as well. But I was there the day she discovered she was pregnant again, holding her hand and she cried tears of joy. Being a mum is all she has ever wanted and after all of the losses, it finally happened.
"I'm going to be a mum." She cried happy tears into my shoulder.
"You will be the most amazing mum, my queen."
Presently, Narcissa is almost full term. And she is getting scared. The night before her attack, I had to calm her down from a panic attack.
"I want you there when he's born! Promise me Edaline! Promise you'll stay with me!" She wailed. "I don't want him there! I want you! Not Lucius!"
I gathered her in my arms and rocked her gently.
"I wouldn't miss it. I promise I'll be with you the whole time." I soothed, kissing her head. "I won't let him."
Tears rolled down my cheeks as I reminisced on my memories with the woman I had fallen in love with.
"Eda?" She whispered.
I whipped around to face my lady.
"Yes petal?"
"Eda I... I love you." She whispered.
My heart swelled and I leaned down to kiss her softly, something she returned with the same care.
"Oh my sweet Narcissa... I love you too my darling daffodil." I whispered, cupping her cheek.
"I know. I have for a while. I- well I was scared that if I told you I felt the same, it would ruin us."
I gently lifted her out of the tub and dried her before dressing her in a night dress.
"Nothing will ever take me away from you. Do you understand? I will always be here for you my love."
"Edaline... I want you to raise him with me. Raise our baby with me."
I looked at her with eyes wide as I tucked her into bed.
"Our baby?"
She nodded.
"You have been here since the day I found out. You have protected us, loved us, and cared for us when Lucius couldn't be bothered. You talk to my son every night. You sing to us. You love us. You are just as much his mother as I am." Narcissa said. "That is if you want to be."
I was crying tears of joy.
"I would be honored my love." I croaked.
"Good. Now come cuddle me. I need to be in your arms tonight." She whispered.
I grinned, kissed her head, changed into my nightwear, and hopped into bed, pulling her into my arms.
"Goodnight petal."
"Goodnight little dove." She whispered.
It was a relatively peaceful night sleep. Having the queen in my arms put me at ease. Knowing I could protect her easily made my mind calm down.
Time skip:
"You know Lady Albrecht,"
I looked over to my queen, who was walking beside me in the garden.
"Tis a shame I'm married. I'm the only elligible heir for my throne. My sister Bellatrix wants nothing to do with being queen and Andromeda as you know, was disowned. I may have married the king, but had I not, I would have made you my queen."
My eyes welled with tears. Had we not been in a place where we would've been spotted, I would have kissed her.
"My queen, I am honored to know that you would choose me. I would choose you a million times over. Queen or not. Your wealth and status matters not to me: it's your heart I have fallen for. Your grace, beauty, smile, and heart. Not to mention your stunning figure." I winked at her.
"As much as I'd love to continue this conversation, I have grown much too tired and uncomfortable for it. Would you be so kind as to see me to bed?"
"Of course."
Once we got to my chambers, I helped her change into something more comfortable.
"Thank you. I have another request as well." She said.
"What might that be my queen?"
"Hold me?" She whispered so quietly I almost didn't hear it.
I closed the distance between us.
She melted into my embrace with a sigh.
I cupped her face and kissed her soundly, loving the way our lips fit so perfectly together.
Narcissa had gotten up to use the washroom a few minutes ago leaving me on the bed, book in hand.
"EDA!"
I jumped up from the bed and ran into the bathroom to find Narcissa doubled over holding her stomach.
"Whats wrong? Are you alright?!"
"B-baby! C-coming! It hurts! Oh f-"
I grabbed her and helped her into the bed, pecking her lips before running into the hall yelling for maids.
"DONT YOU DARE LEAVE ME LADY ALBRECHT!" Narcissa roared.
I rushed back over to her.
"I'm not leaving your side my lady. I'm right here." I cooed, running my fingers through her hair.
"Promise?" She whimpered as a contraction hit her.
"Cross my heart." I said.
The maids arrived momentarily with a midwife for the queen.
Her labor was long and torturous.
We were on the tenth hour when she wailed and pulled me onto the bed with her.
"Oomph!"
"You could've just asked my queen."
Narcissa grabbed my hand and looked at me with pleading eyes.
"Please Eda! Make it stop. Its awful!" She begged, tears streaming down her face.
I kissed her head and cupped her cheek.
"I know it hurts Cissa. I know you're tired and in pure agony. Just a little longer. It will be worth it. I promise." I tried to calm her down.
She nodded and sighed, turning into a yelp of pain as a strong contraction hit her.
We were at hour 16 now and she was almost ready to deliver. I had been reading to her and singing to distract her but nothing was working now.
"GET HIM OUT!" She yelled furiously.
The midwife, not wanting to anger the queen, checked her again.
"You're ready. Your baby is coming. Are you ready to meet your baby?" She asked Narcissa.
"Oh god please! Just get him out!" She moaned.
"Ok when your next contraction hits, you need to push as hard as you can." The midwife instructed.
Narcissa nodded, breathing heavily.
"Hold my hand?" She whimpered.
I grinned and kissed her.
"Always." I said, gripping her hand.
"Push!"
—-
Narcissa's cries of pure agony sounded throughout the castles.
Labor lasted a lot longer and a lot shorter than I expected.
"I can't! So tired!" Narcissa whimpered.
"My queen you-"
I cut her off and dabbed a wet cloth on my lovers head.
"You can. You are so strong. So beautiful. So perfect. I know you can do this." I said, gazing into her doe brown eyes.
"Hold me? Please?" She begged.
Without a second thought, I crawled into bed behind her and held both her hands.
"Squeeze them as hard as you can. Let me take some of the pain ok?"
Narcissa nodded, her head on my chest as she pushed as hard as she possibly could.
After three more pushes, her baby boy was delivered into the world.
"Its a boy Cissa." I cooed, pressing kisses to the sides of her head.
"I knew it..." she whispered.
Her eyes fluttered shut and she went limp in my arms.
"Cissy?" I asked
No reply.
"Narcissa! Please!"
She was unconscious.
"WHATS HAPPENING?!" I cried.
"You need to take the baby and leave. She's losing a lot of blood! We need to perform emergency surgery on her to repair the damage. Now go!" The midwife demanded.
"But-"
"Go!" She yelled.
I kissed my queens head and got up, taking our son in my arms.
The baby was crying and I tried everything I could to soothe him.
He only calmed after I sang him to sleep.
I was crying, holding the baby boy close as I feared for the woman I had fallen in love with.
Some time had passed. A couple hours maybe , when the doctor and midwife came to get me.
"How is she?!" I demanded.
"She is alive. She's asleep right now, she lost a lot of blood but we were able to fix the damage." He looked at me sadly.
"But..."
He sighed.
"She won't be able to have any more children. If she does, she will not survive the pregnancy."
My heart shattered for Narcissa.
"But she has a healthy baby boy. He will be her pride and joy. Remind her of that." The doctor said, taking his leave.
I wiped a tear away and looked at the sleeping boy in my arms.
"You look just like her little man." I cooed.
I quietly entered the room where Narcissa lay asleep. I held our son close sitting in the chair next to her.
I had been about to doze off when I heard a soft but crackly voice that caught my attention.
"E-Eda?"
My head shot up to find a concious Narcissa smiling softly at me. The color had slightly returned to her face and her eyes were as beautiful and doey as ever. I moved careful to not wake the baby, and kissed her lips.
"Dont ever scare me like that again Narcissa Black." I scolded quietly.
She giggled, wincing in pain.
"Do you want to meet our son?" I asked grinning.
She nodded as I handed him to my lover.
She let out a happy muffled sob.
"Oh he's perfect." She whispered.
"Just like you my love." I said, kissing her temple. "Have you picked a name?"
"Draco." She said grinning. "It's tradition for the father's name to be the son's middle name in mine and Lucius's family so his full name will be Draco Lucius Malfoy."
"I love it my dear." I said, kissing her again.
We snuggled up in bed together for a bit, enjoying the silence and peace of being our happy little family for a bit.
"What did the healer say Edaline?" She asked, the mood turning a bit somber.
My face fell.
"I am so sorry Cissa."
"Just say it. Please." She begged.
I sighed and held her free hand in my own.
"You cant have any more children. If you do, you will not survive the birth."
She was silent for a moment.
"Oh..." she said in a hushed and broken tone.
"I am so sorry Cissa."
She nodded and relaxed into my warm embrace once again.
"Our son. Our only son. We have one chance Eda. But we will give him the world. As a family." She said between sniffles.
I kissed her lips softly, kissing baby Draco's head next.
"Yes we will. Together."
And we did.