Intimacy

8th June 2000- Thursday

The morning brought unexpected and unwanted news, something which shook the Court and sent every Healer scrambling towards the Palace of Noble Beauty. Erin had entered labour in the early hours of the morning, and despite attempts to halt the premature birth, a son to the Emperor had been born at twenty-nine weeks, tiny and sickly.

The boy had yet to be named except for the title of Sixth Prince, moved immediately to the Court hospital and incubated, unseen by anyone but Healers and the Emperor, who had rushed after his son at the screaming insistence of his mother. That's all they had borne witness to; the screams, rushing into the Palace despite there being no need for witnesses for a Noble's labour.

Erin herself wasn't unscathed. She had suffered tremendously during the arduous birth, and was also in the hospital, unconscious, unknowing of her son's fate. He had miraculously been stabilised, but as the concubine was still unconscious, and the newest Prince incredibly weak, the Court was at an impasse.

Jasmine had been by far the most affected, rushing to the Palace once informed of her friend's labour, and being removed from the situation once she had begun impeding on the Healer's attempts to keep the woman stable. Inconsolable since, she had locked herself away in her Palace, with a maid stationed by the Emperor's Palace ready to receive any news.

12th June 2000- Monday

It came as an immense shock in the morning that Erin had requested to have lunch with him in her apartments, sending along one of her maids with a letter for him to read.

The woman had woken up a day after her traumatic and unexpected labour, and after careful observation, had been released from the hospital only yesterday. Her son, however, was still being watched over by Healers obsessively, and no news had come of his condition. Harry supposed that no news was better, as it meant the little Prince was still fighting.

He had heard that Jasmine had already been invited to the Noble's Palace at dawn, and the woman had rushed over, concerned for her dearest friend. She had left hours later, and now it seemed it was Harry's turn. It spoke of how their relationship had evolved in the past months, that he was the second concubine she requested to see.

Erin looked frail where she was sat on the the sofa, dark bags under her eyes relaying her bone-deep exhaustion. No amount of finery could hide her fatigue, and the weak smile she sent his way when Harry entered only exposed that something was seriously wrong.

He waved her attempt to bow away immediately, settling himself next to her with a concerned frown. Her hands in his, which felt small despite having held them only a few days before, he spoke gently. "Sister, I am glad to see you."

The woman made an attempt to laugh, although it came out breathless, a weak thing that lacked real humour. "I am glad to still be here. Thank you for coming, Brother."

"Of course," He hurried to reassure her. "I wouldn't refuse, I am fond of you, and rather concerned."

She grimaced, avoiding his gaze. "There were... complications," Erin murmured, hands clenching his own. "He came too early." She drew in a stuttered breath. "And then," The woman sounded emotional, her voice wavering, and he brushed his thumbs soothingly over her hands. "He got stuck, and the cord wrapped around his throat. They barely- they barely got him out in time, and he's so tiny I still can't believe that he's truly breathing!" Erin babbled, heaving laboriously.

Harry gently rubbed her arm, letting her speak without interruption as tears began to track down her face.

"I wanted them to grow up close together, our children. Serina, I coddled her too much when she was young. After losing my first two, I couldn't bear to let her out of my sight. And by the time I felt secure, the other children who had shared infanthood with her were wary, she was their sister they had never seen. And you know what children are like, they have their own little groups, and despite accepting her, she never grew truly close with them. I had hoped our children could share a bond from birth, being born so close together."

"They still can," Harry reassured her. "Your son will pull through, he's got the best Healers the world can offer looking after him. They will be but a couple of months apart at most."

She sniffed, looking at him with watery eyes. "The Emperor has named him Enis. I'm still unsure what I want his middle name to be. I've barely seen him, I didn't think I would have to have a name prepared this soon. I thought I still had weeks left to decide..."

Harry hummed reassuringly. "Enis is a wonderful name, and I'm sure whatever you choose will suit him well."

"I pretended he was a girl, you know." Erin chuckled, her grin a little stronger. "In reality, I didn't even think to check the gender. I didn't want to jinx anything, not after last time. I just wanted to remove some weight from my back. It worked with Serina, they were a lot less hostile once I revealed she was going to be a girl. Although, I suppose there will be many questions now, as I have a boy and not the girl they were so gleeful about."

Harry leaned in, meeting her gaze. "They may question all they want, you just need to focus on your son, who needs you more than you need to pay attention to them. Simply say the Healer must have mistaken themself. It is, after all, difficult to see clearly in some cases, and easy to mistake. Congratulations, Sister."

She smiled warmly at him, although Harry could see that she was struggling now to remain upright. She must have been in pain. "Thank you, Brother."

18th June 2000- Sunday

The opening ceremony to the Tournament days later was an extraordinary event on a level Harry had never witnessed before. It eclipsed all carnivals he had witnessed, and was even grander than the Olympics, a Muggle sporting event his parents had taken him to a few times.

There had been fireworks to begin with, a lengthy showing that had awed the crowd, followed by a magical display consisting of a witch and wizard from each country, all nearly four hundred performing in sync. That had been the best part of the opening ceremony for Harry.

After the festivities finished, parades showcasing each of the thirty-two attending countries' cultures and competitors, there came the part the crowd had eagerly been awaiting, and as the first contender filed onto the stage in the centre, they went wild with enthusiasm.

Around him, as opposed to cheering loudly along with the crowds below in the stands, the concubines clapped, some more enthusiastically than others. Harry couldn't help but grin as the first contestant swaggered to the centre. From their vantage point in the Emperor's Box, they had a clear view of the massive arena down below and the dias in the centre, but weren't too far away from the happenings.

Just far enough that any attacks could be thwarted, if the many protection spells and wards happened to fail.

The announcer, situated in the box opposite them- which was rather far considering the size of the stadium- began the next stage as he introduced the man. "Our first contender, fighting for the title of World Champion, all the way from Australia, Mr Owen Williams!"

The crowd roared in delight as the man bowed deeply, his hands tight to his sides as he greeted the Emperor. Before he could turn and soak up the adoration of the spectators, the Australian needed to introduce himself to the man.

The noise quietened as the Emperor stood for his part, and the Consorts shuffled forward with him, Penny to his right, Harry standing close on his left.

"It is my greatest pleasure to open the first ever Magical World Tournament, where the best duellers the Empire can offer will showcase their abilities in battles over the next month until one reigns supreme as the Champion." The crowd cheered, the atmosphere electric with excitement, the man's following words inciting them further. "However, the prize for this Tournament is not only the title of Champion, I offer another boon to entice the competitors to strive for victory. As I will ask all contenders today, I wish to know what you would desire if you were to reign victorious over your competition."

The man, startled at the question, lifted his head. The crowd made noises of interest, not having expected such a question. He stuttered for a moment, before bowing again. "I would request to become a member of His Majesty's Knights, having proven myself to be a man powerful enough to hold my own."

Thomas nodded his head regally. "That is acceptable. I will be looking forward to your showing over the next weeks, if you pass the first round."

The opening ceremony continued as more countries contestants were introduced, and each was subjected to the same question.

"-And may I introduce to you all, England's Champion, Miss Estella Alixan!"

The crowd roared as the young woman stepped onto the podium, waving and grinning at the cameras, her blue eyes glinting with exuberant joy, infatuating the spectators. She had destroyed her competition with ease to stand on that stage and had even gained Thomas' praise, her magical rating standing at a brilliant ninety-one.

Harry wouldn't be surprised if a new golden mask joined the ranks of the Emperor's personal guard soon after the tournament had ended.

The woman bowed in their direction, her blue robes sweeping behind her and blonde waves tumbling over her shoulders.

The Emperor's voice boomed over the noise of the masses, projected for all to hear. "And what is your wish if you win the tournament and stand before me as the first champion at the end, Miss Alixan?"

Estella Alixan straightened from her bow, her expression gleeful. The way she stared up at the Emperor, gaze roving up and down his body, taking him in in his full glory, made a shiver travel up Harry's spine. "If His Majesty permits it, I would request a place within his illustrious Harem." She steadily revealed, despite the gasps and tittering her request elicited.

Harry stiffened, turning his head to watch in dawning horror as the Emperor's lips twitched in amusement, his eyes glowing as he stared down at the woman, who Harry realised belatedly was gorgeous beyond compare.

Of course, the man would agree, she was beautiful, powerful, an heiress in her own right, and their union would bring further attention to the Harem-

"How bold." The man purred, and Harry winced imperceptibly. "I am afraid-" Harry's head whipped up, his eyes widening. "That you would have to pass the scrutiny of my Spouses for me to grant such a request, as you would forego the formal procedures of the Selection."

The woman turned her stare to them, searching. Her expression didn't change, and she still appeared confident as ever.

"I am sure I will impress His Majesty's Harem enough that they will accept me as their Sister. And I shall win, in your name, Your Majesty."

Thomas smirked, and Harry could see how his lips were curling with dark amusement. "Please, I implore you to try. I must warn you, however, the members of my Harem are rather..." His eyes flickered over to meet Harry's for a moment. "Possessive."

20th June 2000- Tuesday

The day before the tournament began, the Court was a flurry of activity. Everyone, from the lowest-ranking maids to the Head Eunuch, was moving about, arranging for the festivities to begin.

Last-minute alterations and accessories were being added to the collection of robes selected for Harry to wear on each day, the first being a beautiful pale yellow and white robe that shimmered beautifully. Despite his dislike for the colour he wore as a Consort, it fit him well.

Swapping his daily crown for the one created for him when he ascended to the rank of Consort, Harry sighed approvingly as it lit up his appearance, truly making him look like a royal. For the tournament, they were expected to wear their best, to showcase their Royal status.

A shriek from behind had him spinning, cradling the curve of his stomach, taking his daughter into his other arm when Anya passed the Princess to him.

She was just over a month shy of a year old now, a happy child who lit up any room she entered, both physically and emotionally. Her red curls had only grown wilder with age, reaching the tips of her shoulders now, clashing with the stark redness of her eyes. He sighed as she grabbed a fistful of his own hair, knocking his crown to the side.

"Alsie, don't grab Daddy's hair like that please," Harry spoke gently as he tried to pry his locks from his daughter's iron grip, but she just continued to stare up at him with eyes identical to her father's. He sighed, turning back to the mirror as she giggled.

Harry observed them as a pair, noting how Alsephina's robes matched his, minus much of the accessories. Expected, as she was young enough she was most likely to soil the clothing in some way or yank off everything even suggestively detachable.

They were going to be meeting the contenders of the tournament personally today. And by 'they', Harry meant the upper Harem and the children who attached themselves to their parents in eagerness to meet the people who had achieved 'celebrity' status since becoming possible Champions. Whether or not they won and took the title, the thirty-two competitors would surely be lavished for being recognised as some of the world's most powerful.

Harry was taking the opportunity to bring his daughter along to something, even if she would remember nothing about it.

Hopefully, if this tournament was a success, Harry hoped Thomas would host future tournaments, perhaps every five to ten years or so, so that she and his future children would have a chance to enjoy the same spectacle.

He exited his Palace, Alsie still flailing about in his arms- he'd refused any attempts by his maids to take her- and entered the Sedan waiting for him outside.

Ever since he had entered the later stages of his pregnancy, he had been using the Sedan more often. It was easier to handle his daughter whilst they were sitting, less exhausting and safer for the children he carried. The twins were taking a lot out of him, and it was a far harder pregnancy to manage than his previous one.

He held Alsie tightly on his lap, sighing as she continued to squirm, reaching for the crown once again.

"Alsie, I told you no."

"Da!" She shouted, reaching for it more urgently.

He blinked down at her in shock, lifting her up to stare into her eyes. "What did you just say?" Harry whispered, disbelieving as joy began to fill him. His daughter didn't speak again, making grunting noises as she reached for his head, and he cuddled her to his chest. "I'm so proud of you, Sweetie. You've made Daddy very happy."

"Da." She said again, this time patting at his cheek with all the sweetness an infant could produce. Harry felt tears pool in his eyes, and he wiped them away quickly as the Sedan stopped, a rap at the door declaring their arrival.

Composing himself, Harry patted down his hair and robes, checking that his crown wasn't askew. He moved on to his daughter next, chuckling as she threw her head back to avoid his hands, making noises of complaint as he cleaned off the milk stains from her chin.

He rapped quickly on the door to announce his readiness, and the door opened to reveal the spectacular palace the Emperor resided within. The Emperor's Palace was the only one equipped with a floo, so they were all gathering outside of it, ready to be allowed in.

And by all, Harry assumed every child, Concubine and Consort was present, apart from those deemed too young to attend. He had thought that Alsie was going to be the youngest until he spotted Prince Atticus held in Jasmine's arms, and a maid carefully cradling Princess Freyja as Patricia hovered nearby. Those deemed too young, then, was only the Sixth Prince, Enis, who was still sickly but rather miraculously seemed to be brimming with life.

Of course, Harry shouldn't have expected himself to be the only one to use the loophole to bring his infant.

In his arms, Alsie began to fuss again, and he followed her reaching arms to see the Emperor making his way over, having exited the Palace quietly whilst Harry was distracted. The man was looking in their direction, and appearing to be making his way over. The courtyard had gone silent as they watched the man approach him, apart from the whines of his daughter. He tried to shush her, but she only seemed to be growing more impatient. She shook away from his hand as he smoothed down her curls in a soothing motion, wrenching her head to the side and flinging her hands out, almost throwing herself from his arms.

"Fa!"

Her tiny voice was loud in the silent courtyard, only broken as the Emperor chuckled delightedly as he came to a stop in front of them.

"My Princess, you've learnt to speak?" The man crooned in a way he only did with his children, and Harry was still gaping down at the baby within his arms as she reached for her Father.

Alsie didn't care for anything but escaping Harry's arms at that moment, and he was grateful to offload her onto the only other person he trusted to take his daughter's safety to the utmost. He rubbed his stomach now that he didn't have a child pressing onto it, breath filling his lungs more easily.

That was until a pair of arms wrapped around his waist, and Harry looked down to see Prince Alexus' blue eyes staring up at him. The smaller figure of Princess Amelia hung back a few steps, but the girl was still clasping the back of her brothers' robes, biting her lip anxiously as she watched them both.

Harry blinked at them, first focusing on the Prince clinging uncharacteristically to his waist. "Prince Alexus," He attempted to awkwardly bow, but ended up simply nodding his head, the child's arms and the swell of his stomach making the movement impossible. "Are you well?"

The boy grinned up at him, the dimples in his cheeks which seemed to be becoming more noticeable with age deepening. "Yes, Uncle! I wanted to say hello!" His blue eyes flitted to the side then, focusing on Alsie.

Harry's lips twitched in amusement. So he hadn't been the one the Prince was after.

Untangling himself, Alexus took a step forward, tilting his head back. "Father," He greeted quickly, with all the seriousness a nine-year-old could muster. His expression brightened considerably as Alsie's attention was drawn, and she looked down at her brother from behind a curtain of red curls. "Alsie," The Prince practically sang, reaching a hand up to hold hers, both children giggling as he pressed a kiss to the back of it. "You look pretty today, just like Uncle!" He quickly shot at Harry, turning right back to fawning over his sister.

To disguise his snort, Harry shifted his attention to the Eight Princess, who was awkwardly standing in the same spot, staring down at her shoes with a dejected expression.

"Good morning, Princess Amelia." Harry greeted her, heart squeezing as she looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

She blinked a couple of times, as if unsure that he was truly speaking to her, before smiling hesitantly. "Good morning, Royal Uncle."

It took only a few moments with his attention directed solely on her for Harry to decide he needed to take the little darling under his wing.

"The Princess is looking very beautiful today," Harry commented kindly, noting how she was clenching her purple dress tightly between her fingers.

Eyes flitting to his daughter, the girl nodded earnestly. "Sister is very adorable."

Harry made a wounded noise in the back of his throat, swallowing the curses that wished to escape, directed at all those who had ever made the young girl in front of him feel underserving of praise to the point she couldn't recognise a compliment. "I meant you, sweetheart." He kindly corrected, feeling his heart constrict at the dumbfounded look she sent him, disbelieving. "Purple suits you. Did you choose it yourself?"

"No," The Princess murmured, cheeks tinting a dashing faint pink. "Father did. Father chooses most of my clothes." She twisted the fabric beneath her fingers tighter, staring up at him from beneath her long eyelashes. "Um..." Amelia began, and Harry remained silent so as not to scare her off or dissuade her from finishing what she wanted to say. "Lex says that he visits you and our sister sometimes."

"He does, would you also like to visit, Princess?" He asked her carefully, keeping his voice gentle. The girl nodded her head exuberantly, eyes flitting to her Father, who Harry only noticed then was staring at them with a deep emotion in his eyes. He let his eyes wander further, noticing that the courtyard was still focused on their group, although had begun conversations of their own out of consideration.

He stiffened as he caught the approach of Penny from the corner of his eye, turning his attention back to the conversation quickly.

"-I don't see why not." The Emperor spoke, answering his daughter's question. "Harry will be glad to host you, although you must be respectful and try not to bother him too much, especially as he is so close to the end of his pregnancy now. That goes for you as well, Alexus."

The boy grinned, grabbing a hold of the Eighth Princess' hand. "Of course! Me and Amy- oh." The Prince stopped, his expression closing off as he stared to the side. Harry knew exactly whom Alexus was looking at before he greeted her. "Royal Aunt." The boy's voice was frosty, his countenance far from the bright boy Harry had come to know and love.

Penny's voice was smooth, unruffled by the frigid reception of the eldest Prince. "Prince Alexus," She greeted, and Harry looked up to see her surrounded by her three children, and Bellatrix to her left holding Princess Delphina. "Your Majesty, Princesses Alsephina and Amelia, Brother." Penny met his eyes briefly, and he bowed his head to the Royal children surrounding them, following her lead.

"Prince Rastus, Princesses Aurelia, Cecilia, Delphina. Sisters."

Penny and Bellatrix turned their attention to the Emperor once he had fulfilled his courtesies, and he noted that Bellatrix simply kept herself behind the other woman, so as to forego greeting him herself, her daughter clutched to her chest and squirming much like how Alsie had been before the Emperor had taken her. She was staring at the man, or more notably, the way he cradled Harry's daughter, lip curling up slightly.

"Your Majesty, the Head Eunuch expresses that it is time to depart. I have made sure that the Harem had assembled, and that the lower concubines will be well whilst we are gone, although I am sure they are more than capable of entertaining themselves for a few hours. Princess Aloisa has been entrusted to Sister Patricia by Brother Lukas for today, as the girl was adamant she wished to meet the contestants."

Thomas nodded his head, hiking Alsephina higher up his side, a hand reaching down to cup the back of Alexus' head. The boy, grinning, grabbed Amelia's hand, and tugged her along as the man began walking. "Thank you for letting me know. Come along, children. We must depart."

Harry followed them at as quick of a pace as he dared, looking back briefly at the other Consorts. Penny's bewildered stare as she watched the man head for his Palace with an assortment of children in tow was amusing to witness, as was the way she huffed before following, children at her heels.

Miss Alixan curtsied deeply, nearly reaching the floor, rising just as steadily and gracefully. She looked up at the Emperor from underneath her blonde eyelashes, blue eyes sparkling with lust and reverence. "Your Majesty, it is an honour." She breathed out, and Harry felt jealousy rear its ugly head once more.

The woman was gorgeous, incomparably so, and he felt inferior standing next to the Emperor. His nose wrinkled, and he hefted Alsie higher up on his hip.

She turned to Penny next, whose lips were twisted into a plastic smile, and bowed a little shallower. "Your Highness, the Primary Consort." Then, her eyes landed on him, and they seemed to shine brighter as she dipped her head in respect. "Your Highness, the Secondary Consort, and Her Royal Highness, the Princess Alsephina. I am most honoured to meet you."

Harry nodded his head in acknowledgement, trying not to let the jealousy he was feeling sour their meeting. The woman seemed kind, he shouldn't be spiteful, despite the threat she could become if she did truly capture the Emperor's interest. Because they all knew that his words had been just that, words. He didn't truly need his Harem's approval to add another member outside of the Selection, despite having not done so before. But then, someone as powerful and beautiful as Estella Alixan had never shown themself like this.

"I wish you luck for the Tournament, Miss Alixan," Thomas spoke, his voice polite, yet cold. "On your shoulders rests the pride of England, mine and the majority of my Harem's country of birth. Despite this, however, I endeavour to remain impartial, as the Empire is my land now."

"Of course, Your Majesty." The woman bowed once again. "I will ensure that England is the victor in this Tournament, for my own pride and wishes, as well."

Harry, for the first time since her true colours had been revealed, felt a sense of camaraderie with Penny, as their noses scrunched in sync.

21st June 2000- Wednesday

The arena was filled to the brim for the first day of the Tournament, each seat occupied and the standing section packed with bodies, thousands and thousands of wizards and witches gathered in one place to witness the biggest event of the new millennium.

In the Royal Box, crammed with the entirety of the Harem, the Royal Children, and the personnel needed to care for such a large entourage of royalty, was a hubbub of noise, so much so that Harry could barely hear as the first two contestants were heralded in by the announcer.

After the pair had taken their positions at opposite ends of the arena, facing one another, Thomas stood once more, his form projected on every screen around the stadium. His imposing form filled the screen, and hushed whispers descended upon the crowd before they were silenced by his words.

"Mr Tahiri of Morocco, are you ready?" The man bowed towards the Emperor, before swiftly retaking his stance. "Mrs Ricci of Spain, are you?" The woman nodded her head, eyes fixed on her opponent, eyes sharp and form precise. "Then, the first duel of the Tournament may commence!"

The two flew into motion, wordless spells streaking across the arena in mere moments. This flurry of spells shot back and forth continued for less than twenty seconds, before the duel came to a standstill, and the witch and wizard began circling one another, shooting off an odd spell here and there in an attempt to create an opening.

Harry leant forward, enamoured by the skill the pair showcased. They were using a varied arsenal of spells, sometimes double-casting in a flamboyant way that made the crowds gasp and ooh in awe, echoed more delicately by the concubines behind him.

They were true performers, not only showcasing their skills in charms and transfiguration- as shown by when the wizard ripped a piece of the arena up and turned it into a barrage of sharp stones- but the ability to entrance an audience, something which was key to a Tournament such as this.

However, it was only the first day, and Harry sincerely doubted that they were showing their full arsenal. It made him eager for the days to come.

The following duels were fast-paced and explosive, but ultimately underwhelming in comparison to the exemplary performance the first two contestants had shown. It was like comparing a playground fight to a professional battle, despite the contestants being the best their countries could offer.

It was a strike of bad luck that they had been paired together at the beginning, and lucky for the witch that she would have a second chance to retain her position in the next round. In her second fight of the day, she would have to win, a likely scenario, and prove herself to be within the top sixteen.

Either way, he was considering having the pair join the ranks of his Knights for their performance, whoever won.

Thomas observed the ongoing duel with disinterest, the two wizards below powerful, yet callous with the way they flung their spells at each other. They would make it to the second round at most.

To his side, Harry made an inquisitive noise, shifting forward slightly. Thomas watched him from the corner of his eye, observing the way his lips pursed at the flippant way one of the men cast a deadly curse without care- ignoring the rule of foregoing permanent harm. Harry's eyebrows furrowed, and he hummed.

"Are you not impressed, my Consort?"

Barely taking his eyes off the duel, Harry made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat. "The way they both fight," He waved his hand flippantly. "It's disgusting, Your Majesty. There's no... flourish to it. Do they perhaps not realise that this is not only a contest of strength, but one of performance? They are supposed to be putting on a show, generating interest, not..." His lip twitched, and Thomas snorted lightly. "That."

"I believe they are doing remarkably well, Your Majesty," Penny interjected herself into the conversation, sending him a beatific smile. "You forget, Brother, that they are the best of each of their countries. They are showcasing the abilities their country has taught them."

"Well," Harry began, and Thomas felt a sinister, darkly amused smirk grow on his face at his tone. "If you say so, Sister, then that must be it. Not that they're overpowering their spells and wasting their magic, or anything like that." The pair shared a catty glance, barely refraining from outright glaring.

"There's no need for such a tone, Brother." His Primary Consort spat, her hackles raised.

"Peace," He interjected, before their squabble was noticed by the crowds below, lest rumours grow that his Harem was anything but sunshine and rainbows, his concubines loving one another just as much as they desired him. The masses always liked to create their own fantastical scenarios. "Harry is correct. The pair below are impaired in their strategy. I believed they would perhaps be underdogs for the audience to cheer on. Now I see instead that they are wholly unprepared to inspire confidence in their abilities in those who watch them. They will go no further than this, perhaps. Certainly, they hold no hope for victory in comparison to Mr Tahiri and Mrs Ricci."

Harry, ever coming out of his shell now that he was nearly unequalled in power in the Harem, folded his arms, and shot Penny a look.

1st July 2000- Saturday

"There are a rather large number of changes to the rankings today, Sisters, Brothers." Penny smiled, seemingly happy with that. "It must be as the Selection is beginning today, and His Majesty wishes for the new ranks to be settled before we welcome our newest members."

Chatter began immediately, the concubine's voices filled with excitement and wonder, especially as today marked yet another year of the Harem's existence. The Emperor was always far more generous at the beginning of July.

"Sisters Dahlia and Daphne, congratulations!" Penny gushed, placing a hand to her chest. "For your third year as the highest Attendants, His Majesty has generously promoted you both to the rank of Noble, the Fifth and Sixth respectively."

Dahlia gasped joyfully, clasping her hands together, eyes glistening as she shared a glance with Daphne, who was similarly shocked. "Truly? Oh, His Majesty is most generous!"

"We accept this promotion with the utmost gratitude," Daphne spoke in a more refined tone, but there was still a self-satisfied smile on her face.

"They are promotions long awaited for, and assuredly deserved, Sisters. Therefore, Brother Lukas is to presume the rank of Primary First-Class Attendant, Brothers Theodore and Zacharias the ranks of Secondary and Third respectively, and Sister Penelope the rank of Fourth First-Class Attendant. However, Sister Merula, for her twelve years of loyal service, is to be promoted to the rank of Fifth First-Class Attendant. Congratulations to all of you."

Merula straightened, a pleased smile on her face, which quickly turned brittle as her brow furrowed. "I am incredibly grateful for His Majesty's benevolence, but what is to be done with the Elegance test of the Selection, then? I am scheduled to oversee a third of the participants for their test, has this changed with my promotion?"

"Ah, yes, His Majesty requests that you continue to do so, as the burden would otherwise fall on our Brothers as the only remaining Second-Class Attendants."

Cassius and Adrian, being mentioned, appeared embarrassed at the reminder of their position, shrinking slightly. Merula nodded, grinning eagerly.

"I am willing to help my Brother's, having to oversee all the remaining contestants between just the two of them would be, as you said, a burden."

"Excellent!" Penny clapped her hands, smiling down at them. "Then, I believe we should move on to other matters now."