Intimacy

27th June 2001- Wednesday

His first match of the morning was a near repeat of his second match, in that his competitor was trying to prevent Harry from showing his skills.

The man he was up against this time, Leonard, however, decided to prolong the match and send out his flashiest spells in quick succession, most likely having watched the outcome of Harry's previous match. This was to be his mistake.

Before he could signal his surrender, however, Harry quickly knocked him back with a wave of magic, and called up the flashiest spell he could think of in that moment.

His Patronus leapt from his wand in a flash of blue-white, sending his opponent diving back out of range as it headed towards him with the speed of a freight train. The man watched in awe for a moment as the graceful swan fluttered before him, enchanting and enthralling, before he yelped, diving backwards as Harry's Patronus viciously snapped at him, hissing furiously. The man skittled backwards, dropping his wand in the process, his awe turned into fear.

Harry took the opportunity to strike, calling upon his magic to summon vines from beneath the earth. The ground shook in warning, before tens of twisting vines shot out from beneath him. They wrapped around the man, trussing him up in the air like a turkey as he yelled. Harry's Patronus flew around the stage, showing off to the awe of the audience. As his finishing piece, knowing he had but moments left until the match was called due to the incapacitation of his opponent, he sent off an overpowered lightning spell, which, when it hit the protective shield that went up around the man as the referee finally called the match, turned into a shower of multi-coloured fireworks of magic.

The cheers were deafening.

Harry scored a 72.

His opponent scored a solid 50.

Harry breathed in deeply through his nose, his eyes sharp and focused, before throwing himself to the side, out of range from the flock of birds heading directly for him. He grunted slightly at the pressure this placed on his already bruised upper arms, but he was quick to leap back to his feet with a flourish.  

The little things fluttered and squawked when they hit the shield, denying them the pleasure of stabbing their razor-sharp beaks into the audience, who were watching on in awe. He rolled again, dodging a particularly tenacious bird who was aiming for his eyes, its beady, black eyeballs devoid of life. Conjured beings lacked a soul, after all. 

A shield went up quickly to block the horde that focused on him, as he subtlety conjured a ball of fire to incinerate them. Harry's eyes, however, caught a flash out of the corner of his vision, and he overpowered the spell suddenly, sending it to meet the spell his opponent cast. They met with a bang, sparks flying as the magic ate away at each other, eventually fizzing out in droplets of colourful sparks. 

Harry met the confident, composed stare of his opponent, and smiled slightly, waving a hand carelessly to evaporate the birds, who disappeared in a blink. With his wand, he weaved two spells in quick succession, the first a Bombarda, the second one that would induce vertigo. 

Lida was quick to block his attempt, her eyes sharp, slicing the air with a blade of wind to disrupt the second spell whilst dodging the first easily. Harry allowed himself a moment to be grudgingly impressed, before he was sucked straight back into the duel, blocking and weaving through the bombardment of spells sent his way, and giving back as good as he got.

They twirled around each other, their performance more like a dance than anything. It was exhilarating. Finally, Harry had the chance to show off. Lida, his competitor, was a challenge, but one he accepted wholeheartedly. But, only one could win in the end.

He let out a harsh breath as Lida scored a solid eighty-three, swallowing thickly. The woman seemed pleasantly surprised, and for the first time, she smiled. Their match had only ended when the woman had run out of magic, so there had been plenty of time for them both to show off.

But, could he have proved himself more?

Harry looked up at the judges, awaiting their judgement.

By a sheer stroke of luck, Harry scored an eighty-five.

He was lucky to be in the next round. Lida had been a formidable opponent. If only she had possessed a greater reservoir of magic, the woman would have beaten him. Easily. She reminded him of Hermione, and not only due to being a muggleborn that broke through society's boundaries, but for her clinical attitude during the duel, and her genuine kindness following it. He would remember her.

30th June 2001- Saturday

Sasha licked her paws, preening as she lay out in the sun. She had been feeling more restless as of late, especially with her Harry away from the Court. She had been left in the Palace to protect her Harry's cubs, however, and she was taking that job very seriously.

The helpers had brought the cubs out to play in the garden today, watched over by the shadows that lurked in every corner. Sasha took the opportunity for what it was, and sprawled herself out in the sunniest spot.

Bliss.

Her ears flicked about, listening as the cubs screeched and giggled as they played with one another, still wobbly on their useless human legs. She allowed them to climb over her and use her as a landing mat, because they were her Harry's cubs. Any bruise would set her Harry off into a tizzy. But she did twitch away when they grasped at her belly.

She needed to protect her own cubs, after all, who would soon enough grow into protectors alike she for her Harry.

2nd July 2001- Monday

Luna hummed as she trod her way gently through the long grass of the Court's wildflower meadow. It was one of the only places within the Court that she felt at peace, mostly because none of the other concubines would face the trek here, or wish to follow her into the tall grass and face potential stains on their expensive clothing. Luna didn't care for that, however, she didn't dress herself up for a simple walk. She had no one to impress, after all, not here in the Harem at least. The peace and solitude allowed her to reflect, and she found herself delving deeper into her thoughts.

She found herself pondering the Empire, its bad and its ugly, but also the good that it brought, despite her feelings of distaste towards many of the Emperor's ideals and legislations. Despite the faults of the regime, Luna agreed that magic should have never been hidden away. So much good could have been accomplished in the world with access to magic, good that would have outweighed the bad.

And it had been wrong to outlaw a whole range of magics, simply because they didn't fit an ideal. Even the so-called darkest of spells could serve a benign purpose. That should never have happened. Magic was neutral, it didn't serve to harm, and it didn't serve to heal, not without a conduit. It was the wielder that chose so, and it should have been them who were regulated.

Under The Emperor's reign, magic had blessed more and more people. Muggleborns were increasing by the day, new babies with magic born to lines though dead, or without a speck of magical ancestry. And even those who'd had magic in their family for generations were facing a boom. Families no longer stuck to one or two children, but were beginning to have four or even five. The magical population had never been so strong, their future existence had never looked so bright.

It filled Luna with hope. And, she believed that with Harry by his side, the Empire could become a less distasteful creation. One day, perhaps, the wrongs of the past could be righted under his guiding hand, and that of his children, the heirs he bore with The Emperor. Her thoughts struck her with a vision suddenly, and she stumbled, swallowed whole by the grass as she dove deeper and deeper into that dark hole.

A picturesque scene unfolded within her mind. The weather was sunny, and everything had that unrealistic sheen to it. A vision, surely. She barely had a moment to look around, taking in the serenity of the meadow, before a figure caught her attention.

Harry, dressed in a lilac and white robe, sat in that very meadow Luna had been exploring mere moments before. He was smiling, appearing slightly older, his hair curling in a more controlled fashion. Luna thought the softer appearance suited him far more, as did the colour compared to the orange he wore today as the Noble Consort.

On his lap, a baby sat, giggling up at him. They were a tiny little child, smaller than she could remember any of Harry's previous being. They had black hair with slight curls, and blazing red eyes that locked on hers to stare back at her when she moved forward to take a closer look. They seared into her soul, all-seeing.

Luna barely held in a gasp at the child's assessing gaze.

"Jan?" Harry's voice, more mature and sure, called out softly as he patted the child's head. "What is it, sweetheart?"

The child blinked slowly, still staring at Luna.

"Auntie," They called out in a lisping voice, before giggling and turning once more to Harry.

That's when she noticed the small, iridescent wings peeking out from slits in their robes, fluttering lazily as Harry cupped the back of their head gently.

The scene changed suddenly, however, ripping her away from the heartwarming sight of her dearest friend and his future child, sending her instead into a fiery nightmare. It stunned her for a moment, as she found herself face first on a bed of gravel, her limbs feeling heavy, as if a ton of rocks were laying on top of her.

Luna could almost taste the smoke as the scene finally settled in front of her.

It was of the Court, or perhaps, what was left of it, for a large swathe of the buildings were up in flames. The sight horrified her, especially as she noticed Harry's at the centre of her vision, collapsing in on itself as the fire ate away at its supports.

The Palaces were built to be nigh indestructible.

Yet, the phoenix that was swooping over them was able to clip them with its wings and set them aflame so easily. It wasn't a natural creature, far larger than any Phoenix Luna had seen, with blazing, inferno eyes that stared listlessly down at the destruction below. It let out a terrible screech as it swept low once more, heading directly for Harry's Palace.

She awoke from her vision with a gasp of horror, sweating and shaking, finding herself covered by stems of grass and flowers where she had ripped them in her thrashing nightmare. Luna bolted upright, taking to unsteady feet.

She needed to inform someone, and fast.

2nd July 2001- Monday

Theo tapped his foot gently in aggravation as the start of the morning meeting dragged out, delayed by the loud conversation between the Consorts Penny and Bellatrix. Neither woman seemed to care that the time for starting had long passed, more interested in chatting together. It reminded Theo of when he had first joined the Harem, when there was no structure, and those in the higher ranks did what they liked. The newest members had been exploited, forced to kneel for punishing amounts of time. The highest ranked had turned up to meetings when they pleased, and there had been the constant fear of poisoning frequenting his thoughts. Theo hadn't realised until now how much sway Harry had in dimming that arrogance with his mere presence, even when he ranked lower than them.

His presence now was missed.

It grated on many of them, he could clearly see, every cackling laugh Bellatrix let out earning a flinch from Jasmine, a glance from Regulus or a scowl from Isla. The woman, appearing to finally reach her breaking point, cleared her throat pointedly. 

"Yes, Sister Isla?" Penny questioned, a smile still in her tone. 

Isla frowned up at her, her arms crossed. She had refused to move today, as had Regulus, so they were all sat in their usual seats, with the exception of Penny. This break in order was characterised clearly by the empty chair to her left. 

"May we perhaps begin the meeting now, Sister? There is plenty of time in the day for you and Consort Bellatrix to talk, but we have a schedule to keep to. I need to be back in my Palace to welcome Jasmine for an early lunch soon after." Isla nodded towards Jasmine, who smiled thinly, not meeting Penny's searching eyes. 

"Of course, my apologies, meand Sister Bellatrix were simply filled with such enthusiasm this morning." The woman replied insincerely, her excuse brittle. It wasn't so much enthusiasm as it was glee at having the rule of the roost. Harry's soft askance of Isla to lead the meetings had been brushed off as soon as his back had turned, which had left the aforementioned woman in a dour mood. Penny's tone didn't give it away, and her soft smile was still perfect, but her eyes were like windows to her twisted soul. "However, it is unfortunate that this meeting will be a short one today, as His Majesty did not meet with me, and therefore there is no scroll for me to read from." 

As if waiting for the moment she spoke, the doors opened softly, revealing the decorated form of the Head Eunuch. In his hands, a scroll lay. The man entered without direction, bowing shallowly, barely a tilt of his head. Despite her fists clenching on the armrests, Theo knew that Penny could say nothing. The Head Eunuch controlled more than he let on, after all. 

She would never find herself in the Emperor's bed again if he wished it. He could sabotage her in many ways, using her own maids and the Eunuchs around the Court. Even the Knights were influenced by The Emperor's right-hand man. Theo admired that, but he would never debase himself to be stripped of his manhood in such a brutal fashion. He was a concubine of His Majesty, anyway, and the Nott line rested on his shoulders.

"Head Eunuch, I thank you for bringing the scroll. I did not know that His Majesty had created one, as he did not say." 

"He has had nothing to say to you as of late, Consort. Not personally. You have not met a single morning of this week, after all." The man spoke softly, but his words were as sharp and cutting as razor blades. His smile was cold. "He is with His Highness, the Noble Consort, for the time being, witnessing the final of his Tournament. But, he composed the demands within this scroll before He left." He made his way up to the dias, holding out the scroll.  "He wishes for you to read them."

Before the woman could take it, it was inched back slightly. 

"Thank you again, Head Eunuch. I will take the scroll now." Penny spoke, a tint of irritation clear in her tone. 

The man looked down at her, tilting his head. "That is not your seat. You have not been given permission by His Majesty to sit within His Highnesses chair. He knew you would, however, so you may remain there for the time being." He passed over the scroll, taking a single step back. It was like a performance, as if the Eunuch had anticipated and scripted every moment of this interaction.

Her feathers ruffled, the woman cleared her throat, tapping the scroll on her open palm. As she stared down at it, she hummed happily, approvingly. Suddenly, it was as if the clouds covering her sunny visage had receded, as her smile was suddenly back in full force.

"His Majesty has sealed the scroll with golden wax today. The contents must be of the highest importance." She spoke breathily, whilst breaking the seal. She unfurled it eagerly, beaming. The Consort, however, whitened dramatically as she unfurled the scroll further. It was almost comical, if she didn't look so sickly. Even Theo began to grow concerned, watching the rapid rise and fall of her chest with caution as the woman began to hyperventilate. Growing concerned, her maids inched forward, their hands upon her shoulders, ignored by the panicked Penny. "I cannot-!" The Consort gasped, growing even paler. "I cannot read this, no! It cannot be the truth!" Her voice was high, a screech alike a distressed bird.

"I assure you, Your Highness, that those are His Majesty's words and wishes. He stamped the seal on the scroll himself before passing it to me." The Head Eunuch reassured her, although his words only succeeded in distressing Penny further. He was calm in the face of her breakdown.

"No! No, no, no, no, no, no!"

Listening to her denials with a blank face, Theo's eyes roved across each concubine. Many appeared affected, although they were all engrossed in the scene. It was as if they were watching a bomb slowly tick towards self-destruction. One couldn't help but observe it in fascination.

The Head Eunuch's patience came to an end as the woman continued to yell at him, devolving now into expletives that did not belong within the Court, let alone coming out of the mouth of their composed Consort Penny. It was unnatural. It was delightful. "I shall read it, then." The man snapped his fingers, and the scroll appeared in his hands.

Penny made an abortive lunge for it, before she curled in on herself, the picture of agonised misery. Her mutterings were audible. Theo wondered what damning words were written on that scroll, to have broken her so.

"By decree of His Majesty, Her Highness, Slytherin-Haywood, is henceforth to be known as the Primary Concubine."

Pin. Drop. Silence.

Theo grinned internally, applauding Harry for whatever long game he was playing. Not even present to witness his nemesis' fall, either. He bet that stung Penny further.

Not that she appeared capable of thought. The woman was staring blankly at the scroll.

"I shall now list those reasons, as it had come to His Majesty's attention that the full truth on that matter was not disclosed to the Harem by the Concubine. For her words against the Noble Consort and his children, in which she expressed the possibility that he may face a threat from the Harem, the Concubine is to be disallowed from visitations by other Harem members or their personnel until His Majesty finds he can trust her again. For her dissatisfaction towards her own son, the Eighth Prince Darius, for not gaining her a promotion with his birth, she gains His Majesty's disfavour, and is demoted a whole rank. And, because of her words against His Majesty's decisions, he believes he can no longer trust her to care for their children in an appropriate manner, so the Prince's and Princess' she has borne are to reside in the Children's Palace until that trust has been restored."

The words were met with gasps and mutters. Bellatrix was pale, several of the Concubines' faces were slowly dawning with horror, and the Attendants watched on without a sound. Penny did not interject to disprove the damning words. She did, however, come to life once more when two Knights materialised beside her, dragging her up from the throne.

"You may vacate the throne now, Concubine." The Head Eunuch blandly stated, rolling the scroll up with a flourish. "Each Consort is to gain a rank with the displacement of the previous Primary, and each Concubine is to lose one to make room for the new Primary Concubine. That is all."

"Excuse me, what do you think you are doing? Unhand me!" Penny screeched, bodily throwing herself backwards. All her masks had slipped, and feral desperation was on show, as well as fear.

"Apologies, Your Highness. His Majesty's orders were to 'drag Concubine Slytherin-Haywood to her Palace and ensure that the Concubine remains there, effective immediately after her demotion'. We are only following orders." The Knight replied to her monotonously.

"Then follow my orders as a Consort! I said let me go!"

"Apologies, Your Highness, we are under orders from the highest power, His Majesty." The other replied. Neither sounded particularly sorry, however.

The woman was dragged to the doors, as was decreed, despite her futile resistance. It was a pitiful, exhilarating sight to see. The doors slammed shut behind her screaming form as the Head Eunuch followed after the trio to ensure His Majesty's decree was performed.

Theo watched on as, instantly, the loyalties in the Harem began to shift.

Penny was no longer the strongest competitor to Harry with her demotion to a lower rank, but Isla and Regulus had both shown their willingness in the past to back the man. And who wished to once more be under the whims of Bellatrix, who was quickly working through every bit of goodwill His Majesty had left for her. Added to the fact that she was certifiably insane, but wasn't everyone in the Harem?

To be here meant that you were willing to drop your morals to gain the attention of the world's most powerful man. And many, most, had. Causing sickness, pain and even death to one another, to their born and unborn children, and to their own in some cases. It was sickening. Theo had allied with Harry because he was an antithesis to all of the pain that the other concubines caused. He knew that, as a Slytherin, sometimes you needed to get your hands dirty, but he knew to draw the line somewhere.

Theo watched as Felix sat straighter in his chair as he came to the same conclusion as Theo: the opposition would need a new leader, and he was the prime candidate. He ranked one spot lower than Penny now as the Secondary Concubine, but none of his seniors wished to fight, or could not whilst facing the brunt of His Majesty's ire.

However, he could see the lack of confidence in the eyes of many as they landed upon the other man. Theo could see their thoughts, as clear as day, written on their faces.

Could there truly even be a next competitor to the Noble Consort? If there could, would it be Felix, who had never proven himself to be a leader or even particularly popular with the Emperor?

Had they chosen wrong, from the beginning, by not supporting the man who quickly made his way to the top of the Harem, and continued opposing him following that?

Yes, Theo thought gleefully, reclining back in his chair as Penny's screams of injustice finally quietened with distance.

He shared a knowing look with Lovegood, who winked strangely back at him.

2nd July 2001- Monday

Thomas thought that Harry was at the most beautiful whilst he was duelling.

That's not to say he did not find his husband exquisite at most times, he truly was a perfect man, but seeing him down there, trading blow to blow with a reigning champion, sweaty, exhausted, but still smiling, his eyes still bright with joy, he knew this memory would never be forgotten.

Thomas observed as a spell missed his beloved by inches, hissing through his teeth murderously. His eyes narrowed, gaze focusing dangerously on the man who had dared to aim for his husband's head.

He wouldn't live to regret it, not with the way he was smiling so viciously and proudly. Thomas wouldn't give him the chance to.

However, Harry hadn't let the near miss deter him. In fact, it only seemed to have made his Noble Consort more riled up as he began exchanging spells with the other wizard at a rapid pace. Only himself and those trained in the arts of duelling would have a clear picture of what was occurring on the stage at that moment, with the speed and finesse the two were trading fire.

It was a beautiful, breathtaking sight.

He would watch it forever, if he could. However, like all the best things, they came to an end.

His opponent shot off a rather overpowered Bombarda, which whizzed straight for Harry, who showed no sign of moving. Thomas tensed slightly. awaiting for the moment to intervene, to save his husband from pain and teach that scum a lesson he'd never forget in his short life-

He saw it for the first time, Harry's Patronus, then. A beautiful, graceful, whispy blue swan. It was glorious, breathtaking, and growing ever bigger by the millisecond, until it filled the stadium. Thomas drew in a deep breath, watching as the raw magic of his husband absorbed his competitors, spitting it out in a shower of dust.

When Harry's eyes met him, his heart throbbed.

He didn't even need to threaten the judges to score his husband over a ninety.

He deserved every point of the ninety-three he gained.

Harry only had eyes for his husband

Approaching, it took great strength not to break out into a sprint and embarrass himself in front of the crowd. But he dearly wanted to, especially when seeing Thomas holding onto the trophy with a delighted smile on his lips.

Harry barely took a moment to bow, before throwing his arms around the Emperor's shoulders. They were kissing.

The kiss was... all-consuming. Sparks flew, literally, as their magic entwined as they were, sending nearby observers diving for cover. Harry didn't care for them, however. His entire focus, his world, centred around Thomas, and their kiss. not even the edges of the trophy digging into his stomach could break his concentration.

It was the giggles of his children that did it.

Harry's head turned, breaking the kiss, and he grinned at the sight of Alsephina standing, her little arms stretched upwards, making grabbing motions at him. He knelt quickly, enveloping her in his arms, pressing his face into her red curls. Harry had missed her, all of his children, during this Tournament, and seeing them brought tears to his eyes.

His head shot to the side as he felt another tiny hand press on his arm, and Harry cooed at seeing Julius standing there, wobbling slightly, his other hand clasped in Lilaia's. He scooped all three of them up in his arms, still high on adrenaline and uncaring for the cameras and eyes focused upon him. He only cared for his children, and his husband, in that moment.

A kiss to his forehead had him smiling up at Thomas again, who presented the trophy out. He couldn't take it, his arms full, but he marvelled at it. It was golden, three-tiered and gorgeous. Up the top, a miniature statue of himself danced around, miming duelling. A miniature swan appeared with a sparkle, circling the figure, and he let out an awed breath at the detail. His name was etched onto the plaque at the front.

"Daddy!" Alsie yelped, giggling. "Daddy won!" His heart warmed with her childish words, kissing her head gently.

"Daddy won, yes, my sweet." He confirmed, moving her closer so that she could place her hands on the trophy.

"Da! Da!" Lila called out, clapping her little hands as she rested her head on his shoulder. Julius was quiet and pliant where he hung in the middle, his eyes fixed instead on Thomas.

It felt as if they were within their own little bubble, the moment was perfect. But a cough broke that. Harry looked over to see a woman standing there, a mic outstretched, a camera crew behind her. Instantly, he was on edge. He gestured for the maids around them to take the children and hide them from view, although who knows how many photos they had taken already.

"Your Highness, that was a marvellous display of duelling artistry! I was incredibly impressed." The woman began, her nails clacking irritatingly on the microphone. He could see behind her a floating notepad, with a quill scribbling furiously. "Congratulations on your win! I am Rita Skeeter, reporter for The Daily Prophet. Would you be so kind-" Before she, Rita, could continue with her unexpected interview, Thomas' large frame blocked Harry's view.

"Excuse me." The man hissed, and Harry could taste his anger. "Who do you believe you are, wretch?"

Harry could hear the woman splutter, and saw her hair flip as she hurried to bow. "Your Majesty! My deepest apologies, I did not realise Your Majesty's presence!"

Lies.

"Miss Skeeter, I know of you." His husband continued, as if he had not heard her. Or, that he just did not care. Either way, it caused the woman to yelp slightly. "And of the rubbish that you deign to call news. Gossip-filled filth, the lot of it. And that does not define merely your reputation as a reporter. How have you gained entry into this event, you certainly were not part of the press that I approved." It wasn't a question, not really.

There was silence for a moment, as the woman decided whether or not the Emperor wished for her to speak an answer. "I paid for a ticket, as the rest of the spectators, Your Majesty."

The Emperor tilted his head in a predatory manner. "Then why are you dressed as a reporter out of office hours, Miss Skeeter? It is an offence to pose as event staff, and especially to do so to approach a member of the Royal Family. I will have your camera and any notes from today seized, as the safety of the Noble Consort and my children is at stake, due to your recklessness."

The woman could do nothing but stare as the camera was broken before her eyes, thenotebook set aflame, and the microphone melted until it became a part of the stadium floor. She was shooed off quickly, although he could see in Thomas' eyes that this would not be the end of his retribution.

He decided to distract him. Entwining their fingers, the man's attention focused solely on him once more. Lila's whines did nothing to break it, as the Emperor quickly accepted her into his free arm. Their younger daughter snuggled into his shoulder, staring out at the stadium with bleary eyes.

"My husband-" He began. The appearance of a Knight froze his words in his throat, and Thomas looked furious at the interruption.

"If you do not deliver me news of the utmost importance, I will turn you to dust." The man sharply intoned, gesturing for the Knight to approach.

The Knight whispered into His Majesty's ear, and Harry watched with growing trepidation as the man only appeared to grow more smug the longer he listened, his viciousness peeking through. The sight of their littlest Princess in his arms, however, softened him in a way that Harry knew only he saw. It made him appear more temperate, more paternal. His heart clenched.

The Knight finally backed away with a bow, finished relaying the information to His Majesty, who turned to Harry with that smile still in place.

"I have received joyful news, my husband. On your return to the Court, I believe you shall be overjoyed not to have to mind the behaviour of Penny, for she has been detained for the time being."

"Detained? Whyever for? What did she do this time?" Harry questioned, frowning. Surely, the Consort hadn't done anything stupid in the short time that he had been away. He revised that in his head. With that woman in mind, and with the increased power she would have gained with his absence, anything was possible. But to receive detainment?

"It is in response to her recent comments regarding you, myself and the children. I have demoted her, my dear, to the position of Primary Concubine, and may there be further demotions if she does not reign herself in, for she is truly beginning to test my nerves."

Harry blinked, fighting a smile. It still lit up his eyes, however, which his husband clearly saw. The man clucked his chin, before softly pressing their lips together.

Thomas kissed him deeply, seeming hesitant to draw back. "Enough about her, this is your day, your victory. May I say how proud I am of you, husband. You have proven yourself spectacularly. And don't think that I have forgotten our deal. Are you ready to relay your wish, my dear?"