Jia gave birth to a beautiful boy who she and Fang named Jun. When I had gone to see her, I saw that she was haggard and spent, but the light in her eyes was the brightest I had ever seen when she looked at her child. Despite having been put through that pain, she could still smile and show her child to Kang, who was wide eyed and jumping around at being an older brother. Fang had been sitting next to the bed looking worse than Jia—stress for his wife and child had tired him out. Bohai had looked at the child and cracked a joke, before getting smacked by Jia. Meilin had held him, and I couldn't help but smile at the awe-struck look on his face. The Peccata had gone wild and crowded the baby, showering him with love. After all, he was Fang's child.

Right now, I was sitting in the garden with Lanfen. She was dressed in finer clothing that Meilin had given to her. As the sister-in-law of the Emperor, Meilin had told me that she was supposed to be showered with gifts. I hadn't known about it earlier, but Lanfen had been hesitant on receiving gifts from Meilin. After talking to me, she had finally agreed to dress in the beautiful clothing meant for a princess.

"Do you think it'll be a girl or boy?" she asked as she placed a hand against my swollen stomach. Her dark eyes were bright and she was giddy with joy. This wasn't the first niece or nephew that she had, but she was nonetheless excited for my first child.

"I don't know," I murmured. I shifted in my seat until I was more comfortable. "Many people are saying that it will be a boy. An heir to the throne."

"Mother of the heir," she said with a grin. "It'll be nice to have twins."

I shook my head with a laugh. "No, I'd rather not have twins. Jia was telling me that the pain of childbirth was enough to take her soul away. Having two is unimaginable, especially for my first."

"That's true, I guess," she said, unconvinced.

"I will be fine with either," I said. "Meilin hasn't specified either, but he hasn't said anything about the child. He's been so busy with cleaning up after Keung's mess that we don't really discuss about the child that often. Politics are hard to understand and he's been telling me a little about them. The gender of the child hasn't come up in conversation. I've speculated but he's always silent when I ramble."

Lanfen nodded. "I would think that he would be more excited."

"He's excited," I countered. "He's looking forward to the child, even more so after Jun was born. Meilin is actually very hard to understand so it's understandable that you think that, but trust me, he's very excited. I can see it in the way he stares at me and holds onto me when we sleep. Sometimes he'll just sit there and rest his head against my stomach and stay that way for the longest time."

"I would've never expected the 'evil' Emperor to be so sweet. Do you remember how torn you were when Heng died? I thought you'd never get over his death. Ai and Dandan and Mother and Father, and everyone, I think, hated the new Emperor. You never once said anything against him, though, only saying that war was war and that no one was to blame for Heng's death except for war. The life of a soldier is difficult."

I nodded. "I'm sure Heng is watching over me and this child," I murmured as I stared up at the soft blue sky. Heng, my childhood friend and first love, who had been the sweetest person in the world. Even after these years I knew that there was no one as generous and kind hearted as him. "I loved him dearly, but I love Meilin as well. I would've never thought that my life would change so drastically."

"I suppose we're all getting used to you being the Empress and being married to the Emperor," she said after a moment. "The Emperor has been giving gifts to Mother and Father, have you heard?"

"Of course."

"There's so many gifts that they're all very overwhelmed. He's even offered a new home that they've moved into."

"Yes, I know. They are the family of the Empress, it's not unusual for them to be living lavishly from now on. I want them to have a comfortable life and I want Enlai, Wen, and Yunru to be literate. As well as you, Lanfen."

She waved her hand dismissively. She had been given lessons every day for writing and reading, but she disliked it greatly. She would rather be outside and enjoy nature than to be locked inside with stuffy books. Writing and reading had never been important to us before, so it was hard for her to know the importance of it. People of lower class had no need to literacy, and she still couldn't see how it would be useful to her.

"What are your thoughts of Remus?" I asked aimlessly. Ever since Keung's execution a few months ago, where Lanfen had seen Remus bathed in blood, she had been keeping her distance. It was becoming increasingly difficult for her to be around him. She was petrified of him and he knew it.

She shivered. "I don't know. I think he's evil."

"Evil? That's a bit harsh," I murmured.

"He kills indiscriminately and everything about him is so scary," she whispered. She clasped her hands together tightly and chewed on her lower lip. It was hard for her to accept the death and evil that Demons were known for. "Plus he's not even human. He looks scary too. I'm trying but it's so hard . . . "

"Remus has a good heart," I said as I grabbed her hand. "He's a good person, Lanfen. He may be scary, but he has a pure heart. He's a sweetheart. I'm not telling you to be best friends with him and love him, I'm just telling you to open up to him and try to accept him for who he is."

She bobbed her head reluctantly. "I . . . will try," she said unconvincingly.

At that moment, Yat-sen broke through the clearing of the trees, laughing all the while. Daewon trailed after him. Yat-sen was dressed in his usual princely garb, as was Daewon, who was handsomely dressed and looked adorable. Yat-sen jumped when Daewon tried to grab him and almost ran headlong into the bench that we were sitting at. His eyes widened and he straightened up.

"Aunt Daiyu!" he said, surprised. Daewon bumped into him and looked over at me before clumsily bowing down. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Yat-sen, nice to see you. How are you doing?"

He smiled sheepishly and rubbed the nape of his neck. His dark hair had grown longer and he was wearing it up like Meilin did. His dedication towards his uncle was admirable and it was clear to see how much he looked up to him. Even Daewon had started growing his hair out. "I'm doing fine. I was just playing around with Daewon. How are you doing, Aunt Daiyu?"

"I'm fine."

"And you, Lady Lanfen?"

Lanfen gave him a curt nod. "I'm well. Thank you."

"Daewon is always wanting to play games and since I'm aiming to become faster than Nikator, I thought it would be better to kill two birds with one stone," he said with a laugh. "This way I'll practice running and Daewon can have fun too."

I cocked a brow. Faster than Nikator? That sounded impossible to me. Nikator was faster than anyone I had ever seen. The way he would draw his weapons and strike was faster than anything I had ever seen. He was light on his feet and moved so fast that it was hard to follow his movements. To compete with him in speed seemed fruitless. "Nikator is fast but I'm sure you'll catch up to him," I said instead. "Practice every day, I suppose. Nikator has been training for years. He didn't become the way he is overnight."

He nodded vigorously, a sparkle in his dark eyes. "I will train very hard."

"Me too," Daewon said from behind Yat-sen's leg. He smiled toothily at me but still kept his distance. It was adorable to see his shyness. "I will be a good fighter too."

"I'm sure you will," I said warmly. I felt the child inside me kick and I winced at the odd sensation before resting a hand against where the child was kicking. It was still the oddest feeling to me to have a growing child inside of me. The love I felt whenever I looked in the mirror at the child nestled inside me was immeasurable. I had never realized this sort of love was possible—the type of love that was instantaneous to the point that I was willing to risk my life for it.

Pain hit the bottom of my stomach and I flinched at the suddenness of it. It wasn't intense pain or anything to have me keeling over, but it was strained and felt . . . off.

Lanfen grabbed my elbow. "Is everything ok? You look pale."

"I'm fine," I brushed her off.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I think I'll walk for a bit," I said as I tried coming to my feet. Lanfen went to my side while Yat-sen came next to me as well. They both helped me to my feet. In the months that the child grew inside of me, everyone in the palace—Meilin, the Peccata, Lanfen, Yat-sen, Bohai, Fang—were treating me as if I was glass that would break at the slightest of things. At first I had been alright with everyone fawning over me and treating me like a child, but there were a few occasions where my annoyance had peaked uncharacteristically.

"I'm fine—" I started before clutching Lanfen's arm as I felt liquid trickle down my leg. I was unable to see if something had leaked through my hanfu, since my enlarged belly was in the way, but I was certain that there was liquid coming down my leg.

"Daiyu, is something wrong?"

"I-I don't know," I murmured as I took a step forward. All thoughts seemed to freeze over as I went through everything that the midwife had told me. Contractions. Water dripping. Spots of blood. Was I going into labor? The thought of meeting my child and going through the intense pain that followed labor had my hands trembling. Excitement or fear, I wasn't sure what it was.

A thousand doors of death will open when you go into labor.

"I think," I said slowly, "I think I should go to the birthing room."

Lanfen's eyes widened and looked as if they would pop out of the socket while Yat-sen was sputtering. Daewon looked confused but didn't say anything and instead silently studied the three of us. "Are you sure, Daiyu?" Lanfen asked. She couldn't hold the excitement in her tone.

"Yes."

The events that happened after that happened in a blur. I felt an intense pain that made me gasp, Yat-sen pulled me along the garden with Lanfen in tow, and I was put in one of the rooms in the palace. The pain that followed after that came for a few fleeting moments before leaving. It didn't take long for the palace to be buzzing with the news that I was about to have my child.

"This is surprising," I said as I looked around the crowded room. The pain—the contractions—had left me for now but I knew it would return quicker and stronger. The Peccata, Lanfen, and Yat-sen had filled the room and were talking rapidly to the maids, who were reassuring them that everything was going to be ok.

"Where's Meilin?" I asked one of the maids that was standing next to me.

She licked her lips uncertainly before exchanging glances with another maid. "I'm not too sure, Empress. I don't think anyone has called for him yet. Usually the emperor is not present for the birth. He will be called once the child is born."

"Master is in a meeting with his Generals and Commanders. He won't hear news of this until he is done with the meeting," Atreus said casually.

"I see—" I ground my teeth together as another contraction hit me. My hands curled into fists and I winced at the pain. From what Jia had told me, the contractions had hit her wider apart. Her labor had lasted over a day, so why was it that my contractions were coming sooner and more painful by the second? "Why are my contractions coming quicker? Shouldn't this be more far apart?"

"Every birth is different," the midwife explained as she came next to me. "Some women are in labor for a very little amount of time while others' labors last for over a day."

"If I'm going to have the baby at any moment, it would be best for everyone to exit," I said in a soft voice.

Nikator's eyes widened at that. "The baby is coming now?"

"Possibly," the midwife said. "We won't know until we look underneath—"

Nikator didn't let her finish before he grabbed Remus's arm and tugged him backwards. "We're out, Remus."

Soon after, everyone exited the room save for Lanfen and the maidservants. Remus had given me one last look of doubt before leaving with the rest of everyone. He most likely had felt the fear and anxiety dripping from me. I was terrified of dying and leaving my child behind. I was terrified of being pulled away from everything in my life—from all the people, from what was to come, to the experiences. Anxiety tied in with my fear and the emotions were interchangeable.

I wonder if Meilin will come here and find me dead . . .

I snapped away from the negative thoughts and focused on Lanfen, who was speaking to me about something. I barely heard her and instead wrapped my fingers around her small hand.

The Drakkon dynasty would officially start with the birth of this child.

Moments after that passed by painfully slow and at some point I felt like I would fall apart by the seams; the pain was so intense that I didn't think that I could continue on anymore. Shadows danced in the corner of my vision and there was sweat dripping down the side of my face. My hair was a mess and the maids were crowding me as they said encouraging words.

I grasped Lanfen's arm tightly and saw her wince at my grip. "Lanfen, please get Meilin. Tell Nikator . . . to get him. I don't think I can do this," I said before another contraction hit me. I let go of her and bunched the sheets beneath me in my fists.

Lanfen backtracked, her eyes wide. "I-I'll get Nikator to tell—" She spun around and quickly rushed out of the room. After a few moments she returned, looking as worried as ever. Her carefree, excited look had washed away to a look of fear.

"Daiyu, you can do this," she said to me as she went to my side.

"Is Meilin coming?"

"Nikator and the rest of the Peccata were outside the room so it was easy to tell him to get the Emperor." She twiddled her thumbs together and glanced over her shoulder at the door. "He should be here."

As the contractions grew worse and worse, I felt as if death was upon me. It was so hard; there was no way that I could continue on. How could I continue with this immeasurable pain? When was the baby going to come? The moments seemed to tick by painfully slow. I wasn't strong enough—

"Daiyu!"

Meilin burst through the doorway and stood there for a moment, scanning the room before coming to my side. He was dressed in his usual garb, his hair pulled up and his eyes as dark as ever. Those eyes were as mysterious as ever and so black, so dark and unreadable. Even now I couldn't tell what he was thinking as he came to my side and looked me over with those beautiful eyes of his.

"I don't think . . . I can make it." Tears blurred my vision. He touched my hand and uncurled my fingers until he was holding onto my hand. My fingers curled around his and I breathed in shakily. "It hurts so bad," I breathed. "So . . . bad."

"You're not going to die on me." His voice was so dark and commanding that all thoughts flew from my mind as I stared at him in shock. His eyes were the darkest shade I had ever seen them and he was staring at me neutrally. He brushed back a tendril of hair off my clammy face absentmindedly. "You will not die, Daiyu. You will get through this. You are strong."

"I don't think—"

"You will get through this," Meilin said, stronger and louder this time. The maidservants flinched at his tone and even I was taken aback by the force behind his words. "You married me, didn't you? My Empress is not so weak to fall into Death's doors without holding and raising her child. My little rabbit doesn't run."

Another contraction had me gripping onto his hand so tightly that I was sure that if he had the normal strength of a human, it would've broken—though it only felt that way. He didn't wince or cringe away and instead watched the maidservants and midwife as she instructed me to keep going. My skirts were lifted and the midwife had her hands near me. Meilin took one look before turning back to me. "Push."

With all the strength I had left, I kept going. Even though I felt like I would die, I kept pushing. After what felt like forever, wails of a baby filled the room. I watched as a little child was swathed in blankets. Meilin was staring at the bundle with a look of awe and shock, while I barely paid attention to him and outstretched my hands for the child.

The midwife hesitated as she stared down at the child. She cast Meilin a worried look before clearing her throat. "It's . . . a girl." The disappointment in the room was clear but the only thing I felt was a surge in my chest as the squirming bundle was passed into my arms.

Tears welled up in my eyes at the sight of my daughter. She had a flurry of black fuzzy hair and her eyes were black and beautiful. Her tiny hands were bunched together and she fidgeted around. I pressed my lips against her forehead and smiled softly at her. "She's so beautiful," I murmured. I turned to Meilin, who was staring at her oddly. I offered her to him. "Hold her, Meilin. Hold your little princess."

He took her in his arms and stared down at her, captivated. It took him a few moments before he broke out into a smile and raised his eyes to meet mine. "She's beautiful."

"Like you."

"And like you." He touched her nose and lips. "She's perfect."

"Drakkon Nuo."

"She will grow to be strong and kind."

"Will she have the dragon's blood?"

He shook his head before handing her back to me. "The blood is not hereditary. If a man is strongly built, does that mean his child will have a large build and muscles? Like that, the blood does not pass on."

"I see." I brushed back her hair, the fatigue setting into my bones. "She is everything I never knew I wanted. I love her so much. She will be as strong as you."

Meilin leaned down and brushed his lips against my forehead. "You are stronger than you think, little rabbit."

In that moment, when the Peccata ran through the door and started parading Nuo around, I felt complete and content with my life. Nothing was going to take away the happiness that was bursting through my chest. When I looked at Meilin, who was so lovingly looking at the Peccata as they held onto his daughter, I couldn't believe that I had fallen for the Emperor and that I was the wife of the feared man. He was so strong and beautiful, and his soul was so tortured, but to know that I had become the light that burned a soul like his, filled me with an immeasurable amount of love.

Drakkon Meilin was a man to be feared and that dark look in his eyes was something that I knew would light the way for me.

I loved him and because of him so much happiness was brought into my life.

Drakkon Meilin, the Usurper, the feared Dragon, the dark Emperor.

My husband, the father of my child, and the man I loved. 

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Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading Drakkon! I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it <3  

I actually decided to rewrite Drakkon and publish it. It's retitled as Drakkon: Empire's Curse and the story is a bit different than this wattpad version. If you want to read it, feel free to check out my profile for more information. The rewritten version can be found on Amazon and is available in ebook, paperback, and hardcover. 

Once again, thank you for all your support <3

Maham :)