Author's note: This is like, my third story on here. LUNAR CHRONICLES. Only one of the best series out there. Right? If you agree please review.

Cinder stared, jaw open, at the baby in her arms. The boy was so sweet. Her boy was so sweet. His little hand wrapped around Cinder's index finger. Her cyborg finger.

Kai was sitting beside her, his right leg tucked underneath himself. For once Cinder wasn't aware of his arms around her waist.

Kai put his chin on her shoulder. "Well his Imperial Highness needs a name."

Cinder cocked her head to the side, "I had an idea," she paused.

"Do tell." Cinder could hear the teasing grin in his voice. You could even say he sounded giddy.

"What do you think of Rikan?"

Kai's arms tensed and then almost immediately relaxed once more.

"I like that," he said in a whisper. "I like that a lot."

Cinder sighed and leaned in to his arms. Unconsciously she stroked the cheek of the next Emperor of the Eastern Commonwealth.

Cinder woke to Rikan's cries. She groaned and started to get out of bed but Kai's hand stopped her. She had long ago stopped thinking about her Cyborg leg, but still, the touch made her jump.

I'll handle it," he whispered.

Cinder's eyes widened. Kai usually slept through his son's wailing fits. "Are you sure?"

Kai nodded and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He patted her leg, "You just get some sleep for once."

Cinder laid back down and closed her eyes as Kai's footsteps echoed out of the room.

"Hello, my son," she heard Kai whisper. Tentatively, Cinder sat up and listened. "Having trouble sleeping?" he continued, "Me too, but that's your fault."

Cinder stood up and walked to the door that separated their room from Rikan's. Kai's back was toward her but she could tell from the way his shoulders moved that he was bouncing Rikan in his arms.

She leaned against the door frame, waiting for Kai to continue. "You know, you make a lot of noise, and poop, for a tiny baby," he paused to brush the, surprisingly, thick locks of dark hair out of his son's face. "You have it easy. I had it easy, and in more way than one, I still do. But not everyone does. Take your mother. She was hated by her aunt. And then she spent years locked away in Aunty Scarlet's basement. Linh Adri treated her terribly." Kai turned around to face Cinder with slow cautious movements. "But that's what I'm here for. To make those tough lives at least a bit better." He said the last bit looking at Cinder.

As Kai put Rikan back in the crib Cinder tip-toed over. "Some speech," she whispered.

"Yeah, they should make me Emperor or something," his grin returned as if it never left.

Cinder wrapped her arms around his waist and smiled up at him, "Maybe." She tilted her head up and kissed him lightly.

He kissed her back for a moment before pulling away. "I don't know about you," his eyelids drooped, "but, I could use some sleep."

Cinder rolled her eyes, "Well duh!" She pressed her lips against his cheek and to her son's before leading him to their room.

Kai flopped onto his back, bouncing a little in the process. Cinder followed him and crawled under the covers and she turned to face him.

"I love you," she whispered.

"Well I should hope so," Kai teased. He pulled Cinder closer and kissed her. "Linh Cinder, I love you too."

Cinder watched Rikan play in the grass. He was getting big. It seemed like just yesterday he was three kilos. And now he was three years old rolling around in the grass. Her boy.

Her boys. Kai was there too wrestling with his son. He finally got away from the political stuff and got to spend a day with his family.

Rikan shrieked as his father grabbed him under the arms and held him up in the air. Kai settled him on his shoulders and turned to Cinder.

"Alright, my boy," he said in mock whisper, "what's our plan for attack?" Rikan giggled and Kai continued. "Shall we attack straight forward or sneak up around back?"

"Sneak!" came Rikan's high-pitched squeal.

"Roger that. Moving into position." Kai mimed talking into an ear comm. He walked awkwardly around Cinder, the boy still on his shoulders. Every time Cinder looked in their direction Rikan would let out a squeal.

Once Kai had moved around Cinder he started creeping toward her. "The key is to not let her know you are there."

Cinder barely refrained from rolling her eyes. Duh, she thought.

To their credit, Rikan didn't make anymore noise.

"Rah!" Kai's arms were around her in a flash. Cinder doesn't know when, but at one point Kai took Rikan off of his shoulders.

Kai pulled Cinder back but tripped. He stumbled then fell on his back, taking Cinder with him. Rikan couldn't resist, he jumped on his mother, aiding in suffocating his father.

Kai couldn't breathe. He had landed hard. And Rikan was not helping. After a moment of rasping breaths, he started to laugh. He couldn't stop.

Rikan joined, not at all knowing what was funny at all, but doing it all the same. Cinder grinned and twisted around and folded her hands on her husband's chest, being careful to keep her cyborg leg off of him. Cinder laid her cheek on her folded hands and closed her eyes.

Kai's laugh died out and he smiled at Cinder's sleeping face. This is how life should be, he decided. Him, the love if his life, his Empress and his boy.

Rikan looked like Kai but he acted so much like Cinder. He already knew how to talk back and make his voice heard. In any way possible, unfortunately.

Kai looked at Cinder again. Her chest rose and fell in constant rhythm.

Rikan crawled off his sleeping mother and settled down next to Kai's head. "Do you love mommy?" he asked in a whisper.

Kai brushed a loose strand of hair off his son's face and kissed his forehead. "Very much," he said with a tired smile.

Rikan smiled an identical smile and curled up against his father. Soon the boy followed his mother in a sound sleep.

Kai rested his chin on Cinder's head and pulled Rikan a little closer. Kai joined his beloved family in a restful sleep.