It's quite amazing at how many times I have listened to "Mordred's Lullaby" by Heather Dale – 525 times already. As if to prove I love the song and my story, I have decided to make a music video with it…involving the story. I'll be using clips from the movie Merlin, The Other Boleyn Girl, and Kim Possible as well…maybe some other movies. It'll be hard to find someone who looks like Nukpana (Zuri will be easy to find I hope) so I'll have to stay after school and Photoshop some pictures…therefore; it will take a few weeks.

By the way, I decided to do the Ron/Kim relationship in the next chapter because it would go well with the storyline. I re-wrote this two or three times and although I like the beginning, I just don't think the middle was all it could have been…what do you guys think?

Thanks to PengyChan, HotarutheChainMaster, and VampireNaomi for reviewing!

"Again!" Needles couldn't hold their prickly points to the voice's sharpness. Neither the darkest chocolate nor the shiniest of golds could hold their own against the richness of it. It possessed a certain kind of wisdom beyond age, a harsh like determined, and perhaps even a little bit of insanity. "Don't you dare stop boy, again!"

Wheezing nearly overcame the volume of the owner's father, allowing a passer by to hesitant in step, believing there was a ghost within. The sound of something cutting through the air assaulted the passer by's ears. The sound of flesh against flesh rang out a familiar sound, having it echo even before the house was built.

Bare feet walked silently on the wooden ground as though it were as soundless as carpet. The being stood at the doorway which lacked a door; her callused hand resting against the smooth wooden ledge. Even as a child, her ears had been like a wolf's, hearing things with precision. However, she didn't need such accuracy to hear her master shout, "That's not right, Hasani! I've told you and showed you; I've even had the monkeys show you!"

Deciding that was her cue, the woman walked into the room with ghost feet. "What are my two favorite boys up to?" Her voice was as soft as her eyes were sharp with meaning. The light both from the setting sun outside and the candles around the room made them shimmer pink when in good lighting they were really crimson.

Both males, both young and old, stopped in mid motion, appearing if someone had taken a snap shot of them. The little one called Hasani had his body leaning on one bent leg more than the other, his small hands shaking as they struggled to keep above his head. His lips were parted, his lungs desperately taking in oxygen.

The big one called Monty Fiske, or to his enemies, Monkey Fist, stood with one hand out, holding the boy's fist. He wore his old ninja garb, standing straight, his spine replaced with a rod it would seem. His cold blue eyes held specks of disappointment in them; no doubt from the latest performance of his son's fighting.

"Simple training, my dear Nukpana." His tone was leveled, firm, and betrayed no emotion.

A brow was quirked, showing disbelief that she would never voice. Walking over, the ends of the long skirt swishing around her legs, she hugged her only child. The boy, still struggling to breathe, hugged her waist tightly; his head reached her stomach while he reached only his father's waist. It was the curse of being born a month or two before he should have been.

"Simple wouldn't happen to include our Hasani wheezing like a choked hyena, would it now, Monty?" Her overly sweet tone was heard, her lips thin from annoyance.

The man's face which took the traits of a statue contorted into his own annoyance. "For God's sakes, girl, don't coddle the lad! He hasn't been able to ki-…"

Nukpana snapped, her maternal side taking over, "Why shouldn't I? You seem to keep him at arms length, if not monkey feet's length, away at all times!"

"Momma, can I get…water?" The boy's breathing soon seemed to adjust back to normal. Her eyes traveled from her lover's shocked face down to the son she held. With a smile of reassurance, she nodded.

"I'll be making tea for you both in a moment but yes, water would be good for your tired body." She watched as Hasani grinned back, a rare moment usually shared with mother and son instead of father and son.

When the child left, she shifted her gaze to the man who was now inches away. Between the small talk, he managed to take a large step to close the distance between them. "Hard to believe it's been nine years, isn't it?" It was like he was bipolar; cruel one minute, kind the next.

"Yes…it is." Nukpana confessed as she looked up at him. Between those years and now, she had learned to take care of her hair which, despite it being long, made it look healthy and shiny. Roughly a decade plus paid this twenty eight year old how to speak English but with a faint accent. In fact, she was often caught mumbling her own language under her breath, teaching bits and pieces to her son.

It had been nine years since she heard the horrible news about her son.

Dr. Ann Possible hesitated before informing the new parents their son's condition. Monty held onto Nukpana, both weak and needing strength from one another. "Because of this RDS case was so intense, there's scarring on his lungs. He won't be able to run around a lot or do any physical activity that would require a great deal of oxygen. He can suffocate if he tries to run a mile, for example, or anything too extreme. It'll get better as he grows, but not completely. I'll give you a list of what he should and shouldn't do…"

As if sensing the same memory, Monkey Fist brought her out from such a painful recall of the past. His hand reached out, the top covered in fur in hopes to resemble a monkey, and brushed his fingers against her dark cheek. Her eyes closed slowly, her breathing hitched briefly. It had been quite some time since he had caressed her in such a loving way. "Monty…"

Suddenly, as quick as he reached out, he pulled away. "Where's that tea?"

Nodding, she turned and walked down the hall and downstairs. It seemed just like yesterday that she had walked back into her house after a day of American Shopping, as she liked to call it, to discover a mess. It frightened her to see things turned over and hear no one. When she reached her son's room, she saw her lover rocking their offspring. As odd as it sounded, the mess had been caused by Hasani who, in a lack of words, should not have been able to do so much physical activity.

Nukpana strongly suspected that Monty was pushing their sons past his limits in hopes that Dr. Possible was wrong; if the child could out crawl his father, surely he could fight and learn Tai Shing Pek Kwar. That, she feared, was where her master was wrong; Hasani was fragile, not to be pushed too far.

When they reached the kitchen, Hasani was sitting down sipping cold water as the doctor often instructed. Dr. Possible constantly instructed Fiske to be careful and not train his son too hard when he went in for check ups. However, anyone with common sense knew that asking Monty not to train his offspring to his liking was like telling DNAmy she was ugly; they both would not listen.

"Hasani," Monkey Fist spoke in the same firm tone as before, rarely calling him 'son'. "I expect you to be ready for tonight's meditation with your mother."

"Yes Father." His voice was as unattached as his fathers, which worried Nukpana; the child was but nine years old, he should not be so…cold already. She needed to push him into a social life though she knew one did not exist since he was home schooled. Instead, she smiled, an idea popping in mind.

"My child," she spoke as she boiled the water and took out Earl Grey, "why don't I invite Uncle Ron and Aunt Kim over?"

"And Rufus too?!" His dark blue eyes lit up like a firecracker, contrasting his carbon copy hair of Monty's.

Although his eyes disapproved, the man grinned, "One would think you like that naked mole rat more than you like Ronald…I'm glad we can agree on something."

Next chapter: Ron and Kim have a small get together with Hasani, Nukpana, and Monty. Review please!

By the way, the whole 'DNAmy ugly' thing was not supposed to sound as cruel as it did; I don't hate her, nor do I find her that annoying, it was just the best way to describe Monty's stubbornness.