A/N: John Green is coming to a city near me this week. I will not be attending his event. Why? My friends are lame and refuse to call in sick to work to go with me.

I'm usually a proponent of going to such events alone if no one will go with you. Why? You may sit near cool people and because you are alone they are more open to talking to you and you can make new friends for being the 'cool loner', even though in reality you are a HUGE extrovert and while you have loner characteristics you are not a loner.

But being an adult who works with teenagers and the event attracting several teenagers, society would frown upon me going to this event on my own.

Not sure which is 2nd most upsetting: my lack of cool friends or society's view. The most upsetting about this scenario is without a doubt that I will not get to see John Green. I'm going to have to schedule myself to work that day to keep myself from sitting at home depressed hugging my copy of Paper Towns.

Aubrey: She's the awkward crown princess, which makes her so much more fun :)

Saberin: Stirring commenced.

Sappira: Glad you like Scout's boy drama. You will especially enjoy the next story of this series :)

Disclaimer: I'm not John Flanagan. And still not Australian.

Kane handed Elizabet down to Kineta. She still lay on the mat and she'd been given almost as many cushions as Talia. It'd been two days since her news. Kane had been told about the condition quietly when Elizabet took a nap. The agreement was Talia would handle Kineta and Kane would handle Elizabet. Elizabet still needed her mother to be happy so they devised plans for short visits and daily naptime with her mother. She slept on a mat in Kineta's room where Kane faithfully picked her up early each morning and returned her worn out in the evenings. Entertaining the small girl all day proved to be a challenge. Luckily he was able to tag-team with a handful of Nihon-Ja women who adored her blonde hair. Sometimes Shigeru would come and Elizabet would participate in whatever he had for her…but Talia or Kane had to be in her line of sight or she'd panic.

"Thank you," Kineta whispered once Elizabet was asleep. Kane nodded.

"Do you need anything?" he asked. Kineta shook her head. Kane ducked out and headed for Talia's room. She looked up and held his gaze without blinking.

"Elizabet's napping," he said simply.

"You've been great with her."

Kane shrugged. "I try. Where are you going to go once we leave here?"

"What?"

"Hibernia or Araluen…or will you disappear again?"

Talia rubbed her stomach. Kane couldn't help feeling responsible for the baby. Not in a parent way but…in a big brother way. The baby was his half-brother or half-sister and he wanted it to have the best life possible. "I don't know," she admitted. "Hibernia's our best shot."

"I'd really like for you to consider Araluen."

"Why?"

Kane shrugged. "I've never had a sibling before."

Talia shook her head. "You plan to get married when we get back."

"So?"

"You understand your own children will be closer in age to this baby than you?"

"I don't care."

Talia smiled slightly. "I'll think about it," she promised.

"You said you'd eventually settle in Araluen when I was a kid and you never did."

"I'm sorry I hurt you, Kane. Really…I never meant to I swear."

Kane shook his head. "You didn't hurt me," he assured her. "I've got a good mother."

Talia smiled. "You do."

"Maybe when we…" Kane cut himself off. Talia's back arched and she tensed sharply.

"Kane…" she struggled to say through clenched teeth. She grabbed his hand. He squeezed it as her grip tightened.

"What is it?" he demanded. "Talia, tell me what's wrong."

"The baby's coming," she finally gasped. Kane's eyes widened.

"What do I do?"

"Go get the midwife…and Kineta…" Talia groaned before she could say more. "Hurry," she finally managed to say. Kane squeezed her hand again before leaving the room. The midwife was fairly easy to find but telling her about Talia proved itself a challenge. She was the best Shigeru's servants could find but she did not speak the common tongue. The younger girl who had been acting as a translator appeared and quickly related Kane's message. The older woman nodded and pushed her way past him with the younger girl at her heels. Kane went to Kineta's room where Elizabet was still sound asleep.

"What's going on?" Kineta asked. "Everyone was running a moment ago."

"Talia's having the baby."

Kineta's eyes widened. She gently moved away from Elizabet. Kane offered her his hand to stand up. "Will you watch Elizabet?"

"Of course," he promised. Kineta ran her fingers through her hair once she was upright.

"When she wakes there's some juice and fruit right there."

"I'll take care of her."

Kineta nodded and hurried to where Talia was. She quickly went to her friend's side and gripped her hand tightly. "How are you doing?" Kineta asked.

"It hurts," Talia answered through gritted teeth. She groaned again. Kineta squeezed her hand tight.

"Just keep going."

Lina leaned against a pillar next to Duncan. William and Anamaria were waltzing in a wide circle. Horace and Cassandra stood at the forefront of the circle smiling as they watched. Liam had already gone back to Redmont and Halt hadn't yet returned so she was just there with her daughters. Scout was part of the wedding party and Caitlyn paired off awkwardly with Quinlan so Lina enjoyed the party with the elderly former king.

"Beautiful wedding," she told him as they watched.

"My grandson got himself a beautiful girl," Duncan shrugged. "I just hope she'll be happy here away from her family."

"Didn't seem like her family is so great…why is Scout dancing with Ace?"

"Why is Daniel dancing with Gabby?"

Lina felt her forehead crease as she tried to sort out what was going on. The answer clicked for her the moment she saw Scout's Hibernian guard with a particularly relieved look on his face. She smiled. "I think I know."

Kane followed Elizabet as she flitted around the garden with a wide smile. He waited patiently as she explored and studied the smallest of details. He became aware of the emperor behind him the moment Shigeru paused. It was his Royal Scout training…or his being raised by Halt. Sometimes it was hard to tell.

"We gave the child the name Chinmoku," Shigeru told him. "Easier than Iz-bet."

"What does Chinmoku mean?" Kane asked.

"Silence," Shigeru translated. "And her mother we call Hotaru…firefly. It seems she lights the way for all those around her."

Kane smiled. "Did you give Talia and me names too?"

"The woman with yellow hair is your mother, yes?"

"My birthmother," Kane told him. "She didn't raise me."

Shigeru nodded with understanding. "You feel drawn to her though?"

"I don't know anymore," Kane admitted. "But the baby's my little brother or sister. Shouldn't I look out for it?"

"That would be honorable." Shigeru crossed his arms. "They say you plan to be married?"

Kane nodded. "Yes."

"Is she special?"

"She's very special."

"Tell me about her."

Kane couldn't help smiling. "Her name's Evangeline but she goes by Gabby. She's a physician's assistant. She…she likes to be read to. She's, um…she's been blind since she was small. Everything's better when she's around."

"You are in love," Shigeru said simply.

"Is it that obvious?"

The emperor smiled. He nodded to Elizabet. "You are good brother to her."

"She isn't my sister."

"Amarante isn't my daughter but still I acted as her father."

Kane turned. "Remind me…who is Amarante?"

"I-na."

"I-na?"

Shigeru seemed to consider a better way of answering. "The woman with the hurt foot."

It clicked. "Lina," he said. "I heard about what you did for her when she was younger."

"She was my foster daughter."

Kane shook his head. "It isn't like that with me. My parents are…well, my parents. Talia's just the woman who gave birth to me."

"Like she is now giving birth do your little brother or sister."

Kane nodded. "I know it's odd."

"You have a complicated family but still you persevere."

"I try."

Shigeru nodded. "That you do, Iwa."

"Iwa…that's the name you gave me?"

"Yes."

"What does it mean?"

"We call your birthmother Kawa…river."

"What about Iwa?"

Shigeru smiled slyly. "You will have to wait to know."

Kane shook his head. "That's not fair."

"What is fair is not always right. I came to tell you more than just the Nihon-Ja names though."

"What?"

"Kawa has a healthy little baby in her arms. She has been asking for you."

Kane turned away from Shigeru. "Come on Elizabet! Let's go see the new baby."

Elizabet smiled widely and ran to him. He lifted her up and hurried towards Talia's room.