She hadn't gotten much sleep and Iko was ripping into her about it. Sitting in a chair with two tea bags on her eyes she heard Iko going and going about the benefits of proper sleep and how to keep her skin young. What was so good about her skin? Irina's was a perfect shade of walnut brown.

"Lady Selene this is Carson Welden he will be given the interview today." Speak of the devil, Cinder pulled off the tea bags to see Irina she tried glaring at her best she could but it must have come off as a grimace due to the tea running down her face.

"It is a great pleasure to be the one given the interview to former Queen of Luna and future Empress of the Commonwealth, and I have to say I have followed yours and Emperor Katio's story from the beginning, I might be a bit of a romantic but the fact that you two were able to overcome so many obstacles in your relationship speaks volumes of your love." Cinder shook the man's hand.

"Oh yes we do love each other, enough for him to ask me to marry him, me a cyborg to become his Empress," Irina was on her portsreen and talking to a camera man she hadn't even heard what Cinder said.

"What is wrong with you?" Iko asked when Carmon walked away.

"Nothing," Iko started her makeup and just as she finished Kai and Torin walked in. She had avoided him at breakfast by choosing to eat in her room. But when she saw him a spike of anger struck her.

"Okay let's get the couple in place this need to make into the six o'clock news." Cinder took a seat on the coach and Kai next to her thought there their bodies weren't touching. "Move a little closer, you too are in love." Cinder stayed put and Kai moved over. They didn't interlock arms or hold hands instead they played a game of touching as little as possible.

"Thank you both for being here, and might I say what an honor it is that you chose to have this interview here on Luna."

"No the honor is all ours, this is a marriage of two people from two countries we should involve them both." Kai said.

"Okay so everyone wants to know how you met?"

"Oh it was in New Beijing market, she was a mechanic." His answered brashly, the interview stared waiting for him to continue but he didn't.

"Ah and what Lady Selene was your first impression of Emperor Kai when he came to your both?"

"Annoyed at first, he had slammed down his andiron on my table and caused me to hit my head against it. But of course when I realized it was Prince Kaito he was forgiving because he's the prince can do as he wants without worry of how it may hurt others." The interview shifted in his seat uncomfortable.

"She never told me she was a cybog though despite having known each other for nearly a month."

"At the time our relationship was just that of born royalty and mechanic, I had no intentions of taking any further. Of course I tell the person I 'love' something about myself and not wait until after we're engaged. He once refereed to me as painful to look at."

"You're taking that one out of context." Kai turned on her

"Context? What context is there when you say 'painful to look at?' Though I see now who I was being compared too," she glared at him. She heard Kinney make a comment of how this marriage might end in murder and Iko hitting him.

"Sure misinterpret my words from when I was shocked and confused and apply them to this situation; I can do the same thing."

"She ran away with a wanted criminal and spent almost half a year with him on a spaceship most of that time alone."

"I had no choice, I was about to be sent off to Luna and killed."

"See when you remove the context it changes the story."

"You can your stupid context and shove it up your ass." She stood up and was glaring down at him he however held a smug expression.

"Uh Emperor Katio, Lady Selene, do you two want to take a break—"

"Oh shut up." Cinder didn't mean to snap at her not so blatantly at least but she couldn't stand it was Irina who had spooked up first. Iko or Torin she would have agreed and walked away but it angered her that Irina who caused this was also witnessing this. Stars Cinder was humiliated twelve people were seeing them act like children.

"You can't talk to her like that." Kai said standing up.

"Going to her defiance I see."

"I'm stopping you from being an ass."

"You're right maybe you should do the interview yourself. 18% of your population hate me already, don't want to and any more but think I might have already." She turned to leave, the awkwardness of the room cut her and the stare of everyone sent a fresh form of embarrassment through her.

Being out of the room give little release to the anger and shame she felt. This wasn't how anything was supposed to go. This was her and Kai's engagement tour. They were going to be showing both their countries their love for each other and create excitement for the wedding. They could barley speak to each other now.

She heard Iko following behind her and not wanting to have to explain herself to her friend she took off to find a place to hide.

It was well into the evening and the interview her and Kai did was supposed to air any minute though Cinder was curious to see what they would do. She doubted anyone let that footage of her and Kai being children to each other would make it out of that room. She pulled out her port screen to see what the excuses were going to be for why there was no interview.

The segment opened with the announcement Kai had made yesterday to the crowd. This surprised Cinder; they weren't really going to show the disaster of an interview. Instead there was a voice over she recognized as Kai. 'Me and Cinder met in New Beijing. She was a mechanic the best in the city I was suspired it was a pretty, young women.' Then her voice came over. 'I was shocked that the prince of the Commonwealth had shown up to my booth, a bit stars struck really.' She recognized that the audio had come from another interview she had just after the revolution.' Footage from the peace ball from when she had warned Kai came up. 'She took great risk into coming that night to warn me at the time she was unaware of her own identity but she was Lunar and she would have be known as so by the Lunar diplomats who were invited guest. Yet she still came to warn me of the plan, not just because of me but because of the Eastern Commonwealth she didn't want the freedoms we had all known to be taken away from us. It something I don't think Lady Selene gets credit for enough New Beijing was her home she saved rescued them just as much as Luna.' Kai must have stayed and done the interview as she couldn't find anywhere else he said such words. 'I had turned Emperor Kaito down twice into going to the ball, mainly because I was a cyborg and having spent all my life I was considered less than human I didn't want to humiliate him in such a way. He didn't know I was cyborg but I had no choice once I found out, he had to be worn so yes I went to the ball and I've slowly learned to accept what I am. Lunar, Cyborg neither I can change about me not that I would want to anyway.' Part of that was a lie; she had wanted to change so she could be with Kai last night.

She heard the door creek open. Started she jumped off the couch the private study. It was Irina. Her hair had been pulled up into a messy bun and she looked tired. "Lady Selene." She bowed politely.

"Irina." There was a silence between them.

"Have I done something to upset you? You seem brash with me today." Cinder turned away from her. Her irritation from earlier gone now replaced with shame.

"No it's nothing you did. It's all me."

"It seems to involve me."

"Well it does. But it's not like I can change what happened."

"What do you mean? She had come to stand next to her on the other side of the couch. Cinder didn't want to talk about it not with her but she couldn't fight either.

"Kai told me about yours and his past." Irina's eyes went wide and her looked away from Cinder.

"Oh, I see." Cinder fell back into her seat. "I guess it explains the interview today."

"Yes, we were still milling over the fight from the night before."

"Lady Selene you have nothing to worry about with me. That was a mistake and one I regret."

"You regret it? Why?" Why did she ask that? Irina seemed just as shocked by the question

"Well Emperor Kaito was just sixteen at the time and under pressure from both his father and council. What happened between us was a moment of frustration on his part and weakness on mine."

"What kind of pressure?

"Ah well after Emperor Kaito's sixteenth birthday his father wanted him to find a bride?"

"What? Why? Kai never told me this."

"Well it really wasn't publicly known sixteen is young to get married. Emperor Rakin was suspicious that the impostor queen of Luna would try something in the next few years he feared her sights would go to Emperor Kaito once he was gone. If he was married and had an heir before then she would be able to get to him."

"Well he was right, thought I doubt a marriage would have stopped her. How did this involve you?"

"Well I had been hired as an interne just the year before. I was new to the job and I could tell that Emperor Kaito didn't want to get married. I over stepped my boundaries and offered comfort that went too far. First the legal issue, his father was my boss, and he was the prince. For the first six months I was worried someone in the palace would find out and I would be fired, I've been terrified that someone with the media would get wind of it even now and the shame of it would kill me but probably the worst is I don't know if I got my promotion because of my skill as a public manager or not. Emporer Kaito is the one who gave me this promotion even though there were others with more experience above me. There has always been a part of me who saw it as a bribe." Cinder had never seen Irina so venerable, and what she said was the truth.

"You got your job because you good at it, you have a better understanding of the current world and the different views. That's why Kai gave you the promotion." Irina gave her a smile. "By the way where did you get all the footage and audio for the interview you had air."

"Back logs from the Lunar broadcast system. I need something for tonight well have a real interview later. May I ask you a question?" Cinder nodded. "What made you angry at Emperor Kaito? I could see you not liking me but most of you anger was directed at him today."

"That because he doesn't realize how much it hurts me."

"Hurt you. It happened years ago neither one of us have brought it up since it happened."

"I know that's not it."

"Then is it because I still work for him? Nothing will ever happen."

"No Kai would never do that to me."

"Then what? What did he do?"

"Irina you are beautiful. One of the most perfectly beautiful women I have ever known and Kai he's been with you." Her eyes fell onto her own body. "How am I going to compete with that, he won't let me use glamour to change myself. So I'm stuck with this body while he's already had a prime cut before."

"You think when he's with you he'll compare you to me?"

"Well yea. At first I was just worried I didn't look good, now I have someone to compare myself too."

"Lady Selene you are not the first women to be self conscious about her body and you won't be the last. You underestimate your relationship with him. He loves you. He also wants to have sex with you and not just to have sex but to create a bond. When you have sex there's venerability and a trust in play. Emperor Kaito can't change his appearance when he's with you and for you to change yours would break both. He won't think of women he's been with because you're the one he want to be with. I think you need to have more faith in him." Her words sunk in. This was just as big of a moment for Kai as it was for her and hadn't realized that. Not being herself took away from his experience. He had always been patient and understanding and she throw that back at him with anger and annoyance.

"You speak from understanding?" Irina looked down, pondering then back up.

"You thing I'm perfectly beautiful. Well while I do take pride in my looks I'm not perfect." She grabbed her skin from her shoulder and pulled off her skin graph. Cinder was shocked what was once smooth brown skin was now metal from shoulder to finger tips. "I and my fiancé were out on a sail boat. It didn't end well, either go down with the ship or lose my arm. I was ashamed of myself, thinking I was less then now that I had this, did everything to hide it, even from my fiancé. I didn't think he would want me anymore that I was to broken to be loved. I was wrong, it took some time but I learned to have faith in him again. Because it was me who had the problem not him."

"I had no idea."

"It's not something I bring up. I wish I had the confidence you have to walk around without this but still despite the social views on cyborgs I can't because I'm still scared what the public would say."

"They can be harsh."

"But Emperor Kaito won't be."

***Kai walked into his room and kicked off his before turning on the lights. He noticed the lump on his bed and the bed spread was pulled tight all around. He walked up to it and saw Cinder head peaking out.

"Is this where you've been hiding all along?"

"No, I know you would have to come here at some point." She looked up at him, her brown eyes large and her nose wrinkled.

"Why are you here?"

"I'm her to apologize. I'm sorry for how I acted late night and today." She pulled the blanket tighter around herself, and shoved her head into the pillow.

"Iko and I were worried when we couldn't find you after a couple hours. And you ignored our comms." He had taken a seat on the edge of the bed.

"I sent her a comm. awhile ago. I was still angry and embarrassed, stars I acted like a child and in front of so many people."

"Well if it makes you feel better I was just as much as a child. I knew you were upset and added more fuel to that fire." He leaded forward and kissed her head. "I'm sorry too." She turned back over, their faces inches apart. Stars she was beautiful. He brushed his lips against hers and waited one…two…she kissed back. Her hands came out of the cocoon she made for herself and rested on her shoulders before coming up over his neck and resting there. The cool metal felt good against his hot skin and he wished he had taken a shower first. He pushed for more control and she fought back. His position became uncomfortable and he moved to her other side. He brought his hand up around her the blanket still in between them but he would worry about that later he didn't want to stop kissing her.

He finally won their battle when he bit at her lip and she gave a gasp. He pushed his tongue into her open mouth but she recovered quickly and pressed hers against his. She teased him, the smell of her shampoo and parchment spinning in his head. The heat in his body rose and his groin grew impatient. His clothes were far too constrictive and the blanket was becoming an annoyance. But was she ready, she said she was last night but that hadn't gone well.

He pulled away, her eyes fluttered open and the urge to kiss her again was strong. "Cinder? I want to but only if you do and only if you're comfortable enough to without glamour." She looked at him she was debating something.

"I am ready more so then I was last night. I want to be with you to accept all of you and pleasure you," her face couldn't go red but her eyes looked away and she bit her lip the signs she was embarrassed. "But if I use glamour I was taking that away from you. The fight over Irina was just the excuse I used to get out of something that I wasn't really ready for." He pulled her closer, to feel her, hold her but stars the blanket was annoying.

"I'm sorry I got so upset, I should have understood better." He said, she gave him a half smile.

"It was Irina who made me understand that it's not just about me and my feelings but yours too." The name shocked him.

"You spook with Irina?" Stars he hoped they didn't talk about that night.

"Yea she found me in the library, and we talk about the two of you and us. You never told me that your dad wanted you to get married so young."

"Ah I haven't. Well I guess I forget about it sometimes." He pondered, "I had found a girl my father would have approved of."

"You did, who?"

"It's not someone I see every day and she didn't even know." Cinder gave a pout, since being engaged she had done that often to get her way. He kissed her pouted lips, which turned into a smile. "She was the youngest daughter of a council member a year older than me. She had a receptacle education and was known for her charity work she did with her mother. Well mannered and familiar with politics. She would have made a good Empress, but the fact I can't remember her name means how much of impact she had on me was. The night me and Irina…I was going to tell my dad about this girl that night and if he approved I would have been married before my seventeenth birthday."

"But?"

"After Irina I couldn't go through with it. This might be a girl thing to say and don't tell Thorne but to me sex without love isn't worth it. I didn't want to marry this woman when the only reason was so someone else wouldn't become empress. I guess my speech back then was enough to convince my father, he let it go." Cinder had nudged her head into his neck and he listened to her breathing. "I started looking for Princess Selene right after that." She looked up at him. "I was determined to fine her, that she would be the answer to all my problems."

"Maybe the cause of some others too," he laughed and kissed her. She moved up on top of him and kissed him back. The blanket now wrapped around him had fallen off of her with the new position. He brought his hand out and found her waist. She pushed more into the kiss and he griped tight to her waist with one arm while the other ran up her back. His hand felt nothing but smooth skin, she wasn't wearing anything. The throbbing in his groin intensified.

She pulled away, "I said I was ready and I am. I want you to see all of me." She sat up the room was well let and her could see every curve, every scar, every blemish. Everything she thought was so imperfect about her body was on full display. He was going to show her how much he loved this body of hers. He sat up and kissed her lips moving down her jaw line to her neck. Her breathing staggered and she griped tight to his shoulders. He moved to her collar bone while he hands ran up her sides. She gave a breathy laugh; he had learned early in their relationship that she was ticklish there. One hand cupped her breast while the other found the small of her back to keep her steady. Her nipple was already hard and he pinched it between his two fingers while massaging the breast in his hands. She released a low moan her back arching into his touch. He traced over the scar with his tongue then kissed it lightly felling her quickening heartbeat under his lips the he moved lower over her breast and took her other nipple into his mouth grazing it with his teeth and the bite down on in. She gave a started yelp and pulled at his hair in retaliation. With his head tilled up pulled her into a kiss. It was frantic and needy they wanted more of each other needed it. He led her to her side then her back, now he hovered over her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and continued with their hot opened mouth kisses. Her hands ran down to his back stopping at the hum of his shirt. Stars why was he still wearing clothes, sitting up quickly he undid his shirt while Cinder help by undoing his belt. With his shirt and pants off he sat over her. He watch as her eyes run over him from top to bottom, her gaze was piercing despite the relaxed expression of her face. With one finger she traced down his body over his collar bone past his pecks and down his stomach her touch was hot iron on his skin leaving a sting of heat as she went. She stopped just above his erection. She was biting her lip unsure of what to do next. He took her hand and brought it to his lips and kissed her finger tips to her palm down her wrist over her arm up her shoulder and found her lips once again.

"In the novels Iko gave to me men like when women…use their hand."

"We only have to do what you're comfortable with."

"Okay"

He went back to kissing down her body biting and sucking at her skin as he went. He hadn't realized how much better skin to skin felt or the way her hands running through his hair. He continued down his path over her stomach down her one leg. He kissed over her thigh and back up to her inner thigh before biting her. The sounds that spilled from her lips were cries of encouragement. He shifted to her other leg and kissed where metal met skin. The change sent a shook through her body. Her sent was strong and her core was ready.

"May I?" She was confused at what he was asking then it struck her.

"I haven't…didn't shave…down there."

"That's okay." She was unconvinced. "Just my fingers then?" He kissed her inner thigh and added, "Please."

"Okay." He smiled and bit at her thigh bring his hand up. He ran his thumb up her folds she gave a small yelp and covered her mouth with her hand. He preferred her noise and decided in that moment he was going to get her to yell again. He pushed his thumb just slightly into her and she pressed herself back into the bed. He toyed with her run over her folds in a circular motion not going any deeper the he already was. She made muffle little sounds but not what he wanted. He moved his thumb up and pressed into her swollen clitoris. Her whole body jolted at the sensation and she gave a well deserved cry.

"Kai please…" Her words excited him, he needed to hurry, didn't want their first time to end in foreplay. He kissed back up her inner thigh. "Kai…"

He pulled himself up and looked down at her. Her brown scared skin, swallow breast, muscular stomach, he had kissed all of it his hand have held it. She is beautiful. "Are you sure?" She brought her hands up to his neck and pulled hhim down to her.

"I want you." She kissed him lightly on the lips. She grabbed a condom from out under a pillow and handing it to him. "I'm ready." He kissed her back. Sliding the condom on and took position.

"It might hurt a little." She nodded and bit her lip as he pushed in slowly. It was an intense pressure the way she folded in on him, taking more of him. She gripped tighter to his shoulders.

"I'm okay. Please go." He moved out and back in his pace slow given her body time to adjust to his length. He could feel the buildup in him. "Kai…faster…please." He obliged and went faster she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled his head down to start kissing him. She kissed down his neck and up his jaw line before biting on his ear. He groaned and quickened his pace. She continued to bite and suck on his ear and he thrust harder, she cried out his name, begging for more the pressure was at it breaking point with one more thrust he felt the release and the overwhelming pleasure.

He fell on top of her, catching his breath coming down from the high. Cinder ran her hand through his hair; he grabbed it and kissed her wrist then her palm ending at her finger tips. He sat up and captured her lips. "You're so beautiful"

She smiled, "I love you."

*** So what do you think, I'm not crazy about the idea of Kai being with another women prior to Cinder but it was something that came into my head one day.**