Disclaimer: I only own what is mine. My OCs and Ideas.

A/N: I'm tired. But hey, it's how I usually am. I'm excited over Iron Fist coming out. I have big plans to watch it. And I likely will not update that Friday or Saturday until I finish. But I should be able to update before hand. I don't really care about what the critics have to say. I'm looking forward to the show. Anyway, just a few more days to go! Hope everyone is doing well, it's right about spring break time so I hope everyone is enjoying their time off. Enjoy!

Reviews:

ArtemisBAMF1218- Yeah, I'm excited also. Yeah, I've gotten about two more done now. And I'm so excited. It's so good! I'm getting really close to starting their wedding. I'm so excited. They are so close to being married! I want to update twice this week for this story at the least. And since I have some time. I am going to work on Anna's story. I have to work on that... hopefully, I can get that updated soon.
My secret? I don't know. I spend a lot of time researching, and I love using Excel to organize information. And I do a lot of research on Google and Wikipedia.
I love how much you are getting into this. The two of them are so sweet and I have some chapters that you are going to love because of all the fluff between them.
Ok, so let's get on with another chapter of sweet Danny and Aiko. And you are right about a little trouble and imperfections... they are coming up... but you are right, they are young and starting out. Enjoy the chapter!

TheRandGirl- You may have to wait for the next one for come real fun. This chapter has some imperfections in it. They are young, so that does happen. Things are going well, life's rough. Anyway! Enjoy this chapter! Sorry, it took so long to update!

Chapter 12

Aiko quietly walked around the palace. She has finally been allowed to get back to working toward the wedding and preparing herself to become queen.

The first day she was cleared she worked and did not see Danny.

But, today she was free and hoping to spend time with him.

Her mind was spinning. Everything seemed so quiet. At lease on the main floor.

The kitchen was strangely quiet and there seemed to be no one around. The great hall and ballroom were deserted. As was the foyer.

Aiko sighed as she ascended the stairs up to the second floor to where Danny's office was.

Sure enough, there was commotion. Aiko straightened up. Trying to look sophisticated. She had a decent reputation, as Ryu had said, and Aiko did not want to mess it up.

It didn't matter what people thought of her. She was marrying Danny. End of story. Danny loved her and that was all that mattered.

Aiko could easily tell who were monks, nobles, and servants.

It couldn't have been more than about twenty people in the hallways addressing different matters.

They all looked up as Aiko passed and she tried to not blush or feel embarrassed. As difficult as it was.

Aiko walked straight past and was headed to Danny's office. He was not expecting her. But there should not have been a problem with her showing up randomly.

Aiko turned the corner and walked up to the guards posted outside his office. "Umm... Is he in there?" Aiko asked.

"He is currently having a meeting with the council." One of the stone guards said.

"Oh." Aiko didn't have a response. She just turned on her heels and started to walk away. She could explore some more while she waited.

Ryu wouldn't be up for company. It was slightly after noon.

Aiko easily found the throne room. No one was inside and she allowed herself to enter and look around.

The last time she had been there was for Danny's coronation. The wedding announcement had been downstairs.

The throne room was just as she remembered. Large and rectangular. The floor was marble. The walls were gloomy without the light. The curtains were pulled the keep the room colder.

Aiko walked up to the throne slowly. Her footsteps echoed from the walls. There were two thrones now. Two large and elaborate chairs centered on their elevated platform.

Aiko didn't dare walk up the steps. She stood at the bottom and looked around.

This would be where the wedding would take place.

Aiko's stomach flipped. There was only a month left until the wedding. It was nerve wracking.

How much had already been planned?

Aiko walked away from the throne briskly. Her shoes echoed in the large room.

Ever muscle tensed.

When Danny was getting close to becoming King. His life was in slight danger most of the time.

So surely, hers would to as the wedding got closers.

Aiko's senses were on high alert. There were plenty of places to hide in the dark throne room.

Once Aiko left, she kept looking around. The main library was on the first floor. But there was a second one on the second story. It had a beautiful sitting area and many tall windows that lite the room softly.

The bookshelves were mostly filled with history books, and academic things compared to the myths and fictional books downstairs.

Aiko also discovered a staircase connecting the two libraries together.

After that, she found many rooms that were either locked or had a stone guard outside of them.

Aiko walked down the hallway deciding to just sit in the waiting area outside Danny's office. There she could wait for him quietly.

Aiko started back down the hallway.

She looked around. Large glass windows offered beautiful lighting to the palace. Everything was golden and beautiful.

Aiko walked into the beautiful and comfortable waiting area and took a seat. She watched the wall in front of her.

It was quiet for a while and Aiko had entered a meditative state. Quiet and peaceful.

A small buzz of activity woke her from the trace.

Aiko looked over to see Danny talking with a prominent member of the council.

"Master, I will speak to her. But I cannot promise that she will be pleased." Danny said quietly. "And I honestly do not want to upset her. She fell ill a few days ago. I feel she is more stressed than she may think. Stress is very unhealthy."

He looked up and spotted Aiko, who quickly stood up.

Danny seemed pleased to see her, smiling at her softly.

The old master looked at Aiko with hard eyes. They were hard as if troubled by something.

Aiko instantly knew that they were talking about her.

"Then we will wait for your answer later," The master said. "Have a good day, Your Majesty." He bowed and walked off.

Aiko slowly walked up to Danny. "What was that about?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

"Nothing of any importance," Danny said gently. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes. Who were you talking about?" Aiko asked.

"I told you it was nothing," Danny said raising an eyebrow.

"How many other girls do you know who are ill right now?" Aiko asked accusingly. She crossed her arms and started tapping her foot.

Her mind instantly expecting the worst things that Danny could respond with. "Who are you talking about?"

Danny looked at Aiko, she was tensed and defensive, and Danny was very relaxed. "Aiko, are you alright?"

"Answer." Aiko prompted.

Danny paused. "You are jumping to conclusions in your head aren't you?"

Aiko didn't respond.

"Aiko, are you?" Danny asked.

"Maybe…" Aiko trailed off.

"Come on, let's go sit in my office," Danny said placing a hand on her shoulder.

Aiko just watched it before she turned around and followed Danny into his grand office.

"I believe in monogamy, Aiko. So that you know that. I can't believe you might think ill of me." Danny said sternly.

Aiko's stern composure broke. Her face heated up some at Danny's subtle anger at her.

"I'm sorry! I wasn't implying that! But you wouldn't tell me! And I thought you were talking about me!" Aiko rushed in to explain.

"It's alright." Danny sighed as he took a seat on the couch.

Aiko sat down next to him. "Danny, were you talking about me?"

"Yes, you have been at the center of the council's interest lately." Danny sighed. "As much as I love you, I worry about it."

"Why?" Aiko asked.

"The council is old men, who do not understand young women," Danny said looking over at Aiko. His arm rested on his leg, hand facing upward.

Aiko placed her hand in his. "What do you mean?"

"The council was thinking about, and honestly have agreed it might be best if you were to go ahead and move into the palace before we get married." Danny began. "I told them you might be against that idea."

"I am completely against it," Aiko said without thinking. "I don't want to."

"Why not?" Danny asked.

"Why did you think I would say no?" Aiko asked.

"I don't know." Danny shrugged, giving Aiko's hand a squeeze. "Because it didn't seem like you."

Aiko nodded. "I… um… the night of the engagement party I cried."

This caught Danny's attention. "Why?"

"Because I didn't want to think about moving away from home," Aiko said softly. Her eyes started to water.

Danny leaned in and tucked some of her long hair behind her ear.

"I would never force you to move into the palace this early. But I hope you will be ready when our wedding comes." Danny smiled at her softly.

"I promise I'll be ready," Aiko said watching their hands.

It sat quietly for a while.

Danny just held her hand and Aiko's mind replayed memories.

"Are you alright, Aiko?" Danny asked after a while.

"Yeah, just fine," Aiko mumbled.

"Ryu warned me that if you say fine, then you are not," Danny said thoughtfully.

He moved around and leaned in close. He gently gave her a peck on the cheek.

"I guess I am just nervous. I don't feel like we have gotten enough done. And all… and I want to still cling onto my old life. Before you became the Iron Fist and King." Aiko sighed.

"Many days, I wish the same," Danny admitted. "I do not want to force you to do anything you do not want to do, alright? If you are ever uncomfortable you just let me know."

Aiko felt chills all over her body. "Thanks, Danny."

Danny looked down at her and pulled his hand back. He gently wrapped it around Aiko's shoulder and rubbed her gently.

Aiko smiled at this, taking her chance to lean into Danny softly. He was warm and comfortable.

"What occurs in a Chinese wedding ceremony?" Danny asked after a while.

"Many customs and traditions." Aiko yawned as she closed her eyes.

"Walk me through an example," Danny suggested.

"We can add any outsider traditions if you would like to. If it fits in, I guess. Um… I get walked down the aisle and we stand up at the alter and there is a tea ceremony. And then we do ceremonial bows… and then it's over. That said, all of that is much more complex."

"After all that?" Danny asked.

"I don't know. Usually, you take me back to your room where you can remove the veil that will be covering my face." Aiko smiled.

"So I wouldn't be able to see you?" Danny asked.

Aiko nodded. "But I will be able to see you."

Danny smiled. "Alright. Will I be brought to tears over your beauty?"

"I don't know…" Aiko sighed. "Um, a few other traditions are things like kids sneaking into our room and bouncing around on our bed for a blessing of a large family."

"That one sounds like Ryu would do," Danny noted.

"And another one I don't want to do is friends and family tease us in our room and make us do embarrassing things to make us comfortable around each other before we go to bed." Aiko sighed. "I think after everything that is going to happen I just want to go to bed."

"That is fine by me." Danny smiled.

Aiko bit her bottom lip and looked up at Danny who looked rather content. "Are you comfortable?"

"With my arm wrapped around the most beautiful girl in the world who is trying to not fall asleep on top of me?" Danny asked. "Yes."

Aiko smiled and she pushed herself against Danny a little more. "Thank you."

Danny started to rub her shoulder.

They sat that way in silence for a while.

Danny rubbing Aiko's arm and she leaned on him with her eyes closed. The only noise was their rhythmic breathing.

"So, would you like to have another date?" Danny asked softly. "I was thinking about lunch we could go out and do something."

"Why lunch? Isn't dinner supposed to be more romantic?" Aiko asked.

"Well, if we go at lunch we can avoid teasing from Ryu. Although we can have dinner too." Danny joked.

"You love your sister." Aiko sighed.

"She's been hinting at something she got us for our wedding." Danny sighed. "I don't want to know."

Aiko laughed. "I agree."

"You know. I'm getting you a gift too." Danny prompted her teasingly. "Is there anything you would like?"

Aiko opened her eyes and looked up at Danny. "You are getting me something?" She asked.

"Why not?" Danny asked. "I already have something but is there anything you want?"

"No," Aiko said quickly. "Do I need to get you something? Is that a tradition in the outside?"

"No." Danny shook his head. "I just have something that I want to give you as a gift, ok?"

"Sure." Aiko sighed, she looked down at their hands. "Now I have to get you something."

"No, you do not," Danny said gently.

"No, you told me that you were getting me something and now I have to get you a gift as well." Aiko protested.

"Aiko…" Danny began. "I'm already getting the best gift in the world. You can't top it."

"What?" Aiko asked.

"I get to marry you." Danny smiled as he planted a soft kiss on her forehead.

Aiko felt her face heat up frantically and she buried it in Danny's chest playfully. "You like seeing me embarrassed… don't you?"

Danny laughed. "Maybe."

"Meanie," Aiko said softly.

Danny gave her a squeeze. "Love you." Hugging her into him tighter.

"You too." Aiko yawned.

"Are you tired?" Danny asked.

"Some," Aiko admitted.

"Take a nap. I don't care." Danny said gently.

Aiko pushed against Danny and sat up. "No, I'm fine."

"You are still recovering if you want to rest you can," Danny said.

"I am not that weak." Aiko corrected him.

Danny smiled at her. "I know. But I want the best for you, always."

Aiko nodded. "I know."

Danny looked at the tapestry on the adjacent wall for a moment. "When would you like to have a date?"

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