Unexpected

Chapter Nineteen

KAI

Kai blinked from his sleep, then twisted upright, and then froze. Cinder was curled up in his arms, her head lying on his chest. Letting out a nervous breath between his teeth, he slowly inched up backwards and leaned against the plumped up pillows. He stifled a yawn, raising a hand to rub the sleep from his eyes.

Cinder stirred in her sleep, a strand of brown hair falling into her face.

Kai tightened his hold around her, and pressed a soft kiss to her head, feeling relaxed for once. 

Cinder shifted and blinked, her brown irises locking with Kai's. "Hi," she whispered sleepily.

A smile tugged at the corners of Kai's lips. "Hey you. Come on," he sat up fully, stretching his arms above in a much-needed stretch, flexing his muscles. Cinder's gaze flickered to his shoulders, prominent under the loose silk shirt he had on. "If the press ever caught us sleeping together-"

Cinder jumped off the bed, grabbing her black cardigan draped on a chair nearby. "then our lives would be the subject of gossip and dramas," she finished with a nod. "and I would have to go back to Luna to escape you."

Kai laughed and wandered into the bathroom, disappearing from Cinder's view. He faced himself in front of the gilted mirror, and touched a scar the left bottom of his jaw. Cinder pushed in after him and paused as she saw him. Kai dropped his hand.

"Are you going to go shower or not?" Cinder muttered, barely getting the words out before she yawned.

Kai paused, then poked his head through the doorway and raked his gaze around the room. His anxiety spiked and he dragged a hand through his tousled mess of black hair. "Oh, no," he groaned. Cinder raised an eyebrow. "this is your room!" Kai explained, looking down at himself with a carved look of something near horror.

"Why is that so bad?" Cinder inquired, her tone daring.

Kai laughed nervously. "No, I didn't mean it like that," he amended. "it's just Torin will freak out and Nainsi will alert guards and the servants will come rushing in and maybe, maybe I'll be late to the conference and the press will start-"

"Okay, okay!" Cinder yelped, rushing out of the bathroom and giving him a rough shove towards her door. "out. Now! I don't need you to distract me. I'll meet you at the palace fronts in two hours."

Kai chuckled at her reaction as Cinder continued to jostle him forward and he stumbled, regaining his footsteps quickly as he turned the doorknob. "Two hours? That long?"

Cinder shot him a dirty glare. "Fine," she huffed. "Forty-five minutes, okay?"

"Better." Kai approved, just as she shut the door in his face.

TEN MINUTES LATER

"Your Majesty I demand to know why you weren't in your room this morning!"

Kai stifled a groan, pushing his wardrobe doors open with a weary hand. Torin's voice yelled after him as the adviser stood outside in his room, arms folded across his chest. Kai slumped against the back wall, tilting his chin up to look up at the ceiling.

"Your Majesty, offer me an explanation."

Kai trudged out to meet the adviser, who was staring at him with a flinty look. "I was fine, don't you worry. I'll be on time for all my appointments. I saw Nainsi a few minutes before I saw you, and she was fine, and so should you-"

"Your Majesty." Torin cut him off, giving Kai a hard look. "I demand the full explanation."

Kai squirmed, fiddling with the shirt hem. There's no way getting out of this, is there?  "I went to one of the guest rooms after the dinner," he bluffed as well as he could.

Torin narrowed his eyes and pointed an accusing finger at him. "I know you better than that, Your Majesty. You were with Queen Selene, were you not?"

Kai patted his stomach nervously, daring to meet his adviser's gaze. "Well, yes."

Torin's jaw clenched. "Your Majesty, must I remind you the risks you are taking-"

"Yes, I do!" Kai threw up his hands in the air. "I know what I'm doing. I know if we are ever found out, me and Cinder, it could lead to some very serious consequences regarding my rule-and hers. I know the risks, Torin." Kai watched as Torin's face cleared in realization.

"You love her that much, do you?" Torin murmured, dragging a hand down his face. The adviser dropped his hand, looking weary. Kai sighed.

"Yeah," Kai replied, glancing at the wall. "I do." it was more of a confirmation, not an assumption.

"Then you should have no problem with a marriage alliance once everything settles down," Torin clasped his hands together, and Kai's breath hitched. Marriage alliance.

Were they ready? "No, I don't think so." Kai admitted. "but only when Cinder's adjusted and Letumosis has been suppressed will we be able to even converse about this subject."

Torin's eyes softened, a rare look in the steely adviser. "Are you sure she's the one, Your Majesty?" he asked softly.

Kai paused at that question. Cinder was everything to him. Her laughs, the twinkle in her eyes. She made him extremely happy-and yet Kai knew that he would be lost if she ever left him, and his chest seized at the mere thought. He could never imagine losing her. "She is," Kai whispered. "we've been through so much together. I love her."

Cinder.

Torin bowed. "If it makes you feel any better, Your Majesty," he added. "Your father would be immensely proud of all you've done. He could not have done any better in your place."

Kai looked up, hope blossoming in his chest at the mention of his father. "You think so?"

"Certainly, Your Majesty. You remain Eastern Commonwealth, not to mention perhaps the whole world's savior from Queen Levana's anarchic reign."

 "Somehow I doubt that," Kai let out a loose breath that came out as a chuckle. "Cinder saved us all. Did you have any suspicions before she started the revolution that she is actually Selene?" Kai asked, turning back to face Torin.

A strange smile was tugging at the corners of Torin's lips. Kai tilted his head, puzzled. "I think we both knew it in ourselves Linh Cinder was different than all of us." after a moment of comfortable silence between the two of them, Torin cleared his throat. "well, Your Majesty. It's nearly time to appear before the press. I trust you told Queen Selene of that? She will be next to you," Torin raised his eyebrows expectantly.

"Of course I told her in advance," Kai rolled his eyes. "Don't you worry. I'd better get changed and figure out my speeches before the press conference, then."

"And don't you forget this live tape will be downloaded viral live from the netscreens around New Beijing, the E.C, and also the whole world if they wish to see it."

"I know the importance of this conference, Torin."

Kai let out a deep breath and glanced at himself in the mirror, already planning what he would wear-and say in front of everyone. The weight of the task set before him lifted his spirits. He and Cinder could do this. A show of peace between Earth and Luna. Easy enough, since Luna's ruler wasn't Queen Levana.

"You are to expect a few crowd of hundred strong at the front of your palace, wanting to witness this exchange of peace between Earth and Luna, Your Majesty. You will announce that a week ago, back up in Luna, you and Cinder signed the Peace Treaty of Bremen, and the distribution of the Letumosis vaccine.

 Remember-our alliance rests on how well this goes. Alright? Because this is the video netfeed that will be broadcasted to everywhere, convincing the whole world we are ready to align ourselves with Luna."

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated...and sorry this is a short chapter. Next will be longer. Comments?