Bliss {A Lunar Chronicles Fanfiction}

Chapter three

The ballrooms marble floor squeaked under Kai's weight, as he shifted around uneasily. Though he didn't dare say, he was sure that his nerves were worse than Cinder's. Guests dressed in fine garments and smart suits filled the hall and fluttered around dancing. Conversations filled the ballroom, and the only quiet was Kai standing beside Konn Torin in complete silence. Kai moved his head to look from the people to the grand staircase. The chatter was silenced and the guests all turned, their skirts floating around them. Soft music started playing and an announcement was started. The speech went on for at least a minute but the only thing Kai heard was the mention of Cinder's name at the very end.
"Queen Selene Channary Jannali Blackburn of Luna."
Suddenly at the top of the stairs Cinder appeared, dressed in a magnificent silver ball gown. Her coppery hair was let down flowing over her shoulders, her eyes glimmering in the bright light of the room. Her mouth was a wavering smile as she slowly made her way down the steps. Kai's glare dropped down to her hands and surely enough she was wearing the gloves he had sent for her. He would have understood if she hadn't worn the gloves but the fact that they were on her hands made his heart beat a little faster by the second.
Disgust filled his heart as he heard the guests whispering to each other about how Cinder's cyborg arm was obvious under the glove.  I don't see that her being cyborg is relevant, he had once said. And he would not hold back from saying it again.
Kai stepped down the steps in front of him approaching Cinder, a little faster than she was him. Finally they got to each other. He gave her his hand and bowed followed by her, not-so-graceful curtsy. The crowd was clapping but Kai didn't hear it. He was too focused on Cinder. Her thin brown eyes and delicate lips. He remembered Levana glamouring herself as Cinder. How affection-less that disgusting kiss had been. How suddenly he didn't feel any love for Cinder's face. He remembered Cinder, panicking, accidentally glamouring herself - making her look like her mother. Kai did his best to push away the memories. They didn't matter. But this moment did. This ball.
Kai walked Cinder towards the altar at the front of the room were Torin now stood alone.
As they turned to once again face the crowd Torin announced that Kai was about to deliver a speech. Kai could feel Cinder's hand growing warm against his skin and looking up he could see her gulp.
"People of the Commonwealth, I would like to welcome you to the annual peace ball," applause, "as many of you will know today we have visitors not only from around the world but Luna itself." An uneasy shuffle.
"But that is not what makes this specific ball special. Selene will you please step forward?"
Cinder took a careful step forward, the tip of her combat boots (which Kai hadn't realized she was wearing) poking out from the bottom of her skirt.
"Three years ago, Queen Selene managed to build a stable bond between Luna and Earth."
Cinder gulped again. Kai breathed out slowly.
"Today Queen Selene and I will secure that bond forever. Today I announce that I Emperor Kai of the Eastern Commonwealth will take the Queen of Luna herself as my wife," he looked back at Cinder, a smile crawling up her face,"Cinder."
The crowd filled with joyous cheers but for a few people who were still anxious about their new empress being cyborg and Lunar. The cheers were silenced by a man, around the age of forty, shouting at the top of his lungs,"she's nothing but a filthy cyborg!"
Anger swelled up inside Kai, he struggled to relax. The crowd wore expressions of shock. No one had expected someone to speak -shout in fact- about this to the Emperor himself.
"I don't see that her being cyborg is relevant." The man seemed shocked at the response, frustrated even. Slowly the music returned and to prove that Kai meant what he'd said he pulled Cinder into the center of the hall. His arms made their way around her waist and hers around his neck. Their faces were less than a centimeter apart and before Cinder could say a word Kai leaned in kissed her soft lips. At that moment Kai could feel that she was glad that she could not blush.

                              {~•~}

The ball was a blur of dances, music and congratulations. Now Kai, Cinder and the rest of the Rampion crew were squeezed into Kai's study. The crew was having a conversation about what had happened in each other's lives recently but Kai couldn't seem to focus. His eyes were fixated on Cinder as he replayed their kiss (first of many) in the center of the hall. He could remember seeing the middle-aged man scowling as the two of them were breaking apart and the rest of the crowd clapping and smiling.
"Well," breathed Cinder breaking Kai's thoughts, "that was better than I thought, only four people were enraged about the engagement."
"You'd think that after all this time the people would cut you some slack," said Cress her blonde brow scrunched up.
"Oh don't be dramatic!" Thorne sassed, "you both know this was going to happen. I mean you did wait two years to finally announce it."
It was partly true. Cinder had been deathly worried about the reaction of the citizens of Luna and Earth ever since Kai had proposed to her. She had had many sleepless nights the week after he had first proposed and that was partly why they had postponed this announcement for so long. They were worried. Scared. But it was all over now. There was no fear to take over their decisions. And Kai hoped that there never would be.
"You know what? It doesn't matter if we waited, it's done now," Kai said linking his hand with Cinder's.
"If you say so lovebirds," Thorne said.
"And what's wrong with you today mr grumpy?" Scarlet teased. Neither she or Wolf had spoken since they'd first entered the room. Their daughter Maha was with a nanny in the nursery, probably sleeping. The first time Kai had seen Maha he had been slightly in shock. It was crazy to think that one of Levana's ex-soldiers would be able to lead a semi normal life after the alterations that he'd been through. But there he was sitting in front of Kai a rare smile on his face.
"I'm not grumpy," Thorne mumbled,"just tired."
It was a believable excuse. Dark circles were forming under his eyes and he had been yawning for the past hour or so. In fact everyone in the room seemed tired with the exception of Cinder who had a large cup of coffee after the ball.
"I'm excited for you two!" Winter exclaimed suddenly, shocking everyone at her sudden burst,"sorry that was loud. But I can't help it. My Selene friend is becoming an Earthen Empress."
The crew nodded at each other and after a brief moment of silence Kai spoke.
"I think I'm talking for everyone here. The next few weeks are going to be long," Kai stated.