Moonflower- A Lunar Chronicles Fanfiction

Chapter 1

By the third time she had to wake to empty everything in her stomach, Cinder decided it was time to go to the royal physician. She slipped on her favorite pair of slippers and a robe as slowly as possible. She had been so dizzy recently and her retina often alerted her that she may be sick and "should see a doctor immediately," but the week had been so busy with council meetings and ambassador luncheons that she hadn't given it a second thought.

"I'm probably just getting a little cold," she had told herself as she almost collapsed down the stairs twice.

Kai stirred in their bed, obviously drowsy. He had stopped getting up to rub her back two trips to the bathroom ago. He had had an even longer day than she had , and he was leaving for a diplomatic mission to the European Union tomorrow. Cinder had insisted he stay in bed sleeping. She could handle herself.

When he saw her put on her robe and slippers he raised a sleepy eyebrow. "Where are you going," he said, his words slow.

Cinder went and squeezed his hand. "I'm just going downstairs to the hospital wing. Maybe the doctor will have something for my stomach. I'll have them comm you if anything is wrong. Now go back to sleep,"

He nodded dreamily, turned over and gave Cinder's hand one last squeeze. After being married for five years, he's somewhat understood that she can occasionally take care of herself.

Cinder started for the hospital wing at a brisk pace, but when her stomach started to churn again she slowed down considerably. A pair of guards followed behind her a few yards, and though she knew it was for her own protection, even after five years their constant still annoyed her. She was by no means an empress in distress.

Well, most nights she wasn't. Tonight, it was hard to say. That's why she was going to the physician in the first place.

She finally arrived in the hospital wing, and the room was mostly silent and dark but for a little nurse sitting at the front desk, her eyes darting through the words of a novel. The nurse looked surprised when she saw a visitor, but she looked even more surprised to see Cinder.

"Empress Selene! How can I help you?," she asked, her voice trembling a little. She looked positively star struck, and even in her weariness Cinder had to smile at the girl.

"I've been having some issues with my stomach and dizziness this week," she grimaced. "Honestly, I've been throwing up all night. I just to see the doctor about it really quickly. Is he available right now?"

A twinkle appeared in the nurse's eye, as if she knew something Cinder didn't, but she only said, "I will go get him right away your majesty," and then she fled into a back room.

Exhausted, Cinder lowered herself into one of the hospital beds in the room. It was only moments later that the doctor arrived.

"Your Majesty," he said sweeping into a quick bow. "I understand your hear for some medication to help settle you nausea?"

"Yes, I've just been having a hard time sleeping tonight is all," she told him, trying to tone down the situation so she could get back to bed. She had no such luck.

"'I have a feeling your ailment goes beyond an upset stomach. I'd like to run a few tests if you don't mind," the doctor told her, though it was more of a command than a request. Reluctantly, Cinder got up and followed the doctor to the various tests that lay ahead.

-----

After an hour of tests in the hospital wing, Cinder sat alone in the private exam room waiting for her results. It was just past five in the morning, and Cinder knew Kai was probably already awake and having people help him pack for his trip. She hoped she would be able to get out of here and say good-bye to him before he left, but her results were taking an awfully long time to come. Cinder wondered what they could possibly be doing that took so long, especially since she was the only one needing assistance at the moment, and, though she hated to use her title to put her needs before other's, she was the empress.

The doctor finally returned, his red face signaling his embarrassment at the amount of time they had spent on Cinder, but she was happy to see that they finally had some results.

"Your Majesty," he began, "I think perhaps emperor Kai is going to want to be here to hear these results,"

Cinder began to get nervous. To bring Kai into this made it a truly serious matter. "Are you sure? He's about to leave for the European Union, and he might be very..."

"I'm quite sure your majesty,"

"Alright then. Just remember, you asked for him," she said warningly before pulling up a quick comm on her retina and sending it to Kai's personal portscreen.

-----

Kai burst into the room. His hair was askew, his face was red, and he was panting like a dog. When he found Cinder sitting completely relaxed on the exam table he paused and sent a curious glance to the doctor. The doctor sent one right back.

Turning even more red with blush, Kai tried to explain himself, "When I heard Cinder needed me I guess I assumed the worst. What is going on Cinder?" He said, his gaze turning back to her.

"I'm not sure, the doctor hasn't told me yet. He just said to send for you," she replied.

Kai made his way toward his wife, and Cinder reached out to grip his hand. It was trembling. He really was worried.

"Now your majesties, I can assure you, the ailments Empress Selene is experiencing are completely normal for her condition,"

Cinder's insides squeezed. What could her cyborg being a cyborg have to do with her nausea and dizziness? Were her cyborg parts finally deciding they didn't want to be part of her anymore?

Kai must have been thinking the same thing. "Cinder may be a cyborg, but just because part of her is metal doesn't mean she deserves to be in a constant state of sickness, sir,"

"Your majesty what does... Oh dear, you thought I was referring to her cyborg condition. No your majesties, the empress's prosthetics are in perfect working condition," the doctor told him.

Cinder was getting impatient, "So what condition were you referring to doctor?"

"Well your majesty, I sent in various viral infection tests to the labs as well as multiple bacterial infection tests, but they all came back negative. However, there is one test that went into the lab that came back positive," the doctor said.

"And which one was that?" Asked Kai.

The doctor broke out into a smile as if he had been restraining himself for far too long. "Why, it was the pregnancy test your majesty. I am pleased to tell you that the empress is with child."