Moonflower- A Lunar Chronicles Fanfiction

Chapter 8

"Really? Pink and blue? What if Cynthia likes blue? And why can't Leo like pink?" Huffed Cinder when she surveyed the room. One of the largest ballrooms in the palace had been split down the middle overflowing in decorations. One half was decorated in pink balloons, streamers, and silky tablecloths. The other was a mirror image but in blue.
"C'mon Cinder, I think it's very cute," said Iko her eye scanners bouncing greedily around the room taking in her work. "Plus, they're only two years old. They don't care what color their decorations are,"
Cinder sighed. "Alright, I guess since the Thornes will be here in a couple minutes there's not really time to change anything. Thanks for setting this up for us Iko." Her throat got a lump in it for a minute, and Cinder almost choked trying to swallow it. Sometimes she wished she could just cry and let her tears relieve her emotion.
Iko raised her eyebrows in understanding. "Those pregnancy hormones getting to you again?" She said wrapping her arms around Cinder tightly. Cinder smiled and hugged her back. With Cynthia already being two and her next son or daughter on the way she was having a little trouble keeping her emotions in check.
"Wow" came a voice from the door followed by a long whistle. "You did a great job decorating Iko. Don't you think so Thia?"
Cinder and Iko turned to see the emperor himself with the crown princess in his arms. The little girl giggled and clapped her hands. "It's my two favorite colors!" She exclaimed. "Thank you Aunty Iko!" She said and blew the android a kiss. It took every once of Cinder's newfound motherly instincts to not roll her eyes. That kind of gesture was definitely learned from her father.
That wasn't the only thing Cynthia had inherited from her father, though. Her face was definitely Kai's. She was a beautiful girl, and her facial features already had an air of royalty that was a mirror of Kai's. However, as soon as it began to grow in, Cinder had been pleased to see that Cynthia's coppery brown hair was all hers. It still made her stomach flutter to see both Kai and herself in their daughter and suddenly she was sixteen and head-over-heels in love again.
At the exact same moment two servants rushed in from opposite corners of the room. "Your Majesty," whispered the first servant to reach Cinder. "There are several media companies parked just outside the gates. They have requested to come in and take some picture of the party. What should we tell them?"
Cinder shook her head. "Tell them they are not welcome. This is a private party, especially with the Thornes sharing this party." The servant nodded, bowed and left in one quick movement. The next servant approached.
"Your Majesty I am pleased to announce that the Thorne, Kesley, and Clay families are all waiting outside," he said.
"Well then let's let them in," Cinder exclaimed. The servant smiled and nodded his head before heading toward the doors to let in their guests.
The huge ballroom doors opened wide and the rampion crew and their children spilled in. The newly two year-old Leo stumbled in first grinning a winning Thorne.
"Leo!" Cynthia exclaimed from Kai's arms. She began to wave wildly.
"Thia!" Cried the little boy. "Happy Birthday!"
"It's your birthday too!" She giggled back before Kai let her down and the two two year-olds raced off hand and hand toward the cake table.
"It's that Thorne family charm," said a smirking voice behind Cinder. She turned to see Thorne and Cress followed by Winter, Jacin, Scarlet, and Wolf all bearing gifts for the birthday children.
"I don't know Thorne," Cinder said. "I think Leo takes after his mother more."
It was true that little Leo looked very similar to his father already with a roguish face and messy dirty-blond hair, but his personality held the sweet innocence of Cress in every way.
"Huh," he said with a glance back at Cress, "You may be right. We'll have to work on that,"
Cress shoved him in the arm and he pretended to act hurt, but the smile they shared afterward made Iko sigh behind Cinder.
"There's cake!" Exclaims a voice behind Thorne. Luc pushes his way through the crowd, eyes hungry. Scarlet follows close behind, but she's not fast enough. The troublemaker is already gobbling down a piece before she can reach him.
"I remember when we were two Fitz," said Solstice with a flip of her glossy three year-old hair. Fitz nods eagerly always seeming to follow along.
Suddenly the doors to the party burst open again and hundreds of people begin streaming in to the ballroom. Cinder whirled around confused before realization dawned.
"THORNE?" Cinder called.
"Oh, did I RSVP wrong Your Imperial Majesty? When I wrote down three I meant three hundred. It's my son's second birthday; I had to invite everyone I know,"
"It's a good thing the cooks made a couple extra cakes!" Iko said with a grin.
-----
"You're moving back to America?" Cinder exclaimed. The extra three hundred guests had left long ago, and the rampion crew was left with just each other and some interesting news.
Thorne nodded slowly. "My parents found out about me through your press, and they want to meet Cress and Leo. They want to start again, and if there's one thing I learned from the Lunar war, it's that I'm lucky they're even alive. Cress and I have been talking, and we think now might be a good time to settle down somewhere,"
Jacin shook his head grinning. "Who would have ever though the great Captain Carswell Thorne would say any of those things,"
Cress continued, "We think Leo deserves to meet his grandparents, and, well, be out of the spotlight for a while. Here in New Beijing that's a little hard,"
It made sense to Cinder, but a lump was forming in her throat again. The Thornes visited practically every day, and Leo and Cynthia were such good friends. Even though the Rampion could bring them to the palace within a few hours, Cinder knew that things were about to change.
"We'll miss you guys..." Cress said, her lip trembling slightly.
Cinder smiled. "You can come back any time. I expect you here for their birthday this time next year,"
"C'mon Cinder, you know we wouldn't miss a party," Thorne said as he grinned.

A/N: Sorry this chapter is a bit spastic or even a little boring. This is the last story set in this time with the younger Rampion crew's kids. The next chapter will be set a bit farther in the future. As always, thanks for reading!
-Theresa