When Papa Feels Scottish

"Emperor Kaito! Is it true that Linh Cinder, when she lifted you, even thought of twirling you in the air once before carrying you away?" The reporter shouts and thrusts the mic towards his mouth.

"Empress Selene, do you wear the pants in your house? If so, how does it feel, being, both, a woman and a cyborg? How does it feel to represent both the minority groups? And what does Emperor Kaito think of this?" Asks another reporter, pushing the mic into my face.

I think my face gave away the fact that I was going to cuss in public because just then, Kai grabs me by the elbow and pushes through the crowd of reporters and our bodyguards, dragging me behind him. But I wasn't going to leave so easily, not without giving all the reporters a stink eye above my shoulder.

Inside our chambers, Kai breaks into laughter.

"Did you seriously listen to them? Omg-" He continues laughing.

"Did I ever?" I reply, rolling my eyes and going to draw the curtains.

Just then, Peony comes in with a pair of her pants and shirt.

"Mumma, you wear the pants in the house, why are you wearing a dress? Here, wear my clothes."

My jaw drops.

"Who the he-"

"Cinder!"

"Who, my dear Peony, is teaching you this stuff?"

"Reporters on the portscreen say this."

I massage my temple and ask Kai to handle this, who tells Peony to not learn things from the reporters and rather, she should go watch her cartoons, while I put back Peony's clothes in her almirah and go to change into my own pants and shirt. At least my daughter knows my fashion style.

When I emerge from the washroom, Kai is waiting for me with his hand on peony's shoulder.

"Um, Cinder?"

"Hmm?"

"She says that we should both come on her cartoon channels for her to watch them since, apparently, she wants to see us on the portscreen like all of her friends."

I turn back to him from the wardrobe.

"Now that question requires some very high skills in parenting-" he continues but I cut him off.

"Peony, sweetie, please make new friends."

"Cinder, please stay away from our child if you are going to give such amazing advice."

"I am joking." I glare at him, "Peony, that isn't possible. We don't want to put any restrictions on you but what news reporters show is neither true nor appropriate for you at this age."

She stares at me for some time and then smiles, nodding. "Okay, mumma!"

She hugs me and goes back to her playroom.

"Now who's the better parent?" I say, smiling, as Kai pulls me into his arms and pecks me on the lips.

"Hmm, that is a very good answer. But we need to do something about this 'Empress Selene wears the pants' thing. I just shouldn't have grabbed you then and there just like this."

"See, I hate that these people are reacting in such a misogynistic way, but I would, personally, not prefer for you to grab me by my waist, lift me up on one of your shoulders and drag me out of a conference room in front of all the foreign ministers during a live broadcast."

"You were going to hit that newbie!"

"There are many ways to prevent me from doing that!"

"In my defense, you need to start eating more. You are too thin."

"Excuse-you?"

I lift my hands in surrender.

Kai rolls his eyes and there is silence for a minute, both of us reminiscing about the scene in the conference room and then we burst into laughter.

"Okay now, seriously, we need to do something." I declare.

Kai hums and then says, "I have an idea."

"Oh no."

"Hey! At least I am not going to kidnap anyone."

"It was one time!"

"How many times do you have to kidnap people to make it a valid accusation!"

"Shut up and tell me the idea."

The next day, me, Peony and Kai are ready when Iko shows us the compiled video.

First, there is me, in my signature cargo pants and shirt, repairing Peony's bike with her.

"Mumma is always teaching me how to repair my bike and other cars so that, when I am fourteen, I can make my own car!" comes Peony's voice from the background.

Then there is Kai, sweeping the palace halls.

"Papa is always cleaning the house because he says a clean country starts from a clean house."

Then there is me again, sitting in Kai's office and working.

"Mumma handles more office work and stays up till late in night because she has one country and a whole planet to take care of. Her bedtime is way later than mine!"

Then there is Kai singing in the kitchen and preparing breakfast.

"Papa is the world's best singer and he says he wanted to be a chef when he was a kid!"

Then there is only Peony, clutching her world-famous teddy bear to her chest.

"All three of us wear pants in our house and when papa feels scottish, all three of us wear skirts. Like now!"

Peony walks out of the camera and comes back in, pulling Kai by his shirt's sleeve. Kai, who is wearing a scottish skirt. And then, both of them twirl and do jazz hands.

The video ends and me and Iko burst into laughter. We hit send and, soon enough, there are millions of likes and comments.

The next time we go out into interviews, there is no one talking about me wearing the pants. Instead, everyone is asking Kai about how breezy he feels when he feels scottish and this time, I don't restrict Peony from watching the news channel because I am just not that cruel.