♦⊱ Chapter 38 - Happy Ending ⊰♦

Ruka pov:

I was exhausted. I had my eyes closed, my hair stuck to my sweaty face, my breathing ragged. I could hear the cries of my baby, though it sounded like more than one, the gift of the love between me and Kichiro sama. The soft cries were melodious to my ears and through the tiredness, I managed a small, proud smile.

"Ruka sama, congratulations! You gave birth to twins! Strong and healthy boys," Kyo chan said and the other maids congratulated me as well.

I peeled my eyes open to looked at Kyo chan who was standing next to me, holding two small, bundles in her arms. Two babies were wrapped in clean white clothes and she tilted them slightly so I could see my new family – two babies with silky black hair and cheeks as red as roses were whimpering in her arms.

Twins, I had had twins! I hadn't even expected something like this! It was more happiness than I could ever ask for. Today was the best day, or rather night of my life. I was the happiest person in the world who had everything I could ever wish for while being with the man I loved with all my heart. I was blessed with the most wonderful family I could ask for.

Tears fell from the corner of my eyes as I watched them. They resembled Kichiro sama quite a bit and I was sure that they would grow up to be just as respectful and gentle as him. I wouldn't let them experience what Kichiro sama had gone through when he was a child. Kichiro sama and I, both of us would protect our babies.

I reached out with one hand to touch one of the baby's cheeks with my fingers. My eyes were still watering in such happiness and I said in a slightly hoarse voice, "They're so beautiful."

I was desperate to hold them in my arms. Thanks to Kyo chan's and the other maids' quich cleaning of the mattress on which I laid, I was soon leaning against soft pillows with my legs outstretched in front of me. A blanket was put over my legs and till my waist and I was finally handed both of the babies to hold in my arms.

They almost immediately settled in my arms but whimpered softly every now and then. They looked adorable and I couldn't stop from kissing them on the forehead ever so gently.

"Congratulations, Ruka sama," said Kyo chan.

"Thank you, Kyo chan," I responded with a wholehearted smile.

I looked over my sons while the maids cleaned the room a little on Kyo chan's orders before Kichiro sama could be let inside. When Kichiro sama was let inside along with Kijima san, the maids and Kyo chan left after respectful bows. Kichiro sama came to stand me, his eyes fixated on the two squirming babies in my arms.

"Why don't you sit down, Kichiro sama," I said softly.

He glanced at me once before looking back at the babies and slowly sitting down beside me without even blinking. He looked unsure and I held in a smile of amuse that wanted to escape.

"It's alright to touch them, Kichiro sama. You're their father," I said. He looked into my eyes deeply, curiosity and pride swirling in them. I smiled now before I spoke, "You have to be very gentle with them, even more gentle than you are with me."

I signaled to Kyo chan to hold one of the babies. She did that and I carefully held the baby in my arms out to Kichiro sama.

"Ruka," he mumbled, sounding hesitant.

"It's alright," I cooed. "Make your arms into a cradle so you can support his head with one arm and his body with the other."

He did what I told him to and I placed the now sleeping baby in his arms. For the first time since I had met him, I noticed a slight tremble in his arms. The rest of his body was stiff but he looked awestruck at the small life that he was holding in his arms. He tensed when the baby squirmed, gurgling once before settling, seeming rather comfortable in Kichiro sama's arms.

"Your son looks very comfortable in your arms," I stated. I took my other baby from Kyo chan and looked between my two sons, absolutely proud.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty, Your Highness," said Kijima san, coming to stand a few feet from us. "They look very much like you, Your Majesty."

"Thank you, Kijima san, and you're right in saying that they look like their father." I then met his gaze, "May I bother you with taking the responsibility of announcing the birth of the princes in all the provinces?"

"Of course, Your Highness, it would be an honor," he replied with a bow. "Then, I will take my leave now."

"Ruka sama, I will be just outside the room. Please call me if you need anything," Kyo chan added, also bowing. She excused herself after Kijima san to leave me and Kichiro sama alone.

I shifted my gaze to Kichiro sama who was silently staring at the baby in his arms while sparing occasional glances at the one I was holding. He tensed though when both squirmed, whimpering once before they opened their eyes slightly. While the baby I held had scarlet eyes like Kichiro sama, the baby Kichiro sama held had brown eyes like me. smiling, I leaned sideways a little to kiss Kichiro sama on the cheek.

"It looks like they share our looks," I said, my voice soft.

"My sons," he mumbled after the longest silence.

"That's right, Kichiro sama, they are your sons. They are our sons. What do you want to name them?" I asked, cooing to the baby in my arms. Having watched my mother take care of Kojiro and having taken care of him a little myself, I had some experience in taking care of children – how to hold them, soothe them, and understand the reason behind their cries.

"Name them?" Kichiro sama questioned, glancing at me thoughtfully.

"I want their names to mean something beautiful, something that tells the world that they are the most important people to us and that they will become strong and good rulers, just like you," I explained.

"Haru and Eiji, for new life and eternity," Kichiro sama said after several minutes of silence.

I was mildly surprised that he had chosen such beautiful name, though I suppose it was only apt and maybe even natural for him to have chosen such names. My eyes were slightly wide when I gazed at him but his eyes shifted between Haru in his arms and Eiji in my arms. His eyes held so much warmth and my lips curled up into a wide smile.

"Haru and Eiji, the names are perfect."

Kichiro sama's amd my gazes met and I closed my eyes as he leaned towards me to kiss me softly. He pressed his lips against mine a little and we tilted our heads to make the kiss passionate for a few moments. When we parted, I reached to him with my free hand to push some strands of his hair behind his ear.

"I'm so happy that Haru and Eiji were born on the same day as you were born, Kichiro sama. I'm the happiest person in the world, just because of you."

>>Time Skip 4 years

"Okaa san! Eiji is eating my share!" my four year old Haru complained while running to me. He had one piece of green apple in his hands while Eiji was walking to me as well, his mouth stuffed with one piece and one piece of apple in each hand.

With a soft laugh, I kneeled in front of them. "Eiji, you know that you have to share with your brother, right? If you want more, you just have to ask me – you don't take it from your brother."

Eiji swallowed the big piece in his mouth with great difficulty and pouted at me. "But, Okaa san!"

"No but's, Eiji. He's your brother and you have to take care of each other. You should love each other just as you love me and Otou san, because we're all family. Will you be good to Haru?" I asked gently, running my hand once through his dark tousles.

"Okay," Eiji agreed, pouting a little more than before. He handed one of the apple pieces he had to Haru only to be glomped by the patter.

"Thank you, Eiji Nii chan!

I laughed softly as I stood, watching them scuttle away from me hand in hand. I followed a few steps behind while looking around in the name of sightseeing and also to keep an eye out for possible threats that could come to them. We were walking through the streets of the capital, through the bustling market with several soldiers to protect us. I was very insistent on having Haru and Eiji interact with the common people and be aware of their lifestyle so that they would learn to show everyone kindness regardless of status.

Well, soldiers weren't the only people who were guarding us. Under Kichiro sama's command, who happened to be extremely protective of his sons, there were several elite soldiers protecting us from the shadows. With so much security, there was surely no way my sons or I could come to any harm.

Kichiro sama was a good father. There were things I had to teach him with regard to how to take care of small children and understand them, but it was only for a few weeks. He really cared for Haru and Eiji and was tender and so protective. He enjoyed holding them in his arms the most, especially when they embraced him with their little arms around his neck. Everything that we had experienced with Haru and Eiji were precious moments of our lives.

What was even better was that the day Kichiro sama and the twins were born was no longer called as Black Day. Instead, it was celebrated as a day of glory and prosperity – just as it was supposed to be.

I broke from my thoughts seeing the twins pick up their pace of running. I hollered to them, "Haru, Eiji, don't go too far from Okaa san!"

My words fell on deaf ears and they continued to scuttle ahead quickly...until they bumped into someone's legs and made them drop the basket of fruits they were carrying. I hurried to them and kneeled to help collect the fruits that had fallen.

"Haru, Eiji, I thought I told you not to run so fast when there are so many people," I said in a slightly stern voice.

"W-we're sorry, Okaa san!" they whimpered in unison, tears welling in their eyes instantly.

I sighed with a small smile. I couldn't get angry on them for something this small – they were children! They were bound to be naughty and running about cheerily.

I patted their heads and cooed to make them stop crying. "Don't cry now. You have to remember to be careful from next time, okay? For now, let's help picking up these fruits that were dropped."

They nodded while wiping off the tears with their arms and reached for the fallen fruits. I too collected fruits in my arms but paused when I heard someone call my name – not as Your Highness but as Ruka.

I stood upon meeting emerald eyes of none other than Tomoki who stood in front of me holding a good amount of the fruits in his arms. His hair had grown and reached his mid back. He also had a slight beard.

"Tomoki," I mumbled.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, seeming upset. When he spoke, he sounded mildly sarcastic, "I'm glad you remember me."

"Well, it's a surprise seeing you here," I said, a little awkward. I was genuinely surprised to see him here – it was obvious that he was a resident and the fruits were his. And he hadn't started any sort of rebellion in any way.

"So, these are your sons? With Lord Kurai?" he asked, eyeing them as they stood on either side of me clutching my dress.

I resisted a sigh that wanted to escape at how he was still sneering out Kichiro sama's title even after five years. But I smiled and said, "Yes. These are the princes, Haru and Eiji."

"Okaa san, you know this Oji san?" Haru asked while tugging at my kimono.

I put the fruits I and the twins had collected into Tomoki's basket then kneeled in front of the twins. "Yes, he's an old friend of mine. why don't you two head back to the palace first and Okaa san will be back in just a few minutes? Otou san will be waiting for you – it's almost time for your studies."

"Okay! Bye bye, Oji san!" they said with big smiles and waves before they sprinted back to the palace with several guards following them.

"Well, aren't you happy," Tomoki sneered again.

"Yes, I am. I'm very happy," I answered, not liking how rude he was being to me.

He scoffed, looking away from me, "You're still a traitor, you know? You betrayed everyone."

"You're still going on about that, I see," I mumbled. Then, I smiled, "I never betrayed anyone, Tomoki – I just chose the path that seemed right. I'm sure you can see that Kichiro sama is different from all the instances that we had heard before. He just needed someone to show him the love he never got, and in reality, he's the kindest and most protective person I've ever met. I don't think I will ever find someone with as much affection as him here or in my world. He was just lonely, and unaware, and just needed someone to help him see beyond what he had seen all his life."

"Whatever, there's no use talking to you about this. You'll only choose his side anyway," Tomoki muttered, turning around and walking away.

"Wait, Tomoki! I...I want to thank you."

He stopped when I said that. He turned around, his eyes narrow as they met mine. He also seemed confused. "And why are you thanking me?"

"Because you're giving him a chance to show his true self. You living here in the capital means that you're giving him a chance, right?" I said, smiling.

I was glad that Kichiro sama had let him live. It was proof to Tomoki and me that he was changing, that he was being kind and generous and giving people the opportunity to change just as he had. Everyone was accepting Kichiro sama slowly, having seen the changes in him and his honest desire for making the provinces under his rule prosperous. The people were happy and flourishing with no lack of food, water, and any other resource necessary to live a comfortable life. They even praised Kichiro sama and sometimes brought small heart-warming gifts – Kichiro sama accepted them and so the people began to genuinely respect him and look up to him as their benevolent ruler.

Tomoki merely scoffed at my words and walked away from me instead of denying that what I had said was right. I laughed with a shake of my head, just glad that everything had worked out well, as it should be.

Everyone was happy but, most of all, Kichiro sama was happy with a loving family that he had always deserved to have. And I was most lucky to have got the chance to be his family.

With another smile grazing my lips, I decided it was time for me to head back to the palace as well. As I walked with the soldiers escorting me, I placed a hand on my abdomen where a life was growing – I had found out that I was pregnant only last evening. Kichiro sama and I were going to have our third child and I was excited. I'm sure Kichiro sama would be happy about it too and I could wait to tell him the good news.

With a beaming smile now, I looked at the palace that got closer with every step I took. I was going back to Kichiro sama, back to my little piece of heaven on earth.

THE END!

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WHY DO KIDS HAVE TO BE SO DARN ADORABLE?! Haru and Eiji, you have stolen my heart  TwT

Isn't it so wonderful that they had twins and not just one bundle of joy to make their lives even better than before? And they're going to be blessed with a third child too! UwU Yup, that was a small extra surprise compared to the old version!

Hope you enjoyed the edited book! Do let me know your thoughts in the comments section - please SPAM the comments section XD I'm eager to know all of your thoughts on the story!

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P.S. Once again, thank you all so much for all your support :3 It really means a lot to me.