The white knights stood outside the door anxiously with some of the maids.

"You think they're ok in there?" Hanabusa questions.

"They're fine captain, have patience." Rima tells him.

"I can't, I had more patience when I was dead!" Hanabusa complains.

"He's not going to stop Rima, save your breath." Shiki tells her.

Hanabusa continued pacing as the other knights stood in place watching him. Eventually they heard crying and turned their heads. The door opened up and Lloyd gave them an annoyed look.

"Would you all not crowd around the room?!" Lloyd shouts before smiling "You wanna see your new princes?"

"Yes!" Hanabusa shouts.

Lloyd walked into the room with the white knights all following. Aria laid in bed, holding both babies, looking as energetic as ever.

"Even after giving birth to two boys our Empress is sitting tall," Rima comments as she stood on one side of the bed.

"Awww!" Hanabusa stood beside Lloyd "They're so cute.

"Shh," Aria put a finger to her lips "they're sleeping."

"They were just born a few hours ago, isn't it bad that they're sleeping?" Lloyd asks.

"Not at all, I slept right after I was born." Aria replies.

Lloyd takes one of the boys from Aria.

"Hey little guy," Hanabusa greets as he holds a finger out to the baby.

"Don't touch my son Hanabusa," Lloyd takes a step away "stupidity is contagious."

"What?!" Hanabusa turns to him.

The white knights laugh as Aria rocked the son in her arms, who was wide awake, quietly staring at his mother. Rima bends down beside the bed and watches the child with Aria.

"This one's a peculiar one," Rima comments.

"He won't let Lloyd hold him," Aria turns to her "don't know why."

"He just cries every time I do," Lloyd sighs.

"Motherly bond, don't feel bad about it sir." Rima says.

Rima stood back up as Shiki, who was at the door, raises his hand.

"So, got names?" He asks.

"Ren and Len," Lloyd replies.

"This one's Ren," Aria gestures to the son in her arms.

The knights smile and watch the two young babies, after a while one of the maids shoo them off so Aria could rest. Aria handed Ren off to Lloyd, who didn't cry this time.

"See, he's warming up to you." Aria smiles before closing her eyes.

"Get some rest," Lloyd whispers as he kisses her forehead.

Lloyd carries his two newborn sons up into the nursery, that had finished being made a week prior. He places them into their cribs, Len continued sleeping as Ren sat there staring up at Lloyd.

"You're just like your mother you know," Lloyd comments to his son "she was weird too."

Lloyd sat in the chair besides them as Ren continued watching him.

"You can sleep safely Ren," Lloyd tells him "Nobody will hurt you with me here."

Ren rolled over to lay on his side as he stared at Lloyd, until he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

"Your mother is the strongest woman in the world," Lloyd smiles to his boys. "I know you'll be the same."

-

"Prince Ren!"

"Prince Ren!"

Hanabusa ran outside and looked around.

"Your mother's going to kill me!" Hanabusa whines.

Hanabusa ran back inside the castle and walked around. He heard voices coming from inside the office and peered inside to see Lloyd staring at him with a look of anger.

"Ah!" Hanabusa jumped back.

"Get in here Hanabusa!" Lloyd commands.

Hanabusa walked into the office to see Ren and Len, 1-year olds, sitting on a chair together. Aria sat at her desk looking through papers.

"Ah there they are!" Hanabusa cries "I thought I lost them- I mean, of course they were here."

Lloyd crosses his arms as Hanabusa kneeled in front of him, with a look of a sad puppy dog.

"I'm sorry," Hanabusa whines.

"Honestly, we knew you were incompetent, not this incompetent." Lloyd sighs.

"Give him a break, they're Oni children." Aria comments, not looking up from her papers. "They're much more active and curious then vampire's or humans."

"Still-"

"Lloyd," Aria looks up at him.

"You're too lenient with the white knights," Lloyd turns to her.

"Well, when people risk their life and die for you once, you kinda forgive them for small things." Aria says, "You're treating our children like normal children Lloyd."

"They're one!" Lloyd argues.

Aria stands up from her desk and walks over to her children, picking them both up.

"Alright then, we'll have them watched over more carefully." Aria says softly.

Lloyd looks surprised at how easily she was convinced. Aria gestures for Hanabusa to follow her, and he does. Lloyd sighs as he walks over and opens the desk drawer, pulling out a crystal.

"Lloyd,"

Lloyd turns to see Aria standing in the doorway, without their boys.

"I'm off okay," Lloyd walks up to her and gives her a kiss on the cheek. "I'm just worried about them."

"I know, and I have Rima and Shiki helping watch the kids now." Aria tells him "Just get the job done and be home soon, okay?"

"Yeah," Lloyd wraps his arms around her.

"What's wrong?" Aria asks.

"Nothing," Lloyd responds "Just needed some energy!"

Aria giggles before giving him a kiss on the cheek. Lloyd releases her before running out of the room.

-

Lloyd arrives at the Kingdom of Shintaro, where he enters the audience hall to greet the king.

"Greetings Lloyd, it's good to see you again." King Vangelis smiles upon seeing him. "Or is it Emperor Lloyd now, my congratulations to your new children with Empress Aria."

"Thank you, but I am no Emperor King Vangelis," Lloyd replies with a smile "I may be married to my empress, but I would never presume myself over her."

"You take your oath as a knight very seriously," King Vangelis chuckles. "I commend you on that."

"I do indeed," Lloyd replies. "My empress is my world, which is why I'm here to make sure the final shipment is in order."

"Unfortunately, we must postpone our negotiations." King Vangelis sighs "I have visitors arriving any moment. Visitors I do not think you want aware of your presence here."

"What visitors?" Lloyd asks.

"The ninja," King Vangelis answers.

"The ninja could ruin everything," Lloyd tells him "Your so-called perfect city runs on the money Empress Aria has paid, for that black market Venge stone."

"Do you really think I am unprepared for the ninja? I control Shintaro in ways you cannot imagine Sir Lloyd. "King Vangelis opens a box, revealing the Skull of Hazza D'ur and transforming into the Skull Sorcerer. "Fear nothing. My Geckle and Munce workers will provide every ounce of the Vengestone your Empress requires. And if the ninja are destroyed in the process, so be it."

Behind them, the doors are knocked. Lloyd hides, while Vangelis transforms back to his normal form.

"Enter!" King Vangelis calls out once Lloyd was out of sight.

Lloyd peers from behind the door, watching the ninja as they entered.

"It is with great honor, King Vangelis, that I present the famed ninja of Ninjago." Hailmar introduces.

"Welcome, welcome! I'm most pleased you were able to accept our invitation. It is an honor" King Vangelis bows humbly

"The honor is ours" Wu responds as he and the ninja bow as well "Shintaro is beyond anything we imagined."

The Princess runs in looking excited "Oh, they're here!"

"And please, meet my heart. Her Royal Princess Vania" King Vangelis introduces.

"I am such a fan!" Princess Vania shouts excitedly, looking at all the ninja "I've read all about your adventures. It was my idea to invite you to my birthday."

"It's an honor to be here, Princess" Cole responds.

Lloyd turns around and quickly makes his way down to the mines where the minions were quickly working to mine venge stone.

"I'll make sure to get as much as I can before coming back," Lloyd spoke into his communicator.

"Are you sure you can handle the ninja being there?" Aria's voice came from the other end.

"Yeah, I'll make sure they never see me." Lloyd responds, "Don't be so worried, it's me we're talking about."

"That's exactly what I'm worried about," Aria sighs.

Lloyd chuckles "I won't get into unnecessary fights now, not when we're preparing for war."

"Well hurry up, the boys miss their dad." Aria says.

"I'll be home soon," Lloyd smiles.

Aria shut off her communicator and Lloyd went to work. Hanabusa walked into the office and Aria turns to look at him.

"Where are the boys?" Aria asks.

"They just went down for their nap, Shiki's watching them." Hanabusa tells her as he approaches "Can I ask you something your highness?"

"What is it?" Aria questions.

"Why are we preparing for war against Ninjago?" Hanabusa asks "You said you wanted to defy destiny, but what if we're walking right into what destiny wants? What if Del really will disappear forever?"

"It won't," Aria sighs.

"Isn't this... exactly what your father tried to do?" Hanabusa questions "He failed... empress."

"Well, we won't, because we have a reason to win." Aria answers. "For our home, and for my children. Now leave please... I have a headache."

"But you were his reason too," Hanabusa mutters before walking out of the room.

Lloyd dusted his hands off after pushing one last cart into a pink portal, and the creatures began moving back to their original tunnel.

 "The last batch is done, it's the best we're going to get. " Lloyd reports to Aria "Heading back now."

"Good job hon," Aria responds.

Lloyd looks around the cave before turning and heading inside the portal, closing it behind him. Lloyd makes his way through the underground tunnels of the Del castle, heading back upstairs.

"Did the ninja see you?"

Lloyd opened the door of the nursery to see Aria already sitting beside her son's cradles.

"Not at all, like I said, easy." Lloyd responds as he walks over and kisses her cheek.

Lloyd sat beside Aria, the two watched their sons try to keep their eyes open to watch their parents.

"Tired," Lloyd chuckles at their sons.

Len reaches his arm through the bars of his cradle and Lloyd took it.

"Your safe baby," Aria tells him softy "sleep, my sweet boys."