Author's Note: I've finally finished this tale and I hope it was worth the wait for you all. All review responses from now on will be in my live journal http / www. livejournal. com / users / yamiyue57 / that way for those who review after I've posted all the chapters to the story can get a response too.
Happily Ever After?
By Yami Yue

Chapter One

Sunlight streamed in through the curtains covering the windows. I didn't feel the warmth of my mate's body beside me and I opened my eyes slowly. I sat up and looked around. As I had suspected, the bed was empty. He was not in the room either. It didn't take me long to realize where he might be.

Kurama had been rather quiet the night before, even a bit withdrawn. Finally he reveled that today was the day Kuronue had been killed by Karasu. Even after all these years he mourned his fallen lover's death. I spent the rest of the evening trying to comfort him as best I could. At least the night had ended on a good note.

The scent of food perfumed the air from the kitchen two stories below. Usually it would have made me hungry, but this morning it only made me feel quite sick to my stomach. I climbed out of bed, grabbing a robe and putting it on as I padded to the balcony. I figured some fresh air would make me feel better. I smiled as I caught sight of the clothes strewn about the room, recalling the intense lovemaking session that had ended the night.

I stepped out onto the balcony and sat down in one of the chairs. I looked out over the palace grounds hoping to catch sight of my mate, but did not see him in the gardens below. However, I could sense him just on the other side of a tall, thick screen of bamboo. I guessed he was paying his respects to Kuronue. A moment later the bamboo parted, revealing my foxy mate and confirming my theory.

Unfortunately my nausea didn't get any better and soon I found myself racing to the bathroom to relieve my stomach of whatever happened to be left in it. I groaned, feeling awful. Soon I heard water running and a cool cloth being pressed against my head. "You don't look well at all Darkfire," Kurama said softly. "Shall I summon Yukina?" I scowled. "It's just my stomach Fox," I replied. "Hiei, you've been like this for three days now," he responded as he lovingly cleaned my face. I made the mistake of looking up into his golden eyes and seeing the love and worry there. "Alright," I conceded. "Go ahead and summon her,"

To my surprise he lifted me into his strong arms and headed out of the bathroom. "I can walk you know," I protested. "Indulge me," he replied. I just rolled my eyes and let him carry me to bed without further protest. Thankfully there was a knock at the door before he could tuck me in. "Enter," Kurama called. The door opened and Sachi, head of the palace servants entered. "Breakfast will be served in the dining hall momentarily Sire," she informed us. "The Sovereign and I will not be going to the dining hall this morning Sachi," He responded. "Please have our meals sent up. I'll also need you to ask Nadeshiko fix a cup of ginger tea and have it sent up immediately," Sachi bowed. "Yes Sire," she said softly. "Will you require anything else?" "Please inform the princess that we wish to see her once she has finished breakfast," Kurama replied. "Also inform Lord Yusuke that he is to lead the day's exercises in my absence," I added. "Yes, Your Highness," she replied. With another bow she left the room as quietly as she had entered.

Kurama sat beside me on the bed. "Did you visit Kuronue this morning?" I asked, knowing that since Kurama had not been able to bury Kuronue he had erected a symbolic grave for his fallen lover. A red tint to his cheeks gave me my answer. "It feels somewhat strange to visit him now," he confessed. "I feel as though I'm sneaking out to see him as if he were still alive and we were involved in some torrid love affair," "Considering that you were his before you were mine, wouldn't that make me the illicit lover?" I asked. Kurama chuckled softly. "I'm not sure, but I'm glad things aren't really that complicated," he answered. I smiled. " So am I," I replied. "I want you all to myself," "You know I should be jealous, even after a century has passed you mourn him," I confessed. "Still, I can't help but find it touching and so I am not," Kurama smiled warmly, then gently kissed my lips. "I still love him," he said softly once he had broken the kiss. "However, it is not the same love that I feel for you," "I have come to realize that had Kuronue lived we would have eventually parted for I could never be completely sated by his love," he continued. "With you it is completely different and I know that no one else would suffice," I was a bit surprised by his words, but at the same time touched by them. He claimed my lips again and I happily returned it.

Just as we broke the kiss, the tea arrived. Kurama gently took the saucer and mug of steaming liquid from Sachi as I sat up. Another servant girl, Miko entered carrying a light breakfast on a tray. My stomach turned at the thought of eating anything. Miko set the tray on Kurama's large desk, and left with Sachi a moment later. I sipped the hot tea while Kurama ate. Once I'd finished the tea, I set the mug and saucer on the nightstand then laid back down. "Don't you want something to eat Darkfire?" Kurama asked. "No," I answered. "It will only come back up," As a matter of fact; I hoped the tea would stay down.

We remained in companionable silence while Kurama finished his meal. It wasn't long before there was another knock at the door. "Enter," Kurama called. The door opened a bit and Toya poked his head in. "The princess is here to see you and the Sovereign sire," he informed us. Kurama nodded and the door opened fully. Yukina entered and Toya gently shut the door behind her. "Sachi told me you wanted to see me," she said, frowning slightly when her eyes drifted from Kurama to me. Neither of us needed to say anything. I must have looked as bad as I felt.

Kurama pushed the chair he had been sitting in to the side of the bed and Yukina thanked him softly. "I'll be in the Library if you need anything," Kurama said. Obviously, he wanted Yukina to be able to examine me in private. No sooner had the door closed behind him, I felt my sister's energy wash over me. "How long have you been ill?" she asked softly. "Three days," I answered. "I haven't been able to keep anything down," "Have you noticed anything else unusual?" My chest seemed more sensitive than usual but I wasn't about to tell her that, so I shook my head instead.

Yukina closed her eyes in concentration as her hands began to glow a soft icy blue color. Now her energy not only washed over me but through me as well. Suddenly her eyes fluttered open, a look of complete shock upon her pretty features. I opened my mouth to ask her what she had found but quickly shut it again when she once more closed her eyes, checking a second time. It seemed an eternity before she opened her eyes again and I no longer felt her energy working upon me.

With an expectant look upon my face I gazed up at her. Yukina still looked stunned yet both joyful and fearful at the same time. "What is it?" I asked. "Brother, you're pregnant," she answered. My eyes widened in complete and utter shock. "What!" I responded. "That's impossible," "I assure you, you are indeed with child," she countered. "I checked twice, you're suffering from morning sickness," "I still don't see how that could be," I protested. "Perhaps it's our mother's blood that enabled you to be with child," Yukina suggested. "Rui told me that every hundred years a baby girl is born to each woman in the village, and since men are forbidden there who knows how it happens,"

I frowned. It did make sense. "Neither of us know much about our father's people and since you carry more of his blood than I, we could assume that it's his blood in you that sped things up so that you are with child before your hundredth birthday," she continued. "For all we know, this could be common among our father's people," I made a soft sound of agreement. It really didn't matter now how I had acquired this ability, the child was already within me.

My mind reeled. I wasn't sure how Kurama would take the news. We had never talked about having children so I had no idea if he even wanted any. I didn't know what I would do if he didn't. All I could do was hope for the best and fear the worst.

I silently vowed that no matter what, my child would have better than I had and would be loved and cared for by at least one parent who loved him or her. Even if the worst should occur, no child of mine would have to suffer the fate that I had, going through life without either of my parents.

Yukina's soft hand upon my shoulder broke me from my revere. "Shall I get Kurama now?" she asked. "I'm sure he's wearing the floor out in the library with his pacing by now," I chuckled. I could indeed sense my mate's worry and figured that was exactly what he was doing. "Yes, but don't tell him what you discovered, I want to tell him myself," I answered. "Don't stray far, undoubtedly we'll both have questions," Yukina nodded then headed out the door.

I closed my eyes trying to calm my racing heart. Although, I was nervous about revealing what Yukina had discovered to my mate, I knew it would prolong the agony for both of us. I wanted to get it over as soon as possible. I quickly tried to piece together how I was going to tell him, but in the end I decided it would just be best to be direct.

I opened my eyes upon hearing the door opening. Kurama entered, shutting the door behind him and quickly sat down on the bed beside me, the tip of his tail twitching in obvious nervousness. I slowly sat up took a deep breath and faced him. I took one of his larger hands in mine and gently rested it upon my abdomen. "We're going to be fathers Fox," I said. Kurama's golden eyes widened in surprise. " You mean you're pregnant?" he asked. I nodded slowly. "…but that's impossible, we're both male," he responded. "Somehow it became possible," I said, then shared with him Yukina's theory.

Kurama looked at me in awe as I spoke and once I had finished the explanation, he remained silent. For once the silence between us was unnerving instead of comforting. I looked away, certain that I would be rejected now that he knew of my ability. My handsome mate gently cupped my cheek in his free hand and turned my face toward him. "How ironic that your mixed blood, the very thing that brought about your banishment, would also endow you with such a gift," he said softly.

I lifted my eyes to his and found my voice to ask the question that was foremost on my mind. "What do you want to do about this?" I asked softly. Kurama blinked at me, confusion evident in his beautiful golden eyes. "What do you mean?" he responded. "You sound as though you don't wish to bear our child," I shook my head. "You misunderstand," I replied. "I only wanted to know if you wanted this too," "I would rather our child not be born if this was something we both didn't want," Kurama slipped his hand from mine and withdrew his opposite hand from my face to wrap his arms about me in a warm and loving embrace. "Of course I want our baby Darkfire," he said softly as I closed my eyes and leaned into his embrace. "Whatever gave you the idea that I wouldn't?" "I just wanted to be sure," I replied.

I opened my eyes when Kurama pulled me into his lap. A smile played upon his lips, a dreamy look in his eyes. "I'm going to be a father," he murmured, sounding as though he couldn't quite believe it but pleased nonetheless. I smiled, glad that he seemed pleased with the idea of having a family. "That's fine for you, but what will the baby call me?" I asked. "It would be odd having our child call me mother," Kurama laughed joyfully and nuzzled me affectionately. "How about having the baby call you Papa?" he suggested. "That's close enough," I made a soft sound of agreement.

Kurama sighed softly. "We have a lot of planning to do," he said. "We'll have to think of names for the baby, set up a nursery, start looking for a nursemaid…" He suddenly trailed off. "How are we going to explain this to everyone?" he asked. "That can wait," I responded, feeling uncomfortable at the idea of revealing the fact that I was pregnant to others.

I felt a sudden jolt of fear emanating from my mate and I looked at him curiously. "What is it Fox?" I asked. "How will our baby be born Darkfire?" he asked. "That, you'll have to ask Yukina," I replied. Kurama called for my sister and she entered the room immediately. Her anxious expression quickly melted into a smile when she saw Kurama cuddling me in his lap. "I take it he took the news well," she said. "Very well," Kurama responded. "Now there are some things we wish to know," Yukina nodded and sat down in the chair that was still at my bedside.

"How will the baby be born?" Kurama asked. "Genkai will have to cut the baby from Hiei," Yukina answered. I felt my mate's fear increase. "Would he survive such an ordeal?" he asked nervously. Yukina smiled reassuringly at us both, knowing that the thought of them cutting me open unnerved us both. "Genkai has done this with women in the village who have had trouble giving birth naturally," she told him. "With she and I both healing him, both Hiei and the baby should be fine," I felt Kurama's fear lessen. "Genkai and I both will do everything we can to ensure that the delivery goes as smoothly as possible," Yukina assured us. "Thank you," Kurama said softly. Yukina smiled and kissed us both on the cheek then congratulated us.

As the three of us began planning for the baby's arrival I could hardly believe what was happening. Soon, the new life that was growing within me would be brought into the world. I just hoped that Kurama and I would be good parents.