Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the Yu Yu Hakusho series. I do own Princess Aurora and Queen Meena and a few other minor characters but that is it. I am looking forward to your comments and reviews and thanks to my followers. Without your support, I wouldn't have been able to get this far. So without further delay... enjoy the next chapter to Forbidden.

The seasons came and went in a blur. Aurora hardly noticed how fast time was flying since she promised to behave herself. She missed the good ole days when she was a huge pain in the ass, she could look back on the days and smile. She had learned over the years that being a pest wasn't all fun and games. Even when she was naughty, she was punished for it, not severely. Most times she was the one stuck cleaning up her mess, alone. That was the only thing that sucked about her little pranks. Hiei would stand there scolding her for breaking her promise, while she was stuck on the floor with a bucket of water and a rag. That is when she got smart and started pulling less messy stunts. Like hiding the silverware when the maids set them out. When they would return to the table to replace them, the previous ones were back and they had to make another trip back to put them all away again. The King and Queen didn't mind little tricks like that, she was still young after all.

However, her stunts became less and less frequent as she got older. Now that she was sixteen years old, they were almost non-existent. She frowned as she looked at herself in the mirror. When was the last time that she had pulled a small prank on someone? She actually couldn't remember. She shrugged her shoulders and ran the comb through her long curls once more before laying the golden comb on the vanity before her. This night was special. It was the opening night to the Hallow's Eve festival and she was overly excited about it. She always was, Halloween was her favorite holiday, although many called it a night to worship the devil and all. But not for Aurora. Tonight was the opening night for a week of kids running amok through the town. Candy given out to anyone who would take it. A week of dressing up as something other than yourself. She smiled down at her bright blue ballgown. She wiggled her shoulders as she watched the glitter sparkle on her shoulders.

"The prettiest star in the night," Meena said from the door. "And the brightest of them all."

Aurora smiled as she turned to see her mother's costume. She had finally convinced her mother to dress up for at least a couple of nights. Tonight she was dressed as Queen Cleopatra. Her slimming gold dress danced lightly on the floor and the black markings that had been painted on her arms were a perfect contrast to the bright shimmer of gold. Aurora smiled lightly as she watched her mother walk over to stand in front of the full length mirror. She turned from side to side as she looked herself over and gave an approving nod. "That'll do."

"I told you that it would look great on you," Aurora said. "And with dad as the Pharaoh, you two will really look great."

Meena smiled and laughed at the thought of having to convince her stubborn husband to dress up. "I don't see what all his fussing was about. It's just for a few nights."

Aurora rolled her eyes and looked at her mother. "That's what I have been telling YOU."

Meena smiled and tapped her daughter's nose. "Come on, WE are going to be late."

The two walked out of the room and joined the festivities already underway in the courtyard of the castle. The King had already given his speech about the upcoming harvests and that a good blessing was all that was needed for the bounties to be plentiful. To the King's relief, the people had already known that and were happy to hear it again. They also knew that the King hated giving speeches and no one questioned the King's short speech. With a sigh he had declared the Hallow's Eve festival open and the crowd around cheered.

"You know," The King said to Hiei, who was dressed as a pirate. "I wonder what they are thinking when I give such short speeches."

"No comment," Hiei said as he smiled, he knew there was no way to give an answer that the King would like to hear. "By the way... your women are late."

The King laughed hard, he loved how Hiei called them "His Women". Agreed that one was his wife and the other his daughter, the saying had merit. However, he thought it odd that he would call Aurora that. Considering he helped her get away with murder when she was younger, but now that she was growing up into the respectable princess that she was meant to be, he resorted to calling her 'Princess' or 'The King's Daughter'.

"I heard that, Hiei," Meena said as she walked up to stand beside her husband. "And I am the Queen, I am never late."

"Yeah, yeah," Hiei and the King said in unison. "Tell that to the people."

The Queen giggled lightly as she looked over Hiei's costume. "Very nice, Hiei. I thought you were not going to join in the "Childish ways of dress up", as you said."

"No one can say no to me," Aurora said as she walked up with a smile on her face. "Besides, it's a holiday. And it only comes once a year."

"Yeah, so does Christmas," Youko said as he hugged Aurora lightly. "But we don't dress up for that."

Hiei looked at Meena as she smacked the King on his shoulder. "Youko, you are being impossible! Is this what I have to look forward to all week?"

"Of course," he said as he turned back to Hiei who was now looking from the King back to the Queen. "And what are you staring at?"

Hiei smirked as an evil thought crossed his mind. He quickly decided not to repeat what his mind was saying and smiled lightly. "Nothing, Just looking at the winner of the best couple's costume is all."

Meena smiled lightly and started to turn her husband away. "Have fun."

"Not a chance," Hiei said as he turned to see Aurora looking at him. "What?"

"That is NOT what you were going to say," she said with that all knowing grin. "You were thinking something fiendish weren't you!"

Hiei smirked as he knew that Aurora could read him like an open book. "I'll never tell."

"Oh, come on, Hiei, tell me," Aurora whined playfully as they began to walk through the large crowd of people that led from the castle door's to the end of the village.

"Nope," he said and heard her instant 'Why' follow his response. "Because you are too young."

"Ugh!" the Princess was every bit her father's daughter when it came to people telling her that she was too young or too old for something. Especially when it was something, potentially juicy. "No fair."

"Life's not fair, Princess," Hiei said as they exited the gates and headed to the little theater in the village.

The small theater was an outdoor round area. The walls had come down many years ago, after the village grew larger, to accommodate the ever expanding village. Hiei glanced at Aurora who was walking next to him. He barely recognized her costume. She had told her father that she was going to dress up as the blue star from one of the childhood stories that he had told her many years ago. He had instantly assumed that simply meant... well a blue star. He never imagined that this costume would drape over her like it was. It hugged around her shoulders and draped ever so daringly across her hips and flowed like a ribbon of blue to the ground. Hiei shook his head suddenly and looked away quickly. When they reached the theater they realized that the play was almost over already and so they decided to venture on through the village to see what else the villagers had set up.

Suddenly, Zan dropped his arm around Hiei's shoulder, causing both Fire demon and Princess to jump out of their skins. Hiei looked at the general who was dressed as a court jester. "Hallow's eve is great!"

"That seems to be the best fit costume for you, Zan," Hiei remarked as he bodily removed Zan's arm from his shoulder. "You know, dressing as yourself isn't technically considered a costume!"

"Argg," Zan replied as he pulled on Hiei's skull lined bandana around his forehead. "And you are still short."

Hiei growled lightly as Zan danced away like a... well like a clown. Aurora giggled lightly from his side and he turned to look at her. "Something strike you as amusing, Princess?"

"I think Zan has hit the bar a little hard tonight," she said in between her giggles. "And I have to agree with you. He really does seem like a clown most of the time."

Hiei smiled lightly. As they walked further into the village, a group of kids were running around screaming that the witch of the north was after them. When they turned to look, they seen Mrs. Horn dressed as an evil witch with a broom in her hand. She was cackling like a banshee and chasing after a few of them. Hiei turned to see as one of the children screamed even louder. Mrs. Horn had caught him and was hugging him tightly, taunting any to attempt to free him. He heard Aurora giggle again next to him and turned to her. She was giggling at a little girl that had come up to her. Aurora bent down so that she was eye level with the little girl and whispered something to her. The little girl squealed loudly and jumped up and down in place as Aurora stood back up. The little girl that was dressed as a rag doll bowed lightly to the princess and turned and ran away. Aurora smiled again as she turned back to see Hiei staring at her.

"What?" she asked lightly as she blushed brightly.

"What did she ask you?" he wondered.

Aurora's blush deepened as she looked away. "She asked if you were trying to steal me away."

Hiei's eyebrows rose quickly as he watched her cheeks turn from a light rosy pink to a deep blood red. "And your response?"

Aurora froze as she looked at him. "I told her that you didn't have to."

Hiei stopped short as he watched her turn away quickly. She walked over to a group of kids bobbing for apples. He shook his head and started to walk up to her, but when he heard her agree to bob next, he stopped and watched from the shadows. 'What did she mean that I didn't have to steal her away? What am I doing? I can't feel like this! She's the princess!' Hiei silently warred with himself as he watched the group of kids continue to dunk their heads into the barrel of water to catch the apples that floated inside.

All the while, King Youko watched from his own distance. Much to his surprise, Meena was right there with him. They were both spying on the pair that was walking through the village. They watched as the two had weaved in and out of the throngs of villagers, they watched as Hiei and Zan had a few words and they definately watched as they seen their daughter blush.

"Her cheeks were visible from here," Meena pointed out. "Did you hear what she had said?"

Youko had folded his arms across his chest, Oh he had heard it alright. He frowned as he watched Hiei sit back as his daughter stepped up to take her turn bobbing for apples. She had pulled her hair back and one of the kids was holding it behind her so that it wouldn't get wet. His thoughts were not on his daughter, however. They were on Hiei. How dare the little demon think that he could be with her!

"Youko!" Meena whispered loudly and smacked him on the arm. "What did she say? I know you heard it! What?"

"This has to end," he said simply and took a step forward.

Meena gasped lightly and she knew what had been said. She grabbed Youko's arm and pulled him back. "Don't you dare!"

"I'm not going to kill him," the King said. "Just take a limb... or two."

"No. You. Are. Not!" The Queen stepped in front of him and frowned up at her husband. "A word, My King."

Youko's ears went back against his head. He had never heard Meena speak to him like that. In fact, he had never heard her speak like that to any one. He followed her until they were farther away from the festivities going on around them. She turned and looked at him. She crossed her arms across her chest and tapped her foot impatiently at the stubborn fox she called Husband.

"You can't do this, Youko," she said. "You can't make Hiei her personal bodyguard and then get all prissy when she falls for him!"

"You knew?" he growled at his wife. He too crossed his arms over his chest and frowned deeper. "How long have you known?"

"You don't understand, my love," she said, her voice softening. "This is beyond our control!"

"The hell it is!" Youko snapped. "There is not going to be anything between them!"

"Youko! You are being ridiculous!" the Queen threw her hands up and shook her head. She placed her hands on her hips and leaned to the left. "You don't understand!"

"Understand what?" the King demanded.

"Fate brought them together!" the Queen said. "I know you don't believe in all that but I do. I believe that Fate brought Hiei to use when I was pregnant because they were meant to be together!"

"No, Meena," Youko said. "I brought Hiei here as a new bodyguard to protect you and this family as it got bigger. Everyone thought you were going to have a boy! I never would have brought Hiei here if I had known that Aurora was going to be and not a son."

"So what, Hiei would have been perfectly fine, if Aurora was a boy," Meena shrieked. "How could you be so cold about this Youko! Why is it so wrong for them to be together? If all this time has passed and she had shown interest in... in... I don't know... a cook would you have allowed that?"

"No daughter of mine is going to marry beneath her!" Youko snapped. "I forbid it!"

Meena stomped her foot. "My father said the same thing about you! I was forbade to marry you and here we are now! You interfere now and Aurora will never forgive you. And neither will I."

Youko looked at his wife standing there with her arms crossed and her foot tapping impatiently. "Are you saying that you want them to be together?"

"Look at what they have, my love!" she said harshly. "Without Hiei there to reign her in as an impish little girl where would she be now? Huh? Do you think that she would have magically changed if Hiei hadn't talked her into becoming the Princess that her is today?"

"She would have learned from us," Youko said. "Like she should have been doing all along! She shouldn't have needed another person to tell her right from wrong, she should have been hearing it from us!"

"Then why does she cry at night when Hiei leaves to visit his sister?" Meena asked. "If he wasn't meant to be with her, Youko, why does it kill her every single time he leaves without her?"

"What?" Youko asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, you didn't notice all the times that Hiei is gone and she refuses to leave her room until she knows for a fact that Hiei is back?" Meena asked sarcastically. "She doesn't listen to us because she knows that she doesn't have our FULL attention. With Hiei she does. Hiei would wait on her hand and foot if her asked him to. She knows that no matter what she needs to talk about, Hiei will be there with his full attention to give her the best advise that he can. And she KNOWS that he would never lead her astray. She knows that he wants her to be the Princess that she needs to be and THAT is why she changed. Because Hiei told her to straighten her ass up!"

"I do give her my full attention," Youko defended. "Name one time that I haven't."

"Very well," Meena said as she took a step towards him. "Four years ago, she came to you to tell you that she wanted to learn more about the kingdom and what it took to become a successful leader in the future. You told her that you were a 'Little busy' at the time and that she would have to ask another time."

"I was busy," he said but stopped as he seen his wife take another step towards him.

"Three years ago, she came to you telling you that Fidget wasn't looking too well. She asked you to call the doctor that you have take care of your horse. You said that you would call him as soon as you were done with your meeting. But before you remembered to call your vet, Fidget had been dead for three days," Meena said coldly. "Shall I continue, My Lord, or do you kind of see the picture that I am trying to paint for a blind man?!"

"I bought her another horse, you know," Youko said softly but he knew that his wife was right. "But I still don't want..."

"Enough!" Meena said harshly. "I don't want to hear another thing about this from you. You have made your point. You don't want anything between them, I say let the dice fall where they may! But there is one thing that you cannot deny. Hiei is probably the best man you know. You of all people know that he would never do anything to hurt her or destroy anything that she loves. That includes you and your relationships with Aurora and with Hiei. Why do you think Hiei hasn't said anything? He doesn't want to break the friendship that he has built with you. But you must listen to me when I say this, my love. Things have changed around here, your daughter and your friend, things that no one can deny. You cannot interfere."

Youko sighed heavily. He knew that his wife was right. He would lose his daughter and his friend if he interfered. But he would lose her either way, if they did fall in love. He sighed again as he watched his wife walk out of the tent and out into the cool night air. Gosh he was getting old. He could tell things were changing around him and he could see it everyday when he was in the village. Gosh, ten years really did change a lot. He just hoped that his daughter could make a good decision. Whether it was Hiei or not, he would support her. He just hoped that taking up with Hiei wouldn't change her, more than it already had.

End of Chapter Seven. Hope you enjoyed. I know kinda drawn out a bit but stupid computer kept erasing it so had to keep starting over in several spots. oh wells. So next chapter coming soon I promise. Reviews and Comments are welcome as always and look forward to the next few chapters, it gets juicy, I promise.