Nanashi fumed the rest of the day, mad at Hiei, but not wanting to be so mad at him. She was not sure how to deal with him, beyond needing more time to calm down herself. After lunch, Yasha surprised her by sticking close to her.

"Hey," he told her as he caught up to her as she was living the dining hall. "Have you recovered from this morning yet?" he asked her quietly.

She looked over at him, not sure if he meant from the training or seeing Hiei again. "A bit," she answered.

"You probably could use a bit more time, eh?" he asked teasingly. She hummed under her breath. Her back did feel tired yet as well as her temper was still soldering. He bent down, leaning to whisper into her ear. "Did hear of the formal event, really celebration happening this evening?"

"No," she mumbled. She turned to face him, but he pushed her to face forward while they walked.

"It's private and last minute, but we're invited. Formal dress. I'll be around to make sure you don't miss it, if that's alright with you," he whispered in her ear.

"What kind of event?" she asked him. He only answered her with a chuckle. Usually when he joked around like this, she was only a little annoyed. With her temper on the rise though, she found herself fuming with him. "What. Event?" she asked, emphasizing both words.

Yasha looked her over, looking suddenly nervous. "It's a celebration for Hiei coming back of sorts, and for discovering he is a royal bastard. I know you're still mad at him, and rightly so, but he truly wants you there. The evening would be a waste of time if you weren't there." He glanced behind them, as if worried someone was following them or they would be overheard.

She grumbled under her breath, not quite interested in whatever event this was. "Fine, I'll go," she barely whispered, picking up on his sudden desire to be secretive.

Yasha stayed with her, the rest of the day, much to her annoyance. He had only Sayuri help her get ready for whatever the event was, but not Midori. Sayuri was so focused on her looking just right. Her dress was off white and elvish style and make up coated her face simply, but felt unnatural on her. Her hair was the last thing. The way she was doing her hair was beyond intricate for an event she was unsure she even wanted to attend. She kept unraveling it and redoing it, like she wanted it to be absolutely perfect.

"Where's Midori?" Nanashi asked him, knowing it was not Midori's day off.

"Hmm? You're more talkative lady's maid?" Yasha answered. "Day off." He was sitting on her bed, tapping the sides of it in impatience.

"No she isn't," Nanashi answered.

She saw Yasha and Sayuri exchange a brief glance before Sayuri said, "schedule change, my lady."

"Why?" Nanashi asked Sayuri, not liking what was being covert.

"I can't say, my lady," Sayuri answered humbly. "She is not ready for you to know why yet."

"Did she meet a boy...?" Nanashi asked with a small smile. It was one topic that Midori did like to talk about.

Yasha barked a laugh at her statement. "Yes, she met a boy..." he answered. "Don't be too hard on her when you see her next." He spoke to Sayuri next, "are you almost done?"

Sayuri gave him a sharp look. "I want it done perfectly," she answered, Nanashi's hair in her hand.

Nanashi looked at her hair in the mirror. Seemed perfectly fine to her. "It is," she complimented.

"See, your lady is happy. Now, can we get going?" he said, standing up.

She went to stand up. "Slowly, slowly," Sayuri said, helping her stand up. Sayuri bent down, fluffing her dress evenly around the skirt. She looked her over, taking in the image of her in her dress. Her eyes looked a little glassy eyed. She cleared her throat. "Walk carefully because of the skirt," she advised. "It's a bit long for you."

Nanashi bit her lip, annoyed with how insistent Sayuri had been to overdress her for some event for Hiei she hardly wanted to go to anyway. She gathered up some of the skirt walking carefully towards the door. Yasha caught up to her, stopping her before she could leave the room. He snapped his fingers over to Sayuri. "Cloak, cloak," he said, hand outstretched.

Sayuri gave him an annoyed look, but fetched a warm cloak from Nanashi's wardrobe. Yasha took it from her, wrapping it around Nanashi to cover up her dress as much as possible. It smelled faintly of mothballs. He even put the hood up over her hair. Nanashi heard Sayuri huff, "be careful of her hair and dress."

Nanashi felt ready to sweat. "Yasha, it's too hot for a cloak," she protested.

"We're not walking far," Yasha told her dismissively. "Sayuri, the room," he said vaguely. Sayuri nodded over to him. "Come on," he said, taking her by the hand and leading her out of the room.

Nanashi felt suddenly nervous, wanting to bulk at leaving the room. "Can Sayuri come with us?" she asked, knowing it was not really the place for her lady's maid to accompany her to whatever even this was.

Yasha started, "that's not-"

"As you wish, my lady," Sayuri replied, suddenly looking quite excited.

Nanashi gave her a small smile, picking up on her excitement. "Alright, yep, that's fine then," Yasha conceded. "We need to get going."

Yasha led the way, taking the back stairs usually reserved for servants in the castle. "Where are we going?" Nanashi whispered, not wanting to speak too loudly in the quiet stairwell. She felt sweat trickling down her back from the musty cloak.

"Not far now," Yasha answered, quickening his pace.

She felt disoriented in the castle, unsure where exactly they were now. They reached a door to the outside, walking quickly towards the small, disclosed wooded and garden that the king's late mother had planted in honor of the Great Hawk Spirit. The sun was setting over the trees. Yasha led her quickly towards the garden, almost jogging now. She felt the skirt of her dress bunch up around her legs, making her nearly trip.

"Yasha, slow down," she hissed up at him.

He stopped just outside the main gate to the garden with her. She could faintly see and smell the fire and torches in the dwindling twilight. She could hear a few people talking quietly in the garden. She let him led through the gate with Sayuri, but they stayed just inside the gate while Yasha locked it behind them.

"It's a private occasion, not a secret one," Yasha explained.

He stepped over to her, undoing her cloak. She was more than happy to strip it off, helping him with it. Once he had the cloak in his hands, she waved her hands in her face, trying to cool herself off. Sayuri hovered around her, straightening her hair and then her skirt. She felt the temptation to get herself a glass of water. She headed towards the the center of the garden, but Yasha stopped her with a hand on her forearm. He nodded over at Sayuri, signaling her to go down to the center of the garden non-verbally. Sayuri jogged briskly down the garden path that led to the center, but Yasha kept her and himself stayed put. She was about to ask Yasha what was happening when she saw Haruto, no, her father, huffing down the path towards them. He still told her she could call him Haruto as she she had been doing that all her life. He held a small bouquet of flowers in his hand.

"She looks gorgeous," Haruto said in awe. "What took you so long?"

"Sayuri wanted her hair just so," Yasha griped.

"What's going on?" Nanashi asked, puzzled.

Haruto looked over at Yasha, frowning. "Why doesn't she know?" he asked grumpily.

"I was worried the king or queen would hear. I was told to be discreet," Yasha shrugged it off.

Haruto shook his head. "She should at least know before this very moment."

"What is this event?" Nanashi asked, stepping away from Yasha.

Haruto turned and faced her. "Your wedding," he said softly. She gasped. "To Hiei. He spoke with the king privately earlier today and got the king's approval for it. After that, we, myself, Hiei, Asa, Kurama, and Yasha, were busy putting this wedding together in secret for this evening. We figured you would want it as a private affair instead of something orchestrated by the queen with thousands watching."

She froze, trying to take all that in. She turned to Yasha, smacking him on his chest. "You should have told me," she growled at him. "He- we- I... okay. Okay," she nodded her head in a rush. She reached her hands up to smooth her hand down. She reached down to her skirt that had been bothering her and Sayuri so much today. She reached over to Haruto, taking the bouquet from him.

"Hurry on down there now," Haruto chased Yasha away. When Yasha was gone, Haruto turned to her. "This shouldn't have been a secret for you. Do you want to do this?"

She nodded, even as she recalled she was rather mad at Hiei yet. Yet this was being kept private, done in a rushed way, but such a way she would want to happen if she could plan it herself. It was happening so fast though, so her cousin was likely not here. She wished he could be at least. "Yes," she said determinedly.

"Let's walk then," Haruto said, offering her his arm. She took it in hers, letting him lead her down the path. She felt the dress's skirt threatened to trip her up. She slowed down, gathering up some of the material in hands. "What's wrong?" he asked her.

"This stupid dress," she breathed with a laugh. "It's not what I would have picked."

"Asa picked it," he explained. "One of her old formal dresses. She figured it would look good on you. She had it sent to your rooms privately." Nanashi felt a little better knowing that.

They reached the main area of of the garden, near a large mighty oak tree planted in honor of the Great Hawk Spirit. She thought to herself it was a very fitting place for a half angel to be married. She looked around the area. She saw Sayuri, Kurama, Yasha, and Asa standing there, along with Yusuke, Keiko, Yukina, and Kuwabara. She smiled over at Yusuke, glad to see he was here after all. Opposite of where they stood was a table set up with food, drinks, and a small cake. She looked forward at the tree, seeing Hiei there, cleaned up and nice looking next to a priest. How he managed to get this organized with help in a few hours was beyond her.

She kept up with Haruto, walking towards the two of them. She did not know where to look, eyes dancing around the tree, mostly on Hiei. Behind him though, she noticed a shadow of sorts that did not belong to the tree. She stopped abruptly.

"What's wrong?" Haruto asked her.

"Someone's in the tree," she pointed to the spot behind Hiei.

Hiei and the priest turned around. There was a bit of shuffling in the back of the tree. Hiei went behind it, hand resting on his sword hilt. "What are you doing here?" he growled, dragging himself and Prince Takashi out in the front of the tree.

Hiei shoved him towards Kurama and Yasha. Yasha pulled him over to stand with him. Yasha took him by the upper arms, shaking the poor lad and asking, "what are you doing here?" Prince Takashi trembled in his uncle's arms, looking frightened and surrounded by a small group of people who here for reasons unknown to him. "Does your mother know about this?"

Kurama stepped over to the pair, gently prying Yasha away from Prince Takashi. He led the prince over to him. "What were you doing in the garden, child?"

"I was, I was just climbing the trees," Prince Takashi answered. "I was climbing, and then saw people setting up. I didn't want to get caught. Mother made me promise not to climb anymore. But I got hungry, and wanted to sneak back away to the castle for dinner..."

Yasha snapped his fingers. "Run along then," he told the prince. "We won't tell your mother you were climbing again, if you don't tell her you what you saw here tonight."

"Deal," Prince Takashi rushed out. He tried to run, but Kurama held him fast.

"No," Kurama said. "He needs to stay with us until the ceremony is finished just in case someone sees him run out of the garden and asks questions."

"No one ever sees me," Prince Takashi bragged. "I climb the hedge. The one that's taller than my dad."

"You need to stay for now. You can climb out of here later," Kurama reasoned.

"But I'm hungry," Prince Takashi whined. "I've been hiding in that tree for what feels like hours."

"Let him stay," Nanashi said soothingly. Hiei gave her a short look. "I want him here," she explained.

Prince Takashi looked over at her with Haruto. "Wow, my angel, you look really beautiful," he gasped.

"Thank you, your grace," she told him.

"Can I have a bite to eat, my angel, I'm starving," he asked, eyeing the table with food on it hungrily.

"Wait a few more minutes," Kurama said down to the prince soothingly.

"I can stay and eat here instead?" Prince Takashi asked.

"So long as you keep quiet," Hiei growled over at him.

"Yes, cousin," Prince Takashi rushed out, stepping back to stand between Kurama and Yasha.

"Can we continue the ceremony?" Hiei asked shortly. Nanashi bit back her dislike for his tone. It was a rush to get this together and they needed it done before the king and queen found out.

Nanashi stepped forward, leading Haruto to walk with her. He brought her up to Hiei and the priest, leaving her there with a hug.

She stood up there, the whole actual ceremony seemingly a blur for her. She spoke through fumbling lips, not actually sure how to act, what to say, or when. Maybe had Yasha actually warned her ahead of time, she could have read up on elvish wedding ceremonies. At least the kiss at the end was the expected part.

After that, they ate from the small amount of food procured last minute. Some of it was actually food Yusuke had given Hiei earlier that morning. Everything was such a rush. So rushed that there no chairs to sit in, so they only had to stand to eat or sit on the ground. Prince Takashi complained about the lack of chairs, being still such a child by elvish standards. He hovered a little bit around Nanashi, which she did not mind. She still found it flattering how he hero worshiped her still for saving him from the dire wolves. Hiei seemed to mind though.

When the prince asked, "when is the dancing?"

"There is no dancing," Hiei griped at him.

The prince looked a little down-hearted at that. Nanashi touched his shoulder, soothing, "we have to be quiet to keep this wedding private. No music, no dancing," she explained. "I can hardly move in this dress, let alone dance anyway." She unruffled the fabric tucked around her knees to prove her point.

"Are you sure, my angel?" he pressed.

She nodded down at him. "When it's your wedding day, you can dance to your heart's content." She heard Hiei huff behind her, but she ignored him. "I think we should probably be wrapping up here soon anyway," she said suggestively. "Don't want to get caught."

She stepped away from Prince Takashi, set her half eaten plate on the table, and over to Hiei. He had already eaten his own fill and finished for quite some time. She took him by the hand. "Lead on," she said, unsure where he had planned for them to go privately. Hopefully he walked slowly enough so she would stumble as they walked.

She felt a hand clamp down on her shoulder. "Say your goodbyes first," she heard Yusuke say behind her.

"Oh, right," she murmured, suddenly feeling flushed and nervous. She turned around to face him, hugging him tightly.

"It's not your first time with him, you'll be fine," he teased. She felt her face blush crimson.

She made her way around, hugging those she was comfortable with, trying not to stumbling in the damnable dress. She went to Prince Takashi last, who hugged her with unexpected fervor. "Are you going somewhere, my angel?"

"Just somewhere more private, is all," she stumbled out to explain, not knowing how much he knew or did not know about weddings.

She stepped away from him once more and over to where Hiei stood by himself. She stumbled in her dress, wanting to swear out loud. She offered her hand to him once more, hoping he would not be offended to see it tremble.

He stepped closer to her, ignoring her hand. Instead, he scooped her up into the princess carry, making her gasp nervously. The predatory way he was looking at her made her breath hitch. Worried those who did not know him as she did might not like that look upon his face, she leaned her head up, kissing him passionately for a bit of show. She heard someone lose a subdued cat call, but could not tell who. She would bet on it it was either Yusuke or Yasha. She buried her head in the crook of his neck, not wanting to look around at their friends or family anymore.

"Why do they want to go somewhere private?" she heard the prince ask.

"They just want to do some more kissing is all," Kurama explained to the tune of Yasha's laugh.

She felt him turn around and rush off at surprising speed. She clung to him, eyes closed, trusting him to take her somewhere private.

When he stopped, he set her down on her feet. She opened her eyes, seeing they were still in the garden, just deeper inside of it. They stood before a gazebo, hastily covered in sheets around the openings. He took her by the hand, leading her passed the sheet covering the entrance. She hitched up her skirt as she followed him. She stopped just inside of the gazebo. Inside she saw a large, thick, square shaped mat laying down in the middle of it. Two pillows lay at the far end of the mat. A blanket lay strewn over the mat.

She noticed Hiei was already sitting down on one of the benches that ringed the inside of the gazebo. He was tugging off his own boots and socks. She stepped towards him, intent on following suit.

She stumbled when the skirt bunched up around her knees, making her groan. "I hate this stupid dress," she confessed. "I want it off."

She reached her hands behind her back, trying to get at the top of her dress to get the back undone. Hiei was behind her in an instant, undoing the dress with nimble fingers. She helped him remove the offending dress's upper half. As she shoved the bottom half of the dress down her legs at the same time she tried to step out of it, she lost her balance. She fell onto the mat with a huff. In annoyance, she kicked at the dress until it was off, taking her shoes off her bare feet with it.

"Laying down for me already?" he asked. She looked up at him.

The predatory look on his face had increased tenfold. She felt her stomach both flipped and burned at the same time. He stepped over to her, snagging her by the ankle, and pulling her over to him. He pulled her by the waist to make her stand, turning her around. He pushed her gently against a pillar of the gazebo where there was no bench. He sighed against her neck, running his hands over her.

"You're mine," he sighed against her neck, sending chills down her spine.

She felt flushed, even as goose bumps began to rise up and dot her exposed skin. "I love you, too," she whispered back.

Shakily, she pulled on his own clothes, trying to get him as undressed as she was. She managed to get his scarf, cloak, and muscle shirt off before he could stop her. When she reached her hands down to his belts, he smacked her hands away. He backed away from her, looking her over desirously. She stared at him, feeling suddenly mulish and doltish before him. She stepped over to him. He took her hand, but used it unexpectedly to pull her off balance and down onto the mat. She fell on her knees and elbows, surprised at how little she could feel the stone floor beneath her. She heard him come behind her. He reached up to her hips, yanking her panties off none too gently. She panted loudly, mouth suddenly feeling dry. She rolled over on to her lower back, trying to strip off her remaining bra for him over her head. He took over its removal for her, messing up her hair that took Sayuri so very long to do.

She rested herself on her hands and elbows, watching him. She laid herself down on the bed, feeling suddenly like she did not know anything.

He shook his head, smirking down at her. "Not on your back," he preempted.

He crawled over her, pulling her up by her wrists. She sat up while he sat on his knees. She knew she should do something to him, anything to him. She kissed him, even as he held her wrists in his clasped hands. She could not free her hands from his grasp. She gave up, kissing down to his neck. He let one wrist go, so she used her now free hand to grip the other side of his neck for baring. She felt him using his free hand to undo his belts and pants, which rather impressed her. She sucked on his neck with the feeble intention of marking it, maybe...

That was until he moved again. He twisted her around, making her sit on her knees in front of him. He let her other wrist go. Then he pulled her against him, aligning the two of them back to chest. His left arm locked securely around her waist, lose enough that she could breathe with ease, but tight enough that she could not escape. His hands roamed over over her breasts, pinching them, gripping them, rubbing them over and over again until she thought she could not stand it anymore. She leaned her head back down on his shoulder behind her. She moaned shyly, hands clasped around his left forearm.

"Are you wet for me yet?" he asked in her ear while he kept right on touching her. He gave her earlobe a sharp nip. He brought his right hand down her front, bringing it to rest against her mound. He stroked her down the center, making her whimper noisily. "You are indeed," he answered. She could hear the smirk in his voice. He rested his finger at the top of mound, seeking out and finding her clit. She moan at that, squirming against him, but unable to move much with the way he held onto her. She gasped then when she felt his cock pressed against the space between her legs. He rubbed against the outside of her mound and ass, back and forth. "You want it?" he asked her. "Being part human, you are so narrow. Too narrow for me?" She whimpered, not sure how to answer. "Time for you to learn how to take it." He stopped hand against her, bringing it down to the cock between her legs. He used it to shove his cock up inside of her unexpectedly. She screamed out in surprise. Yet he only went inside and stayed there. "Almost," he concluded in a laughing tone. His right hand went back to her clit, rubbing it anew. She cried out, not sure how to take the sudden mix of the pleasure and the pain together. He was at least not thrusting. "Can you handle it?"

She gnashed her teeth. "Yes," she panted out determinedly.

He slipped himself deeper inside of her, much to her surprise. She could barely breathe. "Can you enjoy it?"

She nodded, not sure how honest she was being. It was too much, too rough, to aggressive, yet she was determined to endured it and enjoy it. She moaned allowed, feeling like she would either have to give into him or stop him. She opened her eyes, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill from them. Her eyes landed on that dress, that stupid yet beautiful dress. The dress Asa had been generous enough to loan her. For the wedding to Hiei that he had planned so fast and suddenly to ensure it was a private one, as she would have wanted. To him as she wanted, in spite of the embers of annoyance of she still felt towards him. She loved him. Her mind roamed to the list the king and queen insisted she give them. She bit back a whimper at the thought of it. She should have never listed Jin's name. Should have refused to write anyone but Hiei's name. Or at least had listed Yasha's as the queen would never have allowed her to wed her brother.

She leaned more heavily against him, baring down on him in spite of the intensity of feeling coursing through her. She moved her hips against him, what little she could manage in that position. She moaned against it all, nearly screaming as pleasure won out within her.

She panted, sinking down to her knees and elbows before him. It took everything within her not to collapse on the mat beneath her. She heard and him come up behind her. He went to slip inside of her before she raised up a hand to stop him.

"What is it?" he asked, taking the delay as chance to strip his pants and boxers off.

"Are there scars?" she asked, hoping he knew what she meant. She had never have asked anyone that question before.

His hand came down to her upper back, stroking across it tenderly. "Nothing I can look at or see," he answered. He bent down, kissing her twice on her upper back.

She watched him come back behind her, aligning his hips with hers. She hoped he would be quick, exhausted as she felt. She nodded up at him. She cried out as he slid inside of her once more. This time he thrusted back and forth. So hard, so fast, so... good... His hands clasped her hips firmly. She could hear him grunting behind her in time with her panting. She laid her arms down on the mat, resting her head on them. He pulled on her, making her arch her back up higher for him. She felt his hand come down to her hair, yanking her up by it. She mewed out, wondering just how ruined the styling was now. She brought her hands underneath her shoulders, locking out her elbows, even as her arms shook. She hoped she could keep herself up long enough for him to finish.

Her arms could not take it though. She collapsed forward onto her stomach. He followed her on, taking her now where she lay. She gripped the blanket beneath her, feeling the urge to scream dwelling up inside of her. She could not think clearly, could not breathe deep enough. She felt him bring his weight down upon her.

"Demons used to... be allowed to... bite their lovers... three times... to make them theirs... that was outlawed,... but one bite is allowed..." he panted against her neck.

She was not sure what to make of his words before she felt him bite her neck, sinking her teeth into her flesh. She screamed hoarsely into the blanket, squirming beneath him. She felt herself tighten on him unexpectedly.

The world suddenly flipped upside down on her. He had gotten of out her, shoving her on her back. Her neck felt wet and sticky. His lips were crimson red, the same color as his eyes. "You're close again," he said, slipping back inside of her. He laid back down on top of her, reentering her. "Wait for me," he said, licking the wet side of her neck.

She clung to him, wrapping her arms around his upper back and legs around his lower back. She felt him suck on her neck now, trying not to think about what exactly he was doing, not minding what he was doing. She felt like she could still not breath deeply enough, gasping loudly in time with every thrust.

She felt him pull away from her neck, raise up, and roll with her. He pushed her up against him, guiding her to move her hips back and forth on top of him. She moaned against the intensity of it all, hearing him moan with her. She opened her eyes, looking down at him. His eyes were closed and his head was laid back, neck arched up to her on the blanket.

"Mine," she panted down at him. Her legs felt about ready to cramp, but she ignored them, not wanting to stop.

"Yes," he answered her on an exhale. "Nishi."

She looked down at his neck, noticing the ache he left in her neck. She wondered if she could do it as well, wondered if the taste of the blood would sicken her stomach or arouse her the way it aroused him. Stealing her nerve, she brought her mouth down on the side of his neck in a rush. She felt her eye teeth pierce his flesh faster than she had anticipated. The taste of his blood to her was immediately off putting, but she heard his shout. Her ears rang from the sound of it. She felt him finish inside of her so suddenly. Before she did again.

She slipped herself off of him, laying down next to him. She rested her head against his chest, panting in time with him. She could hear his heart hammering in his chest. She felt like she was ready to doze off when she felt him move. He pushed her down on her back slowly and without any intensity. He rolled over to her, head raised above hers. He ran his thumb over her blood stained lips. He kissed her, making her surprised to taste her blood on her lips, mixed with his blood on hers. The taste put her off, but she wanted to keep kissing him.

She felt his hand roam as he kissed her, sinking down to her mound. He was quick to put two fingers inside of her. She gasped, pulling her face away from him.

"You were supposed to wait and come with me, not deny yourself," he whispered against her.

Her hand snaked down to grip his forearm. It was too much for her, but if he could tell that or not, he refused to let up. She came for him, arching her lower back until it ached.

"Better?" he breathed down at her. "Better." He kissed once more, so softly that she thought she hardly felt it.

She felt a wave of drowsiness wash over her. She closed her eyes, telling herself she was only meaning to rest them for a bit.

When she woke with a start in the morning, she found herself laying on her back on the mat, blanket over top of her and pillow beneath her head. Hiei was still with her, sitting up beside her, looking over to the entrance of the blanketed gazebo. He kept the bit of blanket he hand firmly around his waist. She looked over at the front of the gazebo through tangled hair.

"So it's true," King Hayate stated as he stood before them.