*Four and a half years later*
Nishi sat with their son on her lap outside, bouncing the infant up and down on her blanketed lap outside. "Kaze," she breathed the child's name. He was bundled up against the cold weather. He was laughing at all her attention.
Hiei had taken a rest from training the twins outside, sitting next to her on the steps of his girl's castle. "Isn't it a bit cold for him out here? Wind elemental and all?" he asked her.
She looked their son over, studying him. Her hand touched his face, checking how warm he was. "He's alright for a few more minutes," she ruled. "Winters up here are freezing. How do you three manage it?" He shrugged. "Demons," she tsked. She turned her attention to their son. "You don't seem as demonic as them," she teased. "Even with that hair." She teased the tuff of black hair poking out under his hood. "Yet those eyes, quite angelic," she smiled. Sky blue, unexpected.
The twins who had been sparring on their own froze. Then Hiei froze. It took over three seconds before Nishi froze herself. Their son began to whimper. Nishi pulled him close to her chest and shoulder.
"Were we expecting anyone?" she asked softly next to him.
Hiei stood up next to her. "If it's that damned wolf pack," he growled.
Nishi shifted, standing up. "Those half wild wolf demons are getting bolder and bolder..." she muttered. She held their on her right side. "I thought they were sticking to attacking on the main road though... We should just go out there and root them out," she side lined.
"We will. Once we know more about them," Hiei countered. Same old argument.
"We should get the king involved," she suggested. "We haven't seen him in a year since Asa moved in. Well, you haven't seen him."
Hiei shushed her after that, keeping his gazed focused at the main gate. Whoever they were sensing were coming closer. "Any sign of danger, you get him inside right away," his tone brokered no argument. She nodded.
Hiei went down the steps towards the main gate, hand ready to grab his sword at a moment's notice. He could sense his girl and her boy flanking him. He could sense Nishi at the stairs, ready to run, even though she was likely unwilling to do so.
When Hiei started to hear the sounds of hooves, he clued into what was going now. It was too soon, six months too soon. He looked back at his girl, her now longer hair pulled up into a high bun to prevent it from being singed. Her fire dragon around her neck. She was ready to fight at a second's notice.
The sound of hooves turned into the sight of hippogriffs, and the sight of the royal standard. They were coming for his girl. There was no stopping the peace that was about to be shattered.
"Mother," her boy shouted behind him. "It's the king." He jogged back towards the castle, fetching her. Damn him.
Nishi came back to the main gates with him, huffing. She stopped standing next to Hiei. She looked nervous, uncomfortable. She shifted their son onto her left hip, smoothing her loose hair down with her right hand. "Why's he here? Did he hear about the wolf pack?" she asked him. "I didn't write him about it..." She looked him over. "You know why he's here?" she asked him, half certain he did.
"I love you," he rushed out, knowing they would have to open the gate before long.
"What?" she asked, caught off guard. "I love you, too," she whispered. Louder, she said, "we should open the gate."
Her boy stepped over, unlocking the gate and pulling it open. The squeakiness of it echoed across the grounds.
"Hikari," Nishi said. "You need to go and greet them first," she explained. "You're the lady of the castle."
Hikari smoothed her hair down, then her outfit. She was sweaty from training earlier, possibly unpresentable, but had no time and no choice. She jogged down the lane towards the royal progress, disappearing into it to find the king. He watched her go, hating the sight of it.
"Izo, please take Kaze inside," Nishi said, passing their son to her boy. Their son began to cry, being removed from her. "Take him to his nanny, please. And warn the staff to make rooms up for the royal family and retinue."
Their son was hardly comforted by her boy, crying more as her boy jogged off and into the castle.
Hiei wasted no time once both sons were away. He turned to Nishi, grabbing her, pulling her close, and kissing her with passion. She panted, pulling away.
"What's got you so worried?" she asked seriously. He turned away, looking down the road of the main gate. She stepped up next to him, taking his hand in hers firmly. "Whatever it is, we'll face it together," she promised.