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Kuen smiled as the twins ran past him. “Get back here, you two. Where are you going?” he asked, reaching down and catching them in his arms.

“Running from mama,” Nafisa said.

“What did you do this time?” Kuen asked.

“The little thieves got into the Himostava cookies again,” Fiera said from the door to the kitchen with an exasperated sigh.

Kuen looked around at the house. “It feels so strange being here now,” he said.

“Think how I feel,” Fiera said, scowling as she tugged at her skirt. “I despise dresses and you’ve gone and put me back in a position of needing to wear them most of the time now. At least you compromised and let me keep my short hair.”

“Well, something had to be done and Kagome would never survive on Sorus,” Kuen said.

“At least you’re not making me live on Bouarus again,” Fiera said. “I was done with that planet a day after arriving there the last time.”

Kuen laughed. “No, I couldn’t bring myself to live there either. Selling the Nakano compound was probably one of the best choices we made, even if we have to live on a vacation world when we do our business there.”

After the chaos caused by Michi Nakano’s death was settled, and it was determined Kuen had nothing to do with it, he was proclaimed the heir and was told to return to the Core to claim his inheritance and his younger sister. The Devas, under strict watch from the authorities continued their care of Kagome until Kuen and Fiera arrived with their twins to take custody of her.

At that point Kuen formally dispensed with the services of the Devas permanently, a fact the women seemed almost pleased by as it meant they could resume their regular lives. They stayed in the Benoit’s vacation home on Cova for a few weeks while they sorted everything out. Then they purchased a new home on Celaria to accommodate a young and growing family.

The twins found the fact that they could now run twice as fast as novel a fact as when they’d first arrived in the Core. They loved racing around the yard and there was no fear of assassins for those who’d been loyal to Michi Nakano had mysteriously vanished when the money they were being paid dried up. Kagome was a healthy, happy baby girl with black hair and grey eyes and Dr. Asura informed Kuen that her father was not a heavyworlder as his had been. “He is still of good breeding and fine genetic material, so you should not have the issues with Kagome that you had with her mother,” Dr. Asura said. “I specifically chose a genetic donor to counter the hereditary issues, much as I did with you. You too should be free of the same malady that afflicted your mother.”

Kagome, now eighteen months old, was toddling around the nursery under the care of Callie Rezouac. One of the first things they’d done upon arrival in the Core was pay off Callie’s debt and free her from the control of ISRS. Much to Iacchus Santorini’s dismay, she’d gladly joined their household to help with the children since Fiera was now living up to her old Blue Butterfly name and entertaining the wealthy elite. Callie was in charge of the nursery, and with it the children, while Kuen and Fiera relearned how to negotiate the tangled mess that was the political situation in the Core.

Phelix and Gaspare were back on Sorus running the farm. Keoni and Thea had, much to Alena’s dismay, moved in with them and now Thea ran the house while the men worked in the fields. It was chaotic with all the children, but they were getting used to it. Neven was taking some time away from the med center to look at possibly taking over for his mother as the head of the Rezouac farm, something he was apparently enjoying immensely. It also gave him more time with his twins, a fact everyone was happy about.

“How soon will everyone be here?” Kuen asked as Callie reclaimed the girls. She started braiding their hair into identical fishtail twists.

“Emele was meeting everyone at the port so I would imagine they’ll be here any minute now,” Fiera said. “You know this is my ma’s first time in the Core, right?”

“So you’ve said, every time it’s brought up,” Kuen said, laughing.

“Fury, relax. Ma knows how to behave herself,” Callie said as she finished Nafisa’s hair. Her deft fingers made short work of Laoise’s hair as well, since the girls didn’t have really long hair yet. “Now, why don’t you two sit down with your puzzle and wait patiently. There’s going to be lots of guests soon and we want everyone to see how neat and tidy you two look. For the five minutes I can keep you that way, at least.”

The girls giggled and sat down. Kagome babbled happily from her swing. There was a knock on the door and one of the few servants they had opened it. Fabrice Benoit swept in with his wife at his side. Behind him came an entire pack of people: Alena Rezouac; Teigue and his family; Daniel, Muirne, Rhiannon, and it looked like Muirne was expecting already; Phelix and Gaspare with their children; and Herry with a young woman on his arm brought up the rear.

“You brought quite the house full of guests for us,” Kuen said, shaking Fabrice’s hand.

“Oh, just a few family members I picked up along the way,” Fabrice said.

“Hi Ma,” Callie called.

“Callie?” Alena pushed past everyone and ran to hug her long missing daughter. “Stars’ own truth, it’s good t’see you. What’re you doin’ here?”

“Playing nursemaid to Fury’s littles,” Callie said. “I figured it was as good a job as any, and they need an extra hand they can trust. That’s why I stuck around after they got me free.”

“She’s a real wonder with the littles,” Fiera said, hugging her twin tightly. She gasped. “Two arms?”

“The farm produced so well we could afford to get my arm amputated and ma came through with the money for the prosthetics,” Phelix said, grinning as he waved a now working left arm in the air. “It’s strange getting used to using two arms again. But it’s helping my balance.” He sniffed. “Do I smell burning?”

“Ah, the cookies,” Fiera cried and ran back for the kitchen.

The chaos was intense, and Kagome started crying. Alena walked over and scooped her up. “Hush now, little one. Yer ma will be back soon enough,” she cooed, rocking Kagome. The youngest member of the family curled up against Alena and, hiccupping, cuddled and fell quiet.

“Ma does it again,” Callie said with a grin. “She’s always had that knack with crying littles.”

“I love them and they know it,” Alena said with a grin. “She’s a sweet one too.”

“Kagome really is very sweet, and the twins adore her,” Kuen said.

“Okay, cookies aren’t burnt, just a little brown around the edges,” Fiera said, coming back out. “Dinner will be ready in a few minutes, so you all arrived at the perfect time. Why don’t we get your coats put up and then it’ll be time for the Himostava feast?”

“Sounds perfect, Fury,” Gaspare said, smiling.

There was another brief flurry of activity as coats were taken and put away, and then Kuen led them all into the dining room. Littles were settled at their personal table and given their dinners and then the adults sat down. Everyone smiled as the family settled in to enjoy their first Himostava together, and with it the hope of many more like it to come.