Second Best


"Only the weak are cruel. Gentleness can only be expected from the strong

~Leo Buscaglia


Duchess Kikyo had always been a very daft woman. She flounced around in her finery and polished jewels, praising her beauty more than a priest praised its God, and yet still managed to find a husband with ease.

Maybe men enjoyed dumb women, Botan pondered listening to her cousin babbled on and on about something that had no point or purpose.

Soon the princess's eyes began to search the sitting room they were occupying for something to capture her attention, and regrettably it landed right back on her cousin.

Kikyo's engagement ring twinkled on her finger like a star in the night sky. It was a golden band practically dripping with diamonds and in the center was a spider with eyes made out of ruby. It was crest of the Onigumo's, a long line of royal demons that were famous for their black magic.

"-and then I almost choked! Who knew wine wasn't suppose to be served hot?" Kikyo laughed twirling a lock of dark hair around a slender finger. Botan lightly nodded her head to appear like she was following the conversation, before turning back to her inner musings.

Her cousin was a pretty idiot, yet she was to become the wife of king Naraku and a queen in less than a month. It angered her that such a thing could be happening while here, she, a woman of the highest noble blood, beauty and brains remained unattached.

The blue haired princess remembered fondly meeting the duchess's fiance at Koenma's birthday celebration three years ago.

At only 15 she wasn't old enough for marriage in her father's kingdom so no one had even thought about such a thing in regards to the two. Everyone except Botan that is.

King Naraku was a suave male that had charmed her with only an innocent waltz on the dance floor. With a tall dark and handsome makeup, and copious amounts of power pouring out of him, yes, she had been infatuated. But unable to do anything about it because of her youth and status. Only a woman's family, or an interested male could make an inquiry about marriage.

So the young princess had waited diligently to become of age to finally ask her father and king about Naraku, only to be crushed by a marriage announcement from her uncle declaring Kikyo's hand had been asked for by the spider demon.

Oh, her anger had been great, hidden, but great. Botan would never reveal that side of herself to anyone, it would tarnish her angelic reputation. The only person who ever felt her wrath was her pitifully younger sister,Kagome. She had made her such a fragile girl, years of breaking her had transformed Kagome into the most obedient little pet. It was only luck that her parents didn't care much about their blue eyed daughter, or they might have noticed something wrong.

The elder princess reminisced about taking her sister to the dojo in the dead of night, the place where they were both trained in the basics of protect themselves twice during the week. She had been so delighted when Kagome made not a sound, not even when she was beaten with a wooden sword, that she decided to leave the younger girl's face unmarked.

The next day all the anger she felt had vanished, it was better that way after all. Botan decided she could never be mad at Kikyo for too long, they had been partners in crime since they were the defenseless Kagome had always been a favorite past time.

Suddenly Kikyo changed the subject catching Botan's attention once again. "Where is our favorite little bird, dear cousin" Kikyo asked evilly. The princess chuckled, "that's exactly who I was thinking of just now."

Botan signaled to a near by maid, "you, fetch my sister, by force if you have to, and bring her here. It is time for us to depart."

The woman bowed and left quickly to do her task as Kikyo unsnapped her fan, "are our plans still the same," she purred.

"Of course they are! I would never disappoint. We will be attending the peasant's fighting tournaments this evening. A night of sweaty men and riots to celebrate your last days of being a single woman," Botan smirked, "and little Kagome will enjoy it too I think."

"Oh?"

The elder princess giggled behind her hand, "Yes indeed. Let's just say I have a certain man waiting for her in one of the private tents, who's just dying to meet her." -


Oh no.

What are you planning Botan? You guys really get to see how twisted she is in this chapter, and things will only get worse. There might be a trigger warning in the next chapter so keep a eye out.