. Sherkoni - Thanks for all the reviews, I feel I should give a warning to this chapter - Perrararii has fallen in love with crazy insults (as you might have noticed from the previous chapter) so you have been warned - even though we both personally find them hilarious. ;;;

Subway Saiyan: Sherkoni - Yes! Hurray for Hiei, and now I am converting Perrararii - together we Hiei fans shall march! Perrararii - Heh, heh. Sorry about all the author notes - I can't help myself..;;

Sakura-Yurama and Mitsu Flame: Thanks a bunch for reviewing, here is your update!

Buffybot76: Sherkoni - Rose-chan! glomps Perrararii - ;; Thanks for reviewing!

HieilovesBotan: Perrararii - Sweet, sweet revenge...muhahaha... Sherkoni - I want to get back to Hiei sexiness too! oo;; What the hell? I'm the authoress! Onward to Hiei sexiness!

Ax - Sherkoni - shifty eyes Who says he's going to fall for Keiko? Perrararii - Well yes, we will kill him. Sherkoni - vv;;;;

Thanks again - read and enjoy!

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Chapter 3

Scatterbirds, Scratches and Scissorkicks

Hiei watched the slave wagon's retreating back shrink into the distance. The enraged face of the young maiden he had purchased for Kurama still etched in his mind. He figured she was still cursing him, probably even trying to send him to a place he'd suffer all agony possible. He chuckled, wouldn't Kurama just LOVE his new servant?

When the wagon had disappeared entirely from sight, the young prince casually turned the black stallion towards the bustling streets of town. He didn't really want to go home, at least not yet. While yes, it would be enjoyable to witness his "revenge", Hiei preferred to at least delay the foreseen wrath. He personally didn't find dodging poisonous plants and ducking sharp knives an enjoyable past time (being the distributor, yes, that was fun - but running from them wasn't) So Hiei trotted towards the busy streets of the market. Maybe that enticing flower girl would still be around...

Unbeknownst to herself, Botan was 'that enticing flower girl'. Despite what she had thought earlier, the rider of the black horse had indeed seen her AND noticed her. After all, Hiei paid aversive attention to his surroundings, but especially an attractive young woman.

She walked up and down the busy lanes, selling flowers and running small errands for her friends, which (as was said before) was most everyone. She was a very friendly person.

Just around the corner, hidden by masses of people and stands, stood Hiei. He was negotiating with a sales person to buy a new broad sword. Shaking his head at the emphatic salesman, the regal demon suddenly spotted the flowing blue hair of the same girl he had seen this morning.

She stood, well rather ran, down the street, a simple basket bouncing on her elbow, her skirt swaying softly to the rhythm of her movements. She had a compassionate, kind face filled with determination. Her eyes were a entrancing pink hue filled with wide innocence that made even Hiei - a spoiled, pampered demon prince - want to protect her from the world, ensure she didn't ever have to witness anything corrupt.

The young prince continued watching in appreciation as the peasant girl detoured to give an elderly man a small daisy and an affectionate kiss. Hiei felt envy surge through his veins.

'Whoa - hold on Hiei! You're feeling jealousy towards an old man?' Hiei scolded himself. 'He resembles a dried prune - why would you be jealous of him? Because of some peasant girl, that's why. You can have any princess or high class, beautiful ladies you want and you get jealous because a simple looking peasant girl showed affection to someone other than you. What the hey heidi hey is wrong with you?! Must have something to do with your demonic hormones...' ((Perrararii - Yeah, he does talk to himself, something wrong with that? If so, then I have got a problem.))

Ignoring his thoughts, Hiei went on through the crowd, leading Zouri in and out of the mass, subconsciously keeping an eye on the wandering beauty. Unfortunately, he was watching her a bit too much as he suddenly bumped into a farmer. He disorientedly backed into Zouri as the bumbling idiot rammed into him, causing Zouri to rear up in surprise.

By the time the talented horseman had gotten his horse calmed down he was at the far side of the street. Little did he realize, he was blocking the object of his distraction's way.

Botan peered appraisingly at the man blocking her path, it was the same dark rider she had seen earlier that day. Well, he would have been if he had been riding the horse that was behind him...

Dark, did however, seem to be the word he was the epitome of. Olive complexion, deep inky black hair embellished with a white starburst, and dark, emotionless eyes. He was wearing a slimming all black outfit, complete with a foreboding expression set upon his ruggedly handsome face.

But yet, even though his scarlet eyes held nothing, they still possessed a piercing feeling, as if he could look into her soul.

Finding her voice again, she asked, "Would you mind moving sir?" Botan couldn't explain it, but she was luckily able to sound highly irritated with the man, awarding her with a confused and condescending look.

"Oh my, I'm sorry m'lady," he sneered before flourishing with his hand and dropping into a mock bow. "Next time I'll make sure to watch out for high poised servant girls." His voice dripped with sarcasm as he gave her a ruthless smirk.

"Also next time, make sure you don't make a fool of yourself, arrogant pigs slop," Botan held her voice chilly. Though in reality, her bruised heart wanted to curl up and die, she had never met someone that was just so flat out rude to her upon their first meeting. Glaring at the cold stranger, she huffed and stalked primly off.

"I'm not the fool," Hiei snapped as the girl disappeared into the noisy crowd. "....or maybe I am."

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Kurama watched the approaching wagon and felt an ongoing thrill of excitement. Finally he could do a little flirting with someone. Someone who wasn't royalty and therefore didn't expect elegance or a ring. Someone he could command to do his every whim and didn't have to beg for a light afternoon chat.

As an afterthought, he added - and someone who I won't have to pay to please me, being as their only slaves. Starting in mild surprise at his own thought, he flicked a crimson lock out of his face. It was almost the full moon and Youko was hungry, and not just for food....

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"The prince's room is the last door at the end of the hall in the south wing wench!" an overseer snarled before leading the defiant slave to the door he had described. He shoved the disheveled girl roughly at the foot of the elaborate, deep red door. Keiko grumbled, didn't these buckets of lard have any interesting insults? Then she set her jaw determinedly. Preparing for war, she looked at the door. 'He'll be sorry his pathetic cousin ever bought me. He'll either get rid of me or kill me - either way, I'll be free.'

Pushing the door open, Keiko sauntered in. The room appeared empty, until, of course, she looked at the bed.

The two stared at each other for a few scant moments before Keiko cleared her throat. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that the prince had company," she said....almost mockingly, not really sounding apologetic. 'Maybe I should be nice,' she considered. 'But then again, that sounds as satisfying as ripping out my own toenail.'

"What do you mean? Guest? I am the prince," the figure lying on the bed growled in a low rumbling voice.

Keiko laughed. "Now that is a good one. But alas, Princes are male," she stated, raising a mocking eyebrow. Actually, in her own opinion, he did look quite masculine, his slender face was curiously attractive and his eyes..... were beautiful. But the silken, long red locks gave her an excuse to mistake him for a girl.

"I am a guy!" he protested, rising from the magnificent bed, "I am Prince Kurama! One of the two most feared demons in the land, and royal heir to the throne!" the red-head pronounced as if it could change the world, as if he was making a huge announcement and people were supposed to care.

Keiko snorted and viewed the man in front of her under long lashes. "You know, for some curious reason I don't seem to be really fearful. Although the Prince of arrogance as well as Prince of so much as a dust spectacle. Demon, well that I don't doubt. Yet royal?!? Pah! If you are a royal anything, you're a royal pain in the puttela."

Kurama stared in astonishment at the boldness of the ragged slave before him. This was his maid? Oh Hiei was going to regret this, he would ensure that. Payback was something, but this was way too far.

He couldn't deny however, that she was beautiful. Hair that barely reached past her chin, hanging down over her chocolate eyes. Eyes, which at the moment sparkled with a fiery anger, which she'd like to spark at him no doubt. And as for passion and personality... well it was there. Sure it wasn't an enjoyable personality, but it was there. Perhaps becoming the bane of her existence.

"You will treat your betters with respect. SLAVE!" he spat, enunciating the final word, lining it with utter distaste, yet still sounding as if it were meaningless, as if it were something to be swept under the rug.

"When I can find my betters, I will be sure to do just that, your majesty." she replied, the last couple of words uttered with mock respect.

"Well I can see the reason my dear cousin bought you. You just happened to be the cheapest, skinniest, ungrateful scamp around." Kurama snapped. Glaring, he bit his cheek and dug his nails into the palm of his hand, fighting to hold back the oncoming rage. (AN: Oh wait, its already there, he's really just trying not to death plants... zing!)

"At least I was worth something. For you see, sir, they paid for my presence, they have to live with yours."

"Useless, frog-hearted SCUM!" he claimed bitterly, his glare powerful enough to wither most flowers, however the flower in front of him just stared with similar hatred, unaware of the fatalness of such eye contact.

"How dare you, you--" She didn't finish what she was about to say on the account that she launched herself at the cocky demon standing before her. Kurama uttered a short curse as the female ball of fury lashed out and caught him on the face.

"ARGH! Honestly, woman! What in the nine plantations is wrong with you?!?"

The much taller male lifted the struggling brunette so that she had no leverage, and about endangered himself further to a very painful hit - which he only blocked by the luck of a having a swift knee. "Quit it wench!"

"Black hearted blaggard! Let me down!" she demanded, her eyes spewing anger and fire.

"As you wish," he told her smugly and dropped the maiden onto a heap on the floor. "Oh and my room will be spotless if you desire a meal tonight."

She opened her mouth to claim she wasn't hungry, but her treacherous speaking stomach betrayed her unspoken words. Instead she chose to glare defiantly as the demon sauntered out of his room. Only then did he place a slender hand to the stinging scratch upon his cheek.

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Sherkoni - Wow, what a promising relationship.

Perrararii - (seriously) I know.

Sherkoni - (--);;;;;;;

Perrararii - Please review, it encourages us to write faster for our loyal fans!

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Sherkoni - Meh...just review please.