A young girl of about 16 years of age walked up to the doors leading into the main tower, which contained the castle. She had short brown hair and honey eyes. Her white knee length skirt flew behind her as she approached the guards.
She bowed politely to each of them and attempted to go inside only to be stopped by one of them. "Is there something the matter?" she asked softly
"Yeah, we don't allow sluts to go around our lands like that, go away our king is married and our prince soon will be, you have no business here go away." He said in a harsh voice.
Keiko turned red in embarrassment and anger, what was wrong with her clothes? She had a pink tank top and a white skirt on; it was longer than what most girls wore anyways… " What I'm no slut!" she yelled angrily.
"Its true she's not." Said a familiar voice from behind the door.
As it opened it revealed an elder of incalculable years of age, wispy pink hair that came to her shoulders. Once brown eyes filled with beauty and cold cunning calculation were now filled with wisdom and impatience.
All of the guards threw themselves on the floor before her. Keiko simply gave a short bow " Ohayou sensei." She said in a respectful tone.
" Hai Yukimora. You incompetent guards! How dare you insult the person who might be your future queen? You should be thankful she hasn't sent you to be castrated yet." Genkai bellowed at them.
"Really master Genkai, this is unnecessary they were probably confused an apology alone can mend the whole ordeal." The young girl said cheerfully.
The guards looked in awe at the girl, she was so different…
"Well you heard her." Genkai snapped shortly.
As a guard was about to throw himself at the girls feet, Keiko gently kneeled down and pulled him up. She stuck her hand out at her, which the guard looked at in puzzlement. She gently took his hand and shook it " Apology accepted." She said with a small smile. "But remember the next time I won't go as easy on you." She said with a sudden dark look. She turned around and spotted a tree not to far away. In less than five seconds it was no more than ashes. All the guards looked in shock.
"My best pupil, quite a fighter too I daresay you should not anger her or it might not be pretty." Genkai warned nonchalantly.
Together the Urameshi elder and her best pupil stepped into the castle.
" Excuse me Sensei I don't mean to be rude, but why did you call me today for? Besides you've hardly ever let me go into the Makai alone and then you told me to travel for four days, I suppose it has to be important?" Keiko guessed, she hadn't really ran that much.
"Well as you heard me say before, you might be a future queen of the lands." Genkai replied.
Keiko's eyes widened, queen? She thought her teacher had said it to get the guards off her back " Is this serious sensei?"
"Have I ever not been serious?"
"Iie sensei." Keiko replied in a respectful manner.
"Then there is your answer." Genkai said shortly turning around and walking inside.
Keiko did not know what to do; she couldn't be queen and leave her family. The thought of living in such a large and intimidating world terrified her. Se knew nothing and knew no one. It was like starting in a totally new school and town. Only it was bigger…
She sighed and followed her teacher, what else could she do in this foreign land.
After a 10 minute walk the reached a large door. "Go in, Prince Yusuke and his guests are about to eat lunch." Genkai ordered. Keiko simply nodded and did what she was told.
"Yukina-chan, how many eggs do add to it?" the tall youth questioned in his loud yet good-natured voice.
"Umm… add three to the mixture and stir slowly for a minute... if you don't mind!" she added hastily, " I mean please I…"
"Sure, don't worry just drop all of the politeness and formal stuff. Were friends right?" he asked with a happy smile.
Yukina blushed crimson, " Only if you think I am worthy of it your highness." Yukina was extremely flustered, when she first asked permission to go to the kitchens and bake something she did not expect the young prince to insist and go along with her. To Yukina Kuwabara was like the blue prince in the faerie tale. Having grown up with rare male contact she could only dream of her true love and faerie tales seemed to help. Never in her life she thought she'd meet anyone like this. He was tall, royal, kind, courteous and charming. He was even dressed in blue for god's sake! He was also handsome, at least in her eyes. He didn't have the physical beauty, and she certainly knew he was no where as handsome as prince Yusuke, but still there was something about him that just made him lovely the way he was, besides Yukina wasn't one to be vain.
"Oh Yukina how could you say that, you're just as good as I am probably even better!" another charming grin followed the last statement.
Yukina nearly melted at the moment.
"So how about it, tomadachi?"
Yukina smiled a beautiful smile while nodding, " Hai" she happily returned her labor, not realizing her feelings were returned.
Yusuke gently tapped the table with a fork, his elbows were on the table while his hands sustained his head, " Wonder what's taking them so long, I mean how long does it take to bake a cake?"
Botan softly placed the napkin in her lap as to not dirty herself. " If I'm permitted to answer, it actually depends on which type it is. Some cakes can take only 5 minutes in preparation time and 30 in baking, but others can take more than two hours." She gently moved herself so her back would be in ramrod position against the chair
Yusuke's eye twitched, "Hours? Nooo but I'm hungry now!" he whined.
Botan giggled softly, he was just like her brother.
Yusuke sighed softly and turned to observe Botan. She was sitting in a straight position, exactly at the precise distance to the table with her napkin spread out elegantly among her lap as to prevent any possible messes.
'She's pretty, sweet, strong, determined and actually a challenge. Maybe she's the one.'
Yusuke thought to himself, he had noticed she had sat a seat away from him and not right next to him which is what a regular girl would have done; what he didn't know was why…
And if he did, Yusuke would be a none too pleased prince-to-be-king…
Keiko softly walked up to the table a maid leading her in. She saw that the room had only two inhabitants about her own age.
The first was an ebony haired boy who appeared to be heavily flirting with a blue haired girl who seemed to be too distracted to notice. The girl said something that made the handsome prince give a sweet smile and laugh. Keiko felt herself go red for two reasons, 1: The prince was actually quite handsome, 2: she was actually jealous of the blue haired girl even if she didn't know her.
The maid suddenly spoke, " excuse my interruptions Yusuke-sama but the third has arrived." She said before bowing and leaving.
The blue haired girl stood up and faced Keiko. Keiko's jaw almost hit the floor the girl was beautiful, she had delicate blue hair that cascaded in natural waves down her back, her pinkish lavender eyes seem to change color from a cotton candy color to a deep amethyst every time you looked into them. She wore a beautiful white strapless ballroom dress, which shined, in all of its glory next to Keiko's humble outfit. Keiko felt her heart sink seeing that a girl so lovely could be her competition.
" Ohayou, I am Botan Kuwabara-Daihou it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance miss?" she questioned gracefully.
Keiko's eyes nearly popped out of her head, 'Kuwabara-Daihou' not only was she competing against a lovely girl, she was also competing against a princess! That wasn't fair! " It's an honor your highness I am Keiko Yukimora." Keiko replied gracefully while bowing back, she couldn't help but add a bit of iciness in her voice because of all of the unfairness.
The princess seemed unfazed, " I'll have none of that Keiko-chan your just as good as anyone here I insist you call me Botan or Botan-chan its not right to make oneself superior or inferior to another." She said with a kind smile.
Any remorse in Keiko's heart melted instantly, who could hold a grudge against such a kind person. " Hai, arigatou Botan-chan."
"well since you finished your introductions, I'll make mine. Hi I'm yusuke nice to meet you Keiko!" he said with a pleasant smile.
Keiko couldn't help but smile back two people were giving her the pair of the most contagious smiles she had ever seen, " umm. Equally."
"Well what are we doing standing, please Keiko-chan take a seat." Botan signaled to the chair next to her, her voice recovering a formal tone.
Keiko nodded and sat down. Everything was quiet for a few minutes until Keiko spoke again " Um I'm sorry to be blunt but could someone please explain what we are waiting for here?" she asked
"Well we were supposed to eat lunch but Botan won't let me until Yukina and Kuwabara are back." Yusuke said rather grumpily.
"Yusuke its not polite to start without them, besides I'm sure Keiko doesn't mind waiting either." Botan argued back, " right Keiko-chan?"
"Of course I don't." Keiko replied. She slowly set her napkin down on her lap, no matter what happened now she had accepted to go for the crown and no matter what, there was no turning back now…
(End Chapter/ Author's notes)
YAY I'm back sorry for not updating, but I was on holiday!
Hoped you like?
And I'm really sorry for the tardiness in updates as I said I went on holiday to my grand parents house and they don't have a computer!
I don't anything!
