Dear Readers,

Nothin much to say...

Love,

Wolf Princess Aya

Lasting Memories

An endless and awkward silence filled the room. Kurama's eyes widened. Had he really found her? The girl-

"Is it really you?" he whispered, kneeling next to Hari. Hari smiled mysteriously and nodded.

"I've missed you so, my prince." Kurama beamed back.

"I've missed you too, so much. Hurry and collect your things, you will come to the palace with me tonight!"

And he kissed her. It was a passionate kiss, only a small brush of lips yet it was enough… On the steps, Botan felt her eyes burn with tears. Hari glanced over at her stepsister and smirked to herself. Then, with a wide and beautiful smile for Prince Kurama, she swept out of the room to collect her things.

Botan stood, tears in her eyes, on the front porch. She looked up at the gray sky and felt the cool wind whip through her hair. Wrapping her shabby cloak more tightly around her, she walked slowly over to Keiko's house. No one would notice. They were all to busy celebrating Prince Kurama and Hari's "serendipity of chance encounter-ment" or whatever you wanted to call it.

Botan tried to keep her tears of anger and sadness from flowing freely, so her eyes burned. The wind didn't help at all; it usually did.

"Coming!" Keiko called cheerfully as Botan knocked softly on the door. After a few moments, Keiko threw the door open with a huge smile that fell instantly as she saw Botan's face.

"What- what happened?" Keiko whispered breathlessly. Botan's face trembled, and then she burst into uncontrollable sobs and flung herself at Keiko, crying into her shoulder as Keiko desperately tried to do what she could.

"That little a-" Keiko growled as she served Botan some tea in a slightly chipped tea glass in front of a warm fire. Botan sniveled as she looked around the bright and cheerful house, taking in all the bright quilts that decorated the wooden walls, and smiling a watery smile as Keiko's cat, Seko, jumped into her lap.

"Who? The prince or Hari?"

"BOTH!" Keiko growled as she slammed her tea cup on the saucer. "How dare that- that- STEP SISTER of yours! And that moron prince! How can he not tell the difference between you!"

"That might not be it," Botan said softly, petting a purring Seko. "He said he'd marry the girl the slipper fit; he never mentioned that it had to be the same girl."

"But he obviously thinks it is," Keiko said seriously, taking a bite of tea cake. "He was completely smitten with you at the ball, and the way you described him reacting, he must think Hari is you." Botan sighed and put her head in her hands, tugging frustrated at her hair.

"How could I be stupid enough not to tell him my name!"

"It wasn't stupid. If you told him your name, he'd have hunted you down with it, found you, and your step family would have slit your throat."

"At least he'd have known it was me," Botan grumbled.

Keiko sighed. "Either way, you would have lost."

"Maybe it just wasn't meant to be. . ." Botan whispered, a tear trickling down her face and falling with a soft plop in her tea. Keiko frowned.

"That is not it and you know it! You and that idiot prince will be together someday!"

Botan forced a small smile. "Yeah. . ." Keiko smiled gently.

"It'll work out, Botan. All the way destiny has planed it." Her smile turned evil. "I wonder what destiny says about me murdering that blasted sister of your-" Botan laughed and hit Keiko playfully, feeling a little better in spite of her situation.

A little bit later, Botan walked back home, small smile on her face, as she silently slid into the kitchen and put her ripped apron back on. It'll work out, Botan. All the way destiny has planed it.

'Keiko's right,' Botan thought, feeling oddly happy, 'It'll all work out.' As she was about to add wood to the small stove, Hari walked in, and closed the door behind her. Botan turned around.

"Oh, step sister. It's you." Hari said nothing.

"Um . . . is there something you'd like?"

"I told you." Botan looked, slightly confused, at the smug look now plastered on the elder girl's face.

"Told me what, Hari?"

Hari smirked. "That the prince would propose to me. And he has. And, as I said before, I plan to take you as my personal maid."

Botan forced a smile. "Yes sister." Hari took a silent step closer and whispered.

"I swore an oath, when I was younger, and father had you. Would you like to hear my oath?" Botan looked slightly unsure, but nodded once.

Hari smirked. "I swore that, no matter what it took, I would destroy your happiness." Her eyes glinted. "It looks like I have, haven't I?" Hari turned and glided slowly out of the kitchen, and was just about to leave when she stopped. "We're leaving tonight, maid. Be ready, or suffer the consequences."

As Hari left, Botan's eyes blazed with a fire hotter then the fires of hell. "You'll see one day, Hari," Botan whispered, wringing the towel in her hands, "you'll see one day. What goes around comes around. You will see, Hari."

Does voodoo on Hari doll…. DIE HARI! throws doll away …. You didn't see that!

Aya-chan