Dear Readers,

(Panting) You know… I love sports… but… running… JUST ISN'T ONE OF THEM! (Faints) Just thought I might release that pent up anger…

I'll go take a long nap while you read then!

Love,

Wolf Princess Aya

Lasting Memories

"All right, miss, you can step out of the carriage now," a low voice announced from the front. Keiko nodded, forgetting that the foot man couldn't see her, and climbed gingerly out of the carriage before it drove away.

She watched it silently disappear into the sunset.

'Smile a little,' Yusuke chuckled, running a finger gently down her cheek once. 'It makes you look so beautiful.'

Before Keiko could react at all, Yusuke kissed her on the cheek, shut the door, and the carriage began to trundle away.

'Did he really mean it?' Keiko thought, her hand rose to her cheek, as she slowly turned around to head back inside. When she reached the door knob, her fingers refused to move.

Sighing, she sat on the porch steps, watching the sun disappear on the horizon. She hugged herself gently around the middle and fiddled with the ring on her finger.

'No. He didn't mean it. He's just another stupid lecher. He doesn't even KNOW me. How can he love me?' "He's lying," she told herself as she looked down at the ring on her finger. "Just like all of them!" she hissed angrily, tears welling up in her eyes.

'Do you believe in love at first sight?' Yusuke smiled at her.

"No!" Keiko whispered harshly to herself, holding her head in her hands as the words echoed through her mind. "I DON'T! Not for me!"

'Do you believe in love at first sight?'

'Do you believe in love?'

'Do you believe?'

'Do you?'

'Do you?'

'Do you?'

"I DON'T!" Keiko screamed, her tears beginning to pour down her face as she tugged her hair in frustration. "Don't say you love me! You don't even know me, damn it!"

But Yusuke's voice continued to echo in her mind until she couldn't take it anymore.

"It wouldn't work, anyway. . ." she told herself while tears ran down her face, her fingers still pulling her hair."He's just another pervert who's going to leave me. Whether it be at the alter of elsewhere, he just wants me for a bit of fun before he drops me like a rock. No one could ever love me."

She looked up at the sinking sun once more, her tears sparkling in the red light of sunset.

"Nothing would change. I'd fall and get burnt. So I won't let my guard down again."

She stood up, determined, wiping her tears away. "Nothing would change," she told herself once more, before turning around and going inside, shutting the door firmly behind her.

Nothing…

Botan tried not to cry out in pain as Hari slapped her hard across the face. The scream died in her throat instantly when she thought what would happen if she did yell.

"Stupid girl!" Hari hissed menacingly, before throwing her to the floor. "Never let me see you with my husband again! NEVER! He is MINE." And with that, she whirled around and stomped out of the room, leaving Botan, bruised and sore, on the ground. Sitting up weakly, Botan crawled onto her bed and allowed her tears of physical and emotional pain to fall onto her pillow.

There was a soft knocking at the door.

Sitting up and wiping away her tears hurriedly, she walked over to the door, trying not to wince at the pain in her leg.

"Hello," she said pleasantly as she opened the door to see another boy there, smiling cheerfully.

"Hey," he grinned, his long black hair in a pony tail and his brown black eyes gentle. He looked very cute in his cook's outfit. "I thought you'd want some dinner. Why weren't you at supper?" Botan shrugged and let the boy inside. He wheeled a little silver cart in with him, stopping it in front of the bed.

"So you're the new maid?" he asked, sticking out his hand. "Nice to meet you. My name's Riku."

"Hi," Botan said softly, smiling a small smile in return, "my name's Botan."

"That's a very pretty name," he grinned as he sat on the side of the bed, watching her.

"Thank you. So, what do you do here?" Botan asked, trying to be polite.

"I work in the kitchens. I'm going to be one of the chiefs for the wedding!" he replied proudly.

"That's great. . ." Botan whispered, her stomach twisting into knots at the thought of Kurama and Hari's wedding, which was coming ever closer.

"So where are you from?" Riku asked as Botan took her dinner from the tray. It seemed to be a type of stew inside of a roll.

"I lived with Hari before the ball, and she just took me with when she came here," Botan sighed as she sat on the bed next to Riku, taking a bite of the stew filled roll. "Say, this is really good . . .!" Riku beamed.

"My own secret recipe. The king loves 'em. So does the baka kitsune prince." Botan almost choked on her dinner.

"Why call him that? He's very nice. . ." Riku frowned deeply.

"Sorry. I forget my place. I just don't like the prince much."

"Any why not?" the maid asked, careful to swallow her food without choking.

"When we were younger, we used to play together," Riku sighed, looking at his hand as if it fascinated him. "But one time I had this crush on a girl, Sonya, I think her name was, and Kurama stole her from me."

"What happened?" Botan asked, having hard time thinking about a little Kurama and Riku fighting over a girl.

"She kissed him," Riku growled, clenching his fist at the memory.

". . . So you're mad at him because a girl kissed him, even though he didn't kiss her back?" Botan asked, trying not to laugh at the idiocy of it.

"Yes." Riku looked at her. "Don't you see? If he was truly a friend, he wouldn't have let her do so!" Botan nodded deciding it was best not to argue.

"Of course he wouldn't have." The cook beamed at her once more. They sat in silence for a few moments, Botan finishing her stew-roll. She noticed Riku watched her eat the whole time, but thought it better not to say anything.

"Well," the cook said a few moments later, standing up and walking to the silver cart, "it was very nice to meet you."

"You too," Botan smiled, "and thank you for dinner!"

"It was no problem," Riku grinned back, his cheeks slightly pink. "I'll do so again tomorrow. You seem busy, and I'd love to help in any way I can." Botan smiled at him.

"Thank you for your kindness." The cook really blushed this time.

"Anything for you." With that, he walked out of the room, pushing the cart with him. 'He was nice,' Botan thought, sitting back down on her bed, only to feel the pain in her leg from Hari.

She lay back on her bed, about to allow sleep to over come her, when there was another knocking on the door. Feeling slightly exasperated, she called, "One moment!" and then got up to open the door.

It was Yusuke.

"Hey," the vizier said, walking inside with a basket. "Nice place. Small, perhaps, but not bad."

"Thanks," Botan yawned, feeling very tired all of the sudden. "What can I do for you?"

"Here," Yusuke smiled, handing her the basket. "From Keiko. She said to say hi and to get in contact with her soon." Botan's eyes widened as she took the basket.

"How the heck did I forget to say good bye! Gods, I'm an idiot!- - Wait- - how did she know I was here?" Yusuke grinned mischievously down at the maid as she looked curiously up at him.

"Met up with her once or twice. Told her myself. She's a very nice girl."

"Yes," Botan smiled sadly, missing her friend, "she is." There was a moment of silence, where both thought about Keiko, before Yusuke headed towards the door.

"Well, I'll be off," he smiled as he opened the door to exit. "Can't have you staying up all night."

"Good night," Botan said softly as he left.

"Good night," he smiled back as he closed the door behind him.

After standing in silence for a moment, Botan sat on the edge of her bed and looked through the basket, making a mental note to ask Yusuke about that mischievous grin of his later.

Wow… Botan-chan is very popular around the castle… stupid Hari had to be jealous!

Leave Botan-chan and Kurama-kun alone!

(Clears throat) Onward then…

Aya-chan