Dear Readers,

If you hate Hari and don't like abuse… kinda skip this chapter then. It isn't that bad, but I just wanted to warn you.

Love,

Wolf Princess Aya

Lasting Memories

"My dearest Keiko," Yusuke tried, chewing the tip of an eagle feather quill, thinking hard. "No, that doesn't sound right. How about 'Lovely Keiko?'"

"How about 'Be quiet Yusuke, I'm trying to sleep?'" Kurama suggested. But though he was wearing a moody face, inside the prince had never been happier. He had secretly been replaying the entire night over and over in his mind, even when the vizier had been joyfully telling him about his and Keiko's little picnic.

"Shut up. Just because YOU do everything romantic, doesn't mean I do."

"What'd you do to poor Keiko, anyway?" Kurama replied, sitting up on his bed, and looking at Yusuke who was writing at his desk. Kurama smirked.

"By the way, where did you and Botan disappear to? In the morning you were gone, then you were back for lunch, and a few hours ago you disappeared again."

"I fail to see how that's any of your business," the prince sniffed disdainfully. He looked out at the sunrise. He'd need his necklace again soon. Curse it. He wished he was never demon.

"You could just tell me for the fun of it," Yusuke tried. "I told you about my date with Keiko!"

"And I told you why my hair was red and I did have my normal ears without that piece of junk," the prince replied coolly, leaning back on his bed again.

"But I already knew!" the vizier whined.

"Because you spied on me when I was 7!"

"I think that's beside the point."

"I'm thinking."

"Ho? About what? Or should I say whom?" Yusuke smirked, sitting next to Kurama on the bed and smiling smugly at him. "A certain maid, per chance?"

Kurama turned briefly pink. "No!"

"Uh huh," the vizier said dryly. "Well, Kurama, I hope you really weren't. I'm sorry, but you're already engaged to Hari! Even I wouldn't go so low as to cheat on my fiancée." Kurama said nothing as the sun rose and his body began to change back into its normal demon form.

"Well, I'm going to bed," Yusuke yawned, scratching his arm as he grabbed his started letter to Keiko. "So far I have: Scribble, scribble, Keiko, crossed out stuff." He was silent for a moment. "I'll just finish it tomorrow."

Kurama twitched as Yusuke exited the room. Sighing, the prince rolled over and fell quickly asleep, his hands fingering his new rosary necklace.

'Goodnight. . . Botan. . .'

"You fucking bitch," Hari whispered menacingly in Botan's ear, grabbing her around her throat. "I should kill you right now." Botan struggled, trying to breathe, but Hari just tightened her grip.

"I warned you. And now I'm going to make you pay for ever talking to my husband, you filth," Hari snarled as she twisted Botan's arm. "You'll never talk to him again!" Throwing all her weight into it, Hari proceeded to punch and kick Botan until the maid's stomach was black, a large patch of her face blue, and her lips, arms, and legs bleeding.

"If I ever see you with Kurama again," Hari snarled, kicking Botan once more in the stomach, "I'll kill you." And the look in her eye told Botan she meant it.

Turning on her heal, the queen-to-be stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her, and leaving Botan, coughing up blood, on the ground.

Her body in searing pain and her blood spilling all around her, Botan winced as she painfully picked herself up and crawled into her bed, crying herself to sleep.

"Kurama."

Wasn't that terrible!

I hate Hari as well but there's someone to pick on, ne?

We're getting to the high point where Hiei and Yakumo (plus Yukina and Higanashi) show up!

Isn't that exciting?

Please read and review and also read my new story "Rose"!

Ja!

Aya-chan