Chapter 69: 'A Hero's welcome'

"Dear mother and father," Ayeka wrote. Now siting in her side of the divided room she shared with Sasami.

"I hope this writing finds you in the best of heath. I must confess I have been remiss in my correspondence with you, but with father's quite verbal abatements as to my 'living in shameful denial of my family duties' Nothing I could offer would have done more than simply aggravate the situation. To that end, I hope this pronouncement will gladden father's heart, as I wish to return home. Though not in any fashion I would have initially wished, My business here, Thus my hiatus from my royal duties is concluded. I could not in all good conscience remain here, a burden on those whom I considered not just the deepest of friends but my extended family. With resumption of my duties, if father still wishes and his family still would find such a union agreeable, I will marry Seiryo. I await your reply."

And she signed it simply 'Ayeka'.

Sitting back, The princess scanned the letter for several moments. Finding nothing further to add, she closed then sealed it carefully. Placing her hand then atop the letter, Ayeka brushed it with her power, commanding the fibers within to fuse. Smiling absently as the envelope visibly shrank. As a portion of its surface rose where her finger traced, into a semblance of her family crest, The royal house of Jurai. And, with the task completed, rose to her feet, moving slowly to then pause at the room's door.

"Washu?" Ayeka addressed the general air. "I need to have this delivered!" Glancing to about where 'the view' she'd seen last night in Washu's lab indicated. "Please see to it won't you?" She held the letter up for inspection to whatever device she knew was recording the event with a wry smile. The time or need for anger at the 'intrusion' into her privacy no longer seemed remotely important. Though there was a mild satisfaction in demonstrating that she in fact 'knew'. With her smile fading only slightly, Ayeka placed the letter atop her dressing table and left.

"You know?" What was obviously Mihoshi to The princess's ears distantly said just as Ayeka was closing her door. "This is the first I've heard of a Bureau of Earth/Juri Affairs!" Her interest now peeked, Ayeka made her way gracefully towards the detective first class's voice, pausing to glance down from second level balcony into the general living area below.

"Arigatou." A strange young man was nodding, excepting what was clearly tea from a bemused Mihoshi.

"A visitor, and no one thought to inform me?" Ayeka mused, minority wounded, until she rapidly considered how she had departed from the downstairs. The thought extracting a quiet sigh in turn as she contemplated what the immediate future held.

"That really comes as no surprise dear lady!" The young man replied amiably. "We don't make it a habit of taking out ads in Jump weekly!"

"Most Pigeon hole bureaucracy's wouldn't." Kiyone bristled, sitting a few feet away.

"Key..." Tenchi warned.

"Hey! I'm sorry!" Kiyone snapped, glancing uncharitably strait at Hero. "It's not like 'A'!" She emphasized, "He even bothered to show credentials!" Her gaze shifted to Tenchi. "Or 'B', I've ever even heard of the Bureau he claims to be from!"

"Or C!" Hero 'almost' yelled, Obviously chaffing. "You even gave me a nanosecond! Before you started smarting off!"

"Still," Washu interjected, munching on a biscuit, while the two glared at each other. "He did get rid of those snooping Policemen!"

"I heard that!" Ryoko agreed, sitting next to Tenchi on the arm of the sofa. "Last time I saw a cop run that fast, Mihoshi heard there was a sale on donuts at Saki's!" (It's a small bakery in Butto.)

"HEY!" both police women chorused.

"That crap about Cops and Donuts is a load of..." Kiyone seethed.

"Beside!" Mihoshi interrupted. "They always save me an even dozen! So I never have to run!"

"I'll have to admit!" Tenchi added, trying to bridge the awkward moment, which followed while everyone just starred Mihoshi's direction. "They sure cleared out after you made that phone call!"

"I, for one would be curious just what, whoever you called, told them." Washu pressed.

"Something along the lines of, you'll be on dead animal duty till the end of time, if you don't get the hell out of there." Hero replied dryly, taking a sip of tea. "Excellent!" He added, nodding appreciatively Mihoshi's direction. "Normally of course, I prefer to work with law enforcement."

"Is that right?" Kiyone sniffed, clearly unimpressed.

"WITH notable exceptions!" Hero growled, rising to her taunt.

"Gezz!" Mayuka suddenly interrupted. "Why don ya two get married?"

"MAYUKA!" Tenchi gasped, As heads turned slowly to were the youngest of the Masaki clan sat with her juice.

"It classic romance daddy." The toddler told him looking up, and at the same time 'over' her official Red dog Blue Dog shades, from where she sat beside him on the sofa. "First, boy-girl fight," She nodded looking the direction of Hero and Kiyone. "An den kissey, kissey!" She added with the cutest of sneers.

"OW!" Ryoko guffawed, slapping the side of the sofa.

"Someone watches too much TV round here!" Washu snickered. While Hero and Kiyone reaction was fairly simultaneous. Both, 'counter-rotating' away with a grimace, displaying varying degrees of nausea to all but making silent 'barfing' motions over the sides of their respective chairs.

"And just whom would that be?" Tenchi asked staring mildly at Washu.

"Hey?" She mouthed, seeming slightly agog at the accusation.

"I'm going to miss this." Ayeka thought, absorbing the ambiance of her extended family from above, wiping at an unbidden tear. Gazing down upon them was sheer hell! "They do make a handsome couple!" She considered bittersweet, watching Ryoko, an arm around Tenchi, playfully 'tussling' his hair. Noting, that for once he didn't seem to mind.

"Oh Ryoko, how I envy you!" She sniffed, smiling through her tears. "I wish somehow, I could be strong enough to just step aside, but..." Ayeka paused, composing herself.

"I know myself, far too well." She sighed at the thought, adding. "I could never be 'content' just being 'a friend' to him!" Ayeka continued to stand, somehow, finding a great peace passing over her entire being. Maybe, because in her mind for the first time, at that moment, it was truly over.

"I only hope you both understand, why I now have to leave." She sighed a second time, thinking, maybe 'now' a good time as any to start packing. Yet in the act of turning away, Ayeka chanced to see Ryo-ohki standing in the kitchen entryway.

"Hello?" Ayeka mused curiously. Seeing Ryo-chan, still attired in the wedding dress she'd been making had drawn her eyes simply enough, It was the Cabbit's odd behavior, which continued holding Ayeka's attention. Ryo-ohki was standing just to the inside of the dinning area out of sight, sneaking occasional peeks round the entryway as the princess watched.

"Why do you suppose?" Ayeka wondered briefly until it suddenly hit her. The angst ridden posture, the furtive, almost panicked glancing into the living room before a rapid withdraw each time the young stranger might have caught sight of her.

"Oh my, how sweet!" Ayeka smiled. "She's taking an interest in that young man!" The princess now noted, in light of her first observation their visitor kept glancing, however covertly, that direction. She took a moment to speculate. Could it be he returned Ryo-chan's interest?

"AKA!" Came a sudden joyous noise as Mayuka shouted and pointed.

"RATS!" Ayeka fumed realizing she been had. "I've been spotted!" Managing a weak wave and reflexive smile as all eyes turned upward. The effect upon their visitor was also immediate, with something akin to a look of awe, the stranger rose slowly to his feet.

"Ahhh!" Hero mouthed, almost in shock from the look of it. "The first princess!" Then, before the astonished eyes of everyone present, dropped suddenly to one knee, clasping right fist over his heart. "It is ... an honor, to be in your presence your majesty!" He intoned reverently, eyes fixed downward.

"You gotta be kidding me!" Ryoko muttered at the sudden transformation, while high above Ayeka was far less than ecstatic.

"That little bastard!" She grumbled privately, knowing only, too well Hero's gesture also compelled her to descend. It was an old nobility trick really, forcing her to greet him directly! Should she turn and walk away, it would count as an outright insult. "Pinned by educate!" Ayeka quietly fumed, drawing herself up wishing there were some way to gracefully 'back out'. Unfortunately, for her at least, there was none. Sighing She turned and began making her way down.

"Bureaucrats, diplomats." She silently burned. "Could there be a lower form of life?" As Ayeka rounded the last landing, she paused, before her final decent. "I suppose there's always Lawyers!" She mused, insuring her smile was radiantly genuine as she entered the living room.

"Should the rest of us kneel?" Mihoshi asked curiously as Ayeka passed her location.

"Only Ryoko." Ayeka smirked out that side of her mouth sparing the space pirate a single glance.

"Fat Chance!" Ryoko shot back quietly, still smiling however, Tenchi noted starring.

"This is soooo weird!" He wondered quietly. "Usually by this time in the morning, they've had two fights at least!" He continued to consider, amazed as the princess moved over to where Hero still knelt.

"Rise." Ayeka told him softly, falling easily into a practiced formality. "This is 'Our' home and 'We' do not stand on such lofty formalities here good sir!" With equality practiced ease Hero 'rose' delighting privately to find the first princess's legendary eyes, beautiful as he'd heard!

"I am, most gratified!" Hero smiled charismatic, genuinely astonished at how those twin rubies seeming to catch the light from any angle. "And, may I say, your 'holo's' do not do you justice dear lady!"

"Ah!" Ayeka sighed elaborately. "You flatter me!" while thinking, "That's it! Suck up you little toad!" She hoped her judgment wasn't too hasty. He seemed pleasant enough, certainly good looking! It was just, she really had little use for courtier's and their pathetic little power games!

"Geez," Kiyone muttered under her breath towards Mihoshi. "Hope Ayeka had a chance to wash her ass!" Unable to help overhearing, the first princess 'blinked' in response. It was only, by the virtue of her training Ayeka was able to contain her reaction. She had, she hoped at least grown a few strategic 'calluses' over the years she spent around certain sharp tongues!

"I don't believe I caught that Constable?" The glance Hero shot her way was laden with death. It was only belatedly he realized ... His eyes 'knifed' back direction of the princess, hoping, praying! The slight smile he saw written upon those graceful features meant he hadn't just...

"I said, living here with Ayeka is a blast!" Kiyone smiled unperturbed.

"Kudos to the flatfoot!" Ryoko chortled.

"Would you please not egg them on?" Tenchi asked her softly.

"I was under the distinct impression?" Hero began, mentally noting a certain police woman was going to figure, 'prominently' in his report! "We'll just see who has the last laugh bitch!" He added privately venomous. "That this gentleman here was the lost prince?" Hero gestured towards Tenchi. Truth of the matter was, Ayeka's 'holo' was the only one with the files he requested, specifically. The rest of the distressingly few images he had actual access to, were of mind-bogglingly pathetic quality.

"Nicest way to call someone a 'Bastard' I've ever heard!" Washu smiled, keeping the thought to herself.

"Since my brother, forfeited his title." Ayeka bristled coldly at over turning this, sorest of subjects. "Lord Tenchi is considered an unrecognized Heir apparent to the thrown."

"Ahh." Hero smiled thinly, sensing shaky ground, but relived that at least fit with his information. "An unrecognized Heir apparent?" He wondered at the choice of terms. "Isn't that an oxymoron?" But, then titles and bloodlines were the coin of diplomacy and a currency with which Hero had been trained to deal and be dealt with.

"Then perhaps some of the rumors are true." He added, almost musing aloud, wording the question like a statement, over which Ayeka did her best not to glare.