Chapter Eight

So she had been tricked.

Ryoko gazed sightlessly out across the Juraian landscape, not even seeing the majestic sight of Jurai's sun rising over the distant mountains as she contemplated the true reason behind their summons to Jurai.

"It was all some kind of political machination, with my poor girl smack dab in the middle of it." She muttered, clenching her fists and sending sparks flying into the boughs of the tree, singing the edges off leaves and startling more than one bird into flight. The disgruntled creatures shrieked and wheeled above her, and Ryoko sent a dark gaze upwards, glaring at them as if they had personally offended her.

"I should have known that coming to Jurai always has a price. Why do I never learn that they don't issue invitations unless they want something?" She murmured out loud. "Even now Ayeka is trying to tell me how my daughter should live. Even now, after so many years, they think they know better than me what Nozomi's future should be. Is it so bad to want her to live her own life? If it had been up to me, she'd never have known that there was royal blood in her family at all. And now...now they want to steal her away and make her a puppet for the throne. What is wrong with these people? Why do they always think they know better than anyone else?"

She sighed, a sad look touching her golden eyes as she cast another look out across the horizon. Trees and buildings were dotted across the land, and the glittering of the river looked almost like a silver ribbon, dancing and weaving between the forests and settlements as it made it's way towards the palace grounds. Despite it all, she mused, Jurai had not changed very much in the time she had been away.

As she sat there, memories teased at the back of her mind, and she frowned, closing her eyes as the pictures of another day on Jurai assailed her senses.

It was another sunshiny day on the planet Jurai.

The pirate stretched out on the branch of the tree, gazing up dreamily through the clustered foliage at the wisps of cloud that floated over her head. Summer was here in full force, and high up in the sky, the planet's native birds called and whistled to one another as they hurried to find food.

At her side, a small whimper alerted her to the fact her companion was awake and she sat up, gently scooping the tiny baby out of the wooden carrier and into her arms. The infant opened her eyes wide, and Ryoko grinned, settling her burden down in her lap as she indicated the trees.

"See, this is Jurai." She said softly. "This is the place where they worship trees and get really really sniffy if you don't wear the right dress to dinner. So that's why we're not going to be here much longer. Take it in while you can, Nozomi. This world is a big pile of social crap waiting to fall on your head and we'll be heading back to the Earth as soon as the physicians stop being so fussy about me."

"Hey, Ryoko!"

A voice from the ground below startled her and she clasped her baby tightly to her, gazing down through the branches and sighing as she met the accusing gaze of the Crown Princess of Jurai. Ayeka put her hands on her hips, raising an eyebrow as she registered where her companion was sitting.

"Ryoko, what are you doing up there? The medics at the infirmary are going out of their minds trying to find you and...what in Tsunami's name are you doing to that poor baby? She's barely a week old! What do you think you're playing at? Do you think you can put her in a bird's nest and let them feed her from now on?"

"You know, you're not funny." Ryoko glowered down at the irate princess. "I'm here because I'm fed up with being poked. I'm fine. There's nothing wrong with me - I always heal quickly and I don't need their fussing around. Plus, they keep calling me Princess Ryoko and it's doing my head in."

"I can't imagine where they got the idea that you were a Princess." Ayeka grimaced. "Ryoko, I know you're new to this mother thing, but taking newborn babies up into the trees isn't a normal part of their development. Bring her down to the ground at once - you might hurt her!"

"I'm not going to hurt her!" Ryoko objected. "She's going to have to learn about heights sooner or later, and she's my child. She's not that delicate. Just because you have a thousand nannies to raise your son doesn't mean you can go round telling me how to look after my daughter. All right? She won't be one of your pampered princess clones. At least when we're on the Earth, you won't be able to tell me what to do."

She placed the child back in the wooden cradle, crossing her legs in front of her. "Well? Did you want anything else, or just to give me a lecture?"

"You know Tenchi is looking for you too? And Washu?" Ayeka snapped back. "You're making everyone worry and it's not fair!"

"Tenchi's worrying too?" Ryoko started, catching the edge of the bassinett with her knee as she did so. She let out a yell as it shuddered and tumbled off the branch, sending the baby rolling out of it.

"Nozomi!"

"Ryoko, what are you doing!" Ayeka screamed. "I told you...do something!"

Ryoko flickered out of the branches, re-materialising beneath the falling baby and catching her deftly in her arms as the basket in which she had been laying clattered onto the ground, splintering across the base as it did so. Ayeka drew a shaky breath into her lungs as her companion touched daintily down onto the ground beside her, defiance blazing in her amber eyes.

"What?" She demanded, as Ayeka sent her a disbelieving glare.

"What?" The princess echoed, incredulous. "I'll tell you what! What if she'd hit the ground? What if you hadn't caught her? Ryoko, I told you that you shouldn't be taking her up into the trees!"

"She wasn't in any danger! I caught her!" Ryoko protested. "You worry too much, Ayeka - and if you hadn't startled me, nothing would have happened."

"Are you saying that this was my fault?" Ayeka's eyes widened, and the baby began to whimper at the shrill nature of her tone. Ryoko scowled, clutching the child more tightly to her.

"And now you're making her cry!" She snapped. "You should start taking your own advice before you come bothering me and my baby, Ayeka. She was perfectly happy before you started barging your nose in."

"Why you..."

"Ayeka! Ryoko!" Before the angry princess could retaliate, a fresh voice interrupted the conversation and Tenchi hurried across the courtyard, Washu in tow. At this further interruption Nozomi's whimpers became full blown screams and Ryoko cursed, sending Ayeka the vilest look she could muster.

"Now look what you did." She muttered.

"What I did? Ryoko..."

"What are you doing to that poor mite, Ryoko-chan?" Washu pursed her lips, walking straight up to her daughter and prising the child out of her defensive hands. "Come to Obaa-chan, Nozomi...yes, I know, your mother's a menace but whatever it was she did, you're safe now."

"I didn't do anything!" Ryoko protested. "Washu, give me back my baby!"

"So you can throw her out of the tree again?" Ayeka demanded. "Well, maybe we could play catch. What do you think - Tenchi, Washu? Shall we play volleyball with Nozomi?"

"Ayeka, what are you talking about?" Tenchi shot the princess a confused look.

"She had the baby up there." Ayeka pointed, and Tenchi's face paled as he registered how high up the branch was. He sent his wife a horrified look.

"Ryoko, you know, up a tree isn't the best place for a little baby. Not even if she is your daughter."

"We both know that Nozomi is going to fly." Ryoko said sullenly. "It's not like I was hurting her. Ayeka thinks I'm some kind of monster, but I'm not. I was just showing her Jurai. That's all."

"And I'm sure the first thing you did when they put you in your cradle was start flying effortlessly around the hospital room." Ayeka snapped. "Oh wait, no - in your case it was a laboratory, wasn't it? No wonder you haven't got any maternal common sense - your mother was a lab unit!"

"Ayeka!" Energy flickered across Ryoko's palms at this, but Washu stepped between them, handing the now quiet baby to Tenchi as she sent both the princess and the pirate a dark look.

"No fighting in front of the baby." She said quietly. "Ayeka, I'll thank you to remember that Ryoko is my daughter and if you must fling insults at her about how she was born, I'd rather you did it when I wasn't here."

Ayeka flushed, looking ashamed.

"I'm sorry, Washu." She said sheepishly. "I...I think it just slipped out."

"Why are you being so mean to me anyway, Ayeka? What did I do to you, exactly?" Ryoko demanded. "So I took my baby up a tree - what business is that of yours? Do you really think I'm so bad a mother that I'm going to start throwing her from branch to branch?"

"Why not? You already dropped her once." Ayeka returned, and Ryoko reddened as Tenchi's eyes widened in horror.

"Ryoko!"

"What? I caught her, didn't I?" Ryoko defended herself. "It wasn't like she was going to get hurt."

"Ryoko." Tenchi bit his lip. "All right, promise me you won't do that again. Take her up so high, I mean. Ayeka has a point - you couldn't fly when you were first born and nor can Nozomi. I know you don't mean to hurt her, but something might happen and she's not as able to protect herself as you are."

Ryoko stared at him for a moment. Then a strange look flickered across her expression. .

"In short, I'm unfit to look after her without a minder." She said quietly. "Well, fine then. Ryoko's a pirate and she happened to be born in a lab. Obviously she has no idea about her baby's needs and she really doesn't care whether Nozomi is safe or not. Clearly she's a liability waiting to happen and shouldn't be let anywhere near the child. Isn't that about right?"

"I never said any of those things." Tenchi protested. Ryoko shook her head, tears glittering on her lashes.

"You didn't have to." She whispered. Before Tenchi could stop her, she flickered and blurred her form into nothing, disappearing across the palace grounds to a remote copse on the furthest side of the land. Once alone, she secluded herself in the branches of the tallest tree, burying her head in her arms as she fought to get control of her emotions.

"I'm not having Ayeka queening it and treating me like I can't do this." She muttered fiercely, clenching her fists. "I'm not! And I'm not hopeless. I'm not! Is it really wrong to raise Nozomi my way? She's my daughter, isn't she? Dammit, what gives her the right to play Queen over me? She doesn't know better than me. She doesn't!"

"Ryoko?"

A voice startled her out of her reverie and she turned, glaring down at the speaker below as she folded her arms across her chest.

"What do you want?" She demanded. "I thought of all people, Sasami, I could trust you to be straight with me. Now I find you've been as much involved in this conspiracy as Ayeka and the Council - is there anyone on Jurai who isn't two-faced?"

"Oh, Ryoko." Sasami looked stricken, her crimson eyes clouding at her companion's words. "I'm sorry...I'm so so sorry. I didn't mean you to feel that way, and I know it must look like we've all been plotting against you. But really, it's not that way at all."

"Yeah. Right." Ryoko tossed her head, turning her back on the princess and Sasami sighed, shaking her head.

"Please, Ryoko. Come down from there." She begged. "At least let me explain."

"There's nothing to explain." Ryoko said blackly. "You and Ayeka and your Council have decided that Nozomi would make a perfect puppet bride for your darling Prince Shigure and so you decided to resort to underhand methods to lure the girl to Jurai...on the false pretences of meeting her family. What else is there to explain? It seems perfectly clear to me!"

"It's not so simple as that." Sasami sighed. "Really, it isn't."

"And of all people, you said you understood about choosing your own life." Ryoko shot back at her companion bitterly. "Or was that a lie, too?"

"No. It wasn't a lie." Sasami bit her lip. "Please, Ryoko...come down. I don't want you angry at me...but I didn't have any choice!"

"Then you'll have to live with me being angry." Ryoko snapped. "And the fact that we'll be leaving Jurai as soon as humanly possible. I'm not having my daughter manipulated by Juraian politics. That was the whole point of her growing up on the Earth - so she had a chance to make her own choices."

"But surely, keeping her away from Jurai is choosing for her, too?" Sasami asked softly. "Ryoko, if you really want Nozomi to have the freedom to choose her own future, doesn't she have to understand both sides of her heritage first?"

"I don't trust your people. They're sneaky and she doesn't know how to handle them."

"Maybe not, but she has you to guide her." Sasami leant against the trunk of the tree, eying her companion beseechingly. "Won't you come down? The last thing we want to do is hurt anyone. You need to believe that."

"I don't see why." Ryoko sighed, but obediently flickered her form out of the tree branch, re-materialising on the grass in front of the princess. "Well, here I am. Explain - if you can - why you came to the Earth and pretty much lied to my face about why we were coming here. And believe me, it had better be good."

Sasami hesitated for a moment, a troubled look crossing her face. Then she spread her hands.

"It really began before Nozomi was even born." She admitted. "When I knew Shigure would have Jurai's power...when I knew that Ayeka would have a son and that I would be an aunt."

"Nozomi has nothing to do with Shigure, Sasami." Ryoko said flatly. Sasami shook her head.

"You're wrong." She responded. "She has everything to do with him. You see, from the moment Shigure's life force came into Tsunami's line of vision, it was accompanied by another. At points - too vague for me to properly define, but tangible enough for me to feel and see - these life forces crossed over each other. And because I knew Nozomi on the other timeline, I knew that it was her. When Shigure was a baby, I told Ayeka that within a year Nozomi would also draw breath for the first time, and within six months you and Tenchi arrived on Jurai with the news that a baby Princess would soon be born."

"She's not a princess." Ryoko snapped, and Sasami held up her hands.

"Not to you, maybe. But here, she is...she's Tenchi's daughter." She said apologetically. "And Uncle's descendant."

"I knew we shouldn't have come here, when she was born." Ryoko muttered. "I knew we should have taken the gamble and I should have had her on the Earth. If it hadn't been for Washu's pushing and Tenchi's fussing, I would never have given in and let them bring me here. It's done nothing but create complications, having you people aware of her."

"But I would have known anyway. Tsunami would have told me." Sasami said simply. "Just as I knew she would be born."

"It still might have been better."

"Well, I suppose we'll never know." Sasami shrugged. "The bottom line is, Ryoko, that Nozomi's future is tied up with Jurai in some way. And with Shigure, too. The fact that she has awoken Jurai's power - even if she doesn't fully understand what it is she has, well, that makes her a stronger claimaint to Jurai's throne than Shigure is. If I ignored Tsunami's messages, it could come to a point where Jurai's government would be in schism...divided between supporting Prince Shigure and Lady Nozomi. So I decided it would be better that we introduced them ourselves, and saw to forming an alliance between them."

"You mean marriage." Anger flared in Ryoko's amber eyes, and Sasami looked pensive.

"I don't know." She admitted. "It was suggested and I know that the Council would probably approve of the idea wholesale. But I gave my word to Washu that I wouldn't push for Nozomi to marry someone she didn't want to marry. So perhaps not...I don't know, yet, how the two are connected. It might simply be that Nozomi's arrival on Jurai will spark Shigure's magic inside of him and resolve the question of succession once and for all. Tsunami has been vague...but one thing I do know for sure. Even though the timeline has changed, there are elements of Nozomi's existance which remain the same. She is sixteen now, just as she was then. And she is just as important to Tsunami now - but for different reasons."

Ryoko groaned, sinking down onto the ground as she leant up against a nearby tree.

"All of this has been planned out a long time, hasn't it?" She asked softly. Sasami shook her head.

"Not all of it, and I knew you'd be unhappy if we tried to bring Nozomi into the royal picture." She said guiltily. "But you do have my word, Ryoko, that I won't make her stay here if it isn't what she wants."

"You won't make her stay here, period. Do you think I've spent so much time raising and training that girl only to give her away to you that easily?" Ryoko flared up at this, and Sasami shook her head.

"I have no intention of taking your daughter away, Ryoko. I promise." She said softly. "I don't think I could, even if I wanted to. You have a strong bond."

"Then enough crazy talk about her staying on Jurai!"

"Well, from Jurai's perspective, it might be a viable solution to the political situation." Sasami said carefully. "And I have to try and keep the middle line...I have loyalties to Ayeka as well as friendship for you, Ryoko. She's under a lot of pressure because Shigure's magic hasn't manifested and although he's a fine prince, the Council can't ratify his claim without it. He can't be crowned First Prince."

"I don't really care about Shigure."

"No, but I do." Sasami sighed. "I care about all of my family, which makes this so difficult."

"So what exactly do you want from Tenchi and I, if you aren't plotting to steal Nozomi away from us?" Ryoko demanded. Sasami bit her lip.

"Just the chance to let Nozomi see and experience as much of this planet as she can." She said quietly. "To stay a while, and let her understand that Jurai is part of her as much as the Earth. I won't stop her, if she wants to leave when the holiday is over. I have no plans to force her into betrothal with the Prince, and I swear to you in Tsunami's name that I mean the girl no harm. But her being here is important, and maybe after she's been here a little while, I'll see clearly what that importance is. Just give us some time, Ryoko. Nozomi has never been to Jurai before...not within her memory. And if you do truly want her to make up her own mind, she has a right to know."

Ryoko buried her head in her hands.

"Sometimes I really don't like Tsunami." She muttered. Sasami settled down beside her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"She's sorry, too." She murmured. "She asks a lot of you, from time to time...but this is probably the biggest thing she's ever asked, isn't it?"

"No kidding." Ryoko responded darkly. "And if I refuse? If I take Nozomi back to Earth and forbid her to ever talk about or visit Jurai again - what then?"

"If it's not done with our support, knowledge and consent, they will only cross paths in a bitter way further down the path. Tsunami is certain of this, which is why she pushed me so hard to bring Nozomi to Jurai." Sasami said slowly. "Although Kagato is destroyed, the timeline is forever changing. And if there was to be a war of any kind on Jurai, with the close ties Earth now has to my planet, it could well put more people at risk than just people within our space.boundaries. Even if Nozomi was to stay on the Earth, the Council have always known that she existed. And if Shigure continued to struggle with his magic, there might be complications further on into the future. Your daughter can be a figurehead even if you try to prevent it. You can't erase their memory of her birth - she was born here on Jurai, even if you regret that now. And people know she exists."

"Then what choice do I have but to go along with you?" Ryoko's expression became sad as she met the princess's gentle gaze. "But I'm not happy, Sasami. Nozomi is my daughter and even if I'm an unconventional mother, I'm fond of her. I don't like how she's been pulled into this and I don't like that I might lose her at the end of it."

"I told you, I won't let that happen." Sasami shook her head. "And judging by their first impressions, Ryoko, I'm not sure your daughter is at all enamoured of my nephew, anyway. But if her existance can help him find what he lacks, that's all Jurai really asks. Then she can go home...you can all go home. And that will be the end of that."

"And Ayeka keeps talking about marriage because...?"

"Because she sees it as a viable solution, in the event of Shigure's failure." Sasami said simply. "But now I've spoken to you and to Washu also, I will make sure she understands that such a thing would have to be Nozomi's choice. The girl is still a child in a lot of ways, and that needs to be considered as much as anything. She's not been raised on Jurai or in the Juraian way, and she has a different outlook - I understand that. So rest assured I won't let her be trapped into something she doesn't want, Ryoko. You have my word...mine and Tsunami's both."

"So what do you propose?"

"Well, maybe Nozomi can teach Shigure the things he doesn't know." Sasami said reflectively. "Let's just see how it pans out, shall we? It might be that she can train him in Jurai's power where others have failed."

"That at least I can't object to." Ryoko admitted. "All right. We'll stay, and Nozomi can try and teach him to use his magic, if that's what you want - although I warn you she doesn't pay attention very well herself sometimes, and Tenchi hasn't really spent much time with her discussing the Power."

"It's not something that can be taught by word or explanation anyway." Sasami said absently. "Thank you, Ryoko. As ever, Jurai is in your debt."

---------------

Across the palace complex, Shigure stood erect against the high stone walls of the archaic training ground, sword drawn as he eyed his opponant's moves. His eyes narrowed as he darted and parried, thrusting his light-sword forward as he sought to disarm the man who shifted neatly out of his way, swinging his own weapon around and bringing it hard and fast across the Prince's hand, causing him to let out a cry of surprise and pain. The hilt of the sword clattered noisily to the floor, the blade sputtering out as it did so, and Shigure found himself backed against the sandstone wall, a hot white blade pointing at his throat.

"Your mind is not on your training today, Prince Shigure."

The blade flickered out, as the other man stepped away from him, and Shigure snorted in exasperation, crouching to scoop up his discarded weapon. As the blade surged back into life he yelled out, charging towards his companion, but at the last minute the man turned, meeting blade with blade as he held the Prince's gaze with his own. There was faint, flickering amusement in the malachite eyes, and Shigure sighed, pulling his weapon back and watching as the light slowly faded to nothing.

"There's been a lot on my mind." He said slowly. "I haven't lost my edge. I just don't think I should be training with this thing, that's all. Seiryo-sensei, if I'm meant to wield Jurai's power, shouldn't I at least have a weapon to match?"

"You mean, I suppose, a weapon of the same nature as Lord Tenchi." Seiryo asked thoughtfully, sheathing his own weapon as he gazed at his student keenly. "And what use would that be in a battle, Shigure-sama? When you encounter the enemy, do you suppose that suddenly it will all just click together and they'll magically fade away with one blow of some divine blade? I credited you with more sense than that. When you are able to display Jurai's power, I'm sure that the Empress will make sure you have a sword that befits a Prince of this planet. Until then, you need to hone your skills. And to not be distracted by idle affairs in your every day life. You are a much better fighter than this, Shigure-sama. And I'm disappointed not to see it."

Shigure was silent for a moment, digesting this. The criticism stung, but, if he was honest with himself, he knew that it was also deserved. Seiryo had always been a hard task-master, but then he had also always been fair in his judgement, and the young Prince found himself carefully thinking over what his companion had said.

He sank down on a loose stone, returning his sword to his belt as he gazed up at his mentor.

"The more I try to find my magic, the less luck I have." He admitted. "I wish I didn't need it. I know what it means to be a Prince of Jurai. I understand life on this planet and I understand what social protocols I have to follow. Seiryo-sensei, I'm a good swordsman. You've said it before, even if I haven't been on my form today. And I'm mother's only son - I'm the true heir of this planet! I can't believe that they'll bring some upstart girl here from...well, from Heaven knows where and that they might actually consider her a better candidate for the crown than me. It's crazy!"

"Ah, so that is the root of all this distraction." Seiryo's eyes twinkled with humour once more and he leant up against the wall, folding his arms across his chest as he considered his reply. "Nozomi-hime."

"She's no Princess. She's just a girl from the Earth, that's all." Shigure muttered.

"Lord Tenchi is her father. That makes her a Princess of Jurai in your Mother's eyes, and therefore the eyes of the Council." Seiryo said lightly. Shigure snorted.

"Not in my eyes." He snapped. "Maybe she is descended from Great Uncle Azusa, but I don't care. Her mother was an illegitimate space pirate who spent time in prison. For Tsunami's sake, what are they thinking? A space pirate's daughter and they want her to be Queen of Jurai? Even if Lord Tenchi is her father, she's just an ordinary girl from a backwater planet and she's just trying to grasp hold of power and influence that she was never born with, that's all!"

Seiryo's eyes flickered thoughtfully, but he said nothing, and Shigure bit his lip, suddenly realising the unguardedness of his words.

"Lord Tennan..."

"You speak your mind a little too much, sometimes." Seiryo cut across him, his tones even. "But you of all people should understand that there is more to being a Prince or a Princess of this planet than just being born and raised here. I don't claim any magic for my family, and I don't pretend I understand how such things work. But I do know that Lord Tenchi's reputation has become legend among the people of this planet, and his wife scarcely less so. I don't think you can judge Nozomi-hime on that account. Lady Ryoko and Lord Tenchi have both given a lot for Jurai, in the past. And broken as her line may be, Ryoko-hime is a descendant of your family line too. Your Great Aunt Aiko was her grandmother. You are blood."

"I know." Shigure admitted. "Seiryo-sensei, I'm sorry. When I said...I mean...what I meant...I just..."

He trailed off, and a slight smile twitched at Seiryo's lips.

"You believe anyone not of noble birth to be beneath you." He said matter-of-factly. "And that any who seek to raise their standing must only wish to appropriate the power and influence of their well-born neighbours when they do."

Shigure reddened, inwardly wishing that he'd kept his mouth shut, and Seiryo laughed at his expression, pulling his sword once more from his scabbard as he gazed pensively at the flickering blade.

"It's a dangerous mindset, closing yourself to the people around you." He said reflectively. "You might choose to ignore them. Pretend they're not there. But they are there, Shigure-sama. And as Emperor, one day you'll have to recognise that fact. More than that, you'll have to understand and reach out to them and listen to their needs. Being a noble born son of Jurai has its benefits, I will agree. And once I shared the opinion you have. But I've come to see, as time has passed, that it isn't always those born of pure, well-bred noble backgrounds who make the differences in our lives. Perhaps you will come to learn it too, in time. Maybe then you'll understand how to use this Juraian magic of yours. After all, I have never seen Lady Ayeka shy away from helping someone in need, whether they be of noble class or the lowest born in the land."

Shigure dropped his head, cheeks blazing, and for a moment he dared not speak. Then, at length, he held up his hands, raising a penitent gaze to his companion.

"Lord Tennan, I meant no offence to...to Lady Kiyone."

"I'm glad about that." Seiryo said quietly, and in a flash all humour was gone from his face. "I've never permitted slights towards my family from anyone, not even Princes of Jurai. One day I will no doubt swear allegiance to you as Crown Prince, Shigure-sama. But as your teacher, I won't tolerate any more of this class-orientated elitism. You can think as you please, even act on it, if you choose. But in my company, when we are together, you will think before you speak. Is that understood?"

"Sensei..."

"I am fond of you." Seiryo cut across him, and despite himself, Shigure faltered, recognising the steely look in his companion's eye and realising that now was not the time to interrupt. "But I see a lot of things in you which I once saw in myself. If you want to avoid the rude awakenings I had to life, Shigure-sama, you'll do well to take them in hand now. You are a fine fighter, brave and strong and you work hard. You have always been diligent and focused and you have the natural lithe skill of a Juraian warrior. But sometimes your attitude disturbs me. I've heard some of the things you've said to Kamidake. And now you're shifting your ideas onto Princess Nozomi, too. You should tread more carefully. Just as I won't tolerate slights against my wife because she wasn't born into a noble family, I doubt Lady Ryoko will tolerate much on the subject of her daughter's questionable pedigree."

"I just don't like her. Thats all." Shigure's eyes became sullen and he kicked at the ground. "And I don't like Kamidake, either. Lady Kiyone is...different, Seiryo-sensei. She...you and she didn't marry...she didn't try to, well, it wasn't like that. I mean, I...I respect Lady Kiyone. She's a friend of Mother's, and so, well, she seems like a Lady to me. But Kamidake is another matter. He's trying to gain power and status by marrying my Aunt and I hate it. Aunt Sasami is Tsunami, so she shouldn't be getting married at all. She belongs to the Royal House of Jurai - she shouldn't be slipping off to wed a man who was just a Knight before Tsunami blessed him. And now Nozomi...Mother and Aunt Sasami seem to think she's important, but I don't. She's rude and rough and I don't like her at all. I don't want her to be here and I don't want her to be Queen of Jurai!"

Seiryo shook his head slowly.

"Till you understand, I won't try and explain further." He said resignedly. "We have work to do, and I'm getting bored of this conversation. I don't wish to spend my time with a jealous, sulky boy, after all. I'd rather cross swords with a strong, determined young Prince, if it's all the same to you."

"I'm not jealous or sulky!" Shigure flared up at this, raising his weapon, and Seiryo parried it neatly, pushing him aside.

"And you're not focused, either." he said calmly. "Put your grievances aside, else this session will be a waste of everyone's time. I have other business to attend to today, you know. Business for your Aunt, for your Mother, and for my own family as well. You are only a small part of my day, Prince Shigure, and unless you give me your full attention, you'll be an even smaller one."

Shigure bristled, but then he sighed, shaking his head.

"I'm focused." He said decidedly. "And ready, Lord Tennan. But it doesn't mean I've forgotten, or that I'm going to stand back and let that Nozomi girl intervene with my life here. The sooner she goes home the better - and if I have to fight her for the Crown of Jurai, so be it. I'll soon show her what kind of a fighter I really am, and then she'll be sorry she ever came to Jurai!"