Three Weddings and a Courtship

Disclaimer: I do not own Tenchi or any of it’s characters....so, yeah, I think that covers it all...

Chapter Four

Three hours later they were in the same room, arguing over the same damned things. Drake’s face was red and swollen from where Ayeka had smacked him for ‘bad touches’. Tenchi spent most of the time running away from his future bride since she had a tendency to cling to him in the most inappropriate way. Bryn and Castalia just ignored one another.

“Ayeka, I’ll --”

“Princess Ayeka to you savage!”

“Okay, Princess...” Asta sneered. “I’ll trade you that one for yours.” she pointed toward Drake, who was currently trying to get a look down Ayeka’s dress. She turned, punched him under the chin, then turned back to Asta.

“No. I do not bergen with your kind.”

The red headed barbarian rolled her dark blue eyes toward the heavens and counted to ten before looking back at the current bane of her existence. “You want to stay with ‘Mr. Bad-touch’ over there? Come on, at least mine knows the meaning of personal space. And look, he hasn’t said a word since the crazy pink haired woman left. What more could you want?”

“That one.” Ayeka stated regally, pointing to the fare side of the room.

Castalia groaned, she didn’t need to turn to see who the princess was talking about. There was only one other man in the room unaccounted for. And from the looks of it, Ryoko had no intention of handing him over to anyone. “He’s not on the table here. The quiet, well mannered one is.”

“No I’m not.” Bryn stated firmly. Asta glared at him, as if saying ‘oh! So now you talk?!’. he merely grinned and shrugged his shoulders. Growling low in her throat, she clenched her fists so tightly, the knuckles in her fingers cracked.

“Hey! Come on you two, Tenchi and his bride seem to be getting along nicely, why can’t --” before Drake could finish, said brother latched onto the front of his shirt, almost knocking him to the ground.

“Help me or I’ll take you down with me.”

“But lord Tenchi! I was only trying to help!” Ryoko argued, trying to pull her beloved off his brother. She had both his ankles in her hands, pulling him toward the back of the room so he was elevated off the floor. “How was I to know that you would get so flustered over a simple massage?”

That was when Drake’s eyes narrowed and flashed dangerously. Shoving his brother across the room and right into his betrothed, he raised his fist into the air. “You dare come near me with complaints of your betrothed when she is giving you massages?! Do you know what I have gotten from my future bride? Bruises Tenchi, bruises. At least your bride shows some interest in you.”

“Yes, too much interest! The woman won’t get off me!”

“And you complain of this?! Are you out of your mind? You have a beautiful woman clinging to you, willing to fulfil your any whim, and you complain! You are no brother of mine, I can tell you that!”

Ryoko smiled, then, stepping past Tenchi, she glided across the room, and hugged Drake lightly. “That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me...with the exception of what Asta offered to do for me...”

Drake’s eyes light up instantly, a cunning smile spreading across his face as he looked from Castalia and Ryoko. Placing an arm around the silver haired woman’s waist, he pulled her a little closer to himself. “Really? Do tell...”

“Pervert.” Ryoko playfully scolded as she swatted his shoulder, slanting a glance over at Tenchi, hoping to see him getting jealous. “She offered to avenge me if any of you killed me.”

“Oh...” disappointment colored his voice as he let go of Ryoko. Shoving his hands into his pockets and taking a step back. He looked very much like a little boy who was promised candy, but had actually gotten bursal sprouts.

Asta bounced up from her seat and latched herself onto Ryoko, hugging her tightly. “Any time, granny. I have long ago learned that revenge is very sweet. So actually, it was more for me then you, sorry.” it was only after she saw the look Drake was giving them both that she pulled away, a slight blush staining her pail complection. “Pervert.”

“Hey, you were the one holding her.”

“Hugging, pervert. There is a massive difference between the two. Get your mind out of the gutter.”

“Aww, but it’s so fun down here...”

Rolling her eyes, Castalia walked over to her chair once again and sat down. Looking over to the fare side of the room, she saw something dangerous developing. Looking over at Ryoko, she sent a little mental ‘warning’ her way. She instantly had the Silver haired woman’s attention. Pointing toward the back of the room where Ayeka currently had Tenchi cornered. Ryoko’s eyes flashed red, a sign that the demon within was raging to get out, as she made her way over. The air practically sizzled in her wake.

“Get away from him princess. Before I tare up that pretty face of yours...” Ryoko bit out as she grabbed Ayeka’s arm, forcing her away. That was about when the two started using their powers...

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“What do you mean she is gone?!”

“T-they came and took her and the sliver haired one away a few weeks ago!”

With a disgusted snort, Wolf dropped the quivering man to the floor. As he started to crawl away from her, she drew back her leg and kicked him hard in the stomach. She had been taught at a young age to kick them when they were down, or they would one day come after you.

“And where do you think your going? We’re not done yet.” squatting down, she grabbed the man’s shirt and pulled his face close to hers. “Now, your going to tell me where I can find Castalia, or I’ll kill you right here and now. Lie to me, and I’ll make you wish I had killed you. Understand?”

At his node, she smiled sweetly. A noise caused her to tense. The shadow that fell over her made her look over her shoulder. The gorgeous in a creepy way guy in the doorway almost made her gawk. She chose to glare rather then make a cake of herself. “May I help you buddy?”

“That depends...” the man was lighting fast. His arm shot out and grasped her throat before she could even think to duck. Her head smashed into the wall hard enough to cause it to bleed. His glowing yellow eyes bore into her dark red ones. “Where is Ryoko?”

Out of the corner of her eye, she say the man she had been interrogating just moments before. Shifting her eyes from her assailant and the groveling fool on the floor, she lifted an eyebrow. She would rather die then grovel to his type. The stranger took her meaning, and let released his hold on her throat. Wolf hit the floor hard, but ignored the pain.

“Next time you attack someone, why don’t you make sure they are the person you want. I’ve never even heard of a Ryoko. I’m on my own mission here.”

The man surveyed her from head to toe, then turned away, as if finding her lacking. “Stay out of my way little girl. You have no comprehension of the power I posses.”

His voice sent a shiver down her back. She was good, but this guy, he was better. Way better. Lifting her shoulders as if she had not a care in the world, Wolf bowed, and turned on her heel. Walking out the door, she ignored her informants cries of pain. He wouldn’t have lifted a finger to help her, so why should she save him? Anyone who trusted others, were fools. Eventually everyone backstabs one another. She was living proof of that.

Touching the scare that ran from her forehead to her neck, Wolf grimaced. Other then that one mark, she had the face of a child. Innocent until one looked in her eyes. They were fare too calm and sharp to be those of a child. But no one ever looked past the scare anymore. No one.

“Castalia, you’ll never know what is coming until it’s too late...”

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Asta sneezed, then laughed as it echoed in the large room. It was an elegantly furnished study. One she had often dreamed of as a child. Which, she had been told when she was older, was odd...

Turning back to the man before her, she gathered up all her inter strength. Not that she would ever let the jerk know it, but Bryn really gave her the creeps. “Now, explain to me again why I need to be in confinement again...”

He didn’t even look up from his fucking paperwork. “Because Ryoko is.”

“Yes...but incase you were not aware, we are not attached to one another physically. She can be in one room when I’m in another.” glancing around her as if looking for someone, she gasped in mocking shock. “Well, would you look at that! We’re doing that now!”

Ahh, now she had his attention. And almost wished it away as soon as his eyes locked with hers. “You are from the same place. Should a woman show any interest in me, you might --”

She couldn’t help it. She snorted loudly just before she started laughing. She pointed to herself, then at Bryn, and tears formed in her eyes as she held her sides in silent laughter.

“And what, exactly, is so funny?”

Leaning closer to him, Castalia grinned. “Let me explain something to you.” forgetting her fear of him for a moment, she smiled a genuine, unforced smile at him. “Ryoko wanted Tenchi since the first moment she set eyes on him. The possessiveness of her demon side came out. It was actually a good thing. It means all of her except Tenchi as her mate for life.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. So you have no worries about me going all psycho on some chick because she’s on your arm, or even in your bed. My feelings are not in this.” then under her breath. “And soon, neither will my person...”

“What was that?”

Her head shot up like a deer in headlights. “What? I didn’t say anything. I think you’ve been working to hard sir. You might want to lay off the late night working.”

“Hmm...” was all he said before handing her two slips of paper. She took them, then looked at him as if he were crazy. He raised an eyebrow and smiled...no, make that smirked. “Information on the weddings. When they will be held, who will be there...”

Asta skimmed the paper in her hand, and stopped breathing. Looking from the paper, and back at Bryn, all she could to was open and close her mouth for a good five seconds. “There’s an error on here. It says that the first wedding is tomorrow.”

“No error. And if you look down a little farther, you will also see we are the fist to take our vows....”