Mai-Lyn encouraged Ayeka to be strong as she prepared to leave her
friend to face Tenchi and the others, but offered to stand with her if she
needed the support.  Ayeka shook her head after pondering the offer a
moment, thanking her but deciding it was something she needed to do on her
own.  Mai-Lyn nodded, hugged her, and went back down the stone steps to join
Yosho.  Ayeka watched her go silently, then breathed in deeply for courage
and went inside the house.
     It was Ryoko who first noticed that Ayeka was standing in the doorway,
but she was so surprised at the development that she didn't know what to
say.  Washu and Sasami were next to notice, and then Tenchi, who blinked in
surprise at the princess.  Washu, sensing the need for discretion, turned
off the movie and let them all know that she was going to bed.  As for
Sasami, something in her eyes gave away her desire to stay and listen, but
Washu took her hand insistently and led her out of the living room to give
the three their privacy.
     Ayeka smiled a little at the professor's thoughtfulness, stepping into
the living room at last and taking a seat across from Tenchi and Ryoko.  No
one said anything for a while, and then Ayeka looked at them both in turn,
an empty feeling growing in her stomach as she struggled to find the courage
to say what she had to say.  But it was Ryoko who broke the silence at last.
     "This is difficult enough without my being here, I'm sure" she said,
rising to go.  "I'll leave you and Tenchi alone, if that's what you need me
to do..."
     "I'd prefer it if you stayed, Ryoko" said Ayeka, motioning for her to
sit.  "What I have to say is for the both of you, so please, sit...and
stay."  Ryoko blinked, then did as she was bid.  Tenchi took her hand and
squeezed it gently, waiting for Ayeka to speak.
     Ayeka looked down at her lap, fighting the tears that felt like coming.
  She folded her hands and closed her eyes, then prayed silently for the
right words to say.  At last, feeling calm enough to speak, she looked up
and met the pair's eyes.  She looked at their clasped hands fleetingly, then
began to speak.
     "Tenchi...Ryoko" she began, squeezing her hands together tightly,
"I...I want to apologize for my behavior this evening at dinner.  I did not
congratulate you when I should have done so, and...and I am sorry for
ruining this special evening for the both of you.  My behavior has been
unfitting for a First Princess, and I am a poor ambassador of my people
because of it.  I...I want to ask your forgiveness...for what I did, and for
what I said...and...speaking for the Jurai Royal Family, I...wish you well
in your life together, and blessings to your child."
     Ayeka could not contain her feelings any longer, and began to cry.
Tenchi and Ryoko rose and sat on both sides of her, hugging her in turn
until she stopped crying, looking at each of them hesitantly.  She was
surprised to find them both crying as well, shocked especially by Ryoko's
outpouring of tears.  Ryoko managed to smile a little despite them, and gave
her another hug.
     "Funny" said Ryoko, continuing the hug, "all this time hating you, and
hoping you'd go away...heh...somehow you've managed to make me want you to
stay after all.  You princesses certainly are a surprising bunch."  Ayeka
chuckled a little at that, hugging her rival back harder than she intended.
She looked down at Ryoko's stomach and smiled, touching it hesitantly to
Ryoko's surprise.
     "I'm as surprised at myself as you are, believe me" she said, smiling.
"Who knows...I might just stay around to watch you change diapers.  Wouldn't
that be amusing?"  Ryoko laughed and smiled at that, then hugged her again
tearily.
     Tenchi took her hand in his and looked at her, smiling.  "I won't
harbor any bad feelings against you if you won't against me, Ayeka" he said
at last.  "But once again...please...just know that I didn't want to hurt
you.  And...and I really hope you'll stay."
     Ayeka smiled and hugged him, trying not to cry again or think about how
warm he was, or how good his hair and skin smelled to her.  She drew away at
last and nodded, then looked at Ryoko and back to Tenchi.  She looked at her
lap again and sighed.
     "It makes me happy to hear that you still have a place for me in your
life, Lord Tenchi.  Still...I think it would probably be best if I went back
to Jurai for the time being, and see where I need to go from here.  Please
understand...it took the words of my friend to show me that this is just the
way life has to be sometimes, and while I'm not angry at either of you...not
anymore...I'm beyond that, now...I just need some time to heal.  I hope the
two of you will understand."
     Tenchi nodded and squeezed her hand, smiling.  Ryoko took her other
hand and looked at her, grinning lopsidedly.  "Well, I hope you won't be too
long, Ayeka.  After all, new mother and all, I know I'll need your help with
the baby.  I'm a little scared about it all, honestly..."
     Ayeka looked at her and smiled, squeezing her hand a little.  "You
don't have to be.  You'll have Washu to help you, and Sasami...and
especially Tenchi.  In my opinion, a woman couldn't ask for a better father
to her children."  Ryoko smiled, and Tenchi reddened with embarrassment.
Ayeka and Ryoko laughed good-naturedly at him at that.
     They talked for a while longer, finally coming to an understanding
about the situation.  Before she retired, Ayeka wished them both well again,
and asked them to see her off tomorrow when she returned with Mai-Lyn to
Jurai.  There was another attempt to dissuade her on both their parts, but
they finally agreed, knowing that she needed the time alone.  Then at last,
they went to their separate rooms, understanding but not looking forward to
what Ayeka had to do.

*****

     Everyone was there the next morning to see her off, and as expected, no
one wanted Ayeka to return to Jurai.  Mihoshi and Kiyone hugged her and
apologized for their frequent absence, citing the high cost of living on
Earth as the reason.  Washu wished her well and asked her to return as soon
as possible, while Sasami, who was doing her best to be strong for her
sister, finally succumbed to her tears and held her sister tightly, begging
her not to go.  Ayeka cried as well and assured her that she would return,
but asked her to be strong for her while she was away, and told her that she
loved her.  Sasami sniffled and nodded, but kept holding on to her.
     Grandpa, on his turn, held Ayeka for a long time, and told her that he
would miss her.  He drew away after awhile and said his goodbyes to Mai-Lyn
as well.  Nobuyuki told her that she would always have a home with the
family, and to always remember them.  And finally, Ryo-Ohki gave Ayeka a
large carrot that she had been saving for a special treat, her eyes
glistening with tears as she did so, meowing sadly.
     The last and longest goodbyes were from Tenchi and Ryoko.  Tenchi held
her tight and told her to take care of herself, and that he was looking
forward to her coming back to them all.  Ryoko hugged her as well, and said
that she'd miss all of the arguments they had.  Ayeka chuckled and hugged
her back, and asked her to please take care of Tenchi.  Ryoko nodded, and
said that she definitely would.
     Ayeka waved to them all with tears in her eyes as she boarded Mai-Lyn's
ship, watching the family grow smaller and smaller as it left the Earth's
atmosphere and began to enter the dimensional gateway.  Silently, she turned
away from the viewscreen and went sullenly back to her quarters, wanting to
be alone with her thoughts.  She was surprised to find the case with her
lute resting on her bed, and the ramifications of it hit her hard.  She
opened the case and found a note inside, penned in Tenchi's neat script.
She began to cry again at what she read there.
     "'Dearest Ayeka - You gave this to me with the knowledge that it
symbolized your heart, and now I'm returning it to you, because your heart
is far too beautiful and valuable to forget.  Please remember that you have
a family on Earth that loves you, and wants you to come back to them.  We'll
always need you, Ayeka.  We won't be complete until we have you with us
again.  - Love always, your family.'"
     Ayeka smiled, wiping the tears away from her eyes and taking the lute
out of its case.  She placed the note back carefully and unwrapped the
instrument, gently testing its strings.  And as if she read her mind,
Mai-Lyn entered at just that moment, holding her baliset.  Ayeka looked up
at her in surprise.
     "I thought you could use some company" said Mai-Lyn, smiling.
     Ayeka returned her smile and nodded.  "I could at that" she said, and
moved over for Mai-Lyn to sit beside her.
     The hearts of two women wove their ways into music on that journey,
filling the empty places between stars with an aural alchemy born of love,
and hope, and loss.  On that day, music paved a way to a new beginning for
the both of them, and they were not afraid of making their way.  Music could
heal, after all; it could soothe away the hurt, and restore what had been
sundered.  And it could serve as a comfort to their aching hearts, until
love once again found its way through the pain.

     (Thanks to GenSao for his time and patience, and also to everyone who
sent in e-mails in support of my stories.  There is one more story to be
told in this series, and then I will be moving on to other projects.  Please
feel free to write me at desert_father@hotmail.com if you have any
suggestions for me, or even if you'd just like to say hello.  As always, I
appreciate your taking the time to read my stories, and I hoped you enjoyed
reading them as much as I did writing them.)