Disclaimer: Ayeka is property of AIC and Pioneer.
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	The huge procession watched as the tiny sparkle grew into the
mighty bulk of the Ryu-oh.  The Ryu-oh pulled to a halt, hovering
infront of the massive castle.
	*Now you are home.*
	*Now I have left home.  Forever.*
	Azaka and Kamidake, the guardians of Jurai appeared before the
ship, at the beginning of the long aisle made by the commonners to the
gates of the castle.  A light appeared between the two, which slowly
filled out into the form of Ayeka, dressed in billowing robes.
	*Now there is no turning back.*
	With a nod, Ayeka stepped forward, the Guardians keeping just
a step behind her.  The three slowly made their way down past the
people who cheered as she passed.
	*You are welcome here.  You are wanted.  There, you were only 
in the way.  She must be happy you're gone.  She must hate you for 
coming between them for so long.*
	*But I was welcomed there.  And I was wanted, at least at one
point.  Now it is gone, and I may never have it back!*
	A man raced towards Ayeka, screaming about how he loved her.
Ayeka didn't even turn her head, nor did she pause.  She continued
walking as Azaka's forcefield pushed the man aside.
	*Here, you are respected.  You are honored.  You are 
worshipped.*
	*But I'm not loved.  Here I am a statue, not a person.*
	Slowly the gates opened, and closed behind her.
	*There is no turning back.*
	Inside, stood a legion of Juraian nobles, all standing at
perfect attention.  A carpet cut a path through them, straight as an
arrow, to the massive doors that opened onto the throne room.  Before
the doors stood her father, Azusa, and his two wives.
	*Two wives.  Why couldn't Tenchi take two wives?  Why couldn't
he take me as well?*
	*Because, Tenchi believes that a man may only love one woman,
and thus he can only love Ryoko.*
	*It is unfair!*
	*It is part of who Tenchi is, as unchangeable as the rest.  To
demand it to be otherwise, would be to demand him to be someone he's
not.  And you know you could never do that.*
	As Ayeka passed, the nobles would drop to one knee, honoring
her, thanking her for her guidance.
	*They love you.  You are their leader, their hope.  You are
almost a Goddess to them.*
	*But I'm not a person.  They won't comfort me when I'm hurt,
or join me for a quiet dinner.  They won't tell me what they think,
only what they think I want to here.  I have no companions, no 
friends.*
	It was too much to bear, and Ayeka staggered, dropping to the
ground.  Gasps ran through the croud.
	*Get up!  You must not show weakness!*
	*Why?  Why must I not show weakness?  Why can't I be who I am.
I don't want to be a public figure, I want to be me!*
	*This isn't as hard as you're making it out to be.*
	*This is the hardest thing I've ever done.*
	*But it's the only thing you can do.*
	Slowly, Ayeka rose to her feet.  She took a deep breath, and
continued down the procession.
	As she climbed the stairs to the second platform her feet felt
like lead.
	Here were just the very upper crust.  The highest nobles, those
who owned entire planets.  She paused at the top of the stairs to let
them bow to her.  She nodded and they rose.  And one by one she greeted
them.
	"Lady Mitsuki." She bowed.
	"Princess Ayeka." Lady Mitsuki bowed in return.  In her arms
was a newborn babe.  "I was wondering, if you would be so kind, as to
offer your suggestion for a name of my son."  She held the child out
to Ayeka who took him in her arms.  The boy started bawling.
	"There, there little one." Ayeka said, letting herself forget
where she was, if only for a moment.  She rocked the child and it
stopped crying, and slept.
	*Mayuka.  I so wanted to share Christmas with her.  Why must I
do this?  Why must I leave everything?  Maybe I can go back!*
	*No.  There is no turning back now.  Besides, you think you
would be welcomed.  You think Ryoko would want her former competition
with her husband.*
	"The baby's should be...Tenchi."
	"Tenchi...Yes, that is an excellent name."
	*Tenchi.  I miss you so much.*
	*But he doesn't miss you.  No doubt he is with his precious
Ryoko, engaged in some passionate-*
	*Enough!*
	Ayeka handed Tenchi back to her mother and continued on.
	After greeting some other nobles, she came to the suitors.
Each bowed to her, kissed her hand, and offered her gifts of gold,
precious gems, or fabulous art.
	*These are gifts that Tenchi could never give you.*
	*No.  Tenchi could've given me a gift far greater than these.*
	*But he didn't.  He gave that instead to Ryoko.*
	*Why?  Why did he chose Ryoko?  I LOVE him!  Why couldn't he
chose me?*
	*Perhaps you were too distant?  Always prim and proper,
approaching you would be like approaching a statue.*
	*It would not.  I would welcome him with open arms and open
heart.*
	*But how would he know that.  You certainly never showed that.
Whatever the reason.  That is your past.  This is your future.*
	*So I was doomed from the start.  To regal to take my with 
Tenchi,to free to take my place as Princess.*
	*Apparently.*
	Twenty suitors in all propositioned her.  She greeted each one
with a smile on her face, and a dagger in her heart.
	*They all promise to love me.  Ha!  What do they know of love?
They love my position, but never me.  They could never even know me,
more or less love me.  But Tenchi loved me.*
	*He's loving someone else right now.*
	*Stop it!  Why are you tormenting me so?*
	*Because you must move on.  You must put the past behind you,
and accept the future.  This future.*
	*But I don't want this future!*
	*Too bad.  It is the only one you can have now.*
	Ayeka made her way past the suitors, to her family.  She hugged
and kissed Funaho, and then her mother Misaki, just lightly.  The real
hugs would come when they were in private.
	*Why is the only one who is willing to hug me, and to love me,
my own mother?  Will anyone else love me?*
	*Probably not.  You may find love, but it is doubtful.*
	*Even if I do, it will never be Tenchi.  How can anybody live
up to the standards he set?*
	Next was Azusa.  Ayeka bowed deeply to her father, who nodded
in return.  She lifted her head, but remained on one knee, as Azusa
removed his thick brown mantle, and placed it around Ayeka's shoulders.
	*It's so heavy.*
	*It's laden with power, and privaledge.  With respect and dignity.*
	*With responsibility, and duty.  With pain and suffering.  My
suffering.*
	*There is no turning back.*
	Ayeka, now Empress of Jurai, stood.  She turned to the peoples,
her peoples, and they all bowed, even deeper than before.
	Ayeka turned to the doors to the throne room, and placed a hand
on the giant handle.  The rough cut of the wood felt like razors, and
the warmth seemed to burn her.  She pushed on the door, but her
strength would not come.
	*No!  I don't want this!  I want Tenchi!*
	*You can't have Tenchi.  This is where you belong.*
	*But not where I want to be!*
	*That is no longer your choice!*
	Slowly, very slowly, Ayeka pushed the doors open.  Fire and ice 
lanced up her feet as she stepped, closer and closer to the throne.
	*Nobody will know Ayeka ever again.  They will only know the
Empress of Jurai.  I will be respected, revered, and worshipped, but
never known.*
	*Such is life.*
	*Why?*
	*There is no answer to that.*
	Ayeka stepped up to the throne, and slowly sat to rest on it,
her hands feeling the intricate texture and design, as she rested them
on the arms of the chair.
	Slowly, the massive wooden doors closed.  And with a thunderous
echo, which would never leave her ears, a chapter of Ayeka's life was 
closed, but would never be forgotten.

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Author's note: Just an idea on what Ayeka might do if Tenchi chose Ryoko.  In Matsuna no Eve, she said that if Tenchi ever chose someone 
else she'd return to her planet, although she realized it wasn't that 
simple.  So here's what I think it would be like if she tried.