Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo characters belong to AIC and Pioneer, elements from the book “The Woman Who Loved Reindeer” belong to Meredith Ann Pierce and Tor books, and I’m not in this to make money. Part 4 Nobuyuki’s face glowed with pride as he introduced Tenchi to his fiancee. Hana, the woman he was planning to marry, was in her thirties and divorced; a small, neat woman with short brown hair and a lot of energy. She and Nobuyuki seemed to be very much in love. Nevertheless, Tenchi was stunned to shake hands with Hana after so many years of hearing his father talk to his mother as if she were still around. “Pleased to meet you,” the diplomatic Prince-of-Jurai part of him insisted, but inside he was unsettled. The death of his own wife, almost a year past, was still so fresh in his mind, it pained him, sometimes. He could hardly fathom the idea of remarrying. As if reading Tenchi’s thoughts, Katsuhito spoke up. “Tenchi, I was hoping you and your father could make this a double wedding.” Tenchi did his level best not to choke on his tea. It was autumn, and the maples had blushed as bright a red as Tenchi had so often when he was a teenager living in the house with so many females. He sat in the living room of the selfsame house and looked around, reminiscing, while Katsuhito, Nobuyuki, and Hana sat around him, chatting during commercial breaks. “Where are you living now, Tenchi?” asked Hana. “In the city,” Tenchi answered. It was not precisely a lie. He did live in a city. “Is it far from here?” “Not really.” Of course, that did depend on one’s definition of far. “Then you’ll be able to visit us often?” “I hope so.” Washuu poked her head through the entrance of the dimensional tunnel and waved to Tenchi, pointing at her watch. Tenchi waved back. “Looks like it’s time for you to get home, Tenchi,” Nobuyuki said, having noticed Washuu out of the corner of his eye. “Oh, do stay with us, Tenchi,” Hana said politely. “No, I should go. It’s late, and I have work in the morning.” “Very well, then, it was nice meeting you.” Hana smiled and bowed to him. “And you, too. Dad, let me know when the wedding is, I’ll be in touch.” Tenchi bowed to Hana and headed for the door. “Goodbye, son!” His father said. Tenchi went through the dimensional tunnel right before it closed. Washuu was yawning at him. “Thanks for the visit, Washuu. Sorry I stayed so late.” “I’m sorry to put a time limit on you, but if I left it open anyone could have walked into it. Including your dad’s new girlfriend.” “Fiancee, and why didn’t you warn me about her?” “Plausible incredulity.” “What?” “You have a hard time feigning surprise. I figured I’d make it easier on you and have you really be surprised when you met her.” “Gee, thanks.” “Always thinking about you, Tenchi. Now, go to bed. It’s late.” Tenchi headed down the long empty hallway toward his room, thinking about Aeka. In two months it would be Startika again, and this time he’d have to do it by himself. Startika was eight long days of feasting and imbibery and gift-giving and other agonies. And this year, the fourth day of Startika would be the first anniversary of Aeka’s death. He ached for her suddenly, like he hadn’t since very soon after she’d died. He missed her terribly, abominably; it felt like a fresh piece had been torn out of his heart, a wound reopened to bleed. She’d been torn from him while saving his life, and she’d spoken his name as she’d died. He should have died for her. As he reached the bedroom he and Aeka had shared, Tenchi’s vision swam with tears, and he leaned forward against the carved-alabaster door. At that moment, he would have given anything, anything, just to hold her again. “Tenchi?” He looked up, scrubbing at his eyes, ashamed of having been caught feeling sorry for himself. Ryoko stood before him, Sayuri on her hip. “You were out late.” “I was visiting Dad and Grandpa,” he said. “You’re up late.” “Sayuri had a nightmare,” Ryoko explained, kissing the now-sleeping child on the forehead. “She woke up screaming that the house was on fire and we all had to get out. Scared me half to death.” “Poor baby,” Tenchi murmured. “Yeah, but I think she’ll live,” Ryoko said, cuddling the child. “I had my share of nightmares when I was a kid.” There was a short but uncomfortable silence. Then Ryoko spoke. “You miss her a lot, don’t you? Aeka.” Tenchi sniffled and nodded. “It’s been almost a year. I’ve been trying to be strong, but it hurts so much.” “Does your father remarrying make it worse?” “Did everyone know about that before me??” Ryoko half-smiled. “Pretty much, yeah.” “What else do you know that I don’t?” “Mihoshi’s getting married.” “WHAT? When?” “At Estrika next Spring. After you blew her off, she went to her grandfather and he arranged a marriage for her.” “Something else for me to feel guilty about.” “You shouldn’t beat yourself up, Tenchi. The decisions Mihoshi makes in her life are her responsibility, not yours.” “But I drove her to this,” Tenchi said. “What an egotistical thing to say! Mihoshi drove herself to this. And now she’s going to be the wife of a very important man, and maybe she’ll learn to love him.” “I guess you’re right. Who’s she marrying?” “General Hiruu of the Royal Juraian Navy.” “Isn’t he twenty years older than she is?” “That’s about right. I take it you don’t approve.” “It’s none of my business.” Ryoko sighed. “What?” “Nothing. Goodnight.” Ryoko headed down the hall with Sayuri. End pt 4 ((Okay, nothing exciting happens in this one. But realistically, there are going to be long periods of time when nothing interesting happens.))