I own nothing within this fic except the character Trinth Milodon the planet of Cyrn and the basic content. Dune and all references(e.g. planets, philosophies, trademarked fighting styles) belong to Frank Herbert and his publishing house. As for the Tenchi Muyo references, they belong to the esteemed people of Pioneer. Now onward into the realm of Gold & Silver Part 3A:Wedensday Sasami was truly enjoying her slumber for a change. Her dream was a refreshingly pleasant one, filled with a vision of a beautiful garden. She ran laughing down the rows of blooming flowers, arms spread, embracing the loveliness of the fantasy. "It's so pretty here!" she gasped as she laid back onto a bed of daisies, exhausted from her own jubilation. "It certainly is, my child." an ethereal voice responded. "Tsunami?" the little girl asked "Yes, Sasami. It is I." "I don't want you here." said Sasami angrily, "You always come to tell me about bad things that are going to happen. I don't want to know them." The goddess appeared in front of her other half. Her pale countenance carried a hurt look. "I understand your desire. This time I am the bearer of good news for you and your household." Tsunami said quietly, "If you wish it, though, I will leave you in peace." As she spoke, the goddess began to fade from Sasami's sight. "No wait!" Sasami shouted, "I'm sorry. Please say what you have to tell me." Tsunami stopped her disappearance. "As you wish. Sasami, you have a visitor at your home. He is a friend of Mihoshi and Washu's. He's been at the house for the past three days. The two girls have been helping him recover from injuries he received in a battle in outer space." "Why would they hide him?" "Neither of the girls wished to worry anyone about the newcomer. Sasami, I would like for you to cook an extra plate at breakfast tomorrow. The guest is now up and about. Ask Mihoshi to bring him. I'm sure you'll be pleased with the latest addition to your Earthen family. Sasami nodded her head in agreement. "It's always nice to have visitors. I can do this easy." "Then it's settled. Goodbye my child." Sasami woke up to the sound of her alarm clock. "Time to get cooking." She tossed on her day clothes and rushed straight for the kitchen. About the same time, Mihoshi started to walk back to the house. She grinned as she recalled last night's events. She had spent the night helping Trinth settle into a small bungalow he had removed from one of his subspace containment fields. All night had been an endless string of unpacking supplies and belongings from the hulk of the Gilded Talon. In all honesty, Trinth had done most of the lifting and carrying. "I could not impose on you to assist me with such a menial task." he had said. "Anyway, I could use the excersise to strenghthen these new muscle tissues." Mihoshi thought. Trinth had stated that he owed her a tremendous debt for saving his life. "Anything you wish of me shall be granted. I am at your beck and call, m'lady." were his exact words and she had immediately asked him out. He had agreed without batting an eyelash. Mihoshi jumped for joy at the thought of being alone with her dream guy. Washu intercepted the blonde mid-bounce. "If I were you, I'd keep it down." she said forcefully to the exuberant blonde. "We don't want to bring everyone in on this escapade yet, do we?" Mihoshi fell silent. "You're right Washu. C'mon let's go get Breakfast." As soon as the two women opened the front door to the Masaki house, Sasami's shrill voice inquired "Mihoshi? Where's your friend? I want to meet him." Everyone's ears at the table perked up at the word "him". "Who's him?" Ryoko asked with a snicker. "Yes. Whom is it you're hiding, Mihoshi?" added Ayeka. Both girls leaned over to Mihoshi, listening for any snippet of information on the new guy and what the blonde was doing with him. "Now girls," Tenchi stated from the table, "back off." His voice was clear and forceful. Immediately, Ayeka and Ryoko did as they were told. Mihoshi couldn't help but giggle at their meek expressions. "That's better." Tenchi continued, "Now Mihoshi, IF you'd like to introduce us to your friend, we'd like that. If not, that's okay too." "Oh thank you, Tenchi." said Mihoshi joyously, "I'll go get him right away." She ran off to fetch Trinth. "Well then. Sasami. How did you know we were hiding someone?" asked Washu. "Tsunami told me." the little princess stated matter-of-factly. Washu rolled her eyes. she thought sardonically. "Trinth!?" Mihoshi shouted into the little house he had set up on the hill near the lake. "Are you awake? It's time for breakfast." "You needn't shout." a groggy, man's voice called from upstairs, followed by the rustling of fabric and the utterance of bitter remarks on the subject of sleeping only one hour in a single night. "Trinth are you all right?" Mihoshi asked the recently roused noble. "I'm damned tired and deserved at least seven more hours of sleep than what I received. came the vexed reply. "I apologize for being curt. Please don't believe that this is typical behavior for me.? Trinth added hastily, Thankfully (for Trinth) Mihoshi's cheery voice called back to him, "It's okay. I get grumpy in the mornings, too." She walked to the foot of the stairs and peered up to the second floor. Trinth was standing in the house's bathroom, loosely clad in a black robe with grey edges and a blue-winged bird embroidered on its back. He was carefully brushing his flowing silver mane of hair and it appeared he was singing softly to himself. Mihoshi held her breath at the site. It was definitely one to behold. "Trinth. I'm going to introduce you to the others today. Is that okay?" Trinth looked out from the bathroom and saw her at the base of the stairs. His face wore an expression of mild embarassment at being seen in his early day ritual. "If your friends are at all like you, m'lady, I'd be delighted to meet them." he answered her question and, much to his admirer's dismay, shut the bathroom door. A moment later, the door reopened, revealing Trinth in his traditional finery. The black hip boots, white breeches, dark-blue tunic with dagger sheaths, and the ever present black cape draped over his right shoulder. It was exactly how Mihoshi had seen him every night in her dreams. It was the Trinth from the photograph, from the stories, her Trinth. "Shall we be off?" he inquired, extending an elbow to her. Mihoshi nodded eagerly and coiled her arm around his, accepting his knightly escort. "We're here!" Mihoshi annonced from the Masaki living room. "Glad to hear it." Tenchi responded from his seat at the table. He motioned to the others, "Let's go greet our new guest." Ryoko and Ayeka gave him a wary look, as if they were uncertain if they should really go to meet this individual. Sasami gave them both a disgusted look and strode out of the dining room. Sasami's eyes opened wide when she spotted the newcomer. "Trinth!" she shouted as she raced towards him with arms out-stretched. The knight's countenance shifted from settled to one of both surprise and joy. He turned on his heels to face the blue-haired child who was rushing at him. He crouched down upon one knee and opened his arms wide to as she leapt onto him and enveloped him in a tremendous hug. "Trinth it's you! I'm so glad! You're alive and well and now you're here with us." She squeezed him even tighter. Archduke Milodon chuckled as he gasped for air. "You become more like your mother every time I see you, Dearheart. I'm not sure I can survive you two's hugs much longer based on my current strength." He clutched her with equal force and hoisted her up onto his left shoulder. Ayeka's attention was caught by Sasami's squeals of delight. She left the table to see what was drawing such amusement from her sister. What she saw shocked her. "Archduke Trinth Milodon? Is that you?" Ayeka asked timidly. "It could not be anyone else, my dear." The elder princess began weeping at his confirmation of her identification. "Everyone thought you had died so many years ago. You returned from your quest for Ryoko, stayed on Jurai for a few years, then left to find Yosho. After that no one heard from you." Trinth walked over to the crying princess and put his free arm around her. "When Yosho disappeared I was devastated. You filled that void to a degrer, then you vanished and my heart was crushed yet again. I tried to find you both but I failed." she sobbed into his cape. "This is not the time for the sorrows of the past." he spoke with compassion, "I'm here. We should rejoice in that fact and forget whatever travesties may have occured because I left." Ayeka lifted her head to look into the eyes of her brother's comrade. "You're quite right, Archduke Milodon. This is a most happy occasion. I should endeavor not to spoil it." "Umm... Excuse me?" Mihoshi squeaked, "You two already know Trinth?" "Of course. Trinth was brother Yosho's partner as a knight of the empire. He was one of our best friends when growing up." said Sasami as Trinth set her down on the sofa. "Yes. Trinth was very dear to us. A a part of the family, some might say." stated Ayeka. Ryoko was getting bored at the dining room table. Ryoko teleported to the living room entrance. She could scarcely believe what her eyes were showing her. "Hey! Grayhair!" Ryoko shouted as she charged an energy sword in her fist. Trinth turned to face her and drew his daggers. "Hello, Hot Lips" he repied sharply. The two began to circle, eyes locked upon each other, muscles tensed, ready to attack. Suddenly, Ryoko's energy sword vanished. At the same time, Trinth dropped his daggers. The two laughed and met in a tender embrace. "Ryoko. Good to see you're out and about." the knight said heartilly. "Yep. Out of the cave and out of Kagato's control to boot." the pirate responded with equal pleasure. "Archduke Milodon?! What in the name of the Trees of the Royal Family are you doing associating with this villian?" Ayeka inquired in a highly acidic tone. "Oh come off it princess." Ryoko said with a wink in Trinth's direction. "I'll have you know that this great warrior is the only reason your planned husband didn't slice me to ribbons seven hundred years ago." Ayeka stared incredulously at Trinth. "Is this true? Did you, a knight of Jurai, save this demon's life?" "Ayeka," Trinth said cooly, "might I first remind you that I am a knight of the GALACTIC Empire. Not Juraiin. The two are not interchangeable. Secondly, seeing Ryoko reminded me where I had heard the name Washu Hakubi before. Washu and I were classmates in the Academy. I was there when Washu created Ryoko and as soon as I had actually observed Ryoko in combat I knew that the girl wasn't controlling herself. Yosho was too blinded by rage at what had happened to Jurai after the attack to hear me out on what was really going on." "So he stepped between Yosho and me and prevented my untimely demise." Ryoko finished the story. "Trinth also suggested the imprisoning of me in the cave. He was a good friend as was my favorite drinking buddy. He'd visit me in the cave and we'd sit and drink and spin tales of wild things we would do if I was ever set free." Ryoko's attitude suddenly changed from jocular to sentimental and.....vulnerable. "When Trinth left, the cave seemed as bad as the death I might have experienced if he hadn't intervened. Yosho may have understood my situation but he still despised me. I was alone until Tenchi started playing around the cave." Sasami sensed that Ryoko was about to break into tears and knew how her sister would treat the space pirate in that senario. "You know everyone. We really all should go to eat breakfast. It's getting cold." The princess started herding the family back to the table. "Ryoko, you should go wash up, you're a wreck." Sasami said to Ryoko with a knowing nod. Ryoko got Sasami's drift perfectly and rushed to the upstairs bathroom to collect herslf. She thought, chagrined at how easily the younger princess had read her emotions. Within ten minutes the Masaki household, plus one, were all seated around the main dining table. Tenchi sat at the head of the table flanked by Ryoko on his left and Ayeka to the right. Sasami sat next to her sister with Washu aside her. and Mihoshi was at Ryoko's side. Trinth sat at the opposite end of the table. There were many lively conversations taking place. Ryoko was bickering with Ayeka, Sasami was trying to understand Washu's ranting about the scientist's latest creation, and lastly, Tenchi was recounting his story of how he ended up with all of the girls. When Tenchi finished telling his story, he half expected the elder man to burst into mocking laughter. Instead, the Archduke seemed to be impressed with his actions. "You're quite the follower of the old code, young knight." He said. "Most men your age would have taken advantage of having five lovely women at their disposal. Your actions, however, have been most admirable." Tenchi was taken aback. Most of his friends thought he was a fool for not "shagging" , as they put it, the girls who lived with him. But this guy was telling him that he was doing the right thing. "Thanks." Tenchi said proudly, "I'm not sure about following any code though. All I'm doing is listening to what my Grandpa taught me. He always said that I should realize that women are sacred. They are to be admired for their minds, cherished for their beauty," "And protected for the sake of the future." The knight finished the recitation. "That, my boy, is the old code. Or at least the portion dealing with women. What your grandfather is teaching you is the ancient Code of Chivalry. The way of the True Knight. I'm glad that Terra will finally contribute to our fading guild. She has long existed without sending forth her representative. Now that she finally chooses, the ancient Knights are all but gone. A dying breed, those willing to take a life of granduer at the expense of safety." Trinth spoke the last few sentences with a touch of regret. As if he held himself responsible for the knights' removal from current society. "Hey now, Trinth. You said yourself that this isn't the time for sadness." Ryoko called from Tenchi's side. She slid a sake bottle over to Trinth's plate. "The perfect cure for melancholy feelings." She said with a wink. The noble smiled, raised the bottle to his lips and took a swig. "Aaagh!" He sputtered, "This is worse than taking the Water of Life on Arakis!" The table shook with laughter, including that of Trinth's, at this. The only person who was quiet, strangely, was Mihoshi. She hadn't said much since the other girls had started talking to Trinth. She looked at the others enjoying the Archduke's presence at sighed. As she was thinking this, she felt a strong, smooth hand cover her own. She looked to its owner. It was Trinth. His eyes were awash with concern and care. "Mihoshi. I'm sorry if I was neglecting you for a time. I was a bit engrossed in my conversation with Tenchi. Is there something wrong? I'll do what I can to help." "Nothing's wrong, Trinth." she said firmly. Author's Notes: Well then. That was quite a bit longer than anticipated. I still have two more story "days" to cover before things start really shaking up. That is why this is titled Part 3A-Wedenesday. It was orginally going to be one part that covered the development of the Trinth/Mihoshi romance over a three day span, but it quickly got out of hand. Please keep the feedback coming. I appreciate it all and promise to respond to your e-mails. By the way, counting the now added three part part three(?) this epic is now going to cover a total of seven parts and I guarantee (or warn) you that all will be finished and submitted for your enjoyment(loathing). Tallgeese Forever! Craeyst Raygal