A/n: Tenchi, Sasami, and Ayeka half cousins once removed in this fic. Figure that one out.
Chapter 2: The Prince and the Pirate.
Kamidake dreaded back to the knight accommodations of the palace. He tried to be quiet as not to wake the still sleeping knight he shared his quarters with. However, it had been in vain for the knight had sat up the entire night waiting for him.
"Where have you been?" The older Knight asked the younger Knight. "You know you are supposed to be back here after your shift is over."
Kamidake looked over at the Knight called Azaka. "I had some business to take care of, I apologize, Sensei. Please forgive me."
"Just don't let it happen again, if the council finds you are lollygagging around the palace such belatedly hours, you can be reprimanded." Azaka explained with force so to make sure that Kamidake understood his position as one of the first nights of Jurai.
Kamidake sighed. "Once more, I will not allow it to happen again, it's just someone needed my companionship."
The older knight walked over to the younger knight and put his hands on the younger knight's shoulders. "Kamidake, you can't guard everyone."
Kamidake looked downwards. "Yeah I know, but I couldn't leave her."
"Her?"
The younger Knight sighed, as he knew not to lie to his mentor. "I was with the Princess Ayeka." He explained as he backed up when he saw a blend of pain, anger, and, anguish in the face of Azaka.
"Kamidake, you know as a knight you are not permitted in the imperial chambers after a definite time, if anyone had found you, you would have been..." Before Azaka could finish, Kamidake interrupted him.
"I am familiar with that Sir. I was certain to depart before anyone discovered I was there." Kamidake walked over to the enormous windowpane and looked out it. "It's just that Ayeka was so lonely, she had found out about Tenchi and…." Kamidake stopped unexpectedly recalling that Azaka didn't know of the Prince's affair with Ryoko. At least that was his notion. However, Azaka astounded him.
"Ryoko?" The older knight snorted.
"How did you know?" Kamidake said turning around stunned, that Azaka had known about the couple.
Azaka sauntered over to the window and stood next to the younger Knight. "I saw them last night. What I mean is I saw Lord Tenchi and Ryoko go into his chambers. Initially I thought about reporting the occurrence to the Emperor."
Kamidake looked at him with concern. "What stopped you?"
"I saw how content and happy Prince Tenchi was. I remember I was that happy once." Azaka said remembering his late wife.
Azaka walked back to the center of the room and sat down on the futon that laid there. "Did anything happen between you and Lady Ayeka?"
Kamidake sighed as he gazed off into the distance. He wondered if he should tell Azaka the truth about what had happened between him and Ayeka. Kamidake sighed. He mustered up all of his courage as a knight and told his mentor the truth, knowing very well what would happen when he did. "Initially all I was planning was to carry Miss Ayeka up to her chambers and leave; however she started asking me questions about Lord Tenchi and Ryoko." Kamidake had explained how the knight progressed with them finally making love to one another.
"And that is what happened, Sir." Kamidake bowed his head.
Azaka sighed knowing very well what he must do, he must reassign the knights position as the Princess's guard and protector. "You know what this means?"
"I do." Kamidake sighed knowing what was to come.
"I have to assign another knight to watch over her." Azaka explained looking apologetic.
"I know." Replied dejectedly.
Azaka sighed. "What is that I told you about never getting involved with the person you are protecting."
Kamidake sighed. "Never get involve with the person you are protecting."
"And what did you do?"
"I got involved."
Azaka closed his eyes. "Look it isn't as though you meant for it to happen, however I must do this. I'm sorry."
Kamidake looked at his mentor to let him know he understood perfectly. "I understand you must do what you must do. " He said getting up to take a shower and face the rest of the day. Kamidake had felt sad about having been reassigned, however not even Azaka's scolding could erase the feeling Kamidake felt for the Princess.
------
Tenchi slowly woke up to see his love lying beside him. He rolled over and whispered in her ear. "Good Morning, My love."
Ryoko's eyes fluttered open as the sight of Tenchi came in to view. "Hmmm, Good Morning, Tenchi!" She smiled as she snuggled close to her lover.
Tenchi smiled as he asked. "Sleep well?"
"Better then I had in the last three years." Ryoko replied smiling. She felt Tenchi wrap his arms around her slender waist. "And you my love, how did you sleep?"
"I slept better knowing you were with me." Tenchi said with a bit of a smirk as he kissed her on the nose. As Tenchi and Ryoko lay together cuddling, Ryoko's cabbit/spaceship jumped up onto the bed in between the couple.
"Miya." The cabbit said cheerfully. Ryoko and Tenchi laughed as the cabbit refused to budge from her spot between the couple.
"Ryo-Ohki, you know better then to interrupt two people. It is very rude." Ryoko scolded her cabbit playfully.
"Miya! Miya! Mi-ya, mia, mia, Miya!" Ryo-Ohki argued with her master. Ryoko laughed at the cabbit. Tenchi who was not privy to what the cabbit had said just looked at the two dumbfounded.
"One of you mind letting me in on the Joke." Tenchi asked. Ryoko turned towards Tenchi.
"Ryo-Ohki said, that she has looked over the entire palace looking for any sign of carrots, so she wanted me to ask you where you keep your carrots."
"Carrots?" Tenchi enunciated the word as if it were a foreign term to him. Ryoko smiled at him.
"Yep, she said if you tell her where the carrots are kept. She'll leave us alone."
"Ya know, what I have no idea. I'd have to ask Sasami. She's my cousin, but she seems to know more about the kitchen then the royal court does…apparently she loves it there. She spends most of her time there" He said as she went to call his cousin.
Ryoko looked terrified at someone finding out she was there. She had no idea that Kamidake, Azaka, or Ayeka knew. "Tenchi, I don't think that is such a good idea."
Tenchi laughed at the fear and trepidation in Ryoko's voice. "Don't worry about it Love, Sasami is kind hearted, she wouldn't tell a soul you are here."
-----
Meanwhile in the kitchen, Princess Sasami was busy helping the cooks of the kitchen prepare the food. Most would think that the kitchen was not a place for the second princess to spend her time, but Sasami however didn't feel that way. She loved the kitchen.
"Princess Sasami, Lord Tenchi is on the phone." One of the court ladies mentioned to the young princess. Sasami immediately stopped what she was doing, and ran to the phone. Sasami had what one might call a child hood crush on Tenchi.
She quickly grabbed the phone from the older lady. "Hello, this is Princess Sasami, Oh Hello Ten-Chan." Sasami blushed; Sasami was the only one in the palace that was allowed to call him that save for his own family, but even then, it had been reserved for only his late mother.
"Good Morning, Sami-Chan." Tenchi replied making Sasami blush. "I have a favor to ask of you."
"You do Ten-Chan? What is it?"
"Could you serve my breakfast this morning?"
"Of course Ten-Chan, what would you like me to bring you?"
Tenchi smiled. "Just the usual Sasami, and would you bring up some Carrots as well."
"Carrots?" Sasami asked a bit confused about the request.
"I'll explain when you bring the food."
Sasami still confused just nodded her head, before responding. "Alright."
----
Meanwhile at Princess Ayeka's chambers. "What? What do you mean Kamidake was reassigned?" She asked furiously at the new knight that was guarding her.
"I do not know all the details of his transport, all I do know is that I have been assigned to guard you from this point forward.
Ayeka didn't respond. She took a deep breath and walked out of her chambers to find out why Kamidake was reassigned.
"Why was Kamidake reassigned? Surely they couldn't have found out about last night, could they?" Ayeka wasn't about to wait around to find the reason why Kamidake was transferred, she quickly made haste to find out what was going on.
Tbc…