Disclaimer: Ranma and Co. belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

A/N: Thanks for the awesome reviews! I was really surprised by your favourite scenes! Glad to know that you like to see Akane getting some revenge now and then...:) Honestly, because of the huge number of reviews for the last chapter, I decided to upload the next chapter.

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Chapter Four

It was the day of Akane's wedding.

However, there really wasn't any time to think about it. Ever since she'd woken up, she'd been passed from one maid to another as they washed her, perfumed her hair and dressed it with tiny lilies, and then finally dressed her in a sparkling deep gold gown and pretty little shoes.

Nodoka was present as well, making sure that Akane knew what to do, what to say, and how to behave.

One of Genma's councillors hovered around Akane, droning on about who would be attending the wedding, and which nobles Akane must be nice to, and which ones she must absolutely avoid, who were the richest, the poorest, the ones with the most land or soldiers.

By the time she was ready, Akane's head was spinning with information, much of it useless, she was sure, but she had been trained from birth to rule, and it was in her blood. She wasn't worried. The councillor wasn't quite so sure.

"As I said, princess," he repeated. "The royal city hosts seventy-five noble houses..."

"Of which fifty are currently in favour with the Saotomes, twenty are neutral, and that last five are antagonistic. Seventy are attending today, but only forty are sending their heads, since we gave them very little time to prepare. I understand," Akane said impatiently. Catching the councillor's surprised look, she said, "Yes I was paying attention! This is hardly the first time I've had to memorize these things while putting on a new gown."

The man abruptly turned red as his eyes drifted to Akane's back, where a maid was closing the last buttons. "Uh, excuse me, princess," he stuttered, and bowed, retreating hastily. "I believe you're well prepared."

Akane smirked and turned away.

What really took up most of her mind was hatching plots to run away, escaping back into Hidden Lake, and free her father and sister. But no matter how she turned it around in her head, she just couldn't see any way of making it into Tendo castle on her own. It was impossible that she wouldn't meet up with any Hruthgul, and although she could take on one at a time, with their vile magic, more than that was impossible.

She had to resign herself. She was going to be married to Ranma.

The ceremony itself wasn't as long as the parade of all the nobles at the beginning, the speeches of congratulations from some of them, and their presentations to Ranma and Akane after the wedding. Dressed wholly in black velvet and silver lace, Ranma drew sighs and long glances from a lot of the women in the audience, Akane noted.

Akane voiced her vows clearly, if in a low voice, and watched with mild shock as Ranma's larger hand grasped her own and slid his ring over her finger.

There. She was married. Bound to Ranma and Islay. She'd sold Hidden Lake to the enemy, and for what? But at least her father would rule in his lifetime, once they saved him.

She thought they were done, until she felt Ranma grasp her chin lightly to raise her face to him. She barely suppressed a desire to shudder as he kissed her, the hand holding her wedding bouquet clenched into a fist. He broke the kiss, and winked at her.

The royal wedded pair led the first dance of the evening as well. Akane wasn't surprised that Ranma danced. If anything, she was more surprised at his superiority on the battlefield. She couldn't believe how fast he'd been. And he led her on the dance floor with just as much surety.

"You dance well," he told her, his first words to her since he'd kissed her. "I remember seeing you at your betrothal ball, so I shouldn't be surprised."

That's right. Akane remembered. He must have been watching her for a while before she'd come out onto the balcony and he'd spoken to her. She closed her eyes in memory.

Ranma, watching his bride as he led her in the dance, couldn't help but remember the first time he'd seen her in years.

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The night breeze carried the scent of jasmine across the balcony, stirring the long, filmy blue curtains that shaded the still, masked figure crouching beside a marble pillar.

From the open balcony doors, soft harp music drifted out to him, and through the opening he could see the swirl of lords and ladies pass by in their finery, laughing and talking and dancing.

Shadows shifted as he turned slightly, spotting his quarry. She stood at the foot of the royal dais, close to the two thrones, smiling and batting her eyelashes at the group of young men who surrounded her eagerly, trying their most desperate wiles and charms to win her hand.

Princess Akane Tendo, scion of the Hidden Lake Kingdom of the Empire of the Six Kingdoms.

He'd heard news of the ball from his spies well over a month ago. Soun Tendo, the ruler of the kingdom, had decided it was time to strengthen his realm by allying it with another, so the eligible young royalty in the surrounding areas had been invited to try to win Akane's hand in marriage, now that she'd turned nineteen.

The figure smiled self deprecatingly. He should not be here. The king would hardly consider him a candidate for Akane's hand. If discovered, he'd be hauled off to the deepest dungeons that Hidden Lake could produce, and he knew it. But his damnable curiosity had been piqued.

And besides, with the palace trying to accommodate all those guests, security was bound to be lax. Which was the real reason he was here.

Claws pinched into his shoulder, making him wince. "Yes, I know, Mousse, I haven't forgotten." He gently scratched the neck feathers of his hawk, and got his fingers nipped for his trouble. "All right, if you're so eager to get to our mission, go find the right window."

He turned and launched the hawk into the air, where it disappeared silently into the night. He turned back to the ballroom.

The young men parted for a moment, and just then Akane looked his way. His chest clenched. For what reason, he couldn't imagine. She couldn't have seen him. He was too well hidden. He resisted the urge to adjust the cloth mask over his nose and mouth.

Akane looked around for her drink, and an overeager suitor nearly tripped over himself trying to grab it and give it to her. She made a low remark, and the other suitors burst into cruel laughter. The young man holding Akane's drink scowled at the rest.

Cruel princess, he thought.

She was pretty, he decided, but that was all. Large brown eyes, clear skin, short silky black hair crowned by a small diadem, and a dainty figure in a sky-blue gown. He'd seen hundreds of women like her, many even more beautiful. So why did he crane his head for a closer look? The crowd of men closed around her again, and he settled back into the shadows, watching.

He noticed when she turned her face slightly away from the newest member of the young men to join their group. He looked crestfallen. Admittedly, his clothes were slightly outdated, but the epaulets were well polished, and his buttons, worn though they were, gleamed with shine.

She chattered and laughed coyly with the other men, finally allowing one of them to lead her away in a dance.

Well. Ranma decided he'd seen what he came for. She was just another princess, after all. Pretty but vain, and doubtless without a thought for anyone but herself. Nowhere near worth the risk of getting captured. Now it was time to return to his task of finding the king's study, perhaps even his war room, though that was bound to be well guarded. He hesitated for a few minutes, as he began to spin plans in his head, calculating the path of least resistance to getting what he wanted.

A whisper of satin was all that warned him of the figure approaching the balcony. He lowered his mask.

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Akane used the arrangement of large potted plants against the wall to sidle away from the crowds, and the Persistent Prince Pierre. Her father had insisted she give the majority of her dances to him, as he was the only prince here who actually stood to inherit a kingdom, but the man insisted on running his sweaty hands all down her back and hips. And if it wasn't him, then the ever persistent throng of young noble men around her this evening was beginning to give her a headache.

And if that wasn't enough, she knew Pierre had been secretly bullying their newest arrival, Hilroy, so that the young man wouldn't compete for her hand. She had no interest in Hilroy personally, but she couldn't bear to see another person bullied. She'd tried to warn him, but he had instructions from his father as well, to stick around and impress Akane. Finally, they had come up with the scheme that when in public, Akane would ignore him, and maybe even be cruel to him, so that Pierre would leave him alone. That at least, seemed to be working.

However, the pressure of performing her role, smiling and flirting, was driving her to fatigue, and she had escaped for the powder room as soon as she had a chance. She'd waited there for a few minutes, before circling around to the balcony. If only her father would let her fight these men in a duel, then maybe she'd see who was worthy of her.

Then she'd seen the balcony doors standing open in invitation to the cool night beyond. She needed some air.

She glanced around quickly, and before she could be spotted, turned the corner quickly, escaping into the open.

Ahhh…It was so pleasant out here, away from the throng of people. Normally, Akane didn't mind balls and parties. She could talk and laugh and be the perfect princess attending her parents until her face ached, but this party was focused on her, despite her protests to her father, and she was taking the brunt of the guests' attention.

She leaned against the balustrade and sighed, closing her eyes.

"Beautiful evening, isn't it?" said an unfamiliar voice behind her.

Akane's eyes shot open and she spun around, trying to identify the voice. A man stood in the deepest shadows behind her. The light from the ballroom silhouetted him so well that all she could see of his face was the thin bar of moonlight that silvered his skin. He was a good head taller than her.

Irritation sparked in her. Her one moment of solitude, extinguished. But she forced herself to be polite. After all, the balcony was open to everyone. She wished she'd been able to escape to her room, instead.

She tilted her head. "I'm sorry…Sir…?"

"Oh, I'm not a guest, your Highness," the voice drawled, amused.

Akane relaxed. A servant then. One who had no doubt been busy cleaning the ballroom, and perhaps thought to see the ball for himself from a private corner.

"Shouldn't you be about your duties?" she asked, more sharply than she'd intended.

"Yeah, well, this is my break, you see," the man said, amusement still in his voice. "I'll be off to my work in a minute. I'm sorry to intrude on you." Despite his words, he came a step closer.

"Oh, I don't care," Akane replied, shrugging. "Everyone has their place, and obviously I'm intruding on yours." She belonged back inside, after all.

She made to leave, but the man stepped into her path. A frisson of alarm danced up her spine. Was he, perhaps, an assassin, sent by Islay?

Then, the moon moved out fully from behind a cloud, and shone her light on the man's face. He was young, Akane saw with surprise. Her own age, or at most a year older. There was something familiar about his face. He wore his hair tied back in a braid, and a plain, dark tunic and trousers.

It was not the garb of a palace servant. Was he one of her suitors? But no, she would have remembered this one.

"No, please stay," he said. "I'm…new to the palace."

A thousand thoughts were racing through Akane's mind. He was obviously no servant. Definitely not a suitor she had met. Nor a guard, or he would have reassured her about his purpose immediately. Was he a thief, who'd thought to take advantage of the ball to steal something valuable from the palace? Or even worse, perhaps he truly was an assassin, sent to kill Soun. It was just like Islay to resort to cowardly techniques like that to win the cold war the two kingdom had been conducting for the last 20 years, a war that had truly started 150 years ago.

She pretended to relax, and looked briefly into the ballroom for a moment, watching the dancers within. How to put him off his guard so she could escape?

"I don't know the rules about balls or anything yet," he confessed.

"The only rule for the ball is to hound the guest of honour until she passes out from exhaustion," Akane blurted out. Surprised by herself, she looked back at him. He had light eyes that tracked every turn of her head, she saw, watching her in a way that increased her discomfort.

The young man smirked. "And that would be you, correct? I've heard it's your hand all these men are looking for in marriage?"

Akane colored slightly. From embarrassment or anger, she wasn't sure. For just a moment, she forgot her danger and answered heedlessly. "Yes, it was my father's idea, I'm afraid. My sisters are married off and with the war, there's only me left to sell!"

She closed her mouth. She hadn't meant it to come out that harsh. Or perhaps she had. She wasn't sure.

"Oh?" The young man moved closer, a gleam in his eyes. "And what is your price?"

Akane gasped, and forgetting her embarrassment, she moved forward, outrage sparking in her eyes. "I knew it!" she cried. "You're no servant, you…whoever you are…" She tried to sidestep him and run indoors for help, but he was faster.

"Ranma," the young man said silkily, catching Akane's upper arms and shoving her backwards against the balustrade. "The name is Ranma Saotome. You know who I am."

There was a pause, and the night seemed to grow utterly still. Akane couldn't move. She was frozen to the spot. It couldn't be. She hadn't heard correctly. No, she had. An assassin? Oh, she'd thought too low. Islay had sent their crown prince himself!

She opened her mouth to scream, but Ranma's hand came up to stifle it before she could make a sound. He caught her to him with his other arm before she could run, or fall down, Akane wasn't sure which, because her legs were weak from fear already. She began to shake her head in denial, and then began to struggle in earnest.

"Hush, my sweet, vain little princess," Ranma crooned into her ear. "I'm not here to hurt you." For a moment, when she'd been immobilized by fear, she'd felt soft and supple in his arms. But now she was struggling like a wildcat, her muscles tense. Ranma found he rather enjoyed it. All his women were willing. This one definitely wasn't.

To quiet her, and just because he wanted to, he yanked her head back and kissed her. Akane went blind and still with shock. Here she was in her enemy's arms, and he was kissing her? His hand slowly skimmed down her ribcage to her waist and slid around to the small of her back, anchoring her to him.

Ranma found that he was enjoying himself very much. On one level, the warrior prince in him exulted that he was thus claiming his enemy's daughter. On another level entirely, he was enjoying the taste of Akane's lips. She was quite different up close than he'd anticipated, softer, more real. He breathed in the scent of jasmine from her hair.

He tilted her head to deepen the kiss, and Akane came out of her daze to step down-hard- on his foot. But he was wearing boots and she was wearing dance slippers. It didn't have much of an effect on him, but it did cause him to raise his head.

Her fist slammed toward him something silver shining on her knuckles. He reared back, and felt something graze his cheek in passing. Scowling, he captured her fist, and found her clutching a steel tiger claw beaded with his blood.

"What are you doing here, Saotome!" Akane demanded furiously. He looked at her, spitting like a cat in her fury, and smiled maliciously. "I came for your betrothal ball, of course, my dear Akane."

Out of nowhere, she round-kicked him. It was only instinct and training that let him dodge out of her way. She followed up with two quick punches, but by now he was ready, and it was very easy to dodge her fists.

Ranma began to chuckle. The princess was full of surprises, it seemed.

She was edging towards the doors, and Ranma knew she was ready to bolt. "I'll see you again, Akane."

"Maybe on the battlefield!" she spat at him.

"No doubt," he said dryly, and vaulted over the side of the balustrade before she could call the guards. She watched in cold fury, and then marched back into the ballroom.

"Hmm, quite different after all," he whispered, watching her below from the shadows.

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Ranma stared down into Akane's blushing face, amazed how things had worked out so differently since then. Thanks to Ryouga. His long time rival and enemy had a lot of things to answer for, but Ranma could thank him for the fact that Akane was now in his arms. He smiled slyly.

And if Ryouga knew that, he thought, the warduke wouldn't be very happy. Not at all.

Finally, the reception was over, as the last of the guests filed out, and the prince and his bride were able to retire.

Akane couldn't help the slight tremble of her body as Ranma escorted her up the large, winding staircase. It had never seemed like such a short distance from the Grand Hall to their room before.

She was startled when Ranma placed a hand over her gloved one where it lay on his arm. She peeked up at him, and was surprised to see an almost…tender look in his eyes. "I know you're nervous, Akane. I'll give you a few minutes on your own," he said, stopping outside the door.

Akane's grip on his arm tightened, and she glared up at him. "Please, my lord! Don't do me any favours!" she snarled, releasing him and stepping back. She stomped to the door and flung it open, furious at his magnanimity in the face of his complete victory.

"Jackass! Jerk!" She kicked a footstool, then looked up and noticed that the two maids who were waiting to ready her for bed were staring at her slack-jawed. She reddened.

"Ahhhh…"

A black velvet sleeve came through the doorway and a gloved hand clamped on her elbow, pulling her back. "Fine," a voice hissed in her ear. "I tried to be nice about it. Be ready for me in 10 minutes, wench!" She was shoved back into the room.

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Ranma paced the adjoining sitting room, trying to work off his anger. No one could rile him like Akane, that was for sure! He'd been willing to bend a little, allow her time to relax, but she'd thrown his offer back in his face. Fine. Why be nice? He'd prefer not to have to soothe her virgin feathers anyway. He had a flagon of firewine to kill a few minutes, and finally could wait no longer. He opened the door to the suite.

Akane hesitantly fingered the fine material of the night rail the maids had dressed her in. It was a gift from Ranma's mother, and Akane was slightly shocked that the Queen would give such a thing to her son's bride. The material was crimson and delicate, edged with tiny pearls, and nearly completely see-through. She heard the door open and gritted her teeth, raising her head to see Ranma enter.

Ranma stared at Akane as he closed the door of the large bedroom behind him. "My wife," he breathed so quietly Akane didn't hear him, pausing to take in everything that meant. Exhilaration filled him. She was his. Forever. Completely. Well…not completely, not yet.

Akane nervously took in Ranma's attire. He wore a bedrobe, belted scandalously loosely at the waist. From the way it outlined his body, she could tell there was nothing beneath the robe but Ranma.

She clenched her fists helplessly, too proud and angry to delay the inevitable.

"You look beautiful," he said, walking toward her. He'd forgotten about his earlier ire. Who could think when Akane stood looking so lovely in front of him? Her slim body was outlined in a scandalously gauzy suggestion of a nightgown, her legs emerging from it to twine about each other where she stood.

Akane stood her ground, though every part of her wanted to turn tail and run. But she stood still even as he came so close that he could have rested his chin on her head. Her breasts and shoulders brushed his chest. His arms came around her, warm, embracing.

"Don't worry," he said, then tilted her head up and kissed her.

His warm lips brushed against hers, and then settled against them, his tongue sipping from her mouth.

Akane let her eyes drift shut, her eyelashes feathering against her cheeks. Ranma's fingers slipped into her hair, cupping her neck.

The kiss deepened and Akane found herself forced to participate so as not to get caught in the undertow. There was a give and take, a rhythm and surprising pleasure to it.

She nearly moaned, but clamped it back in time. She raised her head, breathing hard. Ranma stared at her from half closed eyes, his gaze moving to her lips.

Without warning, he crouched and swept her into his arms, leaving her without ground to brace herself against. All she could do was clutch his shoulders.

A few steps later and he laid her in the big, big bed she had been avoiding. The sheets were soft, not silky, but like fine linen.

She began to pull away but he trapped her down with his body.

They lay length to length together. It was a most unsettling, and strangely, sheltering feeling for Akane.

Ranma cupped her face, and kissed her again.

Akane let him, trying to slow down her racing heart. Now. Now he would do it. But he seemed to be drawing it out. Torturing her. He merely ran his hand down her arm, locking his fingers with hers.

Akane had had enough. The kissing was nice but…

She pushed him off and he was so surprised he let her. Akane scrambled back.

Ranma's eyes began to narrow. "What are you…?"

"Just do it!" Akane yelled.

Ranma blinked in confusion. "What?"

"I know you're going to do it, so just go ahead without pawing me all over." Akane folded her arms, looking defiant. "All this kissing is not going to make us have heirs any faster. Just…do it."

Ranma began to smile. "Oh, I see. Aren't you enjoying it?"

"Um…no," Akane lied. "And just thinking about it is making me nervous. Can't we just get this over with?"

Ranma bowed his head so she couldn't see his expression. "I see."

"Do you?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes, you're right. I've been going too slowly. I thought I would get you used to this. But you've been waiting, haven't you? Imagining. Thinking. So you're right, let's get this over with."

Akane fisted her hands. "Thank you," she said, and was surprised to find she was sincere. Until Ranma raised his head and she saw the wild desire barely leashed in his eyes.

"Yes. Let's stop you…thinking." He pounced on her before Akane could even draw breath to scream.

He was kissing her again, but now his kisses ravaged her. Akane had to kiss back with equal ferocity to stop from being overcome. His hand found her breast, and slipped away the material of her night tunic, leaving her bare to the night air. His warm hand covered her breast, his thumb finding the nub to pluck at it. Akane arched her back as deep pleasure hummed through her. He pulled the tunic away completely.

Ranma murmured to her, but she could no longer make out what he was saying through the thick, deep throbbing of the blood in her ears. He'd lost his robe at some point, and Akane was only aware of warm firm flesh rubbing against hers. Their bodies coiled around each other, the sheets tangling around them, rustling against their skin.

She threw her head back as a rush of desire enveloped her, and Ranma's dark head descended to her throat, biting and nipping and kissing, his braid brushing against her breasts. At some point, her fingers found the tie and loosened it, allowing his hair to fall in a silky veil across her torso as he kissed and nibbled her breasts.

And when Ranma let his fingers drift downwards, Akane didn't notice until the first brush of his fingers against her. The sensation was so unspeakably delicious that all she could do was gasp.

Ranma smiled with satisfaction when he saw that his fingers had come away wet. Before his bride could gather her scattered thoughts, he drove into her, gathering her cry of pain into his mouth as he kissed her. He stayed where he was, without moving, letting her get used to him. Her arms clutched his bare shoulders, her nails drawing blood, and he let her.

Slowly, when she began to relax, he moved again, gently, slowly, watching her closed eyes, seeing as pleasure built again in her face, and feeling the need grow within himself as well.

His body adored her, but he forced himself to hold until she cried out with release, and sank against him, before allowing himself that same release.

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A/N: Please do review and let me know what you liked. I think after this I'm going to go update Hearts or Diamonds II. Thanks again for the brilliant and well-thought out reviews you've written for me so far! It was a true joy reading them....