Disclaimer: Not mine at all, too bad though. But I can still do horrible humiliating things to the characters for awhile. But don't worry, I'll give them back the way I borrowed them.

Summary: Akane Tendou has always had unusual strength for a female, she does not know the potential she actually has to be even better. Another marriage arrangement comes back to bite Soun in the behind. He's got some explaining to do.

If you're interested in pre-ordering copy of my first two novels in my original series, email me. You can find my email address in the bio page of this fanfiction site. Or just friend me on myspace, which you can also get the link to in my fanfictionnet bio page, and let me know you would like to purchase a copy.

Across the Stars

Prologue

16 years ago:

Soun Tendou held his newborn child in his arms making googily faces at her. "She is so beautiful, Ayia," he looked over at his wife, her navy colored hair was the same color as the little fuzz on the top of their new baby's head. He and his wife had only been married for a little short of nine months.

Ayia was sitting up now, "I hope your other daughters accept her as their own sister. I know I am not really their mother, but I have done my best to hope that they accept me."

Sitting down next to his wife, Soun held his new daughter Akane to his chest as she began to coo quietly. "They love you just fine, Ayia. Nabiki doesn't remember her real mother at all; she died shortly after Nabiki was born. And, well, Kasumi basically accepts everyone for being three years old, anyway."

Ayia, looking away from him, let out a soft sigh. She didn't have the heart to tell him now, no, not when they had just been married less than nine months. She had given birth to Akane a few days ago. She knew she was not going to live much longer, Ayia hoped that she could have a few years with Soun and his daughters; she would give anything. She turned towards him, her dark eyes meeting his. "I am so happy I met you. After the crash, I never thought I would meet anyone as strong and wonderful as you and your daughters. You make life worth living."

She looked over at Akane who was falling asleep in Soun's arms. "Will you promise me something, Soun? When Akane is old enough will you train her in your martial arts of Kempo? I want her to be strong and confident." Sure it was not the training she would want for Akane, but it was better than nothing.

"You want her to learn to fight?" Soun was shocked, his daughters fighting was something he wasn't so sure of at the moment. Martial Arts should be left open to men, women were just too fragile.

Ayia reached over and grabbed his hand. "Promise me, Soun. Promise me that you will train her."

"Alright, I promise." And he would keep his promise.

6 Years Later:

"Mommy?" Akane was tugging on her mother's hand.

Lying on a bed with light pink sheets, opening her tired eyes, Ayia looked at her daughter. "Oh, Akane. Mommy is just going to sleep for a long, long time."

"How long, Mommy?" The six year old asked, as her sisters Nabiki and Kasumi stood in the back of the room next to their father with tears in their eyes.

"For your whole life, my precious angel, but don't worry you have your sisters and your father to take care of you. We will see each other again someday, Akane, you must believe that." Her head slowly lifted and she looked towards Soun. "Soun, we must speak alone. It is important." her voice was tired and it sounded weak as it cracked in pitch.

Soun nodded, and took Akane by the hand. He turned around to Kasumi and Nabiki, "Girls, please take Akane out of here, I must speak with your mother."

"Yes, Father," Kasumi said and immediately came forward and took her youngest sister by the hand. "Come on, Akane, we'll get some cookies so Father can speak with Mother."

Akane rubbed her eyes, the tears still leaking from her eyes. "I don't want cookies."

Kasumi sighed. "I know, neither do I." She led her and Nabiki out of the room, closing the door behind her.

He approached the bed and kneeled down, taking his wife's hand. He was staring into her beautiful brown eyes, which were slowly changing to the deepest green he had ever seen, on her forehead appeared a sapphire blue diamond. Soun's eyes widened with shock that he nearly jumped back. "What is…?" Ayia's hand clutched around his tighter so he wouldn't pull away

"Shhh," Ayia said weakly. "I need to explain a few things to you." She noticed he looked upset, of course he would be. She waited this long to tell him, but now it couldn't be avoided. He had to know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. "Soun, my love, I have never loved anyone more than I do you. Soun, I am not from Earth."

Soun looked at her thinking she was developing some kind of mental illness in her fading hours of her life. But then her eyes changing and that diamond appearing made him think perhaps she was telling the truth.

"I was already pregnant with Akane when we met."

Soun's heart felt like it fell into his feet, "What?!" He couldn't believe it. No, it was not possible.

"I know it's hard to believe, but I tell you the truth. I had run away from a life I did not agree with. I am the daughter of a noblemen, and I married a member of the Juraian Royal Family, he was second in line for the throne. He was upset of that fact, so upset that without even asking me that the moment he knew that Akane had been conceived, he arranged her into a marriage where his line would in fact see the throne first. He was greedy and I hated him, I hated him more for what he had done." She glared. "I couldn't take it. So, I took a small ship and left. I was running on empty, flying near the remote planet of Earth. I had just enough fuel to make it to Earth's atmosphere. Only, it wasn't enough to make it to the planet surface safely. That was when I crashed and a week later we had met."

"Why didn't you tell me any of this before?" Soun looked down at his hands. "You should have told me, I would have understood, Ayia."

Tears prickled in her beautiful green eyes, "I…I was afraid." She lowered her gaze from his, "There is more. One day they will come for her. I don't want her to have the kind of life I did, I want her to be able to make her own choices." Ayia took a breath "When they do in fact come for her, they will take her away if she is not already married to someone else here on Earth."

"But they could come for her at any time between now and the future, correct?" No matter what, Soun was still Akane's father, blood or not, there was no way he was going to give her up without a fight. "But they do not know where you and Akane are, how would they find her?"

"They have ways; they are most powerful and respected planet in the universe."

"They can't be that powerful or we would have heard of them." Soun looked away from Ayia.

"There is a reason why a lot of the universe is hidden from Earth. Jurai protects Earth, it is responsible for maintaining its existence. That is why this planet is never invaded or taken over. It is better for all the Earthlings to be kept in the dark, less chance for panic." Ayia leaned back against the pillow. "Soun, you must keep your promise to me about training Akane."

"I promised you, didn't I? I never go back on my word." Soun would think of a way to secure Akane's life here on Earth. He watched as Ayia closed her eyes, her breathing was slow but steady. Soun knew it wouldn't be long until she left his and his daughters' lives. He would loose someone he loved a second time. There would be no remarrying after this, he couldn't bare the heartache. And he wanted to keep Ayia's memory alive and never tarnish it with another wife.

A few hours later, Ayia Tendou passed away peacefully in her sleep. She would never be forgotten, a great mother and a wonderful wife will always have a place in the Tendous' hearts.

Well that is it for the prologue. I hope you all enjoyed it. A friendly reminder: If you're interested in pre-ordering a copy of my first two novels in my original series, email me. You can find my email address in the bio page of this fanfiction site. Or just friend me on myspace, which you can also get the link to in my fanfictionnet bio page, and let me know you would like to purchase a copy.

Thanks for reading,

Ryoko Blue