I own absolutely nothing. RG Veda and all its characters belong to CLAMP.

If Ashura hadn't been born a cursed child, this is what might have happened.
Rating: PG

Ryuu: This is not how things would've happened.

Sim: It's my alternate reality, I can make it however I want it to. Now be quiet and on with the story!

Alternate Reality

Zemni Castle was crowded tonight. Lady Kendappa was playing her harp while her father, General of the East, Jikokuten smiled fondly in the background. Lord Yasha was conversing quietly with Lady Karura on battle techniques while all along the ballroom floor, couples danced under the starlit sky.

Far off in a corner stood the young king of the westland, Lord Ryuu. The youngest guardian warrior there, he watched the revelers with a small frown on his face. This was his third time appearing in court, and it was even worse that the last two.

I don't get why the guardians need to be here. I should be out there fighting, not standing around drinking. Sighing, Ryuu shifted, trying to get comfortable in his position leaning against a pillar. Instead of throwing parties, someone should be creating ceremonial armor that was actually comfortable, he thought to himself.

"Are you not enjoying yourself, Lord Ryuu?" Ryuu jumped and spun around to see a beautiful woman clothed in black watching him.

"Not really, Souma," Ryuu replied as he relaxed once more. Souma was one of the few people here at the palace he actually liked. The god king's personal healer, she possessed a quiet kindness as well as a deadly skill with thrown weapons that appealed to the young warrior. "I honestly don't see the point of being here."

"Lord Ryuu, perhaps you are uncomfortable here because of your youth," Souma ventured. After all, most of the other warriors had known each other for decades. Ryuu was the unknown here.

"Or maybe it's because I like fighting more than I like politics," Ryuu replied, a smirk forming on his face. Souma chuckled warmly as the sounds of the harp died down. Applause filled the air as the Lady Kendappa took a bow.

Ryuu grinned at the slightly lovesick look on Souma's face. "You know, you could go talk to her," he suggested. Souma glanced at the young king, a blush spreading across her dark face. "You're the palace healer and leader of the Souma tribe, it's not like you're a servant," he added.

"Oh, no! I couldn't possibly! The Lady Kendappa is so busy, she shouldn't spend a moment of her time..." Ryuu promptly started tuning her out. For someone of the royal bloodline as well as being skilled at practically everything, Souma had an incredibly low self-esteem.

"My honored guests!" Ryuu and Souma, along with the rest of the palace, turned to look up at Tentei, the king of the heavens. "I welcome you here to my palace, and thank you all for joining me tonight. As many of you know, the former Lord Ashura passed away of a wasting illness last month." Ryuu winced slightly. The loss of the leader of the Guardian Warriors had been a grave blow to everyone, but mostly to the Ashura tribe.

"Today, I ask you to join me in welcoming his heir. Please treat the new Lady Ashura with the respect you gave her father." Ryuu's eyes widened as the new leader of the Ashura tribe stepped out from behind Tentei.

Like her father, she had the long pointed ears and slanted golden eyes of the Ashura tribe. She was small and slim, with pale skin and long wavy black hair held back with a red and gold clasp. Clad in a long white dress, she stood straight with a serious expression on her young face.

"My, the new Lady possesses the same dignity and grace as her father," Souma commented. Ryuu shook his head.

"No, she's terrified, and trying not to show it," he said, straightening and heading out into the crowd.

"Lord Ryuu, where are you going?" But he didn't answer and Souma was left alone. She sighed, wondering what had caused the sudden change in the Dragon Lord's demeanor.

"Excuse me, are you Souma?" a melodious voice asked. Souma turned around and stared. Looking at her with a kind smile on her face was the Lady Kendappa.

"I...uh... Yes! Yes, Lady Kendappa," Souma stuttered, trying hard not to panic.

"Oh, good! Then come with me!" Lady Kendappa grabbed her arm and started to pull her away.

"Wh...Where are we going?" Souma asked, while inwardly reeling at the thought of Lady Kendappa touching her.

"Home," Kendappa replied as she continued to walk.

"I don't understand."

Kendappa stopped moving, and released Souma's arm. "I asked the king if I could take you back to my castle as my personal healer, and he said yes."

Souma's eyes widened, and she began stuttering. "Bu...B...But..."

"But why did I ask for you personally instead of any of the other Souma tribe members?" Kendappa guessed. Souma could only nod mutely. "That's easy. I like you." Souma openly gaped at the royal musician. "You're kind and smart and generous, and I also find you very attractive. So I want you to be by my side. Unless," Here, Kendappa put on a worried expression, "You don't want to come..."

"NO!" Everyone whirled around to stare at the two women after Souma's shout. Souma blushed and Kendappa laughed.

"Glad we got that cleared up! Now, come on!" Kendappa took Souma's hand, and the two headed off towards the doors. As they left, Souma took a brief second to wonder what Ryuu was up too.

ὪΙ

Ashura carefully made her way through the crowd, hoping she'd seen the last of the warriors for a time. She wondered if that was why her father had tended to avoid court unless directly summoned.

It wasn't that any of the warriors were horrible. Lady Karura had an elegance that Ashura could only hope to gain one day, and Lord Yasha had reminded her of her father, with his quiet thoughtfulness and kind eyes. The Thunder god Taishakuten had relayed his sadness over her father's passing with genuine grief. And the four generals seemed kind enough.

But she knew what they were all thinking. It was one thing to take orders from a skilled warrior who had proven himself time and again, but another entirely to listen to an untried girl. It would be a while before they'd trust her judgment.

Ashura sighed. And my advisers wouldn't let me eat anything before coming here, and the buffet table's empty! I'm so hungry. Spotting an open door, Ashura quickly slipped through and out onto the balcony. Sighing in relief, she leaned back against the railing, eager for a respite from the festivities.

But then, the sweet smell of sugar entered her nostrils. Turning her head, Ashura's eyes widened at the sight of an enormous platter of pastries lying on the balcony. Ashura automatically took a few steps towards them before stopping herself. They didn't get out here on their own. Someone must have put them here for later. Carefully glancing around, she saw no one out there, and the drapes hid her from view inside.

There must be thirty of those. They won't mind if I take just one, right? Carefully fixing her eyes on something in the distance, Ashura reached out to her right, and took a small cake off of the platter. Cautiously, she took a bite.

Mmmmm! Instant bliss. The small cake was full of chocolate cream, and Ashura eagerly finished it off before taking another. I wonder if I can convince the chef to come and work for me? As she pondered different ways to do that, she kept eating.

It wasn't until she started licking the sugar off her fingers that she came out of her thoughts. Swallowing hard, she glanced over at the platter, which was now completely empty. "Oh, no," she whispered as she stared at her reflection in the silver.

A snicker from her left made her whirl around, summoning the Shura sword on reflex. "Geez, Maya, you haven't changed a bit!" Ashura's jaw dropped, and her sword vanished as her childhood friend stepped out from the shadows.

"Nahga!" Ashura smiled widely as she hugged him, relieved to see a familiar face. He'd grown taller, she noticed. The last time she'd seen him, they'd been about the same height. Now her head rested comfortably on his shoulder.

"Maya, it's Lord Ryuu now, not Nahga," Ryuu chided as he pulled back to look at her.

"You're the one still calling me Maya," she pointed out as she drank in the shaggy red/brown hair and jade green eyes. It had been years since she'd last played with him in the water realm, and she had missed her best friend like crazy.

"When you finish off a whole tray of pastries by yourself, you aren't worthy to be called Lady Ashura," Ryuu stated. Ashura whacked his arm and stuck out her tongue at him. He laughed as Ashura turned away to look out over the gardens.

"So, how's your first court appearance?" he asked, leaning against the railing. Ashura sighed, absentmindedly playing with her necklace.

"I don't think I'm making the best impression," she replied. "They expect someone like my father, and I'm not him." She looked over at the Dragon King, and sighed. "My own advisers don't think I can lead the tribe."

"That's stupid," Ryuu said firmly. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You've been training to lead the tribe since you were five. You can summon the Shura sword and you've been practically running things since your dad got sick a few years ago. They'll come around once they see how good you are!" Ashura smiled softly, and leaned against her friend.

"Yeah, but I could still go to him for advice. Now, I can't." Tears slid down her cheeks as she spoke of her father. They were incredibly close since her mother died in childbirth, and she missed him. Ryuu automatically pulled her close, and she leaned her head against his chest as she cried.

ὪΙ

As she wept, Ryuu rubbed her back, attempting to soothe her. He had a gut feeling that Ashura hadn't cried since the day her father took his last breath. He couldn't leave his tribe then, but he could be here for her now.

So he held her as she cried and prayed that no one else tried to slip out here. She didn't need the gossip flying around tonight.

As the sobs slowed, Ryuu carefully tilted her head back to look into her eyes. "How long have you been holding that in?" he asked gently.

"A while," Ashura shrugged, wiping her eyes on a small cloth she'd somehow gotten. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay," Ryuu replied as he eased back, unable to think of another reason to keep holding her. Back inside, the music had started up again, and people began to whirl around on the dance floor. "Come on, let's get back inside, Lady Ashura," he teased.

She smiled as she took his hand. "I'm more of a lady than you are a lord," she teased back. "I wasn't the one who used to dress up in pots and run around on a broomstick!"

"Hey!" She laughed at the outraged look on Ryuu's face as she entered the ballroom. Ryuu sighed, but a small smile played across his face. With Ashura here, court didn't seem half as bad as it used to be.

End

Ryuu: There is no way I would be that mushy!

Sim: Oh be quiet, Ryuu. It's supposed to be sweet.

Ashura: Those cakes really were good.

Ryuu: falls over in shock

Sim: Read and review!