Weeks went by and every time Ranma and Akane were in each other's presence they fought like cats and dogs. Akane was constantly throwing things at Ranma and taking any opportunity to prove her strength and skill as a martial artist especially when she was in the throes of her temper. And Ranma knew exactly how to get Akane boiling hot angry.
Rumors passed through the staff like wildfire. Servants had come to believe that Ranma liked to taunt Akane and make her mad on purpose. The staff were absolutely flabbergasted at what a violent and improper girl Princess Akane was.
It was clearly too late for Ranma to stop everyone from knowing what a spitfire Princess Akane could be. He didn't like the situation, but there wasn't much he could do about it now. He had begun to lean into it and play with the ridiculousness of his circumstances. Dare he say, it had grown to be fun to tease her and watch the staff grab for valuable pottery, art, plants before Akane destroyed them in her fits of rage.
Akane and Ranma had "secretly" taken to sleeping in separate chambers. Ranma had decided he was going to sleep in his old chambers and just let the macho-girl have the new ones to herself. It really was only a secret from King Genma and it was definitely something Ranma didn't want him to know about. How in the world was he supposed to produce an heir with someone that insane?
~ Currently ~
Ranma, Ryoga, and Shinnosuke were out in the courtyard shooting hoops in a game called Tyun-ball. Out of the corner of Ranma's eyes he saw Akane walking around some of the flowerbeds. "Oh crap," he thought. They needed to slip away before Akane tried to break his neck over something stupid.
"HEY AKANE!" Ryoga yelled and started waving his hands around like a fool.
God Dammit. It made Ranma sick watching Ryoga act like a lovesick puppy. "Seriously, what was WRONG with him?" Was all Ranma could think about Ryoga's recent behavior.
"I think you have her attention already, pig-brain," Ranma commented. Why was this thick-headed boy still waving at her when she's looking right at him!?
Ryoga, ignoring Ranma, ran up to Akane excitedly, "Would you like to play a round with us? You can be on my team. 2 vs 2."
Akane smiled big, "I'd LOVE to!"
Ranma gritted his teeth, "No way is she on your team, Ryoga. Do you want the rumor mill of the palace to get any worse for me? She's on my team, or not playing."
Akane glared at him with what felt like daggers being thrown out of her eyes. "I have autonomy, you know! I should get to choose who I play with!"
"Here we go again," Shinnosuke muttered.
"Tough for you then because Ryoga is MY retainer. I ordered him to be on Shinnosuke's team. Do you want to play or not!?"
"Fine. You jealous grouch," Akane retorted.
"URGH! I'm not jealous, dammit. It's just that everyone and their friggin' mom talks about how much we don't get along. I don't need Pop finding out, y'here? He's dense, but there's a limit to how long I can elude his focus. If he finds out, things are going to get a lot worse for us. Can't you just PRETEND to get along?"
"If you would just stop trying to CONTROL me all the time - it would be easier to pretend!" Akane screamed back.
Ranma rolled his eyes, "Let's just play already. Lookie'here, you see the four rings on the stands? Each one represents a different amount of points. The blue and yellow rings are 10 points. That's why they're on taller red and green on shorter stands are 3 points. Basically, we have to try and throw a ball through the rings. First team to get to 23 points wins. One team is blocking and trying to steal the ball, while the other team is trying to evade and get the ball through a ring. The teams switch roles depending on who has the ball. Got it?"
"Got it," Akane nodded.
With that, Ranma flipped a coin into the air. "If it lands on the phoenix feather we get the ball first!"
Unfortunately, the coin landed on the phoenix tail instead.
"Alright! You're going to rue the day you challenged me to this game, Ranma!" Ryoga yelled.
Ranma grinned, "Competitive as ever, Ryoga!"
Ryoga went running straight for the 10 yellow ring Akane was guarding. Ryoga didn't want to compete against Akane, but at the same time he could show off his athletic skill. He ran toward her leaping into the air. No way could she guard against him with her small frame.
Akane leapt into the air and Ryoga found himself immediately distracted by her jiggling breasts.
Lately, Ryoga had been feeling a growing resentment towards Ranma for not appreciating how lucky he was. Ryoga would give anything to have Akane to himself and yet Ranma barely paid her any mind.
Akane fiercely reached for the ball, "Eyes up here, pervert!"
Embarrassed Ryoga went stiff and red at having been blatant in his peeking. Akane swiftly grabbed the ball from Ryoga's hands and turned around with incredible speed. Shinnosuke immediately sensed she was going for the yellow ring and vaulted over Ryoga's head to stop Akane. Ranma bashed into Shinnosuke's side, right as Akane threw the ball through the ring.
"10 points on our side!" Ranma yelled.
The game went on and on with flips, dodging, and shoves. Akane finally laid on the ground breathing heavily. She started laughing hysterically and then relaxed. "Man, we've been tied for awhile now. I can't believe how competitive and prideful you lot are! Let's just call it!"
Ranma leaned back on a pillar, he was exhausted, "That's rich coming from you, Akane!"
Akane laughed again, "True."
Ranma was glad Akane had been on his team. They made a good pair. In…sports that is. He caught himself wishing they were this in sync in other matters as they were in this match.
All of sudden, King Genma's advisor came up to them. Ranma hated him. He was a massive pervert. He needed to keep him from Akane.
"Prince Ranma, your father summons you and Princess Akane to the throne room."
That made the hair on the back of Ranma's neck stand up. "What's pop need'us for, Happosai?"
Happosai glanced at all of the sweaty young'uns, "King Genma told me to inform you that Prince Tōma is coming to Wallka soon to congratulate you and Princess Akane on your marriage. As for the summons, he's aware of your lack of manhood in bedding your wife, Ranma." Happosai began to creepily chuckle, "If she were my wife she'd already have been screaming my name."
Akane grimaced in disgust, but she said nothing. Something about Happosai gave her the creeps to the point she didn't want to engage with him.
Ranma gritted his teeth, "Shut up, you absolute lech!"
Ranma started panic sweating. He knew his pop wasn't going to be happy that Akane and him hadn't consummated the marriage yet. There's no way he could explain it to him in a way he'd understand.
Ranma grabbed Akane's wrist and began dragging her toward the throne room.
"What gives, Ranma?!" Akane yelled.
"We've both been summoned to see the king. Brace yourself for the consequences of you actin' violent and not playing along."
Akane could tell from the stiffness in Ranma's back that this turn of events wasn't good. She had truly meant to "play along," but she really didn't have good control over her temper. She needed to fully come to terms with the fact that she…respected Ranma. He wasn't exactly the feeble and witless prince she had been expecting. Over the weeks she'd been here, Akane had seen him be protective, noble, and an incredibly skilled martial artist. He had to have been unbelievably dedicated to get to the level he was at. So, as much as he knew just how to piss her off, she still thought he was a decent individual. With those thoughts swimming through her head, she had to acknowledge to herself that she regretted not having given more effort to her role as a good royal wife in public.
"Uhm, who is Prince Tōma?" Akane gingerly asked.
Ranma could hear the unease in her voice. She too must understand the nature of being summoned to speak to King Genma. Her subject change felt like a way to help with the tension in the air. "He's the prince of an island. He and his people do not follow the Goddess, but Wallka trades with them. I don't know him super well, but he is an interesting and skilled martial artist. We get along well enough because of that shared hobby."
"What makes his martial arts interesting?" Akane questioned.
"He's an illusion martial artist. He can make you think you see and feel things that aren't actually happening. It's impressive stuff."
Akane fell into silence. Ranma thought to himself that she must not know how to continue the conversation further.
As the throne room doors came into sight, Ranma took his hand from her wrist and instead grabbed her hand. He squeezed it. Akane thought he was trying to comfort her, but then Ranma said, "Let's get our act together in front of Pop."
Akane nodded and squeezed his hand back. She hadn't met King Genma except seeing him at the wedding, but if he was anything like King Gosunkugi she needed to stop letting her emotions get the best of her.
Upon entering the throne room, Akane immediately noticed King Genma at the front of the room. He was bald with glasses and not quite as imposing as she expected.
"Sit," King Genma motioned to two pillows on the floor.
Ranma again, squeezed Akane's hand before letting go and placing his knees on the pillow. He faced his father with a steeled expression.
Akane followed suit and placed her knees on the pillow and sat on her feet.
"So, Ranma, don't lie to me. I have eyes and ears everywhere. Have you consummated your marriage?"
Ranma answered with a poorly hidden attitude, "If you have eyes and ears everywhere, shouldn't you know the answer to that question already?"
"Don't be smart with me, boy! Do you want me to grill Princess Akane instead?"
Ranma sighed. He was dreading this. "No, we haven't.'
"Why?" King Genma questioned.
"I…don't want to."
"Do you understand what she means for us as a nation? I've explained this to you before." King Genma's eyes narrowed. He wasn't going to say more with Princess Akane in his presence.
"I understand." Ranma stated.
"No, you don't "understand" and I don't trust you to do what you need to. You're being selfish, boy. Providing a royal blooded heir is important. Think of our lineage…our school of martial arts…our unbroken heritage."
Ranma's brows were furrowing, "I said I understand old man!"
"You need to learn some respect!" Genma sighed with his arms crossed. "Princess Akane, you need to seduce my pathetic son."
"Whaaaat?" Akane yelled, "I can't…do that!"
King Genma glared, "And why can't you?"
Damn, Akane knew she couldn't blow this. Especially because…Ranma was covering for her. She had made it very clear that she didn't want to be his wife "behind closed doors" and he picked up on what she meant. Maybe it was also that he wasn't interested, but he could have easily thrown her under the bus to King Gemma. The fact that he chose not to, made her think that he was incredibly noble.
What would be a dignified and acceptable response for a princess? Akane's head was whirling trying to think of an appropriate response. She could feel her temper rising up. She shouldn't have to explain herself. She didn't want to. Period.
But Akane also knew that it would be Ranma as well who pays the price for how she handles herself.
"I'm just scared. I'm not ready. Prince Ranma is waiting for me to be ready." Akane finally responded.
"Hm, I see. Well then, I will give you till Prince Toma leaves. If you haven't by then I will place court ladies in the room with you for guidance and to confirm the act is done." King Genma replied.
"WHAT?!" Akane and Ranma yelled in unison.
King Gemma sighed loudly, "Well, you clearly don't know what you're doing."
Ranma gritted his teeth, "Pop, are you serious?! I'm not that naive! I don't need guidance."
"So you say. Regardless, get it done. You're dismissed," King Genma motioned for the two to exit the room.
Ranma grabbed Akane by the wrist and dragged her out of the room. She could tell he was fuming mad.
"I'm…I'm sorry," Akane sniveled. She really was feeling quite guilty.
Ranma huffed, "Don't be. Our fathers are stupid old men, trying to control our fates against our will. They don't even ask us what WE want."
"What should we do?" Akane asked. She certainly didn't want court ladies coming in and guiding her through sex.
Akane's stomach began spinning in anxiety. Why was it that she was being forced to lose her virginity this way? She wanted to find love and get married. Live like a normal girl. But instead, her family was being held prisoner and she'd been married off like cattle.
Akane did have to admit that living in the Wallka castle was a life of luxury she had never experienced. She should count herself lucky that the deal she had to make to save her family wasn't torturous. She was living quite well.
Akane had to face what she needed to sacrifice to save her family. Ranma, despite his attitude, was a kind man from what she had seen. If she had to lose her virginity against her will…he seemed like a pretty decent person to lose it to.
"I honestly don't know. I guess we could lie and say we had sex, but I have a feeling that we will get found out eventually. Especially because…we have to keep at it until you get pregnant. I don't know how to get out of this," Ranma then laughed, "Maybe Prince Tōma could help us with his illusion martial arts."
"Do you think he could?" Akane questioned
Ranma stuck out his tongue at her and rolled his eyes, "I was clearly kiddin' so probably not. I told ya this was why you needed to be acting like a proper princess."
"You had my back in there, why are you putting all the blame on me now!?" Akane roared back.
"Calm down Akane, jeez. I guess we could maybe fake it? Pop will probably have someone listening in and following us for a while now. UGH god this will be complicated!"
"Maybe we should just do it then."
"Are you out of your mind, Akane? I'm not sleeping with NO woman that doesn't want to."
Akane folded her arms together, "Yeah, I know….but I don't want to be forced to sleep together in front of court ladies either."
"Let's just talk this over again at a later date. We need to be on our best behavior for Prince Tōma. He's an important guest."
Akane nodded, "Okay."