Disclaimer: I own nothing. Ranma and characters used are the creation of
Rumiko Takahashi and owned by her and Shogagukan, Kitty and Viz
Communications.
The storyline comes from The Heiress from Jude Devereaux

C&C much wanted especial story structure, spelling and punctuation. Did I
leave anything out?

This is a complete alternate reality.  The characters and relationships won'
t always follow the Magna.



The Tendo Heir: Chapter One

Ranma Saotome dismounted from his horse and waited for his friend Hiroshi to
do the same.  After tying them up, they made their way into the Saotome
estate.  The estate was in severe disrepair; visible water damage, warped
wood, and fading paint where common sights on both the house and the dojo.
The stable was no longer usable, a fence near the old building was no used
to tie up the horses.  The Saotome name was noble and well known throughout
the country.  The problem was his father had squandered the fortune that his
father had left him.  What was once a thriving and profitable land and small
estate was now poor and decaying. The lands were fallow not being tended in
years except for his sister Kasumi's small garden.

He entered the estate with the proceeds from his latest job.  It was enough
money to support the family for a few months, if his father could be
prevented from gambling it away.  He would have to give it to Kasumi before
he ran into his father.

The one thing that his father was good at was in teaching the martial arts.
Training from the moment he could walk, Ranma had been trained be the
greatest martial artist in the country.  It was Ranma's father only real
success.  At age 17 Ranma's reputation was well known by those who hired
mercenaries.  Lords who needed extra swords, or in Ranma's case, hands,
something guarded or transported in safety, all had contributed to keeping
Ranma's family fed.

Hiroshi was the son of one of the former maids, an adopted son to the family
and Ranma's best friend. Taking care of all the little details that Ranma
hated, Hiroshi was indispensable, Ranma's right hand man.

Ranma entered the sitting room; Hiroshi had taken their bags to their rooms.
Smiling as he caught sight of his sisters Kasumi and Ranko chatting.   Well,
Ranko was talking, describing some fight she had gotten into, while Kasumi
was listening intently.  His fourteen-year tomboy of a sister hated the fact
that she had been born a girl.  Her father had refused to teach her the art
because girls were frail.  Their mother had agreed, which had caused all
kinds of problems in the household.  Ranma had finally relented to Ranko's
whining and begging and had taught her in private. His sisters were his
biggest weakness; they could get him to agree to anything.

"Ranma," Ranko yelled as she spotted her older brother.  Before he realized
it, she had flown across the room, glommping onto him with enough force to
empty his lungs of air.

"How's my Ranko-chan," he smiled as she kicked him in the shin.

"You know I hate that!"  He chuckled as he kissed her forehead.

"It's good to see you too."  He managed to untangle himself and went over to
Kasumi.  "It is good to see you again sister."  He leaned down and kissed
her cheek, quickly handing over the small sack of coins he had earned.
Ranma's Mother, Nodoka, couldn't be trusted, she had only refused Genma
twice.  Once, as a child Kasumi had come down with some sickness.  Genma
didn't believe in doctors, or paying for anything.  Nodoka had gone behind
her husband's back and called the doctor.  Kasumi had recovered but she was
blind ever since. Ranma had never forgiven his father for waiting  and he
wasn't sure his mother had either.  The second time she refused Genma was
when he had tried to marry Kasumi off to the Hibiki boy.  She had forced
Genma to return the dowry that was offered.  That Hibiki boy was disgusting
and she wouldn't force her eldest to marry Ryoga.  She did refrain from
forcing Kasumi to give her all the money Ranma provided by accepting
Kasumi's half-truths about the amounts she had been given, thus keeping the
finances from her husband.

"So what news," Ranma asked his older sister.

"Ranma's getting married, Ranma's getting married," Ranko started singing.

"What!"  Ranma exclaimed a little louder than he intended.

"Ranma, there's no need to shout," admonished Kasumi.

"Ranma's getting married, Ranma's getting married," Ranko continued.

"Ranko please stop."  Kasumi said and Ranko quieted instantly.  No one
refused Kasumi.

"Will someone please explain?"  Ranma said in exasperation.

"You're going to marry the Tendo heir.  Father said so."  His little sister
put forward.

"What, no way.  I don't even know her.  Why would she marry a nobody like
me?"

"Because no one can resist the Saotome charm."  A new voice interjected.

Ranma turned to face his father.  A broad smile adorned his father's face;
it was a smile Ranma new well and feared.   It was a smile that said he had
either a new technique to teach Ranma or a money making scheme.  The money
making scheme usually involved Ranma marrying.  Luckily Genma's exploits
were pretty well known and no one trusted Genma enough to make a deal for
anything that Genma couldn't turn over on the spot.  It had tarnished the
honor of the family, but Ranma had spent a good part of his time since ten
cleaning up after his father.  Ranma would not be forced to do anything,
especially marry some girl he didn't know.

"All right, what now old man?"

"I've arranged a contract for you my boy."

"You know I won't honor any contracts made by you, everyone knows that."

"This one you will, the Tendo Heir needs an escort.  They're paying a hefty
sum and I've already accepted the deposit.  Here's a copy of the contract;"
Genma handed the paper to his son.

Ranma looked over the paper reading the contract.  "I'll have to refund the
deposit and pay a penalty equal to twice that amount if I don't fulfill it."
He spoke aloud.  "Where's the deposit old man."  His father looked on
nervously.

"I, ah, seemed to have misplaced it, son.  I'll just keep it for expenses
while you're gone."

"Either you give me the gold coin or I'll take it out of you hide old man,"
Ranma growled at his father.

"Ranma, please don't" Kasumi's angelic voice saved his father from another
beating at the hands of his son.

"LATER," Ranma mouthed to his father, before scanning the contract again.

"The contract says nothing about marrying anyone?"  Ranma inquired.

"Well, yes.  That's up to you boy.  For the good of the family you must
marry the girl.  She is the only Heir to the wealthiest family in Japan.
Her father has more money than any three other families combined. "

"I told you before; I'll marry when I'm ready."

"Son, I'm ordering you, for the good of the family.  No woman can resist
you, you take after me that way," The old man smirked, striking what he
thought to be a dashing pose.

"No old man, I will not marry unless I want too," Ranma growled at his
father.

"You must, we can't go on like this.  Think of your poor blind sister."

That, was the last straw.  Ranma crossed the distance to his father in a
heartbeat meeting him with his fist to Genma's gut.  Genma doubled over from
a combination of the force of the blow and the surprise of the attack.  He
could usually tell when his ingrate of a son was going to attack, but this
had caught him totally unaware.

"You're only thinking of your own stomach," a blow to the back of his father
's head knocked Genma on his stomach.  "You could care less about anyone
else;" a kick to the stomach rewarded Ranma with satisfying grunt from the
old man.  "And leave my sister out of this," Ranma shouted as he punted his
father out of the room.

"Ranma, was that really necessary," he heard Kasumi ask in a tired tone.

"He had that and more coming, sister." Ranko interjected.  Kasumi's slight
frown was her only response.

"So what will you do Ranma?" Kasumi asked.

"I think father is right this time," Ranko said surprising Ranma.

"I'll not be a weasel and marry someone for his or her purse, Ranko."

"Brother, you know I love you, but this must be done.  Not only is our
family depending on this, but the whole town as well."  The seriousness in
Ranko's voice surprised him.  Ranko was a free spirit who usually did as she
pleased and took very little outside of fighting seriously.  He couldn't
remember the last time she contradicted him except in jest.  They were
always teasing each other, but whenever a serious discussion took place the
siblings always stood together, especially when it was about the family.

"I'll fulfill the contract; failure to do so is more than we could afford.
We would have to sell the estate and become ronin or beg for assistance from
others in the clan."  Both sisters knew he would rather kill himself than
beg for assistance.  They had on more than one occasion agreed that
excessive pride was his biggest character flaw.

"Brother that is not enough.  The town itself is dying.  The estate has
always been the center of the town, it's support and backbone.  Now that our
estate is in such disrepair the town is withering along with us.  We need to
fix up the estate, and start producing again.  You could get any girl to
marry you.  They fall in love with you at first sight. I know how you feel
but their isn't any other way."  She was almost pleading with him by the end
of her speech. Ranko was almost as proud as her brother was.  He also knew
that both of his sisters loved him without reservation, he could say that of
no one else.  He knew his mother loved him but she was her husband's pawn,
stuck in tradition like the rest of the world. He realized and forgave her
this, but the truth alienated him from her love.

"What do you think Kasumi?"  He looked at his eldest sister and saw her
slight frown.  She hesitated for a second.

"I'm sorry.  I agree with Ranko, something needs to be done; we can't go on
like this forever."

"Ranma, there's not enough to buy firewood all the time and Mother, Kasumi
and I skip meals to stretch what money we have.  We couldn't have survived
this long without you but."  She left the statement hanging

Disagreeing with his parents especially his father was second nature.  It
didn't matter what his old man said the first response was usually no.  His
sisters on the other hand.  "Okay, I'll seduce and marry the Tendo heir. I
hope she's at least not ugly" He added with a wry grin, hoping to keep the
feeling of doom from filling him up.  His sisters and his art were his life.
There really was no place for a wife.

"She must be.  That's why no one has ever seen her.  Her father keeps her
locked up away from the world."  Ranko said with a laugh.

"How sad, to see no one" Kasumi said.

"Yippee, Ranma's getting married. I'll send for the tailor," Ranko squealed
as she got up and ran from the room before Ranma.

"Tailor?"

"Yes, you must meet her dressed your best." Kasumi replied

"But we can't afford any clothing?"

"Ranko arranged it with the tailor and other townspeople; they'll take some
of the fee when father tries to use that gold coin and we'll repay the rest.
They also realize how important the estate is to them and they have faith in
you."  Her smile had returned as she looked in his direction.

"You had this planned," The shock in his voice was evident.

"Yes, we knew you'd eventually agree, it is what's best and you always do
what's right"


**************


Nabiki was in the middle of painting the setting sun.  She had taken up
painting at the age of ten and was quite talented.  It was a good hobby and
it helped her escape from her loneliness. Her childhood had been less than
Ideal with her only companions being Akane and Tofu.

Akane wasn't much of a companion, but at least she was Nabiki's age.  Her
father had sent Akane to live with her three years ago.  She had been so
excited when she had first heard that her distant cousin was coming to live
with her.  She had arranged a room with everything in it.  She could have
anything she wanted and had ordered a huge bed, with silken sheet, scented
sticks and paintings in to make her cousin feel welcome.  The reality had
been less than ideal.  Her and Akane really just co-existed on the large
estate.  Talking only when sharing a meal or when Akane came to demand
something.  Akane spent her days trying to learn embroidery or some other
hobby that women of means where expected to know, although Akane's family
was extremely poor, and her abilities were lacking.  Akane was extremely
beautiful and spent a large amount of her time with paints and other beauty
adornments.

Tofu had come to the estate ten years ago and had befriended the extremely
lonely little girl.  He had been injured in a clan war and her father had
hired him to help around the estate.  He wore a hood at all times to hide
the scarring of his face and walked with a limp.  He had been a second
nursemaid and now did odd chores around the estate.  He was the nicest and
gentlest man she had every met and her only friend.

She had no one else.  The servants were just that, servants, and she wasn't
allowed outside of the estate.  They avoided her as much as possible.  Her
father had removed the few that had attempted to befriend her from the
household.  No, the Tendo Heir was alone.  She had a second hobby, money.
She had plenty of money from her father but she was still very frugal. She
dressed and behaved very frugally, splurging only to purchase her painting
materials.  The only other extraneous expense were due to her allowing her
cousin every luxury.  By the time she was thirteen she was running the
estate.  Ordering and approving supplies, making sure the servants were
paid, while drawing whatever funds she need from her father.

Her father, could you call a man that you had never met your father?  She
might have met him when she was too young to remember.  Her mother had died
when she was a year old, her only memories where of her nursemaids.

She looked over as Tofu crossed the yard to her.  She could tell from his
body language that something was wrong.  She put down her paints and walked
over to meet him.

"Nabiki, You have a message from your father."

Now she was curious.  He rarely sent messages and when he did they usually
addressed to her.  The paper Tofu carried was open and he wouldn't open her
messages unless she asked him to. He walked up to her and handed her the
parchment.  She took the document and quickly read it.

"NO! He can't."  Tofu looked down at the girl in sympathy.

"I'm getting married," was all she said as she threw herself into Tofu's
arms and cried.



End Chapter one.
Authour's Note :  hopefully a little better gramatically,  Chapter two is
almost finished, having trouble with some scenes.
 If anyone wants to pre-read this or Big Trouble in Little Midkemia it would
be much appreciated.

This can be found at the following:

My site:  http://home.att.net/~kpjam/index.html
Fanfiction.Net http://www.fanfiction.net/



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