Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ At Odds ❯ Ceansaigh ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ

Chapter Six

Ceansaigh

Bulma woke up with the feeling of warmth and contentment surrounding her. She snuggled down into the bed, nuzzling the soft fur comforter. She stretched out her arm, her fingers sliding against the bare sheets. Slowly she opened her eyes, focusing on the large expanse of the empty bed.

She felt a bolt of sorrow strike her heart, but she quickly pushed it down. Vegeta had left for the conference without waking her to say goodbye. Her hand curled into a fist, clutching the sheets between her fingers. She buried her face into her pillow, inhaling his musky scent deeply while trying to choke back her tears. Already she missed him and he hadn't even been gone for more than a few hours.

She had begged for him to take her, but he refused. The conference was too dangerous. It would be the perfect opportunity to assassinate the new emperor and Vegeta didn't want to take the chance that someone would strike at him through her. She knew that she should be worried that something might happen to Vegeta and she supposed deep down she was, but honestly she couldn't imagine anyone being strong enough to harm him. She was more upset that he denied her request to go with him. She knew that they would have more success if she was the one speaking and not Vegeta. He would have a hard enough time controlling his temper as it was and without her there to help curb his ferocious tendencies, it could be disastrous.

She dragged her naked form from the warm comfort of the bed and crossed gracefully over to her closet. Her clothes were sadly lacking for someone who was supposed to be queen. She shrugged in disinterest. She had been much too busy the last weeks to worry about the state of her wardrobe. She pulled out a suitable pant suit that she could wear to the lab and began to dress while lost in her thoughts.

She knew that Vegeta wouldn't break his promise and that more than likely a contingent of men had set out already for the Badlands. If all went well she would have her son back in her arms by the end of the month and Vegeta would return victorious from the meeting. If all went well. Bulma looked skyward, muttering under her breath. Well a girl could dream.

Once she had finished her morning routine she opened her door only to come face to face with Raditz.

"What are you doing?" She blinked at him in confusion, a curious sense of déjà vu drifting over her.

"Guarding you." Was Raditz clipped reply. She regarding him warily and he returned her stare blankly. He showed no hint of his true intentions, but Bulma's agile mind was already piecing together the facts. Her face reddened with indignation and Raditz braced himself for the coming storm.

"Spying on me is more like it! You are here to make sure that I don't run off against Vegeta's orders, aren't you?" She screeched with righteous fury.

Raditz remained impassive, his duty to his liege keeping his spine straight. He resisted the urge to cringe under her imperialistic hauteur. "I am merely here to make sure that you come to no harm while the Emperor is away."

"Whether it be from some deviant bent on revenge or from myself if I should try to run away." Bulma's scathing tones dropped to a sarcastic pitch.

Raditz dipped his head in recognition of her acute understanding of the situation. He was under strict orders from his liege that Bulma was not to be left alone unless she was in her rooms. All conversations that she held with any of her staff were to be closely monitored and she was not to be left in private with anyone. She was to be protected from all those seeking to harm her and most importantly she was not to leave the palace grounds for any reason. Vegeta didn't trust his mate to behave while he was away.

"I'm not some priceless treasure that can be kept under lock and key, Raditz." Bulma spat through clenched teeth. "And I will not be kept a prisoner in my own home."

"This is only for your protection, M'lady. Once Vegeta returns he will personally make sure that you are safe at all times. While he is away Nappa and I have the distinct honor of serving you My Queen. We will give our lives to see you unharmed." Raditz vowed while looking deeply into Bulma's eyes. The message was clear. The situation was not under discussion. Raditz would do his duty to his lord no matter how much it displeased his queen. It was something that the royal monarchs would have to fight out amongst themselves, he was just following orders.

Bulma sighed in assent. There was no point in arguing with the warrior. He would fulfill his duty to his Emperor to the death. "Fine. Whatever Raditz, but if you and Nappa are here, who is with Vegeta at the conference?"

She moved passed him down the hall and he fell in step beside her. "The Emperor took Zarbon with him." Though he hid it well, Raditz was displeased with the situation. He knew that guarding his Lord's chosen mate was an honorable duty, but he was uncomfortable being far from Vegeta's side, especially during such a tumultuous time. Although Vegeta was much stronger than he and Nappa they still felt it was their duty to stand beside him as his bodyguards. Zarbon had been an enemy for so long and to suddenly have him elevated to such a trusted position disturbed the two Saiyan warriors.

"Well at least he will have someone there that knows how to smooth talk a crowd. There may be hope yet." Bulma was surprised that Vegeta opted to take Zarbon with him instead of his two bodyguards. It just underscored how much value he placed on keeping her secured within the palace walls. Raditz made no reply to her comment and they slowly made their way to her labs.

After a few moments of silence, Bulma roused herself from her thoughts to ask the question that was nagging at the back of her mind.

"Did he send some men for Trunks?" She asked softly. Although she was certain that he did, she still wanted to make sure. She had no reason to doubt Vegeta, yet at the same time she didn't completely trust him either.

"Of course, M'Lady. They left at the same time as the Emperor." Bulma paused at the door just outside of the lab, her hand on the knob. She looked over her shoulder at Raditz calm face, searching for any untruth, but only honesty shone back. She nodded in acceptance and stepped through the door, Raditz closely on her heels.

*~*

Vegeta docked his ship at the space port on the neutral planet of Folaithe Ceo. The world itself was something of a mystery. It sat in the heart of the Empire, yet Frieza had never claimed it as one of his territories. More disturbingly, the world seemed to be able to disappear and reappear at will. The space around the planet, an entire galaxy's worth, would remain hauntingly empty for centuries at a time. No one dared to enter the forbidden area for fear that they would vanish without explanation along with the planet. Then unexpectedly it would reappear, usually during some universal upheaval, but not a whisper would be heard from the inhabitants. However, just its mere presences was usually enough to calm the souls of those who raged in battle. It was a documented fact that whenever the world reveled itself, tranquility would engulf the universe and there was an unprecedented reduction in violence. Rumors abounded that it was a ghost planet that Frieza had destroyed long ago in a fit of fury, but no one was brave enough to test the theory by drawing near it.

Both Vegeta and Bulma had been awed when the planet suddenly reappeared, but more surprisingly was the message that they received. The De Danann royal family welcomed them to partake in their generosity during the peace talks. They most humbly requested to host the event and act as a mediator between the two warring super powers. For the first time in her short life, Bulma had been shocked into silence and Vegeta could only stare at the missive. Simultaneously, they both felt honored and apprehensive.

Everyone agreed that it was the perfect neutral ground where both parties would feel safe. Vegeta however, felt a great deal of trepidation. Frieza had been unwilling to enslave the world and that alone made Vegeta wary. The power that they held must be monstrous but he could feel no hint of it as he made his way down the corridors. As far back as written history, nobody had been invited to visit the reclusive planet and Vegeta absorbed every detail with the sharp mind of a warrior. At the corners of his vision he could see a floating cloud of white, but whenever he turned his head it would disappear. The moment he stepped foot on the world he felt a lessening of tension in his back, his tail relaxed slightly around his waist and he felt a mediocre of peace.

He and Zarbon were met by a welcoming committee of minor diplomats that fawned over Vegeta until his stomach churned. Oddly, they were not representatives of Folaithe Ceo, but servants of the other leaders who had already landed. They led them to the large sprawling palace of the ruling household of the planet. Although the palace was a luxurious dwelling it seemed to be formed out of the land itself, instead of a structure built upon it. The white stone walls were delicately carved with lifelike images of wildlife surrounded by dense forests or frolicking in a sunlit meadow. More than once, Vegeta turned his narrowed gaze on the scene, almost certain that he had seen one of the animals move. Several times they had to edge close to the walls in order to squeeze by massive trees that sprouted up from the floor, reaching their arms up through an opening in the ceiling.

They were shown to a spacious suite of rooms that were elegantly decorated in white and spring green. Sheer panels of cloth of both colors fell to the floor, blowing gently in the breeze from the open balcony. Four trees as thick around as three men dominated the room and Vegeta could see that they guarded a silk draped bed, their roots entwining to form a wide headboard. Their thick branches formed a canopy of bright green that protected him from the opening in the ceiling.

Vegeta glanced down at his feet and he was surprised to find that instead of carpet the room was covered in thick, sweet-smelling grass. It spread out to the edges of the room and delicate vines crawled up the walls, blooming with small white flowers. He followed their progress and found the enclosed portion of the ceiling to be encased in vines as well, all leading to a great crystal chandelier that hung in the center of the room. The tear dropped multifaceted crystal captured the natural light, splashing a rainbow of color on the floors and walls.

As Vegeta finished his examination of the room there was a soft knock at the door. Zarbon crossed the room to open them, stumbling back to allow a striking woman entrance. She stepped forward and even Vegeta couldn't stop his eyes from roving over her body. He felt no lust, but he was definitely aware of her allure.

She was ethereal in appearance. Her pale blue hair was gathered up into a long pony tail that cascaded down to her the curve of her hips. The style revealed her elongated ears that ended in points and accentuated her finely boned, elegant features. Her eyes slanted upwards and were fringed with light green lashes. Her eyes were the color of the deepest oceans and when Vegeta stared too long it felt like he was being sucked into a whirlpool of agelessness. Her skin was powder white and she was draped in the sheerest veils of shimmering silver that both covered and teased.

As he stared at her, Vegeta felt a sensation that he thought he would never experience again. During his time on Namek he had been subjected to the nearly overwhelming power of creation. This woman emanated the same timeless wisdom that Guru had, but under the guise of a much younger woman.

Her vibrant eyes locked with his and Vegeta struggled to breathe. The aura that she exuded was so much greater than Guru's that Vegeta had to physically resist the urge to kneel before her. Zarbon had stepped back, standing behind her and Vegeta could see the sweat that pored off his brow. The emerald man visibly shook as he clasped the handle of the door tightly to remain upright.

"Good day, M'Lord. My name is Princess Aigneis Aingeal." Her dulcet tones rang through the room like a bevy of bells. The sheer amount of power in her voice alone sent chills down the spines of both men. Vegeta could not look away from the creature in front of him. She was incredibly delicate, as if she would shatter in the wind, but he knew that he would never be able to defeat her. He knew that he should feel anger at that realization, but all he felt was quiet acceptance. Her power was not that of physical strength but something far more mystical. Ethereal was in fact the only word that he could find to describe her. She was of no threat to him and oddly he felt more at peace in front of her than he had in the many months since his reign.

"Good day, Princess Aigneis." Vegeta fought to remember his princely training and the maiden bequeathed him with a small smile for his efforts. He twisted her name horribly, but it was unlike any he had ever heard before in the hundreds of languages he had been subjected too.

"You may call me Angel. I will be your guide here." She spoke softly, like the tinkling of water over smooth river rocks. Vegeta's brow creased subtly at the use of the word guide instead of host, but he dismissed it as a misinterpretation of language.

"Thank you, that is most kind of you." Vegeta felt a small sense of panic as he listened to himself. He didn't speak with his normal brusqueness, instead he sounded almost foppish to his own ears. Never before in his life had anyone ever intimidated him into good behavior. He looked deeply into her eyes and slowly he realized that it wasn't fear that curbed his tongue, but respect. He found that he didn't want to snarl and growl at her as was his way. Her very presence dissuaded such course mannerisms.

"I am here to inform you that my family will be holding a feast in the great hall this evening to welcome you to our home. Sadly my parents will not be able to join us for the course of the peaceful negotiations. I will stand in their stead and mediate, if that is acceptable to you Emperor." She spread her hands out gently from her waist, palm up and bowed her head in respect to Vegeta. With the absence of her enchanting eyes, Vegeta found it easier to breathe and more importantly to think.

"Of course, I would be honored to have your wisdom at the table."

She nodded her head subtly, clasping her hands in front of her once again. "Thank you for you praise M'lord. We will begin the conference tomorrow morning." She took a step back to exit the room, but Vegeta quick inhalation of breath stopped her.

He took an aggressive step forward, his face clouded with impatience. "I want to start now. It is barely mid day." He growled and immediately he felt the silent censure in the room. It didn't necessarily emanate from the celestial creature in front of him, but from the very atmosphere. The aura of the room shifted from dulcet white to churning gray.

He glanced around him before meeting the gaze of the princess. Her face remained unchanged. Her features were still calmly accepting and a guilty flush found its way to Vegeta's cheeks.

"I understand your eagerness to begin M'lord. However, some of the diplomats are weary from their journey and my family feels that a comfortable meal would be more beneficial in the long run to your negotiations. It is best to get to know your opponents before engaging them. Don't you agree?" Her eyes held a twinkle of amusement and Vegeta nodded sheepishly. Though he suspected she had never had an opponent in her entire life, she chose to speak to him in terms that he understood.

"Excellent. I will see you at moonrise for the evening meal." She curtseyed elegantly in front of Vegeta, an action that made him distinctly uncomfortable and demurely exited the room.

Zarbon closed the door behind her and leaned against the cool wood frame. He brushed the sweat from his brow, taking great gulping breaths.

"Wow." Was all he said and Vegeta nodded in agreement.

"What the hell was she?" Zarbon pushed off from the door and moved over to the case of clothes that Vegeta had packed. He began to pull out the garments, hanging them in the nearby wardrobe, taking special care of the dress uniform that Vegeta would wear that evening.

"Otherworldly." Was Vegeta's muttered response and he stepped towards the open balcony doors.

"Yah. Well with her around these talks should go off without a hitch. It's almost better than having Bulma here."

Vegeta ignored the other man and instead leaned his hip on the railing while he looked out over the landscape. Though the palace was huge it had no cultivated gardens. Instead a wild forest crept up to the borders of the castle, knocking for entrance. The wood that he surveyed was thick with ancient trees and the twilling of birds echoed throughout the wide expanse of the forest's embrace.

He gazed deeply into the shadows of the wood and as he lost himself to his thoughts he felt peace settle around him once again. Bulma would love it here he thought with certainty. He could almost see her running barefoot across the thick carpet of moss, her laughter mingling with the songs of the birds.

The darkness that crept through him since he left Namek came to a standstill and he could feel the beginnings of a retreat. Before Vegeta's bewildered gaze an impossibly large white stag with golden horns stepped out of the forest, its gentle blue eyes alighting on Vegeta. The sun shone down through the leaves, dappling his fur in a myriad of golden color and white light.

Vegeta could not break his gaze away and the hypnotic pattern of light drew him deeper into a waking dream as the events of his life unfolded before him. He saw the horrors that he endured as a child and the atrocities that he committed as an adult, but all of that was overridden by Bulma's presence. He saw her laughing blue eyes reflected in the deer's and the shimmer of her beautiful aura in the light of it's horns.

On Namek he had come to the dramatic realization that he loved the small creature that he called mate. A secret that he held closely to his heart, not even confessing to her the deep amount of caring he held for her, for fear of anyone seeing the amount of emotion he was capable of beholding. He saw his ascension for the first time through the eyes of the stag. He saw the golden dragon spring forward, sharing his power and strength with a mortal man, casting him into the image of a shining god. The power of love had been the catalyst for the explosion of change to occur.

Bulma had been the key. Without her by his side he would no longer be able to become Legendary. That was his greatest fear. He would be powerless again. He would be nothing but a broken puppet awaiting the next master to come along and sheath its claws in him. He could not allow that to happen. He must never allow Bulma to leave him.

The love that awakened inside of him began to twist and rot. The darkness swelled, reclaiming its old territory through a newly opened door. Vegeta couldn't accept that he was capable of feeling love. More accurately, he didn't feel that he had the right to be blessed with such an emotion. So instead of admitting to himself that love had been the key, he convinced himself that it was actually Bulma. The darkness that had resided inside of him for so long only needed one little nagging doubt to pounce on. It cultivated the shadow in his mind, sending small tendrils of distrust to entrench themselves in his newly reborn soul.

The light shimmered in the creature's horns and the darkness hunched down afraid of being sighted by its mortal enemy. Vegeta felt a pricking in the back of his mind. As if the light was trying to show him something. A different path for him to tread. A way to change his fate.

Vegeta peered closer at the mythical creature. The dawning of understand was right there, almost in his grasp. The answer to everything he ever wanted to know. The answer to his power. He leaned further out over the rail, only to be brought up short by Zarbon's call.

"M'lord, it is time for you to get ready."

Vegeta blinked and looked around him. The stag, if it had ever existed had disappeared and the pale curve of the full moon began to peek above the horizon. Many hours had passed and Vegeta frowned at the loss of time. He cast one last disdainful sneer at the forest below him and turned on his heel to begin dressing.

Vegeta entered the great dinning hall through a set of tall wooden doors that were intricately carved. He stepped forward on the russet carpet that led into an expansive room with vaulted ceilings. It had a medieval air and Vegeta instantly drew his shoulders back into a princely posture.

Wooden beams braced the ceiling leading down to paneled walls that were decorated with rich tapestries. The patterns on the cloth told the story of two men, one crowned in a circlet of leaves and the other in thorns. Both fought each other for the throne and the love of a fair maiden. One would die only to be reborn to defeat the other in an endless circle of life and death. Rebirth and renewal.

On either side of the room stood a long row of banquet tables and the dozens of eyes watched him silently as he stepped forward. At the end of the long rug stood a delicate throne of shining moonstone where Princess Aigneis Aingeal sat patiently awaiting his approach. Vegeta ignored the gawking fools that stared at him and proudly sauntered up to her throne.

He bowed regally before her. Something he had rarely practiced in all of his years. She dipped her head in approval and waved her hand to towards an empty seat to her left.

"Please join me M'lord." Again her tone struck a cord deep inside of him. Though the words were quietly uttered they reverberated clearly throughout the room.

He graciously took his seat and as if by royal command, petitioners lined up in front of him. They introduced themselves and the planet they represented. By the third introduction, Vegeta couldn't stop the feral snarl that curled on his cruel lips.

An old man stood in front of him and he stuttered to a halt at Vegeta's growl.

"Where is your king?" Vegeta demanded angrily.

A bead of sweat rolled of his brow and he gulped loudly. "Given your illustrious reputation M'lord, he thought it better that he send his humble servant in his place. It is an offer of respect to your great power." The man fought the urge to step back, but he visibly shook under Vegeta's hateful gaze.

"It is an insult." Vegeta sneered. He looked at the rest of the crowd, examining their nervous faces.

"Were none of your leaders brave enough to show themselves at this meeting." Vegeta demanded with barely suppressed rage.

A courageous man stepped forward, meeting Vegeta's hard gaze unflinchingly. "Emperor, our leaders have every intention of participating in the meeting via vid screens. However, they felt that presenting themselves to you in person would be a grave error. With one foul swoop you could wipe out all the ruling households of those who oppose you. Such a risk could not be taken."

Vegeta rose from his chair, ignoring the swamping feeling of calmness that bore down on him from the Princess. "I should blast you all right now for you insult to my honor. I came here in the name of peace and you mock me with your words. You are no better than the ignoble swine that I thought you to be." Vegeta swept forward towards the door, people dodging out of his way as quickly as possible. He felt the fury inside of him rising to the surface, but the something held him back. Silken bonds that caged the beast that raged inside of him, thirsting for blood.

The miscreants who dared to revolt against him, didn't even have the guts to face him. He was the Emperor of the Universe and he had roused himself from his duties to attend this farce of meeting. They should be honored to be in the shadow of his greatness, but instead they cowered like whipped dogs. How dare they insinuate that they were more important than he. That he was the one who had to make the sacrifice of time and venture to this forgotten world, while they sat comfortably on their stolen thrones. They would pay in blood for their transgressions.

He stomped into his quarters, drawing to an abrupt halt when he found the Princess in the center of his room. As she turned to face him, he looked back over his shoulder, certain that he had left her back in the great hall still perched on her throne. He steeled himself against her power, calling forth the anger that sustained him most of his life. He slammed the door shut behind him, nearly wincing as the crash disrupted the serenity of the palace.

"What do you want, woman?" He growled, his onyx eyes simmering with a combination of hate and anger. He had been made a fool of by those who dared to oppose him. Because of Bulma's meddling he had agreed to participate in this farce with the hopes of disrupting Frieza's bloody prophecy. Vegeta didn't want to be a tyrant, but he couldn't help to think that was the only method that would regain control of his empire. Perhaps Frieza hadn't been so wrong when it came to his diplomatic relations. Yes, he was a bastard. Yes, he destroyed the lives of everyone around him, but at least he brought law to the unruly and trade to the poor. He single handedly ruled a vast empire and Vegeta couldn't even put it back together after his demise. Pathetic.

"Emperor." The Princess began as she stepped forward. Vegeta growled and turned away from her, resisting the call of tranquility that engulfed him.

"Prince Vegeta." She whispered in his ear. He tensed when he realized she had crept up behind him without him knowing it. She stepped to his side, placing a dainty, white hand on his forearm. That breathy title reminded him of who he was, beneath it all. For months now he had been referred to as M'lord or Emperor, his former title seemly forgotten. His very identity forgotten. But her words brought it all back to him. He was the crown Prince of Vegeta-sei. His entire life he had fought for the very position he now awkwardly stood in. He had been destined to rule a people that were now only ghosts in his mind. It was his duty to make them proud. He had avenged them, now it was time to make the Saiyan name great once again.

She moved to stand in front of him, peering up into his shadowed eyes. She placed both her hands on his arms now and he could feel the jolt of power pulsating from her. Standing this close to her he could not stop the clear, pure tide that washed over him, sweeping away all of his bitterness and hate, leaving him open to reasonable suggestion.

"I know you feel insulted." Vegeta snorted at her words and she smile subtly, nearly blinding him with the glow of goodness that emanated from her. "And you should be, but perhaps you should feel amused as well." Vegeta cocked an eyebrow at her and she gave him a half shrug.

"They fear you Prince Vegeta. More accurately, they are terrified of you. You are a very powerful man." Vegeta felt a spark of arrogant pride at her words. He was powerful. He had defeated Frieza in a battle to the death. They should fear him.

"You can't blame them for not wanting to be in the same room with you." Vegeta wanted to shrug her off, but something held him still.

"Yes I can." He snarled down into her upturned face. "They have disrespected me and I will punish them for it." At his words he felt a stab of pain in his chest. The room around him expanded like shocked breath at his words. The air rippled before it contracted, nearly suffocating him with its weight.

"That's the last thing you want to do Prince Vegeta." The Princess' eyes glowed with an inner light and she pulled him closer to her. She placed her soft hands on his cheeks, tilting his face down to her. Normally, Vegeta would never allow someone to put their hands on him so familiarly, but he couldn't resist. He felt distant all of the sudden, like he was observing the scene and not participating in it. A surreal air surrounded him and his thoughts took on the same floating quality as they did while he gazed at the white stag.

"What is the one thing that you fear most?" He could have sworn that her mouth did not move, but he could hear the words nonetheless.

"I…" He began, unable to say the words out loud.

"Look deep into your heart, my prince." Her words whispered through is mind, compelling him to answer truthfully.

"Losing Bulma." He didn't think that he said the words, but she heard him and a comforting warmth, unlike he had ever felt before settled around him. He glanced over her shoulder and saw pearly butterfly wings lined in sparkling silver extend from the Princess' back. He watched in awe as they wrapped around him, encasing them both in an embrace. He blinked and the image was gone, but her eyes still glowed up at him.

"How will you lose her?" She questioned with the utmost gentleness.

Vegeta's brow creased and he clenched his eyes shut. A vision of Frieza's gaping maw rose up and images of his bloody, painful past raced through his mind, but the ache wasn't as sharp, it was dulled by Angel's presence.

"By becoming him." Vegeta whispered his head lowering in shame until his forehead rested against hers. Her hands left his cheeks, delving into his upswept hair. Her soft lips replaced her forehead as she pressed a reassuring kiss to his brow. He felt the sensation of peace skitter through him, dousing the fires of hate that had brewed inside of him since he could remember.

Suddenly her presence was gone and he was left bereft. He lifted his head and opened his eyes, meeting her gaze across the room. She stood by the door, her hand poised on the handle. She gifted him with a soft smile and he thought he saw the faintest outline of wings again.

"The conference will begin tomorrow at nine am. May I inform the others that they will have the honor of your presence?"

They stared at each for long minutes, time ticking by. Vegeta acquiesced with a short nod and the Princess smiled brilliantly at him, taking his breath away. She departed from the room, taking with her the glow of her light, but leaving the feeling of hope and contentment that settled in Vegeta's breast.

Translations Gaelic to English

Folaithe Ceo = Hidden Mist

Argneis Aingeal = Pure Angel

Ceansaigh = Pacify

The Tuatha De Danann are the people of the Goddess Danu or commonly referred to as fairy folk.