Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Sculpted In Gold ❯ Party Preparations begin ( Chapter 12 )

Sculpted In Gold

Chapter 12

How could she have been so stupid? Shani wondered angrily. That wasn't how one was supposed to tell your mother that you had been given as a gift to someone that no one liked to start with and that meant she also had to marry him. Shani was still running, but she knew that her mother would still find her. She sighed as she collapsed to her knees in front of a pink marble bench in the west wing's formal rose garden, and tried not to start crying again as she wondered what her mother would say...

"Shani?" Came her mother's soft voice. "Are you alright?"

Shani groaned inwardly, she wanted to get back up and run, but she knew it wouldn't help and she couldn't bring herself to look at her mother. "I'm so sorry- I didn't want you to have to find out like that, mother please don't be mad at me."

"Why would I be angry with you? I love you. You are the only child I have. I want to be sure that you are alright."

Shani rolled her eyes she'd put up with being fussed over for several hours that morning already and was getting impatient. "Mother, I've already told you ten times that I'm fine, Frieza didn't hit me that hard."

The empress gave her daughter a dubious look but shook her head slowly. "I mean Vegeta- he didn't hurt you did he?"

Shani blushed immediately and stared at the pink marble walkway she was sitting on. "No."

"Please darling, I only want you to talk to me. Are you sure you're alright- I can't let Frieza force you to marry, if I…"

"Mother!" Shani growled in exasperation. "Raya and I already talked about this, I'm fine. I don't want to marry Vegeta because he's a selfish jerk but he didn't hurt me."

"Yes, I'm sure she got it out of you, but I'm still your mother." Shinesta said softly.

"I know it's just a little embarrassing that's all… I mean, I was given to him as a gift in front of everyone and then on top of that I behaved shamelessly with him; I know I did, but…"

Shinesta giggled, embracing her daughter gently. "It is in our nature as elves to express our sensuality with passion, Shani. In that, you haven't done anything wrong. You may have been a virgin but you still have instincts."

"Well, did my instincts have to make me act like a whore- Vegeta almost left without even waking me to say goodbye." Shani pouted.

"What do you mean almost?"

"I woke up as he was getting ready to leave."

The Empress chuckled. "Men can be so thoughtless sometimes, so what did you do about it?"

Shani blushed. "We argued for a while and then we- made love again, two more times."

The empress tried not to laugh, but still ended up chuckling which made Shani even more uncomfortable. "Oh my sweet daughter, I take it he didn't try to leave quietly again?"

Shani cracked a grin. "No- in fact when the other soldiers started coming to check on us, Vegeta punched Dodoria because he didn't like the big jerk was saying. Dodoria is such an arrogant bastard, he's just like Frieza but without the power… I wish Zarbon had gotten there earlier, because Dodoria is afraid of him and…"

"Well, I'm sorry that I couldn't get there in time to intercept Dodoria… but I thought that you'd be angry with me, even now." Zarbon said quietly, as he and Raya joined them in the rose garden.

"Part of me is… but I know that Raya wouldn't be in love with you if you were really the way that you always act when you are around Frieza's other goons. I have always felt pretty safe with you until at the party."

"I don't know what to tell you about that- except that I'm very sorry that I brought you in there. Frieza has been in an unusually cruel mood the last few weeks. The only thing he has done lately that surprises me was that he isn't going to kill Durmast for sending a team to Namek. Namek is in Frieza's territory and no where near Kwanzaa's western territorial border either. Usually he would have been furious… but this morning when I told him, he decided to let it slide with a warning- although I am supposed to make sure Durmast is at the party."

"Namek?" Shinesta wondered aloud. That name was familiar but why?

"Too bad he didn't kill Durmast. Do the universe a favor. That man has no brains, charisma or integrity." Raya growled. "Not to mention that he's unbelievably lazy in bed. If he's going to the party then I'm not. But speaking of the party; come my lady, and Shani, come we have a palace to dress up, and not nearly enough time to work on it."

"It looks beautiful already, what else could you need to do with it?" Shani asked.

Raya snorted, wrapping an arm around the princess and the other around the Empress. "Come young one, you have much to learn about life at court. Extravagance is the name of the game here in Frieza's home sweet palace. I'll take care of preparations in the kitchen, my lady. I'll leave the rest to you."

"What do you mean?" Shani asked.

"Your engagement party will have about 300-400 guests Frieza has informed us. That means we have about 600 people to feed all together. That means I get all of our girls, sorry my lady, but we need the magic a little more than you do. But if it makes you feel any better, I did ask Lady Zakarra send a few of the serving mages from what is still Shani's home- along with Blaze and Nightshade and Charsi."

"Charsi's coming?" Shani squealed delightedly thinking of her best friend, but before she could say anything else, she heard her mother's reaction to the news.

"You what??" Shinesta gasped. "You know what Frieza will do if he finds out, Raya- I don't think…"

"Well who is going to be dumb enough to tell him? I really don't care what he thinks. He's already tried killing me once today. Besides, no princess of mine is going to have an engagement party that looks like it was just slapped together at the last minute. If you want a scandal that would be the best way I can think of to start it." Raya growled. "I haven't served you for over 1000 years so that we'd get to look like idiots in front of Frieza's court when for once it actually matters. We can send everyone back when their work is done but you know as well as I do that we need the help."

"I know, Raya. It's just that if I got to see Blaze again I wouldn't want to send her anywhere…" Shinesta whispered, "but Frieza doesn't want her here."

"After what he just did to your daughter you'd let him have his way in this too?" Raya stared at her best friend in stunned silence.

"I- Raya after what has happened to Shani I'm afraid he might do something worse if he finds Blaze here."

"Blaze is only a Spell Dragon why would he object to her being here anyway? I've never understood why he sent her home in the first place."

"It's nice to see you too, Lady Raya." Quipped a tiny voice indignantly. They all turned in time to see Blaze come gliding over the tops of the rosebushes to land on Shinesta's shoulder, where she coiled herself around the empress's sleek neck, in a fond embrace. Barely a foot long from nose to tail and with a ten inch wingspan, the red scaled dragon didn't look like a particularly powerful or ferocious dragon. "I'm three times as old as the two of you combined and I know as much magic as each of you- but why indeed?"

Shani raced over to her best friend as a tall strawberry blonde human woman appeared on the other side of the stone planter of roses. "Shani, is it true? Are you really getting married?" But before she could answer; the servants Raya had promised from the Elven royal palace and a tiny black dragon, only half the size of Blaze also appeared, and landed on Shani's shoulder who nodded quietly as she led them over to her mother.

Raya shook her head and grinned at the tiny emerald eyed red dragon. "It's just typical of you to butt in on a conversation like that, Blaze."

"Well, someone might as well be here to keep you in line."

"I don't think it's possible to keep any of you elves in line." Zarbon chuckled.

"That from you?" Blaze laughed, looking at the handsome Saurian. "Anyway, don't you have an Empire to run?"

"Unfortunately yes, I do. My lady, I will remind Lord Frieza that in order to have things ready by tomorrow night, he gave his permission for you to use whatever means necessary to get things ready in the palace But after what has happened I don't think it'll be necessary, he has a lot of things to do today. He will be too busy to do any checking up on you." Zarbon assured her.

"Wait a minute, you're talking about the situation with the Killjarrins aren't you?" Shinesta sighed. "What else has happened? What is he going to do to their ambassadors?"

"They were dealt with yesterday, and Captain Ginyue is working on Killjarra with his team, the capital has already fallen. I'm sorry my lady."

"How can he do this? By his own court laws they were due a hearing, Zarbon."

"They didn't have many allies left who would have spoken for them, that whole sector is now slated for purging. When they lied so openly about so many things they had to have foreseen that he would be angry."

"I would have spoken for them. How dare you make it sound as if Frieza didn't build his empire on lies… You know as well as I do that I, for one, wouldn't be here if Frieza hadn't told me so many lies." Shinesta growled. "I don't see why you are siding with him."

"We lost a lot of warriors on missions that would have been easy had we been given correct information to start with."

"The Killjarrins are military strategists rather than warriors. They observed everything and analyzed the purges that they sent to Frieza so they could offer flaws in the training and mentality of Frieza's fighters. They were testing the skill, discipline and training of Frieza's men- I told you their reasons and I suppose you never told him…"

"There are other ways they could have gone about it, far less expensive ways..."

"How many planets have to die before you understand that all life has value?" Shinesta growled, turning her back on him stubbornly. "Not just lives which are directly capable of destroying other lives?"

"I do understand that. But Frieza is so furious that he was lied to that he will never care that they had a good reason for what they did. Not even you could say or do anything that would have been able to convince Frieza to spare them, Shinesta. And you know as well as I do that if you can't convince him, not one of the rest of the so called purge alliance would dare to side with you, and agree to spare the Killjarrins."

"How silly of me I forgot they are cowards. A bunch of slavers, warlords and bullies with large bank accounts on Jade or Kwanzaa or both that need Frieza's permission just to go to the bathroom and he wonders why I never have anything nice to say to them. Which reminds me Zarbon, how many of them did he invite to tomorrow night?"

"All of them are coming."

"What? I'm serious, I know he must have invited at least a few of them but you know as well as I do that we can't have them here with any respectable guests. To have to put up with them groping the servants during an evening of quiet dinner is bad enough. Does he know what will happen when one of them attacks one of the respectable Ladies from court?"

"They will be on their best behavior..." Zarbon shrugged, when she didn't answer he looked up and saw her expression. "Don't look at me. Frieza spent several hours talking to them before he ever came to find me this morning." Then seeing that the Empress's expression was darkening further he finally growled back. "Look, we all have a lot to do today and we are wasting time. I still need to go see if Radditz has landed over at the base yet, for lack of anything better to do with him until Vegeta gets here, I'll send him to help you decorate or something."

"Who is Radditz?"

"One of the last three Saiyans, of course." And with that said, the Saurian disappeared.

"Well," Shinesta sighed. "He's right about one thing. We are wasting time. Alright, Raya, I'll let you handle the kitchen. The rest of you, follow me. We are going to be working on the Entrance Hall, The Silver Dining Room, The Grand Ballroom, and the Veranda that joins these three rooms together outside in the gardens. To a lesser extent we will also decorate the halls that will lead lost guests between the party and their rooms, and a few of the small sitting rooms on the ground floor. There are servants bringing the banners and garlands for next week's party out of storage and taken to the rooms they will be hung in, but since this is an engagement party we will have to change the colors of each one. I will take care of the banners myself. Anyone with magic, as they hang the garlands of flowers change the lavender flowers to white, leave the silvery ones as they are and change the ribbons strung through them to white. If you don't have magic, the garlands are to border all tables, doorways, windows and the second floor railings of every room we are decorating, including the entire length of the Veranda and the outer rim of the big fountain. All the guests staying at the palace currently must be kept away from our work areas, but since the party is tomorrow night I'm willing to bet most of them will be staying in their chambers wondering what to wear anyway."

Shani giggled. "Well, can we help it that we have Raya to make instantly perfect gowns and hairstyles, and they don't? Well, I guess all the nobles from our Empire keep similar servants, but Raya is still the only one that studied in the Temple of Shinalla…"

Raya giggled too. "Your grandmother kept me stuck there so long that I could start my own temple if I wanted to, Shani, but I'd never leave you, my darlings. I'll have to see you later though, because I'm sure the other girls have things arranged for me in the kitchen by now and the cooks are probably getting impatient since they still have at least one of today's meals to prepare."

"Mother?" As Raya left, Shani closed her eyes and used her magic to touch thoughts with her mother. "Obviously you and Raya do this often- I mean get parties ready for Frieza- and he has told me that you even go to them with him. But- why? I mean why would you want to? I- he doesn't force you to, does he?"

"Blaze darling, you know were everything is, take everyone inside for me, please. Shani… I have been here for a very long time without you. I can't stand to be cooped up in my chambers all day and night. You know that I spent over three hundred years looking for your father after my mother sent him away so she could try to force me to marry another, and in that time I used my musical and magical talents to finance my travels. Having spent so much time as a bard I still find entertaining easy and fun. It's just something to do. That and I can give the minds of those who come to see Frieza something to do besides fume over whatever he has done to their people and how long he tends to keep them waiting. Frieza doesn't have the patience for the pleasantries of a normal court, and Zarbon doesn't have the time for all the things he is responsible for now, let alone placating dozens of visiting dignitaries… my presence serves as a buffer for both sides. Being exiled, of course I have no real power to offer solutions to the problems brought to either side of the dinner table, but I can listen to both sides. That and when Frieza actually is here in the palace I take him around to greet his guests politely telling him what his visitors have told me. More often than not, nothing is ever solved to the satisfaction of the visitor- but at least Frieza isn't likely to kill them for being angry and saying the wrong thing."

"He doesn't deserve to have someone as kind and generous as you to help him, mother," Shani grumbled, looking at the palace disdainfully. "If I were you I'd make sure there was never enough food, and I'd make sure the whole palace was decorated ugly colors or wait! Better yet I'd want the guests to arrive and everything would be dusty and nothing polished, and-"

The empress laughed and started back inside. "He would deserve that, I think you are right about that, but if this is to be your engagement party, then we should at least try to make the best of it. This should be a happy time."

"Then why do I want to cry?" Shani whispered, thinking her mother wouldn't hear. She paused, staring hopelessly at the ground, and tried not to cry.

"You can cry if you need to." Shinesta told her softly, wrapping her arms around her daughter. "I understand, Shani. I know that you feel trapped and caged and that every beat of your heart is telling you to fight this with every ounce of your strength, the way that I did when my mother wanted to force me to marry, but this isn't the same thing. Eight hundred years ago, I had only my own mother to contend with. This time the tyrant is Frieza. Our Empire needs you to protect it, by protecting yourself. We know that nobles from other worlds expect things of their rulers that our people do not believe in, and yet out of respect for our peers we try to show them that we are their peers, by our discretion, and by upholding the custom of marriage. You are our future Empress; your name must be kept clear of scandal. I would even take your place if I could, these are such dangerous times Shani, even within the purge alliance itself there is unrest, and several of Frieza's largest state's are on the brink of civil war at home and it wouldn't take much more nonsense here for Frieza to tire of all the formalities of court and take absolute control. So for now, we need to follow his decision for you to marry Vegeta. Perhaps we will get lucky and Vegeta will attempt to back out of the arrangement or Frieza could change his mind, but we at least need to make the announcement. Do you understand?"

"Yes, but it is so unfair. My life is being decided for me, and I can't do anything to stop it."

"I know, I just want you to remember that I will always love you and I will talk to Frieza myself, but try to keep your chin up. This is your first formal party, it is supposed to be fun, and we still have plenty of time before we need to begin wedding plans. A lot can happen in a year Shani, especially around this palace."

**

"Are we done yet, Vegeta?"

Vegeta didn't answer his larger companion right away, in their Orrazuu forms, they had laid waste to the surface of De Arran until it was impossible to believe that this was the jungle planet that had given Radditz and Napa so much trouble. Yet, looking deep into one of the tunnels, Vegeta still felt as if there would still be natives, lurking down there. They might slowly starve to death, but he was certain they were not all dead, even though resistance where they found it now, was weak and uncoordinated and very sporadic.

Finally Vegeta pushed the button on his scouter. "This is Vegeta. Get me Zarbon."

"Yes Sir." The scouter said, then fell silent for a few moments. Napa sat down on a rock to eat another of the natives that had been foolish enough to attack since they had reverted to their smaller forms a little while ago.

"Yes, Vegeta this is Zarbon. Are you ready to come to your next party?"

"Very funny, Zarbon. I think you could send a cleaning team to De Arran. But if you do, send a guard team in with them. The caves and tunnels are endless and the natives refuse to fight us in them, they just run away, but resistance has been to weak to justify staying any longer ourselves."

"Good, then the two of you can start for the Home base 1 immediately and I'll be able to find you something to wear in time that you won't be late."

**

Radditz had arrived several hours ago, and still really couldn't see the point of putting even more frilly, flowery decorations up. The palace was already famous for its elegant, ornate décor, but he had decided not to say anything. He was rather enjoying the scenery. There were literally dozens of beautiful women running around, some bringing in bouquets of fresh flowers, others were setting tables in the dining halls he had just left or climbing ladders to hang what had to be literally miles of garlands from the ceilings and over windows and doorways, the fragrant scents of roses and jasmine were everywhere. He sighed these Elven women he had been introduced to were much too frail and delicate to even consider seducing, but they were even more beautiful than any pleasure slaves he had ever seen. It was hard to believe one of these tiny females had actually managed to survive a night with Prince Vegeta, but then again, Vegeta tended to be pretty careful of his bedmates.

He was curious about all of the activity, and since he was not really doing much himself, he had plenty of time to watch with mild interest. He had been assigned to follow the golden empress around as she hung the banners throughout the rooms that would be used for the party, since he could easily carry the entire stack of banners at once, and being a Saiyan, he had been able to draw the crest of Vegetasei for her so that they wouldn't have to bother Zarbon for an example.

Shinesta, as the tiny Empress preferred to be called, was a particularly beautiful creature. She was slender and graceful like all of the other elves he had seen, but she had golden skin, proud carriage and a rich cascade of pure gold hair, and even though she had a commanding royal elegance about her, he noted that as she direct the servants, she was kind to all of them, even those who were not Elven. All of the servants rushed to do her bidding, and seemed to enjoy helping her as much as talking with her. He had been able to tell at first glance that she was royalty, but she was treating her servants like friends. She had large, kind eyes in pure silver, that sparkled with intelligence and a strong will and although Radditz had not seen her daughter yet, he was sure that the princess would possess more than just the beauty of her mother.

The ballroom was an enormous rectangle and very quiet. Elegant, beautifully detailed life-sized statues in white marble, alternating in handsome men and beautiful women in various states of undress lined three walls of this room in alcoves, the arch above each one was already strung with the silly garlands, and the ceiling was finished as well. The three sets of doors leading out onto the veranda, and each window were also already finished, so it wasn't too surprising that there was no one working in this room anymore, Radditz thought quietly following the Empress, wondering where the first banner would hang in this room. He couldn't see over the neatly folded pile of banners he was carrying but he had been able to hear the footsteps of the tiny empress whenever she stopped.

"Radditz, if you would like, you may put those down for a moment." The empress told him. "I would like to introduce you to my daughter."

Radditz put the pile of banners on the floor and looked over them curiously. This room wasn't as empty as he had thought at first. There were two people in this room besides himself and Shinesta, and they were sitting nearby on marble steps leading to a raised stage area, one was a slightly taller, more willowy version of the Empress herself. Even their eyes were the same, right down to the expressions. Radditz bowed deeply to the princess before even glancing at the other person. "My lady." He said quietly, not knowing what else to say, he quickly looked away from her, and found himself staring into two large, intense emerald green eyes.

He blinked and stood up to his full height. He had no idea what race this female was part of, but she was certainly not Elven. She would have been considered tall even for a Saiyan female, but next to two Elves she looked like a giant. She was also dressed differently than the elves, who seemed to prefer dresses. She was wearing soft black leathers that looked like they could have been poured onto her body, consisting of pants and boots and a vest over a white cotton blouse. She had long arms and legs that rippled with sleek, well toned muscle, her torso was lean and her breasts seemed small for her height, but she had a pleasing figure never the less with a tight waist and hips. She had fiery red gold hair that fell to the middle of her back in tiny ringlets. Her face was dominated by her large eyes, and she had a strong jaw, with a stubborn set to it, but since she looked the part of a fighter he supposed it suited her. Altogether he decided she was quite attractive, even if she didn't seem the least bit impressed with him. Her bright green eyes maintained an aloof, rather cold expression.

Shani giggled and elbowed the larger female playfully, leaning over to whisper in her ear. "I think he likes you Charsi. Vegeta's tail did that whenever he looked at me too."

Radditz was surprised and embarrassed, but he managed to wind his flickering tail back around his waist, but not before the two elves giggled, and the tall female stood up and began walking to the doors leading outside into the gardens.

"Empress, please excuse us, My lady. Shani, we promised to help on the Veranda too, remember?" Charsi said pointedly. This Charsi was quite graceful too, especially for her size, he decided. But she moved with the long, powerful stride of an athlete and easily disappeared out into the gardens.

"Coming, see you later mother." Shani giggled as she got up to follow Charsi outside, she glanced up at him and smiled sweetly. "It's ok, Radditz. You know, her people are about your size or a little bit bigger, so she won't say it but she probably curious about you too. She's Barbarian from one of the human's Northern Tribes, who was raised among Elves, so her manners are actually pretty good compared to most of her people. Besides, Charsi is a ranger and they-"

"Shani, darling." Shinesta chided gently. "If you are going, then run along, quietly dearest, I think you've probably embarrassed enough people in this room for five minutes. I'm sorry about that, Radditz. Obviously subtlety is not her forte, so with my daughter in attendance, the party will be very interesting. I suppose we should get back to work too, though."

Radditz couldn't help just nodding in mute agreement as he picked the neatly folded pile of silk banners back up.

LOL… I just can't help feeling sorry for Radditz right there. I just didn't know what to say to Shani if I were him either but my betas told me to leave it. (It looks like there is a little of the Shani we all know and love from Shadows, in her after all!!) Shani can't help it, she just isn't a typical princess, and now she thinks she's going to play matchmaker for Charsi and Radditz?? Oh my… Anyway, I can't wait to start writing out the party that's why I tried to kinda move things ahead in here!!