Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Time & Tide ❯ Vegetasei ( Chapter 1 )

Chapter One

It was a warm, bright and sunlit day on Vegetasei. Its large sun beaming bright down on the saiiyan people as they went about their business. But this was no ordinary day for the people. This was the day the 28th Vegeta was born. The palace was alive and busy with servants working to get every place neat and tidy as well as the ballroom in which the alien servants were hard at work to decorate the place as low-level saiiyan guards supervised. Today would be a glorious day. Of course, this day was no different to the servants, each an alien from a different race that the saiiyans had wiped out. To them, this meant just another ego-driven slave-driver to run their lives for them.

In the palace nursery, Queen Zafira sat in a rocking chair, holding a bundle in her arms. The day after the pregnancy and she was already trying to walk again. At the moment, she was feeding her newborn son who kicked his tiny right foot contentedly as he drank from his mother. She smiled warmly at the tiny life in her arms. It was still kind of weird being a mother. She expected to live out her life as a general in Frieza's military, and now here she was, queen of her race and mother of the next king. One of her servants took this opportunity to enter the room and kneel before her. Zafira had befriended this servant girl in the past when her belly began to swell with her child. Her skin was a pale green and her eyes were dark blue. Her hair was a curly dark green that dropped to the center of her back. All female servants were required to don long white dresses that accented their best features and showed off their femininity.

"Your highness, I was sent here to report that the king has just returned from his meeting with Frieza," she said politely, her head still lowered. Zafira's slender brow rose. "And where is he now?" It was still hard to believe that Frieza accepted their marriage. After all, no one had ever just up and left his military lest it were through death. He was actually happy for her and even congratulated her on her announcement of pregnancy. It made her worry about her husband. Ever since Frieza began to delve more into their affairs, Vegeta began to change, and not for the better. But her king would just tell her time and time again that everything would work out as long as they held their alliance with the infamous Tsiru-jin. "He's in a meeting with Sdhoirm," the servant girl said. Zafira's thoughts almost immediately left Frieza. Sdhoirm. She knew that her king still had some good in him as long as he and that saiiyan were friends.

~*~
"Vegeta, stop pacing. You're giving me a headache just watching you."
Sdhoirm sat at the end a long table, his feet propped up and his arms behind his head, rocking back on his chair as he stared at the ceiling. He would every now and then glance at his best friend, the Saiyan King, Vegeta.
King Vegeta was stomping back and forth beside the table, muttering obscenities under his breath about the whole situation with Frieza.
"You don't understand, Sdhoirm! How would you expect to run your empire if you yourself were being run by Frieza? I feel like a pet, put here for his amusement only!" King Vegeta snarled.
Sdhoirm chuckled. "Well, it is his opinion that you were."
Vegeta stopped pacing to glare at the laid-back Saiyan. "Are you going to help me, or would you rather be making smart remarks?"
Sdhoirm smiled. He was used to his friend's temper, and had never let it bother him before. "You're right. I'm sorry. Now, what is it that you need my help with?"
Vegeta started pacing again. "Frieza is increasing the deadlines on the Planet Trade. We can't keep this up!"
Sdhoirm raised an eyebrow. "Vegeta, Frieza has done this before. Why is it a problem now?"
King Vegeta stopped pacing once more to throw up his arms in exasperation. "Because Zafira won't rest until I plan something out for the boy's birthday!"
Sdhoirm threw back his head and laughed. "Ah yes, I forgot about Zafira! You may be running the kingdom, Vegeta, but Zafira is easily running you! Why not ask her for help with this?"
Vegeta sighed. "I came to you first, Sdhoirm. Couldn't you..."
"No." Sdhoirm cut him off. "I go to planets to learn, not kill. I am not on Frieza's Elite teams because I do not draw attention to myself for blind murder. You worry about the Planet Trade, Vegeta. I will help your mate with your son."
King Vegeta sighed tiredly and nodded.
Sdhoirm rose to leave. But as he passed through the door, he took one last look back towards his friend. A change was taking place in him...a change that Sdhoirm did not like one bit, and he didn't know how much longer he could fight it for Vegeta.

~*~
"Everything in here looks lovely," a gentle feminine voice pierced through the hustle and bustle in the ballroom. All the servants came to a halt and bowed before her immediately, the saiiyan overseers included.
"Y-Your highness, what are you doing out of the nursery? The king's orders were for you to gather your strength before the celebration," one overseer spoke, head bowed. Zafira merely sighed and walked farther into the room, the tiny prince resting against her chest, sucking on his fist, his body covered in a soft white blanket.
"I'm perfectly fine, I just wanted to see how things were going," Zafira said as she took in her surroundings. The overseers each took a quick glance at her. This new queen was so different from the past ones. She was kind, soft-spoken and beautiful! Well, not that the queens of the past weren't. It's just that the others always left something to be desired. Zafira's lenient attitude made the soldiers appreciate their environment.
The servants felt likewise. She was probably the only saiiyan they didn't want to see blasted to high heaven. While the others were ruthless and harsh, she actually gave a damn about others beside herself. Thus, they always felt safe in her presence.
"All right then, carry on," Zafira commanded and everyone rose off of their knees and continued their work. Zafira looked down at her son who was still sucking on his fist. She couldn't help but chuckle, "Greedy little thing. And I just fed you."

Just then, the large double doors swung inward and Sdhoirm strode in, turning his head as if looking for someone. Every servant immediately bowed again, for not only was Sdhoirm the strongest Saiyan alive at that point and the closest acquaintance with the Royal Family, he was also well liked for his attitude. It took a threat to the health of his family, friends or soul-son to make Sdhoirm angry. Otherwise it seemed as if nothing bothered him.
Sdhoirm was a warrior, tall and very strong. His favorite and ever-present weapon was the sword slung over his back. A lion's mane of spiky black hair hung just past his shoulders. He did not dress in Saiyan armor...Sdhoirm preferred loose-fitting black clothes and gauntlet gloves to wield the sword. Although he kept his power hidden from Frieza, he would have been well suited for the highest of the Elite.
Zafira caught Sdhoirm's eye from across the room and motioned him over. Sdhoirm grinned and jumped clear over the other servants in the way to land smooth as a cat beside the queen.
"Show-off," Zafira said with mock annoyance, giving her hair a proud toss.
Sdhoirm simply shrugged. He liked Zafira. Much better, in fact, than the previous queen, Cyrene. He recalled the psychobitch attitude of the female Saiyan...What a relief it had been after her death. Zafira was certainly better suited for the job. And, after all, who else would have had Sdhoirm's soul-son as her first-born child?
Sdhoirm grinned and touch minds briefly with the infant, just enough to call Prince Vegeta's attention away from his mother for an instant. The prince removed his fist from his mouth long enough to make a few strange cooing sounds in his soul-father's direction...then he stuffed it back in again.
Sdhoirm raised an eyebrow at Zafira. She chuckled. "What are we supposed to do, take his hand away from him?"
"Guess not," Sdhoirm replied with a grin. "So what if he eats himself."
"Sdhoirm!" Zafira faked shock.
"I was just kidding."
The queen sighed. "So, I understand you were speaking with my husband?"
Sdhoirm nodded, and his face darkened just the slightest bit. He looked away from Zafira and focused his attention on the baby. But Zafira was too perceptive to miss the expression in her friend's coal-black eyes.
"He's not coming, is he?" she said with a frown.
Sdhoirm shook his head. "His business with Frieza has gotten him very overwhelmed. I thought that, under the circumstances, it would be best to let him focus on one thing alone."
Zafira knew that by "under the circumstances", Sdhoirm meant that he was hoping to prevent a repeat of the last disaster that had occurred when King Vegeta had been frustrated by duties. Half of the training facilities had been destroyed, and it took all of Sdhoirm and Zafira's efforts combined to calm the king again.
Sdhoirm looked down to her face again. He was much taller than she was. "I came to help with the preparations for the little spitfire's birthday," he explained, flicking Prince Vegeta's spiky hair with one finger. "I'm very sorry that Vegeta could not be here."
Zafira only frowned in reply.
Sdhoirm continued. "But I am at your disposal completely, Zafira. What would you like me to do?"

~*~
A mass ship, with enough soldiers to conquer large planets, the mighty Frieza sat in his private chambers, staring out into space with his trademark wine glass, swirling the blood-red liquid as he thought to himself. He couldn't help but smirk, knowing that the king must've been tearing his hair out at that moment. He liked to tease the king, keep him on his toes. It was very amusing to see him angry and stressed, Frieza thought with another sadistic grin. And now Zafira, his former general, was a mother and queen of her people. The Tsiru-jin also found that amusing, in fact, he was just about ready to force her back to his ship when he thought: it would only ruin his ties with the saiiyans. Surely, they wouldn't just sit back while he took their queen from them. And besides, he was dying to meet the newborn prince he had heard so much about. A child of Zafira's would definitely be one to be reckoned with.

As Frieza was musing about his dealings with the Saiyan King, a messenger rapped hesitantly on his door.
"What is it?" Frieza asked in a bored tone.
Nervously, the servant opened the door. He ran inside, bowed to the back of Frieza's chair, and saluted. "Lord Frieza! King Vegeta is here and requests an audience with you regarding your demands of the Planet Trade!"
Frieza chuckled. "This should be interesting. Very well. Send him in."
The messenger nodded and rushed out again. Minutes later, the doors swung open once more and King Vegeta strode in swiftly. He was stiff with the effort of keeping his anger reined. He kneeled down respectfully. "Lord Frieza, I have informed my warriors of your wishes. They will do their best to meet your deadlines."
Frieza chuckled again. "My thanks, Vegeta. However...you do realize that if my demands are not met, I shall be forced to terminate your Elite squads."
King Vegeta's head snapped up. "What?! But...but that's blackmail!"
Frieza's soft, snakelike voice twisted around his chair to King Vegeta's ears. "Do you have a problem with the way I choose to run my empire, Vegeta?"
King Vegeta was so furious that he nearly missed the dangerous undertone of Frieza's words. He battled with his intellect against his instinct, and it was all he could do not to jump up and launch himself into certain death. Then, suddenly he remembered something Sdhoirm had once said to him.
"Remember, old friend...the number one rule of the Mental Masters...stay calm."
Stay calm, stay calm... These words echoed in King Vegeta's head. He repeated them over and over to himself, and slowly he felt himself relax once more, and he was able to rise to his feet.
"My...apologies, Lord Frieza. It shall be as you say."
"That's what I thought," Frieza said, sounding pleased. "You may go, Vegeta."
King Vegeta turned to leave, and he was almost through the door when he heard Frieza's mocking voice behind him again.
"And Vegeta...you might want to watch your temper in the future."
King Vegeta tensed his muscles, and he felt a growl beginning to form in his throat...Then his head snapped forward again, and he continued out of Frieza's chamber safely.
This was becoming difficult...

~*~
"Everything's been taken care of. Looks like everything will go according to plan," Sdhoirm said contentedly as he and the queen walked down the immense halls of the saiiyan royal palace.
"Except that the prince's own father won't be here for his first birthday," Zafira said with a disappointed sigh. Sdhoirm couldn't help but smile warmly. "It's not like the boy will know what's going on anyway. He'll be too busy trying to get his next meal to be concerned about the celebration." Zafira couldn't help but chuckle. Even in the most dismal of times, Sdhoirm managed to shine some light on the situation. Everything was set, all Zafira had to do now was get the young prince and herself ready.
"How has Sikah been doing? I hope you're bringing her along. I haven't seen her in a while," Zafira said.
"Oh, I'll definitely be bringing Sikah along. She's been doing well, training with Turles," Sdhoirm said. They soon reached the royal chambers and Sdhoirm bowed to her.
"See you at the party," he said with a smirk before he walked off, leaving the queen to enter her chambers to prepare the prince.

~*~
The newborn prince's birthday was always considered an important occasion and all saiiyans that were 2nd class and up were invited. The third class usually took the opportunity to lounge about in bars and roam the streets freely without the occasional bullying from someone with a higher ki. The main ballroom was decorated in bright, rich colors (gold and white) in celebration of the prince's birth, and every saiiyan close or familiar with the royal family had brought a gift for the baby.
"There we go...though I doubt dressing you in white is such a good idea. You tend to stain everything you wear," Zafira said with a warm smile as she dressed the baby in white baby clothing, lined with gold.
"You'd rather he wore black?" a booming male voice spoke up. Zafira's eyes lit up as she turned around to see her king already dressed in his royal robes for the birthday. Zafira smiled and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him.
"What was that for?" he asked.
"What? I can't kiss my husband?"
Vegeta smiled at her and returned the action.