Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Unfaithful ❯ Part Four: 20 ( Chapter 20 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

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................................................................ ...................Rhapsody~*



________________________~* Part Four*~: War
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Emotions ran high during the hours before the meeting. Word had been going through the palace that King Yamcha had been loitering around the city with an odd array of Saiyan cohorts, proclaiming war beginning at the meeting that night, and it was no secret that Prince Vejita was always battle-ready. People were saying that he had hired human targets from Yamcha's personal guard, and the men were never seen again. Legitimate proof, however, could not be found for any of these allegations.

It was only when Bulma and Yamcha returned to their chambers a mere two hours before the meeting when the real drama started. Queen Bulma's scream could be heard down several hallways, and guards and nobles alike rushed to the ambassadorial chambers to have a look at the source of the woman's terror.

By the time Queen Magdalene and Prince Vejita arrived, all but the human monarchs and the palace guards had been cleared from the room. Kakkarott, who had accompanied Vejita, rushed to Bulma's side. Thankfully, Yamcha was much too intoxicated and angry to stop him from embracing the woman and comforting her through her tears. Vejita forced himself to stay calm while his idot 'friend' touched the girl.

"What in the world is going on here?" Magdalene demanded. "What is the reason for all the commotion?"

"You wanna see?" Yamcha slurred with a peal of drunken laughter. "Go into the bathroom."

"Oh Kami," Bulma was moaning. "My maid... Nataliah! Oh Kami, she's..."

"What?" Vejita prodded indifferently. Inwardly, he seethed. He had not intended for Bulma to see the results of his crime.

"Murdered!" Bulma cried, rocking within Kakkarott's arms. "There's so much... blood."

"Damn," Magdalene swore. "When I find out who did this, I'll have them for breakfast!"

"Cool it, Magdalene," Vejita said. "How do you know that the girl didn't just commit suicide?"

Bulma shook her head. "No-- you haven't seen her."

"That, my dear, can be easily remedied." Magdalene moved towards the bathroom and practically pushed past the guards. "Let me through!" Silence emitted from the room as the queen surveyed the scene. Then, she called out, "Vejita! Come here, quickly."

The prince shot one last glimpse at Bulma, who looked worse by the moment, then stormed over to the bathroom, where he was treated to a view of his handiwork. If Bulma hadn't have been so affected, he thought, he actually would have been proud of himself.

A thin trail of crimson led over to the bathtub, where Nataliah swam in a bath of her own blood. The unfortunate handmaiden sported a plain silver knife in her chest, and multiple fatal gashes that one could see over the tub of blood. The maid's face was twisted into a horrendous expression of dread, and her brown eyes still started ahead, at an attacker that had long since gotten away. All in all, it was a grisly sight.

"What do you make of it?" Magdalene asked her son, moving forward to examine the scene. If she hadn't seen so many like it in her time as a royal, she would have been vomiting. Her dark emerald eyes glinted with emotion. "Murder, wouldn't you say?"

Vejita nodded. "Yes. Maybe as a warning to the humans or to speed up a war with them."

"What an awful thing for Bulma to see, especially when she's already under pressure," the queen said. "I shall have to lend her one of my handmaidens for the time being, and they must be moved to new chambers. Unfortunately, we do not have the time to investigate at this moment. We can, however, place guards at their doors for extra protection and arrange to have the situation mulled over later."

"Yes. Do you think that the meeting should still commence?"

Magdalene nodded reluctantly. "We must have it-- progress is too slow to miss out. Bulma will have to be excused, of course. She's in no condition to face that particular mess."

"Would it be wise to leave her alone?" Inside, Vejita was elated-- now the woman could not be sure of exactly who had initiated the war, and therefore would still remain faithful in him.

"No, and that is why I am appointing Kakkarott to stay with her." At her son's incredulous look, she glared. It seemed that her suspicions may have been correct, or else why would Vejita care who she left to keep Bulma company? That particular issue, however, would have to be dealt with later. "They are friends, Vejita, and besides, Bulma would hardly be comforted wth Radditz or, Kami forbid, Turles by her side."

Vejita did not like the way his mother was scrutinizing him. It was almost as if she knew about he and Bulma... but therewas no way, he reminded himslef. She had seen no signs of their affection-- none! "Fine. I'll have the guards clean this shit up." The prince then exited the bathroom and made arrangemets with the guards, while Magdalene talked to Bulma, Yamcha, and Saint Kakkarott across the room.

"I cannot miss the meeting!" Bulma was saying as defiantly as Magdalene had ever heard her. "I am perfectly fine--"

Magdalene glanced at Yamcha, who was talking to a guard across the room after growing bored of Magdalene's lecture, then back at Bulma. "Dear, for once, listen to your body nad rest. I know what its like to be in your place-- the stress will kill you if you aren't careful."

Kakkarott nodded. "She's right. We can rally for peace without you."

"Besides, another death would not do good for our reputation," Vejita interjected as he approached them.

"Kakkarott, make sure that she is kept relaxed," Magdalene instructed. "We have to leave for the meeting now." Then, to Bulma, "Perk up, dear. You are safe."

"Thank you," Bulma said as the queen left, followed by the guards and Yamcha. Then, seeing that she, Vejita, and Kakkarott were alone, she spoke her mind. "This is not good at all. Yamcha will use this as an excuse for war, and Kami... poor Nataliah! She didn't do anything!"

Kakkarott and Vejita exchanged glances, and the prince knew that Kakkarott had him figured out. But they would not spring the awful truth on Bulma now.

"Be careful, Vejita-sama," Kakkarott said. "Remember that war is a last resort only."

Bulma met his black eyes. "You made me a promise," she reminded him. "I am relying on you now."

Vejita nodded, but did not meet her eyes in return. He couldn't. For the first time in his life, he felt genuinely guilty about lying to somebody. It was not a feeling that he liked. "I remember." And before exited, he turned back to Kakkarott. "Keep in mind who you are embracing, third-class." Then he was gone.

Kakkarott tried his best to smile. "Let's go to your new chambers, shall we?"
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"Why did you do it?"

Vejita looked up from the pattern on his mother's bedspread (they had returned to her chambers so that the queen could 'freshen up') and frowned. "Around here, you're going to have to be a bit more specific."

Magdalene stopped fluffing her hair or whatever it was that she was doing and turned to her son gravely. On the surface, she looked calm, but inside, Vejita knew that she was raging. "Why the bloody hell did you kill Nataliah, Vejita?! Why did you endanger us all by dallying with Bulma? Why did you lie to us without a second thought? And why, Vejita, do you want this war so damned badly?"

The man knew that confrontation had been coming, but even he didn't predict to what extent. How had his mother gotten to know these things? All that he could be sure of was the fact that there was nothing to be gained by lying anymore. "Because the bitch saw us together and could not be trusted! Because war is the only way and you fucking know it!"

"And what of Bulma?" Magdalene raised an eyebrow and approached her son slowly, arms crossed. "You never answered that question for me, Vejita."

"I don't know the fuck why!" the prince shouted, jumping up to glare at his mother. "Any man in his right mind would have done it."

"When?" Magdalene pressed. "How long have you been keeping this from everyone?"

Vejita looked her straight in the eyes. "Since the welcoming celebration. And Kakkarott knew."

Magdalene looked as if she wanted to vomit for a moment, then she turned away. It appeared, judging by her tense shoulders and heavy breathing, that she was trying to contain her Saiyan temper. She was unsuccessful. Suddenly, she lunged for her vanity and seized a hairbrush, which she slammed into her mirror violently. The mirror shattered and sent sharp shards falling down onto her, but she didn't seem to notice.

"Why the hell would you do such an idiotic thing?!" she demanded. "Bulma is a married woman-- Yamcha's woman, to be exact. You will both have to be punished. Yamcha would torture her if he knew, maybe even kill her! If you love her so damned much, then why would you do it?" When the queen turned around to face Vejita, her face was streaked with tears of frustration and anger.

Vejita considered lying, but knew that he would never be able to live with the guilt of deceiving his mother in her condition. "Her damned music drew me in. She played my birth song, Magdalene. She even hums it when she gets bored! And if that isn't a good reason, then I don't know what the hell is."

"This could be our undoing," Magdalene said softly. "I can not blame you, though. When I see her, I think of what she could be, if only she had encountered us earlier. But perhaps you do not understand, Vejita. She is trapped. Yamcha will never leave her alone now. She will never know peace again-- he will beat her, ravage her, until you and Vejitasei are forgotten. How could you shield her from that?"

"When this war comes, she will stay here with me," Vejita told her stubbornly. "Yamcha will never see her again."

"I see." Magdalene narrowed her eyes. "So this war will be about her. Would you risk millions of lives for Bulma? Would you risk your own life?"

Vejita knew that the answer to both of those questions was yes, but did not think it wise to share that fact with Magdalene. If she thought him overly reckless, she would be harder to deal with it came down to declaring war. "It will not come to that, and if it does, I will do what's in the best interest of the planet."

"For Bulma's sake, as well as yours, I hope that you are being truthful." Green eyes bore into black ones, and Magdalene was forced to look away first.

In a way, she was happy for Bulma and Vejita. Their relationship meant freedom and happiness for Bulma's tortured soul, and perhaps finally Vejita would settle down and allow himself to be a normal young man without the weight of the universe on his shoulders. And the pair made sense-- the most beautiful woman known and the most powerful man in the universe. Together, there was no telling what they could accomplish. But at the same time... there was no way that this would go over well. In some shape or form, the two would have to be punished.

"I never thought that I would live to see the day when you deem a woman worthy of your attentions."

Vejita raised an eyebrow and looked a bit too arrogant for comfort. "She cannot be equaled. I like that."

"Most men do," Magdalene retorted. She knew better than to believe her son's brusque cover. He loved her for more than charming exterior. "But if you think that Yamcha will give her up without a full-scale war, then you are a bigger fool than even your father was." Harsh words, she knew, but someone had to say it.

"If he threatens me-- or her -- I'll slaughter him gladly."

"Vejita, I must warn you that--"

A knock on the door cut her off mid-sentence. The queen hurried to answer it and greeted the guard that stood there coolly. Under the woman's menacing gaze, the interrupter nearly trembled.

"Your Majesties, the meeting is starting now," the guard standing at the door informed them. "The council and King Yamcha are ready for you now."

Magdalene glanced at Vejita, who had come forward by her side, and glared with a malice that only an angry mother could manage.

"We'll finish this conversation later."
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Meanwhile, Bulma and Kakkarott sat together out on the small balcony of the new set of chambers while servants transferred the humans' belongings over from the other rooms. Sensing that they would need privacy, Kakkarott had shut the doors back into the room, so that no curious servants could eavesdrop on their conversation.

Bulma was grateful for a friend's presence. If it were not for Kakkarott's kind companionship she would have fallen apart. Not that she was relaxed or anything-- just distracted temporarily. For somewhere in the palace, a war could be beginning.

"Are you sorry that you're missing the meeting?" she asked Kakkarott, who had been quietly looking at the pleasant view of the sea while the human queen battled her inner demons.

Kakkarott shrugged. "Not really. There isn't much that I could do anyway, because Vejita would overrule me. I would much rather be here talking to a friend who wouldn't attack me for speaking up!"

Bulma could not find it in herself to laugh at this truth about Vejita. "I appreciate your being here, Kakkarott, even if you are keeping the truth from me."

This was a new development. "What?"

"You and Vejita know what happened to Nataliah. I could see it in Vejita's demeanor, and I can see it in your eyes. Tell me the truth."

Kakkarott recognized the toughness in her clear blue eyes, and sighed. She was much too smart to be shielded from the truth. "Bulma, I don't think--"

"Tell me!" she ordered him.

"Vejita killed her," Kakkarott admitted, looking away from the queen in guilt. "She saw you two together, and would have told somebody. That's how nervous about it she was. You gotta remember-- he did it to protect you. He didn't intend for you to be the one to find her, though..." He trailed off lamely, not knowing how she would react. Then he dared to look up at her.

Much to his dismay, she was not openly traumatized, though a single tear slid over one high cheekbone. "Nataliah suffered because of my selfishness and dangerous actions. And now a war will be started, mostly because of me..." The woman took a deep breath, fighting for composure. "When Yamcha finds out about all of this, I'll be doomed."

"Vejita is a powerful man," Kakkarott assured her. "He will do everything in his power to keep you here on Vejitasei with him."

"He has more important things to worry about right now."

Kakkarott shook his head. "Nothing is more important to a Saiyan than his mate." The man instantly regretted his hasty words-- it was obvious to everyone with two eyes that the two belonged together, but did they realize that yet?

Bulma's eyes were wide. "What did you call me? But, I am human. How could--"

"It doesn't matter," Kakkarott said. "I have never seen him like this before. You are his only equal, or at least thats what he believes. It sure explains why he's been so crazy lately."

"Why do things have to be so complicated? All I want is to be happy, and to be safe."

Kakkarott nodded. "I know. But don't worry-- things have a funny habit of turning for the better around here. Look at Magdalene-- she's living proof."

"Stop comparing her to me," Bulma said with a frown. "She is stronger than I could ever hope to be."

Her companion said nothing. Something told him that Bulma's claim was entirely mistaken. She was much stronger than people had been giving her credit for, and the time was coming for her to prove it.

"What do you think is going on right now?" Bulma asked softly after a few moments of silence. "Do you think that they are pushing for a war yet?"

Kakkarott closed his eyes and felt for the Saiyan council's ki signatures. What he discovered alarmed him more greatly than anything else could have. His father's ki was skyrocketing, a sure sign that all was not well. Radditz, Nappa, and Turles' seemed to be normal, but fluctuated periodically, probably because they were falling in and out of arguement. Vejita's was on the verge of breaking over to Super Saiyan, but knowing his temper, that could mean anything. It was Magdalene's ki that gave him his answer. When the Saiyan opened his eyes again, his face was pale.

"Maybe," he replied. "Magdalene is ready to explode, as well as Vejita. That could mean anything, but..."

Bulma nodded understandingly. "But we both know how close its getting." The queen took a deep breath and stood from her chair. She then moved over to the balcony, where she rested her chin on her folded hands and fought for control of her emotions. She felt as if she would either burst into tears or scream with the tension of it all. "He promised me..." she whispered.

Kakkarott's sensitive hearing picked up on her quiet words, and he went to stand beside her, his kind face concerned. "I know," he said sympathetically. "But sometimes, war cannot be avoided, and Vejita knows what he's doing. He's been planning wars since he could talk, you know? And besides..." The man rested a comforting hand on Bulma's bare shoulder. "I'm sure that he wouldn't lie to you intentionally."

"He lied about Nataliah," Bulma pointed out.

"Not exactly," Kakkarott said. "He never got a chance to talk to you about it, did he?"

The woman shook her head, but Kakkarott could see that she was doubtful. "A healthy relationship cannot be built on a bed of half-truths."

"Uh, I don't think that it can be built on an illegal affair, either."

Bulma cracked a small, ironic smile at this. "I suppose that things couldn't get any worse then, could they?"

Kakkarott looked away. He wouldn't bet on it.
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Magdalene and Vejita arrived at the meeting rooms just in time to witness Radditz and Yamcha jump out of their seats simultaneously, shouting accusations at each other at the top of their lungs. The other Saiyans, save Bardock, quickly moved to separate the two before they started the war right then and there.

"What the hell is going on?" Vejita demanded, raising his power level as a warning. For Kami's sake, they hadn't even taken their seats yet! "Can't you fools be trusted alone for more than a few seconds?"

"Forgive me, Your Highness, for wanting to bring justice to one of the killers of my wife's maid!" Yamcha huffed, shrugging off the restraining hands of Nappa and Turles. "I know that it was fucking orchestrated, and that I was next!"

Nobody could think of a response to such an absurd comment, so Yamcha ranted mindlessly on, his nerves strengthed by alcohol and adrenaline, a deadly combination.

"You barbarians would have finished me off, too, then taken Bulma!" Yamcha then spit boldly at Vejita and Magdalene's feet, reeking of strong wine. "Its a shame that Kami has allowed such perversions of nature to remain in power for so damne dlong. As far as I'm concerned, you all can rot in hell!"

Vejita coudl hold back no longer. "We're two steps ahead of you, asshole, because this son of a bitch has taken your woman already!"

A shocked, heavy silence fell over the room as both the Saiyans and humans absorbed Vejita's fearless admission. Fresh tears wet Magdalene's face, and the queen covered her face with her hands. Bardock's intelligent brown eyes smoldered at Vejita, and Radditz, Nappa, and Turles wore identical expressions of disbelief. Yamcha's face went from pale, to pink, to red, then to an enraged shade of purple, and his hands trembled.

"You are a liar!" he accused, pointing a shaky finger at the Saiyan Prince. "She would have told me."

"Even I could not make up such a ridiculous lie," Vejita replied, his smug expression never faltering.

"You ravaged her then, you monster!"

Vejita chuckled and approached the other man, amused at his entirely predictable reaction. Yamcha's body trembled as he was forced to back away from the stronger man. "I've heard enough English in my life to accurately distinguish between 'harder' and 'help me'." The Saiyan then smirked dangerously. "Tell me-- how does it feel to sleep ignorantly in the very bed where your adversary fucked your wife just moments ago?"

Yamcha let out a scream of rage, and attempted to lunge at Vejita, but was stopped by Bardock, who pulled him a safe distance away from Vejita, who looked more than a little disappointed to miss an opprotunity to fight.

"We can resolve this peacefully!" he exclaimed over Yamcha's angry shouts. "Calm yourself, please!"

"Who are you kidding, Bardock?" Vejita said with a murderous glint in his black eyes. "War is the only way to resolve such matters. I'm sure that King Yamcha here will agree with me, hmm?"

"Let go of me, you old fool!" Yamcha commanded, struggling out of Bardock's grasp.

"What do you say?" Vejita asked as Yamcha brushed himself off.

"Fuck diplomacy!" Yamcha hissed, glaring at the Saiyans around him. "If its a war that you want, I'll be glad to comply. And if you want her beneath you again, Saiyan, you can pry her body from my cold dead fingers."

"We must rethink--" Magdalene started to protest.

"Shut up!" Vejita and Yamcha yelled simultaneously.

The Saiyan Queen did not speak, but her expression said more than her voice ever could. She looked utterly devastated. Helpless.

"No terms, no papers," Vejita continued. "Who needs a document to explain what happened today? I think that we understand each other perfectly."

Yamcha frowned. He normally knew better than to agree to such a thing, but jealousy poisoned his mind and clouded his reasoning. "Done. Let me off the planet, and then we shall next see each other from across a battlefield."

"You have one hour," Vejita conceded. "Get your ass out of my sight before I change my mind and decide to kill you now instead."

After one last black look, Yamcha was gone, leaving the Saiyans alone to confront their prince.

"What the fuck were you thinking?!" Bardock exclaimed. "You had an affair with Bulma?!"

"I know what he was thinking," Radditz muttered to his cohorts, who mustered laughter.

Magdalene spoke up. "It does not matter now. If Yamcha finds her first..." She did not have to finish her sentence before Vejita was gone. Then, to the remaining council and guards, "Go now-- there is no time to waste! Prepare for war."

Numbly, the men hurried away, falling into the battle routine that they had gone through many times. Magdalene knew that they knew what to do. Exhausted, the woman saknk down into a chair and sighed.

"I knew it."

Magdalene did not look up at Bardock, just shook her head. "So did I, I'm afraid."

"Now we are all paying the price for Vejita's recklessness! How could he--"

"Bardock," Magdalene said sternly. "Yamcha came for war no matter what happened here. You knew that."

Bardock glared. "You are saying that because he is your son, and she is like you once upon a time."

"No." Magdalene looked up at her old friend with a deadly certainty in her emerald eyes. "I say that because he knows what he's doing, and because she is the future queen of this planet."

Bardock's gaze shifted over to the doors through which Vejita had exited. "Then let us hope that he finds her," he whispered. "Its all up to them now."
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Rhapsody~*
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FF.NET MEMBERS:: Sorry 'bout the delay, I was at yet another horse show. But don't worry, my next one isn't until September, and this story will most likely be finished by then. ^_~ Once again, thanks for your wonderful response! Ja ne for now...

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