The humble servant shuffled his way to the prince's quarters as quickly as he could. He was charged with relaying a message to his highness with haste. He arrived at the Prince's door and rapt his knuckles against it three times before drawing back in a respectful bow for when the Prince opened the door. "Prince Vegeta, my humble apologies for disturbing you, I have a message from the king." He began as he heard the door slide open. He did not look up from his bow so he was not aware that it was not the young prince that opened the door. "Your father has requested an-" he stopped short. "Officer Raditz! My apologies, sir. I did not expect to see you in his highness's room." The servant's face flushed red when he noticed that the long haired warrior was completely naked.
Raditz grumbled incoherently and pivoted on his heel before heading back towards the bed. His long hair hid his naked rear from the messenger who sighed inwardly in relief. "Sir, please, I must speak with the prince at once. I carry an urgent message from his father, can you tell me where he is?" Raditz seemed to ignore the man as he snaked his way under the sheets. He leaned in and whispered something that the messenger couldn't hear to the other body in the bed before a long brown tail slicked it's way out of the covers to wind its self with Raditz's. The prince slowly lifted his head off the pillow. His spiked hair the first thing to pass Raditz's shoulder as he glared at the servant in the doorway.
"What?" He grumbled tiredly, wiping the sleep from his eyes. The messenger bowed once again as he began to speak.
"Your highness! The King has requested and audience with you in the throne room with haste!" The prince plopped himself back down on the bed and threw his arm over his face. Raditz's tail began to draw nondescript designs on the Prince's abdomen as its owner laid on his stomach.
"Why?" The prince asked.
"To go over the details of your next station, my lord." Vegeta sighed heavily sitting up in bed.
"What are you talking about? I just got back from a mission last night!" He growled at the servant. Raditz coiled his tail with Vegeta's feeling the Prince tense up.
"Please, my lord. I do not know the details. I only know to tell you that you must meet your father in the throne room as soon as possible to discuss your next station with Lord Freeza who is also in attendance." Vegeta blanched and his breathing grew ragged. Raditz sat up in bed quickly blocking Vegeta from the view of the servant.
"Leave." Raditz said and the servant scuttled out of the doorway as quickly as his feet could carry him. As the door slid closed Raditz leaned into Vegeta and kissed his neck willing his prince to calm down. He placed his hand on Vegeta's chest feeling how rapidly his heart was beating and sighed heavily. "It'll will be okay my Prince." He rumbled into Vegeta's ear. Vegeta began to shake his hands head protesting Raditz's words. "It will. Now let's get you dressed, you know how that little shit hates to be kept waiting." When Vegeta didn't budge Raditz cupped his hand under Vegeta's chin and drew him in for a kiss. He could feel the prince beginning to relax the deeper their kiss grew. A small smile formed on Raditz's lips as he pulled away and watched his prince smile then spring into action getting dressed for his meeting.
…
Vegeta walked the winding corridors as quickly as he could with Raditz right at his heels. The Prince was mumbling incoherently to himself speculating about why Freeza would be on his planet where he had no reason to be. Raditz could feel the tension in his Prince beginning to rise to dangerous levels and took notice of the angrily swishing tail just under Vegeta's cape. He quickened his pace so as to be in step by Vegeta's side. Looking around to be sure that no one was around to notice Raditz released his own tail from his waist and gently wrapped it around Vegeta's in an attempt to calm the prince down a fraction. Raditz waited with bated breath until he felt Vegeta's tail coil around his own and breathed a sigh of relief. The pair continued, tails interlocked, the rest of the way to the throne room, the billowing of Vegeta's cape and the flow of Raditz's hair kept their secret from the prying eyes.
Vegeta reached the doors of the throne room and spotted his care taker turned bodyguard, Nappa, leaning against the adjacent wall. They quickly disengaged tails and tried to discreetly wrap them back around their waists but Nappa saw, as he always does, yet said nothing, as it wasn't his place to judge his charge's romantic exploits.
"Are you ready my Prince?" He asked bowing at the waist with his right fist over his heart.
"Let's just get this over with." Vegeta grumbled, straightening his back and adorning a stoic look to hide his true emotions. Nappa nodded to the door maid and she in turn bowed slightly before opening the doors and stepping to the side to allow the men passage.
"General Nappa Obeye! Head of the Royal Guard! Personal Guardsman of Prince Vegeta!" The Herald shouted to announce the men as they entered the room. "His Royal Highness, Prince Vegeta of the house Vegeta! First born heir to his Majesty, King Vegeta! Officer Raditz Wolfsun! First Lieutenant of the Royal Guard! Personal Guardsman of Prince Vegeta!" The Herald finished and returned to his place by the door.
The three men were standing in front of the king, bowed low respectfully before Vegeta stood up giving the other two their cue to stand straight as well and take their proper places. Two steps to the left and back of Vegeta for Raditz, two steps to the right and front for Nappa.
"I have come as you requested Father. What is the urgency?" Vegeta's heart began to beat furiously beneath his chest as the voice that spoke up was not his father's.
"I would be the urgency." A shrill voice echoed against the walls as it's owner shouted from the banquet table on the far left side of the room. Grabbing a piece of fruit off of the small plate the small tyrant stood up from his seat.
"Lord Freeza." Raditz and Nappa said in unison bowing slightly while Vegeta remained upright refusing to bow to the ice-jin.
"Your father is under the impression that I am not a very patient man," Freeza threw the plate of food behind him letting it to crash against the floor. "He would be correct." The youngest of the Royal Colds stalked over to Vegeta with a maniacal smirk on his lips and dark intentions in his eyes. "I hate waiting." He stated staring Vegeta directly in the eye.
Freeza's smirk dropped at the lack of reaction he was receiving. Before Vegeta could react Freeza's tail whipped out from behind him and struck the young prince across the face. Vegeta slowly turned back toward Freeza, a low grumble building up in his throat. Freeza's smirk returned as he turned and walked towards the thrones to stand in front of the King. From off to the side Raditz cleared his throat in an attempt to pull the Prince's focus from the tyrant and stop him from growling so loudly. Vegeta shot a quick side glance at Raditz before turning back to Freeza and glowering daggers at him.
"Your father and I were discussing a topic that he felt needed your opinion as well." Vegeta's expression didn't change as Freeza continued speaking. "It occurred to me, not long ago that all of the planets in this region are fully under my command. All of them, except this one."
"I assume you want to seize control of our planet so that you can add it to your collection?". Vegeta sneered. "Never gonna happen." Vegeta began to slowly ascend the stairs and circle around Freeza. "We agreed to give you access to our warriors for your pointless conquest of galactic domination in exchange for the technology you and your people had to offer. My father rules over this world and when it is his time to step down I will wear the crown. My heir will then follow me and for generations after this planet will continue to be ruled over by a Saiyan and a Saiyan only." Vegeta stood in front of his throne and crossed his arms over his chest as he sat down. Freeza's smirk never left his face as the Prince gave his speech.
"Well done! Very well said!" Freeza shouted as he began a slow clap. "You would have made a very convincing King. Too bad that no one will ever see it." Vegeta's face contorted into angry confusion at what Freeza was going on about. "As I said before your father thought it best that you be present at these 'negotiations' as he put it, I did not. I came down here to simply state that the Saiyans will now and forever be under my command. You all will be employed by me to work in my army as the low level monkey fighters you all are. Your precious monkey monarchy is henceforth disbanded, and you, my dear little monkey prince, will be stationed on my ship so that I may keep a close eye on you." Freeza's cockiness grew with every visible wince the Prince made at the word 'monkey'. "There will be no discussion, there will be no negotiation and your duty will begin immediately. However, I will be gracious and give you some time to gather your belongings and say your goodbyes." Freeza dared a glance towards Raditz hinting to the Vegeta that he knew the Prince's secret desires. "Report to my ship in exactly five hours."
"No." Vegeta said with a strong voice. Freeza arched an eyebrow.
"Oh? I do believe that I said there will be no discussion. Gather your belongings and report to my ship in four hours." Freeza asserted.
"No!" Vegeta retorted louder. "As the Prince of all Saiyans, rightful heir to the throne, future ruler of this world and its people, I cannot and will not allow you to saunter on to my planet and make a mockery of my people for your own amusement. Now, with all due respect, Lord Freeza, I demand that you board your ship and leave my planet and never return." Freeza's smirk dropped faster than he could blink.
"I don't think you fully understand exactly what is going on here. The Saiyans WILL be under my command. You WILL gather your belongings and you WILL board my ship in THREE hours or I will destroy this mud ball and every single stinking monkey along with it! Don't underestimate me monkey, you know exactly the destruction I am capable of. I could wipe out everything you know and love with just a flick of my wrist and not even think twice about it. Now I will not say this again, gather your belongings and report my ship in two hours!" Freeza turned to leave the room as Vegeta stood from his seat taking a few steps toward the tyrant.
"I said n-FATHER!" Freeza spun and shot off a ki beam directly at the King's heart before Vegeta could finish talking.
"ONE HOUR, MONKEY PRINCE!" Freeza shouted storming out of the throne room.
The King slid from his throne as the door swung shut and Vegeta reached down to help ease him down to the floor. Seeing the life slowly slip from his father's eyes Vegeta roared loudly and charged at Freeza only to be held back by a pair of large arms restraining him.
"Your Highness, please! Calm down!" Radtiz shouted as he struggled to wrangle the Prince who continued to thrash and shout. "PRINCE VEGETA! Please! Calm yourself! Your father needs you!" Vegeta went limp snapping his head towards his Father who was reaching out towards him.
The Prince fought his restraints once more to clamor his way over to the King. He knelt by his father's side and grasped the King's out stretched hand in his own.
"Vegeta, my son!" The King wheezed out. "No matter what becomes…of our people, nev-never forget your place. You are now...the King...of all Saiyans. You do what is best for our race. D-do not let them win. Tahluc-manhoij ethildn, my son." The King's eyes went flat as he passed on into the next world. Vegeta let a single tear fall Ashe bowed his head over his fallen King.
"Tahluc-manhoij ethildn, father. I will avenge you. Freeza will pay for this. We will be free." Vegeta pressed his father's hand to his lips before placing it down on the King's chest. Vegeta moved his body so that his left knee was on the ground and his left hand was fisted and placed to the ground as well while his right hand was fisted over his heart. It was the respectful bow one posed when a high ranking and respected Saiyan passes on. The others in attendance all performed the same bow in honor of their fallen king.
After a moment Vegeta silently arose while the rest still bowed and headed towards out of the throne room. Raditz watched as the boots of his Prince walked past him and saw the slightest hint of brown fur twitch from under his cape. Raditz counted to five after hearing the doors shut before swiftly standing and following Vegeta.
He reached the Prince's quarters and stood in the open doorway watching as Vegeta packed away the few material items that meant anything to him. Pressing a small button on the side of the storage bin the container vanished and in its place was a tiny red capsule. More stolen technology, this being from a place called Earth. Shitty little place according to Raditz, but the technology was fascinating and the food was to die for.
"You should leave Raditz." Vegeta muttered, his voice barely above a gravelly whisper.
"With all due respect Your Highness, I will remain. It is my sworn duty to protect my Prince." Raditz countered, stepping in the room allowing the door to slide closed behind him. Vegeta turned with a pained expression on his face.
"I didn't mean this room. You should leave the planet." Raditz looked at Vegeta confused and the Prince sighed heavily turning back to his packing. "Freeza is going to destroy this planet regardless of my joining him. That was made clear by how swiftly he killed my father." Vegeta watched as realization became to wash over Raditz's features.
"He never intend for us to be grunts in his Army. Everything he said was a lie."
"Yes. Freeza sees us as a threat and threats have no place in his universe. The moment I board that ship he will destroy this place. So you need to get off planet. Use one of the Royal Ships, take Tarble with you, and Nappa, and your brother if you can find him in time. I will stall for as long as I can but you need to leave." Raditz stepped up to Vegeta and placed his hand behind the Prince's head pressing their foreheads together.
Breathing deeply Vegeta slowly ran his hands up Raditz's chest before clasping them behind the larger Saiyan's head. The pair stayed that way, reveling in each other's presence, for what seemed like hours but in actuality was only mere moments. They used the mental link their coupling had formed to share with each other their true feelings of the the other and to remember the special moments they shared together.
"I will find you, my Prince." Raditz breathed. "This is not the end. We will be together again. I swear on my life."
Vegeta smiled sadly as he stepped back breaking their connection apart. He didn't say anything, he just encapsulated the remaining storage container before shoving the capsules in the pocket of his armor. Giving his lover one last glance he placed his hand back on Raditz's chest before turning and heading out the door. Raditz, feeling heavy with the realization that this may be the last time he ever sees his Prince, grasped onto Vegeta's hand before he could get through the door. He yanked the smaller Saiyan to his chest and slammed his lips against Vegeta's. Intertwining their tails, Raditz put everything he could muster into that kiss. Everything he felt, everything he wanted to say but couldn't find the words for, all of his desperation, of his fears, all of his hopes he poured into that final kiss and silently prayed to the heavens that it got through to his lover.
"Tahluc-manhoij ethildn, Raditz" Vegeta murmured softly.
As they separated Vegeta flashed Raditz one last sad smile before donning the angry yet stoic mask that he would wear for years to come. Freeza will pay. They thought to in unison as Vegeta turned to walk into his unsure future.
Vegeta headed towards Freeza's ship and was guided inside and towards a room with the perfect view of Vegetasei. He knew it was on purpose and his previous suspicions were confirmed as the ship took off and got a safe enough distance away before the planet the young prince, now King, grew up on, blew apart and scattered across the stars. Though his face did not betray his emotions, Vegeta's heart broke at the sight of his home being obliterated and he could only watch and send a silent prayer that his brother, his caretaker and his lover were off world and far enough away to survive. Vegeta did not sleep that night. The image of his home being destroyed playing over and over in his mind, plaguing him every time he closed his eyes.
Freeza will pay. He thought as he lie in bed with his eyes wide open. He killed my father, destroyed my home, and inadvertently taken my Raditz. As Prince, no, King of all Saiyans, I will not allow this disrespect to go unpunished. In the end, Freeza will die.