Time is a tapesty, many threads woven together in a grand design. Many similar fibers making up identical timelines, save one small alteration...changes that become larger and more pronounced the longer they have to affect the timeline.
In this timeline, The Saiyan race is spared only due to a single whim from Lord Frieza.
They survive, but survival is all that they have...
---
A Cold World
prologue: changes
"No man chooses evil because it is evil; he only mistakes it for happiness, the good he seeks.''
mary wollstonecraft
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The birth of his son was supposed to be something to celebrate.
Someone to carry on his will.
A ray of hope for his people.
That's what his son should have been, but Vegeta had been wrong. In the beginning, the Saiyan King did not realize how wrong, or how much they would all suffer for his mistakes. ...For his foolishness.
Or his weakness.
-
As with most Saiyans, King Vegeta didn't see his son except for once during the first three years of his life. That was the day after his birth, before he was sent out for his very first mission, and that was only because Vegeta paused as he hurried by the window, surprised to see the almost-identical little face behind the glass.
It wasn't that he had forgotten -- he had been anticipating the day for months.
But Frieza had summoned him, and during the havoc it had slipped from his top priorities.
King Vegeta only lingered a moment before Zorn quietly reminded him that Lord Frieza was waiting. A frown crossed his face, then, and he turned away from the baby, leading his Elite away from the birthing complex.
The next time he saw his son, the boy was following along behind his mother.
King Vegeta's wife hailed him from further down the hall, and the men behind him stepped out of Tani's way as she came to stand before her husband. She smiled at him, then, realizing he could not see his son, she moved aside. The tiny Prince glanced at her, almost following her as she moved away, but decided against it and remained where she left him.
He frowned up at his father, tail swinging agitatedly behind him.
"He's just returned, my King," Tani said.
Judging by her buoyant expression, and the fact that his son stood before him without any remarkable scars, King Vegeta could only assume that his mission had been a success. He didn't ask about it, and, instead, leaned down toward his son, his hands on his knees.
The boy's frown deepened and his black eyes flickered toward his mother for an instant.
"Does he speak?" the Saiyan King asked, amused.
"Yes, Vegeta," his wife said, smiling, "Of course he speaks."
One of the observing Elite chuckled.
"Perhaps you've frightened him, King Vegeta," the Saiyan suggested, crossing his burly arms, "Go figure, after all the little tike's been through. Intimidated by his own father."
It certainly wouldn't have been the first time that had happened, and Vegeta chuckled, as well.
"I'm not," was the indignant response.
Vegeta blinked, and looked at his son in surprise. The boy frowned up at him and said nothing else, but those two words were enough. King Vegeta smirked, then reached out and ruffled a large hand through the boys hair, adding to his indignity.
-
The year following Prince Vegeta's return did not go as any of them had expected...
-
"We can't hand over the prince to him," Zorn protested, breaking the silence that had engulfed the royal hall, "Not to Frieza, I'd rather die than do that. Please, King Vegeta, reconsider."
The Saiyan closed his mouth at the sharp, angry rebuke from his King.
"I don't have a choice," Vegeta said, his knuckles white as he gripped the arm of his throne.
He knew they did not stand a chance at beating Frieza in their current state. He knew the only thing they could do was to give in to his demands, cooperate, and hope the Lizard King continued to favor them. Vegeta had tried to oppose their tyrant once, already.
His wife had been killed.
He would not lose his son in the same manner.
-
"Father," Prince Vegeta said, trailing off as he stepped away from him and toward the waiting Nappa. Nappa would take him to Frieza and then... Vegeta didn't know. He frowned back up at his father, hesitating. "I don't understand."
His father didn't say anything. Prince Vegeta watched him carefully as he glanced at Nappa, who came forward to lead the Prince away. Then his father turned.
And he did not look back.
From there, Prince Vegeta's life changed.
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(A/n) From Motcn with love! The next chapter is coming soon from KouTai, and I personally can't wait to see how it turns out! =3 We've really thought this thing through, and we're hoping you'll all stick with us till the end!
Please review and let us know what you think!
Also, the two days I spend waiting to post this were agonizing! The Western-Coast time sucks! I'm in the East, dammit!
--Motcn