Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ but it would be a lot cooler if I did...
AN: The Sequel to the highly fun to write Knight of Saiya short. If you haven't read that story I highly recommend reading it first. It's only 5 chapters and this picks up after it. Feel free to leave any reviews or private message me your thoughts.
It's rated T for Teen but does contain some adult language and situations.
Vegeta sat in the office of the Grandmaster. It was a grand place. The desk was made of finely polished dark wood and intricately decorated in silver and sapphires forming the symbol of the order. The walls held paintings depicting epic battles of days long past. Scrolls and letters covered the desk. The room itself smelled of sweet smelling fine incense.
The grandmaster himself stood behind the great desk looming over him. He was a tall and proud middle aged man. His balding black hair was just starting lose its color and become silver. His body still retained some of the muscles of the warrior he once was. The grandmaster had clearly put on weight over the years due to increasing age and a lack of a strict training discipline.
He wore a formal blue and silver tabard with the ornate silver sword on his breast. His arms were crossed and he bore a look of heavy discontent on his face. Vegeta could tell he was unhappy. Though he would have to choose the words he spoke to his prince carefully.
Vegeta would also have to hide his disappointment with the man. From what he could remember, Lord Bio of House Ganelon was supposed to be as legendary a commander as Bardock and his father. At least in his younger days, now he looked considerably softer. Twenty years at court would do that to a man he supposed.
This was only Vegeta's second meeting with the man that he could remember. He had only met him once before when he joined the order. His rank as the Crown Prince demanded his attention. Though he knew it was just a formality and the man only really gave him his assignment orders. Still Vegeta could barely remember it because he paid little attention to such things in those days.
"My prince," the grandmaster greeted him with disdain.
"You called me here," Vegeta mentioned casually.
"Yes," the grandmaster said as he sat down. "Care to explain yourself?"
"Whatever do you mean?" Vegeta shrugged feigning ignorance.
"Don't play coy with me," the grandmaster threatened with a steely voice. "You know exactly what I mean."
"I suppose that I do," Vegeta replied impishly with a slight grin. "Adrestia, Kakarot and I wish to remain together."
"You should never have been out on that mission to begin with," he informed the prince. "Honestly you should have never have been assigned to Captain Bardock in the first place either. But the orders came down from above."
"What do you mean?" Vegeta asked as he raised a brow.
"The queen insisted you be assigned to him. I have no idea why," He admitted to the prince. "Still I could have refused. This is still my order and I am in charge. If I had none of this would have ever happened."
Vegeta laughed, "I would have liked to have seen that." No one dared cross his mother.
"Still I will not have you carrying on like that anymore. This is a ceremonial and training order. We will not have any more lords and ladies die for nothing," the grandmaster remarked with a dismissive waive of his hand.
"They didn't die for nothing!" Vegeta spat out, losing his temper slightly.
"Oh then tell me what was it for?" the grandmaster challenged. "For those filthy peasants in some village so remote it's barely on a map?"
Vegeta stood up quickly. His chair lurched loudly behind him and fell over. He eyed the old man fiercely unafraid. No one was going to casually insult the memory of his fallen comrades to his face. Not even this old bastard.
"Have you forgotten what this order started out as? Perhaps it's time for a new grandmaster," Vegeta hissed at the man.
The grandmaster banged on his desk hard and rose himself. "Mind your tone. You may be the Crown Prince but only the King can remove me from this position. And while I am still grandmaster this order will operate as it always has."
Vegeta clenched his jaw and held his tongue for a moment. The old man was right. Unfortunately for him his father also shared the grandmaster's views. So for now he would have to bide his time.
"Perhaps you are right," Vegeta crossed his arms, tilted his head to the side and begrudgingly admitted, "For the time being."
"Well for the time being you will not recruit any other members to your foolish little club. You, Adrestia and Kakarot may form your own team and stay together, but that is all." The grandmaster ordered.
"Fine," Vegeta relented through clenched teeth. "We will not recruit any other knights in the order."
"There is a good lad," The grandmaster gloated with a grin. "That will be all."
Vegeta saluted the man and walked out the door. The grandmaster was cleverer than he gave him credit for. He could see they were gaining a following. If others joined them then someday this would become a real knightly order again. And his cushy assignment would be over. Still there was more than one way to honor his old captain's memory.
"Oh and don't even think of asking for a promotion," the grandmaster called out behind him.
0-0-0
Vegeta sat with Kakarot and Adrestia in the dining hall of the barracks. It was an exquisite place with expensive furniture and fine cuisine served to all the knights stationed there. The wine was of the best quality available in Vegos. They were all enjoying the rather exquisite food afforded to them while they were here, particularly Kakarot. The Battle of Austurica had taught them to appreciate such luxury more, especially since they wanted to travel about to distant lands and learn to become real warriors for a change. This was their first meal back since returning.
They had the table to themselves. The hall was filled with other knights laughing, singing, drinking to excess, and carrying on amongst themselves. Yet none would sit with them. It was as if they were being shunned. Even their tabards appeared to be of two different orders rather than belonging to the same ones.
It felt as though it had been years since they had eaten here, however the truth was they were only gone a few months. Just a little while ago, Vegeta would have been right along with the rest of these knights frivolously laughing and drinking his time away. How things had changed since then. Austurica had changed them all profoundly. Nothing felt the same to them. They could no longer see things the same as they once had.
"How did your meeting with the grandmaster go?" Kakarot asked Vegeta with a mouthful of food.
"Manners Kakarot, at least swallow first," Adrestia chided him with a disapproving tone.
Kakarot conceded and swallowed before he apologized, "Sorry Adrestia."
"Never mind his table manners, the fool will never change," Vegeta told her.
Adrestia gestured with her cup and refused to give in, "I can at least try to impart some decorum in him."
"As you wish," Vegeta relented with a hand up in surrender.
Vegeta cut a delicious bit from his rare steak. The meat was cooked just how he liked it. The chefs here knew his tastes very well. It was just bloody enough to enhance the flavor. Food was one of the only things he and Kakarot could agree on before. He would have to look into preparing food like this for himself, so he wasn't always so reliant on others to do it for him.
"You were saying?" Adrestia reminded him.
"It went as I predicted, he was very skeptical. However he did grant us the right to form our own detachment," Vegeta informed them all.
"Does that mean you were promoted to captain?" Adrestia inquired with a peaked brow.
"I was not. He also did not authorize us to recruit any existing members. So as of right now it will consist of just the three of us. As such he did not feel the need to promote me," Vegeta recounted with a hint of bitterness.
"What does that mean?" Kakarot blurted out, confused as to the seeming contradictions.
"It means he doesn't want things to change," Adrestia concluded.
"Quite right, he wants things to remain as they are. Yet as his prince I still hold enough power over him to force some concessions," Vegeta told them.
Adrestia thought about why the grandmaster would reject Vegeta. She had only seen him a few times before. Even though the order was currently mostly ceremonial, her house was not important enough to warrant face time with the man. Only Vegeta had that sort of power among them.
She honestly didn't blame him for wanting things to remain the same. He reaped all the rewards of being grandmaster of a knight order and had none of the risks. He was not supposed to send his knights out on missions. Plus he could always expect recruits and donations from the elite noble houses. There was honestly little incentive to do anything different.
Still he had not closed the door on them yet. It was a huge blow not to be able to recruit any existing members it was true. However if they went by his exact words it did leave a few options. One was risky and they would have to be crafty about it, but she was sure they could do it.
Adrestia drank her wine and deduced, "It only leaves room for one possibility, the recruiting ceremony at the Field of Zelus."
"Hmmm you may be right," Vegeta agreed as he stroked his chin, "We were never expressly forbidden from getting new recruits. We were simply barred from recruiting existing members of the order."
"Won't that make the grandmaster mad?" Kakarot wondered, scratching his head.
"I'm sure it will. That's why we will just do it and not ask him. That way he can't object," Vegeta said with a puckish grin.
"Brilliant then you can use his own words against him and remind him you did not recruit any existing members," Adrestia remarked as a grin spread to her pouty lips.
"The festival is in a few weeks. It should be enough time to commission a banner and set up own tent," Kakarot pointed out.
"Adrestia I'll leave that to you. Be sure we are far enough away that the order recruiter won't notice us but in busy enough section to attract them recruits we need," Vegeta instructed her.
"Leave it to me," Adrestia said with a nod.
"What should I do?" Kakarot wondered.
"You can use your father's contacts to get extra supplies for us," Vegeta told him.
"Couldn't you do that easier?" Kakarot questioned.
"I would attract too much attention. I don't want the order or my father to know exactly what we are doing or where we go. It will make life much simpler for us that way," Vegeta informed him.
"That's a good point," Kakarot agreed.
"Where are we going to go?" Adrestia inquired with all sincerity.
"Well life is peaceful here. We can't learn about being a proper knight being here. So I think we should leave on a journey," Vegeta suggested.
"We can't just wander the world aimlessly like vagabonds," Adrestia reminded him.
"How about we go south?" Kakarot suggested.
"Why south?" Vegeta asked.
"South of Saiya is the old imperial heartland. It's dissolved into City States now that are constantly in conflict with each other," Kakarot reminded them.
"That is true. My father constantly talks about it in his trade deals," Adrestia informed them.
The Tiberian heartland, Vegeta had always heard it was a beautiful place. Before now he never thought about leaving the borders of his own country. Now it seemed like the perfect opportunity for them to learn about war and politics on the small scale without being involved in a major foreign battle. He had to give Kakarot credit for this idea, every once in a while the man was a genius.
There were going to be some conditions however. They could not travel as members of the order. So they had to leave their tabards here and anything with an obvious crest on it. Saiya could be seen as officially endorsing one city or another if anyone recognized who they were. It meant they would have to appear as wandering hedge knights or mercenaries.
"Excellent Kakarot that is perfect. However we will have to travel in disguise," Vegeta told them.
"And after we went through the trouble of getting new tabards," Kakarot pouted a bit.
"It can't be helped. We must blend in with all the other mercenaries and traveling warriors," Adrestia told the man.
"First things first though. Let's see if we can get anyone to come with us," Vegeta said with a smile.
0-0-0
It was a jovial summer day in Vegos. The city was alive and in a festive mood this bright, sunny day. A weeklong festival would be filled with parades, martial contests, and revelry to celebrate the founding of Saiya. For nobles and commons alike it was a time of pride and joy. The unification took place so long ago that none now live who remember being separate kingdoms. Two hundred and sixty five years seems like forever but it was only six kings since their noble founder Vegeta I walked among them.
Their current prince was supposed be the seventh ruler, but things were not going as planned with the succession. It was whispered that the prince all but renounced his crown in front of the entire court. The common folk had no idea what actually occurred since no official decree had been announced. It was proclaimed that the queen was pregnant and if the Great Mother was kind, another prince would be born securing the line of succession of their great royal line.
The prince himself was rumored to attend the recruitment ceremony at the Field of Zelus today. It was an odd move as he had never done such a thing in the past. He had been officially knighted by his father along with Lady Adrestia Blacksteel and Lord Kakarot Sunspear, the other nobles who were with him on his battle at Austurica.
The Field itself was covered in tents and banners as the military orders from all corners of Saiya gathered. The recruiting officers were in their finest, polished armors. Ornate and intricately sewn banners flew high breeze with proud sigils of wolves, hawks, griffins and all sorts of beasts. Youths from all over who had just reached the minimum recruitment age gathered about them in hopes of joining them. Some orders only took nobles, some took in mostly commoners, and others still took in a mix of both.
One area stuck out amongst all the finery and bluster of activity. It was a simple leather tent with no extra banners or ribbons to make it opulent. It looked simple and made for utility. Outside flew a peculiar banner that had never been seen before in the ceremony. It was a simple flaming ivory sword on a field of blue. The sigil looked familiar but was perplexing to the people who passed. As the hours went on a small crowd of about twenty gathered about it half curious and to whom it belonged to and what they were about.
At noon as the sun raised his high in the sky three people walked out of the tent to greet the crowd who had gathered here. They were two men and one woman. All were dressed in combat armor with simplistic blue tabards with their sigil on it. Their armor was not as polished or bejeweled as the rest of the recruiters.
The tallest man who many had assumed was the leader wore an innocent expression on his face. The shorter man had a crimson sash covering his right eye. The woman was gorgeous and wore her hair back in a single braid. They both bore more serious looks than their comrade.
"Quite the crowd we have gathered," Vegeta joked coolly.
"Well this is the first time the order has ever had its own combat detachment. Many aren't used to seeing its banner like this," Adrestia pointed out.
"Can we talk about our names? I think mine is ridiculous." Kakarot said scratching his head.
"What's wrong with Sunspear?" Vegeta asked the man.
"Well the whole story behind it is made up. I didn't pick up my father's spear during the battle. I mainly used my own sword and a bow. My father didn't even have a particular spear he used. They just happened to find me with a spear in my hands," Kakarot recounted.
Vegeta stroked his chin and agreed, "It does sound a little too poetic to have actually happened."
"I don't think you get to choose your own name they call you. It sort of just builds its way around you whether built on truths or falsehoods," Adrestia reminded him.
"At least your name makes sense. Your sword turned black after the flames died out. Plus Blacksteel just sounds cool," Kakarot admitted with a hint of envy.
"It all sounds silly to me," Adrestia giggled.
"Shall we get back to the matter at hand?" Vegeta suggested glibly.
Kakarot looked at the young crowd and wondered, "So who is going to address them?"
"You should go first Vegeta. Coming here was your idea," Adrestia pointed out.
"First?" Vegeta questioned.
"If we happen to have any female recruits I will address them separately. However I think the overall pitch should be done by you," Adrestia told him.
Vegeta nodded slightly and turned to the crowd. The other two stepped back to let all the attention focus on the prince. The crowd hushed in anticipation of his words. Most bore expressions of curiosity. A few of the young girls looked at him dreamily despite his scarred face.
"Good morning recruits. I am Sir Vegeta," Vegeta began as he pointed to himself and then to his companions. "That is Sir Kakarot and Dame Adrestia. We are a detachment from the Order of the Celestial Blade here to find recruits to join us."
Murmurs began to weave through the crowd along with gasps of excitement and giddy laughter. The order was very famous and everyone knew that anyone accepted into the ranks gained high status. Several young girls began to swoon at him their heads filled with romance and fairy tales. It was the famous knight prince himself addressing them and that meant a rare opportunity.
"I must remind you that we are a detachment. You will not be joining the main order itself. We will not be fritting away our time at the barracks like the others and going to parties. We will be actively deployed and honing our skills," Vegeta informed them.
Several sighs of disappointed erupted and almost half the crowd left right then and there. Each bickering to themselves as they left. Vegeta could hardly blame them. However he felt it dishonest to lie to them about what they were getting into. He gave the crowd a few moments to settle before continuing.
"After we refit and resupply we will be leaving on a long training mission. I don't know how long we will be gone, but I promise you when we return you will be changed," Vegeta stated.
More disapproving sounds erupted and almost all the crowd left him after that last statement. Apparently going off on some uncertain mission was not appealing. Five young girls remained. Vegeta wasn't sure what to make of them but he would take them if they agreed to continue after that.
"It seems only the girls chose to remain. How disappointing," Kakarot commented.
Adrestia put her arm on Vegeta's shoulder and demanded, "Excuse me Vegeta but I'll take it from here."
"All right but try to be gentle," Vegeta reminded her.
"Whatever do you mean?" Adrestia asked innocently with a sly grin on her face.
"You've been spending too much time with my mother. She is beginning to rub off on you," Vegeta told her, and then he took a few steps back and stood by Kakarot.
"We just need the right sort. I'll find that out," Adrestia replied with a wave of her hand.
Adrestia strode calmly over to the five with her hands behind her back. They were young just barely enlistment age. Some were very pretty and wore outfits that accentuated their beauty. Though none wore dresses and all were wearing appropriate leggings. One young thin girl looked very young and wore simple brown shirt and leggings and a sword at her waist. Her hair was worn in a simple braid and she had a familiar look about her, but Adrestia could not quite place it.
"Form a line," Adrestia ordered the recruits.
They did so very clumsily. Most were trying hard to hide it, but many were stealing glances at the prince behind her. Adrestia merely shook her head. This would not do, it would not do at all. She walked up to the prettiest one. The girl had on make up as if she was going to a ball. Her dark hair was pulled into two innocent looking braids that men loved. She had on a revealing white top that showed her cleavage. Adrestia simply punched him her hard in the stomach with no warning. The girl doubled over in pain.
"Listen up you bitches. All you whores who think you can join us and seduce the prince have another thing coming," Adrestia told them. "This is not some fairy tale where you meet your handsome prince and live happily ever after. This is real life. All female recruits will report to me and not him. You will have to get through me and I don't think you have the stomach for it. All those who don't want to be an actual warrior leave now."
The girls left one by one, disheartened by Adrestia's speech. Even the one she punched picked herself up and glared at Adrestia before making her way off. Only a single recruit remained. It was the youngest looking one with the sword. Adrestia walked right up to her and lifted her chin to look her in the eyes. She appeared to have the right sort of look at least.
"How old are you?" Adrestia inquired, doubting the girl was the right age.
"Sixteen," the girl said with a slight hesitation.
Adrestia punched the girl in the sternum, knocking the wind out of her and repeated, "How old?"
The girl coughed and cried out, "Fourteen."
"You're too young girl. Come back in a few years," Adrestia ordered and reached for the girl's weapon.
The girl was still reeling from the blow and could not stop Adrestia from taking it. She looked it over with a critical eye. It appeared to be a sword of the order. Yet this girl obtained it somehow. Perhaps one was stolen or lost. Either way she could not let the child have it, it didn't belong to her. Lucky for her, Adrestia decided not to press the matter and would let her go with only a warning and confiscate the blade.
"This sword belongs to the order girl. It isn't yours. I'm confiscating it," Adrestia informed her and turned her back.
"No that's mine," the girl cried out and grabbed onto Adrestia's leg like a child.
Adrestia sighed but would not relent, "Let go girl. As I said this is a sword of the order. Therefore it belongs in the order. I will overlook why you have it on your person, but I must take it from you."
"Give it back. Please give it back," the girl begged her, with watery eyes.
"Why is this so important?" Adrestia asked her.
"It was my sister's," the girl blurted out with a broken voice. "She died and it was one of the only things we were given back."
"Who was your sister girl?" Vegeta inquire curiously.
"Lady Nerine, she died at Austurica," the girl admitted.
Adrestia shared a look with the prince. She rolled her eyes toward the little brat as if to get his assessment. The prince just shrugged his shoulders in response. Adrestia sighed, while she really didn't want to recruit someone so young, but she could not turn Nerine's sister away.
"What's your name girl?" Adrestia asked simply.
"Iustitia," the girl answered with a glimmer of hope in her voice.
"Let go of me," Adrestia commanded.
The girl finally released her. She stood slowly with a fearful look on her face. Her eyes locked on the sword as if it were a sacred relic. She looked as if she would break down if it was taken from her for good.
"Isn't she too young?" Kakarot pointed out.
Iustitia held her breath. She didn't know exactly which one would give her the final decision. Though she suspected it was the prince. It was equally likely that either Lady Adrestia or Lord Kakarot could bar her entry.
"I heard she was sixteen," Vegeta remarked giving the girl a slight nod.
"So it seems," Kakarot agreed.
Adrestia returned her sword and informed her, "Congratulations Iustitia you are now my squire."
"Thank you my lady, I shall serve you well," the girl said with bow.
"Is that all? Some inaugural recruitment class we have," Vegeta commented dryly.
"Quality over quantity," Adrestia remarked with a nod to the girl.
Vegeta smiled at the words and agreed, "I suppose you are right."
"Glad to have you along," Kakarot told the girl with cheery grin.
0-0-0
The sun shone warmly on a bright, sunny day in contrast to the dark intentions afoot. It bathed in its gentle rays a luxurious veranda. Exotic fruits, succulent beef, and honeyed wine were served by beautiful servant girls in enticing clothing that barely left any room for imagination. Two young nobles dressed in expensive and casual silks, lounged on comfortable red cushions being doted on by the girls.
Malavai Harkon was a golden haired ladies' man. This was one of his villas they were meeting in. He was above average height for a Saiyan and extremely fit. His charming smile, deep blue eyes and chiseled features often won over both women and lords alike. Few but his companion even remembered his family's ancient enmity towards the royal family. He had gorgeous and shapely servants on either side of him.
His companion was Leto Atreus newly head of House Atreus. His dark hair and eyes was more common to most Saiyans. He was also considered handsome as his companion yet he did not revel in it. He was generally more measured and calculated.
He only had one sultry servant girl attending him. He preferred to keep things simple despite his friend's tendency towards excess. Though having girls attend him in this manner was quite pleasing he had to admit. His friend was not nearly as crazy as people accused him of being. Harkon was just a bit eccentric and a tad on the hedonistic side.
They shared a common bond of being young, rich and from ancient and powerful houses. They were in their mid-twenties they just at the beginning of their reigns as lords. Once rivals, their ancestors formed a loose alliance over the years in reverence to a common goal, the devastation of the house that subjugated them. For years it was just a pipe dream of old men. Now as the heads of their houses it was up to them to either continue the work or let it rest. Providence however finally provided some fortune where there was none for years.
"I hear the prince is heading to the southern city states," Harkon casually mentioned as he took a drink from his wine.
"How foolish," Atreus commented.
"I expected more of a response from you, Lord Atreus," Harkon said.
"I'm still getting used to being called that. As you well know Harkon," Atreus replied.
"I'll admit it is an adjustment. When my grandfather finally passed the title it was quite sudden as well and with it came all those pesky burdens," Harkon admitted.
"Well I was honestly thinking of giving it up. How many years has it been now?" Atreus implored though he already knew the answer.
"Seven generations if we are counting the royal family," Harkon commented.
"A long time to hold a grudge," Atreus reminded him.
"Being subjugated will do that to anyone. Yet now after all this time the prince has provided us an opportunity," Harkon explained.
"He is but a boy who wants to play at war," Atreus remarked with a dismissive wave.
"Perhaps, but you can't deny his actions could be very beneficial to us," Harkon replied.
"How so?" Atreus wondered with a raised brow.
"Well if he should not come back from his little campaign it would cause quite the stir. It may be just the catalyst we need to set everything in motion," Harkon pointed out.
Atreus stroked his shaven chin and agreed, "That is true lords die all the time in wars and fortunately for us he is the only heir at present."
"Quite right, and with him gone the country will be ripe for change," Harkon said with a malicious grin.
"What of the second child? The queen is still pregnant." Atreus reminded.
"If it's a girl we need do nothing. If it's a prince we either kill him or undermine him. All it takes is a little uncertainty over the heir and entire dynasties can fall," Harkon claimed with glee.
"The poor fool has no idea what he has done," Atreus told him.
"Youths are always like that," Harkon remarked with casual disdain.
"True enough. I was once just as narrow minded as he is," Atreus recounted.
"I'll see to the details my friend," Harkon informed him.
"Be sure to be discreet I'd rather not be accused of treason before seeing House Saiya fall," Atreus commented.
Harkon raised his glass in a toast, "To the fall of House Saiya."
Atreus clinked his glass with his comrade. He could not help but smile. Things were finally looking up. His mighty house which once been a house of kings, had for years been forced to grovel after being subjugated by the first King of Saiya. Now his own foolish descendant would lead to the downfall of his house. Every lord was taught from birth that a lord needs a clear line of succession or problems arise. It had been proven time and again throughout history. Now it would be proven again. They would just give history a little nudge in the right direction.
