Long Live the King Chapter 2
Elysian Dreamer
Author notes: Thank you Maymoo22 for being the only reader to review chapter one. Reviews give me motivation to push through writing each chapter. If any one else enjoys Long Live the King please review, favorite, or alert this story because knowing people are reading makes it that much easier to write. I'd be happy to hear what you want, and don't want to read as well as constructive criticism. Anonymous troll posts will be deleted of course. If anyone is interested in seeing art for this story please visit my deviant art page at .com. I'm also shopping for an experienced beta. Send a message to my inbox if you're interested.
Celerus awoke in her bed furs. She cursed them as their weight and warmth exacerbated her already scorching, itchy skin. Alas, in her exhaustion she felt so weak that she could not muster the strength to remove them. Regardless, she found herself thankful to be wrapped, sweaty, in the fur rather than bruised under the tree where she expected to wake.
"I'm grateful you returned her home." Celerus could hear her father, Ceylon in the next room quietly. "Though, surprised you knew where."
"My mother shared kinship with your ancestry. In any case, there are few families that allow women elite status." A stranger's voice answered.
Her father gave a short humorless chuckle, "Our reputation precedes us." He exhaled, "As I said, I am grateful. Women in her condition often fall prey…" Their voices faded from earshot as they continued their conversation in another room leaving Celerus' mind to ebb again into unconsciousness.
Vegeta had walked through the Wakame courtyard only once as a child. In the future it would be destroyed by war where it would serve as a final resting place for his mother's kin. Today, it was nearly unrecognizable. His grandfather had a passion for exotic flora and made a point of pruning each to perfection. The center of the court housed an altar to the goddess of pride and honor, Celerus, for whom his mother was named. The statue of the goddess was shroud in black for the family's mourning.
"My condolences for you loss." Vegeta said respectfully.
Ceylon shook his head, weary from the thought, "My stepson. Celerus' half brother. Like so many others, he refused to relinquish his rights to the throne and fell by the hand of our king."
"An honorable death."
Ceylon nodded, "Yes, there is no greater privilege in this life than to die in pursuit of the crown."
An awkward silence fell between them and Vegeta felt it was time for introductions, "Kai-lan," he stated with his fist over his heart. He turned to Goku. "And my… brother. Kakarot." Goku beamed while Vegeta loathed each word as it left his mouth. With a sense of satisfaction he added, "He is lame and does not speak."
Ceylon reciprocated, placing his fist over his heart, "Wakame Ceylon, and I am in your debt. You are welcome on my land and in my home as an honored guest for as long as you wish."
Vegeta held his hands up in protest, "Far too generous Ceylon."
He shook his head, "Celerus is my prodigy and only heir. Until an acceptable suitor is found her virtue must be protected or her inheritance may be lost to her mate."
"And yet she roams unprotected without chaperone whilst in heat?" The voice made Vegeta jump and he chided himself for not paying closer attention to ki. He turned, surprised, to his father. Had the new king not been younger and taller, the two would have been identical. Vegeta was thankful for the differences. The attire of the king was considerably different than what Vegeta had been accustomed to. Dressed similarly in elite fashion, the king's tunic was white and gold trimmed under a black leather jerkin. Black trousers tucked neatly into knee high boots that held gold trimmings. Around his neck he wore the symbol of the house Vegeta. However modestly his father dressed, there was no mistaking him for a common elite while adorned in the royal talisman.
However surprised Vegeta was at the king's arrival, Ceylon had been anticipating this visit. The gods were cruel to throw Celerus into heat now of all times. "To what do I owe this visit, my king."
The newly crowned monarch stepped to move toward Ceylon, "I've been privileged to have your favor in the past. You were compelled to train me though I was little more than a peasant with a technical title of prince." He lowered his head and placed his fist over his heart taking a knee, "Now that I am finally worthy, you would honor me again by allowing me to make her my queen."
The elite exhaled, "Boy… she has named you her sworn rival to death. Unless you fight me for her you are ineligible."
For a long moment the king knelt frozen, "S…seriously?" He looked up at him in disbelief.
Ceylon could almost laugh. He had been waiting years for the boy to ask for his daughter. One morning he had shown up at his door step, no older than fourteen, begging to be trained. An excuse to be close. Had he asked any day between then and now, Ceylon would have said yes.
The king stood and shook his head, "I will speak to her."
"Not today, son."
"I wasn't asking." He turned to walk away and in an instant Ceylon moved to block his path.
"Boy, I taught all your best moves." The air around the pair hummed with Ceylon's power, "I don't want to fight you, but she is in no condition."
Vegeta shifted uneasily. He was starting to wonder how he was ever born at all. Worse, he wasn't sure which side he should be on. Luckily, his father did not raise his ki to match Ceylon's to fight.
"I will not fight you. But its my right as king to see her if I want. Just a moment."
Ceylon was apprehensive. "Will you give your word to control yourself?"
The king nodded and Ceylon stepped aside. As he exited the courtyard, Ceylon turned again to Vegeta and Goku.
"As you can see, the situation is complicated. You are welcome to stay here, though I suspect by tomorrow others will come to fight when I refuse them."
"We accept your offer. In exchange my brother and I will help defend your land."
Ceylon laughed, "By the end of this week you may come to regret those words."
The king pulled back the door to Celerus' room cautiously. It was ill lit as the sun set. Though their race benefited from Tusfuru-jin inventions, Ceylon refused to keep any in his home. He was a man set in his ways, revering tradition.
In the failing light he could make out a heap of fur in the corner. The king hesitated as her over powering scent escaped the room, encircling him. He held his breath and entered, taking care to close the door quietly. Kneeling next to her on the floor, he took his first breath. A mistake. The scent was strongest here near the source. Against his will he slid into the furs with her and pulled her close into his chest. For a few long minutes he dare not move out of fear for losing control completely. His original intention was to simply explain his actions. If she woke, would she even be lucid enough to listen? Even then, would she control her rage long enough for him to say anything at all? Waking to him in her bed would not help his case. He threaded his fingers through her hair as he weighed the possibilities. Every way he spun it, it always came down to the same result. He would come back in a week when they could speak and fight with clear minds.
With great reluctance he managed to tear himself away from her and left.
As the last sun set over the horizon, Ceylon left Vegeta and Goku alone to rest in a secluded wing of his estate.
Vegeta slumped over a table with his head in his hands. Bulma warned him not to interfere with events from the past yet here he was under the roof of his own grandfather.
Goku had been making up for lost time by asking every question that his feeble mind could think, "So did you know your mom was going to be there or was that just a crazy coincidence?"
"How would I know the whereabouts of my own mother two years before my own birth?" he growled into his palms.
Goku shrugged, "Well… how long until they get here?"The table Vegeta was seated at cracked in half as he slammed his hands down on it. He finally snapped. Kakarrot's incessant questioning had grated a hole in his patience. He pulled out the device Bulma had sent him here with and set it down on the table for Goku to see. "This gage measures chrono-disruption." He placed his finger on a small dial that pointed to red. "Chrono-disruption is caused by paradoxes in our timeline. Bulma pin pointed the paradox to have occurred any time between now and the destruction of Vegetasei."
"How long is that?"
Vegeta sighed. "… Seven years."
