War of the World
Chapter 4: Court
Vegeta resisted the urge to cover his ears like a child being scolded. His mother had been yelling at him for the better part of an hour. She was not yelling at him because he'd nearly gotten himself killed. She was not yelling because he'd been out far longer than he said he would be. No, Serori was not concerned with any of the above. She was far more livid about the possibility that Vegeta may have offended a valuable ally in the Zephyrean queen. Damn Kakarrot and his big mouth. I like how he's conveniently missing right now. I'm driving my fist right through his fucking face when I see him, the young king thought angrily.
"Are you listening to me, Vegeta? Vegeta!"
"Yes! Yes, I'm listening! Do you have to scream at me? My ears are sensitive to that shrill noise you make when you yell," Vegeta said. No sooner had the words left his mouth than Serori backhanded him. His head snapped to the side. He snorted and faced his mother once again. It was not the first time she had ever struck him and he was certain it would not be the last.
Serori sighed and relaxed her shoulders a bit. "I really wish you would take this more seriously, Vegeta. Alliances are important when war consumes an entire continent. The Zephyreans are not the type to turn on those who aid them, just as we are the same. "
"I'm just not understanding WHY! We're doing just fine on our own. They fight their battles and we fight ours."
"Son, how long do you think we can fight this army? Soldiers do not grow like crops that we can harvest every year. They must be trained and seasoned over years. We cannot keep fighting a war for years on end. We've already been engaged in this one for two years. Our army is large, but the Colds command a much larger army. With the help of Zephyrus..."
Vegeta shook his head and stepped away from his mother. "I refuse to speak to the brat ever again! She was... was... rude! And spoiled! And... And..." He just crossed his arms and looked away.
Serori stared blankly at her son. Then she covered her mouth and started giggling girlishly. The small giggle turned into an outright laugh. She saw Vegeta frowning at her and quieted down. "I'm sorry, Vegeta. But when you pout it is the most adorable thing I've ever seen. You look so much younger when you do it," she said.
"I do NOT pout, Mother. I resent that remark, too. I am not adorable."
"Oh hush! You are going to figure out a way to get that queen on our side or you will have hell to pay." She held up a hand to stop his rebuttal. "I mean it, Vegeta. Don't let me become involved or I will have you groveling at that girl's feet." Serori turned and left the room, leaving Vegeta pouting once more.
The king sat down at the head of the council table. He formed a pyramid with his fingers and leaned forward on the table. I don't want to ever see that little wench again. She's horrible. However, Mother is right. Why is everyone right these days?
"He's an arrogant, pointy-haired asshole and I want nothing to do with him! End of!" Bulma yelled from the top of the ladder in the palace's library. Baba stood at the foot of the ladder, shaking her head. Luckily, there was no one else in the massive library. There rarely ever was. "Can we please change the subject, Baba?"
"We most certainly cannot and will not! Bulma, you need to have a civilized talk with the Saburran king. He could be a very beneficial asset!" Baba yelled back up at her. The woman was old, but she could scream at Bulma just as easily as Bulma could scream back.
Bulma looked down at Baba. She was a probably thirty feet above the ground, but the height did not concern her. "Baba, what good will that do? How do we know that the Saburran Royal Family isn't as shady and evil as the Colds? I don't trust them for an instant!"
Baba sighed. "King Vegeta did attempt to save you from that river, did he not? I doubt any evil person would have done the same. You are judging him before even getting to know him." She crossed her arms. "I think you should invite him and his council to your birthday celebration."
The queen cringed at the thought of her birthday celebration. She would be turning 17, the age a princess (or in rare cases, a queen) was supposed to begin courting and looking for a suitable husband. She thought the practice was pointless, as she had no intention of ever getting married. "Is such a thing really necessary? I'm already queen. This ridiculous coming-of-age party is needless. Besides, we're at war. How will this look if I'm spending all this money that could go to the war fund?"
"War is all the people think about. They don't want to think about it any longer. If only for a few days, they want to celebrate. Not all Zephyreans are warriors at heart and thinking of nothing except it, Bulma. We are a peaceful people," Baba said.
Bulma groaned. She pulled a large book off the shelf. With it in her arms, she slid down the ladder and landed directly in front of Baba. The woman jumped at Bulma's sudden appearance. "Fine. We'll have the party. But nothing too extravagant." She strode past Baba to a table and sat down.
The old woman raised an eyebrow when she noticed the book Bulma was holding. "What are you looking for in a history book?"
"That hidden city in the Gran Bosque must have some sort of recorded history. It should be documented somewhere in these history books. I've already been through the records. So now I'm on to the ancient history books," Bulma said as she flipped through pages.
Baba knew about the city Bulma spoke of. She was surprised that the queen had come across it in the Gran Bosque. All entrances had been sealed off. The city was actually much bigger than what Bulma had seen. "You shouldn't concern yourself with that lost city, Bulma. You should work on composing an invitation to King Vegeta to your birthday celebration."
Bulma looked up from the book at Baba in horror. "I am NOT inviting that nitwit to my party!"
"It's a sign of goodwill. You'll want his support in fighting the Colds. If you won't compose it with your own words, I'm sure I could compose one absolutely singing his praises. After all, the way you describe him clearly means he's dashing and handsome." The young queen slammed the large book shut. She stood up and walked away from Baba, mumbling obscenities under her breath. The old woman smiled. "I knew you'd see it my way."
Frieza tapped his fingers impatiently on the arm of the Ice Throne. He was alone in the throne room. Well, he was mostly alone. He did not count the girl between his legs as a person worthy of his attention. Whores weren't considered people in his mind; just tools to do his bidding. He allowed himself a small chuckle at the thought of how many times his stepmother had sat in this very seat after his seed had spilled upon it and been licked clean by the whore who made the mess.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?"
The princely bastard opened his eyes to see his stepmother glowering at him. Frieza gave Coryza a cheeky grin. He was almost happy he'd been caught by the very person he aimed to antagonize. "What does it look like? I'm christening the Ice Throne for when I sit upon it and rule all of Tenebris," he replied.
Coryza marched up to the throne and took the whore by her hair. She yanked the younger woman back painfully, causing her to scream in pain. Coryza then released the girl. She gave her a hard glare. "Go," she said in a low voice. The whore nodded quickly and scrambled to get out of the throne room. Coryza glared down at Frieza.
"What? If you wanted to finish you could have just asked," he said.
The Queen Dowager gave him a small smile. She leaned down over Frieza, still smiling. Her touch was soft and delicate on Frieza. Before he could enjoy it, the pleasure turned to unbearable pain as Coryza squeezed and pulled on him. She leaned down to Frieza's ear. "If I ever catch you in this throne again, I will cut off this little toy and feed it to my birds. Now get up." With one final jerk, she managed to get Frieza off the throne and on the floor. "Get out."
Frieza picked himself up off the floor and gave Coryza one last evil glare before he hurried out of the room. Cooler passed him as he rushed out. The elder brother watched Frieza go in a hurry. Then he looked back up at the throne to see his mother staring down at it in disgust. "What happened?" he asked.
Coryza sighed. "Your brother was getting his jollies on the throne with some common whore." She crossed her arms and looked at Cooler. "Why is he still alive again? Oh yes. Because you thought it would serve your purpose better if he were kept alive."
"Mother..."
"The Child Queen's birthdate is in a few days. It is customary for the Zephyrean monarchs to celebrate a princess' seventeenth birthday by showering her with gifts and parading suitors before her," Coryza changed the subject quickly.
"What does her birthday party have to do with anything?"
"She invited the Saburrans."
Cooler shrugged. "You think just because she invited them that they'll form an alliance? Please! Vegeta doesn't exactly play well with others. I doubt a spoiled queen will change his way of thinking," he said.
"You don't have to like someone in order to work with them, Cooler. Right now, they have a common enemy. That enemy is us. Dangerous things will happen if they stand together against us. An alliance between them may be unavoidable, but I wouldn't mind unsettling the waters a bit." Coryza walked over to her son. "I sent someone to do a little recon work." She walked around him and out the room.
Cooler shivered a bit. He always shivered whenever his mother passed him. She was an icy woman. She was beautiful and merciless. She did not fight, but she knew plenty of ways to pull the strings of warfare like it was a giant puppet show. Makes me glad that I'm on her side. Mother could be dangerous if she ever stood against me. He glanced over at the throne. I wonder what she meant by what Frieza was doing...
Yamcha and Juuna watched Bulma ride her horse in an open field. She was riding back towards them at a leisurely pace, smiling at them. Juuna smiled back and nodded in her direction. The next second, a dummy popped up not too far in front of Bulma. She immediately drew a sword next on her right side. It was not her usual claymore, but a simple sword with a sharp edge. She swung down, taking the head off the dummy. Two more popped up and Bulma took them down.
The two generals watched as Bulma practiced in the yard. Soon, the ground was littered with the heads of the dummies. Bulma rode up to the two men and dismounted. She tossed her weapon at Yamcha started walking. "Shouldn't you two be getting ready for this frivolous event later on today?" she asked.
Juuna and Yamcha followed after as she headed back to the palace. Juuna caught up to her on her left. "We were just wondering if you had any special requests regarding the Saburrans. They are set to arrive by midday," he said.
Bulma frowned a bit. She was not looking forward to seeing the King of Saburra again at all. "Just show them to their quarters. Show them as much hospitality as possible. Also, the Queen Dowager is traveling with them. Make sure she is as comfortable as possible. I at least want to make a good impression on her. I'm sure her son has told her all sorts of terrible things about me." She stopped and rounded on them. "Anything else?" When they said nothing, Bulma turned and continued to her room.
Vegeta sat grouchily on his steed. He rode beside his mother's carriage. They were passing through the villages just outside of Sirocco. The natives of the villages kept their distance, gaping at the royal caravan. Vegeta snorted under his breath. With their dark colors, he supposed the caravan appeared menacing at first glance.
"Vegeta!" Serori had opened the window to her carriage. "Are we almost there?" she asked.
Vegeta glared down at his mother. "Mother, you sound like a child. You're worse than Kakarrot. We'll be there when we get there. We have no more than an hour left." He watched Serori retreat back into her carriage before looking back ahead of him.
The young king was not impressed in the least with subjects of Zephyrus. At first glance, they appeared to be a slovenly bunch. Most of the land was covered in trees and what was not shrouded beneath the canopy of trees was fields of various crops. Vegeta knew that Zephyrus was where most of his country's agricultural goods came from. In return for the hunting done by the Saburrans, the Zephyreans traded their produce. It had been that way for years, centuries even.
As the Saburran caravan came closer and closer to Sirocco, the landscape began to change. Instead of the small villages filled with huts, the road was made of cobblestone and the homes grew much larger and closer. The farms were replaced with shops and carts selling all kinds of goods. As the people watched the caravan approach, they shied away from them. With their dark horses and carriages, the Saburrans were indeed an intimidating group.
The palace in Sirocco came into view in no time. Vegeta heard his mother peeking out of her carriage and whispering with her attendants. The palace was very different from the palace in Regia. The two buildings were as different as night and day on the outside.
Bulma held her eyes closed as her head was pulled from side to side. She tried to keep her neck stiff. Her maid was putting her hair up in some intricate updo. She flinched as her maid inserted pins to keep her hair up. You'd think I'd be used to this by now, Bulma thought. She visibly flinched when a pin scratched her scalp.
"I'm sorry, Your Grace! Did I hurt you?" The maid walked around to face Bulma, a worried look on her face. Bulma shook her head, wondering how the young girl could still be so terrified of her. The girl let out a sigh of relief before returning to her duties. She pulled a piece of hair out from the top and braided it into a fishtail. She pinned it around Bulma's head. "What do you think, Your Grace?"
The young queen examined her hair. Her maid really took pride in her work. To Bulma, it was a little over-the-top, but her people enjoyed things like that. The queen was expected to draw the most attention. If her exotic dress did not do the job, her vibrant hair most definitely would. She nodded her approval and the young maiden practically jumped with joy. Bulma rose from her seat and moved the long tail of her dress around so she would not step on it.
Bulma moved over to the floor-length mirror and examined her dress. The dress was a mermaid gown with a chantilly lace illusion neckline, a gathered tulle bodice, and a degrade ruffle seam on the front and back with an eyelash organza flange skirt. Aside from the skirt, it gave the illusion that she was bare underneath the tulle that was the color of her hair. She had to show that she was of age; that her breasts were full and her hips were wide enough for childbearing. My breasts are definitely full, she thought. She had never taken serious notice of their size before, but they were indeed large.
"Don't you look lovely?" Baba entered the room and Bulma turned to face her. "Why the despondent face?"
Bulma crossed her arms over her bared abdomen. "I feel like I'm naked in this get-up. What's the point of parading me around like I'm some whore? This pomp is unnecessary."
Baba sighed and took a seat at Bulma's vanity. "You were never one for pomp and circumstance." She looked over Bulma's figure again. "You really have filled out, child. All eyes will definitely be on you."
"Great," Bulma said with a roll of her eyes. "Have the Saburrans arrived yet?" She stood still as her maid placed a tiara in her hair. Bulma flinched as her scalp was once again attacked by sharp pins.
"My apologies, Your Grace," the maid mumbled as she stepped away from Bulma.
"They are arriving as we speak. Would you like to meet them or would you prefer to wait?"
Bulma chewed on her bottom lip. "Just show them to their chambers. Give them all the hospitality you would give me. I want this to go over as smoothly as possible. Show them around as well. I'm going to the gardens to clear my head before all of this begins."
"You do not think it wise to greet your guests the moment they arrive?" the old woman asked while clearing her throat. She received no answer as the queen had already vacated the room. "I swear she's as stubborn as a mule."
Vegeta stopped his horse right in front of the line of soldiers standing in front of the door to the palace. Kakarrot pulled up behind him and they stared down at the Zephyrean soldiers. "Small runts, aren't they?" Vegeta said so that only Kakarrot could hear him. The other man snickered softly. Vegeta watched a dark-haired man with blue eyes approach him. He was slight, but he looked every bit the official that he was. He smirked up at Vegeta. "And you are?"
"I am Juuna, Your Majesty. Sadly, our own monarch could not be here to greet you. Do not despair. You will definitely see her later on in the day. However, she sent us to greet you and show you around the palace," Juuna said. He snapped and the servants behind him began moving quickly.
The young king examined Juuna for a few seconds more before dismounting from his own horse. Kakarrot followed his example and moved towards the carriage the held Serori. He opened the door for Serori. The Queen Dowager stepped out and looked around her. She walked over to Vegeta and smiled at Juuna.
"My Lady," Juuna bowed. Serori nodded and Juuna offered his arm to her. She took it with a small smile and glared back at her son. Vegeta sighed and rolled his eyes, following after them. Kakarrot caught up with him and they fell into step behind Juuna and Serori.
Vegeta had to squint as they entered the palace. The place was incredibly bright. Sunlight shined through every window, crack, and crevice. The palace in Regia was exceedingly dark in comparison. The tapestries struck Vegeta as interesting, as well as horrible. Where the tapestries in his palace depicted great bloody battles and acts of valor, the tapestries here depicted marriages and coronations. There were even some full of happy scenes such as balls. Vegeta resisted the urge to gag at the sappiness of it all. He did pause when he came to one tapestry that showed a young blue-haired girl sitting on a throne.
"That's the queen after her coronation," a voice said, drawing Vegeta out of his stupor. He turned to see an old woman with scraggly pink hair. "That was when the look in her eyes drastically changed."
Vegeta looked back at the tapestry. The little girl was not smiling. Her eyes did not appear saddened, though. They were the eyes Vegeta had seen many times while training his men. They were the eyes Serori told him he bore. They were the eyes of a warrior. Vegeta let out a snort before looking back at the old woman. "Who are you?"
"I am Baba, Your Grace. The queen was my ward as a child and now I am one of her advisors." The old woman inclined her head to Vegeta as she introduced herself.
"So where's this queen of yours? Does she think she is above such a menial task as greeting her guests?"
Baba bristled at Vegeta's words. "She is simply preparing for the festivities tonight."
"Doing woman things, I suppose." Vegeta snorted again as he followed his mother and Juuna to the staircase. He noticed they had stopped and Juuna was bowing. Vegeta looked to the top of the staircase.
"And just what are woman things?" Bulma stood on the top of the stairs, glaring down at Vegeta. He met her stare with just as much ferocity. Exhaling, Bulma turned her attention to Serori. Instantly, he face softened and she began descending the stairs. "Good afternoon, Your Majesty. Welcome to Sirocco."
Serori smiled at Bulma and moved up the stairs towards her. "It is nice to finally meet you, Your Grace. I'm afraid my son did not do you justice when describing you. You're an absolutely stunning young woman," she said.
Bulma's eyes widened. The compliment came as a complete surprise. One can only imagine what that arrogant pig said to her when describing me, she thought.
"You honor me with your kind words, Your Majesty."
"Come now! We're both monarchs here. You may address me as Serori."
"If you insist, then I prefer you call me Bulma." The younger woman looked down at Vegeta. He was ascending the stairs at an incredibly slow pace. She noticed his eyes were trained on her. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, which she found strange. No one made Bulma nervous. Yet, somehow the Saburran king was achieving the feat with his eyes alone. Shaking her head, she took her eyes off of him and began walking with Serori.
Serori took in Bulma's dress. "I must say that your dress is simply divine."
"You think so? It's mainly just to show off my womanly body. These functions are only meant to draw in a husband," Bulma said with a roll of her eyes. Serori noticed the displeased look and simply nodded. "I don't know why I'm being so resistant to this. I knew this day was coming. Perhaps I just didn't want to believe it since I'm already queen..."
"I'm pretty sure you'll find someone who will worship the ground you walk on," Serori said.
Behind them, Vegeta rolled his eyes. Women. They talk about the most idiotic things.
After showing Serori to her rooms, Bulma turned to face Vegeta. She looked him over and crossed her arms. "I hope you plan on changing into something a little more formal. The ceremony begins in two hours." With that, she turned and stalked off before Vegeta could get a word in edgewise.
Vegeta stood there, gaping at her back as she walked off. The sheer disrespect she showed him made him want to scream and yell at her. Luckily, Vegeta had enough self-control to know not to let a woman get to him. Woman? Feh! She's a child more than anything, he thought. He knew Bulma was not that much younger than him; a year at the most. Still, he thought her to be far more childish than anyone he'd ever met. Kakarrot is an exception to that.
Bulma slowed her pace as she entered an empty hallway. "Chichi," she called into the air. In a cloud of gray smoke, Chichi appeared beside her. "You're relieved of your duties for the rest of the day. I want you to attend the festivities as a guest of mine."
Chichi's eyes widened and she removed her mask. Bulma smirked at her. It was against the rules for Chichi to remove her mask in the presence of the queen. "Your Grace, I cannot just abandon my post. I'm to protect you at all times."
"Chichi, you dare question your Queen? And stop calling me that. I will not have my best friend groveling at my feet like everyone else."
"Pffft! I'm you're only friend," Chichi said as she crossed her arms. "You can't play the royalty card and say that I can't address you as such in the same breath, Bulma."
"And why not? I'm the sovereign of this land. I can do whatever I want. If I tell you to get out of that jumpsuit, put on a proper dress, and attend this trivial event with me, you will and you will do it with a smile."
Chichi resisted the urge to roll her eyes. If anyone else were to witness this exchange between the two, they'd have Chichi's head. "Fine. But don't expect me to enjoy it." The raven-haired woman turned away and disappeared from Bulma's sight.
Bulma smiled to herself. In this sense, being queen is fun.
Kakarrot was lost. He'd gotten distracted by a tapestry depicting a great feast when he lost his party. The palace seemed much more spacious because of how bright it was. The servants largely ignored him and he could not find anyone who he recognized from before. Everyone was busy doing something. It was not until he turned a corner and nearly knocked someone down that he found a recognizable face.
Chichi reflexively put whoever bumped into her against the wall, choking them. She blinked when she realized it was just the guy from the waterfall; the one who had been with Vegeta. She released him slowly. "Sorry." She hurried away quickly, not liking the way the other guy was looking at her.
"Wait!" Kakarrot called. Down the hall, Chichi turned to look at him. "What's your name?"
Chichi bit her lip, wondering why he would ask for her name. "I can't tell you," she said.
Kakarrot raised an eyebrow. "Well, my name's Kakarrot," he said with a smile. He watched Chichi nod slowly and then continue walking away. "I wonder why she can't tell me her name..."
Bulma stood outside the doors to the main hall. The moment she entered she would be under the eyes of every person of nobility in Zephyrus. She would also be under the eye of her guests. Snorting at the thought of Vegeta even paying the slightest bit of attention to her was laughable. Might as well get this over with. Bulma gestured to the guards to open the doors.
The entire room hushed when Bulma entered. The crowd parted so that she could pass through them. As she passed, they bowed. Bulma had to stop when she felt a small tug on her dress. She looked down to see a young man kissing the cloth. The gesture surprised her, as she had only ever seen it done to her mother. Bellezza had been most loved by the people. Do they love me that much? Am I that important to them? Bulma touched the young man's head and smiled down at him. He seemed so young; much younger than herself.
Baba was pleased with Bulma's composure. She knew the young queen was new to that kind of praise from her people. Yes, she's meant for great things. Her greatness is already being realized by her people. The old woman glanced at Vegeta. He sat at in a throne next to Bulma's. Baba was surprised that he was even watching Bulma. Odd. He seemed to dislike her so much. His mother likes Bulma enough, though. Perhaps she can push them to work together.
Bulma took her seat quietly. She inclined her head and her people rose to their feet. "Thank you for joining me on this most momentous occasion. Eat, drink, and have a great time," she said loudly. The people raised their glasses in her honor and nodded before getting back to their former conversations.
Vegeta snorted. "That was it? I thought there was supposed to be some sort of ceremony," he said. He saw the queen cut her eyes at him while his mother cleared her throat. "What? I was told this was going to be some grand affair. So far all I've seen is a bunch of entitled weaklings converse over silly matters."
"Are you bored, Your Grace?" Bulma spat. Vegeta glared at her and before he could utter a word, Bulma looked away. "I'm sorry if the interlude bores you, but I assure you that this party is just getting started. Now, relax and stop talking."
Serori snickered at the look on her son's face. "Vegeta, close your mouth before something flies into it."
Bulma was presented with many gifts as the party wore on. After the 50th gift, she grew tired of even smiling at her subjects. It was not until a man with fluffy white hair bowed to her and presented her nothing but his arm did she take notice. "What is this? You give me your arm, sir? An entire appendage as a gift? Surely you jest."
The man looked up, smiling at the queen. "Not at all, Your Majesty. I offer you my arm... only to dance."
Bulma raised an eyebrow. Smirking, she got to her feet and took his hand. "Lead the way," she said.
Vegeta rolled his eyes at the display. Dancing was definitely not his thing. It did not surprise him when his mother joined in as well. The lot of them were doing some ridiculous group dance that involved a lot of twirling and switching partners. He did have to admit that it was the most he'd seen his mother smile lately. Vegeta just sat there, trying to look as intimidating and sour as possible. He saw his efforts were for naught when a pretty blonde approached him.
"Do you not wish to join in the festivities, Your Grace?" she asked. Juu watched Vegeta's frown only deepen. She had to remind herself not to smile at the pouty but cute look the king was giving her. He just sat there in silence, with all the grace and civility of a stubborn toddler. "I think our queen would enjoy it very much if you would at least dance once. It is her birthday, after all."
"And just who would I dance with? You?" Vegeta retorted.
Juu simply smiled at him. "You have admirers, Your Grace." She looked behind her to the group of women that were gathered and looking at Vegeta. "They seem to be absolutely enamored with you."
The young king had been very aware of the eyes that followed his every move. They were not exactly discreet in their actions. "The last thing I have time for is horny women who can't keep their emotions in check." He watched the blonde woman nod. Something about her reminded him of the one called Juuna. "Who are you?"
"My name is Juu, Your Grace. I believe you met my twin brother earlier. He is one of the queen's generals."
"He is a young general."
"You are a young king," Juu inclined her head, "Your Grace."
Vegeta was amused by Juu's bluntness and thinly-veiled sarcasm. She spoke to him rather haughtily but with just enough respect for his station to not be disrespectful. "I'm not much for dancing."
"So you can't dance, Your Grace?"
"I never said that. I said I'm not much for dancing. I'm perfectly capable of doing so. However, rarely will you see me do it."
Juu tapped a finger on her chin. "I'm not sure I am convinced, Your Grace."
Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "Is that so?" He stood up and grabbed Juu roughly by her arm. He missed the smirk on her face as he practically dragged her to the floor where the silly dance was going on. Juu caught the eye of Vegeta's fans and gave them a condescending glare.
As Serori danced with her partner, she noticed Vegeta joining in with a pretty blonde girl. Surprised by the action, she caught his eye. He quickly looked away. After a few twirls and turns, she switched to a new partner and continued the dance. Eventually, Vegeta would be her partner and she could ask him about his actions.
The time came sooner rather than later for Vegeta. Serori held on to him tightly as they turned. "Dancing, my son? I didn't think you were in such a festive mood," she said.
"This is more or less a challenge, Mother." Vegeta felt slightly ashamed at admitting that he'd been duped into dancing to save his pride. The teasing expression on his mother's face was not helping the situation any. "Don't look at me like that."
"I have no idea what you are talking about, Vegeta," Serori said. The two danced in silence for a few more minutes. They put their backs together and took three steps before turning. Vegeta bowed while his mother curtsied. They joined hands, switched sides and joined new partners.
Bulma gasped when she realized who she was dancing with. Her surprise turned into annoyance quickly. "I'm surprised to see you mingling with the us mere mortals. Did someone put you up to this? I can imagine your pride was insulted," she said.
Vegeta twirled her and pulled her back into his arms roughly. "You seem to think you know a lot about me. We've spoken for no more than four minutes at a time and it's been nothing but snide comments from you."
"From ME?" Bulma turned roughly in his arms. Vegeta placed his hands on her waist as she gripped his shoulders. He lifted her, turned and put her back down. They continued the dance, handling each other as roughly as possible. "You've shown me nothing but disrespect since we've met!" she whispered harshly to him.
"I only give as good as I get," Vegeta said as he turned her around in his arms. He noted absentmindedly that she smelled absolutely divine. Shaking his head at the random thought, he practically pushed her away before pulling her back.
Bulma slammed into his hard chest. With the wind virtually knocked out of her, she exhaled loudly. She placed her hands on his chest to push away. He was solid as a brick wall. Under his shirt she could tell he was probably as chiseled as one of the statues in the gardens. "I'd give better if I got the same mount. Unlike you, I'm perfectly capable of being civil." They did several movements in silence before switching partners, giving each other one last scathing glare.
Yamcha noticed Bulma's sour mood the moment she stepped into his arms. "He wasn't bothering you, was he?" he asked. Bulma shrugged, but avoided his eyes. "Just let it out, Bulma."
"It's nothing, Yamcha. Thank goodness this is the last round. I'm tired and I still have to change and attend the banquet. He's nothing I can't handle." Bulma smiled at him. "I'll let you know if I need you to check him."
The dance ended with everyone bowing to one another. Baba began instructing everyone to head to the dining hall. She caught Juu's eye. The blonde nodded and walked away. Baba went over to Bulma's side. "I suppose it is time for you to change. Your feast is also very important," she said.
Bulma grunted her response as she watched Vegeta go to his mother's side. "I'll go alone. I need a few moments to myself before I have to be social again."
"As you wish, Your Grace." Baba nearly smiled as she saw Bulma roll her eyes. "Don't be late."
"Pffft! I'm the queen. I can be as late as I want. It's by the grace of the gods that I even attend this shallow event." Bulma disappeared in a different direction.
She changed into completely different dress altogether. It was almost nothing like her first dress. It was strapless and the bodice was tight. The skirt of the dress was much looser, though. It could've been the fact that it was open in the front. The slit of the skirt was split high and wide enough that Bulma's legs could be seen. The only issue Bulma had with the dress was that there was a bit of a train. She could deal with that as long as her legs were free. She put a pair of heeled shoes, something only the very rich could afford. Bulma did not like them, but she must appear as glamorous as her station denoted. She also let her hair completely down.
As she walked down the somewhat deserted halls towards the dining hall, she noticed the only noise was her shoes clacking. She could faintly here the people in the dining hall, though. They seemed so far away. I must fix the problem of my chambers being nowhere near where I spend my days. These shoes are uncomfortable, Bulma thought. She turned a corner and saw someone coming in her direction. They were not dressed for the occasion. They were also not dressed as a servant. Their attire confused Bulma. She did not break her stride though. Only one way to find out.
"And who are you and what are you doing so far from the dining hall? That is the only place where guests are allowed," she said. Her voice held none of the usual authoritative tone as she was too exasperated to sound queenly. Her eyebrows furrowed when she realized that she received no answer as they drew closer. "You dare disrespect your queen by ignoring me? I asked you a question and I expect an answer. State who you are and what your business is in my..."
Bulma let out a small yelp as she dodged something silver coming at her neck. She backed into the wall. She ducked again as he swung at her head. Bulma moved around him, swinging her dress around her legs so that she would not step on it. She put the train behind her and faced her attacker again. Am I really in the midst of an assassination attempt right now? Her answer came in the form of another thrust from her attacker.
Clearly her assailant did not expect Bulma to be so fast, especially with her dress on. She ducked under him again and turned, kicking him in the chest. Weaponless, Bulma had no choice but to make a run for it. Hopefully, someone would hear her calls for help. She did not get very far before her heel cracked and sent her flailing forward. She landed hard on the floor and rolled over. Her assailant was running towards her. Bulma got to her feet. She grabbed a bit of her dress in her hand. The moment he got close enough, she threw it up, momentarily obscuring his vision. He knocked into Bulma and they went tumbling to the ground.
She screamed.
Vegeta was lost. Serori had sent him back to her room for a change of shoes. She had insisted he go instead of a servant. But now Vegeta was lost and his patience was growing thin. He was just about to go back the way he came when he heard the scream. Not a scream. That was far more primal to be called a scream. More like a battle cry. Normally he would have disregarded it, but the voice seemed familiar. I hope it's not who I think it is, he thought as he walked towards the source of the noise.
He had to pause when he turned a corner. There was a body laying prone on the floor. He saw that it was what looked like a man on top of a woman. He was tempted to just walk away until he saw the woman move. She pushed the man off of her and sat up. Vegeta's eyes widened minutely.
It was the queen. She was breathing hard. She did not appear shaken at all. Her facial expression was one of surprise instead. Vegeta noticed an incredible gash on her arm. Bulma looked at it with disdain. She tied the wound up with a piece of her torn dress. Bulma was disheveled and covered in blood. She was standing lopsidedly because of her broken heel. Her hair was a mess. However, Vegeta could only think of how incredibly beautiful she looked. She finally noticed him and chuckled.
"How long have you been standing there?" she asked. She bent down and pulled her heel out of her would-be assassin's neck. More blood spurted on her. She rolled the man over and pulled off the mask he wore. He reminded her of a fly for some reason. Bulma began searching for any clue as to who the man was.
Vegeta walked up to her. "What's the point of looking for something on him? You know very well who sent him," he said. He watched her glower up at him. "You know I'm right."
"Are you confessing?" she asked as she stood up straight. "I wouldn't put it past you."
"Woman, what would I possibly gain from slaying you? Besides," Vegeta stepped up closer to her, "if I wanted you dead, I'd do it myself."
Bulma had no idea why, but him being so close to her gave her a funny feeling. He reached up and touched her cheek. Bulma just watched him wipe a drop of blood away from her face. They paused for a moment, staring at one another. Bulma shook her head and got to her knees again. She took the dagger in her hand again and began sawing.
Vegeta raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"
"It seems my statement was not made clear enough the first time."