Chapter 4

Freeza made an entrance. He was all flair. Dodoria and Zarbon followed the icejin into the throne room. Kakarrot stiffened at the sight of the green haired man, but kept quiet. Freeza walked towards the King, or rather floated. His clawed feet dragged on the floor as he moved. The icejin was white and purple, with large black horns sticking out of his head.

Vegeta suppressed a growl at the sight of the icejin. This creature had been trying to get him under his control for years, but the Prince always found a way out. Vegeta wondered why he was here, now, after the attempt at his life last night.

"It is good to see you again, King Vijita. And I see your son here as well. You are looking in fine health, your Highness." The icejin said.

The King stood. "What brings you today, Lord Freeza?"

"Oh, I was just checking on how things were going here on Vegetasei. Wouldn't do to be in the zone and not stop to visit."

Prince Vegeta kept himself from looking down as the boy pressed against his legs. He was trembling and the Prince wasn't sure if he was trying to hide or not.

"I see you have a new pet, Vegeta." Freeza said.

"He's not a pet, just a student who was to learn about the court." Vegeta ground out.

"It looks like he is afraid. Pity, he might have been amusing otherwise."

Vegeta stood. "Father if there is nothing else. I will take this one and start his training."

The King waved him off, watching as the boy follow the guards, his tail held tight around his waist. Freeza watched them leave also. "Now that school is out, we can settle our business." Freeza said as the group left the throne room.

Vegeta stormed through the halls. He was angry the icejin had seen the boy. Kakarrot hurried to keep up. "Nappa, have the chambers been seen to?"

"Yes, sire. All is secured. There is only one elevator going down to the floor. On that floor there are only six rooms. Two for your personal use – one bedroom, one bath, and one common sitting room. There is a room for Raditz and I each, off the sitting room. There is a smaller room that hasn't been determined. I wanted to leave one available for the boy if you chose. There is a weapon detector connected to the elevator, and a security station. I have set two guards at the station and two roaming."

"Very good. but the small room will be extended. We will use it as a dinning room and meeting area. Have a tester put in place for the food that is brought in. What of the other exit."

"Connected to your room. Only opens with your retina scan, DNA scan, and voice command." Raditz answered.

"Good. We will move in there now. Have the servants pack up everything in our rooms and move it down. Nappa, you better go down with each load so our personal weapons can get through."

"Very good, your Highness." Nappa said and turned when they got to the corner to carry out his orders.

The move was made and they settled in to the banging of hammers and whine of drills as the workers finished the meeting room. Vegeta watched the boy as he cringed against the wall. Deciding to take pity on him, the Prince walked over and motioned him to follow. He led him to the elevator and took it up. When they stopped the Prince walked down halls until he came to a training hall. The noise was about the same to Vegeta, but the boy seemed to relax a bit. He would have to remember the boy's hyper senses. The sound of a drill was grating for him, it must be more so for Kakarrot.

"Come and spar, 'Karrot." Vegeta said. The boy looked at him funny for a moment, then smiled.

"I don't know how, sire."

"Ok, then we'll start with something easy. You are very good at mimicking. I'll teach you a kata." Vegeta took up the pose and started moving through a simple kata. After watching him for a few moments, Kakarrot moved and started mirroring his movements. The boy learned fast and soon they had moved to a hard kata, the boy somehow able to keep up. Every so often, the Prince would feel a brush against his mind and knew the boy was checking on where to go next. He didn't reprimand Kakarrot, the brushes were light and not evasive. Vegeta figured the more contact with his mind the boy had, the easier it would be to claim him.

Sweat was dripping from Vegeta when he noticed he was in the air and the boy had stopped. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"I don't know how to fly. I can't figure it out." The boy said, plopping to the floor. Vegeta looked around and saw Nappa and Raditz standing against the wall.

"How long have we been working?" He asked, landing near the boy.

"About five hours, sire. We didn't want to interrupt." Nappa said. The bald man was slightly amazed that the boy had been able to keep up that long. He had kept up with even some of the Prince's harder moves. It was just when Vegeta had gone airborne that the boy had stopped.

"That's enough for today. Let's get cleaned up and get something to eat." No sooner had Vegeta said that then the boy's stomach let out a vicious growl, almost sounding painful. The Prince laughed and ruffled Kakarrot's hair. "Sorry, I forgot about the bottomless pit."

The boy flushed then purred at the petting. "That's alright, I forgot it too. That was fun. Maybe next time you can show me how to fly?" He asked with a little whine to his voice to coax the Prince into complying.

"Sure, sure. Turn off the whine and big eyes already." Vegeta said with a long suffering sigh.

Raditz looked at Nappa with a question in his eyes. It was like the Prince and his brother were long time friends or lovers. Vegeta seemed to go out of his way to pet, stroke or just touch the boy. And the boy leaned on, rubbed against or purred at the Prince more then was called for. Vegeta's temper seemed to be softened too. He wasn't blasting everybody in sight or yelling orders. Maybe they would be good for each other.

After a shower and clean clothes were had by all, the three men and boy settled into their new dinning room. The servants brought in food and Raditz tested it. When it showed no signs of tampering, they started eating. Kakarrot kept up with the bigger men and ate more, in the end, then Nappa. Vegeta joined in the laugher when it was pointed out to the boy and he blushed. They moved into the sitting room area and relaxed. Nappa and Raditz played a game, while Vegeta and Kakarrot occupied a couch near by. The Prince once again positioned the boy so he was laying with his head in his lap. He then started playing with the long black tail and running his fingers through the spiky hair. Vegeta talked with the other warriors about what had happened during the day and soon the boy was asleep. Soothed by the sound of the boys purring snores, Vegeta relaxed.

"What happened when you took the master to the cells?" He asked.

"He yelled and screamed a lot. They gagged him in the end and tossed him in the cell across from the assassin. We found some strange things when we searched Blue house. Seems the master had two side lines. One was illegal drugs, the other was off world slave trading. He would buy saiyajin boys, then sell them off planet. We have records of 200 transfers of saiyajins off world. You know the king passed a law about that. His majesty doesn't want saiyajin used by other races. The drugs were narcotics that were on the list. The master was drugging his patrons. Mostly warriors were treated, then they were shipped to Freeza. There was records on that too." Nappa said.

"We gathered 20 slaves ranging from age 12 to 25. All showed signs of mistreatment. They are in medical now being treated. 4 others were found dead. The master must have lost it last night after Nappa took Kakarrot. He beat them to death. Bloody sight. We have the papers for the slaves for you to decide what to do with them." Raditz added.

"Sire, if I might ask, have you touched his mind yet?" Nappa asked watching the boy roll in his sleep so his face was almost pressed into the Prince's groin.

Vegeta sucked in a breath and slowly let it out. "Not deeply enough to be sure, but yes, I've touched his mind."

"Then why does he act like you've already claimed him? I mean, he's all but, well..." Nappa waved a hand indicating where the boy's face was. "And if given a choice he goes to your side. I expected him to hang on Raditz once he found out they were related. But he hardly seems to care."

Vegeta ran his fingers through silken locks. "Nappa, you have to remember that all he's known is being a pleasure slave. He was taught to please. He sees me as his new master so is trying to be pleasing. He also sees me as his savior. Top that off with the fact he's a natural flirt and you get him sleeping with my erection in his face. And besides. He likes the way I smell better then either of you."

"What do you mean? We don't smell bad." Raditz looked offended.

The Prince laughed lightly. "He doesn't like Nappa's scent because he is overpowering with his dominance. You are family, and though comfortable, not what he wants. You have to remember that as a Select all his senses are hyper. He was almost sick when Freeza was near him. He smelled the blood from your wound last night and the alien in my rooms before the door was opened."

"Oh, so he can see, hear, taste, and smell better then we can?" Nappa asked looking at the boy.

"Among other things." Vegeta said. "I think it's time we all got some sleep." He stood and picked Kakarrot up and carried him into his bedroom. He stripped the boy and slipped him between the covers. He sat on the side of the bed and watched the boy sleep for a while, then undressed and got into the bed with him.

In the middle of the night, Vegeta felt the body beside him shift. Where the boy had curled around him, he now was sitting up. The Prince sat up and looked around. It was too dark to see anything, even with his saiyajin eyesight. He put his hand on Kakarrot's arm. /What's wrong?/ He pathed.

/Somebody is in the room with us, not Nappa or Raditz. I can smell him. He's standing near the door. He must be relaxed because his heartbeat and breathing is normal./ The boy sent back.

/Stay put. Get under the covers so you don't freeze./ Vegeta sent then moved off the bed quietly. He slinked silently around the room until he was behind the intruder. With one hand he pushed the man between his shoulder blades. With the other he hit the lights. The Prince blinked as he heard a large body hit the floor.

Looking down, Vegeta saw his father laying on the floor as his eyes cleared. "Father! What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for my son who moved his rooms without warning. Who is that in your bed?" The King asked as he sat up.

Vegeta rolled his eyes. He didn't need this now. He offered the King a hand up, then realized it would look worse then it was. Both he and the boy were naked. His father was going to jump to the right conclusion at the wrong time. "Why don't you go into the sitting room while I get dressed. We can talk there."

"Of course, but you will answer me." The King stood and left the room.

"Sire, do you want me to stay here?" the boy asked from the bed.

Vegeta walked over and smoothed the silken hair from the boy's face. "Stay and sleep. You did well in waking me. If it would have been danger I would have had plenty of time to take care of us. I'm proud of you." He smiled as the boy purred under his hand.

With a sigh, Vegeta turned and got dressed. He really wanted to be back in bed with that warm body. But with his father in the sitting room, he knew that wasn't an option.

The King watched his son enter the room and pull the door to, not closing it tight. He waited until Vegeta took a seat. "Alright Son, I want some answers."

"What do you want to know first?" Vegeta asked. He was trying very hard not to be defensive.

"Why have you moved you and your guards down here?"

"Maybe I should just start at the beginning." Vegeta stood. "We've been watching a pleasure house for that last few months. It was suspected the master of the house was guilty of illegal activities, including treason. Nappa went in and played with some of the pleasure slaves there. When he finished, the master came to him and told him he had him on tape doing some not so natural acts with one of the slaves. He wanted Nappa to pay him off. While Nappa was deciding what to do, the boy you met this afternoon, came downstairs. The master almost forgot Nappa in favor of trying to force the boy to take a shot. The boy refused and the master beat him. He whipped him until he was unconscious then kicked him a few times. By then, Nappa had found the drug he was trying to give the boy." Vegeta paced. "The drug is one rumored to prevent conception. Nappa was under my orders to look for Selects. Before you get upset with him remember what a Select is. Nappa figured out the boy must be a Select and grabbed him and came back to the palace. He got him to me and I ran some tests, then we took him to medical and tanked him."

The King sat back and listened. His son knew his duty well and took care to do it. "Go on."

"The boy turned out to be Kakarrot, Raditz's brother. It was confirmed that his father Bardock had sold him when he was a baby. The test showed some interesting facts. One was, that he is indeed a Select. He's perfect." Vegeta smiled. "He can use telepathy like most people talk. His senses are hyper sensitive. That's how I was able to know there was somebody in the room and where you were even though it was dark. He knew you were relaxed and not a danger by your heart and breathing rate. He also saved my life last night."

The King almost jumped up. "What happened!?"

"Calm yourself before you wake him up." Vegeta hissed. "After he got out of the tank and cleaned up, we fed him. He's a bottomless pit. Anyway, I was taking him to my rooms to talk with him. He had no idea who I was. We were walking past the guards at the door and he pulled back. I had hold of his tail and was playing with it at the time. The guards opened the door and he jerked me back again, pulling his own tail. It knocked me off balance. I felt something swing by my head and the boy growled. By that time I could see an alien in the room with a sword and Raditz on the floor unconscious. I let go of the boy's tail and attacked the assassin, knocking him out. I had Nappa take Raditz to medical and sat the boy down. I asked him what he knew about what was going on. He is so innocent in some ways." Vegeta sat down across from his father.

"It's strange, but I find myself relaxing when I pet Kakarrot. We've gotten into the habit of him laying on the couch and me sitting. He rests his head on my lap and I pet his hair and tail. Must be his scent. Anyway, I had the assassin stripped and tossed in a cell."

Vegeta got up and poured himself and his father some wine. He handed a glass to the King and sat again, sipping at the drink. "The boy fell asleep while we waited for Nappa and Raditz to return. We talked for a while, when we got to the subject of how to secure my rooms, the boy talked in his sleep. He suggested we move to the basement. With one entrance and exit, it would be easier to guard. And yes, that seems to be the look the boy gets the most." Vegeta laughed at the look of amazement on his father's face. "He was really asleep. I could feel his mind drifting around. Then Nappa asked how we would keep unauthorized weapons out, the boy chimed up with the weapon detectors. After that we went to sleep."

"In the morning Nappa woke us and told us the master of Blue house was here for the boy and that you wanted me to attend the court. I took the master first." Vegeta laughed. The King was surprised at how relaxed his son was acting. Usually his son was uptight, angry and sometimes mean.

"The boy put on such an act that he had the master answering questions without thinking. He suckered him into getting way to close to me. I managed to get hold of him even though he had weapons on him. We put him under arrest and had the house searched. We found everything we thought would be there and then some. He's naked in a cell across from the naked assassin awaiting your pleasure."

"But what about you and the boy?" The king asked.

"Father, you do know what a Select is?"

"Yes, but... Oh, really?"

"Yes, no defects, no inherited diseases or genetic defects. He's perfect. 99% chance of carrying to term. We can't get a power level since he is a Select, but it's high. And before you ask, I've touched his mind, but not deep enough to make a permanent connection. Top that off with the fact that he's poetry to watch when he does katas." Vegeta smirked. The King could almost see him rubbing his hands together.

"How old is the boy anyway?" The King asked.

"Well, he's 15, so I'm going to keep him with me till he is of age."

"What about Bardock? Does he know you plan on mating with his son?"

"What would that matter. He didn't want him, I do. I'm not about to leave him go, just so his father can sell him again. Besides, I'm Prince Vegeta. If I want to mate with him I will. The only thing you and the court said was I had to mate somebody who could carry to term. You never said it had to be female." Vegeta could feel his anger rising.

Just then, the door to his room opened and the boy came out. He came over and sat on the floor by Vegeta's legs, wrapping his tail around one of the Prince's wrists. Vegeta ran his fingers through the fur and could feel his anger seeping away.

The King watched in fascination as the boy flicked his tail over his son's hand. It seemed the movement calmed his son. It looked like it helped the Prince focus his thoughts. He knew some of the rumors about Selects. This wasn't one of them. The boy was acting like he was already mated to the Prince and was soothing him so he could discuss what he wanted without his anger getting in the way. This could be a good thing. If Kakarrot could do this during court, then Vegeta would keep his head. He would then be able to control the court instead of them controlling him.

Vegeta stirred when the King stood. "All I have to say is I approve. Good night Vegeta, Kakarrot. Make sure you send me the detailed reports tomorrow."

"Good night Father." Vegeta said, placing his hand on the boy's head.