A/N: Takes place almost two years before the arranged marriage meeting...

Sweet Sorrow

It has been eighteen months since he last saw her, and Prince Vegeta rocketed across the sky with great eagerness. As he came closer, a proud smirk graced his lips when he saw her there waiting for him, and he touched down some six feet before her.

Her attire was fairly different from what she usually wore as the white coveralls transformed into a long white dress and long aqua hair flowed down the center of her bare back in hundreds of curly ripples. If she had dressed this way to impress him, he was greatly pleased.

His satisfied expression quickly transformed into a frown as he walked the rest of the distance. He came within an inch before he started sniffing at her wildly.

Not realizing his purpose for smelling her with such enthusiasm, she could not help but let out a small giggle until he stepped back from her and showed her a look of disapproval.

"There has been another male in my absence?" He questioned through gritted teeth as he clenched a fist.

Her slight smile faded as her head turned away from him, causing him to growl and swiftly raise a hand to return her face to his.

"My father…" She started slowly with a shaky voice. "…my father plans to marry me off to the son of one of his most prominent governors when I am twenty years of age."

He huffed in mental anguish and he his heart jumped at her words.

"And this governor's son, he has been courting you already I take it." He stated as he crossed his arms. The male's scent was faint, but Prince Vegeta could tell this guy was calling on Lady Bulma very frequently.

"Yes."

"You like him?"

"Well…" She sighed. "…he is very friendly and handsome…"

"Just answer the question!" He irately interrupted.

"Yes, I suppose I do like him, but not how you think."

"And what am I thinking?"

"You are thinking that what I feel for him is akin to what I feel for you, but it is not! Since you've been gone, I've had much time to think and…" She didn't know how to express in words what needed to be said. Prince Vegeta demonstrated violent behavior once before, and frankly, she was afraid of his reaction.

"…and much time to have this male fawn all over you?"

"You are not listening!"

"He's kissed you, hasn't he? Did you enjoy it?" He spat the consecutive inquiries without giving room for her to answer.

"Yes…" She answered sadly and upon realizing that he may find her answer conflicting, she immediately changed it. "I mean no!"

"Which is it?" He growled impatiently.

"I mean yes, he has kissed me, and no, I did not enjoy it." She told him, looking to the sky.

He could tell her statement was only half true, as he could easily distinguish lies from truths. She did not hate it either.

"But you let him." He said.

"What did you want me to do?" She asked when he glared at her. "Tell him: I'm in a relationship with the Prince of Saiyans, so stay away unless you want to be killed?"

"In all honesty…" He wanted to smirk as he really felt the need to carry out the end of her statement. And then, the most selfish thought occurred to him; that he should have marked her in the first place to make sure no one else would touch her.

"Well it is not that simple! We live in the real world…two different worlds…and we both have an obligation to our people…" She paused and closed her eyes to think for a moment. During his absence, her responsibilities increased as well, making her more mature as she regarded what was in the best interests of her people. And even if she had not been paired with that governor's son, it was not like she could just run off with the Saiyan Prince. "I'm sure your parents have made similar arrangements for you, haven't they?"

"No." He stated honestly. But, even though they had not discussed anything with him yet, he knew the subject would come up shortly. It was his mother's duty to recruit suitable 'saiyan' females to be his princess, but his father was to ultimately give his approval on the choices before the crown prince made his decision. All and all, that would make this female standing before him that he so desired very much unattainable in the end. He didn't know what caused him to think she would always be there for him and only him. Maybe it was immature on his part to believe so.

"But they will and you know it! Let's face it…we can never be together no matter how much we like each other." She then checked the time on her scouter, seeing it was almost time for her parents' dinner party with her future husband and his parents. "I have to go…I just came to tell you that…I cannot…I cannot meet you anymore!" She burst into tears and turned to run off from him.

He grabbed her arm and turned her back to face him, and it was then he saw that same face; the crying face that caused that twinge in his heart those years back. His heart's reaction was no different from then. If only it were that simple to cut free another blossom to cease her crying and to see her smile again. This time he didn't know what to do. So as he let her go, his frustration got the best of him. And he blurted the first thing that came to his lips.

"On-once a weakling, al-always a weakling!" He stuttered. She paused at his words and took a deep breath. She wanted desperately to turn around and spend time with him like they used to, but that just was not possible anymore. She started walking again until she reached her hover car and drove away.

Something told him to go after her, but he froze. He just stood there and watched until she was out of sight, fading into the fuzzy view of the busy traffic and skyscrapers of the Tuffle Nation.