Summary: In a medieval-like fantasy world, Son Gohan meets a young woman, Videl, who comes to West City in search of medicinal herbs to develop a cure for a mysterious illness which is killing people in Orange Star, her home. Will she achieve her goal before it's too late? Who will help (or delay) her? Gohan/Videl
Disclaimer: Do I own DBZ? HA! I wish… (sigh) A story partly-inspired by Game of Thrones, which I do not own either.
*Today, also a little bit of 'Bond, James Bond' flavour in the title. Enjoy! XOXO
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Previously…
"Gohan, I'm so sorry." She whispered feeling torn apart, and then she held one of his cheeks very gently. "You don't know the mess I'm in. Please, forgive me. I'll send for you if I succeed. I need to go… I love you."
Next, she took the silver ring off her finger and her sea shell necklace off her neck, and then she put the ring in the string of the necklace. The sea shell and the ring jingled a bit when she put the string around his neck and hid them beneath the high collar of his clothing. It was still warm because of her own skin – and he could instantly recognise her scent on it, and he loved it. But he didn't understand anything at all, and before he could ask anything she leaned down on him and kissed him softly on the lips, just once, very sweetly and innocently – and right when she was done, he had already fallen asleep.
In the meantime, Oolong had kept a very low profile all that time and wondered how she managed to knock Gohan out with a single kiss. He went back to his room, unseen. He didn't want to be spotted.
Next, Videl stood up, blew the candle, and before the thin trail of smoke could be even smelt she was already gone.
For good.
Forever.
'Goodbye, West City.' She thought with pain in her heart as she briefly stole a last glimpse of the city in the cold distance, surrounded by vast, never-ending slopes of snow and ice. The look of the city which had been her home for the last few weeks was imposing surrounded by snow. 'Goodbye… It was brief, but nice.'
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Chapter 10: The sexy spy who loved you
It was close to midnight when what Videl feared so much eventually took place. Some candles were lit in the king's chambers in West City, which he didn't want to share with his wife, not even at home, in Capital City. But that didn't mean that he was alone…
"WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?!" King Hercule yelled in an ecstasy of anger, his arms shaking with ire while reading and re-reading a letter which seemed to make no sense at all. "WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO MAKE OF THIS?! OH GODS, THIS IS BEYOND UNACCEPTABLE! I WILL KILL THAT WHORE!"
He wasn't referring to the two sluts who had shared his bed that night: a red-haired temptress with an ambitious smile called Miss Piiza and a blue-skinned, ginger rebel heart called Princess Snake. They had nice legs and nice asses, and they had done a great job before that suspicious letter had been delivered to King Hercule. They were dismissed the second the king knew it dealt with something which was deeply wrong.
"GODS, THIS IS… I SWEAR I WILL KILL THAT WHORE!" King Hercule went on yelling.
The king could roar like a lion if he wanted to, but no one dared to make that remark out loud at that moment. Only Lord Son Goku and Lady Chi-Chi, Kami and the king himself were present at that moment, in his chambers in West City. He had sent for them even though everyone had already gone to bed after the dinner party. They were probably asleep already, but the king didn't care. Sensitive information regarding the king's biological legacy had been purposefully and carelessly been leaked according to that shameful letter in his hands.
"Your highness," Lord Son Goku carefully tried to instil some sense and calmness into his friend's mind. "you should keep calm and try not to lose your temper. This issue is quite delicate and you don't want to…"
"I'M PERFECTLY AWARE OF WHAT I WANT AND WHAT I DON'T WANT – THANK YOU." The king spat back at Lord Son Goku. His dishevelled, curly dark hair looked too wild. "I shan't allow this anymore! Those who defy me shall be executed first thing in the morning! I don't need to think any more about it! My mind is set."
"Your highness," Lady Chi-Chi dared to speak, being extremely careful and kind to him. She spoke slowly and politely. "executions shall be made if you wish it so, but don't you think it's a bit radical? Why not consider imprisonment instead?"
"Lady Chi-Chi," The king stared at her like an evil predator and spoke to her with a dreadfully husky voice that made her hair stand on end. "you have experience on that, don't you? How do you feel knowing that your spouse engendered a bastard son? What of those feelings of hurt and betrayal that you probably harbour in your chest? What if the bastard was given equal rights to your own offspring? Yes, that look on your face right now –" The king mocked her. "that dejected, painful, jealous expression on your beautiful face tells me all I need to know! That's how I feel right know! So don't tell me what I should do."
"I may not like Gohan but that doesn't mean I would love to kill him." She whispered back defiantly.
"Enough." Lord Son Goku interrupted with a deep, harsh frown. "The current issue may be similar but it questions your dynasty, my king. I know it makes you rage, your highness, but I honestly think that your son… I mean… the young man, shouldn't be killed for a sin that their parents committed, not he. I suggest that you command Queen Miguel and Raditz's executions, but let Yamcha be. He is guiltless."
"It's only fair, you highness." Kami added seriously. "Yes, he is guiltless. Please, consider this carefully. Queen Miguel and her brother committed incest and she delivered a child who is not yours, an innocent outcome of their affair, so I also think he should be spared, you highness, although we understand how hurt you feel about the issue."
"My will has been determined!" King Hercule was fed up with the subject already. "I don't want any reminder of that embarrassing wife of mine! That whore shall not live another day! Lord Son Goku, tell your guards to apprehend anyone bearing their blood. ALL of them shall be imprisoned and executed first thing at dawn. The queen, her filthy brother, and the prince. Oh, and don't forget her piggy little brother Oolong. They don't deserve to live another day."
Silence fell and Lord Son Goku was sure he could not say anything that could make the king change his mind.
"Very well then, my king." Lord Son Goku concluded sadly. "It shall be done as you say. What about the other problem that your blond-haired spy mentions in her letter? What about…?"
Yes, the letter had been written by that mysterious, blond and blue-eyed woman whose looks and dark, evil smile were so terrifying, a spy of the king. And apparently, she had decided to reveal her true intentions in that fated letter to King Hercule.
"Yes, about that…" The king cut him, and seemed a sad clown all of a sudden. His anger was gone, and his muscles seemed to surrender. He gently closed his eyes painfully and sighed once, and then Lord Son Goku would've sworn that his dear royal friend was in real pain. With a sad voice, he voiced his current concern: "Send some maids to fetch her. I want to meet the girl before I decide what to do with her."
"Very well, your highness." Lord Son Goku whispered back to the king, and then he left the room followed by his wife and Kami. When he was just about to close the door, he said seriously: "I'll send for Videl immediately."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
A few minutes later, Oolong got woken up from bed by Lord Son Goku's guards and taken to prison, where Yamcha was already locked up. None of them understood what was going on. Miguel and Raditz would soon be discovered in a lonesome tower in the act of consummating one of their dirtiest incestuous deeds once more. As soon as they were found, they were also locked up in prison. Since no one had told them the reason why they were treated like that, some serious, verbal threats had been issued, but the guards paid no heed. Soon the rumours spread and the servants were making strange faces to them already, as if they were cursed or evil – and that was when Miguel and Raditz realised they were really fucked up.
As much as King Hercule wanted to keep the matter in private, it was useless. The servants and guards were quickly spreading the truth about Queen Miguel's bastard son Yamcha, who was undoubtedly the inbred offspring of her womb and Raditz's seed, bringing shame on the king's name and honour. Yamcha would never be a prince anymore. But it couldn't be helped then. What was done, was done.
King Hercule was waiting in his chambers for a young girl whose name was Videl. He needed to see her urgently. His frown grew deeper and deeper as the minutes passed by, waiting for her.
"Now the only thing left for me to do" King Hercule whispered sternly while he stared for a moment out of the window, into the darkness of the night. "is to mend this awful situation myself. I have to deal with it as swiftly as I can. You said you'd send for the girl! Where the hell is she?!"
Lord Son Goku was listening intently and respectfully, although he had just arrived, breathing hard and wearing a mask of worry, as if he had to unveil dreadful news.
"Your highness," Lord Son Goku managed to say as calmly as he could. "she's not here."
"I can see that." King Hercule said with mild sarcasm while staring at him.
"No, I mean she's nowhere to be found. Her room is empty. I'm afraid she's gone."
"WHAT?!" King Hercule exclaimed unable to believe his friend's words. "Where?! Hasn't she told anyone or left any clues?! A note? A letter?"
"I'm afraid not." Lord Son Goku said mildly hesitating, and he swallowed once, visibly worried. But his eyes told a different story – and the king had known Son Goku long enough to read those eyes properly. He knew them perfectly well.
"Are you sure?" The king's dark, husky voice uttered questions which couldn't be ignored. "You know something, Son Goku. At this point, I will not tolerate any more information being hidden from me, is that clear?!"
The king was frowning, and his facial expression was fierce and imposing.
"I've… I've made everyone in the palace rise from bed and search for her, but…" Lord Son Goku went on feeling a weight on his shoulders.
"But what?! Spit it out already!" The king commanded with impatience.
"There was only one other person missing who might know about her whereabouts." Lord Son Goku spoke so lowly that he almost whispered.
"Who's that? A maid? A girl friend? ... An accomplice?" The king chuckled freely as he served himself some wine and then raising the cup to meet his lips. "Should I be worried, Son Goku?"
"It's my son, Gohan." Lord Son Goku whispered with fear.
King Hercule spat the wine he was trying to drink.
"WHAT?!" He yelled. "The bastard you made me promise that I'd knight tomorrow?! That very same who's been watching over her?! The one you want to acknowledge like a lawful son and make him marry her without your wife's knowledge and consent?! He is the one who's also missing? YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!"
The king knew what could be implied from that. Did Gohan flee with her? Had they developed a secret love affair which they were willing to keep at all costs? Did they know about the contents of the letter and, therefore, had they eloped? What was the meaning of that? A moment later, he sighed and regained his composure, and then he said thus:
"Since everyone is awake already, I shall make a public announcement." The king said, regaining his composure. "Tell everyone to gather in the dining room. And fetch your bastard boy as soon as possible. I do hope that he hasn't fled too and that you can find him. I don't want him near her. I want to question him. And if he's touched her, you'll be to blame, Son Goku. I hope you know that the promise I made is, of course, broken, don't you?"
Lord Son Goku swallowed hard.
"It's me who decides what will become of her." The king insisted with a growl. "Not you, not him."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Half an hour later, all the people in the West City court and the servants had been summoned in the dining room to listen to the king's public announcement. The dinner room was packed with people. Even Videl's slut friends were gathered there. King Hercule had also ordered to bring the traitors there and chain them to one of the walls. They needed to listen carefully to what he had to say. In the meantime, Oolong was frowning and trying to think of a way out of that one – he was smart enough to make it, and he knew it.
The dining room was buzzing with the sound of multiple voices gossiping about the recent course of events, and they were so busy that they didn't see a couple of guards dragging a beaten-up Gohan and making him kneel on the ground in a corner of the dining room with a kick of their boots. Yes, they had finally found him. His hands had been tied at his back and it was obvious that he had been found and woken up in the stables in a brutal manner. As he was made to kneel down, Videl's sea shell and the silver ring jingled together beneath his clothing. It was the only reassuring thing that Gohan could hold on to.
"Kneel down, you bastard dog." One of the guards said despising him. "I knew you were no better than that."
"Always acting so high and mighty!" The other one said with scorn. "What were you doing in the stables when everybody was looking for Videl, huh?! When the king knows we've found you precisely there…"
That guard spat at him then, but he didn't answer anything at all. His eyes were two burning orbs of anger, but he knew how to subdue his wild side when he wanted to. But what overpowered his mind at that moment wasn't the ill treatment he was receiving from the guards: his sanity was fighting a hard, losing battle in his mind to figure out why Videl had left so suddenly and so afraid of being killed.
"Silence, please. The king." Lord Son Goku said rising from his chair when the king entered the dining room and walked up to the seat of honour, right beside Lord Son Goku's, at the main table.
King Hercule's frown had not faded and his angry strides denoted his badly contained anger. He passed by the servants' tables while they bowed – Erasa, the girls, little Suno and her parents were also there, bowing but Erasa could spot Gohan from afar and she wondered why he was kept at the back and treated so roughly; a few seconds later, the king passed by Son Goku's offspring's table. All his children and Sharpner bowed, but there were two empty seats at the table, of course: Videl's and Gohan's. At that, Trunks wondered what was going on and frowned at both their empty chairs as he was bowing to the king. None of them had realised that Gohan was actually at the back except for Erasa. Pan wondered what the matter was, still feeling terribly sleepy. In the meantime, Bulla felt her heart torn apart when she saw her dear Prince Yamcha tied to a wall like a slave.
"Are you sure you want to do this, your highness?" Lord Son Goku whispered to the king when he arrived at his side, by the table. "It's rather personal information. Are you absolutely sure you want to share this with all the court, the servants and the traitors?"
"Absolutely, Son Goku." The king whispered back seriously.
The crowd gathered that night, or very early morning, in the dining room felt the dread of something awful going on. Most of them already knew about what the traitors had done, but they didn't trust King Hercule's ominous face. Something else was the matter.
"Attention everybody!" King Hercule began roaring with his thunder-like voice so that every single person could listen. "I have a very important announcement to make – and unfortunately it can't wait. Since I'm not great at making fine speeches, I'll read out to you a fragment of a dreadful letter which I have received only a few hours ago, not long after the dinner party had finished."
And then, he proceeded to read the aforementioned letter with all the dignity he could muster, even though it dealt with obscure matters regarding his past and present.
"It reads like this:" He began rather formally. "My dear King Hercule Satan, first and last of my lovers," He coughed once while the audience became dumbfounded. Was he reading a letter from a former lover to them?! Unbelievable. But he went on: "I, Android 18, am writing my last letter to you to let you know the truth about it all. First of all, I would like to announce that I quit as your personal spy. I shall no longer respond to any of your commands in that direction, should you ever find me (and let me assure you that you will not); but as a treat I shall spill my last secrets into your mind, so that you shall remember me for what I was to you – a tool to obtain other people's secrets and hurt them at your will. The first of my secrets, therefore, is that for lots of years I have known that your wife, Queen Miguel, has been unfaithful to you with her own brother, Raditz. They have had intercourse over the last few years behind your back, so much so that 'your' son and heir to the throne can be considered a bastard. I am a woman, and I assure you I did the count myself. She cannot lie to you about her pregnancy. I am afraid that the Queen's son is not yours, but Raditz's. Therefore, you don't have a lawful heir to the throne."
Right after that, the audience started whispering with disapproval and the king had to mute them altogether. Bulla's tears flooded down her rosy cheeks. Now she knew the truth.
"By the way, my dear audience," The king told them directly. "They've been caught in the act tonight, so there's no point in denying it now." He said looking menacingly at Miguel and Raditz, who didn't dare to say a word. "They will be beheaded at dawn… But the letter goes on thus: It will make you insane, I hope, to learn this from me bearing in mind my second secret. Your dear Queen Miguel has been asking far too many questions in Capital City recently. She was jealous of your multiple whores and commanded to kill every single bastard that you may have ever engendered – and let me tell you that it was one of the greatest massive murders that have ever taken place in this country. Therefore, you cannot even aspire to have a bastard son who could inherit the throne when you are gone from this sad world."
The news of the massive murder of children generated a wave of disgust and unbearable sadness. Some servant women even fainted. Gohan was thunderstruck, staring blankly at the king from afar, and he wondered whether Videl's behaviour had any connections with those shocking news.
"And last but not least," The king went on reading with dread. "my third and last secret for you – which, let me assure you, I relish a great deal in unveiling to you after so many years. You betrayed me, and you never regretted it. And now you are paying for it, my dear lover. Once upon a time, you loved me and made love to me. Do you even remember those happy times? Your lips were full of promises of marriage which you did not fulfil, and as a consequence you made me become a dark shadow of myself. Let it be known that nine months after you made love to me, I delivered a child in the foreign land of Orange Star, where I took refuge after you broke my heart into a thousand little pieces for some time."
At that, Gohan's heart skipped a beat. The audience in the dining room gasped in awe.
"The poor little thing was of female sex and an extremely innocent and beautiful creature. I could not take care of the child, because coming back to Capital City with a bastard female child could only mean that she would eventually make a living in a brothel – and I did not want that to happen. Therefore, I gave the child to a well-known doctor from Orange Star whose…"
But the king could not proceed with that tale of sadness and heartache, because the audience could only whisper one name – and one name only: Videl.
Videl.
Videl.
It could only be Videl.
She had become a highly-valued, dearly-beloved member of the community, and her real personal story was breaking their hearts.
Even Gohan's lips found a way to whisper her name even though he was astounded beyond any possible limits: the woman he loved was a princess, actually. A bastard, also, but a princess at the end of the day. Also, Trunks' eyes glowed and he let his jaw drop in amazement. Sharpner stared blankly at the king as if he was frozen. And Pan didn't feel sleepy anymore, to be sure. Little Suno was thunderstruck, while Erasa couldn't help but recalling their lesbian session. She had kissed and touched a princess! But the king went on:
"… to a well-known doctor from Orange Star whose wife had just died that same day." The king continued seriously. "He accepted to take care of the child as if it was his own, and he swore no one would ever know the truth. He eventually told me that he would say that his wife had died during labour. Tricky as destiny has decided to be, I remember that you have received many letters from Lord Son Goku recently which deal with a very bright-minded young lady from Orange Star whose father is a doctor and whose age perfectly matches our love affair. What an extraordinary coincidence, isn't it? Should you see her, I am sure that you would recognise her wonderfully lush, dark hair which resembles your own, among other physical traits which cannot deny the truth that I have just exposed. But wait! Is she here while you are reading this letter? Do you think you could fetch her now and finally meet your one and only choice as an heir to the throne? Let me give you a clue: no, you cannot meet her. You will not ever meet her, because tonight I have found her, and I have told her the truth about her birth and Queen Miguel's plans of murdering every single bastard child who bears your blood – and that you secretly consent to it. She believes you want her dead, and she has fled the country, never to come back."
Lord Son Goku was in pain as he heard those ill-meant words, and Trunks' pupils shivered mildly due to the shock. Sharpner even started to regret having spoken to Videl so freely and having harassed her – he had been harassing a princess! But the worst reaction was Gohan's, who got paler and paler because then he understood the whole thing. He recognised the desperation in her eyes and in her voice before in the stables. That was her story.
"It is only half a truth and half a lie," The king went on reading. "because I failed to mention the queen's incestuous relationship or Yamcha's true father, which could have given her hopes that you might want her alive, but let me assure you that at the moment she is nowhere to be found because she has fled from West City and from this country for good, never to return, lest you would find her and murder her because you allegedly believe that she is a parasite that needs to be annihilated, like the rest of your bastards. Be careful, my king, because if you decide to send for her, even to follow her back to Orange Star, she will believe that you will not be satisfied with her fleeing to a foreign country, that you want her dead and erased from history. She may rather do something awful to herself rather than being found by your men, as I have suggested to her myself before she left."
Trunks couldn't take it anymore and rose from his seat in an uncontrollable fit of passion. He needed to do something to save her even though Gohan had already told him that they would be engaged soon. Naturally, Trunks still felt wounded and jealous, but he was sure that the current revelations would certainly change the course of history. King Hercule would not allow Gohan to marry her – he was sure of it, as sure as Gohan was at that moment. Gohan was hurting inside because he knew she would try to fight back whenever a soldier from this country would try to apprehend her. That was her way.
"Anyway," The king went on. "The letter goes on with more insults, but I shan't read them out loud. But let me tell you all that I have already decided on the fate of the throne: all the traitors shall be beheaded at dawn to pay for their crimes, and I shall send messages and men to make sure Princess Videl is safe and sound – and to let her know the complete, actual truth about the current situation. As regards the spy who had been at my service, Android 18, well… she's fled too – and I'll send my men to deal with her later, once we've made sure Princess Videl is here with us, safe and sound. She's my number one priority, as it should be yours. Let it be known that she's my one and only heir. Hail Princess Videl!"
The crowd repeated those words like the chorus of a joyful song, feeling glad that such a nice person like her would become their queen one day, but also feeling worried because of the current state of affairs. The only person who didn't seem particularly worried was Oolong: he had half a smile drawn on his lips as if he knew the way to saving his own life, but he was keeping a low profile at the moment, just in case.
In the meantime, Gohan didn't know what to do with his currently flooding feelings for Videl. Kneeling on the cold floor with a guard on either side of him, it was clear to him then that she had fled from West City and left him behind with the best of her intentions, believing that he'd be safe, but staying there would actually mean something different to Gohan: he knew that he was done for if the king knew about their feelings for each other. A bastard in love with a princess? The king might have already been told about it by Lord Son Goku in those previously mentioned letters! If it was the case, he instantly knew he'd face a fate worse than going to the Demon Realm Doors – or death itself. The king would not be pleased to have him as Videl's husband and future king of this country. That would and could never happen.
And then, Gohan remembered she had told him to deny her, deny any connection with her in order to save his own life – for the wrong reasons, of course. But she didn't know the actual truth, naturally.
She didn't know that, in spite of being a bastard, she was precious not only to his real, biological father, but also to an entire nation.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
A few minutes later, all the servants had already gone to bed except a selected group of guards from West City and Capital City, and some noble men, who had gathered around the huge fireplace in the king's chambers to discuss pending affairs. The group of nobles included the king himself, Lord Son Goku and Trunks. The only member of the group who didn't actually fit to be there, apparently at least, was Gohan – still bound and well-guarded.
"Very well, then." King Hercule told a couple of guards. "Get the best doves and send these messages at once. They have the utmost importance. They have to reach the main cities to let them know about Princess Videl. Keep your eyes open at all times should any messages arrive with news, or men escorting my dear daughter back here. Set out for her with a large group of men and disperse so that you can cover more ground. Find her for me. As soon as possible. Should you find other guards, they will help you, since I'm sending messages everywhere to inform of the situation. Find her. Is that clear?" The king asked with severity.
The guards immediately left the room and swiftly did as told.
Lord Son Goku didn't dare to look at Gohan, and neither did Trunks. The situation was uncomfortable for all of them, except the king, of course. It felt weird to have Gohan present in such a condition, but they knew what the king thought of him and what he had in mind for him for the next few minutes.
"Your highness," Lord Son Goku said with worry then. "If the word that Videl is your only daughter and a princess spreads, she could be in real danger. She could get kidnapped – or worse."
"We'll have to take that risk…" The king swiftly concluded. "and hope that the lords I'm writing to obey my commands in a very quick and proper manner. She should be brought back by morning unharmed, if the doves fly fast enough. I assume she might've not travelled far."
"Let's hope so." Lord Son Goku added whispering.
"And now that we just have to sit and wait for her to return," The king went on feeling sarcastically amused. "let's have a chat with you real quick, young man. I have some time to spare, and I'd love to waste it with you, scumbag."
He was obviously referring to Gohan, who seemed to undergo a mental torture already. He had a couple of bruises on his forehead and jaw, but he knew that those would be nothing compared to the state he'd be in once this conversation with the king would be over.
"Your highness," Lord Son Goku was bold enough to intervene at that moment. "please, go easy on him. Bear in mind that none of us knew the truth about her birth story."
"I know that, Son Goku." The king glared at him. "But I want to know more about him and what he was doing in the stables at such an hour when my daughter should've been there to fetch her horse and flee." At that, Lord Son Goku didn't dare to say anything further. "Very well, then. You, Son Gohan's the name, right?" The king's voice was euphemistically bittersweet as he was talking to Gohan, coming dangerously closer to him. Gohan stared at the king's shoes. "What's the nature of your relationship with my daughter?"
"I was told by Lord Son Goku to be her bodyguard for as long as she'd stay in West City." Gohan whispered with seriousness and pain in his heart. At last, he dared to meet King Hercule's eyes. "Nothing more."
'Deny me, she said.' Gohan thought feeling the heartache in those two simple words. He frowned, and the look in his eyes became fierce but contained. He knew she had told him that to guarantee his safety, but he honestly didn't know what to do. If he had a choice at all, he'd love to have fled with her, to be by her side for the rest of their days – and he'd make sure she'd be the happiest woman on Earth.
"Why should I believe you, young man?" The king asked feeling weary of the sight of Gohan already. "Tell me, why? Because you're a bastard son of Lord Son Goku, perhaps?! Because you hold honour dear?! I may have agreed with him to knight you in my letters, but given the current state of affairs I'm not so sure anymore!" He made a crucial pause, but his anger didn't falter at all. Gohan was certain that the king thought that he had tried to impose himself on her against her will. The king went on in a very bad mood, while he grabbed his dark spikes of hair and pulled his face to him a little bit: "Now, tell me what you were doing in the stables a few hours ago…"
Gohan hesitated for a couple of seconds, but he knew the truth would always be his greatest ally. Besides, he was awful at lying.
"I saw a light in the stables and decided to go out there and see it for myself." Gohan finally answered with sadness. "I saw her packing her stuff. She was nervous, in distress."
There was a loud knocking on the door before Gohan could go on. Out of the blue, the king let his hair go.
"Your highness, my lord." A guard suddenly said coming into the room followed by a partner. "Oolong says he has got some important information to deliver to the king and he won't be persuaded to say anything further about it. Shall we bring him here, as he requests so badly?"
Both the king and Lord Son Goku sighed in defeat and agreed to Oolong's request. But in the meantime, Gohan's answer needed to be finished, even though he was not especially interested in delivering it fully.
"Continue, boy." The king commanded.
"Your highness," Lord Son Goku interrupted suddenly. "Gohan is a dutiful son to me. He knows the meaning of honour."
"Oh, shut up, Son Goku!" The king interjected. "You're bound to say that because you're fond of him! Would your wife confirm that he knows the meaning of honour? Any of your banner men? Your legitimate offspring, perhaps?"
"I would, your highness." Trunks answered trying to be as firm and formal as possible.
"I see." The king said hesitating. "But I still want to know what happened." Then, he stared directly at Gohan and told him: "Continue."
"I saw her packing her stuff… and then…" He was unsure whether he should reveal the part in which he had proposed to her, kissed her and tried to make love to her. The king would have him tortured, vexed, dishonoured and killed if he did. "I got angry with her because she wanted to leave without saying farewell to anybody, we argued for some minutes, and I tried to persuade her that she was being foolish, but then she…"
"She knocked him out!" Oolong said with joy and pride as he entered with his hands tied and with a guard on either side of him. "She's a fierce young lady, I must say!"
"What?!" The king roared, staring with incredulity at the piggy imp.
"Yep." Oolong went on gladly as if there was no threat on his life. "She's quite daring and smart, not to mention heartless."
At that, Gohan's heart skipped a beat. Not only did he found that comment offensive, but also it revealed that Oolong had seen it all. He had seen them, spied on them. He had seen everything.
Everything.
'He must've been spying on us!' Gohan thought in panic. 'I'm a dead man. If he spills the beans, the king's gonna kill me for sure.'
"Heartless?" Lord Son Goku asked genuinely lost. "I would affirm exactly the opposite." And Trunks mentally agreed, but didn't say a word.
"Quite heartless, I'm afraid it's true." Oolong went on in the same happy mood. "Wanna bet my life on it, you highness?"
"Your life isn't worth much lately, Oolong." The king spat back with anger. "Is that the extremely important information that you're bragging about?"
"Not really." Oolong smiled back at the king. "Actually, I've got two issues I wanted to bring your attention to. Videl and Gohan's story in the stables is only the first one. Would you care to know what I saw they were doing?"
Gohan swallowed hard as he remembered her sinfully sweet lips, soft skin, warm tongue, magnetic eyes, shy moans, and quivering thighs because of his delightfully threatening, romantic advances.
"Let me be straight and honest with you, pig." The king told him serious as hell. "I shan't be toyed with. Thus, don't try to fool me. Otherwise, I'll have you killed here on the spot. On the other hand, I'm curious. But that doesn't mean I'll spare your life at dawn, understood?"
"You'd have no doubts on the veracity of my story if you were willing to pay an honest price for it." Oolong was clever to point out. "Otherwise, where's the sense in telling the truth? I would just tell you a nasty story with which I'd only hope to anger you to no avail."
"You're a wise orator, Oolong." The king replied smirking as he raised his cup of wine. "Fine words for a fine aim, which is saving your ass." Then he chuckled a bit, but he was convinced with Oolong's perspective on the matter. "Not bad, not at all!"
"I can only trust your own wisdom, your highness." Oolong answered politely.
"Fair enough: I like your spunk, pig!" The king said joyfully. "Let's see if Gohan's story matches your own. Then, tell me all there is to know about that second matter you wanted to bring to my attention and we'll settle a deal to spare your life. Go on!"
'I'm done for…' Gohan thought, softly closing his eyes and trying to veil the look of worry on his face.
"Very well, then." Oolong proceeded with the recollection of what he saw in the stables. "As I was saying, she's quite heartless. Gohan was opening his heart to her… I saw how he was putting a silver ring on her left ring finger."
"WHAT?!" The king exclaimed all of a sudden.
All the men present gasped in unison. They were expecting a different tale in which Gohan was trying to persuade her to stay, not proposing to her.
"They argued and argued because she wouldn't hear a word about it." Oolong said immediately afterwards, but then he chanced to look at Gohan for a moment and sadly told him thus: "I'm sorry, pal. Women… Who can trust them, huh?" Then he looked back at the king and continued. "Anyway, he insisted but she didn't back off. She didn't want anything to do with him. She wanted him to stay here in West City and forget about her. She was obviously upset for something else which I couldn't fathom at the moment, and I guess it must've been your spy's threats on her life, your highness."
At that, Gohan clenched his teeth and kept them hidden behind his tightly tense lips.
"So you proposed to her, huh, bastard?" The king roared at Gohan with anger. "Would you care to deny it at least?"
Gohan didn't say a word and he just stared at the cold tiles on the floor.
"Not a word?" The king asked Gohan enraged. "How did you dare?!"
"He didn't know she is a princess, which is obvious. But wait, your highness. There's more." Oolong went on like a jester. "She told him a tale of sadness and pain involving her adoptive father."
"What happened?"
"She got disowned when she decided to leave Orange Star to set sail to West City in order to find a cure for his illness, it seems." Oolong said with sadness. "That was insanely brave on her behalf. She was hoping to get back before he'd die, and then save him. Then, perhaps he might consider not disowning her."
"That man is mad! What if she's too late to save him? What's ahead of her in Orange Star then?" The king asked in panic and worry.
"She acknowledged she didn't know." Oolong went on. "But she also said that she didn't care, that she'd think of something. But, you see, your highness, she summed it all up by saying that she lives in the present. And she also said that if there was no threat on her life and no disowning, she would never refuse Gohan's proposal."
"WHAT?!" The king roared again.
"I am not an expert on the subject, but" Oolong added rather playfully. "I really think that means she loves him, your highness."
"That does it! I'll have you beheaded with the traitors at dawn, you bastard!" The king said trying not to unleash his ire. Lord Son Goku began to fear the worst.
"It's not me who said that. She did." Oolong went on trying to point out that his ass should be saved. "Gohan insisted he wanted to leave with her anyway. She refused. Again… and then he kissed her."
"WHAT?" The exclamation erupted, volcano-like, in the throats of every single man in the room, except for Gohan. Trunks tried to veil a sudden attack of jealousy.
"A bastard kissing her?!" The king was losing it.
'Scaffold, here I go.' Gohan though with unbearable sadness.
"And the whole thing might've gone a bit further if she hadn't been so heartless to stab Gohan in the back." Oolong had the full attention of everyone in the room then. "She knocked him out in a very Orange Starian fashion, by the way. Did you know that the women there use a sleep-inducing lip cream to get rid of certain men, when things get, huh, you know…? That's exactly what she did. (And that's what a whore did to me when I travelled to Orange Star a few years ago, but that's a story for another day.) Videl knew Gohan would kiss her sooner or later, therefore she decided to use the sleep-inducing lip cream on him. She applied it on her lips, and a minute after he kissed her he was already lying unconscious on a pile of straw, where I'm sure your men have found him."
The king found no words to compliment her behaviour. She had to defend her honour, and he was approving it.
"Nice tale, pig. Anything else?" The king asked him.
"No, your highness. She left immediately after that."
"Good." The king concluded as he took a large sip of red wine. "You might still save your ass, little pig. Tell me about the second issue."
"Very well, your highness." Oolong went on, but he frowned. He wanted to guarantee his safety before he got to tell the king about it all.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
In the meantime, Videl was able to reach a nearby town safe and sound, apparently unfollowed. That little town had a lovely harbour. She praised her luck and smiled at the early morning mist thrown on the sea like a long, white, pure and delicate silk curtain.
Actually, she had arrived in the nick of time: a ship was just about to set sail to Orange Star because they had a large purchase order of wine and fine clothing to deliver back home as soon as possible. A large quantity of money was at stake – and Videl could also speak that language: she paid a dear amount in gold to be allowed on board with her stuff and her horse. But suddenly a dove came flying to the captain of the ship, a well-built guy called Dabura.
"A dove with a message!" Dabura exclaimed with joy.
Without any further delay, he opened the letter and read it. A couple of seconds later, he started laughing wholeheartedly at it, which drew the curiosity of the entire crew and Videl herself.
"Some stupid lord wants me to come back immediately, it seems!" He said with sarcasm to his men. "He threatens me with military retaliation if we sail away… What a moron!"
"But why?" A member of the crew, a fatso called Buu, innocently asked his captain.
"Nothing. He doesn't give anything away." Captain Dabra replied in a joyful tone. But right when Videl suspected that the nobility of this country was already looking for her and that the captain would have no other choice but to hand her over to King Hercule's men, he went on mocking them and laughing at them. "Like we're not going now! Just because they say so! Lord or not, I can't allow that! What about the money I'd lose! I have a living to make! These nobles! So high and mighty…"
He was speaking so freely and giving zero fucks about what nobles could do or say to threaten him and his ship that all his men laughed with him. And Videl chilled out. She was sure nothing and no one would prevent this ship from sailing away to Orange Star when it was time. The sailors were still carrying all the purchased wine and silks onto the ship. It would still take a while.
She noticed that the members of the crew were somewhat bizarre. There were fatso Buu; a small, bald and wrinkly guy called Babidi, and a white-skinned slim guy called Freeza who never stopped bossing around five guys who seemed to be extremely attached to one another and who called themselves the Ginyu Force. Despite their ridiculous dancing self-introduction in front of her, she tried to keep it cool.
Her long, dark hair danced proudly in the cool air of the early morning as she leaned on her side, right beside the mast. Ignoring the rest of the crew as they carried all the goods, she stared at the dark horizon in the east with a warm smile on her face, hoping to soon see the sunlight rising there in a few hours' time and wishing to land on her well-known shores of Orange Star. In the meantime, a bank of mist thickened on the town and the harbour, as if it was building a giant wall meant to shield them from any potential harm.
Then, she began to wonder about the future. In spite of Videl's nauseating distress, she was looking forward to meeting her father. She still held him dearly in her heart although he had wounded her pride. Once she'd cure him, everything would fall in its natural place and they would live happily ever after – especially once she would tell him about Gohan and convince him to open his arms to him. Then, she would only need to send Gohan a message telling him to secretly leave West City and cross the sea towards her loving arms. She would guarantee the well-being of their financial future – and he would guarantee the well-being of her heart. His lips would be hers once more.
All those issues about the throne, bastards, princesses, spies, and all that shit in that multi-levelled power game sickened her to the core, but it would soon be behind them, a trembling and vague remembrance of a vanishing nightmare.
Gohan and she would be free – forever.
And free to continue where they had left it off…
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
In the meantime, in the king's chambers…
"Your highness," Oolong spoke with a husky voice and stern eyes. "I just want to make sure you will actually bail me out."
King Hercule smirked at him, but he understood that he would have to make some sort of concession in order to make the pig speak.
"Granted, as long as you don't dare to show your face in Capital City." The king spoke calmly for the first time in that conversation. "Do we have a deal?"
"Deal." Oolong replied with a naughty smile.
"I really hope your second issue is as interesting as the first one." The king actually knew it would be, that was why he sounded so confident.
"Oh, you know me, don't you, your highness?" Oolong said knowing he was a master at the game. He loved reading and telling stories. And fucking women.
"What is it about then?" The king asked with genuine curiosity.
"About the sexy spy who loved you." Oolong said lengthening the last 'u' sound as if he relished in the agony of the air as it was used to say such blasphemous words.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Dear readers,
How's it going so far? Did you enjoy it? Things are getting tangled! :)
Anyway, will Oolong get his ass saved? What does he know about Android 18? Will all this stuff that he knows be enough to go away unharmed? What about Gohan? What will happen to him? Will he get exiled to the Demon Realm Doors or will he get beheaded? And Videl? Will she be able to flee to Orange Star successfully?
All these and more… in the next chapter! ;)
Don't forget to comment!
Love,
Denim Jean
P.S.: Yet another song:
"[…] Now I see fire
Inside the plot
I see fire
Burning the story
And I see fire
Hollowing your souls
I see fire
Blood on the screen
And I hope that you'll write a review!"
(This was Ed Sheeran's I See Fire… my twisted version.)