CH25

I don't own DBZ!

Well another one for the books. I hope you like it!

I wanted to say thank you to everyone that has reviewed the story. It means a lot to me!

"Where would you like to go, princess?" Kakkarot and Bulma stood starring at each other after Vegeta took off. Bulma was fuming at her soon to be mate. How could he just leave me like that? If someone marks me before Vegeta, I'll have to…I don't even want to think about it. Kakkarot will protect me. I know he will.

"I want to visit the city and possibly get a few things. Do you use money here to buy things?" Bulma asked the Saiyan warrior.

"We do not use money like the kind on your planet, but it is used the same way. You will not have to worry about that though. Everyone knows that you are the future Queen of their planet so your things will be free. Royalty receives things for free in the city," Kakkarot said stepping toward the hesitant princess.

"You mean they already know I am Vegeta's mate?" she asked.

Kakkarot shook his head. "You are not his mate yet. Not until he marks you. With that said, you might want to stay close to me at all times. You never know if some stupid third class will try to take you for his own," he said looking into Bulma's scared eyes.

He reached out to comfort the princess, but met empty space. She backed away from his hand. Kakkarot sighed and walked away. "You can trust me, you know? I knew after Vegeta told you about the marking, that you would no longer act the same. I understand why you wouldn't, but please know that I would never hurt Vegeta by taking his mate. As you know, he is my best friend," he stated as he lowered his head.

Bulma felt terrible about her actions. She walked up behind the defeated Saiyan and hugged him. Of course it was a friendly hug, which said without words that she was sorry. Kakkarot was confused by the gesture and had to know its purpose.

"What are you doing? What is it called?" he asked with curiosity in his voice.

Bulma pulled away from him and giggled. "You Saiyans are so uneducated about Earth. It is called a hug. It shows emotion through physical contact. Vegeta acted the same way when I hugged him," Bulma said as Kakkarot grabbed her hands.

"Take it back! He will kill me if he knows you also hugged me. He'll kill me! Take it back!" Kakkarot said while racing up and down the bank.

Bulma couldn't help, but laugh at his reaction. She stopped him as he got closer to her. "Kakkarot, it is not always a gesture between lovers. It is also used with friends, and I chose to hug you because you are my friend. Stop worrying so much. Vegeta wouldn't kill you over a hug," she said carelessly.

Kakkarot let out the breath he was holding. "Are you sure?" Bulma nodded in his direction. He threw his hands in the air and fell to the ground. "Thank the gods!"

Bulma watched as Kakkarot smiled like a young child. She took a seat on the bank beside him and decided to ask a personal question. "Kakkarot, do you have a mate?"

He looked at the princess with confused eyes. "Royal guards are not allowed to have mates. We live to serve the King or Prince and no one else," he said watching the horrified expression on Bulma's face.

"Well that just won't do. I will have a talk with Vegeta tonight and he will surely allow you to choose a mate. I won't stand for anything less," Bulma huffed. She would get what she wanted on way or another. The planning of the upcoming night was cut off by Kakkarot's shaking voice.

"He must not have told you…" he said mumbling.

Bulma turned toward the nervous warrior. "Who hasn't told me what? Is something happening tonight?"

Kakkarot scratched the back of his head and grinned at the expecting princess. "There is going to be a feast in the main dining hall tonight celebrating your coming union with the prince," he was interrupted by an excited Earth princess.

"Really? All for me? I have to find something to wear. I must look my best tonight!" Bulma jumped up from her position next to Kakkarot and twirled in her small dress.

Kakkarot's hand shot up from the ground to grab her wrist. She immediately stopped and asked, "What?"

"It is not only for your and Vegeta's union, but also for," Kakkarot paused to figure out an easy way to break the news to the princess, "the prince's departure to Earth." Kakkarot tensed waiting for Bulma's reaction to his announcement. It was silent for a few minutes before the fiery woman spat her words of fury.

"You have to be joking! He tells me that he chose me as a mate, you interrupt us having an intimate moment, and now you're telling me that he is leaving tonight? Does he think he can get away from me that easily?" Bulma's face was cherry red before she marched up to Kakkarot and demanded, "You will take me to him right now!"

Kakkarot flinched with her words. He had never seen her this angry before. If this is how mate's act, than I don't want to have one. I'm better off alone! He lightly touched Bulma's shoulders so he could gently get her out of his face. "I cannot take you to him, princess. He is in a very important meeting and is not to be disturbed," he said.

Bulma's eyes were ice blue. She was determined to get her way. "Kakkarot, if you do not take me to him right now, I will tell Vegeta that you hugged me. We all know that he would flip," she smiled sweetly at the frantic Saiyan.

Kakkarot grabbed Bulma around the waist and lifted off into the sky. "Let's go!"

Everyone had left the conference room leaving Vegeta and the King by themselves. Vegeta sat in his father's seat at the head of the table as the King stood looking out the window upon his planet. They remained silent for quit a while after the councilmen left. Vegeta thought of what his personal guard was doing with his mate. He was second guessing his choice of leaving her with him. The King spoke without looking at his son.

"Vegeta, I am proud of you. I have never given you praise for anything. Our people will know, one day, everything you have done to protect them. On this day, I want you to know that I am proud to say the Earth princess will be my daughter and the next Queen of our planet. I want you to know that I am also proud to call you my son," the King stated with poise.

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Father, don't speak like that. It makes you seem weak. The princess is just someone to provide an heir to the throne and nothing more. End of discussion."

King Vegeta walked to his son. "I will never believe that. You feel something for her that you have never felt before. I'm going to tell you something that I have never told you before," he paused, "about your mother."

Vegeta sat up straight and was about to argue with his father, but was cut off by the King's demand, "You will listen to me and understand what really happened to your mother, my Queen."

Vegeta nodded toward his father letting him know to proceed. The King began, "When you were born, you were the center of her life. Everything she did revolved around you. I did not mind since I was busy with ruling the planet, but not everyone felt that way. Frieza noticed the way she treated you and despised it. He came to me one day in my office with a proposition," he looked down at the table. "He told me that I could give you to him so you could be raised on his ship, or he would kill your mother. I, of course, told him that I would never turn my only son over to be raised by him. Let's just say that he persuaded me to do what he asked by almost killing me. I informed him that I would think about it."

Vegeta was trying hard to suppress his feelings, but was having a hard time. His hands were making indentions in the wooden table and his eyes were blazing with an invisible fire. The King continued.

"After getting out of the regeneration tank, I discussed the situation with your mother. Needless to say, I went back in the tank. That tells you how strongly she felt about you, my son. She told me that she would fight to her death just to protect you from the beast, Frieza. Unfortunately that is exactly what happened to her. A few days later two of Frieza's henchmen captured your mother. While one of them held me back, the other beat her to death. I grieved for months after her death, but still had you. At least I had one good thing in my life so I thought. As you know, after a couple of years Frieza would take you for months on end and 'train you'," the King starred at his furious son.

Vegeta was now standing behind the chair. His eyes and hair were changing because he was unable to control his power. King Vegeta stood and walked over to Vegeta's form. He sat a hand on his shoulder to calm his son. Things in the room began to shake as Vegeta's body rose off the ground. The King quickly grabbed Vegeta's arms and pulled him back to a standing position. He could see unshed tears in the prince's eyes, but had to speak his mind.

"Vegeta, I am sorry for everything that has happened to you in your twenty years. I blame myself, but at the time I was unable to defeat Frieza so I had no choice. Now, I have the strongest being in the universe, my son. You will be able to avenge your mother's death and pay him back for everything he has taken from you," he finished by touching his son's chest.

Vegeta suppressed his feelings as best he could so he could smile at his father. After a long few minutes, Vegeta spoke. "He has not taken everything from me. I still have my pride and now a mate that only makes me stronger. Even though you may think I have no heart, father, the pieces are there, waiting to be put together," he said while his father nodded agreeing with his son.

As they starred at each other, neither knowing what to say, the door to the conference room flew open and in marched a not so happy blue-haired Earthling with a nervous Saiyan lagging behind.

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