The Proposal

They had been at war for years; years in which hundreds of thousands of people had died. So many years that most of them couldn't remember why they were at war, just that they hated the Saiyans, and the Saiyans hated them, and someone had to win. Yet, nobody was winning. The war had been at a standstill for nearly five years; neither side gaining or loosing anything. Just fighting, endless fighting.

That was why it came as a shock when the Saiyan Prince requested an audience with her and her mother. He wanted to discuss peace, to find an end to the endless war.

Princess Serenity sat quietly next to her mother and her advisors, trying hard to control her nerves. She was anxious and terrified; this would be the first time she would see a Saiyan face to face without trying to kill them. She had been raised since birth to hate the vile creatures.

They had come to this planet thousands of years ago, begging the Queen for a safe place to stay. The Queen at the time had been wary, but granted them access to the planet, allowing them to live among the humans and Lunarians, but only if their King agreed to pledge loyalty to the Queen and follow all rules of their planet.

He agreed, and things were wonderful till about 300 years ago. What happened after that was all a blur. Some say the Saiyan King lusted after the Lunarian Queen, and when refused, he waged war. Others say the Saiyans got tired of following the Earth rules, and still others believed the Saiyan King did not want to submit to the Queen anymore. Whatever the case, it had started a war, a war that had been going on for 300 years, with many Queens and Kings continuing the fight, each one determined to win.

Princess Serenity did not want to win, she wanted to compromise, to end the war no matter what; but her mother did not. They fought side by side on the battlefield, killing Saiyans mercilessly, and protecting their people. The Princess was now 25 years old and tired of fighting.

She wanted to enjoy her life. To be able to fall in love again and bear children without having to bring them into this mess. She desired peace, and happiness; which was why she talked her mother into this meeting; to try to find a solution, end the fighting.

Her betrothed had been killed on the battlefield, and she feared, more than anything, loosing anyone else she loved dearly. Her mother, her friends, she wanted them to live, to be happy again, not stuck in endless war meetings and ambushes; no more fists flying through the air, no more broken bones or bleeding lips, no more death.

When the Saiyans walked through the door to the meeting room, with Ki dampeners around their necks, she relaxed visibly; this meant they had not opposed to wearing them, and perhaps they truly meant what they had said.

"Majesties, we are so grateful you agreed to meet with us," the first one said, taking to his knee in a bow. The rest followed suit, keeping their heads bowed as the first continued talking. "Prince Vegeta was thrilled when you acquiesced to our request."

"I assure you; you are only here because my daughter insisted upon it," Queen Serenity told them.

The look on the Saiyans face was calm, as if he had expected a similar reaction. "I am Kakarot, General of the Saiyan army. This is Nappa," he motioned to the bald Saiyan on his right. "My father, Bardock." He waved a hand toward the man on his left, who looked very much like him. "And behind me are my brothers, Raditz and Turles."

"And where is the Prince?" Queen Serenity quipped.

"His father is dying," Kakarot explained, still down on his knee. "During our last battle, your fire warrior critically wounded him. The Prince is spending the last few moments with his father and preparing to take his place. He sends his deepest regrets. He had hoped to be here for this."

"Without your Prince I fear we have nothing to discuss." The Queen stood abruptly.

"Mother," the Princess spoke. "These fine warriors have traveled far, we should listen. Prince Vegeta felt they could handle this is his stead, perhaps we should trust them as well."

Her mother stared at her for a moment and sighed. "You have grown wise, dear daughter." She looked back at the enemies waiting patiently. "Perhaps we can listen to what you have to say." She began to walk away.

"We have prepared a meal," Princess Serenity told them, standing from her throne and walking down to the men. She tried to quell her fear as she offered the General a hand. "Would you care to join us?"

Kakarot glared at her outstretched hand and stood without touching the woman. "Lead the way."

She led the men to a large dining hall where they all sat and ate in silence for a while.

"May I get straight to the point?" Kakarot queried as dessert was being served.

"Of course," the Queen replied.

"Prince Vegeta wishes to end this war with a marriage." The General began. "A marriage between himself and Princess Serenity."

"Are you out of your mind!?" Queen Serenity spat. "There is no way I am letting that happen!"

"Your highness, I understand your reluctance, however, we agree the best way to truly end this war is by uniting our two people through more than just a piece of paper," Kakarot stated. "A marriage between the Saiyan Prince and the Moon Princess."

"We haven't agreed on anything, other than to allow you into our castle to talk," Queen Serenity fumed. "If you think for a moment, I would allow my daughter to wed your . . ."

"I'll do it," the Princess spoke for the first time since they sat at the table, interrupting her mother.

"Serenity!" Her mother shot a glance in her direction, pure shock on her face. "No."

The Moon Princess sighed. "I am a grown woman mother; more than capable of making my own decisions. Endymion is dead, there are no other prospects out there, and I am tired of all this fighting." Her gaze landed on the man in charge. "Let your Prince know I will marry him."

There was silence as the Saiyans exchanged glances.

"Is there a problem?" Princess Serenity asked.

"Not at all," Kakarot replied. "We just didn't think it would be that easy. We were anticipating more resistance."

She smiled gently. "I wish to end this war as much as your Prince does. While a marriage was not my first thought, I will agree that it is probably the best course of action." She sighed. "It will take many years for some of our warriors to come to terms with peace, and I'm sure we will see some intransigence, but I believe this will be a good first step."

More silence followed her statement as everyone finished their sweets.

"Kakarot," the Princess finally spoke. "I wish to speak with your Prince. Please come find me later when he is available. In the mean time, you have free roam about the castle. My scouts will accompany you at all times, so please do not try anything stupid."

Sailor Mars, Mercury, Venus and Jupiter entered the dining hall.

"Mercury, you take Nappa. Mars, Raditz. Venus this is Turles, and Jupiter, you are in charge of Bardock. Kakarot, I trust you to stay with one of your men at all times," the Princess instructed. "Any outburst or fighting and I will renege my agreement. Understood?"

"We do not need to be babysat," Nappa spoke for the first time.

Princess Serenity looked at the bald Saiyan, her gaze cold as ice. "You may have free reign back home, but you are in my country and my home, and until I know I can trust you, you will be babysat, as you say." Her gaze ran over each of the men. "If you truly wish for peace, prove it! Be on your best behavior until Kakarot, Prince Vegeta and I can all figure out the next step."

The four lesser men seemed to recoil from the sternness in her voice. A collective, "Yes, majesty," echoed through the large room.

"If it's all the same to you, Princess," Kakarot said, a smug smile on his face. "I would like to stay close to you for now, until we can contact Vegeta."

The Princess nodded and exited the room.

*Transition*

"What is he like?" Princess Serenity asked.

Kakarot looked up from the book he was reading. "Who?"

"Prince Vegeta," she replied. "I've heard all kinds of things about him, but don't know if any of them are actually true."

"What have you heard?" Curiosity filled his voice.

"He's the strongest fighter you've ever seen, who has a short temper. He never smiles. He is merciless and kills for fun." Her eyes watched the man closely. "I heard the only emotions he shows are anger and annoyance. Nothing good really."

Kakarot smirked. "Many of those are true. His strength in battle is second only to my own, and his temper is short. He does not show emotion or smile, but mainly because he sees it as a weakness. He will kill those who disappoint him on occasion, but not recklessly." He paused. "But he is also a faithful friend and honest ruler. He only wants what is best for his people and is willing to do anything to protect them.

"He is hard, but not unfeeling. He shows kindness when you least expect it, and he is the only ruler wise enough to set aside his own pride to end a pointless war.

"He cares for those who care about him. Is devoted to those who are devoted to him, and loves deeper than anyone you will ever meet." He looked at the woman, his eyes meeting hers. "He does not do well with words or emotions, but he feels them and expresses them, in his own way."

"You are very close, aren't you?"

Kakarot nodded. "He is my Prince, but also my friend. We have fought with each other our whole lives. I would give my life for him, just as he would give his life for me." A sigh escaped his lips. "We were born into this war just as you were. It affects us all differently, but at the end of the day, it still effects us."

Princess Serenity nodded her head. "This is the first day in a very long time I've been able to truly relax. Without having to worry about where the next attack will come from, or if I might lose someone I love. I will be relieved when all this fighting is genuinely over, and all our warriors can return home, to their families."

Kakarot smiled at the woman, and a comfortable silence fell upon them. The sound of a phone buzzing soon broke that silence.

"Speak of the Devil," the man showed the woman the caller ID before answering it and promptly placing it on speaker phone. "Hey, Vegeta." His voice seemed happy.

"Kakarot," the Prince greeted. "I assume, if you are answering the phone so informally, you are no longer in session with the Queen and Princess?"

"You are correct," Kakarot replied.

"That was quick."

"Yeah."

There was a short pause. "And?" Vegeta nearly spat.

"Oh," Kakarot rubbed the back of his head, seemingly abashed. "The Queen didn't like the idea at all, but the Princess agreed almost immediately." He looked at the woman sitting across from him. "I'm with her now."

Another moment of silence. "I'm on speaker phone, aren't I?"

"Yeah." A long silence filled the room. "Vegeta?"

"Damn it, Kakarot, a warning would have been nice," Vegeta hissed over the phone. He then cleared his throat. "Princess Serenity, I apologize for my absence today. I had hoped to be there."

"I can assure you, it's perfectly fine. I can only imagine what you must be dealing with right now, Prince Vegeta," the Princess replied. "Kakarot handled things quite well."

If Serenity could see the man, she would have seen the look of pure shock on his face. "I'm glad to hear that."

"Your highness, if this is a good time, I would like to discuss the terms of our agreement a bit," Serenity said.

"With all due respect, this is a conversation I'd rather have in person, Princess, and unfortunately I have other matters to attend to shortly," the Prince told her. "I was actually hoping you would travel here." His voice was hesitant.

"What?" Serenity was taken aback by his request. "You wish for me to travel into enemy territory?"

"I wish for you to come discuss the terms of our engagement," he replied as calmly as possible. "My current situation requires I stay here, and to be completely honest, I wish to become King with you at my side. This is not a decision I take lightly, your grace, and it requires much deliberation. You have agreed to be my wife, therefore, I would very much appreciate it if you would allow Kakarot and the others to escort you while they return home." His voice became more impatient.

Kakarot stared at the woman as she contemplated the request. The prospect of her heading into Saiyan territory was daunting, and he could see the fear on her face. "Princess, I can assure you, we will keep you safe, should you decide to go. As soon as you agreed to marry my Prince, you became my Princess, and I will protect you as I would him; with my life if necessary."

Her visage softened. "Very well, but I will be bringing my scouts with me."

There was an audible growl from the other side of the phone. "Your fire scout killed my father!"

Her face turned hard. "And given the chance any of your fighters would have killed my mother or me, we are at war!" She was almost shouting. "Either they come with me, all of them, or I don't come at all." She took a deep breath to calm herself. "If you truly wish for this war to end, you will have to trust me and my scouts, it is the only way I will agree."

Another low growl came from the phone. "Fine."

A proud smile adorned the Princess' lips. "I will inform my mother and scouts of our agreement, and we will leave in two days."

"Very well," Vegeta replied. "I look forward to meeting you, Princess. Kakarot, be sure to give her my number, and protect my bride."

"Yes, Sire." Kakarot inclined his head even though his Prince could not see him. The call ended and the warrior looked up at the woman.

"I certainly hope he is more understanding in the future," she quipped. "Does he growl like that often?"

Kakarot smiled. "Only when he is frustrated. I have a feeling you will hear more of it."

"Why is that?" She looked at him curiously.

"Prince Vegeta is very stubborn," he paused, measuring his next words. "And from what I can tell, you are as well. Your marriage may prove to be interesting, if nothing else." A small chuckle left his lips.

*Transition*

"Are you crazy!?" Sailor Mars hollered.

"Quiet down, the Saiyans are right there!" Mercury admonished. She nodded toward to group of Warriors sitting on the grass a short way off.

"I don't care!" Rey continued to shout. "This is not happening!"

"Rei," Princess Serenity said quietly. "Calm down." She took a deep breath. "I have thought this through, and yes, it is happening." She looked down at her hands for a moment, then back up at her protectors. "I already lost someone I love. I am tired of all the fighting, tired of wondering if it'll be the last time I see you when we go off into battle.

"We have been fortunate so far, but how long will that last? I don't want to bury any of you before you get the chance to fall in love and have families." Her gaze wandered over to the Saiyans. "I think they are tired of fighting as well."

"They all seem so tired," Jupiter added. "Bardock doesn't talk much, but I can tell he's exhausted. It has been a lifetime since any of us had the chance to rest. They feel it as much as we do."

"Turles has done nothing but sleep since they've been here. He wakes for food and things like this, but otherwise, all he does is sleep." Venus' eyes landed on the man she was talking about. "I think they want peace as much as we do."

Sailor Mars scoffed. "Raditz keeps growling at me."

"You practically killed their king," Serenity pointed out. "Even Prince Vegeta is hesitant to let you accompany me. They don't like you much."

"I don't care if they like me; I was only protecting those I love," she spat.

"I know, I told the Prince as much." The Moon Princess sighed. "This scares me, but I will do what I have to, to make sure our people see peace."

"They are an intelligent race," Mercury cut in. "Nappa and I have spoken quite a bit. He is extremely fond of Prince Vegeta, and he assures me, they all want the fighting to end. Aside from Bardock, none of them have had a chance to find a mate or have children. Since your mother and the current King Vegeta ascended their thrones, the fighting has only increased. There have been no breaks in the past 40 years. It's a miracle your mother found time to have you, Sere."

Serenity nodded. "That's why I will end this. I will marry Prince Vegeta, and we will allow our people a break."

"I still don't like it," Mars chimed.

"You don't have to," Serenity told her. "But it will happen regardless." Her eyes bore into her fire scout. "I don't think they're bad people, I just think they've been doing as their told. Kakarot seems very nice. I actually enjoy talking with him. Give them a chance, Rey, I think they may surprise you."

*Transition*

"Will you stop doing that!" Rei bellowed at the Saiyan walking behind her.

He growled again.

She whipped around, fire in her eyes, and jabbed her forefinger into his chest. "Listen here, buddy, it's a kill or be killed world out there. We are at war; I didn't know I was fighting your King; all I knew was he was trying to kill me." She pulled her finger back, but leaned into the man and hissed softly. "We have all done things, killed people, we're not proud of. One of your brothers killed Endymion, but Serenity doesn't know that, I'd hate to find out how she'd react." She scoffed at the warrior leaning away from her. "Keep growling at me, and treaty or no treaty, I will kick your ass." She shoved him lightly then turned on her heel and stomped away.

*Transition*

Two days later they were all in a plane headed for the Saiyan capital. Serenity and her scouts sat in the front, while the Saiyans remained in the back.

Kakarot sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"What do you make of the Princess and her scouts, brother?" Raditz asked.

"I believe them to be as skeptical and wary as we are about this marriage, but I also believe they want this war to end as much as we do," Kakarot answered.

Nappa nodded. "I have been speaking with Ami a lot over the past few days. She worries for the life of her Princess, but she is kind, and gentle, and very smart."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you've grown attached to the Scout of Wisdom," Bardock pointed out.

Nappa reddened. "She is not what I expected."

"Nor is Makoto," Bardock agreed. "She is tough, but that woman can cook!"

"How did you get them to tell you their names?" Raditz inquired. "Sailor Mars refuses to talk to me at all."

"Maybe if you stopped growling at her all the time," Kakarot suggested.

"She threatened to kick my ass if I didn't stop growling at her," Raditz told them. "I'm not easily intimidated, but man, she scares the shit out of me."

The Saiyans laughed.

"Looks like you've finally met the perfect woman, brother," Turles managed between laughs.

"What did you mean by that?" Raditz hissed.

"If we're being completely honest, any of these women meet all the criteria we Saiyan's look for in a mate," Bardock explained. "They are all beautiful, of mating age, and tough."

Kakarot smirked. "Play your cards right and maybe they'll accept you as their mates."

"But they're not Saiyan," Nappa argued.

"Before the war, before we came here, Saiyan's didn't always mate within our race," Bardock told them. "I am old, I remember a time before this planet and this war. We would mate with any species we deemed worthy. It was only after the war began that we stuck strictly to our own kind and began mass producing offspring in our pods."

"Sometimes I forget how old you are, father" Kakarot mused. "How have you managed to survive all this time?"

The oldest shook his head. "I have no idea; I think I just got lucky."

*That's all for this chapter. I will try to post the next chapter soon, but I will warn you, we are in the process of moving and things may get a little crazy. Anyway, please review, let me know what your thoughts are so far.

Gohaun