Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its characters.

"...Not until you beg me to."

No such pressures were imposed on her as a child. She was privileged due to her status and enjoyed its benefits daily. On her training, she was always accompanied by the best of the best. Exceptional warriors, among the elite ranks, guided her and kept track of her progress regularly. Her father was repeatedly present, sometimes even joining personally in the process of shaping her war skills. And she enjoyed it dearly. Her body grew stronger every day, constantly praised and pushed forward and she knew there will be a bright future ahead of her. She was fooled and blinded by false expectations. When forming her mind and body into one of a warrior, she was actually continuously groomed for a completely different role. It took her quite a while to figure it out, although it was always right there in front of her nose.

Cautiously directed pressure started when she entered her teen years. Her body started to develop and shape into a one of a young woman, and where muscles reigned, softer and feminine features appeared. Up until then, she saw Vegeta as her prince and future comrade. She admired him for his skills and intellect and even started to think of him as a friend. It took her quite a while to figure out how their accidental overlapping in training sessions and frequent family dinners were not that accidental at all.

However, from the moment she bled for the first time it was made quite clear that her future lays somewhere else, rather than on the battlefield. Her combat skills were simply a necessary part of her heritage and courtship to prince Vegeta. Her mother especially filled her with notions, ideas and expectations that included her as a future mate of the prince. At first, she was appalled by this thought, men did not yet attract her in that way, moreover, Vegeta was a comrade. She aspired to be the greatest general Hephaestus has ever seen. Yet, her mother was not fazed by her personal views or desires. She made it clear that her duty as the offspring of the second ruling family was no more and no less, to get noticed and picked by the prince.

Oh, how she despised it. And oh, how little choice she had in these matters. Her missions were repeatedly under the leadership of Vegeta and side by side they completed numerous missions and training camps together. Secretly, she hoped he would just choose someone else, and then her parents would simply let her be. But, over the years she matured and she watched Vegeta grew up in an admirable man. Firm, strong, just, merciless when required. He embodied all of the desirable traits a sayian man should have and slowly and surely, over the last few years she fell for him.

It is hard to pinpoint an exact moment when it happened, but she realised one day that the notion of becoming his wife has indeed become her own dream and wish. Whenever she was close to him a familiar wave of raw desire would hit her and she could not help but imagine how it would feel to be held in his strong embrace. It became her main preoccupation. He invaded almost all of her thoughts and dreams, and the bliss she felt when her vision started to form into a reality was overwhelming. So overwhelming that all of her initial aspirations seemed so irrelevant, as a part of a different person, a different life.

But, as soon as she started to plan their wedding in her mind, the news arrived and crashed her dreams into nothingness. The pathetic and scrawny princess of Poseidon was to become his partner in marriage and the mere thought drove her crazy. She wanted to see her suffer in flames combusted by her rage, she wanted to see her gone and erased from the face of their planet. She took everything from her and even made Rianna question her objectives. What else was there if she will not be the next queen? And for those questions she hated her even more, she disrupted the balance of her mind and heart and honestly she feared at some moments if the rage and pain will take away her sanity.

Some of her actions were downright pathetic and Rianna started to loathe herself for dropping so low on the scale of sayian pride. During the wedding dinner, she was delighted that Vegeta left the princess and joined her at the table. Well, practically he joined his men, but those are less important details. She tried to erase the image of them kissing from her mind with the power of alcohol and was succeeding.

So, when he sat next to her she did not have a concrete plan on what was wise to do but instead followed her instincts. Instincts of a desperate woman. She laid a hand on his tight and felt him tense in response. Using the opportunity, her hand traced his thigh higher and higher until the rough grip of his hand stopped her. He ruthlessly grabbed her hand and pushed her away. But that was not even the worst part, it was the look in his eyes. He glared at her with rage, and…pity.

And for the first time in years, she felt rage directed at Vegeta. How dare he push her away as she was some sort of a pest, an undesirable piece of trash, scraps?! Damn him and that bitch and let them have each other. Alcohol enhanced bravado and the newfound rage made her do a very foolish thing. Oh, she knew it now, sitting in her room and waiting for her sentence to arrive. Vegeta will know and he will punish her for this, and so he should. Such a lowly move against someone she fought side by side for years, someone she admired so dearly, someone who was her sworn prince was worth of any punishment he could come up with.

Tears of the dragon were a well-known mood enhancer, to say the least. It was a supplement drug often used on the battlefields and on long and tiring missions, when the spirit and determination of man and women were wavering, a few drops of this solution would resolve the issue. However, the drops were to never be mixed with alcohol beverages since it could provoke aggression and unpredictable behaviour. Such clouded judgement was never welcome in high-level stress situations. But at that point, the mere thought of that woman and Vegeta caressing and making love made her sick to her stomach. So, she poured a few drops, maybe even a bit more – but who's counting? – into his cup with swift and undetectable movements that even the most agile of the cats would be envious of. In the heat of the discussion and ruckus, no one even noticed.

Before long the drops started to have an effect, and when she noticed Bulma take her leave she was certain Vegeta would soon follow, and so he did. In retrograde, she was aware now that with his raw uncontrolled power he could have even killed the bitch. And while this though caused little remorse, knowing he will know it was her, did cause panic and penitence. What she did that night could and should be seen as an assault. She hugged her knees and watched the still, warm night through her window, wondering if she will be here to watch the next sun come out.

He pushed the doors of the medical wing wide open. No. He blasted the doors from the hinges and made quite an entrance. His mind was clouded and foggy, his vision blurred with a single focal point of clarity in the middle. He stumbled inside, feeling the unusual and aggressive drums in his chest, his heart was racing like crazy and at this point, Vegeta felt it could easily betray him right here and there leaving his body to be found by some bypasser.

"Your highness!" an unknown voice squeaked somewhere in front of him, and Vegeta groaned in response. He leaned on the wall, closing his eyes and controlling his impulses. It has gotten worse and as time passed the urge to smash everything and everyone into a messy pulp was overbearing. A small alien medic approached him and tried to give him support which earned him a rough push from the prince.

"Do not touch me." He hissed and opened his eyes to glare at the medic, trying to push his irrelevant face into the focus of his limited visual field. "Get me Bardock, now." Small alien needed no more instructions, and as he prepared to carefully step around the prince, Vegeta hissed once more, causing him to shiver from the tone of his voice and the threat embroiled in his next order. "And no word to anyone else."

Oh, he could only imagine what consequences there would be if he was to disregard his prince's orders. So, without further delay, he ran as quick as his small leg carried him to find the doctor who is undoubtedly better equipped to deal with the prince.

Vegeta sunk to his knees, as they betrayed him. His mind was spinning like crazy and he was certain he will throw up the contents of the day. That is if he doesn't pass out before that.

Although his mind was far from clear and focused, it took him no extra effort to realize he was drugged with something. Dragon tears most probably. He never had the need for such mood enhancers, his stamina could endure months of fighting and high-stress situations, but he has seen the effects on his people. And knew just how unwise was to mix them with anything but clear water. Water…His hand touched his face and felt his sweat mixed with the wine thrown at him. He tried to recall earlier events of the evening, but this effort caused too much strain and he finally lost the contents of his stomach.

Soon a firm hand was on his shoulder, and by the ki signature, Vegeta knew it was Bardock.

"What the fuck happened?"

Vegeta would have smacked him right in the face if only he could muster such strength. Instead, he groaned in discomfort, making it clear he is in no state to chat. Bardock put his limp hand around his shoulder and carried him to a medical room. He glanced at Rio, a male technician from Artemis and nodded in his direction. "I will take it from here. Thank you for assisting and not a single word to anyone."

Rio nodded quickly and left the two alone. Although medicine was his calling and he was already used to eccentric behaviour of sayians, he had no particular desire to stay.

It took Bardock more than two hours to clean Vegeta's bloodstream, the quantity of the drug in his system was alarming. A few drops more and he could have died this evening from a heart failure. This was a serious matter and he considered summoning the king and queen but decided against it. This was an assault at the prince right inside their court, meaning it was highly probable it was one of their own that committed it. He briefly considered the princess and her lady in waiting but discarded this idea quickly. Deep in his gut he knew it was not them, and besides such a powerful drug was a substance not easily acquired even among their people, so the idea of them obtaining it without getting told on was nearly impossible.

This pushed him in another direction and closer to the culprit. Oh, he had an idea who could have been behind this, and because of this, it was even more important to discuss the matter with Vegeta before the news reaches anyone else. He connected an IV to his vein and calculated the time it will take for the prince to get back to his senses. It should be soon, and it will surely be the worst hungover prince has experienced in his life so far. He himself was a little under the influence since he was not on call that night, he loosened up a bit. No harm in that, whatsoever.

The complexity of this recent event sobered him up and caused an irritating headache. He thought about the last few days and the changes they brought. They are going into the war soon, this was certain. He discussed this with his son Kakarot and was aware that both the king and the prince were in the process of gathering allies. In a month or so, they should officially make a request for Kuragari to step down from his ruling position and let the remaining ruling planets to decide a common ruler of the planet. Naturally, he will decline, and there we are - war. Taking on Ares will be a challenge even with all of the nations united. They were extraordinarily skilled in potions and dark magic, making up for the fact they possessed no bending skills.

He was hopeful for the Poseidon's project of healing tanks to curb this effect, however with all their efforts so far, he was still unsure if their production rate can follow the demands. He sighed and rubbed his temples. Soon it will be dawn and the next day ought to bring the ruckus to the court, and he was so damn tired.

Vegeta stirred in his bed and this brought Bardock back to present. He measured his pulse, noting it was still slightly elevated, but normal. Vegeta opened his eyes and regarded him with confusion. It took him a few seconds to recall what has happened and where he was. He ripped the infusion out of his arm like it was nothing and sat straight, Bardock knew better than to insist on bed rest.

His gaze would have terrified even the ones who have seen the prince's rage on many occasions. He was absolutely livid with rage and if it weren't for the blood tests he himself has taken, he would be certain there are some leftovers of the drug present in his body.

"That fucking bitch!" He spat and tried to stand up. His legs were not yet ready for such endeavour, and he fell back to the bed. Bardock quickly gave him a glass of water and on the other hand offered two small pills. One for aiding with hungover and vertigo, and other for…well, a bit of relaxation of the nerves. But those were details prince did not need to know.

"This will do. Take it and your strength should be right back." Oh, by Vegeta's reaction his doubts were confirmed. But still, he had to ask, "are you sure Vegeta? This is not just a small prank; you could have died."

But to Vegeta, this idea was not the most terrifying one. He could have easily killed her, ripped her into parts, his lust mixed with drug-induced aggression. A small flash of memory burned his mind, her bare chest and her hands pinned over her head. The way she looked at him, her eyes filled with horror and fear. He shut his eyes and pushed this aside. He will deal with this later. Now, there were more important matters to attend to. It was Rianna, no doubt about that.

The worst part was that he knew he had it coming and that she will be pushed to the edge. After all, this night he did not only got married to the princess of Poseidon but he has also broken the promise he gave to Rianna. How did the simple task of fulfilling the duty turn out in such a fucking mess? If it were up to him he would never have gotten paired with either of those. Procuring an heir was desirable, obtaining a breakthrough technology as well, but it seems to come at a price to grand for his liking. He loathed weakness and useless emotions, and those two women drowned him with it.

Indeed, he felt sick to his stomach, and sincerely wished at that moment they would simply be gone. Rianna for letting emotions cloud her judgement and betraying him, and Bulma for… for being this weak striking creature that craved protection. And that night he hurt her and went against his own principles. He would rather die than take a woman by force, and that very evening both almost became a reality. He shook his head in disgust, he was repulsed by himself for allowing this, for being dragged into this fucking chaos and letting himself be drifted from his own goals. This ends tonight.

"Get me Kakarot and Raditz. Tell them to meet me at my…" No, at his chambers there was a woman in bed, and a gown was torn in two laying on the floor. His chambers were out of the question, and this only further agitated him. "Tell them to meet me at the commanding officer room in an hour."

"But, Vegeta…It is almost dawn and they drank most of the night. Hell, they might still be at it!" While Kakarot was not on the drinking side, Raditz was well known for letting loose at any opportunity possible.

"I don't fucking care! Get them there in an hour. I have other matters to take care of." The pill finally had an effect and Vegeta felt strength return to his limbs. He easily stood up, testing his balance. It was more than decent, considering everything. Before the meeting, he had to take care of the situation with both women, and a decision was not made lightly, although it took him only seconds to reach it.

The sun never came, instead, dark grey clouds covered the sky, making its canvas gloomy and downhearted. The sound of rain brought a calmness to her mind, a soothing melody, a natural lullaby. It suited her mood just right as she remained still in her position. Finally, the doors opened and closed. No knocking. That was fine, they were beyond such curtsies in these moments.

She briefly considered denying her guilt, but as soon as the thought occurred her she dismissed it. It would hold no relevance because he knew. Rianna finally shifted her gaze to Vegeta. He was standing still, his skin pale with dark circles forming under his eyes. He crossed his arms over his chest, and her heart ached from his mere appearance. It seemed as it was only yesterday when they were more close than ever, and now it was as miles separated them. She was first to break the silence.

"I will take any punishment you find acceptable." It was for the best to simply get it over with so she can move on, although she was not so sure where that might be. Even if marriage with Bulma was only temporary, Rianna had a feeling she would not simply take her place once she is gone.

"You betrayed me. For what you did a death penalty would be more than suitable." The fact she didn't even try to defend herself exasperated Vegeta even more. He had a high opinion of Rianna, but right now he doubted his previous judgement. In growing desire to get this over with, he gave her no time to respond.

"I am in your debt. I am aware of the fact, back then in the Arizo desert, you saved my life. That is the only reason I will let this one slide. If you ever try to go behind my back again, it will be the end of you." His gaze darkened, and a loud thunder struck somewhere nearby. Neither Vegeta nor Rianna acknowledged it.

"Thank you." Her voice was small and weak. She knew him too well, arguing or demonstrating would take her nowhere, and besides, she deserved it all right. The more time passed the more agitated she was with herself for doing such a stupid thing. If she wanted to sabotage the little princes there were much wiser and subtle ways to do it, without pointing all the fingers at herself.

"We are leaving today for Zeus. Their king awaits us to discuss a potential alliance and we will hasten our departure."

Her eyes widened in anticipation, this was going so much better than she expected. Indeed, she compromised herself, and her bond with Vegeta might be forever severed, but if they are going on a mission…well there still might be some hope. She swiftly got up from her bed and saluted to the prince. "Yes, your highness, I will be ready for departure on time."

Vegeta looked at her with...disappointment? It was like a blow to her gut, and she realised she will not be getting off so easily.

"By means of we, I am not referring to you. You are to stay and fulfil your new duty." Now a wicked grin played on his lips, and Rianna knew nothing good will come out of it. "From as today, you will be appointed to princess Bulma's personal guard squad. While I am absent you will be held responsible for her, and if a single hair is missing from her head..." Silence finished the sentence instead, carrying a clear message. Rianna gaped at the prince, doubting if she understood correctly.

She? A prominent warrior, with countless impeccable results, will be reduced to a…. bodyguard? "No. I refuse." She was ready to accept any punishment but this one. The mere thought of serving and accompanying that woman all day was more than repulsive, it was unacceptable. But her protest had no effect on Vegeta, as he remained unmoved by it.

"This is not a proposal Rin, this is a direct order and if you wish so, we can take it up to the king and your father. I would gladly recollect the events of this night. How you almost killed me with an overdose of the enhancer, and how it could have easily caused the death of Poseidon's princess." He raised one eyebrow at her, as he lowered his hands to the sides of his body.

"Fine. As you wish your highness." She did not settle specifically because she was intimidated by his threats. He called her by her nickname, Rin… not many people were allowed to call her that, and this small gesture, a shadow of their past relationship gave her hope that she might be forgiven one day. Preferably by the day that woman leaves.

The next item on his list was far more uncomfortable for his liking. Ever since he met Bulma, he was torn between the urge to claim her as his own and hating her for everything she represents. The balance of their fledgeling relationship was anything but stable, and what happened last night could have only worsened that. If there was one thing Vegeta despised, it was apologising, and this strived not from the fact he hated to admit he was wrong, but from him never being wrong. All of his decisions and moves were always carefully calculated, and possible outcomes replayed several times in his mind before acting. His mind was swift and always right.

Although he would have never forced Bulma into anything, and technically speaking what happened last night was not his fault, it was his hands that caused the damage, hence it was also his duty to make it right. He wondered what were the odds that she will still be here? If he were to find an empty bed, and princess Bulma has gone away, he would not blame her. It would have been a cowardly move by his standards, but then again, she was a spoiled princess of another race. He turned the knob and entered quietly. The room was still and cold, the windows remained open and the breeze of the cold morning could be felt inside. During the day it will inevitably become much warmer, he expected their short summer to last for at least a week longer.

He closed the balcony doors, and with the smallest movement of his finger, the fireplace was alive again. The wedding dress was still on the floor, torn into pieces, physical evidence of his actions that burned him with guilt. He picked it up, shortly wondering what was he to do with it, and without giving it a second thought he threw the dress into the fireplace. Let it burn.

The sleeping chambers were quiet and dark, all of the lit candles reached their limit a few hours ago, only a faint scent lingering in the air. He took a fresh candle from his night table and lit it with another movement of the finger. The candle cast a dusky light over the room, and revealed the woman, right where he left her. She was asleep, her features peaceful and her shoulders bare and pale under the dim light. Hair, like the waves of the ocean, lay behind her, with a couple of strands covering her face. He swallowed and briefly wondered if she was still unclothed under the sheets. The thought made his cheeks warm-up and he quickly tossed it aside. This was one of the reasons he resented her, for causing these small uncontrolled thoughts. It reminded him of those pathetic men ruled by their impulses. He regarded himself as above those men.

He should wake her up and say something, anything before he left. But he did not know what exactly that should be. Sorry I almost raped you? It was not me - it was the drugs? Although this was the closest to the truth and probably the most straightforward thing to say, it brought no relief. But Vegeta was not the type of person who hesitated much out of discomfort, besides, postponing the inevitable never helped anyone. He sat on the edge of the bed and instinctively moved the strand that covered her face, her skin smooth and flawless, her breathing even and calm. He expected this would wake her up, but Bulma was still sound asleep. He wondered if people who had never spent months and years on the battlefields slept like that. Calm, filled with dreams, without nightmares and constant caution keeping them on the surface of consciousness, regardless of the fatigue that drags you into the depths of slumber.

Vegeta did not want to startle her once more, but time was slipping away. Kakarot and Raditz may already be at the agreed place and it is time to be done with it. Even if right now, he was doubting if he made the right choice. Her closeness made him want to stay instead of fleeing. He gritted his teeth in anger, it was unacceptable to doubt his own decisions so lightly.

Decisively this time, he placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her gently. At first, she narrowed her eyes in resistance, but the next moment she opened her eyes and their gazes met. Her eyes were like the dark depths of the ocean, serene and tender. But soon the memories stirred that calm, and panic and fear replaced it. Her eyes widened and she rose abruptly in bed, the sheet slipping off her and revealing her breasts once more without her consent, causing Vegeta to instinctively avert his gaze. Bulma quickly realized her mistake and panicked, grabbing the sheets and covering herself. Her cheeks were red with shame, her eyes filled with fear and despair. But she said nothing, watching him in silence and waiting, challenging him to speak first.

"I was under the influence of an enhancer, administered without my consent." His voice was not apologetic; it was as he was delivering an official report. Bulma blinked a few times in confusion as his words sunk in. She regarded him, noticing how he seemed tired and worn out. She tried to process his words in her sluggish mind. Drugged? By whom and why, how? For a brief moment, she felt concerned for Vegeta, wondering if he was hurt.

Quickly, short flashes of previous night burned her mind in response, casting aside her concern quickly and without hesitation. It was far from enough to convince her that what happened last night was merely a slip up from his side. Fear and confusion were replaced with annoyance. "You hurt me."

Her statement was supported with a small movement of her hands, gripping the sheet tighter. He glanced at her wrists, noticing they were covered in bruises. This caused another wave of guilt to wash over him, he was aware of what happened, however, he obviously was not aware enough of the severity of his actions on Bulma. Her wrists seemed so fragile that he considered it a miracle they did not snap under the pressure. Perhaps he should try a little harder to deliver the apology. Suddenly, he realised he desired to be excused for this.

"I was not acting of my free will. If I were I would have never…done this." Although he tried to, his voice again sounded more informative than apologetic. He cursed himself for it but realised he was just not capable of procuring an apologetic tone of voice. It contradicted his whole character, thus, she will need to be satisfied with this. Once more he gritted his teeth, this time under the uneasiness of her glare and choose to look away.

Bulma remained silent for a few moments. If she was to accept this reasoning, if she was to believe this was orchestrated by someone else, a decent apology should still be in order, right? Yet, even though he did not voice it out loud, his actions spoke volumes. He regretted what has happened, of this much she was sure.

He did not possess the usual manners of a gentleman, but there was something about him that made Bulma accept this with a dose of appreciation, he seemed… honest. Oddly so, even more honest than many of the people in her life, showering her with constant eloquent praises and empty words.

Besides, this brought enormous relief to Bulma. What happened left a sour taste, making her doubt her judgement and gut feeling, that has served her so well in the past times. She wished for all of this to be ruled as a huge misunderstanding, for Vegeta to be anything but that wild animal she witnessed last night. She secured the sheets around her and slipped off the bed. They were massive and heavy, but Bulma had one important goal ahead of her, and that was to put some damned clothes on her back.

Vegeta turned to look at her, confused by her sudden actions. This earned him a glare from the princess, "if you would not mind providing some privacy, while I…" she looked around the room, struggling to notice her robe in the dim light. Suddenly two remaining candles on the back table were brought to life and it startled her a bit. So far she did not witness Vegeta's fire bending, his precision was…remarkable.

"…find some clothes." Oh, they were far away from praising his skills, at least out loud.

With two swift movements, she exchanged the sheet that provided cover with a long silk robe. She tied it firmly around her waist, crossing her arms protectively under her chest. Although technically he already had a glimpse, she was still far from feeling comfortable with being covered solely by a thin fabric while in a presence of a man.

He followed her example, and soon was standing just a few steps from her, but did not cover those last inches. Bulma took a deep breath. Nothing to be afraid of. They both remained silent, as Bulma realised it was her turn to speak and retort to his attempt of apologising. While thinking of an appropriate answer, it occurred to her she was in an advantage here, he obviously felt guilty of what has happened and this could be used to gather some additional information. Casting aside her fear, shock, humiliation…she was curious of what exactly happened.

"The enhancer was given to you against your will. How?" For a moment he seemed relieved that the apologising part was behind them, and in the next, he assumed his usual stance. He crossed his hands over his chest and she noticed he was not wearing gloves. His hands were manly and rough, just as she had imagined.

"It was slipped in my drink." And back to the short replies. Fine, she had more questions nevertheless.

"By whom?" Now, that was the part she was really interested in. She had her suspicions, surely. But she wanted to hear it from him. She needed the confirmation.

"That is of no importance to you. It has been handled." He closed the distance between them and was now standing right before Bulma. While she consciously knew that she should not be afraid of him, her body reacted from the still fresh memories of near-rape experience just a few hours ago. Instinctively she jolted from his proximity and stepped back. Vegeta seemed bothered by her reaction, no… he seemed insulted by it. He stepped closer once again closing the distance between them, his hand tried to cup her chin, but Bulma turned her head away. The mantra of 'I am safe, I am safe', hardly made any difference. Thankfully, he dropped his hands down to his sides and leaned closer to Bulma, as he was to share his deepest secret with her.

"I will never again lay a hand on you." His breath was hot, his tone anything but. "That is, not until you beg me to." This sent shivers down her spine, however not from the dread. Damned be the reverse psychology and its effects.

With that, he moved away from Bulma and walked over to another fireplace, fitted in the back of the sleeping chamber. He leaned on its frame, observing her, seemingly enjoying his effects on her. But this time, Bulma was able to snap out of it, because she saw right through him. Unfortunately, distractions will not work this time, she had an advantage she planned to use wisely.

"You did not answer my question and I have the right to know." She waved her hand dismissingly at Vegeta, "No, it is fine actually. Figures you would protect her, being as you are that close." She glanced at his thigh, referring to the scene she witnessed at the dinner, the hint did not escape Vegeta. So, she had seen it. Her ocean-blue eyes were like two storms under the lights of the candles, her expression stoic and unreadable. She will not reveal how much it has agitated her. That pleasure she will not provide.

"Hmph." Vegeta glanced away, feeling somewhat uneasy under her glare. She was yet again, right. As much as he would like to erase what Rin did, it was unrealistic to expect of Bulma to simply let it go, given she was the one hurt the most. "It was a mistake, and it will not happen again." He wisely decided to skip the part of the news about her new guard's promotion. The drama was overwhelming as it is, and it was time to leave.

"I am leaving for Zeus today, I will return in two weeks' time, in time for meeting the delegation of Janes." This piece of information gained its purpose, as Bulma cast aside the culprit chase altogether. She blinked a few times processing the news, so Vegeta was leaving. Even though it was only for a short time, it made her feel…disappointed?

She arranged her thoughts in a fragment of a second, knowing well this conversation has ended. Last time she pushed the subject of Rianna it did not go so well, and perhaps she is too young and inexperienced to utilise her advantage wisely. Oh, well.

"I wish you the best of luck."

Vegeta nodded and without further delay left Bulma in their shared chambers.

When Vegeta left her alone it was already morning, but Bulma was feeling anything but ready for the new day. Those few hours she managed to get were not nearly enough to make up for the weeks of bad sleep. She was tired, and this time it was her body and mind that in unison demanded recess. She picked up the sheets cast on the floor and climbed up on the soft bed. This time, although she wanted to further process the conversation they just had, as soon as her head touched the pillow she was asleep. Outside, the sky was tar-black as the large clouds covered it, tapping of the rain once more turned to pitter-patter.

She woke up hours later. Thankfully she was not bothered by the servants or anyone else for that matter. The room was warm and comforting, the fire was crackling in the fireplace, mixing with the sound of rain splattering on the windows. Still hazy, Bulma wondered who lit the fire. Did the servants enter while she was asleep, without her approval? She hoped for sure, this was not the case. She glanced at the empty pillow beside her, still in its original shape. It will be two weeks before they will share the bed, and according to his words, there won't be any sort of the love-making. Surely, she will never ask him to, and Vegeta did seem like the man of his word. Bulma was yet unsure how to feel about it, she wanted it to be reassurance but could not deceive herself so easily.

She rested a hand on the vacant pillow, wondering if this was the side he usually sleeps on. To her surprise, her fingers touched a piece of paper, neatly folded on top of the pillow. She took the note, noticing a small box underneath it. Before reading the note she examined the container, inside was a thick white ointment, with the scent of an unfamiliar plant. It smelled rather pleasant. She opened the note with her name written on top of it, discovering on the inside only five words.

Use it on your wrists.

V.

Unconsciously, her lips stretched to a smile.

A/N Hope you enjoyed it. Your thoughts are always appreciated.