Disclaimer: Dragon Ball does not belong to me. The series and its characters are owned by Akira Toriyama.

The Legacy

Chapter IV

Consequences

Gine's food was the best for his taste, but the one served in the palace was not far behind, and the best of all was that they did it without so many vegetables that his wife loved to add to everything, and neither he nor the children liked them. So Gine used to hide carrots and other vegetables among the meat. Everyone noticed, having to eat them to leave her alone, but at her first carelessness, they disposed of them through the window or the garbage can. Bardock did not realize that since he decided to leave the missions to stay on the planet, these were the kind of memories that filled his head and not problems with shipments or military matters. It had all been so fast and sudden that he didn't stop to think how much his life had changed.

With a bit of sleep, he was returning to his monotonous work, walking through the corridors, when around the hall, he saw Nappa guarding the training room's entrance door where Prince Tarble and his children were. He shouldn't be there, that was his place, and if he was present, that meant that Prince Vegeta was too.

He did not change his posture or pace. He continued as he had come since he left the dining hall. Severe and calm as always, he went to the door that Nappa was taking care of, like a wild beast taking care of his newly hunted prey. Upon arrival, Nappa had to step aside to let him pass. He did not have the slightest interest in arguing with anyone; his interests were others, not like before. But seeing the big man there, he felt an immense urge to enter the room right away; he knew that nothing good must be happening there.

"Bardock," Nappa spoke with a nasty grin on his mouth, revealing his yellow teeth. "Prince Vegeta is inside and has given instructions that no one..."

He didn't listen to him; it was like his lips were moving without sound. The urge to enter that room was all that was on his mind.

His idea was to enter and see that everything was in order. For example, seeing them finish lunch and have them train with other Saibaimans, but the jerk got in his way.

"Didn't you listen? I told you that..."

Bardock took him by the shoulders of the armor, pushing him aside with great ease, he approached the door, but before opening it, Nappa turned him around and tried to hit him in the face, ending with his fist buried in the wall. Bardock launched an attack but stopped when he heard the queen's voice.

The two of them walked away from each other.

"What's going on here, soldiers!?"

Nappa was quick to reply, but Koora paid him no attention. She thought the same as Bardock regarding the big man's presence there. Vegeta must have been walking through the door, and that did not mean anything good besides the fact that the king might find out that he had taken hours of attention from the crown prince for caring for the minor.

She walked to the door to enter once and for all.

"Leave him alone!" Tarble screamed again as the door opened before them.

Only when Koora walked in did Vegeta stop hitting Radditz.

Tarble was about to cry, ignoring the wound on his forehead that was still bleeding and staining his face. Kakarrot was at the other end of the room, with blood on his nose; he was trying to stand up, but he couldn't keep his balance because of a blow — probably to the head.

Radditz was the worst of all, with a disfigured and blood-soaked face. He was lying on the ground, unable to move until Vegeta stood up, releasing him.

Surprisingly Vegeta was also bleeding. He had a deep cut on his lip that wouldn't stop dripping.

Koora didn't know what to say, but Vegeta did:

"If you are going to bring me Saibaiman to train, try to make them stronger and not garbage like these two."

Bardock and Nappa also entered the training room. The first silently observed the situation, while the other immediately approached Vegeta.

"Which of you dared hurt the prince?!" he howled, overreacting to his protégé's injury, ignoring the state of the other heir. "Speak now, and only one will be beheaded outside the palace!"

Radditz and Kakarrot looked at him in fear, but neither responded.

"Soldier Nappa, don't be stupid. No one is going to end up beheaded."

"But your majes...!"

"What kind of warrior do you want the prince to be if you react that way to a simple blow? It is only part of the training."

"Of course I do, Your Majesty, but you know there is a protocol..."

"Leave, Nappa," she ordered, obviously annoyed. She was finding it harder and harder to bear the man's presence.

This time he did not object. Instead, he made his customary bow without energy, leaving the place.

"And are we going to continue training?" Vegeta crossed his arms, looking at Radditz, who was finally getting to his feet. "I'm not done with this. Bardock, your children are a disgrace." He concluded with a laugh.

Kakarrot walked straight to Vegeta, but just feeling his father's gaze stopped him.

"This wasn't your training, Vegeta. It was your brother's." Koora spoke to him in a firm voice, but she didn't want to mess about it. In the first place, she was not for that, and in the second, she did not wish the king to find out.

"What does that matter? I can take it too if I want to," he answered haughtily.

"What for, Vegeta? These opponents are tailored to your brother, not yours."

"Then you should worry more about my training. The king will not like to hear what you're wasting your time on."

"As the young prince says." She was fed up with Vegeta's attitude, so she would make him pay with what he liked best, but it would take time. "So we'll double the training if that's what you want."

"Of course, that's what I want." He walked to the door with his forehead held high. "Let's go, Tarble; I'm bored with this place."

"I'm not going with you, Vegeta." The little Saiyajin summoned all his strength not to cry and answered his brother firmly.

Vegeta looked at him for a few seconds without changing his expression of indifference. "As you like." He left the place, leaving his armor behind.

"We'll leave training for today. After that, you can go to the recovery chamber and then home."

"Your Majesty, my shift is not over yet. I will stay until the end. After that, Radditz and Kakarrot will retire home after going to the recovery chambers."

The children said nothing about it.

(...)

"Bardock didn't tell you anything?" Tarble asked. The two boys had taken off their armor for a leisurely lunch.

"No, I thought he would punish us, but he didn't say anything to us when he got home," Kakarrot replied as he ate his lunch and recalled the incident with Prince Vegeta. It had been two weeks since that, but only today had they run into Tarble.

"Well, I wouldn't have liked to train without you; all Vegeta does is yell at me, and now my mom makes me train almost daily with him; that's why I can't see you so much."

"I don't like your brother; he looks like the fool of Turles."

"He's not bad, but he likes to be the strongest and show it."

"I wanted to hit him."

"But you did it, and it was strong."

"But I wanted to hit him more!"

"Don't you ever fight with Raditz?"

"All the time!" He laughed heartily. "We train whenever we can!"

"No, Kakarrot, I'm talking about arguing, not training."

"Argue? No, not that." He took one of Tarble's sandwiches. "Can I eat it?"

"Sure," he replied, looking at Raditz, who kept doing sit-ups. He had the impression that he was taller since he met him, or maybe it was he who was getting smaller.

Radditz only allowed five minutes to eat. Then, he gulped down everything to continue exercising, hoping that the break hour would pass quickly and return to training hard. He no longer wore the armor against the Saibaiman and prayed that he would soon make him fight the more potent green dwarves. After what he went through with Prince Vegeta, he realized that he was still a long way from embarking on missions. But what bothered him most about that incident was what happened with his brother.

Radditz tried, by all means, to defend himself from Vegeta's attacks, but did not see any of them coming, and Vegeta evaded the blows he attempted to throw with great agility. Tarble's screams for him to stop took a back seat; the only audible thing was the prince's fists colliding in his face, but from one second to another, when he thought he would lose consciousness, his brother's voice screaming his name echoed inside his head.

The next second, Vegeta fell to the ground from Kakarrot's punch. Then, the two children started against each other, the youngest landing another blow to the prince's abdomen but missing the next one.

Vegeta grabbed his hair, lifted and stretched his arm away from his body. The boy flapped his arms, screamed, and even tried to bite him, blinded with anger for having hit his brother, but he could no longer touch him. Finally, the heir to the throne released him, and before he touched the ground, he hit him on the nose with a kick, throwing him across the room.

The sound of the poor boy's head banging against the wall echoed through the room. And instead of going looking for him to get revenge for touching him, Vegeta returned to Radditz. He rested one knee on his chest and the other on one arm, immobilizing him completely, unleashing all of his strength against the older brother.

Fortunately for him, the queen arrived, and Vegeta stopped; otherwise, his dream of being an outstanding soldier would have ended there.

From that day on, he sees his younger brother differently. Although his father never touched on the subject, neither did he, much less Kakarrot; for him, nothing out of the ordinary happened, but for Radditz, the fact that he hit the prince did not go unnoticed.

Everyone knew how powerful Prince Vegeta was. The next king of the people, trained from one year of age and conqueror of important planets along with his crew.

Radditz couldn't touch him, didn't skim him, didn't even ruffle him. He was worse than the weakest Saibaiman at his hands, and Kakarrot could hit him and even make him bleed.

It couldn't be possible. Radditz had been training for so many years, trying to stand out and his brother, whose sole purpose was to eat and play fights, stood out from the rest. For short seconds, but he did, which he did not.

He wasn't jealous of him. Of course, he could not, but the discomfort experienced since that day did not leave him calm.

"Radditz! Come with us!" His brother called. "Tarble gave us some of his food."

"I can't." He didn't stop to speak; he had to do a thousand sit-ups.

"But they are very delicious!"

"I'm busy, Kakarrot. Do not deconcentrate me."

"Never mind, we'll keep you," Tarble put in, pushing aside a meat plate.

"That's not so good. My mom cooks meat better," Kakarrot spoke with food in his mouth.

"My mom doesn't cook. It is the palace cooks who do this."

"You can visit us at home, and I'll tell my mom to cook you something."

"Are you inviting me to your house?" He consulted shyly with a blush on his cheeks.

"Yes! We can train in the forest and teach you The Circle. Can't we, Radditz?!"

The older brother didn't answer, concentrating on his exercises.

(...)

The little light did not help, making it necessary to spend time and energy enhancing a useless sense in a place like this. The boy closed his eyes to get rid of that hopeless sense and strengthen the others.

His nose alerted him that a green goblin was approaching from the left, and his hearing confirmed it. He was having plenty of time to duck and dodge a sharp claw. However, he did not count on someone he did not feel approaching, pushing him from behind causing him to lose his balance. Vegeta had to crawl to get closer to another rock and protect his back.

He underestimated and criticized this new form of training as stupid, but it was giving him trouble. He could not show how difficult it was for him because he would never accept it, no matter how much his mother had told him that if the boy felt that it was getting hard, he would warn her, and they would stop it. No. He would get over it and end up killing all the goblins and shut his talkative mother's mouth.

He closed his eyes, keeping calm. Although his breathing should calm, agitated as he was, he wouldn't get anything. In front of him came two Saibaiman and a third to his right, but before they could get close to him, a blow to his abdomen threw him out of focus. It didn't take his breath away or cause significant pain; it was the fact that he hadn't anticipated it that put him off, causing him to neglect the other attackers. He leaped to the left, feeling a claw reach to sever his arm. The burning and pain made him cover the wound with his hand, having to attack with his feet.

Furious, he broke one's neck with a kick and left his wound bleeding for a second to explore the other who was already dangerously close to him. Yes, he had broken one of the rules of this new training, ≪do not use powers,≫ but he hated that someone so inferior managed to hurt him, and he did not think about it.

He aimed at the third Saibaiman, but the swift shadow that did nothing but annoys him tripped him, knocking him to the ground, hitting his chin against the cold and hard floor of the training room.

The young prince stood up with great agility just in time, placing both hands on the green beast's abdomen, causing it to explode into a thousand pieces. If he had kept score, there were no Saibaiman left alive.

His heart was beating fast, and his arm wouldn't stop bleeding, but that was the least. Then, before he could think or do anything, all his energies were utterly gone; the young man's body fell, hitting the ground without putting his hands to avoid the impact.

Immediately after that, the lights in the living room came on.

"I won!" He yelled without letting go or loosening his grip on his brother's tail. Tarble did not hide his happiness from him. Finally, after four months, he was able to catch his brother.

Koora had thought of this new form of training. Since for Vegeta, everything was so easy, what better than to put the Saibaiman and Tarble against him. Of course, the youngest could not overcome the power barrier, but he was much better in boldness and speed. Advantages that he used against his brother.

Vegeta needed a hit to the ego for a long time. And this is what she thought of for that.

"Congratulations, Tarble." Koora approached the princes, trying to hide the amused smile on her face, but seeing the other child on the ground motionless and with a look of a thousand demons did not happen every day.

"It's cheating!" Vegeta spoke, gathering the little energy that ran through his body. "He has not beaten me!"

"Of course, I beat you." Then, he squeezed his tail more without thinking, silencing another claim.

"Part of learning is recognizing when you've been defeated, Vegeta."

"...But not with cheating." He tapped the ground with his palm. It was exasperating not to feel anything running through his veins; he was humiliated in the situation they had him, especially those who had it that way.

"The enemy will use any technique to defeat you. He will not stop because he considers that he may be cheating; besides, Tarble beat you fairly. I've been telling you all this time to exercise your tail, and you haven't, from what I see." She got serious. Not even she believed that Tarble could beat him so quickly, but the boy had paid attention to every conversation and lesson, and after four months, he ended up catching him. Tarble deserved recognition and Vegeta a suitable reprimand.

"Of course, I've been exercising it."

"It does not seem."

"Let go of me, Tarble." He couldn't raise his voice, but her anger was evident. "I swear I'm going to..."

"No threats, Vegeta. Acknowledge your brother's victory." It bothered her that he was so proud at this age. If he continued like this as an adult, he would get into trouble.

"I'm not going to do such a thing. Tarble, let me go, stupid boy."

"It doesn't matter," he whispered, letting go of his brother's tail, thinking sadly why his relationship with him couldn't be a bit like Radditz's with Kakarrot. It would be entertaining to have an older brother who enjoys training side by side with him and not one who just uses him as just another Saibaiman.

When he stood up, he noticed a large amount of blood running down the right arm of the heir to the throne.

"Go to the recovery chamber to see that arm."

"Do not tell me what to do." He quickly left the place. He had already been humiliated enough to be treated like a child now.

Kakarrot was sleeping so soundly that Gine could yell in his ear, and the little one wouldn't wake up. So there was no risk of interrupting his sleep when she took him in her arms to carry him to his room. He was so exhausted that he had fallen asleep with his dinner half-eaten at the table even though it was his favorite dish. He still wore his dirt and blood-stained armor that he didn't take off for the world. Tomorrow they would not go to the palace; she would wash them. She did not like that his children went to train in dirty clothes, especially in that place.

She sat her youngest son on the bed under the bunk (Radditz's), so she could take off his armor, boots, gloves, and still didn't wake up. Finally, she heard him whisper something between dreams, and that was it. She left the boy naked, sitting and almost snoring while she went to the dresser searching for clean clothes. Although he urgently needed a bath, she was sorry to wake him up; early tomorrow, she would force him to wash well even though it was always a spectacle to get him cleaned. She returned to bed with an old T-shirt of hers that would serve as a nightgown for Kakarrot.

Radditz was still in the bathroom.

After pulling the covers off the top bed, he took the child, laid him down, and covered him. She had planned to retire to her room, but she headed for the bathroom door.

"Radditz, is everything okay?"

"Yes, mom."

"Can I come in?"

He took a while to respond. "Okay, Mom."

As she entered, he saw his eldest son trying to sew a wound on the left side of his abdomen. He had pulled the mirror over the sink to look at himself, but it was still tricky.

"You took off your armor while training, right?" She sat on the floor and removed the needle to do it herself.

"The prince trains without armor." He bit his lip as he felt the needle penetrate his skin.

"The prince has been training there since before he learned to walk. So you have been around for a short time."

"But I want to be stronger."

"And you will be, but you have to stay alive for that." She paused the healing to look her son in the eye. "Did you clean the wound before?"

"Yes, as you taught me."

"Well." She continued sewing. "It would be a good idea to go to the recovery chambers. You are both very hurt."

"But they are not serious injuries, and they have all healed well. Dad told us that he became more powerful thanks to all his injuries."

"It's okay; it's okay. But promise me that if it hurts, you will go to one. Kakarrot imitates you in everything, and he doesn't want to go either. I don't want something terrible to happen to you having the machines at your disposal." Sometimes, she forgot that the children had gotten the warrior genes from their father. She was not used to fighting and having injuries, and since they are her children, her concern grew double when she saw them arrive with new bruises.

"I promise."

"Ready, you can go to sleep now."

The boy wanted to leave the bathroom, but Gine took him by the hair, stopping him.

"It would be a good idea to cut it, it can bother you to fight, and it does not stop growing."

"I like it," he replied with a smile.

"Me too, you look cute with long hair, and I think you're taller."

"It's not pretty, Mom; it's awesome," he said, slightly offended.

"Sure, whatever you say," she smiled at him with amusement.

As soon as she was done with her children, she went down to her room.

Upon entering, Bardock emerged from the bathroom naked and with a towel draped over his shoulders. Without saying anything, he walked towards her straight to her mouth. Gine kissed him and hugged him with her arms and legs, listening as he bolted the door and led her to bed. Their bodies moved away a bit so he could undress her. She was only wearing a black T-shirt and shorts, so it was easy to undress her.

Their tails entwined.

Koora entered King Vegeta's spacious room. She didn't knock on the door like everyone else should so as not to lose her head from the terrible disrespect. Those were one of the many freedoms she could take. Not that she had an excellent relationship with him, but as long as he was happy with her, there were things she was overlooking.

Her whole life depended on him. Suppose she could leave the planet or not, to see and train princes, to lead an almost everyday life despite her being the queen. All that passed through him, and since she was an intelligent woman, she knew what to do and what not to do to preserve her autonomy.

They were already thirteen years of relationship. The first years for Koora were difficult, she was excited to have been chosen by the king himself, and at a certain point, she even fell in love with Vegeta. He was so powerful and enigmatic and the physical attraction so powerful that she ended up even forgetting that another man was haunting her head. She tried, by all means, to have something more with the king, but he was only interested in being more powerful and bringing more glories to his planet. He was also attracted to the woman, who was different in many ways, but it was a negative trait that was best avoided for him.

When Prince Vegeta was four years old, Koora resigned that it would only be a sexual relationship to engender powerful heirs and groom them into worthy warriors.

Along with resignation, disenchantment also came.

The woman divided her time into the missions and her children, spending a short time with the king to inform him of the progress, discussing a little, and becoming intimate. Yet, despite everything, she liked something about the man.

"Vegeta?"

"Here."

Koora walked over to the man's desk, where he finished dinner. The room was huge.

"Here I am." She stood staring at him.

"I read the prince's progress report." He did not look at her, concentrating on the delicious piece of meat he was cutting with a knife and fork.

"Report? But I haven't sent any yet."

"I don't read yours, and I have my people for that."

"And what does that report say? She was sure Nappa was one of Vegeta's spies. She was surprised that this stupid giant could write.

"It doesn't matter. The important thing is that Vegeta has improved faster with your presence."

Of course, he wouldn't say anything terrible about Vegeta. Instead, the idiot Nappa saw the boy's accomplishments as his own.

"Tarble has also improved a lot, and you would be surprised to see how he could..."

"Yes, yes. It was an excellent idea for you to stay here. However, I want you to cancel the next missions, at least for a year." He drank wine from his cup. He still wasn't looking at her.

"I was planning on doing it. No problem," the queen replied somewhat brusquely. She hated being interrupted, and mainly when she spoke to him about her youngest child as if it didn't matter in the least.

"What's that about other kids training with Vegeta?"

Damn Nappa. She would cut off his head; someday, she would.

"They don't train with Vegeta. One day they ran into him, is all. The children are for Tarble to gain more confidence fighting someone his size." Again she was enthusiastic about the subject. "You have to see Tarble in no time he has..."

"Enough talk for today." He wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin and looked at her. He realized that she was angry. He would have taken their eyes off anyone for looking at him in such a defiant way. But he liked that about her, so she avoided seeing her often. A man like him shouldn't be wasting time on a woman.

"Is that all? May I retire now?"

Another proof that she was angry. Her protocol was present when she wanted to break the king's nose. It was a way to control anger.

"No," he stood up, approaching her. "That is not all." He took her by the nape to draw her in and kiss her.

They changed position. The two were face to face, and she was on top of him, leading the rhythm with the help of his hands on her hips. The woman could not resist any longer having to open her mouth to take a breath and complain. Bardock took the opportunity to tackle her neck with sucks and bites, mesmerized by the sounds of his woman, making the union more intimate and unique with each movement. Despite the years and routine, their encounters strengthened over time, these moments being when he felt the most alive. She and only she was the reason for Bardock's decisions.

After meeting her and starting a relationship with the mother of their children, he found much more satisfaction in simpler experiences. Having been paired with a Saiyajin who did not have enough fighting power to dare to leave the planet made him see the world, his world, differently, and even though it took him many years to realize it due to his stubbornness, he did not care. He did not care about acknowledging it for himself and making changes. He did not care about the opinion of others.

"Bardock," she moaned his name louder as the climax hit her.

He bit her chin and squeezed the base of her tail, lengthening the sensation of pleasure in her body. Then, he made her lie down to get on top of her and be the one to set the pace for her.

He had been retired from missions for a little over a year. But, as was his custom, he did not inform anyone, neither his companions nor her, of his decision. So he spent a couple of months doing nothing when Koora called him to take care of her son, and if at first, he did not like the idea, as much as Koora had been his friend, now she was the queen and could not disobey her. So the little prince did not speak or bother, and best of all, he would come home with her at the end of the day.

And he didn't tell her what he thought either; Gine didn't know that in the last mission, the one that lasted more than a year, it was because it got out of hand and he was about to die on another planet without her or the children knowing. It was then that he was aware that everything should change. If ever his greatest desire was to die in combat, it was no longer, and as he used to be in him, he would not tell her.

And since he used to be with her, he wouldn't ask her. She knew him and did not need words; although he did not realize it, he made himself understood wonderfully with his actions. Gine, who lived her entire life in the same place, knew all kinds of Saiyajins, even warriors like him, and that was what she appreciated the most about Bardock.

The man left her breasts to return to Gine's mouth, and she received him with passion. But, he couldn't kiss her all he wanted because he felt that he would end soon, significantly when she lowered her hand to take his tail, raising and dropping the palm from its base and a little higher, stimulating it as if it were his intimate member.

Koora clung to the pillow, biting it occasionally when the sensations disturbed her. Then, finally, Vegeta thrust into her with force, unaware of her moans. He wouldn't let go of her hips so that she wouldn't pull them down.

As she is queen, she would have to be with him all her life or at least until the king said otherwise, and if so, it would not end well; that is why she insisted on having a good relationship.

There was a moment in her life when she wanted him. She loved him, and that silly feeling would surface at times to annoy her and bring her closer to him. Like now that she was trying to kiss him and look at him. But Vegeta just turned her around to keep her away from him, almost the same thing outside the sheets.

She was a powerful and clever woman who had not inherited the cold blood of her race but had enough intelligence from her to be able to hide it. Although sometimes it was difficult.

She finished long before he did, having to wait for his turn.

As soon as Vegeta finished, he released her and stepped out of her to settle into his bed.

"I am hungry." She whispered, sitting up to look at him, her body still tingling.

"Go eat." The king clasped his hands behind his head and kept his eyes closed, relaxed from the short but intense session of sex.

There it was once again, that silly feeling bothering her, and he was always in charge of stopping it. It was the only ≪tradition≫ they had as a couple.

"I know you're hungry." She ran a hand over his chest and then over his beard. "You always get hungry after sex."

"I just ate; I'm not hungry."

"Wouldn't you like me to send for something?"

"No."

His attraction to her was strong, but it all came down to bed, and work matters for a man like him. He would never risk it.

"Don't be like that; I can go for..."

"Now, Koora, that was it. You can retire now." He continued with his eyes closed and not moving.

The woman looked at him for a few seconds before standing up and leaving the room without even taking her clothes. At this time, no one was walking in the palace's corridors, and if she were to meet a soldier, he would have an uncomfortable moment.

"How are the children doing with the training?" Gine rested on Bardock's chest as he stroked her back.

"Okay."

"Just okay? Haven't they gotten into trouble?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary."

"I suppose that's good. Kakarrot only speaks wonders of training and Prince Tarble. Radditz is quieter. Are you sure nothing bad happened?"

"Yes." Bardock was aware of Gine's hair as well as the conversation.

"Radditz is looking more like you every day. Kakarrot is in the physical, but Radditz is in the personality. Every day he talks less, just like you." She commented with a laugh as she caressed his face with one hand. She was running a finger over his mouth and nose. "And I'm sure he'll be smart like you too."

He didn't answer her; as a man of few words that he was, he just looked at her. She would know how to decipher it, as she always did.

"Do you want me to go get something to eat before bed? There's left meat from dinner."

"Excellent idea."

He took her by the nape of the neck so that she would come up to him and kiss him.

When she got to her room, she showered and lay down, feeling stupid for falling with Vegeta again. She fell like a fool when he approached her. Koora was gladly fooled in an attempt to get out of her head what had been bothering her since she decided to stay to train her children.

"Yes, I know how to choose them," she whispered, staring at the ceiling.

The only two men who occupied her head were not interested in her. One man — the king — who chose her for a thousand reasons, except for her to be his companion; and the other... the other was her friend who was entirely in love with her wife. He hadn't told her, but she had known him so many years that she knew he was so. She almost felt wrong thinking of him that way, but everything would have been different if she had continued with him instead of accepting to be the king's wife. Maybe they would still be together.

It made her so bad spending every day with him. She was filling her head with dreams and stupid thoughts.

"... Bardock ..."

The door to her bedroom opened shyly. For a crazy second, she fantasized that it could be the king or Bardock. She felt so silly that she smiled for a moment.

"Who's there?" she asked, sitting down.

"It's me. Can I come in?" Tarble poked his head out, waiting for her mother's response.

The woman motioned for him to enter.

"What are you doing up so late? You have to get up early tomorrow."

"I could not sleep." He sat at the foot of the bed.

"You're still excited about the victory over Vegeta, right?" She smiled without restraint. With Tarble, it was the only man she could be what she was.

"I went to see him, and he wouldn't open the door for me. He is still very angry with me."

"Ignore him; he's going to get over it. Tomorrow he will shine by killing some Saibaiman, and he will forget it."

"I think he was exercising his tail," he said, resisting laughter.

"And have you done it?"

"Yes, but it's challenging."

"Do not get frustrated by that; the important thing is that you do not stop doing it. Four months ago, you could not have defeated your brother, and now you are made a warrior."

"I'm thrilled you're with us."

"And I to be with you."

The little boy was silent for a while, showing that he wanted to say something in his eyes.

"Is something wrong, Tarble?"

"...You said that if I beat Vegeta, I would have a prize." He didn't look up; he grabbed his tail with both hands every time he got nervous.

"Of course, I remember; I didn't think you would ask me so soon. Tell me what you want, and I'll give it to you tomorrow," Koora said, interested. She did not imagine what the child could ask of her. Books? That was the only thing on her mind.

"...It could be now... I was thinking, maybe... maybe..."

"What did we say about that, Tarble? Breathe well and say it all at once. It's not good for the prince to show himself like that."

"Yes, I'm sorry." He released his tail and looked straight into her eyes, obeying her mother. "As a prize, I want to sleep with you, nothing more."

The first thing that crossed her mind was stretching her arms and receiving him, but she held back. She felt that if Tarble had so many personality problems, it was her fault. She took liberties that she shouldn't have, and here is the result: a prince weak in strength and character, but the queen was doing the impossible for him to overcome, and she would not stop until the king accepted him. If she stayed on the planet, it was primarily because of him and not her eldest son.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I know you can't." He got off the bed. When he was younger, he slept with her sometimes, being the best thing that had happened to him in his short life, so the boy thought he could ask for that as a reward.

"Tarble, wait. I told you that you would have what you want if you beat your brother, so this will be our secret." She drew her covers, waving her hand for him to lie down.

He jumped onto the bed and settled in at once. Koora covered him and hugged him from behind.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to beat Vegeta again."

Koora smiled at him but was concerned at the same time. Tarble was just as bright as she was, and he had to teach him to act cool in front of everyone, even his brother. It had worked for her, and it must have been the same with Tarble.

She did not want the boy to suffer the consequences of inheriting her genes.

(...)

"I don't trust anyone else; that's why I only share it with you." Vegeta didn't look up from his food. Despite the subject's sensitivity, he was sure that no one else was listening in or out of his room. "It can't happen on this planet. I'll take care of the trip myself... But, unfortunately, accidents happen, especially when it comes to unprepared children."

"Are you completely sure about this, Vegeta?" Paragus asked, trying to hide his discomfort, but it was difficult for him. Instead, Nappa looked like he had been waiting for such an order for a long time.

"Tell me, Paragus." He sipped some wine and then looked at him. "Your son, Broly, the one you insist on hiding. What future do you think awaits him?"

"My son Broly..." He looked at the ground nervously. He always got like that when someone talked about his son. But, like everyone who knew Paragus, King Vegeta took it for granted that he was ashamed of having such a weak firstborn.

How wrong they all were.

"I have the best warrior training the prince, I could not get someone fitter than her, but she is a woman and stupid. She wastes a lot of time with her youngest son, and it is a bad idea for that child to hang out with her and Vegeta so much. It's like a small virus that affects those around it," he said with obvious contempt. "I could take him away from her, but I need her optimal and not bothering me every five minutes whining that she wants to see the brat; I'd rather have her a bad time for a while and then focus on Vegeta. I'm unwilling to embarrass my family's name with that child, just like you do with Broly, Paragus. I already gave him many opportunities, and he didn't make it. Vegeta is enough for me and plenty. " He stood looking out the window. Despite the distance, you could see the wake left by the ships from the shipping field from that place. "With that, I hope to answer your question, Paragus, and for the next time, don't forget that I brought you to execute an order from the king, not to question him."

"Yes, Vegeta, I'm sorry. It will."

"As you order, Your Highness," Nappa replied. He was looking forward to that trip soon. Once that child did not exist, he would no longer have to see Bardock, and if he can be blamed for the prince's death, so much the better.

"No word about this and no acting on your initiative." Although he was determined and, as king, he could do whatever he wanted; it was a sensitive issue. Like it or not, unfortunately, that child was from the royal family, and you couldn't eliminate someone so important just like that. "Retreat."

"Of course not, Vegeta." Paragus gave a short hasty bow before leaving. Nappa's was creepy, as always.

When Vegeta was alone, he returned to the table, he tried to eat, but his hunger was gone.

He had given that boy too many chances, and there was no point. No matter what kind of training he had, he wouldn't change, and worse still, it would continue to affect Koora and Vegeta. On more than one occasion, the possibility that he was not his son crossed his mind. Still, the queen had given him no reason to doubt her since he would not hesitate to make her pay and get rid of the man at the first royal suspicion. No matter how excellent a warrior she was, she would never allow anyone to make fun of him. When she saw him, only two things should come to mind: fear and respect, and since with that strange little boy he had become the talk of the town in the corners of the palace, the planet, and even outside it, he should put a stop to it. Everything that he and his predecessors have built up to today would not be looked down upon due to a trick of nature. Koora was young and could have many more children.

It was already decided.

Prince Tarble would die on his first mission off the planet.

To be continued...