30- The Prodigal Son

Late Winter

Pan paced in front of Gohan's study, nervously. For over a season, Pan had been putting off talking to Gohan about Trunks and who he really was. She was fearful of how her brother would react to the news since he had a distaste for Saiyans. She prayed that he would be understanding. That maybe, Gohan would be okay and not be upset. Trunks being a Saiyan, meant that he was strong. Wouldn't Gohan prefer someone strong to be with Pan?

"You can do this," Pan muttered to herself. Her stomach was fluttering nervously, as it had for the past week since she had decided to tell Gohan.

Chi-Chi was gone to Eastern territories, and Yamcha was in a camp down south. Pan wondered if she should wait until they returned to tell Gohan, or at least her mother so that someone would be on her side. She shook her head slowly. No, she needed to tell Gohan. She couldn't hide the truth from him much longer.

Pan took a deep breath before she reached out towards the study. She held her head high as she stepped inside. "Gohan," she began, but she came to a sudden stop when she saw Gohan wasn't alone. He was surrounded by representatives from the surrounding lands and Lapis.

Gohan looked up at her, and Pan's stomach felt queasy. His eyes looked worried and tired. Pan let out a small breath and glanced around the room. She gave a polite bow.

"I apologize. I didn't realize you had company. I'll return at a later time," she told Gohan.

"Actually, Princess," Lapis said as his lips twitched into a smirk. "You came just in time."

Pan could tell that something was going on. She swallowed back the bile that threatened to rise in her throat. "What am I just in time for?"

"The representatives from the surrounding lands were just expressing their concerns to His Majesty about your engagement," Lapis said.

Pan's eyes widened, and she looked around the room. The representatives quickly avoided her gaze. "What's wrong with my engagement? Gohan said that I had the choice to pick-"

"He is not beneficial to the kingdom," a delegate from the West said. He clicked his tongue and shook his head. "So what if he's the Royal Physician's grandson. What can he do?"

"He can fight," Gohan said weakly.

"Your Majesty," a representative from the North let out a heavy sigh. "He May be able to fight, but is he a general? We've looked for records of this Trunks Brief and can't find him anywhere. It's suspicious."

Pan swallowed hard. Her stomach was swirling, and her body shook.

"Lord Koba, on the other hand-" the representative from the North continued. "Is a high standing Lord. He-"

"No!" Pan interrupted as she shook her head. "I am not marrying Lord Koba!" She announced hotly.

"Princess, it would not be wise to go against the people's wishes," sniffed a delegate from the South.

"The people's wishes?" Pan whispered. Her eyes grew hot, and she blinked her tears away. "What about my wishes? Do I not deserve to be happy? Do I not deserve to be with the one I love? Gohan, say something!" She cried to her brother, who was sitting quietly. "You said I could marry whoever I wanted. You promised!" She nearly screamed as she tried to control her temper.

"Pan," Gohan let out an exasperated sigh. His shoulders were sagging. "I trust Dr. Brief. He's taken care of you for years, but his grandson-"

"His grandson is your friend!" Pan interrupted him. "You've had meals together and played games and-"

"The North is threatening to rebel and stop trades," Gohan stood up from his desk with a heavy sigh.

Pan turned to glare at the North delegate, and he quickly averted his eyes. "So, is this how you all are?" She asked them coldly. "Bullying and threatening your King? Forcing your Princess into a loveless marriage just to get your way?"

"You're being very childish," Lapis commented. His hands were crossed over his chest, and Pan wished she could spit venom at him. She knew he was the one behind all of this mess. "Think of your people, Princess, they-"

"If they were my people, then they would want me to be happy! Gohan already said I could marry Trunks-"

"Ah, yes, but the court disagrees and has decided to call a lèse-majesté," Lapis said.

Pan let out a small gasp and glanced at Gohan. He couldn't meet her eyes, and Pan gritted her teeth. A lèse-majesté was when the court unanimous disagreed with an order from the King. They could over-rule something. Only three votes from Royal blood could overturn a lèse-majesté.

"You know that's not fair," Pan's voice trembled as she glared at Lapis. "Mama and Yamcha are not here!" She yelled.

"But this is something that must be decided urgently," Lapis smirked.

"Do something!" Pan yelled at Gohan.

He didn't move from his spot standing over his desk. His head was bowed as he avoided her gaze, and Pan let out a small sob.

"Fine-" she choked out as she took a step back. "If you let them do this, Gohan- I will never forgive you!" She sobbed. Gohan turned to face her, and the broken look on his face made Pan's sob tremble as she turned on her heels and ran.

Goten let out a small sigh as he looked around the familiar courtyard. His gut twisted anxiously as he looked at the palace he had called home for so long. After many years, he was home. He honestly wasn't sure how this trip would play out. He planned on finding Pan first because he just wanted to see her and talk to her. He wouldn't tell her any secrets yet. Then, he would find his Mom and give her a hug that would last for hours and hours.

First, he had to find-

Someone ran straight into him, and Goten gasped when he saw it was Pan. She was running like she like her life was in danger, and she was crying! She continued to run past him, not even glancing his way.

Goten started to call after her. "Pan-"

"Trunks!" Pan screamed.

Goten's eyes widened, and he quickly hid in a small alcove just as Trunks burst through some doors with Dr. Brief right behind him.

"Panna?" Trunks grabbed her shoulders. "What's wrong? Where are you hurt?"

"I- I-" Pan's voice trembled as she grabbed the front of Trunks' shirt. "Gohan! The Royal Court is there in his study, and they want me to marry Lord Koba! They're calling a lèse-majesté to over-rule Gohan's approval for our marriage! Only three votes with Royal blood can overturn it, and Mama and Yamcha are gone. Lapis is the one behind this. I know he is!"

Goten felt his insides growing cold. Would the Royal Court really do such a thing? What about Pan's happiness? Couldn't they see how much it upset her? She had never gone against their orders! She had always been the perfect princess! She stayed in the castle and took care of herself- why was she not allowed to marry the man she wanted?

Goten gritted his teeth. Why wasn't Gohan doing anything about it? Lèse-majesté be damned- this was their little sister! How could he let the Lapis do this?!

Goten came out of his hiding place and stepped into the hall. Trunks looked up, and his eyes widened at the sight of him. "Tenku?" He asked. "What are you doing here?"

Pan turned to glance Goten's way, but he turned around quickly as he headed to Gohan's study. He wouldn't stay away any longer. He wouldn't let his sister cry if he could stop it.

Goten could feel Trunks and Pan right behind him. "Who are you?" Pan asked him through her tears.

Goten didn't answer, because she would find out soon. He banged Gohan's study door open. Gohan was in the middle of the crowd of snobbish and upright men. He looked lost, and Goten almost felt sorry for him.

"Who are you?" Demanded one of the snobbish men.

"I'm here to overturn the lèse-majesté," Goten declared.

"Only three Royal votes can do that," Lapis quipped haughtily. "And-"

"And you have three of them!" He yelled. "The king-" he pointed to Gohan. "The Princess," he turned and motioned to Pan, who was standing in the doorway with Trunks. "And me!" Goten yanked down his mask. "I am Prince Goten of the Earth Kingdom. My vote makes three, and the lèse-majesté is overturned."

The room was still. Goten could heart his heart pounding. Gohan looked as if he saw a ghost. Lapis' expression was a mixture of shock and rage. Slowly, Goten turned to face Trunks and Pan. Trunks looked confused, and Pan had tears streaming down her face.

"T- Ten?" She managed out a weak whisper right before she fainted.

Goten paced down the hallway outside of Dr. Brief's office. Trunks was leaned against the wall beside the door, his brows furrowed in worry. Gohan stood on the other side, watching Goten.

"Will you stop?" Gohan snapped. Goten turned around and glared at Gohan, who glared right back. "I don't know why you're glaring at me like that. I wasn't the one that was gone for six years!"

"And I wasn't the one who was about to let those assholes marry Pan off!" Goten shot back hotly. "How could-"

"Will you two shut the hell up?!" Trunks growled. "Panna's sick," he glared at them both. "Now isn't the time for you two to be at each other's throats. Not here, anyway. If you're going to do that shit, go somewhere else."

Goten let out a heavy breath and walked a few feet away from Gohan before he leaned against the wall too. The minutes ticked by in awkward silence.

"I don't want her to marry Koba," Gohan broke the silence. "I know how much she loves Trunks-" he swallowed hard before he let out a heavy sigh. "The Northern Kingdom is threatening to rebel if I don't let them marry. I'm worried they'll declare war."

Trunks let out a snort.

"You think it's funny that our planet could be in a civil war?" Gohan asked Trunks with narrowed eyes.

Goten knew there was a lot of Trunks could say about war, but instead, he just said, "no. I think it's ridiculous how you let those dumbasses bully you when you're their damn King. Especially that prick, Lapis. I would have already kicked his ass to the curb."

Gohan looked shocked, and Goten wondered if Trunks had ever spoken to him like that before. He assumed that Trunks had always been on his best behavior on earth, but after everything that went down today, the facade was out the window.

Before Gohan could reply, the door opened slowly. Goten stood up straight, as did Trunks and Gohan.

"She's okay. She's awake now," he said softly.

"Thank goodness," Gohan signed. "Can we see her?"

Dr. Brief let out a small sigh. "She only wishes to see Trunks," he said.

Trunks didn't spare Gohan or Goten a look as he walked past Dr. Brief and into the room before closing the door behind him. Dr. Brief looked between Goten and Gohan before letting out another sigh.

"Is she really okay?" Goten asked quietly. He could remember how sick she used to get.

"She is," Dr. Brief's voice was quiet. He looked shaken, and Goten wondered if it was because he was back. "You two-" Dr. Brief swallowed hard. "Things are about to change, and I'm not just talking about what Lord Koba is doing." He looked at Goten then. "It's time you tell him," he said.

"Tell me what?" Gohan demanded.

Goten wasn't that surprised that Dr. Brief already knew the family secret. He had probably known since before they were even born, and he knew Trunks was a Saiyan as well.

Dr. Brief didn't say anything and turned around to walk down the hall.

"Goten," Gohan took a step to the side, so he was in front of him. "What is he talking about? Where have you been all these years."

Goten let out a long sigh. This wasn't how he wanted to Gohan the truth, but it would have to be now. "I was where Dad grew up."

Gohan's brows furrowed together with a frown. "The East District?" He asked.

"No, Gohan. Our dad didn't grow up in the East District," Goten said quietly. "He grew up on another planet-" he let out a heavy sigh. "Gohan, our dad, was a Saiyan, and we- his children, are half-Saiyans, and-"

Goten stopped suddenly because Gohan wasn't reacting. He didn't look shocked at all, and Goten let out a breath and straightened his back.

"You knew?" He whispered.

"You found that book in the library, didn't you?" Gohan asked quietly.

Goten swallowed hard. "You knew?!" He repeated as his eyes widened. "Why didn't-"

"Goten!" Gohan hissed as he took a step closer to him. "I've had Lapis breathing down my back ever since Dad died," he said lowly. "You don't think I know how corrupt he is? Trunks said earlier he would have already gotten rid of him, and you don't think I haven't wanted to? All these years, I've kept him close to keep an eye on him!" He stressed. "You don't understand what it's been like- you don't know how badly I wished it were me who ran off to Vegeta-Sei and not you, but I knew I had to stay here to protect Pan."

Gohan let out a sigh as his shoulders slumped. "All these years, I've been pretending to hate the Saiyans when all I've ever wanted was to know them."

"Does Mom know that-"

"No," Gohan shook his head. "She's kept it a secret from us all these years, and I know she did it to protect us. I did it to protect her and Pan."

"And Pan, does she know?"

"No," he shook his head again and let out a sigh. "She thinks I detest Saiyans."

"Gohan, listen, there's something else you need to know before anything else happens tonight," Goten said. "Trunks, he's a Saiyan. He's the Prince."

Gohan showed shock for the first time that night. "The Prince?" He gasped. "I mean- I assumed he was a Saiyan, but the Prince?"

"You knew he was a Saiyan?" Goten furrowed his brows together.

"I said I assumed he was," Gohan muttered as he scratched the back of his head.

"You know he's not going to let Pan go," Goten told his brother.

"Oh, I know," Gohan agreed. "That's why I was keeping my mouth shut earlier. I'm not going to let our sister be forced into a marriage," he promised. "I expect tomorrow morning, I'll have an army waiting outside the castle from the North," he frowned deeply. "I don't know what I'm going to do."

Goten glanced around Dr. Brief's door. He was tempted to go inside and see Pan but restrained himself. "Tonight, let them rest-" he motioned his head towards the door. "And tomorrow morning, I'll get Trunks, and we'll go to Vegeta-Sei and get back up."

"Things aren't going to be pretty tomorrow, are they?" Gohan asked gently.

Goten's lips twitched. "We're half-Saiyans. I think we should get used to it."

Gohan chuckled and shook his head before he reached out and hugged Goten tightly. "I've missed you, Baby Brother."

Goten let out a shaky breath as he hugged him back. It was so good to have someone to talk to who knew the truth. "I've missed you too, Han," he said as he hugged him back.

"You'll stay tonight, too, won't you?" Gohan asked as he leaned back. "There's so much I want to ask you."

Goten smiled and nodded his head. "Yeah, there's a lot I want to ask you too," he told his brother.

"Sisters and brothers are the truest, purest forms of love, family, and friendship, knowing when to hold you and when to challenge you, but always being apart of you."
-Carol Ann Albright Eastman