He hadn't expected them quite yet

Hello, it's me! Erm,.. what to say,.. chapter 10?

Geeh. *blush *

This chapter comes out so mean even I feel sorry for little Vegeta.

But, I had someone say my violent scenes weren't graphic enough, and this one needed it anyway.

Still, you might just want to know there's a lot of bloody-ness ahead (This was a warning, duh!). Only in the second part though.

Please tell me if you liked it, I'm not too sure of it myself sometimes.

(I do not own DBZ, for any confused characters that might actually think this)

The Hand that feeds me, Chapter 10.

The Greeks buried their dead with a coin on their tongue, so they could pay their passage to the neater-world. T

hey did this as much for themselves as for their dead beloved, though; no-body wanted the spirit if their ancestor haunting them into eternity.

It was quiet now.

Somewhere in the corner of the great study a piece of drapery continued to smother, and a soft wind dwindled in through the broken windows. In the middle of the hall, surrounded by bits of roof and remains if furniture, stood a heavy wooden desk, amazingly still intact after so much destruction.

Seated to it on the last remaining chair, his feet on the desk sat the king. And straddled across his lap sat his mate, the queen.

The man rocked slowly back and fro as he played wit the woman's elaborate bags of hair, then pushing down the high-standing crop, pretending to be irritated as it jumped back on it's own accord, getting back in his face.

They both looked worse for ware; the king had mysteriously lost all his armour, bare from the waste up. The queen had claimed his red cape and wrapped it around herself, seeing as the white dress she had been wearing had not proven up to Saiyi-jin standards.

The woman seemed to be sleeping at first, until her eyes shot open and she blinked.

Taking her meticulous movements as a brake in the spell, the king spoke up:

"So, I trust I have proven my point now?"

The queen grinned wickedly at the empty air in front of her, making sure he could not see her face.

"Don't be so sure quite yet, you macho. It takes a little more then giving the opposition a wild ride on your desk to get your way you know."

The king seemed to be considering this.

"Oh? Well, that would explain why I lack in diplomacy. And me thinking it was my temper too."

The queen smirked.

"Back to the matter of our brat." But couldn't help herself. "You know, we might not have been in this mess if you'd flirted with IT a little more."

-"Well, I'm glad you've finally admitted Freeza is female, but I have to point out that I've been as gracious as I could be without it making me gag up."

Getting a little annoyed, the queen sat up.

"I am not saying that. If it's either, it's obviously a male. His need for universal dominance alone proofs it. I just figured he 'rubbed the other way', if you catch my drift."

Her mate cackled a laugh. "Oh, come on. The pink lips, the voice, the,.. pink! If it is anything, it's a she."

-"Just because it wants to be a woman doesn't mean it is!"

The king managed to get a 'whatever' out between bouts of laughter.

This was a re-occurring argument between the two, both having decided that having Freeza on their side of the species would ridicule their sex forever.

"Right." Grunted the queen, changing the subject before she lost this argument for real. "When is this thing going down?"

Her mate lost his mirth abruptly. "In two weeks."

-"Two weeks?! That long?"

The king pulled her close again.

"I know, but we can't move before that. We've got to lore Freeza to us. Anyway, what can happen to the brat in two weeks more? He'll hang on."

She sniffed, squirming out of his hold, turning around to look at him.

"So, am I getting the strike force?"

Knowing quite well that this would set the queen off, he tried to look innocent

(something only a few Saiyi-jins can actually get away with, and the king wasn't one of them.)

"But sweetheart, you're pregnant!"

She blinked at him, the looked down at herself as if trying to verify the fact.

Then, she punched him in the ribs and got up, gathering the cape around herself, stating.

"I'm outta here."

Trying to keep from grinning broadly, he waited till she reached the door.

"Be sure to be back in time dear, you've got a left wing to lead!"

Flinging the door open so hard the last remaining hinge gave way she pulled up her nose at him, then stalked out.

He sat grinning at the empty space until a lackey appeared in her stead.

"We've prepared dinner, Lord Vegeta." then paused.

"May we assume you mate won't be joining you for a couple of days?"

The king growled; there was just no getting any privacy around this place!

He hadn't expected them quite yet.

In fact, he hadn't really been expecting much of anything quite then.

To put it bluntly, Vegeta had just not been paying much attention.

He'd walked into his room, feeling smug with himself on the one-hand, but upset on the other about Freeza catching on to him so easily.

Vegeta hadn't thought it was that obvious who'd done Ray in. After all, he hardly knew the kid, and besides,..-

He didn't get to finish his trail of though as they jumped him from behind his own door.

Surprised; he felt surprised as something black blocked his line of vision.

Well, he'd expected something like this; he'd just not expected it now.

The lights in the hall were still on, and although dinner had taken place hours ago it was generally assumed no one was going to get any sleep before the mystery of the dead kid was solved. They'd always come when he was sleeping before.

The Saiyi-jin fought harder then last time; mostly because he wanted to find out the identity of the fourth kid –he knew he was there; there had to be three of them, for they easily wrestled him to the ground.

But he didn't see anything; there was something like a bag over his face.

Which was odd, in a way; he'd never know them to come prepared before. The little prince didn't have much time to contemplate, though, for feet started assaulting him from every side.

Until now, Vegeta hadn't realised he was still hurting so bad!

He tried to kick them away, but knew it was little good; and everywhere they hit him, it seemed to be on top of an old bruise not yet mended.

Whomever had been pinning him down let go, probably to get his kicks in too, but not even that gave the Saiyi-jin the chance to free his face; every time he got his hands on the sack, someone managed to put his heel down on his shoulder, or kick him in the face hard enough to sent him reeling.

For the first time since these little 'visits' started, Vegeta was really getting scared;

Mawi had been controlled before, talking to him about 'it being a lesson' and all.

This time, all he heard was the occasional insult.

They didn't seem to care if anyone would notice in the morning at all.

The little boy was having trouble breathing by now, curling up to protect him aching ribbs. And then, they stopped.

It was hard to tell for sure at first, as wave after wave of echoing pain went past, but finally it all receded to a throbbing ache, relenting enough to hear them whisper, and for Vegeta to realise he was chocking on his own blood.

Panicking, he reached up again, only to be knocked down hard, a heavy body –probably that of that thick Posson- knocking the last breath out of him.

He wheezed and coughed, trying to get some air back, almost blacking out. But the worst of the blood seemed to have been knocked out as well, and pretty soon he could think clearly enough to realise someone had grabbed his tail.

Vegeta hadn't even felt them grab it, but when the boy dug his nails in, he screamed.

Not that anyone was going to come running, but he didn't have a choice.

Feeling ridiculously week, he gritted his teeth on the second and third time.

But then something cold and sharp slid past the hairs, making him hold his breath.

Instinctively, he knew what it was. Still, he had to see. Blinking tears and sweat away, he tried to look back, as if he could see right through the blackness that covered his head.

No, but he wouldn't.

Panting almost hysterically, he started wiggling, trying to break free, but his power had diminished, his body reduced to painful quivering.

And it cut, the knife piercing right through the bone and making it's way out the other side. Accompanied by a loud, shattering wail.

Shaking in an aftermath, he whimpered until the knife was pulled out, leaving the little prince panting and numb. Only then did the Saiyi-jin realise they'd cut through his tail, but they hadn't cut it off.

His relieve was short-lived though, as the started hauling him up to his knees, pinning his arms behind him. He squirmed and whimpered, aware that there was only one holding him, but unable to do anything about it.

He was too worn out as the elder boy's knee pinned deep in his back, keeping him still. There was nothing he could do but listen.

For the third kid, the one who's voice he did not recognise was hissing, arguing quietly.

Mawi spoke up to him, not bothering to keep his voice level.

"We have to. You think I like this? Look what he did to Ray. Do you think he'll stop there?"

-",.. have no part in this."

The mystery boy hissed.

Some movement, but Mawi persisted, now speaking from another corner.

"The hell you won't. All you have to do is hold his head back."

Vegeta didn't like the sound of that at all, but all he managed was a pathetic convulsion and a frightened squeak; The young Saiyi-jin had not had much reserves left before, but now all he wanted to do was pass out.

He was sure, though, that if he did, he would never wake up again.

They were still arguing, until Mawi was suddenly real close.

"Fine then. Vegeta?" and the little Saiyi-jin got a slap to the side of his head that set odd spots of light turning into whirlpools. It took him several compromising moments to set his head straight again.

Mawi had waited it out, though, his voice seductively low.

"Vegeta? Would you like to know our friend here's name?

After all, it's only fair. You know my name, you knew Ray's name. You probably know- well, my other friend's name here too.

Would you like to know, Vegeta? Would you like to know who our fourth friend is?"

Vegeta let out something passing as a gurgle.

"Fine then."

He heard the other voice clearly, but was too far-gone to place it.

As a hand pulled back his cloth-covered hair though, a strength born of sheer panic filled him. He managed to get off his knees, only to fall backward on the boy behind him, but kicking wildly around him earned him a few curses.

The third of the three must have made up his mind by then though, for after some initial lapse, he pulled Vegeta back by the hair until the little Saiyi-jin was left balanced on the knee of the Posson boy. Legs barely touching the ground and shaking with fatigue, he lay panting.

He wanted to tell them not to; he wasn't ready to die yet. But the boy didn't have the breath left.

So the knife cut from ear to ear, deceptively cold on his burning skin, leaving a hot throbbing sensation in its wake. Vegeta was still panting, but everything was burning, feeling so terribly wrong.

Suddenly, there was a voice, deep and masculine, calling a. "What's going on around here."

And with that he was on the floor, the boys rushing past him.

Finally having control of his arms again, Vegeta tried to clutch up the gaping hole in his neck, clutching the sides with already blood-soaking hands.

He became aware of someone lifting him, pulling the bag off his, then pressing it against his oozing neck.

Someone blue, he noted, before passing out.

- - -

There. Told you it was bloody and mean! Well, Review please. Cheer me up a little, because I feel pretty bad for doing that just now. *sigh *