2.7: DEATH

Fragile moonlight infiltrated a vast chamber in the dormant castle. Pale beams struggled to pierce through the thick darkness that had lingered in this room since the dawn of the Saiyan history. Only small pockets of light, coming from the glimmering torches in the niches, provided some relief from the eternal night that roamed here. In the far corners of the chamber, four mighty pillars, each as broad and sturdy as ancient trees, reached up high into the ceiling, where they supported a magnificent dome. A disk shaped window, located at the highest point of the structure, provided the beholder a glimpse of the wide-open skies, littered with stars.

Seated on his throne between two fearsome stone figures of wolf like creatures, was the Saiyan king himself. He was Bardock the third, ruler of a vast Saiyan empire that reached from the bright stars of Ceflon to the mystical clouds of Bricriu, where new stars were born. The good king was known among his people to be compassionate, just and wise. He was also known to be rather care free of nature, a characteristic he shared with his late father and grandfathers. Whatever kind of obstacles the young king may encounter in his life, he faced them with fervent optimism and the strongest of hearts. However, this day, only one day after the joyful birth of his son and heir, the most horrific news came to him that shattered his peace with such merciless harshness that it had even made his strong spirit stagger in uncertainty and fear.

His wife Helena, the sweet nectar of his happiness and the one he treasured more then life itself, had fallen victim to his faceless enemies. The ruthless villains had planned to murder the young prince, by using the mother as a vessel to guide the toxin into the baby's system through her nursing milk, a scheme so cruel and wicked that it may be plotted by the devil himself. Fortunately, the young prince had survived the villainy, and was in no danger. His mother was vigilant, and was alarmed by the sudden weakening of her health, after which she had decided to let the care for the infant to be taken over by one of her most trusted and royal chambermaids. Soon after that, her condition became worse. When the royal physicians were sent to see her, she was already spasming with pain. Her body was paralyzed and her face pale while she was burning up with fever. King Bardock had never seen his beloved lady so terribly vulnerable. His heart broke as they lifted her up from the comfort of her bed and placed her into a bath with freezing water, to lower her rising temperatures that threatened her life. She lay there, clenching her hands into white fists as she bravely tried to stand the stabbing cold, her sad eyes lingering beneath her dark lashes, her trembling lips unable to respond to the her husband's comforting whispers. Bardock held her hand while she watched him, his own eyes shadowed by sorrow and concern.

Then, finally, after long torturous hours of watching her slipping into unconsciousness and awaken again, he was urged by one of the doctors to leave her with them. First he protested, and even became angry with the poor man, who was merely trying to save her life and needed space and silence to operate.

"How dare you to commend me to leave! I wish to stay with her and you bunch of insolent cross-eyed fools are not going to send me away! What have you done for her so far that had benefited her recovery anyway?! Your medical strategies had only weakened her! I don't even know why I let you idiots stay here to mess around with her life. Guards! Drag these so-called doctors away and find me some real physicians!"

"Your majesty, please! I do understand your anxiety, but you have to trust us. We have nothing but the safety of our beloved queen in our concern. If you make us leave now, I'm afraid she won't be able to make it. Please good Sir, listen to me and let us do our work. Leave the chamber with your followers and grant us more time." an old doctor wearing thick eyeglasses pleaded him. The gray haired man was indeed a bit cross-eyed, but he and his fellow colleagues were the most experienced and brilliant doctors on the whole of Vegetasei, and although he was rather frightened by the king's tirade, he won't allow Bardock to make him and his company leave if there was still a chance to revive his royal patient.

"I don't see how my presence is threatening her health! She needs me here!"

"Your majesty, the queen is very ill. The toxin had poisoned her blood. We need to treat her at once to -"

"What are you going to do to her!?" asked the king in despair.

"Well," and the doctor lifted his glasses from his pointy nose nervously, "We have to remove some of the contaminated blood out of her system. The only option we have is to b-bleed her."

"You are going to cut open her wrists!? Are you out of your mind!!? Don't you see in which kind of state she is in right now? What are you trying to do, kill her?"

"N-No your majesty! B-But you see, the poison her body is suffering from is a very dangerous substance called Tyramide Somphelix. It accumulates in the heart and the nervous system, and paralyzes them. The body has no ability to remove this toxin out of the system, so it keeps circulating in the blood till a lethal amount heaps up and damages these vital organs and eventually, kills the patient. Without this treatment, I'm afraid the queen won't be able to make it to the morning."

"But, how can I be sure that she will be able to survive all this? She is already so weak." Bardock gazed at his wife who was still kept in the icy water, her slender frame drifted weightlessly under the wrinkling surface. Her white nightgown framed her figure like a shroud, and gave her white skin an even more ghostly appearance.

"We are already trying to find a suitable donor to perform a blood- transfusion for her. Don't fear your majesty! I promise you, we will do whatever is in our power to save her. But please, give us a change to do so."

Bardock hesitated, but listening to the good doctor's arguments, he was soon persuaded the leave the royal quarters with his guards, trusting the life of his beloved queen in the hands of the skilled doctors and that of the Saiyan Gods. As he was sitting there, alone in the darkness of the throne room with his guards sent away to grant him a moment of peace and silence, he could only pray that the Gods were indeed merciful and would spare the life of his precious queen.

Bardock's heart skipped a few beats as the stomps of footsteps indicated the eminent arrival of a Saiyan soldier, who would bring him the best or worst of news. The young king jumped up from his wooden throne. His anxiousness was drawing deep lines in his features, and was hardly concealed, even in the faded glimmering of the badly illuminated chamber. The heavy double doors swung open and a young man entered, the tanned skin tone on his cheeks was flushed red and he was out of breath from his effort to bring the monarch the important message. The soldier kneeled in front of the throne. As his voice rasped and whistled, Bardock had to force himself to remain calm and not to seize him by his neck to shake the words directly out of him.

"M-my heh majesthy- theh heh queen, she-"

"Yes!? Tel me, how is she!? Is she cured?"

"N-No Sir - She heh she is-"

"She is what!? Is she still ill? Is she fighting for her life!? What is wrong with her!? Tell me soldier, NOW!!"

The young man hesitated, and Bardock felt a cold sting pierce right trough his heart as he witnessed how the corners of the soldier's lips curled down into a sad ellipse.

"She d-died Sir."

Bardock fell back into his seat. His face grew pale and expressionless. He sat there silently. His hands grabbed the arms of his throne and crushed the wood till it cracked in his grip. When tears finally started to welt, he raised his head and forced himself to look up at the round windowpane in the dome in an effort to fight back his cries.

"They promised me. They promised me that they would save her." The wretched monarch whispered over trembling lips.

"There was nothing the royal physicians could do for her anymore after the bleeding treatment failed. The toxin had infiltrated her vital organs and her heart seized functioning. The doctors had done their best Sir, but our ladyship was already to far gone to be saved."

"I'm sorry Sir." The soldier added. He bowed his head and kept his eyes on the red carpet, not sure if he should get up and leave the monarch with his grief or stay down on his knees since he had not received his permission to rise. There was a long moment of silence, only broken by the soft cracking of the burning torches and the eerie whisperings of the winds entering through the cracks of the ancient walls. Just as the soldier sensed that his legs started to sleep, the king let him rise. He complied. When he looked up and observed the monarch's face, there were no glistering of tears nor sorrow filled expressions that betrayed the man's emotions. Saiyan leaders were mandated to be strong and fearless. The expression of emotions other then happiness or anger was regarded as a weakness that certainly did not suite a Saiyan king. Bardock rose from his throne, and paced slowly past the soldier, who was still standing in position, awaiting the king's orders.

"Perhaps now they will let me see her." The king stated Wile his voice trembled with dark sarcasm.

"My lord, due to the dangerous circumstances, the general had given orders to restrain your majesty's movements around the castle. The villains responsible for this cowardly deed are still free. Consequently, we have to take every possible precaution to make sure that nothing will happen to you my lord."

"I DON'T CARE WHAT THE GENERAL SAYS! I WISH TO SEE MY LADY!"

Bardock stepped resolutely towards the double doors. His long, red cape blazed behind him, and his features twisted in anger. The young soldier tried to stop the king and blocked his way.

"My lord! Please! Don't leave the room! The general and his company will arrive within a few minutes. They will guard your majesty's safety and then you may see the queen as you please. But for now, I strongly recommend my lord to stay in this chamber!"

"I've wasted enough of my precious time in here. If it was not for those cursed doctors, I could have been there for her during her last moments. But now I had to let her die alone, she must have thought that I had deserted her. I won't let her be alone any longer."

The king pushed the young man aside. He left the royal throne chamber and paced down the corridors, closely followed by the loyal soldier, who was determined to guard his lord's safety till the others arrived.



~*~*~*~*~*~

The bedroom was sparely illuminated by the fire burning in the hearth and the few candles that lit the darkness in front of the opened windows. A chilly, early autumn breeze lifted the frail curtains and made it drift like fog. In the middle of the room was the large, king seized bed, shrouded by layers of silken drapes that concealed the frame of the young queen. Her long, waving hair, still moist of her final ordeals was spread around her face like a black nimbus and her pale skin was almost indistinguishable from the white of the linen on which she was laid. Helena's eyes, which were once the most beautiful orbs he had seen in his life, were silent, and cold. They stared up at the ceiling, observing an eternity of emptiness, while they still captured the horror of the agony she had suffered during her final moments.

Bardock parted the shrouds of fabrics that surrounded his beloved wife. He knelt by her side, and kissed her parted lips, red with tainting blood.

"Helena," He whispered, "my dear Helena. I'm here now. You don't have to be afraid any longer."

He lifted his hand and brushed her raven black locks. The damp nightgown in which she was still dressed stuck to her body like a translucent skin and revealed her round curves. Pink blushes adorned her cold cheeks. As her body was resting there in her white gown, her arms spread aside her chest like the wings of an fallen angel, she appeared more to be like a sleeping goddess then a deceased mortal. It almost seemed if death had ironically intensified her beauty; her looks and youth making it even more intolerable for the young widow to accept her passing.

With a weeping heart, Bardock closed her restless eyes.



2.8: A GRAVE MATTER

Outside the royal quarters, the young soldier waited anxiously for the arrival of the royal elite. He had followed his majesty till the moment in which he had burst into the room and had dispatched all of the physicians and guards who were still hanging around the queen's deathbed. The king was utterly boiling with rage after he had learned that the doctors were planning to conduct an autopsy on her body. He had threatened to let them all be executed if they didn't disappeared from out of his sight at once, and this message had sent the gray scholars fleeing out of the room immediately. Then, the monarch had locked himself inside together with his deceased queen, and had left the soldier and the guards at the wrong side of the door, worrying sick about their lord's safety. The young man could only imagine what the king would do in his grave grief. His troubling came only to an end when the heavy footsteps of a company of well-armored men resonated through the hallways. From around the corner appeared the fearsome frame of the general of the elite troops. His tight, dark purple uniform accentuating his muscular built, while his chain-mail shirt obscured the vital parts of his body. He wore heavy boots that created threatening echoes when he stepped through the corridors. The large man had an unusual green skin tone and two vulnerable antennae were hidden underneath his steel helmet. This was general Piccolo from the second division of the Saiyan elite, and unlike most of the army superiors, he was not from the Saiyan race. Still, his loyalty to the king was undisputable; it had brought him up to the highest rank of the Saiyan army and had earned him the monarch's trust. Piccolo was powerful, physically as well as politically, and since he owed the latter to the king, it was in his most interest to guard Bardock's regime and safeguard his lord from his enemies.

The general signed to his men to stop and the whole company came to a halt instantly, moving in unison like one massive, steel-plated beast. The division consisted of a small army of one hundred and fifty men; all trained warriors with power-levels well over the thousand. They also wore chain-mail shirts and were armed to the teeth with swords, crossbows and knives while each of them held a shield bearing the royal emblem of the fearless lion. Their proud, Saiyan hair stuck through a cleft in the middle of their helmets and was stained in a vibrant, red color, mimicked the crowns of roosters. Some of them wore scars from previous battles. None of them showed any emotions on their hardened faces.

The general walked over to the young soldier, his hands resting behind his back, obscured by the long white cape that flared behind him. He observed him with a gleam in his strange, alien eyes, and a cynical twist dawned on his lips.

"I thought that I had given you orders to restrain our majesty's movements. Now tell me son, did you lock up our lord in his quarters in order to carry out your duty, or did he lock you out?"

The soldier swallowed loudly before he dared to reply his superior.

"My lord, our majesty did not want to listen to me. He was so determined to see the queen that he had ignored my advice to remain inside the throne room and -"

"What did you mean with giving the king "advice" soldier!? I had given out a restraining order, not a polite request! The king could have been injured or even killed, ambushed by enemies who are more then willing to strike in these times of total chaos! Thanks to your foolishness, our majesty's safety is at stake. Now, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"I'm sorry my lord, But I could not stop the king -"

"NO MORE OF THESE PETTY EXCUSES SOLDIER! You will report to the council the first thing in the morning, and you will receive a severe penalty for your lack of sense of duty. Is this understood!?"

"But sir! I -"

"I repeat, is this understood, soldier!?" hissed the general, and the gleaming of eyes intensified as the Namek's patience started to run out. It seemed better not to question his superior's rather vague motives for punishment, and the soldier drew his eyes away from the general's haunting look in a virtually ashamed manner.

"Yes Sir! It's understood!"

"Good."

The general stepped away from the soldier, not even giving him another glimpse after he had unlocked his gaze from him. He straightened his voice and knocked on the heavy wooden door several times, before losing his patience completely.

"Your majesty! It is I, Piccolo. Let us in my lord so we can guard your safety!"

No reply came. The Namek warrior dark eyes narrowed and he knocked once again with more rigors, making the wooden panel tremble from the brute strength that was applied upon it.

"Your majesty! Unlock the door! As the general of the Tirantia division and chief of the royal guards, I urge you to let us in for your own good my lord!"

It remained silent on the other side. The general became obviously distressed by the lack of response from his king. He paced around with a grim, almost insulted expression on his face. His company watched him stalking around the entrance like a hesitating lion, unsure how to react. Finally, Piccolo turned around and slammed his fists on the wood, pulverizing the fibers while the loud banging resonated through the thick, castle walls, waking the sleeping birds nesting between the cracked stones on the outside of the castle and making them flee in panic.

"King Bardock! This is absolutely intolerable! YOU CANNOT SHUT US OUT LIKE THIS! AS YOUR LOYAL SERVANT, I MUST INSIST THAT YOU OPEN AT ONCE OR I AND MY COMPANY WILL FORCE OUR WAY IN, WITH OR WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION!"

Just when the general was about to punch a hole in the thick oaken construction, the sound of a beam being removed, followed by the cracking of rusty hinges, indicated that the monarch gave up his attempt to isolate himself. With a sigh of relief, Piccolo entered the room, and found his majesty standing in front of the entrance. In his arms, he held the lifeless body of the queen, her long black hair and her gown swept gracefully in the draft that entered through the opened windows. Bardock's face was still emotionless, but his eyes were empty, as those of his beloved queen before he had shut them out of the light for eternity. All happiness had disappeared out of his heart, and he doubt he will ever be able to find it again. Piccolo staggered a few steps towards the king, and fell on his knees.

"Your majesty, do forgive my insolence, but I was afraid that you might had - you might had followed the ladyship towards the land of the dead. I'm truly sorry, my lord."

"You have nothing to be sorry about Piccolo. If you have not come to see me, I would have sent for you."

"My lord." The general looked up to his king, determined to serve him. "Tell me what you require from me and I will carry out your majesty's orders without questioning."

"I want you to find me the men who had done this to my beloved Helena, and bring them to me." Bardock's voice became dangerously low, and his words trembled with hate. "I will not let murderers roam free. I want them to die wretchedly and suffer the same agony that they had put her through. Promise me this, my loyal friend. Promise that you will revenge your queen's death."

"Your majesty, your wish will be done. I will not rest till I've found the ones responsible for this horrid deed."

"Then go with your men and search the castle. Leave me alone to mourn my wife's death." The monarch spoke while he staggered towards the opened door, carrying her corpse carefully close to him as if it was made of fragile china.

"But sir what about you and the young majesty's safety? If the killers are still on the loose, they may strike again, and since there original target was the prince, shouldn't we shift or main priority towards protection of the tow of you?"

The wretched king halted his pace for a moment, and looked back at the general. The vacant look was still lingering in his features, but some of his perception seemed to return after Piccolo had mentioned his son.

"Send one third of your men to guard him. Don't let any other maid take care of him then the one assigned by my wife, but see to it that she will not be let alone with him at any moment."

"Yes my lord, I will see to it at once. Shall I leave another third of my company behind with you, my king?" Piccolo added hopefully.

The king waved with his hand, signing to him that it was not necessary. "You could better use these extra men to keep your promise to me. That's far more important then to safeguard what's left of my wretched life."

He turned away from him, and as he left the room and entered the crowded corridor, the men from Piccolo's division kept their positions and blocked his path. When Bardock tried to push his way trough the men made wall, soldiers at the side closed him in. He was now surrounded by his subjects, all of them were determined to guard their king, but they had no clue how to persuade the monarch to stay in their protection. Bardock gazed upon their icy faces and yelled.

"Don't you all remember who you are suppose to serve!? Listen to me; I don't need your protection! Your queen needed it, but you have failed her! It's now your duty to set this right by revenging her death! That's all I ask from you. Now dispatch yourself and let my through!"

The men hesitated, but soon they parted the way for their lord. When Barock's eyes met with theirs, the soldiers quickly cast them down to the ground in shame. Their king was right, they had indeed forgotten that they were here to oblige him. Their general may know what was best for their ruler, but it was Bardock was carrying the royal scepter.

Bardock had almost reached the end of the hallway, when Piccolo dared to rise without his majesty's permission and rushed out of the room to find his men standing on each side of the passage, clearly marking the path the king had taken to pass through the company. With his heavy brows drawn close in deep concern, the loyal general made a last attempt to reason with the monarch.

"You majesty! My lord! Bardock! I beg you. Not as your general or your subject, but as your friend. Let me send some of my man to come with you!"

However, Bardock did not reply and after he passed the last soldiers on the outskirt of the crowd, he swiftly disappeared out of sight when he entered another dark passageway.



NEXT CHAPTER: SECOND AMBUSH

Piccolo is determined to find the murderers of the queen. His quest leads him down to the kitchens to his main suspect Dodoria, the royal chef who was responsible for the queen's last and fetal meal. Which gruesome scene will he and his man find as they raid the quarters of the abusive cook, and more importantly, will they be on time to spare Vegeta from his terrible fate?

Next chapter will be posted on mediaminer.org and fanfiction.net, the 23rd of December 2001.

Meanwhile, please review and rate the story. Many thanks and take good care.

Pan.

After a long and agonizing struggle, the queen died of the poisoning. King Barock, consumed by grief, swore to revenge her death.