Disclaimer: I do NOT own DragonballZ or any other Anime for that matter; this is just for FUN, got that? Not Funimation, just fun!
Shadows of the Past: Chapter 1
Vegeta awoke in slow degrees, he was nestled in soft warmth, and he winced as he cracked an eye and looked around. He was in his bed, surrounded by his familiar bed sheets in the royal colors of his father. He hated red… When he was king, his first order of business would be changing the house colors to blue and white. Could he do that? He wondered for a moment. Red was the traditional color of the King, oh well, when he was old enough to be king, no one would be able to match his power, and so, he'd damn well do it anyway!
He winced trying to sit up… what had happened? Why did his ribs feel like they had been caved in? He shook his head, ignoring the feeling of bones scraping as he fought his way to sitting up. A shudder of pain racked his small body as he succeeded, and he smirked, but it soon passed, replaced by a dark expression as he tried again to remember what had happened.
He vaguely remembered coming out of the tank, and Napa being there, but other than that, his mind was pretty blank… Vegeta found that rather disturbing, he knew he had an unusually good memory for his age; it kept getting him in trouble with his tutors, since he used it to twist their history lessons into reasons that he didn't need history lessons. He finally gave up and shook his head, he was probably just training with his father anyway and got hurt… Although if he had thought about that he would've remained puzzled, his father always made sure that he was hurt badly enough to need a regeneration tank, and since he could move, he didn't need one.
He shivered and bit back tears as he forced himself to scoot to the edge of the bed. He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing, forcing his mind to block out the pain. He eased himself out of bed and cursed softly as his legs refused to hold him. Determined to make it on his own, he ignored the urge to call Napa for help and pushed himself to his feet. Once standing, he had to still his breathing again, and was relieved to find it was easier this time.
He made his way to his closet and pulled out a blue bodysuit, his armor and the red velvet cape. He considered not wearing the cape, but he was in too much pain to lead the guards on a merry chase. He smirked, he knew better, but he couldn't help but feel he had gotten away with something and while he didn't know what it could be, he had the urge to cause trouble this morning. He glanced at the clock on the wall… 0900, damn, he was late, so he didn't dare show up at court today, besides, he felt unusually angry at his father for some reason, and didn't want to see him.
Well, since none of the servants had disturbed his rest that meant he could stay in bed if he wanted to, and while his damaged ribs begged him to do just that, he had his pride, and wasn't about to admit he was hurt. Getting dressed proved more difficult than he thought it would, especially when it came time to put on his heavy armor, but after about an hour, he managed it. Was it really almost 1030 already? At this rate, he was going to miss all of his morning training time, and then he'd be stuck with his tutors all afternoon. Not that he would be up to much of a workout, but he still wanted to do something fun.
Vegeta ignored the pain in his ribs as he made his way across the large bedchamber to the even larger front room of his quarters. That was another thing that was going when he was king… all this extra space was unnecessary, and he considered it's opulent decorations garish. He was a warrior, and wasn't particularly interested in crystal vases or gilded statues of his ancestors, particularly when he was stronger now than they had been as adults. The fountain at the north end of the room could stay, he liked to meditate near it at night, but he glanced at a portrait of his mother and father together, and sneered that certainly had to go.
His parents fought constantly, and he often wondered how they had managed to have him at all. His mother was beautiful, with her long wild black hair and gold-flecked brown eyes; she hated him though, even more than his father did. He shrugged, his parents were also very tall, so why was he so short? His father taunted him mercilessly about his height it was all rather confusing to him, his science tutors were forbidden to discuss his so called perfect genetics with him, and while he found that a little strange, it was no worse than being attacked by his father everyday in training. He called it training, and for a long time Vegeta thought nothing of it… until one time he had managed to actually injure his father, without meaning to, and he caught sight of Napa's face… The huge warrior had winced as the king had nearly killed him in retaliation. He shivered at the memory, he had thought that all Saiyan warriors were pushed this hard, but that day he had learned otherwise. Napa of course never said it, but his bodyguard was always present when he opened his eyes in the regen tank, and his father never was. Vegeta took great care to be sure that he didn't hurt his father when they sparred anymore, but the king continued to nearly kill him every time… Speaking of Napa, what was the big idiot doing in his quarters anyway?
Napa stood just inside the front door of his quarters, his expression was very grave, and the prince gave him a sharp glare. " What are you doing in here? "
" M…my prince… What are you doing out of bed?!? "
" I asked you a question, and I expect an answer! "
" Your father sent me to watch over you. "
" Really? " Vegeta was not impressed, and he got the distinct feeling that Napa was either lying, or omitting something. " What aren't you telling me? "
" Nothing, my prince. Frieza and your father managed to come to an agreement, and I am here to make sure that it is kept. "
" What sort of an agreement? "
" Don't you remember what happened last night? "
" What happened and what are you looking at me like that for? Never mind, I'll worry about it later, right now I want to go to the training hall. "
" You are not well enough to train right now, you are to remain in your chambers today, my prince. "
" What?! "
" I am sorry, my prince, but on your father's orders you are to stay here. "
" He can't do this to me! "
" I am sorry, my prince, but he can since he feels you are in danger. "
" From him perhaps… " Vegeta grumbled under his breath. " Napa, do you feel that I am in danger? "
" You know that I really can't say, sire. "
" What is this, some strange new punishment? You won't tell me the real reason I am being locked in my own rooms, and you aren't even going to tell me what I am in danger from? You are my father's best friend Napa. I know you know what is going on. Tell me or I will simply practice on you right now. "
" What is the last thing you remember about last night? "
" Well, I remember getting out of the tank. "
Napa groaned and shook his head. " I knew it would be a mistake to take you to that meeting. You are much too young to be getting hurt like this all the time…Prince Vegeta you and I are to report to Frieza's ship tomorrow morning at 0700. Last night, Lord Frieza secured your father's permission to train you."
" What?!? My father is sending me away? "
" He doesn't want to my prince, but it was the only way to… "
" There is always another way! "
" No, not when dealing with Frieza, you should be happy, I know that you hate training with your father. Besides, for whatever reason, I believe Frieza likes you… He has been trying to get permission to train you for about three weeks now, and… "
" I don't care, Napa, I won't go. "
" I told your father you wouldn't understand… Not that I can blame you, you are too young for this. If you don't go, Lord Frieza will kill your father, and destroy our entire planet. "
Vegeta could only stare at Napa. For once his bodyguard didn't flinch under his icy glare. It was no secret that Frieza collected the children of nobles and rulers he had alliances and trade deals with, training them to be loyal to him and destroying anyone who stood in his way, but Vegeta had never dreamed he would be taken. While he held their heirs and heiresses captive, no one would dare move against him, these nobles even policed each other while Frieza was busy with new territories and such, but the Saiyan alliance was an old one, why would he feel he needed to do this now? " He would really destroy everything to get to me? "
" Your father believes he is serious… I don't really know. But I think he is a coward to hide behind children to make his demands. I do not think he will hurt you if we go with him, you must be a very valuable commodity to him. Your father…"
" My father can burn in the nine hells… " Vegeta interrupted in a low growl. " But… I can't let him destroy our world… Why must we leave so soon? "
" He thought he would have had you in his possession weeks ago, and he has other appointments to keep. Do you understand why you have to go now? "
For a long moment Vegeta said nothing, he wanted to say no, he wanted to fight Frieza and destroy him, but he had a feeling he had already tried that…he wanted to cry, and hide under the covers of his bed and make the pain in his heart go away… but he knew that only Frieza's destruction could heal this pain, and for that he knew he would have to become a super saiyan… " Yes, " The prince said sullenly. " To save our people… I will go with him. Let him train me, and when I become a super saiyan he will regret this, I will destroy him or I will die trying. He will learn that he can't do this, not to the Saiyan race, and not to me. "
Napa nodded wearily to himself watching the young prince go back to his bedchamber and slam the door. It wasn't fair, no child deserved that, being Frieza's pawn was bad enough, but to know that the fate of his people depended on his submission? If Napa could he would face Frieza himself, but he knew that there was nothing he could do. The brat was brave, probably having more guts than his father and half of the guards put together. Napa could see it, when the boy moved that he was injured, he tried to hide it, but he was used to the young Vegeta who was, just as stubborn as his father when the king had been that age.
Napa sighed heavily, wondering if he should offer his assistance in getting the prince out of his armor or just let him suffer quietly… In the end, Napa decided not to interfere, knowing that Vegeta's pride would suffer enough over the next twenty years or so, without his help.
There was no honor in anything that Frieza did anymore, he sealed deals with the lives of children, forced the Saiyans to attack worlds that were completely helpless against them, and kept the king's life mate prisoner to keep him under control. Queen Brianna was not the prince's real mother, that little secret was well known to the queen, and Frieza. Napa knew only because King Vegeta had told him when he had bonded to the girl… at the time Calli had been a slave, her elite birth status lost after she refused to sleep with the king's brother. Calli was a highborn lady, her bloodlines were excellent and had she not been so stubborn, she would have been the ideal candidate for queen. Her father was Corin, the elder elite trainer who was in charge of the prince's training, and Calli was easily the best female elite they had ever seen. Corin was devoted to his daughter, and blamed the king for Calli's disappearance. They all knew that Frieza knew the truth about the prince not being the son of the queen, but could only hope that Frieza didn't tell the boy. So far Frieza and that bastard Zarbon had not told him, and Napa wasn't sure why, he knew that the two of them always enjoyed the chance to be cruel, so why wouldn't they take it?
Napa shrugged his massive shoulders and settled down in a chair to wait for the end of his guard shift. Much as the prince seemed to think otherwise, Napa liked him a lot, it took incredible courage to stand against Frieza, when even his father would not. True, if he had tried Calli would die, but at the same time, their prince had great determination, and cunning. If Frieza kept his word and didn't kill him, there was no doubt in Napa's mind that the boy was the legendary super Saiyan. It was hard to believe that he was only five he was too smart and dangerous to be so young.
Napa glanced at he door separating him from the prince, he had heard nothing but silence so far, and he sighed… it also wasn't normal for a five year old to be so damn cold hearted. Not once since he was three had the Prince shed a single tear. Things that would've left other Elite Saiyan children catatonic with fear and hysterical tears only angered the prince, and no one liked seeing that. True, both of his parents acted as if they hated him but Napa couldn't help but wonder where the boy came up with the emotional strength to deal with everything alone.
Leaning back in his chair, he wondered what would happen when he and the Prince were deposited on Frieza's ship… would the King and the others succeed? In his heart he knew it would only end in disaster, and yet at the same time, he knew the king would rather die than live without Calli, and their son was the only thing he had left of her. But was it fair to sentence all of their people to death over one child… even as the super Saiyan, Napa had to admit he wasn't sure. But then again, he wasn't the king either, and all their warriors seemed to agree that they couldn't just let Frieza take him.