Chapter One-Hundred-And-Eleven: Celebrations And Resolutions

On Frieza's mother ship, Frieza's office that same night, according to Calmagian Royal Time…

Most of the surviving Top and Mid Elite officers that had been on the mission on Calmag were now standing around Frieza's desk in a half-circle. Frieza had not arrived yet; he was in the healing room, waiting for the rest of the Elite minions that had gone to Calmag to finish their healing processes. Vegeta, and the other Saiyans were leaning against a wall, as far away from Frieza's desk as possible. Diamonique, newly emerged from the regeneration/healing tanks, was nervously studying her diamond nails. Jaden was leaning against the wall on the other side of the office, her eyes closed in deep meditation. Chestra was standing near her, too anxious to even considering relaxing her stiff, tense posture; she was worried about Zarbon, who was still in the regeneration tanks as far as she knew, and she was fearing Frieza's wrath, even though he rarely ever aimed it at her.

The newly healed Dodoria was pacing about the room in a circle, with his meaty arms behind his wide back, holding his huge head down. Jeice was frantically looking out the window of Frieza's office watching a distant meteor shower fifty light-years away. His time in the regeneration tanks had been short, for his injuries had been minor compared to those of the others still known to be recuperating.

"We're done for," he mumbled.

No one argued with him on that point. This was the second time that most of them had failed to destroy Shalila Chloe and her family. And to make matters worse, Princess Tayla Chloe, a little girl who had proven to be a much more difficult quarry than any of them, even Vegeta, had anticipated, was still free-and not in captivity as a potential recruit for Frieza.
Diamonique huffed, "I hate that girl, Tayla Chloe, I hate her, I hate her, I hate her! That little girl ruined everything for me! Why couldn't she have just come along quietly with me?"

"Because she's a stubborn Astorie, and no Astorie ever goes quietly," Dodoria grumbled. "I was so close to killing that brat, but that Namek, Dirkan, had to intervene-"

"Umm…did you say that you tried to kill her?" Jaden, who had just come out of her trance, asked. "I don't think Lord Frieza would be so happy to hear that one, Dodo."

"That brat's too dangerous to be allowed to live! I would have been doing Lord Frieza a favor!" Dodoria hissed, ignoring Jaden's usual insult for him for now.

"I agree with Dodoria," Diamonique added. "I wanted the disrespectful wench dead myself!"

"Hey Jade," Jeice called. "Did you ever get to see the girl yourself?"

"Nah, not really," Jaden told him. "The strongest Astorie I fought against was a little girl named Rosynthia. Rosynthia was some cousin of Tayla's who had come to rescue Dirkan, someone I did manage to beat. If I hadn't known better, I would have sworn that she was Tayla Chloe herself."

"What did she look like?" Chestra, who had never seen Tayla Chloe in person at all, asked.

Jaden briefly described "Rosynthia's" appearance, and Dodoria huffed, "What was her ki level at that time?"

Jaden gave a high ki reading for "Rosynthia" and Dodoria snapped, "Jaden, you're a fool!"

"Excuse me?" Jaden growled at her number one archenemy (since Balair's death anyway).

"That had to have been Tayla Chloe! No other Astorie brat was measured to have a ki reading that high! How could you have been so stupid?"

"How in the hell was I supposed to know?" Jaden snarled. "I never met the brat before!"

"Was she as strong as Tayla was reputed to be?" Jeice asked, trying to prevent a mini-war between two of Frieza's most dangerous and foul-tempered Top Elite Officers.

"She was strong enough to blow up an entire mountain, nearly killing me and Diamonique," Jaden replied brusquely. "If it hadn't been for Chestra, I might not have made it out."

"Yeah, and then Lord Frieza would have been rid of one of the main causes of his headaches," Dodoria said evilly.

Jaden narrowed her eyes at Dodoria in a glare explosive enough to blow up Frieza's ship, if possible. Everyone stepped back as far away as possible, as Jaden replied in a cool tone, "And if Dirkan and Tayla Chloe had done their job properly in their battle against you, Frieza would still have cause to celebrate because he wouldn't be getting as many ulcers as he does right now."

"I am one of Frieza's closest personal friends," Dodoria retorted. "He happens to think of me as one of the best men he's ever had."

"Frieza never 'had' you and never will. Sorry, Dodo, but he does prefer women," Jaden said as sweetly as possible for her. "If you're going to make up stories about your conquests in bed, at least make them sound believable."

Dodoria clenched his fists, as some snickers and chuckles floated around the room. Everyone in the Elite reluctantly tolerated Dodoria's mad love for Frieza. He could hear the Saiyan men pretending to retch, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Raditz stick his index finger in his mouth, gagging. Nappa and Journa were laughing at him, and even Vegeta chuckled.

"You-you shut up!" Dodoria roared. "I don't understand why Frieza still kept you alive all these years!"

"Because he wanted someone around who had brains as well as brawn," Jaden responded snappily.

"Why you-"

"QUIET!" Frieza's voice suddenly pierced the tense air of his own office.

Frieza floated into his office in his space pod, accompanied by Zarbon, Captain Ginyu, Guido, Baata, and Reccoom, with the last two men having to duck under the doorway before entering the room.

Chestra rushed over to Zarbon, and she and Zarbon embraced fiercely, with Chestra resting her head against Zarbon's chest plate. "I'm so glad that you made it," she whispered. Zarbon stroked her hair and held her for as long as he could.

Frieza was frowning; he was definitely not happy, as he flew in his pod towards his desk. All of the Elite soldiers in the office stood stiff, bracing themselves for their warlord's coming wrath. Zarbon and Chestra stood close to each other, worried that this day might be their last together.

Frieza said coolly, as he landed his pod behind his desk, pushing aside his office chair, "Needless to say, I am disappointed and angered with everyone here. I send my strongest fighters to capture one little girl and clear a planet full of weaklings, and Calmag still stands and Tayla Chloe is still free! And to make things worse, Shalila Chloe and her ilk are still alive! Someone here give me one good reason why I should spare any of you and not replace you with more competent soldiers!"

Everyone was too afraid to speak, even Jaden and Vegeta and Dodoria. Finally Zarbon cleared his throat, gathering together what nerve he had left to speak, as Frieza ranted on, "Zarbon, I sent more soldiers at your request, and almost all of them are dead! Plus, we currently have five Elite officers who are still counted as missing in action. Has anyone here heard from Bhodie, Pork, Crystalis, Flirtius, or Seductia lately?"

Everyone quietly mumbled a no, and then Frieza heard his scouter beep. He reluctantly clicked a button on the device, saying, "Lord Frieza speaking."

"Well, hello, little brother!" Coola's sharp chuckle echoed into Frieza's peeved ear. "Guess what? I just sold planet Hamie at a very high price to the Suyu race of the Bukata Galaxy!"

Frieza suddenly paled more than usual, as Coola happily went on:

"They said that they were originally wanted to buy planet Calmag and rename it Satchakari, but…" Coola deliberately trailed off, waiting for his brother's reaction. When he received nothing but silence, Coola chuckled, "They decided that planet Calmag was just a tad too small for them…and when I 'accidentally' mentioned that the Astorian race from the Rosetta was visiting Calmag, they…er, decided they didn't want the trouble of dealing with Astories later, so they changed their minds and bought the nice, gigantic planet Hamie from me! And I am twice as rich as before, I might add!"

"Coola!" Frieza hissed. "You deliberately sabotaged my sale of Calmag to the Suyu!"

"It's not my fault that the Suyu fear the Astorian race," Coola told him smoothly. "Of course, being a good planet broker, I told them a little about the Astorian race, and how they managed to keep you and your soldiers at bay. After all, planet buyers should be well informed, should they not? The Suyu race wisely figured that if the Astorian race were able to stand up against you and your forces, then they wouldn't have a chance themselves. So they decided on the much safer, wiser option of buying planet Hamie. Of course Hamie isn't as green or as lush as Calmag is, but it's a lot less polluted. The air and water pollution on Calmag was enough to turn the Suyu race off as well. Of course I just had to inform them about Calmag's high pollution rate as well. After all, an informed buyer is a happy buyer!"

"Coola, I will get you for this!" Frieza growled. "You'll pay for sabotaging my sale!"

"Put it on my bill," Coola told Frieza cheerfully. "Have a good night, little brother, assuming it's night where you are at!" And with that, Coola closed his scouter channel.

Frieza shouted as his soldiers, "All of you get out of here now! I wish to be alone! Everyone's pay is suspended for two months, and no one gets downtime for the rest of the year! You all should be thankful that I'm sparing your pathetic skins! I should beat all of you, but I have other things on my mind at the moment. Get out of my sight!"

The Elite fighters didn't hesitate. As fast as they could, they scurried out of Frieza's office, pushing and shoving at each other to get out into the corridors.











Midnight, Frieza Stellar Time, Zarbon's bedroom…

Chestra was curled up against Zarbon in Zarbon's bed decorated with silk black sheets and quilt. "I never thought that I would be thankful to Lord Coola for interrupting at that moment. We were let off much lighter than we expected."

"And he didn't kill any of us, either," Zarbon said with some relief. "I don't know whether to consider that a blessing or not."

"I would," Chestra told him.

"How's Kaydra?" Zarbon asked her, not wanting to discuss Frieza any longer.

"She is a little better," Chestra replied, resting her red-and-green head on his bare chest. "She begins her training with Jaden next week. Jaden is looking forward to a challenge."

"As if Calmag wasn't enough of a challenge," Zarbon sighed. "You should have seen how powerful that Tayla Chloe was, Chestra. She nearly killed me with an attack that I never saw before. She encased herself in a ball of pure ki and kept ramming it into me. If Jeice hadn't caught me, as I fell off the cliff, I would have fallen to my death!"

Chestra stroked his emerald hair. "I am so glad that he did, Zarbon. I must remember to thank him later. I thought for a while there that I was going to lose you."

Zarbon pulled her closer into his embrace. "You almost did; Princess Tayla nearly killed me."

"How can a child be that strong?" Chestra wondered.

"Something in the water the Astorians drink?" Zarbon quipped. Chestra looked at him strangely. Zarbon smiled and said, "Jaden's words, not mine. Or was it the Calmagian water…I've heard that polluted water can have some bizarre effects."

"I wonder what Lord Frieza plans to do now," Chestra speculated in a sleepy voice. "He didn't even want us to go back to Calmag and finish what we started. And he turned down Dodoria's offer to blow up the planet. I'm surprised that he doesn't go to Calmag to blow it up himself."

Zarbon was surprised as well. Frieza could have easily taken the mother ship to Calmag and blown up the planet as easily as he had once blown up planet Vegeta. What were Frieza's reasons for not doing that? And why was Frieza willing to leave Tayla and her family alone for now? Had he lost interest in obtaining Tayla Chloe for his forces? He looked at Chestra, who was falling asleep in his arms. Zarbon stroked her hair worriedly and lay awake, wide-awake.

Pondering Frieza's motives for not taking further action, Zarbon stayed awake for most of the night.

















The next morning, 9AM, Frieza Stellar Time in the Elite Lounge And Bar…

"Did Vegeta sleep at all last night?" Journa asked Nappa at breakfast. She, Raditz, and Nappa were sitting in their usual booth in the restaurant. Vegeta, as far as they knew was still in the training rooms. Vegeta had been training and giving his body a strenuous workout since eight o'clock the night before.

"Nonotreally," Nappa mumbled quickly in a single word, gobbling down his fifth plate of eggs.

"Nappa, swallow your food first before speaking," Journa scolded.

Nappa did as ordered. He gulped down his food, emitted a loud belch, making Raditz laugh, and then he said, "Nah, Princess. He hasn't been out of the training room all night. All he's been doing since we left Frieza's office is train. He didn't even stop to eat."

Eclipse came then, sauntering over to the Saiyans' booth. She sidled up to the table, asking sweetly, "Room for one more?"

Nappa grinned and said slyly, "Sure there is-on my lap!"

Eclipse scolded him playfully, "Seriously! May I sit down please?"

Nappa made Raditz move over further into the circular booth, so that Eclipse could sit beside him. Eclipse nestled herself next to her new mate, saying brightly, "You three are unusually cheerful for people who just survived Lord Frieza's wrath!" She curled herself around Nappa's huge muscle-bound arm.

"That's why we're unusually cheerful," Raditz quipped with his mouth full of food. "We're still alive."

"Are you still working for the Ginyu Girls?" Journa wanted to know.

"In a purely platonic capacity, yes," Eclipse said happily. Nappa scowled, but Eclipse traced his frown with her slender finger. "Nappa, I told you that I'm still on contract to Captain Ginyu, and I already informed him and the other men that you're my only one now."

"What about Frieza?" Nappa wanted to know. Raditz and Journa became quiet, and both Saiyans stopped eating.

Eclipse said nervously, "I still have to talk to him. But Lord Frieza shouldn't have a problem with it, since he knew that I wasn't seeing him exclusively." Nappa understood; Frieza wasn't going to be happy to learn that Eclipse had devoted herself to one man, especially a Saiyan.

The Ginyu Girl Squad Leader explained briefly afterwards that she would still lead the girls in their dances, poses, and other entertainments for Captain Ginyu, and the other men. Nappa relaxed somewhat, although he knew he would be getting into fights for a while with the other Elite males who had once shared Eclipse with him. But Eclipse was now bonded to him, and he was certain that she'd stay faithful to him.

But Raditz and Journa weren't so certain because of Eclipse's many past lovers. Raditz and Nappa had recently got into a minor skirmish last night after Vegeta had left to train because Raditz had told Nappa that it was unlikely that Eclipse would stay faithful to any one man for long, including him. ("Remember she's a Ginyu Girl; Ginyu Girls prefer variety".) Nappa had taken offense and landed a few punches that had sent Raditz to the regeneration tank for a couple of hours. Raditz and Nappa later apologized to each other (something very rare for Saiyan men to do), but Raditz still held his doubts about Eclipse. He and Journa, however, wisely kept silent. Vegeta agreed with them, but the Saiyan prince figured that Nappa would have to learn things the hard way.

As Eclipse snuggled up against Nappa, Vegeta casually strolled over to the booth. Eclipse gave him a cheery greeting, which Vegeta acknowledged with his usual scowl and a grunt. He slid into the booth and sat down next to Journa in the circular booth.

Journa quipped, "My brother is still alive! A miracle has occurred!"

Vegeta growled, "Be quiet!"

"Are you still training to get stronger than Tayla?"

"I AM stronger than Tayla! The brat only defeated me because she caught me off-guard, but she won't do that the next time. My strength has greatly increased since my last battle with her. Everyone turn on their scouters and see for yourselves!"

The three other Saiyans did, and they were amazed to see how much higher Vegeta's ki had jumped to, and he wasn't even powering up. Nappa was especially impressed. "Eighty-thousand…that is something, Prince."

"Of course it is!" Vegeta told him proudly. He leaned back against the padded seat and crossed his arms. He barked orders at a passing waitress to bring him three plates of ten different kinds of breakfast foods. The waitress hastily ran to do Vegeta's bidding. Vegeta chuckled.

"Just for a few moments, when that waitress scurried off to put in my order, I felt as if I was back home, with servants rushing to fulfill my every demand."

"I miss our home," Journa said a bit sentimentally. "And our parents."

Vegeta only nodded; he greatly missed his race and parents too, but he never admitted it openly.

*I should have been preparing to become the next King of the Saiyans by now. At my age, I would have already taken over some of my father's duties. My father would have commanded that all available Elite-class Saiyan females between the ages of sixteen and twenty-five years old to be brought to the palace for me to pick a lifelong, permanent mate among them. Shortly afters, I would have had my princess, my future Queen of the Saiyans. In five to ten more years, I would hopefully have had a son to succeed me. And many more years from that, I would have been the King of the Saiyans. Well, technically, I am the King of the Saiyans now, but no one really thinks of me as king. Even I still refer to myself as 'Prince'. I don't really know why. *

*This wasn't the way that my life was supposed to turn out! When my father decided to make that hideous alliance with Frieza, everyone tried to talk him out of it, from my dear mother, to our archenemies, the Astorian race. Shalila Chloe even was desperate enough to try to make peace with our people, so that they wouldn't have Frieza and us united together against her people! Mother once told me when I was young that Shalila Chloe had tried to warn my father that Frieza was looking out for his own interests only, and that the Saiyans would never be able to call their souls and their race their own again. And, as much as it pains me to admit it, she and her people were right! Frieza used our people and took Journa and I away from our beloved father! My beloved, foolish father! *

*Father, if you had but listened, if you hadn't been so blinded by your own greed and lust for more power and money, Journa and I would be treated like the royals we are, not like Frieza's lackeys! Now we are doomed to serve that tyrant until I can become strong enough to overpower Frieza and take everything from him. I will take back what is mine, and what is meant to be mine! *

*Yes, Frieza, your day of reckoning will come much sooner than you expect. I will never forgive you for taking my sister and I away from our father, and for allowing that fat pig, Dodoria, to kill our mother. And Dodoria will eventually get what he deserves as well; he shouldn't have been allowed to come back alive! And Zarbon will pay as well, for participating in our family being torn apart forever. All three of you will one day get what you richly deserve. And before all three of you die, you all will bow before me, Prince Vegeta, and finally see my true, full power as a Super Saiyan before I send all of you to the next dimension! *

*And I will become a Super Saiyan one day; the power is just within my grasp. I am so close to achieving my goals, even now. Wherever you are, Father, I know that you would not be pleased to learn that I was once again defeated by Tayla Chloe. But do not worry, Father, for I grow stronger every day, and my last battle with Tayla only increased my strength once I had healed. *

*And yes, Tayla, I haven't forgotten about you, little girl. I know that the next time we meet, (and I will see that we meet again), you will be a young woman and stronger than before. But I will be stronger than before as well, in fact, much stronger than you, Tayla. I will even the score between us, and show you that I am and always have been stronger than you. I will more than make up for my two defeats at your tiny hands. I will show my superiority over you once and for all! I will always be one step ahead of you, no matter how much you train. *

*For you see, Tayla, one day I will become a Super Saiyan, and that is one thing that you will never be able to attain because you have not a drop of Saiyan blood within you. And I possess the Saiyan gene to become stronger after every fight. The next time you and I meet, I will bring you to your knees, and you will acknowledge me as superior, greater and stronger than you! *

*Yes, Tayla, I promise you that we will meet again, so if I were you, I would not get slack on my training. You will see me again, Tayla; you have not seen nor heard the last of me… *













In a bedroom at the Angori Hotel…

*You will see me again, Tayla; you have not seen nor heard the last of me… *

Tayla nearly shrieked, as she awoke abruptly in a cold sweat. Her brown eyes were wider than even their normal saucer size, and she was breathing heavily. Her heart was pounding wildly, trying to escape from her chest. Her long, dark hair was plastered to her cheeks and neck. Rivulets of sweat streamed down her face, as her terror beat against the walls of her nearly bursting heart. She gasped for air.

She could still hear Vegeta's voice, even though she was now awake…

*You will see me again, Tayla; you have not seen nor heard the last of me… *

Her small, slim fingers clutched at the soft, satin dark green quilt that was covering her shaking body. Her whole body shook, and she was near tears. Her skin was almost as pale as the skin of Caline, who happened to be waking up beside her. Tayla was still having a hard time breathing.

"Tayla!" Caline gasped, touching her friend's arm. "Are you okay?"

Just now, Tayla had been dreaming that Vegeta had entered her bedroom, and that he had been standing at the foot of her bed with his arms crossed tightly against his chest. He was grinning wickedly at her, like a predator that had finally caught up with its prey.

*So we meet again, Tayla Chloe. It's time to finish what we started. *

*Get out of my room, Vegeta! *

*Are you so sure that you and your little friend there wish for me to leave? What was her name…Caline? *

*How did you know her name? And how did you find me here? You get out, go away and leave us alone! I just want to be left in peace! I want to live my life in peace for now; can't you see that? *

*There will be no peace for you while I am alive. But don't worry, Tayla, I don't intend to come after you right now. I will bide my time and wait. *

*I haven't forgotten about you, little girl. I know that the next time we meet, (and I will see that we meet again), you will be a young woman and stronger than before. But I will be stronger than before as well, in fact, much stronger than you, Tayla. I will even the score between us, and show you that I am and always have been stronger than you. I will more than make up for my two defeats at your tiny hands. I will show my superiority over you once and for all! I will always be one step ahead of you, no matter how much you train. *

*For you see, Tayla, one day I will become a Super Saiyan, and that is one thing that you will never be able to attain because you have not a drop of Saiyan blood within you. And I possess the Saiyan gene to become stronger after every fight. The next time you and I meet, I will bring you to your knees, and you will acknowledge me as superior, greater and stronger than you! *

*Yes, Tayla, I promise you that we will meet again, so if I were you, I would not get slack on my training. You will see me again, Tayla; you have not seen nor heard the last of me… *

"Tayla? Tayla?"

Tayla was still trembling, with slow, frightened tears streaming down her cheeks.

Caline pulled Tayla to her and hugged her. Tayla turned to her bedmate and wept for a few minutes on Caline's shoulder. Caline patted her back, as Tayla sobbed.

*You have not seen nor heard the last of me… *

"Yes, I have!" Tayla shrieked, frightening Caline into releasing her. "You will leave me alone, Vegeta!"

"Tayla!" Caline cried in alarm. "Vegeta's not here!"

Tayla took several deep, heaving breaths, trying to come back into reality. Finally Tayla collapsed onto the bed, with her head in Caline's lap. Caline patted and rubbed Tayla's back; Caline was crying herself now. Finally, their tears and Tayla's sobs began to cease, but Caline curled up near Tayla and held her.

"Are you okay now, Tayla?" Caline asked concernedly. She and Tayla were the only ones in the room.

"For-for now, yes," Tayla whispered. "But he's right, Caline; I have not seen nor heard the last of him. Or of any of them."

"Yes, you have," Caline tried to assure her, but Tayla could not bring herself to believe it.
















10AM, Calmagian Royal Mountain Time, in the Angori Hotel dining room, an hour before the party…

"Tayla, it was just a bad dream," Bendros tried to assure her at breakfast. "Frieza's minions have given up for now." He, Tayla, Caline, Kekron, and Riccan and his siblings were sitting at a table together, with Caline eating at her normal appetite again, Kekron and Bendros eating normally for them, and Tayla barely touching a bite of food. The four were by themselves; Gracina and Lektron and Shalila and Dirkan were in a private meeting with King Kitchator and Queen Kildara. Tayla hoped to see her Nama and Dirkan soon, so that she could talk to them about her dream.

"Yes, for now," Tayla whispered. "But for how long?"

Kekron tried to assure his young aunt. "Tayla, I don't believe that Frieza is going to try again so soon. His soldiers are probably still recuperating from the last war. We've won, Tayla; let's focus on that."

"Kekron's right," Bendros told her. "Today is for celebration and happiness. Vegeta and his ilk are far away from here now. They won't be bothering us anytime soon. It will be okay now; it's over."

"Yeah!" Riccan cried happily, as he loudly slurped on his fruit juice. "We won the war, Tayla, and you and Bendros beat up Zarbon to a pulp, that's what Bendros told me! I wish that I could have been there!"

"You've defeated Vegeta twice," Caline pointed out. "He has to know that you're stronger than him and always will be. And you and Bendros both won against Zarbon. And you alone took down that awful Diamonique. I'll never forgive her for what she did to my brother!" Her whispery shook on the last sentence, and Kekron rested his hand on her arm to calm her. Caline took a few deep breaths.

"I'm sorry about Ridikar," Tayla, who no longer wanted to discuss Vegeta or her disturbing dream about him, said. "I wish that I could have saved him, Caline."

"It's okay," Caline assured her shakily. "It's Diamonique that I blame. I was upset when I found out that you and Kekron knew and didn't tell me right away, but I understand now why you two didn't at first. It still hurts knowing that I'll never see him again."

"He thought about you in the end," Bendros told Caline. Bendros then passed on Ridikar's words of love to her, and Tayla told Caline about the promise that she made to Ridikar concerning her. Caline was touched that Tayla would promise to look after her.

"Th-thank you, T-Tayla," Caline said in a trembling voice. "It-it means so much to me."

Tayla nodded modestly, and Kekron asked Caline, "Would you mind if I ask what King Kitchator and Queen Kildara was talking to you about last night?"

Caline brightened. She chirped, "Tayla was with me when they told me. I was even able to go tell Julien, and you should have seen the look on his face! He actually fainted!"

"Literally," Tayla, suddenly more cheerful, added. "He fell over into a water fountain when Caline told him! Uncle Kitchator and Aunt Kildara are going to talk to Dirkan and Nama today, if they hadn't already."

"They already have," boomed a great, mighty voice.

All of the table's occupants turned to see Dirkan, who was accompanied by Shalila, Gracina, and Lektron.

"What happened, Dirkan?" Bendros asked.

"Does this concern Caline?" Kekron wanted to know.

"Is she going home with us?" Tayka demanded, immediately thinking that the matter had to do with Caline's future fate.

"I want to know!" Tila cried.

"Is Caline going home with us? Is she? Is she?" Riccan cried.

Caline and Tayla grinned at each other, and Bendros and Kekron looked at both girls, slightly puzzled.

"Well, is she, or what?" Riccan wanted to know.

"Don't keep us in suspense!" Tila wailed.

Nikon added between mouthfuls of food, "So, is she?"

Shalila said, smiling, "Caline, do you wish to tell them?"

Caline said steadily, "I-I do."

"YAAAAAAAAAYYYYY!" Riccan and his siblings squealed.

"Will she be living with us?" Tayka wanted to know.

"Can she sleep in my bed?" Tila asked.

"She's sleeping in my bed," Tayka told her.

"She's sleeping in mine!" Tila argued.

"No, she's not!"

"Yes, she is!"

"No, she's not! She's sleeping in my bed!"

"My bed!"

"Mine!"

"Girls!" Gracina scolded them, and Tila and Tayka fell silent. "Yes, Caline will be staying with us, but she will have her own bed and her own room."

"But she might get scared to sleep in a new place by herself," Tayka pointed out practically.

"We know you were," Riccan teased her. "You screamed the first night here because you heard a noise outside the room, and it turned out to be the wind."

"I wasn't scared!" Tayka protested.

"You were so. You even wet your bed."

"I did not!"

"Did so."

"Did not! I had a glass of water!"

"Which you drank before you went to bed," Riccan pointed out. "Nikon told me the next morning."

"How would Nikon know? He was sleeping with you."

"'Cause Tila told me," the usually quiet Nikon pointed out.

"That's why I had to sleep on the couch," Tila added. "We were sharing a bed that night."

"Children, that's enough," Gracina ordered.

"More than enough," Lektron added. "All of you have wet the bed at one time or the other."

Tayka was near the point of tears, for no child her age wanted to admit if he or she wet a bed. Caline stood up and walked around the table to whisper to Tayka:

"It's okay. I wet the bed quite a few times after my mother died. It's not the end of the world, if you do." And one of those times had been after the first time that Alberm had raped her, but Caline did not mention that. She wanted to forget about Alberm forever.

Caline gave Tayka a handkerchief to dab her eyes, and Tayka used it also to blow her nose loudly. Tayka whispered back to Caline:

"Maybe you should sleep with Tila after all. I might accidentally do it again."

"We'll work something out," Caline assured her.

Kekron's face was filled with unmixed pleasure at the news of Caline becoming part of the Clan of Chloe family. He looked at the tiny Calmagian princess longingly, smiling wistfully. Bendros patted his shoulder.

"If it's meant to be, it'll happen," Bendros assured him.

"I-I hope so," Kekron said nervously.

"What are you two talking about?" Tayla asked.

Kekron blushed brightly, and he couldn't look anyone in the face. He didn't want to admit that he held a crush on Caline because Caline was still a child, and Caline was at the table. Bendros quickly covered for him.

"Um…just men stuff," he said quickly. It was a poor excuse, but the best one that he could come up with.

"What men stuff?" Riccan wanted to know. "I'm a man too, so I should get to know."

"You're nine!" Tila scoffed. "You're not a man yet."

"Yes, I am!" Riccan retorted. "I fought in the war. That makes me a man now!"

"How so?"

"It just does!"

"Riccan has grown up quite a bit," Lektron acknowledged. "I'm very proud of him. He did his part well."

"Really?" Riccan asked hopefully.

"Really," Gracina told him lovingly, bending down to kiss Riccan on his cheek. Riccan blushed, embarrassed.

"Awwwww!" everyone cooed.

"I wish that I'd been able to fight," Tayka asserted. "You all must have had so much fun!"

All of the fighters in the war, which would later come to be called the Calmagian-Astorian War Against Frieza by the Calmagians and simply the War On Calmag by the Astorians, looked over at Tayka, and then at each other. The war had been victorious, but it hadn't been what anyone would call 'fun'. Not even little Riccan would have called it that. The fighters were all proud and happy that they had helped to make today's later celebration a success, but if they had been able to prevent the war, they would have. So many lives had been taken, so many lives that could have been spared. And both the Calmagian and the Astorian races had lost loved ones. Whatever the war was called, neither race would ever forget what happened.

















3PM, Calmagian Royal Northern Time, on the street outside of the Angori Hotel…

A grand parade was standing along the newly paved street that had been closed to traffic. King Kitchator was in the balcony on the tenth floor of the Angori Hotel, calling through a silver megaphone:

"Two days ago, our planet was saved, thanks to both of our races. However, we couldn't have been here today, if it hadn't been for the Clan of Chloe of planet Astoria and their friends. It is because of Shalila Chloe and her family that we are alive now. We owe them our thanks and our support for all they have done for us!"

"As your king, I have made many sad mistakes, which I intend to make reparations for. Among these sad mistakes was the way that I have viewed and treated women and girls. Many men, as well as myself, have made that mistake. We have seen the Astorian women and girls fight, and they have fought better than many a young man I have seen."

"During the hostage crisis when Zarbon and his soldiers held us captive at Chateau de Tamilieu, it was the females who held a huge part in helping many hostages to escape. I would like to take this time to thank Princess Natala Chloe, Princess Hazel Chloe, as well as Prince Kekron Chloe and Steak the Meatian for helping to save so many people from both the Astorian and Calmagian races during that time. And I would especially like to thank our little Princess Caline de Tamilieu, dear Caline who was Crown Prince Amitar's youngest child. Without her knowledge of the labyrinths, many of us would have not made it out of the castle alive."

"Actually, much of our survival is due to Caline. Caline's husband, Alberm Dunlop, was a traitor to Calmag and a disgrace to the Calmagian race. He sadly turned out to be a spy for Frieza, and it was Caline who accidentally discovered her husband's treachery. She was courageous enough to come to tell us, even if it meant risking her own life. And neither her father, Amitar, nor I treated her very well."

"The Clan of Chloe has pointed out to us our mistakes, and some of those mistakes concerned Caline. Much to my deep shame, I forced that innocent child to marry a cruel man. My son, Amitar, and I stood by and did nothing while Caline suffered through her marriage, and it is something that I will never forgive myself for. I was wrong, and that is not easy for me to admit. Both Amitar and I were wrong in our ways of thinking, and these ways passed on to Ridikar as well."

"It was Ridikar who first saw the error of our ways," King Kitchator continued. "You see, he lost someone very precious to him because his way of thinking, our way of thinking cost him his fiancée…"

As King Kitchator began to tell the tale of Ridikar and Tayla, Tayla was down on a parade float built for all of the Astorian people. The parade float was elaborate with electric-blue and neon-green roses, the Bright Healers of Calmag covering almost the entire float except for a series of three tiers in the middle. The tiers were encircled with green and blue roses, and all of Tayla's family and friends (who all wore their best clothes, with some wearing things that they had been able to salvage from the castle) were standing on the tiers, with the warriors and healiors who had fought in the war on the top tier. Tayla was wedged between Shalila and Dirkan, and she was dressed in a turquoise, short-sleeved caftan with a scoop neckline and a light aqua sash draped over her right shoulder. A large, electric-blue rose was pinned on the left side of her hair, and her ebony hair was twisted into a braided coronet. Her lips were painted a soft scarlet shade, but other than that, her makeup was light.

Tears freely streamed down Tayla's cheeks when King Kitchator continued to speak about Ridikar, how much Ridikar had meant to his family, and how much Ridikar had meant to all of Calmag in general. She had never thought that she would be here now, crying for a boy who had, near the end, done all he could to change his ways and his attitude towards females.
Shalila stood near her, majestic and impressive in a hunter-green caftan and sea-foam green sash and her royal gold-and-ruby Superior Gran crown, yet sympathetic and somber at the same time. She dabbed Tayla's eyes with a silk handkerchief. "Tayla, it's okay; please don't cry today, dandelion. Today's a day to celebrate, a day for happiness and a new beginning."

Tayla finally managed a smile, and she and her grandmother hugged each other tight. Dirkan rubbed Tayla's back. Tayla looked up towards King Kitchator's direction, but it was not King Kitchator she was looking at, as King Kitchator now talked about Amitar. Tayla had cared little for Ridikar's father, so she did not pay much attention to the king's speech at this point. Instead, she looked past King Kitchator, towards Queen Kildara and Prince Julien, who were standing behind the king. Tayla grew worried then, for it was not the queen or the future ruler of Calmag she was looking for.

And finally, Tayla smiled wider when she found whom she was seeking. She saw little Caline up on the balcony, just cater-corner from Julien. Caline was dabbing her cheeks, for she had wept for Ridikar during the part of her grandfather's speech about her brother. But Caline had never looked lovelier, or so grown up. The little Calmagian princess had her pale gold hair loose and flowing with a braided band across her ivory brow, and she was dressed in a sheer rose-colored gown with a small V neckline, short, puffed sleeves, and delicate lace on the skirt. She wore a green Bright Healer rose in her pale hair. It was a dress that gently clung to what curves she did have; at eleven, she was on her way to developing an hourglass figure, although it would not show for a few years yet. Caline was certain to grow up into a great beauty one day, and her gentleness and sweetness enhanced her loveliness even more.

Tayla looked up at her directly, wistfully, with a longing too gentle for envy, for she was convinced that she would never be as beautiful as Caline was now and would eventually become later. Tayla knew from what she been told from various sources, that she was pretty, although a little too thin with slight curves (her Nama had said that Tayla had a pixyish figure, petite and adorable). Most people would call Tayla cute before they would call her beautiful. Tayla had not paid much attention to her looks until the past year when she became more aware of boys and young men as potential suitors more than potential sparring partners. She knew that she wasn't plain, but she felt that the beauty of girls such as Caline or Petalia and women such as Gracina or Natala greatly overshadowed what attractiveness she did have. (Petalia, Gracina, and Natala at that time were considered to be the Clan of Chloe beauties.)

But Caline smiled when she saw Tayla in the parade crowd, and she waved excitedly, hoping that Tayla would see. Tayla waved back at her, and even though many of Tayla's family were now waving back at Caline enthusiastically (particularly Kekron, who could not keep his eyes off of her), Caline's wave seemed to be just for Tayla alone. Tayla touched the rose in her hair lightly. Caline had given the rose in Tayla's hair to her, and Tayla had given Caline the green rose in Caline's hair, and both girls had agreed to wear the roses at today's celebration.

Tayla's heart swelled with sisterly love towards her Calmagian friend. Caline had become one of Tayla's closest friends, and Tayla was glad that she was coming home to Chloe, Astoria with them. She remembered that poignant moment when King Kitchator quietly announced in front of both girls that he would be turning over permanent custody of Princess Caline Alisine Famalie de Tamilieu, daughter of Crown Prince Amitar de Tamilieu and Princess Shydine de Tamilieu, to Superior Gran Shalila Chloe and Superior Granden Dirkan Chloe of Astoria. Shalila had later made Gracina and Lektron the guardians of Caline, and Caline would live with them.
But Caline and Tayla had already planned many sleepovers in each other's rooms when they returned to Chloe, Astoria, and Tayla surreptitiously plotted out a late-night-after-all-the-adults-go-to-bed party in the hotel room that she was sharing with Caline at this time; she had Petalia's help in this matter, for Petalia had planned several such after-hours sleepover parties in the past on Chloe without getting caught once. The secret all-girls party for those ten years and older was planned for later tonight. Fayra and Jaca had wanted to invite boys, but Petalia and Tayla, who were throwing the covert celebration party for Caline's becoming a member of the Clan of Chloe family, reluctantly refused. Throwing a quiet (as possible with excited adolescent girls) party would probably be considered a minor infraction, should they get caught, but Tayla allowing boys or young men in her and Caline's room late at night would be a more serious offense. Tayla would have liked to invite Bendros, but that wouldn't have been fair to the other girls, who had been told that they couldn't invite any males.
Tayla only took her mind off of the secret party that she and Petalia were planning when she heard her Uncle Kitchator say her name.

"…I am sure that you are all aware that Frieza's forces were after little Princess Tayla Chloe. Well, they didn't succeed in taking her away, nor did they succeed in destroying all life on this planet. We are all glad and thankful that Tayla was not taken from her family, but much of that was Tayla's own doing. She fought valiantly along with her family to help save us all. We owe so much thanks to the Clan of Chloe family, especially her, her grandparents, the rulers of Astoria, Shalila and Dirkan Chloe, those who helped to free us from captivity when we were held hostage, and all those who fought in the war. Tayla and all the other females who helped in the war efforts have proven to all men and boys that females are just as worthy and valuable as males. Seeing the Clan of Chloe females and little Caline have made a believer out of me. Of course, my dear wife and her sister, Toria, had talked some sense into me as well. I remembered why I fell in love with my wife, your queen, in the first place because she was so different from Calmagian women. But I'm sure that you all have heard enough of me for one day, and so let's stand up and cheer for all of our heroes and heroines!"
And following King Kitchator's lengthy speech, were cheers, hoots, hollers, applause, and noisemakers echoing throughout the city. A band made of players with exotic instruments began to play what Calmagians considered to be marching music, and King Kitchator declared:

"Let the parade and festivities begin!"

"About time," Dirkan mumbled. "His speeches are about as long as King Cold's." Dirkan had met King Cold during the years that the Namek had worked for Queen Frost before turning to the side of good.

"Dirkan!" Shalila scolded.

The parade floats began to move forward along the newly paved street in front of the Angori Hotel. At the head of the parade, was the Astorian float, with many well-wishers tossing flowers and candies at the Clan of Chloe. Single Calmagian maidens blew kisses with both hands and actually crawled up onto the floats to come after the Astorian males. Lieutenant Balboun, who was walking alongside the float, tried to keep them at bay, but there were too many ladies for him to restrain.

Dollan Rubenstein, Alora's admirer, snuck onto the float with two pretty brunettes. He dashed up to Alora and dared to hug her in front of everyone.

"I'm so happy that you're alive, my Alora!" he crowed.

Bajal began to march right around the top tier to reach Dollan, but Raakon, Cletos, and Lektron gathered around him to prevent him from killing the besotted Calmagian lad. Alora herself quickly hugged him back and told him that she was glad that he was alive.

"Really?" Dollan asked hopefully.

"Yeah, yeah, now go and have a happy life, will you? I'm sure that old men haven't snatched some of these girls up yet, so go pursue one of them. I love my husband, Dollan, and I'm not leaving him. Time to move on, kid."

Dollan looked at her desperately, realizing that "his" Alora was serious. "Okay, whatever you say…" he said sadly, as he began to climb down the slow-moving float with his head hung down. Alora felt a strange pang, and it wrung her heart. The usually hardened warrior called after Dollan:

"Hey, Dollan, wait!"

Dollan turned around, sudden bright hope glowing in his dark eyes.

Alora climbed down to the last tier and walked up to Dollan. She then leaned down towards the thin boy and kissed him lightly on his cheek. Dollan blushed heavily, as Alora said gruffly:

"You'll make a fine, devoted husband someday…for someone else, someone closer to your age. Just make sure that she wants you in return; don't be like those old perverts on this planet who force little girls to marry them."

"Oh, I won't!" Dollan promised passionately. "I don't believe in that sort of thing at all! I want my bride to be happy with me!"

"You treat her well, like you did me, she will," Alora assured him brusquely. She then patted his shoulder. "Now, I have to get back to my husband. Gooden boden and gooden luken."

"You too…" Dollan whispered, as Alora left to join her husband.













Petalia was standing on the edge of the top tier when she felt a cold, thick hand creep up her slender, long neck. She nearly shrieked, attracting the attention of several people on the moving float.

"DEDRON!" Petalia cried.

Dedron chuckled, as he wrapped his muscled arm around his sister's trim waist. He whispered in her ear, "Have you forgiven me yet, Petals?"

"I-I suppose," Petalia said shakily, trying to move away from him. She was afraid to be near Dedron now, for she had confessed all of his dirty deeds on Astoria to their grandmother and Dirkan. Some were minor infractions that Shalila and Dirkan could let slide, but there were other…more serious crimes that Dedron would have to answer for.

"Good," Dedron told her cheerfully. "Now we can make a fresh start! Now that the war is over, we can start rebuilding our lives. You're still interested in Rojal, right?"

"Yes," Petalia admitted slowly. "But I think that he likes Caline."

"And so do I," Dedron told her silkily. "Not as much as you, of course, but of course I can't court you! I want Caline, and you want Rojal, so I figured we could help each other out. I'll help you get Rojal, and you can help me get Caline-"

"Dedron," Petalia interrupted him hesitantly. "I don't think Caline likes you that much. I don't think that she cares for Rojal either. I believe that she likes Kekron; she and Kekron have become close."

"Kekron hasn't made one move on her," Dedron snorted. "He just sees her as a little sister!"

"Kekron may be waiting until she's older," Petalia pointed out. "She is only eleven."

"He can wait all he wants, but that doesn't mean that I will," Dedron told his sister. "At least not for very long. I don't understand why Caline would want a weakling like Kekron anyway. He's not even a warrior! He does nothing but trip over his own two feet and invent stuff! He doesn't even like to fight!"

"He fights in his own way," Petalia told him. "Caline told me that Kekron talked Norbrook, who kidnapped Caline, into releasing her. Kekron saved Caline several times."

"Maybe, but Caline still needs a strong man, a great warrior such as myself. Why, I almost defeated Prince Vegeta of the Saiyans, or I would have, if it had not been for a certain female lapdog, a scrawny, black-haired, brown-eyed lapdog! Just like a dog to ruin my plans, and Great-Nama's lapdog at that!"

"Stop insulting Tayla!" Petalia snapped. "Dedron, she saved your life from that awful Vegeta! Why can't you be grateful? Why do you have to hate her so much? Rojal and Aunt Gorna came to their senses; why can't you?"

"Tayla took away what was meant to be my victory! Once again, Tayla is a great hero while I'm on the bottom of Great-Nama and Dirkan's favorites list! It's always Tayla, Tayla, Tayla! Tayla who had her Awakening at the age of seven, Tayla who saved Astoria from Vegeta and his bunch, Tayla who saved Caline from Caline's old hubby, Tayla who helped to defeat the great Zarbon, Tayla who defeated Vegeta a second time, Tayla who-"

"Stop it!" Petalia cried. "So what if Tayla is stronger and higher-reputed than you? You should be grateful that because of her and others like her, our family is still alive! Tayla even tried to make amends with you after beating you up for insulting Great-Nama, and you had her carried off!"

"And Ridikar fouled up and brought her back!" Dedron hissed. "And because of my trying to do our family a favor, Great-Nama and Dirkan had a long 'talk' with me this morning. Somehow, some fool or spy or whoever told them of all the stuff I did when we back on Chloe. Somehow, they found out that I shoplifted at a bunch of stores in Chloe Hyacinth, somehow they found out that I sabotaged some of Kekron's stupid inventions to get back at Kekron for telling on me when I tried to have a bit of fun with that cute little Bathing Laborer-"

"Dedron, you tried to molest her even after she told you to leave her alone, and Kekron saw you bothering her. Kekron told on you because what you were doing was wrong," Petalia pointed out.

"She was just a servant girl; she was nobody!" Dedron protested. "Kekron even went and told on me to Tayla and Great-Nama when he found out that I stole most of Tayla's underclothes and burned them after that big fight that we had. Kekron will get what's coming to him too…" Dedron and Kekron had never been the best of friends, and Kekron had foiled several of Dedron's nasty schemes back on Chloe. Dedron held a nasty grudge against his Technician cousin, a grudge almost as malicious as the one he held against Tayla. However, Dedron had been more focused on becoming stronger and "better" than Tayla that he had not spent much time in figuring out how to make Kekron's life miserable. "But Kekron can wait. Right now, it's mainly Tayla that I wish to bring down."

"Dedron, don't you do anything to Tayla, or I'll go to Father and Great-Nama and Dirkan!" Petalia threatened. Dedron's small eyes narrowed to slits, and he glared darkly at his sister. He smiled, saying silkily:

"Petals, you wouldn't squeal on me, would you, if I did? Like you told on me about my having Tayla carried off? Did you just happen to tell Great-Nama and Dirkan some other things about me, hmm?"

Petalia paled, backing away from Dedron.

"Did you tell Great-Nama and Dirkan about the other things that I did, Petals? Did you?"

Petalia opened her rosebud mouth to say no, but the frightened look on her face told Dedron the truth. Dedron quickly realized that it had been his own sister who had exposed his other dirty deeds to their grandmother and her husband.

"You little slut," he hissed in a low tone. "You told on me, didn't you?"

Petalia tried to speak, to deny all of Dedron's accusations, but Dedron then seized her by her ivory arm and yanked her closer to him.

"Tell me the truth, Petals, or I'll throw you off of this float," he told her icily.

"I-I-" Petalia stammered.

"What did you tell them, Petals? What did you-"

"Let her go, Dedron!"

"Now, Dedron."

Dedron abruptly shoved Petalia from him, as he hissed at two of the most despised people in his life: Tayla and Kekron.

"Don't you hurt her!" Tayla ordered Dedron in a sharp tone.

"Stay out of it, mutt!" Dedron growled. "This isn't your affair!"

"You heard her," Kekron said coolly. "Do not lay a hand on Petalia again. You should be ashamed of yourself, Dedron, for treating your own sister like that."

"How would you feel, Kekkie, if your own sister told on you to everyone?" Dedron asked edgily.

"It doesn't matter," Kekron told him coldly. "You don't need to be hurting her, ever."

"That's right," Tayla told him icily, as she came over to Petalia and looked over her. "Are you okay, 'Talia?"

Petalia nodded, but she was pale and trembling. Tayla noticed and said to Dedron, "If I find out that you hurt her after this, I'll come after you, do you hear me? You're not going to hurt anyone else!"

Dedron smiled, a chilling, icy smile that would have unnerved Tayla, if she had been a less unflappable girl. "Fine, have it your way, my little lapdog. After all, dogs are supposed to protect their friends, right? But you know, Tayla, that I'm not overly fond of dogs of any kind, especially humanoid ones with black hair and brown eyes and a big mouth. You and my weakling cousin won this one, but you two won't always be so lucky. Tayla, this warning is especially for you, my dear: if you stick your paws and your wet nose in my affairs again, Great-Nama is going to have one crippled or even missing pet. Do you understand me, mutt?"

"Understand this, you bastardi!"

Tayla forgot that she was supposed to try to control her temper, and she launched herself at Dedron with her fists clenched, but Bendros came up and caught her from behind, pulling her into his arms. Tayla struggled a little, as Bendros pulled her back against him, wrapping his arms and tail around her tiny waist.

"Tayla, he's not worth it," Bendros told her. "You and Kekron have already won this round. Don't let Dedron bring you down to his level. Take a deep breath and let it go. Dedron is no true threat; he's more mouth than muscle. Calm down; don't let him spoil the day for you."

Tayla took a few deep breaths, debating mentally whether to take Bendros's advice or give Dedron what was coming to him. Finally, she allowed herself to calm down, as she took Bendros's advice. Bendros loosened his grip on her when she began to relax.

"Can I let you go now without a murder being committed?" Bendros asked her jokingly.
Tayla nodded. "Yes, yes. I won't kill him…at least not today. I hate for there to be another death in our family so soon, and Dedron's blood isn't worth having on my so-called 'paws'."

"That's the spirit," Bendros told her with a light chuckle.

"Bendros is right," Kekron told her. "Dedron isn't worth wasting your energy on. I think he'll behave himself for the rest of the day." He looked at Dedron and said coolly, "Won't you?"

Dedron only snorted in response.

"And," Bendros added. "I believe that Dedron owes a couple of young ladies an apology."

Dedron huffed, "I don't apologize to traitors like Petalia or dogs like Tayla. I'm not so worried about Petalia, although I want nothing more to that with that traitorous wench! But I'll leave her alone for now. Good luck with Tayla, Bendros, although you're going to need a leash to restrain her and a muzzle to control her temper. You may even have to whack her nose with a rolled-up paper to make her obey you, although I think that in her case, a few beatings on her backside with a stick would definitely do the trick. If I were you, Bendros, I would use the stick first, especially if you plan to screw her when she gets older, like I'm sure she hopes that you do. Although it's beyond my understanding as to why a future Clan Granden would want to screw a mongrel-OWWWW!"

Kekron had to catch Dedron just now when Dedron nearly toppled off of the float. When Dedron managed to shake Kekron off and stumble to his feet, Dedron was sporting a bloody nose. Turquoise blood was trickling down Dedron's wide mouth and fat chin.

Meanwhile, Bendros was wiping off his fist with a handkerchief. Tayla and Kekron and Petalia were staring at the normally even-tempered Bendros in shock, as Bendros calmly continued to clean his fist. Dedron shoved past Kekron, and abruptly left to the other side of the float; he was deeply humiliated and angered. Now Bendros was on Dedron's ever-growing list of people to take revenge against.

"Thanken, Bendros," Tayla whispered, as she looked over Bendros's fist. No real damage had been done to it.

Bendros permitted himself a smile. "No problem, princess, although I think that Dedron's going to hold a nasty grudge against me for some time. He does need a good hit now and then."

Tayla shook her head and grinned. "And after you told me to calm down, and that Dedron wasn't worth my trouble? You're not setting a very good example for me, Bendros," she said teasingly.

Bendros chuckled. "I'm probably not, little Tayla, but Dedron did have it coming to him. I was a very bad example just now, however."

"Yes, you were," Kekron said with a smile. "And after all your speeches about controlling your temper and not being violent unnecessarily."

"Yes, I've just now made myself a hypocrite. My mother would probably not be too pleased with me," Bendros said with a rueful smile.

"You were defending the honor of a Princess of Chloe," Tayla said sweetly. "Surely, Gran Mauria wouldn't object to that."

"You're probably right, little Tayla, you're probably right."

And they continued to laugh, as the colorful parade continued to stroll down the streets of Magan.















Midnight, in Tayla and Caline's room at the Angori Hotel…

"Bendros punched Dedron?" Caline asked, amazed.

"He deserved it," Petalia told her, as she pulled out a pink cardboard bakery box from under a bed sheet. All of the Clan of Chloe girls and their friends ten years and older were either on Tayla and Caline's bed or sitting on the floor around it. Petalia opened the box to reveal a large pink-frosted cake trimmed with green icing and blue roses. The cake's letters read, "WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY, PRINCESS CALINE CHLOE!"

"It's chocolate," Petalia told her, as all the girls squealed in delight over the cake.
"Thank you!" Caline cried breathlessly. Her bright blue eyes were filled with happy tears, as Tayla, Petalia, Veal, Lelina, Fayra, and Jaca looked on.

"I'm hungry," Fayra mumbled. "Let's eat."

"Caline gets first piece," Tayla told her, as she took out an elegant carving knife that had come with Petalia's cake and cut a large piece for Caline. She then cut up the cake in other pieces for the girls.

The girls also drank juice from crystal goblets, which Petalia had "borrowed" from her father's belongings. Cletos had a sentimental attachment to those goblets because they had once belonged to his and Tayla's mother, Tika, and he took them with him everywhere, even if he rarely allowed them to be used. Petalia was certain that she could and her maid, Tursula (who had covered for Petalia's parties in the past after Petalia had bribed her with money and extra time off) could clean them and put them back in their box before her father found out.

The girls had each brought a snack or treat to share with the others, and they dined on chocolates, cakes, cookies, and various other sweets. The room was dimly lit, thanks to a battery-powered lantern, procured from Jaca's belongings.

The girls did a round of toasting with their goblets, the toasting being one of Shalila Chloe's Earth traditions that the Clan of Chloe was fond of. Many toasts were attributed to Caline, and then some were dedicated to Tayla and Jaca for their fighting in the war. Tayla and Jaca, along with all of the other fighters in the Clan of Chloe family, had received honors from King Kitchator earlier at the larger party given by the Calmagian royal family. The larger party had been a huge success, and even Dedron and Julien had behaved themselves during the festivities.

Tayla smiled, as she remembered the partying and the dancing at the Angori Hotel ballroom after the parade. Calmagian dancing was a little more seductive and wild than Astorian dancing was, but somehow the party guests had managed to combine both styles together.
Bendros had danced with her, and Tayla had wanted to ask him how he felt about her, but she was too shy. Shyness was a rare acquaintance of hers, but it came around whenever Bendros was involved.

Kekron had mostly danced with Caline, and Kekron had danced very well, although it had been clear to Tayla when she saw him that Kekron was more adept at fixing and creating machines and other inventions than dancing. Kekron was more comfortable in his private drafting room than he was on the dance floor. Well, at least Kekron was not stepping on anyone's feet anymore, and Caline had been happiest when Kekron had been her dancing partner. Tayla had noticed the closeness between Kekron and Caline, and she thought that they might make a good couple someday. Sensitive, sensible, mature Kekron would be perfect for shy, gentle, timid Caline.

And Tayla hoped that Bendros would one day want to be with her. Tayla and Bendros and Caline and Kekron. Those names just sounded so right together. Tayla wished and prayed that Bendros would wait just a few more years for her. At fourteen, Tayla would be officially old enough for courting, and she could have suitors of her choosing. Then finally, Bendros could court her, if he wanted to. Tayla wasn't sure how to get him to notice her more than he already did.

Perhaps she could ask Petalia, who seemed to know more about young men than any of her peers. Petalia seemed to be the worldliest out of Tayla's female peers, and Petalia had had several young men panting after her back on Chloe. And on Calmag, many young Calmagian males had pursued Petalia before the war as well. Petalia had liked them all, both Astorian and Calmagian, but almost all the girls in her age group knew that Petalia had her heart set on Rojal, who still paid her little notice. Tayla privately hoped that Petalia would pursue another boy, for even though Rojal had matured, Tayla wasn't sure that he could make Petalia happy. But that was Petalia's decision to make, not Tayla's.

Tayla had occasionally envied Petalia's beauty and her ways with young men, but not her family life. Cletos had slowly tried to be a better father towards his two children, especially with Petalia, but he could not reach Dedron. Cletos was afraid to discipline Dedron, for fear of driving him further away. And Dedron had not changed for the better; his mistreatment and abuse of others had now extended to his once-beloved sister, who had once been his closest ally. Tayla felt more sorry for Petalia than she did for Cletos and Dedron, but she could not change or control Cletos's or Dedron's ways. All she could do was be there for Petalia, especially since Cletos had become more depressed and morose. It was apparent that Cletos had still loved Farla, no matter what Farla had done to him. Tayla hoped and prayed that her brother would be able to move on.

In the meantime, there was a party going on, and happiness was to be the main course on the party's menu. The other girls were giggling over some jokes that Jaca, who had an enormous sense of humor, was cracking. Petalia was making fun of one of her suitors back on Chloe, Astoria, and Veal was telling some anecdotes about her deceased fiancé, Tuna. Fayra was greedily eating her third piece of cake, Lelina was braiding Petalia's hair, and Caline was hugging her knees, sitting on her pillow with a gentle smile and reflective expression on her enchanting face. She looked to be so utterly at peace with herself that it made Tayla smile as well. Tayla sidled over to her and asked if she would like her hair braided. Caline smiled and nodded a yes, and Tayla set to braiding her hair. Caline's hair was as soft and supple as hers, and Tayla liked the color.

Suddenly, a loud knock rapped from behind the door. Some of the girls began to shriek, especially when they could not sense the ki signals of the visitor, or visitors behind the door.

"We've been caught!" Petalia cried.

"My mother is going to kill me!" Lelina squealed.

"Oh no! What if my father finds out?" Veal exclaimed.

"Oh, my Orchida!" Jaca cried.

Caline trembled, as Tayla climbed off of the bed. "Everyone calm down! I'll get it!"

"But you and I will get in trouble, Tayla!" Petalia wailed.

"Calm down," Tayla told her as nonchalantly as she could. Shakily, but quickly, she ran to the door, hoping whoever was knocking would not be too hard on her and her friends, or at the very least not go to her grandmother and Dirkan about her covert party.

"Yes?" she asked hesitantly, as she peeped through the keyhole. She released a sigh of relief when she saw who was visiting. She opened the door slowly.

Bendros and Kekron were standing at the doorway, Kekron with a puzzled expression, and Bendros with a mock-stern one. Tayla laughed nervously.

"Um…we were just throwing a small party to celebrate Caline's becoming a member of our family," she spoke quickly.

Bendros's mock-stern expression didn't last for long because a corner of his lip twitched upward. "I…see. So when do you young ladies plan on going to bed?" in a falsely severe voice.

"Um…hopefully before any more adults wake up," Tayla said hesitantly.

Caline came up behind Tayla then, trembling, as if she were afraid of a whipping. She saw Bendros's fierce expression, but she did not realize that Bendros was feigning it. Kekron smiled gently at Caline to reassure her.

"It's okay, Caline," Kekron told her softly. "I was up late tonight, working on some plans to help your people rebuild, and Bendros had a craving for a midnight snack, and then Bendros heard you girls carrying on."

"Are you going to tell on us?" Fayra asked from the bed.

Tayla and Caline looked at Bendros and Kekron pleadingly. Finally, Bendros smiled. "Not if you girls keep the noise level down and get to bed before sunrise."
Sighs of relief were heard all around. Tayla smiled, and Caline relaxed. "Thanken," she whispered. Caline shyly nodded a thanks.

"Welcomen," Bendros told her. Both young men left and closed the door behind them. Caline opened the door again and watched Kekron leave. Tayla came up behind her and peeked through the crack of the door. She looked from Bendros and Kekron walking down the hall to Caline, whose cheeks were flushed. But Tayla's cheeks were flushed as well.

"I think Tayla and Caline like Bendros and Kekron!" Petalia teased.

"Petalia…" Tayla began reproachfully, but the other girls joined in on the teasing.
And shortly afterwards was a flurry of pillow fights and shrieking. Kami Orchida had to have been watching over them that night, for the girls' party was never exposed, despite all of the new noise.









Later that night...

Caline was sleeping peacefully next to Tayla, snugggled up against her friend. Tayla lay wide awake, and she was calm and reflective. She missed Astoria dearly, and she would miss it still, for she and her family would be staying on Calmag for at least close to a year to help with the rebuilding of the ravaged planet. Astoria was helping Calmag rebuild as part of the alliance agreements in the treaty.

King Kitchator had signed the treaty papers with Shalila, Dirkan, Gorna, and Rojal. A reluctant Julien had been coerced into signing as well, and Tayla had been utterly delighted to know that Caline's arrogant, bratty brother had been humbled for the time being. Julien had not dared to bother Caline again, but he now only spoke to her when it was absolutely necessary. Caline still was not fond of him and she had not completely forgiven him for his actions, but she was cordial to him; she was too happy to dwell much on the things that Julien had done to her. After all, she would soon go home with her beloved Astorians.

Tayla snuggled down next to Caline, certain that no nightmares involving Vegeta or any of his cohorts would invade her dreams tonight.

And they didn't.

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A/N: Epilogue is to come soon, along with acknowledgements and thanks. I'm currently working on the plotline for "Hope Never Dies", and I hope to have it begin within the next couple of weeks. I'm thinking of making the next epic into story arcs (those of you familiar with soap operas probably know what I'm talking about) that all combine into one big story.

I apologize for taking so long to update. It was a combination of minor writer's block, a long, well-deserved vacation in the mountains of my state, and of course all of ff.net's problems. I had hoped to finish the story before I had gone on vacation on the 21st, but it didn't work out that way thanks to vacation preparations and ff.net being down the week before I had to leave. I will try not to take so long with the epilogue; don't worry, I won't make you all wait a month for the last chapter!

Gooden boden fro noy,

Sawnya