WAHHHHH!!!! I have really bad writer's block and stuff like that. As if that weren't bad enough, my C slides and 3's are sucking too when I practice volleyball . . . . . I think I'm gonna cry.. Not really. Ok, well you people who read and don't review, I can't say I'm too happy with ya. However I did make my goal of having a total of 5 reviews * shrugs *, so I guess I can't be too mad. Thank you people who review!! You rock!! Uh. yeah, anyway. People have been wondering if this is really a Gohan/Videl fic and I say YES!!! YES IT IS!!! You just have wait until you get to 'really' see her in the story. One more thing, Amalthia is kind of a decoy I suppose you could say. Her scene is important later in the story. I have lotsa decoys and twists actually... hehehe, read and find out.

I changed the intro a bit to fit what I really wanted to do with the story.



Disclaimer: ... I have a belly-button; it's right there * points to belly- button *

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The Deception of a Whisper Chapter 3- Riot in Foreign Affairs



Again he stood there in the hall of the great palace listening to a call for help. This time it summoned for all officers to report to the Foreign Affairs Room immediately with no excuses, for this was an emergency situation. So, without even alerting the other guards, Gohan leapt down the hall with his set destination only a few blocks down the corridor.

Before he was even half way there, he saw a number of different creatures running out of the room in sheer panic. Taking this as his cue, he rushed by the swarms pushing several beings back or to the side so that he could enter the room. He was continuing towards the center of the room where the core of the commotion rested when something large and solid was thrown into him sending him and the object flying back into the crowd. A small gasp left his mouth as he hit the far wall and struggled to get up.

Once he set his hand on the ground to steady himself, something warm and moist began to soak into the crevices of his fingers. His eyes cast themselves away as he witnessed the gruesome scene beside him around the debris of the broken wall. One of the officers he had encountered the previous days lay there with a deep gouge in the side of his head that split his skull almost in half and allowed for the soft tissue of his insides to slowly begin to creep out into the world.

Gohan quickly picked himself up and away from the corpse just as an energy attack hit the area he had just been in cremating the body that still lay there. Spinning around he found himself to be one of the few living beings still inside the room. The bodies of many unlucky creatures bedded the floor of the room and dirtied the carpet with their blood. Particles of light swarmed in masses of blazing energy within the center of the room where a few figures viciously fought. Two Saiyans and what appeared to be over ten aliens threw themselves at one another with equal efforts playing on either side, but it seemed that the Saiyans' defense was beginning to cut short as their rivals encircled them and attacked with ceaseless endurance.

One of the Saiyans was finally thrown from the fight leaving the remaining one to fend completely for himself. He fought valiantly but soon was overwhelmed by the superiority of the opposing numbers. Gohan rushed to the man's side as he hit the waiting ground below with a hard clash. He expected the aliens to come after, but instead they seemed rather caught up with something else that was huddled in the center of the room.

Unlike they did the guards, these tall, sleek aliens with yellow- scaled skin didn't attack the small cowering figure before them. Like a cat playing with a mouse, they manipulated it around their enclosed circle, pushing it back and forth between them while saying things in their native tongue and dialect. Each time a new member of the circle would obtain the figure, it would yell something at it and wait for a moment before dispersing it to another member, but their rants didn't seem all that spiteful, rather more melancholy with woe.

He rushed over to help the victim of the subtle assault just as it was pushed again, this time more roughly than before causing it to loose its balance and fall to the floor. Setting himself between the figure and the creatures, Gohan assumed a fighting stance and awaited their attack. One lunged at him and was quickly deflected as its forward momentum mixed with a blow to the back of the head sent it careening through its allies.

A harsh, blue glow had begun to form in Gohan's open hands as he calculated the angles of the next five attacks when a loud voice bellowed out into the room upsetting the onlookers and fighters alike.

"What is the meaning of this!!!" it cried as it stormed to the center of the room over the many carcasses that lay unmoving on the ground.

The creatures around Gohan began to cower away breaking their line and allowing him to see past them as the prince accompanied by the Colonel and Major Tinim stalked towards them. Gohan fell to one knee as the prince walked up beside him surveying the damage and carnage.

"What happened here?" the prince demanded in a deep growl.

"I'm not sure, sire," Gohan replied. "I came when the call was issued."

The prince snorted as he looked beyond the young Captain to the shroud that was pitifully hunched over behind him. Gohan rose to his feet and took his place beside the Colonel and Major Tinim as he watched the prince advance towards the figure which he now realized to be the same cloaked one he'd seen roaming the halls earlier in the week. Its small frame also seemed to watch him approach it with dread. It moved up onto its hands and knees attempting to stand, but once it tried to rest its full weight upon its slender legs one of its ankles buckled underneath it and sent the figure staggering back down towards the floor.

To Gohan's amazement, the prince lunged forward and caught the uneasy creature before it met the floor. With a sigh, he brought his arms under the figure's legs and back picking it up with great care. His eyes seemed to slightly soften as he said in a groggy, tired voice, "You enjoy getting yourself into trouble, don't you?"

The figure rested its head into the prince's shoulder as in reply to his question causing him to sigh an exhausted breath.

Walking back, the prince addressed the officers, "Major, see if you can round up any useful witnesses to this event in the hallway. The Colonel and I have some business to attend to." He looked back at the group of cowering aliens who had herded themselves into the corner with a malicious glare. "Captain," the prince said looking at Gohan.

"Yes, sire," Gohan replied stiffly.

"Take her back to the Royal Guest Chamber. I assume you know where that is."

Gohan glanced awkwardly at his father who only nodded in return and then back at the prince, "Of course." The prince walked over to the curious, young Captain and gingerly laid the small figure in his arms.

"Be careful with her," the prince growled as he turned and began to advance upon the yellow-scaled creatures drawn in the corner with the Colonel close behind him.

Turning on his heels, Gohan calmly took his leave from the Foreign Affairs Room and stepped quickly through the long corridors in the direction of the Royal Chambers. Each smooth, winged stride he took was answered by the echoed click of his heels against the slick surface of the tile floor breaking the silence that had once prevailed within the chilled atmosphere.

A suddenly disturbed gale reflected off the walls and blew its icy breath upon the hall's inhabitants. He felt the small figure he held close in his arms shiver at the interruption of the zephyr as his eyes found their way down upon its black shield. The hood faced into its lap and it appeared that the arms beneath the cloak were clutching each other in an attempt to keep warm. The feet, laced in tall, feminine, black Saiyan boots, swung themselves over his right forearm and limply draped in an idle fashion.

"We're almost there," Gohan informed the resting figure with a stern, languorous voice.

The head shot up and for a moment's time glanced at him through its veil of black emptiness before quickly returning it downwards once again when the undaunted decorum of his face peered at it through untouched eyes. Just as the figure had done, Gohan returned his gaze to the torpid hall where it had previously been.

Every so subtly, the width of the corridor decreased until it was comparatively half the size of the others with fewer and fewer doors and inhabitants occupying the area. Finally, the lengthy pattern of desolate expanse came to an end at a pair of tall, heavy doors embroidered with the Royal Vegeta seal marking the area to be both confidential and private to the royal family and issued guards.

A pair of stout Saiyans stood on either side of the doors with stiff postures and watchful eyes as Gohan slowly walked up to them. As he neared the doors, they slowly began to give way and open under the force of someone behind them. Out from the dimly lit interior of the chambers slid the husky Captain Arald decked in his usual officer's armor. The man's dark eyes widened some in surprise as the young captain made his way towards the guards with a cargo of black cloth in his arms.

With a slight smirk, the older Captain quickly ran a hand over his short beard in a quizzical sort of manner as he approached Gohan. His eyes moved over the cape and the person within who showed little interest in his presence.

"In trouble again, my lady?" the gruff voice of the Captain asked in an irritated tone. When there came no answer, he addressed Gohan, "What happened to her this time?"

"I'm not sure, I wasn't there when it started," Gohan replied. "All I really know is that she was attacked in the Foreign Affairs Room by some baka aliens."

As though this was a great deal of information, Captain Arald nodded his head and looked back down at her with judging eyes. "You don't know when enough is enough, do you?" he asked moving his gloved hand to the side of the figure's face that was farthest from him and forcefully pushing it in his direction. "Do you?"

With a quick jerk, the figure regained its head from Captain Arald's hold and protectively pushed itself against the stiff armor on Gohan's chest. The rest of the body slightly curled into him with some sort of unknown repulsion from the man before it.

Giving a low, displeasured grunt, the older man pushed past Gohan down the cold corridor with only a few words of direction, "Take her to the farthest room on the right. It's her room. The prince just contacted me saying that he will be there shortly and he wants you to stay with her until he gets there." With that, the aggravated Captain stormed down the hall and out of sight.

Gohan watched him leave with a dumbfounded expression playing upon his features. When he returned back to reality and began to approach the doors to finish his mission, he noticed the lowly guards watching him with rising curiosity. He shot them each a warning glare before motioning with his head for one of them to widen the entry doors for him and the figure he held in his arms to pass.

Once they had been opened, he slid through and counted his steps in slight boredom as he traced over the intricate designs on the floor's tile with his feet and eyes until the end of the hall began to near him and he was in front of the farthest door on the right. With a light, gentle toss of his arms he was able to situate the figure he held onto one arm alone. The sudden action alarmed the small creature, and in a wave of fear it threw its arms up and around his neck supportively as its once soft, effortless breaths became heavier in worry.

With his free hand, Gohan gently loosened the new hold on his neck noticing the thinness of the beings arms. "I won't drop you," his smooth voice whispered plainly.

The grip remained for a moment longer before the creature seemed to acknowledge his honesty and ever so hesitantly began to slightly free his neck, but continued to keep its arms curled around his shoulders in case of another disturbance. A small sigh left his lips as he moved his hand to the doorknob and silently pushed the heavy door open.

The room was unlit except for a single, white candle in the far corner whose golden flame dimly flickered in the wake of the room's unseen angels, their high-born, ghostly voices sweeping melodiously through the room to invoke the need for nepenthe upon the unsuspecting. Gohan searched the wall for some light switch but found none, so he slowly and carefully began to inch his way into the large, excessive room where he could faintly see the outline of a bed in the candle's faded gleam.

His inspecting eyes gazed over the object as he neared it while his free hand regained its hold under the figure's legs and helped to evenly distribute its weight. The bed was wide with black, satin sheets strewn slovenly about its interior, obviously unmade from the last time it was slept in. Gently, he lowered the figure down and placed it upon the edge of the bed.

Small, attenuated fingers traced their way down from around his neck and then lost their soft contact as he stepped away from the bed to where he could barely make out the structure of a lamp situated upon a nightstand next to the bed. His hand quickly flicked the switch and the room was suddenly flooded with the low expanse of light that cast eerie shadows across the pale walls and floors.

A newly found, abstract warmth grew at the back of his neck causing the butterflies of anxiety to cluster themselves within his stomach. He was being watched. This shouldn't have seemed so obscure to him with the given fact of not actually being alone in the room, but it unnerved him nonetheless. From the corner of his eye he caught the blank gaze of the figure falling silently upon him with no description of thought or emotion.

Turning around, he stared back down towards the black cloak whose hood faced him to return the gaze. It sat there peering back at him for a few moments of utter tension until it casually cast its gaze away from him to its lap as the arch in its back grew until the figure had measurably curled itself into a loose ball over the edge of the bed.

Surprised by the subtle nature of this unknown creature, Gohan curiously continued to watch the figure until the loud crash of the heavy door hitting the wall behind him interrupted his thoughts and he turned to face the entering prince.

Posture perfect as ever, the prince slowly trudged into the room and towards the bed followed by a stumbling, old Saiyan carrying a medical case. Gohan took to one knee at the prince's approach with the proper greeting. A small, upwards wave of the prince's hand set him back on his feet and awaiting orders.

The prince said nothing to the young Captain, but instead stepped towards the figure waiting on the bed whom seemed to already be able to predict what was about to happen. Then he did something unexpected among those of Gohan's knowledge. The proud heir knelt down by the foot of the bed and grabbed one of the figure's ankles laced high in a black boot. His fingers began to roughly unlace the tight, small knots causing the figure to flinch in pain.

With an impatient grunt, he looked up at the cloaked creature before quickly returning to his work. Gently, his fingers began to work again until the last knot was untied and he had removed the boot painstakingly slowly. Now the fat, old doctor came and crouched beside him to inspect the recently exposed, cream skin blotched with violet and black bruising about the inner sole. Another displeasured grunt evacuated the prince's throat at the man's unsummoned approach, but he did nothing more.

A pudgy hand reached out and methodically began to study the structure of the ankle going over each bone meticulously until he was satisfied and took a few steps back to retrieve the necessary equipment from his large, leather bag. After a few moments, he pulled out a roll of cloth wrap, a small bottle, and a syringe and laid it down beside him on the floor.

Gohan felt his stomach drop as he watched the doctor draw a translucent, yellow liquid from the bottle with the syringe and then take the figure's leg in his other hand. He turned his head away to refuse the sight from entering his vision just as a slight gasp echoed in his ears causing a shiver to run down his spine. Hoping it was all over, he returned his gaze to the medical practice before him just as the chubby man began to cover the grotesque bruising. His eyes then noticed the prince whose face was turned downward, eyes tightly shut. A small chuckle grew in Gohan's throat but never found its way out as the prince began to slowly open his eyes and peer at the doctor who had begun to rise from his crouched position and walk towards the door.

The prince followed and listened as the old man instructed him, "Don't let her walk very far for about a week and try to make her keep off of it as much as possible. She's twisted it pretty badly, but I do believe she'll be alright, you can never really be certain with them. I noticed her slightly trembling and I do think that it was from the pain, so I gave her a small dose of morphine mixed with a sleeping drug. She should sleep soundly through the night."

Prince Vegeta nodded and the doctor staggered out the door. Gohan awaited his next orders as the prince walked past him to the figure that now seemed to be swaying in its sitting position on the bed unable to remain upright. The prince gingerly moved it back on the bed and grabbed one of the ends of the cape.

"You can leave now, Captain," came his gruff voice as he glanced back at the young man behind him. "You are no longer needed here."

Turning on his heels, Gohan began to quietly exit the room. Just as he was about to close the door behind himself, he looked back towards the bed for one last glimpse and saw the prince sitting quietly on the side of the bed with his ungloved hand gently stroking through a mass of long, soft, black hair that wove itself in wavy strands about the figure's back and between the satin sheets as the figure lay on its side beneath the bed's covers facing away from him.

Only one small squeak erupted from the door's hinges as Gohan softly closed it locking the singing paragon angels who tried to escape the room's surprising scene with him but hadn't been able to seize the right moment.





A/N~ Hahahahahahaha... so many sparse clues in that chapter. I just noticed something new about my writing technique too; I really don't seem to like writing dialogue. Hmmm, interesting. Oh well. REVIEW!!!! If you review than I will love you forever and ever and ever and ever and so forth.