N. More plot minna.
Warnings ~ Violence, Yaoi, Lemon, Language, Sexual Assault. Not in every
chapter but this is a general warning for the whole fic.
Disclaimer ~ I own nothing at all! Sue and you will receive a bucket of Kobo drool.
SWAN LAKE
Chapter Six
Raditz leaned his elbows on the thick stone railing of the second level balcony. He waited anxiously for the prince to return. Nervous dark eyes swept the empty corridor beneath him before locking onto the small foyer and the doors beyond. Soon the knob would turn, a slight figure would slip quietly inside, the door would close, and Paraguas would come out of nowhere in a rage against the bewildered prince. Raditz sighed sullenly. It was inevitable, but he wished his power were closer to that of his fathers; he could at least help shield Vegeta from some of the man's wrath then. His thoughts were disrupted by the soft twist of the doorknob below. Now it would begin.
Vegeta closed the heavy door behind him with a gentle click. He was not in the mood to deal with his loathsome captor this evening. He glanced around at the silent hall and took two steps towards the staircase. That was as far as he got before a blinding flash of light whizzed past his face and exploded on the steps in a brilliant blaze of emerald flame. The sparks dwindled away as Vegeta turned stunned eyes towards the snarled visage of the sorcerer. He watched in mute shock as the man's fist pulled back and came down towards his face. There was a sudden stabbing pang against his right cheek, and his body lurched with the motion of the blow, toppling down against the stairs with the sounds of flesh smacking flesh and a quiet thud. He blinked and carefully placed a hand on his throbbing cheek. His mind raced with confused thoughts, attempting to figure out what he had done to set off the towering man this time, but he couldn't come up with a reason.
"Your friends graced our home with their presence today my dear Vegeta. Do you know what they wanted? Perhaps this will jar your memory a bit. One of them was the son of King Bardock." Smooth as satin and cold as ice, Paraguas' voice was like steel as he pinned the widening eyes of the prince with his one furious eye. Vegeta was silent, too shocked that Kakarot would have done something as stupid as coming to his home to realize the ever growing anger in the man above him. He was unceremoniously hauled up by wrists and dragged up the stairway. He barely noticed Raditz duck behind a doorway as he and Paraguas passed by. The sorcerer began squeezing painfully against his captured wrist, nearly snapping the bones in his massive palm as his voice bellowed throughout the castle.
"You were invited to a ball Vegeta, a ball of the royal heirs! How could he have thought to invite you? How would he have even been aware of your existence? He's the one, isn't he? The one you whored yourself with! Well you won't be attending that ball tomorrow! I shall make certain of that! You will stay here all day tomorrow and tomorrow evening." The sorcerer turned and slammed the slender prince against the wall beside his small room. He leaned in till his haggard face was inches from Vegeta's and slid one hand over the slim waist of his captive, pinning the wrist he had held to the wall above the cursed figures head. Vegeta had remained silent since he had returned, but he would have an answer of some kind from the lithe beauty to confirm his suspicions. "You shall answer me on this matter my little prince. This Kakarot, he is the one you lied with. I will forgive you of this treachery, but you must consent to be mine Vegeta, surely you know that what passed between that foolish boy and yourself can never be." The prince clenched his free hand into a fist at his side. His limbs shook with rage as he listened to Paraguas' words. He could finally hear no more of it and scowled defiantly into the looming face before him. His lips curved back in a vicious snarl. From somewhere within he brought out the strength to force the other man off of him and stepped forward as the sorcerer stumbled back in surprise.
"You are the only fool Paraguas! I will never be yours! I loathe you with every fiber of my being, I despise every foul breath you take and I abhor each filthy touch you dare to bestow upon my body! You are full of lies and abominations and I will hear no more of them! I shall go to that ball, and I shall be with Kakarot! You cannot stop what has already been set into motion. I am his not yours! He has given me things you could never dream of giving me. Hope, peace, security, and something else far greater that you are incapable of giving; love! I do not want anything to do with you! I love Kakarot and I shall be his and his alone!" Vegeta took a few breaths to steady himself. He glared unwaveringly in the sight of Paraguas' brimming rage. There was a loud wail of frustration and furry that echoed off the stone walls with shuddering force and then fists began to rain down upon the prince's small frame. Vegeta deftly dodged the first round of blows but he was unable to avoid the second wave of punches that smashed into his face, rib cage, and stomach. He was roughly grabbed by the hair and thrown into his room. The door boomed against the frame as it closed and the solid sound of the lock being set was enough to quiet the battered prince. Vegeta sat up on the floor and wiped the blood from his broken lip and nostrils. His chest and stomach were uncomfortably tender, as were his left cheek and eye. He gazed solemnly at the moon through his window and tried to think of a way to reach Kakarot; he had all night and the next day to figure out what he would do.
The dawning sun rose regally over the shrouded crests of the purple mountains to bathe the land in its welcome warmth and light. Streaks of golden yellow drifted along the canopy of the forest, thrusting through the greenery of the leaves to coat the ground in emerald tinted light. It spread across the glistening blue of the lake and crept steadily up the stones of Paraguas' tower. The long white neck of a graceful swan turned to watch solemnly as the sunlight made its way towards the faintly discernable tiers of King Bardock's castle.
Kakarot strode briskly down the passages towards the main audience hall. He opened the doors and flashed a small greeting smile to the guards as he passed. They smiled in return; seemingly glad he was in a better mood than he had been the previous day. The prince stood silently in the entryway and slowly scanned the room, taking in all the bustling activity. Servants ran about carrying large floral bouquets and long flowing streamers of silk. A team of bakers stood around a long gathering of tables trying to decide what dish would look the best as the centerpiece of the buffet. Maidservants scurried around the room, tidying up anything that seemed out of place while the men servants continued to set up all the decorations. Throughout it all, Fasha stood proudly in the center of the room, bellowing commands out to one servant or another. The small woman had a slightly sneering smile on her lips as she shouted orders about the room. Kakarot snickered quietly to himself. If only he could tell her that all her hard work was for not. She had always been overzealous about getting him married to some giggling princess. He could recall several occasions when she had nearly succeeded as well; but of course he had always managed to worm out of the arranged engagements. Her intentions were noble, she simply wanted to have the crown heir perform his duty to the throne, but Kakarot was never one to be easily cowed and his refusal to obey her often vexed the woman to no end.
He set a neutral expression on his face and stepped down onto the main floor. His boots tapped lightly on the polished marble as he approached the crimson velvet carpet that led to the dais where his father and Toma were talking. The older men greeted the prince with welcoming smiles. Bardock clapped a hand over his son's broad shoulders.
"Now you see my son, this shall be the grandest ball ever held in our country! The orchestra has been practicing day and night, the bakers are working on the most delicious meals, the decorations have never looked more beautiful than they do now, and when you see the floor filled with lovely women dancing in exquisite gowns I am sure you shall be pleased." He gave his son's shoulder a warm squeeze and eyed the younger face so much like his own with expectation. Kakarot frowned thoughtfully before quirking a finely combed eyebrow at his father. "Are women the only guests that shall attend tonight?" He tried to keep his tone vague, hoping his father wouldn't become suspicious of anything. Bardock was genuinely pleasant and jovial, but he was no fool, especially when it came to his sons. Though lately, Kakarot had been getting away with more than he usually did around his father. He watched the king stare oddly at him a moment before shaking his head.
"No, attendants and escorts have been invited to come and dance with the young ladies, and a few noblemen have also been invited to keep you company if you tire of the ladies chatter." The king smirked at his son's relieved look. "Do not fret Kakarot, I would not throw you into a sea without a life boat. Even I know that a room full of females can become overwhelming after a time." Bardock chuckled as his son flashed him a small smile before leaving the king and his councilor by the thrones. Kakarot padded up the wide staircase and stood on the cool stones of the inner courtyard. He gazed wistfully at the small wisps of clouds that dotted the morning sky.
Raditz crept cautiously out of the kitchen with a small satchel of breadcrumbs in his right hand. He knew Vegeta had not eaten last night and was certain the swan was quite hungry by this time. He rounded the corner at the top of the stairs while taking a quick glance over his shoulder for his father. He didn't see anything below and as he turned his head back to the front he walked right into the man he was looking for. His father caught him by his long ebony tresses and pulled him up as he started to fall down the stairs. The pain this caused his scalp was allowable since he would have been worse off if he had fallen.
"Good morning father, I was taking the swan some food since it has been some time since he last ate." He swallowed hard as his father glared at him. Paraguas had learned much about the relationship his son had developed with his little prince and though he was pleased they weren't trying to kill one another, he didn't approve of the gentle affection Raditz showed Vegeta. He growled and dropped the young sorcerer to the floor. Raditz watched as his father took the bag from his hand and vaporized it in a flash of emerald flames.
"The swan has been fed. I do not intend to starve him Raditz. Now, my son, come with me. There is much to prepare for tonight." Paragaus had an oddly amused note in his cool tone that mystified and alarmed his son. Raditz frowned as he stood up and walked behind his towering father.
"For tonight?" His questioning voice echoed softly off the darkening halls. He followed his sire down dimly lit passages without windows, hidden far from the reach of the sun's warm glow. Slender torches shed faint flickers of firelight upon the cracked stone tiles that served as the walkway through the narrowing hall. Paragaus was silent while leading his son down to the wooden door at the end of the hall. He unlocked it and pushed his son through the ancient looking entryway.
"Yes for tonight, for the ball my son." His voice still held that odd tone that sent warning bells off in Raditz's mind. He glanced nervously about his father's laboratory; anxiously hoping for an escape, but there were no windows and only one door to this room. He turned suspicious eyes on his smirking father.
"But you said that no one would attend the ball. What are you planning to do?" Cold sweat started to form on the back of his neck as he saw his father grin menacingly upon him. The large man snapped his fingers, lighting the fireplace with a billowing green flame. The stone around the fireplace was carved into the shape of a demon's head, its jagged mouth opened in a snarling scream that only served to make the opaque emerald fire more eerie and foreboding. The rest of the room was decorated in dark, devilish statues and thick ebony carpets. In the center of the room stood a series of pillars with mourning faces carved into their cylindrical stone. Paragaus' potions and spell books lined the walls in large wooden cabinets and atop long stone tables. Small candles burned dimly amid the myriad of hellish figures that glared down at the center of the room. Raditz had never found his father's laboratory a welcome place and the way his sire was staring at him made it even less appealing than it normally was. He backed up until his back bumped against one of the pillars fine sculpting of an agonized face.
"I am planning to show Vegeta that this prince he is infatuated with is not as wonderful as he believes. You shall go to the ball in Vegeta's form; you will dance with this Kakarot and enchant him enough that he shall claim you as his love instead of Vegeta. Then my little swan shall realize the error of his ways and turn to me." Paragaus smirked triumphantly. His son stared at him in shock. He was going to be used to deceive and destroy his only friends. His heart clenched tightly within his chest while he silently cursed his father and himself. He wished for the thousandth time he were a match for his sire's power and that he could free Vegeta and himself from their baleful existence. His father sneered down at him and then turned to one of his spell books. He began flipping through the pages of the archaic book to find the spell that would transform his son into the lithe prince. Raditz slumped in defeat against the pillar and stared into the green flames that danced within the yawning mouth of the demon.
Disclaimer ~ I own nothing at all! Sue and you will receive a bucket of Kobo drool.
SWAN LAKE
Chapter Six
Raditz leaned his elbows on the thick stone railing of the second level balcony. He waited anxiously for the prince to return. Nervous dark eyes swept the empty corridor beneath him before locking onto the small foyer and the doors beyond. Soon the knob would turn, a slight figure would slip quietly inside, the door would close, and Paraguas would come out of nowhere in a rage against the bewildered prince. Raditz sighed sullenly. It was inevitable, but he wished his power were closer to that of his fathers; he could at least help shield Vegeta from some of the man's wrath then. His thoughts were disrupted by the soft twist of the doorknob below. Now it would begin.
Vegeta closed the heavy door behind him with a gentle click. He was not in the mood to deal with his loathsome captor this evening. He glanced around at the silent hall and took two steps towards the staircase. That was as far as he got before a blinding flash of light whizzed past his face and exploded on the steps in a brilliant blaze of emerald flame. The sparks dwindled away as Vegeta turned stunned eyes towards the snarled visage of the sorcerer. He watched in mute shock as the man's fist pulled back and came down towards his face. There was a sudden stabbing pang against his right cheek, and his body lurched with the motion of the blow, toppling down against the stairs with the sounds of flesh smacking flesh and a quiet thud. He blinked and carefully placed a hand on his throbbing cheek. His mind raced with confused thoughts, attempting to figure out what he had done to set off the towering man this time, but he couldn't come up with a reason.
"Your friends graced our home with their presence today my dear Vegeta. Do you know what they wanted? Perhaps this will jar your memory a bit. One of them was the son of King Bardock." Smooth as satin and cold as ice, Paraguas' voice was like steel as he pinned the widening eyes of the prince with his one furious eye. Vegeta was silent, too shocked that Kakarot would have done something as stupid as coming to his home to realize the ever growing anger in the man above him. He was unceremoniously hauled up by wrists and dragged up the stairway. He barely noticed Raditz duck behind a doorway as he and Paraguas passed by. The sorcerer began squeezing painfully against his captured wrist, nearly snapping the bones in his massive palm as his voice bellowed throughout the castle.
"You were invited to a ball Vegeta, a ball of the royal heirs! How could he have thought to invite you? How would he have even been aware of your existence? He's the one, isn't he? The one you whored yourself with! Well you won't be attending that ball tomorrow! I shall make certain of that! You will stay here all day tomorrow and tomorrow evening." The sorcerer turned and slammed the slender prince against the wall beside his small room. He leaned in till his haggard face was inches from Vegeta's and slid one hand over the slim waist of his captive, pinning the wrist he had held to the wall above the cursed figures head. Vegeta had remained silent since he had returned, but he would have an answer of some kind from the lithe beauty to confirm his suspicions. "You shall answer me on this matter my little prince. This Kakarot, he is the one you lied with. I will forgive you of this treachery, but you must consent to be mine Vegeta, surely you know that what passed between that foolish boy and yourself can never be." The prince clenched his free hand into a fist at his side. His limbs shook with rage as he listened to Paraguas' words. He could finally hear no more of it and scowled defiantly into the looming face before him. His lips curved back in a vicious snarl. From somewhere within he brought out the strength to force the other man off of him and stepped forward as the sorcerer stumbled back in surprise.
"You are the only fool Paraguas! I will never be yours! I loathe you with every fiber of my being, I despise every foul breath you take and I abhor each filthy touch you dare to bestow upon my body! You are full of lies and abominations and I will hear no more of them! I shall go to that ball, and I shall be with Kakarot! You cannot stop what has already been set into motion. I am his not yours! He has given me things you could never dream of giving me. Hope, peace, security, and something else far greater that you are incapable of giving; love! I do not want anything to do with you! I love Kakarot and I shall be his and his alone!" Vegeta took a few breaths to steady himself. He glared unwaveringly in the sight of Paraguas' brimming rage. There was a loud wail of frustration and furry that echoed off the stone walls with shuddering force and then fists began to rain down upon the prince's small frame. Vegeta deftly dodged the first round of blows but he was unable to avoid the second wave of punches that smashed into his face, rib cage, and stomach. He was roughly grabbed by the hair and thrown into his room. The door boomed against the frame as it closed and the solid sound of the lock being set was enough to quiet the battered prince. Vegeta sat up on the floor and wiped the blood from his broken lip and nostrils. His chest and stomach were uncomfortably tender, as were his left cheek and eye. He gazed solemnly at the moon through his window and tried to think of a way to reach Kakarot; he had all night and the next day to figure out what he would do.
The dawning sun rose regally over the shrouded crests of the purple mountains to bathe the land in its welcome warmth and light. Streaks of golden yellow drifted along the canopy of the forest, thrusting through the greenery of the leaves to coat the ground in emerald tinted light. It spread across the glistening blue of the lake and crept steadily up the stones of Paraguas' tower. The long white neck of a graceful swan turned to watch solemnly as the sunlight made its way towards the faintly discernable tiers of King Bardock's castle.
Kakarot strode briskly down the passages towards the main audience hall. He opened the doors and flashed a small greeting smile to the guards as he passed. They smiled in return; seemingly glad he was in a better mood than he had been the previous day. The prince stood silently in the entryway and slowly scanned the room, taking in all the bustling activity. Servants ran about carrying large floral bouquets and long flowing streamers of silk. A team of bakers stood around a long gathering of tables trying to decide what dish would look the best as the centerpiece of the buffet. Maidservants scurried around the room, tidying up anything that seemed out of place while the men servants continued to set up all the decorations. Throughout it all, Fasha stood proudly in the center of the room, bellowing commands out to one servant or another. The small woman had a slightly sneering smile on her lips as she shouted orders about the room. Kakarot snickered quietly to himself. If only he could tell her that all her hard work was for not. She had always been overzealous about getting him married to some giggling princess. He could recall several occasions when she had nearly succeeded as well; but of course he had always managed to worm out of the arranged engagements. Her intentions were noble, she simply wanted to have the crown heir perform his duty to the throne, but Kakarot was never one to be easily cowed and his refusal to obey her often vexed the woman to no end.
He set a neutral expression on his face and stepped down onto the main floor. His boots tapped lightly on the polished marble as he approached the crimson velvet carpet that led to the dais where his father and Toma were talking. The older men greeted the prince with welcoming smiles. Bardock clapped a hand over his son's broad shoulders.
"Now you see my son, this shall be the grandest ball ever held in our country! The orchestra has been practicing day and night, the bakers are working on the most delicious meals, the decorations have never looked more beautiful than they do now, and when you see the floor filled with lovely women dancing in exquisite gowns I am sure you shall be pleased." He gave his son's shoulder a warm squeeze and eyed the younger face so much like his own with expectation. Kakarot frowned thoughtfully before quirking a finely combed eyebrow at his father. "Are women the only guests that shall attend tonight?" He tried to keep his tone vague, hoping his father wouldn't become suspicious of anything. Bardock was genuinely pleasant and jovial, but he was no fool, especially when it came to his sons. Though lately, Kakarot had been getting away with more than he usually did around his father. He watched the king stare oddly at him a moment before shaking his head.
"No, attendants and escorts have been invited to come and dance with the young ladies, and a few noblemen have also been invited to keep you company if you tire of the ladies chatter." The king smirked at his son's relieved look. "Do not fret Kakarot, I would not throw you into a sea without a life boat. Even I know that a room full of females can become overwhelming after a time." Bardock chuckled as his son flashed him a small smile before leaving the king and his councilor by the thrones. Kakarot padded up the wide staircase and stood on the cool stones of the inner courtyard. He gazed wistfully at the small wisps of clouds that dotted the morning sky.
Raditz crept cautiously out of the kitchen with a small satchel of breadcrumbs in his right hand. He knew Vegeta had not eaten last night and was certain the swan was quite hungry by this time. He rounded the corner at the top of the stairs while taking a quick glance over his shoulder for his father. He didn't see anything below and as he turned his head back to the front he walked right into the man he was looking for. His father caught him by his long ebony tresses and pulled him up as he started to fall down the stairs. The pain this caused his scalp was allowable since he would have been worse off if he had fallen.
"Good morning father, I was taking the swan some food since it has been some time since he last ate." He swallowed hard as his father glared at him. Paraguas had learned much about the relationship his son had developed with his little prince and though he was pleased they weren't trying to kill one another, he didn't approve of the gentle affection Raditz showed Vegeta. He growled and dropped the young sorcerer to the floor. Raditz watched as his father took the bag from his hand and vaporized it in a flash of emerald flames.
"The swan has been fed. I do not intend to starve him Raditz. Now, my son, come with me. There is much to prepare for tonight." Paragaus had an oddly amused note in his cool tone that mystified and alarmed his son. Raditz frowned as he stood up and walked behind his towering father.
"For tonight?" His questioning voice echoed softly off the darkening halls. He followed his sire down dimly lit passages without windows, hidden far from the reach of the sun's warm glow. Slender torches shed faint flickers of firelight upon the cracked stone tiles that served as the walkway through the narrowing hall. Paragaus was silent while leading his son down to the wooden door at the end of the hall. He unlocked it and pushed his son through the ancient looking entryway.
"Yes for tonight, for the ball my son." His voice still held that odd tone that sent warning bells off in Raditz's mind. He glanced nervously about his father's laboratory; anxiously hoping for an escape, but there were no windows and only one door to this room. He turned suspicious eyes on his smirking father.
"But you said that no one would attend the ball. What are you planning to do?" Cold sweat started to form on the back of his neck as he saw his father grin menacingly upon him. The large man snapped his fingers, lighting the fireplace with a billowing green flame. The stone around the fireplace was carved into the shape of a demon's head, its jagged mouth opened in a snarling scream that only served to make the opaque emerald fire more eerie and foreboding. The rest of the room was decorated in dark, devilish statues and thick ebony carpets. In the center of the room stood a series of pillars with mourning faces carved into their cylindrical stone. Paragaus' potions and spell books lined the walls in large wooden cabinets and atop long stone tables. Small candles burned dimly amid the myriad of hellish figures that glared down at the center of the room. Raditz had never found his father's laboratory a welcome place and the way his sire was staring at him made it even less appealing than it normally was. He backed up until his back bumped against one of the pillars fine sculpting of an agonized face.
"I am planning to show Vegeta that this prince he is infatuated with is not as wonderful as he believes. You shall go to the ball in Vegeta's form; you will dance with this Kakarot and enchant him enough that he shall claim you as his love instead of Vegeta. Then my little swan shall realize the error of his ways and turn to me." Paragaus smirked triumphantly. His son stared at him in shock. He was going to be used to deceive and destroy his only friends. His heart clenched tightly within his chest while he silently cursed his father and himself. He wished for the thousandth time he were a match for his sire's power and that he could free Vegeta and himself from their baleful existence. His father sneered down at him and then turned to one of his spell books. He began flipping through the pages of the archaic book to find the spell that would transform his son into the lithe prince. Raditz slumped in defeat against the pillar and stared into the green flames that danced within the yawning mouth of the demon.