A/N: Okay, sorry for the semi cliffhanger. It seemed like a nice place to leave off…I'll be updating this story weekly, because I'm working on a much longer, more complicated love story involving a number of people in the DBZ gang, but I wanted to finish Frieza's love story first. Thank you for the reviews, they remind me people are reading this and keep me from getting side tracked. By the way, I don't own DBZ or its characters.
Chapter Five
no.
"I'm sorry," Frieza mumbled.
No.
"What did you say?" Frieza asked, his face blank.
NO.
"This is Thage, my daughter's fiancé," Nychalys repeated.
NO!
"You are to marry Laylyn?" he stammered, his eyes drifting to the handsome stranger.
"Yes," the man responded in a bored tone, obviously none too pleased to be there.
NO!!!
"I see," Frieza replied, keeping his voice bland with the greatest effort when all he wanted to do was break every bone in the other man's body. "Congratulations."
"I suppose so. Thank you," Thage said before glancing at Nychalys. "Well, now that the formalities are out of the way, let's eat, shall we?"
Frieza watched as the other man seated himself, not bothering to so much as look at Laylyn again or acknowledge her presence. At his side, she had grown unnaturally still. Something was not right here. If he were engaged to a woman such as Laylyn, he would treasure her beyond compare, but this man treated her as if she did not exist. As if she were simply a piece of his property, a necessity. He glanced down at her and noticed that despite her attempt to look uncaring, her eyes burned with loathing and hatred. What was going on here?
Laysynda noted the dazed look on their guest's face, saw the questions flashing through his eyes, and the lovelorn way he stared at her daughter. She looked to Thage, who seemed to act as if Laylyn were not even there, and she started to wonder if perhaps this stranger's arrival was not such a bad thing after all. Her daughter might fade away and perish of sorrow in a marriage to a man such as Thage.
Dinner seemed to last forever for Frieza. He wanted to get Laylyn alone and ask her about this future husband of hers. Gone were all thoughts of distancing himself from her. The very idea of her being with this man, or any man besides him, was driving him mad. He did force himself to at least measure the Prince's power, and he was surprised to find that the young man was amazingly weak, possessing perhaps a quarter of Laylyn's power. The thought of her going to such a weak, uncaring, arrogant fool was intolerable. Frieza forced himself to be polite to Thage for the sake of his hosts, answering questions about how Laylyn had saved him and where he had come from. For his part, he told the truth, knowing Thage would have no knowledge of him since his name was not known in the galaxy around Nayr.
Laylyn did not speak one word throughout the meal. She simply ate and kept her eyes on her plate. Thage did not even attempt to speak to her. Nychalys was so interested in engaging the Prince in conversation that he did not notice his daughter's behavior. Laysynda tried to speak with Laylyn a few times, but was met with silence. Frieza did not trust himself to speak to her at the moment for fear he would lose control of his temper and yell. Really, he had no claim to her, and his enraged feelings were almost ridiculous considering he hardly knew her, but none of this seemed to matter.
When dinner was at an end, Laylyn immediately rose to excuse herself, but Nychalys reminded her that it was her duty to serve as their guest's hostess whenever her parents were otherwise detained, so she reluctantly waited for Frieza to join her. Her wait was a short one, since he had been wanting to leave for hours, it seemed. They walked in silence until they reached Frieza's rooms. He did not wish to make a scene that could be remarked upon. When Laylyn turned to leave, he grabbed her arm, walked through the doors, and then whirled on her.
"Why did you not tell me?" he demanded, his voice harsh.
The matter was a sore subject for Laylyn, and her voice was sharp when she said, "Forgive me, I didn't think it was any of your concern."
"Not my concern?" he snapped, storming up to her until they were mere inches apart. "I think it is very much my concern!"
"Oh really?" she drawled, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "And why is that?"
"Because of this," he snarled, dragging her into his arms and slanting his mouth over hers.
The kiss was cruel and hard, but arousing nonetheless, and there was a desperate edge to it, as if were born out of fear. He released her abruptly and backed away from her, cursing himself for his weakness. She simply stared at him in bemused silence. He thought of Thage holding her the same way, and fury darkened his face. "You cannot marry that man."
A hopeless look entered her eyes then, and he watched as tears began to slide down her cheeks. "I do not have a choice. It is an arranged marriage."
The rage in his heart lightened a bit as he stepped close to her, gently wiping the tears from her cheeks. "You do not wish for this union, then?"
"I wish to escape it with all my heart, and have since the first day it was decreed," she softly answered. "And now that I have met you, I wish it even more."
He closed his eyes and leaned his cheek against the top of her head, drawing her into a comforting embrace, joy and sadness flooding through him. "Is there no way out of it?
"I do not think so. My father is determined to be related to the throne, and Thage's father is determined to have the natural talent of my family in the blood of his heirs."
Frieza was silent for a moment, lost in thought. The easiest thing to do was simply take her away from all this. None here could stand against him if he chose to. Initially he had thought to take her with him regardless of what she wanted, but now he found himself softening where she was concerned. He wanted her to be happy, and she would not be if she were caged. He wanted her with him of her own free will. He wanted her to love him.
"What does your mother think of the arrangement?"
"She wants whatever my father wants," Laylyn replied, her voice growing bitter. "It has always been that way. She loves him more then anything on this world, including me. My happiness is secondary to my father's."
Frieza thought of his own mother, and laughed softly. "I don't know about that. No matter how devoted she may seem to be, it is my experience that all women treasure their children more then their mates."
Laylyn leaned her head back to look up at him. "Do you think if I approached her on the subject, she might be persuaded to side with me? My father can refuse her nothing."
Frieza stared down at her lovely face, understanding in that moment what made her father acquiesce to her mother's whims. His heart was pounding in his chest, he was dizzy with the lust he felt for her, and yet her well being was his first concern at that moment. All else could wait. "You can always ask and see. It couldn't hurt."
"I agree," Laylyn responded, her tone lightening considerably. "Thank you for your reassurances, Frieza. It means a great deal to me. I have been without hope of getting out of this marriage for months, and any chance that I might have to escape it would be most welcome. If you will excuse me, I must go and talk with my mother."
She turned to leave and he let her go, but she paused and then raced back to him, threw her arms around his neck, and placed a brief, sweet kiss on his lips. She was gone before he had a chance to regain control of his suddenly feverish body, and he was left with only the scent of her on the air and the taste of her on his mouth.
Laylyn did not waste any time bothering to prepare for her meeting with her mother. She was a passionate creature by nature, and she tended to falter in her resolve when she dwelled on things. The idea of being free of her impending slavery was so intoxicating, she rashly made her way back into the dining room to have a word with her mother. She was surprised to find that Laysynda had already taken her leave for the evening, she assumed her mother remained by her father's side wherever he went. It always appeared to be that way. Thage and Nychalys were embroiled in a political conversation of some sort, and did not even spare a glance for her. For an instant, she thought her father should just marry the man since he wanted the union so much. But, of course such a thing could not be. The Sivare frowned on such things. But it would be a nice little solution to her dilemma! That thought had her smiling to herself when she left the room.
She couldn't find her mother in her parents' chambers, nor in the kitchen, nor the library. Finally tiring of wasting so much time, she cast a simple spell that tracked her mother to the garden. There was a small trio of harps playing a beautiful melody in the air, and Laylyn paused when she noticed her mother was dancing. The music itself was haunting and stirring, and her mother moved with a commanding grace that was lovely to behold. After several minutes of this, it became clear to Laylyn that her mother could continue dancing for some time, so she cleared her throat at a moment when the music was a soft lull.
Laysynda immediately turned to face her, and Laylyn was surprised to see the remnants of tears on her mother's face. "Mom, what is it?" she asked, rushing forward. "Are you ok?"
Her mother smiled and gently wiped the tears away, nodding as she did so. "Yes, I'm fine, dear. What brings you to see me?"
"Are you certain you are alright? Why are you crying?"
"That is a long story, my dear, and perhaps one day I may tell you about it, but not now. I assure you, I am fine. What is it that troubles you?"
Laylyn could tell by her mother's tone that she would not be telling her the reason she was crying any time soon, so she gracefully gave in to her mother's wishes.
"Mother, I have been thinking a great deal about my upcoming marriage to Thage," Laylyn began, pausing to glance up at her mother and seeing no irritation, only patience. "I must tell you I am less then thrilled with the match. I am aware that he is the Prince of our people, but I have no desire to marry for duty. I wished for a love match, like your own."
"Perhaps you could grow to love Thage."
"Thage has no time to even speak with me, let alone earn my love," Laylyn retorted, her eyes growing angry. "He barely pays attention to me when he is here, he comes only as a formality. Were his father not forcing his hand, I assure you he would not be marrying me."
Laysynda was silent for a moment, the look in her eyes distant. "You know I would not want a loveless marriage for you, dearest. Perhaps you are not giving him enough of a chance. He is a busy man. As the Crown Prince, he has countless duties."
"Yes, and as King he will have even more. It's not just that, mother," Laylyn protested. "Busy I could handle. But he has no interest in me whatsoever. He only speaks to me when he must, and he looks at me as if he sees right through me, as if I am not even there. I do not want to spend the rest of my days with a man who doesn't even know I'm alive. I want a man who knows my worth, someone who will love me as father loves you."
Laysynda laughed at that, a strange, hollow sound that caught Laylyn by surprise. "Oh, my darling child. You have so much to learn. Your father loves me because it is convenient for him to do so, and I see to it that his life is comfortable and his needs met. Men do not love like women do; they do not get as passionate or as emotional. This is something you must learn to accept. I love your father more then life itself, and he returns that love now, but it was not always this way. We had an arranged marriage, and for many years we could not stand one another. We learned to love one another."
"I think you are wrong, mother. I've seen the way father looks at you. Men are perfectly capable of falling hopelessly, madly in love. But Thage does not even speak to me," Laylyn hissed. "As his fiancé, I am less then worthy of his attention. As his wife, I cannot see it being any better. Once I give him his precious heirs, I doubt I'll even see him on a consistent basis. I will not be some glorified brood mare so that father can have his coveted ties to the throne!"
The two women stared at one another in silence for several seconds before Laysynda murmured, "Is this because of that stranger we have taken in? Are you having doubts about your marriage because of him? Don't lie to me, child. I've seen the way you two look at one another."
"His name is Frieza," Laylyn snapped, not liking her mother's tone at all. "And to answer your question, no, it is not because of him that I want out of the marriage. I talked to father about this long ago, I had hoped he would listen to reason, but he has not. And he has not shown any sign of reconsidering the arrangement, as I asked him to. So I had no choice but to come to you. If I keep waiting for a sign from father, I'll end up married before I know it."
Laysynda heard the truth in her daughter's words. So this was not the stranger's doing. To be certain, he was infatuated with her daughter. But at least her unhappiness with Thage was genuine and not influenced by an outsider. She looked at Laylyn without speaking, watching as her daughter began to grow nervous and fidget beneath her regard. Laylyn was her only child, and Laysynda loved her dearly. As much as she adored Nychalys, she loved her daughter more. She could not bear the thought of her baby trapped in a loveless marriage, alone and suffering from sorrow until the end of her days.
"I will speak to your father about this. Do not mention this again, when it is done I will let you know the outcome," Laysynda finally replied.
"Thank you, mother!" Laylyn responded, throwing her arms around her mother's neck and giving her a fierce hug.
"You're welcome, child. Remember, do not mention this where it might be heard. You know the King favors this match, and he will not be pleased if your father calls off the wedding."
"I understand."
Late that night, Frieza visited his small ship, certain that his men had grown restless with his lack of communication. Laylyn had come to him and told him that her mother was going to speak with her father about releasing her from the betrothal, and she seemed very confident her mother would get her way. While Laylyn had been speaking to her mother, Frieza had been doing a great deal of thinking. It was very obvious to him that the girl had already grown to mean a great deal to him in only a day's time. He had vowed to distance himself from her, but he knew he could not. He also knew he meant to have her with him when he left Nayr. He wanted her to come with him of her own free will. So he would wait until she was ready to be by his side wherever he might go, perhaps for the length of his days. No woman had ever held his interest for long, but no woman had ever captivated him with such ease as Laylyn had.
Zarbon answered his call right away. "Lord Frieza, I had begun to wonder if something was amiss."
"I can assure you that is not the case. Put me through to Dodoria," Frieza commanded, impatient to have this done with so he could be back at Laylyn's house and near her side. "And Zarbon, you should spend less time worrying about my affairs, and more time looking after Vegeta. I don't know if this was made clear to you or not, but you are responsible for any…mishaps he causes while I am gone."
The other man paled slightly, nodding his head, "Yes, Lord Frieza. I understand. I have not let the Saiyan out of my sight since this morning."
"Until now, of course," Frieza countered, and Zarbon's complexion grew even more drawn. "I suggest you put me through as I have commanded, and then see to it that you keep a better eye on your charge, rather then waste my time with your small talk. You do not want to displease me, Zarbon. I'm in no mood for it."
"Yes, Lord Frieza, as you wish. One moment, sire."
Frieza rolled his eyes the second that Zarbon's image was gone from the screen. The man was a sniveling coward at times, and if he were any less useful in negotiations, he'd have been killed long ago. It was a pity Dodoria was so very repulsive.
As if sensing his master's thoughts of him, the grotesque mass of pink flesh appeared in the monitor, briefly bowing his head to Frieza.
"Dodoria, I have decided to remain on the surface of Nayr until further notice."
"Do you need any rations or soldiers, sire?"
"That will not be necessary. I am fully capable of finding food and fending for myself," Frieza snapped, his mood growing darker with each moment he was separated from Laylyn by such mundane necessities. Dodoria wisely remained silent. "Do not send any soldiers down here, and do not attempt to contact me until I give you permission to do so. Is this understood?"
"Of course, sire."
"You will inform the men that I am involved in a series of meetings with a Prince of this world, and nothing else. If there is any unrest while I am gone, kill those who are the cause of it. And Dodoria, although Zarbon is responsible for Vegeta, I am holding you accountable for the rest of the crew and my star ship."
"I understand, my lord," Dodoria answered, his voice calm despite the terror that blossomed in his heart at the thought of what Frieza would do to him as punishment if anything were to go wrong on the destroyer while the master was away.
"Excellent. I will check on the status of my crew in a few days time. Do not disappoint me."
"No, sire."
Frieza cut the communication link and took to the sky, flying back to Laylyn's home in absolute silence. He paused outside her window to look in at her lovely face, moved by how peaceful she looked during sleep. He quietly made his way to his rooms and fell asleep after several hours of deep thought on how to make the Sivare beauty his own.
