If you like my writing style, then please check out my newest fic, "Cold Day in July." It's only a one shot, it wouldn't take too long, and it's about everyone's favorite lavender haired wonder. Besides, it's in desperate need of reviews. You can find it in the DBZ section, or just go to my profile. Thanks. I own nothing.

"Where is she? Get out of my way! Where is she?" Vegeta pushed through the guards, physicians, and servants crowding the room, not caring that his jostling was rather rough and painful. He stopped when he saw her, worry seeping out of him. He felt cold, and shaken. "Usagi."
She looked up, and her smile was relieved. "Vegeta." She sighed.
"You're injured."
"Not badly."
He went over every inch of her with his eyes, breathe coming a little easier when he realized that she was right, she wasn't hurt very badly. "Out, everyone out!" He ordered, glaring at everyone else in the room. Most were only too happy to agree, but the head physician hesitated a moment.
"Forgive me, your majesty, but your mate has been through a lot today. I don't recommend she undergo any kind of strenuous physical activity. You understand? She needs rest."
"What kind of monster do you think I am?" He growled dangerously, turning the full force of his glare on the man. "Of course my mate needs to rest, you fool! I don't want you out because I want to mate, I want you gone because you annoy me! OUT!!!"
The physician took the none-too-subtle hint and hurried away. Vegeta slammed the door after him, setting the locks, and sat on the bed next to Usagi, putting his arm around her carefully, afraid of hurting her despite the apparent lack of serious injury. He still felt the icy grip of fear that had stabbed his heart when he first heard that his mate had been attacked. The possibility of losing her had never before felt so real.
"I'm all right." She assured him quietly, laying her head against his chest. "Bardok and 18 protected me." She took a shaky breath. "The whole time, I just kept thinking about you and the boys.I didn't even have time to transform."
"This can't happen again. You are not to go anywhere without me by your side."
"Don't be silly." She laughed tiredly.
She was right. As prince of all Saiyans, Vegeta had many duties and responsibilities he had to see to, and having his mate with him at all times would only complicate things, however much he wanted her near him. "I'll speak to my father, then. We'll get bodyguards to go with you wherever you go."
"Vegeta.oh, all right." She sighed, snuggling closer. "If it will make you happy. I know it's pointless to argue with someone so stubborn, anyway."
"Me? Stubborn? You must be mistaken." He snorted, carefully repositioning his arms to hold her tighter.
"Are the boys okay?"
"The brats are fine, don't worry about them, just rest."
"I will, and then.then I think I'll want to indulge in some.how did he put it? Strenuous physical activity?" She laughed as she looked up to see his surprised expression, then yawned. "Stay here with me while I sleep. Please?"
"Hn." He agreed. Anything for her.
"Your majesty? The Prince is here to see you."
"Hn, very well, send him in." King Vegeta dismissed the messenger he had been speaking with and turned toward the door just as his only son entered in full formal regalia, proud and determined, crimson cape swirling dramatically behind him. He had never looked so Saiyan. The king smirked proudly. "So, you have finally come to your senses, brat." He greeted, carefully refolding the note the messenger had given him.
"Feh, don't be an idiot, father. My opinion of you hasn't wavered, but I made a vow to my mate to be civil to you, and I do not lie to her."
"Yes.and how is your lovely mate? I heard she ran into a bit of trouble in the market today."
"She's fine." Vegeta answered tightly. "She's the reason I am here. I need something from you." He clearly didn't like asking, and his mouth twisted downward in an expression of dislike.
The king liked seeing his son in such a position. "Yes?"
"I want a full regiment of bodyguards for my mate. What happened today is not to happen again. I will not lose her."
"Well, I suppose." It was more perfect than he could imagine. He could order one or two of the guards to take care of the woman and everything would be perfect. He smirked. "Yes, I believe that would be best, son."
Vegeta's eyes glinted. "Bardok will chose the guards himself, and be their leader."
"Bardok is a very busy man. Besides, he's only a low class warrior; he doesn't deserve the prestige of guarding the mate of the Prince of all Saiyans." King Vegeta countered quickly.
The prince frowned, suddenly suspicious. "I trust him. He saved her life today, and besides, his brat if my fr.my frie.damn it, I can say it! Kakarrott is my fr.ien.d." Vegeta panted from the effort of saying the words, glaring at his father as if daring him to make a comment.
"You're becoming a conspiracy theorist. Such extreme measures are not needed."
"Perhaps, however, I think they would be best. After all, it would prevent someone who holds a prejudice against non-Saiyans from slipping a knife into my mate's ribs, don't you think?" He asked coldly.
They glared at each other for a long moment, waiting to see who would back down first. Finally the king let loose a loud curse, slamming his fist into a wall.
"Only pure Saiyans can hold the throne of Vegetasei, that.that woman cannot be permitted to become queen, and those abominations you call your children must not be allowed to become heirs!" He roared.
"I KNEW IT! IT WAS YOU, YOU PIECE OF SHI-"
"Don't be an idiot, brat! Do you care more for your mate then for your planet?"
"You won't kill her. I will not allow it."
"You cannot be around her all the time, Vegeta. One day, when you least expect it, someone will take care of her. Accept the inevitable, brat. I am trying to protect the purity of our proud race."
Vegeta stormed out of the throne room, cape flying dramatically behind him.

"Onna, get up, we have to go."
"Mmmm.Vegeta? What time is it?"
"Around midnight." He scooped her into his arms, blankets and all, and began walking toward the door. Usagi yawned, putting her arms around his neck and had almost drifted back to sleep when she realized that something was wrong. She sat up and began to struggle to be let down.
"Vegeta! It's the middle of the night. I'm in my nightgown! WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME?!"
"Quiet, onna, anyone could hear you." He hissed coldly, tightening his hold on her. "They're just waiting for their chance."
"What are you talking about?" She asked quietly, frightened by his tone of voice. Something had upset him, he was angry, and maybe a little frightened as well. "Vegeta? What's going on?"
"I have to ask you to do something for me, mate." His dark eyes scanned the corridor carefully before he took off at a fast walk to the right. "It will be painful, but it must be done. You must understand, I would not ask it of you under any other circumstance, but I have no choice. Will you do it?" His tone begged for her to understand and forgive him, but she didn't understand what for.
She didn't even hesitate. "Yes, of course, if you want me to. I trust you. But Vegeta, what is it?"
He scowled, but before he could answer, three guards stepped into their way, stances ready for a fight, countenances hard and determined. A low growl rose up in Vegeta's throat and he tightened his grip on Usagi.
"A little late to be taking a romantic stroll." The guard who appeared to be the leader said coldly.
Vegeta drew himself up proudly. "You dare to question your Prince?"
"Not you, my Prince. Just the space trash you brought with you. We're on strict orders from the king, now, you can either make this easy or you can make it extremely difficult, but we can't let you continue on your way with that.non-Saiyan filth."
The growl grew louder and with a burst of power, flames of golden energy sprang to life around Vegeta as he took the form of the legendary Super Saiyan.
"You dare to challenge me? I'll grind you to dust!"
They shifted, prepared for battle.
"Vegeta!" Usagi clutched desperately at him, he couldn't fight while he was holding her, not without putting her in danger, no matter how powerful he was. "Please, don't kill them!" She suddenly understood. The king had sent these men to get rid of her. Her own father-in-law.
"They want to kill you, fool."
"I don't care, they're under orders. Do you really think they have a choice?"
"Some fools will do anything for money and power." He snarled. "No one who threatens my mate deserves to live."
"So you'd kill your own father?"
"If I must."
"You can't. I won't let you do that to yourself. Even though you hate him, you would never be able to forgive yourself. People don't have the right to decide who lives and dies.please, Vegeta. Let's just go." She begged. If he was to kill them, he would return to what he once was, a man living on rage alone. She couldn't allow that to happen, she had to stop it, at any cost. "Please!"
He glared at the guards a moment more before, with a snarl and a burst of speed, he took off in the opposite direction, moving so fast none of the would-be assassins lying in wait would even see them, or, if they did, all they would see was a golden blur. Usagi held on tightly to the man she loved, thanking him through her relieved tears. Finally he stopped expression grim, in front of a door decorated with strange symbols.

Gerpepa muttered quietly to himself as he poured over the holy scrolls, searching for the answers he sought, the secret of life and happiness, the key to true power, and any other revelation that would prove the old holy man wasn't getting too old for his job. He had been born with an abnormality that made his bones weak and brittle, easily broken and less easily healed. The physicians had known right away that he would never be a fighter and his parents, disappointed and disgusted, had given him over to the holy men.
He had studied hard, desperate to make himself useful, and had been taken in as the royal holy man at the age of twenty-four after the king had the old one executed for telling him his dream meant he would die. The king had died a week later, and the current king had taken the throne at the age of twelve. King Vegeta had no interest in matters of the soul, only matters of the body, of physical strength and power. Gerpepa was ignored by everyone except the high ladies who came begging him to give them charms for love or fertility or any number of other foolish things, and young warriors would sometimes come to ask him to pray that they become strong.
When Gerpepa was forty-six, the king's mate gave birth to the Prince, and Gerpepa's life changed. The king didn't know how to love a small child, he only knew about fighting. Often the king's methods of training the boy left him beaten and broken and near death, and that's when Gerpepa began to hide the child, taking care of him until his wounds were healed and trying to save whatever soul the son of the ruthless king might possess.
He was an arrogant, spoiled brat, but Gerpepa had been fond of him, even going so far as to try to stop the king from sending him to Frieza, knowing of the man's cruelty and fondness for young boys. But the king had only ever seen the possible power Frieza's training could bring the boy, not the harm.
He nearly jumped out of his skin, ashamed for being caught daydreaming, when the door banged open and a man strolled in. He was glowing with golden power, the most beautiful woman Gerpepa had ever seen held in his arms.
Gerpepa immediately fell to his knees. "Messengers of The One!" He breathed in awe.
"Get off the floor, old man." An arrogant voice spat. Gerpepa looked up as the visitor set his woman down. The golden aura fell away, and the man suddenly had black hair instead of golden, glittering obsidian eyes in place of the former cold aqua. The woman didn't change.
Gerpepa obediently scrambled to his feet. There was something familiar about the man, but he couldn't place quite what it was.
"I need you to perform a ceremony for us, and I won't take no for an answer."
"Ah, yes.who are you?"
A very cross look crossed the man's face at not being recognized. "Fool! Bow before the almighty Prince of all Saiyans!"
"Prince Vegeta? No.no, you couldn't be him. I heard he was back, but surely the boy I knew was only a little thing, and I know he would have had the courtesy to visit me before now." Growling, the Prince grabbed him by the collar and lifted him off the floor. For some reason, Gerpepa became very, very nervous at this. "Ah.I think I recognize you now, my Prince. What.what can I do for you?"
Vegeta released him with a sneer and a shove, causing him to fall to the floor, then glanced at the woman with him. For a wonder, his expression softened.
"We need a Soul-Binding Ceremony." He announced reluctantly.
Gerpepa felt dread fill his entire being. "No, my Prince!" He gasped. "You can't mean."
Vegeta took a deep breath and nodded, eyes on the girl.

To Be Continued