Vegeta's Vengence

Part Three: Silent Tears

Written By

SaiyanWarrior_Vegeta

After a fitful night of sleep, I snapped awake having another dream of being caged. As I woke, I thought for a second I was still in the cage, still on the craft just waiting to be beaten. Slowly my surroundings changed as I became aware of the new room. I lightly touched the collar about my neck as a kind of check. It was the brown leather collar from the Keep, not from Frieza. I sighed a bit relieved as I got up and dressed putting my bare feet to the soft, red carpet.

I took a long look in the mirror and for a moment I could see my father behind me. I shook my head knowing it would not be as I thought. I recalled the throne room to which I would be guarding. It reminded me of home and my heart was still wounded from Frieza. There was no sign of him since he had abandoned me here at Hell's Keep Slave Post. I already had a couple of other slaves and pets wanting to be my friend, but I wasn't ready to trust, not after what I had been through.

I went to the bed again and pulled on my boots and gloves topping off the loose blue bodysuit I was wearing. The day before, after the test with Mealstrome, I had been shot in the shoulder by a person named Vincent Valentine for no apparent reason than for the thrill of a hunt. I powered up slightly and looked to him raising my arm and powering up my Finishing Blast.

My Master watched me and I looked to him some the pain in my shoulder was burning but nothing like what I had suffered. I was ready to kill Vincent with the blast and did not power down at all. My collar activated and healed my wound taking away the pain with it. Vincent grinned some and I growled at him. "Why the hell did you do that to me? For the thrill of a hunt or what?"

Vincent shrugged. "Yes that's why I did it. For the thrill of the hunt and you were the prey."

I had heard this before and growled even more knowing that if I did not take care of it, then most likely no one would. He was one that took pleasure in seeing me suffer and I had many tormentors in my life. I had enough of them and was not going to tolerate anymore. I had done nothing to provoke them and yet I had been beaten ruthlessly. I expected the same from this Master as well and I would defend myself if I had to.

"Vegeta, what is going on?" Mr. Blackwell called to me right before I was about to fire on the person. "He had fired upon me when I had done nothing to him but served him as ordered."

I was tense with a rage in me as I hesitated on killing my prey. "This person fired upon me Master when I had done nothing to him."

Vincent grinned and lowered his weapon. My arm was still out and ready to fire when he spoke. "It was a slip of the finger, honestly."

My Master nodded and I could not see such a lie go unnoticed. "You lie! You aimed your gun directly at me and fired for no more than the thrill of the hunt. You told me yourself Vincent."

Robert Blackwell's eyes narrowed and I could feel his gaze on the both of us. I did not even move as I waited for an order, my eyes focused on Vincent alone. I had no reason to lie to this Master and I did not wish to start off on his bad side. Blackwell must have caught on to my rage and studied Vincent carefully. At last Robert spoke. "Vegeta."

I kept my gaze on Vincent half-expecting for an order to not harm him. After all I was a slave still and could not do as I so desired. I answered with a hint of mistrust in my voice. "Yes Master?"

My Master looked to me and then to Vincent. "Kill him. No one is to harm any of the slaves here unless by a Blackwell. That includes yourself as well."

I nodded and fired the blast running it straight through his heart. He fell to the ground dead and I scoffed him silently for treating me in such a manner. Half-surprised, I turned around and knelt to him as I was trained. "Thank you Master for allowing me to defend myself. I highly appreciate it Master."

Robert nodded to me. "Add him to your kill list Vegeta. You did good on alerting me to the matter."

"Yes Master, as you command." I spoke the words respectfully but in my mouth it still tasted so bitter to call another Master. I rose and did as ordered.

Yes that was the day before and today started a new day. As I made my bed and dusted off the dresser. I wrapped my tail about my waist and went downstairs to the Throne Room. I spotted my Master sitting at his throne and talking to others as I made my way to my post. I stood at perfect attention and waited for orders not used to this place yet. I could tell it was going to be an exhaustive day for me to maintain my respect to the Masters of the Keep.

I knew I still had a lot to learn of their ways and so I made a decision to just watch and listen quietly hoping to pick up on something familiar to me. Other than them having a throne room and me as a guard, it did not really come to me at first.

Cale was then watching the room and I maintained my post as another Vegeta from a different time era came to the Keep. Up until this point I had been secretly training hard and had even ascended higher than I could imagine. This other Vegeta again showed no respect to me as he went to Super Saiyan level four. I matched his strength with ease as he walked in looking to me.

In a mean undertone he looked to me. "I'm the only Vegeta there is."

I growled to him. "We'll see about that."

With that he looked to me and then laughed. "Then come and fight. I dare you to. Or are you too much of a coward?"

I lowered my head my eyes locked on his. "I'm no coward. I would fight you but my Master will not allow it without his permission."

The other Vegeta laughed and mocked me. "You're a slave? Well then better go hide behind your Master before I kill you."

I growled at him more. "Not by choice, long story, don't feel like talking about it. I hide behind nothing or no one now leave me alone."

The other one shook his head. "Not until we fight slave."

I tensed with rage and fury at him and waited to defend myself. Cale spoke up to me, himself getting annoyed. I could hear it in his voice, as I stood ready to kill once more. "Vegeta, get rid of him."

I grinned an evil smirk and charged him. The battle was too short to be measured. I ended up killing him with my Finishing Blast striking his heart and going clean through. I showed no remorse at all after not being given a reason to.

My breathing slowed down and I began to calm once more. I hated being mocked in such a way and for once I was told to kill the person. I was beginning to wonder what these people wanted of me as a guard. Again I just stood there afterwards and watched as the other slaves again began talking once more. I stood my post until Mr. Blackwell entered again and I gave a bow to him as he entered. When he wasn't busy, I then knelt in front of him again and waited to be acknowledged. It didn't take long at all.

Robert looked to me. "What is it Vegeta?" He gently asked.

I sighed some and then calmly spoke to him. "If it is your wish, may I stand down from my post Master?"

Blackwell nodded. "Yes Vegeta you may. Do as you wish."

"Thank you Master." I said relieved and then stood and went to the kitchen. The food was low and I could tell the place would need more. I then walked to the door and after gaining permission I went out to hunt food for them. It lifted my spirits a bit feeling the wind rush over me again, flying like I had done when I was young. It cleared my mind and I settled on the task of gathering food for the Keep.

The hunt went well for me as I gathered up the needed food. Having flown again got me thinking more about this place. The last time I was able to roam like this was when I was on my home world. It felt good to have a vast area to roam once more as I raced back with my kills. I had no idea what it was that I found in these people but as I looked around at the other slaves, I found a couple had a spirit to fight as well. I cleaned the meat and wrapped it then went to put it away.

After that was finished, I went to my corner and stayed there. Taking entrances, I found myself surprised to find another Saiyan still alive. Skye Darkfire came in and had bowed to me. It caught me off guard as he then called me Prince Vegeta. I had not been called that since the age of six and I never expected to hear it again, much less from another Saiyan. I thought I had been the last. That was what I was taught and what I had believed since my home world was destroyed.

I looked to Skye suspiciously at first. "You can't be a Saiyan. I am the only one left. What is this, some sort of cruel joke? What's your name?"

Skye shook his head. "My name is Skye and it's no joke my Prince. I was sent off Planet Vegeta about fifteen years ago. The others had wondered where you went but no one knew and now I have found you at last."

I was at a loss of words. Here I was standing before a fellow Saiyan after all this time. He looked up and noticed my collar around my throat and a look of concern came to his face. "Vegeta why is that collar about your neck? Who put it there?"

I looked down some not sure if I wanted to tell him. I looked back to the kid and took a deep breath. "I'm a slave. This collar was placed on me by my current Master, Mr. Blackwell."

Skye's face took on a look of shock. "A slave? I thought I would never see you broken my Prince. You were so proud and wild at home. What happened to you?"

I looked down again and closed my eyes briefly. "Frieza is what happened. I was beaten almost every day and if not beaten, tormented, if not that caged and bound. My new owner shows me some respect, but I'm not sure I can trust again, ever."

My eyes went up to see his expression. It was one of shock and deep surprise. Now it was his turn to become speechless and in a strange way, I found it a bit comforting. He looked to me again. "If you have become a slave my Prince than so shall I."

Shock filled my expression. "Why would anyone willingly want to become a slave?"

Skye seemed to try to search for the right words. "I have no where else to go and no one to turn to Sire."

Thinking for a moment, I shook my head. "No, you are free right now. I forbid you to become a slave as order from your Prince."

Skye shook his head this time. "You're wrong. Remember at home when all Saiyans swore allegiance to you and your father? Well I'm still honor bound to protect you Sire. If you are a slave then I shall be too. I will not be told otherwise."

I couldn't say anything against it. It was the truth and I could not argue against it, but I still wished for him to remain free. I knew through his stubbornness that he was telling the truth. It was a Saiyan trademark to be stubborn and very determined when trying to get someone to see the truth of a fact.

I let out a deep breath. "I still wish you to remain free, but I cannot argue the fact either. Yes, I remember those oaths and very well. Let me warn you though, a slave's life is not always easy as I can tell from my own personal experiences. However that is not for me to decide, but my Master's."

Skye looked to me again, something different in his eyes. He looked as if he had found something he had been searching for. I could only look away from him not sure how to take finding another Saiyan. I felt uneasy with him wanting to become a slave. There was a lot of spirit left in his eyes, spirit that had been snuffed out of me cruelly. In a way I even felt shame come to me again for not fighting harder.

I went inside again and after a bit, I thought about his being from my home. It still seemed impossible to me that he could be a Saiyan. My Master collared him and then told me he was under my charge. After that we would train constantly and then I found out about his temper. It would be rough but there was no way I would let it stand in my path for very long.

Still very wary around here, I would do as my new Master said and keeping with my training, I would try and respect his wishes whatever they may be. I knew from the start that a slave's life would not be easy, and it hadn't been since my time with Frieza. Now though, I had a chance to turn it around and live comfortably.

I went to bed that night and hoped to rest up when I found myself dreaming of home again. I recalled my father's proud voice talking to me again and I laughed as I romped through my castle. Then things spun around and bars surrounded me once more. My heart began to race as I heard Frieza's voice laughing in the background, that one subliminal message going through my mind.

I tossed and turned trying to break free, my hands unknowingly clenching the pillows on my bed. I was slipping deeper into the abyss of laughter and a lash fell across my back with a sharp crack. I jerked awake, my breathing heavy and my heart racing. I found myself sitting up in bed and gasping for breath.

I reached up and touched the collar about my neck. "It was only a nightmare, just a dream. No longer held on chains or in a cage and no longer whipped for the slightest." I told myself quietly and almost under my breath.

I lightly gripped my collar about my throat again as an extra reassurance. I looked to the mirror and got up, standing and getting dressed in my usual clothes. I looked in to the mirror as I was about to pass it and paused. I could almost see the young, untamed Vegeta in it, though my eyes. My childhood having long ago been ripped away from me, I stared at it for a moment and gave a moment of remembrance to the lost kid in me.

I wrapped my tail about my waist and headed out the door putting on a look of calm to hide my tiredness. I had not slept well but I didn't want anyone to know how tired I was. My nightmares kept coming to me night after night. Even here I was not able to rest easily and completely. There was a lot about me that my new Master didn't know about me. I wasn't sure that he wanted to know and so I took this silently, my mental suffering making me more and more exhausted.

To others, I was the pillar of strength, the calm collected one when needed to be. I was the one that they came to with their problems and talked to me about. I would listen to them silently as they shared their lives with me. Even they did not understand my full suffering, the rage that burned deep in my soul, the hatred that wanted to come up.

I kept it buried so no one would know my pain, my fears, my heart felt so vulnerable. The collar about my neck was a blessing and a curse to me. A blessing because it was tangible, something to bring me back into the here and now. A curse because it was a reminder of my slavery and the harsh ways I was broken and trained.

I walked in and gave a bow to my Master respectfully. "Good morning Master. I hope you are doing well this day?"

Mr. Blackwell nodded to me in acknowledgement of my bow. "Yes it has been Vegeta, so far anyway."

I nodded some and took my post, grateful Blackwell did not insist on referring to me as "slave" constantly and in a degrading way. I watched silently as a couple new slaves entered Nienna and Akira. From the moment I had laid eyes on her, I could tell there was something different, something stronger. The same with Akira, he was different as well and I could sense this.

They came up asking me to serve here under a Master. I looked to them. "I'm not a Master here. My Master though is right there, Mr. Blackwell." I spoke his name with only the most respect and motioned to him some. "Let me see what I can do for you?"

I turned and took a knee, kneeling down before him and waited for his acknowledgement. He was busy, but I waited patiently before him until he was through. Then with little pause he looked to me. "Yes Vegeta, what do you need?"

I kept my eyes low and spoke so that he could hear me clearly. "Master, Nienna and Akira wish to become slaves of the Keep. I told them to talk to you first."

Robert nodded a little and for a moment there was pause where I could feel his gaze upon me. I wished to know what he was thinking, but I remained silent suppressing my curiosity. The moment was very brief, but it was there. "Very well Vegeta, take your post again."

I nodded some. "Yes Master, as you command."

I waited until I was a respectful distance away and then stood up more fully taking my post once more. Then after talking some with the others before him, Blackwell called for me again. "Vegeta, do you wish for them as your own?"

I took a knee again and knelt before him once more. "Master, I leave that decision to you. If you want me to have them, so be it."

My owner looked over me though again it was very brief. "They are yours. Show them their rooms and go over the rules, collars, and whips with them."

I nodded some. "Yes Master, as you command."

I stood up and looked to Akira and Nienna. I motioned them upstairs and then went over everything with them as I showed them their rooms. There was a lot to be done this day and a lot of people were coming in. I went back down after I was finished and knelt before my Master once more. "Master, I have done as ordered."

He looked to me again. "Very good Vegeta. Go ahead and do as you wish."

Nodding some I replied to him calmly. "As you wish Master."

I stood and went to the corner, my corner. There I could watch all around the Keep and in a defensible space as well. I could not understand Blackwell's intentions with me but I intended to keep watch and find out if that was possible.

By the end of that day, I was worn down and just waiting for the okay to go to the room. This closed out my third day in the Keep and I lay down tired. I slipped off my boots and gave a yawn, stretching out and my tail flicked behind me. I laid down hoping that I could rest easier than the night before.

The next morning was not something I expected as the others greeted me. Skye had joyously called out, "Hail Vegeta, the Prince of Saiyans!"

I was taken aback by this having not had that type of greeting for so long. In a way it felt strange but I could not help but take pride in the call. For the first time in 24 long years, I was greeted once more like I had been at home. This was shaping up to be a good day for me and for once, my being a slave didn't seem all that degrading. My luck was finally starting to shift for the better.

I was pounced upon and played with that day and pride began to come to me once more. I still stood my post that day, but that night as things wound down, something else had occurred. One of the women in the Keep went into labor and soon afterwards a child was born, a strong boy. The mother came down the stairs and looked around and others were thinking of names for the kid. I kept silent and to myself just watching the others and not wanting to spoil their happiness.

Watching though made me suddenly feel a sharp loneliness unlike any I had ever felt before. I suddenly began to miss my own father, my home. There was no way for me to ever fill that void, that cutting pain deep in my heart. Their laughter rang throughout the Keep, but like most of the time, I just remained quiet, letting them enjoy the mood of the night.

When I was just about to slip quietly away to my room, I found myself approached with the child. "Vegeta, would you like to hold the new baby? It's Mr. Blackwell's new son and we're looking for a name for him. Have any in mind?"

I looked to the child in her arms and gently cradled the child carefully pulling him closer to me. I could sense a high strength in him and it made me think of home. I felt a pride unlike which I have ever felt before. Knowing it to be my Master's, I gave careful consideration to the thought of a name for the kid. "I don't think you'll like the names I have thought over, but how about Thairox, Cydon, or Sarvodec?"

She didn't look like she was too pleased with the names and I carefully handed the child back over. I turned and shook my head. "You're right, none are good enough for my Master's son."

Then from seemingly everywhere in the Keep, Blackwell called down. "I like Cydon. That will be his name."

I looked around and that pride filled me once more. Now every time I looked to the kid I would know that it was I who came up with the name for him. Cydon, in the Saiyan language, had the meaning of Strength. It suited the child well and I felt it an honor to name him. I gave a grin to show the pride in my heart now. "I take it as a deep honor to name the son of my Master."

Blackwell came down the stairs and looked to me. I gave a bow to him. "Congratulations on the child Master, thank you for the honor of naming your son."

Robert just beamed with the pride and joy of a new father. "No Vegeta, the honor is mine. Not everyone gets to have their child named by the Prince of Saiyans."

I would have tried to refuse the compliment but did not want to anger him at all, so I took it in and then finally I gave him another bow. "Excuse me Master, but today has been a long day. If I may retire to my quarters, it would be highly appreciated."

He nodded and gave me the permission to then I walked up to my room and again went to bed. I laid there in my bed covered up to my waist with the red comforter type blanket and let my mind wander. The silence of the room around me seemed to amplify my thoughts more and in a way I just let them ring through. Before I knew it though, I had drifted off to another dream turned nightmare.

Over the course of the next month, Nienna and myself grew closer and closer. For the first time, she coaxed me into letting my feelings show more. The raw hatred and pain wanted to come forth as I fought my way to the surface. I had been holding back now for twenty-four years and now it was too strong to hold back anymore.

I had never really shown my scars before to anyone, not to the extent of which I was going to show them. Not even Blackwell had seen all my many scars that Frieza had inflicted upon me. I pulled off my loose blue shirt to Nienna and faced her. Scars were visible to her now on my chest and ribs, then I pulled off my gloves. Twin scars about each wrist told of the cuffs that had cut deep into them. My hands were battered like I had been in many fights, which I had been for those long and painful years under my previous master.

Then I turned around and showed her my back. The marks of a whip crisscrossed my back. Some wrapped about my shoulders and waist from where the lash had wrapped about me and tore at my flesh. One scar went from my right shoulder clear across my back to my lower left ribs. The memory of that one was still very vivid in my mind that night.

Nienna gasped at the sight and for the first time could see how cruel my life had been to me. She looked to me with a look of silent strength in her hazel brown eyes. I looked deep into them but my memories were too sharp and painful. After telling a side of me no one had ever heard, she could not believe the rage still pent up inside of me. I let out a loud cry of hatred to the ceiling directed at Frieza. "Damn you Frieza. THE SAIYAN PRINCE WILL NOT FALL AGAIN!"

After that was released, I felt tears coming to my eyes and they stung like fire. My collar felt as if it was choking me, but I knew it wasn't as a tear slipped down my cheek. I brushed it away angrily, cursing at myself for showing such weakness in front of someone else, but I could no longer hide what it was doing to me. I tried to choke them back again when I felt a hand on my shoulder. It wasn't a mocking or tormenting hand but one of gentleness and love.

It was then that my tears silently fell to the carpeted floor, tears of loss, of grief, pain, rage, and of hatred. The raw emotions of my heart were coming forth. The fear of being mocked for this were soon taken away and it began a long process, one that would take time.

I was now going to heal the internal wounds that were open and a thought came to mind. This thought was strangely comforting as I thought of these words and for the first time I understood them completely. Blood are the tears of the body, but tears are the blood of the soul. They certainly rang true as I spent the next few minutes just grieving for the first time all my losses in life.

These silent tears however would lead to my becoming a very powerful warrior. In letting go of this old pain and letting these wounds heal, could I then fill it with strength unlike that of which has never been obtained by a Saiyan, both energy and in my heart.