Chapter 6: Authors note (I'd like to thank everyone who has been reviewing, it certainly makes me wont to finish this story more quickly, know that there are people enjoying it. I'd especially like to thank those of you who review every chapter, you know who you are ~_^, big thanks. I think there's only about one more chapter to go after this one and I'm still undecided about what I'm going to do once I've finished it. If anyone has any suggestions I'd love to hear them. Anyway, enough babble. I'll let you read)
Meanwhile in the comfort and safety of the castle walls Bulma strolls through the snow covered gardens that surround the castle its self. They are elaborately decorated with roses of all colours and varieties, made to grow into exotic shapes and bushes. Other flowers and small trees decorate the gardens and it is all centralised around a huge fountain. Bulma walks through the ankle deep snow, holding Tiens reins as he walks next to her. From a balcony above Goku, Juunanagou, Piccolo and Vegeta watch her. Vegeta leans on the balcony's railing and gently rubs his hand over the bandaged wound he suffered in the forest.
"I've never felt this way about anyone…" Vegeta says, more to himself than anyone else. His servants exchange excited and hopeful glances and wait to see if their master will follow this train of thought further.
"I want to do something for her" He finishes looking almost excited. His features then crease and he looks discouraged. "But what?"
The three servants all look at each other and nod. Juunanagou steps forward to offer his advice.
"Well, there's the usual things: flowers, chocolates, promises you don't intend to keep..." He smiles as he lists them off. Vegeta listens intently while Piccolo rolls his eyes and shakes his head. Goku then jumps forward to offer his words of advice.
"No. It has to be something very special. Something that sparks her interest. Wait a minute!" Everyone looks towards him as his brow furrows and he chews his lip in concentration.
"Well?" Vegeta demands in a soft, yet forceful tone.
"Well, what I think you should do is…" Goku stands beside Vegeta and whispers his plan into his master's ear. The other two servants gather round so that they can too hear. After Goku is finished he stands back with a huge grin plastered across his face. Juunanagou and Piccolo both nod, approving of Goku's plan. Vegeta looks lost in thought but all three servants are more than confident that their plan will work out.
Bulma and Vegeta walk down a brightly lit corridor carpeted with the same royal red used throughout the castle. Bulma gazes around at the well-decorated corridor and her gaze continues out of the large windows that line it. Vegeta seems content just to walk down the centre as Bulma rushes from side to side to view different items. She has found herself much more relaxed and comfortable in the castle since the incident in the forest. All the servants have noticed her change in mood too. In fact, even Vegeta has noticed a positive change in her attitude towards her imprisonment and most importantly, towards him. They soon reach a small wooden door with gold trimmings at the end of the corridor. They stop in front of it.
"There's something I want to show you" Bulma looks excited and she waits patiently for Vegeta to show her. Vegeta reaches out and claps one of the handles. He carefully begins to open it before stopping and closing the door again. "But first, you have to close your eyes"
Bulma looks at him questioningly.
"It's a surprise" He reassures her.
She shrugs her shoulders and complies, closing her eyes. Vegeta waves a hand in front of her face to make sure her eyes are closed and that she cannot see anything before he proceeds to open the door. He takes her hands in his and slowly leads her into the room. When they reach the centre of the room Vegeta stops, Bulma stops with him.
"Can I open them?" Bulma asks, dying to know where he has taken her.
"No, no. Not yet. Wait here." Vegeta adds as he dashes off towards the large green velvet curtains before them. He draws back the huge curtains and bright sunlight streams in through the large windows that have been revealed. Bulma flinches as the light spills across her face but she quickly adjusts to the sensation. Vegeta runs round to room, opening all of the curtains. More and more light floods the room and soon it is as bright in the room as it is outside. Bulma senses the noise of Vegeta opening curtains has stopped and she hears him approaching her.
"Now can I open them?"
Vegeta glance round the room one last time to make sure everything is in it's place.
"All right. Now"
Bulma opens her eyes and blinks a few times against the light and then gasps. She spins round to find herself confronted with wall, upon wall of books. The library is so big it has staircases leading up to a second level, and still then a ladder is needed to reach the top shelf.
"I can't believe it. I've never seen so many books in all my life!" She stares wide eyed around her. Still turning to take it all in.
"You, you like it?" Vegeta asks her as he watches a looks of wonder and excitement cross her face.
"It's wonderful" Bulma says turning to face him. Her eyes alight like they have not been since she came to the castle.
"Then it's yours" Vegeta proclaims.
"Oh, thank you so much!" Bulma can barely contain her excitement; no one has even made such a nice gesture towards her. She gazes into Vegeta's eyes and looks at him in a whole new light. She smiles at him and takes his hand in hers. "Thank you"
Vegeta feels a wave of nervousness sweep over him but he refuses to loose his composure. He straightens up and nods at her. She is warmed by his silent words. Suddenly the beast before her is more man than monster. Bulma narrows her eyes as she tries to imagine Vegeta without the extra fur and tail. She gets no further so she shakes her head and, with his hand in hers, she leads him over to select a book to read.
At the door to the library the servants have gathered. They are all crowded around the door, peering in. They watch quietly as their master unveils his gift to Bulma. Smiles grace all of their faces as they see her reaction.
"Oh, would you look at that?" ChiChi says excitedly as she grasps her husband's hand.
"Ha ha! I knew it would work" Goku says, squeezing back.
"What? What works?" Gohan asks looking very confused.
"It's very encouraging" Piccolo adds with a small smile.
"Isn't this exciting!" Juuhachigou remarks as they continue to observe their master and Bulma.
"I didn't see anything" Gohan tugs at his mothers dress, trying to get her attention.
"Come along, Gohan. There's chores to be done in the kitchen." ChiChi says grinning as she removes Gohans hand from the hem of her dress and holds it in hers. She then proceeds to drag the youngster off to the kitchen.
"But what are they talking about? What's going on?" The curious Gohan continues to badger his mother. As she begins to scold him the other servants follow and leave Bulma and Vegeta alone in the library.
In a brightly lit casual dinning room the servants of the castle rush around preparing breakfast. A hum of excitement is in the air after the events of the evening before. A long wooden table takes up most of the room. ChiChi quickly lays a bright tablecloth over it and Juuhachigou proceeds to set it with fine china and silverware. Vegeta enters through one of the doors and takes a seat at the head of the table. The servants shoulders all droop as they see he is alone. However as ChiChi wheels the breakfast cart over to the table Bulma slips in through the door. She takes up the other seat at the other end of the table and smiles at the servants as they pour hot porridge into the beautiful bowl set before her. She picks up her spoon and begins to politely eat the porridge. She looks up to the sound of slurping and is greeted by a bowl where Vegeta's head should be. He continues gorging, holding the bowl up to his face as he eats from it like some starved creature. Gohan laughs but ChiChi shoots him an admonishing look and he stops. Bulma looks shocked but goes back to eating, trying to ignore Vegeta's appalling table manners. Vegeta places the bowl down, knowing he's doing something wrong but unsure of what it is he casts a glance about the room. Gohan comes to the rescue as he hands Vegeta a silver spoon with a big smile. Vegeta takes the spoon and turns it round in his hand, investigating it. He then looks over at Bulma and tries to copy what she is doing with the spoon. With his grip all wrong he lowers the spoon into the porridge. He lifts it to his lips and turning his head tries to catch the food that is dropping from the spoon. Most of it ends up on his face and he looks frustrated. Bulma, feeling sorry for him puts down her spoon and lifts her bowl as if in a toast. Vegeta looks at the compromise and does the same. They both begin to sip the porridge out of their bowls in a most polite fashion.
After breakfast Vegeta and Bulma meet up in the courtyard at the edge of the gardens. Vegeta waits on a small stone bench wearing what he always wears but with a dark blue cloak thrown about his shoulders to ward off the chill of the snow. Bulma soon emerges from the small castle door that leads to the snow-covered courtyard. She is dressed in the pink dress Juuhachigou offered on her first night there. She is also wearing a dark pink hooded cloak with white fur trimmings. She smiles at Vegeta as she walks out. In her hand she carries a small grey sack. Vegeta looks at her quizzically and she opens it to reveal it is full of bird feed. She walks out into the middle of the courtyard and throws some of the seed to the ground. Vegeta looks on confused but soon a group of small, brightly coloured birds has gathered in the courtyard and are eagerly pecking at the seeds. Bulma fills her hand with the bird feed and soon a small bird lands on her hand and begins to eat. Vegeta walks over to her in a sort of daze. She takes his hand and puts some bird feed into it. She then smiles at him.
*beginning of song*
"There's something sweet
And almost kind
But he was mean
And he was coarse and unrefined.
But now he's dear
And so unsure,
I wonder why I didn't see it there before."
Bulma turns back towards him and gazes at him, seeing him in a whole new way. She giggles to herself as she watches Vegeta trying to get the tiny bird to eat from his hands. He crouches down and holds his hands, filled with bird feed, out towards them. He then thrusts his hand at them, startling them so that they all fly from him to feed a safe distance from him. He frowns as he sees his efforts are to no avail. Bulma walks over to him and puts a hand on his shoulder. She then files his hands with more seed and encourages him to hold his hands out flat. She then makes a trail of seed from where the birds are feeding to Vegeta's outstretched hands. One little bird hops along the trail pecking at the seed until it hops up into Vegeta's hands and begins to feed. He looks up at Bulma, thrilled that the little bird is eating from his hands.
(now let's try not to laugh at the concept of Vegeta singing cause you'll ruin my little Disney-DBZ moment. So just bare with me.)
"She glanced this way
I thought I saw
And when we touched
She didn't shudder at my paw
No it can't be
I'll just ignore
But then she's never looked at me that way before."
Bulma walks round to the other side of a small tree in the middle of the courtyard. She leans against it's trunk and a look of uncertainty crosses her face.
"New, and a bit alarming
Who'd have ever thought that this could be?
True, that he's no Prince Charming
But there's something in him that I simply didn't see."
She then leans round the side of the tree to see Vegeta absolutely covered with the tiny birds. He looks somewhat uncomfortable with the situation and she cannot help but laugh. Vegeta shakes himself to be rid of the birds. They all scatter in a flurry of wings. He looks proudly over at Bulma, only to be greeted by a snowball aimed at his face. After clearing the snow from his eyes he scowls at her and then grins as he gathers a huge pile of snow into a ball. Bulma emerges from behind the tree as Vegeta raises the huge snowball above his head. He is about to throw it when Bulma throws a small snowball at him, hitting him in the face and causing him to drop his large snowball on his head. He quickly shakes the snow off himself and proceeds to chase Bulma around the tree.
Vegeta's ever-watchful servants observe the courtyard activities through a window in a room on the second floor. They all smile as they observe the play fight bellow them.
"Well who'd have thought?" Piccolo asks of the other servants.
"Well bless my soul." ChiChi say, beaming.
"And who'd have known?" Juunanagou adds while leaning against the wall beside the window.
"Well who indeed?" Juuhachigou says while smiling and shaking her head.
"And who'd have guessed they'd come together on their own?" Juunanagou continues his train of thought.
"It's so peculiar" ChiChi says while sharing nods and smiles with the others.
"We'll wait and see
A few days more
There may be something there that wasn't there before." All of them finish together.
*end of song*
Bulma and Vegeta come back into the castle, out of the cold and make their way to the den. The servants quickly make their way down stairs to stand in the doorway of the den. Vegeta takes off his cloak and Bulma's and hangs them up on the coat rack by the fire. Bulma meanwhile settles herself in front of the roaring fire. She arranges her skirt round her legs as Vegeta sits down next to her. She opens a book and begins reading to him. He places one hand on the ground behind her to support his weight as he shuffles closer so he can see the words as she reads them.
The servants watch them from the doorway and are thrilled to see the improvement in their master.
"Yes, perhaps there's something there that wasn't there before." Piccolo says, nodding knowingly.
"What?" Gohan calls up at him.
"There may be something there that wasn't there before." ChiChi says as she places a gentle hand on her son's head.
"What's there mum?" He continues to ask.
"I'll tell you when you're older." ChiChi says softly as she picks Gohan up in her arms and carries him off to bed. Goku follows her, placing a strong hand on her shoulder and their tails flick back and forth behind them. Piccolo and the twins, Juunanagou and Juuhachigou, also retire to their rooms. None are able to sleep much as an air of excitement and change fills the castle.
That evening Vegeta could be found in the grand claw-foot bathtub located in the huge bathroom connected to his quarters. Despite the West Wing being in disarray the bathroom seemed to have managed to avoid the wrath of Vegeta. Vegeta lies back in the bathtub, filled with bubbles that spill over the edge and onto the floor. Goku sits next to the bathtub on a small footstool and waits for Vegeta to finish bathing.
"Tonight is the night!" Goku says excitedly while grinning. Vegeta sinks lower into the bubbles and mutters.
"I'm not sure I can do this."
"You don't have time to be timid. You must be bold, daring." Goku says while punching Vegeta lightly on the arm. Vegeta growls at him and Goku withdraws his hand laughing nervously.
"Bold. Daring." Vegeta repeats while climbing out of the tub. He shakes himself like a wet dog does, sending droplets of water flying everywhere. Goku puts his arms up to protest himself from the flying water but ends up getting rather wet anyway. After gently shaking most of the water from his furry body Goku continues to persuade Vegeta.
" There will be music. Romantic candlelight, and when the time is right, you confess your love." Goku smiles at the simplicity of the plan. Vegeta lifts his head inspired by the words.
"Yes, I, I con-- No, I can't." He says lowering his head while shaking it from side to side.
"You care for the girl, don't you?" Goku asks, sounding confused. Vegeta shoots him a deadly glare and Goku rubs the back of his head with his hand before continuing.
"Well then you must tell her" Goku assures him while he makes a few final adjustments to Vegeta's outfit. He steps back and smiles. Vegeta is dressed in tight fitting black pants accompanied by polished black boots. A crimped white shirt with a royal blue coat over the top. The coat ends at the wait and has tail that end at the knees. All it's buttons and trimmings are done in gold. Vegeta looks over at the door as Juunanagou enters.
"Ahem. Your lady awaits."
Vegeta emerges from his dressing room and steps out onto a small landing at the top of a small staircase with a red carpet running down its middle. The stairs lead down to a bigger landing and if one was to continue going straight ahead they would climb a set of identical stairs and find themselves at the door to Bulma's designated dressing room. As Vegeta is adjusting one of the sleeves on his coat Bulma emerges from her room. He looks up suddenly and gazes across at her. She is dressed in a beautiful glittering gold ball gown. It's sleeves rest just off her shoulders and it's skirt billows out. (I love the dress Belle wears in the film SO much) She looks across at him and smiles at the well dressed, presentable version of Vegeta. She then begins her decent of the stairs before her and, with a slight nudge from Goku, Vegeta does the same. They both reach the middle landing and Vegeta extends his hand to her. She takes it and they link arms with one another. Vegeta then leads Bulma down the rest of the staircase and into the dining room.
*beginning of song*
ChiChi sings in the background as Vegeta and Bulma begin to descend the stair together.
Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Then somebody bends unexpectedly.
Just a little change
Small to say the least
Both a little scared
Neither one prepared, beauty and the beast.
At the dinning table Bulma sits down one end while Vegeta sits at the other. They both eat their soup quietly and Vegeta even does so with a spoon, having mastered its use. Bulma then gets up from her chair an hurries over to Vegeta. She takes his hands in hers and leads him into the grand ballroom. She smiles at him as she rests one of her hands on his shoulders, takes his hand and guides it till it rests on her waist and holds his free hand in hers. Vegeta gulps at the sudden close contact but soon forgets it as they launch into a perfect dance sequence. Bulma is greatly impressed with his skills as a dancer, he is only so cause as a prince he was required to learn to dance from a young age.
Ever just the same
Ever a surprise
Ever as before,
ever just as sure
As the sun will rise
Tale as old as time
Tune as old as song
Bittersweet and strange,
Finding you can change,
Learning you were wrong
As they waltz around the ballroom Vegeta occasionally looks over at his servants for their approval and they all give him silent cheers. The ballroom is huge and the floor is so well polished it is almost mirroring. It is covered with intricate patterns and the whole room in circular and bordered with golden marble pillars and row upon row of candelabras. The ceiling is even more spectacular. It has a beautiful paint on it of cherubs lying about on clouds and from its center hangs the most amazing chandelier.
Certain as the sun
Rising in the east
Tale as old as time,
Song as old as rhyme,
Beauty and the beast.
Tale as old as time,
Song as old as rhyme,
Beauty and the beast.
*end of song*
As ChiChi finishes the song Vegeta leads Bulma out onto a semicircular balcony, decorated with plants in beautifully crafted pots that are part of the railing.
"Come now Gohan" ChiChi says taking her sons hand "It's time for bed" She then leads him out of the ballroom and off to the servants quarters.
Out on the balcony Bulma sits down on the stone seat the runs round the edge of it, with the railing to her back. Vegeta joins her and they sit in silence for awhile, gazing up at the stars. Vegeta takes Bulma's hands in his.
"Bulma? Are you happy here with me?"
"Yes…" Her voice trails off at the end and she looks off into the distance.
"What is it?" Vegeta asks, sounding concerned.
"If only I could see my father again, just for a moment. I miss him so much." She looks desperately at him. Her eyes silently pleading. Vegeta hangs his head in disappointment for a moment then looks up excitedly.
"There is a way" He holds a hand out to her. She looks confused but takes it all the same. He the leads her up to the West Wing. They stop by the small whit table, which the enchanted rose is on. Vegeta picks up the silver magic mirror. He hands it to Bulma.
"This mirror will show you anything, anything you wish to see."
Bulma looks hesitant as she quietly asks of it
"I'd like to see my father. Please" The mirror burst into life. Bulma turns her head from it as it emits a flash of light and the little green sparks surround it. She then looks back at it and sees her father, fallen in the woods, coughing and lost. Bulma is shocked and Vegeta looks at her with concern.
"He's sick, he may be dying. And he's all alone." Bulma sounds panicked and grief stricken. Vegeta turns from her and places a hand on the top of the bell jar covering the enchanted rose. He gazes down at it in deep thought.
"Then…then you must go to him"
"What did you say?"
Vegeta closes his eyes and continues.
"I release you. You are no longer my prisoner." Vegeta does not open his eyes as he says this as he finds it hard enough to say as it is.
"You mean I'm…free?" She asks in amazement.
"Yes"
"Oh thank you!" Bulma then looks down at the magic mirror "Hold on dad. I'm on my way." Bulma turns to leave but pauses. She then turns and hands the magic mirror back to Vegeta. He turns around and his eyes meet hers. He pushes the mirror back at her.
"Take it with you, so you'll always have a way to look back, and remember me." He says while running a hand through her hair. She leans into his hand and places her hand on his.
"Thank you for understanding how much he needs me." As she turns to leave Vegeta looks down in depression. She touches her hand to his check and rushes out. Juunanagou, on his way into the West Wing, is almost bowled over by Bulma s she rushes past him. He shakes his head in confusion before entering the room.
"Well, your highness. I must say everything is going just peachy. I knew you had it in you." Juunanagou says, smiling.
"I let her go" Vegeta's voice is laced with sadness.
"Ha ha ha, yes. Splend…" He pauses suddenly as Vegeta's words sink in. "You what? How could you do that?"
"I had to."
"Yes, but why?" He asks, still amazed.
"Because, I love her."
Juunanagou walks into the servants quarters, shoulders lumped and dragging his feet. The other servants look at him excitedly until he lifts his head and they see the expression on his face. They all look confused.
"He let her go…" He explains.
"He did what!?!" They all chide.
"I'm afraid it's true." He says, saddened.
"She's going away?" Gohan asks sounding very confused.
"But he was so close" Goku says, hanging his head in great disappointment.
"After all this time, he's finally learned to love." ChiChi adds sadly. Goku perks up at that remark.
"That's it, then. That should break the spell." He says excitedly. ChiChi shakes her head sadly.
"But it's not enough. She has to love him in return."
"And now it's too late" Piccolo finishes for everyone.
Bulma gallops down the stone pathway on Tiens back and speeds out of the gates. Vegeta watches her from the balcony of the West Wing and as he sees her pass through the gates he lets out and almighty roar of pain, loss and suffering. It echoes out across the landscape and slowly dissipates into the howling of the wind. Bulma gallops at full speed through the dense forest. She soon comes across her father in a snow bank. He is unconscious and freezing. She lifts him up onto Tien's back with her and gallops off. They quickly arrive home and she carries her father into their home as quickly as she can. Krillin, who has been waiting outside the house, disguised as a snowman rushes off to tell Yumcha of their return.
* * *
To be continued…