Disclaimer: A terrible thing happened to me today. I realized I still don't own DBZ! So please do not sue me.
Okay, before I get started I have a few comments to make. First, when I uploaded the previous chapters all of my italics disappeared. I had used italics for thoughts and for emphasis of certain words and I didn't know they wouldn't show up when I posted my story. From now on, thoughts will be within single quotation marks, like 'this'. I'm not sure what to do with stressed words. Any suggestions are welcome. Also, a few times I had intended characters to trail off while talking or thinking and I put three period marks. That got changed too, so the first chapters are a little screwed up (and I'm aware I'm being obsessive), so I'm sorry!
Next, a couple messages.
Albinofrog88: Thank you so much for taking the time to read my fic and for being my very first reviewer! I hope you will continue to enjoy my story. I'll do my best to make it interesting.
ShadowObscurity: Thanks so much for your review! I've been thinking this story was stupid and I should give up, but you think it's good? I'm so happy! In response to your questions, Bulma is not in this story. The King Vegeta here is the father of everybody's favorite Saiyan (okay, mine, anyway), and Prince Vegeta has not been born yet. I have changed my story summary to explain this now, because the old one sucked and didn't explain anything. Well, anyway, thank you and keep reading (please!).
Whew! And now, our feature presentation!
Chapter Four—Preparations
Taita let the servant women bathe her and clean the cut on her cheek. When she was clean they dressed her in a thin white gown. She looked down at herself in shock.
"This garment is nearly transparent! I can't wear something like this!" she cried.
One of the women hid a smile. "You won't be wearing it very long, my lady. I wouldn't worry too much about it if I were you."
Taita glared. "You think I'm going to be the king's concubine! Well, I'm not! He can have any other woman he wants, but not me!"
"You really don't have any choice, my lady," the servant replied. The women sat her down and began to fix her hair and put makeup on her. Taita didn't bother trying to talk to them anymore. She held the end of her tail in her hands, rubbing it against her cheek, a comfort technique she'd used when she was a young child. Stroking the soft brown fur of her tail had always calmed her in the past, and she hoped it would do the same now. She didn't want to admit it, but she was terrified. Very soon she'd be taken to King Vegeta, and then, well, she didn't want to think about it.
"My lady?" One of the servants touched Taita's shoulder gently. Taita looked up at a girl not much older than herself.
"Yes?" she whispered, unable to make her voice work properly.
The servant girl kneeled in front of her. "Do you, um, do you know what to expect? Did your mother explain to you about men and women?"
"My mother died when I was born, but my brother's wife told me those things, and I saw the animals in my village during mating season," Taita said, blushing.
The other girl smiled. "Well, it's a bit different for people than for animals. You are a virgin, yes?"
Taita nodded.
"You will probably feel some pain the first time, but not much, and it is normal for a girl to bleed a little at first, so don't be afraid. You are used to blood, I'm sure, if you already get your monthly bleeding."
Taita nodded again. She'd been experiencing that for the past two years.
The servants had finished with her hair and makeup, and now they handed her a mirror. Taita gasped when she looked into it. A stranger stared back at her. Her eyes, naturally bright blue, looked even brighter, enhanced by the makeup she wore, and the women had done an excellent job concealing her cut, too. She could hardly see it.
Her long, straight black hair had small braids intertwined with the rest, which was left straight so it hung, shining, down to the small of her back. Strands of pearls were woven through it all. She couldn't believe how beautiful these women had made her.
The girl who had spoken kindly to her bent down to put on her feet a pair of white satin slippers with pearls sewn onto them. "There! You're all ready!" she said cheerfully. "My lady, you look like a princess! His Majesty the king won't know what hit him!"
"Hush!" one of the older women scolded. "Do not speak that way of the king!" She turned to another servant who waited by the door. "Summon the guards. Tell them the girl is ready."
The servant woman bowed and hurried away. She returned moments later with two guards. The men each took one of Taita's arms and led her out of the room. She looked back as they reached the doorway, and caught the eye of the young servant girl. The girl smiled at her and made the standard Saiyan gesture for 'good luck'. Taita smiled back, mouthing the words 'thank you'.
And then she was on her way to King Vegeta's bedchamber. Her fear had not gone away, but she wasn't going to let it control her. The king might end up having her virginity, but that didn't mean she had to give it up without a fight. The servant girl had been right. The king would not know what hit him.