A/N: I don't own DBZ and I don't pretend to. This story is AU so that gives me free range and my characters OOC (out of character). Be warned spelling and grammar mistakes will be found. ALWAYS! Another Warning, this could end up as a Yaoi male/male coupling. If you don't like reading that type of stuff then don't read. No-one is making you. Rated R
Royal Delivery
Chapter 7"HURRY, before they find out." Burles ordered his paid men who were carrying two small parcels wrapped in a blanket from the palace through a hidden entrance that Burles had found when he was surveying the palace for this day. He was also hoping to get an appointment with Lord Frieza himself.
"CAREFUL. There is no money in damaged goods. You idiot!" Burles growled at the man who threw the delicate parcel into the back of the cart. The burly man watched as the other man placed his small package carefully in the back of the cart, not wanting to attract the wrath of the large man.
"QUICK IN." Burles climbed in and drove off into the night towards his private ship that was being prepared to leave for its long journey as soon as their general was onboard.
When they arrived Burles ordered the men to hurry as they rushed into the ship. The sound of metallic humming as it prepared to take off at top speed before the alarm was raised. "Take them downstairs with the others. I will make a nice profit with those two." He smirked
"Sire, do you want them to have separate cells?" The man carrying the large packages asked.
"Kami, no. They are only royal in price. Put them with the rest of their age and make sure their ki block collars are on tight and put clothes on them. Nothing fancy Huh not any more." Burles chuckled.
"Yes sir." Both men disappeared down the bowels of the ship with the sound of their boss's laughter echoing behind them.
Burles was pleased it was all going to plan. The added accident could not have come at a better time with cells over following with Saiyan cubs ready for the auction houses scattered around the galaxy. This was a very profitable business to be in right now. A Saiyan cub was especially sort after and highly priced as the General had found out in the last year or so. That's when he decided to get his hands on two very valuable cubs, the two royals. It was just getting them alone that was the most difficult part.
Burles went and sat behind the control panel watching as his men prepare for takeoff. His thoughts wandered back to when he had seen the cubs out wandering the streets alone that day. He thought he had hit the mother load until General Turles had appeared and squash what chance he had of grabbing both cubs there and then. Burles despised that interfering man. The whole family were alike, Raditz got in his way too many times and now had disappeared to, who knows where *Good riddance* he growled in his thoughts.
"Sire the ship is ready."
"Then go. And take it steady until we out of this shit hole."
"Yes sire." The man brought the ship up to hover then directed the ship out of the atmosphere.
~~~
'Huuuuuuuuuh" Goku's lids sprung open revealing dark, panicked eyes as he woke up from the nightmare. His brow was soaked as he tried to breath.
"What's up?" Vegeta stirred with a frown as he looked up to see his love wipe his face as he sat up.
"I don't know. I have to go and see the boys." Goku pushed back the sheets as he reached out for his clothes.
"I'll go with you." Vegeta said as he pulled himself up watching his partner get dressed.
"I have a bad feeling Geta." Goku said getting into a panic as he put on long loose pants with Vegeta grabbing his pants with the same fear running through his veins.
In the early hours of the morning both parents rushed down, bare foot, to sickbay in their sleepwear hoping to ease their fears. When they arrived they found both chambers empty. The doctor was lying dead on the floor in a pool of his own blood. Hearts pounded, eyes widened with the realisation of the cold truth that sliced the air which they breathed. Vegeta's eyes darkened as his blood boiled. He looked over at his mate's fearful eyes. The Saiyan king's ki boiled over as he unleashed his wrath. "GUARDS!"
~~~
Two weeks in the palace with sleepless nights and heart ache with no word. No-one was any closer to finding the royal cubs. Nappa had returned from his mission to find both cubs had been kidnapped and there was no ransom note found. This could only mean one thing. Their captors have no intention of bringing the boys back to their parents. Vegeta had got all his valuable men out hunting down for any information. Even down to the smallest of details, he was not leaving anything for chance to find his boys. Slowly hope was being eaten away from the two fathers.
Goku wasn't coping with the loss of their boys. He had gone on every mission and his body was worn mentally and physically and he had in return become sick. Vegeta had the added worry of his mate being ill to attend to as well as the demanding heads of state. With all the power Vegeta had under his thumb he was at a loss as to where his son where.
All the investigations both cubs were nowhere to be found. All they had was Burles and his ship went missing at the same time as the boys did. Turles was very quick to accuse the man of the kidnap and was busy repairing his ship to hunt him down with Nappa at his side. The two Saiyan warriors were keen to get to the bottom of this and find Burles, be it dead or alive.
The King watched as the General's ship, with Turles and Nappa inside, took to the sky. Vegeta turned to move back inside where Artimis stood watching the ship with his King. "My Lord, do you think you should tell General Kakarrot about his father, Bardock."
"Yes, I was going to before he fell sick." Vegeta said lost in worry about keeping something so big from his partner especially when it came to family.
"The news might give him hope if he knew his father has been under cover, hunting down the stolen boys for the last year." The old man stated trying to ease the King's worries.
"Yes and kill me for hiding this from him." Vegeta was stressing as he started to pace the balcony overlooking the palace grounds.
"But sire we both know Bardock is closer to this than anyone, being working undercover for so long his enemy's trust him fully believing he is one of their own."
"Yes-yes I'll tell him, when he shows improvement. Have you sent word to Bardock that his grandsons are now part of the investigations?"
"Yes I told him as soon as I found out. He was very disappointed. He told me he had heard of an auction in the heart of Frieza territory it seems a new shipment of Saiyan cubs will be arriving for auction soon. He will be there in three days."
"Huh. Three days." Vegeta growled while his figures massages some of the pain from forehead with his on going headache. "Anything could happen by then. DAMN IT'S BEEN TWO BLOODY WEEKS!" Vegeta roared
"Sire?"
"Forget it." Vegeta waved him and the old man concerns away.
"Your highness, do you think you can trust General Turles and Capital Nappa with this knowledge?" Artimis asked.
Vegeta spun around at the frail man. "Of course I can. They are after the same thing as us. To see the boys return and with the added information I have told them they will have a better chance than most in finding them."
"Of course sire." Artimis bows
"Have you heard anything about the boys?" Vegeta points to the man he has known since he was a cub himself as he takes a step forward with his red cloak fanning behind him.
"No, they must have ki collars I'm sorry sire. That would be the only thing that would cut the mind bonds like that. From what we have learned from the time Colonel Bardock has being undercover, the collars are the first to go on before, before…"
Vegeta's eyes darkened with a warning growl. "Don't say it."
The man shook his head. "My Lord, but the chances of the boys having their tails are very slim…"
"I SAID DON'T SAY IT." The King roared with his arm stretched out to kill the venomous words from the old man's mouth.
"Vegeta"
Vegeta spun around lowering his hands as he took in his paling mate. His dark eyes were made darker with the loss of sleep and constant nightmares haunting what little sleep he managed to get. "Geta what's up? Have you heard anything?"
Goku's frail body moved coarsely over to his mate, wary of the old man stand in front of his partner. "Please excuse me my Lords. I have other duties to attend to." Artimis said as he bowed.
"Go-go I will speak with you later." Vegeta waved the man gone with his mind directed to his love who was looking more weak and frail than the old man in front of them.
"Yes my lord." The wizard made a quick exit allowing the King to attend to his sickly mate.
"Kakarrot. What are you doing out of bed? You should be resting." Vegeta brought the taller Saiyan closer as his concerned dark eyes offered comfort.
"I came to see if there was something I could do. I can't just sit around doing nothing." Goku complained feeling useless and frustrated. His mind was weary and had started playing tricks on him making him believe he would see the boys when no-one was there. He has even thought he has hears his cubs' voices cry calling for him to rescue them. Their pleas would eat at his heart and making him nauseous. At night when all was still, Goku would hear the boys but his partner, his love, would tell him no one was there.
"You need to build up your strength." Vegeta hated seeing the powerful warrior he shared his heart with be attacked by an unbeatable force. The loss of the boys was taking its toll on his mate's heath.
"Has Turles gone?" Goku asked looking past the palace grounds towards the space port of Vegeta-sei.
"Yes he didn't want to wake you. He went not long ago with Nappa." Vegeta explained watching his love move to the railings with a faraway look in his eyes.
"I hope they find something. It has been too long Vegeta." Goku, exhausted eyes looked back at his mates. "I've have heard stories of Saiyan cubs being sold to Frieza for-for pleasure and…"
"Shh shh. Don't think that Koi, Turles will find them. Come I'll take you back to bed."
"I can't take this. The waiting and nothing. I feel so empty. I feel like I'm going crazy."
"You're not going crazy. You are exhausted. Come back to bed."
"You promise you'll let me know if you hear anything."
"If I hear anything about the boys I will tell you. Now bed and rest." Vegeta led his mate back to their room, leaving the warm orange glow that coat the Saiyan capital of Vegeta-sei throw the day behind.
~~~
"Bloody brats. Why do I get stuck in this pig hole?" A burly man slurred as he sat drinking. His body slumped over the bar.
"Because your head keeper of the auction house." The bar man stated rolling his eyes at his regular.
"Oh yeah." The man chuckled
"I heard we are getting a new shipment in few days." The bar man said as he dried another Saiyan size glass.
"Yeah lucky them."
"How many did the General obtain this time?" The bar man asked as he leaned in closer.
"Forty or so. I heard most of them are young. All been collared of course."
"Have they been, you know, de-tailed?" The bar man asked
"Most have been De-flea ha-ha-ha" The man laughed as he wiped his mouth from the strong brew that had spilled down his chin.
The bar man rolled his eyes in distaste at the large man before looking around at the near empty tavern. "Umm I have heard that there are two special guests onboard Burles ship?"
"Huh who told you this?" The burly man frowned as his eyes shifted at the only other two occupants slouched over their tables, unconscious with glass still in hand.
"I overhear things. Is it true?"
"It might be." The burl man says wearily
"Here have another drink Kirris." The bar man pushed another full glass out in front of him.
"Don't mind if I do thanks Yamacha"
"So it's true what they say. The General has the royal cubs?" Yamacha leaned in and whispered the last bit.
"Yes fine piece of Saiyan genius. I have been told they should be here tomorrow." Kirris said as he guzzled his free drink down. "Well I'll be off. I have herd Zarbon arriving tonight to oversee the shipment himself when they arrive."
"Zarbon he will be here?" Yamacha frowned
"Yes, the lizard himself is away on some business and has called for his head man to watch over his personal shipment."
"The royal cubs." Yamacha tilted his head thinking with his dark eyes widen with a worried thought.
"What else. There is talk he will use them against the Saiyan Empire." Kirris smirked.
"Blackmail. But he won't hand the cubs over."
"No he will probably kill them. For their sake I hope he does I have seen what he does to his pets. Creepy Ewww" Yamacha watched as the man stumbled out of his tavern. Looking over at the two unconscious men left in the room Yamacha throws down the cloth and walking into his back office. Reaching under his desk he pulled out small transmitter.
"I'll have to tell Colonel Bardock."
~~~
"Shut up brats. Alright which one of you is next? Grab that one." The guard pointed to a young boy cowering, trying to escape the guard's hands. Cries and screams echoed off the walls as they pulled out a young cub by its tail. Tears streamed down pale faces as another friend was taken away to a room in front of them. Wide paralysing eyes watched as the door re-open releasing more of the unmistaken stench of fresh and old copper wine blood that chokes in the young cubs lungs as it travels its way to the rows of cells.
Hearts pound hard against each chest, tears run freely drown soft round cheeks as they live out their nightmares. Each breath held as they waited for that sound that chilled them to their bones and take away any hope that might reside in their small hearts of home, the safe haven of parent's loving arms. Then when they can't hold their breath any longer the nightmare started with the blood curdling cries of another lost in unending pain as a sharp knife comes down on yet another brown bushy tail. "PAPA"
TBC…
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