Disclaimer: See Part I for the disclaimer.
A/N: Sorry for the long wait! Had a lot going on! It's been so crazy. However, the rewritten Part II is finally here! I hope you all enjoy! Remember paired up along side the rewritten Part II is the new chapter, Part VII! Go check it out and tell me what you think! Please?
Thanks for being so patient!
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Part II----
Pan continued on the path towards her home, happy to finally be free of the tower. She wondered how much had changed in her absence and if anyone still believed she was alive. She knew she had been gone a long time. Her journey took about half the day to walk on foot, so when she finally found the familiar little path that led to the cottage she was exhausted.
It hadn't changed much since she had last been there. It was a small cottage with a chimney on its right side with various colored climber roses crawling up it and a small wooden porch. The porch had three stone steps and was just big enough to seat a couple of chairs for her grandmother and her mother. On either side of the porch and steps were two small flower beds filled with rose bushes, lilacs, pansies, and lilies of many different colors. In the backyard was a small vegetable garden. Pan smiled softly as she looked at the flower beds. Her mother and grandmother loved tending the flowers in their spare time.
The cottage had two stories; the kitchen, living room, wash room, and the sick room, where her grandmother took care of the sick and injured, were all down stairs and four bed rooms upstairs. Her mother and father shared a room, her grandmother had one to herself next to theirs, Pan and her uncle shared another and the last one was kept open for guests.
After standing and staring at the cottage for a moment, Pan walked up the steps and through the front door, shutting it behind her. She was standing in the small living room, the stone fireplace to her right and the stair case to the second floor to her left. There were a couple of chairs sitting on the rug before the fire place and a book on a small table near the one furthest from her. The kitchen was in the very back of the cottage, the sick room on the left of the hallway and the washroom to the right. Pan looked around the cottage finding no one down stairs.
"Mom, Dad? Grandmother? Uncle Goten? Is anyone home? It's Pan!" she called as she walked back to the living room. Suddenly she heard someone running down the stairs, causing the whole cottage to shake. Pan turned towards the sound guessing who was making all the noise.
"Pan-chan! What happened! You've been gone for over a year!" Goten exclaimed, grabbing his niece up in his arms and squished her in a bone crushing hug.
"Uncle Goten, I can't breathe," Pan choked out. Goten let her go, scratching the back of his head and giving the famous Son grin.
"Sorry, Pan. Where have you been?" he asked.
"You know the old tower up the road?" she asked, walking towards the kitchen with Goten.
"Yeah, it's been off limits since Prince Trunks' death was announced," he answered, getting something to eat and drink while Pan sat down at the table. She flinched inwardly at the name.
"Well, the prince isn't dead, Goten. I'll get to that in just a second," she said when she saw his look of confusion. He sat down in front of her, placing a cup in front of her and took a bite out of his sandwich.
"Okay, go on then," he replied.
"I was out near the tower the day they say he died. I guess I had gone to be alone because not even a year before our king had died and then the queen married that wicked man on the throne now. I had just walked inside when the doors shut behind me. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't open the doors. Eventually I had given up and went to wander the tower. One day I went up the stairs in the tower to look around some more when somehow I opened a door to a secret chamber. Inside the room was a glass coffin with the prince asleep inside. I didn't know it was him until he woke up and I saw his ring," she explained. Goten stared at her for a moment before taking another big bite of his sandwich.
"So the prince is alive?" he asked. Pan nodded, taking another sip of her drink.
"As sure as it is day outside." she answered, "Apparently someone is trying to get rid of the prince. The way it was told he was up on the horse trails when his horse spooked and knocked him off. His head hit a large stone and shortly there after he died from the wound. That is what they want you to believe. However, that's not how it happened. The tale is true up until the point of him dying due to his head wound. What really happened was he was taken back to the hospital room in the castle and when he had regained consciousness he felt a little funny. He believes someone had given him a dose of poison. It appears that the queen found out and in an attempt to save him, pronounced him dead. I'm guessing that from where she placed him in the glass coffin I found him in, which was filled with this strange blue liquid that slowly healed his body." Goten had stopped eating his sandwich and stared at Pan, going slightly pale. Pan looked at her uncle, somewhat worried.
"He's on foot right?" he asked.
"Yeah, why?" she asked.
"Great. You should be able to catch up with him. I'll go saddle Tara, grab a couple of cloaks," Goten said, standing up from the table.
"Whatever for, Uncle Goten?" she asked. Goten turned to her.
"Pan don't you think that if someone has been trying to kill the prince that his life would be in danger by going back? The same person that tried to kill him the first time is bound to try it again. To their knowledge he no longer exists. The person behind it will more than likely attempt and succeed in killing the prince in his weakened state and his family will pay for it. About eight months after the prince's supposed death and your disappearance, Queen Bulma sent the princess here. We have not heard anything from her since that time. I fear the worst may have happened to her. She sent the princess here so the new king could not harm her. What do you think he would do if her found her here?" he explained. Pan looked at him warily.
"Argh! You have a point, Uncle, but the prince is a spoiled pain in the arse! I almost wish he would meet his end," she saw the look on her uncle's face. "Yes, I know! It's harsh, but it's true. He's a real jerk!" Pan stood and slammed her cup on the table. This motion was enough to dislodge a slip of paper from a pocket on the shirt she was wearing.
"However true it may be, Pan, he is your prince and you must--." Goten interrupted himself, "What is that?" he indicated the paper on the table. Pan picked it up and unfolded it.
"I don't know," she answered. Scrawled in an elegant, yet messy hand was a short message. "It appears to be a note."
"What does is say?" Goten asked.
" 'My dearest son,
I regret to tell you that things have become much worse than I had first thought. I knew Donovan was a cruel man, however, I never thought he would go this far. Once you have recovered, however long it may take, you must not return to the castle. He will surely kill you this time. Take care and go with the young lady who will be there to watch over you, though right now she might not know it. She is the granddaughter of a dear friend. Your sister will be with this girl's family. I love you, Trunks. Take care of your sister.
Love always,
Mother,'" Pan finished, looking at Goten.
"So, Bulma planned for you to be in the tower with the prince. She must have known you would go there, somehow…. Pan, as much of a pain the prince has been, surely your conscience can't let him walk to his death," he said. Pan looked at the paper again.
"Is the princess here now?" she asked. Goten watched her.
"Yes, she is. She's resting right now. She knows no different than anyone else about the prince's present condition. I'm sure Bulma had this all in mind," he answered. Pan nodded.
"I will go then, though reluctantly. Even so, as you said is true. My conscience will not let him go without trying to stop him," she replied.
"I will saddle Tara, go get the cloaks and bring that note. It might help persuade him to come with you," he said, heading for the door.
So much for not ever seeing him again. Pan sighed and quickly collected the cloaks while Goten prepared their gray and white mare, Tara. She put one of the two cloaks on and went out to join Goten just as he was finishing putting the bridle in Tara's mouth. He tied the other cloak onto the saddle. Pan pulled her hood up and mounted the horse.
"Ride fast, Pan, you should reach him shortly if he's on foot," he said. Pan nodded.
"I should be back just after nightfall," she replied. She turned Tara toward the path leading to the village and put her into a gallop.
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After a time, Pan finally saw a familiar figure up ahead of her on the road, bearing a walking stick. She had gained much more than she thought she would. His legs weren't in as good a condition than they had originally thought. She slowed Tara's pace when she was close enough. She thought it dangerous to use his name and his title wasn't much safer.
"Sir, might I speak with you a moment?" she called. He stopped a moment and turned to see her on her horse. Since the last time she saw him he had fastened a piece of cloth about his face to make a make shift mask.
"What is it? I have to be going," he replied in a somewhat irritable tone.
"I have a message for you," she answered. He lowered his eyebrows.
"Who the hell are you?" he growled, his hand tightening on his walking stick.
"An acquaintance, my good sir. I mean you no harm." she said, moving slightly closer and lowered her voice, "I knew I couldn't persuade you with my words, but maybe this will convince you to come with me." She held out the paper. He looked at her warily.
"What is this?" he asked, not reaching out to take it.
"A message from your mother," she answered. He looked at her with surprise, snatching the paper away from her.
"Where did you get this!" he exclaimed in a low voice as soon as he saw the handwriting.
"I found it in my shirt pocket, but it was meant for you. I followed you because of what it says," she answered. He looked at her for a moment before reading. When he was finished, he stuffed the paper into his pocket and looked at her.
"If she wills it and Burra is with you, I must go with you, however much I want to go back," he said, reluctantly. Pan raised an eyebrow.
"Burra?"
"A nickname."
"Ah…." Pan nodded, "Well, climb up here and put this on. It will be fast and you can rest your legs." She handed the cloak down to him. He did what she said, though rather grudgingly, pulling the hood up over his head. He put his arms around her waist for support as she turned Tara back towards the cottage. A moment later, Trunks heard a sound in the woods around them and turned to see what was making it. He leaned in closer to Pan.
"Someone is following us, to the left in the trees," he said.
"Shit!" she muttered under her breath, "How close do you think they are?"
"Pretty clo-," Trunks' voice cut off as though the breath had been knocked out of him. Pan look back over her shoulder to see what was wrong. Trunks had lifted one of his hands to feel his left shoulder. What he felt was the wooden shaft of an arrow.
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A man dressed in forest green and dark brown attire, a green clock about his shoulders, approached a man hidden in the trees. He was a rather large man, both in height and build, cloaked in black with his hood concealing his face. The first man was a bit intimidated, if not scared of the second man. He stopped a couple yards away and bowed.
"I have heard around these parts that his Highness is very… rewarding when one comes forward to speak of strange happenings. I do have something very strange indeed to tell you, sir," he said. The other man inclined his head only very slightly, as if to say, "Go on."
"You may not believe me, as I and my men are having a hard time believing it ourselves and we saw it with our own eyes, good sir…."
"Get to the point already. I have no time to waste on scum like you," the other man growled, voice deep and booming. The other man shuddered, cowering away from the large man.
"A.. A.. Aye, sir. My men and I were in the forest only a few hours ago. There was a strange young man with lilac hair walking down the path and soon met by a young woman. His lower face was covered, however, when he turned to face her we could see him clearly. As odd as it sounds, good sir, I swear by my ancestors' graves that this man was Prince Trunks Briefs himself!" he said.
"You speak lies!" the other man thundered, stepping forward to grab the man about his neck. He lifted the struggling man into the air with ease. The little man gasped for breath, his hands clutching at his captor's fingers.
"I… I lie not… see for… yourself." he wheezed, "They were headed for… a place passed… the old tower…. We lost them… soon… after…." The larger man stared into the other man's eyes for a moment, watching him struggle.
"I will check this out then. If it proves true I will pay you for your services. If it does not prove to be true, I will come for your life for such a lie. I have half a mind to kill you right now," he growled, dropping the small man to the ground.
"Aye, sir," the man said, getting up on all fours, coughing and gasping. The other man kicked him square in the arse with a heavy booted foot and none too kindly.
"Get out of here!" he hissed. The smaller man nodded, picking himself up off the ground and running as fast as he could, before he changed his mind.
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A/N: So guys, what do you think about the new Part II? Please leave a review, or you can even e-mail me about it! Tell me what you liked, and didn't like about it and if it's, overall, better than the first edition! I'd really appreciate it!
And remember, along with this revised version of Part II is the brand new Part VII! Go read it and tell me what you think!
