Disclaimer- Once again, I don't own DBZ,….and no I don't own Ol' Shakey either,…. .
Oh yay! I'm so glad ya'll liked my 1st Chappie! (beaming) Now we're going to see what happens to our poor lovers! And Bulma finally shows up :D But is that necessarily a good thing? o.0 And for those of you who love him, Bardock makes an appearance:D Enjoy! (Oh yes, minor cursing, unfortunately King Vegeta has a minor problem with that o.o)
Oh yes, and a special thx to my friend severussweetie! She's an awesome writer with a coolie new story out called "Life Tv", go check it out! You won't be disappointed:D
King Vegeta was pissed. Marching over to ChiChi, he seemed to tower over her form. "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING WITH HIM?" he roared. But before ChiChi could say anything, the King had her by the arm, pulling her to his face, "I'LL JUST DRAG YOU AND YOUR MAN WHORE TO THE OX KING, I'M SURE HE'LL BE GLAD TO KNOW HIS DAUGTHER IS A TRAITOR AND A TRAMP!"
"DON'T CALL HER A TRAMP! " Goku yelled at the King. Turning his attention fiercely to Goku, King Vegeta back handed him and snatched the young guard up, dragging him alongside the Princess.
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In the throne room, the Ox King was silently conversing with Bardock, his head guardsman, when the door burst open and the room abruptly filled with noise. "What is the meaning of this?" the Ox King addressed King Vegeta as he witnessed the scene filing into the chamber, "ChiChi?…Unhand her at once, Vegeta!"
The Western King complied, forcing both ChiChi and Goku in front of him before letting go. The Ox King paused slightly to study his daughter and her guard before returning his glaze to King Vegeta. "Vegeta, why have you brought my daughter and her guard to me like this?"
King Vegeta replied coldly, "Because your precious princess has betrayed her kingdom! That boy there is not her guard, but her lover. I observed it myself when I came to her room! Ox King, I demand retribution against the Princess for her infidelity to the pact!"
"Infidelity!" Goku snapped, " How can you say that? ChiChi isn't even marr-"
"Bardock! Control your son!" bellowed the Ox King as Bardock moved to silence Goku . Everything went quiet and soon even the echoes died into the walls. The Ox King stood, rubbing his temples, contemplating what just occurred. After what seemed like and eternity for ChiChi, her father finally faced her with a solemn look. His glare pierced her eyes, and she glanced away from him. He understood that expression to mean it was true. Every word,… true! His daughter,… in actuality,… kept this from him? With his next words, the Ox King made a fool's mistake.
Peering at King Vegeta, he began solemnly, "Vegeta, I… apologize for what my daughter has done….(sigh) She will see him no more."
"WHAT? Daddy! Please, no!" ChiChi pled, " I lo-"
As quick as she could think, though, the Ox King growled, " Quiet! It is your duty as the Eastern Princess to-"
"I DON'T CARE WHAT MY DUTY IS!" she screamed, red in the face. Unfortunately, her father's expression only hardened.
"Then, ChiChi, I give you an ultimatum,…Concede to marry Prince Vegeta and I'll let your guardsman live,…..refuse, and you'll never see him breathe again."
The room seemed to have died. Goku, ChiChi, and even Bardock was in utter shock. Had the Ox King lost his senses? It seemed that only the two rulers remained unaffected. King Vegeta simply inquired, "And how long does she have to make a decision?"
The Ox King replied curtly, " Til the festival of Aikou, three days from now. You and the prince are welcome to stay."
"Fine. My son and I will await an answer,….and Ox King," King Vegeta glared towards him, "You know what answer I expect." With that, King Vegeta turned and marched out.
The Ox King turned to Bardock and ordered, "Escort the Princess to her room, then take your son to the dungeon and lock him up until the Princess has made her decision. Understand?" Bardock gave a nod of conformation and gestured for Goku and ChiChi to leave on either side of him.
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As soon as the group was out of earshot, ChiChi started to whimper slightly and Goku instinctively reached out to comfort her, but pulled back after remembering his father right behind him. Bardock, though, told his son gently, "It's alright, Son. I won't say anything if you console her." Goku flashed his father a 'thank you' smile and reached over to ease his princess.
Reaching ChiChi's room, Goku stopped as ChiChi hung onto him like her very life depended on it. Goku, likewise, kissed ChiChi softly, silently begging the Gods to stop time. But after a moment, Bardock was forced to grimly part the two and guide the Princess into her room. Silently closing the door, both father and son continued their way to the lower levels.
'Poor ChiChi,' Goku thought, ' This isn't fair! I know she's the princess, but she's got a right to choose who she marries, damn it! I won't this happen to her, I just won't! I gotta think of a way to get her outta this….'
Just then, Goku was brought out of his reverie by Bardock's voice, " You really love her, don't you, Goku?"
Staring at his father, Goku answered in a definite tone, "Of course I do. Even if I weren't her guard, I'd protect her with my very life. I'd willingly die if it could prevent this… Dad, what the Ox King's doing is wrong. I mean, he threatened his own daughter to marry someone she doesn't even like! What kind of father does that make him?"
"Not a very good one,….but, Goku, he's a ruler of a vulnerable kingdom, he's afraid of losing the power he has,….that can drive men to ludicrous decisions sometimes."
"But still, it's not fair to ChiChi,……"
"I know, Son, but it's not something you can help."
Bardock's eyes met his son's. Both men had stopped walking, and younger guard was giving his father a mischievous stare. "Goku, now don't -"
"Dad, I love ChiChi. I'm not gonna let this happen to her,…I don't care who or what I gotta go through to help her,…," Goku glared intently at Bardock, "Even if I gotta go through you."
Bardock studied his son hard. After a moment, he told his son in a very solemn tone, " I see….Well, Goku, it seems that my young son, has grown into a young man. Don't worry, fighting me won't be necessary. I can see perfectly that you care for Princess ChiChi immensely….Now, do you have a plan as how to prevent the wedding?"
Goku looked aghast but quickly responded, " Yea, I sorta have an idea, but I need to talk to ChiChi first."
Bardock started walking again. "That's risky, ……. But I may be able to steal a moment for you."
"What? Really? Thanks a lot!……But, um, Dad?"
"Yes, Son?"
Goku and his father had entered the dungeons. "Why?……Why would you risk everything just for me and ChiChi?"
Bardock busied his hands with a set of keys and replied simply, "Because I'm a father who wants to see his son happy……Now, as for seeing ChiChi,….."
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Nightfall had come, and ChiChi was huddled in her bed, messy haired and tear stained. Clutching a pillow, she sniffed and shed tears soundlessly. That is, until an odd noise coming from her balcony caught her attention. At first, ChiChi ignored it, but when she heard a distinct "OUCH!" she dashed desperately outside, and was shocked at what she saw. Goku was steadily climbing his way up the lattés (A/n-the thing that vines grow on) to her. The moment he was on her balcony, they were in each other's arms fervently kissing. Eventually the Princess backed away long enough to ask, "Goku, how on Earth did you make it here?"
Playfully he replied, "I climbed, don't you remember? Looks like your mind's slipping, ChiChi!"
"This isn't a time for playing, Goku. Why are you here? Why did you come? If my father or some guard comes in, you're dead!… I- I wouldn't be able to handle that… Please,…...you should go before someone discovers you." ChiChi turned mournfully away from him.
"ChiChi,….don't worry about me. My father assisted me, he knows I'm here. I've come to tell you I know a way that we can be together!" Taking his love's hands, he caught her eyes in a stare.
She loved those onyx pools, they captivated her. She urged, in an almost whisper, "What is it?"
"ChiChi, elope with me."
"What?" ChiChi needed to stop for a second and think. 'Run away and marry Goku?….Just drop everything? The servants, the gardens, the people, Fa-' But she paused. He was the reason this was happening to her, why should she care if he were to find her missing one day? She would be happy and he would get what he deserved! With that, the princess decided.
"Goku,…I'd love to."
Pulling her close he said to her, "Really, ChiChi? Aw, this is great! Now,…listen intently. My father can manage to give us a ten minute time lap tomorrow night to sneak ourselves out and make it to the palace gates. From there, we'll go into the Forest of Pan and head straight for Mount Pazou. Alright?"
"Yes, of course. But what should I do?"
"Gather only a few things, the necessities. I'll come for you tomorrow by the same means as I did tonight, but don't worry, we won't leave that way. I have to leave for now, ChiChi….I love you."
"Oh Goku, I love you, too." The lovers briefly embraced with both arms and lips, and as quick as he arrived, the young ex-guard left, leaving the princess to collect her thoughts.
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The next day, Princess ChiChi tried to act normal by going through all of her daily tasks as usual. At around noon, though, she retired to her room and just as she opened her drawers to begin packing, someone covered her eyes. ChiChi literally jumped 10 feet as she whirled around to find her best friend, Bulma, with a look of light shock on her face. "Bulma! Oh my, you're here! How? When?" ChiChi asked happily as she hugged her.
Bulma replied just as happy as ChiChi, "My father and I are here early for the festival of Aikou, remember? Haha, seems your memory is as bad as ever, ChiChi."
ChiChi playfully punched Bulma's arm and then, taking her by the hands ChiChi invited, "Come. We have got to have lunch together! There have been soooo many things happen since I last saw you!"
As the two headed out the door, the blue-haired woman commented, " Hey, ChiChi, where's that cute guard you like?"
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The sun had begun to sink in the sky and out in the royal gardens, the two young women had finished their lunch. They had conversed for hours over several events, and the time had almost come for the princess to share with her friend the unfortunate news.
"So, ChiChi, may I ask why on Earth I saw Prince Vegeta of the Western kingdom in the palace today? Is he here for the festival, too?" Bulma asked her friend innocently.
'Oh no, she saw him,…' ChiChi knew that the prince and her best friend had not been on good terms since last summer. Carefully, the princess began to explain, "Well, Bulma, something horrible occurred recently. You recall that guard you asked about earlier? The one I liked? Well, it seemed that he shared my feelings and we fell in love! Everything was great, but then….he came. The prince. It appears that my father and his father worked out an agreement that King Vegeta would protect our kingdom in exchange for something,….or someone…of importance…" That's when ChiChi found her words to become choked. " I'm…..I'm the someone they spoke of... Bulma, I-….I have to marry that horrible prince!" Tears filled her eyes as the previous day's wounds began to reopen.
Bulma eyed ChiChi incredulously as she embraced her friend unusually rough. "Oh,… ChiChi, I'm sorry."
"A-and to make matters worse, the guard I love,… Goku,… he and I were caught together so my father has threatened his life if I don't comply!" Though the princess knew there was hope in her love's plan, she could not help the tears that were falling because of her father's actions. Wiping her face, ChiChi glanced around to check that they were indeed alone.
"But Bulma, there is something I haven't told anyone, and you will be the only one to know….Can I trust you with a secret? One that you may never tell to another living soul even under torture?" she inquired seriously.
Bulma looked taken aback. "For as long as you have known me, have I ever revealed one of your secrets?"
"…"
"Okay! Okay! That was one time! I'm sorry, ChiChi! I swear I won't tell anyone!" Bulma threw her friend a pleading look.
" (sigh) Alright,…here goes…Goku and I… are planning to elope. We're leaving tonight and heading for the Forest of Pan. We're going to Mount Pazou. Bulma, please, oh please, under no circumstances, whatsoever, may you tell my father of my absence or whereabouts. Understand?"
Bulma, who had seemed to have slipped into a reverie, replied, "Oh yes, ChiChi! I understand and promise not to tell!…But I'm going to miss you so much!"
The princess shook off her friend's odd reaction and, smiling brightly, they began towards the palace .
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The navy veil of nighttime soon spread itself snugly over the kingdom. The brilliant crescent moon spilled over the palace, revealing a figure with noticeably spiky hair dashing up to his love once more.
ChiChi had long since retired to her room to await Goku and was dozing lightly on her bed when he arrived and woke her precariously. The princess jumped somewhat at the sight of her former guardsman covered in a coal cloak. Handing her one as well and greeting her with a brief kiss, ChiChi understood the silence they would need to keep. Slipping out of her room, the couple met Bardock at the end of the corridor. He gave them a slight nod and whispered briefly, "You have ten minutes …Farewell, my son,…Farewell, Princess." The couple exchanged a fleeting goodbye with the guard, and began their hurried descent to the palace grounds.
Meanwhile, a young woman with long cyan hair was leaning, arms crossed, against the balcony wall, her sapphire eyes fixed at the grounds below. The instant she witnessed two shadowed forms crossing the courtyard, Bulma turned towards her room. 'So,… you actually did it, ChiChi,' she mused, ' You and your guard loved each other enough to run off on your own kingdom. How I wish I had that same courage…' She looked at her right hand as if bringing back a deep buried memory. 'Jasmines…water lilies…that ebony mane...' But Bulma sighed and shook it away. '…If Vegeta only knew of ChiChi's actions…'
Bulma's face suddenly lit up. Quickly snatching a lantern, she crept from her room and down the nearest stairwell. Striding through several of the dark hallways, she began to realize that in her fit of brilliance, she didn't know her destination's location. Turning into the next hall, though, she ran straight into it. "What the hell?" she distinctly heard Prince Vegeta say. He glanced down at Bulma and, realizing who it was, repeated, "You? What the hell? Why are you here, woman?"
She disregarded his lack of enthusiasm towards her and instead began, "Vegeta, I need to tell you something, and it's important, so you better listen."
"A year of silence passes between us and you chose now to converse with me? Hmph, Tell your problem to the princess."
"But that's just it, it's about ChiChi," Bulma retorted hotly.
Vegeta gave her a quizzical look, " What is the matter? If it is over the betrothal, I've done all I-"
"Will you just listen to me?" She hissed. 'I'm sorry ChiChi, but this is something I've got to try' She thought as she started,"ChiChi has run away with her guard, Goku, into the Forest of Pan. They are going to elope."
Vegeta was in disbelief. "What?" Was all he could manage.
"They're gone, Vegeta, but you shouldn't worry over it. There are other women you- Hey! Where are you going?"
Vegeta had stormed off, leaving Bulma trailing behind. ' That damn fool! I refuse to let my honor be dashed upon like this! What will the kingdoms think of my intended bride running away with a common soldier? Oh, I bet the gods are enjoying this!' Vegeta thought as he (and Bulma) marched straight into the Forest of Pan.
(slamming head on desk) This ch took forever! I'm so very sorry about that, and I really hope you enjoyed it. I know that some (okay , a lot) of the things that have occurred don't make sense, but they will! Like what's with Bulma and Vegeta? And why did Bulma betray ChiChi and tell the Prince about Goku and her? Will poor Goku and ChiChi ever get to be together?