Chapter Three:

Bulma jolted awake when she heard the all-too familiar sound of shattering glass. She sat upright, throwing a thin, white sheet off of her and looking around frantically. She was once again, in the prince's bed, and the double doors were open. She stared at a white-skinned woman wobbling around the rectangular table in the main chamber. Broken glass littered the floor and the woman began to bend down to pick it up.

"No! Stop!" Bulma shouted, moving to jump out of bed, but one of the sheets was caught and she almost slipped, grabbing a handful of the sheet. She was about to yank it free when she froze in place. The prince was sleeping on top of the other end of the sheet… He had a pair of spandex shorts on and nothing else. He was flat on his stomach, his head turned away from her on a soft red pillow. Bulma gulped and released the sheet, trying to shimmy her way out from under the covers without waking him.

She got free and quietly rushed over to the table, where the pale woman had been watching her from.

"You shouldn't just touch broken glass. You could get hurt," she whispered, heading over to the second dresser on the right. She pulled out a pair of gloves and slipped them on. "I'll get it..." she paused "Who are you again?"

The woman bowed slightly and Bulma lifted an eyebrow. Now that she was really looking, the woman seemed more like a girl, and a young one. She couldn't name the species off the top of her head, but it looked familiar to her. She'd seen men and women with such pale, white skin walking around the castle. Many of them were simple task workers, like maids for the soldiers and dish washers in the kitchen.

"My name is Tara, Milady. The prince requested that I come here to clean his room up. But I thought that he had a personal maid. Do you know what happened to her? Did he have her killed?" The girl looked shocked from her own statement and shivered as she thought about it.

"No, Tara," Bulma lightly laughed. "My name is Bulma, and I'm the prince's chambermaid. I… I'm not sure why he called you in here so late."

"Late? Milady, it's already midday."

Bulma took that in as she picked up the pieces of broken glass and placed them in a pile on top of a napkin on the table above her. So she slept through the night and even into the late morning. Being in recovery must have made her tired.

"If I may ask, why were you in the prince's bed? I thought it was forbidden for maids and servants to… do such things with the Lords and Ladies? At least, that's what my mother told me."

"Uh… I was… just sleeping." Bulma stammered. "He… must have been tired. I didn't expect him to be there when I woke up."

"Well, it is the prince's bed, Milady," the girl laughed, and Bulma had to smile.

"Please, just call me Bulma."

"Is the prince giving me your job, Bulma?" the girl boldly asked and Bulma's smile faded. Sure, he'd spoken about replacing her if she died, but he hadn't been serious… right?

"I… don't know, actually," she frowned.

"Did you make him mad? My mother told me that if you make the prince mad, he'll make your life so miserable that you'll just torture yourself, and he won't have to lift a finger for you to feel punished."

"Your mother... seems to say some very strange things, Tara."

"I think she wants to scare me into being a proper lady, but she also says that I'm just a maid, and I only need to know how to please people and clean things well." Tara looked at the pieces of the shattered glass on the tabletop and her brow furrowed. "She's still teaching me…"

"Well, Tara," Bulma said seriously, leaning in close to the delicate-looking girl, "Learn well and learn fast. Soldiers may not care too much about a broken plate, but if you ever serve a wealthy lord or even the royal family, breaking a plate could be very bad… I don't want to scare you, but you're lucky the prince didn't wake from the clatter. He's been in a very bad mood lately."

"A bad mood?"

Bulma jumped and Tara screeched, whipping around. Bulma growled under her breath. He seemed to do things like this on purpose. She wouldn't have been surprised if he'd been awake from the beginning.

"What are you doing, wench? Did you make this mess? I asked for a maidservant, not a child," he spat.

"I… I'm sorry, Prince. I'll clean it up right away," Tara squealed, bending down and quickly grabbing a piece of glass. Before Bulma could get a word out, Tara flinched back, a splotch of red in her palm.

"I told you not to grab it!" Bulma shouted, quickly grabbing a few napkins and dunking them into the pitcher of water at the end of the table. She shoved the wet napkin into the girl's hand, almost angrily, and stood. "Hold that there! I'll go get you a washcloth!"

She ran to the bathroom and pulled the smallest towel she could find out from under the center sink and ran it under warm water. She rung it out quickly and came back into the main room. They were both right where she left them, although the prince looked more impatient than before. Bulma handed Tara the washcloth and motioned for her to stand.

"I'll finish this. Go to the medical wing and get that healed up, now!"

Tara didn't bother responding. She just raced out the door, holding the washcloth against her bleeding palm.

"Children are so troublesome," the prince muttered, and Bulma decided it was best to ignore him. She went to work cleaning up the mess. She was going to have to get a vacuum in here to clean up the smaller pieces of glass that got stuck in the carpet. Tara had put pretty much everything back onto the cart. If felt very wrong to Bulma to be cleaning up yesterday's breakfast when it was almost time for lunch. And when she thought about it, she was extremely hungry, too. She'd skipped dinner. But that meant that the prince skipped dinner as well. If she never got it for him… he'd probably never set his own table in his life, much less served himself a meal.

"You must be hungry," she whispered, looking down at what she was doing. She didn't need to, but it gave her an excuse to keep from looking at him. She knew he was standing there, half naked with his arms crossed. She also knew that he'd been taking indiscreet steps toward her since Tara left the room.

"And who's fault is that?"

"I assume you don't really care about the truth and you just want to blame me?" Bulma asked daringly.

"There's that annoying mouth of yours, testing my tolerance."

"I was going to offer to bring you some leftovers from the kitchen, but I changed my mind."

"Good thing you did. I'd punish you for offering your prince leftovers."

"Not my prince," Bulma shrugged, walking around the other side of the table to wipe it off. She was careful to remain with her head facing down.

"Don't forget to change that mattress. I barely got any sleep, your stench kept waking me up throughout the night. I want it out before tonight."

"Yea, sure."

"Excuse me?"

"I said fine. I'll do it."

"You're being a little too informal, woman. Watch your tone."

"But is it really my tone that's bothering you?" Bulma asked heatedly, finally looking up at him from the other side of the table. "Is that little girl supposed to replace me?"

"Jealous?"

"More like concerned. She was so scared that she couldn't clean up a plate without hurting herself. Before you interrupted us, she was telling me about torture and misery if she worked for the prince."

"Do you have a point, woman?"

"You want to hurt me? Fine. Take off my collar? Do it. Rape me? You can fucking try. But don't you dare bring a child into your sick little games. Not while I'm here. I won't let you."

"Not that hurting small children is fun for me, but how would you stop me? Enlighten me."

Bulma frowned. "I would find a way."

"Determined, aren't you?"

"You don't want to bring me to that. Trust me."

"Are you threatening me, servant woman?" Prince Vegeta laughed, uncrossing and crossing his arms again as he took another step towards her, coming around the table, eyeing her up like a piece of meat. "For such an intelligent creature, you're not proving much."

"Thank you for the compliment, your Highness." She gave an exaggerated curtsy and took a step away from him, around the other side of the table.

"Are we really playing this game of cat and mouse?" the prince smirked, stepping again.

"I honestly just want to do my job. Can't you leave me alone?"

She stepped. He stepped. She stepped again.

"This game is getting boring," he said, uncrossing his arms and placing his hands on the table. He leaned forward and sneered at Bulma, who looked away from him. "Come over here. That's an order."

Bulma huffed and crossed her arms. "Why?"

"It isn't your place to ask questions. Just to obey me. Now come."

"I'm not a pet. You can't give me commands."

"I've been giving you commands for three years, woman. Why is today so different?"

"Maybe because you sent me to the medical facility and also attempted to force yourself on me yesterday. You no longer have my respect."

"And yet here you are, cleaning up after me, just as you've been doing since you came here."

"Of course. It's my job. But it's not my job to entertain you. And I want no part in your games."

The prince grabbed the edge of the table and lifted it off the floor like it weighed as much as a pillow. He placed it down to his right and walked straight at Bulma, who stumbled backwards, but regained her balance quickly, holding her ground.

"I don't need your respect. All you have to do is shut up and clean, like the filthy Earthling housemaid that you are. Understand? Maybe you have this notion that since you clean my chambers, you have some kind of rank, but don't fool yourself, woman. You are still a maid, and you are still disposable. Replaceable. Don't think any more of yourself than that."

"And what are you, then?"

"I don't need to explain that to you. The concept is too difficult for someone like you to understand."

"Oh, I understand, your Highness. You're just the boy prince, whose father beat him up for being so weak—"

Bulma spun around so fast she hadn't even seen him strike her. She hit the hardwood floor with a slap, and immediately felt a stinging in her jaw. She lifted her head and flipped over, making to stand again, but he kicked her while she was down, and she went flailing across the floor like a wet mop.

"Finish your jobs for the day. Leave your keys on the table after you lock the doors tonight. A guard will come and get you for your punishment at first light. You'll work in laundry when he's finished with you and you've recovered. By the end of the day, the arrangements will be finalized for your leave of the castle. I'll have you sent a military camp. You can have whichever position you choose, but it really won't matter. You know that, don't you? The same fate will fall on you no matter where you try and hide. And when all the soldiers are having their way with you… you'll wish you'd asked me to fuck you when you had the chance."

…

There really wasn't a point for her to do anything destructive or spiteful. Bulma ended up doing a perfect job, as usual, before setting her keys on the table, now in the corner of the room thanks to the prince. He left once he told her what was to happen to her, and he hadn't come back since then. It was almost dark out now, and time for Bulma to head off to bed. She didn't want to look at the prince's face now anyway. There was no point. He would just get her riled up again, and she'd probably end up in even more trouble, if that was possible. The military camps were the worst fate for an Earthling girl. Everyone knew that. Especially the prince. All they wanted to do was have children. The gods knew why, but it was known and feared by all Earthlings sentenced to such a fate.

Bulma could barely think about the camps now, though. She had to worry about falling asleep. A guard was going to retrieve her in the morning for the prince's form of punishment. She doubted she would get any sleep with that on her mind…

Bulma took one last, long look at her keys before turning to the door. She paused and turned, looking around the prince's chambers. Was this going to be the last time she saw this place? It wasn't like she was going to miss it, but it wasn't so bad, compared to everything else…

She left the room and headed for the kitchens. If she wasn't going to sleep, she might as well see Chichi one last time…

…

"I'm mostly concerned because you're being so calm about it," the black-haired beauty huffed. "He can't just do that to you. There has to be some kind of rule or loophole. Why are you just accepting that this is happening?!"

"What can I possibly do, Chichi? I have until morning, and then I'll be tortured. Then I'll be sent away to get raped at least three times a day for the rest of my life, however short that turns out to be. If the prince commands it, then I don't have a say. Please don't get my hopes up with talk about regulations and loopholes. That's not what I need right now."

"What did you even do to piss him off that much? From what you've told me, he was always very tolerant with you… other than that collar incident… But you do have quite a temper. Everyone knows that. Even the prince… You can't go and ask for forgiveness before morning? It's worth it if you don't have to worry about camps and torture, you know. And I don't want to see you go, Bulma. I don't want that fate for you."

"There's nothing I can do…"

"Will you stop saying that! I'll go talk to him if you won't! This is ridiculous, Bulma! He can't just send you away like this!"

"He can do whatever he wants, apparently."

"Why do you keep saying things like that? Don't you want to stay?"

Bulma lowered her head. "He hurt me, Chi… He hit me. Too many times. And he was going to rape me… What's the difference, really? If I beg forgiveness and he lets me stay, it'll be the same as the camps… I thought… I tried to talk to him and all of a sudden I learned who he was. And now I'm facing the consequences—"

Bulma gasped when Chichi slapped her.

"Listen to me! You need to stop feeling sorry for yourself! I know you, Bulma! The prince wouldn't have punished you like this unless you provoked him and you should know better! You're smarter than that! And the other times! What did you say to him, huh?! You're my friend and I love you but you need to keep your mouth shut sometimes!"

"I didn't say anything he didn't deserve…"

"Exactly my point!" Chichi threw her hands into the air and Bulma cradled her face. "Now, stop making excuses for yourself and go grovel to the prince so I don't have to lose my best friend! You hear me, Bulma Briefs?!"

It took a while, but she eventually nodded.

"Fine, Chi. I'll go."

…

Bulma knew it was a bad idea from the start. As soon as she stood outside the prince's chambers, she could hear the load cries of pleasure coming from inside. It sounded like more than one female voice, too, and Bulma just wanted to turn around and leave. For one, she didn't have her keys anymore, and knocking on the door was bound to irritate the prince. How was she just supposed to interrupt him when he had a bunch of whores in his bed? What did Chichi really expect to happen? It wasn't like her situation could get much worse, but she didn't want to grovel. She didn't want to make a fool out of herself if she couldn't change her fate anyway. She would only be embarrassing herself even more.

She'd been standing in front of the door for quite a bit before she noticed that the sounds from inside had stopped and everything was quiet, save for a soft pacing from down the corridor. Bulma turned her head to see who was coming, but the door unlocked and she started, wide-eyed, as the prince opened the door a crack and just glared at her. Irritated… of course. But also mostly naked, save for a towel that had clearly been promptly tied around his waist.

"How long are you going to stand here, woman?"

Bulma gulped. He wasn't as angry as before, so maybe she could just talk to him.

"I…" She could think of exactly what she wanted to say, but she didn't know how to put it into words. Her thoughts were too blunt, but she didn't have time to come up with a nice way to say everything. "I'm scared…" she said softly, and she couldn't stop the tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm scared to go to a camp. I can't sleep because I'm scared of tomorrow morning. I don't want to leave the castle." She looked at her feet.

"Is that all? You came here to tell me that? Really?"

"I understand that you have much bigger things to worry about, but… I'm going to lose my whole life, and… I don't want to leave. I… I was hoping you'd change your mind about sending me away. I should've have said the things I did, but—"

"Come back to bed, my Prince!" a female voice giggled loudly from inside the chambers. "We're waiting!" Bulma frowned, but the prince ignored the obnoxious sound. Instead, he stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame, staring at her intensely. Bulma didn't know what to think. There was another long period of silence.

"You'll still need to be punished, if I agree to let you stay in the castle," he said simply, and Bulma looked up with hope in her eyes, partly hating herself for hoping, but unable to help herself. She waited eagerly, but the prince never finished his thought.

"Please…"

"Fine. I'll figure out your punishment later," he grumbled, not looking her in the eyes. Bulma tilted her head. He always looked at her… because he knew it made her uncomfortable. Why did he look away now? Bulma continued staring at his face, but he never looked back at her, and for some reason she couldn't stop staring. "But," he added tersely, "You will not disobey me again. Is that clear?"

"Yes, your Highness." Bulma bowed low and the prince grumbled.

"Don't exaggerate, woman."

Bulma stood up straight and couldn't help but let out a small laugh. The prince finally looked back at her with a strange glare again, and Bulma's smile quickly faded.

"My Prince!" the women inside giggled again. "What's taking so long? Is it a girl? She can come join us, you know! We play well with others! We don't bite!"

Prince Vegeta motioned for her to enter the room with his head and Bulma was about to shake her head, but remembered the position she was in. She gulped and stepped under the doorway. When she didn't hear him close it behind her, she turned to look at him.

"Out. All of you. Now."

There were three women, all with various skin tones, one of which Bulma couldn't identify her species. She watched them pout and whine as they wrapped themselves up in whatever scraps of clothes they could find on the floor, and they each walked out with a hip-swinging swagger.

As soon as they were gone, Prince Vegeta closed and locked the door and turned to Bulma, who was painstakingly aware that she was alone with him again, and now truly at his mercy. He slowly lifted a hand and pointed to his bedchambers. She had no choice now…

"You'll sleep here tonight," he commanded, and Bulma froze. The prince scowled. "If you go back to your chambers, the soldier will still be there at first light, and I don't feel like calling a messenger to tell him the plans have changed. Understand?"

So he'd already called for her torture… That wasn't reassuring at all. The prince almost seemed to be acting nicely, but all the plans for her departure were already made? That was too fast. Too impulsive. Had he really been that eager to get rid of her?

Bulma replied by simply walking over to the bed and sitting down. He followed her and immediately dropped his towel before climbing into the right side, throwing the red comforter over his body and flipping over, his back to her. Bulma felt a blush creep up to her cheeks before slowly and stiffly laying down on the very edge of the opposite side. The bed was as large as at least five children's beds, so she was in no danger of accidentally touching or rolling into him, even in her sleep, but it was still uncomfortable. She swallowed hard before her head hit the pillow and she gently pulled the sheets up past her shoulders. She knew she wasn't going to be able to relax her muscles knowing that the prince was completely naked and only a few feet from her, in the same bed…

She felt like her current situation wasn't going to help her get any rest, but after a few minutes, the prince's breathing became steady and strangely calming to her. And before she knew it, she was fast asleep as well.

…

"Wake up!"

Bulma groaned and flipped over, away from the awful noise trying to stir her awake. She had been having such a strange dream, and she knew she desperately wanted to hold onto it, but she couldn't remember why. And the noise was making her mad, pulling her farther and farther away from her dreams.

Finally giving up, she opened one eye and looked straight ahead. It wasn't too bright, so she could see fine, but her eyes teared up a bit as she yawned. She stretched her legs first and then her arms, and then rolled over onto her other side to arch and stretch her back out. But just as she opened one eye and yawned again, sprawled out on the bed, she gasped, violently grabbing the sheets and pulling them over her. The prince was standing above her, fully clothed, with his arms crossed and his usual sour expression. Neither of them moved or said a word for a good ten seconds.

"It's quite depressing when the servant is the last one to get out of bed in the morning," he grumbled.

"You could have woke me..." Bulma said softly, still holding the sheets to her chest.

"I just did. Now get up."

Bulma rolled out of bed, taking the sheets with her on purpose, and watched the prince roll his eyes.

"If I see anything I haven't seen before I'll give you the day off," he said, and Bulma was about to take him up on his offer. But then she actually thought about it and narrowed her eyes in disgust.

As she looked at him, her mood changed. He was fully clothed…

"Did you… shower?" Remembering her manners, she added, "My Lord?"

"What does it matter to you?"

Bulma almost laughed, but her face broke out into a small smile anyway. "Well, of course it matters to me. I'm the one who prepares them. I just… wasn't aware that you even knew how to turn the water on," she giggled, but then shut her mouth, knowing that her words were what got her into trouble last time, and apparently they were going to get her into trouble again.

But the prince just frowned even harder and scoffed at her before turning and heading into the main chamber. The table was back where it was supposed to be, and it looked like a child tried to clean up a little. Dishes were stacked a little funny on the hutch, and a shabby-looking pile of half-folded clothes sat on top of one of the dressers.

"Were you… trying to clean?" Bulma asked in disbelief.

The prince whipped around to face her, and Bulma thought for sure that he was going to send her to the camps right then and there but he stared at her and he was… embarrassed? Was that the look on his face? Was there a faint blush on his cheeks? Bulma stared at him and her jaw dropped a little. She'd never seen him make an expression like that before… She didn't think he even could. The prince was uncomfortable… That was a new one.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean…"

"Just get to work! I have things to do! I want basashi for dinner!"

Bulma couldn't help but laugh this time, and she could've swore the prince's eye twitched. She just smiled and nodded. "Yes, my Lord. I'll have it ready at the usual time."

Prince Vegeta growled as he headed for the door.

"Don't be late," Bulma said, unsure if it was wise to tease him now. But she couldn't help herself. That moment was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. And when he was gone, Bulma had to look around. Had he really tried folding his own clothes? And putting away dishes! All while she slept in his bed. But why? He ran his own shower, too… Maybe he was sick. He could have easily just woken her up and told her to do those things… He knew that all too well. So, it was a choice. He chose to clean up on his own… There was no other explanation Bulma could think of. The prince had to be sick…