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CHAPTER NINE

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Rei sat on the mill stone and eagerly pulled flower petals from the sunflower in her hands.

"I tell him not, I tell him, I tell him not, I tell him!" She got up and marched to the door.

"Goku! Goku!" She yelled as she threw it open and stepped outside. "There's something I want to…" She trailed off, as she saw no one around.

At that moment the sun rose and in a swirl of sparkling light, the princes reverted to her other form. Her eyes became violet and her hair returned to normal, and the fur on her body disappeared along with her tail. As soon as the transformation was finished, Goku walked up over the top of the hill and towards the windmill. Rei frowned a bit at the scowl on the saiya-jin's face.

"Goku, are you all right?" She asked softly.

Goku glared at her. "Perfect, never been better," He snapped as he walked over to the steps.

Rei took a deep breath before she began her explanation. "Oh, well, I, I uh, there's something I have to tell you--" She started.

Goku angrily cut her off. "You don't have to tell me anything, princess. I heard enough last night," He snapped.

Rei was taken aback. "You heard what I said?" She breathed.

Goku narrowed his eyes at the princess. "Every word," He said coolly.

Rei looked confused. "I thought you'd understand," She whispered.

Goku snorted. "Oh, I understand. Like you said, who could love a horrible, ugly beast?" He said in a clipped tone.

"But, I thought that wouldn't matter to you," Rei was speaking in a very soft, controlled voice by now. She felt like her heart was being crushed under Goku's foot.

"Yeah, well it does," Goku's voice had an icy edge to it that only made things worse.

The whinny of a horse caught their attention. "Ah, right on time, Princess. I've brought you a little something," Goku sneered.

Rei blinked in surprise as a group of horses and knights approached her and Goku. She couldn't quite tell what was going on at the moment.

Artemis had been sleeping the whole time, but the sound of trumpets and marching feet woke him from his slumber. He yawned tiredly as he sat up. "Uh, what'd I miss?"

He looked up with bleary eyes at an annoyed knight and gulped.

"Eh, who said that? Couldn't have been an anime character...," the knight muttered as Artemis quickly ran behind Goku. Rei continued to stare as one of the riders spoke to Goku.

"Princess Rei?" The voice asked.

Goku nodded. "As promised. Now, hand it over," He snapped.

The dark haired rider rolled his eyes heavenward, as he pulled out a sealed scroll of parchment. "Very well, saiya-jin. The deed to your swamp, cleared out as agreed. Take it and go, before I change my mind." He said, thrusting the document out at Goku.

Rei thought the rider's voice was terribly shrill for that of a man. She felt a shiver run down her spine as the rider turned to look at her with supposedly enchanting eyes. "Forgive me, princess, for startling you, but you startled me. For I have never seen such a radiant beauty before. I am.. Lord Darien," He said dramatically.

Rei felt herself twitch involuntarily. "Lord Darien?" She ground out in shock. She quickly composed her lost nerve. "Ah, no, no." She smiled a little as Darien had his knight help him off his horse. "For I was just saying a small farewell." Rei raised an eyebrow and blinked at her future husband's countenance; it almost looked as though there was no emotion inside him at all. She cringed even more as she looked the man in the face. He wasn't extremely ugly, but he wasn't going to win any beauty contests either.

Darien faked a smile. "That is so sweet. You don't have to waste good manners on the saiya-jin. It's not like it has feelings," He sniffed haughtily.

Rei watched Goku start to walk away. "No, you're right. It doesn't," She deadpanned. She then gasped in surprise when Darien grabbed her by the hand and knelt before her on one knee.

"Princess Rei, beautiful, fair, flawless Rei, I ask your hand in marriage. Will you be the perfect bride for the perfect groom?" He gushed in perhaps the sappiest voice the princess had ever heard.

Rei was at a loss for words. She inwardly cringed... Lord Darien was beginning to freak her out, but on the other hand---She glanced over at Goku. The saiya-jin was looking at them with contempt. Rei made her decision then.

"Lord Darien, I accept. Nothing would make---" She was cut off by the Lord's exuberant cry.

"Excellent! I'll start the plans, for tomorrow we wed!" He cried.

Rei turned her gaze away from Goku and stared at the Lord. "No!" She yelled.

Darien gave her an odd look, and Goku raised an eyebrow.

Rei smiled a little. "I mean, uh, why wait? Let's get married today, before sunset," She felt herself pale at the leer the man gave him.

"Oh, anxious are we? You're right, the sooner the better! There's so much to do!" Darien ranted and raved as Goku walked away from them in a sullen mood.

Rei glowered at his back while only halfway listening to the man. "There's the carpenter, the cake, the guest list... Captain round up some guests!" Darien rattled while being lifted onto his horse.

Rei jumped up behind him onto the horse and waved to Goku as they headed back to the castle. "Fare thee well, saiya- jin," She called.

Artemis watched in horror as Goku walked past him and Rei rode away with Darien. "Goku, what are you doing? You're letting her get away!" He cried.

Goku threw a glare over his shoulder at the feline. "Yeah, so what?" He snapped.

Artemis ran after him and cut him off. "Goku, there's something about her that you don't know! I talked to her last night, she's---"

Artemis was abruptly cut off by a pained yell from Goku. "Yeah, I know you talked to her last night! You're great pals, aren't ya? Well, if you two are such good friends, why don't you follow her home?!" He snapped.

Artemis blinked as Goku stepped past him. "But, Goku, I want to go with you," He mumbled. Goku turned to him with an angry glare.

"Hey, I told you didn't I? You're not coming home with me! I live alone. My swamp, me!! Nobody else, nobody! Especially useless, pathetic, annoying, talking hairballs!!" He roared.

Artemis swallowed hard. "But, I thought....," He trailed off softly as Goku broke in again.

"Yeah well, you know what? You thought wrong!" He growled as he marched off towards his home.

Artemis stood there for a moment, then turned and slowly trudged the other way.

Goku glared as he sullenly stomped around his now vacant swamp, picking up trash left over by the others, and silently having a pity party for himself. What did he care about the princess? She was finally getting her wish, ready to live happily ever after...

At the castle, Rei was being fitted into her wedding clothes. She tried to look happy as she gazed into the mirror, but she kept thinking of Goku. She felt like crying almost. It just wasn't fair, Rei kept thinking...why couldn't Goku accept her?

What she didn't know that the saiya-jin was having the same exact thoughts about her at that very moment.

While those two were lost in their own depressed thoughts, Artemis had made his way to a small lake. He had been vainly trying to fight off his hurt tears, but it no longer mattered if anyone could see, and he let them fall as he looked down into the cool, clear water. His eyes noticed that his reflection wasn't the only one in the water, and, with surprise, he realized that Filia was just on the other side of the rock he was sitting by.

Artemis started to run, but he heard a sniffling sound, and saw that Filia herself was crying and making soft, mournful sounds. The feline took a breath to calm his nerves. He then stepped around the rock and faced Filia. The two stared at each other in silence for a moment, then they quietly cuddled together, finding solace for their sorrows in one another's arms. Artemis had to admit that Filia was very fond of him. He started to think of his former friend and what could have gotten him so upset. He shook his head at that thought... Goku was still his friend, and he had to find a way to help him out. He knew that Goku had a thing for the

princess, and vice versa. The trick was getting them to admit it to each other.

He smirked suddenly, while Filia gently stroked his head. Artemis whispered into the Golden Dragon's ear and then gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Filia returned her smaller love's devious smirk and gently cradled him and put him on her back as they ran off towards Goku's swamp.