Author's Note: Thank you to all my reviewers! Like I said before, I LOVE HEARING FROM ALL OF YOU! Enjoy.
Set Me Free
Chapter 6
Bulma did not expect the action that the prince bestowed upon her. Her eyes were the size of saucers as she stared at the man who was currently in a lip-lock with her. Many thoughts passed through the young woman's mind as she debated her next move: either break off the stunning kiss or enhance the kiss with her own.
Time seemed to stop as she was left to quickly make her decision. The prince's warm lips were welcoming and begged her to join. Bulma's mind raced until she made up her mind and did what every woman in this situation would do: she returned the kiss.
The handsome prince deepened the kiss, wrapping his arms around her tiny waist and pulling her closer to him. Bulma was no longer thinking as she began to comb her thin fingers through his thick mane of hair.
Suddenly, Vegeta pulled away and stared into her blue eyes. He smirked and pushed himself up to a standing position. They never broke eye contact and after a few moments of silence, the prince spoke up. "Join me for a walk tonight. I know how much you like the gardens."
Bulma nodded, still in shock about what just happened.
He shoved his hands into his pockets and sauntered away until he disappeared from sight.
Bulma sat back and ran her fingers through her hair. She frowned when reality hit her. She just kissed her best friend's fiancé.
Bulma burrowed her face into her hands as her blood ran cold at the realization. She felt sick to her stomach. But, it was just a kiss, right? Nothing more. Bulma decided to inform the prince that the kiss meant nothing on the walk tonight. It is decided, she will show him that she is not to be used and that she is the one in control.
Gathering her book, the young woman got to her feet and made her way back to the palace. An identical smirk was placed upon her red lips as she thought about the past events and what was to come.
The princess was located elsewhere in the palace. She was currently on one of the many balconies, perched upon a stone bench and reading a letter she had just received from her father. Tears began to pool in her dark eyes as she finished the letter. The young woman missed her home and her family. She missed her own palace and she missed the staff.
But she had to be strong. This was for the good of her planet and her family. Taking out a piece of parchment and preparing to return the letter, she was suddenly interrupted.
"Hi, uh, Chi Chi"
The princess turned to see her good friend standing at the doorway leading out to the balcony. She smiled. "Kakarott! How nice to see you!" Chi Chi quickly put down the writing materials and stood up to greet her friend. "And to what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Oh I was just looking for Vegeta and sometimes I find him out here."
At the mention of the prince's name, Chi Chi looked away for a moment before changing the subject.
"Hey! Would you like to join me for dinner tonight? I believe Bulma has prior engagements and I would prefer to not eat alone-"
"Yes, that would be great!" He replied, a huge grin spread across his face.
"Alright, see you tonight."
With that he turned and continued his search for the prince as she took her seat back on the bench and began to write her letter to her father.
Bulma was nearing the double doors leading to the main gardens outside the palace when she spotted the handsome prince pacing back and forth before the exit. Several times he stopped and glanced around the room, looking for her.
She smiled and proceeded forward until she was in sight of the man. He stopped his pacing when he saw her. Crossing his arms, he examined the young woman then smirked before offering her his hand. "Shall we?"
Bulma nodded and ignored the gesture, leading the way into the gardens. She needed to stay focused, stay in control.
The prince followed her and in a matter of minutes, they were walking side by side in the gardens. He shoved his hands in his pockets as she crossed her arms, slightly cold from the cool night.
The moonlight lit up their path as they walked in silence. The gardens were breathless and Bulma used the lack of conversation to admire her surroundings.
The path continued to lead them a distance from the palace and eventually brought them to a small stream. They crossed the small bridge but Vegeta stopped midway and turned to look at his companion.
He moved forward and once again captured Bulma's lips with his own. For a brief moment, Bulma was mesmerized and mimicked his actions by joining him. Then it happened. Her conscience kicked in and she forced herself to pull away.
The young woman couldn't bear to look in the dark eyes of the man standing before her. She knew confusion was etched across his face after her insulting action.
A low growl escaped from his mouth, which caused her to finally turn her attention back to the prince. They continued to stare in silence until Bulma shifted her weight, uncomfortable by the piercing look. "Look, you're a married man-"
He folded his arms across his chest, not letting up on his gaze.
"Well, going to be married. To my best friend. And I can't do that to her!" She looked away, nervously scratching her bare arm. Awful habit.
No answer.
"Vegeta, there's no denying my feelings for you, I-I just think its best that we did not pursue this any further…" With that, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek and began her walk back to the palace as the prince's eyes followed after her.
Bulma wrapped her arms around herself once more as she briskly walked back to the palace, eager to escape the cold and the memories of what just happened.
A small tear ran down her cheek. The young woman swiftly wiped it away and mentally scolded herself for her weakness. 'This is for the best, Bulma.'
As she neared an iron gate, a soldier grasped her shoulder gently. Bulma turned to see what the man wanted when she was greeted by a soft smile.
"Yamcha?"
He grabbed her right hand and kissed it. She smiled at the romantic gesture and stepped closer. "What are you doing out?"
The lean soldier smirked and proudly stated: "Doing my duties, my lady. Just making the rounds."
She nodded at his response and was about to bid him goodnight when he added "I was going to ask the same of you, miss."
Bulma clasped her hands together and released a long sigh. "It's a long story. I was just with… a friend."
A silence fell upon the two individuals. "Well, I better get going-"
"Wait! Please stay?"
"I'm sorry, Yamcha. It's been a long day and I really-"
"Please? You have made my night just seeing you and being with you right now. I would love it if you joined me on my patrol around the palace. But I understand if you-"
"No, Yamcha. That's fine. Real quick, alright?" She smirked.
His eyes instantly lit up at her acceptance and before they knew it, they were off waltzing along the outer walls of the palace, talking and laughing at each other.
Bulma munched on her breakfast as she eyed the dark haired woman sitting across from her. The two friends sat on the princess's balcony, catching up like every Saturday morning.
Chi Chi was reading a letter from home; from her father, lacking any emotion. Finally, she put it down and reached for her tea.
Bulma perked up and stared at a new diamond necklace that hung around her best friend's neck. She swallowed her mouthful of food before extending her pointer finger at the new object.
"What's that?" She questioned.
Chi Chi glanced around, unsure what Bulma was referring to. Then she realized her friend was pointing to her newest jewelry collection. "Oh this?"
Bulma nodded. "Yeah. Where'd ya get it?"
The princess hesitated for a moment; nervous about the reaction she would receive from the woman sitting across from her. "Well, um, Kakarott sorta gave it to me…" Her cheeks instantly turned red.
Bulma dropped the piece of toast that was in her hand. Her mouth nearly hit the ground as she stared at her friend. Then, she snapped out of her trance and proceeded to question Chi Chi eagerly. "When was this? What's going on between you two? Why haven't you said something before-"
"Bulma, calm down!" She giggled at her friend's enthusiasm. "About a week ago, we were taking a walk near the stream outside the palace grounds when he gave it to me. It was really cute, Bulma! We've been talking almost every day. It's really nice since Vegeta and I don't. He noticed the necklace the other day. I think he's trying to suck up or something because he even commented on it, saying it looked nice and…"
Bulma faded out of the conversation. After the mention of Vegeta, she felt an odd feeling of guilt. She had not seen the prince since their little walk in the gardens, which was over 2 weeks now. Instead, she and Yamcha were hitting it off and seeing each other on a daily basis.
Every now and then, she thought about the dark prince and what could have happened if she just let her heart decide. Pangs of guilt hit her once more as she thought about what she just heard from her friend. Now the prince was alone, rejected by the two women in his life.
She frowned at the thought. Although she felt guilty for declining the prince, she decided that it was the right thing to do at the moment. Bulma focused back on the conversation she was having with her friend before excusing herself to meet up with the handsome soldier.
"I had a great time, Bulma." Yamcha said, a huge smile on his face. He silently looked her up and down, studying her stunning body.
"Yeah, me too." She replied.
Yamcha ceased his stroll and stepped in front of her. "Let's go to my balcony. We can see an amazing view of the grounds tonight along with the stars."
Bulma hesitated, only because it was getting late. She looked around and noticed many of the guards and staff had retired to their private quarters.
Yamcha must have sensed her hesitation because he quickly added a 'please'. Bulma pondered a few more seconds before giving into his request. He excitedly grabbed her hand as he took off in the direction of his room.
When they arrived, the soldier opened the balcony doors that were located opposite of the quaint room. The room itself was much smaller than Bulma's and she observed the color scheme that decorated the space, which consisted of off-whites and darker greens. A small fireplace contained burning embers on the far right wall while the queen-sized bed was across from it.
Bulma noticed some leather chairs thrown randomly around the room but soon realized they all were covered in clothes, papers, or books. She frowned, realizing she had no place to sit.
Yamcha turned to face her and noticed the slight frown across her face as she quickly searched the room for a place to sit. He chuckled. "I'm so sorry, Bulma! I have been so busy lately; I haven't had time to straighten up. Have a seat on the bed." He pointed to his bed as she took her seat. The soldier soon joined her and they were now sitting side by side.
After minutes of silence, Yamcha turned to his companion. "Bulma, you are so beautiful. You know that, right?"
She blushed at his compliment. "Thanks Yamcha." She mumbled, confused about what to say in return.
He continued. "And I really enjoy hanging out with you. You're a really amazing person." With that, he leaned forward to capture her lips with his.
Bulma accepted immediately. She was actually glad he made the first move because she could feel herself falling for this man.
Suddenly, Bulma felt Yamcha's hands make their way down her neck and landing on her bosom. She paused momentarily and felt slightly uncomfortable. But Yamcha urged her forward and she continued her make-out session with the soldier.
Then without warning, the next thing Bulma knew was being pinned down on the bed by the man above her.
"Yamcha, stop!" She shouted, trying to shove the man off her but to no avail.
He gripped her wrists tightly and continued to place kisses along her jaw line and neck slowly. "Don't you want this?"
She shook her head violently. "NO! Yamcha get off of me!"
The strong man ignored her pleas and proceeded to lift up the hem of her dress, ripping off her lace panties.
Tears ran down her face as she continued to beg the man to stop. She tried once more to wiggle free out of his grasp but instead his gripped tightened. Then the young woman thought of the only thing she could do. She screamed as loud as she could.
A quick punch to the face put a stop to her screaming and she feel limply back onto the bed. Barely conscious, she tried to focus onto the man straddling her. She could already feel her left eye starting to swell shut.
Yamcha smirked at the damage he caused. "Keep your voice down. You'll wake the whole palace!" He chuckled as he began to pry apart her legs. But she was not going to give in that easily. She refused to allow him access and soon he was frustrated. The soldier cursed under his breath before giving her a few slaps across the face to weaken her spirit.
It worked.
She once again lay limply upon his bed, the taste of blood filling her mouth. Bulma felt her legs spread apart and she could hear him removing his pants. She began to cry and whimper. The young woman never knew it would happen this way. She pictured herself in love with the man of her dreams. She pictured a loving family. And now, who will want to touch her now? She will be seen as a whore of society and her family will be dishonored. No one will ever marry such a woman.
No. She cannot let this happen. Mustering up her remaining courage and strength, she released another blood-curdling scream that echoed throughout the palace.
Yamcha paused his actions and looked her in the eyes, raising his balled fist in the air. "Didn't you learn from the first time?"
She closed her eyes, preparing herself for the blow. Waiting… Waiting…
It never came. Bulma opened her right eye (her only good eye) and gasped at the sight before her.
The prince had the soldier pinned against the wall, delivering rounds of punches to the man. Yamcha's face became unrecognizable. Vegeta released his grip on the man, causing him to slip to the floor. He wiped his bloody hands on his pants as he reached down to finish the job he started.
Bulma pushed herself off the bed and placed herself between the prince and the fallen soldier. She placed her hands on Vegeta's chest, feeling his muscles flex at the sudden contact. "Please… don't. You're better than him…" Her hoarseness alarmed the prince and he studied her battered appearance. He frowned but nodded at her request.
Her knees suddenly gave out and she fell to the floor. The prince immediately scooped up the young woman and held her tightly to his chest.
"She saved your life." He sneered at the beaten man at his feet. Turning to leave, he shouted back. "If I see you again, I'll finish what I started." And with that, he was gone.
The prince ran through the hallways of the sleeping palace, the clicking of his boots echoing the corridors. Bulma meanwhile, slipped in and out of consciousness while residing in his arms.
Finally, they made it to his private quarters. He nudged open the doors and quickly ran over to the bed, setting her down gently. Running to the door, he shouted for the doctor and a few guards ran off in the direction of the hospital wing.
The prince disappeared into his bathroom. Bulma struggled to sit up, looking around the room, trying to figure out where the prince went. He soon returned with an armful of medical supplies.
Vegeta frowned when he noticed her attempting to sit up. "Stop. Lay down." He demanded. "I'm going to get you some water. I'll be right back."
The young woman watched the prince leave for a few minutes but he returned with a pitcher of water in one hand and a glass in the other. He poured the water and demanded she drink it immediately. She graciously accepted as he got to work cleaning the wounds on her face.
A knock at the door interrupted the prince's work as he opened it and lead a small, stout man to the bed where the woman lay. He crossed his arms as he watched the doctor work carefully.
Time passed and the doctor ended his treatment. He finished taping patches of gauze on Bulma's face and gave her a small injection of morphine to help with the pain and to calm her, helping the young woman fall asleep.
After packing up his bags, the doctor faced the prince signaling he was finished. Vegeta nodded and showed him the door, following him into the hallway. He mumbled a 'thank you' and turned to leave to go back into his room when the doctor halted him. The short man gave the prince specific instructions on how to care for the woman currently laying in his bed. "Take good care of her, your highness." The doctor said and left, walking back to the medical wing of the palace.
Vegeta walked quietly back into his room, softly closing the doors to not wake Bulma. He turned off all the lights in the room except the bedside lamp, which was enough light to allow him to keep watch over her for the night. He placed a small, wooden chair next to the bed. From there, he silently observed her body, noting the damage that was done on her body that night.
The prince stretched out his arms before folding them over his chest. He relaxed more and more as the hours passed and he eventually gave into his heavy eyelids as they came crashing down, lulling him to sleep.
Bulma awoke during the early hours of the morning. She was dazed on the past events but quickly remembered what happened to her the night before. Her heart began to race and beads of sweat formed on her forehead. She quickly reached up to her face and felt the wads of gauze and bandages that peppered her face. Tears welled in her eyes as the memories flooded back to her.
Before the hysteria began, a bird singing in the distance caused her to break the cycle and she abruptly looked towards the balcony doors. However, blocking her view was the young prince sitting uncomfortably in the chair next to her bed. Eyes shut and arms across his chest, he remained sound asleep while Bulma studied the man that saved her life.
A smile formed on her lips as she also remembered how the night ended. The heroic prince saving her from a devastating fate. She also recalled how he carried her into his suite and cared for her, helping to treat her wounds. And now, here he was sitting next to his bed, watching over her.
My hero…
She thought, the smile still plastered on her beaten and bruised face. The young woman eventually succumbed to sleep once more, dreaming about the handsome man sitting next to her.
Author's Note: I hope you liked it! Please review and tell me what you think. Thanks again for reading and reviewing!
