Author's Note: Thank you for the wonderful reviews! Love hearing from all of you. Enjoy!


I used to believe in forever
But forever is too good to be true.
-Winnie the Pooh

Set Me Free

Chapter 12


A splash of cold water awoke her from her dreams and her eyes immediately opened to the disturbance. The young woman jumped from surprise at her surroundings and realized she was not safe and sound in her bed chambers but instead with-

"Yamcha." She sneered.

"Glad you're awake."

"Where am I?" Bulma took a moment to look around her surroundings. There were currently somewhere in the mountainside of Vegetasei, or so she assumed. The moon was high in the darkened sky, giving off the only light beside the small fire that her captor was trying to build. She must have been away for quite some time, given the stance of the moon.

Suddenly her thoughts strayed to the dinner meeting she was to have with the prince. Her stomach dropped as she realized Vegeta must think she abandoned him or declined his offer.

Bulma sat up and released a tired groan as she buried her face into her arms, the thought sickening her. It was then she noticed a roped binding her wrists and ankles so as to prevent her escape. Yamcha took notice of her reaction and frowned.

"What are you crying about?"

"What does it concern you!" She hissed in return. Oh if only she were not bound, she would rip out his eyes and watch him suffer… just as he made her suffer. The memory flood her mind but she quickly tried to prevent it from invading her thoughts and instead tried to think of her the man she most desired back at the palace.

The young woman turned towards the man and growled. "Where are we?"

The look upon her face would have scared any man half to death. Those eyes. A look of pure hatred spread across her features. It was not a sight that was familiar, especially upon her face. She had never looked at him like that before. The last time they encountered each other, she was weak and frail and bore the expression of fear. But this was something entirely different. He decided it would be best to answer.

"In the mountains…" He trailed off, purposely avoiding her death glare. Yamcha kept his tongue in check in their exact location, as to not give away his plot.

Bulma rolled her eyes and threw her attached arms in the air out of frustration. "You fool! I know that! Tell me where and why you have taken me."

Yamcha released a chuckle at the command. "You really think I would just tell you that information?" He shook his head, a grin still on his lips.

This infuriated Bulma even more and she shouted back. "You realize the prince will come after me! I was supposed to meet him for dinner but since I am missing, he will have the entire Saiyan army looking for me! He will have your head for this!"

"Oh Bulma, what can a silly prince do, hmm?"

Bulma sputtered with rage. "The king will come for me! The entire palace will be in an uproar!"

"Oh I wouldn't be too sure on that, love." He smirked, looking up from the fire.

The young woman looked at him, confused at what he meant by the last comment. She looked around again, this time her eyes followed along the edge of the cliff they were perched on and she managed to see a small area of lights.

"What's that?"

"A village. Nothing to concern you – they will never hear your pleas for help."

She sat back and for the first time realized how truly vulnerable she was. Bulma was at the mercy of her captor and she knew first hand what he was capable of doing. But she could not let him intimidate her. Inside, she was scared to death but on the outside, she wore a cloak of resilience. Bulma was a survivor.


"Your majesty. We have news."

The prince set his drink down the nearby table and opened the door to a group of soldiers standing in his wake. "What?"

"It appears that Lady Bulma has been captured, your highness."

Vegeta could feel his anger rising at the startling news he just received. His fists clenched rhythmically at his sides and he began to grind his teeth. "Who?" He barked, narrowing his eyes at the soldiers before him. Who would dare such a thing!

"We do not have an exact identification, my lord. Some eyewitnesses saw him fleeing the castle with Lady Bulma on a horse heading south towards the mountains. We believe they are not far-"

Before giving the man a chance to finish, Vegeta immediately rushed down the hallways of the palace towards the stables. He acquired as much information necessary to find the perpetrator of Bulm'a disappearance.

Lacking time and patience, the prince launched himself on the back of his stallion and took off, leaving behind any reins or saddle. Adrenaline was flowing in his veins and in addition, Vegeta was a skilled rider who on occasion rode without the proper equipment. Instead, he gripped the mane tightly and dug his boots into the side of the beast as they took off into the night.


"You are the scum of the earth!"

Bulma screeched as Yamcha tightened the ropes that bound her. It was just reaching dawn and he decided it was best to continue their path in order to avoid any unexpected guests. He pushed and pulled the young woman, trying his best to steady her on the horse when she continued to scream obscenities at him.

"Sticks and stones love…."

Bulma hacked up a mouthful of saliva and launched her sputum into the face of the young man. Her face instantly lit up when she realized it reached her target and got a rise from the captor. She released a chuckle before being thrown to the ground. Apparently, Yamcha did not find it too humorous and tackled her to the ground.

"Listen here, you whore. Either you cooperate and sit on the goddamn horse or you'll be dragging behind it. Your choice!" He screamed in her face. She said nothing, which earned her a good slap across the face. She forgot how much that stings.

"What's it going to be?"

"I'll get on it." She mumbled, trying to contain the whimper that begged to escape as she sniffed away the tears. This bastard does not deserve them.

"Good." He once again hauled her up and fastened her tightly on the steed and they continued their journey through the mountain pass.

The burning sun beat its rays upon their backs. Bulma pulled on the canteen and emptied the last of its contents into her mouth. The hot liquid was barely enough to quench her thirst. Frowning, she turned to the man sitting behind her who was oblivious to the situation. Bulma turned back and faced forward then looked up to the sky. Lifting her hands to her forehead, she shielded the sun from her eyes as she tried to determine what the time was. An amateur guess concluded they have been riding most of the day with little to no breaks. Sun should be setting within the next few hours but she would not last.

Bulma released a groan. "We're out of water."

Yamcha grabbed the empty canteen and shook it vigorously by his ear, checking the reliability of her answer. Frowning, he concluded she was right.

"Tough."

"Tough? You need water too buddy!"

Yamcha's eyes narrowed at her and he quickly lifted his hand, preparing himself to give her a smack across the face to silence her. She winced but then caught a glimmer off in the distance.

"Hey! I think there's a pond over there!"

The man lowered his arm and stared ahead, squinting his eyes to get a clearer view. He pushed his heels into the side of the horse and they gathered speed towards the area of water. She was right; a small pond was located only meters away.

As soon as they approached, Bulma pushed herself off the beast, eager to dive into the water. She gathered the water to her lips, gulping down the refreshing liquid then continued to wash her face and proceeded to her body as she scrubbed away at the dirt and grime that acquired on her body during their trip.

Meanwhile, Yamcha discovered a ledge of a cliff that overlooked the distance they covered. He pulled out a beaten scope and scanned the area, trying to determine if they were alone. At first glance, he smiled at the lack of inhabitants in the area. No one could be seen for miles and miles. They were completely alone!

Before packing the scope away, a movement caught his eyes from far away. He stood still, waiting. There! Again. It was coming closer. Squinting, he recognized the royal colors of Vegetasei.

He growled and muttered to himself. "We have company."

Bulma observed the man and how his mood turned from joyous to frustration. She also heard him mutter something about someone following them. She instantly smiled. Vegeta! He is coming for me!

The young woman could see Yamcha approaching, gathering things to pack up the horse. She was next. Bulma had to think fast in order to lead Vegeta on the right path. She quickly ripped off the bottom hem of her dress and tied it discreetly in a thorn bush that was close to the water. She peered cautiously over to Yamcha to make sure he did not witness the action but he was too busy in his own affairs as he cursed under his breath about their discovery.

Bulma made her way over the horse to distract him further from the fabric blowing in the bush. He immediately fastened her to the steed and they were once again riding fast into the sweltering heat.

Bulma noticed Yamcha was taking a different path, well to be honest, he decided to take no path at all. They were weaving through trees and streams and she assumed he was getting nervous about those that were following them.

When they stopped, it was only for a brief time. At night, they rested for a few hours in complete darkness, lacking a fire to further throw off the intruders. Before they left, Yamcha made sure to leave no signs left behind to give away their location or future destinations.

Bulma, however, had different plans in mind as she continued to leave behind hidden clues hoping they would find their way into Vegeta's hands.


In the Meantime…

"Your highness, I think I found something!"

The prince frowned at the comment, dreading the worst as he made his way over towards the small pond. The soldier was standing over a small bush. At first, Vegeta saw nothing but upon closer inspection, he saw a small piece of blue cloth blowing in the wind. He leaned down on his haunches and grabbed the clothing to examine it further. A small scent was emitted, a sweet perfume that could only belong to his woman.

"We're getting closer!" He smirked as he hopped back onto his horse and took off, wasting no time in the search and the other soldiers followed suit.

Vegeta guessed they were less than a day away behind and were gaining speed. The prince demanded little breaks from his company and they barely slept or ate since beginning the chase. The prince in particular had a difficult time sleeping knowing Bulma was in possible danger. So instead of waiting till dawn, he woke the soldiers early to get a head start on the trail.

Now here they were: a clue that gave new hope to the prince and the mission. At first, Vegeta was becoming worried by the lack of clues that the team had, as well as the deficit of knowledge to where the captor was heading. They had absolutely no evidence (other than an eye witness) and no tracks were left behind for the group to follow. After the discovery of the clothing, however, Vegeta felt a rush of adrenaline pump through his body and his heart lifted at the anticipation finding his woman.

The prince looked to the sky and saw the sun beginning to set. He frowned, determined to find Bulma by the evening! The prince turned around to see the rest of the crew, who were weary from lack of sleep and food. He truly wanted to continue – they were getting so close! But from the look of the soldiers' faces, he knew he could not push them any further.

"We'll stop here for the night."

The group lightened at the statement and eagerly leapt off their horses to set up camp.

Meanwhile, Vegeta anxiously sat around a small fire thinking to himself about the woman. He knew he was not going to get any rest tonight either due to the thoughts that passed through his mind. Bulma may not even be alive anymore or possibly close to death. Vegeta tried to shake these notions out of his head but he kept thinking about the possibility that she may be hurt or worse.

This is why he cannot wait. He must go to her now.

The prince waited until he heard the last of the men fall asleep then quietly packed his gear and headed back on the trail.

The sun was just beginning to make an appearance in the sky, signaling the beginning of a new day. Bulma gazed at the beautiful Vegetasei sky and thought about how long has it been since she was sleeping in her own bed, how long has it been since she saw her friends at the palace, or even – Vegeta. She released a sigh and prayed to the gods that he received her clues. Please hurry! After all, she was starting to run out of clothing…

"Damnit! I slept too long!"

Bulma glanced over at the man cursing, who was busy trying to hurry up and pack to make up for lost time over sleeping in an hour or two past his normal.

"We gotta go!" He shouted angrily and proceeded to march over to where Bulma was laying. She cursed to herself for not leaving a clue in this location and immediately leapt to her feet.

"I need to go to the bathroom." She announced and ran off before Yamcha had time to object.

Bulma hid behind some trees and looked desperately around for a spot that would be obvious to Vegeta but still hidden to Yamcha. That shouldn't be hard.

The young woman finally decided on tying the fabric around a tree root that was protruding from the ground. As she was finishing the knot, she heard a twig snap and she instantly turned around to face her captor.

"Leaving breadcrumbs I see." He snarled and grabbed her by the hair, throwing her in the opposite direction with such force she hit a nearby tree. "You fucking BITCH!" Yamcha screamed, as he tore off the blue cloth and shoved it in a pocket. "You know, you are more trouble than you are worth. Maybe I should just put an end to you like I should have that night…"

The man roughly pinned her against the tree, grasping her neck as she clawed at his hand and arm.

"Please…" She wheezed, desperately trying to suck in the air but to no avail. Bulma could feel her head get lighter and more dizzy as Yamcha tightened his grip. She began to see blots in her vision until it was all darkness and her hands fell limp at her sides.

Suddenly, Yamcha felt a cold metal knife slide across his adam's apple lightly. Hot breath filled his right ear: "Release her now!"

Yamcha's stomach dropped as he recognized the voice of the prince and dropped the woman immediately.

Time seemed to slow down as he turned around to face the prince. He knew he was going to be killed soon and expected a fight. And he would not go down without one, no matter how scared he was.

As he turned around in the grasp of Vegeta, he simultaneously pulled on a dagger that was tucked in his belt, shielding the sight away from the prince but all the while ready to pounce when necessary.

Now the men stood eye-to-eye and Yamcha could see the look of pure rage that Vegeta's face held. His eyes were red and dark and they bore into Yamcha's soul. The look was so frightening; he had to look away momentarily.

Wasting no time, Vegeta raised the knife preparing to end the life of the being that stood before him. But before it reached its target, Yamcha quickly shoved Vegeta away and slid his dagger into motion towards Vegeta's left side.

The prince easily blocked the move and the two exchanged quick jabs at each other. Punches, kicks, and pushes were seen a blur as the two fighters tried to win the battle.

After a few minutes, Vegeta finally managed to dig his blade into the soft flesh of Yamcha's abdomen. He angrily twisted the blade as the man released a cry of excruciating pain.

While distracted, Yamcha cleared his head and charged his dagger one last time at the prince, aiming for the heart. Vegeta saw the motive and attempted to dodge the move, dropping his shoulders down. Unfortunately, it was not enough time and the metal edge found its way into the prince's left shoulder.

Vegeta temporarily dropped the hold on Yamcha to grab at the steel that was lodged in his flesh. After tearing it out, he looked around to find that the man had escaped and was currently riding off in the distance, hunched over his horse.

The prince growled at his failure. He looked down at his feet to see a pool of blood that was not his own. Thinking back on the wound, he probably hit an artery, most likely the aorta – which is deadly within minutes. Vegeta smirked at this information, knowing his enemy will not make it very far. He hesitated about chasing after Yamcha but reminded himself about the woman who was still lying unconscious by the tree nearby.

Vegeta quickly rushed to her side and noticed the pale skin and bluish-purple tint on her lips. He pressed two fingers to the side of her neck, desperately feeling for a pulse. It was there, but it was faint.

"Come on, woman. Wake up." He said, shaking her shoulders. No response.

The prince could feel his heart pounding in his chest and a feeling of dread washed over him. He lightly tapped the side of her cheek, again begging her to wake up. He wracked his mind for answers to what he should do next.

Then he knelt over her, taking her head in his hands, brushing his thumbs over her features and across her cheekbones. "Please Bulma." He pleaded once more and bent down to kiss the young beauty.

Vegeta felt nothing at first, just the coolness of her lips against his. But just as he was pulling away, he felt the kiss returned.


Author's Note: Sorry, the ending is a little cheesy. I promise I'll work on that. Other than that, I really enjoyed writing this chapter. So much going on! But tell me what you think - Good? Bad? Review!