Stolen Hearts Chapter Twenty-Two
Bulma looked around her solemnly distant, detached. She was breathing, but she didn't live. Her eyes were empty.
Chichi had already come to see her and lavish her apologies, but they meant nothing now. Bulma simply stared blankly at her.
Bulma had never felt so heavy. It hurt to breathe. She tried to keep her mind blank for if a though of him entered the pain was overwhelming.
With those heavy thoughts that matched her heart Bulma impassively out her precariously high window down to the cold ground below where two guards stood alert. Her mother had made good on her promise of keeping Bulma well guarded. Bulma was utterly trapped in her own life.
Her door was well guarded as well as the castle perimeter. It seemed her parents definitely suspected their headstrong daughter to try something drastic. Did that mean they did see her pain and just chose to ignore it? She shook her head trying to rid herself of thought for it wouldn't help anything, but bad thoughts come whether they are wanted or not.
Bulma just hoped he wouldn't try and come for her. The only thing keeping her from going completely insane right now was the chance that Vegeta was alive and safe somewhere far away. She shuddered to think of what might happen to him if he dared enter Fey territory.
It seemed everything was filled with tension, probably because of King Volsung's death. The Elves must be filled with unrest and anger. Were they hunting for Vegeta?
Tears blurred and stung Bulma's eyes. She hated herself again. She hated everything. Everything except him. She loved him still, and some part of her was beyond thinking of herself when it came to his well-being.
She couldn't change or save the world, she realized that now, but she could've saved him. That would've been enough for her, and he would've saved her too. He was capable of living for a single purpose, and she wanted to be that purpose for she felt like if only she could just be with him she would be whole.
That was all ruined beyond compare now. She could only hope he was strong enough to live without her. To forget her.
Bulma held her breath and tried to clear her head. The pain was becoming too much again. She let out a haggard sigh.
Little did Bulma know as she looked into the black night before her that there was something far more deserving of her worry then Fearies of Elves, lurking in the shadows waiting.
The distant screams were her first and only warning.
Bulma tried to gasp in horror, but all that came out was a strangled choke.
In the silent gloom of the night she saw outlined against the stars something which she hadn't believed possible.
It was a dragon. Not just any dragon, for that wouldn't have been so strange, but one so large and monstrous it had to be Nargothrond, the father of all dragons, as old at the hills themselves. He had lain dormant for so long he had passed into legend, but obviously something must have awakened him for he was alive and real before her, in all his terrible glory.
If you were to behold the terror of the father of dragons your heart, no doubt, would be frozen in your chest, your body paralyzed with fear in its most raw form. Even the earth trembled with his coming; such was the trepidation of this colossal hunter. A deafening roar tore through the forest causing trees to shake with its pure ferocity. The sickening smell followed close after, snaking through the air, making her breath catch in her throat. It was the smell of death, enough to make even the strongest quail.
The creature was a moving mountain, so massive that it was hard to comprehend that is was indeed a living creature and not some ancient foundation of the earth. Large red orbs pierced the blackness of its body, narrowed threateningly with hate. The thin black slash down the center was searching with malice, drowning whoever looked into them in their unfathomable depths, and Bulma desperately hoped that the beams of light radiating from those unholy spheres didn't fall upon her.
From its gaping mouth lines of white daggers stood hungry for blood and gnashing with impatience as fire seared out from between the death spikes at random intervals, licking the air in scorching tendrils in an intimidating show of hidden power. Just one of the enormous sharpened teeth could easily spear through a human as if they was no more then a loaf of bread.
From its back great midnight wings arise like a shroud of death, killing whatever light there was in their absolute pitch. When those frightful appendages began to beat a tempest commenced, lying to waste in their wrathful fury anything that did not have roots reaching deep into the ground.
Claws protruded menacingly from muscular gnarled legs that slashed furiously through the ground, leaving yawning chasms in their wake. The beast of utter darkness and power was evil all the way down to its ironically heart shaped spear at the end of its tail that could, with one simple snap, cut the strongest tower in two like a twig. A sweltering heat exuded from its impenetrable scales as the invincible dragon found its prey.
Bulma opened her mouth to scream but such was her alarm that no sound came out but a strangled gasp of one who knew their death was closing in. All she could do was stare in wide eyed at the majestic vision of horror that was forever stored in the chambers of remembrance as she was enveloped in blackness.
For it is commonly known that Nargothrond loves to take prizes of beauty back to the pits of hell with him, and such was the reason when his demon eyes found the Princess, she was doomed.
"Oh gods! Oh gods have mercy! Nargothrond has returned and taken the Princess!! All will be laid to devastation and fire!" cried a guard frenzied with fear having seen the black monster when it made its presence know with an earth trembling roar as it snatched the tiny Princess up in its claws then proceeded to rip an unholy pit into the ground as it burrowed to unknown depths.
The horrifying strangeness of this news traveled quickly like befitting fire, and mayhem followed close behind. The world was turned to terror. They were doomed! The certain demise of their Princess was the least of their worries, for all except one that is.
Vegeta had been waiting with an impatient heart for his love, fearing the worst
'Why hadn't she come? Had she changed her mind? Was she done with him?' He thought in anguish.
No. No, he was done with doubt. He would not doubt her love anymore. He couldn't, not when they'd come so far. Something must of happened. Something terrible.
Vegeta rose with a steely determination and headed towards the Fey castle bent on finding his love. It wasn't until he heard the screams of despair that he truly began to worry. And then he heard the cry that stopped his heart.
"Oh gods! Oh gods have mercy! Nargothrond has returned and taken the Princess!!"
His heart clenched with the madness of sorrow and desperation when he heard, and he wasted no time in racing to do what he could to save Bulma, or die with her. It was amazing how quickly he was able to decide that fate, in fact it wasn't even a choice, it was what he HAD to do. He had to save her, even if he could very possibly die trying, it was the only option.
Not once did it cross his mind to be concerned of his own safety all he could think of was how he had to go quickly to the belly of the beast and pray that he was not too late already. He had no hesitance in risking his life for hers, because if he could not save her he wanted death, and that he was sure to meet in that god forsaken pit of doom the accursed dragon had spoiled the earth with.
He had never been a man who lived with much fear anyway. For himself anyway. Now he felt a crazed fear for her.
'Please Gods don't let it be too late!!'
The small crowd of watchmen at the abyss who were ready to send up the alarm should the terrible head of Nargothrond emerge gaped in astonishment as the saw the Elf walk up with a fearless determination and begin his decent without so much as a single waver.
"Is he mad?"
"Why would he do such a thing?"
"Does he hunt for death?"
The things the heart can do for love are limitless.
Vegeta gulped and brushed the perspiration from his brow as he traveled deeper and deeper into the ever warming trench. The air now felt like it was practically burning his skin causing his heart to tremble, but never falter in its intent. He made a prayer to the heavens that if he should die; let him die, as long as she lived.
He had to find her. He knew she lived yet, he could feel it. He knew of their bond well and what the feelings meant. Yes, she was alive, he would not have the strength nor will to move if she were dead.
Just when he felt he could not hold on to his consciousness any longer in the sweltering inferno the path opened up into a gigantic hollow cavern, and at the center of that room there was a large black mound, blacker even then the blackest pitch of the stones surrounding it. Vegeta had reached the heart of the lair, a breath away from hell.
Nargothrond was slumbering. It seemed he was fairly confident that no one would dare be foolish enough to venture all the way down just for one silly little girl, and it was high time he took a well deserved rest from all his strenuous work. It had been a very long time since he had done anything like this sort of thing after all.
But he had made one fatal misjudgment of what one man would do for that silly little girl he had stolen away. Indeed he had picked the wrong one to mess with.
Vegeta growled with distaste at the stench wafting from the dragon that was so pungent it was almost unbearable, but it had little impact on his steel will that drove him to continue. She was close, he could sense it. He sharpened his Elvish sight and scanned the room hopefully from the blue woman.
There! In the corner, that had to be her, it was like a patch of light in the blackest night sky. He rushed to her side as swiftly and as quietly as possible.
"Bulma?" he whispered in a plea, she lay so still, was she alive?
He gathered her into his arms and lowered his ear to her lips.
Breath! She was breathing still!
He quietly stood, barely daring to breathe lest he unsettle the sleeping terror, and began his escape with a tense heart.
But it was not to be so. When Vegeta was a few hundred paces away and out of the chamber the strange scent of the Elf finally made its way to register in the unconscious of the dragon and his immense eyes shot open in a fiery flash, searing them with its gaze. The giant dragon saw what he had worked hard to steal being stolen back and he was furious beyond measure or reason. The pure audacity someone would have to challenge him!
Vegeta heard, or more like felt the dragons rage as he leapt to action. "Oh god" was all he could say as the world around them began to fall apart. It was well that Vegeta should be turned away from the creature for if he looked back and saw its horror, he might not have found the strength to flee.
And flee he did, he didn't think he had it in him to move to fast, but the adrenaline in his system was sky rocketing beyond anything he had ever experienced because now he had someone to protect. Someone he HAD to save.
The horrid monstrous head whipped from the entrance to its den to snap at the heels of quickly retreating feet. Flames whirled a licked viciously around them with an undeterable vengeance as the chase ensued. They wouldn't have had a fighting chance had the tunnel been any larger. As it was now the dragon had to squeeze to get through, impeding his speed just enough to let Vegeta keep his lead, and his life.
Vegeta had to dodge left and right, up and down, to escape the hurtling rocks and spits of flame that flew deathly towards them. The tunnel was beginning to get steeper and steeper, and the beast was gaining. Vegeta began to lost hope. It was too steep, he could never climb out with Bulma quickly enough,
But as if in answer to his thoughts, or maybe the crashing of all the debris around her, Bulma awoke with a start.
"Vegeta!" she screamed, disoriented in horror.
"Fly princess, fly! Get out of here! Leave me!"
"No, Never!!," Bulma screamed defiantly over the thundering roars that were quickly closing in on them.
"Damnit go! We don't have time to argue!" Vegeta yelled back shoving her upwards.
Bulma set her mouth determined, and grasped Vegeta under the arms and surged upwards with a strength that came from her love. Only the strongest Fey soldiers had ever been able to carry another full grown person, but Bulma was able to lift Vegeta as if he were no more then a child, such was her crazed need to save him in turn.
The last climb to the world above was completely vertical and Bulma flew furiously towards their freedom. Vegeta would have been awed had there not been a 1000 ton dragon at their backs, barely missing them with his daggered teeth as they took flight.
A rush of fresh sweet air signified their exit from the horrible pit, but they were far from safety.
In on last fearsome thrash Nargothrond overtook his prey, his teeth latching in a death grip onto one of Vegeta's dangling legs, ripping him from Bulma's arms and bringing him crashing back down to the earth with him.
"Nooo!" Bulma screamed in a furious protest that was loud enough to be heard over the bellowing roars over Nargothrond as he pummeled his victim delightedly. They would not get off without paying for their offense to him.
Bulma's strength faltered for a moment and she plummeted to the ground amidst a group of warriors and observers that had gathered since Vegeta had first descended. Her parents were among them.
"Bulma you are alive! Thank the heavens!"
But Bulma did not hear a word. Her mind and voice were screaming in agony as she watched her love get tossed around like a toy, helpless to the incredible foe. Dear gods the thing was playing with him like her were a toy!
Bulma's stomach turned. She had to do something!! He was going to die, die because of her. No! No no no! She wouldn't let it happen again! Not to him, never to him!
"Vegeta!! VEGETA!" she screamed incoherently as she rushed forward out of the grasps of her family, running blindly towards death. She didn't care if she died, she didn't. All that mattered was Vegeta, she HAD to save him.
And then something inside her snapped. Something was set free that had been laying dormant, waiting for a chance to emerge and make her whole.
"Bulma NO, you'll be killed!!" they shouted after her retreating form, but were silenced soon enough as they saw her transformation.
There came a swift flash, like fire, but it burnt no one. She was flying towards Nargothrond in a whirlwind of white radiance emanating from her very soul. Her hair and wings were shining white as she collided violently with the blackness.
There was no competition.
Nargothrond fell from her as if he were a mere pebble, as helpless as a child against the pure power and light flowing form Bulma's being. Eyes widened and mouths gasped as the watched the mystifying spectacle that almost appeared humorous for such a small beacon of light drastically beating an immense mountain of darkness. Realization crept upon them.
She was a Valkyrie.
To say the Fey people who watched helplessly below were shocked would not do justice. They couldn't move.
Bulma did not even take notice though. All she knew was that saving Vegeta had to be done, and that was exactly what she was doing. Nothing more, nothing less. With a blast she secured her victory over the father of all dragons, and it barely crossed her mind how inconceivable that was in her wild concern for her beloved who lay in an unhopeful bloody heap.
'Was I too late?! Please no!" was all Bulma could think as she flew to him.
She was at his side in less then a second with her newly acquired powers, desperately pulling him into her arms and smoothing her hands over his hair. Blood coated them in seconds…. So much blood…..how could someone lose so much blood…….?
Bulma shrieked when she saw it there in his eyes. The undeniable truth. He was dying. She had failed.
She began to cry and tremble and scream, bathing him in her tears, not feeling strong at all anymore. She desperately tried to put pressure on his wounds, to stop the bleeding, but there was too much!... just too much……..!!
"Vegeta no! Don't die, please don't leave me!" She begged desperately through her tears, feeling her sanity slip away. She bowed her head to his until their foreheads touched and began rocking back and forth.
"Yes my love, forbid me now to die. I'll obey," Vegeta breathed ever so faintly, "..I shall…… try to obey."
"Vegeta," was all she could sob as she saw his eyes dim and become unfocused, "Come back Vegeta. I can't live in this world if you aren't in it!"
"Bulma," Vegeta whispered as his eyes found hers again, blazing lights in the darkness. She was still glowing brilliantly with the light of a Valkyrie.
He slowly moved one hand up so it could rest on the side of her face brushing the tears away. Then he began to whisper again, as faint as the breeze, "Let this be my farewell.. Now that I have found love it is harder to die...I pray that the gods will one day see it fit to bring me home, to be with you. Be strong. Be safe... my love is forever.."
This goodbye was too much for Bulma and she leaned forward and feverishly kissed him, pouring all her soul into him so that he might find the strength to remain in this harsh realm with her.
Little did Bulma know that she now did indeed have the power to give the breath of life. For what is a Valkyrie, the promoter of life, if it cannot preserve that gift? The kiss of life!
Vegeta's fatal wounds closed as if they had never been there in the first place. His eyes fluttered open, no longer shaded with pain, and his brows knotted.
Bulma began shaking with a silent joy.
"What kind of angel are you? Is this heaven?" He stammered confused, looking at his body that was just seconds ago ruined beyond repair.
"I don't know," Bulma cried with joy, tears still flowing with her emotional overload, holding him even closer, "I love you, I told you nothing can break that, not even death."
"Bulma!" they were interrupted by the crowd rushing over now that the threat of the dragon was surely gone, "Bulma my child! My child is a Valkyrie, will the wonders never cease?" Aeolus said happily embracing Bulma, and in the act pulling her away from Vegeta.
"We are saved, we are saved!" the chant went up as the people cheered this most joyous of occurrences. There was a Valkyrie before them, still exuding its white grace like warm visible rays of moonshine. She was Bulma no more.
Bulma smiled meekly but turned to Vegetas side and held him by the waist. She wasn't ready to be parted from him by even a millimeter yet. The fear of loosing him was still fresh in her mind. Vegeta stood steadily by her, but she could sense his unrest. So many Fey surrounded him…. Was it safe? It seemed they were too bust cheering and celebrating the Valkyrie to take much notice of the Elf in their midst.
But one person in the crown did not cheer. Harmonia's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. As shocked as she was to see that her daughter that had always failed to live up to her standards now the most powerful blessed creatures on the planet, she was not distracted. She was not blinded by her daughters light; she saw exactly what was going on.
Bulma thought she was in love with that... that Elf, and it made her stomach turn. How could she be happy about her daughter being the legendary Valkyrie when she was affiliated with such a monster? That dirty Elf was indeed the cause of all the problems with Bulma. Harmonia was so enraged that she wanted to go over and rip his filthy head of for spoiling her daughter so. It was almost too outrageous for her to comprehend!
Harmonia calmed herself. Now was not the time. She must put on a happy face, for she would be a fool to not recognize her daughter's powers and attacking what she had just so violently fought to save would most likely mean suicide, even if she was her mother. It was obvious Bulma was not in the right sate of mind and needed help quickly before she was lost. She didn't know how, but in some way this Elf had entrapped her poor daughter, and she would do what a mother had to do. She would set her free.
She would have to make Bulma believe that her mother accepted this infatuation of hers, she embrace him with one hand, only to stab him in the back with the other. Harmonia smiled as she walked towards them. As soon as he was away from Bulma she would have the pathetic life of that fool who dared think he was worthy of touching her daughter abruptly ended.
"Mother?" Bulma's voice rang into her thoughts. Yes there was worry there, as rightfully it should.
'If you knew it was wrong my child why did you do it? This must be the most proud and disappointed I have ever been. But the pride of the Valkyrie will override and I will eliminate the reason for disappointment,' Harmonia thought practically.
"My dear lovely child, look at you! I am so proud; I always knew that you were special, I knew it. And what thanks do we owe this brave young man who risked such peril to bring you back safe to us?"
"Oh mother! You do not need to thank, as long as you accept, I love him!" Bulma answered, her eyes glistening with happiness as she threw herself lovingly into her mother's arms when she smiled warmly in response.
'Why should they be so accepting of him? Is it not odd?'
The thought darted across Bulma's mind like a moonbeam and then was gone, she was not thinking at all. She was too overwhelmed with the happiness of having Vegeta alive and in her arms and the idea that everything might actually work out for everyone. Her emotions had been through far too much of a marathon today.
The attention of the crown was finally drawn to the Elf being held by the Princess. Questioning murmurs and raised eyebrows ripped though the crowd with judgment and fear. Bulma did not notice this unrest; she was too happy and holding Vegeta as close as she could.
Bulma's father was confused as could be but was too amazed by the coming of the Valkyrie that was his daughter to pay much mind. It would all be sorted out later.
'I am sorry my child, I am doing this for your own good,' Harmonia though as she felt guilt singe through her at the look of joy on her daughters face. But she was firm in her resolve. It had to be done.
AN: Hmmmm, interesting revelations. Till next time, thanks for reading.