A/N: Well, here it is, the one and only, Chapter 4. First, sorry it took a while to update, but once again, I was struck by the horrible, annoying curse that is writer's block. But I swear this chapter was very carefully thought out and I promise it's by far the longest chapter of this entire fanfic so far. Second, I wanna say thanks to LaughableBunny, Meiyo Motou, Mariposa, Cara2012, and Zephire for all the great reviews on Chapter 3. Let me know what you guys all think of this new Chapter. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of the characters, and I never will. Akira Toriyama owns DBZ and all of the characters, he always has and always will.
WARNING: SOME BLOOD AND CHILD VIOLENCE.
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"So, Vegeta, I trust that the mission on Planet Kantana was successful?" Frieza asked. "Yes, Lord Frieza", King Vegeta answered. "Good", Frieza smirked.
"That mission was actually kinda boring, Frieza", Prince Vegeta said.
At this, Frieza turned to face the four-year-old Saiyan prince.
"Is that so?" the lizard asked.
Vegeta nodded.
Frieza smirked sadistically. King Vegeta watched the tyrant warily.
"Well then, I'll have to remember that before I send you on another mission", the Ice-Jin said to Vegeta.
"Zarbon", Frieza said, turning to his teal-skinned lieutenant.
"Yes, Lord Frieza?" Zarbon asked.
"Take the child to the training room", Frieza ordered in a very calm voice. "I wish to speak to his father in private".
Zarbon smirked, "Whatever you say, Lord Frieza", he said.
With that, the green-haired changeling led the Saiyan child out of the room. King Vegeta watched Zarbon out of the corner of his eyes. Frieza was up to something.
...In the training room...
"You really are an arrogant little monkey, aren't you?" Zarbon sneered at Vegeta. The Saiyan child scowled.
"I'm not a monkey, I'm a Saiyan", the young Saiyan prince said.
"Of course", Zarbon replied with a fake smile.
"Well, are we gonna spar or what?" Vegeta asked.
"Oh, we're going to spar all right", Zarbon smirked.
...Back in the throne room...
"That little son of yours is quite strong, isn't he, Vegeta?" Frieza asked. "Even for a Saiyan child".
"Yes, he is", King Vegeta replied, knowing exactly where this conversation was going.
"Now do you see why I wish to have him as a soldier on my ship?" the Ice-Jin smirked.
King Vegeta said nothing.
"Well?" Frieza's voice grew hard.
"Yes, Lord Frieza", King Vegeta answered, struggling to keep the anger out of his voice.
"You need not worry that I will not take care of him, Vegeta", Frieza said, his smirk growing broader.
Again, King Vegeta fought to keep the rising anger inside him under control. The Saiyan king wanted nothing more than to tell the tyrant to kiss his tail, go get his son, and leave the Ice-Jin's ship. But he knew if he did that, his son would pay for his actions. Frieza seemed to be holding Prince Vegeta's wellbeing over the Saiyan king's head all the time. If he suspected that King Vegeta would say no to something, the Ice-Jin would then bring up the subject of it being a terrible shame if his young son were to get hurt. King Vegeta would never let anyone or anything hurt his small son if there was a chance that he could stop it. But whenever it came to Frieza, there was only so much the Saiyan king could do against the icy tyrant.
"The boy will only train on my ship for a year, then you can have him back", the Ice-Jin went on, pulling the Saiyan king out of his thoughts.
A year? That was actually good news to King Vegeta. He had thought that Frieza would insist on keeping his son as a soldier for much longer.
"Well, Vegeta?" Frieza's voice cut into his thoughts again.
"Of course, Lord Frieza", King Vegeta replied.
Though the news of his son being on Frieza's ship for only a year secretly relieved King Vegeta, it also troubled him. There were a lot of things that could happen in a year to the four-year-old Saiyan prince without his father there to protect him from danger.
...Two hours later...
Finally, the meeting with Frieza ended and King Vegeta headed to the training room to retrieve his son.
"Daddy...", King Vegeta heard a faint voice groan as he walked down the dark metal corridor. "Vegeta?" he called, frantically heading toward where he had heard the voice. "Vegeta, where are you?"
"Daddy...", the voice groaned again. It was coming from the training room. King Vegeta hurried into the training room.
Vegeta lay on the floor, bruised and beaten. His eyes were closed and the sleeveless blue training gi he always wore was torn and soaked bright red with the blood that was coming from his nose, mouth, and the severe injuries that covered the small Saiyan's body. Several patches of bloody fur were missing from little Vegeta's mangled tail and lay around the child and the four-year-old Saiyan prince seemed to be having trouble breathing.
King Vegeta fell to his knees beside his young son and rested a hand on the child's left shoulder. The little boy's eyes slowly opened.
"Who did this to you?" King Vegeta demanded, his voice filled with rage. "Tell me, Vegeta!"
"Z-Zar...bon...", Vegeta answered in a voice barely above a whisper.
"Dammit all to hell! I swear I'll rip that kisama apart!" King Vegeta snarled.
Suddenly, young Vegeta moaned in pain again and his father's anger quickly faded into concern. "Come on, Vegeta", the Saiyan king said softly. "Let's get you out of here and into a rejuvenation tank".
Vegeta yelped as his father tried to lift him. "Daddy, that hurts", he whimpered.
Very carefully, King Vegeta shifted his arms under his small son's body. Vegeta closed his eyes and groaned softly as his father lifted him very carefully, so as not to hurt the Saiyan child even more.
As his father carried him through the halls of the Saiyan castle, little Vegeta managed to relax in his father's secure grip. He was still in pain, but he felt safe. At least he was away from Frieza's ship and in the protective arms of his father, and that made the four-year-old Saiyan prince feel a little better.
Five minutes later, the two arrived at the healing room.
"You know what to do, Malaka", King Vegeta said, carefully handing his half-conscious son to the doctor. The doctor nodded and put Vegeta's small, limp body in the rejuvenation tank and pressed the buttons to activate the tank.
...
An hour later, King Vegeta drained the tank, helped his son into some dry clothes, and carried the little boy to bed.
"Daddy, please...", Vegeta begged as his father carried him down the hall to his bedroom. "Don't make me go back there".
King Vegeta didn't know what to tell his son. He had no doubt that Frieza would force him to take the child back to the Ice-Jin's ship again. But he refused to let Zarbon near his son again.
...Five minutes later...
King Vegeta sat beside his son's bed, watching the little prince sleep. He had expected the Saiyan child to have nightmares about being beaten by Zarbon.
A second later, the Saiyan king's suspicion was proven. Vegeta gasped and began to shake. "Stop it, Zarbon...stop it...I wanna go home", the Saiyan child murmured. "Daddy...Daddy, where are you?"
"Vegeta, Vegeta! Wake up!" King Vegeta said, shaking his son's shoulder. Vegeta's eyes flew open and he started to scream. "No! NO! Leave me alone, Zarbon!" the four-year-old Saiyan prince shrieked, his face filled with fear. Then, he realized he was looking into the face of his father, not his tormentor and he started to calm down.
"I don't wanna go back there", Vegeta said, burying his face into his father's chest. "Please don't make me go back".
"Don't worry, Vegeta", his father said. "I won't take you back to that animal's ship".
The second King Vegeta said these words, he regretted it. He knew Frieza would find some way to force him to bring his young son back to the ship. He hated lying to the little boy, knowing he wouldn't be able to keep the promise he had just so foolishly made.
As four-year-old Vegeta drifted off to sleep, King Vegeta lamented on the things that had happened. It all infuriated the Saiyan king that he was powerless to stop Frieza from hurting his son. He had been able to lead his people to victory in the war against the Tuffles nearly ten years ago, he had faced and beaten countless enemies on the planet purging missions he sometimes went on, but here he was, powerless to defend his son from Frieza.
"You'll have your day, Frieza", he muttered under his breath. "You'll have your day very soon".
...
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