Chapter 19

Starting New…

The next three days went by in a blur for Goku as he trained with other soldiers and learnt the new tactic plans that David, Radditz, and Krillen concocted. All the men felt over prepared for battle but the uniforms still weren't completed. The sun just fell into its hiding place when the camp caught sight of the messenger coming in the distant and everyone was on their feet in anticipation.

Goku couldn't wait to hear the news the king sent back and most importantly word on the princess's condition. Goku stood with all the other soliders at the center of the camp Raven had joined them leaving her work behind. When Gerald had finally made it to the gathered soldiers he sought out David and asked to speak to him alone.

All the soldiers were anxious to hear what was happening back at home, all save for Krillen. However, he was very curious for his new best friend's sake how the beautiful princess he spoke so much of was doing. No one expected the duo to become so close, but since the accident they were like brothers. "It's going to be good news" Krillen said, reassuringly, as he noticed how troubled his friend was.

David and Gerald went in the tent and no one left their spot. It seemed like years had passed by to Goku, as they waited outside the small tent. What had been the word?

David reappeared with Gerald in tow. David stood with a solemn face and looked from one end of the men to the next. "Today men we mourn the loss of our princess- she died two days ago when our messenger got their" said David.

"What?" said Goku breathlessly, everything was meshing together. His heart was lodge in his throat, and he couldn't conjure the strength to breath. He clutched his chest with his hand and shook his head in frustration not able to stand anymore he fought his way through the crowd of men. She couldn't be dead! He wanted to throw up, kick, hit, something! He was to be there, he was the one that was to guard her. She couldn't be gone, she just couldn't.

Everyone in that camp disappeared and desperately he made his way through the towering bushes, in a rush to get to the secluded area he knew. He didn't want to see anyone, he couldn't bare. She had been dead for two days, and he never knew. He had failed, his revenge had been the cause of this downfall. She asked him to stay, and because he was after blood he lost her. He lost the things he told her they'd have, and though he didn't understand it all. He wanted so bad for her to show him the things he didn't, he wanted to be with her. Now it all slipped through his callous fingers.

Raven looked to the retreating solider, as he slipped away. Something had gone terrible wrong, they were wrong. She had to hurry to Goku's rescue and make him understand that they were wrong. This messenger was a liar, and there was no reason for him to be so distraught. She started to make her way through the morning crowd, when some grabbed hold of her shoulder. She pulled against the grip, but it was solid. "David- I've got to go to him."

"No you need to speak with me" said David firmly. His deep brown orbs started down at her and though nearly all the light from the sun had vanished, and night was setting in she could see the sternness in his eyes. He led her into his tent and took up a letter from off a small wooden table. "I think you know what I want to speak with you about?"

"No not entirely? Is it the uniform? I'm nearly done" said Raven, irritated. She didn't have time to be badgered about the uniforms, she needed to be with Goku.

"No. What do you have to say to Goku? You know he is in love with the princess? He won't have much to speak to you about at the moment." David watched Raven intently and though he couldn't see behind her black uniform he could tell she was irritated.

"I know he is and that is exactly why I wish to speak to him" she spat. She crossed her hands over her chest, grinding her teeth anxious to leave the tent.

"I thought so…well it's too bad that the princess never cared about him. So when I tell him that she never loved him then he will take the news much better especially with a letter from her" David baited.

"Never loved him? Of course I did!...I mean she did" exclaimed Raven.

David mouth, turned upward, into a triumphant smirk. "Princess I've been watching you for days now and I've noticed all the attention you spend on him. However, I do have to say I didn't know it was you until I receive the letter from the king telling me you had vanished. I decided that it would be wonderful to say you were dead because there is another traitor among us. But if Goku knows you are really alive and living and breathing and here in the camp that traitor will know this is a hoax. I implore you to keep your secret a bit longer for the sake of the people and the kingdom." David handed ChiChi the letter that the guard had brought that was entitled to her and she read over it.

"My father knew…" she whispered as she looked up to David tears pricking at the corner of her eyes. "He didn't come."

"Your father loves you dearly he said he wishes to let you live your life and be happy. I ask one request for the sake of this kingdom hold your tongue from Goku a bit longer" said David and ChiChi nodded silently.

"I just don't want him to hate me" whispered ChiChi.

"May I ask you a question" said David, and she nodded. " Why didn't you tell Goku that you were better and that it was you the moment you made it to the camp?"

She sat silently for minutes, tears falling, though she desperately fought against them. She clutched her father's letter against her chest and looked up at David. "I was afraid that all I meant to Goku was just the beauty he seen in the castle and I wasn't really who he loved."

David placed a comforting hand on ChiChi's shoulder, he had after all known love once. He could feel the heaviness on the princess' shoulder, and though she wasn't honest with Goku, he was grateful. Had she come and proclaim who she was, the entire camp and kingdom would have been in immediate trouble. "He will never hate you, even as you have played the role of Raven I see that he fighting against the feelings of love" said David. "He is struggling because he doesn't know Raven and you are one and the same. Go and finish the uniforms, don't worry."

"Ok" said ChiChi her insides felt like mush, and her heart heavy like lard, she turned to leave.

"Maybe you can use this as a way to answer the question you long to know" advised David.

ChiChi glanced over her shoulder at David perplexed by his words. What question had she? "I don't know what you mean."

"Your heart does…" whisper David a smile lingering on his face. "Good night."

Krillen shared another helping of soup for a solider thankful that the line had final ended. He had expected to be a solider in training to fight on the main lines instead David had assigned him cooking duties. He abhorred it, but he couldn't challenge the commander. He shared himself out a bowl last and was just about to cover the large pot when he noticed the blonde hair woman that was capture a few days back eyeing the pot.

He should have been angry with her for she was a part of the Teriok army. Her people had stormed into his village and shattered his life killing all his friends, family, and his fiancé. He would be a married man already if they would have just passed through in peace as they had said. Yet as he looked upon the blonde woman he felt pity. Many of the other soldiers taunted her and some even spat at her none daring to come to her aide and he understood.

She looked at them with the same hatred and if given the chance she'd kill them all. He could see the animosity etched in her icy blue orbs still he felt a tug in his heart to help her. He wasn't certain if it was the simple fact that she was a woman or that she shared a loss as he had. She had lost her brother under the currents of the river water Goku said, and he knew the pain it was too loose someone.

Everyone was losing someone left and right, only a few hours ago did Goku tear away from everyone at the loss of the princess. Many of the soldiers were hit pretty hard at the news and some had shared stories of things they heard of her. Older soldiers talk about the times when her mother was still living and the family would walk outside the castle walls in the city. They said she was very beautiful, kind, and play with all the other kids. She had been the replica of her mother save for the ebony hair that she took from her father, and his kind spirit. Everyone was losing something, someone, and that realization scratched at the walls of Krillen's heart for the blonde woman.

He grabbed a spoon and made his way over to the woman's cell. She never moved an inch and the closer he got to her cell the more even the bones in his body was shaking. How could she cast such fear in him? He placed the bowl into the cell and lingered. After moments of silences and her firm gaze that was drilling holes into his soul he retreated.

"Some girl" he murmured as he hurried back to the bowl he made for himself. He rubbed the back of his neck trying to think of something else beside her chilling eyes. How many battles had she been in? How many men had she killed with her black widow's web? Shaking his head he quickened his pace hoping to drive away the thoughts of the blonde vixen. He needed a drink and fast.

"I think she'll make good to bed don't you?" kid one solider to his taller counterpart.

The other one only laughed and shook the metal cell housing their new prisoner. The woman tried her best to be strong and to hold on but she failed sliding against opposite bars. A few men reached in groping her and she fought as best she could only it was hard to slap away every hand. She despised the Ox Kingdom and all they stood for- she hated the man that killed her brother and spared her life.

How she wished she could destroy every one of the men lined around her cell teasing her as if she was an animal. Tears burned to be free but she wouldn't give them the pleasure of knowing she was hurting. She moved to the certain of the cell and pulled her legs to her chest and buried her face between them. She was all alone in the enemy's camp and for the first time frighten as she had been when she was a child.

"Hey! What are you guys doing?" Krillen had enough of the men constantly probing the woman as if she was scum on the street. It was true she was part of the enemy's army but did it make them any better treating her how they did! He had walked by many times his inside twisting as he fought the urge to come to her aide and each time before he walked away and into his tent. Why should he have to tell them stop? Why was he so concern when she was a part of the army that took his love away? Every time that he went into his tent he couldn't stop the urgency to come out and help her- but he always fought it till he drifted to sleep.

Now here he stood before four of the largest men in the camp taking up for the enemy. They all looked at him with daggers but none dared to say a word because they knew that he had pull with David. They also knew if David knew what they were doing he certainly would punish them and may even lock them up. "What's it to you? It's because of her people our princess is dead!" one of the soldiers spat.

"She's a woman and a prisoner not an animal, don't you haven't any decency with how to treat a woman? I'm certain with the way the princess was spoken of that she wouldn't be too happy with what you're doing. It's been four days since we've heard the princess was dead, and you've been treating this way for seven days." said Krillen.

"Woman? Hm. She is no woman she is scum and if the shoe was on the other foot she'd do exactly the same thing. She is the enemy you idiot, the reason we are in this war" argued another solider.

"Well how about you play she is a woman and treat her right or I'll have a word with David. She is still living and breathing and you won't lay another finger on her or say anything else vial to her. If you do than I will take care of you and then go to David" firmly Krillen informed. "I'll take watch of her for the rest of the day if you all don't mind."

"You're a fool! She is a part of the people that destroyed your entire village and you side with her. My brother is dead and I'll never see him again because of her" tiff the first solider. He stormed off the other soldiers in tow furious and blinded with rage.

Krillen sighed relieved that they had left and the moment they were out of sight his legs were chattering. Had any of those soldiers laid a hand on him he certainly wouldn't be standing. Shuffles brought him from his troubling thoughts and he looked over to the small cage where the woman sat pressed against her cage now looking at him in fear.

After moments of debating he made his way over to the small cage and gripped the bar. He was staring the devil in the eyes, as the murders of his towns people flashed before his eyes. Though he knew millions were murdered he couldn't hold the anger inside him for this helpless girl before him who felt exactly as he did. "I'm sorry for all they did to you…."said Krillen with hooded eyes.

Her icy blue eyes no longer glazed over with rage but pain. He extended his hand out and when she jerked back he quickly drew it back not to scare her. "I'm Krillen" he said and she stared at him confused. "I won't hurt you…Do you understand me?"

"Why do you look at me" she whispered in her tongue.

" Oh! Just great you don't understand me…" he begun to pace outside of her cell and she followed his every move. An idea rushed to his head, like blood when one is upside down. He pointed at himself and slowly he said "Krillen…Krillen…Krillen"

She arched a brow and though he made the most peculiar motion, she understood. She would have ignored his gesture but she felt grateful for she knew whatever he had said to the men that were there made them leave. "Eighteen" she said pointing to herself.

Krillen smiled and even though her name was rather odd for it was a number in his tongue he didn't mind it. He felt happy that she had trusted him enough to disclose such information, and this time as he stretched out his hand she shook it with her own. It was a wonderful release to forgive this girl…though it wasn't anything she herself done, but to forgive was such a wonderful gift. He didn't know why but he felt in that very moment that something wonderful was happening.

So this story will be coming to a close, and the new OOC will be in the next chapter! o.o Enjoyed? Let me know your thoughts, I more than likely will be getting these out pretty fast! I'm starting on my first, real novel! At the end of this fic, if anyone is interested I can send you the first chapter! And update you when it is completely out, and maybe you can support me! :) Just a thought! Anywho, till next time! ^_~ Review