Chapter 10: Suspicion

The news seemed to have gotten lost for how long it was taking to arrive. They hadn't even gotten a letter by pigeon, which could only mean that whatever news they did have for her was so sensitive that it couldn't be risked over pigeon. It had gotten so bad that Piccolo took off on Ember to go find out what was going on himself. Ember seemed thrilled to go, actually. He wanted to stretch his wings and fly and Piccolo wanted to talk to General Roshi and get a report, and tell him to send 100 ships north, and leave the rest to defend the Isle, than if he could, he was going to find out what was going on at the castle from Krillin.

Bulma tried not to think about that while she lay stretched out and warm in bed, snuggled up with Unus. It was a few quiet moments of bliss with nothing but soft sheets and skin under her hands. Or it would have been if Bulma could think about anything other than the state of her people, and her country.

"Bulla, I've been thinking…" Unus said, her fingers grazing Bulma's hair gently in a way that made her melt a bit.

"Mhm?"

"Well, It's about… us, and northern culture. This has been really nice, but I think we should stop." She said everything with one breathe, as if saying it quickly would help.

"Why?" Bulma asked, careful to make her tone friendly as she looked up at the beautiful, strong blond.

"It's just… I want to keep going with you. This has been really fun, but… Things are different up here in the North. I was talking to Napa and… It seems like consorts aren't just accepted up here. Down south it's just common knowledge that royals in arranged marriages will have a consort, but…. It's not the same here. I mentioned Lord Satan's consort's in passing and Napa sort of… Well he was stunned that we all just knew he had a few consorts outside his marriage." She was shaking slightly under Bulma's head on her shoulder.

"... I…. I hadn't thought of that. I just thought that because we were both women we had too keep it hidden… but…"

"Actually, I heard Lady Fasha had a lover who's a woman. She's not engaged, so it seems like no one cares who you sleep with so long as you're not sworn to someone else." Unus shrugged. "I've been thinking about it for a while I just… After everything that you've lost our relationship was one of the only things you had left and I didn't want to take it from you." tears welled up in the corner of Unus eyes, and she looked at anything but Bulma.

So that was it? Bulma would lose her father, her home, and now her lover? Her chest felt twisted and the lump in her throat threatened to crawl it's way up again.

"If it's seen as disrespectful to the Prince's, and the King here… than we have too, I suppose." She choked out, and sat up, pulling out of what would be her last embrace with Unus.

That thought made her feel like she would break. She didn't want to cry, not again. Not in front of Unus. She couldn't look at her. If she saw her laying there, beautiful and strong with tears in her eyes she would crumble. So she slide out of bed and into the sharp biting embrace of the cold northern air, and got herself dressed while Unus did the same. Neither woman looked at one another.

"When guards from the south arrive, would you be willing to excuse me from my position as your private guard?" Unus' voice was so carefully steady. Bulma took a deep, shaking breath.

"If that's what you want."

"I think it would be easier. I'm sorry. I-" She took a deep breath, not unlike Bulma had. "I will miss you so m-much." Then the only sound in the room was Unus' soft, muffled sobs. The sound was more than Bulma could handle. She rushed around the bed and threw her arms around Usus.

She wanted to say she loved her as pain filled her, something powerful to end their pain and keep them together, but if Unus was right, then she didn't want to make parting harder than it already was. But there was no reason they couldn't comfort one another.

And so they did. Both holding onto one another while they let their sorrow out. They cried, and shook, and held one another until a knock on the door tore them apart for good.

"Woah, are you okay?" Goku asked when Bulma answered the door. She'd been hoping for Vegeta, but that guilt stabbed her too. She shouldn't be entertaining the idea of the eldest Saiyan son, when marrying him meant she'd lost her country. She should be putting more effort into spending time with Goku, and getting to know him.

"Yes, Good morning Goku!" She tried to sound cheery, and it came across fake, she could hear it in her own voice.

"Your face is all blotchy? Were you cry'n? Did something else happen?" He bent at the waist to look at her face more closely.

"Really, I just erm- I was reading about my father, and his life, and it sort of-"

"Oh! Oh." Goku stood up straight and looked genuinely sad for her. "He deserved so much better. Come on, food won't fix it but it won't hurt either." Goku promised. "So, you seemed like you weren't eating much and Vegeta figured it was because our food is too rich for you, so he sent for some fresher produce for your and Piccolo's meals, but i toldhim you were definatly eating because you've filled out a bit since you got here."

Bulma decided to ignore the comment on how she'd filled out. She hadn't noticed, and she didn't really care. The wish she'd made as a child meant she would be beautiful no matter what.
"He did? That's such a useless waste of resources though! We're at war! We shouldn't be spending money on such foolish, frivolous- we can get by fine on northern food, it's delicious. A bit more hearty than I'm used too, yes! But it's nice to have something different." She lied, but the anger was real. She couldn't believe Vegeta of all people would be so frivolous! Goku looked surprised at her anger.

"Woah, I mean-"

"I'm so sorry, Goku. You're all just trying to make me feel comfortable, thank you. I shouldn't have snapped like that, but perhaps I could speak with him so he knows such things aren't necessary for me?" Goku grinned widely.

"So I guess I win this round, huh?" He asked.

"What?"

"He's been being so nice to you and stuff lately it kinda felt like it was a contest? I know you wanna marry me cuz that means we saved your home, but it sort of felt like he was trying to win you over. He's not usually so worried about guests needs. Last time we had a foreign guest and mother suggested we make them some food from their homeland he said that if they didn't like northern food they could leave."

Bulma could hardly believe that Vegeta would ever say such things, about anyone let alone a guest of his family's, not after how much he's been doing to make her comfortable since he got here.
"Maybe it's because he knows he needs me?" Bulma suggested. "I mean, If we win than I'll be the Queen of his main food supplier, and if not than I'll be his wife so…?" Goku shook his head.

"No, the guest last time was from Namek, and they're a big source of spices and food for us too, and he didn't care than." Goku rubbed the back of his neck, something Bulma noticed he did when he was worrying.

Did that mean Vegeta was working under the table to sabotage the war? Was he hoping they would lose so Bulma would marry him? She thought about all the times he'd looked at her with clear desire. He'd been so aware of her needs, and her wants that she thought he must have been like this for all royal guests.

"Well, he seems the intelligent sort who would cover all his bases. Maybe almost losing his mother changed him?" She suggested, though she didn't believe it, she just wanted Goku to think she wasn't suspicious of Vegeta like he seemed to be.

At breakfast, Goku sat Bulma to his left, rather than his right like he usually did, putting her a little farther from Vegeta. She noticed, and didn't say anything.

Ember, is Vegeta trying too- She thought- but stopped when she remembered that he'd left with Piccolo to go get news.

The meal went by as it usually did, Goku talking about fighting, and Bulma listening and trying to find it interesting, but she couldn't focus too much. The worry about Vegeta betraying her, and the loss of her relationship with Unus clouded her mind and numbed her emotionally.

The meal was over before she knew it. Before she was ready to try and engage, Goku was leading her away from the table and towards the training room. She lingered rather than following because she wanted to talk to Vegeta about the foolish food order he'd sent out. She found his eyes through the people shuffling away from the table, and he started towards her but Goku pulled lightly on her arm. Vegeta closed the gap between them.

"Good morning, Princess." Vegeta greeted politely. "I would like to apologize for the other night. You're quite right."

"O-oh. Thank you." She was so surprised by his apology that she forgot what she'd wanted to say for a moment. "Oh, right Vegeta Goku told me you ordered some fresh produce for me?"

"I did. I thought you could do with something more like the food you're used too."

"That seems an awful waste of resources, given the current situation. I thank you for trying to make me more comfortable, but the expense of such a frivolous luxury at a time like this..." She trailed off when Vegeta laughed.

"It's not actually a order for food, Princess. It's the group you requested to gather information, cleverly disguised."

"Oh! Well, that's lovely than. Thank you." Her anger dissipated a bit, and she curtsied. Goku seemed like he wanted to go, so she big Vegeta goodbye and let Goku lead her away, leaving a smug looking Vegeta in the dining hall.

What was he playing at? Was he trying to sneak information to the Berserkers? Didn't he appshiate what would happen if they failed? The other day he'd said he would be the best king ever, in the history of their country. So how on earth did he plan on doing that by losing the war?

Maybe he was deliberately sabotaging it so that he could save the day after he became king and would get the credit. Than, he'd have Bulma as his wife and be the king that saved the Isle. But, what would come if The Isle if he'd already married Bulma? It would just become part of the north?

She worried about this all afternoon while Goku trained with Gohan. She settled into the training room to watch them train. To be properly comfortable, she shed her long underwear and bloomers so she was naked except for her shoes under the skirt. She did all this in the little changing room just off the side. It was far too warm in here for so many layers.

She noted Goku was just as muscled as Vegeta was, but he was also much taller and lankier. Yet, something about his movements and the way he carried himself didn't get Bulma as flustered as she had with Vegeta. Sure, there's no arguing that Goku was handsome, and had an impressive physique. His movements were certainly more graceful than Vegetas. It seemed his way of fighting was to keep light on his toes. Bulma decided to keep reading.

As it happened this book might have been thing thing she was looking for. It spoke at length about how moles that lived in places where there had recently been a fire, burrowed under ground when they smelt something poisonous in the air, like gas or sulfur. But why places where there was recently a fire? Why… She tried to remember what she'd recently read about something to do with fire… was it… The charcoal!

Charcoal is a purifier! The moles were going under ground because the charcoal was filtering the air!

She sat up and looked through her bag franticly to see if she still had the same book from the other day with her. She didn't, but that was okay. She knew where it would be.

"Goku, I've had a breakthrough! I need to go get a book!" She gathered her things, and took off leaving a confused Goku to watch her go, and end up getting punched in the face by an enterprising Gohan who took advantage of the moment.

When she found the book she discovered it WAS charcoal that had been mentioned. So, if she could create some sort of device that held a thick layer of charcoal, with some wet cotton on top, than would she have created an adequate gas mask? She'd need to test it, but to do that she would need-

"Are you alright?" Vegeta asked, causing Bulma to jump and look up from her book.

"Oh! Vegeta!" Delight ran through her at the sight of him. He'd be able to get her the supplies she would need too…. But than she ran cold. If he was working against her, than she wouldn't be able to trust him. Not really. She couldn't let him know what she'd found out.

"Yes?" He raised a brow.

"I- Yes! I'm alright! I was just reading. Why?" She put a scrap of paper between the pages and closed the book.

"I saw you sprint through the castle. Usually sprinting doesn't suggest something good has happened."

"I had to to use the ladies room." She lied

He nodded, but she got the impression he could tell she was lying. There wasn't a ladies room near here, for one. He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at her. Neither said anything for a moment that felt as if it were stretched out to within an inch of it's life.

"Would you join me for a walk?" He finally asked.

"A walk?"

"Yes, there's something I think you would enjoy."

"Oh, sure." Bulma didn't want him to know she was suspicious of him, so she left her books where they lay and followed him out of the lounge, and even took his offered arm. Despite her suspicion, she enjoyed walking with her arms wrapped around his thick bicep, which felt hard under her hand, even through the soft, thick fabric of his shirt. She noticed the vein on his neck was bulging, and his jaw looked tight like it did during his workouts.

"You can stop flexing, you know. I'm still going to be impressed by your muscles." She said coyly. Vegeta gaped at her, his cheeks a little red. Behind them, Unus and Nappa snorted with poorly contained laughter.

"I- I was not-" His argued.

"It's okay." Bulma hugged his arm and kissed him on the cheek. He looked positively abashed as he begrudgingly let it go and kept leading her through the castle. He took her down long sloped corridors. She was beginning to wonder if he'd noticed her suspicion of him, and was leading her to the dungeons to trap her- but that was ridiculous. If she vanished he'd have a lot of explaining to do, and neither he nor Nappa stood much of a chance with Unus fighting, and her healing.

"What are you showing me, Vegeta?" She asked, the cold getting more biting the further down the went. She wished she'd put her long underwear and bloomers back on before coming down here. But she'd had no warning. The halls were well lit, despite how damp it felt. Clearly this was someplace the royal family visited often.

"It's a bit of a surprise. It's something my family and I use. We don't normally share it with guests."

"Oh! That's very generous."

"You don't know what it is yet." He teased. The flush had faded a bit from his cheeks, but his bicep still felt very hard under her hand.

Some time later, they finally paused in front of a large wooden door.
"This is it." He announced as he pulled his arm from her hand gently to grip the door handle, and pull it open dramatically.

A wall of warmth hit her- a welcome relief to the constant cold. Steam filled the doorway so completely she could hardly see what was inside, until she stepped past the threshold. What she found made her heart leap for joy.

It was like a huge bath, filled with steaming hot water.
"It's warmed by a natural hot spring." Vegeta explained as he stepped inside and stood next to Bulma. She looked over her shoulder and saw Nappa had stayed outside, and that he'd even held out his arm to stop Unus from following.

"The actual hot spring is right through there." Vegeta said, and pointed to a wall that seemed to be natural rock, like this room was carved straight out of the earth. There was a little hole chiseled in the side, out of which was a steady pour of water that, judging from the amount of steam coming out was very, very hot.

"The cold water comes from here-" He pointed to a pipe pouring into the the tub from the opposite wall. "It's from a stream outside, it's very cold, so the piping was built to pour out right next to the hot water so the bath is always warm. We can't really control how hot the water from the spring gets, so when you use it don't sit too close to the outflow there. The water than leaks out through there." He pointed to the other side of the tub. "There's a small hole in the base, so the water is always clean and flowing, and warm. You're welcome to come down here and use it to wash up anytime you like. Most of the people in my family use it in the mornings, which is why I use that time to train."

"Really? You- You don't mind?" Bulma walked around the tub to examine it eagerly. The tub was clearly man made with smooth stone, shallow at the end where the water was pouring in and deep on the other side. It looked so clear, and clean even though the steam, which was getting a little thicker. Nappa had closed the door at some point, apparently.

"Yes, anytime- though I think you'd prefer not to use it around my father?" He suggested, smirking in a way that suggested he thought he'd embarrassed her. If he really was planning on sabotaging the war, just to marry her than she wanted him to think she was unaware. In order to find out without ember, she'd have to be clever.

She kept her back to him while she wandered around the tub and quickly untied the lace around her bodice until it hung loosely from her shoulders. Thankfully, most of these northern dresses were all huge and only looked fitted because of the cinched bodice. As she got farther away from him, it became impossible to see him through the thick steam. She slipped quietly out of her dress, and shoes in one fluid motion and began walking towards Vegeta.

"True, there's only one Vegeta I want seeing me naked, and it isn't him." She said just as she stepped out of the thickest part of the steam and into Vegeta's view.

Shocked, Vegeta just stood there. Arms crossed as usual as stared at her, jaw slack, brows furrowed, and eyes bulging out of his head. He didn't say anything, just stood there. Bulma had a lot of options now, but she dare not go too far into the grey area of northern morality. She remembered what Unus had said that morning about northern culture.

The only part of Vegeta that was moving were his eyes, darting all over her body from her feet to her head and all over everything in between as she walked over to him, with a little sway in her hips, her bare fleet slapping against the smooth stone.

"Would you care to join me?"

"Woman, if you take one more step I'm going to do a lot more than join you for a bath" He growled. His voice was so different than it usually was. The polite pretences were gone, and he was doing nothing to hide his desire.

Each breath he exhaled sounded almost like a growl as he uncrossed his arms, his eyes roaming over her naked body. His mouth curved into a smug smirk before locking eyes with her and raising one brow.

She didn't break eye contact as she took one more step towards him.

Notes:

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