Chapter 13: The New King of Vegeta

Summary:

The land of Vegeta gets a new king.

In the south, a coronation was the event of the decade. A royal being crowned usually only happened once in a lifetime so it was a big, big deal. A huge ceremony was held, with royals from around the world being invited, and thousands of people attending. The new King or queen would be dressed in something so elegant and extravagant that people would be talking about it for months, while the nobles and wealthy would be mimicking the style, and working parts of it into their own fashion for decades.

To this day it was still very popular to wear fitted mesh gold bodices to formal events, something Bulma's own grandmother had popularized at her coronation, and many men had started working bright pops of blue into their outfits, as her Father had worn royal blue silks to be crowned. He'd said it was the color of water, and water was life.

But in the north, things were done…. differently. Rulers here were crowned in a private ceremony, with only the family and other royals from allied countries invited to witness it. That had been what they did in the south too, up until about a thousand years ago, during a war where in the southern Princess decided to bring the people with her, and let them see her be crowned to raise moral.

If this had been the south, the castle staff would be going nuts trying to get all the work done. But it wasn't. It was the north, and it was business as usual.

"So… How does the ceremony work here?" She asked Vegeta as he sat next to her in the training room, still panting from his work out.
"What?"
"The coronation."

"Oh. Well, I'll fight my father and if I win I'll become King. I'll take the throne, literally."

"What wait? A fight? A literal… fight?" She sat up straight and turned to face him.

"Yes, to prove I'm stronger than him so I'm worthy to take the throne. If I lose, He stays king for another year and then I try again, and again until Goku is old enough, than he tries. The king is whoever wins first as each child becomes 30."

"But- that's horrible. What if you die?" She asked, horrified.

"He's my father, Bulma I doubt he'll kill me. It's not a fight to the death." He shook his head in amazement at her. "You really think we'd fight to the DEATH?"

"Well- I just- I did, I guess. Sorry." She looked down at her book in shame and closed it.

"Well, we don't. When I win, and I will win-" He said confidently. Bulma looked over his muscled chest and couldn't help but agree. "I'll announce the merger. Than, the berserkers- or colds or whatever the fuck they are will go running, like the cowards they are."

"You think so?"

"Bulma, I know so. When they attacked your country they did so because they didn't think you'd be able to fight back." He said confidently.

"They wanted to kidnap me and kill my father and put the citizens into a state of chaos." Bulma corrected. "Also we have a huge army. We're not helpless. They know that, thus the sneak attack." She said defensively. "But we will grow stronger when we merge with the north. I just think it's best to announce it after we've won. We can't merge the two countries while we're in the middle of war."

Vegeta wiped his face off and raised a brow at her. "It'll split our focus too much." She explained. "For now, nothing changes. We're strong allies, you still become king and come to the south, than we win, and announce the merger. It allows our people to focus. I will announce the coronation though, as soon as I get back home. That'll give the common people something to look forward too. A little hope in the darkness. Than, I'll put King Cold's head on a spike." She said wistfully.

"A spike? My, my, my. Aren't you a blood thirsty one."

"He killed my father. I'll kill him personally if I can. No. No actually I won't. I'll kill his son, Frieza. Than, I'll heal the corpse, and let Frieza become a monster, than I'll let Frieza kill King Cold. He'll have to watch in horror as he's eaten alive by his own son." Bulma was a little surprised by her own viciousness. She didn't know if she'd actually be able to do it, but it was sorely tempting, and anyway it was fun to think about for now.

"OHHO! Vicious. I like it." Vegeta smirked proudly at her.

The next four days were spent almost entirely on getting ready for the trip, and preparing for Vegeta's coronation. Bulma did all the planning she could in the training room since it was warm, leaving only when King Vegeta came in to train as he did more and more often these days.

On the last day before Vegeta's coronation, Ember and Piccolo returned. Bulma heard Ember's thoughts in her mind before they landed, and ran to greet him in the courtyard just as his hooves touched ground.

"EMBER!" She rushed forward and threw her arms around his neck. He rest almost the entire weight of his massive head on her shoulder, and plopped right to the ground, making her knees buckle under her and hit the pavement.

"Are you okay?" She healed him before even finishing the question.

"Just tired now. We flew almost none stop for days."

"Days?!" She hissed, and looked up at Piccolo. "What happened?"

"Wake me up when you're done telling her." Ember grumbled, and rest his head in Bulmas lap, and fell asleep almost instantly. Bulma almost never saw him sleep. He was the sort of being that usually didn't need sleep- so the fact that he was now, worried her.

"Princess, we went to find General Roshi first. He has the whole navy on defensive stand by, ready to sail at a moment's notice, and ready for battle. He's got about 12 ships down south, disguised at pirates, and gathering information from the berserkers doing trade with them." He reached into his cloak and pulled out a stack of folded papers sealed and addressed to her. She took them, awkwardly reaching over Ember's head to do so.

"It's reports from all the outposts, and military bases around the Isle. They need to act soon, but they don't dare without you." Piccolo explained.

"I see. Piccolo," She looked over the letters to see who they were from. "Is this all the urgent information?"

"No, Princess. There's more. Roshi captured a guard from Frieza's army, and he's… He got information out of him. Nothing vital to the war effort, but more information about how Freezia treats prisoners." Piccolo looked around the courtyard cautiously. "And princess, I heard rumor that Frieza actually has Goku's wife captive-"

"Chi-chi. Yes, we got his message." She looked down at the stack of letters, and back up at her old friend, tutor, and ally. He hadn't even let go of Ember's back yet- apparently too tired.
"Get some rest, my friend. We'll talk more once you've had a little while to sleep, eat and wash." She stroked Ember's mane in the way she knew he liked, even though she doubted he could feel it he was so deeply asleep.

"You." She said, starting a stable boy so much he nearly threw the barrel of hey he was carrying.

"Go to the handmaids and fetch a mattress. Not a destroyed one, but one that the castle can live without and bring it to me. We need to make a soft bed for Ember to rest." She ordered. "You." She pointed to another boy walking with an armful of wood.
"When you're done with that, bring wood here, and build a fire in the court yard near my steed to warm him. Be quick about it."

She healed both boys as they ran off. "And you." She said, calling to the handmaid lingering by the door. Judging from the amount of keys she was holding she was high ranking. "Please see to it that the boy's masters or, what have you know they were given chores by me so they're not punished for running a little behind."

"Yes of course, Princess." She bowed, and took off.

It took the more than half an hour, but they managed to drag out a few thick, old looking but otherwise fine mattresses and lay them out beside Ember so they could roll him comfortably into bed.
"Princess, shall we cover the mattresses in some of the extra pelts the people sent you?" One Hand maid offered. "There are so many."
"Yes that would be lovely, thank you." She said, still seated on the ground with Ember's head on her lap. The flames on his wings, and hooves looked more like burning coal them a proper flame. She didn't know if that had anything to do with his energy level, or over all health- but he told her before that her healing powers worked on him, so he wasn't injured or sick, at the very least.

Once they had set up a fairly comfortable plush pile of mattresses and got a nice hot fire going beside him, Bulma let some of the stronger looking guards roll Ember off her lap and onto the bed. It took about ten of them, including Napa.

When she was free of his weight, she climbed to her numb legs.
"Vegeta?" She asked, as he helped her to her feet. "Can you arrange for me to speak to the people of the town directly?"

"You wish to address the people? I suppose we could arrange it, send a few bards out to spread word throughout the town. Why? What do you plan to say?"

"I plan on thanking them, and telling them to stop sending me gifts." She explained. Vegeta narrowed his eyes at her.

"Write out what you want to say so my council can look it over to approve it. We don't want to come off as ungrateful."

"Alright." She felt a pang of annoyance. She had enough to do today without adding to her workload, but she understood why they had this policy in place, so she complied. While she waited for them to approve the address, she went over the letters, including the one detailing the way prisoners were treated by the colds.

After everything was set up, Nappa showed Bulma too the balcony where she'd be stood to make her address. It was small, which was good, and had partial cover from the top and both sides. It was also so high up that she worried the people wouldn't be able to hear her.
"Nappa…." She asked, turning to the huge man. "Do they have relay bards in the north?"

"What? What's that?" He asked.

"That does answer my question, thank you. What about speaking trumpets?"

"Erm…" He rubbed the back of his neck in a very Goku-ish way.

"Not to worry. Thank you. We should go see the blacksmith now." she gathered her skirts and off she went. She had the blacksmith put together a rudimentary speaking horn for her by coiling a flat sheet of thin metal into a cone shape for her, and sealing the edges. There was no time to make it nice. Than, she had the castle bards gather.

"During the address, i'd like you to all to read the speech in unison with me, from positions around the crowd, so people can hear everything very clearly. I'll speak in a rhythmic cadence, so it'll be easy to keep on pace. You should all stand only just within earshot of one another, so we know we're in unison. Do you understand?" She asked.

"Yes, princess of course! Shall we practise beforehand?"

"Yes, I don't see the harm in one or two run throughs." She agreed, and they set too it with the approved speech. They hadn't requested any changes, which was a huge relief since Bulma wouldn't have stuck with them anyway, and didn't want to anger her hosts.

With her spare time, she went to find Goku. Surprisingly, he was in his own chambers rather than the training room. When she knocked- there was an odd crashing sound before the door opened.
"Oh! Bulma!" Goku said with the sense of a person trying to sound casual. "What's up?"

"I got some news from the south. It's not.. Good. It seems as if they're holding chi-chi in the Colds home base south of the southern canale. If she's there- we won't be able to save her until we defeat the Cold's army. I know it's hard to hear but-"

"Oh. Well, we kind of already knew that. Didn't we?" Goku said, cutting her off. "Or we'll have to trade for her, or something. Negotiate her release."

Bulma was surprised at how readily Goku accepted this. She reached out to pat her new friends shoulder. "We'll get her back. I promise. We'll save her."

That evening, with the setting sun shining directly into her eyes, Bulma stood on the balcony wearing one of the many pelts gifted to her, and gave her speech to the people.

"Good evening, and thank you all for coming out to hear me on such short notice. As many of you know, I'm Princess Bulma, of the Isle of Life. The past weeks have been riddled with hardships for my land, and for myself, personally. The loss of my father was a huge blow. I shall miss him dearly, and forever. But it has not crippled the Isle of Life. Thanks, to you. The warm welcome I received upon arriving in the North has been a powerful source of strength. It's because I know that the north is such a wonderful, and strong ally that I know we can defeat the wicked who threaten our peace, and way of life.

Using the gift god has given me has been a great joy. I'm so honored to be gifted with such a power, that I might help you, and the people you love. It's my greatest wish to see you healthy, and thriving. For that reason, I must thank you for all the wonderful pelts you've sent to the castle for me, and I must also ask that you keep the pelts, to warm your loved ones from here on out. I've more pelts than one person could use in a lifetime, you've all be so generous. But there are so many people in much greater need than me. Soon, you will all need every resource as both lands head towards the tides of war. But I know the north will persevere. The Saiyan race has survived so much more than this before, and I know you will all make it through the troubled times ahead with the strength and pride that only the Saiyan's possess.

Thank you, for your generosity, and may god bless each and every one of you!"

As she spoke, she looked over everyone who'd crowded into the street below to listen to the speech. She waved, and after a moment of smiling and waving, she went inside.

"Well." Vegeta said as he pushed off the wall he'd been leaning on. "That was well said. I think the people will be pleased. And whoever gave you that pelt will probably tell his grandchildren about it for decades."

"I hope so. It was a very generous gift with the approaching war. I shall keep them forever, but i think they'll be less handy when we get to the south. It's much to warm for furs down there."

"I remember." Vegeta said longingly. "The warm air, the cool clean water, the fresh fruit piled on every pastry, every dish served with herbs so fresh it made me wonder how they could possibly be the same as the ones we had at home. It really is paradice."

"Bugs that eat you all the time." Bulma added. "That's probably the only downside though." She said placatingly when she saw a vein in Vegeta's jaw twitch. "I never knew how much you loved it there." She admitted. "You were so quiet when we were children."

"Well, you were formally engaged to my little brother. I didn't want to appear too friendly." He shrugged. "And I wasn't old enough to appreciate the company of women yet."

"Oh, I hadn't thought of that." She lied

"Princess! Princess!" The stable boy from before ran up to Bulma so fast that he had a hard time slowing down and stopping when he got to her, and fell over. "Princess! Your steed! He's- he's- the fire-" The boy panted.

And just like that, the pleasantness on her face melted. Panic flared through her and she sprinted down the corridor, towards the court yard where Ember had been resting. Judging from the sounds of footsteps behind her, Vegeta and Unus were right behind her. Fueled by worry- by the fear that her friend had gone- she tore through the castle, even knocking over a poor handmaid with her arms full of clean linen that came crashing to the ground with her. Bulma didn't even pause to heal her. Had Ember's fire gone out? Bulma wasn't sure what that would mean- but she had a suspicion that it meant he was dead.

She skid into the courtyard, stopping only when she saw what the boy had been trying to tell her. Ember lay, quiet unmoving in the center of the large bonfire they'd built by his resting spot. Around him were concerned castle staff. Among them, was Goku looking worried, and upset.

Bulma's chest caved with relief as she exhaled and struggled to catch her breath.
"He woke up and just climbed in the fire and fell over again!" Another stable boy cried, quiet frantically.

"It's alright!" Bulma shouted, hand on her chest while she tried to breathe. "He's fine! He does that all the time! He loves the heat- fire can't hurt him! Don't worry about it!" She waved her hand at him to show it was fine while she swallowed the lump in her chest. "I thought you'd meant his fire had gone out! No, he's okay. Back home he'd take naps in Lava when he felt like it."

Relief swept over them, much like it had Bulma, leaving everyone sagging a little as the tension left them, and looking much happier.

Ember didn't wake that night, or at all the next day. Piccolo didn't even show up to meals until dinner that following evening, looking much better than he had when he landed. Goku had been oddly friendly that day. Spending a lot of time with Bulma as she worked, Gohan at his side. Vegeta it seemed was very busy trying to train a little more before the coronation.
"Normally this would be an important rest day- but since you can heal him, he just keeps getting stronger faster!" Goku said, sounding impressed and proud of his older brother.

"Why is that, dad?" Gohan asked. "I know rest is important, but i thought it was so we could regain energy. Bulma's healing can't give us back our energy, can it?" Gohan wondered. Bulma opened he mouth to answer automaticly, but Goku beat her too it.

"No, Gohan it's a little of both! See, when you work out you're sort of damageing the muscles. When they heal, they heal bigger, and stronger, and that can take a day or so. That's why work outs steadily get harder and harder. You need to do more to damage the new, stronger muscles. Like when you cut yourself, and the scar is tougher than the rest of the skin around it, you know?" Gohan's face lit up in realization and he nodded.

While that wasn't exactly right, it wasn't wrong enough to harm anyone so Bulma didn't correct him. Throughout the day, Goku asked a lot of questions about the south, presumably to prepare for when he would be a guest there. It started to get annoying when Bulma couldn't focus on trying to invent her mask that would filter out the deadly gas. Despite her annoyance she answered as many of his questions as she could.

When it was time for dinner, she was relieved to have other peoples company as well- and lit up at the sight of Piccolo.

"Piccolo!" Bulma said, delightedly when she saw him. "You're awake! Are you feeling better now that you've had some rest?" She asked and he nodded, gratefully.
"Much. Thank you. Did you read all of the letters and-"

"Yes! Yes! It's very good news, isn't it?" She asked cheerfully. Vegeta looked sideways at her, brow raised.
"Good news?" He asked.
"Yes! Well, I'll tell you and your family after dinner, when we retire to the lounge." She said. "So i won't have to say it several times."

She was in such a good mood that she didn't even mind Vegeta pestering her about it all meal. His mood was rather less pleasant by the time they had gathered with the rest of his family in the lounge.

He sat with his arms crossed, like he usually did but this time he wasn't looking at Bulma, but rather glaring in any direction that wasn't at her.

"So what's this good news?" Piccolo asked as soon as he was seated next to a rather uncomfortable looking Gohan.

"Yes!" Bulma said brightly, and climbed to her feet to stand in front of the Saiyan family and the Piccolo. "I've gotten word from my generals and they've secured the castle! The south is safe again. Properly safe. There was an attack on one of our naval ports on the western coast just the suncoast. General Roshi was clever, and let the port be taken. We've got a leg up now." She said and beamed at them.

"Sorry- a port was taken? How is that good?" Goku asked. Vegeta snorted indignantly at him.

"It's a port that floods daily with the tides. It's basically useless, but we hold it anyway for show. The fact that the Cold's took it proves that they have very little insider information. They probably don't know how often that port is completely submerged. The soldiers there work rather hard to keep it looking good when it's not flooded for just such an occasion! It means the Colds have no idea what they're doing."

There was a pause while everyone thought about this.

"So, after the… ceremony. I'm going south. As planned." She expected there to be some argument on this, but nobody protested.

Bulma spent the rest of the evening ironing out the details with Piccolo.

The following day. Bulma dressed much more formally than she usually did, in preparation for the coronation. There were no formal meals being held before the ceremony today. None whatsoever. The next meal they had, would feature the new king at the head of the table. Or, the old.

Bulma looked for Vegeta, wanting to give him words of encouragement but she couldn't find him- and when she tried his room Nappa refused to allow her entry. Apparently, he wanted to be alone before the fight. That was fine, she supposed. Everyone prepared for action differently.

She managed to keep her nerves in check until that afternoon when she approached the throne room for the ceremony. Nappa stepped in front of the door, and like earlier with Vegeta's bedroom, refused to allow her inside.

"What? Why?" She demanded.
"You dishonor the Isle as an ally!" Unus said, outraged.

"Vegeta and the King agree that it would be unfair to let you watch the fight, as you could heal Vegeta and provide him with an unfair advantage. You may heal them after, and witness the swearing in."

Bulma was so outraged at this that she turned on her heal and stomped off. How could they think she was so stupid?! How could they think she would heal them by mistake! She'd only done that a couple of times, and each of those times she thought there was real danger- but she'd had ages to prepare for this!

She waited in the study nearest the throne room, arms crossed and toe tapping she was so furious. Unus waited outside, with Nappa. She was going to give Vegeta, both of them a piece of her mind when they were done beating each other like savages. She was so mad, that she forgot to be nervous about the outcome of the fight until Nappa came to tell her it was done. A sudden thrill of panic struck her- head Vegeta won? Or his father? She rushed to the throne room, without noticing Unus hastily adjusting her Breastplate and flushing at Nappa.

Bulma came skidding through the hall squeezing through the grand double doors before the attendants could properly open them for her.

Vegeta stood on the raised dias, covered in blood. On the ground at his feet, lay his father. In Vegeta's left hand, he clutched the crown. No one clapped, except Fasha, and Goku who seemed to be doing so with some deliberate defiance. Gine looked green around the ears. Her eyes on her husband. Was he dead? Bulma rushed forward.

"Don't." Croaked a deep voice, that sounded almost grotesquely wet. "Not yet." It was Vegeta Sr, laying on the ground. "Not until- after." Vegeta looked down at his father and nodded. Bulma took another step towards them- but stayed father back than Gine, and Goku.

"That means you, Princess. Don't heal us. Not yet." Vegeta ordered, eyes locking on Bulmas for a long moment. She nodded. She wanted to tell him off for not just explaining this before- but now wasn't the time.

In complete silence, the son approached the throne, and knelt on the stone before it, his head bowed in prayer. He remained still for such a long time, that Bulma began looking sideways at Goku, and Fasha for answers, but they had closed their eyes, and ducked their heads too.

Slowly, the light in the room shifted, from the orange of sunset, to the pale white of early night. A circle of white light was moving across the throne room floor through the big stained window of Vegetabilis. Bulma realized that it would eventually land on Vegeta, if he stayed where he was kneeling.

And he did. And it did. Slowly the white light covered him until it looked like he was sitting in a shallow puddle of white water. Bulma was now so stiff that she wondered how the others looked so calm- when she noticed that they did not look calm. They looked worried. She wouldn't have noticed it if she hadn't gotten to know them a bit over the last few weeks, but she could see it now.

Fasha's neck was tight, and she kept swallowing. Goku kept reaching up to rub the back of his neck, and a vein in Gine's jaw kept twitching.

Than, out of nowhere a cry of pain ripped through the air. Bulma jumped, and looked around to see Vegeta, now on his knees, and elbows shrieking in pain- she was going to heal him- but Before she could Goku had grabbed her and spun her around so she couldn't see him.

"Wait! Bulma- Wait! We have to see if he can handle it!" He hissed. He grabbed her face and forced her to keep her back to Vegeta- but he was shrieking in pain- each new scream making her jump and try to see him- not to heal, but to see what was going on- to see what was happening.

But Goku didn't let her go while he watched his brother with a set determined look on his face. The ground shook under her feet and Vegeta's voice grew deeper, and more animal like until it sounded like a beast stood behind her, screaming it's battle cry- She jerked her head towards Goku, something he hadn't been expecting. It caught him off guard just long enough for her to spin around only to let out a scream of fear.

Where Vegeta had stood, in the pool of moonlight was a huge, great ape with glowing red eyes. Bulma slapped her hand over her mouth as the beast turned it's huge ugly head in her direction, and narrowed it's red eyes at her.

Goku went to stand in front of her- but she moved in front of him despite her fear. The massive ape looked around at them, eyes narrowed and glowing blood red. Everyone was tense, and no one moved. He seemed to be thinking about them, before eventually looking down at the crown in his hand. He put the crown on its middle finger. Than,with unexpected speed for his size he reached out and grabbed Bulma around the middle.

Shouts of alarm from the royal family told her this wasn't supposed to happen. Panic and fear muddled together to form a thick cloud in her mind.

Bulma in hand, The huge ape took a seat on the dias, just in front of the throne, and with his free hand, he picked up the barely conscious form of Vegeta's father.

Gine clutched her hands together against her breast, as if in prayer. There was a moment while the ape just looked at the broken bodied man, before he set him down, off the dias, next to Gine- who let out a sob of relief and pulled her husband into her arms. He collapsed against her.

Bulma looked from the family on the ground, to the apes massive face.
"Vegeta!" She shouted, drawing the red eyes to her. "Put me down!" She demanded, and when he didn't immediately do as she asked, she pointed at him and added. "NOW!"

Somehow, the apes face managed to look a little guilty, and he set her down on his lap. Bulma looked to the family, again to see if this was good- but they all just stared nervously at them- waiting for something to happen. But what?

Vegeta looked around, either confused, or enjoying the height- Bulma couldn't tell. She let herself slide down his leg, and off his lap to go join his family, but he just picked her up again and sat her on his knee again.

She glared at him. He frowned and looked a little offended, but this time kept a massive hand cupped around her like a wall to keep her in place while he looked around on the floor for something. What, Bulma didn't know. But she watched as he felt around the ground with his giant hand.

Nothing was there, nothing that Bulma could see anyway. Vegeta seemed to realize this, with some dismay because he sighed in a way that, to Bulma looked rather immature. But, he was an ape and were apes known for being mature?
"What are you looking for?" She asked to an angry shouts from the royal family. "What?" Bulma asked, frowning.

"You can't help him! Just hush!" Fasha yelled furiously. Bulma felt that was something of an overreaction. Vegeta looked at Bulma, and seemed to notice the crown on his finger. With a light in his eyes like realization, he plucked it off his finger, and set it on his head. It disappeared into the thick brown fur on the top of his head.

There was a loud cheer from the family, and Bulma wondered if this meant he'd passed the test? Whatever it was. Her head still swimming with fear, she looked up at the great ape.

He was shrinking. Slowly, but steadily he shrank down, his long snout was pushing back into his face and the fur fell from his skin as if it had just been sitting there rather than attached like normal fur.

With each new moment he looked more and more human, the hand that had been like a wall keeping her on his knee shrank until it fit tucked into her waist, and held her close as brown fur trickled to the floor around them like falling leafs. Vegeta sat where the Ape once had. Bulma stared at him, still not sure of what she'd seen.

He was very bloodied looking. His left eye was almost swollen shut it, while blood trickled from his scalp and the shadow of what looked to be terrible bruises covered his bare chest, and his right arm bent out at an odd angle- yet despite this, he looked pleased. Proud. He pushed up off the hard stone Dias, leaving Bulma where she'd landed as he shrank.

With a stoic, proud face he turned and shuffled towards the throne, pausing only to pick up the crown that had fallen off his head as he shrank. He placed it upon his own head and sat in the largest throne in the middle of the raised dias. Behind him, the moon vanished behind a cloud and did not reappear.

Bulma thought he'd more fallen into the chair than sat down properly, and realized that now would be the perfect time to heal him, and his father.

So, she did. Healing Vegeta first, then turning to the nearly unconscious man in Gine's arms and healing him too. As the bruises and cuts vanished from his body, Vegeta held a fist in the air. The rest of the royal family mimicked him, even his father got to his feet, now fully healed and shoved his fist into the air.

Vegeta's eyes still had that faintly red glow to them. Bulma, did not shove her fist into the air. She didn't even think too, because Vegeta stood up and his family rushed to him.

"That was close!" Goku said, proudly thumping Vegeta on the back.

"Oh yes! It was almost too close- when you grabbed Bulma like that- ohhh i thought you were going to forget yourself!" Gine hissed, faintly. "But you didn't! You didn't forget yourself, Vegeta!" She pushed past the others and threw her arms triumphantly around him.

"You didn't let me win?" Vegeta asked, looking over his mother's shoulders at his father, who shook his head. 'No.'

"You'll be a good king, Vegeta." GOku said happily, and thumped his brother on the back again, while Gine continued to hug him and sob.

Buma scarcely understood what was going on. But one thing was for sure. Vegetabilis, was real. Or, he at least had been. And their god- she was real too. She must be, how else could Bulma explain what she'd seen. A little flare of panic filled her- she'd been lying about a gods gift. True, they all knew now that it wasn't a gift from their god- but if she was real…. the little flare of panic filled Bulma so deeply that she wanted to run from the throne room and to the nearest place of worship and throw herself down and beg god for forgiveness.

But she stayed, and when Gine parted from Vegeta, she stepped forward and hugged him around the neck to show him that she was proud too, despite not really knowing what she was supposed to be proud of.

Later that evening, people gathered from every nook of the castle to beam proudly at Vegeta. The new king. Bards made way around the city and off to the farthest regions of the north to spread the good news.

Bulma imagined what that message must sound like, and tried not to laugh. "Vegeta has a new king! Vegeta, son of Vegeta will now replace Vegeta on the throne of Vegeta, and be named King Vegeta!" She imagined this, a bunch of strong proud looking northern lords nodding their approval and looking derious, and laughed.

Vegeta, the new King seemed to think Bulma was laughing for joy, and snaked his arm around her waist, and pulled her into a triumphant kiss.
"I have so many questions." She whispered as they parted. "Nothing in any of the books about the coronation said anything about-"

"It's not written. It can never be written." Vegeta said, as if she were rather silly for suggesting it would be in a book. "I'll explain later."

The rest of the evening was taken up by a huge feast, in which everyone celebrated the new King. Bulma thought Vegeta Sr looked rather too happy for someone who'd lost a battle, but he was beaming proudly at his son, his arm around Gine. Maybe he was happy to retire. Maybe he was pleased to be free of work and responsibilities.

She didn't know, but she was relieved at the very least that he wasn't glaring at her anymore. She had so many questions though, about the huge beast and how it was summoned, but she knew now wouldn't be the time to ask. She'd wait, until she was alone with Vegeta, which- she had hoped would happen after the feast.

But there was no "after" the feast, that evening. As the feast went well on past the evening and well into the morning. Eventually, as the moon began lowering itself in the sky, Bulma gave up waiting and just went to bed, thinking she would talk to Vegeta in the morning.

Notes:

All Hail King Vegeta!

The fic has a discord!
Where we can hang out, you can ask questions, or remind me to write if i get lost in the hiatus zone again!
Come say hi!
/qUAPz8P