Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Slave ❯ Inside the Temple ( Chapter 36 )

DISCLAIMER: I do not own DBZ or any of the characters from it.

A/N - My man is snoring loudly in my bedroom at the moment (too much wine) and I'm being prevented from sleeping, so I figured that I would just type out a chapter since I often write well when I'm under sleepless-pressure! Enjoy! Oh yes - the POV changes abruptly in the middle of this chapter!

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The Saiya-jin temple was perhaps the oldest structure on the planet Vegeta, it was so old that the building was located out in the barren wasteland surrounding the city - the wasteland that the saiyans had inhabited before they had fought the Tuffles for control of the planet. Its walls were made of sandstone and blended almost seamlessly into the surrounding desert and was only visible by the giant shadow that it cast upon the burning sands.

It was a massive building, and it sat in the sand like an old hunched animal that was too set in its ways to move. Pillars red stone held the roof aloft, while thick sandstone bricks kept those inside safe from the harsh desert sun and wind. The building was unnerving cool inside despite the hot desert outside, which was a good thing because today it was crowded with a huge mass of people - all of whom had turned out to see the wedding of the crown prince Vegeta.

Inside, the temple was as bare and drab as it had been the day it was built. Only a blue marble alter broke the monotonous red sandstone. Way above, the roof stretched into darkness and only the moving clouds of scented incense were visible above the crowd's heads. Scattered amongst the throng of bodies were cameras and live COM links that were televising the weddings proceedings live to the nation.

Amongst all the noise and music and building sense of excitement one man was still - the bridegroom. Vegeta had never been much of a romantic, nor had he ever spent any large part of his life dreaming of his wedding day. Knowing this, he probably shouldn't have been surprised to find himself standing at the alter with his mind on the approaching war instead of the approaching bride, but Vegeta did somehow find it in himself to be mildly amused by his indifference to his future wife - especially when Zucchini looked ravishing in her wedding gown.

He may not have liked the woman or felt any real emotion for her, but she did look stunning dressed in the royal colour of blue. Or maybe it was just that the dress was stunning on Zucchini? The rich vibrant colours and the daring cut of the dress made it plain that the designer had been of human descent. As the princess drew closer, making her way through the crowded temple like a glowing iridescent ghost, Vegeta became certain that it was the dress that was catching his attention.

The dress was something that Bulma would have worn…

Vegeta clenched his fists as another thought of the blasted blue haired slave popped unbidden into his mind. Was he so emotionally frail that he couldn't control his own thoughts? He had never felt even the tiniest bit of fleeting concern for any of the other women who had passed through his life. Not once had he regretted hurting, maiming or killing any of the wenches that he'd bedded, neither had he been pestered by thoughts of them once they had gone.

But then he'd never had a lover for as long as he'd had Bulma. There had been something about her that had made him weak, something about her fragile little body that had made her crave it all the more. She had shown him something that no other woman had ever been able to before, and that was that there was more then just sex to a relationship.

He hadn't loved her, the very concept of love was alien to Vegeta, but he had felt an attachment to her that he found unnerving. In bed she was a dream and out of bed she was just as entertaining - if a little infuriating at times. He had mocked his father for becoming attached to the whore Ilandra, but he himself had become just as childishly attached to Bulma. He missed having her with him at night, he missed the smell of her fear and most of all he missed seeing that trapped look in her eyes change into lust as he aroused her.

Vegeta swallowed hard as Zucchini came to a stop beside him, her face oddly pale and her eyes suspiciously wide and wild. Her gaze flickered to him briefly then away, coming to rest on Kakarot who was standing to attention with the other guards against the wall. Vegeta sighed slightly and resigned himself to a life empty of sexual gratification as the priest stepped forward to perform the solemn duty of marrying the future rulers of the Saiya-jin Empire.

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I think I'm going to die. Yes. I most definitely am going to die sometime soon. How did I ever think I could live with such a man? He's so cold…so empty. No matter how handsome he looks, you can see in his eyes a type of cold indifference that sends shivers up even the most battle -hardened saiyan's spine. The look in his eyes says more then words ever could. This is a man who enjoys watching other people in pain. A man who takes pleasure in the differing of others.

And I am to become his wife.

I was brought up knowing that one day I would marry Prince Vegeta and become the queen of the saiyan race, but I never truly thought that the day would come. I certainly never imagined that my wedding day would be so joyless and that I would feel so scared about what was to come.

Every girl wants to become queen!

My father said that to me once during one of his many and seemingly unending lectures about what my duties would be once I was the established co-ruler of the Saiyajin Empire. Funny. While other saiyan children were learning how to fight, I was learning how to govern people, how to lead and empower the masses. Had I not shown a surprising aptitude for fighting then I believe my skills would have gone neglected until it was too late…

Too late for what? To late to be able to defend myself when the time came? Defend myself from whom? From my future husband? From the ever present threat posed by Frieza? From the countless other saiyan females who would gladly fight me for the prestigious position by Vegeta's side? Ha! What women!

I do not think many women would willingly rule with Vegeta. His reputation is more then widespread - it's almost legendary. Monstrous and nightmarish but still legendary. Even now as I drift through the crowd, my face passing through shadow and light, I can see something primitive and nightmarish watching me from behind his eyes. Not the Oozaroo, for no saiyan fears their inner beast. No, there is something else inside Vegeta's head. Something unhealthy.

My father doesn't trust out new king, he believes that Vegeta plans to disband the councilors and turn the empire back into a dictatorship where his word is final. I don't know what to think. Father says to watch Vegeta. To watch him and if it looks as though he's going to turn against them then I must tell father so they can seize power…and protect the people.

I…I do not know if I will tell my father if Vegeta does plan to disband the council. I want what's best for the Saiyajin people and I do not think the council is serving the needs of the many. Perhaps in times of peace it worked well but with the coming war everything must be debated and voted upon. I do not know of Vegeta's war plans but my fathers are not plans so much as a negotiated defeat to Frieza.

How I wish I knew what Vegeta was thinking. He loathes me. I see it in his face, in his touch and in his words. Beyond his distaste for me I know nothing about him. Strange as it is, I almost wish that his blue haired earth whore were still with us…perhaps I could have asked her how she had entrapped him. Perhaps not. I don't think I wish to know why it is that a saiyan king prefers a weak human whore to a powerful saiyan princess. I think I despised her merely because I was jealous of the ease in which she had ensnared Vegeta.

She hated him; I know that now. Looking back I cans see that every time that blue haired girl looked at Vegeta she felt naught but hatred for what he had done to her. So why did she lash out so jealously at me? Strange to think that the human girl and I are but a year apart in our age difference, she seemed much younger then I. I think that under her hatred of Vegeta she was fighting an attraction to him. Was she frightened of him? Did her heart pound when she caught sight of him, like mine is pounding?

I'm so close to him now I can feel energy radiating off him. The priest is coming towards us, his hands raised to give the ceremonial blessing. Oh God! I don't want to fail as a Saiyajin ruler! I have to provide an heir but, oh god please listen, I'm frightened of what this man will do to me once we are along. I don't want to marry him!

I don't love him!

I love someone who I shouldn't. I love someone who I've only seen a few times and who I've spoken to even less. I don't want to let Vegeta touch me when all of my senses scream that it is this other man who I should be sharing my life, and my bed, with. Does Vegeta feel like this about his little blue haired Earth whore? Is he standing here wishing that I were her? I wish I could somehow forget about my duties. I wish I could run away with my love and forget about conceiving an heir and co-ruling an Empire that is destined to fall.

I can see my love, watching me from the side of the monolithic building, his face half hidden in shadows. He's so handsome in his Royal Guard uniform. He looks so dangerous and so wild…so different to Vegeta.

I don't want to die…

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A/N - See? Abrupt and confusing…but I wanted to show some insight into Zucchini's mind. She isn't the bitch she pretends to be! Lemme know what you think!