Unnerving Discovery

-Chapter Two-


The instant Bardock stepped forward, gravel and loose rocks began running beneath his feet. He felt himself falling, and he flung out his arms to grab at something, anything, to hold him. The mist hid everything at ground level, and the third class’s hands found only loose stones and twigs. Pain exploded in his shoulder as he was thrown against a rock. Clumps of dirt and rocks bounced overhead as he tried desperately to break his fall. His bare hand grasped at a tussock of kati-grass, but his body kept sliding downward and the roots pulled free in his hand. His hip bashed against a granite ridge, something sharp shaved skin from the back of his knee as he tumbled over the edge of a cliff. His eyes went wide in shock, and when he opened his mouth to scream, snow flew between his lips, freezing the cry on his tongue.


He came to. There was no pain, just a fog of ragged light lying between him and the outside world. Above him, as far as his eyes could see, stretched walls of hand polished shiroistone, ki-cut and smooth as bone. He’d finally made it to the imperial city.

Dimly he was aware of something pushing far below him. Minuites passed before he realised that it was his body working to expel the cub. He swallowed hard. Suddenly he missed all the people he had run from. Leaving home had been a big mistake. One he could no longer afford to have done.

A noise intruded. Bardock tried to shift his head towards the sound. A hot needle of pain jabbed at the veterbrae in the base of his neck. He blacked out. When he came to again she saw the dami sitting on a rock before him. Black and gold eyes pinned him wiith a look that was devoid of pity. Bobbing it’s head and raising it’s scaly yellow claws, it danced a little jig then flung itself to the mercy of the storm. Cold currents bore it swiftly away.
Pushing. His body kept pushing.
Bardock felt himself drifting…he was so tired…so very, very tried. If only he could find a way through the fog…If only his eyes could show him more.

As his eyelids closed for the last time and his ribs pressed an unused beath from his lungs, he saw a pair of booted feet running towards him. The royal white leather melted snowflakes on contact as the owner flared his ki.


************

The wind howled as the blizard swept down the mountain, covering the city with thick, icy snows. The windows rattled as thunder boomed, rain and sleet pattering against the ornamented glass. Unhearing, King Vegeta wept. Huddled over the small bundle in his arms, he cried as though his heart had broken. Gone forever were his lover’s bright smiles and whispered endearments. Torn from him in a moment of recklessness. A comment overheard, said to the wrong people and his koishi had vanished. Disappeared from his life, till a few days ago, when the raging storm had flushed his beloved from his hiding place to brave the slopes of the mountain.

He sat, surrounded by the privilegs of his reign, but today, the rich hangings and opulent surroundings of a 1000 years of purging did nothing to quell the tremendous ache in his chest. The king let out a choked sob, feeling that his ribs would crack in pieces.

“Bardock…” The king moaned, hunched in his chair, fingers unconsocisly stroking the mewling bundle in his arms. He stared down with tear-streaked eyes to the cub in his arms. His gaze drank in it’s features; Obsidian eyes and hair, the same all saiyans had. But the hair pattern…and the shape of the eyes…

The king wept again as the cub in his arms squalled, unaware it was the object of such scrunity, not caring for the adult bent over it in supplication.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and the king quickly wiped at his eyes, schooling his face into a mask of impassivness. No-one must see his weakness for this child, especially his son, lest he destroy it like the others.

He reached out and rang a small bell, a plain door, hidden in the wall to his left, opening as a timid alien woman rushed out to take the baby, her soft hurried steps pattering on the polished marble. As she departed, the king followed her with his eyes, his gaze fixed on the bundle in her arms, the pain in his chest intensifying the further the cub was taken away from him.

The knock sounded again, the sound booming in the massive hall and the King’s, suddenly cold, eyes snapped back to the doorway. He schooled his features for the rigors of politics.

“Come…” He intoned, his voice slightly deeper than usual. He may have just lost his heart but the kingdom would not cease for a lover they knew nothing about.

The thick, patterened doors swung open and a herald dressed in armor stepped forward, clearing his throat.

“Your son, Prince Vegeta the 91st , Sire…”

The King nodded curtly as the herald stepped back before being rudely shoved out of the way by the young prince. The King resisted the urge to upbraid the young boy and, instead, merely stared impassivlly at his heir as the prince made his way forward. No smile for the future of all saiyans…

“Father…” Vegeta’s bow was a fraction shy of disrespectful and his voice sneering. The King reminded himself that the prince’s arrogance would serve him well if he was to become the legendary one day. Masses would bow to him and he would be the most powerful being in the universe. No-one could stop him, or prevent him from implementing his will upon them. The King looked forward to and dreaded that day, for it would be the day his own regin ended, when the younger saiyan challenged him to a fight and won.

“I’m bored! This is lame! Get me some better fighters!!” The prince retorted angrily, obviously frustrated with his training, there being no suitable partners that the prince had not already beaten. The King stared, emotionless, arising and gesturing with a flick of his hand for the prince to follow him. Vegeta did so sullenly, growling at the other saiyans in the corridors. The King could feel the eyes of the elites folowing the young prince, wondering if today he would finally beat him. They entered a battle arena, one of many dotted around the internal wall of the imperial city. All movement froze, before all saiyans dropped to the ground, bending knee before their King.

The king shucked his heavy cape, handing it to another officer, and flexing his back. The arena quickly cleared, with most remaining on the outskirts to watch the fight. Bets were surruptisiosly placed, most against the young prince. The King smirked to himself, aware of the high level of faith his followers still had in him. Vegeta watched in anticipation as his father turned to his offspring, dropping into a fighting stance.

“Fight me!” He snarled, gesturing with his hand.

The prince smirked and launched himself at his father, fist cocked back to strike. Here was a challenge. Here was a fight he wanted to win.

King Vegeta lost himself in the fury of battle, desperately trying to take his mind off the cub held so tenderly in his arms only moments ago and the anguish of a lover dead.


***********

It was only a few days later when the King was discovered with the child. He had been careless, his eyes fixed on it’s tiny features, drowning in the child’s presence. His senses didn’t immediately pick up the scuffling sounds in the antechamber. Vegeta burst into the room, his eyes immediately narrowing as he sneered at the child in his father’s arms.

“What’s that?” He asked, disregaring any protocol, knowing he was being obnoxious. The King’s eyes narrowed in cold anger, a change which the prince failed to notice.

King Vegeta uncoscoiusly bent over the infant, his face a hard mask as he stared at his other son.

“Can I hold it?” Vegeta arched an eyebrow, smirking , well aware that his request would be denied. The King said nothing, staring at him impassively

Vegeta smirked knowingly. He knew his father was actually scared of what he’d do to the child, having killed many infants to ensure his heirship. Shortly before he was born, a prophet had announced that a son of the current king would become the Legendary. Vegeta had learnt of this when he was very young and, since, had dispatched off all the kings offspring in cold methodical detachment to ensure his own destiny.

“Trying to keep this one a secret were you? Going a bit soft, old man?” Vegeta sneered, giving his father such a look of impudence that the King was immediately raging inside.

He calmly glanced at the infant before pinning the young boy with an icy gaze.

‘He won’t take you from me, little one…’

“Come…” He said, rising and sweeping past the young saiyan. Vegeta made a face behind his back, mimicing his father and rolling his eyes.

They walked quickly to the docking bay where the King handed the infant to a low-class saiyan.

“Send him somewhere…he’s strong enough for purging…” He said nochantly, turning back to Vegeta. Inside the King’s soul screamed at the injustice, that he should do this to the child of his beloved. His rational mind reasoned with him. The cub was too much of a easy target. Once he was grown, his enemies would have seen how he doted on the boy, more so than his heir, who was rumoured to become the Legendary. He stared down at the prince as the cub was taken away. hearing the ‘whoosh’ as the pod was ejected into space, the King almost closed his eyes in sorrow, but the smirking prince kept him from doing so.

The King leaned down, bringing his face closer to the younger saiyan’s. Vegeta backed away slighly, the smirk disappearing from his face. He knew he was strong but the day had not arrived when he could beat the King.

A smirk of his own appeared on King Vegeta’s face as he curled his fist and swung it with lightening speed, catching Vegeta on the point of his chin and sending him flying across the docking bay to crash against the wall. All personnel in the bay suddenly fled as the King stalked upto the prince, who was propping himself up dazedly on his elbows.

“Don’t ever disrespect me again, brat. I am your father and your King. And you will pay me my due.”He hissed, before his pointed toe caught Vegeta under his ribs, causing him to let out a choked groan of pain. As the beating began, Vegeta’s anger hardened into a fine point, swelling inside him till he thought he would burst from it. His eyes narrowed as the anger turned to hatred. Hatred of a young saiyan who knew nothing of him, currently shooting through space on a course for an unknown planet.

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It's been a very, very long time since I updated this! To be completely honest I'd actually forgtten about it..I have another chapter written, but until I find a way to end the story...i don't like leaving things hanging...It'll be and even longer wait till inspiration hits me! *grumbles*