Hiraedd: The Unobtainable

In the tedious hours before the arrival of the Princess, Torankusu occupied himself in his dressing room. In his hands was the black and grey cloak he would wear to greet her, his eyes meticulously scrutinizing the embroidered silver lining. With him was his loyal guard Goten, who stood beside the fervently polished armor that had already passed the Prince's inspection.

Goten alone knew that Torankusu's sudden interest in detail was a way to preoccupy his mind. The Prince detested his current position to the fullest of his capabilities. Goten himself had already borne the brunt of Torankusu's dilemma on the training fields several times and knew from experience that he didn't want to anger him.

"Has everything met your requirements, My Lord?" Even now, it had become crucial to avoid upsetting him.

"It's fine." Torankusu responded, letting the heavy velvet and silk fall from his hands. "You've done well, as usual."

"As always, it is my duty to serve you." He answered with a low bow.

"The witch doesn't deserve the spectacle she's about to receive." Torankusu stated, turning to face the full length mirror in the sparse chamber of desolate blue. "It's ridiculous to receive a female with such pomp."

"Agreed." Goten replied. "Juraians overvalue their women, it is far too clear." He watched as Torankusu beckoned two of his man-servants to help him dress. "I can only fathom your displeasure."

"As can anyone, the damn ambassadors were more concerned with limiting my access to their warships and warriors than anything." he seethed. "I hear she commands several armadas and has thousands of militants loyal to her."

"Do not allow it to anger you Sire, you have millions of Saiyan Warriors who would gladly serve you in battle, what are Juraian warriors compared to us?"

"As true as they may be, that is not the point." Torankusu paused when he was dressed in his chest plate. "The fact is she is in a position of great influence and the power she possesses no doubt gives her a sense of superiority."

"Then a simple remedy will suffice." Goten smirked. "Even if the rumors are true -which we both know is highly unlikely- she is still a female and will learn her place."

"It is despicable for men to fear a woman so."

"What is said by the lower classes is merely propaganda used to scare space pirates and would-be assassins." He then added with loathing. "I can speak with confidence when I say they tend to listen to the wildest of fables and take them to heart."

"But you cannot explain the whispers of the Elite!" the Prince snapped. "It is disgraceful and insulting."

Goten thought it wise to remain silent. Already Torankusu was dangerously unstable and a minor misstep in words or actions would lead to deadly consequences. He had been present when Torankusu reprimanded those who spread what the lower classes said through the palace halls. Several slaves and servants ended up dead while the luckier guards and nobles spent days recovering from the brutal onslaught.

Even now, Goten observed the servants taking extra precautions as they prepared the Prince. The humanoid servants wore white gloves on their hands so not to mar the flawless polish on his silver armor and were cautious when placing the gauntlets on his arms. Torankusu himself adjusted them as they then set the elaborately embroidered mantle on the shoulders of his armor.

Goten knew the rumors as well as any other on the planet. Juraians were a fascination among many throughout the universe. They were considered the only true immortal race, renown for their beauty and the might of their technology and warships. The Princess Aurelia was an attraction of her own.

Her father's race had proclaimed her the Amarante, "the flower that never fades" to hallmark her beauty; but she had another name, the Jurai no Kijo* or Witch of Jurai. From what he understood, she was called that because she was able to manipulate the darker powers of Jurai. Exactly what those powers were, Goten was uncertain. Juraians were an especially secretive lot, and their secrets sparked wonderment and fear among the masses.

Whatever the case, they were all anxious to finally see this "illustrious" Princess of Jurai and discover what she truly was. Torankusu most of all. He was set to prove that a woman was incapable of producing the kind of fear and adoration that was widely spread.

"How much longer until she arrives?" Torankusu questioned as soon as he was finished dressing.

Goten pulled a small device from the black gauntlet on his arm and tapped a few buttons.

"The last contact with the Princess' ship placed them at the edge of our solar system, they will be here within the hour."

"She careens halfway across the universe in a matter of a few days then all of a sudden decides to slow to a snail's pace." he said with irritation.

"Perhaps, like yourself, she is merely preparing herself for the welcoming ceremony." Goten stated with caution, keeping his eyes lowered.

Torankusu snarled, then drew back his arm and struck the nearest person. No one was truly surprised at the outburst, it could have been worse. The servant who had been hit merely bowed low after recovering and quietly backed out of the room, cradling his bruised face and broken jaw.

Without another word, Torankusu withdrew from the room with a flurry of his cloak.

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Observing the limitless space Aurelia quietly sipped her tea from her Royal Ship, Shiraseru. The core unit was a perpetual paradise of a garden at twilight. Silver mists danced across a placid lake that reflected the light of blue lamps that were nestled within the trees. Sweet flowers with vibrant colors made up most of the interior landscape while small birds chirped pleasantly within the dark branches.

The bridge itself mimicked the lush interior of the ship, however instead of a violet sky, the one projected was the outside space they now floated amongst. Several navigation charts and downloaded information regarding their landing location would occasionally pop up, but for the most part, Aurelia ignored them.

It was a rare occasion to have a quiet moment to herself, and she wished to prolong it as much as she was capable of. The Saiyans would no doubt receive her with an extravagant reception, full of protocol and royal regalia. Deserving though it would be, at the moment she preferred solitude.

Since the Emperor Azusa agreed to the arranged marriage proposal, her staff and family had been in a state of apprehension. Even now those that talked quietly amongst themselves on the bridge were far more concerned with the arrival on Planet Vegeta than she.

To a certain extent could Aurelia understand their fear; Saiyans were known to be aggressive and sinister, and they heralded Prince Torankusu as their "God of War". He was ruthless, fierce in battle and his fighting talent was unrivaled. His hostility towards his enemies was legendary as was his violent mood swings. The blood Torankusu spilt in his lifetime could have formed entire oceans, and it didn't hurt that he was said to be as beautiful as he was deadly.

Aurelia did not doubt a word, she knew from experience to never underestimate a person's capabilities, in fact, it was often best to expect far worse. Placing her tea on the dainty table beside her, she drew up a floating screen by tapping a few buttons on the armrest of her chair. Using various resources Aurelia had managed to gather the most extensive amount of information regarding Saiyans that she possibly could. She scanned the document before her, making certain there was nothing that was unfamiliar to her.

"Reading again?' Idai, Aurelia's dark haired Lady-in-Waiting commented as she refilled the Princess' cup. "I do not understand your sudden fascination concerning Saiyan History."

"Knowledge can charm." She replied softly. "These Saiyans are everything they are made out to be, and Torankusu's reputation is nearly as grandiose as my own."

"I once had the misfortune of meeting the Saiyan Ambassador back on Jurai." Idai spoke with much disdain. "For someone of high status, he certainly lacked the proper etiquette when addressing a woman."

"You've mentioned that before." Aurelia stood from her intricately carved chair and stepped out from beneath the canopy of intertwining branches crowned with green leaves and hanging blossoms.

"Forgive me Highness, I am concerned about your welfare, we all are." Idai nervously wrung her pale hands, hoping that just this once, the Princess would show or say she would exert some form of caution. "We all know that Torankusu is a dangerous individual and his views on women are not the highest a person can have."

"If you are going to state your point please do so Idai, there is little time we can waste." Aurelia stated as Planet Vegeta appeared on the screen as well as the coordinates for their landing location and procedure.

"He may try to harm you." She said in vain.

"Is that all?" Was her only reply.

Idai sighed, knowing full well that was all she would receive from Aurelia. She could only hope that the Princess knew how to handle the situation they would face once on Vegeta. Idai was certain that the headstrong, controlling and extremely manipulative Princess of Jurai would not sit well with the Elite Saiyans; especially when they were used to compliant and unassuming women.

"Idai, as Captain of my Intelligence I expect you to have already mapped out where to place our, "spying" equipment."

"Already completed, Highness." She confirmed. "We will begin as soon as the palace curfew falls."

"Very good." The Princess then turned her attention to the delicate, blue-haired Lady-in-Waiting occupying one of the monitoring seats. "Hakucho, begin the landing sequence, let us not keep our Saiyan friends waiting any longer."

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*koji- "witch, demoness, ogress, she-devil"- take your pick, they all describe her.

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