* * * * * * *

The burning water cascaded down the Prince's back as he attempted to wash away the deeds of the evening before. It was supposed to be a one night dance, a simple solution to the problem that slave of Freeza's had presented. Why then did she still haunt him?

He permitted her to stay for a few hours, allowing her to recover. After, he woke her and escorted her to her chambers making her swear to never speak of their meeting. She gave her oath, face expressionless and words cold. Never had such actions caused so much disturbance within him.

He returned to bed deciding all had been resolved, but she remained in his dreams, never letting him rest in peace. He decided to rise early and begin his training before dawn, another chance to cleanse his mind of her.

He twisted the knob and the water stopped. Flaring his ki, he quickly evaporated the remaining water droplets and dressed. Upon returning to his bed chambers, his nose caught her scent as if she were still laying in bed. Odin, what had this creature done to him? He quickly marched out of the room and down to the training facilities where he sensei, Nappa, awaited him.

The larger man bowed polietly, "I was rather surprised to hear from you so early my Prince, the King will be quite pleased to hear of this."

"I don't give a rat's ass how pleased the King will be, he can go rot with Freeza for all I care. Just do your duty." Vejiita spat.

Nappa sighed, "You shouldn't concern yourself with the treaty with Freeza. It will be well established before your rise to the throne. By then you will see benefits of your father's decision."

Vejiita snorted, "There will be no alliance, I will see that it is not ratified." Nappa frowned, "My Prince, Odin smiles upon this treaty; it will bring Vejiitasei much wealth." Vejiita turned to his sensei, "Wealth is nothing without power! The King has forgotten this very important fact. His own greed has clouded his judgement."

Nappa sighed again, "It seems you have forgotten the teachings of Odin again, Vejiita. I am not, however, your tutor and this is not my problem. You have not come here to speak politics, I assume, so let us continue with sparring."

Vejiita growled at Nappa's insolence. For the rest of the morning, the Saiay-jin Prince released all of his frustrations on an unsuspecting teacher.

* * * * * * *

Bohnen turned another sharp corner, quite upset at this new turn of events. The King had come and spoken to the council, telling them his second thoughts about the treaty. His sudden change of mind had something to do with the sparring session between the Prince and Nappa. Now, a very distressed Freeza wished to speak with him personally.

Bohnen stopped outside the door marking the Diplomatic wing and politely asked one of the guards where he might find Freeza. He was led down the corridor and pointed into Freeza's private chambers. "My lord Bohnen," Freeza greeted, "I thank you for coming to meet with me. I observedyou during this morning's council meeting and saw that you were quite upset about the King's change in mind. It appears we have some common ground, am I correct?"

Bohnen nodded, "I, along with the rest of the leaders from our Eastern clans, believe this treaty to be quite benificial. Our supreme god, Odin, would greatly bless our alliance. It's quite disturbing that our own King has forgotten Odin's desires."

The emperor's black lips twisted in disgust, "I am no fool, Bohnen. I have read much of your Saiya-jin history and have come to believe that Odin is nothing more then a mythical creation for your benefit. Are you not the one who has the acclaimed ability to hear this 'god'? I find it quite fascinating that your so called visions began just before you were elected to represent your clan in the Council, don't you?"

The Saiya-jin lord found himself at a loss for words, he nearly jumped as the door behind him slid open and the head of Freeza's guard slid in. Freeza frowned and offered an apology, "You'll have to excuse Zarbon's rude interruption. He will remain silent until we have finished." his polite smiled returned, "Now, you may continue. And do not fear the truth, for I am on your side."

Bohnen glanced nervously at Zarbon and then began to speak the truth of Odin. "Throughout the history of Vejiitasei, the Western clans were always the superior. They had power and respect, while all the Eastern clans could offer was some monitary profits. While wages weigh highly amoung rank, power outclasses everything. The god Tyr has always taught such things. When the current King was maturing, I observed his interest in monitary power and quickly formulated-along with those from the other nine clans of the east-a plan that would secure our dominance in the council."

Bohnen began to relax as he saw Freeza's lips turn in a smile that seemed pleasing, "The Western clans always returned to the god Tyr for their reasoning. I consulted with the representative from my clan about these matters. He informed me that the King was bored with the teachings of Tyr and that was when the last puzzle fit. I began my campaign for the council claiming my visions of a new, more supreme god. I sculpted this 'god' in an image that would please the King. A god who does not renounce power and strength, but gives more power in money. This god, Odin, is merely a creation built to please the King and insure my power and the dominance of the Eastern clans. It is uneccissary to point out that the King embraced this new god with no questions, he has yet to doubt my words. The Prince, is a different matter. Though he has been schooled under Odin and the name of Tyr is nothing to him, he does not have the same desires as his father."

Freeza turned away from the Lord, "This is what disturbs me." he murmurred, "All you told me reveals you are quite a resourceful Saiya-jin, something I will keep in mind for the future. Still, how do we solve our little delimma with the Prince?"

Bohnen shook his head, "It is impossible. This morning, in a sparring session with his sensei, he has once again reminded us that he is the Foreseen One and that we will all bow to him and his desires." He felt himself cringe as he watched Freeza's fists ball at the mention of the Foreseen One, "I am afraid the King does not want to push the Prince, as none of us do, and will not sign a treaty. The Prince has a temper and all must watch, even the King. The Prince has often demonstrated that the King's reign might end soon."

Freeza became pensive, "Why would the Prince consider such drastic measures? He is of such a young age." Bohnen shook his head, "He is young, but his power is mature beyond years. The only way to keep the Prince silent is to accuse his mind of being unstable, a deed not easily done."

Zarbon perked up at this, "I don't wish to interrupt, but perhaps I can offer some help." Freeza and Bohnen turned to face him, "Last night, upon my master's bidding, I followed a slave- a Chikyuujin woman. I happened to find her cornered by your Prince and I will admit their meeting was quite heated. Tell me, how does 'Odin' look upon relationships with aliens?"

Bohnen paled, but a smile drew to his lips, "Any physical relationship is unclean. Odin was modeled after the current King, who has a distaste and disgust for aliens. If they cannot offer him money or power, they are filthy insects. So, I made this so for Odin. If such accusations are brought in front of the council, he will be deemed mentally unstable and his voice will not be heard for quite some time. I warn you now, only do this if you are willing to sacrifice this slave. She will have to be put to death at my own hand."

Freeza smiled, "Nothing sounds more tempting. But tell me, don't you fear that this could set the Prince off?"

Bohnen nodded, "It is a risk you'll have to take. More than likely, it will upset him only because it damages his pride. Frankly, I could care less about his choice of relations. I doubt it was nothing more then a calming antidote for his hormones. This is the way most will feel, he will be shunned until he is cleansed, then all will be forgotten. He has no reason to get upset unless he cares about the fate of the woman, and that would be a cause for real concern."

Freeza nodded, "Then we will take this risk, tell me about the opposition." Bohnen shook his head, "Their voices will not be heard. They will try to stop such matters, for under Tyr, he has committed no crime. She is not a contender for his mate, and if she were she would be given a chance to prove her worth. But, their pleas will be ignored I assure you."

Freeza chuckled, his tail lightly dancing behind him, "This is all quite pleasing, Bohnen. Do me a favor and set a meeting with the council at once, such matters must be cleared immediately."

Bohnen smiled and bowed, "Of course my Lord, I shall set the stage for yours and our triumph."

* * * * * * *

Kakarott turned his head and covered his eyes and the cloud moved to reveal the Sun's light. He turned his attention back to the sparring sessions in front of him. He watched his fellow westerners batttle each other, he himself having no desire to fight. His mind could only focus on what he had witnessed the night before. It hadn't bothered him that he saw the Prince with an alien woman, but he was concerned about any other witnesses. He knew the grave consequences that would fall if it were made public.

The Prince could do as he pleased, he was the Legendary, or so they say. Kakarott chuckled, he certainly does follow the pattern he himself did, just at a slower pace. It wasn't really fair, a third class soldier reaching such an accomplishment before royalty. Thank Tyr, it was still a secret. He could easily defeat every soldier in the tournament and even defeat the Prince, though that would be a real challenge. But Kakarott new his place, his father told him this was so. Bardock had an uncanny talent to see the future. Rettich had tried to convince him to speak to the King, but he had made it clear that there was no reasoning with the Prince. Rettich argued that as the Prophet of Tyr, he had a duty to speak. Bardock refused and insisted that Rettich must be on the council.

It was shortly after, Bardock left for a purging misssion and never returned. Before he parted, he took Kakarott aside and prophesised once more, "Remember this my son: Learn your place and keep it, only take what is offered to you. You will stand righteous with the Legendary Prince. and all will respect you. Tyr will return to power under the Legendaries and all will bow to him. Though absent, death is not always a reason. I will return, I know that."

Those words meant little to the young boy, but shortly after he understood. He recieved word that his father's squad had been killed while on their mission. Upset and grieving, he escaped to the wilderness and there he exploded in pure rage. He achieved a level near impossible, and he understood his father's words. He was a Legendary, as was the Prince and together, they could unite Vejiitasei under Tyr. But he also understood that he had to wait until the Prince was ready, he had to keep his secret and stay in his place. It was difficult keeping his power in check, but upon his father's request he would do so at all costs. The power surge was quickly ignored by all Saiya-jins upon its dissapearance and was never questioned again.

Kakarott rose, turning into the palace. There was no reason to train, his destiny depended upon the actions of a Prince. He could wait until he was ready.

* * * * * * *

Bulma worked dilegently in her lab the Saiya-jins had provided for her. She enjoyed the privacy and used it to her benefit. She carefully continued her labor keeping close watch for any unwelcome guests. She carefully twisted the wires and placed them inside the casing of the gun. After a few more adjustments her second prototype was complete. Soon, perhaps, her weapon would be powerful enough to destroy Freeza.

She set down the weapon and thought once more of the Prince. Her soul was torn between hate and desire. What he had offered her the night before was beautiful and quenched her longings, but now she wanted more. The entire evening had been filled with soft caresses and wonderful feelings, but she desired acts of love, not acts of lust: words of fondness if not love. She had given into the passion for the momentary freedom it offered, but it only left her wanting more.

She knew her desires would never be fulfilled by the Prince, he had no doubt forgotten about her already. Still, the his eyes would haunt her forever and she would always thank him for that glimpse of freedom he had given her.

The door behind her slid open and Bulma found a scream locked somewhere between her mind and her throat. She clenched her jaw shut and quickly covered the gun with some papers. She turned to face the intruder and whitened when her nose brushed against that of the Saiya-jin no Ouji. He glowered at her darkly, his thick brows furrowed in thought. "Prince Vejiita." she stammered, "What are you doing here?"

His eyes darkened and he roughly grabbed her wrists and pulled them behind her back. He leaned forward until she could her vision could no longer focus on his features. "You dare speak out of turn." he whispered sinisterly, "Don't forget that you are still a slave."

Bulma's fear quickly vanished and her blood began to boil, "Forgive me your majesty," she said rigidly, "Perhaps I forgot that nothing happened between us last night..." She halted as his grip on her wrists tightened and a growl rummbled in his throat, "I told you to never speak of that again, you risk your life if you do."

Bulma looked away from him, her anger faded, "I won't forget, it will always be secret." Vejiita released her and gently placed his lips against her cheek, "That does not mean it has to end at one night," he whispered gently, his lips lightly brushing her cheek, "You will not leave Vejiitasei for some time."

His hands snaked up the her thighs and teased her, she whimpered as she tried ot push him away, her body was thrusted against the table and her hand brushed against the cold metal of her gun. Her fingers carefully entwined around the trigger just in case. He chuckled, amused, as he leaned forward to claim her lips. With his face merely cenimeters away from hers, he whispered, "You can never fight me."

Fear and anger consuming her she pressed the barrel of the gun against his neck, he stepped back only in surprise. "I can always fight you." she growled, "Go away Vejiita, there is nothing for us. I am not going to make this mistake, I need more than you can ever give me."

Vejiita smirked, "Are you sure you even know what you need? Can you honestly admit that your body does not ache for my touch?" Bulma didn't even flinch, she pressed her weapon into his flesh, "No, I can't. But I know it will only be worse if I give in. I will not be weak." Vejiita was caught completely unawares. There she stood, proud and defiant, risking her life to save what pride she had left. He was even more aroused by this new persona she had displayed.

In a motion beyond any human sight, the gun vanished from her hand and Vejiita appeared behind her. She felt cold steel press against her temple as his hand snaked around her waist. "Tell me, little slave, what does this weapon do?"

Bulma swallowed the lump in her throat, she doubted he would kill her but one could never doubt the abilities of a Saiya-jin. "It's a model of a weapon I'm creating, its designed to take out the likes of Freeza."

Vejiita pulled the gun away carefully and studied it, "Interesting, but why would you be so interested in taking out Freeza?"

She snorted, "Why the hell wouldn't I? He took away everything I needed and loved. He's a fucking monster that I will kill." Vejiita chuckled and released her away, handing her the gun, "I seriously doubt a simple gun could do all that you wish. But you have surprised me today, perhaps you could do it. That would prove quite amusing. He chuckled at the thought, "It's a shame you have turned down my offer, but it will always remain open." He bowed politely and took an exit as he headed to the Council chambers.

Bulma let out a sigh of relief and dispair. She had come so close to breaking again, thank Kami she stood tall. How could one Saiya-jin have such an affect on her? She sighed, placing her gun into a capsule with all of her designs, quickly shoving the capsule into her top. She then pulled out the specs Freeza had requested. The door slid open and Bulma turned sharply, her stomach once again tying in knots. Zarbon slithered in and smiled wickedly at her, "There is a meeting of the Saiya-jin council and you are presence is required."

Bulma nodded and followed Zarbon. As she walked, she crossed her arms and shuddered-she could still feel the warm touch of the Prince.

* * * * * * *

Vejiita stared thoughtfully into space as the council assembled. The King sat next to him and Freeza sat across the room. Vejiita paid no attention to the mutterings of the Saiya-jin council, each demanding a reason for the meeting. Vejiita thought only of the woman.

She had done something that was a rare acomplishment: she refused to obey him. She stood up to him, though her life was at risk. She revealed a plan, even though a silly one, to kill Freeza. She was a proud woman who was obviously of sound mind. She sparked something inside of him that he couldn't quite grasp an understanding of. It was not any desire he had felt before, it was something he couldn't quite place.

The sharp sound of a grovel brought him back to awareness and his eyes focused acrossed the room: She was there. He felt his stomach turn as he wished to hear more about her, to speak to her again. To speak with one who dared to stand up to him and offer him a challenge no one else could. She was worthy of much...

He turned to Bohnen who was standing in the center of the room his eyes fixed on the Prince, his face solemn, "It is under the gravest of circumstances that I call this meeting." he uttered gravely, "Our Prince has commited the gravest of sins."

The room burst with murmmurs and the Prince's his fingers gribbed the arm of his throne tightly. His eyes locked into that of his lover's as she gazed hatefully at Freeza. Vejiita then stared into the cold, scarlett eyes of Freeza; his black lips twisted in a triumphant smirk. Hell had descended upon them.

* * * * * * *