Disclaimer:  I do not own DBZ nor its characters…

Setting:  Alternate Universe

Author's Note:  I've had this story on my website for a while and haven't got much feedback from it so I thought I'd try it on fanfiction.net.  Please review.  Good or bad.  I need both in order to improve my writing.  If you have a suggestion on how I can do better or see a spelling mistake please email me or leave a comment so I can see it.

Bulma, the Varlian Princess:  Part 1 – the wedding

"Varlia?  Where the hell is Varlia?!" asked Prince Vegeta.  He was dressed in his formal royal uniform waiting for the arrival of Lord Frieza.  He hated that purple lizard with all his heart and knew he was up to no good, but for some reason, his father insisted on keeping political relations with him.  If only he could reach the level of Super Saiyan…then he would blast that ugly monster into non-existence.

Nappa, his right-guard and current trainer, fumbled for an answer.  "Uh, I think it's near the Kazaar System."  One of Vegeta's sharp eyebrows rose casting a shadow of doubt on the bald-headed Saiyan's words.

"Actually," interrupted Kakarot, a third-class warrior who was held in favor by the Prince, "Varlia is in the Puaan System.  It is the sister planet of Arlia but far more superior.  Their technology is said to be even more advanced than Lord Frieza's.  It is also four parsecs away from Planet Earth which was destroyed in the last purging mission."

"Why would Frieza want to destroy this planet and so quickly after the last purging mission?  Nappa?" he asked purposely leaving out Frieza's title.

A frown formed on Nappa's face and he tried to squeeze some intelligence out of that pea-sized brain of his.  "Uh, because he wants to get it out of the way and move onto something else."  A smile replaced his frown thinking he had given a brilliant answer.

"Beep.  Wrong answer.  Thank you for playing our game," said the Prince sarcastically, "Kakarot?"

"Because he's afraid of the planet's technological potential," the taller Saiyan answered.

"Good.  Now I propose we act the part of good little Saiyans and leave immediately for Varlia as per Frieza's request."  An evil grin marked the short but powerful Saiyan's face.  *Now at least I have an excuse not to see that lizard for a while.*  Maybe this puny planet would hold the key to killing his enemy.

The others fell behind their Prince as he made his way to the ship.  The trip would take at least a month.  Three hyper-sleep chambers were activated and the ship blasted away to its destination.

---------------

"Vegetasei?  Where the hell is Vegetasei?!" asked Princess Bulma.  She was dressed in her favorite light blue dress with a lace covering.  Her close friend sat nearby dressed in her respective attire.

"It's 20 parsecs away from here.  The informant is highly reliable.  Lord Frieza has ordered the destruction of our planet.  Vegetasei is ruled by a race of Saiyans who are said to be the most powerful warriors of the universe.  Their Prince is said to be the strongest of them all and may have the potential to become stronger than Lord Frieza," explained Lady Chi-Chi.

"And you say they are on their way here by Frieza's orders?" she asked purposely leaving out Frieza's title.

"Yes.  We just received an alert from one of our long-range border patrols.  They are only a week's journey away."

Bulma frowned.  These Saiyans might be a problem if the stories she'd heard were true.  They have destroyed many worlds for Frieza.  Well, they had another thing coming if they thought they could destroy hers just as easily.  "If it's a fight they want, a fight they will get," she stated with an evil glint in her eyes.

-----------------

"Prince Vegeta, we are an hour away from Varlia.  What should we do once we arrive?" asked Nappa.

The Prince stared at him until he became uncomfortable and averted his gaze.  He let out a bellow.  "Pathetic.  Do you ever use that grey mess you call a brain?  What do you think we're going to do?  Bonehead."  And he walked off.

"Kakarot!" Nappa called out.  "Get out here and clean my boots!"

He walked out and watched as the head guard pulled his grimy shoes off.  A distinct odor filled the room.  "Clean your own smelly boots, Nappa," he told him.

"Why you third-class nothing?!  How dare you go against my orders?!  I am an elite warrior!"

"Yes, Nappa," said the Prince suddenly from the shadows.  "Why don't you clean your own boots.  Along with mine and Kakarot's."  He watched in amusement as his jaw dropped and his eyes bugged out.

"B-but my Prince…I-I…"

"Yes?  Do you wish to say something, Nappa?"

He bowed his head and muttered something under his breath.

"What was that?" asked Vegeta pretending to strain his head to hear.

"A-as you w-wish, Prince Vegeta," he finally said casting a quick, evil glare at Kakarot who was busy taking off his boots.

Vegeta laughed aloud and walked back into the control room.  Kakarot smirked at Nappa then quickly followed his Prince.

---------------

"Princess Bulma, we have just received word that a foreign vessel was spotted entering our outer border.  At their current speed they are due to enter our atmosphere in less than one hour," said one of her royal guards.

She frowned and waved him away.  It had been a busy two weeks but she managed to create some ingenious traps for their upcoming 'guests.'  But would it be enough?  One thing was for sure.  She would die trying before she'd let them take her or her planet.

"How are you feeling?" asked Lady Chi-Chi who was constantly at her side.

"A bit nervous.  But mostly exhilarated."

Chi-Chi's eyes widen slightly.

"I can hardly wait," she remarked then laughed evilly.  Chi-Chi was stunned but soon joined her long-time friend in her laughter.

"As long as you're feeling confident I guess there's no need for me to be so worried," said Chi-Chi after they had settled down a bit.

Bulma did not reply.  Her whole posture exuded confidence.  Only her eyes betrayed her by being filled with worry and sorrow for her people.

-----------------

The strongest Saiyan warrior and heir to the throne stepped outside the space pod and took in a deep breath of fresh air.  With a critical eye he examined his surroundings.  The planet didn't look like much, but he had learned a long time ago never to underestimate an enemy.  He raised his right hand to signal the others to follow and they made their way unafraid toward the palace doors.

The guards were trembling but proudly took their stand.  Their loyalty was met with an energy blast from Nappa and Kakarot.  Prince Vegeta sneered and walked in as if he owned the place.

The King of Varlia was taken aback.  He had not expected them to simply march through their doors.  There was no time to gather up his army.  So he had to change strategies.

"Welcome Royal Prince of the Saiyans.  To what pleasure do I owe this unexpected visit?" he blatantly kissed up to the Prince.

Vegeta was not fooled.  "Surprised, are we?  Frieza tells me your world is rich in technology."

"Yes, that is true," the King said cautiously.

"You know of our mission," said Vegeta.  It was more of a statement than a question.

The King nodded.

"I have no doubt that we could easily destroy your pathetic planet and be gone within the hour."

The King froze in fear.  His thoughts turned to his one and only child, Bulma.  There must be some way he could at least save her.

"But…"

The King let out a small breath of relief.

"Although my father, the King, is over-eager to join in an alliance with Frieza, once I am crowned King I plan to separate from that hideous treaty.  What is your stance on our beloved Lord Frieza?" his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"He is a great warrior.  Very powerful.  He will be hard to defeat," the King said diplomatically.

Prince Vegeta grinned with a devilish glint in his dark, cruel eyes.  He was able to read between the lines.  "Since we seem to be of the same mind perhaps it would be beneficial for both our worlds to unite against our oppressor."

"Yes.  There would certainly be an advantage to uniting strength and ingenuity.  But what evidence is there that the allies will not turn against each other?"  He sat back on his throne to think and to wait for an answer.

Prince Vegeta also thought about the possible alliance.  A mere treaty would not be acceptable because treaties can be broken.  He looked to his two comrades.  Kakarot looked like he was deep in thought.  Nappa looked like he was trying to be deep in thought but ended up in the shallow end.  Then suddenly the answer came running in.

----------------

The cleverest of the Varlian people and the heir to the throne surveyed the land around her until her eyes landed on the Saiyan space pod.  They had arrived.  She walked up to examine the vessel.  The engines were still warm.  She looked down at the ground and saw a few foot prints heading toward the palace.  Could they be foolish enough to just come barging in?  With a determined nod she followed their trail.

In front of the palace doors Princess Bulma was met with a horrible scene: the charred remains of her former guards.

"Oh my," exclaimed Lady Chi-Chi who was following behind her.

"Indeed," she said as her eyes narrowed.  She powered up her energy gun which she had prepared specifically for them.  "Let's go inside."

The halls were silent.  Where were all the servants and guards?  Bulma feared the worst.  Without a warning she charged into the main hall where her father kept counsel with Chi-Chi right behind her holding onto her own energy gun.

There was only three of them.  She smirked as she charged her gun and aimed for the shorter one who was standing closest to her father.  Chi-Chi aimed for the taller one with the wild spiky hair.  They fired simultaneously.  The King rose in horror, but it was too late.  The energy blasts had already left the barrel and was now on a one-way trip to their enemys' hearts.

-----------------

Vegeta's eyes narrowed in frustration as he saw those two idiotic women fire their guns.  Those energy blasts were so weak a newborn babe could've stopped it with one finger.  As the blast reached him he raised a hand to catch it neatly in his palm.  Kakarot did the same.

"Weak, useless, stupid…" he muttered.  But he was amused to see their jaws drop.  Their determination on the other hand rose greatly and they fired once more.  "Let me add stubborn…"

He caught the other with his remaining hand.  "Had your fun woman?" he called out to the blue-haired one who had shot at him.  "Now it's your turn.  Feel the wrath of the almighty Prince Vegeta."  He readied himself to throw those weak energy blasts back at them.

"WAIT!" the King shouted getting between him and the girls.

"You are getting on my nerves," he told him.  The diplomatic air between them had vanished and in its place was the infamous savagery of the Saiyan race.

The King looked back at his daughter and her companion then back at the Prince.  "Please, Prince Vegeta.  What happened to our talk of an alliance?  Perhaps there is still a way we can work together against Lord Frieza."

"Make it quick," he said tersely.

The King struggled to come up with an answer.  Obviously their technology would greatly aid the Saiyans in the upcoming battle but how would they seal the deal between them to ensure a lasting alliance.  He looked back at his daughter once more and an idea formed in his graying head.

----------------

Bulma's eyes narrowed as she watched her father try to bargain with their enemy.  She was angry at herself also because her brilliant plan had failed.  The guns were useless against their power.  How strong were they anyways?  Perhaps they would be useful in defeating that ogre Frieza but could they be trusted?

She looked over at the one who her father had addressed as the 'Prince.'  He may have been short but he certainly had the arrogant, royal pride thing going.  His posture was more straighter, his head tilted just enough toward the sky, his expression calm but deadly to any who'd dare to oppose him, his mouth firm and unmoving whose will cannot be swayed by mere begging or offer of goods but only by his own grace and mercy can one be saved because he had the power.

Her eyes trailed lower.  Well-built as a member of the royal family should be.  And his…tail?  Yes, there was definitely a tail wrapped tightly around his waist.  Then a thought entered her always nimble brain.  She remembered how one time she had stepped on the tail of a woodland creature and it had squealed in sheer pain.  Perhaps their tails could be a source of their weakness.  Too bad she would get no where near them in this predicament.

"We shall have a joining of our two kingdoms," her father said.  Bulma admitted silently to herself that she had missed most of his speech.  What was he talking about?

"The crowned Prince of Vegetasei and my darling Princess Bulma, the heir to my throne," he announced.

"W-what?"  Bulma's eyes threatened to bulge out of their sockets.  *He can't be serious.  Please let this be a joke.*

"This is no joke," her father continued as if he had read her mind.  "We can have the ceremony as early as tomorrow and then we can start working on our plan to overthrow our mutual enemy the day after.  Do we have a deal?"

---------------

*No way!  Not ever!  No way in hell!  I'll die a hundred deaths before I'll join with her!*  He shouted in his mind but he was not about to say that out-loud for fear of ruining his princely image.  "I shall have to discuss this with my comrades," he stated calmly and walked to the farthest corner.  The others were surprised that they were being asked to advise their Prince but promptly followed him none-the-less.

Their Prince stood there silently.

"Uh," Nappa began, "so what is your plan, Prince Vegeta?"

Still silent.

"She does possess a certain ethereal beauty," observed Kakarot.

"I will not join with some weak alien woman.  I am the crowned Prince, for Frieza's sake.  There are certain standards…" he drifted off.

"To be honest, my Prince, you have not shown the least interest in any of our Saiyan women."

Nappa chirped in with, "Yeah.  Some of the guys thought maybe you'd prefer the company of men rather than women."

"What?!" he said, a vein throbbing out on his left temple.  "Don't speak again, Nappa."

His bald head lowered shamefully.

"Fine.  I'll join with that weakling.  But I'll be damn if I have to mate with her."

"Uh, then how are you going to have an heir?" Nappa spoke out of turn.

A low growl emanated from his throat.  "What did I tell you about not speaking, Nappa?  Fine.  I'll do it just to produce an heir.  Then that's it!  Got it?"

The others nodded.  No word of discontent escaped from their sealed lips.  No word at all escaped from Nappa's lips for obvious reasons.

--------------

*Hell no!  A thousand times no!  Over my dead body!  I'd rather stick my finger in a vat of hot lava before I'll join with him!*  But she did not say that aloud because that would be unprincessly of her.

"Father?" she said with a sweetness in her voice that covered the raging anger stirring inside.

Her father turned around slowly bracing himself for the onslaught.  "Yes?"

She tilted her pretty blue head sideways and smiled.  He still didn't know what kind of response he would receive from her.  She hadn't started yelling at him yet which was a good sign…wasn't it?

"Father, dear, I'm only going to say this once.  I…will…not…join…with some freak WITH A TAIL!"

He didn't get mad because he was used to her temper tantrums.  He didn't yell because that would only cause her to yell louder.  He didn't threaten because they would only fall on deaf ears.  Instead he calmly strolled up to his fiery blue-haired daughter and took her by the hands.

"Bulma, honey," he began.  "Do you remember last year when you wanted to test out your new invention on some of my men?  And do you remember how I refused?  And do you remember how you begged and pleaded and promised you would do an equal favor in return?"

Her head slowly moved up and down, her eyes ever widening as her father's speech came to its logical conclusion.

"I think that favor is overdue.  I'm afraid you have to accept the deal."

Her knees felt weak but she refused to faint.  *Take deep breaths.  Deep soothing breaths.  Now that's better.*  Then she fainted.

---------------

Prince Vegeta stood next to the altar in his best royal garments and tried with all his might not to look nervous.  *Why should I be nervous?  It's just a silly ceremony.  It's not like it's a real joining.  Then why are my hands sweaty?*

He diverted his attention away from the podium and looked toward the door that woman was suppose to come through.  *Where is she?*  He was not known for his patience.

"Nervous?" asked his tall companion.  If it had been anyone else they would have been fried on the spot.  The Prince said nothing and turned his head away as an indication he didn't want to talk about it.  Kakarot merely chuckled.

"Are you laughing at me?" he asked indignantly.

"No, my Prince.  Of course not.  I'm laughing at the situation.  I only have the utmost respect and honor for your Highness.  Never would I dare to raise my voice to yours or mock your bravery in this unusual endeavor," he explained eloquently.

He was not fooled.  "You are laughing at me," he merely stated still not looking at the other Saiyan's face.

"Shall I put him back in his place, my Prince?" questioned Nappa.

"Shut up, Nappa."

Before anyone could utter another word the doors finally opened revealing a beautiful princess garbed in a white overflowing skirt, lacey veil, white satin gloves, and shiny sparkles in her hair.  The crowd made of mostly her friends and acquaintances rose as she made her way down the long aisle.

Vegeta's mouth almost dropped open as he stared at the heavenly angel making its way to him.  His eyes trailed up her dress until they focused on those liquid blue orbs that seemed to shine against the whiteness of her veil.  He felt his heart skip a beat and he nearly cried out at the strange pain it had caused in his resilient chest.  For a moment he considered canceling the whole event and accusing her of witchcraft.  Why else would he be weak in the knees and sweaty if not caused by some ill magic?

But even as that thought passed another came his way and it said he would rather endure painful lashes every day of his life then be parted from this beautiful maiden.  Before he could berate himself for thinking such thoughts her hand locked around his and all intelligent thought vanished from his mind.  By the power vested in that blue-haired vixen the Prince of all the Saiyans was reduced to a mindless, love-sick puppy.

--------------

Princess Bulma waited behind those closed doors, gateways to her doom as she would like to think of them.  *Take deep soothing breaths.  R-r-right.  Like that worked sooo well the last time I tried it.  Forget this.*  She yanked her veil off her head and tried to storm out.  Her father was blocking the only exit out of the chapel.  *Why me?*

"Calm down, Bulma.  Try not to be so nervous.  Your hands will get sweaty," said her friend.

"I am not nervous.  What is there to be nervous about?  It's not like it's a real wedding.  Except for the fact I'll be stuck with him for the rest of my life," she sighed and hastily put the veil back on.

Suddenly Chi-Chi grabbed her hands and turned them around for inspection.  "Just as I thought.  Be right back."

Bulma was confused at her strange actions.  *What is she talking about?*

Minutes later she came back with gloves in hand.  "There," she said after putting them on Bulma.  "Now he won't notice your sweaty palms."

The Princess blushed.  "It must be the heat.  It's kind of hot in here.  And this dress…"

"Uh huh," her friend replied knowingly.

"Stop that.  Are you teasing me?"

"Me?  Oh, goodness no.  Where would you get such an idea?" she said exaggerating her hand movements which caused Bulma to smile unwillingly.

"Just you wait.  I'll get you back for that."  Someone behind her coughed.  She looked back to see her father there.  It was time.  She hooked her arm around his and waited…for the doorway to hell to open up and swallow her whole.

Those harsh words fell out of her delicate little head the moment she laid her eyes upon her Prince.  She had admired his physique before but in those clothes he looked even more regal if that was even possible.  The people around her stood as she made her way down the long aisle but she barely noticed them.  Her feet felt as if it was floating on air and in no time flat she was near the podium where he stood waiting for her.

Her father without a word released her as she reached forward to grab her future husband's hand.  Had she not been wearing gloves she would have realized how nervous he was, but instead, he looked to her the picture of calm while she had butterflies having a feast inside her stomach.

"We are gathered here," began the Royal Head of Ceremonies, "on the fifth day of the cycle of Alamr to unite the gentle Princess Bulma of Varlia with the courageous Prince Vegeta of Vegetasei.  If anyone disagrees with this heavenly union come forward and speak for all to hear."

The thought to speak out at that moment did not even cross her mind as she stared into his deep, black eyes.  He seemed to hold some power that kept her speechless which was no easy feat.

"Prince Vegeta of Vegetasei, do you swear by your ancestors to love, cherish, and protect her with all your heart and soul for all of eternity?"

"I do," he spoke in his deep-timbred voice.

"Princess Bulma of Varlia, do you swear by your ancestors to love, cherish, and protect him with all your heart and soul for all of eternity?"

"I do," she said, her voice firm and unwavering.

"With the power given to me by the King and the Heavens, this union is now complete, never to be broken by anyone lest they provoke the anger of the gods.  The bond shall now be sealed with the first kiss between husband and wife."

He leaned down and she tilted her head.  She closed her eyes and his lips made contact with hers briefly.  They were so soft, she was thinking.  He leaned forward again but this time he lingered long enough to taste her sweet flavor.  She almost released a moan as her newly-wed husband gently forced his tongue inside her mouth.  With just a kiss the brutish Saiyan Prince managed to steal and capture her lonely heart.

End of Part 1

-----------

A/N: the ending is kind of sappy I know…