Author's Note: This story is set as if Bulma used her brain to use magic, not science, everything else in the DBZ universe is the same, apart from some small differences as consequence to this.
Many thanks to Crystal who Beta'd this chapter for me!
Also Italics will mean telepathic communication.
The Prince and the Sorceress
Prologue
"Vegeta can stay at mine."
It was a simple statement but everyone turned and stared at Bulma.
"What, Bulma are you crazy? He's evil, and he killed our friends. He could kill you," Gohan sounded serious as he said this, but Bulma had made up her mind.
"I'll be fine; anyway he has to stay somewhere, and I have lots of space at my palace. The Nameks will be fine there as well."
Vegeta stood up, he liked the sound of a palace. "I will only come if you give your oath not to turn me into a frog, witch," Vegeta had remembered the threat she gave him on Namek. Bulma smiled an air of authority. In fact, she remembered the embarrassment of it all.
FLASHBACK
Bulma and Krillin were holding onto a dragonball, while Vegeta was leering menacingly at them.
"Give me the dragonball," he growled.
"No way," Bulma said bravely.
"B.. B.. Bulma he'll kill you," Krillin nervously stammered.
"I'll turn him into a frog," said Bulma.
"Witch, I am the prince of Saiyans. Your spells are worthless," he crossed his arms and smirked.
Bulma powered up a fireball and threw it at him. She knew he would deflect it. She tried to shake the earth beneath him, but it didn't work. For some reason her elemental powers were useless.
"Shit, I haven't aligned to the different atmosphere," she swore.
Krillin's eyes nearly popped out, "What does that mean?"
Bulma looked sadly at her friend, "I can't protect us. My power is linked to Earth, and I haven't gotten use to the planet Namek yet. The elements are different somehow."
Vegeta began laughing evilly, "So you're useless witch I'll enjoy this." He swooped in on her. Krillin managed to deflect his fist but his kick connected and Bulma was flattened by his small tap.
"Weakling, I hardly touched you," he sneered. "Now give me that dragonball."
Krillin handed it over; his hands were shaking. He'd never seen Bulma crumble so easily; she was the most powerful sorceress of Earth.
Bulma's eyes narrowed as she watched him go, "Your evil will be punished."
"Man Bulma, I can't believe you crumble from one kick," Krillin said as he helped her up.
"I'll heal but what about the dragonball?" She asked.
"Oh, we'll get another one. I bet Gohan's finding one right now," Krillin said brightly.
"Yeah and I can bet 100 zeni we'll meet Vegeta again," Bulma shook her head.
END FLASHBACK
Vegeta was still there standing arrogantly as if he was the most powerful man on the planet, and Bulma hated that he had so much arrogance.
"I can't guarantee that I won't turn you into a frog Vegeta," Bulma said carefully as she remembered something she'd gleaned from Radditz's mind. "But I'll give you my oath not to turn you into a frog if you give a blood oath not to hurt this planet."
Vegeta huffed. That had not been part of his plans, and he didn't like how she knew about the blood oaths. He glowered at her and transmitted, 'Stay out of my mind, Bitch.'
Bulma smiled as she heard his telepathic thought. 'I never got that from your mind. I have met other Saiyans.'
Bulma was a sorceress of high magic. She found the prince a challenge. Ever since she ascended from witch to sorceress, her friends had always treated her differently. They never gossiped or laughed with her; she was like a higher being to them now. She still felt like the same Bulma; she wanted to hear jokes and talk. They were always serious when they spoke to her.
Vegeta the Prince of Saiyans, ever since she met him on Namek he defied her. He questioned everything she said, called her names. Bulma felt like a little girl again; she hadn't had an argument for seven years. She couldn't read his thoughts, he had a very good mental wall erected. Only sometimes could she hear his telepathic taunts. Their mind conversations were short, and Vegeta instantly pulled up his mental barriers when she got close. She couldn't even feel any emotions from him.
She adjusted her robes and lifted her staff; it was time for her to go. A summoning flare shot out from her staff. "Attend me, Binky!" She called her steed dragon.
Vegeta smirked, "Binky?" He had suppressed his laughter, and the amused expression caused Bulma to glare at him; she liked her pet dragon's name. The purple dragon soared down, happy to see his mistress.
"I'll consult the spirits when I get home Gohan," she said to the boy. "I'll find out how your father got on against Freiza." Gohan smiled, tears in his eyes.
"Okay I'll fly all you Nameks to my palace. Vegeta can follow if he likes."
Bulma again raised her dragon staff. The orb at the end glowed and she enveloped the Nameks in a glowing ball of energy.
"Don't panic you guys," Bulma said reassuringly. She could sense their fear; the Nameks were a highly telepathic race.
Bulma mounted her giant steed, "We'll get there in under 30 minutes."
As she gestured Binky to rise, the Nameks came with her towing them in the magical ball, and Vegeta slowly followed behind them. He did not trust Bulma, but she was the only one that had offered any hospitality.
' It will do for now. I will reach Super Saiyan and rule the universe. Heh, that witch will be the first to bow to me,' he smirked at the thought.
Bulma looked behind her and smiled as she saw Vegeta following. He was slightly different after coming back from the dead. Perhaps there was hope for the prince; he still could redeem himself. She waved to Gohan and Piccolo, as they became distant specs.
"Will Bulma be okay?" Gohan asked his Namek mentor.
Piccolo tensed, watching them go, "The sorceress can defend herself better on her home soil." She might even be able to defeat him, Piccolo smiled at this thought. When he had been evil, he'd fought Bulma a few times. He knew how powerful she could be.
"I think she will be fine Gohan," just then, Piccolo began receiving King Kai's news on Goku. Piccolo grimaced as he heard, the good: Frieza was defeated, the bad: Namek about to explode with Goku on it.
"We should worry about your father now. He may not escape Namek in time," Piccolo began to tell Gohan the news and tears filled the brave boys eyes, but he knew the Namek dragonballs could help.
Bulma heard the message too, but as she was traveling, stayed silent. She was arriving at her palace. The pink turrets poked out of the thick deciduous forest like a cake. Bulma was 18 when she chose the colour; she still never regretted it.
"PINK!" It was Vegeta; he flew beside Bulma. Binky shuddered since he felt wary of the Saiyan. "What kind of palace is that?" he asked, disgusted by the vile colour; it seemed it was unfit for him to live in.
"I've never regretted my choice in colour, so live with it," Bulma shouted to him. Binky growled; this male upset his mistress.
"You'll have to make me colour blind before I'll live here."
"That can be arranged," Bulma raised her staff. She heard screams of the frightened Nameks, and Bulma remembered her duty and took Binky down, letting the Nameks feel safe again.
"Right a quick colour blind spell," Bulma began a fake chant, pointing her staff at Vegeta. He snarled and flew to punch Bulma before she completed the spell.
Bulma disappeared and his fist hit air.
"Instant transmission." giggled Bulma from behind Vegeta. He looked at her in amazement; he had never seen that move before. Bulma had a limited use of it, not that Vegeta would ever know.
"Come on, I can make your quarters black if you really want." she offered a peace offering. I could have so whipped his ass.
"Ivory with red carpets and curtains." said Vegeta, accepting it as best he could.
"Alright consider it done, your highness," Bulma made a gesture, and a whole wing of her palace turned white.
"That will be your area Vegeta. I won't disturb your territory," Bulma was surprised at her generosity, but she knew if she wanted some peace it had to be done.
He walked into his wing and disappeared, she must have hurt his pride by her teleportation. She hadn't dared use it on Namek since she had been so disorientated by the planet.
She turned to the Nameks, ready to deal with them.
Bulma told the aliens of what King Kai had said, while Vegeta listened from behind a pillar.
Their planet had now exploded, and Goku may have died there. The Namek guardian smiled and he pointed to the sky. She looked up just as the Namek dragonballs fell to earth.
"Wow, they followed you Guru," Bulma gasped; the old Namek chuckled lightly.
"Indeed, you'll have to wait a few months, but we can wish your friends back," The old Namek said. "Now if you'll excuse me I need to talk to my people."
Bulma nodded understanding; his life would soon be over. He would need to pass on his guardian powers.
"Woman..." came a gruff voice.
"Yes, Vegeta," Bulma sighed.
"You better watch out, with that third class fool dead, I am the most powerful on this planet," he said.
"No Vegeta, you're not, I am," Bulma smirked and teleported away.
Vegeta roared with anger, "WOMAN! This is not over!"
'Bet on it.' Bulma said in his head.
Author's Note: So what did you think? I might have made a few mistakes in the Dragonball Z timeline but I don't care. I'm classing it A/U that means it's immune to criticism of inconsistencies within the series. This idea I came up with purely on my own, any similarities to other stories is a coincidence. Though saying that it's an AU I do want to keep the characters as closely in character as possible. The major character differences are going to be from Bulma seeing as she has been brought up differently.
(You'll see what I mean later.)