So...lately, I've been reading fairytales by the Brothers Grimm. I used to love them as a kid, even though some of them I thought were creepy, but I still loved when my parents read them to me :) So I figured why not turn the tales into a fic? Well here it is, and I hope you guys really enjoy it!
Let the Dove Fly
Summary: AU. A once peaceful kingdom turns into a tyranny after death befalls the King of the Saiyans. Ruled by a now oppressive, blood thirsty human Queen; a human princess holds the key to the Queen's downfall. (Based on the Brothers Grimm Snow White and Cinderella).
Long ago, there was a young girl, with hair as blue as the sea, skin white as a porcelain doll, and lips as rosy as her cheek. Her name was Princess Bulma; bore from the King of Earth, Balthasar and Queen Adelaine, who died giving birth to Bulma. The King mourned for his beloved wife, for now he had to take care of their sweet bundle of joy on his own. The first two years of his daughter's life, however brought him more joy than he could ask for. His daughter's smile and laughter gave him indescribable happiness, as if she were slowly healing him from the broken heart that he once had.
After the princess' second birthday, Balthasar wedded another maiden, Guinevere, to be Queen and act as Bulma's new mother figure. With Guinevere came her two daughters, Chi-Chi and Launch. The new Queen was not particularly fond of her new stepdaughter, but paid her no mind. Her daughter's, Chi-Chi and Launch were selfish, self-centered children that were jealous of the attention that their stepsister earned from the other members of the royal court. The two of them were disgusted when people spoke highly of the toddler, and how she would be the best ruler of Earth and Vegeta when she came of age in the future.
One stormy, summer night, the Queen was returning to her and the King's quarters when a sudden black stream of smog shot into the mouth, ears, and nose of the Queen, forever possessing her. Just a month later, thinking that the night would be full of passion and lust, the newly wicked Queen took the King's sword and stabbed him through is chest. To all the people inside and outside the palace, the King's death was a mystery. Some suspected it was the Queen; others suspected that it may have been any of the royal guards who were spies for an enemy of the kingdom. Against her will, Guinevere took in young Bulma, since it was the will of Balthasar and she thought the young girl could be useful later on. Two years after Balthasar's death, the Queen, now ruler of the Earth, learned that the union of Earth and Planet Vegeta would prove to be a beneficial alliance, not only for military purposes, but the Queen knew of the real secret behind her marriage to King Tarble.
Once Guinevere and Tarble were married for three years, the young King Tarble observed his new wife, believing there was something off about this delicate, seductive creature. He thought her to be as sweet as a viper's venom, and that her two daughters were no better than a horse's ass. He came to the conclusion, that like other woman before her, Guinevere was after the sacred treasure of the Saiyan kingdom. Believing her to be the only one with a kind, gentle heart, Tarble entrusted a seven year old Bulma with his greatest treasure, and for her to protect it, for his treasure would be destructive in the wrong hands. What Bulma saw was a medallion in the shape of a dragon. At that moment, she didn't know that she held the secret to the balance of the universe in her hands.
Fourteen years later...
Since her stepfather's depressing death, the gentle and pure Princess Bulma had been made a servant. Though it came with some special treatment, like sleeping in a normal suite like her stepsisters and not having to eat the scraps that the servants are given, she was a servant nonetheless. Only very few people knew that she was a princess, and that the Queen has done nothing but oppress her title into nearly nothing. Unknown to Bulma, there was always someone who would regard her for the princess that she is, but it wouldn't be until now that the same person would come into her life.
xxx
Her bright blue eyes jolted open. She faintly remembered her dream being about her stepfather, Tarble, specifically the last day that she looked him in the eyes and watched him leave her. Fourteen years since she received the awful knew that another father of hers left this life. Bulma had vague memories of her biological father, Balthasar, and even less memories of her mother. The only thing she had left of any of them was old mementos and other valuables. The one she held most dearly to her was the same dragon medallion that Tarble left her so long ago. She took heed to her father's words, and kept the medallion safely hidden from anyone outside of herself.
She sat up from her lying position in her bed, swinging her legs over the right side. She opened the secret cubby underneath her bed, slowly taking the huge chunk of the floor and setting it aside. There lied her greatest treasure. Bulma held the gold medallion against her warm hands.
I miss you dearly, Tarble. Why did you and my real father have to go so soon? She wondered, tucking the sacred necklace back in her hiding spot.
Once she cleaned herself in her water basin and changed her clothes, Bulma sat in front of her mirror and pulled her long, vibrant turquoise locks into a French braid to her right shoulder. She immediately took her leave to the servants' quarters just around the corner from her mediocre suite. As she walked on, she could see other servants who started their work early. A few of the elderly women greeted her on her way to her destination. Bulma always noticed that some of the servants greeted her with such cheer from time to time. Though she was appreciative of their smiles and cheery tones, it threw her off a little bit. In her heart and mind, Bulma knew that she would always be a princess; at least she had her two fathers' who treated and regarded her as one. It had been such a long time since anyone called her 'Princess Bulma' or 'Princess' at all. All she remembered for most of her childhood and teenage years was cleaning and being an obedient servant, while listening to her stepsisters ridicule her under their breaths and also in front of her. All the time that she watched her stepmother and stepsisters wear the finest dresses and be shown the upmost respect, it made the young girl miss her life before her father and Tarble's passing. From what she did remember, both of her father's used to play with her, read her stories before bed, and genuinely loved her.
I remember being told that Guinevere was supposed to be a mother figure. If you could only see her now, Daddy. At least Tarble could see how she treated me before he died, Bulma thought, putting her sad thoughts aside.
"A good morning to you, Bulma." Another servant, Gretel greeted, while hanging up bed sheets on the clothes line.
"Good morning to you too, Gretel." Bulma replied, helping the older woman with her work.
Gretel couldn't help but smile. "Oh, bless you, child. I'm getting too old for all this work, but her Highness isn't too concerned with my health."
"No worries, Gretel, I could help you from time to time. Whenever you need, just tell me." Bulma offered, hanging another sheet on the line.
"You are too kind to me, Bulma." Gretel muttered, shyly.
"Really, it's no problem. Most days I'm done before the sun sets." Bulma admitted, continuing to help.
About a few seconds later, a bush of raven haired flashed in front of Bulma's eyes. What appeared was a short, pale skinned girl with the largest green eyes. "Hi, Bulma!"
"Oh, hello, Felicity!" Bulma chirped, hanging another bed sheet, "I was just helping Gretel with the laundry."
"Thank you again, Bulma. I better get a move on with the rest of my work." Gretel whispered, giving Bulma gentle pat on her shoulder before taking her leave.
"Good day to you, Gretel." Bulma responded, watching the older woman go.
"So, how have you been?" Felicity questioned, curiously while Bulma continued her work.
"I actually had a dream about my father and Tarble last night...just all of my memories of the two of them." Bulma told her, watching the laundry blow in the subtle wind.
"Oh yes. Today is the anniversary of Balthasar's death." Felicity remembered Bulma mentioning before that this was drawing near.
Bulma smiled to herself. "It is still sad for me to not have my father, but I'm not mourning anymore. My father and Tarble are in the heavens of Otherworld, watching over me."
"That's a great way to think about it. At least you knew your parents. Mine are alive, but they just traded me away to the Queen so they wouldn't be executed." Felicity grumbled, as her Saiyan tail wiggled around.
Bulma looked to her young friend, prepared to give her words of wisdom. "Felicity, holding animosity in your heart over your parents abandoning you will just use up extra energy that you could use on being happy. It takes more energy to frown that it does to smile."
"Wow, Bulma, you always know the right thing to say. Moving onto other subjects how's that 'mating' with Launch and that Saiyan guard?" Bulma attempted to restrain herself from laugh too loud, but she thought her raven haired friend's comment was hilarious.
"Well, saying that she is easy and desperate for fornicating would be an understatement. It's not surprising at all that no men in the court would want to be her suitor." Bulma said, as the two girls continued to laugh.
"I'm not surprised. She's pretty on the outside, but she has absolutely no inner beauty. She has the inner beauty of a donkey." Felicity added, as they continued their giggling.
"Oh, there you are, Bulma." A sour, feminine voice said, flipping her dark brown hair, "Look, you need to clean mine and Launch's suites, sew this basket full of ripped dresses, and I need you wash my silk undergarments."
Bulma's laughter quickly faded once Chi-Chi slammed her basket full of dresses in front of her feet. "Yes. I'll get right to it, Chi-Chi."
"See ya, Bulma." Felicity mumbled, heading the opposite direction.
xxx
Cleaning Launch and Chi-Chi's suites were like cleaning out horse stables, except without the putrid smell. Bulma wondered during the four hours she spent cleaning both suites, was how could they call themselves princesses when they tolerated living in filth. Their bed sheets were tossed all over the floor, their dirty clothing lied in random places, and she nearly tripped over their shoes trying to clean. For as long as she could remember, Bulma always hated cleaning up after her sisters...and that will never change.
Once she finished the dreadful work, Bulma walked out to the garden to sew Chi-Chi's torn dresses. While she started sewing, she looked all around her at the beautiful, exotic Saiyan flowers and plants. She especially loved to sit under the huge white blossom tree and take in the lovely aroma while reading or even doing chores. Continuing to sew the delicate silk, Bulma's thoughts lingered to her future and what would become of it. Though she made plenty of friends being a servant for so long, but she missed her other life. The life that she was a part of by birth right and lineage, not by marriage like her step family.
Daddy, you never treated me like this. I enjoyed and appreciated being the apple of your eye after mother died. You showed me all the love and adoration in the world. Why couldn't you see the real Guinevere? Why were we too late in preventing all this death and sorrow? I need you now more than ever, Daddy, Bulma thought, nearly poking at herself with the needle.
She chose to continue with her sewing for the day, enjoy the beautiful garden as a whole. Just a beautiful as a Saiyan flower bloomed Bulma knew that in her heart, things in her life would turn out for the better.
"Stop moving around, you low class trash!" A guard growled, as he and another guard were dragging a man to the Queen's throne.
"Please, I meant no harm...please!" Guinevere could hear a citizen begging, as she opened her harsh green eyes.
"Your Highness, we've caught this man stealing food from the market." The guard reported, firming his grip on the man's arm.
"Please have mercy your Highness! I was trying to feed my family and keep them from starving." The man pleaded, as warm tears fell down his cheeks.
"While I understand your intentions, it's against Saiyan law for theft. Since I'm in a forgiving mood, you can spend twenty years in the dungeon." Guinevere told him, rolling her eyes. She motioned for him to be taken out.
"Twenty y-years? For food? Please, just let me go!" The man begged, struggling to get away from the guards.
Why must I deal with such foolishness? It's been years since Tarble's death and I have yet to figure this out, Guinevere thought, deeply exhaling before rising from her throne, "Baba, your presence is needed."
The short, stumpy, six hundred year old prophetess appeared with a shiny, ivory glass ball. Her face was in its normal scowl. "Yes, your highness?"
"Dear Baba, who's the fairest of them all?" Guinevere questioned, in an abnormal tone of patience.
"Why your Highness, you are the fairest of them all. Will that be all for you today?" Baba asked, holding her ball close to her.
"No. Thank you for your time, Baba." The Queen dismissed the Prophetess away, while remaining pleased with herself. She felt that her position as Queen was full proof and there was no denying her power. What wasn't clear to Guinevere was the location of the kingdom's treasure.
I'm certain that Tarble left it behind. It has to be in someone's possession, and I have every intention of finding out who that person is, Guinevere thought, leaving her t
xxxx
Bulma continued sewing Chi-Chi's torn dresses back in the garden. Unbeknownst to her, there were Saiyan guards staring at her. Any Saiyan guard knew it was a rarity to come across beautiful women, and an Earthling female at that.
"Wow, she's a looker, huh?" One asked, wiping the drool off his face.
"It's no wonder she's not royalty. The Queen's daughter's have about as much beauty as an Oozaru." Another mentioned, as they all began laughing.
"Yeah, I didn't know there were good looking servants nowadays. Sometimes you can't look beneath the dirt on their faces." Someone else chimed in.
"Or the fact that some of them are just good for fucking." The last of them added, as the laughter continued.
Bulma could feel someone watching her. As she turned her gaze to the group of Saiyan guards, all the group of men could do was blush at the sight of her smile at them. Even they couldn't deny how pure her face looked to them.
Well, that was new...it's very seldom a group of men happen to stare at me, Bulma thought, going back to sewing. It wasn't until she could hear someone's footsteps approaching the tree she was sitting under. "Ummm, hello."
"Sorry for the disturbance, but the Queen requests your presence right away." The guard told her, as she set the dress back in the basket.
"Of course." Bulma replied, following the guard. She didn't understand it. Why would Guinevere want anything to do with her? She was well aware that the wretched, tyrannical women despised her for most of her life, and Bulma reciprocated the malice, though she held her tongue.
I guess I'll find out what the demon wants, Bulma thought, as they appeared in the throne room, "You wished to see me, your Highness?"
The demon let her hazel eyes pierce into the vibrant blue ones of her stepdaughter. "There's no need to curtsy, Bulma dear. Have you finished sewing your sister's dresses?"
"I have. Is there anything I could do for you?" Bulma inquired, pretending to show concern, As if I care about doing anything for such a woman.
"No that will not be needed. All that I ask is that you finish your chores early, so that you may join your sisters and me for dinner." Guinevere admitted, letting the invitation be blunt.
Bulma would be lying if she said she wasn't shocked. Dinner? With the insufferable, whores she called stepsisters? And a stepmother that she regretted ever having?
"I'd be delighted to." Bulma answered, biting her tongue.
The Queen clapped her soft hands with delight. "Wonderful! I'll be sure you are escorted down to the dining hall this evening."
"All right. If you'll be so kind, I must finish my work now." Bulma said, excusing herself from the Queen's presence. After quickly leaving, Bulma felt completely awkward. As she made her way back to the garden, she found it odd that her stepmother decided to be cordial to her all of a sudden, considering how long the blasphemous woman had been treating her like crap. For most of her life, her stepmother and stepsisters have treated her just as bad as any other servant and now suddenly she's being nice. That just screamed suspicious.
I guess horrid women aren't as predictable as I thought them to be, She thought, continuing her stroll back to the garden. She noticed that the sun was beginning to set, so she picked up the pace in her feet and returned to the garden faster than she anticipated. Bulma put the thought of her stepmother in the back of her mind and focused on finishing her chores.
"Bulma! BULMA! Wait up!" Felicity's voice rang throughout the corridor, as she ran in Bulma's direction.
"Oh, I haven't seen you all day. How was your day?" Bulma asked, picking up the basket she left under the tree in the garden.
"Uneventful. I couldn't stand to clean the Queen's chamber. It just felt wicked in there...like something evil was watching me." Felicity admitted, shivering.
"I had to clean Chi-Chi's chamber. Like always, it's filthy and all of her clothes are thrown everywhere. She has absolutely no class. Well, I'll see you this evening. I have to return Launch's laundry." Bulma smiled, heading off to her stepsister's chamber. As she drew closer, she found the room four doors down from Chi-Chi. Before entering, she gave a good knock on the door, but there was yet to be an answer.
"Launch, I have your laundry...Launch, please open the door." Bulma said, just before opening the door herself, as she walked further around the corner, her face turned up at the sight of her naked with one of the Saiyan guards. Though he had his armor still on, he looked quite humiliated. He covered Launch with the thin, silk sheet and discreetly left.
"Oh, Launch, I'm terribly...," Bulma started, before a loud smack rang through her ears. She realized that she had been knocked to the ground, and she could feel the sting pulsating through her cheek.
Launch's face turned up like a dirty, rotten hag. "If you tell anyone of what happened here, I will have you executed, and with no mercy."
After picking herself back up, Bulma left her stepsister's room, running back to her chambers. On her way back, she stopped in a nearby courtyard and noticed that the stars were out. She knew that she had to meet her stepmother in the dining hall, but if Launch hadn't been there yet, then dinner wasn't done. Bulma took a minute to sit down on a small stone bench, beginning to cry. She looked up at the stars, as she wiped her tears away.
I wish that something good can become of my life. All I've been through is nothing but endless sorrow, She thought, feeling the small wind blow through her long, turquoise locks.
While she wasn't paying her surroundings any mind, a tall, Saiyan male with messy hair, navy blue spandex suit, and Saiyan armor with the crest over the heart was observing her. Even Goku had to admit to himself that she was a lovely creature, and that he hadn't seen beauty like hers before. Her eyes a vibrant blue, recognizable grace and elegance, and a vibrant face under the moonlight.
He decided to speak up when he heard her sniffing. "Excuse me, ma'am, may I ask what are you doing out here crying?"
"If you must know, sir, I am very unhappy with my life as we speak." Bulma admitted, wiping the other tears that were steady falling down her cheeks.
"Well, I don't seem to understand why, when a maiden such as yourself is a part of the royal family." Goku admitted, casually.
"Oh, you are mistaken. I am not royalty." Bulma told him, plainly.
His facial expression turned into one of confusion. "Aren't you Princess Bulma? The daughter of the late King Balthasar and Queen Adelaine?"
"You flatter me, kind sir. No one has given me the title of Princess since my other father Tarble passed on." Bulma's lips turned into a small smile.
Does she not know of the true fate of Balthasar and Tarble's fates? He wondered, pushing the thought of his head. "People still regard you as a princess, and many of those people are wondering what has become of you."
"What kind of people may I ask?" Bulma questioned, curiously.
"People who know about the Queen's true nature. Do not fret, princess, for the truth will reveal itself in due time." Goku reassured her, before taking his leave in an instant.
After he was gone, Bulma wondered what he meant about Guinevere's true nature. Was there something going on that she didn't know about?
Hmmm, very odd. With that thought in mind, Bulma headed back to her chambers to prepare to be thrown to the lions.
She felt out of place, entirely. The situation and setting was awkward with every second that passed. No one had uttered a word for fifteen minutes, and it was making Bulma irritated. As she played with her food, Bulma pondered on what the man told her in the courtyard. Did her stepmother have a hidden agenda? Was it good or bad? If it was bad, was it a threat to the entire planet?
"So, Bulma dear, how was your day?" Guinevere asked, making polite conversation.
Are you kidding me? What do you think I do all day? She tried really hard to roll her eyes, "All I did was clean and sew, like you have required of me."
"So you never do anything in your spare time?" Guinevere questioned, before chewing on a piece of quail.
"No. Most of the chores I have fill up the majority of my days, so all I have time for is eating, sleeping, and cleaning." Bulma answered, straightening out the napkin in her lap.
"Yeah, because that's what she's meant for." She heard Chi-Chi mutter under her breath, as Launch snickered with her. Bulma chose to ignore it, so that they wouldn't gain any satisfaction.
"Play nice, girls." Guinevere warned, sipping her wine.
Feeling awkward, Bulma went back to eating little bits of her meal. She still couldn't fathom how she lived with these three horrible women for so many years without going mad. After a few minutes of silence, she figured now would be a good time to leave. "Might I be excused? I really have to get my rest for tomorrow."
"Of course." Guinevere mumbled, as Bulma tucked in her chair and showed herself out.
"Why would you invite that piece of trash have dinner with us, mother?" Launch asked, expressing her anger.
"Yeah, that's morally wrong." Chi-Chi scoffed, growling.
"Girls, it's about time we started treating Bulma like the family she is, and that's all I'm going to say on the matter. Now go on, run to bed." Guinevere shooed away her daughters. Chi-Chi and Launch gave each other looks before listening to their mother's order.
Minutes after Chi-Chi and Launch left, Bulma came back to retrieve her handkerchief. "It would be just my luck to leave something valuable behind."
"Forget it! I'm doing this my way, and that's final!" Bulma could hear Guinevere's voice from down the corridor. As she quietly approached the edge, she carefully listened to the conversation.
"You know she's eventually going to learn the truth about what has happened to Balthasar and Tarble." Bulma could hear the Queen's right hand, Dante, talking to her. Why were they talking about her two fathers? And just what truth was there to be learned?
The Queen's eyes turned lethal, as her head whipped around. "You dare question me?"
"I would never defy your orders, my Queen, but it goes without saying that someone else in the court could tell her. For whatever reason, she may find out whether we like it or not." He continued, stating the facts.
"No one will tell her of how I killed Balthasar and Tarble, unless they wanted to be sentenced to death." Guinevere hissed.
Bulma's blood went cold. Of all the suspicions she had of her stepmother, she would have never thought she'd be the one who was responsible for father's death or Tarble's. She couldn't believe what her ears had listened in on. Her feet guided her back to her room to sob, having to accept the horrible news.
Hey guys, so I wanted to post the main/supporting cast list for this story and the characters they are based on, just so you have something to reference the characters on, so here it is:
Snow White/Cinderella: Bulma, 21 years old, daughter of the late King Balthasar and Queen Adelaine of Earth, Princess of Planet Vegeta through her stepmother's marriage to the late King Tarble.
Prince/Prince Charming: Vegeta, 22 years old, and is the Prince of a distant land on Planet Vegeta that is not under Queen Guinevere's jurisdiction.
Evil Queen/Stepmother: Guinevere [OC] (her name is an oxymoron, because her name means light, but her character is dark.)
Dante: The Queen's right hand man, who has remained loyal to her since he's been of service;
Mirror/Prophet: Fortuneteller Baba, 600 years old, tells the Queen of the near future regarding her rule over the two planets and possibly the universe.
Godmother/Gretel/Bulma's Confidant: Puar, 300 years old. She disguises herself as an elderly woman named Gretel who does chores with Bulma and other servants.
Stepsisters: Chi-Chi and Launch; 26 years old.
Huntsman/Saiyan Elite: Goku, 35 years old, best friend and Saiyan Elite of the late King Balthasar.
Dwarves/Mice: Yamcha, Raditz, Krillin, Android 18 (her human name will Camilla), Tien, Android 17 (his human name will be Themistocles), Piccolo, Gohan (11 year old version).
Well, that's it for right now! I hope you guys like this chapter so far, and don't forget to R&R!
Cherriez