The Prince let him come!  Seboll couldn’t believe his luck.  I wonder what Papa will think, he thought, and couldn’t help smiling.  The Prince must be a great deal kinder than his father had told him, if he would allow a child to shadow him.
        “Seboll.”
        Seboll’s head snapped up.  The Prince hadn’t ever called him by his name before! “Yes, Your Highness?”
        Vegeta jerked his head to the left. “I believe that guard wants you.”
        “Oh!  That’s my papa!  May I—?”
        “Go,” Vegeta interrupted him.
        Seboll grinned at him and skipped over towards his father, who caught him up in a big hug. “Seboll, what are you doing—hanging around the Heir?  We don’t want to anger him.”
        “Oh, no, Papa, guess!  Prince Vegeta told me I could follow him around as long as I was quiet!  Can you
believe it?”
        “He did?” Lechu stared at his son. “You’re sure you heard right?”
        “Yep. ‘All right.  If you want to follow me around, you may, provided you are quiet.  Mindless drivel bores and bothers me,’ ” Seboll quoted frankly, mimicking His Highness’ voice remarkably well.  Lechu was hard-pressed to stifle a chuckle. “That’s what he
really said, Papa.”
        “I believe you.  Well, if he’s letting you, you be sure to stay quiet.  I don’t want you bothering him.”
        “No, Papa.  I won’t.”
        “Okay, then.  I’ve got to get back to work.  I’ll see you dinner time.”
        “’Bye, Papa!” Seboll skipped back over to the Prince, who had been sitting against a wall with his eyes closed.
        “And who was that?” Prince Vegeta asked in a bored tone.
        “That was my Papa.” Seboll paused and added, “Your Highness.” He kept forgetting the title of address.
        “Let me guess.  He wanted to know what you were doing with me.”
        Seboll’s mouth dropped. “That’s it exactly!” he exclaimed. “Your Highness,” he finished hastily.

        The Prince’s mouth quirked in amusement, though from Seboll’s astonishment or the boy’s attempt to be respectful was uncertain. “So I thought,” he said. “All too predictable.”
        Unsure what to say, Seboll merely nodded his agreement as they continued towards the arena.

***
        The attack occurred without any warning about two weeks later.  Vegeta had been wandering aimlessly through the garden and, as was his habit, Seboll had been at his side.  They had been discussing a new technique Vegeta’s trainer had showed him when Vegeta
suddenly felt a scorching pain run up his side.  He half-turned and found himself facing three powered-up, very angry Saiyan warriors.  His scouter indicated each had a power level of at least 3000.
        “Can I help you?” Vegeta growled.
        “Oh, look, Kalery, you ruined his good suit and made him mad,” one—the least powerful of the three at 3091—mocked.
        The one called Kalery—impressive at 3221—grinned. “You’re right, Tonatto.  How clumsy of me.”
        The third one—the most powerful; he had a 3598 reading—turned to his companions. “You should be a little more careful, Tonatto.”
        “Yeah, you’re right, Cerrit.  I’ll work on that right now.” Kalery said, forming a ki ball.
        “What do you want?” Vegeta snapped.
        “To kill you,” Kalery answered.
        “Now, Kalery, you know there’s a bit more to it than that,” Cerrit chided gently. “Don’t you recognize us, Princeling?”
        Vegeta stared at them for a moment, then blinked. “Kalery,” he breathed. “Weren’t you—?”

        “I was your trainer, and I was exiled because of you.  As a matter of fact, we all were.  Isn’t that a coincidence?”

        Vegeta suddenly understood. “But I never wanted you exiled.  I never wanted any of you exiled.” He sounded
almost desperate.
        “Isn’t that nice.  The fact is, we all were.”
        “But—” Vegeta stopped. “So you’re going to kill me?”
        “Well, that is the plan.”
        “It won’t be easy.”
        “We counted on your growing more powerful.  However…” Kalery turned on his scouter. “Your power level is
only at 1567.  I think we can take that.”
        “You can,” Vegeta agreed calmly. “You’ll win the war, though I might win one battle.”
        Kalery shrugged. “If you win, we deserve.  Tonatto, you wanted first shot at His Highness?”
        Tonatto stepped forward and smirked. “I’ve waited three years for this, my Prince.  Forgive me if I take
my time.”
        “Take all the time you want,” Vegeta answered. “But, for the record, I’d like to say that I’m sorry you all
were exiled.”
        “Oh, you know what?  I don’t care.” Tonatto reached over and hit Vegeta lightly. “Let’s go.”
        Vegeta dodged the first blows.  Vegeta could tell Tonatto would beat him if they were fighting on power
level only, but if he could get Tonatto so angry that he wasn’t thinking straight, so angry that he lost his
focus, then…
        “Running away, Your Highness?  You weren’t so timid when I trained you.”
        “Yes, well, in the time you’ve been gone, I’ve learned a little something called ‘strategy.’  You might want to take a few courses on it.”  Vegeta teleported in and hit Tonatto, then disappeared again.
        Tonatto reached for him and wound up with empty air. “Trying to tire me out, then?” His blast barely missed
Vegeta’s arm.
        “You’re trying to trick me into giving something away.  It’s not going to work.” Most of Vegeta’s short, lighter blasts were connecting. He’s only thinking of my level, he realized. I’m smarter than he is…I can win this fight.
        All of a sudden, Tonatto was flat on his back.  Seboll stood over him and frowned. “You mustn’t attack the Prince,” he said, sounding as stern as his four-year-old voice could.
        Vegeta’s eyes widened and he darted in to grab Seboll
and throw him in the bushes. “You idiot!” he yelled
and turned back around—too late.
        Tonatto was on his feet and he was pissed. “I could take that out on the one who deserves it,” he said, almost conversationally. “But I think I’d rather take it out on you.”
        Vegeta felt the fear.  He felt it and acknowledged it.  Tonatto was angry, like he had wanted, but his focus was even clearer than it had been. If I live, decapitating for Seboll, he promised himself.
        Tonatto’s attacks were more vicious now and were connecting a lot more.  Vegeta didn’t try for an offensive or a defensive; he just tried to run away.  But Tonatto didn’t let him.  Every place Vegeta turned, Tonatto was there and hitting him.
        In desperation, Vegeta wriggled out and hit Tonatto.  His blow wasn’t much, but it was enough to startle Tonatto.  Vegeta realized he had about ten seconds to attack.  He formed a ki ball and blasted it at Tonatto.
        “Wha—?” Tonatto started.
        Vegeta formed another ball and launched it.  His aim was true and Tonatto fell to the ground.  Vegeta hovered just above Tonatto, stiffened his hand, and hit the warrior in the windpipe and fun-and-games were all over—for Tonatto, anyway.
        Kalery began applauding softly. “Very good, Princeling.”
        “I just got lucky,” Vegeta said wearily. “He got careless.”
        “Maybe,” Kalery acknowledged, “but you did very well. Are you ready for me?”
        Again, Vegeta didn’t have the energy to lie. “No.  But I doubt I’ll get a five-minute break, so let’s go.”
        “Oh, no.  Rest.  Your actions promised a good fight, and I do love a good fight.  Especially when it’s guaranteed I’ll win.”
        “You’re too kind.” Vegeta gasped as he limped to the edge of the garden and sat down.  Nothing broken and no internal injuries, but damn he hurt!  And he couldn’t even have Seboll summon the guards to come take care of this rabble.  That would be a sign of
weakness, and the Heir couldn’t show weakness, never mind he was completely outclassed and in pain…
        “Five minutes are up,” Kalery said, absolutely no push in his voice. “Do you need anymore time?  I wouldn’t want you rushed.”

        Vegeta’s injuries had already begun healing and he knew he could fight.  He would’ve liked more time, but that one break was weakness enough. “No,” he said. “I’m ready.”
        “You know, you’re not such a bad kid,” Kalery said approvingly.
        “Approval at last.  Be still my heart.” Vegeta watched for any signs that Kalery would attack first—miniscule narrowing of the eyes, tensing of the muscles, or a sudden rise of ki.
        “You know,” Kalery said conversationally, “I like you.  Not enough to give up on killing you, of course, but I do.”
        “Words cannot express my joy.” Vegeta started to dodge Kalery’s opening blast, but Kalery was a warrior, and he had been paying attention during Vegeta’s fight against Tonatto.  When Vegeta dodged, Kalery changed direction.  Then Vegeta tried to speed up and Kalery jumped ahead, knocking Vegeta’s breath out.  Kalery’s blows hit the Prince with audible thwacks.

        Seboll jumped up, ready to help, but Vegeta flew down and hit him. “Don’t be stupid!  Stay out of this—stay alive!” he hissed, then went back up and faced Kalery.
 
Seboll cradled his aching jaw as he watched.

        Kalery looked mildly sympathetic. “Are you ready to give up?” he asked. “I give you my oath it will be a quick death.” His tail peeked over his shoulder, almost seeming to nod in agreement.

        “I’ll give up when I’m dead,” Vegeta snarled.

        Kalery nodded. “Spoken like a true Prince.” He laughed.

        Vegeta realized he had about a minute to act.  Kalery wasn’t being careful, he wasn’t watching.  Vegeta sped over and grabbed the warrior’s tail.

        Kalery screamed. “No, no!  Let it go!” he begged.

        Vegeta squeezed hard for a minute until he had Kalery writhing in the air—a feat Vegeta had never witnessed before—then let go.  Kalery’s whimpering stopped and he looked incredulous. “What—?”
        “I’m showing you as much mercy as you planned to show me.” Vegeta laid one hand directly over Kalery’s heart and the other lightly on Kalery’s tail. “Try to get away,” he dared. “I’m going to kill you, but I don’t want to hurt you much more than necessary.”

        Kalery whimpered again. “Oh, no, my Prince.  Let me go, please, I beg you.”

        “Oh, please quiet sniveling.” Vegeta powered up and fired.  Kalery didn’t have time to scream.  Vegeta dropped the tail and watched emotionlessly as the warrior hit the ground with a very satisfying thud.
        Vegeta landed and turned to face the last one—Cerrit. He was the strongest; he posed the most threat. “Cerrit…I don’t remember you.”
        “I was a trainer of yours.  For three days.”
        Vegeta thought back and nodded. “Oh, yes.  I believe I apologized to you.”
        “You what?”
        “I apologized.  That’s the reason you were sent away.”
        “Yeah, I don’t doubt it. You always were too polite,” Cerrit said, and flew up. “But always smart.  I suppose you can guess my reason for being here now, eh, Princeling?”
        Vegeta nodded and attempted to fly. “You will win,” he gasped, realizing how much that simple act took out of him.  He could feel the blood leave him, he was sure his arm was broken, and his battered body cried for relief.  He implacably pushed all those thoughts to the back of his mind.  Still, even if he hadn’t been hurt, he was tired and most definitely the weaker of the two. “I’m ready when you are.”
        “Brave words, little Prince.  You deserve the warrior’s death you will receive.”
        “I’m sure I’m thrilled.”
        “Laugh all you like, Your Highness.  I will have the last laugh, and it will be over your lifeless body.”
        Vegeta lowered his eyes for just a moment, and Cerrit pounced.  He threw Vegeta high in the air, then powered up.  Vegeta felt the pain of the warrior’s ki blast race up and down his nervous system.  His couldn’t move, couldn’t even keep himself aloft. Well,
that was quick, he thought ruefully as his bloody, battle-worn, exhausted body fell.  He couldn’t even do anything to save himself.   His mind began to fog over and he began to slip into unconsciousness.
        “That was too easy,” Cerrit muttered. “There has to be—oh, yes.  Where’s that boy?”
        Vegeta struggled to make the words register.  Boy?  Oh, yes, Seboll.  But he was so tired; he could stop fighting soon…
        Seboll screamed as Cerrit advanced on him.
        No!  Seboll, Vegeta had to save him.  Innocent boy…didn’t really know death yet.  Keep it that way…

        Cerrit felt the blast, but his mind couldn’t accept it.  The Prince had to have done it, but the Prince was dead.  Or close to dead.  He had to be too weak to pull off a blast like that.  Yet he had.
        “You,” Vegeta said, and his eyes were soulless and his tone was as hard and cold as ice. “You leave the boy alone.  I alone am your enemy.”
        “Sorry, Princeling, but I can’t leave any witnesses.” Cerrit turned away dismissively and felt another blast hit him.
        “Fight me!” Vegeta hadn’t changed position or tone. “I am your enemy!”
        “Don’t worry, I’ll finish you off.  But right now, you’re worn out.  No fun for me, except to toy with.  This boy isn’t very powerful, but he’s fresh.” Cerrit began to power up.  He launched a huge power ball at Seboll.
 
    Vegeta never knew how he did it.  Yet, somehow, he got Seboll out of the way and attacked Cerrit.  He screamed as the ki ball hit him, but he accepted, even welcomed the pain.  It gave him strength—all the strength he needed to attack.  He screamed out words
and felt a kind of mist surround his mind.  He didn’t know what he did.  All he knew was that when the mist cleared, Cerrit was dead and Seboll was staring at him in astonishment and fear.
        Vegeta couldn’t work up the energy to figure out what was happening.  He felt all the strength drain from him, then the ground rushed up to meet him and everything went black.

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