Seboll became aware of the strange look his brother was giving him. “Oh.  I wouldn’t have any, then.  I’d keep people away from me.”
        Lechu nodded. “That’s what I would do, too.  Prince Vegeta had to deal with that at a very young age.  I’m sure he felt responsible for every death that occurred and every exile that was proscribed.”
        Seboll thought back to the fight.  Prince Vegeta’s anguish hadn’t been faked.  Even Seboll had been able to see that.
        “If you truly want to be the Prince’s friend, don’t let yourself get killed.  Don’t be hurt if he keeps you at arm’s length.  You understand?”
        “Perfectly.  Were you his friend?”
        Lechu shook his head. “I was fifteen when he was five.  Too big an age difference, I think.”
        “Why do you think the King did that to his son?” Seboll asked.
        “I don’t think he did it to be cruel.  I think he was trying to make the Prince stronger.  No attachments.”
        “But attachments make you fight harder, ’cause you have something to fight for.”
        “They also leave you vulnerable,” Lechu pointed out and Seboll had to admit the truth of that. “They make you stronger, but weaker in a way, and I think that’s what the King wanted to get rid of.”
        Seboll thought that over. “I guess.  Well, I’ve gotta go now.  Thanks.”
        “Always a pleasure.”
        Seboll grinned at him and hurried away.
        “Well, that was interesting.”
        Lechu turned in surprise. “Oh, hi, Bracli.  I didn’t see you there.”
        “Well, seeing as I was hiding, I can’t say I’m offended.”
        Lechu chuckled. “Why were you hiding?”
        Bracli shrugged. “Just wanted to.”
        “So what do you think of our little brother’s story?”
        “Story is the perfect term for it.  Although I do wonder what the Prince did to convince Seboll he was his friend.  He doesn’t often read something into nothing, you know.”
        Lechu nodded. “If you’re so curious, go ask him.”
        Bracli sighed. “Lechu, that positively smacks of tackiness.  I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Seboll can be remarkably close-mouthed at times.  No, subtlety is the way to go on this one.”
        “Yeah.  Well, have fun weaseling all his secrets from him.”
        “Oh, I definitely will.”

***

        “Your Highness, Your Highness!” Seboll called.

        Vegeta turned and Seboll could see the smile in his eyes. “What?” he asked irritably.
        Seboll grinned, not fooled or intimidated. “I understand, Your Highness,” he said simply.

        Vegeta’s eyebrows drew together in puzzlement. “Understand.  Well, I’m sure I appreciate it.  Is that all?”
        “No.” Seboll went down on his left knee; his right leg bent upwards, and placed his arms on the knee.  His tail loosened from around his waist and rested on top of his arms.

        Vegeta stared at him in total shock.

        Seboll bowed his head and repeated the ancient pledge of fealty. “My Prince, you have, from this moment on, my everlasting loyalty.”
        Vegeta quickly recovered. “And you think I want your allegiance because…?” he asked, but bent and helped Seboll to his feet.  For a moment, their eyes met and Seboll could see that the Prince accepted his pledge and asked for acceptance of his own unspoken pledge of friendship.
        “Well, isn’t this just beautiful?” a sneering voice asked mockingly.
        “Bracli!” Seboll grinned. “Your Highness, this is my brother, Bracli.”
        Bracli stared at Vegeta.  Vegeta, looking slightly amused, stared back, waiting for Bracli to show proper respect.
        “Oh, don’t try and get in a staring contest with him, Bracli,” Seboll warned. “He can beat anyone, and he’s
not even glaring yet.”
        Bracli lowered his eyes and nodded not quite respectfully.  Vegeta looked away and scowled at Seboll.
        “Whoops!  See now, there’s a glare!” Seboll exclaimed.
        Vegeta pressed his lips together, barely managing to suppress a chuckle.

        Bracli watched them through hooded eyes.  Something had happened between the two—while Seboll was perfectly respectful, he was also being very familiar. The question was, what could’ve happened to form such a bond?

        “Bracli, did you need something?” Seboll asked.
        “No.  I just saw you and the Prince and thought I’d say hello.  I’ll see you at home.”
        “Okay.  ’Bye, Bracli.”
        Bracli hurried away, but he could feel Prince Vegeta’s icy glare boring holes in his back.  He resisted the temptation to shudder.
        “Your brother?” Vegeta asked.
        “Yeah.”
        “Three children in your family?” Vegeta asked, surprised. “No, four, actually.  My oldest brother and sister are twins.” “Four children?” Vegeta was properly stunned.  Having one was the norm, two an unusual occurrence.  Four was an outright phenomenon.
        “Yeah.” Seboll nodded like an old wise man. “Every moon they have another one.  Three more years, and I guess I’ll have another sibling.”
        Vegeta’s mouth twitched and his shoulders began shaking.  Then he couldn’t hold it in and began laughing.
        “Prince Vegeta, may I ask you something?”
        “You can always ask.”
        “How come you’re four years older than me?  If kids can only be born every seven years, when the moon comes, I don’t understand why you’re here.”
        Vegeta shrugged. “I was made in the gene banks.  I suppose you could say I wasn’t ever really born.”
        “If you’re here, my Prince, then you were born.”
        Vegeta grinned at him, but didn’t respond.

        Bracli grabbed Seboll and dragged him to their bedroom the minute his younger brother walked in the door. “Hey, hey!  Let go of me!  What do you want?” Seboll demanded.
        “You made the Prince laugh,” Bracli accused. “What did you do?”
        Seboll looked surprised then injured. “Did it ever occur to you that I’m a very funny fellow?” he asked, hurt. “I make you and Lechu and Kaasan and Tousan laugh all the time.”
        “Seboll.” Bracli stopped, took a deep breath, and started again. “What was he laughing at?”
        “I said Kaasan’d probably have another kid when the moon came.  I don’t know why he laughed at that.”
        “Do you make the Heir laugh often?”
        “No, this was the first time.” Seboll sighed and let his eyes wander.
        “Look at me,” Bracli ordered sharply. “Haven’t you been ‘guarding’ him for a while now?”
        “Yes, but I think he only laughs around his friends, and he wouldn’t let me be his friend before.”
        “And now he does?”
        “Well, I owe him, so I’ll be his friend even if he doesn’t want me to be. He says I don’t, but a life debt can’t really be cancelled out, can it?  You owe it until it’s paid for, at least that’s what I say.”
        Bracli stared at his little brother, stunned. ‘A life debt?  The Prince saved his worthless life?’
        Seboll suddenly seemed to realize what he had let slip. “Oh dear, oh my.  I wasn’t supposed to say anything.  Oh dear, oh my.  Vegeta is going to kill me.  Oh no oh no oh no.”
        “Oh, you don’t have to worry, Seboll.  You know you can trust me.” Bracli didn’t miss Seboll’s casual use
of the Prince’s first name.
        “You won’t say anything?” Seboll looked greatly relieved.
        “If you don’t want me to, I won’t say anything about this conversation to anybody,” Bracli assured him.
        “Oh, good.” Seboll smiled and let out a sigh of relief. “I’m going to play now, okay?”

        Bracli nodded absently, smiling after Seboll left.  He sighed a mock sigh of regret. So, Prince Vegeta is a friend to my brother?  Well, it is my unfortunate duty to report this.  Something serious like this definitely can’t go unchecked. He was chuckling as he
walked out of the bedroom.
        “Hey, Brac, did you ever get the big secret out of Seb?” Lechu asked as he passed.
        “Actually, yes,” Bracli said smugly.
        Lechu’s jaw dropped. “Well, come on!  What is it?”
        “Shame on you!  I told Seb that he could trust me, and you want me to tell you?  Tsk, tsk.  This secret is for the King’s ears only.”
        “Th—the King?  You think it’s that important.”
        “Lechu, this secret is literally life-and-death.”
        “Brac, you—if it’s about their ‘friendship,’ saying the wrong thing could get Seb killed.  You know that?”

        Bracli’s grin was almost malicious. “I really don’t want this to happen, but there isn’t much of a choice, I’m afraid.”
        “Brac, be careful.  Don’t do anything stupid.”
        Bracli patted Lechu’s cheek patronizingly. “You worry too much, Lechu.  Relax.  I’ve got this under control.” And he sauntered off.
        Lechu watched his brother leave with a pit in his stomach. “I really, really hope so,” he murmured.
 

***

        “Arrgh, I’m coming, I’m coming.” Vegeta opened his chamber doors and looked at the guard in surprise. “What’s going on?  It’s the middle of the night!”
        The guard bowed perfunctorily. “You’ve been summoned to the throne room, Your Highness.”
        “What?  Why have I—”
        “Just come with me, Your Highness.”
        Vegeta shrugged. “All right,” he said and pulled on his armor.  He followed the guard out.
        The guard obviously didn’t believe in small talk, which suited Vegeta just fine.  The five-minute walk from the Prince’s chambers to the throne room was completed in total silence.
        “His Highness,” the guard announced, then disappeared into the framework of guards already present.
        “Your Majesty.” Vegeta kneeled. “Why have I—”
        The King cut him off with a curt wave. “We’ll get straight to the point,” he said brusquely.
        Vegeta kept his face expressionless as he rose to his feet.

        King Vegeta signaled two guards to come forward.  They did, unceremoniously dragging an unconscious Seboll behind them.  Vegeta started to leap forward, but caught himself.  The guards dropped the boy at Vegeta’s feet and backed away before any possible
retribution could be handed out.
        Vegeta stared at his friend. “What?  Why?  Your Majesty, what’s going—”
        The King cut him off again.
        Will I get to finish a sentence at all this whole night? Vegeta couldn’t help wondering.
        “I want you to kill him,” the King said.
        Vegeta felt his world come crashing down.  He gaped at his father. “K—kill him?” he stammered. “B—but why? He’s just a boy.”
        “Will you do as I have commanded?” the King demanded.
        Vegeta knelt next to his friend. “My friend, you have, from this moment on, my everlasting loyalty,” he whispered to Seboll, who was just starting to stir.  He stood back up and stared defiantly at his father. “I will not kill this boy,” he stated. “He is my friend and I will not kill him.”
        “I see.” The King’s eyes were as cold as his tone.  He turned to the man beside him. “You have your assignment.”
        The man stepped into the light and Vegeta suddenly had trouble breathing.  The royal torturer, Radishe.
        “You still won’t kill him?” the King asked.
        Vegeta’s eyes never left Radishe. “No,” he said and was suddenly flying through the air. He must have hit me, he thought, though he couldn’t figure out how the guy could’ve moved so quickly.
        Radishe was impassive, knocking the Prince around with no expression on his face.  It occurred to Vegeta that, if he lived through this, this was the man he wanted for his trainer.
        “Are you going to fight back at all?” Radishe asked.
        Vegeta couldn’t answer.  Pain overwhelmed him.  It hurt to breathe, to think, to move.  He opened his mouth, but had to spit blood before he could even attempt to speak. “If you want a fight,” he hissed, “then let me fight back.”
        Radishe scrutinized the Prince. “All right,” he said, shrugging. “Let’s go.”  Apparently, he decided the Prince wasn’t a threat.
        Vegeta couldn’t think of retort. “Thank you,” he said wearily and began attacking.
        Radishe was pulling his punches.
        Vegeta realized this and suddenly knew tonight, he was going to die.  His efforts began to taper off.
        “Come on, you begged for a chance to fight.  Now, fight!” Radishe ordered.
        “You’re going to win.” Vegeta didn’t realize he had vocalized his thoughts until Radishe replied derisively.
        “So you won’t even fight now?” he jeered.  He flew in front of Vegeta and lifted him up until they were eye to eye. “I don’t like that.” And he threw a power ball at the Prince.

        Vegeta screamed as the ball hit him, but not from pain.  A surge of power he didn’t think possible coursed through him and he launched a blast of such magnitude it actually hurt when it left him.
        Radishe stared at the blast—a blast so carefully directed that if it didn’t hit him, it might very well shatter up the planet—knowing he was looking Death directly in the eye.  There was no way for him to outrun it.  He stared at the Prince and just thought it was so unfair that that little brat could manage such a blast and that he was going to die.
        The force of the blast surrounded both him and the Prince before it actually hit him.  Their eyes met and Radishe could see the horror in the young Prince’s.  He opened his mouth to speak, to reassure him, but then the pain tore into him and he died.
        Vegeta stared at his hands.  They were covered by a visible golden aura; his skin seemed paler than normal and his hair…
        Vegeta saw his reflection in the high window.  His hair was even more unruly than normal, but, stranger than that, it was blond.  And his eyes…were they green?
        He had been breathing all his life, and hadn’t until this moment found it all that difficult. Oh, gods, how can this be?

        He looked at his hands again.  They seemed to almost…crackle.  His whole body felt on fire with power.
        He powered down and landed.  He turned and stared directly into his father’s eyes. “I won’t kill him,” he said distinctly.

        The King didn’t answer.

        Vegeta bent and gently scooped Seboll into his arms and flew away, leaving the court behind to stare in wonder.

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