Lamb Without Blemish [Discontinued]

Lamb Without Blemish

"Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love isas strong as death. Jealousy as cruel as the grave; its flames are flames of fire, a most vehement flame."

(Song of Solomon 8:6)

Chapter Fourteen

Vegeta tasted an all too familiar metallic flavor slide past his parted, dry lips and into the corner of his mouth. He forced his tired arms to lift his head out of the blood pooling underneath him. Once in a stable position, with an arm supporting his body, Vegeta felt for the gash he knew was there. He found the seeping hole just above his left ear. Some of his hair was already caked with dried blood from previous assaults. Checking the rest of his head for other wounds, Vegeta found several bald patches, seared and aching skin replacing the once thick mane of hair.

Metga had been at him for a few hours before retreating, saying that he needed to eat before he could hit him again. Vegeta had blacked out at a couple points, but remained on his feet as much as possible. Vegeta decided that if he was going to get beat mercilessly, he would at least go down with his pride. His father had taught him that with hours of training, but Vegeta feared that he could no longer stand. He looked at the mangled thing he knew was a leg. Massive purple bruises hid a broken bone. Earlier, Metga took out the leg with a swift kick, hissing at Vegeta for being so resistant.

Even with his body broken and bleeding, Vegeta would not relinquish his pride. 'A Saiyan is nothing without his pride.' He thought, unable to verbalize his thoughts due to a hard punch Metga had planted squarely on his jaw. Vegeta remained hunched next to his pool of blood, not willing to give up, but not finding a way out either, wondering what would come next. He wondered how long Metga would draw on this punishment. He wondered if his father would come for him.

Vegeta had spoken to Gratto before having the dreaded conversation with his father. Doubting his own safety, Vegeta confided in his uncle his plans and his worries. His uncle had been advised to seek out his friend and future mate, Kakarrot, if he did not contact him within the day. That time had come, and Vegeta wondered if Gratto would be good on his word and find Kakarrot. 'Maybe they are already on their way here?'

Vegeta let the hope swell up for a moment before reality crept back to the forefront of his mind. 'Kakarrot and Gratto wouldn't even know where to begin. I doubt they would have time to find me before my body was already cold.' Vegeta paused, considering something else.

'Plus, there is no way for me to know how strong Metga is with these restraints.' Vegeta glanced down at the bloody cuffs on his wrists. 'Kakarrot may not be able to beat him. Then, Kakarrot and Gratto would die too.' The thought hit him like a rock being thrown across a smooth lake. The ripples of emotion sped through his body in waves, finally crashing upon the banks of his heart. 'Kakarrot can't die. It just can't happen.'

Vegeta groaned loudly. Tears spilt from his eyes for the first time that day. He regretted his relationship with Kakarrot. He had put Kakarrot at risk from the beginning and finally understood the impact he had on his friend's life. Vegeta hated himself for taking someone else down with him.

He had been pathetic from the beginning, hoping – no, believing that he would find a way for Kakarrot and him to be together. Kakarrot had believed him too. Vegeta had to punish himself in the only way he could right now. He pulled back a fisted hand and struck the wall with all the force he could muster. The cracking of bone and following pain numbed Vegeta to the internal aching he felt, allowing him a moment of regret filled sleep.

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The chilling wind stung Kakarrot's wet eyes. Kakarrot cleared his blurry vision with a quick swipe of his hand. He knew that Gratto could not see his watery eyes because Kakarrot flew in front of the older Saiyan, but he cleaned his face anyway.

Kakarrot sighed quietly. He had been crying since Gratto explained Vegeta's situation. The two Saiyans had already flown by the castle and discretely checked Vegeta's room, finding it empty and absent of any clues. Kakarrot body ached from stress and the cold. The day was uncharacteristically cool for the season. Kakarrot shook his head softly, trying to clear out the detrimental thoughts before they could take hold in his heart. He never experienced true love before meeting Vegeta, and he did not want to understand the heartbreak that would accompany the loss of his best friend. Kakarrot heard a voice and withdrew from his fearful hideaway in his mind to listen.

"We should check a village where King Vegeta's cousin lives. When Tokata was killed, I was allowed to collect his body there." Gratto called.

"Alright, I will follow you then." Kakarrot slowed his speed to allow for Gratto to take the lead.

The two men flew towards a village in the distance, unaware that Vegeta's time was coming to a close.

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"Come on, Vegeta! I thought you'd last longer!" Metga laughed loudly. He bent down to lift Vegeta off the ground by the remaining strands of hair, causing Vegeta to wince in pain. It had been an hour since Metga returned from his meal, and it seemed that he was tiring of punishing Vegeta.

Vegeta cracked open his remaining eye. The other one had been scorched not long after Metga returned, along with his left ear. Vegeta wanted to hold on, keep fighting no matter what, but he had lost too much blood. He strained against his body's urges and held his eye open.

He had thrown up again since Metga came back. Now, his throat was burning. Every inch of his skin ached. Vegeta felt like he had been set on fire. Vegeta tried to force his voice from his lungs, but little noise came out beyond a tiny whisper.

"What was that, Vegeta? I was hoping you'd beg for your life if I tortured you enough." Metga dropped Vegeta to the ground. The action received another cry of pain from Vegeta's cracked and bloody lips.

"I… I am not begging you for anything." He chocked out.

"I know. The proud Prince Vegeta wouldn't beg. You've been taught not to. I wonder if that third class will beg." Metga held his chin, contemplating some future plan and smiled. "Maybe he will beg me to spare his family." Metga laughed again.

"You won't touch him." Vegeta raised his voice as much as possible.

Metga kicked Vegeta hard, sending him flying into the nearest wall. "I don't need a third class lover to tell me what to do."

"Kakarrot is stronger than you know." Vegeta's hope for Kakarrot had grown since he awoke from his self-inflicted wound. He had to believe in his friend. Vegeta knew he was going to die, and he decided that he had to die with hope.

"I doubt it." Metga walked over to where Vegeta lay and began kicking him again.

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Gratto and Kakarrot landed in the woods behind a large castle. Gratto indicated that he had collected Tokata's body near there. Gratto searched the forest floor for any recent signs of activity. Kakarrot walked away from where Gratto searched and went to the edge of the tree line and gazed up at the multiple windows lining the stones walls. All the windows were covered with thick curtains.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kakarrot noticed movement in one window and turned his head to find the right one. He noticed the curtain was parted slightly in a high window and saw red drops sprinkle the glass. Kakarrot reacted instantly. He flew towards the window without thinking and punched through the stained glass.

Kakarrot landed on top of a mix of glass and blood. He checked his hand, finding it only scrapped, not injured enough for the massive collection of blood at his feet. That is when Kakarrot saw Vegeta. His instincts told him it was Vegeta, but his mind could hardly believe it.

Vegeta's mangled body lay crumpled against the wall beneath the window, unmoving. Kakarrot ran to his side and checked for a pulse. Finding none, he bent his head to Vegeta's still lips to listen for breathing, but heard nothing. "Vegeta? Vegeta?" Kakarrot screamed.

"Too late, third class. Just got done killing him." A man strolled to stand in front of Kakarrot.

Kakarrot gently moved away from Vegeta's limp body and stood across from the man who murdered his lover. "Who are you? Are you Vegeta's cousin?" Kakarrot yelled.

"Yes, I am. I'm Metga." Metga paused, smiling as the anger spread over Kakarrot's quivering body. "What do you intend to do, third class? Would you like me to kill you too?" A growl was Metga's only reply. "As you wish, you clown." Metga jumped at Kakarrot with his fist cocked.

In that instant, a force rose from Kakarrot's core, causing waves of energy to radiate from his body. The energy sent Metga flying back across the room. Metga hit the wall and looked up, bewildered at what he saw.

Kakarrot's body surged and began to glow a bright orange. His hair flashed back and forth between black and blonde. With a mighty roar, Kakarrot's hair stayed blonde and his eyes turned green.

"What is this?" Metga cried, fearful for the first time in his life.

"Your end."

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Kakarrot cradled Vegeta's body in his arms. He had not remembered much about the fight with Metga. What he did remember was Gratto pulling him off of Metga before he blasted the Saiyan's dead body. Now, Kakarrot was in his backyard, holding the body of his deceased mate. He had been crying since he returned to normal in that bloody room. Gratto had hurried Kakarrot out of the castle with Vegeta in his arms, so they would not have to fight any of Metga's guards. Kakarrot was so lost in his thoughts that he jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Son, I think we should make preparations to bury him." Bardock removed his hand when he noticed his son's hard face. "You should bathe. You are covered in blood."

"I don't care. There is no point any more. I don't want to live without him." Kakarrot buried his face in Vegeta's cold neck.

"Kakarrot, I know your pain, but you have to keep on living." Gratto said.

"Why do I have to live? There's no reason for me to be alive now." Kakarrot sobbed.

"Yes, there is. I have an idea on how to get Vegeta back."

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The End.