Enthralled

"Your Majesty - I'm sorry! I thought... since you and he..."
       "Thinking is the one thing you did NOT do! I hadn't told him yet!"
       Zeton cowered. Vejiita in a rage was not something he'd ever wanted to experience.
       "But sire... surely..."
       "Nothing is sure!"
       "But Majesty - you've claimed him! He's yours! Surely..."
       "Do not presume to even try to understand what has happened between us! You know nothing of our obligations..."
       But he soon found out, as he was treated to a long, loud lecture explaining exactly what he had done wrong...

Zarakyu regained consciousness to find himself lying on his bed, the sound of angry voices reaching him from another room. Well, one very familiar, very angry voice - the other, when it could get a word in, sounded very subdued indeed. He rubbed at his temples, trying to remember what had happened, wondering why his hair was wet...
       Frowning, he glanced down at himself: he was still in the skimpy swimming gear one of the guards had loaned him...
       Suddenly feeling cold to the core, he remembered. All of it. Shaking, unable to stop, he wrapped his arms around himself.
       This can't be happening. This can't be happening to me.
       One final burst of harsh words and the king, still in his own swimwear, stormed into the bedchamber, stopping dead when he realised Zarakyu was awake. He swallowed. The Renkian was curled on his side on the bed, very pale, his eyes huge in a pallid face. Expression part stark disbelief, part bitter accusation.
       Vejiita moved to sit on the edge of the bed, reaching for Zarakyu - who pulled sharply away, moving over to the other side. The king sighed.
       "Zarakyu... I didn't intend for you to find out this way."
       The usually soft voice was harsh, angrily sarcastic. "How did you intend me to find out? When I found I was carrying the first cub?"
       Vejiita ran a hand over his face. "Of course not..."
       "Oh, well, that's a relief. Especially since I'm not physically capable of doing so!"
       Vejiita frowned. If that were true...
       No time to worry about it now. It was more important to undo the damage - or, failing that, to at least mitigate the harm caused by Zeton's interference.
       "I was going to tell you myself. Soon."
       "After you'd made sure it was too late?"
       The king scowled. "I don't understand why you are reacting like this. I thought you wanted to be with me, wanted to be mine."
       Zarakyu pulled himself upright, shaking. "You gave me no choice! You didn't tell me what was involved!"
       "Would it have made a difference?"
       "Of course it would!"
       "Why?"
       "Don't you understand? I escaped from Furiju only to have you now force me back into captivity. When you said I had responsibilities I didn't realise they meant enslavement! I... I thought I was free. I thought I'd left all that behind me!"
       His patience already stretched by Zeton's stupidity, Vejiita struggled to bite back his anger.
       "Enslavement! Are you comparing me to Furiju?"
       "At least he made it clear what he w... wanted, where I stood!" He sank his face into his hands. "I don't believe this! All I did was to t... try to help your son survive, and now you're... you..."
       "Would you have acted differently, had you known?"
       "Of course not!"
       Vejiita frowned. "Then why...?"
       Zarakyu slowly raised his head: Vejiita really didn't seem to understand. The king regarded him sombrely.
       "It was not unusual for such matings to be 'arranged', back on Vejiitasei, especially amongst the nobility."
       "Even if the pair involved hated each other?"
       "That never happened." He shook his head, blithely dismissing the notion, then stared at the Renkian. "Do you hate me?"
       And Zarakyu, distraught and frenzied as he was, could not deny he still wanted the Saiyajin-no-Ou. He bit his lip, refusing to answer, asking another question instead. The question. The one thing that tortured him more than any other.
       "Zeton said... If I wasn't willing, I'd be forced... Is that true?"
       Vejiita nodded, reluctantly. "But I'd thought - the way you feel about me, it wouldn't be necessary."
       Zarakyu sobbed, feeling his control slipping away as ancient nightmare memories surfaced, unable to do a thing to stop it. "You're using me. Exactly the same as... "
       His patience close to snapping, the king grabbed the alien's arms, bruising the pale green skin, teeth bared. "As who?"
       "Let go of me!" Zarakyu screamed, twisting to escape the king's grasp, hurting himself, his eyes blindly panicked. Vejiita took both slender wrists into one hand and slapped his face, hard - only to stop, dismayed, as the Renkian suddenly became limp, his expression blank as tears streamed down his face. Pulling away from the king's suddenly-slack hands he ripped off the swimwear and lay on his stomach, thighs widely spread and rump tilted upwards, arms stretched above his head, hands gripping the pillow so hard his knuckles were white.
       "Zarakyu?" Vejiita laid a tentative palm on his back. "What..?"
       "It's what you want, isn't it?" The voice was dull, hopeless, tear-choked. "Go ahead. But don't expect me to participate. You're just the same as he was. Only he didn't try to make me l... l... love h... him first..."
       The king stared down at the sobbing alien, a shocked understanding suddenly sweeping away his anger and confusion. Perhaps the prince hadn't been the only one to take Furiju's fancy...
       Gently, but brooking no denial, he pulled Zarakyu's unyielding, shaking body up into his arms.
       "Zarakyu..."
       The Renkian tried to resist - when the king refused to let him go he twisted his head away and wept, helplessly, body lax, shaking with the force of his distress.
       "Let m...me go... P...please, l... let me g...go..."
       Very gently Vejiita cupped a tear-wet cheek and turned the desolate face to him, tenderly cradling Zarakyu against his chest, then stroking the still-damp hair until the sobs died down a little.
       "He... hurt you, didn't he. Furiju hurt you." he whispered.
       Zarakyu sighed, silently, swallowing hard, then nodded. Vejiita pulled him a little closer.
       "Tell me. Please."
       "...I... can't..."
       The king kissed his forehead.
       "Koi, you can't tell me anything about Furiju that I don't already know. I am privy to the prince's memories, remember?"
       Zarakyu was shivering, and Vejiita dragged a cover around them both: the Renkian was very cold, stress and fear chilling his already cool body. The king tilted the beautiful face up, gazing into the brimming golden eyes.
       "Please. Tell me."
       Zarakyu hesitated - but it was obvious Vejiita wouldn't let it rest. He took a deep breath.
       "He... he used rape and the threat of rape to keep us in line, under his control. He used it to prove he owned us. He was so s... strong... None of us could stop him, could fight him..." He stared into the distance, eyes blank, voice a monotone, trying not to relive the nightmare, beginning to shake again as he failed. "That... invasion... Knowing he had complete control, over your life, your body, your innermost self... You never forget it, never." He glanced briefly at the king, looked away again. "Some of us tried to kill ourselves, to stop the pain, to thwart him. He knew. Somehow, he always knew. We woke to find ourselves in those damned tanks. Healed. And then he took us to his quarters, to punish us..."
       The Renkian slumped, and for a moment Vejiita thought he'd fainted. Then Zarakyu took a sobbing breath and buried his face in his hands.
       "You don't know what it's like, living in constant fear. Hating him so much, unable to do anything about it. And even later, when I was fully-grown, I could never be sure he wouldn't order me to his quarters..."
       "And did he?"
       Zarakyu nodded mutely. Vejiita cradled the shaking body closer, kissing his hair. "My poor love." he murmured, almost soundlessly. He sighed. No wonder the Renkian found the thought of any kind of constraint appalling.
       He frowned to himself, unconsciously rocking Zarakyu as the alien wept silently trying to fight his way through his memories, strong warm hand stroking the emerald hair soothingly as he tried to sort through his own thoughts.
       What, exactly, did he feel for the Renkian?
       He wanted him. Wanted to pleasure him and be pleasured, wanted to fall asleep with him, and wake up with that graceful, smooth, exciting body wrapped in his arms. Wanted to spend time with him, share meals with him, take joy in seeing him blossom as the artist he should have been. Wanted to see him smile.
       Wanted to make him happy.
       ...I love him...
       It came as a not-altogether-welcome revelation.
       But there was no going back, not now.

Zarakyu had fallen silent, his face pressed to the king's chest. Vejiita ran a hand down the cool, damp cheek, lifting the face to his own.
       "Zarakyu, there's a difference between royal obligation and my - our - personal feelings. Yes, you became the prince's bond-father when you fed him; yes, that does make you a Saiyan prince; and yes, that does mean you have the responsibility of producing royal offspring. Even though you aren't Saiyan. The Blood-Pact is inescapable." He frowned to himself. "And if you cannot bear the cubs yourself - then we will have to find another solution. But I promise you now, I won't force you into anything. You - your happiness, your comfort - are too... important to me for me to hurt you." He smiled wanly. "Though I may risk my throne by doing so."
       Zarakyu gazed at him from tear-blurred eyes, unsure as to whether to believe him or not. He wanted to believe. Gods, he wanted to believe!
       "Do you really mean that?"
       "Yes." He suddenly grinned, roguishly, his eyes twinkling. "Though I tell you now I will try to seduce you into giving me cubs!"
       Zarakyu choked on something part laugh, part sob.
       "That... that would be a lot more effective..." He was silenced as firm lips descended on his, gentle but very insistent. But he wasn't quite ready to give in just yet. Pulling back a little, he tugged himself more upright and rested a hand against the king's neck.
       "I need to know you will be honest with me from now on. No secrets."
       Vejiita hesitated, but only for a couple of seconds. He smiled.
       "No secrets."
       "You'll share in the cubs' upbringing?"
       Vejiita blinked. "What?"
       "I... I want you to sh... share in the cubs' upbringing."
       The king stared blankly, and Zarakyu bit his lip, nervous but determined.
       "Your Ma... Vejiita, I was t... taken from my home when I was a child. The prince hardly knew what family was before... Furiizaa took him. I want our cubs to grow up knowing both their parents. I want them to be loved - and to know that they're loved." He touched the king's cheek very gently. "Remember how much you missed Vejiita growing up..."
       The king sighed. "How can I refuse? Very well." He grinned. "Any other conditions - your Highness?"
       Zarakyu blushed ferociously and lowered his eyes, shaking his head. Vejiita kissed his cheek.
       "You are deliciously easy to tease. I hope that never changes!" He sobered. "You aren't unhappy with the idea of cubs?"
       "I... enjoyed caring for the prince, on Furiju's ship. It was - satisfying. I've liked looking after him here, too - when I've been allowed to! I find the thought of cubs..." He inclined his head, searching for the right words, then smiled. "Appealing. Especially the right cubs."
       Vejiita's eyes twinkled. "And those are?"
       "Yours."
       "That makes me happy. Satisfies the Pact, too. Speaking of which, I'd better tell you everything." He sighed. "I had intended to, before that night, but... I'm sorry I allowed my feelings to take precedence over good sense - but you are quite irresistible."
       Zarakyu blushed again, then smiled shyly. "It can wait."
       "Are you sure?"
       "I know all I need to know for now. Tell me tomorrow." He gazed at Vejiita, longing in his eyes, and nestled closer; the king wrapped strong arms around him, kissing his neck. He needed to speak with the doctors, and very soon: there had to be a way around the problem - the only alternative he could think of right away was bearing their cubs himself, and that was forbidden the king. He'd like to suggest that Zarakyu submit to a session or two with the mentats, to clear away lingering problems associated with Furiju and the horrific treatment to which the changeling had subjected the child he had been, but that could wait, too. Now - now he had apologies to make, sweet new memories to create, and a closer bond to forge. And someone beautiful, loving and precious to silently, secretly, worship.
       He sighed contentedly and lowered his mouth to soft, pliant lips as Zarakyu stretched out below him.
       Life could be very good...