Warnings: slavery, abuse, rape, mpregs, kawaiiness, LEMON, angst...

Rating: NC17

Disclaimers: Aww right…here’s the deal…I do not own the RIGHTS to Dragonball Z. That doesn’t mean I don’t OWN in some sense of the word, the characters, right? *smirk* I do own Sage…more or less. Not that he actually does what I tell him…oh heavens no…*shrug* This Sage is mine…not Miju’s, and not Herself’s. *glares at the both of them*

For my beloved twin…you know who you are…

And for my danglemate dearest...I think our vision is pretty close to being the same…*smiles*

Also for my bishieful nephew Iskhys as a promise to finish up a certain other fic as soon as possible!!!

Restraints and Liberations

By Talon

Chapter 9

Changes

Turles jumped slightly in his chair as a noise from the direction of the bed startled him from his doze. He blinked for a moment, remembering where he was, then looked down into endless black depths, startling in their clarity. He smiled.

“Your fever has broken,” he said with certainty.

Sage looked up at him, a slightly confused look on his face. “I was sick, right, Turles-sama?”

“Yeah, but I think you’re over that. Let me take a look at your chest,” and he gestured towards the loose sleep shirt Sage was wearing.

Without a thought, Sage was obediently pulling the hem up and removing the shirt. Turles sighed inwardly as Sage lay back on the bed, his expression blank. Quietly, as though not to startle the boy, he said, “I just want to check your rash and confirm you're healing properly. If I’m satisfied, I’ll gladly remove the ki-restraint today.”

Sage didn’t exactly relax, but he nodded stiffly and tried not to flinch as rough fingertips moved gently over his chest and arms. Turles nodded, pleased. The rash was gone, purple spots faded completely, however the skin was still somewhat rough, reminders of where the rash had been. He told Sage so, adding the roughness ought to be gone by the next day at the latest. He dug out a fever strip and checked his temperature, relieved it mirrored what he had thought.

“That’s it then, you’re better,” announced Turles as he pried himself up out of the chair he had spent the night in and went to retrieve the release for the cuff from the medical kit. He pretended not to hear Sage scrambling to put his shirt back on and took his time, giving the child at least the semblance of privacy.

He returned with the release in his hand and sat on the edge of the bed, gesturing for Sage’s foot. The boy struggled briefly with the tangle of blankets, finally drawing out his foot and presenting it to Turles.

Turles stopped for a moment, stomach churning slightly as he saw once again the damage done to the sole of Sage’s foot, felt the thick scars beneath the thicker callus, then carefully pressed the release key into the proper places on the cuff and the restraint popped off. He glanced up at the child, whose face was a study in delight and relief, and Turles was faintly alarmed at the sudden spike in Sage’s ki level. In a voice as neutral as he could make it he said, “Turn it down a bit, Sage, can you?”

Sage frowned, biting his lower lip in concentration as his ki level dipped slightly, then dropped to its normal, (well mostly normal) resting level.

“I’m sorry, Turles-sama,” he said quietly.

Turles waved his tail in an “it’s all right” gesture and headed towards the kitchen panel. “You’re probably hungry, ne?”

Sage thought for a moment, yes, he was hungry actually. “I…”

“Go and sit at the table, I’ll get you something, not too heavy, you’ll have to be careful for today. Don’t want to shock your system. You’re pretty...vulnerable, it seems.”

Sage, who had seated himself at the table scowled. “I’m NOT a fucking weakling,” he argued, before a horrified look passed over his face and both hands moved to cover his mouth in shock.

To Sage’s astonishment, his outburst didn’t anger the older Saiyjin, instead, his Mas…Turles-sama threw his head back and laughed!!

“Now THAT was the Sage I remembered,” he said, putting a plate in front of the boy. “That was straight from Vegeta no Ouji, and no mistake!”

Sage made himself as small as he could manage in the chair. Just because Turles-sama laughed didn’t mean he wasn’t angry...lots of his Masters had laughed while they beat him, or...did worse.

He flinched as a large hand dropped gently on the top of his head. He didn’t look up, instead fixing his gaze on the floor. “I am not angry with you, Sage, and I am not going to hit you. Eat your breakfast, ne?”

Automatically Sage picked up a fork and began eating, carefully, obediently. Turles sighed and prepared some food for his own consumption. They ate in silence, Sage mentally marveling at how GOOD the food tasted, and how hungry he was, Turles watching him, making certain he finished everything. They were nearly done when the com beeped. Sage jumped almost a foot. Making a small noise of reassurance, Turles stood and walked over, checking for the ID code on the incoming stream. His posture tightened, and Sage, picking up on his stress asked fearfully, “What? Who is it, Turles-sama?”

Turles took a deep breath. “It’s your parents.”

Sage jumped out of his chair, overturning it in his panic. “But…I don’t wanna talk to them, please, Turles-sama…PLEASE!!!”

Sage’s ki was soaring alarmingly and Turles knew better than to try and reason with the boy. Holding his hands out calmingly and ignoring the beeping of the com he approached Sage. The boy didn’t move and Turles managed to get his hands on him, enfolding him in a tight embrace. He spoke calmly and quickly. “You don’t have to talk to them...go, take a shower. I’ll let you know when the call is done. You should know by now I won’t force you. Do you hear me?”

Sage, still gasping slightly nodded.

“Let me hear you say it.”

“Yes, I hear you, Turles-sama.”

“Good...go get cleaned up.” He released the boy and watched for a few seconds as he hurried towards the bathing chamber, smiling slightly as the door slammed closed, waited for the click of the lock, and sighing with relief when it didn’t come. Then he turned his attention to the com.

Settling himself down in front of the screen, he keyed the call up and was not surprised to see an agitated Kakkarott on the other end.

“Where the HELL were you?” exploded Kakkarott.

Calmly Turles replied. “I was helping Sage, Kakkarott, and could not respond immediately.” It was nothing more than the truth, and it settled the man at once.

“Sage? Where is he? Is he all right? How...”

Turles held up a hand. “His fever has broken and he is feeling much better.”

Kakkarott smiled in relief. “Can I see him? Talk with him?”

Instead of answering, Turles asked cautiously, “Is the Ouji around?”

Kakkarott shook his head. “He’s busy...Ou-sama wanted a big celebration to mark Sage’s return, and Vegeta is occupied with talking him out of it.”

Turles felt a surge of panic. “Kami cousin, that is the WORST thing for Sage...”

He was cut off. “I know. And so does Vegeta. Gohan was furious with his Grandsire...” his face darkened for a moment. “I may as well tell you now...after we talked with the boys last night and showed them Sage’s pictures, Gohan took it upon himself to cut his hair off.”

Turles gaped at the screen. Kakkarott continued.

“To show Sage he wasn’t alone anymore, was the gist of it. To help him feel safe again. I thought you might want to prepare Sage before he actually saw Gohan...and make sure he realizes it isn’t his fault.”

Turles nodded slowly. “Thank you for telling me, I’ll do my best to make certain Sage is prepared before we get home.”

Kakkarott smiled. “Thank you, cousin. Now...you said Sage is better, may I speak with him?”

Turles hesitated before deciding on the truth with Kakkarott. “He didn’t want to talk to you, Kakkarott, that’s why he’s not here. He’s in the shower.”

Kakkarott paled. “He...he doesn’t want to talk to me?” His eyes were large and suspiciously bright. Turles hastened to explain.

“Understand, cousin, Sage has been enslaved for more than three years. He’s been cut off from his own kind and his family and endured torture I can’t begin to contemplate. He’s just recovered from an illness that in a normal, healthy Saiyjin shouldn’t have caused him more than a few hours of discomfort. He’s frightened, and he’s fragile, despite his little tamper tantrum this morning.” Turles grinned in remembrance. “Added to that,” and here he paused. Kakkarott waited, patient. That was the way he was…at least until he wasn’t anymore. Kakkarott, unlike most Saiyjins, had the ability to wait, to gather information to process. He had gotten it from his sire’s side of the family, same as Turles. He sighed. This wasn’t going to be easy no matter how long he put it off. “Kakkarott, Sage is afraid to return home. I don’t have all the specifics, but I have gathered quite a lot of that fear stems from Vegeta.”

Kakkarott looked confused. “But…but that makes no sense, Turles. Sage and Vegeta were very close before he was kidnapped. Why would Sage be afraid of his father?”

Turles shook his head. “I’m not completely sure. But I do know a couple of reasons...things that more or less...slipped out when Sage’s defenses were down. I think the main reason is Sage...hates himself.” Turles paused, remembering the conversation, the feverish child confessing, quietly, matter-of-factly.

“But...why?” Kakkarott’s voice was anguished.

“I don’t know, Kakkarott. Sage has yet to confide in me completely. But he did say Vegeta wouldn’t be able to help but hate him, because he hated himself.”

The face on the vid screen was silent. Quietly, his voice breaking, “And I have to tell Vegeta his beloved Sage is frightened to return home because of him.”

Turles shook his head. “Cousin, you tell him the truth. Sage is a hurt, confused, frightened child. We don’t really know what is going on in his head. However, Vegeta needs to be prepared for it.”

“Yes,” said Kakkarott softly. “Yes, he does. And I will tell him. And it will kill him.”

Turles’ voice was sharp. “It won’t kill him, ‘rotto...he needs to understand where the child is coming from. Look...something happened on the station I haven’t told you about yet, and I’m not going to just now. I’d prefer if Sage were present when I do...Sage and Vegeta. It’s something that must be dealt with soon...and Sage doesn’t have much time to get used to it. I’m going to work on Sage...hopefully tomorrow he’ll be ready to talk to you, but don’t count on it...I’ll do my best, but I will NOT force him, understand?”

If Kakkarott was surprised at the vehement protectiveness and conviction in Turles’ voice, he gave no sign, neither in his voice, nor on his face. “We really do appreciate this, you know...the reward alone will be enough to ensure you never...”

“I don’t want the reward.” Turles voice was flat...final.

“But...”

“You think I did this for a reward? You insult me, cousin.”

“I assure you I had no...”

Turles’ voice was icy. “If you had seen what I did...even if he hadn’t been Sage, I would still have gotten him out of there. I did, not knowing if he was your son or not. I don’t want a reward for taking him from hell, ‘rotto...you should know me better than that.”

“I apologize for offending you, Turles-san.” Kakkarott’s voice was deep and smooth. His “official” voice. “The reward has been in place for so long...”

Turles interrupted again. “There is a reward for any rescued Saiyjin slave, cousin,” he pointed out. “Sage is no different from any of them, save for the fact he is luckier than most of them are.”

Kakkarott’s face contorted on a frown. “How is being kidnapped on his tenth birthday and being brutally raped and beaten for three years “lucky”?” he grated.

Turles swallowed a lump back in his throat. “Cousin...he is lucky because you won’t have to commit him. He wasn’t...de-tailed. He wasn’t broken completely. He is hurt and scared, but sane, and...repairable.” His eyes glinted. “You don’t have to consider whether it would be kinder to put him down or not.”

An ashen face stared back at him through the unforgiving screen of the vid. Turles met his gaze unwaveringly. Finally seeming to find his voice he managed a whispered, “You’re right.”

Turles nodded. “I don’t always think about it myself. He’s so...fragile sometimes...and other times he acts like the prince he is...it’s not going to be easy, and I think Vegeta more than anyone else needs to be prepared for that harsh truth.”

“And I do not?” Kakkarott’s voice was slightly mocking. Turles smiled faintly. “I know you better than I know Ouji-sama, cousin; I know how you handle things. And...it’s not your disapproval and hatred Sage fears.”

Kakkarott nodded sadly. “I dread this conversation with Vegeta.”

“I dreaded this conversation with you.”

“Fair enough. I’ll end the call then and let you deal with my son. Please tell him,” Kakkarott’s voice broke. “Please tell him we miss him and love him...all of us, and we can’t wait for him to come home.”

“I will, Kakkarott; you have my word on that.”

Kakkarott nodded once again, thanked Turles and terminated the link. For long moments Turles sat, mulling over his conversation, then, hearing the water stop in the bathing chamber, he stood, walked over and knocked on the door. “You all right in there?”

No response.

Concerned, but not overly so, Turles knocked again and repeated the question.

Still no response. Turles didn’t try a third time. He opened the door carefully, not wanting to spook the child and looked around, scenting the damp air thoroughly. At first, he didn’t spot him, but a few steps brought him to the tub and he slid the door open carefully. A small, shivering Sage was curled in a miserable ball on the floor of the shower. Biting back an angry question, Turles merely draped a large drying cloth around the youngster and leaned back against a wall, waiting for Sage to speak.

It took several minutes, but eventually, Sage shifted and carefully stood up. He kept his face to the floor however, refusing to meet Turles’ eyes. Something, instinct perhaps, counseled Turles to keep silent. When Sage finally spoke, Turles wasn’t surprised at his first words.

“I…I’m sorry, Turles-sama...I...I should have...should have...I shouldn’t have run.”

Turles pushed himself off the wall and crossed to drape an arm around Sage’s shoulder, guiding him to the main room of the small ship. He indicated the still messy bunk, motioning for the cub to sit, then selected from Sage’s now considerable wardrobe a simple pair of loose, black pants and a long-sleeved, low-necked dark purple tunic, edged with muted gold and handed them to the boy. After a moment’s thought, he rummaged back in the locker and came up with one of Miju’s more…circumspect purchases, a pair of dark briefs, and handed them to the child as well. Straightening the contents of the locker Turles waited, not going out of his way to make sure Sage knew he wasn’t watching. He had seen the boy naked countless times already, Sage ought to be used to it by now. He chided himself briefly… it wasn’t that simple no matter how much he wanted it to be.

A small noise alerted him Sage had indeed finished dressing and he moved back to the bed, sitting easily beside the boy.

“Sage, you were perfectly within your rights to refuse to talk to anyone so soon. But what you need to understand is that in three days we will be landing on Vegeta-sei, and I won’t be able to protect you.”

Sage stiffened, and his scent shifted from miserable to panicky, and his ki-sparked alarmingly. Turles chose to ignore it and finish what he was saying, though his tail made its way to wind around the boy’s waist in a comforting gesture. “I can’t protect you from seeing your family, or from taking your rightful place once again as heir and Crown Prince.” Sage’s panicky scent shifted slightly from outright terror to consideration and curiosity tinged with unmistakable fear. “Sage, your family loves you, and you love them. And you belong with them. No one is saying it will be easy...” Turles nearly jumped as Sage’s quiet voice interrupted him.

“Will you stay with me? When I go back home?”

Turles paused. “I don’t know if I will be allowed to,” he answered honestly. “Your family will sense our bond, and they may decide it is in your benefit for me to keep my distance. But if it is possible, I will be as near to you as I am able, ne?”

Sage looked troubled, but nodded. “I could hear his voice,” he said suddenly. “Sebba’s...Mama’s...” A slight smile curved his bow mouth. “I wanted to run out of the shower and fling myself into his arms.” He stopped. “But I couldn’t even come out and talk to him over the com.” He lowered his head, the sour scent of shame overcoming what Turles was beginning to discover was his naturally, sweet, earthy sort of scent...like syrup mixed with an assortment of crushed herbs. He remembered it from when Sage had been a child...but back then, the sweetness of his scent had been nearly overpowering. He hadn’t been a sweet child by any stretch of the imagination…so his scent threw visiting dignitaries, Saiyjin dignitaries anyway, off.

Turles hugged the child to him. “Saa, you’ve nothing to be shamed about, chibi...you’ve just recovered from an illness for one thing. One step at a time...your sebba understood.”

Sage didn’t raise his head, but his voice harbored the slight hint of hope. “Did he?”

“He understood why you didn’t wish to speak with him today. He doesn’t understand why you’re afraid to come home, why you’re afraid of your father.”

Sage sighed. It was possibly one of the most unhappy, dejected sounds Turles had ever heard. He waited, but Sage didn’t say anything. He sat with the boy for a few minutes more, then excused himself to check the monitors in the cockpit, leaving Sage to consider what he had said and what was to come by himself.

Alone in the cockpit, separated by mere meters from Sage, within clear view of the bed, Turles vowed to himself. I’ll be there for you, Sage, if I have to tie your father’s tail in a knot to do it, I swear, you won’t face this alone.

And Sage, feeling as though he were alone in the universe, drew his knees to his chest and rested a cheek on the small platform they made. If he noticed the few tears dampening his pants...he gave no indication.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

to be continued….

Mijuku-muse: *looks disappointed* Not so very many reviews last time…

Sage-muse: *growls and points out* They’re waiting for another chapter though...that’s a good sign at least, right?

Mijuku-muse: *heavy sigh* I suppose….*mopes*

Sage-muse: *growls again* All right you out there…I KNOW you’re there…you’re making him sad damnit, so REVIEW ALREADY!!! When Miju-muse gets sad, Sage-muse don’t GET ANY!!! *grumbles and mutters something about a nookie-quota*

Miju-muse: *mopes some more, playing with the end of his impossibly long, impossibly red braid*