Chapter Text
You’d Better Not Go Alone by SecretWeaponSeven
Chapter Seven: Will I Make This Right?
After several hours more of rest the prince at last awoke free of the effects of the medicinal sedatives he’d been given. His wounds still ached but were already rapidly improving- his race was unusually tough and a quick recovery was part of that- and more importantly he felt his strength had returned.
…he’d awoken in the warm embrace of Yamcha’s arms. The bandit was still fast asleep but holding him tightly, and Frieza realized with some embarrassment his own tail had, at some point during their nap, found its way to the human’s leg and coiled around it.
Carefully untangling himself, he paused to look at the taller man’s sleeping face. So peaceful, so gorgeous… what a marvelously unique man. To think a peasant- and a criminal at that!- could be so nice to spend time with…
But it wasn’t like the prince to allow himself to become so sentimental! A gentle shake of Yamcha’s shoulder awoke him. “Hmmm… Prince?” He quickly sat up, blinking and combing his fingers through his thick hair. “I think I’m okay now, or at least okay enough to keep going. What about you? Does anything still hurt?” There was an ache in his voice with that last question as his eyes came to rest on the royal’s bandaged wounds.
“Nothing to you need to worry yourself over. I am extraordinarily resilient. From the looks of the sky outside it’s afternoon- it would be in our best interests to hurry. The abandoned cottage, the one you found that cursed statuette in, how far do you think it is? Could we potentially reach it today?”
Yamcha thought hard. “I remember more or less the area, but it was pretty far outside of town, deep in the trees. I wish I could say I was confident but even if we ran full tilt or hired horses I’m not sure we’d be able to get to that part of the forest, much less find the place, before the moon rises.”
Frieza sighed and shook his head. “Then it seems we have no other option. As much as I dislike the idea of asking those two for a favor, I doubt they strayed far, and Hit is nauseatingly fast…”
“...great. I’m queasy just thinking about it,” Yamcha laughed, “but I trust your judgment. If this means there’s even a chance we can get rid of my curse before I hurt you, or anyone else, again then it’s worth it. But are you sure Hit and Lord Frost stuck around?”
“I haven’t a single doubt. Frost is far too persistently greedy to give up on his meal ticket that easily.”
Sure enough, after they checked out with the healer and left the building they spotted the other two sitting outside the tavern down the street. Frost leapt to his feet and rushed over to them, quickly bowing. “My dear prince, it is so good to see you standing once again after this savage monster nearly killed you! Naturally I did what was needed to save you and left him alive so that you could have the honor of defeating this menace to your kingdom-”
“Oh shut it, Frost, you left Yamcha alive because you knew I’d be angry if you killed him, correct?”
“N-no-”
“Nope, you’re exactly right, my prince,” the bandit nodded, glaring at the noble. Frost rolled his eyes.
“Alright, alright, perhaps that was the reason but the fact remains that I continue to work loyally in the name of your best interests, Prince Frieza! The least you can do is honor the king’s wish and marry me!”
The prince ignored Frost and turned to the large man standing quietly several paces behind him. “Hit… or should I say ‘the Demon of the Dark Forest,’ you continue to prove yourself to be an extraordinarily intriguing man. I will ask you one more time, would you consider working for the palace-”
“I only work with Lord Frost and that is final,” he replied flatly. The royal shrugged.
“I had a feeling you would say that. I can’t imagine what manipulation he has pulled to earn such loyalty but that is neither here nor there. If that wizard’s word is to be trusted then we must return to the abandoned structure where Yamcha was initially cursed and find the bespelled object that did so to him- for that mission to succeed before nightfall we will require your speed. I understand you would not consider humoring this without payment-”
“As I said, ‘the demon’ has retired. I am no longer available for hire and answer only to my lord.”
“Do not misunderstand me. I am offering payment but not in the form of a paltry sum of gold. I am the prince- while I still refuse to marry Frost I have other ways to get him what he so pathetically keeps chasing.” He folded his arms. “Time is limited so I will be direct. The royal family throws galas from time to time in order to celebrate various things. Cooperate here and I will assure you have a standing invitation to all of them. You understand what that means?”
Frost nodded. “Access to the palace, as well as the king and your elder brother, right?”
“Naturally. Surely this is worth spending an afternoon assisting us?”
The lesser noble and his servant exchanged glances, then nodded. “It just so happens that outside of our efforts to achieve marriage we have… other business with Prince Cooler, so we shall agree to this. Hit, provide what help you can!”
The former assassin regarded the rest of the group. “Prince, Yamcha, I will lend you my speed, but… you haven’t eaten recently, correct?”
The prince cringed. “Yes, not since yesterday. Our stomachs are empty so you need not worry about nausea. Now, let’s go!”
The former assassin allowed the group to all awkwardly climb onto him and then, after some vague direction from Yamcha, headed off. The town was far behind them in a matter of seconds, and they all vanished into the trees…
- - -
Even with Hit’s speed and time manipulating abilities it had taken them the majority of the afternoon, but they’d found it!
“Yeah… this is the place where my hell began,” Yamcha confirmed, staring up at the structure. A narrow cottage, clearly uninhabited for some time, stood silent in the late afternoon sun. There was something imposing about it that made even the nobility uncomfortable. “Okay… I’m gonna do this. You guys wait out here-”
“Absolutely not,” Frieza interjected. “If this abode houses cursed artifacts then who could imagine what other dangers could be waiting for you behind that door? I am coming with you to keep you from stumbling into even more trouble, searching will go quicker with two of us working together anyhow.”
“You should reassess that,” Frost interjected, “it’s risky in there, and the kingdom needs its future king-”
“Oh spare me your false concerns,” Frieza groaned. “Right now the best thing I can do for my kingdom is to help one particular man. If we can rid Yamcha of this monster then it will be worth the risk.
The human clasped his prince’s shoulder. “Thank you for all of your help, I mean it. Let’s get started then! Just please… take it from me, when we’re in there, just… be careful?”
“Naturally,” he nodded, leaning just a little into that touch. “I have no intention of letting either of us come out of this in worse shape than we went into it! Frost, Hit, I assume you cowards won’t be helping?”
“We are not cowards!” the lesser noble snapped in response. “But I see no use in taking unnecessary risks.”
“We lack the time to waste in trying to convince you, but I will remember this… Now, let’s go!” Frieza gave the door a hard kick- the old wood of its frame buckled and it fell to the ground. He and the bandit vanished inside.
Frost sighed. “I suppose we do have no choice at this point. We’ll go in, but we won’t touch anything. We’ll just keep a careful eye on the prince and intervene if that criminal turns into a beast again…”
Hit spoke in a low voice, careful that no one inside the cabin could overhear his words. “Frost… we may be able to make use of this situation.”
“Oh? Tell me, how?”
Inside Yamcha made a quick dash to the back of the cabin. “The bedroom is through there, that’s where I found the thing that cursed me, and where….” His hand paused at the doorknob.
“Yamcha?” The prince joined him. “You’re… trembling?”
“I’m not- okay, I guess I am…” he lowered his hand. “It’s just, I know what’s beyond that door and it’s not… it’s not something I’m looking forward to seeing again, that’s all. But I gotta do this!”
“I can begin searching that room on my own if you would prefer-”
“No, I can do this. I have to!” Yamcha pushed the door open and stepped inside-
A small bedroom, full of broken furniture, assorted debris, and…
“That blood near the window… Is that…?”
The bandit slowly nodded. “If you get closer there’s blue fur in it, that’s how I knew it was Puar’s… If that wizard was right I didn’t kill him after all, but I still must have hurt him bad… just like how I hurt you, too…”
“You, Yamcha, did not harm either of us. That curse did!” Frieza glared. “Now, take a moment if you need to. I will continue searching, I want you to be fully human again before the moon rises.”
He pulled his eyes away from the bloodstains and nodded. “I’m alright now, thanks for reminding me this isn’t completely my own fault… I’m done with self pity. Let’s search! Remember, we’re looking for a small figure of a wolf, looks like it’s made of gold. Just don’t touch it if you find it!”
Back out in the main room Frost looked around. He was held securely in his servant’s arms (“If just touching the wrong thing in here can curse a man then I’m carrying you until we properly assess the risk,” he’d said, and when the noble tried to argue this he simply picked him up). “Those old books could potentially be valuable… at least three of the four chairs look to be in good shape as well. Ugh, I want to take it all and sell it somewhere but I can’t without risking it carrying bad magic- it all just taunts me!”
“Be patient,” Hit reminded him, “as long as we follow the plan you’ll have your dream by the end of the night.”
“I truly don’t know what I would do without you… It’s simple, and genius. But are you absolutely certain the prince cares enough about that bandit for it to work? While I am confident those two are lovers he could be one of many, Prince Frieza may be willing to sacrifice him.”
“No, there’s definitely a deeper connection there.”
“Perhaps you’re right. You’re excellent at reading people. Beyond that… they do in some tiny ways remind me of us…”
Hit nodded. “When they find the cursed statuette we’ll need to move fast but we can’t afford to be careless. Whatever you do make sure it doesn’t touch you. We can’t risk the curse taking hold of either of us.”
“Indeed. Worry not, I’ll be ready. With his bandit’s life riding on this the prince will have no choice but to comply. We’ll have what we dreamed of at last.”
“Just don’t get sloppy,” Hit reiterated. “...I’m not one for these sorts of words, but…” he closed his eyes and nearly whispered, “...I love you. Marrying the prince does you no good if you’re dead, so- hmm?”
Frost had wrapped his arms around him. “Hit… you know I feel the same for you. I love you too. That’s why I have to do this. You deserve the best and this will let me at last give it to you.”
Words they’d both felt and acted on for so long yet never quite felt comfortable saying. They stood facing each other for a quiet moment, that love feeling nigh tangible between them, before Hit at last spoke again. “Let’s join the prince and Yamcha. We need to be ready to move the moment they find that statue.”
The remaining hour of the afternoon moved swiftly- the bedroom had been completely trashed when Yamcha first became a monster in it half a year prior, and picking through the rubble and debris was made all the more complicated by the need for caution. Not wanting to risk touching any other potentially cursed items the two men had eventually settled on using tree branches taken from the forest outside to poke through the mess with. When Frost and Hit joined them they did the same. As the shadows outside the window grew longer Yamcha became increasingly nervous.
“The moon is moving closer to the horizon, I’m starting to feel that need to look… If we don’t find it soon, then…”
“Focus, Yamcha! Talk to me, keep your mind off the moon,” Frieza said, hoping his own nerves weren’t obvious. Having fought the curse off two nights in a row now it would be stronger than ever- would it even be possible to prevent Yamcha’s transformation this time?
The other two exchanged glances. Their plan would work best if the object was found but they did of course have a backup; neither of them were in any hurry to fight off the monster again. If they were unable to find the statuette before the moon rose… Frost lightly touched his sleeve. The needle he’d hidden there was still in place...
“Right, talk, don’t think about the moon…” the bandit nodded. “Uh, I guess I should say thanks again for all of this? Not only being willing to help me, but also, this time we’ve had a chance to spend together has been really something. You’re an enthralling sort of guy, my prince. I’m so glad I got to meet you.”
“The feeling is mutual,” he nodded, carefully pushing aside the splintered wood of a fallen bookshelf. Still no sign of their target… “I would never have guessed a lowly criminal could make for such an incredible company. I am grateful for this adventure. Once we’ve broken your curse perhaps-” …he wanted to keep seeing him, as a companion, sexually, maybe even romantically. But he couldn’t. He was the future king and Yamcha was a commoner. “-perhaps we can find you a job in the employ of the castle? I can’t in good conscience send a murderous criminal back out into society after all, but if you worked for me I could ensure you were staying out of trouble.”
Yamcha didn’t reply- he’d been searching under the damaged bed but now stood, approached the window, and opened it. “...the moon’s coming up.”
“Damn it all!” Frieza leapt in front of him and covered his eyes. “We’ve nearly turned over every inch of this room, surely we’re about to find it! Hold yourself together a moment longer!”
“I can’t, it’s… oh…-” his body went limp and fell to the floor. Frost rolled back down his sleeve.
“What did you do to him?” the prince demanded.
“When you were recovering at the healer’s I may have helped myself to some of that incredibly strong sedative they used. I just pricked your monster with a needle covered in it.”
Frieza knelt down and confirmed the bandit was still breathing. “I am not fond of your methods but at least it will buy us some time-”
“Time for what, exactly? You are right, we’ve searched more or less everywhere, it’s time to accept that cursed statue is no longer here!” Frost insisted.
“I am not giving up on saving Yamcha!” he growled, standing to face the lesser noble.
The potential argument was stopped before it could start by a quick motion from Hit- he’d crossed the room and was now standing at the window. “Someone’s coming.”
The two Icejin joined him. Sure enough, a small creature was flying toward the cottage. It looked a bit like a cat. …a blue cat.
Frieza’s eyes darted from the newcomer to the bloodstains that had left Yamcha thinking he’d killed his best friend- the stray furs remaining there were the same shade. “Puar?” He called out.
The being noticed them at the window and flew over, confused. “Yep, I’m Puar. Aren’t you the crown prince?”
“Yes, I am Prince Frieza,” he nodded. “There is no time to explain my involvement. I am trying to save your accomplice Yamcha from a curse-”
“Yamcha’s with you?!” he flew over their shoulders and landed by his unconscious friend, hugging him. “Oh Yamcha! I’ve been searching for you for months! …Yamcha?”
“He’s been sedated for our protection. We do not know how long he will be unconscious,” the prince impatiently ordered, “I need your help searching for the object that cursed him-”
“The wolf statue?” Puar asked. “The one he has to break in order to get rid of his curse?”
He nodded. “Yes. I’m surprised you already know that detail. Now let’s find it-”
“No need! I retrieved it months ago and have been keeping it safe while trying to find Yamcha. I have it right here!” Puar held up the bag he’d been carrying-
-Hit snatched it, glanced in to confirm the cursed item was indeed inside the bag, then handed it to Frost. “Alright, prince,” the lesser noble threatened, “Yamcha has to break this to be free of his curse, right? I’m not giving it back unless you agree to marry me!”
“Are you kidding me?” Frieza tried to grab it back but Hit blocked him. “Don’t you recall what the wizard said? Each time he resists transforming the curse grows stronger! If he doesn’t destroy the cursed object as soon as he wakes back up then we may not be able to stop the monster this time!”
“Exactly. So if you do not become my husband then you’ll be forced to kill your favorite boytoy for the sake of your own self preservation. But! Accept my offer of marriage and I will not only allow you to break his curse, I’ll also look the other way for any dalliances you desire to have with him or anyone else-”
“I refuse to be manipulated into marrying someone like you!” Frieza hissed.
“What, you’d rather marry for love?” Frost sneered. “That has never been an option for nobility like us! I certainly wouldn’t choose you, even with your good looks, for any reason other than your position! What I am offering is the best potential compromise for us both!”
“Yamcha’s waking up!” Puar squeaked. Sure enough, the bandit was stirring- Frieza tried to return to his side but Hit moved between them.
“You’ll marry Frost or else I will kill Yamcha before he has a chance to transform again.”
“Hit, why do you continue to do this man’s bidding?” Frieza asked. “There is no reason for a man of your skills to be working as an underpaid servant for someone like Frost. What has he done to gain this level of loyalty? Take the statue back from him and let Yamcha destroy it and lift the curse!”
The larger man simply shook his head and glanced at Frost before glaring at his future king. Frieza blinked. “Wait… you two are a couple, is that it?”
“And if we are?” Frost yelled, moving to Hit’s side. “What does it matter to you? As I said, nobility marries for duty, we can’t be publicly partnered with commoners like my Hit or your Yamcha. So you and I will be wed and we can see our men on the side-”
Yamcha slowly sat up. “Puar? Is that really… Puar!” He pulled the tiny shapeshifter into a big hug but their happy reunion was short lived as his eyes trailed back to the window. Frieza dove past the others and pushed him back to the floor, covering his eyes.
“Don’t look!”
“I gotta… the moon, it’s calling me-”
Frost hastily dipped his needle back in the sedative and moved to poke it into the bandit’s arm- Puar flew into his face and in the moment of confusion while the needle hit its mark the bottle of medicine was dropped, shattering on the floorboards.
“What did you do to him?!” Puar demanded. Frost smacked him away.
“I’m keeping him from murdering us all but thanks to your meddling I’m now out of sedative! When he wakes back up we’ll have to kill him unless the prince concedes!”
Frieza stood in front of the unconscious Yamcha and glared at Frost and Hit. This was bad… he didn’t want to lose the only person he’d ever found worth caring about. Was marrying Frost really his only option?
Titles, nobility… in that moment he hated all of it. The duty he had due to how he was born, the people like Frost who’d try to manipulate him with it… In one last desperate effort he tried to get the bag back from Frost but Hit was just too impossibly fast and strong, stopping even the prince’s attacks from reaching him.
“Well, Prince Frieza? Don’t you see you have no choice? You never did, neither of us did. So let’s just do this!”
“I refuse to spend my days as one with someone who sees me as little more than my wealth!” Frieza replied with a snarl, anger and frustration making his tail twitch and fingers shake. “I may be royalty but I am still a person with my own hopes, drives, and desires, someone who deserves no less than anyone else! I’ve been a slave to duty and expectation my entire life, not a single noble has ever cared about me beyond my title, so pardon me for wanting more than that!”
Frost shook his head. “I care-”
“Spare me your lies, I am nothing but an opportunity to you. I want … I want the care and interest only one man has ever afforded me…” His eyes fell back on the unconscious bandit’s handsome face. He wanted him to be his, but Frost was right that partnering with a commoner wasn’t an option.
No choice because of their nobility…
…but wait a second, maybe…?
“Frost. You want to marry me for access to the riches of the palace, correct?”
“Obviously. You are regrettably aware of my territory’s finances. I wish to step out of poverty and give Hit and myself a better life, is that so wrong? And you’ll gain a respectable partner and earn the King’s approval. So why be stubborn?”
“Your land, the Frost Territory. Sell it, I will buy it.”
“What?! But you know it’s worthless for anything other than the title it gives me, and my title is all I have!”
“Exactly. I will pay you handsomely for it,” the prince quickly explained, keeping an eye on the still unconscious Yamcha as he did so. “Far more than it’s worth. Enough money for the two of you to live comfortably for the rest of your lives.”
Hit shook his head. “We aren’t doing it. Frost’s title means everything to him. He won’t give up being a baron-”
“No… no, I’ll do it,” Frost once again took his hand, excited. “Hit, do you see what this means? We’ll be able to afford a good life, the sort you deserve! The only reason my title meant anything to me was as a means to that end! And beyond that,” he paused, seeming to search for the right words even as his eyes positively glittered with joy, “if I am no longer ‘Lord’ Frost, then I’ll be a peasant. And if you and I are at last the same class, maybe…”
The former assassin gasped but when he replied his voice stayed level. “Are you completely sure this is what you want?”
“I meant what I told you earlier, Hit. You, not my title or anything else, are what matters most to me. I’ll sell the land, and you and I… we can properly be together.”
Hit wanted to kiss him, but that would have to wait. Frost reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the deed to his land- he always kept it, the only truly valuable thing he owned, on his person. “Prince, for the right price I will sign this over to you right now as well as give you the statuette so as to allow your bandit to break his curse. But! I am far from certain I can trust you so go on, convince me. Are you truly willing to spend this sort of money just to avoid marrying me?”
Frieza stared down at the still unconscious Yamcha for a moment then returned a hard glare to the other Icejin. “Oh no, my father insists I marry ‘Lord Frost, Baron of the Frost Territory’ and I intend to do so. He just won’t be you. Sign the deed over to Yamcha so that he is the legal owner of your land.”
“You’d make that criminal into nobility?” he blinked, then shrugged. “Fine then, I agree to all of this but! You must still honor your prior offer of allowing us to attend events at the castle. We have unfinished business with Prince Cooler.”
With a sharp exhale Yamcha awoke and, struggling against the sedative, forced himself to sit up. “Quick! Give him the statuette!” Puar yelled in a panic.
“You… found it?” Yamcha asked, still dazed and even then stumbling toward the window. Frieza stopped him with his tail and snatched the bag away from Frost, finally receiving no resistance.
“It’s in here. Smash it!”
“I… don’t know if I have the strength to,” he shook his head. “I feel like… like when we were at the healer. So powerless…”
“That’s Frost’s doing,” Frieza explained, glaring at the man in question. “You have to try!”
Yamcha weakly accepted the bag- then dropped it in favor of continuing his slow walk to the window. “I can’t… I gotta… I gotta look at the moon…”
Hit stepped in front of Frost and raised a fist- Frieza shook his head. “Don’t. I have this handled. It’s alright, Yamcha. I promise, I will help you.” The human ignored him, eyes focused on the window. Puar moved to cover it. “No Puar, let him look!”
“But if he does he’ll become a monster again!”
“Exactly! And once he does he’ll be strong enough to push through the sedative!”
“Should we allow this?” Frost quietly asked. Hit slowly lowered his offensive stance and nodded.
“His plan is risky, but it makes sense. If the Prince is wrong I’ll get the two of you out of here with my Time Skip.”
“I trust you,” Frost smiled, and the rarely outwardly emotional Hit felt his face burning.
“Stay back, Puar,” the prince commanded. “I don’t think Yamcha could handle it if he harmed you again.”
The bandit slowly approached the window, the curse’s magic forcing his sedated body to move-
The moon was large and visible, and in an instant his body changed into that monstrous wolf and he spun around, panting and staring down the others.
Frieza stood still in front of the group, ready. “Come on, my dear Yamcha… Strike with everything you have!” There was a pause that seemed to stretch on forever as the giant wolf slowly crouched down- then he struck, aiming for the Prince.
“Now bite!” He shouted, waiting until the absolute last second when those long fangs aimed to close around his neck before shoving the bag- and the cursed object it contained- between the transformed Yamcha’s teeth. With a loud snap his powerful jaws closed on it, tearing the fabric and breaking the statuette in half-
The monster froze and for a moment everyone held their breath… then he was human again, falling to the floor, out cold. Frieza caught him just before he hit the floorboards. “Do you think it worked?” Puar wondered out loud.
“This is the first time he’s turned back without a strong physical stimuli so I believe so,” the prince nodded, gently lowering them both to the floor and laying Yamcha across his lap. “We won’t be able to know for sure until the sedative wears off…” He smiled down at the sleeping bandit, his body feeling so warm and so blessedly alive in his arms. “Frost, since that aspect of this is your own doing I demand you show penance by having Hit bring us back to the castle.”
“Fine by me,” he nodded, “I had no intention of letting you out of my sight until we’d received payment for my land anyway.”
The group once again all climbed onto Hit (this time with Yamcha still held by Frieza and the addition of Puar sitting on the former assassin’s shoulder) and, using his superior speed and time manipulation abilities, they were at the castle by dawn.
When Yamcha awoke he was out of his torn clothing and instead dressed in soft silks and laying in the most comfortable bed of his life. “What happened?” he whispered, forcing his still sedated body to sit back up.
Prince Frieza rushed to his side and hugged him. “You’re awake, oh thank all that is good in this world! The curse. You destroyed the statue and changed back-”
“Holy shit,” Yamcha blinked. “You’re right… for the first time in over half a year I don’t feel that constant awareness of the moon! You saved me, my prince!”
“The one who earned that thanks is Puar,” he gestured to a chair across the room where the tiny shapeshifter was fast asleep on a pile of pillows. Yamcha’s eyes landed on his tail- half of it was gone, the end covered in scar tissue. “When you were first cursed the blood you saw wasn’t from his death but instead from a non-fatal injury the monster gave him. Despite this he never lost faith in you. In fact, he found Babidi long before we did, asked the same question, and had been safekeeping the cursed statue for you while spending these months seeking you out. He’d been returning to the cabin periodically in case you did the same- luckily he stumbled across us last night.”
“Damn… I owe him big time.”
“Anyhow…” Frieza slowly removed a piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it. “As for this… In order to secure the cooperation of Frost and Hit I purchased the Frost Territory.”
“His land?” Yamcha frowned. “Did you say the mines there were depleted and the land was worthless? So why spend your money on it?”
“That’s correctt,” the prince nodded, “but being a land owner gave Frost his title. When I purchased the land I had him put your name on the deed; if you desire it, that title that now belongs to you.”
“I don’t get it…”
Frieza averted his eyes, suddenly embarrassed. “Please understand, my father wants me to marry ‘Lord Frost’ before taking on the role of king, but naturally I have no romantic interest in the man you know by that name. This is an unusual proposal, especially when we’ve only known each other a few days, but I’ve come to care about you, my dear, handsome Yamcha. With that land in your name you are now nobility yourself- would you do me the honor of marrying me?”
“You… you seriously want to marry me?” Yamcha blinked. Puar squealed excitedly, and Frieza crossed his arms, forcing his gaze back to the man he’d just proposed to.
“Indeed I do. I know such a quick path from meeting to engagement isn’t the normal for commoners but, assuming you accept the land, you no longer are one. Your crimes would be pardoned, and I could keep you at my side and out of trouble, if you so desire-”
He couldn’t finish the sentence- Yamcha had pushed past his initial stunned state and tackle hugged the prince with as much enthusiasm as his still slightly sedated state allowed. “Yes, a thousand times yes! After you’ve done so much for me how could I not wanna be with you? But are you sure? Even if Frost’s land means I’m nobility now you’re still the crown prince and I’m still just me- little more than a bandit.”
“Just you? You do yourself a disservice, my dear Yamcha,” the prince replied, tightly embracing him. “You’re the only man to ever see me as a person, and beyond that, the most interesting, passionate, and gorgeous man I’ve ever met. I know I am ready to lead the kingdom, but having your support as my partner would make me a better ruler, I am certain of it.”
“If you really mean it, then I’ll do my best to live up to it,” Yamcha smiled, closing his eyes and returning the hug with renewed enthusiasm. “I wanna be with you, and make you proud. Thank you for everything, from the beginning to now and whatever comes next!”
The two men made their way back to the bed- the former bandit still had to sleep off some of that sedative, and Frieza found himself in no hurry to let his handsome future husband out of his sight.
- - -
“I can hardly believe it, my own brother, marrying someone like that?” Prince Cooler muttered from his spot in the front row. A royal wedding was always a major occasion, and he glared at Prince Frieza, dressed now in his finest and most regal of ceremonial clothing and standing beside the similarly attired man he was in the process of being joined with.
King Cold had initially been pleased to hear Frieza had defeated the monster that had been terrorizing the forest and even more so to hear he’d be marrying ‘Lord Frost,’ yet upon learning there’d been a change in the holder of that title he’d had some reservations.
That is, until he met Yamcha, and found himself as charmed by the rough but handsome human as his son had been. Moreso, seeing how they looked at each other… it reminded him of the long buried part of himself that had once been young and infatuated with a handsome man of his own...
Now, from his own spot standing beside the crown prince he felt just the slightest hint of his own former liveliness… perhaps seeing his son find love was enough to allow him to finally move forward from his own loss of a partner.
At the back of the hall Frost and Hit watched the wedding, holding hands. While no longer nobility you’d never guess it from how they were dressed. The prince had made good on his promise to pay significantly more than the Frost Territory was worth and they were now as peasants far more financially comfortable than they’d ever been during his time as a baron. This didn’t mean they weren’t above their old cons, however…
At the front of the hall Prince Frieza spoke the necessary words- “Lord Yamcha, I promise to love and protect you from here through the rest of our lives.
“Prince Frieza, I promise to love and support you for the rest of our lives as well.”
Puar, seated next to Cooler, was crying. The older prince just rolled his eyes.
Frost and Hit, meanwhile, quietly echoed the same words only with one another’s name. “There- we’ve said the vows, that means we’re married,” the Icejin laughed, squeezing his partner’s hands. “We’ll just say the reception is in our honor as well- oh?”
Hit pulled him into his arms and kissed him hard.
Back at the front the other set of newly weds were also sharing a kiss. Then the second part of the ceremony began- Cold presented his crown to Frieza, formally stepping down from his position as the leader of the kingdom and giving that role to his son.
“You’re a king now, gorgeous,” Yamcha whispered.
“And as a king’s husband that makes you a prince,” Frieza whispered back. “Quite an upgrade from ‘cursed monster’ or ‘wanted criminal,’ I would think?”
“Yeah, but I don’t really care about the new title. I’m just happy I get to share a life with you.”
“Likewise.”
Once the ceremony was complete the crowds moved to the great hall for a splendid feast to celebrate both the wedding and the new king. Cooler intended to put in a brief appearance then leave- but he noticed the former Lord Frost leaned in the doorway of a side room. He smiled and slowly beckoned for the royal to join him.
Well… Cooler wasn’t about to say no. Even if he’d given his title to his brother’s bandit husband for whatever reason the former noble was still very cute… and very deep in tax debt. “So, it seems you’re at last willing to consider my invitation to join me on a hunting trip?” The moment he stepped through the door it was slammed shut behind him and blocked by Hit leaning against it.
“Hello again, Prince Cooler,” Frost began with a slight bow.
“What is this? Send your servant away.”
“Servant? Oh no, this handsome and capable man is my new husband, Hit. You likely know him better under his own former title- ‘the Demon of the Dark Forest.’” he replied lightly. “Cooler, my partner and I have been doing a little digging and learned something fascinating. Would you like to hear it?”
Cooler took a step back, nervously glancing at the assassin. “I really must be getting to the reception-”
“Not until we’ve had a moment of your time,” Frost smirked. “You know, of course, that you hired my dear Hit to kill me several years ago?”
“Of course not-”
Hit had him pinned against the wall before he could even blink. “Apparently, while Frieza was in charge of the nation’s military and many other former duties of King Cold’s, he’d delegated several of them to you, the useless older brother.”
“That included handling taxes,” Frost added, “and due to your leisurely nature you’d rather hire an assassin to kill major debtors like myself than bother with making any real effort to collect the outstanding funds.”
“Such treasonous allegations! They simply aren't true! You have no proof!” Cooler shouted, trying futilely to pull away from Hit. He was panicked and it showed- any hope that Hit wasn’t that legendary assassin was quickly destroyed by the strength of his grip.
“Oh but we do. It didn’t take much searching before we found it-” Frost pulled a folder full of thick pages of parchment out of his jacket pocket. “The kingdom’s tax records, as well as records of your correspondence with my Hit and other professional killers, all found in the bottom drawer of your desk. But you don’t need to look so nervous. Thanks to you I met my lovely husband, so I would be willing to consider forgiving you for this whole attempted murder thing.”
“Consider?” Cooler’s eyes narrowed. “I take it you want something else from me in order to grant this mercy?”
“Indeed. You’re smarter than your reputation would suggest!” Frost laughed before becoming serious again. “You have access to the royal treasury- pay off our debt. And, more importantly, you are to never, directly or through hired assassins, so much as lay a finger on Hit or myself, understood? If there’s even the slightest hint of someone pursuing us-”
“I’ll take care of you myself,” Hit finished. The elder prince quickly nodded.
“Understood, I promise it. I’ll forget all about you both!”
“Marvelous. Shall we then, Hit? We have a wedding reception to get to.” He took his husband’s hand and they shoved Cooler aside in favor of heading to the feast.
The other couple, as well as several hundred revelers, were in the great hall. “I can’t believe all this food!” Yamcha exclaimed, eyes wide and mouth watering. “I don’t even know what some of it is but it all smells so good, and there’s so much of it!”
“Already enjoying your new life as not only nobility, but royalty, my dear Yamcha?” Frieza, at his side and holding his hand, asked. There was that genuine enthusiasm that he loved so much about this human!
Loved… Funny how quickly that feeling had become something he was comfortable with.
“Hey, Yamcha!” While the full kingdom had been permitted to stand outside the castle and listen to the vows of their new king and his husband, only nobility of the Cold Kingdom and surrounding areas were allowed at the reception… but Yamcha had asked for, and been granted, exceptions for his friends. One of them, Bulma, was pushing her way through the crowd.
“That’s Prince Yamcha, baron of the Frost Territory,” Frieza corrected her with his full title. “Regardless of your history with him you will show my husband the proper respect!”
“Right, Prince Yamcha,” she said, with a quick bow to her ex and a slightly longer one to the new king. “You look amazing dressed like that.”
He replied with a confident smirk, tossing his hair back and adjusting his elegant cape and crown. “Yeah, these are some pretty nice threads and the fancy look totally suits me, but I’m not gonna lie, they aren’t the most comfortable. I don’t have to dress like this every day now that I’m royalty do I?”
Frieza shook his head. “Don’t you worry, my dear Yamcha, outside of official occasions you may dress as you please.”
“So tell me this,” Bulma interjected, “Yam- I mean, Prince Yamcha, people are saying you met the prince- I mean, King Frieza- when you helped him defeat the monster that was terrorizing the Dark Forest. Is that for real? Is my ex boyfriend seriously that cool?”
“Eh, I just came along for the ride. The real credit goes to Puar and my new husband,” Yamcha laughed. The truth of the story would remain a secret- Frieza and the others promised to protect the secret of the human’s time as a cursed beast. “Oh, and those two, as well!” He waved to Frost and Hit. They joined them.
“Congratulations on your rapid ascent, ‘baron,’” Frost said, shaking Yamcha’s hand. “Though I can’t say I have any desire to get used to calling you by what was once my title.”
“Then don’t. I don’t wanna be you. ‘Prince Yamcha,’ or even just Yamcha, is fine by me.” He replied. “Sorry for uh, stealing the man you wanted so badly to marry.”
Frost just chuckled. “Good luck with him. As you’ve doubtless noticed, he can be extraordinarily stubborn.”
“Yeah, that’s one of the reasons I fell for him pretty much immediately!”
“Anyhow, I no longer desire him. As of today I’m a married man myself! And my new husband has a far more agreeable personality.” He caught Hit’s eye and smiled.
“You do realize it’s your king you’re now insulting?” Frieza asked. Frost shrugged.
“I think if you didn’t throw me in the dungeon for everything I pulled prior to this then I am safe to make completely accurate observations about your difficult nature, my king!”
“Fair enough,” Frieza found himself laughing. Perhaps it was his warmth toward Yamcha making him see some of his other subjects in a slightly better light but Frost was almost likable when he wasn’t trying to scheme his way into the royal family. Perhaps they could actually be friends some day. “You two are welcome to stay and enjoy the festivities. But what are your plans from here? If you intend to stay local then perhaps we could find jobs for you both at the castle.”
“We wouldn’t dream of turning down such hospitality,” Frost said, quietly planning the best ways to eat their fill then sneak off with as much of this lavish feast as he could manage. “However, we’ll be parting ways with you after tonight.”
“Really?” Yamcha asked.
Hit nodded. “We’re no longer constrained by Frost’s former nobility or my own legendary past. We’d like to see what the world out there is like for us now.”
They spoke a little longer before finally sitting down to their meal. Frieza noticed Yamcha was speed eating. “Darling, don’t forget to chew your food. You’re royalty now, I suppose I’ll need to teach you proper table manners?”
He swallowed a huge mouthful of food with some difficulty before shaking his head. “Sorry, I can try and be a little more refined! I just wanted to eat as quick as I could.”
“Why? Now that you are the partner of the king you will be able to dine on high quality foods daily, there’s no need to try to gorge yourself at every opportunity.”
“It’s not that,” Yamcha wiped his mouth and put an arm around Frieza’s shoulder, leaning in to whisper in his ear, “it’s just that we gotta finish eating before we consummate this marriage, and I’m really looking forward to making love to you.”
The newly crowned king nearly choked on his wine. Composing himself, he nodded just slightly and sped up his own eating. His gorgeous new husband had a very good point.
End You’d Better Not Go Alone
Author’s Note:
OH MY GAWD FINALLY I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FIC SINCE 2020. A few things! Firstly a HUGE thanks to IcejinLov3r for being so supportive and pushing me to finish the last couple chapters! Also if you enjoy seeing the DB villain boys in a fantasy inspired setting you should go read their fic Dungeons and DragonBalls, as well as their Royal Secret story in Dragon Ball Oneshots. Seriously, I can’t thank you enough!
Second- a few behind the scenes things. Up until I finally wrote the climactic scene in the abandoned cabin I was torn on one major thing- who would be the one to suggest Frieza bought Frost’s land and gave it to Yamcha? I actually really came close to having it be Frost’s idea, and played around a little with Hit suggesting it as well. Ultimately I felt like, while this was an ensemble story, Frieza was the one primarily driving the story so having him solve that particular conflict made sense.
…I also had an alternative idea for the climax of this fic that involved Frost and Yamcha having sex. Look, I was in bed sick when I first started this fic. My brain wasn’t really working. Actually I’ve had Yamcha and Frost do the dirty in several unfinished fics. One of these days I’ll actually publish something with that crack ship in it just to confuse people.
Um, I guess finally I gotta thank the people behind the theming and marketing of Th13teen, aka Secret Weapon Six. Rollercoasters are a weird place to take inspiration for Dragon Ball fanfics from but hey, I take inspiration where I get it. Eventually I wanna write fics inspired by all of the ‘secret weapon’ coasters.
So yeah! Signing off on this fic! Thanks again to everyone who read and especially those who comment!