I had forgotten about the parent factor. Trunks and I talked for several hours about what we were going to do (with some kissing in-between) and we both decided the first thing to do was to inform my parents. Trunks had filled me in on the conversation with his father. With what he told me, Vegeta and Bulma could wait. Pendril knew about us but I knew he wouldn’t tell our parents without my permission. My brother always felt if I had anything to say, I should say it myself.

So that afternoon I returned to the little cottage at the edge of the meadow near the forest that had been my home my whole life. And Trunks accompanied me.

When we arrived, my parents were standing outside the cottage, waiting for us. Kindle, who had followed, trilled at Embyr and Byrn. I didn’t catch what she had said but in the next moment all three dragons had left the clearing. I knew they were probably spying nearby. It was their way.

Pendril approached us from the side. He had probably been training in the meadow. Smoak was nowhere in sight but he was probably with the other mini-dragons. Pendril crossed his arms. He would not interfere but he would never miss an event like this.

Father spoke first. "So you have decided to come home. I take it you have something to tell us?"

I swallowed hard. I knew Father respected Trunks but would he approve of him as my mate? Trunks squeezed my shoulder encouragingly. He felt I should be the one to say it. There was no turning back now.

"Taache, Kaachi," I began, using Shizen. Pendril and I rarely called our parents that, so they would know it was serious. "Trunks and I have decided to become bondmates."

Father blinked, not quite registering what I had said yet. Mother took it better. She came towards me, reaching out to take my hand. "You are young, Lidal. Are you sure you want to take a mate so soon?" Her eyes narrowed in worry. "Kaachi hasn’t been pressuring you, has she?"

I shook my head. I was glad Mother wasn’t angry but Father hadn’t said anything yet. He was staring at me hard, waiting for me to explain. "Krechi hasn’t said anything. Trunks and I love each other very much and we’ve discussed it. We see no reason to wait."

I glanced at Pendril. He lips twitched in amusement and he fidgeted impatiently. He wanted me to quit holding back and tell everything. I glanced back to see that Father had come up behind Mother.

My parents exchanged glances and I knew that they were having one of their many silent discussions. After several years, I was pretty used to it, although it could be annoying at times. Mother turned back to me. "Are you sure this isn’t too sudden? I haven’t seen either of you do any of the usual traditions of courtship or dating."

Pendril snorted and hid his face so our parents wouldn’t see his amusement. I blushed and glanced at Trunks, who was blushing as well. What would they think when they learned our courtship had been composed of two dates, if you could call them that, in which one was mainly sex and the other had consisted of Trunks chasing me down and catching me?

Father finally spoke, catching our attention. "Trunks is much too old for you Lidal. And although Trunks is a good guy, I don’t think it be good for Saiyan and Namek blood to mix together. We don’t know what the consequences of that would be."

Behind me, Trunks stiffened in anger. My own temper flared and I acted before I thought. "I don’t think the consequences would be any more different then when human blood mixed with Saiyan or Namek! You’re prejudiced because he’s Vegeta’s son! If I had said I wanted to bond with Goten, you wouldn’t have any protests! Besides, it’s already too late for any qualms."

My hand flew to my mouth but it was too late. Father raised his eyeridge at me and said in a low dangerous voice, "And what exactly do you mean by that?"

I couldn’t speak. I hadn’t plan on telling them until after getting their approval for the bonding ceremony. Trunks was the one who answered, putting his arm protectively around me as he did. "Lidal is already pregnant with my child."

My mother gasped. The look on my father’s face was one that I never wanted to see ever again. My brother looked proud of us though.

Before I could think any further, Father growled low in his throat. In a blur, he barreled past me and attacked Trunks. With his fury fueling him, he was giving Trunks quite a beating. And I could tell Trunks was holding back because he didn’t want to harm him. As I watched, disbelieving, Pendril came up behind me. I glared at him, for he was smiling, seemingly unconcerned.

"He certainly seems angry doesn’t he?"

"Pendril! This isn’t time for amusement. He’s going to kill him! And I don’t intend to raise this baby by myself!"

"Alright. I guess I better go help my brother-in-law." And with that he ran to catch up with them. I followed him.

Pendril was stronger than Father but like Trunks, he didn’t want to harm him. In the end, he used a small blast to stun him and then restrained him, holding his arms back while I checked on Trunks. Besides some fierce looking bruises, he seemed all right. As soon as Father regained his senses, he broke from my brother’s hold and charged towards Trunks. Calmly, I stepped in his way, forcing him to stop dead in his tracks.

"Father, whether you like it or not, Trunks has already claimed me as his mate and nothing can separate us now. I would like us to become bondmates as well, in Shizen tradition, just like you and Mother. I won’t do so without your approval but I can’t stand idly by and watch you kill the father of my baby."

He raised both eyeridges at me. "Claimed you?"

I unbuttoned the collar of my tunic and pulled it aside to reveal the bite mark that lied where neck met shoulder. Pendril blinked, for this was one thing he had not known about. In his shock, Father lowered his fists and relaxed his stance.

Trunks came forward, standing in Saiyan proud, facing my father. "I love Lidal very much. And whether you like it or not, Lidal is my mate and she will stay with me, no matter if we go through a bonding ceremony or not. But I know how much it means to Lidal. She is a Shizen. So is your mate, if you remember."

Father blinked and glanced at Mother. She cocked her head and spoke aloud, instead of silently like I expected. "I would have preferred they had waited until they were bonded to consummate it but they know they erred. Other than that, I see no reason that they couldn’t become bondmates, Piccolo." By the way her eyes continued to lock with Father’s, I knew she was saying more silently that she didn’t want us to hear.

Finally Father sighed and turned his attention back to us. "I am overprotective but I have my reasons. But if you are married before this day is out, I will have no more objections."

I blinked, not quite believing what my father had said. By the looks Pendril and Trunks gave him, they couldn’t quite believe it either. Then Trunks shrugged. "I won’t question it. I’ll just say thank you and follow your orders before you change your mind."

Father nodded his approval. Pendril grinned. "So, who do you want to be the witnesses?"

It was getting late in the afternoon before everyone had arrived at the lookout where Dende would perform the ceremony. Lidal and I waited with her parents while Pendril went to fetch the two married couples and two bachelors we had chosen to be our witnesses. Lidal’s parents and Pendril himself were the first witnesses.

I was still bruised and sore from the beating Piccolo had given me but I had refused Dende’s offering of a healing. I wasn’t going to die and would heal just fine in a couple of days. It was enough that Lidal and I were together and that there were no more obstacles, except officiating what we felt.

My parents were the first to arrive, as the second married witnesses. Mom gasped as soon as she saw me. "Trunks! What happened to you?"

I grinned ruefully. "Let’s just say Piccolo wasn’t that open to the idea of becoming a grandfather so soon."

Pendril smirked at my remark as Piccolo harumphed. Lidal’s lips twitched in amusement as Dad laughed out loud. "More like he was angry about you taking her before the marriage. Although, I can say I don’t relish the thought of becoming a grandfather either. Trying to make me old before my time?"

Mom grinned. "I guess I can agree with that sentiment. You sure did surprise me, as well as your sister. Bra was mad you didn’t choose her as a witness but I told her we would have a celebration back at our place afterwards. You guys won’t fly off right away like Piccolo and Kya did, will you? You guys can be a little more patient this time."

Lidal blushed at the same time I did. I glanced at Piccolo and Kya and could see that they were blushing as well, though Piccolo was glaring at Mom. Mom never did have any tact. Dad guffawed. I had never seen him more amused.

Recovering his calm, Dad frowned. "Why do you need to go through this marriage? You have already claimed her as your mate."

Mom sighed, exasperated. "Some people prefer something more solid than a Saiyan mating, Vegeta."

He glared. "A Saiyan mating is solid. This marriage will make you more vulnerable than you have ever been before, son."

I frowned. "I have agreed to do this and I won’t back out. It won’t weaken me more than a normal marriage would have done. Would you want to go on living without Mom, Dad?"

Dad grunted but there was a glint in his eye as he looked at Mom that suggested he agreed, albeit reluctantly. Mom beamed at me and would have said something more but luckily, Pendril arrived with our last witnesses: Gohan, Videl, Pan, and Goten. Pan ran straight towards Lidal and gave her a big hug. "I can’t believe it! Who would think you would marry Trunks? I can’t wait ‘til you have kids!"

Lidal frowned at her brother, who was grinning his amusement. "Didn’t you tell them?"

"Tell us what?" asked Videl.

"I’m already pregnant. That’s kind of why we’re sort of rushing this," explained Lidal.

Gohan gaped. Goten came up and clapped me on the back, nearly knocking me over. "So that’s why you’ve been such in a bad mood! Dang Trunks! Couldn’t you wait until after you were married?"

I couldn’t believe this! Dad was smirking again and Pan was laughing! I exchanged a glance with Lidal. We could both tell that we would probably be teased about this for years to come.

It surprising that we got the ceremony done at all, with the way everyone was acting.

Trunks and I stood before Dende, with the married witnesses on our left and the bachelors on our right. "Great Earth, these two souls are ready to be bound to each other for all eternity."

Dende held out an ornate silver cup and a plain knife, one that I had seen many times before in other Shizen rituals. It always came back to blood, the blood of the Earth that flowed in our veins and binded us to all others. I knew what had to be done, for it had been explained to me at an early age, along with other Shizen traditions.

"Give up thy blood, in exchange for thy beloved’s, and become one," spoke Dende, saying words I recognized but never heard.

Despite my nervousness, I retained my calm as I took the knife and made a deep slash upon my palm. Holding out my hand and applying pressure, I was able to fill the cup a fourth of the way with my blood, which was a strange color of purplish red. Concentrating, I used my regenerative abilities to quickly heal my hand, leaving a scar. Taking the knife, Trunks unhesitatingly made a deep slash upon his palm. I admired him for that. Applying pressure, he was able to fill the cup the rest of the way with his blood.

Dende gave the cup a gentle shake and the blood swirled, mixing. I could feel a slight power building around it. Earth power. The way the blood was mixed would determine the outcome of how our children would be, no matter if I was already pregnant or not. That was why the blood had to be mixed evenly, so they wouldn’t be all me or all Trunks.

Once mixed, Dende held the cup out for me. Females always cut first and drink first. I took the cup and looked up into Trunks’ eyes. What I saw there reassured me. Almost by instinct, I said, "By this blood I swear my life unto you. My life is now in your hands."

Taking a deep breath, I tipped the cup and took a long drink from it. Quickly, I handed the cup to Trunks as a dizzy spell hit me. I wavered as a strange power burned through my veins. I could barely keep myself on my feet. Although it had been explained to me what would happen, I was unprepared for how it felt.

I looked at Lidal worriedly as she looked like she was about to faint. As if it hurt to speak, she whispered, "Drink it Trunks. The pain will last until you finish it."

I studied the blood within the cup, suddenly having doubts. Shaking them off, I repeated the same phrase back to her she had said to me. Quickly, I downed what was left in the cup. Dende quickly took the cup before it fell from my shaky hands. A strange fire was coursing through my veins. It was intense. How could Lidal stand it? Abruptly, it went away. I opened my eyes to see that Lidal was all right as well.

"The binding is now complete. You two will from now on be bondmates, together for life with no secrets and no misunderstandings," pronounced Dende.

I felt the most unusual sensation in my mind. Pictures, memories, were flashing through my mind. They were Lidal’s memories. I now understood her completely, in and out and knew things she had never told me. At the same time, I knew that my own memories were going through her mind. Lidal was right. It was unnerving but it was also nice to know that this way, we would never be parted.

It was like a door had been opened between our minds and now there was no way it could be closed. I knew Trunks whole life, from times even before I was born. And he knew mine. My fear returned. From now on, he would know my deepest, innermost thoughts.

A hand tilted my head and I found myself looking deep into Trunks’ eyes. He knew exactly what I was thinking. And as I looked into his, I saw he had the same fears. It felt reassuring. Was this how Mother felt when she looked into Father’s eyes that first time after their bonding? I thought it probably was.

Trunks’ arms slipped around my waist, holding me possessively tight. I wonder if I will ever get used to how possessive a Saiyan could be about their mate. I smiled at him. Right now, I didn’t really mind. Hesitatingly I slipped my arms around his neck, bringing him closer. His smile widened in delight. Our lips met in a long, slow, sensual kiss. Around us, I could here our family and friends cheering for us but I didn’t care at that moment. We parted just as slowly, breathless. All we could do was smile little secret smiles at each other. Life has been pretty hard on me but I had a feeling that with Trunks at my side, it would be a little more bearable.

*End of Lidal’s Story*