Forbidden

A Kiss in the Moonlight

*****
14- A Kiss in the Moonlight

Mid-Winter

"I'm not boring you, am I?" Pan asked Trunks nervously. She was holding onto his arm as they walked down the castle hallways. It was far too cold for her to be outside, so she suggested taking Trunks on a tour of the castle. Gohan and Yamcha were in the next city, attending general meetings so they wouldn't be there to spy on them. Lapis was off for the day, so he wouldn't be there to put a damper on things.

Even though Pan wanted to show Trunks her castle, he was a Prince of his palace, so she doubted he was impressed by anything they had.

"Of course not," he smiled at her. "I enjoy listening to you, and your castle is quite fantastic. It's amazing how similar yet different mine is."

"Really?" Pan asked curiously.

Trunks nodded. "Maybe one day I can take you on a tour of my castle."

"I would love that!" Pan said with a beaming smile. She wanted nothing more than to go to Trunks' home and see the castle he lived in. She wanted to know as much as possible about him.

"Okay," Pan said as she turned her attention back to the tour. "Up ahead is a greenhouse we have on the south side of the castle. It's beautiful! I come in here a bit to help out with the planets, and it's where I got the seeds for the garden in the clearing. It- Mama?" She said when she noticed her mother's familiar bun.

Chi-Chi turned around and smiled at Pan. Her eyes cast over to Trunks, and she tilted her head curiously. "Ah-" her eyes widened. "This must be Dr. Breif's grandson I've heard so much about."

"Yes, Queen Mother," he bowed his head respectfully.

"Please, just call me Chi-Chi," she told him gently. "Your name is Trunks, correct?"

"Yes," Trunks nodded slowly.

"And you're the one who makes Panny rush through her meals so she can meet you."

"Mama!" Pan whispered in horror as her cheeks grew hot.

Trunks chuckled, "I think I am guilty on that charge."

Pan pouted as she let go of Trunks' arm and walked over to Chi-Chi. "Mama, what are you doing here?" She asked to change the subject from herself.

"I was just rearranging these pots," she sighed as she placed her hands on her hips and motioned to the large pots in front of her. "They're too heavy for me to move, though. I was going to call a guard to help me, but-" her eyes glanced over at Trunks. "If you don't mind, could you help me? I hate calling a guard to help. They want to linger and make sure I'm fine."

"That sounds like the guards," Pan agreed. The guards did that for her as well. Some of them only did it because Gohan ordered them to, but there were many that Pan could tell did it because they genuinely cared for her and Chi-Chi.

"Of course," Trunks stepped forward. "What do you need to move and where to?"

Pan watched as Chi-Chi instructed Trunks to move two pots to the other side of the room. He lifted the first one effortlessly, and Chi-Chi's eyes widened slightly.

"He's stronger than I thought," she mused to Pan.

"He works out," Pan whispered back with a wink.

Chi-Chi let out a smile and patted the gardening apron she was wearing. "Oh no! Panny, I left my gardening gloves in the supply closet down the hall. Will you go get them?"

"In the supply closet?"

"Yes," Chi-Chi nodded.

Pan glanced at Trunks, who was coming back for the last pot. She smiled, "I'm going to get Mama's gardening gloves. I'll be right back," she told him.