Limit

Her soul sighed, though her lips smiled, as yet another suitor drew her out onto the dance floor. Graceful were his steps, handsome his face, but neither matter, he wasn't what she wanted, and he never would be; just as the last one hadn't been, and the one before him.

She longed for blue eyes and rough hands. Her eyes scanned the perimeter of the room, searching for him, but in the twirling of the dance, she could not find him. Her heart trembled.

The waltz ended, she curtsied politely, giving him a regal smile. She had reached her limit.

Escape

When she thought there was no one looking she ducked quickly through the crowd. She kept her face down as much as she could until she got out into the darkened hallway, when she kicked off her uncomfortable shoes and broke out into a run. Her feet made hardly made a sound as she ran over the cool marble. "No more dancing, no more stuffy royals," she thought as she went through the servants' quarters. She didn't even bother to look around her as she bolted for an open door at the far end of the kitchen. Freedom awaited her.

Yellow

He had followed her, chuckling silently to himself as she took off running down the wide hallway, her simmering, yellow, silk dress flowing behind her. For a moment it was as though the years had melted away and he was child again, in the field of the farm he'd grown up on, chasing fireflies in the heat of summer nights. He knew that he'd have to bring her back to the ball, he'd have to make her see the twisted logic that dictated that as the princess of the O.Z. she had less freedom than any of the other citizens.

Labyrinth

DG fell into the long grass of the maze. Tall hedge walls around her, and she let herself relax, drew a deep breath of fresh, cool air and relished it.

Cain followed her footprints in the dewy grass. As he rounded the last corner he saw her there, sitting with her back to him as she gazed up at the stars. He gave a small smile, watching her for a moment. He knew he would have to shatter her tranquility and he hated the thought of that. He walked up slowly. "Hey there, Princess," he said, gently touching her shoulder.

Teardrop

She turned to him. Her lips turned up into one of her first real smiles of the evening. Her Tin Man had followed her. "I have to go back?" she asked, her eyes pleading for the impossible.

"You got it, kid," he said, almost apologetically.

"Dance with me," she said softly.

"When we get back to the ball," he said, offering her his hand up.

"No," she almost whispered. "Here."

He chuckled, shaking his head, but conceded; one arm around her waist, her small hand in his larger one.

She rested her head on his shoulder, a single teardrop fell.