A/N: break-ups inspire writing … yay!
Disclaimer: I own nothing. If someone figures out a way I could own Wyatt Cain, please let me know…
DG had made the right decision. She was sure of that. How could it be right to stay with someone when she was absolutely sure that she had feelings for someone else? Of course she'd lied to him somewhat about the reason for breaking off the courtship. She had hinted that there might be another man, but mostly she could tell he wanted to propose soon, so, as kindly and diplomatically as she could, she had explained her need to really settle into life in The O.Z. before anything serious. Sure, it had been six months, but DG hadn't lied – she still didn't feel entirely right in this new/old world that she had once belonged to. The daily lessons didn't help either. Foreign Diplomacy, Etiquette, History, for heaven's sake she was taking a class on appropriate attire to wear during formal events!
Just as she turned the corner, DG bumped into someone.
"Watch yourself princess," came the gruff voice of Wyatt Cain.
DG looked up and felt her heart catch in her throat. It had an annoying habit of doing that whenever her eyes met Cain's ice blue ones.
"Sorry," she replied quietly.
"You got out early – I was just on my way to find you."
She nodded, not entirely hearing him. Her heart still hadn't slowed down, and she supposed that had something to do with the fact that her reason for breaking things off with the Duke was walking right next to her. Now she just had to get up the courage to tell him she was interested.
Oh who are you kidding, said the voice in her head, Interested? You're in love with him.
This was an inconvenient truth that DG chose to downplay. She had also hinted to Duke Cornelius that this other man in her life was aware of her existence. This was a lie. Cain might be aware, but he certainly didn't seem to have any feelings about that fact. Fleetingly DG wondered if she'd done the right thing. What if she'd given up something for nothing?
"You're being awfully quiet," Cain remarked as the pair strode down the hallway.
"Me? Oh yeah, sorry," she replied absently, "hey can we skip the riding lesson today and just go down to the gazebo for a bit?"
Cain studied her for a moment, "If you can give me one good reason, then yes. Only this once."
"I broke things off with Duke Cornelius."
At that Cain stopped short, "You did what?"
"We'll talk when we get down there," she said, heading down the stairs and toward the door.
Wyatt Cain followed DG down the steps and out into the sunlight. He was entirely unsure of what to do. Half the kingdom, the king and queen included, had been expecting DG to end up married to the Duke. It wasn't even an expectation, it was basically a plan. The two had seemed to get along so well … it made no sense. He knew that he would have to reprimand her. Explain how important this was for her country, tell her to give the man another chance – but he didn't want to. His growing happiness at the fact that she wasn't with another man was a reminder that his feelings for DG had grown into something more, even though it was his duty to ignore that. He sighed, reminding himself that he was a Tin Man. He needed to do his job, and that meant doing right by DG. She would be happy with the Duke, he told himself, she just got scared. Masking his feelings once again, Cain entered the gazebo and sat down next to his princess. No, he told himself, the princess. Not my princess. She can't be mine.
"So kid," he said, turning to her, "why the break up?"
DG sighed, "I don't know. It just didn't feel right. We got along great and I know everyone wanted it to happen, but just … I couldn't do it."
"Why not?"
"I'm not ready. I've only been back a short while, I can't start thinking about marriage yet."
"It could've been a long engagement."
"He would've been too impatient."
"He would've waited."
DG turned to Cain angrily, "Stop making excuses for my excuses," she said, getting up and walking toward the lake. Cain immediately followed.
"I'm sorry princess," he said, "I just don't want you to make a decision that you'll regret for silly reasons."
She turned to him with flashing eyes, "My reasons aren't silly."
"Aren't they? The ones you just gave me are pretty weak and pretty damn easy to fix."
DG shook her head and looked down for a long moment. When she looked back up at him, there were tears glistening in her eyes. Cain hated to see her cry, he hated it more than anything. And the fact that maybe he'd made that happen … he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms at that moment and kiss the tears away.
Stop it, he told himself harshly, get a grip.
He settled for taking a step toward her and lifting her chin with his finger, a small gesture, but still enough to make his body shiver slightly at the contact. Was it his imagination, or had he felt her do the same?
"Hey," he said, "Don't cry. No one will make you do something you don't want to do."
"You're right about my reasons," DG said. It was the last thing Cain was expecting.
"So why don't you want to be with him then?"
DG wiped the tears off her cheeks and looked at him with her wide blue eyes, "I'm in love with someone else," she said simply, and turned to continue to the edge of the lake.
Cain took in the words, but didn't dare to believe what they could mean. She must be referring to another nobleman, or maybe one of the couriers. Or maybe she was lying. That could be it …
Once again he followed her, coming next to her as she stared at her reflection in the water.
He swallowed hard, wondering if he wanted to ask the next question.
"Who is it?"
He directed his question toward her, but she didn't look up.
"DG?"
"Look down," she replied finally.
The moment the words came out of her mouth, she braced herself for a reprimand. A talk about silly crushes and how it meant nothing, a talk about how inappropriate she was and how she should go back to Cornelius. But none of it came. His reflection just looked into her reflections eyes. It felt like hours, but maybe it was only seconds. Then he gently put his hand on her arm and turned her to face him.
"I-"
"It's all right," she said quickly, "I know what you're going to say. It's all right. I wasn't expecting anything. I guess I just … I wanted you to know. I wanted to – "
She couldn't get another word out as Cain's lips covered her own. In his kiss was everything she had ever wanted an answer to, and she could feel all of it. The passion, the longing, the absolute need that seemed to set fire to both their bodies as they pressed closer against each other.
When they broke apart, Cain smiled at her, "You know something kiddo, you talk too damn much for your own good. You didn't even let me finish," he brushed a strand of hair out of her face, "I love you too."
Then his mouth was on hers again, and DG lost herself in everything about him. She knew this might complicate things, but somehow she just didn't care. She was exactly where she belonged.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed it - reviews please!! I mean hey, i broke up with my bf, show a girl some love (yes, I just played that card…lol)