Disclaimer: I do not own Tinman. The only thing I can claim is mine is the Tinman DVD I bought.

This fanfiction is dedicated to EmmaSteed, my wonderful Tinman consultant. I decided not to have her look over this one, and I'll hope she'll forgive me. Check out her fantastic Tinman stories.

Chapter One

He'd always had a vague idea he was in love with D.G. It was a notion he had entertained little, something that he had always assumed was there but buried deep within him. So successful had he been at hiding his feelings, that when they had cause to surface Wyatt Cain was thrown into tumult.

After passing several hours contently with the princess, of whom he was now personal body guard, the arrival of Ambrose with a request from the Queen broke the tranquility. It was certainly not unusual for her to ask for D.G.'s presence, but Ambrose's manner as he delivered the news spoke measures to Cain. He appeared uncharacteristically serious, his eyes sparking with uneasiness. What ever it was the Queen wanted to talk about, it wasn't good.

Nevertheless, D.G. happily bounced out of the room with Ambrose, Cain bringing up the rear. As they were lead to the Queen's private sitting room, further alarm bells went off in Cain's head. Choosing such an informal setting for a meeting indicated to him the Queen was trying to sustain a calm, friendly atmosphere. Why would she need to do that? It was then he noticed they were not to be alone, Ahamo was leaning against the fireplace and Azkadellia was seated nearby.

Cain wasn't sure if it was her entire family being in the room, or something that she had picked up from her sister through their magical connection, but D.G. seemed to have lost her usual bubbly demeanor. She now looked suspicious and slightly apprehensive as she sat down next to her mother.

Cain looked over at the Queen, then to Ahamo. He had received no indication he should leave, and Ambrose was still by the door, now closed. So Cain decided to stay where he was standing, behind one of the chaise lounges.

"D.G. my angel" her mother began, "We have something important to talk to you about, did you realise it has been six months since we were all reunited?" the Queen waved a hand around the room to indicate everyone present.

D.G. looked thoughtful as she shook her head. Had it really been six months? It certainly didn't seem so. She was still finding her feet within the palace, but she had started to feel more comfortable around the place. Small pieces of her life before the Other Side would come back to her every now and then, helping familiarity to settle in.

"Well, as remarkable as it seems, life as continued on around us. I have been working to re-establish relationships with our neighbouring nations, no doubt you have started studying these in your lessons now…"

D.G. continued to smile, but strain was setting in. She knew they have covered geography in her numerous lessons, but… that was were here "extensive" knowledge ended. She hoped her mother would ignore the fact she hadn't replied to this and as luck would have it, she did.

"We have been quite out of practice with court etiquette for the last fifteen annuals" the Queen determinedly kept her eyesight away from her eldest, not wanting to inflict anymore damage on her. Azkadellia seemed to hold up well, but the slightest redness had entered her cheeks. The Queen continued on.

"So it is quite essential we get start hosting our neighbours. Association has already begun and, in my opinion is coming along quite well. However it is time now, to take some action, to show we are earnest in our attempts. Therefore, it is in your best interests and those of the crown for you to start receiving potential suitors"

"Suitors? You mean like for medieval time or something, with flowers and tokens and stuff?" D.G. turned to her dad as she said this, not even bothering to acknowledge the baffled looked the others in the room were giving her.

Ahamo smiled at this "Not exactly spitfire. We're not talking serenades and poems of declaration here. It's just a chance for some of the young lads from nearby nations to introduce themselves and get to know you."

"Aha, but aren't suitors part and parcel of the whole marriage thing?"

"Well yes, and arranged marriages for the royal family have been the law in the O.Z. for-"

"Arranged marriage!?!?! I had an inkling this may have something to do with me in a white gown, but this is so much worse! Completely ridiculous! I don't get a choice at all?"

If D.G. hadn't burst in, Ahamo would have attempted to stop his wife. He had told her they needed to go gently with D.G. That in the world she had grown up in this sort of thing was the stuff of fairytales. He tried to intervene, but the Queen got in first.

"Of course you get a choice D.G. that's the reason we have potential suitors come to pay court"

"That isn't a free choice! That's just choosing the prize pick from a bunch of idiots who have massive sticks stuck up their-"

"D.G.!" Ahamo exclaimed

"What? It's true! You can't seriously support this!"

"Suitors? Arranged marriage?" Cain felt all the blood rush from his face. His worst nightmare was coming true and the irony of the situation was that he hadn't known it was his worst nightmare until this moment in time. The sudden realisation sparked a million things inside his head. Uncertainties and vague notions flew out the window. He really loved her… He loved D.G.! He didn't want her to entertain suitors and he most certainly didn't want her to be part of some arranged marriage. The fact that he had no idea how to rectify the situation was moot, he had already made the decision he had to do something.

"Please you can't do this!" D.G.'s cry pulled him from his thoughts and tore at his heart. He looked over at her and gone was the angry indignant girl from moments ago. In her place was a desperate, pleading soul, something he had never bore witness to before. She was making her final plea.

"It is royal law D.G. it can not be changed."

"You married father though!"

The Queen momentarily lost her cool façade, tinges of sadness in her eyes as she looked over at her husband.

"Yes… I did my angel, and that is now to your detriment. It was miracle enough that I was allowed to accept your father's hand, it caused quite a scandal at the time, not to mention it was a political nightmare. Relations with several neighbouring countries were strained and in some cases, completely broken. I spoke tentatively of this before, but now I have no choice but to be blunt." The Queen paused for a few seconds here taking a quick glance at her eldest, but Azkadellia's face remained unmoved as she continued to look at D.G.

"The Sorceress' coup completely decimated any sort of friendly contact with the O.Z. We are only now putting the pieces back together, it has taken months, months D.G. to strengthen our ties again, not allowing suitors and having…well having you…"

"Marry freely a man of my choice?" D.G. supplied sweetly.

"Well it would not only ensure relations amongst countries and the O.Z would become uncomfortable, but may open up the possibility of civil war. We are still a broken nation D.G. We are slowly rebuilding but we could never withstand an attack."

"This is a lot more to this than you realise D.G." her father said gently "as you can see there are a lot of politics involved."

"I am thinking of not only your future darling, but that of the O.Z. It has been a rite of passage here of all princesses for as long as history can date. Azkadellia's time will come as well. Not in the immediate future of course, she still needs time to recover. Nevertheless, it will come to pass for her as it now does for you. Plans have already been made, a list of potential candidates will be given to you tomorrow. Be prepared to meet your first choice next week." Finished with her task, the Queen stood up and Ahamo came to take her arm. He threw a quick glance of concern at his youngest as he lead her mother out of the room.

D.G. sank down into the chaise, staring at the floor. Cain remained by the door, his face a blank canvas but his mind had been whirring away, trying to work out how to handle the situation. Not only for his own interests, but those of D.G. it was clear that it was something she did not want either, hell, he knew that well before the conversation just past. His eyes had screwed up slightly, as he thought over things, now however they had returned to normal.

At that very moment, in the very last few seconds in which the Queen had spoken, Cain saw his answer, his salvation. It had only been a quick glance, hastily thrown in her direction at the mention of her name, but in it he had seen enough. Enough to know he had an ally, or at least, a potential one. He just needed to convice Ambrose of that.