It's been about two years since the last complete Azkadellia and Jeb story was posted. I was inspired to write this story after watching the Syfy miniseries and Anastasia back to back. I also received inspiration from the Wizard of Oz series by L. Frank Baum, the 1939 film adaptation and the other Az/Jeb stories on this same website. As always, the respective series belongs to its creators.
Chapter 1
A young boy with neatly trimmed brown locks bounced on his feet, halfway due to boredom, the other through suppressed excitement.
He and his father were in a castle - a real, live, honest-to-goodness castle with a queen and guards!
And two princesses!
His mother had always read him bedtime stories about knights rescuing princesses. Little Jeb Cain would often run into the fields surrounding his home, pretending he was astride a majestic, white horse. A long stick would be his mighty sword, capable of smiting any evil which crossed his path.
One week ago, Wyatt Cain, his ice-blue eyes crinkling in amusement, bent down before his only son. In front of the roaring fireplace of the cottage he built with his own two hands, the man found he didn't have to kneel so far this time. The boy was growing in leaps and bounds. Where had the time gone?
"Son, we're going on a trip."
Jeb's dark eyes lit up with pleasure. They so rarely traveled anywhere. "We? Mother too?"
He glanced over at his beautiful, strong mother. Though her hands were rough from work, she could still calm his tears with the same loving touch.
The woman smiled as she darned a hole in one of Jeb's pants. The boy was forever wearing out the knees in his trousers with his horseplay. "No sweetheart, I'll stay home. It'll just be you and your father this time."
Her little boy gasped. He had never taken a trip with only his father before!
Wyatt grinned at the boy's astonishment. "You know that I work for the Mystic Man."
Jeb nodded. He knew that his father's position was as a member of the Mystic Man's protection detail. The Mystic Man himself was magical, powerful and always imparting little phrases of wisdom.
"Riddles, more like it," scoffed his father.
A torrent of questions erupted from his son's mouth, and the man placed his hands on his child's shoulders to draw the lad's attention back.
"The Mystic Man is traveling south to Finaqua to have an audience with the Queen. He's given me permission to take you along."
The boy's eyes were surely to pop out of his head, his surprise was so evident.
"Now you won't be meeting the Queen. The Mystic Man will probably just talk to her in private."
Jeb looked crestfallen, and his father sought to soothe his disappointment. "You'll be free to explore the area. Finaqua I heard has one of the most beautiful lakes in the O.Z."
The megawatt smile soon returned to his dear child's face.
"He'll need new clothes," his mother murmured with a gentle smile.
Jeb made a face. New clothes meant an itchy experience, but none of that mattered. He was going on a trip!
TinManTinManTinManTinManTinMan
Now here he was standing in the actual grand throne room of the royal palace in Lake Country! From the outside he thought the blue-roofed building looked smaller than what he had imagined in his mind a palace should be. It seemed to be built of magic though because inside were the biggest rooms he had ever seen! The sitting room of his home could fit in one corner of the main greeting foyer and still have acres of space to spare.
He shuffled awkwardly in place on his feet again, and his father gave him a look.
Give him a break! It was hard for a nine year old to stay still, especially when he was in such an interesting location.
Servants and courtiers rushed around purposely in their movements. Around every corner was a man or woman captured on oil paintings with a stern expression, and columns rose further than the eye could see.
"How many palaces are in the O.Z, Jeb?" his father queried to take his son's mind off of waiting.
"Three," the boy dutifully replied, "The Ice Palace on the northern island, their main residence, the governing seat in Central City, and this one, their southern vacation home in Finaqua."
He hadn't seen the others, but so far he thought Finaqua was the best. There was a hedge maze leading to the castle grounds! That was certainly a sight to see, and he swore they were going the wrong way many times, but somehow the Mystic Man had known every turn to take.
"That's right," Cain said with a proud look. Sharp as a tack was his boy.
His son shifted again, sighing, and his father gave a resigned smirk.
This boredom was worth it though. Jeb had gotten to see the Wizard himself, the Mystic Man!
The scholar was older than the youth pictured upon meeting him. A small man with greying hair, he gave the young boy a fond smile and rubbed his head affectionately. "He has a good heart," the Wizard remarked. With a jerk and spasmodic fit the man stiffened. His voice, robotic and monotonous, "He will… will need it… in the coming days…"
The wizard straightened with a shudder. Apologizing to the boy's wide-eyed stare, the Mystic Man retreated shakily to speak to a dark-haired nobleman. Jeb didn't like that man. The Counselor, as his father called him, spoke quickly and condescendingly. He used a lot of big words Jeb couldn't understand.
"Jeb, how about you run over to the lake pavilion, but," Wyatt Cain raised a stern finger. "Do not go into the forest. There are wild animals in there."
Jeb nodded, promising solemnly to his father. Wyatt Cain had always said that a promise was serious business. You don't make one and with the intention of breaking it. His mother would give him a good tanning too if he ruined his new clothes.
He walked until he was out of his father's sight before taking off to expend his youthful energy. Finally! It seemed like he had been standing still for ages! With childish glee, he could see the bright opening of the double doors leading to the outside.
Whump!
He fell upon his backside upon the marble floor. In his haste he had slammed headfirst into a complete stranger. Jeb scolded himself mentally. His father was going to kill him for doing something so stupid!
The softest hands he had ever felt touched his face searchingly. "Are you alright, my child?"
He glanced up to answer, but the words caught in his throat like the sticky honey bread his mother made for him that morning. He had always thought his mother was beautiful, but the woman before him eclipsed her like the double suns of the O.Z compared to a distant star. The stranger leaned over him, dark hair elegantly wrapped in a knot contrasting with the lady's alabaster skin. She wore a long, flowing, cream-colored gown, covered with an ermine wrap to protect her from the chill, but most astonishingly her eyes shone with an unusual purple hue.
Jeb nodded dumbly. He wasn't hurt, only shocked from the impact. "M' Sorry," he mumbled, probably looking as bright red as one of those painted munchkins his father had told him stories about.
"It's quite alright. You are not the first to run into me in this palace."
The woman gave him a gorgeous smile, making her unique lavender eyes shine even brighter. After accepting his apology, she graciously and helped him to his feet. With deft hands, she straightened his crooked jacket in one smooth motion.
The boy stared after her as she stood gracefully and walked towards the room he had just escaped from.
"Your majesty," one of the guards spoke as she passed his sight.
The queen! He had just seen the queen and, what at idiot, foolishly nearly knocked her over! His mouth dropped open in surprise. She probably thought he was a country bumpkin, running through her own palace like a ruffian!
Shaking his head, he made a vow to himself as he rounded the palace walls following the pathway to the pavilion overlooking the lake. Alright! He would behave. He wouldn't embarrass his father with foolish antics!
He would-
Whump!
Oh no, not again.
A girl, taller than him, with long curled dark hair styled away from her face appeared in his vision as he was sprawled on the ground. Her lips were ruby red and her eyes dark in color. Her bearing was straight and regal even crouching before him in a forest green dress. First the queen, now her. How was it that every girl in the palace could be so pretty?
"I'm sorry!" Jeb blurted out. I didn't look where I was going!"
His unfortunate victim smiled as she helped him up, with a hint of laughter in her eyes. "It's alright. My little sister runs around the palace when she's not supposed to all of the time."
Good, she wasn't angry, Jeb thought. Older than him, and oh so much taller. It was unfair. He was still the smallest of the boys in his hometown. His father told him to be patient, he was still growing, but Jeb wanted to be taller now!
"Have you seen her, my sister?" She addressed him in a sweet, soft voice. "A little girl with dark hair younger than you? She's wearing a red dress. She promised we'd play by the lake today."
Jeb shook his head. He hadn't seen a little girl. The only children around the place had been him. He hadn't even seen a glimpse of the princesses around either.
The girl sighed in exasperation. "Maybe she's out by the pavilion," she muttered.
The brown-haired youth took the opportunity to make amends, "My father gave me permission to walk that way. I can help you look for her. Maybe two pair of eyes would find her faster."
"I'm Jeb Cain," he said offering his hand for a handshake he had seen his father do with the men he met.
His companion quirked a dark eyebrow, shaking his hand gingerly as if she wasn't used to the action. "My name is Azkadellia." She dropped into a graceful curtsey despite the presence of her sturdy boots.
"Azka-what?"
"Az-ka-dellia." The girl spoke her name a little slower. What had her mother been thinking gifting her with such a cumbersome name? Her little sister's was only two letters, after all!
"Mmh..ba…Dellia?" Jeb tried. "Can I call you Dellia instead?"
Azkadellia perked up. This little boy was so candid with her. None of the nobleman's children treated her so openly. "Dellia, I like that."
The newly formed pair took the walkway to the pavilion, a sturdy outdoor structure with a hanging swing installed in its center.
"It's perfect for reading or watching the lake."
Jeb's forehead crinkled in confusion. "Would the palace let anyone use it? Father says I can see it, but not to play on it. It's only for the royal family."
Azkadellia grinned, "Oh they'll let me use it," she said with a trace of laughter in her tone.
There was no sight of her little sister. They walked around the building continuing their search.
"Look there's a pile of stones," Jeb noticed the anomaly amongst the green grass.
It was a sad little pile, haphazard and tilted crookedly. His new friend groaned in exasperation. "That's DG's work alright."
She bent taking apart the sorry structure, and Jeb crouched down to do the same.
"What was she trying to hide?" he wondered.
"Oh!" was the answer. In the girl's small, white hands she held a flat stone, somewhat shaped into a heart. "It's perfect. She was probably saving it for a special day."
Azkadellia reverently placed the stone back in its center, and between the two of them, had a sturdier construction built to hide the secret in no time.
"Now where is DG? We decorated some figurines, but she got red paint on her hands. She said it would only take her a few minutes to clean up."
Jeb shrugged. It seemed like this mysterious little sister was a myth.
"Maybe she's with my father," Azkadellia supposed.
A shrill scream rent the silence in the air. Azkadellia latched out gripping Jeb's hand in terror.
"That's DG!"
Her face was paler than before, and her hand was painfully tight on his.
Dellia focused her vision on locating her most precious sister, "It sounds like it's coming from the woods!"
"Let's go!" Jeb declared turning them towards the sound of the shriek.
"No, I'll go. You find my mother. Tell the Queen her daughters need her!"
What? Mother? The Queen? Dellia was a princess?!
"But…"
"Go!" the girl ordered, and hurtled herself towards her sister.
Shocked, the boy ran on stumbling legs, running faster than any boyhood race could have prepared him for. Past the astonished looks on the guards' faces, past the stern dignitaries, he burst into the Queen's sitting room.
"Jeb!" his father exclaimed.
"D…G… in trouble… Delia went after her… the forest…" he panted out.
The Queen was out of her seat like a shot, and through some magical means, transported herself away from the sight of those present. Ahamo, the Queen's Consort, immediately began barking out orders, stilling the chaos into an ordered means to rescue his daughters.
Wyatt Cain true to his training ushered the Mystic Man and his son outside to safety. The royal family may have had bolt holes to hide in, but he preferred to have an open path to run.
The Mystic Man was muttering to himself feverishly, "I'm too late. I didn't understand. This was what I was seeing."
"Mystic Man?" Cain questioned.
"Don't you see?! The witch, she's returning!"
Jeb shrunk back in fear. The man was close to raving now. His father made to move the pair onward towards the path away from the palace, but the Wizard silenced him with a word.
"Stop!"
A sharp rustle through the quiet, a crack of broken twigs. The trio held their breath.
And two little girls ran crying out of the woods.
"Delia!" Jeb shouted, and he found himself engulfed in dark curls and green lace.
"Mommy!" The smaller girl launched herself at his father, clinging with a fierce hold around his midsection.
"Jeb.. she…" Azkadellia hiccupped through her tears against the top of Jeb's head. "DG got caught by an evil spirit. I pushed her away, but the witch turned her sights on me. It was so cold." She was shaking uncontrollably. "Mother…" she trailed off.
She turned seeing the Mystic Man chanting something quietly and touching a calming hand against her little sister's forehead. The small girl slumped boneless, and Cain picked her up into his steady arms.
Azkadellia gave a small cry, and rushed towards her baby sister.
"She's merely sleeping," the Mystic Man comforted her. "I've placed a block against her memories, so she won't know what happened today."
"But the Queen-," Cain questioned before a sharp crack and a rumble as the world pitched and rolled under their feet stole away his words.
The Mystic Man glanced up at the darkening sky.
"The Queen is gone."
After writing and re-writing, I finally decided to post. The story is complete, 8 chapters in total. Please excuse the errors. The story has not been beta'd.
Any comments and criticisms would be appreciated.
Grignard