Overcast Skies
This was written for the 'Weather' table over at missioninsane on LJ. It'll be a 10 chapter fic and this is part one. I'll post them as I get them done. The characters aren't mine, as we all know by now. Enjoy!
01 - Snow
"I'm afraid that with this snow storm blowing in as fast as it did we were unable to complete the preparations for several of the suites." The man in charge of arranging everything needed for their arrival at the Northern Palace looked rather embarrassed to have been caught in such a situation, but the seemingly never ending torrent of snow made just about everything impossible. It was a wonder in and of itself that they made it here in one piece.
The group of six, while concerned about the effect this would have on their stay, didn't argue. They just waited for further explanation of what this change would entail. "What will the arrangements be, then, Windsor." DG inquired finally.
"Well, Princess DG, you and your sister, will have to share a room. The King and Queen will have theirs, just down the hall. But, I'm afraid the Advisor and the Tin Man will also have to share a room." That seemed to be the possible flaw in his plan.
Cain glared, shifting his bag on his shoulder - having insisted on carrying it himself.
"That's fine by me." Ambrose said, before Cain could actually protest and volunteer to sleep on the floor or some other equally uncomfortable surface. "If you agree, Tin Man."
With a roll of his eyes and a nod, he complied, following behind a rambling Ambrose and another of the palace servers. When they finally reached the room they'd be sharing at the end of a maze of hallways, the snow had begun to come down even harder.
"Don't think that mess is gonna let up anytime soon." He muttered, glancing out the window as he dropped his bag by one of the twin armoires the room held. In between sat a large king sized bed with a desk off to either side of the room. A master bathroom and a small balcony currently closed off due to the weather.
"If I had brought my Nivo-barometric calculator I'd be able to tell you. But, sadly, it wouldn't fit with my supplies." Ambrose seemed rather disappointed in that fact. "I must say, though. I haven't seen it precipitate like that in quite a while!"
Cain snorted, used to the genius speak by this point. He could usually take an estimated guess at what the man was talking about and if he couldn't he tuned out. Not always polite, but effective.
"You coming to dinner or going to hide out in your lab?" They'd had a temporary room set up in the basement for Ambrose's inventing until a more suitable one could be constructed.
"Dinner, I think. The journey here was rather long." The two men exited the room together, Ambrose leading by memory to the grand hall.
They'd nearly reached it when the generators power the Palace fizzled out and the entire hall they were in went black. "Well, that was unexpected." Ambrose said, his hand searching out Cain in the darkness. He found the Tin Man's arm in the shadows, taking a step closer to him as they continued through the corridors.
Some light still filtered through the coats of snow on the windows, allowing them to see the path they'd been following. After several unintended twists and turns, they ended up in the grand hall. DG and Ahamo were already present and the Queen and Azkadellia were just moments behind.
"Oh, dear!" The Queen exclaimed, taking in the room as maids bustled about with candles. "This storm is a strong one."
The fact that the Palace was cloaked in an eerie darkness did not, however, make anyone less hungry. Windsor had appeared again, that same remorseful apologetic look on his face. "The storm has knocked out our generators. It will take some time to be able to get the back-up generators powered up. Unfortunately, though, the power failed before we were able to prepare most of the meal. We have vegetables and…"
"Do you have chilled, cooked meat? And those delicious rolls?" DG piped up again, an idea coming to mind.
"Why, yes, we do. May I ask why?"
"It's an other side thing." She answered, gesturing for the group to follow her towards the abandoned kitchen. With her magic, she lit several candles scattered about the room in the haste of the hurried staff.
The group watched as she moved about the large room, gathering platters of this and that and setting them up on a large counter. "Okay." She said, finally. "It's simple. I'll demonstrate." They watched as she took one of the rolls and split it in half. Then she applied various meats and cheeses and the occasional vegetable. "And, tada! You have a sandwich."
"There's not actual sand in it, is there?" Ambrose questioned, eyeing the concoction with apprehension.
DG laughed. "No, of course not." She offered him the sandwich. "Go ahead. Try it!"
Reluctant, but unable to turn down a scientific experiment - even if he, himself was the subject, he took a bite of the sandwich, pleasantly surprised with the result. "Wow! That is good!" He proclaimed, and the other's all followed DG's presentation on how to prepare them.
The best thing about them, though. Was that they could be taken elsewhere. The King & Queen, with their food, retreated to the Dining Room to have a proper meal, while their daughters headed up to the observatory to watch the snowstorm from a better view.
Cain and Glitch though, had both opted to return to their room, wandering about as they went, their meal wrapped up for them to enjoy when the reached their destination. "I recall a time when these halls were full of magnificent sunlight. Gorgeous patterns of color would beam through the stained glass windows by day. Admittedly, though, they casted some pretty spine-tingling shadows at night. They gave DG nightmares fairly often, I remember."
Cain listened intently as Ambrose went on about the days long past. He liked having Ambrose in his company, and if he was being honest, wasn't even that perturbed by having to share a room with the man. Which, speaking of, they'd just reached.
"I want to try the balcony." Ambrose concluded, crossing the room t push at the doors to no avail. They were weighted shut by the mountain of snow undoubtedly outside.
Cain moved to stand beside him, a hand on his shoulder and their food forgotten for the time being. "Guess we'll just have to wait for the ice to melt."
"Who knows how long that could take." Ambrose whined, in a rather Glitch like fashion, if Cain said so himself.
The tin man laughed, his own icy blue eyes meeting Ambrose's and holding their gaze. "Might be sooner than you think, Sweetheart."