Title: With A Paddle

Author: Kay Seda

Characters/Pairing: Cain, DG, and Glitch

Note: Written for the tm_challenge prompt of "Finaqua."

He'd been watching it for a while now, bobbing along where ever the wind and subtle currents of the lake guided it. One hour, two, and finally it seemed close enough to warrant getting his feet wet. Carefully he took off his shoes and socks, then rolled his pants up to his knees before stepping into the shallow water along the shore and going out to an optimal location to wait. After a minute or so he looked down to see a small school of minnows swimming above his feet, and he smiled with soft fascination until as one they darted away.

"How's the water?" a familiar voice called.

With another smile Cain turned to address the princess. "A little cool but not bad," he replied, then nodded out to his quarry. "Should be close enough soon."

"Nice to know you're keeping an eye on things," DG remarked, then hiked up her pale orange skirt and waded out to join him, the hem trailing in the water despite her efforts. "Who knows what menace that canoe holds?"

"You can't be too careful," he said solemnly and folded his arms, the perfect vision of a sentry.

They stood silently for a bit to watch the clouds lay shadows across the lake and palace, listening to leaves rustle in the breeze. A fish jumped in the distance, two ducks glided out from behind the canoe, and DG leaned her head on Cain's shoulder.

"I wonder if it's always summer here," she mused. "I wouldn't mind that."

"It'd get boring," he told her. She snorted derisively. "Well, it would."

DG shook her head. "You would find a bad side to permanent nice weather. You're amazing."

"Thank you," Cain replied, then ducked so she could give him a peck on the cheek before returning his gaze to the water.

Finaqua was the royal family's retreat and the very landscape seemed to urge tranquility, the days were meant to be spent idle. It was nearly impossible to imagine that all of their nightmares had begun there as well, not that anyone spoke of it.

Today the only concern was the wayward canoe, which had encroached enough by that time for Cain to wade out further, DG sloshing along beside him. They'd underestimated the depth and so skirts and trousers got wet, but that was forgotten in favor of inspecting the canoe's contents.

"Oh my," Cain said.

DG struggled not to laugh. "I was going to ask if you'd seen him today."

Curled up fast asleep in the well of the craft was Glitch. He was dressed in a gray and white seersucker suit with a white shirt, a straw hat tipped over his face to shade it from the suns. An oar was propped up at the stern of the canoe.

Cain rest his hand on the prow and gently guided the boat towards the shallows. "There's a story here but we'll never get it."

"Another great mystery of the O.Z.," the princess declared and reached down to shake Glitch's shoulder. "Rise and shine!"

Glitch moaned and waved in the direction of her hand, then swatted the hat away. "Wuzzat?"

"You made it across the lake," Cain said. "I hope that was the plan."

He sat up abruptly, which caused the canoe to rock. "Across the-" Glitch spotted the palace on the opposite shore and his mouth fell open in shock. The expression morphed into a yawn even as pointed frantically. "'Pointment! I have to see...oh, it doesn't matter, I need to be over there! Clap me!"

"No way," DG said and held her hands as far apart as possible. "With me doing it you'd probably end up halfway to Bunnybury."

With a look of determination Cain picked up the oar. "Don't worry, kiddo," he said. "I've got the feeling the appointment was lunch, and that's about forty minutes off yet. We can make it if someone's actually paddling."

"Ha!" Glitch cried and settled his hat indignantly. "Sure, just because I have an appetite-"

"Quadruple berry cobbler. And ice cream."

Glitch blinked. DG stared blankly for a moment, then clambered into the front of the canoe with little regard for her sodden skirt. Cain offered up a quick prayer of thanks as he made it into the back of the boat without the whole thing tipping over, then rolled his eyes as Glitch pointed the way.

"To the docks, tin man, with all possible haste!"

The oar may have splashed a bit too vigorously at that, but the retaliatory volley of water was worth it to hear DG's laughter.

"And you thought we'd be bored!"