Title: 5 Easy Steps to Becoming Queen of the OZ
Character/Pairings : DG/Cain, pretty much the cast of Tinman plus some characters of my own.
Rating: R to be safe but probably not.
Warning/Spoilers: All three parts of Tinman.
Summary: DG has two months to learn how to be a Queen with a little help from her friends.
Disclaimer: Sadly I own nothing.
Chapter 2: Step 1- Healing
Why is it so dark? Oh, because my eyes are closed. The first thing I notice when I open my eyes is that it is still dark but I can see that I am in my room. Ow! I got shot! And now my body is catching up with my brain.
"Cain?" I say and look to my left. He is sleeping in an awkward position on a chair on the side of my bed and jolts awake at the sound of my voice. He is at my side in a flash.
"DG, you're awake."
"Thank you Captain Obvious." Oh. Apparently pain makes me cranky and sarcastic. "I mean yes and what happened?"
"You were shot by a renegade Longcoat."
"Right, that explains the burning pain in my shoulder."
I really look at Cain for the first time and notice that he is still wearing the clothes he had on when I was shot. It is night now so he must have been sitting with me all day.
"Are you okay Cain? You weren't hurt?" I ask looking at my blood splattered across the front of his shirt.
"I'm fine Princess." He raises his hand and brushes it across my cheek but quickly looks down and refuses to look me in the eye. "I'm sorry DG."
"What are you sorry for? Did you shoot me? And what happened to the guy who did because I'd like a word with him myself."
"He's dead."
"Oh. Did you..." I'm afraid to even ask the question and even more afraid of the answer. I never wanted Cain to have to kill anyone to protect me even though I know that it is his job as my guard.
"No I didn't. I was too busy trying to stop the bleeding." He still isn't looking at me and he gets up from the bed to put some distance between us.
"Then why are you sorry Cain?"
"Because it's my job to protect you and I failed. You got hurt because I was too busy thinking about..." He stops mid-sentence but I know what he was thinking about. The kiss. But I need him to say it out loud so that I know that we are both feeling the same thing.
"Thinking about what Cain?"
"It doesn't matter."
"But it does matter. It matters to me." Why won't he say that he was too caught up in his feelings for me to see the danger?
"I'm going to assign another guard to you."
"Why do I need someone else. It really wasn't your fault." Cain is getting closer and closer to the door and finally looks me right in the eye and I can see that he is hurting inside.
"I can't do it anymore DG. You and me... we're too close. I have to be alert at all times. You can see what happens when I'm not." He gestures to my arm that is bandaged and in a cloth sling.
"But Cain..."
"No DG. I've made a decision about your safety and I'm sticking to it."
"But we'll still see each other right? We can spend time together?" I am feeling a little desperate. It feels like Cain is walking out the door and out of my life.
"I'm going to be busy DG and it might be a good idea if we didn't spend so much time together."
"You just got back Cain and I missed you." Tears are welling in my eyes but I don't want to cry in front of him.
"You need rest Princess." This time when he says Princess he isn't using it as an endearment. It is a title and it represents the wall he has just put between us.
Cain turns to walk out the door but I stop him.
"Cain, did you stay with me the whole time?" I know the answer but I want him to admit it.
"Yeah."
"Thank you." He nods his head and glances towards my window.
"So did she."
I look to see who he is referring to and see Az asleep on the couch. I turn back to him but he is already gone.
"Az I know you're not asleep."
"How do you know?" She says without opening her eyes.
"Because no one could have slept through that discussion."
"You're right." Az jumps up from the couch and sits on the bed with me. "How are you feeling?"
"Okay I guess. Considering I got shot and my friend and guard just quit on me."
"Yes, I heard that. So what did he mean you two are too close?
"You know what he meant Az."
"Oh, you mean how you guys are completely in love with each other?"
"Az! He's not in love with me. He cares about me because of what we went through together and he wants to protect me, even from himself."
"I notice you didn't deny that you are in love with him."
Of course my sister would pick up on that. "Okay, fine. I care about Cain and I think he is starting to care about me. You see, we were kind of kissing when I got shot."
"Oh my."
"Yeah."
"Well, what's the problem with that.
"You have to understand how Cain works. He's straight out of an old western movie. He swoops in, kills the bad guys, saves the day and then gets the girl. Except he also has this incredible sense of honor. If he believes that being with me will in any way compromise me he will stay away. As you've just witnessed with him refusing to be my personal guard."
"I'm so sorry DG."
"Why are you sorry? It's not your fault men are dumb."
"Because you deserve some happiness after all you've been through." She is looking down at her lap and her face tells me that she is blaming herself for everything that I have been through since getting tossed into a tornado. I take her hands in mine causing her to look up.
"You deserve to be happy too AZ."
Az squeezes my hands then gets up to leave. "I'll let you get some rest. Oh by the way, your friend Raw is returning tomorrow."
"Thanks. I can't wait to see him." Az is escaping to her room where she always is lately. She hasn't made a public appearance with the royal family since the eclipse. I want to help my sister but I don't know how.
The next day...
My door opens around noon and Raw enters.
"Raw! It's so good to see you." Raw comes over to hug me careful of my arm.
"Raw happy to see DG. Cain say you are hurt. Let Raw see if he can help"
Raw puts his hand on my shoulder over the wound and the burning in it slowly eases. It still hurts but it isn't as bad.
"Thank you Raw."
"Welcome. Raw see that you are troubled. Troubled about many things. About Cain." I forgot that Raw could see into me like that.
"Yeah well, there isn't much you can do to heal that so let's just forget about it. I need your advice on something else though. You know I'm supposed to become Queen in two months?"
"Yes. Raw hear. Congratulations."
"Don't speak too soon. I have no idea what I'm doing. What can I do for the OZ that my mother or Az can't?"
"DG heal the OZ."
"What do you mean?"
"Like papay fields, but DG heal the people. Heal their spirits."
"How am I supposed to heal the people when I can't even heal my own sister?"
"People must see Azkadelia. See her as DG see her."
"She won't even leave her room most days let alone go out in public with me."
"DG talk to her. Will think of something. Raw go now, DG need rest."
I lay back on my pillows. Well that was productive. Not.
The next day I am feeling fit enough to roam around Finaqua with my shiny new personal guard Colter. He calls me, your highness and Princess with a capital 'P' and it is driving me nuts. He is only a few years older than I am. I am going to see AZ, who is, as usual, hiding in her room. When I go in I find her sitting at her dressing table staring in the mirror.
"Hey Az."
"Hello DG."
" I wanted to ask you a favor."
"What is it?"
"I need you to come to this orphanage in the next town over next week. It's only an hours ride and it'll do you some good to get some fresh air. Mother's advisors wants me to make an appearance and show the people the softer side of DG."
"What do you need me for then?" Az looks horrified at the prospect of leaving the palace.
"It would be good for you to get out and meet people. Show them that you're okay."
"But I'm not okay." Az is looking at her reflection in the mirror. I sit on the bench beside her.
"I know Az. What can I do to help?"
"I don't know DG." Her voice in trembling. "I look in the mirror and all I see is the witch. I don't know who I am anymore."
"I know who you are AZ." I am crying now as well. "You're my sister and you are the most beautiful person I know, inside and out. I know you blame yourself for everything the witch did but nothing could be further from the truth. If it's anyone's fault it's mine. I led you into that cave Az and I let go of your hand. I just ran away and let the witch take you." I don't know which of us is crying harder. Az turns to me and hugs me.
"Oh no DG! You were just a little girl and I was your big sister. I was supposed to watch out for you."
"You're still my big sister and you are as much a victim of the witch as anyone else in the OZ. I've come to terms with the guilt I feel and it's time for you to as well."
We hold onto each other for a few more moments and the crying stops. "Now how about a trip to the orphanage?"
"Alright, I guess. As long as there aren't a lot of people there."
"It's just a bunch of children Az nothing to worry about."
Next week...
We ride to the orphanage with way more guards than are necessary. Cain is in the lead but he hasn't said more than "Good day Princesses." He doesn't help me mount my horse even though I still have the sling on my arm. My recent shadow, Colter, has to help me up and it is awkward because he doesn't know where to touch me. He doesn't think it is proper for him to grasp my waist and haul me on top of my horse like Cain used to do. Cain hasn't touched me or had an informal conversation with me all week and it's starting to piss me off. But I don't have time to dwell on it when we get to the orphanage. It seems the whole town and maybe a few other towns have gathered outside the orphanage to get a glimpse of the Princesses. Oh boy. Az is going to kill me. I look at her and sure enough my sister looks like she wants to throttle me. I give her a sheepish smile and shrug. "Wonder where all these people came from." As we dismount and head to the orphanage Az is noticeably uncomfortable with the stares of the crowd but I take her hand as we walk in and she relaxes a bit.
Basically we are here for a PR stunt. Shaking hands and kissing babies they'd call it on the other side. Az and I come into a room with about 20 children all seated on the floor. I am supposed to be reading them a story. We are introduced and I ask the children what story they want to hear. No one answers me and I realize that all the children are staring at Az. Oh man. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I am trying to think of a way to get Az out of here when a little girl about 5 years old stands up in front of Az and says "Your pretty. Your hair is the same color as mine."
Az is stunned but manages a response. "Thank you, you're pretty too."
"Did it hurt to have the witch inside you?"
Az is speechless for a moment but then answers "Yes, sometimes."
"But the witch is gone now so it doesn't hurt anymore right?"
"Right."
"My name's Lizzy."
"Hello Lizzy. You can call me Az."
The other children soon start to chime in with questions.
"What's it like being a Princess?"
"Do you live in a castle?"
"Do you have your own horse?"
God bless children. They still believe in fairytales so when they are told that the evil witch possessing the Princess has been defeated they simply believe it. They don't doubt that Az is just a Princess of the OZ now and not the evil witch. Az is sitting on the floor surrounded by children with one little boy on her lap patiently answering their questions. Eventually she reads them a story and they all listen intently. I am standing at the back of the room smiling to myself.
"She's a natural with kids."
I nearly jump out of my skin not only because I thought that I was alone but because of the owner of the voice.
"Cain! You nearly gave me a heart attack! And yes, she is."
"You did good kid." Oh great now he wants to talk to me.
"I didn't think I could heal the people of the OZ if I couldn't even help my own sister. Raw helped me though."
"Looks like you've helped her."
I look at Cain but he is looking at Az with the children.
"Cain... we haven't really talked about what happened."
"You mean me letting you get shot?"
"No, I mean what happened directly before that. We kissed Cain. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"
"It means I let my feelings interfere with my job and I won't let it happen again."
"But Cain..." I reach out to touch his shoulder but he is already walking away.
Later that night Az and I are in her room.
"Thank you DG."
"For what?"
"For shoving me out of this room and out into the world."
I laugh "What are sisters for?"
I turn to leave. "DG?"
"Yeah Az."
"You're going to be a good Queen."
"How do you know that Az?" I am still very unsure of myself.
"Because you knew I was broken and you didn't give up on trying to fix me. You knew that I needed to see the innocence of the world again. Some of those children were probably orphans because I... the witch killed their parents yet they embraced me. They only see good in me and I needed that. To know that I have goodness inside of me."
"I could see it all along Az."
"I know DG, so thank you."
"You're welcome. I love you, you know that right?"
"Yes, and I love you too."
I leave Az's room and retire to my own. Colter is right behind me and when I stop suddenly to take off the fancy heels that have been killing my feet all day he bumps right into me sending me flying.
"Oh! Your Highness! I'm so sorry!"
"That's okay Colter." He helps me to my feet. "And I'll even forgive you if you will call me DG."
"It wouldn't be proper Princess."
"Oh come on. What's so great about being proper anyway? Just do it once, see how it feels, be naughty. There's no one here to see it." I look around and we are alone in the corridor. He still looks unsure. "Unless you're chicken." I try to goad him but it backfires.
"Why would I be a farm animal?"
"Oh never mind just try it."
"Uh, okay, uh, DG." He spits it out as fast as he can .
"There now. That didn't hurt did it?"
"No, DG."
"Now you've got the hang of it!" We are both laughing when Cain rounds the corner and sees us. He doesn't look happy. He must have heard Colter call me DG. I am still mad at him for avoiding me so I decide to show him that I don't need his company anyway. Holding my shoes in one hand I grab onto Colter's arm.
"Come on Colter, help me to my room. My feet are killing me."
We walk by Cain and I don't even glance at him but out of the corner of my eye I can see he is irritated. My enjoyment is short lived though. Soon I am sitting in my bed all alone and missing him.
