Disclaimer: I do not own Tin Man or any of its characters, I do, however, own this particular ordering of words, for all the good that will do me.
Author's Note: I worry about this chapter. Of course, experience teaches me that the more I worry about a chapter the more you guys seem to like it. Let us hope the rule holds true.
PS Inspiration points to Quality Control, who actually did more than say 'it needs something' (always sooo helpful – not). I immediately scrapped her ideas regarding the final paragraph but they did inspire what I went with instead. Oh, and while I am at it, hers is the credit for the title of last chapter, I was drawing a blank. She probably wouldn't care either way but since someone commented on the title I figured I should give credit where credit was due.
...
Azkadellia woke the next morning with the feeling of what an Otherside child would recognize instantly as Christmas morning excitement. It took her a few minutes for her to recall whence came the unfamiliar sense of well-being and hope, but once memory had reasserted itself she was flying from the bed in the same manner as a much younger Az when she'd been intent on reaffirming that she had a new baby sister. She needed to know if yesterday had actually happened or if it had all been a wonderful and cruel dream. Such was her haste that she almost barrelled over the source of her tentative happiness as he stood in her doorway preparing to knock. He was real. She felt like the sun had just risen to banish an eternal night.
Officer Gulch, meanwhile, snatched his hand quickly away, took an immediate step backward, and eyed the princess warily. Before Azkadellia's good mood could be dampened by the fear that someone had told the reluctant slipper something that had made him afraid of her after all, the cop apparently satisfied himself on some point and relaxed.
"I don't suppose I can have my handcuffs back," he asked doubtfully.
The dreaded and often reviled former evil dictator Sorceress whose every deed had once added to her infamy could do naught but smile at the man who only worried she'd chain him to her wrist again. Az had felt somewhat betrayed when Deeg had handed over the keys last night but it seemed her advice to give the Othersider time to adapt was sound.
"Didn't think so," Gulch said with a resigned sigh as the princess merely beamed at him. After a moment's wistful contemplation, the cop shook himself and continued, "I am supposed to escort you to the small breakfast parlour for the morning meal before meeting with Wyatt, er, Cain to discuss my new duties and obligations."
"Ok," the eldest princess responded. Studying her new bodyguard attentively, Azkadellia was pleased to note that he did not seem to be thinking of running away. He may be a bit lost yet but was apparently accepting of the new role the royal family had thrust upon him. It wasn't until the cop started fidgeting under her gaze that Az realized that she had been staring at him for quite some time now.
"Um," Officer Gulch muttered, "I don't suppose you could show me where the small breakfast parlour is could you?"
Grinning now, Azkadellia tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow – he was supposed to escort her after all – and steered him in the right direction. "But of course," she murmured.
"How about the guardhouse?" he added, flushing with embarrassment.
"Certainly," the princess replied politely, "Perhaps I should give you a tour of the palace later," she suggested.
"That would be a great help," the cop said gratefully, "unless there any diagrams of the layout of the place that I could study." Az watched with avid interest as Gulch turned this thought over in his mind. "I suppose I should memorize the building plans, know all the entrances, points of defence and all that," he mused, his face losing some of its forlorn expression in light of this newfound purpose, "I should also..."
Humming along in agreement to his contemplative monologue, Azkadellia resolved to steal and hide all of the palace blueprints at the earliest opportunity. She did realize Gulch would need them eventually to be allowed to perform his duties properly but this afternoon she was absolutely determined to give him the O.Z.'s most extensive tour. It was lovely weather for a walk.
Had they been aware of the eldest princess' thoughts, anyone else would have been quick to point out that while the purple colour of the sky could be considered pretty, it was currently raining hard enough to drown a fish, the river seemed convinced that Central City Palace needed an all-around moat, and the wall guards were holding on for dear life lest the wind give them an impromptu flying lesson. As far as Az was concerned, however, it really was the most beautiful day.