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

Thanks to those of you who have reviewed especially KLCtheBookWorm, ladyoftherealm and River4Jayne. You guys rock! Remember folks, I love the encouragement! LOL!

Chapter 4: Step 3- Magic

"Concentrate DG. Let the light flow through you."

"You know, you saying that to me every two minutes isn't going to just make it happen."

I've only been training with Tutor for a week and I already want to find a spell to zap him with. I'm currently trying to control the elements. The first time I tried to control water I ended up losing control of a wave that soaked myself, Colter and Tutor. Colter and I thought it was pretty funny but Tutor really didn't. I'm not even allowed to talk about what happened when I tried to control fire but I hear that the palace gardener's eyebrows are growing back quite nicely. Today I am trying to master the air. Tutor has asked me to move the leaves at the base of a tree and make them dance through the air in the elegant pattern I want them to. So far I have only been able to make the leaves whirl in a chaotic circle and then fall back on the ground. Tutor is frowning at me.

"It doesn't make it any less true Princess. You have to focus on the air. Feel it inside of you and then move it the way you want it to go. You have great power inside of you, you just have to learn to use it. Now try again."

"Okay, okay. Here goes nothing."

I try to clear my mind and focus on the air around me. I close my eyes knowing that I don't need to see the air to control it. I can feel a light breeze shuffle my hair and I push it towards the leaves on the ground. I picture a dancing couple in my head. I can almost here the music.

"That's it DG! You're doing it!"

I open my eyes and sure enough the leaves are dancing around in the pattern of the waltz I heard in my head. I smile and laugh but make sure to keep my concentration on the leaves. I get a little more confident and move the leaves to dance around Tutor and then move them over to Colter who is behind me. As I turn to see his reaction I catch a glimpse of someone leaning against a pillar and realize it is Cain. He was watching me the whole time and I didn't even know it. The shock causes me to lose control of my magic and the leaves scatter in different direction and the gust of wind I had been using shoots off toward the tree. I hear a cracking noise and in the next instant there is a blur in front of me and I am pushed back against the tree trunk with a large body covering me from head to toe. A huge limb falls to the ground where I had just been standing. I look up and see Colter's face directly above mine.

"Are you alright Princess?"

"Yeah, thanks to you." I look over his shoulder to see Cain running towards us. Colter looks in the same direction.

"You ready to give Cain a little incentive?" Colter and I have decided that the only way to get Cain to admit he cares about me and give up this silly conviction to stay away from me is to make him as jealous as possible. It seemed like a good idea at the time but now that I have to actually implement it I'm nervous.

"Uh... yeah I guess." Colter's hand moves up to my face and gently pushes my hair behind my ear. I am startled at first but I look up at him and he winks at me. I glance at Cain approaching and he is within hearing distance. I throw myself up into Colter's arms.

"Oh Colter! You just saved my life. Thank you." Colter wraps his arms around me and squeezes.

"No problem DG, I won't ever let anything happen to you." Oh that was good. Colter should be an actor. As we break apart and turn to face Cain we can see that his face is no longer impassive as usual. He looks spitting mad.

"Oh Cain, there you are. Did you see what just happened." I ask innocently.

"Yeah, I saw it. I couldn't get to you in time."

"Yes well Colter was there for me, he always is." Oh! Take that Tin Man! Now I'm really getting into my role. If Cain's face could get any redder it just did. He was looking at Colter with his hand still on my back.

"Princess are you alright?" Tutor runs over to us breaking the moment. You must be more careful DG!"

"Yes Tutor, I realize that." I turn back to Cain but he is walking away already. Well so much for that. How can I make him jealous if he is constantly walking away from me.

"I'm sorry Tutor I just lost control of it. I'll be better next time. I promise."

"Isn't that what you told the gardener?" Colter snorts and I hit him in the chest.

"Well let's try something else for now Princess. Perhaps something a little less dangerous."

"Ugh! Why do I have to learn these stupid spells anyway? I'm going to be Queen of the OZ not David Copperfield."

"Because Princess, the light inside of you is what reassures the people of the OZ that you are worthy of being there Queen. You have to be able to control it."

"What if I'm not worthy of being Queen?"

"You are DG."

"How do you know that?"

"Because you're just like your mother. I was her tutor as well. I was a lot younger in those days. Your mother had the strongest magic in the OZ and she has passed that magic onto you. She had a lot of trouble controlling it first too, but your father helped to center her."

"What do you mean."

"Your father helped her to concentrate. His love for her brought her peace inside and gave her the confidence to accomplish anything."

"Oh great so now you're telling me I have to find a guy to sweep me off my feet so that I'll be able to control my magic?"

"It's not always that way DG. The first Dorothy Gale found her control with the help of her friends. They all had such a close bond that she was confident enough to do anything because she knew that they would always be there to catch her if she fell." Tutor came over and took my hand. "We're all here to help you DG. Glitch, Raw, your sister, your parents, Cain and me."

"Aw thanks Tutor." I hug Tutor. "Does this mean we can be done for the day?"

"No Princess. I still have one more thing to teach you today."

I groan. "Haven't I been through enough today? One near death experience a day is my limit."

"There is no danger in this spell. You're going to make a rainbow. At every Queen's Coronation she must create a rainbow. It represents the future and is a sign of peace and prosperity for the OZ."

"I think I can come up with a little old rainbow."

"It has to span over Central City for people miles away to see."

"Huh..." My jaw is just about on the ground.

"We'll start small. Just try to create a rainbow over the lake. Close your eyes and picture all the colors in the rainbow..."

Tutor continues to coach me and my first few attempts are rather pitiful. I can only make a faint rainbow that stops halfway across the lake and the colors are dull.

"I can't do this Tutor."

"Yes you can DG. Just think of the things that bring you joy. Think of your friends and family and the love you feel for them. Love is the most powerful emotion DG, use it."

Tutor didn't realize that the love I felt for a certain Tin Man was what made me lose control of the air spell. I try to concentrate on the love I have for my parents and how happy they are now that they are together. I think about how much better Az has been feeling since out trip to the orphanage. She eats all her meals with the rest of the family now and she has even ventured outside the palace walls occasionally for a ride around the lake. I think about Glitch and Raw and how much they have helped me. I open my eyes and see that all these happy thoughts are helping my rainbow get across the lake but the colors are still dull. Suddenly I feel like someone is watching me and I turn around. Cain is leaning against a tree silently watching me. I thought he was mad about Colter becoming so close to me and didn't expect him to stick around. I look at his eyes and he isn't mad or jealous. He is looking at me like he used to. Like he cares about me. I can't help the feeling of love that washes over me whenever he's in the vicinity of me.

"That's it DG! You're doing it!"

I turn around at Tutor's voice and see that my rainbow is glaring so brightly over the lake that we have to shield our eyes in order to look at it. People all over Finaqua stop what they are doing to look up at the beautiful sight. I turn back to face Cain and he is smiling. I can't hep myself, I smile back. Just then Colter puts his hand around my shoulder and hugs me to his side.

"Good job DG! I knew you could do it!"

"Thanks Colter." I turn back to Cain but he is already gone.

Author note: Just a little teaser for the next chapter to keep you all interested. The next chapter is called Step 4- Fighting in which DG is attacked and a handsome man must save her. Guess which hottie is going to save her?? You'll have to wait and see!! (Evil laughter)