Yea yea…I know. It really has been a horrible amount of time since I updated this story. Hopefully not so long that you won't continue reading. Gonna try and be a bit better…

Chapter 7

Wyatt sat in the soldiers quarters quietly eating his warm meal with the regimen he was now in charge of. They may have thought it odd to have a Commander eat with them but only minutes into the meal, the atmosphere seemed to relax and a discussion began about the day's strange events. He had had every one of these soldiers to his house for a meal at some point. It was both a relief and an annoyance that Jeb had given him such a well-planned group. He didn't have to train or spend time getting to know any of them, but it also meant Jeb was without some damn fine soldiers up at the border.

Jordan was next to him, occasionally adding to the conversation, but mostly off in her own thoughts. It was unlike the girl to be so quiet. She was usually the first to crack a joke or argue a point, probably from being a woman in a profession dominated by men. But she didn't need all of that hot air to prove to Wyatt she was just as good if not better then all of the other soldiers sitting here. And they all admired her for that. She was probably sought after by each of these men for both her combat skills and her good looks. Smirking, he nudged her gently as Mark asked her a specific question about how long she thought they would be staying at the palace. She gave a startled smile to Wyatt before answering.

"As long as the Queen has need of us."

"What does she need us for when the Crown Prince himself is here to save the day!" Mark dramatically stood and lifted himself onto the chair he had just occupied. Lifting his spoon into the air he smiled down at the others. "Never fear! Prince Viktor is here!" Wyatt chuckled and shook his head as he continued to eat. His eyes lifted to the young man showing off but stopped at the sight of an old friend in the doorway.

"Nice." Glitch's expression was hard and angry. Wyatt's eyebrows rose high in surprise as this was definitely not the man he remembered. "This is how you respect the future consort of our Princess?" He stepped into the room as Mark cautiously got down from the chair. The young soldier looked pale, his eyes widening as the Queen's advisor came closer. Suddenly a wide grin broke on Glitch's face and he chuckled. "I mean really, put some more effort into it! The chin is always up, and what a poor mocking of his accent!"

Wyatt relaxed instantly and huffed at the man who once had a zipper in his head. Standing, he walked to Glitch and stuck out his hand and managed to nudge Mark a bit to get the boy out of his confused daze. The now grinning advisor to the Queen pulled Wyatt into a hug before he could resist. Gruffly he shoved away and shook his head while trying not to laugh.

"Aww come on Tin Man. Your heart get all cold while you been away? Didn't you miss me at all?"

"Miss you?" Wyatt smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. "What would I miss a zipperhead for?"

"Hey! My noggin is all better now. And I still have better rhythm than you!"

"Better rhythm?" Wyatt sighed, rolling his eyes as he turned to look at Jordan, who was suddenly very interested in the conversation. "Care to explain Commander?" there was a dangerous twinkle in her eyes that actually reminded him of the headcase and he shook his head, moving to clamp his hand over the advisors mouth before he could speak.

"Eat up soldiers. We will probably be back on the road in the morning." Turning to Glitch he nodded to the hallway. "You need something specific? Or is annoying still part of your job description."

The only response was a chuckle as Glitch led them out to the hall.

"Naw. Annoying you is just a perk." Once alone, his smile faded slightly as he looked back at the room they just left. "Anyone in there you don't trust?" Wyatt stoically nodded his head no. Jeb wouldn't have given him a detail that wasn't trustworthy. Not where DG was involved. "Still, better be safe. Wanna see my labs?" Glitch's face lit up as he bounced on his feet slightly, obviously eager to show what he had been up to the past three years.

"Show the way zipperhead." Wyatt chuckled as he patted Glitch on the shoulder, happy to see that his friend took no offence in the nickname.

"So the dreams have been since the ball?" Wyatt sat in an over sized chair in Glitch's office, a tea cup balanced perfectly on his knee. They had been locked in his labs for the past hour and, impressive as they were, Glitch seemed more worried about catching Wyatt up on DG than showing off his inventions and gadgets. Even though that worried him more than he cared to admit, Wyatt was thankful that DG wasn't completely alone in the palace. Glitch painfully admitted that Deeg had had a rough three years in Wyatt's absence and even though the headcase was a loyal friend who had listened and absorbed all that the princess had confided in him, he was worried of what he didn't know…the big secrets that DG kept hidden away. They were now up to the strange dreams and happenings of the present and Wyatt felt his head spin slightly. The dream that DG had last night sounded awfully familiar, but Glitch hadn't mentioned Wyatt being in the kid's dream…

"Yep. At least that's what our girl is saying. Who knows. They may have started before that. Possibly just little snippets she doesn't want to remember." Glitch sighed and stood, stretching from sitting in one spot for too long. He walked over to the tea kettle and poured himself another cup, motioning towards Wyatt for a refill.

"No, thanks." Rubbing his hand over his face, he watched Glitch begin to pace slowly. If DG was already emotionally and mentally drained, this may be more than the kid could handle. Quietly, he sat back in his chair and contemplated how to share the next bit of information. "I…I think…Deeg and I…we shared the same dream…"

His friend paused mid step, his tea sloshing out of his cup slightly as he looked at Wyatt.

"That's impossible."

"I know. I have no magic. Nothing to connect to her with. But…last night I had a terrible dream…almost identical to the one you are describing, although I didn't see you dead in my dream."

"But how? For a person possessing no magic, you have to be bound to the dreamer in order to share…and even then it is rare."

"I have no clue. The kid didn't mention me being in hers?"

"Not that I recall...maybe she said something to Azkadee?" Wyatt could still feel, hear and see the dream vividly. The fear in the kid's eyes rattled him to his core.

"So, you saw the shadows?" Wyatt was pulled from his own thoughts as he focused again on Glitch's question. "What do you know of them?"

"Legend states that they cannot be killed. Battle ends with a sacrifice and a treaty of sorts. My pa used to talk of shadows stealing away children who let their feet hang off the bed." Wyatt laughed softly before continuing. "That's all they have ever been, tales to scare children. Last tale I heard was the battle of the ancient ones and how they bound them in the north among the snow and ice. But it was part of an agreement with the shadows or something like that…it's old wives tales and magic…" Wyatt closed his eyes, trying to shake the image of the dark forms from his mind. "This shouldn't be happening Glitch."

"I know." Wyatt stood quickly, just barely catching his cup and saucer in time before they would have clattered to the floor. It was the second time that day he had been rattled by her voice. DG smiled softly, looking into his eyes as she stood in the doorway and his breath stopped for a moment. Gone was the kid in the trousers and leather jacket. A proper princess stood before him. He began to bow to her but stopped when he heard Glitch huff.

"You wanna get struck by a stray spell, be my guest. Just let me step out of the way. Have at him doll."

Wyatt straightened and watched as Deeg blushed slightly while moving cautiously into the room. That simple flush of color in her cheeks shouldn't be able to flip his stomach like it did.

"I was sent to find you oh wise adviser. Viktor would like to know which source you got your notes from on the second page of your report."

"Deeeeg." The wise adviser whined and DG smiled brightly at the sound. "I gave him all the sources. They aren't going to tell him anything different…oh poo." Wyatt watched the exchange going on between them and smirked as DG rapidly beat her eyelashes at Glitch and grabbed his hand, squeezing it slightly. He had been on the receiving end of that look too many times for his own good. "Ok. Where is he?"

"Main library" turning, she nodded to Wyatt and smiled slightly. "You are expected also."

"Yea! Friends!" Glitch clapped enthusiastically before dropping his face dramatically into a pout and heading out the door. Wyatt stood looking at DG, feeling like a fool for not saying anything, not doing anything. He had watched her in his peripheral vision earlier, trying to catch his eye in the main staircase after the Queen had attempted to squash him flat with her withering glare. He hadn't been able to meet DG's glances then, her presence too overwhelming and the fact that she was being led away on the arm of another man…

"You forgot something." Wyatt looked at her with a confused gaze and actually glanced around him for a paper or object he should bring with him. Finding nothing, he lifted his eyes to hers again to see that they had hardened slightly. "Jeb. Why isn't he here?"

Taken aback by the change in her tone of voice, Wyatt stumbled over his response. "He felt it was his duty to stay at the border."

"You couldn't persuade him?" DG sounded slightly angry and it put Wyatt on edge that she could get under his skin so quickly. Wasn't that one of the many reasons he had stayed away?

"He rejected the orders of his Princess and friend. You think I had any more luck?"

"Let's see. The father he idolizes verses a girl in a frilly dress."

"Don't you dare, DG. Don't you think for one minute that I didn't try…"

"Um. Sorry to interrupt this happy reunion but…" Glitch stood in the doorway looking apologetic. "As much as I think you two need a good shouting match…Queen? Crown Prince? Spooky menace coming to get us?"

Giving DG one more bothered glance, Wyatt nodded and moved towards the door. Hearing the princess sigh, he waited with Glitch as she joined them and they all quietly made their way to the library together.

It had to be well past midnight and the repetitive research was getting exhausting. Prince Viktor wanted to make sure nothing was left uncovered. Wyatt had answered the same questions about folklore and legends several times and a new round of inquiry was just beginning again. Yet the most worrying thing to Wyatt was the way DG had seemed to shut down when she entered the library. Sitting off to the side, trying her hardest to blend into the shelves of books, she had barely added anything into the conversation. Gone was the fiery anger that had come out earlier. Gone was the proper princess that had greeted them. This was just a girl trying to hang on.

"Commander!" Queen Lavender's voice shook inside his head. "The question!" but before Wyatt could decide whether to apologize or tell the queen off, Viktor waved his hand in the air and sighed.

"No, your majesty. It is my fault. In my quest to keep my bride safe, I have pushed everyone to their limits. Perhaps we should reconvene in the morning after a good night's rest?" Lavender smiled and nodded, completely pacified by the prince. Wyatt narrowed his gaze on the man who had now twice removed him from the glaring daggers of the Queen.

Everyone was stretching and quietly moving out of the room but DG simply sat in the chair, not looking up at the passersby. Wyatt stood and made his way over to her, offering his hand to her. She looked up at him with glazed eyes that cleared slightly as she put her hand in his. Smiling softly, she stood and stretched. The rush of protection was too great a need for him to cover up and he leaned in slightly to address the kid.

"Deeg," he tried to keep his voice low, not wanting his words to be for anyone but her. DG's blue eyes met his and he had to take a steadying breath before continuing. "Has anyone told you yet…this isn't your…"

"Commander, if you'll excuse my interruption, I would like to escort the princess to her room. I am sure you agree that she is in need of plenty of sleep to focus on the battles to come." It seemed that both Wyatt and DG froze as Viktor spoke but it was the kid who focused faster, removing her hand from Wyatt's and placing it on the Prince's arm. He had to admit, she had perfected the time it took for her to change into a different mask.

"Can we discuss this in the morning, Commander?" Her proper princess tone was back. Clipped and short, it put Wyatt in his place quickly. Stiffly, he bent, bowing to the kid that he had known so well only three years ago.

"Of course, your Highness."