The best part of being in charge is the ability to delegate, Cain decided abruptly. For example, since he was both DG's escort and Chief of Security today, he'd been able to delegate waking the Princess to another guard and a ladies-maid.

Judging from the maid's expression, she'd never forgive him. Judging from DG's half-awake scowl, Cain was very glad that ire was pointed elsewhere. Obviously, just-barely-dawn was a little early in the day for DG's tastes.

DG climbed into the royal carriage, ignoring his soft "good morning" with a grunt. She promptly curled up on one thickly cushioned bench seat and returned to sleep. But at least she was here, dressed, and in the carriage.

Cain gave the maid who followed an appreciative nod, and assisted her into the carriage as well. The girl's rueful expression cleared a little when she realized she got to ride in the finely appointed conveyance. It was much more comfortable than the wagon.

Cain latched the door behind them and mounted up his own horse. A last glance around told him that the guards designated to protect the carriage were ready, the wagon already loaded with DG's trunk and his own pack, plus supplies for the midday meal. Cain gave a terse order, and the caravan moved out.

DG didn't wake until they crossed the Crack in the OZ, five hours later. Once on the other side, the procession would stop for a midday meal, and then continue on towards Central City, a leg of just three hours. Just outside the city, they'd be met by another guard unit with a car and a van. The cars would take them into the City and to the Royal Compound.

"I don't get it," DG said to Cain. "Why don't we just take the horses all the way? The carriage is comfortable."

Cain shook his head. "Folks use cars in Central City. Can't have the Princess showing up by carriage, no matter how nice."

"But why not? I mean, it's not like everyone doesn't use horses outside the city! Cars are rarer outside than they are inside."

"Well, outside, roads are harder to maintain. And inside… Deeg, can you imagine if in a city that size, everyone had a horse? The daily mucking alone…"

DG wrinkled her nose and waved her hand. "OK, ok! I get it!" He chuckled at her disgusted expression. "You know," she continued with an impish smirk, "We could have ridden the bikes!"

"Where would we have put your gown, and jewels? Your maid?"

DG pretended to think about it. "Saddlebags?" Cain laughed at her again. "Seriously, Az knows that shrinking-people spell. I could have just zip.." She made a motion with her fingers to show the shrinking. "Shrunk everyone down, put them in a nice padded basket, and we could've ridden the bikes. It would have shaved three, maybe four hours off this mule train."

Cain just shook his head. The funniest part was that he knew she was half-serious. It was a good thing her maid was off collecting a meal, or DG might have found herself with a suspicious bald spot in the near future.

When they finally reached Central City and the Royal Compound, they were greeted by the staff. The ancient-looking butler took over directing the maid and the staff, preparing rooms and baths for DG and Cain.

"Good lord, he's ancient. Doesn't anybody ever retire here?" DG asked Cain in a low voice as they walked the halls of the Royal Compound.

Cain gave her a puzzled look. "Why would he retire?"

"Well, he's so old! Don't you think he'd want to put his feet up and relax in his old age?"

Cain realized she didn't know. "Deeg, he's a tiktok! You can't retire him, he'll think you've decided he's obsolete."

"A what?"

"A tiktok… like your Otherside parents, like the people in Milltown."

DG gaped at him, then stared at the white haired and stooped butler leading them. "He's a ROBOT?" she hissed. "Then why does he look so old?"

"Would you trust a young person to run your household? Bring your teenaged daughters their morning tea? Keep an eye on your pretty maids? He looks that way because that's more respectable."

"Oh." DG was silent for a few moments. "Thanks Cain."

"For what?"

She looked up again, and he was startled to see the genuine seriousness and gratitude in her eyes. "You help me so much, teaching me stuff I don't remember about the Outer Zone. Even more than Mother – she just teaches me government and politics. You actually explain the stuff everyone else assumes I know." She looped her arm through his, and gave him a little squeeze. "You don't expect me to suddenly be this perfect Ozian Princess. You remember that I didn't grow up here. I really appreciate that."

Cain paused, bringing them both to a halt. "Deeg…. I wouldn't want you to be perfect. I mean, I don't expect that of you. I'd rather have you be… just you." He wanted to say so much more, express more, but he didn't dare. Not quite yet.

DG's eyes went wide. She looked at him as if she'd never quite seen him before. He wondered what he'd said to earn such a look. Could she tell that he meant more than just what he'd said? Then to his amazement, her eyes glittered, like she might cry.

"Cain…. Wyatt … That may be the nicest thing you've ever said to me!" She bounced up on her toes and planted a kiss on his cheek. Much to his dismay, he couldn't stop himself from blushing. Damned fair skin. But DG grinned.

The butler cleared his throat discreetly to get them moving again. As they walked, DG's hand slid down Cain's arm, and her fingers twined gently with his.


"Will there be anything else, my lord?"

Cain flinched. A manservant had been assigned to him here in the Compound. This tiktok, a middle-aged model, was unobtrusive and polite. However, Cain just wasn't entirely comfortable with his new position as a noble. He felt the weight of it particularly now, looking at himself in the mirror.

The suit was the same one he'd worn to the Victory ball. As he had expected, an emerald green brocade vest had been packed for him, instead of the silver. The Queen's medal and a military rank insignia were pinned to the left breast of the coat.

What made the difference was the gift Her Majesty had presented to him yesterday evening. He'd been surprised to be summoned to her office in Finacqua. Assuming she wanted final briefing on DG's trip the next day, he'd presented himself with a dossier of information.

But Queen Lavender had simply smiled and assured him that she was certain he had all preparations well in hand.

"Mr. Cain," she'd said, her musical voice low and full of amusement. "My husband of course related to me the purpose of your conversation with him of several weeks ago."

Cain had struggled to keep his composure. Whatever happened next, he would NOT tell his son. Jeb was already having too much fun harassing his father about "lack of forward motion". Wyatt didn't think that letting things between himself and DG develop slowly was a problem, but Jeb seemed inclined to view four months of just friendly banter as not much development at all.

"Not to worry," the Queen said, noting his unease. "I most heartily approve of you as a suitor for my daughter." Her smile turned a little wry. "I certainly set a precedent myself in my choice. We're all 'rooting for you', as my husband would say. I assume you're going to declare your intentions this weekend?"

Strangling the urge to bolt, Cain could only give her a jerky nod. Surely he'd not been this disconcerted by Adora's parents? Adora's father had glared and muttered at him, her mother had been a wispy woman with a watery smile. Perhaps youth had blinded him to their true perspectives. Surely they hadn't tortured him the way everyone here in Finacqua seemed to enjoy torturing him now.

Queen Lavender hid her smile, but not before Cain noticed it. It made him think slightly resentful thoughts about his Liege.

"Here," she said, presenting him a leather folio in a sudden change of subject. "These are the titles to the lands given by the Crown for the maintenance of the Noble House of Cain. A comfortable enough income, I believe. This however is Our especial gift to Our loyal and beloved Colonel." The slip into Royal speech caught Cain's attention, as the Queen pulled a handsome dark wooden case from a drawer. She passed it to him, and he hesitated, the wood cool and sleek in his hands. "Please," she indicated with a wave. "I do hope it suits."

Inside the case lay a formal Collar of Office. Such things were heirlooms of noble families, bestowed by the Crown to show that the noble wearer had the particular favor and trust of the ruling Queen, as well as serving in close association to the Crown. His Grace the Prince Consort wore one for state occasions. That collar was made of gold and engraved and bejeweled with the insignia of the Royal Family. This collar was far simpler, much to Cain's relief. Nestled into a bed of green velvet, the plaques of the collar were shining silver. Each individual plaque was engraved with a circle around a compass star. At the center of each star was a gleaming diamond. The engraving evoked the tin badge he'd worn, without actually being the Tin Man star. That would have been inappropriate, since he no longer served as a Tin Man. Tiny silver chain links joined each plaque to its neighbor.

He could only stare at it, missing the fond smile that curved the Queen's lips at his speechlessness. "There is no pendant, of course," she said. "At some point I'm afraid the heralds will descend upon you and your son to force you to draw up some arms. At that point, you might have a pendant added."

Lifting his eyes to her, Cain found himself unable to express his thoughts. He shook his head, but before he could protest the gift, the Queen said in a voice gentle and earnest, "Mr. Cain, you must remember that I not only see you as a suitor for my daughter's hand, but also as the man who helped her and protected her on a quest to save the whole Outer Zone. For that, I hold you in the highest esteem. Please, accept my gift."

"Majesty… I don't need a reward or gifts for doing what was right," Cain told her.

The Queen's smile broadened. "Of course not. Good men never do."

Now, looking at himself in the mirror, Cain uncomfortably realized he looked the part of a nobleman. The silver collar gleamed against his black wool coat. With a frown, he jammed his hat onto his head. Better, he decided.


DG almost missed a step and might have fallen down the stairs and landed on her face, had she not been gripping the banister so tightly. Wyatt was waiting for her, standing at the bottom of the stairs. He wore the same black suit from the Victory ball, and DG's eyes widened when she saw the fancy silver collar of office resting over his shoulders and chest. Spectacularly well formed shoulders and chest too, you know, her inner voice pointed out, and she made a strangled noise in the back of her throat. Oh, she was going to absolutely KILL Az. Her maid gave her a confused and suspicious look as DG hesitated.

"Is anything wrong, Your Highness?" the girl asked.

"No! No," DG waved her hand. Once more into the breach, she told herself, and started down the stairs. God, he looked so handsome she could scream.

She was only halfway down when Wyatt looked up at her. She could see his eyes widen at the sight of her, and that gave her a jolt of pleasure. As she reached the bottom, he held out his hand, and when she placed her hand in his, he raised it to his lips, bowing slightly as he placed a warm kiss on her knuckles.

"Don't," she sputtered before she could stop herself.

Wyatt frowned, confused. "Don't what?"

DG shook her head. She felt shaken, disconnected. He looked stunning, gorgeous, and she couldn't seem to wrap her mind around the fact that this was the same man she'd released from a tin box, the same man who'd protected her and argued with her, and rolled his eyes at her bad jokes, and raced around the countryside beside her on their bikes. How could this suave nobleman be the same man as her rugged Tin Man? She looked up at him, and she almost gasped to realize she could see his eyes dilate as he looked at her, and she remembered learning in school that that meant he was interested in her, and she felt a rising panic, thinking how the hell did I never notice this? He's interested in me! And oh my god, I'm interested back…

"DG? Is everything alright?" His grip on her hand tightened a little with his concern.

She blinked, returning to the present. "Nothing! Nothing, I'm fine." She forced a smile onto her face. "You're looking good, Tin Man."

He smirked. "You clean up pretty well yourself, Princess."

Comforted by his easy banter, her smile turned genuine. Wyatt tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and escorted her through the compound atrium. Walking so close to him, DG could feel the warmth of his body, even smell his scent, and even though she spoke pleasantly enough, a part of her mind was busy running in excited circles, realizing that the day's event had gone from another boring royal appearance function thing to an actual DATE. DG didn't have a lot of experience dating, her Robo-parents hadn't particularly encouraged her to pass time with any young men. Of course, she understood why now, but it did mean that she felt a jolt of nervousness. What if I say something totally stupid, and he realizes I'm just some dorky Other-side raised idiot and changes his mind? She managed to keep her inner madness off her face as Wyatt helped her into the limousine.

And when the hell did he go from being 'Cain' to 'Wyatt'? she wondered.


Cain's heart felt like it turned over when he saw her, descending the stairs with a dreamy expression on her face. She looked like a storybook princess, even though he knew his outrageous DG was still in there.

A little carried away by her beauty, he'd kissed her hand, but that seemed to throw everything off for a moment. She apparently hadn't appreciated that, and he stomped down hard on his own emotions. Don't push it, he reminded himself. Oh, Jeb might harass him for going slow, but Wyatt could tell DG didn't even think of him that way yet.

Until that very moment, when she blinked, as if seeing him for the first time, and she looked up at him, and there was a slight wondering expression in her face, reminiscent of that wide-eyed look he'd seen so often in the early days, as if she couldn't believe something someone just told her. Then she smiled, and let him lead her to the car, walking so close to one another, their bodies brushing as they moved.

As they got into the car, she seemed amused by something, and he wondered what. A corner of him worried she was amused by him, as if to think he couldn't possibly be worthy of her, that his courting her was a joke, and he viciously squashed that notion. His DG would never be that cruel. But he decided then that he couldn't take much more waiting. It would have to be tonight. He would have to make her see him at last, and find out if he had a chance at winning her heart.

TBC