DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. All mistakes are my own. Apologies on the delay at the bottom. This is another long one, I just can't shut up! This one is dedicated to Celia Stanton, because even though she had the idea first, she still told me to write my own version.
"You have to be joking."
"I'm completely serious. This would be the perfect time. We're in the neighborhood, so let's drop on by."
"Stopping by a nobleman's house unannounced is considered rude."
"Stop sounding like one of my advisors. I warned him that I was going to stop by at some point and it might be without warning. And I don't want to give him time to prepare if he isn't living up to my standards."
"What about security? We haven't had time to scout the perimeter and make sure that it is safe for you."
"You do realize we just came from a battlefield, don't you? As long as they aren't trying to shoot me or blow me up, I'd think this is a step in the right direction. It'll be fine. Besides, we've still got at least a battalion's worth of healthy men here, I doubt he'd try anything if he decided not to cooperate."
"Nothing I say to you is going to change your mind, is it?"
"Nope."
"You're impossible."
"Yep. But you put up with me anyway."
Cain grumbled and turned away from DG, approaching the gathered colonels. The temporary camp of the Royal Army ballooned out around them, filled with injured and healthy men alike, all anxious to get home and see their loved ones. After several days of flushing out all of the longcoats and helping to establish a new order of sorts in the manor among the villagers, DG finally decided that her work for the time being was done. So they had gathered up their supplies and wounded, mourned the buried dead and then began the trek home.
The thing was, the journey home passed close to the Black Mountains. And DG, in a sudden urge to check on some of her wayward subjects, decided that now was as good a time as any to drop in on Duke Wiggin, the man responsible for the Moratanium mines that she had reprimanded on her first day of rule. Once Cain was reluctantly on board with her plan, they split up their men—the injured and half of the healthy men would continue on to Central City; the rest would remain with DG and her guards.
Next to her, Norris cleared his throat. "My Lady, surely there is a better way of checking on Duke Wiggin than coming by unannounced."
DG gave him a look. "Norris, if Cain couldn't convince me to change my mind, what makes you think you could?"
He sighed. "It is a vain hope, I know. Perhaps I thought that more than one dissenting opinion would sway you."
She snorted and turned her eyes to the camp, watching the men beginning to pack up and split into two separate caravans. "Please. My entire staff is nothing but dissenting opinions. If that were the case I would have stayed home and planned a party or something rather than march off to war." She shrugged. "You would think they would have gotten used to an Other Side Queen at this point and stopped asking me pointless questions. You've gotten the hang of it, after all."
Norris shook his head. "On the contrary, My Lady. I just hide my bewilderment better."
DG laughed. "Well then. They need to learn the art of the poker face from you. Come on, let's help. If we leave soon I think we can make Wiggin's place by midday."
Wish granted, DG's company arrived at Duke Wiggin's village not long after the suns' pinnacle. Houses butted against the mountains, leaving a clear path to the mine in the creases of the black giants. Set apart from the simple dwellings though was the Duke's house, hiding behind its own wall. Despite the loud commotion her men had made, no one seemed to be present to greet them. The manor was quiet and those not currently in the mines seemed to be minding their own business and uninterested in visitors.
Except for the children of course. What appeared to be a rousing game of tag suddenly spilled into the main street out of a side street. Half a dozen screaming, running children tumbled to the ground before picking themselves up and sprinting down the road. Until they caught sight of the imposing group of soldiers, at which point they all stopped in their tracks and stared.
DG glanced behind her and rolled her eyes. Each of the men were brandishing a weapon of some kind and were standing at attention. Their skin was streaked with dirt, their uniforms torn and their eyes were sharply scanning the surroundings. No wonder the kids stopped, they were probably terrified.
Smiling broadly and keeping her hands visible, she took a few steps forward. "Hey there," she said. The kids kept staring at her, but didn't move. Though the kids were all clothed, it looked like the garments had seen better days. Only a few of them wore shoes. If this was Wiggin's doing, there was going to be hell to pay. She took a few more steps and crouched down in front of them. "My name's DG. What's yours?"
One of the little girls with a mop of curly brown hair took the lead and spoke up. "I'm Nithra."
"Well, hi, Nithra. Where are your shoes? You shouldn't run around without them, you could hurt yourself."
Nithra scuffed her toe in the dirt. "That's what my mommy says too. But I don't like them, I can't run as fast with them on."
DG laughed. "That's a good reason. You know what, I used to run around without shoes too. But then one day, I stepped on a rusty nail and it hurt a lot. Your mommy just wants to make sure you're safe and don't step on any nails. So how about you try and wear them from now on, okay?"
Nithra seemed to consider this for a minute. "Alright." She paused and her green eyes slid up to the top of DG's head. "What are you wearing?"
The Queen touched her head and felt the gold wire. "It's called a circlet. Do you want to wear it?" Nithra nodded and DG reached up and took the circlet, settling it on Nithra's curls. It slid lopsidedly over one of her eyes, a bit too big. DG grinned. "Perfect. Why don't you hold onto that for me for a while?" The little girl grinned and nodded. "Do you think you can show me where your mommy is? I'd like to talk to her."
"Sure!" Nithra grabbed DG's hand and pulled. "We live a couple houses down."
DG reached out and picked Nithra up, easily settling her on her hip. "You can show me. But not another step until we find those shoes, hmm?" Nithra pouted, but the circlet fell further over her face, ruining the expression. DG bit her lip, trying not to laugh as she turned to face the men, who had all stood and quietly watched the exchange. "Am I going by myself, or are you coming?"
Cain nodded at Norris and her personal guard to step forward, ordering the rest of the men to camp beyond the perimeter. Once the Royal Army had begun to set themselves up, he turned and caught up to DG. "You just make friends wherever you go, don't you?"
She grinned at him, unaware of the picture she made with a child on her hip. "It's a special talent. Besides, children are more honest than anyone else. I'm sure I can trust Nithra here, can't I?" She bounced exaggeratedly and the child giggled, winding her arms around DG's neck. "Tell me Nithra, what do you think of Duke Wiggin?"
Nithra scrunched her nose up. "He's okay, I guess. He kind of smells though." DG laughed and even Cain chuckled. "He used to be real mean. He made daddy work a lot and I didn't see him much. But then the new Queen talked to him and he's been nicer since then. Daddy has time to play with me a lot more now."
DG nodded, pleased. It seemed like Wiggin had taken her threat to heart and really turned around. "I'm glad. Now, is this your house here?"
Nithra turned her head and nodded vigorously. "Yep! You can come in! Mommy!" She screamed the last word, inadvertently right in DG's ear. The Queen winced and turned her head away. 'Ow,' she mouthed, making Cain chuckle.
The door to the small cabin opened, revealing a sturdy woman drying her hands on an apron. "Nithra, what in the world—" She gasped and suddenly dropped to her knees. "Queen Dorothy!"
DG hurried forward, placing a hand at the woman's elbow to help her up. "Please, none of that. I'm sorry for dropping in unexpectedly, but little Nithra here was a big help and I wanted to ask you a few questions, if I may?"
The woman, who appeared absolutely dumbfounded by the appearance of the Queen, stammered a reply. "O-o-of course, Your Majesty. Please, come in!" She stepped aside, letting DG pass by. Cain followed her, but the rest of the guards stayed outside. The woman then started flitting around the small kitchen like a startled hummingbird, wiping down the table, putting away dishes, clearing away the remains of lunch. "Please excuse the mess, Your Majesty. Can I offer you anything to drink or eat?"
"Oh, no thank you, I'm fine. Please, don't bother with me, I'll be out of your hair quickly."
"It's no bother, Your Majesty, I promise." Her green eyes slid to her daughter, still held by the Queen and she gasped. "Nithra! What are you wearing?!"
The little girl grinned and patted her head. "I'm holding onto DG's circlet for her!"
The Queen smiled. "Your daughter is nice enough to watch it for me while I am here." She carefully set the little girl on the ground. "Why don't you grab your shoes and go back to your friends so I can talk to your mommy, okay?"
Nithra turned to run into her room, but paused. "Will I see you again?"
DG knelt and hugged the little girl. "Of course you will. I have to get my circlet back, don't I?"
"Right!" The little girl disappeared for a moment, then clomped out the door in her shoes, golden circlet shining amid her mass of curls.
Smiling, DG sank into a rickety wooden chair. "She's a charming girl. Fearless."
The woman nodded, distractedly tying her graying hair behind her head. "That she is. Every inch her father's daughter. What can I do for you, Your Majesty?"
DG folded her hands before her. "I would like to ask you a few questions about Duke Wiggin, if I may. . .um, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I don't know your name."
"Oh, of course! Where are my manners? I am Sani. Please, ask me anything and I will do my best to answer your questions."
"Great. Please be honest with me, I can promise you that this will stay between us. Nithra said that Wiggin changed a couple of months ago and became nicer. Would you agree?"
"Oh yes. It was right after your Coronation, I believe. He returned and ordered the mines closed for a week, at which point there would be a new schedule. He shared the manor stores with the entire village in a big feast and made arrangements to supplement the leather and cloth supplies so that we could make more clothes and shoes. He has become a just ruler in a short amount of time."
DG couldn't help the satisfied smirk that came onto her face. "And the mines? How does your husband find the conditions?"
Sani shrugged. "They are alright I guess. No mine is an ideal workplace. But now that the men are allowed more time off, things have gotten better. I would recommend asking one of the miners, they would be able to give you a better answer."
"Good idea, I'll have to do that." She felt her eyes drawn to the window, where she could see a corner of Wiggin's manor. "Where is the Duke? I would have expected him to come and see what all the fuss was about."
The woman sighed. "Though he has made the conditions much better, he also has retreated into his house more and more. He rarely comes down to the mines, choosing instead to send others in his place."
"Well, guess we all couldn't get an A, now could we?" At Sani's confused look, DG waved her hand. "Nevermind. I'll have to have a little chat with him over that. Now though, I think I'm going to take a trip to the mines."
"You're joking."
DG turned in her chair to face Cain, who had remained standing against the wall. "Excuse me?"
"You are not going into the mines. It's too dangerous."
She rolled her eyes. "Did we not just have this same conversation this morning? The past week has been dangerous, what with people trying to kill us and all that. This, this is a cake walk. I'm going to be fine, Cain. Stop worrying."
"You are never fine. Trouble finds you like a Papay runner."
"Yeah, well, considering you're always shadowing me, maybe you're the one that trouble finds. Ever think about that?" At his look, she huffed in frustration. "Fine! It's me, I get it! I'm still going in those mines though, you can't stop me." She turned back to face Sani, who was watching the entire exchange open-mouthed, unsure what to make of the fact that the Queen was arguing with the Troop Commander in her kitchen. "Is your husband in the mines right now?"
Sani cleared her throat. "Yes, Josek is there. He will be happy to help you any way that he can."
DG stood, pushing back her chair. "I'll go find him then. Thank you so much for your hospitality. Again, I'm sorry for dropping in on you like this. If you don't mind, I'd like to come by later to say good-bye to Nithra."
"Of course, Your Majesty. She'll be waiting for you."
"Great. Until later then!" She waved and left the house, immediately starting down the lane towards the mines. Her guard dutifully followed behind her and Cain hurried to her side.
"I wish you wouldn't do this."
"I know. But I have to talk to some of the miners and get their take on things."
"Why can't you talk to them once they come out?"
"Because we don't know when that will be and I'm sure everyone is anxious to get home. The quicker we do this, the quicker we can leave. Besides, I'd like to take a look at these mines, see where our resources come from and all that."
Cain scrubbed a hand over his face. "Fine. Just don't go wandering off, okay? Stay in the main tunnels where the miners are."
Before she could answer, they were greeted at the entrance of the mine by a couple of men apparently coming off their shift. They were covered in this odd, glittery, black dust, smeared across their skin and clothes. The two groups stopped and stared at each other, caught off guard. Then the miners all simultaneously dropped to their knees. "Your Majesty."
DG winced and stepped forward, pulling the man in front to his feet. "Please, none of that. I don't need any of you bowing to me, that's for sure. I'm hoping maybe one of you knows where I could find Josek?"
A lanky man with sinewy arms to the right stepped forward. "I'm Josek."
"It's nice to meet you, Josek. I spoke with your wife, Sani, and she said that you would be able to answer my questions about the mines. I'd be honored if you could maybe give me a little tour as well."
The miners exchanged looks, confused. "You—you want to tour the mines?"
Not for the first time, DG was considering putting out a memo stating that she wasn't the type of Queen they were used to. "Yes, I would. I want to see the type of conditions that you are working in and find out whether the Duke has become a better ruler than he was."
"I can tell you the Duke is better," Josek said, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. "Used to work us to the bone. But after you talked to him, he turned around and things are better now. We get more time off and don't work such long hours anymore. Life's gotten better. And we have you to thank for it, Your Majesty."
DG blushed and waved away the praise. "I didn't do anything that wasn't deserved. And the Duke deserved to have his ass handed to him. I'm glad to hear that. Now, please, I'd really like to see the mine, see where our Moratanium comes from."
Josek awkwardly bowed, a shower of glittery dust falling from his hair. "Of course. Follow me, Your Majesty." He turned and entered the mine once again, DG picking her way after him, with Cain and Norris on her heels.
The wide mouth of the mine shrank to a narrower tunnel, the floor smooth with countless footsteps, the sides jagged from picked tools. Sunlight fractured down the tunnel, getting swallowed the further it went. Eventually, natural light gave way to artificial as lamps appeared, evenly distributed. Two deep ruts marked the tracks that the mine carts followed down the gently sloping ground. Occasionally another tunnel would branch off, but their group stayed relatively straight, always heading downward.
The sound of running water reached their ears, growing louder with each step. Coming up on their left was a panoramic hole in the wall, looking down several stories towards what could only be described as a lake. Light spilled in from an opening in the ceiling, highlighting the dark waters, crashing against the walls, pockmarked with large holes.
"What is this?" asked DG, fascinated. She placed her hands on the lip of rock, leaning over to look straight down. A strangled sound behind her preceded the hand that convulsively grasped at her waist. She turned her head to see Cain's frown, before she rolled her eyes and turned forward again.
Josek stepped up next to her. "The lake is created by a river that runs underneath the mountains. The holes in the walls are other mines that we access. The water is higher at different times of the year though, barring some of the mines. It's rising now and soon, those tunnels will be completely underwater. It's why production is higher during some points in the year, because there is more for us to mine."
"Huh." DG thought it looked beautiful, with the light refracting over the tide. She had the sudden urge to drop something over the side and see how long it took the reach the bottom but decided against it—Cain was having enough of a heart attack as it was. She pushed back from the edge and smiled at Josek. "Neat. Can I see one of the mines you're working on right now?"
He nodded and started off again, taking a turn into one of the branching tunnels. Cain let his hand drop, but only after he'd repositioned himself between DG and the wall. . .just in case any other 'viewing platforms' came up. DG pretended not to notice the maneuvering, instead focusing on Josek and his listing of daily activities.
The tunnel they entered sloped more and twisted from side to side, ruining any sense of direction they may have. It leveled off then, the sounds of men working bouncing off the walls. A chorus of shouts reached their ears and Josek reached out, stopping DG from going any further. "We should wait here until they finish."
"Finish what?"
"Deepening the tunnel."
"And how are they going to do that?"
On cue, an explosion shook the floor beneath them. DG gave a startled cry, the boom magnified by the small space and piercing their ears. She was instantly grabbed and pushed against the wall, one callused hand holding her head against a broad chest. Cain shielded her body with his own, though nothing attacked them beyond a shower of dust and pebbles. Still, DG kept her eyes tightly closed as her fingers fisted in Cain's duster, trying not to entertain images of being buried under a ton of rock.
Once the earth stopped shaking, Cain loosened his hold on her, pulling back to frame her face. "You okay?"
DG coughed a few times, dust raining off her head. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay." Cain then rounded on Josek, but DG grabbed his arm. "Don't. It's fine, no one got hurt." She turned her eyes towards the miner. "In the future though, some warning would be nice. I've never been in a mine before and don't know what to expect. Not to mention explosions tend to make my bodyguards a bit jumpy."
Josek had the good grace to look abashed. "I'm very sorry, Your Majesty. It's commonplace to me and I didn't think it might scare you. I promise, there won't be any more explosions today."
"I hope not. Trust me when I say I have a fear about being buried alive. So let's hurry up and get on with this tour already." Josek bowed much lower than he had before, motioning for them to follow him.
DG tried to tear herself out of Cain's arms, but he pulled her back. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah. I'm just a bit shaken up is all."
"We can leave right now, you don't have to keep going on."
"Yes, I do. I said I wanted to see the mines, and I will. It'll just be a shorter trip than I had originally planned. I'll be fine, don't worry." She leaned up and gave him a quick kiss before turning away and following the miner down the tunnel. If there was one thing about the last few days that she loved, it was being able to kiss Wyatt Cain whenever she wanted. Of course, after that first make-out session in the middle of the street, she'd become much more discreet. But the opportunity was still there and she certainly took advantage of it.
A further few turns down the mine brought them to the newly blasted area, staffed by a few miners. "Yesterday, we found traces of a new vein of Moratanium down here," Josek explained, after there were brief introductions to the astonished miners. "Instead of slowly picking at it for weeks and running the risk of finding nothing at all, we set off a controlled blast against the wall to dig further into the rock and give us an early idea of what kind of resources we might find." He bent down and picked up a fist sized black rock. "This is Moratanium, in its raw, unrefined form."
DG took the rock from him, examining it closely. "How can you tell the difference between this and just normal rock?"
"Scratch at it with your fingernail." She did and was astonished to see a silver sheen left behind. "After you do this job long enough, you can just tell the difference between the rocks, without having to test them."
The Queen held the rock up to the light, turning it over. It was hard to believe that a simple rock like that could be so powerful. But there it was. Curious, she walked away from the group and into the newly blasted hole, running her hands over the jagged edges. "How many charges do you set off if you're investigating a new vein?"
"Depends on the results. If this is promising, we'll do half a dozen more. If we don't get any results in the first three blasts, we abandon it and move to a new location."
"Well, I hope this is one of the promising ones." She turned and leaned against the back wall. "I'd hate to see all this hard work for nothing." She grinned and shifted her weight.
Crack.
DG froze, her eyes instantly going wide. It sounded like the floor was creaking, cracking, splintering under her weight. But that couldn't be right, they were in a mountain, with solid rock under them, not a thin ice sheet. Her eyes went to Josek, who looked horrified. And he would know what that sound meant. It meant the tunnel wasn't stable and she needed to get out of there.
"DG," Cain said, his voice strained. "Move slowly towards me."
Unable to nod or do much of anything, she achingly slowly took a step forward. Then another. Each time, the mountain groaned, protesting the strain of one waif of a girl. The miners stood immobile, anxiously watching, unable to do anything to help, but unwilling to look away. Cain's eyes were intent on her, one of his arms outstretched. Norris was immediately behind him, his eyes sharp with fear. Both men wanted to go to her, but couldn't for fear of upsetting the weight distribution.
DG's progress was slow, but constant. She was only a handful of steps away when everything went to hell. Without warning, the ground underneath her shifted, throwing her back and then forwards as the floor began to vanish in a collapse of rock. Cain yelled and DG made one desperate leap forward, her fingertips brushing Cain's.
But she didn't make it. And with a gut-wrenching scream, she disappeared down the abyss.
DG was getting real tired of waking up in pain. Whether it was from an assassination attempt or a magical drain, waking up with a pounding headache and her body screaming was a surefire way to put her in a bad mood. For a minute though, she was wondering why she had woken up in pain. She couldn't remember what she had been doing before she went to sleep. . .
She shifted and a pained whimper was ripped from her as agony arced up her leg. Okay, right leg was broken. Her left arm was throbbing too and also, most likely broken. Of course, those were just the body parts screeching louder than others. She raised a hand to her aching head, touching the sticky dried blood covering the right side of her face. What the hell happened? Cracking open her eyes revealed minimal light. But it was enough to see the rocks above her head, which brought memory rushing back.
Turning her head from side to side, all she could see was rock. She may be alive, but she was entombed under the mountain. DG's breath grew short as panic began to set in. Flashbacks of an emerald coffin sprinted across her eyes. Wedging her one good elbow underneath her, she forced her upper body up to get a better look at her leg. The panic went up a notch as she fought against the dizziness. Not only was her leg broken, but it was buried up to the knee in the rock wall.
Her elbow slipped in the damp soil and she fell back to the ground. Tears pricked at her eyes, partially from the pain and partially from fear. She didn't know what to do. Her magic wasn't any help—she was afraid that any augmentation of the rocks, whether she moved them or made them disappear entirely, would just bring down the entire mountain on her. She was effectively stuck. The one saving grace was the knowledge that Cain would be looking for her. He would get every miner digging and even get their own soldiers to help.
She closed her eyes and tried to slow her breathing, tried to calm her heart. Once she felt that her body was back under control (except for the constant pain), she was able to hear something beyond her own mind.
Water.
Frowning, DG tried to lever herself up again and twisted her head around. She was lying on a gentle slope, so she had to not only look behind her, but up as well. She could just make out the opening of the tunnel and see high into the air where light was sliding in from the ceiling. It was the large cavern she had seen when they first entered the mines. She must have fallen into one of the mines ringing the makeshift lake.
Speaking of the lake, a light stream of water suddenly crested the lip of the cave and tumbled down the slope. It ran along the edge and disappeared into the cracks of the new rock wall. DG cautiously reached out a hand to touch the water and then yanked her fingers back. It was freezing. The stream of water increased, growing larger and splashing her as it rode down the slope. It didn't take long before she could detect the smallest of pools down by the rock wall.
Josek's words suddenly flashed in her mind. 'Soon, those tunnels will be completely underwater.' She was in one of those tunnels. The panic started up again as the possibility of drowning began to assert itself. DG twisted and stared up at the opening again. If that was the cavern, it was possible that someone passing by that window could hear her if she shouted long enough. She hoped.
"Cain! Norris!" Her voice was impossibly loud in the small space, but she wondered how loud it really was in the cavern, once it was contending with the rushing water and the chaos undoubtedly triggered by her disappearance. "Cain! Can anyone hear me?"
The water continued to flow down the small tunnel, the pool by the wall growing bigger. She needed to do something to get their attention. Maybe her magic could be useful after all. Gathering her shattered focus, she held her right arm above her head and imagined the Fourth of July.
A pinch of light flew from her fingertips, zipped out of the tunnel and, once in the main cavern, exploded into a shower of gold. She heard a few startled cries and she repeated the spectacle, this time turning the firework green. Her arm dropped to the ground, fingertips splashing in the water. She didn't think using too much of her magic was such a good idea, not when her body was in such a rough shape. So she tried to wait for a reaction while the water slid over the top of her immobile knee.
"DG?"
The Queen twisted her head, her heart in her throat. That man's voice had never sounded so beautiful to her before. "Cain! Cain, I'm down here, I'm stuck!"
His voice was faint, but it was definitely there. "Which tunnel are you in?" She sent a small pulse of light to the opening, shining bright enough to clearly mark it. Cain apparently saw it. "Hold on, DG, I'm coming!"
Coming? How the hell was he going to get to her? She was trapped in a lower mine with water pooling at the bottom. In fact, she was starting to shiver from the cold water, which had encased her knees and was slowly inching up her thighs. If he didn't hurry, she was going to have to try and grow gills real soon.
A splash from out in the cavern drew her attention, the pulsing light lost in her damaged focus. Further splashes came closer to her tunnel and she startlingly knew what Cain had meant. The man had actually jumped into the cavern lake to get to her. Into freezing water at an unknown depth. She didn't know whether to smack him or kiss him.
But he was suddenly there, at the top of the tunnel, and she knew that she was leaning towards the latter. "Cain! Thank Ozma, I'm trapped!"
He levered himself out of the lake and into the mine, water streaming off his body. If she weren't so panicked, DG would certainly be struck speechless by a soaking wet Wyatt Cain. Clad only in his pants and shirt, his clothes molded to his body as he hurried down the slope. But his arrival also sent another wave of water down the tunnel, soaking her and bringing her out of her Baywatch inspired daydream.
"Deeg!" Cain dropped to his knees next to her, hands going to her face. He winced at the blood coating her cheek before his eyes scanned her body. "Where are you hurt?"
"My leg's broken for sure—the trapped one. My left arm is most likely broken too. I've probably got a concussion and my entire body is either on fire with pain, or numb altogether from this water."
He slid down the slope, splashing into the water at the bottom. His hands went to the wall and under the surface, circling her knee and checking the rocks keeping her trapped. "You're wedged in there pretty good. What about your magic?"
She shook her head. "I'm afraid even the slightest push is going to bring the rest of this tunnel down on top of me." A wave of water rushed down the slope, hitting the back of her neck and soaking her clean through. DG gasped and felt her muscles tense up as the water level rose to her hips. "We have to think of something fast or I'm not going to make it."
"Don't think like that, I'm getting you out of here," Cain said firmly. He took a few steps up the slope to lean out the opening and shout upwards. "Norris! Get down here!"
DG pushed her elbow beneath her, trying to keep as much of her torso out of the water as possible. "What good is that going to do?"
Cain was back at her side, one of his arms going under her shoulders to help support her weight. "An extra pair of hands isn't a bad idea." He smoothed her wet hair away from her face. "How are you doing, Sweetheart?"
She barked out a laugh, trying to keep her teeth from chattering. "I've been better. I'm freezing, in pain and afraid I'm going to drown in the next five minutes."
"You're not going to drown." She'd never heard his voice so fierce before. "You're getting out of here."
"Whatever you say." A second splash in the distance marked Norris's dive into the water. A few seconds passed before he was at the top of the tunnel and moving inside. The water was nearly at her waist. "Hey there, Norris. Nice of you to join us."
Her bodyguard glared at her once he slid into view. "Once this is over, I'm going to yell at you."
As Cain carefully lowered her back to the ground, she waved a hand at him, her fingers curled from the cold. "Looking forward to it."
The Troop Commander motioned Norris to the wall. "Let's start checking the wall, see if we can shift it enough to get her free." The two men sloshed over, their hands disappearing under the water as they tried to probe the rocks for openings. DG, with nothing to do, laid her head back against the ground. Within moments, her teeth began chattering and shivers wracked her body, rippling the water. Her hands were numb and her breaths were shallower than they had been a few minutes before. Without a doubt, she was hypothermic and it was only going to get worse unless she got warm and dry quick.
A wave of water rushed over her head and she shot upwards, coughing. The water was coming in faster now—the level was even with her breasts and steadily inching upward. She knew they weren't making any progress with the wall. Which meant there was only one option. "You guys need to get out of here."
"Don't be stupid," Cain said tersely, not turning away from the wall.
Her teeth chattering the whole time, she said, "I'm not being stupid, I'm being realistic. I don't have more than a few minutes left before I'm completely underwater. I'm not getting free in time. So you two need to leave while you still can."
"No!" Cain snarled, turning around to face her.
She wasn't backing down though. "You have to!"
"No! I love you, I'm not leaving you here!"
"I won't have you die with me!"
"Would both of you shut up?!" Norris's words stopped them and drew their attention. "We're all getting out of here. My Lady, you're going to have to use your magic."
"I can't, it might bring the whole ceiling down on top of us."
"There isn't exactly a better option, is there?" She bit her tongue and stared at the wall as the water skimmed her throat. "Use your magic to move the rocks. You just need to shift them around your leg so we can pull you free. If you can, stabilize the rest of the tunnel. But we have to do it now, there's no time to argue."
She would have liked to argue quite a bit, but with the water encasing her entire body, it was getting even harder to breathe, not to mention the fact she was losing feeling in her limbs. "Fine."
Cain and Norris moved behind her, the men grabbing her arms—with her bodyguard trying to be careful of her broken limb—ready to drag her out of there. "On the count of three, move the rocks and we'll pull you out," Cain said. "One. Two. Three!"
DG shoved at her magic, trying to focus the blast only to the rocks around her foot. The rocks ground together, an ominous rumble shaking the tunnel. Dust and small pebbles plopped into the water. The rocks around her foot suddenly split apart and the two men pulled at her arms, tugging her free. She couldn't stop the scream as her broken leg jostled across the rocks. But that hardly mattered because the tunnel was showing signs of collapse. Without stopping, Cain and Norris kept pulling her up and out of the tunnel entirely until they splashed into the cavern lake.
DG flailed at first, too tired, confused and panicked to orient herself. Her leg and arm made treading water near impossible and for one horrifying moment, she began to sink. But then two sets of hands grabbed her and hauled her up. Her head broke the water with a gasp and she immediately started coughing, gasping for air.
There was no time to catch her breath though as she was being dragged across the water towards a couple of ropes hanging down from the window high up in the main tunnel. Once they reached it, Cain supported most of her weight while Norris started winding one of the ropes around her, putting in some complicated knots.
"Cain," she croaked, her teeth making more noise than her voice. "I'm not going to be able to hold onto the rope." Ignoring the obviously broken arm, she raised one blue-tipped hand in front of his face, showing him the curled fingers. "I can't feel it at all."
Norris stopped tying the rope, looking at Cain. "We can't risk her falling."
"I know that," Cain snapped. A split second decision. "Secure me too. I'll keep her from falling. And we have enough men up there on the ropes, the extra weight shouldn't be a problem." Norris nodded and grabbed two more of the ropes, now winding them around both Cain and DG.
DG was resting her head on Cain's shoulder, her body shaking violently. She was so numb at this point, both in body and mind. They were talking around her and she was barely processing it. The world just went on without her it seemed and though she knew she needed to care, she didn't.
"Sweetheart, I need you to hold onto me, okay? Put your arms around my neck and hold on as tight as you can." A pause. "Deeg?"
"I heard you," she mumbled, moving her broken and frozen limbs around his neck. The cold had at least numbed the nerves, no longer jangling with the fire of a break. She couldn't move her fingers, but she tried to hold on as best she could. "Let's go already."
Cain snorted but wrapped his arms around her. Norris shouted up at the men to start pulling and slowly, they rose from the water. Cain's foot was braced in a loop of rope at the bottom, helping to stabilize the pair. DG was securely tied to Cain, but he still held on tightly to her small frame. Once they were nearly at the top, Norris started climbing up the last rope, moving swiftly hand over hand.
DG continued to float in this otherworld, aware of her body and the events going on around her but not apart of them. She felt herself bodily hauled over the lip of the tunnel, Cain still holding tightly to her. The voices around her got louder and more distressed, the ground shaking with the number of feet pounding up and down the mine. Her body was blissfully numb, a fact that contributed to her almost comatose nature. Until they picked her up that is.
Then the bones in her broken leg ground together, much like the rocks of the collapsed tunnel. Her vocal cords vibrated with the cry without her permission. They set her back down quickly enough on a canvas surface, some kind of stretcher. Someone smoothed back her wet hair, but she noted it with detachment. The stretcher bounced as it was picked up and hurriedly shuttled up the tunnel into the sunlight.
Everything continued to pass in the staticy haze between television stations—occasionally the picture would sharpen to clearly see what was going on, but then it would fade again into a dull buzz and blurred picture. She was aware of stopping somewhere, of suddenly passing out of the sunshine and back into the shade of a home. Someone started stripping the wet clothes off her body. Idly, she hoped Cain wasn't in the room. . .she wanted to be fully conscious the first time she was taking her clothes off in front of him. But then they started to cut away her pants and boot to work around her leg and all other thoughts moved back into the sea of pain.
Blanket after blanket heaped upon her body, a fire in the corner being stoked to an inferno against her frigid skin. She whimpered against the sudden warmth, almost painful, but soothing voices calmed her. An earthen cup was pressed to her lips and hot, bitter tea was dribbled into her mouth, sliding down her throat to warm her from the inside out. The cup didn't disappear until it was empty of liquid, at which point DG fell tiredly back against the pillow, her already drowsy consciousness falling further and further away until she fell asleep altogether.
Twice more she returned to the hazy awareness long enough for more of the bitter liquid to be poured into her mouth. Each time she whimpered with the pain in her body, aching away every moment before she fell to the depths once again. Finally, a time came when she climbed back to full consciousness and she could feel her body existing beyond the pain.
Cracking open her eyes, she stared up at an unfamiliar wooden ceiling, frowning at the worn crossbeams. A slight turn of her head revealed a small window, sunlight streaming in. Every few seconds someone would walk in front of the glass, blocking the light momentarily. Another turn of her head in the opposite direction showed Sani sitting next to her bed, quietly mending a man's shirt. Right. The miners. And the collapsed mine. She didn't know exactly where she was, but she knew she needed to see Cain right away.
"Sani?" Her voice was hoarse and weak, but still there.
The woman started and dropped the shirt to the floor. "Your Majesty!" She leapt to her feet and rushed forward. "I'm so happy to see you awake!"
DG tried to smile, but it probably came out as more of a grimace. "Can't say I'm ready to be awake. Is Cain nearby? I kind of need to talk to him. I'm surprised he's not here already."
"We didn't think it proper for him to be here, with you as you are. But I will hurry and get him for you, I'm sure he's not far." Sani hurriedly curtsied before rushing out of the room.
Not proper? What in the world did that mean? DG shifted, feeling the hard mattress under her body and the soft blankets covering her. In fact, she could feel them along every inch of her skin. . .because she wasn't wearing any clothes. DG's eyes widened, glancing to the door. She managed to work her right hand up and out to lift the covers a bit to peek under. Yep, definitely no clothes. Shifting again, she could feel a heavy cast over her right leg, as well as her left arm. Well, she was just a mess. A lovely—naked—mess.
But there was no time to worry about that right now. Because Cain was pushing through the door and straight to her bedside. He forsook the chair that Sani had been sitting in and instead sat on the bed itself, leaning over her, but then stopping. His hands twitched, like he desperately wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her, but was afraid to do so. Whether it was from her injuries or lack of clothing, she wasn't sure.
"How are you doing, Sweetheart?" His wonderful blue eyes were concerned, one hand reaching up to trace a row of stitches crossing her forehead.
"A lot better than the last time you asked me," she answered, smiling. She had been so scared in that cave, absolutely terrified of drowning, but Cain had gotten her out. For the millionth time, she wondered what her life would be like without Wyatt Cain. And she didn't like the answer. "I'm kinda confused though. I don't remember a whole lot after we got out of that cave. Where are we exactly?"
"As soon as they pulled us up, we put you on a stretcher and started moving through the village. Hypothermia had taken a firm hold in you though and every second counted—there was no time to get you either to our infirmary or to Duke Wiggin's. So, Josek offered his house and that's where we are now. Norris and I were taken to a neighbor's house, where they treated us for hypothermia as well. You though, the healer spent hours with you, first trying to warm you up, then treating your other injuries."
"Are you okay?" DG hadn't realized that Cain would be in as much danger from the cold water as she was.
He smiled and trailed his hand down her cheek. "Yeah, Sweetheart, I'm fine. Norris too. It's you I'm worried about though. You were so pale, your lips blue. There was nothing I could do. And then they wouldn't let me see you and I couldn't stand it."
Her free hand grabbed his, lacing their fingers together. "I'm sorry for always scaring you, I don't mean to. But you're here now and that's what matters." A silent moment passed, the contact of their hands secondary to their eyes. "So what's the deal with my other injuries, exactly? I can feel two casts for sure."
"Your arm wasn't too bad, just a clean break and easy to bind. Your leg was trickier though. A good portion of it was crushed in the fall and what hadn't been crushed had begun to mend the wrong way. They had to break your leg again and reset it."
"Ozma," she whispered. "Thank God I don't remember that."
"It's going to take a while to heal, unless we can get a viewer to speed up the process a bit, though you know they're not as confident with bones. Besides your leg and arm, you had the concussion, multiple bruised ribs and more cuts and bruises than I'd like to think about. Honestly, you are incredibly lucky. Most would have died in that situation."
"Yeah. Well, I've done so many stupid things in my life, I figure someone must be looking out for me."
He snorted. "Glinda herself must be shadowing you. It's the only possible explanation." He paused then, glancing around to make sure they were alone, but the bedroom door was closed and no one was by the window. "I don't know for sure how much you remember about what happened in the tunnel, but there's something I need you to know. I should have told you the moment I realized it, but I could never get the words out. And after so many near misses, I can't take any more chances." He leaned closer, eyes locked on hers. "I love you, DG. Have for weeks, if not months. You don't have to say anything, but I need you to know."
Her eyes wide, she stared at him for a moment, trying to gather her fractured thoughts. When he started to pull away, she tugged on his hand, dragging him back. When he moved back, she took her hand and placed it on the back of his neck, her thumb stroking the underside of his jaw. "I love you, Wyatt Cain." Then she tugged on his neck, bringing his lips to meet hers.
His arms went under her back, gently raising her to deepen the contact between their lips, the kiss far more passionate than any other that they had shared. DG quaked with the feel of his callused palms sliding along her skin, grasping and caressing all at once. She worked her other arm free to drape it over his shoulder, careful not to bash him in the head with her cast. With both arms around him, she sat up straighter and crushed their torsos together, not caring that her ribs protested the movement or that the blanket covering her was now precariously in place. But none of that mattered right then. It was all about his tongue tracing her lips, her fingers grasping his hair, their blood tiding together.
The kiss turned unexpectedly salty. Taking their time, they slowly pulled apart, noses brushing. Cain's eyes opened first, traveling her face. "You're crying," he said softly. "Are you in pain?"
DG gave a watery laugh, her eyes bright. "No. Well, yes, but that's not why I'm crying. As horribly corny as it sounds, I'm happy. Just. . .incredibly happy." He leaned in to grab another kiss and the Queen's laugh suddenly grew muffled as his lips landed against her own. It exploded again once he pulled away. Cain's wry smile suddenly disappeared when his arms went all the way around her.
"Uhh, Deeg?"
"Hmm?" Her head was on his shoulder, eyes closed and wearing a stupid smile.
"You're not wearing any clothes."
DG snorted. "Not too quick on the draw today are you?" She lifted her head to see his eyes suddenly diverted to the side, his face on fire. She rolled her eyes. "Wyatt, you've just kissed me senseless and now you're embarrassed despite the fact that I'm covered up."
"DG, it isn't—" His words died when DG crushed his lips against hers, erasing any excuse he may have given. She proceeded to kiss him in a way that killed most of his higher brain function, just as he had similarly hampered her. Once she was satisfied, she drew her lips away and said, "If I don't care, then you shouldn't." She pulled further back and held a hand against her chest, keeping the blanket in place. "I wouldn't mind some clothes from my pack though."
Cain snorted as well. "I'll see what I can do. And only because I love you."
The smile that crept across her face was blinding. "That's more than enough for me."
The Troop Commander smiled as well, the biggest such grin she had ever seen from him. He didn't say anything, just kissed her gently before rising from the bed and leaving. DG then fell back, staring up at the ceiling. She grabbed a pillow and pushed her face into it, screaming giddily.
"Are you alright, Your Majesty?" It was Sani, standing at the doorway, drawn by the muffled shriek.
DG tossed the pillow to the side, trying unsuccessfully to dampen her spotlight smile. "I'm great, Sani. Just great."
"I am glad to hear that. Perhaps you might be able to see two visitors?"
In the wake of Cain's admission, she felt strong enough to do anything. The pain and exhaustion ran secondary to all else. And who cares if she's still completely unclothed—it wouldn't be the first time she'd caused a scandal and it certainly won't be the last. "Sure, as long as it's short."
"Of course." She stepped aside and a nervous nobleman entered the room, his short brown hair plastered to his head, his mustache neatly trimmed and his pale face humble. He bowed halfway into the room.
"Duke Wiggin." DG pushed herself up to lean against the headboard, wrapping the blanket around herself as best she could. "I am glad that I have the opportunity to speak with you. Please, have a seat."
Wiggin—who was certainly a few pounds slimmer than the last time she saw him—uneasily sank into the chair, picking up Sani's discarded mending and laying it on the table. "I am sorry I was not there to greet you when you first entered my lands. Had I known you were coming, I would have had rooms prepared for you. As it is, there are rooms available for you now, should you desire them."
"Thank you, but I am comfortable enough here. And I do not think I will be here much longer, as I am sure my guards are anxious to get me back to Central City and the palace healers. I apologize for arriving unannounced, but that was my intention. I gave you an ultimatum several months ago and I wanted to see that my conditions were being met." She paused for dramatic effect, taking a moment to enjoy the sweat beating at Wiggin's brow. "And I must say I am pleased with your progress here. Your people are happy with the transition you've made, and they all appear to be much better off now, which is of most import to me.
"However, I would appreciate it if you would take walks through the village more often, perhaps meet with those on your lands occasionally. They need to see the man that leads them, and that can't happen when you spend all your time locked away in your own manor.
"Also, there are the mines, once again, to speak of."
Wiggin winced and DG shared the sentiment. "Your Majesty, I am deeply sorry that—"
"There is no need for apologies, Duke. You could hardly have predicted a collapse like that, nor do I hold you to it. But in an effort to make sure the miners are safe, I would like you to close down the mines for a few days while each and every tunnel is inspected for stability. And I want this to continue on a monthly scale, shut down briefly to check the tunnels. I was lucky to only break my leg and arm in the fall. Another person might not have that luck. Understood?"
Wiggin nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. The mines are closed right now, but I will not let them open until the inspections have been carried out."
"Good. I am very happy with what I have seen here and hope that you can continue. I will try and stop by again to check your progress. And this time I will try and send a messenger first."
Wiggin smiled as he rose. "I am honored that I have pleased my Queen. I look forward to your future visit and hope that it will be much more uneventful than this one." DG laughed as Wiggin bowed and left the room. The moment he left the room, a hulking figure took his place, filling out the doorway.
DG raised an eyebrow. "Are you my second visitor?"
Norris snorted. "No."
"So, are you here to yell at me then, like you promised in the cave?"
He smiled, the pockmarked skin of his left cheek pulling roguishly. "Surprisingly, no. I think you know everything that I would say to you. But I reserve the right to yell at you in the future, during the next stupid stunt you pull."
The Queen sighed. "Fine. But it all worked out, we're all alive and breathing! Just think about how boring your life would be without me."
"Blissfully so."
"Ha ha. Now if you wouldn't mind sending in my other guest, I would appreciate it." Norris inclined his head and turned. "Norris?" He paused and turned back. "Thank you. For everything, really, but especially for helping get me out of there. I'm glad you're alright."
His smile was brief, but genuine. Then he turned and was gone. She was not looking forward to the day that he called in that marker. A minute after he was gone, her second visitor showed up. A small girl with curly brown hair shuffled in, a ring of gold wire held between her fingers.
DG smiled softly. "Hello, Nithra. Why aren't you outside playing with the other kids?"
"I wanted to say hi." Nithra's shoes scuffed the floor as she inched closer, finally sidling up to the bed. "You were really hurt. Everybody was scared for you."
DG frowned. The little girl hadn't met her eyes yet, her normally boisterous voice quiet and unsure. "Nithra. . .were you scared too?" The little girl sniffed and nodded. Instinctively, DG leaned forward and wrapped her one good arm around the girl. "Come here." Nithra dropped the circlet and clambered onto the bed, wrapping her arms around DG's neck. "I'm alright now. Thanks to your mommy and daddy, who gave me a place to stay, I'm getting better. It's okay to be scared, but you don't have to worry anymore, okay? I promise I'm going to get better and then I'll be able to play with you the next time I visit. Does that sound good?"
Nithra nodded, giving one last sniff. "My mommy says that this is why we don't play in the mines, that they're dangerous. I don't think you should go in the mines anymore."
DG bit her lip to keep from laughing. "I have to agree with your mommy. The mines are very dangerous and you should never go near them. I'll make you a deal. You keep wearing your shoes when you play and I won't go in the mines again. Okay?"
She held out her hand and Nithra grinned, slapping it. "Deal!"
"Great. Now I want you to go back outside and have enough fun for the both of us."
"'Kay!" Nithra jumped off the bed but paused when she hit the floor. "I almost forgot!" She reached down and picked up DG's circlet. "I held onto it for you, just like you asked!"
DG took the piece of metal. "Well, thank you very much. You did a good job for me. Now, scoot!" Nithra bolted out the door, the spring back in her step. Seeing a child so carefree like that made her nostalgic. She missed the days of being able to do what she wanted: whether it was exploring the woods with Azkadellia, or walking for hours in the fields. There was freedom there that she definitely missed. Of course, she couldn't tell if it was the freedom of childhood or the freedom of not being Queen of a war-torn country. It didn't matter though. While she felt the nostalgia, that was all it was. She was surprisingly happy with her life now. Because the adult DG got to do cool things all the time. She got to meet interesting people. She got to experiment with magic. And she got to be with Wyatt Cain. A man that loved her and that she loved in return.
And that was the best thing of all.
I am so sorry for the wait on this one. All I really have are excuses—I'm desperately searching for a job. And I've been absolutely glued to the tv, watching the Olympics all night, every night. That cuts into my writing time, you could say.
Also, frankly, this piece just gave me fits. I kept getting jammed, not sure how to get from one part to the next. DG's injuries inadvertently changed with each paragraph and had me banging my head against the desk. I'm still not entirely happy with this one, but I just had to get rid of it before I scrapped it all. Ugh. I really do hope that you all enjoyed it though and that the obscene length of this piece helps make up for the delay.
As for the next one, I'm not sure how it's going to play out, honestly. I'm thrilled to write it, I think it's going to be great and I'm hoping I've figured out the format. We're going to be visiting things from a different point of view. Hehe. There's the slight chance I'm going to post it as a companion piece, if it gets too out of control. Otherwise, it'll show up as an Interlude here. We'll see. After that, it's a debate between two ideas. Who knows.
Anyway, thank you, as always to my wonderful readers. Even when I get stuck, I try and push through for you guys, because I don't want to leave you hanging too long, if I can help it! I'm not going to put a timeline on the next chapter, but know that I'm trying to do my best for you. I love and adore you all. Please, leave me some feedback and let me know what you thought! Thanks and until next time!
