Note: I forgot to tell ya'll I was going out of town. So that's why no chap went up yesterday. A couple of things: there's been some mention that Raw and Glitch have been swallowed up by the earth. No they are still alive, I just don't write their voices very well – like, at all, so I don't kill myself to do it. This is for fun for me, so yeah, call me Lazy. They do both come back, later, but they're not major players. Some people write those two so well, I'm jealous, but whatev. The next thing is that I don't own Tin Man. Thanks
)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)
Tia came into the sitting room the next morning, surprised to find she was first one there. She didn't think anything of the princesses sleeping in a little sometimes, especially after a hard night, but it was strange not to find her son and the commander already drinking coffee and reading the newspaper.
After she'd poured herself a cup of tea and sat back for some quiet thinking, Cain wandered into the room. He looked a little rough around the edges.
"Good morning Commander," Tia greeted him. "Did you spend another night sleeping in a chair?"
Cain chuckled. "Not all of it, no."
"Rough night? Why didn't you wake me?" she gently reproached him.
"Actually it was a good night – for both DG and Azkadelia," Cain assured her. "They had a good long talk and Az got DG to let go of all her guilt."
Tia smiled warmly. "I'm glad," she whispered. "In the end, we all must work through our own problems individually – save ourselves, as it were – but the princesses are lucky to have each other."
Cain murmured his agreement, but the conversation ended when Azkadelia appeared at the door leading to her bedroom and Tannen simultaneously appeared at the door from the hallway.
They smiled at each other before greeting the others. Even after she'd accepted a cup of tea from Lady Tia, Azkadelia still had a big smile on her face.
"What has you grinning today, Az?" Tia asked. "Something to share with the rest of us?"
The princess giggled. "Nothing in particular Tia," she said. "I feel...happy and light. Like all my cares are washed away."
Cain chuckled. "It looks good on you Azkadelia."
Az felt herself blush and everyone laughed at her. At that moment, DG burst into the room and fairly flew to her sister. She hugged her tightly before turning to everyone else.
"Good morning everyone," she chirped. "What has my sister a lovely shade of red so early in the morning?"
"I'm feeling happy and they all seem to think it's hilarious," Az said, pretending to be affronted.
Tia laughed. "Not hardly," she assured DG.
The group had a very merry breakfast, with DG and Az seeming to shine brighter than anyone.
"Well ladies," Tia said after a servant came to take the empty dishes away. "You have dress fittings this morning and we better get a move on so we don't keep the Royal seamstress waiting."
DG groaned. "You mean keep the Royal Pain waiting," she muttered to her sister.
Cain heard her and glared at DG. "Do you remember that time," he mused, apparently to no one in particular, "that DG went to her dress fitting and she was very diplomatic and didn't cause a lick of trouble? Does anybody remember that? Best day of my life."
Az and DG rose from the couch. "Very subtle Cain," Az said with a wry grin.
"Just reminiscing," Cain replied, all innocence.
"Yeah, yeah, we get it," DG grumbled, rolling her eyes.
Cain turned to Tannen. "Would you mind accompanying the girls this morning? I've got some letters to write before lunch."
"Not a problem sir," the lieutenant said. Cain excused himself and left the room.
"Insufferable man," DG spat. "Real cute: Do you remember the time..." she said mockingly.
Everyone laughed and Az looped her arm through her sister's. "Come on," she said. "Let's go assess the damage to our gowns after the last fittings."
)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)
Actually, neither princess had anything to worry about. The royal seamstress seemed to have come to the conclusion that DG was much easier to work with if one didn't try to stuff her into a rigid mold. She'd kept the younger princesses gown very simple, as per Az's instructions.
Tia sat on a couch, waiting for the girls to get their dresses on and come out in front of the mirrors. Tannen stood at attention to the side of the door, silently wishing he had had some letters to write.
Lucky Cain, he thought. Always getting out of the boring assignments.
Just then, DG came around the dressing partition, and Tannen smiled, all complaints flying out the window.
On second thought, his tune changed, my job ain't so bad.
The younger princess' gown was a dusty violet with delicate embroidery. The skirt gathered toward one side and her slim shoulders were bare. She looked very different – a far cry from her trousers and tennis shoes. She climbed up onto a stool and let the seamstresses look over the dress.
Tia clapped her hands for the young woman. "You look lovely DG!" she cried. "Truly you do. How you like it?"
DG couldn't help the smile that crept across her face. "Although it's still just so much, I actually feel...like a princess."
"Which is the point," Azkadelia called from somewhere in the back of the room.
"You do look amazing, DG," Tannen called to her.
"Thank you Lieutenant, I'm glad you approve." The women working on the gown were done, and had stepped back to admire their work, so DG hopped down from the stool. "Hurry up sister dear, we're waiting for you," she called in a sing-song voice.
Azkadelia came around the partition and Tannen's lungs lost their working ability and DG audibly gasped. The eldest princess was in a deep rose pink dress, with a wide neck and fitted bodice. The skirt of the gown fell in shimmering folds to the floor, the fuller back making a small train behind her.
"Great balls of fire, Azkadelia," DG breathed, her face awestruck. "You look beautiful."
"That color is perfect on you," Tia agreed.
Az's face broke into a happy smile. "It is absolutely gorgeous," she said to the women pulling and tucking all around her. "Thank you for all your hard work."
Tannen just stared, unable to think of anything to say that would do justice to the sight before him. When Azkadelia was asked to turn on the stool to allow easier access to some other part of her gown, she caught his eye. She quirked up an eyebrow at him, and he realized his mouth was gaping open. Shaking his head, he gave the princess a small smile and a thumbs up. Very nice, he mouthed to her. She blushed a little and ducked her head with a small laugh.
Just as the seamstress declared she didn't need the women anymore, Queen Lavender Eyes joined them. The gasps and compliments started all over again, and the queen looked very pleased by her girls' dresses.
"Oh, this is wonderful, you'll both be very beautiful," their mother said. "And I suppose that's a good thing because I have something wonderful to tell you. Sit down girls."
The princesses carefully sat on a couch next to each other.
The queen clasped her hands in front of her, excitement glittering in her eyes. "Your father and I have decided to use the ball this weekend to not only to reunite the people of the O.Z. but to introduce you both to society and declare you eligible for marriage."
The room was stone silent for exactly one second before DG erupted and chaos ensued. The princess began arguing stridently with her mother, who brought it right back to her daughter. There were tears and lots of shouting. Everyone else stood in shock while the queen and her daughter battled, unsure of what to do with themselves.
Tannen looked at Azkadelia, still sitting on the couch, looking pale and frightened. She seemed to not even notice her mother and sister. When she began to shake, Tannen moved to go to her, but his mother was closer and noticed the girl also. Lady Tia helped Azkadelia up, and whispered to her while she led her behind the partition to get changed out of her dress.
DG noticed her sister at that point – and without interrupting the sword-crossing she was in the middle of with her mother – she stomped behind the partition too. Once the princesses were out of their gowns, the seamstresses disappeared, lucky to be out of the crossfire.
When DG finished getting dressed, she stalked out to her mother.
"Over my dead body will you force either of us into a marriage, Mother. It's hardly fair that – for the sake of the comfort of everyone else – we are dropped into a permanent situation following on the heels of some archaic, sexist ritual. You can't make us!" she cried. With that, she yanked her sister out of Tia's grasp and pulled her from the room, storming and thundering all the way.
When the girls were gone, the queen sunk onto the couch. "Good Ozma," she sighed. "What was that?"
Tannen and Tia looked at each other, but neither gave the queen an answer.
Tannen excused himself to follow after the princesses. He caught up to them quickly, despite DG's ground-eating pace. The women were huddled close together, talking intensely, so Tannen followed at a respectful distance. Neither of them noticed him and eventually, pieces of their conversation floated back to him.
Az seemed to be repeating something over and over. It sounded like "I'm not ready, I can't do this", but Tannen couldn't be sure. DG just kept offering soothing words and staunch promises.
"I won't let anything happen to you, I promise," DG said. "None of them will even come near you or touch you or anything."
"Yes they will – they'll all be at the ball! And I can't make excuses for forever!" Az cried.
DG went silent for a moment. When she spoke, it was with hesitation. "Az, maybe you should just tell Mother and Father. Then they would definitely stop this whole thing until you were ready."
"No!" the elder princess practically shouted. "Don't tell anyone DG. It will kill mother and father – and ruin so many things for them. Promise me you won't tell them. Promise!"
DG stared at her sister long and hard. "All right, I promise."
They didn't speak again until they'd reached their suite. Tannen waited a few minutes before entering the sitting room after them and it took all his self-control to not jump all over Azkadelia and make her tell what she was hiding from everyone. He wondered how Cain could just stare at DG and have the princess spilling all her secrets to him. Maybe he should ask his boss to show him how he did it...
Tannen opened his mouth to say something to the princesses, anything to break the awkward silence, when Az looked up and met his eyes. For the second time that day, Tannen couldn't breath. The fear on the princess' face seemed to reach across the room and squeeze his heart mercilessly. Just when he thought he couldn't take it anymore, the door opened behind him and his mother came in, followed by the queen.
DG folded her arms across her chest. "I'm not ready to talk to you yet," she said, quietly but with real anger.
Lavendar Eyes bristled. "Well, that's too bad dear, because I am your mother and sometimes I need to make decisions that – "
"Hold it!" Tia cried. "Stop both of you stop right there." She moved in between DG and Lavender Eyes. "No more fighting – it's only doing you both harm. And your family has seen enough harm and hurt and loneliness to last a hundred lifetimes. Let's not add to it now."
DG unfolded her arms and her mother sighed.
"You're right," they said at the same time.
"I know I am," Tia quipped. "I'm just glad you came around so easily." She respectfully directed the queen to one of the chairs, and indicated that Az and DG should take their seats again. "Now, I'm going to excuse myself, and send Tannen to the hallway, and I want this loving family to talk about the ball and remember while you're talking that no one is the enemy here – we're all on the same side."
Lady Evergreen left the room, taking Tannen with her. Once the door closed behind them, Tannen turned on his mother, anxiety written across his face.
"You can't talk to the Queen of the O.Z. like that mother! Or her daughters, for that matter. Great Glinda, what were you thinking?"
Tia put on her 'I mean business' face. "Son, I'm let you in on a little secret – even the queen of the realm needs some reminders to behave well some times. And this is marriage business is no exception." Tannen started to protest, but his mother stopped him. "The O.Z. is still suffering son – those girls are still suffering. But I believe the queen has their best intentions at heart and she's not telling them they have to be married at the ball, she's just saying it's time to think about it. No harm in that. And it might take DG some time to get used to our different customs, but I think she'll come out just fine."
"But Azkadelia – "
"Leave that be."
"But she's seems so scared, so frightened by the sheer thought of being presented to the court."
"I know," Tia sighed. "And she probably will be for a while."
Tannen squinted his eyes at his mother. "What happened her mother? Has she said anything to you?"
"No, and I won't ask her."
"But she's afraid and – "
Tia interrupted Tannen again. "Son, I know you have the best of intentions, but you need to leave this alone."
"Mother, I think if I just talk to – "
"Tannen Karl Evergreen," Tia snapped. "You cannot save the princess. I know you want to help her – we all do. But Azkadelia has to fight her this particular demon all by herself, I'm sorry. I know it's hard for you to stand by and watch somebody else fight a battle alone. I suppose it's the soldier in you."
"You do know what's wrong, don't you?"
"She hasn't said anything to me, but I have my suspicions."
"Tell me."
"No," Tia sighed. "I'll not gossip about out future queen." She patted her son on the arm and walked down the hallway. "I'm going to get some tea for the Royal family. You keep good watch out now, will you?"
Tannen allowed himself to slump forward in frustration for just a moment, before straightening and standing at attention.
Mere seconds after he had, Wyatt Cain came around the corner with one of the palace pages. Tannen sighed internally, grateful his boss hadn't caught him shirking, then cringed when he saw lines of anger on the commander's face.
"What is going on around here?" Cain growled. The page cringed away from him. "I try to get a morning's work done and things blow all to the Other Side!"
Tannen should have expected that the news of the fight between the queen and DG would have gone around the palace like lightening, and he felt bad that he hadn't been the one to tell his boss.
"Actually, sir, I think things are calming down. The ladies are in there talking rationally and calmly."
"Well, I need to interrupt them, we've got the Quadling dignitaries stopped to rest and clean up about 15 miles outside of Central City. We're expecting them in about an hour and a half."
"Aren't they a day early?"
"Yes," Cain said with a sigh. "When I'm done here, will you go and talk to Jeb? I'd send a page, but he's going to be really frustrated and I don't want him shooting the messenger. We're going to need an Honor Guard lined up to welcome the Quadlings – and we need them lined up fast – like, yesterday."
The commander turned and knocked on the sitting room door, then poked his head through it. After speaking briefly to the queen, he came back out, frowning. "Well that was odd," he said, his brow furrowed. "One more thing, Evergreen. Are the rumors true? Were DG and her mother fighting about the Queen and Consort wanting to present the girls at court? Open them up to suits of marriage?"
"Yes, that's what started it all," Tannen replied.
"Great Ozma, this is going to suck," Cain groused, using one of DG's coarser Other Side words.
"I think I agree, boss," Tannen said, not entirely sure why, but just feeling a little blue about the whole thing.
)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)
The Gale women didn't speak after Tia left for a few minutes. Finally, Lavender Eyes cleared her throat. "I suppose I should start, since I'm the one who dished out all the surprises today. I apologize for springing this on you girls, but really, what I'm asking of you isn't so bad. I want to present you both to the court and let everyone know that, yes, you are both healthy, normal women who will someday want to be married. I'm am certainly not telling you who to marry, DG. Nor you Azkadelia. And I'm not saying you have to hold court with any suitor who comes calling. But you are both of marriageable age, and just because you feel you're not quite ready for marriage doesn't mean that the opportunity you've been waiting for won't come knocking."
A knock sounded on the door, and as one, they turned their heads toward it.
Hesitantly, Wyatt Cain stuck his head into the room and gave the queen a message from one of the pages. DG flushed bright red at the sight of him and Azkadelia had to cover her mouth to stifle her laughter. Luckily Queen Lavender Eyes was busy speaking with Commander Cain and didn't notice the princesses.
DG barely had time to cool down before their mother turned back to them. Az didn't miss the strange, long look Cain gave her sister, and, thankfully, DG missed it, as she was focused on their mother, because it was sending shivers down Az's spine. She could only have imagined what it would have done to DG.
"My darlings," Lavender Eyes said, "I'm afraid I have to run off. I apologize for leaving in the middle of our talk, but the Quadling Emissary is headed this way, and he and his entourage are a day early. I must go get things ready. Can we resume this discussion later?"
DG looked at Az, who nodded ever so slightly, then turned back to their mother. "Actually, Mother, it's all right. We'll be presented at court, if you're all right that we take the whole suitor thing a little slow."
The queen's eyes lit up. "Really? Oh thank you!" she said, her relief obvious. "And yes, of course, you may take this whole process at your own pace." She stepped over and gave each of the daughters a kiss on the cheek. "I'll send the Mistress of Etiquette over after dinner this evening and she'll get you ready for that portion of the ball."
With that little bomb, the queen exited the room.
DG didn't even have time to complain about having to meet with the Mistress of Etiquette before Azkadelia slapped her on the arm.
"Ow," the younger princess cried. "What was that for?"
Az put on her best serious expression and pointed a finger in her sister's face. "For not telling me you are in love with Wyatt Cain, that's what that was for!"
"What?" DG scoffed, a little too forcefully. "Are you crazy?"
"Yes, some days I think I am," Az said. "But I saw the color you went when he poked his head through the door, and I've been watching you two for months now. I knew you cared for him – but I've just realized that you love him!"
DG spent a few moments looking contrary, but finally her facade crumpled. "I do," she sighed. "I can't help it. I love everything about him. I love that he's so cantankerous and grumpy. I love that he is direct and I love that he never has a wasted motion. Watching him is like reading poetry. I love that he is abrupt and stoic. And oh heavens – his eyes." The women giggled like they were teenagers. DG's smile faded quickly. "But I don't know if he loves me," she confided sadly.
Azkadelia scoffed at her sister. "Puh-lease Deeg," Az scoffed. "Of course he does. I've seen the way he looks at you and it's...romantic and fluffy and sappy and lovey-dovey – all rolled into one," she assured her. "But in a very 'Wyatt Cain, Tin Man' kind of way of course."
DG laughed without heart. "But he loved his wife," she whispered. "And he didn't just 'love her' love her. He burned and pined for her, and I don't think I could ever compete with that."
Azkadelia felt her sister's pain acutely. "I don't think he would ever ask you to," she said.
"Exactly," DG sighed. "Which is why I'll end up married to some snooty Lord So-and-So and be miserable for all my days."
Az laughed at her sister's dramatics. "I didn't say that Cain can't love you," she pointed out. "I just said I don't think he would ever want you to compete with Adora. I am sure that your Tin Man loves you for exactly who you are – not because you are a visage of his late wife. The heart is bigger than we think DG, and I know that our commander has room in his to love you forever."
Tears sprang to DG's eyes. "And it is wisdom and speeches like that that will make you a powerful Queen of the O.Z." She hugged her sister. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Az said. "Now, are you going to tell him that you're in love with him or what?"
DG let out a short bark of laughter. "Ha! Yeah...no. I don't think that would go over very well," she quipped. "Besides what the hell would I say? 'Heya Wyatt! Ummmm...so I've been in love with you since I first laid eyes on ya and boy howdy it would sure be grand if you loved me back? Care to be royalty for the rest of your life?' Like I said, wouldn't go over very well."
Az patted her sister's hand. "Well, it'll work out how it's supposed to, you'll see."
"Until then I guess we're goin' courtin'."
"Oh, great," Azkadelia said under her breath, trying to stop her racing heart and squeezing lungs.
)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)
Azkadelia had another nightmare that night. Another screaming, tear-her-hair-out, soul-draining one. It took both Tannen and Tia to wake her and she cried so hard into the motherly woman's arms, she couldn't breath. Watching her lips turn blue, Tannen finally propped her up against his chest, giving her lungs space to work, while his mother fussed and soothed.
When Azkadelia calmed down, Tia asked if she wanted to go out into the gardens, but the Princess shook her head, still taking in heavy, hiccuping breaths.
"What was your dream about this time?" Tannen asked softly.
Without thinking, Azkadelia answered him. "Zero."
"Why does he scare you, Az, what did he do?"
She realized where she was, laying up against Tannen, and panicked. She rolled away from her guard and started crying again, but she wouldn't answer him.
Frustrated, Tannen stalked away from her bed, fisting his fingers in his hair, making it stand on end.
"What's wrong with her?" he cried.
Tia heard what Az said, and saw the princess' reaction to her son and felt several puzzle pieces fall into place in her mind. She no longer had just a suspicion.
She shushed her son. "Patience, child of mine," she admonished and signaled that he should go back to bed. When Azkadelia was ready, she would open up about her experiences with Zero, and she didn't think her son needed to hear them.
She didn't watch for him to leave though, so Tannen stayed in the shadows, observing her try to relieve the sobbing princess' distress. Softly, she began to sing a song – an old O.Z. lullaby, one he remembered her singing to his brothers and him as children.
The song calmed Azkadelia remarkably fast. Her breathing slowed and she appeared to slip into slumber. With a gentle hand, Tia smoothed the hair away from Azkadelia's forehead, and wiped away the perspiration there.
"May Glinda watch over your slumber," she crooned quietly. "Sleep well Your Highness." Tia left, leaving Tannen standing in silent watch.
Just as he felt sleep tug at the corners of his mind, Azkadelia called out to him.
"Did you tell her?" she asked.
"Tell her what?"
"About what I did when the witch possessed me. How I sang to myself."
Tannen caught up to her quickly. "Oh. Oh, no, Az, I didn't," he reassured the princess. "I kept your confidence."
"Then how did she know?"
"Know what?" he asked patiently.
"To sing that song to me?"
Tannen took a few steps toward the bed, but the princess' back was too him and she didn't move. "It was just a lullaby she used to sing to me when I was little, one of her favorites, I believe."
Azkadelia didn't say anything for a long minute. "Oh," she finally sighed.
"Why do you ask?" She didn't answer right away and Tannen fairly burned to know the answer.
"That was the song that was stuck in my head – the day I learned to drown out the witch. The only day I have no memories of."
)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)9)