Title: When Her Word Didn't Stop
Characters/Pairings: DG/Cain, rest of the cast, O/Cs
Rating: NC-17
Warnings/Spoilers: Adult content. Smut
Summary: Companion piece to After His World Stopped. Cain and DG learn to work as a team to help the O.Z.
Disclaimer: Don't own anything, anyone or anyplace.
Chapter 12
The Ministers looked at each other around the table.
"Is there anyone else?" DG asked.
Silence.
She sighed. "Lord Ambrose, please read the revised version."
Glitch rose to his feet.
"It is the recommendation of the Council of Ministers of the Outer Zone to Her Royal Majesty, Queen DorthiGale that an agency be created to collect, analyze, and process information concerning threats, foreign and domestic, against the security and well being of the allied Realms of the O.Z.
"We further recommend the Agency be called the Outer Zone Intelligence Analysis Agency, headed by a single Director. The Director will be responsible for all intelligence data collected for the good of the O.Z. He will use the data to prepare ongoing reports to advise Her Majesty on the all threats to her domain. He will submit said reports to the Consort. He will report to and be responsible to a committee of three Ministers: one aristocrat, one Guild and one royal advisor.
"Your Ministers advise immediate implementation of the above recommendations."
DG nodded. "You've worked very hard on this task. This is an action I'm very hesitant to take. I've seen how this power has been abused both here in the Zone and on the Otherside."
She looked at Az and then turned to Cain. He wore a grim smile and nodded slowly. DG sighed.
"Your recommendations are accepted in their entirety. At next weeks meeting, we will appoint a Director and the members of the committee."
She sat down, looking sadly at her councilors.
"It is necessary," Kerrell of the Northern Woods Guild said softly.
She nodded. "I know. I just wish this had a happier ending – like one of the stories my dad always told me."
*************
DG stormed through the bathroom, went into the small bedroom and slammed the door behind her.
Cain stood staring after her. He took a step in the direction she had gone then stopped. Gritting his teeth, he started after her again with a low growl. He stopped at the closed door and started to turn away.
Then he heard her sob.
Sighing, he lowered his forehead to rest on the door. Finally he straightened and opened the door.
"I want a lock put on that door first thing in the morning," she ordered between sobs.
Sitting on the bed, Cain took DG in his arms.
"Maybe you do, but it's not going to happen," he told her.
She made a half-hearted attempt to push away from him, but stopped struggling as soon as his arms tightened around her.
"You know I didn't mean it the way it sounded," he told her, stroking her hair.
"But you said it!"
"DG … you know I didn't intend to imply that I don't find you attractive. Ozma! You are the most beautiful woman I've ever known."
She pushed hard against his chest and he let her move away from him slightly.
"Just not attractive enough for you to fuck."
"DG! I'm just concerned that you aren't completely healed from being shot."
"That was a friggin' week ago! I thought the viewer I asked you to see would help you realize that I'm fine! The healer and Raw both said I was fine. Az thinks I'm fine. Even my mother thinks I'm fine. The only person is the whole O.Z. who doesn't think I'm fine is my big, strong husband who is afraid he'll hurt me if he touches me. The. Only. Thing. Wrong. With. Me. Is. That. He. Won't Touch. Me!" She jabbed his chest with her index finger on each word.
Cain grabbed the wrist of the hand she was using to poke him. He pulled her off balance so she fell into his arms. He twisted her until she was lying across his lap. He lowered his head and took her mouth possessively with his.
She struggled against him for a long moment. Suddenly she relaxed in his grasp. As the tension in his arms slackened, she slid her arms up around his neck and clung to him.
*************
Carolynne looked through the Royal Suite. She blinked her eyes in disbelief. All of the bedding had been ripped off the bed. The chair in front of DG's dressing table was knocked over on its side.
The bathroom still had steamed mirrors. Enough towels were scattered around the room for six people.
Seeing the door open, Carolynne looked into the second bedroom. Clothes were thrown all over the room. A lamp from one of the side tables was knocked off the stand. Much of the bedding had been torn off the mattress. One corner of the bed rested completely on the floor.
"Carolynne!" Marietta came running into the room. "Is Her Majesty all right? Was there another attack?"
Carolynne turned to the younger woman with a wicked grin. "Oh, I think there was an attack last night, I'm just not sure which one of them started it."
Marietta took in the clothes and the broken bed.
"Oh!" She blushed.
Carolynne chuckled. "Help me straighten this mess up. We can't let housekeeping see the suite like this."
"I suppose not," Marietta answered, starting to help with the cleanup. "But … they are bonded, after all."
"Still … " Carolynne waved her hand at the damage. "Oh, and ask Jeb for someone who'll be discrete about fixing the bed."
*************
Jeb stared opened mouthed at his father when Cain came into the stables that afternoon.
"I absolutely cannot believe you two!" he exclaimed.
Cain's brows furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"I saw the suite this morning."
Cain's cheeks and the top of his ears blushed. He pulled his hat down low over his eyes. But Jeb could see a self-satisfied smirk on his father's face.
"Really?" Jeb shouted.
Cain shrugged. "We had a fight."
"From the looks of it, I guess you made up."
Cain made a choking sound.
"What were you doing in my suite?" Cain demanded suddenly.
"Carolynne wasn't sure who to trust."
"Trust? About what?"
Jeb threw his arms in the air in frustration and let out an exasperated sigh. "Do you remember that you broke the bed?" he asked.
"Broke? The bed?"
"Well, one of them."
This time, Cain's face blushed a deep red all the way to his jaw that even his hat couldn't cover it.
Jeb laughed. "That must have been a hell of a fight," he said as he walked away.
*************
Cain looked uncomfortable as he dressed for final meal. Before tonight, he and DG had not held any formal affairs. By Lavender's standards, tonight would be very low key. The Queen, her Consort, her family and friends were hosting the aristocrats that currently resided in Central City.
He put on his dress boots and stood up.
"Are you going to be much longer, DG? If you are I think I'll …"
He stopped to stare at his wife as she came from the dressing chamber.
DG wore a blue evening gown the exact color of Cain's icy blue eyes. It made her darker blue eyes look luminous. The gown had a tight bodice that exposed her neck and shoulders. The skirt flared from her hips into a soft bell of fabric. As usually, she wore only the earrings Cain had given her and her bonding ring with its two blue stones.
He lowered his lips to tenderly kiss the scar on her left shoulder.
She smiled. "I take it you like the new look?"
He shook his head slowly. "I'll kill the first man who touches you," he said softly.
He made a show of starting to put on his holster and gun. Laying her hands on his right forearm, she laughed at him.
"Come on … I need a drink before we do this and if we don't hurry I'll have to listen to Mother tell me how inappropriate I am for drinking."
They moved, arm-in-arm, to the family chamber. There was a small bar set up for the family. Cain quickly made them each a cocktail as they waited for the others to join them.
Az and Glitch joined them first. Like Cain, Glitch was dumbstruck by DG's appearance. Ahamo and Lavender arrived with Jeb and Raw. Lavender was thrilled by how elegant DG looked in the gown she had encouraged her daughter to wear. Finally the Butler appeared to announce the guests had arrived in the Dining Chamber.
Following DG and Cain, everyone moved into the formal hall where the aristocrats of the Outer Zone waited to greet their Queen in the first formal dinner the royal family had held in 15 annuals.
There were 20 guests. The three Barons, four lords, and two counts who served on the Council of Ministers and their companions were there. Thurman the first and his wife were also in attendance. The dinner proceeded without incident. After dinner, everyone moved to a large chamber across the hallway from the Dining Chamber. This room was set up with deserts, coffee and a bar. There were numerous chairs and couches arranged in small groupings. French doors led out to a terrace that overlooked one of the gardens.
DG, Az and Lavender were talking quietly.
"I think this has been a very successful evening," Lavender commented.
Az nodded. "I would have never believed everything would go so smoothly the first time."
DG rolled her eyes. "As long as Lord Paulter doesn't touch my arm again. The last time he did, I know I saw Cain looking around for a gun."
The three women laughed softly.
"How fortunate you can laugh."
They turned to look at Baroness Effingham. She was only a year or two older than Lavender but she had the appearance of someone who was tired of life. Her dull eyes looked them over with distain.
DG's chin rose. Her eyes were cool as they regarded the woman. Her husband was one of the Council members who continually opposed anything Cain suggested.
"It's a blessing," DG said carefully, "to be able to have a few minutes of enjoyment after so many annuals of pain. I'm glad you and your husband could come tonight."
"As if we had any choice," the woman replied. Her voice was louder.
Gradually, all other conversation in the room stopped.
"Being ordered to the palace is something no one dares refuse," she added.
"I'm sorry you misunderstood the invitation to be an order," DG told her. Her blue eyes sought out the Baron. "When I issue a command, there'll be no mistake about it. An invitation is an invitation. And you have the right to refuse one anytime you chose."
The Baron hurried over to his wife. Moving slower, but with a greater sense of presence, Cain came over to the three royal women. He surveyed the scene cautiously. He glanced up to see they now had an audience of everyone in the room.
He gave a subtle jerk of his chin to the Baron. "Perhaps it's time to call it an evening." He turned to DG. "I believe it's protocol that you and I must leave before these good people can go to their beds."
Everyone curtseyed or bowed as Cain took DG's arm and led her out into the hallway. Jeb followed.
"Stay. Watch everyone," Cain ordered his son as soon as they had left the room.
With a nod of his head, Jeb slipped back into the chamber.
DG was shaking by the time they returned to the family chamber. As soon as the door was closed, Cain drew her into a tight embrace. She trembled for several moments before she began to relax.
"They are full of hate and pain and distrust," Cain told her gently.
"They're the very people who abandoned the O.Z. and let the sorceress take over the Zone without a fight," she spat out. "If they'd stayed and led the citizens, who knows what might have been different. If they'd done their duty better than my family did ours, maybe she couldn't have taken over so completely."
Cain took her shoulders and gave her a gentle shake.
"Don't you talk about not doing your duty. You were a child! From the minute you learned what had happened, you have done nothing but devote yourself to fixing everything you could … whether it was your problem or not."
She smiled at him. Gently she kissed his lips.
"I love you, Wyatt Cain," she said as the door opened.
Their family and friends entered.
"Hail, hail, the gang's all here," Ahamo sang as he looked around to see who was in the room.
DG laughed. Everyone else just looked at the two Slippers.
"You know," Jeb commented as everyone settled into seats, "Effingham is very vocal about wanting to be on the governing committee for the new intelligence agency."
Cain shook his head. "If there's only going to be one aristocrat, we have to make sure Baron Franklin is the one."
"Why?" Glitch asked.
"Because he's the Longcoats' spy."
DG's blinked and opened her mouth. Getting out no sound, she closed it again. Cain smiled at her.
"You didn't think I'd let anyone around you that I didn't know everything there is to know about them, did you?"
With a soft chuckle she shook her head. "No, I guess not."
"Do we have to spoil this evening with politics?" Azkadellia asked.
"No, we don't," DG assured her. "Father, if you will do the honors, I think everyone needs another round of drinks before we hit the hay."
Lavender wrinkled her forehead. "We're going out to the barn?"
DG and Ahamo laughed while everyone else just waited for the explanation.
TBC
