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 14
Carolynne opened the suite door. This time it was the Queen Mother.
"I've been expecting you, ma'am," Carolynne greeted her.
Lavender gave her a hard look.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Well, the Princess and Lord Ambrose tried two days ago. General Ahamo was here twice yesterday. I expected you some time today."
Lavender gave a brief nod of understanding. She looked at the closed bedroom door.
"I take it she's still in there."
"Yes, ma'am. I thought her moping around the first day or two was okay. But now I'm worried. Yesterday she quit eating and last night she wouldn't let me draw her a bath. This morning she hasn't even answered me when I've knocked on the door."
Lavender looked alarmed. "Are you sure she's alright?"
"Ma'am, I'm sure she isn't alright. That's why I'm glad you're here."
Lavender marched over to the bedroom door and knocked briskly then entered.
DG was lying on the bed, her arms crossed behind her head, staring at the ceiling.
"Enough of this, DG," Lavender stated gently, but in a tone that brooked no argument.
"What do you want, Mother?" DG's voice was flat, almost unconcerned.
"I want the Queen of the O.Z. to act like a queen. You moped around the palace for the first four days and you've been left alone to pout the last five. This must stop."
DG jerked up to a sitting position. "I don't believe you have the right to tell me 'must' on any subject."
"Well, I think you are going to find out you're wrong."
Lavender walked over to the windows and opened the draperies. She opened the bedroom door.
"Draw the Queen's bath and then bring food," Lavender instructed Carolynne.
"What gives you the right …" DG started.
Lavender held up a hand to stop her.
"We can debate rights once you are up and fed. I will not take advantage of a cowering opponent."
An aura flared around DG for a moment and then went out. Lavender quirked an eyebrow.
"It would appear the O.Z. agrees with me," the older woman stated. "It won't even loan you its power while you are like this."
DG glared at her mother, clinched her teeth together and stormed into the bathroom.
*************
DG sat on the balcony of her suite, eating for the first time since the previous morning. Clean and no longer hungry, she regarded her mother who sat across from her, sipping tea. Sensing DG's shift in attitude, Lavender sat down her cup.
"I do understand," Lavender told her softly. "Before the witch forced us apart, your father had to be gone periodically because of his duties. It is hard having your Consort away from your side … I know."
"My Consort isn't just away. Cain has been missing for five days! He was captured by Longcoats and is being tortured … if I'm lucky."
DG had risen to her feet and was pacing the balcony. Lavender stood up and stopped her, holding her shoulders.
"What does the O.Z. tell you?"
DG looked at her mother, her eyes tearing and full of fear.
"That he's still alive," she stated softly. "That's what kept me going until yesterday."
"What happened yesterday?"
DG's lips trembled. "I just had this overwhelming sense of change."
"That doesn't necessarily mean something bad."
"I know. I keep telling myself that. But …"
'I know how secure you can feel with your husband by your side. I always felt less so when your father had to be away but …"
"It isn't the same!" DG insisted.
Lavender sighed. "Every young wife thinks she is the only one who has ever felt the love and devotion she has for her husband. Every new bride thinks her passion is something that is new."
DG shook her head. "It's not just that. When Ahamo was away from you, you were still in your home, you were still surrounded by people who loved you, you still understood what you were doing and why you were doing it."
"So are you."
"No! I'm still an outsider who doesn't understand where I'm living, why people do the things they do or how to survive on my own. Cain is the only solid thing in my life. He is the only person who is just what I expect him to be. He is the only person in the whole Zone who knows me … who knows who DG really is. Without him, there is nothing for me here!"
"You are the Queen," Lavender flared.
"Only because it was the only way to stop a civil war. I never wanted to be queen. I don't want to be queen now."
"What do you want to be, my angel?" Lavender asked softly.
Tears began to fall down DG's cheeks.
"Cain's wife," she whispered.
"Then you'd better come here and give me a hug, Darlin'."
DG jerked her head around so fast her neck almost snapped when she heard Cain's voice.
"Wyatt!"
She ran into his arms as he crushed her tightly against his chest. After a long moment, she raised her face toward his. He reached down to kiss her lips tenderly. She wrapped her arm around the back of his head. His hat flipped off as she forced his mouth tighter against hers.
Her other arm slid around his waist. Suddenly she stopped and pulled away from his kiss. She placed her hand on a lump she felt under his shirt on his side. He hissed in pain.
"What happened?" she asked.
"I'm fine, DG," he told her. "Just a little collateral damage."
"What happened?" This time it was a demand.
"I got kicked in the ribs. I'm going to be fine."
She took his face between her hands.
"Is that all?"
He smiled gently.
"I swear to you, just a couple cracked ribs. I've had worse from being thrown off a horse."
Tears fell again as she threw her arms around his neck. He pulled her tight against his chest, lifting her off her feet.
*************
DG woke up in the middle of the night. Her back was pressed against Cain's chest. One arm was under her, his hand massaging her breast. The other hand … her eyes flew open as she realized the other hand was rubbing gently between her legs, slowly rekindling the amazing fire that had engulfed her a few hours earlier. As she shifted and he knew she was awake, his hand left her sex to stroke around her hips to her bottom. He shoved her slightly causing her to roll over, onto her stomach. The hand playing with her breast was now beneath her. The other hand stroked over the small of her back and over her rounded rump.
Cain's mouth began moving over her shoulders and back. She felt him shift as his kisses went lower on her back. His lips playing over her skin lit a fire in her entire being. Her breathing became heavy. His fingers moved between her now splayed legs to stroke her inner thighs. The kisses on the small of her back made her whimper his name. She raised her hips off the mattress a few inches. Instantly his finger entered her from behind. She gasped at the new feelings that were forcing the last of sleep from her mind as it tried to register the overload of sexual pleasure now pulsing through her whole body.
She tried to thrust against the hand playing with her womanhood but his weight kept her from moving the way she wanted. She felt herself lifted and pillows were shoved under her stomach so her ass was even higher in the air. Cain's hands roamed her sides. Then she realized he was kneeling between her legs. He took hold of her hips, holding her steady as his engorged organ demanded entrance to her silken chamber.
"Oh, yes, Wyatt," she whimpered as she rocked back closer to him.
His hands held her steady until he was completely inside her. He stopped for a moment and took a deep breath.
Impatiently she thrust back against him again. This time he let her move. As her inner muscles tightened around him, he rocked her back and forth, steadily increasing their tempo. After several moments, one hand slipped around her hips to locate her pressure center. Knowing it would be tender from earlier, his fingertips stroked the little nub gently, slowly increasing pressure until he hit the perfect contact point.
He felt her tensing for the cry before it left her mouth. He shifted his hand back to her hip so he could control her movements as she climaxed while he continued to move out of her and slam into her. She was gasping, completely limp when he finally reached his own orgasm. He slumped against her back for only a brief moment before pulling out the pillows and rearranging her flaccid limbs so she was more comfortable.
She remembered a tender kiss on her temple before she succumbed to more sleep.
*************
"Baron Franklin."
"Baron Franklin."
"Baron Franklin."
"Baron Franklin."
"Next is the case of …" Glitch started.
"No," DG interrupted. "I've sat through over a dozen of these trials. The name on every single Longcoat's lips is Baron Franklin. I have heard enough. I will ask if there is any who wish to speak for the Baron."
There was a long minute of icy silence.
DG stood up. Everyone in the Throne Room rose to their feet.
"I declare Baron Haroldson Franklin guilty of treason against the Outer Zone and the House of Gale. He is stripped of all titles and possessions. He is remanded into the custody of Commander Jeb Cain until such time as the Crown rules on his sentence."
"And when will that be, Your Majesty," Franklin asked insolently.
DG had turned to leave. She turned back to look at the Baron.
"Are you in a hurry to die?" she asked.
"On the contrary, I wish to soften your heart."
"You tried to kill my Consort. I don't think you will succeed."
The Baron grinned evilly. "Perhaps when the messenger from the tower arrives, you will be more in the mood for conversation."
DG regarded him for a long moment and then left the chamber. She went into the family chamber. Azkadellia, Lavender and Ahamo were waiting there.
"What's wrong, DG?" her mother asked.
DG shook her head as Glitch, Jeb and Cain came in behind her.
"I'm not sure." She turned to Jeb. "Do you have any idea what he meant about a messenger from the tower?"
Jeb shook his head. "I'm expecting the weekly report day after tomorrow. Nothing other than that."
DG sighed. "Well, that'll give us time to get through the rest of the trials. We did the Baron and 12 Longcoats today. What does that leave for tomorrow?"
"There are 24 more Longcoats. Since we're finished with the Baron, we should be able to get through the rest of the trials tomorrow," Cain told her.
"Could we do them all at once?" she asked.
She looked around the room. There were several shrugs.
"We could bring them all in and ask if anyone wants a separate trial," Glitch suggested.
DG nodded. "Okay, that's the plan." She moved over to Cain. "I think I'd like to eat in our suite and turn in early tonight," she said.
"Go on," he kissed her forehead. "I've got a few things to finish up. I'll be there in an hour."
*************
Later that night, DG was cuddled against Cain as they sat in their suite.
"So when Harlton showed up with troops and Franklin realized he had been tricked," Cain was relaying the story of his capture, "he was so mad he kicked me in the ribs hard enough to knock over the chair I was tied to. He'd actually been treating me pretty good until then. I think he was planning on trying to coax you into the open. So he didn't want me too bruised or damaged."
She sighed. "Well, this has certainly been an interesting week."
He chuckled. "Interesting is hardly the word I'd use but …"
A knock on the door interrupted them. Crinkling his brow in annoyance, he got up to answer the door. He was confronted by Jeb.
"Come in, Son. We're just talking and …"
Jeb held up a piece of paper.
Cain stepped back and let him enter the room.
"Your Majesty," Jeb bowed before DG.
She set up straight and took a deep breath. She held out her hand to Cain who grasped it tightly. They both knew that this greeting from Jeb in the privacy of their suite boded only ill.
"The Baron was right. I have just received a message from the tower. The remaining 25 Longcoats have been sighted," Jeb stated.
"And?" Cain asked.
"Thirty-five of my new recruits were killed when they blasted their way into the tower."
"Why did they want in the tower?" DG asked.
As soon as the question was out of her mouth, she jumped to her feet. She swayed and Cain put an arm around her for support.
"Zero?" he asked.
The two men exchanged a long, tense silence.
"Not again!" DG exclaimed. "Will you tell me why we keep putting off killing this bastard?"
"We were a little busy trying to secure the throne, remember?" Cain stated.
Cain sank to the couch, dragging DG with him.
"So let me recap:" DG said, "Saved the O.Z., lost my parents, allowed Zero to escape. Saved the Winkies from the Longcoats, got engaged, allowed Zero to escape. Overthrew my mother, brought order to the government, allowed Zero to escape. Have I missed anything?"
Cain sighed. "I think that about covers it."
"I assume this can wait until tomorrow," Jeb said standing up. "You'll probably be able to find me in the cells in the lower level in the morning."
"Are you going to interrogate some of the prisoners?" Cain asked.
"Nope. I'm going to get so blind stinkin' drunk I expect to get arrest before the night is over. Good night, folks."
They watched him leave in silence. Cain stood up, took hold of her hand and pulled her to her feet.
"How much longer?" she asked.
"For what?"
"A little peace."
He put his arm around her shoulders and started leading her to the bedroom.
"I told Jeb once I thought it would be an annual. For a while I thought it might be sooner but … maybe I was right originally. It really hasn't been that long since the eclipse."
They stopped and he turned her to face him. They wrapped their arms around each other.
"The next time you get dropped into a world of magic," he said, "maybe you can manage to make it a peaceful world."
She leaned up to kiss him.
"But I'd hate to think of you in a world without me," he added.
She smiled. "That could never happen. You are my world."
The End
A/N: I've been writing fan fiction for years but have only posted one other story before last week. I was unprepared for the warm reception and helpful comments I have received regarding my Tin Man stories. You may have noticed there are a loose few ends … oh, yeah, and Zero escaped again. I'm a big fan of trilogies so I thought I'd leave myself a little something to help me jump start my next endeavor. Ninety percent of what I have posted the last couple of weeks was written when I started posting. The next one will be starting from scratch so it will be a while – I wasn't sure if I would have an audience. I am going to do a couple short stories in the meantime. I hope all of you will hang around and wait for the next part of what has become my World series … can a football fan use that term?