Disclaimer: Tin Man refuses to submit to my will and become my property. Darn it! I need Daved McNorris to be my lawyer so I can sue for the rights.

"Wyatt?" She breathed out his name unsure of exactly what she was seeing. "What are they?" The newest guild had drawn some attention and not only from her. The fighters had come out to see them and were standing or sitting around the outside of the palace. She imagined it had been a long time since they had seen more than one guild at a time.

He glanced over at her as they stood on the balcony overlooking the lake. "Wolves."

She stared back down at the creatures Glitch and the royal couple were talking to skeptically. "Those don't look anything like the wolves on the Otherside." Granted she'd only seen them on discovery channel but there was no way. These things were not happy furry forest denizens. They had to be nearly as large as some of the bigger ponies she'd seen and there wasn't all that much fur on them. They had some sort of scales covering their bodies and their heads had a slightly reptilian look about them. They reminded her of very elegant gargoyles come to think of it, one's that ranged in color from light grey to dark green.

He shrugged continuing. "These guilds never did get on. Northern Guild prides itself on honor and patience where the Southern Guild relies on dominance and force of will." She could see how those values might clash.

Az walked up next to the Tin Man. "I forgot how fun it was when they all showed up at once."

He snorted at her subtle sarcasm. "Fun?"

Az shrugged. "Fun, dangerous. Take your pick."

She propped her chin on her palm as she leaned up on the banister enthralled by these new creatures. "I take it it'll be really great once the lawn gnomes arrive. And who are the Western Guild anyway?"

Raw rumbled behind her as he and Kalm stepped out into the early morning sun. "Our people Western Guild." She turned her head as her eyebrows shot up. Raw closed his eyes and hummed as he concentrated on something. "Arriving soon. Close to maze now."

"You can feel them from here?" She was amazed he was capable of such a thing.

The seer nodded with a small smile. "Easier to feel when so many together. They bring others with them. Old friends."

Cain turned his eyes away from the silent glare fest down below to Raw. "Meaning?"

"Papay with them. Can't tell how many."

She straightened up. "The Papay? Why would they be coming here?"

The older viewer shook his head. "Will have to wait until they arrive to ask. Too far for Raw to see."

Kalm caught his uncle's hand. "Kalm can see."

Raw looked down at the boy in obvious shock. "What Kalm see?"

"Loyal to Princess. Healed orchard. Sent some of their warrior to help her."

Her eyebrows drew together and Cain shifted next to her. "I only healed one tree."

Kalm shook his head empathetically. "Magic broke through spell Witch set." He closed his eyes for a long moment before they popped back open. "Trees slowly waking up again. Blooming as old spell dies… Spell like water seeping into dry ground. Takes time for all dirt to get wet but will."

Her sister's head whipped around. "You cast a long term diffusion spell?"

She glanced back at her sister and rolled her eyes. "You know I have no idea what that means."

Az was simply gaping at her. "How were you even capable of walking after doing that?"

Cain grunted. "When you're surrounded by questionably dangerous Papay it's amazing what you're capable of. As I recall she ran nearly a mile before she collapsed."

She let out an indignant huff. "I didn't collapse! You and Glitch, like, assaulted me!" She had nearly won. Pity they outweighed her and knew how to fight… and she had been dizzy and stuff. Ok so she hadn't even come close to winning. Damn it, she was still bitter about it.

Cain raised an eyebrow. "You were stumbling after us and bouncing off trees. You needed to rest."

"I only pushed off one tree! One! You guys were acting like I was about to die or something!"

Her sister interrupted them. "She ran?" Az looked between the Tin Man's cool blue eyes and her irked expression. "For a mile?" When neither of them denied it Az shook her head. "At least that's one less thing to worry about."

"What we should really be worried about is the lack of breakfast." She sighed sadly as she leaned back against the banister. Her stomach was complaining to her rather loudly over the lack of sustenance.

"For someone who failed to mention they hadn't eaten in three days you sure do complain a lot." Cain commented as he turned back to the drama below them.

"Shut it." She saw him smirk slightly at her and she started to contemplate going to find the kitchens herself. It wasn't like she couldn't make herself eggs. She had worked in a diner after all. She started to eye the doors seriously contemplating the best direction to try when a squawk sounded behind her. She turned her head over her shoulder in time to see one of the griffons snap its wings out angrily as a wolf lunged upward at its face.

Under normal circumstances she wouldn't have cared if they had a good tussle to get it out of their system. It might have helped to calm down some of the obvious angst between the groups but when the griffon had opened it's wings it had knocked Glitch flying and Ahamo had thrown himself over her mother to avoid getting knocked out. Chaos erupted on the lawns as Az screamed and the two combatants went rolling over the grass in a snarling tangle of feathers and scales.

In less than a second fighters had their weapons out and she saw Raw shove Kalm back toward the palace while roars and screeches of rage went up all around. The Tin Man let out a curse as Jeb lunged toward her parents intent on getting them out of the fray before it got any worse. She stared at the scene before her and made a decision about who was in charge at this particular moment in time. Once she decided she was, her magic flashed out in a dark pulse around her body and extended out over the group. She felt Cain try to snatch her arm but she was too fast for him.

She formed three dark shields as she started down the stairs. One flew up around Jeb as he was running and he bounced off of it hitting the ground as two others formed around an unconscious Glitch and another around her parents. She could feel her anger overwhelming her fear response as she got closer to the still fighting pair. The rest of the guild members, the ones that weren't locked in combat, had noticed her less than restrained display of displeasure. They had fallen back away from her many of them lowering their heads in either respect or fear as her magic and the emerald pulsed intensely.

As she approached the two that were clawing at each other she raised her hand and let out a blast of energy throwing them both across the ground and into the side of the palace. They hit with a thud falling apart as fighter's scrambled out of the way of the pair. She walked after them not at all regretful about the yelps of pain that erupted from them as they slammed into the unforgiving stone.

Dear, this may not be the best way to go about this.

"Shut up and let me handle this." She muttered under her breath as the wolf staggered to its feet and the griffon shook its head wings tangled. Projecting her voice she addressed them shouting. "What the hell do you think you're doing!?" So possibly not the most princess like thing to do but she didn't care at the moment. She was a wee bit angry with the both of them.

The stunned griffon had the grace to appear ashamed and shrank back against the wall. The wolf wasn't so smart. It lunged at her and she assumed it was trying to intimidate her after what the Tin Man had told her about the whole dominance thing. She let her magic hit it again before Cain could shoot it. It had pissed her off but she didn't think it needed to die right yet. Dark shadows tangled around its feet and it skidded to a halt in front of her face first. Reaching down she grabbed its large pointed ear and twisted it up hard ignoring the rather prominent teeth the thing was sporting. It yelped again trying to twist its head after its ear. She narrowed her eyes at it deciding to drive home her point. "Listen here, Pooch, I'm the alpha dog here and if you think otherwise you and I are going to have a problem." She yanked at its ear once more and it flinched. "We clear or should I continue?"

It whined at her in a low rocky voice. "Point taken."

She let go of his abused ear. "Good." She straightened and turned back to her audience dropping her shields. "There will be no more fighting! Anyone else have any questions about that?" Silence was her only answer as her eyes swept over the crowd. She felt oddly self satisfied until she spotted Glitch still lying in an unmoving heap. "Raw! Anna!"

The dark haired medic raced out from behind the fighters as Raw, Cain and Az ran down the stairs. As Raw, Anna, and Az headed toward Glitch and her parents Cain broke away and walked purposely toward her as she motioned for Jeb to join them. She was still aware she had a rather captive audience. The Cain men were on high alert their eyes darting in every direction.

She saw the Tin Man's jaw clenched and she spoke quickly to Jeb. "The Western Guild is going to be at the edge of the maze soon. You need to send some of you're fighters to meet them." He nodded tensely and as he turned to issue the order she touched his arm. "They have some Papay with them." Turning back he gaped at her.

"It's better not to ask, Son. They won't hurt anyone."

"They're Papay!" He hissed.

"Now's not the time." Cain was watching the guilds and the fighters. All of them were tense and wary as the royal couple regained their feet and moved toward Glitch. "They weren't always dangerous. Bring them here."

Jeb sighed. "This is turning into such a lovely morning." Her lip twitched.

She shifted her weight wanting to go to Glitch. "Welcome to my world, Jeb." Cain grunted and Jeb shook his head as he walked off.

Once he was gone she lowered her voice so only Cain could hear. Now that the action was over she was at a loss as to what she should be doing. "What should I be doing now?"

His hand was resting on his holster as his eyes continued to jump from one person to the next. "Got me. Never saw anyone take down a wolf and twist its ear until it begged like a puppy before." She wasn't sure if he was amused or angry about that but he certainly wasn't surprised.

"So no graceful exit strategy?" Damn he was supposed to know what to do.

"I didn't think you did grace."

"Bite me." She replied pleasantly.

His eyes flicked to her hotly for the briefest moment. "Later."

She felt her cheeks flush slightly at that. Why did he have to be such an awful tease? Just then Glitch groaned and her head went around. While she wanted to go see if he was ok he was already surrounded by people. She doubted her presence was going to help calm him down any. She saw Raw push him back to the ground as Anna nodded, patted his shoulder and stood up. Az was hovering over his dreadlocks nervously as the viewer put a finger to the advisors forehead and hummed.

A few seconds later and they both helped him sit up as he rubbed his temples with his fingers. Anna walked by as this was happening and spoke softly. "He's fine. Just blacked out for a few minutes. Did a lot better than those two you broke apart." She swore there was a glimmer of glee in her eyes as she said that.

Slinging his long arm over his furry shoulder Raw helped him stand on his less than steady legs. Staggering toward the building they moved past her and her Tin Man unsteadily. Az trailed after them dark eyes flashing between worry and anger and she suppressed a smile. They were more alike than they weren't and as Az shook off the effects of the Witch it was showing a lot more.

Her mother and Ahamo walked up to her. "My Angel, It might be best to go inside for a time." Her violet eyes weren't reflecting anything.

As angry as she was with them she had to agree. But she didn't want to leave and have the two guilds attack each other as soon as she was out of sight. Cain snorted when he saw her eyes flick back to them. "Don't worry you made your point. I doubt they'll be fighting anytime in the near future."

She growled in the back of her throat but jerked her head. They walked back in silently, the tension between her and her parents palpable. As they passed through the doors she heard rustling and movement beginning on the lawns behind them. She must have made an impression on the guilds. As they were walking down the hall Kalm darted out from the top the top of a staircase and waved at them. "Uncle Raw say to come."

Worried she trotted quickly up the stairs and the young seer grabbed hold of her hand dragging her to the right. "Princes not worry. Everything fine." She slowed down and heard her parents and the Tin Man close behind her. Leading her into a nearby room she saw Glitch sitting in a brown leather chair with his head in his hands. Raw was observing him his head tilting back and forth while Az sat on her knees in front of him her hands on his arms.

Her mother moved past her and she heard concern in her voice. "Ambrose? Are you injured?"

"No." His voice sounded odd and he didn't look up. She shot a silent question at Raw.

"Merged when hit head. Has headache Raw can't fix. Must let it pass on its own."

She nodded in understanding as she weaved past them to the windows. She carefully closed the curtains so the room was plunged into shadows. She doubted Glitch appreciated the bright sunlight if his head was pounding. "We should let him lay down then."

Glitch raised his head and she noted that his normally pale face had a slight green cast to it. "There isn't time. The other guilds will be here within the hour. I need to be out there with you."

Az gripped his arms. "That's an hour you can rest then."

Ahamo nodded. "She's right. You won't be able to help if you can't focus. At worst we can wait to have any major discussions until tomorrow." The Consort shrugged. "We weren't planning on leaving for another two weeks at any rate. Having the Guilds relax for a day isn't going to hurt anything."

The advisor groaned putting his head back in his hands. "If they start fighting again-"

Cain's lip twitched. "DG took care of that. I have a feeling they're afraid to so much as look at each other funny after that."

Lavender eyes were suddenly on her. "Dorothy that was not the appropriate response to that situation."

She pressed her lips together. "Yeah it was. You don't scold a puppy for going on the carpet. You hit it on the nose with a newspaper."

The Queen pressed her lips together. "This isn't a farm Dorothy! This is a court! There are politics involved!"

She rolled her eyes and focused on her magic briefly calling a small bottle to her hand. Walking over to Az she handed her the bottle of aspirin. "It's an Otherside medicine for headaches. Give him two pills with a glass of water, they might help." Walking back across the room she stood in front of her mother. "One, my name is DG, not Dorothy. Two, I don't do politics and I'm not going to pretend to. I think everyone out on the lawns is now very aware of how I feel about the guilds fighting with one another and it only took me thirty seconds to make my point. I'm not going to waste my time and everyone else's dancing around subjects. It's not who I am and frankly I find it insulting to everyone involved."

Her mother was frowning. "This isn't how things are done."

She snorted, as if that mattered to her. "It is now." She saw her mother's eyes flash dangerously but she ignored this a thought sparking in her mind. Turning her head she asked the advisor a question. "Glitch, how long have we been in Finaqua?"

He groaned. "Five days. Why?" She locked eyes with Cain and smirked. "No reason. Feel better." The Tin Man rolled his eyes as she mouthed 'I win' at him. Oh Tequila was going to be such fun tonight.

Author Note: Sorry about the update time guys! Real life jumped out from behind a tree and tried to eat my face. An epic battle ensued and while it nearly destroyed me I managed to vanquish my enemy and return to the world of fanfiction. Next chapter should be up much faster unless it rises from the ashes like a phoenix… uho, where's my water hose?