Chapter Two
DG wasn't exactly sure how long she had slept when the sun's rays peaked impolitely through the window, temporarily blinding her with their obnoxiously happy brightness. DG groaned, momentarily forgetting where she was, and she pulled the dusty pillow over head to block out the light, forgetting that she had yet to exercise the dust from her surroundings.
"Ugh," DG grunted as she threw the pillow from her face in moderate annoyance. The musty smell of the pillow was enough to bring her into full consciousness, and DG sat up on the couch, peering around sleepily. "Well, there's no point in trying to sleep now, is there." DG grumbled as she pulled her jacket up into her lap from its place on the floor.
After a moment, she dug her phone and a hair tie out of the pocket and tied her hair up into a loose ponytail while she waited for the device to come back to life. The phone was also too cheery for DG this morning, and she fought the urge to throw it as it chirped happily at her. When the screen burst to life, DG's suspicions were confirmed – it was just after eight in the morning – and she still had no electricity or running water, which meant no coffee and no shower. DG turned the phone back off in disgust and replaced it back in its place. There was no helping it, she finally decided with a sigh, she'd have to see to the turbines today, and probably the pump house as well. Now focused on her task, DG reached for her shoes and pulled them back on, deciding to brave the kitchen pantry before heading outside. Surely, she thought, there'd be some dry goods worth digging into for breakfast. Before she could even get that far, however, she was stopped at the threshold of the kitchen by the source of the odd smell that had assaulted her nostrils the night before. In the light of the morning, it was not hard to imagine what had caused the smell – it was spoiled food, and DG rushed out of the back door holding her hand over her mouth in an attempt to hold back to oncoming rush of her stomach's meager contents. She barely made it outside, and leaned over the porch rail, retching violently into the bushes that lined the wrap-around porch.
"Well, I guess I don't have to worry about breakfast now," DG laughed weakly as she straightened up.
DG shook her head at her mistake. She should have known, she thought, that she would have found this kind of thing waiting for her. It wasn't like Hank and Emily had planned to throw her into a travel storm. In fact, DG laughed silently, Emily had said those exact words as they climbed out onto the roof to escape the Longcoats chasing after them. DG just hadn't realized until that moment that this is what Emily was referring to. Emily, her android mother, had always been warm and loving, but was an exacting housekeeper, and would not have wanted to leave the farmstead without locking everything down just in case. In case of what, DG could not determine, but she rationalized that it was just another quirk in Emily's programing that made her seem more human. With a grimace in the direction of the open back door, DG channeled her foster mother's courage and stomped back into the kitchen. With speedy efficiency, DG opened all the windows and doors of the house, hoping that the prairie breeze would help it air out. Meanwhile, DG donned a pair of work gloves and a face mask and went to clear the kitchen of all the spoilt food. DG worked as quickly as she could to remove the food from the house and transport it by wheelbarrow to the mulch pit yards away from the house. The work was hard though, and by the time DG had finally rid the kitchen of the offending items, wiped down all of the surfaces, and left the refrigerator unplugged and open to air out, almost half of the day was gone, and DG was flushed and sweaty from the exertion. DG lay in the shorter grass in the back of the property, allowing the sun to wash over her while she took in as much clean air as her lungs would allow. She was hungry though and sure that she would be dehydrated before too much longer, so she climbed out of the grass and headed back inside.
Living in tornado alley meant that there were always dry goods and bottled water in the pantry, and DG was not disappointed. DG tore into a granola bar with abandon while she downed an entire bottle of water, relishing the simplicity of the moment that she had been denied so frequently as a princess. It was a rare occurrence in the OZ that DG would be allowed to eat a meal without some kind of protocol, and she had begun to think after one week in the position that her trips to the bathroom might be required their own rules as well, were it not for the ever scrutinizing glare of Wyatt Cain, who took pleasure in protecting DG from any and all who would dare give her even a moment of pain. This was the beginning of her problems with the Tin Man, DG mused over her paltry meal, as all his personal attention began to rapidly grow on her to the point that she ached when he wasn't around. Being a general in the Queen's newly restored Army meant that he did, in fact, have other things to do, but he never complained about it to DG, and always seemed eager to indulge DG in her whims wherever possible, until he wasn't, of course. DG sighed heavily as she balled up the wrapper in her hand – she had been sitting around long enough and dwelling on the absent Tin Man wasn't doing her mood any favors. She was starting to feel grouchy and overripe and knew that the only way she was getting a bath any time soon was if she got up and fixed the issue herself.
The hike to the pump house was short, but the high grass between the farmhouse and the small shack at the back of the property made the walk seem more like an excruciating hike. "After I get all of this straightened out, I think I'll see about the tractor for you," DG grumbled to the grass that whipped around her knees.
Fortunately, her pain was short lived, and she finally reached the small shed that contained the pump for the property. A quick overview of the mechanisms told DG that the pump itself was in good order, and probably needed only have electricity supplied to it to be functional. Besides, she reasoned, she wouldn't be sure until she could attempt to turn it on anyway, so she turned around and headed to the first of the two small turbines, which was only a few feet away from the pump house.
DG shook her head at the tower in front of her. Hank, her foster father, had just installed the new turbines weeks before they were all uprooted to the OZ. Within one week of installation, Hank was already complaining about the mechanisms. DG could never understand his disdain for machines, thinking at the time that he just didn't have a knack for mechanics. When DG would appear in the kitchen covered in grease and oil, Hank would skitter away like someone afraid of the sight of blood. It all made sense now, DG chuckled, for Hank was indeed afraid of that very thing. He just wasn't human, so his equivalent of blood took the form of oil and similar lubricants necessary for most machines to run. DG lifted the protective cover off the working parts at the base of the tower and dropped to her knees to get a better look. From what she could see, the biggest issue was the belt that went from the inner workings of the turbine nacelle to the generator that charged the many batteries housed at the base. This was weatherworn and broken in places, so DG rifled through the toolbox that she had carted along and brought out a screwdriver to loosen the belt away from the gears. Luckily for DG, the belt came away easily, and the manufacturer of the turbines had seen fit to supply them with extra belts which she had kept in the toolbox "just in case," so the work was easily done. After about an hour of tinkering with the now working turbine, making sure it was functioning properly, DG moved back to the pump house to check on the now humming water pump. It too seemed to be moving along as it should, and DG grinned happily, feeling useful for the first time in ages. DG was tired though, and she still had one more turbine to inspect before the day was through, so she closed the pump house door and hiked to the other end of the property closer to the road, eager to be done.
It was nearly sundown before DG was finally done, and as tired as she felt, she was content with her progress. Her hands were covered in grease, and her face had a sheen of grime from the combination of sweat and dirt that had mingled on her skin throughout the day. If she had been in the OZ, she would have been barked at by numerous individuals about her state, with the exception of Wyatt and Ambrose, who were always finding projects to keep her hands occupied. Ambrose in particular had been the most helpful in finding mechanical projects to tempt DG, and it had earned him a scolding or two from Azkadellia who, while loving and encouraging as ever with DG in most cases, insisted that DG rise to the expectations of her station given the delicate balance that they were all working to restore after the fall of the witch. Wyatt too, had quickly learned that DG was most content working with her hands, and had found other projects for DG which earned him his own reproachful glares from Azkadellia, but it didn't really seem to faze him, and he had taught her how to throw a punch, how to fight, and how to work with metal and wood.
Yes, all the manual labor that DG was subjecting herself to was difficult and made her sore in places that she didn't know could hurt, but she was happier than she had been in months. She was so happy, in fact, that she had begun singing on her way back to the house, and she swung the toolbox a little as she went, imagining a happier time with her friends and family. Soon though, she was back inside the house, and she worked a little more slowly to close and secure all the windows and doors for the night. Fortunately, the house had aired out well. The air was no longer stale, and the air conditioner was beginning to cool the house and remove the humidity that had taken root. Fairly certain that her bathroom upstairs was in no condition to be used until the roof could be addressed, DG made her way into Hank and Emily's room that adjoined the kitchen from the back hall. DG turned on the light, smiling to herself that she had indeed restored the power, and scanned the room and its bathroom to determine their condition. Apart from the layer of dust that covered everything protectively, the rooms were fairly neat. So, while the pipes labored to flush the system of air and rust, DG wiped down the surfaces until they gleamed like new. Once the water began to run clean and straight, DG made short work of peeling her clothes off and stepping into the cool water. It didn't bother her that the water heater had yet to work – that would take time – and besides, she was still hot from the work under the summer sun, and her skin felt tight and warm from a small amount of sun burn that she had earned herself.
After covering her entire body in soap and rinsing thoroughly, DG stood under the water and leaned her forehead on the cool tile of the wall. As the water poured over her, she let her mind wander unimpeded for the first time since arriving back in Kansas.
The cool water in conjunction with the hot summer reminded DG of the first quiet moment she was able to get after the eclipse, when her family had retreated to Finaqua after weeks in Central City. It had been a sweltering day, and DG was desperate to get relief from the feeling of swimming while standing completely still in the stifling humidity. DG, after a day of fighting the clothes that stuck to her obnoxiously and hunting down any manner of cooling off that she could, finally gave in and snuck out to a less frequented part of the lake, where she stripped down from her nightgown and robe, entering the water as quickly and quietly as she could so as not to draw attention to herself. DG was instantly relieved and sighed as she sank down to her chin in the water. The water was miraculously cool, and DG imagined with a smile that steam might have come off of her body as she dipped down into its depths. After diving under the water a few times and allowing herself to glide through the water like some possessed water nymph, DG finally settled and slowly moved towards the shelf of sand closer to the shore where she rested her elbows so she could look up at the moon. If it weren't for how hot she had been during the day, she would have thought the place was enchanted, for the moon cast a pale glow overall, making DG and the lake water seem to luminesce. The stars, which seemed to number in the thousands, were like a blanket of diamonds over DG's head, and she stared up at them, wondering if the Milky Way was somewhere in the map over her head. She was mulling over this in awe when there was suddenly someone behind DG, clearing their throat quietly to get her attention. DG was startled at first, but when she turned to see who it was, she smiled coyly and lowered herself down to her chin again as she stared up at him.
"Hi Cain, want to join me?" DG teased Wyatt, grinning up at him like a tempting imp.
Wyatt had looked down on DG in that moment and let out a strangled laugh, "I don't think that would be such a great idea Princess. Come on, time to get out." As he said this, Wyatt held out a towel to her, indicating with one raised eyebrow that he meant business.
DG whined in return, inquiring sweetly, "Are you sure you don't want to get in this nice cool water with me? I promise I won't bite."
Wyatt rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath, but he shook his head and held out the towel again, this time more emphatically. This incensed DG, and she had the sudden urge to test the propriety of her loyal Tin Man.
"Oh fine," DG sighed falsely as she rose from the lake.
DG rose slowly out of the water, relishing the breeze that slowly dried her skin as she became exposed to the air and finally stood with the water lapping at her bare feet, staring up a Wyatt. The moon was still highlighting her every feature, down to the water that slipped down her bare chest to her navel. DG thought she spied Wyatt watching the water's trip around her small bosom hungrily, but she didn't say anything, and she fought a giggle when he averted his eyes to the heavens in apparent attempt to beg the gods for mercy. DG finally relented though and took the towel from his hand, wrapping her lithe body in its warmth before placing her delicate hand on his chest. DG felt his heart thump loudly against her palm, and her own pulse quickened in response.
Instead of pushing further, however, DG only patted his chest before quietly murmuring, "It's safe now, Tin Man."
Wyatt looked down on DG and replied in a low growl, "Hardly." His eyes glittered in the dark, but she could not determine if it was out of mirth or irritation because of the shadow cast by his ever-present fedora, and she was quickly losing her nerve since he had yet to even brush against her accidentally.
DG looked down at her feet, feeling suddenly silly and somewhat repulsive, and she muttered about needing to change before she swept her nightgown and robe up in her hands and dashed into the bushes. In a moment she was back, now dressed and carrying the towel in her hands. She was too embarrassed now to look up into his eyes again, and she followed him back to the palace in quiet shame, wishing she could take back the entire evening.
Finally, after standing under the water for an untracked amount of time, DG finally begun to feel cold, and shook herself of the memory of Finaqua as she turned the water off. Tears had mingled with the water on her face, and she sniffled lightly as she stepped from the shower. After drying off, DG rifled through her parent's closet, choosing a button-down shirt to sleep in so that she would not have to make the trip up to her room. The memory of Finaqua had left her suddenly raw, and she was more interested in sleeping than tackling the emotional landmine upstairs, where all her drawings of the OZ would assault her vision and demand her emotional energy. DG wasn't ready to unpack that baggage yet. A safe place to rest was really the only thing she was thinking of, and without meaning to, she collapsed onto her parents' bed, falling into a deep sleep faster than even she thought possible. As her mind meandered into sleep, she would later faintly remember deciding that the next day, she would tackle the issue of supplies, and perhaps transportation, knowing that soon she would have to face people again, as the need for adequate sustenance would outweigh her need for privacy at last.