Author's Note

This story explains why DG started wearing dresses more… and more about that left hook that Cain was so wary of… This one is a bit more mature, or not dependent on your point of view, so be warned. - WR

Wardrobe Change

"Deeg," Azkadellia chided her sister through the wood of the closed door at her nose, "come on, let me see it."

There was a shuffling on the other side, and Azkadellia thought she heard a muffled cry before her sister's voice rang out clear and petulant, "No. I look like a trussed-up turkey, Az."

Azkadellia stifled a wicked giggle and coaxed her sister in her best gentle-sounding voice, "Oh come on little sister, its just me. I sent Ambrose away to get us some snacks from the kitchen. You know he's still glitching. That gives us at least a half an hour before he comes back and figures out what we sent him off to do in the first place."

That had done it, Azkadellia smiled to herself, she could hear her sister laughing quietly. When the result of her hiding her own laughter turned into a rather unladylike snort, DG finally gave up her fight and opened the door. Now they could share in a sisterly giggle unencumbered by the heavy bathroom door, and they both laughed even more for DG's bright blush and the ridiculous dress Azkadellia had convinced her to try on.

When their laughter finally died down, DG took a deep breath, and let it out with a pitiful frown, and she whimpered, "Az, this is terrible. You can just write me off as your spinster sister. There's no chance that dresses will work on me. I'm hopeless."

Azkadellia's brow furrowed in sympathy with her sister, and she led her by the shoulders to the floor length mirror in the bedroom, cajoling her suddenly sensitive sister, "Oh come on, Deeg, let's look at you in the mirror. It can't be that bad once you look at the whole thing."

The two sisters stood side by side in the large, oval mirror. DG couldn't bear to look at herself, and instead focused on the image her sister made. Az was no longer the severe, overtly sexual image of the Sorceress that DG had once met. Now, she was the picture of feminine modesty. Her hair was short and full of soft curls, where the Sorceress had preferred it long, straight and dark. Her choice of clothing had changed considerably now as well, and she had taken to wearing long, flowing dresses that, while less revealing, still flowed with her natural curves. Today, she had chosen a dress the color of pink champagne that highlighted the natural blush in her cheeks. The cut was modest, with a boat neck, and oversized bell sleeves that waved around her biceps in much the same way that the skirt swished around her calves. Its effect on Azkadellia was profound and beautiful, but DG just couldn't understand why they couldn't accomplish the same thing for her.

DG now dared to study herself, and the action of doing so almost made her burst into tears. The dress that Az had chosen had been beautiful on the hanger – a pale blue, soft lace dress with a high collar and flowing skirt – it was just the sort of thing that their mother would have chosen, and she would have looked lovely in it. Lavender Gale was one thing DG was not, however, and that was tall. DG was the shortest of all the Gale women, save maybe Dorothy herself, and so grand, column-like dressed only made her look uncomfortable and strange. Azkadellia seemed to comprehend this, finally, as they stood there examining her, and as the light visibly dawned on her sister, DG's face became even more pitifully pained.

"Az!" DG cried in frustration when a smirk appeared on her sister's face, and she dashed back into the bathroom and slammed the door.

Azkadellia rolled her eyes to the ceiling and grunted in frustration, and as she silently stomped to the door, she called through it, "Come on, Deeg, we'll try another. They can't all be that bad."

"Yes, they can, Az." DG called through the wood, adding, "Could we just give it a rest for the day? The dignitaries from Winkieland –"

"Winkie County, Deeg," Az interrupted her.

" – won't be here for another week. I promise, we'll try again tomorrow. I just need a break," DG continued on from her sister's polite correction.

Azkadellia sighed at the heavy oaken door between them and replied in resignation, "Alright, little sister. I guess I'll go raid mother's closet again then."

"No!" DG barked through the door, eliciting another wicked giggle from her sister as she exited the room.

DG could hear the door's handle engage, and the latch engage as her sister shut the door behind her. For some reason though, she still didn't trust her sister, and waited a few more minutes before re-emerging from her bathroom refuge. When the Princess reappeared in the door of her bathroom, she peered out before completely opening the door. Her hair was freed from the pins that had held it up previously, and long curls waved in front of her face as she stuck her head out. Satisfied that she was truly alone, DG let the door swing completely open, to reveal that she had removed the offending article, and had changed back into her preferred uniform. At least today she was wearing a more feminine set of pants, riding breeches to be precise, and the caramel-colored fabric left little to the Imagination beyond completely covering her lower limbs. Over this was a loose-fitting blouse the color of sapphires, and as she moved forward, she pulled her hair into a ponytail to complete the picture. Now she just needed a pair of riding boots and a partner, she decided with a firm set in her jaw, and she'd be ready to put this horrible day behind her.

The boots were easily found, and the other might be just so once she gathered the courage to open another set of doors. Once she did though, she was somewhat disappointed to find the wrong Cain standing on the other side, and she greeted Jeb with a sigh, "Oh, hi Jeb. Where did Cain go?"

Jeb could not help but laugh and replied sarcastically, "I'll try not to be too affronted, Highness," finishing in a more sincere tone by adding, "He didn't want to bother you and your sister, so he asked me to fill in while he went down to the training yard to get his officers into shape for taking my place next month."

DG's eyebrow raised quizzically, and she smiled slyly when she asked, "So, should I ask how many regular officers it takes to guard a princess in the place of two Cain men?"

Jeb's eyes narrowed and his arms crossed in front of his chest as he answered carefully, "Now come on. You promised you'd behave."

DG leaned on the door frame and laughed deeply, and finally answered sheepishly, "What? I have to make you look good, don't I? Plus, I have to give your father a little chase every now and then, have to keep the General sharp, right?"

It was Jeb's turn to laugh, and it almost seemed like he might lose his breath entirely for a moment before he finally calmed, and answered through wiping tears from his eyes, "You're a caution, Princess."

DG smiled warmly at this and replied, "Good, now that we have that settled, do you want to take me to the training yard so I can see who the fresh meat is?"

Jeb sighed heavily and shook his head but knowing he could hardly argue with DG when her mind was set, he finally shrugged his shoulders and replied, "Alright then, come on."

DG skipped along behind Jeb as he marched down the wide hallway that made up the royal family's wing in Finaqua. DG enjoyed being here so much more than in the city, even after just a few days, as the entire place seemed more airy and light, as if made of clouds. This effect was so much more pronounced in this space by the addition of floor to ceiling windows that flanked the walk, allowing sunlight to stream in and one traversing the path a shaded view of the magical waters outside the building. DG's mood was so much more pleasant by the time she happened upon the training grounds, and her enjoyment of the lush sights so replete, that she almost forgot what she would find when they arrived on the grassy arena lined by a wooden fence just behind the barn. Jeb had been trying to lead DG to a set of stands where she could sit and watch the sparring match, but DG had become frozen before the fence, and held on as if for dear life. So instead of sitting, Jeb joined her at her vigil, and leaned on the railing looking the part of the bored child watching his father at work.

DG had lost all track of everything else and was transfixed by the sight that assaulted her eyes. Before her, just on the other side of the fence, stood Wyatt Cain and one of his larger officers, circling each other in the midst of their fight. It was warm out, and both men had removed their shirts. While the other man was nice to look at and made almost entirely of muscle, Cain was something else altogether. In all of DG's fantasies that she had tried to forget, she had never managed to do Cain the justice he so clearly deserved. Washboards are for wussies, DG laughed internally, deciding that if ever she was in need of hand washing anything, she'd much rather use Cain than those ridiculous things that were so clearly inferior. To make her watering mouth salivate further, the heat of the early summer in concert with his exertion had caused the Tin Man to sweat, and he very definitely glistened in the sun. DG watched as a particularly juicy bead of sweat trickled down his chest, and rested near the apex of his beltline, and she whimpered quietly as she imagined doing a similar thing to him in her mind.

Then he moved, and it was like watching a violent ballet, with the Tin Man leading as the Baryshnikov in her production. As large as the other man was, he was still no match for Cain, and in just a few swift movements, he had been felled like some massive oak tree, with Cain standing over him in victory. Cain was beaming widely while he caught his breath, and as he panted, DG imagined how he might look in a more intimate setting with such an expression. Her own heart seemed to thud excitedly at this, and her stomach flipped happily at the notion that her brain had finally caught up with the rest of her. Then, after Cain helped the other man up and said a few words of encouragement, she suddenly panicked. He had seen her, and was heading her way, masculine glory and all. Oh shit, DG's inner voice screamed in terror, afraid that she had somehow been found out for the perve she truly was.

"Hey Princess!" Cain exclaimed brightly as he neared.

DG still couldn't move, and words stubbornly refused to form the closer this beautiful man came. Fortunately, Jeb seemed to intuit DG's issue, and nudged her with his elbow covertly to bring her back to life.

A flush rose up on DG's face, but she finally spoke when he got to the fence line, "Um, hi Cain."

An eyebrow rose quizzically, and the smile remained intact. Then, while he continued to chat, Wyatt grasped the fence with his strong, worker's hands, and stepped back so he could stretch out the muscles on his back. Stop torturing me! DG's libido screamed out in agony while she watched his back and arm muscles flex temptingly. DG had to bite her lip this time to stop herself from whimpering, while her breathing hitched and her heart threatened to jump out of her throat. When Wyatt stood back up, that quizzical expression had morphed, and while the eyebrow still arched in her direction, he seemed to have settled the question in his mind, and reached for his shirt, which hung from the post near DG's arm. Fortunately for DG, when his hand grazed the skin on her arm and she shuddered involuntarily, he seemed be oblivious, being otherwise occupied with pulling the shirt over his head.

"Deeg, I just asked you a question," Cain reminded DG, his eyes now darkening with concern.

With the temptation hidden from view, DG could finally shake herself lose of the spell keeping her frozen, and as her eyes cleared, she met his with an impish smile, "Oh, I'm sorry, I was wondering which of the guys you dispatched today is going to be my guard while Jeb's gone. I was kind of hoping you might give me a few tricks, make it more interesting when I escape next time."

DG flashed Cain a brilliant smile, and her eyes glinted with mirth, while Jeb groaned quietly into the fence. Cain was trying hard not to look amused though, and answered seriously, "Princess, I think you like looking for trouble."

"I don't know what you mean, Mister Cain, I'm just doing my part to keep your men on their toes." DG answered playfully, her own eyebrow now arched in challenge.

She had won their verbal sparring though, and Cain laughed heartily in reply. Once calmed, he asked earnestly, "So seriously, what's got you ready to jump on a horse today? Az torturing you again?"

DG groaned now, and her eyes rolled dramatically in response before she replied in irritation, "She just won't quit with the dresses." She began in complaint, noting the humored expression on Cain's otherwise silent face, and she continued her rant, "I understand that we still have to perform official functions while we're here on vacation, but seriously Cain, I look completely ridiculous in every outfit she's stuffed me into. Why is it necessary for me to wear a dress anyway?"

Wyatt scoffed good-naturedly and scratched the back of his head while he considered, finally answering sagely, "Well, it really shouldn't matter what you wear, in my opinion. Based on your past adventures, I'd venture a guess that if the Winkie County dignitaries are worth anything at all, they'll appreciate you just as you are." He stopped to meet her eyes, causing the flush to return and her concentration to waiver, and he added with a sudden cough, "But you might cut your sister a break, Deeg. She's got a lot riding on these things going well, seeing that she has to win over a whole country before she can even think about taking your mother's place one day. Throw her a bone, okay?"

DG's irritation caused the nervous butterflies to take flight and she groaned at Cain's suggestion, grumbling quietly in reply, "Okay Cain. I'll give it a shot." A puckish thought struck her suddenly and she looked up with a bright smile inquiring hopefully, "but do you think you might teach me something totally unprincesslike in the meantime to get my mind off of Az torturing me?"

Wyatt's eyes narrowed as DG climbed the fence and sat on the rail, and he rumbled skeptically, "What Princess?"

"Teach me to fight, Cain." DG ordered sweetly, ignoring Jeb's snort of laughter at her side.

The other officers had left, and there were no other witnesses to be had, Cain knew. Despite this though, he couldn't help feeling like he was inviting trouble. The way the Princess smiled demurely down on him from her perch, her eye lashes fluttering temptingly at him, told him that he was on dangerous ground. The enticing cut of her pants, which did a descent job of telling him what he'd been missing in his latent fantasies, warned him that getting close might make things difficult for him, especially with his son nearby. He scrubbed the back of his head again, and a nervous laugh emitted from him almost as if by accident.

Jeb was no fool though, and rather than continue to be witness to something he never wanted to see, he stood up and announced with false fatigue, "Well, if you guys are going to be busy for a while, I'll just go get some dinner."

Don't leave me! Cain's scared little conscious yelled inside his mind, but Jeb only grinned evilly and turned to leave with a wave.

"Bye Jeb," DG called after him from her perch, turning back to Cain when he'd disappeared around the other side of the barn, "So how about it Tin Man, you're not afraid of little old me, are you?"

DG knew Cain couldn't back away from a challenge, but she hadn't expected him to stalk forward towards her with such animalistic intent. It was enough to send her libido into insanely happy giggles, and she struggled to keep the beating of her heart steady the nearer he came.

But then, he was standing in front of her, and as those wonderful hands grasped her hips to pull her down, he growled, "Okay Princess, your wish is my command."

DG's hands had fallen onto Cain's shoulders as he pulled her down into the ring, and both sets of hands lingered once he set her down. They both seemed to forget what they were doing for a moment, and neither seemed inclined to back away while they both seemed to visibly struggle to breathe. She was so close to him, and looking up with those wide, open eyes of hers, that Cain found himself unable to move. Now that he was so close to her, he could not help but notice how soft her lips appeared, and a voice in the back of his head told him that they might need to be tested out to see if his theory was accurate.

DG's heart seemed to have stopped when Wyatt held her, and a small gasp had emitted from her when he lifted her like she weighed nothing and set her down before him. The fact that he could lift her with so little effort brought a thousand new fantasies to mind, but now she could only focus on the hazed over blue eyes that seemed focused on the way her breath came out in short pants from her mouth. His hands were still molded to her hips, and her inner voice prayed that he might take this opportunity to pull her even closer, but alas, his eyes suddenly cleared, and Cain's hands finally withdrew slowly, and he backed away with a ragged breath escaping his lips.

What the hell was that, Cain, the Tin Man thought wildly, she's just a… a kid. Cain glanced at the Princess, who was now shuffling her feet nervously and for once, not looking at him. All the features that had held him enrapt a few moments ago were still there, to be certain, and made it abundantly clear that this was no kid who stood just feet away. A frustrated sigh escaped him, and his eyes closed for a fraction of a moment, and his internally monologue continued, besides, she's princess. You can't go kissing princesses just because it feels right.

DG, meanwhile, was mortified. She had completely forgotten, for just a moment, that this was her best friend – her widowed best friend. Instead of thinking of him at all, she had reverted to a hormonal teenager of the worst kind, and treated Cain like a piece of meat instead of one of her closest companions. Her stomach dropped until it felt as if it were in her shoes, and she cleared her throat uncomfortably while she kicked the pebbles at her feet.

Cain couldn't stand the nervous silence that had grown between them in those few short moments, and he cleared his throat as well before addressing her as if a student, "Alright, Princess. Let's start with a simple punch. Before we get too deep though, why don't you show me what you have."

DG looked up from her study of the ground to see Cain back in control of his senses, and an encouraging smile on his face. She was relieved to say the least, and got into her best fighting stance as asked, happy to be past the awkwardness that made her stomach do flip flops. Cain, in turn moved into a semi-crouch before her, and put both palms out to face her, preparing for her to strike one.

"Come on Princess, I know you've been itching to hit me," he teased mercilessly, knowing that she had a similar proclivity for bullheadedness.

DG did not disappoint and with a suddenly determined frown, she swung for his left hand with her own. Although she managed to make contact where she had intended it to go, there was no power behind the strike, despite her mad swing. A survey of her stance told Cain that this was partially to blame; the princess was facing him straight on, like they were having a pleasant chat rather than sparring.

Cain relaxed his stance and walked around behind her, and while placing his hands on her hips to reposition her, he spoke in a near whisper close to her ear, "Now, that wasn't bad, Princess, but why don't you try again in this position."

DG's eyes closed for a half a second while his hands lingered on her hip bones, and she huffed in frustration at how her heart raced despite her best efforts to remain calm. Cain, meanwhile, had already moved back to his initial position, ready once more to take a blow. There was a similar glint of determination in his eyes as he looked at her, almost as if he too were trying entirely too hard to focus on something other than touching her. DG shook this thought off – it wasn't the least bit helpful and kept her from her current mission.

Cain had placed DG's right foot behind her so that she was facing away from him partially, and before she moved, he gave her one other instruction while his fists came together in front of his mouth. "Now, before you start swinging again, put your fists up like this. That way, you're ready to block a counterattack when it comes." Then he gave a slow swing with his left arm, demonstrating how he wanted her body to move through the swing, "Next time you hit me, I want your arm like this, that way you won't injure yourself with another wild swing, got it?"

DG nodded her head sharply and replied with seriousness, "Got it."

Wyatt met her eyes with similar intent, and he nodded curtly before patting his left hand softly to indicate that he was ready, and that he intended for her to hit that particular target. This time, when DG's fist made contact with Cain's hand, there was a resounding smack, and Wyatt's hand came away suddenly as he shook it out in surprise.

"There ya go, Princess!" Cain encouraged her, pride apparent in the bright smile on his face.

DG grinned back, and got back into position to go again, bouncing somewhat on the balls of her feet in excitement. Cain shook his head in disbelief, knowing that she would not be satisfied with one simple lesson. He'd have to make her work, and even then, she probably wouldn't relent. It's better than her being helpless, given that she's always running off. Come on Cain, what could it hurt?

His inner voice sometimes had a way of making him see reason, and other times, he knew it could be trouble. Then again, it was this voice that had told him to help the spunky woman who had released him from his iron prison. So, while she was eagerly awaiting their next round, Cain quickly came up with a scheme to catch her off-guard and potentially give him at least the night to figure out what to do with her next.

DG hadn't been this excited about something since she had gotten her first motorcycle. She'd been cooped up in one palace or another for over two cycles, apart from her few escapes and one mission to the Eastern Guild and had constantly been told to be more ladylike. Now, not only was she out in a grass field without gobs of guards flanking her, but she was getting the opportunity at last to be more herself than she'd been allowed to be since being recognized as the Princess Royale. Cain even seemed proud of her small accomplishments in the past half an hour and had miraculously forgotten their earlier tension. So, when he patted his hand for one more swing, DG moved through her practiced spin, ready to make contact. This time, however, she was shocked by its ending location, which sent Cain sprawling out onto the grass behind him when she hit his jaw instead of his hand. She had no idea how that had happened, and just as she dropped her stance to check on him, her legs were suddenly swept out from under her, and Cain was pinning her to the ground.

DG's eyes were wide with surprise when Cain looked down on her, panting slightly in some excitement, and smiling in satisfaction. His hand held her small wrists above her head, and although careful not to crush her, he allowed some of his weight to press onto her so she could not squirm.

"Wow," DG breathed out quietly, still feeling captured by the man's steely stare and excited by the feel of his body over hers.

She couldn't seem to catch her breath for the feelings crashing over her, and she fought a whimper of pleasure for the arousal growing in her groin. For Cain's part, watching DG pant below him was an exquisite torture, and he was reluctant to give himself relief. She's so perfect, that troublesome voice whined, "all you have to do is kiss her, you idiot."

Cain ignored that voice. This was Princess DG. His best friend. "She's also your young, beautiful, and single best friend, and she clearly wants you." Cain cleared his throat and smiled slyly as he answered instead, "Next time we spar, we'll cover leg sweeps. So, make sure you're dressed for it, okay Princess."

It didn't seem that Cain would let her up until she complied, and DG wondered what might happen if she intentionally defied him. I wouldn't mind a little punishment from those hands, a naughty voice told her.

"That's not helping," DG muttered under her breath to herself. When Cain's eyes narrowed in confusion, she smiled slightly and tried again, "That might not help if I can't get up."

Cain's eyes flashed in mild embarrassment, and he quickly got up, and reached his hand out to help her up. While DG brushed herself off, she asked hopefully, "So does that mean you'll teach me more, Mister Cain?"

Cain's eyebrow raised and he huffed before answering in false resignation, "Tomorrow, kid. Same time. You think you can handle that?"

DG grinned. Oh, I think I might.

"Okay Deeg," Cain prompted the distracting woman buzzing in front of him. He was in an attack stance, bending at his knees with his hands raised and ready for the Princess. "I want you to imagine that I am an attacker. Try to catch me off guard so you can escape."

DG bounced on the balls of her feet, focusing hard on the Tin Man's eyes. "Off guard, huh?" DG muttered, smiling slyly in return.

In an instant, she dropped to the ground and swept her leg low, knocking Cain off his feet with a grunt. The Tin Man was surprised to say the least, and he fell back on the mat, his eyes wide with amused shock. He couldn't get up though, because DG was already on top of him, and had pinned his hands with her own small, slender hands in his. Cain stared up at her, fighting hard against his instinct to turn her over and pin her to the ground. DG, meanwhile, was flushed and laughing, impressed with herself.

"DG, you're supposed to escape, remember?" Cain rumbled while barely containing a smile of his own.

DG scoffed and smiled in return, "Who is supposed to be escaping? I think I might have gotten that mixed up."

DG had Cain where she wanted him. She could feel every muscle as she straddled him, every heave of his chest. The sensation of being this close and feeling him underneath her was both frustrating and exciting, and her heart beat wildly at the prospect of being closer yet. She didn't want to hold back anymore, and on impulse, she leaned down to brush her lips against his. Her lips feathered Cain's gently, and finding him willing, she parted his lips with the gentle slide of her tongue.

For Cain, the sensation of having the Princess straddling him had been thrilling enough, but tasting her at last had the effect of creating an insatiable hunger in him, and his eyes closed at the feeling of her. His hands broke from her hold, one fisting gently in her hair, the other to her waist, and he turned them over so that he was now on top, still plundering the sweet depths of her soft mouth while he growled ravenously. Cain was drowning in DG now, blissfully feeling waves of arousal wash over him and pull him further under. He was hers, and he surrendered willingly. As Cain's hand traveled the line of her side to her hip, DG mewled with pleasure, and arched up towards him. He could take her now, he thought absently, she wanted him just as much as he wanted her.

DG's heart was pounding so hard now, that she heard little else besides it thundering in her ears as Cain turned them over. Then, his strong, capable hands shifted, and she could feel his fingertips graze the soft skin of her ribcage. This excited her even more, and she hummed in ecstatic approval before he sat them up to peel the t-shirt off her body. DG was too aroused to worry about his reaction to her bare chest and delicate bosom and worked feverishly on his shirt instead. The buttons were frustrating in their refusal to cooperate though, and DG finally growled while grasping either side of the shirt to rip it open. Cain had been watching her in rapt anticipation, and when she deftly removed his shirt, a low growl emitted from the back of his throat. With that, his mouth was back on her skin again, but now, as he lowered her back onto the mat, he tasted the hallow of her throat and then the soft flesh of her bosom instead of her sweet mouth.

DG was panting harder now, as if she might come undone there and then while he nursed at her breasts, and while in the throws of her arousal, she called out his name, "Wyatt," so breathlessly that he paused to gaze on her flushed and beautiful face.

Another searing kiss was the Princess's gift for the utterance, and as he finished there, leaving DG's lips swollen from his attentions, he returned to his exploration of the soft space of her collarbone as she said it again. Hearing the Princess utter his given name was so sweet to his ears that he sighed in ecstasy, growling her name hungrily against her skin in return.

"Oh Gods, Adora, I love you so much," he heard himself say before he sat up in mortification, only to see DG's face grow pale and shocked.

Wyatt sat up suddenly in his bed, still panting from the jolt of awaking from such a vision. His hands came to his face and he groaned deeply while he tried to scrub the images of the Princess out of his mind. He wasn't sure which was worse, having imagined DG in that way, or the look on her face when he'd called her Adora. No matter how beautiful she was in his fantasies or how real it had felt, accidentally calling her by his wife's name was the brutal wake up call he needed to force him back into sense.

"I'm not ready," Cain muttered to himself, adding for good measure, "I've just got to put some space between us before this gets out of hand."

His hands dropped uselessly into his lap, and Cain now looked out over the darkened bedroom. Pale light filtered in through the crack in his curtains, and an early-rising bird twittered sleepily by itself just outside. It was definitely early, he concluded, but not so much that he couldn't get up and get a cold shower in before starting the day.

"It's not like I'm going to be able to sleep after that, anyway," Wyatt grumbled in irritation, and climbed out of bed to cross over to his bedroom.

There would be no rest for the Tin Man today.

"Az," DG coaxed the sleeping form of her sister gently, moving a stray hair out of her face before trying again more forcefully, "Azkadellia, wake up."

Azkadellia turned over and buried her head in her pillow, groaning from within its plushness, "Go away, Deeg. I'm sleeping."

DG huffed quietly at this – she would have liked to be sleeping herself, but that dream was keeping her awake now, and she needed something to take the edge off of her now bruised ego as a result of it's lingering effects. Then, the idea struck her, and she leaned close to her sister's ear, offering temptingly, "I'll let you put me in a dress."

This seemed effective, and Azkadellia's eyes peeped open on seconds before she sat up, rubbing her face. While still removing the sleep from her eyes, Az asked drowsily, "You're joking, right?"

DG shook her head solemnly and folded her arms in front of her body. Azkadellia could tell that DG meant business but the serious expression on her face, and a slow smile spread across her face until it was very nearly a face-splitting grin, and she jumped out of bed excitedly.

"I was hoping you'd change your mind. I found just the right dress after the debacle we had the other day." Az didn't see DG's skeptical expression, since she had already darted into her dressing room, and soon emerged carrying what DG hoped would be her salvation. She was still talking when she emerged, and she explained as she set it down on the bed in front of DG, "I think I understand where I went wrong before. I kept using mother's style for inspiration, but simplicity has always worked better for you. Even when we were little."

Azkadellia stopped talking now and watched DG for signs of approval, her breath abated in hopes that she had picked well. The dress that Az had set before her was simple in design for sure, with a simple A-line of the white eyelet material, corseted waist, and v-neck cut. There were no flashy adornments other than the simple, silver buttons that ran from the top of the V-neck to the bottom of the corset, and the only thing resembling something her mother might be attracted to were the somewhat flouncy sleeves that gathered somewhere near where her elbow might be, that reminded DG of poets and artists from the Otherside. DG smiled at Azkadellia's choice, thinking that there might actually be some chance that she'd finally done it. What was more, if she had succeeded, DG hoped that it might assist in giving Cain a shocking reminder of her femininity soon, even if what had just happened had really just been a figment of her imagination.

With that hope in mind, DG dashed to the bathroom, dress in hand. When she emerged moments later, bashful smile firmly affixed to her face, Azkadellia sighed in awe of the pretty picture her sister made.

DG made her way out onto the grounds, Jeb trailing a few yards away, eager to give the Princess her space. She had been acting strange all morning, beginning with the tear-stricken face that had greeted him in the beginning, to how she was now; oddly serene yet driven, and wearing a dress. He wasn't sure if he should be relieved that she no longer seemed distraught or concerned by the manner in which she'd achieved her current state of mind, but whatever the cause, he felt it prudent to stay back somewhat.

The Princess, for her part, appeared to stroll down the hill from the summer palace, but if one had seen the glint of determination in her eye, they'd have known that this was no ordinary amble for the sake of enjoying nature. A sly smile played at the edge of her rosy lips, and apart from the breezy dress that floated around her calves, she had pulled all but a few errant curls up into a loose bun, allowing her long, graceful neck to be tickled by the strands that still lingered as she neared her destination. DG was making a B-line for the training grounds once more, where Wyatt Cain stood, once more locked in a heated match with the burly officer from the day before.

"Alright Gates, don't be easy on me just because I'm your commanding officer," DG could hear Cain saying as she neared, and she was pleased to see that as soon as she came in view, he seemed to instantly forget what he was doing.

Cain didn't know what had hit him with the Princess came into view. At first, he wasn't sure it was her at all, except the wicked upturn to her mouth held a familiar challenge and he could not longer doubt it was his DG. It wasn't the first time he'd seen her in a dress, but it was definitely the first time he'd seen her in one that hugged her so attractively. All her curves seemed on display like they'd never been in her usual form of dress, and when she took a deep breath and her chest heaved temptingly, he glimpsed something he'd only seen in his dreams. This caused his mouth to go dry, and he wetted his lips absently while he continued to absorb the vision before him. He felt he could stare at the siren that had wandered out of his dreams all day, but it suddenly occurred to him that he was supposed to be doing something, and he shook his head suddenly when it occurred to him that a building of a man was quickly barreling down on him.

It wasn't that DG minded casting some sort of spell on Cain that made his face go blank and he body to freeze, but a part of her felt guilty for what she could see happening in his near future. She was relieved that Cain seemed to realize he was in some sort of peril, but when he could not move out of the way of Gates' powerhouse fist, she winced as he fell back onto the ground.

When Cain came to, he was initially confused to be laying on the ground. For a moment, he could not remember how he'd gotten there, only that he had seen something truly amazing just before it had happened. Then, she was there again, leaning over him with a concerned expression in her beautiful blue eyes, and a weak smile spread on his face.

"Hey there, Princess." He greeted DG weakly, adding as he let her sit him up, "that's some left hook, you've got."

DG laughed and thought absently, maybe dresses aren't so bad after all.