So glad the last part went down okay! I was nervous about writing their reunion :)

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Lord Tilton didn't put in an appearance to wish them farewell as they left the village of Hirshall for the next stop on their journey. DG was glad; she was sure the noble wouldn't get a warm reception from any of the men guarding her, not least of all from Cain, Raw and Glitch.

Joseph was there to say goodbye, as were the healers Raw had worked with and an engineer, who had spent most of the previous day with Glitch. It warmed DG's heart to see the appreciation the townspeople of Hirshall had for her friends, to know that they were working alongside her to help the people of the OZ as much they could.

The decision had been made to let two of the men who'd travelled with the Cain's to go back to Central City and take up their position with the Royal Guard. Two of them would remain, so DG's guard increased to include not only the four soldiers she'd set off with but also Cain, Jeb, Myers and Thompson.

DG took the opportunity to send some letters back with the guards who'd be leaving them. She wrote a letter for her parents, detailing her journey so far, her encounter with Lord Tilton and a formal request for the support the Mayor of Hirshall had requested. And she wrote a letter for her sister, with a more personal account of all that had happened to her so far. She knew how much Azkadellia had wanted to come with her, but the fear of what reception might await the Witch's former host kept her sister confined in the palace. DG thought maybe if she could detail it as much as possible in her letters, Az wouldn't feel like she was missing out on too much.

They would travel further West on the next leg of their journey, stopping at the town of Fordham before travelling on into the territory of the Western Guild. The Guild had been made aware of her intention to visit them, but they were a secretive people who had gone into hiding during the Sorceress's reign. They hadn't responded to her mother's letter, nor to the one she'd sent advising them of her arrival. DG was nervous but decided the welcome she got from them couldn't be any worse than her first meeting with the munchkins of the Eastern Guild, who she planned to visit last.

Joseph had taken the arrival of Cain, Jeb and their guards in his stride, barely batting an eyelid as DG introduced them even as she prepared to say goodbye to the Mayor.

"I'm surprised Lord Tilton hasn't come to say goodbye, Princess," Joseph murmured, his expression carefully noncommittal. "My apologies on his behalf for the disrespect, Your Highness."

"You don't need to apologise for Lord Tilton or his actions," DG told him quietly, glancing to her right where Cain stood. "I've sent word to my Mother on what supplies Hirshall requires to help you rebuild. I can't say for certain when they will arrive, but I promise that they will get here."

"It's much appreciated, Princess DG." Joseph gave a small bow. "Safe travels to you and your companions on the rest of your journey. If you're ever in need of someplace to rest and you're nearby, please be assured the House of Gale will always receive a warm welcome here."

The fact that he referred to the House of Gale and not herself personally didn't escape her notice. DG bit back a pleased smile and inclined her head graciously. "Thank you."

The extended group left the town just after breakfast. Rafe and Jeb took point, with Bates and Myers at the rear. DG found herself riding in the middle of the group with Cain on his horse on her right and Bran on her left. Glitch rode in front of her, with Thompson beside him and Raw rode behind next to Elliot.

"This feels a little like overkill," DG complained quietly to Cain, "Is it not making it obvious I'm a walking – riding – target with so many guards around me?"

Cain smirked but kept his gaze on their surroundings. He had the reins in one hand, the other resting on his holster in a way he managed to make look casual. "You'd prefer to be undefended if we stumble across any Longcoats?"

"There's less than fifty unaccounted for," DG pointed out, having read the reports that had been sent to her father – most of them by him. "There were a lot more than that out for my blood when we were out here just the four of us."

He couldn't argue with her, though at first, they hadn't realised why the Sorceress had wanted her so badly. "You're a Princess, DG. You're not going to be allowed out of the palace with anything less than four guards going forward."

She pouted but didn't say anything for a few minutes, letting the sounds of being away from the town wash over her. The light breeze blowing through the trees, causing the branches to knock together. The sound of birds she couldn't see calling to one another with their song. Somewhere through the trees, there was a stream or river because she could hear the water moving as it made its way wherever it was going. "Will we get to Fordham before nightfall or will we have to camp out tonight?"

"We'll stop somewhere before dusk and make camp to give the horses a rest," Bran told her, having memorised the route and discussed it at length with Rafe and then again with Cain and Jeb that morning. "We should reach Fordham by midday tomorrow,"

DG nodded, trying to remember the names of the nobles and dignitaries she'd have to visit and whereabouts on their journey they would crop up. She wasn't in a hurry to meet with any of the others after her evening with Lord Tilton.

His words of warning had only cemented her belief that there were members of the Court who disapproved of her. She supposed she couldn't blame them; ever since her return, everything she'd done had turned the world they knew on its head. Those who had prospered under the Witch resented her for taking that away from them, and those who had turned their backs on the people of the OZ so they could flee and save their own skins now had to do something to make themselves look better than the cowards they were.

At the back of her mind, she wondered if maybe they were the reason they'd received the letter from IX. If they'd made the first move, even, without mentioning it to her mother. The more she thought about it, the more the certainty of it crystallised in her mind. It was a convenient way to get rid of her, the Slipper Princess who still threatened their standing with the Queen. Her protectiveness of Azkadellia was no secret, so they would have known that should the Prince's people write to theirs and request the arrangement be honoured, she would put herself forward instead of allowing her sister to. If she ended up in IX, married to a man she didn't love, she would be almost powerless to stop her mother's Council and those in the Court it protected from doing whatever they wanted.

A low growl disturbed her thoughts; at first, she thought it was Raw but then she realised the sound had come from the trees to the right of her, next to Cain, and the Viewer was still behind her.

As one, the soldiers and their horses stopped. Jeb and Rafe moved their mounts to face the direction the sound had come from, while Cain shifted deliberately so that he and his horse stood between her and whatever had made the sound through the thick foliage.

Another growl, this time from her right.

"Show yourself." The order came from Raw and took the guards by surprise. The Viewer got down from his horse even as Thompson swore under his breath. "Mean no harm to DG," Raw continued, addressing Cain this time. DG felt a little insulted he hadn't addressed her directly, but when she caught a glimpse of the way the Tin Man was holding himself, she understood he needed the reassurance more than she was. "Come to show respect."

"Who does? Or what?" DG craned her neck to follow Raw as he moved towards the trees. "Raw, are you sure that's safe –"

The creature that emerged from the woods was unlike anything she'd seen before, and it simply took her breath away. Similar to a tiger on the Other Side, the animal was larger than any she'd ever seen – even on all fours, it's head came to Raw's shoulder. It was mostly gold in colour but had thick black stripes that seemed to move when it did, smooth fur that glistened as it caught the light as though there were a million minuscule diamonds at the end of every hair follicle. Its eyes were its most striking feature, glowing with gold as they scanned her companions before coming to settle on her.

She felt a compulsion to get down from her horse and get nearer, and it was a compulsion she gave in to. She was dimly aware of Cain telling her to get back on her mount but found herself ignoring him, making him curse. She wasn't at all surprised when he got down from his own, taking her arm with one hand while he reached for his gun with the other.

"Mean no harm," Raw repeated, shaking his head at Cain. "DG listen. Feel."

She did as she was instructed and gasped.

'Daughter of Light, Child of OZ.' The voice was warm and rich, like magic itself as it washed over her and made her own light sparkle underneath her skin. 'Welcome home.'

"Thank you." She took another small step forward, all Cain's hand at her waist would allow.

'We have heard much of you and your sister,' the creature continued, evidently unbothered by Cain's distrust of it. 'Is it true the one known as Azkadellia was possessed by the darkness?'

"It is." DG held her head up a little higher, resolutely holding those flashing gold eyes as she felt them search her for any sign of deception. "My sister was possessed by an evil witch almost sixteen annuals ago, a witch I mistakenly freed from her prison in a cave near the South. The Witch was referred to as the Sorceress and did unspeakable things to the land and the people of the OZ. My family seeks to heal as much as we can, to rebuild and recover from the taint the Witch's darkness left here."

The giant tiger-like creature considered her for a moment before tilting its large head. 'You accept responsibility for releasing the evil plague that swept our lands?'

She squared her shoulders and instinctively reached for Cain's hand before she answered. "I do. It was my fault, not Azkadellia's. I heard the Witch, not my sister. I released her; it was my fault."

She heard Cain mutter something from beside her, felt him tense in case the creature decided to attack.

It didn't. It bared its teeth to her, but she got the impression it was in approval and not in a threatening manner. 'We thank you for your honesty, Child of OZ. We welcome your return to the realm and the throne. The Kalidah tribe swear allegiance to the Princess DG and the House of Gale.'

"Thank you."

The huge creature turned with more grace than she thought it could possess and disappeared back into the foliage around them. The group stood in silence for a few moments longer, each taking time to process what had just happened.

"Who or what are the Kalidah?"

"Am I the only person who found it weird watching DG have a one-sided conversation with a giant bear-tiger?"

DG and Jeb spoke at the same time, looking at each other in confusion when they heard each other.

"I wasn't talking to myself; I was talking to him. Her. It." DG gestured after the creature, wishing she'd asked it for its name. "Wait, you mean no one else could hear it?"

"Raw could hear," the Viewer assured her in a low rumble. "Kalidah distant cousin to Viewer tribe. Once protected forests as Papay protect fields."

Putting aside the part about no one else being able to hear them, DG turned to Raw curiously. "You said they once protected the forests. What happened to them?"

"The Kalidah were thought to be extinct, Doll," Glitch answered for Raw, moving to stand beside her as he stared off into the trees where the creature had disappeared. "They have magic, which I'm sure you noticed. They were hunted for both their magic and their pelts during the Sorceress's reign. No one's seen one since about an annual after the Witch took the throne from your mother."

"Oh." DG followed her gaze, trying to see the creature but knowing instinctively it was long gone. "Is that why I could hear it, then? Because of my magic?"

Raw shook his head, a fond smile on his lips. "DG hear because Kalidah wanted her to. Called you Daughter of OZ."

"I noticed that," DG said, her brow furrowed. "I don't know what it means, though."

"You will," Raw told her cryptically. "Not Raw's place to say."

DG blinked in surprise at him, not expecting the answer he gave. "O-kay. That's interesting."

"What's interesting is you seemingly telling a potential predator that you're responsible for unleashin' the Witch." Cain's voice didn't surprise her as much as the thinly veiled anger in it. "What were you thinking, DG?"

"I –"

"You weren't thinking," he answered for her, his light blue eyes flashing. "You didn't stop to consider that creature might've decided to tear you limb from limb, did you? You can't keep assuming everyone, and everything here is a friend because it's not."

"I'd rather think of everything as a friend and be proved from than spent my life being suspicious of everything and everyone," DG countered, her ire rising in response to his. "And all I did was tell the truth, Cain. I am responsible! Why should I let anyone think differently?"

"You were a kid, DG. You can't be held accountable for what happened."

"But I am accountable. I heard the Witch. I broke the seal. I let go of Az's hand!"

"You were six." His jaw was clenched, the words forced out through gritted teeth. "You shouldn't've been left to wander the woods alone at that age."

She couldn't think of a good argument to that, except to tell him that from what she remembered of her childhood, which admittedly still wasn't a lot, it was a regular occurrence when she'd been at Finaqua with her parents. She and Azkadellia had often been left to their own devices, allowed the wander the grounds and explore the woods. Sure, they'd ventured a little further than usual that day, but it wasn't exactly unheard of for them to do so.

Before she could think of a counter-argument, Cain took a step closer, fully invading her personal space as he stared at her. "Is that why you're doing this tour, DG? It's not all about healin' the lands and getting help to the people, is it? You want to make sure everyone knows what happened that day."

"There's nothing wrong with wanting the truth to be known," she managed; she didn't have it in her to lie to him, no matter how much easier it would make things for her. "You're a Tin Man; truth and justice are what you're all about."

"Not if it puts your life at risk it's not."

His retort seemed to surprise him as much as it did her. Breathing heavily, they stared at each other, stuck at a seemingly impossible impasse.

It was only when their conversation ended that they remembered they weren't alone. Jeb cleared his throat after glancing at the guards, his men, and seeing that they were all busying themselves by checking out their surroundings or unnecessarily checking their horses, realised that it would fall to him to speak. Glitch and Raw exchanged a look that gave him the impression they'd either been waiting for the conversation to happen or were used to witnesses fiery exchanges between his father and the Princess, which given they'd not been around each other in almost an annual made him wonder.

"We should get moving," he said, injecting a note of command into his voice to get his men to listen. "Everyone back on your horse."

The guards were quick to follow his order, with Raw and Glitch moving at a slightly slower pace. His father and DG continued to stare at each other for a moment longer. Just as Jeb thought he'd have to intervene to break the stalemate between them, DG turned away and moved to the mare she'd been riding.

He met his father's gaze and saw regret lingering there before he, too, turned away.

The rest of the day's ride was completed in silence.

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