*\*
The walled gardens must once have been beautiful. It was situated behind the village, and DG felt a sliver of magic wash over her skin as she entered it.
Some of the flowers were in blossom but many others were withered or struggling to grow. The fruit growing on the trees that lined the garden were small and some looked rotten. DG assumed the same would be true of the vegetables that grew in the earth, too.
"We know not where the problem lies or what it even is," Ishta informed them as they walked towards the centre of the garden. A woman in simple white robe rose to greet them as they approached. "Shreya, my sister, this is Her Royal Highness, the Princess DG of the House of Gale. Princess, may I present to you my sister, Priestess Shreya of the Western Guild."
"The wind spoke your name," Shreya told DG, her dark hair falling in a long, loose braid over her shoulder. Her dark eyes were distant, her smile soft. "I dared not believe it was so."
"My sister is gifted," Ishta murmured to DG, reverence in her tone. "She will be an extraordinary leader to our people after our father."
"I'm sure," DG said quietly. "It's a privilege to meet you, Shreya."
"The privilege is mine, Princess," Shreya responded with a curtesy. "You are kind of heart and pure of light. The wind speaks it so it must be such."
Not knowing how to respond to that, DG chose not to. Instead, she concentrated on the flowerbed the priestess had been tending. "What seems to be the problem here?"
Shreya's face fell, her eyes downcast. "I know not. The land of the OZ cries out for healing. The Witch's taint permeates and spreads even now. Her filth is here, corrupting the natural order of things."
"Like it did in the fields of the Papay," DG spoke mostly to herself. "May I?" She asked, motioning to the dying vines.
"Of course." Shreya stepped back to stand beside her sister. "I would be grateful of any assistance. Our people are reliant on the gardens and the produce it blesses us with. Without it, we will need to leave the safety of our home."
"Not if I can help it," DG muttered. She moved forward until she was standing on the soil instead of the carefully maintained path and knelt down. Putting her hand against the earth, she closed her eyes and reached out with her light. She could feel the taint Shreya spoke of, feel its darkness brush against her light and try to reach past it to the dark power she also possessed but tried not to think of.
As the darkness in the earth tried to tempt her own darkness out to play, she reached out with her light, surrounding it, overwhelming it.
Darkness, she knew, was repulsed by light; they were opposites and couldn't exist without one another but couldn't occupy the same space, either.
Pushing more of her light outwards, she visualised the roots of every living thing struggling to grow in the garden and chased away the darkness lingering at their tips.
Only when she was sure no trace of it remained did she draw her light back to her and open her eyes, grateful she'd knelt down as she swayed as a result of the drain.
Looking around her, she smiled in satisfaction.
Every flower blossomed, every piece of fruit grew ripe and succulent. Even without checking, she knew the same would be true for those items that grew beneath the soil.
"Oh, my," Ishta spoke, breaking the stunned silence. "That... I have no words."
"There are no words that could be enough to thank you, Princess," Commander Wynn added, his tone awe-struck.
"The voices in the wind were true," Shreya said dreamily. "We are truly blessed you have returned."
DG ducked her head to hide a blush at the praise, still kneeling as she didn't trust her legs enough to support her weight. "Oh, I wouldn't go that far."
Either hearing the strain in her voice or realising she was still in the dirt, Cain crouched down beside her. "You okay, Princess?"
"I'm fine," she replied just as quietly. "A little drained. I don't know if I can stand on my own."
He immediately wrapped one arm around her waist and tugged one of her arms over his shoulders, pulling her up to her feet. When her legs started to crumple, he tightened his hold.
"Princess DG?" Commander Wynn sounded alarmed.
"I'm fine," DG repeated, dismissing his concern with a tired smile. "I used a lot of magic to repair the damage to the land. I just need to rest for a little while and I'll be fine."
"I'll show you to your room," Ishta told her, her expression worried. "If you're too tired to join us for our last meal, we can arrange for food to be brought to you."
"I'm sure I'll be fine, but thank you for your concern." Leaning heavily on Cain, DG felt herself go hot and then cold and knew she didn't have long left before she passed out. Not wanting to alarm anyone, she willed Cain silently to get them moving. "Shall we?"
Taking the hint, Cain nodded. "Of course."
DG was only vaguely aware of the journey back through the village, fighting the darkness at the edges of her vision. She managed to make it to the hut Ishta indicated was hers and smile in thanks at the Western Guild warrior. The second Ishta left, she felt herself losing the battle. She opened her mouth to try and tell Cain she'd be okay after noting the look of alarm on his face but was swept away by exhaustion before she could.
*\*
Thank Ozma for Glitch was all Cain could say.
When DG fainted, he felt everything stop. He carried her deadweight to the bed, setting her down on it before shaking her gently, trying to wake her up.
"She'll be fine, Cain," Glitch told him, his voice matter-of-fact which seemed smugly irritating at the time but when he looked back on it later, Cain would appreciate the confidence in it. "A couple hours sleep and she'll be right as rain. That's a funny saying, isn't it? How right is rain? It's one of DG's Other Sider sayings, They're a strange bunch, those Other Siders."
"Glitch. Focus." Jeb moved to stand in front of the advisor, casting a worried glance at his father and the unconscious princess. "How do you know she'll be okay? What happened?"
"She's drained herself of her magic," Glitch answered slowly, the haughty tone of Ambrose creeping in. It was as if he were talking to children, the answer obvious. "She'll be hungry when she wakes up. I hope she doesn't sleep through supper."
"She's done this before?" Cain asked, an edge to his voice.
Glitch stared at him for a moment, not understanding the question. "Yes?"
"DG drains self when healing," Raw supplied helpfully. "Slept for two days after healing fields of the Papay."
"When did she –" Cain cut himself off abruptly and clenched his jaw. He had to remind himself that the near annual he and DG had spent apart had been a mutual decision and meant that, despite exchanging letters, there were going to be things about her during that time that he didn't know but those who'd been able to stay with her would.
"Not Tin Man's fault," Raw rumbled soothingly. "Not happen often. DG careful after first time."
Cain glanced at him, appreciating the words but still uncomfortable with the feeling he'd missed out on some important moments for her. "Is she still shielding from you or has that gone because of the drain?"
Raw tilted his head, his expression thoughtful. He moved to sit on the other side of the bed and took DG's hand in his before closing his eyes. "Shield still there but not as strong," he reported. "DG tired. Worried for sister, worried for future. Determined. Will do what needs to but heart wars with head."
"She needs to be careful," Jeb said, his gaze on the sleeping Princess when his father glanced at him. "She can only do so much, father. If she keeps pushing herself too hard, she'll end up breaking. I saw it with soldiers under my command," he continued quietly. "Good men determined to do right by their loved ones, driven almost mad with the need to save them."
"We won't let that happen to DG," Cain vowed.
"'Course not," Glitch agreed cheerfully. "She's got us to keep her from pushing herself too hard."
Raw gave a small nod to show his agreement, his eyes still fixed on her. He lifted his head when he felt Cain watching him and tried to smile reassuringly but it didn't stay for long.
"What's up, furball? Is she okay?" Cain tightened his hold on DG's hand as if the act alone would keep her with him.
"DG okay," Raw confirmed. The Viewer hesitated, not sure how much he could or should say without betraying DG's trust. "DG worried about Prince," he said eventually. "Will marry to save Azkadellia but fears having to leave OZ."
"What do you mean to save Azkadellia?"
"Why would she fear leaving the OZ?"
The two Cain's stared at Raw, both radiating confusion and in the elder Cain, increasing anxiety.
"The terms of the marriage contract didn't specify which of the Queen's daughter's the Prince might take as a bride," Glitch answered for Raw, seeing the alarm on the Viewer's face. He kept his voice as calm as he could, not trusting the way Cain's fingers flexed towards his gun. "DG volunteered to spare Azkadellia. I think she was hoping he'd turn her down and agree not to press for the contract to be honoured, what with her reputation as being the Slipper Princess and all."
"It doesn't surprise me she'd do that," Cain said. And it didn't. He wasn't at all surprised even though he hated it. "What about the leaving part?"
"The Prince will one day be King of IX. He can't be expected to stay in the OZ," Glitch answered. "If he does choose to take DG as his bride, and if he wants to marry either of them, he'll have to, because if Azkadellia's going to be Queen, she'll be required to stay here, then DG will be expected to return to IX with him."
Cain stared at Glitch, then turned his attention back to DG. He stared at her hard, willing her to wake up so she could take part in the conversation.
His heart was pounding and he felt suddenly cold. He'd promised her he wouldn't leave her side again and he'd meant it; she accepted it and hadn't mentioned that she might need to leave the country.
And if she did... Surely she must've known there was a heck of a chance that the Prince wouldn't permit him to go with her?
She hadn't said anything about it, hadn't raised the possibility of her having to leave the OZ, of having to leave him.
"DG not want to think about possibility," Raw told him quietly. "Scared. Not want to leave OZ. Not want to leave Tin Man."
"Is there a way we can get her out of the marriage if the Prince decides to enforce it?" Cain found himself asking, looking back to Glitch. Out of all of them, the Queen's Advisor was the most likely to know something that might be of help.
From the way Glitch hesitated, Cain knew he wasn't wrong in guessing he'd already been thinking about it. "I spoke to Azkadellia about it, before we left," Glitch started slowly, lowering himself into a chair in the corner of the room. He looked weary, guarded. "If Az abdicates her claim on the throne, DG would be unable to marry the Prince as she'd have to take the throne."
"DG not want to be Queen," Raw spoke up. "But would if Azkadellia asked her."
Cain thought it through, and shook his head. "That would mean Azkadellia would have to honour the marriage contract. DG won't do that to her sister."
"DG think Azkadellia too fragile," Raw agreed. "Would be right. Azkadellia healing but slowly. Need family around her, not heal in foreign lands."
"Is there no other way?" Jeb asked. "What if Azkadellia becomes Queen and DG marries another?" He cast a sidelong glance at his father. "The contract couldn't be enforced if neither Princess were free to marry."
"It would bring dishonour on the House of Gale and dissent amongst the Queen's Council, not to mention cause a scandal at Court." Glitch sounded disappointed. "That was another idea that was discussed; I can't remember if it was Az or the Consort who suggested it. The Queen's control isn't strong enough to withstand a coup should the Council rise up against her, and Azkadellia is nowhere near strong enough to seize control and keep them in line."
"The Consort was there for this discussion?" Cain arched an eyebrow.
"Consort, Queen, Azkadellia, Glitch and Raw," Raw confirmed. "DG not. Too focused on bringing realm together for sister's reign, not need distraction."
"So all we can do is wait and how the Prince responds?" Cain sighed and returned his attention to DG, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles.
"There's a chance he won't enforce the contract," Glitch said quietly. "DG believes it was the Queen's Council who initiated contact but we can't prove it."
"Why would they do that?" Jeb frowned. "Not only is she a princess, she's the one who defeated the Witch."
"Some of them aren't as thankful for that as we are," Glitch informed him, his Ambrose tone in play. "There were some who prospered under the Witch's reign, others who are simply offended by DG's unwillingness to sit back and let the rich get richer while the people struggle and starve. They disapprove of her because they can't control her and they're afraid she'll influence the Queen, both her mother and her sister when Azkadellia takes the throne."
"And the Queen's aware of this?" Jeb was stunned. "Why doesn't she do something? It's treason!"
"The crown is still too unstable to take the risk of alienating the allies it has," Glitch reminded him. "Give it another annual or two, and the Royal Family will be established once more and the Queen will be free to act."
"That's the other reason DG's doing this tour," Jeb mused. "To get the loyalty of the people so they'll support her Mother and sister if the Council turn against them."
"She's very good at Court politics," Glitch said admiringly. "She'll make a good advisor to Azkadellia when she's Queen."
"Assuming she's still in the OZ to advise," Cain muttered.
"We'll do whatever we can to keep her here, Cain," Glitch promised, his dark eyes intense. "We've just got her back; we're not going to let her go without a fight."
Cain nodded, and surprisingly felt a little better. Glitch, whether he was fully Ambrose or not, as a man of his word.
It helped to know he was on their side.
*/*