Disclaimer: I don't own Tin Man or Alice, they belong to SyFy. I'd be filming this story if I owned them.

"Adjust your seat, trainees!" Jeb shouted as he maneuvered around skittish new recruits. "I don't want to see any air between your behinds and the saddle, do you understand? You've got to be one with your mount!"

"Yes, sir!"

Az hung off to the side, content to watch for now. Jeb was truly in his element, especially now that he'd taken another mount. He'd been reluctant to select a new mount right away, still grieving over Strongwind's death. However, with the influx of new recruits, it was important that he bond with a new horse right away. And so, when Az and the remaining Riders had gone up to the Northern Palace to bring the unpaired Cloudrunners south, Jeb had selected a new mount.

Moonshadow was opposite to Strongwind in almost every way. While Strongwind had been leopard-spotted, Moonshadow was silver dapple. While Strongwind had been temperamental and hot-blooded, Moonshadow was even-tempered and patient. Strongwind had been small for a Cloudrunner, but stocky. Moonshadow could have been mistaken for one of his Windrunner cousins if it weren't for his coloring. But just like opposite sides of the coin, both horses complemented each other and Jeb's personality.

In the three weeks it had taken to deal with the logistics of setting up a makeshift winter training camp outside of Central City, Jeb and Moonshadow had bonded. It was as though the two of them had been partners for years instead of weeks.

The Riders had garnered much attention following the Rebel Uprising, as the coup was titled in the Central City papers. Sixty-three trainees had shown up in Central City in the following weeks, wanting to begin their training right away. Jeb had been dismayed, since the winter weather meant that most of the fields that had been specially built beside the Northern Palace were impossible to use until the thaw. Still, it was not possible to turn the trainees away, not with the Riders down to half their original strength. It was decided that for now, trainees would share training grounds with the Royal Army recruits.

With the training now taking place in and around Central City, Az couldn't spend as much time with the trainees as she liked. She could only oversee their horsemanship training in the afternoons. Her mornings were eaten up with formal audiences and meetings with the committees of the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

The decision of succession still had not been made explicit, but her involvement in quelling the Rebel Uprising as well as her work with the Riders had thrust Az into the spotlight. There was rising expectation from the common citizens that she would succeed her mother. In the eyes of the people, and thus the House of Commons, Az was now the firm choice as the future queen.

The House of Lords was another story entirely. Her loss of control in the forest was still a point of contention for the wary nobles. Despite the warmth of her winter whites, Az shivered, remembering the harrowing questioning following the events of the Uprising.

"Princess Azkadellia, can you explain your version of the events that transpired out in the forests the previous week?" Chancellor Grokey, First Chair of House of Lords, folded his hands and looked at her critically. Thirty-odd pairs of eyes regarded her with expressions varying from placidness to outright hostility.

In a cool, calm voice, Az began to reiterate her every action, starting from her travel storm out of the city. She described scrying to discover the Riders' locations, and how the sound of the horns had directed her to the battlefield. She did not leave anything out, recalling how she witnessed Martel's death, followed by Dunstan's. Then, Jeb's.

"What happened after that, Princess Azkadellia?" It was her godmother, Aleydis Orin, who spoke up this time. Her face was set and still, giving nothing away. There was no sympathy there, though Az never knew what to expect from her she-dragon of a godmother. If anything, Godmother Aleydis' position as Second Chair of the House of Lords took precedence over her role as Az's godmother.

Az took a deep breath. "I lost control," she confessed truthfully. "I became consumed with thoughts of vengeance."

"Would you have used magic on the rebels?" That question came from Lord Antony Tiggular, Duke of Winkie Country and a distant relative of Glitch. He was one of the most conservative members of the House of Lords, but at least he listened and never dismissed anything outright.

She closed her eyes briefly, remembering the fury that burned through her, and the storm that she would have brought down on the heads of the rebel army. "Yes."

"What stopped you?" Godmother Aleydis again.

"DG – Princess DG stopped me. She entreated to me, so that I would see reason." DG had made her realize the most important thing; that Jeb wouldn't have wanted her to turn into a murderer, not in his name. She wished Jeb were here now, but this was a closed session. No one close to her could be there, not even her mother. It was just her and the House of Lords. "I could not be the arbiter of justice for those men, as much as I wanted to. Their judgment rests in the hands of the citizens of the Outer Zone and Lurline, not me."

Az met General Trevelyan's eyes. The gray-haired general's eyes were full of understanding and sympathy. He nodded ever so slightly, and Az felt a rush of relief. At least the general was on her side. Thank goodness he was the one sitting directly in her line of sight, not one of the more sour-faced lords or ladies. He bolstered her confidence.

"I see," Chancellor Grokey said carefully, stroking his enormous beard. "And after the Princess DG stopped you, what did you do?"

"I used my magic to resurrect Commander Cain." The joy of that moment reverberated through her. His life was precious to her, and she thanked Lurline every day that she'd received the chance to bring him back.

Lord Tiggular grunted. It was difficult to tell if he was disgruntled or suffering from indigestion. "Do you not think your magic was better spent elsewhere, Princess Azkadellia?"

"Perhaps, Lord Tiggular," she replied softly. However, all she could think of was the beating of Jeb's heart beneath her hands. "I do not regret that particular action. By now the members of this House are aware of my feelings for Commander Cain. I could not let the opportunity pass."

"She's young and in love, Antony," General Trevelyan drawled, leaning back in his chair. "I don't think any one of us can fault that decision. She followed her heart." He sent an opaque glance at Godmother Aleydis, one that Az caught and was surprised to see. Did the general have a history with her godmother? As far as Az knew, her godmother had never really loved her husband. That was something to ponder later.

"But still," the Winkie duke sputtered.

Chancellor Grokey pounded his gavel on the table. "Silence!" he thundered. "We shall not stray from the topic at hand. Princess Azkadellia, continue."

Az talked of how the remaining Riders regrouped and how they'd received word of the outbreak of Guild assassins in the Palace. She described how she'd incapacitated the rebel army and brought the Riders back to Central City. Once in the city, she'd torn down the protective shield around Central Palace, allowing General Trevelyan and his troops to aid the Gale Force. Finally, she recounted the rescue of DG and Commander Wyatt Cain in the Observatory.

Once she finished, there was a general silence. "Thank you for your testimony, Princess Azkadellia," Chancellor Grokey said gravely. "On behalf of the House of Lords, we thank you for your actions during that troubled time. However, your conduct following the death of Commander Cain has left many in this audience uneasy." He exchanged glances with his second chair. "Lady Orin?"

"We are well aware of Queen Lavender's intentions to name you as her heir, Princess Azkadellia," her godmother said slowly. "Before that can happen, we must be reassured that your judgment will be sound in matters concerning the good of the country. Do you understand my meaning?"

She knew it all too well. They wanted her reassurance that she wouldn't lose her head. She paused. "I cannot guarantee that I can act with a cool head at all times. I am only human, and young and inexperienced at that. However, the House of Lords – and indeed, the citizens of the Outer Zone, can rest assured that I will always try to think and act for the greater good of this country and its citizens."

For the first time, she caught a flicker of expression on her godmother's face. The Grand Duchess almost looked – proud?

Chancellor Grokey sighed loudly. "Well spoken, Princess Azkadellia. However, you must understand that we will continue to monitor your actions. Should you act in a manner that is not befitting that promise, your status as heir will come into question once more."

"Thank you, Chancellor Grokey." Az inclined her head towards the chancellor and her godmother, before turning and acknowledging the rest of the House of Lords.

All eyes were on Az now. She didn't like the feeling. She missed the times when she'd been alone, her only responsibilities pertaining to the Riders. However, it was time to step out of the shadows. She knew that DG could not be queen.

Sula rode up beside Az. "That's a long face, Horsemistress," she commented. "Politics?"

"Isn't it always about politics?" was the wry reply. "How did you know?"

"You're glowing again."

Az looked down and realized that her hands were wreathed with faint yellow light. "Damn it," she hissed, pulling her magic beneath her skin.

The veteran Rider looked at her with sympathy. "Rough day?"

"Of course."

"Well, you're with the Riders now, so no more moping." The petite woman nudged her playfully, deliberately playing off Az's minor loss of control. Despite her outspoken ways, Sula was remarkably good at diffusing tense situations. "Come on, we've got trainees to whip into shape."

Az allowed Freeheart to follow after Desertflower. Sula was right. There was time enough to ponder all the rest. For now, she would focus on the Riders.

Jeb flashed Az a brilliant smile as she fell in beside him. "It's about time you got here," he said warmly, reaching over to clasp her hand. "Are you all right?"

How was it that Jeb could always lift her burdens? Az smiled back at him. "I'm better now that I'm here."

"Good. Come on!"

There was a room just off the library in Central Palace that was known to few people. It was rather small and cramped, made even more so by the haphazard stacks of books and various instruments scattered throughout.

Tutor wouldn't have it any other way. He needed his own little quiet corner, and here there were few people who stumbled upon his sanctuary, disturbing the peace. Like Glitch, he had a few experiments running here and there, delicate experiments that were susceptible to the actions of clumsy visitors. Thankfully, he didn't have too many of them, even as Chief Magical Advisor to Queen Lavender.

Few people saw the need to consult with him. Magic was the purview of the Royal Family and no one else. If people wanted fantastical experiments, they went to Sir Ambrose – Glitch. Tutor was all right with that. It also meant that he could spend as much of the day in dog form as he liked. He was not averse to a few hours spent sleeping, curled in front of a crackling fire. At least the Gales wouldn't raise an eyebrow if they caught him that way. Tutor closed his eyes contentedly, his tail thumping against the rug.

"Tutor, what's wrong with my magic?"

The shapeshifter looked up. Az lingered in the doorway of his study, looking frustrated and miserable. Tutor reverted to human form and waved her in, moving to sit behind his desk. "I was wondering when you'd come to me, Azkadellia. What happened this time?"

"I just can't seem to control it!" She sat down in front of his desk and stared at him pleadingly. "I wake up and it seems to glow all around me. I pull it back inside me, where it belongs, but it escapes throughout the day." It didn't help that it did that when she was experiencing particularly strong emotions. It was a miracle that she'd kept everything under wraps during the questioning with the House of Lords. "It feels more volatile. More potent. How is that possible?"

For a long moment, Tutor didn't respond. Az fought the childish urge to fidget, knowing that that was one of her teacher's oldest pet peeves. "Azkadellia, how much Light would you say that you have now that you've used it to resurrect Commander Cain?"

She frowned and mulled things over. "I can't exactly say how much I had before," she admitted. "After Finaqua, it was as though it doubled."

He nodded. "When you made peace with yourself, you unlocked a part of you that had been hidden away – your true potential. And now?"

"Now it feels like I have almost the same amount that I had before I unlocked myself, as you say. But it's…wilder."

Tutor stood. "Come with me. I have a theory." He led her over to the window, where a sand table stood atop a sturdy pedestal. He waved a hand, and a maze rose out of the center. He retrieved a pitcher of water and poured the liquid into the center of the maze. Water rushed into the pathways of the maze until they ran out of the side.

He placed the jug aside and looked at Az. "Do you see how the walls of the maze pushed the water into a certain path? There is structure, a form, and a certain flow. This was how the Ancients controlled magic. They created a template, if you will, for magic to follow. That is the academic side of magic, and how you and your ancestors have been taught to use it."

Az opened her mouth. "Don't interrupt, Azkadellia," was the gentle rebuke. "I'm not finished." She closed her mouth and smiled sheepishly. He waved his hand and the maze was replaced by a mountain range of sand. He poured the water over it again and Az watched as the water rushed about willy-nilly, flowing into depressions and carving new ones. "This is the structure of magic at its purest form – there is no structure. It does what it will." He glanced at her. "Does that sound familiar?"

"Yes," Az admitted. "But how is that possible? How could my magic switch from what is essentially one structure to another?"

"I've been wondering that as well," Tutor mused. "But I think I've figured it out. When you unlocked your potential, most of it came in the form of true, wild magic. When Commander Cain died, you gave him life – life, which is the very essence of wild magic. And life, we both know, has a price." He sighed and returned to his chair. "For reasons that I have yet to understand – and probably never will – that sacrifice was all of the neat and ordered nature of your magic. That is why your mother has such limited use of her remaining power. That foundation and structure is gone. Luckily, the wild magic with which she has left is in such small amounts that she has learned to control it to some degree."

"But that's not the case with me."

He shook his head. "No, it's not. You…you had equal amounts of both. Now, wild magic is all you have. And even though it is an equal amount to the structured Ancient magic you had before, it's true magic. Magic, in its purest, most elemental form. That's why it's been easier for you to call up travel storms than to make a doll fly. The elements respond better to magic in this form. With wild magic, anything you do with it will have twice the power of Ancient magic."

"But it requires four time the amount of control, which I don't have!" Az argued, pacing in front of the window. "Tutor, you have to teach me how to control it!"

"Azkadellia, I can't. I could barely teach you to use the fullest extent of your Ancient magic. What magic I have is little, and is tied into my shape-shifting. The only reason why I was qualified to teach you and your sister was because I'm a scholar of magical theory. Believe me when I say there's no theory for pure magic. It cannot be contained, and it cannot be corralled. It simply is."

She whirled around and glared at him. "Tutor, you just said that you're a scholar of magical theory. You have to have come across volumes about how the Ancients finally managed to tame magic from true magic, right?"

"If there were any here, they are long gone. The library here and the library at Shiz only contain books on Ancient magic, not pure magic. Sure, they reference it here or there, but there is no treatise on pure magic." He looked thoughtful. "I will tell you where you might be able to find those books, though – Wonderland's Great Library."

"Wonderful. Tutor, you know the Resistance hid the library away when the Hearts came to power. Everyone's been trying to convince Jack Heart to reveal the location now that he's king, but he refuses because he thinks it's not safe. Raw's been trying to gain access to that library ever since he arrived in Wonderland City!"

He shrugged. "It's worth a try. And there are always the dragons."

She slanted him a look. "What?"

"Dragons are the only living users of pure magic. Remember, they are the ones that taught the Ancients the basic secrets. Even your Vedu shamans, who profess to use wilder magics, are using an off-shoot of the basic Ancient structure for magic. There's no better teacher than a dragon." Tutor sounded wistful. He would have loved to meet a dragon.

"Living users? Tutor, the dragons are gone. And even if there are a few that are still alive, no one's seen them in living memory. The last ones to see them were the people of Wonderland, and you saw how they bungled things." Her tone of voice was scornful. The people of Wonderland had no idea what they'd lost, when they'd lost the friendship of dragons.

"I don't know what to tell you, Azkadellia." Tutor shrugged, his hands palm up and placating. "You can only hope that Raw somehow convinces King Jack to give you access. Or you can try to find dragons."

"Tutor, I don't have time to go chasing dragons," she said, exasperated. "I can only imagine what the House of Lords would think if I went haring off on that sort of quest."

"I imagine that some would be relieved," was the mild reply. "If you meet dragons, they can teach you how to control your magic. That's no small thing."

Az sighed. At least she had a starting point. She knew what was wrong with her magic. Her task now was to somehow gain access to the Great Library. It looked like she'd have to pay the ambassador of Wonderland a visit. "Thank you, Tutor," she said softly. "I know you're only trying to help."

"Always," he responded.

Jeb nodded at the guard stationed outside of Az's suite of rooms before knocking and letting himself in. "Az?" he called, standing in her receiving room.

"In here, Jeb," she responded. He crossed into the next room and found her at her desk, poring over a stack of books. "I thought you had Rider lessons tonight?"

"The nice part about being the commander of the Riders is that you can delegate. I left Bo and Sula at it. They can use the experience."

Her eyes crinkled up in the corners. "My gain."

"What's this?" he asked curiously, picking one up and paging through it. He settled on the settee beside the desk. It was fast becoming his spot, since he came there often when Az was working on something. It was a comfortable routine.

"I went to our library. I took as much as I could pertaining to the Great Library of Wonderland. It has such a fascinating history. This book claims that the Clubs – the same clan that Ambassador Nine of Clubs comes from – have been compiling their own library for as long as they've been a clan. It already had a substantial reputation, but after this…" She flipped a few pages. "Great Alliance, which I need to look up later, it was greatly expanded after they added transcribed texts from the libraries of the dragons living in The Spine." Her eyes shone as she looked up at him. "The Great Library has dragon texts, Jeb!"

He smiled down at her. He loved watching her when she got excited over something – usually over magical theory or anything educational. She hadn't lost the love of learning that he knew she'd had as a child. When Az was learning, she dropped both years and burdens. Everything was new to her again, and she put everything she had into absorbing it all.

Az trailed off, puzzled by the way he was staring at her. "What?" she queried, nervously tucking a strand of her behind her ear.

Jeb just shook his head. "Nothing. You're charming when you get this excited, that's all."

She flushed. They'd been together – truly together, for only a few weeks now, but he still managed to catch her off-guard in moments like this. Was it always going to be this way? She wondered. She hoped that it would. She smiled back, glancing at him from beneath her lashes.

It was like getting struck by lightning, every time she smiled. And that look was enough to strike a man dead on the spot. This woman had him by the heart and it had been that way from the very beginning. He'd been too blind and stupid to realize it but he knew it now. He leaned forward and cupped her face. "You are so beautiful," he murmured, searching her eyes.

Az blinked slowly. Then, in a flurry of movement, she sprang forward, throwing herself into his surprised but gratified embrace.

It was always sweet, so very sweet, that first meeting of lips. The tone of this one, however, shifted very quickly into more heated territory. The glow emerged from beneath her skin, as it always did in situations when her emotions were running high. If those flames burned high enough, Jeb was certain he'd be reduced to nothing but a pile of ashes. If that was the case, he would go happily.

He ran his hands over her and pulled her close, showing her without words everything he wanted to say and more. He breathed her in, taking in her taste, her smell – everything that was Az. He trailed kisses along her jaw, following the graceful line of it until her reached her ear, nibbling on the lobe and feeling every muscle in his body stretch taut as her fingernails dug into his back. He worked his way down to the spot where her shoulder met her neck, a spot that provoked a similar response from her.

Az clamped her eyes shut, savoring the sensations as they rushed through her. She was only vaguely aware of the fact that in her current position, her skirts had been rucked up rather high. She felt the warmth of his hand as it landed on the soft skin of the back of her knee-

-and suddenly had a flash of cold gray eyes, calculating even as they were filled with lust. And the sounds of the witch's pleasured screams, twisting her voice-

She gasped and pulled back.

Jeb's eyes flew open and he stared at her, confused. "Az?" he asked, reaching out to touch her face. "What's wrong?"

She flinched away from his touch, but not before he caught the glazed, horrified look in her eyes. Realization dawned, forcing him to ignoring the churning in his gut. "It's the flashbacks, isn't it?"

Lurline help her. The pleasure of the moment was gone, replaced by the utter revulsion those memories brought her. She could only shake her head, trying to get away from him.

Jeb was having none of it. "Hey there, Az, shhh." He moved slowly now, making sure that he wasn't touching any of her skin. The touches that had been filled with passion only seconds before were now comforting and soothing. "Don't retreat from me."

"I can't…" her voice broke.

It was always like this. Every time they moved beyond simple kissing, the memories would come. The witch had had a carnal appetite, and hadn't hesitated to use Az's body for such purposes. She couldn't help it – every time Jeb touched her, flashes of the witch's own deeds came flooding back in force. No matter how much she loved Jeb and wanted, needed, his touch, she couldn't get past the images such touches brought.

It wasn't fair.

Strong arms came around her, gathering her close. Jeb rocked back and forth, muttering nonsensical words and making soothing noises. "It's all right Az, we'll get through this together."

"Jeb, I'm sorry-"

He pulled back, urging her to meet his gaze head-on. "Az, I told you before, don't apologize to me. You know that you have nothing to be sorry for."

"Jeb, I'm tainted. How-"

He shook his head fiercely. "You are not tainted, Az. You're a fighter. You're a survivor. And you will get through this." The witch had shattered her, but not defeated her. She'd worked so hard and come so far, but there were times that she felt insecure, and that there were pieces inside that were still broken.

Everyone was a little broken inside, that much was true. But Az was the strongest person he knew. She'd proved that time and time again. If only he could convince her of that.

She let out a painful sigh and sagged against him. "Oh Jeb…"

They sat there in silence, until Az finally relaxed against him. "So, what's all this excitement about dragon texts?" he asked.

Az knew exactly what he was doing, and she was grateful for it. Suddenly, she remembered that Jeb had no idea what she'd found out today. "I talked with Tutor today, and he has a theory as to why my magic has been so out of control."

Jeb's brow furrowed as she recounted the entire conversation to him. "Let me get this straight," he said slowly. "Your magic has gone crazy and uncontrollable because you brought me back?" Guilt left an unpleasant taste at the back of his mouth. He knew how much magic she'd had, and he knew that she'd been questioned about the use of her magic following the attempted coup. He'd never suspected that her magic would have been so greatly affected by what she did for him.

"Yes, because life has a price, and…" Az trailed off, correctly interpreting the look in his eyes. "Jeb Cain, you stop that right now. This is not your fault."

"Az, you just said that there is a direct relationship between your magic and my-"

"And I don't regret it." Now it was her turn to cup his face between her hands. "I'll never regret it, Jeb, so you can stop feeling guilty right now."

He was amused despite himself. She really was lovely when she became so very imperious. "That's a tall order, Az, but I'll try. So, what does this have to do with the dragons?"

Her eyes narrowed. He was definitely trying to change the subject. She would go along with it, for now. "Well, it all has to do with the Great Library." She explained Tutor's suggestions for further information and possible training. "I need to get into that library," she murmured.

"How've the negotiations been progressing with Nine of Clubs?"

"They haven't mentioned anything about concessions yet." Az frowned thoughtfully. "We've discussed the situation regarding Quox and Merry Land more than anything else, as well as attempting to adapt the cure for the Vapors into a cure for the teas."

"Well, let's think on it. The O.Z. is already bringing a lot to the table for these negotiations. I think that it's the least that Wonderland can do, to let someone into the Great Library."

"It's not so easy. The Resistance's first order of business was to save and hide the library once the Diamonds were overthrown. They knew that the Hearts would seek to destroy any knowledge that contradicted their ideals. It will not be easy to obtain permission to see it right now, when the situation is so delicate."

"We'll find a way." Jeb took her hand. "We always do."

Please review!

Happy New Year, everyone! I apologize for the delay, but it's back to work on my Ph.D., which means there's been less time to write fun things! Not that the Ph.D. isn't fun in it's own way.

Sorry if it seems that we're playing catch-up, but there are some things that need to be cleared up or introduced before we dive into more of the plot for this story. We'll be switching back and forth between the O.Z. and Wonderland until our characters' worlds collide. It should be fun!

Anyway, this story is becoming so massive that I've enlisted the talents of MatsuMama and poptate to beta this story. They are absolute angels, and have already helped so much with the planning of this story.