Disclaimer: Alice and Tin Man don't belong to me, they belong to SyFy. The craziness, however, is all me.

Lavender looked up from the latest missive from Wonderland. "Well?" she asked her husband.

Ahamo sat back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. "I take great pride in knowing our eldest very well. I am both delighted and concerned that she can still surprise me." He glanced across the table. "Did you know about this, DG?"

"Of course I knew about it, Dad," DG informed him baldly. She didn't bother to look innocent. "I can't take credit for the idea though. That was one hundred percent Az. Kind of brilliant, don't you think?"

"It depends on what you mean by brilliant, my angel," Lavender responded wryly. She folded the letter and set it aside. "I did not think that she would be so bold as to appear unannounced in front of the entire court of Wonderland. That can't have endeared her to the Hearts."

"But Mother, you're the one who doesn't really want to treat with Wonderland – not yet, at least. Something like this will keep them dancing, don't you think?"

Ahamo muffled a laugh behind his hand as mother shot daughter a rather exasperated look. "Our bright one here has a point, my love. Az's way ensured that we were not introduced as Wonderland's great friends and allies." Of course, he could also see the benefits of being perceived as such, but at this moment, the ambiguities of their relationship with Wonderland's rulers rendered her actions quite prudent.

"I am not denying this," Lavender replied with great dignity. She folded her hands on top of the table. "My only concern is that such actions may have offended a few people – namely Jack Heart. We must not forget that part of Azkadellia's mission relies on obtaining the king's good graces so that she may have access to the Great Library." The more time passed, the greater her concern grew over the subject of her daughter's powers.

She couldn't regret the diminishing of her own strength, not when it meant that DG was alive and well at her side. Still, she was the reigning queen and her diminished power was often a hindrance. But a lack of power was easier to manage than a lack of control over it. Lavender feared the myriad trials that her eldest was subject to on her path to the throne. It seemed that her life would never be easy, but the responsibilities of a ruler never were. To her credit, Azkadellia had never once shied from a challenge. She would overcome this and triumph, as she had with so many situations before.

Sometimes Lavender looked at her daughters and could only marvel. Azkadellia and DG were true Gales, strong and indomitable women who could conquer the world if they so wished. She had once despaired of ever having them back, but now…Lurline worked in mysterious ways.

DG's hand over hers brought her back to the present. "All Az needs is trust, Mother," she was saying. "Given enough time and opportunity, she'll sweet-talk anyone into giving her anything."

"I wonder where she gets it," Ahamo said with a significant look towards his wife.

Lavender sniffed, refusing to rise to the bait. "I'm sure I have no idea what you mean, darling."

"That sounds like a story," DG commented.

"Oh, it is. Let's just say that your mother has a way with words."

"Oh, I have a way with words?" But she laughed as she said it, and rose to her feet. "Come now, my dear, I require sleep, not teasing."

"As my queen commands." He walked around the table to kiss DG goodnight. "Wyatt, I assume you'll escort our girl back to her chambers?"

DG had almost – almost – forgotten that Wyatt was standing just inside the door. "Of course, Your Highness."

Lavender favored him with a smile as she glided past on her husband's arm. "Good night, Commander Cain."

"Good night, Your Majesty, Your Highness."

The door closed behind the royal couple and DG slumped back against her chair. "Well, that went better than I thought it would," she confessed. "It was risky, but I think she pulled it off."

"Jeb wouldn't have been too happy with it," Wyatt said. "I wouldn't have been, in his place."

She turned to face him. "Yeah, but you can see why they had to do it that way, right? And I don't know, but Wonderland seems like it's all kinds of unconventional, even for Nonestica. I think they're going about it the right way." She shoved her chair away from the table and stretched. "I really wish I could be there. It sounds like a lot of fun."

"It sounds like a lot of danger," he said pointedly as they walked into the hallway. "Let's not forget that she's in the heart of the country where somewhere, someone thought it was a good idea to send Guild assassins after her entire family."

DG inspected her nails. She had the urge to paint them neon orange. Unfortunately, nail polish hadn't made it to the Outer Zone and she couldn't exactly justify calling up a travel storm for a cosmetics run. And knowing her piloting skills, she'd probably end up in the White Mountains. "At least she's doing something about them," she grumbled.

He glanced at her from out of the corner of his eye. "Are you feeling restless, DG?"

"More like useless." She scowled. "I'm bored, Wyatt. I mean, I know I'm doing good things by working with the House of Commons and occasionally butting heads with those old farts from the House of Lords. And yeah, the audiences can be interesting, even if they make me want to scream most of the time. The Riders have been great too, letting me tag along every once in a while."

"But you want something of your own."

She wasn't even surprised that he could read her so easily. "Well, yes. Most of these things will be Az's job once she's queen. She's the one who has to wrangle all of the minions, she's the one who's going to have to listen to and grant most of the petitions. And hell, they're the Queen's Riders. Az is more than welcome to all of that craziness, believe me. I'm trying to do her job right now and I don't know how she does it." She secretly believed that her older sister was actually Wonder Woman. That, or she'd figured out how to magically split herself so that she could be in multiple places at once. "I know that it's a total younger sibling complex, but….it's nice to have your own thing, you know?"

"You have me," Wyatt said.

DG stopped and stared at him. Her scrutiny caused the tips of his ears to turn pink. "What?" he demanded, fighting the urge to shift in place.

She broke out into a broad grin. "Awww, that was surprisingly mushy of you, Wyatt. I completely appreciate that." She stepped forward and fisted a hand in the ceremonial braid of his uniform, urging him to lean down. "I can demonstrate how much I appreciate it."

Wyatt straightened quickly. "That's not appropriate, Princess." The look in his eyes said otherwise, and that he would be taking her up on her offer in the very near future. The answer glint in her own eyes meant that she caught it.

"When am I ever appropriate, Wyatt?" she teased. "Now come on, I thought you were escorting me."

"You can always talk to Glitch, you know," he suggested as they resumed their walk. "He has his hand in so many pies that I'm sure he could find something for you. Or you could come up with something completely new."

"That's not a bad idea," DG mused as they stopped outside her door. "I knew there was a reason why I kept you around."

"And what reasons would those be?"

DG unlocked her door and pulled him in after her, eyes dancing. "I think it's best to show you, don't you think?"

Few people knew that Wonderland Palace had a library of its own. Its contents were not so precious as those of the Great Library, but it contained copies of the books deemed to be most useful in the ruling of a country. General histories, tomes of clan lineages, agricultural dossiers, and many more littered the shelves of the library, far off the beaten path.

It was here that Az and Jeb retreated when they did not wish to return to their quarters. Az had already combed through the relevant books in the hope that there was some clue about magic, but the histories stored in the palace were more suited to major events and the intrigues of the four clans. It was interesting, and more than they had in the O.Z., but it wasn't magic.

"About this morning-" Jeb began as they walked in. Az was fresh from a few hours spent exercising Freeheart, Moonshadow, and Moonfire. Raw's mare had been pitifully happy to see familiar faces, equine or otherwise. The groomsmen informed Az that the Cloudrunner had only allowed them to feed and groom her. Any attempt to exercise her had been met with violence. Some of the more stubborn stable hands had ended up with broken bones and been summarily dismissed. Whilst Az took care of the horses, Jeb had tried to track down the location of the Great Library.

It had quickly become apparent that that would not be an easy task, even with the help of his network. Wonderland City was a vertical labyrinth. Years of decay had wreaked havoc on the city, rendering many of its areas unrecognizable and hazardous to traverse. It also created myriad hiding places, making it difficult to decide where to begin.

"Don't say it," she sighed. Purple magic radiated outwards and mingled with the soft golden light of the afternoon sun. "I would rather know how you are progressing with your network than dwell on our failings in the negotiations."

He reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I wouldn't call it a failing, Az. I'd call it a stalemate." When she only glared at him, he shrugged and pressed onwards. "Well, your father's informants are all in place." After sitting and stewing in negotiations day in and day out, he found it freeing to slip into the city at night to meet with the Shadow Man's agents. This, at least, was straightforward. There was no mincing of words, just a clear report on the movements of several key individuals.

"And?" Az prompted.

"Word is that Lord Lucan Spade and Lord Grandin are harboring envoys from Merry Land and Quox." He allowed the implications of that to sink in before continuing. "It is also entirely possible that the Duchess is well aware of their presence. She has been seen conversing with Lord Spade several times and has been invited to parties at both men's homes outside of Wonderland City."

Az frowned. The Duchess had been present at every session and was as prickly and confrontational as she had been at their first meeting. She still was not sure what to make of her. The Duchess was utterly opaque. Az prided herself on her ability to read other people, but it was no use with the Duchess. It only added to her mounting frustration with the other woman. It was a shame, because she was intelligent and by all accounts, a fighter and a survivor. "Do you suspect her of colluding with them in bringing in the envoys?"

"In truth? I am not sure. If Jack Heart is smart, he would use that connection to its best advantage."

"Using her as a double agent, so to speak," Az mused, following his train of thought. "Yes, that would be the wisest decision. Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing exactly who she is working for, is there?"

He shrugged. "Not yet. But soon enough. Let's hope we're right about her being a double agent."

"Why's that?"

"Otherwise, he's made a very bad choice in his fiancée."

She privately thought that Jack had never had a choice in the matter, seeing as he'd been betrothed to the Duchess since they were teenagers. Still, he had to feel something for her if he'd chosen to honor the betrothal even after wrestling control from his mother. "She's very beautiful."

"If you like that sort of thing." The Duchess oozed sexuality, but Jeb found her cold and unreachable. Perhaps she was different outside of negotiations, but he had his doubts. Wonderlanders were a strange bunch. Despite their reputation as passionate, emotional people, all the ones he'd met thus far were so tightly controlled it was a miracle that they did not explode.

Jeb realized that he'd been silent too long and Az was smirking at him. He rolled his eyes and changed the subject. "Have you had any luck searching for Raw?"

The amusement dimmed from her eyes. "I still cannot see or feel him clearly. But what I do know is that he is somewhere south of us."

"South. As in Quox?"

"No." Az shook her head. "There is a different feel to Quox. I am quite certain that he is still in Wonderland. And I know that he is still alive. I just…" She trailed off, thinking. She needed to try something else, something different from a scrying spell. Surely the users of wild magic had an equivalent, something that would make use of her power rather than fighting against it.

She was so tired of fighting her magic. Every day spent in fruitless negotiation with Jack Heart was another day when she was closer to losing control. All she wanted at this point was access to the Great Library. Instead, she was playing a very polite, slow-moving game of chess.

If she had to keep being patient, keep being polite, she was going to lose her temper. And the results, as DG said, were not going to be pretty.

Jeb knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his. "What do you need, Az?"

The promise of respite, no matter how brief, was so welcome that she could not resist. Az's shoulders slumped and she leaned forward, resting her forehead against his. "I need this dancing around to stop, Jeb," she murmured. "I'm so tired."

She felt his fingers glide over her cheek, soft and soothing. "Then rest for a while, love,"

"I wish I could." Az pulled back and looked him squarely in the eye. "We need to talk this through. We need to outline exactly what we think Jack Heart will demand, and what exactly we're willing to give."

Jeb almost sighed. She was doing it again, moving full steam ahead without consideration for her wellbeing. "Az-"

"Jeb." Her tone brooked no argument. "Use what I've been teaching you these last few days. Jack Heart is building towards something. It's obvious that he wants something quite substantial from us. Based on your observations, what do you think it is?"

"Your power." The answer was obvious. It was the only thing the O.Z. had that Wonderland didn't have the resources to obtain in one form or another. Yes, they had accepted the modified cure for the Vapors, but Jack Heart had scientists – Club scientists, at that – that were perfectly capable of synthesizing their own treatments for tea addictions and the debilitating side effects of withdrawal. And the grain, whilst welcome, was not an absolute necessity. The Queen of Hearts hadn't completely neglected the feeding of her people. After all, she needed them to be alive so that they could consume tea.

"Yes, but why?" Az persisted. The question nagged at her. It was especially disconcerting when she caught Jack Heart staring at her with a mixture of desperation and hope, his normal façade of smooth urbanity gone. "Most fear it or underestimate it. Few want it."

That was true enough. Most citizens of the O.Z. were happier when they knew that the Gales were not using magic. The witch had certainly soured their opinion of its usage. His visit to the Vedu – an education is so many ways – had been a revelation. Magic was an intrinsic part of their culture, especially when roughly a quarter of their population possessed some degree of power. For them, magic was a part of everyday life, as natural as the air they breathed. The only other country that treated it the same way was Ix, with their cadre of sorcerers.

He frowned. "Perhaps there is more to these rumors of brewing tensions with Quox and Merry Land," he suggested. "If one of them is close to attempting an invasion…"

"I wonder the same thing. But the network would know about such a thing, wouldn't they?" A mobilized army was terribly conspicuous, both in terms of the army itself and the resources needed to move and sustain it.

"I think so. It's just conjecture-" He cut himself off when she jerked back, her eyes darting towards the shelves behind them.

"Someone's coming," Az hissed. By the time Elisa Club approached their table, Jeb was sitting comfortably in the chair beside Az, idly thumbing through a book as she pretended to write a letter.

"Your Highness, Commander Cain, please forgive my intrusion." The Head Librarian and Chief Chronicler was wearing the uniform of her office, an open robe in heavy green velvet with a hood trimmed in white and black fur. Beneath the robes was a practical Other Side-style skirt suit in gray wool. "May I join you?"

"Good afternoon Mistress Club. You are most welcome. Please, sit." Az had not seen the librarian since that first day at the palace and could only speculate as to why she was here now. She could not help the sudden hope that rose in her chest. If she could convince Elisa Club about the seriousness of her task, perhaps she could persuade Jack Heart to allow her access. They certainly seemed close enough.

Elisa sat across from Az and folded her hands on the table, the look in her dark eyes solemn. "I know this may seem like an odd request, Your Highness, but…it would be best if our conversation remained private."

Az and Jeb exchanged quick glances. Interesting. "Of course, Mistress Club. I can assure you that no one will be able to hear us, as I've already warded this area. How may I be of help?"

The librarian looked crestfallen but immediately swallowed it back. "I wished to speak to you before I left the city."

"You're leaving?" Az asked, surprised.

"I am accompanying Charlie to the Diamond City. He spoke to me of several strange buildings and devices that he could not identify. I…have an idea of what they might be and wish to confirm this myself." She looked as though she was waging some sort of internal battle, but continued on. "I'm not comfortable with the idea of speaking to you like this, but I am doing this on Giacomo's behalf. There is little that I can deny him." Her smile was equal parts fondness and exasperation. "He is, after all, my favorite cousin."

"You're here because of Ten?" Jeb inquired, leaning forward.

"Yes. I understand that the talks have not been moving forward as hoped." She looked between Az and Jeb expectantly, waiting for some sort of confirmation. Finally, Az nodded. "Giacomo believes that if you were to obtain a certain, valuable piece of information, it would perhaps make the situation easier."

"But you do not." It was a statement, not a question.

The librarian seemed to shrink in on herself. "I do not think it is wise to go behind the back of my king." She sighed resignedly. "And yet, here I am."

"Mistress Club, how do you expect us to believe what you say, especially when you are admitting that you are doing this against your better judgment and at the behest of your cousin, who is the king's chief advisor?" Was this simply another game? A trap, perhaps? For all that no one could overhear them now, there was nothing to stop Elisa Club from reporting their actions to Ten or Jack Heart.

"Because I was the one who discovered this." She reached into her robes and retrieved a small book bound in red leather, sliding it across the table to Az, whose eyes widened at the title. "You will find that most of the text is utterly unintelligible, but I've marked one passage." When Az only stared at the book and refused to pick it up, Elisa's hands fluttered slightly. "Please, just read it Your Highness."

Jeb moved his chair closer to Az's and quirked an eyebrow at her. She made a small noise and opened it to the marked page, allowing him to read it over her shoulder. By the time they finished reading Jeb's brow was furrowed with confusion and Az was utterly still.

"I fail to see how this is relevant."

Elisa shivered at the frosty tinge to the princess' tone. "Your Highness, you must understand. I know books – they are my profession, my passion. This book appeared on my desk, and you must believe that I know what books are on my desk and why." Especially since books had been falling into her hands willy-nilly. She swallowed and pressed on. "I consider myself to be a logical person. But after reading those words…" Her hands rose in the air, palms up, in a gesture of hopelessness. "And then you appeared, Your Highness. When Charlie spoke about how you raised the Diamond City-"

"It was an illusion. Nothing more," Az interrupted, realizing where Elisa was going and not liking it one bit.

"But there are others. North and south-"

"Could indicate Merry Land and Quox, yes, but they can also mean a number of other things. And you all believe that the 'one who has lived in darkness,' is me, even though it could apply to nearly anyone, am I right?" She slowly rose to her feet. "Let me be clear about one thing, Mistress Club: I put no stock in prophecies."

Elisa stared at the woman across from her, having caught on to her state of mind far too late. She was going to throttle Giacomo for putting her in this position – namely, dangerously close to being transformed into an insect and stepped on.

Jeb put a hand on Az's arm. "Az, calm down," he murmured. He remained unfazed when she turned her hostile glare on him. "You're glowing."

Az didn't even need to look down to confirm his statement. She simply took a deep breath, corralled her emotions, and reined her power in. "Forgive me, Mistress Club, but I will take my leave of you now. Enjoy your time in the Diamond City." She strode away before Elisa could even open her mouth.

"That didn't go well," Jeb remarked mildly.

"No," Elisa breathed. She was dismayed to discover that her hands were trembling. "No, it didn't."

"She really doesn't like prophecies. Tell me, have you heard of a little one from our corner of the world? It goes, 'The majestic queen of the O.Z./Had two lovely daughters, she.'"

She picked up the thread. "One to darkness, she be drawn/And one to light, she be shown-" Her eyes widened with dismay. "Oh. Oh no."

"Yep. All that talk of darkness and light doesn't help, either. Az has struggled with that; still does. Did Ten think Az would help because all of you think she's a savior?" He was genuinely curious. That didn't stop him from being annoyed that they'd upset her.

"Perhaps?" She didn't know what to think anymore.

Jeb shook his head and stood. "A little friendly advice – you might want to rethink your strategy. Now, I'm off to make sure that she doesn't blow a hole in something. I hope you find what you're looking for in the Diamond City, Mistress Club. And keep an eye out for Charlie."

"Thank you," Elisa said faintly as he left. Well. She had gone and botched that rather spectacularly. She eyed the book and put it back in her robes. "I knew you were trouble."

The next magically appearing book was destined for the deepest, darkest corner of the stacks. She'd had quite enough of them, thank you very much.

After a few days of seething and stewing, Lucan Spade had worked himself into a rage of towering proportions. His master plan had been moving along quite nicely. It even seemed as though his careful cultivation of the Duchess was beginning to bear fruit. Through her, Jack Heart would become more malleable, making it easier to assist in his eventual destruction.

But then Princess Azkadellia Gale sauntered into Wonderland, as bold as can be. What could have possessed the chit to do such a thing?

The Outer Zone was not supposed to be a factor in Wonderland politics, not anymore. Lucan knew that Jack was playing down Ambassador Raw's disappearance: he'd made some flimsy statement about him being overwhelmed by the strong emotional presence of Wonderland's citizens and needing a quiet place to recover. Surely Queen Lavender would have sent someone other than her heir if it was only a matter of relieving the ambassador from his post.

No, Princess Azkadellia's presence was ominous. It meant that perhaps the Outer Zone was truly considering an alliance with Wonderland and that was something that Lucan could not allow. Merry Land would not stand with him against the Outer Zone if it added its support to Jack Heart's claim to the throne. Lucan had already received one anxious missive from the Merry Land ambassador concerning Princess Azkadellia's surprise appearance. Even Quox would be slow in moving if the Outer Zone was in the picture, never mind the empire's military might. The Outer Zone had magic, which was ever an unknown factor in much of Nonestica. Already everyone was buzzing about how she'd managed to "raise" the Diamond City, even if it was only on the word of a madman.

Deliberate or not, the mention of the Diamond City had been a shrewd play. The people of Wonderland were feeling nostalgic. Anything related to the Diamonds and their glorious past was seized upon as a tribute and a plan for the future. Wonderland was great and it would be great again. Even an illusion of the Diamond City would be enough to stir up a frenzy of patriotism, and all because of a little magic.

His eyes narrowed. Magic. Perhaps that was the key. Princess Azkadellia's reputation needed to be undermined. How convenient that she had such an easily exploitable past. All he needed were a few whispers in the right places and the shining image she had put into place with her appearance would begin to erode.

It helped that there was a grain of truth to such rumors. Everyone knew about the sorceress and her reign of terror. And everyone but the youngest of babes remembered the day of the Double Eclipse, when the twin suns had stood still and all of Nonestica had been threatened with darkness. It would be prudent to remind everyone just who was to blame for that. It didn't matter what she was now, heir or sorceress. She could do nothing if the public was against her.

And wasn't that a tantalizing thought? Jack Heart needed the Gales desperately, but if the country wouldn't have her, well…

Lucan smiled slowly, his anger slowly dissipating. This was good. This was a plan that he could work with. Princess Azkadellia was nothing but a test, nothing but a stumbling block on the path of his ambitions.

And if she proved to be more, well…he would finish the job that the Guild assassins started.

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