Author's Note: Not mine, not making any money. Thanks so much for the amazing reviews! I really, really appreciate them…they make me want to write more ;).

Aftermath –

Chapter Three

Cain's POV

It was official—I might not have a zipper running the length of my hairline, but somewhere in the last 48 hours, someone had come along and ripped the brains right out of my head. That was the only explanation I could come up with for the way I was acting.

I touched her.

Right there in front of the Gods and the Ghost of Ozma, I raised my hand and brushed it across her cheek. The words didn't sound so bad: Raised my hand and brushed it across her cheek. But I knew better. Words could be deceiving. Actions were what mattered.

It wasn't a friendly touch—a slug in the shoulder, or even a hug I might have been able to pass off like that. It wasn't a protective touch—shoving her behind me so I could be first in if danger lurked. It wasn't a formal touch—it was acceptable to kiss a princess' hand and bow. It wasn't even a supportive touch—patting her on the back the way a parent would to silently tell her everything was going to be all right.

And it sure as Snoob(1) wasn't the kind of touch a bodyguard should be giving his royal charge—ever. It was the kind of touch a man gave a woman when he wanted to do more—much more—but couldn't.

I looked around as we started toward the suite of rooms the rest of the royal family was in and couldn't help but notice that everyone in the hall was looking carefully at anything besides DG and I.

Well Hells.

The Tower of the House of Gale in Central City—that's where they'd hang me. The gallows in Central Square wouldn't be near public enough. Probably Ahamo would tie the noose, and the Queen would use what was left of her magic to throw the lever that would drop the floor out from under me. More people would show up to see it than came for The Great Procession(2). There would be a great celebration. I could hear it now, people singing high and low that the commoner who'd threatened their long-lost princesses' virtue was dead. I bet they'd even ring bells.

At least Jeb hadn't had too long to get used to the idea that he wasn't an orphan. That was a blessing, wasn't it? And even though he was a little crazy, Glitch would make sure DG stayed safe. Honestly, it wasn't like I could really blame her parents. If I'd seen another man touching DG that way—

"Cain, you're squeezing my arm too hard," DG whispered, interrupting my thoughts.

My eyes flew to my hand where it was wrapped around the silky material of the black shirt DG wore, and I pulled away like I'd been burned. How in the Valley of Voe had that happened? I hadn't even realized I'd been holding on to her.

"Er, sorry Kid." I could feel my ears burning.

DG shook her head but smiled. "Hey, I didn't say I minded, but a little looser is better. That's my right hand, and it probably would be a bad thing if it fell off because of lack of circulation. You'd have to spend the rest of your life feeding me because my left is totally useless."

We reached the door. The two additional guards I'd ordered Jeb to place in front of it were staring studiously forward. They bowed their heads deferentially at DG, eyes cast downward. The princess rolled her eyes in response. I could almost hear her thoughts; she was frustrated about the reverent way they were treating her.

I started to greet them myself—hopefully before DG could say something that shocked and scandalized them—and I was surprised when the one on the right spoke before I could. I was more than surprised by how he addressed me.

"The room is secure as you ordered, Sir."

"Sir?" I asked skeptically.

The men looked uneasily at one another. "Uh, would you prefer Commander?" The one on the left asked voice tentative.

I was shaking my head but before I could answer, the door behind the guards opened to reveal Ahamo. The man looked like he'd been rode hard and put away wet. His presence distracted the guards, and they spun around, bowing low and murmuring, "Your highness."

"Thank you, gentlemen," Ahamo said to them. His face lightened when he looked at DG. "You're looking much renewed, Sweetheart."

I thought DG's returning smile seemed forced, but I didn't think anyone besides me would be able to tell.

"I feel better—" There was a hesitant pause. "—Father. Are mother and Az—"

"Let's talk inside," he interrupted her question. I straightened when he turned to me. "If you could come in, as well, Mr. Cain we would be appreciative."

It was an order, not a request, and I recognized it as such. Since I wanted to check the room myself before DG went in, I settled for answering with a sharp nod. As eager I was I was to get downstairs, I had to make sure the princess was secure before I went anywhere with out her. Plus I figured he hadn't had time to plan my execution just yet. I had at least a couple of hours before the rumors made their way into this room.

Ahamo turned back to the guards. "We're not to be disturbed," he said firmly.

They acknowledged the statement by bringing their fists across their chests in what I recognized as the official salute of the Royal Army of the O.Z. Seeing it now, for the first time since Azkadellia overthrew her mother, sent a wave of déjà vu through my subconscious.

I was distracted when I felt DG close at my side. Without warning, she pressed her body hard against mine. The contact didn't last more than a second, and for just an instant, she looked up at me, eyes wide, and bit her lip.

Then something remarkable happened. The change was physically evident. Her shoulders aligned, her jaw firmed, and her posture straightened. I knew she was still nervous and unsure, but looking at her, there was no sign of it. Right then, she looked every inch as regal as her mother ever had. Pasting a confident smile on her face, she swept into the room after Ahamo.

I could only shake my head and follow her. Just when I thought I knew everything about her, she managed to surprise and impress me all over again. She was—magnificent. I shook myself a little, hoping I hadn't been staring at her like a blithering idiot, and took in the room at a glance.

It was dark—no surprise there; the entire tower was dark—but done in shades of darkest brown and navy blue rather than the green and black of our room. Her room, I corrected myself firmly. It was also much larger. The doorway opened to a foyer and then to a spacious sitting area filled with sofas and chairs upholstered in dark fabrics.

On one side of the space was a wide balcony, not as large as the one that opened off of the Sorceress' chambers, but still huge, and a long table surrounded by at least 20 chairs took up another swath of the room. Closed doors peppered liberally along the walls made the room a security nightmare, but for now I focused on the open double doors at the far end of the space.

"Princess—" I started, but DG cut me off.

"That's Az's room," she said, indicating the double doors. "I'm going to go check on her."

I nodded. "Let me—"

"She'll be fine here, Mr. Cain." Ahamo's voice interrupted me. I swiveled my head to look at him. I chose my words carefully as I started to answer.

"With all due respect, Your Highness—"

He didn't seem to be listening to me. Instead, Ahamo turned to his daughter, and his face softened again. "You go ahead, DG. Your mother's with Az now. I know they'll both be happy to see you."

DG hesitated. She looked at her father and then, brow furrowed, turned to me. "C-Cain?"

If she'd drawn a line in the sand, the implication couldn't have been any clearer. She'd listen to her father only if I said it was all right. That left me in a tight spot. It was obvious her father thought it was safe and didn't want me going back to the bedroom. If I really thought DG's safety was at risk, I wouldn't give the royal consort's wishes a second thought. But her mother was there. I mentally measured the distance between the double doors and where I was standing. If something happened, I could be at DG's side in less than a minute. I decided to make a reluctant concession to a father's pride.

DG was still looking at me. "Go ahead, Kid. Just yell if you need anything."

Her face cleared and she smiled at me. "Thanks."

Then she was off, leaving me alone with Ahamo. I watched her until she disappeared through the doors. Her voice when she spoke was muffled, and I couldn't make out what she was saying. Confident that she was fine, though, I steeled myself and turned back to the consort.

His appraising gaze was shrewd, and I resisted the urge to run my fingers around my collar. Clearly, the consort had something on his mind. Instead of calling for a noose, though, his voice when he spoke was companionable.

"Would you like a drink, Mr. Cain?"

I hid my surprise behind a blank face and decided in an instant to play along with the friendly overture. I nodded. "I wouldn't say no to one."

Turning on his heel Ahamo started toward an alcove beside the long table, motioning me to follow him. He picked up a bottle of golden amber liquid and recognized and held it out to me. I studied it and handed it back.

"Surprised to see that here," I commented neutrally. "Thought the last of it was long gone when the Fields of the Papé withered."

"Apparently, the Sorceress kept some comforts for her honored guests," Ahamo replied dryly as he filled two glasses. Handing one to me, he lifted his and clanked it against mine. The crystal made a musical ting that echoed for a moment. "To changing times."

"To better times," I countered, and we both drank.

Silence stretched between us, and I settled in to wait. This was a man with something on his mind, and I was patient enough to let him take his time spitting it out. I was rewarded when, finally, he spoke.

"I've heard quite a lot about you, Mr. Cain," he said simply.

This came as a surprise. Where the Royal Consort of the O.Z. would have heard about me was a mystery. Luckily, it was one Ahamo was willing and able to solve.

"Surprised?" He asked. "You shouldn't be. After you and your friends left my family and I on the balcony last night, we had quite a bit of time to talk. DG had quite a lot to say about you."

I tilted my head toward the double doors. "From the sounds of things, seems like there might have been more important things to discuss."

A shadow passed over the older man's face, and he nodded, rueful. "Ah, Azkadellia. You're right—she collapsed after the sons moved from behind the moon. It was almost like she was waiting to make sure it happened, and once it did, her strength left her."

"D—the princess—mentioned that she was having nightmares."

Ahamo looked amused. "You can call her DG, Mr. Cain, without me objecting. I realize the last week has established some unusual friendships." His face sobered then, and he continued. "But yes—you're right. The witch was like a parasite on my daughter. Even though DG dispelled her, Azkadellia's light has been severely depleted by the years that creature fed on her. Az's condition now is much like her mother's was when she saved DG's life."

I schooled my features not to react, but inside my head was spinning. Did DG know? If she did, how would she handle the guilt she was sure to—

"I know what you're thinking, Mr. Cain, and yes, DG understands what happened. It seems someone has convinced her to let the past go. Someone who's opinion she values very highly."

I met the consort's eyes careful not to show the slightest reaction. I didn't know what was happening here, and I didn't want to tip my hand yet. Then, out of nowhere, he changed the subject.

"What do you know about the magic of the House of Gale and how it affects the O.Z., Mr. Cain?"

I blanched but searched my brain. "I understand that the two are link from ancient times," I said carefully.

"That's right, but it goes more deeply than that. You've heard of Dorothy Gale?"

I nodded.

"DG was named after her," Ahamo continued. "She was the first Slipper. What most don't know, though, is that she came to the O.Z. not once but twice. She was just a child the first time she slipped through. Her truly important visit, though, was her second one. She came back and rescued the Princess Ozma."

I tried to keep my face blank, but my eyes widened in spite of myself. "But I thought Ozma was an ancestor of the House of Gale—it's taught that she passed her magic down to Dorothy."

"And so she did," Ahamo nodded. "Just not the way you think. Ozma wasn't Dorothy Gale's mother. Dorothy rescued her and put her in power."

I felt myself frowning. This was an interesting history lesson, sure, but in the end, I couldn't imagine why something that happened in ancient times really mattered now. I was about to say so when Ahamo interrupted.

"I realize this might sound strange, but believe me, it's very important. You see, Ozma realized she would not be able to stay in power forever, so she made a pact with the House of Gale. Her magic—the magic of the O.Z.—would be passed down through the female members of that line for all eternity. The Gale women would be gifted with the Light of Ozma, and their fate, in turn, would be linked to that of the O.Z."

I was nodding. "That's why a Gale with the gift of the light must always be in power. Forgive me, your highness, but that's common knowledge."

"Patience, Tin Man. You'll understand soon. Another drink?"

I shook my head. The nectar of the Papé fruit was potent, and I wanted all my wits about me.

"That's why Azkadellia was able to seize power so easily, and why so many followed her. After my wife gave her light to save DG, she couldn't maintain the balance of power necessary to sustain the O.Z. She sent DG to the other side, and that left Azkadellia as the only Gale heir with the required magic. It made it nearly impossible for the people to resist her rule. Corrupt and twisted as it was, their bond to the magic of Ozma made submitting to Azkadellia—even though she wasn't truly a Gale since the witch had possession of her—almost compulsory."

I was shaking my head. "If that were true, your highness, how do you explain the resistance?" I knew better than most the price of loyalty to the rightful queen. It wasn't an easy choice, but it had been the right choice, and I'd never considered making another.

"Citizens of the O.Z. who were loyal to the queen herself, not just bound by chance and virtue of the magic of Ozma, were spared. The Queen had enough light left to keep that hope alive as long as she was."

Ahamo poured himself another drink and continued. "Something unexpected happened because of the taint of the witch's magic on Azkadellia's light. Even though a Gale was still in power, the magic was wrong. And because of that wrongness, something unforeseen was allowed to happen. The witch's dark magic began undoing the O.Z. from the inside."

"Undoing—"

"No matter how strong she was, the witch shouldn't have been able to make the fields of the Papé fallow. She shouldn't have been able to destroy Finaqua, or encase the Northern Palace in a mountain of ice. Only the instability created by the lack of a true Gale heir on the thrown allowed her to do that. It's an undoing, that, unless stopped, will continue like dominoes falling."

"But DG brought one of the Papé trees back to life," I protested. "She brought back the magic waters at Finaqua."

"Exactly, Mr. Cain. My wife does not have the power to stop what's happening to the O.Z., nor does Azkadellia. DG, however, does."

He was looking at me levelly, like he expected that to mean something to me, and I felt my temper fire a little. Was he questioning DG's ability or her intentions?

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked. "You might not know your daughter well, but I can promise you this, whatever has to be done, DG will do it. She damn near killed herself saving her sister, but she did it. She's not a quitter, Your Highness."

"I'm well aware of that, Mr. Cain," the consort retorted, voice going cold. "Once she realizes what's at stake, I doubt we could keep her from doing whatever she has to do to help. She might have listened to you and 'let go' of her guilt on the surface. But she still feels it deep inside, along with a very real sense of responsibility for the O.Z. itself, although that she might not recognize yet."

Mollified, I felt like I owed Ahamo an apology for assuming he'd underestimated DG, but he continued before I could choose my words.

"The problem is going to be keeping her alive long enough to do it."

Suddenly a scream split the air, and my blood went cold. Then I was running toward the double doors, cursing myself for not checking the room. If anything happened to her—I pulled my gun as I charged through the entrance.

TBC

1 Snoob – A sorcerer who appears in "The Gnome King of Oz." Originally fashioned The Magic Casket.

2 The Great Procession – A parade that debuts in "The Road to Oz" in honor of Ozma's birthday. All the citizens of note of Oz, and some of not so great note, participate in this parade every year.