A complete (so far) playlist is at the end of the chapter.
It was many hours later when the healer emerged from the dark room. Everyone got to their feet and he swallowed at the desperate, almost crazy look in their eyes. Thankfully it was Raw who came to the rescue, coming out from the room where he had been helping the healers. He walked in front of the healer and looked at the family, swallowing back nausea at the terrible, desperate emotions that slammed into him.
"DG has antidote but Raw no know if be okay," he said, "Poison bad but Cain save DG by getting help fast," he said with tears in his eyes, "DG hurt badly. Raw hopes DG be alive but Raw no knows," he looked at Azkadellia, "DG asking for you," he said to her. She nodded and hurried into the room, brushing tears from the side of her face.
Raw looked around for the one face that was missing. He followed the trail of emotion to the balcony were Jeb's guards were organizing themselves into search parties. Cain was standing with Jeb wearing his old cloths, the light pants, the vest, the white shirt and the dark grey overcoat. His hat was firmly in place over his eyes. Raw was not used to feeling his own emotions in the capacity he was feeling them at the moment. He felt his anger surge through him.
"Everybody out," Jeb said walking towards the door, "come on, we don't want to watch this."
When they were alone Raw walked right over to Cain and yanked him up by the collar of his shirt until his feet did not touch the ground. Raw roared right in Cain's face. Frankly he probably would have used all the courage to throw Cain right off the balcony if Ambrose hadn't come streaking out the door and kicked Raw's feet out from under him, forcing them into the ground in an unceremonious heap. The two of them had never seen Ambrose quite so angry as he was at that moment.
"What the hell is wrong with the two of you?!" he shouted, "DG is in there fighting for her life! You're about to throw the man she loves off the balcony!" he shouted pointing at Raw, "and you're about to run away like a coward!" he shouted, "this is unbelievable!" he all but screamed, "you," he pointed at Raw, "you go inside. DG is going to need you soon and you need to be there for her."
Raw snarled and stormed off into the palace. Cain sighed and got to his feet, walking towards the door.
"Oh no, I don't know where you think you're going but you can get rid of that idea right now!" he shouted, "how can someone as brave as you be so much of a coward?!" he demanded, "there is an amazing girl in there who loves you and the only time you can say it back to her is when she's dying in your arms. Now she's alive and what are you doing? Do not say going to find her killer because we both know that's crap. You are running away because you're scared!" he stopped breathing hard, "Raw's got his courage, I've got my brain and what you seem to be missing is that you've got your heart--you've just locked it away."
"I know," Cain said thickly looking away, "I know--"
"No you don't because you're running away!" he shouted, "look at you, you're about to go as far away from her as you can because you're scared! Look at you, you can't even look me in the eye! The only place you belong is inside where there is an amazing girl who loves you who is fighting to come back to her family and most importantly to you!" he looked at Cain, "you know I'm right the only question you have to answer is if you walk, I beat you over the head and drag you or get Raw to throw you over his shoulder and carry you there. Personally I'm all for the option where I club you over the head and drag you there but I'm being nice and letting you choose."
Azkadellia was frozen inside the doors as she saw her sister. She so pale she almost matched the sheets she was lying on. Her black hair was soaked with sweat and hung around her face like a stain. She gave a soft whimper, almost like a sound. Except it had sounded frighteningly like a name and a combination of fury and sadness bubbled up inside of Azkadellia. Closing her eyes, she summoned her anger and turned it into something useful. She picked up the skirt of her dress and hurried over to DG's bed and carefully sat down on the edge.
"DG?" she asked softly.
"Az?" DG's eyes cracked open before she whimpered and closed them, "Az it hurts so much."
"I'm so sorry," Az said, her voice cracking, "it's going to be okay DG, you just have to hold on. Raw says you're going to be okay, it just hurts," she gripped DG's hand, "so you just hold on, okay? Don't let go, you can do this DG. Remember? You promised to never go anywhere, so don't break that promise," she reached out, wiping the tears down DG's face, "hold on little sister, you can fight this."
"I'm so scared Az," she said, her voice barely audible, "I don't want to die."
"No!" Az all but cried, "no you aren't going to die, I promise. You saved me and I'm going to save you," DG gave the slightest of nods, tears streaking down her cheeks, "you just have to hold on," she reached down and brushed a kiss across DG's brow, "I'm going to save you," standing up she walked out of the room and to Ambrose who was standing with Cain. She walked over to Cain, her nostrils flaring, "she's whimpering your name and she's too delusional to know it. Now if you do not go in that room right now and talk to her I will put you in a place that makes that Tin suite look like paradise," she hissed pointing at the doors, "come on," she grabbed Ambrose's hand and yanked him down the hallway.
"Where are we going?" he asked.
"We are going to get the magic I'm forbidden from using," she said.
"Are you sure that's such a good idea?" he asked. Azkadellia dropped his hand and spun around, pinning him to one of the walls.
"That is my sister in there," she hissed, "my baby sister and that thick-headed man she loves. She's been through too much to die right now. She saved me and I'm going to save her, even if that means breaking the rules."
"Well technically you're Queen," he said, "you kinda make the rules."
"Right," she said, "I knew that," she grabbed his hand, "come on," she said and pulled him down the hallway, "I have an idea where they hid that power," she said walking into the throne room. The prison that she had kept her mother in was still in its place. Picking up her skirts she walked over to it and pulled back the lid, "okay if the power isn't there I'm trusting you to get me out."
"Okay," Ambrose said, "how do I do that?"
"You invented the damn thing," she said glaring at him.
"Oh right," he said, "button on top, okay go," Azkadellia nodded and started for the prison, "hold on," Ambrose pulled her back and kissed her firmly, "be careful," she nodded and stepped inside.
Cain was frozen in the doorway much as Azkadellia had been. How DG had gone from being so vibrant and passionate to so broken was almost beyond him. His heart constricted painfully, as if someone was squeezing it. He found himself looking away and choking back the burning in his throat. Reaching up he pulled off his hat, it cluttered to the ground soundlessly and laid there forgotten. Slowly, like a man in a dream, Cain approached DG and stood by the bed, looking down.
"Cain," she whimpered, her hands clenching against the pain that consumed her.
"I'm here," Cain said falling to his knees beside the bed, his hand covering hers, "I'm here DG," she bit her lip, he was sure if there was blood to be drawn, she would have, "I'm not going anywhere and neither are you," he stopped, "think about what you'd miss. Az and Ambrose are going to get married soon and then you'll have a whole bunch of nieces and nephews with her power and his brains. I can't even think what kind of combination that's going to be but you don't want to miss that. I can't got to Azkadellia and Ambrose's wedding alone and I think Raw'd make a bad date because right now he pretty much wants to kill me," she gave him a weak smile, "so you have to keep fighting, okay?"
"It hurts so much," she said, her voice soft and pain filled.
"I know," he said reaching out and tucking a lock of her hair back, "I know it does but if you hold on for a bit longer I promise it won't hurt so much."
"Its not just that pain," she whispered, her brilliant eyes opening for only a fraction of a moment, "I'm sorry about what I said, I shouldn't have--"
"No," he whispered roughly, cutting her off, "no I shouldn't have said what I did because it was a lie. You hear me? I love you, I have since you came charging in swinging and made the nightmares go away. You were so brave then and you're so brave now, braver than I could ever be. Its so stupid that it took you almost dying--and I stress the almost part--to give me the courage to say this but its true, I love you even if there are a thousand reasons why I shouldn't."
And then he leaned over and gently pressed his lips to hers.
It was chaste, the press of lips against each other but it was possibly the most beautiful kiss she had ever gotten. His lips were soft against her dry, chapped ones, his hand gentle against her cheek. For just an instant all the pain went away and she existed only to kiss him. He slowly pulled back, though she could still feel his breath on her face. She smiled faintly and even more slowly the world seemed to drift away.
"DG?" he whispered as her body went horribly still, "DG?!"
Azkadellia fell from the prison and hit the ground rather ungracefully. Ambrose hurried forward and helped her to her feet. She choked and doubled over, paling considerably. He realized that she was actually glowing. His mind immediately said it was a reaction to the magic coursing through her veins and then added that the glowing was also due to the fact that she had her sister's magic inside her as well. This was not good, too much magic could result in a kind of poisoning, especially when Azkadellia had so much magic herself.
"What happened?" he demanded, worry in his voice.
"We've got to get to DG," she choked out, one hand clutching her chest in pain, "we've got to," she stopped, gasping for breath, "Ambrose," she choked on the word as her nails dug into her chest in agony.
"Okay," he picked her up instantly and took off running as fast as he could, "hold on, we're going, just hold on," he felt her nod against his neck and prayed that he wasn't going to loose both of the Princesses that night. He made it to DG's sickroom, finding it in a state of chaos and sucked in his breath, "everyone out of the way," he ordered running inside and depositing Azkadellia on the bed, helping her sit, "now or never," he said.
She grabbed DG's hands.
The resulting explosion threw Ambrose, Cain, Raw and anyone else in the room against the wall. The power burned through them. Dimly Cain heard DG's terrified, high scream as well as Azkadellia's own but the power kept them pinned to the wall. For a moment there was nothing but pure, blinding chaos and then the light cleared away from their eyes. Azkadellia was crumpled over the form of DG who was breathing hard. Ambrose struggled to his feet and raced over to Azkadellia, pulling her off the bed and into his arms.
"Az!" he tapped her face, "Az open your eyes."
Slowly she opened her eyes, looking up at him.
"Did it work?" she asked weakly.
DG had sat up, breathing hard and looking around the room with shock and confusion in her face. She looked around, her eyes wide and scared and not recognizing anything around her. She was obviously better, the color was returning to her face with every ragged breath. The problem was that her eyes were still just as blank as the moment she sat up. Raw looked at her and whimpered, grabbing his head in obvious pain. DG sat in the bed breathing hard, looking around with her eyes wide in fear.
"Az?" she said in a small voice, looking around.
"I'm here," Azkadella got to her feet and walked over, "its okay, I'm here."
"Az what's going on?" DG looked up at her sister desperately before looking around at the three of them, "I can't--" her eyes widened in fear and she scooted back from her sister, "you killed me!" Azkadellia's own eyes widened at the accusation before DG stopped and clutched her head, "and then we saved you and--" she broke off, "something's wrong--I feel like I've got two voices and everything's so mixed up," she broke down, sobs wracking her frame, "help me, make them stop," she begged.
"They're going away," Az said signaling one of the men who scrambled to his feet with a syringe, "they're going away I promise," the man injected DG who gave a shuddering breath before drifting off to sleep with her sister stroking her hair. Azkadellia got to her feet and walked over to Raw and Cain.
"I hope you told her," she said. Cain nodded, "good."
"What happened?" he demanded, his voice rough.
"Explain," she said to Ambrose, "I'm going to deal with mother."
Ambrose sighed and ran a hand over his face.
"It seems that the Queen gave DG her own magic when she died and DG's magic lived inside her and blended together," he looked rather mournfully over at DG, "when the magic's did that, DG formed a new life and, well, you know the rest," he sighed, "Azkadella basically brought her back to life, she cured DG of the poison--" he stopped, "and of her mother's magic."
"Hold on," Cain said, "that makes no sense, she managed to do magic and to save Azkadellia with both powers--"
"Someone with a disease can still stand on their own two feet," Ambrose retorted, "DG is herself again now, she's 'cured' so to speak."
"You mean to tell me that she's a child?"
"I mean that she's very very confused right now," he sighed, "we're damn lucky she remembers her own name much less that Azkadellia killed her," he looked down and then over at Cain, "I don't know if she'll remember us. Me as Glitch, you, Raw--there's no way of telling but if she remembered saving Azkadellia then that's a good sign at the very least," he stopped, "but we won't know anything until she wakes up."
Cain noded, his eyes locked on the from of the girl lying on the bed. The practical part of him said that it was a good thing that he had told her his feelings and probably an even better thing if she had forgotten them. But his heart ached painfully at the thought that she would have forgotten them, that all they were would suddenly mean nothing. Pushing everything aside he focused on what his goal had always been. He had to protect DG, even if--especially if, he couldn't save her. Inside he was happy though that she had died knowing that he loved her, even if she was reborn not knowing who she was.
Azkadellia had walked out of the room to look for her mother but found herself quite alone. She had barely heard the hiss of the arrow before she had reacted. Her own magic had always been very strong but it had also been warped. However, like her, it seemed that it was now whole and itching to go to work. The arrow stopped a few inches from her face, frozen like a scared rabbit. Azkadellia reached out and snapped the arrow over her knee. She heard a shout from above her and dropped her hand before throwing it out, a bright light of energy streaking out and knocking the archer off one of the supports like a doll. He stopped before he hit the ground and she walked over, standing over him.
"Long live the King," he hissed before shoving an arrow through himself.
"Long live the what?" Azkadellia hissed to the empty hallway, disbelief on her voice. She heard the sharp inhale through the door and spun around, cold fear gripping her heart, "DG!" she raced back into the room and threw open the door.
A figure cloaked in white had her sister in his arms. She lunged out with magic but he was already at the window, slipping through the glass to stand on the ledge. She lashed out again but he blocked it with magic of his own. She inhaled sharply and started forward but he shook his head and kissed DG's forehead. Her eyes flew open and she let out a high pitch scream, struggling for all she was worth. The man did not let go of her, he kept his grip. From the looks of it, Cain, Ambrose and Raw were all under some kind of spell, pinned unmoving to the wall.
"Cain!" DG screamed looking around for her protector.
"DG!" somehow Cain broke through the spell, though Azkadellia had no idea how. He ran forward but the figure jumped out of the way and into what looked like a travel storm, "DG!"
The travel storm vanished, taking the Princess who may or may not have remembered them all off to another world. Azkadellia froze, pressing her hand to her mouth. DG had her royal power back but she did not haver memories. There was no telling what this would-be King had in store for her but she had a very good idea. After all, every King needed a Queen and who better to have than the royal Princess of the Outer Zone? Azkadellia ran a hand through her hair and looked back at the three of them were looking very green and Azkadellia knew that whoever this would-be King was he had gotten himself someone who knew how to use magic.
"Raw feel sick," Raw said.
"I think everyone feels that," she said.
The all fell silent as Cain walked over to the bed, his hand wrapping around the sheet. His fist clenched tightly on the still-warm fabric as if memorizing the spot where she had been. Azkadellia swallowed, praying that he was not going to do anything stupid. Finally though he dropped the sheet and turned around to face them, his eyes plainly saying that they had a Princess to find. When he looked at them it was suddenly very clear who was in charge of finding DG, no matter what anyone else said.
"Can you find out where the travel storm took them?" he asked.
"I can try," Azkadellia said with a nod.
"Raw if you figure anything out from when he was in the room try to do that," he looked at Ambrose, "you're coming with me," he said to Ambrose, "we're going to need some serious firepower and I'm just going to take a guess and say you've got something suited for the occasion."
"If not I'm sure I can get creative and make something," he said walking out of the room with Cain.
Azkadellia walked out after them to try and see if there was something n her library that could lend assistance. Raw was left alone in the room. Jeb appeared at the doorway with Kalm next to him. Raw hurried over to Kalm and knelt down by him. The young Viewer looked absolutely terrified as if he had felt something that was worse than anything else. Raw reached out and Kalm raced into his arms, burying his face in his shoulder.
"Its okay, Raw here," he said hugging the Viewer, "what did Kalm see?"
"Sadness, anger," he felt wetness on his shoulder, "so much pain. Kalm no know what to do."
"Its okay," he said, "Raw help you," he held Kalm at an arm's length, "Kalm help Raw?"
"Raw needs Kalm?" Kalm asked, his eyes wide.
"Yes," Raw said, "Raw need Kalm's help, Kalm help Raw to rescue Princess DG."
"What happened?" Jeb demanded looking at the Viewers.
"DG kidnapped by strange man in cloak wearing a hood," he said, "pinned us with magic, jumped into time storm with DG," he sighed, "we no see who he was, we no see where he went. He just take DG and go far far away. We no feel her anymore, just sadness and fear."
"Alright," Jeb said, "okay there's got to be a way to get her back. If there was a way to take her there's got to be a way to find her."
"How?" Raw asked, "Everyone just got DG back, now she gone again. Everyone sad."
"Everyone being sad is not going to do anything," Jeb said turning, "I'm going to double the guard for the night. I've got people out there looking for magic users but the witch had them all banished, she wanted to be the only one with magic in the land and she declared the use of any kind of magic illegal. What color was the man's hood?"
"White," Raw said.
"Then he was a magic user," he sighed, "he was probably so happy to be using magic he didn't care who it was for," he ran a hand through his hair, "well at least there's a good chance it was a fluke and he's unskilled, reacting emotionally. We had a magic user pass through one of our camps a while back and someone made him angry," he shuddered at the memory, "when we woke up about a third of my men were dead and the forest was absolutely leveled. We were almost discovered by the Longcoats and Azkadellia, we barely made it out of the forest alive," he sighed, "alright we're going to have to find DG and fast, do you have any idea who the person who took her could be?"
"We've been hiding," Raw said, "Jeb would know more than us."
"I know someone who would know more than me," Jeb said, "have everyone meet us in the throne room," he instructed, "I think its time I introduced you to some friends of mine who may be able to help."
1. Apologize feat. OneRepublic by Timbaland off the album Shock Value
The Ambrose/Azkadellia relationship as chronicled in the story Too Late
2. Practical Magic by Alan Silvestri off the album Practical Magic Soundtrack
The first chapter. Its a really pretty, hopeful classical piece that fit well for the beginning
3. Three Wishes by The Pierces off the album Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge
Wonderful song, very wistful song with dark lyrics about what you want but can't necessarily have.
4. Whats Good for Me by Lucy Woodward off the album While You Can
Kind of the sister's theme song for now, with them trying to make things right and find their place in the world.
5. Across the Stars by John Williams off the album Star Wars: Episode II
Unless you've been living under a rock you've heard this song. Its in a lot of 'love' fan videos as well as the theme for Anakin and Padame's relationship. I thought it was fitting for Jeb starting the fight to save the land he loves as well as the definite renewal of the Azkadellia/Ambrose relationship and the start (sort of) of the Cain/DG one. Also perfect for the scene on the balcony where Cain lets go of Adora.
6. So Close by Jon McLaughlin off the Enchanted Soundtrack
I don't think there's a more perfect song for the chapter. In the movie its during a waltz between two people who want to be together but aren't and in this, well, its the same. Listen to the lyrics and tell me its not perfect for the chapter.
7. With Me by Sum 41 off the album Underclass Hero
I thought this song worked very well for Cain/DG and since this chapter is pretty much all Cain/DG all the time I thought it was an appropriate song.