The problem was this. No matter how many years and centuries past him by, he was not a man who could turn into a dog; he was a dog who turned into a man. And so if his perceptions seemed skewed there was good reason.
He had slipped in with Dorothy Gale on the first trip so very long ago; he had helped her and her three friends banish the bitch into the cave in the first place. He was amazed the old bat hadn't recognized him. But, then it wasn't until he and Dorothy had their second adventure in the O.Z. that he found he could shift.
"Let the Light flow…" The royal tutor admonished his pupil.
"Flow through me. I know," DG said with some exasperation.
Today's lesson was elementary illusion and the girl's mind kept wandering.
The tutor waved a hand in the air, "What were thinking about?"
DG bit her lip. "About how their making me see a shrink. It's not like I've got PTSD."
"PTSD?"
"Post-traumatic stress disorder. They used to call it shell-shock," DG explained.
"It's just a precaution. Anyway you should be concentrating on your lesson. Think about light flowing…"
"Through me. I got it." DG closed her eyes, a slight smile gracing her lips. Her forehead wrinkled as she focused, she folded her hands together palm to palm and then opened them slowly.
Sitting on her palm was an iridescent butterfly sculpted out of light. It flicked its prismed wings.
"What are you thinking of?" The tutor asked in fascination.
"Light. And my last science class. Did you know that light is a wave and a particle at the same time?" DG said dreamily as she made another butterfly.
"I can't say that I did," the tutor replied.
DG expression grew dreamy, "The speed of light is in a vacuum is exactly 299,792,458 miles per second.
The tutor had to wonder how that information had helped.
DG's magical training was progressing at a frightening speed. He had to split the girls up. Azkadelia had to unlearn much of what she knew, and DG needed to slow down…he was having trouble keeping up.
He was an old dog. It was probably time to train a successor. But, no…not until these two were trained. It had been torture knowing that Dorothy's line had nearly ended under his watch.
As more butterflies were formed the tutor took in the scents in the air. A dog could tell a lot about a person by how they smelled. DG smelt of dew dappled lilacs, chocolate and cedar. And ah, this smell contrasted and complemented the younger princess to a surprising degree…leather, aged whiskey and sun warmed tin tinted with a sizable amount of pheromones.
"Hello, Cain." The tutor said this low enough as not to catch the girl's attention.
" 'Lo Toto." The Tin Man had taken a week to spend with his son. DG wouldn't be able to concentrate the moment she knew that he was back.
The tutor made an annoyed face at the name. He then had to suppress a grin as the lawman's expression went from teasing to touched with awe.
The sight of DG twirling around in circles in a cloud of butterflies had rendered the normally taciturn man speechless.
The glimmering badge marked with the royal seal seemed to shimmer and the tutor laughed quietly.
Cain tore his eyes from the princess's trim figure. "What?"
The tutor tapped the badge, "She touched it with her magic."
"Why would DG do that," Cain wondered looking down at the glittering insignia.
"To keep you safe I would imagine," said the tutor.
DG's eyes fluttered open and she caught sight of Cain.
"Hey there, princess."
That she ran into his arms was all too predictable. After holding on a moment to long for propriety they relinquished their hold on each other.
"I'm gone a week…" Cain began.
"How's Jeb?" DG cut in quickly.
Cain rolled his eyes, "He's doing great. No changing the subject. I was gone for a week and when I come back I hear that you've unleashed havoc."
DG shrugged uncomfortably. "Havoc. Me?" She batted her eyes innocently at him.
Wyatt Cain, Tin Man, Knight of the Realm had found himself the head of the Royal Protection Unit. The queen, prince consort, and elder princess were easy enough to watch over; the younger princess not so much. Personally, the tutor wondered how Cain stayed sane.
The guard who had been assigned (and threatened with something dire if he didn't deliver) with DG's safety had quietly turned in his resignation when Cain had returned from his trip.
The tutor had heard the rumors. They had included a wild horse, an unlucky cabbage salesman and two yards of pink bunting and a field full of mud. And that was just the unfortunate guard's first day. The poor man had said something about going into something less stressful; like driving experimental explosives over a rickety bridge over the divide.
The tutor smiled as the pair argued gently. It looked like the line would continue. It may be a dog's life; but, he had no complaints.