Chapter 14

Two weeks had passed since the Ball and it was now the day of Zero's trial. Depositions had been made by Cain, Jeb, DG and others. Cain and Jeb were both testifying at the trial. DG's own experience with Zero was too fresh in her mind and so she didn't go. Cain had been gone almost all day and DG hoped that he hadn't done anything stupid to get himself in trouble.

She had been lost in thought when someone knocked on her door. "Who is it?" she called.

"It's me, Sweetheart, open the door." Cain said. Smiling she rushed over to open the door and pulled him inside. She kissed him soundly then led him over to sit down. Shrugging off his duster and gunbelt and tossing his hat on a chair he sat down and DG snuggled in to his side

"So, what happened? How did it go?"

"It went fine. There were several recordings played. Depositions read and Jeb, myself and several others testified. He was found guilty of all charges and sentenced to death." Cain looked at the floor. "He'll, uh, be gone by tomorrow afternoon."

"Wow, so quickly. What about the rest of them?"

"The rest got Life in Central City Prison. I can't believe it's over, Deeg. Zero's gone. I finally have justice for what he did to me, to my family, to you. This feeling is like… I don't know, I'm free I guess." Cain smiled as he held DG in his arms. "I guess all that's left to do is get the wedding plans rolling."

"Oh, Mother has already taken care of that. Apparently she's had everything ready since this whole suitor business began she was just waiting for me to choose one."

"Oh," Cain suddenly went pale.

"Wyatt, what's wrong?"

"I just realized that I have just signed myself up to be a major participant in a Royal wedding. She's going all out isn't she, Foreign dignitaries, the guild leaders Commissioner Harkness?"

"Yep. Everyone who is anyone in the Outer Zone will be there. I know I hate it too. A small wedding with family and friends would suit me fine, but apparently that is not appropriate for a Princess. Well get through it together."

"Damn, DG, Royalty? I never thought in a million annuals that anything like this could happen to me. And Consort, me? I'm a Tin Man, it's all I know. What good am I going to be?"

"My father said he'd help you. Teach you what you need to know."

"I'm too old to go back to school, DG."

"Well, Wyatt, unless you changed your mind about marrying me I don't see that you have much of a choice."

"You know I'm not going to change my mind. I love you and if I had to do everything over again there is only one thing I'd do differently. I'd have told you sooner." Cain stood and pulled DG to her feet. He looked into her brilliant blue eyes and raised a hand to brush her hair away from her face.

She took a steep forward to close the gap between them as he slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her into a kiss. DG wrapped her arms around Cain's back as his hand drifted back to tangle in her hair. As she took a gasp of a breath Cain took the opportunity to deepen the kiss and plunder her mouth with his tongue. His tongue retreated and hers followed into him own mouth. She teased and tasted and explored every surface she could reach. She needed to breathe so reluctantly she broke the kiss. She took a few quick deep breaths and was about to continue kissing Cain when they were interrupted by a gurgling sound.

DG giggled, "I guess I'm hungry."

"I guess so. Let's head on down for dinner, Sweetheart." He collected his hat duster and gun and the left her room arm in arm.

Dinner was relatively quiet. DG's mother had told her that some of the vendors she had lined up were going to be arriving in the next few weeks for DG to choose Wedding invitations, cake, dress, and other things. DG pulled a sketch out of Cain's duster pocket. I miss pockets, she thought to her self. She handed it to her mother. "DG, darling, what is this?"

"It's my dress." DG said simply.

The dress she had sketched was simple. There were no petticoats or tulle it was a clean Empire waist satin dress with a skirt that trained about 2 feet behind. The satin of the skirt had a loose sheer layer, and the bodice had a square neckline and a line of small pearls at the bottom. The sleeves were sheer and draped to the floor flowing open and free at her elbow. It was beautiful.

Lavender looked at the sketch and then at her daughter. "DG, this is beautiful. I will send it to the seamstress at once." After that dinner was finished and Cain and DG went back up to her room.

"Wyatt, are you going to go down and see him before tomorrow?" DG asked after he had closed the door.

"Why would I do that?"

"Have you ever heard the saying 'Forgive and forget'?"

"Yes."

"Well I'm not saying that you should forget what happened, but I do think that sometimes forgiving someone is more about healing your own hurts than theirs."

"I get what you are saying, DG. You want me to go down there and talk to him. Ask him why he did it? I don't know if I can do that, Deeg. I finally feel free. And If I go down there I'll be right back where I was. He destroyed my first family. He tried to destroy my second one, the one I will make with you. I can't forgive him for that. Not right now. I'm sorry."

"Wyatt, you have nothing to be sorry for. I completely understand." She held her arms open to him and he stepped forward toward her. She wrapped her arms around his waist as his held her around her shoulders. It was here that she had never felt safer in her life. Tucked into the safety of his arms she whispered, "Stay with me tonight, Wyatt, please."

"Yes, DG, tonight I'll stay," he whispered softly to her.