I would NEVER forget DG! Snickers OK, folks, here we go. How many balls can she keep in the air without driving her readers squirelly?

Reviews are nice-money is better! Kidding! Kidding, oh surly FanFic guard dogs, with your story-shredding teeth. This is for fun only.

"They WHAT?" DG yelled sending Mary scurrying again after the breakfast had been dropped on the table. "Without telling me?"

"There wasn't time, Angel." Ahamo soothed. "They needed to move as quickly as possible."

"Oh, I see. And a princess who can't even do card tricks would just slow them down." DG was hitting full-tilt as she began to pace the dining room. "Why couldn't I just have talking mice for friends like Cinderella did?"

Orianah looked perplexed, but Ahamo gave her a reassuring smile before returning his focus to their youngest daughter. "Honey, I think. . . "

"How dare Cain go all "Indiana Jones" on me?" DG spat. Again, being a slipper himself, only Ahamo understood the comment. "And Glitch! There's no telling me that he's completely innocent."

"DG. . ."

"And my own sister? Traitor. For Pete's sake someone coulda. . . "

"DG!" Ahamo grabbed her by the shoulders to stop her physically, hoping her mouth would follow suit. "They will be back in a few days."

"You know, Father, you really need to spend some more time with Cain and Glitch. If you knew them at all, you'd know that things are never that simple with them."

Her rant was interrupted by Jeb looking out of place in the doorway. "Your Majesty. I was told you wished to see me before I leave."

"Yes, Commander." Orianah beckoned him in as DG withdrew slightly, curbing her anger. "I'm afraid your return to your battalion will have to be delayed."

"Ma'am?"

"Your father left early this morning on an errand. I was hoping that you could take over as Head of Royal Security in the interim."

Suspicion flicked across Jeb's features. "Left for where?"

"An errand." The Queen repeated. "It was quite urgent."

"Surely there is a second in command. Someone more familiar with the procedures."

"None that I trust more than you."

Jeb floundered for an excuse and came up a little lame. "Your Majesty, it is vitally important that I get back to my unit."

"Are you suggesting that the safety of my family is not important?" To DG it came off with a snobbish tone that was uncharacteristic for her mother.

Jeb stiffened. "Of course not. It would be my honor to serve you in this capacity until my father's return." With that, he bowed, turned on his heel and disappeared into the castle.

DG looked after him for a moment before turning back to her parents. "Now just where in the heck did they go?"

Before either could answer, a young courier knocked on the door frame. The young blonde woman was breathing hard, as though she had just run a mile. "Forgive my intrusion, Your Majesty, but I was told to deliver this to you immediately."

She held out a sealed envelope and Orianah took it. "Thank you, Corporal. Report to the kitchens and get yourself something to eat. You look about to drop."

The woman bowed low and disappeared as Orianah broke the wax and began to read. DG quietly watched her mother as the lines deepened in her forehead. "What is it?"

"The supply train I was sending to the Eastern Guild was attacked last night." She handed the letter to Ahamo. "Everything was taken and there were quite a few casualties."

"Long Coats." Ahamo looked up. "Commander Gilick estimates he was attacked by fifty Long Coats."

Her parents shared a long, concerned look and DG knew they were thinking about Azkadellia, wherever they had let her run off to.

She forgot her own problems for a minute. "I thought that most of them were running in small groups. Nothing that big."

"It was just estimation, dear." Orianah reminded her. "Still, such a large number does suggest some organization on their part."

"And you saw this," Ahamo pointed to the bottom of the letter. "It is Gilick's considered opinion that the Long Coats were well aware of their position prior to the attack."

Orianah shrugged slightly. "It's not as if we were extremely quiet about the operation. As a matter of fact, there was a great deal of fanfare concerning aide reaching the Eastern Guilds."

"But the itinerary was not made public." Ahamo pinned her with a serious look. "I know the thought is distasteful, my love, but we have to consider the possibility that the information could have been given to the Long Coats."

"You're suggesting a traitor in out midst."

"It's not impossible." Ahamo said gently. "But perhaps you're right. Any number of people could have had access to the itinerary and path the supply train was taking. All I'm suggesting is that we be a bit more careful."

"Agreed," Orianah nodded. "From now on, we take Mr. Cain's advice and keep things closer."

"I suppose you have redeemed yourself slightly." The Master was standing in the middle of the throne room, studying his re-creation of the O.Z. It stood on a podium, a crystalline relief that showed the entire realm in exact detail. "I was beginning to doubt your usefulness."

Zero winced as he moved. Stribog had not been happy when he and Lilith had returned from the south empty-handed. "Thank you, Master."

"If we can contain Orianah's reach to Central City and points south, it will make it that much easier to bring the O.Z under our control."

The plan was very simple. Zero's daring escape from the Incarceration Tower had already become a wildly embellished story and spread to the ears of former Long Coats. It had been very easy for him to convince his ex-subordinates that he was making a bid for control of the O.Z.. It was highly unlikely many would not offer their services to a race of beings bent on making the O.Z. completely uninhabitable for every other living creature. Zero was the front, but his orders came from the Master.

Already, he had managed to contact most of the rebel pockets to the north and brought them in line. The supplies headed for the Eastern Guilds had been taken. A small victory, but a serious blow to Orianah. Her authority would be shaken, and the trust of her subjects would falter.

"We need more "volunteers" as well." Stribog was saying.

"There's a Long Coat division west of Central City. I'll send along a message." Zero replied. "I will also order the troops moving east to be neutralized."

"Good." Stribog smiled. "Strike where you can. Show these petty mortals that no one is safe, even under the rule of the great House of Gayle."

The chamber doors opened and Lilith's lithe form came through them. "Wyatt Cain is no longer at Finaqua."

Zero cringed. While the news was interesting, the memory of his failure was still fresh in the Master's mind.

"I care not." Stribog replied coolly. "My focus is on obtaining what I need for the machine. The movements of the Tin Man are inconsequential."

"Did forget to mention that the Princess Azkadellia is also missing as well as the Queen's high advisor?"

Stribog, who had gone back to examining his frozen model, snapped his head around to look at her. "She's left the palace? Are you sure?"

"My source would know if the princess were not in her chambers."

"Cain's not that stupid." Zero spoke up. "To let a princess leave the protection of Finaqua after an attack?"

"But ultimately, the decision does not lie with him." Stribog said slowly. "It rests with Orianah or the princess herself. Cain is a Tin Man: A servant to the crown. You put too much emphasis on him."

Zero fought down the urge to rebut. Too many times, the Tin Man had been underestimated.

"I'm sure Orianah has faith in her daughter's abilities and after the embarrassing episode in the Southern Woods, Azkadellia will be alert." Stribog said. "A single Suketian will not be able to overpower her."

"She could not defeat a whole army." Lilith said, wistfully.

"Yes," The Master turned cold eyes on Zero again. "But thanks to a lack of restraint, we are still confined. Of course, had you succeeded, this whole conversation would be moot."

Zero felt the need to defend himself. "But we have the light of the younger princess. We can use that."

"The light is not sustainable." Lilith replied testily. "Without the source, the light will diminish and die in a few days if we use it. It is necessary to have the bearer as well."

"Lilith is right." Stribog said. "At this point. We would only be able to focus the energy on one particular spot for a limited amount of time. Anything larger than a100 square spans would be nothing more than a cold snap."

The Master stormed angrily away, but an interesting thought had occurred to Zero. "You can focus the power anywhere in the O.Z.?"

"Yes."

"Then, Master, all we have to do is find them."

Lilith crossed her arms. "And how do you propose to do that? They could be anywhere."

"You, my dear, have not spent enough time among mortals." Zero couldn't help but grin. "Perhaps you rely too much on your magic. It doesn't encourage you to use your imagination."

The Ice Witch glared at him as he turned to Stribog. "I have to relay the order regarding captives and the attack. I will also order all battalions to locate Wyatt Cain and the princess by whatever means necessary."

The pale man looked to Zero with interest. "A bounty hunt?"

Zero's grin turned feral. "There's nothing some men won't do for money."

"DG's turn."

She had been staring moodily out the window when Raw pulled her attention back to matters at hand. As a distraction, he had taught her a game played by Viewer children involving brightly colored pebbles and a wooden board with wells carved in it. He had beaten her soundly three times and the really sad part was DG was sure Raw was trying to let her win.

Without thinking, she moved her pieces around. Raw gave her look that clearly said "Are you sure you want to do that?" and proceeded to capture the rest of her stones.

She gave him a disgusted look. "I think you're making the rules up as we go."

The Viewer smiled. "DG not paying attention. Play again?"

"No."

"Take walk?"

"Thanks for trying, Raw."

After finding that Azkadellia, Glitch, and Cain had all ditched her, DG had slipped deeper into her depression. Tutor had insisted on drilling her to see if any of her magical talent remained. After an hour, DG had chucked the spinning doll across the room and stormed out. Since then, it seemed Raw was one of the few and the brave that would keep her company.

The Viewer sank a little deeper into his chair and remained silent. DG knew her parents had asked him to stay close to her, but she didn't mind. Raw was a calming influence. At least he had kept her from breaking.

DG felt the cold uncertainty wash over her. What was she going to do? Without her magic, what kind of princess could she be? And to make it worse, that crazy Ice Witch was going to use her magic to do who-knew-what to the O.Z.. Maybe she should just go back to Milltown and live with her robo-parents. Hell, maybe just back to Kansas. Ten bucks said Carter still needed a waitress.

A set of boots clipped their way briskly down the hallway. She looked up in time to see Jeb stride past the door. "Hey!"

The young man stopped and backtracked. "Yes, Your Highness?"

That's the third time you've been down that hall. Are you doing laps?"

"Just checking the guard."

"They're going to think you're crazy if you pop in every five minutes." DG tried to smile. "Your Dad at least gives them a half an hour or so."

"Since my father saddled me with this detail," Jeb replied acidly, "I want to make sure that I am not lax in my execution of it. Not that it will be up to his standards, I'm sure."

Jeb's venom made DG forget that she, too, had a bone to pick with Cain. "What do you mean? My mother ordered you to stay."

"I'm sure at my father's request, Highness."

DG had to concede, it was a very Cain-like thing to do. "He's probably just worried because Zero took a shot at him and he's concerned about you."

"I'm aware that he believes me incapable of taking care of myself."

She sighed. "Jeb, what's wrong? You and your dad were getting along so well."

"I appreciate your concern, Your Highness, but I'm sure that my relationship with my father should be the least of your current concerns." He gave a small bow. "If you'll excuse me."

DG had barely nodded when Jeb stormed from the room.

Raw followed him with his eyes. "Much anger."

DG gave him a wry look. "Thanks. I got that one on my own."

A/N: Yes, the game is based on Mancala. And I agree with DG, there's no making sense of that game.