(( Disclaimer: This story is completely original. All characters, settings, and events are spawned from my own mixed up little mind and may not be used, copied, or adapted without my express written permission. Do not steal my story!!!

Note: I rather imagine Dominic looking like a black-haired Wesley in this chapter... :D ))

23.

When Toby awoke, it was to the sensations of silk against her skin and the warmth of a soft bed. Opening her eyes, she found herself in a tumble of blankets and pillows, a gentle light infusing the room about her. It was a large room, as far as Toby was used to, lit with crystals on tall, twisted branch brackets. She sat up, rubbing her eyes, looking about the circular nest of blankets and cushions that made up the bed she was in, a gauzy curtain draped from the circle around the bed. Kjavaeos was laying on a pillow next to her head.

Pulling it back, she peeked out into the room, seeing tables, a futon, and .. a beautiful dress lying on one of the futons. Realizing that she was still in her clothes from several days previous, she slid from the bed, making sure to grab the sword. For some reason the idea of it being out of arm's reach made her slightly uncomfortable, maybe because she knew what the Troll Queen would do to her if she lost or misplaced it.

There was a small note on the dress that said, simply, "Bath behind door to the right."

She looked towards the right and sure enough there was a small wooden door. When she opened it, she found a small stone bathing room, complete with steaming hot water in its large stone tub. Toby sighed in happiness and set about getting clean, not bothering to wonder how the water stayed hot. Magic certainly had its perks.

After a long, wonderfully hot bath, she tried on the dress. It fit as if it had been made for her, out of a soft, deep green material. The bodice was snug without being tight, and the sleeves reached just past her elbows, flaring out slightly at the ends without being enough to bother Toby. The skirt flared around her ankles, and for several minutes she amused herself by turning in circles and watching it circle out around her. There was even a belt that went around it with a place for her to clip Kjavaeos to her hip, just like a true warrior. It made her slightly uncomfortable, all things considered. Finally settling down to the issue of her hair, she located a hairbrush, also thoughtfully placed near a reflective part of the wall, like stone that had been polished into a mirror.

She had just finished combing out her hair and was starting to wonder what to do from there when there came a knock on the door. "Come in," she called, turning to look over her shoulder.

The door opened and in stepped Dominic, a tray brimming with food and a pitcher in his hands. For a moment Toby just stared at him; she hardly recognized him. He'd traded his designer jeans and faded logo T-shirt for a pair of black deerskin pants and a matching vest over a simple white shirt. Hanging from his belt was a sword slightly larger than Kjavaeos was.

He looked more like a knight out of those fairy tales she'd read as a child than her childhood friend and companion.

Dominic looked up at her with those piercing blue eyes and it was his turn to stare. Toby flushed under the scrutiny. "... what?" she asked, irritated.

He grinned, that same old knock-the-sky-down light to his eyes, and Toby was relieved that at least hadn't changed. Walking over to her, he set the tray down on the table, shrugging with one shoulder. "It's just that.. you hardly look like yourself anymore, Tobes. You really look like a princess."

Toby cast a glance at the reflection staring back at her, noting the tiara that didn't seem to feel the need to go back invisible, the lack of glasses, the distinctly un-Tobias-like clothing. She looked back at Dominic. "It's still me, though. I'm the same old Toby."

"No, you're not," Dom said thoughtfully, sliding into a seat next to the table. Toby couldn't resist the food, and disregarding propreity and niceities, started digging into the food even as he gazed at her. "It's like all this has reached in and found that Tobias that I always knew was in there -- the strong, confident one -- and brought her out to the surface."

Toby nearly laughed. "I do not feel strong or confident. I feel completely out of my league and in over my head."

Dominic chuckled softly. "Toby, you were just kidnapped by trolls, faced down the Troll Queen herself, and had dozens of Fairies staring at you. All of that is so far out of the old Toby's boundaries... And in three days' time you're going to be the star of your very own ball. Everyone will be looking at you."

Toby groaned. "Oh god, don't remind me." She shoved a grape in her mouth, chewing fiercely for a moment before looking back at Dominic. "Do they seem.. happy to have me here?" Her mind flashed back to the mixture of emotions she'd seen on the Fairies' faces and she felt a knot of nervous twist in the base of her stomach, especially when she thought of the disapproving glint in Rosepink's eyes.

Dominic shifted, in a way Toby recognized as his 'I'm-buying-time' gesture. She narrowed her eyes at him and he sighed. "I'm not sure, Tobes. I think... I'm getting the feeling that there's something else going on here. Like a struggle that no one wants to actually acknowledge. As far as I can tell, there are Fairies that are absolutely ecstatic you're back... and then Fairies who seem to think you coming back is something bad. I'm not sure."

Toby sighed. "Great, just what I need. I don't know who or what is trying to make me disappear, and now I find out that half of the Fairies -- my biggest supporters, supposedly -- don't even want me around. Grand."

"Hey, look at it this way. At least they're not hiding it from you," Dom pointed out, pouring himself a cup of liquid from the pitcher. Toby poured herself a cup as well then took an experimental sip. It was fruity, like a mixture of berries, but not as sweet. Toby had never had anything like it before, but it was good, so she finished off the cup. "Oh yeah, before I forget, Verum told me to give this to you." Dominic pulled out a small rolled scroll and handed it to Toby.

Toby eyed the scroll before breaking the seal and unfurling it. On it, in flowery script, was a note that read Princess, when you awake please come to my quarters. We need to discuss what needs to be done before your official Coronation. Simply ask any guard and they will direct you through the Courts. With highest regards, Verum Veritas Vemuris.

Toby groaned, her head sinking to the table. She wished the floor would just swallow her up. Dominic rescued the scroll from her, scanning it before looking up at Toby. "Hey, I'm sure it'll be no big deal. It's just you getting a crown put on your head, right?"

"I've got a tiara already, and it's a royal pain in the rear. I don't need anything else!"

"And a broken sword," Dominic pointed out, and Toby shot a glare at him.

"You're not helping."

"Sorry," he said with a chuckle, then stretched his arms over his head. "I should be off soon. I've still got a lot of training to do..." Toby fidgeted with the end of one sleeve, before looking up at him.

"So... you're like her... apprentice now?"

"It's called a Squire, Tobes," Dominic said with a soft chuckle, though it died when he noticed the look on her face. One eyebrow arched. "Before you say anything... I'm sorry for the way I acted before. I just.. I've always been the one protecting you, looking out for you. I guess I didn't deal well with the fact that this wasn't something I could protect you from. But I realized that taking it out on you isn't going to help. So I asked Georgette to accept me as her Squire. At the very least, now I won't be as useless to you if you need someone to do some swinging of a sword for you."

Toby stared at him for a moment before sighing. "You're forgiven. But next time you're such a jerk to me I'm going to get Theo to turn you into jerk fricasee."

Dominic didn't laugh, wrinkles appearing in his brow. "Do you really think it's such a good idea to trust him? I mean, after everything everyone has told me about dragons..."

Anger swelled up in Toby. "Don't you start too!" she snapped. "I don't want to hear it. There is nothing evil or malicious about Theo -- it's attitudes like that that make it so hard for him to prove just how good he is! Honestly, I don't blame him for being angry. I've dealt with people thinking all my life that I was useless and boring, and I understand how much having people think so little of you can hurt. I thought you of all people would understand, too."

Dominic flinched. "All right, all right, I'm sorry. Just.. be careful."

"I don't need to be careful. I trust him," Toby replied through gritted teeth and Dominic held up his hands as if to ward off or quell her anger.

"Okay. Fine. We'll drop the subject. Just finish your breakfast. You're going to need it."

Toby dug into her breakfast again, more than happy to stop talking about it. She didn't like the fact that Dominic and Theo didn't seem to get along, but she understood it. Or at least she thought she did. Still, her thoughts turned to the dragon, and the sword still strapped to her hip. Would he still talk to her, now that she was carrying the sword that did such harm to his people? Toby sighed softly. It seemed like she solved one problem only to have a dozen more pop up.

Well, she thought, with determined optimism. At least things with Dominic seemed fixed. With that mindset, she continued eating, conversation with Dominic turning to lighter, happier topics.