(( AN: Enjoy your double-special. I'm going to be napping at lunch tomorrow. ))

25.

A hot dip in the caves beneath the hallways of the Court had sounded wonderful and relaxing, and to Toby's delight it was even better than it had sounded. No one apparently came to the caves -- whether it was because it was a 'reserved' area or for some other reason, Toby didn't know. She wasn't about to question it, either, just be grateful for the solitude, the silence, and the lantern and book that her maid left before scurrying off. At least Verum seemed to have understood Toby's desire to be alone for a bit.

When she finally emerged several hours later, her skin a rosy pink and her fingers and toes wrinkled and pruny, it was in a much happier state of mind and with renewed determination. She had a plan. It was a simple plan, but a good one. She'd be the Princess until they found another Princess. Then she'd give up her title and her tiara and go back to being plain old Toby. That way, everyone won. The land of Believe got their Princess, and she got her solitude back.

So it was with a spring in her step that she headed back towards her room through the halls of the Court.

That spring had faded a few minutes later when she realized... she had no idea where she was. When the maid had lead her down there'd been more than a few twists and turns, but Toby had thought that she'd remembered them all. Apparently she hadn't.

Toby groaned, reaching down and running her thumb along the hilt of Kjavaeos. What a way for the last Princess in the land of Believe to go, starving to death while wandering around in search of stairs or some other sign that she was headed in the right -- in other words, upwards -- direction.

She rounded a corner, stopping suddenly when she found herself in a room unlike the others. This one had a merry fire burning in a large central pit, a pile of blankets and pillows in another of those pit-beds like her own, though it had no curtain around it. There was a small stack of books to one side, as well as some dirty dishes that looked to have been from a meal earlier in the day. Someone lived here, then...?

"Toby? What are you doing all the way down here?"

She turned at the sound of Theo's voice, relief leaping through her. "Lost," she admitted with a faint smile, then glanced over her shoulder. "Is this..."

"Where the wonderful Fairies of Believe shove an unwanted lizard-boy? Yeah."

He walked past her, moving to sit down on the ground next to the fire. She frowned as she watched him. At least he didn't seem mad at her anymore. After a moment she followed him, sitting down next to him.

"It's cosy," she said with a smile. He smiled back at her. Then his eyes strayed to the sword resting at her side, and the smile disappeared. "Theo," Toby began, noticing, but he raised a hand and made a slicing motion to cut her off.

"It's fine. You couldn't exactly say no, right?"

"Oh, you've met the Jade Lady, then?" Toby chuckled dryly. "She told me that my tongue was amusing but that she was going to chop it off if I kept using it. I don't get trolls. One moment they were hero-worshipping me, the next they were trying to chop my head off. Makes no sense at all."

"Sure it does," Theo said with a grin. "Trolls live for battle. It's what they thrive on. And so they expect all of their other enemies to do so. After all, if you're truly deserving of their hero worship, you should certainly be able to avoid decapitation."

Toby stared at him. "I... suppose that makes some sort of twisted sense. Hard to worship a headless Princess, after all." They both laughed and the sound made the fire-lit room seem a bit brighter.

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, Toby watching the flames leap. It was nice to see a regular orange-and-red fire, none of these blue or white or other unnaturally colored fires she'd seen so many of.

"Nervous?"

Toby looked over at Theo at his quiet question. "Scared silly," she admitted. "They're all.. looking at me and expecting all of these great things from me. I just know I'm going to disappoint them."

Theo turned back to the fire. "I know how you feel, though in my case they're all just waiting for me to disappoint them. Like your good friend Dominic."

Toby's brow furrowed. "I know he's been a bit of a jerk, but... he means well. He just doesn't know how to deal with things sometimes. Just give him a chance and he'll come around, I know it."

"I'm sure he'll do whatever you ask of him," Theo said, a quiet edge to his voice. Toby just stared at him for a moment, feeling like some of the warmth had bled from the room. She had heard that edge not too long ago, and the last time it had been with Theo at her side, too. But it hadn't been from him, it'd been from the prettiest blonde in the school.

"Are you... jealous of Dom?" she ventured, astonished. Theo twitched. "You are, aren't you?"

"I'm not," Theo muttered, but to Toby the words sounded hollow and false. She didn't tear her gaze from him, aware of the wrinkle in her brow.

"Why? Are you jealous because he's a Knight? Is that what you want? Because if that's what you want, Theo, I'll talk to Georgette. I'm sure she'll be able to figure something out. Between the two of us, I don't care how many fairies or fairy godmothers object, we'll--"

"Not because he's a Knight," Theo said suddenly, looking up at Toby. His beautiful blue eyes were a maelstrom of blue so dark it seemed almost black and a brilliant cerulean that put the sky to shame. "Look... I don't want to talk about it. Just... can we sit together for a bit more? I'll show you back to your room, but later."

Toby frowned. "Why don't you want to talk to me?"

"Because it'll only mess things up for you, Tobes, and that's the last thing I want," Theo said with a small smile. Toby grinned at him so suddenly that he looked at her in confusion. "What?"

"You called me Tobes."

Theo flushed. "Sorry..."

"No, no," Toby said with a soft laugh. "I like it. Keep doing it."

"Okay... Tobes." That deep blue-black had faded away in his eyes, leaving them nothing but that bright, intense blue. She'd never seen two pairs of blue eyes that were so different. Dominic's were icy blue, like the palest winter sky. Theo's were always a mix of blues, but usually that incredible azure.

She settled down to watch the fire again, relaxing once more in the warmth of the room. A moment passed before Theo scooted a bit closer to her with a slightly unsure smile. "You aren't cold, are you?"

"No, I'm okay," she said, leaning against him. Dropping her head to rest on his shoulder, she let out a happy sigh. "It's nice down here. No prying eyes, no hustle or bustle..."

"You can come down whenever you want," Theo offered. His shoulder was warm and comfortable against her cheek, and the silence was soothing. Part of her wanted to stay there forever.

"Thanks," she said. "But I wouldn't want to intrude."

"Eh, it's okay. I don't get visitors anyway, so it'd be a nice change of pace. Besides, I bet I have some books you haven't read..."

Toby gasped. "That's not fair! You can't use books against me!"

Theo chuckled and she could hear the rumble of it in his chest. She poked him in the side because his laughing jarred his shoulder against her cheek and he stilled obediantly. Satisfied, she settled down again, muttering, "don't worry, it's only a matter of time before I find your weakness."

Theo didn't respond, and she looked up at him, for a moment worried that she'd upset him again. He always seemed to be mad about one thing or another. But he was looking down at her, the blue storm of his eyes vibrant in the semi-dark. He reached up and ran his fingers along the lock of brown hair that hung along her face. She could feel the heat of his hand near her skin.

"Too late," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. She felt her cheeks go hot. Wait, what was going on in her chest? Was that... was that fluttering in there? No. No, because fluttering didn't happen unless--

He suddenly growled and was on his feet so swiftly that Toby nearly toppled over. Righting herself, she stared up at him in confusion. "You need to go now," he said, his voice a low growl. He was angry again, and she was lost, her heart still doing its little hoppy-skips in her chest.

"But--"

"Just go straight down the hallway. Take a right at the marble statue, go up the stairs, and there'll be a guard there." His back was still to her, and with him on the other side of the fire she couldn't see him well enough to tell what was going on.

"Theo--"

"Go."

Stung, and suddenly angry, she got to her feet. "Theodore, you are the most infuriating dragon I have ever met!" she spat at his back, then turned and stomped out of the room, her head reeling.