30.

Fizzybink, Valiance, and Georgette didn't return until long after the sounds of fighting had died away into distant echoes. By that time, Toby had fallen asleep with her head on Dominic's shoulder. It took him gently shaking her to get her to wake up again, blinking up at the returning warriors with sleepy eyes.

"It's done," Fiz said, looking very tired and unlike his normal, over-compensating self. Toby wondered how he was dealing with his mother's betrayal. Especially knowing now that his mother was the one responsible for Rosalinde's disappearance...

"Avalon doth be secure once more, m'lady," Georgette said, inclining her head to Verum. She looked strained as well.

"You missed a great spot of fun," Valiance added, tossing his head cheerily. Toby though the Pooka hadn't looked quite so satisfied since after the fiasco in the mall.

"Good, Avalon is ours," Verum said, sounding strangely in-command for once. She nodded briskly, then turned to Toby and Dominic. "I'm so sorry to have dragged you into this Princess. I didn't know..."

"It's all right," Toby said, standing and brushing her pants off. Her stone-less tiara and the shattered sword were heavy reminders of what had just occured, but at the same time she felt a sense of strength and purpose she hadn't had before. She knew who the enemy was now, and she knew she could survive what Rosepink threw at her. Now it was just a question of figuring out a way to best her at her own game.

And that, Toby looked forward to.

Looking around the Hall, however, she noticed one face missing. She frowned, then looked up at Georgette. "... where's Theo?" Was he still in his room, unawares of what was going on? No, that was impossible. He certainly would have heard the commotion.

Georgette looked up at Verum again and Toby thought to herself that she was very tired of looks like that and not knowing what they meant. "He doth be.. securing the outer perimeter," the Knight finally said, her voice strangely tight, not quite the rich alto it normally was. "It doth be unimportant where my son be."

"I see," Toby said slowly, getting the definite feeling that they weren't telling her something. Especially when Valiance leaned his nose forward, lightly touching it to Georgette's arm as if to reassure her. Toby left it well enough alone, however, nodding as she looked between them all. "Anyone have any idea on how to track down former Princesses?"

"I might," Fiz offered, standing with his arms folded over his chest. His beautiful ball tunic was ripped and stained with blood. It was a grim reminder that this wasn't just a fairy tale anymore. "My mother was the one who sent me to Toby, only moments after she was coronated and recognized as a Princess in the eyes of the magic of Believe. She must have some way of tracking Princesses. We just simply have to find it."

"Great, let's start looking," Toby said, determinedly.

"No," Verum said, abruptly, and Toby blinked at her. "No... Tobias, you need to go home."

Toby stared at her. "Wait, what? Home? You mean, back to the mundane world?"

Verum nodded. "Yes. You and Dominic. He's your Knight now, he'll be able to sense whenever you're in danger and will be able to protect you."

"Why can't I stay here? Weren't you the one so keen on getting me here to the Fairy Court in the first place?"

"Things have changed, Toby," Fiz said slowly. "All of the Fairies who have stayed have sworn their loyalty and their fealty to you... but there are many tricks known to the Fairies to bypass such oaths. Any one of them could be a traitor or a double-crosser. We can't take the chance with so many of them here. At least if we send you back to the mundane world it'll be easier to tell if one of them is actually after you. Fairies don't normally go to the other side."

"He's right, Tobydoby." Dominic put his hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "And with your tiara broken, we have no idea if it'll still protect you. It'll be safer for you out of the main action."

Toby looked between the four of them, not sure whether to feel relief or anger at the sudden change of events. True, she'd fought coming here tooth and nail, but now that she was here... Part of her felt like she belonged. She found no sway in their gazes however, so bit her lower lip and nodded.

"All right." After a moment she managed a small smile. "I bet Mom'll be happy."

"Fiz and myself will stay here in the Court and search for Rosepink's method of tracking the Princesses." Verum paused, then looked over at Fizzybink, a furrow in her brow as if something had just occurred to her. "Sparklydink is not with you..."

Fiz's face was pained. "Dink refuses to take sides. She's gone with my mother in the hopes of talking some sense into her. I believe that she honestly means Toby and the other Princesses no harm. But you know my sister..."

"Whimsical as a leaf on the breeze," Valiance muttered, flicking his ears back. Georgette patted his neck with a faint smile.

"She'll be back soon enough, I wager," Fiz said. "Just tell the guards not to shoot her... but don't let her out of their sight either. Who knows what my mother will have convinced her to do in the name of 'making up'."

"So be it," Georgette replied briskly. "I wilt remain here as well, Princess, and oversee the fortifications. I doth not believe this wilt turn into a major skirmish, but if it doth... We wilt be prepared."

"I understand," Toby said. She hesitated, then ventured, "so it'll just be Theo, Dom, and me?"

"No." Dominic wasn't looking at her, but he seemed quietly angry over something. For just an instant, then it was gone and he was smiling easily at her. "Theo's remaining here."

"Why?" Toby asked. "I thought he'd..."

"I'm afraid not," Verum cut in, gently. "He wishes to keep his distance from you."

Toby felt her eyes sting with the hurt that welled up at that statement. He did blame her, then, for being yelled at by the Fairy Queen, for not being smart or strong enough to just leave him alone. "Okay," she managed, but her voice sounded small and weak to her ears.

Dominic squeezed her shoulder but she couldn't bear to look up at him. After a moment, Verum broke the silence by clearing her throat.

"Why don't you return to your room for the time being, Princess? It is secure and we'll make sure you're guarded. Rest up and as soon as we are able to form a battalion to return you to the Gate, we'll bring you home. All right?"

Toby nodded. "All right," she replied. "But I'm taking Kjavaeos with me."

Verum glanced at the sword, then looked up at Toby. "Princess, that sword broke protecting you. It would not have done that if it did not feel a bond of loyalty to you. I doubt there is a force in the land of Believe or beyond that can take that sword from you now."

Great, Toby thought to herself. Now even my shattered sword seems to think it can protect me.

Valiance echoed her thoughts a moment later when he offered, "now all she needs is a shield with some holes in it, and she'll be invincible." Their laughter echoed throughout the room and for a moment seemed to make the oppressive Throne Room just a bit more welcoming.