Author's Note: Dear All- I'm so sorry not have updated for so long! And then to put up chapter 14 not 13! However I spent november NaNoWriMo-ing and was very tired yesterday! Here is the ACTUAL Chapter 13, I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter Thirteen: The Brick Route

It was the cold wind that kept her awake, DG told herself. That combined with the noise, the wind and best of all, she thought grimly, the rain. She had covered as much ground as possible before it was too dark to ride safely. Then she'd set a camp, eaten a meal and even exchanged a few 'words' or rather thoughts with Azkadellia. Then she had discovered she couldn't sleep.

The only problem was that she wasn't actually cold or wet.

Cain had given her a crash course in camp making back when she'd first ended up in the O.Z. the reason she couldn't sleep had, DG was realised was that she'd never slept in a camp without other people. Or- to be more specific, without Wyatt Cain. Grumbling DG turned over again.

She must have slept at some point but it was before dawn when she awoke. Standing up made her back click in a way it hadn't for while. She turned to look at her camp- a knot of trees about 5minutes walk from the Brick Route. Eli, the brown Gelding which had been the only gift from her parents that she loved, stood a few metres away. Going to him and stroking his nose DG sighed.

'I need a plan Eli... Water, food and a plan.' The horse whickered at her gently. She didn't have coffee. This was a problem. Cain didn't keep it in his supply trunk and stealing some from the kitchen might have raised the alarm. There was however the hideous herbal tea she had drunk at the shack.

'Okay then, Eli. Coffee, water, food and then plan.'

But even without coffee DG felt oddly awake. Being outside, being away from the Palace for the first time in a few weeks, it was like a light had come on in her mind. She felt like there was a purpose in her life again. Not that ruling the O.Z wasn't a purpose, she thought smiling. But comparing finding her friends and capturing Longcoats... Reigning on high didn't really compare.

'Let's get going.' DG said to the horse. 'Maybe I'll come up with a plan on the road.'

(#)

The plan that the young Princess came up with was roughly- keep looking. If she had known how much it mirrored the plan of a particular Tin Man she probably would have had more faith in it.

She was relying on starting earlier and riding longer than the others. But by the end of the second day of riding DG wasn't so sure of her plan. Un-slinging packs and a bedroll from Eli, she heard her sister.

'DG?' it wasn't so much something she heard- as it was something she felt inside her head. It was, she guessed like having a phantom limb. Only this was a phantom conversation.

'Az! How are things there?'

'MotherandFatherare...notimpressedwithyou.' Azkadellia managed to sound calm but her thoughts resonated with emotion.

'Are they mad at you?'

'Not as mad as they are at you.'

'Sounds fair.'

'Have you found them?'

'Not yet... I'm not even sure if I will Az... I might be going in completely the wrong way!'

'Try the finding spell again. I have to go Deeg... I'm exhausted.'

'K. Night.'

'Night little sister.'

DG felt a wave of exhaustion hit her too. It was hard work to use magic the way Azkadellia had to speak to her. DG couldn't do it yet, she could only wait for Az to 'contact' her but even that wiped her out for a while. Sighing she slowly removed the mirror and breathed onto it.

'Find me.' It took a huge amount of energy and concentration for DG to force the magic to do what she needed and keep focused on the image of Azkadellia's bracelet. There was a white glow around the mirror and then a shaky arrow appeared. It flickered and then settled down, it pointed south along the Brick Route. After a few seconds the image in the mirror vanished.

DG now completely exhausted crawled into her bed roll. A solid arrow though, she thought before falling asleep, that meant she was close. Good.

(#)

Getting up before dawn was easier now she knew she was close to seeing Glitch and Cain again. She took Eli out onto the road her chest felt light, she getting closer! In fact after less than an hour she could smell smoke, only faintly but there had to be a cooking fire nearby. She rode on until she saw somewhere that seemed like it could have recently been used as a path to a campsite. Her pulse quickened.

Dismounting DG pushed her way through the trees. Her excitement at seeing people again made her move quicker. Out of the blue DG realised she wasn't walking anymore, she was sliding. The trees had cunningly hidden a very steep slope... It was, DG thought in the moment it took for her feet to go out from under her, an incredibly clever place to build a camp.

The moment after her feet went out from under her she could only think about mud. It was in her face, in her hair, her eyes, nose, mouth and ears. And as she skidded to a stop at the bottom of the slope, in her clothes.

'Pah! Urg...' DG was on her hands and knees now spitting out mud. A quick mental check said she probably just had bruises other than a pain the back of her left shoulder which was probably a cut. Someone moved behind her.

Not moving herself DG let her magic seep out checking for people... One man behind her and more in the woods a little way off. They were all armed.

Damn, even if it I don't die Cain is gonna kill me, DG thought.

She hit the first man hard with her fist and her magic. But after that she was down to fists only. Her magic was tapped out. The first guy tried to grab her from the floor but she kicked out, swinging as she did so to avoid the second one sneaking up behind her.

DG knew there was no way she'd avoid being caught. But she was determined to do as much damage as possible. Sliding in the mud she suddenly realised there was no more attackers.

'Not bad Kiddo.' Said a voice from the trees.

'You have got to be kiddingme!' Standing up completely DG looked from one of her attackers to the other. They looked familiar. Finally, wiping mud from her face she looked round. And yes- there under the trees, not looking happy at all, was Wyatt Cain.

(#)

A few minutes later she was sat by a small cooking fire. Glitch had given her some coffee and introduced her to Lyle Day and Sebastian Cook... her two attackers and the Tin Men guards accompanying Cain and Glitch.

'Sorry about you know- the whole kicking thing.' She said sipping the coffee.

'No. We're sorry for, well, attacking you. You're Highness.' There was definite shame in the young man's voice.

'DG is fine. Are you okay?'

'Bruises.' Said Cook smiling and wincing at his leg. DG coloured slightly. 'You did incredibly well.'

'I had a good teacher.' She risked a look at Cain who was stalking back to the camp, Eli in tow. He didn't react. 'A really good teacher.'

Still nothing. 'Cain?'He looked at her but didn't respond. There was a familiar set on to his chin. He was not pleased to see her.

'How did you find us?' Glitch asked, taking her coffee cup and refilling it.

'This way...' As the advisor passed her the cup she stuck a hand into his top jacket pocket, pulling out Azkadellia's bracelet. He stared in shock but the smiled.

'A finding spell... I'm impressed.'

'Az helped.' At the mention of Azkadellia's name Glitch seemed to stiffen. 'She's fine. I've 'spoken' to her both nights I've been gone.'

'Good... Good... Good...' Cain nudged the Glitch-ing man with his boot. 'Yes. Right. I mean I'm glad.'

'She said Jeb is doing okay too.' DG aimed this directly at Cain. He nodded and avoided her eyes. With a sigh she looked back at her coffee.

A hush fell over the camp. Both Cook and Day seemed really uncomfortable. They shot glances at Cain and snuck them at her. DG knew people whispered about her. About Cain too. The stern silence he was emitting probably wasn't helping. She felt tears rise in her chest. To think Az had convinced her he'd be pleased to see her.

DG's gaze landed on Cook. An idea hit her. It was unkind and childish but... it was either that or set herself on fire to get Cain's attention.

Very deliberately she winced and twisted to see her injured shoulder.

'Are you hurt?' the young guard spoke up immeadiately.

'Well, actually I think I have a cut on my shoulder. Do you think you could look at it for me?' With that she edged the shoulder of her top down her arm and smiled sweetly.

'Me... I erm...' there was blind panic in Cook's voice and a colour on his neck. 'Of course... But the General is probably...'

'Really?' DG made her voice as saccharine as she could and edged her top a little further down her shoulder. 'I'm sure it isn't that bad-'

'DG!' Cain's voice cut her off he was angry. But he'd spoken. 'I'll look at it.'

'Are you sure?' She asked sardonically. As a response the Tin Man grabbed a med kit from a nearby pack and stalked off a way into the woods.

'I think you're meant to follow.' Glitch said meeting DG's eyes.

'If I don't come back send a search party?' she said to him.

'Done.'

Cain had stopped at a fallen log; it was far enough away from the camp for them not to be overheard. But close enough for them to still be seen.

'Happy to see me?' she asked in a sing-song voice, sitting on the log.

'Where on your arm's hurt?' Cain's voice was gruff and it quelled some of the sarcasm in her.

'My shoulder, the left one. But my shirts...' there was a ripping sound from behind her. 'Not going to be a problem.' She finished.

There was a glug as Cain poured alcohol onto a cloth to disinfect the cut. He wiped it firmly.

'Ow!'

Next came an ointment which stung. Then there was a bandage; he wrapped it round her upper arm and tightened it.

'OW!' DG said again. Cain wasn't being rough but there was a certain lack of gentleness. 'I'm pretty attached to my arm you know!'

'What in Ozma's name do you think you're doing?' Cain said finishing bandaging and pulling her round to face him.

'You mean with Cook...' DG winced, she wasn't proud of herself. 'You were ignoring me!'

'I'm not talking about the boy! What are you doing here?'

'I came to-'

'I told you to stay in Palace.' The steely edge to the Tin Man's voice made DG suddenly wish for the frigid silence of before.

'Where I was doing what? I need to do something.'

'You were doing something! You were STAYING SAFE!'

'I'm not a five year old Cain.' DG said quietly.

'No. You are however a Princess. Have you any idea what could have happened to you? There are Longcoats in this wood. If they got hold of you can you even comprehend what could happen? To you? To the O.Z?' DG suddenly felt five years old... those things hadn't occurred to her.

'I can take of myself.' She muttered.

'Really? Taking care of yourself DG would have been staying in Central City- where you are SAFE!'

'I kinda figured I was safest where you are.' DG hissed turning her back on the General. So much for being pleased to see her...

'You need to wash.' Cain said his voice was normal pitch again. When DG turned to look at him his jaw was still clenched but he didn't start yelling again. 'You're covered in mud.'

She walked with the Tin Man back to the camp. There was a rough tent made out of a canvas draped across a rope. There was just enough room inside to stand up. Glitch had warmed a pan of water for her.

Washing was a slow process, in a cooking pan but when she was clean DG did feel better. Her packs were inside the tent and she changed out of the mud soaked clothes. She slid into the only other pair of pants she had in the O.Z, they had been made for her by a seamstress who hadn't heard that Princess's should wear dresses. DG pulled one of Cain's stolen shirts out of her pack... wearing it didn't seem like such a good idea anymore but she was out of options. Sighing she pulled a brush through her hair and exited the tent.

The others had packed the majority of the camp away whilst she'd bathed and changed. Cain looked up at her from where he was knelt packing.

'Is that my shirt?'

'You ripped mine.'