Author's Note: I'm so sorry to have taken a very long time to update. I understand completely if I'm now writing to an empty room- so to speak! But I hope anyone who does read this enjoys it- please rand r! Thanks S&F

Chapter Seventeen: Downen Break-Brush

'Why is this village called Downen Break-Brush?' DG asked. She was riding Eli at a trot across the bracken filled scrub land. It was Lyle Day who answered, shyly from beside her.

'Downen just means down from the Keep. Break-Brush means that it's on the edge of brush-land. This type of land. After Downen Break-Brush, it's into the clear lands. The farming lands.'

'Thank you...' DG had studied the geography of the O.Z in lots of details, but it was still a bit rusty. 'And after the clear-lands. It's the reed-land?'

'Yes. Where the gypsies live.'

'Gypsies?' DG asked. Cain, who had been riding a little way behind them coughed loudly.

'Yes... But they're not to be worried about.' The younger man said quickly. The cough had clearly had the appropriate effect on Day.

'Cain?' DG craned in her saddle.

'Let's just say they aren't exactly fans of the crown.' The Tin Man replied. But before DG could question him further Cain urged his horse ahead and past her. She watched him ride away mulling over his words.

'Do you think we'll beat the sickness Miss?' Lyle Day was at least two or three annuals younger than DG. His voice was tinted with nerves.

'You can call me DG. And I hope we will.' There was silence from the younger guardsmen. DG studied him for a moment or two. He was radiating unspoken words- unasked questions 'Who is it that's sick Lyle?'

He looked at her in shock. His next words were said barely louder than a whisper. 'Me sister.'

'I hope we'll be able to help her.' DG tried to sound confident but she kept thinking of Jeb. Azkadellia had told them he was recovering well. But there was still the Turning Malady.

Unbelievably with everything that had happened, the Malady had almost slipped her mind.

(#)

Downen Break-Brush was not exactly a village. It was more like a meeting point for the scattered houses across the valley of brush land. There was a cross-roads, something DG had begun to realise had to exist in every small town. The main 'village' was a row and tiny cottages, a sign leading towards a farm and a tumbledown coaching inn with the rusting shell of a van outside of it. Once again DG was struck by the almost timelessness of the OZ... trucks and vans were common place- not as much out here in the sticks- or the brush- but still, in the middle of Central City a van, truck or car was a fairly usual sight. However if you actually wanted to travel anywhere either at speed or that was over a few days travel away, then you used a horse.

'Are you okay?' Wyatt's voiced jerked DG out of her reverie; she looked up into his concerned gaze and smiled.

'I'm fine. I was just miles away.'

'I could see that. Anything I can help with?' his tone was so sincere that DG had to smile again.

'No, it was nothing really.' DG confirmed focusing her attentions on the Tin Man rather than the rusting metal.

'I've spoken to the inn keeper. We can stay here for tonight and move on tomorrow.' Cain was stood holding Eli's reigns and DG realised that he was waiting for her to dismount. She did so quickly, her boots sliding slightly in the muddy ground. The Tin Man grabbed her arm and held her steady til her footing was sure. The contact sent slight frissons up and down her spine. Since their 'moment' on top of Halliford Keep they had not spent any time alone together but still somehow DG felt something had shifted between them. Exactly what that was she couldn't pin down. But, she thought as one of Lord Halliford's men led her horse away: this was not the time to start over-thinking things.

'Move on?' The Princess said hastily to cover her wandering mind.

'Yes Ma'am the people you were looking for headed off to the south earlier today.' That came from a man wearing yellow-brown slacks and a white collarless work shirt. He was hovering behind the Tin Man looking slightly shell shocked. DG assumed he was the inn keeper.

'Can't we go after them now? There's plenty of day-light left isn't there?' the party headed towards the inn door where Glitch, and Cook were waiting. They had ridden ahead of DG and the rest of the party to secure the area and check things over.

'I think we had better rest here. Take it easy.' Cain gestured pointedly towards in his chest. 'I am injured.'

'Okay.' DG said carefully. Something didn't feel quite right to her but she was not going to argue if Cain was offering to rest.

'We only have two rooms...' It was a tentative voice and belonged to the man who told them where the magician had gone earlier. The Inn's owner.

'That's okay- we can share.' Said Glitch with a tight smile. 'That means the Princess can have her own space.' The Princess's hackles rose at the odd inflections Glitch gave the words but she had no time to think about that because the advisors next words were- 'If that's okay?- If that's okay- If that's okay-' Forcing her to slap him hard on the back.

'Of course. I'll take you straight up.' The man hovered uncertainly for a moment and then led the way to the upstairs on the inn. There they found two rooms one relatively spacious and the other just big enough for a bed, bath and desk. DG insisted the men have the smaller room and with only a few half hearted protestations they agreed.

Once inside the small but very pleasant room DG turned to Cain who was loitering by the door. There was definitely something weird going on she decided observing the Tin Man's face. She knew that face, it had burned itself into her memory throughout her time in the OZ. And now it haunted her dreams too. But he seemed preoccupied somehow and hyper-aware. His whole body was tense and his jaw was clench making the muscles there and in his twitch and jerk slightly. It was the same way he acted when he was guarding something. Or when he thought, and now DG felt an icy shiver run down her back, that they being watched.

Biting her lip DG concentrated on her magic and on the spells she used to communicate with Azkadellia over long distances. Then she softened them a little and reached out to Cain- 'What's going on?' She asked him silently, she had never tried to speak like that to someone who didn't have magic the way she did... But Cain heard her. In fact the General physically jerked shock written across his face and blue eyes wide.

'Sorry! Are you okay?' DG said taking some hasty steps towards him and speaking out loud. But Cain had recovered himself.

'I'm fine Princess. I just forget you're so... clever.' DG pulled a face at him and repeated her question. The Tin Man held her gaze for a moment before abruptly straightening his back and saying- 'I'll leave you to your peace and quiet then Princess. Maybe you should talk to your sister. Find out how my boy is doing?' Then without further explanation he tipped his hat and left the room.

That left DG feeling slightly agitated. There was obviously something going on. Something that Cain didn't want her to know about. But then why hadn't he said everything was okay? Surely if it wasn't...

'Ugh!' she sat down on the bed and picked absently at the blanket on the bed. Her whirring mind itched to draw but her materials were back in Central City. She'd been too determined to find Cain that she hadn't really thought to far in advance. Cain. Her mind locked onto the thought. She had risked her life to find and help him. In fact she had risked all of their lives to find him. And in return he'd nearly died to keep her safe. Maybe she owed him a little bit of trust now. However annoying being kept in the dark was.

Sighing DG decided that the Tin Man probably had a point. If she wasn't to be included in the plan, if there even was one! Then she might as well speak to her sister and find out how Jeb was doing.

(#)

Azkadellia was sat on the end of Jeb Cain's bed chatting to the invalid when DG contacted her. She was pleased to hear from her younger sister. It was been a day or maybe more since they'd last spoken. She caught her up with Jeb's condition which was excellent really. He was growing stronger day by day, his breathing seemed to be healing properly and there was, she said hopefully, going to be no lasting damage other than a particularly nasty scar.

In contrast she listened to the news of DG's group feeling slightly sick. That was her baby sister and her... well... whatever Ambrose was to her. They were out in the middle of nowhere looking for a crazy man.

'We'll be fine Az. Cain's here and men from Halliford Keep. Please don't worry.'

'I will anyway. Just come home soon.'

'I'll come back I promise.' Az felt the unease in her sister at the word home. There was something in her that still longed to be somewhere else... something that wasn't settled. It made her sad to think that eventually, when all of the craziness was over- if it was ever over, that DG would leave again. But it made her sadder yet to think that DG might force herself to stay.

'I love you DG.'

'Love you to Az.'

DG felt the sadness too as she finished the conversation. She wanted nothing more than to think of Central City as her home. But deep down she just couldn't. The same way she never had in Kansas. She realised that she was picking at the blanket again and forced herself to stand up. She had other things than her homesickness to focus on. As she took a step towards the door there was a yell from the next room and the heart stoppingly frightening sound of gunshots.

Running into corridor she felt bile rising in her throat. There was a fight going on in the men's room. Her first impression was that Cain must have shot someone as he was bending over a fallen man. Otherwise Cook and Day were struggling with an attacker a piece. Looking round for something to help with DG reached out towards the water jug on the rickety table just inside the door but as she did metal snapped on her wrist.

Wrenching herself around she had only enough time to kick out winding her attacker before her other wrist was shackled and her legs knocked out from under her. Kneeling and swearing she realised the tingling sensation in her whole body- which emanated from her cold and captured wrists was awfully familiar. Her magic fluttered at the blocking shackles uselessly. But as she was dragged upwards by her hair DG realised there was nothing she could do.

'I wouldn't Tin Man.' the voice was soft and syrupy and nothing like DG had expected her captor to sound.

'Not unless you want to take the Princess home in pieces.' That was another voice similar to the other but with a rougher edge. Twisting in the vice like grip DG realised there were two men behind her and if she had to guess they were brothers. The men Day and Cook had fought were all defeated now but the young soldiers were stood looking useless.

There would be a knife in one of their hands she knew and felt a traitorous tear track down her cheek. Two magicians. One to get shackled and one to remove them. Damn it they'd been so fool hardy. So... so...

'Stupid. I knew making it so just anyone could remove those shackles was a bad idea.' Glitch was stood bleeding and dishevelled a little way into the ransacked room.

'I don't know. Seems like a good idea to use.' Said the man holding her.

'Let her go.' That was Cain's voice and DG's eyes snapped to his instantly. He was stood with his pistol drawn and was steadily watching the two men.

'No. And if you don't put that down then-' The threat hung in the air and Cain lowered the gun to the floor slowly.

'Good. And now-' the two brothers shuffled behind her and DG realised after a moment that they were now holding hands. The gesture seemed out of place but then suddenly understand flooded her mind-

'Get down!'

Fire roared inside the room ceiling high and white hot. It separated Cain from her. She couldn't see or hear him anymore. As she was dragged away, kicking and fighting the entire time, she realised that having them come to the inn... To be attacked had been the plan all along. Cain's deliberate mention of his injury. Glitch stressing that she would be alone. It all made sense now because the magician and his men, who clearly hadn't moved on, would think they were attacking a broken and damaged group. And if there had been one magic-less magician it would have worked. But there were two and neither was magic-less.

For the second time in less than three months DG was thrown onto horseback, shackled and helpless. But this time instead of speaking she strained her neck to look back at the burning inn and let hot tears fall onto the road.