Challenge table fic: Tangible, 27/30: Time (PG-13)
Headers in part 1
27. Time
Glitch listened, mouth slightly open in astonishment at the carefully worded appeal. He realized after a long moment of silence that Zero had stopped talking and it was now his turn to respond.
He lifted a shaking hand, he reached forward to touch the tips of his fingers to Zero’s downward tilted jaw.
Zero blinked, confused, then raised his head to meet Glitch’s eye.
“You’ll have your audience with the Queen,” Glitch told him kindly. “All the time you need.”
**
The first sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon when the travelers approached the front entrance to the royal palace.
“Oh, thank the gods we’re home,” Glitch moaned and straightened his back. He’d fallen asleep against the sturdy warmth of Cain sometime after they got back on the trail and had been jostled awake by the rising sounds of the city as they approached.
At the end of the path stable attendants ready to take their horses met them. The woman in charge of the task gave Cain an odd look and asked, “Where’s the one you were riding?”
“Papay runners ate him,” he answered bluntly.
She gaped at him, horrified. “Oh, dear,” she muttered, shaking her head as she joined the other attendants and the remaining horses.
Cain kept close to Glitch as the group of five climbed the steps to meet the waiting Queen and Ahamo. DG charged up the stairs ahead of them to give her parents huge hugs.
“DG, my angel, it’s so good to have you home,” her mother crowed happily, then pulled back when she saw that DG had apparently added to her collection of odd men. “What is that man doing here and why is he not shackled?” she asked coldly.
“Mother, it’s all right,” DG raised her hands to calm the powerful woman. “We’ve got a lot to talk about, but first I think we should let Mr. Cain take Glitch to his room to rest.”
The Queen’s face instantly went from cold malice to concerned puzzlement. “Are you not well, Mr. Glitch?” she asked him, stepping forward to run an appraising eye over her most trusted friend.
“Majesty,” Glitch bowed his head automatically. “I’m well enough now, but had a bit of an accident yesterday,” he glanced at Cain with a restrained grimace.
“He was attacked by a Papay runner while trying to save me, your Majesty,” Cain informed her. “It was Zero here who rescued us. Raw was thankfully able to heal Glitch and we were lucky to have the aid of a doctor in Milltown.” He stopped, letting her absorb his words.
“Oh, my poor dear,” the monarch fussed, reaching out to gently stroke Glitch’s cheek. “Of course, you must rest. Mr. Cain, please, escort him to his chambers.”
“Highness,” they said together. Exchanging childish grins, they made their way inside, leaving DG and Raw to find a place to put Zero until the official meetings could be arranged.
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27. Time
Glitch listened, mouth slightly open in astonishment at the carefully worded appeal. He realized after a long moment of silence that Zero had stopped talking and it was now his turn to respond.
He lifted a shaking hand, he reached forward to touch the tips of his fingers to Zero’s downward tilted jaw.
Zero blinked, confused, then raised his head to meet Glitch’s eye.
“You’ll have your audience with the Queen,” Glitch told him kindly. “All the time you need.”
**
The first sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon when the travelers approached the front entrance to the royal palace.
“Oh, thank the gods we’re home,” Glitch moaned and straightened his back. He’d fallen asleep against the sturdy warmth of Cain sometime after they got back on the trail and had been jostled awake by the rising sounds of the city as they approached.
At the end of the path stable attendants ready to take their horses met them. The woman in charge of the task gave Cain an odd look and asked, “Where’s the one you were riding?”
“Papay runners ate him,” he answered bluntly.
She gaped at him, horrified. “Oh, dear,” she muttered, shaking her head as she joined the other attendants and the remaining horses.
Cain kept close to Glitch as the group of five climbed the steps to meet the waiting Queen and Ahamo. DG charged up the stairs ahead of them to give her parents huge hugs.
“DG, my angel, it’s so good to have you home,” her mother crowed happily, then pulled back when she saw that DG had apparently added to her collection of odd men. “What is that man doing here and why is he not shackled?” she asked coldly.
“Mother, it’s all right,” DG raised her hands to calm the powerful woman. “We’ve got a lot to talk about, but first I think we should let Mr. Cain take Glitch to his room to rest.”
The Queen’s face instantly went from cold malice to concerned puzzlement. “Are you not well, Mr. Glitch?” she asked him, stepping forward to run an appraising eye over her most trusted friend.
“Majesty,” Glitch bowed his head automatically. “I’m well enough now, but had a bit of an accident yesterday,” he glanced at Cain with a restrained grimace.
“He was attacked by a Papay runner while trying to save me, your Majesty,” Cain informed her. “It was Zero here who rescued us. Raw was thankfully able to heal Glitch and we were lucky to have the aid of a doctor in Milltown.” He stopped, letting her absorb his words.
“Oh, my poor dear,” the monarch fussed, reaching out to gently stroke Glitch’s cheek. “Of course, you must rest. Mr. Cain, please, escort him to his chambers.”
“Highness,” they said together. Exchanging childish grins, they made their way inside, leaving DG and Raw to find a place to put Zero until the official meetings could be arranged.
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