"Of Light" - 4+5/45
Title: Of Light
Author: Rissy James
Rating: M (overall)
Pairing: Cain/DG, eventual Jeb/Az
Summary: The Emerald must be returned to its guardian, and DG is left behind. When a generations-old threat resurfaces, she must gather more than her courage to save her sister, and to find Wyatt Cain.
Chapter Four
The lamps in Her Majesty's audience chamber were lit, but the light was dim, filtered with dust. Some larger pieces of furniture were pushed against the walls, covered in gray drop cloths. The Queen stood behind a desk at the far end, set in front of a large window overlooking the lake. The desk was uncovered, and its top bare.
“Your Majesty,” Cain said, after Bella had announced him. He removed his hat, bowed his head. When he glanced at her, her face was quite still, her lips set.
“Captain Cain,” she said, sounding quite exhausted. “It is a pleasure to see you. We have much to discuss before our departure tomorrow. I need some assurances from you.”
“There's no need to worry,” Cain said. The Queen had to admit, he sounded convincing. Secure in his abilities and those of the men he led.
“It is time I told you what you need to know to protect my daughter and I,” she began.
She spoke for ten minutes, pacing behind her desk. Her usual composure was not enough to mask her worry. One end of the massive desk to the other, back and forth. Cain watched her, listened . He nodded when required to, but he did not interrupt The Queen. In her nervousness, she reminded Cain of DG.
“Have I made this perfectly clear, Captain?” The Queen's lavender gaze bore into him, begging for promise.
Cain shook his head, knowing he was hearing properly and wishing he understood better. “You should've chosen more men.”
“No, Captain. We need this done quickly, and quietly. The Eclipse is over, they defied the Prophecy. Once the Emerald is returned, I can rest. Our country can move forward.”
The men refused to set foot the giant entry hall. Burrows stepped forward, spoke for his collective. “We escorted you to the palace, Your Highness. We will return to the stables and wait for the Captain. Your man, Beaudon, has already showed us where we'll camp for the night.”
DG turned to Ambrose. “They won't stay in the house? There are forty rooms in there!”
Ambrose shook her head. “Captain Cain requested the trouble not be taken.”
She rolled her eyes. A voice rumbled behind her, in the arched doorway of the palace, left wide open. “Shouldn't you be in bed, Kid?”
DG turned to see Cain coming across the entryway, headed for the group that had amassed at the front door. It was a mere four steps to throw herself into his arms. He caught her, hugged her tight. She looked and felt different, and after a moment, he let her go. “Still fighting the dresses?”
“Hey, I was wearing a dress earlier,” she said. Ambrose nodded pointedly at Cain.
“That she was. And at least she's not in denim.” He pointed to the hem of her slacks, delicately embroidered with gold thread. DG held her ankle out for Cain to get a better look.
“See? Pretty pants.” She was grinning.
“Ambrose, did you mention to her that she doesn't have any military authority?” Cain asked, nodding at his soldiers standing in the grass. They were at attention again, watching Cain and waiting for their orders.
“It might have slipped my mind to tell her that. She's just so proud of herself when she plays Princess, I didn't want to interrupt her fun,” Ambrose said. His arms were crossed across his chest.
“Men, back to the stables. Pitch your tents, get some sleep. I'll be there soon,” Cain commanded. They nodded, two muttering “Sir!” Turning, they left, melting into the darkness beyond the light cast from the palace.
“Kinda bossy, aren't you, Cain?” DG asked him with a smile.
He shrugged. “Comes with the job, I guess.”
Ambrose cleared his throat. “If you'll both excuse me, there are a few last minute details for tomorrow's departure I need to look over before I turn in.” He nodded at his friends. “I'll see you tomorrow, Captain. Princess,” he said, bowing his head at her. DG scowled at his back as he walked away. They heard his footsteps echoing down the corridor long after he'd turned out of sight.
“I hate it when he does that,” she said. “Usually he forgets, but then every so often. he'll sneak up and bam! Hits me right in the face with his respect and deference.” She cocked her head, glared up at him. “So how come it took you so long to come down here to see me?”
The corner of Cain's mouth turned up a little crookedly, as close to a smile as he ever got. “I've had business to take care of in Central City, on your mothers orders. And you know that,” he said. “I managed to get a couple days leave after everythin' is said and done.” She knew of what he spoke, and she nodded. Secrets, she hated them. But her mother's mission would only take a few days, and the end of that marked something significant.
“So you're going to stay and visit with your Princess?” she teased. He nodded. “Sit in the sun with me all day doing nothing?” Again, he nodded, cracked his half smile a little wider.
DG was watching him. “What?” he asked. The smile was gone.
“I don't know. Missed you,” she said, with a shrug.
“I could tell. Three letters in five weeks.” But it pleased him, a little, to know that she'd missed him. “I'm sorry to leave you standin' here, Kiddo. I've got to get back to my men, get some sleep. You, too. Its near one o'clock.”
DG nodded slowly. “No one in this house sleeps. Well... my father. My father sleeps.”
Cain watched her, a little confused. “You okay?”
She nodded again, breathing out slowly. “Yeah,” she said. “I'll be down to see my mother and sister off in the morning. And to say goodbye to anyone else that might be there, I guess.”
She hugged him again, thin arms wrapping around his shoulders, clad in rough military uniform. He smelled of the road, of the forest beyond the maze. She held on tightly, too long. Cain, though still uncomfortable with her constant need for displays of affection, didn't let go until she pulled away.
“Enjoy your tent, Mr. Cain,” she said, watching him over her shoulder as she headed in the same direction as Ambrose had. Her soft slippers shuffled softly, and he lost the sound of her after she was gone from sight. He shook his head, hoping to give it a bit of a clear, but nothing happened. Sighing deeply, a sound almost resembling a growl low in his throat, he turned and walked out of the palace, closing the huge double doors behind him. He wondered briefly why there was no front hall attendant, someone guarding the doors, but his thought was quelled when he heard the clicks of several locks engaging before his foot hit the first step.
“Goodnight, Princess,” he muttered to himself, walking quickly into the darkness, towards the stable, his sleeping roll, and a few solid hours of sleep.
Ambrose was surprised to come across The Queen in the finished parlor, as he went to retrieve his books and papers. His private office wasn't yet ready, and he was using the desk here out of necessity. When he entered the room to find Her Majesty at the window, he was startled.
“Ambrose,” she said with a smile. “Is no one sleeping?”
He bowed his head. “The Prince Consort rests. Perhaps the Princess Azkadellia, and most of the staff, Majesty.”
“Azkadellia will need rest for tomorrow,” she said with a nod. She moved away from the window, towards the sofa. Ambrose watched her set herself down gracefully; even in her state of agitation, she was lovely. “And what of DG? Does she sleep now? I've found myself busy all evening, I haven't yet had a chance...” She trailed off. She was sure Ambrose knew of her night wanderings, but admitting she watched her daughters sleep seemed too trivial in light of what was to come.
“DG is in her room now, yes.” Ambrose closed the door of the parlor behind him, once again set to what he'd come for. “She waited up for the Captain's arrival. She met with him in the foyer; he's since gone to his camp and the Princess is gone to bed.”
“You will watch over her while we are gone, won't you Ambrose?” she asked him. Her words were quiet; in the normal bustle of the palace, perhaps in the middle of the afternoon, he might not have heard her.
“Of course, your Majesty.” Ambrose nodded, and then laughed. The Queen looked at him quizzically. “Well honestly, if its all right for me to say, I've had a hard time not watching the Princess. After following her all over the O.Z., well... its hard to break old habits. Especially new old habits.”
“Thank you, Ambrose.”
Cain returned to find the men's sleeping rolls placed under a huge tree near the stables. Instead of bothering with their tents, they had decided to camp out under the stars. Cain decided to do the same, and unrolled his sleeping bag on the ground. He rolled his service jacket up to stuff under his head, and lay down. He angled his hat to cover his face, and closed his eyes.
In the morning, he would have to awaken the men earlier than anticipated. Brief them on everything The Queen had told him. He wondered if they would even believe him.
She should have chosen more men. To put off their departure for a day, he could have double the soldiers ready to escort The Queen and the Princess Azkadellia northwest over the mountains, to the resting place of the Gale dynasty. He'd even suggested to her as much.
“No, Captain. We must leave tomorrow at suns rise without delay.”
“All due respect, Your Majesty...” he said, then paused. Breathed deep. Took his hat off, twirled the brim in his hands. “Leaving without the proper protection seems a bit foolish to me.”
The Queen, instead of being taken aback, only nodded her head. “I understand your concern, Captain. But I trust that we are following the right course.” She smiled at him. “This journey is being undertaken with the utmost secrecy. With the Emerald protected by the Grey Gale once again, Azkadellia can begin on her path to redemption.”
“Your Majesty,” Cain began, but she held up a white, shaking hand to silence him.
“Captain, listen to me. My dear friend Ambrose has informed me, quite at length, of your part in the demise of the Witch and the restoration of my family,” she said. “Azkadellia's faith in her safety rests with you, and rightly so. If we move quickly and complete our tasks, I do not think harm should befall us.”
The sound of the horses in the stable brought Cain out of his fresh memory.
Six men.
Growling in his throat again, he shifted on the hard ground. Only four hours of sleep if he was lucky, but it was going to be a long night.
Chapter Five
DG lay restlessly in her bed. Why, why did this have to be the Palace of Unrest? Such a beautiful, magic place. She had her window open; though she couldn't feel the breeze from across the room, she could hear it rustling the marsh grass outside, could see it playing in the curtains.
She thought of her mother and her sister, and of their journey into the northwest. What would she do without them while they were gone? Walk the lake with Raw, listen to Glitch stumble through sounding like he knew what he was talking about? Sit in the sun room with her father, his favorite place? Very Princess like things to do.
She knew there were lessons planned. Tutor would not relent. “You do not let the Light flow easily, DG,” he had told her in his deep voice. His sad eyes bore into her; he was disappointed. “The Witch is dead, your mother restored, but your work is not done. Not until you can learn to hold and channel your Light without the slightest effort.”
Az goes to return the Emerald to its resting place, return it to its Guardian, DG thought. A quest into the wilderness, just like mine. Though, less of an adventure. A royal duty, maybe, but no adventure.
No, she wasn't the slightest bit sore at being left behind. She snuggled her head deeper into her pillows, seeking rest.
After the Eclipse, she'd been glad the adventure was over. With the Resistance Army taking over the Longcoats, with word spreading like wildfire across the plains of the O.Z., the Royal Family had been moved to the safety of Central City. The Witch's Tower, an enemy fortress, was far from secure, Witchless or not.
Longcoat transport trucks had been... acquired by some of Jeb's men. Three followed in succession on the road to Central City. DG had found herself being ushered into the backseat of a truck, Cain beside her and Tutor in the front with the driver. The huge, tired old man tried to keep up conversation, but fell into a kind of trance, silent and relieved it was over. Finally, over.
DG had also tried to keep up conversation. “They scattered like bugs,” she'd said with a yawn. Cain had wondered if she were talking about the Longcoats, or if she was already half asleep.
“We'll get them rounded up. Your mother ordered them locked in Azkadellia's dungeons.”
“Lock them up in their own prison? That sounds like justice to me.” She could still recall the smell of the place, of rust and decay.
Then, she was quiet too, for a long time. Cain watched her, as he watched the taillights of the truck ahead of them in the darkness, as he watched the headlights of the truck following them. Constantly aware, he wondered when he'd feel his own sense of exhaustion. But he was still agitated from having the bullet removed from his shoulder. Raw's soothing magic could only do so much; it could not extract metal from his body. One of Jeb's camp surgeons had removed the bullet. Cain had weathered it, but it left him shaky. Coming out wasn't as bad as going in, but still hurt like hell.
DG shifted against her window. Moving her shoulders, twisting her body.
“What are you doin'?”
She shot him a glare. “I can't sleep sitting up.”
“Lay down, then.”
She looked at him, skeptically. He was a little amazed at that. Without trying, without even doing anything, he'd pissed her off. Storming the Tower, she'd had the bravery of a Resistance fighter. But now, the danger passed and her body slowing down, she was a little girl, cranky without sleep.
Cain sighed. “Here,” he said. His duster was laying in his lap; he rolled it up and handed it to her. “Put that under the window, lay your head on it.” He hooked his hands around her knees, and pulled her legs onto his lap. DG groaned in protest, but she did as instructed, sliding her bottom further down the bench seat. “There, comfortable?”
DG nodded sleepily. When he moved his hands away from her legs, she thought she could still feel them there. “Thanks, Tin Man.”
“You're welcome, Princess.”
The truck continued on in the darkness. DG's legs shook with her effort to relax. But soon, she stilled, and slept. Cain leaned his head back against the window, his body turned at an angle towards hers, her legs across his lap and her stockinged feet tucked beside him. Her sneakers lay on the floor.
Tutor had turned around in his seat then. His dark gaze caught Cain's. Cain looked away first, his eyes casting out the windscreen once again to find the taillights ahead, then the headlights behind.
Cain woke uneasily. He could hear the first of the stable hands swishing through the marsh grass, back to work another day. Lifting his hat off his face, Cain sat up and looked around. It was still dark, though a faint greyness had begun to appear on the horizon, and the stars had begun to fade.
“Rise and shine boys,” he grumbled, sitting up. A stable worker meant it was near five am; he wanted to be mounted and on the other side of the maze by six thirty. He and his men were to meet The Queen and the Princess Royal at the front entrance of the palace within an hour.
There was no groaning or protest from his men. In minutes they were all on their feet, rolling up their sleeping bags, checking their gear. One of the men, McLauren, sat on a rock, smoking a cigarette. Shaking his head, Cain walked over.
“Just enjoying a last one,” McLauren said. “I ain't gonna smoke around The Queen or the Sorc-” The young man caught himself, shook his head sheepishly. “I mean, Her Highness Azkadellia.”
At this, Cain glanced from man to man. Most looked nervous. Private Goodin looked angry, zippering his pack closed almost forcefully. Cain wondered how many of them had imagined strangling Az with their own bare hands over the last nine annuals.
He shook the morbid thought off. She was once again Princess, heir to the throne of the O.Z., and she needed their help. “All right, over here,” he said. The men dropped what they were doing to gather around him. At first, he wasn't sure where to begin. He shrugged on his service jacket, prolonging the inevitable moment.
“You know this isn't your regular royal escort,” Cain began. The men watched him, waiting. The Captain continued, explained everything he said had been told to him the night before, the reason The Queen had requested an audience. “We move them as fast as possible without pushin' them. Hell, maybe it would be better if we did push them, but you leave it to me to set our pace. Hass, I want you scoutin' ahead.”
Hass nodded his head. He'd listened intently to the new situation, hoping to hell that the plan wasn't going to change. The Captain hadn't indicated as much. “Why didn't she order more men, if it would be so dangerous, Captain?” he asked.
Cain shook his head, grimaced. “I racked my brain over that all night. Says she wants this done quick and dirty. So thats how we do it.”
The men broke apart as a group of palace servants arrived, carrying trays of food. Cain watched them as they approached. “Whats this?”
“Captain, Her Majesty the Queen has requested you come to the palace as soon as you have eaten.”
Cain eyed the trays of hot, filling food. Bread, porridge, coffee. He nodded at his men. “We eat, and then we go.”
DG awoke with a start. Someone was knocking at her door; it was still dark. Had she been dreaming? The last thing she remembered were thoughts of Cain, of their ride from the Tower after the Eclipse.
The knocking continued. “Come in,” DG said with a yawn, practically rolling out of the bed onto the floor. As she straightened, the ladies' maid, Esther, poked her head into the room.
“Your mother and sister depart this morning,” Esther said. Her face was bright, a 'good morning' type of smile. How could anyone be so chipper on a day like today? A thought entered her mind, through the tiny back door with a nameplate of Guilt on it.
After the downfall of the Witch, wouldn't you be happy too, DG? You didn't suffer famine, the almost destruction of the O.Z. You merely swooped in, last half of the last act, to save the day. Little princess, resurrected.
Esther looked inquiringly at her mistress. “Will you take your breakfast now?”
DG shook her head. “No, I'll go see Az. Thank you, Esther.”
She left the room in her nightdress and bare feet. At five-thirty am, who would see her? Even if someone did, at least her gown was princess-y, a long Miss-Elaine-type affair, which reminded DG of Wendy Darling.
She and her sister had rooms down a shared passageway, rooms overlooking the lake. Az's room was at the end of the hall, with a double view, to help soothe her. DG knocked on the door, and after she thought she heard a muttered affirmation from her sister, she entered.
Azkadellia was already dressed in her riding clothes. Her twill riding skirt was split up the front to reveal boots and trousers underneath. It was the first time she'd seen her sister in pants, and she was impressed, but it diminished next to the practicality of it. Both Azkadellia and her mother would ride astride, they needed to move as fast as possible.
“You're still in your nightgown?” Azkadellia asked. Then she shook her head. “I want to go back to bed. Forever.”
DG laughed. “No, its your turn to go traipsing through the woods with no bathroom.”
Az grimaced. She sat down carefully at the table near the window, where her breakfast lay untouched on its tray. Beside the tray was a plain wooden box, with a simple metal latch. “Its almost time to get rid of it. Then I think I can start to breathe.”
DG knew in the box lay the Emerald. Azkadellia held her hand over the box; from underneath the lid shone out white light. DG watched until the light grew to blinding. Her eyes blinked closed on their own, and when she opened them, only the small latch glowed faintly. Locked by magic.
DG noticed her sister watching the box uneasily. “Everything will be okay, Az,” DG said. She sat across from her sister, reached out her bare foot to push Az's booted one. “I met your escort last night, they look pretty tough.” Azkadellia nodded. “And,” DG continued. “Cain will be with you, so you'll barely spend any time resting.” Az only nodded a second time. DG looked away, searching her brain. After a month of silence from her sister, her renewed speech had put hope back on the table. DG didn't want to lose it.
“Az, why did you request Cain? Over one of the Generals?”
Azkadellia sighed. She reached up, touched her hair, piled high on her head, twisted securely for the day's long ride. “I thought it would be obvious, little sister,” she said after a moment. She got up and walked to her dresser, her boots clicking on the floor. “Back at the Tower, Wyatt Cain became a thorn in my side... The Witch's side, I guess,” Az said with a shrug. “You escaped from the theater in Central City, escaped from the Tower prison.” She went to the window, looked out. The sky was lightening fast, turning faint orange over the mountains. “That man made it through every obstacle the Witch's Army set before him, and absolutely refused to die. And now... I could only think of one person I would want on my side though this...”
On the other side of the palace, The Queen pulled the hood of her cloak over her hair, her hands steady. Ahamo watched his wife's calm composure.
“Four days' journey,” he reassured her. “Three if the weather cooperates.”
The Queen laughed shortly, under her breath. “Why should the weather cooperate? Why should anything go right?”
“Now don't think like that,” he told her, his tones soft and hushed. He soothed her as he had soothed his daughters, so long ago, before the Witch, before everything had changed. Ahamo took his wife into his arms, tugged her hood down again so he might feel her skin when she tucked her head into his shoulder.
“Oh, my darling,” she sighed. “I look forward to our return journey. When I might be back here, in your arms.” Ahamo tightened his grip on her. “I fear perhaps Azkadellia is braver than I.”
“You are both strong women. I think the soldiers may have a hard time keeping up with you,” he said with a laugh.
Before his wife could reply, there was a knock at the door. The couple broke apart. A young servant girl entered, curtsied, did not make eye contact with either of her rulers. “Captain Cain's party has left the stables, Your Majesty, and are headed towards the palace. The Princess Azkadellia awaits in the foyer.”
The Queen nodded. After replacing her hood, she took her husband's proffered arm.
Gods give us strength and Light guide our steps.
Wyatt Cain stood in the grand entryway, his hands behind his back. As the suns rose over the mountains, filling the gigantic room with pale morning light, his mind watched as seconds of precious daylight ticked away. Ambrose was sitting on a settee bookended by ferns in large clay pots. Even though his friend's knee was bouncing, his eyelids looked incredibly heavy.
Suddenly, Ambrose clambered to his feet, ungracefully landing with a little hop. Cain followed his gaze to see Az and DG descending the stairs. Az came first, DG followed behind, wearing a long white nightdress. A blue dressing gown covered her shoulders, but she'd left it wide open. Cain smirked to see her feet were bare.
“Captain Cain,” Azkadellia said, extending her hands as she reached the bottom of the staircase. Cain bowed his head, before taking her hands in his own.
“Your Highness,” he said softly, mindful of her fragile state. She watched his eyes for a moment, then pulled her hands away. She turned to Ambrose.
“Ambrose, would you please help me mount my horse?”
Glitch raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Yes, of course, Princess.” He offered her his arm, but she did not take it. Instead, she walked out of the front door, where an attendant waited in the grass with her mount. Ambrose followed, not at all put off by her coolness. Cain watched the two of them leave the foyer. Azkadellia walked steadily forward, but when Ambrose helped her onto the mounting block, she looked at him with kindness, in the dimness Cain could almost have seen her mouth the words “Thank you”.
He turned away when DG moved to his side.
“One minute you're giving a kid directions, the next you're a slave to the Royal family for the rest of your life,” she said teasingly. He looked at her, stone-faced. DG put her hand on his arm, tried to see if she could soften his resolve. “Is this your work face?”
He coughed to suppress that crooked smile. “Somethin' like that.”
There was silence between them. From above, DG could hear the sounds of her parents coming towards the front entrance. It crossed her mind that her mother might not approve of her standing in the front hall in her night clothes. In a quick decision, she buttoned the front of her robe. Cain seemed to have read her mind, for he smoothed a few stray locks of her bedhead behind her ear.
“So I'll see you when you come back,” DG said quietly. Her heart was pounding. Why? Because he had touched her hair?
Cain nodded, stepping back. The Queen and Prince Consort appeared at the top of the stairs, came down quickly.
“My men are ready to leave, Your Majesty,” Cain said. DG glanced at him, surprised at the new level of seriousness in him. Certainly this was on-the-job Cain. She knew then she'd get no hug goodbye.
The Queen nodded. She turned to her daughter, embraced her. She seemed not to notice Azkadellia's robe on DG's shoulders, hastily buttoned. “My Angel,” she whispered in her daughter's ear. “Do not give your poor tutor too much trouble.”
DG laughed, thinking this an odd request. “Yes, Mother. I'll see you soon.”
The Queen nodded. “Captain, we will be ready to leave shortly.” She allowed Ahamo to lead her out the front doors, her white mare waiting, ready to be mounted. Both Cain and DG watched after her parents, before he turned back to her. He put his hat on his head, adjusted it.
“I'll see you in a few days,” he said. He watched her. How could her blue eyes seem so wide? She looked so vulnerable, but he knew that she was far from it. She was nodding at him, but her mouth was caught in a frown. “And don't look so miserable.” His eyes were on her mouth.
DG closed her eyes, pursed her lips, chewed them from the inside. She felt his hand on her shoulder, but when she opened her eyes again, he'd turned and was walking out of the doors. From the dim light of the foyer, she watched him mount his horse from the ground, call out an order to his men. Ahamo watched from the steps as his wife and daughter rode away, in the company and under the protection of armed soldiers.
Ambrose came to join DG in the ever lightening entryway. He'd caught the way DG had stared at Cain's back as he walked away without turning around. Watched now as her mouth stood slightly ajar, as she watched the figures shrinking into the distance towards the maze.
“Its too early to look at someone like that,” he said as he stopped beside her. When she looked at him, he was watching her with a smug, knowing look, which quickly turned into a full, Glitchy grin. He gestured his chin towards the stairs. “You should go back to bed.”
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