To Rule The Zones, 19/19.
Title: To Rule The Zones (Edge of Dawn Sequel)
Author: Eustacia Vye
Author's e-mail: eustacia_vye28@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: The Wizard of Oz belongs to Frank Baum and all of the modifications belong to SciFi.
Rating: NC-17 for language and lovingly rendered sex.
Pairing: DG/Cain, Azkadellia/OMCx2
Warnings: This takes place after the SciFi movie and after my story "The Edge of Dawn." This does refer to events occurring within that story, so you need to read that one first.
Summary: DG wanted to start a war with Lurlaine in the Mirror Zone. Little did she realize that it would lead to a war in the OZ as well...
Prior chapters can be found here.
You know what? There has been no smut at all in the past several chapters. Let's add some. :)
"Well, you look upset about something."
DG looked up at Cain. "Am I supposed to be happy about my sister being trapped somewhere for all of eternity and hating herself? I missed that in those awful OZ protocol lectures my mother threw at me, sorry."
Cain lofted an eyebrow at her sarcasm. "Is this one of those times where it's better to leave you alone to sulk? Or should I just follow my instincts and tell you that you're not being fair?"
DG threw a pillow at him. "Stop being so fucking reasonable! I'm never going to see her again!"
"Who says?" Cain asked as he caught the pillow. "Time is strange. Who says you can't just make a portal to the Mirror Zone that somehow goes backward in time?"
She threw out her lower lip in an epic pout. "I don't know how to fix this. If it was an engine, I'd just take it all apart and put it back together from scratch. Then I'd know it worked properly." She grabbed another pillow from the bed and covered her face with it. "But oh, right. Crown Princess. Mustn't get my hands dirty."
Cain had been undressing for bed during the conversation between DG and Azkadellia. He strode back across the room and pulled the pillow off of DG's face. "Do you need the same pep talk that she did? What happened to knowing people?"
DG pushed at his chest as he hovered over her. "Don't throw my own words at me, Wyatt. That's not fair."
"Who said I'd be fair?" he teased. He lowered himself on top of her and kissed her thoroughly. "It's been a long time since we've been alone together for more than five minutes, and definitely a long time since we've done more than sleep in this bed."
"War outside," DG pointed out.
"But not in here," Cain replied, pulling back far enough to lock his gaze to hers. "And if we lose sight of why we're fighting, it won't end."
"You're being reasonable again," DG accused playfully.
Cain couldn't help but smile. "Someone has to be in this relationship, darlin'," he drawled. It put a smile back on her face. "There we go. That's what I wanted to see."
"I love you, Wyatt," DG murmured, cupping his face in her hands. "So much it's scary."
He knew what it was like to lose someone. He knew exactly what she meant. "I love you, Dorothy Gale," Cain murmured, using her entire first name. He turned his head to kiss her palms, one after the other. "Even your magic." He leaned forward so that she had to move her hands. He then kissed her forehead, just beneath her coronet. "Even your crown." He pulled back to grin at her. "Even your family. All of you."
Cain braced himself with one arm as he leaned down to kiss her. DG opened her mouth beneath his, her tongue sliding out to touch his. They kissed, savoring the feel of each other. It had been far too long. Even parting their mouths for breath was too much. "Wyatt," she whimpered as his mouth crashed back over hers. "I love you," she moaned. "I love you so much."
Cain traced the curve of her jaw with his free hand, then the rise of her breast. DG arched into his touch, the thin fabric of her dress doing nothing to lessen the feel of his touch. Cain ran his fingers around her breast, the tips of his fingers brushing tantalizingly over her nipple. His tongue dove deeper into her mouth when she gasped, and a light pinch had her moaning against him again. He moved his hand down along the stays of the dress, and DG moved her hands from his back to yank up the skirt of her dress. He laughed against her mouth, and she smiled against his lips. There was no need for speech now; they had ached for each other for far too long, and they weren't going to waste this moment with words. He found her thighs, then traced his way to her center. His fingers slipped inside, where she was already damp. She gasped as she kissed him, hot and open. DG threw her head back when his thumb brushed over her clit. Her hips tilted to give him better access, to let him move his fingers deeper inside of her, and she clawed at his back as the pleasure mounted.
When she came, Cain plunged deeply inside of her. He moved quickly, pumping into her, and she pulled at his hips with her hands. She tilted her hips, trying to have him drive even deeper into her, eyes shut and head thrown back as she moaned in pleasure. DG might have said something as her hands tightened around his hips - more, yes, please, Wyatt, there, yes, oh yes, right there - but Cain groaned when he found his release. She was close to orgasm, teetering on another edge she hadn't realized existed, and a few more agonizing thrusts had her falling into another climax.
Tangled up in each other, DG could only smile. "You always did know how to calm me down."
Grinning, he gave her coronet a swat. "Brat."
"Yeah, well... Tension, you know? That's a bad thing."
"Terrible," Cain agreed, using the same mockingly grave tone DG was using.
They lay there together, their heartbeats slowing down. "I need to end this war, Wyatt."
"Yes, you do. It's more than time. Siba could never have defeated your magic or the Shadow Brigade, and he never would have given up."
DG threaded her hands through Cain's hair. "In the morning, I'm going to end the blockade. I want you to take your men to Green Harbor, Ruby Gulch and Caronet. Arrest the nobles and bring all of their courts to Central City. They all go on trial."
They both knew that they would be found guilty of treason, then executed.
"It will end up all right. You know it will."
Her fingers tightened a fraction in his hair. "We'll make sure it does. Together."
***
DG had a point, and Azkadellia woke the next morning sure of it. She left the castle wearing her own clothing and Ozma's locket. Her locket, now. The O and Z on it could remind her of the Outer Zone, where she had come from and what she should never be. Callan and Della would make sure she would be all right. She trusted them more than she trusted herself.
Various courtiers and the Unseelie Court had remained in the wake of Lurlaine's execution. Her allies had already been killed or run to ground, and Azkadellia already knew she couldn't allow any uprising in the wake of this war. She issued a pardon to all courtiers following Lurlaine's direction, and planned to reorganize the Unseelie and Seelie Courts into a single one that would meet with her regularly. As disconcerted as she felt, that move seemed to disconcert all of the courtiers even more. Most didn't know what to do with themselves now.
Azkadellia gathered them all on the open green field near the castle. In a loud, clear voice, she began to speak. "I want all of you to take everything out of the castle that has any kind of value. If it's monetary or emotionally valuable, take it out. We'll put it into storage while we tear down this castle and build a new one." She ignored the disquiet and shock that rolled through the people around her. "I want to interview all of the architects and master builders you can find, and we will design a new palace. Everything is going to be new from here on out. It's going to be different, and I want that to be reflected in the palace."
You'll be all right, my dear, Aliana told her. We're with you. We'll help you, just as everyone else will once they understand what you're doing.
You are more than strong enough, Cliara said with a nod. You are our third, of course. Did you really think that we would allow someone weak to combine with us? That we would take this kind of trouble for just anyone?
Amused, Azkadellia looked up at the cloud cover that she hadn't removed yet. "Once all the Nightwalkers have returned to the Glorious Pale, the Dawn can return to the Sanctuary."
Everyone scurried away to do as Azkadellia bid. She looked over the greenery, at the flowing river just beyond it, the boundary between the Sanctuary and the rest of the Mirror Zone. It reminded her of the fields in the OZ between Central City and the Gray Gale. Things were just a little bit different, like looking at a memory from childhood through the distortions of time. It wasn't the same as it used to be, and it never would.
This was her place now. This was where she belonged.
"You'll be fine," Della promised, sliding into place beside her. Callan was on her other side, and dropped his head down onto her shoulder. "Everything is starting over. You, too."
Some part of her would always be afraid. She had to be alert to that possibility, that the cruelty she had been capable of would return. She had to be sure she was worthy of this, that she would indeed be a beneficial ruler.
Her magic crackled beneath her skin. It was soothing and unfamiliar at once; this extra magic in her still had to settle into place. Maybe that was why she was so unsettled? Another thing to worry about, another thing that could go wrong.
Callan slid his arms around her waist. "Maybe Ozma did have one thing right, though."
"What are you talking about?" Della asked, brows knit. "She obviously didn't have much going on upstairs."
"Yes, well. She liked to travel. She liked getting to know people that way." Callan straighted up and moved to face Azkadellia's curious gaze. "I think we need to travel. Not like she does, of course. But if this is going to be new for everyone, then this is your chance to get to know the land you're ruling. You'd learn what each area needs, what they want, what kind of people they are. Then you'd really know if you have cause to be worried or not."
Della was impressed. "Sometimes you outdo yourself, Benji."
Azkadellia leaned forward and kissed him soundly on the mouth. "I like the sound of that. We can do that right away, while they're rebuilding the castle. When we get back, every trace of Lurlaine and whatever she did will be gone."
Linking arms through theirs, Azkadellia couldn't help but smile. Callan and Della would help her through this; DG was right about that part.
Maybe it wasn't too much to hope for, after all.
***
The trials for the traitorous palace guards had been private. The trials for Siba and all of his co-conspirators were public, taking place in the open square in the very heart of Central City. The guards and Shadow Brigade members were in force, keeping the peace along with the Central City tin men. As much as DG had been tempted to keep it private with a public announcement afterward, she knew it would be best this way.
The people needed to look into the faces of the notable traitors, they needed to hear why he had done it, why he had forced the terrible months upon them. They needed to know that the Crown Princess would be fair and would demand justice.
Justice and fairness weren't always mutually exclusive, and she had to show that she knew the difference between them.
Siba went on trial first, as the one to first defect from the nobility's ranks. He was clearly mad, howling at the people around him and the chains that bound him in place on the raised platform in front of the royal dais. He struggled against them, teeth bared, spittle flying from his lips. His eyes were wide and bloodshot, seeing almost nothing but the Gales themselves.
"You are accused of treason," the court reporter said. "What is your answer to this charge?"
"This world is mine!" he shouted. "I hear your Slipper magic. I hear you, whispering in the walls and tapping on the floors. I know what you're doing, putting teeth in the dark and making it tear away my people. I see them, I know them for what they are!" He bared his teeth at DG and the Queen. DG faced him head on, but the Queen shrank back toward Ahamo in terror. "Oh yes, I know you. I know what you're doing. I'm the only true ruler of the OZ, and you know it. They know it, but they live in fear of you. They're afraid of the teeth in the dark, of the screaming on the water and they know you've done it. You've done it to keep them small and afraid. But this world is mine, and I will rule it! I will break your back to take it if I have to!"
DG rose from her seat on the dais, her coronet heavy on her head. She turned to the court reporter, ignoring the rest of Siba's diatribe. "This will be a 'yes' to your question," DG said with a firm nod. "Please proceed. The people are upset, and so is my mother."
There were whispers all around, pitying looks for the Queen and wonder at the calm that DG was displaying. The poor people of Green Harbor, to have had a madman in charge all this time. He had seemed so sane once. And to think, the people had once thought he was a worthy suitor for their Crown Princess.
All of Siba's advisors were put to trial, as were the barons of Ruby Gulch and Caronet and their advisors. The members of all three minor courts were guilty. The court reporter took down every word faithfully, and everyone looked to the Queen at the close of the trial.
Shaking, the Queen rose to her feet. DG did as well. Ahamo and Cain stood, but were a half step behind the Gale women. They weren't the rulers, and they weren't the ones who had pass official judgment on the traitors.
"You are all guilty of treason to the Crown and the House of Gale," the Queen said, her voice louder and more confident than she felt. "You are hereby sentenced to execution."
Most of the crowd nodded in agreement. Some seemed more stunned that it was the Queen who had pronounced the sentence.
"In addition," the Queen continued. DG could see her hands shaking, but this had to be done. DG couldn't do it for her. "All of the county lands are hereby seized and returned to the Crown until further notice. All heirs of the current barons that were not involved are disinherited but not accused of treason at this time. There will be no claim upon the lands by any heirs."
There was silence, then the whispering amongst the people began again. DG resisted the urge to tell them to shut up; her mother just needed a bit of courage to continue, but she wasn't finished just yet.
"The people of Green Harbor, Ruby Gulch and Caronet may elect amongst themselves someone they find worthy of ruling over them. They have the next month to decide and send their delegates to Central City. At that time, I will award the barony to their delegate." The Queen looked over the crowds, which were stunned to silence. "As much as these recent events have pained me and my family, I am proud of our people. You have shown great strength and resilience. I thank you for your patience and loyalty." She smiled at the crowd, looking over as many of the people as she could. "In the name of our family, the entire House of Gale bids you blessings on this day."
"And may the Suns continue to shine!" the crowd replied in the traditional echo.
The war was over.
***
The two weeks after the trials consisted of constant dinners and dances and public appearances to solidify the view that the royal house was stable and happy now that the threat to their rule was over. All of the traitors had been hung then decapitated, their bodies buried in a communal grave far outside Central City. Their families were dispossessed, and apparently there were many debates in the three counties regarding their future rule. In two weeks, new barons would be named and entitled, and things would have settled into a normal routine.
And four months after that, DG was going to be married.
"I have a way to keep the both of you in the same time frame," Ine'che said during one of DG's magic lessons. She was instantly alert, which made Ataio smother a laugh.
"Well? What is it?"
"Your communications have tied you both to the same moment in time. The magic connects you both, until you break it." Ine'che smiled. "I'm surprised you haven't thought of this yourself, Dorothy Gale. You've made other intuitive leaps of magical theory."
"You mean, I just keep a portal open the entire time she's visiting?"
"She can come to conclusions," Ataio said, lips quirked into a smile. "And you thought she wouldn't think of it."
DG made a face at both of them. "Well, of course I have to test this out. You know that, right?"
"Not to mention, figure out a way to anchor the portals so that they do not require your concentration all the time," Ataio pointed out. "And do not assume that either of us will do the task for you," he warned sternly. "There is enough for us to think of as it is."
They were in her sitting room. It was as good a place as any to try anchoring a portal to the Mirror Zone. What was a little warping and bending of reality?
DG tried to picture Azkadellia in a safe place at a time close to the last time they spoke. That was her intent; her magic would find the precise moment to begin anchoring the portal lines.
There.
She began weaving the portal, trying to anchor the threads into the floor and ceiling of her sitting room. It was like trying to make gossamer threads like steel, which was difficult enough to do with actual thread, let alone threads made up of magic. She couldn't ask Ine'che or Ataio for help on this one. They were her teachers and advisors, but ultimately she had to be able to do this on her own. She couldn't rely on them for everything.
Before her eyes, the air seemed to shimmer. While the shimmer effect didn't fade, the image coming through it became clear. It slowly became more solid, and DG could see that it was the sitting room of another suite. Azkadellia's back was to the portal, and she looked to be reading a book while sitting on a reclining chair.
DG pictured the anchors like cables on a bridge. She thought of her magic in more colorful and graphic terms than anyone else around her did, but she was an artist. It shouldn't have been a surprise, really. Building the portal was almost like mentally painting a canvas of what she wanted to create, and it came into existence layer by layer.
When the portal seemed to be solid enough, DG went through it. As Azkadellia turned around, DG slipped her hands over her sister's eyes. "Guess who?"
"Deeg?" Azkadellia cried, startled. The book slid off of her lap as she half turned to see her grinning sister and the portal behind her. "What's going on?"
"The war's over in the OZ, too, you know." DG perched on the edge of Azkadellia's chair and noted that she was in a loose dressing gown. "Were you going to go to bed?"
"It's the late afternoon here," Azkadellia said, shaking her head and smiling. She stood up and waved at Ataio and Ine'che through the portal. "So what's the occasion?"
"Testing things before the wedding." DG grinned at Azkadellia. "If I can keep that thing open the entire time either one of us is crossed over to the other Zone, the weird time things shouldn't happen. We can easily visit and not lose track of things."
Azkadellia laughed delightedly. "That's a wonderful idea, Deeg."
"Yeah, well, think of this as the calm before the storm. Mom's got pink and lavender and gold everywhere, the cooks are redoing the menu again, the baker doesn't think the cake he designed is good enough..." DG trailed off when she noticed something just a little bit off about Azkadellia's stance. "Are you okay?"
"Just tired," Azkadellia said, waving off DG's concern. But DG poked at Azkadellia's side with a frown, and she twisted away. "Hey! Stop that!"
"Az!" DG cried, hopping off of the recliner's arm. "Are you pregnant?!"
She gave her sister a rueful smile. "I was waiting for a good time to tell you."
DG wrapped Azkadellia into a bear hug. "Oh, that's wonderful. Mom will flip. Two babies to talk about! Yours and Ine'che's," she added at Azkadellia's confusion.
"She'll want you started next," Azkadellia teased.
She snorted and gave Azkadellia a dismissive wave. "One disastrous monstrosity of an event at a time. Can you imagine Mom decorating a nursery for me? No thanks. I'll do it myself. Lots of practical things instead of things that look ready to break just looking at them." DG grinned and tugged on Azkadellia's hand. "Come on, come on. How far along? When am I going to be an auntie? Do you know which one's the father?"
Azkadellia only laughed at DG's enthusiasm. Some things would never change. "Two months along, so the baby will be here after the wedding. We don't know and we don't care. It doesn't change a thing."
DG was nearly bouncing up and down with excitement. "Oh! I have to try and keep this portal open the entire time! I don't want to miss a moment of being an auntie just because the time gets wonky between our two Zones."
Azkadellia went to the portal and touched its shimmering edge. The two sleeping Practitioners in her mind tested the threads and were content with its strength. "It'll last a while, we think. Maybe not the entire pregnancy, but maybe until the wedding."
"Good enough," DG squealed happily. "I want you there, of course. Say you'll help to contain Mom and Dad? It's going to be frilly. It's going to be all royal and crap, and I need someone sane to help me contain them."
"You're calling me sane?" Azkadellia asked, startled.
"Sure. More than Mom when it comes to this sort of thing," DG said easily. She linked her arm through Azkadellia's, much as they used to do when they were children. "We're a united front on this, aren't we Az?" she asked.
Azkadellia could almost see DG's open, childish face superimposed over her current one. It was almost as if they hadn't lost fifteen annuals at all.
She smiled and patted DG's arm fondly. "Of course we are. And we'll have to invite my court, of course. It will be really bad form to have them all walking through our bedrooms, but I'm sure we can make a few smaller ones in more appropriate places."
Ataio nodded at them through the portal. "You already have one connection in place. It should be easy enough to create more."
"But not you Dorothy Gale," Ine'che cautioned. "The rest of us should do those portals, so that you don't overtax your magic skill and rupture this one." She smoothed her dress over her own rounded belly. The next generation of wyvern would be born soon enough, probably close to the same time as the next generation of Gale.
Ataio rested his hand on her arm as the two sisters began to talk. "We should let them catch up. It appears to have been some time for Azkadellia."
"The Mirror Zone generally moves faster than this one," Ine'che agreed. "I think our lessons are done for the day. We can retire together until dinner."
He clasped her hand tightly in his. "I would like that," he murmured, then pressed his lips to her temple in a loving gesture. "You need rest as well."
Her lips curled into a sensuous smile. "I wasn't thinking of rest, Ataio."
He couldn't help but laugh. "No? Very well, then. Show me what your plan includes."
These Zones were safe enough, Ataio decided. Both of the Gale sisters had found their place and accepted their roles in it. The details would sort themselves out, and he would be entertained by watching the sisters grow into the Queens that they were meant to be. They were family, after a fashion, and now he was going to have another one with Ine'che.
Strange, the way life turned out when you weren't planning it. It was definitely more fun than he thought it could be, and worth participating in.
Everything was starting anew. Ataio couldn't wait to watch it all unfold.
The End.
Author: Eustacia Vye
Author's e-mail: eustacia_vye28@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: The Wizard of Oz belongs to Frank Baum and all of the modifications belong to SciFi.
Rating: NC-17 for language and lovingly rendered sex.
Pairing: DG/Cain, Azkadellia/OMCx2
Warnings: This takes place after the SciFi movie and after my story "The Edge of Dawn." This does refer to events occurring within that story, so you need to read that one first.
Summary: DG wanted to start a war with Lurlaine in the Mirror Zone. Little did she realize that it would lead to a war in the OZ as well...
Prior chapters can be found here.
You know what? There has been no smut at all in the past several chapters. Let's add some. :)
"Well, you look upset about something."
DG looked up at Cain. "Am I supposed to be happy about my sister being trapped somewhere for all of eternity and hating herself? I missed that in those awful OZ protocol lectures my mother threw at me, sorry."
Cain lofted an eyebrow at her sarcasm. "Is this one of those times where it's better to leave you alone to sulk? Or should I just follow my instincts and tell you that you're not being fair?"
DG threw a pillow at him. "Stop being so fucking reasonable! I'm never going to see her again!"
"Who says?" Cain asked as he caught the pillow. "Time is strange. Who says you can't just make a portal to the Mirror Zone that somehow goes backward in time?"
She threw out her lower lip in an epic pout. "I don't know how to fix this. If it was an engine, I'd just take it all apart and put it back together from scratch. Then I'd know it worked properly." She grabbed another pillow from the bed and covered her face with it. "But oh, right. Crown Princess. Mustn't get my hands dirty."
Cain had been undressing for bed during the conversation between DG and Azkadellia. He strode back across the room and pulled the pillow off of DG's face. "Do you need the same pep talk that she did? What happened to knowing people?"
DG pushed at his chest as he hovered over her. "Don't throw my own words at me, Wyatt. That's not fair."
"Who said I'd be fair?" he teased. He lowered himself on top of her and kissed her thoroughly. "It's been a long time since we've been alone together for more than five minutes, and definitely a long time since we've done more than sleep in this bed."
"War outside," DG pointed out.
"But not in here," Cain replied, pulling back far enough to lock his gaze to hers. "And if we lose sight of why we're fighting, it won't end."
"You're being reasonable again," DG accused playfully.
Cain couldn't help but smile. "Someone has to be in this relationship, darlin'," he drawled. It put a smile back on her face. "There we go. That's what I wanted to see."
"I love you, Wyatt," DG murmured, cupping his face in her hands. "So much it's scary."
He knew what it was like to lose someone. He knew exactly what she meant. "I love you, Dorothy Gale," Cain murmured, using her entire first name. He turned his head to kiss her palms, one after the other. "Even your magic." He leaned forward so that she had to move her hands. He then kissed her forehead, just beneath her coronet. "Even your crown." He pulled back to grin at her. "Even your family. All of you."
Cain braced himself with one arm as he leaned down to kiss her. DG opened her mouth beneath his, her tongue sliding out to touch his. They kissed, savoring the feel of each other. It had been far too long. Even parting their mouths for breath was too much. "Wyatt," she whimpered as his mouth crashed back over hers. "I love you," she moaned. "I love you so much."
Cain traced the curve of her jaw with his free hand, then the rise of her breast. DG arched into his touch, the thin fabric of her dress doing nothing to lessen the feel of his touch. Cain ran his fingers around her breast, the tips of his fingers brushing tantalizingly over her nipple. His tongue dove deeper into her mouth when she gasped, and a light pinch had her moaning against him again. He moved his hand down along the stays of the dress, and DG moved her hands from his back to yank up the skirt of her dress. He laughed against her mouth, and she smiled against his lips. There was no need for speech now; they had ached for each other for far too long, and they weren't going to waste this moment with words. He found her thighs, then traced his way to her center. His fingers slipped inside, where she was already damp. She gasped as she kissed him, hot and open. DG threw her head back when his thumb brushed over her clit. Her hips tilted to give him better access, to let him move his fingers deeper inside of her, and she clawed at his back as the pleasure mounted.
When she came, Cain plunged deeply inside of her. He moved quickly, pumping into her, and she pulled at his hips with her hands. She tilted her hips, trying to have him drive even deeper into her, eyes shut and head thrown back as she moaned in pleasure. DG might have said something as her hands tightened around his hips - more, yes, please, Wyatt, there, yes, oh yes, right there - but Cain groaned when he found his release. She was close to orgasm, teetering on another edge she hadn't realized existed, and a few more agonizing thrusts had her falling into another climax.
Tangled up in each other, DG could only smile. "You always did know how to calm me down."
Grinning, he gave her coronet a swat. "Brat."
"Yeah, well... Tension, you know? That's a bad thing."
"Terrible," Cain agreed, using the same mockingly grave tone DG was using.
They lay there together, their heartbeats slowing down. "I need to end this war, Wyatt."
"Yes, you do. It's more than time. Siba could never have defeated your magic or the Shadow Brigade, and he never would have given up."
DG threaded her hands through Cain's hair. "In the morning, I'm going to end the blockade. I want you to take your men to Green Harbor, Ruby Gulch and Caronet. Arrest the nobles and bring all of their courts to Central City. They all go on trial."
They both knew that they would be found guilty of treason, then executed.
"It will end up all right. You know it will."
Her fingers tightened a fraction in his hair. "We'll make sure it does. Together."
***
DG had a point, and Azkadellia woke the next morning sure of it. She left the castle wearing her own clothing and Ozma's locket. Her locket, now. The O and Z on it could remind her of the Outer Zone, where she had come from and what she should never be. Callan and Della would make sure she would be all right. She trusted them more than she trusted herself.
Various courtiers and the Unseelie Court had remained in the wake of Lurlaine's execution. Her allies had already been killed or run to ground, and Azkadellia already knew she couldn't allow any uprising in the wake of this war. She issued a pardon to all courtiers following Lurlaine's direction, and planned to reorganize the Unseelie and Seelie Courts into a single one that would meet with her regularly. As disconcerted as she felt, that move seemed to disconcert all of the courtiers even more. Most didn't know what to do with themselves now.
Azkadellia gathered them all on the open green field near the castle. In a loud, clear voice, she began to speak. "I want all of you to take everything out of the castle that has any kind of value. If it's monetary or emotionally valuable, take it out. We'll put it into storage while we tear down this castle and build a new one." She ignored the disquiet and shock that rolled through the people around her. "I want to interview all of the architects and master builders you can find, and we will design a new palace. Everything is going to be new from here on out. It's going to be different, and I want that to be reflected in the palace."
You'll be all right, my dear, Aliana told her. We're with you. We'll help you, just as everyone else will once they understand what you're doing.
You are more than strong enough, Cliara said with a nod. You are our third, of course. Did you really think that we would allow someone weak to combine with us? That we would take this kind of trouble for just anyone?
Amused, Azkadellia looked up at the cloud cover that she hadn't removed yet. "Once all the Nightwalkers have returned to the Glorious Pale, the Dawn can return to the Sanctuary."
Everyone scurried away to do as Azkadellia bid. She looked over the greenery, at the flowing river just beyond it, the boundary between the Sanctuary and the rest of the Mirror Zone. It reminded her of the fields in the OZ between Central City and the Gray Gale. Things were just a little bit different, like looking at a memory from childhood through the distortions of time. It wasn't the same as it used to be, and it never would.
This was her place now. This was where she belonged.
"You'll be fine," Della promised, sliding into place beside her. Callan was on her other side, and dropped his head down onto her shoulder. "Everything is starting over. You, too."
Some part of her would always be afraid. She had to be alert to that possibility, that the cruelty she had been capable of would return. She had to be sure she was worthy of this, that she would indeed be a beneficial ruler.
Her magic crackled beneath her skin. It was soothing and unfamiliar at once; this extra magic in her still had to settle into place. Maybe that was why she was so unsettled? Another thing to worry about, another thing that could go wrong.
Callan slid his arms around her waist. "Maybe Ozma did have one thing right, though."
"What are you talking about?" Della asked, brows knit. "She obviously didn't have much going on upstairs."
"Yes, well. She liked to travel. She liked getting to know people that way." Callan straighted up and moved to face Azkadellia's curious gaze. "I think we need to travel. Not like she does, of course. But if this is going to be new for everyone, then this is your chance to get to know the land you're ruling. You'd learn what each area needs, what they want, what kind of people they are. Then you'd really know if you have cause to be worried or not."
Della was impressed. "Sometimes you outdo yourself, Benji."
Azkadellia leaned forward and kissed him soundly on the mouth. "I like the sound of that. We can do that right away, while they're rebuilding the castle. When we get back, every trace of Lurlaine and whatever she did will be gone."
Linking arms through theirs, Azkadellia couldn't help but smile. Callan and Della would help her through this; DG was right about that part.
Maybe it wasn't too much to hope for, after all.
***
The trials for the traitorous palace guards had been private. The trials for Siba and all of his co-conspirators were public, taking place in the open square in the very heart of Central City. The guards and Shadow Brigade members were in force, keeping the peace along with the Central City tin men. As much as DG had been tempted to keep it private with a public announcement afterward, she knew it would be best this way.
The people needed to look into the faces of the notable traitors, they needed to hear why he had done it, why he had forced the terrible months upon them. They needed to know that the Crown Princess would be fair and would demand justice.
Justice and fairness weren't always mutually exclusive, and she had to show that she knew the difference between them.
Siba went on trial first, as the one to first defect from the nobility's ranks. He was clearly mad, howling at the people around him and the chains that bound him in place on the raised platform in front of the royal dais. He struggled against them, teeth bared, spittle flying from his lips. His eyes were wide and bloodshot, seeing almost nothing but the Gales themselves.
"You are accused of treason," the court reporter said. "What is your answer to this charge?"
"This world is mine!" he shouted. "I hear your Slipper magic. I hear you, whispering in the walls and tapping on the floors. I know what you're doing, putting teeth in the dark and making it tear away my people. I see them, I know them for what they are!" He bared his teeth at DG and the Queen. DG faced him head on, but the Queen shrank back toward Ahamo in terror. "Oh yes, I know you. I know what you're doing. I'm the only true ruler of the OZ, and you know it. They know it, but they live in fear of you. They're afraid of the teeth in the dark, of the screaming on the water and they know you've done it. You've done it to keep them small and afraid. But this world is mine, and I will rule it! I will break your back to take it if I have to!"
DG rose from her seat on the dais, her coronet heavy on her head. She turned to the court reporter, ignoring the rest of Siba's diatribe. "This will be a 'yes' to your question," DG said with a firm nod. "Please proceed. The people are upset, and so is my mother."
There were whispers all around, pitying looks for the Queen and wonder at the calm that DG was displaying. The poor people of Green Harbor, to have had a madman in charge all this time. He had seemed so sane once. And to think, the people had once thought he was a worthy suitor for their Crown Princess.
All of Siba's advisors were put to trial, as were the barons of Ruby Gulch and Caronet and their advisors. The members of all three minor courts were guilty. The court reporter took down every word faithfully, and everyone looked to the Queen at the close of the trial.
Shaking, the Queen rose to her feet. DG did as well. Ahamo and Cain stood, but were a half step behind the Gale women. They weren't the rulers, and they weren't the ones who had pass official judgment on the traitors.
"You are all guilty of treason to the Crown and the House of Gale," the Queen said, her voice louder and more confident than she felt. "You are hereby sentenced to execution."
Most of the crowd nodded in agreement. Some seemed more stunned that it was the Queen who had pronounced the sentence.
"In addition," the Queen continued. DG could see her hands shaking, but this had to be done. DG couldn't do it for her. "All of the county lands are hereby seized and returned to the Crown until further notice. All heirs of the current barons that were not involved are disinherited but not accused of treason at this time. There will be no claim upon the lands by any heirs."
There was silence, then the whispering amongst the people began again. DG resisted the urge to tell them to shut up; her mother just needed a bit of courage to continue, but she wasn't finished just yet.
"The people of Green Harbor, Ruby Gulch and Caronet may elect amongst themselves someone they find worthy of ruling over them. They have the next month to decide and send their delegates to Central City. At that time, I will award the barony to their delegate." The Queen looked over the crowds, which were stunned to silence. "As much as these recent events have pained me and my family, I am proud of our people. You have shown great strength and resilience. I thank you for your patience and loyalty." She smiled at the crowd, looking over as many of the people as she could. "In the name of our family, the entire House of Gale bids you blessings on this day."
"And may the Suns continue to shine!" the crowd replied in the traditional echo.
The war was over.
***
The two weeks after the trials consisted of constant dinners and dances and public appearances to solidify the view that the royal house was stable and happy now that the threat to their rule was over. All of the traitors had been hung then decapitated, their bodies buried in a communal grave far outside Central City. Their families were dispossessed, and apparently there were many debates in the three counties regarding their future rule. In two weeks, new barons would be named and entitled, and things would have settled into a normal routine.
And four months after that, DG was going to be married.
"I have a way to keep the both of you in the same time frame," Ine'che said during one of DG's magic lessons. She was instantly alert, which made Ataio smother a laugh.
"Well? What is it?"
"Your communications have tied you both to the same moment in time. The magic connects you both, until you break it." Ine'che smiled. "I'm surprised you haven't thought of this yourself, Dorothy Gale. You've made other intuitive leaps of magical theory."
"You mean, I just keep a portal open the entire time she's visiting?"
"She can come to conclusions," Ataio said, lips quirked into a smile. "And you thought she wouldn't think of it."
DG made a face at both of them. "Well, of course I have to test this out. You know that, right?"
"Not to mention, figure out a way to anchor the portals so that they do not require your concentration all the time," Ataio pointed out. "And do not assume that either of us will do the task for you," he warned sternly. "There is enough for us to think of as it is."
They were in her sitting room. It was as good a place as any to try anchoring a portal to the Mirror Zone. What was a little warping and bending of reality?
DG tried to picture Azkadellia in a safe place at a time close to the last time they spoke. That was her intent; her magic would find the precise moment to begin anchoring the portal lines.
There.
She began weaving the portal, trying to anchor the threads into the floor and ceiling of her sitting room. It was like trying to make gossamer threads like steel, which was difficult enough to do with actual thread, let alone threads made up of magic. She couldn't ask Ine'che or Ataio for help on this one. They were her teachers and advisors, but ultimately she had to be able to do this on her own. She couldn't rely on them for everything.
Before her eyes, the air seemed to shimmer. While the shimmer effect didn't fade, the image coming through it became clear. It slowly became more solid, and DG could see that it was the sitting room of another suite. Azkadellia's back was to the portal, and she looked to be reading a book while sitting on a reclining chair.
DG pictured the anchors like cables on a bridge. She thought of her magic in more colorful and graphic terms than anyone else around her did, but she was an artist. It shouldn't have been a surprise, really. Building the portal was almost like mentally painting a canvas of what she wanted to create, and it came into existence layer by layer.
When the portal seemed to be solid enough, DG went through it. As Azkadellia turned around, DG slipped her hands over her sister's eyes. "Guess who?"
"Deeg?" Azkadellia cried, startled. The book slid off of her lap as she half turned to see her grinning sister and the portal behind her. "What's going on?"
"The war's over in the OZ, too, you know." DG perched on the edge of Azkadellia's chair and noted that she was in a loose dressing gown. "Were you going to go to bed?"
"It's the late afternoon here," Azkadellia said, shaking her head and smiling. She stood up and waved at Ataio and Ine'che through the portal. "So what's the occasion?"
"Testing things before the wedding." DG grinned at Azkadellia. "If I can keep that thing open the entire time either one of us is crossed over to the other Zone, the weird time things shouldn't happen. We can easily visit and not lose track of things."
Azkadellia laughed delightedly. "That's a wonderful idea, Deeg."
"Yeah, well, think of this as the calm before the storm. Mom's got pink and lavender and gold everywhere, the cooks are redoing the menu again, the baker doesn't think the cake he designed is good enough..." DG trailed off when she noticed something just a little bit off about Azkadellia's stance. "Are you okay?"
"Just tired," Azkadellia said, waving off DG's concern. But DG poked at Azkadellia's side with a frown, and she twisted away. "Hey! Stop that!"
"Az!" DG cried, hopping off of the recliner's arm. "Are you pregnant?!"
She gave her sister a rueful smile. "I was waiting for a good time to tell you."
DG wrapped Azkadellia into a bear hug. "Oh, that's wonderful. Mom will flip. Two babies to talk about! Yours and Ine'che's," she added at Azkadellia's confusion.
"She'll want you started next," Azkadellia teased.
She snorted and gave Azkadellia a dismissive wave. "One disastrous monstrosity of an event at a time. Can you imagine Mom decorating a nursery for me? No thanks. I'll do it myself. Lots of practical things instead of things that look ready to break just looking at them." DG grinned and tugged on Azkadellia's hand. "Come on, come on. How far along? When am I going to be an auntie? Do you know which one's the father?"
Azkadellia only laughed at DG's enthusiasm. Some things would never change. "Two months along, so the baby will be here after the wedding. We don't know and we don't care. It doesn't change a thing."
DG was nearly bouncing up and down with excitement. "Oh! I have to try and keep this portal open the entire time! I don't want to miss a moment of being an auntie just because the time gets wonky between our two Zones."
Azkadellia went to the portal and touched its shimmering edge. The two sleeping Practitioners in her mind tested the threads and were content with its strength. "It'll last a while, we think. Maybe not the entire pregnancy, but maybe until the wedding."
"Good enough," DG squealed happily. "I want you there, of course. Say you'll help to contain Mom and Dad? It's going to be frilly. It's going to be all royal and crap, and I need someone sane to help me contain them."
"You're calling me sane?" Azkadellia asked, startled.
"Sure. More than Mom when it comes to this sort of thing," DG said easily. She linked her arm through Azkadellia's, much as they used to do when they were children. "We're a united front on this, aren't we Az?" she asked.
Azkadellia could almost see DG's open, childish face superimposed over her current one. It was almost as if they hadn't lost fifteen annuals at all.
She smiled and patted DG's arm fondly. "Of course we are. And we'll have to invite my court, of course. It will be really bad form to have them all walking through our bedrooms, but I'm sure we can make a few smaller ones in more appropriate places."
Ataio nodded at them through the portal. "You already have one connection in place. It should be easy enough to create more."
"But not you Dorothy Gale," Ine'che cautioned. "The rest of us should do those portals, so that you don't overtax your magic skill and rupture this one." She smoothed her dress over her own rounded belly. The next generation of wyvern would be born soon enough, probably close to the same time as the next generation of Gale.
Ataio rested his hand on her arm as the two sisters began to talk. "We should let them catch up. It appears to have been some time for Azkadellia."
"The Mirror Zone generally moves faster than this one," Ine'che agreed. "I think our lessons are done for the day. We can retire together until dinner."
He clasped her hand tightly in his. "I would like that," he murmured, then pressed his lips to her temple in a loving gesture. "You need rest as well."
Her lips curled into a sensuous smile. "I wasn't thinking of rest, Ataio."
He couldn't help but laugh. "No? Very well, then. Show me what your plan includes."
These Zones were safe enough, Ataio decided. Both of the Gale sisters had found their place and accepted their roles in it. The details would sort themselves out, and he would be entertained by watching the sisters grow into the Queens that they were meant to be. They were family, after a fashion, and now he was going to have another one with Ine'che.
Strange, the way life turned out when you weren't planning it. It was definitely more fun than he thought it could be, and worth participating in.
Everything was starting anew. Ataio couldn't wait to watch it all unfold.
The End.