The Deals We Make - Ch 1 - The Deal
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: CDG
Note: Each chapter is a long drabble, almost 500 words, written for Tinman100. The first three chapters are filled with angst, the last two move slowly onto fluff.
The Deals We Make
by
Lattelady
Ch 1 - The Deal
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“You’re going to do what?” DG shook her head trying to make sense out of what her sister had told her.
“I’m stepping aside.” Azkadellia looked over her shoulder to their mother who stood in silent support. “The Witch took too much from me to rule. Most importantly, it is what is best for the Outer Zone.”
“But…but…I can’t be Queen.” Deeg tried to argue. Five months earlier she’d been a waitress at a truck stop and a part-time student. It was bad enough being a princess. To take the throne was out of the question. “I…I was raised on the Other Side. I’m not regal or sedate, and I leaned diplomacy from an ex-tin man who shoots first and asks questions later.”
“You’ll be magnificent, my Angel.” Lavender stepped forward. “The people love you and would do almost anything for you.”
“Wait, wait…I...” Her thoughts were scattered and kept slipping away the harder she tried to gather them back.
“Az, this is really your choice?” Deeg turned to her sister, aware of the dark circles under her lovely brown eyes. “You aren’t being coerced in any way.”
“I…I’m sorry little sister, I know this is a responsibility you don’t want, but I can’t do it.” Azkadellia’s eyes were downcast as she played with a ring on her finger. “Ambrose has asked me to marry him and I’ve said yes. I’ve loved him all my life, despite appearances to the contrary.” She wiped tears from her cheeks and sniffed delicately. “All I want is to live quietly with him; raise children; and maybe make the occasional difficult decision about what to have Cook serve for dinner.”
“I’ll…do it, but…on one condition,” Deeg’s voice broke when she saw the extent of the harm done to her sister by the Witch. “I…I…do not plan to marry, so you must produce an heir.”
“A Queen must have a Consort,” her mother finally broke the silence that followed Deeg’s declaration.
“No. I will not budge on this, Mother.” She held her chin high as if she were already Queen. It helped hide her broken heart. “There will be no suitors, or matchmaking attempts. If there are, the Zone will find itself with one less Royal.”
“The Consort isn’t simply the father of your children. He is in charge of the military.” The Queen reminded her.
“The way Ahamo is?” Deeg’s left eyebrow rose in question. “I’ll appoint someone, as you did.”
“Deeg, aren’t you forgetting about Mr. Cain?” Az looked at her questioningly. She knew her sister’s heart belonged to the Tin Man.
“He would be an excellent choice for the appointment, but he is leaving.” She hoped her voice didn’t shake like her insides.
“That’s not what I meant and you know it.” Brown eyes met blue that were filling with tears. “Why is he going?”
“He’s been dying a slow death doing nothing but guarding me.” She blinked quickly. “I won’t be another tin suit that keeps him trapped.”
To Ch 2 - Another Deal
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: CDG
Note: Each chapter is a long drabble, almost 500 words, written for Tinman100. The first three chapters are filled with angst, the last two move slowly onto fluff.
The Deals We Make
by
Lattelady
Ch 1 - The Deal
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“You’re going to do what?” DG shook her head trying to make sense out of what her sister had told her.
“I’m stepping aside.” Azkadellia looked over her shoulder to their mother who stood in silent support. “The Witch took too much from me to rule. Most importantly, it is what is best for the Outer Zone.”
“But…but…I can’t be Queen.” Deeg tried to argue. Five months earlier she’d been a waitress at a truck stop and a part-time student. It was bad enough being a princess. To take the throne was out of the question. “I…I was raised on the Other Side. I’m not regal or sedate, and I leaned diplomacy from an ex-tin man who shoots first and asks questions later.”
“You’ll be magnificent, my Angel.” Lavender stepped forward. “The people love you and would do almost anything for you.”
“Wait, wait…I...” Her thoughts were scattered and kept slipping away the harder she tried to gather them back.
“Az, this is really your choice?” Deeg turned to her sister, aware of the dark circles under her lovely brown eyes. “You aren’t being coerced in any way.”
“I…I’m sorry little sister, I know this is a responsibility you don’t want, but I can’t do it.” Azkadellia’s eyes were downcast as she played with a ring on her finger. “Ambrose has asked me to marry him and I’ve said yes. I’ve loved him all my life, despite appearances to the contrary.” She wiped tears from her cheeks and sniffed delicately. “All I want is to live quietly with him; raise children; and maybe make the occasional difficult decision about what to have Cook serve for dinner.”
“I’ll…do it, but…on one condition,” Deeg’s voice broke when she saw the extent of the harm done to her sister by the Witch. “I…I…do not plan to marry, so you must produce an heir.”
“A Queen must have a Consort,” her mother finally broke the silence that followed Deeg’s declaration.
“No. I will not budge on this, Mother.” She held her chin high as if she were already Queen. It helped hide her broken heart. “There will be no suitors, or matchmaking attempts. If there are, the Zone will find itself with one less Royal.”
“The Consort isn’t simply the father of your children. He is in charge of the military.” The Queen reminded her.
“The way Ahamo is?” Deeg’s left eyebrow rose in question. “I’ll appoint someone, as you did.”
“Deeg, aren’t you forgetting about Mr. Cain?” Az looked at her questioningly. She knew her sister’s heart belonged to the Tin Man.
“He would be an excellent choice for the appointment, but he is leaving.” She hoped her voice didn’t shake like her insides.
“That’s not what I meant and you know it.” Brown eyes met blue that were filling with tears. “Why is he going?”
“He’s been dying a slow death doing nothing but guarding me.” She blinked quickly. “I won’t be another tin suit that keeps him trapped.”
To Ch 2 - Another Deal