Fic: Walk Away
Title: Walk Away [ INDEX]
Author: Erin (erinm_4600)
Characters, Pairing: Tally, Dree, Lani, and a young schmuck (also Deb and the young schmuck's father; mention of Denny, Max, and Leora)
Rating: PG
Summary: When it comes to Tally, don't make Dree angry
Warning: *Written for July Table of Doom at writerverse. Prompt: About Face
Disclaimer: The original characters of The Wizard of Oz belong to L. Frank Baum and their respective actors. The current characters of Tin Man belong to Sci-Fi, the movie folks and their respective actors. The Disney characters belong to Disney, their authors, and their respective actors. The OCs are mine and bizarra's. And, now gatechic's, by default. Garrett Cain belongs to gatechic and is, as always, used and abused with love. ♥
Tally offered yet another smile, as she escorted her charge down the beach. Normally, it would be her brother, Denny, who took on this role, but he was attending to more pressing duties, as he was in the process of taking over for their father's duties as King.
It had been an awkward, tour, as Tally's speech was limited, and her hearing even worse. But, for her father, Tally would do her best.
The young regent she was hosting was smug; it wafted off him like a bad cologne. He kept turning away as he spoke, making it difficult for her to read his lips. She had gathered, at least, that he was very proud of himself. Of course, smiling every time he looked at her, seemed to give him the impression that she was impressed.
She had to force a smile as his finger dragged lazily down her upper arm, and side-stepped slightly, putting some distance between them. She didn't hear what he said, exactly, but sucked in a breath at the look in his eye as he closed the gap. As he leaned in for a kiss, Tally's hands shot up and she blocked him from getting any closer.
"No," she managed, and shook her head. His expression tightened, and then he laughed, which made Tally feel even more uncomfortable. She didn't hear him explaining that once their fathers were done, she would be his. His hands locked on her upper arms and he gave her a shake.
"Married," she did catch. Hearing it, reading it... didn't matter, she knew what he said. Her eyes narrowed and Tally yanked herself out of his hold and swung an arm up, her palm making solid contact with his cheek.
Turning, Tally broke out into a run, heading for the closest safe haven, which was a house just off the beach, a few hundred yards away. He followed after her, but had quite a bit of trouble running on the sand, and the distance between them grew. Tally reached the road and kept moving, heading for the gate.
Lani had seen the whole exchange from his guard post, and reached to hold the gate open before she had even started crossing the road. As Tally moved past him, continuing straight into the house, Lani pulled the gate shut and turned to stop the young man in his tracks.
"Out of my way! She will pay for that." Lani put up a hand, pressing his fingers forcefully into the young man's chest.
"She said 'No'," Lani replied simply, in a tone that would make most men think twice. "You should leave."
"Do you have any idea who I am?" the young man scoffed, trying to push past the large Laethrillian. "Who my father is?"
Lani didn't even flinch as he held the young man in place. "I know who you are. And I know who your father is. And," he leaned forward and nodded toward the door behind them, then dropped his voice, "if that door opens and you're still standing here... your father, and hers, will be the very least of your problems, today." The young man stared at him, still trying to will this 'lesser' man to back down.
Lani was smiling inside. This kid had no idea who he was dealing with.
~*~*~*~*~
The next evening, following a long day of deliberations, all the ministers, regents, and other leaders had converged on one of the station's ballrooms for drinks. Tally was not present at this event, as she was currently third in line for the throne.
The young man was, however, present, as he would one day succeed his father. Having spotted Lani that evening, already, he had made a point to keep a wide berth. If Tally's father or brother had been told anything, neither made a move, but he still decided to steer clear until absolutely necessary.
"Let me introduce you to my son," his father announced, at one point, then called for the young man. The young man turned to find Tally's father, La'debor, and his own, standing with a woman he had seen earlier in the day, when the talks began.
La'debor smiled brightly and offered his hand to the young man - a move that most found odd, as he was a king. "I am honored, Sir," the young man complimented, nodding with a forced smile. "Your planet is a paradise." Deb smiled proudly, and turned as Dree was introduced, next.
"I'm very glad to finally meet you," Dree told the young man with a smile. "I've heard quite a bit about you." Offering her hand, Dree continued to smile as he took her hand. Closing her fingers around his hand, Dree held the smile as she squeezed, rather glad to see the young man flinch. "How did you enjoy that walk on the beach, yesterday?" she asked, almost taking pleasure in seeing the young man's eyes start to water.
"It was, um," he stammered. Lani appeared next to her, turning just enough to whisper so that only she could hear. Dree's eyes shifted toward her personal guard, and her grip loosened. Lani had been well-trained to keep her in check, and knew that, in this situation, her line was extremely thin.
"My daughter and her son are engaged," Deb announced proudly.
Dree gave Deb and the young man's father a smile and shrugged. "Well, not quite yet, but," her eyes shifted back to the young man. "Soon."
"Ah, will your son succeed you? I think this one wishes I would end my reign sooner than later," the older man chuckled.
Dree laughed with him, but shook her head. "No, that honor will fall to my daughter," Dree smiled. "If she wants it."
His face fell. "What will happen if she declines?"
Dree smiled warmly and shrugged. "I suppose I'll just have to live forever." Deb quickly raised his drink to hide a smirk. "Well, if you will excuse me," Dree nodded, "there are a few people I need to speak to before everyone leaves for dinner. Minister," she nodded again, bowing slightly to the older man, "I look forward to seeing you, tomorrow. Deb," she nodded to her dear friend. Turning to the younger man, Dree offered a warm smile and started to move past him. Stopping next to him, Dree spoke in a tone that only he - and Lani - could hear, and warned him: "If I ever catch even a whisper of what happened yesterday happening again... with anyone-" She eyed him, and for the rest of his days, the young man would swear he saw a flash of green "-You won't have time to walk away."
Offering him one more smile, Dree turned away and nodded to Lani before walking away.
Author: Erin (erinm_4600)
Characters, Pairing: Tally, Dree, Lani, and a young schmuck (also Deb and the young schmuck's father; mention of Denny, Max, and Leora)
Rating: PG
Summary: When it comes to Tally, don't make Dree angry
Warning: *Written for July Table of Doom at writerverse. Prompt: About Face
Disclaimer: The original characters of The Wizard of Oz belong to L. Frank Baum and their respective actors. The current characters of Tin Man belong to Sci-Fi, the movie folks and their respective actors. The Disney characters belong to Disney, their authors, and their respective actors. The OCs are mine and bizarra's. And, now gatechic's, by default. Garrett Cain belongs to gatechic and is, as always, used and abused with love. ♥
Tally offered yet another smile, as she escorted her charge down the beach. Normally, it would be her brother, Denny, who took on this role, but he was attending to more pressing duties, as he was in the process of taking over for their father's duties as King.
It had been an awkward, tour, as Tally's speech was limited, and her hearing even worse. But, for her father, Tally would do her best.
The young regent she was hosting was smug; it wafted off him like a bad cologne. He kept turning away as he spoke, making it difficult for her to read his lips. She had gathered, at least, that he was very proud of himself. Of course, smiling every time he looked at her, seemed to give him the impression that she was impressed.
She had to force a smile as his finger dragged lazily down her upper arm, and side-stepped slightly, putting some distance between them. She didn't hear what he said, exactly, but sucked in a breath at the look in his eye as he closed the gap. As he leaned in for a kiss, Tally's hands shot up and she blocked him from getting any closer.
"No," she managed, and shook her head. His expression tightened, and then he laughed, which made Tally feel even more uncomfortable. She didn't hear him explaining that once their fathers were done, she would be his. His hands locked on her upper arms and he gave her a shake.
"Married," she did catch. Hearing it, reading it... didn't matter, she knew what he said. Her eyes narrowed and Tally yanked herself out of his hold and swung an arm up, her palm making solid contact with his cheek.
Turning, Tally broke out into a run, heading for the closest safe haven, which was a house just off the beach, a few hundred yards away. He followed after her, but had quite a bit of trouble running on the sand, and the distance between them grew. Tally reached the road and kept moving, heading for the gate.
Lani had seen the whole exchange from his guard post, and reached to hold the gate open before she had even started crossing the road. As Tally moved past him, continuing straight into the house, Lani pulled the gate shut and turned to stop the young man in his tracks.
"Out of my way! She will pay for that." Lani put up a hand, pressing his fingers forcefully into the young man's chest.
"She said 'No'," Lani replied simply, in a tone that would make most men think twice. "You should leave."
"Do you have any idea who I am?" the young man scoffed, trying to push past the large Laethrillian. "Who my father is?"
Lani didn't even flinch as he held the young man in place. "I know who you are. And I know who your father is. And," he leaned forward and nodded toward the door behind them, then dropped his voice, "if that door opens and you're still standing here... your father, and hers, will be the very least of your problems, today." The young man stared at him, still trying to will this 'lesser' man to back down.
Lani was smiling inside. This kid had no idea who he was dealing with.
~*~*~*~*~
The next evening, following a long day of deliberations, all the ministers, regents, and other leaders had converged on one of the station's ballrooms for drinks. Tally was not present at this event, as she was currently third in line for the throne.
The young man was, however, present, as he would one day succeed his father. Having spotted Lani that evening, already, he had made a point to keep a wide berth. If Tally's father or brother had been told anything, neither made a move, but he still decided to steer clear until absolutely necessary.
"Let me introduce you to my son," his father announced, at one point, then called for the young man. The young man turned to find Tally's father, La'debor, and his own, standing with a woman he had seen earlier in the day, when the talks began.
La'debor smiled brightly and offered his hand to the young man - a move that most found odd, as he was a king. "I am honored, Sir," the young man complimented, nodding with a forced smile. "Your planet is a paradise." Deb smiled proudly, and turned as Dree was introduced, next.
"I'm very glad to finally meet you," Dree told the young man with a smile. "I've heard quite a bit about you." Offering her hand, Dree continued to smile as he took her hand. Closing her fingers around his hand, Dree held the smile as she squeezed, rather glad to see the young man flinch. "How did you enjoy that walk on the beach, yesterday?" she asked, almost taking pleasure in seeing the young man's eyes start to water.
"It was, um," he stammered. Lani appeared next to her, turning just enough to whisper so that only she could hear. Dree's eyes shifted toward her personal guard, and her grip loosened. Lani had been well-trained to keep her in check, and knew that, in this situation, her line was extremely thin.
"My daughter and her son are engaged," Deb announced proudly.
Dree gave Deb and the young man's father a smile and shrugged. "Well, not quite yet, but," her eyes shifted back to the young man. "Soon."
"Ah, will your son succeed you? I think this one wishes I would end my reign sooner than later," the older man chuckled.
Dree laughed with him, but shook her head. "No, that honor will fall to my daughter," Dree smiled. "If she wants it."
His face fell. "What will happen if she declines?"
Dree smiled warmly and shrugged. "I suppose I'll just have to live forever." Deb quickly raised his drink to hide a smirk. "Well, if you will excuse me," Dree nodded, "there are a few people I need to speak to before everyone leaves for dinner. Minister," she nodded again, bowing slightly to the older man, "I look forward to seeing you, tomorrow. Deb," she nodded to her dear friend. Turning to the younger man, Dree offered a warm smile and started to move past him. Stopping next to him, Dree spoke in a tone that only he - and Lani - could hear, and warned him: "If I ever catch even a whisper of what happened yesterday happening again... with anyone-" She eyed him, and for the rest of his days, the young man would swear he saw a flash of green "-You won't have time to walk away."
Offering him one more smile, Dree turned away and nodded to Lani before walking away.