dg_cain | (no subject)

Title: 5 Easy Steps to Becoming Queen of the OZ

Character/Pairings : DG/Cain, pretty much the cast of Tinman plus some characters of my own.

Rating: R to be safe.

Warning/Spoilers: All three parts of Tinman.

Summary: DG has two months to learn how to be a Queen with a little help from her friends.

Disclaimer: Sadly I own nothing.

Chapter 5: Step 4- Fighting

"It feels so good to be out of the palace." I say to Colter. We are riding side by side on a path through the woods outside of Finaqua. Only one week before my Coronation and I have been cooped up inside the palace for what seems like forever. I’ve been going to my dance lessons with Glitch, magic lessons with Tutor, and history lessons with my mother. But today I am being allowed to play hooky from it all.

"Yes it’s a beautiful day DG. Perfect for riding."

"Well aren’t you glad I talked you into it then?" Colter didn’t want to go riding outside of Finaqua this close to the Coronation. There are still some former Longcoats that may want to stop me from becoming Queen. But I batted my baby blues and pouted my lip until I got my way.

"You know Colter, I just realized that I shouldn’t have to convince you my ideas are good. I am your future queen and you’re going to have to obey me completely soon." I give him an impish smile to show him that I’m only joking.

"That’s what you think DG. But really you’re going to be even more restricted in what you do once you become Queen."

"What do you mean?"

" You are allowed to go where you please at the moment with only me as your guard but when you become Queen you’ll have a whole protection detail with you wherever you go."

"Oh jeez! I didn’t even think of that. I hate having people trail around behind me like little puppy dogs. No offence."

"Well it’s my job to trail you around like a puppy and to tell you the truth I’m relieved that I’ll be getting some help watching over you soon."

"HA! I am not that much trouble!"

"Oh really? What about the time you decided to sit down and read in the hedge maze and fell asleep. Everyone in the whole palace was looking for you for three hours. Or the time you tried to climb a tree to get a cat out of it and a limb broke and you fell out, nearly broke your neck. Oh and there’s my personal favorite, the time you ran right into the middle of a troop training session and nearly got your head cut off. If I hadn’t pulled you out of the way you wouldn’t be here right now."

I try to feel sympathy for poor Colter but it’s just too funny and I end up laughing at him.

"Oh you poor thing. I guess I am a bit of a handful. But I promise from now on I am going to be danger free. I’ll make your job the easiest in all of the OZ. Starting right now you’ll never have to swoop in and save me again..." and then I scream.

Someone grabs me from my horse and throws me to the ground. The wind is knocked out of me and I can’t breathe. I’m immediately and roughly hauled to my feet and an arm is around my throat further restricting my air. I open my eyes and there is a big knife in front of them.

"Make one move and I’ll slit her throat."

Colter is in front of me a few feet away. The carefree look from before is gone and I’ve never seen his eyes so dark with anger before. "Let her go and maybe I’ll let you live ."Colter takes a step toward us and the attacker puts the knife against my throat and presses down. I feel a sharp pain and something warm running down my throat. A whimper of pain escapes my lips before I can prevent it.

"I wouldn’t move if I were you. I’m the one in control and you’ll do exactly as I say or you can watch your precious Princess bleed to death at your feet. Now bring your horse over here, nice and slow."

Colter looks into my eyes and I know he can see how scared I am. My mind is racing, trying to think of a spell that will help us but I’m shaking too hard and my mind in coming up blank. Damn it! Why didn’t I pay more attention in magic class!? Colter is bringing the horse over to us by the reins.

"Now, the girl and I are going to ride away and you won’t be following us or she’s dead."

The thug moves to take the reins from Colter and I know that he is about to do something. I look at his eyes and he squints them at me as a signal and I prepare myself to take any opportunity he gives me to pull away from the man holding my life in his hands. When the man lifts his hand to take the reins Colter, in a move so fast I barely see it, flicks his gun from his side holster and shoots hitting the man in the leg. I feel the his grip loosen on me and I let myself fall to the ground through his arms. As soon as I’m clear Colter shoots again this time aiming for his heart. I think he is dead before he even hits the ground. I am in shock and the only thing I can do is sit on the ground where I landed and shake. I look back at the man. There is blood all over him and his eyes are still open. Colter is beside me now, grabbing my face and turning it away from the scene of death.

"Look at me DG! Are you alright? You’re bleeding." He rips a piece of his shirt and places it over the small cut on my neck that has already stopped bleeding on it’s own.

"I’m okay Colter .Thanks to you." But my voice is still trembling.

"Let’s get back to the palace. I’ll send some guards to come back and dispose of him." Colter gently lifts me to my feet but I can’t seem to walk on my own. Instead he lifts me up, puts me on his horse and gets on behind me. We are not far from the palace and Colter is riding like the devil. As soon as we get in sight the guards realize something is wrong and are grabbing their weapons.

"The Princess was attacked in the woods. Go back and get her attacker’s body and bring it back here. I’m taking the Princess to the healer." Colter lifted me down from my horse and is going to carry me inside until I stopp him.

"No, I can walk. I’m really fine now I was just in shock I guess. I don’t really need to see the healer either. It’s just a scratch."

"DG you’re going to the healer. It isn’t a bad cut but he needs to clean it at least. Now come on." Colter escorts me to the healer never taking his hand from my arm. He tells a passing guard to tell the Queen and Consort what has happened.

By the time my parents and Az make it to the healer’s room my cut has already been cleaned and bandaged. They burst into the room and run over to me.

"Oh my angel! They said you were hurt!"

"I’m fine mom really. Just a tiny nick."

"What happened Colter?" my father asks him. Colter tells him the details of the incident and a few minutes later I convince my parents that I’m fine and they can go back to whatever they were doing. They leave reluctantly after kissing and hugging me a hundred times.

The next person to bust into the room is Cain. He looks wild. He is breathing heavy as if he ran the whole length of the palace to get here and his eyes immediately focus on mine and then drift to the red scratch on my neck and down to the blood on my shirt. He rushes forward and takes me up into his arms and practically hugs the breath out of me. I put my arms around him and squeeze with equal strength. We stay that way a few moments before he lets me down but keeps me pressed against his chest with one arm. The other hand comes up to my face to brush away the tears that are falling to my cheek.

"Are you okay?" he breathes into my hair.

"Yes." My voice is shaky, not from fear or pain but from seeing how worried Cain is about me.

"All I heard was that you were attacked and hurt but not how bad."

"I’m fine Cain, really. Colter was there, he shot the man. He’s dead."

Cain seems to just notice that Colter is in the room and his eyes go dark. He lets me go to turn on Colter.

"Where the hell were you while she was being attacked!?" Cain is shouting at him and moves towards him. I jump in between them.

"Colter was right beside me the whole time. I’m alive because of him. So don’t even think about blaming him."

"You shouldn’t have been riding outside of the palace this close to the Coronation. His job is to protect you and he failed." Cain tries to move around me but I move with him blocking his way.

" No he succeeded in keeping me alive and that’s his job. I made him take me out riding damn it so if you want to blame someone blame me!"

"He should know better...!"

"You of all people should know that I usually get my way Cain. I owe Colter my life many times over now and you will not blame him for my stupidity."

"No DG, don’t defend me. He’s right. I shouldn’t have let you go riding and I should have been more alert. I let my guard down for a second." He turns to look Cain in the eye. "And it won’t happen again, sir."

"Your damn right it won’t." Cain looks at me one more time with what looks like pain in his eyes and walks out the door.

"I’m sorry about that Colter. It really wasn’t your fault."

"But he’s right DG. My whole job is to protect you."

"And you did it. I’m here, I’m alive and all in one piece. To me that is a job well done."

"But..."

"Uh-uh. No buts. Today you are my hero." I reach up and hug him kissing his cheek. He turns red.

"Now escort me to my room so I can change out of these filthy clothes."

He takes my arm and we walk down the hall towards my room.

"DG. What were you saying about not getting into any more trouble right before you were attacked and held at knife point?" Without looking at him I can tell he is laughing at me.

"Shut up Colter."

The next day...

I knock on my father’s office door and he looks up as I step in.

"Hey there spitfire. How you doing today? "

"I’m good dad."

"That’s good. So what brings you here?"

"I want you to teach me to fight."

This is not what he expected me to say.

"What? Why?"

"Because that’s what dads are supposed to do right? Teach there daughters how to fend off unwanted advances from horny boys and armed attackers."

"Oh, I see."

"Yesterday, when that man grabbed me, I felt completely helpless. I was so rattled that I couldn’t think straight and my magic was useless to me. So I want to know how to defend myself in case something like that happens again. Not that it will since Colter’s been practically up my but all day!" I shout the last part to the door which I know Colter is behind, waiting for me. He has been more my shadow than usual. Not letting me out of his sight. I think he would have gone into the bathroom with me if I hadn’t slammed the door in his face. My father is laughing behind me.

"Okay spitfire I’ll teach you but isn’t this a better job for Cain?" Only Az and Colter know the situation between Cain so I have to lie.

"He’s much too busy. I don’t want to bother him."

"Okay then, let’s go down to the training room."

We arrive at the indoor training room used by the guards when the weather is bad. It has padded floors and weapons on the walls. I look toward a sword on the wall.

"Don’t even think about it." Colter says from behind me.

"What? I wasn’t thinking anything."

"Sure."

My father proceeds to show me some basic techniques to fend off an attacker.

"When can I try?" I ask impatiently. I’ve been listening and watching my father fend off an imaginary attacker for twenty minutes.

"You can try it now. Colter, why don’t you spar with DG for now."

Colter looks like he wants to say no but he walks onto the mat and faces me.

"Come on Colter attack me." He rolls his eyes and comes at me. When he tries to grab my arms I push my hands inward to break his grip and fake hit him in the nose with an upward blow that would have broken his nose had I made contact.

"Good DG. That’s exactly right."

Colter and I spar for half an hour. I get to use all the moves my father showed me. My personal favorite is the one that has me flipping Colter over my shoulder when he pretends to attack me from behind. I am pretty confident by now but I can tell Colter isn’t making much of an effort to attack me with his full strength.

"Come on Colter, you’re pulling your punches. Be a man. Or are you afraid of little old me?"

The next time he tries to grab me and throw me down he puts his weight behind it. After all the fake attacks that came before I am caught a little off guard by this one and I hit the mat pretty hard.

"Ah! DG I’m sorry!" Colter thinks he hurt me and has let his guard down so I take advantage and use my legs to flip him over my head and he hits the mat with a thud.

"And the winner is DG! Haaaaa haaaa and the crowd goes wild!" I do a little victory dance around Colter’s prone form with my father laughing at us the whole time. I help Colter up from the floor.

"Yeah. Yeah. You got a lucky shot in."

"Oh, I didn’t know you were such a sore loser Colter. How about we go a few more rounds. We can box this time. I get to be Mike Tyson but I promise not to bite your ear off." I’m lightly bouncing around like a boxer with my fists up and Colter and my father are looking at me like I’m speaking another language.

"Come on dad didn’t they have boxing when you grew up on the other side?"

"Yes, but there was never any ear biting involved."

"Yeah well that’s an entirely new development. Come on Colter put up your dukes."

"I’m not going to hit you DG."

"You won’t even get the chance to." I keep fake punching at Colter’s face.

"DG...OW!" Colter walks right into one of my fake punches.

"Oh my God! Colter!" He is holding a hand over his right eye. I am horrified but my father is practically rolling on the floor laughing.

"Are you okay? Let me see." He lifts his hand and I wince. His eye is already swelling and starting to bruise.

"Oh jeez. I’m so sorry. I didn’t expect you to move that way."

"It’s alright DG. I’m fine."

"I punched you in the eye! Come on, let’s go get some ice from the kitchen. Thanks dad."

"No problem spitfire." I can hear his laughter all the way down the hall.

In the kitchen I find ice and put it over Colter’s eye.

"Ow!"

"I’m sorry."

"It’s okay. It was an accident DG."

"I know but... I’m still sorry. You’re going to have one hell of a shiner. I hope it heals before the Coronation. But then again chicks dig a tough guy."

"I’ll be okay. Let’s get you to the dance hall. You have a dancing lesson with Glitch in a few minutes."

"Ack! I’ve learned just about every dance in the world and I’m still not any good. I’m going to make a fool of myself at the Ball."

"You’ll be fine. You underestimate yourself too often."

"Yeah. Well apparently I have one hell of a right hook."

"Yeah.

"Have I told you what a good friend you are today."

"No."

"Well you’re a great friend. I don’t know what I would have done without you. This thing with Cain is... I don’t know what it is but I’m starting to lose hope. Sometimes I think maybe Cain is just better off without me. I don’t want to keep him here out of some sense of obligation to me."

"He cares about you DG."

"Maybe. But I can’t go on like this. It hurts too much. I have to do something."

Colter, with the towel wrapped ice over one eye, put his arm around my shoulder in a comforting gesture and walks me to my lesson.

After my lesson I am told that my father wants to see me in his office. Colter’s eye looks less swollen but is starting to bruise. He waits outside the office to give us some privacy.

"Hey spitfire."

"Hi dad. You wanted to talk to me?"

"Yes. I had meant to talk to you earlier but you were preoccupied with punching your guard in the face."

"Haha."

"I just have to let you know that at your Coronation you are expected to name a Royal Troop Commander."

"But isn’t that your job?"

"At the moment yes, but I’m getting a little old for it and traditionally the new Queen appoints a new Royal Troop Commander. Usually it’s the Queen’s Prince Consort."

"Whoa! Are you telling me I have to pick a husband!?"

"No DG. Although the Commander is usually also the Consort it isn’t always that way. Take the first Dorothy Gale for instance. She didn’t marry right away and she named one of her trusted friends as her Troop Commander. We’re not going to force you to marry anyone DG. It will happen eventually or it won’t. It’s entirely up to you."

"Thank God for that. I don’t think I’m ready to start meeting suitors just yet."

"So do you have anyone in mind for the job?"

My first thought is of Cain but with our friendship on shaky ground I don’t know if I have the guts to ask him.

"Not really, but I’ll think about it."

Oh great. This Coronation is going to be a disaster. I’m going to trip over my ridiculously ornate dress, I’m not going to have a Royal Troop Commander, I’m going to step on everybody’s toes when I attempt to dance and then my rainbow is going to be a flop. Oh yeah. This is going to suck.

INTERLUDE

This portion is going to be told from Colter’s POV. Frankly because I couldn’t think of a way to write a scene from DG’s POV when she isn’t actually in it.

How did I get myself into this? I used to be a part of the resistance under the command of Jeb Cain. That’s probably why I have so much respect for Wyatt Cain. The Cain men are the most honorable people I’ve ever met. When Cain asked me if I wanted to become part of the Royal Guard protecting the Royal family I jumped at the chance. I thought that sitting around guarding a bunch of Royals had to be easier than living on the run form the Longcoats. That was until I was assigned to Princess DG. She has made life interesting to say the least. But I wouldn’t trade the job for anything in the world. DG has become more than a job. She’s a friend. She’s the most caring, loyal and not to mention beautiful woman I have ever met. If I wasn’t such an honorable man I might have tried court her myself but I see the look in her eye when she looks at Commander Cain. She is completely and utterly in love with him and if I’m right he feels the same for her. Another thing the Cain men have in common is being stubborn. Cain has somehow convinced himself that he doesn’t deserve her. That she deserves better. He may be right but DG doesn’t want anyone else. She wants him and she deserves to get him and her happily ever after as she calls it. So here I am meeting with Cain for an unneeded progress report. Cain walks into the room and notices my black eye.

"Training accident?"

"No. DG." He raises his brows.

"She hit you?"

"She didn’t mean to. It was an accident."

"She’s a lot to handle sometimes." Cain chuckles.

"You don’t have to tell me that. I get to experience it first hand every day."

I start to give him a report on the security updates for the Coronation Ball.

"Will you still be escorting DG to the Ball?" He pauses and then answers.

"Yes I will be escorting the Princess." He emphasizes the word as if to remind me of my place which I ignore.

"She’s learned a lot in the past few weeks. I admire her for her commitment. She’s going to be a great Queen."

"I know that." Cain is practically growling his responses at me.

"I think she likes me."

"What!?"

"DG. I think she likes me as her personal guard. We get along well together. She’s a hugger did you know? She hugs me all the time. When she gets a spell right she hugs me. When she doesn’t step on my toes during a dance lesson she hugs me. It’s nice."

Cain’s face is getting redder by the minute and his jaw is clamped shut tight. He is dying to say something.

"She hasn’t shown interest in any of the nobles she’s met. I think she prefers someone a little more rough around the edges. After she becomes Queen there will be plenty of young suitors trying to capture her heart."

"And what about you?"

"Oh me? I don’t know. If she showed interest I wouldn’t be opposed to..."

"It’s not going to happen."

"Really? How would you know."

"Because you’re going to leave her the hell alone."

"It’s not like she’s with anyone. And I don’t see anyone..."

"You want your left eye to match the right?" Cain growls.

"Why Cain, you’re acting like a jealous man. Some might think you cared for DG"

"You don’t know anything about what’s between me and DG!" He slams his fist down on the table.

"But there is something between you? She talks about you. Well, she did at first. After you started avoiding her altogether she got real quiet. Seemed to cause her pain to talk about you. Cried herself to sleep a few times." Cain looked up about to ask how I knew what went on in her room. "I heard her through the door. She told me about what you went through together to stop the witch. You grew to be close friends. Maybe even more than friends."

"What’s your point Colter?"

"My point is, she isn’t going to wait forever. Even if you have some stupid idea that she deserves better and you may be right after the way you’ve treated her, you still have to tell her how you feel before it’s too late. Talk to her at least. Even if you both decide you’re better off not being together, at least she’ll have some closure. She’ll be able to move on. Maybe find someone who’ll love her the way she deserves. Just think about it. You know she deserves to be happy."

I leave him there to think about everything. I know that he stays there for a very long time.