Lost, But Now I'm Found

Chapter 1 - Like a Scared Rabbit

There was just something about that girl.

Wyatt Cain knew he shouldn't be thinking that way about his charge, but he just couldn't help it. Everything about DG intrigued him, and he didn't see what he could do to ignore the siren call that she emitted. The spunk, cleverness, and undying loyalty she possessed were only a few of the attributes that he couldn't resist. Her physical apperance didn't help the temptation either, especially not in his present situation. At the moment, Cain was acting as bodyguard for the newly-returned princess, which meant following her everywhere, including to clothes fittings. That just about killed him.

Just yesterday, he had gone with DG to the royal seamstress and sat for three hours in a little chair that barely supported his weight while his charge paraded in front of him, asking his opinion on her new dresses. Cain wasn't exactly a man who was comfortable in such a setting anyway, and some of those dresses, lowcut and tight, managed to make it even more difficult than it already was. And DG didn't even seem to notice what effect she had on him!

It wasn't like he had anything else to think about. Sure, he was the princess's bodyguard, but there were guards everywhere. Cain may have been the only one who had the "privilege" to go with DG wherever she went, but if they left the palace or even went into one of the outdoor courtyards, they were joined by six more men, all hardened veterans who looked at their surroundings with shrewd and scarred faces and kept their hands on their sword hilts. Cain just didn't think he was needed here. He could be hunting down Longcoats at this moment, instead of being tempted by this young girl who was so far out of his league it wasn't even funny.

Suddenly Cain realized that DG was talking to him. Calling himself back from his musings, Cain looked down to see DG grinning at him impishly, a sight that made his breath catch. She was obviously waiting for a response, but Cain couldn't tear his eyes away from her pixie-like face, complemented by the long, dark, wavy locks that framed it. Her eyes twinkled in amusement, and Cain quickly said, "What were you saying, Princess?" DG shook her head, but repeated her query.

"I said, would you like to go for a ride? I don't have to be anywhere this afternoon and I thought we could go on a picnic. You know, get some fresh air." Cain frowned.

"I'm not sure that would be proper, Princess. Isn't there someone else you'd like to go with?" The unspoken echo of "someone your parents would approve of" hung between them. DG rolled her eyes and responded,

"Like who, Cain? I don't really have any friends except you here; everyone else is off doing something for my parents. I would ask Az, but..." DG's voice trailed off. They both knew why Azkadellia couldn't come along. At present, the elder princess was never seen outside the immediate vicinity of her rooms because of the anger and hatred of the people, who still called for her death. None of the common people had forgiven her for the havoc she had wreaked when she was possessed by the evil witch; in fact, many of the nobles had not, either. It just wasn't safe for her to be about until the tempers cooled and the fear receded enough for logic to intervene.

Cain sighed, seeing her point. "All right," he said,"but your parents won't like this."

"I'll explain it to them," DG said confidently. "It's not like they haven't been wanting me to go out with my friends more often anyway." She turned and walked away, headed for her rooms, while Cain muttered,

"I think they meant your other friends." DG snorted, something she would have been scolded for normally, and responded,

"Like I would go out in public with that bunch of ninnies. They're so wrapped up in marriage and pink dresses, they haven't got any more brain than Glitch does." Cain hid a smile at the reference to their literally half-brained friend. That's my girl.

DG closed the door to her quarters and leaned against it with a sigh. She doubted Cain had any idea how much his presence affected her. He would pace along just behind her, ever watchful, ever protective, and she would always be aware of his every movement. Even now she knew he leaned against her door in much the same way that she did, albeit on the other side, waiting for her to get changed. The low murmur of his voice as he gave instructions to the young page waiting was like music to her ears. Yes, Cain was something special.

Shaking herself from her reverie, DG went through her elaborately-decorated sitting room to her slightly more simple bedroom. Opening her armoire, she gazed at the clothes therein unhappily. They were all very well-made and beautiful, but they didn't suit her. She missed her jeans and tennis shoes with a passion. She'd already tried to commission some from the seamstresses, but her mother had forbidden it, declaring that it was "unlady-like, unprincess-like, and terribly coarse" to wear such things. So DG made do as best she could, choosing only the simplest clothes. Her riding clothes were made specially by one of girls she'd befriended in the seamstress's ranks. Cora was young, but she was very talented and willing to take risks. Together, she and DG had put together a pattern for a more comfortable style of riding clothes. Instead of the heavy, bulky dresses most noblewomen wore, the new design was composed of a pair of long, wide pants that, when a person was dismounted, looked like skirts, but when riding, was much more comfortable and easier. After showing the outfit to her mother, the queen had scrutinized it, declared DG and Cora geniuses, and ordered three for herself. Now the clothes were terribly popular as all the other ladies clamored for some of their own.

Pulling out her favorite blue pair, DG slid into the outfit and struggled for a minute with the tiny buttons up the back. After a few minutes, DG gave up, seething. If she rang for a maid, it would take ten minutes for her simply to come up all the stairs to DG's room. DG wasn't willing to wait that long. So who could she ask?

Inspiration struck. Cain, of course. He was standing right outside her door at this very minute, doing nothing. Marching out into her outer rooms, DG called through the door,

"Cain? I need you. Come in here, please." DG waited until she heard Cain move to open the door to move back. The bodyguard stepped through, but left the door partly open so that anyone walking by could see what was going on. DG rolled her eyes again (she did that a lot in his presence) but didn't comment. She already knew he'd just ignore her about closing the door. DG turned and said over her shoulder,

"Could you button those few buttons, please? I can't reach them, and it'll take too long to call a maid." Cain stiffened, and his face became hard as stone.

"I'm afraid that wouldn't be wise, Princess." Even his voice was stiff. DG sighed impatiently and retorted,

"What wouldn't be wise is making me wait any longer than I've already had to, Cain. There's only three of them I couldn't reach, so if you'd be so kind as to do them up we can be on our way!" Cain looked as though he were going to argue, but without a word he stepped forward. DG turned to face forward as she felt his large, warm hands fumble with the tiny buttons. Then she heard a faint growl emanate from his chest, something that sent shivers through her spine.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"You missed a few more and messed the order up, so now I'll have to undo the whole thing and start over."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" DG asked. "I'd like to go riding today, you know." She felt Cain grit his teeth and begin. Before long a cool draft brushed DG's skin, as she wore only a bra instead of the usual chemise and corset. Cain's rough hands brushed against her skin now and then, sending a wave of warmth through her. She'd never been so aware of him. DG could feel his warm breath on the back of her neck, the way he shifted his weight and bent forward to see better. He worked as quickly as he could, obviously trying to finish and leave before anyone saw. When he finished, the bodyguard immediately stepped away.

"Thank you," DG said as she turned around with a brilliant smile. Her smile faded when she saw the look on her friend's face. Cain was angry. "What's wrong, Cain?" she asked, stepping forward in concern. The ex-Tin Man stepped back, which sent a sudden wave of hurt through DG. Cain shook his head and left without a word, closing the door behind him. And DG was left alone, confused and distressed about what she'd done wrong.

After she'd tugged on her tall black boots and pulled her hair back with a barrette, DG stepped outside to find someone other than Cain waiting for her. She recognized the man vaguely as one of her outdoor guards. He bowed and introduced himself as Eldar, and explained, at DG's confused look,

"Mr. Cain needed to run a few errands, and asked me to step in for him." DG frowned blackly. She said,

"Do you know where he went?" Eldar shook his head.

"I've changed my mind about riding for now, Eldar," she said. "Instead, I'd like to see my sister." Eldar blanched, something that annoyed DG beyond belief, but he followed close behind when she started walking. DG climbed the steps to Azkadellia's remote rooms and knocked on the ornately carved door.

"Who is it?" called Az's musical voice.

"DG, Az. Can I come in?" Immediately the door flew open to reveal the beautiful princess, regarding her sister with a fond smile.

"DG! I've been hoping you'd visit me soon." Az glanced behind DG and frowned when she noticed her sister's new bodyguard, but she said nothing. "Come in." DG left Eldar outside the door, glaring at him when he moved to come in. Az led DG to a pair of chairs placed beside a sunny window that looked out over the empty countryside.

"So, dear sister. Why do you have a new guard? Did dear Mr. Cain finally get tired of following you around?" DG winced at the thought.

"Actually, I have no idea what's going on. He left to go on some 'errands', which he's never done before, and I got stuck with Eldar. I think he's mad at me," she confessed. Az raised her perfectly arched brows.

"Why would you think that?" she said mildly, conjuring a tray of tea things. "Have you had an argument?" DG related the story of the afternoon, watching as Azkadellia's facial expression became thoughtful. When DG had finished, her sister put down the cup of tea she'd poured and said,

"It looks to me as if you scared him, DG."

"What? Cain's never scared. And how could I make him scared?"

"Well," said Az, choosing her words with care, "look at it this way, DG. I'm sure Cain tries to think of you as a young girl still, as his princess, whom he must protect at all costs. But ever since he's become your personal guard, he's had to watch you constantly, and you've slowly been proving that you're not a child, but a woman. Today, when he touched you, he probably realized that he's attracted to you." DG felt the blood drain out of her face as hope flared in her chest.

"Do you really think so, Az?" she whispered, leaning forward. Azkadellia smiled and nodded.

"I've watched him with you, DG. He definitely likes you, more than even he suspects. Today he probably realized the depth of his feelings for you." Suddenly a thought occurred to DG, and she sank back, deflated.

"Why would he be angry, then? I saw the look on his face. He was mad." Az thought for a moment.

"I think he's mad at himself for falling in love with you." She ignored DG's squeak. "After all, you're his, well, his job, much younger than him, and a princess. His son's only a bit younger than you, after all. He's most likely beating himself up for his lack of self-control." DG huffed.

"That's silly. Why would he think like that? It's not like I'd scorn him, or that I've changed at all from the DG he's always known. Why wouldn't he tell me?" Azkadellia looked with pity at her sister.

"You might not scorn him, DG, but our parents would. It's just better for everyone if he goes away and tries to let you forget about him, so that you'll marry someone suitable. I don't wish to be cruel, but if he hasn't already, he'll run like a scared rabbit. He's most likely asking Mother for reassignment right now." Before the words were out of Azkadellai's mouth DG was up and moving toward the door.

"Where are you going, DG?" Az asked, though she already knew the answer.

"To find Cain!" she called back. Az shook her head as the door closed, hoping her sister wasn't hurt too badly.

Outside the door, DG took off down the steps with Eldar hurrying to catch up.

"Where are we going, Princess?" the man called, still trying to follow DG's very fast steps. DG rolled her eyes in disgust. The man couldn't even keep up.

"I'm going to find my mother. You're going to find my horse and make sure it's saddled by the time I come out."

"But, Princess," Eldar spluttered. DG spun and glared up at him.

"Did you hear me, Eldar? I don't want to have to repeat myself. We're in the palace, for Pete's sake! Just go and get my horse!" Eldar spun and headed in the direction of the stables. Pleased, DG watched him go and then turned toward her mother's private office. As she walked briskly through the halls, alone for the first time since she'd begun to live here, DG contemplated the fact that Cain never would have acquiesced to leaving her; instead, he would have insisted on accompanying her, and nothing she said or did would have deterred him. He was so stubborn. Determination renewed, DG increased her speed.

DG reached her mother's office, knocked, and entered without waiting for a response. The queen looked up expectantly and smiled when she saw her youngest daughter. DG didn't return the favor. She began without preamble, approaching the desk.

"Mother, has Cain been to see you?" The queen looked down and shuffled the papers she'd been reading.

"Why, yes, he has. Why? Do you need him for something?"

"I need to talk to him."

"I'm afraid that isn't possible." DG felt her stomach clench.

"What do you mean?" she asked, feeling dread welling up in her. Still not looking at her, the queen replied,

"He asked to be reassigned, as he felt he would be better used elsewhere. I accommadated him, of course, when he asked to be sent to hunt for renegade Longcoats." DG blanched. Longcoats? They were among the most dangerous criminals the land had ever seen, men willing to follow every order the witch had issued through Azkadellia without a qualm, no matter what it was. They had committed many atrocities, including locking men into tin suits to helplessly watch their families be tortured again and again.

"Is he still here?" DG forced herself to ask.

"He may be. He left here only twenty minutes ago. You may still be able to catch him." Before the words were fully out of the queen's mouth DG had left. She was running through the halls without regard to propriety or princess-like conduct, running to stop her best and only friend from leaving her here alone. She didn't waste time going to his room; instead, she went straight to the stables. DG ran as fast as she could, and she arrived at the stable that housed the bodyguards' horses breathless and sweaty. Skidding to a halt, DG pried open one of the huge doors and entered, barely feeling the warmth of hay and horse. Quickly she scanned the stable for Cain's huge white horse. It wasn't there. Feeling panic begin to overwhelm her, DG looked more carefully, forcing her eyes to slow down and look at every horse. But she still didn't see his. Refusing to give up, refusing to believe he could leave her like that, DG ran to the doors that led outside, bursting through them and looking about her frantically. In every direction, the landscape was empty. As far as the eye could see, there was no one. Cain was gone.

A/N: Well, here's the first chappie. Hope you all enjoyed it. I'm not sure where this story's going, but I'll follow it wherever it ends up. REVIEW, PLEASE, or I might get discouraged and the second chapter may not appear!