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ficwizeTitle: Threads of Destiny Intertwined
Fandom: Tin Man
Pairing: None (this part)
Prompt: 86 - juggling at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
tamingthemuse; To Err is Human (or Something Like That) Challenge
Warnings: Not betaed. Not sure how well this fits canon. Not sure
how in character everyone is. And, you do really need to have seen the
series for this to make sense the way I hope it does.
Rating: Gen (this part)
Summary: Even the smallest action can have long reaching consequences.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
A/N: This fic is meant to stand alone, but it will also be part of a larger work, as well. I'm building my personal fanon around these two characters and this is how I believe it began. First time writing in this fandom. As always, feedback is welcome and appreciated.
*************
When Azkadellia was six years old, her father took her to see a fair. He dressed himself and his young princess daughter in clothes designed to disguise them and he laughingly whispered to Az that they were going to play pretend and not let anyone know who they really were.
“Okay, princess?” Ahamo asked, kneeling in front of his daughter and tucking her long brown hair back behind her ears. “Can you pretend to be someone other than a Princess for a few hours?”
“You shouldn’t call me princess, daddy.” Az answered knowingly, leaning forward to tug his hat down over his eyes. He looked strange to her, dressed in farmer’s clothes and with no official insignia.
“You’re right.” Ahamo acknowledged with twinkling eyes. He lifted her to his hip and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I’ll call you sweetheart, instead.”
“I want you to call me Esmeralda,” Az announced with all the pomposity of a little girl and Ahamo laughed indulgently.
“Very well, Esmeralda. But I think you’d best still call me daddy.”
“Alright.” Az grinned, a hole flashing where she had lost her top front tooth a few days earlier. “Is mama coming with us?”
“No,” Ahamo shook his head. “She has to work. It’s just us, sweetheart. And it’s our secret adventure.” The prince consort set his daughter back on the ground and she danced in excitement. “Can you keep it a secret?”
“Ohh, yes. I’m very good at keeping secrets!” Az promised solemnly.
“Then let’s go.” Ahamo took her hand and led her to the secret passageway that would take them from the Emerald Palace to an alley several blocks away.
“Where is the fair, daddy?” Az asked, skipping along beside him.
“Just a little ways down the yellow brick road,” Ahamo answered as he pushed the release to open the door. Az watched with wide eyes and Ahamo looked at her sternly. “You are not to use this door without me, Az. Do you understand?”
“Yes, daddy.” Az answered obediently. Then she wrinkled her face at him. “But you’re supposed to call me Esmeralda, remember?”
“You’re right. I’m sorry.” He smiled and led the way. “Esmeralda, the secret princess… just for tonight.”
*****
The fair had all manner of things that Az had never seen before. She saw someone breathing fire, and men and women dressed in odd costumes with paint on their faces. In one clearing, she watched in delight as a man juggled knives.
Her doting father delighted in her joy and Az stuffed herself on candies and treats until she was so full she felt a little sick. Ahamo laughed and picked her up to carry her. Together, they watched stunt men perform tricks, turning cartwheels and jumping into the air in twists and turns that Azkadellia could barely believe, even though she was watching with her own eyes.
“What are they doing this for, daddy?” She whispered, putting her arms more firmly around his neck. It had been strange at first to be out of the Palace with no guards following along, but the excitement of the fair soon drove away any lingering awareness of how very unguarded Azkadellia and her father were for once.
“For fun, princess.” Ahamo laughed and she eyed him.
“Not princess, daddy.” She whispered, leaning close and pressing her forehead to his. “Sweetheart, remember?”
“Oops.” Ahamo smiled sheepishly. “It seems that I am bad at our game of pretend.”
”It takes practice to be someone you’re not,” Az told him forgivingly, her attention returning to the jugglers. “Ooh, look daddy! He’s juggling fire!”
“Isn’t it pretty?” Ahamo asked and Az nodded, leaning forward until he put her down. She squirmed closer to watch and Ahamo let her go. He knew that his wife would be furious when she found out what he’d done, but he didn’t want his daughters to grow up in a world where they were always looked at and judged because of who their mother was. This was his gift to Azkadellia, and one day, he would do the same with DG. He wanted both of his daughters to know what life was like without the pomp and circumstance of royal blood.
Hearing a clang, Ahamo turned to see a woman dancing through the street with cymbals attached to her fingers and scarves flowing from her costume. She wove a graceful path through the crowd towards the main square. Ahamo looked around to make sure Azkadellia saw her and felt a moment of disbelieving panic. The space by the rock wall where she had been standing to watch the juggler was empty.
Pushing his way through the crowd, Ahamo looked for his young daughter frantically. Everywhere he turned, he saw strangers, laughing and pointing, children shouting in delight, but no Azkadellia.
“Azkadellia!” He shouted desperately, but there was no answer, not even a disapproving reminder that he should have said “Esmeralda.”
She was gone.
*****
Az knew that she shouldn’t move away from her father, but she wanted to see the juggler more closely. She couldn’t figure out how his swords weren’t hurting him as he caught the blades. She knew from painful experience that the knife blades were sharp and she had been taught never to touch them. How was this man doing it?
Slipping behind the crowd, Az found herself standing beside an apple stand. The fruit was of no interest to her, though, as full as she still was. From here, she could see that the juggler was catching the sides of the blades and not the sharp edges, although she still didn’t know how he managed that.
“Hey, move.” A boy’s voice caught her attention and she looked over to see a mop of messy blonde hair and belligerent brown eyes.
“No.” Az answered with all the imperious righteousness that a six year old princess could muster.
“You’re in my way?” The boy, who looked only a few years older than Az, snapped and Az bristled.
“I’m only in your way if you’re trying to get underneath the apple stand.” She eyed his clothes with obvious distaste. “And I doubt you have the money to buy any of the apples.”
The boy grinned at her in a way that made Az nervous. He leaned forward and whispered loudly. “That’s why I need you to move.”
“Why?” Az asked, nervous now.
The boy stared at her for a moment and then shrugged. “Alright. If you want to take the blame…”
Before Az could figure out what he meant by that, the boy had kicked the leg of the stand and the whole cart crashed over on its side. He snagged as many of the red ripe fruit as he could hold and then bolted into the crowd.
“Brat! It’s a beating for you this time!” A belligerent shout behind Azkadellia told her that she was most definitely in the wrong place at the wrong time and she took off running behind the blonde boy.
“Wait!” She cried out and it seemed to her that he slowed just a little bit. She caught up to him and he turned down a back alley. With a hesitant glance over her shoulder that told her that they weren’t being pursued, Az followed. The boy pulled her into a doorway and laughed.
“You knocked over that poor man’s stand!” Az accused him and he grinned.
“I know. He can’t follow me if he’s too busy picking up his other apples.” He took a bite from one and Az wrinkled her nose when she saw how dirty his hands were… how dirty he was overall.
“You stole them.” She crossed her arms.
“Yep.” He spoke with his mouth full and Az stepped back in disgust. “You already said I didn’t have money.” He took a second bite. “You was right.”
“What happens if a Tin Man finds you?” Az asked after considering his answer for a moment. “They’ll put you in jail.”
“They have to catch me first,” the boy shrugged, unconcerned. “And no one catches me. I’m too fast.”
“What’s your name, boy?” Az asked, sounding more like her mother than she realized.
“Don’t got one. People just call me Zero.”
“How do you not have a name?” Az demanded, startled out of her sulk. “Your parents must have given you one.”
“Don’t got them either,” Zero shrugged. He leaned past Az to stare down the alley way. “We should get going before anyone sees us.” He stuck the lone remaining apple in his pocket and looked at Az questioningly. “Do you wanna come?”
Az looked back over her shoulder. “I should go back. Daddy will be looking for me.”
Zero studied her for a minute and then nodded. “If that’s what you want,” he seemed slightly disappointed and Az turned to ask him why, but an angry shout startled them both.
”There you are! Brats! Thieves! I’ll have you now!” The apple peddler was racing towards them at full speed, his face mottled red in his anger. “I’ll teach you to steal from honest hardworking folk!”
“C’mon!” Zero grabbed Az’s hand and took off running down the alley again. Az nearly stumbled, but managed to keep to her feet and ran beside him. Zero was right… he was fast. He pulled Az along, forcing her to keep up with them, and it wasn’t long before they escaped pursuit. Zero turned and led Az under a bridge that crossed the Red River. They hid there, gasping for breath, until they were sure that they hadn’t been followed.
“What’s your name?” Zero asked after a moment.
“Esmeralda,” Az answered after only a moment’s hesitation.
“That’s a funny name,” Zero laughed.
“Not compared to Zero,” Az retorted haughtily and Zero shrugged.
”Yeah, I guess not.” He laughed again and Az found herself laughing with him. A clanging bell made her startle and Zero set a comforting hand on her shoulder. “It’s just the old clock tower.”
”Yes, but that was eight bells,” Az replied, worried. “They close the Palace Gates at Eight Bells.”
“So?” Zero looked at her clothes and shrugged. “You don’t live in the Palace. Not if you dress like that.”
“But…” Az bit her lip, wondering if she should tell Zero her secret. She had promised her father, but she didn’t think that he had expected her to get lost. “I need to get back to the main Palace Gates.” She finally settled for a partial truth. “Can you take me there?”
“Nu uh! No way!” Zero shook his head, disgusted. “That place is crawling with Tin Men. I stay away from there.”
Az’s eyes filled with tears. “But… how am I going to find my daddy?”
“Oh.” Zero looked away from Az, uncomfortable that she was crying. “Can’t you just go back to the square and wait for him?”
“I don’t know the way.” Az sniffled.
Zero shook his head in annoyance. “How do you not know your way around at all?” He pointed towards the bridge over their heads. “This road will take you back.”
“By myself?” Az asked, feeling the first true stirring of panic. She had never been outside the Palace by herself.
Zero sighed, scuffing a bare foot along the stone cobbles under the bridge. “You really are a baby.”
“I am not!” Az replied, stung. She stood up to her full height. “I’ll have you know, Zero, that you are talking to the Princess of the O.Z.”
He laughed in her face, but his expression was amused, not mean. “Sure. Well, princess,” he said, mockingly. “If you don’t know your way around the kingdom, what good are you to your people?”
“I’ll have advisers,” Az shook her head. Didn’t this boy know anything. “I won’t have to know everything.”
“You’d better have some good advisers, if you can’t even find your way back to the main square.” Zero sighed and reached for her hand again. “Come with me, princess. I’ll take you back to the Palace Gates.”
“Thank you, Zero.” Az held his hand tightly. “When I’m grown and the Queen, I shall make you one of my advisers.”
Zero grinned again, tugging her up the embankment and back to the road. “Promises, promises. Princess, if you really were a princess, you’d never think of me again.”
“That’s not true,” Az disagreed, but she didn’t have time to argue the point. Zero pulled her through the city, down the back roads and alley ways that Az had never seen before. She quickly forgot what she was going to say, and instead became as caught up in the sights here as she had been in the main square. She didn’t see jugglers or dancers, but she did see houses and chickens and dogs, laundry flapping in the breeze, children carrying wood for fires, and families going about their business.
It was all so different than what she was used to… so interesting.
It was almost a shock when Zero pulled her to a stop. “The Palace Gates are over there,” he pointed down the street a slight ways. “I’m not going any closer. I don’t want to have to run away from any Tin Men.”
“Wait,” Az begged him as he stepped away and he stopped, turning to look at her curiously. “Please… come with me.” She stopped, suddenly shy. “I’m sure my parents will want to thank you for helping me.”
Zero shook his head. “I don’t have much use for parents.”
“Don’t you want to…” Az wasn’t able to finish her sentence. A loud shouting behind her made her and Zero both turn in alarm. A whole patrol of Tin Men were descending on them at a rush… and at the head was Ahamo, looking terror stricken.
“Daddy!” Az cried out, running towards her father. He caught her up in a big hug and crushed her to his chest.
“Azkadellia! Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m okay. But there was a mean man who yelled and chased us.” Az babbled, still clinging to her father.
“It’s okay, baby. You’re safe now.” Ahamo couldn’t stop his legs and arms from shaking and he clung to his daughter like she was a lifeline.
“Daddy,” Az pushed away slightly and leaned back, turning her head to see Zero standing between two Tin Men who were holding him tightly in place. “He helped me,” Az whispered. Ahamo looked over where Zero was standing, absolutely white with fear.
“Let him go!” Ahamo ordered and the Tin Men obeyed instantly. Crossing towards him in two long strides, Ahamo stared down at the shoddy boy with skepticism. He had heard tale of how a boy had knocked over an apple stand, and then fled with a girl away from the angry owner.
Zero was struggling not to try and run away. He knew he’d never get far with this many Tin Men staring at him. It seemed the girl hadn’t been lying when she said she was the Princess. He had heard of Azkadellia. Everyone had.
He turned accusing eyes to her. “You said your name was Esmeralda.” One of the Tin Men reached out and cuffed him lightly on the back of the head.
”Be respectful, boy.”
Zero rubbed his head and glared at the Tin Man. “She did say it!”
Ahamo’s mouth quirked in wry amusement. “It’s alright, Stanton. I’m afraid that’s my fault.” He set Az back down on her feet and regarded the young boy with curiosity. “My daughter tells me that you helped her, young man.”
Zero seemed struck dumb by the fact that the Prince Consort was addressing him, but he nodded hurriedly when the Tin Man next to him raised a hand again. “Yeah.” He paused. “It was my fault that she was lost in the first place.” Zero looked at the little princess, wondering why he was sticking his neck out for her, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself. “I didn’t want her to get hurt.”
Ahamo softened immediately and nodded soberly. “What’s your name?”
“Zero.”
“And how old are you, Zero?” The boy shrugged and then took a hesitant guess.
“Ten?”
“I see.” Ahamo rubbed his chin, tiredly. It was clear the boy was homeless and living on the streets. It was also clear that he was a cut above most of the vagrants, who would have left Azkadellia to fend for herself. Turning, Ahamo addressed Stanton. “Is there a class of cadets starting soon?”
”Aye, sir.” Stanton nodded, seeing where the Prince Consort was headed. “And, if you don’t mind my saying so, sir, I believe he’d be a good match. He has a streak of loyalty about him.”
“Indeed.” Ahamo turned back to Zero.
“Would you like to join the Tin Man cadet class, Mr. Zero?”
Zero stared at him astonished, then suspicious. “Is that a fancy way of saying go to jail?”
Ahamo felt equal parts distress and amusement that the boy was so distrusting. “No, it isn’t. It’s a school, for those who wish to join the Tin Men upon graduation.” He eyed the boy sternly. “It’s hard work, but you’ll have a place to sleep and clean clothes and food.”
“What do I have to do?” Zero asked, still skeptical.
Ahamo answered thoughtfully. “Just what you’ve already done, lad. You’ll have to promise to look after Azkadellia, no matter what she gets herself into. Do you think you can do that?”
Zero looked down at the young princess. She was holding her father’s hand and staring at him with a look of hero worship. It wasn’t an expression anyone had ever bestowed him before and he blushed, looking away uncomfortably.
“I can do that. Sir.” He added as an afterthought.
“Good.” Ahamo nodded to Stanton and then looked back at the boy standing in front of him. “Sometimes she needs a lot of looking after.”
“I’ll look after her, sir.” Zero answered, more confidently this time. “No matter what. I’ll look after her.”
Ahamo smiled. “I trust that you will, Zero. I trust that you will.”
Fandom: Tin Man
Pairing: None (this part)
Prompt: 86 - juggling at
tamingthemuse; To Err is Human (or Something Like That) Challenge Warnings: Not betaed. Not sure how well this fits canon. Not sure
how in character everyone is. And, you do really need to have seen the
series for this to make sense the way I hope it does.
Rating: Gen (this part)
Summary: Even the smallest action can have long reaching consequences.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
A/N: This fic is meant to stand alone, but it will also be part of a larger work, as well. I'm building my personal fanon around these two characters and this is how I believe it began. First time writing in this fandom. As always, feedback is welcome and appreciated.
*************
When Azkadellia was six years old, her father took her to see a fair. He dressed himself and his young princess daughter in clothes designed to disguise them and he laughingly whispered to Az that they were going to play pretend and not let anyone know who they really were.
“Okay, princess?” Ahamo asked, kneeling in front of his daughter and tucking her long brown hair back behind her ears. “Can you pretend to be someone other than a Princess for a few hours?”
“You shouldn’t call me princess, daddy.” Az answered knowingly, leaning forward to tug his hat down over his eyes. He looked strange to her, dressed in farmer’s clothes and with no official insignia.
“You’re right.” Ahamo acknowledged with twinkling eyes. He lifted her to his hip and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I’ll call you sweetheart, instead.”
“I want you to call me Esmeralda,” Az announced with all the pomposity of a little girl and Ahamo laughed indulgently.
“Very well, Esmeralda. But I think you’d best still call me daddy.”
“Alright.” Az grinned, a hole flashing where she had lost her top front tooth a few days earlier. “Is mama coming with us?”
“No,” Ahamo shook his head. “She has to work. It’s just us, sweetheart. And it’s our secret adventure.” The prince consort set his daughter back on the ground and she danced in excitement. “Can you keep it a secret?”
“Ohh, yes. I’m very good at keeping secrets!” Az promised solemnly.
“Then let’s go.” Ahamo took her hand and led her to the secret passageway that would take them from the Emerald Palace to an alley several blocks away.
“Where is the fair, daddy?” Az asked, skipping along beside him.
“Just a little ways down the yellow brick road,” Ahamo answered as he pushed the release to open the door. Az watched with wide eyes and Ahamo looked at her sternly. “You are not to use this door without me, Az. Do you understand?”
“Yes, daddy.” Az answered obediently. Then she wrinkled her face at him. “But you’re supposed to call me Esmeralda, remember?”
“You’re right. I’m sorry.” He smiled and led the way. “Esmeralda, the secret princess… just for tonight.”
The fair had all manner of things that Az had never seen before. She saw someone breathing fire, and men and women dressed in odd costumes with paint on their faces. In one clearing, she watched in delight as a man juggled knives.
Her doting father delighted in her joy and Az stuffed herself on candies and treats until she was so full she felt a little sick. Ahamo laughed and picked her up to carry her. Together, they watched stunt men perform tricks, turning cartwheels and jumping into the air in twists and turns that Azkadellia could barely believe, even though she was watching with her own eyes.
“What are they doing this for, daddy?” She whispered, putting her arms more firmly around his neck. It had been strange at first to be out of the Palace with no guards following along, but the excitement of the fair soon drove away any lingering awareness of how very unguarded Azkadellia and her father were for once.
“For fun, princess.” Ahamo laughed and she eyed him.
“Not princess, daddy.” She whispered, leaning close and pressing her forehead to his. “Sweetheart, remember?”
“Oops.” Ahamo smiled sheepishly. “It seems that I am bad at our game of pretend.”
”It takes practice to be someone you’re not,” Az told him forgivingly, her attention returning to the jugglers. “Ooh, look daddy! He’s juggling fire!”
“Isn’t it pretty?” Ahamo asked and Az nodded, leaning forward until he put her down. She squirmed closer to watch and Ahamo let her go. He knew that his wife would be furious when she found out what he’d done, but he didn’t want his daughters to grow up in a world where they were always looked at and judged because of who their mother was. This was his gift to Azkadellia, and one day, he would do the same with DG. He wanted both of his daughters to know what life was like without the pomp and circumstance of royal blood.
Hearing a clang, Ahamo turned to see a woman dancing through the street with cymbals attached to her fingers and scarves flowing from her costume. She wove a graceful path through the crowd towards the main square. Ahamo looked around to make sure Azkadellia saw her and felt a moment of disbelieving panic. The space by the rock wall where she had been standing to watch the juggler was empty.
Pushing his way through the crowd, Ahamo looked for his young daughter frantically. Everywhere he turned, he saw strangers, laughing and pointing, children shouting in delight, but no Azkadellia.
“Azkadellia!” He shouted desperately, but there was no answer, not even a disapproving reminder that he should have said “Esmeralda.”
She was gone.
Az knew that she shouldn’t move away from her father, but she wanted to see the juggler more closely. She couldn’t figure out how his swords weren’t hurting him as he caught the blades. She knew from painful experience that the knife blades were sharp and she had been taught never to touch them. How was this man doing it?
Slipping behind the crowd, Az found herself standing beside an apple stand. The fruit was of no interest to her, though, as full as she still was. From here, she could see that the juggler was catching the sides of the blades and not the sharp edges, although she still didn’t know how he managed that.
“Hey, move.” A boy’s voice caught her attention and she looked over to see a mop of messy blonde hair and belligerent brown eyes.
“No.” Az answered with all the imperious righteousness that a six year old princess could muster.
“You’re in my way?” The boy, who looked only a few years older than Az, snapped and Az bristled.
“I’m only in your way if you’re trying to get underneath the apple stand.” She eyed his clothes with obvious distaste. “And I doubt you have the money to buy any of the apples.”
The boy grinned at her in a way that made Az nervous. He leaned forward and whispered loudly. “That’s why I need you to move.”
“Why?” Az asked, nervous now.
The boy stared at her for a moment and then shrugged. “Alright. If you want to take the blame…”
Before Az could figure out what he meant by that, the boy had kicked the leg of the stand and the whole cart crashed over on its side. He snagged as many of the red ripe fruit as he could hold and then bolted into the crowd.
“Brat! It’s a beating for you this time!” A belligerent shout behind Azkadellia told her that she was most definitely in the wrong place at the wrong time and she took off running behind the blonde boy.
“Wait!” She cried out and it seemed to her that he slowed just a little bit. She caught up to him and he turned down a back alley. With a hesitant glance over her shoulder that told her that they weren’t being pursued, Az followed. The boy pulled her into a doorway and laughed.
“You knocked over that poor man’s stand!” Az accused him and he grinned.
“I know. He can’t follow me if he’s too busy picking up his other apples.” He took a bite from one and Az wrinkled her nose when she saw how dirty his hands were… how dirty he was overall.
“You stole them.” She crossed her arms.
“Yep.” He spoke with his mouth full and Az stepped back in disgust. “You already said I didn’t have money.” He took a second bite. “You was right.”
“What happens if a Tin Man finds you?” Az asked after considering his answer for a moment. “They’ll put you in jail.”
“They have to catch me first,” the boy shrugged, unconcerned. “And no one catches me. I’m too fast.”
“What’s your name, boy?” Az asked, sounding more like her mother than she realized.
“Don’t got one. People just call me Zero.”
“How do you not have a name?” Az demanded, startled out of her sulk. “Your parents must have given you one.”
“Don’t got them either,” Zero shrugged. He leaned past Az to stare down the alley way. “We should get going before anyone sees us.” He stuck the lone remaining apple in his pocket and looked at Az questioningly. “Do you wanna come?”
Az looked back over her shoulder. “I should go back. Daddy will be looking for me.”
Zero studied her for a minute and then nodded. “If that’s what you want,” he seemed slightly disappointed and Az turned to ask him why, but an angry shout startled them both.
”There you are! Brats! Thieves! I’ll have you now!” The apple peddler was racing towards them at full speed, his face mottled red in his anger. “I’ll teach you to steal from honest hardworking folk!”
“C’mon!” Zero grabbed Az’s hand and took off running down the alley again. Az nearly stumbled, but managed to keep to her feet and ran beside him. Zero was right… he was fast. He pulled Az along, forcing her to keep up with them, and it wasn’t long before they escaped pursuit. Zero turned and led Az under a bridge that crossed the Red River. They hid there, gasping for breath, until they were sure that they hadn’t been followed.
“What’s your name?” Zero asked after a moment.
“Esmeralda,” Az answered after only a moment’s hesitation.
“That’s a funny name,” Zero laughed.
“Not compared to Zero,” Az retorted haughtily and Zero shrugged.
”Yeah, I guess not.” He laughed again and Az found herself laughing with him. A clanging bell made her startle and Zero set a comforting hand on her shoulder. “It’s just the old clock tower.”
”Yes, but that was eight bells,” Az replied, worried. “They close the Palace Gates at Eight Bells.”
“So?” Zero looked at her clothes and shrugged. “You don’t live in the Palace. Not if you dress like that.”
“But…” Az bit her lip, wondering if she should tell Zero her secret. She had promised her father, but she didn’t think that he had expected her to get lost. “I need to get back to the main Palace Gates.” She finally settled for a partial truth. “Can you take me there?”
“Nu uh! No way!” Zero shook his head, disgusted. “That place is crawling with Tin Men. I stay away from there.”
Az’s eyes filled with tears. “But… how am I going to find my daddy?”
“Oh.” Zero looked away from Az, uncomfortable that she was crying. “Can’t you just go back to the square and wait for him?”
“I don’t know the way.” Az sniffled.
Zero shook his head in annoyance. “How do you not know your way around at all?” He pointed towards the bridge over their heads. “This road will take you back.”
“By myself?” Az asked, feeling the first true stirring of panic. She had never been outside the Palace by herself.
Zero sighed, scuffing a bare foot along the stone cobbles under the bridge. “You really are a baby.”
“I am not!” Az replied, stung. She stood up to her full height. “I’ll have you know, Zero, that you are talking to the Princess of the O.Z.”
He laughed in her face, but his expression was amused, not mean. “Sure. Well, princess,” he said, mockingly. “If you don’t know your way around the kingdom, what good are you to your people?”
“I’ll have advisers,” Az shook her head. Didn’t this boy know anything. “I won’t have to know everything.”
“You’d better have some good advisers, if you can’t even find your way back to the main square.” Zero sighed and reached for her hand again. “Come with me, princess. I’ll take you back to the Palace Gates.”
“Thank you, Zero.” Az held his hand tightly. “When I’m grown and the Queen, I shall make you one of my advisers.”
Zero grinned again, tugging her up the embankment and back to the road. “Promises, promises. Princess, if you really were a princess, you’d never think of me again.”
“That’s not true,” Az disagreed, but she didn’t have time to argue the point. Zero pulled her through the city, down the back roads and alley ways that Az had never seen before. She quickly forgot what she was going to say, and instead became as caught up in the sights here as she had been in the main square. She didn’t see jugglers or dancers, but she did see houses and chickens and dogs, laundry flapping in the breeze, children carrying wood for fires, and families going about their business.
It was all so different than what she was used to… so interesting.
It was almost a shock when Zero pulled her to a stop. “The Palace Gates are over there,” he pointed down the street a slight ways. “I’m not going any closer. I don’t want to have to run away from any Tin Men.”
“Wait,” Az begged him as he stepped away and he stopped, turning to look at her curiously. “Please… come with me.” She stopped, suddenly shy. “I’m sure my parents will want to thank you for helping me.”
Zero shook his head. “I don’t have much use for parents.”
“Don’t you want to…” Az wasn’t able to finish her sentence. A loud shouting behind her made her and Zero both turn in alarm. A whole patrol of Tin Men were descending on them at a rush… and at the head was Ahamo, looking terror stricken.
“Daddy!” Az cried out, running towards her father. He caught her up in a big hug and crushed her to his chest.
“Azkadellia! Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m okay. But there was a mean man who yelled and chased us.” Az babbled, still clinging to her father.
“It’s okay, baby. You’re safe now.” Ahamo couldn’t stop his legs and arms from shaking and he clung to his daughter like she was a lifeline.
“Daddy,” Az pushed away slightly and leaned back, turning her head to see Zero standing between two Tin Men who were holding him tightly in place. “He helped me,” Az whispered. Ahamo looked over where Zero was standing, absolutely white with fear.
“Let him go!” Ahamo ordered and the Tin Men obeyed instantly. Crossing towards him in two long strides, Ahamo stared down at the shoddy boy with skepticism. He had heard tale of how a boy had knocked over an apple stand, and then fled with a girl away from the angry owner.
Zero was struggling not to try and run away. He knew he’d never get far with this many Tin Men staring at him. It seemed the girl hadn’t been lying when she said she was the Princess. He had heard of Azkadellia. Everyone had.
He turned accusing eyes to her. “You said your name was Esmeralda.” One of the Tin Men reached out and cuffed him lightly on the back of the head.
”Be respectful, boy.”
Zero rubbed his head and glared at the Tin Man. “She did say it!”
Ahamo’s mouth quirked in wry amusement. “It’s alright, Stanton. I’m afraid that’s my fault.” He set Az back down on her feet and regarded the young boy with curiosity. “My daughter tells me that you helped her, young man.”
Zero seemed struck dumb by the fact that the Prince Consort was addressing him, but he nodded hurriedly when the Tin Man next to him raised a hand again. “Yeah.” He paused. “It was my fault that she was lost in the first place.” Zero looked at the little princess, wondering why he was sticking his neck out for her, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself. “I didn’t want her to get hurt.”
Ahamo softened immediately and nodded soberly. “What’s your name?”
“Zero.”
“And how old are you, Zero?” The boy shrugged and then took a hesitant guess.
“Ten?”
“I see.” Ahamo rubbed his chin, tiredly. It was clear the boy was homeless and living on the streets. It was also clear that he was a cut above most of the vagrants, who would have left Azkadellia to fend for herself. Turning, Ahamo addressed Stanton. “Is there a class of cadets starting soon?”
”Aye, sir.” Stanton nodded, seeing where the Prince Consort was headed. “And, if you don’t mind my saying so, sir, I believe he’d be a good match. He has a streak of loyalty about him.”
“Indeed.” Ahamo turned back to Zero.
“Would you like to join the Tin Man cadet class, Mr. Zero?”
Zero stared at him astonished, then suspicious. “Is that a fancy way of saying go to jail?”
Ahamo felt equal parts distress and amusement that the boy was so distrusting. “No, it isn’t. It’s a school, for those who wish to join the Tin Men upon graduation.” He eyed the boy sternly. “It’s hard work, but you’ll have a place to sleep and clean clothes and food.”
“What do I have to do?” Zero asked, still skeptical.
Ahamo answered thoughtfully. “Just what you’ve already done, lad. You’ll have to promise to look after Azkadellia, no matter what she gets herself into. Do you think you can do that?”
Zero looked down at the young princess. She was holding her father’s hand and staring at him with a look of hero worship. It wasn’t an expression anyone had ever bestowed him before and he blushed, looking away uncomfortably.
“I can do that. Sir.” He added as an afterthought.
“Good.” Ahamo nodded to Stanton and then looked back at the boy standing in front of him. “Sometimes she needs a lot of looking after.”
“I’ll look after her, sir.” Zero answered, more confidently this time. “No matter what. I’ll look after her.”
Ahamo smiled. “I trust that you will, Zero. I trust that you will.”
