DG stared in consternation as her sister vindictively pulled dress after dress out the bigger-then-my-entire-bedroom-on-earth closet. And what dresses they were. All with long flowing skirts and low, low necklines made of cloth of gold or silver or red silk or black leather. Ostentatious in a way that would make your average B move villain cringe.
"Hey!" DG yelped as a pointy shoe nearly collided with her head.
At that Azkadelia came to a stop and shrugged apologetically. "Corsets Deej. The old bat made me wear corsets for the last twelve annuals." She pulled one such offending article of its hanger and shook it at her sister.
It certainly looked uncomfortable. She was reminded of that scene in 'Pirates of the Caribbean' where the heroine passed out from lack of oxygen. "So the slut-wear wasn't you?" DG ventured.
Az rolled her eyes, "Hardly. I have some taste." Since being freed of being possessed by the witch, the elder princess had requested more demure clothing in quiet subdued colors from the royal seamstresses.
Azkadelia dropped the corset on the floor and sat down with a sigh on the uncomfortable looking bed. "I was thinking we could have a big bonfire and ritually burn all of these monuments to bad taste."
DG smiled and flopped down next to her. "We could make s'mores."
"What's a s'more?" Az asked looking at the younger women out of the corner of her lavender eyes.
"Roasted marshmallow and melted chocolate between two graham crackers; they're really good."
Az grinned. "I haven't had chocolate in twelve annuals. I don't know what marshmallows or graham crackers are but chocolate sounds divine."
DG looked horrified. "No chocolate! But why?"
"Did you know that chocolate has a chemical that stimulates the same kind of physical responses that the brain gets when you're in love? She didn't want us to loose our edge."
DG blinked at the plural. "Us?" she ventured.
"I haven't been alone in my head for a very long time. She wore me like a dress, used my mind, magic, face and voice to destroy my family and my world. Sometimes all a prisoner has is the guard." Azkadelia voice was quiet and pensive.
DG's heart constricted in her chest.
"I wonder how much of her is left in me?" Az's voice dropped lower and she shrank into herself.
"No. Az. You're fine now. She's gone," denied DG her blue eyes wide with distress.
Azkadelia who knew much more about magic and how it effected the mind decided not to tell DG how much of her personality and psyche were damaged. She had no intention of letting her little sister drown in herself in guilt.
"I just need some time," Az said as reassuring as she could and hoped to Ozma that DG couldn't read her like she could when they were children. "How are you adjusting?" Az directed the conversation in a new direction.
DG turned her perpetually surprised eyes up at the ceiling. "I'm good."
"Deej, I think everyone would understand you not be acclimated to the O.Z."
"I'm fine!" DG demurred.
"Right," Az said flatly.
DG knew that even if Az dropped it now they'd be revisiting the subject some time in the future. "Were you and Zero getting it on?" she blurted.
DG was rewarded by a sputtering red faced Azkadelia.
"What? Where would you get such a revolting idea?" Az asked in shock.
"In the rebel camp— I heard some rumors…There was one where you and your evil henchman were…um…as the city of Herku burned." DG shrugged in embarrassment.
Az shuddered, "No. I didn't get it on with that awful man." In truth the man and his twisted adoration had revolted her. She let out an aggravated sigh. "I've never even been kissed."
Her sister let out a choking laugh, "Really?"
"Nothing that would rob us of our edge remember?" Azkadelia snorted. "How about you? Any salacious affairs in your past?"
DG rolled her eyes, "Az be serious I grew up in Kansas. We don't do salacious. Anyway, I wasn't allowed to date until I was fifteen." A mischievous smile lit up her features. "I have been kissed. My first kiss was with Jack Haley."
Az smiled widely, "Was he cute?"
"I thought so…I was twelve at the time."
Azkadelia giggled.
"As for salacious affairs I did have a steady boyfriend though high school." DG's expression grew wistful. "Niko Chopper. And was he ever gorgeous. And smart. And fun."
"What happened?" Az tensed. There was something that hurt in DG's voice.
"Well, when he broke up with me he said that he couldn't have a future with someone who lacked both ambition and vision." DG rubbed a finger over her nose. "We had this big fight just before graduation—he called me an ice queen because I wouldn't sleep with him. Right in the middle of the quad."
There was a silence. Azkadelia wondered if it was possible to turn someone into a newt across worldwalls. Or maybe she should have that ever stoic protector of DG's to pay him a visit.
DG bumped her shoulder into Az's. "It's okay. It was more embarrassing than heartbreaking"
"If you say so." grumbled Azkadelia who was still contemplating an impotence potion.
"It's nice having you to talk to again," DG smiled shyly at her sister. "Even though I didn't remember you…I still missed you."
Azkadelia felt her eyes well up. She hugged the younger princess fiercely. "I missed you too, Deej."
Herku was a city in the Oz books
Jack Haley played the tin woodsman in MGM's 'The Wizard of Oz'
Nick Chopper was the name of the tin woodsman in Frank Baum's Oz books