-.-.- When She Says She Loves Me -.-.-
(A/N)- Okay, I did it:-) Thanks again to everyone who reviewed this story, and to those who are following my other Tin Man fanfiction 'Ways of the Ancients', I am still continuing it, don't worry- I don't plan to let it die. ;-) Enjoy the mush!
Epilogue- The Ball
It was the day of the ball.
DG was exhausted from standing around all morning as the maids fitted her with her dress, which was a beautiful ruby-red one with not too much of a dip in front and ruffled a bit at the bottom. It fell to the middle of her calves and even she had to admit she looked great in it. She wasn't the sort who enjoyed dressing up and being pretty.
She decided to nap a bit, for she had to get her hair done before dinner time. She was exhausted out of her mind. Her legs ached from all the standing, not to mention she didn't get much sleep the night before. She didn't know why she just couldn't sleep- she lay there in bed watching Glitch enviously as he slept ever so peacefully.
Upon deciding to nap, she found a familiar brown-socked foot sticking out from under the curtain that ran along the sides of her bed. She smiled mischievously, and crept over to it. She wanted to tickle it but she knew Glitch would probably wind up slamming his head into the underside of her bed, so instead she peeked under.
Glitch was asleep on his stomach; his head nestled in the light blue shirt she had been wearing the previous day. He crumpled it up and used it as a pillow, and was smiling peacefully in his sleep. She snorted in amusement, and quietly crept under there to lie beside him.
She had curled herself up against him, head flat against the hard cold floor as she wondered how the hell he could be in such a deep sleep. Sure, there was a comfortable amount of space between the floor and the bed, but still … it was freaking uncomfortable!
She reached up and ran a finger down the bridge of his nose; no response. She repeated the action several times until he shook his head lightly, and lifted a hand to scratch the spot she rubbed before turning onto his side to face her, and nearly squished her. His eyes were half open sleepily, and he saw her in mid-turn, squinted, opened his eyes wide, and asked, "Deej?!" before slamming his skull into the underside of the bed. He proceeded to whimper helplessly as he rubbed it.
She sighed as she lay on her back, took his hands from his head, and massaged his scalp comfortingly. He slunk down and hugged her around her middle as she did so.
"You'd think by now you'd be used to waking up with me beside you." She said, and grabbed her shirt and shoved it under her head since Glitch was using her as his pillow now.
"I am," he insisted, murmuring into her belly, "I just woke up this morning and you weren't there, and there was a knock on the door and I hid under here. It was only the maid and she didn't see me but still …" he looked up at her, causing her to stop rubbing his head.
"Why did you leave?" he looked hurt.
"I had to get that stupid dress fitted," she explained with a whine, "You think I wanted to go? I couldn't wake you up because it was five o'clock in the freakin' morning!" she exclaimed, and twirled one of his brown curls around a finger, looking down at him, "Why, did you want to get a dress fitted for you?" she asked with a laugh.
He blushed with a grin, shaking his head, "Nah, it'll be hard enough for me to have to be Ambrose all through that ball. I'd just look crazy."
"Well I think you'd look beautiful," she said with a smile, suppressing her amusement at the thought of him in a dress.
"You would- the rest of the O.Z. would be scared out of their wits!"
She giggled at the wide-eyed look on his face, and sat up on her elbows to kiss him softly on the lips. He blushed at the touch still after all the times she had done it.
They broke free, and his warm brown eyes bore into hers for a moment before he kissed her again, leaning closer, and she lay back down on the floor. He placed butterfly kisses along her cheekbones and down along her neck before settling his head into the crook of her neck with a deep sigh.
She smiled. She knew him enough to never go further than kissing- maybe it was the Ambrose part of him that dominated that part of the brain, or that both Glitch and Ambrose were too much of a gentleman to get more intimate. That, she guessed, was something he'd save for something like marriage …
Her heart fluttered at the thought … would Glitch marry her, eventually? She wasn't ready for it now but … she really couldn't see this relationship going anywhere else but a commitment like that. Sure, his antics annoyed her at times and she often felt he was a child, but she also loved him for that. In fact, she was completely certain that she'd love to be married to Glitch. There should be no law against royalty marrying non-royalty- her father was a commoner, for crying out loud! The only question on her mind was … did Glitch want to be married?
He rubbed his face gently against her neck, his breathing tickling her skin. She reached up and slid her cold hand under his warm shirt, causing him to jump a little, and she giggled and apologized, running her other hand through his curly locks after kissing him atop the stitches.
…
…
After what felt like seconds later, DG felt a light tap of a boot on her foot. She blinked herself awake, looking down to see Cain get on his knees and peer under the bed, raising a brow at her, "Is today Opposite day?"
"He hid under here this morning," she explained quietly.
"You gotta get your hair done," he reminded.
She nodded, shaking Glitch lightly by the shoulders, "Glitch …" she called, and he held tighter, eyes shut. She sighed angrily, falling back onto her crumpled shirt of a pillow.
"I'll get him," Cain promised, getting to his feet and walking around the bed.
"Cain, don't," she warned weakly, but she really did want Glitch off now- as much as she wasn't so happy about the ball, she had to go, and the more time it took to prepare for it would only induce stress in the people who had to wait on her.
She saw Cain's hands slip under the bed skirt and feel around for Glitch's ankle. When he found it, he got a good hold, and dragged him out. Glitch had awoken when he felt himself sliding, and his eyes went wide as he looked to DG. He reached out to grab her but he was already too far from her. He struggled to hold onto the floor and let out a squeak as he slid behind the skirt of the bed. DG crawled out from the other side as Glitch was pulled to his feet.
"Don't hurt me!" Glitch cried as Cain held his grip on the back of the advisor's collar. His eyes were clenched in fear as if he thought he was going to be beaten.
"I'm not gonna hurt you, Zipperhead." He promised, releasing him.
Glitch scoffed, his confidence quickly regained, "Uh, hello?" he pointed to the stitches on his scalp, "I don't have a zipper anymore."
"You're still Zipperhead, Zipperhead," he said with a grin, and turned to DG.
"Come on Princess- they're waiting for you."
"What about me??" Glitch piped up.
"What about you?" Cain asked calmly, leading DG out, "You go and get ready for the ball."
And the two left the Queen's advisor alone in DG's bedroom as he stood pondering on what it meant exactly to get ready for the ball.
DG worried about this too, and she asked Cain as they headed down the hall, "What if he doesn't remember how to get dressed?" she asked fearfully, but a smile played on her lips when Cain blushed profusely.
"Well, you're not going to be the one to show him."
"Are you?" she asked with a snort, and he shook his head with a laugh, "He'll figure it out, and if he doesn't I'm sure you won't mind if he's in those same clothes he's in now … though I think they might be starting to stink at this point."
She laughed, but realized that he didn't stink, though he must've worn those clothes since he lost his half of a brain, and she found that odd.
…
…
Getting her hair done was a long and restless task. She felt she would get it done quicker but it seemed the castle staff didn't want her to lift a finger. It took longer than she expected though her hair had just been pulled up in a bun and a curl was left to dangle on each side of her head. She hadn't pulled her hair up in a while, and she was content with the change.
After getting her dress on, she had to attend dinner. No one special was there, just the regulars- her family and Cain. Raw had arrived for the ball and was with them also. Glitch should've been down by now- he was always anxious to prove he could still be Ambrose, and was often the first to the table simply because the Glitch in him loved food.
DG told Cain she was worried, but he assured her that Glitch was probably just getting ready, and he would be down to eat soon. But he wasn't, and DG didn't think her mother would understand if she explained the situation to her. Queen Lavender Eyes was convinced that Ambrose was back to normal and fine as ever.
DG didn't eat much at all, for any food that hit her stomach often made her feel sick because she was so sick with worry for Glitch. What if he made a fool of himself at the ball by coming down in the same clothes he had been wearing? What if he came down with no clothes at all? She blushed profusely at the thought. She sure hoped the Ambrose in him would take the wheel on this one.
DG had to wait a while at the top of the stairs of the ballroom, as the other guests danced for a while, her parents among them. Azkadellia and her had to wait to be announced as no one had seen DG in so long and the last time anyone saw Azkadellia, she was being possessed by the Wicked Witch.
DG never saw the ballroom before, so she stole a peek at it through the curtain. Her eyes went wide in awe. The floor was shimmering silver, and mirrors lined the circular walls and the pillars that ran around the circle just outside the wall. Her eyes wandered amongst the guests a moment, before a twinkle caught her eye and she looked to the high ceiling to see a crystal chandelier. It looked so magical that she smiled, and a hand pulled her back by the shoulder.
"DG!" Azkadellia hissed gently, "They'll see you,"
"Sorry," she said with a grin, and went to peek again, "Have you seen Gl—Ambrose?"
"Glambrose?" she asked with a smirk.
"Ambrose," she corrected with a blush. He hadn't arrived yet, at least not to her knowledge. He was supposed to be there to escort the Queen down the stairs, but Ahamo took his place, which made more sense to DG anyway.
"I haven't seen him," Azkadellia said, smoothing out her emerald green dress, "He's been acting strange lately, but mother doesn't think so. He's not Ambrose anymore- he's someone else …"
DG smiled lightly to herself, "He's Glitch," she said, knowingly.
"I suppose you're right," Az said, "Must be hard adjusting to two halves of a brain after so long."
DG laughed humorlessly, "Believe me; you don't know the half of it."
Cain came up between them, and held out an arm to her sister, "Azkadellia," he addressed with a smile. Az smiled warmly back and slipped her hand into the crook of his arm.
"Cute, but what about me?" she asked, feeling hurt. There was no way she was walking down that staircase alone.
"If Glitch doesn't show up, Raw will take you," he explained, "Don't worry." And they headed off through the curtain and down the stairs after Tutor's voice announced them, and the crowd clapped loudly.
Nervousness flooded into her heart, and a warm hand touched her elbow.
"DG no fear. Glitch coming."
"Thanks Raw," she said with a grim smile. She hoped the Seer wasn't wrong, but then again when had he ever been wrong? She still felt nervous anyway- if he didn't show when her name was called …
"I am pleased to announce the return of the youngest princess to the heir of the throne, Princess DG!"
She went numb. The clapping started immediately after he announced her, and she gulped. An elbow brushed hers and a familiar shock ran up her spine. She looked up to see Glitch, his hair just as neat as it had been in that painting in the entrance hall, and he wore a new coat that resembled his old one only it wasn't tattered. He smiled happily at her as he offered his arm, "Hey doll," he said quietly.
She smiled brightly as life seemed to fill through her soul. She wanted so badly to hug him but they had to get into the ballroom quick. She slipped her hand into the crook of his arm and leaned up for a kiss on the cheek, "Glad you're here," she whispered.
Raw smiled as his friends made their way down the stairwell, and he slipped off to take the entrance the other guests had taken to get to the ballroom.
The nervousness seemed to have completely fled DG's body- all she could think of was the man she loved as she squeezed said man's arm happily. She didn't notice all the guests, and she had a smile on her face that wouldn't go away; all she focused on was not tripping down the stairs, but Glitch had so much grace as he headed slowly down the stairs that she felt as if he were walking for the both of them … if that made sense.
They made it down the steps safely and the other guests had turned back to their partners to dance. Glitch suddenly looked apprehensively around, met DG's eyes, took a short bow, and held out his gloved hand, "Would you like to dance, your majesty?" he asked.
She held back her laughter though it seemed silly that he would be so formal with her- she felt they were so close it was as if they were married already. He shouldn't be so nervous like he often was, though she loved it when he was. It was cute.
She curtseyed, feeling silly doing so, "I'd be delighted," she said, and took his hand in hers. He placed his other hand on her hip with a blush, and she leaned up to whisper in his ear, "You do remember how to dance?"
"Of course," he answered back with an impish grin, "I've got rhythm!" he reminded, and she smiled, resting her hand atop his shoulder as he led her by the other across the dance floor.
They danced for what seemed like forever, twirling about in a dreamlike state as the world spun around her- all she was aware of was Glitch as she gazed into his chocolate brown eyes. He stared lovingly back at her, and she was surprised and happy that he could do this and not wind up dancing into another couple. She hoped the sudden realization of this would not cause it to happen.
"You know," he said for a while, "You should dance with other guests,"
She felt a pang of hurt in her heart, "Why?"
"It's the custom of these ballroom dances- for heirs to choose or consider their future husband and/or wife."
She held tighter to him, pulling her body closer, "What if I've already found him?"
Glitch's eyes widened in surprise, and looked down at her as he suddenly realized she must be talking about him. She smiled, and kissed him upon the lips gently, not caring who saw. She rested her head in the crook of his neck as they danced, and they were so close they could feel each other's hearts beating.
"I love you Deej," he said quietly, resting his cheek atop her head.
"I love you too, Glitch," she answered with a sigh of relief.
(A/N)- Gahh, too much fluff! But I hope you liked. :-) Thanks again for all who have been reading this story!