Diaz plan for grandbabies SVTFOE AU (COMPLETE)

Chapter 13

The Captain of the Guard of the Butterfly family palace was an oddity. Rather than humanoid, he was a clanking, rattling humanoid mechanism, a sort of steam-powered robot, all polished brass tubes and clicking, spinning gears. A large clock made up his chest. Because of this, he was called Captain TickTock by most, nobody being quite sure what his real name was. He had been recruited from another dimension at some point during the travels of the Queen and the King, and had the eccentric habit of insisting that he wasn't a robot.

He had a reputation for caring for the men of the guard, trying his best to shield them from the Queen's sometimes brutal whims. Like right now, for example, when the Queen was sending patrol after patrol after Mr. Diaz, not caring in the slightest that they didn't return.

Star watched Captain TickTock (who she had always known as Uncle TickTock) hiss and clank his way through the dungeon hallways, towards the cell holding Mrs. Diaz. She hid in the shadows cast by the torchlight, her princess attire abandoned for one of the rough spun tunics the peasants wore, and a hooded cloak. TickTock was holding two steaming bowls of stew that he had picked up from the royal kitchen.

"Boys, boys!" he called out to the two guards flanking Mrs. Diaz's cell. "How are things down here, then? How's the witch?"

"I told you, I'm not a witch. My HUSBAND is a WARLOCK," Mrs. Diaz's voice echoed across the dungeon, followed by a snort. "What are you, from the steampunk dimension?"

Captain TickTock ignored her, turning to the guards, handing them the bowls of stew. "Here you go, boys."

"Cap'n, when is our relief gonna be here? We've been down here for a day straight," moaned one of the guards.

TickTock released a spray of steam from one of his valves that Star recognized as his manner of sighing. "I know, I know. I'm short on men. The Queen keeps sending them after that damned Warlock and none of them ever come back."

"My husband is going to tear this castle apart brick by brick to come get me," said Mrs. Diaz. "And he's going to mount your stupid brass head as a decoration above our fireplace. After he burns this entire city to the ground."

TickTock waved idly at her. "Lads, I'm sorry. But after the Queen discovered that the Princess was missing, she sent out more patrols looking for her. I had to send your relief out on patrol. I have other men I could send to replace you...but...you know how some of the guards talk, lately. I know you're both loyal Queen's men. I need good, loyal men watching this prisoner. You know what I'm saying?"

"I've heard the other men talk," piped up the younger of the two guards. "You should hang them for treason, you should, the way they go on!"

TickTock clapped a cold metal hand on his shoulder. "Ah, lad. If I could. But right now, we take what we can, you understand? Men like you, you're the backbone of this guard. You're the core I need to hold things together."

"Do you even know who my husband is? Do you think your pissant little dimension is the first he's been to?" Mrs. Diaz leaned up to the bars of the cell. "Let me go now, and I'll tell him to just go back to earth, no questions asked. If he has to break in here to get me, everyone is going to suffer, but YOU two specifically. What chance do you really think you stand if he decides-"

Star gasped silently as TickTock stepped forward and slapped Mrs. Diaz, sending her flying back into the cell. "I'm sorry for that, Ma'am," said the steam-powered robot, "but I will not have you personally threatening my men." Stepping back, he seemed to hesitate. "You boys have relief coming in a few hours, but maybe I should stay down here with you until then. Make sure things stay screwed on straight." Star bit her lip. She hoped that the Captain wouldn't stay. She had memories of watching him practice swords in the courtyard. He might clank and rattle and hiss, but she had never seen anyone move faster with a blade.