Author's Notes:  I fully expect that everyone will like Jen Lai better than Lila, just because she's more mysterious.  Lila is more a character that I made for my own enjoyment, to satisfy the romantic sap in me.  That's pretty much the reason for this story.  Just a couple of FYI's:  Duke spent a lot of time in Lila's care when he first came to the resistance, and they developed a strong friendship.  And on a whim one day I decided that had there been no war, Wildwing would have been an architect.  No special reason, I just decided that's what he would have done.  Marilyn is a human doctor that has become Lila's close friend.

And this story is really, really long.  But it's been fun to write. :o)

*******The Third Dimension*******

Wraith and Chameleon cowered in fear as the Raptor shook with Dragaunus's rage. Smoke billowed from his nostrils as he blasted every bit of nonessential equipment in sight to atoms. Even Siege was nervous. Given the track record of the three henchmen against the Mighty Ducks, Dragaunus might decide in his fit of blind hatred that they, too, fell under the heading of nonessential equipment. They remained silent and waited for the warlord to vent his frustration on the drones and other inanimate objects.

When he was finished, the Raptor looked worse than Wraith imagined it would have if the Mighty Ducks themselves had found it. Now was the time, while his ruler was somewhat drained of energy after the outburst. The twisted sorceror moved forward.

"Patience, Lord Dragaunus," he soothed. Dragaunus whirled on him and quickly Wraith blurted, "I have a plan."

"Plan?" snorted the giant red Saurian. His cruelly curved talons were inches away from Wraith's face as Dragaunus siezed him and lifted him so that the two were eye to eye. "You manage to fail even with *my* brilliant schemes. What makes you think you can destroy those flea-ridden *birds* with an idea concocted in that ancient, rotting brain of yours, you insignificant toothpick!!" Wraith gulped. Maybe this wasn't the best time, after all.

"My plan is to get rid of them, Lord, not destroy them," he managed to gasp, the tattered ends of his light blue robe dangling near Dragaunus's knees. "The ducks do not have our technology, it would be a simple matter to lure them into another dimension." Dragaunus roared and threw him accross the room. Fortunately, he landed on Chameleon, and was not injured. "I know we have tried before, Lord, but--"

"The fools refused to leave even when we offered them safe passage back to Puck World!" Dragaunus shouted. "And they even found a way to return when we trapped them and sucked them through the Gate!"

"The mistake there, Lord Dragaunus, was sending them into a realm of magic." Wraith picked himself up and leaned heavily on his staff. "I warned you not to underestimate the power of the supernatural." Draguanus's eyes were flaming with anger, and Wraith continued quickly. "And as for luring them back to Puckworld, the idea was an excellent one, Lord Draguanus. The brilliant plan would have rid us of them for good, if not for one thing." He curled his fist and restrained the fireball he was tempted to throw. He'd been as puzzled as the others by that turn of events for a long time. Unfortunately, Dragaunus had left nothing in the room he could safely demolish. "We failed to take into account their accursed consciences. And at least one among them must have figured out how dangerous it would be for Puckworld to let us establish a stronghold here on Earth."

"I am losing patience, Wraith," Dragaunus warned, "Get to the point. *Now*!" Wraith swallowed.

"The plan was brilliant, Lord Dragaunus, but the bait was flawed. We must use the ducks' sense of obligation and loyalty against them." Dragaunus put a hand to his face, suddenly quiet and calm. A slow, evil smile spread across his face.

"Yes," he muttered. "Yes. Send one of their own through the gate, hmm? Then offer them a chance to follow . . ." Wraith grinned.

"Exactly, Lord. I take it you approve?" Dragaunus ignored him and went to the computer. He pulled up all the information they had on each of the ducks.

"Now," he said, his tone brisk. "Which duck shall it be?" The computer flipped threw files and pages of information. Images of the seven ducks flashed in a cycled accross the screen.

"Send Wildwing," Siege offered. "Without him the ducks won't know what to do."

"And he's the one most likely to object to going," Dragaunus stated thoughtfully, "But if we could have taken him out on his own we'd have done it by now. So it has to be somebody close enough to him that he can't refuse our offer."

"That annoying young brat he always has with him," Wraith suggested.

"I thought you wanted someone who couldn't put up a fight," Chameleon said in disgust. His tone turned superior. "I know exactly who we should send." His comrades snorted. "Sheesh," he said, "Everyone underestimates me. But I know something you don't know," he teased in a singsong voice. He withered at a glance from Dragaunus. He shifted in a glow of florescent green light, taking the form Wildwing. "I'm so glad you're here, Lila, I never would have been able to decide which flavor to get--21 is so many.  How would I ever get along without you?"

"The doctor?" Dragaunus turned to face him.

"Wildwing depends on her," Chameleon shifted back to his normal form.  "She's his second in command, and Wildwing likes her.  He'd have to go after her."  Draguanus turned to the computer. He stopped the cycle on the brown feathered doctor and skimmed the information.

"Yes," he nodded, laughing evilly. "If what you've said is true, Chameleon, she should be the ideal bait to lure those ducks into our trap. Go get her and bring her here."

***

Lila LaGlace hummed softly to herself as she looked through the rack of clothes. There was nothing there that interested her, so with a regretful smile at the somewhat awestruck shopkeeper, she headed for the door. She pulled out her sunglasses and set them on her beak, hiding her sable eyes, as she stepped out in to the bright (and uncomfortably warm) Anaheim sun. Her chocolate hair was tied up in a braided bun at the back of her head, and only a few wisps fell down in her face. The warmth of the sun soaked into her light brown feathers and stayed there. She chided herself for having worn a black shirt. It was her favorite, a little off-the-shoulder number that looked absolutely adorable under her overall denim shorts (or so Marilyn and Mallory told her), but on days like this it absorbed to much heat to be truly comfortable.  She continued her stroll through the outdoor Anaheim mall. 'On days like this,' she thought to herself, 'I could almost wish for a good, old-fashioned, blizzard-filled Puckworld winter.'

Lila stopped to look at a display of dresses in a tinted window. 'That's cute,' she thought, 'Maybe I'll--' She started as a familiar reflection came into view. She spun around. "Wildwing! Honestly, don't sneak up on me like that!" She looked up into a grinning face that was, for once, unobscured by the Mask. He was also wearing street clothes instead of armor. It was, in her mind, a drastic improvement over the way he'd been when they'd first arrived. You couldn't have pried him out of that armor with a crowbar. She smiled back at him. "I never thought I'd envy a duck with light-colored feathers, Wildwing, but geez, am I hot!"

"C'mon," he said, "I've got something I want you to see." Puzzled, Lila let him take her hand and pull her along. He didn't say anything more as he dragged her out of the mall, into a quiet, deserted area of the park.

"Wildwing," Lila was more puzzled than ever. "There's nothing here." Something about the way Wildwing was acting bothered her. It wasn't like him to just bring her someplace like this without any kind of explanation. And hadn't he scheduled a practice today?

"Exactly," he said, grabbing her arms. Lila pulled back reflexively, but he wouldn't let go of her. The world blurred and she recognized the sound of a Saurian teleporter. Then her surroundings came back into focus and she realized she was standing in the control room of the Raptor. Chameleon stood in Wildwing's place, gripping her arms and laughing. She wrenched away from him and fell back--right into Siege. His iron grip clamped her shoulders, threatening to crack a bone if she struggled.

"Perfect." The cold, satisfied voice sent chills through her. The cruel laugh that followed made her feathers stand on end.

"I don't know what you think you're up to, Dragaunus," she said bravely, "but when the others figure out I'm gone--" She stopped at the amused smile and cold-blooded gleam in his eye.

"Oh, but why keep them in suspense, my dear doctor? As soon as we make sure you won't escape, we'll have to alleviate their worries, now, won't we?" Lila shrank back against Siege's rigid scales, afraid to even consider what the bloodthirsty warlord might have meant by that.

***

Drake 1's alarms sounded halfway through practice. All of the ducks stopped and looked up toward the loudspeakers reflexively. Wildwing skated out to the other ducks. "Tanya?"

The blond duck was checking her wrist com. "Drake 1's picked up Dragaunus's goons right outside the Pond!" she cried in alarm. At an order from Wildwing they all traded their uniforms for battle armor, skated off the ice and ran out the front door. Wildwing skidded to a stop as the scene before him registered in his mind.

"Lila!" He started forward again, face clouding with anger. A fireball splashed to the ground in front of her. He looked up to see Wraith at a vantage point, another mystic bolt ready to keep them back. "Let her go, Siege!" Wildwing yelled. Siege's arm was wrapped tightly around Lila's waist and he held her in front of him, gagged and bound hand and foot. There was no way to get a clear shot at the massive lizard with Lila in the way, and a Saurian laser was pointed at her head. Chameleon stood nearby with what looked like some kind of control device in his hand while Wraith kept them all covered.

"Just what are you going to do about it, duck?" Siege snarled. "We got a message fer ya!" Chameleon fiddled with the device in his hand and a familiar vortex opened to one side of Siege. Scanning the vilains with the Mask, Wildwing's worst fears were confirmed. That *was* Lila they had, and the vortex *was* a dimensional gate, emitting energy waves with a dimensional pattern he'd never seen before. His stomach dropped below his feet and his throat closed up. Tanya was yelling unintelligibly as Grin held her back from going after her cousin. Mallory and Nosedive had their weapons trained on the Saurian scum, but were afraid to fire. Wildwing could almost hear Duke's teeth grinding together next to him as the older duck stood there, his useless saber extended in his hand. Each and every one of them was using every bit of self-control they had not to rush after their teammate.

"What do you want, Siege?" Wildwing yelled hoarsely.

"If you want to see this pretty little face again, you'd better be on the roof of the old autoparts factory in two hours. All of you. If not," he shrugged, grinning evilly, "Well then, I guess she gets an extended vacation." With that, he hurled Lila through the gate and all three of the lizards disappeared in a flash of teleporter energy.

"NO!" was all Wildwing had time to yell before his legs collapsed beneath him. He sank to his knees. Duke's saber clattered to the pavement beside him, and the former thief stared at the place where the fiends had stood. Tanya sagged into a sobbing heap in Grin's grip. Mallory roared in anger and threw her blaster against the wall. She might have done more, but Nosedive dropped his pucklauncher and caught her wrists. She pulled away from him and turned away. Dive lost his joking attitude, staring at the place where the portal had vanished.  For a moment nobody could do anything. Losing Canard had been bad enough, but Lila...Of all of them only Wildwing had been really close to Canard, and as hard as it was to admit they had all really accepted the fact that he was gone without too much fuss. Now, though, to lose one of the ducks they had lived with and worked with all these months was devastating.

Duke was the first to recover. He got everyone moving and inside, even his stunned captain. At first Wildwing couldn't be budged, until Duke finally snapped at him, "Look, Wing, we've got a chance to get her back and we've got two hours to get ready to do it, so GET THE HELL UP!!!" That shocked him out of his daze and he followed the other ducks inside and back to the Ready Room.

"All right," Wildwing said briskly, pushing away his feelings to focus on the task at hand. "We've got to figure out what Dragaunus is up to. We have to be ready for whatever he's going to want from us." He steeled his voice and forced himself to say it. "The biggest question we have to decide is, how far are we willing to go to get Lila back?" The room was full of silence. Again, Duke was the first to keep his head.

"Tanya," he said, looking at Lila's cousin, "You know Lila and I have been close. But even for her, I can't justify giving this world, and by default ours, up to the Saurians. If they want our help in conquering this place in return for freeing her, I'll find another way to get her back."

"We're not even sure where she was sent," Tanya's voice was strained. "They could have set that portal to take her anywhere." Duke opened his mouth, thinking that she was saying that there was no way for them to get her back without Dragaunus. She surprised him. "She may not even be alive," she continued before he could say anything, "and then we'd have destroyed two worlds for nothing. When we went to the future I saw what giving in to selfishness could do. Besides," her voice took on a more technical tone, "I think it's more likely that Dragaunus is going to want to send us through a portal after her. Why else would he want us on the roof? After all, he ought to know by now that we'll never help him, and that even if we gave our word we couldn't stand by and watch him demolish Earth right in front of us."

"She's right," agreed Mallory, back to her military minded self and standing as far away from Nosedive as possible. "But if we go after Lila, won't that be the same thing as handing Earth over to Dragaunus? We'd have no way to get back and there'd be nobody here who could stop him."

"Wait a minute. Maybe we do have a way to get back," Duke said thoughtfully.

***

Lila spun, feeling almost weightless in the twisting freefall of the dimensional gateway. Her gag came loose and she was able to spit it out, but before she could do anything about the bonds on her wrists and feet, the swirling purple of the gate vanished--and she continued to fall.

Now, instead of mottled purple above her there was clear blue sky. Sunlight blinded her and she shut her eyes against it. She turned her head and looked below her. She let out a frightened cry when she realized she couldn't see the ground. Clouds drifted below her. Water condensed and slid off her feathers as she fell through one. She could see a cliff to one side but was too far out of reach to grab a handhold, even if her hands hadn't been tied behind her. She closed her eyes and waited for it to end.

Suddenly, Lila felt a shadow fall over her and something grabbed her arm. Her eyes flew open, but the face looking down at her was obscured by the light of the sun directly behind it. The grip on her arm intensified as it pulled her toward whatever was there. Then an arm slipped under her knees, and the hold on her arm disappeared as another arm slid under her back. The sunlight was blocked completely, giving her a glimpse of a curved beak and deep brown eyes as the stranger spread two huge wings. Lila felt her weight return as the wind caught them, and they went from falling to soaring upward in a steep arc. They tilted upward until her rescuer was almost flying on his back, then he rolled so that they were right side up again. The wings began pumping rhythmically, propelling them towards the cliff face. Then her rescuer banked, circled, and landed on a large, semicircular ledge that ended in a wide-mouthed cave. Three more--eagle creatures, she supposed was what they were most like--were standing there. Her rescuer set her down, knelt beside her and began to untie her.

***

Dragaunus watched on his viewscreen as Nosedive set the Aerowing down on the roof of the warehouse. The ducks filed out and stood in front of their craft, looking around. Dragaunus chuckled and pushed the trigger. A dimensional portal opened in front of them. He picked up the microphone. "Here's the deal, Wildwing," he said, his voice full of self-assured satisfaction. "That gateway leads to the dimension where I've sent your annoying little friend. You're free to follow her. You're free to leave her to whatever fate awaits her there. The choice is yours." His cruel smile grew as Wildwing scanned the portal.

"It's the same energy pattern as the one they sent Lila through." Dragaunus heard him confirm. "What's the vote, team?"

"I say we go," Duke said. "We can't abandon her there." Dragaunus's elation grew.

"I'm with Duke," The annoying red-head agreed, "but I think we should take the Aerowing. We don't know what's in there." Dragaunus could have danced as the others agreed, one by one. They all filed back into the Aerowing. He hadn't counted on them wanting to take that accursed ship along, but it didn't really matter. All that mattered was that they went through. He enlarged the gateway and watched his problems disappear.

***

"You were right, Tanya," Wildwing said absently from the copilot's seat as they headed into the vortex. "He did care more about whether we went through than how we went."

"Good thing," said Duke, strapping a sword to his back. "The Star Sword may have mystical powers, but it ain't real easy to hide, you know?"

***

"Nice catch, Lance," observed one of the eagle-men. Lila's ankles were untied and Lance picked her up and set her on her feet. He moved behind her and began working at the knots on her wrists. Lila looked at the other three. The one who had spoken had coloring similar to hers, but his feathers looked little darker on the wings folded to his back. His eyes were a clear blue and he wore an amused smile that looked friendly in spite of his predator's beak.

"You're going to catch it hot for that one," said a second eagle in a voice that sounded a little smug. He regarded Lila with a look in his deep green eyes that made her want to shudder. "Still, she is a pretty prize, now isn't she?" His feathers reminded her of Duke's, a dark brownish-grey.

"Only you would regard a lady as a prize, Garth." There was dislike and disapproval in the third man's voice. He was very striking in appearance, with sable feathers and startling golden eyes.

Lila felt the cords come loose from her wrists and she brought her hands back in front of her. Siege had tied her wrists as cruelly as he did everything else, and her feathers were chaffed and ragged where the ropes had been on her ankles as well. She turned to get a good look at the man who had saved her. His feathers were gold and his face was kind. Unlike the other three, who looked to be several years older than Lila, the one they'd called Lance appeared to be close to her age. Like the others, he wore a sleeveless black tunic with a silver belt around the waist, and there was some sort of insignia on his left shoulder. 'Soldiers,' she realized. He was very handsome, and Lila was suddenly conscious of how disheveled she must look.

"Are you hurt?" he asked her.

"Uh, no," Lila said, still trying to come to terms with what had happened. "Thank you," she finally had the sense to say. "I owe you my life, sir. I hope I've not caused you any trouble." The light brown eagle laughed.

"She falls off a cliff, and she's worried about getting him in trouble," he chuckled.

"Justin," Lance said sharply, and the man snapped to attention.

"Sorry, Captain." He didn't look at all sorry and Lila was sure he wanted to laugh again. She hid a smile. She liked this one. He reminded her of a slightly more mature version of Nosedive. The one called Garth didn't even pretend respect.

"She's got reason enough to worry," he said smugly. "You'll lose your command for sure this time, *Captain.*" Lila hadn't realized the word could sound so derogatory until then. The black eagle's face clouded with anger.

"He's still your Captain for now, Garth, and you'd best show him the respect he earned with the title."

"That's enough!" Lance glared at both of them. "Your loyalty is appreciated, Ian, but in the future, for as long as I still have one, it's my place to punish insubordinace, not yours. Clear?"

"Yes, sir," Ian saluted. Garth lazily went to attention, still smiling smugly.

"I *have* caused you trouble," Lila frowned worriedly. "I'm sorry, none of us ever wanted to bring anyone else into our fight. I wish there were something I could do."

"Your fight?" Lance's brow furrowed. "What do you mean? And how did you get here?"

"It's--a long story," Lila sighed. She was starting to feel very tired, and the heat on this exposed ridge was getting to her. Lance cocked his head at her, concerned.

"Perhaps you'd best tell it to the King," he said. He turned to his command. "Continue without me. His Majesty must hear of this at once. "My lady, I'm afraid I'll have to carry you." Lila nodded and tried not to blush as he picked her up again. He stepped to the edge of the ledge. Lila glanced down and tightened her arms around his neck. 'Oh boy,' she thought. Her heart leapt as Lance did, but the images of them crashing to the ground turned out to be only idle fears. To her surprise, however, he did not glide down. He flew up, at an angle. She hardly dared breath, because she imagined it wasn't easy to fly as he did with her cradled in his arms. 'The muscles that work those wings must be incredibly strong,' her medical mind clicked in. It was a comforting path of thought that took her mind of the fact that she was depending on a complete stranger to keep her from falling who knew how many miles to the ground, and that she was going to a place she knew nothing about, without her teammates. She puzzled out questions of how this species managed to evolve and still keep their wings as the two climbed higher and higher. Lila was also amazed at the amount of oxygen in the air. On any other planet she'd seen climbing this high would have resulted in severe oxygen deprivation.

Finally they crested the top of the cliff, and Lila forgot her fears as she gazed at the city that rose up from the grass-covered plateau stretching below her. Tears came to her eyes as homesickness washed over her. The ivory-white towers and smooth wall that circled the metropolis reminded her of her home on Puckworld. She sighed as she looked wistfully at it, wishing with all her heart that she was back home with her family and her teammates, worlds away from war.

"We call it Bright Haven," Lance told her, noticing her admiration.

"It's beautiful," was all she could think of to say. 'But it's not home,' she added to herself, still mired in thoughts of the home and the people she might never see again.

Lila's fear returned when they entered the city. It was all she could do to keep her lunch down as Lance swerved, swooped, and wove his way through towers and other airborne people. She clamped her teeth together and tried not to scream as they seemed to barely avoid obstacles that kept appearing before them.

Finally, they reached a high spire in the center of the city. Lance chose a 'landing pad' similar to the one that had been, Lila now realized, carved into the cliff face, and sailed down to make a surprisingly gentle landing. He set Lila down and held her steady until she could stand on her own. Her ankles were starting to ache from the ropes and she was still a little weak in the knees from all she'd been through. "I'll have to speak to the King first," he told her. "But that will give you a little time to freshen up. You'll have to be kept under guard, I'm afraid." Lila nodded.

"I understand. Wildwing wouldn't let a stranger wander around the Pond unsupervised, either," she said before she remembered he wouldn't have any idea what she was talking about. He just nodded, however, and put her into the care of some female guards, who took her to where she could get wash up. One of the guards took her clothes, wrist cuffs, and pack while she slipped gratefully into a large bath. She bathed quickly and, after a moment’s hesitation, washed her hair. Better wet than sweaty, she supposed. She was a little worried about letting them take her things, but she supposed she didn't have much choice but to trust them. Besides, she'd been treated well so far, and common sense on their part demanded a search of her belongings. She didn't have anything they could hold against her, anyway. She got out and dried off. The guards had brought her clothes back, minus her wristguards and pack. Lila hesitated for a moment and looked at the guards. "Are these appropriate? I don't want to seem disrespectful . . ." The youngest guard, a pretty red-head with rust colored feathers that the others called Lissa, giggled, but sobered immediately at a look from her superior.

"The King will want to see 'the real you,' so to speak," the captain told her. She was a severe looking older woman with silver hair falling down over steel grey feathers, but she had a kind of motherly air about her as well. "We'll see what we can do about finding presentable clothes for you after he's passed judgement." Lila nodded and pulled her shirt and overalls on. 'Passed judgement,' she thought ruefully, 'I feel like I'm on trial.'

"Would it be possible to borrow a comb?" she asked as she fastened her shoulders straps. The captain looked at Lissa and, blushing, the younger woman pulled a comb from her pouch. Lila thanked her and raked the instrument through her thick, waist-long waves. She picked up her headband and tied it around her forehead, glancing in a mirror to make sure the patch that marked her as a member of the Healer's Guild was straight. Then there was nothing to do but sit and wait. Finally the silence became too much and Lila asked, "What will happen to Captain Lance?" Out of the corner of her eye she saw Lissa flinch, but Celine, the older captain, didn't move a muscle.

"I'm not entirely sure," Celine said quietly. "Newcomers are . . . not often welcome, in Bright Haven. It's against the law to reveal our presence here to strangers who do not find it on their own. By all rights he should be relieved of his command on the spot. Then again, he saved your life. And Captain Lance is extremely popular," she shot an amused look at her companion. "Isn't that so, Lissa?" Lissa blushed again.

"Why shouldn't he be?" she declared defensively. "He's the strongest and bravest soldier in Bright Haven, or on all of Aerie, for that matter."

"Perhaps," Celine answered dryly, "But I've often wondered about the wisdom in letting one so young achieve a command. Bravery and strength he has in plenty, to be sure, as well as a high sense of honor, but he lacks the experience to make command decisions, in my opinion." Lissa looked as if she would like to argue, but she didn't say anything.

"Well, in any case," Lila sighed, "I'm extremely grateful to him and I hope he'll be all right."

At that moment there was a knock on the door. The King was ready to see her. Lila was escorted to the door of what she assumed must be the throne room. The doorman started to open it, but paused and quickly asked her name. She gave it, along with her birth planet, and the great doors swung open. Lila took a deep breath as the herald announced her.

"The Lady Lila LaGlace of Puckworld!"

Lila steeled her nerves and walked in as regally as she could, slipping into the ways of the court that she'd learned with her father, the ambassador, when they'd lived at the palace of the king on Andar. She held her head high and strode across the floor with a measured balance of strength and grace. She halted at the rule-of-thumb distance from the throne as her father had taught her and, lacking a skirt to curtsey with, delivered a low skater's bow, sweeping one hand out and snapping her feet together, then coming to one knee and bringing the hand to the opposite shoulder. 'Easy,' she thought to herself as she held the pose with her eyes on the floor. 'Not equal to equal, but respect from a subordinate of one ruler to another ruler that's *his* equal,' her father's words echoed in her head. At a word from the King she rose, standing proudly before him.

He was about her father's age, with steel colored feathers and severe eyes to match. A gold circlet rested on his brow. He was a very imposing figure and Lila had to work to keep her gaze steady. She wondered, for a moment, how much she should tell him, then decided that she might as well tell him everything, since it wasn't likely he could use it against her, and her teammates were out of his reach.

He questioned her first about herself and her life on Puckworld. She answered him honestly and completely. Then came the real question. He asked her how she had come, and why. Lila told him the whole story. The Saurian conquest of Puckworld, the Resistance, losing Canard (that part had been difficult to force out; she still felt guilty about all the terrible things they'd said to each other before he'd been lost), and finally their life on Earth and how she'd been captured.

***

Lance stood to one side of the throne, his worry alternately building with each question the King asked, and ebbing with each answer the girl gave. 'A healer, and an ambassador's daughter to boot,' he thought gleefully. 'She'll be fine.' He wasn't sure why he was so concerned about the delicate figure that stood before him, other than that for the moment at least, his destiny was tied with hers. Instictively, he liked her and he trusted her. He wanted her to be safe. The King wouldn't turn her out unless he felt she was a threat, and so far she'd done well. When he heard of the Saurian conquest, his worry returned. 'She's a freedom fighter,' he reassured himself. 'The King will have sympathy for her cause.' But not, he knew, if there was a risk of their conflict coming to Bright Haven. Still, she handled herself with grace and strength, and her posture showed that she respected the King, but did not consider herself his subject. He wasn't sure yet if that was a good or bad thing. 'Probably a good thing,' he decided, 'because it shows her loyalty to her team and her captain. And her willingness to stand by her own beliefs.' Finally the interrogation was over, and the youngest captain in Bright Haven waited anxiously for the judgement.

After a moment of silence, the King spoke. "Lady LaGlace," he began, "You are indeed a lady of honor and character. You have born your trials with a strength worthy of the bravest soldier on Aerie, and it is clear that you come here without malice. You are welcome to stay within our walls for as long as you wish." Lila bowed again, relief flowing through her.

"Thank you, Great Lord. If I may," she raised her eyes but did not get up, "I would like to ask that you consider Sir Lance's motives in breaking your laws. I beg you, Sire, don't punish him for saving me. He did what he did for my sake, and I would sooner bear his punishment myself than cause harm to the one who saved me." Lance was surprised, and a glance at the King revealed a similar emotion in his face. But Lance could see that his liege was impressed as well, and Lance dared to hope that perhaps her plea had done him some good.

"Captain Lance," The King called him, and he at once glided off the dais to kneel in front of his lord, beside the girl. "Captain, I applaud your honor in saving one who was helpless. However," Lance's heart sank. "in breaking our laws you have neglected your duty as a soldier of Bright Haven. Therefore, I am relieving you of your current command." Lance had to put forth considerable effort to maintain his self-control. "I am reassigning you to the protection of Lady LaGlace while she dwells within our walls. You may request the assignment of other House soldiers to aid you, but I am holding you personally responsible for her safety. Rise, Sir Lance." Lance stood proudly. His devotion to his lord was once again justified. There was enough shame in the punishment to satisfy his critics and the law, but the blow was cushioned by his new assignment. By entrusting Lance with the safety of a visiting dignitary, which Lady LaGlace was by virtue of her father and her place as second in command of her team, the King displayed his trust in the young soldier. Lance bowed, and offered a hand to Lady LaGlace, who had remained kneeling next to him. She graced him with a gentle smile as she accepted the hand and rose. She bowed her head to the King, and Lance left the throne room with this strange creature on his arm.

***

Lila felt terrible. She knew it wasn't her fault, but she couldn't help feeling as if she'd brought disgrace on her rescuer. And now he was stuck with watching out for her; something that was certainly a dead end job. After all, who in the worlds would want to come after her here? She was so deep in her thoughts that her control over her expression slipped as she followed Lance mechanically.

"Lady?" Lila started and looked up--straight into Lance's intense brown eyes. "Is something wrong?" he asked her, pausing.

"Uh, no," she stammered. "No, I was just--" Lila ran out of words and could only drop her gaze self-consciously. "I'm sorry," she murmured. She felt his hand close over hers where it rested on his arm. He was warm and strong, and she raised her eyes again.

"I know this must be hard for you, Lady," he said gently, "but you've survived it before. You will again."

"I survived it because I had to," she told him quietly. "Six other lives were depending on me, and I had them to depend on."

"Well," Lance said briskly, "Rest assured, Lady LaGlace, that you can depend on me. And," His tone grew softer again, "I am dependent upon you. My career is in your hands, and I will do anything to keep you safe and happy." He was rewarded with a heart-melting smile.

"Thank you, Sir Lance."

***

Wildwing looked out of the Aerowing's windshield. "Tanya?"

"The homing beacon's still working," she answered her voice at the same time puzzled and relieved. "It's not below us, it's above." She came to join Wildwing at the window. "She must be on top of that mountain, or something." Wildwing sighed.

"At least we know she didn't fall," he said, glancing at the altitude reading.

"Ah, bro," Nosedive pointed back to the window. "Um, we have company."

"What?" Wildwing turned back and his eyes widened in surprise. Two winged, uniformed, eagle-men, one of them brown and one of them black, were hovering in front of the Aerowing, with powerful-looking blasters pointed at the cockpit. "Ah, Mallory, open the top hatch. Let's see if they want to talk. Maybe they know what happened to Lila."

Duke watched the eagles warily as Mallory left her seat and moved past him. "I almost hope they don't," he muttered, noting the military-style insignias on their black and gold uniforms.

"Maybe they're friendly?" Nosedive said hopefully. Tanya gave him a Look and he raised his hands defensively. "What? It could happen."

***

Lance left Lila in the care of a palace tailor, who immediately went about preparing some appropriate clothes. "I will come back for you when it is time to eat," Lance told Lila. "As the King's guest, you will dine at his table."

"Will you be there?" Lila asked, nervous about being left alone in the court. Lance assured her he would be, and disappeared.

Lila endured the measuring, hemming, hawwing, and testing with as much grace as she could manage. She was, however, very pleased with the final product. She hadn't been so finally attired since she was a girl at the Andarian court. The forest green silk flowed around her, hugging her waist tightly and then flaring out into a full skirt that just brushed the floor as she walked. The back was open, a style that was very practical for the winged Aerians, she supposed. It felt a little strange; Lila seldom wore open-backed dresses, but she would get used to it. Lissa came to show Lila to her room when the tailor was finished, but Lila hadn't been in the room for five minutes when there was a knock on the door.

Composing herself regally in the middle of the room, Lila called for her visitor to enter. Ian and Justin entered, each dropping to one knee and placing a fist over their hearts. Lila dropped a small curtsey in acknowledgement, and the two rose.

"Lady LaGlace," Ian said solemnly. "Several persons have requested your audience. Would you come with us, please?"

"Of course," Lila said, a little surprised. Who would--? She followed Ian and Derek into a large open sitting room, where they asked her to wait. Lila took a seat near the window, spreading her skirt out around her and trying to look as dignified as possible.

An armed guard escorted the visitors in, and Lila's eyes widened in shock. "Wildwing!" She shot to her feet. Then, remembering her surroundings, she curtseyed, hiding her emotions. "My captain," she said formally. Lila could see the surprise in Wing's eyes and glanced at the escort by way of explanation.

"I'm glad to find you safe," he said carefully. Lila brought a hand up to touch the pendant around her neck. Wildwing understood and reached up to the insignia on his chest that would change his battle armor to a simple uniform. Lila nodded slightly and Wildwing disarmed. The other five ducks followed their leader's example. The armed guard relaxed from attention and the leader bowed to Lila.

"If we may, Lady LaGlace?" Lila nodded and curtseyed deeply.

"Thank you, sir, for reuniting us," she said sincerely. The sentry bowed slightly to her and snapped a quick salute to Wildwing. Wildwing returned it, not sure what else to do, and the guard trooped out. Lila held her breath until they were gone and then rushed forward to hug her teammates.

"I'm so glad to see you guys," she laughed with her arms around Wildwing, wanting to cry with relief. "I thought--" She broke off and turned to embrace her cousin. "How did you guys get here?"

"Draguanus offered us a one-way ticket," Duke told her. "But don't worry about getting home." He gestured to the sword on his back. "A little magic can work wonders," he said with a crooked smile. "Where the heck are we, anyway?"

"A planet called Aerie," Lila told him. She explained what had happened since her abduction; the capture, rescue, and judgement. Wildwing shook his head in disbelief. Tanya snorted.

"It figures," she said dryly. "Leave it to Lila to get sucked through a dimensional vortex and then charm her way into a royal court." Lila flushed slightly.

"They've been very kind to me," she sighed, "but I sure missed you guys. I was afraid I'd never see you again..." Her voice caught, and she cleared her throat and turned away. "Anyway," she began, but a knock on the door interrupted her. Immediately she straightened, lifting her chin and looking as dignified as possible. "Yes?"

The door opened and Lance entered. "My lady," he said with a smooth bow, "the King wishes to speak with your teammates within the hour, if it would be convenient." Lila sank in a graceful courtesy and offered a small smile as she answered, "We await His Highness's pleasure, Sir Lance." Lance bowed again and saluted Wildwing before closing the door behind him.

"Ok," Lila said quickly, sitting down carefully on one of the soft sofas in the room. "I've only got an hour to tell you everything you need to know about addressing a royal court--"

"Wait a minute," Mallory objected, "Why should we bother? Why don't we just go home?" Lila looked shocked.

"It's--It's rude, Mallory," she stammered. "These people saved my life, the least we can do is thank them." Mal snorted.

"If they have a problem with us leaving, it won't make much of a difference to us," she pointed out dryly, "We'll be in another dimension."

"She's right," Duke went to stand by Lila's chair. "It's bad manners. Besides," he grimaced. "Using that sword knocked me out for a week last time. I'm not exactly looking forward to trying it again."

"Mal's right," Dive scowled. "I don't wanna stick around this place, bro. It looks totally dull! No arcades or anything."

"You know, these guys must have some pretty serious technology," Tanya muttered, almost to herself, as she examined the room. They may live old style, but look at the construction here. This is definitely high-tech material. And I wonder how they built all this without..." Her mumbling became too quiet to hear as she went to the window and looked down.

"It does seem to be a chance for enlightenment," Grin commented. "The beings here seem very at peace with their world."

Wildwing frowned. He didn't like the idea of staying any longer than they had to, but Lila had a point. Besides, there was always a chance that these people could find a way to help them against Dragaunus. It was a long shot, sure, but... 'And to be perfectly honest,' he thought, looking up at the arched window and domed ceiling, 'I'm not really ready to leave myself. Not until I get a good look at some of these buildings, anyway.' "All right," he sighed. "We'll stay for a while, but we have to get back home soon. I don't even want to think about what those lizards might be up to while we hang around here."

"It's settled, then," Lila smiled. "Good. Now, the last thing we want to do is insult these people, so I'm going to give you guys a little crash course in court etiquette. First," she lifted a finger into the air, letting her eyes travel over her teammates. "Respect. We're dealing with varying degrees of royalty here, from what I've seen. The most important thing for you to remember is that you owe them respect--not obedience or loyalty. The only one who gets that kind of deference is Wildwing." She waved a hand at him. "Normally we're pretty casual about that kind of thing, but familiar treatment of a superior is absolutely taboo here. We've got to address him as captain at all times. His orders must be obeyed without question as long as we're in public. Anything else will make him look weak, and put him in a situation where the nobles here will feel he's beneath them. We can't have that.

"As for the king, we've got to treat him as if he were Puckworld's chief of state. Except, again, for Wildwing. The king is not your superior, and you owe him nothing beyond the respect due a man of his station and character. Treat him--like you would treat a friend of your parents. You should mind your manners, but you don’t owe him the reverence or obedience that you owe your father. Am I making sense?” There were nods all around. “Good,” she smiled. “I’ll send for the court tailor.”

***

Lila was mildly surprised at the calm she felt as she faced those thick doors. Her time at the Andarian court had been years ago, but she felt the poise, the dignity, the manners, the formality, all of it coming back to her.

Wildwing, on the other hand, looked as though he were far from enjoying this moment. As Team Captain, he would be responsible for anything his teammates did or said, and he would be expected to hold to an even higher standard than they. It was a responsibility he didn’t appear to want.

She caught his eyes and smiled. “You’re going to be fine,” she murmured to him. “You look great, all you have to do is look confident.”

“I wish I had the Mask,” he muttered back. Lila had insisted that as a part of his battle gear, it shouldn't be worn.  It was inappropriate.

“You don’t need it,” she told him firmly. “Just take your cue from everyone around you.” She laid a hand on his arm for a moment, the only comfort etiquette permitted, before turning away to take her place before the doors.

“Under the protection of His Majesty King Reynar, the Lady Lila LaGlace, daughter of Ambassador Deke and Lady Irena LaGlace, of Puckworld.”

Her chin held high, Lila gathered her skirt and glided forward. Her posture was perfect, her poise unquestionable, and her eyes were focused on the regal figure sitting on the raised dais. She came to a stop before him and paused for just a moment before sinking into a deep and perfectly executed courtesy.

“Welcome, my Lady, and all you bring with you.” His voice was deep and resonant, laced with authority and power. “Who enters this hall under your protection and mine?”

Lila rose and stepped to the side, to the right hand of the king, her musical voice echoed off the domed ceiling as she addressed the court. “My kinswoman, Lady Tanya Vanderflock, daughter of Phearson and Marine Vanderflock of Puckworld.” Tanya looked a little uncertain as she stepped forward, but the tailor had done well. Her dress was a deep purple, and her blond hair had been tamed, brushed down and flipped under, and it framed her face in a very becoming style. Lila was proud of her cousin as she curtseyed and stepped aside to the king’s left just as she had been told to do.

“Lady Mallory McMallard, daughter of General Kree and Lady Anista McMallard, of the Puckworld Special Forces.” Mallory walked with her usual confidence, wearing the tailor’s best imitation of a Puckworld-style dress uniform. She snapped her heels together and saluted the king, then turned and saluted his generals as well. Lila was encouraged by the approval she saw there.

“Duke L’Orange of Puckworld.” Lila had decided that Duke’s questionable past need not be advertised, though she had omitted nothing when she related her story to the king. He looked positively dashing as he all but swaggered through the room in black pants and a plain white silk shirt. He was loving every minute of this, she could tell. He wore the Star Sword openly on his belt, its significance having been explained to the king’s agents. He bowed low before the king, and moved to Tanya’s side.

“Check Hardwing, son of Updraft and Kalina Hardwing, pupil of the great hockey master Tae Quack Doe of Puckworld.” Lila had added that last part to explain his clothes, as Grin had refused to appear as anything other than himself and wore his usual pants and tank top.

“Nosedive Flashblade, second son of Stormwing and Mave Flashblade of Puckworld.” Nosedive behaved himself well, having been admonished to watch himself on pain of lifelong dish duty. He was dressed similar to Duke, and he had managed to refrain from untucking his shirt. His hair was pulled back in a ponytail but his long bangs still hung near his eyes. He gave a lopsided smile as he bowed, and Lila could see he was trying not to laugh at Duke’s exasperated expression as he joined the other four. Lila took a careful breath before continuing, allowing the silence to add weight to her next announcement.

“Their Captain and mine, Wildwing Flashblade, firstborn of Stormwing and Mave Flashblade of Puckworld, keeper of the Mask of Drake DuCaine and leader of our crusade against Draguanus of Sauria.” Lila brimmed with pride as her captain through the room. If he still felt his earlier unease, it didn’t show in his face or his stride. He looked perfectly in control. He stopped in front of the King, looking directly up at him. Wildwing inclined his head slightly, then looked to his second in command. At his glance, Lila sank into another perfect courtesy. Tanya did the same when he turned his gaze to the remaining five. Mallory saluted again, Duke and Nosedive bowed, although Lila could see that Nosedive was barely keeping his laughter behind his beak. Wildwing raised his eyes to the king again, and Lila moved smoothly to his right hand, and the rest of the team gathered behind their leader.

“You are welcome in my Kingdom, Wildwing of Puckworld. Let all know,” Reynar raised his voice and looked over his court with a stern gaze. “Let all know that these are under the protection of the crown. He who raises hand or blade against any who stand here before you will suffer the same as he who would raise a hand against me.” He looked back down at his guests. “Rest in comfort, Mighty Ducks, you are safe within these walls. Wildwing lifted his hand, gesturing to his command, and they all bowed once more. Only Wildwing remained standing as even Lila sank and rose one final time.

The gathering of courtiers seemed to sweep down on them like floodwaters then. Lila felt Wildwing tense. “Arm,” she whispered urgently. He offered it immediately, and she took it with a cordial smile. To them, he was protecting her from the crush of the crowd. Only she and Wildwing knew the comfort he took in her touch.

“Lady,” a voice at her side said softly. Lila turned.

“Sir Lance. Wildwing,” she tugged his arm slightly. “My Captain,” she said formally, “Allow me to present Sir Lance. It was he who rescued me.”

“I didn’t have a chance to thank you before,” Wildwing offered his hand as Lila dropped his arm.

“No thanks are needed,” Lance said as he accepted the hand. He looked back to Lila. “Lady, I merely wanted you to know that you and yours are protected. You need not fear the crowd.” He gestured toward Duke, who was discussing swordsmanship with Ian, and Nosedive, who was cracking jokes with Justin. “There are others of the Guard here, keeping watch.” Lila nodded.

“Thank you, Sir Lance. I feel quite secure.” She smiled at him. He smiled back and bowed. Halfway up he froze for a moment, then he straightened fully, looking over her head. Lila turned to face a steel grey duck about her own age, and she knew at once by the circlet on his brow and his resemblance to the king that this must be his son. She curtseyed deeply once more, remaining down this time with her eyes fixed on his feet.

“Rise, Lady.” Lila took the hand he offered her and rose, looking up into the most unnerving pair of grey eyes she had ever seen.

“Lady, the Crown Prince Leander,” Lance murmured behind her. “Your Highness, the Lady LaGlace of-“

“I know who she is, thank you,” the prince said coldly with a withering glance at the young soldier. He smiled at Lila, and she resisted the urge to run and hide. Something in his face frightened her, and she had to force herself to smile back. ‘Wildwing, where are you.’ “Haven’t you other duties to attend to?” he asked, looking back over her head again. He hadn’t released her hand; she fought the impulse to pull it away.

“The Lady is my duty, Sire,” Lance said firmly. “I am personally responsible for her safety.” Lila silently thanked him. She didn’t want to be alone with this man.

“There you are, Lila,” a most welcome voice said to her side. Lila used the opportunity to free her hand as she turned and curtseyed to Wildwing.

“My Captain,” she said, conveying her relief with her eyes.

To be continued--Yes, there will be a point to all this, later