Chapter 1: The Betrothed.
Three months have passed since Nessarose Thropp faked her death under Dorothy's house. She now resides in a dreary, secluded castle in the depths of munchkinland, ordering her minions around through secrecy.
Boq, having lost his heart, found himself stumbling through the grounds of Oz. He accidentally caught the attention of one of Nessa's flying goons, who captured and brought him to the dungeon of a dark castle. The same one, coincidentally, that Nessa resides in.
The flying goon then proceeded to alert his general of the catch.
Flying Goon (FG): Sir, I seized this vermin. He was aimlessly walking about the forbidden lands, scattered and confused.
General (G): Let's go have a look at him. Maybe this one will make up for the money you lost us in the last trade.
The General pompously walked down to the dungeon, followed cautiously by his fearful goon.
G: Well look at what we have here. You're made of metal are you?
Stepping out of the darkness of his cell, squeaking with every slight movement, the tin man answered him back in a careless tone
Tin man (B): Yes. It's haunted me for months.
G: Wait a minute, I know you! You're that fellow my…
He paused for a moment, remembering his mistress couldn't be known to the world
G: I must go inform my superior. To the goon, Watch him and make sure he does not escape or I'll have your head! Do you understand me!
FG: Yes, sir!
The general hastily returned to the top of the tower. Making sure no one would notice, he pulled a singed book from the rotting maple case and a secret entrance appeared.
Nessa (N): Why would you DARE disturb me, you insolent toad!
G: I… I'm sorry, mistress. You told me only to report tidings of importance.
N: Well? What is it!
G: With hesitation, the man from your past… the… the… tin man. He was found lurking around these lands. One of our guards caught him on suspicion. I hope…
Nessa lunged at him with a rather large claymore, piercing through his body. With the momentum she had built up, Nessa let out a shrieking scream and threw him out the window of her chamber. Only a fraction of his blood stained the dark cobblestones that filled her room.
N: To herself, What if he was telling the truth? I have to go find out somehow.
She pillaged her shelves for spell books that could help her.
N: Maybe this one will do. "Strange incantations for the everyday encounters", she read aloud.
Ah! A spell that will "transform the appearance".
She pulled out a blackened wand, which appeared to once have a pretty, vibrantly red hue.
N: Luminar Hadari Luminar Hexellum. Luminar Hadari Luminar Hexellum.
The clouds above the castle darkened and lightning whizzed past her room, almost shattering the pale windows. A ring of dust surrounded Nessa and it began glowing as brightly as the electricity in the sky above. She was completely enveloped by light. In an instant, the chaos dissipated into feint static shocks. Standing in Nessa's place was now the very general she had just thrown out the window.
N: Of all the things to turn in to and I wind up as this… DISGUSTING creature. Yuuuck! I suppose this will have to do.
She made her way to the dungeon, getting lost several times along the way as she had not left her room in weeks.
B: And I thought you were never going to come back. Here to put me out of my misery?
N: IT REALLY IS YOU!
B: What are you talking about?
N: You're the one who made me this way! Who cares how you feel without a heart, I have endured much more pain from having one. I thought I had lost you forever when Elph… that witch shrunk your heart.
B: It can't be. You're supposed to be dead!
(Next: Reveals herself to him and he falls for her, remembering the times they had together. She casts the spell "devastation of the heartless" Which actually read "Restoration of the heartless". After, combined with the memories of her and the spell, Boq grows a heart again and becomes a munchkin. Nessa enslaves him for what he knows.)
N: You'll pay for your grief!
Nessa waved her wand about and shook off her clever disguise. She quickly browsed through the spell book she brought with her, deciphering all the text she could in a short amount of time.
N: Ah, this one should do. "Devastation of the heartless"
B: Nessa, what are you doing! I don't know if I can handle this again!
N: Deteratorta Restoratim
B: Nooo! Please no!
N: Hearpalanum restoratum
All the memories Boq had of Nessa's love for him went flashing by him with no explanation. The adrenaline of his inevitable death approaching put him into shock. All the candles in the room flickered to the same rhythm. Nessa kept repeating her chant, each new sentence more intense than the last. A faintly pink cloud of smoke took over Boq and levitated him off the ground. His mind was still whirling with thoughts of Nessa. The pieces of metal that made up his body were completely dissolved into smoke. All went silent when Nessa finished her chanting. In one loud clap, all the smoke, including the dissolved tin, went rushing into where Boq's heart had been. He was thrown across his cell from the collision.
N: This couldn't have happened! This is all wrong!
Boq, a bit drowsy from the hit
B: Wha… what happened to me?
N: What have I done! This just can't be right!
Nessa, completely frustrated, scrutinized the pages in her book and hoped she had not said something wrong. Upon examination, she realized she had made a big mistake.
N: In a frightening scream, Nooooo!
The spell she thought had read "Devastation of the heartless" was actually "Restoration of the heartless".
B: How did you..? You gave me my body back! In a romantic tone, Oh, Madame, how could I ever repay you?
N: What did you just say! No, this is not happening. This… is… not… HAPPENING.
B: Madame, My life is…
N: Silence your tongue, you worthless piece of tin… well… Munchkin! I'll just end this the hard way!
Nessa grabbed a nearby torch off the wall, the bottom of which had a rather sharp spike.
B: Perfectly calm, What are you doing with that, my love?
Nessa threw the torch at Boq's heart. Just before hitting him, a magical barrier ricocheted it into the wall.
N: What! What is this madness!
B: Watch out, dear! That could have hurt me!
Completely distraught, Nessa read the rest of the page under the spell. "This spell is not to be used lightly. Those who are touched by this light and made whole again can never be harmed by the hands that did so, by hand or word. Their heart will have a surge of emotions based on the last known memories they had of their caster. Choose wisely over whoever receives this spell".
N: Perfect. Just perfect. To herself, I can't kill you and I can't tell people to kill you. I suppose it doesn't say anything about enslavement. To Boq, You… come with me. I have much use for you up in my chambers.
Nessa unlocked the cell door and forced Boq to follow
B: Yes, madame.
N: Call me… Mistress.
She showed a devious smile upon her face
B: Yes, mistress.
To herself, Nessa realized how infatuated Boq had become with her.
N: We are going to have a lot of fun, my dearest.
Still smiling, she took Boq by the collar of his shirt and threw him into her room.
N: Now, let's begin…
