The Traitor of Oz
Prologue.
About two Cycles after Mombi was defeated in the second Emerald City Battle, It seemed much like before that things were finally under control. The marriage of Her High Ozness, Coleane Tippetarius Ozma of Oz, and Evardo King of the land of Ev, was the last surely known event. That is, things are happenening in Oz now that no one understands. No one saw coming, and no one expected. A slight gulch in the long overdue glory Ozma wanted for her country.
Anthony now more affectionately known to the Winkies as "The Blue Wizard" was largely adored and thanked for his peaceful transformation of the western lands. Once dark, stormy and always the home to the Thropps, it now was the home of new housing and barracks for the coveted TikTok army, an added forest to relieve the gloom, and new branches of the Vinkus river to provide freshwater to more farther regions of the state.
Julia known by her people in Quadling as Dame of Selfless Love, simplified the previous life-threatening passage from Oz to Ev, eliminating any contact with the Deadly Desert. She too created new branches or canals, from Restwater down to the heart of the ex swampy now jungly Quadling State. She also created a new potions emporium called the Arcaneum, inspired extra agriculture, relocated Shiz University (the original one being turned into a Fort for Ozma's Home Guard by Anthony), and added what's called the Oz Forge. An enchanted blacksmiths keep.
Both Sir Ben The Pure in Heart and Thane Argy added branches to the Gillikin and Munchkin river, extending the reaches of Oz's only supply of freshwater. Argy added to this and created canals from Illswater to the Munchkin River, and also from Mossmere to Lake Chorge, thus creating a single river that almost created a moat around the Emerald City. This vastly helped the vegetation over the entire country, improved hygiene and living conditions for everyone, and eliminated the threat of the salty undrinkable Kellswater, now used for fishing taught by Argy himself.
Anthony also created a Broom emporium in the northern reaches, transforming the thursk Desert into a livable rural area. Ben renovated the Oz Rail system now parallel to the yellow Brick road. He also absorbed the Glikkus expanding Gillikin.
After all these magical retrofitting were completed, the four veterans and saviors of Oz could finally rest and enjoy the incredible economic and morale growth of the wonderful and magical country.
Except for one thing. There is a fifth member to the movers and shakers hired by Glinda for Ozma, and suddenly almost overnight it seemed, she went missing. A day passed. People were confused. Asking questions, and crowding the Shiz Gate to the Emerald City, wanting an answer.
A week passed. Still no sign of Natalee. Granted she was in Ozmist form, but that doesn't matter. She should be if no where else, at the Cloud Swamp as is customary for Ozmists.
After a month went by, the four began to theorize, while Oz began to spread rumors. "She went to Earth," "She made peace with herself and went to Lurline" or the most troubling, "She vanished with the defeat of Oz's last Witch- Mombi". Ozma and Evardo stood next to each other acoss from Lady Glinda who was near the entrance to the balcony. She was wearing the familiar pearl necklace…
"Archmage Anthony, Dame Julia, Thane Argy and Sir Ben, please sit down," She said. Despite her polite request we could tell by her face that it was an order.
"Do you know what my people are saying about the disappearance of Natalee?" She asked, highly agitated and with a voice that sounded raspy as if she had just screamed a storm.
"Yes Ozma, I do and I cannot and will not buy in to their ranting. It is understandable given past circumstances, but" I was cut off. Lady Glinda remained silent still. My three friends were also silent, me being the one who was once the missing member's boyfriend. Apart from Glinda's chair, Natalee's was the only other one not filled.
"Past circumstances? Anthony I do not need to remind you that plenty of rather powerful people in the past have somehow managed to return. Do you know what they all had in common?" Julia, Ben and Argy were looking at the table, it did have incredible woodwork. "They were all enemies. With the very scarce information we have I can only assume she is and I cannot believe the words about to come from my mouth, but I must assume for the safety of my people, that she is on her side," When she emphasized her, everyone knew exactly who it was she meant.
"But we have no proof of that, she could be anywhere! How do you know?" I asked. This is when Glinda joined us.
"I have a crystal bubble that allows me to see only you and Natalee. I used it to find you two before the first time you came. Anyway, I used it recently, and found something, interesting." She said. The other three friends suddenly looked up at her. The tension in the air thickened.
"Anthony you remember Arcem do you not? She was the one who saved your soul from the same Queen in waiting she claimed herself as. Well, naturally with the position of Head Doctor of the Hospital Wing suddenly open, a new person has applied to the job. The day after Natalee disappeared." Ozma said.
"Why is that important, who is he and what does he have to do with Natalee disappearing?" I asked, suddenly growing terrified of the answer.
"You have met him before, so has Glinda. Natalee however, knew him the most. One might even say, she was closer to him, than to you," Ozma tried to tell him lightly. Glinda took the rest.
"She had an affair with him Anthony," I interrupted.
"I GET THAT, WHAT IS THIS JACK ASS'S NAME?" I was enraged.
"There's more. Did she ever seem weird to you? I mean think about the facts. She was absent in the joy of reviving Ozma, she didn't like the Tinman, speant a lot of time with Langwidere's Owl, and somehow was the one who knew where the Ruby Slippers were," Glinda pointed out. Ben gasped, concluding to what Ozma and Glinda were trying to say before Anthony could.
"But you sent them to her grave, why wouldn't she know first?"
"She's an Ozmist Anthony, she cant go to her grave. Cloud Swamp is her grave. There was only one visitor to Cloud Swamp before you. Elphaba Almira Thropp." Glinda's pearl turned dark purple. This color meant that the topic of discussion was "stimulating".
"NO IT CAN'T BE WHY WOULD SHE DO THIS TO ME? TO OZ?"
"Anthony, the man who applied; the one who Natalee betrayed us and mostly you with; the one who wants Arcem's spot, is" before Glinda finished his name, Anthony screamed, and ran out of the room. After pointlessly punching a nearby column, Julia stopped his punching and gave him a hug. She could relate most to Anthony who was heartbroken, betrayed, back stabbed, abandoned, and most insultingly, lied to. He cried in Julia's shoulder, the reality of the situation finally hitting him. With his magic to illustrate his mood, the roses in a nearby vase, slowly lost their petals and wilted. Argy Ben and Glinda came a few seconds later, and saw the wilting roses all around the Hall. Glinda hugged us both and tears of regret and sympathy fell on Anthony's head. Ozma back in her Throne room held Evardo's hand tightly, as if to thank him for not ever betraying her heart. As she looked out the window into the night sky, the Jackal Moon revealed itself from behind moving clouds.