Chapter 2
I do not own anything from the Wizard of Oz movies or the books.
To Jenn; Thank you so much. My mom was a sweet woman who made this world a better place. Now, she will make the next world an even better place.
So, what happened? Well, this chapter will be a flashback.
3 months earlier
"You're still not bending your arms correctly," Scarecrow commented to his wife.
Dorothy scoffed at her husband, and lowered the sword in frustration.
"I guess, I was never meant to use a sword," Dorothy said taking a drink of water from the flask. They were in their back yard of their farm awaiting Kronos to fetch Liola to watch the farm as they went to see the queen at her request.
Scarecrow and Dorothy were still worried about why the queen would request their presence in Emerald City.
Scarecrow had just wanted to live as a farmer in peace for the rest of his life with his beautiful wife from another world.
Something was wrong. They both felt it ever since the queen's guard had come to deliver the message to come to Emerald City.
Dorothy's emerald necklace kept flickering at all hours of the day ever since, and though Dorothy tried to tune into its powers, it was not anything she could put her finger on.
So, Scarecrow made the decision to have Dorothy again learn how to use a sword. Just in case. However, she was not yet up to where he wanted her to be with it. She could use her gun with a skill that he could never master, but the sword was her weakness.
It also worried him that he had not heard a word from Tin Man or Lion. Both had still been under the queen's employ, and Scarecrow would have thought they would have warned him ahead of time of what the issue was, but there was nothing. Not a word.
The couple had tried to convince themselves that maybe Ozma was panicking over a deal with another country gone sour, but they both knew better as the emerald on Dorothy's necklace once again flickered.
Scarecrow had been called the wise king, but now he questioned it. Maybe if he had been smart enough he would take Dorothy and they would leave Oz for Middle Earth. Elessar would welcome him with open arms to his land, but he still had a duty here in his home, and he would honor his queen's request.
Dorothy Gale was now wise beyond her years as he watched her try to practice her sword skills again.
His wife had become the woman he always knew she was meant to be.
The war with Drigka had caused many nightmares for her. She finally had to seek the help of a healer to deal with the traumas they had both been dealt with the war.
Scarecrow still cursed on how the war had affected her. She still clung to him sometimes whether day or night. Besides, he had seen death twice, and she had seen him die. Why wouldn't that affect someone like it did her? He would give his life again for the innocent girl to return, but still he loved the grown wise woman just as much as the girl.
Even at twenty-eight now, she still looked no more than a young girl. Her skin still smooth, with freckles showing from the sun. Her hair shined red in the sun, but had lightened from the farm work. It was now more a light auburn. Her brown eyes now flashed with wisdom, and knowledge.
The guilt he felt over the fact that he let Drigka overpower him in the end was overwhelming for Scarecrow sometimes. He still dreamed of seeing the light. Of hearing the Wicked Witch's voice in his head at strange moments when he wasn't thinking of anything in particular.
He could also see Drigka's face as if it were yesterday. He could still see Dorothy's face at the moment of his death. Yes, he was affected too. He dreamed of all the soldiers he had lost over the years and it haunted him now. The ones he had failed to save.
He had not sought the help that Dorothy did, and now maybe he should have.
They had both threw themselves into their farming to leave that other life behind. Their farm had become successful. They were able to save for when they grew old, and live comfortably.
The only thing that Scarecrow was really bothered by now was the fact they were still not able to conceive a child.
The healers insisted that Dorothy was perfectly fertile and ready to bear children. They could not figure out why they were not able to conceive. It was heartbreaking for both of them. They vowed to keep trying.
They had traveled to find Scarecrow's roots again. He knew most of his family was dead, as he had lived beyond them when he was straw. He was then immortal after the curse of his change. However, they had been able to find his birth records, and after a hundred years of being a Scarecrow, and now back to human they surmised he was now thirty-four years old.
It saddened him greatly that he was never able to say goodbye to his family, but he still had one left. His beautiful wife, and now he knew how she felt when she lost all of hers.
Glinda and Oscar were like their parents now. Oscar had walked Dorothy down the aisle when they had married. Tin Man and Lion were his brothers, and so they would never be alone. Then there were the sisters Loila and Lorna were like what Dorothy called the crazy aunts. Both women were munchkins and always loyal to the couple. They could always be relied on no matter what the circumstances, not only for help, but also for a good laugh.
Dorothy had not mentioned traveling back to her home world since they had visited the one time when the war was over. She said she had nothing left to go back to, and Scarecrow was glad. Though her world was fascinating with all the technology that he could not wrap his brain around.
Glinda and Oscar had found a way to go back and forth without the use of tornadoes anymore. They had also married and were now living happily between both worlds.
However, after Ozma had taken the thrown things began to change. She had asked Scarecrow to stay on as her advisor. Her and Dorothy had become close for a while. Ozma had stated she would not change much of what Scarecrow built over the years, but that been a lie.
Old alliances were now severed, and for some reason Ozma had stopped trading goods with Middle Earth.
She had also issued a tax that Scarecrow disagreed with, and was able to get her to recount it, but after he left as her advisor she had implemented it again. He had sent secret messages to Middle Earth asking for forgiveness on the trades. Elessar wrote him back, asking what was going on leaving Scarecrow to not have answer that was worthy of the king.
They continued to send messages to each other once in a while, and found out Gandalf and the other elves had left Middle Earth for good. This saddened the couple greatly that their friends were now gone from this world.
Ozma had also run a lot of the ambassadors from Oz over bad deals. Scarecrow became increasingly frustrated with the young queen and her isolationism. Dorothy and her relationship had also become formal and not friendly anymore. Scarecrow had tried to tell the queen that Oz being isolated with no allies would put them in danger of another attack, but she would not hear of it. Oz was a rich country, she said. They would endure within themselves.
"We are protected by the deserts, Scarecrow," she said to him.
Scarecrow shook his head. "No, we are not, your grace. The Nargol were able to travel here. Our ambassadors make it through the deserts just fine."
She waived him off, and continued to break alliances.
Finally, he had enough and retired along with Dorothy. Lion and Tin Man continued to try to keep some alliances, but they failed. They worried constantly about an attack. In fact, Tin Man became so frustrated he took a demotion to get away from the queen. Lion and Aslan continued to fight on.
They had begged him to challenge the queen, but Dorothy and him knew they would not have a chance. She had come from rich and powerful family, and he knew he would be defeated, charged with treason, and possibly hanged.
Ozma began to implement a fairness of land. Which Scarecrow was just fine with until some of the land him and Dorothy had worked so hard on was taken away. The taxes were outrageous over it. He and Dorothy had lost a lot of what they saved from them. However, Dorothy and he were able to pull themselves back up, and out of debt again while making profits off their crops and livestocks.
A lot of people in Oz had lost their jobs, and their livelihood. Ozma promised it would all even out eventually to keep her people from rebelling. Scarecrow had heard talks of a coup one time, but it seemed to calm down as things settled.
Now, he wasn't so sure since he was being summoned back to Emerald City.
Scarecrow looked up to see Loila arriving on Kronos, and that made Dorothy smile widely as she could hear Loila and Kronos arguing about the ride here being too bumpy for her old bum or something.
….
"This isn't right, Dorothy. I can feel it in my old bones," Loila said as she settled into the house, and helped Dorothy with supper for all three of them. Dorothy and Scarecrow would be leaving at sunrise for Emerald City. They had a good two-day ride ahead of them.
Dorothy looked around from her pot of pork stew she was cooking to the older munchkin lady with her dark hair tied tightly back in a bun, and her coke bottle glasses as Dorothy called them.
Loila was peeling carrots to add to the stew. It was Scarecrow's favorite. So, Dorothy thought she would give him a good meal before they left, and had to live off of packed food till they reached Emerald City.
"Loila. I am sure it is nothing, Ozma probably needs help with some negotiations or something to that affect," Dorothy said putting the spoon down, and began to help Liola at the table. She wanted to make sure Loila had enough to eat before they left as well.
Loila frowned profusely, and looked up at the Savior of Oz. "Surely, you don't believe that, Dorothy? Your emerald necklace keeps flickering."
Dorothy inwardly groaned, and fingered her necklace for a moment. She decided to change the subject for a moment.
"Are you sure you will be alright here alone?" Dorothy asked.
Loila looked at her and frowned again, but answered. "Of course, of course. I have Danys coming tomorrow afternoon," she said. Danys was Loila and Lorna's nephew from their brother who lived in Winkie County, but his son worked for the Mayor.
Dorothy lightened up. "Oh good! That makes me feel better."
Loila shrugged. "Lorna has not written me back in weeks. I am a little worried. Make sure to tell my sister to write me as soon as you see her."
It was Dorothy's turn to frown. That was not like Lorna at all. Dorothy felt a little worry herself.
"Something is not right!" Loila said slamming the peeler down on the table making Dorothy jump a little.
Dorothy took a deep breath asking for patience. Deep down she and Scarecrow knew something was wrong, but didn't want to alarm anyone. This was a big deal calling the former king back to Emerald City. Four years after a war was not very long, so the masses were still a little jumpy. Dorothy couldn't blame them, she was feeling that way like the rest of them.
Dorothy rose again, and continued to stir the soup pot reveling in the distraction.
"I know, but I am sure it can be resolved without anything happening," she said slowly watching her husband from the window feeding and watering the horses for tomorrow morning.
"Keep telling yourself that, dear," Loila mumbled.
Dorothy scoffed, but a smile tugged at her lips watching Scarecrow and Kronos kid around with Phillipe.
Kronos and Phillipe were their loyal horses that Ozma gave permission to keep after they retired to the farm.
Scarecrow –er- Fiyero had let his dark hair grow to the point that he had it tied back at the nape of his neck with strands hanging from the brow of his head. He still wore his goatee neatly, and Dorothy always reveled at how soft it was against her skin.
His shirt and pants hugged his muscles in his legs and arms. Never in a million years when he became human again did she ever think he was that handsome. She had fallen in love with the strawman, and would always love that part of him, but this specimen of a man who blossomed after he turned was still beautiful to her in every way.
Somehow every day, he just made everything better for her.
She just wished he had gotten the help he needed to deal with his demons of the war. Dorothy rolled her eyes a little. He was a typical stubborn male about it. Maybe she could talk him into it again. His nightmares were getting worse again lately, as hers were calming down.
She did worry that his nightmares were also prophetic in a way, and not just the trauma of what he had experienced in the war. She prayed every night that another war was in their future.
Scarecrow took Kronos and Phillipe back to the stables, and came into the house. He smiled widely when he spotted the two women finishing up the stew.
"I could smell that stew outside!"
Dorothy smiled and Loila began to rub her stomach and smile.
Scarecrow came over and kissed Dorothy thanking her for making it.
Loila cleared her throat uncomfortably, but was always happy when they were together. Even after four years they still acted like newlyweds.
"You two keep doing that, and it will overcook," she said with a wink.
That night was a good night for the three of them. Lots of stew, bread, and wine along with good conversation.
Loila waived goodbye to the couple the next morning. She suddenly was overwhelmed with great sadness that she would never see the friends she loved so dearly again.
