Dylan sat in the carriage with Glinda in the way to the party, and he felt awkward, as not a word had passed their lips for over an hour, as they stared at the scenery passing by the window. Dylan really wished he could know Glinda better, but she seemed so secretive.

He took a deep breath and just went for it, "Glinda, why don't you want to go to this castle? Is it scary? Should I be worried?" She just sighed a sad, heartbroken sigh, and replied "It's not the castle I don't like, it's memories. Last time I was there," She held back a sob, and took a deep breath, "I watched as my best friend was killed."

Glinda looked like she was about to cry, and Dylan felt horrible for her. He asked "Is this the same friend that was spoken about yesterday, E?" Glinda nodded her head confirming, "What happened to her, was she really a criminal, and would I know her?" Dylan bombarded her with questions. All she said in return was "I've already told you too much, I'm sorry but, I'm sworn to secrecy." and with that statement the conversation ended.

As the carriage pulled up to the castle Dylan said to her,"I wonder why the Witch chose this as her castle? Did you know that this castle, kiamo ko, is actually owned by the Vinkus royalty." Glinda said nothing in response, and under her breath she sadly said "Of course." It didn't go unnoticed by Dylan, as he heard her. Dylan couldn't shake the feeling, that she knew something about the Witch that he didn't, and he was supposed to know everything about the enemies of Oz.

Glinda walked up the steps into the castle that she so hated. It had been a month since Elphie's death, but the pain still was fresh in her mind. Once the party was about to begin, she climbed the stairs to the podium of the ballroom. The party, was being held in the ballroom and grand foyer, because no one actually knew where the supposed "Wicked Witch" was killed.

Except for Glinda of course, but she wasn't about to tell them. Glinda gave a speech on how that ever since the Wicked Witches death, Oz had become a better place. During her speech all Glinda could think about was how she hated to be back here, and how much she missed her friends.

Dylan stood next to Glinda, as she gave her speech. He was extremely impressed on how she carried herself in front of the public, she seemed like she truly had her heart in what she was saying, but he knew that she was only thinking about her friend. He felt horrible for her, that she had to bear this weight alone, he wanted to help, but she wouldn't let him.

Glinda finished her speech, and said a quick thank you, she then asked if there were any questions. One of the people asked, " Where exactly did she die?" Glinda responded with "No one actually knows, not even I know!" Still with a large smile upon her face. Dylan could tell that Glinda was telling a lie, she always had something a bit off in her voice when she did, and Dylan could tell, that she knew exactly where the Witch had died.

A few questions were asked about her policies, and then another person asked "What was her name?" Another response from Glinda,"I do not know, no one does." Yet again a lie. Dylan could sense that she was telling a lie, Again. Dylan was now in fact positive, that Glinda did know the witches name. Glinda stopped all of the questions and stepped down the stairs to the floor.

Needless to say Glinda was having a terrible night. She was forced to celebrate her best friend's death, to even lead a toast thanking the fact that she was dead. Torture, pure and utter torture, Glinda was so stressed, she couldn't keep up the masquerade, she wanted to fall to the floor drenched in tears, but she couldn't, she had to stay strong, for Elphie.

Glinda danced with various officials of different lands, but mainly with Dylan. He seemed to actually care for her, he was kind and not demanding, and he seemed to see that she was going through hard times, and he gave her distance. After a few hours of dancing, and making small talk with officials, she was exhausted, and she needed somewhere to go alone to collect her thoughts. She asked Dylan where the bathroom was, and he said he would show her, and they walked away from the madness with him holding her hand, and she felt sparks fly.

"You don't actually have to go to the bathroom, do you." Dylan asked Glinda, because she looked too happy, which meant she was miserable. "No, I just need to get out of there." the petite blond replied. Dylan said, "lets go explore the halls, where you can retreat for a bit, come on." he held her hand and felt fireworks go off, did he like her? He wasn't honest with himself, because he thought he didn't.

After walking around the castle and exploring several rooms, They walked through a doorway onto a balcony, with stairs leading down to the floor of a massive room.

Dylan started to walk down the steps to the floor, but Glinda just stood there in shock. Dylan could tell something was really wrong, she just stood there, her eyes fixed on a certain spot on the floor in the center of the room. After just standing in disbelief for a minute Glinda fell to the floor sobbing, every bit of the cheerful Glinda gone.

She sat in a heap on the stairs just wishing for none of this to have ever happened, she wanted to wake up at Shiz with Elphie shaking her awake, Glinda hated this, she hated it with every fiber of her being. She couldn't take her eyes off the spot where Elphie was killed, she stared at that spot, and thought about Elphie, about how much she missed her.

Dylan looked freaked out, she supposed he did have the leader of Oz bawling in front of him. Suddenly she stood up as if something was calling her down. She descended those stairs just like she had a month ago, and kneeled beside the spot crying and apologizing to no one about Elphie, and how she was so sorry. Glinda was sure she looked like she was in pain, her facade crumbled to dust.

After what seemed like eternity, Glinda heard Dylan speak "Im going to close my hands over your eyes, and we are going to go into a different room, and I'm going to help you with this." his voice was gentle and soft, and she could tell he wanted to genuinely help her, something she hadn't heard since Elphie's death. He slowly held his hands over her eyes and he started to walk with her towards the stairs. "Clump"

Glinda froze, she heard a sound when she had taken a step, her heel hitting something, she stomped once more, "Clump" it sounded hollow underneath her. She slowly backed up and her and Dylan knelt down to the floor and knocked on the floor, yet again "Clump" that hollow sound, she ran her fingers over the wooden floor, until she felt something. He fingers found a groove and she pulled on a handle, and a trapdoor flew open, under the floor there was a room, which looked as if it had been recently used, instead of staying dusty and unloved, as much of the other parts of the castle were.

Glinda descended a ladder, and entered the room. In one corner there sat a bed, across from it lay a tiny kitchen, bathroom, and other things you would find in a home. Glinda was utterly confused, Dorothy was kept in a room on the other side of the castle, and Elphaba had lived upstairs, so who could have been here recently, under the very room of where the so called Wicked Witch melted.

Glinda looked around the room, and everything showed signs of being used only a couple of weeks before. Glinda walked around the room with Dylan right behind her, as if ready to protect her from something.

She walked over to a table in the center of the room, and there lay a letter, propped up against the centerpiece. She stared in disbelief, on the front it said Glinda, in a very familiar handwriting. She slowly approached trembling and opened the letter, it read:

Glin,

I write this to you, in hopes you finding this letter, I know the chance is very slim, but I can hope. I

don't know how to break this to you, but i'm still alive. I had to fake my own death, to get away from you

know who. I can't write any specifics in here in case this note gets found by someone who is not you. I'm

leaving Oz, I have always hated it here, the small minded people here will never accept me (You know of

what I'm speaking of). I want you to know that I hated lying to you, and not telling you about the plan,

but I had to for your own safety. If you're reading this now, realise that you must be careful, don't reveal

that we are alive. Oh did I mention, Mr. Dancing Through Life is alive also. It turns out that I saved him

with you know what, but he was transformed into a scarecrow, yes, the very same, the hero of Oz. The

Tin Man is Boq, and Mr. Brainless and I saved the lion when he was a cub! It's a small world, that's for

sure. Please do your best to get rid of You know who and Horrible. I will be leaving soon, but I couldn't

leave without writing this down for you to hopeful find. All I ask is that when Oz is finally in peace one day,

that you attempt to find us. We care about you, and we will always be there even when it seems we're

not, Glin you have been a beacon of light in the darkness for the two of us, and I can only hope that you

too can find your happiness.

E

Dylan started to freak out. Glinda passed out after reading the note with her name on it, which worried Dylan as to how he was going to explain a passed out ruler. Dylan moved to carry her to the bed in the room, but he stopped when he saw the letter, and began to read it. His eyes scanned the letter, Glinda's friend wasn't dead?

She personally knew all of the heros of Oz, while being considered a criminal herself? Who was this Boq? Who was Mr. Dancing through life/Brainless? Who hated Glinda's friend? Why were people mean to her? Who did she not like? What happened to turn people into a scarecrow and a man made of tin? All of these questions swirled through Dylan's head as he read the note, he had so many questions.

Glinda began to stir, thank goodness he wouldn't have to carry her. Glinda walked back over to where Dylan was with the letter and read it another time shaking. Glinda looked so heartbroken, and sad. The two climbed up the ladder in silence, Dylan giving Glinda some time to soak in the information, and Dylan called for their departure to the palace.

All that Glinda said was "Did you read it?" "Yes, came Dylan's reply, and that is all that was said for the entire ride back, Glinda still clutching the letter in her hand. Dylan couldn't help but feel like he was missing a huge piece of the puzzle here, that there was something he should know about Glinda's friend, and he was frustrated with himself for not even having a clue about her.