As promised, here we go. Have fun reading!
Chapter 3
51 years earlier
"Catch me, if you can!" A tiny hand touched the redhead as she was reading a book, causing her to stop and look for the little intruder. She heard a soft giggle, coming from a three year old girl who made her way out of the library. Chuckling, the woman put away the book and followed her, chasing her through the hallways of the palace.
"Where are you, Tippy? Oh, I will never find you…" Following the telltale laughing, she finally found her hiding behind a curtain. "There you are." With a grin she knelt down next to the toddler and took her hands.
"That's not fair, Glinda," the little girl pouted. "You used magic!"
"I didn't! I swear, Your Majesty!" the redhead pleaded playfully and adjusted the princess' green hair bow. Skeptical, the raven haired girl frowned at her guardian, but all of a sudden wrapped her arms around her throat.
"Papa is really upset," she mumbled into Glinda's neck, sobbing. "He sent me away when I wanted to play with him…"
Before Glinda could soothe the princess, one of the maids knocked at the door. Followed by a black Cat, she entered the room. "Your Goodness? The Ozma Regent wants to see you. Lady Locasta is here as well."
The redhead nodded concerned and looked at the little girl in her arms. "Why don't you play with Bastet, while I talk to your father?" Looking at the Cat, the woman got up after kissing Ozma Tippetarius' forehead.
"Don't worry, I will take care of her," Bastet assured the witch while bowing slightly. She patiently let Ozma grab her tail and squeeze her, without a single complaint. After all, she was the princess of Oz, wasn't she?
Oz was in big trouble lately. The Great Drought had taken its toll. The corn in Munchkinland wasn't growing very well and there were several fires in Gillikin and the Vinkus. The citizens of Oz expected Pastorius to do something about it, but he had no clue how to feed his subjects. Unfortunately Glinda was just as powerless as the other witches.
"You called for me, Your Highness?" Instantly her eyes fell on the blonde woman standing next to Pastorius. Locasta, the Good Witch of the North, dressed in a purple gown – the national color of Gillikin – fixed her turquoise eyes on the redhead and formed a small smile.
"The Eminence of Munchkinland is coming to town today," Pastorius mumbled, rather speaking to himself. He was in his late forties, dressed all in green. Recently he renamed the center of Oz "Emerald City", after the four countries of Oz fought about which color should be the capital city's main color.
"I know that, Your Highness. The book already told me." Glinda took a few steps towards him; her red dress was almost plain next to Locasta's. The blonde witch squeezed her hand and sighed. "We will find a way to overcome this dreadful time of suffering."
"Tell me how! People die every day and none of you can do anything about it. Peerless is coming to me because Abatha is just as useless as you! What are good witches for than to sprinkle fairy dust and look pretty?" the king groaned in frustration and looked at the two through a mirror.
Though being insulted in such a harsh way, Glinda and Locasta tried to calm him down. "Gloma is doing her best to prevent fires in the Vinkus and Abatha tries desperately to make the corn grow. It's true we possess magic, but none of us is almighty, Your Highness. We have to wait for rain, that's all we can do." Locasta looked out of the window, but there was not a single cloud anywhere. "It is not our fault, Your Highness. Nor is it anybody else's."
Glinda shook her head and turned around, as a guard announced the arrival of Peerless Thropp, the current Eminent of Munchkinland. He was rather tall for a Munchkin; still he wore a traditional blue costume. His mother had recently died of old age, making him the next Eminent due to a lack of female offspring. Peerless was in his mid-thirties, looking quite handsome. However, his dark brown eyes stared grimly at Pastorius.
"Would you be so kind and leave us alone?" he asked Locasta and Glinda, though it wasn't a request. Without a single word, the women left, knowing that they couldn't do anything right now anyway.
"I've been living in Oz for so many years now and served under a dozen of Ozmas, but Pastorius is simply resistant to advice." Glinda sat down on her bed as the two of them retired to her chambers.
"Don't be upset, pigeon. As long as we're around he won't do anything inconsiderate." Locasta put an arm around Glinda's waist and placed her head on her shoulder. "As I said, we will overcome this together."
"I hope you are right, Tattypoo," the redhead mumbled a bit skeptical, closing her eyes.
