Chapter 7

I do not own anything from Wizard of Oz. The movies or the books or anything related to them.

There is a lot more to go.

For what seemed like months Scarecrow finally had the hood covering his head removed. He knew they were back in South Aglas from the weather changes happening around him. Aglas was warm, but not humid as Oz could get. He could hear seagulls in the distance, and wind from the sea whistled in his ears.

Scarecrow looked around and he realized he was in the middle of an area that looked like it was used for sports of some kind. He was pushed to the ground by a soldier, his hands still in chains.

"Welcome to South Aglas arena, your highness," Lord Ordaran said to Scarecrow as he bowed mockingly.

"What is the meaning of this Ordaran?" Scarecrow asked looking around.

The arena looked brand new. There were doors everywhere and poles in the middle. Scarecrow could see a throne in the middle covered from the sun. Many seats adorned the outer circles around the arena. The emblems for South Aglas were part of the decor, which looked like it was made of a bronze like material. He had never seen anything like it before.

The sun was bright in a clear blue sky, and trees waived lazily in the wind. The floor of the arena was yellow sand.

Brown mountains adorned the horizon off to the east. He could see a pyramid like building off of the right of the arena. This was obviously Ordaran's "castle."

Ordaran bent down and came face to face with Scarecrow. "You robbed myself and my people of many years of prosperity and food. Many starved because of your useless embargos," he said lowly and angrily.

Scarecrow met his gaze and said, "You had every opportunity to redeem yourself to lift them. The only one at fault is you for the suffering of your people. You have been known for crimes and slave trading. That is against the law from the Great Council."

Scarecrow suddenly saw stars as the blow hit him square in the cheek.

He was suddenly grabbed by the collar of his shirt and made to the face the lord once more.

"Were you the perfect king, Scarecrow? Have you told your wife how many lives you risked and lost to defeat the witch, but continued to do so?"

Scarecrow smirked. "She knows. There is good and evil on both sides of any war, you should know that. Anyone can turn at any time."

Ordaran returned the favor. Both men stared each other down for a moment. "I am so glad you are human again. It is perfect for what I have in store for you."

"So, you did bring me here for a reason," Scarecrow said sarcastically.

"You shall soon find out, Scarecrow King," Ordaran said standing. "I need one thing from you."

"What?"

"Surprisingly, to stay alive as long as possible," he said laughing.

Scarecrow scrunched his eyebrows in confusion, but then looked around the arena, and realized what Ordaran was saying.

He could feel the fear rise in him. He began to sweat, and his breathing changed. He would be in this arena soon fighting for his life.

Ordaran then snapped his fingers. Scarecrow was grabbed under his arms and dragged off to who knows where.

He entered a dark tunnel, and began to hear voices rage around him as he entered the prison.

He was not taken to his cell right away. He was actually stripped, washed, and changed into more Aglas garb. His head was then shaved, and so was his beard. There was nothing he could do, as the shackles were secure on his wrists.

He was then thrown into the cell, and the shackles were finally removed.

He was also surprised to see a full meal of bread, cheese, and some kind of dried meat set in front of him. He then realized Ordaran would need him to be well fed and strong for whatever it was he had in store for him.

He was starving so he did eat the whole plate, and drank a lot of the water. He didn't care what it tasted like.

The other prisoners were yelling and mocking him through their cells, but Scarecrow ignored them.

He was too tired to care. He had no idea what day it was or how long his journey here was. He tried to count the day when they stopped and started, but lost track after a while.

He lay down on the small bed, and stared at the ceiling for a long time as the yelling finally died down.

His first thought was of Dorothy. He could only pray to the gods that she was alive. Yet, in his heart he knew she was. He missed her so much that it physically hurt, and he felt like vomiting the food he had just eaten. He had heard about Ordaran's tournaments and now he would be a part of them. Who knew how much longer that he had to live?

He breathed slowly to calm his racing thoughts. At least he knew Drigka and what was always going on when he fought the war. This was unexpected and new for him. Ordaran was a formidable foe, and he knew he needed to start planning to make his escape. He had no doubt if Dorothy ever made it free than she would come looking for him. He worried over that as well. Ordaran barely got past the shape shifters along the way. He could tell Ordaran had an immense fear of the shape shifters, and from the talk he overheard they were once his grandfather's slaves, and they have never forgotten.

They ended up taking another route to avoid shape shifters all together, but there was a small attack, and Scarecrow knew a couple of Ordaran's soldiers were killed.

Scarecrow didn't know the shape shifters well. He knew of them, and had heard they were a simple people who wanted to live in peace like he did. They were very protective of their own, and did not take well to strangers.

Scarecrow relaxed a little and closed his eyes as he thought of his wife.

Dorothy squealed in laughter as Scarecrow threw her over his shoulder.

She had been working so hard in the barn that he felt neglected all day.

"I'm not done the gate yet," she whined in between giggles.

"I say you're done," he said carrying her to the house.

Dorothy feigned anger and said, "You put me down now!"

"No."

"Why?"

Scarecrow thought for a moment. "Uh… I need something done in the house, and I need your help."

Dorothy scoffed. "Oh really? You're a big boy you do it yourself!"

"Nah, I've done that plenty of times. It's more fun with someone else," he said smiling.

Dorothy laughed out loud and continued protesting to put her down.

"Scarecrow, I am sweaty and dirty," she protested as he carried her through the door.

She started laughing harder as he bumped into some pans, which went crashing to the floor.

"Now look what you did," Dorothy said.

"We'll get them later," he answered. "By the way, I'm sweaty and dirty too."

He opened the bedroom door, and put Dorothy on the bed.

"Happy now, my lady?"

Dorothy pouted a little. "No."

She smiled slyly and her brown eyes narrowed a little.

Scarecrow scoffed. "Now what?"

"I'm all alone on here," she said in a whisper.

"Oh! Well, I can fix that," he said, and climbed on top of her and began slipping his tongue between her lush lips.

She responded with more giggles, and moans as his mouth began taking in her whole body as clothes were removed in the process.

She looked up at him with her eyes glazed over, and sweat beginning to form on her brow. Her auburn hair cascading down over her milky shoulders, and sticking out in other parts from his fingers loosening the braids that held her hair back.

"I love you," she said smiling.

His had caressed her cheek, and his finger made it's way over her bottom lip.

"Always," he whispered sincerely.

Scarecrow sat up suddenly, and felt the evidence of his daydream in his pants. He grunted and adjusted on the bed. He needed to stop doing that. He needed his head on straight.

He put his head in his hands, and ran his fingers over his now bald head. The prison area was dark now, and there were screams off in the distance. He wondered what was going on, and what was in store for him.

"Is it really you?" A voice suddenly asked to his right.

Startled Scarecrow looked into the dark, and could barely make out the figure in the shadows.

The man came up to the bars, and Scarecrow could still barely make him out.

Scarecrow took a deep breath. He didn't want to talk to anyone right now.

"Is what really well…..what?" He asked back.

There was a slight chuckle from the other cell. "That was not the question I asked," the man asked.

Scarecrow's eyes adjusted and could make out the man better. The man was very dark skinned, with a shaved head, and wearing a pair of white pants with no shirt showing a hard muscle tone.

Scarecrow did not know the accent.

"I asked if it was really you," he said.

"No." Scarecrow would not be baited.

The man chuckled again. "I have heard much about you great Scarecrow King. I heard you were made of straw once, and magic gave you manhood again," the man continued to talk much to Scarecrow's annoyance.

"I am no king, so please don't call me that. I am just a man," he said lowly.

"We do not have formal royalty in my land, so it is fascinating to be in the presence of a King," he said.

Scarecrow didn't know if he was mocking him or not.

"Your land has very good laws then," Scarecrow mumbled bitterly.

"Depends on how you live, Scarecrow King," he said with a smile.

Scarecrow got up suddenly and walked over to the man in the cell. He almost came nose to nose with him. He realized the dark skinned man was no taller than him.

"I said not to call me that. I am no king," Scarecrow hissed.

The man smirked, and was not intimidated. "According to the Lord here, the tournaments have gotten boring to the masses. They are restless for more blood. He needed someone to spice things up, and you are him," he said.

"Ordaran should be sorely disappointed. I am no longer straw, so I am not a sideshow," Scarecrow said getting angrier by the second. "I will not be a draw of the masses anymore."

The man's dark eyes narrowed in amusement. "So, you are he. The great warrior made of straw," he said.

Scarecrow shook his head slightly. "I am just a man who wants to get back to his wife," Scarecrow answered.

The man cocked his head. "There is many plans for you, Scarecrow King. Your wife should be the last thing on your head now."

"Why?"

The man laughed. "You should, because I am the current champion. I have never been defeated."

Scarecrow had enough of this guy. He was a champion, but he was in a cell. Some champion he was, he thought sarcastically.

Scarecrow turned and walked back to his bed and ignored the man.

The man chuckled again, and said, "Don't you want to know my name, sire?"

Scarecrow took a deep breath.

"No."

Scarecrow's response made the man laugh harder. "You will soon, Scarecrow King."

Scarecrow sat up again, and looked as the man turned and walked back into the shadows. A glint of moonlight caught the criss cross of scars on his back. Scarecrow almost gasped in horror.

He then heard the screams again, and watched as a prisoner was dragged back to his cell. Scarecrow rose from the bed again, and looked out of the cell. Bloody cuts were on the prisoner's back as well.

Deflated from the sight, Scarecrow sat down, and began to think of how he would escape, but kill Ordaran first.