Prison was...boring.
Lucas sat on the faded grass and tried not to pick at the cuff on his ankle, which was just a bit too tight. The weight he was chained to was cool against his back, and the ground was only a little damp. The only other person in the jail tent now was the guard, who was ignoring him with great purpose; Lucas' fellow-prisoner had been released that morning.
It wasn't that he didn't fear for his life, but this wasn't like the last time - there was no sign of torture implements, for one thing. But there was absolutely nothing to do, unless he wanted to count blades of grass, and the day stretched on interminably. The bread and water of breakfast was hours behind him, and the pot in the corner forbade even the interest of a trip to the latrine.
Lucas wasn't sure why no one had simply removed his head yet, no matter what Dorothy had said. But the Queen did say it was up to her.
The weird desire to kill Dorothy had - stopped. Very abruptly. And not resumed when she'd come to see him, though that might have been an after-effect of her paralyzing spell. Lucas freely admitted that he knew very little about how magic worked, even after years of Glinda's company.
He seemed to be back where he started, bewildered and guilty and helpless. Another habit? Lucas was afraid, now, to see Dorothy again, for fear that the anger would take him once more, and he might succeed at last.
Execution might be a relief. At least I'd never hurt her again -
Metal tinkled, and Lucas looked up in surprise as the tent flap opened to admit a small drab figure and a large tan-and-black one. The guard started forward at the sight of Leith and Toto. "You're not - " he began, but the combination of glares from both parties cut off his words.
Leith pointed at the guard. Lucas didn't think she used a spell, but perhaps her drab witchling smock was enough; the man cleared his throat and backed up to his former position. Toto sat down to watch him, and Leith nodded in satisfaction.
Then she robbed Lucas of words entirely by climbing into his lap and sliding her arms as far around him as they could reach.
His throat knotted. Lucas cradled her close, looking down at the small head pressed to his chest, and stroked the fine hair gently. He didn't know what had brought her to see him, but her hug was bringing him nearer to breaking than even Dorothy's last retreat.
It was a long time before Leith pulled back enough to look up at him. Lucas cleared his throat. "Not that I'm not glad to see you, mind," he managed, "but this won't please Glinda."
Leith gave him a tiny smirk. "Mother rules now," she said softly.
That was...encouraging. Lucas opened his mouth to ask how Leith liked Mother South, but the words dried up as Leith took a deep breath and the world moved.
When it stopped, they were sitting in a meadow full of sunlight, with no sight of the camp or the rolling hills around it - just trees fringing the open space of green. Lucas stared around, gaping, and tightened his hold on Leith. His palms itched for a weapon, any weapon, to defend her against whatever unknown had brought them there.
A little ways away, Toto rose to his feet, shook himself, and began nosing casually around. Leith squirmed in Lucas' hold, and he loosened his grip.
She looked around, and gave another satisfied nod before wriggling free and standing. She pointed at Lucas. "Stay," she said, and disappeared in a gust of wind.
Toto barked, a disgruntled sound. Lucas stared at the space Leith had just occupied, then pinched his eyes shut and rubbed a hand through his hair. Witches.
Since whatever had brought them there - Leith? - had also brought the iron weight attached to Lucas' ankle, he could hardly disobey her anyway. Toto whuffled past, nose to the ground, and paused to mark a clump of wildflowers.
And what if she doesn't come back? Lucas supposed he could use his jacket as a makeshift rope and try to pull the weight, but he would go nowhere quickly. He looked around, trying to estimate the distance to the nearest trees, and realized that the place looked vaguely familiar. There were no landmarks in sight, but Lucas suspected that he and Dorothy and Leith had traveled through the area on their way north, or at least someplace very like it.
"I suppose she wouldn't abandon you," he remarked to Toto, who flicked one ear back but didn't pause his investigations.
Lucas sighed, and lay back in the long meadow grass. At least out here he could enjoy the sunlight.
Dorothy wandered through the camp, trying not to get in anyone's way.
She'd spent another restless night, plagued by dreams where she tried desperately to get somewhere or do some task but was endlessly diverted or distracted, and had woken almost as tired as when she'd lain down.
Glinda's researchers were still at work, it seemed, and as a consequence Dorothy had nothing to do. She'd stopped by the medical tent, but the witch on duty had informed her brusquely that Jane was busy, and equally brusquely turned down Dorothy's tentative offer to help with the sick.
The tent village was laid out on semi-regular lines, but it was easy to get turned around, and Dorothy used it as a distraction, spending half her time chewing over the problem of Roan, and the other half looking for Leith. It was amazing, and a little disturbing, how many small witchlings there were in the camp, most of them intent on errands and none inclined to talk to her.
Dorothy sighed, and stopped to re-tie a loosened shoelace. At least it's not raining today. The sky was gray and the air was chilly, and she was glad she'd brought waterproof shoes, but she no longer needed an umbrella.
She straightened, and a small hand slid into hers, warm against her chilly fingers. Dorothy started and looked down.
Leith looked solemnly back up at her, and Dorothy let out a huge breath of relief. "Oh, you're okay...I was so worried!"
Leith gave her a small smile, and Dorothy dropped to her knees so she could hug the girl. The feel of her thin arms around Dorothy's neck released something that had been held tight too long, and Dorothy squeezed her eyes closed against the sting of tears.
After a long moment Leith pulled back. Dorothy searched her face; the girl looked well-cared-for, at least, her hair smoothly combed and her cheeks round. "Is Glinda treating you all right? I've been looking for you, but - "
Leith shook her head, looking impatient, and then gripped Dorothy's shoulders and took a deep breath.
It was as though they were still, and the world moved past them, the mild vertigo of standing next to a train that was picking up speed. Dorothy swayed slightly, then looked around. "...What?"
They had gone from a chilly gray day to a warm and sunny one, from tents to a field of grass. Dorothy looked back to Leith. "Did you do this?"
Leith was a little pale, but she was smiling as she nodded. Dorothy bit her lip. "Sweetie, I'm glad you're learning to use your powers, but - "
Leith's hand landed on her mouth. "Come," she said, and stepped back, obviously waiting for Dorothy to get up.
There weren't even grass stains on the knees of her jeans. Dorothy rose carefully; the grass was halfway to her knees and turning golden with autumn, and a ways off she could see the dark back and high-held tail of Toto plowing through it on some doggy business. The sight reassured her somewhat. If he's here, it's not just some random location.
She took Leith's hand, and let herself be guided further into the meadow. "Where are we going?"
Leith pointed ahead. Dorothy couldn't see anything special in that direction, but after about another few steps there was motion in the grass about five yards ahead of them, and a figure sat up.
Instinct had Dorothy shoving Leith behind her at the familiar sight. Roan looked singularly harmless as he blinked at them and pulled a grass stem from his hair, but Dorothy wasn't going to trust appearances. "How'd he get here? Leith, stay here."
Dorothy took a step forward, curling her hands into fists and trying frantically to summon the gauntlets. She didn't think Roan would attack Leith, but if he made the least little move in the girl's direction she had to be able to take him out -
Leith made a disgusted noise and darted forward, evading Dorothy's grab easily. Roan looked from her to Dorothy, and she could see the color draining from his face. He bolted to his feet and took a step backwards. "Dorothy - I'm - stay away, please, stay away!"
He looked so terrified that part of her just wanted to comfort him, but instead Dorothy reached again for Leith. Roan took another step backwards, and abruptly fell on his ass in a move so perfectly slapstick that Dorothy might have laughed if she weren't so frightened herself.
Leith stamped her foot...and the ground trembled beneath them. "Stop!"
Dorothy froze, a chill seizing her at the display of power; Roan pushed himself up to a sitting position, still sheet-white. Leith glared at them both, and the trembling died away.
"Leith, come back," Dorothy said carefully. "He's...he's dangerous, sweetie."
"I am," Roan agreed, his voice thready. "Go to Dorothy."
Leith's expression shifted from anger to exasperation. "Wait," she said firmly, and vanished.
It was so against the rules of everything Dorothy knew that it took her several seconds to look away from the empty space and back to Roan. He was still chained, she realized, and the short length of the chain was what had brought him down.
Okay...as long as I stay out of reach I should be safe. I hope.
Dorothy unclenched her fists and tried to relax. "So...are you going to try to kill me?"
Roan shook his head and wrapped his arms around his knees, huddling in on himself. "I - I don't think so."
"That's not good enough." Dorothy backed up a few steps, and sat down rather abruptly as the adrenaline crash left her knees weak. A woof reached her ears, and a moment later Toto trotted up to shove a friendly nose in her face, tail wagging.
Dorothy fended him off and scratched him behind the ears, an automatic move that was nonetheless soothing. She could see the top half of Roan over the grass that separated him, but he wasn't moving.
Maybe I should get further away. Except where could she go? There was nothing resembling a structure anywhere in sight, and Dorothy had no idea where she was in relation to, well, anyplace. And she certainly didn't have the tesseract trick, or whatever it was that Leith and Mother South used to get around.
How the hell does she even do that? She's just a baby, she shouldn't be able to - whatever.
"Why did you come back?" Roan asked suddenly, sounding both bewildered and slightly accusing. "I heard you were swept away in a tornado, back to your Kansas. Was it not true?"
"No, I went home," Dorothy replied warily. "Mother South asked me to come back."
"And you left your aunt and uncle?"
She glanced away, feeling a pang of guilt. "This time I could tell them I was going. They weren't just left hanging."
Roan muttered something she couldn't quite hear. Toto got one last lick in and wandered off, and Dorothy wiped her cheek with her sleeve.
"Look," she said. "None of this was my idea, but Mother South thinks I can help stop the Beast Forever. Save lives. So here I am." She looked around again. "Wherever here is."
Roan shook his head, but before he could say anything there was a rush of air, and Leith reappeared.
Nor was she alone.
The little one truly did have the makings of a strong witch, but she was still a child. When they halted in the middle of a field, Leith staggered, and Morwen bent to catch her quickly. The girl was panting, but she pointed at the two figures a few yards away, and Morwen nodded, understanding. Leith nodded back.
"Leith? What's the matter with her?" the Kansas girl asked worriedly, scrambling to her feet.
Morwen shook her head and shifted the child enough to touch her forehead. "She's just exhausted."
She murmured a word or two to put Leith to sleep, and laid her carefully in the grass to rest.
Dorothy wavered, as if she didn't quite believe that, but she didn't move. Morwen put her hands on her hips. "So what have we here?"
It was clear enough. Whatever had happened between the Kansas girl and Glinda's hound, they were still connected so strongly that Morwen could all but see the energy binding the two of them; and Leith apparently considered it fixable, or she wouldn't have brought Morwen to deal with the situation.
Dorothy stared back at her, worry shifting to wariness. Lucas rose up like a gangling scarecrow and made her a small bow. "Mistress."
Morwen had no love for the Kansas girl, but mending the rift between her and Lucas would infuriate Glinda. However, she wasn't inclined to make it easy.
"Why did Leith bring you?" Dorothy asked, frowning a little.
"An excellent question." Morwen linked her hands behind her back and began a slow circle around the both of them, extending her senses. Dorothy smelled like magic in potential, but none on the surface; Lucas was a bruise of guilt and uncertainty. "Perhaps because you need my help?"
"Need your help with what?" Dorothy asked. "Leith seems to think we're, well. Together." She glanced over at Lucas, who dropped his gaze. "But we're not."
"Mmm." Morwen kept walking, closing the circle around them and noting with disapproval that Dorothy's instincts regarding magic seemed to be nonexistent. "Why not?"
Lucas straightened his shoulders. "Because I tried to kill her, before she left," he said shortly. "Her spell...it confused me. I tried to obey Glinda, but…"
"Wait, what spell?" Dorothy frowned at him. "I didn't put a spell on you."
"Of course you did." Lucas gestured vaguely in her direction. "You must have, because there was magic involved, and Glinda said she didn't enspell me."
Morwen rolled her eyes. "Yes, and Glinda never lies."
Lucas flushed, angry or embarrassed, Morwen didn't care which. Dorothy held up her hands, glaring at him. "I can barely make these things appear when I want to. How the hell could I have done anything to you without you noticing?"
"You didn't," Morwen said, then pointed at Lucas. "At least not before I took my little tour of your memories. The only magic on you was Glinda's."
Lucas faltered. "But...how is that possible?" He turned to Morwen. "You were there. Did Glinda lie?"
Morwen frowned, because if memory served, Glinda had told the truth. And Lucas had had no magic on him before or after their meeting.
She whirled on Dorothy, who flinched back a step in surprise. "What did he attack you with, the first time?"
Dorothy glanced over at Lucas. "His hands, mostly." Her mouth twisted. "But he was going to use his knife originally."
"Right." Morwen could see it now, how it had been done; she had only to prove it. She closed her eyes and filled her lungs, because this sort of spell was both difficult and draining, and began to let out the air on one pure, soft note.
Dorothy said something, and Lucas answered, but Morwen was concentrating too hard to pay attention. She turned her attention inward, seeking through the darkness for what she wanted.
Finding it was the easier part. Bringing it to her was much more difficult, and the only reason Morwen wasn't simply going to fetch it in person was that her circle wouldn't hold for long in her absence and she didn't trust these two to stay put in the meantime.
Her quarry resisted; it always did. Magic worked best in tandem with the physical world, and going against that always exacted a price in energy and effort, but Morwen wasn't a cardinal witch for nothing. It was there; and then, with a final wrench, it was here.
She opened her eyes and staggered, much as Leith had. Rather to Morwen's surprise, a strong arm slid around her to keep her upright. "Are you okay?" Dorothy asked. "Lightheaded? Do you feel like you're going to pass out?"
"I'm quite well," Morwen managed, blinking, and straightened, though she let Dorothy keep her steady while she did.
"Sorry." Dorothy shrugged. "Professional reflexes."
Well, she was supposed to be a healer. Morwen gave her a nod and stepped out of her grip; Dorothy hovered for a moment, as if to be sure Morwen was truly all right, then relaxed.
Morwen turned over the object in her hands. "Is this yours?" she asked Lucas.
He was frowning. "It's mine," he confirmed. "But why - "
His face went as pale as milk. Morwen smiled grimly, and unsheathed the blade; it caught the sunlight and gleamed.
"Oh, fuck," Dorothy said quietly.
Morwen chuckled. "Exactly. She bespelled the weapon, not the man."
The knife vibrated with magic, in fact, an angry maliciousness that would be overwhelming to its target. It was a skilled piece of work, and Morwen had to admit herself impressed that Dorothy had survived it not once but twice. He must truly be of two minds, to fight it long enough for her to save herself.
Lucas had put his head down to be sick in the grass. Dorothy was staring at him with huge cow's eyes, and Morwen felt her patience run out. With a twirl of her finger, she tightened the circle a fraction; Dorothy took a step towards Lucas as the spell shoved her forward.
"I'm sure you can figure it out from here," Morwen assured her, and went to pick up the sleeping Leith. She wanted to get the blade to Mother South before Glinda thought to remove the spell.
"But - wait - " Dorothy said as Morwen whistled for Toto. "How do we get back?"
Morwen grinned at her. "You're a witch. Figure it out."
She left them behind in the sunny meadow, and went to put Leith to bed. And cause trouble for Glinda.
A good day's work…
Note: The show didn't give us a firm answer as to what was going on with Roan-slash-Lucas when he attacked Dorothy. I'm choosing to make it a spell for two reasons: one, he kept saying he didn't want to kill Dorothy, which implies that he wanted to stop but was physically unable to, and two: it's really the only way I can justify mending their relationship. Anything else seems to me to be forgiving abuse.
