Chapter 14

"Good people of the Emerald City! Spread the news! We have captured the Wizard and beaten down the Gale Force! You can come out from hiding now! The battle is over! We mean you no harm!" Queen Ayla announced from her perch on the exterior walls of the Emerald Palace. The troops on the ground behind her cheered. All those that had stood with Khalil had found themselves rewarded with the remainder of the Gale Force found themselves locked in the stables which had been surrounded by crude fencing and armed troops.

Now as people slowly filtered out of the buildings they'd been hiding in, the Flying Monkeys were searching for anyone that looked suspiciously like Gale Force in disguise. The shooter was still on the loose and they wanted him found and found quickly.

"Who are you?" An inquisitive child asked before being grabbed by his mother.

"I am Queen Ayla, ruler of the Vinkus, and I did not come here alone! Your brothers and sisters of Oz came together for this moment! All walks of life from all over Oz! I know that this is confusing and scary but everything will be explained soon!" She announced.

"Who are you to think you can just take over the Emerald City! Our fair Wizard has done nothing but protect us from those like you!" Shouted a man.

"Your Wizard has killed innocents, taken property and citizenship from the Animals, and created vicious lies to get what he has wanted! He hired Madame Morrible to keep everyone oppressed and believing in his lies! If you think he was looking out for you, then I suggest you take a look at the latest laws he passed just a while a go! He was taking away your rights without you even knowing it!" Ayla spat back at the man.

"So you will lead us?" A woman asked.

"No, you will have a ruler that the Emerald City deserves! I will return home once all of this is sorted and rule the Vinkus as is my place! As will the Munchkins, Gillikins, and Quadlings! Emerald City will stand out as a beacon of truth and justice not one of falseness and bigotry!" The Queen explained. Suddenly there was loud screeching and everyone looked up. The Flying Monkeys had found their man. Chistery landed next to the Queen and began signing to her what they had found.

"Man… had… rifle… Gale… Force… uniform. He… shot… Miss… Elphaba…" Balfour translated. He'd decided to learn how to communicate with the leader of the Flying Monkeys so that he didn't need to fetch Fiyero or his better half should they not be available.

"Bring him to me. He will know what happens when he breaks the code of war," Ayla said. Balfour nodded and quickly signed to Chistery where to drop the man.

"If you have the Flying Monkeys than the Wicked Witch is not far behind!" Someone shouted from down below which almost incited a panic had the Queen not spoken up.

"Calm yourselves! The Wicked Witch as you call her is a victim of the Wizard's treachery! He sic'd his men on the woman who stood up to him to defend Animals' rights! She fought valiantly alongside us to free Oz and while saving my son, she sacrificed her own body to a bullet from this soldier's gun! Right now as we speak, Lady Glinda and the doctors are doing everything they can to save her!" She told them.

"She speaks the truth! I hear the Wicked Witch saved Prince Fiyero and Lady Glinda from the metal man's ax!" Another shout from the crowd below.

"That is right! She did! If she were truly wicked, she would have let Lady Glinda and my son die! Instead, at great personal cost, she saved them both!" Ayla confirmed. Murmurs rippled through the crowd. The truth was finally finding its way to the people.

"Now good citizens, please return to your daily lives! Over the course of the next few days, the truth shall be told!" The Queen dismissed the crowd and then turned to Balfour.

"I want someone from the newspaper here within the next few hours. We will disseminate all the information we know. Spread the word to our allies as well. The day is won and if we intend to keep it that way, we need communication between everyone," she said.

"Yes your Highness," the Lieutenant bowed. The two turned to head to their separate tasks when Khalil came running at them. He'd been in the medical tent, helping in any way that he could, but also waiting for word on Elphaba's condition.

"That does not appear to be good," Ayla shook her head.

"No it does not," Balfour swallowed hard.

To Be Continued…