A/N: I actually managed to somewhat make my deadline(give or take a day or two, but who's counting? Oh that's right, I am)! Hooray for me. I feel like this chapter turned out a little more fluidic than the previous chapter, which I think is due mostly to the fact that I didn't have to force it quite as much as before. Thanks to Jenn for reviewing once again. While I don't write for the reviews they most certainly help! I meant for the first half of this chapter to be reminiscent of the film "Vantage Point" in that it shows different perspectives leading up to or during an event. It's my first time attempting to write scenes in this way so I hope they don't come off as too muddled. Enjoy!

Moments before the irenic Eden of the Emerald Place gardens erupted into utter chaos, Leonas' thoughts were trying to identify the odd sensation that had been tingling throughout his body for the past few days. For some inexplicable reason everything had been trying his senses recently. He'd tense at the sound of rain against windowpanes, sudden bursts of laughter, and even the sound of a ticking clock. As a lion he was accustomed to managing his sometimes overbearing animal instincts. More often than not they kept him alive, though at times he had to directly contradict the feelings woven into his genetic structure. This was how he overcame cowardice and fought the flight response so common to his kind. While lions were generally bellicose creatures(when not lounging in the sun) they inherently knew when a fight promised little chance of success. If Leonas had always followed his animal instincts then he would have never gone to rescue Dorothy when she was captured by the Wicked Witch, even though his heart longed to. For the past few days however Leonas felt a sensation all at once familiar and unfamiliar. In some ways, this feeling seemed to warn of an impending danger. But how could danger reach the Emerald Palace? Glinda's magic was potent and only bolstered by the ancient magic deep within the very emeralds the palace was built upon. To breach such a Gibraltar seemed all but impossible. And yet his feelings were never wrong. At some point or another some hidden evil would breach the seemingly impregnable magical barriers of the palace. Leonas had considered consulting Glinda on the matter but found her always unavailable. Instead, he settled for being vigilant and keeping watch over his friends. Dorothy, Nick, and Scarecrow had not known it, but Leonas had never been too far away from any of them. Before they came upon him in his desperate sleepless state five years ago, Leonas had been utterly alone. Shunned from his own kind for his cowardly ways and stripped of confidence, he had spent a long time living in melancholy and fear. How long he couldn't say, for cats—even ones as large as lions—have a very different impression of time. Though Scarecrow would often remind him that Dorothy had been gone for five years Leonas always thought it felt more like twenty. Missing someone terribly can have unusual effects on one's perspective on time, especially if that one is a feline. Though he didn't know it at the time, Dorothy, Scarecrow, and Nick would be his saving grace. If they had not come along when they did Leonas was sure he would have died of loneliness. Therefor, after having acquired such dear friends, he was not about to allow someone to harm his dear companions. So he spent days waiting for something—anything—to burst out of the shadows. He had not had not spent so many hours awake since his darker days and his body was constantly reminding him of his desire to take a long cat nap. It was odd then that he did not sense the attacker until a mere seconds before the attack. The airborne creature—which he knew to be a Winged Monkey—reeked of decay. Its eyes appeared like two red planets in the sky and burned with an inhuman luminosity. In a matter of seconds the creature was upon Dorothy, seemingly ignoring the hulking lion by her side. Dorothy's eyes seemed dazed, not quite comprehending the severity of her situation. It was almost as if she was lost in a drug-induced haze, struggling to regain control but failing miserably. By the time Leonas reared up on his hind legs and roared in challenge Dorothy had collapsed to the ground. The Winged Monkey swooped low, seemingly trying to grab Dorothy's still body. Leonas, whose roar had gone unheeded, tensed his hind legs and executed a magnificent leap. Nearly eight hundred pounds of solid muscle rammed into the creature mid swoop eliciting a chilling screech. Every animal instinct in Leonas' body bade him to run from what he was sure was the result of very wicked magic but his love for Dorothy cemented him in place. With his keen eyes Leonas could see the horrific form of the now downed Winged Monkey with crystal clarity. While it may have been alive once the overwhelming smell of rott as well as the gruesome signs of decay that ravaged the creature's body told Leonas that it was very dead. The fact that it was moving about did not dissuade Leonas of this fact. For whatever reason—mostly likely to do with magic—this poor dead shell of a creature was being manipulated into doing someone's bidding. But Leonas did not have time to think. His mind did not work as swiftly as Scarecrow's nor did was his heart full of pity as Nick's might've been. He knew only that his dear friend was in danger and that he had to protect her. Stepping over Dorothy's still form, Leonas dug his paws into the ground and stood firmly above her, using his incredible mass to shield her from any impending aerial attacks. A few yards away the felled creature stirred. It wheezed a fog of fetid breath as its body popped back into place. It jerked into an upright position though it's neck appeared to be snapped in two. Wriggling white droplets spewed forth from its lopsided mouth. Maggots, Leonas guessed. Apparently unperturbed by it's broken neck, the Winged Monkey ascended into the air with a few great gusts of its wings. Tensing his muscles in anticipation, Leonas waited for the fell being to make its move. It never had the chance. As it rose higher into air, possibly in hopes of dive bombing its opponent, a sliver of white light began to weave in and out of the air around it. Confused, the creature tried to fly out of the lights' path only to be enveloped in a completely enclosed pod of light. The pod hovered in the air for a while before finally settling a few inches above the ground. As it descended, another burst of light appeared only this time it brought a familiar face. Glinda, whose white dress pulsed gently in the dark of night, appeared in front of Leonas.

"I apologize for the delay," she said. "I was out of the Palace when I sensed the disturbance in Dorothy's magic. I knew that she was in some danger but I never would have suspected someone capable of bypassing the Palace's defenses."

Unlike Nick and Scarecrow Leonas did not think to inquire as to how such a thing could have happened or where Glinda had been. His only thought was for Dorothy who was still unconscious on the ground. Gingerly stepping over Dorothy once more he pointed his paw and gestured towards her still face.

"Dorothy collapsed before the creature ever touched her. In fact, she seemed to be acting very odd before it appeared. It looked as though she suddenly became groggy."

Glinda bent down beside Dorothy, her volumous skirts covering the grass like fresh snowfall. She placed her thin hand on Dorothy's head and muttered some foreign phrase. A light from her palm spread over Dorothy's body and blanketed her in a gentle throbbing light. In response to Glinda's magical interference, the ruby slippers shimmered brightly and dissipated the white light.

"Is she alright?" Leonas whimpered as the fear he had swallowed during his fight finally found its way back up to his heart.

"Physically she's fine," Glinda mused "but her mind appears to be locked away. It seems as though her budding magic sensed some sort of conflict in her psyche and tried to protect her by forcing her into stasis. It should pass in a little while once her body realizes the perceived threat is gone. It is unusual though, that her magic would have chosen this course of action. I wonder why it did not choose more proactive means of defense…"

"But she'll be alright?"

"Yes, I believe she will. Right now she must be rest. I need to secure the creature elsewhere so I trust you to take her. For the moment, don't ask for assistance from any of the palace workers. For the creature to have come in unnoticed would have required aid of someone from the inside who possesses an entry key."

"What about Scarecrow and Nick?" Leonas asked as Glinda levitated Dorothy's still form onto Leonas' back.

"The King is in the middle of a very important meeting. If she were still in danger I would not think again about calling him, but as it is there isn't anything he can do now that he won't be able to do when he's finished his meeting. I'm sure he'll be upset by this but I think it is the most prudent course of action. I will inform Nick myself."

With that Glinda and her captive dissapered in a short burst of light leaving Leonas to his task. As Leonas headed towards the door he and Dorothy used to gain access to the garden, Toto trotted out to greet him. His hair was on edge, no doubt because he smelled the familiar stench of the creatures that had captured him months ago. Upon seeing Dorothy unconscious, Toto barked briskly. Leonas, not pausing in his walk, replied,

"She's alright, but you missed quite an event"

The lion and the dog continued on down the quiet hall, quietly conversing.

While Dorothy and Lion were touring the garden, Toto decided that he'd loiter around the kitchens in hope of receiving a savory treat. While he had been separated from Dorothy, Toto became a regular resident of the Palace. He went everywhere most residents went, including the kitchens. Fortunately for Toto, a glamorous little entrance had been carved into the bottom of one of the kitchen doors to allow access to the Palace's smaller residents. Toto and Leonas had often patrolled the kitchen for tasty morsels and always left with bloated bellies. Today had been no exceptions. The kitchen was full of many workers, but Toto's favorites were the three women who had been conversing with Leonas earlier. While they liked to tease their guests by initially refusing to allow them snacks they always intended to give food away. Toto did not quite understand why humans liked to tease dogs—and lions—with food, but he patient dog and didn't mind waiting too much. After a few minutes of teasing he was not disappointed and he exited the kitchen fully satiated. He sniffed the air for Dorothy's sent, intent on catching his little girl before she missed him. For Dorothy was still very much Toto's little girl. It didn't matter if she had grown a little larger or looked a little stranger. She would always be his pet(for Toto surely did not consider himself the pet) and he felt compelled to look after her especially after she had been so upset less than an hour before. He didn't fully understand why she had been upset as human speech was a difficult language to grasp. He suspected that she missed home—her other home. Oz was her home too. Sometimes people became very upset at the idea of more than one home but dogs knew better than to worry about such silly things. Home was where you were comfortable and where your friends were, and right now all of Dorothy's friends were in Oz and Oz was where she was most comfortable. Still, while he didn't entirely understand why she was so upset, he knew that it was his job to comfort her. Her other friends might help her feel a little better, but only Toto knew how to make her feel all-better. Just as he was about to turn the corner that would lead to the garden, a familiar whistle met Toto's ears. He had heard this whistle many times during his stay at the Emerald Palace and the whistle always promised a treat. Deciding that Dorothy would be safe for a few more minutes, Toto trotted towards the direction of the whistle. Toto figured that it was a sound only other animals could hear, as people never seemed to respond to it. The whistleblower was further away than Toto thought and the detour took at least ten minutes at a brisk pace. He stopped once to drink out of an Emerald fountain before turning a corner and trotting down a vacant corridor. Or at least, to human eyes it appeared vacant. By a window, shadowed by the darkness outside, the whistleblower waited with a treat in hand. Toto's tail wagged in greeting as he trotted forward to meet his strange friend. The whistleblower bent down and scratched Toto's ear.

"Hello there my friend. It's been a while I know, but I couldn't get away. To make up for my long absence I have brought an especially delectable treat."

While Toto was still rather full from his late afternoon/early evening snack he could never refuse a treat. The whistleblower laid the treat on the ground and Toto nibbled on it appreciatively. While he did, the whistleblower removed a small piece of shimmering thread from their coat and secured it around Toto's collar. Toto was too involved in his treat to care. When he had almost finished a kingly roar sounded in the distance, alerting Toto's keen ears to the chaos outside. With only his little girl in mind, Toto abandoned the remaining crumbs of his snack and took off at full speed down the hall and around the corner. By the time a palace worker passed by, the whistleblower had disappeared into the night.

Having been sequestered in the great hall ever since his return, Scarecrow was not aware of the conflict on the grounds. Instead, his mind was occupied with other troubling thoughts—thoughts that had been growing rapidly since he had left the Palace that morning. He had left in an attempt to investigate a slew of unusual reports centered around the eastern trade route. The land east of the Emerald City was the Winkie Country, which was currently headed by Scarecrow's dear friend Nick. Part of the king wanted to send for Nick, as he knew the going-ons of the trade route directly affected his kingdom. Presently however Scarecrow would have never to tell Nick as he himself was still attempting to unravel that morning's mysteries. Opting to only call his friend when he had something worthwhile to tell him, Scarecrow settled for the ears of his two closest advisors. Jinjur and Jack were busy bickering while Scarecrow was lost in his own thoughts, though in truth it was only Jinjur who was bickering. Jack was a very placid soul and never really argued about anything—a fact that served to balance the pugnacious temperament of Jinjur.

"Why in the world would you think that spindly worms are responsible for the thefts? That's entirely nonsensical, not to mention moronic!" Jinjur huffed, squinting at her pumpkinheaded comrade.

"Spindly worms sometimes steal pumpkin seeds from my head. So they have a history of thefts you see." Jack explained. His twig fingers reached into his carved mouth and pulled out a tiny, fuzzy purple and green worm. The worm fussily squeaked in protest as jack waved it around in demonstration. Jinjur's response was to frown deeply and glare darts at Jack.

"And how do you suppose a tiny little worm would steal over fifty-pounds of cargo, hmm? Please tell me because I would love to know."

"Well," Jack began, knocking his hollow head with a twiggy fist. Sometimes, when Jack found it especially hard to focus—which was in fact most times—he would gently knock his head so as to remind himself to think. "They would eat it of course. Like they eat my seeds. There would have to be an awful lot of them though."

"Eat? EAT? You think a horde of spindly worms assaulted a merchant caravan and ATE fifty pounds worth of goods—some of which weren't even edible!"

"Well, if something can be eaten then it must be edible" Jack reasoned, which only served to further incense Jinjur. Throwing her arms up in a most unladylike manner, Jinjur let out a frustrated groan. Turning towards Scarecrow, whose head was bent in thought, she said,

"Your majesty, please help me knock some sense into Jack's pumkinhead! Surely you see how irrational his theory is!"

"Hmm?" Scarecrow murmured, startled out of his reverie.

"You weren't listening to a word we've been saying for the past half hour have you?" Jinjur asked in exasperation, plopping back into her chair with an audible thud.

"I'm sorry. I did ask you two here to help me sort my thoughts and I've hardly said two words. But I was listening, and I don't think spindly worms are the culprits."

"Thank you!" Jinjur said, gloating like a child whose argument had been settled by their parent. Her gloating was short lived however, as Scarecrow turned to Jack and said,

"But I do not think it is a bad idea. If the caravan had been closer to a farm I might be inclined to consider it more, as spindly worms generally dwell in tilled soil. The particular point in the trade route where the thefts occurred is too far north for spindly worms."

"Oh, I guess you're right" Jack said, ignoring the look of defeat that crossed Jinjur's face. "Oogaboo is north, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. I doubt there's any correlation though. The Oogabooians might not be very wealthy but they're hardly thieves. Queen Ann is far too noble to ever resort to such an act."

"And we have to consider what Oogaboo would even gain from stealing—drat it, my mind had gone blank. What exactly was stolen again?" Jinjur asked, rubbing her throbbing temples.

"Textiles, scrap metal, and dyes" Scarecrow elaborated. His keen mind remembered the precise amount of each item that was stolen as well as who each item belonged to.

"Yes, those. What would Oogabooians possibly gain from stealing such common wares? No, I think you're right my King. The question is who would want to steal those items?"

"Someone who wanted to make a dress?" Jack suggested. Scarecrow, sensing that Jinjur was about to release one of her infamous sassy remarks, decided to prevent another one-sided argument.

"Yes, textiles and dyes are generally used to make garments. That still doesn't account for the scrap metal however."

"Well, I give in. My brain is good for many things but irrational puzzles are not among them. There's no reason someone in Oz would want to steal all of those things. They're all fairly cheap at market—as I seem to recall no really expensive textiles were stolen—and scarp metal can be found at any smithy."

"Then I guess no one would want to steal them, so maybe no one stole them at all? Maybe they've just been misplaced." Jack suggested.

"Misplaced? I hardy doubt all of the merchants just happened to misplace chunks of their stock Jack." Jinjur sighed, fighting back a panoply of colorful insults. In truth, Jinjur did not dislike Jack. Quite the contrary, she felt a sisterly affection for him. But she had always been quick to anger, even when she was a little girl. And while Jinjur was a very organized and logical person, Jack was a very disorganized and illogical person. At times, Jinjur found it difficult to tolerate his words—even if they were harmless.

"No one? No one…" Scarecrow mumbled, stroking his chin in thought.

"You don't actually agree with him?" Jinjur gasped.

"No, not entirely. I don't think the wares were misplaced. However, Jack is right in that no one would want to steal these things. There were much more expensive items to be stolen. So why were only the cheapest commodities taken? The answer: no one wanted to steal them."

"I'm confused" Jack frowned.

"Me too" Jinjur said.

"It's quite simply really. The items were not taken because of their worth or value because the person who stole them did not require them. The fact that they were stolen had nothing to do with desire but rather opportunity. The opportunity to distract us."

"Distract us from what?" Jinjur and Jack asked in unison. Jinjur, startled at the fact that she and Jack had actually had the same thought jumped back in her seat. Jack, finding the coincidence rather funny, smiled broadly.

"I've been gathering intelligence for a very long time, both from the reports the two of you give me and from Palace gossip. Glinda warned me as soon as I came into power that it would be fatal to ignore the Nome King's growing power across the dessert. While I've never thought it possible for the Nome King's army to breach the Emerald City, I've still entertained the possibility that he may possess magic of which I am completely unaware. For a few weeks I spent an hour every evening trying to come up with a contingency plan incase his army did invade. If they were going to try anything they would have only two routes available to them; the sky and the ground. I do not believe for a moment that an entire army could be magicked here. Not only would it take massive skill, it would also set off every magical alarm and defense in the palace. While it's theoretically possible for someone to slip past the palace's defenses, a whole army could never do this. The Palace's defenses extend to the sky above, so an aerial attack would be questionable. It would be possible for an army to fly across the dessert and approach on foot in an attempt to seize the Palace. In this case they would have to have quite a bit of magic if they hoped to penetrate our walls. This option is possible but I don't think it's plausible. So, what other theory are we left with?"

"They'd have to come underground" Jinjur responded immediately, glad that the subject matter was finally something she could wrap her head around. Riddles may trump her, but military strategy and logistics are Jinjur's specialty. "But is that even possible? The foundation of this city runs deep into the ground and is built upon very old magic. It seems to me as though it would be even more difficult to enter the city that way than it would be on land."

"For anyone but the nomes it would be. But remember nomes are in actuality rock fairies and they specialize in utilizing the old magic buried in the earth. Additionally, as the magic underground is very old it has a mind of it's own. Glinda tells me that it actually had a consciousness and, when I've been to the lower points of the Palace I've actually heard it. It seems intelligent, but I've never actually spoken with it. It speaks to me at times but never lingers for conversation. In light of these facts my chief concern is that the Nome King, who is very accustomed to dealing with old magic, might somehow be able to manipulate the magic below and gain entrance to the palace from underground."

"So that's it then! The mystery is solved. The thefts have been distractions and I need to start working on a plan to combat underground invasions" Jinjur declared triumphantly. The thought of an invasion didn't bother her much as she was sure that any plan the Nome King concocted she could combat. Just as she was about to dismiss herself and go dream up different battle scenarios, Scarecrow gestured for her to stay.

"Well, that's most of it. We're still left with a piece of our puzzle that doesn't appear to fit."

Sighing, Jinjur sat back down. She really hated complicated puzzles. Jack, who was unable to focus on one matter for too long a time, was playing with his new pet spindly worm.

"Well your Majesty, bedazzle me with your enormous intellect. For I am much too tired to think of anything remotely complicated."

"There is still the eye-witness report to account for. Two of the merchants claimed to have seen a strange silver haired man loitering about around the time of the theft. Though his hair was silver he himself is not reported to be old, but rather a young man. From what I was told he is most certainly not a nome."

"A spy perhaps?" Jinjur suggested.

"Perhaps…" Scarecrow said, drawing into himself. Jinjur, having known the king for many years, knew his body language well enough to sense that he was holding something back. She also knew that, when his mind finally decoded this new mystery, he would tell her. Content to leave him to his thoughts, Jinjur rose from her chair and exited the great hall. On her way out a courier with carrying Glinda's personal seal rushed into the room. Clearly, he had been waiting for the meeting to adjourn. Nodding a brief greeting to the door guards, Jinjur left to retire for the night. In the morning she would plan for battle.

Leonas carefully made his way up the flight of stairs that lead to the royal guest sweets. He was ever cautious of jostling Dorothy and worried that, as she was unable to grab his fur, she would fall and tumble down the steps. As a result the trip had been slow going. Every slope would cause his muscles to tense and his body to slow to a sluggish rate. Fortunately it looked as though this was the last set of stairs he would have to contend with. Toto trotted along behind him, insisting that he be there just in case Dorothy fell. Both of their fears were ill founded however, as they made all made it safely to Dorothy's suite door. Toto barked curtly and the doors magically opened for them, shutting after they entered. Carefully Leonas made his way over to her oversized bed and let her roll onto the soft mattress. Unsure of what else to do, Leonas settled by the window in case another horrific creature attempted entrance. Toto hopped onto the bed—an impressive feat as the bed was rather high—and took his place by Dorothy's side. A few minutes after he arrived there came a knock on the suite door. Leonas inhaled deeply and registered a familiar oily scent. Toto barked at the doors, causing them to open once more and admit entrance to their tin friend. Though Nick was made of tin the magic holding him together gave him a very animated face. Presently he looked ragged and tired. Nick made his way over to Leonas and took a seat by the window.

"How is she?" He asked, looking at his still friend with concern.

"She hasn't woken up yet, but she seems to be fine. Did Glinda tell you everything?"

"Not everything. She only told me that something had happened and that I should meet you in Dorothy's suite."

Leonas began to tell Nick of that evening's ordeal, never pausing. When at last he had finished, Nick wrung his hands in worry.

"I cannot believe this could happen here of all places. And if any there was any doubt in my mind about the creatures that crossed into Dorothy's world there are none now. Someone—or something—is manipulating the dead. And going by the reports of missing Winged Monkeys from a few years back, the dead are citizens of my land. Oh I wish I knew more!"

"Did you ever doubt Dorothy's account?" Leonas asked curiously. Nick shook his head sadly.

"I never doubted what she believed she saw. I only hoped that it wasn't the case. I feel somehow responsible for all of this…"

Toto yipped from his place on the bed and Leonas added,

"Toto is right. You could not have known what was going on. Clearly whoever is behind these attacks is skilled enough to keep even Glinda guessing. You had no cause to think that such events would occur."

"I know you're right. I still can't help feeling the way I do though—my heart won't allow for anything else. Dorothy has suffered twice at the hands of these creatures, both in places where she should have felt safe."

"Don't worry about Dorothy too much" Leonas mused, turning his eyes towards his sleeping friend. "She is stronger than she appears. Truly she has the heart of a lion"

After a few moments of quiet contemplation, Nick followed his stately friend's gaze and looked at the still form of Dorothy.

"So it's true, she really is magical?" He asked

"It would appear so" Leonas replied.

"I can't say I'm surprised. She always did have a magical way about her, from the way she spoke to the way that she emboldened us all. She helped me remember that I still had a heart. There is nothing more magical than bringing out the heart of a person, afterall."

Leonas gave a toothy smile. "I said something very similar to her. I don't imagine that Scarecrow will be surprised either."

"Speaking of which," Nick said, pulling out his ticking heart in order to gauge the time, "where is our stuffed friend? I would think he would have beaten me here with his vast knowledge of the Palace's secret routes and passages."

"Glinda decided to hold off telling him until he'd finished his meeting."

"I don't imagine he'll take that well," Nick said bemusedly as he imagined what would surely be a heated conversation betwixt Glinda and the King.

"No," Leonas consented, "I don't imagine that he will"

"How could you not have told me!" Scarecrow demanded. He was not prone to yelling. In fact, this was one of only three times since he had been stuffed that he lost his temper. Scarecrow was not a pugnacious individual, nor was he generally recalcitrant. While he was the king he respected Glinda's wisdom and authority over matters of magic. This time however he felt that she was entirely in the wrong. After Jinjur had left—no doubt to plan for battle—a courier bearing Glinda's seal entered the hall. Like all of Glinda's assistants, the courier was a young lady from the Quadling country. The message had been brief and to the point:

An unfortunate event has occurred and it requires both our attentions. Come see me in the Scrying tower as soon as you receive this message.

Scarecrow, utilizing one of the Palace's many hidden passages, arrived at the tower in less than five minutes. When he greeted Glinda and inquired as to the nature of her note he was met with the same story as Nick. After a few seconds of stupefied shock, Scarecrow's burlap skin flushed with anger.

"How could you not tell me? The meeting could have been postponed!"

"As I said earlier, the danger had passed. There was nothing you could have done then that you can't do now" Glinda reasoned calmly. She had anticipated that Scarecrow would be miffed at being left out of the loop for what had now been almost two hours.

"I don't think it's fair to judge what I may have done Glinda, as you never gave me the chance to do anything. Aside from the fact that two of my dearest friends were endangered in my kingdom, as the king I had a right to know that my city's walls had been breached!"

Glinda paused and took a sip from her porcelain tea-cup. It was filled with a brew specifically targeted at stress. And Glinda was most definitely feeling stressed. Outwardly she showed no signs of inner turmoil, which only irritated Scarecrow more. He was not used to being angry and hated how it made him feel. Anger dulled his senses and slowed his brain and his brain—as he was often reminded—was his greatest asset. Glinda allowed her guest to stew a bit longer before replying, hoping that he would manage to calm himself down.

"I understand that you're frustrated as it is a very frustrating situation. I am frustrated that someone managed to breech my defenses and at the prospect of a traitor in the Palace. Afterall, if there is a traitor then it is most surely one of my assistants for no one else could perform the spell required to transfer entrance keys."

The ever rational nature of Scarecrow's brain gradually usurped his simmering anger. Entrance keys were just that—keys. However, they were not physical keys but magical keys. Denizens of the Emerald City and those born within her border were gifted with life-long keys. These keys could not be removed, though they could be revoked in the unlikely event of exile. Visitors received temporary keys for the duration of their stay and faded away as soon as they left the borders. These keys were created by Glinda herself and usually administered by her personal assistants. There was only a handful of people in all of Oz who knew the secrets behind the keys and fewer still who could have orchestrated the attack earlier in the evening. Every time a new key was created it was logged in a special book. As no new keys had been added, the Winged Monkey would only be allowed access through someone else's key. The spells required for the transference of keys were incredibly complicated which left only a few candidates to look at.

"I still wish you had told me sooner" Scarecrow sighed.

"Perhaps next time I will but even I cannot change what has been done." Glinda smiled graciously. Scarecrow seriously doubted that Glinda felt that she had done anything wrong, though he had to concede to her logic. There was probably nothing he could have done a few hours ago that he couldn't do now and if he had been interrupted he may not have been able to sort out the mystery of the trade route. All but one mystery, that is.

"Well, since I'm eager to check on Dorothy I'll try to make this brief. During deliberations, we came to the conclusion that the thefts have been a distraction. As these thefts have been occurring on and off for the past two months it is safe to assume that whatever we're being distracted from is a very time consuming task. I believe that the Nome King may be utilizing his magic in an attempt to dig a tunnel leading to the Palace. Since the thefts have been mainly near Oogaboo country I believe that there is something near Yips. You know, it's funny—while we were discussing the possibility of an underground siege I mentioned how it was technically possible for a small handful of assailants to enter via entrance key fraud. It's almost ironic that, while discussing such a thing, an assailant happened to enter the grounds."

Glinda turned her now almost empty tea glass three times left before dumping the contents onto a sauce. After a few minutes she turned the glass upright and began to inspect the insides.

"Tea leaf divination?" Scarecrow guess and Glinda nodded by way of response.

"It's an old magic," she said, all the while turning the glass in order to examine the tea leaves from a different perspective. "If you're right about the Nome King—and I suspect that you are—then the only way he'd be able to bypass the Palace's magic would be to manipulate the old magic below. It's a curious consciousness, and rather lonely. I've spoken to at times of the course of my life but it is a shy thing. The Nome King specializes with such magics, though he doesn't treat them with kindness. Rather he seeks to bend them to his will. I think that it is time that I pay another visit below. First however I have a captive to deal with."

Glinda beckoned towards the far corner of the tower. Scarecrow followed her gesture and found himself staring at a glowing white pod. Judging by Glinda's account of events he knew that it had to contain the Winged Monkey that attacked Dorothy. The curious side of his brain—ever insatiable—wanted nothing more than to stay and witness Glinda's examination. His heart however, sick for his friends, and was eager to attend to them. Sensing their meeting had come to an end, Glinda flicked her hand and opened the tower doors. Before leaving, Scarecrow took one final glance at the bizarre pod. As he stepped out into the archway, something occurred to him. Before the door closed he asked,

"What did your cup say?"

As the door came to a close, Scarecrow just caught a glimpse of a weak smile. Something about her expression in that fleeting moment bothered Scarecrow but he decided to catalogue the notion and store it away for later. Now he had some friends to see.

When Scarecrow entered Dorothy's room he found his two friends in the middle of a deep discussion. Upon seeing him enter, Nick and Leonas beckoned for Scarecrow to join them. It had been almost three hours since the incident and Dorothy had not stirred. Nick, rendered incredibly nervous, would wander over periodically and make sure she was still breathing. Toto, who was still snuggled against Dorothy's side, thought this entirely unnecessary. If his little girl were having difficulty breathing then he would be the first to know. Leonas was much more patient, content not to wander from his post at the window. The uneasy feeling that he had been carrying since before the attack still lingered though it was much more subdued. He was not sure if this feeling was due to nerves regarding his friend's state or if it was another warning of something yet to come. He had just begun to discuss these feelings with Nick when Scarecrow entered.

"How is she?" Scarecrow asked, tip-toeing towards the window.

"Breathing" Nick affirmed, and for a moment Scarecrow felt a pang of panic.

"Is there a reason why she might not be breathing?" He asked fearfully. Nick sighed and replied,

"Not that I can think of, but I'm no doctor. I've just been worried since she's been so still. Glinda said that she'd likely regain consciousness once the danger had passed. She's out of danger, so why hasn't she woken up? You don't think she could be hurt, do you?"

"She was never harmed" Leonas said firmly. "I made sure of that"

"Of course you did Leonas, and I'm very grateful that you were there with her" Scarecrow smiled, not wishing to offend his friend.

"Yes, of course you wouldn't let her be hurt" Nick amended hastily. "But she's been, well, magical for a while now. And as a thing of magic I know a thing or two about it and how difficult it can be to manage. I'm just worried that the magic from her slippers could have harmed her…"

"I'm sure Glinda would have sensed something if that were so. No, I think her mind is just exhausted. It wasn't that long ago when she was still in that dreadful school, and I hesitate to use the word 'school'. Schools are places of life and learning, not horror and dread. She's been through quite a bit since she left Oz and I can only imagine that today's event was an unpleasant reminder of times past. I'm sure she'll be awake by morning."

Scarecrow's confidence bolstered his friend's spirits. Joining his friends, the three continued on conversing. They talked of many things, including the meeting in the Great Hall. The thefts directly impacted Nick, so it was his right to know. And Leonas, a capable ruler, was not foreign to problems of state. He had stopped many uprisings during his first year of reign during which many animals were reluctant to follow the banner of one once deemed cowardly. A few minutes into their conversation, Toto began to bark. Leonas was the first to notice as he was fluent in dog.

"What's he trying to say?" Nick asked. Leonas tilted his head forward and attentively listened to Toto's frantic words.

"It makes little sense to me. He says that something is pulling Dorothy. But I don't see—" as Leonas was attempting to explain Toto's scrambled message, a strange light over took Dorothy. Nick and Scarecrow, both recognizing magic, simultaneously called for Glinda. Moments later, Glinda appeared before them. Without being told she strode towards Dorothy's form. She extended her hands before her and spoke a strange language. Immediately, the ruby slippers shone through the sheets and fizzled. The magics seemed to be clashing and as a result produced a shower of pink sparkles. The atmosphere of the room became so laden with magic that the air was practically damp. The fur on Leonas' back began to prickle and Scarecrow felt a sensation similar to the times when Glinda attempted to magic his skin against fire. It was almost as if his life force was being moved around inside him. Nick's heart-shaped pocket watch began to spin backwards and Toto snuggled underneath Dorothy's arm and waited. Just when it seemed as though Glinda's magic was gaining the upper hand she suddenly dropped her arms and let her power dissipate. Within seconds, Dorothy's body erupted into a powerful red light. She shimmered for a few moments before disappearing entirely. Seconds ago, Dorothy Gale was safe in Oz and recovering from a traumatizing event. Now all that remained was a vacant bed and both Dorothy and Toto were nowhere in sight. Scarecrow was the first to recover his speech, upon which he turned on Glinda and exclaimed,

"Why did you stop? You were winning against whatever it was. You could have—"

"I could have killed her" Glinda finished, and Scarecrow blinked in surprise. "While the magic was initiated by an outside source, it was her own magic that I was fighting. Subconsciously she wanted to—or was manipulated in believing that she wanted to—go to wherever it was that the magic was taking her. The magic in those slippers is very old and very powerful. Because of this it is wild and unpredictable, and responds to base emotions rather than specific commands. In time she'll learn to master this, but presently I couldn't risk a magical backfire, as any such backfire would surely rebound upon Dorothy. For her sake I had to let her go."

The three friends looked at Glinda in shock before turning to gaze at the bed in defeat. A little less than a week ago they had finally been reunited with their dear friend after half a decade of waiting. Now, in less than a moment, she had left them alone once more.

A/N: The next chapter will focus on catching up with Hunk and gang in their quest to discover the fate of Dorothy and her apparent absence from the Drundle institute. Look for it around the same time next week, give or take a day. See you next week!