Salve Regina
(Save The Queen)
XXVI
"It's remarkable how one thing can change the views of even the most stubborn people." Dorothy mumbled. She added, "I can see your innocence here, but don't understand why your spell didn't kill you instantly, since you're so powerful."
Damion felt the chilling air hit his chest and face. He ignored his want for warmth and went on with an explanation. "The smoke that mixed with my powers was supposed to kill me. When love and death collide with black magic, a curse more powerful than the magician is initiated."
"What are you talking about?"
"Glinda told you about it, I know she did. No matter what magic I use, I have the ability to love. She protected it. When it's used, it either completely destroys the creature on contact or . . ."
Dorothy looked into his dark eyes. "Or what?"
"Destroys all the magician's powers, leaving only a tiny bit of white magic left. I have nothing to prove, nor do I have any reason to stay here. But Dorothy, you need to do me a favor. Something you hadn't done before."
It only took a moment for Dorothy to realize Damion was barefoot. The magic really had been destroyed. She nodded with clear understanding and searched the ground around her. A dagger rested prominently among many other weapons. Dorothy took it from the ground and held it at her side.
"Go on already," The grown man gazed into Dorothy's eyes with compunction and regret.
Years of bad memories flooded back into his mind, suffocating his sour soul. Bitterness filled his heart. The pounding in his chest increased as Dorothy lifted the dagger. Eyes turned to her, wondering why she was doing something contradicting to her beliefs. Time moved slower than molasses, but left no room to crumble under pressure.
Damion's eyes widened. A chill trapped his body in place.
The dagger struck through his heart. An ear-piercing shriek escaped Damion's lips. The world stopped moving. Scarecrow was the first to run to Dorothy's side, but he seemed to be moving in slow-motion.
Damion clutched the dagger with both hands and held a facial expression of utter torment. He doubled over and looked up one last time into Dorothy's eyes.
"Ding-Dong," He spoke in a scratchy voice. "the wizard's dead."
His body fell forwards, but Dorothy and Scarecrow stopped his fall. Scarecrow layed him down on the ground, face up with the snow falling gently on his pasty face. Dorothy rested her head on his chest and began sobbing. The limp arms of Damion lay on the gravel. Blood dribbled out from his mouth and ran down along the side of his cheek. Glassy eyes were open wide, showing the dark, lifeless hue.
Scarecrow patted Dorothy on the shoulder. "You had to do it, hun. There was no other way for him to leave Oz. The Ruby Slippers on your feet can only be used for you to leave, not another being. The wearers of the shoes can teleport others within the Oz boundaries, but your world isn't accessed by us. Damion was the only exception."
"I think it's time for me to go home." Dorothy stood up, looked at Scarecrow, and fainted.
0o0o0o0o
Snow continuously fell outside. Dorothy awoke in a white room with one very large window. The white light from the snow and sun spilled in and onto the walls like paint on an empty canvas. A knock on the door indicated someone had brought her in the room, and watched after her.
Tik-Tok was at the door, waiting with no words to say. He simply made a "come hither" motion and waited for Dorothy to follow him. She walked out of the room and noticed immediately that she was in a hospital. The walls were pale green and floors were exactly the emerald green of the city she had fought for. It was beautiful.
Once Tik-Tok and Dorothy exited the hospital, he told her to keep following him. A flood of people were walking east, towards the quieter, more barren part of the city.
"Where are we going?" Dorothy asked, but received no answer.
Once they arrived at their destination, there was no need to wonder. It was a cemetary. Dorothy made her way to the front of the croud and stood in awe. There were hundreds of gravestones, all gray with black lettering. Some taller than others, and some with stone wings attatched to each side. In the front, however, was an emerald statue of Glinda.
The funeral began and ended with adoration for those lost in Damion's War. As the snow fell harder, the citizens of the Emerald City huddled together and sobbed. Once it was over, Dorothy's friends let her be. They knew she would say goodbye later on.
Eventually alone in the cemetary, Dorothy contemplated her journey. She was grateful for how much Glinda had helped her not only from this adventure, but throughout her whole lifespan of experiences in Oz. Damion had opened up her eyes to see that life was precious and fragile. She looked at her hands long and hard, waiting to see a sign of blood stains somewhere. She was a murderer, and not ready to face the truth of it all.
Damion's gravestone was a few rows in, but Dorothy found it easily. She knelt down, feeling the cold snow on her knees, and began to cry. For once in her life, she realized how important love was. Though she barely knew Damion, her want for his touch remained. She thought it over and knew it wasn't just lust after him. He had been the only one to kiss her that way, or to look into her eyes with compassion. He had been planning her death only to be killed instead. How unfair life was, but provided lessons nonetheless. No more would Dorothy take her life for granted. She woudl appreciate everything from the plains of Kansas to her blessing of being able to visit such a wonderous world.
"If you must go," A voice spoke behind Dorothy. "then go."
She turned and grinned from ear to ear. Tin Man, Lion, Scarecrow, Tik-Tok, Jack, Ozma, Nudge, and Klissa stood in a line.
Dorothy sprinted towards Scarecrow and wrapped her arms around him. She stepped back and gazed at her friends.
"I'm sorry for treating you all the way I did when I first came back into Oz. I'd love to stay, but I think it's time for me to return home at last and face my life." Dorothy smirked.
Once more, Dorothy hugged her friends before a heartfelt departure.
"Come back if you miss us," Jack said.
"Thank you again, Dorothy. You'll have a place of power if you ever return. Perhaps Princess?" Ozma gleamed and remembered a time long ago when Dorothy first saved her.
Nudge held Klissa's hand and smiled. "This helped me find my heart, too, Dorothy. All you have to do is follow it."
With one final wave goodbye, Dorothy readied herself. She clicked her heels once. Twice. Three times. Soon, a whirlwind entrapped her and she closed her eyes. Her body was lifted from the ground instantly, and Oz was gone.
0o0o0o0o
The bathroom floor was uncomfortable underneath Dorothy's body. She opened her curious eyes to find herself back at the hospital in Kansas. She stood up slowly, cautious not to have a rush of blood to the head. The last thing she wanted was to be dizzy.
The surgical knife lay on the floor untouched and untainted. No blood was shed, and no one was killed in her world. Dorothy was back in Kansas, the world of which petty problems occurred and people fought over personal things such as religion, land ownership, or a silly disagreement or disliking. She knew no one could fathom such a thing as someone with black magic trying to take over an entire world, or a giant bird with poisonous talons striking the protector of that world. Oz would never again be the same, and would probably have trouble recovering from such deceit. However, Dorothy had faith in her friends. She knew they would raise a child to use white magic and become the next legendary Good Witch.
A thought soon struck Dorothy with such strength, she shouted with half joy and half emberassment for not realizing it earlier.
Her feet struck the tiles quickly. She no longer cared about getting caught. She no longer cared about comforming to every single rule in the hospital. Dorothy would chase after her epiphany like a child to the end of the rainbow. She ran up flights of stairs and down a long hallway. She was on the fifth floor, where people who had no hope for life or barely hung on strings
Dorothy peeked in every room until she found her way to the end of the hallway. The last room, lit by only a single candle held a familiar body. Dorothy stepped in quietly and saw him. A handsome man with dark brown hair, closed eyes, and a thin and healthy body. He was in a hospital gown, but still looked gorgeous to Dorothy.
"Damion?" She whispered.
Nothing.
She walked closer to the body, separated by only the end of the hospital bed.
Damion turned his head towards Dorothy and opened his eyes.
"Hi." Dorothy whispered.
He spoke softly, "Hello there."
"Did you plan this?"
"Being in the same hospital? Yes. My backup plan in case you defeated me was to follow you in Kansas too. However, circumstances are different this time around."
"How so?" Dorothy moved a strand of stray hair.
"This time," Damion smiled sweetly, "I've fall-"
A doctor came into the room and abrubptly said, "S'cuse me. You don't belong in here. I'm going to have to ask-" He noticed Damion's state of wake. "Damion King, is it? You're awake!"
"Yes, seems that I am."
The doctor was stunned. "You've been in a coma for weeks. I'll go get the nurse. You, young lady, don't you belong in your room?"
"I'm visiting my friend," Dorothy blurted. "I missed him, and remembered he was in this hospital too. My Aunt and Uncle will be here to get me in the morning, so please just let me say my goodnight, Dr."
"Fine," The doctor adjusted his tie and said, "but make it quick." He left the room, but would soon return with more company.
Drothy faced Damion once more and felt a stinging in her eyes. Her throat swelled up as she tried to hold back painful tears.
"I want to get to know the real you, Damion." She admitted.
Damion replied, "And I want to start on a new foot. Oz is nothing to us but a memory now, especially for me. I hope to see you in the morning, and weeks upon weeks from then on. What you don't know about me is that I have lived a few farms away from you this whole time, and not once have you noticed me."
"Well that doesn't matter now. I have a feeling things will be much better. And I have faith that you will prove to be the good man Glinda thought you to be. She doesn't protect the ability to love for just anybody, you know."
Dorothy sat on the hospital bed for a moment and kissed Damion's cheek. There was a certain essence of vitality in the air, along with calm and joyful emotions. A chance of something new and exciting hung over their heads like halos. There were no more rainbows to chase, yellow brick roads to walk on, or witches to fight. But it didn't bother either one of them. It was time to grow up.
Though the night was almost over, the journey of Oz at an end, Dorothy knew in her heart of hearts that life for her started now, with the most misunderstood and misplaced man she'd ever known.
And she loved it.