"Madame, you have been summoned." A guard, out of breath, burst into the door during one of Elphaba's sorcery lessons. "It's a matter of great importance."

"Very well," said Morrible, grabbing the Grimmerie from the table, where it had lain in front of Elphaba, and locking it in the cupboard in the corner of the room. "Miss Elphaba, you come with me."

They hurried through the corridors and into the Wizard's throne room, where, observed silently by the mechanical golden head, kneeled a line of people, guided by two armed soldiers on each side. Among the roughly two dozen men and women, some were easily distinguishable as Munchkins, some as Vinkans, and some as Quadlings – and among them, Elphaba was shocked to notice a familiar figure. His head was hung low, but his tall frame, copper-colored skin, long black hair and old trench coat were clearly recognizable.

"Madame!" one of the guards announced, standing upright. "These delinquents have all been found hiding Animal fugitives and conspiring against His Ozness! We suspect them to be part of a country-wide underground subversive organization, but they refuse to confirm or deny anything. What shall we do with them?"

Morrible strutted slowly in front of the captives, looking each of them in the face with her piercing eyes. Her face took on a look of twisted delight; as if nothing gave her greater joy than holding the fate of these people in her hands. Elphaba on the other hand could hardly look up. Afraid of meeting Shilah's eyes, she glanced at the other convicts, and her heart skipped a beat when she noticed another familiar face. She'd only seen him once before, but she could without a doubt recognize Fiyero's friend Rohan. Their eyes met for a moment and his disappointed look made Elphaba feel sick to her stomach, forcing her to turn the other way.

"What a sad bunch of treacherous little toads," Morrible hissed, a smile on her face growing bigger with every second, displaying her sharp teeth. "And what a perfect example you will make for any other would-be agitators. No one turns against the Wizard of Oz and gets away with it."

"We will see about that."

A tall, handsome man near the middle of the line raised his head, keeping his chin high; and Elphaba, to her surprise, recognized him as Glinda's acquaintance Vaan she'd heard her friend gush about. What could a Gillikinese heir to a fortune be doing here? she wondered as Vaan stubbornly looked up at Morrible, whose smile momentarily faded. She watched him for a moment before kneeing him in the face, so hard that he almost fell over. Unfazed, Morrible, the triumphant smile back on her face, snapped her fingers and turned to one of the guards.

"Take them away," she ordered. "And get them ready for execution."

Elphaba felt her heart stop and her breath catch in her throat. Her brain refused to work, but she had to do something…!

"Wait!"

Everybody looked at her, and she realized she'd have to back it up with something. She walked up to Morrible and motioned in the direction of the convicts.

"Madame," she said in a hushed voice. "Some of these people are members of highly influential Ozian families. Don't you think their… disappearance would cause quite a scene?"

"Miss Elphaba, I am well aware of who these people are, however—"

"What in Oz is happening here?!"

All heads momentarily turned to Glinda, who stepped into the throne room; holding up her skirt to avoid tripping over it as she ran up to the scene. Morrible frowned and looked at her disdainfully.

"You are not needed here, Miss Glinda. These delinquents are to be executed for treason, that is final. Go on! Take them away!"

"Wait! In the name of goodness, stop!" Glinda exclaimed desperately. She bowed down, sunk onto her knees, in line with the convicts, and addressed her words straight to the glowing gold head above the Wizard's throne. "Your Greatness, please, have mercy! Don't show such cruelty to these poor lost souls! Are they dangerous fugitives? Ruthless criminals? Or maybe just people who lost their way in our uncertain times? What will executing them accomplish, other than making others more desperate in their misguided pursuit against your wizardly goodness? Will anyone go back on the right path when these few people are gone? Should we not, instead, try to treat these few with grace; as an example of your kindness, mercy and generosity? Should we not prove that these who oppose you are actually opposing goodness itself? Regardless of what you would rather listen to, your reason or your heart, they will both tell you the same thing." She pressed her hand to her chest, humbly bowing her head. "I beg you, Your Ozness. Spare them."

Silence fell for a moment, before the room quaked and the Wizard's gold head spoke in a low rumble.

"TAKE THEM AWAY. LOCK THEM UP. I SHALL MAKE MY DECISION SHORTLY."

The soldiers bowed reverently and ordered the captives to get on their feet before leading them single file out of the room. The heavy door closed with a hollow bang, and the Wizard, having made sure they were alone, stepped carefully from behind his throne.

"Your Ozness," Morrible said immediately with an exaggerated bow, her voice dripping with sweetness like a honeycomb, "surely you haven't let that insipid speech convince you—"

"Just a moment, Madame," the Wizard said, raising his hand to silence her. "Rest assured, I am perfectly capable of making a decision."

"—she is clearly manipulating you! Among these people were some of her friends!" She reached into her satchel and took out a copy of The Emerald Gossiper, leafing through it to find a picture, undoubtedly taken during Glinda's inauguration ball. "Here she is, dancing with one of them! Who's to say they haven't been working together against you this whole time?!"

"Madame, that's quite enough!" The Wizard's voice sounded unusually firm. "I have always appreciated your council. I will not, however, stand for you throwing ungrounded accusations at my protégée."

"Your Ozness," Glinda said humbly, curtseying. "I will admit, I have seen a familiar face among these people. However, is it truly just to let their connection to me damn not only them, but all of the others as well? What would the people of Oz think if they heard how things are done here; people's lives being taken without reflection or a second thought; as if they don't matter at all?"

"Oh, there's no reason to be so dramatic!" exclaimed Morrible. "We would take care of it quickly and discreetly."

"So you do agree that it wouldn't be right, and yet you want to go through with it anyway?"

Morrible opened her mouth to argue, but the Wizard sent her an icy look.

"Glinda, I admire your mercy and envy your innocence. However, we cannot merely let people disturb the peace which we have so direly struggled to achieve in our dear Oz. And if we want to help other misguided souls, as you said, go back to the right path, we need to indicate clearly what the borders of that right path are. The people captured today will need to be punished; but you are entirely right – it is not fair to take their lives. They will be placed in captivity until they learn to repent for their wrongdoings."

"But—"

"Madame. I am the Wizard of Oz. My decision is final."