A/N: Shout outs to James Birdsong and my anonymous reviewer! Glad you liked the last chapter. :) Thanks!


Chapter 25

"So, what's the plan?" Fiyero asked from his seat across the table from Glinda. The group had met in the Council Chamber with everyone that needed to be in on the conversation. Councilman Arif was the exception. Elphaba's spell had basically rendered him unconscious.

"Honestly? I don't know. President Jinjuria has definitely crossed a line but I'm not sure we have a leg to stand on. Arif is a Munchkin citizen. Boq technically is too, but they don't know that. He followed my orders, though they were not unharmed. Does only following my order partially count as enough to march Gale Force troops into Munchkinland?" Glinda was hesitant to do so. It benefitted all of Oz to get the Munchkins back in the fold and it certainly benefitted the Munchkins to rejoin as well.

"His injuries interfere with his duties and they were caused by his own government. That's a direct violation of the laws of Oz and that should be enough. Also, Arif's report on the citizens of Munchkinland should be enough as well. As citizens of Oz overall, they are entitled to be protected by the Gale Force. If Jinjuria wants his country to rejoin Oz completely, he's violating multiple rules," Councilman Fekri spoke up. He was to the left of his Prince.

"That is absolutely true. His pathetic attempt to avert what is coming is of his own doing. My big concern is that they'll be waiting for us to show up," Fiyero agreed.

"And we have to only send in the Gale Force. Lieutenant Dilek and his men are not Gale Force. Having Vinkun troops join them will constitute as a violation of the rules that we rubbed in their faces," Elphaba pointed out from her seat to the right of her beloved.

"We'll need Lieutenant Dilek and his troops to stay here. We cannot leave the Palace and Emerald City with no protection. The rebuilding of the Gale Force has our enrollment lower than when that law was written," the Prince reminded them.

"I'm not sure we should be sending the Captain," Lieutenant Bayram spoke up from his seat next to Lady Glinda, across from Elphaba.

"Why? He leads the Gale Force?" Boq had been quiet up until now. He was on the other side of Glinda.

"While this may seem silly, it could legit seem like an affront to send one of us," Lieutenant Zetti had taken a seat next to Boq.

"Sending the Captain could seem like an act of war. Yes, we are following through on Ozian law, but the law doesn't say anything about this starting an actual fight," Bayram explained.

"You must pardon me for saying so, but we cannot pussyfoot around with this," Mopsi spoke up. He and Popsi were next to Elphaba.

"Mopsi is right. Jinjuria needs to be reminded that he is not ruler of all of Oz, only Munchkinland and that may not be for much longer. Fiyero's presence and a demand of an investigation into Arif's allegations and his physical damage. Any results of this could indeed lead to the President being removed from power – at the very least proceedings to not allow Munchkinland back into the fold. Fiyero's presence will also deter him from too much action. He does not want the wrath of the Vinkus coming down on them. They know they would lose," Fekri said.

"I think Zetti and I should go. Alert my parents so they know what is going on. Luckily, Lord Arduenna and Lady Larena are already here. They should alert the Gillikin. I'm assuming that Chalumpo and Barat are en route?" Fiyero asked.

"They are. I will send a letter to Quadling country and inform them both when they arrive," Glinda promised.

"Get the boys on the move then. We leave as quickly as possible," Fiyero turned to Zetti with the order. He nodded and quickly left the room.

"I would feel better if I was going with you," Elphaba turned to him.

"I'll have the next best thing, Chistery. They're itching to help and I think they've more than proven they can be part of the Gale Force," he winked at her.

"Well give them my best and stay safe," she told him. He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"I'll be safe," the reassurance didn't give her much comfort, but her presence definitely would have been a violation of the law. Hard to hold your enemy to a law, if you yourself didn't follow it. She quietly muttered a protection spell for Fiyero as he left the room.

To Be Continued…