Disclaimer, you know
The rest of the day, for dorothy at least, was spent in her bedroom in the city. She sat at her desk and spent most of it sketching, only taking breaks when Madeline brought her a tray of food. Ellie contacted Glinda partway through day telling her to send alex home as they didn't want him injuring himself further. So alex wasn't there to provide any comfort. As the sun began to set and dorothy finished her dinner however she found herself sitting on her bed. however, she did hear the door creak open and Ozma came in.
"Dorothy?" Ozma asked curiously.
"yes?" dorothy replied.
Ozma said nothing she simply walked over to dorothy, sat down on the bed next to her, and hugged her tightly. Dorothy sighed and hugged her back just as tight. This went on in silence for a few minutes before they both broke from the embrace.
"Alex was sent home; his parents didn't really approve of Madeline bringing him to Oz while he was still injured." Ozma said with a sigh.
"I know, Maddie told me, I can't say I blame them, apparently, his cousin Eliza is back in town, and those two, if I'm not involved, an argument tends to ensue." Dorothy said.
"sounds like they'll have a good time then." Ozma said giggling.
"I hate it when they argue, it's always about something stupid, according to Alex's father they've never seen eye to eye that much, and when they do it's normally for short intervals." Dorothy said.
Ozma smiled and was about to say something when the sound of whistling wind echoed through the city.
"Winter is coming on fast." Ozma said.
"yep." Dorothy said getting up and walking over to one of the nearby windows.
"when I was in training to be a queen, and when I lived with mombi, I was never allowed to play in the snow, Glinda wouldn't allow it." Ozma said going into a pout.
"I don't blame Glinda, but Ozma, from what I've heard, and what you've told me, mombi absolutely hated you." Dorothy said.
"no, she hated being my caregiver, not that she ever really cared, not to mention, at the time she was the only person apart from the wizard who knew who I was, because as tip, I didn't know anything about my past." Ozma said.
"that reminds me, it's an odd name, the one you had, Tip, did it stand for anything?" dorothy asked.
"yes, it did, and it still does." Ozma said.
"well what does it stand for?" Dorothy asked
"It's short for Tippetarius, a name that I take on as my middle name, though no one has actually been able to tell me if I have a last name yet either, since it seems no one remembers." Ozma said.
"I can imagine that's pretty frustrating." Dorothy said turning to Ozma.
Ozma however had an odd look on her face, as if she was trying to remember something. Then her face suddenly lit up.
"oh yes, Glinda was talking to her sister a few moments ago, that's actually why I came here, your aunt and uncle said it's all right for you to stay a few days, but then they'll need you back to help pack things up for the winter." Ozma said.
"the past couple of years alex has helped out as well along with Ellie, but this year alex has his leg to deal with so, it might go a bit slower." Dorothy said.
"is he that strong normally?" Ozma asked.
"in terms of strength, he can carry me, and with help from his dad, he can move a stalled tractor, so, yes I'd say pretty strong." Dorothy said.
"point taken." Ozma said going through her pockets.
"Lose something?" Dorothy asked.
Ozma giggled and produced a golden key from her pocket. Getting up and walking over to dorothy, she took Dorothy's hand and placed the key in it.
"That is a key to my bedroom, it also opens up a little golden box in which I keep candies." Ozma said.
"why are you giving me this?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"Because I trust you, you are the only person I would allow in my bedroom uninvited and unbidden, everyone else must knock, also, don't tell Glinda about the box of sweets, King Marshal Mallow procured them for me, but Glinda doesn't really approve me my new habits." Ozma said.
"I don't blame her, I had a cavity once, it hurt, a lot." Dorothy said squeezing the key in her hand.
Ozma giggled and kissed dorothy on the cheek before hugging her again.
"you're one of the few people I feel like I can open up to." Ozma said.
"what about Glinda?" dorothy asked.
"she's too strict to tell everything to, sure she's all relaxed and accepting, but one wrong word and she'll go off on you." Ozma said.
"she hasn't done that with me for a while." Dorothy said.
"she knows better, arguing with you tends to make the situation worse, nine times out of ten I'm just trying to have some fun." Ozma said sighing.
"what's the other one time?" dorothy asked.
"I get bored." Ozma replied with a giggle.
"I see, you know, although Glinda would never approve, you should visit Kansas at least once." Dorothy said.
"I've asked Glinda about this, she doesn't, and now, getting back to my past, that reminds me, I never introduced you to pumpkinhead." Ozma said.
"who?" Dorothy asked.
"I built him to play a trick on old mombi while she was out at a sorcerers getting some magic tricks, stuck him in the middle of a road, hid in a nearby cover of bushes and waited, when mombi came around it was nearly dark, she passed by pumpkinhead and greeted him like she would a normal person, she screamed like a banshee when she realized what she was talking to, and was about to destroy him with her walking stick, but brought him to life with a magic powder instead, the same powder that brought a sawhorse I found to life, it's a rather long story, but we won't be able to visit him till after the winter months are done and things thaw out." Ozma said.
"why not?" dorothy asked.
"he lives in a giant pumpkin for starters, and two, well it's a rather long walk to the edge of the domain between munchkin land and here, I just carved him a new head yesterday that should last the winter." Ozma said.
"sounds like an interesting man." Dorothy said.
"he is." Glinda said walking into the room carrying a tray of tea.
"Oh, Glinda, good evening." Dorothy said.
Glinda smiled and set the tray down on the bed before walking over to the two girls.
"Madeline would join us be she said she's rather busy with the hat she's working on for Jinjur." Glinda said.
"doesn't she need to get it done by Christmas?" Ozma asked.
"well, yes, but she wants to do the bigger parts of the work now, and work on the small more distinct details later, also, dorothy, were you aware she has a pair of glasses exactly like yours?" Glinda asked.
"Yes Glinda, I thought you and the china princess were having tea together tonight though?" Dorothy asked.
"We are, I thought I would bring you and Ozma some though." Glinda said.
"how did you know I was here?" Ozma asked curiously.
"Trust me Ozma, I always know." Glinda said with a smile before starting for the door
Neither dorothy or Ozma said a word as Glinda left the room. They drank tea quietly before Ozma left the room winking at dorothy. Dorothy smiled and yawned finding she was now rather tired, it had been a day that had been taxing on her brain, but at least she had mostly managed to take her mind off of things.
Well, we learn more of Ozma's past, which is based off the books. Anyways, the next few chapters will be jumping into the holiday season.
