Chapter seven: Evy in Oz
-Hurry up Straw… I mean Evy, princess Glinda begged. "The sun up is soon."
Princess Evy had told her "cousin" Glinda she would need at least one or two hours in order to dress up. She was right.
-Can you help me? Evy asked. "I can't choose a proper dress. Which one do you prefer? The yellow one with golden shine, the green one decorated with white embroidery, the brown one with blue ribbons, the…"
-Really, Evy, I don't care about it, Glinda nervously answered.
Evy knitted her brows.
-I don't understand you. As a princess, you must know that…
-Why won't you wear this sequined pink dress? Glinda cut her.
She really wanted to leave Ev's palace as soon as possible, but Evy wasn't as in a hurry than her.
-Well, it's a good choice. But now I have to choose the proper shoes. In your mind…
-If you wear a pink dress, you should wear pink shoes too, Glinda said, checking if she hadn't been noticed by a guard.
-I know it, but I can't make my mind up between the candy pink ones with red ribbons, the dark pink ones with heels, the salmon pink ones with shoelaces…
Glinda, who had limits to her patience, caught a pair of shoes randomly and said:
-Well, now it's chosen. We have to go, Evy.
-Are you crazy? I hadn't picked my accessories yet!
-No! We've got no time for it.
-I can't leave my room like that!
-You are splendid like that.
-Well, tell me why we have to leave so quickly. After all, I hadn't told mummy yet you are here. Why did you come in the middle of the night?
-Hmmm… Glinda said, out of discomfort. "You know, we have to avoid the paparazzi. They are certainly not awakened yet. And I told your mother yesterday about my presence."
-Yes, you could be right… Evy said dreamily. "Let's go."
The journey didn't be agreeable for princess Glinda. If princess Evy had been first surprised of travelling on a flying cloud, she used to complain about everything: the wind was too strong; the sun was too shiny, the birds were singing too loudly… Glinda couldn't hold a sigh of relief when she saw her castle in the horizon, one half hour later. Evy stopped whining and smile.
-Your mansion is not that bad, she said. "But my palace was bigger and more beautiful."
Princess Glinda sighed one more time, but, this time, it was out of annoyance. She forgot her irritation when she glimpsed at her friends who were running toward her.
-She's back! Glinda's back! Hurray!
-Your people are really ill-mannered! Evy cried.
Quickly, the two princesses were surrounded by all the Oz's inhabitants.
-So, Glinda, you find Strawberry Shortcake again? A Berrykin asked.
-My name is not Strawberry Shortcake! Evy cried angrily. "You must call me Your Majesty Evy of Ev, successor of Princess Landwidere. Understood, you little fool?"
The Berrykin giggled.
-You are kidding, aren't you, Strawberry?
As an answer, Evy slammed her so hard that the tiny Berrykin felt on the floor.
-I was not kidding! She shouted, but the others were so shocked by her behavior that no one was listening to her anymore.
-Strawberry… Why have you done? A girl dressed like a lion shyly asked, but Glinda cut her.
-Evy, you are not allowed to mistreat Oz's inhabitant, she said firmly. "Your behavior is unacceptable."
-That's too bad for her, Evy answered scornfully. "I see you are a lax princess and your people neglect their duties towards you, but it doesn't work like that with me. Now, I want to come back home as soon as possible."
-You won't, Glinda answered harshly. "Do you know why you are here? You are here because your mother thinks you are a spoiled rotten princess, and I'll teach you the good manners. You won't leave Oz before being a worthy of the name princess."
Evy mumbled.
-As a beginning, you'll apologize to this poor Berrykin. Right now.
-Never, as long as I live! Evy shouted. "Never, do you understand? I'll never stoop in apologizing a stupid peasant."
-Why are you so mean, Strawberry Shortcake?! The little Berrykin asked, in tears. "I hate you!" She cried before running away.
-Evy, go immediately in the palace, Glinda ordered. "We'll have a talk about it tomorrow."
-What happened to Strawberry Shortcake? A young boy asked to Glinda as they were walking toward the palace.
-Princess Langwidere, the governor of Ev, had kidnapped her and made her suffer a brainwash. Now, our friend acts just like if she was an unbearable little girl. On top of that, she believes she's Langwidere's daughter and her name's Evy."
-Do you think… our Strawberry Shotcake will be back one day?
-To be totally honest, Huckleberry Pie, I don't know.
-And what about Langwidere?
-We really have to hope she won't try to get Strawberry back.
To be continued…