Tiana POV

Evan and I had walked out to the courtyard. The people of the Emerald City had gone back to their everyday lives. As soon as we were on a patch of soft grass, I felt my knees buckle. I'd just given away me and my mother's secret.

My entire body was racked in violent shakes as I thought back on the situation in the throne room. I was royalty? I had a sister, who I dearly hated? How could Mother have kept this from me? My stomach tightened and I felt like I was going to throw up.

Evan came over and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder which caused my chest to tighten. I remember my sister linking her arm with his, I'd made no reaction to that but to be honest, I felt like punching her. My mind pictured her having a smug look on her face as they discussed in the throne room.

"Tiana, are you alright?" Evan asked. He'd dragged me out of imagining me wiping the smug look off of my sister's face.

"Yes," I replied weakly. I glanced at him, his eyes were full of concern.

"What did you mean 'don't argue with a sorceress'?" he asked. His concerned look turned into a contemplative one.

I sighed, "I'd rather not have to explain." He gave me an understanding nod. Then, I couldn't contain my emotions anymore. I wept openly.

My mind raced as to find out why, but I couldn't find an explanation. Evan drew me into a hug and placed his chin on the top of my hair. Through bleary eyes I saw an old Munchkin standing by.

He didn't look to happy as he said, "Who are you?" Evan explained as best he could as I was still recovering from the tears.

The old Munchkin nodded, "I'm Knuck. I serve Oz, Glenda, and Eva, their daughter." I looked at him as I brought a hand up to wipe away the remains of the tears. Then, something registered in my mind.

I got up and ran to the nearest pond, I checked my reflection and saw that none of the tears had burned me as I thought they would have. I started to dance with joy, laughter came out hard, but it was pleasant. I'd never laughed in that crumbling stronghold that I'd grown up in.

Evan grabbed my shoulders and brought me to an unexpected stop. My silver dress swished as it settled into its former position. He stared into my eyes as if he was searching for something. I stared into his, never breaking eye contact.

"Knuck, explained to me what a sorceress is. He also told me about witches and wizards. But I'm not seeing any evil that comes with being a sorceress in you," Evan whispered.

I smiled at him, "Of course not, he told you about the most renown type of sorceress. I'm one of the sorceresses that isn't quite known." He smiled back at me before releasing my shoulders. I moved around him when I saw everyone that was in the throne room come out the front door.

The citizens of the Emerald City came forward to see what was happening. My mother ran to me and gave me a hug. She was trying not to cry, and I smiled. I've cried enough for both of us.

She started to apologize for not remembering me on site. But I wrapped her in a hug and we both sank to the ground laughing. The people of the Emerald City looked at each other in confusion.

Julian POV

In the throne room we had discussed Tiana when Theodora had asked to go see her. Nobody argued, except Eva, I was happy that Tiana had a pretty half-sister, but Eva wasn't as beautiful as Tiana. She never would be.

We still went outside. I'd been out first and I saw Evan grab Tiana and talk to her. She gave him a smile that she never gave anyone else. Then as the others came out Evan turned acting like nothing had ever happened. I bet he thought about kissing her.

I was happy we'd stopped any moves from him. Theodora had pushed past me to get to her daughter. Seeing them both laugh brought the corners of my lips up in a smile. Weaknesses we're very useful to me. Evan looked at me with a raised eyebrow but said nothing. I wonder what he was thinking.

Oz turned to the crowd of his subjects and announced, "There will be a feast tonight on the return of Theodora the Good. Also, I'd like to introduce to everybody my other daughter, Tiana."

Everyone cheered before running to grab tables and chairs to set up outside. Others ran to go and cook for the feast. Tonight would be a cheerful one for everyone, except for Eva. She turned to go inside with a scowl on her face.

I heard her mutter, "It's my birthday and he doesn't mention that as a cause for a celebration." A lightbulb triggered in my head at the sound of that. Something I could exploit. I wanted to give a devilish grin and pat myself on the back, but that would alert Evan that I was up to something. Wouldn't want that, would we?

Evan POV

The feast was something I'd never seen before. It was full of the greatest foods I'd ever tasted. Tiana had looked at it in shock as the food was piling up on the long table. But I didn't really pay attention to the food. I was keeping my Julian, he was acting strangely.

Everytime I looked at him he was glancing at Eva, who scowled at her food, but we dug in gratefully. Tiana sat next to her mother who sat on Oz's right-hand side. I sat next to Tiana and across from Julian. He sat between Eva and Trevor, next to Eva was her mother, Glenda, who in turn sat on Oz's left-hand side.

Everytime I glanced at Tiana, my mind kept racing to what Knuck had said about sorceresses. They were evil, murderous beings who were feared and shunned. They controled the elements and didn't need something to channel their magic through like a wand, ring, necklace, etc.

That Tiana, she was happy and nobody seemed to fear her, I was about to ask her something when Eva said, "We haven't been properly introduced, I'm Eva." She extended her hand to me across the table. I didn't accept it but I said my name which brought a glow to her green eyes.

"Evan and Eva, sounds like a combination doesn't it?" she asked cupping her hands around her chin and resting her elbows on the table. I was about to stammer out a reply when Julian but in and introduced himself which got out only a "Pleasure" from her.

Some music started and she got up and raced around the table to me, pulling on my arm saying, "C'mon let's dance." I shook my head dumbly muttering that I didn't know how to dance. "Oh, c'mon, it'll be fun and I can teach you."

I looked toward Tiana for help as I gripped the edge of the table to stay where I was. Tiana sighed and said, "Eva, if Evan doesn't want to dance, he doesn't have to." Eva froze and the remaining people at the table stared at the two sisters.

Eva released my arm and turned toward Tiana, "I'm the Princess, he has to do as I say."

"He is not a citizen of Oz, if he was, then he would have to listen to you, but since he isn't he doesn't have to," Tiana said slowly like she was talking to a kindergartener who didn't know how to add 1 and 1. She glanced at her father and received a nod.

Eva curled her small hands into fists, Tiana looked at the threat and calmly stood up, "You want to do this again, because I can tell you who's going to win."

The courtyard was silent as everyone watched the two princesses, everyone except the dancers and musicians who were oblivious to what was going on. Suddenly, Eva grabbed my arm and tried to pull me out to the dance floor. Julian came by and asked for a dance with Eva, she seemed flattered and accepted.

A wave of relief washed over me like a flood. It wasn't that I didn't know how to dance it was just that I didn't want to dance with Eva, if she hadn't asked me to dance I would've asked Tiana. I glanced over at her, she was sitting back at the table motioning for everyone to continue eating.

Trevor squirmed in his chair as he continuely glanced at Tiana then the dance floor. He was about to say something as a man walked over and asked Tiana to dance. I watched her freeze in her seat, the man held out his hand and she glanced at her mother. Theodora studied the man's face before fixing him with a withering gaze.

The man took back his hand and left to go to his seat. I watched Tiana and saw that she'd just became uncomfortable as everyman from down the table were staring at her. Theodora, Oz, and Glenda didn't see this so I immediately asked Tiana if she'd like to go for a walk. She seemed to eager to accept.

None of the adults stared at us as we left passing by the dance floor with Tiana walking the closest to it. I kept an eye on where Julian and Eva were at as we passed. They'd be happy to change dance partners if given the chance.

We walked out to the garden and sat down on the soft grass. Tiana stared at the stars and moon with wonder showing in her blue eyes. I saw her hair reflect the moon's light like a mirror as we sat there in the silence for minutes.

"Do you know why they look at me like that," she asked. I looked at her quizzically as she turned her head toward me. My mind raced through the memories of people's faces everytime Tiana had been around and realized what she was talking about.

"Yes," I whispered. She didn't speak, just looked at me. "It's the look a guy gives a girl that he thinks he's in love with, but truly isn't. Some girls give guys the same look that means they just want to use them." I closed my eyes and thought on tonight's events before I saw Eva give me the same look in my memories.

"But you don't look at me like that, why?" Tiana asked. She searched my face as if it might have some answers if I didn't answer.

Her question shocked me, "'Cause I know better than that." She nodded and went back to looking at the sky. I sat in the silence waiting for something to happen. Then, I looked at her, her white hair seemed not only reflect the moon beams, but to also capture them in away I didn't understand. I wished I could gaze into her eyes and see what came across.

As I thought that, my chest tightened and my heart did a skip-tap thing again, like it had done in the hospital and when we were outside of the Emerald City. What was happening to me?

"We should-," she began. She looked into my eyes and asked what color they were. Why would she ask that?

"Hazel, like my father's," I replied. Her eyes went wide. She was standing up and pulling me over to the pond before I could even move.

"What do you see?" Tiana asked. She backed away from the water and I stared in. I told her I saw my hazel eyes and I described my face.

When I looked back at her, she seemed troubled by my description, "Are you sure your eyes aren't brown?" I nodded my head, that only seemed to trouble her more.

She looked down at the ground, "We should go back to the castle." I nodded and followed her, she was acting strange. If only I'd known the cause at that moment-? But that would've been impossible at the moment. We went back to castle and walked inside without a word as the citizens of the Emerald City started to clean up the remains of the feast.

Hey guys, I think this is my longest chapter so far. Please review this.