Chapter 18
I do not own anything from the Wizard of Oz.
Scarecrow made his way down the hall, and found it was mostly empty. He realized that this was a servant's area, and no one was around. Scarecrow realized he was coming into the kitchens area, as he made his way down some back stairs. He could see cooks running around, and from what he was seeing it were almost time for supper. He looked around and could see the servants getting ready. He didn't quite know if he should disguise himself or something else. He needed to have a plan to free Lion and Tin Man. He needed a diversion.
The kitchens couldn't be more perfect. His fear of fire left him a while ago.
He knew he didn't have much more time. He spotted a barrel of oil, and a brick fireplace with a fire lit.
He noticed there was a big bald headed man barking orders to the rest of the servants. One servant began to walk by Scarecrow, and he hid around the corner.
He would wait another moment. He needed to be fast, because he thought he heard voices above him.
Taking a deep breath. He ran out of the hallway, and knocked over the barrel of oil. The bald man spotted him right away as the oil splashed everywhere. He was in luck as it went towards the fire. The bald man began to scream, and Scarecrow grabbed a cloth hanging on the wall, and walked over the fire. The bald man realized what he was doing and stopped his eyes widening.
Everyone began to scream and run out of the kitchen.
Scarecrow looked around for his exit, and smiled at the bald man. "You better run, friend," he said.
The bald man came towards him and Scarecrow lit the cloth, and threw it into the oil. It immediately ignited, and Scarecrow began to choke on the smoke that began to fill the room. He knew he had to get out now.
The flames began to lick everything that it could find in the room. Soldiers suddenly appeared from the hall that Scarecrow was just in and began to yell. Scarecrow looked around, but did not see any soldiers at the door yet. The fire was getting worse, and so Scarecrow took off, and ran out of the door just in time.
Servants stood around, and the bald man was pointing and yelling.
Scarecrow spotted an ally way and ran off into it. He could hear footsteps behind him as the soldiers were catching up to him. He needed to move fast. His chest burned, and his breathing was heavy as kept turning more and more corners, as he got deeper into the city.
He had no idea his way back to the jail cells, so he needed to hide.
He stopped and looked around, and cursed that he could not find even a door in this back alley.
He turned another corner, and was relieved to finally find one.
He jumped into it and an old woman was in there cooking something.
She turned and her eyes widened. She was about to scream, but Scarecrow was too fast. He covered her mouth and took her down to the floor as gently as he could as to not hurt her.
"Shhhhhh. I won't hurt you," he whispered.
She whimpered under his hand, and her eyes were still wide in fear.
He dragged her and himself into the next room. She began to struggle against him, but he just held her down to keep her quiet.
"Stop! I won't hurt you," he said in the best Aglas he could muster.
Soldiers ran by the house, but he heard a few step into the home. He couldn't make out how many footsteps had come in.
He knew they would search the house.
He spotted the other door, and knew it was now or never. He dropped the woman, and she began to scream at the top of her lungs. He was in luck though, she blocked the door the soldiers were coming through and Scarecrow was able to make it out of the other door.
He was now in a main roadway filled with vendors, carts, and people surrounding him. He tried his best to make it through the crowd, and hide in places as soldiers began to scour the area. He hid around another corner. He didn't know what to do now. Frankly, he never thought he would make it this far. The people seemed to be ignoring him as he ran through the crowd.
Down the alley he spotted a man loading barrels onto a cart, and kept walking back into the building to retrieve another barrel.
Scarecrow hid behind another cart and waited. As the man walked into the building Scarecrow made his way to the barrels and turned one over to climb to the window.
He could hear the soldiers coming up to where he was. This alley was a dead end. He looked up and spotted a window. He was tall enough to reach it with the barrels. He had to take that chance.
The man went back inside and Scarecrow quickly ran over, turned over one of the barrels, and jumped. He just made it to the window. Using the rest of his strength he pulled himself through the window. He looked around the room, and found it empty. Trying to be quiet, he caught his breath and watched carefully as some soldiers came down the alley and questioned the man with the barrels as he came back outside. The man shook his head, and the soldiers walked off.
Scarecrow sat against the wall trying to catch his breath. He looked around the room, and found it to be a storage room for clothing. No furniture or anything to indicate the place was lived in.
He heard the man walking around down below him. Scarecrow hid behind some clothes, and waited for a while. He couldn't relax because he didn't know if the soldiers would come back looking for him here.
He knew he needed to change clothing. He had dropped the sword when he started the fire, so he did not have a weapon.
He looked around to find something that would fit him.
He wondered how he should proceed. Should he try to rescue Tin Man and Lion or should he escape and get help?
No, he would never leave his friends here. He thought of Dorothy, and tears began to burn his eyes as he thought of her. He missed her so much it physically hurt.
For some reason he had a feeling that she was close by, he didn't know how or why, but he just knew. He hoped not. He wanted her to stay safe. He would have hoped she would have stayed with the shape shifters.
He realized there were stairs going up to the roof of the building, and took a chance to go up there and observe the city.
Bells were ringing throughout the city, which he guessed were for him.
He could see the main building not too far from him, and the arena was on his right. He knew his only weapon now was his brain.
He had to think this through to get out of here, and get out Tin Man and Lion.
His hair was still shaved off and a new beard was forming on his face. The soldiers always kept the prisoners like them, bald and no hair.
He would stick out here because most of the men in the area of the city wore full beards and had full heads of hair. He needed a cover. People would know he was a prisoner.
He noticed some men wore covers from the sunlight on their heads. He needed one of those.
He headed back down to the room, and found one. He then took a chance and went down the stairs to the first floor. He was grateful there were barrels of water there along with food.
He cleaned, ate, and drank his fill. He needed to be strong. A plan formed in his head. He would never leave Tin Man or Lion.
However, he had to get out of this place before the man came back. He needed to keep moving and find another place to hide till nightfall.
He made his way through the market place. Only a few people gave him a second look. Soldiers were around, but did not notice him among the crowd.
Scarecrow could barely catch his breath, and his heart pounded with each pass of a soldier or a group of soldiers.
Sweat poured down his face and back. He tried to walk as if nothing was wrong, but it was hard to do.
A couple of soldiers standing around did notice him. They stared him down for a moment, but Scarecrow kept his face covered and walked by them without a word.
They began to follow him.
It was funny. The one thing he feared the most in the world for so long would be the thing that would help him escape and maybe save his life.
He took a sudden turn, and knocked over a fire burning in a barrel. The people began to yell. The soldiers began to run through the crowd for him.
Scarecrow ran to another one and knocked over another fire.
He grabbed wood that was burning, and began to yell in the Aglas language for everyone to run as he lit everything he could see on fire.
He looked back as the chaos began to emerge from the fires starting.
This was the desert. Everything was hot and dry out here. The fires had no problem beginning to spread all over the marketplace. People began to scream and run everywhere. The soldiers continued to try to get through the crowd to Scarecrow.
Scarecrow took off running once more, and lit everywhere he could. He didn't want to hurt the citizens, so he kept yelling for them to run.
The log began to burn his hand, so he finally had to drop it at a merchant cart with clothing in it.
The smoke began to fill the sky above him almost blocking the sun. They could not get water on the fires fast enough. Everything in the marketplace began to burn.
Aglas soldiers began to fill the market place to get water, and get it under control.
The fire began to get bigger, and brighter in the darkening sky. Scarecrow stopped and looked around.
Scarecrow didn't want to linger any longer. He had to get to his friends.
He made his way to the cells. He found every darkened corner as the chaos continued around him. Everyone was going there to help put the fires out.
He would move with the crowds for a moment, and then take off down another alley. He was close to it.
He then spotted it around another corner. He coughed a little as smoke hit his lungs. He knew the marketplace, but he didn't think it would be that much.
He knew it! The cellblock was not guarded, as the soldiers went to help with the fire.
He waited as a soldier ran by him. Then another and another after him. The fire was getting out of control now.
He then grabbed a lone soldier, and took him down. He quickly changed out of his current clothing and into the soldier's uniform. Putting on the helmet he made his way to the cell the block.
He prayed his language skills were good enough to speak fluently to the other guards there.
He entered the cellblock, and a guard immediately came up to him.
"What do you need, captain?" The guard asked.
The men around the cellblock were all screaming, and some were begging to let them out. Scarecrow could smell smoke again. The fire was getting closer.
Scarecrow just stared at him through the helmet, and smiled to himself.
"I need you and the other guards to help with the fire," he said.
The guard looked at him funny. "But captain. The prisoners…."
"That is an order by Lord Ordaran. The prisoners are not going anywhere," Scarecrow answered.
The guard still looked at him weird, but did as ordered and the guards left. Scarecrow began to follow, but then stayed behind after they left.
Scarecrow was alone for the moment.
The men all looked at Scarecrow. He finally removed his helmet, and all of them gasped.
"Scarecrow!" Tin man yelled in astonishment. "What did you do out there?"
"I conquered my fear of fire," Scarecrow said smiling.
"About time," Lion said laughing. "Now get us out of here."
Scarecrow grabbed the keys, and began to let them out.
Scarecrow stopped and looked around after Lion was free, and said, "Prisoners of Aglas!"
They all stood and waited as Scarecrow spoke.
"Do you want to be free?" He yelled as smoke began to fill the cellblock.
The men in the cellblocks cheered.
"Do you want to remain slaves, and fight to the death everyday?"
A collective no resonated through the cells.
"Then fight for your freedom!" Scarecrow yelled.
"Scarecrow do you really want to do this?" Tin Man whispered.
"We are better in numbers. These men will fight for their freedom if not for me," Scarecrow said lowly.
Tin Man, Lion, and Scarecrow began to free the men in the cells.
Scarecrow walked up to Ami who just stood there. Scarecrow unlocked the cell door, but Ami continued to just stand there.
"Why do you really stay Ami?" Scarecrow asked the shape shifter.
Ami looked at Scarecrow sadly. His eyes glowed slightly green and filled with tears. "I am no longer welcome in my clan. I have no where else to go."
"What do you mean?" Scarecrow asked.
Ami looked at him sharply. "I had to do what I needed to do to keep my people safe."
"Scarecrow!" Lion yelled.
Scarecrow held up his hand and waited for Ami to answer.
"What did you do Ami?" Scarecrow wanted to know.
Ami began to sob, and could not answer.
"We have to go, Scarecrow," Tin Man said frantically.
Ami fell onto the bed, and began to sob uncontrollably.
Suddenly, there was a scuffle behind them.
"He killed his son to keep his people free," a voice said behind Scarecrow.
Scarecrow felt the shock and fear course his body as he turned to see Lord Ordaran standing there with a bunch of soldiers. All around them were some bodies of now dead prisoners.
Ordaran walked up to Ami and Scarecrow and smiled. "That was a brave thing you did, Scarecrow King."
Lion rolled around on the floor in pain blood coming from his leg, and Tin Man was suddenly rusting as water dripped from him.
"You see, Scarecrow King. I keep Ami as my best fighter. I leave the shape shifters alone, and he gets paid well," Ordaran said looking down at a sobbing Ami.
Scarecrow looked around in fear of what just happened. He shook his head in defeat. They had been so close.
"He killed his son to keep quiet on his deals with me, but his son didn't like it, so he killed him," Ordaran said smiling. "In the arena I might add. So, his clan ostracized him, and he came begging to me for help. Now here we are."
"You would have killed my people," Ami said angrily.
"Yes, but that idiot Boren didn't believe that did he?" Ordaran asked smiling even wider.
Ordaran suddenly looked at Scarecrow, and said, "You are defeated once more, your highness."
Scarecrow suddenly put the sword Ordaran's throat. "Not yet," Scarecrow said. "Let us go, or I will kill your lord."
Ordaran laughed, and snapped his fingers. "I don't think so, Scarecrow King."
Scarecrow heard another scuffle, and looked over Ordaran's shoulder.
His eyes could not believe what he was seeing as they brought another prisoner into the cellblock.
He wanted to cry, but couldn't as the sword dropped to the ground as he stood watching the struggling figure come closer to him in shock.
"Dorothy…."
Dorothy looked up and spotted him her eyes widening at the sight of her husband. "Scarecrow!" She screamed.
Scarecrow began to run to her, but soldiers stopped him.
"Dorothy! Let her go!" He screamed.
Ordaran turned to Ami and said, "Thank you for stalling him."
Scarecrow looked at Ami, and shook his head. "So, everything was a lie. It always has been."
Ami shook his head sadly. "No, it is all true. I did stall you though."
Ordaran turned and looked at Scarecrow again. "Your armies are coming for you, and your friends Scarecrow."
Scarecrow smiled at him. "I knew they would."
Ordaran smiled back. "I have other plans for you first."
"No!" Dorothy screamed as she struggled against the soldiers holding her.
Ordaran began to walk away as soldiers took Scarecrow.
Ordaran lifted Lion's head up to his face. "Go and tell your people that Scarecrow will soon be fighting his last fight, and I get to keep his woman. If they attack, then I will kill them both in front of them."
Lion roared weakly and looked over at Scarecrow.
Scarecrow looked over at Tin Man who struggled with his rust. He nodded to Lion to do as he was told, who knew he was defeated.
Dorothy went to help Lion, but she was pulled back again. Her and Scarecrow met eyes for a moment. For months and months he waited to see her face again, but he did not want it this way. He had no idea how she got here or how she was captured. Hopefully, they would both live long enough to tell the story.
Scarecrow felt a sudden pain at the back of his head; the last thing he heard was Dorothy scream.
…
Living in Vegas for so many years. I know how fast things light on fire.
Dorothy and Scarecrow are finally back together, but there is much more to come.