Chapter 20

I do not own anything from the Wizard of Oz. The books, the movies, the stage plays. I wish I did, ha!

This chapter will be mostly Tin Man's POV. I feel like I haven't given him or Lion enough loving.

This chapter wasn't in my original outline, but I thought it would make a great addition.

I always appreciate everyone's reviews.

Nick Tin Man Woodsman moved his arm up and down as Khali the shape shifter looked on.

"Ahhhh, that is so much better," he said.

The woman with the blonde hair and bright green eyes smiled to him. "That is a special oil that can only be found in this jungle, at least that is what we have found."

Tin Man looked up at her and smiled. "I may just need some. It is so much better than what I get cleaned with in Oz."

"So, do you like it?" She asked. "We have plenty, and can send it back with you when you return to Oz."

"Very much, thank you," he answered.

Lion and Tin Man heard from the shape shifter scouts that Oscar and the Oz armies were about three days away.

He could only hope that was enough time to save Scarecrow and Dorothy.

"My brother should be back anytime now," Khali said.

"Good, him and I need to talk," Tin Man said.

Khali nodded, and said, "Lion should be well enough to talk as well."

"I know he will be hurting, but he will insist on fighting," Tin Man said standing and moving around his metal body.

Khali turned to him and said, "I have never seen a man made of metal before, and I have seen all kinds of creatures in this world."

Tin Man looked at her and smirked. "I have never seen people who could transform into animals before either."

Khali laughed slightly as she put her barrel of oil back in a cupboard. He liked Khali. She was very sweet, but very smart. She was basically the healer of the shape shifters, and knew what to do if one of them was hurt either in human form or animal form.

"How did you get that way, if I may ask?" She asked looking at him up and down.

Tin Man smiled at her. "I was made this way. Scarecrow was once human, but a curse had turned him to straw, but me I was just made by a magical spell."

Khali's eyes widened in astonishment at the metal man. "Really? You mean you were never born, just made?"

Tin Man smiled even wider at the woman. "Yes, it's true. I never thought I had a heart either, but Dorothy helped me find the way."

Khali stood there with a gaping mouth. Tin man knew she was trying to process everything he was telling her.

Tin Man realized how pretty she was. Her golden blonde hair cascaded down her back, and her skin was smooth and pale.

"So, what happens if the spell every breaks?" She asked.

Tin Man shook his head. "Then I would just be nothing, but a hunk of metal. The old man who made me died a long time ago. I was afraid it would die with him, but here I am."

"Is there a way for you to become human?" She asked as she was straightening out her home.

Tin Man felt a little awkward now, as he watched her closely.

"Glinda tells me there is, but I just like myself the way I am," he said.

Tin Man knew this girl was special. There was something about her that he really liked. Yes, he liked his women. There were many of them in Oz. Thank the gods for the old man putting things on him that he could use when it came to women.

Besides, he always had a preference for blondes. He never knew why. He was always a smooth talker, because he was at heart a romantic, but this girl was something he knew he couldn't use and get away with.

"Khali, I'd like to hear more about your people and how you came to be," Tin Man said smiling.

Khali smiled, but it was a sad one.

"Well, I know that we used to rule Aglas peacefully, and that we had a lot of power because we are by the sea, which is a major trading harbor for the neighboring worlds," Khali began. "How we came to be shape shifters was an old accidental spell by one of our ancestors. Turns out it affected anyone who mated with us."

Tin Man nodded in understanding and prodded her to go one. "Kind of like a spread of disease?" He asked curiously.

Khali shrugged, but looked at Tin Man mischievously. "You could say that, but do you see us as a disease?"

If Tin Man could have blushed he would have he didn't mean it that way. "No, no. I am just trying to think of how mating with another turns them into a shape shifter."

"Not the human they mate with, but the offspring," she explained.

"Oh, I see now," Tin Man said.

"Well, we were still just peaceful merchants, and did very well at port," Khali said. "Even with the scourge of pirates and mercenaries that were constant threats, but they feared us because we could not be defeated."

"So, what happened?" Tin Man asked sitting down.

"Lord Ordaran's father. He was able to defeat us. We can shapeshift, but that doesn't mean we are completely powerful," she said.

"The older ones, and the children didn't have a chance, and those that did were able to get away," Khali said.

"Lord Ordaran's father was able to cast a spell that would last long enough for my people not to be able to shapeshift. It worked, and we were forced to flee the city with the help of your witch friend, Glinda. By then our numbers were depleted, and we escaped into the jungles," Khali said.

Tin Man nodded in understanding.

"Glinda was able to break the spell, but there was no way we could attack and get the city back," Khali said looking far off.

"Ami, our lord, was overthrown, and he was able to make a deal with Ordaran's father to let the rest of us go, and live in peace," Khali continued.

"So, why is he imprisoned now?" Tin Man asked curiously.

"Boren found out that he was making even more deals with Ordaran," Khali said.

"What kind of deals?" Tin Man asked listening intently.

"If we surrendered out of the jungle, Ordaran's father would give Ami titles, and land, we would then work for them the rest of our lives," Khali said taking a deep breath.

"Slavery?" Tin Man asked.

Khali nodded. "We would have no choice. He would find a spell that would keep us animals, and we would labor in the fields," she said. "We would not be a threat ever again. Ami and his family would stay human."

Tin Man shook his head in disgust at the shapeshifter.

"Well, Ami's son, Toren, did not like it, and father and son fought over it," Khali continued gazing into space.

"Toren was a wonderful boy. He was loyal, and good to us. He was smart, and strong, and would have made a good lord to us," Khali said wiping a tear. A tear that Tin Man would have loved to wipe away himself.

He shifted a little, and forced himself to focus on the story that Khali was telling.

"Was?"

"Yes, Toren was killed by his own father for disobeying him," Khali said. "And to keep him quiet."

"Damn," Tin Man whispered.

"What Ami didn't know was that it was Boren who found out, and the rest of the clan. Toren confronted him on his own," Khali said shaking her blonde head.

"Ami tried to make it look like an accident, but he was confronted and defeated," Khali continued.

"So, how did he end up in the fighting arena?" Tin Man asked.

"He did that himself. He was already banished from here. We do not kill our criminals, but we are able to banish them. Ami had nowhere else to go, so he gave up to Ordaran's father, and became the fighter he is now," Khali said.

"So, how long has he actually been back in the city?" Tin Man asked again. He could hear Lion coming.

"Twenty years," Khali said looking out of the window and spotting Lion as well.

"I have one more question, Khali."

Khali looked at the metal man with question.

"Do you want Aglas back?" He asked out of curiosity.

Khali's brows furrowed in thought for a moment. "My brother does, but I am perfectly happy here. We have thrived here."

Before Tin Man could answer in walked Boren and Lion speaking to each other.

Lion nodded to Tin Man. "Oscar should be here by nightfall."

"Your King and his wife are safe," Boren added.

Tin Man felt relief on hearing both of those pieces of news.

"Your Scarecrow King is going to fight our former leader in two days," Boren said to the metal man.

Tin Man nodded knowing that was coming. "What about Dorothy?"

Boren looked at him straight in the eye, and said, "She will become one of Ordaran's paramour's if Scarecrow is defeated."

"Even if Scarecrow were to defeat your former lord, then he will die anyway," Lion said.

Boren nodded. "That is true, but Ordaran likes to torture first. So, a fight, and then who knows what to him and Dorothy."

Tin Man caught the looks that Boren gave every time Dorothy's name was mentioned. He didn't like it. This man wanted to be the so-called hero in this. Tin Man knew it in his heart, that he wanted Dorothy for himself, but he would keep quiet about it for now.

"Scarecrow will have to fight Ami no matter what happens, we will not get there in time," Boren said.

Tin Man looked at the leader knowingly, and thought. You would like that wouldn't you?

He would stay quiet about it for now. Boren had other reasons for helping them, and Tin Man didn't like it. He would have to speak about it to Lion later that they would have to keep a close eye on Boren when they finally invaded Aglas.

Shame really, he thought. He really liked Khali, and thought something could develop between them, but she was loyal to her brother, and that would complicate things. However, he wondered if she knew all along.

The way her eyes were shifting between them and her brother made Tin Man wonder.

The four of them talked for a while, and decided it would be best to let Oscar and Oran get there first before they made any plans.

….

Tin Man and Lion waited on the edge of the jungle as night fell. He could see lights in the distance, and feel the marching feet below his metal boots. He smiled slightly at his friends. They had come through for them after all.

Lion stood on his hind legs, but flinched a little at his wound.

"I don't trust Boren," Lion said.

Tin Man nodded. "Neither do I. It is more than his feelings for Dorothy."

Lion nodded in agreement. "I wonder if Khali sees it."

Lion turned to him with eyebrows raised, and smirked. "Oh really?"

Tin Man adjusted on his feet uncomfortably. "What?"

"Will the ladies man be tamed by a shapeshifter?" Lion asked chuckling.

Tin Man frowned. "No. She is a nice girl, and a good one. Her intentions are pure unlike her brothers. She cared for Dorothy after Dorothy lost her child."

Tin Man grimaced. He forgot to tell Lion that Dorothy miscarried when they were caught in the jungle.

Lion bristled after Tin Man finally explained it, and then looked out at the approaching lights sadly.

"So, it was true?" He asked. His voice catching a little at the guilt over it. They had both figured out that Dorothy had been pregnant, but they did nothing about it.

Lion knew because her scent had changed before they had left the Mifkits.

He bowed his head a little in mourning.

"Yes. Khali confirmed it for me. We should have put a spell on her, and made her stay in Mifkit Land," Tin Man said.

"That would not have stopped her, I know it," Lion retorted.

"Do you think she told Scarecrow yet?" Tin Man asked sadly.

"If she did, this will give Scarecrow more strength, I think," Lion said thoughtfully.

"Ozma will be the brunt of that wrath eventually," Tin Man commented.

Lion nodded in agreement as fires began to appear over the last hill, and horse hoofs stomped the ground.

Tin Man and Lion moved to greet their friends. They were relieved to see the amount of soldiers that had marched from Oz and Mifkit.

After greetings were done, Oscar wiped his brow. "It is hot here!"

Tin Man laughed. "It gets better in the desert."

Oran took off his cloak, and wiped his brow. "I agree."

He turned behind him and smiled and then turned back to Lion and Tin Man and said, "Generals. Your armies are here for your King."

Oscar nodded and smiled. "You need to take your places, and we can get our true King back."

The crowds began to cheer in agreement. Tin Man almost felt the oil tears come to his eyes as he viewed the armies that had arrived.

He could see Lion getting emotional beside him.

"It won't be easy, Oscar," Tin Man said turning to the steward.

"Why not? We outnumber Ordaran's army at least five to one," Oran asked.

"We have a few situations going on that we need to explain first," Lion said.

"Well, we will deal with them, but there is one thing we need to do that is really important," Oscar said to them. "It will help all of us."

Just then Boren walked out of the jungle, and was greeted by Oran. Tin Man decided to ignore him for now.

Oscar reached into his pocket, and Tin Man could now see the faint green glow.

His blue eyes widened as Oscar pulled the emerald necklace from his pocket.

"Dorothy can use this," Oscar said with a smile on his face.

…

So, so sorry for the delays with posting new chapters. It has been crazy here, and I have been sick with stomach flu. Yuk!