Prologue Part Three: The Vinkus, 18 Years Before Birth
It was a happy occasion in the Vinkus, celebrating the Arjiki crown prince's 2nd birthday. Representatives from each tribe had come bearing gifts for the child, and the entire village had attended some of the festivities. As Neadra put her son to sleep, she noted a fire blazing just outside his window and rushed to her husband, still holding her young son in her arms.
"What is it, woman?" Yaer was tired, and the few servants they had were in bed.
"It appears maybe a few drunken party guests thought they'd stay the night on the grounds of Kiamo Ko. Perhaps you should point them towards the village, my king."
Yaer groaned, but go out of his reclining chair and headed towards the front entrance to the castle. "Probably troublemakers from the Scrow," he muttered to himself as he made his way down the stairs.
Opening the door, he stomped outside towards the firelight, hand on his dagger. As he got closer, he noticed a rather intricate wagon with a dragon carved into the top that was so very lifelike. It had been putting on puppet shows of a sort during the party, hosted by a dwarf. It had traveled far just to be here for Fiyero's birthday, but that didn't mean it could just camp out in front of the castle!
"Excuse me," Yaer began in the Common Tongue, "you'll need to move." He knocked carefully on the top of the wagon.
The dwarf emerged with a knowing grin and bowed. "Your Highness, I was hoping for a private audience. The Clock of the Time Dragon has a show specifically for you regarding your son."
Yaer examined the wagon once more. "This is the Clock of the Time Dragon?" There had been legends of it years and years ago, and when he'd seen the earlier, he'd wondered, but he'd thought it was merely a cheap imitation. The Clock's powers of foresight were known throughout the land.
"Here to honor your son, of course." The dwarf answered, bowing once more. "Now, if it could just show you…"
"Of course."
The dwarf pulled a cord and the curtains on the wagon rose, revealing the stage. On it, a male dark-skinned puppet entered with diamonds on his skin. That was the sign for Vinkun Royalty. Fiyero. Then, a female puppet entered, unmistakably green. The two puppets began to do crude things to one another.
"Is this what you needed to show me?" Yaer demanded, angry. "That my son is going to have sex?"
"Oh, he'll have a lot of that. But it's what comes after one particular such session…"
Somehow the green puppet's stomach grew larger until the stage went black and the lights came up again showing the puppet Fiyero and the puppet green woman holding a child. Other puppets, Vinkun and Munchkin, even some Quadling, entered the stage.
An older man appeared, wearing emerald green robes. The Wizard. All of the other puppets overtook him and then held the baby puppet up, handing it a crown.
"What is the meaning of this?" Yaer demanded as the lights faded.
"Only that your son is destined to father the most powerful child Oz has ever seen, provided he finds the right woman." The dwarf said.
"A green girl? And just where are we supposed to find her?" Yaer shook his head, incredulous.
"I am only here to show you his destiny, not to help it along." The dwarf merely shrugged. "Good evening, your Highness." He bowed.
"Wait, I don't understand…" But even as he watched, the Clock of the Time Dragon disappeared into nothingness.
