Disclaimer, you know.
At around half passed five Dorothy awoke again to find Alex no longer in the bed next to her she did however noticed that the door to the room was still open. Dorothy sighed and grabbed the scepter before climbing out of the bed and leaving the room. As she walked down the stairs she stopped and stood for a moment just to feel the cold wooden steps underfoot. She then continued on her way down the stairs to suddenly find Cassandra waiting for her at the bottom with Toto and pockets standing next to her.
"Ah, Dorothy, sweet child you're just in time to help me with my knitting, your friend Alex has been a good help with holding most of the yarn but your kitten, well she's been a bit of a handful." Cassandra said smiling and looking at the kitten.
"Sorry, its yarn I couldn't help it." Pockets said.
Dorothy giggled and picked up pockets allowing her to climb into the front pocket of the nightgown. She then picked up Toto and walked into the living room where she found several munchkin children gathered around a rocking chair where Alex was busy rolling up a ball of yarn. The children turned around as they heard the sounds of people walking in. they were delighted to see Dorothy.
"Dorothy, you slept like a baby again." Alex said chuckling.
"Okay enough with the similes." Dorothy said setting Toto down allowing him to walk over to the children.
"Alex how's that ball coming?" Cassandra asked hobbling into the room.
"It's coming on fine, Dorothy could you help me with the yarn? Oh and take pockets out of your pocket I don't want her playing with it." Alex asked.
Dorothy sighed and removed pockets from her pocket and set her down next to Toto before walking over to Alex. She sat down next to him and picked up a small tangled mess of yarn on the floor. She herself couldn't help but toy with it a bit making everyone share a chuckle.
"Dorothy don't get yourself into a mess like pockets." Alex said.
"Sorry, but I was a cat at one point remember?" Dorothy asked causing a collected gasp from the children.
"Okay, let me explain, it was a surprise attack from the jester, he turned me into a kitten, but he changed me back too." Dorothy said
"Dorothy, no story times please, this isn't the library." Alex said.
Dorothy smiled and leaned over and kissed Alex on the cheek. Cassandra smiled and hobbled over to her chair and returned to her knitting.
"You know child, my mother was a great knitter" Cassandra said.
"Was? Is she still alive?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"No one dies in Oz unless the circumstances say otherwise, yes she's still alive, and her state of mind has deteriorated after my accident that led to my retirement." Cassandra said still concentrating on her knitting as Dorothy untangled the yarn.
"I see, um, where are all the parents?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"Either asleep still or making breakfast, I'm relied on as a baby sitter to keep the children amused during the morning." Cassandra said.
"Yes, Lady Cassandra tells us stories about Miss Glinda and Miss Locasta." One of the children said.
"Oh, that sounds like fun, but would you guys like to hear about one of my many adventures?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"Oh, yes please." All the children said in unison.
Dorothy smiled and began to tell the kids of her first encounter with the jester and how it began. She told them everything that had happened in her world and what she had encountered here with every detail intact. The children were intrigued and amazed at Dorothy's bravery and heroic deeds. However as she told them everything she began to wonder what the jester was up to at this very moment.
Meanwhile in the palace.
The jester was pacing back and forth. Still fuming about what had happened the day before. Out of anger he moved Em, henry, and the triplets into the chambers where he could keep a better eye on them. He knew Dorothy was protected as long as she remained in munchkin land, so either he was going to have to go there himself or he was going to have to wait. The decision was not one he wanted to make.
"What are you thinking about now?" Em asked finally getting tired of watching the jester pace back and forth.
"It doesn't concern you!" The jester snapped.
"No need to snap it was just a question." Em mumbled to herself.
The jester continued to pace back and forth he had to think of an idea. What would it be though? He didn't know. He then turned to Em and Henry who were now feeding the triplets. He figured he could send Em or henry to munchkin land but their love for their niece would never allow him to take control of them. At the same time they were beginning to become a nuisance to him. He could just let them go and get into her mind. Be he also felt that he was causing harm to the triplets by just keeping them here with their parents.
"Curse my morality issues." The jester said before turning back to them.
He could see that no matter what the two would care for their children and care about Dorothy no matter what he did to them or even to her, they would stand up to him and he wouldn't be able to do anything about them. And he was beginning to feel sorry about them. It was then that he came up with an idea.
Meanwhile back in munchkin land
After a while of telling stories and helping Cassandra with her knitting, and after eating breakfast Dorothy went upstairs to check to see if her dress was dry. Alex stayed downstairs and helped Cassandra with the dishes. Mr. Foreman, Emma, Finley and Terrance were sitting in the living room keeping the children amused. Dorothy found that her dress was slightly damp but she went into the bathroom and changed anyways. As she exited from the bathroom she walked over to the bed and picked up the jar with the dragon in it.
"Aren't you hungry?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"Dragons, if you didn't know, can go a long time without food." The dragon said.
Dorothy smiled and shook her head. She then slipped on the slippers and grabbed the scepter. She then took the jar down stairs with her. When she reached the bottom of the steps she found Alex and Cassandra waiting for her.
"You two can't be finished with the dishes already." Dorothy said surprised to see them.
"Child I'm a witch, everything goes fast, I just needed someone to put away the dishes." Cassandra said looking at her.
"Those dishes were heavy though." Alex said.
"Alex don't complain." Dorothy said handing him the jar.
"What do I do with this?" Alex asked curiously.
"I don't know, put it in my satchel, Cassandra have you got any suggestions?" Dorothy asked.
Cassandra waved her hand over the jar and it began glowing for a moment. It faded after a moment and both Dorothy and Alex looked at Cassandra curiously for a moment and she chuckled in response.
"I've made it unbreakable, just put it anywhere you'd like just don't forget where it is." Cassandra replied.
"Cassandra, is it possible for you to infiltrate the city?" Dorothy asked as the question popped into her head.
"I'm afraid I cannot child, the jester would easily over power me, if I were younger maybe." Cassandra said.
Dorothy sighed and sat down on the stairs. She leaned the scepter down next to her and placed a hand underneath her chin.
"Is something wrong Dorothy?" Alex asked.
"The triplets, as well as my aunt and uncle are still in the city, I know it's conceited to only think of myself in a time like this but I'm worried about them, my cousins are much younger than your little sister, they're…." Dorothy started to ramble on as Alex walked over and placed a hand over her mouth.
"Dorothy it's not conceited it's just natural to worry about your own family in a crisis, my family by now has most likely been turned into puppets, oh well nothing I can do, I know nothing about magic, but your cousins are protected the only thing that would put them at risk now is if the jester turned your aunt and uncle into puppets or statues." Alex said.
Dorothy blinked a few times in surprise. She then removed Alex's hand from her mouth and kissed him on the cheek.
"Dorothy, I guarantee things will be all right." Cassandra said.
"But in the end, until I face the jester, everyone is in danger." Dorothy replied.
"True, very true." Cassandra replied.
"Cassandra, can you send me then? I know you can pull me out of there at any time and." Dorothy started saying but was immediately cut off.
"Out of the question, if he captured you there would be almost no chance of rescuing you." Cassandra replied sternly.
"Cassandra's right Dorothy, you know what he would do to you." Alex said.
"Absolutely nothing, he wants a fight, a battle, he won't do anything to me without a fight, and I don't plan on giving one to him just yet." Dorothy said.
"Okay, um, what if he turns you back into a cat?" Alex asked curiously.
"I'd accept that." Dorothy said.
"Okay Dorothy, now you're just being foolish." Alex said.
"Alex, I'm worried about my family, they're the only family I have left." Dorothy said.
Alex had no response. Dorothy sighed, got up, grabbed the scepter, and walked back upstairs. She looked outside to the balcony and found that it had actually stopped raining. She walked out onto the balcony and leaned against the railing. She had no idea what she was going to do.
Well, the jester has a new plan, what do you think it is though? What do you think Dorothy will do to pass the time? And when will the musical number show up? Find out in the coming chapters