Disclaimer, you know.
As the group packed up their campsite and buried the remnants of the campfire under a large mound of dirt they continued on westward. Alex stuck to the front of the group with Ellie, Aislynn and scarecrow. He kept rather close to Ellie who was carrying Toto in her arms.
"I hope we can get Dorothy back soon." Emma said as she joined the four of them.
"We all do, but unless assuming we could get to emerald city and assuming we weren't captured and immediately turned into puppets we'd stand no chance whatsoever." Alex replied
"I just feel sorry for Toto." Aislynn said falling back a bit so that she could talk to them.
"Again, we all do, but it can't be helped can it?" Alex replied.
Aislynn and Ellie sighed and shared a glance with each other. Alex sighed and turned to see Angela and Mr. Foreman helping Cassandra who was lagging behind. Alex looked at the girls and smiled before falling back in line to join them.
"Is something wrong Alex?" Mr. Foreman asked curiously
"No, I just thought you and Angela may want some help." Alex said
"No, thank you, boy." Cassandra said as she tried to catch her breath.
"Well the offer still stands, it's what Dorothy would have done." Alex said.
"Alex, you shouldn't dictate your life on what Dorothy would have done, she's not here, and she's gone, and there's nothing you can do about it." Angela said sternly.
"Hey, don't talk to my sun like that." Mr. Teak said falling back
"Yes, Angela, he was just trying to help." Mr. Foreman said.
Meanwhile at the palace.
"Oh I just love when there's a group argument." The jester said chuckling.
"Argument." Dorothy found herself saying.
The jester smiled and turned to the puppet behind him. Immediately Dorothy's eyes snapped to attention instead of watching the jester. The jester blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes. Never had he thought he'd seen one of the puppets do that. He shook he head a few times to clear it and then yawned for about a minute.
"I must really be tired, for a minute, I thought you moved on your own accord." The jester said walking up to the puppet.
"Accord." Dorothy repeated
"But that would be impossible, I saw you change, if you were still alive and conscious in there, well I would feel rather guilty." The jester said.
"Guilty." Dorothy repeated.
"Being a puppet is one thing, being a sentient puppet, well, that would be torture." The jester said.
"Torture." Dorothy replied.
The jester let out a light chuckle and then turned. He picked up a nearby chair and then set it in front of the cabinet. He then climbed up on the chair and stared the puppet dead in the eyes. Dorothy did nothing, she couldn't give herself away now, not in this instance. After a minute or two the jester chuckled and did a backflip off the chair. He then turned back to the crystal ball to continue watching the group.
Meanwhile in the forest.
As the afternoon came and the group had set up camp Alex found himself once more lying down on his chosen bed inside the tent. The only time he was disturbed by anyone was when Ellie came in to give him a sandwich for lunch. Other than that he had no interactions with anyone most of that after noon. As evening came Alex found himself standing in the entryway of the tent watching everyone sitting around the campfire. The smell of mint was subtle on the air so Alex was able to assume that they had just made some tea.
"Alex, would you mind going into the tent that we're using and grabbing the tea set, it should already be laid out you just have to grab it." Came Glinda's voice from somewhere in the bunch.
Alex smiled and nodded before walking into the adjacent tent. When he was inside immediately he noticed a tray with a bunch of tea cups and a sugar bowl set out on one of the dressers. The second thing he noticed was the potion vial that Roquat had given to Glinda, now only two thirds of the way full. He sighed and picked up the tea set ignoring the potion and left the tent. As he walked over to the group the tea set levitated out of his hands and over to Glinda. Alex chuckled and started back for his tent when he found himself frozen to the spot.
"Alex, did you touch anything else in the tent besides the tea set?" Glinda asked getting up and walking over to him.
"No Glinda." Alex replied.
"Glinda, what are you doing?" Ellie asked curiously.
"You're telling me that you went into the tent, and nothing besides the tea set left the tent with you?" Glinda asked walking around Alex and staring him dead in the eyes.
"Correct." Alex replied.
"I left the potion vial out, did you see?" Glinda asked.
"Yes, and I know that it's the potion that was used to reverse Dorothy's transformation, if you're wondering if I took it because of sentimental reasons the answer is no and you can check if you don't believe me." Alex said.
Glinda let out a small chuckle and waved her wand over Alex. Immediately he found himself able to move again.
"Sorry about that Alex, I just wanted to be sure, that was a test of trust that potion is useless to all of us as it can only reverse transformations but I thought you might try to take it anyways for, as you said, sentimental reasons." Glinda said
Alex smiled and let out a chuckle before returning to his tent. When he walked in he was surprised to find Toto, not on the ground sulking, but on his bed sulking. His whimpering seemed to echo through the tent as though it were hollow. Alex sighed and sat down next Toto and began petting him.
"It's alright boy, we'll get her back, I promise we will." Alex said causing Toto to turn his head to look at him.
"Toto, none of us can bare to see you miserable, do you understand that?" Alex asked curiously
Toto barked whimpered and nodded.
"Toto, listen to me, I promise you, we will get her back, but you can't mope about, let me do the moping, and you do the cheering up, Dorothy wouldn't want you moping would she?" Alex asked.
No looked at Alex for a moment and then went to an odd determined look. He barked a few times then hopped into Alex's lap. Alex chuckled and picked him up. Immediately he received a lick to the face. Alex chuckled and wiped his face with his sleeve before setting Toto down again. He then laid down on the bed and eventually nodded off. He didn't know how long he had been jolted awake by shouting
"Alex!" came Ellie's shouting voice.
Alex immediately sprang awake, bolting up and accidentally falling off the bed. Ellie couldn't help but laugh before helping him up
"Ellie that wasn't necessary." Em said walking over with a plate of food for Alex.
"Sorry Mrs. Gale, I thought it was funny though." Ellie said as she dusted him off.
"Well then, now that I'm wide awake, what do you want?" Alex asked curiously.
"Two things, one, you and I are on night watch again as well as Jon since everyone else seems just about ready to pass out with the drop of a hat, and secondly, dinner is beef wellington." Ellie said as Em walked over with the plate and handed it to Alex.
"Thanks." Alex said taking the plate as henry walked in carrying a sleeping Robert and Amber.
"Where's Alicia?" Ellie asked curiously.
"Currently sitting on Jon's lap still, she doesn't want to go to bed." Henry said bringing them over to the crib towards the back of the tent.
Alex smiled and picked up his sword before leaving the tent.
"Mr. Gale, Ellie, Jon, and I can watch Alicia until she falls asleep." Alex said allowing his father to walk passed him carrying Annabella in his arms.
As he walked over to the campfire and sat down next to Mr. Foreman. He quickly ate the food he had been given, choked a bit causing Ellie to laugh and Mr. foreman to hit him on the back a few times.
"You shouldn't eat like that Alex, you'll get sick, or worse." Mr. Foreman said.
Toto barked in agreement with Mr. Foreman's statement as he jumped up on to Alex's lap followed by pockets.
"Toto agrees." Alicia said giggling.
"Thanks Alicia, thanks." Alex said sarcastically.
Alicia said nothing, she just smiled and climbed off of Mr. Foreman's lap and immediately climbed onto Alex's lap. Alex smiled and ruffled Alicia's hair causing her to giggle.
"So, why don't you want to go to bed?" Alex asked curiously
Alicia said nothing, she merely turned to look at the tent. Alex looked over and was surprised to see Robert and amber sitting in the door way of the tent. Mr. Foreman and Ellie were surprised to see this as well.
"Now, how did you two get out?" Mr. Foreman asked as he and Ellie got up and walked over to them
"We want Dorothy to say good night to us, but she's not here." Robert said.
"Smart kids." Ellie said as their eyes flashed emerald green.
"But they still shouldn't be up, it's not healthy for them." Mr. Foreman said.
"Jon, do me a favor, and please be quiet, these three will be fine, they always are." Alex said.
"But you can't guarantee that." Mr. Foreman said bringing amber over.
"Mr. Jon, will Dorothy be okay?" amber asked in a peppy yet curious tone.
"I'm sure she will be." Mr. Foreman said chuckling
"But the problem is none of us can get near the jester, as long as he controls the power of the scepter, an artifact of which she is the true owner, unless we get her back, trying to stop him is completely hopeless." Ellie said walking over with Robert.
"I'm going to guess that your sister told you that?" Alex asked curiously.
"Yes." Ellie replied.
Alex chuckled and was about to say something when Em and henry came running out of the tent. When they saw the triplets with them they let out a sigh of relief.
"How did they get out?" Henry asked curiously.
"No idea, but they miss Dorothy, which is why Alicia doesn't want to go to bed." Alex said taking Alicia into his arms and picking her up.
Alicia looked up at Alex and then let out a quiet yawn. Alex chuckled and walked over to Em and henry, handing her off to them. Mr. Foreman and Ellie walked over to the tent and followed Em and henry to put the triplets to bed leaving Alex with Toto. He sighed and sat back down next to the fire. He knew it was going to be a relatively uneventful night.
Well, that was, uneventful to say the least, and as the third day approaches, what kind of trap will the jester set, and who will fall victim to it? Will Dorothy ever blow her cover before one of her friends are captured or will she be too late when they are? Leave a guess and find out in the next chapter.