Disclaimer, you know.
Meanwhile at the campsite.
As they all arrived at the camp site everyone was shocked to see Dorothy. Dorothy smiled and chuckled as she got up and then helped Alex up. She immediately belched and exhaled some grey colored mist.
"Oh no, not again." Dorothy said coughing and gagging.
"Dorothy, did you feel as if your throat was burning when those clouds attacked you?" Glinda asked helping Ellie, Jon and Aislynn up.
"Yes, and I'm assuming no points for guessing that was magical energy?" Dorothy asked.
"Nope." Glinda said running over to her and embracing her tightly.
"Dorothy, that was some stunt you pulled there, for a minute I thought we were goners." Alex said.
"Yes, well, turn an enemy against themselves using the people they love, that's how he tries to get to me all the time." Dorothy said turning to her friends and family who were now staring at her, not saying a thing.
Emma was the first person to break that silence by running up to Dorothy and embracing her tightly. Glinda however walked over and pulled Emma away. She then insisted that Dorothy get some rest.
"But the mist? The nightmares?" Dorothy asked worriedly.
No sooner had she said that did Cassandra snap her fingers. Dorothy immediately dropped the scepter and collapsed into Glinda's arms.
"I wish you wouldn't do that, I won't be able to wake her up and she will have nightmares." Glinda said as Alex walked over to Glinda and took Dorothy into his own arms.
Immediately Dorothy began twist and struggle in Alex's arms. She was in the middle of a nightmare, and they all knew it.
"Wake her up now!" Alex said angrily.
"I only put her to sleep so that I could do this." Cassandra said hobbling over.
She placed her hand on Dorothy's chest and it began to glow. Immediately Dorothy stopped moving and began exhaling a large amount of grey mist, then gold, then emerald green. Alex himself coughed at the smell of the stuff. He then sighed and started to carry Dorothy over to the tent. Once he set her down on the bed he normally used he then took off the satchel, removed pockets from it, set her down on the bed, and went back out and joined the others.
"Okay good, now that everyone is present, I can tell you guys this." Glinda said with a sigh.
"What is it sis?" Ellie asked curiously.
"The scepter, it can't serve as Dorothy's protection anymore" Glinda said.
"Why not?" Everyone asked in unison.
"because, the jester can divert any magic aimed at him, he has that giant two colored crystal ball which has, over time been draining magic from Oz and is spitting it back out in a darker form, something the witch of the west tried to do but didn't succeed at, that and in preforming that selfless act of letting herself be turned into a puppet to save Ellie and I, she sacrificed her protection in the process, which is probably what I should have started with." Glinda said sighing.
"So, out of all of us, she's the one most at risk now?" Em asked worriedly.
"The protection on your children is back in affect now that she's human again, so the answer would have to be yes." Glinda said looking at them.
"Aren't you going to tell her?" Alex asked.
"I'm not, but you are." Glinda said turning to Alex.
"Fine, I'll tell her when she wakes up." Alex said turning to look at the scepter.
Without a word Alex then got up and held out his hand, the scepter immediately flew into his grasp. He smiled and then walked back to the tent. Toto and the cats were already standing guard around the bed. Toto had pockets sitting on his back which made Alex chuckle. He then sighed and knelt down next to the bed. It wasn't long before Dorothy seemed to be having another nightmare as tears began to stream down her face and she began sweating profusely. Alex immediately stood up and tried to shake her awake. Upon the failing he sent Toto out to get Glinda. However instead of Glinda he returned with Cassandra who hobbled over to the bed and placed her hand on Dorothy's forehead. Dorothy immediately fell calm and was soon sleeping peacefully once more.
"She'll sleep till dinner, then she'll wake." Cassandra said turning to leave.
"Cassandra, why can't you just wake her now?" Alex asked now sounding annoyed.
"The spell I used to put her to sleep was a powerful one, she would have felt a lot of pain when I removed the energy otherwise, the spell must take its course, and she will be fine." Cassandra said hobbling out of the tent.
Alex let out a sigh and sat down on the ground. Leaning his back and head against the bed he closed his eyes and eventually nodded off.
Sometime later at the palace.
"Good to know they aren't far from the boundaries of the city, why don't I send them a few more gifts." The jester said turning to the trophy cases.
"ALL HAIL!" came the unanimous chant.
"Right, let's see." The jester said picking up a piece of paper and a pen.
He then scribbled a small note for Dorothy which he placed into the hands of the china princess. He then flicked the wand and the trophy cases of marshal mallow, tin man, lion, the china princess and Alyssa all vanished.
"Well, hopefully she decides to read that note." The jester said watching the setting sun out the window.
Back in the forest.
Alex was awoken by the feeling of Dorothy's lips pressed against his own. He opened his eyes and found Dorothy on the ground in front of him. As they broke from the kiss Dorothy sighed and hugged him. When she backed away she opened her mouth to say something but found her mouth being covered by Alex's hand.
"Dorothy, before you say something, there's something I want you to know." Alex said.
Dorothy didn't try to say anything in response, she simply nodded and pulled Alex's hand from her mouth.
"Right, you aren't protected any more, in giving yourself up as a selfless act, you gave up your protection, the scepter is still your object of power, but it no longer serves as complete protection." Alex said.
"Would it be reassuring if I told you I sort of thought that might happen?" Dorothy said.
"Why would you think about that?" Alex said.
"Because I knew that if I were gone the protection on my cousins would break, I sort of figured that if I gave myself up the scepter would just, well stop." Dorothy said picking up the scepter.
"Alex!" came Ellie's shouting voice.
Alex looked at Dorothy and got up. Dorothy got up as well and they both left the tent and were immediately met with a rather familiar sight. Dorothy was shocked. Why would the jester release them? Why wasn't she exhaling mist? Also popped into her head but she was more concerned with the first question. She walked over to the case with the china princess in it. She sighed and held up the scepter.
"These empty shells that he has created let them be reanimated!" Dorothy shouted as she brought the scepter down.
Immediately there was a bright flash of light and the sounds of the cabinets opening.
"Okay, let me be the first to ask, why are we in a forest?" The china princess asked curiously.
"I'll explain later, what's that you're holding?" Glinda asked walking over.
The china princess looked at her hands and noticed the folded up piece of paper.
"I have no clue, I guess it's for Dorothy though." The princess said handing it to her.
Dorothy took the paper and opened it. It was indeed a note meant for her.
"For the information you want to know, meet me at the border tomorrow, yours truly the jester." Dorothy read aloud.
"What information could he have for you?" Alex asked worriedly.
"I really don't think you should go." Glinda said.
"I agree, you could get captured." Tin man said with a worried tone.
"Seems like we have a lot to discuss." Dorothy said.
"Dorothy, we are close to the emerald city borders, but I really don't think you should go." Scarecrow said.
"Guys, it's my choice, and I know what he wants to tell me, and if I get captured again, so be it." Dorothy said.
"Dorothy, if you really feel that way, then take the night watch, you can start walking around midnight." Glinda said as the cabinets disappeared.
"Alyssa!" Terrance shouted as she found herself looking around
Dorothy stared at Glinda for a minute and sighed. She then picked up Toto who had followed them and walked back into the tent she needed to think about it for a minute, but she wanted to know who rose was, she was going to have to take the night watch.
Well this was a rather eventful chapter, in the next chapter we shall learn about rose, who she is, and what affects she had on the jester's life. I'm sorry reviewers I cannot end the story here.