Disclaimer, you know.
As the evening wore on Dorothy had explained to her friends what had happened and how she had lost had lost her protection from the scepter. When her story had concluded she waited for responses.
"That was noble of you." Alyssa said taking
"It was the only way to save Glinda and Ellie, I didn't want them to take that fate again" Dorothy said
"Have you decided if you're going to meet the jester?" Glinda asked frustrated.
"I don't see why you're upset with it, but yes, I'll take the night watch." Dorothy said.
"Well I'm not letting you go alone." Alex said.
"You can come if you want, I'm sure he wants to tell me about rose." Dorothy said.
"Dorothy, please, don't go, we don't want to lose you again." Ellie said.
Dorothy looked at Ellie for a moment and shivered, she suddenly felt rather chilly but she decided to stick it through. As the moon rose and everyone turned in Dorothy was temporarily left alone with Toto and pockets by the fire. After about ten minutes she felt a blanket being draped over her shoulders.
"You looked a little chilly." Alex said sitting next to her on the log bench that Cassandra had made with her magic.
"Alex, I'm not going to make you go to bed, but you really should get some sleep." Dorothy said.
"Yea, and let you possibly walk into a trap? No, I don't think so." Alex said
Dorothy sighed and stretched. She slid the slippers off and rested her feet on a log that had been placed as a seat in front of her. Alex however took Dorothy's feet on to his lap and began massaging them
"Come on Alex, my feet are cold." Dorothy said.
"Yes, I can feel that." Alex said.
Dorothy sighed and leaned back, she wasn't going to argue because she really found it relaxing.
"You know, when the ruby slippers came to find me, the jester jokingly threatened to cut my feet off so that I couldn't use them." Dorothy said.
"You don't think he'd actually do that do you?" Alex said.
"I don't know, probably, can you imagine me without feet?" Dorothy said.
"No, but I can imagine you permanently confined to a wheelchair, does that count?" Alex asked
"No, wait, yes, no, um possibly?" Dorothy asked picking up a large stick and poking it into the fire.
"Don't worry, no need to make up your mind this instant." Alex said lightly prodding at one of Dorothy's soles.
Dorothy giggled and then turned to look at Toto who was curled up next to the log she had been resting her feet on.
"If it's any consolation, he was miserable without you." Alex said.
"I know, I was able to see everything from where he placed my cabinet, I'm glad that you and Ellie decided to bury the hatchet by the way." Dorothy said.
"It was the least we could do, I figured you really didn't want us fighting after you gave yourself up." Alex said.
"You're right, also, Ellie, it's not nice to stay in the shadows, listening in on others conversations." Dorothy said.
"Dang, how did you know?" Ellie said coming out from the shadows between the tent.
"You really should get a better hiding place from someone who can see in the dark." Dorothy said.
"Right, sorry." Ellie said walking over.
"Now, why are you listening in?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"Because, I wanted to know if there was a way I could stop you from meeting with him." Ellie said.
"I see, so, why is your sister so upset that I want to meet with the jester?" Dorothy asked.
"it's not that, she's just upset that you are going to do something incredibly stupid like this after just getting yourself freed from the jester." Ellie replied.
"I don't think he has any intention on harming me, he wants to give me information, I'm assuming about rose." Dorothy said.
"But who is she?" Ellie asked curiously
"I have no idea, but it set him off, he seemed upset that I knew that name, one that he knew in his dreams, and he said, and you heard him, that she was a friend." Dorothy said.
"Dorothy, I personally don't think it's any of your business to know who she is, and odds are that you're walking into another trap." Ellie said.
"Well you can come too if you'd like." Dorothy offered.
"no thanks, someone has to stay here when you two leave, and tin man, scarecrow, the china princess, and marshal mallow are conferencing with my sister." Ellie said
"Speaking of that, we have, about an hour till midnight, Dorothy, there's still a chance to back out of this, you don't have to go." Alex said looking up at the moon.
"Alex, we'll be fine, if you don't want to go, just say it and stay here with Ellie." Dorothy said taking her feet off his lap and sliding the slippers back on.
"Dorothy, if you really want to go, I'll stick by your side, I don't want you getting hurt." Alex said scooting closer to her.
Dorothy smiled and moved closer to him as well. She then kissed him on the cheek before shifting positions so she could place her head in Alex's lap.
"I'll tell my sister that you're set on doing this then." Ellie said turning to walk away
"Ellie." Dorothy called.
"Yes?" Ellie replied.
"Please, don't worry about us, not just for me, but for you and everyone else's sake." Dorothy said.
Ellie smiled and returned to her sister's tent. Inside Glinda, Locasta, the china princess, marshal mallow, Alyssa, scarecrow, tin man and lion were waiting for her.
"She's really set on going." Ellie said.
"I think we should let her go, if she has her heart set on doing it we shouldn't stop her." tin man said.
"Glinda, Dorothy will have Alex with her, she should be fine." The china princess said.
Glinda sighed and laid her head down on the table she was sitting at. She didn't want Dorothy risking her life again. She didn't want the child to put herself at risk again they just got her back she didn't want her to be hurt. She then decided on the adult decision.
"Fine, if she wants to throw her life and Alex's on the line, let her." Glinda said getting up and leaving the tent.
Dorothy was surprised to hear Glinda coming over. When she got over to them Dorothy sat up and turned to her.
"Did you want something Glinda?" Dorothy asked.
"No, I just wanted to say, that if you really have your heart set on going, then you two have my blessing." Glinda said.
Dorothy smiled and got up, grabbing the scepter, she walked over to Glinda and hugged her tightly.
"Glinda, I promise, I'll be alright." Dorothy said.
Glinda sighed and returned the embrace. She held tightly onto Dorothy. Dorothy found that Glinda really had a large amount of concern for her. She wasn't backing out now though. As they broke from the embrace Dorothy looked up at the moon and then at Alex. He nodded and picked up his sword. Dorothy smiled and looked at Glinda for a moment. Glinda smiled and pointed to the west. Dorothy nodded and started off with Alex.
Meanwhile at the palace.
"Well, I'd better get ready." Thee jester said picking up the wand and turning away from
Nikko came into the room carrying a bowl of fruit. The jester chuckled and took an apple. He smiled and flicked the wand. Immediately he vanished.
Meanwhile somewhere in the forest
Dorothy and Alex had been slowly making their way through the woods. Dorothy guiding Alex through the darkness.
"Cant the scepter produce some kind of light?" Alex asked
No sooner had he said this did the scepter begin to glow brighter. It's red hue brighter than ever. Dorothy chuckled and tightened her grip around the scepter as well as Alex's hand. Eventually after about an hour or so they began to reach more withered forest land. Dorothy knew they were nearing the borders of the land. Dorothy tightened her grasp on Alex's hand.
"I knew you'd turn up." came the voice of the jester.
"I wanted information, and I wanted to know about her." Dorothy said.
"You and your friend will get the information, you know what I-I'm going to do." The jester said jumping out of a nearby tree.
"Just do it." Alex said drawing his sword.
The jester sighed and flicked the wand. Immediately they were surrounded with a bright white mist. Immediately in front of them. The image of girl, no older than Dorothy and Alex, she had dirty blonde hair, crystal blue eyes, fair skin with a freckled nose. The image of the young jester before he was forced into his curse walking next to her.
"She was the daughter of one of my parent's friends, we met and over time developed an attraction to each other." The jester said walking over to them.
"What happened to her?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"One day, she fell ill, dangerously ill, I promised her that as soon as I became a complete warlock that would find a way to cure her." the jester said.
The image in the mist changed, rose was now lying sickly and pale on a bed. The jester standing with a solemn look on his face in the doorway.
"But that never came to pass." Dorothy said.
"Yes and you already saw why, it was out of spite that my sister transformed me, because she didn't like that I was trying to use magic to protect just one girl, I never knew what became of rose, and I don't assume that I ever will." The jester said as the mist cleared around them
Dorothy looked up at the jester's face, these memories obviously hurt him as much as the memories of her parents and her childhood hurt her. And then for the first time, she did something she hadn't thought of doing. She moved the scepter so that the light completely cast over the jesters face. He blinked a few times and shook his head. When he opened his eyes again he found Dorothy staring directly into them. She saw sorrow, hatred, regret, and compassion in his eyes. The jester sighed and took out the apple he had taken from the bowl Nikko had brought into the chambers. He offered it to Dorothy, who smiled and took it. The jester let out another long sigh and then vanished. Dorothy looked at Alex, he had a look of shock on his face.
"He can't be completely evil." Alex said.
"And why is that?" Dorothy asked with a smile.
"To be evil, is to never know love, or compassion, the jester at one point has both of those, only to have it taken away by a curse." Alex replied.
Dorothy let out a light giggle, she then embraced Alex tightly. Some tears rolled down her cheeks as they embraced. How could she kill this man? A man who did once know love, and compassion, and remembered those days as well. In the back of her mind she wanted to find this rose and reunite them, but she knew it would be nearly impossible. And with Oz completely verging on war, it was only a matter of time before she would have to do what she was destined to do. Rid the land of the evil she caused.
Well what a doozy, we now know that the jester had a story, a love of his own. And what caused the spite that made his sister transform him. What will happen next? Leave a guess and wait for the next chapter.