Disclaimer, you know.
Dorothy and Alex had managed to make it back to camp without any incident. This made Dorothy and Alex slightly ill at ease. Their thoughts and worries however were broken when they found everyone sitting around the campfire. Glinda sighed in relief and walked over to Dorothy and Alex. She then embraced them both tightly before leading them both to the fire and sitting them down. Before Dorothy allowed anyone to say anything she imparted all of the information that she had learned.
"He was telling you the truth about the girl." Glinda said after everything was said and done.
"Do you know if she's still around?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"She should still be living in the west, her parents were well known practitioners of sorcery as well as the leaders of Winkie country before the witch came along." Glinda said.
"She's a nice women." Cassandra said.
"You've met her?" Glinda asked curiously.
"I healed her before the witch took over." Cassandra said.
"Perhaps we can go to the west and try and find her then?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"Dorothy, I was talking with everyone while you two were away, it's no longer safe for you to be traveling with us, but Ellie suggested we wait for you to get back before any decisions are made." Glinda said
"About what? And what do you mean it's not safe for me to travel with you guys?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"Dorothy, our protections won't keep you safe, not even the usual protections through the tents can keep you safe." Glinda said.
"But that means anyone can infiltrate through the defenses right?" Dorothy asked curiously.
"Yes and no, things can attack you, but they won't harm us, Cassandra said she felt it when you left, as if a hole had just been patched up in the air." Glinda replied.
"So?" Dorothy asked.
"So, we need to find you a place to stay, a place to hide, the first town we come to is where you are going to stay, but if that town is in the Winkie country, I beg you do not go looking for rose, we want people to help us, and if rose were to find out who the jester was she'd never assist us." Glinda said.
"So, as soon as we get somewhere you guys have to abandon me?" Dorothy asked feeling a bit upset.
"Dorothy, it's not like that, Alex has to stay with you." Locasta said getting up and walking over to her.
"But I want to stay with you guys." Dorothy said looking at her aunt and uncle hoping they would intervene.
"Sweetheart, you need to understand, it's to keep you safe." Em said
"Anyways Dorothy, we'll provide you a way to contact us." The princess said getting up and joining Locasta.
Dorothy backed up from them and then turned to tin man, lion, and scarecrow, all of whom were doing their best not to make eye contact. She knew that if everybody wanted it she couldn't fight it.
"Fine." Dorothy said taking Alex's hand in her own.
"Well then, hopefully we can make it to the river, we can't head towards china country or candy county, both are too dangerous." Glinda said pointing her wand at the slippers.
Immediately they began to glow a bright crimson before giving Dorothy a small shock which made her jump causing Toto to bark and the cats to jump to attention.
"Glinda, what did you just do?" Alex asked worriedly
"Just making sure she can't use those to travel anywhere, remember Dorothy, it's for your safety." Glinda said.
Dorothy looked at Glinda for a moment before walking back to the tent. She sighed and slid the slippers off as she walked in side. Taking her satchel she put the slippers inside it before slinging it over her shoulder. She felt this was going to be a rather long morning.
Meanwhile at the palace.
"So, they have to hide her now? Well, let them try and hide her, I'll always find her." The jester said
The jester chuckled and sighed. He was glad to know rose was definitely still alive. But she could never know of him. The jester let out a wicked laugh it began rain.
Later in the forest.
After the camp had been packed up and almost everyone either had a rain coat or an umbrella, aside from Dorothy who was sharing an umbrella with Alex. And the triplets who were now in covered strollers. As they walked eventually they came into the domain of the emerald city. They sped up post haste and within half an hour they found the river and soon them found Tugg there were surprised and shocked to find him even in once piece after taking them down the river last time. He was more than ecstatic to see them
"To Winkie country Tugg, and move it, fast!" Dorothy said sternly
"Who barked up her tree the wrong way?" Tugg asked
"I'll explain when we get to where we're going" Glinda whispered.
Tugg took on a worried expression and pushed on along the river. As they headed towards the west Locasta was put a spell over Alex. Dorothy was sitting next to the wheel with china princess and Alyssa watching the triplets.
"Dorothy…" The princess said trailing off trying to get Dorothy to talk to them for the umpteenth time.
"Dorothy?" Alicia asked.
"Yes Alicia?" Dorothy asked.
Alicia said nothing, she simply giggled. This triggered a chuckle from Robert and a laugh from amber. She looked to her left and stared at them before looking back at Dorothy.
"You upset?" Alicia finally asked curiously.
"No Alicia, just rather frustrated." Dorothy said.
"Aren't those the same thing?" Alex asked walking over.
"I like to think so." Dorothy said getting up and turning to the.
Alex chuckled and walked over to Dorothy. He kissed her on the cheek and then took her by the hand.
"Don't mope about, it's bad for the kids." Alex said wrapping his arms around her.
Dorothy smiled and put her hands on his arms, pulling him forward. However she was met with a large amount of pain as her cousin pulled on her hair ribbon.
"You know, I'm beginning to wonder why I keep these in around small children." Dorothy said pulling her hair from Alicia's grasp.
"Well don't do it?" Alex replied.
"Perhaps a hair cut would do you one better?" Em asked walking over to the strollers and kissing each one of her kids.
Dorothy looked at her aunt and thought about it. She then looked at the china princess.
"What do you think? Slight trim?" Dorothy asked her.
"Oh, now you're talking to us?" The princess asked.
"To be fair you were just repeating her name over and over hoping she would make conversation." Alyssa said
"Right..." The princess said trailing off.
"And now for my questions, because if I'm going to hide, I need a new hairdo." Dorothy said.
"I say a little shorter, and then tied back in a ponytail like Ellie's, you know out of the reach of small children." Marshal mallow said as he walked over.
"Thanks dear." China princess said.
"Coming up to a small village!" Tugg shouted.
Immediately Tugg rang his bell loudly and coincidentally the rain stopped. Dorothy looked over the boat and saw a girl who seemed to be about her age standing by the bank with a red umbrella. As Dorothy smiled and got off of Tugg the girl immediately backed away from her.
"Wait, don't run, I'm not your enemy." Dorothy said.
"Who can tell the difference!?" Lily said backing up farther away.
"Lily, be nice." Came a sweet sounding voice.
Dorothy looked around and eventually her eyes fell on a women with dirty blonde hair and a freckled face. Dorothy smiled walked up to her. However she was cut off by Glinda pushing her to the side and walking over to the women. Taking her to the side she appeared to be telling the woman about what was going on. Lily however walked back over to her and stared her straight in the eyes. Immediately Dorothy felt as if someone were rifling through her mind. Her memories began reawakening. Her parents, their deaths, every good day, every bad. It began driving her to tears before someone slapped their hands over her eyes and closed them.
"Come on, I had her crying, why can't I have any fun?" Lily asked.
"At the expense of Dorothy gale, lily, what made you think that was a good idea." Came the voice of another woman
"Mrs. Garrison can you learn to control lily!?" Came the voice of a young boy.
"Lily, apologize, Dorothy and her friend will be our guests" Came the sweet sounding voice of Mrs. Garrison
Immediately the hands over Dorothy's eyes lifted and she found herself able to open her eyes again. Lily walked up to her and sighed.
"I'm sorry, I just wanted to see what kind of person you really were." Lily said
Immediately Dorothy turned to Alex. He was looking at her worriedly. However her thoughts were broken by Em and henry coming off of Tugg carrying their children.
"Dorothy, these three wanted to say goodbye." Em said.
Dorothy smiled and walked up to her aunt and uncle. She kissed each one of her cousins on the cheek before allowing them to give her a hug.
"Now, you three be good, do everything your mother and father tell you to, listen to Ellie and Aislynn as well as everyone else on Tugg." Dorothy said.
"Mr. and Mrs. Gale, we should get going, Mrs. Garrison said she'd take care of Dorothy and Alex." Glinda said walking over.
Em and henry nodded and headed back to Tugg. Dorothy looked at Glinda for a moment and sighed.
"Ellie, I know you're watching, take care of them, be careful. " Dorothy said.
Glinda smiled and kissed Dorothy on the cheek, hugging her tightly at the same time. She then left Dorothy alone with Alex, lily and Mrs. Garrison. She knew in her mind she wouldn't see them again for a while.
Well I guarantee the safety of everyone else. Who is lily? Who is Mrs. Garrison? Find out in the next chapter