Chapter 1: Headed to the Coronation
Gillikin Country was a beautiful place: meadow rues bloomed everywhere, a light lavender around the edge of the country and going into royal purple near the Good Witch of the North's castle; toad lilies scattered the ground near the castle; trees blossomed purple leaves. Just everything was a shade of purple. The castle was what you would expect one to be. It's risen in the field of toad lilies, its walls white with purple roofs. This was where the Good Witch of the country lived.
Inside the castle was everything someone could imagine: doors almost to the ceiling, floor to ceiling windows. Each room was filled with many beautiful and colorful objects and flowers.
"Queen Ozma? Queen Ozma?" A voice came from the halls, calling for the Queen of Oz. It came from a beautiful young woman, not as beautiful as Queen Ozma but almost. Her name was Tlixie, the granddaughter of the Good witch of the North. She came through the doors close to the throne room where Ozma was with soldiers.
"Sweet Oz. What's the matter, sweetie?" Ozma said as the young girl, around the age of 17, went to bow before her. Ozma knelt down and gave a loving smile of a sixteen year old. "You don't have to bow now my dear."
It was true. Tlixie didn't have to at this point. They were friends and in the same palace where the Good Witch had given Ozma a home many years ago, after Dorothy left Oz that one day.
"Everyone is ready for you to arrive in the Emerald City." Tlix had a smile that showed excitement. And she had a reason to. The throne did belong to Ozma herself but everything that has been going on with Oz, like the Hammer Heads getting out of control, There wasn't time to actually get to the City without being harmed. But today, after many months, Ozma was going to be put as the ruler of Oz. Many of the Ozians were headed there. "Oh and Lady Glinda is going to be there to give a speech," Tlix added after a few seconds.
It was a custom in Oz that whoever took the throne had a coronation in their honor. In Ozma's case, it's going to be different. She was in the line of ruling Oz after her father until he said before he was taken away that she should be taken care of Glinda the Good. Ozma did take the throne but it was only for a brief time until Boq, the wealthy munchkin Dorothy once met in her path, took it in respect to keep Ozma safe from harm.
Ozma grinned ear to ear at Tlix, going to hold her hands in her own. "This is a big day for me. For us. I'm going to fill my family's line of royalness. Imagine how happy my father would be. How Lurline will be smiling when I sit on that throne." She looked in Tlix's eyes and saw a spark of sadness in them. "This doesn't mean that we can't see each other. There will be sleepovers and parties for as long as we want them."
Tlix smiled wide and giggled. Even though she was happy for Ozma, she was sad to see less of her. They were best friends since Tlix was young. "That's a great idea," Tlix said after hugging her gently. They had a moment for themselves until the Good Witch of the North walked in with Ozma's scepter. She wore a beautiful white ball gown with a purple tint to it for the Gillikins.
"My dear. You look absolutely beautiful like always." The North Witch said standing a few inches from her. She was a small woman but she met Ozma at the mouth. "Everyone is extremely excited to have the return of our beautiful ruler back on the throne. And your beautiful gown is simply just perfect for this wonderful occasion."
Ozma was wearing a gown of shimmering light green silk, with feathers around the back of her neck and a dazzling necklace of all the colors of each quadrant of Oz. She took the scepter from the North Witch and looked at it. She hadn't held it in a long time and just holding it brought many memories, letting a tear drop. "This holds so many things from the past. Some good and others bad. Right Locasta?" she looked over at the North Witch.
The North Witch, whose name was Locasta, walked up to her and held her hand. "Very true my dear. And you were very brave during it. But let's not talk about that. It's in the past and this is the future of Oz." Ozma nodded and went to the mirror close by that one of the servants brought. Locasta helped with her hair and put her crown on.
Tlix watched them and grinned, knowing they both knew each other for years. She didn't know what the bad was since Ozma didn't tell her yet but she knew she'll tell her when comfortable. She went to the mirror with the two and looked at what she was wearing. She wasn't dressed for the occasion and she was embarrassed.
Locasta looked at her and went to her side. "I have a perfect dress for you." She went to put Tlix to the center of the room and waved her hand gently, making her outfit into a beautiful purple mermaid like dress with shimmering purple diamonds on the bust. Her hair is in a style of a bubble ponytail, showing off the light blondness of her hair. She led her back to the mirror and grinned hugely, turning around to look at herself. Ozma looked at her with a smile, seeing how beautiful she looks.
"This is the most beautiful outfit I've ever worn. Thank you grandmother." She goes to Locasta and hugged her tenderly.
"It's my pleasure my dear," she said with gentleness and hugged her back.
At that moment, Tlix's mother and father stepped in the room in their formal Gillikin wear. They turned around and smiled at the two.
"Wow, Tlix. You look just like your mother when she was your age." Tlix's father said to her, walking to her and placing his hands on her shoulders. He looked at her then looked at his wife, who was walking to her.
"This is your big day Queen Ozma," said the mother to Ozma. "We are happy for you to take up your father's name as ruler of Oz. How do you feel?"
Ozma sighed, both of sadness and happiness. "I'm excited to do this. To keep the name of my father in line. I am the last in line for this and I want to make him proud."
Locasta went to her, standing beside her. "He would be more than proud to see you take his place. I know he would be very proud of you in this."
Ozma smiled sweetly and looked at her. "I wish he was here with me for this."
"We all wish he was here," Tlix's father said. "But he will be there in spirit."
Ozma smiled and looked back in the mirror. Tlix went to her side and gave a gentle hug. "I will be by your side as well as Lady Glinda and my grandmother. Everything will be great."
Ozma hugged her back and sighed. "Thank you. For this. For letting me be here in your beautiful home."
"You don't have to thank us. It was our pleasure to have you here in rough times." Tlix's mother walked to her. "And even in good times."
Ozma couldn't help but smile. Tlix and her family were her family too. As well as Lady Glinda and Jack Pumpkinhead. Speaking of Jack, he walked through the doors and looked at them. He looked exactly like he did when Ozma first made him years ago. His head was a pumpkin and his body of bark and trees with clothing on them. Ozma looked at him and went to hug him tightly.
"The carriage awaits for you mother," Jack said to her. "Lady Glinda will be on her way shortly."
"Thank you Jack," said Ozma, pulling away from him. "Who will be guiding the carriage?"
"The sawhorse of course. He's excited for you as am I."
Ozma smiled and kissed beside his head where his cheek would be. She then looked around at the others. "I guess we are ready right?" They nodded and went to the door, Locasta offering her arm to Ozma and she took it.
While Ozma and the others were getting ready for the City of Emeralds, the Scarecrow and Lion were getting ready also in Munchkin Country. The Scarecrow was visiting the Lion for this special occasion away from the mansion in Winkie Country. They had an agreement that they should go together. Mick Chopper, also known as the Tin Woodsman, had a special ride for them to go to the Emerald City.
"Are you ready Lion?" The scarecrow asked after a while. He had to wait for him to get his wife and family read. The Scarecrow and his family were changed by the local Munchkins into hand-me-down fancy clothes.
"Just about, my friend." The Lion called out to him. "Come back Chairurn."
Right when the Lion said that, Chairurn ran out from the woods into the open, going into position of attack. He looked back and forth. His grandfather, the Lion, sprung from the woods with his own daughter. They both circled around him, well-groomed as a lion could be.
"You need to calm down my dear," the lioness, Chairurn's mom, said. "This is a very important day and Queen Ozma had invited all of Oz to it. Well, almost all."
"But I don't want to." Chairurn whined to his mom. "I'm scared to be around too many people."
"You'll be ok. They're all friends." The lion moved closer to his grandson. "Just look at me. I was a coward until one day a little girl came here and helped me."
"It's true," the Scarecrow said, walking up to the group of lions. "He did get enough courage. Look at him now. A great family like he wanted."
"Oh stop," the Lion said while putting a paw on his face in embarrassment. His wife came from the woods after watching them and licked the side of Lion's face.
Shyanusk went to them and smiled, her mother walking with her. "You see," Shyanusk started to say. "Lion is an inspiration to those who need it as well as my father. They took time to get where they are now. You just need to get help."
Chairurn looked at all of them then sat on his hind legs with his head down. "But it'll be crowded and stuff."
"Urn. There will be crowds but you have friends and family to help you through your shyness." The lion said to his grandson. "We will be there. The Good Witches. Everyone that have been there for us."
He looked up at him and let a sigh out, laying down. "Fine. But I won't talk to people."
His family sighed as they looked at each other. They knew what each other were thinking, that this would be hard. This was a big day, not just for Ozma but also for Chairurn. He hadn't talked to many others besides Scarecrow's family and Nick's.
Shortly after finishing getting ready, a carriage from the Emerald City arrived exactly where the Lion lived. The one driving it didn't look at the ones standing near it and the face wasn't clear either.
"All to the Emerald City!" He yelled from the driver's side. He was dressed in all green and wore a hat that had a green fish net around to help protect him from everything around. The Lion and Scarecrow looked at each other to see who should go in first. The kids and women went in first. Then the Scarecrow and Lion went in. After all of them went in, the carriage went on the road to the Emerald City.
On the way to the Emerald City, the families were talking very softly to each other, the Scarecrow whispering that there might be something off with the driver. The lionesses shook their heads and disagreed with him, knowing better. It took a few hours by carriage to the Emerald City.
The woods became the past as they went. They were in the open, the sun shining on them. The Lion went to sleep and the Scarecrow played with his daughter. Until the Poppies came along, the ride was fine. The driver, after a few moments, started to drift to sleep. The carriage started moving side to side and the Lion looked after being jolted up. He saw the driver and went out in a rush. He went to the side and rushed with the carriage. He roared to wake the driver but failed, causing him to hope on the front beside him. He then took the wheel and started driving.
The Tin Palace glistened in the sunlight in the Winkie Country. The outside looked great with tin flower beds, fountains and many statues of people from Nick Chopper's life, like Princess Ozma and Dorothy. The land was tinted with yellow and had some yellow things: fall colored trees and primulas.
In the Palace, some of the Winkies were helping Tonar with getting ready for the coronation. His metal was being polished and axe being put away after being outside chopping wood. Under request from his family in the Emerald City, Tonar was well dressed. He didn't look like a tin can as you would think. He just looked like a tin version of a droid.
The Winkies all helped picked the finest clothes sent to him. He wore a yellow waist coat, lemon-lime pants and black cover up shoes for his feet. The people took a step back and smiled, the women all grinning and clapping.
"All looking good?" Tonar asked, looking around. The Winkies were wearing all shades of yellow and they look excited
"You look splendid, our ruler." One of the Winkies said, who was a male.
"Thank you, Ya'a'mina." He gave a smile at him. He looked at the time and looked surprised. "We should go. It'll be a while to get there."
"Maybe the Monkeys can help us get there," Ya'a'mina said to Tonar. "I know some of the Winkies already are on their way to the City. And I know the Monkey's can take us to the City fast enough."
"We can't There's no way to actually get them here." Tonar said to him. "I can't. Plus, with them being scarred by the—you know." He couldn't even utter at least one word of the Wicked Witch who once enslaved the Winkies and Monkeys. The Winkies looked at each other then at Tonar.
"That was years ago and she is dead. For good." Ya'a'mina stepped up to Tonar and sighed. "Ozma is expecting us to be there. As well as your family. You haven't seen them in so long. If they help us, you can have time for your family."
Tonar looked in his eyes and nodded. "But there's no way to get them now. The only thing that could get them was the Golden Cap that was used years ago."
"To, you have a monkey working for you. Do you really question it?"
It was true. Tonar kept a monkey just in case of anything. The monkey walked up to him and looked up. "Sire. It will be my honor to help you and all the others go to the City."
Tonar knelt down and smiled. "Thank you, Cwatra." Cwatra smiled and went to call the Monkey's from a window. Flying Monkey's appeared and looked around. Cwatra told them what they needed to do and nodded, going to each person, two going to Tonar.
"I will go to the City and tell them the Winged Monkeys are bringing you there." Cwatra told Tonar before leaving. Everyone in the castle got ready and went to windows to be picked up and flown to the City. It took a few minutes for each person to be taken out, Tonar being the last one out.
It took the morning and part of the afternoon to get to the city for them. Nick Chopper and his family were there waiting for Tonar to appear.
Roses blossomed, red carnations, and geums grew on the land and on trees. The trees twisted and were straight. The lakes had a red tint to it. The sky was a bit red but it was a beautiful shade of red you could ever see. Rubies dotted the road to the ruby castle of Glinda. It wasn't completely made of rubies, only the roofs. The walls were crystal white. Inside was beautiful as you can think of: walls filled with statues of empowerment; red drapes covering the windows; satin rugs covered the floors. In the throne room a ruby throne was on display, the very throne Glinda was in when Dorothy went to meet her.
Lady Glinda was in the throne room to gather her things. Her ruby necklace that was a gift from the Quadlings, her crown of diamonds. Moxi Fei walked in the room in the usual Quadling royal fashion mixed with the goodness color for the Good Witches and Wizards: velvet red waist coat and pants, white dress shirt and shoes. Glinda looked at her god grandson and smiled, walking to him.
"You look extraordinarily handsome my dear," she said as she looked him up and down. She was dressed in a beautiful ball gown made of white silk and red at the hem of the top. The bottom where her knees are and went in a poof, turning into pink then red. Her reddish-copper hair was curled, part of it was in a bun and the rest was down. She barely wore makeup beside red lipstick and red eyeliner, to show for the Quadlings.
"Thank you Lady Glinda," Mox said to her, smiling wide. "And you look more beautiful like always."
Glinda smiled and went to hug him. "You are a great kid Moxi. Don't let go of it." She pulled away and smiled. A solider, no older than Moxi, went into the room and bowed before Glinda.
"Lady Glinda. If I may speak." The child solider said to her without lifting her head.
"You may speak," Glinda said in her sweet, calm voice.
"It is time to head to the coronation of Princess Ozma. She needs you to be there. Everyone is counting on it."
She smiled and walked closer to her. "Thank you my dear." Before the solider could leave, she caught a glimpse of Glinda and smiled, bowing back down. Glinda is one of the few people in Oz people looked up to. She was a leader and mastermind, smartest woman you could meet. Nothing could make her loose her calm tone or anything of that matter.
Glinda went to Moxi and smiled. "Before we can go, we have to make sure all the Quadlings are brought safe to the Emerald City. Some of the trees might destroy them, like the China People."
Moxi nodded and went to a different room where a small book of spells for just him was. It stood on a podium, covered in the language of Oz. He took it in his hands and brought it to the throne room. He looked at Glinda as she is getting her crown of diamonds put on her head. She saw Moxi with the book and went to him, reaching for the book. She went through it and reached for a spell that Moxi could do. When she did find one, she gave him her wand to use.
"This should be the exact spell you should use my dear. It's a transportation spell to get us to the Emerald City."
Moxi took her wand and looked at the spell. "Are you sure I'll be able to do it?" He looked at her with worry. "I haven't done anything like this before."
"Don't doubt yourself sweetie. I know you can do this. Just say this spell and who you want to be part of it."
Moxi let out a soft sigh and stepped back. He closed his eyes and started saying the spell while adding who he wanted to bring to the Emerald City. His body was filled with wind and his hair was blown behind him. Then out of nowhere, a flying carriage came to the window, the size of a limousine. Moxi looked behind him to the window and rushed to it in amazement. He looked behind himself to Glinda, who was nodding her head at him.
"I did that?" He asked her with surprise and excitement in his voice.
"Yes. You did and no one helped you."
He looked back outside and admired the carriage. It was covered in rubies and clockwork metal, turning and rotating in many different directions. Moxi looked more in amazement. Glinda walked up to him and put a hand on his back.
"Ready to go my dear?" Glinda said as she looked at him. Moxi nodded and they went to the carriage at the front of the castle. He helped Glinda inside the carriage first and let some of the soldiers go in with her. Then he went in, the carriage going in the air and headed to the Emerald City.