The ground was so uneven, so strange that Melissa kept stumbling on their walk to the mountain. Eventually, Carmen kept an arm around her at all times with Richard just behind them.
"Ugh!" Melissa bit her tongue as she stumbled yet again, "What's with me?"
"It's not you, Melissa," Richard replied, "It's the ground"
"Richard is correct," Tik-Tok droned lumbering behind them.
"If I were stronger I'd carry you," Robecca shrugged, hovering above the ground thanks to her steam-powered boots.
"That's okay," Melissa winced at the throbbing in her feet, "How are you holding up, Jack?"
"Fine, how much longer?"
"Two hours, maybe three?" Carmen glanced at what little sun could be seen through the tops of the trees.
A heavy silence enveloped the group for several minutes—a silence broken by a sudden cry.
"What's that?" Richard drew his sword.
"HELP"
"It's coming from over there"
Richard and Carmen rushed ahead, Melissa stumbling after them. Falling into the dirt. She spat, looking up to see the source. A boy no older than her, pale with white-blonde hair and coal-colored eyes was trying to fend off one of the beasts. With a primal yell, Richard rushed forward, plunging his sword into the things side. Black blood sprayed out as the thing shrieked sounding like some sort of bird despite its bear/tiger/gorilla mixed-up appearance. Raising one massive paw it smacked Richard so hard it sent him flying headlong into the ground beside Melissa who clamped a hand on his arm to keep him from trying anything else. Carmen meanwhile, expertly fired an arrow into its eye and another into its neck. Flailing and shrieking the thing hit the ground with a final sputtering noise it died.
"Who are you?" Carmen whirled to face the stranger.
"Nathan"
"And where did you come from?" Carmen kept her last arrow pointed between the boys' eyes ready to shoot.
"Kansas, there was a horrible storm and I woke up here, I just wanna go home," he whimpered.
It was a convincing enough story so Carmen put her weapons away, retrieving the used arrows.
Richard stumbled to his feet, pulling Melissa up before retrieving his sword.
"Are you alright?" Melissa pulled Nathan to his feet, shocked by how cold and rough his hands felt.
"Yes, thank you Miss..."
"Melissa"
"That's a lovely name"
"Thank you," Melissa felt her cheeks warming,
Behind them, Richard grit his teeth, "Perhaps," he tried to keep the edge from his voice, "We should keep moving before something bigger smells the blood?"
"Yes," Carmen nodded her agreement, "Come along, Nathan unless you wish to be eaten"
"N-no ma'am," the boy cast a fearful glance at the corpse.
Introductions were swiftly made and Nathan caught up to speed upon rejoining the others. With everyone on the same page, they pressed forward. It didn't take long before Melissa was stumbling over the ground again, nearly rolling her ankle at one point. Richard glanced down at his still-healing leg, trying to decide if he could carry her but Nathan beat him to it, hoisting Melissa onto his back.
"Nathan, I can't-"
"I insist after all you did save me from that, that thing"
"I didn't do the saving, I fell-"
"Nonetheless"
So Melissa was carried piggyback style. Nathan hardly said two words, never complaining even as the basket kept bumping against him with every step. For someone who'd come from Kansas, he seemed well adjusted to the terrain, never stumbling even once, footfalls sure and strides long. A fact that made Richard suspicious, glaring daggers at the newest addition to their travel party.
Who are you? He thought, Why do you want to be so close to Melissa? Then. Why does that bother me?
His inexpiable anger only increased when he saw Melissa had fallen asleep. Completely at ease with a stranger who'd dropped from the sky. It infuriated him but he could do nothing except choke down his anger, reminding himself that it was completely irrational. He didn't own Melissa. She was exhausted so Nathan was helping. And yet, he was still angry. Something was bothering him. Something he couldn't put his finger on.
...
Richard was still grinding his teeth when they FINALLY arrived at the base of the mountain. How were they supposed to get in?
The ground began to quake so violently that the group was knocked onto their backs, well, not Nathan, who Richard noticed stood tall holding tightly to the still-sleeping Melissa. Why was she still sleeping? Quickly before their eyes, a face emerged from the mountainside.
"Visitors?" it rumbled in a warm, disarming voice, "Tell me, what can I do to make you happy?"
"GIVE US THE QUEEN BACK AND END THIS BLOODY WAR ON OZ!" Robecca shouted, so angrily that steam was shooting out of her ears.
While Robecca was stating their demands Carmen swooped behind Nathan, prying Melissa from his grip, "Come on, Avalon, come on wake up"
Slowly, Melissa stirred, leaning heavily on Carmen with a sleepy but confused look as she put a hand to her head, "What happened?"
"You-"
"Fell right into my trap!" the face laughed.
The ground broke open beneath them. They fell right into the throne room where their weapons were instantly taken as they were tied bound with coarse rope and forced to kneel.
"Well, well, well," the Nome King smiled, "If it isn't the Keeper herself, what a pleasure to meet you, Melissa, or would you prefer I call you Avalon?"
"I would prefer," Melissa grunted, fiddling with her binds, "For someone to explain what's going on"
Nathan stepped forward, his color fading as his skin hardened to stone. The clothing he wore warped from dirty shredded farmer clothing into finely spun royal robes, a sharp-edged crown appearing on his head.
"You played your part well, Son, sit at my side where you belong"
"Yes father"
"I knew something was up!"
"What are you planing?" Carmen demanded.
"Guard! Take the metal ones to the hall of ornaments, put the rest in my dungeons"
The guards moved to do as they were told, yanking the basket away from Melissa they presented to the king who smirked triumphantly, "Thank you, Keeper Of Oz for delivering these to me, shame you never figured it out..."
...
Melissa paced her small, dirty, hot cell. She had been separated from the others, poked and kicked, and mocked by the guards. She was more confused than kept calling her the Keeper Of Oz and she had no idea what that meant let alone how it could help, if it could help. Made dizzy by the heat, Melissa slumped to the floor and let the darkness overtake her.
Only to be shaken awake sometime later. Nolan knelt beside her with a look of concern(?) on his face.
"Melissa? You're sweating?"
"It's hot! Humans sweat when it gets hot"
"Look," his voice echoed in her head, "I didn't want to do this to you, I didn't want to take over Oz but Father, surely you know he's called the terrible one for a reason? I'm not a Nome like him. I'm half and I want this all to end."
Out loud he said, "Odd, come with me, your presence is required"
She was marched back to the throne room where the king still smirked from the throne, the ruby slippers beside him, he had her journal in hand.
"I thought you might want to witness the downfall of your beloved land," Setting the journal down he placed the slippers on the floor, putting them on.
When he stood, however, the shoes crackled with a violent red energy, ejecting the king.
"BAH," he spat, "It doesn't matter, Oz is a wasteland now anyway"
From the corner of her eye, Melissa saw Nolan trying not to smile.
The king cleared his throat before speaking in that same falsely kind voice, "You my dear are a wonderful artist and I've needed someone to paint my portrait for some time now"
"I'll do so," Melissa met his withering gaze, "If we strike a bargain,"
Beside her, Nolan inhaled sharply.
"What is it you want?"
"Give me an hour a day to search for Queen Christina, if I find and free her then you're to let us all go"
"Alright you have an hour each day to search for the Queen in the assortment hall when you find an object that might be her, place your hand upon it and say "Oz" but, for every incorrect guess you'll turn to stone a little at a time, is that acceptable?"
"Say no! Say no!" Nolan pleaded telepathically, "It's a trap"
"Done"
"Wonderful"
"Father," Nolan stepped forward, "Forgive me but I believe we should give Melissa her own apartment in the palace, is awfully hot in the dungeons and it would be just terrible if she perished before your glorious portrait could be completed wouldn't you say?"
"Yes, you're quite right, Son, Guard-"
"No, Father let me, I can keep a better eye on her than these fools"
"Very well"
...
"What are you thinking?" Nolan demanded as he yanked Melissa into his private apartments.
"If I'm to trust you then extend me the same courtesy"
"That doesn't answer my question"
"Your father thinks I'll turn to stone before the first hour is up, right?"
"Yes"
"I am not that stupid, do you know where Christina is, Nolan?"
"No, if I did, I would tell you, I swear but I'll keep searching for her, just please be careful, it's a dangerous game you're playing"
"I am well aware"
"Here," he opened a door to his right, "This can be your room, there are openings in the walls the breeze will come through"
"How do I know you aren't going to betray me again?"
"Because," he faded back to his human disguise, "You're the only one besides my father who knows I'm half human"
"But the others and the guard-"
"Think it's all a spell done by my father, he's a great magic user in his own right but even he has limitations"
Melissa stared skeptically.
"He doesn't know I have this power," Nolan added telepathically.
"I suppose I have no choice but to trust you"
"You can start your search tomorrow"
...
Days passed, and Melissa was growing weary. Christina wasn't the dragon statue, nor was she the gilded frame flecked with gold. Outside of her hour to search Melissa was made to stand at the canvas all day, sketching, painting, correcting. Over and over and over again. Now, she sat on the floor of 'her' apartment staring at her stone-flecked arm. What had become of the others? Had they been killed, transfigured? Was she all alone?
Again?
...
Meanwhile, Carmen hadn't stopped pacing since being thrown in the cell alongside Richard and Jack, she would not be separated from her child a second time, not after all those years without her. While she paced, Richard searched for some weak spot, a way out. Growing more and more desperate each day Lady Gray was coming to drag him back to his gilded prison without Melissa to save him. As for Jack and Billina, the pumpkin head spent all his time lamenting while Billina kept out of sight and kept trying to lay an egg just to prove she could do it.
They had to find a way out they just had to!
...
When the group didn't make a triumphant return Tigger and Hoodude set to rescue the others. But, there was a flaw to the plan. The two kept getting lost.
...
Melissa stretched across the floor, her feet aching too much for her to bother climbing into the bed right next to her. The door opened, and Nolan carried in a dinner tray that he shared with her every night.
"Are you okay?" he asked taken aback to see her on the floor.
"I hurt," she moaned.
"Is there anything I can do?"
"Tell me how the others are faring?"
"Gray is coming for Richard, Jack hasn't spoiled and Carmen is pacing," telepathically he added, "Billina is still trying to lay"
Nolan did that when speaking with her. Half he said out loud, half telepathically because he loved getting to use the ability for something other than messing with the other nomes. In his free time, because his father paid him no mind he too, searched for Christina but was making no progress. The kingdom was a hive mind operation, every subject linked to his father, if he were to start asking around they would be found out and Nolan quite liked being his own person, he couldn't link with the hivemind anyway or he would have overthrown his father already. As he had explained to Melissa, Nomes weren't inherently evil. It was the king's influence. While he sat on the throne, drinking goblets of wine and looking for places to conquer, his subjects worked tirelessly mining the riches without a moment to rest.
"Here," Nolan helped her sit up, "i erm, demanded a pitcher of ice water although the ice appears to have melted.." he spoke sheepishly, pouring her a glass.
"It's alright, thank you," she gulped down glass after glass, more thirsty than hungry.
"Your arm.."
"It's fine"
"Three more spots, there starting to combine"
"It's going to be fine, Nolan"
It was NOT 'fine' to Nolan. His deep-seated resentment of his father simmered. He had to take a deep breath to calm himself. He was not his father. He was not going to be controlled by his emotions. Instead, he would double his efforts to help Melissa. As strong as she was, it was evident she was starting to break. At night, when he lay in bed he could hear her talking to herself on the verge of tears. It hurt, to listen to so he would sit with her. Tell her stories of how Ev once was. How he used to escape the mountain, shifting to his human state to explore the exotic, enthralling countryside. Birds of many colors, herds of wild horses with silky long coats. Gumps, lions, leopards, tigers. Jewel-colored fish in the gold, tinted waters. It had been a truly magical experience until his father decided to conquer everything.
"Nomes age far, far slower than humans," Nolan explained when she was confused as they were the same age, "And the ruler doesn't age at all"
Today, however, Melissa didn't want to talk or listen, too lost in her thoughts to focus so, the secretly soft-heated prince laid her in bed, standing guard over her until she fell asleep.
But, Melissa didn't stay asleep, she woke hours later, tears trickling down her face as she tossed and turned, the weight of everything crashing down upon her.
"Someday I'll wake and rub my eyes
And in that land beyond the skies
You'll find me
She began to sob. Melissa had never cried this way, the sobs forcing themselves out of her heart and into the world, relentlessly and she was powerless to stop them.
"Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why... "
"Melissa?" Nolan opened the door.
She was sobbing too much to respond. Nolan felt his insides twist with sympathy. It was clear these cries went far beyond her adventure or her time trapped in the mountain. Every emotion she'd ever had had been bottled up and shoved far, far down until she could almost forget she had them.
"Whaa-a-aa-t -a-aa-a-a-am I s-ss-s-s-ss-up-p-pposed t-tt-tt-o-o—o dooooooooo?" she wailed, "c-c-c-c-can-c-c-can't d-d-d-doooo any-any-anything r-r-rr-r-r-ight"
What do I do? What do I do? The prince silently panicked. Here was a girl, a girl he was starting to consider a friend, his only real friend ever and he didn't know a single thing about comforting someone when hurt, upset, or devastatingly sad as Melissa was now. There had to be an answer, there just had to be. While wringing his hands and wondering if now would be a good time to try a hug he caught sight of a dull light under the bed.
"Melissa, look..."
Choking back cries she peered under the bed, briefly shielding her eyes from the glow, "The slippers but, what are they doing in here?"
"I'm not sure but it would be best if you kept them hidden, if father figures out how to circumvent the magical guards we're all doomed"
"How am I supposed to hide them? It isn't like I can ask them to stop glowing..."
"They just did..."
"Huh?"
"Look"
So they had, Rubbing her eyes, Melissa groaned overwhelmed with it all.
"Do you feel better? Is there anything I can do? Anything you want?"
"No, it's fine, Nolan thank you, I'm sorry I woke you up"
"That's alright, Melissa, I was awake anyway..I like to draw too"
"Really?"
"I'm not as good as you, I only started a few months ago"
"It just takes practice, lots of practice"
"Maybe I can show you sometime?"
"I'd like that"
"Melissa?"
"Yeah?"
"Are, are we friends?"
"We can be"
"I've never had a friend"
"I haven't either, not really"
"I suppose I should let you get back to sleep but I uh, had an idea"
"Yes?"
"What if I went with you to the hall tomorrow? Two heads are better than one"
"I think that would be a little too obvious but how good at you at stealing?"
"I can try"
"Good..after that..humiliating display of ugly emotions I have an idea...come here"
...
Carmen was still pacing, Jack was still lamenting and Richard was still searching for a weak spot when Nolan stalked past their shared cell, looking for all the world, self-important and unbothered in his ridiculously petulant billowing robes. He turned sharply on his heel returning to the cell door to lean upon it and sneer.
"You..." Richard growled, Carmen had to grab him roughly by the shoulders to keep him from lashing out.
The prince kicked a cloud of dirt at them, before walking away.
When the dust settled Richard found the key.
...
Melissa, meanwhile, was uncomfortable as she was shoved into the overstuffed hall. Carmen's cloak was wrapped tightly around the shoes and skillfully hidden in her many-layered dress. Although uncomfortable you wouldn't have been able to tell anything was amiss with the way she looked.
Now, she thought, giving the hall an overview, Where did he hide the others?
The shoes began to pulse, something she could just barely feel. It grew stronger the farther she walked until she stood before a long table, cluttered with many things, slowly she ran her hands over them, feeling the different textures and finishes of each thing as if that could give her a clue. It was only when she picked up a green star scupltor that the shoes sent a shocking jolt up her arm.
I wonder...
"OZ!"
In a blinding flash, Robecca stood before her, dazed, "Melissa?"
"That's it..."
"What? What?"
"People from Oz are green, you were a green ornament"
"So, if we want to find Christina-"
"Exactly"
...
In his throne room, the King spat out his wine, keenly aware that Melissa had discovered one of his most recent additions to his vast collection.
"Blast!"
But, she hadn't discovered the former queen nor would she so there was nothing to be worried about yet.
...
"Melissa, here, it's green!" Robecca hurriedly handed her a statue.
"OZ"
Tik-Tok fell before them.
Yes!
"AVALON!" Carmen sprinted into the hall, fiercely crushing Melissa against her, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
"Uh.."
"Avalon, is your birth name, I was planning to tell you-"
"MELISSA!" Richard was next into the hall, happily pulling Jack behind him.
Their group hug was interrupted by the entire space quaking around them.
"STOOOOOPPPPP" an enraged gargantuan Nome king and all his subjects breaking apart the walls to surround them.
"NO!" Melissa defiantly shouted, "My hour isn't up-"
"I TIRE OF THIS GAME, KEEPER!"
He snatched Tik-Tok from the ground unhinging his jaw as a snake does before dropping the flailing army inside. He did the same with Robecca and it was as he grabbed Richard that Melissa sprung to action, in one fluid motion she retrieved the cloak, unfurling it and all but jumping into the crackling slippers as she tied the cloak on. The king rumbled with laughter, dropping Richard into his gaping maw, Jack was next, hanging over his mouth as he took the moment to gloat as all villains tend to.
"YOU WIELD THOSE USELESS-"
Billina let out a triumphant cluck. Her prized egg rolled around and around Jack's hollow head before falling directly into the king's shocked mouth.
"Poison, poison"
"Poison"
"Poison"
The word reverberated throughout the entire mountain, the nomes overcome with freezing wiggly insides as they crumbled to rubble killed by the very thing the king had forbidden.
"YOU'VE DONE IT!" Nolan celebrated, running ahead of the fracturing ground.
"I don't think we have time to celebrate!" Melissa frantically tapped her heels together, "I WISH ALL OF US BACK TO OZ AND FOR EVERYTHING THERE AND BEYOND TO BE SET AS IT SHOULD BEE!"
Instead of ejecting her as they had everyone else who had ever tried to wield them, the ruby slippers obeyed Melissa transporting her and everyone else back to the emerald palace, the magic washing over both countries in waves, the plant life growing back, the animals returning just as Nolan remembered them, Ev's magic exploded over the country until the entire place glowed. The horrible terrors were reduced to ash. In Oz meanwhile, Lady Gray found herself chained in the lowest level of the dungeons while the wheelers were deposited in the desert, reduced to sand never to harm another.
And throughout Oz, the people were waking.
...
"She's waking up,"
"Shh, not so loud"
"What hit me?" Melissa groaned, eyes still closed as she rubbed her head. There had been a blinding red flash and then everything had gone black.
Slowly, she forced her eyes open, finding herself surrounded, by a group looking down at her with concern.
"Melissa? Are you able to sit up?" Robecca asked quietly.
"I think so?" It took some effort but she managed to push herself up, "What happened?"
"You defeated the Nomes"
"I-what?"
"And restored both countries"
"Slow down, I did what?"
It finally occurred to her that she was no longer in the sweltering mountain. Instead, she was in a comfortable bed at the center of a richly decorated room with gleaming marble floors and tall ceilings. Looking at the group surrounding her she saw, Robecca, Tik-Tok, Hoodude, Tigger, Carmen, and Jack. The Gump was there too but it was just his head, hung upon the wall.
"Where's Nolan?"
"Over here," he'd been tied to a chair and was being guarded by the newly restored Clawdeen and, Duncan who both glowered at him, "Can you please tell them I have no idea where Christina is?"
"I find that hard to believe," Duncan growled with flames in his mouth, "You had these" he held up Christina's silver shoes.
Melissa got out of bed, crossing the room where she freed Nolan from his restraints, "He doesn't know where Christina is, he was helping me search"
"See? I told you! I had the shoes because I grabbed them before the mountain started falling apart"
"Then like, WHERE is my wife!" Shaggy slammed open the door, "I've like, been all over the city, she's nowhere to be found!"
"I never did find her," Melissa admitted sorrowfully, "I tried..."
"We know," Robecca assured.
"I don't know," Melissa hung her head realizing for the first time that her clothes had changed. Instead of the dirty, torn work dress this one was a gauzy red fabric the color of a currant ending just short of her ankles allowing her to see the magical red slippers still glimmered on her feet. The cloak had become a hooded cape, attached to the dress that flowed behind her when she walked. She turned to get a better look at herself only to gasp with surprise.
Christina smiled at her from behind the glass.
"You helped me escape the doctor during that storm," Melissa realized.
"Yes"
"CHRISTINA!" Shaggy cried, rushing to the mirror only to slam against the glass, "You're still trapped," his ears dropped sadly.
"I think, I think I can help" Melissa remembered, stepping up to the mirror, resting her hand against the glass where much to the shock of the others, Christina was able to intertwine her fingers with Melissa's slowly stepping through the glass.
"How did you-" Shaggy blinked in surprise before grabbing tightly onto Christina.
"I've done it before," Melissa smiled over her shoulder at Richard.
"CHRISTINA!" her friends surged forward for a giant group hug while Melissa stepped back.
"I missed you all too," Christina laughed, "I'm okay and so is the baby"
"I believe these belong to you" Duncan presented Christina's shoes to her with a smile.
"Let me," Shaggy helped her into her shoes with a smile of his own.
"Ah, much better," Christina sighed in relief, her heels shifting into soft flats, "Now, I need to speak with Melissa so if everyone could step out, I'll be fine, I promise"
The entire group rushed to do as they were asked until it was just Melissa and Christina left in the room. Christina settled into a chair, Melissa perching on the edge of the bed.
"Well," Christina laughed, "Ask me"
"I don't know where to start"
"I know the feeling just ask me whatever comes to mind"
"Why did the nomes keep calling me..."
"The Keeper Of Oz? That's what you are, Melissa"
"I don't understand if I was really born in Ev like Carmen says..."
"That's quite the tale, long, long, long ago when the outside world was becoming civilized as you know it, the young kingdoms and countries sought to drive out all the magical and non-human beings, among them, a large group of dark fae, they walked far beyond the world man knew into an endless desert where they found a singular pond. They stopped to rest and thanks to the pond the youngest among them filled the water with her magic which spread to become Oz the elder fae decided to move on but the youngest wished to stay in this newborn land to help it grow and thrive..that was my mother a great many years before I was even a thought before she'd even met my father. Oz flourished under her care becoming a haven for those who'd been displaced by the increasing expansion of the outside world and well, my aunt was the jealous type so she..'
"Created Ev"
"Yes so they're sister countries, related just as the fae who created them were but my aunt had no interest in ruling this country, she went back to man's world to seek her revenge..it killed her but the country survived. The magic of Oz, however, is an untamable force that does what it wants when it wants and when the witch who killed my parents tried to combine the magics of the two countries the Ruby Slippers were created but wouldn't be worn by just anyone"
"So what does that have to do with me?"
"You, Melissa are the living creation of that combined magic, more Oz than Ev hence the title, you are Oz and Oz is you, I merely rule the country but you can do so much more with it, with both"
"Kansas, the orphanage..how?"
"You did that yourself, I only learned about Ev afterward"
"So what now?"
"That is completely up to you," Christina stood, "I have to go see my subjects but if you want anything or need to talk just find me"
...
It steadily grew dark outside, yet, Melissa didn't move. Not at the sound of celebrations happening around her, not to answer the door when someone knocked not even when she grew tired of sitting there.
"Melissa," Richard opened the door, a tray of food in his hand, "I thought you might be hungry"
"Thank you"
He set the tray on the small table by the window before lighting the lamps and fireplace. When Melissa didn't move from her place, he guided her to the food, sitting across from her to make sure she ate.
"You look nice," he declared to get her talking.
"So do you" she quietly replied, in between bites.
"Thanks"
It felt nice to be clean and clean-shaven for the first time in months. Finally, he looked like an up-and-coming captain of the guard, close to completing training. He felt like one too. Especially with the celebrations all over the country, the palace almost bursting, everyone in the city wanted to see that the queen was okay after which they rushed to shake his hand, commending him for something he had very little part in but with so many guests it was tiresome to keep correcting them. It was pointless anyhow. Who listened when caught up in music and drink? So, when Robecca suspected aloud that Melissa might have been hungry he jumped to deliver the meal, anxious to get away if only for a moment.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"I don't know"
"Would you like me to leave?"
"No, stay"
"Is there anything else I can do?"
"No"
"Alright"
It would have been wrong to admit this aloud given Melissa's clear struggles but it was nice to be alone with her.
I wish I could help her
...
It took a week for Melissa to step out of the room she'd been given. Wearing the plainest, blend into the background frock she could find. In stocking feet, she crept the halls. Amazed but frightened by how very accurate her drawings were. The palace was quiet, a warm breeze blowing through the many open windows that lined the halls. By pure instinct she found her way into the courtyard where she sat, hidden behind the water fountain.
"I used to hide here too"
"Were you trying to find me?" Melissa barely glanced Christina's way.
"No, but I'm glad i did, you look like you want to talk"
"I still don't understand"
"I know it's confusing-"
"I'm not magical at all so how could I possibly be-"
"You just haven't tapped into it yet, your magic isn't like mine, it won't just appear you need to dig deep to access it"
"I don't know how or if I want to"
"That's okay, As I said it's completely up to you what you want to do"
"It wasn't up to you, was it?"
"No, it very much was my choice to step into this role, it may not have seemed like it to you when you wrote those histories but I wanted to do this, Wanted to rebuild what my parents had left behind, to protect it as they did but I get overwhelmed too"
"What do you do when that happens?"
"Come with me, I'll show you"
Melissa followed Christina out of the courtyard through a gate to the lawn where a twisty hedge maze opened up before them. Christina plunged ahead, her steps sure and fast.
"Where are we going?" Melissa asked, panting as she tried to keep up, the hedges started pressing together, forcing them into a spiral path.
"Here," the hedges opened up as quickly as they had started to close. Before them, surrounded by flowering trees was a perfectly smooth pond, glimmering in the sunshine, Christina settled on the carved bench with a calming breath, a small basket full of yarn appearing beside her, "I'm making a blanket for the baby, my mother did the same for me"
"This is where Oz started, isn't it?"
"Yes, I come here to feel close to my family all of them, Aunt Em and Uncle Henry have passed you see, I buried their ashes when I planted those trees there. I find it's good to keep my hands busy, it helps me to calm down"
"You built Jack"
"Yes, I was missing the scarecrows from Kansas one day, I was going to stand him in my flower garden but I think he'd much rather explore now that he's alive" From her basket, Christina grabbed another blank book and a paint palette, "It might help if you put your thoughts on paper," she handed the items to Melissa along with a pencil, "Care to try?"
Melissa sat beside the pond, spreading the book across her lap, instead of words a picture started to form, line by line. All time lost she put the pencil down to look over the sketch. Carmen's smiling face stared back at her, a baby in her arms.
Me, Melissa realized, turning the page she sketched another picture. Carmen again but panic stricken the world falling to pieces around her. The third wasn't of Carmen but of a fairy smiling with her face to the sun, "Alissa"
Christina looked up, "Did you say-"
Wordlessly, Melissa turned the book so Christina could see the page.
"My mother," Christina smiled.
"You look just like her"
"Yes, I've been told and you look like Carmen"
"How could I have been created by magic if she gave birth to me?"
"I suspect she made a wish-oh"
"Christina?"
"I think-ah the baby's coming"
Melissa jumped to her feet, "Let's get you inside" She wrapped an arm around Christina helping her to stand from the bench. They made very so progress through the maze and though the queen's labor was in the very early stages the sooner they got back to the palace, the better. But, the maze was confusing sending them in one direction then another until at last Melissa cried, "LET US OUT ALREADY" jumping back at how suddenly the maze pulled itself apart, the ground rumbling as it propelled them both to the palace doors only to settle, the maze stitching itself back together.
"I did that?"
Christina nodded.
"CHRISTY!" Shaggy ran toward them, sweeping Christina off her feet while yelling for the doctor.
...
While the rest of the palace fretted over Christina, chattering with excitement, Melissa returned to the pond, figuring she'd be more helpful staying out of the way. She sat beside the water looking at it as she contemplated her adventures, distractedly, she let her fingers drift into the water. Instantly, she found herself watching the past. Gasping in shock she pulled her hand from the water and was returned to the present. Slowly, she put her hand in the water once more. The past spread around her, the sun replaced by a bright full moon and glimmering stars.
"I wish, I wish..."
Carmen stood a few feet before her, face turned to the sky with hands clasped.
"I wish I had a child of my own, a little girl to love and teach as I never was. She'd be clever and resourceful, much stronger than I...I wish..."
The scene sped forward. Carmen discovered a man wandering the woods, hunting the black-furred deer for his dinner. She joined him. One thing led to another, Melissa shielded her eyes with her free hand, and thankfully time sped forward again. Carmen woke alone in the woods and wept realizing what had happened. A beautiful rainbow arched across the sky encasing her in its warm light but Melissa saw what Carmen hadn't. Magic curled from the ground in thick golden tendrils wrapping around Carmen who was lulled back to sleep by it.
Oz's magic had granted her wish in its own way.
Melissa saw many more things, some part of her feeling as if she'd lived them herself. When she finally pulled her hand from the pond she knew what she wanted to do.
Returning to her room, unnoticed by the others, she grabbed the glowing slippers and slid them on.
"To Kansas"
...
She landed on what must have been the farm, finding it was destroyed.
"Jenny? Toto?"
"Melissa? Melissa, is that you?" a weeping Jenny stepped out of a hastily constructed lean-to with Toto in her arms, "The clinic, it was struck by lightning, and burned to the ground everyone was rescued except the doctor, Oh, Melissa, I thought, I thought I'd never see you again and I sunk all my money into that treatment, I'm so sorry, I don't know what to do"
In less time than it took Jenny to explain, Melissa had already transported them back to the Palace.
"Where are we?"
"This is Oz, It's real," Melissa explained, "I plan to stay here but if you want to go back to Kansas I just wanted you to know I was okay"
"I've nothing to go back to"
Melissa hugged Jenny tightly, surprising her, "If you liked, you could start over here"
"A new farm?"
"I'm sure if that's what you want it can be done, now, there's someone I want you to meet"
They left Toto to sleep in the room. Melissa brought Jenny to the library where they found Carmen reading a book of maps.
"Avalon, how are you feeling? I would've come to see you but I didn't think you wanted to see me and-"
"I'm okay, now, I've had a lot of time to think," Melissa sat beside Carmen, "I'd like to stay in Oz"
"I think I will too, too many bad memories in Ev"
"I'd like you to meet, Jenny, she adopted me from the orphanage, Jenny this is Carmen, my Mom"
"Thank you for giving her a home," Carmen smiled, standing to hug the woman.
"You're welcome"
Before the conversation could continue, Richard threw open the library doors. Behind him, people were in a frenzy running every which way, some with cleaning supplies or meal ingredients still in hand.
"Richard, what-"
"Christina's had the baby and she wants you to come meet her"
"Me?"
"Yep"
"O-Okay"
...
Hesitantly, Melissa stepped into the room. Christina was tired and drenched with sweat but she was smiling at the little bundle in her arms with Shaggy over her shoulder.
"Melissa," Christina waved her forward, "Don't be shy, come say hello to our little Princess"
The baby was sleeping so peacefully that it could have been mistaken for a doll. She had rosy cheeks and a head full of curls peeking out of her little cap.
"Her name is Mallory Alissa Rose, after my grandmother, mother and I"
"She's cute," Melissa smiled, "I don't understand why you wanted to see me though"
"We never did finish our conversation"
"I don't think-"
"I think it's important. I've heard you'd like to stay?"
"How?"
"The maids know everything," Christina giggled, "Just tell me where you'd like to be and I'll see it done"
"I would like to stay in the city but I've brought my adopted mother from Kansas-"
"She'd like a farm, I know just the place"
...
A Year Later.
"Melissa! Someone's at the door!"
"You know how to answer a door, don't you, Nolan?" Melissa laughed stepping inside from the balcony she pulled off her paint-covered smock, patting her friend on the shoulder as she passed.
"Sorry," Nolan shrugged.
"That's alright"
Melissa pulled open the door to see Richard on the doorstep flowers in hand, "For you!" he presented the bouquet with a grin.
"Thank you, come in"
Richard pulled her in for a kiss, "Is there any way-"
"No, you may not see the painting before its finished, Mr Captain Of The Guard, Christina's orders"
"Okay fine but tell me if the record book has recorded anything new?"
"It always is," the two sat in plush high-backed chairs next to the living room window where Melissa could people-watch, always sketching something. Against the wall, under the protection of a magical case was the newly created book of records, its raven feather quill scritch scritching across the page as it continually recorded what happened in Oz, Ev, and the outside world. The book had been created by Melissa after she'd gotten fed up with writing by hand 24/7. So, tapping into the magic she was still adjusting to allowed her freedom to paint, sculpt, and sketch as she pleased.
"Hi, Richard," Nolan waved.
"Hello, how's the metal working?"
"Great, I should have those shields you ordered next week"
"Thanks"
Nolan had become like a brother to Melissa. The two sharing a spacious apartment in the center of the emerald city. Downstairs, Nolan worked, crafting weapons and specially made gifts. Upstairs, Melissa had plenty of space to indulge in her hobbies when she wasn't required at the Palace for council meetings with Hoodude, Robecca, Christina, and Shaggy. Clawdeen and Duncan had semi-retired to start a family of their own. In fact, the little family lived right across from Melissa
Jenny moved to Munchkin country where she ran a successful farm where Billina and her many chicks were allowed to wander free. Carmen meanwhile, traveled throughout Oz, never one to sit still for long, She took Tigger with her as her steed, and the great tiger was having much fun eating all he wished. Jack sometimes accompanied them but had done all the exploring he wished to and for the most part, helped Jenny on the farm wherever he could.
"I don't suppose I could steal you away for dinner?" Richard asked Melissa.
"As long as it isn't a painfully formal affair," she replied with a glance at her footwear. Like Christina she preferred her magical shoes to be more comfortable, changing them to boots, or sometimes flats depending on her mood.
"Never and did I tell you you look beautiful today?"
Melissa glanced at her burgundy, frillless dress then at her paint-smeared reflection in the glass, "Thank you but you're still not peeking at the painting"
"Darn," Richard snapped his fingers, "I had to try, Note to self, don't ask Tik-Tok for advice"
"Oh, come here you dork," Melissa kissed him again, wrapping her arms around his neck, "Shall we go?" she asked when they came up for air.
"After you"
There's no place like Oz, Melissa thought stepping into the sunshine.
...
*Pants heavily*
I hope that the ending was okay. I've been working for ages on this chapter, writing and rewriting as I tried to figure out a satisfactory ending and I'm still convinced I could have done better. The alternative plan was for Melissa to rule Ev but I scrapped it because it felt odd to take the Keeper of Oz out of Oz. Then Nolan was going to rule Ev but I realized that one, Nolan wouldn't want to rule anything, and two, the former people of Ev had all been turned into nomes who all died when the egg was consumed so there went that plan. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it and I'll see you in the next story.