The Wicked Witch of the East: Evanora's Return
[Part 2]
CHAPTER 4: ORISON
-Emerald City-
*~ Glinda ~*
"I don't understand it. If she refused, then…"
"There is no doubt in my mind that Evanora did use an Apple of Vitiation," Locasta cuts in firmly, not giving Glinda the chance to say out loud that perhaps Evanora killed King Ozgood whilst in her right mind. "The event you saw must have occurred before that."
"So the witch was right then? Evanora went to the East to meet her." The Wizard seems puzzled by something, but Glinda is honestly not in a state to care about his confusion when her own carries far more weight.
"Most likely. In fact, the witch might have planned it."
Rubbing her temples, Glinda gesticulates with her free hand. "But who is she? She doesn't resemble any witch we have encountered, good or wicked."
"From your description?" Locasta exhales heavily. "Zurline. It matches exactly."
"So Zurline appeared to Evanora after this battle, offered her the chance for power which Evanora declined, then did something to ensure Evanora comes to her – and, what? Shoved this apple down her throat?" Oz splays out his hands, incredulous.
"Don't be ridiculous." The Witch of the North rolls her eyes. "The Apple of Vitiation must be eaten willingly."
"A contract then," Glinda realises with dismay.
"To rule Emerald City?" He doesn't sound convinced and truth be told, neither is Glinda.
"You said this was about around Andahan's death, correct?"
The announcement of his death jumps to the forefront of her mind and Glinda nods, heart heavy.
"Which means Orison's following attacks left Evanora at the front lines. Constantly facing his murderer – her father."
She flinches at the reminder.
"I'm sorry, the front lines? Against this terrible wizard who is apparently also her father?" Oz shakes his head. "Perhaps we're talking about a different Evanora because the one I met didn't seem the type. She was terrified of the Wicked Witch- er, well. The person she painted as the Wicked Witch."
"The Apple of Vitiation grants power in turn for the loss of a witch's territory trait – Theodora's innocence and Evanora's courage."
"The Four Cardinal Points," she remembers the lessons on it.
"Anyone mind explaining to the wizard?"
"The Four Cardinal Points: North, South, East and West. Each is governed by a witch and each territory have their individual traits." Locasta leans back in her chair, making herself comfortable. "The North is best known for its wisemen, thus wisdom. The South once housed the capital of all Oz, the heart of our nation, and so love, or kindness if you will, was most prominent. There was a time when the West was a refuge and garden for children, so innocence was chosen as the leading factor in selecting a Cardinal Witch from Winkie Country. For the East, a region once overrun by wild monsters and all manner of perils, it was courage."
Oscar blinks in surprise. "You have a system to choose a Cardinal Witch?"
"Most are born to the position," Glinda corrects, "usually identified by the king and then trained by either a predecessor or a witch belonging to the corresponding region."
"What about wicked witches? How are they," he gestures uncertainly, "chosen?"
Locasta shrugs. "Self-defined, other wicked witches or the Fountain of Darkness, I suppose. Situations differ."
"Is it the same for wizards?"
Her mind immediately goes to Orison. According to the Book of Records, he lost what kindness he had long before Evanora was born.
"Hard to say. Orison and the king were the only wizards in recent years." Locasta casts Oz a sardonic smile. "Before you of course, Majesty."
"This wizard Orison, Evanora's father. Who is he exactly?"
The last man Glinda wants to think about.
"So-called defeater of the wicked witch Morella, Wizard King of the West, husband of Vaneeda, slayer of the Cardinal Witches and murderer of Prince Andahan." The Witch of the North scoffs. "If you ask me, he deserved worse than the curse Evanora placed on him."
"Okay, I'm still behind on my studies. Correct me if I'm wrong: Morella was the Wicked Witch of the West during the time Malvania was Wicked Witch of the East?"
"Yes."
"And Malvania was defeated by the Cardinal Witch Vaneeda – I'm guessing the same Vaneeda who is the mother of our current resident witches of east and west?"
"And Malvania's sister."
He runs a hand over his face. "I'm starting to see why Evanora and Theodora are the way they are."
Glinda tries not to fidget at the reminder.
"One cannot solely blame that on their upbringing and circumstance. The bloodline has been cursed for generations."
Which might explain why Orison was so interested in marrying into it, not that he apparently realised that given the way he treated his family.
"The Cardinal Witches are the riling witches of Oz and at the time Vaneeda was Cardinal Witch of the East, there was a witch named Feah who was Cardinal of the North? And the Cardinal Witch of the South was Queen Gayelette, King Pastoria's second wife who was most likely killed by Zurline?" He pauses for confirmation, but Locasta seems more than willing to go along with all the questions, so Glinda refrains from answering.
"Officially, Orison killed her using the Silver Whistle, but since Zurline was the one she had lost it to, I can only assume that it was loaned to him for that exact purpose. Regardless, that's opinion not fact. Fact is that she died and that Glinda came into power after her."
Oscar glances at her, but apparently doesn't find her distressed because he delves right back into this impromptu history-conspiracy lesson. "Right, so, two witches died by his hand, one disappeared and one isn't mentioned. Where does this Prince Andahan fit in?"
"He was my brother." She quietly admits.
"Half-brother." Locasta corrects, sending her a look that Glinda chooses to ignore. "As Glinda was in line to become a Cardinal Witch, Andahan was chosen as the heir apparent and expected to continue the royal line. A good boy, though more a scholar than a politician."
Protests rise in her, but Glinda pushes them down.
"And since I haven't heard anything of him before, I take it he must of died rather young."
"He lived long enough to be married at the very least." Locasta sighs, as though she feels the same weight Glinda does at having to talk about him so impersonally. "Killing is forbidden, but battles still waged, often magical in nature and though not deadly the curses flung from one side to another could incapacitate someone for centuries. When Orison declared war on Emerald City, he had no care for the spells he used. Andahan was caught in the crossfire during a diplomatic venture."
"Good thing I can't leave the palace then."
"Might well be. At least for the time being."
"Pardon me for intruding on your retelling of my brother's fall, but might we return to the matter at hand? That is, Zurline and her coven?" Her tone is harsher than she means it to be, but the words have already passed her lips, she can hardly retract them now.
Although Oz looks chastised, Locasta raises a brow. "I believe the matter at hand is your experience in the Hall of Records. Or was it not you who asked questions about Evanora?"
Evanora. Evanora. Evanora.
Why is the witch haunting her like this?
"I think this conversation is over." She stands to leave, but Locasta is the Wise Witch of the North and nothing if not aware.
"Running away from them won't make hard truths any easier."
Glinda pretends she doesn't hear.
-Emerald City-
*~ Firefly ~*
"You're very lucky."
China Girl tilts her head, a confused smile on her perfect face. "What do you mean?"
Firefly isn't sure how to say what she means, so she motions around her – to the room, the castle, Emerald City. "You have so many people around you, you can go where you want and you have your family." She slumps down on the bed. "You're very lucky."
"Well, I wasn't always."
Firefly scrunches her face in a frown. "You weren't?"
With a shake of her dainty head, China Girl scoots over and sits down beside her. "A year ago, I lived in China Town with Mama and Papa and everyone else." She looks down, quiet. "It happened right after the Wizard arrived. We were celebrating, everyone out in the streets." Her voice gets scratchy so Firefly reaches out a hand in comfort. China Girl smiles at her, all watery eyed. "The Wicked Witch sent her baboons to attack us."
Fangs and claws immediately come to mind, along with hateful black eyes. Firefly shivers.
"It was… There were screams in the streets, glass everywhere you stepped. People I know looking back, but not seeing, their bodies broken." She chokes. "My parents told me to hide. So, I ran to our house. Everything around me was shaking. I was so scared, I couldn't even speak. I just knew I had to hide away. idHi Hide so they don't see me. Hide so that I can't get hurt."
Firefly doesn't like this story. Perhaps she shouldn't have asked.
"The next day, Finley and the Wizard found me. They stayed with me and told me everything would be alright. And even though he isn't a real wizard, Oz fixed my legs," China Girl pulls her skirt up, showing Firefly the barely visible scars, tracing each with a glass finger. "After that we met Glinda and one by one I met every person now part of my family."
"It sounds so horrible though. How did you get through it?"
"Well. I guess it got better because I met the Wicked Witch."
Brows furrowing in confusion, Firefly shakes her head. "How could that have helped?"
"She wasn't the person I thought she was."
"What do you mean?"
"At the time, there was a lot of confusion surrounding the truth of the Wicked Witch. Some people thought it was Glinda," she laughs, "and we did too, at first. But Glinda and the resistance told us it was Evanora."
Locasta and the others were talking about someone named Evanora, weren't they? "Who's Evanora?"
"The Wicked Witch. At least the one from the King's Prophecy."
Locasta said something like that too. "I don't understand."
"Well, Evanora was the royal advisor, but she betrayed King Pastoria and poisoned him. She framed Glinda for all of it and banished her to the South. Then she took over Emerald City. She sent the Wizard to kill Glinda, but he realised she wasn't wicked and talked with her instead, giving us the chance to learn the truth."
"So she's the one who destroyed your town?" Could she be the one who sent those things after Firefly?
"No. Evanora didn't have the Silver Whistle. The baboons were never loyal to her. Of course, we didn't know that until later."
"How does that make you feel better about your town?"
"It wasn't that. In fact, I didn't like her at all, but…" She sighs. "After we retook Emerald City from her and her sister, we found things she was working on. We thought it was a disguise at first, to hide what she was really doing, but it wasn't. She was really, truly trying to help the people of Oz."
"But if she was trying to help, why would she…"
China Girl shrugs, sounding frustrated. "We don't know. Finley says she was under some sort of curse. That she didn't want to but had to. Glinda says Evanora made the decision to kill the king because she was angry and the Wizard thinks something else happened that we don't know about."
"Where is she now?"
"No idea. Glinda defeated her in a witch's fight, banishing her from Emerald City." Pushing up, China Girl makes her way to the top of the bed, settling in. "Anyway, the Wizard will be here soon. We should get in bed."
Firefly wants to hear more about the Wicked Witch, but China Girl probably won't say anything else tonight. Maybe she can ask Locasta tomorrow?
It's dark and it feels like she's floating. It should be peaceful, she thinks, but something doesn't feel right. Her body feels tingly and her heart is pounding. It's so loud too.
Suddenly, unexplainably, there's a jolt, a shock and she feels cold. She's tossed across the room and it hurts and makes her feel dizzy and nauseas. She doesn't like it at all. "Stop," Firefly shivers.
Then, gradually, she feels the warmth return. Someone has their hand on her head, but just like last time there isn't anyone around.
Last time?
That's right. She's been here before. The voices. The voices who can't hear her.
I'm sorry.
"Who are you?"
But they still can't hear her.
I'm so sorry.
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Until next time.
– L.L.