The Wicked Witch of the East: Evanora's Return
[Part 2]
CHAPTER 8: FAY CHILD
-Emerald City-
*~ Firefly ~*
"Miss Casta?" Sleepily rubbing at her eyes with one hand, Firefly trudges into Miss Locasta's room, Mister Bear held to her chest.
Meeting her at the entrance, the witch smiles sadly, crouching down to look Firefly in the eye. "Another nightmare?"
Firefly shakes her head, thinks about it again and nods, then hesitates before taking hold of Miss Casta's sleeve. "There was fire." Despite so much time having passed since the dream she had in Mister Bear's Room, she hasn't been able to shake its effects, rendering her unable to go to bed.
Miss Casta pats her head, slow and steady. It's soothing enough to lull Firefly into a state of half-awareness. "Let's sit down and then you can tell me about it."
Lead by the hand and following along with half-closed eyes, Firefly makes it to the couch with Miss Locasta's help. Once settled, she leans into the witch's side, Mr Bear's nose poking her forearm. "Lots of fire." The Good Witch of the North is incredibly comfortable, Firefly decides. "I was a baby and there was an nice old lady." Remembering what happened wakes her instantly and she sits upright, suddenly uncomfortable. "And a really mean version of you."
"Me?"
"Well, not you. She looked like you, but your voices are different. Clothes and hair too. And she used fire magic, not the water thingy you do that makes the air all ripply." Firefly tries to replicate the way Miss Casta made the portal by gesturing with her hands, but of course, nothing happens.
"This... Other Me. What did she do?"
"She hurt the kind lady." Firefly admits sadly. "And she took me away."
"Firefly." Miss Casta sounds very serious and looks that way too when Firefly meets her gaze. It's the same way she looked when she came to save her from Mombi. "Was there anything about the dream that felt familiar? A place or object?"
"There was a rattle with lots of magic. The Other You threw it away, though. Mister Bear has the same magic too, but it's very weak. Oh! The place in the dream was in Mister Bear's Room."
"When did you have this dream?"
"Right after I found Mister Bear."
Miss Casta nods, running a hand over Firefly's hair. "We will speak with Glinda and the Wizard in the morning. For now, try to get some sleep. I'll watch over you."
Leaning back into her side, Firefly yawns and cuddles closer. "Okay."
It's the dark place again. The floaty, faceless-voices place.
It feels stranger than usual. Like something's changed. Maybe her? No. Something else.
You're doing so well.
That voice, hasn't she heard it somewhere before?
"Hello?"
That's it, keep going.
"Go where?"
That's when she sees it, an ember in the distance. It slowly gets bigger, transforming. It's not a candle flame, she realises. Rather some kind of bright light, almost like the sun.
"Where does it go?"
Nearly there.
Firefly reaches out a hand, touching it and her vision is obscured in its brightness. She closes her eyes against the glare, unable to see or feel anything. There is some kind of noise in the distance. Then, all at once, the air turns cold and everything is dark again.
"Well done, my Lady! My, what a powerful scream she has!"
Scream? Oh, has she been screaming? Wait, what is that? Warmth? Is someone holding her? It feels like it. But why can't she see anything?
"It's a girl?"
"Quite so. No doubt she will grow to be as mighty as her mother."
Mother?
There's some kind of exchange in sensation, like she's being passed on to someone else. She decides that must be the case, after all, this new warmth is different from the one before. Soft and safe.
It reminds her of something, but the more she tries to remember, the further it slips away from her.
"Hello, little one."
She's heard this voice too. She knows she has. It's familiar, gentle. She blinks her eyes furiously, but the most she can make out is a shadow leaning over her. She tries reaching out instead, chasing the shadow until she touches skin.
"Goodness, look at that! So, intelligent."
"She is."
The shadow solidifies slowly, taking on the shape of a woman with shoulder-cut hair, but Firefly still can't make out any of her features.
"Have you decided on a name?"
"Not yet, but she deserves that and more. I mustn't disappoint her."
"Even should that occur, I have every faith she will love you regardless."
-Emerald City-
*~ Locasta ~*
By the time she's halfway through her reading, Firefly's breathing changes and she relaxes fully, completely immersed in the land of dreams. It's strange in a sense, how content she seems in the instance, all trace of night terror gone from her countenance.
In the time Locasta has known the girl, she has had terrible dreams with only sparse relief in their appearance. Fortunately they seem to be less troubling since arriving in Emerald City. At first she had thought it due to being away from Gillikin Country, but now Locasta wonders if it is not rather due to what lingers here.
The child had been promised answers, granted, Locasta did not think they would come across them so soon. She had her suspicions following Tip's return-transformation, especially when Firefly retained a presence of magic about her. Then there is her personality.
Who are you?
I am Locasta, Good Witch of the North, and you child, have suffered under Mombi for far too long.
What do you mean? Mother hasn't done anything wrong.
I'm sorry dear one, but Mombi is not your mother and you are not her son.
Then who am I?
That is what I intend to find out.
Please, don't hurt her. I'm sure she didn't mean to do anything bad!
She kept you here, kept your identity from you, even enchanted you into another body. She knew full well what she was doing and she did not do so out of kindness.
I don't understand.
Mombi, I am afraid to say, is a wicked witch and you child, have been her prisoner not just within this house, but also in your body. You're a girl, little one. You have always been a girl. Now that she is defeated, you can be so once again.
But I... No, that can't be.
I am afraid it is. Now please, stand aside. She is only asleep, but should she awaken, I have no doubt her torment of the people will begin anew.
Wait! What are you going to do to her?
She will be judged before the people of Gillikin and then punished for her crimes.
If-if I agree to be turned back and go with you, do you promise you won't hurt her?
We are not cruel, child. Even should you remain, I would not bring harm to her beyond what is needed to bring her to justice.
Okay then. I'll go with you.
The girl has a kindness to her that Locasta has only seen in a rare few, yet there is one whose heart was equally bright, undimmed by any darkness. As Tip, Firefly had possessed an incredible resemblance. At the time, Locasta had waved it away as coincidence, but the more time spent in the girl's company, the starker the similarities in their character.
Casta, why do they talk about her like that?
Jealousy, perhaps. Or the fact she is a witch. People often fear what they do not understand.
But why? She hasn't done anything wrong. She saved Father!
She has also committed theft and harmed people with her magic.
She only did that to protect her sister, though!
I know. Unfortunately, wrong-doing is not easily forgotten regardless of its reason.
Well, I think she was really brave!
Then, your Highness, why not tell her so?
You think I should? Won't she get upset?
Do you plan on upsetting her?
No. Okay then. I'll do it!
Absently, Locasta cards her fingers through Firefly's hair. She looks peaceful. "Poor girl. Tomorrow is going to be hard on your kind heart." She sighs to herself, wondering how to break the news.
-Emerald City-
*~ Glinda ~*
"Locasta?"
The woman has been oddly hesitant since asking to speak with them at breakfast. Though she believed the matter regarded the discovery made the day before, Firefly hasn't left Locasta's side and the Good Witch of the North seems to prefer it that way. So perhaps, this is about more than Evanora and her secrets.
On exhale, Locasta sets down her cup. "I was told something quite curious last night."
The Wizard inches closer. "Something about Evanora?'
"Indeed," she glances at Firefly, "though I am not the best one to explain it."
"Firefly?"
"It has only recently surfaced, but the girl possesses incredible magical ability. Including traits unique to the Fae."
"That..." That should be impossible for anyone not descended of Fae Blood.
"You mean she has some kind of special power?" Oscar isn't following, that much is obvious, but his attempts to understand is admirable.
The bracing breath Locasta intakes is concerning. "She has visions. If there is an answer she seeks, it comes to her in dreams, albeit in a way much alike the answers of the Book of Records."
Glinda cannot help the gasp that escapes her.
"Wait, what does that mean?"
"It means, Wizard, that Firefly has the Blessing of the Ancient Fae. More importantly, it means that she has known her own identity without knowing her parentage."
"You cannot mean-" Glinda cuts herself off, eyes darting to Firefly to take in her overall appearance once again. Eyes bright and sparling alike earthy diamonds, lips coloured tourmaline, brown tresses tumbling in ruddy half-curls to just above her shoulders.
"She remembers the fire."
Immediately Glinda's attention snaps back to Locasta.
"She remembers Zurline starting it, and being taken away."
Beside her, the Wizard looks between them win confusion, eyes narrowed and words quiet in an attempt to puzzle together their exchange. He does so sooner than she expects. Wide-eyed, he stares at the girl by Locasta's side, likely seeing the same thing Glinda did only moments before.
There is silence, heavy and thick, hanging in the air like storm clouds.
Firefly looks between the three of them, her nerves apparent, but neither Glinda nor apparently Oz can bring themselves to say aloud the odd revelation that has come down upon them.
In the end, as she has done so many times in the past, it is Locasta who deals the blow.
"Firefly is Evanora's daughter."
I apologise for the chapter being late. I didn't work on it ahead of time, got distracted by the necessities of life, and then was too busy procrastinating to work on it when I found time. I also lacked inspiration.
In other words, the chapter is late because I neglected to write it. Sorry.
Fare thee well – until we meet again.
– L.L.