"You hate being the Wizard?" The council leader interrupted his testimony with a confused expression on his face and a curious tone in his voice. "And confiding this information with an enemy of the Emerald City? Was that really the wisest thing to do?" There were audible whispers among the crowd in attendance.
The Wizard sighed. "Yes, what I said was true", he replied. "But I don't view Theodora—"
"You mean the Wicked Witch of the West!", the talking tiger interjected and chided him.
The Wizard lowered his head as he raised his brow and stared at the tiger angrily. "May I continue?", he grumbled.
The council remained quiet. "I don't view the witch as an enemy of the city. She may be misguided, she may be prone to outbursts of anger and be naïve at times with how the world works. But she's not evil."
The short Munchkin woman chimed in. "But she is wicked! And she demonstrated that when she not only sided with Evanora, the killer of the former king. She even led an attack against the Quadlings, our greatest ally. She not only attacked you not once, but twice. How could you defend her actions?"
The Wizard shifted his eye and pursed his lips in slight irritation. "I am not defending her actions. But we can't view her in such black and white terms. She was not given all of the information needed to make the right decision. She is young and impressionable. She was manipulated, and it is my belief that she has been manipulated by the highest levels of Ozian society all of her life. My only sincere regret was playing a role in how she turned out."
The talking purple bunny on the council interjected. "What do you mean by the highest levels of Ozian society? Do you mean…manipulated by her parents? By King Pastoria and Queen Lurline…?"
"Yes", the Wizard softly stated. This admission made the audience burst into loud shrieks of gasps and incoherent chatter. "Order! Order!", the elder council leader forcefully hit his mallot on the table. "This proceeding will come to order!" The auditorium grew silent once more.
The bunny stared at the Wizard as he continued with his questions. "Did you really go because you received that letter or did you go because deep down you felt responsible for how this young witch turned out?"
For a moment, the room was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. The Wizard nervously touched his forehead with his fingers.
"It was probably a little bit of both. I had pangs of regret over these last three years, but I wouldn't have gone to the Winkie Country if not prompted. The letter finally compelled me to act."
"And were you scared?", the bunny replied.
The Wizard slightly nodded. "I was petrified."
The bunny held his fingers close to its face. "And would you say you became more comfortable as your stay there continued?"
"Yes. For a while. As I stayed, it became clear to me that this witch was not some bogeyperson that Ozians should fear. It occurred to me that this woman, despite her flaws, is still a person who has feelings and emotions. And that there is an opportunity for the Emerald City. If we collectively write her off as wicked and irredeemable, we miss an opportunity to genuinely develop a beneficial relationship with her and her Winkie subjects…"
The audience members started to mumble amongst themselves again. The talking bunny rabbit raised his eye brow as he focused his gaze at the Wizard. "…So, are you openly suggesting we communicate with a witch who has threatened us by sending Winkie troops to the border of our city?"
The Wizard passionately shot back. "There were no official reports of any attacks for the three years since she left the Emerald City. And if I may put this on the record, this is the only home that she grew up in..."
The Munchkin on the council sighed and crossed her arms defensively as the talking bunny gestured with his paw. "I only have one more question before you continue your testimony. Would you consider this wicked witch to care about you?" There was again a quiet and collective murmur heard throughout the audience as the entire council now stared intently at the Wizard.
"I think so, yes", the Wizard shrugged.
Suddenly, the large entrance door of the auditorium slowly creaked open. The spectators and audience members who were seated in their chairs turned around. All eyes were now gazing upon an Emerald City guard. Unlike the other guards that exuberated a tall and masculine dominance, this one appeared rather odd: he was short and effeminate looking. His green and gold vest was too large for his thin body and his helmet was too big for his own head, causing it to slowly slump and cover his eyes. In response, the guard would have to raise his helmet with his hand so he could see.
From his seat, the Wizard's eyes narrowed. He had never noticed this guard before. However, he was carrying a monkey on his shoulder that he instantly recognized. The Wizard grinned brightly at Finley before turning around in his seat to face the council once more.
The elderly council leader motioned with his hand to the newcomers. "Please have a seat", he beckoned. The murmurs in the audience began to die down once again.
He then turned back to the Wizard. "I believe all of the council are finished with our questions for now. You may continue with your story and testimony…"