The rain fell. In Oz, this was a rare event. But when it started, it would rain for days. It was typical for there to be rain for only several days out of the year, but when it did rain, it would downpour relentlessly with no signs of it slowing down.
As she heard her parents argue outside her room, Theodora pressed her face against the enormous glass window of her bedroom as her legs were curled up on the floor. She slumped and appeared depressed as she stared sullenly outside while the rain drops hit her window. She saw people far down below her running from the various marketplaces and taking cover. The shouts from her mother and father continued uninterrupted in a nearby hallway of the palace.
Meanwhile, Evanora was in her own room mired in her own thoughts. What happened at the dance convinced her that the king needed to be disposed. In the ensuing days, she gave her plan considerable thought. She knew that once she put her plan in motion, there would be no going back.
Her first course of action would be to convince Lurline to act as a co-conspirator. Evanora believed that her mother would agree as her father had routinely abused her. Additionally, Evanora was her mother's favorite. Still, Lurline was a meek woman, and she was worried that her mother would hesitate.
Moreover, the method was still undefined. Evanora did not know what to do with her own father. Should she attempt to imprison him? But how could she? He was the king. No matter how abusive he had become to his youngest daughter and even to his own wife, no one could just imprison the king. Over the past several months, Evanora had noticed that her father's mental state had rapidly deteriorated. Once a king with capricious mood swings, he had also become increasingly violent. He was not the king that he once was, even though he was still able to put on a fake and false face to the entire Ozian populace. The denizens loved him, even though they never saw what was under his mask. But Evanora knew the truth. Inside, she knew that he was truly a monster.
No, imprisonment would not work. And while she contemplated exile, the king had too many allies. If he was exiled, he would surely return and kill her for treason and disloyalty.
She had to kill him.
Once the king was dead, Evanora decided that the plan was for Lurline to take over as Emerald City's Ozma. Once this happened, the abuse against her family would cease and there would be a female ruler. Evanora knew that her father's reign was an insult to the Faeries who long ago enchanted Oz. Pastoria was never meant to become the ruler of the land, but he did so mainly through sheer luck, force of will and by marriage. By divine right, Evanora knew that Lurline had the right to rule, but she had ceded that right to her husband because she was afraid of him and did not have the confidence to assume control. Evanora would make sure that her father would die. And once that happened, peace would come to her family once more.
After yet another vicious argument that ended with the king assaulting his wife and her screams echoing throughout the palace hallways for all to hear, Evanora quietly snuck into her parent's bedroom. Pastoria had already left to attend a meeting with his advisors, so Evanora knew the time was right to discuss options with her mother.
"Are you crazy", Lurline said as bruises from the beating still covered her body. "We can't overthrow the king!" Even when she was passionate and opinionated, the queen was never one to raise her voice. She was always soft spoken and articulate, even though Evanora knew that she was a battered woman who lived in fear of her husband. "He's done a lot for us, and he's respected throughout Oz…" However, through a flicker of her eyes, Evanora could see that Lurline had doubts of her own words.
"Mother, you see how he treated little sister. You see how he treats you. I fear that things are only going to become worse. He's not stable."
Lurline lowered her head and gave considerable thought to what her daughter was saying. "I always thought I could control his anger. And I never agreed with what he wanted to do with Theodora, even though I see the same anger in her as I do in him."
She then looked up at Evanora. "What would you have me do?"
"Give him a drink synthesized with poppies. I can mix it with the Ozian soda that he drinks every night before going to bed."
"And then what", Lurline asked.
"Then you take over the duties of ruling the Emerald City", Evanora responded.
"But the Emerald City is not going to follow me! Do you think I can simply walk into the council chambers and command the Emerald City Guards to obey my orders?"
Evanora gave her a dead stare. "Yes, I do."
Seeing that her mother was silent and indecisive, Evanora went on the offensive. "You are the divine ruler, as stipulated by your birth! That bastard has no right to rule and tell us what to do! The Faeries who founded Oz were all women…"
"Witches…", Lurline blurted out.
"That's what Ozians call us, but not what the Faeries called themselves. It is us who have divine blood! It is our right to rule!"
"And what about your father? He is a Wizard! He is my husband…"
But Evanora scoffed at this. "Pfft…a Wizard. It is the mother who passes along the powers of the Faeries…not the father! He would be nothing if his mother was a mere mortal!"
Lurline averted her eyes and stared at the floor and the green glow of the emeralds. She was still hesitant. She then looked up at her daughter. "Let me talk to him first. Maybe I can get him to change his ways…"