"Hello, I am here to see—" The Wizard was at the closed gate to Theodora's castle. He saw two Winkie Guards standing next to the entrance that he didn't recognize, while the wall itself was unmanned. He was about to announce his arrival and expected to be questioned by them, but the two guards simply opened the gate without him finishing his sentence. He then tipped his hat, smiled, and said, "much obliged."

Some things hadn't changed over the course of the previous year. It still took nearly twenty minutes to walk through the expansive castle grounds and its gardens to finally arrive at the front door of the castle itself. But the Wizard did notice that some things had changed. For one, he noticed a building on the grounds that he had never seen before. As he passed it by on his way to the castle, he saw a sign that said "Winkie School." He also noticed that the farm hands that walked along the paths and attended to the gardens now appeared to be better dressed. When he last appeared at the castle, they wore raggedy clothes, but now their garb was more baroque, like the design that Ozians wore at the Emerald City.

The Wizard melodically knocked on the front castle door and a random guard opened it. "Hello, I am here to see—"

"Wizard?" He recognized that soft feminine voice from across the glass rotunda and down the hall.

"Bella", the Wizard smiled as she ran up to greet him and gave him a hug. "What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to come in another three days!" She eyed him happily nevertheless as they broke off their embrace. "Oh, I hope I wasn't wrong, and the girls didn't miscalendar anything…"

But the Wizard simply smiled at her in return and gently waved off her concerns. "Oh no, no, no, you didn't do anything wrong. I decided to come early."

"It is good to see you." For a moment, neither of them spoke before Bella continued again. "Well, I am sure you are here to see the Mistress. Come, follow me and I will lead you to her. Uhh…she might be in a meeting, but…" She then winked at him and flashed a small smile on her lips. "I think she will be alright if it's interrupted."

As they walked, the pair began to catch up. "So, how has everything been going since I was last here?", the Wizard asked.

"Ohhh, it has been going sooo much better", Bella said with much relief. "I don't know what happened and I know the last time you were here we sort of had to sneak you out, but…" She then stopped walking as she began to whisper into his ear. "Wizard, she changed. I-I don't know what you did or what you said, but she's changed somehow! I thought that her changing would have been an impossible feat, but somehow you did it and I can't quite explain it!"

The Wizard stopped walking when Bella did and simply grinned as he looked at her and shook his head. "Oh, come on, I didn't do anything…"

"Well, you must have done something right", she continued. "I mean, now the Mistress has a school built and all the young Winkies are attending. She even made peace with the Winkie resistance and placed my father in charge of the school! My father of all people! Farmers no longer must give her half their rations, but if they do, they are now paid for it. Everyone who works for her is being paid and I am no longer forced to work any overnights!"

"And are you—" The Wizard was about to ask if she was being enrolled in school, but she sensed his question and responded accordingly. "Yes! I go part time and still work for the Mistress because my family really needs the money, so she's paying me to do both!"

She then looked at him as her smile and excited demeanor gave way to one of seriousness. "Wizard, please, I need to ask you honestly. You don't have to hide things from me. What did you do to her? This is in all seriousness. Did you place a spell on her? Did you use your Wizardly powers? Please, I have to quell the rumor mill with the girls, and I want to hear it from your mouth. What did you do to her?"

The Wizard chuckled at her probing, but once again shook his head. "I swear to you Bella, but I didn't do anything. Theodora changed because she wanted to. That's really the only explanation I could give."

She then looked at him playfully before she continued to walk, and he followed. "Okay, okay, okay, you like to work secretly. I got it. Oh, and by the way, I think one of the Tinkers are going to come here soon and install your washing machine and dryer. What else are you going to plop out of your hat of magic? Do you think you can build us a magical bunny rabbit who likes to work and perform castle errands?"

The pair laughed as Bella continued to lead the way. They finally arrived at a closed door to one of the parlor rooms that was adjacent to the smaller dining room where the Wizard had worked on his blueprints the last time he visited. "She's in here", Bella whispered to him. "Just go on in." She smiled at him as she then departed and walked down another hallway of the castle.

"Remember that even when you have a bad day, the Faeries are always with you. And they will never leave you or abandon you." As the pair had been making their way to the parlor room, Theodora and another Winkie woman were sitting on a couch. She had placed her hand, darker than Theodora's light-skinned complexion, onto the witch's as she continued to talk to her. "And that you are loved. Always."

"Thank you", the witch replied. "It's just I still sometimes get these thoughts. That I'm not good enough. That the Winkies are taking advantage of me or that they hate me and I—"

"Remember", the dark skinned elderly Winkie woman said. "Remember that it is okay to have urges and these thoughts. They are natural reactions to habits. An urge is a feeling you are having, it is not a 'must'. You can have these feelings and choose not to act on them. This urge is temporary and like any other feeling, it will pass on its own. In time…"

Suddenly, the door to the parlor room they were in opened as the Wizard slowly stepped in. "Wizard!", Theodora gasped as he entered, not knowing that he had disturbed a private moment. "Oh, I am so sorry! I didn't know if you were really busy…I—I can wait in the hall if you—"

"No, no, that is okay", the Winkie woman sitting next to the witch on the couch said. "Our session is finished for the day." She then eyed Theodora. "I will see you in another three days' time. Please remember to keep writing all your positive affirmations in your journal." As the elderly woman stood up, she smiled as she approached the door. "Ahhh, you must be the Wizard. The one who I have heard so much about…" When the woman approached him, she held out her hand and he took it. "My name is Harriet. It is nice to meet you." She then turned her head back to the witch who was looking at the Wizard with wide eyes and a radiant smile. "I finally get to meet him in the flesh, I see."

"Isn't he wonderful", she said cheerfully.

And as soon as the older woman had left the parlor room, Theodora lunged off the couch in excitement, ran towards the Wizard energetically and gave him a huge bear hug. "Woah!', he said as she nearly jumped, closed her eyes, and wrapped her arms around him tightly. "I missed you, Wizard", she said in a small yet tender voice.

He smiled as he completed the hug, his hands resting on the backside of her red velvety gown. They then broke the embrace as their eyes met. "Theodora, I—", he started to respond, but was interrupted when the witch moved her finger to his lips. "Save the thought, Wizard. Come." She then grabbed his hand with hers as she led him to the dining room across the way. "You must be hungry", she replied. "Let me prepare something for you."

"Wait, wait, wait", the Wizard responded with some surprise in his voice. "You cook?"

The witch turned to him and silently nodded. "Wow", he said. He then pointed at her playfully. "Okay, I want to know right now. What have you done with the real Theodora."

To which, she smiled. "I thought about everything that you said to me when we last saw each other. I thought about it every night after your trial and subsequent release. I—I was selfish. And, I guess you could say, entitled too. I realized that I wanted to do what you suggested, everything about getting the Winkies to like me and all. Everything you said about how I had to be the one to bring change into my world. And all…"

As she spoke, the Wizard shot her the biggest grin she had ever seen. "What?", she asked, stopping mid-sentence.

"Theodora, I…I am so happy for you!", he said, finally bursting into merriment and a chuckle. "You have no clue how happy this makes me. I am so happy for you. You have no idea."

"Aww" she said, giving him another radiant smile. "And I know I'm early", he responded.

"Of course, but that is never an issue, Wizard. You can come here whenever you want. This castle is your home, too…and…and thank you for believing in me." Her smile then disappeared as she then remembered what she wanted to do for him. "Food…yes…so why don't you have a seat and I'll—"

He then held his hand up gently. "Theodora, wait", he said. "I ate right before I left the Emerald City. But there's another reason why I came here early. Do you remember the whole fiasco with the letter?"

Her eyes narrowed as she subtly nodded her head. "Yes. Glinda wrote you a letter to come here, but then Glinda didn't write the letter? That part had always confused me, but Wizard…" Her look turned into another wide-eyed smile. "I forgive you and—"

"Well, apparently, the actual letter writer wants to meet me…"

Her demeanor became serious once again. "What?"

"Yeah, whoever it is wants to meet me. On the top of the highest Winkie peak where it snows. They sent me another letter while I was at the Emerald City palace and—"

The witch placed her finger in the air between them. She then turned and hurriedly started to run in the direction of her bedroom. "Hold that thought, Wizard! I will be ready in a jiffy!" As she ran towards her bedroom, the Wizard shook his head as he begrudgingly started to follow her. You know, we could still just have a coffee and talk at the dining room table, he thought to himself. But when she wanted to be, Theodora was like an energetic chipmunk on a sugar high. And when he finally entered her bedroom, he saw her opening drawers and cabinets and scattering random clothes all over the bedroom. She was now out of sight as she entered one of her walk-in closets. He held his hands up in confusion. Had this woman gone mad? What was she doing?

"Theodora?", he asked, but all he heard was the rustling and ruffling of various items and articles of clothing. "Theodora?", he said again as he ventured deeper into her room and approached her bed. "Found it!", she said excitedly, the witch still out of his sight. She finally emerged from her closet holding a big red crimson fluffy fur coat.

"I didn't know where I placed this, but I always kept it just in case I'd ever have to walk in the snow, you know?" She eyed him eagerly. "Ready when you are, Wizard."

He lowered his head and smiled. He then gazed at her again. "Thank you. This is exactly what I wanted, for you to accompany me."

The journey to the base of the mountain wasn't as arduous a trek as the Wizard imagined it to be. Despite leaving from the Emerald City very early, he arrived at the witch's castle by mid-morning and then to the location point by midafternoon. Along the way, the pair made small talk and caught up with their lives.

The Wizard felt slightly tired, but this was tempered by his adrenaline. He was filled with anticipation, but also worry. Still, he felt better that Theodora had accompanied him, believing that having a witch on his side would better his odds if this was a trap.

But when they got to the base, there was no one there. The Wizard began to look around worriedly. "Where—the letter said this would be the meeting point, but I don't see anyone."

Still holding her fur coat, the witch placed her hands on her hips, her hat protecting her face from the warm Ozian sun. "Maybe we're just at the wrong meeting spot? I mean, regardless, we could still always just fly up there, Wizard."

This made him nervous. "Uhh, well, I don't think that'll be a good idea..."

But she brushed off his concerns. "Oh, come on, Wizard, I know you can fly. I mean, you did it when you jumped off that waterfall and all."

He cringed. "I mean, Theodora, I don't believe—"

"Are you the Wizard?"

The pair turned around startled, not realizing they were being watched. A middle-aged man with a mustache then emerged into the clearing. He wore a simple button-down shirt and a pair of blue jeans, which were clothes that Theodora or the Wizard did not recognize before and seemed out of place in the Land of Oz.

The Wizard answered him, almost stuttering. "Y-yes, I am the Wizard."

"Then follow me", the man responded.

The pair followed a safe distance behind the mysterious man as he led the way. "Be prepared", the Wizard whispered into the witch's ear. "In case he tries to do anything that seems suspicious." She nodded silently. He didn't know what was going to happen, but he still did not want to be caught off guard in case they were being led into a trap.

They walked around the base of the mountain, but as they did so, something else came into view, something which caught the Wizard's eye and shocked him. It was…the machine! That metallic, buzzing, whirring object that he had seen in the year prior. He remembered it like it was yesterday. How could he forget? He saw it flying over the sky as he sat in one of the garden courtyards adjacent to the castle. He remembered the banner attached to it with the four words that had been seared into his mind ever since: come find us Wizard!

"Get in", the man said as he stepped towards the metallic object and opened the rear door for them. As the Wizard was about to take a step forward, the witch held her hand out and grabbed his arm. "Wizard…don't. I have a bad feeling—"

"It's okay", the man responded. "It's perfectly safe."

The witch eyed the Wizard with suspicion, but the pair finally relented, and they entered the object. "What is this?", the Wizard asked as he and Theodora took a seat in the back.

"It's a helicopter", the main answered. "Ready to fly?" And not before long, that is exactly what the metallic tube they were in did. There was a low roar as the rotors started to spin above them and the object began to float above the ground. It took some time for them to ascend the mountain as the Wizard looked out the window and at all the controls in front of the aircraft. He was impressed. He had never seen a "helicopter" before. The witch, however, was grabbing his arm and holding it anxiously. Finally, the copter cleared the peak, the mountaintop came into view and the aircraft approached the landing. By now, a light snow was falling as the craft made its final approach. There was a thud sound as the landing skids made a gentle impact on the ground. The pilot then opened his door, got out of the craft, and then opened the door for the pair to exit from the rear of the chopper.

"Proceed down the path to the village and you will find the house", the man said as the noises of the rotor blades were still heard. "It sticks out like a sore thumb."

"Thank you", the Wizard said, his voice nearly being drowned out from the sound of the rotors. "What's your name?"

"David", the man replied.

Theodora had placed the fur coat over her as the pair made their way towards the village. "Be careful", the Wizard said before they climbed out of the craft that they were in. "Make sure you are fully covered. It's snowing." However, the witch came prepared as the fur coat she wore also had a thick red hood.

The Wizard placed his arms around himself as he started to shiver. "Aren't you cold?", Theodora asked. "No, I'm alright", he answered as they continued to walk. "Come, Wizard", she said jubilantly as the pair slowly started to trudge in the snow as the witch hid her hands inside her jacket sleeves. "We are gonna go where Santa Clause lives…"

The Wizard scoffed. "Oh, come on, Theodora. Santa Clause? That is the most ridic—"

But as they approached the village, the witch became excited as she then started to run on the snow as fast as her boots could take her, flailing her wrists and swinging her arms cheerfully and in a somewhat child-like manner.

"Slow down", the Wizard said worriedly, much like a parent would a child. "Don't go so fast. You don't want to fall." But he then heard something that he hadn't in a long time: Christmas music. As they entered the town square of this small but quaint village, they heard jingle bells, general merriment, and the deep masculine sound of "ho ho ho."

"Isn't this wonderful, Wizard?", Theodora asked as she stared at the town in wide-eyed awe. "This is where Santa Clause lives…"

"You don't say", he responded as he began to rotate his head and gazed at the town. The town was small and circled around the square they were in. It was basic, but charming, having a general store, several Victorian homes and all the glittering of lights and ornaments that made up Christmas.

They then saw a house which sat at the edge of the Christmas village that stood out: a large, black, and foreboding home. "Come", the Wizard said as the pair slowly made their way towards its entrance. The home was surrounded by a dilapidated wooden fence, which made the haunting property look entirely out of place. The music was a faint whisper and the snow had stopped by the time they arrived at the front door, where a figure draped in a black hood greeted them.

"Wizard, please proceed inside." As the pair both took steps towards the door, the figure stopped the witch by placing his hand on her shoulder. "Only the Wizard may proceed. Inside, you will find whom you seek."

"Theodora, it's okay", the Wizard told her when she was about to object. "I'll be okay." He then placed his hand on the doorknob, slowly turned and opened the door. A dark void greeted him, and he stepped through. The door then slammed shut behind him.

It took him a while for his eyes to adjust to the pitch-black darkness. But when they did, he saw a narrow hallway in front of him. He followed it. The hallway and the house itself seemed to be entirely made of wood. He then arrived at another closed door. He placed his hand on the knob and opened it. As he did so, he saw another dark void. But he also felt a strange aura, a sudden pleasing sensation that he was headed in the right direction. When he stepped through, the dark void gave way to a large, yet strange room. The floor was made up of wood, but the walls gave way to one of immense cosmological beauty. The Wizard saw planets, stars, and many other strange and fantastical interstellar phenomena. The ceiling had lights that softly illuminated the room.

While the Wizard stepped further into this strange and alien space, he heard an intermittent beeping sound. He followed the sound. Nestled in the corner of the room and partially enclosed by a wall was a bed that an elderly man was resting on. Some strange pads and wires that led from a nearby machine were attached to his body. There was also a monitoring screen on top of the machine that showed numerous strange lines, which the Wizard had never seen before.

But he immediately recognized who was lying on the bed, even though his face was cloaked in shadows. It was the council leader. The Wizard always addressed him formally, but now tried to remember his actual name.

"Frank!", the Wizard finally said as he approached him. "You! You wrote that letter impersonating Glinda? But…but why? Why did you want me to go to Theodora's castle? And…what are you doing here now?"

The council leader was weak, but he raised his hand feebly and pointed to the opposite side of the room with his finger. "No", he said softly. "She did."

The Wizard turned around and saw the same yellow hooded figure he had seen at the riverbank when he was trying to escape from the witch one year prior. He still couldn't see her face. "Who are you?", he demanded. "Show yourself!"

The figure didn't respond, but instead, it raised its hands and slowly lowered the hood that covered its head. And when it was lowered, the Wizard's angry facial expression started to soften. In front of him was the face of a middle-aged woman with reddish-brown hair and brown eyes. But he had never seen her before. He was very perplexed.

"Who…who are you?", he asked again with much confusion in his voice and in his tone.

"Hello, Oscar Diggs", she responded. "I am Dorothy Gale."