The parties assembled in a small room. There were two ordinary tables in the front. Behind them, there were two rows of benches that extended three columns deep. The only ones who were allowed to sit on the chairs next to the two main tables were the parties. At one table sat the representatives of the Emerald City: the council leader, the purple talking bunny rabbit and the jovial tiger. The Wizard liked the latter, and it was no secret that he hated the former. In front of them was a vacant bench on an elevated platform with a partial enclosure and a closed door at the adjoining wall. The Wizard presumed that the elevated bench was where the Magistrate was going to be. He then saw one guard standing silently in front of her bench. The remaining council members sat on one side of the public benches to observe.
Curiously, Glinda was nowhere to be found.
As they entered the room, he turned to Theodora. "Sit with me", he asked of her.
He then kneeled and looked at China Girl who was below him on the floor. "Sit with me too, okay?"
The porcelain doll then gasped. "You want me to sit with you? Of course!"
Unbeknownst to them, an old hag entered through the front door of the building. Her ruby slippers—partially concealed in a bag she was carrying—glowed red. But a guard noticed and directed her to remove them. "Excuse me, mam, but you are doing to have to—", but Evanora merely hissed at him and continued unabated towards the waiting room. She remained in the waiting room and took a seat at one of the benches. As per her secret agreement with the council leader, she knew when it would be time to enter the fray.
As the group took their seats, the Wizard took out his papers from his bag and began to ruffle through them. He placed his documents and those from the Emerald City onto the table before him. And then they waited. "I wonder when this is going to start", he whispered as he began to nervously tap foot on the floor.
"ALL RISE", the guard announced as the backdoor opened and a short, plump and older looking olive-skinned woman entered the room. She wore a blue silk gown that flowed nearly to the floor. She made her way up the elevated platform as the guard continued in his announcement. "PRESIDING IS HER EXCELLENCY MAGISTRATE POMPADOREA, MATTER NUMBER 5."
The short woman proceeded to sit in her elevated chair as her jaw remained locked. "Please be seated", she directed. She then motioned to the guard, who brought her a short pile of papers from his nearby corner. He handed them to her as she began to read.
"Hmm, this is interesting", she mentioned in passing as she began to turn the papers. "It's not everyday when the Emerald City gets dragged before me. In fact, I don't think I ever remember this ever happening at all." Her comments were dry, and she did not smile.
"Alright, down to business", she looked up and addressed the parties. "For those of you who have not been before me, which I assume is everyone here and you are ignorant how I conduct this proceeding, I have several rules. Rule number one is to not, under any circumstances, interrupt me when I am speaking. Rule number two is to not interrupt any of the parties as they are speaking. I am giving them the floor for a reason: to speak. If you have something compelling to say, please write it down and you will have your turn. I will not tolerate any interruptions whatsoever…"
As the Magistrate scanned the room, she then saw Theodora who had her red hat on her head. She then pointed at her. "…and young lady, please remove your hat."
As the witch did so, the Magistrate continued. "I will not have anyone wearing any hats who may be addressing me today. You are bringing an important and crucial issue before me, and as such, this matter should and will be given its utmost thought and consideration. I expect all parties to follow the rules." She then looked down at her papers again. "Alright, who is the Wizard?"
The subject of her inquiry raised his hand. "Me. I am the Wizard."
She gestured with her hand impatiently. "Stand." The Wizard nervously did what he was told.
"You brought this case. So, tell me, why are we here?"
The Wizard thought he was imposing with his smoke machine and projector, but this woman was on a whole other level. She was a no-nonsense witch. He didn't even know what her powers were, but already he felt fully intimidated by her. "Well, your excellency", the Wizard meekly said as he stood from his chair, his voice gaining strength as he continued. "I am the ruler of the Emerald City. I—"
"That is not true", the council member shook her head and interjected.
But this greatly angered the Magistrate. She turned and looked sternly at the interloper who voiced the objection. "What did I just say", she barked and pointed at the council leader. "I said there will be no interruptions. One more word out of you and you will be thrown out of this room. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, your Excellency", the council leader quietly said.
She then turned to the Wizard and motioned for him to continue. As he did so, the council leader would intermittently roll her eyes and shake her head.
"Your Excellency, I ruled the Emerald City for the past four years. During this time, it became increasingly difficult to manage all aspects of the city and the country on my own. I need to appoint those who could assist me. These powers and duties belonged to my predecessor and every former ruler of Oz. But the Emerald City and the council have tried to thwart these plans. They cast me out of the city and suspended my privileges, my duties and my responsibilities, which they were not allowed to do. Because of this, I am seeking the full appointment of my minsters, the ones who I want to lead my new government. I am also seeking reinstatement since I was suspended, backpay and sanctions against everyone named in my complaint for their unlawful and, if I may so myself, wicked conduct. Thank you." Finished speaking, he then sat in his chair again.
The council leader began to stand, but she was again shut down by the Magistrate. "NOT YET!"
She then looked at her papers as she addressed the Wizard. "if I grant this petition, how many ministers are you looking to appoint?"
The chair legs scratched the floor as the Wizard rose again. "Six."
"Well, there's a little problem here", the Magistrate quibbled as she dangled his papers in the air. "You only wrote one person in these papers. That of Theodora as Foreign Affairs Minister. I can't grant something that is not being raised in front of me."
"I believe the point that needs to be decided is if I have the authority to appoint these ministers myself. And currently, there have been no objections to the other ministers, so I don't see…"
The Magistrate turned to the council leader as she interrupted him. "Well, are there any objections? What is your position on this? Why can't the Wizard appoint who he deems fit to run the Emerald City and the country?"
The council leader stood and remained standing. "Magistrate, the Wizard is not the leader of the Emerald City. Instead, he was its guardian. He does not have administrative powers to appoint anyone to any position. This is merely a power grab. Under our agreement, the council is empowered by the Emerald City population to make decisions for them. We are the governing body of Oz, not the Wizard. Furthermore, who he wants to appoint is the absolute worst choice possible. Not only is she unqualified for the post, but she is irredeemably wicked. She tried to kill the Wizard twice. She has harmed many residents of the Emerald City and has vowed to destroy the city time and time again. She is a menace. She is wicked. And this is why the council suspended the Wizard. We suspended him for his irresponsible behavior and for endangering the lives of our citizens…"
The Magistrate interrupted her. "As to your point about a governing body. That's not how I remembered it when I was at the Emerald City. The Oz—in this case Pastoria—had advisors, which I suppose is what the council is. Has something changed?"
"No, Magistrate. As mentioned in our papers, it is in fact Glinda who leads the Emerald City. We help govern the Emerald City, but we are advisors to Glinda, not the Wizard."
The Magistrate continued to direct questions to her as she continued to read the Emerald City's response. "And this arrangement was by agreement?"
"Yes."
"Let me see the agreement, please…"
"It was an oral one."
The Magistrate continued to parse through the papers. "So, I'm seeing the Emerald City's response and the signature of you as the council leader on the back page. But I see Glinda is also named in this and you are saying Glinda is the actual Ozma of the Emerald City. Where is her response?"
The council leader remained quiet on this point.
"No response", the Magistrate mumbled to herself as she then turned to the Wizard, who was still standing. "What were your duties and responsibilities at the Emerald City?"
"I met with Emerald City residents and heard their problems. I met with Ambassadors. I met with other regional leaders, especially in the Quadling Country. I presided over and signed a treaty of friendship between the Quadling County and the Emerald City."
The Magistrate turned to the council leader. "None of that is true", she interjected. "The Wizard did none of that! And he really has anger issues towards women and people of color, too!"
"You liar!", the Wizard angrily retorted. "The only person I despise is you!"
"ENOUGH!", the Magistrate fumed. "If both of you do not stop interrupting, I will end this hearing myself here and now!"
The Magistrate's eyes then locked with the Wizard's. "She says that you did not have these responsibilities, so I am at a loss here. I need evidence to show that you are in fact the ruler of the Emerald City. You need to establish this since you brought this matter before me. Do you have a reply to the Emerald City's response?"
A voice unexpectedly answered in the Wizard's place. "Yes, we do", Theodora replied as she reached into her red bag and pulled out a document that the Wizard had never seen before.
"Please bring it up to me, young lady", the Magistrate requested.
"Theodora, wait!" The Wizard whispered to her. He had no idea that she wrote anything and had even less of an idea of what she said. But the witch was quick, and his outstretched hand failed to catch the edges of her red jacket in time. He sank his head into his hands. They were doomed.
"Wizard, did you know what she wrote", China Girl whispered worriedly to him. But he merely shook his head as his hands continued to cover his face. He then planted his elbow onto the table and rested his cheek on his enclosed fist. He sank into despair.
What did Theodora know? She knew nothing. What could she possibly have written that would help the Wizard? This was a high stakes moment. Everything was on the line.
For many minutes, the Magistrate studied the document in silence. She was so quiet that a pin drop would have been heard. "Did you read this", she finally asked the council leader as she held the papers in her hand.
"No."
The guard took the papers from the Magistrate and placed them on the council table. As they began to read it in unison, all three started to have a quiet discussion. However muted the actual words were, the Wizard could tell that an argument was brimming amongst each other. The Magistrate seemed to pay no heed and allowed them to engage in quiet conversation.
"Would you like to take a recess and talk amongst each other", the Magistrate asked. The Wizard did not know what had happened or what she just read. Regardless of her intent, Pompadorea always maintained a skillful poker face. He had no idea which direction she would go in or how she would decide this matter.
"The Emerald City calls for a 30-minute break", declared the Jovial talking tiger.
As the parties exited the room, the Wizard turned to Theodora. "What did you give her?"
"While you were at Mombi's, Finley and I read the response from the city. And we decided to respond to it. They said that you weren't the Wizard, but I wrote everything that Finley told me he did while he worked there for you. He supported everything you just told the Magistrate. He signed it, too." And with that, she kissed him on the cheek, giggled and walked along with the throngs of others heading towards the door while the Wizard just stared at the nearby wall in disbelief.
Theodora is a good writer? The Wizard couldn't believe it. She seemed to not take an interest in any type of intellection endeavor. But looks could be deceiving, as he recently discovered she was an avid and adept piano player. Maybe he was the one being fooled.
As the Wizard passed through the door and entered the waiting area, his heart sank into his stomach. Staring at him from an obscured bench in the far corner of the room—and literally staring at him—was an old hag that he recognized all too well.
Evanora? Evanora? What is she doing here, the Wizard thought to himself. After quickly locking eyes, he turned away and casually strolled towards her sister, who seemed to be oblivious that Evanora was in the same room as they were.
"Your sister is here", the Wizard approached Theodora from behind and whispered into her ear. "She's here and she is looking directly at us." As she was about to turn her eyes to see, he blocked her view and prevented her from doing so. "Don't look", he said. "I wonder what she is doing here." Despite his back turned to the eastern witch, the Wizard felt that he was being watched. But of course, she was, for Evanora had the eyes of a predator that slowly stalked its prey before devouring it whole.
"I missed it. How did you know she was here", Theodora inquired.
"I could smell her putrid stench."
The witch playfully smacked him on his arm. "Wizard!"
"So, is she still staring at us? Or should I say, is she still staring at my back?" Since the Wizard was taller than she was, Theodora went on her tip toes and peeked above his shoulder. Her worried eyes then averted its gaze as her feet touched the ground again. "Oh yeah, she's definitely staring at us. Or rather, she's glaring at you, to be precise." She then eyed him up and down as her eyebrows wiggled with mischief and hidden mirth. "You don't think she's just staring at your backside, do ya?"
"Theodora! No, your sister is not staring at my butt!"
"Should we go over and see what she wants?"
"Yes, I think it's high time we paid this bi—"
"Wizard!"
"I was going to say witch a visit! Not a…oh never mind!"
As the pair slowly made their way across the expansive waiting room, a rift was growing between the council as they now huddled amongst themselves. An argument developed between the council leader and the rest of the council as they debated how to proceed.
"What do you think the Magistrate is going to do?"
"I don't know she doesn't look too happy…"
"Well, I think we should resolve this! Just give the Wizard what he wants…"
"This is why Glinda didn't want to get involved and why she didn't even appear!"
But the council leader was adamantly opposed to this. "Never! I will never allow that wicked witch of his into my city!"
"But this is not your city! This is our city! And we must do what's best for it!"
"I will tell you what's best for it! If that swine of a Wizard and his wicked whore never return!"
"You know, I am getting mighty tired of your arrogance and self-righteousness! I am not satisfied with your leadership! If you don't get in line, then I'm going to call a floor vote to remove you from leadership!"
As the rift expanded and the bickering turned into full blown hostility, other council members chimed in over the quarrel. "But what about this proceeding? Do you think the Magistrate will rule for us?"
"We can't know. She keeps her emotions close to her chest", another responded.
"It doesn't matter", the council leader's voice prevailed above all the others. "I have a plan. And I know that we will receive a favorable decision regardless of what happens." As she spoke, her smirk turned into a devious smile as she noticed the Wizard and his companion walk right over to Evanora's position.
Right into her trap.
The eastern witch's yellow beaty eyes followed the Wizard right up until the pair were now within arm's length of each other. If she was trying to remain concealed, she was doing a poor job of it.
"Ohhh, Wizard", Evanora taunted him. "Come to pay your respects to the ruler of the Munchkin Kingdom?"
"What are you doing here,", the Wizard demanded. "Haven't you caused enough trouble already?"
This made the eastern witch seethe. "Ohhhh I am just getting warmed up. You should really appreciate me being here, Wizard, for it is going to ensure that someone remains in power for a very long time."
"And just who might that be?"
Evanora's piercing stare softened when she heard her sister's voice. "Sister." She then eyed her up and down. "You are eating well enough, I hope. And you've certainly maintained your beauty, despite your moonlighting as hideous incarnate. Have you solved that little problem yet? No? Oh well…"
When the pair walked towards Evanora's bench, the council leader could not help herself. She abruptly broke away from the other bickering council members and walked until she was near Evanora's location. Not caring who overheard their discussion, the time had come to put her plan into action.
"So, Evanora, I take it that you are here to seal the deal of our pact", she said as she interrupted the conversation. "Give me your royal parchment dismissing this action and I will take control of the Emerald City. You will have everything that you have ever wanted and more. Without the rule of law, the Wizard will be unable to do any more harm or damage to us. This useless endeavor will be dead in the water and these mongrels will be banished from Oz forever. This is your chance to rule the country along with me!"
Now becoming aware of what was truly happening, Theodora pleaded with her sister. "No! Sister please!"
"Sorry", Evanora responded. The council leader's smile turned into a malevolent grin. Finally, the Wizard and that wretched wicked witch would be out of her hair forever! The eastern witch was going to be her salvation!
"But I will not do what you request", the witch said. The council leader's smile disappeared. Evanora's statement was directed at her!
"What?", the council leader snarled. "We had a pact! An agreement! And you've betrayed me?"
"Sorry", Evanora repeated as her shriveled hand pointed to the Wizard. "I've already betrayed this one once before. Not this time. I owe him one. Good luck, sister."
And with that, Evanora stood from her bench. She turned and walked towards the front door and proceeded to exit the building. But not before leaving behind some enraged council members who demanded an explanation from their leader. Her plan was not only in ruins, but now everyone knew what she had been plotting and she had no cover.
If there was growing division before, it now exploded into open rebellion and spilled out into the entire hallway for everyone to hear.
"You! You…made a pact with Evanora!"
"She's the Wicked Witch of the East! How dare you!"
"And to divide the land up between the two of you! Are you insane?"
"I demand the council leader's immediate resignation from her position!"
"An immediate resignation as the leader? Only expulsion is warranted!"
"I agree!"
"I second the motion!"
"I third!"
And in quick order, Margalotte not only lost her position as the leader of the council, but she was permanently expelled from its body.
"Wizard…" The jovial talking tiger approached him as he sat on a bench outside of the Magistrate's room. After much fanfare, the thirty-minute recess was nearly over.
"The council wishes to talk to you before we enter again."
"About what", he asked. "I'm done speaking to the council about their inane and toxic requests. If I had my way, they would all be fired."
"Look, there were a lot of things we disagreed with Margalotte about, but she's gone now and she's never going to be part of the council again. She's never coming back. You know we've always been on good terms. We want to do the right thing…"
"So, give me my job back and allow me to appoint who I want to run my government. It's as simple as that."
"We will. We want to. Well, this is what we want to talk to you about. The council has asked me to extend you an offer to resolve this, to settle this like Good Ozians. We want to restore your position as the ruler of Oz, with backpay and even to allow most of your ministerial appointments to go through. But we are asking that you walk away from appointing Theodora to foreign affairs."
"Not gonna happen."
"But she can have another position at the Emerald City, if that's what you want. A more minor one that doesn't have so much clout and publicity! Look, we understand your position. We really do. But we are also looking out for the good of the Emerald City. Taking her past out of the equation, Margalotte was right about one thing: Theodora is simply not qualified for such an important position. You don't have to appoint Wogglebug. Appoint Glinda instead."
The Wizard thought about this request carefully. Appoint Glinda? How could he go back on his word? And Glinda had not once publicly apologized or admitted what her father did to her younger sister. She still never admitted wrongdoing or denounced the former king. Because of her, King Pastoria remained a legendary and mythical king, which were mostly lies built on a fantasy.
If he gave in to the council now, they would forever be able to control him and tell him what to do. First, it would be Theodora. Then, it would be Mombi. They would start to control his every move and he would be right back at square one.
No, he needed a decision from this Magistrate. He needed a decision that solidified and clarified his role as the Wizard of Oz. If he did not get that decision, there would still be grey areas that the council could use to manipulate and control him. He needed a resolution. He needed an answer.
"I'm sorry, but I reject your offer. I'm not appointing someone else to this position and I am not going to be under sway from Glinda or the council any longer. We are going to decision." And with that, the Wizard turned away from the talking tiger and re-entered the room alone. He didn't know what the Magistrate would decide. He could lose everything. But he could no longer be that timid or indecisive Wizard under Glinda or the council's shadow. To hell or high water, he was proceeding until the very end.
Several minutes after he took his seat at the front table, the rest of the group began to re-enter. "Are you okay", Theodora asked him sweetly as she took her seat next to him. "Yeah", the Wizard answered. "I'm fine". He then sighed, not knowing what the monumental decision that awaited him would be. Sensing that the hearing was over, China Girl took a seat alongside the others in the back. She was proud of the Wizard for what he did and how much he grew from when they first met all those years ago.
"PLEASE REMAIN SEATED AS THE MATTER COMES TO ORDER", the guard announced as the Magistrate once again emerged from her back door and gracefully walked to her elevated bench. Once there, she wasted no time in restarting the proceedings.
"Have the parties talked amongst themselves? Where are we?"
The talking tiger stood from his seat. "Yes, your Excellency. No resolution was reached."
"Very well, then I am going to issue my binding decision orally, a written one to be posted here and a copy of which to be sent directly to the Emerald City. After reading the papers and hearing the evidence before me, I grant the Wizard's petition. I make the finding that the council overstepped its boundaries as advisors and erred in suspending him. I thus reinstate him along with back pay. For some reason that is not apparent to this Magistrate, the Wizard seems intent on appointing a controversial figure to one of the highest positions of government at the Emerald City. Nevertheless, the Wizard is correct that it is not the council's duty or responsibility to decline his appointments. That role is solely reserved for the Oz or Ozma that rules the land. I find, through the Wizard's stated duties and responsibilities and further supported by the written statements of his former chief of staff, that the Wizard himself is the sole ruler of the country. As such, I find for him and grant this portion of his petition in its entirety. I decline, however, to award fees for work performed and I decline to issue sanctions. This constitutes the entirety of the order and all issues not raised before me are hereby waived. All parties, please step out."
And before the Wizard had a chance to take in what just happened, the Magistrate had already vacated her elevated bench and departed through the back door in which she originally entered.