The Wicked Witch of the East: Evanora's Return

[Part 2]

CHAPTER 15: Daughter

-Emerald City-

*~ Glinda~*

Quietly pushing open the door, Glinda glances into the girls' room, a smile settling on her features as she takes in their peaceful expressions. Unfortunately, the morning calls for an awakening and so she crosses the room with the click-clack of heels and sits down on the edge of the bed.

"Girls. It's morning. Time to get dressed."

China Girl pushes up from Ozma's shoulder with a yawn, blinking awake. Ozma on the other hand, groans and turns onto her side, prepared to ignore the waking and return to sleep.

"Firefly dear, if you sleep in, you'll miss breakfast."

"Dhun whan' go." She mumbles into her pillow.

"If you miss breakfast, you'll also miss your visit."

In a flash of motion, Firefly is wide awake and out of bed, already raiding the wardrobe for suitable clothes, excited murmurings barely audible. From beside Glinda, China Girl laughs, a dainty hand over her mouth to keep the sound from travelling.

With a chuckle of her own, she guides the doll into her arms and carries her over to the vanity to assist with her dress. Once done, Glinda picks up a brush and motions Ozma over to the little chair in front of the mirror.

Excitement slowly burns away to something thoughtful as the little witch-to-be takes her seat in front of Glinda, ready to have her hair done. Only, there's something almost sad about the expression on her face. "Something wrong?"

"Do you think Mother will brush my hair if I ask?"

"Oh, I'm sure she will, but we cannot let you wander the palace with bedhead. Why don't we just brush it out and then I'll give you a brush and few ribbons to take with you. That way, you can ask her to style it."

Hopeful eyes meet hers in the mirror and Glinda feels a warmth spread through her chest in response. "You really think she would? Isn't my hair too short?"

"Evanora has worn her hair at different lengths throughout the years, short being no exception, so I'm certain she'll have something in mind."

"Okay then. Please brush my hair out, Miss Glinda!"

Doing as asked, Glinda tends to her niece's hair, catching sight of Ozma's expression in the mirror every now and then. The first time, she stares with a grin, the second time the girl bites her lip and as Glinda is finishing, Ozma transitions to puffed up cheeks. With a laugh Glinda puts down the brush. "All done. Give me a moment to gather everything."

Removing her wand from her sleeve, she focuses on a summoning spell, thinking of the items she needs, then with a flick and flash, upon the vanity table they appear.

"Oh!" Ozma claps in delight, eyes widening, before turning to Glinda with a confused frown. "Another brush?" To emphasize, she picks up the brush that Glinda summoned, running a hand over the emerald rose design on the back.

"It's your mother's." She decides it best to refrain from mentioning that the reason she has it is more due to confiscation rather than safe-keeping, following Evanora and Theodora being cast from the city the previous year. "It was a gift from your father."

Ozma's eyes alight with wonder. "Wow."

Putting a hand on her shoulder, Glinda gives her an encouraging smile. "Having it returned, and being able to style your hair with it, is sure to make her happy, don't you agree?"

"Can we go right now?"

While Glinda is pleased with Ozma's animated reaction, she can't quite hold back her amusement long enough to answer.

This of course means that China Girl, with hands on hips to add to effect, is the one to course-correct. "No, breakfast first!"

"Aw."

The adorable pout is almost enough for Glinda to consider a compromise. Almost. "Your mother wouldn't want you to miss your meals and medicine no matter how excited you may be."

"Miss 'Casta shouldn't be giving me medicine then."

Locasta isn't. At least, she's not the one who has been administering it for the last few days. Not since the Witch of the North secluded herself in her chambers.

"It's to help you recover from Mombi's magic, dear. Besides, once you no longer need the potions, your mother, Locasta and I will be able to teach you magic. Doesn't that sound fun?"

"Yeah." With a resigned sigh, Ozma takes the brush and ribbons, jumping off the chair. "Let's go to breakfast then."

Laughing, China Girl falls in to step with Ozma, gently leading her by the hem of her tunic. "Do you think they'll be serving scones and tarts alongside the omelettes for today's menu?"

"Oh, I hope so! That sounds good!"

Without further ado, excluding one last chuckle to herself, Glinda puts away her wand to follow the girls to the dining hall.


Helping Ozma into her seat and ensuring her protection spells are in place in the event of another magical outburst - the last having forced the palace staff to remove the previous set of silver cutlery from the ceiling and send it to the Tinkers for repairs - she moves to her own chair. Sparing a smile for her king, Glinda sets about starting to go through the morning reports while listening to their conversation.

"Well girls, have any plans for today?"

"I have lessons." China Girl reminds wryly. "After that, Finley is taking me to visit the orphanage."

"Ah yes!" Wings fluttering, Finley eagerly adds on, "China Girl has been very excited to see how reconstruction has gone! They only recently finished, but from what I have heard, it looks much better than it did before!"

"That is good. I'm glad that our funding is being used wisely." Then, under his breath, Oz adds, "Even if I only found out about it thanks to seeing the plans on Evanora's to-do-list."

Glinda hides a smile and tries to focus on the document in front of her, but it's hard not to be amused by Oscar's begrudging approval of Evanora's past governance. Surprised as Glinda had been by it, the woman did a fine job of taking care of the city even as war waged around them. Many people, including Glinda who was restricted to the south, were unaware that the wicked forces were even gathering, much less that there were troubles to fear beyond the Wicked Witch and her army of baboons.

Many of the surrounding towns were unable to pay their taxes because of constant harassment and some had difficulties with their crops due to magical droughts. Most restoration, rebuilding and agricultural projects had to be funded directly from the royal treasury. To offset this, Evanora arranged for the construction workers and farmers to be locals of the affected areas, thus exchanging the needed resources in return for free labor.

Locations like the orphanage are a little trickier to manage, as the children are too young and inexperienced to handle construction work. Fortunately Evanora had managed to secure a sponsor who was still interested in the project when Glinda and Oz took it over.

"I'm going to visit Mother!" Ozma cheers. "Miss Glinda even gave me a brush and pretty ribbons so I can ask her to style my hair."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll look lovely, Princess!"

"Finley! I'm not really a princess! I'm just Ozma!" Bursting out into giggles, Ozma leans too far over the armrest. Luckily, Oz catches her.

"That reminds me." Now on her fourth failed attempt to read it, she decides to set down the report. "I have too much to catch up on to supervise today's visit. I have already delegated most of the tasks that don't require my personal attention, but I have put off several meetings as well as inquiring the Book of Records about Zurline." Glinda gives Oscar an apologetic smile. "Will you be able to take her?"

After a thoughtful expression accompanied by a moment of silence, he shrugs. "I should be able to stand in for a few hours. As long as she doesn't direct her magic at me."

"Oscar."

"I know, I'm joking."

Glinda sighs, knowing that he isn't. It is one of the reasons that Locasta insisted that Ozma's visits be supervised by fellow witches, just in case Evanora decides to take her daughter and run. Not that Glinda would blame her for attempting such a thing, but the child deserves better than that.

"So, I'll be going to see Mother with Mister Wizard?" She looks so excited. Just like Andahan.

The Wizard smiles. "That you will. Now, shall we finish eating and then collect Evanora's meal?"

"Yes, sir!"

It doesn't take long to finish breakfast, made all the more interesting by the chosen topics of conversation. Glinda is the first to excuse herself, needing to complete the last of her preparations before meeting with the ministers. To cut the series of meetings short, it was agreed to have it turned into one with everyone present. Granted, this decision was made about half an hour before the first meeting had been scheduled to start, leaving her to scramble for her notes.

The meeting itself is a bit tedious with each of them vying for her favour when not making blatant advances for her hand. Leaving her notes and the potential need to make excuses for her to her attendants, Glinda makes her way to the Hall of Records, deigning now an appropriate time for a productive break.

"Oh Great Book of Records, what is Zurline's goal?"

Unfortunately, she finds herself under-prepared for the answer.


-Emerald City-

*~ Evanora ~*

"Mother!"

Sitting by the window with a tray of tea and a mind far from the present, Evanora startles when she hears her daughter's exclamation of a greeting, only just managing to brace herself for the incoming child-sized projectile. With a shriek of delight, Firefly flings her arms around Evanora's neck and nuzzles closer into her embrace. Evanora thanks the Ancient Faeries that the chair didn't dip back on his rear legs when she caught her. "Hello, my dar-"

Naturally, that's when she gets hit on the back of the head.

"Sorry! I'm so sorry! Mother, are you alright?"

"Yes." She breathes out with a slight grimace, adjusting her hold on her daughter to see what she had been accidentally smacked with. "Where did you…" Her throat tightens at the sight of her brush, the words unable to escape.

"Miss Glinda said I should bring it, since it's yours! Will you please style my hair with it, Mother?"

Only now does she notice the bundle of tangled ribbons peaking out between Firefly's fingers and peeling out the sides of her small palm, the brush firmly clutched in the middle of the colourful strips of chaos.

"Give her a moment to eat first."

The new voice causes her to tense. She looks up and sees the Wizard striding over with a different tray in hand, the yellow fluff of an omelette sticking out at the top with a splattering of sauce and herbs. He sets it down on the table carefully, mindful of the tea taking up most of the space, then pulls over two chair from their usual table and takes one to sit across from them. She must have been staring because he raises a brow at her, looking confused.

"Is there something on my face? Do I have food stuck in my teeth?"

"Glinda isn't coming?"

"She says she's too busy today." Firefly supplies, handing her the cutlery before jumping off from her lap to clamber onto the remaining chair. "Like Miss 'Casta." It feels like time slows when Evanora sees her bump the teacup, the way it tilts then tips and spills. Her mind momentarily ceases rationality and when she blinks back into clarity again, she finds her left arm stretched out flat across the table between her child and the steaming liquid now seeping into her sleeve.

"Let me help!" Jumping up from his chair, the Wizard hurriedly fishes out two or three white handkerchief to wipe away the mess. He then takes out another, handing it to her. "Dry your sleeve quickly, before it seeps all the way through."

There is a response on the tip of her tongue, but Firefly's presence stills the morbid humour from making it into the air. It would be best to avoid her daughter's curiosity about why she is accustomed to treating burn wounds of a far greater degree than some spilled tea. "Thank you," she settles on instead.

He nods and continues his task, setting her cup back in its saucer.

"I'm sorry!" Teary eyes turn to her and Evanora immediately forgets about the growing damp heat against her forearm.

"Shh, it's all right darling. No need to cry." She brushes her hair out of her face with her right hand and pulls her into her side, rubbing circles over her daughter's arm while making sure to keep her left out of the way. "It was an accident."

"I'm sorry," she repeats with a hiccup.

Placing a kiss against her hair, Evanora holds her a little tighter. "I know and I forgive you, love."

It takes a moment to calm her daughter down, but by then the tea-set has been moved, the table cleared of the spill and her omelette half cold. Still, Evanora eats without protest, watching and listening as the Wizard distracts her little one with a tale full of hand gestures and exaggerated facial expressions that has Firefly quickly transition from distressed to entertained, her giggles interspersing every other grand motion.

When she's finished, they move over to the room's vanity table and Firefly asks her questions as Evanora carefully drags the brush through her hair. It isn't long after she finishes weaving in gold-and-green ribbons into the two small, flanking braids she's made that Firefly tires herself out by running around the room with exclamations of delight, only to then collapse into Evanora's side, half-asleep, forty-five minutes later.

"She must have stayed up late again." The Wizard comments with an amused smile, passing a throw to her that she uses as a blanket.

"Hm. She always seems to exhaust herself when she visits." There is a minute's pause as a thought comes to mind, "How is the war effort going? It's been a while since Locasta has asked me anything."

He sighs. "We're still gathering information and the city is being re-fortified. As for Locasta? Well." His eyes drift to Firefly and then, quietly, he mouths 'accident.'

Evanora's shoulders tense. "How so?"

"After locking herself in her room with no word from her for a while, we had to break in. The agreed consensus is that she was gathering information when she ran into a problem. For now she is," he pauses, eyes going to her daughter again who is clearly listening in despite being heavy eyed, "assigned to the company of the head healer to keep her out of trouble. The patient is in a coma. The hope is that Locasta's magic will assist in a quick recovery."

"Yes, that would be ideal." What was Locasta thinking?

"Mother?" Rubbing her eyes with one hand, Firefly leans into her, pulling the throw closer. "Song?"

Embarrassment overtakes her at the thought of having to sing in front of the Wizard, but she nonetheless clears her throat and begins to quietly sing the melody, all while making a point of not glancing over to the slowly grinning man.


So, here's some fluff. Sorry for being late. Again.

Apparently I no longer have a set date for updates, but rest assured that this story will reach it's end and that you can expect at lest one update somewhere within every month until it's completion. I may lack discipline when it comes to the deadline of this story's chapters, but I do not lack discipline to the point that I shall never write them. In fact, my planning is near complete.

It's just taking me a little more effort than expected to do the actual writing.

Until next time!

L.L.