The Wicked Witch of the East: Evanora's Return
[Part 2]
CHAPTER 17: HEIR
-Emerald City-
*~ Evanora ~*
"Locasta and Glinda have found a way to defeat Zurline."
Her eyes widen.
"What?" She can only stare in disbelief, trying to process the information given her. Intelligence on Zurline? The very witch who ensured the existence of the king's prophecy? How?
"I managed to find a weakness in her defence against observation," Locasta smirks. Glinda raises a brow, making her impression of Locasta's actions known. The Witch of the North schools her expression, clearing her throat. "I was able to gleam some of her plans before she noticed."
"She is bound to change her mind then," Evanora frowns, not understanding.
"If she was in a position to do so, certainly." Locasta is barely keeping the smugness out of her voice. "However, they are lacking resources. The farmlands suffered due to drought and though the Munchkins feared her enough to do her bidding, they are slowly rising in rebellion. With her followers occupied attempting to keep them under control and the rest fighting among themselves, it will only be a matter of time."
"We have an opportunity," the Wizard agrees, though he looks troubled. "Even so, we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves. Our opponent is not one to be taken lightly."
"Anticipating our attack, she may well attempt to draw us into a trap." She cautions, her warning more for Locasta than the others.
The witch in question scowls, mutters under her breath then sighs, nodding. "Anything else you know of her tactics?"
She shakes her head. "Little. As I mentioned, most of her followers are the result of contracts and deals. She's not above twisting the truth or going behind the scenes to turn the situation to her advantage." She hesitates, gaze falling on Glinda. "She wants you dead."
The Good Witch of the South just sighs, like she was expecting as much. The Wizard puts a hand on her shoulder, "Perhaps you should tell them what you found."
Locasta frowns, turning to the younger woman. "Glinda?"
"I consulted the Book of Records. Zurline was my mother's sister."
"What..." Locasta looks entirely unprepared for the information, her expression much the same as it was when she first learned Zurline's identity. When she continues to stand in silence, Evanora takes her by the arm and guides her into the closest seat.
"Is it so shocking?" The Wizard asks thoughtlessly, ignorant and confused.
Evanora grimaces. "No. The women are akin to day and night, yet there are similarities that lie in what others would not suspect."
"Nora," Locasta hisses, grabbing her wrist. She glares at her.
Evanora looks back, unflinchingly, equal challenge hopefully visible in her expression. The younger woman has nothing on Orison. "Tell them. If you don't, she might."
Locasta's eyes dart down to her lap, her fingers continuing to dig into Evanora's skin. Then, all at once, she slumps into herself, her grip loosens though doesn't release. With her free hand, she pushes back her hair. "Fine! Fine."
Evanora sits down beside her, wordlessly inviting Locasta to draw support from her. It was an instinctual reaction, but it brings back a memory of years past.
I can't do this, Nora. How can I face them? To go back and tell them? I can't.
You can. I'll be right beside you.
Do you swear it?
Yes.
In the end, only King Pastoria was told.
Locasta leans into her, all façade and fight abandoning her. "About two years before the royal family announced Glinda's birth, Zurline had a child of her own. Ultimately, one that she abandoned when the queen disappeared." Locasta sighs. "The child in question was me."
"Oh, Locasta." Glinda sinks down in front of them, hands covering her mouth before she moves one to rest on the other witch's knee instead. "Thank you for telling us."
Locasta scoffs. "I may share blood with her, but she has no relation to me. Granted, though her, I suppose I share blood with you as well."
"You do," Glinda assures, "and if you wish, you are welcome to take your rightful place here in Emerald City."
"My place is in the north." Shifting, Locasta raises a brow at Evanora despite their awkward angle. "What about yours? Will you stay here with Firefly?"
"You say that as though I don't have a noose around my neck. Besides, aren't we diverting from topic?" Evanora smiles wryly, uncertainty rising within her. What would she do? Rather, what should she do? Her life is currently in the hands of others. She'll be fortunate if the worst to happen to her is exile, but then what of her daughter?
At the end of the day, Ozma is Andahan's heir.
Regardless of the desire for it, Ozma is currently one of the only two living blood relations of King Pastoria. The Wizard only rules thanks to his reclaiming of Emerald City from herself and Theodora, as well as his ties with Glinda. If the former princess declines the crown in the future, the throne will be passed on to the next in line. Firefly.
"Glinda and I have discussed this," the Wizard informs, moving to the nearest chase with a wordless invitation for Glinda to join him. The acting queen hesitates for a moment, eyes darting between Locasta and Evanora, but she rises and sits down beside the Wizard swiftly enough. "We would appreciate it if both you and Ozma remained in the city."
"Me? Won't that cause an uproar?"
Glinda smiles. "You stood against Theodora when she took over the city and today, you protected the girls and helped the guards despite your restrictions."
"How…" She trails off as realisation sets in. The guards must have reported to them.
"Stay and protect them." The witch continues. "Not only now, but in the future. Become their teacher and advisor. Naturally, Ozma will one day rule Emerald City and require the lessons, but China Girl will become monarch of China County, once reconstruction is complete. Together, under your guidance, they might lead Oz into a new age of prosperity."
The Wizard clasps his hands, leaning forward. "If not for your efforts and leadership, Emerald City would have fallen into ruin. The children will need to learn to do the same should a similar time of war come for them."
Undeserved and unexpected the proposal may be, Evanora is relieved. Although mostly surprised and speechless. Thus her brief imitation of a slack-jawed fool, the shocked expression and belated half-whisper, "Thank you."
The Wizard laughs, waving away her gratitude. Then, his features become light, kind. "We've all seen how much your child means to you. After all this time, it is only right that you are able to be together."
"I must insist one on thing." Glinda's face is drawn with seriousness, her smile gone.
Evanora resists the urge to sit straight. If only for the fact that Locasta is still curled into her side. It truly is a wonder how this touch-starved woman held out this long. She used to be all but spelled to Evanora's side in the past. Of course, that was only after she earned her trust, so perhaps her recent distance is more about putting up a front than actual betrayal-influenced restraint.
"You will not be fighting Zurline."
That seems to startle Locasta out of her affectionate mood. She jolts upright, staring at Glinda in disbelief, but her expression quickly changes to understanding and she relaxes back into Evanora's side. "Someone to protect Emerald City."
Evanora glances between them, this sudden wave of responsibility seemingly becoming heavier by the moment. "Why me?"
"For one, it doesn't seem like she knows that you're in a state to defend yourself, much less that you haven't been thrown in the dungeons." The Wizard's brow furrows. "On the other hand, she is well aware that Locasta and Glinda have joined forces."
Locasta nods against her shoulder. "With the current state of the east, she cannot risk returning to a revolt by making personal attack on the city. In counter to that, if we confront her in her territory, we leave Emerald City exposed. Sending away her main force to take the city would be foolish as she cannot defeat all of us on her own. However, a smaller party is a different matter."
"You need someone stronger." Evanora whispers in agreement, acknowledging.
"We need a Cardinal Witch," Glinda corrects.
Involuntarily, Evanora flinches at the term. Once, before she fell for Zurline's trap and desperation bid her bite into that accursed apple, she was the candidate for the East Witch of the reformed Cardinal Coven. She was sister to more than only Theodora. However, her betrayal severed all such ties and hope for the Coven's renewal was lost.
"You made a mistake." Locasta squeezes her arm, voice surprisingly gentle. "But we have forgiven you."
Glinda nods in agreement. "It takes great courage to turn away from someone who gave you hope. Especially so when it is someone you fear."
Her thoughts make for an extended moment of silence until she sighs, nodding. "What is our plan?"
-Emerald City-
*~ Firefly ~*
She's dreaming again.
It's night time and the stars are twinkling up in the open sky above her. She's lying in a grassy field between two women who seem to shine in the darkness, but the people with her can neither see nor hear her. So instead, Firefly just continues lying still, listening.
"What do you think, Sister? Isn't this land wonderful?" The voice comes from her left, the woman with shimmering golden-blonde hair, dressed in white. Her voice sounds just like Miss Glinda's, but older in a way of experience instead of wear.
"There is potential, but do you truly think it wise to have given so much power to the mortals?" Asks the brown haired woman on the right, worried. She looks like Miss Casta, Firefly decides, only she's wearing green instead of blue.
"How else are they to learn? Besides, is our full band not present? Have more faith."
"It is only you whom I have faith in."
"Sister! You cannot say such things." The woman in white laughs. "What if Mother hears?"
The other scoffs. "Let her. She knows I would sooner follow after Aunt Enilrul than obey."
"That much I can understand. The time spent under Tititi-Hoochoo made it clear how valuable our independence is."
"You never speak much of your time in An. Were their courts as stifling as Mother's?"
"Not stifling, necessarily. More, creatively ignorant?"
The green-dressed woman laughs. "Or you too free."
"Yes."
There is silence, comfortable and warm. It stretches on into the night and as the sun begins to rise and animals stir awake, Firefly hears the woman on her left speak up again, this time in a whisper.
"Zurline?"
"Yes?"
"I want to remain here for a time. To see how the people grow."
"Then I suppose I shall have to find myself a place to stay."
"Truly?" The woman in white sits up with a smile that outshines the rising sun. "You would do that for me?"
"Of course." The sister sits up on Firefly's other side, stretching out her arms to clasp hands with the other woman. "Where you go, I follow."
The darkness that had been fading because of the increasing brightness, returns and overtakes their surroundings; enveloping the sky, the field and everything around Firefly. She sits up, eyes wandering the darkness in confusion. After a while bubbling draws her attention to a soft glow in the distance. She stands to walk over to it and slowly a fountain comes into view. The water is clear and sparkling, enough so for her to see a perfect reflection of herself.
Firefly leans closer to get a better look, but suddenly the bubbling becomes louder and rather than sparkling the water turns murky and then murkier still until it's black as the darkness around her. The black water churns in the fountain, bubbling up and up and over the edge. Firefly backs away, but slips and then she's sinking, deeper and deeper down into the pitch black water.
She can just make out a splash as something starts to sink beside her, a shining white blinding her in the darkness.
"Goodbye!" A voice greets cheerfully.
After that, the darkness wins again.
Ozma blinks awake slowly. She feels like she just came out of a dream and that there was something about it that might be important, but the more she tries to remember, the faster it fades away. She shakes her head and carefully unwraps herself from around China Girl. Rubbing at her eyes, she looks around and sees that she's still in her mother's room, but no one else seems to be around. "Mother?"
There's shuffling and then Finley's face appears at the end of the bed. He smiles and flaps his wings to hop onto the mattress. "Hello, did you sleep well?"
"Where's Mother?"
"She's speaking with the Wizard and Glinda, but she should be back soon. Is there anything you need?"
"No, thank you." A yawn escapes and she stretches out her arms, sinking back into the bed. "What time is it? Will we have supper soon?"
Finley laughs. "I'll ask." Fluttering over to the door, he disappears out of sight.
Ozma blinks her eyes, but she feels so tired. Eventually, she cannot fight it anymore and falls right back into the land of dreams.
A bit more lore about the witches and Zurline. Who else is excited to see how this ends?
Until next time!
– L.L.
