Cornfields and Rainbows: A Collection of Dorrow Stories

♡ | A Beautiful Masterpiece | ♡

Dorothy's hand moved quickly yet skillfully across the surface of the canvas. Colorful, broad strokes of paint were added with each touch of the brush. Her eyes moved between her painting and her subject. She tried to capture the texture of his burlap face and the structure of his gloved hands as realistically as possible. This wasn't her first time painting the king of Oz, but so far, she wasn't completely happy with any of her work. No matter how hard Dorothy tried, she always felt that something was missing.

This painting was no different. The library setting where the canvas was set up did nothing to change the farm girl's perception. It was hopeless. However, the king believed his girlfriend was very talented. He wanted to prove that to her and eventually came up with a plan. Getting up from his spot, the straw man walked behind her to look at what she was painting.

"Dorothy," Scarecrow said softly, laying his gloved hands on her shoulders. "You know I love how you paint me, right?"

"I know you do, but..." The farm girl replied, staring sadly at the canvas. "I don't like how I paint you. I feel like I don't do you justice."

"You're too humble sometimes. Everyone in Oz thinks you paint beautifully, and I do as well." The straw man reassured her, but he didn't want to invalidate her feelings. "Still, I understand how you feel."

"You do?" Dorothy sounded surprised at this revelation.

"Of course! I'm an inventor. People see me as one of the best inventors in Oz's history, but I don't think so. The machines I've made, except the Rainbow Mover, have all been very simple." Scarecrow sighed, reflecting on what he saw as his own failures. "The same goes for my leadership. I think I'm an okay king. I keep the Emerald City together, but how does that make me any greater than the Wizard or Pastoria?"

"Your inventions are brilliant, and you're a great king too." The farm girl refused to let him discount his abilities and achievements as his modesty showed. "You always have been, even when you were just starting. You did everything you could after the Jester destroyed Oz, you dealt with a rebellion, and you stopped the Nome King from taking your throne."

"No, Kansas, it wasn't just me! Remember when you came back for the third time, and I was trying to act all regal? I wanted to show all of Oz that I could be more than just that simple scarecrow in the cornfield, but I betrayed myself in the process." The king then brightened, recalling a specific moment of happiness. "This is going to sound corny, but you brought me back to my senses. You taught me that I could be a decent ruler and still be me. Now, you're doubting your ability to paint, but the truth is that you know me better than I even know myself. There's love in every stroke of your brush, and I see it."

Dorothy shook her head. "I'm still not happy with how every portrait of you I make looks. Something is missing, and it bothers me so much."

"Hmm, I think I know what's wrong." He studied the half-finished painting with a pensive expression. "Perhaps, you need to take a new approach."

The farm girl was confused by what she wasn't seeing. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, in every painting you create of me, it's always just me alone," Scarecrow suggested with a mischievous smirk, clearly hinting at a hidden desire. "Maybe painting someone that I love next to me would make your art more engaging."

"Oh! I see." Dorothy smiled at his statement, knowing exactly what he was trying to say. "I think I have an idea for a new painting."

"Wonderful, I can't wait to see it!" The king briefly kissed her on the lips before leaving. "I do have to go since I have a meeting, but I'm sure you'll create a masterpiece that could rival the talents of Picasso and Van Gogh."