Narrated by Kaylee
Of course we follow the yellow brick road, I thought with a chuckle. "Thanks," I said with appreciation. "You have been a great help to us."
We began our journey at once. We wondered if we would encounter Dorothy, the scarecrow, and the tin woodman along the way, and that thought amused us. After walking for some time, we decided to rest. We picked some apples and ate them under a shady tree. As we munched, Aubrey commented, "I wonder if there are magic beans here."
"Maybe!" I exclaimed, beaming with hope. "We can always ask Glinda."
After our break, we continued on our way and camped out for the night. By morning, we journeyed a few more miles over the hills. In the distance, there stood the magnificent Palace of Glamour. We had finally made it to our destination, and we ran, feeling very excited. We confronted a vast poppy field, the yellow brick road crossing through it, and it led to the palace entrance. I couldn't help but wonder if the poppies would put us in some sort of sleeping spell if we were to touch them; after all, they made Dorothy and her friends fall asleep in the book, so I warned Aubrey not to pick any, and she understood my concerns because she was thinking the same thing. Upon reaching the palace, I knocked, and we stood there, waiting with anticipation. The door was opened by two green-suited guards, and immediately, they pointed their spears at us. "What do you want?" one of the guards questioned. "Do you come as a threat to the Wicked Witch?"
"We are here to see the great wizard," I responded, feeling uneasy. "And we are no threat to the Wicked Witch," I finished, feeling confused as I stared at Aubrey. What does she have to do with the great wizard? I thought to myself.
"The great wizard no longer exists; the Wicked Witch now rules this palace," replied the guard. "We'll bring you to her, and she shall question you."
"What!" I cried out. "I don't understand!"
The two green-suited guards seized us, but we didn't fight their grasp. They led us into a dining hall where a young, attractive woman sat on one end of a long green table with a lavish spread of food, enjoying her dinner in solitude. The inside was green and lavish as if everything was carved straightly from emerald itself. She looked up at our approach, eyeing us curiously.
"We have brought some newcomers we deem as threats," a guard explained.
"Let me see what they have to say," she replied. She then dabbed her mouth with her napkin and tossed a chicken bone aside.
The guards pushed us to the ground and pointed their spears down at us. The woman stood up from the table and approached us. Her skin was pure green; her curly hair was auburn; her eyes were blue, and her lips were dark red. She wore a lavish, black dress and a witch hat, and an emerald necklace adorned her neck. We looked up at her. I felt nervous but reassured myself because we had magic for protection against her if needed. "Guards, leave now," she ordered. The guards drew their spears away from us and left. We stood up and faced her. "So, tell me, Children, what do you want?" she asked sharply in her British-sounding dialect. "Why are you here? I've never seen you in my life. Are you working with my enemy, Dorothy? Did that girl put you up to this?" Her face reddened.
Of course, there's a Dorothy too, I thought, amused, and Aubrey glanced at me with a grin.
"No! We don't know her," I returned defensively. "We just came to see what happened to the great wizard; for we came to see him so that he could help us return home," I explained. "That's all."
Suddenly, the witch burst into scornful laugher. "There's no 'great wizard' anymore. I'm the only one living here. I killed him. He was never as 'powerful' and as 'great' as was deemed of him. I am much more powerful. Now I rule this palace."
"You monster!" Aubrey cried out angerly. "You're horrible and wicked!"
"That's me, wicked indeed," she replied, chuckling.
"Let us go, Witch!" I demanded indignantly.
"First of all, Child, I have a name. It's Zelena, the Wicked Witch of the West. I assume you have names as well. Who are you? Now speak, Children."
We told our names.
"Now where are you from, and how did you get here?" she demanded.
We explained that we came from the Enchanted Forest and landed here through a cyclone. Then Zelena scowled, replying, "That is how that horrid girl, Dorothy, arrived here. I would give anything to have her in my clutches. And you speak of the Enchanted Forest. I know that place very well; for it was once my home. My sister lives there," she finished with fury in her eyes.
"What is her name?" I asked curiously.
"Regina," Zelena replied, fuming with hatred.
"No way!" I exclaimed. "She is our enemy!" Aubrey and I then exchanged amused glances because the Wicked Witch and the Evil Queen were sisters.
"I'm not surprised you know her; for it's a small world after all," Zelena responded.
"Why do you hate her so much as it seems?" Aubrey asked.
Zelena turned her back on us. "My sister got everything I've ever wanted, and I got nothing! Our mother kept her and abandoned me when I was only a baby," muttered Zelena with hatred. "It's so unfair," she whined. "If only she could be in my unfortunate state. I deserve better than this." Zelena turned around. "I want her to feel my pain. I want her to suffer like I have!" She clenched her fist. "And I tell you one of these days I will get my happy ending because wicked always wins!"
"Your envy is driving you mad," I returned. "Just look at your...," I paused, staring at her green complexion. "Now if you'd excuse us, we should go now." I turned around, grabbing Aubrey's hand. But suddenly, the emerald door that opened to her dining hall shut closed. We spun around, alarmed.
"Oh, you're not going anywhere, and you can't run from me that easily," Zelena said, laughing maliciously.
"Why are you trapping us?" I asked boldly. "What do you want?"
"Why, I just realized that I might just be able to get you two back home if you do something for me in return," Zelena replied as she touched her large, emerald necklace with a sly grin.
"We will never do anything for you even if it means you can take us home," I retorted. "Besides, you could only be playing us."
"Such fools to reject my gracious offer!" exclaimed the witch. "You are missing out on your only opportunity to finally get back. You would rather be stuck here forever?"
Narrated by Aubrey (continued)
"Fine, what is it you exactly need then?" I questioned irritably.
Zelena began. "Deep in the heart of the dark forest lies the crimson heart, and this powerful object, made from crystal, is hidden inside a magic-sealed chest on the bottom of a swamp."
"And why can't you find this object yourself if you know where it is located," I questioned suspiciously, crossing my arms in a hot manner.
Zelena cast me a frown and replied crossly, "Because this object is inside a chest protected with light magic, a magic that repels the darkness, and with a heart as wicked as mine, I cannot unseal it myself. But as innocent as I see you two are, I sense you hold pure hearts, hearts that give you the potential for good and the ability to break any light magic spells."
It always has something to do with pure hearts, I thought to myself. Then I responded, "If that is the case, then the heart is sealed inside that box for a good reason, to keep it out of the hands of wicked people such as you! It would be a danger in your hands!"
"Silence, Child!" snapped Zelena. "You shall do as I request if you want to go back to your dear, sweet home. Isn't that what you want? I'm offering you an opportunity that I'm sure you don't want to miss."
I felt skeptical and was in a dilemma since this could be our only opportunity if Zelena could really help us. "So, what can this crimson heart exactly do?" I questioned boldly.
"That's none of your concern!" Zelena shot irritably. "I don't owe you an explanation, Child!"
"You seem so adamant to keep it secret," I retorted suspiciously. "You plan to do something wicked with it, don't you?" I narrowed my eyes with distrust.
"Why should you care what I do with it?" Zelena questioned impatiently.
"Why do you think?" I retorted, crossing my arms in a sassy manner.
"No more questions!" Zelena sharply responded. "Now if you refuse my offer, you will be stuck here in Oz forever, never being able to get away from me. You see, the only fun I get around here in this dreadful place is tormenting those little munchkins, and you two would be next on my list. Now you don't want that, do you? So, I'd start reconsidering my offer, and I hope you make the smart decision."
I pondered for a moment in consideration, then I randomly asked curiously "If you think Oz is so dreadful to live in, why don't you just leave then?"
"Because I have no other place to go to; really this is my only home," the Wicked Witch curtly replied.
"What about the Enchanted Forest?" Kaylee put in. "That was once your home."
"I've never had a home there!" Zelena abruptly shot back, her face suffusing with anger. "My life was miserable there right after I was abandoned then adopted by some horrid drunk who didn't care a bit about me while my sister, whom Rumpelstiltskin revealed to me, lived a privileged life, having everything handed to her!" Then her eyes darked with hatred and envy.
"Can't you just forget about the past and move on, starting fresh, instead of feeling envious toward her and sorry for yourself," I said solemnly. "Just look what it's turned you into." I glanced at her green skin. No wonder why we have the saying, green as envy, I thought, amused. Now we know her true colors. "Only you put this on yourself," I continued, sharply. "That is why you are miserable and wicked. So, stop despising your sister and using her as an excuse for your own misery. What did she ever do to you? Can't you just unite with her and love her as your sister? Love can only change your heart and get you your happy ending, but choosing your path of wickedness will not. You know, your sister is no happier than you even if she got everything you never had, and she is just as wicked as you. That is why she is known as the Evil Queen. But the reason why she is so miserable like you are is because she has no love and chooses a path of evil just like you. But if you two united with each other and learned to love, then your hearts can be changed, and you can finally be happy and content."
"Stop lecturing me like you know everything!" Zelena fired back indignantly. "You have no idea! And I shall never unite with my sister! You don't know her well enough. We've had a brief history together, but she wanted nothing to do with me. Now who's the bad guy now! I shall never be her sister, and I shall only find my happiness until I see her suffer just as I have!"
"Then what's keeping you in Oz if that's the case?" Kaylee questioned.
Zelena looked as if she did not know how to respond to that, and all she replied was, "You're wasting my time, Children! Now have you decided to take up my offer?" she questioned impatiently.
"Fine, we will get your crimson heart, but you have to promise to keep your word," I curtly replied, while Kaylee cast me a surprised glance as if she were not expecting me to agree.
"Smart decision," Zelena replied maliciously, grinning with satisfaction. "Now let this be known to you, Children; if you ever attempt to betray me, I shall hunt you down and make sure you pay, making your little lives so miserable that you wished you were dead," she threatened. "Do I make myself clear?"
We nodded nervously, keeping our mouths shut.
"Very good," Zelena replied. "Now leave and only come back once you have what I desire. Then you shall be greatly rewarded." Zelena then opened the door with her magic for us to leave, and she resumed her dinner in silence.
I was relieved to be out of there, and as we were walking, I said, "You know we aren't actually getting her the crimson heart."
"Thank goodness," Kaylee said with a relieved sigh. "You certainly did sound serious which easily fooled the witch," she added with a grin of triumph.
"Well, I knew agreeing would be the only way to escape that place. I had a bad feeling if we refused, she'd keep us captive. And besides, I knew she was lying; she'd never help us just like Regina who betrayed us. I'm sure Zelena is no different," I added coolly.
"Yeah, I had the same feeling," Kaylee replied, quickly glancing back at the Palace of Glamour that was now far away. "I'm tired of doing others' dirty work. I'm not afraid of her either," she put in indignantly. "I do wonder what kind of team the sisters would make," she ended with a giggle.
"Yeah, a team they would make!" I put in sarcastically. "They would probably bicker the very second they laid eyes upon one another then get into a fight," I added, amused. "Afterall, Zelena did say she wanted her sister miserable."
"Then I wonder what's keeping her from going back to the Enchanted Forest," Kaylee said curiously.
I shrugged. "Probably because something is stopping her, not sure. Anyway, now that we know the great wizard of Oz is dead, then our second option is going to one of the good witches for help such as Glinda. We should have called for her in the first place, and it would have saved us all this trouble. Where's our common sense?" I added, sighing with frustration. "I'm sure she would have known if the great wizard was dead."
"Come on, let's call on Glinda now," Kaylee said. "We have no time to waste."
Very soon, we called out for Glinda, then a moment later, we heard a gentle, sweet voice from behind say, "I am here, my Dears. How can I help you?"
We turned around and were amazed of how beautiful she was. She had hair that was a silvery- white color that went down to her waist, and her skin was as pale as snow. Her eyes were a crystal-blue color, and her complexion was very fair of youth and beauty. The gown she wore was the prettiest gown I had ever seen; it was light-blue and sparkled as the sun hit it. The bottom of her dress stretched out like a vail, touching the ground. And around her neck was a necklace with a sapphire pendent, and an elegant, silver crown wrapped around her forehead. She looked like a snow queen in my opinion, and I was very captivated by her stunning appearance.
"You are so beautiful!" I suddenly blurted out.
"Why, thank you, my Dear," she sweetly replied. "Now what can I help you with? I sense you two are in great need. I'm glad you called me. I see you are new to this land."
"Yes," I replied. Then I explained everything.
"I am very grateful that you have not agreed to help Zelena get the crimson heart," Glinda said appreciatively. "Something as powerful as that object would be very dangerous in her hands, and because you two hold pure hearts which Zelena is after to use as her advantage, you are in grave danger. I will do what I can to protect you."
"Thank you," I replied, dipping my head with gratitude. "I was just curious, but what can the crimson heart exactly do, and why does Zelena desire it so much?"
"The crimson heart holds the power to absorb and destroy any magic, and if Zelena got her hands onto it, she could destroy all good magic, weakening us witches, and then become the most powerful witch in Oz as her ambition is set on."
"Then why is this crimson heart in Oz anyway?" Kaylee questioned. "And couldn't you have just destroyed it if it is such a danger?"
"The crimson heart serves a purpose here as protection against curses or dark spells just in case we need it. We have attempted to use it on Zelena to rip her power away, but we did not succeed in that yet. She may know where it lies, but as long as the heart is protected from her, she will never be able to overthrow Oz."
"But just as an extra precaution, it should be hidden somewhere else where Zelena won't know," Kaylee suggested.
Glinda grinned and replied, "That is a smart idea. Now," she changed the subject, "about your means of returning back home, unfortunately no magic beans are grown here, but don't despair, Dears, for there is another way. There are silver slippers, slippers that have the power to protect and transport one to any destination, but there is only one pair here, and I had gifted them to a girl by the name of Dorothy who is also being preyed upon by Zelena. As long as she wears them, she cannot be harmed by her."
And the silver slippers exist too! I thought, amazed. So cool!
"The only way for you both to get home would be if Dorothy came with you," Glinda explained. "Since she'd be the one to wear them, she would have to make the wish for you as you two just have to hold hands with her. I'm sure Dorothy would be willing to help because she can very easily come back to Oz using the shoes. I just wish she was not so persistent to first kill Zelena before going back to her own home in Kansas. Her thirst for revenge will only darken her heart, especially if she kills Zelena. But I honor her intentions so she can free the munchkins, her friends she swore to protect from Zelena's torment."
Kaylee quickly turned to me, beaming. "Aubrey, you know this is our opportunity to go back to our real home! How about if we ask Dorothy to first take us to the Enchanted Forest so we can say goodbye to our friends, then she takes us to our real home next. This is the chance we have been waiting for!"
"Then that's exactly what we'll do," I replied. But at the same time, I felt sad at the prospect of leaving behind all the amazing discoveries. There was so much out there yet to be discovered, but our family was more important.
"Anyway, I was just curious, but why is Zelena after Dorothy?" Kaylee randomly brought up.
"It's a long story," Glinda began. "Zelena was once a good witch like us; she used to be part of the House of the Good Witches. But once Dorothy arrived in Oz just like how you two did from a cyclone, that's when everything changed. When we welcomed Dorothy and made her feel at home, Zelena began to grow jealous of her, and she had the wrong notion that Dorothy was somehow going to replace her. One day, when we caught Zelena attempting to harm the poor girl, we had no choice but to banish her from the House of the Good Witches. Zelena's heart grew dark all because of envy, a very powerful emotion that if not controlled, could come with serious consequences. She continued her path of wickedness, and out of spite, she killed the beloved wizard who once ruled the Emerald City. Then she took over his palace as her own. I have not announced this to the munchkins yet."
"So, was Zelena never wicked before Dorothy came along?" Kaylee asked.
"Zelena is, I should say, a very complicated person with a rough past that hardened her heart. We were really her only family, but that did not mend her heart. I did sense she had potential for evil, and I had a feeling one day the darkness would finally take over her which it did. And that was when we saw her true colors."
"Can't you all just imprison her?" I asked. "Together, you all can easily overpower her."
"Unfortunately, it is not as easy as it seems," Glinda sadly replied. "Now, you better be off. It's getting late. You shall find Dorothy's cottage at the outskirts of the dark forest just north of us and located on the eastern edge. I will be there whenever you need me. Be careful, Dears, and I wish you the best."
We nodded with many thanks, then she disappeared. By the time we entered the dark forest that took nearly an hour to reach, it was dusk. Thankfully we had lanterns and a compass that Glinda had generously provided for us. Once we entered the forest, it was extremely dark like as if we were in a cave. No wonder how the forest got its name, I thought with a nervous swallow. The only area I could see was the area I shined my light on. Because I was paranoid about tripping over something, from time to time, I momentarily shined my light toward my feet. After around forty minutes, we began to grow nervous and worried. "This forest seems endless," I remarked, shivering. "At least we know we aren't going the wrong direction," I reassured myself, glancing down at the compass I was holding. "I'm sure we are almost there."
"Hopefully we won't encounter lions, tigers, and bears," Kaylee said jokingly, and I giggled.
Meanwhile, when we stopped to rest for a bit, suddenly, we were startled when we heard a crack and rustle. We grabbed hands, standing very still, and were very afraid. Then in that moment, to our great shock, a huge, silhouetted form jumped out from the shrubs toward us, then we were abruptly knocked to the ground by it, which took our breath away. We screamed in panic, and my first thought was that this beast was going to eat us. I felt its warm breath on my face, and I was frozen with terror. We couldn't see what it looked like since we had dropped our lanterns, which broke them, so I wondered if this beast was a bear. Then something surprising happened. I started feeling a huge, warm tongue licking my face; it was like an affectionate sort of lick from a friendly dog. I turned my face away, trying to avoid the tongue since it was so disgusting, and I was being slobbered all over. "Something's licking my face!" I exclaimed, very confused. "Gross!"
Then the tongue ceased licking my face, then I heard Kaylee exclaim, "Ew! It's licking my face now!" Then she startled to giggle. "It's tickling me! What the heck is this beast? It doesn't even seem to be aggressive!"
I bravely stretched out my hand and ended up feeling what seemed to be a paw, and to my great surprise, it was enormous. Then suddenly, we heard a chuff-like sound from its throat. "I don't think this is a savage beast," I murmured, feeling relieved. Then I stretched my hand up toward its face and ended up feeling what felt like long, soft, fluffy, thick hair that seemed to be a lion's mane. "Wait, is this actually a lion?" I questioned with surprise. But why should I be surprised? I thought. Lions, as told in the book, dwelled in Oz, and Dorothy was friends with one.
Just then, we heard yapping from a small dog and a young woman's voice that hollered, "Zeke, come back here! What have you found this time?" Then a moment later, a lantern shined on us, and she exclaimed crossly, "Zeke, let them go!" The lion gave us one last lick and let us free. We stood up and saw the woman approaching us. She was tall, had dark-brown hair, and the attire she wore made her look like a warrior. "So sorry about my lion," she said. "He's friendly but can get a little rough at play. He's usually skittish around strangers as coward as he is, but he seems to have taken a liking to you two. He really is a big sweetheart, a gentle giant as I should say." The woman turned toward the lion and gave him a playful rub. "Aren't you a good boy!" she said affectionately. "You big baby!" Then the little, yapping dog greeted us, jumping up and down and chasing its tail playfully. We knelt down and pet the cute, little dog. "That's Toto," Dorothy said, turning back toward us. "He likes new strangers." Then she asked curiously, "So, are you two new around here? I've never seen other humans around here. Are you lost?"
"It's a long story," I replied. Then we told her our names. "Who are you?"
"I'm Dorothy Gale," she responded, extending a hand. "Now what brings you here?"
"Actually, to find you," I replied, feeling grateful how convenient it was that Dorothy ended up finding us.
"Why?" Dorothy's voice suddenly grew solemn and suspicious. "Who sent you?"
"Glinda," I responded. "I'll explain."
"Why don't you join me for supper and explain then," Dorothy replied, her tone lightening. "By the looks of it, you need somewhere to stay for the night. My cottage is only three minutes away."
We thanked her, very grateful, and followed her to her cottage.
Narrated by Kaylee (continued)
As we sat around the campfire outside her cottage, Dorothy served us hot, quail stew, and we gratefully thanked her. We were hungry for only eating apples since we arrived. After Dorothy got some stew for herself, she sat with us and stroked the dozing lion. There was momentary silence as we all ate, then she spoke. "So, where do you come from?"
We told Dorothy that we came from the nonmagical world, that we came to the Enchanted Forest through a magic bean, and that we arrived in the land of Oz in a house carried by a cyclone. Dorothy was very intrigued and said that she was from Kansas and arrived in the same manner to Oz by a cyclone, which we obviously already knew. Then we went on to explain our encounter with Zelena.
Dorothy grew very solemn. "Don't even speak of that horrid witch!" Dorothy shuttered. "You have no clue to what that monster did to me. She tried to kill me out of jealousy and tried to stuff Toto. Not to mention, she melted my friend, a tin woodman, and burned my other friend, a scarecrow. After all the wretchedness she has inflicted upon me, she deserves to pay. I vow to kill her myself and cannot rest until that task is complete. I'm never going to cower; for that is letting her win! I am stronger than that," she added stridently. "Besides, as long as I wear these silver slippers, she cannot harm me. She terrorizes the munchkins on a day's basis for her own pleasure and allows her winged monkeys to prey on them. Those should be other reasons to kill her. There will never be peace until she is defeated."
"Oh... well anyway, we were hoping if you would help us by taking us, using your silver slippers, to the Enchanted Forest, then as soon as we say bye to our friends there, we were wondering if you would then take us to our original home," I said. "Our home is also in the nonmagical world where you originally come from."
"So that is why you came to find me?" she asked, and we nodded. "Well, alright then; I will take you. It is important you get back to your home. I know you must miss your family dearly just as much as I miss mine."
"Thank you very much!" we replied gratefully. "We really appreciate it."
"No problem," Dorothy replied. "I'm happy I can help." She picked Toto up and placed him on her lap. "We shall leave first thing in the morning."
We all ended up falling asleep by the fire, and by morning, I awoke to feel a warm tongue lapping at my face, and I looked up to find Zeke staring down at me. "Zeke, that will be enough bothering," Dorothy scolded. She cooked some quail over the fire and tossed a dead, uncooked piece into the bushes to get the lion to leave me be. Zeke ran to get it with Toto following. I sat up with a chuckle. Aubrey awoke in that moment, and we stood up, stretching. "Did you sleep well?" asked Dorothy. "Hope you're hungry. I cooked enough to feed a hundred lions."
"Yes, thank you," I replied, taking a big whiff of the amazing smell of quail, and we sat around the fire, warming our cold hands. Zeke then returned but Toto didn't oddly. Dorothy then started to call her dog, but Toto was nowhere in sight.
"He ran off," Dorothy said with a worried sigh. "I will go look for him now."
"We will help," Aubrey returned. The three of us headed into the woods, calling for Toto. Then we heard a faraway whimper which caught our attention.
"He must be in trouble!" cried Dorothy. We ran toward the whimpering until, to our surprise, we confronted Zelena who was holding the dog. We all stopped abruptly. "You monster!" Dorothy exclaimed angerly. "Leave Toto alone! Don't you dare hurt him!" She pointed her crossbow she always carried with her toward Zelena.
"Relax, Girl, I'm not here to stuff the dog," Zelena replied with a chuckle, stroking the frightened pet. "You really shouldn't leave your pets unwatched." She then set the dog down, and Toto rushed over to Dorothy, then she picked him up. Zelena turned a dark gaze onto Aubrey and me. "Well, you didn't forget about our little proposition, or did you? I was wondering what was taking you so long."
"We would never get anything that could be a danger in your hands," I replied boldly.
Suddenly, Zelena threw Aubrey and me backwards with her magic, and we hit a tree. "Traitors never live!" she roared.
Dorothy quickly placed Toto down, told him to go, and the dog ran off. Dorothy aimed her crossbow at Zelena and roared, "You will die!" Then she shot at the witch, but Zelena disappeared in a magic, green cloud then appeared behind us.
"Missed," she taunted with a chuckle. Aubrey and I shot our magic at Zelena, causing her to fly backwards, and Dorothy looked shocked since we had not told her we had magic. Zelena lay there stunned then got up. "You will pay, you foolish children!" she exclaimed. "Just because you two have power doesn't mean I won't kill you. One of these days you will pay!" Zelena then disappeared.
"She's a coward!" said Dorothy. "I can't believe I missed my chance to kill her!" she added with frustration. Then she turned to us, looking very surprised. "I didn't know you two had magic. How did you get it?"
"It's a long story," I quickly replied. "We need to go; forget about Zelena now."
Dorothy momentarily said nothing then nodded. "You're right."
"We would first like to say goodbye to Glinda," I said, and Dorothy nodded. Then we called on Glinda.
"My Dears, are you in trouble?" asked Glinda.
"No, the twins just hoped to say goodbye," Dorothy replied. "But I'll definitely be back."
Glinda smiled warmly at Aubrey and me then said, "Farewell to you two. I am glad to have met you." We thanked her, then she turned to Dorothy and added, "Oh, my dear Dorothy, I hope you give up on your thirst for revenge and make the wise choice to go back to your home in Kansas." Glinda then kissed Dorothy on the forehead, but Dorothy said nothing. "Now hold hands and click your heels three times, then say out loud where you want to go," Glinda directed.
"First let me say goodbye to Zeke," Dorothy said. She called the lion, and he immediately came to Dorothy's call, then she rubbed his belly. "I'll be back soon, Zeke," she spoke to him. "He'll be lonely for the time being," she added with a sigh. "He was nothing more than a coward lion when I first found him, so terrified of Toto." Dorothy then called Toto, and the yapping dog came. Dorothy picked him up. We were now ready to leave and held hands. Dorothy clicked her heels three times until we disappeared, then we landed in the Enchanted Forest. It felt great to be back after being stuck in the realm over the rainbow. "So, this is the Enchanted Forest?" Dorothy asked, examining the place. "I wouldn't mind if I stayed here for a little while before returning to Oz."
"You can stay as long as you like," I replied. In that moment, I remembered that the dwarfs had no cottage. Poor dwarfs, I thought with a stab of pity. They are probably in the process of building another.
Dorothy set Toto down, and the hyper dog ran in circles, yapping and chasing his tail. "Silly dog," she said with a giggle.
We ventured into the forest in search of the dwarfs. As I assumed, they were building a new cottage. Upon sighting us, the dwarfs surrounded us, and we were received with joy, warm welcomes, and a flood of questions. "We were fearful, Sister, that you were swept away to your death!" Grumpy exclaimed. "Snow will be overjoyed!"
"We have a long story we will share tonight," I said.
"Are they munchkins?" asked Dorothy, staring at the seven dwarfs. "They sort of resemble them in a way but are a bit larger."
"Munchkins?" snapped Grumpy. "Sister, we are dwarfs. Who are you?"
"Oh, this is our friend, Dorothy," I replied.
"So, where's Snow?" Aubrey asked.
"She is picking berries right now and should be back very soon," Grumpy returned.
As soon as Snow returned, she dropped her full basket of berries and rushed over to us in an exclamation of delight. She embraced us, then we introduced Dorothy to her. Snow welcomed her warmly and invited her to stay with us. Dorothy gratefully accepted. We helped to build the half-way finished cottage. Aubrey asked Grumpy where they found Sleepy, and Grumpy replied that the lazy dwarf was in the underground cellar all along, but he was fast asleep behind some boxes.
That night, we all celebrated in an almost-finished cottage with a nice dinner and told of our adventure in Oz. Dorothy also shared a few stories as well. I was so thankful to be back with our friends. Then we told them we were going to go back to our real home, and Grumpy, especially, grew emotional. But they were all happy for us. Aubrey and I decided that we would leave tomorrow morning.
Narrated by Aubrey (Continued)
That night, while Snow, the dwarfs, Kaylee, and I were sleeping, Dorothy was out exploring the Enchanted Forest alone. Suddenly, Rumpelstiltskin appeared in front of her. "Who are you!" Dorothy exclaimed, startled by his sudden appearance and his chilling looks. "Why are you here?" she demanded suspiciously.
"Why, I can ask you the same, Deary," he replied. "Wandering in the middle of the night I see. You are new to this land, yes? Now, let me present myself, Rumpelstiltskin." He introduced himself with a bow. "And I am here to make you a proposition."
"What sort of proposition?" Dorothy questioned, still eyeing him suspiciously. "And what are you, an evil wizard or something?" She glanced at his appearance.
"Indeed, I am a sorcerer, the most powerful in all the realm," he replied. "And many know me as the Dark One."
"Sorry, but I don't make deals with evil sorcerers," she objected sharply.
"Oh, but you will want to agree to this one, Dorothy," he replied. "Don't you want to finally get your revenge on the Wicked Witch, or as others know her as, Zelena?"
"How do you know my name, and who told you I wanted revenge on her!" Dorothy demanded stridently.
"Oh, I know a lot, Deary," Rumpelstiltskin replied. "Now have you considered hearing my proposition?"
"What is it?" she questioned irritably. "And this better be worth my time."
"Oh, it will; trust me, Deary," Rumpelstiltskin replied with a grin. Then he appeared a bottle of squid ink into his hand and began, "See this? This is the only thing capable of immobilizing your enemy, and if you just spray this at Zelena, then she will temporally freeze up which will give you the opportunity to finally kill her."
"What do you want for it?" Dorothy questioned. "I don't have anything to offer."
"Oh yes you do," he replied. "I want you to promise not take your little friends, the twins, to their original home. As soon as I give this to you, you must leave at once and never return. Do we have ourselves a deal?"
"Why don't you want me to take them to their home?" Dorothy questioned suspiciously. "Why do you need them here?"
"Because, Deary, they are still bound to a contract they signed with me, so their deal with me is not over yet," Rumpelstiltskin replied.
"But they are only children," Dorothy said. "They need to go back to their family, and I promised them that. What more must they do for you?"
"That's none of your concern," Rumpelstiltskin replied impatiently. "Now have you considered my deal? It costs you nothing, so I wouldn't reject it if I were you. Just think about your revenge."
Dorothy was hesitant for a moment then replied, "Fine, it's a deal then."
Rumpelstiltskin clapped his hands in delight and said with enthusiasm, "Splendid!" Then once Dorothy took the squid ink from him, he said, his voice now serious, "But if I find out you broke the deal, you will severely pay the price, and you won't like it. So don't think you can break the deal that easily without a consequence, Deary. I'm warning you."
"I will be out of here immediately," Dorothy replied, sighing with shame.
Then she went back to the dwarfs' cottage, snuck in, and grabbed her sleeping dog, then she left the Enchanted Forest using her silver slippers.
That morning, we couldn't find Dorothy or Toto anywhere which made us worried if she got lost somewhere wandering. Kaylee and I, along with Snow, searched for her for hours. By evening, she still never returned. "Maybe she broke her promise and went back to Oz," Grumpy said suspiciously, looking very upset and shaking his fist in a fury
"Don't jump to conclusions yet," said snow, looking worried. "She could be lost or hurt somewhere. I hope she's okay, but hopefully she will find her way back if she's out there."
"But if she does not return by tomorrow, then we can conclude she went back to Oz," Grumpy replied irritably.
But the next day, Dorothy was still nowhere to be found. As Kaylee and I split up from the search party, suddenly, Rumpelstiltskin appeared to us. "Looking for your missing friend?" he asked.
"What did you do to her!" I demanded angerly.
"Oh, I did nothing, Dearly," he replied. "She left a long time ago."
"How do you know?" Kaylee questioned stridently.
"Because I saw her vanish using her magical, silver slippers," Rumpelstiltskin replied.
"No, she wouldn't do that!" Kaylee exclaimed. "You're lying!"
"Accuse me of lying all you want, Deary, but you will learn I am right," he replied.
"How do we know you didn't do something to her to purposely keep us here?" I retorted, narrowing my eyes suspiciously. "You knew she was going to take us home, didn't you!"
"I had nothing to do with it; it was her choice to leave without saying goodbye, Deary," he replied. "You just can't accept the truth. Perhaps she is not who you thought she was. It hurts, doesn't it?"
Kaylee and I exchanged disappointed glances because if he were right, we were not going to be able to get back to our family.
Later, Kaylee and I met up with Snow and the dwarfs then told them what Rumpelstiltskin had told us. They were just as skeptical as us; for we all figured he had something to do with her disappearance. Afterall, we were still stuck in a contract with him.