The malevolent Czar of Nome had been raised from his cursed slumber. Now with power so wretched, yet so powerful, deluded with a raging vendetta.
Oz was his objective. He shall be king. Upon his side, would be the blessed Lady Glinda, the woman he h...
The revelation had created a huge impact in her life from then on, for Dorothy did not imagine she would find herself even speaking of The Land of Oz, yet the man who sat on the plush chaise a few feet from her, addressed her as a princess, it was mind-boggling.
Dorothy sat in shock, her mouth shut, eyes wide, processing all that was happening around her, and within her mind. The girl was entirely speechless.
It was until a significant tilt of her surroundings forced her body to slide a couple of inches on the bed did she started with a jump. "What's that?"
The man saw her reaction, pulling near in slight worrisome, reaching for her hand in warm comfort. "It's only the sea, Your Highness, there is nothing to be afraid of."
"Are we in a ship?"
"Indeed, and I am the captain." That explained his grand attire. The man stood, walking towards the wall at the back of the room, pulling the velveteen drapes apart, letting the glorious afternoon shine to fill the room.
"How did I get here? I certainly did not remember boarding a ship."
Edward shook his head. "We found your body, nearly dead, clinging onto a plank of wood for your life."
Dorothy tried to jog her mind, yet failed to remember even a hint of memory before, well, everything. They came to a tame conclusion which was fatigue or deprivation; according to him, it had been three days since she was saved, so the hunger might be affecting her mind.
A soft knock broke the small moment, which Edward called out for them to enter. It was the same girl as before, entering with a folded dress in her hand.
"Thank you, Mary," he smiled graciously which, Dorothy could only describe as charming and eye-catching. It was a sweet gesture, that made Dorothy completely swoon over. Then, he handed the garments over to the girl in nothing but underwear. "I hope this would fit you, as it would fit your taste, Your Highness. Nothing grand, but it would do,"
Dorothy received the item gratefully, mouthing a simple 'thank you which she made certainly unmissable for the man.
"We'll leave you a moment of privacy for you to get dressed." He spoke, before striding towards the door, gently pushing the girl, Mary, along with him.
But Dorothy's voice stopped him. "Are you positively certain?"
"Of what, Your Highness?"
"That... this is... Oz."
"I am positively, unequivocally, certain that you are not in Kansas anymore," Edward replied with a clear, confident tone, though in his mind, there was a subtle hope that he had pronounced the name of the star quite correctly. "You have landed yourself, somewhere far, far away."
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It had been quite some time since Dorothy last looked in a mirror, and when she did, gazing at a human-sized mirror in one corner of the room, she was met with a familiar stranger.
Her hair has not been brushed for days, tangled and messy. The pair of brown eyes appeared to be sunken and tired, despite her being unconscious these last few days. The rosiness in her cheeks has gone pale, though this had been common along the years she grew.
With a shake of her head, she wiped the skirt that trailed down to her ankle of the purple frock, brushing off the dust that layered it. Dorothy wasted no time, putting on an apron, and walked towards the bed, tucking the edges of the scarlet duvet beneath the plush mattress with quite the struggle. It had become a habit of her, to clean up where she had slept; At home, it pleased her eyes, the tidiness of her room, but on different, queer occasions, in essence, the unfamiliar quarter she happened to appear in, it would be of respect. Gratuity.
"You seemed to be unfazed about all of this," remarked Edward the moment he entered the room after knocking.
Unknowing how to react; to take it as a compliment or otherwise, Dorothy shrugged it off. With the lack of her response, Edward continued, his face falling solemn, "How is it going?"
Dorothy sighed. "Can't even remember a single thing"
The girl's frank reply made him quite disappointed since he had waited days for an answer. Yet, he did not have any intention of pressuring her, as there is no good outcome to that. So, he chose the best decision, which is to move on.
"You seemed to be trusting," Edward muttered, taking a seat opposite of her, as she gracefully sat on the floor.
Dorothy let out a nervous laugh. "Perhaps... It's just the way that I am?"
The captain nodded his head. In all honesty, Edward has heard about the girl's extroverted and confident nature. As much as he would like to admire it, he could see the risk of it. Trusting too much can lead to a dangerous end indeed.
Suddenly the door opened, yet only a couple of inches wide, unsurprisingly perfect for a small, dark-furred cairn terrier to fit through. With much joy and relief, Dorothy welcomed the old friend with open arms. Running her fingers into its luscious fur.
"Oh, how I thought you were dead." Toto licked her face. "Don't ever scare me that way again"
A gasp emitted from her joyous smile. "Toto, you speak! How in the world?"
The dog tilted his face to the side, leaving out his tongue as he stared at her. "Of course, I talk. The question 'how' is quite impossible for me to answer because... I simply don't know. I used to bark and howl, now I speak with words- How's my grammar?"
"Fine... Your grammar is fine" replied Dorothy, who happened to be a teacher back in Kansas. "Oh now I know we're in Oz! But... What part of Oz are we in?" the girl turned her question to the man who bashfully smiled at the heartfelt moment.
The only body of water that Dorothy could remember was the Ozeanic Ocean, the sea that surrounded the Land of Oz, safely within The Deadly Desert that could only be entered through certain coasts and openings.
Though the captain merely shook his head. "No, Your Highness. For The Land of Oz is a month's journey away."
Dorothy grew perplexed and curious. "Why... I thought you said that you were certain that we're in Oz."
"I said," sighed he, "that I am certain you have landed yourself far from Kansas, and indeed, you have. Currently, we're in the Nonestican Sea, sailing our way towards your palace."
It took her almost no time to understand his explanation, continued pampering Toto with kisses and pets, before a very clear growl emitted from her stomach. Both of them realized once again, that Dorothy was hungry. Three days' worth of hunger.
