Oz IV & V

The following evening…

As the sun was once again settling behind the western horizon I focused my thoughts and sight towards the east, Jeremy would be returning to me soon to tell what is becoming of this Dorothy with Ester’s silver shoes and her quest via the YBR.

“Oeste, oeste!” It was the dulcet magpie coo of Jeremy.

“Yes, “ I replied, “what news have you form the YBR?”

“I found her at the home of a Munchkin who sides strongly with Arrabella, Dorothy lodged their last evening. Then on her journey she came across a scarecrow, phhhhfffff!!! Not very scary if you ask me, anyway, who decided that they should be given such powers through a name when none of us are scared by them?”

“It doesn’t matter Jeremy. Sometimes we let others live their fantasy. It is often the most humane thing one can do.”

“Well, she has met the Strawman and they are heading together along the YBR to Oz as Drygrassboy wants some brains.

“So they continued on and have bedded down in a cottage in the woods. That is where I left them.”

“Jeremy, were you close enough to hear what they talked about? What can you tell about this Dorothy? Is she really ignorant of the intentions and misleadings of Arrabella?”

“This I have yet to discover Oeste. She seems to be a very genuine young lady. She paid much attention to the story of the grass sack with painted on eyes and ears and so forth and was more than open to what are obviously strange happenings for her.”

“Very well, Jeremy. Get some rest and crumpet and be sure to find them again before they wake.”

Though I looked in the direction in which Jeremy left I did not see him go, my thoughts were in spin. How can I approach this girl in such a way that she will listen to our story when my name has already been tarnished by Arrabella. From what Jeremy says she is open to new possibilities but the means must still be carefully considered.

Now to Ester… I do not enjoy the preparations for the departure ceremony.

V

This evening, Jeremy has returned with tidings of the expedition group. They have encountered the old forest destroyer himself, the cyborg Tim Wood and the old thespian C. Howard-Lee Lyon.

Tim’s story about Ester cursing him to prevent a marriage to a Minervan is ingenious in its subversion, sophistication and poppy-cockle. The only reason that Tim ended up as he was was that he refused to believe that there was anything more important than exploiting the forest for his own benefit. His Minervan fiancé wants nothing to do with him after he ignored her pleas to cease his tireless harvesting when he had plenty for them both and any family they might have.

C. Lyon is certainly playing his part well. It stuns me though that he wants to cure his stage fright so that he can again become the brunt of a societal superiority complex and prejudice. Does he really want so bad to give up his new found freedom to return to bondage? Maybe I can persuade C. Howard-Lee that he has intrinsic value and does not need external validation to be happy.

How long have we looked out on these fields, these forests, towards friends and companions in a good life? Not long enough.

All I can assume is that the longer I leave these unlikely conspirators in their fabricated quest, the harder it will be to gain a fair hearing. We must intercept them before they reach the Wizard.