Wonderoz Chapter Nine: The Mad Wizard

The Mad Wizard couldn’t sleep that night. So instead he stayed up all night going through the Book of Records. A magic tome and a Wonderoz treasure that wrote down history as it was happening, and of course, it was basically writing what I am telling you now. But that wasn’t what he was looking for.

He sat the book before him and opened it to the first page. “Search for the word betrothal, and phrase first princess.” He commanded it.

The pages suddenly sprung to life and started rolling and spurting to find the proper pages. It dropped and a line was highlighted inside. The Mad Wizard examined it and huffed.

“Next page.” He muttered.

The pages fanned up and out then dropped again. The Mad Wizard looked over the highlighted area. Once again he didn’t find what he was looking for.

“Forget it.” He slammed the book shut and leaned back in his throne, tapping his temple impatiently.

He turned back to the screens showing the girls. Alice was asleep in a bed made of giant rose and magnolia petals. The twins were standing in the back talking quietly amongst themselves. Then there was Dorothy. It didn’t matter what Dorothy was doing, just as long as she was there. And the Mad Wizard couldn’t help wishing he was there as well.

Had it been nearly thirteen years, he wondered. He counted off on his fingers, remembering that the Princess Dorothy had been several years younger than him and was about five or six when she and Alice had to disappear. This meant Dorothy was now eighteen. But age didn’t matter in Wonderoz. People stopped aging when they willed it, continued to age again if they wanted to and then died whenever they knew it was their time. So the years between them was a drop in the bucket. After all, the Mad Wizard could remember his mother, Glenda, telling him that his father was a hundred and fifty years older than she was when they were married.

But still, the Mad Wizard had always been concerned about the age difference between he and his young bride-to-be. Yes, from the day she was born Dorothy had been promised to the son of the Wonderfully Good Witch of the North, whom was also the child’s Fairy Godmother, and Ozma’s dearest friend. And from the time the Mad Wizard was seven  and onward, he dedicated his life to making sure he would be a most wonderful king and wizard for his eventual wife.

Although, he had reason to suspect Dorothy had no interest in him. For there was another groom, Alice’s betrothed, that Dorothy seemed to be more attracted to than the Mad Wizard. The Queen of Heart’s son, Jack, was betrothed to Alice in hopes to bringing peace amongst the Four Corners. Not only that, but he was also the son of the King’s best friend. Alice couldn’t stand Jack, but Dorothy put all her efforts in turning Jack from an uptight Mama’s boy to a fun loving adventurer like herself.

Back then the Mad Wizard was simply annoyed for the fact that he had been grooming himself for years to become the King and Dorothy was giving him no notice or thanks. He didn’t care for Dorothy back then. He was just a child who knew he was coming into power. So why now the sudden interest, he wondered.

Dorothy was an attractive girl, just his cup of tea. He liked the cut of her hair, the way her body was shaped. He especially loved her freckles. He could remember that Ozma also had freckles.

Now Dorothy was back in his life and the least he could do was try and protect her. There weren’t many who knew of the girls’ return to Wonderoz. But there were a few worth noting. It was obvious the Queen of Hearts wanted something with the girls. He had seen Gyan the Gryphon swooping to and fro after he had dropped little Alice in the Giant Garden.

It was lucky for him he had bought out Snap’s knowledge on the matter as soon as he did. He had also seen Snap being summoned to the Queen’s presence not long after their exchange. First she seduced him, as always, then she asked him for that pearl of knowledge. But Snap had none to give her. The Mad Wizard always thought the Queen looked hilarious angry. Most certainly not the beauty she primed herself into always being and stole heads to maintain.

Now, Snap was going around trying to buy everyone else’s knowledge of the girls. He tried to buy it from Gyan, but Gyan was a good little egg and didn’t want anything at all to do with Snap. He was even going back to the This Way That Way Cabaret to talk to Alice some more.

“Speaking of pearls of knowledge.” The Mad Wizard then removed his hat and started searching for the pearl he had purchased. That’s when he felt something very strange. He pulled out what looked like a little rag doll. It smelled like candy and dried leaves. Where did he know that scent? He put the doll aside and reached back inside. He found a small framed picture of the Royal Family.

“Where did this…?” He whispered to himself and reached back inside.

There was something else! He grabbed onto it and pulled. It pulled back!

“What the hell?” The Mad Wizard sputtered and pulled harder. He then felt a hand reached out and touch his wrist.

“No you don’t!” He roared angrily and grabbed the hand and pulled with all his might.

Then, from out of the hat came the very girl he had just been thinking of.

“Dorothy?” He gasped in awe.

Her eyes were wide and full of fear and shock. She looked at him and caught her breath. “L-let me go!” She stammered.

He did so, setting her outside the hat. She stood there looking down at the hat then back up at him. “Who…who are you?” She was clutching onto what looked like a photo album for dear life.

“Don’t be scared.” The Mad Wizard coaxed as he put his hat back on top of his head. “I had no idea you were at the other end of that.” He was just as easily shaken and scared. “What were you doing in there?”

“I was putting things inside my basket!” Dorothy snapped. “What were you doing in there?”

The Mad Wizard frowned. “Basket?”

“Glenda the Witch of the North gave it to me.” Dorothy argued but was trying to keep herself from being so defensive. “I swear I didn’t know you also used that space.”

The Mad Wizard slapped his forehead. “Mother!” He cursed.

Dorothy’s eyes got a little wider then she calmed down enough to be able to think clearly and remember the faces she had just been examining in the book. “Glenda is your mother?” She looked down at the photo album in her arms then back up at the Mad Wizard with curiosity.

“Yes.” He looked her up and down and tried to keep his face from going completely rouge. “Er…”

“Maddox?” Dorothy asked, recalling the name in the book.

He smiled and his heart began beating so fast he feared it would beat up and out of his throat. “You remember me?”

Dorothy shook her head. “Oh uh…no. I was just looking through a photo album and you were in it.” She hesitated, feeling something stir up inside her looking into his smiling eyes.

“Do you feel alright?” The Mad Wizard asked, extending his hand.

Dorothy gasped and stood erect. “I’m fine. Thank you. Just a little motion sick from that trip through…whatever that was.” She laughed then swayed without realizing it.

The Mad Wizard caught her, putting his hand gently on her lower back and taking her hand with the other. “Come sit down until it passes.” He took her to his throne and placed her there. He looked at Dorothy. Really looked at her. Was this really the true heir to Wonderoz standing before him? The first born of Ozma and the White Knight, an epitome of strength and beauty. And wasn‘t it his duty to protect this angel as her future husband?

Dorothy couldn’t help but turn and look around. Staring out the window she could see the green glowing and sparkling in the morning light.

“Am I in the Green City?” She asked, unconsciously touching the emerald on her lapel.

The Mad Wizard was smoothing out his clothes and hair as she questioned him this. “Why yes. You’re in the palace, actually. We are now standing in the exact center of all Wonderoz as we speak!”

Dorothy was taken a back. “So that means you’re the Wizard.”

The Mad Wizard nodded shakily. “Who else would I be?” He caught how rude that sounded and laughed it off.

“Well this is perfect!” Dorothy sang, jumping back up to her feet. “Glenda said you could help me.”

“With your sister?” He asked.

Dorothy nodded excitedly. “Yes. Yes! This is such a relief.”

The Mad Wizard cleared his throat and moved to the large cabinet on the other side of the room. “Well, if it is help you need then you are in the right place. I, the Wonderful Wizard of Wonderoz, am your servant milady.” He opened up the cabinet and grimaced at the sight inside.

“Ugh, I really do need to label this crap.” He sneered at himself.

“Is something wrong?” Dorothy asked as she walked up behind him.

The Mad Wizard turned and plastered on a smile. “Nothing at all.” He turned back to the rows and rows of tiny little vials and grimaced again. “For the love of Lurline.” He muttered.

He knew what certain vials meant. Silver vials were his own special magic and were a mix of drinkable and undrinkable. Pink ones held North magic and were all drinkable. The green vials were West magic and were undrinkable. The Red vials were East magic and were drinkable. Yellow vials were South magic and were undrinkable. But as to what each individual bottle was he didn’t know.

He grabbed handfuls of each and placed them into his hat. “You can use these whenever you want.” He then explained to her what each color meant.

“What if its silver and I don’t know if I drink it or not?” Dorothy asked, her arms crossed.

“Test it first on a plant or something.” The Mad Wizard replied. Dorothy couldn’t help but sigh exasperatedly.

The Mad Wizard reached out and took Dorothy‘s hand in his. “You can stay here.” He said excitedly. “You can stay here and I can go find Alice for you and you can stay hidden until everything is safe.”

Dorothy shook her head and took a quick step aside. “I can’t just sit here and forget my friends.” She turned and stared out the window. “They’ve already risked so much to go along with me. If this Queen ever learned how they helped me they’d be in really bad trouble wouldn’t they?”

The Mad Wizard retracted his arm. “Of course.” He slid the blade of his fingers across his throat. “But you must understand that you are in great danger. I can’t afford you getting traced by the Queen too.”

Dorothy pushed her hair behind her ears and gave the Mad Wizard a coy smile. “If she’s so desperate to find Alice and me, then doesn’t that mean she’s afraid of us?”

Boy was that Dorothy a smart one! She even had the Mad Wizard flabbergasted for a moment. Of course the Queen was afraid of the rightful heirs. If the princesses awoke to their powers the Queen would be toast. But how did Dorothy figure that out?

“B-but still!” The Mad Wizard argued, approaching her again. “You need protection from her.” He moved past her and back towards his desk.

Dorothy half smiled. “I have reason to believe one of my new friends is my father. I was wondering if you knew how to help him.”

The Mad Wizard’s eyes got wide. “Your father?”

Dorothy bobbed her head in agreement. “Yes. Nick Chopper. His soul is in a suit of armor.”

“Impossible.” He looked away and a distant look entered his eyes. “That is very strange indeed.”

Dorothy inched closer. “Pardon?”

He looked up at Dorothy and smiled. “Nothing, dear.” He put his hand on her back again. “Your sister is safe. But I must warn you that it is very dangerous if you two are found together.”

“I’ve gathered that on my own.” Dorothy murmured. “But could I ask you a favor?”

He nodded. “Anything.”

Dorothy then reached for a tablet of paper on his desk along with a pen. “Could you give her a letter for me?” She asked as she began writing on the paper. “I just want her to know what I am doing and what is going on.”

“A letter spells trouble.” The Mad Wizard took the paper and pen from her and tossed both into his fire place. “But I can tell her myself, if you‘d like? I know where she is.”

“The This Way That Way Cabaret. I know that.” Dorothy nodded. “If you don‘t mind I‘d greatly appreciate it.” She pulled on his sleeve. “So that Queen is after the both of us? For sure?”

The Mad Wizard looked down tenderly on Dorothy wishing so much he could kiss her forehead like Glenda did. “Yes.” He took her hand into his. “And if you two are together she’ll find you all the more quicker. So take your time. Stay hidden. It will give me time to figure out a way to cloak you.”

Dorothy nodded. “Thank you, so much.”

The Mad Wizard swooped off his hat and sat it on the ground. “Its my job.”  He helped Dorothy ease down into the hat. Dorothy then let go of his hands and disappeared into the depths of the hat.

The Mad Wizard turned and looked back out his window. “If his soul is in that armor…” He murmured to himself. “Then who is in his body?”