“Was that you under my house?” I asked.
“It was,” she said. “But I was never in any danger; I wove a wind spell around myself as I brought your house into Oz.”
“You did what?”
“I'm an air witch, Dareaux darling,” she said with a smile. “I can harness the power of the East Wind.”
“The East Wind,” I whispered.
“Sit down.” She waved at some puffy chairs. “This is going to be a long conversation.”
“Look; I was just lived through a tornado ride,” I said. “I don't want to sit down and have tea. I want to know what's going on.”
“Dareaux Thelia!” My mother snapped. “You need to learn to listen. Now, sit down!”
I went quiet and sat down. Toto sat on the floor beside me.
“Before you can accept what has just happened, I must tell you about your home,” she said. “This is the land of Oz; your birthplace. You are the child of the Witch of the East Wind”—she waved a hand to herself—“and a witch of the Water Tribe; he was one of their leaders.”
“The Water Tribe?” I asked.
She gave me a look.
“Sorry,” I mumbled.
“Oz is inhabited by several types of people; like the Munchkins whom you have just met.”
“They were saying some horrible things about you,” I whispered.
“That was part of the plan.” She waved it away. “The Munchkins are most definitely on our side.”
“Our side of what?” I asked.
She gave me another look.
“Sorry,” I muttered.
“There are several races,” she started again, “and then there are the elemental witches. Four tribes of witches live in Oz; one for each element. Some tribes are larger than others. The larger tribes tend to have less powerful witches, but they make up for that in physical might. It's as if the magic is finite; the more witches you have, the more you have to stretch out the magic. However, the more witches you have, the more potential soldiers your army has. The tribes have been trying to find the perfect balance between numbers and magic for years.”
“Okay; four tribes of witches,” I said. “And you're a part of the Air Tribe.”
“Yes,” she said. “Our tribe is only four strong; my sisters and I each rule one type of wind; one direction.”
“Got it.”
“Your father was a water witch, and so, although you bear my name, you are a hybrid,” she explained. “You have strains of Air and Water magic inside you.”
“I have magic?” I asked in shock.
“How do you think you blasted your aunt?” She chuckled.
“I didn't know that was me.”
Mom lifted an eyebrow.
“Holy shit! That was me!”
My mother smirked.
“Is that why there was rain? Am I a rain witch?” I started to smile; I was a witch!
“You're something new,” she said tenderly. “After you were born, and your powers began to manifest, we gave you the title of Storm Witch.”
“Storm Witch,” I whispered. “I like it.”
“My sisters did not,” she said grimly.
“What?”
“Our tribe has been kept small for a reason,” Mom said. “Our parents didn't want to dilute the magic. When my sisters and I were born, our mother and father purged themselves of their magic and went to live on Earth.”
“They purged... hold on! I have grandparents on Earth?”
“Yes.”
“Why wasn't I living with them?”
“Because they didn't approve of you either,” Mom said sadly.
“They didn't approve of me?” I whispered.
“As I was saying”—she tapped my nose in a gently chiding manner—“we keep our tribe small to preserve the power. I had thought that having a child with a member of another tribe wouldn't affect our magic.”
“But it did,” I concluded.
Mother nodded. “You took some magic from the Air Tribe and some from Water. Your father's tribe was barely affected since the drain was taken from all of its members, but my sisters and I were significantly weakened. My family gave me an ultimatum; cast your magic out or they would cast us out as traitors. I refused to take your magic, so they cast us out; naming me a traitor, and you a twisted witch.”
“Lovely.” I rolled my eyes.
“But the Water Witches don't keep such strict policies on child-bearing. Your father's family was delighted to hear of your birth; the first child of Air and Water.”
“At least one side of my family doesn't hate me,” I muttered.
“That's why you lived with your Aunt Emaline.” She nodded. “After your father died protecting you, Em swore that she would take his place.”
“My father died?” I gaped at her.
“I'm sorry, my darling; I should have eased you into that.” She paused to swallow roughly. “Yes; the Witch of the South—the one you just met—attacked while I was away from home. Trillion—your father—gave you into his sister's keeping and distracted Glinda so that Em had a chance to escape with you to Earth. Glinda was more powerful than Trillion, and he was killed.”
“And Aunty Em took me to Kansas,” I murmured.
“Emaline contacted me when she found a sanctuary for you; a place where my family would never think to look,” Mom said. “I wanted to bring you back to Oz immediately, but Em convinced me that you needed to grow up without the threat of the other Winds looming over you. I finally agreed.”
“But now you've brought me back.”
“I've been fighting my sisters for years,” she said tiredly. “They abuse the magicless races of Oz and lord their power over the other witches. But they are so strong; I cannot oppose them alone. Then one of my spies reported that Glinda was coming to kill me and take my silver slippers—my strongest magical weapon—and I knew that I had to act. I sent for you and faked my own death so that you could claim the slippers before she did.”
“She could have taken them from me,” I said.
“She didn't know who you were or how strong.” Mom smirked. “Glinda never goes up against an unknown threat; she must always be assured of victory. She calls it smart tactics, but I call it cowardice. As far as Glinda taking the slippers; they cannot be taken unwillingly. You must give them up or be killed for them to be removed. Upon the death of their master; the slippers can be claimed.”
“So, you brought me here to claim your slippers,” I said dryly.
“And to get you home.” She took a deep breath. “And to lead our army.”
“Our army?” I was aghast.
“Well, the army we will have, once we convince the tribes to join us,” she amended.
“You don't even have the army yet?” I gaped at her. “If I'm leading the army, what are you going to do?”
“I am going to train you,” she said smugly. “After I'm finished, you'll be the most powerful witch in Oz.”
3
We didn't start training right away. First, Mom took me to her home; within the forest that surrounded the Munchkin Village. It wasn't what I expected a witch's house to look like, but I suppose she was a witch in hiding. Her cottage was cozy and warm; especially after the hike through the woods in the deepening dark. It was full night by the time we arrived, and I was grateful for the lights that welcomed us in from the chilly night.
I had assumed that she had someone living with her, but the wood and plaster cottage was devoid of life; with exception to a small bird which sat on a perch in one corner. It cocked its head at us when we entered and cooed a hello to my mother before going back to sleep. The furniture in the cottage was plush and comfy-looking; fluffy blankets were strewn across overstuffed couches and thick rugs on the wood floor. The kitchen was open to the living room and had a fireplace instead of a stove. A small cauldron was bubbling away over embers that glowed green; the only thing in the house that screamed “witch.” The scent of a meaty stew filled the whole place, and seve
ral lanterns shed their soft light; adding to the homey atmosphere.
I had brought a suitcase full of clothes and a few mementos with me, but there wasn't much that had survived the twister. I did find a nice coat that was in the closet with me, and some of my stuff in my bedroom closet made it to Oz. The rest of my belongings were probably strewn across Kansas.
Mom showed me to a room she had prepared for me, and I set my stuff in there before we had dinner. Even Toto was given a bowl of stew; put on the ground beside the table Mom and I dined at. He was beyond happy.
“Is your name really Tavia?” I asked my mother as we ate. “That's what Aunty Em said it was, and I think I remember Glinda saying it too.”
“Yes; my name is Tavia Gale,” she confirmed. “My sisters are Glinda Breeze—Witch of the South, Locasta Gust—Witch of the North, and Momba Bluster—Witch of the West.”
“Stop it; her name isn't Momba Bluster.” I chuckled. “That's ridiculous.”
“It is, and she is even worse than Glinda,” my mom said grimly. “There may be quite a few things you perceive to be silly here, Dareaux, but they are far from it. Wickedness hides beneath laughter and lace; you must be careful whom you trust.”
“Okay; I will,” I said softly.
“I can hardly believe that you're here,” she whispered suddenly. “I have my daughter home at last, and we're sitting together; sharing a meal. It's miraculous.”
“I'm still a little shell-shocked myself,” I murmured. “It's not every day that a person gets sucked up in a twister and spit out in another world.”
“I'm sure this is overwhelming for you,” she said gently. “If you have any questions, now is the time for you to ask them.”
“You said that we had to convince the tribes to join our army,” I reminded her. “Why do you need me? Why can't you convince them on your own?”
“Because I'm not a cross-elemental,” she said.
“A cross-elemental,” I repeated. “Wind and Water.”
“Yes; you have great potential, Dareaux,” my mother said. “And all of the tribes know it. It was another reason my family disapproved; they didn't want a witch who may challenge their power. And the tribes know that you scare the Air Witches; your presence alone will help to convince them that we have a chance.”
“But aren't you one of the strongest witches here? That should be pretty convincing.”
“I am, and my sisters—who are each just as strong as I—are the enemy we must face,” she said. “My sisters and the Wizard.”
“The Wizard?” I asked.
“The Wizard came here from another realm years ago,” she explained. “And no; it wasn't Earth. He didn't come over the Rainbow—the barrier between Earth and Oz—but through a black hole. He's from a race far more advanced than humans and with more magic than the witches of Oz. My sisters live with him in Emerald City, and they dominate our world together. I need you to help me unite the tribes to march on their stronghold.”
“But I don't know this place or them,” I said. “I can't convince people to join a war and fight for a land that's not mine.”
“It is yours!” She hissed. “You're a witch of Oz; a daughter of Wind and Water. You have more right to this land than any single elemental witch in existence; in all of existence.”
“Even though I haven't been here since I was a baby?”
“Yes; even though.” She nodded. “Magic is inside you—despite where you were raised—and it is the magic that the tribes will respect. They will listen to you, but it will be up to you to convince them to follow you.”
“No offense, Mom, but I don't want to go to war,” I said gently. “I'm not a soldier; I'm a girl from Kansas whose biggest physical exertion comes from riding my bike. I don't want to hurt people, and frankly, I don't want to get hurt.”
“I understand,” my mother said. “You don't feel connected to Oz yet. And you will need that connection to motivate you. So, we won't start your training until you're ready.”
“Really?” I asked in surprise.
“Dareaux, I'm not going to force you to fight,” my mother said. “This is your home, but you don't know it yet. I hope that once you do, you will want to defend it, but if you don't, I will find another way. At the very least, you have saved my slippers from getting into the wrong hands... and you have saved me.”
“Saved you?”
“I told you; the slippers can only be claimed in two ways. Either the witch who owns them must give them up willingly, or—”
“She must be killed,” I interrupted her.
“Yes,” she whispered as Toto whined. “You saved my life, Dareaux. I know I've brought you here without your consent, and you helped me unwittingly, but I am still grateful.”
“I'm glad that I was able to save you,” I said. “And I'm happy to meet you finally, but I don't know anything about war. I can't lead an army.”
“I will teach you,” Mom offered, “when you want to learn. For now; let's just enjoy our stew and each other's company.”
4
The next day, I began to learn more about Oz; its magic, its culture, and its people. My mother was true to her word and didn't even mention the animosity between her and her sisters. Instead, she showed me the world I should have been raised in.
And it was enchanting.
Trees moved on their own, animals spoke like people, and nothing was entirely without magic. The witches held the greatest amounts of the stuff, but every living thing in Oz was magical. Even the flowers had the power to persuade.
“Stay away from that one, Dareaux,” Mom said as I reached for a red bloom. “That's a poppy; they are never up to any good.”
“Right; stay away from the poppies.”
“Red is not our color,” she advised. “Both yellow and blue will work for you, but I can only help you with yellow; the color of Air magic. Click the heels of your shoes together three times, and you shall see what I mean.”
“Click my heels together?” I scowled as I looked down at the shoes. “I don't think they're going to click.”
“Dareaux Thelia!” My mother growled.
“Okay, fine.” I moved my heels together—a very awkward motion, by the way—and damn if they didn't make a little clack each time.
Not only that, the clicking sent a vibration through the heels that turned into a pulse. It felt as if my shoes had come to life.
“Now, ask your slippers to show you the way to the Munchkin Village.”
I lifted my brows at that; they weren't really alive, were they? My mother gave me a stern look. I swear; she'd only been mothering me for a day—this time around, at least—and she already had the mom-look down.
“Slippers, please show me how to get to the Munchkin Village,” I said dutifully.
The silver slippers began to glow, and then the glow lifted from the shoes and hovered over the ground before me. It shot out in a winding ribbon of silver light, and then the sparkling glow warmed into yellow.
“If you follow the yellow glow, you will be led to the Munchkins,” my mother said. “With the silver slippers on your feet, you will never get lost.”
“Magical GPS.” I chuckled. “Nice.”
“They're more than nice,” she said. “But that's magic that you don't need to know yet. One step at a time.” She waved her hand toward the glow. “First, follow the yellow glow; step into the light, Dareaux.”
I shrugged and walked into the glowing yellow mist. As soon as I did, it settled into the earth and became solid. The light formed bricks; it made an actual road for me to travel on.
“I think you meant to say; Follow the yellow brick road,” I corrected my mother.
“As you like, Dareaux.” Mom smiled as she stepped onto the road and took my arm.
We walked the yellow brick road all the way to the Munchkin Village... and found it in ruins.
“What the hell?” I gaped at the demolished huts and burned masonry.
“No!” My mother screamed and ra
n forward.
There were a few bodies in the streets—little Munchkin bodies—but there was no living person in sight. I ran around the village as my mother did; checking within the debris for survivors, but couldn't find a single one. I was about to head back to my mother when a hooting cackle caught my attention. I turned around to see a monkey perched on the roof of a crumbled building. He watched me with glittering black eyes as he leaned forward onto his palms. He had a red velvet coat on with gold braids at the shoulders, and a helmet strapped onto his head. There was a crystal orb attached to the helmet, and glowing, yellow mist swirled inside it.
“You are the one my mistress seeks,” the monkey said. “What is your name, witch?”
“What's your name, Monkey?” I countered.
The monkey frowned, and then said, “Benny.”
“Seriously?” I blinked at him. “Your name is Benny?”
“Yes, now what is yours?”
I answered without thinking, “Dorothy.”
“Dorothy?” He asked. “I have never heard that name before, but I will take it back to my mistress.”
“Get away from it!” My mother shouted to me. “Get out of the monkey's sight!”
I flinched as a pair of brown wings stretched out from the monkey's back, and it leapt into the air. Benny the Monkey flew straight toward me; paws extended menacingly. I held up my hands defensively, and a tingling rush swept up from my feet and out of my hands. A gust of wind blasted the monkey upward like a cannonball. It gave a shrill cry as it disappeared.
“Take that, you carnival freak!” I shouted after it.
“Dareaux!” My mom clutched me to her. “Are you all right?”
“I'm fine, Mom, but what in tarnation was that?”
“A flying monkey.”
“Well, obviously.” I rolled my eyes.
“He's a minion of my sisters,” she explained. “They've abducted members of several races of Oz, subjugated them, and given them the ability to fly. If you see a land-based animal with wings, you know that it is under the control of a wicked witch.”
“He had a strange sphere on his helmet; it was glowing yellow,” I said.
Realms and Rebels: A Paranormal and Fantasy Reverse Harem Collection Page 78