Seeing Is Believing

Chapter 5

Peregrina had wondered why they called it the Emerald City before what she saw what stopped her in her tracks and answered her question perfectly. The city had high and green walls which towered over her and pierced into the white fluffy clouds like a skyscraper. Although the city was not green itself, the colour was the most dominant. Everywhere she looked there were bits and bobs made from either green glass, emeralds or other jewels and gems. Rows of shops were selling green articles of every variety and a vendor was selling green lemonade to children who bought it with green pennies. But the most bizarre thing of all, everyone was wearing green-tinted eyeglasses to which when Peregrina asked for what reason, they would all reply with a lively, "To protect our eyes from the brightness and glory of the city!"

Peregrina finally made her way to the castle and was out of breath after going through all those flight of steps. This city must have cost a fortune to build. She ignored the thought right afterwards as a good explanation would be magic. She had to say, although she thought it was quite pleasant before, she was now sick of the colour green. The sky was beginning to get dark and she could see the moon's faint outline in the twilight sky. A guard stopped her at the castle gates, "What do you seek here?"

"I would like to see the people who live in the castle. Apparently I'm told that they can help me get home?" Peregrina answered through breaths.

"Why do you think I would let..." The guard stopped as he saw the kiss mark on Peregrina's forehead glow, "You may enter."

That was easy, Peregrina thought as the guard escorted her to the throne room where a scarecrow was sitting on the throne talking with a tin man and a beautiful lady dressed in white. "This young lady over here would like some help from you. She was sent here by Locasta as you can see the kiss mark on her forehead and her purpose is to get home?" the guard glanced at her lifting one of his eyebrows, making sure what he said was correct. Peregrina nodded.

"Wants to get home!" the scarecrow exclaimed, a look of recognition in his face as he saw the slippers.

"Aren't those Dorothy's slippers? Weren't they lost in the desert forever?" the tin man said.

"What is your name young child?" the beautiful lady said with a kind and heavenly voice like the angels.

"Peregrina. Please, can you help me get home?" Peregrina pleaded.

They all stared at her.

"Doesn't she just need to tap the slippers 3 times like Dorathy did?" the scarecrow asked.

"I don't think it's as simple as that if Locasta sent her here somehow with the silver slippers." The tin man replied.

"Tin Woodman is right Scarecrow. I'm sorry Peregrina. I don't know. As far as I'm concerned those magic silver slippers have been left in the desert unused for so long. Also there is a thing with not being the rightful owner of them. If Locasta sent you here with them it would mean that its magic power isn't as strong as it was before and you would need some other form of magic to help you." The beautiful lady explained her voice still as kind and sweet as ever, "My power alone isn't enough. I'm really sorry Peregrina..."

"What about Princess Ozma? She's not here now but maybe she could do something?" Scarecrow added.

"No it's fine. It's not your fault." Peregrina could feel tears building up in her eyes, "I'll guess I'll just be stuck here. Better get used to my surroundings." She ran away and tried her best to hold the tears in. She stopped at a fountain and looked at her reflection in the water. She was a mess from top to bottom. "I can't believe I've been walking around looking like this all day." She tried to comfort herself, "I wish you were here mum, dad, grandpa. I'm really sorry for all the times I made you mad. Please... help me... help me find a way back home to you guys..."

Suddenly the water began to glow giving off tiny dots of phosphorescence underneath the now glimmering moonlight. The stars were twinkling ever so brightly lighting up the night sky. Little sparkles like fairy dust began rise up into the air from the fountain to form a silhouette of a girl's body. The sparkles became more precise and fine like pixels that are used to form high quality images showing that the girl had two long brown braids and was wearing a blue gingham dress.

"Dorothy...?" Peregrina said as soft and quiet as a whisper while dropping her mouth in awe and marveling at the sight in front.