The Jester of OZ

Chapter Six

            Her eyelids were heavier than ever, and her body felt nearly lifeless yet warm. Amber let out a small groan, feeling her messy hair scratch the back of her neck and tickle her nose. Her mind felt blank for a few moments, as if she was awakening from a very long and tedious dream. It took a while for her memories to return. She remembered walking, running, fighting, trying to get to... where was she? Struggling, her eyesight began to clear. Amber blinked once, then twice. Her body was resting on what felt like a bed. She was grateful for the warmth of the covers and the softness of the pillow beneath her head, but as much as she wanted to go back to sleep she couldn't. She never felt so tired, so fatigued in all her life. Her stomach still felt empty, which was the only motivation to sit up. At first, she thought she was home, back in Kansas, and that her grandmother's voice would address her kindly just as it always did when she felt lost. To her dismay, her surroundings were just as alien as when she was last awake. Her green and white dress remained on her body, comfortable yet cold, and the ruby slippers were still safe and sound on her feet, untouched. Amber remembered hitting her head before blacking out, but surprisingly, there was no pain left.

The room she was in was alit with candlelight. It had the smell of books, cinnamon, and the scent of a newness she couldn't describe. There was a single window on the right side of it, which revealed the twilight sky. She guessed it was either morning or afternoon. The curtains were deep red, but the walls were a bland stone. Red carpet, a wooden wardrobe, and an abandoned bookshelf was off to the side. The bed itself was large enough for two people, and there was also a wooden side table that was small and delicate. Her eyes grew at the sight of it, there was food! A basket of bread, grapes, apples, and other things sat on the bedside table, along with a single red rose that sat soaking up water in a small glass vase. Amber immediately began to eat, not being able to hold back her hunger any longer. Frantically grasping the loaf of bread, she began to tear into it. The crust was golden brown, and the inside was soft and white. Paired with grapes, it felt like the best simple breakfast she had ever eaten compared to the extravagant omelets her mother used to make her when she was a kid. Amber never thought that she'd miss the taste of food, feeling grateful that whoever her host might be was kind enough to feed her. It didn't take long to consume a few apples until she was full. She praised whoever was brave enough to pick them without getting into a quarrel with the trees. But then there was the rose... and the fact that she had no idea where she was. Amber stood up from the bed, wiping any crumbs off of herself. She saw a mirror, so she did her best to fix her hair despite it being an uncontrolled mess of brown curls. Making her way over to the window, she thought that maybe she could find out where she was.

Drawing back the curtains a little farther, her eyes widened from the brightness. But then they widened for a different reason. She realized, from the view of the shriveled forest and the magnificent stone walls of the tower she resided in, that she had arrived at her destination. She was at the Jester's castle... she had to be. When it dawned on her she suddenly felt nervous. If the Jester was her host, then that means he sent those beasts after her, and if he did that, then he was expecting her. If he was expecting her... well she didn't know what to think. She left the curtains open whilst she cursed herself, "Stop thinking like Scarecrow!"

Deciding to leave the room was a hard choice to make, but she did. Amber fixed herself up as best she could; taming her bed-head and washing her face with a small cup of water she found just sitting on the dresser. Smoothing the wrinkles on her dress, she placed her hand on the door handle to find that it was unlocked. The wooden door creaked open with ease, revealing a small hallway with a spiral staircase at the end of it. A few torches aligned the hall, dark and gloomy. Amber tried to remind herself that this used to be the witch's castle, so it didn't exactly look like a very bright place. The halls weren't as gray as she had imagined, for they had a few tapestries spotted along the corridor. Most were woven in purple and black, a few were checkered, and there were also a few disturbing silver masks that decorated the entries of the rooms including hers. Amber was reminded of her time in theatre, thinking to herself that the Jester likely redecorated after the Wicked Witch was killed. Like before, she really didn't know where she was walking to. She reasoned that she should follow the torches since they seemed to guide her down the endless walls. Amber felt better now that she wasn't in the open anymore. Besides, with a full stomach and some sleep, it felt easy to be brave. She was nervous to meet the Jester, thinking that at any moment he could just walk around the corner and surprise her.