Irhaboggle Pride (2018) 30 Days, 30 Stories

In the Garden

Two girls, both of them around the age of 16, wandered the Emerald City Palace gardens. The gardens, like the castle and city which surrounded them, were vast, sprawling and green. Flowers, trees, vines, fruits and any combination of plants dotted the emerald landscape. There were several romantic little streams crisscrossing the expansive and endless pastures, passing by several benches, terraces and swings that dotted stony and grassy fields and trails. It was a beautiful and arcadian place.

"Ah, it is so wonderful to get a chance to actually enjoy all of this!" One of the girls, Dorothy Gale, took in a deep breath, the wild and fresh smells of the garden filling her head with a warm pleasantness.

"I agree," her companion, Princess Ozma, said. "It's so nice to just get a chance to relax and have a walk-about the royal garden instead of having to tramp through it to get to some new meeting!"

"Don't jinx it now," Dorothy warned with a laugh. "Or before you know it, one of your servants will come running out here, bellowing for you!"

"Oooh, you're right. Pretend that I said nothing," Ozma pretended to zip soft, warm lips with pale, slender fingers. Dorothy shook her head in amusement, brown curls gleaming a dark copper in the warm, golden, summer sun.

The two girls were as close as any could be, all of their adventures in Oz only bringing them closer and closer with every passing day. They did practically everything together, even when apart. Whether it be Ozma or Dorothy who was away on some mission, or forced to stay back and care for the Emerald City while the other was away, neither girl was ever too far from the other. It was all thanks to a bunch of magic from Glinda, the Wizard of Oz, and Ozma herself. Dorothy and Ozma were able to speak no matter where they were in Oz.

But still, nothing beat being alone together, not needing magic to speak with one another. It was a rare moment in the lives of these two Ozian queens that they were able to be together in such solitude for so long, so they made sure to make every last moment last. They were spending today's (currently) off-day, in the garden and just being with each other. It was paradise.

"So, what are you thinking we should do for dinner?" Dorothy asked as she and Ozma, hand in hand, walked by a garden of poppies.

"I am thinking that we request for the chef to make us something more summery," Ozma remarked. "Perhaps an array of fancy salads from some of our finest greeneries!" The beautiful queen of Oz gestured all around herself and Dorothy. "I am in the mood for something that reminds me of June, and fruits and vegetables will do nicely."

"But what about our Cowardly Lion?" Dorothy asked, laughing. "You know he hates anything that's not meat! He won't be happy to come home after a long day helping build infrastructure only to be met with watermelon and lettuce!" she smiled fondly as she thought of her dear old friend. How could he consider himself a coward when he was so strong and brave? And he certainly wasn't afraid to voice his opinion when it came to foodly matters. Although he loved Ozma and Dorothy both, there was no doubt he would be put off if this grand dinner was strictly green.

"Ah, I suppose then, for the meat-eaters, we may have a barbecue," Ozma decided with a matching smile of amusement. The Cowardly Lion had been her bodyguard several times over, so she knew him very well and was quite fond of him, and vice versa. He was one of her closest friends. She would feel bad if she hadn't included him into the feast.

"Ah, that sounds delicious! I'm sure Uncle Henry, Auntie Em, and Toto will all love that too!" Dorothy clapped. It didn't matter how long she or her family had lived in Oz, they were still always amazed at the vast quantity and style of food that Ozian life had to offer, especially since they had come from a relatively small and poor background. They had pigs, cows and chicken, but that was about all in terms of meat, and once Uncle Henry ended up facing the risk of losing the farm, meat went down. To come to Oz and have an array of foreign and home-cooked meats in any way you could imagine was something none of them had thought possible and were still acclimating to even today.