Title: A Silver Gift at a Ruby Price
Characters are mine I am just borrowing.

Rating: PG

What Theodora knew, absolutely and without a single doubt, was that she was more powerful than her sister could ever dream of becoming. Her magic was tied to a temper that was volcanic once ignited, and deadly if focused. She was currently focusing all her anger in the direction of the Wizard. He had won round one with Glinda's help, but Theodora knew what sort of man the Wizard was. He was a fake, and a charlatan. His tricks might keep the people on his side, but they couldn't protect him forever. And Glinda might love him, or she might just be using him, but eventually his true nature would emerge, and any protection he might have received from the Witch of the South would vanish forever.

Theodora was not patient though, and so she spent nights in her castle raging and destroying every inch of the Land of Oz that she could. Merciless in her pursuit of ending that miserable little man in any way that she could. Ignoring her sister's pleas, and scoffing at her ugliness.

Poor vain Evanora had lost everything at the hands of Glinda. She wasn't half so wicked as she thought herself, and Theodora could see in her sister a heart torn by love, but not half so torn as her own. No, there was no pain worse than Theodora's. All her hard clung innocence was ripped right out of her chest when the Wizard danced with, an slept alongside her in the forest. Her sister didn't know that pain. Her sister only knew the fevered dream of a love she couldn't bring herself to approach. Love hadn't been ripped right out of her chest and played with like a marionette.

Theodora stopped her endless pacing. She moved over to the crystal ball and spied on her sister who was locked in her dark room filled with shattered mirrors. And, suddenly, the Wicked Witch of the West found a plan budding in her mind. It would only be a distraction, but Theodora needed a way to focus her hatred. Evanora was the perfect target, and the first thing she had to do was find a way to make her sister beautiful again.

The Grimoire was locked in the library of the Emerald City. It was no longer heavily guarded, but there had been a time long before Glinda's father had taken stewardship of Oz when the dynasty of the Ozmas was at its peak, that the book of master spells was under constant lock, key, and guard. Now it sat in a dusty tower that hardly anyone remembered, but the wicked sisters remembered. Evanora sought it out once and found a way to gain more power, and now Theodora hovered quietly outside the tower window to take it for herself.

She was quick and quiet. Dusting off the cover of the book with her claw like green hand. Holding the giant tome to her chest and grinning so wide and evilly to keep herself from cackling and alerting the city to her presence.

Theodora stood for a moment eying the door to the room as well. She thought about sneaking into the Wizard's chamber and raking her black nails across his chest, plunging in, and ripping out his heart while he slept. And as the thought grew the pain of burning tears streaked down her face. She gritted her teeth to keep from crying out, clutching the spell book ever tighter to her chest.

She should have taken a larger bite out of that damned apple. She should have bitten deeper, so that it would have killed more of her heart. She felt it beating in longing. She felt it pulse behind the heat of her rage, and it was love. Still and true, it was love for a man who had destroyed her.

She huffed and reached for her broom. Flying fast and hard out of the Emerald City, back to her castle where she belonged. Sentiment was folly. Her tears, folly. Her ...hope-

She threw a fireball into the woods below her and watched as the life there burned. The trees turning black, and falling into piles of white ash.

The spell was simple, and Theodora found that she could even restore some of Evanora's powers as well. It was simple, but she needed an object. She needed a vessel that would act as the catalyst for the magic. She looked at her ring. Jewels were the perfect tools for witches. Even Glinda's bright little wand was composed of crystals.

Glinda, the root of every problem.

Theodora was not certain, but she felt that Glinda was acting a part lately. That good witch had gained insight, but it hadn't destroyed her. Theodora could not prove this, but she often wondered what had happened to make the woman so suddenly bold and intelligent. Though, still trusting, but the Wizard would take care of that somehow. He'd ruin Glinda like he had ruined everything he touched in Oz.

Glinda, Theodora thought again. Glinda in her sparkling gown, with that awful tiara, and tacky-

"Shoes." Theodora whispered. "Silver slippers."

That was it then. That would be the thing. Now to steal those slippers, that would be a trick. The Quadling Palace would not be an easy place to sneak into. She did not know the castle like she had known the Emerald City.

She shut the Grimoire and tapped her fingers along the cover. She had to think. Such matters had to be handled delicately.

The attack was swift, unexpected, and confusing. Glinda rushed out to her balcony in her nightdress and watched as the Wicked Witch of the West fled the south on her broom, cackling triumphantly.

Once Theodora was well out of sight, and Glinda saw that the fires from the attack were easily quelled, the Good Witch of the South narrowed her eyes for a brief moment. Then, she walked quickly back to her rooms and arched an eyebrow at one of the maids was scurrying madly to correct the mess that had been made of her closet. .

"What's been taken," Glinda asked.

The maid, bewildered, said, "She took a pair of your fine slippers, Madame."

"My slippers?"

"One of the silver pair, with the crystals."

Glinda shook her head. "Slippers," she asked again, and then smiled. "Of course, slippers." She walked out and met one of her guards and said, "Send word to the Emerald City. I need to speak with the Wizard."

She stepped back out onto her balcony, and shook her head sadly. "What do you intend to do to your poor lost sister, Theodora? Like a mirror...Not every heart can shatter the same way."

The room was dark and cold. In the shadows the hunched figure of Evanora could be seen near the dim light of a barely burning fire. Theodora smiled to herself as she stepped further into the room. The box in her hands was plain and not wrapped. Any overt opulence would be seen as a trick, and even if Evanora was a lowly creature she would expect there to be a price for such a gift. Luckily, Theodora had one in mind.

"Sister," Theodora whispered. "I know you have suffered much since we lost the Emerald City, but-" She waved her hand and made the torches in the room ignite. Keeping a mocking laugh from escaping her throat as she watched her wretched sister shrink back from the light. "You can not hide in here forever. I have a gift for you."

Evanora peered at her sister between the grotesque hands that covered her face. "A gift?"

"Well, more like...the cost of a very large favor," Theodora stated and took a seat across from her sister. She set the box down on the floor between them. "You will owe me, and in return I'll give you your beauty back."

Evanora slowly put her hands down and looked at her sister. Her haggard and elderly face questioning, but she reached for the box. It slid towards her and her eyes widened at the sight of a pair of glittering ruby slippers.

"These shoes, as long as you wear them, will make you beautiful again," Theodora said as sweetly as she could. "And, you will gain some of your magic back."

"And the favor?"

Theodora shrugged, "I will cash it in at the appropriate moment. But, let's not worry over fees, my beloved sister. It has hurt me to see you reduced to such agony."

With slight hesitation Evanora pulled the shoes out of the box and slipped them onto her feet. Instantly, her former beauty returned to her, and she stared at the lovely complexion of her hands.

Theodora grinned. "You see, I'm generous, my sister. I know green is more your color, but-"

"It will do," Evanora said. She moved her fingers and saw the arched crackle of lightning between them. "But...I can not take the slippers off?"

"Not unless you want to look as you did before. Not if you want to lose what little power I have allowed you."

The tone caught Evanora's attention, but she nodded and said, "Thank you, sister, for being so...generous. I shall forever be in your debt."

Theodora nodded, yes, forever, and stepped out of the room. She walked up to her room and began to laugh, softly at first until it became a wicked roar that echoed through the halls of her castle. She looked through her crystal ball. Glinda would be traveling to see the Wizard. Let her go and see what his lack of foresight had wrought. She checked in on her sister and watched as Evanora preened in the remains of a shattered mirror, and put together a new ensemble to wear.

"Your heart, dear sister," Theodora said, "Your heart will be crushed to pieces, and then you'll be strong enough to help me rid this land of the Wizard and all his false promises."

End.