They ventured south until they started to spot several beautiful flowers that grew in patches of yellow, pink, and orange. They sprouted oddly, curving at the most complex of angles. The sky seemed unreal, turning purple for what seemed to be evening. Peach's eyelids lowered.

"It sort of makes you sleepy."

Heatqueen put her arm around her, stifling a yawn. "Come on, keep walking."

Suddenly Ferma stopped. "Who's that?"

Ahead stood two figures, with flowing hair and a glow about them. The taller of the two gestured for them to come closer.

The girls looked at each other until Glinda shrugged, and they timidly walked closer.

"Welcome." The taller one said. She had flowing brown hair and soft eyes, and was wearing golden robes that flapped against the wind. The other one was quite a bit younger, with copper skin and black hair that only reached to her shoulders. She wore a golden bodysuit with an orange cape.

Glinda looked down at herself and pushed her coal-colored hair behind her ears.

"I am the Queen of the Vikun Flowers," She said warmly. "Most call me Carli. And this here, this is my assistant, whom we fondly call Dimpled."

Dimpled nodded and looked down at the ground. "The other assistant is Nat." She said softly.

"Who sleeps in your arms?" Queen Carli asked HC, who stood in the back.

"This is Holly," She sighed. "Your Highness, we're not sure how we got here. We lost two of our girls, and we just passed a sign that said we would be killed if found. So please, do you have a place we can stay?"

The queen's face grew grim. "Indeed, Captian Fiyero's men won't rest this night, especailly with new visitors."

HC snorted. "So...This guy is like the dictator of the land who doesn't welcome totally unprepared and unarmed visitors?"

"I have never met him." The queen answered, turning and waving her arm for the girls to follow. "Some say he is only bitter because he looks for his true love."

"What happened?" Music asked from the back, finally getting over he silent fear.

"I don't believe anyone knows for sure, my dear," Queen Carli answered. "Some believe it is only rumors, but then again what else drives me so crazy than the loss of his love?"

"Money?" Heatqueen supplied.

"Money is only an object. Love is a feeling. A feeling that surpasses all understanding and is so real it can alter the meaning of itself at its truest point, so that it can never die but be held in the greatest renown."

"So did she die?" Music asked.

The queen shrugged. "He was happy at one moment, and then the next moment he sought to terrorize the land." She sighed. "That was a horrible day. He took all of the people I ruled over and only let me be queen of the flowers that grow here, so that Oz may continue to live in beauty."

"Ooh," Dimpled slipped her hand into hers.

They set down a yellow brick path that turned at the oddest angles, but the Queen led them with confidence and love. At last they reached a beautiful home with flowers set in the windows and satin drapes at the doorway. Holly had finally begun to stir, and the girls padded across the house in stocking feet.

Another girl came up running, with brown hair and glowing round eyes. "Your higness, we were afraid! You didn't tell us where you were going!"

"My dear Nat," The queen seemed to have to calm herself before going on. "You know very well that I won't ever be too far from you, love."

"Yes but there was work and there was the mailman." She clasped her hands and spun around.

"Is that right?" The queen held out her hand to her guests, and a gust of wind surrounded them and blew off thier coats to be hung on little knobs beside the door.

"Yes! Oh, my queen, he's so handsome!" Nat blushed.

"Don't leave him!" HC said to her, then leaning into Peach, whispered, "Don't let him start tearing houses down, now!" Peach erupted into a fit of giggles.

Dimpled peered over the visitor's heads, then gave a little smile. "You...in the back, you haven't spoken much."

Nia blushed and folded her arms. "Just confused, I guess. I mean I still want to find my friends."

The queen nodded. "Of course," She smiled. "But for now, let us eat. I have made a nice soup for this weather."

"Do you think the mailman likes soup?" Nia gushed.

A/N: MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!

The others groaned.