Oz 14: Glinda of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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bridge drew them well into_the glass- domed building which covered the island, and soon they found themselves standing in a marble room where two handsomely dressed young men stood on a platform to receive them .

Ozma at once stepped from_the end of_the bridge to_the marble platform, followed by Dorothy, and then the bridge disappeared with a slight clang of steel and a marble slab covered the opening from_which it had emerged .

the two young men bowed profoundly to Ozma, and one_of_them said:

" queen Coo-ee-oh bids you welcome, O Strangers . her majesty is waiting to receive you in her palace ."

" lead on," replied Ozma with dignity .

but instead of "leading on," the platform of marble began to rise, carrying them upward through a square hole above which just fitted it .a moment later they found themselves within_the great glass dome that covered almost all of_the island .

within this dome was a little village, with houses, streets, gardens and parks . the houses were of colored marbles, prettily designed, with many stained- glass windows, and_the streets and gardens seemed well cared for . exactly under the center of_the lofty dome was a small park filled with brilliant flowers, with an elaborate fountain, and facing this park stood a building larger and more imposing than_the others . toward this building the young men escorted Ozma and Dorothy .

on_the streets and in_the doorways or open windows of_the houses were men, women and children, all richly dressed . these were much like other people in different parts of_the land of Oz, except that instead of seeming merry and contented they all wore expressions of much solemnity or of nervous irritation . they had beautiful homes, splendid clothes, and ample food, but Dorothy at once decided something was wrong with their lives and that_they were_not happy . she said nothing, however, but looked curiously at_the Skeezers .

at_the entrance of_the palace Ozma and Dorothy were met by two other young men, in uniform and armed with queer weapons that seemed about halfway between pistols and guns, but were like neither . their conductors bowed and left them, and_the two in uniforms led the girls into_the palace .

in a beautiful throne room, surrounded by a dozen or more young men_and_women, sat the queen of_the Skeezers, Coo-ee-oh . she was a girl who looked older than Ozma or Dorothy -- fifteen or sixteen, at_least -- and although she was elaborately dressed as_if she were going to a ball she was too thin and plain of feature to_be pretty . but evidently queen Coo-ee-oh did_not realize this fact, for her air and manner betrayed her as proud and haughty and with a high regard for her own importance . Dorothy at once decided she was " snippy" and_that she_would not like queen Coo-ee-oh as a companion .

the queen's hair was as black as her skin was white and her eyes were black, too . the eyes, as she calmly examined Ozma and Dorothy, had a suspicious and unfriendly look in_them, but she said quietly:

" I_know who you_are, for I_have consulted my magic oracle, which told me that one calls herself princess Ozma, the ruler of all the land of Oz, and_the other is princess Dorothy of Oz, who came from a country called Kansas . I_know nothing of_the land of Oz, and I_know nothing of Kansas ."

" why, this_is_the land of Oz ! " cried Dorothy ." it's a part of_the land of Oz, anyhow, whether you_know it or not ."

"Oh, in- deed ! " answered queen Coo-ee-oh, scornfully ."I suppose you_will claim next that_this princess Ozma, ruling the land of Oz, rules me ! "

" of_course," returned Dorothy ." there's no_doubt of it ."

the queen turned to Ozma .

" do_you dare make such a claim ? " she asked .

by_this_time Ozma had made up her mind as_to_the character of_this haughty and disdainful creature, whose self- pride evidently led her to_believe herself superior to all others .

" I_did_not come here to quarrel with your majesty," said the girl ruler of Oz, quietly ." what and who I_am is well established, and my authority comes from_the fairy queen Lurline, of whose band i_was a member when Lurline made all Oz a fairyland . there_are several countries and several different peoples in_this broad land, each of which_has its separate rulers, Kings, Emperors and Queens . but all these render obedience to my laws and acknowledge me as_the supreme ruler ."

" if other Kings and Queens are fools that_does_not interest me in_the least," replied Coo-ee-oh, disdainfully ." in_the land of_the Skeezers I alone am supreme . you_are impudent to_think i_would defer to_you -- or to anyone else ."

" let_us not speak of_this now, please," answered Ozma ." your island is in danger, for a powerful foe is preparing to destroy it ."

"Pah ! the Flatheads . I_do_not fear them ."

" their supreme dictator is a sorcerer ."

" my magic is greater than his . let the Flatheads come ! they_will never return to_their barren mountain- top . i_will_see to_that ."

Ozma did_not like this attitude, for_it meant that_the Skeezers were eager to fight the Flatheads, and Ozma's object in coming here was to_prevent fighting and induce the two quarrelsome neighbors to_make peace . she was also greatly disappointed in Coo-ee-oh, for_the reports of Su-dic had led her to imagine the queen more just and honorable than were the Flatheads . indeed Ozma reflected that_the girl might_be better at heart than her self- pride and overbearing manner indicated, and in any event it would_be wise not to antagonize her but to_try to win her friendship .

" I_do_not like wars, your majesty," said Ozma ." in_the emerald city, where I rule thousands of people, and in_the countries near to_the emerald city, where thousands more acknowledge my rule, there_is no army at all, because there_is no quarreling and no need to fight . if differences arise between my people, they_come to_me and I judge the cases and award justice to all . so, when I learned there_might_be war between two faraway people of Oz, I_came here to settle the dispute and adjust the quarrel ."

" no one asked you to_come," declared queen Coo-ee-oh ." it_is my business to settle this dispute, not yours . you say my island is a part of_the land of Oz, which you rule, but that_is all nonsense, for I've never heard of_the land of Oz, nor of you . you say you_are a fairy, and_that fairies gave_you command over me .I don't believe it ! what I_do believe is_that you_are an impostor and_have come here to stir up trouble among my people, who_are already becoming difficult to manage . you two girls may even be spies of_the vile Flatheads, for all I_know, and may_be trying to trick me . but understand this," she added, proudly rising from her jeweled throne to confront them, " I_have magic powers greater than any fairy possesses, and greater than any flathead possesses . I_am aKrumbic witch -- the only Krumbic witch in_the_world -- and I_fear the magic of no other creature that exists ! you say you rule thousands .I rule one hundred and one Skeezers . but every_one_of_them trembles at my word . now that Ozma of Oz and princess Dorothy are here, I_shall rule one hundred and three subjects, for_you also shall bow before my power . more than that, in ruling you I also rule the thousands you say you rule ."

Dorothy was very indignant at_this speech .

"I've got a pink kitten that sometimes talks like that," she said, " but after I_give her a good whipping she doesn't think she's so high and mighty after all . if_you only knew who Ozma is you'd be scared to death to_talk to her like that ! "

queen Coo-ee-oh gave the girl a supercilious look . then she turned again to Ozma .

"I happen to_know," said she, " that_the Flatheads intend to attack us tomorrow, but we_are ready for_them . until the battle is over, I_shall keep you two strangers prisoners on my island, from_which there_is no chance for_you to escape ."

she turned and looked around the band of courtiers who stood silently around her throne .

" lady Aurex," she continued, singling out one_of_the young women, " take these children to your house and care for_them, giving them food and lodging . you_may allow them to wander anywhere under the great dome, for they_are harmless . after I_have attended to_the Flatheads i_will consider what next to_do with_these foolish girls ."

she resumed her seat and_the lady Aurex bowed low and said in a humble manner:

"I obey your majesty's commands ." then to Ozma and Dorothy she added, " follow me," and turned to leave the throne room .

Dorothy looked to_see what Ozma would do . to her surprise and a little to her disappointment Ozma turned and followed lady Aurex . so Dorothy trailed after them, but not without giving aparting, haughty look toward queen Coo-ee-oh, who had her face turned the other way and did_not see the disapproving look

chapter Nine

lady Aurex

lady Aurex led Ozma and Dorothy along a street to a pretty marble house near to one edge of_the great glass dome that covered the village . she did_not speak to_the girls until she had ushered them into a pleasant room, comfortably furnished, nor did any of_the solemn people they met on_the street venture to_speak .

when_they were seated lady Aurex asked if_they were hungry, and finding they were summoned a maid and ordered food to_be brought .

this lady Aurex looked to_be about twenty years old, although in_the land of Oz where people have never changed in appearance since_the fairies made it a fairyland -- where no one grows old or dies -- it_is always difficult to_say how_many years anyone has lived . she had a pleasant, attractive face, even though it_was solemn and sad as_the faces of all Skeezers seemed to_be, and her costume was rich and elaborate, as became a lady in waiting upon_the queen .

Ozma had observed lady Aurex closely and now asked her in a gentle tone:

" do_you, also, believe me to_be an impostor ? "

"I dare not say," replied lady Aurex in a low tone .

" why are_you afraid to_speak freely ? " inquired Ozma .

" the queen punishes us if we_make remarks that she does_not like ."

" are we not alone then, in_this house ? "

" the queen can hear everything that_is spoken on_this island -- even the slightest whisper," declared lady Aurex ." she_is a wonderful witch, as she has told you, and it_is folly to criticise her or disobey her commands ."

Ozma looked into her eyes and saw that she_would like to_say more if she dared . so she drew from her bosom her silver wand, and having muttered a magic phrase in a strange tongue, she left the room and walked slowly around the outside of_the house, making a complete circle and waving her wand in mystic curves as she walked . lady Aurex watched her curiously and, when Ozma had again entered the room and seated herself, she asked:

" what have_you done ? "

"I've enchanted this house in_such_a_manner that queen Coo-ee-oh, with all her witchcraft, cannot hear one word we speak within_the magic circle I_have_made," replied Ozma ." we_may now speak freely and as loudly as we_wish, without fear of_the queen's anger ."

lady Aurex brightened at_this .

" can I trust you ? " she asked .

"Ev'rybody trusts Ozma," exclaimed Dorothy ." she_is true and honest, and your wicked queen will_be sorry she insulted the powerful ruler of all the land of Oz ."

" the queen does_not know me yet," said Ozma, " but i_want you to_know me, lady Aurex, and i_want you to_tell me why you, and all the Skeezers, are unhappy . do_not fear Coo-ee-oh's anger, for she_cannot hear a word we say, I assure you ."

lady Aurex was thoughtful a moment; then she said: " I_shall trust you, princess Ozma, for I believe you_are what you say you_are -- our supreme ruler . if you_knew the dreadful punishments our queen inflicts upon us, you_would_not wonder we_are so unhappy . the Skeezers are_not bad people; they_do_not care to quarrel and fight, even with their enemies the Flatheads; but they_are so cowed and fearful of Coo-ee-oh that_they obey her slightest word, rather than suffer her anger ."

"Hasn't she any heart, then ? " asked Dorothy .

" she never displays mercy . she loves no one but herself," asserted lady Aurex, but she trembled as she said it, as_if afraid even yet of her terrible queen .

" that's pretty bad," said Dorothy, shaking her head gravely ." I_see you've alot to_do here, Ozma, in_this forsaken corner of_the land of Oz . first place, you've got to take_the magic away from queen Coo-ee-oh, and from_that awful Su-dic, too . my idea is_that neither of_them is fit to rule anybody, ' cause they're cruel and hateful . so you'll have to_give the Skeezers and Flatheads new rulers and teach all their people that_they're part of_the land of Oz and must obey, above all, the lawful ruler, Ozma of Oz . then, when_you've done that, we_can go back home again ."

Ozma smiled at her little friend's earnest counsel, but lady Aurex said in an anxious tone:

" I_am surprised that you suggest these reforms while you_are yet prisoners on_this island and in Coo-ee-oh's power . that_these things should_be_done, there_is no_doubt, but just now a dreadful war is likely to break out, and frightful things may happen to_us all . our queen has such conceit that she thinks she_can overcome the Su-dic and_his people, but it_is said Su-dic's magic is very powerful, although not as great as_that possessed by his wife Rora, before Coo-ee-oh transformed her into a golden Pig ."

"I don't blame her very_much for doing that," remarked Dorothy, " for_the Flatheads were wicked to_try to catch your beautiful fish and_the witch Rora wanted to poison all the fishes in_the lake ."

" do_you_know the reason ? " asked the lady Aurex .

"I don't s' pose there_was any reason, 'cept just wickedness," replied Dorothy .

" tell us the reason," said Ozma earnestly .

" well, your majesty, once -- a long_time_ago -- the Flatheads

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