Oz

No smoke clouds the skies as Rowan sits in the tree, tall and wide. She sits on one of the higher branches, pale-blue eyes skirting the land of Oz, as if waiting for something to go wrong. But nothing would go wrong. Not since she had been a part of the savior of Oz. It had only been a day since the conquest, and Rowan felt as if it had happened ages ago.

Rowan’s limbs still ached with the trials of what they had done. She still wore a heavy scratch across her brow from the encounter with the monkeys. But she wasn’t dressed in battle gear, nor was there soot and sweat on her face. She was dressed in a peach dress with layers upon layers of ruffles, so smooth and light that it fluttered with ever shift of the wind. Flowers were twisted in her hair, a braided bun made from her golden locks. Flowers were also around her neck and in her ears.

Swinging her feet, she sighed. Closing her eyes, she let the wind wash over her. Rowan had always wanted something more than her life she had in the fields. She had gotten it, but in a way she wasn’t sure she had wanted. But sitting in the tree, she felt that maybe it had happened for the better. There was something on the cusp of her life waiting for her.

“Thought I would find you up there!” Rowan flinched at the sound of Niall’s voice, followed by a laugh when he notices he surprised her. She grins at him, quickly grabbing hold of a branch and swinging herself lower and lower between them until she jumps to the ground, landing lithely in front of him. “You’re lucky you didn’t tear or dirty your dress. Come on, we’re going to be late for the parade.”

“I don’t even know why we’re in the parade. Marianne and Liam are really the ones who saved Oz. All I did was get caught and brought to my bloody knees.”

Together they hurried along the yellow brick road. In the distance, the gates to Emerald City were swung open. A line of horses, performers, bands, streamers and dancers were lined up. There were five carriages as well, all lashed to two beautiful steeds each, the horses shifting color as they stood.

“Rowan, you speak so little of yourself,” Niall chided, grabbing her hand. Her heart crashed against her rib cage at the touch, remembering how he had grabbed her and held her while in the jail cell. “Do you realize that you are one of the most stubborn, relentless, loud-mouthed-“ when she began to glare at him, he smiled “-loving, bravest, best archer and damn glorious girl in Oz?”

“You have to say that. You’re my best friend.”

“I don’t have to say anything. I say it because I mean it.”

Before Rowan could respond, they reach the end of the parade where Liam hollered at them with a smile to get into their respective carriage, that the parade is starting. Next to him, Marianne was smiling, flowers also dressed in her hair. “Get in before it takes, off you two!”

Grinning, Niall hopes into the seat, leaning over to help Rowan up. She swats his hand away and pulls herself in, making Niall roll his eyes at her. Never able to accept help from anyone.

“By the way,” Rowan added, leaning over to him as they start to move. “You look very dashing.”

It’s true. Niall was dressed in white pants and a coat with a tale on it, a peach flower in his front-most pocket. He smiled at her, shrugging. “You look beautiful- breath taking, actually. You never wear dresses.”

“I hate them.”

“Well,” he said, leaning back as they enter the gates, the cheers of the citizens of Oz washing over them, “You look beautiful with or without a dress.”

Rowan blushed, turning and raising her hand to wave at the crowd. In front of her Cecily and Louis are doing the same thing, so she continues to follow suit, awe creeping up within her to find that flowers, flower pedals and even bits of confetti are thrown their way. Shouts of ‘thank you’ and ‘hero’ are thrust upon them, and Rowan hears it all, wide-eyed.

The parade is for them. After dispelling Zayn and Evangeline, the darkness on their land was lifted, the sun pulling out of the dark clouds, the haze over the city lifting. Color and happiness came into the city like water breaking through the flood gates, and it was because of the effort of eight Oz natives and two of the most wonderful strangers.

The castle comes in side then, towering and green, glinting in the sun. The mayor of Oz waits for them at the front of the castle, smiling at them. A replacement for Zayn has not been made, but it doesn’t matter. People are happy, they are smiling again.

Hey, Rowan?” She looks at Niall, her hand still waving. He looks down, biting his lip. “Do you remember when we were talking at the castle the other day, right before the monkeys came?”
“Well I’m not likely to forget something like that. Why?”

“Because I was trying to tell you something that I never got the chance to.”

The horses stop. “What is it? Are you alright? Niall?”

“I love you,” he blurted, looking up at her. Every ounce of air escape her lungs as she breathes out, heart stopping. It’s like a trigger, and her hands are instantly shaking, though whether it is because she is shocked or happy, she cannot tell. “I fell in love with you years ago, and I never told you because I thought maybe you blamed me for what happened with your family. I love the way you sit on the highest branches, I love how you run faster than me, how you don’t listen to a word anyone says, I swear I-"

Rowan cut him off, Her waving had ceased, hands going to his face instead as she crashed her lips against his, kissing him with such force that they toppled over on the seat, Rowan steadying herself with a hand placed on his chest. Pulling away, she’s almost dazed, her lips aflame and tingling as the shouts around them see to grow even louder, people pointing and laughing with pure glee, seeing the kiss.

“I love you too, idiot.”

“Really?”

She nods and kisses him again, a shorter one this time. “Really.”