Ruby had a spring in her step as she walked through Emerald City. The sky was a gorgeous clear blue. She drew fearful glances and people, peasants mostly, cowered from her.

With good reason.

She had walked the yellow brick road and she followed it still towards the great palace. She was carrying a wicker basket, the kind a young girl might take filled with goodies on a visit to her grandmother’s house. Except usually young girls didn’t go around with a severed head in their basket. The head was displayed so the face was visible. It was a woman’s head. Her eyes were open and fixed in their lifeless stare.

Ruby smiled at the repulsed people but didn’t say anything.  The head said it all.

Ruby had on a long red cloak, a black corset that was trimmed with red lace, a short black skirt and black knee high boots. Her lips were painted scarlet and her eyes were lined with dark make-up. There were streaks of red in her loose dark brown hair. She carried no weapons. Ruby was herself a weapon.

She was nearly at the palace when she caught sight of a defiant look. The man giving it was perhaps fifty, of average height, skinny and dark haired. He didn’t seem afraid of her at all. He stood at the side of the yellow brick road, one of many who had made way for Ruby.

Ruby stopped and regarded the man. Still he did not show fear. Ruby stepped up to him and let her eyes flash for a moment from their usual warm brown to a vibrant golden yellow. But he didn’t blink. He didn’t flinch. He held her gaze. A brave one. They were a rare breed these days.

“What makes you so bold that you think you can look at me like that?” Ruby demanded.

The man gestured to the severed head Ruby carried. “She let many find their courage.”

Ruby laughed. “And their heart and their brains, blah blah, I’ve heard the story. But there’s no happy ending,” she shook the basket, jiggling the severed head. “Not if you rebel against your betters.”

“Not yet,” he replied, his voice clear and fearless.

Ruby considered ripping his heart out and eating it in front of his fellow citizens. People were staring. Those that had been walking had stopped to look on, they were wondering what price the man would pay for his courage.

Instead of inflicting pain Ruby leaned in close and sniffed him. She breathed in his scent and committed it to memory. “You smell like worthless shit,” Ruby whispered. “And now I know your stink I can find you anytime, anywhere. One night while you’re sleeping I’m going to come and eat you. If you have any children or a wife or anyone else in your home with you I’ll eat them first. You’ll die knowing they are dead and it’s all your fault. We’ll see how much fucking courage you have then.” As expected Ruby smelled the change.

The sour whiff of fear at last.

She patted his face, stepped back, gave him one last smile, all sweetness and light, then resumed her stroll down the yellow brick road.

The guards let her into the palace without challenge. Overhead a patrol of flying monkeys in formation soared out into the city. No one commented but boy did she get some looks as she walked through the corridors of power. Some were obviously glad to see the head of their enemy. Others were shocked to see such a gruesome display.

Ruby paused when she reached the throne room. There was a pair of armed and armored guards flanking the grand, elaborately carved, doors. The guards tried to remain stoic but they couldn't hide their reaction to the contents of Ruby’s basket. Ruby straightened the head so it was fully face up then nodded at the guards. They pulled open the doors and closed them again once Ruby was through them.

Zelena was sitting on the glittering gold throne. She was wearing black robes, and a pointed black hat. She was amusing herself with a prisoner. A man made of straw. He was hanging in the air, green tendrils of energy bound him around his legs, arm, neck and curled around his torso. The tendrils led to Zelena’s right hand. One of the scarecrow’s arms was on the floor.

Zelena’s lips, cherry red in contrast to her green skin, curled up into a smile. “You brought me a present darling?”

Ruby crossed the expansive throne room. It was all marble and gold and open space. In one corner was a rusted collection of metal that was vaguely in the shape of a man. “I did. The best present.”

The scarecrow let out a wail when he saw what was in the basket. Ruby knelt in front of the throne and presented her gift to Zelena.

Zelena giggled with glee. She leaned forward and snatched up the head and held it dangling by the hair. “Ding-dong the bitch is dead,” Zelena said and spat in Dorothy’s face. She stared at the face of her enemy, taking in every detail, savouring the moment. This was her victory. Her shining moment of glory. Dorothy Gale was at last dead. “She’s really dead,” Zelena held the head close. Almost close enough to kiss Dorothy’s bloodless lips.

“Dead as it gets,” Ruby said, still kneeling.

“Well,” Zelena looked up at the distraught scarecrow. “I suppose I don’t need you anymore.” Zelena closed her hand into a fist and the tendrils of energy all contracted violently. The scarecrow was shredded instantly. He burst apart in a cloud of swirling straw and tattered fabric.

Zelena tossed the head back in the basket. Ruby left the basket on the floor and stood, brushing off some stray straw.

“You killed her. You beautiful thing,” Zelena gestured for Ruby to come to her.

Ruby did, straddling Zelena’s lap. Zelena undid the tie of Ruby’s cloak. Ruby shrugged it off and it slid liquid-like to the floor, partly covering the basket.

“Tell me, tell me what it was like,” Zelena rested her green hands on Ruby’s waist.

Ruby regaled Zelena with the full tale. From hunting to fighting to finally killing Dorothy.

While Ruby spoke Zelena’s fingers steadily unfastened the front clasps of Ruby’s corset.

“So,” said Ruby once she had finished her exhilarating tale, “What happens next?”

Zelena plucked her hat off, letting her hair hang free, and dropped it on the floor. “Next we celebrate,” Zelena leaned in and kissed Ruby on the lips.

“Yes, lots of celebrating,” Ruby nodded, her hand slipping into the folds of Zelena’s robe. “But after that. What happens now Dorothy is gone?”

“We rule Oz, we do whatever the hell we like.”

“We?”

“We.”

Ruby grinned. It had been worth it then. Killing Dorothy had sealed her place in Zelena’s affections and elevated her to something like equal status to the Wicked Witch. Ruby kissed Zelena and soon they were engaged in enthusiastic celebration.