the Conference, Liir was attacked by dragons, who took the broom. Liir fell to earth, where Oatsie Manglehand found him. After Candle hears Liir's story, the two run away together and settle in a deserted farmhouse, which Candle names "Apple Press Farm." Liir goes to the Conference of the Birds, where he learns that the Birds are under attack. The new Emperor of Oz is afraid of the Birds' power to spread news throughout the land and has sent the dragons to attack them. Liir agrees to help the Conference destroy the dragons and recover the broom. Returning to Apple Press Farm, Candle tells Liir she is pregnant, explaining that she had sex with him while he was unconscious. Liir meets with his old military friend Trism bon Cavalish, who he discovers is responsible for training the dragons to perform their killing missions. Liir convinces Trism to help him kill the dragons by poisoning their food. They recover Elphaba's broom and cloak and flee the City. During their flight, Liir and Trism become lovers. They end up at the Cloister of Saint Glinda, where the Home Guard besiege them. The mauntery is spared from attack because Glinda is staying there on retreat. With her help, they come up with a plan for the pair's escape: Liir will fly away on his broom, while Trism will leave with Glinda, disguised as her servant. Liir flies about Oz, collecting and training a huge flock of Birds, which he leads to the Emerald City. Over the City, they fly in formation as a huge representation of the Witch. When returning home, it dawns on Liir that the "ELPHABA LIVES!" graffiti he has seen in the Emerald City is in Nor's handwriting. When he arrives at Apple Press Farm, Candle is gone, but he finds wrapped in Elphaba's cloak a newborn baby who he initially thinks is dead but revives under his care. Holding the baby up to the rain to wash away the birth blood, she "cleans up green." In a subplot, Liir meets the Scrow people and their leader Princess Nastoya, an Elephant who took human form in order to hide from the Wizard. Now dying, Nastoya asks for Liir's help in finding a way to change back. Major Characters Liir: The protagonist of the story and the son of Elphaba and Fiyero. Liir is described as handsome, tall with black hair