171AN:
Hey guys! :D
I guess you might have noticed that it's not Sunday yet, but I'm kind of done with this and while I'm quite busy with uni stuff, I find that I can't concentrate until I get this out of the way lol So here you get the final update for this part of the story!
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
ChenoOsnesFanzel:
I think you might be relieved to get this update a little early :) And Gelphie you shall have ;) (kind of…)
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
All right, the rest later…. For now, happy reading!
Chapter Twenty: Whatever Our Future May Hold
When Glinda first opened her eyes, squinting against the sun filtering through her bedroom window, her first thought was what a dreadful nightmare last night's dream had been. She struggled to pull herself up to a sitting position, and as soon as she had achieved the feat, found that it was almost even more challenging not to drop back down again. A splitting headache blurred her vision and upset her balance. She felt her body pivoting in an uncontrolled manner, until two hands firmly grasped her upper arms to steady her.
Tentatively, she turned her head, cursing the pain shooting down her spine as she moved her neck. A blob of dark skin and beige tunic slowly came into focus.
"Fiyero?" she mumbled, willing her jumbled thoughts to organise themselves.
The Prince reached out to gently cup her cheek, but no sooner had his fingertips brushed her skin, a reprimanding harrumph sounded from the far corner of the room. Glinda's head jerked up and in the direction of the noise. Her eyesight even further impaired by the resulting pain, she could hardly discern the blurry pattern of colourful clothing and accessories. She didn't need to, however. After all, she had grown up hearing Morrible's grating voice on a daily basis. Fiyero's hand dropped into her lap and was quickly withdrawn completely when another, almost choked sound of indignation reminded him that stricter rules applied here than in the Vinkus.
Instead of physical contact, he offered her a small smile as comfort.
"I – we – were very worried about you," he said softly.
Morrible rose form her chair then and walked over to wordlessly press a beaker filled with some sort of frequent liquid in her hand. Downing the bitter tonic, the blonde immediately felt a soothing warmth washing down her throat and radiating through her entire body. The throbbing in her head transformed into a much more pleasant lightness. Her vision improved, but her mind was still as sluggish as before.
She did realise though, that something didn't quite make sense. Blinking, she considered Fiyero's worrisome face, then Morrible. This was all too strange. The Prince shouldn't be in her room to begin with. She wasn't even decent yet. And what was more; she had no explanation for her sorry state and for why not only Fiyero, but also her flinty caregiver seemed so concerned.
Swallowing hard, she scanned the room for clues. A mannequin in front of the armoire was wearing her ball gown. A feeling of dread solidified in the pit of her stomach and her fists clutched the satin duvet. But even if the things she had mistaken for a dream had indeed come to pass, she still didn't understand why she was feeling so weak.
"What happened?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Fiyero flicked a brief glance at Morrible before taking one of Glinda's dainty hands in his bigger ones. She knew he meant well, yet couldn't help but wince and pull her hand away.
"You… fell," he finally answered her question.
Bringing both of her hands up to her temples, the Princess did her best to concentrate.
"I fell?" she repeated, confused.
"Down the stairs. When your were about to… to bring me the crown and announce our engagement."
Her head jolted up, once more sending a wave of pain through her body that not even the potent medication could mask. Her arms dropped to her sides like iron weights.
"I… I fell down the stairs. As I stepped down from the dais?"
Nodding, Fiyero somewhat nervously licked his lips.
"You hit your head quite badly. After that you were unconscious for two days."
"Hit my head…" she murmured under her breath.
The throbbing ache began to return and intensified the harder she worked her injured head, but she fought though the pain. This was too important.
She wasn't engaged yet; this realisation began to echo through her head, obscuring the other thoughts grappling to manifest themselves.
Elphaba. She needed to talk to her right away. Hopefully, she hadn't done anything silly, like taking the next carriage back to the Vinkus.
"Elphaba… where is she?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Fiyero let her know that he wasn't sure.
"Maybe the library?" he guessed. "At least that's where I'd look first."
Of course. The faintest smile appeared on Glinda's lips.
"Could you be a dear and get her?"
"Like right now?"
Glinda nodded, probably far too eagerly.
The Vinkun slowly pushed the chair back.
"Um, sure…"
What was this in his voice? Was it hurt? Biting her lip, she reconsidered.
"Actually… Fiyero, please wait. Madame?"
Morrible met her gaze with an arched eyebrow.
"Would you please give us some privacy? I promise we will not engage in any improper behaviour," she added at her governess' displeased expression.
The big woman left in a huff and a swirl of heavy brocade fabric, closing the door with more force than was strictly necessary.
Glinda sunk against her headboard, while Fiyero watched her expectantly, uncertain what would happen next. When the petite woman's eyes fluttered closed and a heavy sigh escaped her pale lips, he took a step towards her, calling her name in a low voice. She started with a gasp, her heart racing.
"I-I'm sorry. I'm afraid, I'm not quite myself at the moment."
He nodded.
"Should I rather let you rest and come back later?"
"No!"
Even Glinda herself was surprised at the small outburst.
"No," she reiterated, more composed this time. "I need to set this right now, or things will go terribly awry. Even more so than they already are."
Apprehensively, Fiyero stepped closer, his brows knitted in obvious worry. She hated this.
"Listen, Fiyero…"
Their eyes met for a clock-tick, but she couldn't bear it and quickly averted her gaze.
"I can't marry you," she blurted out and immediately ducked.
With held breath, she waited for his response; however, there was none. None that her ears could catch at least, so she strained to look up without lifting her chin. Fiyero stood leaning on a chest of drawers, face pale, lips slightly parted in silent shock. Her eyes lowered again and she pulled the blanket tighter around herself.
"I know I should. Marry you, I mean. And I tried. Please believe me, I tried so desperately. To convince myself. That… that it is the best for Oz. And for myself. That I could go through with it. But… Fiyero, I'm so sorry."
The Prince drew a deep, but not quite steady breath. His voice sounded slightly hoarse when he finally spoke.
"So am I," he replied, then paused for a little while to gather every ounce of his self-control. "But I believe I understand how you feel. Being in a similar situation myself."
An oppressive silence took hold of the room, weighing them down even further. Glinda wished there were more of the bitter medicine, as her headache had returned with full force. Instead, she remembered the herbal potion she kept in one of her unused drawers for quick relief after bad dreams. She slipped out of her bed to fetch the small flask. After taking a healthy gulp, she sighed and offered it to Fiyero.
"Have a sip. It's and ancient Arduenna recipe."
He shifted his weight from one leg to the other and dismissively waved his hand.
"It contains alcohol," she tried to coax him.
Snorting out something that almost sounded like a small laugh, he reached out to take the bottle from her hands. He gave the content a quick sniff, before throwing back his head and swallowing all of what was still left of the potion. He paid for his greed with a terrible bout of coughing and Glinda immediately regretted not warning him about the potency of the medicinal drink.
"You made this stuff yourself?" he still croaked after clearing his throat.
"Of course not. I found the recipe in one of my mother's books and secretly passed it on to a local brewer.
Fiyero nodded and they fell silent again. Realising she was still in nothing but her nightgown, Glinda blushed and crawled back into her bed.
"Are your parents really going to force you to take Sarima as your wife?"
"Well, at this point, I don't see any other solution."
The Princess closed her eyes at that and shook her head.
"That's so unfair. I didn't want this. I hate to know it's my fault."
"But it's not," Fiyero calmly tried to console her. "This has always been the path laid out for me. It's just; for those few weeks this summer… I had hoped-. But it doesn't matter."
Swallowing the lump in her throat, she scooted a little closer and patted the space next to her on the bed. Although smiling ever so slightly, he declined, preferring his spot by the dresser.
"I never meant to mislead you. I came to the Vinkus with the firm conviction I would marry you if I found you suitable to be the King of Oz. And please know it's not your suitability that is holding me back now. I trust you will be a good king once your father steps down."
"You still have to marry. And soon," he observed.
Glinda nodded, once again averting her gaze.
"Who's the lucky fellow? I can't imagine it being Avaric."
Aghast, the Princess whirled back around and shook her head vehemently.
"Someone I don't know then," Fiyero chuckled quietly despite himself. "From your childhood days in Gillikin?"
"You know her rather well," she replied with a sigh.
"'Her?' Lurline be good!"
He stumbled a step backwards and fell into a chair.
"So it is true"
"Nothing happened that night!" Glinda was quick to assure him. "She got caught in the rain and I helped her take care of the resulting burns. That's all."
She took a deep breath and flushed bright red as she thought of what had transpired just a few nights later. Fiyero really didn't have to know about that.
"But yes, I do love her," she confessed, for the first time stating her feelings straight and clearly. "And she… Well, of course I can't be certain if her feelings have changed."
A fond smile inadvertently had made her lips curl upwards. When she looked up and noticed the Vinkun Prince's glum expression as he gnawed on his fingernails and stared out of the window, she immediately wiped the smile off her face and let her shoulders slump.
"You will understand that I can't help feeling a little betrayed," he muttered.
"Direct your anger at me if you must. It wasn't her fault."
"I believe it takes two to play the game of love.
"I will admit that much though: already finding the prospect of ruling the Vinkus one day daunting, I was terrified of the idea of ruling the entire Land of Oz with you, even if only as your consort. Being relieved of that burden is something I'll not regret. However, I suppose my ambitious mother might think otherwise."
Glinda paused at that. Telling Queen Baxiana and King Marillot about this unexpected turn of events was a task she almost dreaded more than informing the Wizard and Morrible. Had they ever had any suspicions, she wondered.
Her musings were interrupted when Fiyero suddenly jumped to his feet, awkwardly running his hand through his hair and turned towards the door. His other hand already on the door handle, he met her gaze again and shook his head miserably.
"As for Elphaba, I couldn't imagine a more qualified councillor and supporter by your side. However, marrying her is quite another thing, in my opinion"
Glinda was about to defend her decision, but Fiyero help up his hand to stop her.
"Don't; there's no need for justifications or explanations. I don't need to hear them. I know fairly well that it's hardly my place to question my future Queen's choices and that shall be good enough for me at this point. On a personal note, I'm not entirely sure what to say or even feel right now. I do hope that by the time the wedding bells are ringing for you, I will find it in my heart to celebrate with the two of you. After all, what more could I wish for than that two of the people I love the most find their happy endings?"
"Thank you," Glinda whispered and gave a small nod.
Fiyero inclined his head and slipped through the door, closing it almost noiselessly behind him.
As soon as the door had clicked shut, a small, fuzzy mop of white fur sprung to life. The Princess jumped, her hand converging her racing heart.
"Sweet Oz! You! How long have you been lurking there?"
Revelon wiggled his nose and pouted - as much as a Dog could pout – seemingly hurt.
"I certainly wasn't 'lurking'," he sniffed. "White coat on fir green sheets hardly makes for effective camouflage. I was only pretending to sleep, as a mere pet would not care much for human talk, no matter how world-shaking the subject may be."
"I suppose I was a little preoccupied and did not pay much attention," Glinda relented.
Sitting down, just about where the Princess' knees were, Revelon pulled back his shoulders and fixated her with an intense stare.
"I expect you would be."
Glinda ran a hand through her unkempt hair before letting it drop down in her lap. The conversation with Fiyero had already been draining enough and she knew that her furry friend and companion would not be the last person she would have to justify herself to that day.
"So you heard everything," she murmured, refusing to look at him.
The Dog didn't answer, and after a few uncomfortable moments, she gave in and peered at him from the corners of her eyes, regarding his composed, yet at the same time clearly troubled expression. She finally decided to meet his gaze head on.
"You disapprove," she stated matter-of-factly.
"Of course not, Your Highness."
"No… Of course not. Yet you are worried that I am jeopardising Oz' future by setting myself up to fail."
Growing slightly frustrated with the Animal that simply continued sitting as still like a statue, watching her with those, huge, dark, beady eyes, the blonde hit the bed with her fist.
"I will not fail. I will be stronger than them."
Revelon nodded solemnly and stood.
"I pray you will be, Princess," was all he said in reply before hopping off the bed and trotting towards the door. He jumped up to push down the door handle, and quickly disappeared through the tiny gap that had opened.
Chewing the inside of her cheek, Glinda contemplated what to do next, yet couldn't conjure a single decent plan. One small decision – well, not quite that small she had to admit – had turned her life into a hopeless mess. She had already told Fiyero that she wouldn't marry him, but how would she explain this to the Wizard, the rest of Oz, let alone the woman who was the sole reason for this conundrum? Glinda knew that Elphaba was far more likely to reject her proposal than to accept it. What if she called her insane and simply left? What then?
Surrendering to her complete lack of ideas, she decided to take one step after the other, and the first logical action would be to get dressed. So she reached to her right and pulled on the rope that would ring the bell in her maid's chamber.
The door flung open not two minutes later. Madannie had never reached her this quickly. At a closer look, the young woman appeared a little dishevelled; her chest was rising and falling quickly, indicating that she had been running. She remained standing in the door for a moment and Glinda raised a questioning eyebrow, yet didn't say a word.
"Thank goodness, you woke up!" Madannie heaved a heavy sigh of relief as she slowly approached her mistress. "Oh My Princess, what in Oz's name happened?"
A fleeting smile flashed over Glinda's face and she took the maid's hands in her own to calm her worries.
"You will not believe it, but I barely even know. I only recall feeling a little, well, under the weather, as you already know. I fell – or so I have been told – down the stairs as I descended the dais to hand my crown to the Vinkun Prince. Can you imagine all those distinguished guests' faces as they saw this? Their eyes must have been on stalks! I am certain that if I were not the future Queen, they would never let me live it down. I don't remember any of this though."
She paused. Far away sounds, hazy pictures, the evanescent touch of a buried memory seemed to float by her and she thoughtfully wrinkled her brow.
"I think there was a moment when I felt slightly dizzy… but in my dream, I continued down the steps as if nothing had happened."
"Your dream?" Madannie repeated, her hazel eyes growing wide in shock and all the colour draining from her face.
"What - what is it?"
Glinda's nervous chuckle got stuck in her throat as the younger woman withdrew her hands and threw herself to her feet that were dangling off the side of the bed, begging for forgiveness.
"Please, Your Highness; please forgive me! It was my fault, but I never meant for this to happen. I never intended to harm you. Please don't send me away, please don't tell anyone. I meant to help, not to hurt."
Slipping off the bed and kneeling next to the upset girl, Glinda shook her head.
"I do not understand what you are talking about. I fell. If there is anyone to blame it is me for being so careless. Now calm down and help me dress."
Madannie lifted her head, tears streaming down her flushed cheeks in torrents. For a clock-tick, she caught the Princess' gaze, but soon she averted her face again, her body still shaking violently.
"No, Your Highness, you don't understand… The little bottle, the green drink you discovered on top of your mantle piece that morning; it was I who planted it there for you to find. It was a potion."
Glinda slowly retracted the hand that had been resting on the younger woman's shoulder, using it to cover her mouth.
"Why-" She shook her head of golden curls. "Hold on, you are not making any sense sense. I did not drink from it."
"I know. That's why I poured it into the herbal tea I gave you for the nausea."
"You did?"
Glinda felt like she should be angry. Angry because Madannie had betrayed her trust, angry because, despite her supposedly best intentions, she had harmed her. Yes, she had all reason to be outraged at such disgraceful misconduct, yet she felt too weak for such fierce emotions. Instead, she let herself sink to the floor and watched her maid cry, still flabbergasted.
"Tell me," she asked tentatively once Madannie's sobbing had subsided into a noisy sniffle, "what exactly was it this drink was meant to do to me?"
"It was a potion. My mother once told me about it. She said it showed the future, the consequences of the path one intends to take the moment one drinks it."
"'A Gift of Foresight,'" Glinda recalled the cryptic note that had accompanied the bottle.
"You… are struggling with your decision to marry the Prince. I can see it. And day by day you're getting thinner and paler; you smile less, and hardly ever with your eyes. It's eating you alive. Like it did my mother. I don't want you to end like her. I want you to be happy. You are a good person, and you will be an excellent Queen. That is if you will still be whole enough to rule by the time they place that heavy crown upon your head."
Glinda blinked as she took in this information. The caring words and the sincerity in her maid's voice were almost shocking. Not many people had ever cared about her personal feelings and struggles, for since she was a young girl, all everyone had ever seen in her was the future Queen of Oz. Her training, her education, her entire life had been orientated towards this one day that she would ascend the throne. Preparing the Princess to be able to fulfil her intended role had always been the goal; what Glinda the person needed had been of little concern. No one had ever paused to consider that the two might be inseparably linked. It was rather funny in a sense: even her Elphie – against everything she felt in her heart, of that Glinda was sure – had encouraged her to choose what was expected of her over her own desires and needs.
This somewhat dismal thought brought her focus back to the problem at hand.
"How did your mother learn about this potion?"
"The Wizard offered it to her once. She was one of the Ozma's ladies in waiting."
This surprised Glinda.
"You are of noble blood then? You ought to be my companion then rather than a lowly maid. Who decided over your position here at court after your mother's death? I shall have them relieved of their duties immediately."
"No, Your Highness," Madannie replied, ears reddened. "You see, I was the result of an extramarital liaison and don't even know my father's name." She sighed. "And my mother's decision to take her own life did further damage to my status. I think I am right where I belong."
Nodding, the Princess decided to rest the matter for the moment and once more considered everything Madannie had told her about the potion and its effects. An absurd idea suddenly popped into her head and she grasped her maid's arms, an almost frenzied look in her eyes.
"Get me more of these potions; as many as you can gather."
This was the solution for all her problems. She would think of something she might try and take the potion to see how this scenario would play out. Then she would repeat the process until she knew exactly how she could appease the Wizard, Oz's lords, and her subjects, but still have her Elphie.
Yet her high hopes began to dwindle when Madannie shook her head frantically in reply.
"Your Highness, what if something happens to you like last the time? It's too dan-"
"Poppycock!" Glinda cut her off, shaking her by the shoulders. "I will just go back to bed, saying I still feel poorly. Then I will take the drink and close my eyes. What could possibly happen?"
It was an intricate situation she was in and she knew that dozens of attempts might be required. But there had to be a way and she would give it her all to find it.
"But I used up all of the potion I procured for you and I don't think I could get any more."
"Where did you get it?"
"The Wizard has an entire collection of them. But it's near impossible to get to them. It took me weeks to steal just one."
Frustrated, Glinda jumped to her feet and began pacing the room. Her first impulse was to send her maid away with the order to try anyway, but she discarded the idea quite quickly. She could never ask her confidante, her friend to accomplish such a dangerous task. If she got caught, the Wizard was unlikely to be so clement as to let her off the hook unscolded.
"Do you wish me to help you dress?" Madannie's timid voice came from further down and Glinda nodded slowly, grinding her teeth in her impuissance. It was so terribly excruciating to have at long last fond an answer to all her problems, only to realise that it was still far beyond her reach.
They set to work, and once the she was presentable and ready to leave her private quarters, Glinda dismissed her maid. The young woman had barely made it to the door, however, when the Princess, out of nowhere, lunged forward and seized her wrists to stop her.
"The bottle - have you disposed of it yet?"
"N-no, Your Highness."
"Where is it? Not in your chambers, I hope?"
"I hid it in my drawer."
Inwardly cursing the young woman's sweet, yet naïve nature, Glinda blew an exasperated breath of air from her lips.
"Bring it here and conceal it somewhere between my things, just in case the Wizard notices that it is missing. They will raid all servants' rooms, but they would never dare touch my belongings."
"Yes, My Princess," Madannie replied quietly as she lowered her gaze in shame.
To assure her that everything would be all right and that she was no longer angry, Glinda gently squeezed her hands.
"Be careful and make sure no one becomes suspicious. Hide it in between my laundry or whatever else you can think of."
The maid inclined her head and Glinda released her hands and let her go.
Left behind only with her own thoughts for company, the Princess straightened out her skirt and tucked at the lace ruffles of her sleeves, no matter how unnecessary these little adjustments were. She had a long list of things that needed to be done, yet she was still undecided as far as their proper order was concerned. If she were to ask Elphaba first, it would feel as though she needed to confirm that she would ultimately get her way before informing the Wizard of her decision. And if Elphaba were to say no? Would she go and find Fiyero, take back what she had said to him earlier? Well, of course not, but what in Oz would she do? On the other hand, if she were to simply tell the Wizard and go over Elphaba's head, wouldn't her love be even less inclined to accept her proposition? By Lurline, those potions sure would have been useful!
A knock interrupted her futile ponderings and without waiting for permission, her old governess paraded into the Princess' bedroom.
"Madame Morrible."
"Well, dearie, I think I have been sitting outside for long enough now."
"I did not realise you were still waiting," Glinda retorted coolly.
"But I was. And what interesting observations I have made in the meantime: a Vinkun Prince leaving in bitter disappointment, a maid arriving in a most undue hurry-"
"Madannie was concerned about my wellbeing," Glinda cut in. "Apparently no one thought it prudent to apprise her of what had happened to me."
"The little incidence at the ball is none of a servant girl's concern," Morrible insisted, her eyes narrowing. Her mouth pressed to a thin line, she continued scrutinising her charge, waiting for further explanations.
The Princess held her gaze stubbornly, but knew that this silly game could not continue forever. After considering the situation carefully, she decided that Morrible would have to find out eventually, so she might as well get this out of the way. Rolling back her shoulders and lifting her chin, she steeled herself for the older woman's dismayed response.
"Prince Fiyero was a little upset after he learnt that he will have to return to the Vinkus tomorrow," she told Morrible in a most calm and measured tone of voice. Naturally, the big woman's face fell in a grotesque display of disbelief.
"I have no idea what the Wizard's plans were, but I hereby inform you that there will be no engagement announcement today, or tomorrow. In fact, I do not suppose that there will be one anytime soon. There are matters that I still need to sort out. Please see to it that the necessary arrangements are being made."
Glinda's words hung between them for a while, only slowly sinking in. When the governess had finally overcome her stupor, a strange sort of smile, too forced to convey any feelings of sympathy, formed on her deep red lips.
"I see you are still not quite yourself, poor child. You should not be out of bed in your condition. I will call your maid so she may help you undress and then I will ask the doctor to pay you a visit."
"No." Glinda's eyes hardened. "I am very much myself, perhaps even more so now than I have been the past few months. I made up my mind and you will not command me otherwise. I am a child no longer. You fulfilled your duty and now your services are no longer required."
Hoping against hope, Glinda willed Morrible to make a face and leave, however, that was not what happened, of course. Instead of leaving, the large and admittedly imposing woman took a step closer and grabbed her by the chin to stare deep into her crystal blue eyes.
"Now listen to me, missy. His Ozness might have been a notch too lenient with you lately, but you better clear your pretty head and get your act together. You want to be queen? Well, we cannot stop you as it is your birthright and the people still seem fond of such foolish traditions. But do not think the Wizard could not rid himself of you if you cause any trouble at all. So stick with what you do best: smile and wave and do as you are being told."
Perhaps, she shouldn't have been surprised at this, yet she most undeniably was. Although she had always been strict with her, the governess had never before talked to her in such a manner. Even the faint reverberations of Morrible's grating voice that were still echoing in her head inadvertently made her shudder, causing gooseflesh to spread all over her body. With her courage nearly frozen by the icy words and her breath hitched in her throat, she felt terribly weak, and for a moment, she thought she would sink to her still unsteady knees. But she picked up her spirit, took a step back to free herself from the big woman's grip and sidestepped her, reaching for the door handle.
"And where exactly do you think you are going?" Morrible snarled.
"To see the Wizard," she decided on an impulse and purposefully ripped open the door.
Hurried steps carried her cross the hall and down the first flight of stairs. The closer she got to the throne room, however, the more her pace slowed, as though her feet were the first to realise that she might have made this decision a tick too rashly. Hesitantly, she looked over her shoulder, confirming that Morrible was following not far behind. In fact, she seemed to be catching up now that Glinda was no longer dashing ahead like a deer in flight. She turned around the next corner and the giant emerald double doors of the throne room came into sight.
Correcting her pace and straightening out her skirt, she prepared herself for the Wizard. She could not let him know how upset she was on the inside. As long as she could maintain her outward grace and dignity, with her head held high, she still stood a chance. The day he would see her broken would be the day she would have to surrender to him completely. She imagined the next time she would see Elphaba. There would be a fight involved - of that she was quite sure; but hopefully, the encounter would end in a little kiss, her Elphie's arms tightly wrapped around her small body. This thought immediately boosted her confidence and she smiled. After all, this was exactly why she had turned her back to the politically more secure path marrying Fiyero would have lead her to. More than anyone's approval, she needed a powerful ally who would share that strength with her whenever she needed it. She was certain that Elphie would be this ally for her. There simply was no other.
The Princess greeted the guards with a firm nod.
"His Ozness is currently otherwise occupied," the senior soldier let her know.
Glinda was displeased. Any hitch in her already precarious plan could mean detrimental consequences. However, there was no time to loose.
"Be that as it may, I have an urgent matter to discuss with him; something that admits no delay."
The man shared troubled looks, yet proceeded opening the doors for their future Queen. Mumbling a quick prayer under her breath, she entered.
As the heavy doors closed behind her, she was surprised to find the spacious room seemingly empty. She wondered what exactly it was the Wizard was supposedly doing. She ventured further into the Wizard's den, eyes cautiously inspecting every niche and crevice. The clicking of her heels would indubitably have caught his attention, which made her wonder why he was obviously choosing not to show himself.
She reached the back of the room, where a giant, golden head floated above the Wizard's throne. He had showed her the mechanisms behind it once before, but she found the entire machinery rather unsettling. She had never cared much for tik-tok devices. Reluctantly, she approached the rear of the construction and couldn't believe her eyes when she discovered the Wizard and Elphaba glaring at each other, like in some absurd sort of staring contest.
"Elphie!" she gasped out, stunned, and the Vinkun's eyes darted in her direction, then did a double take.
"Ha!" the Wizard exclaimed and clapped his hands in glee. Elphaba gave a little growl and sent the old man another glare before directing her attention back to Glinda. By the looks of it, they truly had been engaged in a battle of wills, until she had unwittingly helped the Wizard to win the upper hand.
Appropriately cheerfully, he greeted the Princess with a wide smile.
"Oh Glinda dear, I can't tell you how glad I am to see you back on your feet. What did the doctor say?"
Glinda didn't know what to do anymore. Her eyes were drawn to Elphaba, who stood quietly, her gaze averted. Out of all possible disruptions, this must be the most lethal to her plan. Oh, how much she had yearned to see her love again, but right there and right then, she truly wished that Elphaba were far, far away.
"I-" She forced herself to concentrate on the Wizard, but it was no use. Within a clock-tick, she found herself staring longingly at Elphaba again.
"I need to talk to you, Your Ozness," she finally said, "however, as you are already entertaining a guest, I will return at a more opportune time."
Inclining her head, she turned to leave, but the old man called her back.
"There's no need for that, Your Highness, I'm sure Princess Elphaba won't mind. Only a few minutes ago she told me what intimate friends the two of you have become over the summer."
Glinda might have unnecessarily worried herself about the Wizard's choice of word if it had not been for Morrible, who had, in this very moment, decided to enter the room.
"Your Ozness," she lamented, "I am so terribly sorry! I do not know what possessed her out of the sudden. I tried to talk to the girl, but she just would not listen."
Elphaba's eyes narrowed as Morrible came into view, while the Wizard's brows moved upwards in wonder, his gaze jumping back and forth between the young Princess and her caretaker.
"Well, now I am truly curious what it is you needed to tell me so urgently," he chortled.
Glinda froze, feeling cold sweat breaking out of every pore of her sickly pale skin.
"N-nothing that cannot wait a couple of minutes," she nearly squeaked. She folded her hands in front of her and squeezed hard, sinking her long fingernails deep in her tender flesh to remind herself to keep it together.
"The Princess sent the Vinkun Prince back home," Morrible said with a generous portion of disdain, delivering Glinda an even more scornful look.
Glinda wasn't the least bit intimidated though; she was livid. She couldn't allow this woman to hamper her plan. She shot her what she hoped was a silencing glower and was quite satisfied with herself, until, on their way back to the Wizard, her eyes fleetingly met Elphaba's. The shock in the Emerald Princess' face dealt her conviction a more severe blow than Morrible or the Wizard ever could.
She felt like wheeling around and fleeing the room, or rather like crumbling to the floor, fainting. All fighting spirit seemed to have left her and all that remained was an empty head that did not even know how to control the appropriate limbs to execute either the one, or the other action. But somehow, after a brief moment of stupefaction, she still found the mental capacity to realise that, although there was no going back now, she had not lost just yet. There she was, Elphaba, the woman that meant more to her than she could ever admit to anyone, not even the emerald Princess herself. She would have to gather all her resolution and stand her ground, for this was not only about her, or Elphaba. If she were to become Queen, it would have to be with this woman by her side.
"Yes, this is true," she finally said, no longer even trying to look at the Wizard, and directing her words at Elphaba instead. "As generous, caring and loving a man he is, I came to the conclusion that he is not the right one to support me in my endeavour to rule the Land of Oz."
Elphaba was clearly upset, but Glinda was sure that she was the only one who could tell. The Wizard took a few steps towards her, stroking his chin a thoughtful manner.
"I don't think I quite understand. You consented to this arrangement and after all that time you spent in the Vinkus, we thought that you might truly have taken a liking to Prince Fiyero."
"Oh, I surely have. I like him quite well. Only I do not love him."
"Where are those silly notions of love coming from, I wonder," Morrible complained. "Have I not raised you to be dutiful towards your country?"
"Of course you have, Madame. And I assure you; your efforts were not wasted. I am ready to serve my subjects with all the dedication I can give. But to be the Queen I intend to be, I need someone by my side that is just as devoted to me as I am to the people of my realm."
Neither Morrible, nor the Wizard missed the loving look Glinda offered Elphaba just then.
"How interesting," the Wizard murmured, genuinely intrigued. Her governess sucked in a sharp breath of air and held it.
"Well, she is passionate and wilful, that much is for sure," the Wizard nodded. "But also obstinate and blunt."
"She is a woman," Morrible interjected, but nobody seemed to pay her any attention and Glinda responded to the Wizard as though she had not heard her.
"Yes, she is - while I tend to be indulgent and soft spoken. I would think we make a quite formidable pair."
"Your Ozness, you are not going to permit this nonsense, are you?"
Resting one hand reassuringly on Morrible's arm, the Wizard shook his head.
"Madame, please do calm down. While it might be unusual for two Queens to rule any part of Oz, I don't see why we shouldn't give this a shot."
"Your Ozness-"
Morrible's protest quickly died down as he waved his hand dismissively. He placed his palm at the small of her back and began to gently usher her away.
"Now, why don't we go and enjoy a nice cup of hot tea and leave the rest up to the young people."
Too perplexed to say anything further, the large woman allowed him to guide her through the door and away from the throne room.
Alone at last, Glinda breathed a small sigh of relieve, but immediately tensed up again when her gaze fell on Elphaba. The green woman was still staring at the doors the other pair had disappeared through, her face a rare display of utter befuddlement.
"What just happened?" she asked somewhat stupidly and Glinda had to fight the giggle that tried to slip off her lips. This was definitely not the time.
"Why in Oz did he do this?"
Elphaba turned her head and incredulously gaped at her blonde lover. Glinda bit her tongue. That look… 'adorable' was the first word that came to her mind, but oh Lurline, how inappropriate these sorts of thoughts were given the seriousness of their situation. She swallowed and offered the Vinkun a weak smile.
"He hopes it will ruin me, that is the only reason."
Clenching her jaws, Elphaba immediately let her gaze fall to the floor. Glinda could see the comprehension wash over her and felt a pang to her heart. Would her love ever take the risk of agreeing to something so reckless if the fate of all of Oz was at stake?
"I meant every word I said just then," she told her quietly. "And I there is so much more, but I didn't want to sound too desperate in front of those vultures. Neither too confident, because if they were to perceive you as a thread, I don't know how far they would go to get rid of you."
Shaking her head, Elphaba was still not looking at her.
"You should be marrying Fiyero," she insisted.
Glinda opened her mouth to retort, but closed it again. She clutched Elphaba's right hand in both of hers and surprised, the Vinkun Princess' head flicked up to meet her gaze.
"Let's discuss this somewhere else. I hate this place."
After a brief spell of silence, Elphaba almost unnoticeably nodded her agreement.
Glinda led her along the long corridors, up a few flights of stairs, until they finally stood in front of her door. As soon as she opened it, the emerald woman recoiled.
"That's not quite the kind of place I was thinking of."
"I know. But where else do you suppose we find real privacy? I'm not sure if everything we discuss is suited for unfriendly ears."
Elphaba made some grumpy remark Glinda didn't quite catch, but she decided that she most likely didn't want to know. What was important, was that the Vinkun followed her into the room.
"It's very green" she remarked drily while she let her eyes roam to take in every detail.
"Like the rest of the Emerald Palace," Glinda huffed mildly and rolled her eyes. Then she wrapped her arms around her tiny waist and turned to study her Elphie's guarded expression. "You have no idea how agonising this can be. Some of the furniture have exactly the right shade of emerald to remind me of you whenever I accidentally look at them and I missed you so terribly." Not able to contain a chocked laughter, she whirled around again in an attempt to hide it from Elphaba. "That sounded ridiculous," she sighed.
"It's not too late yet. You can still talk to Fiyero and tell him you changed your mind."
The blonde's grip on her sides tightened and she forced her eyes shut.
"No I can't. Not after that conversation we had."
"Oh," was the only reply she received.
"Didn't you hear anything I said back in the throne room?" Glinda demanded. "Are you deaf or do you just not care?"
Long fingers wrapped around her upper arms, not all too gently, and spun her around.
"What part of our last night together said 'Elphaba doesn't give a damn'? Of course I care, I love you."
The first set of tears suddenly rolled down Glinda's cheeks and she could hardly even tell whether it was relief because Elphaba had actually told her that she loved her, or whether it was anger and hurt, because they were arguing. Maybe neither warranted her to get so emotional, but after all she had been through the past few days, she didn't have any strength left to pull herself together. If she had to break down sobbing, it was better she did so in front of her Elphie than in front of the Wizard or Morrible.
"You never replied to any of my letters," she remembered then, and sniffling, looked up to her love.
This gave the Vinkun pause and her brows furrowed.
"I never received any correspondence, but I didn't really think it all that strange, so I never tried to write anything myself. I simply gathered you wouldn't want to make it any harder than it already was."
Glinda believed her every word and a small smile conquered her face.
"That's what I had hoped."
She wiped the tears away, but only succeeded in making room for more to follow. At this point she couldn't help it anymore. Once they had started flowing, it seemed impossible to quench them. She noted how Elphaba was still holding on to her arms, seemingly ignorant of the wetness running not only down her cheeks, but also her dress.
"You say you love me, you don't even back away from my tears, yet you say you can't stay with me."
Green fingers immediately release Glinda's arms, but instead of moving away, Elphaba took another step forward and wrapped her arms tightly around the smaller woman. Glinda gasped in surprise.
"Of course I love you, you silly girl. But this is not about what we want. You know this."
For a blissful moment, the blonde enjoyed the warmth and the snug fit of Elphaba's embrace. She nestled closer to soak in the emerald Princess' comfortingly familiar scent. She hoped that Elphie was certain that the dress' fabric was thick enough to absorb all of her tears, because she didn't have it in herself to pull away of her own accord.
Her fear was soon confirmed, when she heard a soft hiss come from above her. Utilising her last reserve of willpower, she peeled herself off of Elphaba and apologetically looked up without raising her head.
"It's nothing," the green woman declared.
Neither of them spoke for a little while. Looks were exchanged, but any attempt at communication failed. It was almost like their eyes were speaking totally different languages; not at all the way it had been that night at Kiamo Ko.
The frustration finally became too overwhelming for Glinda, and irritated, she stomped her food while rigorously wiping on her cheeks to rid herself of the tears.
"Sweet Lurline, Elphaba! Just look at me! I mean, really look at me." She made a swift motion from her chest downwards. "You're right, this is not about what we want, but it is still about what we need. What I need, if I may be so selfish to put it like this. You want me to rule Oz and save it from whatever the Wizard might have in store for it. Well, then I'll tell you one thing, dearest: I can't do it. Not like this. I'm wasting away without you and it's not because I don't try. I tired so hard… The Queen of Oz can only be as strong as the soul and the body that accommodate her.
"And as it turns out, this soul -" Glinda reached for Elphaba's hand and guided it to where her heart was. "- and this body -" she took the other and placed the fingertips over her pale lips. "- need you to survive."
Feeling her heart beat frantically, Glinda blushed slightly, knowing that Elphaba could feel it, too. What would happen if she said no? Would her little heart suddenly give up? She swallowed hard, waiting for a reply, any reply from the raven-haired woman.
For the longest time, there was nothing, and she could feel her spirit sink and the warmth leave her body. But just a clock-tick before she pulled away in disappointment, there was this faintest sign of affection that made hope swell in her chest. Who would have thought that something so small, so simple as the stroking of a green thumb over her lips could be so encouraging? Soon the Vinkun's long fingers began to wander, grazing a blushing cheek, trailing along the blonde's left ear, then her chin, until they reached the other side of her face.
Elphaba continued her light caresses in silence, holding Glinda's gaze unwaveringly. Eventually, Glinda felt that they were getting back in sync. The small messages Elphaba's eyes tried to convey seemed to become clearer and clearer; however, the woman's lips were yet to say a single word.
But Glinda couldn't wait any longer.
"Come here and kiss me already, you mean, green thing!"
And to her great relief, Elphaba complied. She delicately cupped her cheeks and leaned down to brush her grey-green lips against hers. The gentle touch was hesitant at first, and Glinda knew that Elphaba was still battling with herself. She reached up to wrap her arms around the taller woman's neck. Elphaba was hers and she wouldn't let her go until she was satisfied that she wouldn't run away.
As lips continued to move against lips, the kiss became more urgent, more desperate. It had been altogether far too long since the two lovers had last felt and tasted each other. Glinda clung to the moment, wishing it would never end. Whether her Elphie would leave her or stay with her forever, she was terrified of what future awaited them.
She didn't even notice, when her hands unwrapped and began to move lower and lower, until they reached the small of Elphaba's back, tucking at the laces of her bodice. When the emerald Princess reached behind her back and captured one of Glinda's dainty hands, the blonde pulled back, blinking.
"I don't think this would be a good idea right now," Elphaba whispered. "Everything is already too complicated as they it is."
At first, Glinda didn't understand. She looked down at the hand that was joined with Elphaba's, then tightened her fist around the laces she was still holding as if to figure out what she was even doing. When realisation dawned on her, she flushed light pink and bit her lips. She freed her hands to reach up and pull Elphaba down a little, while simultaneously rising to her tiptoes. And bringing her lips as close to the green woman's ear as possible, she whispered:
"Well, that's just it. Everything is so chaotic and complicated. But you and I – us – isn't. Let's start there and work our way outwards as we go along."
Marking her path with feather-light kisses, she moved from Elphaba's ear back to her mouth. Before long, she had convinced the Vinkun Princess.
The following morning, Glinda took Revelon out for a walk through the small park near the palace. It had snowed over night and a thick, white blanket was covering the entire city. The sun reflecting off the surrounding buildings' emerald façade made it sparkle with a hint of green. It was beautiful. Smiling to herself, the Princess walked in peaceful silence, while the small Dog trotted along by her side.
"Judging by last night's activities, the two of you have come to an agreement," Revelon remarked cheekily on their way back.
Glinda's pale face turned bright red at the vivid memories flashing through her mind. They certainly had not been particularly careful about keeping the noise down. Elphaba of course hadn't known any better and Glinda herself had temporarily forgotten all about her quadrupedal roommate with that annoyingly keen set of ears.
"I suppose you could say that," she murmured and buried her face up to her nose in her scarf.
"Where is she now anyway? I would have thought you two lovebirds would be inseparable from now on."
Grumpily, Glinda peered at him without moving her head in his direction.
"You are growing more audacious by the day. Do you really wish to find out how well you would fare in an animal shelter?"
Acting out his best impression of big, heart-melting puppy eyes, Revelon looked up to her and releasing a small snort of laughter, his mistress shook her head of golden, snow sprinkled curls.
"No need to practice just yet. I expect you will still prove yourself useful enough, so for now you should be safe." She sighed. "Elphie is with her brother, trying to smooth things out before he leaves for the Vinkus in an hour or so."
"That's certainly a talk I wouldn't want to have."
"Who would? I feel awful. It sort of is my fault after all."
Since it would have been a waste of his breath to deny the undeniable truth of this statement and confirming it would have been even less constructive, the Animal chose not to comment at all. He quickly moved in front of her and sat down in the snow, tail wagging. The Princess stopped and regarded him with a puzzled expression on her face. Revelon inched forward, nodding at her encouragingly. Wondering what he was driving at, she reluctantly bent down to lift him up. Once securely in her arms, he reached up to lick her ear and cheek. After living as a pet for so long, this still was his most natural way of giving comfort whenever words seemed inadequate. Glinda chuckled and scratched him behind his ears.
They continued on their way like this. Eventually, hoping he was not venturing into too dangerous territory, Revelon cleared his voice and asked her what would happen next, whether they had any plans up their sleeves.
"Apparently Elphie literally interrogated the Wizard yesterday - about my parents among other things. She said he was very evasive. Not that that surprised either of us. After being really close to losing an argument with her, he completely changed the direction of their conversation and out of the blue offered to cure her unusual skin condition. I am not even convinced that he would be able to do such a thing if he truly intended to. But he seems ridiculously desperate to appease her. Elphie suspects he has more to hide than we previously thought and now she is itching to begin conducting her investigations."
She sighed and absentmindedly let her fingers comb through Revelon's silky fur. When she caught herself tickling him under the chin, she withdrew her hand.
"I apologise. I got carried away and I forgot… I hope I did not offend you."
"Not at all," Revelon replied a little too late and Glinda realised that he must have secretly enjoyed her tender treatment. Perhaps, she should get carried away more often. Playing along, however, she released the small Dog and let him hop to the ground.
"We harbour this small hope," she continued, "that if we can expose the Wizard's terrible schemes, the people might be too occupied to worry quite as much about my unconventional choice of consort. But other than that, all I can do is to give it my all and convince my subjects that there is no one better suited than me to take care of this realm. And no one better suited than Elphaba to take care of me in return," she added.
"Am I right in assuming that you will be relying on the Vinkun Prince to provide for the heir you will not be able to produce?"
"That is correct. It is Vinkun tradition for men to marry before their twenty-first year has come to a close. I believe it will not be all that long until little Fiyeros will be running through the ancient halls of Kiamo Ko. Although, in the end of my reign, an heir might be no longer required. Elphaba and I would rather promote and develop this new form of government - provided we can replace the Wizard and his corrupt affiliates with capable and honest Ozians."
"Hmm," Revelon hummed thoughtfully. A second later, he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, his bushy tail high in the air and big ears perked up. A small, low growl came from his throat.
"What is it?" Glinda asked, arching an eyebrow.
A few clock-ticks passed before Revelon continued on his way, huffing. Only several paces later, he turned to look around, sniffed the air and finally spoke.
"It was that cat again."
"A cat?" An amused giggle escaped the Princess' lips.
"You of all people shouldn't find this even remotely funny," he cautioned her. "I usually don't care about felines, but there is something fishy about that one. He might be a Cat, but I can't tell fore sure. If he is, he is quite good at playing dumb. Cats tend too be too vain for that."
"Your point being…"
Revelon sighed and shook his head.
"Just a gut feeling, I suppose. But one can never be careful enough when surrounded by false friends."
Glinda nodded lackadaisically. They were almost back at the palace, and when she looked up, a tall, slender figure was slowly approaching them, carrying an umbrella to protect vulnerable skin from melting snowflakes. The Princess' face lit up and she turned her head to look down to her furry companion.
"Come, it is high time the two of you met."
Giggling, she broke out in a short sprint and leapt in her love's arms as soon as she was in reach. Elphaba was obviously taken by surprise and struggling to balance her umbrella. But Glinda reached out and took the cumbersome thing from her. Then she rubbed her tiny nose against her Elphie's and kissed her tenderly.
"I just saw off my family," the emerald Princess informed her.
Glinda swallowed a small lump in her throat.
"And you're still here."
"Well, I'm not going anywhere. That's what I promised you last night and I intend to keep my word."
"Don't make me cry, you!" the blonde scolded her playfully and looped her arm through Elphaba's as they headed for the palace's gates.
Revelon, feeling ignored, barked at them.
"Oh, and this is Revelon," Glinda mentioned casually. "I trust the two of you will become fast friends."
AN:
Okay, so I hope this wasn't too terribly boring, for it's really quite long and not much 'action' happens. It might also feel a bit unsatisfactorily for a final chapter. Originally it was supposed to give you guys a bit more closure than this, but that changed with the way the last 5 or so chapters happened… but for those who don't know yet: There will be a sequel, so don't fret! The planned release date is 01/01/2016, but ultimately, I can't make any promises. But I'll do my best to stick to this!
In the meantime, you might like to head over to the book section and check out Beta Nova's story "Emerald City Lies" – a story I personally like very much and which I'm sure could do with a little more attention :) (but beware: updates take a few weeks xD)
If you like something that's a bit racier at times, why not try lightningprince's "Reading the Signs", currently updating every Monday ;) (He also just finished the first part of a T-rated fic if you'd prefer that, sequel coming later this year.)
And as far as my writing goes… I recently came up with an idea for a really short story (ca. 4 chaps or so) and that's probably the next thing I'll write. After that comes an M-rated, pretty screwed up fic, titled "May I hold You Tonight?"
All right… so finally I'd like to express my enormous gratitude to everyone who read, followed, favourite and reviewed this story! The feedback I got for this surprised me and I enjoyed writing and publishing every chapter. Thank you for all the love! I hope that there will be more fics among my future works that will be so widely enjoyed.
See you again, I hope :)
xoxo MLE :3
