Hello! Been a while, yes? Yes. Anyway, I know I shouldn't be, but I'm experimenting with another series, this time with a more of an ancient Egypt feel to it, seeing as I was somewhat inspired by the 1956 film The Ten Commandments.
The Emerald City was going to be built, no matter how many people had to die in the process. And being at the head of the operation, Fiyero was determined to make sure the city was finished before his father passed away.
"The palace itself will be made entirely of emeralds. There will be nothing taller or grander in all of Oz," the prince said, gesturing to the plans on the table.
The Wizard looked down. "It certainly appears impressive." He looked back at the prince. "Though I have yet to see any part of this 'grand city'."
"Do not doubt, my father. It will be built."
The Wizard was about to reply, but sudden cheering interrupted him. Both men approached the edge of the balcony and looked down into the streets to see the citizens gathered there, throwing flowers as a single name left their lips.
"Elphaba has returned!"
"Elphaba!"
Fiyero's eyes narrowed slightly and he turned away almost angrily.
"The people love him," the Wizard said.
"Yes… they allow that love to blind them."
The Wizard turned to face his son. "Oh? Perhaps I could agree, but their love is justified. I send Elphaba to destroy a city, and he returns victorious. I send you to build a city… where is it?"
"It will be built… and then that city, and your throne will be mine."
"I will decide who takes over after I am gone."
It was at that moment that Elphaba came striding through the doors, smiling when she saw the Wizard. "My father…" She knelt before him, and arm across her chest. "I have returned from Quadling Country to report to you that the uprising had been suppressed and order restored. And in gratitude, the Quadling patriarch says he will send ten carriages filled with the finest blown glass."
The Wizard placed his hands on Elphaba's shoulders. "Elphaba, my son… you have returned victorious once again. With the Quadlings as our allies yet again, our empire grows ever stronger."
"No need to tell you how pleased I am to see your safe return, brother," Fiyero said, giving Elphaba a forced smile.
"No need." Elphaba knew of her brother's contempt, but she chose to let it go, as she always did.
"Well, who is this strong, handsome man who bows before our Wizard?" a cool voice asked as it floated into the room. The three looked up to see the brunette entering the room, her white dress flowing behind her. She held a gold-laced fan before her face, smiling slyly. "It is our Wizard who should be bowing before you, great warrior."
While Elphaba smiled, Fiyero did not. Sarima was to be his wife, and for her to show such affection towards Elphaba… well, it irked him to no end.
"I live only to serve our great Wizard," Elphaba said, approaching Sarima with her hands held behind her back. "And you." She said those last two words only loud enough for Sarima to hear.
"Perhaps we should go for a walk in the palace gardens, and you can tell me all about your victory over the Quadlings," Sarima said, giving Elphaba one of those looks before she turned and started to saunter away. Elphaba gave her father a quick nod before she went after the brunette.
Fiyero took a few steps forward, fists clenched.
"Calm yourself, my son."
"Sarima is to be mine."
"Sarima is to be wedded to whomever I chose to succeed me… though it would appear she does favor your brother."
"His green skin is only proof of his sin… and yet the people fall at his feet, Sarima included."
"Sin? What sin?"
"The sin of a past life perhaps… of one committed in the womb. Who is to say."
"So tell me… how are the women of Quadling Country?" Sarima asked as she walked, not looking at the green warrior.
"I cannot say. None of them were worth looking at for more than a few moments. You are to blame for that." Elphaba quickly caught the brunette, grabbing her arm and turning her so that they were facing each other.
"You say that only to flatter."
"And does it work?"
Sarima smiled. "Oh, Elphaba, is that a question you even need ask?"
Elphaba smiled as her hand slid through Sarima's hair, coming to rest on the back of her neck. She leaned down and her lips met the brunette's.
"You know, the Quadlings were very receptive to me after the alliance had been reestablished," Elphaba said after they broke apart.
"I'm sure… I can't imagine anyone you can't win over."
Elphaba smiled slightly before she removed a pendant from around her neck. "This is the finest glass in Oz, hand blown by the Quadling patriarch. I believe the most beautiful woman in Oz should be wearing this… not me." The green warrior slipped the pendant over Sarima's head.
The brunette smiled. "You always seem to know just what to say, don't you?" Sarima pulled Elphaba down for another kiss.
"I come to ensure that you have returned safely, and I find you in more danger here."
Elphaba pulled away from Sarima at the voice, turning to find her mother approaching. "The most dangerous enemy does not lie on the battlefield," she said, taking Sarima's hand.
"It would appear so."
Sarima blushed lightly under Melena's scrutinizing gaze. "I'll see you later, Elphaba." The brunette turned and walked away, fingering her new pendant as she did. Elphaba watched her go, still smiling.
Melena noticed the look on her daughter's face and rolled her eyes. She knew that look well. "Elphaba… walk with me."
The green woman walked beside her mother, but no words were exchanged between them until they reached Melena's room.
"How long Elphaba?"
"What?"
"How long do you think you can keep lying to Sarima?"
Elphaba sighed, crossing her arms. "Mother… you started this lie."
"You would have been killed."
"I know…" Elphaba sighed, approaching her mother and embracing her. "I appreciate what you've risked for me… and we needn't worry. While Sarima may love me, she is bound to marry the next ruler of Oz, and we both know that will be Fiyero."
Melena pulled away from her daughter. "Even so… can you give her up, Elphaba?"
The green woman sighed. It was true, she loved Sarima… and honestly, Elphaba didn't know if she could give her up. She liked to think that Sarima loved her enough that should the time come, it wouldn't matter to her that the green warrior was actually a woman.
"When the time comes, I will deal with the issue."
Melena smiled slightly. "A very diplomatic answer. You have been raised well."
"With you as my mother, my upbringing cannot have been better." Elphaba gave her a smile. "I am going to wash up now. I will see you at dinner." The green woman left and Melena let out a sigh.
"You know she can't keep up that charade forever."
"Don't start…"
Nanny came into the room. "You're playing a very dangerous game here, Melena. Elphaba is growing up; you cannot hide the truth from the Wizard for much longer."
"And if I do tell him?" Melena looked at the older woman with a piercing glare. "Would you prefer to see Elphaba killed? And you and I exiled for our deceit? You're in this with me, Nanny. If you ever breathe a word of this to anyone, it will be the last day you ever see."
Alone in her room, Elphaba let out a sigh as she began to remove her armor, placing it on the stand. The green woman removed her outer clothing, revealing the tight bandages across her chest which bound her barely there, but still existent breasts. She would admit that being raised as a man had somewhat altered her way of thinking. Sarima was the perfect example. Being a woman, Elphaba knew she should be attracted to men, but no. She fell for a woman instead.
And there was of course the issue of going into battle. From an early age, she'd learned to deny her female instincts of compassion for others. Instead, she taught herself how not to feel, and went into battle with the intent to emerge victorious for the Wizard.
She always did.
Elphaba let out a slight grunt as she undid the tight bandages around her chest. The green woman let out a sigh as she was finally able to take a deep breath. She rolled the bandages up before dropping them on the bedside table and moving into the washroom, where she filled a small bowl with oil. The green woman dipped her hand into the liquid before she began to rub it into her skin.
Yes, there was the issue of her strange allergy to water. It was as baffling as the green skin, but her father only took it as another sign from the Unnamed God. It did somewhat pain her to think that her father would no longer feel the same way if he knew she was really a woman. The green woman shook the thought from her head as she finished up, re-emerging into the bedroom, her skin glistening.
With another sigh, Elphaba picked up the bandages again and bound her chest once more. She slipped into her evening clothes, putting on as little gold and emerald jewelry as was appropriate. She hated feeling bogged down by such heavy accessories.
"It would appear as though your prodigal son is late," Fiyero said, sitting beside his father at the elegant golden table.
"Elphaba has just returned from a victorious battle. We can wait for him."
Sarima looked at her own empty plate, hiding her smile behind her golden-laced fan.
Footsteps caused them to look up, and Elphaba soon appeared in the doorway. "I apologize. I was… washing up." She gave them a smile and moved to sit in her seat on the other side of her father.
"It's no trouble at all," the Wizard said before he used his staff to ring a gong near the table. Servants soon came into the room, carrying all different styles of food dishes on emerald tinted gold platters.
"Now Elphaba, tell me: has the Quadling resistance been entirely wiped out?" the Wizard asked as he pulled a pig leg onto his plate.
"They were not all killed. About half were still alive when they finally surrendered," Elphaba replied, picking up a roll as a servant placed a slab of butter next to her plate. The green woman picked up a knife and began to spread some on the bread.
"So the answer is no then," Fiyero said, gesturing for a servant to pour him a glass of pomegranate juice.
"They were very receptive to our truce," Elphaba said as the servant moved to fill her father's glass. "I do not perceive them to pose a threat any longer."
"You say that now, but how long until they grow restless again? You think the Quadling workers will willingly continue to mine rubies?"
"And what would you do, my brother?"
"Just as we do to the Munchkins: we must keep a firm hold over them and treat them as nothing more than what they are, and that is an inferior slave race."
Elphaba sighed, fixing Fiyero with a look. "What you propose means working them to exhaustion, but remember this: the few mine many… the dead mine none."
"What Elphaba says is wise," Sarima said, taking a small bite of the salad in front of her. Melena looked at the brunette, but chose to say nothing as she took a drink from her cup.
"It is indeed," the Wizard agreed, taking a less than modest bite of the pig's leg.
"Well, if Elphaba feels such… leniency is the best approach to dealing with the slaves, then perhaps he should be in charge of building your city," Fiyero said.
The green woman looked at him, pausing in her eating. Of course she knew of the planned construction of the city, but that was something her brother had planned. Not exactly her area of expertise.
"Well, he has certainly proven himself thus far. Elphaba, how would you like to be in charge of building the Emerald City?"
"Construction is not an area I know well, my father," Elphaba said. "Besides, the plans belong to Fiyero. I would not know how to create what he has envisioned."
"Don't be so modest, my brother. I'm sure you could do better than I ever could, since you claim to connect with the slaves so much. Come, tomorrow morning you and I shall go out together to begin building the city."
Melena chose this moment to speak up. "Elphaba has just returned from battle. Doesn't he deserve a chance to rest before heading out so soon?"
"You are thinking as a woman does, my wife," the Wizard said with a hearty laugh. "For us men, this is all in a day's work. Tomorrow, both my sons shall head out to begin work on my city together."
Elphaba looked at Fiyero, who was giving her a smug smile. The green woman gave him one back before she returned to eating.
Sarima, on the other hand, was frowning at the entire exchange. If Elphaba left in the morning, she knew that Fiyero would never let her see him. That fiend! Keeping her green warrior away. Well, she'd find a way around the prince's tricks.
That night, as Elphaba took off her chest bindings yet again and changed into her nightclothes, she heard a knock at the door.
"One moment," she called, making sure her shirt hid her slight feminine features before she went to the door, opening it. "Sarima."
"Good evening Elphaba. I'm so glad I caught you," the brunette said before she moved past the green woman and into the room.
"Is… something wrong?" Elphaba asked, her hand still on the door.
"Well… it's just that you just arrived home, and now going to away again tomorrow morning. It isn't fair. We barely got to spend any time together."
The green woman smiled slightly. "I'm sorry, but you know I cannot disobey my father's request. He wishes for Fiyero and I to begin working on the city together… so that is what we must do."
Sarima sighed, sitting on the bed. "I still don't think it's fair."
Elphaba closed the door before she approached the brunette, sitting beside her and pulling her into a kiss. "I apologize, but you know this must be done."
Sarima pulled Elphaba in for another kiss, refusing to let her go. "Elphaba… Fiyero is doing this only to keep you away from me." She hugged the emerald prince(ss) tightly. "He will try to find a way to turn the Wizard against you."
"Fiyero will not turn our father against me," Elphaba said, wrapping her arms around the brunette. "Do not fear."
Sarima pulled Elphaba down for another deep kiss. "Make love to me now, Elphaba. Take me for your own; I belong to you anyway."
The green woman colored at that. "Sarima… you know I cannot. You are to wed whomever becomes the next ruler of Oz."
"But that will you be, I know it will." Sarima pulled back slightly. "Or would you prefer to see me in Fiyero's arms?"
"No!" Elphaba pulled the brunette back. "Of course not… but please… you know that I were to… deflower you, it would reflect badly on you should you have to wed my brother… and I do not want to see you in trouble. So please… just hold out a little longer."
Sarima sighed. Elphaba was far too decent of a man to give her what she wanted, and that made the brunette love him even more. "I understand… but allow me to stay the night with you?"
Elphaba looked away slightly. She knew this could be potentially dangerous, but truth be told, she did love the brunette and longed to be with her. "All right… but our clothes shall remain put. We can't have anyone thinking we've done something inappropriate."
Sarima smiled slightly as she moved to slide under the blankets while Elphaba extinguished the lamps. "Let them think what they want."
Elphaba's face turned dark green again at that, and she was grateful that Sarima could not see it. "Yes, well… it's time to sleep now, so fresh dreams," she said, sliding in beside the brunette. She felt Sarima cuddle up next to her with a sigh and Elphaba couldn't help but put an arm around her.
It was as close to Sarima as she knew she'd ever get.
So, you all like yes? Any and all feedback is appreciated!