The dark haired girl hissed in pain as yet another red hot coal poker prodded her skin open, the wound on her arm quickly opened again blood trickling out down the sides. It joined the many others that scarred her body.
"You purposely lost the fight so I'd lose money!" The man narrowed his eyes, sticking the poker back into the fire.
Aeryn spat on the ground before him and stood up to her full height, she winced but ignored the pain. "I only did this for the money! If you forgot, I'm on my own now. If you're going to use me as a human punching bag, I have a right to not participate."
"You brought it upon yourself by not defending yourself."
Aeryn rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Come on- why don't you try me right now I bet I can kick that fat a-" The man's eyes widened. Enraged he violently took her by her already torn collar and interrupted her before she could finish her sentence. He took the poker which had been sitting in the fire for quite some time and dragged her out to the town square for public humiliation.
"You're my property now! You will obey me- or face the consequences!" He raised the hot iron rod, aiming to hit Aeryn at the base of her neck. It would surely kill her, at that temperature at least. She could already feel the heat radiating off of it.
She closed her eyes, saying her last prayers to anyone who might listen. For once, she should've kept her mouth shut- but no. She always had to speak at the most inopportune moments. A shadow passed over the square, Aeryn could tell- even with her eyes closed. The light difference was too drastic for anything else. She turned around to see what it was.
A figure stood over Elio, her keeper. Their back was to Aeryn. Elio stood up and scrambled away, leaving the poker in the dust. Many of the others who had come out to see the commotion followed suit. Aeryn wondered what was wrong, who was this person? She, a female stepped on the poker, squashing it in the dust, the dirt caked the hot parts cooling it with a boot clad leg. She turned to face Aeryn, eyes narrowed in defiance as she studied her.
Aeryn stared at her, mouth hanging open catching the dust that was kicked up, she scoffed. She was green. She had a wide brimmed hat, one side upturned the other waved and a high cone. She clutched a broom in her left hand. She was the Wicked Witch of the West.
The Witch looked at her, a glint of amusement in her eyes. "Are you done staring yet, girl?"
Aeryn's jaw moved up and down a couple times, no sound coming out. "I'll answer for you then, yes." The Witch grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. She pointed to the forest with a slim emerald finger.
"That guy was pretty scary... I would recommend making your way out of here. That way looks nice. Take this too." She let go of her arm and stuck her hand in a satchel she didn't see before. She pulled out a bag of coins and enclosed it in Aeryn's hand. The Witch nodded and pressed her pointer finger to her lips, grabbed her broom with both hands, leveling it out horizontally to the ground getting ready to hoist herself onto it. Aeryn looked at her in amazement. Then at her way to freedom, then to the bag of money, then back to the Witch.
"Wait!" She called after her. She already hovered a foot above her head. "Why did you help me back there?" She added more quietly.
The Witch's gaze softened and a small smile graced her lips. "Don't believe everything you hear, kid." She winked at Aeryn before flying off, throwing her head back in her signature cackle.
Wicked had never looked so good.
I WILL UPDATE TRUTH AND WWC, I just have writers block on the latter and promised myself I'd update it before Truth. Once I finish Truth (at this point 2-3 more chapters) I'm putting up another story, here's the summary:
What if Elphaba had really become wicked after Defying Gravity? What if she finally broke? She's forgotten Glinda, Fiyero, and Nessa... and they're the only ones who can save Oz. The only ones who can save her from herself.
Scrap this too or continue?
Elphie your WWW thanks everyone for their support.