1Author's Note: This is my first real Gelphie fic, and I'm pretty excited about it! I really hope everyone enjoys it as much as I know I'm going to enjoy writing it!
10 years before Shiz-Galinda
Galinda Upland, of the Upper Upplands, was only 8 years old when her mother contracted the disease. No one knew what it was, or why it happened. They just knew that it killed.
Her father couldn't bear to tell her that her mother was dying, so he just made sure they spent as much time together as possible, trying to give his daughter wonderful memories to have for the rest of her motherless life.
They would sit out at the lake, Mrs. Upland watching as Galinda splashed and played in the water, smiling up at her mother every so often. Mr. Upland would tend to his wife, even though they had servants for that kind of thing. Galinda would run in, and her and mother would talk about little things Galinda did all day. They would sit until sunset, chatting and laughing.
Galinda knew that her mother was sick, but she didn't know what was wrong. But she was still allowed to talk to her, and play with her, so that must mean she was alright. But then, one day, Galinda's father told her that her mother had to stay in bed from now on. She could no longer walk. So, Galinda took to playing in her mothers room. She would bring her dolls, and they would dress them up together. They would have their little chats, but now, Mrs. Upland got tired fairly easily, and Galinda would have to leave as the nurse's they hired would give her medication after medication.
Soon, Galinda wasn't allowed to play in their anymore. She was only allowed to see her mother at bedtime, when they would talk about what Galinda did that day. But she was never allowed to stay long enough to tell her mother everything, she always got tired before that.
Every day, the time they spent together got shorter and shorter, and the list of medications Mrs. Upland had to take got longer and longer.
When she got to spend less time with her mother, Galinda took to playing with other children that sometimes came to visit. She became somewhat of a social butterfly, making up for her mother's absence.
It was only a week before her 9th birthday when she saw some men carrying something out of the house. Her father was watching from the door, tears in his eyes.
"Daddy? What's wrong?" Galinda had no idea what was going on, she had never seen her father cry before.
Mr. Upland looked at his daughter, searching for the words. "My dear...sweet little Galinda. Your mother...has, passed on." And he sunk onto the steps of their grand entrance, and wept silently.
"Daddy? She's not...she can't be! She still there! She's just upstairs! She's sleeping!" Galinda ran up the stairs, tripping and hitting her knee on the marble. She ignored the pain and kept going, limping heavily the rest of the way.
She burst into her mothers room, finding the carefully made bed, and a rose placed in the middle. She jumped onto the bed, tearing at the flower. She tore the pillows off the bed, and threw them around the room, tore the sheets off, and threw them into the hall. She did all this without making a sound.
Then, she sat in the middle of the bed, head in hands, and bawled. She was screaming at times, but the only words anyone could understand were, "Please don't leave me."
Galinda had been closer to her mother than any other child she knew. And without her, she felt hopelessly alone.
GEGEGEGEGEGEGEGEGE
10 years before Shiz-Elphaba
"Father? What are we doing out here?" Elphaba's father was dragging her through some strange, uninhabited forest. He had not said a word to her since they left their home, where he had only said one thing.
"Bring nothing."
He didn't answer her question, just kept searching the ground, and scowling at his map. He was muttering to himself. Something about "stupid Quadlings".
He laughed aloud when they walked into a large clearing, and dropped his things to the ground. He then turned, and explained to his daughter.
"This is an old Quadling tradition. If there is something they do not approve of about their child, or kin, or anything else, they bring them out to this clearing, and leave them for a few days. They have nothing but water, and themselves. They say that they come back...changed."
Elphaba was confused. After all, she was only 8 years old! "Is there something you want to change about yourself father?"
"Not me stupid girl! You! I can't stand your hideous skin for one more day!" Frex glared at her skin ferociously before turning away, pulling things out of his pack.
Tears stung at Elphaba's eyes. They literally stung, due to her water allergy. Her father had never been so blunt about his dislike of her before. She had loved him. Admired him, worshipped him even! He explained what would be happening, how long she would be there, the details of everything. But all she heard was the bitterness in his voice. As he tossed her a few water bags, and said nothing but "I hope your different when I get back." She sank to her knees and cried her eyes out.
Her entire life had been devoted to pleasing her father, working for the love she thought she had gained. And without it, she felt hopelessly alone.