It seemed like everything was perfect. Dorothy was sent back to her home, in the land known as Kansas, Glinda was praised as the 'Queen of Oz', and all of Oz was in merriment. They had waited so long, almost too long, for someone to come along and rid the beautiful green land of the monstrosity that was known as the Wicked Witch of the West. But little did they know that their festivities were in vain; Elphaba Thropp was not dead. Instead, the dreaded Witch had hidden underneath a trapdoor which her beloved snow Monkeys had installed for her when she heard of the female child, Dorothy.
"I've been locked under here for how long? Almost a week!" snapped Elphaba, glaring at the walls of the underground room with disgust. Six and a half days had gone by since Dorothy had supposedly melted her. The Witch could only imagine what life in Oz must be like and she didn't enjoy the vivid mental picture. Citizens, Ozians and Animals alike, were probably rejoicing and praising the Unnamed God for the miracle of her death. Elphaba snarled and ripped off a jagged slice of stale bread from the cupboard that lined one of the four walls. When the Witch had pretended to melt, she had actually disappeared underneath a trapdoor that her familiars had installed her when news of Dorothy's quest had been leaked out. Thank Lurline that I went to Shiz, thought Elphaba with a chuckle. And that farm girl was so feebleminded. She curled up and wrapped her hefty cape around herself for warmth and shut her deep brown eyes, falling into a dreamless sleep.
XXxXx
"Sir, we've told you many times now. Elphaba Thropp is dead." The senior member of the Gale Force seemed to be getting irritated, but his facial expressions didn't reveal it. He trained his eyes on the muscular figure before him. Fiyero Tiggular, prince of the Arjiki tribe. What did he want to know about the Witch? The soldier shook off the thought. It wasn't his job to poke through other people's business.
"Thank you for your time." Said Fiyero politely, bowing his head and drawing his cloak around him before striding to the nearest café. He sat down and ordered, not because of thirst but because he thought the drink could somehow bring him company. He looked down at his dark skin and sighed. That was just another memory that connected him to Elphaba. He remembered when Boq, Glinda, and the Witch had gathered. Elphaba had used that large book- the Grimmerie, was it? - To return Boq and Fiyero to their normal state. The munchkin was no longer made of tin and the prince was no longer made of straw. Oh Elphaba. Where have you gone? He closed his eyes for a moment and daydreamed of his love. Her silky raven colored hair cascading down her back, her marbled green skin, and her lips calling him to her….
Fiyero's eyes jolted open and the first thing he saw was the coffee sitting right in front of his face. He drank absentmindedly, keeping his eyes outside of the cafe. Elphaba felt so close, like he could reach out and touch her. If only he could.
XXxXx
Elphaba Thropp's eyelids fluttered and she opened her eyes slowly. Stifling a yawn, she sat up and waited for her sight to be adjusted to the darkness of the room. For a few sleepy moments, Elphaba contemplated using the Grimmerie to find a spell that would light up the place, but she decided not to in the end. She took a deep breath and pushed at the trapdoor with all her might. It wouldn't open; the damn thing was locked. Elphaba sighed and sat with her back against the wall. There was nothing else to do, so she sang.
The Witch sang of betrayal and loneliness, love and war. When she was satisfied with the way her voice echoed around the room, she held one note and was quite proud of the way it vibrated through the air.
Music was the only thing she loved. But you love Fiyero too. Elphaba cursed under her breath. Fiyero was the only thing she didn't want to think about. Whenever his handsome face popped up in her mind, she felt like there was a gap in her heart that he should fill.
XXxXx
"Alright men, search the entire castle! I want sure proof that the Witch is dead!"
Elphaba could feel the vibrations of the soldiers' boots trampling over the concrete flooring and she couldn't hold back a laugh. What did those buffoons hope to find? She had been melted for Lurline's sake. Some random straggler could have wandered into the castle and stolen her cape to sell to a nearby merchant. Also, everybody knew that Dorothy had taken the broom with her to prove to the Wizard that the Witch was truly dead. Neither Dorothy nor the Wizard knew that Elphaba had hidden her real broom under the trapdoor and had a fake in her hand at the time of her melting.
"I am just so clever!" exclaimed Elphaba quietly, pulling her cape around her as a breeze flew in from the tiny cracks in the trapdoor. What she didn't know was that her cleverness was about to get her caught.
XXxXx
Fiyero wandered through the Thousand Year Grasslands, quite familiar with the patterns after years of stalking animals. As he slinked his way through the tall grass, the thought of Elphaba alive was the only thing that kept his legs moving. She was his motivation. The seemingly never-ending maze ended and Fiyero found himself in daylight once more, but the light was beginning to disappear. Night was arriving head-on. Better get going, he told himself. Fiyero gazed up one time at the Witch's mighty castle at his home in Kiamo Ko and then began his trek.
XXxXx
"What was that?" asked Talia, pausing from her pace around one of the castle's corridors. She had heard Elphaba's spout of laughter. The nervous Ozian bent down to stare at the flooring. There were rumors that the castle was haunted by the Witch's ghost. She suppressed a gasp of excitement as she discovered a small latch that, if pulled, would lead to Elphaba's hiding spot. This is it! If I explore and find something valuable, maybe Boss will let me off work for at least a day, Talia thought delightfully. There weren't many women in the Gale Force, so for some reason, her boss made her work extra-long hours.
Talia painstakingly unhooked the latch and worked to pull the door up. Below the ground, Elphaba was pushing against the walls in frustration, trying to find a way out. Maybe if I cover myself, I will blend in with the darkness, she thought. It wasn't the smartest plan, but what other choice did she have? The Witch drew her cape over her head and crouched down.
Talia flung open the door and jumped inside. When her feet hit the ground with a thump, she noticed a weird lump in the corner of the barely-lit underground room. Mustering her courage, she poked the mess and jumped back in surprise when it moved.
"Please, leave me be!" Elphaba pleaded, again pushing on the walls for a way out. She could go up the trapdoor, but there would be a seventy-five percent chance that a guard would discover her.
"I- I, um, don't want to hurt you." Talia said with assurance, hating her poor choice of words from the moment they came out of her mouth. Her eyes widened when she realized who was standing- well, crouching- in front of her. "Elphaba? You're alive?" She couldn't believe her eyes.
Elphaba rushed over to Talia and covered her mouth with one of her bony green hands. "Please, be quiet. I don't really want to be caught." She said softly.
Talia pushed Elphaba's hand away. "Queen Glinda told me that you were alive! Come on, we'll break out and I'll take you to her." She exclaimed. Before Elphaba could protest, the girl had taken her hand and was helping her get out of the room. Using her upper body strength, she pulled herself up and started helping Talia get up as well.
"Come on, let's go. I know a place where-"
"Talia Davis, you are under arrest for assisting a fugitive."
Guards surrounded her and forced her to her knees. Glancing around to see if they had taken Elphaba, she observed the Witch who was lying limp in the arms of a guard, blood spilling down her face from a wound in her forehead.
I'm a goner, she thought before she passed out.