A/N - So I just read a story on AO3 that tore my heart out completely, so I felt the need to write this fluffy piece. Hopefully you enjoy. This is a complete AU story, so please refrain from correcting me on any 'incorrect' details.
Thank you and enjoy!
What if Elphaba Thropp had been born to parents who accepted and loved her, despite her verdigris? What if she had led a happy childhood filled with fun and games, rather than one filled with chores and conditional love? Would she still turn out to be the Wicked Witch of The West? Or would she simply enjoy her life as Elphaba Thropp, the heir to the Eminency?
A year ago to the day, Melena and Frexspar Thropp welcomed their eldest child into the world. They were so incredibly excited to become parents - longing for the hugs, kisses, and teachings their child would bring them. Little did they know she'd bring them their first lesson along with her first breath.
One Year Ago
The midwives had flinched in disgust when the child's color began to appear.
Melena watched in fear as she listened for a cry from her child that would never come. The midwives, despite their shock, quickly began working. They cleared the child's lungs, gave her a good slap on the behind, but there were still no tears - no wails. She didn't seem to care about the bright light that invaded her cornea's for the first time, nor the cold breeze with which she must become accustomed. Frexspar, Melena's husband, was incredibly wide-eyed at the site of the child, seemingly distant from the scene.
All Melena wanted was to hear that her baby was healthy, that she was breathing. She began screaming towards the midwives, demanding to see her child. The three women looked amongst themselves before laying eyes upon Frex, who quickly nodded, giving them silent permission to show Melena the child.
"Madame, you have a daughter." The eldest midwife spoke. "She's perfectly healthy, it seems, with one concern."
The governor's wife looked at the with worry, expecting them to go on, but they never did. Instead, they simply handed Melena her daughter - who was wrapped up tightly in a warm blanket. She pulled back the covers just a bit so she could look upon her newborns face. She gasped slightly when she finally seen her. The child was green. Melena brushed her finger across the infants face, feeling her ever-soft skin when she was greeted with a look.
Behind swollen eyes, the infant looked up towards her mother. Her eyes were nearly black, and her hair had a beautiful, raven curl. She stuck her small, pink tongue out, causing Melena to giggle.
"You're perfect, my sweet girl." She cooed. "I believe we'll call you Elphaba."
She hadn't noticed her husband joining her in the admiration of the child. "A beautiful name for a beautiful girl." He spoke softly. Elphaba gurgled in her mothers arms as Frex laid a kiss upon his wife, and his daughters, foreheads.
Present Day
This was Melena's favorite memory, and she had plenty of great ones. Yes, it had been an incredible shock for her child to be born green, but Melena quickly fell in love with her oddity. Many people had questioned if Melena and Frex went through a mourning period, which angered them both. Of course they hadn't mourned.
She was quickly torn out of her thoughts as she heard a screech come from her daughters crib. She looked towards the wall that held it, and smiled gently at the girl it held. Elphaba quickly stood up, holding onto the bars of her crib as she bounced on her mattress. It was a comical sight for Melena. Due to her curls, the girls hair naturally stood on end in a frizzy mess. With each bounce the curls grew wilder as they felt through the air.
"Good morning, bunny." Melena said as she lifted her daughter from underneath her shoulders. "Did you sleep well?"
Elphaba responded in the only way she could - bouncing. It seemed to be her favorite activity, so she didn't bother with learning much else. Her mother was always smiling, always laughing, when in the presence of her child. Elphaba gave her mother a grin, showing her two teeth as best as she could, and opened her mouth repeatedly.
"Oh, is someone hungry?"
The one-year old responded with a loud, excited screech. "Shh, you'll wake your father." Melena said softly.
Deciding it was time to take the child into the kitchen to eat, mostly because she didn't want to wake her husband, who had been up until dawn working on paperwork.
Once she reached the kitchen, she thought quietly about what was going to be for breakfast. Obviously Elphaba would have milk, but what else would she be having? She looked towards the counter and the apples that laid upon them, but shook her head, Elphaba wasn't fond of apples. Suddenly, Melena remembered the carrots she had boiled the day prior, specifically for Elphaba. Yes, that would be the remainder of her breakfast.
When Frex awoke, only about an hour after Melena and Elphaba, he was not very shocked the his girls had already been up and about, but more that he hadn't awoken once. He knew Elphaba, and she was always so happy in the morning that it woke both of her parents.
He dressed himself in his usual robes, adding a hat for warmth, due to it being the winter months. Once he had finished, he walked through the hallway that led towards their living area. Despite being the governor, Frex and Melena both enjoyed living in a humble home rather than the usual mansion. It was so much more comfortable. He took notice of the house being quieter than usual, but smiled when he turned towards his family.
Melena was still in her night robes, and Elphaba was dressed in her warmest night outfit as both sat in the comfortable rocker near the corner of the room. Elphaba laid facing her mother, though her arm bent uncomfortably back, hanging in the air as she slept. Melena sat upright, but was sleeping herself, no doubt. It was a beautiful image. Carefully, Frex lifted Elphaba out of her mothers arms, cuddling her closely. He grabbed her blanket off of the nearby sofa and wrapped the infant within before laying her in the bassinet meant specifically for this. The man let out a small laugh when she noticed the orange in the crease of his daughters mouth. He'd clean it later, deciding to let her sleep.
The room felt rather chilled, so he walked towards the back of the house, exiting out of the rear door, and returned with wood from their collection. He knelt down and started the fire that would provide them with the needed heat - he didn't want either of his girls to be cold, nor to come down with an illness.
Almost immediately as the fire began, Elphaba cooed in her bassinet. Frexspar walked towards her, glancing silently into the bed. Elphaba was still sound asleep, though she had a slight frown on her face. He whispered a well-wish for sweet dreams, and allowed the room to warm.
Later in the evening, when everyone was wide awake, Frex and Melena sat on the floor with Elphaba - who had just gotten out of her milk bath. Since she was born, the child had a terrible allergy to water. Her parents had to improvise with warmed cow's milk. It was a relatively simple switch, though they had to dry every inch of her body so that she wouldn't smell of spoiled milk.
Frex was attempting to get the child to call him "papa" but she had refused thus far. Smiling mischieviously with each encouragement from her father.
"Oh Elphaba, I'll give you some banana's if you say papa." Well, that wasn't fair. Banana's were Elphaba's favorite. The child seemed to consider it for a moment, then she opened her mouth and Frex inched closer.
"Mama!" Elphaba giggled. Frex sighed in defeat, though he couldn't resist that two-tooth smile. She ended up getting the banana's anyway.
It was nearing bedtime, and Elphaba was beginning to yawn. Melena dressed her in her nightclothes, sat in the rocker near the fire, and began humming to her daughter. The infant only fussed a small bit, giving up after a few attempts to sit up rather than lay down. She let out a huff of frustration, and her mother smiled at her.
As the two rocked gently, her mother began to sing the one song that always calmed her daughter, no matter what the issue.
"Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleepy little baby.
When you wake, you shall have,
All the pretty little ponies."
Elphaba looked up at her mother as she allowed her cheek to rest on her chubby fist. She took a deep breath and let out a yawn that seemed much too big for her small body.
"Blacks and bays, dapples and greys,
Go to sleep you little baby,"
The child's eyelashes began to flutter wildly, and her mother smiled at her father, who remained on the floor as he, too, began to relax. His family brought him so much peace, so much happiness.
"Way down yonder, down in the meadow,
There's a poor wee little lamby.
The bees and the butterflies pickin' at its eyes,
The poor wee thing cried for her mammy."
With her lips parted, and slight snores escaping her throat, Elphaba drifted off into her dreams. Melena lifted herself off of the chair and began carrying Elphaba to her crib. Frex followed not far behind so that he may prepare the child's bed for her to enter. Once entering the room, Melena remained swaying the girl in her arms slowly, singing softly still.
"Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleepy little baby.
When you wake, you shall have,
All the pretty little horses."
Once Frex had straightened the blankets, Melena carried the child to her bed, patting the girls behind gently to keep her bouncing. As she laid her into her pile of warm cloth, the girl jumped awake slightly, falling back out once she felt the bed against her back.
"Goodnight, bunny." Melena said quietly as she rubbed the girls stomach softly, preparing herself for bed as well.
Well, there it is! I'm not sure how I feel about it. It was amazing to write out, and I'm full of fuzzy, happy feelings, but I'm not sure if I wrote the chapter well. If you have any constructive criticisms, or if you want to see a specific thing in Elphaba's life, send me a review and I'll attempt to incorporate it into the story!
