Melena and Frex walked through the door of the Governor's Mansion. Elphaba was still clinging to her mother.
"Oh, Frex," Melena whispered, rubbing small circles on Elphaba's back.
"It will be okay, Melena," Frex said, a look of pity crossing his face.
Melena nodded as she carried Elphaba to her room. She tried to set Elphaba down, but Elphaba screamed as soon as she felt her mother lowering her towards the floor.
"Fabala," Melena said, picking up her daughter. Elphaba clung to her for dear life. Melena closed her eyes and bit her lip, determined not to cry.
"It will be alright, sweetie," she said in a comforting voice, saying it more to herself than to Elphaba.
Elphaba moaned. Melena tightened her grip around her.
"I'm so sorry," Melena whispered, kissing Elphaba's cheek.
"Is everything alright?" Frex asked, entering the room.
Elphaba turned around in her mother's arms and saw her father. She stretched her arms towards him. Frex took Elphaba from Melena. He sighed as he rocked her slowly in his arms.
"I'll get her ready for bed. She must be tired after everything that's happened," Melena said, pulling Elphaba's nightdress out of a drawer.
"Here, Fabala. Go to Mommy," Frex said, placing Elphaba's feet on the floor.
Elphaba looked up at her father, wondering why he stopped holding her. She wrapped her arms around his leg and cried.
Frex looked at Melena, wondering what he should do. Melena stepped forward and gently pried Elphaba from her father's leg. Elphaba let go and looked up at her mother. Frex left the room so Melena could dress Elphaba for bed.
Melena carried Elphaba over to her bed and put her down. Kneeling before her, Melena gently pulled Elphaba's dress over her head. She quickly slipped the nightgown over her head. Elphaba looked down at her nightdress, but didn't smile. Melena knew that it was going to take Elphaba a while to learn how to smile again. She picked Elphaba up and tucked her into bed. She was about to leave the room, when a loud moan called her back. Melena turned around to see Elphaba staring back at her with her large, brown eyes filled with tears.
"Fabala," Melena whispered brokenly.
Elphaba scrambled out of bed and ran to her mother. She wrapped her arms around her leg, determined to never let go.
"Elphaba, it's time for bed now," Melena said, picking Elphaba up and carrying her back to her bed.
Elphaba moaned in protest, refusing to leave her mother's side.
"She's never going to fall asleep," Melena muttered to herself as she sat Elphaba on her bed. She looked at Elphaba, who had a pleading look on her face, begging her mother to stay with her.
"Look, Fabala," Melena smiled, reaching for Elphaba's teddy bear. She handed the bear to Elphaba, hoping that it would make her feel better.
Elphaba took her bear and studied it. Her face was still expressionless. Melena pulled Elphaba into her lap and rocked her back and forth. She began to hum a lullaby, trying to make it seem like nothing had changed. But things had changed. So much had changed.
Elphaba, feeling the vibrations from her mother's humming, snuggled closer to her. She slowly stopped shaking. Clutching her bear close to her chest, she melted into her mother's arms. She soon found her eyelids growing heavy.
"That's a good girl," Melena cooed as Elphaba's eyes finally closed.
She placed her back in bed and kissed her forehead. "Sweet dreams, Elphaba."
Elphaba woke up early the next morning. She looked around her room, searching for her mother. When she realized that she wasn't there, she jumped out of bed and went to find her.
Melena was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. When she heard Elphaba's footsteps behind her, she turned around to find Elphaba walking towards her. She smiled as she scooped Elphaba into her arms.
"Good morning, honey," Melena said, giving Elphaba a good morning kiss.
She could see the corners of Elphaba's mouth trying, but failing, to curl into a smile.
"What would you like for breakfast?" Melena asked, walking back to the counter.
Elphaba's little green hand reached for a perfectly red apple. Melena smiled as she put Elphaba down. She cut up the apple and gave Elphaba a small piece. Elphaba took it gratefully. She started to walk away, but turned around. She tugged on her mother's arm, forcing Melena down to her height. Elphaba leaned forward and kissed her mother's cheek. When she pulled away, Melena saw that Elphaba was still trying to smile.
"Thank you," Melena whispered, giving Elphaba a big smile.
"Good morning," Frex smiled, entering the room.
"Good morning, Frex," Melena smiled.
Elphaba turned around and saw her father. He looked… different. He was wearing a long, purple robe and a large hat. He only dressed up like that when he was… Elphaba's eyes widened in fear as she ran to her father. She gripped his hand and moaned, begging him not to go.
"I'm sorry, Fabala. I have to go," Frex said, kneeling in front of Elphaba.
"How long will you be gone this time?" Melena asked, looking away.
"Just for the day," Frex said, walking over to Melena and cupping her face in his hands.
"Alright," Melena whispered, kissing her husband goodbye.
Frex kneeled to give Elphaba a final hug, and with that, he left. As soon as the door closed, Elphaba grabbed her mother's hand and tugged at it. Melena looked down and saw Elphaba pointing towards the door.
"He'll be back soon, Fabala," Melena said, trying to look and sound comforting.
Elphaba slowly calmed down when she saw her mother looking so calm. Melena smiled at her successful attempt to calm her daughter down.
"It's just you and me for the day," Melena smiled, turning back to the breakfast.
Elphaba retreated back to her room, forcing Melena to eat breakfast by herself. When she finished, she went to search for Elphaba. She found her sitting on the floor of her room, brushing her doll's hair. The doll was a medium-sized, beautiful doll, painted green just for Elphaba. She had rosy cheeks, large, chocolate eyes and long, black hair. She looked exactly like Elphaba.
Melena ran through her errands for the day in her head. She had to go to the fish market, then to the glass blower, and then to the dressmaker. Since Frex wasn't home, she had to take Elphaba with her. She wanted to take her daughter outside with her, but Elphaba was still very traumatized from her accident. Who knows how she would respond to other people around her?
Melena quickly showered and dressed herself, then returned to Elphaba's room. Elphaba, sensing someone behind her, turned around and saw her mother standing in the doorway, fully dressed.
"Elphaba," Melena said, walking into the room and kneeling before her daughter. "I have to run into town today. You must come with me since Daddy isn't here."
Elphaba was still staring at her mother's outfit, still trying to figure out what was going on. Melena waited patiently as Elphaba put the pieces together. Elphaba walked over to her closet and pulled out her simple, navy blue frock.
Melena smiled, knowing that Elphaba understood. "Yes, Fabala. We have to go out."
Elphaba held up her doll to her mother. Melena nodded. "Yes, you can bring your doll."
Elphaba nodded, understanding that she had to go out to run errands with her mother. Melena quickly washed Elphaba and slipped the navy blue frock over her small body. Clutching her doll under her right arm and clinging to her mother's skirt with her left hand, mother and daughter ventured out to the town square of Munchkinland.
"Stay close, Fabala," Melena said, through she realized that she didn't have to. Elphaba was clinging to her so tightly that it was going to cause a permanent crease in her skirt.
After their quick visit to the fish market, she went to the glassblower for a new window for their kitchen.
"Greetings, lady," the glassblower, Turtle Heart, greeted as he saw Melena and Elphaba approaching.
"Hello, Turtle Heart," Melena smiled. "Could you make us a new kitchen window?"
"Certainly," Turtle Heart smiled. He quickly blew the window, having done this for the Thropp family before.
"Thank you. Frex will be home tonight, so you can bring it over then."
Turtle Heart nodded, then his gaze fell upon Elphaba.
"Greetings, little one," he smiled at her.
Elphaba immediately ran behind her mother's skirt. Her little body began to tremble.
"It's not your fault," Melena said, seeing the hurt and confused look on the Quadling glassblower's face. "There was a… carriage accident. Elphaba can no longer hear or speak."
"That's very bad," Turtle Heart said, looking at Melena's skirt. "Turtle Heart knows what will make little lady feel better."
Turning his back to them, Turtle Heart quickly blew a glass orb. He turned back around and held it out to Elphaba. Elphaba peeked out from behind her mother's skirt and looked at the glass orb. Very slowly, she reached out and took the glass ball from Turtle Heart. She looked deep within it, admiring the multiple colors it created.
"Turtle Heart knows that little lady is still very young, so glass orb won't break into little pieces if dropped."
"Thank you, Turtle Heart," Melena said, flashing him a grateful smile.
"My pleasure," Turtle Heart bowed.
Elphaba looked up and motioned for Turtle Heart to kneel before her. Turtle Heart obeyed. Elphaba leaned forward and planted a thank-you kiss on the Quadling's nose.
"Turtle Heart thanks little lady for her gratitude," Turtle Heart smiled, standing up and returning to his work.
Elphaba held out the glass orb to her mother. Melena put it in her basket so Elphaba could hold onto her skirt and her doll at the same time. Waving good-bye to Turtle Heart, Melena and Elphaba walked to their last stop, the dressmaker.
"Hello, Melena," the dressmaker chirped as Melena and Elphaba walked into the shop.
"Hello, Diara," Melena greeted.
"Why, hello, Miss Elphaba," Diara smiled, kneeling in front of Elphaba.
Elphaba, once again, retreated behind her mother's skirt.
"I'm sorry," Melena whispered. "It's not you. I'll explain everything."
Diara nodded as she went to get Melena's dress from the back room. She returned a few minutes later with Melena's new dress. As she assisted Melena in putting it on, Elphaba wondered through the fabrics. She stopped when she saw a deep, royal purple fabric. She grabbed it and started to wrap it around herself.
Once Melena had tried on the dress –it fit her figure perfectly- she looked around the shop, searching for Elphaba.
"Elphaba, no!" Melena exclaimed, seeing Elphaba wrapping the fabric around her small body.
She ran towards her daughter and began to undo the fabric. "I'm so sorry. I just turned my back for one second and –"
Diara laughed. "It's perfectly alright, Melena."
Melena looked at Elphaba and saw the confused expression on her face. "You don't think you could –?"
"Of course," Diara chirped, grabbing the purple fabric and taking little Elphaba by the hand. She measured Elphaba and began stitching the fabric into a dress. Elphaba watched closely as the needle on the sewing machine weaved in and out of the fabric.
"It's all done," Diara announced a few minutes later as she held up the dress.
Elphaba's eyes widened as she gazed upon the splendor of her new dress. It looked just like her navy blue frock, but Elphaba loved the rich, deep purple color. As soon as Diara handed the dress to Elphaba, Elphaba quickly wrapped her arms around Diara's leg, the corners of her mouth twitching, trying to smile.
"You're welcome, Miss Elphaba," Diara smiled, turning back to her work.
Elphaba yawned, signaling to Melena that it was time to go home. Melena picked Elphaba up and carried her in her arms.
While they were walking home, Melena looked over and saw some children about Elphaba's age playing in the park. They looked like they were having the time of their lives, laughing and playing on the swings and slide.
"Fabala, would you like to join them?" Melena asked, pointing towards the group of children.
Elphaba looked at the children, her wide eyes observing the sight before her. She buried her face in her mother's shoulder, not wanting to join them.
"It's okay," Melena whispered as they continued their walk home.
Once they were home, Melena released Elphaba and went into her room to take a quick nap. Elphaba, sensing that her mother was tired and didn't want to be disturbed, went into her mother's basket and pulled out her glass orb and ran to her room. She sat on the floor, her doll in her lap, and the glass orb in her hands. The colors the glass created were mesmerizing. She found herself dozing off. She closed her eyes as she laid her head down against the fluffiness of her rug.
A few hours later, Melena woke up from her nap and went to search for Elphaba. She walked into her room and found Elphaba sleeping on the floor. She chuckled at the sight of her daughter sleeping on the fuzzy rug, clutching her doll under her right arm.
Melena leaned forward and lifted Elphaba into her arms. Elphaba opened her eyes and gazed back at her mother. Melena smiled as she carried Elphaba into the living room.
Frex walked into the room, wiping his feet on the 'Welcome' mat and taking his hat off. Elphaba jumped out of her mother's arms and ran to her father.
"Hello, Fabala," Frex smiled.
"How was your trip?" Melena asked.
"It was wonderful," Frex said, placing Elphaba on the floor.
Melena nodded and her gaze turned to the window. She knew that Turtle Heart would be coming by to put in a new one. She felt a gentle tug at her dress and looked down to see Elphaba staring up.
"I have an idea," Melena said, looking from Elphaba to the window. "Let's go outside to the gardens. It might cheer Elphaba up."
Frex looked down at Elphaba, whose eyes never left her mother.
"Great idea!" he said, picking Elphaba up and carrying her outside.
Elphaba clung to her father, wondering why they were going outside.
"Come on, Fabala," Melena laughed, skipping into the gardens like a young child.
Elphaba was hesitant, but soon followed her mother. Melena smiled, seeing that Elphaba was coming out of her walled world.
"Look, there's a butterfly!" Melena exclaimed, pointing at a small, winged insect resting on a bush.
Elphaba followed her mother's finger. She slowly walked towards the bush. The butterfly flew towards her and landed on her nose. Then, it happened. Elphaba smiled. She finally smiled.
"Frex, she's smiling," Melena said, tears of joy filling her eyes.
"She's really smiling," Frex whispered as he watched his daughter skip happily through the garden.
Elphaba turned around and ran back to her parents. Melena and Frex knelt down, their arms ready to welcome Elphaba. Elphaba jumped into her mother's arms and Frex wrapped his arms around his wife and daughter.
"Everything's going to be alright," he whispered to them.
"Yes, everything is going to be alright," Melena repeated as Elphaba snuggled closer to them.
WHOO, six Word pages! Hope you all enjoyed that!