Prologue

The three main provinces in Oz: The Vinkus, The Emerald City and Munchkinland are in the greatest conflict in their combined histories. Although it was in its early stages, the Great War as it was infamously named was becoming the most costly war in the history of Oz and its surrounding areas. Each area wanted to claim the others and expand their cultures and ways of life, after much political unrest had built up over the years.

The Great War started at the expense of the Emerald City when the some high-ranking officials' plans were discovered to assassinate the King of the Vinkus. The Vinkus, as expected did not take lightly to this and made preparations to attack or defend at any means necessary.

As tensions built, it was expected that war broke out between the Vinkus and the Emerald City. Once traveling councilmen from Munchkinland were caught and killed in the crossfire, they quickly became involved as well.

Now, what Munchkinland lacked in strength, they made up with secrecy and hitting their enemies where it really hurt. Several years into the war, they managed to capture the Prince of the Vinkus, Fiyero Tiggular when he was very young. At the time, Fiyero never knew what was going on or what was happening to him, so he was very easy to manipulate.

Frexspar Thropp, Governor and leader of Munchkinland and it's forces, kept the prince close at hand, using him for simple work and chores in his own estate to ensure that he wouldn't fall into the wrong hands. He had two children of his own, Elphaba, who was green of skin and was shunned by her father, and most people who ever encountered her. Nessarose was the golden child, however she was paralyzed from the waist down due to complications from milkflowers that her mother took when she was pregnant, and as a result, their mother did not survive Nessa's birth.

So, Frexspar left the children alone, and as they grew older, Elphaba took on most of the duties of the house such as cooking and cleaning. Fiyero was almost always banned to the stables and the perimeter of the estate, only allowing to come into the mansion under extreme circumstances. Fiyero did try and escape a few times when he grew into an adult and realized what he'd been forced into, however the Governor's forces always managed to return him to the estate before he got too far.

So, the Thropp household was full of angst, anger, and aggression. From the introverted and emerald daughter to the frustrated and captive prince, the last thing the Governor needed was internal conflict in his own home to distract him from the war. However, little did he know, things were about to take a turn for the worse.

Chapter One

Elphaba stirred the contents of the pot, taking a deep breath of its aroma. She analyzed it for a moment, and put in a touch more salt and pepper and was satisfied after the newer smell pleased her nostrils. She checked the pan in the oven to see it turning a nice golden brown and she started to wash out the mixing bowl humming a nursery rhyme her mother used to sing her before she died.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, she heard the sound of wood splintering and before she could act about what was happening, she was hit hard on the head with something heavy and metal. She could vaguely hear what her assaulters were saying, but soon enough she was knocked fully unconscious and all she dreamed about was how mad her father was going to be that she didn't have dinner finished on time.

She found her senses start to return to her and before she regained her sight, she could feel herself moving and she figured she was on some sort of wagon or carriage. She hesitated before opening her eyes, but when she did, all she saw was a man dressed in emerald armor, holding a sword in his hand. She was bound at the hands and feet, and looked at the man. He looked back at her with a blank stare and she said, "Where am I?"

He focused on her, "In a wagon on the way to your new home."

She looked around and said, "Why did you take me? Where is my sister?"

He squinted his eyes, "Why do you ask so many questions?" he sneered at her, sighed and said, "You're the governor's daughter, why wouldn't we take you? I have no clue where your sister is. Odds are you won't be seeing each other for a while."

She looked at him in disbelief, wondering the real reason for why she was here, what kind of prison she was going to, where her father was, where her sister was. What even happened? She was cooking one moment, and the next she was here in this wagon, being watched by a very strange man.

"Where are we going?" she said, trying to get more of an answer.

He snorted, "I told you, to your new home. Now shut up before I shove a gag in your mouth."

That was enough to get her to stop talking. She rode in silence for who knows how long until the wagon came to an abrupt stop and the man motioned for her to get up. She did so without resistance and was escorted out of the back of the wagon where the sun was setting over the edge of a forest. When she tried to take in the rest of her surroundings, the guard covered her head with a burlap sack and everything was dark again.

She felt a strong hand on her back lead her for some time and when she felt the air change as she entered a building, her sack was quickly removed and what she saw almost stopped her heart.

In front of her was a large slew of prison cells, each a different size than the next. Some were already holding several inmates and they looked at her with a mean gaze. She was escorted down the corridor unto one of the larger community cells. The guard opened the door and she was pushed in, and before she could turn around the cell door slammed behind her.

She looked at all of the other inmates in her cell, which were all men. Her eyes grew wide at them, and she quickly found her way to one of the far corners of the cell on the unclaimed bed against the wall. There she sat on the bed and tried not to meet any of the eyes looking at her. She felt all of the eyes on her and she wanted to cry but knew if she did, there would be harsh consequences.

She took a deep breath, trying to picture herself somewhere else, somewhere she actually wanted to be, but she couldn't find a place to fit the criteria. She was there, sitting on this bed with a blank mind and all she could figure to think about was how happy she was to not have to worry if her father liked dinner for the first time in her life.