Author's note: The location for this piece is based on a watchtower on the bank of the Shannon River in Ireland, a few minute's walk from the University of Limerick.
Elphaba had found a sanctuary.
With a little exploration near the boundaries of campus, she'd discovered the ruins of an old watchtower. All right, so it required going well off the path that ran along the river, as well as climbing past the loose plank in the fence that surrounded the crumbling building-- not to mention the fact that the first eight or nine steps that led up from the rock-strewn floor were broken, shattered so that they were only a few inches wide. But once you were past those harrowing first few steps, the rewards were magnificent.
The building was merely a spiral staircase with walls around it, though with every revolution of the steps there was a flat platform with windows that once must have been spectacular. Now, they were crumbled from where the sill would have been down to the floor. Elphaba would climb to the topmost of these window-spaces and settle in with a book.
Admittedly, she didn't always focus on whatever reading material she'd brought with her-- the view from so high up, well above the trees, was spectacular. From her perch, Elphaba overlooked the shimmering river to the distant hills, verdant as her own skin. It was one of the few sights that truly allowed Elphaba to calm her generally rushing and defensive mind and simply relax.
Today, deeply involved in the novel she was reading (a rare treat for her, a novel that had nothing to do with a class), she was startled by her name being called from somewhere below her.
"Elphie? Is that you?"
Elphaba glanced down over the top of her book to see a slim figure with blonde curls well below her. "Galinda?"
"What on earth are you doing up there, Elphie?"
Elphaba shrugged. "Why are you out in the middle of the woods, my dear Miss Galinda? I never thought fence-hopping or cross country were your style."
Galinda grinned up at her, calling back, "You know I can't resist old-style architecture. I could see this place from my room, it just took me awhile to find it from the ground."
The green girl smiled and nodded. "I suppose I can understand such an explanation." She shifted, closing her book and dangling her leg over the edge of the platform. "Well?"
"Well what?"
"Are you coming up to join me?"
Galinda's eyebrows went up. "Are you mad? I can't climb up there, I'll fall."
"No you won't."
"Don't care what you say, I simply won't do it."
Elphaba sighed, pulling her leg back and standing. "Just wait there, I'm coming down." She disappeared down the stairs.
Galinda smiled at her as she emerged from the crawlspace that served as the tower entrance. "So this is where you've been hiding," she said cheerfully. "I can see why. It's a beautifully engineered old building, it must have been really spectacular in its day."
Her roommate laughed. "I know you have a certain reverential weakness for fine architecture, my pretty, but the building has nothing to do with it." She grabbed Galinda's hand and pulled her back towards the tower's dark opening.
Galinda dug her heels in. "No, Elphie, I couldn't possibly."
Turning to her, Elphaba suddenly looked serious. "Galinda, my sweet, my pretty, do you trust me?"
The blonde hesitated, stammering, "Oh yes, Elphie, but--"
"Then that'll be enough," Elphaba said gently. "Come with me, I want to show you something. I promise I won't let anything bad happen to you."
Slowly, Galinda nodded, and Elphaba headed back to the tower entrance, jumping down the the floor and turning around again to place a steadying hand on Galinda's waist, helping her down. Elphaba climbed the first few broken stairs first, always making sure that Galinda had a hand to lean on as she followed.
Once they were on steady ground once more, the climb got easier. Galinda was still timid, always looking at the stairs just in front of her, clearly nervous. Elphaba finally stopped their ascent and whispered, "Here, Galinda- this is why I come." And with Elphaba's sweeping gesture out the window, Galinda finally looked up from the stone steps and gasped. The setting sun was casting red-gold rays through the wispy clouds, making the hills seem to glow, sparkling on the river and casting soft light on the swans that perpetually floated there.
The girls sat in silence for a few moments, Galinda's head on her roommate's shoulder. "See?" Elphaba said softly, finally breaking the quiet spell that had fallen on them. "I told you that you could trust me."
Galinda lifted her golden head from Elphaba's shoulder, turning to smile at her. "I never thought I couldn't."