At eight years old Elphaba Thropp wasn't one for fairy tales, princes, castles, or happy endings. They just weren't realistic, not for her; Green girls don't get happy endings. Her sister, Nessarose, however was a stunning little girl even at seven. Girls like her got happy endings. But when Elphaba heard news that a young prince was coming to stay with them, she couldn't help but be curious.
"Father, do you think we'll be friends? Or get married someday?" Nessa craned her neck up to look at her father
"Any prince would be lucky to marry you, but you wouldn't want to marry a Vinkun. You've never seen one before, but their skin is ghastly!" Frexspar shook his head at the thought
"Are they green like Fabala?" The youngest daughter turned her wheelchair around to face her father
"Oz, no. They look as if they're covered in mud"
"I've never seen a person with brown skin before!"
Elphaba walked past the doorway of her father's study and noticed him talking to Nessa, she wasn't one for eavesdropping but no one had told her a prince was coming to live with them.
"A Vinkun?" She whispered to herself, she hadn't read about those people before, of course, she had heard of them, but her father's library didn't contain a single book about the Vinkus.
A Week later a burly man knocked at their door flanked by a dark skinned woman and a little boy who wore a cocky smile, Frex answered the door plastering a fake smile on his face and holding Nessa's chair, Elphaba was told to stay in her room and not come out unless absolutely necessary, meals would be brought to her.
"Welcome to our home your highness' this is my youngest daughter Nessarose and my eldest won't be joining us, Let me show you to your guest rooms" he led them each to a room where they would be staying for the next little bit. They ate dinner, Elphaba was absent, the king and queen complimented Frex on his cooking. After dinner they returned to their rooms, the small prince, Fiyero, decided to go explore the grounds.
He found his way to a swing hidden in a clove of trees, he sat down.
"Munchkinland is so stupid" he sighed to himself, in the moody way eight year olds will.
"You're telling me" a voice responded making him jump, he looked around him, but found nothing, he looked up the tree that the swing was anchored on and was surprised to see a green face camouflaging with the leaves. She jumped out of the tree and set her book on the ground.
"Who are you?"
"The queen of frogs" She bowed, he looked confused, "It was a joke, sometimes people make jokes…I'm Elphaba; the other daughter"
"Oh…" The boy wasn't sure what to say, "Well nice to meet you Miss Elphaba, I'm Fiyero" he extended his hand, she looked suspicious, "What?"
"You're not afraid to touch me?" she narrowed her eyes
"No, why would I be?" She looked at him like he was an idiot, surely he wasn't color blind?
"You are aware this is not what a normal person looked like?" He blinked at her, "The green skin?"
"It looks completely normal on you, it's pretty, I don't think there's anything wrong with you" He hopped off the swing and stepped towards her, extending his hand in a 'nice-to-meet-you' kind of way, she flinched, "What? I'm not going to hit you, I just want to shake your hand" he took another step, she took a cautious step as well, She extended her hand the same way he had and he took her hand and shook it slowly. A wave of butterflies erupted in Elphaba's stomach; she snatched her hand away and lowered her eyes modestly.
"I should go…" She stuttered, picking up her book and turning to leave
"Elphaba, wait!" he grabbed her hand again; she whipped her head around to look in his eyes, "Are we friends?" Elphaba wasn't sure, she hadn't ever had a friend before, she nodded her head slowly which made him smile, "Really?" he said hopefully, "I've never had a real friend before"
"Me neither" She scuffed her shoe in the dirt
"Well I heard that sometimes when you're really good friends you do this" He leaned in and kissed her, she blushed a deep emerald, "I hope we're friends for a long time" he smiled
"Me too" her voice a barely audible whisper, "Me too"
"Fine if you don't want my help…." The handsome boy turned to leave
"No I do!" Elphaba reached for his hand, she looked into his eyes and felt a sort of deja-vu, when had this happened before? She realised she was still holding his hand and immediately let go, turning her attention to the lion cub, "Poor thing, its heart is racing, I didn't mean to-"
"What did you mean to do?" Fiyero interrupted, "And why was I the only one you didn't do it to?" He knelt beside her
"Oh, look. You're bleeding, it must have scratched you" She reached her slender, green fingers up to graze his cheek, her turned his face away.
"Yeah or maybe it scratched me…..or something." The prince stuttered, "Hey Elphaba, are we friends?" He looked tentatively at her, now she remembered when this had happened; she nodded, going along with her memory. "Good" He smiled nervously
"Yea, Good, because I've never had a real friend before" She whispered, realizing their closeness, Fiyero closed the gap between them, Elphaba willingly leant forward, but pulled away realizing this was wrong, he was dating Galinda.
"Me neither" He finished reciting from his own memories, "Uh…I should get to safety…the cub...i mean get the cub to safety" He walked away, cage in hand, Elphaba sighed.
"Fiyero…" She whispered, as if the pleas from the freakish green girl would return him, but they didn't. Green girls don't get happy endings.