Glinda thought she was staring at ghosts when she opened her front door that evening. Rain drenched the mud coated figures before her and she would've slammed the door in their hollow faces in utter disbelief had one not finally spoken up.
"May we come in?" Her voice was just as she remembered it, everything about her was just as she remembered it. Glinda didn't speak but simply stepped aside, allowing the pair of ghosts to trail mud and rain water across her spotless foyer.
"Quite the storm," the other figure said. His voice had changed. She couldn't quite tell how, perhaps it was maturity or wisdom or perhaps she'd never cared to remember exactly how he spoke in his younger days.
The pair of intruders laughed when they met eyes, noting the damage the rainstorm had done to them. Glinda simply stared, mouth slightly agape.
"You're alive," she couldn't bring herself to think of anything other than the impossibility of their presence. "You can't be alive. It's impossible."
"Clearly not," the girl said, wiping mud from her face revealing her skin's green tint. The more Glinda saw of the girl's unusual complexion, the less she was able to deny the presence of her dear old friend Elphaba.
"I don't understand," Glinda folded self conscious arms across her chest as she came into greater awareness of her situation. She was dressed in only a silk dressing robe to cover her bare skin before she was to take the bath her lady's maid had drawn for her. It must be on the verge of getting cold, she thought, attempting to worry about anything other than the situation of her two visitors but to no avail. Her mind was swimming in mysteries as it was still consumed in utter disbelief.
"We're not dead Galinda, or we wouldn't be here now would we?" the girl, now revealing more and more of her green skin wasn't angry at her old friend but showed the same annoyance she always seemed to deliver.
"Galinda," Glinda smiled. "I haven't heard that name in a while." She always did enjoy the extra syllable her birth name afforded. She looked to the male traveler for the first time since he'd stepped through her doorway. With his hat removed and the mud on his face now smeared onto his jacket, Glinda was able to get a better look at him. There was no doubt it was him, her once beloved Fiyero, though he had certainly aged and she couldn't help but note for the better. He looked more a man than the school boy she'd fallen for years ago. He sported dark bags beneath his eyes revealing the weary and sleepless nights of travel that were now behind him. She wondered how long the two had been on the road, in hiding. It'd been - how many? - perhaps five years since she'd seen them, was it really possible for them to have been out there all this time.
Glinda didn't ask any questions, her sentimental heart getting the best of her as she decided what they truly needed was a warm bath and a clean bed, not to be interrogated. She made them strip their coats and shoes in the foyer, knowing her housemaid would have a fit when she found the mess in the morning though she decided not to care since that's what she paid her for anyways. Glinda led her old schoolmates to the upstairs guest bathroom where they could take turns bathing while she retired to her own bedchamber. She laid awake, staring at her bed's canopy only for a moment before sleep began to get the best of her as her tired mind wandered aimlessly. She wanted to know everything; how they'd stayed alive, where they'd been and why had it taken them so long to come see her.
"We're lucky to have shown up this late at night. Were she still awake I don't think she'd allow us together in here like this," Elphaba reclined in the tub, the water dark from weeks of uncleanliness. Fiyero rested his shins and feet in the water, patiently awaiting his turn as Elphaba scrubbed her skin clean.
"You do know your room's at the end of the hall," Fiyero laughed. The pair had been sharing beds since they first escaped Oz. They almost felt bad for Glinda's innocent mind assuming the pair to abide by her societal expectations of their relationship.
Elphaba splashed water on him, causing the specks of dirt on his chest to run into mud down to his thighs.
"I can't wait to get in there, I haven't had a proper bath in ages."
"You can join me," she said, eyes testing to see if he'd make the next move. He smiled down at her before sliding into the small tub opposite her. They held onto each other's hands tightly before they decided to continue bathing, smiling and acknowledging in silence the joy in the fact they'd finally found safety.
Glinda received her breakfast in bed as she was accustomed to. Diana, her lady's maid, making idle chit-chat with her as she munched on toast slathered in jam and butter.
"I heard you were up late, my lady, with guests," Diana sifted through Glinda's wardrobe, searching for an outfit appropriate for her appearances that afternoon.
"Oh, no not guests. Travelers caught in the storm. I allowed them a night in the guest rooms upstairs, though they should be on their way shortly."
"Would you like me to check in on them, my lady? I can bring tea and breakfast to them, as well."
"No, no. That won't be necessary. They're simple folk, I'll attend to them before I leave for the day."
Glinda hadn't considered how she'd explain her guests to her house staff. It would of course be best if she were able to keep them a complete secret, however that felt almost impossible with all the constant care this old home seemed to need.
"Alright, anything else before I run some errands today, Miss Glinda?"
"Yes," Glinda picked up her tea cup as she examined the outfit her lady's maid had picked out for her. "Please put that horrible dress back in the wardrobe, you know I couldn't possibly wear that It's so awfully… last season. I'm to visit a schoolhouse today, Diana, there will be reporters. I swear, it's like you don't even listen when I talk to you."
Diana responded with a nod of the head as she went back to Glinda's wardrobe to pick out something more "festive," though she hadn't the slightest idea of what that meant.
"Oh goodness, I should have known!" Glinda squealed, heels clicking on the floorboards as she nearly stomped across the upstairs room towards the window to open the blinds. "Living the lives of the scoundrels you are, I see." She tried to avert her eyes from the two unclothed figures curled beneath a single thin sheet, but she couldn't help but glance down at them. They were waking just as the rays of sunlight reached their eyes. Yawns emitted from their mouths, Elphaba pulling the sheet up to cover her exposed breasts.
"Sleep well, I trust? Must beat sleeping in the mud."
Elphaba yawned, rolling onto her back and sitting up as she clutched the sheet to her chest. Fiyero struggled to open his eyes or pull his body from the softness of the mattress.
"We did have a bed, back in Kiamo Ko."
"Oh, and you traveled to Oz for fun then? To see if you were still the most hated witch in the land? Well I do have news for you - luckily no one celebrates your death anymore but if they found out you were alive they'd almost instantly kill you."
"You must know I realize that," Elphaba shook her head. It took her a moment to truly take in Glinda's appearance that morning. Nothing about her had changed, perhaps just the style had, over the last five years. It was a dark green color, which Elphaba found particularly entertaining, and did not have the large full skirt Glinda was accustomed to wearing in her youth. Perhaps it was just age that had changed her style, but Elphaba had never seen the witch so covered as the dress sported a high collar and sleeves down to her wrists. In the shadow it almost looked like a mourning gown, the black detailing overtaking the green base. Her hairstyle was as extravagant as ever, blonde curls stacked atop her elegant head held up by a scarf that perfectly matched the coloring of her dress.
"I have to leave soon. But promise me you won't let anyone know you're here."
"Well we were planning on announcing our arrival to the world."
Glinda ignored her sarcasm, "How long are you staying here?"
"Until we can find someone else to stay with who won't turn us into the guard."
Glinda sighed, it wasn't the answer she was looking for. "Well, I hope that's soon. Just know it's a tremendous burden for me to hide you up here. I have to lie to my house staff, I have to look after you by myself. I have a very important reputation to uphold and-"
"Galinda," Elphaba interrupted. "Thank you."
Glinda's face reddened, embarrassed. Her joy for the life of her old friends had been overshadowed by worry - no, concern, she told herself.
"I'm glad you're alive Elphie, it's good to see you again," the witch felt tears welling in her eyes and she did what she could to stop them from running and ruining her makeup. "You too, Fiyero," she added though the man was fast asleep. "I'll see you tonight," she said, heading for the door. "Be sure to keep this locked, I'm telling my staff you left before we all woke up."
Elphaba nodded, sinking back into the bed and closer to Fiyero. Glinda averted her eyes, feeling as if she was witnessing an extremely private moment between the couple.
"I'm sorry to keep you locked up in here I'll day, though I can trust you'll enjoy the relaxation."
Elphaba nodded sleepily, closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep once more as Glinda exited the bedchamber that she'd be forced to think about for the remainder of her day.