AN: Inspired by Ultimate Queen Of Cliffies' story Giving Up On You and songs by Mumford and Son's(Ghost That we Knew, Lover of the Light, Lover's eyes). I'm also really sorry if the grammar deteriorates; I've just come back from holidays, and wanted to get this up ASAP. I am so tired, it's worrying.
Dedicated to Sianny, 'cause you are my best friend. I hope that this summer is the beginning of a new life for you, and I will not abandon you down here. I promise. You have changed me for good, and as another series may say: I'm with you till the end of the line.
Trigger Warning: Death
Warning: Major character death. Not Canon.
Well, Love was kind for a time, Now it just aches and makes me blind
Glinda The Good was known as the hope of Oz, among other titles. So when the Wizard sent her along with the Gale Force to boost morale, she went. She had no say in the matter.
They were currently camped out near the town of Mynydd in the Greater Gilikin Forrest. They were staying there because they had spotted an Animal camp. Unbeknown to the soldiers who surrounded her, Glinda had sent an anonymous messenger bird to the camp a day before to warn the Animals. She hated to see the brutish soldiers murder innocent beings so cruelly. While she may not be as outspoken as certain rebels, she tried occasionally to help.
It was a hot day, that day. The green forest shone every shade of greens, including muddy dark earthy colours to almost light yellows. It was nearing sun down, so Glinda was holding out hope for no causalities that day. It was a beautiful day, and there no need for violence. There was an encompassing safety in the noises of the forest. The welcome smell of earth, clung to her. For the first time since her ex-fiancé had left her for her best friend, she felt happy.
She was leaning against a tree, on an old rug, quite content. She had a book open on her lap, and was soaking in the soft smell of nature around her. She had been asked to be left alone. Not many people knew she liked to read, but it was one of the few activities she could do to remind herself of her best friend. It was so peaceful.
She hadn't always been a reader. Only after her roommate had flown away, had she taken up the hobby. Mostly she read romantic novels. However, it wasn't unknown for her to pick up a good adventure, or a particularly interesting tome on Ancient Ozian mythology. Her ex-fiancé had called it her escape. His, she had found out, had been searching for her best friend.
Suddenly, the peace of the forest was shattered, by the sound of a shot gun. She leapt to her feet, startled, awake. In the ringing, blanketing, silence which followed she held her breath, and closed her eyes. She clenched and unclenched her fist, breathing deeply as she did. She was worried they had found the encampment.
Then another gun-shot sounded. Glinda had to hold back a sob. The brutes! How could they do this! She put her hands to her face. She expected another gun shot to sound, but it never did. This confused Glinda, she wondered what they were shooting at if not the animals.
Suddenly a small group of Gale Force soldiers ran past, ignoring her. Glinda asked what had happened, but no one answered her. It was futile. They all were too focused on whatever thy had shot to care about her. Eventually, alone, she slumped hard against a tree, and closed her eyes. She felt so useless.
It was the faint cough she heard that snapped her eyes open. The clearing, she was in, was empty. She heard it again, a faint cough. It was so quiet it was almost non-existant.
"Hello? Who's there?" She asked, scared. She thought she'd been alone. Maybe a soldier was coming to talk to her. Or maybe an animal was injured.
No one answered.
"Hello? It's Lady Glinda. May I help you? What's the matter?" She asked.
She was about to write it off as her imagination, when something fell from the tree across the clearing. Glinda only just managed to suppress the scream. As it was she stepped back in shock, unnerved. It took Glinda only a few seconds to recognise the thing.
It was a young woman, a green young woman. She wore a torn, patched, dirty, black dress. It was at least 4 years out of fashion, by Glinda's estimation. A black cloak was twisted around her body. She had curled midnight black hair. She had long limbs and a long heart shaped face. A black pointed hat was rolling on the floor a few feet from her.
Glinda would recognise the woman anywhere. It was her ex-roommate, best friend and current Wicked Witch Of The West, Elphaba Thropp. Also the one person Glinda did not want to see. She was incidentally, the most wanted woman in Oz.
She was about to make a snide remark to the woman, considering the last time she'd seen her had been flying off with her Ex-fiancé, on the back of an old broom. Then she noticed Elphaba was rasping and coughing. There was also a lot of blood on her clothes, too much blood. Glinda all but launched herself in concern to her best friend.
Glinda fell on her knees next to Elphaba. There was very little she could do, there was simply too much blood on the dress, and it was already pooling around her. There were two tears in Elphaba's dress with blood spilling out. Bullet holes, Glinda realised what the Gale Force had shot with sickening jolt. It looked like the nasty monsters had hit something vital too.
Glinda considered doing magic. Then she realised, she had no idea how to heal this. She knew how to heal scrapes and shallow cuts, and broken toes. This, was none of those things.
Glinda realised, with a terrifying shiver, Elphaba was going to die. Through prejudice, spite, lies and 'orders' the Gale Force had murdered a young woman, for nothing. Elphaba was barely 24, and already her life was slipping out of her body.
"Glin…?" The tired, dying green witch asked Glinda.
"Yes Elphie. It's me. Oh god, you're… you are…" Galinda stuttered, crying. She had been angry at her best friend, but she didn't, ever, really, want her dead.
"Glin, I'm so… sorry… for what I did," Elphaba rasped. She looked sincere too. "I don't know what he…"
"Shh, it's okay. I'm not mad anymore. I'm sorry too Elphie, I did some bad stuff too," Glinda sobbed, holding her best friends hand to her chest. She knew she was being honest, she held no ill feeling towards Elphaba about Fiyero.
"The past is… forgotten. You are my best friend that will never change. Never forget that… I owe you so much. There's too much between us, for either of us to truly hate each other. You are one of the few lights in my life, Glinda," Elphaba was crying now.
"You will always be my bestest friend, Elphie. My life is full of lights, but you are the one thing that shades it for me so I can see the reality. I will always be thankful for that. You are really one of the few things I can rely on to be honest," Glinda smiled, "even now."
"You too, Glin," Elphaba smiled back, "Sorry… I scared you."
"Shh now. Don't be sorry anymore. We're even," Glinda hushed. The sun was setting fast behind her.
"You inspire me, Glinda, but now I fear my time is up. You're like my bubbly sister. I'm glad that if I go, I have one of the two people in my life who I can truly trust, with me. Tell 'Yero, I love him. I love you both," the green witch admitted.
"You inspire me too, Elphie. You stand up and fight for what you believe in. I'll tell Fifi, don't worry. I'll stay with you, 'till the 're like my sensible, passionate, beautiful sister. And Elphie, I love you too. Rest now, though," Glinda hugged her friends arm. Tears were falling freely now.
Both witches smiled brokenly at one another for a few moments. Both were crying. Neither had to day anything. They understood one another completely. Neither woman could imagine a life without the other. Both loved each other completely, however it was a different type of love to Elphaba and Fiyero's, it was more familial. It was safer, and more consistent.
"I think I will rest now. Night Glinda, see you in the morning," Elphaba closed her eyes.
"Night Elphie," Glinda whispered.
Glinda stayed with her friend. She stayed until the sun set, and the first star shone in the sky. She stayed until Elphaba's chest evened out. She stayed until she had cried herself sore. She stayed until Elphaba had no more blood left to bleed. She stayed until the hand against her chest was cold. Even then, she barely moved.
It was the sounds of a man crashing through the forest that snapped her out of her mourning. She turned to look who it was. She didn't try to stand, because she doubted she had the strength. She was prepared to defend the body though, even if it was the Wizard himself. However, it wasn't a Gale Force soldier, or the wizard.
The man had light brown curly hair, his skin tanned, but his eyes were as green as the dead woman's skin. His clothes, once regal, were tattered, dirty and broken. He looked like he needed a shave, and a haircut. Glinda would recognise her ex-fiancé, the exiled Vinkun prince, Fiyero Tiggular, anywhere.
He looked at Glinda, confused why his ex-fiancé was sitting on the floor. Then he looked down, and saw her. Glinda saw his heart break like ice on a lake. He may have liked and cared for Glinda, but he loved Elphaba. Her death destroyed him.
He fell to the floor. He carefully, gently, began to stroke his dead lover's hair. He leaned down to kiss her lips. He began to sob, each sob sounding more broken than the next. Glinda had to look away. Suddenly he would scream. A heart-broken, terrifying, destroying scream of grief and lost love. He whispered 'No…', 'Come back…', 'I love you' and Elphaba's name many times. He continued this cycle for a long while.
After he'd finished, and both friends had come to accept the death of the Emerald Witch, Glinda looked at Fiyero. He suddenly looked much older than he ever had. A shadow had passed over his face, and Glinda had to shudder in fear.
"Fiyero," Glinda whispered. He didn't respond. She tried again, shaking him gently. He still didn't respond, so she shook him a little harder, calling his name louder.
He eventually looked at Glinda, and she felt like she'd been punched in the gut. Elphaba had been the love of his life, his soul-mate, and she was dead. No light shone in his eyes, they simply looked as dead as the woman in his hands.
"Fiyero, we're going to have move her. I don't know where the Gale Force are, but they may be back any minute. Please, Fiyero we have to bury her," Glinda begged.
"We'll bury her," Fiyero muttered, "Here."
"Fiyero, I don't think we have-" Glinda began.
"I'm burying her Glinda, here under this tree. Whether you like it or not," Fiyero told her. She looked at him sadly for a moment. He looked at her determined. His features softened, "She'd prefer if it was just us anyway. She hated pomp and ceremony."
"Fine, Let me get some shovels," She sighed.
Glinda went back to camp, and picked up two shovels. She also picked up several expensive, heavy blankets to shroud Elphaba in. She ran back to Fiyero then, and they got to work.
While she wrapped Elphaba's body, binding the blankets with magic, Fiyero began to did a grave. When she was done, she joined him. They worked silently, only pausing to listen for the Gale Force. They worked well into the night.
It was around midnight, when they finished. Fiyero carried the wrapped body, bridal style, to the grave. Glinda picked up Elphaba's hat and broom and put it on top of the dead woman. Then Fiyero picked up some dirt, and a wild Bluebell and scattered them on her grave. Glinda repeated the action.
Neither could think of anything fitting to say, so they closed the grave. They buried all the earth on the body. When they were finished, they sat next to the grave. It began to rain. Fiyero was the first to do anything first. He quietly began to sing.
"Well, love was kind for a time
Now just aches and it makes me blind."
He sung, sounding heart broken. While he sung, Glinda began to create a monument with magic. An unbreakable glass statue of Elphaba. In one hand was her broom, her hat was perched on her head, her beautiful hair was flying in curls behind her. The statue was looking at something unknown, and on her face was a small, almost unnoticeable smile. Her other hand was pointing out towards the direction of the sea, 100 miles away. At the bottom of statue was a sign.
Glinda joined in on the second verse, "This mirror holds my eyes too bright
I can't see the others in my life."
It read: Here lies Elphaba Thropp. A free witch. Lovingly remembered as a lover, friend, protector, fighter and sister. Born 21st Dec 12631 Ozma year, Died 21st Aug 14 Wiz year.
Galinda enchanted it so only those who truly wished to see it, and didn't want to harm it could see it. Over the years it became a shrine to many pilgrims, humans and Animals alike. Eventually the 56th Ozma, Elena of the mountain, built her castle around it.
"Were we too young? Our heads too strong?
To bear the weight of these lover's eyes.
'Cause I feel numb, beneath your tongue
Beneath the curse of these lover's eyes," Fiyero sung.
After Elphaba died, Fiyero devoted his life to looking after Animals. He only stopped when he became too sick to work. It was his little sister, who took him home to Vinkus to die. He died the age of 28, three years after Elphaba. His medical report said he died of stress induced illnesses, everyone really knew he died of a broken heart. He was buried to the left of Elphaba. The Ozian and Vinkun court made a one time exception, and conducted the world's only Post-mortem marriage.
"But do not ask the price I paid,
I must live with my quiet rage,
Tame the ghosts in my head,
That run wild and wish me dead," Glinda sang.
After burying Elphaba, Glinda went back to serving the Wizard. However, she could no longer stand it. She hated it all. After Nessarose was killed in the Munchkin uprising, a year after her sister's death, Glinda asked for some leave due to stress. She travelled Oz, helping those who needed help, re-evaluating her life. All the while she told anyone who'd listen the story of Elphaba. During this time she found Elphaba's bottle, and the Grimmerie.
"Should you shake my ash to the wind
Lord, forget all of my sins
Oh, let me die where I lie
Neath the curse of my lover's eyes." They sang together.
After a year she went back to the Emerald City. She deposed the Wizard, after she revealed her discovery about Elphaba's parentage to him. He went back home, where he She had Morrible put on trial. She was to be put in South Stairs, then after 30 years, if she was still alive to be sent on a boat to a faraway country. Glinda also made her completely mute, removing her magic too. The Gale Force was disbanded. Glinda reinstated the Ozma, and became the first adviser to the new ruler.
'"Cause there's no drink or drug I've tried
To rid the curse of these lover's eyes
And I feel numb, beneath your tongue
Your strength just makes me feel less strong," Fiyero sung.
The Animals eventually became accepted into the society again. Glinda made a law protecting them from any form of discrimination. Those who had forgot to speak, learnt again. Chistery, who had learned to talk, became the Oz's most famous warrior. He and six other monkeys, became the protectors of Oz, lovingly known as the Emerald Guardians. Glinda searched in vain for Dr. Dillamond, only to be told, when she was 56,that he had died by Morrible's treatment.
"But do not ask the price I paid,
I must live with my quiet rage,
Tame the ghosts in my head,
That run wild and wish me dead," Glinda answered.
The white witch herself became known to Oz as one of its most powerful leaders, with the Ozma. She cleared Elphaba's name. The green witch's birthday, became the day to celebrate St. Elphaba, the martyr of Animals. She fought alongside Boq, now prime minister of the Munchkins, and Chistery, in the Battle of Southstairs. They freed over 500 Prisoners, replacing it with it's one prisoner. Glinda died on the 5th May Year 64. She was 90. Over 5000 people came to see her buried. She was unmarried. She was buried next to her best friend right.
"Should you shake my ash to the wind
Lord, forget all of my sins
Or let me die where I lie
Neath the curse of my lover's eyes," They sung together. They sang the rest of the song together.
When Glinda was 31, she was called to an orphanage. There she met Leora. It took the white witch 10 seconds to recognise the tanned girl with green eyes, long black curly hair, and a long heart shaped face. The girl had been proving signs of uncontrollable magic. She was told her heritage. Both the now ailing King and Queen of vinkus, and Glinda looked after her. Eventually Leora became Ozess Grand Vizier, where her mother never could. She never met her father. She became a close personal friend of the Ozma's.
"And I'll walk slow, I'll walk slow
Take my hand, help me on my way.
And I'll walk slow, I'll walk slow
Take my hand, I'll be on my way."
That day in the August, Elphaba had been coming back to the Animal Camp where she had left Fiyero. She had given birth to her child a few days before. She had been late showing. When she'd was late enough in the pregnancy, she and Fiyero had split up. She had promised to take him to their child, once she was born. Fiyero helped protect the Animals, while Elphaba gave birth. She had took Leara to an Orphanage, she left a letter, just in case, to the matron to open on the girl's seventh birthday. Elphaba had fully intended to come back and collect her daughter, once she had collected Fiyero. They were going to go to Vinkus, to live at Fiyero's castle, while helping the Animals with their rebellion.
"And I'll walk slow, I'll walk slow
Take my hand, help me on my way.
And I'll walk slow, I'll walk slow
Take my hand, I'll be on my way."
Twenty years after Elphaba's death, Leara stood at her parents graves. She pulled a single bluebell from the spread in the corner. She put it in between the two graves. Bothwere statues of her parents, one glass, one obelisk. Her Aunt Glinda, her guardian, was standing in the corner of the clearing. Behind Elphaba's grave was a tree of broomsticks. Leara was singing to herself, the same song her Father and Aunt had sung at her mother's funeral.
"La la la, La la la, La la la, la la
La la la, La la la, La la la, la la," she finished singing.
AN: The Song is Lover's Eyes by Mumford And Sons