Two updates in one day! This is unheard of for me! It's typical that I can't think of anything to write for the other stories, but oh well. This idea is here so I'll write it until I get bored! ;) Enjoy everyone!
Elphaba was now two weeks old, and Frex was refusing to have anything to do with her. He even stopped sleeping in the same room as us, claiming that her crying in the night disturbed his sleep. I do admit that Elphie wasn't a good sleeper- and whenever I did manage get her to sleep, she would wake and cry as soon as I put her in her crib. So I spent night after weary night perched on the edge of the bed, trying to stop Elphaba's wailing alone. They say that babies (and animals) have a sixth sense, and it certainly seemed that way. The only thing that comforted her was to be in my arms, and as a result, I had to hold her almost constantly.
"Now then, how is this going to work when I'm up and about again?" I asked Elphaba, bouncing her a little. It was the norm then for mothers to stay in bed for a week or two after the birth of the baby; and since I rarely had company from Frex, and the maids don't really speak to you, I had turned to conversations with my daughter. Not the most intelligent conversations, but conversations none the less. It was practically the only form of human contact I had.
Elphaba let out a coo and looked up at me. I started to rock her gently, and her eyes slowly began to close. Finally, she was soundly asleep, and I could lie back in bed and get some rest...
"Melena! What are you doing, sleeping at four in the afternoon?!"
I jump a little, sitting up. Frex was standing in the doorway. "I- I'm sorry, but I don't get much sleep at night." I say.
"All because of your 'wonderous' daughter keeping you awake." Frex says, dryly. "I personally don't know why you're so attatched to her. If I were you, she would have been in that orphanage before she'd even opened her eyes."
"Maybe I'm attatched to her because she's my daughter?!" I retort. Frex doesn't even think this comment is worth replying to, he simply gives me a cold look.
"Anyway, I wanted to speak to you. In the drawing room."
I sigh, wondering why he can't just speak to me here, and get to my feet, holding Elphaba still so she didn't wake.
"Why do you have to bring her with you? She's her own seperate being now, surely she can sleep in the crib for five minutes?"
"If I put her down, she'll start crying." I say.
"So let her cry." Frex snatches Elphaba from my arms and places her in the crib, not very carefully. She starts wailing, waving her arms around, but I can't comfort her, because Frex drags me out of the room, and down the stairs. In the drawing room, I shake his hand off me.
"Frex! You can't leave her crying like that! It'll make her sick!" I protest. He mutters something that sounds like 'good riddance' under his breath, and my fists clench in anger.
"Right, what I was going to say," Frex says, leaning on his desk "Is that my advisor and I, have decided that Elphaba..." He says her name as if he is talking about plague-ridden rats or something regarded with similar disgust "... should not leave the house, for as long as possible, in order to hide her... condition."
"Why should we do that?! Won't it seem odd? The residents of Munchkinland will want to see their Governor's daughter!"
"Ah, well, we've already started spreading the word that she's ill. Very convenient, she was born with a rare, unknown disease, and will have to be kept at home for a few weeks, if not months, before she's well enough to go outside..."
"Frex! I can't believe you would do this!" I say, pacing up and down. "Spreading rumours about our daughter that aren't true! Saying that she has a disease when she doesn't... why can't accept her for what she is?!"
"Because she's a wicked little demon! Why else would a child be born green?!"
"I can't believe you said that about your own daughter!" I scream, losing it. "From the day you set eyes on her, you hated her. You didn't even give her a chance! You are a horrible, hurtful man!"
I start running upstairs, and Frex follows me, shouting in rage. I try to outrun him, knowing that he can be violent when he's angry, but he grabs my arm on the landing. "Don't you ever take that tone on me again." He hisses.
"If you insult our daughter again, I will."
"No you won't." He shoves me roughly against the wall. "I am the Governor, one word from me and your name will be dirt. You will do as I say or you will be sorry. Do you understand me? Do you?!"
"I understand, but I won't obey." I reply. He stands back, looking slightly shocked, and I thought I'd won. I don't realise what is happening until his hand connects with my cheek. He hits me so hard that the slap echoes around the hallway.
"You. Will. Obey. Me." He growls, and then he pushes me against the wall, storming back downstairs. I sink to the floor, sobbing, pain coming not only from my cheek and back, but from the fact that my husband would physically hurt me, and that he'd insult Elphie too. Suddenly, I remember her, and I run back into our room. She is screaming her head off, face red, coughing slightly; and I lift her up, holding her close. She continues to scream, and the noise makes my heart break- she is crying too much to be comforted, and I just have to hold her and wait until she tires herself out. I feel like crying too- I am upset, frustrated and overtired.
I am drawn away when there is a knock on the door. "Come in," I call. The door opens and a maid walks in. It's Lilliah, one of the maids who cared for me when Elphaba was very small.
"Sorry to disturb you, Miss, but I was wondering if you would like some of this?" She holds out a small bottle with a pale yellow liquid in. "It works wonders in calming babies- I have three of my own."
"That's very kind." I say, taking the bottle and placing it to Elphie's lips. She manages to drink a few drops, and within minutes, she is sleeping peacefully. So much so, that I can place her back in the crib. "Thank you, so much." I say, gratefully. Lilliah smiles.
"That's quite alright. I... I can bring you some food and some soothing ointment, if you would like?" She says, and I realise that some of the servants would have witnessed what Frex did to me.
"Yes, I would like that a lot." I say, and Lilliah nods.
"Alright then, Miss, I will be along shortly." She says, and she leaves the room. I collapse onto the bed, hardly believing that Frex would turn on me like this...
