Rifiuto: Non Miriena
A/N: Written: 2007. Found: 2017- Licia
She followed her children down the stairs and out onto the porch, crossing her arms as she watched them dash down the steps to greet their grandmother and great-grandmother midst the softly falling snow. "Boys, be careful!"
Only Chiss acknowledged his mother, turning back as he slowly made his way down the steps, his mop of black hair falling into his blue eyes as he turned back to her. The young Crown Prince would turn ten in August, two months before his older sister turned eleven. His younger brother turned seven a few short days ago, but the child was just as rambunctious as his younger brothers. Only Chiss seemed to learn from his having the disease, for due to a fall a few short years ago, he walked with a permanent limp, and so took it slow, careful. "We will be, Mama."
"He is growing into a fine young man, Fabala, you should be proud."
"My son is about to turn ten, Mama. And my oldest, eleven. How is this possible?"
Melena chuckled softly. "It's called growing up, Fabala. Something you and your siblings never got to do. Enjoy it."
She watched in silence as Chiss finally made it to the car; Partra instantly embraced her oldest great-grandson, tapping his nose and kissing his forehead before letting him go. Trism glanced up at her, before slowly moving away from the gaggle of children and joining her on the porch. He opened his coat, sliding it around her and pulling her to him, until she was nestled comfortably in his arms, against his chest.
"Hopefully you're a little warmer now." He kissed her forehead, wrapping his arms tight around her waist. She hummed softly in agreement.
"I am." She snuggled closer to him. "Much warmer now that I'm in your arms." She looked up at him, catching his gaze before turning in his embrace. He kissed her softly before tightening his arms around her waist.
"How was the drive?"
"Uneventful, unless you count the falling snow." Locasta replied, removing her coat and allowing the valet to take it for her. The Dowager Queen went to her daughter-in-law, wrapping her in a hug with a kiss on the cheek, before pulling away. She then turned to her son as Partra made her way to her granddaughter.
"Elphaba."
"Oh, Grandmama!" The children watched as their mother, Empress of All Fliaan and Queen of the Vinkus, became a mere girl of fourteen again, throwing her arms around her grandmother and burying her face in the older woman's shoulder. Partra laughed softly, wrapping her only surviving granddaughter in her arms. It was so good to see her again, and perhaps she had spent too much time in the City. "I've missed you."
"Oh, my darling," Partra pulled away, gently taking Elphaba's face in her hands. While she had not always gotten along with her deceased daughter-in-law, she had seen the good Melena had tried to do when raising her children, the good she had tried to do for her country, and how deeply in with Frexpar she was. Yes, for all their disagreements, Partra did love Melena, as she loved her son and grandchildren, and ached for her lost family, especially around the holidays. "You become more and more like Melena every day. Each day, you possess more and more of her beauty. I know she would be so proud of you and the woman you've become." She brushed a soft kiss to her forehead after gently tapping her nose. Over her grandmother's shoulder, Elphaba saw her mother, tears in her eyes.
Once the family had settled in the living room, coffee, tea and pastries having been brought out, Trism excused himself, rushing from the room, saying he left something in the car. She noticed but thought nothing of it, though she did hear the door open once more, followed by soft voices. "Fabala? I have a surprise for you."
Elphaba looked up from her conversation with her grandmother. "Oh? What is it, darling?" The young king grinned as he stepped aside, revealing a petite blonde in a dark blue coat. "Glinda! Oh, Glinda!" Without another word, the former Kauri stood, rushing to her cousin and friend, throwing her arms around the woman. The girls had grown up together, back at the Winter Palace. When the revolution hit, Glinda and her parents managed to escape back to Gillikin, leaving Frexpar and his family to their unknown fate. "When did you get in?"
"A little under an hour ago; my train was late. Trism sent Malky to fetch me, he knew he could surprise you." The blonde brushed a strand of hair behind her ear; Glinda, at thirty-six, had remained single for most of her life. Called 'the reclusive countess' by the people of Frottica in Gillikin, Glinda kept to herself, refusing all suitors, for she did not see the value of a relationship. Unschooled in the ways of the world, and protected by her parents most of her life, Glinda had no real understanding of the world, other than what she read in the papers or witnessed upon her visits with Elphaba in Fliaan. "I brought you this." She held a small wrapped box out to her cousin; the young empress looked around at everyone, confused.
Lurlinemas had come and gone, and the time for giving gifts was past with the end of the holiday. Slowly, she took the package, taking a seat on the sofa. Her children immediately gathered around her, eager to see when Glinda had brought their mother. With caution, Elphaba unwrapped the package and lifted the lid of the small wooden box. A soft gasp escaped her throat as she carefully lifted the contents out.
Nestled in her hands was what appeared to be an elaborately decorated egg. "Glinda, where did you get this?"
"Mother found it tucked away in a box in a closet. Aunt Melena must have given it to her for safekeeping and... well... I figured, since it was your mother's, it should come back to you, Fabala."
"What is it, Mama?" Havni asked, studying the egg before turning a quizzical glance to her mother. The was painted in soft greens and golds, with beautiful summer scenes around it; emeralds and diamonds sparkled in the firelight. The children had never seen such an egg before.
"This was your grandmama's. Grandpapa gave it to her for a birthday gift, before the revolution."
"Open it, Melinka, my love."
"Now, Frexpar, I said no gifts."
"I know, but I had this specifically made for you, by the finest jeweler in Fliaan."
She set the box aside and gently turned egg on its side. A tiny button was on the bottom of the small stand, and gently, she pressed it before setting it tenderly on the table. A moment passed, and everyone watched, as the egg opened up, unfurling like a flower, revealing the contents inside. Carefully, Elphaba reached inside and removed the contents, holding it tenderly in her palm as her children eagerly gathered around the get a closer look.
"It's a castle!" Ryn cried, clapping his hands in delight. The little boy loved architecture and design, and enjoyed listening to the architects who came to visit his parents when they were planning a design for a new hospital or school.
"It's Caprice-in-the-Pines." Elphaba gently corrected her son, her whisper thick with tears. "It was our summer home; Mama's favorite place. She loved Caprice-in-the-Pines more than she loved Colwen Grounds. It was the one place she didn't have to be the empress; she could just be herself."
"Oh, Frex! It's lovely!"
"When we can't be at Caprise, you'll always have it with you."
Tears gathered in Elphaba's eyes, and she quickly blinked them away and she held the tiny palace in her hand. "We thought it was stolen, or lost. Mama was distraught. It was one of hundreds of Thropp eggs made over the years, but Mama's absolute favorite, because it depicted her favorite place." She lifted her hand, until the palace was at her eye level and she could study it. "How I miss Caprice so much." She met Glinda's gaze. "Thank you, for giving Caprice back to me, Glinda."
The blonde smiled softly at her cousin. Slowly, very slowly, the missing Thropp jewels were being recovered. What the revolutionaries and murderers had stolen that night in the basement were, little by little, being given back to Elphaba, for now that she was the only surviving member of the immediate family, they all belonged to her. A number of the Thropp eggs had also been stolen in the revolution, some sold, and Elphaba hoped to recover as many as she could, for several had special meaning to her and her family.
With a soft sigh, she returned the palace to its place upon the velvet cushion in the center of the egg. Faola leaned against her, resting her head on her mother's shoulder. "I wish we could have met Grandmama and Grandpapa."
"I wish you could have, too, darling." Elphaba whispered, kissing her oldest daughter's head.
"Do you think they would have liked us, Mama?" She turned to meet Chiss's gaze, as he pulled Vala and Ruli close. A tiny smile tugged at the corners of her lips, as she met her siblings' gazes just behind her children. Oziandra smiled softly at her, taking Sophelia's hand.
"They would have loved you, all of you. Just as Daddy and I do."