Dorothy tried to keep her voice even but it squeaked irritatingly higher.
'You're the wicked witch?'
The witch tilted her head upward and allowed the moonlight to catch her face. Green as emerald. It was the witch alright.
'Pick up the axe, don't leave it lying around. It's dangerous.' she said to the tin man who was visibly shaking.
Toto barked for all he was worth. Elphaba leaned down with her face level with his. 'You're giving me a headache' she told him slowly. 'Stop it.' The barking turned to whimpering.
She straightened up, looked at the company arrayed on her doorstep. The toe tapping started again. No one spoke. The lion had his face in his paws; one eye peeked out fearfully from the golden mane. The scarecrow was a stoic creature who hadn't said a word yet. Dorothy was standing there with her mouth unattractively open.
She waited for someone to make the first move. There came none. She offered the way.
'Perhaps you should come in. No use standing out in the cold.'
Nobody moved.
'Anytime today.' The tone was sharper.
The tin man shuffled his feet with a quiet clanging sound. 'Are you…inviting us in?' He ventured.
She inclined her head. 'That would be correct.'
They gaped at her like a bunch of dummies. That was what you got when you tried to be polite. She quelled the irritation rising in her and waved them through. They stepped inside silently, nervously awaiting the next move. This was started to resemble a game of chess. Elphaba hated chess. It bored her. She much preferred a game of Mikado Sticks. But with precious little human presence around, she tended to play with herself. Sometimes Chistery would come and join her, his monkey hands nimble with the sticks. But she usually ended up beating herself.
She led them into the kitchen, a great big room with the most heat in the castle. She bade them sit down and waited until they took their seats. They looked around them, waiting for the next move. She took off her cloak and threw it over her chair, cast aside her hat and sat nonchalantly back, resting on the arms.
'So. Anything you want to tell me?'
Silence.
'You came all the way up here for what? A hike? A spiritual vision? What?' She leaned forward. Everyone else leaned back in trepidation.
'Let me rephrase the question. What are you here for?'
Dorothy spoke up tremulously. 'We've been…sent.'
'By whom? Someone high and mighty I hope.'
'The Wizard of Oz' said the tin man.
'To...find you' added Dorothy.
'Interesting place to find me' said Elphaba drily. 'Considering I'm usually here, it seems a little pointless to pretend to find me. He knows where to find me.' She drummed her nails on the table, causing the lion on her left to jump. She narrowed her eyes at him.
'I'm sure you have better things to do with your time than follow a girl up to a castle to find a witch. I don't see what you get out of this little adventure.'
'Courage. The wizard said he'd give me courage.'
'Perhaps he should have given you common sense instead' retorted Elphaba.
More silence. This was turning out to be an awkward visit. Elphaba sighed. Perhaps she just wasn't cut out for entertaining after all.
'All right, I'm getting bored with this little game. State what you want, take it if I can afford it and get out.' Her impatience finally getting the better of her, Elphaba stood up and walked to the door, leaving her unwilling guests at the table. Toto began to bark again. Without turning around, the witch issued her threat. 'Tell that dog that if he is to bark again, I will get my monkey to personally dispose of him.'
Toto hushed after that.