Disclaimer: I don't own Wicked.
Eira didn't think Glinda would really send her back to this playgroup. It really was horrendible. She just didn't fit in with the other kids, although they didn't torture her like they did that girl. They had learned who Eira was and they practically worshipped the ground she walked on. Even though the half Winkie loved to be admired, she hated when they would do this. Some of the girls tried to get her to play with dolls, something Eira hated. Sure, she liked to play with dolls alone, but never, ever with other people; that was just too weird.
And then the boys would try to get her to play stupid war games with them. They wanted her to be the distressed princess, but Eira didn't want to be the helpless girl who needed saving. So, she opted to just sit out and watch them. Time went by too slowly for her. Sighing, she rested her elbow on the table and propped her head up.
Occasionally, she practiced her ballet, but one can only practice ballet for so long.
Every day, she'd see that woman dressed in black, whether if it was on the other side of the fence from the playgroup, or if she was simply walking with Glinda around the Emerald City. Honestly, it was scaring her how drawn she was to this woman. And to make matters worse, she was beginning to have these strange dreams about this woman with no arms. She'd be calling Eira's name, but in her dream, Eira would run in the other direction to get away from her.
Eira saw that woman in black yet again. She had to figure out how to get to this woman, but not today because she had her dance recital and her mother was coming home just to see her perform. "May I sit?" it was that stupid girl again. Eira didn't know why she even tried to be her friend after she was mean to her.
"No."
"I bet you don't even know my name," she said and tucked a stray piece of orange hair behind her ear.
"You're right, I don't, and I don't wish to know, either. Leave me alone! This place is horrendible enough," Eira complained and dramatically put her head on the table she was sitting at.
"Miss Eira, Lady Glinda is here to pick you up," the caretaker said. That was odd, because she was expecting her mother to come get her as well. Perhaps she was waiting in the carriage? She happily ran over to her grandmother's outstretched arms and hugged her.
"Hello, baby, why don't you go change into your ballet things?" Glinda said as she handed her the bag. Eira beamed and hurried off to the bathroom to put her things on. She stripped down and put on her pink tights, her leotard, and then finally a beautiful light pink dress she had to wear for her recital. It flowed nicely and was made of lighter material than other dresses. She put her ballet shoes on, then spun around in the dress, watching it flower out. She rushed back towards her grandmother who was waiting for her. "Here, let me do your hair for you."
"Thank you," Eira said excitedly and couldn't wait to see her mother. Once Glinda finished the bun, Eira ran out of the building and rushed towards the carriage being drawn by the pretty white horses.
"Eira, wait!" Glinda exclaimed and attempted to catch up to the seven year old. Oz, kids were too fast!
Not listening to the blonde, she opened the doors to the carriage before the driver even registered she had arrived. And when she opened it, her smile immediately dropped at the sight of an empty carriage. "She's not here," she whispered. "She's not here!" she yelled and jumped from the carriage. "Why isn't she here?" she cried. "She promised, mommy promised!"
"I know she promised, baby, but something came up and she needed to take care of things," Glinda tried to explain to the girl who stomped her feet angrily as she cried. The blonde would allow her this tantrum.
"Something always comes up!" Eira screamed, making a scene that was completely unlady like, but she didn't care. She was seven and she decided she was allowed a slip up or two. "Well, if mommy can't see me perform, then nobody can!" Glinda tried to hug her and hold her close, tell her everything was going to be fine, but Eira refused to let the blonde hug her. She stepped away and said, "They're going to have to find a new lead." And she took off into the streets of the Emerald City. She could hear heels clacking on the sidewalks, but they eventually faded. She knew her grandmother wasn't a good runner, especially while she wore those heels.
Through her tears, she couldn't see much. The sun had almost set, and the streets were getting darker. She felt herself bump into someone, and she just let herself fall onto the ground, completely tired and worn out from crying and running. "You should be more careful." It was a woman's voice. Eira looked up and held her breath when she noticed it was the woman in black. But for some reason, she didn't care anymore; she only wanted her mommy.
"Sorry," Eira sniffed and refused to get up from the cold ground. She shivered a little because the night air was chilly. She felt a cloak drape around her small frame. She looked up and the woman was still covered from head to toe in black.
"What are you running away from?" the woman asked her and had her stand up.
"My grandmother," Eira sighed. "Well, not really her, but from my ballet recital."
"I see that," the woman said and gestured towards her slippers. "But why? Do you not enjoy dancing?" Eira shook her head.
"No, I love ballet more than anything in the entire world, but my mommy promised she was gonna come see me dance, but then she didn't show up. It's foolish of me, isn't it?" Eira looked up into the brown eyes of the woman.
"No, it isn't," the woman assured her. "Why didn't your mother show up, if you don't mind me asking?"
"My grandmother said something came up. Something always comes up. I wish my mommy didn't have a job like everyone else's mommys. Daddys are supposta work, but I don't have a daddy. But my mommy doesn't have to work because my grandmother's rich, and so's my mommy. I don't get it," Eira ranted as she tried to dry her tears with her small hands.
"What's your mother's job if she can't come see you?"
"She's a professor at that college…Shiz University I think. You know it?"
"I do," the woman nodded. "I attended it."
"Well, my mommy teaches sorcery because she's a good sorceress. Except she likes to be called a witch instead, but I don't get it," Eira shrugged. "I like you," she said suddenly to the strange woman. "Can we be friends?"
"Sure," the woman said after her shock wore off.
"I don't know why, but I like you. No offense, but I don't usually talk ta just anybody," the seven year old smiled up at her.
"I'm glad you talked to me. Listen, I don't think you should punish your grandmother by running away. She probably is worried sick about you."
"Prolly," the girl said. "She's the sensitive type."
"Then you should go rush back to her," the woman said.
"Okay. But will I see you again?" she asked innocently with her big, pretty blue eyes.
"We'll see," the woman said making no promises. Eira took that as a yes though, because she always got her way, and she ran back the way she came. Eira had been able to get a carriage. It wasn't too hard for her because most people knew who she was. The driver let her in and brought her home to the Emerald City Palace. It was very late at night now; she didn't realize how far she had gone until she noted the lights were out.
Eira calmly climbed up the stairs to the living quarters. She could hear sobs coming from the sitting room. Slowly, she opened the large white door and entered the room. There, she saw Glinda crying her eyes out in front of the fire. She shook with sadness, and she sniffed to keep her nose from dripping. "Grandmother?" Eira said gently and put a small hand on the blonde's shoulder. Slowly, Glinda looked up with her tear stained face, but she smiled broadly and spun around to hug Eira..
"Sweet Lurline, I thought you were…Eira, please, never ever run off like that again. You had me so worried! Please promise me you will not scare me like that again. I've lost too much, and I don't want to lose you, too." Eira didn't know what in Oz Glinda meant with that last part, but she hugged her grandma back and told her she'd never run away like that again.
