AUTHORS NOTE: WARNING this story contains Slavery, Female on Female affections. Revolution, War, Violence and Language in later chapters.
Elphaba wiped the sweat from her brow as she looked at her handy work with a grin on her face. After four long weeks of painstakingly detailed work between her normal chores, she was finished.
A necklace of polished and smoothed rocks smiled back at her.
The stones and pebbles were arranged in a pattern, the pebbles lined the top, growing larger and finally at the end, dangled a curiously shaped pink stone smooth and almost... soft, that held in it's center a green stone with a course texture.
This stone was one of a kind.
Elphaba had found it within the lake near the Upland manor. The currents that had beaten against it over the ages had smoothed its edges. She had known right then and there it had to be in the necklace, she had used the ash shovel from the kitchen to fish out the stone. After many trails and errors, she finally managed to get it out of the lake.
Of course, her hand had gotten burned from the droplets of water that came down the shaft. But it was all worth it.
She held up the string of rocks and pebbles into the path of the sun, and just as if hitting gems of an unimaginable value, the stones shone in a hypnotic dance of colors and sparkles. Elphaba smiled wildly, proud of her accomplishment.
"Elphaba!! What in the nine hell's have you been doing, girl? I asked you to do one little thing, bring in the milk from the barn, and here you are lazying about! I have half a mind to whip you myself, you know Mistress gets when lunch is held up!"
The green girl jumped at the sudden scream and hid the necklace behind her back. She looked up at the annoyed face of Cook. Elphaba lowered her gaze to the floor, was it lunchtime already? She must have lost track of the time... again.
She managed a small apology as she stared at the ground. Cook shook her head as she let out a long dramatic sigh.
"What I have to go through with the younglings! Well, come now, let's see it." Elphaba slowly handed over the necklace. Cook held the necklace in her hand and looked it over and saw how Elphaba didn't even bother to hide her frown for once. She put a hand on the girl's green shoulder and sighed. "Oh, dearie. If it were up to me I would let you craft to your hearts content, but sadly that is not the case. We must all remember our place in this life, we are treated better then we could ever ask as the Upland's as our masters. We shan't wish to throw their generosity back at them by taking free time in the work day, hmm?"
"I understand. I'm sorry for getting distracted." Elphaba said, her voice barely above a whisper. Cook smiled a bit, and patted the green child's head.
"Well, we should be going about getting lunch ready, eh? Mistress must be ready to eat the table by now." Cook said with a grin, Elphaba couldn't help but smirk at the mental image.
They both took a bucket of fresh milk from the barn and then hurried down back into the steam-filled kitchen, where Cook placed the necklace on the window ledge then hobbled back over to the counter and poured the milk into the ice-filled jugs. Elphaba looked over at her necklace longingly, while stepping next to one of her fellow servants. She helped with making of lunch and waited for a chance to take the necklace back.
"I can't believe the young Mistress is going to be eight already! It seems like yesterday she was just learning how to walk." one of the servants who was busy squeezing the fruits for lunch's punch said, a light airy hint of delight in her otherwise rough accent.
Another servant nodded in agreement, "That it does. And she's still so tiny," the last part was spoken in almost a whisper, everyone knew that the Master and Mistress were both a bit on edge because it seemed that Miss Galinda hadn't been growing at a normal rate as the other children.
"She's perfect the way she is," blurted out Elphaba, who darkened at the sound of her own words and added with a sarcastic tone, "I mean, after all. One only has to look at her face to know she is of a house of riches." the other servants didn't seem to notice the dual meanings of the words, and all murmured in agreement.
"She is to meet her betrothed today! The young Mistress must be so excited!"
Elphaba felt her heart stop, she snapped her head up. "Who is to meet what?" she asked. The Servant looked over at Elphaba as if she had four heads.
"You mean you didn't know? The Master and the Mistress have arranged a marriage for the young Mistress, she is to be marrying a Winkie, I believe."
"Not just any Winkie--but a prince!"
A few of the girls swooned. Marrying a prince, a girl's dream!
"Hi, guys! What are you all talking about?"
All of the servants stopped on a dime and went on with their work, trying not to look at the short blonde who had just appeared in the doorway. Elphaba looked up at Galinda, who looked back and waved. Elphaba smiled, and managed her usual small wave.
"Oh, Cook. Momsie wishes to know when lunch is going to be ready." Galinda said, turning her attention to Cook. "She's starting to growl like an animal, very scary." Galinda raised her arms and curled her fingers as if they were claws and snarled then giggled wildly, finding her own actions silly.
Cook laughed and glanced from the pot she was fussing over. "Tell your Momsie to sit tight, we'll be having it ready in no time."
After what felt like hours, lunch was finally ready. Elphaba sighed with relief as Cook stepped out of the kitchen to set the table with the food. Now was her chance to get the necklace back. Elphaba tip-toed her way to the windowsill where Cook had placed the necklace and felt around, she gasped and stood up on her toes, looking over the ledge.
The necklace was gone!
Elphaba's eyes widened, where could it have gone?! No one had gone near the window for the entire time Cook had been in the room. Elphaba then noticed the window was opened a crack.
'It must have fallen outside!' Elphaba thought, quickly running to the door of the kitchen and bolted past the men that had come back from the fields to eat. She ran around the walls of the outside, combing through every inch of grass and dirt.
But she couldn't find it anywhere.
"No, no no!" Elphaba groaned, holding her head in her hands. It seemed she wasn't going to be able to give Galinda her gift after all.
Feeling defeated, she made her way back inside. She walked past the door to the dinning room when she saw a familiar glow. She stopped and she gazed in horror into the dinning room...
Galinda stood across the room, standing next to a taller boy who seemed about Elphaba's age. His skin a dark color, blue diamonds were etched into his skin, he wore a royal outfit, a yellow affair with lines of green. Galinda wore a blue dress with the trimmings of white, with white ribbon around her waist and one in her hair.
But the prince's closeness was not what set anger filling Elphaba's very core. Well, it was partly the reason...
"Oh, Fiyero! It's so beautiful!" Galinda held the necklace up, the necklace that Elphaba had worked so hard on, with a wide smile on her face and a glitter in her eye.
"You like it?" Fiyero asked, a small smile on his face.
"Oh I love it!" Galinda giggled. She opened the clip on the necklace and held the necklace to her neck. "Help me put it on, would you? Oh, how it sparkles!"
Elphaba smiled for a split second, glad Galinda had enjoyed it. But then she remembered that she had not been the one to give it to her.
"I thought it would be something you'd enjoy." Fiyero said, he stepped behind Galinda and took the ends of the necklace, clipping them together. Then gently placed the back against Galinda's neck. He then offered his arm to Galinda who took it eagerly, they both walked to the dinning table.
Elphaba narrowed her eyes, How dare this Winkie step in and have the nerve...the audacity to take credit for that which was not his.
"Elphaba, are you feeling alright?" Elphaba jumped at the voice and turned, facing her Mistress, The Lady Upland. "You seem a bit...darkened."
"I am fine, Mistress. I'm just feeling a bit warm." Elphaba said. The Mistress placed a hand on Elphaba's forehead to check for fever. And although she didn't show it, Elphaba felt slightly embarrassed as the other servants peered in from the back room and giggled. "Mistress, really I am fine."
The Mistress looked over to the other servants who instantly silenced, then she looked back at Elphaba with a small frown. "You don't feel fine, dear. You're burning. Why don't you go and rest? I'll have one of the others bring you up something to eat."
Elphaba bowed her head to her Mistress and then walked to the door to the servant's staircase. As she climbed she took one last glance at Galinda who was giggling and speaking with Fiyero.
She felt something within her stomach, but it wasn't the normal flutter she felt when she saw Galinda. She felt sick, as if she was physically sick. When she thought of them together, her brain would shrivel in pain and her face would grow hot, as if she was mentally sick.
Elphaba couldn't help the bitter smirk that appeared on her face, for when had she ever been healthy in those aspects? What physically healthy human would be green? What mentally healthy girl would have dreams about another girl. And not just any other girl, but her Mistress's child?
But, on the other hand, hadn't she always been told she was a devil? A demon? That she was without a soul?
Elphaba stopped, letting her hand rest on the cold metal of the railing as a small spark entered her mind.
She was without a soul... wasn't she?
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Galinda paused mid-sentence as she felt a familiar gaze and turned her head, craning her neck so she could peek up the winding stairs that lead to the servant's rooms. She saw a flash of green and felt her heart sink.
Galinda sighed, for as long as she had known Elphaba she had felt a connection to her. But she never could really understand what connection that was.
Friend? Well, she certainly hoped Elphaba thought of her as a friend, but then why this feeling she felt every time they looked at each other?
Sister? She certainly wanted to be around the green girl enough to make that possible. Galinda never had a sister, was this what it felt like?
"Miss Galinda?" Galinda's train of thought was broken as she heard the Vinkus Prince's voice. She turned her head back and looked at him, blinking a few times as if she had totally forgotten he was there. Fiyero frowned slightly, placing a hand over Galinda's. "Is something wrong?"
Galinda felt a pang of emotion that confused her. She felt... guilty. But she had no reason to, what had she done wrong? She was talking with the boy who would one day be her husband, letting him hold her hand was nothing to feel ashamed about... was it? Her mother and father had held hands before they were married, and look how happy they were now!
"I'm fine," Galinda said, slightly tossing her hair back over her shoulder with her free hand. "Just lost in thought, that's all." She said with a smile she didn't feel. Fiyero smiled back at her.
"What were you thinking about?" He asked politely.
"Oh, about... this lovely necklace you got for me, it is so beautiful. I really do love it, Fiyero." Galinda giggled, the thought of the beautiful necklace around her neck filled her, making her temporally forget the feelings that confused her so.
"Especially this stone," She said, holding the pink and emerald stone at the end of her necklace in her delicate fingers. "I really adore this one." She said a bit softer, looking deeply at the emerald part of it.
Later after lunch, The Upland's and the Tigular's decided to take a tour of Upland manor. Galinda and Fiyero walked in front of the adults, who were talking about... well, adult things.
They talked of everything from land to her future wedding.
Galinda flicked open her fan with practiced grace and waved it gently as the hot breeze became apparent. She let her eyes trail over to a group of servants, where they worked on the fields. Turning the soil, dropping seeds, then covering the seeds with dirt once more.
She secretly wished she was allowed to wear the shorts and t-shirts the servant boys wore. At least then she would have some relief of this hot air.
But, as a Lady, she would have to bare with her beautiful dresses that had five layers and which skirts had ten.
Well, maybe not that many, but it sure felt like it!
She let out a small sigh of relief as the group walked onto one of the many brick and stone paths, where they were hidden from the burning sun, under the shade of the trees. She and Fiyero were still joined at the hand as they reached a bench and sat down. The adults sat on a few chairs across from them, they continued to talk.
Galinda didn't feel much like talking with Fiyero, she looked at their joined hands and felt her stomach turn...
"Galinda?" Galinda's head slowly raised up, looking at the concerned faces of her mother and father.
"You look dreadful, are you feeling alright?" her father asked. Galinda slowly shook her head.
"I feel a tad bit sick." She answered softly. "I think that the heat is getting to me."
Galinda's Mother stood from her seat, "Do you need us to get you a doctor? Erick, go fetch a doctor for our Galinda." Galinda's mother was practically waving her father to run into the town. Galinda shook her head, a small giggle. "No, Momsie, really. I just think I need to go rest."
After a small argument on her Father's part, Galinda was allowed to go back to the mansion on her own. Galinda waited until she was out of eye shot before breaking into a run, picking up her enormous skirts, her hair blown back and the ribbon from her hair falling out of place.
She didn't know why, but she felt so warm, so sick and so dizzy.
When she finally reached the large mansion she panted, almost wheezing as she made her way into the cool walls of the building.
"Goodness, Young Mistress! What happened!?" All the servants who were near rushed to help Galinda up the stairs into her room and waited on her hand and foot.
After being fussed over with her clothes and her hair and her nails, which had gotten messed up somewhere along the line, she was finally left alone in her large room, all colored with light pastels.
She sighed, taking the necklace from her neck and leaving it on her vanity. She looked down upon it. Unlike Fiyero's gestures of affection, she had not felt guilt over this. Again, she had no idea why.
"Miss Galinda?"
Galinda's head shot up, she felt those familiar flutters in her stomach and chest once again and she closed her eyes to just enjoy them.
"Young Mistress, are you among the souls of the living, or has your own perfect beauty stolen you away? Oz knows that you stare in the mirror long enough for it." The voice tried again, in a sarcastic tone.
Galinda whirled around, trying to have a serious face but couldn't help the smile. "I told you never to call me that. And as for the miss, I do not see anyone around. Did I not instruct for you to call me Galinda? What a thoughtless servant you are."
"And yet I make you smile? Damn, I must be good."
Galinda giggled, she slid from her chair and hurried over to the green girl. "Oh, Elphie! Such a mouth you have." She closed the door behind Elphaba and lead the green girl to sit on the window seat. Elphaba looked at Galinda, and then seemed to darken and look off into the window's clear glass.
"I heard that you were ill," Elphaba said, her tone slightly lowering. "I wanted to see if you were alright."
Galinda smiled, "How kind, yes I'm alright. I just had a bit of a heat stroke, I guess. Those large dresses are not very kind in weather such as this." She motioned over to the window, she dared not open it and let the hot air in. Galinda suddenly felt heat coming over her face and chest as Elphaba put a hand over her own.
"Aww, poor baby." Elphaba said with a teasing voice.
"I am most certainly NOT a baby!" Galinda huffed, but did not make any move to take her hand away from the green one. In fact, she felt a sudden urge to lace their fingers together.
So she did.
Elphaba smirked and chuckled, "Of course you aren't." She said. Galinda shifted, she had suddenly felt...damp? Wet? The feeling in her stomach began to come back, only this time she didn't feel sick, just felt... pressure.
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Elphaba felt her heart beat faster as their fingers laced together. But her face never changed from her playful smirk. "Of course you aren't" She said with a chuckle. Galinda's face reddened, she looked uncomfortable and shifted.
"Are you hot?" She asked. Galinda's head snapped up and she seemed to redden even more, if that was even possible, "What?" Galinda asked, as if she had a totally different thought in her mind. Elphaba pulled her hand from Galinda's and let it trail to the blond's forehead. "You're flushed." She said, feeling a bit worried.
"no... actually... I feel... wet." Galinda said, standing up and looking at her legs. "Why do I feel so wet?"
"Wet?" She stood along with Galinda, then stopped. There was a odd smell in the room, and she turned Galinda around to look at the back of her dress... "Oh, dear."
Galinda pulled up her dress, and screamed.
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Galinda's scream carried all the way down the stairs just as Galinda's parents, Fiyero and his parents entered the house.
Galinda's mother, Ida, was the first to sprint at the sound of Galinda's cries, followed by her husband, Erick and then Fiyero.
Ida burst through the doors and saw Elphaba with her green hands wrapped around Galinda's body, Galinda had her face buried in the green child's clothing covered neck. Galinda was crying so loudly it was hard to think, but her eyes fell on her daughter's bloodied underwear that lay casted away like some disease on the floor. Realization seeped into her heart and she smiled.
After stopping the men from ripping the green girl away from Galinda, she shooed them out of the room and closed the door.
She had tried to make Elphaba leave as well, but Galinda seemed content on holding onto the servant as if her life depended on it.
"What's happening? What is happening? Please make it stop, make it go away." Galinda begged, her grip on Elphaba tightening. "I don't want to die."
"My dear, you're not dieing, I assure you." Ida laughed as she sat down next to Elphaba and Galinda, she glanced at the green child. At first she had been surprised when Galinda decided to cling to Elphaba in her time of need other then her mother, but as she saw the look Elphaba gave her daughter...
She understood all too well.
"I'm not?"
A timid voice forced Ida back into the world around her, she let a smile come across her face as she took her hand and gently stroked her daughter's golden hair.
"Oh honey, no. You're becoming a woman, now. Remember when I told you when you got older you would get, "The curse?"" Galinda's head slowly moved up and down, although her face was still hidden in Elphaba's neck. "Well, it's also called a "period" and every girl gets one, normally it's when they are much older then you, but my sister had it when she was eight, and your eighth birthday is only a few days away. "
"You mean that little dot you use to end a sentence? What does that have to do with me bleeding inside?" Galinda asked, still not moving from her spot.
Ida laughed, "No, this is a different period, dear. And it's perfectly normal."
After a long pause, Galinda finally moved away from Elphaba and crawled over to her, resting her head in her mother's lap. "So, I'm not going to die?"
"Not before me, Galinda. Not before me." She said softly, gently stroking Galinda's hair. Soon Galinda's breathing was soft and shallow, and Ida knew she was asleep. She glanced up and Elphaba nodded and stood, going over to Galinda's wardrobe and pulling out a pink night-dress and a new pair of underwear. Ida lifted her tiny daughter up into her arms with minimal effort, then walked over to the bed and set the sleeping girl down.
After they had undressed Galinda and redressed her into the night clothes, Ida tucked in the small blonde and gave her a small kiss on the forehead before turning and taking Elphaba's hand and leading her out.
"Mistress?"
Ida turned and looked at Elphaba. "Yes, Elphaba?"
Elphaba cleared her throat. "Um...well..."
Ida saw how Elphaba's eyes kept darting to the sleeping Galinda and Ida smiled softly. "Do you wish to stay with Galinda, Elphaba?" Elphaba nodded slightly and Ida let her hand go. "Alright, make sure she has everything she needs, understand?"
Elphaba nodded, as if more determined and went back to Galinda's bed, then stood up straight next to it like a guard keeping watch over a princess. Ida chuckled and left the room, walking downstairs to say goodbye to the Tigular's and tell her husband that their little girl was fine...
...she was just, starting to become their big girl.
Ida couldn't help but question herself if it was a good idea to allow Elphaba to stay with Galinda. Oh, she knew Elphaba would never bring any harm to the girl.
But...
She knew how hard it was to watch the one you loved be taken away from you.
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