Salvete! Here's the ninth chapter!
Elphaba's Girl - I completely agree with that assessment!
Enjoy!
Chapter 9
Erik
After our meeting with the Wizard, we started off for the Vinkus. For El. But we were yet conflicted on what to do. The Tin Woodman, whom I had figured out was Boq, was all for hunting and killing El. The Lion was on Boq's side, as long as he didn't have to assist in the murder, of course. "But, Tin Man," Dorothy objected. "Even though she's terribly wicked, this Witch is still a person. She must be grieving for her sister, whose death I caused. I would hate to cause her death, too."
"Ah, you're wrong there, Dorothy," Boq replied. "The Witch is so wicked that she shouldn't even be considered a person. Anyway, don't be frightened. We'll sneak up on her and I'll cut her head off."
The Scarecrow snorted. "Like that'll actually work."
"Do you have a better idea, Mr. Brainless?"
"Oh no! I just think that the Witch might hear you. She's not deaf, you know." There was something about him though, this straw man. He seemed positively distressed at the idea of El's head getting chopped off. Was it just fear? Impossible! What could El do to him except … tie him on a pole! Ugh! I should have seen the way he looked at her in the woods and realized his game!
"Dear Scarecrow," I said courteously. "I need to speak with you about a private matter. Would you care to walk with me by those trees over there?"
Puzzlement spread across his face. "Sure. Wait up, guys." The other three members of our party nodded and settled themselves in the grass.
Once we were a safe distance away, I said, "Do you think I'm that thick?!"
"You're not thick," Fiyero Tigulaar of the Vinkus said innocently. "I'm the brainless one, remember?"
"Oh no, Your Highness, I'm not falling for your tricks anymore. Now give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip off your cleaver disguise and tell your little friends of your true intentions!"
"Well, because it's, um, not a disguise."
"Nonsense, man! Are you insinuating that you just turned into a scarecrow, out of the blue?"
"Erik. Think. Who would have the power and the need to turn me to straw? You know, black hair, emerald skin, you obsess over her?"
"El, of course. I should've known. Enjoy her while you have her, straw man, because she won't be yours for long."
"Now, I'm not denying that she once loved you, because she probably did, but now she loves me, and she could never love you again!"
"Who are you to presume how she feels? You're a mere distraction! Once she sees how you look now, she'll do the right thing and come crawling back to me."
"Hmm, decisions, decisions. Scarecrow or crazy musician? Oh boy, Fae has some thinking to do on this one!" That's when I knocked him over. He actually spun around twice before he fell. Damn, he really was made out of straw!
"You know what? Fine! She's yours – for now. But I'll come one day when you least expect me. Be sure of that, straw man."
He restuffed himself and headed back over to the others without a sound. I followed silently behind him. "Everything alright?" Dorothy asked, standing up. "We heard some raised voices."
"Don't worry, Dorothy," Fiyero said. "It's settled." He gave one glare at me. I glared right back at him. We both knew that this was far from settled. It was now war between us, but I would take the spoils of victory! I knew he would use that silly rumor that pure water could melt El. Well, when he came back to Kiamo Ko to collect her, he would find more than El waiting for him! Just thinking of that brought a smile to my face.
"OH MY OZ! FLYING MONKEYS!" At the Lion's exclamation, we all looked up to the sky, and sure enough, there was a whole band of them coming straight towards us. I remembered watching El free them on that fateful day in the throne room. They must have decided to join her. My comrades ran, of course, and I had no choice but to run with them.
But as I expected, they caught up to us. I secretly smiled as I watched them literally take Fiyero apart, and scatter him all over. Boq was a pitiful sight, all battered and dented, his axe ten feet away from him. The Lion was nowhere to be found; I expected he was cowering behind a tree somewhere nearby. Before I could even move to help her, Dorothy was taken up into the sky along with that dog of hers, toward Kiamo Ko. I hoped El wouldn't go too hard on her. She was just a girl, after all.
But then, one of the monkeys caught me by surprise and tackled me to the ground. The next thing I knew, there were about five on me, crawling up and down my body. Oh damn, had El ordered them to kill me? "GET OFF OF ME, YOU FILTHY CREATURES!" One of them gave my face a swipe, and suddenly I was exposed to the world.
It was time to abandon Boq and the Lion, abandon my so called quest for the Wizard to make me handsome. Once I finally shook those horrible monkeys off of me, I started running for Kiamo Ko. El wasn't looking in her crystal ball now; she had Dorothy to deal with. When I got there, I discovered that there were guards everywhere. No matter. I spied a sewage pipe nearby. That would be sufficient indeed.
Thanks for reading!
Cheers,
Elle Dottore
