Chapter 10
Fiyero and the Lion were nearly out of the city when Chistery found them. He circled a few times hoping they would take note of his presence before swooping down and landing on one of the horse's rump.
They both let out a yelp and Fiyero immediately jumped up yelling, "Shoo crow!" He caught himself mid flailing and laughed. "Well hello there little fella. Chistery right? What are you doing here?" During Fiyero's brief time with Elphaba before the 'melting', he had not had much opportunity to bond with the winged Monkey who was fiercely protective of his master and since hadn't seen him at all since becoming the Scarecrow.
Chistery just sniffed and pointed at himself and then behind him. Fiyero clucked. "Still haven't managed to regain your speech have you? Pity. I'm sure it's not for lack of trying though right? Don't you worry little fella, you'll get there."
Chistery let out a snort and again pointed to himself and then behind him. Fiyero shook his head sadly. "Such a shame, you're such a bright little Monkey too. Come on; say something. I know you can do it!"
Chistery seemed to become agitated and flapped his wings all the while pointing to himself and then behind him repeatedly.
"And just what happened to the brains the Wizard gave you?" The Lion said, interrupting yet another attempt from Fiyero to get Chistery to speak. "Can't you see; he is talking to us? If you'd quit your yabbering, you would see he's trying to tell us something! Chistery, have you seen the girls?"
Chistery began hopping up and down and chattering excitedly, nodding his head. Fiyero jumped, "What? Where are they? Why didn't you say so in the first place?"
Chistery again pointed to himself and behind him before taking flight. Fiyero and the Lion exchanged glances. "I think he wants us to follow him." Fiyero said.
"You think so?" Lion said with a smirk. "Nothing gets past you and those brand new brains of yours."
They didn't speak for the remainder of their trip; instead keeping their eyes on the road and Monkey above them.
******
Jaxon and the others made their way to the courtyard. The young soldier was quickly falling apart. "Please Sir, I swear it, I had nothing to do with the Witch's escape! I wasn't even in the prison tonight. Ozma as my witness, I wasn't at my post, truly! Please, I beg of you!"
Kirin was expressionless as they stopped in front of a waiting line of Gale Force soldiers. He pulled his pistol from its holster and let his hand hang limply at his side. "Jaxon, my boy, what is the punishment for treason?"
Jaxon swallowed thickly. "Death, Sir."
"That's correct." Kirin replied. "Take the pistol and do your duty." He said, extending the pistol toward Jaxon.
"What? Captain, I couldn't. It isn't my place…" Jaxon looked back toward the young soldier, his face growing pale.
"You will. If you want to prove your loyalty that is. Refuse, and I will be forced to assume you an enemy of Oz. Do your duty, Jaxon! Your life, and the lives of your family may very well depend upon it! Unless, of course, you have something to confess."
Jaxon's breath caught in his throat. So he was to either kill an innocent boy, or be killed himself, along with his family. Sweat beaded on his brow. With a shaky hand, he retrieved the pistol from Kirin's hand.
Turning back to face the young man, he raised his trembling hand. "Be sure your sins will find you out." Jaxon muttered, not entirely sure if the words were for himself or the young man, and pulled the trigger.
******
Glinda found that lowering a fever when no water of any form could be used was quite a feat. She eventually discovered that leaving scraps of cloth outside to flap in the cool wind would suffice as a cold compress. And leaving a bottle of Elphie's oils outside would also chill the liquid enough to serve the purpose of helping to cool her.
Glinda's time was spent changing the bandages and replacing the cool cloths with fresh ones. Elphaba was at times deathly still and at others, caught in a state of delirium. Glinda wasn't sure which was more frightening.
During one of Elphaba's more violent bouts with delirium, Glinda had a difficult time keeping her in place on the couch. "Nessa!" Elphaba had cried weakly. "Nessa, no, please! Don't leave me…Oh Oz, Nessa, no! I'm sorry…Glinda? No!" Elphaba had wept and thrashed as much as her battered body would allow. Glinda had neared and tried to comfort her but Elphaba couldn't be comforted. She merely clung to Glinda with a death grip, surprising given her weakened state. Elphaba had cried herself into death-like sleep and no amount of prodding from Glinda could elicit so much as a moan or whimper.
Glinda quickly decided that absolutely no noise or movement from Elphaba was far worse than the fever induced cries. At least the cries were a sign of life. The first day was agony for Glinda as she realized just how helpless and alone they were. Until, around dusk, she heard a wagon approaching.
She tucked the blanket securely around Elphaba and stepped to the window to see who had found them. Glinda barely contained her sigh of relief upon seeing Fiyero and the Lion. Chistery was still circling high above. She opened the door and ran outside to greet her friends, tears streaming down her face.
"Glinda!" Fiyero jumped from the wagon before it had even stopped completely and ran to her. "Thank the Unnamed God you made it out! Are you all right? And what about Elphaba? Is she with you?"
Glinda found she was unable to control her sobs as Fiyero gathered her into his arms. She soon realized just how exhausted and frightened she truly was. "Glinda," Fiyero said softly. "What is it? Is it Elphaba?"
Glinda could merely nod against his shoulder. It took her a moment to compose herself enough to reply. "She's hurt badly. I'm no physician. I don't know what to do!" Glinda tried to control her tears, afraid that now they were spilling, she would never be able to stop them.
The Lion approached and placed a paw gently on her shoulder. "Now Glinda, don't cry. She wouldn't dare die, not after all the trouble you've gone to in order to rescue her. Elphaba will be fine! She knows she'll have you to reckon with if not."
Glinda smiled, for the first time since arriving at the prison. "You're right. She will have me to reckon with. Oh, come in. You must be exhausted. I'm sorry we couldn't make it to the meeting point. There just wasn't time."
Fiyero kept an arm around her securely. "We would have been here sooner but the wagon wasn't quite as easy to come by as we originally thought. And guards are already crawling all over the city so we had to keep hidden. But here we are!" He ended cheerfully.
She led them inside, past the room where Elphaba was resting and into the kitchen in the back. She poured them both a glass of water and muttered an apology when Fiyero reminded her there was no need for him to drink it.
Once they had all discussed the events, they decided to move Elphaba to the lone bedroom where she could rest more comfortably and in private. Fiyero and the Lion made themselves comfortable in the front room and began planning what to do next. Glinda returned to Elphaba's side to keep vigil.
Glinda would dose off in the chair next to Elphaba's bed only to wake and recheck the bandages again and change the cold compress. She would occasionally flip through the medical book looking for any new suggestions for treatment that she might have missed. Fiyero and the Lion would slip in from time to time to check both of their conditions but Glinda refused to leave Elphaba's side. She would often find herself praying but most often she simply spoke softly to Elphaba.
"Elphie. Come back to me. Please. You've made it this far; you can't leave me now! Elphie, I couldn't bear it! You're the strong one, not me. I need you Elphaba. You can't leave me here! I'll do anything, just please don't leave me alone."
By midnight the following night, Elphaba's fever seemed to be receding. Her sleep seemed more restful and far less fitful. But she remained unaware of anything around her.
******
Jaxon had spent the last hours retching until there was nothing left but dry heaves. He had committed murder. There was no other way around it. I'm a murderer. He thought woefully.
Kirin had smiled smugly and even clapped him on the back in congratulations. Jaxon had to be led out of the courtyard, his steps slow and stumbling. Already he had felt nausea waving over him.
"Well Jaxon, I think we can safely tell Cravin your loyalty has been sufficiently tested. Thus far you have passed the test. But, we will be keeping an eye on you. For your own sake, of course." Kirin had said as they parted. "Don't stray too far from barracks. Wouldn't want to have to waste the time and resources following you. Feel free to take tomorrow off from patrol."
And so Jaxon was left alone for the next day to come to terms with his actions. He tried to convince himself he had done the noble thing in protecting his family. But in reality, he knew he had taken the cowards way out and ended an innocent life. What can I do to right this? I have to make this right. His thoughts swam, envisioning possibilities of redemption. But in the end, he could do nothing more than weep alone in his quarters.
******
Elphaba slowly opened her heavy eyes. That Ozdamn window. The light was blinding her again. Her eyes drifted shut. A sweet scent wafted in the air. The smell of Gillikin Rose and sandalwood. Those smells certainly didn't belong in a prison cell. She forced her eyes open a fraction and willed her vision to clear.
In the flickering candlelight, Elphaba knew she was hallucinating. A head of golden curls was bowed over her. Glinda. She had a look of deep concentration and concern on her features as she applied salve to one of Elphaba's wounds. I must be dead. Or dreaming.
Elphaba opened her mouth to speak but found she was only able to form a weak whimper as she exhaled. The blonde head whipped up in an instant and Glinda quickly grasped Elphaba's hand.
"Elphie? Sweet, can you hear me?" Glinda asked softly. "Dearest, can you open your eyes for me? That's right. Elphie, come on. Come back to me love." Glinda couldn't keep the smile from her face or hope from her voice as she saw Elphaba's eyes flutter open.
"I'm dead." Elphaba said in no more than a whisper. "I must be. You can't be real."
Glinda wiped the tears from her own face before caressing Elphaba's cheek softly. "No, I'm very real Elphie. I'm here. I'm here love."
Elphaba felt her eyes drifting shut once again. She moaned softly. "If this is just a dream, I hope to never wake again."
Glinda leaned forward and pressed her lips to Elphaba's forehead. "Thank Oz. Sleep Elphie. I'll be here when you wake up. I promise." Glinda continued to keep watch over Elphaba as she slept peacefully and soundly through the rest of the night.