TimberPaws: I get how maybe the plants will kill Avaric, but the butter knife?

AirHawk19: He is a low life swine!

LifelongLeahstar: *Ducks to avoid flying hippos*

Ultimate Queen of Cliffies: If I admit to being mean (even though I'm not. I'm wicked) will you agree not to break my review page again (in this story, at least)?

Rose (Guest): Thank you!

PocketSevens: What's your theory?

She was doing it again.

Elphaba could tell that the blonde was becoming more and more reserved, but she couldn't quite place her finger on it. What was going on? What was she hiding from her? She didn't want to push her, as Fiyero had suggested, but she wanted to know. What could possibly be going on? It was three weeks after the death anniversary, but Elphaba knew it was more than just that. She just wished Galinda would tell her.

Galinda knew that Elphaba was still upset with her, for she would stiffen every time she got close to her. She tried not to notice, but she could see the hurt deep within the princess' chocolate eyes. She wanted to tell her, but the fear of the repercussions stopped her from doing that.

Thus, the two friends continued to simply ignore it. If they ignored it, it would go away and everything would be fine.

"What's th-that?" Galinda asked as she braided Elphaba's hair one afternoon, hearing noise that sounded like protests from outside.

Elphaba looked at the blonde through the mirror. "You haven't heard?"

Galinda shook her head.

"One of the kitchen maids, Nuna, was caught running away with Leaven, the footman."

Galinda's eyes widened. Nuna was one of the girls who was especially mean to her. "Wh-What will… h-happen to th-them?"

"She will be put to death by a hanging," Elphaba said simply, yet softly.

"Wh-What?!"

Elphaba nodded. "She will die tomorrow morning. She broke a vow she took to be in the service of my father."

"No tr-ial?"

"No," Elphaba shook her head. "She won't get a trial."

"Not f-fair!"

"I know it's not fair, Galinda. But it's also the law. There's nothing I can do about it."

Galinda could tell that Elphaba really didn't like the current situation and simply finished the braid.

"Leaven won't be punished," Elphaba said after a while, standing up. "I can't speak to my father about it. He has washed his hands of the entire matter. He said that since she broke the rules, and she understood the consequences, she must pay the price."

"But –"

"And they had sex," Elphaba interrupted, gazing out the window at the horizon. "She's pregnant."

"What?"

"She's two months pregnant. The doctor examined her and confirmed it."

"They h-have t-to… l-let her live."

"There's nothing I can do about this, Galinda," Elphaba said, sounding frustrated. "I can't argue my father. No one can. He's the Wizard. What he says is the final word and no one can change it without his permission."

Galinda was about to say more, but saw how tired Elphaba looked and let the subject drop. She went to get some tea for the both of them, and when she returned, Elphaba had moved to her bed and was running her fingers over her quilt.

"The world isn't fair, Galinda," Elphaba said after a long silence as she sipped her tea. "Nothing ever is."

Galinda made to take a sip of her tea, but stopped. Something didn't seem right. She sniffed the liquid and almost gagged. She didn't know what was happening. Peppermint was one of her favorites. She simply put the tea aside, and when Elphaba gave her a questioning look, simply said that she didn't feel like tea at the moment.

The next morning, Galinda awoke with a heavy feeling in her stomach. The sun was beginning to rise, but there was a feeling of urgency in the air. She could almost feel death all around her, and she wanted nothing more than to get out of its embrace. She was about to go back to sleep when someone banging on her door scared her back awake. She jumped up, twirled her robe around her shoulders and answered the door. Elphaba was standing on the other side, already dressed.

"El-phie?" Galinda blinked.

"Galinda, I know this is a lot to ask of you, but I really want you to come with me," she pleaded.

"El-Elphie, p-please…"

Elphaba gripped the blonde's hands. "Galinda, please. I'm required to be there, and I can't do this alone."

"F-Fiyero…"

"He doesn't have to go, and please don't ask me why. The point is… I really need a friend there with me. Please, Galinda."

Galinda looked at Elphaba and realized that she couldn't say no. Well… she could, but her friend obviously needed her. She really didn't want to see Nuna be put to death, but Elphaba really needed her. She agreed, if only to see the look of pure relief on Elphaba's face. The princess thanked her and waited until she got ready. Forty-five minutes later, Galinda was ready and walked out with Elphaba to the arena. It was a relatively small gathering, Galinda felt it was too large a crowd for a maid's execution. She sat with next to Elphaba in the private box, a lump forming in the pit of her throat.

A trumpet sounded and everyone stood as the Wizard entered. Elphaba formally curtsied to her father as he passed her, and Galinda did the same. The Wizard nodded to his daughter before turning and standing in front of the podium. After making a brief speech about the "crimes" committed (though it seemed to drag on forever for Elphaba and Galinda) he ordered that the maid be brought out.

Galinda bit back a gasp as Nuna was led out, blindfolded and her hands tired behind her back. She looked weak and frail, like every step she took brought her physical pain. She had lost a lot of weight and looked like she had been starved. Most of her body was covered in blood, and she looked like she had been whipped. The two guards escorting her pushed and shoved her towards the tall stood she was going to stand on. They forced her onto the stood and tied the noose around her neck.

Elphaba exchanged a sad look with Galinda, who looked like she was about to faint. Elphaba looked at her father, whose eyes didn't leave Nuna. Elphaba looked back at the guards, who were looking at her father, waiting for the word to kick the stool away and end the young girl's life.

"Father," the princess whispered, standing and taking a step towards her father.

The Wizard looked at her.

"Please," she begged, shaking her head. "Please don't do this."

The Wizard simply squeezed her hand and nodded for her to sit back down. Elphaba continued to silently plead with her father, until the Wizard made it clear that he wasn't going to argue with her anymore. Elphaba was forced to sit back down, looking torn and defeated. Turning towards the guards, he held up his hand to signal for them to get ready. As soon as he thrust his hand down, the stood was kicked away.

The blonde was horrified, but found that she couldn't look away and watched Nuna kick and twitch against the lack of support. People gasped, and a few screamed. The kicking and twitching went on for around five minutes (Galinda had turned away somewhere in that span), then Nuna grew still, her body hanging and moving slightly in the wind. Two minutes later, she was pronounced dead with a single, loud drum hit. Galinda heard Elphaba let out a sigh and shift her weight. The princess looked over at her lady-in-waiting. "Galinda?"

She turned and Elphaba gasped. Her eyes were bloodshot and she looked at least three shades paler. She gently took her by the hand and squeezed in a heartbeat pattern. Galinda couldn't seem to meet her gaze, and she completely understood why. She had been the exact same way when she had to attend her first execution. Now, she hated to say it, but as much as she hated it, she had grown used to it and what to expect.

After the body was taken down and carried away, the Wizard dismissed everyone and Elphaba promptly wrapped her arms around Galinda and helped her up. She ushered her out and back to her room, where Galinda promptly collapsed on the bed and cried. Elphaba shed a few tears herself, but was mostly there to help Galinda.

"I'm sorry," she whispered when she thought Galinda would hear her. "I never should have asked you to come with me. I didn't… I mean… I never… I shouldn't have… I know I will never be able to make this up to you."

Galinda curled into a fetal position and turned away from the green girl. Elphaba felt completely helpless in her attempts to calm her. Nothing she ever said or did would be able to make up for what she did.

"I was selfish," Elphaba whispered. "I was selfish and inconsiderate. I am a horribly friend. I should have been able to do this alone by now. I hate the fact that I am forced to go to this, even though Fiyero doesn't have to, despite his recently-acquired title." She paused for a moment. "My first one was when I was sixteen. I don't even remember who was hanged or what they did. I guess I didn't fully understand it at the time. I've been two around three more each year since then. I…" She stopped herself. "This isn't about me, though. Do you… do you want something to drink?"

Galinda ignored her, still very upset.

"I am upset about Nuna. I didn't know her very well, but that doesn't mean I wished death upon her. Especially when another innocent life was growing inside of her for eight weeks. And especially when Leaven doesn't face as harsh a punishment, only serving two months in the Southstairs. As harsh as that is, it wasn't even remotely close to what Nuna went through."

Galinda still refused to comment.

"Do you want me to leave?"

Still silence. Elphaba took that as a yes and left, whispering a final "I'm sorry" before closing the door behind her. Finally, Galinda looked up. She turned and laid on her back, staring up at the ceiling. She couldn't believe she had witnessed someone suffer like that before dying. She had never witnessed death before. She supposed the only reason her parents didn't count was because they had both died instantly in the carriage accident and she had been knocked unconscious, so she didn't actually see them. Everything smelt like death. She didn't want to be around anyone.

She wanted to be angry with Elphaba. She wanted to yell at her and tell her she had no right to make her do that. She wanted to tell her that she didn't want to be her friend anymore; that she'd rather live out in the streets than be in the same room with her for another clock-tick. But she didn't. She couldn't. Part of her didn't want to. She knew that if she wanted any hope at a future where she wasn't one step away from death, she had to stay with her.

But that also made her scared. Scared of what might happen to her if people found out her secret. She would be the next one hanged. But she could feel death next to her, creeping up behind her, wrapping her in a hug and refusing to let her go until it had suffocated every last breath from her body. She sat up and hugged herself, but froze. She stiffened, praying she didn't feel what she thought she felt. Maybe she was just hallucinating. Maybe it wasn't real. A lot had happened and maybe this was just her body's way of reacting. But when she pressed her fingers against her abdomen, she felt the vibration of life that was also her death sentence.

Sorry this chapter is a day late. I thought I had one more prewritten chapter left, but I didn't. And since this is the case, the next update will not be until Saturday, April 23rd, just so I can get ahead a bit more. I'm sorry for this mini-hiatus that I really didn't want to take or plan on, but I should be able to keep updates regular and every other day after that. Thank you all for understanding!