The witch was met with a barrage of jeers and anger as she was taken through the Emerald City. Nessa sat on a guard's horse, her wrists bound with thick rope. Her ankles were bound as well, but Nessa knew that was only to mock her, not to restrain her. The brunette ignored the citizens as she was taken to the palace; she kept her gaze forward, refusing to even look at the angry people. She wouldn't give them that satisfaction.
They eventually reached the palace, and two guards pulled Nessa down from the horse. They each took one arm and dragged her inside, closing the heavy doors behind them.
"You didn't have to parade her through the streets like she was some kind of… trophy," Oliver hissed angrily at Morrible.
"The people want to feel safe. In order to make sure that happens, we have to show them that the threat has been subdued," Morrible replied. "Now, let's continue."
Oliver shook his head, but picked Nessa up off the floor and started after Morrible. The brunette refused to look at him as they went, and Oliver knew that there was no use in trying to gain her trust back.
"The witch has been found," Morrible said as they entered the Wizard's chamber. Nessa looked up as the white-haired man turned and approached her. So this was the powerful wizard that everyone revered and feared? Nessa saw nothing impressive about him, and knew that when she killed him, she would gain little satisfaction.
"I thought you said she was too be feared more than her sister, yet this witch can't even stand on her own! There must be a mistake here!"
"There is no mistake, I assure. This is the Witch of the East, and the source of her power came from these." Morrible held up the ruby slippers. The Wizard took them from her, and looked at them skeptically.
"Shoes? Her power came from shoes? Absurd!"
"The shoes were enchanted, which gave them their power. Without them, she is nothing more than a helpless cripple."
Nessa had been doing a pretty good job of remaining emotionless since she had been caught, but now her anger had hit its boiling point. She thrust her bound wrists up, hitting Oliver in the face. He dropped her, and Nessa hit the ground hard. She brought her hands down, and a large vine came up through the tiled floor, forcing the Wizard and Morrible to step back. While they were distracted, the witch started to move herself across the floor, making one last desperate attempt to get away.
"She's escaping!" the Wizard said. "After her!"
Nessa heard footsteps behind her. She turned onto her back and thrust her hands down again, summoning another vine. She turned back onto her stomach and continued on, the sweat on her face causing loose strands of her hair to stick to her face.
This is crazy, there's no way I can escape.
The brunette found herself suddenly staring at a glittery pair of emerald heels. She looked up and saw Glinda looking down at her.
"Nessa…"
"Glinda, help me. Stop them, distract them, help me get out, anything!"
The blonde didn't respond, and Nessa knew that she didn't have any more time.
"Glinda! You let Elphaba die, don't do the same to me!"
The blonde's eyes filled with hurt, and a steely expression crossed her face.
"I did what I could for Elphaba, just as I've done for you. I'm sorry, Nessa," she said.
Nessa felt strong hands pull her up off the floor. "No! Glinda, don't let them do this to me! You can't just stand by and watch another Thropp die!"
It was over. Nessa knew that much. She was sitting in a small cell, her wrists and ankles shackled together, and their chains leading to the wall. She had let her feelings get in the way of her goal, and she had been betrayed. Even Glinda had given up on her. The brunette had no one else to turn to.
Nessa looked up as she heard footsteps echoing off the bricks of her prison. She wasn't surprised to see Morrible standing in front of her cell.
"You've already won, yet you have to taunt me further?" Nessa said.
"Always looking for a fight, aren't you? Just like your sister."
"At least she went down fighting."
"There's no need to be so defensive."
"I'm not going to just sit around and listen to you insult Elphaba!"
"Then let's move on to a less sensitive subject: the Wizard's decision about you."
"I figured that one out for myself."
"Have you?"
"Of course. He's going to do the same thing to me that he had done to Elphaba; have me killed."
"You never did broaden your thinking very much. The Wizard watches out for his people; he has to make sure they're safe. Or at least make them believe that they're safe. Thy thought you were dead once; they don't want to be fooled again."
The realization hit Nessa. "A public execution."
"What?"
"It's what the Wizard has decided. Do you wish to argue with him?"
Oliver looked down, his hands clenching and unclenching.
"Anyway, he has granted you a full pardon. You are free to continue your duties as a guard in his service," Morrible continued.
Oliver didn't reply, but turned to leave the office.
"You did the right thing. The witch had to be brought to justice."
"Not like this. No one deserved this," Oliver said as he shut the door behind him.
"A public execution? Is that really necessary?"
"The Wizard seems to think so."
The blonde witch paced her room nervously. "I don't like this at all. The Wizard has been consumed by fear, and it's blinded him."
"Making it that much easier for Morrible to manipulate him," Oliver said bitterly.
"You can't assume that."
"I'm not assuming. I know for a fact."
Glinda shook her head and sat down. "Poor Nessa. She doesn't deserve this. Just like her sister…"
"Glinda… what is your connection to the Thropp family?"
The blonde sighed. "I went to school with them. Elphaba was my… my roommate."
"And Nessa?"
"Just a friend."
"I have a feeling they were more than just your friends."
"Nessa and I weren't lovers, if that's what you mean."
"What about Elphaba?"
Glinda stiffened. "What about her?"
"Were you two lovers?"
"Why are you asking me that?"
"I saw the way you reacted to her death. You were more than just roommates, or friends."
"It doesn't matter what we were. She's dead now… and her sister will be following tomorrow evening."