Chapter 13: Given
Emma slept fitfully. Even in this world, she was a lucid dreamer. The visions she saw kept coming back, yelling at her, taunting her over and over again until she woke in a cold sweat. Whenever she woke, Elphaba was always there, holding her hand or stroking her hair, talking to her softly until she calmed back down and fell back asleep.
Glinda and Elphaba had been talking all day and all through the night. Mae returned continuously with food and drink, and a few of Glinda's other staff gingerly poked their heads in. Mae was right; they were not in favor of Morrible, and many were delighted to see that Elphaba was alive and drinking tea with the Good witch. Mae dug through the entire castle until she found a long, black dress that suited Elphaba. Emma rolled over once and caught Glinda trying to yank the tangles out of Elphaba's hair and Elphaba was violently cursing at her. Emma, still moderately delirious, laughed so loudly that Mae had to duck out because she was laughing, too.
Sometimes, Emma would wake for a few moments and catch bits of conversation. The two had talked about almost every moment that happened while they were apart. There were tears, almost all on Glinda's part, and lots of hugs. The poor blonde had no idea what horrors were held underneath the plush, fancy place she called her home. Elphaba had no idea that Glinda was being controlled, forced to be a puppet for Morrible and the Wizard's lies and horrible plans.
"So, she has your memories? Of what happened down there? Like…your memories are in her head now?"
Emma opened her eyes. They were talking about her and she was too nosy not to listen.
"Sort of...well...not exactly. She didn't intend to. She just meant to take my physical injuries away and inflict them upon herself."
"Oh sweet Oz, she can do that?"
"She can. She did it unintentionally at first. But turns out, she's much too powerful for just that. She absorbed months of violence and it hit her all at once."
"She must be strong."
"She is, but she thinks she isn't."
"Reminds me of a green girl I used to know back at Shiz."
Elphaba smiled for a moment before the solemn expression returned.
"Glin, I have to tell you, I had almost given up. I didn't think I could take it anymore. I swear to you, I felt it. I thought I was going to die."
"Elphie, don't say that."
"It's true. I felt it and...I was ready. I was ready for it all to end...until I heard a voice calling my name and screaming at me not to give in."
"Well, I am thankful for her. Someone had to give you a kick in pants."
"You don't understand. I couldn't move, couldn't think. It was too much. And she offered up herself to help me live. I never thought anyone would do anything like that for me."
"I would. Maybe I wouldn't have before, when I was so selfish and naïve, but I would now. In a heartbeat."
"I know you would, Glin. I know that now. "
"Do you still have those memories?"
Elphaba's voice paused, and then dropped to a whisper.
"I told her that I did. And I do. But some of them are…faded. Almost like a bad dream more than reality. Some of them don't shake me and haunt me as much as they did before."
She paused. Emma could feel them looking at her.
Elphaba inhaled, "But now they haunt her. I somehow keep hurting people, still."
"It was a choice, Elphie. It wasn't your choice. It was hers. We all make our choices and must live with them."
"I thought she died. Well, first I thought I died. I remember waking up with a start, feeling more whole and strong than I had since I was first thrown down there. I thought I felt that way because I was dead."
"Oh Elphie..."
"It was only when I realized where I was that I knew I wasn't dead. I saw her in front of me. She was on her knees, but leaning sideways, almost hovering. She was in a trance like state, eyes unfocused, almost glowing bright green. I tried to grab her but her skin was blazing hot. I couldn't even touch her. And then… she just collapsed. I wasn't even sure if she was breathing. She was out for a long time. I may not believe in the Unnamed God, but I prayed to him and every one and every thing I could that no guard would show up and find us. And praise Oz, they didn't. …But now I wonder how much damage is done."
"Elphie, you need to understand, and you've never been good at understanding this, but some of us do love you. People do things for you because they love you, and you are worth it. You are worth all of it."
The two fell into silence, and Emma tried to force herself back to sleep.
Emma woke up a few hours later. The draperies on all of the windows had been pulled back, so the room was bathed in bright sunlight. She hissed and rolled over, covering her head with her pillow. She wasn't sure what day it was, but it was most definitely at least late morning, possibly early afternoon.
Emma had no sooner closed her eyes again when a perky, cheerful voice rang out.
"Wake up, sleepy head!"
Emma groaned and buried more deeply into the pillow. The pillow was then snatched from beneath her, and her head hit the mattress with an 'oof'. She rolled over, and was met with the smiley blonde.
"It's almost midday! Time to get moving! We have plans to make! It's time to start a revolution!" Glinda was almost giddy. "Eeeeee I'm so excited. I've always wanted to be in a revolution!"
Emma gave up and sat up. The pain in her forehead suddenly returned, and she felt a bit woozy.
"Oh goodness!" Glinda must have caught her wobbling. "What I terrible host I am! You were out cold before Mae could fetch the food last night. I'll have her bring you something right now." She flittered out of the bedroom.
Emma leaned back on the headboard, massaging her forehead. The brightness of the room was not helping, and it was making her a bit queasy. Mae popped in a moment later holding a tray of many different forms of bread and fruit so brightly colored that it looked fake.
"Here you are Miss Emma," said Mae. "If you need anything, just ask. We need to get you feeling better now." She sat the tray on a nearby nightstand and left the room.
Emma's stomach instantly rumbled.
Well then, I guess I'm getting up after all.
Emma grabbed a couple things from the tray, trying to settle the grumbling in her stomach. She took a few bites, pondering what they were going to do next. She turned back to sit on the bed, but only managed to walk a few steps before she found herself somewhere else entirely.
She found herself in the largest room of the castle. The place was massive, with marble statues of unknown people and columns jutting up into the ceilings. It reminded her of a museum. Draperies hung on the walls, all embroidered with the same large, gold W. A large throne sat at the farthest edge of the room, plated entirely in gold, with a smaller one off to the left. The entire place was a dazzling shade of emerald punctured only by the spots of the expensive metal.
The large throne was empty, but the smaller throne was occupied with an elegantly dressed figure who wore a nasty snarl.
Emma grimaced.
Morrible.
In a flurry of voices and footsteps, two lines of guards shot past Emma at breakneck speed. She froze, but they did not notice she was even there. She looked down at her hands and was greeted with the sight of the checkered marble floor showing through them.
I…projected? Somehow? She thought, confused. I didn't even try. I don't know how I could have. I've never been here before.
The soldiers, clad in uniforms that matched the interior of the room, shot down through the hall and stopped in front of Morrible, keeping their two straight lines. Curious, Emma walked closer. The men were panting as if they were summoned in a hurry.
Emma heard the air escaping from the door behind her as another guard entered the room. He was breathing very heavily, as if he had ran the entire way there. He stopped for a moment right next to Emma, hands on his knees. He quickly stood up, brushing floppy brown hair from his face. He was clean cut, with slight facial stubble and golden brown eyes. He looked more like a college student than a Gale Force soldier. Emma thought he looked no older than twenty-two.
"You're late Captain," hissed Morrible.
The young guard joined the others. "I'm sorry, Madame. I was in a meeting with new governor of Gillikin when I got your call. We had to finish the negotiations before they left. They were not pleased to be interrupted."
"Gillikin can wait," spat Morrible. "Captain Eroset, I assembled you and your highest ranking Gale Force men for the most important mission you will ever accomplish." She paused, scanning her eyes over the guards.
"I'm here to inform you that the Wicked Witch attacked two of your fellow guardsmen, killed another, and then escaped!"
The guards gasped. Emma put her hands to her face.
Oh no.
"But that's impossible!" exclaimed a guard. "The Southstairs are impossible to escape from!"
"Well, we aren't sure how it happened," replied Morrible. "She is very powerful, and I'm afraid to say that some of your comrades are very stupid." She shot an icy stare around the room. Some of the guards had trouble meeting her eyes.
"We have reason to believe the witch is being harbored in this very castle. I want every single room searched top to bottom. Leave no corner intact, gentlemen! Bring the witch and whoever is hiding her to me!"
"YES MA'AM!"
"Gentlemen!" called Captain Eroset. "Grab your weapons and meet me at the West stairwell in five minutes. Be ready, this will not be easy. It's time to catch us a witch!"
The men hurried out the door, again moving right past Emma's projected form. The captain turned to leave, but Morrible raised one boney finger and beckoned him over to her.
"You have not been captain long, Finn Eroset. Despite your age and lack of experience, you have proven yourself worthy time and time again. You were filling a very important position. Captain Tigelaar was a well-respected and well -liked man, and yet he still betrayed us all. The men have not forgotten that, and will need to find themselves trusting in you. You must lead them to victory. Do you understand?"
Captain Eroset raised his hand to his head in a salute.
"You have my word. I have never failed a mission, and I don't intend to do so today."
Morrible leaned back in her chair, tapping her fingers together.
"Very good, Captain. I have my utmost faith in you."
She sat up suddenly.
"This castle is very large. Even with all of your men, it could take hours to search. The witch could easily be gone by then. A little birdy told me that you might want to make a visit to Miss Glinda Upland. Rumor has it that she has had contact with the witch recently."
The captain tilted his head.
"Miss Glinda the Good? Harboring a murderous fugitive? Forgive me, but that doesn't seem right."
Madame Morrible laughed.
"Oh, you innocent boy. You will learn soon enough that things are not always what they seem, and people are not always who you think they are. The witch is a danger to all of us, and she needs to be returned to the Southstairs immediately. You will begin your search in the upper corridors."
"Yes Madame!" Captain Eroset turned on his heels and quickly fled out of the door.
Morrible turned her head, staring directly at where Emma had frozen in place in the middle of the room. For a moment, Emma swore the old woman could see her.
And then everything was fluffy and pink again.
Emma flew through the bedroom door, immediately colliding with Mae and sending a metal tray clanging to the floor. Glinda and Elphaba appeared, alerted by the loud noise.
"Emma, what's wrong?"
She breathed in and out a few times, trying to get a grasp on her words.
"Morrible knows we're here!" gasped Emma. "She knows we're in this room! The Gale Force is on their way!"
Glinda put her hands to her mouth, letting out a soft squeak.
Elphaba froze, fear flooding over her face. Glinda immediately wrapped her arms around her green friend.
"I can't let them take you back down there, I just CAN'T!"
"We need to get out of here now!" yelled Emma, running back in her room to grab her black jacket from the bedpost. She noticed something silver and shiny on the floor and picked it up. It was the retractable knife she had stolen from the Southstairs guard. She said a little 'yes' to herself and hooked it back onto her belt.
"It's a castle," she said, shoving her boots back on her feet. "There has to be some hidden room behind a bookcase or a secret stairway, right?"
She ran back out into the main room. Elphaba was looking at Glinda, who was not making eye contact. Her face finally fell.
"No…there is nothing like that. I had this room remodeled. I designed it all myself. There was nothing like it, and I would have never thought to put anything like that in!"
Emma looked at Mae. "Is there any other way out?"
Mae couldn't form words as she picked up the tray with shaky hands. All she could do was shake her head.
Emma let out a frustrated grunt, leaning against the wall, holding her head in her hands.
Glinda became frantic, flying across the room, flipping through things, grabbing things, and throwing things as if she would somehow magically find a secret passageway. Elphaba stood unmoving.
"Emma…how do you know they are coming?" the green witch asked.
"It was like I projected…but I didn't will myself to. Mae brought me food and I was eating and suddenly I was there. I heard her meeting with the guards. She knows Glinda has you up here."
"What if it's a trap?" asked Elphaba. "What if she wanted to you see that? Maybe she wants to flush us out."
"I don't know," said Emma. "But I don't think we should risk it. There's no way out here. We have to go before we end up stuck. "
Glinda finally stopped moving, breathing heavy from the effort. She then perked up.
"Wait! Emma…you came here and then you brought Elphie here. Can't you just poof us right out of here?"
Emma felt silly that she hadn't thought of that.
"Oh yeah, I could try to –"
"No." Elphaba interrupted them both. "The last time you did this you collapsed and went in and out of consciousness for over a day. I can't imagine what would happen to you if you tried with all three—"
She stopped herself.
"Morrible said she knew about myself and Glinda. Does she know you are here?"
Emma thought about it. "I…don't think so? I'm not sure."
"Well," said Elphaba, her face turning expressionless like it often did during difficult situations. "I have an idea, but you aren't going to like it."
"Try me."
"Morrible doesn't know you are here. That means that nobody is looking for you. You can slip back and forth without the guards coming after you."
"Elphie," said Glinda tentatively. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that Emma might not be able to get all three of us out of this room, but she might be able to get herself out."
"Oh no!" said Emma, walking toward the others. "You keep making these plans where I have to abandon you. I'm not doing it. I can't run away and leave you here for the guards to capture! I won't do that!"
Elphaba stepped forward, grabbing Emma's wrist.
"Yes, you can. You can, and you have to. There is no other way. Once you get out there, you can find us. You got me out before, and I don't doubt that you can do it again."
Emma's lip quivered. "You may not doubt me, but I doubt me."
Mae bolted into the room.
"GUARDS! The guards are coming up the steps! You have to hurry!"
Elphaba's eyes bore into Emma's.
"You have to get out! Get out, then find us!"
Emma absolutely did not want to do this. She did not want to leave them in that room, waiting like sitting ducks for the Gale Force. She wanted to run, wanted desperately to grab the two and vanish into air. But the throbbing in her head and the trembling in her knees reminded her that she did not possess the strength and power to do so.
Emma closed her eyes and thought of the only other place in the castle that she had seen before. The room had been so perfectly sculpted that it was easy to recreate in her mind.
The door to the room began to rattle.
"WE KNOW YOU ARE IN THERE! OPEN UP OR WE WILL BE FORCED TO BREAK IT DOWN!"
Glinda had wrapped her arms around her former roommate. Elphaba buried her head into Glinda's shoulder, and the blonde met Emma's eyes.
"Find us, please."
The Gale Force smashed the door open and flooded the room just as Emma's body vanished without a trace.