Ever After
New Arrivals Part I
Wow, this has taken forever, but this next part
is ridiculously long (just ask Yero My Hero). So this is part one,
and part two will be up…in a little bit, I still have to proof
read. Thanks to all who reviewed, you guys make my life!
As twilight descended on the Madeleines a lone presence wandered through canyons and crevices at a determined pace. An emerald cloak and a jeweled sword appeared to be his only defenses against the onset of night and would-be predators. Thus far he'd needed neither, but he was wary of his surroundings as he came to the end of the ravine he was hiking. A sheer sandstone wall sat before him, blocking any further travel in the direction he headed, except for the narrow gap in the rock to his right. Without hesitation the cloaked man slipped the through the crevice, hanging onto his sword calmly as he was ripped off his feet as if by a huge vacuum in the tiny cave.
When he came out the other side he found himself in the more comfortable surroundings of a castle. Not a soul was in the foyer to greet him, but he hadn't expected there to be, so he wasn't disappointed. Though it was dark in the room he easily picked his way to a staircase and made his way up. Two hundred and twenty-one steps later he turned sharply to his right and went through another hidden door and into a large circular room.
"Ah, Prime Minister Klondika," Malendrian Morrible's voice wafted from the shadows. "So kind of you to visit, it's taken you long enough."
"Well unfortunately the company I'm forced to keep in the Emerald City falls short of the established standard, and is rather demanding," the Prime Minister replied, sneering as if he believed Morrible fell short as well but at the moment was the lesser of two evils. He dropped a folder to her desk. "There is the information you require. I've no doubt you'll find it interesting. Unfortunately I can't stay to observe. The Madeleines' are not to be traversed at night, and I'm expected in the city tomorrow."
"Too true I'm afraid," she didn't sound disappointed at all. "You are dismissed."
Klondika huffed out of the room, offended that an escaped convict would dare giving him such an order. But he wasn't about to argue with her.
Once the prime minister was gone, Morrible tore open the envelope he'd dropped on the table and it's contents, a stack of photographs and a roll of parchment slid out. The parchment held the names of Glinda the Good's most formidable supporters. It was longer than she'd expected, but that wouldn't be much of a problem.
The pictures she hadn't expected at all but it was a nice touch. She perused the stack; all of them were snapshots of Glinda, though some were more notable than others. One was of the Good "Sorceress" signing the bill that re-bestowed the Animals their rights to be functioning members of society (which thoroughly disgusted Morrible), another of her with the Vinkun King and Queen. Morrible checked and was slightly surprised to find that though they'd refused to annul the secession of the Vinkus from Oz the Highnesses Tiggular were quite high on the support list.
The rest of the pictures were mostly non-descript shots, hastily taken in meetings, at balls, or around the Palace, but Malendrian looked at each one anyway, analyzing details and plotting ways to use them to her advantage. The pictures showed that Glinda had failed to stop functioning once her husband was gone, which was a disappointment as far as she was concerned, but one learned to deal with such things.
All the pictures she'd looked through had been taken months before, but as she finally
Reached the last photo she found it to be very recent, as her gaze fell on the now familiar figure of Glinda the Good, Morrible went rigid.
"Kristian!" She boomed.
Ten minutes later Kristian Marvel, godson of her former partner and key pawn in her plan to regain power in Oz, sauntered into the chamber. His eyes fell to the paper and pictures scattered over the table and he groaned.
"I thought you'd finally decided Klondika was worthless as a spy," he drawled.
"Would you care to look at these," she suggested in a steely sweet tone.
"Not really," he replied evenly. He knew who was in the pictures and he'd had enough trouble getting her out of his mind lately, he didn't need the added benefit of visuals to help him remember.
"Come now Kris, be brave."
She wasn't really giving him a choice he knew, so he ventured over to see the photos. They all held Glinda; doing things she'd been planning to do since before they were married, or just enjoying her gardens. Nothing really eye catching. Except to him they captured moments he should have been a part of. But Morrible didn't need to know he felt that way.
He looked up from the photos and shrugged at her nonchalantly.
With narrowed eyes she handed him the last picture. Kris took it and with a furrowed brow he turned it over to examine.
He did a double-take and had to keep a gasp down as he looked at it.
So that's why she was on about having kids that last night, he thought, remembering their conversation on the night of his "abduction" five months before.
Glinda was pregnant. Very pregnant, judging by the obvious bulge in her midsection. Very pregnant with his child. It had to be. He forced his face to remain neutral as he stared quietly at the image. Glinda was sitting in the garden –coincidently in the same spot they'd decided to officially move passed the "just friends" stage of their relationship. Both of her hands were place protectively over her abdomen.
She didn't look particularly happy as she had in others, and upon closer inspection he could see the faint tear tracks on her cheeks. Tears over him? Or was that wishful thinking? The kind of thoughts he'd been forbidden to have since the beginning of this mess but that he'd had anyway.
All of the sudden being the sole ruler of Oz with Madame Morrible as his advisor seemed terribly petty and unimportant.
"Having second thoughts?" Morrible's cruel voice penetrated his thoughts.
Lots, he thought.
"No," he said calmly. Getting himself killed now wasn't going to help anyone.
"Good," she replied, already evolving her plan to include the unborn baby Marvel. "I believe we can work around this nicely. Accidents will happen, I suppose this one will be quite fortunate. Congratulations Daddy."
Kris supposed he should have been glad she hadn't killed him where he stood for getting Glinda pregnant in the first place. However, something about her tone told him he was going to regret dealing with her at all.
-o-o-
The Emerald Palace was surprisingly peaceful as Amnestria Upland stepped inside the huge entrance doors. But that made sense as Lurlinemas was is two days. Oz practically shut down for the holiday, though much of the country didn't practice the religion anymore. The Emerald Palace was no exception. She imagined most of the servants had returned to their families for the festivations. Which also meant that no butler would be showing up to help her find her way.
Despite the fact that Amnestria had visited the Palace before she knew she would spend some time wandering lost, so she left her luggage at the door and set out to find her daughter.
To her surprise she didn't have to walk far before she was stopped by the first person she'd seen since her arrival.
"Madame Upland?" A young woman asked, stopping her in a corridor before what Amnestria knew was the 'residency'. She recognized her as Glinda's aide, whom she'd met the year before at her daughter's wedding.
"Oh, thank goodness. It's wonderful to see a familiar face –Aliira isn't it?- , I'd nearly thought the place had been deserted."
"Not quite, I was just leaving. May I help you with something?"
"Yes, you can tell me where I might find my daughter," Amnestria replied in a tone that left no room for discussion.
"I'm afraid she's asleep at the moment ma'am," Aliira replied.
"Sleeping?" Amnestria said skeptically.
"Yes," Aliira continued confidently. "With all that's happened in the last few months and with Lurlinemas coming up My Lady's Healers are worried about stress levels. They've ordered her to take a break during the day for bed rest."
"And she's actually done it?"
"Well they told her they'd put her on a medical leave of absence if she doesn't," Aliira confided.
"I see," Amnestria replied.
"Ma'am I hate to rush, but I've got a train to catch," Aliira stammered. "Would you mind if I showed you a room, and I'll have someone bring up your luggage –you must have luggage- on my way out?"
"Of course, of course," the older woman said absently as she followed Aliira into the residency.
They came to a stop in front of a set of elegant quoxwood doors and Aliira pushed them open. The humble fire in the hearth blazed up to put out formidable heat as the two entered and Amnestria briefly wondered if it had been magicked to do so but didn't comment.
"Will this do?" Aliira encouraged her companion to reply.
"Yes, it will suit me just fine. Show me where Galinda is and you may go."
To her credit Aliira didn't hesitate at the use of her lady's given name and didn't protest against Amnestria's wishes. She quickly held the door for the woman and led her across the hall and down a few doors.
"This is it, I'm obligated to remind you that she needs her rest, but I'm sure she'd like to know you're here."
"Thank you I will tell her myself. Happy holidays."
Aliira, recognizing a dismissal when she heard one, hurried back the way they'd come and out of sight while Amnestria quietly let herself into her daughter's bedroom suite. She was surprised to find Glinda resting on the couch instead of her bed, but glided over to her side just the same.
Glinda's eyes were closed her breathing soft and even if slightly louder than normal. Her arms were folded neatly over the bump in her abdomen and her golden curls fell lightly over the pillows and a large, ancient looking tome rested between her and the cushions of the sofa.
Amnestria hesitated to disturb whatever peace her daughter had found, but knew from experience that Glinda would rather be woken up and informed of something rather than allowed to sleep and be told later. So she gathered her skirts and knelt next to her daughter.
"Galinda," she whispered. "Galinda, darling, wake up for just a moment."
Blue eyes flashed open in full-blown panic until Glinda seemed to realize that there was nothing to worry about as she focused on her mother's familiar face. She stretched and carefully maneuvered herself to sit up.
"Mom?" She barely had time to question before she was gathered into a fierce hug
"Is Daddy here too?" Glinda asked as she was released, and made room for her mother to sit on the couch.
"No, he can't spend winters in the City anymore. It gets too cold," Amnestria explained. "So it's just the two of us, I thought I might stay until the baby is born, your father will come out then and I'll go home with him. Is that alright?"
"Of course it's alright," said Glinda, who would never have believed her mother would make the trip from Pertha Hills to visit her in the wintry Emerald City. Not when her father couldn't come, and certainly not when her older brother was much easier to visit.
Her mother smiled in her soft familiar way, and Glinda, by now over her shock, was very glad for Amnestria's arrival.
"You never did tell me how far along you were," Amnestria commented as her eyes fell to Glinda's swollen belly and she reached out to give it a tentative caress.
"Another month. A little more than that, I guess."
"And everything's fine?"
"Yes, I had my last check up just a few days ago before my Healer left for home."
"And what about…" Amnestria faltered.
"What about Kris?" Glinda finished. She looked down and said quietly, "There hasn't been any news. I get notes about once a month, but they never say anything except that he's alive and not to look for them or…well, I'll just say she's holding more than Kris hostage."
Amnestria gave her a shrewd look. "And you're buying it? Galinda that's not like you."
"No it's not. I have teams searching anyway, but the process is so slow, they could be anywhere and Morrible is fully capable of making good on her threats and destroying Oz entirely. Unfortunately, as I am often reminded, Oz is not something I can risk for one man."
"Well, you're doing what you can anyway," her mother replied, trying to offer words of comfort because wisdom was escaping her at the moment.
Glinda said nothing, but settled back into the couch. She moved to pull out her book from the cushions a moment later, and sat silently staring at the worn leather cover.
"I'll let you have your privacy again," Amnestria said uncomfortably. "I just wanted to let you know I'm here."
"Oh you don't have to-
"No, I could use a nap myself. The train ride down was a long one and you know how trains are, you can't sleep a wink on one when you try."
"All right, I'll wake you at five, and we'll go down for dinner together."
"That sounds good," Amnestria laid a kiss on her daughter's forehead before getting up to leave.
Glinda sighed when her mother had gone and shut the door. She set the Grimmerie gently down on the coffee table, she'd fallen asleep working through one of the spells earlier, and she had no desire now to try it again. She settled back into the couch, promising herself ten more minutes of rest before she got up for the evening. Ten more minutes was forgotten as she surprised herself by falling back to sleep completely almost the second she shut her eyes.
-o-o-
Elphaba blazed down the halls of Iisen Lier, she'd just returned from the Lurlinemas Lighting ceremony in the square. The rest of the Tiggular's had immediately gone to bed, but she had one more thing to do before the night was out. So she hadn't bothered to change from the heavy white and gold robes she'd worn to the ceremony and headed for the library.
Before her the hallways were dark but with little more than a thought, torches and lights ignited as she advanced. When she passed they extinguished, leaving no evidence that anyone had been in the hall at all. As she approached the library the doors flung wide to allow her entrance. She was being a bit reckless she knew. But she didn't care, even with magic energy surging rampantly through the air.
She strode across the room the doors shut gently, and the only light in the room came from the windows, where she could just make out the tops of lighted houses in the distance away from the castle. Quickly but quietly she made her way over to where her orb rested and waved it on. But no image appeared when she whispered the name of her usual suspect.
Elphaba leaned back in her chair, letting the orb fade back to its dormant state. She looked out the window at the softly falling snow.
Fiyero stood in the doorway of the library, silently watching his wife. She'd been over agitated lately, even at festivals and celebrations where she'd made it a habit to appear to be enjoying herself, he could tell she wasn't. Just as he could tell now that staying cooped up in Loryntium, was slowly driving her mad.
He wasn't sure he understood his wife's relationship with Glinda Upland. It certainly wasn't what he'd thought once upon a time before they'd left Oz. The two had gone arm in arm at school sure, and there had been an obvious –to him at least- change in Glinda once she'd returned from the Emerald City without her "best friend". But they hadn't even spent that much time together, certainly not enough to form the kind of bond he hadn't realized they had.
He watched her stare blankly out the window, looking far beyond the swirling snow that beat at the glass, he was sure. To her right, though she seemed to be doing nothing, a sphere paperweight rose as if by its own accord and Elphaba saw what she'd done but made no attempt to stop it. Instead she turned her attention to the hovering marble ball and absently sent it spinning like a child's toy.
Slowly, so he wouldn't startle her, he walked into the dim room finally. He needn't have bothered, Elphaba was so far away at the moment he could have come in with a herd of hephalumps and she wouldn't have noticed. Carefully he plucked the revolving sphere out of the air and set it down, taking Elphaba's hands in his own.
Her eyes refocused and he knew she'd only just noticed he was there. It broke his heart to see the frustration in the hazel windows to her soul, to see everything that she could never bring herself to come out and tell him. How she loved this beautiful life he'd brought her to. How she loved his people and home and family as much as he did. How she hated it all at the same time. How she couldn't stand living here safe and happy when she knew Glinda was in pain. How she hated parading around as if everything was fine when she knew it wasn't. It tore him apart inside, to know that he was forcing her to stay when all she needed was to leave.
However as Elphaba stared back at Fiyero she saw everything he couldn't say as well. She knew he only wanted to protect her. And she knew he had a point when he said that until they knew what Morrible's plot was it wasn't safe for her or Glinda to return to Oz. And she knew how much he hated being the one holding her back.
No words were spoken, and yet they were somehow communicating better than they had in five months anyway. Gently, as they both came to an unspoken understanding, Fiyero tugged her into his arms, offering all the comfort he could at the moment. Elphaba bit her lip to keep from crying, she hated being this emotional, this vulnerable, even with her husband.
When she finally felt like she was somewhat in control of herself, Elphaba dared to look up at Fiyero again. As she tilted her chin up, his eyes caught hers again. And this time it was in an understanding of an entirely different sort. Steadily he leaned down into her and met her lips with his own, ever so gently but with a growing sense of urgency.
Around them the castle was quiet and the snow continued to bury the city in it's blankets of white, as if tucking Loryntium, and the two wide awake young lovers inside Iisen Liir, in for the night.
-o-o-
Awkward silence filled the Dining Room of the Emerald Palace on Lurlinemas Eve. Three women sat around one end of the long table. Glinda had abandoned her position at the head for a more casual spot next to her mother. Across from the two Upland women Calpurnia sat, a place was set next to her for Mork who had insisted on serving the full dinner that night.
All attempts at conversation had dissipated what seemed like hours before. It seemed that Calpurnia and Amnestria were somewhat less than taken with one another and Glinda was tired of being the middle woman so she'd stopped trying.
"Here we are," Mork announced, finally, as he came through the swinging door carrying four goblets of swirling violet liquid. He set one down in front of each plate. Amnestria wasted no time snatching up her glass of what was presumably wine, and taking a long sip.
"Razzleberry juice?" She questioned, as she realized there was not an ounce of alcohol in the beverage.
"Yes," Mork replied, but didn't offer any further explanation before returning back to the kitchens.
Amnestria set her cup back to the table and did her best to ignore it as she settled back into her chair and politely masked her distaste. Glinda shot a look to Calpurnia who winked back from over the brim of her own glass. It seemed that the older Upland had forgotten one of the primary rules of pregnancy –no alcohol- where the two palace residents had not only remembered but had more than accommodated for Glinda's sacrifice.
Minutes later Mork returned, this time pulling a serving cart along with him.
"It smells heavenly!" Glinda declared as he began moving the platters of food from the cart to the table and then moving to set a plate full of Lurlinemas trimmings in front of each of them.
"Yes it does," Calpurnia seconded.
Mork smiled and finished with setting out their holiday feast before taking his place next to Calpurnia.
"Well tuck in," he urged them all.
None of them needed any further encouragement. Any reservations Amnestria had over getting comfortable with the Palace Cook and his wife were forgotten for the moment. For a brief second Glinda was able to forget the problems of Oz and completely focus on the holiday, on the fact that she was surrounded by people she loved and by people who loved her.
Across the room the huge windows provided an excellent view of the snowstorm that was beginning to press in on the City. Providing a heavy cover for the night.
"Doesn't look like anyone will be going out this evening," Amnestria commented, finally making an attempt to be cordial.
"No it doesn't," Mork agreed, glancing over his shoulder at the flying snow.
"Who had any intention of going anywhere anyway?" Calpurnia said in a kind, almost joking tone.
"None of us," Glinda added. "You can't beat this company or the food."
And so a jovial tone for the meal was finally set, and they carried on light conversation throughout the meal. Telling stories of Lurlinemas past and plans for the future as they put a dent in the feast Mork had set before them.
-o-o-
Outside, just yards away from the back Palace entrance, parked under a tree that was bent with snow was a large, black carriage.
Silently, as the force of the storm steadily grew into the blizzard category a shadow crept carefully through the fallen snow, confident that any traces his tracks made would be covered again within seconds, he slipped carefully into the carriage.
"It is done, my Lord."
Across from him, Kristian Marvel sat. His face was marred by the dark, for which he was glad; it made it much harder for the goons who were carrying out this strike on the Palace to see the conflict in his features. Finally, when he was sure his expression wouldn't betray him he inclined his head and nodded his approval.
"How long will it take for the mandrake to do its job?" He asked, though he knew very well.
"A quarter of an hour," was the reply, which was no different from what Kris had expected.
"Very well," he said. After a second of hesitation and a deep breath he continued. "Commence phase two."
That was all it took. Not even a second later the door opened once more, and this time several shadows slipped out, racing against the weather to get into the castle and past the guard before being caught.
Their mission was simple: slip enough mandrake to the Good Sorceress of Oz to force her into labor. As soon as the mandrake had worked it's magic they would deliver the baby, if it lived through its premature birth they would take the child, if not they would leave it with its devastated mother and return successful anyway.
From the darkened carriage Kris waited. Morrible had sent him to lead this strike force. It was ridiculous, he couldn't very well go into the castle with the goons she'd given him charge over, he'd risk the whole mission and the whole plan as soon as he was spotted. But she'd insisted that he'd got himself into this, he'd have to see himself to a solution.
So he sat and waited like a good little boy for the mercenaries to follow through with their strategy. It was infallible at this point, there would be four feet of snow in the Emerald City before Glinda went into labor, there was no doctor at the Palace on account of the holiday and with the storm there would be no sending for one. He knew for a fact that the only two in the Palace with Glinda were Mork and Calpurnia, and the elderly couple would be no match for eleven men sent in to do the dirty work. There was security outside of course, but with his knowledge of the intricacies of the entrances and passages of the green castle getting passed them was no problem. The mandrake would work fast, Glinda would probably be feeling her first contractions by now, and then there would be no stopping them.
In short order he would either be holding his newborn or be hearing the report that there would be no baby at all.
Both outcomes terrified him.
-o-o-
Iisen Lier was quieter than Elphaba could remember it being since the previous Lurlinemas. There were no servants padding about their duties in the dark halls. Fiyero's brothers and sisters had been sent to bed so "Lurline and Pan could come to leave gifts." His parents were busy in the great room setting presents around the tree, and since she and Fiyero had already left theirs they were free to do as they pleased for the rest of the night.
The day itself had been wonderful; they'd taken his siblings (with the exception of Kenna who was too young) out with horses and sleds to play in the deep powder up the mountain behind the castle, then had returned home with plenty of time to get ready for the holiday feast and go down to eat. Now, with contented stomachs they made their way through the silent, dark corridors, leaning on one another for the sheer pleasure of it.
Up the hall from where they strolled the grandfather clock in the library chimed its midnight hymn.
"Merry Lurlinemas," Fiyero mumbled into Elphaba's hair.
"You are being silly," she told him. She stopped walking before he ran them both into a wall and tipped her head up to him staring him straight in his smoky blue eyes.
"Do you have a problem with that," he asked huskily.
Elphaba pretended to think about it.
"Not really," she said with a smile before he caught her lips with his own.
The two broke apart with ragged breaths a few minutes later, fully intending to carry on their train of silliness when they arrived at their bedroom. Unfortunately fate, if there was such a thing, had other things in mind for them that night.
"What's that?" Elphaba said as they passed the library.
A faint glow could be seen from beneath the heavy doors leading into the huge room. She didn't wait for a reply from her husband, instead she slipped from his arms to go and find out for herself.
She pushed through the doors without a second though, and found the room to be bathed in the same ethereal glow. It came from the orb, which, though small, was illuminating the entire room.
"What's going on?" Fiyero asked from behind her, his hands coming to rest on her shoulders as they tried to make sense of whatever the orb was doing.
Elphaba said nothing, she just studied the orb, there was no image that she could see in the translucent glass.
"I don't know," she finally decided. And then a thought, an idea, hit her. "Maybe it's projecting."
"Pro-whatting?"
"Projecting," she explained quickly, as she approached the magic ball. "There was one time, almost a year ago, I was in here reading and the orb just turned on. And there was Glinda."
"But there was an image that time," Fiyero pointed out.
"Maybe this time the link just isn't strong enough to produce an image," she said as they both stood over it. She waved a hand over the glass, just as much to cast the spell as to shield her eyes from the light, which had grown brighter since they'd been talking. "Glinda!"
For a split second that seemed like forever nothing happened, and then the light finally cleared and a hazy image replaced it.
Elphaba and Fiyero watched in horror as dark clad figures raced down the halls of the Emerald Palace, silently coming upon a small group of people. The corridors were just light enough to make out the faces on the group, though Elphaba only recognized one. Glinda. She was in the arms of an older fellow, obviously in pain. Her eyes were squeezed shut and though the orb gave off no sound she looked like she was moaning. Shock and terror filled the faces of the other three, two women and the man, as they were surrounded.
The image blurred away to nothingness then, but not before Elphaba caught sight of the dark figures closing in on the group and forcing Glinda out of the man's arms.
"Damn it," she yelled as the orb went dark. "Glinda!"
"Elphaba stop," Fiyero said, pulling her arms down and holding her tight. "Stop!"
She whirled from his grip, eyes wild and desperate.
"I'm going," she stated fiercely.
"I know," he said, finally giving up his battle to keep her there, safe in Loryntium with him.
"Are you coming?" She asked, but only because she didn't want him to feel like she was abandoning him for good.
"I can't," he replied. She shot him a strange look; she'd expected a yes, though she would have argued with him over it. "Kylan's coronation."
"Oh," realization dawned on her. His little brother was turning seventeen in two days, as per Arjiki custom he'd be accepted as a man, given his title as a Prince, and his tattoos that marked the end of his childhood. Fiyero, as Crown Prince and older brother was doing the honors, for him to up and leave two days before the event would be impossibly disrespectful.
However it did save them an argument, and she didn't have to tell him he couldn't come. She half expected him to say something about her forgetting that detail but he stayed silent as he followed her up to their bedroom. She disappeared into the closet, alone, as soon as they arrived.
Seconds later she reemerged swathed in black and with her broom in hand. Only the pointed hat and the added weight of her spell book were missing.
"The Witch of the West returns," Fiyero commented gently, fingering the jeweled pins that she'd worn in her hair for Lurlinemas and didn't have time to take out before she left.
"Wicked Witch of the West thank you very much,' Elphaba corrected with a grin that wasn't quite her.
"So it is," he amended sadly.
"You act as if I won't be coming back."
"Are you? Once you go back and rescue Oz will you really want to come back here and melt into obscurity? Again?"
"Will you be here?"
"Yes."
"Then of course I will," she insisted without hesitation. "Besides, I'm not sure I'd call being married to the Crown Prince of the Arjiki 'melting into obscurity'."
He smiled at that. A little.
"Go get 'em then Princess."
"Witch now, remember," she said as she made her way to the window. Snow was already coming down pretty hard; it wasn't going to be easy to fly.
"Elphaba." Fiyero caught her before she could climb aboard her broom.
She turned back to him, expecting a final protest so she cut him off before he could give one.
"Kiss me goodbye, I'm defying gravity," she said, with a sad smile.
So he did. He kissed her long and hard and insistently, until it was too much and Elphaba pulled away.
"I love you," she whispered fiercely.
He thought he saw tears in her eyes as she spun away but she was out the window, blazing through the sky and wind and snow before he could get a better look.
"I love you too," he told her disappearing form, though he knew she couldn't hear him.
He watched her until he couldn't see her anymore and then stood watching the frozen sky, cursing responsibility and praying that she'd be safe in his arms again soon.
Elphaba rocketed through the sky, fighting the wind and merciless snow that felt like tiny freezing daggers biting at the flesh of her face, mingling with the icy tears that pooled in her eyes. She didn't look back towards Iisen Lier, she couldn't. If she did she'd turn around and she was needed elsewhere, as hard as it was to leave. Her gloved hands kept the broom steady and she shot toward the portal that led to the Emerald City.
The heavy snow, flying about her made the portal almost impossible to see. But with the aid of her abilities she could find the traces of magic that portals leaked. Now that she knew what to look for it was hard to believe she'd been completely blind to them before.
Finally through the storm the portal's magic became a bright beacon right ahead of her and she brought the nose of the broom down to dive bomb the portal. Flying steep and fast until she felt the vacuum that came with hopping enclose her and rip her through to the Emerald City.
Review, or I, on principle, refuse to put up part two. Thanks for reading.