Chapter 14: The Magic of the Earth

While Elphaba and Fiyero worked among the Narnians they began to learn the ways of their world; how the world was governed, what was the ruling factor that kept everything peaceful and innocent within Narnia. The deep magic had begun to write itself into the lives of both Elphaba and Fiyero, and they both began to realize that all the creatures of this world possessed some kind of magic within them; from the Animals that could speak and learn, to the children that were not of this world.

Fiyero felt the difference the more he worked in this world. As he put his hands to the earth and worked along side the subjects that called him Prince, he became humble and receptive to the magic that they were ready to teach him. The longer he spent in the Narnian sun the more he felt the ties to this land and the more the memories of a very distant path began to play out in all that he listened to. He felt a strong bond with the past and began to see thing through different eyes. As the comfort of his being in Narnia made him more connected, so too did the magic affect his appearance; the colour of his skin, the brilliance of his eyes and the understanding of the magic changed him.

One morning, before many of the others had awakened from their rest, Fiyero and Elphaba walked along the waters edge listening to the sorrow that was coming off of it. It was like Glinda's voice in a far away place, calling out to them both and as they walked the sound of it grew more intense.

"She is sobbing," Elphaba said in distress.

"I hear it as well," Fiyero said sadly.

"We have to go to her," Elphaba said in a frantic tone.

"We can't, not yet," Fiyero said as he reached out and took Elphaba's hand.

When she spun in anger to yell at him she noticed the change in his composure. He was looking at his hand in hers and there was a realization on his face.

"What it is?" she asked looking now at what his was staring at.

The diamonds on his skin were bright and defined but the paleness of his skin was gone. In its place was a shade that matched her skin.

"You've started to change with this place," Elphaba said happily as she kissed his hand.

"I am told this is what I am supposed to look like," Fiyero smiled, "that my ancestors were tired so strongly to the land they were known as your followers even though they were their own people."

"You do not know how happy it makes me to see you looking so healthy and so connected with the deep magic," Elphaba said forgetting what had initially angered her.

"I believe that I have never felt better either," Fiyero smiled taking her into his arms.

She looked deep into his eyes and saw the change in the brilliance that was there. He was hers and she knew and felt it in his ever touch and his ever glance. Narnia had outdone itself once gain.

"You are no longer alone in the world, my little green girl," Fiyero smiled.

"And it feel so good," Elphaba laughed.

The loneliness that had once been her constant companion, in Oz, was never with her now. Fiyero was her rock and her guide. He did all in his power to make her happy and to speak reason into her always active imagination. At the same time, the Dryads had taken Elphaba under their outstretched arms and taught her the ways of the earth.

Three in particular were her teachers. Lila was one of the elders of the tribe that remained with the castle and the village after the great flood and her daughters Fleur and Alba had grown up with the magic and the knowledge of what had happened. These three ladies became the teachers of the ancient magic of her nations.

The volumes that had been in the safe keeping of the treasury were removed and brought back into the light once again and the elder and her daughters taught Elphaba how to really read and understand them. They did not recount all of the history of Fiyero's people but rather the history of the magic of the earth. It was a set of texts that Elphaba's ancestor, the woman who had come down from her heavenly place to dwell on earth, had written over many centuries. She had written them all in her mother tough. It was the language of the Trees and the Grass and all that lived by the earth and had roots within it.

There Elphaba learned her history and where she had come from. The books that first began the set told of her sisters and the heavenly place that had once been her home. She learned how tied she was to fire and wind and water, and knew that she could use their magic as she learned her own. The next volumes told of their descent and the love she had found in a young prince that dwelled in harmony with the earth and all its creatures. There she learned why Fiyero had recently returned to his ancestral state. The time they spent in Oz was not a time in harmony with the land, and without working with it and being a part of it they had all lost the bond that had once formed. Now, however, Fiyero was once again conscious of his bond and the more he learned of the magic and his love for Elphaba grew, the more his ancestral markings and skin returned to him. His skin was like the leaves of a tree that; those that lost the brilliant green colour that they possesses when the seasons change. Then came books of spells and incantations of protection, this was where the volume that was missing would have dwelled. Elphaba knew at once that this was why it had been missing. The protective spells would have been of use to her and her people once they had fled. She knew that she would need to book back one day to help to keep her people in this land safe. Finally there were volumes on the future. The legends of herself and her sisters being some day reunited were in these volumes and of the great peace that was once to come. There was much talk of the great magic of Narnia and how to harness it and of Aslan and his father who were the guardians of all that lived and breathed in all the worlds of the universe.

Elphaba became obsessed with learning the language of her past. The sooner she knew it by heart and felt it deep in her soul, the sooner she would know how to help her sister, Glinda, and all the people that would need to be rescued. The elder and her daughters helped Elphaba. She was a bright young woman and learned all that she needed to learn very quickly and so as the village was reconstructed, and the ship began to take shape so too did Elphaba's knowledge and confidence.

As time passed, Elphaba became proficient in her magic and in her history. She sat with the women of the forest and worked along with those who were busy creating and rebuilding. The women of the forest were highly skilled in all of their magic and soon roofs for buildings and boulders and stones were being used by the women to rebuild the comforts that would be needed. These ladies, along with their Guardian took a great interest in rebuilding the castle for their Queen and her King and so it was that the castle began to take shape along with all of the other works that were being done. The protective walls of the kingdom were magically put back into their place and the towers and all their glory were brought back to the castle. The books that Elphaba had learned now by heart had been her guide and gave her confidence to continue to learn and be strong.

Everyone was shocked at how fast everything was coming together, and yet they were all feeling the growing despair that was coming over Elphaba. She knew the distress that Glinda was feeling and she could not complete her tasks fast enough. Oz was calling to her now and soon she would have to go back, reveal herself as the sorceress she really was and save her beloved sister from the tyranny of the growing rebellion.