"Emerald ladies and Emerald gentlemen! May I present to you the Emerald children of the Emerald nursery!" Manson announced.

If he says Emerald again, I will throw something, Elizabeth thought. She had gotten all the kids ready and all the props set up, trying to get Elvin out of her head. The way he touched her, it made her uncomfortable. And if she reported him, well, who would listen? His father was the Emerald Emperor and he was Senior Emerald Guardian or whatever. But she couldn't let that cloud her mind now. She had a play to direct and she couldn't be distracted. "Ready, guys?" she cooed.

"Ready, Lizzy-Beth!" the kids replied. They took their places onstage. As soon as the first note rang out, Elizabeth knew it was going to go smoothly. They danced in time with the orchestra and the plot line got a lot of laughs. At the part where the prince proposed to the princess, the sighting of the ring got gasps and dreamy sighs. And the applause at the finale made Elizabeth tear up. She worked hard to get here and she had made her mark on these kids. She would be with these kids for the rest of eternity because they brought out the best in her.

"Thank you, Emerald children! Let's welcome the director and these fabulous children's governess, Elizabeth Thropp!" Manson announced at the finale. That's my last name, Elizabeth was stunned, but came out on stage.

"Hello! For those of you who don't know me, I am Elizabeth Thropp," That word sounded foreign off of Elizabeth's tongue. "I am the daughter of Elphaba and Fiyero," This collectively got many gasps from around the room. "But it was a pleasure working with all of your children,"

"Yes, this girl is great with kids," Elizabeth blushed as Manson complimented her. "However, she is a criminal. She was sentenced to work with me and she did well for a little while. But she didn't learn her lesson. Behold, the ring she STOLE from me to use as a little prop in her performance,"

"No! I didn't mean to!"

"Any fool with sense would know not to take the Emerald ring from its rightful place! But folks, that's not the only thing she did wrong. She declined a marriage from my son, Elvin Friedenhall!"

"He harassed me!"

"In Oz, men are in charge of the women!"

"I am my own boss!" Elizabeth screamed. Manson opened his palm and slapped her across the face. She had been beaten before, but that pain was not comparable to the stinging she felt after Manson struck her face. There was silence for a moment in the ballroom. Elizabeth gasped for breath. She had been propelled onto her knees and was sobbing so hard. Have sympathy, she though and wished she could say, You all saw your Emerald Emperor smack a child. Please, To her surprise, she heard cries of revolt.

"Throw 'em in Jadepit!"

"Get off our stage!"

"We never want to see you ever again!"

"You villain!"

Elizabeth thought they were taunting Manson. But she heard her name.

"She's a Witch!"

"Wicked like the mother!"

"We let her near our children!"

"Calm down people! We have to have a trial first. Of course, I have absolutely no idea how that works. So! All in favor of throwing this traitor into Jadepit for her crimes?" A roar went up from the crowd. "All in favor of keeping the filthy brat here?" Silence. Then a little voice piped up.

"Me," Elena whispered.

"Me too," Jamie repeated.

"I love Ms Lizzie-Beth," Jasmine piped up. Soon all of the children were defending Elizabeth.

"Silence!" Manson bellowed. "Children are like women, expected to stay silent and listen. Run along to your parents and they can discipline you to their liking,"

"No! Don't hurt the kids!"

"Oh I'm sorry Elizabeth," Manson teased mockingly. "You don't have a say in this, or in anything in Oz for that matter," He beckoned toward the guards at the entrance. "Take her away,"

It was a blur from then on out. She could only remember being dragged out of the ballroom, the faint noises of smacks and whip lashes as children screamed, being taken on a dingy wagon to the outskirts of town, and the sensation of falling into a hole. When Elizabeth regained the strength to see properly, she looked up. The ceiling was as dark as dirt. So this is Jadepit, she thought. Suddenly she heard a voice that made her jump.

"Who are you?"