Note: I know it has been a while, but I promise to try to write more quickly. It's the busy season at work, so please bear with me. I thank you in advance.

Captain Cherrystone stood before the Wizard in his grand throne room. The Wizard had been eagerly awaiting the Gale Force's return and was anxious to hear the report. His fingers drummed impatiently on the golden arm of his throne.

"What news do you have for me, Captain?"

"Nothing helpful I'm afraid, your Ozness. We've searched every corner of the land. We were able to trace the origin of the scarf to the Vinkus. When we got there, Lord Dil Amond was away on business here in the city. We searched every room of the castle and questioned the Lady, but came up empty."

The Wizard growled in frustration. The dissenter was more cunning than he first thought. "Are you absolutely certain?"

"Yes, your Ozness."

"Thank you, Captain. You may go," sighed the Wizard.

Captain Cherrystone bowed and turned to go. "About the Lady of the Vinkus…she was very unusual."

The Wizard sat up straighter. "What do you mean?"

"She was green, your Ozness."

When Cherrystone was gone, Madame Morrible emerged from the shadows. "A green woman in the Vinkus…how strange," she commented thoughtfully.

The Wizard was deep in thought. "I've never heard of such a thing," he said to himself.

"I have, your Ozness."

That got the Wizard's attention. "You have? When? Where?"

"A few years ago, a young woman enrolled at my University. She was very bright and excelled in all her studies. Despite her success she was something of a loner. The other students didn't take kindly to her. It was her verdigrian skin, I suppose, that led them to distrust her."

"What happened to her?" asked the Wizard.

"I tried to take her under my wing, but we differed greatly in many aspects. Our viewpoints were always on opposite ends of the issue. When Doctor Dillamond died in that horrid lab accident, I took her into my office with her sister and roommate. I had selected then to be Adepts and thought the good news would cheer them up after such a trying time. She wanted no part of it. She ran away shortly after and I hadn't heard of her since." Morrible smiled bitterly. "It would seem we haven't heard the last of her."

"What was the girl's name?"

"Elphaba Thropp, though it appears she has married into some wealth. I would never have labeled her the marrying type. Something is amiss."

"Ah, yes! Elphaba Thropp of the Thropp Third Descending. I remember her now. She came to me with that silly blonde about the old Goat's death. I could have cared less about it. You may be right, my dear Madame. Come to think of it, I've never heard of a Lord Amond from the Vinkus," said the Wizard.

"Amond…hmmm. Why does that name sound familiar? What did you say his first name was?"

"Dil."

"Dil Amond…Dil Amond…sweet Oz!" she gasped. "The clever thing is using her mentor as an alias!"

The Wizard looked confused and Morrible nearly screamed in frustration. "She's altering Dr. Dillamond's last name and using it as her married name, though that's probably false as well," she explained.

"I'll send Cherrystone and his men to fetch her immediately," the Wizard announced.

The order was sent and the Gale Force readied themselves for another trek to the Vinkus. Madame Morrible made her way back to her chambers with a satisfied smirk on her face. She couldn't wait for her favorite former pupil to return to her clutches. She had many things to answer for.