A/N: Dear Readers, It was a such a happy surprise last update to hear from various people who were still reading! I also appreciate all the wonderful comments from new readers that just found the story. Thanks so much for your support! I decided to end Chapter 20 sooner rather than later so I could get it out by summer. The next (and also last) chapter and epilogue will hopefully follow this chapter in a couple of months. Thanks to all who have stuck with this story. May this chapter continue to entertain you with our favorite witches. As always, I welcome and am grateful for your comments, feedback and PMs!
Elphaba stood in front of the lit fireplace clutching the mantelpiece. Shadows pirouetted across her face. The lace on her dress scratched. The soles of her feet stung from standing all evening in black heels greeting dignitaries and officers from Munchkinland and surrounding territories. She was shaky, parched, and nauseous. If only she could lie down. Her stomach dropped like a sinkhole at the thought of coming face to face with the Emerald City minister. Despite standing in a familiar den in the West Wing to meet Sir Chuffrey, Elphaba felt as if it was she who were the guest.
KNOCK! KNOCK!
Her knees faltered. Straightening she smoothed out her dress and said,
"Come in."
A short servant in a navy suit with a black rose jutting from his breast pocket entered and announced Sir Chuffrey.
"Send him in," Elphaba said.
Footsteps clapped on the wood floor. The door shut. Elphaba did not turn around.
"Good evening, Miss Elphaba."
Her shoulders winced at the casual use of her first name. Was Sir Chuffrey's voice always this thin? She sighed through her nose and faced him.
"Chuffrey, please take a seat," she said and the man startled at the Witch's assertiveness and lack of formality.
He tipped his head in a bow. Elphaba did not return his gesture. He did not sit. He looked formidable in his black uniform. His broad posture revealed he was aware of his beauty. No doubt he and Galinda made a handsome couple. Elphaba crossed her arms. He studied the color of her face. Hints of disgust and wonder flickered at the edges of his mouth. Elphaba wanted to pluck out his baby blue eyes. He stared unabashedly as if she were an animal behind a cage.
"Please accept my condolences for your sister's death," he said straightening.
The Witch kept silent.
"The Wizard wanted to be here himself, but His Highness had other matters to attend. I would like to present you with an offer on his behalf."
Elphaba snorted.
"What would the Wizard want to offer me?" she asked.
"A partnership."
"A what?"
"Now that Nessarose has passed, His Highness would like to try to mend the Emerald City's relationship with Munchkinland."
"What does his mending have to do with me?" she asked crossing her arms and taking a step closer.
"If Munchkinland loses the royal family at a time like this, the country could fall into chaos, with sectarian violence breaking out between the unionists and the followers of Luriline. As you could imagine, the Wizard would like to avoid this," Sir Chuffrey said.
"I still fail to see how this involves me," Elphaba said, clearing her throat.
"It would involve you if you took the position of Eminent Thropp."
"The Wizard wants me to rule Munchkinland?" Elphaba laughed through her nose, "If you haven't heard— the title of eminence has already been abolished. Most of the servants have left except for a few who were close to the family or who had nowhere else to go. The time for a royal family to rule over Munchkinland has passed."
"His Highness disagrees. With the help of the Gale Force, the Wizard would like to reinstate and strengthen the power of the royal family. Of course this would be contingent on your pledging loyalty to the Emerald City. You would maintain full control of the internal affairs of Munchkinland, but the Emerald City would require 65% of Munchkinland land titles to be turned over to businesses in the Emerald City— along with— the reinstatement of the yellow brick road, control of Munchkinland's diamond mines and the use of the Munchkinland forests. In return for this, you would have a branch of the Gale Force at your service to rule."
"So the Wizard would convert an enemy into an ally? While he stations his military spies around me to report back and guts Munchkinland out of its natural resources. Forgive me for finding your offer less than enticing. I must decline," Elphaba said and rolled her eyes.
"You should be grateful for this second chance His Highness is granting Munchkinland and you! With the Wizard's help and a strong dose of Unionism, Munchkinland could step out of its backwardness and into the royal green light. Its problematic superstitions no longer keeping its population uneducated and ignorant," Sir Chuffrey said.
"Ah! The benevolence of the Wizard! But, why should he extend himself for poor ignorant Munchkinlanders when it seems that the Emerald City's poor increases by the droves. Shouldn't the Wizard first worry about the standards of the Emerald City before trying to exploit Munchkinland under the banner of justice? I am uninterested in his conditions and self-promotions, and am even less interested in Munchkinlanders. I do not now nor have I ever had an interest in ruling Munchkinland. If I did, it would have only been to muster the arms to wage war on the Wizard myself!"
"Surely you, an educated woman from a well-bred family, must believe in the right of the morally and intellectually superior to do what is needed to secure the best future Ozian stock," Sir Chuffrey said.
"I don't see how murdering malsexuals and political dissidents is evidence of any sort of moral or intellectual superiority. Nor do I measure Ozian lives in terms of their stock," Elphaba said and turned her gaze back to the fire.
"My wife says you studied biology back when you both attended Shiz."
Elphaba's eyes snapped back to him. Sir Chuffrey smiled at her reaction to his mention of Galinda. She quickly dissolved her concern into a glare. He continued, "So I assume you must understand the simple laws of survival. In order to keep a healthy society, some sacrifices must be made. It is what you biologists call: survival of the fittest."
"Yes, and as a biology student of long ago, I have realized that biology is not a divine science nor an undiluted language of the Unnamed God. It is a product of human thought, of measuring and recording, and then giving values and interpretations to those measurements. Thus, not surprisingly, scientific values are structured by existing ideas of the time."
"The Wizard only wishes those values to continue to support beauty, strength, and morality. You cannot fault him, can you?"
"Can't you?" Elphaba asked.
"What do you mean?"
"You may change your clothes and mannerisms when out but your reputation for attendance at the most seediest malsexual pubs in the Emerald City proceeds you. Do you think you fool anyone? Your status makes you no different than those whom the Wizard hangs," Elphaba said.
Sir Chuffrey's face grew red with embarrassment. His eyes twitching with fury.
"You are the worst kind." Elphaba continued. "Using biology, justice, or religion to justify your pleasure and privilege which is afforded to you by denying those very privileges to others. Our talk has finished! You will not force me into any alliance with the Wizard. You—"
"I don't force people as I am sure you must with your horrid condition!" he shouted, his face growing dark pink and the turquoise vein under his eye bulging.
So she had struck a nerve. She snorted and crossed her arms. If he was going to insult her skin, she heard it all before. He wouldn't get a rise out of her.
"I never forced her either. You should know Galinda chose me over you. Many times. Now, it's not hard to see why," he said.
Elphaba gritted her teeth. He stepped closer and Elphaba leaned back as he said in a snaky whisper, "Do you know the sound of her screams?" Elphaba's breath stilled at the question. "She screams because she's not wide enough, but she chooses to keep her legs open for her husband anyway!"
Elphaba's eyes swelled as her mind gushed with images of Sir Chuffrey forcefully taking Galinda. She wanted to choke him. Her hands shook. She clasped her skirt and took a deep breath through her nose.
Having unnerved her, he asked, "Now, where is the girl?"
Elphaba's eyes narrowed. Certainly, the girl he was speaking of was Glinda, but how did he know to ask Elphaba? Had someone been spying on Glinda? Feigning ignorance was surely the best plan of action.
"I have no idea to whom you're referring," Elphaba said.
"Tell me now before the Gale Force will be forced to hurt Galinda. Tell me where she is before this gets out of hand! Before they think I had anything to do with it!"
"As I already said I don't know which girl you are referencing."
Sir Chuffrey raised a pensive eyebrow and examined Elphaba's expression. He realized Elphaba was no longer speaking about Galinda. He considered the possibility that she hadn't heard about his wife's latest disappearance. Either way he felt she knew something. Hoping to swindle information from the green witch, he said,
"Oh, I think you do know Miss Elphaba. The question is— Is she worth more than Galinda?"
The Witch would not give up Glinda, for even if Glinda was returned to Sir Chuffrey there was no assurance that the Wizard would leave Galinda or Glinda unharmed. The Wizard never bargained he only calculated costs.
"Neither Galinda nor this girl you search for mean anything to me," she said.
"Then I suppose you won't mind Galinda's pretty little neck snapping when I return to the Emerald City empty-handed," he said, his eyes raw.
Elphaba felt her a cold chill overtake her and then a flush of heat. She wanted to remove his testicles with her foot, but she kept her gaze steady and said,
"As I said before, your wife and this girl you speak of mean nothing to me. However, I find it hard to believe that a mistress could mean so much to you."
Sir Chuffrey's eyes grew.
"How dare you even suggest!" he said trying to keep up with the Witch.
"Oh? But, rumor suggests much more — that you rent private rooms for your visits with female and male palace workers at the Philosophy Club."
Sir Chuffrey was livid that the Witch continued to speak so freely about his private life. His lip quivered and his hands exploded into fists.
"Dumb bitch!" he seethed.
"Her again? As I've said, I don't know where your mistress is," Elphaba said. "And a word of advice: if you don't want any of your dalliances to migrate from rumors to front page news I suggest you stop threatening people! Now I will not suffer your stupidity a moment longer."
Elphaba rang for the servant who opened the door.
"Our talk is finished. Please see our guest to a carriage," Elphaba said and turned toward the fire.
The servant clutched Sir Chuffrey's arm who wrenched it back and shouted,
"Just remember you could have saved her!"
When Sir Chuffrey was removed beyond earshot and the door shut, Elphaba howled. She smacked a blue and white vase off the mantel shattering it across the floor. She wasted so much time coming to Colwen Grounds only to find nothing. If anything happened to Galinda because she accepted Glinda's help, she would never forgive herself. Whether Galinda still loved her or not, Elphaba would do all in her power to protect her from the Wizard. That was the least she could do for a Galinda who had sacrificed her safety in the palace for her. She inhaled, turned on her heel, and went to find Chistery.
After scouring several hallways, Elphaba found Chistery in the main library gallery, a spacious black room with floor to ceiling bookshelves. At the end of the room, were large glass doors that led out to the gardens. In the middle of the ceiling was a cathedrallike dome of green and gold stained glass. Under the skylight stood a white marble statue of a robed girl leaning against a tree reaching out for a butterfly. Several leather sofas sat throughout. The gallery was frequented by male visitors who smoked over a glass of brandy after supper. Elphaba remembered many a night standing outside looking in as her father showed off Nessa to guests. Chistery had found the cigar box and was puffing on one.
"I see you made yourself at home," Elphaba said raising her nose.
"Apologies to your sister, but I'm near enough to death to not want to waste my evening with her tonight," the old man answered. He puffed on his cigar and looking around the room added, "You're something, Miss Elphaba. I don't know if I could haven given this all up for the Resistance."
Elphaba snorted.
"This" the Witch said looking around the room, "was never mine so I suppose it was easier to leave."
"What do you mean?" Chistery asked.
"I spent my formative years in a simple cottage in Quadling Country and when we came back here Father never let me touch anything except for books in the women's library. He was afraid that my body, clearly corrupted by sin, would further be corrupted by luxury."
Chistery scoffed, "What an arse. It's not luxury that corrupts but valuing luxury over the lives of others."
"Yes, well, he's well-versed in Unionism not reason."
Chistery smiled before he looked down and rubbed his chin. He puffed on his cigar once more before he said,
"Miss, I'm afraid I have some bad news."
Elphaba's eyebrow rose as she said,
"I've been gone only a few hours. How could anything have gotten worse?"
"Dorothy's missing," he said.
"What?! Surely that fiendish spawn is around here somewhere."
"She isn't, Miss. I had all the maids look for her earlier. The girl is gone."
"But, how could this have happened?"
"That's not the half of it," Chistery said.
Elphaba's eyes hardened. "Go on."
"Nip said he saw the girl out in the garden wearing a pair of sparkling red shoes."
Elphaba's eyes expanded. "She couldn't have!"
"Did Glinda say anything about her before you hid her?"
"No, but there wasn't time. I handed her off to Nanny as soon as she came down."
"Miss, it's clear that Glinda let Dorothy leave with those shoes," he said.
"Don't be stupid! She would never do that!"
"I know you have feelings for the girl, but I think—"
"Excuse me?!" Elphaba snapped, her cheeks darkening.
"I don't mean to offend, but I see how you look at her. Nevertheless, I told you I didn't trust Glinda the night we left the Emerald City. She's not what she seems. You have to acknowledge the truth of the matter. She's betrayed you, Miss Elphaba."
"Enough! I've already had a long night and I'm not in the mood for any of your conspiracy theories!"
Chistery huffed and said, "Can't you admit it's uncanny how she resembles Lady Galinda?"
"Yes, but resemblance alone—"
"Even stranger that she claims to work for her—the very minister who presides over malsexual hangings? The very minister whom you roomed with in your school days. The only minister for whom you never have an ill word. Don't you see?"
"See what?" Elphaba said growing more annoyed and not willing to admit that she had her own reservations about Glinda whose relationship with Galinda was suspect at best.
"Someone's found your weak spot, Miss Elphaba. Based on your history, they knew you'd have a hard time refusing Glinda. It's obvious that she's a spy— obvious to everyone whose feelings aren't involved!"
"You don't know what you're talking about!" Elphaba hissed.
"Don't let her get in the way of the mission," Chistery said with an exhale of cigar smoke. "I know she's a nice slice of—"
"Chistery!" Elphaba warned. Chistery was one of Elphaba's most trusted members of the Resistance but that didn't mean she would tolerate insulting allegations.
"All I am saying is that that pretty face is not worth everything we've worked for!"
Glowering at Chistery, Elphaba went to the corner of the room and pulled a cord to ring for the maid. A Munchkinlander woman entered and asked,
"Yes, ma'am?"
"Bring in Glinda," Elphaba said. The maid nodded and within minutes, the blonde arrived in a sexy black dress. Chistery took one look at the blonde's gown and gave Elphaba a look that said, "How can you not see it?" Glinda was beyond seductive, with her wavy blonde hair shorn close to her head, her luscious glossy lips, her breasts that rose with every breath, and her large tender emerald eyes glued to Elphaba as she approached the two in the library.
"How did your meeting go?" Glinda asked.
Chistery was wrong. He had to be. Glinda wouldn't betray her. Would she?
"Fine," Elphaba said. Glinda tilted her head at Elphaba's detached expression. "Glinda, did you happen to find my sister's red shoes?"
"Why, yes! Did Dorothy tell you how I found them?" the blonde asked grinning. Elphaba felt her breath stop in her throat. "We had almost given up, when I—"
"What did you do with the shoes, Glinda?" Elphaba asked.
"What do you mean?" Glinda asked.
"Answer the question!" Chistery barked.
Glinda flinched at Chistery's tone. She gazed nervously between the duo.
"I gave them to Dorothy. Didn't she tell you?" Glinda said searching the Witch.
Elphaba's eyes swelled. The hairs on the back of the her neck stood on edge, her heart stinging.
"I told you, Miss, I told you!" Chistery shouted.
"Told her what?" Glinda asked puzzled, an anxious frown setting in.
"Chistery, please leave us," Elphaba said, her chest hollow.
"But, Miss—"
"I won't repeat myself, Chistery. Please retire to your room. I'll handle her from here," Elphaba said.
"If that's what you want, Miss, but call me if you should need any help."
Elphaba nodded as Chistery put out his cigar and walked out.
"Handle who?" Glinda asked. "Please, won't you tell me what's happened?"
Elphaba turned away from the blonde and walked toward a small side table next to a leather sofa with a diamond shaped bottle of sherry and two glasses. She poured herself a drink. Had everything Glinda said been lies? Suddenly that certainly seemed more plausible than Galinda Chuffrey still having feelings for her. Of course it was too good to be true, a voice whispered in the Witch's head. She had been such fool to think that Galinda still cared for her and Glinda a friend. She felt her eyes go damp and she downed the sherry, relishing the warm burning down her throat.
"Elphaba, please say something," Glinda pleaded behind her.
"Be honest with me and I'll be lenient with you," Elphaba said.
"Lenient? You're not making any sense. Elphaba, please, look at me," Glinda said.
Elphaba turned around, scowling at the blonde for an uncomfortable minute before she asked,
"Are you working in collusion with the Wizard?"
"What? Again with this nonsense? How many times do I—" Glinda started.
"You stupid little idiot! You gave Dorothy the shoes and now she's disappeared with them!" Elphaba screeched, stunning Glinda silent. "Now tell me — Are you a careless dimwitted dunce or did you plan for this to happen?!"
"Oh, Elphaba!" Glinda said, her face ashen. "I had no idea she would—you must believe me— Dorothy said she would take the shoes straight to you! I never thought she would run—I'm terribly sorry!"
"Your apologies won't bring back those shoes!" Elphaba shouted. Glinda trembled, tears tumbled from her eyes. Elphaba didn't know if the blonde cried from shame or fear of having been caught.
"Magicae claudicatis!" Elphaba chanted, stiffening. Glinda felt a cold freeze and then a lightness overtake her.
"You stopped me from casting spells?" the blonde realized aloud. "But why would you—"
Elphaba went to the other corner of the room and pulled a long golden cord. Nip came in.
"Take her back to the cellar," Elphaba said to Nipp.
"Elphaba, wait, no, please, don't!" Glinda begged as Nipp came behind her and grabbed her arms. "You have to believe me! I would have never given her the shoes had I thought she would betray you!"
"Why should I believe you? I can't risk you escaping to the Wizard now that you know our mission. You'll stay in the cellar until tomorrow," the Witch said and Nipp removed the wriggling woman from the room while she kept pleading for Elphaba.
Left alone, Elphaba pulled her hair from its customary braids, shook it out, collapsed on the leather sofa and sobbed. She didn't know what to do. Parts of herself had come alive at Glinda's stories about Galinda. A foolish hope had blossomed in her heart that there might still be a happy end for a Wicked Witch. She replayed the days riding to Colwen Grounds. Glinda had been guileless. Her sweet and alluring disposition reminiscent of her roommate long ago. Elphaba had been grateful for Glinda's company as they traveled — more than grateful if she was honest with herself. The young woman aroused Elphaba in ways she had not felt since Galinda. She wanted to reach out in the night and touch Glinda in places that she shouldn't and Elphaba's heart had warmed at the memory of Glinda kissing her in Nessa's room. All the while, Elphaba was not quite sure how Glinda felt about her. Or how she wanted Glinda to feel. Elphaba's heart was never fully Glinda's. It was Galinda whom she longed to hold once more. What a silly dream that had been! Galinda likely could care less about her. Glinda's kindness was apt to be no more than a ploy. Elphaba remembered Glinda's excuse for being late and Sir Chuffrey's impassioned desire to find her. Could Glinda be Sir Chuffrey's lover? Or perhaps Galinda really did send Glinda on her behalf but Glinda was in fact working for Sir Chuffrey? Was there even the smallest hope that Glinda was being truthful? Elphaba didn't trust herself. Chistery was right: She couldn't let her feelings for Glinda, whatever they were, get in the way of the mission. She patted her cheeks with her sleeve. They smarted from her tears. She stood up and poured herself another drink. After she set the glass down, she went to her bedroom and vowed that come what may, she would end that Wizard!
Elphaba awoke early the next morning in a lavish bedroom where the first rays of sunlight pierced through a crack in altitudinous lavender drapes that lined a balcony window. Last evening flooded back — Nessa's funeral, Sir Chuffrey's visit, Dorothy's disappearance, Glinda's possible betrayal. Glinda. She was still in the cellar! Elphaba shuffled out of bed and slipped into a simple black dress. She picked up a vial of oil from her bedside table and a handkerchief and cleaned her face. She hissed when she moved the wet cloth over her burns from yesternight.
She hurriedly rushed downstairs to the kitchen, glided through a maze of hanging pots and pans, ovens, sinks and cutting boards, and finally down a second flight of rickety wooden stairs to the cellar. There was a cracked red door with black metal latches. She unbolted the locks and opened the door. The room was pitch black except for the light that poured in from the doorway. The blonde lay huddled in the middle of the floor, atop a dusty tablecloth with her hands tucked underneath her head. Her black dress riding up her thigh. How could she have locked Glinda down here? Glinda wouldn't even let Elphaba sleep on the floor at the maunts and last night Elphaba had cast a spell on her and ordered her to be bolted in the cellar— without any dinner, a chance to wash up, a change of clothes, or even a pillow. She hadn't even been this cruel to Dorothy. Just then she heard Chistery's voice in her head, That pretty face is not worth everything we've worked for! Was this what she had to do in order to secure a Wizard-free Oz?
The light made Glinda groan. Her eyes fluttered. Elphaba noticed they were puffy and her makeup smeared. Could Glinda be innocent? Elphaba pursed her lips. But what if she wasn't?
"Elphie, is that you?" Glinda moaned, sitting up and struggling to see with the light in her eyes.
"Wha-What did you call me?" Elphaba asked, the old nickname piercing her.
"Elphaba," the blonde corrected, her eyes adjusting to the light.
Elphaba couldn't help but imagine Galinda lying before her. She hated seeing the blonde like this, but all she could think of were those shoes. Elphaba's plan of taking down the Wizard was completely unhinged. Until she knew if Glinda was on her side, there was no way around this. Or was there? Glinda clutched her body and shivered in her short dress.
"We're headed to Spangletown Cabaret today," Elphaba said.
The blonde nodded.
"You're coming with us," Elphaba said more gruffly than she wanted.
"Can I change before we go and use the washroom?" Glinda asked.
"Yes, I'll escort you," Elphaba said.
Glinda looked up surprised, then frowned, and finally nodded. Elphaba walked the blonde up to the bedroom she had slept in when they arrived, and watched Glinda pick out a simple knee-length white dress with a pink sash to wear and a green head scarf. With the clothes in the crook of her arm, she turned to Elphaba.
"Must I change in front of you as well?" she asked flushing.
Elphaba felt her heart beat faster.
"No, of course not," the Witch said and turned. Elphaba heard Glinda rustle out of the dress and into the outfit and finally say,
"I'm decent."
Elphaba turned and Glinda took her in and noticed the marks on her face.
"You were crying," Glinda said and walked to Elphaba and cupped her cheek. The Witch went still at the blonde's touch. "Oh, Elphaba, I feel miserable about Dorothy. I was wrong about her and I was wrong to give her those shoes. They weren't mine to give. I'll do anything to make it up to you. Please believe me."
"I don't know what to believe about you," the Witch whispered with Glinda still cupping her cheek. How could Glinda be so tender with her after last night? The Witch ached to crush her lips against the blonde's, but instead Elphaba said,
"Chistery thinks you're a spy for the Wizard."
"Don't tell me you believe him!" Glinda said, sticking out her chest, her hand falling to her side, "With everything I know about you and Lady Galinda, isn't it clear that Lady Galinda sent me? Not that horrible codger!"
Elphaba sighed and asked,
"How do I know that Galinda herself isn't working for the Wizard? That she didn't make you tell me those things so I would trust you?"
Glinda raised an eyebrow. She crossed her arms and said,
"Do you think so little of her you could imagine her betraying you for her position in the palace?"
"She did before."
Glinda blinked and shook her head.
"You nincompoop," she choked. "She married a palace official because she thought that was the only way to be with you, the only way to protect your love, but she knows better now."
The Witch reached out and swiped a tear from Glinda's cheek. The blonde took Elphaba's hand. She stared up at Elphaba as she pressed the green fingers to her lips. The Witch's mouth opened but no words came. Glinda planted slow deliberate kisses up on Elphaba's knuckles. The Witch's eyes widened, her heart thudding in her mouth when the door burst open.
"There you are. I was—" Chistery said, stopping mid-sentence when he saw Elphaba's hand on the blonde's mouth. Elphaba ripped her hand back.
"What's she doing here? You aren't thinking of taking her with us after last night, are you?" Chistery asked getting upset. "If this is how you handle her, then—"
Glinda exhaled, her hands roosting on her hips.
"Wait here," Elphaba said to Glinda and walked to Chistery and said, "A word."
The older man followed her outside. She closed the door behind him and with her hand still on the handle said,
"While you were right about the shoes, I'll remind you Glinda's provided information on several occasions that saved members of the Resistance. Don't you think we owe her a chance to prove herself?"
"Miss, that's how a spy works! If she didn't do something for us, we'd have never taken her in."
"We'll take her to Spangletown and I'll make my decision there. In the meantime, I've seen to it that she can't use magic, " Elphaba said.
"But, Miss—"
"Chistery, I know it's a risk and I won't force you to take it with me. You may stay at Colwen Grounds. When I retrieve the book from my brother, I'll pick you up."
Chistery huffed.
"I would never leave you, especially not with the likes of her!" Elphaba smirked and Chistery added, "But, have it noted that I opposed this decision!"
"It's noted," Elphaba said and turned to open the door but before she did, she added, "And have it be noted that I am grateful for your company."
Chistery's cheeks reddened and his hand rubbed the back of his neck.
The three got ready and had a breakfast fixed by Nanny and set off for Spangletown Cabaret by carriage. From the outside, Spangletown Cabaret was a gargantuan clay colored warehouse surrounded by dry and sandy hills. Elphaba rolled her eyes at it, Glinda curled her lip, and Chistery burped. Stepping out of the carriage, the three encountered giant open black lacquer doors with geometrical carvings. Beside the doors were several large bouncers in leather vestments. After being searched for weapons by the bouncers, the three entered.
The interior was black and dimly lit by a sea of mason jars filled with white candles strung from the ceiling with long silk red cords. The floor was sweeping. Patrons sat in white wooden chairs at coal colored tables dressed with elegant purple lamps. A massive stage stood opposite the entrance. A performance was currently underway. A naked woman sat in a broad wooden chair, her red nails scratching the ends of the arm rests, her legs wide open, stretching upward. Creme fraiche covered her womanhood as a line of Munchkinland men approached her on their knees taking their turns licking the creme off bit by bit. The ceiling stretched ever upward beyond 50 feet and on the sides of the walls were tiers of private balconies where patrons lounged on couches and pulled off each others' clothes as they admired the show beneath.
Upon entering, the trio moved into a queue at the front of the establishment and looked around. Glinda stilled as she looked at the libidinous sight of the stage. Elphaba, sensing her panic, casually placed her arm around the blonde's shoulder. Glinda turned and buried her face into Elphaba. The Witch shut her eyes and relished the feeling.
"Shall I ask for a table?" Chistery asked, admiring the female performer. Elphaba's eyes popped open.
"Chistery, this is no time to waste on sex!" she hissed. Her eyes darted around the cabaret as they approached the wooden stand where a muscular Quadling man sat charging for entrance. He wore a sweat-stained white collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, along with a black vest and a black bow tie choker.
"The ladies to enter free. The gentleman to pay three pieces of silver," he said.
"Three pieces of silver?!" Chistery shrilled.
"Age to determine price," the man said.
Chistery glared at the man.
"How old?" the bouncer asked.
"67," Chistery hissed.
"Five pieces of silver," the man said with a grin.
Chistery grumped and Glinda smirked while he wrested coins from his trouser pocket.
"Excuse me, do you perhaps know if a man named Shell is here?" Elphaba asked the bouncer.
"Who to ask?" he queried taking the money from Chistery.
"His sister," Elphaba said.
The man looked Elphaba up and down.
"Shell to have many sisters," he said with an undulating laugh.
Elphaba rolled her eyes.
Regaining his composure, he said, "Private Room Number Three in back," and winked.
"Thank you," Elphaba said, waltzing through tables with her arm sliding down to Glinda's waist and Chistery following behind. Once reaching the wall, there lay a constricted wooden corridor behind the ground level tiers that stretched for what seemed a mile. On the right side of the corridor were a series of doors. The first wooden door was coffee-colored and had the number 57 posted on front, along with a closed metal peephole. Elphaba sighed. Of course number 3 had to be at the other end. She hurried down the hall with Glinda clinging to her side and Chistery scurrying behind. Reaching the third door, she knocked hard against the thick wood. A slat shifted on the other side to reveal a man's mustached face through the grated peephole.
"Who knocks?"
"I'm looking for my brother, Shell," Elphaba said.
"No one enters unless they can pay or entertain," he said.
Elphaba raised an eyebrow.
"How much?" she asked.
"Ten Quadling rubies," he answered.
Elphaba snorted.
"Each," Mustache said.
"Robbery! No one carries around that kind of money," Chistery cried out.
"Nobody that resembles the likes of you," Mustache said and turned to Elphaba and said, "Sorry, Ma'am, but there are no brothers here!"
"Wait!" Glinda called out and scooted in front of the two. Mustache's eyes widened. "You said we could entertain you?"
Elphaba's mouth went dry. Mustache laughed.
"No entertainment that a good girl like you could provide. Now get away from this door and go home."
"I can dance!" Glinda said.
She has no idea what she's offering, Elphaba thought, her heart quickening. Mustache raised his eyebrows. Chistery glanced at Elphaba.
"Lady, the only dances allowed in here are on gentlemen's laps," he said as his salmon colored tongue licked his mustache. Elphaba's body stiffened. Surely Glinda would decline.
"I can dance anywhere," the blonde said.
"Glinda!" Elphaba hissed, her fingers stiffening.
"If three desire to enter, then the cost is three laps," Mustache said.
"Fine," Glinda said.
"Glinda! Don't!" Elphaba said.
"You need this book, don't you?" she turned and asked Elphaba.
The Witch pursed her lips. Of course she needed the Grimmerie, but if anyone had to sacrifice for it, it would be her, not Glinda! But who at this establishment would want a lap dance from a green monstrosity?, a voice sounded in her head.
"Without this book, there is no chance for you and her, right?" Glinda whispered.
Elphaba felt a tingling in her arms and legs as she heard the door's locks being unlatched.
"Let her do it, Miss Elphaba. Let her prove herself. I don't need to come. I'll stay out here and wait," Chistery said and turned to Mustache in the open doorway and announced, "It'll only be two laps."
"So be it. Come in, dearies," Mustache said. Glinda nodded and walked through the doorway. Elphaba had no choice but to follow. The room was a spacious white box with exposed wooden beams and filled with chairs and love seats of oak and leather. Men in suits and and top hats sat and were kissed, caressed, sucked, and touched by various women and men of the underclasses who shimmied on chairs, writhed on laps, and crawled on the floor naked or in undergarments. A few of the suits even touched and pleasured each other. The air was thick with cigar smoke and the smell of sex. Elphaba glanced at Glinda who turned to stone at the sight.
"Is your brother here?" she squeaked.
Elphaba scanned the room. There! In the corner, she saw a suit rise from his knees wiping his mouth with a handkerchief as another suit buttoned his trousers. Handkerchief suit with his high-crowned face and black stubble was older than she remembered but it was him. She recognized her brother's slender features, his handsome aquiline nose, the slight gap between his front two teeth, and his slate colored eyes and hair.
"Yes. But, Glinda—"
"We've found an open lap for the lady!" Mustache shouted, patting the thick thigh of a brown pin-strip suit two sofa's away from them. Brown suit was stout, had a graying beard and a cigar between his yellow-stained teeth. He caressed his belly and winked at Glinda. The blonde shuddered.
"Glinda, lets leave," Elphaba said.
"Don't be silly. I gave away the shoes, I won't give up the Grimmerie too. Go. I'll be fine," Glinda said, swallowing and undoing her head scarf.
"Glinda—"
"Go! Please, don't make this any harder than it is," Glinda said turning away.
Elphaba stiffened in surprise. Her chest flooded with heat and her stomach wrenched as the blonde approached the older gentleman and straddled his legs. He grinned. His hairy fingers pushed up the hem of the blonde's dress past her knees while Glinda rocked on his lap and unbuttoned the top of her dress, revealing a golden necklace. Elphaba turned around unable to watch. There was no other way. If she was ever to see Galinda again, she needed that book. And Glinda volunteered. It's not like she forced her. But if that was true, why did she feel so wretched? Taking deep breaths, Elphaba walked around orgies toward Shell who with his back to her was snatching a leather satchel beside a sofa.
"Shell!"
The boy turned. His face crinkled and he dropped his bag.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"You couldn't even show up for her funeral!" Elphaba said. "Where is it, you little thief?"
Shell snorted a laugh and said, "You're one to talk. You couldn't even show up for her life! Nice to see you too, Sis."
Elphaba eyes narrowed and she grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him in.
"I have no time for your childish antics. Give—me—the—book!" she shouted, spit flying.
Shell wiped his eyes, sighed, and said,
"It'll cost you."
She glared at him.
"You see I read your letters to Nessa and you made this old book sound like a rather impressive find. As luck would have it, other gentleman felt the same. I brought it here to sell it to a buyer for five pounds of diamonds and 30 pieces of Munchkinland silver. I'll have you know that's enough for a month's supply of opium. If you can do better than that, I'll happily give it back. But, Elphaba, what possible need do you have for one more dusty book?"
"You treacherous swine!" she hissed. "You will give me that book or I won't be the only one left disfigured in this family!"
"Sweet Oz, no need to be so melodramatic! Ah, here's my buyer now," Shell said and waved toward the doorway. Elphaba turned to see Sir Chuffrey in a suit walk through with two Gale Force bodyguards. Her blood froze. She quickly turned her back to them. She was trapped! She glanced at Glinda. The blonde's dress had been taken past her shoulders, her bra pushed down, the heads of her nipples showing. The stout man snuggled into her cleavage. His hands loosely around her waist. Glinda's eyes turned toward the ceiling.
Elphaba cursed. She traded Glinda for the Grimmerie and now she was about to lose both to the same man who had stolen Galinda from her. Shamefaced and without a plan, the Witch looked down and noticed Shell's bag. He left it as he walked toward the door to welcome the guests. Here was her chance! She snatched it. Turning on her heel, she rushed through the bodies toward Glinda. They had to escape before Sir Chuffrey spotted them. Her heart pounded, her throat was dry. With one hand clutching Shell's bag, she snatched Glinda's arm with the other.
"It is time to leave!" she said. The blonde's eyes snapped open as she teetered toward Elphaba.
"You can have your turn, after I'm done with her!" brown suit said, his hand grasped for Glinda's shoulder but seized the blonde's necklace instead. He pulled in one direction and Elphaba tugged in the other.
"Wait!" Glinda called out but Elphaba pulled harder. Glinda's necklace snapped. POP! CRACK! POP! sounded as pink clouds surrounded Glinda. Elphaba screeched and brown suit shrieked in surprise. Elphaba dropped Glinda's arm and brown suit stood up causing Glinda to fall to the floor in the pink mist.
"Elphaba, quick! Break the spell!" Glinda said in a smoky Gillikinese voice that made the Witch tremble. As pink clouds lifted, Elphaba saw long blonde curls. Her eyes grew. It was no longer Glinda that sat before her.
"There she is!" Sir Chuffrey shouted and pointed toward the blonde. His bodyguards descended upon the two witches.
Elphaba couldn't speak. She couldn't move. How could it be? How could Galinda be here? Her knees wobbled.
Galinda's eyes darted between the men and Elphaba; she shut them and chanted. Without the protection of her necklace not only did a violent pain return to her hands and arms but she had to work against Elphaba's spell. Galinda's face grew bright red. Her arms shook. She kept chanting. Her face darkened into a deep purple. Elphaba felt herself go lightheaded. The men were only a sofa away.
It had been Galinda this whole time! If it had been Galinda who was with her, that meant—Elphaba cringed. The vile nasty things she had said and done to— Galinda! The blonde kept chanting. Elphaba grew woozy. Galinda, covered in a layer of sweat, was trying to transport her. Her wrists convulsed as she chanted louder.
"Magicae sileo!" Elphaba finally uttered, breaking the spell. One of the men grabbed Elphaba's shoulder and another pushed past her.
Galinda shouted one more chant and screamed in pain as the spell tore through her wrists full speed. Elphaba felt herself dematerialize. Galinda passed out hitting the floor. The Gale Force officer snatched the blonde's limp arms and manacled her wrists behind her bare back.
"Leave her alone!" Elphaba shouted. "Take me!" she pleaded, falling to her knees. But she was no longer in the cabaret. She pounded the brick wall in the abandoned alleyway. "Take me," she screeched dropping the bag, but she was all alone and Galinda had been taken.
The new poll is up if you are interested!