Chapter 25
"Miss Elphaba you're not supposed to be…" Doctor Haluk stopped when he realized that the reason his patient was out of bed was because her cast was missing.
"Out of bed Doctor?" She finished his admonishment from her spot, perched next to Fiyero. He had been moved to a bed of his own following the mysterious occurrences of a week ago.
"I was going to say that but it seems that you no longer require my services for your physical needs," he gave her a look.
"It seems the spell I cast last week was a little more powerful than I had anticipated. I didn't have enough physical strength to heal myself afterward," Elphaba admitted.
"Good heavens woman. What did I say? Until you were one hundred percent physically better and at least eighty percent mentally better, no magic," Haluk was still upset that she hadn't listened to him.
"I'm afraid that we don't have that option. War is brewing doctor and I needed to fulfill my promise before I was no longer able," the sentence struck the doctor as odd.
"What are you talking about?" He asked. The answer came in the form of a guard bursting through the infirmary doors.
"There are sick people in here man. What are you doing?" Haluk demanded.
"The Munchkins are at the gates! They mean war!" He announced.
"Take me to Lady Glinda," Elphaba ordered as she rose from her seat. The guard looked at her as if she had a third eye.
"Take me at once! I know what those Munchkins want," she demanded.
"Do as she says," Haluk told him. The guard saluted the Doctor and headed for the door. Elphaba was steps behind him when she whirled around to face Haluk.
"Take care of Fiyero. Whatever happens, tell him I love him and that we shall meet again at Kiamo Ko," she said. Haluk wanted to ask what she meant but he never got the chance as she was out the door, following the guard to find the current ruler of Oz.
"Oh Elphie, you shouldn't be…" Glinda didn't finish her sentence as she noticed her friend walking unhindered into the Throne Room. The blonde left her seat and wrapped the green-skinned woman in a hug. The city's defenses were laid out on a map on the table in front of her and Captain Khalil was pouring over them.
"No time for that. The Munchkins are at the city gates," her friend said.
"They demand your head and Liir's head or they will fight us to the very last. I'll not give them what they want," the blonde told her.
"And I'll not have innocents die in an effort to protect the witch they do not care for. Give them what they want," Elphaba said.
"No Elphie. I lost you once; I'll not lose you again," Glinda protested.
"They want me out of the way so that they can attempt to take control of the city. You cutting them off from the other countries of Oz have made them realize how dependent they are on their former allies. The only way to win this is, is for me to give them what they want. I'll lead them away from the city. Protect Liir. Hide him. Despite everything that has happened, I cannot ask him to share in my fate," Elphaba told her.
"What about Fiyero? You turned him back into a human so you can leave him alone?" It was the last play the Good Witch had.
"I did what I promised him I would do, all those years ago. Now he can find someone to spend his days with. We both knew that at some point my life would have to be sacrificed for the cause," at those words Khalil looked up from the map. The weight of the world did not begin to describe what exactly Elphaba had been shouldering through her life. He shook his head and spoke up,
"There may be another way."
To Be Continued…