She was terrified. Deadly scared. More than ever and nothing would make her feel differently.
Her heart pounded in her chest and the fingers in her hand did little to calm her nerves.
"This is insane, Glinda." Ori said gravely, squeezing her hand to stop her from going into the balcony.
"What would you have me do? I need to do this." She whispered, her lower lip trembling from fear.
"It's not the time and you know it. Cancel your appearance and give it time." He pleaded, turning her face to look at him. Glinda stood pensively but ultimately pulled herself away from him.
"It's time. I'm sick of hiding the truth."
"The people will question you now more than ever. If you go out there and tell them the truth so soon it will only serve to cause them distrust. The woman died and going out there right now—"
She spoke over him, quite angrily, "Morrible's death will not make me change my mind. I have to do this, I refuse to keep it with me." She was not going to change any of her plans. She would not have Morrible control her even through death.
She closed her eyes.
How dare that woman die before she was able to tell the truth? It was almost as if she had decided to die on purpose; to go against Glinda.
She never even got to tell her that her killers had failed. She never got to gloat about how Elphaba was still alive.
Glinda never got a chance to confront her.
She rubbed her temple and took a deep breath. Ori was still at her side, wearing a brand new uniform. He had arrived the night before with his daughter, but Glinda did not have a chance to meet her as she was informed of Morrible's death as soon as she left her room.
She faced Ori, "Will you follow me out there?" She asked him quietly, barely looking at him through her eyelashes.
He didn't say anything but he nodded curtly.
She breathed in and out for a second, letting his hand go as she stepped forward. The balcony was surrounded by guards, and below the voices of the anxious and excited Ozian's buzzed about, wondering what she was going to announce.
She smiled down at them once she was in their sights, their voices mingling with one another as they shouted happily at her. She tried to find her parents through the crowd of people but she couldn't. There were so many faces.
"My friends," She began confidently; the Ozians shushed one another as she spoke, until it was silent and she could only hear a murmur or a whisper every once in a while. "I've come before you to tell you a story. It's about a young woman; determined and good. She came to the Emerald City years before, with an invitation to meet our charming and beloved Wizard..." Many faces lit up at his mention. Glinda only hoped her voice did not start to quiver. "—She was driven and worked ten times any other youth her age. Her goal was to stand beside the Wizard and do good in Oz. It was her only wish. This young woman did not come alone; she invited her best friend with her…." She paused to watch the people's reactions. They stared, listening intently to every word she said as if it were the most important thing in their lives. She would be lying to herself if she didn't feel like turning away and forgetting about the entire thing. It would be easy to do so and the people would continue to look at her like they did.
Elphaba was able to turn away from it—Glinda could do so as well.
She swallowed, trying to clear the dryness in her throat. "This girl had one goal for you all: make a difference; make good. She wanted to end the injustice of those different, for she did not want others to go through what she did as she grew up. She wanted to help the world be better, but something went wrong…and she was branded wicked."
Some people gasped while others stayed dead silent. She glanced at Ori who stood nearby, staring out to make sure she was safe, in his hands a rifle. It did not serve to calm her much but she continued.
"Being the thickheaded girl she was, she did not fight against it, instead she tried to fight for the peoples rights in the worst way possible; by flying around and scaring people who already thought her wicked. But she was not wicked, nor was she evil. She was misunderstood and stubborn as a person could be... and she was my best friend." She admitted to the horror on most people's face.
Her eyes teared up at the way they looked at her and she took a breath, "She would be standing here today right by my side if not for her stubborn actions. If not for the words that the Wizard said about his own..." Her words got stuck in the throat but she couldn't stop now. She inhaled and kept going, "And the Wizard did not leave because he couldn't take the stress of being leader. The truth is the Wizard left out of guilt; guilt that he had branded and sent his own daughter to be killed."
More gasps came, more talking. The people were not happy, but Glinda held her arms out to try and somehow keep the peace.
"Yes, the green girl he himself helped label was his daughter; a fact he came to know right after she was seemingly killed. Friends, if you could trust me—"
"Why should we trust you now?" Someone screeched from the crowd and some people started screaming in agreement. It hurt Glinda deeply. She still thought everything could be okay.
"Yeah! The wizard isn't here and Morrible isn't either! How do we know that it isn't a lie?"
She blinked away the tears, needing to keep herself composed, "I understand if you never trust me again. I understand if you want me to resign. I know that they are not here to talk for themselves, but if you listen and understand—"
"You lied to us!"
"Liar!"
There were other shouts, too many to pay attention to any one voice.
Ori stepped towards her in a quick stride and grabbed her arm, making Glinda jump in surprise, "We have to go now."
She was pulled away, but she could still see the anger in the faces of those who just minutes ago loved her.
"They hate me." She faintly said to herself.
"Give them time, Glinda." He whispered into her ear quickly as they rushed further into the palace. "For now we have to go. Get you someplace safe. "
The palace workers all stared, baffled as she was pushed on. Some looked cautious, other's looked away, but luckily no one tried anything.
"What are you talking about?" She asked—confused— once they walked through a set of doors.
"You can't stay in the palace." He said, pressing his hand to her back to usher her up a set of stairs that led to her room.
"Where do you expect me to go? I can't go back home to my parents they have to be out there somewhere." She said in a panic, picking her dress up to stop herself from tripping up the stairs.
They stopped when they were up the stairs, "Collect anything you might need, and make it quick." He looked around making sure it was safe for her to continue down the hall and to her room.
"No one is going to do anything to me." She huffed, crossing her arms and refusing to move.
"You can't know that." He hissed, glaring at her. "It's a safety precaution. You can't stay here. There are too many people that were behind the Wizard and Morrible, and we don't know if any of them are capable, or willing, to harm you."
"They won't—" Her words were cut off. Ori held her face in his hands and made her look at him.
"Glinda, listen to me. It's not permanent. You have to leave for a little bit until we know it's safe—Can you hear that? People are arguing and fighting out there." She could hear it and it made her feel dreadful.
"Get what you need. Anything important and we'll go out the back."
She paused, "How about your daughter? "
"She's with her nanny right now. We'll get them on the way out. Don't worry about her, she's okay, hurry."
She hesitated, eyeing the door to her room, but at the anxious look coming from Ori she relented and followed him to her door, going inside.
There were only a few items that truly mattered to Glinda, those same items were all thrown into a new bag. However, not knowing how long she would need to stay away she grabbed a small suitcase and shoved some of her clothes inside—just in case.
She gave her room a last look before fleeing out to where Ori waited. He held his hand out to her and she took it, following beside him as he hurriedly walked them through the halls, his rifle in his other hand.
She did not look at any of the maids, or at the others working inside. She did not want to see the look on their faces. The look of distrust that she knew was there.
She kept her blank eyes on the shimmering front of her heels. She wanted to tell the truth and she had. Glinda regretted none of what she had done. She only wished Elphaba had been by her side to show them who she really was.
Ori stopped them both in front of a door, slinging his rifle over his shoulder to knock. Glinda had never been that far back in the palace before.
The door opened and she looked down at the little red headed girl that jumped up at seeing who had been behind the door.
"Pa!" She giggled, hugging her father. Ori leaned down to take her in his hands and Glinda watched them with a slight smile on her face.
His daughter, Nara she remembered he had said, immediately seemed to freeze in Ori's arms, looking at her from behind his shoulder. She wondered if she didn't like her because of what she had just said about Elphaba; she immediately thought that she did not want her there, but then a beaming smile adorned her small face and Glinda relaxed. Nara whispered something into her fathers ear and she watched Ori laugh and put her down.
"Ask her yourself nana, but make it quick." He nodded and pushed her forward as he went over to the nanny to talk with her.
"Pa, not in front of her!" The young girl flushed and covered her face. Glinda looked at Ori expectingly. He turned and he grinned, shaking his head.
"She doesn't like that nickname," He said, turning back to the nanny.
"What did she ask?" She wondered, interrupting him once more.
"Nara, wants to know if she can touch you. She doesn't think you're real." Half his face was up in amusement and Glinda smiled, looking back at Nara who was covering her face. Glinda could see her peeking through her fingers. Nara saw her looking and turned away hiding herself behind a small table table.
"Nara, little one," She called out, gently putting her bag down to go to the young girl.
Glinda lowered herself behind the table and Nara refused to look at her.
She searched the room for Ori, who was now busy speaking to Nara's nanny.
She turned back to Nara and smiled, "Your pa was right. Your eyes are much more blue than mine are."
Nara's hands fell off her face and she looked at her in complete horror.
"He's lying! Don't believe him—pa how dare you? "
Ori paused his conversation with the nanny to give them a bewildered look, "What?"
"You told missus Glinda the good that my eyes were prettier than hers! No, you don't do that." She chided her father, wiggling her finger at him.
Glinda giggled despite the fact she was still shaking from the reaction she got from the Ozians moments earlier.
"Nara," He sighed, coming over and picking her up in his arms. "We are in a hurry at the moment. Missus Glinda will be coming with us, you don't mind do you?" He questioned with a twinkle to his eye. His daughter looked like a deer that was frightened and she slowly shook her head as she stared at Glinda. Glinda smiled back sweetly trying to ease the nerves of the younger girl.
"Okay then, less chit chat. We should get out of here." Ori nodded to the door. He lowered his daughter and Glinda held her hand out. His daughter merely stared at it in awe before Glinda smiled again and nodded. The girl reached a trembling hand towards her and Glinda grasped it in hers, a bright smile coming up to Nara's face.
"What about nanny Helen?" Nara asked and her nanny answered before Ori was able to.
"Nanny Helen will go when nanny wants to young one." The nanny said, slowly making her way back to the chair she had been sitting in.
"There is no arguing with this woman, " Ori said almost as if he had expected that answer, "Glinda, can we hurry now?"
She nodded quickly, taking her small suitcase and letting him lead the way out.
"Were you and the witch really friends? " Nara asked in a hushed tone as they walked and Glinda faltered but kept her pace with them.
"Best of friends," she nodded, "She had more good in her than anyone else in Oz. " She explained to the young girl who slowly looked down at her feet as they walked.
They were all quiet as Ori told them all to enter a carriage. Glinda paused, standing still as Ori took her suitcase and placed it inside. He left and tied a horse to the front and came back to them.
Glinda wasn't sure yet if she wanted to leave. Her parents were still out there.
She glanced down at Nara who was still holding her hand. Nara looked up at her and stayed by her side.
"What are you girls doing? Nara, get inside we are going." He went to grab his daughters hand but Nara hid behind Glinda.
"Pa, Missus Glinda isn't going." She said from behind her and Glinda smiled at the look of frustration Ori gave her.
"She is going. She is just being stubborn about it. But I promise she will come and if you go first she will follow. "
But Glinda was still processing what happened. What she had done..."I told the people the truth. Oh Oz, I actually did it!" She didn't like the reactions she had received, but she had finally told the truth!
"We are all aware. Now really get in. We can't risk anyone seeing you right now until we are absolutely sure they don't want to... " He trailed off looking at his daughter. kill her, he meant to say. "Glinda. Please. "
Glinda gently tugged on Nara's hand. It didn't take much to persuade her to go as she seemed very happy to follow her.
"Pa, where are we going to take Missus Glinda." The tiny redhead asked as they settled in their seats and Glinda herself perked her head so she could catch the answer as well, wanting to know where he was thinking of hiding her.
"Glinda will be coming with us. Wouldn't you like to show her your room?" Ori said over his shoulder, fixing something with rope in the front.
Nara's jaw fell as she slowly came to look at Glinda. Glinda was quiet, not knowing how to react to the information.
His home?
"Is she living with us?" Nara gasped, "Pa, she doesn't deserve to live with us! " She shook her head violently.
Ori got out of the front and entered the carriage with them, going down on his knee in front of his daughter and Glinda could not help the smile that appeared on her face, "Baby, she isn't living with us for long. She has a home and she will return to it, in a while. They just have a problem that they need to fix here and she can't stay right now. "
"Is it because if what you said of the witch?" Nara asked turning to look at her with the bright eyes she had.
"Yes." She nodded, "And your pa is right. I can't stay here until we know it's safe for me."
The girl looked over to her father in alarm, "We should hurry pa! I don't want anything to happen to Missus Glinda."
"No problem my dear." Ori said, jumping out of the carriage and looking at the two of them. "We'd never let anything happen to Missus Glinda."
Glinda merely smiled at him and settled in her seat. Nara scooted closer to her and took her hand as Ori shut the carriage door.
Glinda sat still as something shrouded her view out the window. A tarp of some kind stopping anyone from looking inside.
They were both left in pseudo darkness, she felt Nara's tiny hand tighten in hers. Glinda patted her hand and smiled down at her.
Now all she had to do was wait it out and see what happened next.