Yo guys! Wifi works, but I only have my mini laptop and it's super slow, so I'll post the blog post that goes with this chapter next time, when I'm back. This is the final real chapter - the next one is the epilogue! (Austria is really cool, by the way.)
29.
Elphaba found it hard to say what was more unnerving – the way people reacted to her after everything that had happened during their announcement (namely by being incredibly nice to her and flattering her whilst constantly giving her guilty looks) or the way they responded to the news that their crown princess and the Captain of the Guard were in a relationship (most of the people seemed a little over-excited about that, apparently already having forgotten that not too long ago, Lady Glinda had been engaged to said Captain). She wasn't used to being the centre of attention and she didn't like it. Last time, there had been so much going on that she'd hardly had time to realise what being a princess really meant, but she was quickly starting to catch up on that now. She felt a little overwhelmed sometimes, but Oscar, Glinda, and Fiyero were all there for her and always willing to help her out, which reassured her a little.
By now she was completely back to being Cassadi, pale skin and changed hair included. It felt strange, but she was not sure whether that was a bad thing. She didn't miss her green skin. It was weird to look in a mirror and not see the looks she had always so hated, and sometimes she did not feel entirely like herself, but she found it easier to get used to it now that it was no longer a painful reminder of the lies she had to tell her friends every day.
Glinda, although missing her friend's "normal" looks, liked the way Elphaba looked now. She still loved the princess's hair colour and she could now happily spend hours trying to find the perfect dress to go with Elphaba's hair and complexion, which she loved. Fiyero was an entirely different story; he insisted that he had meant it when he'd said that Elphaba looked beautiful as Cassadi, but he also made it clear that he would much rather have seen her in her real colouring. He understood that wasn't possible, but that did not mean he wouldn't have preferred the real Elphaba over the degreenified one.
Meanwhile, Morrible had found herself facing stacks of evidence during her trial, a couple of weeks after Oscar's return. Aside from Oscar, Fiyero, Glinda, and Elphaba's testimonies against her, there were also a few guards and maids who were willing to tell the council of judges about some suspicious activities of Morrible's they had witnessed; and when her office had been searched, enough proof was found to support the claim that she had been the one behind the Animal Banns, not to mention some evidence that seemed to suggest she had been planning to eventually take over Oz. This was enough for the council to convict her and sentence her to a lifetime in Southstairs for treason.
The outcome of the trial was eagerly awaited by most Ozians. It became even bigger news when word got out that Madame Morrible had tried to hex several of the people present when the sentence was revealed – a judge, a maid, Princess Cassadi, and Lady Glinda among them – and this stirred up the buzz again, especially in the Emerald City.
Of course, once things were starting to settle down a bit, Glinda insisted on having another ball. "It will pacify the officials and the nobility, Cassie, and it will be a good opportunity to show you off – people need to see their crown princess every once in a while and important people like balls. It gives them a chance to show off their expensive clothing and jewellery, their beautiful wives, and their dancing abilities – not to mention the fact that they often take a great liking to the wine served at balls. It's classy, yet fun. You'll like it, just you wait and see."
"I've already been to a ball once, back when you were in Munchkinland, remember?" Elphaba muttered, wincing a little as the thought of Munchkinland made her think of her sister. "It was terrible."
"This one won't be," Glinda said firmly. "I'll go talk to your maids and find you a dress to wear. I'm thinking pink, don't you agree?"
"No."
The blonde giggled. "I was joking, relax."
Glinda's choice turned out to be a one-shouldered gown with a tight-fitting bodice and a skirt that flared out slightly as it fell to the floor. Flowers and beading adorned the single strap and the bodice, as well as the top of the skirt. It was a bluish purple colour that turned out to match rather well with Elphaba's hair – Glinda explained she had made sure of that by comparing different colour schemes.
"Fiyero will faint upon seeing you," Glinda predicted, a hint of smugness in her voice. "Make sure to mention me when you get compliments about the way you look."
A flash of guilt shot through her and she looked up at her friend. "Glin... are you really sure you're okay with all this? Fiyero and I, I mean? I'd understand if you... well, weren't. Okay."
The beautiful blonde sighed. "Oh, Cassie, I know I've been a bit difficult about this –"
"No!" Elphaba protested, horrified. "Not at all! Glinda, you had – and have – every right to be mad at me!" She bit her lip. "It's just that... with everything that's been happening, I sort of forgot that you and I are still not okay. And that's okay," she hastened to assure the blonde, who giggled. "But yes, I feel guilty. Honestly, every time I see you looking at Fiyero, I feel guilty."
"Then stop that," Glinda told her, linking her arm with her former roommate's. "Cassie... Elphie. We are okay. I told you after you woke up, remember? I forgive you. For Oz's sake, you almost died – and I can't stay mad at you for very long, anyway. Of course it hurt and of course I was upset at first, but I can put that behind me now and so should you." She squeezed Elphaba's arm. "I'll find my Mr Perfect," she said. She tossed her curls over one shoulder. "And he will be so much better than Fiyero."
Elphaba chuckled and Glinda hugged her.
"Thanks, Glin," the young witch said quietly and Glinda smiled at her.
"That's what friends are for, Cassie."
Fiyero did not exactly faint once he did see her, an hour or so later; but his reaction did make Elphaba blush. The moment he laid eyes on her, he just got this soft look in his eyes that seemed to melt her on the spot – a mixture of joy, love, and wonder, as if he couldn't believe what he was looking at. She realised that was exactly what that look meant when he drew her into his arms and murmured, "You will never know how badly I have missed you while you were gone."
She smiled sadly. "Oh, I think I do know," she said, putting her chin on his shoulder as he hugged her close. "Even with everything going on – being on the run, trying to help the Animals and keep myself from getting caught, and later the whole plot with Oscar and Morrible – there hasn't been a single day when I haven't thought of you or a single night I haven't lain awake for a while wishing that things could have been different."
He buried his face in her hair and she could feel him exhaling slowly. "No more, though," he said, pulling back and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. He kissed her, softly and slowly. "We'll make every moment count from now on."
Their moment was interrupted by Oscar, who coughed awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable watching such an intimate scene between his daughter and the man she loved. "Um, Cassadi, we should... I mean, I should escort you into the room."
"Right," she said, extracting herself from Fiyero's grip and giving him a small smile when she saw the unhappy look that crossed his face for just a fraction of a clock-tick. Slowly but surely, she had been coaxing him into telling her how he had really felt when he'd thought she was dead and the depth of his feelings shocked her every time they had such a conversation. She knew now that he wasn't joking or being sappy when he told her that he'd prefer for her to never leave his arms again. She understood now that, happy as he was that they were finally together, there was not a single moment when he was not scared of losing her again. Once again, she'd realised how much they were actually alike.
Thankfully, this ball turned out to be much better than the last one had been. Oscar introduced her to many more people and she was forced to make small talk with all of them, smiling and nodding and just generally showing everyone that she was sweet and kind and cooperative and that they had nothing to fear from her. She got involved in a political discussion between some high officials and, according to Oscar, managed to impress a lot of people by outsmarting said high officials in every possible way.
Apart from that, there were the more obvious differences – Glinda was here this time instead of in Munchkinland, Elphaba's relationship with Oscar was much better, and there were no more unresolved issues, nor was there more strange tension, between her and Fiyero. Between her talks with the guests, Oscar, and Glinda, she spent as much time as she could dancing in Fiyero's arms.
"I used to hate dancing," she said as he led her through a series of complicated steps. "I've never been good at it."
Fiyero smiled. "You're doing great." He dipped her. "I've always loved to dance."
She chuckled as he pulled her back against his chest. "I remember."
A slower song began and he drew her closer. She pressed her cheek to his chest, her head just fitting underneath his chin; and she closed her eyes for a moment, feeling perfectly happy and content. "I think you've managed to convince me that dancing is nice now, though."
He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Good, because I was hoping I'd get to do this more often."
She sighed. "I love you, you know."
"I know." She could feel him running his hand through her once again reddish brown and curly hair. "I love you, too."
She smiled as they swayed together, lost in one another's arms. Maybe things were not perfect – not at all – but at least they were looking up and that was more than she could have said even a few months ago.
I'm warning you - the epilogue is so fluffy it'll probably make you want to puke. I was just re-reading it and it sort of even makes me want to puke - I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote that :P.
Don't expect it until Tuesday, though, since I'll be in the car all day on Monday and I probably won't have the time (or will be too tired) to update then.
