"Hello Glinda." Fruoa said as she made her way into the room past the still swearing and now pacing Elphie.
"Hi Fruoa, I wish I could say that I was happy to see you." Glinda said as she closed the door.
"Please tell me that you are not here for why I think that you're here."
"I'm sorry, but I cannot do that." The woman said gently.
"Passed away or just incapacitated?" Elphie asked.
"Yoil Thropp died sometime earlier this evening." Fruoa said as she removed her coat.
"So Elphie really is the Eminent Thropp, Governor of Munchkinland?" Glinda said unhappily as Elphie took Fruoa's coat and hung it on a coat hook by the door.
"From the moment Yoil Thropp, may his name live on, drew his final breath, yes. I will explain everything to you both I promise." Fruoa said as Glinda indicated that she should sit in the pink comfy chair.
"But time is not on our side right now. It is imperative that Elphaba get to Munchkinland as quickly as possible."
"I'll get us packed to go." Glinda said.
"Glinda, right now only get some things together for Elphaba." Fruoa said.
"What? No, I'm coming too." Glinda said firmly.
"Glinda, you can't accompany Elphaba to Colwen Grounds…"
"Like hell I can't!" Glinda interrupted, spitting out the words angrily.
"Glinda!" Elphie said in surprise at not only her fiancée's language but also her very uncharacteristic rude tone.
"Just let me explain." Fruoa tried again.
"I'm not sending her there alone. I'm going, end of discussion." Glinda responded resolutely, feet planted and arms across folded across her chest.
"Lyndie my precious girl." Elphie said remembering that Glinda was tired and was more than likely getting stress from all sides. She took her love gently into her arms and looked deeply into her eyes and they connected in an instant.
"Lyndie, I'm not happy about any of this either. But Fruoa is on our side, she knows what she is doing and we need to trust her. You are the one who convinced me of that." She said softly then kissed Glinda's forehead. Glinda leaned into Elphie for just a beat then nodded.
"Fruoa, I am so sorry, so very sorry." Glinda said contritely.
"I'm tired and feeling everyone's stress, but that doesn't excuse my rudeness. Please, please forgive me." Fruoa stood and accepted Glinda's embrace.
"Of course you are forgiven. It is late and I have just sprung some major news on you out of the blue." Fruoa said and Glinda smiled gratefully.
"It is late and you've had a very long and I'm sure very tiring trip." Glinda said as her hostess side started to appear.
"Can I get you something to drink or eat? Coffee maybe?"
"You have coffee here?" Fruoa asked looking around.
"When you live with a sorceress you can have anything anywhere if the need arises." Elphie smiled.
"I see. Okay then some coffee would be nice." Fruoa said with a slight chuckle.
"I'll get right on it." Glinda grinned.
Fruoa watched as Glinda made a coffee service appear on a little table with a wave of what she assumed was a wand and Elphie get a piece of luggage down from on top of the wardrobe. What had just transpired was a jolting reminder to her that she was not working with the governor right now. She was dealing with a nineteen-year-old University student who just became a barely willing head of state and her very overprotective girlfriend. Because of the circumstances in which she had seen the girls together before, she had not really had a chance to see them interact as themselves, but she knew that she was now. They moved about their very homey room looking at, smiling at and touching one another like only two people who have a comfortable and intimate connection do. Fruoa had always considered her herself open-minded, but everything that had had happened since that first tumultuous meeting with the enigmatic Heir Apparent less than a year ago had really put that to the test. She was pleased that she seemed to be passing.
"Here we go, coffee and my best attempt at little cookies. I can do beverages, but food isn't really my strong suit." Glinda smiled as Elphie put the tray on the coffee table.
"I'll take your word for that. I can't fathom how you did any of it." Fruoa smiled.
"I wanted to have special little treat, just to say I'm sorry for my behavior again." Glinda said as she poured coffee.
"Actually, I think it is I who need to apologize to you two. Thank you." Fruoa said as she accepted a cup from Glinda.
"To us? Why would you think that?" Elphie said.
"I've been in a sort of crisis mode for five or six hours, putting the plan for the succession of the new governor into action. It took Glinda's declaration to jolt me out of that. Right now I'm not briefing the new Eminent Thropp, I'm giving my friends Elphaba and her girlfriend Glinda information they need to handle not only a time sensitive issue, but an emotionally sensitive one as well." Fruoa smiled.
"Girlfriend…uh…" Glinda said looking at Elphie who merely nodded.
"I know you are in a time crunch, but there is something you should probably know."
"Is there a problem?" Fruoa asked.
"No, not a problem…"Glinda started.
"Just a new fact of my life." Elphie said
"Okay." Fruoa said with a smile.
"Elphie proposed to me over winter break. We are engaged." Glinda smiled and took the chain from around her neck and Elphie did the same.
"Engaged? As in, to be married?" Fruoa replied as she looked at the rings that were now on both girls' fingers feeling a little confused.
"Yep. Engaged to be married." Glinda grinned.
"Fruoa, I told Glinda that any formal announcement and celebration needed to wait until I told Harluc, you and my family." Elphie said.
"I agreed completely and so did my family." Glinda said.
"It was my intention to do that at spring recess. We told all of Glinda's family and wore our rings publicly in Frottica." Elphie said.
"Our relationship is very open there, and is accepted for the most part. But here at Shiz only our friends know, that's why we are wearing our rings on chains." Glinda said and felt some mixed emotions from Fruoa.
"We understand if this is a little too much for you." She added gently.
"No, no, it's okay. It just took me by surprise is all." Fruoa said honestly.
"Turn about is fair play." Glinda chuckled.
"So says something similar in the diplomat's handbook." Fruoa laughed and they all relaxed.
"All right then, first thing; congratulations. I think this is wonderful news. I know how wonderful and exciting being engaged is. I am honestly very happy for both of you." Fruoa said sincerely and Glinda bounced happily, taking Elphie's hand.
"So what's the second thing?" Elphie said with a smile and a blush, giving in to Glinda's need to play with her fingers.
"Unfortunately, we are in a time crunch. This is wonderful news and you are right, I did need to know. But right now, there are other, more pressing things that need to be dealt with. I hope you know that I'm not, by any means, downplaying your engagement by putting it aside for the time being."
"We don't." Elphie smiled and Glinda nodded in agreement.
"Good. Elphaba, please tell Harluc as soon as you can after you arrive. Just remember that he is not even aware that you two are a couple yet. He won't care, I assure you, but he does need to know." Fruoa smiled.
"I will and I am sure that we will be talking quite a bit." Elphie said with a smile.
"You are very right about that. Harluc will fill you in on everything you need to know. There is also a letter for you in the carriage to get you started. I will explain everything to Glinda over the next couple of days." Fruoa said.
"You're staying here?" Glinda said, very surprised.
"I am. That's what I was trying to explain earlier." Fruoa said with a chuckle and a teasing wink for Glinda, who giggled and smiled sheepishly.
"Then let's get this show on the road. I'll get some things together for Elphie while you give us the scoop." Glinda grinned.
"The scoop?" Elphie chuckled.
"I heard the term from Gotero, he's funny. It means information." Glinda chuckled as she got up and went to start gathering Elphie's things.
"Well I do have a lot of that. First thing is getting Elphaba on her way. Getting her at the very least across the border into Munchkinland before the news of her great grandfather's death becomes public is crucial. And that should not be a problem. What would be optimal is to have her already in residence at Colwen Grounds. That should be possible if she gets on the road within the hour." Fruoa said as she pulled some papers out of her satchel.
"Is there a train out this late?" Glinda asked as she carefully folded undergarments and nightclothes to put in Elphie's bag.
"No train. There is a little used road, but decent road out of Shiz that will allow us to completely bypass the Yellow Brick Road in Gillikin, as well as the Emerald City proper. It goes into the Pine Barrens right here on the outskirts of the Madeleines." Fruoa replied and showed Elphie the road on a map. Glinda came over to look, very intrigued by the whole thing.
"You're kidding? How did you know about this?" Elphie asked.
"Several alternate routes out of Shiz and Gillikin were scouted out when you started school, just in case." Fruoa replied.
"Just in case? You know never mind. In a disturbing way, that makes sense." Elphie sighed.
"We were planning in telling you at some point. It just never came up before now." Fruoa said.
"See, annoying isn't it Elphie?" Glinda chuckled as she went through the wardrobe to get Elphie some clothes.
"So noted." Elphie smiled.
"Quick topic change please?" Glinda chuckled after she gave Elphie a triumphant humph and hair-toss.
"Yes Glinda?" Fruoa smiled, enjoying the interplay between the girls.
"Will Elphie have any public appearances and what's the weather like?" Glinda asked.
"The weather is much milder than here and save for a brief stepping out onto the terrace to confirm that the new Eminent Thropp is actually at Colwen Grounds, she won't be in public at all before you arrive."
"So I do get to arrive?" Glinda asked innocently.
"Yes you do, but I will get to that in a bit."
"That's all I need to know. Carry on." Glinda chuckled and proceeded to select clothes.
"It's not necessarily a comfortable trip Elphaba, but it is not all that bad either and it is fairly quick. You will be at the Crossroads Inn in two hours, possibly less. There you will be put into a more comfortable carriage and continue on in a more normal way. Maril, with your permission, will ride with you for the first leg and brief you."
"Maril's here?" Glinda asked as she looked between two outfits then made a choice.
"He and some guards are outside. We came together in the carriage that will take Elphaba back. Another carriage with a driver and guard will be here soon, if they are not already, to take you and me."
"You're staying here with me?" Glinda asked expectantly.
"You might as well jump to when she will be allowed to join me. She might not survive otherwise." Elphie chuckled.
"All right." Fruoa smiled.
"Goody!" Glinda said with what Elphie could tell were very sleepy bubbles.
"It was never my intention to lead you to believe that you would not be allowed to come to Colwen Grounds, Glinda. But going with Elphaba right now would be very complicated and impractical for a variety of reasons. But mainly because I need your help."
"My help?" Glinda said as she put Elphie's dress boots into the bag then headed for the bathroom.
"Harluc and I want to minimize the disruption to Elphaba's studies, and your lives as much as we can, but it is not going to be easy. Elphaba you will need to be in Munchkinland for at least three weeks, maybe a month."
"A month!" Glinda protested poking her head out of the bathroom.
"That is what Harluc calls the worst case scenario. The ins and outs are going to be explained later, but for Elphaba's sake, we are doing this officially and by the book and that is where you come in Glinda. I need to go through official channels here to get her an extended absence from school and through her department to make arrangements for lessons and a tutor if one should be required. We can even get her laboratory time at Emerald College if her instructors feel that is necessary."
"Are you serious?" Elphie said in disbelief.
"Very. You are Head of State now, whatever you need can be had." Fruoa replied.
"It actually makes sense sweetheart. They can't threaten your status if you attending to official family business and are keeping up with your lessons and ole Horrible wouldn't dare try to throw the Governor of Munchkinland out of school or out of her dorm room." Glinda chuckled as she put Elphie's toiletries into her bag then zipped it up.
"I guess so." Elphie sighed, realizing just how complicated this all was.
"She is very correct Elphaba. I figured Glinda could point me in the right direction and I can take care of your official business here while she is in class then when she is finished for the week, we will come to Colwen Grounds. We'll work out the logistics of her returning to Shiz and coming back after that."
"What do you mean returning to Shiz?" Glinda said empathicly as she laid out Elphie's travel clothes.
"Lyndie, being gone for three weeks isn't any more possible for you than it is for me. Besides who is going to get my homework for me. You'll come on weekends." Elphie said calmly as the got up to give Glinda a hug.
"Long weekends." Glinda pouted.
"I'm sure that can be arranged." Elphie smiled looking at Fruoa.
"We can work this out however we need to." Fruoa said rising from her chair.
"Glinda, both Harluc and I are going to do our best to make this as easy on both of you as we can, I promise. We can all talk about it together when you and I get there." Fruoa said.
"I'm okay and I understand, I honestly do. I'm just tired and missing Elphie already." Glinda said with a little sniffle, which Elphie comforted with a kiss to her temple.
"Is that bag ready?" Fruoa asked, not wanting to rush them, but needing to anyway.
"Yes." Glinda said then yawned.
"I'll take it on down then and check in with Maril to tell him that Elphaba is nearly ready to go and get the other driver to get us rooms at the nearby Inn. Elphaba, why don't you pack up some of your books and study materials to take with you now as well. You'll have time to study." Fruoa smiled.
"I will do that. But Fruoa, can you…would it be possible for you to stay here with Glinda instead of staying at the Inn?" Elphie asked.
"Yes please, I would like that." Glinda said nodding in agreement.
"That will be possible and I think I would like that as well. I'll go check in with my handsome fiancée and get my things. I'll be back in a few minutes." Fruoa smiled as she put on her coat.
X
After Elphie shut the door behind Fruoa, she pulled Glinda against her chest and Glinda curled up, closing her eyes and soaking in as much of her Elphie as she could. Elphie rubbed small gentle circles on Glinda's back and leaned her cheek on the top of Glinda's head, breathing in the scent of her shampoo.
"It's going to be all right my precious girl." Elphie said softly after a few long, quiet and necessary moments. Glinda pulled away from her and smiled slightly.
"I was just about to say the same thing to you." She chuckled then leaned in for a kiss.
"I'd better gather my books." Elphie said when they parted, then started another kiss.
"And go get dressed. Unless you want to sneak into Munchkinland in your jammies. Glinda giggled when they parted.
"I could loan you my bunny slippers so your toesies won't get cold."
"Thank you for the thought, but it might be unseemly for the Eminent Thropp to be seen in…bunny slippers." Elphie smiled as she went to the study nook.
"Oh I don't know. A little whimsy might do those old Ministers some good." Glinda grinned.
"Well that would be slightly safer than being launched from our bed and land in the chambers mid happy ending." Elphie smiled.
"Oh my! I'd forgotten about that." Glinda laughed.
"Just gather you books Elphie I'll pack them while you dress." She added with a chuckle as Elphie started to put books into her smaller piece of luggage.
"You are taking this rather well, I'm concerned." Elphie said only half joking as she stacked books and notebooks on their little table.
"It was inevitable. I just wish it hadn't happened so soon. But I'm trying to look at it this way, when you are done with this, you will be done for all intents and purposes. Your life will be yours." Glinda smiled as she handed Elphie her travel clothes.
"That's not quite accurate my sweet. My life will be ours." Elphie smiled.
"I love you, I just do. I won't balk at whatever schedule you set for my comings and goings Elphie, I promise." Glinda said.
"I know Lyndie, we'll figure it out." Elphie said then they heard a light tapping on the door.
"Go dress Your Eminence." Glinda giggled then kissed Elphie and gave her a light push in the direction of the bathroom,
"Your adoring public awaits." She added.
"You are not in the least bit amusing." Elphie said and shut the door with purpose, making Glinda giggle.
"Yes I am." Glinda sing-songed then opened their dorm room door.
"You are what?" Fruoa smiled as she came into the room.
"Amusing, in spite of what your new governor thinks. " Glinda said loudly enough for Elphie to hear.
"She's overly tired." Elphie said, cracking the bathroom door slightly.
"Elphie's getting dressed, I'm going to pack her books and then she will be ready to go." Glinda chuckled as she took Fruoa's valise.
"Good, Maril said they do need to get on the road. Thank you Glinda."
"What is Elphie facing when she gets there?" Glinda asked as she started to put books into Elphie's bag.
"I'm curious about that as well." Elphie said from the bathroom.
"Just some low key meetings actually. There is a traditional five days of mourning before the official funeral. Things will get rather hectic after that and you will be more in the public eye. But Harluc will fill you in."
"So that means that when we get there this weekend, she shouldn't be too busy, right." Glinda smiled as she added some things from Elphie's desk, including her flute, to the bag then started to write a quick note to put in as well.
"Not so busy that she won't be able to spend time with you. Subsequent visits will be busier though." Fruoa smiled as she watched Glinda put a pair of slippers shaped like rabbits into the bag with the books before she zipped it up.
"Shhh." Glinda giggled softly to the amused woman as Elphie came out of the bathroom.
"Books are all ready Elphie. Why don't you put your journal and some other fun reading into your cloth satchel to keep with you."
"That's a good idea Lyndie." Elphie said then kissed Glinda's cheek.
"Fruoa, how is Nessa taking the news?" Elphie asked as she put her journal into the satchel.
"As of when I left she didn't know. We are hoping that we can keep it that way until you arrive."
"How is that possible?" Elphie asked and Glinda used the fact that she was occupied to write another note to put into her love's satchel.
"It was late afternoon when your great grandfather was found by his valet in the private office in his apartment, when he came to help him get ready for dinner with some local mayors. The only people that knew as of when I left were the valet, the First Minister, Harluc and me. Devi is going to be contacted and will there by the time you arrive. She will be told as well. Nessarose was with your Nanny visiting with some friends in Center Munch."
"Friends?" Glinda asked and Elphie looked surprised.
"Some daughters of a few of her tutors and other upper caste people get together a few times a month for tea and such. She was invited and I suggested it would be good for her to socialize with some same age peers. Harluc will give you all the details of your sister's goings on. You'll be surprised."
"I am already." Elphie smiled.
"She was not due to see him again until breakfast, so chances are very good that you will be there by then. They had breakfast together every morning." Fruoa smiled.
"And Shell?" Elphie said as she put the last thing in her satchel.
"Harluc sent a wire to your father, but did not go into detail. It wasn't uncommon for your great grandfather to summon Shell in this manner and your father always had him there fairly quickly. He should show up before the mourning period ends." Fruoa said.
"Okay good. Well I guess my things are ready to go." Elphie said quietly.
"Elphaba, listen to me please, you too Glinda. This is important." Fruoa said in a sisterly way and the two girls looked at her expectantly.
"Nothing is the same at Colwen Grounds any more, nothing at all. I mean no disrespect to your great grandfather, but he was the main reason for the contentious atmosphere you always encountered there. I'm not saying that you will not be under pressure, or facing stressful situations, but not like before. You are in charge Elphaba, completely. I know this will be hard for you to accept, but what you say goes, what you ask for you will get, no questions, no hesitation and no condescension. You are the Eminent Thropp and you will be respected as such because save for a very few people no one knows that you will not be."
"I hope I'm ready for this." Elphie said.
"I think you are, Harluc does as well. He and I will take care of a lot of the official work and deflect things that can wait until Nessa can deal with them. But there will be decisions that need to be made and you will have to make them, at least appearance wise. Harluc will talk to you in depth when you arrive and you will be briefed continuously on what's going on so the surprises will be minimal, we hope.
"I trust you two." Elphie smiled.
"Me too." Glinda agreed.
"I'm glad. There is one other thing and this is very important as well. I know that you dislike the formality and pomp of all of this, but you need to grin and bear it, so to speak, for Nessa's sake if nothing else. Because of her age, she will need that sort of structure to help her settle into her role. Harluc and I will be appropriately formal with you when we are in the presence of others, but will be more casual when we are alone with you. And as for Maril, just let him be the duty bound, traditional man he is and guard the Eminent Thropp as is expected and proper." Fruoa smiled.
"I will do as you ask as best I can. I started this and I want to do it properly." Elphie sighed.
"Thank you. I meant it when I said that we are going to make this as easy on you as we can. But right now, you have to go." Fruoa said and Elphie nodded.
"I'll take these and wait for you at the carriage." She said as she picked up the valise and the satchel.
"I'll be right there." Elphie said.
This time as soon as the door closed Glinda pulled Elphie into a searing kiss and as soon as they parted Elphie started one of their long, slow reassuring ones.
"And I believe in you all though you never asked me. Your face I've memorized, I idolize just you." Glinda sang softly as they gazed into each other's eyes when they parted.
"Have a good cry then sleep my precious girl." Elphie said softly as she caressed Glinda's cheek.
"I will, to both. I have a busy couple of days ahead attending to the unofficial affairs of my very own Eminent Thropp." Glinda said with a tiny smile.
"I know you will leave nothing undone, you are very good at these things." Elphie smiled.
"Sleep at some point before I get there and let Devi take care of you. Please Elphie." Glinda said.
"I promise. I'll be fine Lyndie. I'm going to miss you, but I feel better just knowing that you will be with Fruoa." Elphie said.
"And I'm glad that I get to help." Glinda smiled then they just looked at one another.
"You need to go Elphie." She said at last.
"I know. My destiny awaits." Elphie replied with a slight smile.
"Several actually." Glinda chuckled softly.
"I'll get my robe on and walk you down."
"No my sweet. Just let me kiss you goodbye here, please." Elphie replied quietly.
"I need to get into formal mode on the way down." She added with a slight smile.
"Okay my love, that makes sense. But I would really like it if you left me wobbly. And since you are a politician now, you must make your constituency happy." Glinda said with a mischievous grin and giggle.
"You are Gilkineese, not Munchkin." Elphie smiled.
"I am Munchkin by going to be married to one. That counts." Glinda said with certainty.
"I see. I'm glad I was informed of that. It might have been my first faux pas as governor."
"I do what I can to help." Glinda giggled.
"Yes you do. And so shall I." Elphie said then brushed her lips against Glinda's.
Elphie kissed Glinda with everything she had. She caressed her check as she teased her with soft kisses before letting her tongue take over to seek entry and slowly explore. Glinda moaned softly as she reciprocated and they savored the kiss hungrily, knowing that it would need to last them for days.
"I love you my precious girl, with all of my heart. And I will be counting the minutes until you join me." Elphie whispered in Glinda's ear as they held one another when they parted.
"I love you too Elphie, deeply and completely." Glinda said then reluctantly pulled away. She was trying very hard to be strong for Elphie's sake.
"They are waiting for you, you need to go. Please send word when you get there."
"Of course my sweet." Elphie said then kissed Glinda again very thoroughly then they walked to the door.
"Goodnight my precious girl." Elphie said as she put on her cloak.
"Goodnight my precious love." Glinda said with tears in her eyes as she handed Elphie her umbrella and gloves.
Elphie wiped the tears from her love's eyes, kissed her softly one last time then forced herself to walk out of the door. She hated all of this, but leaving Glinda most of all. Knowing that she would be crying herself to sleep broke Elphie's heart. Against her will she turned at the stairway door and saw her precious Lyndie standing there in her nightgown with tears streaming down her face. When Glinda gave her a slight wave and tried to smile, Elphie nearly ran back to her to sweep her into her arms and tell her they'd work this out a different way. Instead, she blew her love a kiss then disappeared into the stairwell, wiping tears of frustration off of her cheeks.
Glinda saw Elphie turn towards her and mustered as much courage as she could in order to wave and smile at her love. When Elphie blew her a kiss, she could see tears forming in her love's black eyes and had to fight the urge to run to her. Instead, she shut the door and threw herself onto her bed, sobbing her heart out.