Woot! Chapter 38 is here~

I appreciate all of you who have reviewed this story. It makes me feel special! :P

Anyways...enjoy! :D

-Essence

Chapter 38

Razaf had been watching Fiyero sleep on the cot when there was a harsh banging sound on the door. He turned his head to see a silhouette dance across the dim light the cell lantern provided. He straightened his back as a uniformed man came into his cell for the third time today.

He smiled as he recognized who it was instantly. "Well, look who it is. My little brother. Now what did I do for you to grace me with your presence in my cell?"

Commander Rayne rolled his blue-green eyes. "You have been summoned," he mumbled.

Razaf looked around and pointed at himself. "Me?"

Rayne rolled his eyes again and nodded. "Who else, you nitwit?"

Razaf shrugged, wondering what in Oz did they want to do with him. He had no choice but to let his brother shackle him and lead him out of the cell, leaving Fiyero alone.

***

Bolynda looked up when she heard a knock on the door. She had been silently fuming from the time the commander left to now. She scowled at Morrible when she chimed a cheery, "Come in!"

Razaf entered first, then Rayne behind him; holding him by the cuffs. Razaf looked surprised when he saw Bolynda sitting there, his bright green eyes opening wide.

"We meet again," Bolynda muttered under her breath.

Razaf just stared at her as he walked further into the room in front of Morrible. Rayne cast the blue girl a scornful glance as he stood by his brother, a hand kept firmly on his shackles.

"Who are you?" Razaf asked Morrible, his voice laced with condemnation.

"My name does not matter now," Morrible said, interlacing her fingers as she studied the man in front of her. "You may call me Madame if you'd like."

Bolynda watched as Razaf titled his head to the side, showing his confusion. "Why do you want me here?" he asked her.

Morrible smiled and turned to the commander next to him. "Commander, you may take your leave now."

"But—"

"Don't argue with me, commander. I am now your superior."

Rayne looked like he was about to explode, but he reluctantly whirled around and stalked out of the room, slamming the door after him.

Razaf watched this with a rather smug expression on his face. He then turned back to the woman in front of him. "Can you explain to me why I was dragged out of prison?" he asked her.

"Oh, don't tell me you'd rather stay there," Morrible told him, one of her arched eyebrows raised in disbelief.

"Of course not!" Razaf shook his head vigorously.

Morrible smiled and leaned back in the chair, all the while her gray eyes trained on Razaf's muscular form. She then glanced at Bolynda, who turned her head away from her.

"Razaf, this is Bolynda," Morrible introduced her.

The man didn't even bother to glance over his shoulder at the girl. "We've already met."

"Ah," Morrible nodded. "Do you know about—"

"Word gets around fast, Madame," Razaf said quietly. "The Emperor was thrown into my cell not too long ago before you summoned me here."

Bolynda looked up at Razaf, the mention of Fiyero sparking her interest. The man just coolly ignored her, his green eyes trained on Morrible.

"I'm surprised you didn't kill him right there and then," Morrible chuckled.

Razaf just stared at her. "I have learned to be patient, Madame." He then noticed the look the woman was giving him. It was a look he has seen many times before.

"I suppose you have heard about my…powers?" the sandy-haired man asked the older woman.

At Razaf's surprising words, Bolynda couldn't help but let out a gasp. Powers? she thought. He has powers? Like, magical powers?!

Morrible gave him a smile and leaned forward into the desk. "Yes, and they intrigue me so. Tell me, Bolynda, can you read his mind?"

Bolynda jumped when the woman spoke to her. She looked at her, her blue eyes narrowed.

"Tell me, Bolynda. Remember what I told you."

Razaf turned to Bolynda, his expression unreadable. He furrowed his brows and pursed his lips, his green eyes seemingly more electrifying than ever as his gaze bore straight through the girl like fire.

"N-no," choked Bolynda. "I can't."

Morrible's smile grew bigger. "That's excellent. It seems you cannot read minds of others with rare talent."

Bolynda suddenly thought of Elphaba and how she could barely read her mind without getting a headache. She had felt a certain aura of power when she had tried to penetrate into the green girl's mind, scaring her a little. Was there a possibility that Elphaba possessed some form of rare talent? She didn't mention this as Morrible spoke to Razaf again.

"Do you still loathe the Emperor, Razaf?" she asked him.

"Very much so," the man breathed. "He shouldn't be Emperor. It wasn't his right to ascend into a position he didn't deserve."

Morrible studied Razaf for any sign of lying, but she found none. Her grin widened as she realized this man could be more use to her than Bolynda ever could.

"Can you tell me why I'm here, Madame?" Razaf asked her again, his voice growing low with impatience.

"I would like you to help me with something, Razaf."

"And what would that be?"

Morrible's eyes glittered as she said, "Taking over Oz."

The sandy-haired man blinked, not believing what he was hearing.

"Razaf," the woman said slowly, getting up from the seat she was sitting on. "I understand you have strong feelings on this subject—"

"Why should I help you?" Razaf countered, crossing his muscular arms in front of his broad chest.

Morrible's smile wavered, clearly not expecting this question. She then leaned closer to Razaf until she could feel his breath on her face. "Because I could provide you with something you've been wanting for three long years now."

Razaf shifted uncomfortably at Morrible's sudden nearness. "And what would that be?"

"Your freedom."

Razaf's green eyes opened wide. He wasn't too sure what this strange woman wanted from him, but the mention of his freedom had sparked an interest in him. He looked back at Bolynda and frowned as he remembered what Fiyero had told him before he was taken out of his cell.

We had sex.

Razaf quickly looked back at Morrible, a certain feeling of jealousy churning in his gut. He then reached out his hand to the woman, smiling.

Bolynda felt her heart drop for what seemed like the millionth time as she saw Razaf holding out his hand for Morrible to shake. Please, Razaf, she thought pleadingly. Please don't do it…for the sake of the Named God please…

Morrible took the man's offered hand, shaking it vigorously.

"You have a deal."

***

Adagio let out a yawn, suddenly feeling very awake. He opened his eyes and looked around, noticing a black lump in the corner of his eye. He saw two pairs of feet poking out of the cloak, one pale and one green. He rolled his eyes, already knowing what went on while he was asleep.

So much for getting some rest, huh? he thought. He slowly got up, stretching his sore limbs one by one. He reached over and nibbled some of the grass that he had flattened with his body, scrunching his nose at the taste.

He glanced at the form of the couple underneath the cloak before looking up at the barely rising sun, his brown eyes blinking sleepily. He then noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Next to a smoldering fire there was a roasted hare on a stick.

"They didn't even make it to dinner last night," Adagio mumbled, very surprised. "They must be starved by now. I have to wake them up so they could have a quick breakfast and so we could get an early start."

Suddenly there was a movement underneath the cloak and Elphaba stretched out, stark naked. Adagio's eyes opened wide at the sight of an unclothed Elphaba, his mouth hanging open just a bit.

"Wha's goin' on…?"

Suddenly Elphaba screamed as she noticed Adagio staring at her. She clutched at the cloak, covering herself as Glinda was startled awake, her blue eyes opening wide in fear. She noticed the Horse standing there and she moved closer into her green love, trying to cover herself as much as possible using Frynda's black cloak.

Adagio gave a surprised neigh and turned his head, closing his eyes shut.

"I didn't see anything!" he told them loudly.

"Oh sure you didn't!" Elphaba retorted.

"Oh come off it, Elphie," Glinda told her, her voice still laced with weariness. "He's just a Horse."

"He's not just a Horse, Glinda!" Elphaba was seething. "He should have the decency to avert his eyes and not stare at us like we're some sort of painting to admire!"

"He said he didn't see anything," Glinda defended Adagio.

"Yes," Adagio quickly said, his eyes still closed tightly and ears flattened against his head. "I mean no. Wait, I didn't see anything! I swear!"

He heard Glinda chuckle and Elphaba give a silent curse.

"Gio, could you please leave us alone for a bit so we could get dressed and in Elphie's case, to recover?" Glinda asked him nicely.

"Of course!" he quickly nickered and trotted away, keeping his eyes closed until he was a safe distance away. When he opened them again, he found himself far enough away to graze in peace, his mind still reeling from the sight of a naked woman.

Wow, that is the weirdest thing I have seen to date, he thought to himself. No wonder they wear clothes. If I were a human, I wouldn't even take my clothes off. I'm sure glad I have fur!

He shivered as he plucked through the grass, unaware of a looming presence not far away from where he stood; gleaming eyes alight with hunger as it silently stalked its prey.

***

"Elphie, we're fine now. He's gone."

Elphaba was still mumbling incoherently as she pushed the cloak off herself after checking that Adagio was indeed a safe distance away from them.

"He shouldn't have seen us like that," she said to Glinda as the blonde collected their clothes from the ground.

"It's not his fault he woke up first," her girlfriend told her reasonably. "And it's our fault we fell asleep the way we did."

Elphaba shook her head. "Fine, I'll let this time slide by. But next time will be just asking for it."

"Oh, my overprotective love," Glinda sighed as she handed Elphaba her clothes. "Get dressed quickly. I have no doubt we scared the hell out of him."

"He should be scared," Elphaba growled, taking the clothes from her. "Scared of me and what I'll do to him when—"

Glinda hurriedly put a finger to her lips, shushing her. "Repeat after me: It is not Adagio's fault."

"Glinda—"

"Do it."

"Argh. Fine. It is not his fault."

"It is not whose fault?"

"It is not Adagio's fault! Okay?! Happy now?!"

Glinda shook her head. "Nope. Not until I get a proper good morning kiss."

Elphaba obliged her, holding back a bit so they wouldn't end up on the floor again but just enough so her lover grew weak in the knees.

"Mm, that was some good morning kiss," Glinda giggled, her fingertips brushing Elphaba's bare shoulder as she licked her still-tingling lips. "I might ask you to do it again."

"Ask? Why not, as you so aptly put it last night, beg?"

Glinda couldn't help but giggle. "Touché, my love. Touché."

They got dressed quickly. Glinda noticed the forgotten, uneaten hare on the ground and her stomach rumbled noisily. She glanced at Elphaba forlornly. The green woman shrugged.

"Your loss."

"We'll get something on the way," Glinda told her simply. "You too, Elphie. You don't run on just air, my love."

"True," Elphaba said, glancing at her now clothed stomach. "For once, I'm hungry. And not just for you, my sweet."

"Oh, Elphie. That's cute, but I'm not breakfast."

"Oh really?" Elphaba whispered, suddenly grabbing her arm and nibbling on it. "Mm, tasty."

Glinda giggled. "Well, last night you were my dinner—"

"So I guess it's only fair that you're my breakfast," Elphaba growled huskily, breathing on Glinda's neck as she pulled her close.

"Okay, okay," Glinda laughed, pulling away from her love. "It still seems someone's still a little worked up from last night. Let's go get Adagio before he thinks we forgot about him."

"Do we have to get the Horse?" Elphaba whined.

"Yes, my love," Glinda chuckled and grabbed her hand. "Don't forget Frynda's cloak and your satchel."

Elphaba bent down to grab the black cloak and used her free hand to put it on herself. Soon she also had her satchel safely secure on her shoulder. She then gave Glinda's hand a gentle squeeze. "Let's go."

Glinda opened her mouth to reply when a sudden racket erupted from somewhere behind them. They whirled around to see a black shape make its way towards them, trampling the grass around it.

They realized it was Adagio as he galloped towards them at high speed. His eyes were opened wide and his nostrils flared as he arrived next to the two girls, his breathing hard and labored.

"What is it, Adagio?" Elphaba asked him quickly, her voice etched with worry.

"W-w-w-w—"

"Gio, calm down!" Glinda told the Horse firmly. "What is it?!"

"WOLVES!"

***

Frynda woke up to the sound of a howl. She opened her eyes and came face-to-face with a green nose. She let out a gasp and rolled away, covering her eyes with her hands.

"Sorry," Mantu muttered, backing away a little.

"No, no, it's nothing," Frynda muttered, getting into a kneeling position. She rubbed her eyes with the backs of her hands and gave Mantu a small smile. "You just scared me, that's all."

Mantu just gave her a curt nod.

"What's all that noise?" Frynda asked him as more howls erupted from somewhere far away.

"Wolves," the elf responded, his voice small. "They sometimes come into the forest, but I've never seen one before. My brothers had told me they are the most bloodthirsty of all the animals in Zo, even more bloodthirsty than Olak."

Frynda gulped and got up, the elf following suit. "We must get a move on, then."

"Yes, we must," Mantu whispered. "Frynda…?"

"What, Mantu?" the red girl asked as she hurriedly brushed out the dried grass from her hair and ripped clothes. She grumbled as she realized she must look like a disaster. She had never wished for a nice, hot bath more than now.

"Are we friends now?"

Frynda blinked and stopped what she was doing. She turned around and faced the elf, a brow raised. "Mantu…?"

"Are we, Frynda? This is important to me."

"Um…sure...I guess…"

Mantu closed his eyes, a sigh of relief escaping his lips. "Thank you. You don't know how much that means to me."

"You're right. I don't," Frynda muttered. "As a matter of fact, I don't know much about you at all. Let's just go. These wolves are getting annoying."

Mantu nodded and watched Frynda disappear into the grass. A small smile appeared on his face as he followed her, never having felt so peaceful, so…happy in his short life.

And all because of this red girl he now called his friend.

***

"Mm, this ice cream is good."

"Isn't it? I learned the recipe from my mother. She was the greatest ice cream maker in all of Zo. We used to have ice cream talks like this back when I lived with her, back before she…"

Zafryna placed a hand on Inett's shoulder, squeezing it gently. "I'm sorry, Inett. We don't have to talk if you don't want to."

"No," the brunette said, squaring her shoulders. "I want to talk. Now, tell me what's on your mind, Zaf."

"Why my mother lied to me all these years," Zafryna admitted, playing with the spoon in her hand.

"She probably had a good reason," Inett told her, leaning against the stove.

Zafryna sighed and closed her eyes. "I just can't help but feel betrayed, as if I was just a pawn in a big game of chess."

"You said you have other siblings?" Inett asked her. "How many?"

"Three others. One was the green girl you saw earlier, another girl and some sixteen-year-old boy."

"That's six children all together. Why so many?" Inett breathed, suddenly feeling very glad she was an only child.

Zafryna shrugged as she placed a spoon of vanilla ice cream in her mouth. "Who knows?" she asked after she swallowed. "It's not like she was lonely or anything."

"Oh, I bet she had plenty of company," Inett giggled. Zafryna couldn't help but giggle along with the younger brunette.

"Inett," Zafryna suddenly asked, playing with her spoon again.

"Yes, Zaf?"

"Have you ever been in love?"

***

The last thing Melena remembered was that she was on a horse. Now, she wasn't.

At least she didn't think she was. Her eyes opened into slits, her eyesight hazy and unclear. She felt strangely lightheaded and she groaned as she felt a dull ache in her abdomen.

"Shh, hun, you don't want to agitate that more than you already have."

It was a woman's voice laced thickly with an accent Melena could only recognize as pure Munchkin. She forced herself to close her eyes, her world going black again. She didn't let herself lose consciousness, however. Her ears were still keen as she heard rustling from somewhere to her right.

She heard a tsk-tsking and a flapping noise. She then felt something cold press against her stomach again and she let out a pained groan.

"Now if that bleedin' ain't gonna stop soon I'm gonna have to call for the apothecary."

Melena then felt a slight pressure on her wound and it took her her all to keep from crying out in pain.

"Oh dear, it seems this ain't gonna clear up soon. Are you awake, hun?"

Melena, her eyes still closed shut, gave whoever it was a small nod.

"Well you just listen to me, sweetie. Listen, everything's gonna be alright, m'kay?"

"Am I going to die?" Melena whispered, her voice feeble.

"I certainly hope not, hun. I will pray to the Unnamed God for you."

Melena shook her head, still not opening her eyes. "No, don't do that."

"What are you sayin'—"

"Is it bad?" Melena interrupted her, feeling the woman's hands on her stomach, applying gentle pressure to her still bleeding wound.

"You've been shot. I suggest that you stay here for a while before goin' on the road again."

"Where's my horse?"

"Are you listenin' to me?!"

Melena forced herself to open her eyelids, staring straight into a pair of green eyes. The girl standing in front of her was no more than fifteen years old, her ginger hair tied back into a ponytail and brown freckles standing out against her pale skin.

"Now you jus' listen to me, missy," the girl hissed at her, waggling a finger in her face. "I reckon you ain't goin' to make this any easier for me so let me set the record straight. You are goin' to stay here whether you like it or not. You hearin' me, miss?"

"You don't know who I am," Melena snarled at her, her hands gripping the white sheets underneath her. She was lying on a small bed she was clearly too big for.

"No but I would like to get to know you if you jus' give me the chance," the girl said, placing her hands on her hips. She was wearing a light blue blouse, denim jeans and a plaid apron.

"But I am a complete stranger," Melena argued.

The girl gave her a toothy grin. "Not anymore. I met you, you met me. Now we know each other. It's as simple as that."

"I have to go," Melena told her, making a move to get up from the bed. The girl hurriedly grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"Let me go!" the pale woman growled and pulled free from the younger girl's grasp. She then gave a gasp as sharp stabs of pain made their way through her body.

"Fine," the girl said, backing away from the infuriated woman. "Suit yourself. You can bleed to death. See if I care."

Melena pulled out a bloodied rag that had been placed on her wound and tossed it aside. She slid out of the bed, stumbling a bit before catching herself on the bedpost.

"Need help?"

"Shut up." Melena made her way towards the door, her vision swimming from the blood loss. She then let out a loud curse as she stubbed her toe against a heavy trunk on the floor, her head starting to pound from her overall weariness.

"Uh, miss…?"

"What the hell do you want now?" Melena hissed, whirling around to face the girl.

"Your skin's fallin' off."

Melena froze and followed the girl's finger to the ground where she could see thin, paper-like fragments scattered all over the wood floor. She felt her knees buckle as she turned her head to look at the mirror next to her.

Her face was hideous, cracks lining her every facial feature as if she was some statue disintegrating right before her eyes. Olive skin clashed with pale as her skin slowly peeled away, exposing her aged, natural skin underneath the pale she had kept it under for almost fifteen years now. She felt her vision swim and before she knew it she fainted, her head connecting with the floor with a deafening 'thump'.