Glinda confidently strode into the office, clutching her wrapped present for Hirvtae; a small basket of lotions and perfumes. She could hear the sound of record holiday music being played and the rowdy conversations from all the way down the hall. She adjusted the sleeves of her dress, pulling them down over her elbows. After an hour of looking through her closet, she decided on a long, lavender cocktail dress. The velvet material hugged her figure, keeping her warm while showing off her curves. Her hair was pulled up in a neat twist, the most effort she put into doing her hair in a while.
She didn't know why she was so nervous. She loved parties. At Shiz, she was the Queen of Parties. The title was unofficial and self-appointed, but no one argued it. If she wasn't hosting, she was always the special guest of honor. There was never a gathering on the university campus that she didn't know about.
"Hi, Glinda," Chyde smiled as soon as she entered. "You can put your present under the tree."
"Thanks, Chyde." The blonde looked around and examined the office. The whole room was covered with garland, wreaths, and multicolored lights. A large tree, covered in ornaments, was set up in the corner, providing shelter to the plethora of presents underneath. Glinda added her gift to the pile and went to grab a drink.
Looking around at all the couples, she wondered if she should have asked someone to come with her. But there were only three people she could have asked; Fiyero, Rakelle, or Elphaba. Asking the ex-prince would have been awkward, since they were no longer an official couple, but she supposed they could have come as friends. Rakelle had gone home early to her family in the Quadling Country, and if Elphaba was there, it just would have been awkward for everyone. She supposed she could party solo this time.
She swirled her drink around her glass before taking a delicate sip. She wrinkled her nose as the alcohol-laced liquid slid down her throat. It was much too strong. She placed the glass down, for finishing it would have her knocked out on the floor. She watched couples hog the dance floor and the single attendees hog the open bar. She couldn't find a place where she fit in, not a feeling she was used to.
"Alright, everyone! Gather 'round for the gift exchange!" Chyde shouted, turning the music down. Everyone was talking so loudly that he had to shout again to get their attention.
Glinda loved her gift from Mynifred, a box of assorted chocolates and nuts, and Hirvtae liked her gift. She stayed for another hour, dancing and drinking with her co-workers, before making her goodbye rounds. She usually wasn't one of the first to leave a party, but she was feeling tired and knew she would have a long day tomorrow.
Once she got home, she moved her radio from the living room to her bedroom and fell asleep to the soothing music. When she woke up, she felt refreshed, yet exhausted at the same time. She laid in bed, listening to the morning news that had replaced her peaceful music.
"Good morning! It is seven-eighteen on this cold, yet sunny day, Tuesday December twenty-first, also known as the Winter Solstice. It is scheduled to be the shortest daylight day of the year. The sun is scheduled to rise at seven forty-six this morning, and set at four twenty-three this afternoon. It's a cold, cloudy morning, with a low of forty-two degrees, and a high of fifty-one, so bundle up for your commute to work. In other news, the Emerald City Chamber of Commerce has introduced a potential new tax that could increase the cost of everyday items, from tea to toilet paper. What does that mean for you? Details at eight."
Her telephone ringing interrupted the rest of the news reports, and Glinda slowly shuffled out of bed to her living room. Who'd be calling her this early? "Hello?"
"Good morning. I hope I'm not waking you."
She yawned. "Your Ozness. Well, this is a much nicer alternative than banging on my door at three in the morning."
"Is now a good time to talk?"
"That depends. You must not mind that someone might be listening in. Though, it must be important if it couldn't wait until nine." She had found out where she lived, so she wasn't surprised she also had her phone number. She learned to just not ask questions.
"Telling you when you get here would be too late."
It was too early to be dealing with the queen's cryptic answers. "Your Ozness –"
"Elphaba."
"Elphaba," she corrected. "Please just tell me what's going on."
"I was wondering – hoping – if you would – could – possibly… spend the night tonight."
Glinda rubbed her eyes. "You're inviting me to a sleepover at the palace?"
"Yes. I suppose that is a more direct way of saying it. I figured that I owe you from a few days ago. And… I don't want to be alone tonight."
Glinda understood. It wasn't just the limited daylight hours they had to worry about. "I'd be honored to."
"Please don't be honored. I'm inviting you as a friend."
Of course, she was going to need to get used to that. "I'd be happy to, then."
"Better. I'll see you later. Thank you, Glinda."
"Of course."
Elphaba hummed and hung up. It was only after Glinda hung up the phone that she realized she had inadvertently just volunteered herself to also be in the line of fire of whatever was potentially going to happen. But how could she pass up an opportunity to make it to the third floor of the palace? She took a longer-than-normal shower, feeling the need to give her hair an extra scrub. She went back to her room and tried to shove her feet into her stockings, but the news report distracted her.
"This is breaking news from the capital. We've just received word that a secret base of an underground organization has been discovered and searched. Current information tells us that this organization, called 'The Resistance' had plans to overthrow the current government, namely Her Supreme Ozness, the Queen. It's made up of mostly Animals, though a few humans are also involved. There were seven deaths, all Animals, and numerous injuries, mostly Animals. It has been proven that this group has been responsible for many acts of terror throughout the city and across Oz. The leader, a Goat named Dr. Youminns Dillamond, has been arrested and detained in the Southstairs for questioning. More details to come this afternoon."
Glinda blanched at the name. Dr. Dillamond, her old professor. He had been in the city the whole time? She had no idea. Then again, judging by everything, she probably wasn't supposed to. She never pictured him as the activist-type. Sure, he spoke out against the Animal Banns, but that was only during class, when prompted with questions or off-handed comments and ignorant statements made by uninformed students.
She looked at the clock and realized she wouldn't be able to grab breakfast if she didn't hurry. She won the battle against her stockings and finished getting dressed, bundling up before stepping out into the crisp air.
"Well, I'm pleased to see that everyone made it back here in one piece after last night," Chyde greeted to start the workday. "Though I'm happy to report that no panties were pinned to the bulletin board, I must confess that I was disappointed to find a red bra tied to the radiator. But that's none of my business. I just want to say that every day, we stray further away from the Unnamed God's grace, and I want that bra gone by the end of the day. I don't need to know whose it is, I don't want to know whose it is. Just get it out of here."
A few girls giggled at their blushing boss as he retreated to his office. Glinda rolled her eyes, chuckling under her breath as she opened her file box and got to work.
Upstairs, Elphaba was a bundle of nerves. She had just dismissed her maid (though 'banished' was a more accurate word). The supposed coup was scheduled to happen the following day, so she had to be on her toes.
She hated that she wasn't able to get out of her meeting with the Grand Duke of Quox. She had tried to reschedule, but mail between the two countries was notoriously slower than a tortoise, and Quox hasn't grasped the technology of the telephone yet. She also hated that she was advised to wear the traditional colors of Quox, gold and brown, to make her guest feel more comfortable. She had nothing against brown, since it didn't clash with her skin, but this particular shade looked like bad breath. Her Quoxlish was a bit rusty, so she hoped the dress would be a sign that she, at least, tried to try.
Today, the meeting would just be her, the Grand Duke, and his interpreter. Surely, she would be alright with two foreigners, one of whom didn't even speak Ozian.
"Rolli, Zresr. Isot mae ja'heia m'al heahit Oz," she practiced in her mirror. Hello, Your Grace. I'm honored to welcome you to Oz.
The clock chimed and she hurried down from the third floor to the foyer. Just as she was coming down, she heard the carriage approaching. She took a deep breath and waited for him to be announced.
"The Grand High Duke of Quox."
The doors opened and two men strode in, almost as if they owned the place. Both were clearly older than her, but moved with grace younger than their years. Elphaba was taken aback, then remembered that Quoxians were very proud people. She made sure to keep her face straight, for smiling was seen as an insult, saying that you didn't take anything seriously.
The two men stopped in front of her and clicked their heels twice. She had no idea which one was the Grand Duke, since both men were wearing the same garb, brown robes, and matching headscarves. Upon further scrutiny, she noticed that one had a golden strand on his robes, and hoping she wouldn't be mistaken in thinking that he was the royal.
Elphaba nodded in respectful acknowledgment. "Rolli, Zresr. Isot mae ja'heia m'al heahit Oz," she recited.
"Thank you, Ozness," the one without the gold, the interpreter, nodded. "We honored to come here. Gift from Highest Majesty." He handed her a small box.
She opened it to reveal a beautiful pearl necklace.
"Made from pearl of deepest ocean. Oz surrounded by desert. No ocean."
"Thank you," Elphaba nodded, closing the box, glad she could drop her horrible Quoxlish. "Shall we get started?"
The interpreter translated in a low monotone, and the Grand Duke nodded, muttering something back. Elphaba didn't miss the way he scowled at her, then subtly rubbed the back of his hand.
"Grand Duke would like to know if green skin contagious."
Elphaba was taken aback. She blinked, wondering if it was a serious question. "No," she said warily, letting the word slip out slowly. "I'd have a palace full of green people if that were the case." Perhaps she should ask if his blunt ignorance was contagious.
The interpreter shook his head at the Grand Duke, who nodded. "We may proceed."
The Grand Duke had some nerve to come to her country, into her home, and insult her. Would it even have mattered if it was contagious? The Quoxians needed Oz's financial help, so their representative shouldn't be so careless in dealing with her. Nevertheless, she motioned for them to follow her up to the office.
The two Quoxians continued to mutter amongst themselves, and Elphaba felt like a foreigner in her own home, unable to understand what they were saying. The Grand Duke said something in a gruff tone just as Elphaba turned to open her office door.
"Are you really ruler, or you have husband?" the interpreter asked.
She stared blankly. Did… was that question just… there's no way he…
"Ozness?"
"Repeat that, please."
"Do you have husband to rule?"
"I just needed to make sure that sentence traveled from your lips to my ears." She took a breath, forcing herself to maintain her composure. "Even if I had a husband, I would still be queen," she explained tightly, leveling a look with the Grand Duke. She opened the door and motioned for the men to enter. "Regardless of gender, the one of royal birth rules."
The translator blushed before translating and ducking back. The Grand Duke narrowed his eyes at the queen, who subsequently raised her eyebrow. He made a face before going inside, followed by the interpreter inside, sneering something in his normal voice.
"I don't know what he just said, but I'm pretty sure it was an insult," Elphaba muttered to herself, regretting every decision that brought her to this moment.
The meeting took longer than she expected, and she knew it would be longer than normal because of the constant translating. Sometimes, she wished she had her own translator to translate what the translator was saying. She offered many trade deals, each one turned down by the Grand Duke, and some even by the interpreter. Elphaba scrunched up her nose as the interpreter translated yet another counter deal and groaned. She hoped he wouldn't have to translate what her facial expression meant. Three hours later, an arrangement was finally arranged and Elphaba didn't even bother trying to conceal her sigh of relief.
"Wonderful," she said as she stood, surprising both men. "I will write up the draft right now and you can take it with you, because Oz knows you might never get it, the way the out-of-Oz postal system is set up."
The Grand Duke tried to protest, but Elphaba held up her hand. She was sick of this man interrupting her every five seconds with his own counter-arguments, which were often the worst trade deals she had ever heard in her entire life. The interpreter placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered. The Duke's face brightened slightly and he also stood, as did the interpreter. They clicked their heels twice before leaving, following the guard stationed outside the door.
Elphaba rested her forehead against her desk, not even bothering to take her glasses off. She didn't even look up at the knock, already knowing who it was. "Avaric…"
"How was the meeting?" the private secretary asked, staying in the doorway.
"It was a literal bloodbath. I got a papercut." She held up her pointer finger, wrapped in a small, beige bandage.
"Quoxians aren't known for being violent people."
"Just because they're not known for it doesn't mean they aren't. They prefer verbal wounds to physical ones, though. I was insulted at least five times in the span of twenty minutes. And he had the nerve to ask if I had a husband and if my skin color was contagious. I'm sure I'd have a palace full of green-skinned people if that were true. And does he not know what the 'Supreme' in 'Supreme Ozness' means?" she ranted. "And I'm pretty sure he called me a 'Virgin Queen', which is uncalled for and none of his business."
"Quoxian customs are very different from ours. This was the Duke's first time in Oz."
"And I hope it's his last. I hope I never have to deal with a ruler like him again."
Avaric chuckled sympathetically. "I've come to ask if I may leave early today. My son fell ill and is asking for me."
Elphaba frowned. "I'm so sorry, Avaric. Of course. I'll be fine by myself for the rest of the day."
"Thank you, ma'am. But before I go, I want to give you the first draft of your Lurlinemas radio message. Feel free to make any changes and have it dropped back at my office." Avaric handed her the paper, bowed, and left, just as a servant appeared with her afternoon snack.
She lazily nibbled on the fruit platter and went through a few more official documents. She got to the speech last, grabbing her red pen before she finished reading the first sentence. Someone should have proofread this before sending it up to her.
Even though she was extremely busy, she still noticed the sky darkening as the sun took an early set. She checked the clock; it was only four twenty. They really weren't joking when they said it would be a short day.
She forced herself to finish out the workday, even though it was pitch black outside. As soon as six-o'clock hit, she bolted from her office to her bedroom. She quickly changed out of her 'bad breath brown' dress and into a more comfortable, simpler royal purple. She had just taken her hair down from its elegant updo when a knock came at the door. "Come."
"Your Ozness, Miss Upland is here," her maid said, peeking her head into the room.
Elphaba assumed she didn't want to come in due to how she had yelled at her that morning. "Thank you. She may come in."
The maid curtsied, and soon, Glinda appeared in the doorway, a small, pink, overnight bag over her shoulder.
"Glinda," Elphaba smiled.
"Elphaba," Glinda curtsied.
"I had one of the guest room beds brought in here," she said, gesturing to the bed next to hers. "The guest rooms can get a bit drafty."
Yes, of course. That's the reason, Glinda thought.
The queen gestured for her to come in. "Did you have a nice day downstairs?"
"I suppose. Busier than usual. I heard about the raid this morning, and I was typing reports all afternoon. I'm surprised you still wanted me here after that."
"By the time the raid concluded, it would have been too late to retract my invitation. Not to mention, it would have been rude."
"It overshadowed the news of tomorrow's solar eclipse. As soon as the sun is fully visible, it will be totally blocked by the moon for ten minutes."
She paused "Out of curiosity, what did that poem say?" She didn't know if the blonde had committed it to memory, but she was still curious.
Well, that's one way to change the subject. "The longest night shall bleed into a day of black sun, and the river shall run dry, and air turn into fire. United souls shall come forward, and tear the ground to restore the empire," she recited.
Elphaba straightened and smoothed out the wrinkles in her skirt. "Well, we don't have to worry about that anymore, since their hideout was raided and the group disbanded. And now, we no longer have to talk about work."
She didn't get to mention that it wasn't the original poem, but left it alone. There was no use wasting energy worrying over it. She was there as a friend, and she was going to act like a friend, not an unofficial advisor.