A/N: Shout outs to my anonymous reviewer and James Birdsong! Glad you liked it. As for where Elphaba would go, well she isn't going to get far.
Chapter 37
The announcement had been made that Morrible was dead, and the Wizard was under arrest for the attempted murder of Lady Glinda. Shock had rippled through the crowd. Lady Glinda was definitely a favorite person of Oz. However, announcing that proof would be released the following day proving that the Wicked Witch was not actually wicked, seem to set off a wave of confusion followed by people shouting and demanding to see proof of everything. It was hard enough to believe that the Wizard tried to kill the blonde but to say the most hated person in all Oz was another victim of the Wizard was hard for them to swallow.
Elphaba suggested that she use the cover of darkness to flee alone. Hopefully, that would not bring an angry mob to the Palace gates by the morning, which would be looking for her. Everyone shot that thought down. Outside the Palace walls, she'd be alone, especially since the Flying Monkeys had been sent away. While she might be the most powerful witch in all of Oz, alone against an angry mob of hundreds, she would not survive. Splitting off with a few others would just put more people in possible danger so that was not an option either.
No one got a wink of sleep that night and by the morning everyone was even more on edge. Evidence was released through official Ozian decree so that no spin could be put on it by Wizard-friendly newspapers. Hopefully, things would stay calm but everyone inside the Palace walls highly doubted it.
Elphaba's name had been left out of it. Not that there were any other green people in Oz, but they tried to protect her privacy as much as possible given her Munchkin and non-Ozian heritage. More information like that was definitely a quick way to start something terrible.
"How long do we have to walk around on eggshells before someone has a heart attack?" Glinda asked at breakfast in the mess tent. They'd picked a small table in the corner of the tent to have a somewhat more private conversation.
"Until one of the eggshells decides to try and storm the castle," Elphaba said.
"Are we so sure that's going to happen?" Boq wanted to know.
"I love your optimism, but I think the people of Oz are not going to read what Councilman Barat put out and go – "Yeah that makes sense. Boy that Wizard, glad they arrested him. Just gotta move on.", Fiyero shook his head.
"Well, there are others who wanted him gone right? We can't have been the only ones," Boq said.
"No, we are not the only ones but after years of the Wizard and Morrible spewing their lies, which more than a few people believed and liked, it's going to take a lot more than some decree to get them to change their minds. We have to keep in mind there will always be those that will not change their minds. We cannot force anyone to believe the truth otherwise we're no better than Morrible or the Wizard," Elphaba said, mostly just pushing her eggs around on her plate.
"Miss Elphaba?" It was Corporal Bly who approached the table.
"Hello Corporal. What can I do you for?" the green woman asked.
"Sergeant Zeki needs to see you at the Palace wall," the Corporal Bly said.
"That can't be good," Elphaba said.
"Honestly, I'm not sure what it is. His instructions were a little unclear," Bly admitted.
"What do you mean?" Fiyero piped up which caused Bly to turn to his Captain and salute.
"He said to get Miss Elphaba because there was something she needed to see down in town. I figured he wouldn't want you anywhere near the walls given what we're expecting," the Corporal said.
"I know what you mean. Still there must be something he's concerned about," Elphaba stood, as did Fiyero.
"You're not going alone. I don't like this," he said.
"Neither do I. It sounds like a setup and I'm guessing that Zeki isn't the one doing the setting up," she frowned.
"We're coming too," Glinda told them, helping Boq up from his seat. The Corporal wasn't sure this was a good idea, but he wasn't about to disagree with two of the most senior people in Oz at the moment. The group made their way out of the tent and got about halfway to the wall when a loud explosion occurred at the front gate, knocking them on their backsides. Luckily, they were not close enough to get hurt and the gate mostly held but it wouldn't last for long. Fiyero quickly stood and shouted,
"Sons and Daughters of the Vinkus form lines!" Lieutenant Dilek was already shuffling his troops before the Prince had shouted his orders. The Gale Force at the walls had started firing their rifles in the direction of whomever had gathered outside and launched the attack. They were taking return fire and it was only a matter of time before people managed to squeeze through the weakened gate.
"Lines formed!" Dilek shouted to Fiyero as the troops were lined up behind him.
"Anyone that come through that gate is to be put down! This is war!" The Prince shouted to which his troops responded,
"For the King and Queen!" They marched as close as they dared, forming tight ranks, rifles at the ready pointed out in front of them. The gate was groaning from the outside force and all members of the Gale Force who were near the gate and could evacuated, not wanting to be in the way of the Vinkuns.
"It's a good day to die," Dilek said to Fiyero. It was a traditional Vinkun saying before heading into battle.
"That it is," Fiyero smiled at him.
"Not if I can help it," Elphaba told him. She stood next to him, energy crackling from her fingertips. What they had feared had come home to roost.
To Be Continued…