Prologue
Fae began looking over her dresses, pondering which last one she might take to Shiz. After carefully considering the material, color, and length she decided on the green one that she had had made for the Emerald City parade just last month.
There was a knock at her door. She gave her a hair a look in the mirror, as was in her typical style, before telling them in a cheery voice, "Come in!"
In glided her mother, Glinda. To Fae, her mother had always been the epitome of what she wanted to be. Talented, beautiful, and successful, her mother, as the ruler of Oz, had it all. Someday, she would inherit the throne. It was a thought that sent thrills and chills up and down her spine, but in a good way.
"Oh Fae! Why look at you! You're beautiful!" her mother said with a squeal. "It only seems like yesterday that I graced the halls of Shiz . . . " she sighed, and Fae could tell that she must act quickly if she didn't want to spend an hour listening to her mother reminisces.
"I am so thrilled to be attending, Momsie dearest! Do you think that they will have parties like you talked about at the Ozdust?"
"Oh, I'm sure things haven't changed much. But dear, that's not what I came to tell you. I have wonderful news! Galinda is going to Shiz with you!"
Fae could have died. Not that she didn't love Galinda. Really, she did. She was her bestest friend in the whole wide world. Just she was a little . . . diffrentafied.
Galinda (or Ali, as she was known to most) carefully folded each article of clothing she was taking to Shiz. There was so much to pack, and so little time before the carriage arrived to pick her up! She packed quickly, ready to leave the castle and have a new life. She was also ready to get out from under the VERY watchful eye of Elphaba Thropp, also known as the Wicked Witch of the West, also known as mother to Ali.
Her mother was on the other side of the room, pacing up and down. Her green skin hadn't really aged that much. In Galinda's eyes, she was beautiful, no matter how she looked. Elphaba hadn't wanted her daughter to go. She thought that it held too many dangers, especially if someone found out her past. But Fiyero had convinced her that their daughter needed to be let out of the castle and experience the world. After all, they had. And she didn't look any different than the rest of her classmates. So, on an appearance basis, she would be fine.
"Ali, are you sure that you want to do this? I know I always told you to go out and defy gravity, but, well…." Elphaba said, unable to hide how worried she was about her daughter leaving the safety of the castle she had known for eighteen years of her life.
"Here we go," Ali thought. "Mother, I'll be fine. I can handle myself out in public; I just don't have much of a chance to here. I promise, I'll be fine, Mother," Ali said exasperatedly. She was absolutely sick of being asked if she really wanted to go to college! But why would she even try asking if she didn't want to?
"But Ali, there is so much you don't know about! You haven't experienced life yet, not really anyway. You've been stuck in the castle! I wish you could have been out in the world, free, but you know Oz wouldn't accept me. And Oz knows your father wouldn't let you and he go out on your own without me, even if it were better…"
At that moment, Fiyero came into the room, and tried to quiet Elphie down. "Shhhh. You know it was better for all of us to stay together as a family. Ali will do just fine at Shiz. Fabala, she is smart, in both senses of the word. Look at us. Shiz did wonders of good for us, didn't it?" he asked in a teasing grin.
"I know," said Elphaba with a sigh. "It's just… I don't want her to leave."
"Neither of us do, but we're letting her go, aren't we?"
"I'm still in the room, you know! And did I just hear a knock at the front gate?" asked Ali, ready to leave.
A second knock was echoed all around the castle's interior. It was a carriage, which Ali had called to come. The instructions to get there were a bit strange, but it seemed they arrived just fine. A commotion occurred, with Ali trying to finish getting all of her things, and her parents trying to help her, but instead hindering her. Finally, they got down to the front gate. Elphaba and Fiyero stayed out of sight until Ali was all ready in the carriage. She had said goodbye before they brought her things down. It was tearful, but everyone knew it was for the best. As the carriage left Kiamo Ko, Elphaba and Fiyero waved to it, their arms around each other, and Ali waved back.