Okay, here's the dealio… I worked on editing the story around May of 2005 for English, and now I am FINALLY putting it up! INCLUDING CHAPTER 3! (Yay, Lotte! (That is what I wish to go by now. Please.) But anyway, I think it's a lot better now. Hopefully those of you who read it will like it better too! More notes Ch. 3.
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Wicked or any related thingys. Dammit. That sux.
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Chapter 2: The Frightening Lullaby
Liir herded the shuddering figure of Dorothy to the tower door. He had to get her out of there so she could calm down. Otherwise she would be more upset than she already was.
The pair walked down the staircase in a slow, solemn fashion, as if they were walking to a funeral march that could only be heard by them.
Eventually, Dorothy's sobs calmed into a soft snuffling and her tear-stained face slowly lifted from the safety of Liir's shirt to the frightening world around her. When they came upon the Lion, shaking in a corner, she bounded to him and clutched his neck. Liir felt a feeling of emptiness at the spot where she had been clinging to him.
"Oh, I'm so glad you're safe!" Dorothy whimpered to the Lion. "I hope you're not hurt!"
The attention Dorothy showered upon the Lion made the green anger of jealousy surge through Liir's veins. His skin tingled with the need for her attention. True, he was just an Animal, but Liir had just rescued her. Shouldn't he be the one she showed affection to? Shouldn't he be the one she should be glad was all right? He had to stop this.
"Dorothy, come on," urged Liir. "Nanny will fix you something to eat, and we'll find you a bed so you can rest. You need it."
She turned her head toward him, still stroking the Lion's mane. "Could the Lion come wi- Liir! You're… you're… green!" She shrank back against the wall, eyes wide as if she had just seen a ghost.
Liir quickly dropped his gaze to his hands. They were a rich shade of emerald with a pattern of darker, forest green diamonds. His shock made him completely forget about his jealousy of the Lion. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. I must be delirious, he thought. When he opened his eyes again, the green was gone, replaced with his usual light shade of tan.
Liir breathed a deep sigh of relief. "You're just tired, Dorothy. Come on, it's getting late. You need to rest." He offered her his hand, but she looked at it as though it were a snake. Was I… dreaming? I shouldn't be so silly! Liir wasn't green. He's right. I just need some rest. She put her delicate hand into his and grasped it tightly, giving him a sweet smile.
"P-please." The Lion had yet to have spoken, and the sudden sound made Liir and Dorothy jump. "P-please, may I h-have some d-dinner, too?" the Lion stuttered.
Liir was tempted to say no, but Dorothy looked up at him with such a pleading look that he gave in almost instantly.
He sighed. "Of course. You are a guest to this house." He tugged Dorothy along behind him while the Lion followed a few steps behind.
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Liir, Dorothy, and the Lion filed into the old woman's room where she sat, rocking in her chair and staring at the wall. When she saw them enter, she stood from her chair. "Liir!" she croaked, seeing his bruised shoulder and Dorothy's blotchy red face. "What happened?" She paused, examining the group. "Where is Elphaba?"
Tears returned to Dorothy and her breathing came in short gasps again. She clutched Liir's shirt, burying her face once again. Liir held her and turned his head to Nanny. "Could we just get her something to eat and a place to sleep? I'll explain later."
Nanny cracked into top speed, despite the fact that even then she moved at a snail's pace. She shoved Liir away from Dorothy and hugged her. "There there, sweetie. It's okay. Nanny will take care of you. It's okay." She turned to Liir and her voice switched from a soothing maternal tone to the sharp voice of a bitter old woman. "Help us get to the kitchen, boy. My body isn't what it used to be." So once again, Liir was the head of a rather strange parade to yet another part of the house.
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Dorothy was huddled underneath a blanket in an old armchair that had belonged to Sarima, the woman that Dorothy was told had once lived in the house. Her knees were hugged close to her body. She was clutching a small cup of tea between her hands and sipped it occasionally. The Lion lay curled up at the foot of the chair, basking in the warmth of the nearby fireplace.
"I didn't mean to do it, " whispered Dorothy.
"I know you didn't but that witch deserved what she got!" growled the Lion. "Why, if I had been there, I'da shown here who's boss." He flipped the tip of his tail and growled.
Dorothy smiled weakly. "I know you would," she whispered, even though she was fully aware of his gentle, cowardly nature. She sipped a little tea and her grin faded. "But I feel so bad. I didn't mean to kill her. I only tried to help."
The Lion stood and nuzzled Dorothy's hand. "You need some sleep. Maybe you'll feel better in the morning."
Dorothy nodded. "You're probably right. Good night." She gingerly stepped onto the rug and walked slowly to the bed as one of Nanny's old nightgowns softly swished around her ankles. She folded back the thick red wool blanket and cotton sheet before she crawled in and pulled the blankets back up around her shoulders. She snuggled her head into the pillow and closed her heavy eye-lids. Her lullaby was a purring Lion, the occasional crack of the fire, and the echoing screams of a dying witch.
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"Liir, stop trying to hide things from Nanny. She wants to know. What happened up in that tower?"
Liir held a ball of yarn and sat at the foot of the bed as Nanny continued working on the creation of a casket cover and badgering Liir for information.
"I don't think that you understand what you want, Nanny," replied Liir.
"But I do!" Nanny whined. "I wanna know what happened!" She accented each word with a stomp of her foot.
Liir sighed. Similar exchanges of words had been passed for the last hour. There would be no victory over this stubborn old woman. He caved in. "Alright. You win." He set the yarn down on the bed next to him. "Nanny… umm… Auntie Witch is… dead."
"W-what?" Nanny's eyes widened in shock as she stopped her work. "Dead?"
Liir nodded slowly.
"But… but… how?"
"Dorothy says that Auntie's dress had caught on fire, so Dorothy tried to help but throwing a bucket of water on her to put out the flames. When the water hit her, she… melted. It was an accident."
Nanny lifted her trembling fingers to cover her mouth. "Oh, Elphie," she whispered. "You were always so scared of the water." She rocked slowly in her chair. The room was silent for a minute or two.
The silence was broken when Liir heard a shout. "No! No! Please!" He recognized it as Dorothy's voice. He leaped up and ran to her room, throwing the door open. The Lion was fast asleep on the floor. The stupid Lion can't even help her handle a nightmare, he thought. He tiptoed to her bedside. She was squirming and crying.
He gently shook her shoulder. "Dorothy. Dorothy, wake up," he told her. Her eyes slowly fluttered open.
"Liir," she whispered. "I was so scared." She started bawling. He sat next to her on the bed and held her.
"What? What happened, Dorothy?"
She gasped for air in between her attempts to speak. "There were – bright red – shoes and – then there were – flames – flames everywhere – but I was drowning – the water – burned my skin – and – and…" She couldn't go on. Her crying was making her hold body shake violently.
Liir shushed her with gentle concern. "It's okay. It was just a dream. Go back to sleep."
"I can't… I don't want to be here alone…"
"But you won't be alone." He glared disapprovingly at the Lion, still sound asleep despite the noise. "You'll have him."
She followed his gaze. "As much of a dear, sweet friend he is to me, he isn't much help."
"Then I'll stay with you." Liir gently grasped her soft hand in his.
She smiled. "Thank you." With that, she nestled her head onto the pillow and closed her eyelids, her eyelashes creating shadowy butterflies on her cheek. Liir watched her breathing into the peaceful, steady tempo of sleep. Bending over her slowly, he kissed her softly on her ivory forehead. So soft, he thought. He longed to kiss her again, but dared not for fear that she would awake from her sleep.
He removed his hand from hers and rested her arm across her stomach. Before he closed the door, he turned again to look at her. She looks like an angel. As he shut the door slowly, he whispered, "Sleep well, my precious."