Hero's Welcome

I will find my hero's welcome waiting, in your arms.

It was a beautiful summer day by the lake. Just like any other beautiful summer day by any other lake. Birds were singing, the sun was shining, the only clouds in the sky were just perfect for a short bit of shade, and, of course, the lake was shining and crystal blue. It was a perfect scene from any of the fairy tales Elphaba had read which dealt with summer days by the lake.

And while she certainly didn't mind the sunshine, and she loved to hear the birds sing their songs but she wasn't too fond of the lake part. It wasn't that it wasn't the most exquisite color possible, nor that it didn't look even a little bit inviting after sitting in the hot sun for so long. She just didn't care too much for water.

Actually, that was just being polite. In truth she didn't care at all for water. Which was precisely why she hadn't deigned to join Nessa in playing in it. And Nanny had insisted lugubriously that she was far too old to be playing in a lake. So Nessa had been allowed to wheel her self down the dock until she was up to her chest in the water, and then she had fun playing by herself. Currently she was trying to catch minnows, which had gotten used to her presence by now and didn't mind coming close to her or her wheelchair.

Elphaba was allowed to sit under a nearby tree, not to far from the dock, and read. As long as she kept an eye on her sister of course. Nanny, who was technically supposed to be watching both of them, was sitting ten feet from her. Snoring. Loudly.

Elphaba giggled quietly, thinking to herself that Nanny could out-trumpet and Elephant as long as she wasn't awake. She spared a glance at her little sister just to make sure she hadn't managed to sink herself, though she had no idea what she'd do if the silly girl did get in above her head. She hated water, it held no fond memories for her and had terrified her since she was a child. Nanny had made sure to tell her what a horrible disaster bathtime was. After she'd assured herself that Nessa wasn't going to drown anytime soon, she went back to her book. It was a fairytale of course, the kind her father discouraged and Attus, her old mentor, had strongly encouraged.

'It seems to me,' he would always say, 'That fiction, so called fairytales, reflect the best in every human being who dares hope the things they represent are true. I would hope that you read them and find in yourself the traits of the hero's in your books.'

So Elphaba had gone on reading fairytales, and Attus had convinced her father that she was only reading required classics, suitable of course, for children her age. (Though her teacher had told her more than once that her own father could use any of those fairytales.)

She read under the summer sun for hours more, read of dragons, princesses, princes, and best of all magic. Just because she refused to use her own talent on the subject didn't necessarily mean that she wasn't interested in it, after all.

Unfortunately she was so engrossed she forgot to check on Nessa as often as she should have. And after time, which she hadn't bothered to keep track of, she heard erratic splashing and looked up, to find her sister, at least fifteen feet farther out than she should have been.

Elphaba didn't think, didn't wonder, even for a split clock-tic about how brutally punished she would be if her father found out (as he surely would) she'd let Nessa go so far from shore.

Instead she ran to the water, barely hesitating as she reached the edge before plowing in. She couldn't swim much better than Nessa though, she knew that much. If she went out that far out to get her sister they'd both drown.

"Elphaba help me!" Nessa cried as she desperately struggled to keep her head above the unforgiving water.

Elphaba closed her eyes, bent down and lightly brushed her fingertips on the water, and reached. Minutes later Nessa, chair and all, was carried back to the boat ramp. Elphaba, wether by talent, luck or providence -or all three- had managed to turn the very tide that had carried Nessa out, backwards so it brought her back to shore. When the younger girl was in shallow enough water that her sister could reach her, Elphaba trudged out, grasping the wheelchair and pulled for all she was worth, the current was working against her again, but she was strong. Strong enough to pull Nessa back anyway.

They finally reached dry ground. Both soaking wet, and exhausted from the sudden ebbing of adrenaline. But both, more or less unharmed.

"Elphaba what in Oz did you . . ." Nanny gasped, as she tottered up. She looking dismayed and half asleep, and was honestly wondering if what she'd seen had been a dream.

"I let Nessa get in too deep, I'm sorry. I know I'm . . .

"Oh Nanny it was my fault. I was chasing after a minnow and got in a little deep, a current caught my chair and carried me out. Elphaba saved my life, if she hadn't been watching so well I'd be at the bottom of the lake."

It was Elphaba's turn to look dismayed. Nessa was taking the blame. Well in a slightly roundabout way. But still, spoiled Nessarose, who let her sister take the brunt of everything. Who refused to acknowledge any of her own mistakes. This same Nessa was suddenly stepping in and taking the heat off her?

Her consternation went unnoticed by Nanny however, who was already showering her with praise. She felt the aging woman's surprisingly strong arms go around her torso and practically lift her clean off her feet. And somewhere, amid the cold wetness of the remaining lake water, she felt warm tears against her neck as Nanny hugged her.

It was almost as if she was seeing herself in third person at that moment. While Nanny was perfectly affectionate with Nessarose, and had never really done anything to shun Elphaba the way Frex did, she certainly hadn't hugged her before. At least, not that Elphaba could remember. It felt good too. It was the first hug Elphaba had received, or participated in at all for that matter, since before Attus had died. And Attus had only hugged her once, after she completed a particularly complicated telepathy experiment.

Stiffly, Elphaba wrapped her arms around Nanny's waist. Not an easy feat, Nanny was no creampuff, but a comfortable one, once she let herself relax and get used to it.

The hug ended of course, as all good things do. But was none the less a significant moment for the young green girl. Though barely ten, she could count on one hand the number of hugs she remembered.

She'd often wondered whether her mother had loved her, had hugged and kissed her each night before bed, the way Frex always had with Nessa. She'd often wondered what her mother was like period. But never dared ask. And she wasn't about to start now.

Frex strode up seconds after Nanny let her go. And the old biddy explained what had happened, editing the part where Elphaba had used magic, and making sure not to leave any room for blame on Elpahba's part, since Nessa wasn't brave enough to speak up for her sister twice in a row. And Elphaba would take what she got.

After a minor scolding from Frex to Nessa, also a first. He left to return to his meeting. And Nanny gathered both girls up to return to the lodge.

"Come on you two, can't have that rescue go to waste because you caught your death of cold."

Elphaba allowed herself to be shepherded towards the lavish, log building, Nanny's guiding hand on her shoulder. But she did look back at the blue lake one last time. It hadn't even occurred to her that she'd gotten wet until just now, that she'd been waist deep in water. She shivered but briefly wondered why she feared it so. In hindsight it wasn't terrible. Cold yes, now that the sun was setting and a breeze was on. But she certainly hadn't drowned, or been carried off by a monster, or melted, or frozen, or washed away, or any of the other things she'd imagined would happen since she was tiny. Maybe one day she wouldn't mind the stuff at all. Maybe one day she'd even learn to swim.

But that didn't mean she was going to bathe in the bathtub tonight.

"I call shower!" She cried, and darted ahead to get first dibs on the shower. Which wasn't necessary since Nessa had to use the tub. But it was fun anyway. And for the first time in a long time, Elphaba felt like a normal girl just having fun at the lake with her family. Quirks and fears aside.

W I C K E D

Woah okay, new chapter. Finally! I am truly sorry about the amount of time it took to update this thing. (For any who cared) Life happened and while it's an excuse that doesn't make it acceptable. But here we are and only one or two chapters left to go (big sigh, not sure if it's a happy one) So drop me a line and tell me what you thought so I can finish strong, eh? Thanks for reading!