The Flaw
"Fellow Ozians," Glinda called, standing on the balcony of the Wizard's palace, drawing the much-desired attention of her subjects. "I have a very important announcement to make regarding my fiancé Fiyero. Now, as you have all heard, for I am sure our beloved Wizard has alerted you to how great a treat the Wicked Witch of the West is." She waited as the crowd recovered from their chills and shrills at the mention of the witch. "You all agree that there is nothing good for the wicked, correct?" Cheers arose. "Nothing the wicked do is for the better, yes?" More cheers. "No one could possibly love the wicked, they are too wicked, right?" The loudest cheers as of yet. "The wicked cannot be loved, nor love in return!" The crowd was in a frenzy, just as Glinda needed them to be, just how she needed to break the news to them. "But some one does love the Witch!" She called above the shouts of the crowd, which for some reason had ceased the moment she said that.
There was dead silence now, as the Ozians looked amongst themselves trying to figure out how it was possible for someone…anyone to love the wicked. The Wizard himself had announced that it was impossible to love the wicked, and what the Wizard said was law.
Glinda paused, waiting for the attention to return to her. "I know what you are all thinking, how could anyone love the wicked? No one could love the wicked, it is impossible, yes?" There were some nods in the crowd, they were being drawn in. "There is only one possible solution then isn't there? This Wicked Witch cannot be all that wicked if someone does love her."
Glinda held her breath, she just needed them to get this idea in their heads that to be loved, one cannot be all that wicked. That was all she could hope for. She looked around at the crowd, many of them seemed to be mulling the thought over, and many more seemed to be on the verge of agreeing with her. After all, if it came from Glinda the Good it must be true…it was the only way to explain how someone could love the Wicked Witch.
'Good,' Glinda thought, 'Now I need to introduce the opposite theory…to strengthen this thought…I hope…'
Glinda cleared her throat, "This is where my fiancé comes in. I discovered a few days ago that Fiyero was in love with…the Witch." There were gasps coming from the crowd, much chatter amongst the group. How could Captain Fiyero pass up Glinda the Good for…that?
"I trust Fiyero's judgment and his feelings, but I too was just a tad concerned as to why, as many of you are now. And after talking with Fiyero, it was thought that maybe the Witch used her magic on him to make him love her." The crowd seemed to agree, "Now, as some of you may know, you cannot undo a spell once it has been cast…" The crowd started to get angry now, forgetting that Glinda had not mentioned the Witch spelling Fiyero. "But…" She emphasized, drawing their attention once more, "Magic can be reversed. Fiyero has confessed that the Witch said nothing when this 'magic' took place, she did not say a spell and so could not have cast one. But she could have magiced him."
"I have called in the council of the most powerful spell casters from all of Oz to help me undo the magic laid upon Fiyero." She said, turning from Fiyero to beckon the casters forward, "Edgar the Eminent, Shelna the Sorceress, Olland the Omnipotent, Myrna the Magnificent, and of course our very own Madame Morrible!" The crowd cheered as the five spell-casters stepped forward onto to balcony, taking up all the room.
Fiyero moved back behind them, not wanting to be apart of this public display. When Glinda had told Morrible her theory of Elphaba's magic befalling him, she had thought it was a magnificent idea to add more blame to the Witch. She agreed to call the casters together to undo whatever magic Elphie might have done.
"They have promised me," Glinda's voice rang out above the cheers, "that in a week's time, they will be ready to perform the reversal spell." The crowd cheered, Glinda held up a hand, silencing them. "Once the spell is cast and what ever magic there might be is broken, Fiyero has agreed to confess whom he truly loves. If it is I, we shall be married!" The crowd cheered, not noticing Glinda's hesitance on the word married. Fiyero knew that they both had grown into a mutual 'falling out of love', but with Glinda it was always about public appeal and approval. She did what Oz expected of her, and they expected her to marry Fiyero. "But," she said, silencing the crowd once again, "If he truly does love the Witch, it proves that she cannot be as wicked as we all thought. After all the Wizard himself said no one can love the wicked, but for Fiyero to love the Witch, she could not be so wicked."
With that Glinda turned on her heel and left the crowd to ponder her words.
Glinda came rushing over to Fiyero, hugging him, proud of herself that her plan had worked; soon all of Oz would be considering that Elphie might not be as wicked as the Wizard had said.
Some one cleared their throat, drawing Glinda's attention from the uncomfortable Fiyero.
Glinda turned to see the spell-caster council looking at her somewhat guiltily. "What is it?" she asked.
The council looked at one another before Lady Myrna stepped forward. "Your Goodness, you have taken Sorcery, correct?" she asked. Glinda nodded, both agreeing and signaling for Myrna to continue. "You, of course, know that spells cannot be undone, but magic can be reversed, yes?" Glinda nodded once again, growing confused as to where this conversation was going. "Do you recall, how to reverse magic?"
"Yes, of course," Glinda said, laughing slightly, "You simply have someone do the reversal spell."
"True," Myrna said, "That is what you can do in most cases, but what happens if the magic is powerful?"
"Then you get someone more powerful to do the reversal spell. Really," Glinda sighed, exasperated, "I don't know what this has to do with anything?"
Myrna sighed, "What happens if the spell is too powerful for someone to reverse?"
Glinda sighed again, getting frustrated, "Then you must go to the source of the magic." There was a pause when a thought finally sunk in. "Oh no…"
Myrna nodded; "If the Wicked Witch is as powerful as the Wizard has said she is, then we may have to…" she trailed.
"Have her reverse the magic…" Glinda finished, plopping down on the nearest chair.
What was she going to do now?
