I've decided to upload the first five or so chapters all at once, so you can get a first impression of where this is all heading...
The book Elphaba's reading in this chapter is called 'Tintenherz' and is a rather famous book here in Germany. I think the Enlgish pendant would be 'Inkheart' but I have no idea if that's really a thing, so...
I apologise if Elphaba seems a little OOC in this chapter; it will change.
Started writing: 16.09.19
Finished writing: 17.09.19
Chapter 2
Off
With a sigh, Elphaba pushed a strand of jet-black hair that had loosened itself from her bun behind her ear and put her hands on her hips. The walls of her bedroom looked so empty without the shelves being filled with books and she thought she could see the emptiness of the closet that hid behind closed doors.
"Now, now," the hushed voice of her mother sounded from the door. "We won't give in at the very last moment, will we?"
Elphaba shook her head slowly and turned around, picking up the suitcase from the floor.
"It's just…," she stopped, thinking of what was best to say. "I just realised that I won't see this room for a long time."
Her mother took a step into the room and gave her an understanding smile. "But it's not what this is about, am I right?"
Elphaba shook her head, then nodded. "No, I mean… yes, you are right. I'm just…"
She turned around, facing her mother completely. "I'm green, Momma. I'm green and it's scandalous, and weird, and… what if they will react like all of Munchkinland did?"
Her mother stopped, the look in her eyes something between shock and sadness.
"Fabala…," but she didn't say anything else.
And so, Elphaba just picked up her suitcase and swept out of the room, not turning back.
"New beginning," she said to herself and tried to ignore the intense stare she got from her mother. "No prejudice."
She heaved a sigh and quietly climbed downstairs, throwing a look out the window to watch the coachman taking care of his horses.
"Are you alright, Fabala?" Nessa's voice sounded and Elphaba turned, nodding.
"Breakfast is ready," Father said and stuck his head out of the dining room. "Melena, dear? Where're you?"
Elphaba watched her mother as she came downstairs and stopped right next to her, her eyes full of sadness.
"Fabala…," she started once again and Elphaba quickly dropped the suitcase and neared her mother.
"Don't worry about it, Momma," she said. "I'm just so excited and bad thoughts don't spare me."
But her mother, of course, wouldn't drop the matter so easily.
"No, Elphaba, this isn't just bad thoughts of excitement," She took a hold of both Elphaba's hands, squeezing them. "This is what you're afraid of. And it's okay to be afraid."
Again, Father stuck his head out of the dining room. "Melena? Elphaba? Breakfast."
Elphaba quickly freed herself from her mother's grip and managed to slip into her seat before Momma could raise the topic again.
She wouldn't talk about it at the table, Elphaba knew; her father didn't appreciate such dark topics whilst eating.
"Fabala, you will surely write to me," Nessa said, sipping her tea.
Elphaba arched an eyebrow at her sister. "Of course, I will, Nessie. Whenever there'll be time."
She looked at the sandwich on her plate and slowly began nibbling on it, the feeling of hunger not arriving.
With a sigh, she put it back onto her plate and looked up into three pairs of eyes staring at her.
"Um…," Elphaba began but at the same time, Father cleared his throat and averted his eyes and Nessa dipped her nose into her cup again.
Only Momma didn't look away but stared right into Elphaba's eyes, looking straight into her soul -how Elphaba felt.
"May I be excused so that I can prepare something for the carriage ride?" Elphaba managed to say and before her father could do so much as open his mouth, she'd already jumped up and bolted out of the room.
Breathing hard, Elphaba rushed into the kitchen, her hands clutching the edge of the kitchen counter as she tried to suppress the tears that were welling up in her eyes.
"Oz damnit," she swore under her breath, pressing her eyes close.
Her mother was right; she was afraid. She was scared out of her wits and she hated that. She hated it just as much as she despised not knowing what was to come. And what she hated, even more, was that her mother knew all of that; she maybe even had known it before Elphaba herself had come to realise it.
"Oz damnit!" she almost shouted out the words, her hands flying to her face to cover her mouth as she began to tremble under the pressure. She put herself under so she wouldn't cry.
"Oh, Elphaba."
Two slim arms wrapped around her and pulled her into a tight embrace and when her mother's fingers brushed through her black hair, Elphaba choked out a single sob, resting her chin on her mother's shoulder. "You were right, Momma, I'm… I'm afraid."
Momma slowly stroked her back and sighed into her ear. "It's okay, Elphaba. It's okay to be afraid. You'll see, dear; everything will turn out fine… the people at Shiz surely aren't as small-minded as the Munchkins."
But Elphaba wasn't as convinced about that as her mother. She just snuggled into her mother's embrace and buried her nose in her dark hair.
"I'm feeling so… ridiculous," she whispered. "I'm nineteen and still afraid of people because they might or might not hate my skin."
Momma shook her head, looking at Elphaba with a seriousness in her eyes that made the green-skinned woman shiver. "I don't think I would ever have gone to Shiz had I been in your position, Elphaba. And I'm so proud of you for being so brave and so… so grown-up."
Elphaba didn't know what to say. She slowly, carefully, stepped back and turned towards the basket she and her mother would take with them on their carriage ride.
"I was planning to pack some strawberries," she murmured and pointed at the small red fruits on the kitchen counter. "But we could take blackberries as well, whatever you want."
Her mother gave her a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Strawberries are just fine, Fabala."
She turned towards the door. "I'll just finish breakfast and then we'll be off."
Elphaba nodded absentmindedly as she made her way towards the sink to wash the strawberries. She didn't see the worried look her mother threw her. She didn't hear what she said when she returned to the breakfast table, sitting down next to her husband.
"I told you so," with the saddest look her mother had ever made.
Not even half an hour later, Nessa and Father stood in the front door, watching how the last of Elphaba's luggage was packed into the carriage and Elphaba stood before them, giving them a small smile.
"I'll write," she said to both her sister and father and bent down to Nessa.
"I miss you already, Nessie," she said and hugged the girl.
Nessa sniffed slightly. "So do I, Fabala."
She pulled her older sister deeper into the hug before letting her go. Awkwardly, Elphaba straightened her posture and looked at her father.
"Goodbye, Father," she said and slowly let him hug her, the collar of his shirt brushing against her neck.
"It will only be a few months," Father said encouragingly. "Time will pass so fast… in no time you'll stand right here again."
Elphaba nodded and gave him a smile.
"Goodbye," she said once again and, feeling her mother's small hand on her back, she climbed into the carriage and waited for her mother to step in and close the door.
When Momma did so, Elphaba gave her a small smile, pointing at the empty seat beside her.
"Have you brought something to entertain yourself?" she asked, picking up her book. "Because I won't be free in a few minutes."
Her mother let out a small chuckle. "This is not my first carriage ride with you, Fabala."
She pulled her knitting out of her bag and leant back against the back of the carriage. Her long black hair was put up in a messy bun, held together by a knitting needle that she'd pushed between the black strands of her hair. Slowly, almost as though she was unsure if it was okay, Elphaba let her head fall onto her mother's shoulder, resting it there whilst she read. The clicking noise of Momma's knitting needles filled the carriage with sound and quietly Elphaba fell into the world of the book she was reading.
Noiseless, he closed the lid.
"Did you see that?" he whispered towards the marten. "I'm just too afraid of it. Don't you want to search for a braver master? Think about it." Gwin snorted quietly against his ear but had it been his answer Dustfinger couldn't have understood it.
For a moment, he listened to Meggie's calm breathing, then he approached the door. "Here goes," he murmured as he stood in the hallway. "Who'll find out anyway?"
Then he climbed up to the attic Elinor had offered him and laid down onto the small bed that was caged in between book boxes. But he couldn't fall asleep until morning came.
Elphaba woke up when the carriage came to a halt with a jerk, her lids fluttering open.
"Where are we?" she murmured and sat up straight, her mother eyeing her with amusement.
"We just crossed the borders to the Gillikin," the older woman replied and brushed a strand of black hair from her forehead. "It will take us close to the rest of the afternoon to reach Shiz, dear. If you want to, you can go back to sleep. You won't miss anything."
Elphaba looked at her mother with a furrowed brow. "What about the Emerald City? Have we already crossed the hill?"
The older woman smiled gently. "Half an hour ago."
Elphaba's shoulders slumped in sadness.
"Oh," she let out and leant back against the back wall of the carriage and closed her eyes for a second. "Missed the chance, huh?"
She felt her mother's elegant fingers brushing against her cheek and opened an eye.
"The chance will be there in no time again," she said and her voice brooked no dissent.
Elphaba tilted her head to one side, waving a hand at her mother's knitting. "What are you knitting there, anyway?"
Momma's smile deepened so that the lines around her eyes grew a little more visible. "A blanket for Nessa. With Winter rushing our way… well, you know how cold her legs get."
The green-skinned woman nodded and fell back into silence.
Her thoughts kept wandering to Shiz, to what was lying ahead of her. What would await her on the University's campus? Weird looks -definitely. Enemies -probably. Friends -maybe.
One could never know. Though her mother seemed confident that Elphaba would have a great time.
Elphaba looked up and into her mother's eyes that were so similar to her one.
'Don't despair, child,' her mother seemed to say. 'It will be fine.'
Elphaba still wasn't sure.
Elphaba was sure she'd never seen anything as imposing as the staircase that led to the grand entrance of Shiz University. The cream-white steps were lined with neatly trimmed bushes and above the wooden French door, they'd carved 'Shiz University' into the stone.
Elphaba felt her heart pounding hard in her chest and she quickly leant back against the cushions of the carriage and stared at her fingers that were folded in her lap.
The carriage came to a halt with a light shudder and when the door was opened, both Elphaba and her mother blinked against the light.
"Madame," the coachman said and offered Momma his hand so she could step out. He didn't bother offering it to Elphaba.
The latter rolled her eyes, stepping out of the carriage.
Breathing in the fresh air, Elphaba took in the sight of vine-draped walls and large windows. A smile of excitement formed on her lips and she heard her mother sigh behind her.
"It's beautiful," Momma said and Elphaba nodded.
She absentmindedly picked up the suitcase the coachman had dropped beside her and held it before her with both hands.
"Don't forget your formulas," said her mother and quickly handed her the stack of papers. "Room assignment, courses, extra-curricular activities… are you planning on doing anything fun, too, Fabala?"
Elphaba arched an eyebrow at her mother. "Fun? Momma, really. What am I here for?"
She shook her head in fake disbelief and, with a bracing inhale, entered the steps to the entrance of Shiz University.
There were three things to notice when she'd slipped through the door. Firstly; arriving three days before wasn't something many students did, secondly; even though many of the students there seemed to be Munchkins, Elphaba couldn't spot any familiar face and thirdly; the stares of nearly every student, parent and teacher had never been harder to ignore.
She saw their eyes widen in shock, them huddling together and whisper behind raised hands, she felt their stares on her back just like she felt her mother's hand on her back as she nuzzled her through the hall and closer to the reception.
Elphaba's mother awkwardly cleared her throat as they shuddered to a halt in front of the counter. The woman behind it didn't even take her eyes off her documents as she pushed her glasses upwards her nose and said in a voice full of annoyance and impatience, "Name and surname on the list; if you need a personal guide, fill in the formula on the right. Room assignments left, final application in the middle. You'll get your keys as soon as your application is signed. Any que-"
The woman's jaw dropped in shock and her blue eyes widened. "Oh, my Oz."
She pushed her chair back a little bit and straightened her posture, her eyes never leaving Elphaba.
"Elphaba Thropp," Elphaba said as composed as she managed to and she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I sent my final application in about a week ago. It's already signed."
The woman's eyes widened even more at the sound of Elphaba's voice and she cleared her throat. "U… um… well, Miss… Thropp."
She turned around and began searching for something in a big box behind her. Then she turned again, handing Elphaba keys and a room map. "A private suit, as your father insisted."
Elphaba's brow furrowed in confusion and she threw her mother a questioning look who only waved her hand dismissively.
"What about the courses?" Elphaba asked and the receptionist again began to search for something underneath her documents.
"You'll find your schedule and courses in your room," the woman answered after what felt like an eternity and, finally, Elphaba turned around and took two steps away from the counter.
"I did," her mother said, taking her arm.
"You did what?"
"Insisted on a private suit," Momma said and Elphaba arched an eyebrow.
"I didn't expect Father to have done it," she said and stopped in the middle of the hall, staring down at the map in her hands.
Looking up and down, trying to find out where to go, Elphaba tapped her foot on the floor to a beat only she herself knew.
"This way," she declared after a few seconds and pointed to her left where a small door led them outside; behind the building this time.
"I'd need years to find my way around here," Momma said after some time of walking down small roads, turning left and right and climbing upstairs.
"Momma, don't always talk about yourself as though you were stupid," Elphaba said absentmindedly and brushed a strand of black hair from her forehead.
Her mother arched an eyebrow at her. "Fabala, don't always talk about yourself as though you were unworthy."
Elphaba shuddered to a halt, looking at her mother without any motion.
"Point taken," she said after seconds of silence, then turned to her right. "Here it is."
Quickly, she folded up the map and fumbled the keys into the lock, opening the door.
"Here goes," she heard her mother say as she pushed the door open and stepped inside.
A bed, a desk, a couch and four empty shelves; a closet, a private bathroom and the view onto a large oak tree from the window; this would be her home for at least the next four months, counting from this day.
Momma slowly came to a halt beside her, smiling at her daughter with a gentle look in her eyes. They didn't talk, just stood there completely motionless and let it all sink in; the room, the people, the moment…
It could've been worse, Elphaba decided; the receptionist could've fainted just as well.