Author's Note: Thanks for MyLittleElphie for reviewing. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. I'd love to claim credit for Glinda's tactic, but I was inspired by real life. I've seen that exact tact taken by a certain (straight) female I know to the same effect. Why I think it works in RL is the same thing I tried to convey here: its not a selfish want, its more gesture of admiration for beauty. She's also what I base a lot of Glinda off of.
Anyway, enough of that. Read, enjoy, review. 2/10/14
When they went out this time, it was with renewed urgency. Urgency on Elphaba's part because she wanted to get the supplies; urgency on Glinda's part because she wanted to get Elphaba back to the room. They also were weary that the sun was beginning to start its decline. It was beginning to cool off even now. They wound their way through Shiz in the opposite direction of most their excursions. They walked arm in arm as they did previously, but this time Glinda was much closer to Elphaba. Elphaba kept glancing around to see if they were being followed. Their run in with Grommetik earlier had set her on edge. In fact, most of the day had set her on edge in one way or another. And there was still that lingering feeling of trying to pull all the pieces together but not quite having enough to see the full picture.
The started passing shops that had cheap magicked rings and amulets, practical magical jokes, and other odds and ends that students might buy. Only at a few did they stop and look in the windows but kept on. Finally, they ducked into a store. Glinda went right up to the shopkeeper and asked if he had what they needed. He did not, but pointed them to a place that would. They quickly left the store and found the one he indicated. It was old with a wooden front. As they opened the door it smelled musty of old wood and books. To Elphaba it reminded her pleasantly of a library; to Glinda it reminded her unpleasantly of a library. It was dark and they could barely see.
"Can I help you misses?" came a voice, and Glinda jumped. It was an old man with a long white beard and faded purple clothes. He looked like a stereotypical old wizard.
"Yes." Glinda said, flashing him her most dazzling smile. "My friend here wants to learn sorcery but unfortunately it is too late for her to change her emphasis. We were wondering if you had supplies for her so she could start on her own?"
"Sorcery is a demanding mistress. If ill taught, poor things can come of it."
"She'll be ok. It's mostly rudimentary stuff, the basics, so when she switches next year she is not behind."
"I see." He said, eyeing them as if he was not convinced. He glanced up and downing, assessing Glinda, and then did the same thing for Elphaba. "Yes, I see. Intriguing. Follow me."
He shuffled away and they followed. He led them over to a display case that held many wands.
"How would you describe yourself, Miss?" he asked Elphaba. She thought for moment.
"Independent. Intelligent. Rational. Determined."
"And you miss," he said, turning to Glinda, "how would you describe her?"
"Why me?"
"Because one cannot see how others view them."
"I don't think that's necessary. We all just got standard training wands."
"Oh, but it is. I don't peddle that garbage. The wand is a personal thing, unique for a person. I know at Crage Hall they don't trust you to be your own person," he barked a laugh out at his own joke, "but here I know that's what makes sorcery truly work. Now, the truth, how would you describe her?"
"Well," Glinda said softly, "Smart. Determined. Sarcastic. Stubborn. Caring. Passionate." She whispered the last word, and the old man broke into a smile.
"I see. Yes. I see. Well, let me see if I have one for you." He began rooting around in the case for a wand.
"What? Do I have to like hold it or something?"
"What?" the old man replied crankily. "Why would that matter? Cheap parlor tricks for cheap magic users, that. No, your wand's material must be able to hold the type of power you're using. For you, oak."
He handed her a small wooden wand, about nine inches. She looked at it inquisitively. It was smooth, dyed green, and had small clear crystal on the bottom. Elphaba amusingly thought it fit her very well. Skinny, hard, and green.
"Now, books." He said.
"That's ok sir, we have books." Glinda piped up.
"That rubbish they teach you? Hardly call it a spell book. Come on, follow close."
He led them around the store picking books from here and there. He would grab one, examine it, and then either hold onto it or move on to the next one. Finally, he had four books. He walked them to the counter and started to ring them up. Glinda was surprised; they were cheaper than hers.
"Now, I expect to see you…say, start of next semester. By then you should be done with these, the both of you, and I'll get you the more advanced copies."
"Thank you." Elphaba replied.
"No, Misses, thank you. And Miss," he said, looking at Glinda, "when you want to trade in that trash you're carrying and get a real wand, I have a fine collection of silver and crystal."
Glinda's breath hitched. "Oh, I'd love to! But I don't have that kind of money."
"We could work something out." The man replied.
"Morrible would notice." Elphaba interjected.
"Oh, you're right."
"How about this? You graduate next year, yes? Well, you come to me next semester, and the semester after for…supplemental material like I said, and show me you've learned it, and I'll give you your choice for free."
"Really? Why?"
"Let's just say I'd enjoy knowing there are two real trained sorceresses out there. And I don't like the old bat much." He said with a wink. Glinda smiled and nodded.
"Thanks again!" she called as they walked out of the store.
"I wonder what his angle was." Elphaba said suspiciously. Glinda threaded herself through Elphaba's arm and then looked up at her with a scowl. It was dark out now and the lamplight cast deep shadows on Elphaba's face, intensifying her sternness.
"Why does he need to have an angle? I should have said paranoid too."
"Glinda, you're not that naïve."
"You're right. But besides what he said, what makes you assume there was more."
"A feeling. I don't know, but something about him makes me feel uneasy."
"You're starting to say that a lot."
"I know but-" Elphaba started to say, then yelled when she pulled into an alley. Glinda, still threaded threw her, was spun and flung far from Elphaba. She hit the alley wall and was dazed. When her eyes focused again a large, scraggily looking man was standing in front of her. His sour breath made Glinda's nose flair.
"What have we here, boys?" she heard someone say.
"Something rotten." Another put in.
"This one's very pretty." The one in front of Glinda said.
"I wonder how far the green goes down on this thing."
"While you satisfy your curiosity, I think I'll take a taste of this rare beauty."
Glinda closed her eyes. She could not believe this was happening. Not again. Not here. She tried tuning out the world, wishing she was anywhere else at the moment. Suddenly, the offensive smell was gone and a hand was pulling her. She opened her eyes, expecting to see some heroic man, but instead saw Elphaba with her face covered in blood. They made it back to the alley entrance, to their spilled purchases under the street lamp, and turned. The three men, gathering themselves, were advancing down the alley towards them. Glinda pulled out her wand.
"Stop! Or I'll curse you!" she yelled but it her voice was quivering. The men laughed. There was a flash of light, and the men stopped. Glinda wondered if she had inadvertently fired off a spell (she actually knew no curses).
"Now what does a pretty little miss like you know about a knife." one hissed, and Glinda turned to see Elphaba holding a slightly curved blade. She never knew Elphaba carried that on her. Elphaba bared her teeth and looked fiercely at the man.
"Enough to know that three inches into your liver or kidney and you'll bleed out in under a minute. Or inside the thigh, or the throat." Her voice was cold, calm, as if she was answering an anatomy question in class. The look in her eyes told the men enough, and they left. Glinda watched them go, and then turned in amazement at Elphaba. It was a side she never saw of her. With that look on her face (killing look, Glinda would not admit to herself), teeth bared, blood streaming from her head, nose, and mouth, she looked like a dragon about to eat its prey. It shook Glinda to her core. The fanatic glint went from her eyes, replaced with cold hardness, and she slowly set her face back to its stern expression.
"Are you ok, my sweet?" she asked. Her voice was dead sounding.
"Yes, I'm fine. My dress is a bit torn, and I may have some bruises tomorrow."
"That's good. No lasting damage then."
"Elphie, what about you? You're bleeding!"
"I'm fine, my sweet. Nothing a bandage won't solve." Her lips quirked in a bit of a smile. "Good thing my nose was never anything to look at. I'm sure it's broken."
"Elphie, here." Glinda took out a pocket handkerchief and began to gently wipe the blood away. To her disgust Elphaba licked her lips, clearing the blood from around her mouth. When she saw Glinda's face she cackled but it turned into hacking cough due to the blood. She cleared her throat and spit it onto the street.
"That's gross, Elphie."
"It's either that or swallow it, my sweet."
"Still. Let's get you home and patched up."
"I'm fine."
"Now."
Glinda's handkerchief went to stem the flow from Elphaba's scalp, while strips from the old cloak she wore were stuffed up her nose. They made quite a sight walking all the way back to Crage Hall like that, especially with Glinda carrying their packages. The porters nearly had a heart attack, and, despite their insistence, ushered them to the infirmary where they changed the swabs in Elphaba's nose and bandaged her head. They tried to clean her but Elphaba practically threw the orderly across the room when she came near. Glinda said she would handle it later. They then sent them up to their rooms with orders of bed rest.
The got ready for bed in silence. Elphaba went and started scrubbing the blood off her. It was much more difficult with oil than water. After she was done she took the swabs out of her nose since she was done bleeding, and changed into her gray nightdress. She came out to see Glinda tucked into her bed.
"Can I sleep with you tonight?"
"My sweet, you can sleep with me whenever you want."
"Ok. I just don't want to be alone tonight."
Elphaba crawled into bed next to the blonde and she adjusted so as to lay on top of Elphaba. Elphaba began to stroke her blonde curls and she felt Glinda bury herself deeper into her chest.
"It's ok. I'm right here. No one will hurt you."
"I—It was just…" the rest of the words were lost in sobs. Elphaba stroked her hair and spoke words of comfort to her until the blonde finally exhausted herself and fell asleep. Elphaba followed soon after. To her, the day's events were nothing that would keep her from sleeping.