CW: Sexual Abuse (in past)
"Thank you all for coming." Avaric said to the gathered group.
The families for the Charmed Circle who had graduated were in the banquet hall of his Villa. The girls' families made up most of it, with only Marillot Tigelaar being present for the boys. Glinda's mother and father, as well as her Uncle Garon, were there; Elphaba's grandfather was there, though Nessa had begged off; and Milla's parents rounded out the group with their own distinct red hair. Crope and Tibbett hung off to the side, with the Circle but conscientious enough to keep their distance.
"I'd like to propose a toast." Avaric continued, raising his glass. The room did so as well. "To all those we hold dear, whether they be far or near."
"Hear hear." the room intoned, and sipped their drinks. Glinda noticed Avaric did not touch his. Dinner arrived shortly thereafter.
It was a splendid little dinner, with spring rolling in. The table was filled with local game, but also early vegetables. Some of it was pointedly from the greenhouses of Shiz, an expense that was not lost on the assembled group. Naturally, the conversation started with congratulations, and then went on to what were the plans after school. Peerless deftly steered the conversation away from Pfannee and Shenshen this time.
"Miss Elphaba," inquired Marillot, "what are you plans for post-Shiz education? Finding some husband and settling in, I suppose?"
"Assuredly not." was Elphaba's answer. The Pfannee's parents looked slightly aghast, and Glinda could see her own still taken aback by the news, even though they had learned it earlier that day. "My plans are to stay here in Shiz to be on hand for the final year of Nessa's education and to continue looking for a professor to do a fellowship with. If not, I will continue my education on my own. Otherwise, I will continue to look after my family's interests in Shiz."
"No husband on the horizon?" he prodded gently.
"Who would have me?" was her retort.
"And you, Miss Glinda?" he asked. "I'm sure your schedule is full of suitors."
"It is." she said with a smile. "However, none of the men so far have really been above grade."
"We were waiting to bring this up until later," Highmuster cut in, "but we actually found a suitor for our daughter."
There was audible gasps from around the table, notably from the none Circle members. Fiyero quickly glanced around. Peerless was keeping an impassive face; Elphaba's was practically storming. Milla's parents had feigned appropriate delight. Crope and Tibbett looked inquisitive about the architecture. Avaric still looked aloof but the slight crinkle around his eyes told Fiyero he was waiting to see which way the issue would turn.
"Oh?" was Glinda's even answer. "Whom?"
"Geoffrey de Martin." said her mother. Shenshen, Pfannee, and Milla glanced at each other. Avaric kept a straight face. Fiyero, however, raised his eyebrows.
"Geoffrey de Martin." Glinda responded evenly. "Did you not think to consult me?"
"He came with excellent references, dear." Glinda's mother explained. "Everyone we spoke to in Shiz said he was a perfectly cultured and mannered young man who will one day inherit the Baronetcy."
"Of that I'm quite sure." Glinda answered. "Why wouldn't they? He has no hope of being married elsewise."
"Glinda, you are out of line." Highmuster warned. "You know nothing of the boy-"
"That is where you are quite wrong, Father." Glinda cut him off. Her voice was tight. "Geoffrey de Martin, second son of Henric de Martin, Baronetcy of Duquien. The first son, named Henric, has a debilitating disease that has left him withered and infirm. The care of which has been a massive expense on the family, leaving the Baronetcy in investitude."
"You must be mistaken-" Glinda's mother tried to put in, but Glinda overrode her.
"I am not. The titled wealth was leveraged away nearly ten years ago, and there is nothing to be had of it. Did it not occur to you why a young man of twenty-six who would be a Baronet had no wife, especially if he is of high moral virtue? There are plenty of rich merchant daughters in Shiz whose fathers would easily and happily pay the needs to get a Baronetcy into their family. Perhaps because he is a spendthrift who has sired three illegitimate children."
"I don't know where you are getting these ideas from, young lady, but you are quite wrong!" Highmuster exploded. "We spoke to-"
"Everyone they wanted you to speak to: family, and those who make a living of setting up incorrigible men. I'm sure they sent you down to Croft's and Sarrow on Marketstreet to tell you what a fine steward of his funds he is? And then to Overland Avenue to speak to Madame Annale, to tell you of his piety?"
"I-well-its-"
"You fell for every trap a pair of country Gillikin with no ties in Shiz could. Did you even ask anyone who knows anything in Shiz?" Glinda voice has started to rise. She took a deep breath. "Anyone with connections here would have seen right through it."
"Young lady, we've worked hard over the last two weeks to set something up in a short amount of time." Larena chided. "We cannot have known everything."
"You did not even think to ask." was her response. Glinda's teacup fell over, and only when she glanced down did she realize she was shaking. That would not do. Taking a deep breath, she stood. "Please excuse me. I need some air."
The boys of the Circle stood as she did, as did Marillot, Peerless and Garon. Highmuster and Milla's father did not. Glinda dipped her head in acknowledge, and went to leave. After taking a step, she turned around and said,
"I want to make this clear, Mother; Father. I will not be marrying Geoffrey de Martin. I will not be marrying anyone I do not approve of personally."
With that, she did leave. Everyone's gaze turned to her parents. Both had color in their cheeks and were tight lipped. Glancing after her, Elphaba rose to follow but Peerless placed a hand on her shoulder. She went to shake it off, but he gave her a small shake of his head. The hard look in his eyes made Elphaba stay. After a few moments, they sat.
"Now is not the time to insert yourself into their family affairs."
"But-"
"I am quite aware, granddaughter. However, the fires need to cool, not grow. And you will only be fuel for them."
Elphaba's cheeks flushed violet, but she turned her head forward and sat still. Peerless gave an inward sigh of relief. His granddaughter did what she wanted, so she must have seen the reason in it. Hopefully he was right and it would help quell the conflict.
"I'll go after her." Garon said. "Perhaps she will talk to me."
X
Glinda strode onto the veranda. It was a clear, chill night. Looking up, she tried to calm her mind. Her parents were a constant thorn to her anymore. Though she hated to acknowledge it, the time was fast approaching when she would have to distance herself from them even more. The cruelest part of that was the thought did not hurt her. Instead, she felt nothing. The doors behind her open and shut. Glinda took a deep breath.
"I'm fine, Elphaba. Just a bit annoyed."
"I can understand that." a male voice responded. Glinda whirled. Her uncle Garon was standing there. "If I were you, I would be annoyed that your parents bungled your betrothal. In fact, I'm annoyed on principle."
"Th-thank you, Uncle." Glinda stuttered before she could get a hold of herself. "I'm sure they meant the best for me."
"Unlikely." was his response. "Your parents have always been social climbers more willing to use anything, including their daughter, to do that."
"We all serve to make our families greater, Uncle."
"True. However, if your parents weren't terrible at it that would be more forgivable. Instead their faux propriety comes off fake, and their ambitions easily drive them to error."
"They do not know what they do not know." was her weak answer.
Garon smiled and moved towards her. Glinda retreated until her back was to the banister. Her uncle stopped an arms length away, and placed both his hands on her shoulders.
"Despite their bumbling, yo have become a strong young woman who is well regarded, if not highly sought after."
"Th-thank you, Uncle." Glinda stammered again with the contact. She put on a fake sigh. "We better get in and let them we're fine."
Glinda went to go into the house, but her uncle's hands did not move from her shoulders. Glinda attempted to press by, but they held her firmly. Her body began to quiver no matter how she tried to control it.
"Uncle," she said, her voice small, "we really should go in."
"You've grown into a fine young woman." he answered as if he had not heard. "You're even more beautiful than you were before."
"Thank you, Uncle, but-"
One of his hands drifted up her face and Glinda instinctively closed her eyes, but snapped them back open. Garon had taken the opportunity to move closer. He was looking at her in the way from her nightmares.
"I did not know then that you would be so full of potential." he said in a low voice. "I thought you'd be another poor Gillikin estate girl. However, you far exceeded my expectations."
"Un-ncle, this is very-"
"And you need someone to help you, Glinda. Of that there is no doubt. Despite being a bit fuller for my taste, you are undeniably a gem. So if you just stay quiet, I will be more than happy to help you get all you want in the world." he paused. "Look, your body quivers for my touch. It has not forgotten. Just accept my help."
Garon leaned down, bringing his face close to hers.
"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Glinda screamed, and pushed him. Garon was not a small man, and he barely moved from it.
"Now, Glinda, think of what you are doing." he growled. "You are throwing your life away. Your parents won't help you, your friends won't help you. Only I can help you."
"NO!"
"I will either get what I want, Glinda, or I will ruin you. No one will believe you, and I will destroy your name in Gillikin and Shiz. You will end up begging in the streets." he hissed. "Take my offer. This is you last chance."
"Get. Away. From. Her." came a grating voice from behind.
Garon released Glinda and took a half step back. There was Elphaba, murder in her eyes.
"This is a private family affair, girl. Do not interrupt." he answered harshly.
"I would have to agree with the lady." came another voice as Fiyero walked through the door. The Circle was not far behind him, and the rest of the family as well.
Garon stepped back further, straightening his outfit. The way the Vinkun boy flexed his shoulders left no doubt his next recourse of action. He was a master swordsman, but was currently unarmed. He would not be able to fight a boy thirty years his junior.
"If you must be so rude, I shall. I thought Shiz would have taught you some manners, Winkie."
Fiyero did not react to the slur. He made his way towards Glinda with Elphaba, Glinda's parents cut them off.
"We must agree with Garon; this is a family issue that you should not get involved in." her mother interjected.
"Frankly, I do not care what you think on the issue." Elphaba snapped.
"We are her parents and will decide what is best for her." Glinda's father sternly replied, glaring past Elphaba to Fiyero. The Vinkun boy returned it.
"What is best," Elphaba spat, "is not waltzing into Shiz and making a mess of her life without even consulting her."
"We make decisions to protect her from her own misguided notions of youth."
"Protect me?" Glinda barked out a laugh. It was so un-Glidna like the entire group stopped. "Protect. Me. You want to say you protect me after everything you've done."
"We've always done our best to shelter you, dear." Glinda's mother consoled.
"Your best? You did nothing!" Glinda snapped. "Nothing! All these years, even after telling you."
"Glinda-"
"No! I told you what he did, and you did nothing! You just told me to be quiet."
"Glinda." her father's voice held a dangerous edge to it. "This is not the appropriate place."
"Appropriate? Appropriate for what? Letting everyone know that you whored your daughter out to...to...him!" she gestured towards Garon. "Even after I told you everything her forced..me.."
Her voice died into a whisper. She was not looking at anyone now besides Elphaba, who's eyes held murderous intent.
"Darling," her mother said softly, "we've talked about this before. You're remembering things wrong after your fall."
"I DID NOT FALL!" she screamed and grabbed her head. "He pushed me down and...and…"
"I will not go through this slander again, Highmuster, Larena." Garon said. "Control your daughter before I lose my patience with her."
"Yes! Yes! Control me!" Glinda cackled. "Don't let little Galinda say bad things about Uncle Garon. He is the most influential member of the family. Doesn't matter if he likes little girls."
"That's enough!" Garon said. "I have thoroughly lost my patience with you, girl. You had such potential, but I see you do not fall far from your parents."
"Is that it? Glinda isn't theirs? She's yours?" Elphaba growled.
"What?" came confused, angry voices of the family.
"Of course she's mine!" Highmuster said.
"Of course she's not mine!" Garon objected at the same time. "I'm not old enough."
"She's certainly not yours, Highmuster." Elphaba sat and walked towards them. Her flinty gaze shifted to Larena. "I'm not certain she's even yours."
"I don't know what crazy idea you're going on-" Garon started but Elphaba cut him off.
"Genetics." Elphaba hissed. "Every Gillikin knows it, for their horses if nothing else. There's no way blonde haired, blue eyed Galinda comes from brown haired, brown eyed parents."
"It happens." protested Larena weakly.
"It does not; not in horses, not in humans. There's only a small chance of it." Elphaba turned her gaze on Garon. "Are there any blonde haired, blue eyed family members?"
"Only one, but she isn't of blood." Garon answered uncertainly. "On her mother's brother side, a wife."
"Then that's the only family member she could have come from."
"That wife died before Glinda was before." Garon added. He turned to Glinda's parents. "But I was there when Glinda was born; specifically because Larena had such a hard time conceiving, and she had lost two children before she could give birth. I had brought the best doctors. Without children, the estate would pass to Highmuster's side of the family, which would not do. And the doctors said it could kill her to give birth, so I definitely had to preserve my family's wealth. I remember the doctor said an old crone was there, more knowledgeable than he, that helped the birth. And he was covered in blood, and so was Glinda when she came out with a full head of hair."
"Yes." Highmuster agreed. "Glinda is ours."
Elphaba looked down.
"Now that is all settled-" Garon started.
"It is not." hissed Elphaba. She looked Glinda's parents. "It makes their crimes worse."
"Worse?" the adult Arduenna echoed.
"Yes. Worse." she strode towards Glinda's parents, and rasped out a phrase that turned the air cold. "Blood magic."
"THAT IS IT!" Garon exploded. "I am done with this. I will not stand here and be impugned anymore. I do not know what is going on in the heads of that line of the Arduenna, but I am through with it."
The man strode towards the door, and the observers parted to let him go. Avaric followed after him to show the guest to the door, as required. The rest turned their attention back to Glinda's ashen faced parents.
"I don't know what you are talking about." Larena replied tightly.
"Lift your bodice." was the answer.
"Elphaba-"
"Granddaughter-"
"Elphie-"
"IF," Elphaba's sharp voice cut across all of it, "there's a mark on your stomach, it will confirm my suspicions."
"My wife will not be doing something so uncouth as that." Highmuster retorted. "I begin to wonder about Glinda's association with you."
"Mother has a large scar up the middle of her stomach." Glinda said quietly, " She's always had it since I've known her."
"Then it is as I've said." Elphaba lowered her voice, but it was steely. "Blood magic has a cost; an equivalent cost. What you want is then somehow given up. The miscarriages, the lack of other children, all makes sense. To give up the ability to have children to have one child."
Elphaba paused and looked at Glinda. After a moment, she took a deep breath and looked back at her parents.
"But it's more than that, isn't it?" she continued quietly. "Blood magic leaves a mark, but a large scar? To me, that tells me something more was asked for. Tell me- us, the truth. The time for lies is over now."
"You are right." Larena said, and placed her hands on her stomach. "After the miscarriages, we looked for anyway to have children. We were directed to an old crone who was said to be able to help people. We had thought it would be roots, or timing, but she told us that I could never have children naturally. But that she could help, but for only one child."
Larena took a deep, steadying breath, and continued.
"But, if all the hopes and dreams are on one child, why chance it? We asked if there was some way to have more, but she said it would not be possible. We lamented that the child might never see adulthood, and what if they were lame, or deformed in some way, or even touched in the head? The old crone said if we wanted to sacrifice more, we could make sure our child would be whole, smart, would not perish before adulthood and more, she would be beautiful beyond all measure with a natural light and charisma that attracted people to her. But, she would be a she, as it would not create a male."
Larena looked over at Glinda. The blonde held her hands to her mouth.
"We took the deal. What is a mother's sacrifice for her child? And so, when Glinda was born, my ability to have children died with her, as did one of my kidneys and part of my liver. That is the wash of blood that came out of me when she was born. But she grew up whole and gorgeous, and we did what we could. We did not know it would bring the attention of a man like Garon, but what could we do? He has the power to ruin all of us. So we just prayed she would be able to get away from him, and grow up to be more than we could ever dream of."
Glinda's parents looked right at her. The Circle looked right at her. The family and observers looked right at her. All those eyes meant nothing to the pair of chocolate eyes that looked at her.
"Rae?" she said softly.
"Yes, my sweet?" Elphaba answered.
"I'd like to go home now."
X
Avaric plopped down on a stuffed couch in his sitting room. Fiyero plopped down on a chair next to him, and Pfanne and Shenshen on a smaller couch nearby. They sat like that in silence for a long time. Avaric stared at the ceiling, Fiyero the floor, and the two girls cuddled against each other. Finally, Fiyero let out a growl.
"What can we do about this?"
"About what? We cannot change Glinda's past." Avaric answered.
"I know that, but what about that scumbag Garon?"
"What do you wish to do? Go after his reputation? I'm certain he already is known to have one."
"That's true." Pfannee added. "I asked about him and he's well known in the Munchkinlanders circles."
"Can't we do anything else? His own niece!"
"Attaching her name will hurt her." Pfannee added. "Even smearing him more will hurt her. He's a Baron of Gillikin, and about the only notable in her family."
"Then, can't we just do it ourselves?" Fiyero answered, and smashed his hands together. Avaric stood and went over to a cabinet.
"That's a good way to end up in jail, or dead."
"Garon cannot be touched with a sword; he's better than most of the masters in the city." Shenshen said.
"Pistols will be too obvious." Pfannee added.
"Then what can we do?" the boy dropped his hands into his head.
"Keep quiet about it." Avaric said, and tapped the Vinkun on the shoulder. Fiyero looked up and saw the offered glass. "And drink to forget about tonight."
Fiyero looked at him, and took the glass. He emptied it in one pull and held out for more. Avaric refilled it, and offered some to the ladies, who took it as well. As sat down to nurse his own glass, he could only think of one thing to say.
"Fuck."