Rifiuto: Non Miriena
A/N: Written: 2012. Rewritten: 2014. Found: 2018.- Licia
Town of Nest Hardings,
Munch Territory,
Thropp Household
Day One
She stared at the dress, at the strange looking undergarments, the black boots and the funny hat. The print of the dress was a very pretty flowered green, the skirt coming to brush at her ankles, and the sleeves came down to her wrists. The teenage girl had slipped into the room that morning after knocking and asking permission. She'd then pulled the clothing from the drawers, and laid them out, having brought a pair of boots with her. She now stood on one side of the room, with Elphaba on the other, holding the green dress out to her with an imploring look that meant she was closer to tears.
"Please, Elphaba. I'm begging you. You can't wear the animal skin. We're going into town today; Papa said we could go to the general store. What will people think if they saw you in that? This is much more respectable."
She shook her head, crossing her arms with a glare. It wasn't like the night before; she was putting her foot down. She would not wear that... that dress out. She would not go out, if she could keep from doing so. She'd stay here, in the house, until the week was up and then demand that she be taken back to her tribe, regardless of what the Thropps wanted.
Minutes passed, a soft knock sounded on the door. "Nessa? Is... is Elphaba ready?"
Slowly, the door opened, and Melena found her daughters in a silent standoff on either side of the room. Elphaba, arms crossed and glaring, still wore the nightgown she'd been given the night before, and Nessa, looking about to cry, stood holding the green dress out to her sister. With a soft sigh, Melena slipped into the room, shutting the door softly behind her.
Half an hour later, Tibbett, Frex and Shell looked up as Melena came down the stairs. "Mama?"
She smiled softly at her only son, reaching out to ruffle his black hair. The boy pulled away, but halfheartedly, as his mother sighed. "Everything's okay, Shell. Your sister was just... being difficult. That has not changed about her. She and Nessa will be down shortly."
The boy nodded, noticing how his mother refused to say his oldest sister's name, but he didn't have a chance to question it, as two pairs of footsteps could be heard on the stairs, and he turned, to see Elphaba being pulled down the stairs by Nessa's tight grip on her wrist. The older girl had been forced into the green dress, pantaloons, camisole, dress, black boots and bonnet rather reluctantly. Her hair, those twin black braids she'd been sporting when she arrived, the braids she'd worn for years in the tribe- for no matter if she'd lived the last seven years in a savage's village or in the Town of Nest Hardings, she was still a grown woman of nineteen, and that, therefore, meant she was an adult by societies' standards- was pulled back in a bun; it was evident that Mama had simply pulled the braids up and wrapped them around one another before pinning the bun to her head. The bonnet was tied around her neck and hung down her back.
Even from this distance, Shell could see that his oldest sister had grown up. She looked much more respectable and civilized now that she wasn't in that strange dress and moccasins. She looked as though she could pass for any other respectable lady of Nest Hardings. She grabbed onto the banister at the bottom of the stairs and Nessa turned, annoyance lighting in her eyes; Shell could see the remnants of tears on her cheeks. "Don't act this way, Elia. You're home now. You need to be grateful that you were rescued from those... those savages."
Something flashed in the other woman's dark eyes, and without a word, she released the banister, rearing back and slapping Nessa hard across the cheek. The younger girl squeaked in surprise, before her own dark eyes narrowed. "Do you feel better now?" Though she didn't understand the language, she knew the tone, and the young princess nodded. "Good." And without another word or even a warning, Nessa hauled off and returned the slap, startling her sister. "So do I!"
Elphaba yanked her hand from her sister's grasp, lashing out with her foot; in one swift motion, Nessa was sitting on the floor, her sister standing over her. Neither said a word, though Nessa reached out, grabbing her sister's ankle and tugging, pulling her down the last couple of steps onto the floor with her. By the time the adults made it back into the room, the girls' minor argument had turned into a fight that ended with Nessa straddling her sister, hands laced with hers, holding her arms at bay. "You're not a savage, Elia! You're a white! You're a part of our family! You're my older sister and I love you! And you're home! You belong with us! Don't you understand? You're home!"
Frex and Tibbett were able to pull the younger girl off her sister and haul her into the kitchen. "Nessarose! What is the meaning of this?"
"She fought me, Papa! She fought me and Mama about putting the dress on! She fought us about everything! She's only been here barely a day and she acts as though she's better than us! As though she doesn't understand anything, but I know she does! She understands everything but she hides behind those... those savages! Those... horrible, evil people who stole her away from us and..." The girl dissolved into tears, and with a sigh, Frex pulled his youngest daughter close, letting her cry. He turned back to see Melena watching the entire scene, Shell leaning against her side. Tibbett was talking softly with Elphaba, who kept her gaze on Nessa.
"Maybe it's best if we don't allow the children to go into town today, Frex. What would people say if another fight broke out between them?" She ran her fingers through Shell's hair, but her husband shook her head.
"She's going to have to leave this house and go into town at some point, Melena, especially if she's going to be staying. Best get it over with. The sooner we re-assimilate her back into society, the better." He glanced at his oldest daughter, and his wife followed his gaze. "She's been with them too long-"
"She knows nothing else, Frex." Melena sniffled, brushing a tear off her cheek. "How are we going to get her back if she refuses to re-assimilate? We can't send her back to those savages. I won't. I lost my daughter once, and she was gone for seven years, I won't lose her again."
Her husband sighed, brushing a kiss to Nessa's head. The girl's sobs had quieted by then, and he gently rocked her back and forth. "We have to go into town, Melena. There are things we need." He brushed his fingers through Nessa's hair. "Perhaps it'd be best if we make it a family outing instead of just the children. Then if something happened, we would be there to stop it, or at least get it under control." He glanced towards Tibbett. "And Mr. Tibbett will be there, he'll be able to keep her calm. He's been in her position, after all."
A moment passed, before Melena slowly nodded, pulling away from her son and grabbing her own bonnet. She quickly put it on, tying it beneath her chin. Taking a deep breath, she turned back to her husband. "I hope you're right, Frex."