Chapter 5: Olim

"Hey, have you ever seen the city from above?" asked Glinda, the idea having just flicked in her mind like a lightbulb turning on. "I have the most gorgeous view from my balcony."

"No, never."

Glinda hopped off the bed, reaching out her hand. Elphaba took it, sliding herself off of her spot on the bed, the blonde leading her across the room and out onto the balcony. When Elphaba reached the railing, she had to catch her breath. The city stretched for miles, as far as the eye could see. She could see all of the tall building, spiraling into the sky, their outsides matching her own. She could see the small buildings, the businesses, the villages, the countrysides outside of the city limits. She could see the mountains jutting up, the large lake in the distance. She could see the edges of Vinkus, stretching to the west, its border so far off that it was blurred. She continued to stare at the breathtaking view, wondering if there was any sight in Oz more beautiful than this.

"Wow," she said, finally regaining her words. "It's like we're on top of the world."

"Yeah, it's pretty great, isn't it?"

"I could stay here forever…" said Elphaba dreamily.

"Hey now, we're you the one who said that me being here forever was like being in a prison?"

Elphaba shook her head, snapping out of her dream state. "I know, I know. It's just a saying."

"GLINDA?!"

Elphaba had been leaning over the railing when the loud male voice shot through the room. She stumbled, her weight pushing forward, her body tilting dangerously forward. She opened her mouth to scream, a vision of herself falling flashing through her eyes, when she was yanked backwards by a hand digging into her shoulder. Glinda stared at her.

"Are you okay?"

Elphaba tried to calm her racing heartbeat. "Yeah…sure…"

The green girl turned, once again meeting face-to-face with the Wizard.

"What are you doing in my daughter's room, gypsy?" he growled. Glinda stepped forward, positioning herself between Elphaba and her father.

"She came to see me," said the blonde. "I let her in. She's my friend now. Besides, father, I heard you offered her a place to stay here."

The Wizard dropped his stern expression, letting out his breath in an audible exhale. "I did. I'm sorry, my darling daughter. I didn't mean to frighten you. I just didn't expect to find a stranger in your bedroom."

"She's not a stranger, she's my friend."

"Well then," said her father. "I'd like to talk to your friend alone, if you don't mind."

Glinda raised an eyebrow, giving her father a suspicious look. She stared at him, glanced to Elphaba, and then looked back at him again before she retreated into her bedroom, closing the balcony doors behind her. Elphaba stood up straighter, her arms crossing over herself in her familiar defensive posturing. She had really thought about the offer before, but now, after hearing him speak about his daughter and hearing Glinda's story, Elphaba had decided that something was wrong and she could not trust him.

"So, Elphaba," the Wizard was standing next to her. "Have you thought about my offer?"

"I have."

"And?"

Elphaba bit her lip. "I'm not sure. It's a lot to take in. I may be a gypsy, but those people raised me. They're my family. I'm not sure I could leave them."

"But think of what it would be like here for you," said the Wizard. "You would have everything you could ever need. You wouldn't have to dance for money. You wouldn't have to steal and beg. You would always have food, a roof over your heads, others to care for you. You've always had to care for yourself. Wouldn't it be nice to have someone take care of you instead?"

Elphaba felt her stomach tie up in knots. "I mean…that would be nice, yes."

The Wizard stepped closer to her. Elphaba was pressed against the railing, nowhere else to go. He was mere inches from her now.

"You should stay here." The Wizard's voice grew rougher, filling with another type of emotion. His eyes became hungry, straying from Elphaba's face and scanning over her body. She recognized the look on his face, a look that men had given her many times before.

She gripped the railing tightly with both hands. "I…should?"

"Yes, you should. It would be nice to have someone else here. It would be great for Glinda to have some company. And not just Glinda…"

Elphaba's back dug into the railing, her hands death gripping either side. The Wizard was so close to her that she could feel his hot breath on her neck. He also gripped the railing, his hand resting between hers and her waist. He looked at her, the hunger taking over, his gaze burning into the swell of her chest and the curve of her hip.

The Wizard's voice dripped with lust, his other hand brushing the bare skin on her waist. "I could use some company, too."

Elphaba had had enough. She let go of the railing and shoved the Wizard back, knocking him off balance. She flung herself to the side, getting as far away from the drop below as she could. She was filled with both rage and fear, her hands shaking and her heart threatening to crack her ribs.

"No! I refuse!" the gypsy yelled. "I will never!"

The Wizard's face changed, the lust falling away, replaced with wild, animalistic rage.

"Then get out!" he snarled. "If you will not say yes to me, then you need to get out of this castle and never come back!"

The balcony doors flung open. Glinda now stood between them.

"What is going on?" she asked, taken aback by what was going on. "Why is there yelling? What is even happening out here?"

It took Glinda a moment, but she figured out the situation pretty quick. She registered the twisted rage on her father's face. She saw Elphaba, standing as far away from him as possible. Glinda could see her shaking from where she was standing, and she saw a look in her friend's deep brown eyes that she could only described as pure terror.

Glinda met her father's face, her own furrowing into a glare. "What is going on?"

Elphaba found her moment, using this as a chance to flee. She fled past Glinda, hurling herself back into the pink room. Glinda followed close behind her, the doors slamming, creating a barrier between her and her father. She caught Elphaba by the arm just as the green girl had her hand around the doorknob.

"Elphie, wait! Tell me what happened!"

Elphaba turned to face her friend, the fear still written on her face.

"I need to go."

"Elphie, no!" Glinda pulled on the gypsy girl, pulling her back enough that she could pin herself between her and the door. "Tell me now! Tell me what happened!"

"Your…your father…offered to have me stay."

"And?"

"He…" Elphaba swallowed hard. "He doesn't want me here for my magic."

"Then why does he want—" The horror of it all suddenly overwhelmed Glinda. She felt like she was going to be sick.

"Oh sweet Oz."

"I have to go. I have to get out of here." Glinda dropped Elphaba's arm, tears sliding down her face.

"Elphie…I'm sorry…I never meant…"

"Glin, it's not your fault."

Glinda found herself wrapped in the green girl's arms. For a moment, she pushed the horror aside, hugging her back with all of her little might. Elphaba held onto her new friend for a few moments before letting her go.

"I'll still be in the city," she said. "If you can get out again, come find me."

Elphaba vanished down the stairs, leaving the door swinging behind her.

Glinda leaned on the doorframe, the tears raining down even harder. She shook, the feeling of loss threatening to overtake her. She had finally found a friend, someone who actually cared about her, and now it was gone. Worst of all, her father, the man that she had loved, was the one who caused it. The idea of him lusting after Elphaba made her nauseous, the mere thought causing her to dry heave. She had been living the comfortable life she had always lived until a day ago, and now everything had changed. Everything she knew had been shattered, the lies of her life replaced with the ugly truth. The world was not what she thought it was. The evil was not just out there; it was in here, too.

"My darling Glinda."

Glinda lifted her head, the rage igniting a fire in her belly. She felt her magic come alive, wiggling underneath her skin. She knew that if she didn't try to calm herself that her magic would go out of control. Glinda stood up, straightening her posture, letting the fire in her bones wash over her. She didn't want to calm down. She didn't want to control her magic. She wanted to release it.

She turned, facing her father. Her expression must have been something, for she saw her father twitch and try to soften himself.

"My dear baby girl." He stepped towards her. He took another step, then another, then another, eventually pulling her into his arms. The rage swirled inside the little blonde, but she couldn't make herself release it. She was so very angry at her father, but she couldn't find it in herself to hurt him. Not only was she angry, but she was now hurt and very confused. She trembled under his touch, knowing what and who he was trying to touch just moments ago.

"Please understand," he said. "She misunderstood. I had no ill intentions towards her. You see, Glinda, gypsy women use their sexual nature to manipulate men. They don't understand charity. They don't understand real kindness."

Glinda flashed back to not long ago, when the two were holding hands, laughing.

She knows what kindness is.

"She only knows one thing, Glinda," continued the Wizard. "She only understands the wants and the needs of the flesh. She could never imagine a male who doesn't want that from her."

But you do want that from her, oh wonderful wizardly father?

"I did everything I could," he said finally. "I hope she will change her mind and decide to return so I can make things right. In the meantime, I hope that you understand. I hope that you now see what things are really like out there, and that you finally, truly understand why you must stay in here."

Glinda's will to fight had faltered. Her emotions had twisted up inside her and now she didn't know which to feel or what to do. She couldn't fight him; she just couldn't. She let him hold onto her for another moment before she got an idea. Glinda was not a fighter, but she did know how to always get her way. She decided that if her father was going to play this game, then she was going to play as well, only better. She used her tears to her advantage, forcing herself to look into her father's eyes and smile.

"Okay, Father," she made her voice crack. "I wish she would've stayed, too. It would have been nice to have a friend."

The Wizard rubbed her back. "Of course, my love. It would be nice to have another young lady in the castle."

Glinda got a horrible thought.

She's probably the same age as me. We were both orphans. If you didn't raise me, would you want to sleep with me, too?

"I need to go now, and you need some rest." The Wizard kissed the top of her head. For the first time in her life, that display of affection made her skin crawl. "Goodnight my darling Glinda. I will see you in the morning."

Glinda kept her façade until she could no longer here his footsteps. She lay down on her bed, hitting the pillow with an audible 'oof'. She rolled over, noting that her comforter was still wrinkled in the corner from where Elphaba was sitting. Glinda tapped her fingers together, the gears in her brain turning and whirling. It would take careful planning, some preparation, and possibly some help, but Glinda was filled with resolve.

She was going to find Elphaba, and she was going to get out of this castle once and for all.