Chapter 10: Libera Me

Glinda flipped the knife around in her hand, watching the silver blade dance beneath the light in her bedroom. She lay across her bed head tilted towards the ceiling. She could see the expression on her face, one of anger and malice, reflecting off the metal that she spun between her fingers. Occasionally her magic would spike, sending sparks from her fingers onto the metal and bouncing into various corners of the room. One hit her garbage can and started a small fire, but the blonde put it out with the wave of her hand. She was pissed, and when she was pissed, her magic was much harder to keep contained.

No one was allowed in or out of Glinda's room, including Glinda herself. When the maids came to clean or get her laundry, they were accompanied by two Gale Force guards and were not allowed to speak to her. The younger two would give sympathetic glances, and Laverne would roll her eyes and flip off the guards behind their backs. A small flap was carved out of the bottom of Glinda's door, and her meals were now pushed through it on a try. Her meals would be served prison-style, since she was now in a pink-clad jail cell. Elphaba told her she had a prisoner before, but now she really was.

"Miss Glinda!" A voice awoke Glinda from her anger-clad stupor. She sat up, setting the knife upon her bed.

"Glinda, I don't have much time," the voice whispered. "Take this. Use it. Save your friend. Save your father if you can. Hurry."

Glinda didn't even get her feet off the bed and on the ground before the voice vanished. The latch at the bottom of her door opened. Instead of the usual food try that came through it, a large, leather-bound book shot through it and steps were heard rapidly descending the staircase. Glinda recognized it immediately and bounded over to it, snatching it up in her arms.

"The Grimmerie!" Glinda cheered to herself. She had only ever been allowed to use the book during her magic lessons, and she was never allowed to keep.

She jumped onto the bed, leafing through the book. She wasn't sure who gave this to her, and only vaguely recognized the voice, but she didn't care. The voice told her to save Elphaba.

She flipped even faster, trying to find something, anything, to get her out of that room.

"Do you feel as uncomfortable as you look?"

Elphaba lifted her head, eye adjusting to the sudden light that entered the dark cell, along with the tall, shadowed figure that stood before it. She pulled her long emerald legs, cold and bare on the stone floor, revealed in the dirty white prison garment she had been forced into. Once her eyes adjusted and she realized who was standing before her, she let out a low growl.

"I wouldn't give you the pleasure of feeding off of my discomfort," she spat. The Wizard grimaced slightly.

"None of this gives me any pleasure. In fact, I want to set you free."

Elphaba sat up straighter. "Set me free? Really? Then why don't you?"

The Wizard stepped inside the cell, closing the door behind him. As the metal cage of the prison clanged together, Elphaba jumped up in a start.

"Because in order to do that, Miss Elphaba, I need you to make me a promise. I want you to promise me that you'll stay here, so I can help you. Teach you."

The Wizard reached out a hand. Elphaba backed up, pressing herself against the wall.

"Not the way you teach! I see the look in your eyes. I know what you really want with me. I'd rather die!"

The Wizard pulled his hand back, and the dark fury that the green woman had learned so well returned to his eyes.

"What about Fiyero? Your precious soldier boy?" he spat. "Would you rather he die as well?"

Elphaba could feel the breath catch her in throat at the mention of Fiyero.

"No…no of course not…"

"Well then, his fate lies in your hands then."

The Wizard had given her an ultimatum. If she did not give herself over to him and let him do as he wished, Fiyero would die.

"Why…." The only word Elphaba had spinning inside her tortured mind spilled out. "Why…"

The Wizard reached for his own head momentarily.

"I don't know! Oz be damned I do not know! Ever since I saw you at the festival you've ensnared me, bewitched me. Your gypsy magic has entered into my mind and buried itself there, rotting and festering until I see your form every place I look!"

Before Elphaba could even process his words, the Wizard was on top of her, his weight crushing her back into the damp, cold stone.

"I can save you!" hissed the Wizard, wild and crazed and desperate. "I can bring you here. This can be your home, your sanctuary. I can be your sanctuary. You can be mine! YOU WILL BE MINE!"

The Wizard slammed his mouth into Elphaba's, forcing a kiss upon her. His hands found her body, roaming unrestrained across her. Fear taking hold of her system and nausea growing in her stomach, Elphaba could feel the warm static of her magic start to build. It hovered in her core, swirling firey hot.

"LOVE ME", roared the Wizard, his mouth finding the verdigris flesh of her neck. "YOU WILL LOVE ME. YOU ARE MINE."

Elphaba closed her eyes, a stray tear rolling down one cheek. She prayed that it would be over soon, and he would then tire of her and leave her be.

But the gypsy woman's magic would not let her give in just yet.

The Wizard's hands ducked beneath her skirt, rising up her bare leg. Just as her found the sharp line of her hipbone, her magic surged. With a rush of power, Elphaba held out both hands. The white began to emanate from her hands, and just as quickly as it appeared, it shot out, a blast of violent light that sent the Wizard flying. He fell back onto the rocky floor, wailing, his hands covering his eyes.

"You filthy, dirty gypsy witch!" The Wizard stood, blinking furiously, his vision just starting to return. "You will see the suffering that your choice has made!"

The Wizard stormed out of the cell. He closed the door angrily, calling out for a guard. The one that appeared was no other than Avaric, Fiyero's friend.

"Captain Tenmeadows, is the betrayer still down here?"

Avaric looked back and forth from the Wizard to Elphaba.

"Yes, sir," he answered shakily.

"Good. Bring him here. Let Elphaba see the consequences of her actions."

The Wizard took one last look at Elphaba, who's legs had given out and she now lay in a ball on the ground, pulling her dress back up over her shoulder and shivering.

No look of care or pity or any form of regret was in the Wizard's eyes. All that was left was hatred and disdain.

"Despite your attack upon me, my offer still stands. Maybe after a few words with your precious Captain, you'll change your mind."

The Wizard stormed out of the room and up the stairs, followed closely by Avaric, who took one long look at Elphaba before he trailed behind. He returned a few moments later without the Wizard, but with Fiyero. The door to the cell clinked open again.

"I'm sorry," the new captain whispered before leading Fiyero inside and relocking. Just as quickly as he appeared, Avaric left, leaving the two alone.

Fiyero immediately bolted towards Elphaba.

"Elphaba, what did-"

Elphaba curled up tighter, holding out her hand in defense.

"No…don't touch me…please."

Fiyero kneeled on the ground, scooting as close to Elphaba as he could without touching her.

"Elphaba," Fiyero. "Are you hurt?"

"No…well…no, I'm not injured, Fiyero."

Fiyero offered a hand. "What happened?"

Elphaba took his hand, pulling herself up. She quickly wiping her face with the back of her hand. "He offered to let me go and stay in the castle."

"That's wonderful Elphaba," Fiyero had shoved his thoughts to the side, feeling some hope. "You can get out of here."

"No, Fiyero you don't understand…" Elphaba self-consciously pulled at the hem of her dress. "I would have to…give myself to him."

"Elphaba." Fiyero took both of the green girl's hands in his own. "I know…I know that sounds barbaric…but, you have to do it. You have to live. You have to save yourself."

"That's not what I would call saving myself," she hissed, but then her face softened immediately, dark chocolate eyes meeting her soldier's. "But…but it would save you."

Fiyero was taken aback. "Me?"

Elphaba nodded. "That was the deal. If I become his, he'd spare you."

"Elphaba, no," he gripped her hands tighter. "I'm not worth that."

"You are." Elphaba dropped his right, reaching up to gently caress his cheek. "You are worth that and so much more. Fiyero, I love you." Elphaba sniffed, feeling the hot tears start to burn behind her eyes. "I want you to be free. Besides, he already tried to take it anyway…"

It took Fiyero a few painstakingly long seconds to catch on, but when he did, his eyes grew as large as they could become, and he felt the anger and sadness begin to dually build inside him.

"Elphaba…did he…did he try to…"

When Fiyero reached forward and pulled the green girl into his arms, she finally broke. She curled up against his chest, the sorrow finally bursting forth as she sobbed into his chest. His strong arms wrapped around her, one hand gently stroking her back as she cried, trying to calm her. He laid his cheek on top of her head, his scraggly, unshaved beard resting on inky black locks. He kissed the top of her head.

"I love you," the soldier said over and over. "I will never let you do that for me. I love you. I love you more than anything else in the world. I would rather die than let that monster have you. I love you."

Fiyero placed his fingers under Elphaba's chin, gently tilting her face upward. She tried to turn away, not wanting him to see her tear stained face, but he did it again, looking deep into her eyes.

"Someday my love, life will be kinder. When the world's older, and people have learned, there will be a new, more wonderful world waiting. It might not be our world, but that world will come someday. Someday soon, I promise."

And then the soldier kissed the gypsy, and they kissed each other with every last fiber of their being. They kissed as if this moment was their last, because it truly might be so.