Author's Note: It's been awhile since I've updated this fic. My life is so much better than it was last year. I've moved in with the love of my life and I finally have control over my own life with a good job and great co-workers. My day job is to entertain sick elderly people, and I love it! It is so much better than working in the kitchen setting up trays and doing dishes. Anyway, Even though this is not the most fun or enjoyable chapter for me to write or probably read, I think it helps push the plot along and I think I've written worse and more boring chapters in my more popular fic A Different Choice. I hope you guys like this chapter anyway, sincerely- Ash.
*Disclaimer: I don't own this intellectual property! See chapter 1 for details. *
A Mother's Curse
Chapter 7: Letters
The fish-like woman known as Madame Morrible, Headmistress of Shiz University, is currently writing a letter to one of her colleagues, or so she claims. She is sitting at her desk in her own private study that has: one large window overlooking the main courtyard of the university; gaudy furniture in splashes of red and gold; and books on almost every shelf, more than half with a questionable nature.
Evanora,
This is your old friend Muriel. I am sending you a warning I hope you take head of: a serious threat is coming your way in the form of two adolescent girls. This is no joke, although young and one untrained, both are very powerful and have the believed force of the Wizard to back them up. I cannot publically defame them currently, however I will do my best to take your dear long lost niece out of the picture. Theodora had a daughter, and I found out very recently the identity of her. This past school year I did my best to sway Elphaba to our cause, but she is stubborn and idealistic, too much like her mother. The only evidence I have, besides the obvious green skin, is that on her adoption certificate it lists Theodora as her natural mother, although there is no signature. I am unaware of the child's father, you might have better suspicions on whom he could be than I do. Be that as it may, I suggest you go into hiding again and let me sway the public opinion slowly away from those young girls. At first they might think they have won, but we will have the upper hand. Besides, Elphaba will be too preoccupied with being reunited with her "mother" to stand in our way. Our true biggest threat will be the Wizard, we will deal with him much later, and there must be some way to stop or contain him.
Your friend,
M. Morrible
Madame Morrible sighs in boredom as she signs the letter and seals it with a standard Shiz University wax seal that all students are given during new student orientation. She would rather being doing something more exciting than writing a letter, but she is also aware of and smart enough to realize that now is the time to bide her time. Elphaba will make a great scapegoat to rally against and gain the citizens of Oz's power from. The fish-woman dressed in a gaudy robe that matches her gaudy study then whispers some words and magically sends the letter addressed simply Evanora on the outside envelope directly to her old friend.
Sometime later that same day comes a reply…
Muriel,
As I have only just recently gained some power again, I begrudgingly decide to listen to your advice. You have never steered me wrong before my friend and I appreciate your help in making my first vanity amulet. I have not had any success making a second one nor have I have been able to make the one I promised you over fifty years ago. My magic has not been the same since that first amulet and even worse when I fought Glinda twenty years ago. It is with this knowledge that I will admit that without your secret aide, I could not magically keep up my act. My sister and I have not spoken in twenty years and I was never able to get her to join us anyway, so I have no care what she or her niece does. I am magically spent and need some time to try to regain my natural power. In my time in hiding I will attempt to find a way to steal the Wizard's power for myself, then I will be able to make you everything that I have promised my friend.
Evanora
Madame Morrible reads the reply, feeling nostalgic for a time long ago, when she and her friend were young girls in Gillkin, both with visions of grandeur that they were barred from because of them being born out of wedlock…
"Muriel!" shouts an angry Evanora, a beautiful twenty something year old young woman with curly brown hair and mischievous hazel eyes, ""It's not fair! I should be the crown princess of Oz, I'm the King's oldest daughter!"
"I know Evanora," comforts Muriel, a blonde haired blue eyed woman with a perm hairstyle and wearing a gaudy dress as she grabs her friends hands with her own, "King Ozan should have married your mother after he had his way with her and she came with child. Like my father should have married my mother. Instead he leaves your mother to a loveless marriage and marries some other floozy that now has also given him a daughter. It should be you."
"He doesn't even know me," cries Evanora, "He denies I exist! It's his fault I'm a bastard not mine yet he denies me everything, he won't even talk to me!"
"We will get our revenge someday," promises Muriel seriously, "We will defame Princess Glinda and learn all the greatest secrets of magic! And you shall be the rightful queen of Oz leading our people into a new, better golden age where our powers won't be restricted and we could gain immortality!"
"Yes, someday my dear friend," agrees Evanora, "I shall be the rightful queen, and as queen I will give you your proper title of Heiress Lady Muriel Upland of the Upper Uplands. And I also will help you in the quest of finding a way to keep ourselves beautiful forever."
She looks at a massive map of Oz on one of the walls of her study.
"Someday, Evanora," mutters Morrible seriously, "We will have what we always wanted! Oz shall be ours!"
Before Elphaba left Kiamo Ko castle in the Vinkus with the Wicked Witch of the West and Finley, she looked through the Witch's things. One item of which was a letter addressed to Theodora that until now Elphaba had not had the time to read. Since riding a broomstick was quickly becoming routine, especially since the witch was chained to her back, still unconscious, and in her boredom and curiosity, Elphaba read the letter to herself.
My dear Theodora,
I am so sorry that I used your affection and then just ignored you. I must confess that it is a nasty habit I still have from trying to bring some excitement into my life from my upbringing in my boring hometown. I have no excuse only a heartfelt apology. I want to make things right, if you come to me I will help you fix yourself almost as good as new. I'm sure Glinda would help us, she also feels guilty, as your older sister, about how we didn't immediately try to get to you before going back to her people. It was a confusing and adrenaline fueled time. But that time is over, please let us try to help you. I meant what I said, if you come to me and deny your wickedness, you will be welcomed back my friend. I do not blame you for what your wicked half-sister did to you, I only hope you will come to your senses and come home.
Sincerely,
Oscar Z. Diggs
"The Wizard and I are going to have a long talk with the Wicked Witch when we get back to the Emerald City," says Elphaba angrily to herself, "I need to know what happened to my mother. The whole story."
The two witches ride through the air towards the Emerald City, Finley leading the way by flying on his own ahead of them into dawn's early light…
