A/N: Thankyou to LillyFae and Elphieispopular, both of you seem excited by Elphaba and Liir bonding. And of course Elphaba has to retaliate, LillyFae.

I'm the Witch 8

Since becoming a parent, Elphaba was beginning to notice a lot of little things she was now required to take responsibility for in order to ensure Liir's wellbeing. For instance, she was putting in a bit more effort to supply something vaguely resembling a decent meal. Previously she'd left it up to the boy and Chistery, she rarely ate beyond what she stole to survive while flying. They'd managed, but it wasn't anything like substantial. Now she supplied fruit, vegetables, wheat, grain and occasionally some milk to make butter and dough. Though she forbade meat in the castle.

Now, as she watched the boy playing from her window, she noticed something else. He was clearly wearing whatever clothes Manek had left behind. Not only did they not fit, but they were moth eaten and Elphaba wasn't sure she wanted Liir wearing the clothes of a child she had killed for nearly killing Liir. What to do about it was the next question. She would have a chance to get some clothes for the boy while she was seeing to her old headmistress. However, there was no way in the world she wanted Liir anywhere near that particular situation and she needed to know what size he was. It was then that he recalled what Frex had done when his children required clothes that Nanny couldn't sew. She called the boy to her.

"Stand still a minute will you." She pottered around and eventually found what she was looking for, a tape measure. Liir held still as she knelt and took the necessary measurements, scribbling them down as she went.

"How…nice." Elphaba stood hurriedly and pushed Liir behind her. Liir simply walked around the other side of his mother, having recognized Jayla's voice before seeing her.

"Auntie Witch!" The boy exclaimed. Elphaba smirked at the look of disgust that crossed the other Witch's face.

"What happened to terrorizing the Munchkins?" As she spoke, the green witch collected her broom and cape, shoving the paper with Liir's measurements inside it. Jayla watched her do so.

"They're not out for war and anarchy anymore. Positively settled. Elected some creature by the name of Boq to manage them. He and his wife and children seem to be doing quite well, so I thought I'd take a day. Where are you going?"

"Unfinished business. Take a few days and mind Liir."

"Never had a problem leaving him before." At Elphaba's look she retreated. "Can I take him to Munchkinland with me? I don't fancy leaving them to themselves too long."

"I know Boq, they'll be fine. If they catch even the slightest whiff of who he is, Liir won't be."

"That's what I'd be there for. Besides, the boy needs to get out and see more of Oz, he's what, ten years old now?"

"Oh please Mum, can I go? Auntie Witch will make sure I don't get killed." Liir pleaded with wide eyes.

Elphaba looked crossly between the two of them. Liir, she could see, was genuine in his pleas to go on an adventure. Jayla, however, seemed to be enjoying harassing the green woman. Aforementioned green woman, didn't have time to deal with it and relented. Before flying out the window she gave strict instructions that they return to Kiamo Ko in 3 days and, she would endeavour to be home before the week was out.

Madame Morrible had retired to a quiet apartment in the town surrounding Shiz University. It was a comfortable residence, though not nearing the extravagance of the Tenmeadow's mansion, which was also nearby. The street was pitch black and it was here the Witch of the West landed, unseen by anyone. It had been a good flight. A wind had carried her to the town in record time. Chistery's reports had told her where the house was, so there had been no time wasted in getting lost.

Picking the lock turned out to be surprisingly easy for the house of one of the Wizard's most highly respected advisors. Although, from what the Witch had heard, Morrible was old and retired. She probably didn't want to draw much attention to herself. The Witch slipped inside and searched until she found the headmistress' bedroom.

Morrible didn't stir when the Witch quietly entered her room, though she was still breathing. Judging from the laboured sound the woman emitted, the Witch guessed she wouldn't be alive much longer. The emerald hand drew a knife from one of the many concealed pockets in her cape and the Witch approached the bed, but paused.

Now, faced with the task of actually killing the woman, she wasn't sure she could go through with it. When she was younger, at a distance when Morrible was still a threat, it would have been easier. Here though, was a dying old woman. The Witch could see the wrinkles and the nearly translucent skin of the old woman's hand. She was no threat to anyone beyond what she'd already accomplished.

The thought of what Morrible had already done, particularly to her, was what sprang the Witch back into action. There was the constant humiliation and the prophecy all those years ago, which the Witch was sure was coming into play now. Then there was the link the Witch had long suspected between Morrible and the death of her lover. The Witch raised her knife.

"Fool I was, thinking you would not come for me." The fish-like woman wheezed out, and the Witch paused, remaining silent. "I know it's you, Miss Thropp, though my eyes fail me. Took you so long, I thought you would not come. Though I suppose ordering the death of your beloved would be something you would not forget, there were so few who did love you. You recall the prophecy I made, you feel you are being controlled. Always the same, can't stand the voice of authority. And look where that has gotten you, the Wicked Witch of the West. An orphan with no family of your own. No one to love you. Such a great life you lead."

When the Witch stumbled from the house just as morning broke, Madame Morrible was dead. Whether she had died naturally in the end or she had actually killed her, the Witch could not recall with any sort of clarity. She leaned heavily against a lamp post, trying to catch her breath and re-focus her mind away from its musings as to her own wickedness. It was a dark path to go down.

Liir.

She needed to acquire some clothes for her son. Raising her right hand she considered the necklace in it. Gold with an embedded emerald, she had found it on a table in Morrible's house as she had left. There was bound to be a pawnbroker somewhere who wouldn't ask many questions, perhaps one who remembered her green skin and owed her a favour of a few extra coins. So she set off on foot through the town, cape wrapped tight around her and head down. As she passed the Tenmeadow's house she saw Avaric run out and down towards the headmistress' place. It was then that she recalled she'd left the knife and wondered if they would link her to the death. Never mind that now, she thought, time to get clothes for your son and return to Kiamo Ko. She wondered what Jayla would think and prayed Liir never found out.