Elphaba followed Kendal to the kitchens and hurriedly busied herself making the meal, having to work harder because of the guests. She tried to avoid Kendal, knowing all too well he'd make it a point to embarrass her about Fiyero or something.
"Elphaba, why don't you and Kendal go fix the pancakes or something," said an older cook.
"Are you sure I can't do something else? Like make eggs?" asked Elphaba. Kendal laughed
"Nope, you're stuck with me." he said jovially. Elphaba sighed and went to the opposite counter in the large kitchen. The kitchen was the type of kitchen you'd see in a restaurant, not just a normal house kitchen. Elphaba swerved out of the way as a man with a huge tray of...something, nearly ran into her. The kitchens were always busy and crowded, but it was one of Elphaba's favorite places to be in the mansion. She talked to the cooks and other servants here and cooked alongside them sometimes when Frex made her. She wasn't really welcome anywhere else in the mansion.
"So, you and Prince Fiyero huh?" said Kendal with a smirk.
"No." Elphaba said firmly, "Not. At. All."
"Really?" said Kendal sarcastically, "From what I saw..."
"You, didn't see anything." Elphaba snapped.
"Oh, I think I saw a little something." Kendal muttered as he mixed the flour, then he stopped and turned to Elphaba, "I think he likes you."
"I think you are utterly stupid!" Elphaba snapped.
"Oh c'mon!" said Kendal, "Don't tell me you couldn't see how he was looking at you!"
"Kendal, honestly, he looks at me like that all the time, there's no difference." Elphaba shook her head wearily and rolled her eyes.
"All the time?!" Kendal exclaimed, "Heck, this guy's in-love with you!"
"Shut up!" Elphaba quickly glanced around the kitchen, "Kendal, be quiet. You shouldn't spread such rumors."
"Please, that guy is totally falling for you." said Kendal scoffed, "And guesses what else..." Elphaba waited to hear what he had to say, although she really couldn't care less. Kendal grinned and continued, "You're falling for him too."
"What?!" Elphaba jumped and nearly shouted. A few heads swiveled their way. Elphaba waved, "Nothing to see, just go about your cooking." she said. Then she turned to glare at Kendal, "I do not!"
"Do too!" Kendal laughed.
"You know, I don't think I'd like to continue this conversation with you." Elphaba said smoothly as she turned back to the pancakes she was currently cooking.
"But Elphaba, he likes you." Kendal laughed, amused at her reluctance to speak about such things.
"He's dating my best friend!" Elphaba snapped.
"No he's not." said Kendal, "I'm single at the moment and don't really fancy guys, thank you very much." Kendal laughed.
"Not you stupid! My other best friend, at Shiz." Elphaba said, laughing a little at Kendal's off and really bizarre assumption.
"Oh...why?" said Kendal.
"Because, she's Galinda Upland. Why else? She's the beautiful, popular, amazing Galinda." Elphaba shrugged.
"Elphie, do you own a mirror?!" Kendal laughed, "Seriously, you're probably ten times prettier than this Galinda person. Though I can't say much for the popular part."
"I'm green!" Elphaba said, "And besides, he's a prince, and they are perfect together. And when I say perfect, I mean like, meant for each other perfect." Elphaba's voice had become softer now, and Kendal could tell she wasn't being sarcastic anymore. He was about to say something else when a bell rung and Elphaba quickly stacked the pancakes onto a large plate and headed out of the door with the other servants.
***************************
After breakfast, Elphaba was ordered to clean the windows. She wore rubber gloves to protect her skin, but water always managed to somehow drip onto her from the rage and she sincerely hated the chore. She was cleaning the large windows outside of her father's study, when she heard voices.
"C'mon Frex. Any price you name it." Elphaba recognized the voice as Raman's and shuddered.
"No." said Frex firmly.
"Why not?!" Raman shot back.
"Because she's my daughter and I intend to keep her. She's not for sale!" said Frex in an annoyed tone. Realization flickered into Elphaba's mind. They were talking about her. She hated the way spoke of her like an object rather than a person.
"I must have her!" Raman shouted.
"If she's as amazing as you say, what makes you think that I don't want her?" Frex thundered. Elphaba rolled her eyes this. She couldn't count the number of times Frex had told her he wished she wasn't his daughter and that he should just send her to the orphanage.
"You?!" Raman shouted, "You hate her!"
"That's beside the point." Frex roared, "Now get out of my office!" A moment later, the door was swung open. Raman spotted her across the hall, cleaning the windows. He sauntered over to her and ran a finger across her cheek.
"Don't worry, you will be mine. Regardless of what your father decides." he said, then he walked away. Frex came out of the office.
"Go!" he barked at her. She quickly picked up the pail of water, being careful not to splash any on herself, and hurried away.
*****************
"So, what do you know about Elphaba?" asked Fiyero to one of the maids cleaning his room. She was an older woman, definitely up there in numbers.
"Oh, she's just the sweetest soul you ever met. Don't think I've ever met someone as good as her. She cares for animals and Animals alike with such tenderness and love, oh bless her soul." she said sadly, "But her father...just horribly. She's more slave than daughter here. Oh and she loves to read. Really quite smart you know."
"I know, last night I saw her asleep by the fireplace with a book. I think she fell asleep reading." said Fiyero.
"Poor thing. Her father doesn't even give her a bedroom, out of all of the empty rooms in this mansion; he won't spare a single one. She usually sleeps in there on the hard marble floor by the fireplace during the winter and in the summer she sleeps by the windows." said the old woman sorrowfully, "I offered her a spot in the servant's quarters. But her father found out about that and told she couldn't stay with us anymore."
"That's...terrible." said Fiyero at a loss for words.
"Indeed." agreed the old woman, "But Oz, she's a beauty isn't she?"
"Yeah." said Fiyero, conjuring up images of her from last night in his mind, he couldn't help the smile that drifted onto his face.
"Have you ever heard her voice? It's lovely, especially when she sings. She can cook real good too. And, not many people see this, but, she's a great dancer." the old maid continued.
"Oh I know." Fiyero said, remembering last night's dance. The maid looked at him and smiled knowingly.
"You've danced with her." she said, it wasn't a question. A crinkled smile appeared on her face. Suddenly the conversation begun to sound awkward to Fiyero as he squirmed under the old woman's knowing look.
"Looks like the snow cleared up pretty fast." Fiyero commented quickly. The old woman looked out the window.
"Well bless my soul, looks like it never even snowed." she said. Outside was sunny and the snow was gone almost completely save for a few white patches here and there where blades of grass could be seen peeking over the top of the thin layer of snow.
"I suppose I'll be leaving today." Fiyero said.
"No, the train's engine froze up last night. It'll be fixed up by tomorrow though." the old woman said as she finished dusting off the last window sill, "Good day you highness." she said as she dipped out of the room. Fiyero nodded and decided to go about and find Elphaba. He found her cleaning windows in the ballroom. She jumped back as a drop of water landed on her arm, but she kept working, knowing full well if she didn't finish her father would not be a happy man.
"What are you doing?" asked Fiyero. Elphaba jumped again at the sound of his voice.
"What does it look like?" she asked, not meanly, but mockingly. She smiled at him, "I'm cleaning the windows."
"Would you like some help?" he asked.
"Um...it'd probably be best if you didn't help me." she said.
"But I want to help you." he said, taking the rag from her gloved hand. She looked at him as if he were crazy, then picked up another rag from the pail and resumed cleaning the windows. It was silent between them until Elphaba broke the silence.
"So...um...were you at that...the..." she struggled for words as she didn't really want to ask the question, but wanted to know the answer, "Were you at the sermon?" she finally blurted out.
"Uh...yeah, I was." said Fiyero, turning to look at her.
"Oh, I'm sorry you had to watch that." she said looking down.
"I'm sorry you had to be part of that." Fiyero said, never letting his eyes leave her face. She looked so ashamed and sad, "are you okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine." she said, returning to cleaning the windows, "Just...uh, don't Galinda about it."
"Alright." he agreed.
"Thanks." she said. An awkward silence lapsed between them until they finished. She thanked him for helping her and went to prepare the lunch.
******************
That night, as Elphaba sat by the fireside, she couldn't help but reflect on her time here with Fiyero. He'd been so nice; he'd even helped her wash the windows. And the night before....the dance they'd shared. She couldn't seem to forget that. She'd probably laughed more with him that night than she'd laughed in her whole life. She wondered if her feelings for him were so obvious. Kendal figured them out. For a moment last night, she thought she might kiss him, and she thought he might kiss her too. But she quickly dismissed the thought. Fiyero was a prince, the prince. He was handsome and rich and kind and nice. And she was green and poor, and most importantly, she was Galinda's best friend...she wasn't that girl. He and Galinda fit together perfectly and everyone knew it. Besides, Prince's didn't fall in love with servant girls, which is basically what she was. Galinda was practically a princess, her father was the Gillikin ruler, while that may not constitute as royalty, it's pretty close and the princess always went with the prince. Elphaba sighed and began to read her book to escape from all of these distressing thoughts, when she felt a rough hand cover her mouth. His other hand grabbed her roughly by the arm and pulled her up. It was Raman.