"Father!" A little green three-year-old ran out the door to welcome her father. He knelt down and opened his arms to the energetic toddler.
"I'm back, Elphaba," He kissed her forehead gently, ignoring the ever-present urge to push the girl away heartlessly. "Miss me?"
"Uh huh," she snuggled into his embrace affectionately. Frex closed his eyes momentarily, imaging his perfect daughter in his arms, not this green girl. He opened them again, and glanced down at the abnormal child. Don't wish… He thought with harsh resolve.
"Don't you want to see your present?" The head jerked out of the crook of his elbow, eyes shining slightly.
"Father, it isn't Lurianemas," Elphaba half-protested, her perceptions of the world skewing slightly. Presents were for Lurianemas and birthdays in her young mind. Frex laughed at her harmless innocence, and produced a small leather-bound book from under his cloak. The youngster gasped and took it tenderly.
"Munchkinland Fairy Tales," Frex said. "You should be able to read most of them, but come to me whenever there are words you don't know yet." As strange as his daughter may be, Frex was proud of her rapid learning, and supported it in little ways as he reinforced his shaky affection of the green one. Elphaba jumped to secure her little arms around his neck and hug him.
"Thank you, father!" She said in his ear, not too loud. "I love you."
Frex took a deep breath. "I love you too, Elphaba."