Misunderstood
Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or any of the characters involved with it, with the exception of the ones that I create.
Chapter 6: Served on a Silver Platter
The next morning, Glinda woke up refreshed and very well rested. She yawned and stretched, not quite ready to get out of bed yet. She lay there very content, and wanted to go back to sleep. Mmm…I'm so comfortable. I should just go back to sleep for a few hours. The banquet can wait…her eyes suddenly shot open. Oh Lurline, the banquet! She got out of bed and she quickly pulled on a robe. She went running out of her room, and nearly went falling down the stairs leading to the grand foyer. "Shenshen! Shenshen where are you?" She went running into the kitchen to get a quick snack, and it turned out that Shenshen was coming out of there as well. "Oh thank goodness that I found you. How is the banquet going? Have any of the VIP's responded? What's going on with everything?" Shenshen got her clipboard, and handed it to her friend. Glinda quickly scanned over the board, pleased with the results. "Oh, this is absolutely fantastic! Everything is going exactly the way it's supposed to. Ok this is what I need you to do now. I know that they have already R.S.V.P.'d, but send out some very elaborate invitations giving all the details." Her assistant nodded her head and she went off to carry out the deed. Glinda grabbed a croissant and went ambling out of the room.
She soon met up with the decorators and approved all of the materials and cost of everything. The blonde went back to the kitchen and made sure that the chefs had everything that they needed and also approved the menu for the evening. Finally, she set about planning her own special event for the night. Getting one of her carriages ready, Glinda went out into town.
Once she was in town, she went to Yackle's shop to get the ingredients that were needed for the spells she was going to brew up for the Tinman and the Scarecrow. She walked into the old, rank shop. Dead frogs were in jars, eyeballs were floating in some sort of liquid, and bones were hanging all around the shop. Although the shop looked small from the outside, the Good Witch soon reaffirmed that appearances can be deceiving. She looked all through the shop, sometimes getting lost in the mazes of the aisles. Finally she decided to look for what was needed rather than waiting for the old woman to appear. She went up and down the aisles, looking back and forth for the materials in the semidarkness of the place. But, nothing was to be found. As soon as she started to get worried, she heard a rustling from somewhere in the store. The blonde looked around, but couldn't find the source. Once she turned back to the particular shelf that she was looking at, a voice came from her left. "Looking for something, my dear?" Glinda jumped slightly and looked to her left to see that the old woman had materialized at her elbow. Trying to recover from her brief surprise she managed to stutter out, "Yes, actually I'm looking for the essence of-" Yackle started to walk off. "Yes, I know: the essence of society itself." Glinda was surprised again for the second time within a matter of moments.
The old woman went a few aisles over and she picked up a small purple pouch. "There you are. Be very careful with that. Essence is especially hard to collect these days, what with all the different laws that the Wizard has put into effect. It's very rare now." Yackle made sure that she made eye contact with Glinda on this statement. Glinda was bewildered by the woman's stare. Something about it was different, not altogether made of the world that was known. "Anything else?" Glinda shook herself out of the sort of hypnosis that she had fallen under. "One more thing actually; I need…" Once again, the woman had sauntered off in the maze of the store. She went up and down several very long and dusty aisles, to stop, crouch, and pick up an even smaller container. It was about the size of a teacup, and it looked like an egg. "There you are: one dose of philosophical intellect. It will make the receiver more open to all sorts of knowledge and also increase their memory." Glinda thankfully took the ingredients, and walked over to the register. "How much will this be all together?" Yackle smiled, and shook her head. "Free of charge, Glinda the Good. I only ask one thing of you." The old woman's eyes began to twinkle mischievously. "Tell your maunt friend, that I say hello and wish her endeavors the best of luck." Glinda was completely dumbfounded. She knows. Fear came into her blue eyes, clouding them completely. There was nothing she could say to counter anything that had already been said. She forced a smile, took her items, and left the store, feeling the eyes of Yackle follow her out the door.
Instead of pondering over the weird occurrence that had just taken place, Glinda hailed down her ride, and went back to the mansion. No time to be thinking on that now. Yackle won't say anything. Not judging by what she said to me. Just concentrate on tonight and the festivities right now. That takes top priority. It was midday by the time she got home. She collected all that she needed, and went to find out how everything was progressing. She checked in again with her "banquet" committee, and found that nearly everything was ready. The decorations were looking stunning, and the food smelled so wonderful. The invitations had been printed and sent out. Now all that was needed was a dazzling gown for the evening.
She went upstairs to her personal salon, and picked up the blue dress that she had not worn the day before. It would go well with the festivities. She made her hair have the perfect curl and texture, careful not to over do it. She put on some very light make up, focusing on her eyes and cheeks. Once she was done, she sat back and took a good long look. Gone was the Glinda she now knew. This was the Galinda from the days at Shiz, looking her best for only the best. Satisfied, she looked at the time. It was five minutes until six. She heard the guests beginning to arrive and so she waited to make her grand entrance.
Once the Scarecrow and the Tinman made their entrance (they were the last guests to arrive), Glinda decided to make hers. Coming out of her salon, Shenshen was alerted to notify the narrator. He nodded, "Attention, attention. May I introduce, Glinda of the Arduenna Clan. Wife of Sir Chuffrey, and properly named Glinda the Good, Witch of the South." She stepped onto the grand staircase and smiled her best smile. Applause and cheers erupted, and both the Tinman and Scarecrow came to the bottom of the staircase to escort her to the banquet table. As they pulled out her chair and she sat down, the narrator said "Let the feast begin!" Everyone else sat down and the chefs brought out the first course. The administration sat down on either side of her. The Tinman smiled and thanked her profusely for all the work and effort that had been put into the elaborate celebration. She graciously thanked him and also congratulated him and told him to enjoy the night. The Scarecrow also leaned over and expressed the same sentiments, before indulging himself in the soup that had been served.
Near the end of the third course, Glinda stood up at the head of the table and made a motion for silence. All eyes were on her now, and she knew that this was her chance to impress beyond what anyone had thought. "We are all here tonight to commemorate the grand triumph of these two men" she motioned to the Scarecrow and the Tinman "over the Wicked Witch of the West, who had her evil grasp over all of Oz for so very long." She paused for applause and then continued on. "When they had returned to the Emerald City, they gave our wonderful Wizard a token to show that they had truly overcome her: the Witch's enchanted broom." Applause echoed throughout the room, with a few sparse cheers. "In return, the Wizard granted them two gifts they had wanted for as long as they could remember. To the Scarecrow, he was given brains. To the Tinman, he was given a heart. Although both were great individuals before, these gifts made them all the more wonderful people." There was an agreed murmur all throughout the room. "These gifts are wonderful, and they are also thoughtful. However, these are also synthetic. I feel that they have not quite reached their full potential. And so, I have gotten gifts to bestow upon them tonight." Silence throughout the room. She pulled out the first gift. "To the Tinman, I give you a real heart, one of your own." She opened the small pouch that the essence of society was in, poured it into her hand, and blew it over the Tinman. Bright pink light illuminated the room and the audience was stunned. The Tinman looked the same, but as he felt his wrist and chest, he could feel a real pulse. "I have a pulse! Not just a ticking!" He exclaimed excitedly, and the room was in awe. Next, the Good Witch turned to the Scarecrow. "To the Scarecrow, I give you a brain: a real one, one of your own. You will be overflowing with intellect that is not known to any others." She took the philosophical knowledge in her hand, and broke the egg shaped container over his head. The audience gasped, as they saw a liquid pour out and get absorbed into the head. The Scarecrow suddenly went into a sort of scowl, and everyone was afraid that it had not worked. But he soon began speaking: "I have found the solution to where the precious rubies can be mined! I know of where they are in abundance, near the Sea!" Everyone gasped again. The Sea? It had never been found by anyone throughout the history of Oz, and now their leader knew where it was! Glinda motioned for silence once more. "These men deserve the gifts they have been given. Let us show them our great appreciation." She began clapping for them, which set off the whole room. At this point, dessert came out, and everyone dove into it.
Soon, the banquet was over. The guests were filing out, thanking Glinda for all that she had done and also congratulating her. Once everyone had gone, only the Tinman and the Scarecrow remained. They walked over to the door, and both shook her hand warmly. "Glinda the Good, you have done wonders for both of us tonight. We aren't quite sure how you can ever repay you…" Glinda curtseyed, "You both deserved it. I don't expect to be repaid. It was done out of need, and also out of the goodness of my heart." But the men protested. "No, we are forever in your debt. What you have done for us, and also for all of Oz, no words can describe." They both looked to each other. "Why don't you come to our palace? We can discuss plans for you. Glinda, you are needed by Oz. Your magic and intellect cannot be put to waste. Come three days from now, and we will talk." Her eyes were alight, she accepted, and bid them goodnight. She closed the door, and leaned against it, ecstatic. This is going so much better than we had hoped Elphie! I'm within the inner circle now. Everything is working out. Luck is with us.
As she retired to bed, she thought about the strange thing that Yackle had said to her in the shop. Something reassured her that everything was going to be fine, that Yackle would not tell anyone anything that she knew. Something is different about her. I can sense it. I just don't know exactly what it is…Glinda settled into bed. How did she know Elphie is back? Has she talked to Nanny? She shook her head, slightly exasperated. Of course not. No one has had any communication with the residents of Kiamo Ko since the alleged death of my friend. Still puzzling, she drifted off into sleep. Through the night, she had dreams of Yackle and the Kumbric Witch. She also had dreams of things to come. But, when she awoke the next day, nothing was to be remembered…