Thank you Caro88 for the review. I appreciate the feedback.
I hope this satisfies you readers until I can get the next chapter up. Thanks for reading.
Long, slender fingers stroked Glinda's pale cheek in an attempt to wake her. The young blonde could felt the soft touch and tried to rouse herself. She needed to discover who was with her.
Glinda's azure eyes opened. "Morning my love," a gentle husky voice said to her.
The Good Witch rubbed her sore eyes and stared at the person again. There in her black dress and boots her broom leaning against the bed was Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West. Glinda's eyes searched Elphaba's and she jumped into the witch's arms.
"Elphie! I-I thought t-that –you," Glinda couldn't finish her sentence feeling her breath leave her.
"Sshhh… It's all right. You're safe. It's ok Glinda," Elphaba whispered to her stroking her golden curls.
Glinda sobbed loudly leaning into Elphaba's strong shoulder. She held her tightly digging her nails into the cloth of the green woman's dress. If Elphaba was here she wasn't going to let her go.
Elphaba gently pushed Glinda away and looked into her eyes. "I'll be waiting," she said.
The witch kissed Glinda's cheek then repeated the words, "I'll be waiting."
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Glinda jerked awake gripping her wand and holding it out in front of her. A layer of sweat covered her chest, face, and neck. Her breathing was heavy and her mouth was dry. She glanced around the room. She began to rock and back gently holding herself as tears began to roll down her cheeks. No… No, no, no, Glinda thought. Elphie was right here she was alive. No.
The Good Witch clutched Elphaba's hat again and lay back on her pillows. She took deep even breaths trying to stop her tears and gain some control again. When the tears finally ceased she closed her eyes and concentrated on her heartbeat.
All was quiet in the palace. The marble halls sat in silence the emerald sheen seeming dull even in the bright morning light. The whole palace had settled in an air of despair. No guard, servant, or lord walked through the halls or grand rooms. Life seemed to have all but disappeared during the night.
A booming rumble could be heard in the distance. Glinda's eyebrows met in confusion and she opened her eyes listening intently to the racket. The Good Witch stood from her bed and went to her window. Outside, a mile or so from the palace was a mob of Ozians advancing toward the Emerald Palace. Glinda gripped the windowpane tightly causing her knuckles to turn white. She knew why they were coming and what they wanted, but she felt so inclined as to not indulge them. Glinda knew she couldn't do that, it would mean her life and she wasn't going to allow Elphaba to die in vain.
There was a knock on the door, "Come in."
A Gale Force guard stood in the doorway and bowed to the Good Witch. "A mob of citizens are headed toward the palace your goodness. They want blood."
The blonde gritted her teeth in frustration. "I'm aware," she spat at him.
She turned back to the window and took a deep breath, a plan forming in her mind. "I want you and all the guardsmen to keep the Ozians at bay until I arrive. I will speak to them myself," she told the guard turning around. "You're dismissed."
The guard bowed at the waist then left the room. Glinda took another deep breath and covered her face with her hands. She felt as if she were about to collapse. Never in her life had she been so afraid. She had never ruled a country before and she wasn't sure if she was prepared or ready for such a rank. Elphaba had stood, alone, in front of an entire army in front of all of Oz for what she knew was right, now it was Glinda's turn. The Good Witch had to save the Ozians from themselves for their own sakes as well as Glinda's.
There was another short knock on the door before it opened. Glinda's handmaiden, Alana, poked her head in searching for her mistress. She saw the blonde woman in her state and immediately stepped in to comfort her.
"Are you all right your goodness," she asked reaching for Glinda holding her hand an inch or two from her skin.
Glinda looked up quickly composing herself and slipping a strong, kind mask into place. "I'm fine Alana. I'm just a little exhausted from these events. So much has happened in such short a time. I'm somewhat overwhelmed," she said sweetly to the girl.
The girl nodded seeming fit with Glinda's answer. "I'm sure after you make your announcement things will become easier for you miss," the girl said.
She smiled at Glinda, "Shall I get a bath ready for you?"
"No, no, there isn't time for it. Get my dress ready and help me change," she said dismissing the young girl. "But I would like a bath when I return."
Alana bowed and left the room. She came back with two other girls and her grand pale pink dress that most citizens had seen her in. The handmaidens helped her out of her blue dress and into her pink one all the time keeping their eyes on their work and away from Glinda's eyes. It wasn't so much that they were afraid of her but felt they were not worthy of her sights. Glinda, who may have normally felt flattered, was only annoyed.
Once the puffy sleeves were set on her shoulders a girl came to Glinda bowing and opened the mahogany case that held her tiara. Alana took it out delicately and placed it on Glinda's head. She then handed the Good Witch her wand and they left.
Glinda stared at herself in the mirror. She didn't know the woman who stared back at her. A tear escaped her eye before she could blink it away. She quickly brushed it away carefully so as not to smear her makeup. Taking deep breaths she came back to herself and slowly slipped into her Glinda The Good Witch persona, the woman who knew only good and was ecstatic that The Wicked Witch of the West was dead.
She walked through the halls of the palace towards the front doors where she would address all most all of Oz. The guard that she had talked to earlier came to her side.
"We are ready for you your goodness," he said.
Glinda nodded, "I'll be there in one moment."
He bowed and left. Glinda took this time to think of Elphaba and apologize for what she was about to do.
"I'm sorry Elphie… I love you," Glinda whispered to herself. And in that moment she could almost feel Elphaba next to her leaning her head on Glinda's shoulder.
"It's all right," she whispered to Glinda. "I'll be waiting."