I know it has been an obscene amount of time since I have updated and I apologize. I had a SERIOUS case of writers block and was unsure of how to continue in a way that would be true to the story. My deep gratitude to all of those who reviewed, Pricilla Grey in particular. This portion is a nice size. Please enjoy!
It had been some weeks since Glinda's address to the citizens of Oz. Change was slow but it had begun. The good witch spent much of her time in her office with advisors and economists to gain some knowledge of the damages left by Morrible and the Wizard. Every day Glinda's load grew a little heavier she grew doubtful of her power. But she kept going.
Her savior, the deity she worshipped was the sun. Each afternoon as the sun began its descent Glinda escaped from her advisors, her servants, and her duties so she could glimpse the golden skylight. She would sit on her windowsill her head rested against the wall and she would think of Elphaba. Her mind traveled back to the simple days at Shiz, the days when she and Elphaba were together. She remembered one rosy afternoon at Shiz.
Glinda and Elphaba sat on a bench in the orchard behind Crage Hall enjoying the suns last rays. The horizon was painted a light purple and the orange rays cast dark shadows in the forest creating a calm haze.
The young blonde sighed looping her arm through Elphaba's causing the green girls heart to flutter. She glanced down at her friend and smiled sadly. Elphaba had never imagined that she would fall for Glinda but she had. The burning of her unrequited love stung her heart but she endured. Glinda's friendship was worth everything. The blonde girl had no idea or at least Elphaba hoped so, her world would shatter if Glinda were to leave it. Elphaba had only just learned to live she didn't want to live in the darkness again.
"Think of it Elphie," Glinda sighed. "We're going to be graduating in one year. It so fantastic!"
Elphaba chuckled. "Yes it is wonderful."
"Do not be sarcastic with me Elphaba Thropp," Glinda said faking a dour tone. She giggled and put her head against her friends shoulder. They sat in a quiet, pleasant silence for a while. Glinda broke the silence.
"So what shall we do after we've graduated? Maybe we could live in the village for some time and save money. We could move to the Emerald City! We could perform tricks and maybe have our own show someday."
Elphaba's eyebrows met in confusion. She hesitated before replying her clever mind seeming to stop all together as she tried to speak. "I don't know," she finally said.
Glinda moved down the bench so she could look at Elphaba. "What? You don't want to live with me?" she asked hurt evident in her voice.
"No! It's not that Glinda its just…" Elphaba wavered. "It's just I always assumed you would move back home to Frottica to be married or… be married to Fiyero."
Glinda opened her mouth to reply but she didn't speak. What would happen after she had graduated Shiz? Marriage had always been something Glinda was certain of but so many aspects of her life had changed. Glinda knew now that nothing in life is ever certain. She had been a stuck up brat once and now she was a well-read young woman. If she hadn't gotten to know Elphaba her life would be much different and much less exhilarating.
"I… I don't know. That was what I had first wanted when I arrived here but so many things have changed. I hadn't expected--- Well I hadn't expected you," Glinda replied honestly.
The green girl sighed her gaze drifting to the ground. She absently kicked a pebble around her feet before sailing it across the orchard. Elphaba wasn't sure how to handle Glinda's sincere statement. She swallowed trying in vain to remove the lump from her throat.
"Elphie, promise me something," Glinda said a few moments later her voice becoming serious yet gentle.
"Anything," Elphaba spoke quickly almost afraid Glinda might leave her.
"We'll always be friends? We'll always be there for one another to matter the circumstances, even if we're famous performers or I'm married, we'll be there. I want…" Glinda paused choking back a sudden burst of emotion that caused her throat to swell. Her azure eyes glittered with tears. "I want to know that what we have is real. That this friendship isn't some university phase we'll grow out of. You are the most… the best thing that ever happened to me."
Glinda turned her gaze to Elphaba. The green girl was taken aback at the solemn tone of Glinda's voice. The two friends had never broached the topic of their relationship or what it meant to the other. Elphaba had just let it be hoping that their future would work out, as it should. She had never seen her friend's beautiful face lined with worry or tears sparkle in her eyes. Her heart was suddenly pounding wildly in her chest as she put words together in her head. Then, as if she couldn't control herself, she placed a slender green hand on Glinda's rosy cheek. Glinda leaned into the touch as if Elphaba was the last great thing in her life.
"Glinda. There is nothing in all of Oz, no wizard that there is or was that could ever keep me from you," Elphaba stated gently wiping a fallen tear from Glinda's cheek.
Glinda's eyes drifted closed and she slowly leaned toward Elphaba. The green girl stared in disbelief at Glinda then gazed at her perfect lips. Was this the kiss she would share with Glinda? Would this be the single moment in her lifetime when Glinda would wholly belong to her and no one else? She suddenly prayed to the Unnamed God it was. She leaned closer to her friend.
"Glinda!" Hurry, we'll be late for our dinner reservations," Milla called from the distance.
Their lips had been a mere breath away. Glinda pulled away slowly, her eyes opened hazily as if she'd woken from a dream. Elphaba had turned her head away quickly, taking a deep breath to calm her pounding heart. The two friends stood in unison and turned towards each other. Glinda smiled wiping away another stray tear. A corner of Elphaba's lip turned upward before falling back into a grim line. She turned her head, disappointed. Her chest began to hurt.
"Glinda," Milla yelled again. Elphaba's ears rang.
"I'll be right along," Glinda replied.
The young blonde stepped close to her friend placing a loving hand against a green cheek. She pushed Elphaba's gaze back to her. Then standing up on her tiptoes Glinda placed a kiss on Elphaba's cheek. She held her lips there longer than necessary before drawing away. Glinda smiled one last time before turning to leave.
"Glinda," Elphaba said, "Even in death I will never leave you."
Glinda halted mid-step. She had the right mind to turn and look into Elphaba's hazel eyes and see what she might find. But she didn't turn and she never knew what Elphaba felt. She nodded then continued on her way. Suddenly she felt the pain of guilt deep in her chest.
The good witch laid her hand on her chest at the memory. Her body began to ache; her eyes were burning with the need for rest. She began to cry. Glinda had kept a firm control on her sorrow for a long time but the sudden thought broke her resolve. She tried to keep Elphaba from her thoughts but everywhere she looked, every step she took there was her Elphie, beside her a hand on her shoulder, a sad smile on her lips.
The air suddenly became dense and started to shimmer. Glinda could feel her presence again. She closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of Elphaba.
"Elphie," she whispered.
She could feel Elphaba's weight at her feet it was as if a feather had dropped on the padded windowsill. But Glinda didn't open her eyes. She didn't want to see her kind eyes. She didn't want to see her brilliant green skin. Glinda did not want her there.
"This can't continue Elphie," Glinda whispered feeling her tears slide down her cheeks. She took a deep breath trying to calm her abrupt sobs. The good witch closed her eyes tighter. "Elphie… Elphaba I can't do this anymore. I cannot be a ruler and your widowed friend. I can't lean on you when you're no longer here. This isn't right, I'm… I'm not as strong as you."
Glinda felt Elphaba's face close to hers feel the hint of her breath, but knew that it was a breeze. She could feel Elphaba's hand hovering above her skin, felt the electricity and heat as if she were touching her cheek. Glinda sucked in a sob clenching her hand into a fist in an attempt to stop herself from reaching out.
"Please Elphie," Glinda murmured. A breeze blew through the witch's golden tresses and Elphaba was gone. Then a ruffling noise caught Glinda's ear. Gradually she opened her eyes the sun had nearly set and the light in the room was dim. She looked to her desk and saw Elphaba's forgotten text opened the pages rustling as a strange breeze turned them. She stood and walked to her desk glancing at the pages intently.
In the golden pages of the Grimmerie she could faintly glimpse the outline of Elphaba's sharp features. Elphaba smiled warmly at her a tears falling down her cheeks. In a flash the wicked witch was gone.
Glinda sobbed. Her bawls of anguish echoed through the room carrying out into the coming night. She wept all of her tears for her friend, her love, until she had none left. Then in that moment as the tears dried she vowed she would leave Elphaba behind and she would never cry again.
One more moment is all we have left Elphie, Glinda thought to herself as she prepared to visit Kiamo Ko to say goodbye to the Wicked Witch of the West for the final time.