I cannot tell you how good it feels to be back on track with this story. I deeply apologize for the longest wait ever. I've had little time and even deeper lack of motivation and inspiration. I lost the idea I had of where I wanted this story to go (btw, I still need some help with it so if you have any ideas please let me know). But I'm back and I hope to stay that way.
As always reviews are greatly appreciated. Enjoy!
Glinda could not leave as soon as she had hoped. There were some important matters she needed to take care of. She was unsure of how long she would be absent. She was going to travel by bubble, of course, but Kiamo Ko was far and the Great Kells had the most terrible gusts during autumn. The good witch wanted to be prepared for the worst should it happen.
During the evenings and nights she arranged a rucksack of food and some clothes. She kept it hidden in her wardrobe from any prying eyes. Then she would drink a tonic that would give her a dreamless sleep. Ever since her declaration to Elphaba she had taken to drinking it to relieve her of her friends presence. And after some few weeks Glinda had left the palace leaving her position in the hands of her most trusted advisor. She explained to the man that she was needed elsewhere, and when he asked her where she reminded him that she was a person before she was a ruler then left without another word.
The good witch wasn't afraid as she stepped past the Emerald City's outer limit and began her journey towards Kiamo Ko. She was dressed in "drab" clothing, as she called it, to avoid any detection from passer-bys. But Glinda wasn't afraid anymore. She felt that she had nothing to lose except her life, and she wasn't sure how much it was worth anymore.
She travelled by night using the Vinkus River as her path and rested during the day only continuing in the daylight if absolutely necessary. When she rested she hid on the ridge of the Great Kells so she wouldn't be disturbed. During the trip Glinda tried not to think about her past regrets or the reason for her voyage. She sang old Gillikin songs, as she went on feeling lonely amongst the autumn winds and falling leaves.
On the fifth night, when the moon was half full, Glinda glimpsed the dark castle in the distance. She lowered her bubble to the ground a mile away from the castle and walked the rest of the way. Glinda pulled the hood of her cloak over her head and felt a twinge of fear in her stomach for the first time since she left the palace. As the blonde approached the castle door she stopped her hand poised above the wood. She glanced up at the tower feeling uneasy, there's was magic in the air she could sense it. Glinda had heard the stories of the Wicked Witch's ghost haunting the tower and rooms of the castle, but she knew it was peasant drivel. With a deep breath she pushed the castle doors open.
The wooden doors opened with a loud creek and thumped against the wall. Glinda quietly stepped inside her eyes glancing back and forth in the dimly lit foyer. She walked further into the castle listening for signs of life. The castle was somber, filled with dust and cobwebs. If the castle had seen any life it didn't show. The castle was stale with death and it made Glinda's stomach churn. She picked up her pace looking for the stairs that would lead her to the tower.
The tower was pitch black. Glinda felt along the walls for a torch, she grabbed hold of one and pulled it from its holder. She took out her wand pointed it and spoke an incantation. She wasn't the best at starting fires but if she could get a spark she could handle it from there.
When the torch caught fire she began her ascent. Her slight heels made sharp clacks as she moved creating an ominous echo. Glinda paused, sound silenced, feeling unnerved as if someone was watching. Her heart began to beat wildly in her chest and she hurried up the stairs. Suddenly she wished she hadn't sent Elphaba away.
Once she was in the chamber she shut and locked the door behind her. She leaned against the wooden door catching her breath feeling her chest tighten with fear. When she relaxed she placed the torch in a holder on the wall. Her eyes followed the curve of the room. There in the sparsely lighted room was Elphaba's desk, her bed, and her belongings. Glinda could see the indents in the grain of the desk where Elphaba had written something furiously and pieces of parchment were scattered across the desk. She placed her hand on the desk tracing the indentations and tried to imagine Elphaba sitting at the desk studying from the Grimmerie. That green bean always was a hard worker, Glinda thought to herself with a chuckle.
The bed was unmade and appeared as if someone had slept in it only the night before. Glinda stood next to it and took the pillow and brought it to her face. It still smelled like Elphaba.
The blonde sat down on the bed holding the pillow to her chest. She didn't feel any sorrow. She couldn't feel any tears welling up behind her eyes. There was nothing left for Glinda to feel. This place and these things were her past and it had stolen part of her. Perhaps I have shed my last tear for Elphaba, the blonde thought to herself. She put a hand on her chest and she could feel it. A piece was missing.
There was sudden a breeze and an electricity in the atmosphere. The room became very still and Glinda could feel her skin begin to crawl. Suddenly the torch was blown out and the tower was plunged into darkness. Glinda stood quickly and stepped slowly towards the window, the only source of illumination.
"Who's there?" Glinda questioned the darkness.
Something was hidden in the shadows of the chamber and Glinda could only make out a silhouette. It was tall and thin and she could see the slight curves of a body. The person moved and Glinda thought she saw green.
Glinda squinted into the darkness her heart pounding with excitement. She leaned forward her hand outstretched but she faltered and stepped away. It can't be, she thought to herself. Her pessimism, her fear, and grief suddenly gripped her. She shook her head.
"Step into the light," Glinda whispered.
The Good witch could see the shadows' hesitancy; its hands were gripping the stonewalls. The figure slowly leaned away from the wall and put a foot into the light. A whole body followed. Once Elphaba was revealed by the moonlight she shielded her eyes. When she put her hand down she blinked into the bright light before gazing at Glinda.
Glinda stared at Elphaba from head to toe searching for any peculiarities. She couldn't believe it. Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, Glinda's best friend, enemy, lover was standing before her, flesh and bone. Elphaba had gotten skinnier, if it was possible. Dark circles covered her hazel eyes and her cheekbones were sharper than usual. The blonde tried to swallow past the lump forming in her throat. Tears gathered on the brim of Glinda's eyes and silently fell down her pale cheeks. She let out a soft sob and stepped toward her friend but hesitated, unsure of herself. Glinda reached out to touch her but stopped, thinking that her friend might disappear. Elphaba gently smiled and stepped forward and their skin touched.
"Elphie," Glinda gasped suddenly out of breath. "Is it really you?"
She put her other shaking hand on Elphaba's cheek and stared into her dark brown eyes. Glinda felt her. She could feel heat radiating from her cheeks. She could feel the rise and fall of her chest, and the beating of her heart. Moving her hand to Elphaba's chest Glinda placed her other hand on own her chest. Their hearts beat in unison. Glinda sighed giving her friend a lazy smile.
"This must be a dream," she said to herself holding Elphaba's face again.
Elphaba grinned shaking her head at the good witch. "No," she said. "I told you Glinda. Even in death I would never leave you."
Grasping Glinda's thin waist she gently pulled her closer and pressed their lips together. Glinda's heart beat wildly and her body caught fire. She couldn't breath but she only kissed Elphaba more fervently. Then Glinda pushed Elphaba away gasping for air. She looked at her friend with a kind smile then violently shoved Elphaba away. Glinda went at her pounding her fists on the Wicked Witch's chest and arms.
"How could you do this to me?" she yelled tears of frustration running down her cheeks. "How could you leave me behind to deal with life by myself? It should have been the two of us! For good!"
"Glinda! I told you," Elphaba replied grabbing at her flailing fists. The blonde continued to beat the wicked witch her rage increasing. "I've been waiting for you to come for me!"
The Good Witch suddenly stopped. Her friends words striking her and she remembered. She remembered the feeling of Elphaba's warm lips against her ear come for me I'll be waiting. She yanked her arms from Elphaba's grasp and wrapped them around herself feeling a sudden chill. She pressed her back against the stonewall breathing deeply to gather her scattered thoughts. She had witnessed her friends' death. She remembered the cries and yells of the witch hunters and the horrifying scream of her best friend. She attempted to speak but her throat thickened.
"I tried to tell you… Glinda," Elphaba spoke softly. " I tried to comfort you every way I could, but my magic is weak. And you…" Elphaba paused swallowing past the lump in her throat. "You didn't want me to intrude on your life any longer so I left you."
"Please," Elphaba pleaded moving towards her friend.
Glinda held a hand up stopping Elphaba in her tracks. The blonde shook her head her mouth open ready to speak.
"How," she finally asked.
The green witch swallowed gathering the words to explain her existence. She explained to her dear friend that she and Fiyero, now scarecrow, had made plans to escape from Oz. The Wicked Witch was going to trick all of Oz into believing she was dead. Elphaba explained the trap door and the poised bucket of water that would wipe out her very existence. The Good Witch sat in silence listening intently unsure of how she felt about Elphaba's story.
She told Glinda of their plan to run away together and start a life. Fiyero knew the Vinkus better than any other winkie and he could get them passed the Thousand Year Grasslands to a new land. How romantic, the good witch thought to herself. Jealousy suddenly gripped her chest; she could feel anger and pain coursing through her veins.
"Glinda you must believe me. I wanted to tell you but we thought it best if no one knew… I tried to do what was best for the greater good."
Glinda felt angry words rise in her throat but Elphaba continued before she could speak.
"The people don't need me Glinda. I'm nothing but a soulless snake, a story told to children to make them fear and to teach them a lesson. They need you," Elphaba said stepping closer to Glinda reaching her hand out to touch the blonde's cheek. "You are the symbol I always wished to become, the symbol I can never be."
The green witch put an arm around Glinda's waist; she tipped the blonde's head back so she looked into her eyes. Her thumb grazed the blonde's high cheekbone, trying to soothe the bubbling anger.
"It was never my wish to leave you. I tried to do my best Glinda with the knowledge I had. But at the last second when you came to me in the tower I realized I couldn't follow through, not without telling you. I had no time to explain when the witch hunters were already upon me. So I gave you the message and hoped you would find me."
Glinda pulled herself from her friend's grasp. The young ruler hadn't expected this chain of events. Oz had turned upside down and, now, so had her life and everything she thought knew. Her mind was racing trying to figure out how to rule, if she was the symbol Elphaba spoke of, and what she would do about her friends' sudden return. A delicate hand rested on her forehead. She suddenly felt exhausted.
"I don't know what to do Elphie," Glinda whispered turn to face her. "Everything I believed in has changed and been proven a lie. I'm not sure where my life is going and if I'm even a fit ruler of Oz."
The blonde went to Elphaba and rested her head on the witch's shoulder. "But for now can we just sleep," Glinda whispered.
"Yes, my sweet."
They went to the bed. Glinda took off her shoes and sat down falling over onto the plush feather mattress. Elphaba lay behind her; she pulled the blanket over them. The first few moments felt awkward as if they'd never shared a bed or lay close together. Elphaba cleared her throat quietly suddenly feeling nervous. Glinda's body was tense and the green witch wasn't sure if she should touch her friend. Then Glinda searched for a green arm and pulled it over her waist. The blonde pulled Elphaba's hand close to her heart and her body relaxed. Elphaba sighed pushing her body so it was flush against Glinda's back.
They stayed like that through the night.