Chapter 6: Moment of Truth

When Elphaba returned to her mother's castle, that evening, Chistery was there to meet her. The winged monkey's eyes looked concerned as he followed the Wicked Witch to her room.

"Maleficent, cannot cease speaking your praises. One would think you had killed the Princess already."

"I know not what to do Chistery. I just cannot bring myself to kill Glinda. Fate has played a cruel but wonderful joke on me. I no longer loathe the Princess, I love her. Princess Glinda looks nothing like my mother said she would look like," Elphaba said, as began to pace about.

"What did your mother say the Princess would look like?" The winged monkey asked, as he watched the Wicked Witch pace back and forth.

"A gorgon." Elphaba suddenly stopped her strides.

"And what does she look like to you?" Chistery questioned with raised eyebrows.

Elphaba let smirk come across her lips before replying, "A Goddess."

...X...

Glinda sat in her room brushing her hair as she hummed a gently tune. It wasn't long before a knock was heard just beyond her door.

"Come in," The Princess replied, as she continued her grooming. Prince Fiyero walked inside and approached her. His eyes were stern and his walk was quite intimating. "Good day Fiyero," Glinda greeted him.

"I'm surprised you're not with Elphaba," Fiyero spat, as he let out a great sigh.

Princess Glinda caught the anger and jealousy in the Prince's voice and turned around to see his face more clearly.

"Why are you so cross, Fiyero?" She asked, the tone in his voice frightened her a little.

"Because I am your future husband, and you are spending more time with Elphaba than me!" Fiyero sneered. He threw his hands in the air to add more effect, and to show just how upset he truly was.

"I just enjoy spending time with Elphaba. She's a good friend. There is no need for you to be envious of her," Glinda restored.

"I am not jealous of a lowly commoner," Fiyero huffed. "I'm just shocked you're so willing to spend time with someone so vulgar compared to yourself."

"Elphaba is not vulgar! How dare you insult her! Get out of my room! I will speak no more to you!" Glinda shouted, as she waved her hand for him to leave.

"You can't tell me what to do!" Fiyero countered. "I am your future husband!"

"Well we are not married yet! You have no say over me. Be gone." Glinda replied, as she followed her arms over her chest and turned away from him.

Prince Fiyero let out a snort of anger before storming out of Princess Glinda's room. Once he passed out the door he muttered, "When I am King, I will have this Elphaba exiled from Oz forever!"

...X...

Back at Maleficent's castle, Elphaba continued to talked with Chistery more about her second thoughts about her mother's plan to take over Oz.

"I am truly cursed yet blessed with this love for Princess Glinda," Elphaba said, as held her face in her hands. "Everyday I feel more, and more, like I cannot go through with this killing of the Princess."

"What will you do about your mother though? If you do not choose to kill Princess Glinda, your mother will find out sooner or later that she still lives. Either by her own eyes, or the cries of her crow."

"Then I am truly doomed either road I take, for both paths have their rocky spots. I cannot avoid them. Oh, Chistery, what am I to do?"

"Sadly I cannot answer that question for you," The winged monkey said, his voice sad. "You are truly cursed and blessed, Wicked Witch. You are truly cursed and blessed."

...X...

As other year passed Elphaba and Glinda grew far more close to one another. Elphaba however was feeling quite torn though. Should she listen to her heart and refuse to kill the Princess, or listen to the words of her mother? The Wicked Witch knew how hard her mother had worked and planned this for her.

"Elphie, you seem so quiet. What is the matter?" Glinda asked, her voice concerned. "There is no time to be upset. Tomorrow is my 21st birthday! It will be such a joyous occasion."

Elphaba gave her a weak smile as she answered, "My mind is troubled, my Princess, for I feel I am being pulled in two directions."

"What pains you Elphie?" Glinda caressed a cheek in such a tender way that Elphaba couldn't help but grin slightly more.

"Alas, it is a secret that only my mother and I can know," Elphaba replied, as she took the Princess' hand that was touching her cheek and kissed it.

"I know what will ease your mind!" Glinda exclaimed, as she jumped up in excitement. "You can come to my room at the castle, and help me pick out my dress for tomorrow!"

"You want me to come to your room?" Elphaba asked, her voice was trembling as she remembered her mother's words, that the magic green elixir must be shown to the Princess only when they were alone in her castle room. This was it. Elphaba knew that this was her only chance to follow though with her mother's plan. She lowered her hands and felt the bottle and dagger at her belt.

"Of course! In all the years we have known each other you have never seen my room. So let's go there now and pick out my dress." Glinda then started to led Elphaba towards the castle.

Elphaba nodded her head nervously as she began to follow the Princess. Suddenly she heard a great cry, and when Elphaba looked up she saw her mother's crow. The crow was perched on a tree branch only a few feet away.

Elphaba's eyes seemed to harden when she caught sight of the black bird and whispered, "I can't let you down mother."

...X...

All the way to Glinda's room Elphaba was sweating and her mouth was extremely dry. Her heart was also pounding so hard that the Wicked Witch could swear the Princess could hear.

"Oh, Elphie, I just can't wait to show you all my dresses!" Glinda proclaimed, her voice bubbling with excitement. "I know you don't care for fashion much, but your opinion is important to me and..."

Elphaba's mind tuned out Glinda's voice as worry started to really consume her mind and body. Tunnel vision soon devoured the Wicked Witch, and she wished that this plan of murdering the Princess was all just a bad dream. But as they entered the castle and headed up the stairs to Glinda's room, Elphaba knew this was very much real. The Wicked Witch's joints ached with every movement she made. It was no doubt the stress of this deed was messing with her body.

All too soon they arrived at Glinda's room. Elphaba stopped at the door, and tried to turn back, but the Princess pulled her inside. She didn't even notice her taller friend's hesitation. Once inside Glinda let out a girlish shout as drew Elphaba over to her bed.

That is when Elphaba began to quake and shiver in panic and terror. Could she really go though with this? Could she really follow though with her mother's plan? It all seemed too impossible now that she was there. The Princess was not blind to Elphaba's quivering, and quickly grew concerned.

"Elphie, you're trembling," Glinda said, as she pulled out a black cape from her armoire, and tied it around Elphaba's neck. "There you are. That should help. We can't have you getting sick on my big day tomorrow."

"Thank you, for the cape, my Princess," The Wicked Witch whispered, as she dung her hand into her pocket and touched the magic green elixir bottle. Her heart immediately began to race even faster, and her head began to hurt.

"Now that you are warm, I will show you all my dresses!" Glinda said, as she began to remove all her ball gowns for Elphaba to see.

Now was the time. The Wicked Witch knew she had to remove the bottle from her pocket and show the Princess Glinda. Once she saw it, she would drink the elixir, and fall into a deep sleep. Then a quick stab though the heart would insure she would sleep forever.

With Glinda's back turned, as she removed the dresses from her armoire, it would be the prefect time to remove the elixir. Elphaba soon found she couldn't do it.

The silence in the Princess' bedroom seemed enormous and overbearing. It was like time had slowed and fate was waiting to make its move, one way or the other. The Wicked Witch dropped her gaze, for she hoped the result would allow her body to carry out the deed her mother had been planning for years.

"You must do it! Don't back down now! Your mother will hate you if you can't pull this off! This is the last step. Take out the elixir damn it!" A voice shouted in Elphaba's mind. The Wicked Witch then felt tears burn down her cheeks as she whispered, "I'm sorry, mother, I can't do this. I love Princess Glinda too much. I love her more than a kingdom."

Glinda then turned around to see her taller friend crying, and she quickly become extremely concerned. She had no idea what had caused Elphaba to become so upset.

"Elphie, oh my Elphie, what's wrong? Why are you weeping so?" Glinda asked, as she rushed over to the Wicked Witch, and grasped her hand in the attempts to comfort her.

"I'm sorry, my Princess, I can't go though with this. I love you too much to hurt you. Farewell." With those words she rushed out of Glinda's bedchamber as fast as her feet could take her.

As Elphaba exited the room she didn't see the green elixir bottle fall out of her pocket. Glinda only stared in confusion for a few moments. She couldn't understand why her friend had run off like that. Just then however, Princess Glinda caught sight of the green bottle that had fallen out of Elphaba's pocket.

"What is that? I must know what that is," Glinda declared, as she picked up the bottle and looked it over. "How beautiful..." With those words the Princess opened the bottle and brought it to her lips. She couldn't resist trying this strange green liquid. Within seconds she had drank the entire bottle and in turn fell down to the floor.

...X...

Prince Fiyero was making his last check around when he caught sight of Elphaba running out of the castle. She sped towards the thick row of trees that led to the forest. His eyes narrowed as he unmounted his horse, entered the castle, and headed towards the Princess' room.

"Princess Glinda? Glinda, are you alright? I saw Elphaba leave and I..." Fiyero trailed off when he entered the room to see Princess Glinda laying on the floor. "Sweet Oz! Glinda!"

Before Fiyero could get to her side a puff of purple smoke filled the room and Maleficent stood before him.

"What's the matter Prince Fiyero? You seem quite upset. What could cause you to be like this?" The Dark Witch asked in sickly sweet voice. "Oh I see! Your Princess is dead. No wonder you are so distraught. What a pity."

"How can you have no regret for what you have done?" Fiyero shouted, as he drew his sword.

"Oh, you brainless fool, I have done nothing to the Princess. My daughter has done away with her because of her the deed is done," Maleficent leered, her eyes seemed to glow in fury.

"Your daughter?" Fiyero questioned in shock.

"Yes, my precious, Elphaba has carry out this deed for me. Oz will soon fall to our rule!" Maleficent shouted with a victorious cackle. "You have lost!"

"Damn it, I knew that Elphaba wasn't to be trusted! But you and your cursed daughter haven't won yet! All I must do is kiss Princess Glinda's lips, and she will awake from the spell," Fiyero answered.

Maleficent looked towards the Princess to see Elphaba hadn't stabbed her though the heart, so there was still a chance that she would live.

"You think you can beat me?" The Dark Witch growled. "Well let's just see about that!" With those words Maleficent flew out the window, and with a spell, turned herself in a giant dragon. The sky quickly grew dark and clouds blocked the sun, like a storm was about to descend upon them. "Now you must deal with me, Prince Fiyero, and all the powers of hell!" Noise like thunder echoed as Maleficent's cackling increased.

Just then the three fairies Madam Morrible, Nanny, and Yackle appeared. "Don't worry about Princess Glinda, we will look after her, and aid you when we can so you can defeat Maleficent." Yackle said, as she with the help of the other two placed Glinda on the bed.

Fiyero nodded his head, and tried to calm his fearful heart, before he took off running down the castle steps, so he could fight Maleficent outside where she waited. Once he was outside the Dark Witch cast another spell and colossus vines and thorns bursted from the ground and wrapped themselves around the castle. This stopped anyone, like royal guards, from leaving the castle to aid Prince Fiyero.

"The beginning of your destruction has begun!" Maleficent bellowed, as their fight began.