Wow... My story is almost over. Wouldn't you agree that it feels awesome to finish a long story you've been working on for a long while? Ok, so I know I said that this was going to be the last chapter but I decided to do a sort of epilogue after this chapter. It will be on here in a day or two and that will be it for the story.
Thanks to all who have been reading it and have stopped to give me review. I appreciate the support. Enjoy!
It took hours to get past just the gatekeeper, receptionists, and social secretary. Then the two girls sat for hours awaiting for a short interview with the Commander of Audiences. He a short round little man did not understand what they had come for. Elphaba's eyebrows furrowed in frustration and she finally managed to say "Madame Morrible".
The Commander finally realizing whom Morrible was said, "Tomorrow at noon. You will have five minutes between the Ambassador from Ix and the Home Guard Brigade. The attire is formal."
Elphaba tightened her jaw in anger and turned around stomping out of the palace. Glinda followed in a huff trying to keep up with Elphaba's long stride. They returned to the inn and went to bed. Glinda slept. Elphaba didn't.
At one the following afternoon—everything running late of course—the Ambassador from Ix left the throne room quite agitated. Glinda fixed her hair and fluffed her dress for the eighteenth time and sighed thinking she should have brought better clothes. She glanced over at Elphaba she looked exhausted and terrified, but strong, like she was made of something tougher the bones and blood. The Commander of Audiences appeared in the doorway of the waiting room.
"You have five minutes," he said. "Do not approach until you are bade to do so. Do not speak unless spoken to. You may refer to the Wizard as 'Your Highness'."
"That sounds regal. Didn't the entire royalty di—" Glinda grabbed her arm to shut her up. Now was not the time for Elphaba to show her smarts. They hadn't come all this way to be turned away because Elphaba couldn't keep her mouth shut.
The Commander didn't notice and made them follow him to a grand set of double doors. Before he pushed the door open the Commander remarked, "The Wizard is not in good humor today due to reports of riot in Ugabu district."
Then the doors were pushed open and the two girls stepped over the threshold. The Antechamber was dimly lit with candles. The throne sat on a round dais in the middle of the next chamber its emeralds glowed dully in the scarce candlelight. The Wizard was absent.
"Where is he," Glinda whispered afraid to make to much noise.
"I don't know. But if we have such a short amount of time I hope this doesn't count. It's not our fault he's wasting it," Elphaba spoke normally.
It was silent for a few moments. "Shhh," Elphaba said
Then dark purple clouds began to accumulate around the throne. Lightning crashed against the ceiling lighting the room for a split second before it died out. It crackled again 30 seconds later. Then from the smoke came two bright leering eyes.
"I am Oz, the Great and Terrible," it said, shaking the room. "Who are you?"
Elphaba began to open her mouth but then the lightning crashed again and she abruptly closed it. Glinda glanced at Elphie. "Go on Elphie," she encouraged though she herself was afraid.
"Whooo arrrre youuuu?" the thing bellowed.
"Elphie," hissed Glinda. If they didn't talk they were going to be thrown out. "Oh, you useless thing—I'm Glinda Upland form the Upper Uplands, if you please, Your Highness, descended from the Arduennas. And this is, if you please is Elphaba Thropp, the Third Descending from Nest Hardings."
"And if I don't please?" the Wizard said.
"Oh! What a child," Glinda said under her breath. "Elphie! Say something! I don't know why we're here."
The Wizards remark seemed to bring Elphaba out of her stupor. She edged slightly forward gripping Glinda's hand for support. "We are students of Madame Morrible at Crage Hall in Shiz, Your Highness, and we have vital information."
Glinda lifted an eyebrow at Elphaba. "Thanks for telling me," she muttered under her breath.
"Madame Morrible, that fish-eyed paragon of paradoxes," the Wizard boomed. "I can't imagine this information vital."
"That is not for us to interpret. Gossip is unreliable. But—" Elphaba started.
"Gossip is instructive," the Wizard spoke. "It tells us which way the wind is blowing… Gossip."
"No," Elphaba spoke proudly. "We're here on important business."
"Who are you to decide what is and is not important?" the Wizard roared.
"I keep my eyes open as well as my ears. You didn't call us here to gossip like schoolgirls. We came here with our own agenda," Elphaba said.
"How do you know I didn't call you here?"
The students didn't know. All they knew was that Morrible had called them in for tea. That was all. "Settle down Elphie," whispered Glinda. "You're making him mad."
"So what? I'm mad," Elphaba stated. "I have news of important discoveries of a great scientist, Your Highness. I am here to seek justice and I know you do too. I believe these document may change your judgment about the Animal rights—"
"Doctor Dillamond?" The Wizard asked. "This is what you came here for?"
"No. It's about all of the Animals. They have been deprived of—"
"I know of Doctor Dillamond and his work," the Wizard snorted. "Derivative, unauthenticated garbage! It was something you'd expect from an Animal. He had no notion of politics… I know of his interests and findings. I care less."
"Please! You cannot think his work is worthless? He made well thought out arguments and you would be amazed at his discoveries! No right-thinking ruler or politician would ign—"
"It is quite touching that you think I'm right-thinking," he said.
Elphaba was not pleased with where this was going. She was frustrated with his replies. Glinda stood at her side quiet and listening. She gave no help. "Please, sir. These Animals have suffered enough hardship. You must see the sorrow? Sir this is immoral!" Elphaba pleaded as proud as one could when they were pleading.
"I will not listen when anyone uses the word immoral," the Wizard bellowed at the green girl.
"What if I said wrong," Elphaba questioned.
"It is not up to students to figure out what is 'wrong'. That is up to leaders. That is why we exist," he said.
Elphaba gritted her teeth together and began softly to growl. Glinda grabbed hold of her arm. "Elphie… Let's go while we're still alive," Glinda urged.
"Wait!" The Wizard called. "There is something I want to ask you."
Elphaba and Glinda waited half turned to leave. It was silent except for the occasional boom of thunder and the turning of the clouds. The bright eyes blinked a few times showing that the Wizard was thinking. Or, perhaps, purposefully wasting the girls' time.
"Why did Madame Morrible send you here?" was his final question.
"She didn't," was all Elphaba replied.
"I'm sure you've heard of the word pawn," the Wizard said with a chuckle.
"Have you heard resistance?" Elphaba shot back with a growl.
"What is it she wants from you?"
"A decent education," Glinda said aloud without thinking first. Elphaba lifted an eyebrow telling her to keep her mouth shut.
The Wizard cackled one more time. "Beware whom you serve," said the Wizard of Oz. Then everything was gone except for the lone throne. Elphaba stared into the blackness behind the emerald throne her eyes searching for a man her breathing a little labored. There was nothing left for them. They walked out of the palace and back to the inn. They didn't speak or touch or kiss. They just slept.
* * * * * *
Elphaba had become hardened. The next morning after their meeting with the Wizard Elphaba wasn't speaking and she wouldn't touch Glinda. Glinda tried to comfort her lover with light strokes on her arms but Elphaba moved out of reach. The blonde was hurt. She had spent months when she and Elphaba were first roommates not talking to her. But with all that had happened talking to Elphaba was now a necessity of life. Glinda had told Elphaba she loved her and she had meant it, with all her being.
The carriage wasn't leaving until later in the afternoon. So the two students decided to stay in their room until it was time to meet the carriage. Elphaba found comfort in her own mind as she paced around the room. Glinda sat on the bed staring at her lover in her troubles. Every few minutes Glinda would say her name, say anything to Elphaba to see if she'd reply. The green girl never replied but she would stop in her tracks and glance at Glinda from the corner of her eye then continue pacing. Glinda didn't know what to do. So finally she stood directly in Elphaba path. Elphaba tried to walk around Glinda but the small blonde clutched Elphaba's face. She looked up into her lover's hazel eyes.
"I love you Elphaba," Glinda whispered to her using her full name to gain her full attention.
The green girl looked at Glinda. The blonde then pressed her lips to Elphaba's and kissed her passionately wrapping her arms around Elphaba's neck. At first Elphaba was reluctant to touch Glinda but then the sweet blonde's kiss melted through her reserves and she put her arms around Glinda's waist.
Their kiss lasted a while longer then Glinda pulled away. She looked at Elphaba tears glistening in her eyes and laid her head on Elphaba's chest. Elphaba's breath was a little shallow and she could feel tears beginning to burn behind her eyes. But she didn't cry. Instead she laid her head on her lover's blonde curls and stored the scent in her memory. "I love you too," Elphaba said.
It was only the second time she had said it but to Glinda it was the world. Elphaba was her world. She held onto her lover a little tighter trying not to cry so she wouldn't burn Elphie's green skin. Elphaba placed her hand under Glinda's chin and brought her blue gaze up to meet her own. She kissed her pale forehead then her pink lips.
"I'm going to get some food for our trip," Elphaba told her kissing her lips one last time. She gathered her cloak and reached for the doorknob. "I'll meet you at the carriage."
Glinda nodded and Elphaba was out the door. She didn't know what was going on in Elphaba's mind or what she was doing. She was just happy that they were leaving for Shiz.
* * * * * *
At the carriage, Glinda had settled in and made a little nest for herself and Elphaba. She waited, but the driver was not.
"She'll be here soon," she assured the impatient man.
Then, there was Elphie, at last, she cam strolling down the paved stones. Her thin torso stuck out under her black cape. She gave Glinda a bundle filled with grapes, cheese, and stale bread.
"This should be enough for you until your next stop," Elphaba said bluntly.
"Me? Well what about you? Are do you have something better for yourself," she smiled. Elphaba didn't, she looked straight at Glinda her eyes hard.
She opened the door for the green woman. But Elphaba did not move.
"Well c'mon," Glinda urged. "The driver is eager to shove off."
"I'm not going back to Crage Hall with you, Glinda. I've come to say my goodbyes. I will not be part of her school, any longer."
"No," Glinda cried. "I won't let you! I need you! Nessarose needs you! Elphie, no!"
"They will not have to look for me. I'm going under."
"Under where?"
"That would be telling," Elphaba said. "No need for me to lie to you is there? I haven't decided… So I don't have to lie."
"Elphie, please. Get in," Glinda cried. The driver was getting pissy now. He yelled at Elphaba to shove off.
"You'll be alright," Elphaba said. She put her face against Glinda's and kissed her. "Hold out, if you can," she murmured, kissing her again. "Hold out, my love."
The driver slapped the reins and the horses began to move. Glinda stuck her head out the window to see Elphie. Even with the green hue of her skin she blended in with the crowd well. And soon she was nowhere. Glinda pulled her head back into the cab, tears blinding her vision. Elphaba didn't cry, of course. But the pain in her heart was real. This was the hardest decision Elphaba ever had to make.
But the sting in Glinda's heart was real too.