WickedNCIS: Yes, plot twist! I actually planned all of this before I started writing this story, so I already know how all of this is gonna end.
I'mFlyingHighDefyingGravity: I can't tell you… *Maniacal laugh*
NellytheActress: You know the deal she made. LOL!
ExoticPeachBlossom: I can't make any promises about Fiyero being okay… Thank you for addressing me by my royal title!
Elphabalover101: Aww! Thank you! Glad I could help. I guess I can still be patient and wait for the sequel. *Waits 5 minutes* Okay, enough waiting!
Elphaba'sGirl: I don't blame you. And I can't promise anything about a happy ending. Sorry.
The Wizard Of Wicked: Thanks! And I am a queen. I love those lines, too!
Major thanks to my school's assistant principle, who's also an English teacher, for giving me an idea for this chapter. LET THE ANGST BEGIN! MWAHAHA!
Galinda, Elphaba, Castie and Lanie were all down in the dumps because of Fiyero and Elenus' depart. They missed them, and they hoped they would return soon.
"Galinda?" Elphaba whispered, coming into the parlor.
"Yes?" Galinda asked, looking up.
"Do you think Fiyero and Elenus will be alright?"
Galinda patted the seat next to her, wanting Elphaba to sit down. Elphaba slowly walked to the couch and sat down next to Galinda, wrapping her arms around her in a tender hug.
"Elphie, they'll be fine," Galinda said, hugging her friend back.
"I know. I just –" Elphaba burst into tears.
Galinda rubbed small circles on her back, soothing her. "It's okay, Elphie. Fiyero and Elenus will be fine."
"But what if –"
"Elenus and I are supposed to get married. With doves, flying horses, and pink! Trust me, he'll be fine."
"H-How can you b-be so sure?"
"They'll come back. I know they will. They're both extremely strong with amazing battle skills. They can make it out of anything."
Elphaba slowly began to calm down. "I know how much you want your wedding with pink doves –"
"Elphaba, the doves aren't gonna be pink," Galinda said, playfully slapping Elphaba's arm.
Elphaba laughed, despite herself. "I sure they won't."
"No, really. They won't."
"Of course. Galinda… h-have you seen Lanie?"
Galinda suddenly turned serious. "I think she's still in her room."
Elphaba moved to get up, but Galinda pushed her back down. "Elphie, maybe I should talk to her. She's still a little… um…"
"Upset with me?" Elphaba finished for her.
Galinda shifted her weight. "…Yeah."
"Okay," Elphaba said as Galinda left the parlor and walked up the stairs to Lanie's room.
"Lanie?" Galinda asked, softly knocking on the door.
Surprisingly, Lanie opened the door. She looked up at Galinda, biting down on her bottom lip.
"May I come in?" Galinda asked gently.
Lanie nodded and moved out of the way. Galinda entered the room, closing the door behind her. "Are you feeling alright?"
"Yes," Lanie whispered.
"Lanie, I know how hard this must be for you. But please know this; your mother and I are here for here for you. So is Castie."
Lanie crossed her arms and looked down. "Okay."
"I know you're still upset about Arlis, and I agree with you that your mother isn't helping things right now," Galinda said. She was surprised when Lanie cracked a small smile. "But she really wants you to talk to her. It will make you feel better."
Lanie didn't have a response. "Maybe later," she whispered after a long silence.
"It would help if you did it now."
"Okay," Lanie agreed.
Galinda kissed her forehead and left the room, closing the door behind her. Lanie sat on her bed for a few minutes. Should she talk to her mother? She wanted to make things right with her, but was still extremely upset with her. Sighing, she stood up and walked to her door, but the sound of her window breaking stopped her. Turning around, she saw tall figures approaching her. She tried to run away, but the figures approached her. She couldn't see their faces, since the figures were masked and were wearing brown cloaks with hoods.
"Let me go!" Lanie shouted, trying to twist away.
"Never!" the figure who was holding her said. "You're coming with us."
"As Princess of the Vinkus and heir to the thrown of Oz, I command you to release me this instant!" Lanie yelled.
That was the last thing she remembered before a hard blow to the back knocked her out and everything went black.
Princess Elisa was never one for snooping, but she had to find out what was really going on. She snuck into General Osmium's room when he wasn't there. Snooping through his papers, she felt like a spy, but she had no other choice. Her father was out on the front lines and she was all alone. Her mother died when she was two years old, so her father was all she had left. If he was in Oz fighting in a war, she had every right to know why. Finally finding what she was looking for, she unrolled the scroll and read it. It was a map of Oz with a highlight on the Western part called the Vinkus. In small, neat cursive handwriting were the words 'jewels, mines, gold, silver, oil…' Elisa tuned out. She couldn't believe her eyes. This wasn't like her father. Her father was a kind hearted king who put the needs of his people before his own. She realized something else. Since she wasn't old enough to take the thrown of the Rose Kingdom, General Osmium would rule in her place until she was old enough. That was his plan all along.
"Oh, I will kill him," Elisa muttered to herself. "That is, if this war doesn't beat me to it."
Galinda heard the crash from Lanie's room and went back to check up on her. When she tried to open the door, she found that it was locked. She turned it with all her strength, but the door refused to open. She knew Elphaba had removed the spell, so it wasn't magic, and Lanie never locked her door. She had to find some way in there to make sure Lanie was alright. She sprinted back down to the parlor to get Elphaba.
"Elphie!" Galinda shouted, running into the parlor.
Elphaba turned around. "Galinda, what is it?"
"It's… Lanie. She… room... door… locked… crash," Galinda stuttered, her lungs begging for air.
"Glin, slow down," Elphaba said, carefully approaching the blonde. "Now, take a deep breath and tell me what's wrong."
"Something crashed in Lanie's room. It could have been her window. I tried to get in, but the door was locked and –"
"Wait, a window?" Elphaba gasped, panicking.
Galinda, seeing that she had set of a red flag in her friend's mind, gently grabbed her shoulders. "Elphie, I didn't mean to get you all worried over –"
Elphaba moved towards the stairs, but Galinda pulled her back.
"No! Galinda, let me go!"
"Elphie, calm down!"
"NO! Let. Me. GO!"
Galinda tightened her grip, struggling against the green woman she was trying to restrain. "Elphie!"
Elphaba finally shook Galinda off and bolted up the stairs. She ran to Lanie's room and tried to open the door, but it wouldn't open. As if someone had jammed it with a chair. Summoning her magic, Elphaba created an energy ball and hurled it at the door. The force of the blow caused the door to swing open and Elphaba ran inside.
"Lanie!" she shouted, hoping Lanie was there.
No answer.
"Lanie!" Elphaba tried again, walking further into the room. She tripped over something and fell to her knees, a sharp pain shooting up her arm from her hand. "Lanie!"
Galinda ran into the room and gasped. "Elphie! There's glass everywhere!" She ran to her friend and helped her up. She gasped when she saw blood streaming down the center of Elphaba's hand.
"Stay right there. Don't move," Galinda said, running to the bathroom and grabbing a damp cloth and bandages. She hurried back to the room, where Elphaba was on her knees crying.
"You cut your hand on the glass. Here," Galinda said, gently taking Elphaba's hand and cleaning the blood off. She wrapped the bandages around her hand. The cut, thankfully, wasn't very deep and wouldn't take a long time to heal.
"Where's Lanie?" Elphaba hiccupped.
Galinda looked around, not seeing a sign that the young princess was anywhere to be found. "She's not here."
"No," Elphaba whispered, sobbing fresh tears.
"Oh, Elphie," Galinda whispered, hugging her friend.
"Elphaba? Galinda?" Castie asked, coming into the room. The two older women turned around.
"Y-Yes?" Elphaba asked, wiping away her tears.
"There's a messenger boy downstairs requesting to talk to both of you."
News from the front. Hopefully, it was good news. Following Castie, Galinda and Elphaba walked down the stairs into the parlor, where the messenger boy was waiting for them.
"Your Highness," the messenger boy bowed, seeing Elphaba. He looked no older than sixteen or seventeen. He was tall with broad shoulders, with brown hair and bangs that almost covered his eyes.
"What's your news?" Galinda asked gently, sitting down on the couch next to Elphaba.
"Your Highness," the messenger boy began. "I regret to inform you that…"
Don't look at me like that! When I said I'm still taking notes from Ultimate Queen of Cliffies and ExoticPeachBlossom, I really meant it! Don't act all shocked! I never promised that this would be happy. Though, if I get enough reviews… my decisions aren't final… yet. You all still have a chance. So, REVIEW!