Chapter 15.
A/N Alright. I should be back with at least one update a week. The whole of next month, however, will leave me with very little internet connection. I will try, if you want, to finish posting the story before that time.
Thank you, once more, to the lovely people that review! If I could send you a Fiyero (or Glinda, or Elphaba) I would!
Keegan had always admired Miss Glinda.
Like every single other man in the Gale Force, he'd agree that she was maybe the most beautiful woman in Oz. Like all the other men, he loved to watch her walk by, to let his eyes follow her and sigh at the thought of being the man that slept in the same bed as Miss Glinda. Of course, everybody knew that Miss Glinda was practically engaged to Captain-slash-Prince Fiyero, so it never went beyond staring. Still, Keegan had watched Miss Glinda plenty of times, happily lost in the perfect curls and the glittering dresses that matched the bright blue of her eyes.
And not once had he ever thought of Miss Glinda as anything but the perfect woman.
Not once had he ever considered Miss Glinda to be intimidating in anything else than beauty.
Not once had he found himself scared of her.
Until now.
He was still in the hospital wing, and though he'd had no shortage of visitors, he was mostly left alone, to "recover" as quickly as possible (and with that everyone meant that they hoped he'd get his memory back soon, and he would tell them where the Witch was and what horrible things she'd done to his brain to make him forget) but he was restless and weary of the hospital wing. He was fine, that freaky old woman had healed him, after all, and he wanted out of this room. Out of this building.
He still hadn't told anyone exactly what had happened, simply because he had no clue what exactly had happened. He'd reviewed it and played it over and over again in his head since the moment he'd woken up to find himself in the palace hospital wing, but the more he did, the less sense it made.
He'd followed the Captain and he'd seen him, for lack of a better term, making out with a woman that had turned out to be a the Wicked Witch of the West. The woman they'd all been searching for, for three years.
He'd pointed his rifle at her because it was what he'd been trained to do and before he knew it, before he could do anything, the Captain, his Captain, had pulled the trigger on him. And he'd heard the panic in his boss' voice as he'd called the woman's name, the witch's name, Elphaba.
Elphaba.
The name kept running in his head. It wouldn't stop.
Why would she have a name?
Of course, Keegan wasn't an idiot. He understood that she must have a name. She could not actually have been born bearing the name Wicked Witch of the West. But why would she have a name to the Captain of the Gale Force? And why would that Captain call that name with so much fear and panic in it, at the thought of her being shot? Wasn't that what he'd been working for? What he'd been training his men to do?
And now that they'd had her. Now that she was there...dammit! She'd been right there! But instead of doing what he was supposed to do, the Captain had shot the soldier that was going to shoot her and instead of arresting her, he'd run away with her.
Why?
She couldn't believe she had even tried.
Then again, she couldn't believe it had gone this badly either.
She'd been expecting her father to throw her out, to give her up to the Wizard even. She'd been expecting Nessa to be furious. To scream at her. To try and convince her to turn herself in even.
But she hadn't been expecting this.
She hadn't been expecting her father to be dead.
"He died of shame."
After hearing what she'd done.
She wanted to be indifferent. She wanted to mourn. She could do neither. He'd been her father, but he'd never wanted to be her father. She couldn't grieve for what he'd never been, but she couldn't not feel it, either.
And Nessa...
She'd been so angry. So angry.
"Not once have you ever thought to use your powers to rescue me!"
She was right.
She'd never thought to try. She'd never thought she'd go back home.
And Boq. Oh Oz... Boq.
What had happened to her sister? To innocent little Nessa. Sweet Nessa.
But maybe she'd never been sweet little Nessa. She'd just appeared that way to everyone in contrast with her sister.
Next to a green disaster, it was quite easy to be the favorable one. But even as the thought flashed through her mind, she felt guilty. She loved Nessa. Adored her. Always had. It just hadn't been mutual. Not really.
Nessa had loved her, she supposed, but it was a love fueled by need and dependence and overshadowed by shame and resentment and her sister was still so angry. She was grieving for her father. And she blamed her sister for his death.
It was done now, anyway.
She'd done her part. She'd tried to help. She'd hoped, so much (oh, she'd hoped so much), that for once, she'd done something good. And then Boq...
That wasn't her fault. Elphaba knew that was not her fault. Nessa had always been intent on getting what she wanted. And Boq...he'd never stood a chance. But that didn't change the fact that another good intention had turned against her. He'd hate her. She knew he would.
One more good deed...
She didn't let herself finish that thought. She needed to get back to Fiyero.
Oh, how disgusted Nessa had been with her. How utterly convinced that she'd done something to Fiyero. That this, this latest scandal, had been what had caused her father's heart attack. She'd taken the Captain of the Gale Force as her hostage. She should have known that was what the people would make of it. Who would ever believe he'd done it out his own free will?
But Nessa...Nessa had believed it too.
That had hurt more than she'd cared to admit. Nessa knew that she and Fiyero had been friends at Shiz, had been close. How could her own sister believe she would sink as low as to put a spell on him? Why would she believe such a deplorable thing?
"How could you do such a thing to him, Elphaba? I never would have thought this of you."
The disapproving look on her sister's face didn't make sense.
"Do what to whom? Nessa, what are you talking about?"
"To Fiyero! Don't play dumb! What did you do to him?"
It almost made her laugh. She'd forgotten that the news would have reached Munckinland by now. She'd never stopped to think that it would do anything to her family, that it would harm them. Her father had died over the shame of it, apparently, and now her sister demanded to know how she'd tricked Fiyero with her magical powers. It was almost, almost, funny.
"Nothing! Nessa...I didn't do anything to him! Of course I didn't! Why would I...I could never..."
But even as she denied it. Even as she defended herself against these ridiculous accusations, she felt herself surrender. If her sister believed the lies, even, then who would ever believe her?
"Then how? Because you're the last person he was seen with. Are you claiming you don't know where he is?"
"No! I...well...He came out of his own accord!"
Nessa's face was so skeptical, so full of disbelief, and the sting of it surprised her. She knew that her sister didn't believe her, but she'd so hoped she would.
"Do you really expect me to believe that?"
She tried one more time.
"Nessa...I didn't ...do...anything to him. He found me! He insisted. He made that choice himself. I didn't do that for him. He is perfectly capable of..."
"Why?"
"What?"
"Why? Why would he come with you?"
She opened her mouth but couldn't find the right words.
"Well...I..."
"Why would he ever choose you over Glinda?"
It was the ultimate question. And she had no answer. Why had she come alone? Why hadn't she brought Fiyero, dammit? Then he could have told Nessa. So she could have seen her sister wasn't lying, wasn't so sick as to put a love spell on a Prince with a girlfriend. She could have seen that her sister, green as she was, was loved. Or cared for, at least. But she had come alone, Fiyero wasn't here and she had no answers.
"I...I don't know."
"Well. There is your truth then, isn't it. As much as you may have wanted it or believed it even, he was always Glinda's, Elphaba. He was never yours."
Was she right? She didn't want to believe that. She'd always believed it, but she didn't want to anymore now. Not now that she knew what life was like, with him in it.
"I..."
"You were in love with him, back at Shiz. Even I could see that, and I never said anything because I thought you were smart enough to know that it would never be more than that. I thought you knew it would never happen. But apparently, I overestimated your sense of morality."
No. That wasn't fair. She didn't. She wouldn't.
"Nessa!"
She had to try. One more time, she had to try.
"I didn't do anything to him! I didn't put a spell on him, or kidnap him, or ...I never did! He came with me because...he loves me. He says he loves me, Nessa."
It was a plea, to believe her. To believe it could be true. But it was also a moment of weakness, a moment of wanting to share what she couldn't share with anyone. A moment of wanting to share something that made her happy with her sister. A moment of hope that her sister would be happy for her.
Something in Nessa seemed to soften a little. But it was a result of pity, not of faith.
"And you believe him? It could be a trap."
Ah. Of course. At least she knew for sure that wasn't true. He would have arrested her by now.
"I...I don't pretend to understand why he came with me, or why he looked for me in the first place..but...I...I.."
Pity was plain on Nessa's face and it cut much deeper than she'd expected.
"You believe him. You really think that he loves you?"
She wanted to say she did. Fiyero wouldn't lie to her. He had no reason to. Why would he have come with her. Why would he still be with her? But there was always that nagging voice in the back of her head, telling her she was wrong, that she was deluded to think it could ever be true. The voice that reminded her that no one had loved her before. The voice that told her to wait for the truth to catch up.
"I...I don't know. I...why would he lie?"
And the saddest thing was, she wanted an answer. She wanted Nessa to help her.
But then Boq had begun to wake up, or make noise at least, and Nessa's attention was no longer on her sister.
"Elphaba. Please. You are my sister and I don't wish to see you hurt, but I can't help you. I won't. I don't know if anyone can. You need to leave. And you need to let Fiyero go. And you need to stop what you're doing. Don't you see that this is wrong? It's all wrong!"
So she'd gone. Her head filled with Nessa's voice and accusations. Her heart pounding and her pulse racing. She should have known. She'd been telling herself that since she left. She should have known. She should not have listened to Fiyero. He was an optimistic fool and she was too level-headed to listen to him. Or she should have been.
She was already halfway to the Emerald City before she realized it. The temptation was strong. She wanted to go to the palace. She wanted to rush in there and find them; the people responsible for all the lies and make them pay. The monkeys that suffered because of her foolishness and set them free. The temptation was so strong, it was almost as if it was pulling at her. She was angry and she needed to vent. She was careless enough to risk it now, she could feel it in her body, the way her blood rushed through her veins.
But she couldn't. She really couldn't. Her temper usually got the better of her. Even three years of living far far under the radar with a price on her head, had not changed that. But she couldn't. Not this time.
It would do no good. She was unprepared and though she didn't care much for herself at the moment, she did care about the monkeys. And the innocent people that might be hurt. And Fiyero.
She couldn't.
She needed to return to Fiyero first. Not because she wanted to see him (because she disregarded the momentary lift of the weight pressing on her heart at the thought of seeing him) but because she needed to tell him the news of what the world apparently thought had happened to their Captain and the possibilities it brought.
He could still go back.
And if she went through with this now, if she let her temper gain the upper hand, she'd probably never see him again. And he'd never see her again. And despite Nessa's words and the haunting doubt they had caused within her, she had to acknowledge that although her little sister could be right, she could also be wrong. Fiyero cared for her, at least. That much had become clear to her, even if she didn't understand it. And if she was caught now, he might come to her rescue. He might do something stupid to save her, because he had a knack for doing stupid, noble things and she would never be able to live with herself if something happened to him.
If she went through with this now, and she failed and got captured...he'd never have a chance. If she died, well...he probably wouldn't forgive her, but she could live (or..well...die..) with that. If he lived a long and happy life, she could. But if she got captured...He'd come to her rescue and he'd be hanged a traitor.
She couldn't stomach the thought.
She fought every instinct she had and turned the broom around.
Why would the Captain of the Gale Force run away with the Wicked Witch of the West?
Keegan had asked himself this question a million times now and he could not come up with an answer that satisfied him.
Of course, the story was that the Witch had kidnapped him, but as much as Keegan wanted to believe that, he'd seen enough to know that could not be the case.
The other popular theory was that she had put a spell on the Prince. That theory Keegan wouldn't put aside as easily. It could have happened. It could be true. Now, as far as he could tell, she hadn't done any magic, or done anything at all really, while he'd been in the room. But then, he hadn't been in the room the entire time. He didn't know what had taken place in the little time he'd been outside and the Captain and the Witch had been alone. She could have put a spell on him. One that would make him kiss her and defend her and leave with her. One that, in short, would make him... well...love her.
Could she really have put a love spell on the Captain?
Keegan supposed she could have. She was a witch, after all. Surely, she had the powers and the means to do so. He didn't really see the point of it, but he'd heard the rumors that she'd been at college with Fiyero and Miss Glinda once and maybe she'd been in love with him all that time. It could be true. Maybe she'd really been in love with Fiyero and she'd wanted him by her side. Maybe it was a ploy to get the Captain of the Gale Force on her side.
But...well...while that could all be true, and probably was true...Keegan had to allow for the possibility, could not, as much as he wanted to, deny the possibility that his superior, his Captain, the Prince of the Vinkus and the other half of Oz' most admired couple...loved the Witch. Just loved her. Without a spell.
Because that could be true too. Nobody would ever believe that, of course. Why would they? Before all this had happened, Keegan would never have believed it either. But it had happened and he'd seen the Witch and...well...she hadn't looked anything like they'd said.
She didn't look like the posters either.
She wasn't old or wrinkly. She didn't have a crooked nose or warts. Her hair wasn't greasy and her face not disgusting. She hadn't even been really ugly! Not that Keegan would rush to describe her as beautiful. She was still green and, honestly, it was weird and not exactly what one would call attractive. But...she wasn't hideous. And she'd been …..she'd been quite kind. Despite the impatience and her harsh tones. She'd told the woman to heal him. She'd been prepared to try it herself. Keegan didn't remember everything very clearly; He'd been shot, he'd been in pain, he'd been in shock. But he remembered a clear voice, and a green face, a young face, that had looked at him and soft hands on his body that had tried to help.
That was what really confused Keegan.
Why hadn't she hurt him? The Captain had, and that didn't make sense, but aside from that...why hadn't she?
She was the Witch, after all, and she'd seen the gun he'd pointed at her, she must have. She'd seen his uniform and known what he was. But she hadn't done anything. Of course, she hadn't needed to because he'd been taken down by Fiyero before anyone could do anything but even then...
She'd come forward to help him, not hurt him.
He didn't understand.
He didn't understand any of it. His head hurt from confusion and lack of sleep. He wanted out of this room and breathe in clean air. He wanted steak and a beer. He wanted to find both his boss and that damned green witch and demand answers. And he couldn't do any of that.
And on top of that, Glinda the Good was on the other side of the room, staring him down.
Elphaba was in the middle of a complicated and frustrating, self deprecating thought process and she shook her head at her own stupidity for not just hurling herself into the castle (and for letting a freaking true Prince Charming into her life, who she now had to consider in decisions that had nothing to do with him, Oz dammit!) when she heard shouts coming from the streets, rifles being fired, heard the whizzing of the bullets as they were released into the air. A grunt of pure and unadulterated exasperation escaped her. No point in guessing what they were aiming for, she thought with a smirk that held no mirth.
Dammit.
Why could she not have been more careful? Why did she have to be in such a rush to get back? Why did she have to fly so low to the ground?
Now, she'd have to circle the sky first, for a while, to confuse and scare those silly boys off a little bit and then, she'd have to hide in the forest, to make sure no one followed her back home.
Home...
She shook her head and told herself to not call it that. A deserted cabin did not equal a home. It was a cabin. A stupid, cold cabin. But she knew very well it wasn't the roof, the protection from wind and rain that made it home.
Fiyero.
But she shouldn't let herself think about him that way. After what she'd learned today, he'd surely want to go back. And even if he didn't, she'd make him. It was for the better, really. They both knew that.
She did, anyway.
She'd just have to explain it to him. Glinda was still there, beautiful as ever and the public would embrace him, adore him even more for being the helpless victim of the evil witch and managing to survive the ordeal.
He could tell them he escaped or something.
Maybe...
Shit!
She swerved to the right, missing a bullet just by an inch.
Damn Gale Forcers. Why did they have to bring out the rifles, every chance they got? Hadn't anyone ever told them that playing with guns got people hurt?
There were quite a few of them. No point in taking even more risks. The circling obviously wasn't throwing them off. She just needed to get away. Before she got hurt. Before...
She swerved to the right, trying to gain height and speed but she was distracted and she wasn't fast enough.
She didn't hear the rifle being fired, but she felt the bullet enter her flesh.
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