Chapter 6.
"How quickly you could be thrown back to the terrible uncertainty of your youth." – Gregory Maguire, "Wicked"
(AN: Very short chapter for the introduction of an important character, and something to get me back into practice. Sorry it's so short! Hope you enjoy it anyway.)
Elphaba trudged along the path that stretched from Crage Hall to the university's library, passing through the wrought iron gates that shut off the main halls of Shiz university from the grassy banks of the Suicide Canal.
The canal, one of many things Elphie wanted to stay away from. Not to mention the busy crowds, the hordes of annoyances and distractions that swarmed out of the campus grounds and toward Railway Square. She slinked along, carefully treading through puddles in her well worn army boots so as to not splash her exposed calves. It was early afternoon, and everything seemed to glisten in the aftermath of the light rain shower that Elphie had been so careful to avoid.
She thought back to that morning. Galinda had returned to the dorm in over the top tears, wailing about her hair being ruined by the Ozforsaken, hideodeous rain. Oh, how distraught the blonde had been. But Elphaba had had enough sense to wait it out, tune out Galinda, and had burst out of the building as soon as the sky had cleared, watching her roommate skip along in front of her in search of her squealy little friends.
The young Thropp clutched at her books and moved along, seemingly ignorant of the one or two stares she received from passersby. Weeks had passed at Shiz, and the other students appeared to be getting used to her existence. Not that it mattered much to Elphaba – she hardly had the patience for social interaction. Even if she did, the high pitched giggles coming from somewhere nearby would shove her off that train of thought in an instant.
Eyebrows knitted into a slight frown, Elphaba tried to follow the sound, her eyes twitching back and forth, like a cat following a string – though not with the intention of pursuing it, but with the intention to stay away at all costs. However, as she passed through the damp grassy area and stomped into the main courtyard, the noises grew even louder. And there, to Elphie's disappointment, Galinda and the Misses Shenshen and Pfannee were hanging around by the fountain at the centre of the square. It was just as well; the green girl had no desire to go anywhere near the clear, sparkling water.
The screams and laughter persisted, but never drew closer, for some reason. Perhaps Galinda just didn't feel like trying to coax her into some form of conversation, and that suited her perfectly.
A loud screech and the crash of wood against concrete startled Elphaba, sending her reeling and tripping over her own ankles. She ignored the cries around her and jumped straight back up, suddenly focusing on the cause of all the commotion – a small cart, pulled by a man in a strange type of uniform. As she circled the carriage, she noticed a leg dangling over the side. Another boy, muscular in stature, fast asleep in the back.
A hiss rasped in the back of the Thropp's throat. The coachman frowned, reaching over to hush the enraged girl. "Please, miss. That's Fiyero Tigelaar, the crown prince of the Vinkus. You'll wake him!"
"I certainly will, and I don't care who he is," Elphie snapped, thumping her boot against the carriage and instantly rousing its passenger from his slumber. "Wake up. Wake up, you!"
The sleepy boy—man, whatever – blinked, dark blue eyes unfocused, and stretched. "What?"
Elphaba seethed.
"What? Your wretched car almost ran me over, and you're sleeping! That's what."
"Well, of course," Fiyero replied, apparently oblivious. "It's day time."
He appeared harmless enough, but the relaxed, almost shy manner in which he spoke only served to confuse and infuriate Elphaba further. She stepped back when the lanky prince swung his legs out of the cart and hopped up onto his feet, swinging a satchel bag over his shoulder.
She was speechless, something she rarely experienced.
A high pitched squeal served to remind Elphie that her blonde pest of a roommate was still in the vicinity, and she turned in time to watch as Galinda skipped over from her cluster of groupies to gawk at the new comer. The green girl could practically see hearts in her eyes. Sighing, she retreated to the shadowy cover of a nearby tree, as though trying to blend in and disappear from Galinda's line of sight – though still perfectly able to hear her shrill cries of glee. Fiyero indeed looked quite startled.
"Excuse me, were you looking for something? Or …someone?"
Galinda had strutted right up to the prince, hips swaying and golden tresses tossed over her shoulder. She batted her eyelashes at him – what young man could possibly hope to resist this temptation?
Elphaba looked on and nearly gagged.
"Um, yes," the prince stated, puffing out his chest and giving Galinda a bright, warm smile. "Some sort of history class. Somewhere."
"That class just ended," the blonde chirped, snaking her arm through the crook of Fiyero's rather muscular one and smiling sweetly.
"What perfect timing!"
Galinda melted into him, swooning at the smooth tone of his voice, his dark eyes... things Elphie had never particularly bothered to think about, and had never cared for. They suited eachother alright. Perfection personified, according to the blinding sparkle in Galinda's big blue eyes. The Vinkun prince only seemed to grin wider at the attention.
Elphaba's lips curled at the corners – not quite as harsh as a sneer, but nowhere in the realm of amusement either. This wasn't something Elphaba would find herself cackling at later. Galinda would be bouncing around on her bed, squawking at her about the new boy soon enough, and she could stand to put it off for a while longer. She clutched her books tightly to her chest once more and trod heavily toward the library again, opting against skirting around the prince and the pesky roommate and instead choosing the soggier, muddier path to freedom.