Title: Flying Freely Once More
Rated: PG-13
Auther: MeganFaye
Disclaimer: I don't own Oz or the characters of Wicked.
Note: This is written with the adorable Kristin Chenoweth and the sexy Idina Menzel as Glinda and Elphie! The BEST Cast: Original!!!
The second time the women awoke that day, it was due to sunlight streaming in, and the sounds of laughter in the gardens below as children played. Glinda the Good allowed the families of her palace staff to live in the palace in generous rooms, where they had privacy, and they had personal space. She wanted to have a well-loved and happy staff who felt as though caring for the Leader of Oz was a true privilge, rather than a job. (Glinda had gone as far as to find proper nannies for children in the palace who needed a proper nanny; one guard in particular lost his wife when his youngest was born only three months earlier.)
The laughter from the garden below came from children, who splashed in puddles left by the storm the night before.
Glinda opened her eyes slowly; she and Elphie had snuggled together in the night, and Glinda smelled the sweet sap from the plant, thick in Elphie's skin. As much as she would like to have stayed in Glinda's arms, she felt the tiny woman fidget uncomfortably.
"Sorry," Elphaba said, scooting back away from Glinda.
"I guess I'm a cuddler!"
"I had a feeling you would be," Elpaba whispered. "That's a nice sound to wake up to."
"They're good kids. They'll love to meet you in person. I've told each and every one of them the real story of what you did, and how you wanted to stop the troubled Wizard, who wanted to rule our land the way he ruled his own."
"Are there bad guys in your stories?"
"No. Not when you are in them. It was miscommunication at its worst, over and over again. I wasn't going to let you die and be blamed for all the bad in this world. I refused to celebrate your death." Tears gleamed in Glinda's eyes. "It was the hardest time in my life, Elphie."
"I'm sorry you had to go through it alone."
"Not anymore." Glinda smiled widely. "I'm so happy you're here, Elphie."
"Me, too." A particularly high-pitched squeal of laughter brought a smile to Elphaba's lips.
"Sounds like fun."
"Sounds like mud."
"What is the limit?" Glinda asked softly. "With water?"
"I can drink milks and juices, but not teas or coffee. Mud will burn, but not as badly as just water. But mud doesn't fall off, so its harder to get off, so those are worse burns. I had too use all of the plants I had access to after that little brat drenched me. I thought I was dying."
"Those were real screams.?" Glinda asked, feeling a little sick to her stomach. Elphaba nodded.
"Are you hungry?" Elphaba asked, turning the conversation away from a day that scarred them both. Glinda shook her head. "Neither am I." A growl from two very hungry bellies caught them both off guard, and they laughed. "Ok, we're both hungry."
"Let's have breakfast in the square; the horses don't pull carts anymore, unless they feel like it. Clopper really enjoys pulling people around. He changes colors in the blues, greens and the loveliest shades of purple."
"I am in your night gown and it is roughly half a foot too small."
"And that is why we go the the square. They'll match the perfect shades of fabrics with your skin."
"Do you think they'll like me?"
"Oh, yes."
Glinda seemed oblivious to the staring eyes of the general public of The Emerald City on Elphaba. Elphaba kept her head down, shyly. Glinda just took her hand and lead her through the square where Clopper brought them to the seamstress.
"They're staring."
"Because you're beautiful, and a legend who freed them from a communist." Elphaba looked up, and most of the people who stared were smiling. But Elphaba saw a few people glaring at her with the hatred she'd grown used to.
"I don't think its that."
"What do you think it is?"
"I'm wearing your dress, and it is too small." Glinda smirked.
"Which is why we're going into that little shop there. Its where all of my clothes are made. She needs your sizes, one fitting, and by the end of the day, you'll have a nice wardrobe."
"All your dresses are made there?"
"Yes!" Glinda chirped.
"I'm worried." Glinda pulled her into the shop.
"Lotti," Glinda said, brightly. "I have a very special guest, but her clothing was ruined in her journey here. Can you help us out?" Lotti stared at Elphaba for a full 5 seconds before Glinda stepped in. "Lotti, Elphaba has had a long journey, and her clothing is in ruins. Measure her for new dresses, please."
"Yes, Your Goodness."
"Glinda, I can mend my dress."
"No," Lotti said gently. "Its an honor to have you in my shop, Ms. Elphaba. A true honor. I didn't mean to stare, but you're supposed to be-"
"I'd rather not talk about it," Elphaba interjected. "Please."
"Of course. Let's get you measured. Would you like to pick out some colors?"
"Black is fine."
"Black will bring out the green, making it a much darker shade than it actually is. The lavender you're wearing is much more suiting; or perhaps a blue?" Lotti asked, grinning
"Glinda," Elphaba pleaded.
"You don't have to wear simple frocks, Elphie. You can have anything made that you'd like to wear. Anything." Elphaba nodded, shaking. She'd never had a beautiful dress, nor had she been told that she could have something.
"Okay."
"I'll bring back some breakfast while you're fitted with a new wardrobe."
"You're avoiding shopping!?"
"I'm avoiding starvation." Glinda glided out through the front thresh. A door would have been there at one time, but it was removed to allow fresh air and natural light to filter though.
An hour later, when Glinda returned, she stared in shock. The long black hair was pulled back into beautiful curls, in a low lavender bow, leaving all of the new curls to cascade down Elphaba's back. In a lovely lavender dress, with green accents, Elphaba stood, staring in the mirror. She looked mortally humiliated.
"Its wrong," Glinda said softly. "Its not you, and you hate it."
"I see you've gained a heightened perception."
"No, I just know you. The colors are right, but for the love of Oz, it looks like a dress you'd put on a small girl with a lollipop. Just because you are from Munchkin land doesn't mean you should dress like the Friggin' Lullubye League. Lotti, sweetie, she's 35, not 5. Come on." Glinda handed a massive sweet roll and a chocolate milk over to her friend.
"I can't eat that."
"There's no water-"
"Just because it won't kill me doesn't mean it tastes good. Do you have something that's not covered in sugar?" Glinda laughed and pulled out 'Plan B' breakfast; bran muffin and orange juice.
"Better?"
"Thank you."
"Now, Lotti, here's what I see for my lovely Green Giant. Black. Its her 'color.' Simple and elegant. Stylish, but not over-the-top. Over-the-top is my department."
"I'll say."
"Watch it, you."
Boq chopped at the wood with a smile. As it turned out, he really enjoyed the job. Once he had a 'heart' and discovered that the wizard was a fraud, he decided that faking it was better than nothing. He wasn't sad, nor was he happy. He just Was.
"Looking good, there, Boq."
"So, you finally remembered my name," he teased as he swung the ax again. He remembered what sarcasm was, even if he didn't feel it.
"Hello, Boq." The man made of tin stopped mid-swing and put his ax down and turned to face Elphaba. "I'm sorry about this." She gestured to his tin body.
"I'm not angry," he said simply.
"Is that because my sister stole your heart, or because you choose not to be upset?"
"Both. You didn't turn me into an over-grown oil can for kicks. You did it to save my life. I wish you could have found a spell that would have given me a new heart, but this is nice, too."
"Boq," Glinda started.
"Your sister did this, and you made it worse. I know you didn't mean to, but you did it anyway. I should finish chopping this wood. The palace gets cold at night this time of year." Elphaba looked at him and sighed, set her jaw, and stared him down.
"I would rather you live to hate me than die because of my sister."
"Elphaba, I would be thrilled for you that you are alive if I could be, and I would hate you for turning me into a tin man. But I don't care one way or the other. I really don't. So please, let me be alone, cutting my logs, and listening to the fake heart beat that the phony gave me."
"But you're not dead."
"You are. When you let us believe that you were dead, most of the land of Oz celebrated. Glinda and I were the only ones who knew to mourn you, and I couldn't do that. She was completely alone. That lovely young woman over there is in-love with you, and had to celebrate your death. You broke her heart, Dear Miss Elphaba, and it may take a long time to properly mend it. If I could be outraged, I would be. You broke her heart much worse than the three of you broke mine. Every day you were gone broke her heart again. So if you want to come back, Thropp, come back, but be prepared to live with what you did. I don't care if you stay or leave. I'm getting back to work."
With that, Boq continued his work, ignoring the two women.
Elphaba looked over at Galinda, who was crying openly as she stared at the green woman before her.
"Glinda-"
"I was so alone. I needed you so much, Elphie!" she sobbed. "I felt so terrible for letting you die; and much worse because you protected me from danger at every turn; from the wizard when you first flew, and from his men when you were murdered. I loved you, Elphie, with all of my heart. I don't know if you even thought about me. me." Glinda folded her arms and turned away. When she felt the soft hand on a shoulder, she shrugged it away.
"I thought about you every minute of every day. Fiyero was convinced we were doing what was right for you-"
"You weren't."
"Glinda, I'm sorry."
"So am I." Glinda walked away. "I need some space. I'll see you at the palace."
Uh Oh. Looks like Boq spilled a secret! More to come, no worries! On with Reading!