(AN: Finally got a new chapter out! This story is definitely not going to be ten chapters long.)
(To PocketSevens, do you really know where I'm going with this story, now? Of course I've thought of that, and that was hardly my goal. I've been dropping hints since Another World and The Great War of Oz, it should be obvious that this story has nothing to do with the Wizard - it is set nine hundred years before the Wizard arrived in Oz! There's no way they could 'keep' him from arriving in Oz unless they killed the Diggs family ancestors in Ireland, and they're obviously in Oz. lol)
(Still 'musical-verse', and to remind everyone, I've put plenty of fluffy moments into this chapter.)
Politics
There was no way to know how much time passed here at Shiz, since the clock tower had not been created yet. Elphaba busied herself in her room with reading, since she was not allowed to roam unless in the presence of Ozma. She was also a little concerned about what was going on with the High Chancellor. How did he know who she really was, and where she was from? Part of her wanted to keep her distance, while another part was shocked that she could be thinking ill about someone so early on just because he was a giant with a deep voice.
There were no mirrors in this room, so Elphaba could not look at her reflection. It was not entirely like a prison sentence, for Daisy would often stop by with food. It was not the best, but it was good enough and it kept Elphaba alive and healthy.
One day, she did not know when it had been, there was a knock on the door.
"Come in." she said, expecting little Daisy Fromica to come in, with a smile on her face, a plate in her hands and no news about Fiyero.
What she saw instead, however, brought a smile to her own face.
"Elphie!" Glinda hissed with excitement. The green woman rose from where she sat at her bed and hugged her little blond friend. Glinda made an 'ooh' sound, and then pushed herself away, looking down at Elphaba.
"Aw!" the little blond woman commented. "My Elphie's got a baby bump!"
Elphaba laughed, falling backwards onto the bed.
"What in Oz's name is so hilariocious?" Glinda asked as she flopped onto the bed at Elphaba's side.
"Just the way you said that," Elphaba returned, a smile on her face, while breathing through laughs. "It brings back memories."
"Can I touch it?" Glinda whispered, her hand reaching out conspicuously towards the small rise that had been forming on Elphaba's stomach.
Elphaba nodded. The little blond hand came to rest upon the swell, which was still very small.
"Sweet Oz, has it been this long already?" Elphaba asked. "We must have been here longer than we thought."
"Oh, its just a little one, Elphie!" Glinda commented, a huge smile splitting her face from side to side. "Oh, what are you going to name it?"
"I'm three months along, Glinda!" Elphaba returned. "I don't think now is the time to be talking about names."
"It was just an idea." Glinda pouted playfully.
Elphaba placed her hand on her friend's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap." she said. "It's been tough, being trapped here with nothing to do." Suddenly it came back into his mind. "Where's Fiyero? Is he alright?"
"He's fine, Elphie." Glinda returned. "Whatever that Captain...uh, Ten-something, or whatever...said about people not dying in Oz while Ozma ruled, its for real. None of the physicians would touch him, but his condition didn't worsen. I ended up having to..."
"What did you say?" Elphaba rose up.
"I said I ended up having to take the bolt out of him myself." Glinda said. "It was awful! So bloody! But I think he's getting better."
"No, no, before that."
"None of the physicians would touch him?"
"Why not?"
"They said..." Glinda bit the bottom of her lip, both of her hands falling nervously into her own lap. "Oh, Elphie! It's just so horrible! I can't believe Gilikin-people were ever this way!"
"What did they say?"
"They said they don't touch Winkies." she sobbed. "That he's as good as dirt."
Elphaba's face said it all.
"Elphie, please!" Glinda begged. "We can't have you flying off the handle again! We're not in our own Oz and we need to get back. And think of the baby!"
She sighed, collapsing against the side of the wall.
"I do, Glinda." she sobbed. "I think about it all the time - and it makes me feel worse. I'm becoming weak, limited, powerless!"
"Elphie," Glinda walked over to her best friend's side and placed her arm around her. "It'll be okay, you'll see."
"But what if I'm not cut out for motherhood, Glinda?"
"Well, you've got me." she smiled.
Elphaba either thought that Glinda was joking or, if serious, that she was doomed. She started sobbing even more. Glinda embraced her friend, letting the green woman's green tears fall onto her dress. It didn't matter. Elphaba had been strong for her before, and now she needed to be strong for Elphaba.
"I want to see 'Yero!" Elphaba sobbed.
Glinda suddenly gasped.
"What?"
"I think I can help you!" she whispered. She took Elphaba by the hand and led her out of the room.
"Glinda, what are you..."
"Shh!" Glinda hissed.
"What are you doing?" Elphaba repeated in a lower voice.
"I've been sneaking out of my room," she whispered, leading Elphaba down the deserted hallway. "Mostly just stealing some things to help Fifi."
"He's not a kid anymore, Glinda!" Elphaba hissed. "His name is Fiyero."
"Okay, okay!" Glinda rolled her eyes. "The physicians wouldn't help him, so I took it upon myself to do what I could."
"But you're no physician."
"I have a little bit of knowledge," Glinda said. "I healed Fif...Fiyero, after he was wounded that one time in Mordor." They suddenly became deathly silent, as the mere pronunciation of that dreadful place sounded out of place here in Oz.
"Uh," Elphaba continued. "I've been reading." She didn't know why she said it, maybe to seem that she hadn't been idle while Glinda was tending to Fiyero - what she should be doing instead.
"Elphie," Glinda stopped. "I know what you're thinking, and the answer is no."
"How do you know what I'm thinking?" Elphaba asked.
"You said it yourself," Glinda said. "Before; we're in Oz's past."
"Exactly!"
"But you can't be doing anything rash, Elphie!" Glinda continued.
"I'm not going to do any rash, Glinda!"
"I know you better than that! If you think something bad is happening to the people of Oz, especially the Animals, you'll stop at nothing until its justified."
"Should I just keep my mouth shut? Do nothing?"
"Elphie! We're nine hundred years in the past! You can't stop the Wizard from coming to Oz, and even if you could, you wouldn't be born if he didn't come here."
"Who says I want to stop him?" The thought had definitely crossed her mind, but another one had as well. "Wait, how do you know how far back in time we are?"
"I'm from Gilikin, Elphie!" Glinda returned. "Duh! The old stories my nannies used to tell me said that there hasn't been snow in Gilikin in nine hundred years. They said the Three Adepts subdued the Elements and lifted the ever-winter from the north-lands."
Elphaba felt very odd, and jealous as well. How could Glinda know something that she, Elphaba, did not? She had been too long stuck in that cold room, kept away from everything that she loved and was so good at doing.
"Here, this way." she led Elphaba to an alcove behind a suit of armor, she pushed on one of the stones of the wall, and it slid back, revealing a secret passage. Elphaba crawled after her on her hands and knees through the narrow corridor. She felt nervous, and a sudden fear came over her: she would get stuck and wouldn't be able to move either back to safety or farther into the tunnel. It seemed likely that she would get stuck, and Elphaba's hands started to quake as they moved one in front of the other.
"We're almost there, Elphie." Glinda's voice echoed in the hard, stone walls of the tunnel.
After what seemed like an eternity of darkness and fearing to get stuck, Glinda's be-gown'd form disappeared and there was light at the end of the tunnel: dim, shaking candlelight, but it was still light. Gasping for air, Elphaba crawled the last length of the tunnel and almost dropped onto her face once she cleared the room.
Glinda ran to Elphaba's side and helped her up to her feet, walking her over to the bed. Lying in it, wrapped in blood-stained sheets and bandages, was the smiling form of her lover.
Smiling because he was back with her.
"Fae!" he said. There was no weakness in his voice. In fact, he rose to his feet and helped bring Elphaba to rest on the bed. Once she was lying upon the covers, he placed himself haphazardly on the other side, planting a kiss on her lips once he was settled.
Elphaba moaned softly. "Yero, my hero."
Fiyero smiled. "I never get tired of hearing that."
Glinda pulled up a stool and sat down at the other side, feeling very forlorn, as usual when Elphaba and Fiyero started kissifying in front of her.
"Wait a minute," Fiyero suddenly said. His hand moved down from Elphaba's shoulder onto the gentle swell of her stomach. He smiled.
Glinda was also smiling. Though she did not have her 'happily ever after', she was enjoying living vicariously through her two friends.
"Uh," she said at last. "I think it's time we go back, Elphie."
"I don't want to go!" she gripped Fiyero tightly. Glinda was reminded of herself in the green woman's response.
"They'll notice you're missing, Fae." Fiyero stated. "I'll see you later." He kissed her on the lips, the two parting with an affectionate 'mwah'. It made Glinda giggle.
Even so, she wished that she could have someone to sweep her off her feet and have fun kissing as well.
Neither of them said any words while they made their way back to Elphaba's room. The trek through the tunnel wasn't much easier, and the hallway was no longer deserted. The two had to hide every two second to keep from being spotted by patrols of soldiers or idle nobles pacing the halls on their way back from the court of the Ozma.
They finally got back to the room, with Glinda closing the door to make sure they weren't followed.
"Elphie?" she said once they were alone. The green woman turned up to her friend. "I...uh, have a confession to make."
"What's wrong, Glinda?"
"I, uh..." she stammered. "I've never really told you this. But, uh, after you and Fiyero left Worms, I, uh, became..."
"Just say it."
"I was angry at you, Elphaba." Glinda said, returning to the use of her full name. "You left me behind, but...well, I had something else. I admit that I've been a bit jealous of you, you and Fiyero. You have the perfect, fairy tale ending that I've always longed for - a handsome prince, a life together...well, maybe not everything, but you're happy. That's all I want, Elphie. To be happy!"
Elphaba held out her hand, offering Glinda to accept it. The little blond reached out, encircling Elphaba's green hand with her pale-pink fingers.
"I guess it must be hard," Elphaba said. "Seeing your best friend with..."
"I gave up on Fiyero and I having a future long before," Glinda said. "But I wish I had something like what you have."
Elphaba hugged Glinda. They remained locked in each other's arms for a long time, neither willing to let go or say a word.
After a long while, they parted. Glinda pulled the door open then quietly closed it. Elphaba kept her ears perked, until the staccato sound of Glinda's boots upon the stone-floors vanished.
"Touching."
Elphaba turned around suddenly, turning to see who had invaded her room. The wardrobe opened up and out stepped the tall form of Koiyo, still clad in black robes.
"What are you doing here?" Elphaba insisted.
"Recruiting." Koiyo walked lazily over to a stool, then waved her hand. It rearranged itself, before Elphaba's eyes, into a very posh chair overlaid with gold and covered with black velvet cushions. Koiyo seated herself the chair very gracefully.
"And just what exactly are you recruiting for?"
Koiyo said nothing, closing her eyes as if nothing else mattered. Her lids were very heavy, but Elphaba felt that the woman's big, blue eyes were looking at her from beneath those huge lids.
"How did you get in here?"
"There are no boundaries for those of my kind." Koiyo said.
"'Your kind?'"
"Have you ever heard of the Kumbric Witch?"
Elphaba nodded.
"A legend, some say." Koiyo continued. "The most powerful sorceress in the land of Oz, so powerful that they've attributed Oz's creation to her, rather than to Lurline."
Elphaba's mind was quick at work. Being almost a thousand years into Oz's past meant many things.
"You know of the Witch?"
"The stories?" Koiyo inquired. "There's truth in them, just as there's a little truth in every lie out there. But this lie is truth: I saw Kumbricia herself."
"How?"
"A witch does not die, Lady Aelphaba." Koiyo continued. "She might disappear, but she will always find ways of returning."
"Is that what you're trying to recruit me for?" Elphaba asked. "Some sorceress cult dedicated to the Kumbric Witch?"
"Hardly," Koiyo smiled. "From what I've gathered, you've been in the presence of Ozma."
Elphaba nodded.
"And you know what she's like."
She had an idea of what this Ozma was like, but she was interested in listening to what Koiyo had to say.
"What do you think she's like?"
"A stupid, silly little girl." Koiyo began. "This new generation is filled with them: appearance and mannerisms matter more to them than duty, honor and the greater betterment of Oz. But this Ozma grows fat while Gilikin freezes from her refusal to apologize to the Elements for the offenses she made against them."
Elphaba tried not to gasp. Just how many people at court were conspiring against Ozma, she wondered?
"Ozma has no desire other than to eat, hold parties and surround herself with ugly people to make herself feel better about her own inadequacies. The people suffer while she refuses to help. She only keeps Animals to laugh at them as oddities.
"The Chancellor is the only one who has any real desire for change. He has done all he could to protect Oz and keep her from harm. Unfortunately, his power is severely limited, since, officially, he is only Ozma's adviser. He can only advise Ozma the way to go: it will be her choice whether or not to listen to him, and she usually doesn't."
"How do I fit into all this?"
"Sorceresses can sense the presence of power," Koiyo answered. "And I've discovered that you're quite powerful. If you are interested in doing something to save Oz, be free to attend a private meeting, where many profitable things will be discussed."
Elphaba did not exactly hold with what this woman was talking about either. Words like 'duty', 'honor' and 'the greater betterment of Oz' were often used by the Wizard and, especially, Madam Morrible, to stir the people of Oz against her. Though she didn't hold with the demeaning way this Ozma treated her subjects, especially the Animals, she was a bit wary about joining with any group.
Especially if she was displaced in a time past.
"When will this meeting be?" she asked.
"Ah, I can't tell you." Koiyo smiled deviously.
"Why?"
"Because I don't know yet." Koiyo returned. "And even if I did, I'd have to know that I can trust you."
"Where will it be?" Elphaba inquired.
"The same."
"How will I know when the meeting will occur?"
"You'll see."
Before Elphaba's eyes, Koiyo vanished in a haze of black and white. Perhaps that was how she had suddenly appeared. Though coming and going by bubble was definitely showy, and the broom was, in her mind, most efficient, simply vanishing like that was indeed an amazing trick.
The lavish chair then returned to a stool.
(AN: A bit filler, but it works later on in the story. Just wait)
(I've always read the name as 'Kumbrica' rather than 'Kumbricia'. Kind of like with 'Dr. Boskovitch' from Tekken; sometimes your pronunciation sounds better than what is 'officially' accepted, like how caramel is sometimes pronounced 'care-amel' rather than 'carmel'.)
(Unlike most ffs that I've read in which Elphaba is with child, I'm stretching it out so we can see all of the 'awkward' moments that occur while she's hormonal and emotional. That's partially the reason why she's always breaking down and crying.)
(I'll try to get a new chapter out a.s.a.p.)