Chapter Two: First Impressions

The journey took two weeks. Elphaba found her voice raspy from lack of use – she had barely spoken the entire ride. By the time she was dropped at the edge of the castle grounds with nothing but a small bag and a note from Mother Yackle, she was surprised she hadn't forgotten how to speak. The people walking the grounds looked as different from munchkins as she was. Their skin was a deep ochre, and they had strange shapes tattooed everywhere. She'd heard that people from the Vinkus were different, but she'd never realized how different. What would they make of her strange skin? Would they even know it was an aberration or would they assume that she was from some part of Oz where everyone was green?

As she reached the doorway, she looked up at the castle. It wasn't exactly a nice castle. Vines were growing all over it and the walls were made of plain, ugly dark grey stone. It looked… cold. Which was a contrast to the weather. It was hot and dry. A cold castle would be a relief. Swallowing hard, she knocked on the large wooden door.

A middle-aged man dressed in peasant's clothes answered the door – clearly the butler or something like it. He did not speak to her, just looked at her expectantly.

Elphaba thrust out the note she had been carrying. "I'm to work here, I believe."

"Ah. The mistress said you'd be coming. Please come in."

She followed the man into the castle. The walls inside looked as cold and dreary as the ones outside. The furniture was either stone or wood, as well. He motioned for her to take a seat the main hallway. There were stairs to her left and another hallway in front of her. The butler (or whatever he was) left – presumably to give Mother Yackle's note to his mistress. Elphaba sat with her hands in her lap and waited.

She heard someone coming down the stairs. It couldn't be the queen, right? The butler had gone the other way to get her. Elphaba bit her lip and looked at the shadow that descended the stairs.

A young man appeared. He looked to be about her age, though he was like no one she had ever seen (she hadn't interacted with a lot of men in general, being in a mauntery). The pattern tattooed on his skin was of blue diamonds. His eyes glowed as sapphire as the markings on his skin. He looked at her questioningly. "Excuse me… um," he looked as though he was trying to find the right words, "who are you?"

That was blunt. "I was sent from the City to teach some children." Elphaba answered curtly.

"I figured as much. We knew you were coming. I meant to ask your name."

She didn't know why he cared. "Elphaba."

He approached the chair she sat in and held out his hand. She didn't take it. He pulled it back after a moment. "Well, welcome to Kiamo Ko. My name is Fiyero."

Elphaba merely nodded.

"I suppose you're wondering who I am."

"Not really."

Her answer seemed to have surprised him. "Oh."

"It's obvious enough from the way you're dressed that you're a member of the royal family and not a servant. That's all I care to know." Elphaba said simply.

The young man stood with his mouth open for a moment, the realized himself and shut it. "Well, then. Does my mother know you're here?"

"The man who answered the door went to tell her."

"Good. I know you don't care, but I'm Crown Prince Fiyero, the eldest son. You'll be teaching my younger siblings."

Elphaba shrugged.

"No offense, but you seem a bit young to be a schoolmarm."

"That's your opinion." This Fiyero was trying to get her to talk about herself. She wasn't going to do that. Why did he bother asking?

At that moment, the man who had answered the door came back with a woman in her late thirties, dressed in velvet and silks. She had silver half-moons on her skin. Elphaba wondered if she was going to be expected to bow. They'd have to ask her to, if that was the case.

"Fiyero, what are you doing down here?"

"I was on my way to the kitchen for a snack when I saw our, uh, guest. I was just introducing myself to her."

"Of course." The queen turned to Elphaba. "Hello…" she looked at the note, "Elphaba, is it?"

"Yes."

"Yes ma'am." The butler corrected immediately.

Elphaba tried not to roll her eyes, bit the inside of her cheek and said, "Yes, ma'am."

"I see you've already met my son Fiyero. You won't be teaching him much. He may need your assistance occasionally as he studies for the Shiz entrance exam."

Elphaba had heard of Shiz. It was the only university in Oz that took woman. That had started last year. It had some of the maunts in a tizzy discussing how such an idea could only promote "fornication" and other such sins. Secretly, she had dreamed of going there and learning more. She had learned much from the maunts, of course, but there are plenty of things one doesn't lean in a mauntery. Science had been skimmed over, for example. She tried to ignore the slight jealousy she felt that this cocky young man would be going to Shiz. "I see."

"Mostly you will be dealing with my young ones. I'll introduce them to you later. You should get settled." The woman eyed Elphaba's meager bag condescendingly, sighed and turned to the butler. "Marin, show her to her room."

"I'll do it, Mother."

The queen gave her son a strange look but shrugged. "If it pleases you to go around doing the servants work, I won't stop you." She left the room and Marin trailed after her.

Elphaba was left alone with Fiyero again. She looked at him and raised her eyebrows. He was staring at her.

"Oh, right!" His face flushed. "This way." He headed back up the stairs slowly, waiting for her to follow.

She sighed and mounted the stairs after him.

"So you're from the City?" He asked.

Did he not get that she was not interested in socializing? No wonder all the maunts had sworn off men. Clearly they were stupid. "Yes."

"And…?"

"And what?" Elphaba knew exactly "and what" he wanted, but she wasn't going to open up without a fight.

"And what was your life like in the City? Where in the City were you?"

"A mauntery."

"Are you a…?"

"No." Elphaba almost laughed at the concept of her being a maunt. She might grow to be an old spinster, but she wouldn't be a religious one.

"I didn't think so." He stopped in the doorway of a small room (though it was larger than the one the Maunt Superior had in the mauntery). "This is yours."

"Thank you," Elphaba said.

He stood in the doorway for a moment looking at her.

Was it appropriate to ask the Crown Prince why he was still standing in her doorway? Or did she have to put up with this obnoxious behavior? "Um, I think I'll unpack now."

"Oh, yes, of course." He made to leave. "My room is down the next hall to the left if you need anything."

"I won't, not from you," she muttered under her breath as he left the room. She put her bag down on her bed and hung up her few clothes. She put the green bottle into a drawer in the table near her bed. She put some of her undergarments on top of it. It wasn't as though she thought anyone would steal it – she just didn't need the questions. Where had it come from? What was the "elixir"? Who had left it with her? She didn't know herself.

Elphaba saw that she had a small window seat. She climbed into it and glanced out the window at the hot, dry Vinkun land. The environment seemed nice. But the people? The maunts had never pestered her this much. She supposed it was how people behaved outside the mauntery walls. She'd been out a few times in the City, but she'd rarely spoken to anyone. People had stared at her rather than say anything to her. No one had cared about her or about her history – no one but her. Maybe Fiyero had meant well. She didn't know. Nor did she care.