The Tin Man turned slowly to face Glinda, wary of her reaction. At first the blonde's face was lit with joy at recognizing a friend from the past, but then fury clouded her bright eyes and something snapped. "You murderer," she hissed menacingly, stalking towards Boq. "You led the witch hunters to Kiamo Ko to kill her." The munchkin's face flooded with confusion.
"But she was evil," he protested, backing away from the advancing witch. "She mutilated those Monkeys in the Emerald City! They say she tried to kill the Wizard!"
"Those were all lies!" Glinda snarled "I was there; the Wizard tricked her into casting a spell on those Monkeys. She did what was right even if the world hated her for it." There was a pause and the petite ruler's eyes narrowed. "How could you believe all those things they said about her? You knew her at Shiz, you knew how good hearted she was." The Tin Man avoided her last question.
"If those were all lies why didn't you tell anyone?" he snapped.
"Because she made me promise not to," Glinda shrieked, angry tears streaming from her eyes. "She thought they would turn against me."
"Well if she was so good why in Oz did Elphaba turn me into this?" Boq growled, gesturing at his metal body with disgust. This stumped the blonde witch.
"I thought you were just trying to excite the witch hunters when you told them she did that to you," Glinda admitted, stepping closer to examine his tin torso. "But I'm sure she had a good reason." Had anyone else tried to convince the munchkin of Elphaba's innocence he would have denounced them as crazy, but this was Glinda. Even after so many years his feelings for her hadn't wavered.
"You think she wasn't wicked?" Boq asked, voice soft.
"I know she wasn't wicked," the blonde ruler told him with absolute certainty. Now the tears were rushing steadily down her cheeks. Glinda's eyes were ragged with harrowing grief. Irrational as it was the Tin Man moved forward and wrapped his metal arms around the crying blonde. "I hate you," Glinda sniffled weakly into his chest, unable to make herself move out of Boq's comforting embrace.
***
Elphaba sat in a damp tunnel beneath Kiamo Ko, waiting. Beside her an oil lamp flickered, the only source of heat for a soaking witch. Her teeth chattered as a chilly breeze moved the stagnant tunnel air. Then footsteps echoed on the floor above. The green girl wondered if it was Fiyero coming already. But no, these footsteps were too small and quick.
"Elphie?" squeaked a frightened voice. Of course, it was Glinda. The clicking of the blonde's shoes moved to directly above Elphaba's head. "Oh Elphie," sniffled a broken voice. Sobs echoed into the tunnel below and the green witch had tears glinting in her usually strong eyes.
"I'm sorry Glinda," she whispered. "But you'll go on to do great things. You don't need me anymore." However the green witch knew exactly how much pain the next few weeks would put her blonde friend through.
Mere feet apart Elphaba and Glinda grieved alone. They grieved for the pain of their separation, and for each other. As Oz's future ruler strode to her bubble she left half of her heart behind and half of Elphaba's heart went with her.
***
The green witch was shopping for food in the Animal village near her cabin. Even after being in hiding for several months such ordinary tasks still seemed foreign to Elphaba. She still felt the need to be doing something, but there was nothing more to do. Glinda was doing a superb job of giving Animals their rights back and reforming Oz's government.
"Hello Elphaba," greeted Caya, a Tiger.
"Hey Caya," the green girl responded, examining the vegetable stand at the market. Her eyes landed on a basket of artichokes. It appears the artichoke is steamed. A fond smile lit the witch's face.
"What's so funny about those artichokes?" Caya questioned. She was one of Elphaba's new friends in the Animal community.
"Inside joke," the green girl explained.
"Glinda?" Caya wondered knowingly. Elphaba nodded. "That girl must be insanely busy," the Tiger commented. "Apparently she opened fifteen rehabilitation clinics for speechless Animals just this month. That's got to take a lot of string pulling."
"Or hair tossing in Glinda's case," the green girl chuckled.
"Do you ever think about visiting her?" Caya asked suddenly.
"Yes," Elphaba admitted. "Sometimes I fly to the palace at night and check in on her."
"Does Fiyero know?"
"Sometimes he catches me," the witch shrugged.
"Is he mad?"
"Just worried," the green girl assured her. "He's paranoid."
"Men are like that," Caya pointed out with a grin.
"Speaking of men when are you going to ask Brrr out?" the witch demanded, quirking an eyebrow mischievously. Brrr was the Lion that Elphaba and Fiyero rescued after Dr. Dillamond was taken. He was grown now and quite handsome by Animal standards.
"I don't know what you're talking about," the Tiger sniffed.
"So you stare at him for no reason at all?" Elphaba questioned incredulously. Caya shrugged, looking somewhat embarrassed.
"Does anything escape your notice?" she growled in mock irritation.
"Nope," the witch snickered. However at that moment something, namely a suspicious hooded figure, had escaped Elphaba's notice.
***
"Anything interesting happen today?" Fiyero asked as his wife entered their cabin.
"Caya's still too shy to talk to Brrr," the green witch informed him. "She won't ask him out."
"She shouldn't have to," the Winkie snorted. "It's the guy who should do the asking. Brrr needs to grow a pair."
"For your information us women are independent enough to do the asking," Elphaba pointed out.
"Then why did I propose to you?" Fiyero wondered, pulling the green girl onto his lap.
"I didn't want to hurt your pride," fibbed the witch, nuzzling into his shoulder.
"Don't lie to me Fae," the scarecrow scolded teasingly. "You didn't ask because you're absurdly insecure."
"Well I am green," she muttered.
"And I'm made of straw," Fiyero chuckled, pulling her closer.
"Touché," Elphaba murmured, pressing her lips against his cloth ones.
I know that the Cowardly Lion being named Brrr came from 'A Lion Among Men' but I wanted to get the name right even though I'm going from the musical not the books. Also I know the whole Fae and Yero thing didn't come from the musical either but it's so cute that I had to use it…