Elphaba looked outside the small hole, which was considered a window. She noticed the sun was setting and looked down at her child.
"This is it..this is the last time I'll ever hold her..or see her.." She thought to herself and started rocking the baby to try to get it asleep. Nanessa simply refused to close her eyes. She started whining and fidgeted slightly. She had yet to be fed and surprisingly hadn't cried to be fed yet either which was a good thing for Elphaba being they didn't have any milk to feed her with. Elphaba was sure she couldn't feed her with breast milk because she was certain she didn't have any to give. Another reason why she felt unfit to be a mother.
Nanessa started to fuss a little and Elphaba tried calming her down.
"Shh my pretty shh..sleep..go to sleep" But the baby simply refused.
Elphaba sighed and ran out of ideas to put the baby asleep. She had to be asleep in order for Chistery to take her to Oz. Elphaba stood up and walked over to her crib and put her in. The baby just began to fuss more
"shh..Nessa shh.." Elphaba then stopped realizing she just called her Nessa. Elphaba missed Nessarose more now then ever. Elphaba then thought of an idea. She picked up Nanessa and went out of the room, Nanessa still fussing. She went down the flight of stairs and back to the storage room where she had been earlier. She quickly grabbed the key and opened the door. As soon as the door opened, Nanessa went quiet. Elphaba went down the stairs, bouncing the baby on the way down, which made the baby laugh and Elphaba smile.
Elphaba put the baby down on a couple of cushions that were piled up next to her chair. As soon as she put Nanessa down, the baby immediately stopped fussing completely and just looked on at Elphaba with her big shiny eyes. Elphaba smiled
"She's very obedient.." She thought to herself and went over to her stack of papers and flipped through them. "If I have any luck at all..I may be able to give you one last thing." She said thinking and then started jotting things down on another piece of paper. She then stopped and examined what she had written. She nodded with satisfaction.
"now all I need is something you will always have..something you'll keep with you forever.." Elphaba then realized that she had nothing of the sort to give her. She then looked at her cracked ball. Some of the pieces were as large as the baby, and some were as small as a pebble. Elphaba walked over to it and carefully took out a piece, which was about the size of a large marble. The edges were smooth yet uneven, there was a small hole in it and it glowed a dull green. She walked over to the baby and showed it to her. The baby cooed at the sight and reached for it. Elphaba quickly took it away and then looked around for something to tie the crystal on.
She had no string or leather to tie it with. She looked down at her dress. It was the same dress she had as the Wicked Witch and it already had clearly began to rip and tear. It was clearly old and threadbare, the hems off it had already began coming apart. Elphaba smiled with an idea. She sat down and started ripping some of the collar off the dress. She then muttered some words under her breath as she began tying the pieces together. The baby looked on curiously watching her mother's every move and motion. Elphaba then cupped her hands together, the fabric inside with the crystal and muttered some more words. A small flash of light came from her hands, which surprised the baby and made her laugh. Elphaba then uncapped her hands to reveal the crystal attached to the fabric, which had turned into a piece of string
"I used that spell a couple of times before to fix your father up, It's a merging spell, but I can only do it with little things, like this necklace I made for you" Elphaba said and gently put the necklace around the baby's neck. The baby giggled with delight and started to fiddle around with the crystal. Elphaba then held the crystal in her hands and cupped them over the crystal and said "teka mehen adi"
The baby looked up at Elphaba with a face which could only mean she was confused
"This way, as long as you stay in Oz, I can see you. This way we will always be together. And I can make sure you never come here, but I can make sure you're safe and happy" Elphaba said. All the baby did was stare into Elphaba's eyes, which made Elphaba slightly uncomfortable. Those eyes felt like they were piercing her soul, asking her "Why me? Why are you doing this to me?" Elphaba shook out of the thought and continued, "as long as you wear this necklace, I'll be able to see you. Never take this off..that way I'll know who you are..and that you are loved and cared for.." Elphaba paused for a moment and held back a tear.
She put her finger by the baby's cheek and felt her skin, which was perfect. "Oh Nessa..you're so beautiful.." She said quietly. All Nanessa did was stare at Elphaba with those big innocent eyes of hers. Elphaba picked her up and started back upstairs with a heavy heart. The sun was nearly down, and all Elphaba had managed to do is love the one thing she couldn't have even more.
"Chistery, get me a banana" Elphaba said to Chistery as she went through the kitchen. Chistery nodded reluctantly. He liked his bananas and kept them hidden away from the other monkeys. But when Elphaba asked for one, Chistery would always give her one, but not any of the monkeys. Chistery quickly left and came back with a banana in his hand. He gave it to Elphaba, who handed him the baby very carefully
"you might as well get used to it now, you'll be holding her for a good four days" Elphaba said as she went to one of the counters. Chistery on the other hand was very happy that he finally got to hold "little miss" Elphaba then began doing something that she hadn't done in a while; cooking. She took the banana and peeled it, then started mashing in a pot with a spoon she had managed to find. She then put the pot over the little fire she had going and stirred the banana mush. The whole castle began smelling like bananas, which made Chistery whine a little
"other monkeys come now!!" He whined
"Oh hush Chistery, this is for the baby, not them" Elphaba said and poured the now mushy hot banana into a bowl "How am I supposed to feed her with this?.." Elphaba then put the bowl onto the table and took the baby from Chistery. She sat down, one arm holding Nanessa, and then put a finger into the warm banana mush and put her finger by the baby's mouth. "please eat it.." Elphaba begged. She put some of the mush on the baby's lips, and the baby licked it off and fussed for some more. Elphaba sighed with relief and gave the baby her finger to suck off the mush. Fiyero then walked into the room and saw Elphaba with Nanessa
"Look, Fiyero she's eating!" Elphaba said to him. Fiyero walked over to the baby and looked at her. She had her mother's eyes, face, and hair. The only thing she seemed to have of him was his skin color. And his charming smile and carefree way. But then again, all babies were like that.
Fiyero smiled and said "she's just like you Fabala"
Elphaba looked up at Fiyero questioningly "in what ways?"
Fiyero then walked behind Elphaba and put his hands on her shoulders "She's got your eyes, your hair, your face..she's you in every way..You know why?"
Elphaba looked down at Nanessa and noticed Fiyero was indeed right. She did look much like Elphaba when she was a baby. "Why is it Fiyero?" She asked looking up at Fiyero
"Because you're both perfect" He said and kissed Elphaba cheek.
"Such a charmer..like you always were." Elphaba said and smiled. Fiyero then looked at the necklace around Nanessa's neck
"what's this?" He asked taking the crystal with his fingers
"A gift..the only thing I can give my child without repercussions."
Fiyero nodded silently and walked over to Chistery
"You leave in an hour" He said to Chistery, who nodded in response.
Nanessa finally finished eating, and yawned, but dared not to close her eyes. Elphaba stood up and started up the stairs. She had to get Nanessa to go to sleep. She opened the door to her room and looked out the window with the baby in her arms.
"Look how beautiful it is" Elphaba said looking at the night sky. "remember, no matter what, we both look at the same sun and moon, and that'll never change" She said and then hugged Nanessa tightly. She then turned and put Nanessa on her bed and went to get some blankets for her journey. Nanessa started fussing as soon as Elphaba walked away, which caused Elphaba to run back to her.
"Oh please, not again..Nessa shh.." Elphaba said cradling her again. She needed to get her to sleep now..but how? Elphaba had no idea, she could sing a lullaby.. "no..I don't know any..besides I can't sing" She said out loud to herself. The baby just cried louder. It was indeed true that Elphaba didn't know any songs. As a child, she was never given the chance to hear any from her parents, "they were too busy singing to Nessa" Elphaba thought in her mind. Elphaba then had the motion to make up a song. But she didn't know what to start with
"shh, Nessa.. Go to sleep I'm here for you, Don't you cry You're safe with me;" Elphaba began singing. The baby began to stop crying slowly. Elphaba smiled and continued
"The night is dark And is unclear, Just like our dreams And our futures;" The baby finally quieted down and started yawning
"As long as you stay here You'll be safe within my arms, Nothing can part us No matter the distance" Nanessa finally closed her eyes and sleep over took her. Elphaba finished quietly, as to comfort herself more so then Nanessa
"I'll always be with you Always in your dreams, And you shall be in mine Forever till we meet again" Elphaba then felt a tear stinging down her cheek. She quickly took her sleeve and wiped it. She had done more crying today then any other day she could remember. "When I left Glinda at Oz" Elphaba then thought. She had cried about the same then as now.
Elphaba stood up and gently put Nanessa on her bed and wrapped her some blankets. She then took her and brought her downstairs, where Fiyero and Chistery were waiting for her. Elphaba nodded and Fiyero moved aside to let Elphaba through. Chistery lowered the bridge and they all went across to the other side, where there was about an acre of land, the mountains towering over them much like a wall. Fiyero took the baby from Elphaba and kissed its forehead and handed it back to Elphaba who was on the verge of crying. She quickly took Nanessa and hugged her and kissed her cheeks.
"I'll always be with you Always in your dreams, And you shall be in mine Forever till we meet again" She whispered and handed her over to Chistery. "take good care of her Chistery" Elphaba said. Chistery took Nanessa and cradled the baby as Elphaba had done. He then turned around and started running towards the mountains. He finally started going up into the air. He flapped as hard as he could, and he almost didn't make it over the mountain, but he managed to. Elphaba and Fiyero watched on as Chistery took Nanessa to Oz. As soon as they were out of sight, Elphaba turned to Fiyero and dug her face into his shoulder and started crying, Fiyero hugged her and comforted her as much as he could.
"It's better this way" Fiyero said
Elphaba took her face off of Fiyero and looked at Fiyero, her skin felt like it was on fire, but she didn't care. She nodded and said "You know what..it really is better off this way.." She said and went back to crying on his shoulder.