Chapter 96. Forgiven
Rifiuto: Non Miniera
Thanks to Elphaba1Fan and -greenTARDISgal- for reviewing 95.
The next morning, Fae awoke and went out into the hall.
The castle slept like the dead. Quietly, Fae slipped back into her room, and went to the window. As she pulled back the curtains, she caught sight of someone making their way through the gardens. Even from this distance she could make out the figure's distinct silhouette.
Elphaba.
"Mama?" Without a second thought, Fae hurried to the closet, and pulled on her cape. She then snuck out of her room and into her mother's room, grabbing the broom; making sure she didn't wake her father.
She returned to her room, opened the window, and climbed onto the windowsill. She said the short incantation to make the broom fly, and then jumped.
She landed as her mother had taught her, sidesaddle on her mother's broom. She clutched the handle, hugging it to her chest as she flew towards her mother. She tried hard to land as quietly as she could, but instead, landed in a bush, tumbling off the broom and smack into the prickly leaves.
When she finally climbed out, picking leaves and twigs out of her hair, she found that she'd landed near the family cemetery. The only time she'd ever been to the cemetery, was just after she'd turned sixteen, when Farenta, her Aunt Sarima's daughter, was buried. She'd been killed when her horse had thrown her. She'd managed to survive the fall, and had started to crawl away, when the horse stepped down, crushing her skull. It was a quick death, an instant killing. She'd been Fae's age.
Sixteen.
Fae's mother had found her. Elphaba had brought her horse out for a short run, and when she'd gotten to the field, come across Farenta. Elphaba had sent the horse back to get Fiyero and the others, and they'd brought Farenta back to the castle. It had broken Sarima's heart when she discovered her daughter.
Elphaba and Fiyero had requested Sarima and Ketmin's presence in the library, and then told them gently about Farenta's death. Fae remembered listening at the library door, hearing her aunt's screams. She remembered scrambling back from the door, watching as her Uncle Manek helped her aunt upstairs.
Now, she slipped into the cemetery, passing her great-aunt's stone; her grandfather, King Manzel's, stone; she gently ran her hand along the blank stone that would- in four years' time- hold her cousin Farenta's name and dates. Finally, she made it to her mother, sneaking up silently behind her.
"How did you find me?" Elphaba asked. Fae stopped.
"I saw you from my window." She said, joining her. Elphaba nodded, her eyes going to the stone. "And how did you know it was me?"
A small smile graced Elphaba's lips for the briefest of seconds.
"You're like your father. He may think he's being quiet, but he's really not. He always does something to alert me to his presence. You're not much different. That landing you made wasn't exactly smooth, my sweet." Elphaba said, chuckling softly. Fae blushed. "And what were you thinking, taking my broom without permission?" Fae paled, her eyes widened.
"H...how did you--"
"I'm your mother. I may not be the mother you remember, but I'm still your mother." Her eyes never left the stone. Fae's eyes followed.
Melena Linda Tiggular
May 31st, 1899
Beloved daughter, sister, and granddaughter
May you rest with the angels
"Melena?" Fae asked, confused.
Elphaba nodded.
"For my mother."
Fae nodded. Elphaba dropped to her knees, and Fae knelt next to her.
"I didn't kill her. Something went wrong. The....the shaman said that she....that she had a hole in her heart, and that she died instantly. That she felt no pain." Elphaba said, sobs starting to wrack her body.
"Melena?"
"Yes, your sister." Elphaba dropped her head, and choked out a sob, before looking up at Fae. "She was my daughter. I love her like I love you. But my heart's breaking, because you think it's my fault."
"Mama, I don't--" You do. You're twelve, you don't understand. "Mama, it's not your fault. No one knew what was wrong. And if you had, there was nothing you could do."
"You've never forgiven me."
To return to your time, you must accept the heart of another.
Tears slid down Fae's cheeks, and she wrapped her mother in her arms.
"That's because I didn't know what happened. I didn't understand. But I do now. And I forgive you, Mama. I forgive you." Elphaba let out a sob, and buried her face in her daughter's hair.
Gently, Fae rubbed Elphaba's back, kissing her hair, humming softly to her.
"I forgive you, Mama. I forgive you. It wasn't your fault. And it wasn't Daddy's. It was nothing either of you did. I know that now. And I'm sorry I blamed you." Fae said, pulling away. She looked up to the sound of the gate opening. Fae slipped in, and scanned the cemetery for her mother.
Fae and Elphaba stood, and Fae left to get the broom. She watched as her twelve-year-old self joined Elphaba. They talked for a few minutes, and then Fae left decided to join them.
"Fae." She reached out and grabbed her younger self's arm.
"What is it, Fabla?"
"Listen. It wasn't your mother's fault. The baby had a hole in her heart. There was nothing anyone could do."
"Why are you telling me this?" Fae asked, eying her.
"Because you need to know. Your mother had nothing to do with your sister dieing. Okay?" Fae nodded. Her older self smiled, and then gently passed by her to move to Elphaba. Fae wandered a few feet away to see her Granda's grave.
"Mama?" Elphaba looked up at her.
"What is it Fae?"
"I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry about. You're innocent. I tried to protect you." Elphaba whispered, cupping her daughter's cheek.
"I forgive you. And I'm sorry I broke your heart. I didn't mean to, I didn't understand. I forgive you, Mama."
Elphaba wiped the tears from her cheeks.
"You do?"
Fae nodded.
"Yes." She whisperd, gently placing her hand on her mother's heart. "I forgive you." Gently, Elphaba placed her hand over her daughter's, and then pulled her into her embrace. Fae breathed in the scent of her mother's hair, savoring the scent. Elphaba placed a loving kiss in her daughter's hair, and then rested her forehead against Fae's.
"I love you, my sweet."
"I love you too, Mama."
When Fae returned to her mother thirty minutes later, Fabla was gone, and Elphaba was standing at her daughter's grave alone.
"Mama?" The queen looked up, to see Fae standing on the edge of the plot. Elphaba gave her a watery smile, and opened her arms; the child ran into them, and threw her arms around her mother's waist. She pressed her cheek into her mother's chest, as Elphaba wrapped her tightly in her arms. "I'm sorry Mama." She sniffled. "I love you, Mama." Elphaba pressed a kiss on her daughter's crown, and stroked her hair.
"I know, baby. I love you too, Fae. I love you too."