Chapter 98. A Mother's Secret

Rifiuto: Non Miniera

A/N: Just 99 and 100 left.....

Thanks to Elphaba1Fan and -greenTARDISgal- for reviewing 97.

After a few minutes, Elphaba got up, and pulled Fae to her feet, before grabbing her broom and leaving the dorm. The others followed, stopping outside Crage Hall and watching, as Elphaba climbed onto her broom, pulled Fae on behind her, and tightened her daughter's arms.

"Hold on to me. Arms around my waist, good girl." Elphaba said softly, glancing at the others. "Hold on my sweet." She told Fae, before kicking off. The two soared into the sky, until they were out of sight.

"Why?" Glinda asked.

"Because, this is something only Elphaba can fix." Fiyero told them.

"So, do you want to tell me about it?" Elphaba asked, when they had landed near the mermaid pool. Fae climbed off quickly, and hurried from her mother. Sighing, Elphaba climbed off her broom and stood, watching her daughter, the broom trailing the ground. Fae wrapped her arms around herself and turned away. Elphaba could hear her daughter sniffle, and knew she was crying.

"No."

Slowly, Elphaba walked up to her daughter, trying to reason with her.

"Fae--"

"I SAID NO!" Fae screamed, wheeling on Elphaba. Then, the young girl sat down on the grass, sobbing.

Almost hesitant in her steps, Elphaba cautiously moved to her child, and sat down next to her, setting the broom at her side. She didn't touch her, didn't hold her, didn't make any move towards her. With a lick of the lips and a sigh, she began to speak, carefully.

"I went to the future. When I was nineteen. Glinda accidently cast a spell during our Sorcery seminar, and I woke up in the future. My...future self found me. She…took me home, and took care of me." Elphaba said.

"What happened?" Fae asked, looking at her mother.

"I…..discovered that my future self was part of the Resistance-this, underground agency working to assassinate the Wizard. I met Daddy-or, his future self, rather. Oz he was gorgeous." Elphaba said, rolling her eyes, and giving her child a watery smile.

"And?"

"And...we had an affair...in that future. One evening, I...she...had to kill Morrible, and when that failed, I....she…..came home...to find…..me with Fiyero...and he was dead..." Elphaba choked out a sob, and wiped her eyes at the memory of that night. She looked down at her hands, before looking back at Fae. "Beaten to death by the Gale Force. After the force came back and took Fiyero, she....we fled to a monastery...and I discovered that...in that future, I was pregnant. With Liir."

Fae wiped her nose in an unladylike manner, and asked,

"What....what about me?"

It was now that Elphaba reached out and cupped her child's cheek, gently running her thumb over the apple of Fae's cheekbone, as tears slid down her own cheeks.

"You didn't exist. Fiyero and I had only concieved Liir, and...when Liir was born... I hated him." She turned away from her daughter, shame burning in her cheeks. "Because he reminded me of who I'd lost, who I'd loved."

"Daddy?"

The queen nodded.

"Yes. We stayed at the Cloister of Saint Glinda for ten years, and when the ten years were up, she took Liir and I to the Vinkus. We met Princess Nastoya, who turned out to be an Elephant living in the guise of a Yunamata princess. She told me about my prophecy."

"What was it?" Fae watched her mother's face, for any sign of emotion. Elphaba took a shaky breath.

"'You can't return until you change another.'" Elphaba stated, calm.

"What did it mean?"

"I didn't know then. I know now. I had to change myself to get home. To keep that future from happening."

"Did you?"

"Would I be here if I didn't?" Elphaba asked, looking at her fingers as she fiddled with her wedding ring. "While we were in the Vinkus, we...came back to see Nessa, and...she and her.....I...we argued, and never saw each other again. When Nessa was crushed by a falling house, I went to the sight of the accident, and ran into Glinda. We got into an arguement, and never forgave each other. And, months later, Dorothy-the one who owned the house- came to kill me. And, she did."

Fae nodded.

"Did you--?"

Elphaba nodded.

"I did. I changed myself and my future, and when I got back, I....told Daddy I loved him.....we....had one night of passion, and soon, we got engaged....married, and when we graduated, I got pregnant with Liir."

"I know……I saw."

Elphaba raised her eyebrows.

"When I was in the past...I…….I saw you have Liir. And….I....I saw you have..... me." Elphaba nodded. "I....also...saw you have....Melena."

Her mother froze. Slowly, her dark eyes turned to her daughter.

"M....Melena? You know about....Melena?" Fae nodded.

"She was my little sister, Mama."

Elphaba nodded, and covered her mouth with her hand, tears running down her cheeks. Fae could hear her mother sobbing quietly.

"It wasn't your fault, Mama. I know that. And I forgave you. That's how I got home...I had to forgive you for Melena's death. And I did." She reached over and grabbed her mother's hands. "Mama, why didn't you tell me about her?"

"I did. But you blamed me."

"Not anymore, Mama. I love you, Mama." Fae whispered, wrapping her arms around her mother. Elphaba held her close, stroking her hair.

"I love you too, sweet girl. I love you too."

After a few moments, Elphaba calmed down, and pulled away, wiping her tears, when she remembered something.

"You kissed Azel in the stable out behind the kitchen?!" Elphaba asked. Fae paled, and backed away.

"How...how did you--"

"I remember things. I have a memory. I'm not stupid, Fae!" Elphaba cried, climbing to her feet as Fae did the same, frightened. She placed her hands on her hips and glared at the girl.

"But I told---" Fae started, backing up. Her mother followed. "I told.....back......Shiz......" She stopped and gave her mother her brightest smile; her father's smile. "I love you, Mama."

Elphaba glowered at her.

"I really love you, Mama."

"Fae Illnora Rose Tiggular!"