Every day, Elphaba got worse. She was very tired, constantly coughing and had to stay in her bed.
"Something must be done!" the Wizard exclaimed, sitting at his desk.
"What should we do?" the doctor, who was sitting across from him, asked.
"What can we do?"
"Nothing at the moment. Like I said before, this is a rare condition. Only a few people had it and didn't lived to tell the tale."
"Don't talk like that! Elphaba will live!" the Wizard shouted, banging his fist on the desk.
"Yes, sir," the doctor said timidly.
"I'm going to visit her." The Wizard stood up and walked up the stairs to Elphaba's room. He slowly peaked inside to find Elphaba still sleeping. He started to close the door when he heard a rustling sound.
"Daddy?" Elphaba asked.
The Wizard went back into the room. Elphaba was leaning on her elbows, gazing back at the Wizard.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Tired. Better, but tired," Elphaba answered, covering her mouth to yawn.
"I'm glad you're feeling better," the Wizard smiled.
"Daddy?"
"Yes?"
"Am I going to die?"
The Wizard almost choked on the words spoken by his three-year-old daughter. "W-What?"
"Am I going to die?" Elphaba repeated.
"Who told you anything about dying?" the Wizard asked.
"I heard you and the doctor talking about it. Am I really that sick?" Elphaba almost cried.
The Wizard looked deep into his daughter's eyes. "We're doing everything that we can, Fabala. We're not going to let you die."
"But, doesn't everyone die at some point?"
"Well… yes, but you still have your life ahead of you. Don't worry about dying."
Elphaba nodded as she twirled her hair around her finger. "Okay," she whispered.
"Good. Try to get some sleep. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Daddy!"
Elphaba woke up early the next morning. She thought about what happened the night before and decided that she should tell Midnight.
She slowly crawled out of bed and walked out of her room. Sliding her hand against the wall, she soon came to the stairs. Gulping, she slowly descended the giant stairwell.
One, two, three, she counted as she walked down the stairs. She breathed a sigh of relief when she was on the ground floor. She slowly made her way to the kitchen.
"Good morning, Miss Elphaba! You're up early!" the chef said, smiling at the young green girl.
"Hello, chef. May I have an apple, please?" she asked politely, holding out her hands.
"Of course!" the chef said, placing a perfectly red apple in Elphaba's hands.
"Thank you!" Elphaba smiled, turning on her heels and walking out of the kitchen.
She followed the wall to the stables. "Midnight?" she called in a singsong tone.
No response.
"Midnight?" she called again.
This time, she heard a high-pitched neighing sound. She smiled as she slowly turned her head to the noise.
"Midnight!" she exclaimed, seeing the shadowy outline of a horse approaching her. "I brought something for you," she said, holding out the apple to him. Midnight sniffed the apple and quickly grabbed it out of her hand. Elphaba giggled as she gently stroked his mane. "I have to tell you something," she confessed. "Daddy and the doctor say that I'm going to die. But I don't wanna die! I want to stay here with Daddy… and you."
Elphaba enjoyed talking to Midnight. He was her only friend, and it made her feel special, especially because her father didn't know that she snuck out of the house to visit her friend. Or at least… she hoped that he didn't know. He would never allow her to go anywhere alone again.
"Wanna go for a ride?" she asked, changing the subject. Midnight neighed in agreement. Elphaba quickly unlocked his stall and Midnight walked out. He was a small, chestnut horse. The perfect size for Elphaba. Elphaba put her hand on Midnight's neck, allowing him to lead her outside. Once they were outside and a safe distance away from the palace, Elphaba mounted her horse.
"Fly, Midnight, fly!" she laughed, urging Midnight to go forward.
Midnight broke into a canter. Elphaba's long hair flew behind her. She enjoyed having the wind in her face. When she was riding Midnight, she wasn't the sick, practically blind, green, helpless daughter of the Wizard of Oz. She was just Elphaba, a normal child. Nothing else mattered to her.
"I could to this forever," she whispered to herself, grabbing a lock on Midnight's mane and leaning forward against his neck.
"Elphaba?" the Wizard called, opening the door to Elphaba's room. His eyes widened in horror when he saw Elphaba's bed empty.
"Nanny, have you seen Elphaba?" the Wizard called down the hall to the nanny.
"Elphaba? I thought she was still in bed?"
"She's not there!"
The Wizard and nanny ran down the stairs to the kitchen.
"Chef, have you seen Elphaba?" the Wizard asked.
"Yes, your Wizardness. She came in here this morning and asked for an apple. I gave her one and she left."
"Where do you suppose she went?"
"I don't know. I apologize," the chef said, turning back to the eggs and bacon he was making for breakfast.
"Thank you," the Wizard said, running out of the room, the nanny close behind him.
"Check outside!" the nanny suggested.
The Wizard ran outside. Relief swept over him when he saw Elphaba walking towards them, next to Midnight.
"Found her!" he shouted to the nanny.
"Daddy?" Elphaba asked.
"Elphaba!" he said sternly. "What are you doing?"
Elphaba bit her lip. She knew she was in trouble now. "I…. I just wanted to…" she stammered.
"You shouldn't be out here!"
"But, Daddy…"
"No buts!" the Wizard roared. He lowered his voice, realizing that he must be scaring Elphaba. "It's not safe for you."
Elphaba fought back the urge to cry. She wrapped her arms around Midnight's neck. "Please," she begged her father. "Please let me st-" Another wave of coughs came over Elphaba. She fell to her knees and covered her mouth with her fist. The Wizard rushed to her side and picked her up.
"Mid… night," she gasped.
"We are bring you back inside, young lady," the Wizard said, tucking loose strands of hair behind Elphaba's ear as they walked back into the house, leaving the nanny to put Midnight back in his stall.
Elphaba, now thirteen, sat in a chair in front of her mirror while her nanny brushed her hair.
"Miss Elphaba," one of the maids said, entering the room. "You're dress is ready."
"I don't want to do this," Elphaba whispered.
"Miss Elphaba, be happy. It's your thirteenth birthday," the maid said, straightening out the dress.
"I know. But that still doesn't change my mind. I have no desire to be shown off to all of Oz."
"Elphaba, it's a tradition. On the thirteenth birthday, the heir to the throne of Oz has a coming-out ball," the nanny explained.
"Traditions are meant to the broken," Elphaba responded, slowly walking over to her bed.
"Miss Elphaba, please don't be cross. You will look so pretty in this dress," the maid said, holding the dress up against Elphaba.
Elphaba pushed the dress away. "I won't. It's hopeless. Cancel the ball!"
"Elphaba, you know we can't do that. We have thirty minutes to get you prepared. All of the rulers of the different parts of Oz will be there, and you are expected to meet them," the nanny explained sternly.
"Fine! Let's just get this over with," Elphaba said, allowing the maid and nanny to help her dress for the ball.
Elphaba was quickly dressed. She was wearing a light purple gown that billowed around her. The sleeves were puffy and there was a belt of purple gems around her waist. Her hair was slightly curled and flowed down her back.
"And now," the nanny said, reaching into a box and pulling out an emerald green tiara and placing it in Elphaba's hair. "You're ready."
"You look beautiful, Miss Elphaba," the maid said, leading Elphaba out of her room.
"Really?" Elphaba asked. She never considered herself as beautiful.
"You are. And all of Oz will think so, as well."
A small smile tugged on Elphaba's lips.
The Wizard appeared next to Elphaba. "Are you ready?"
"Yes, I guess so," Elphaba shrugged, taking her father's arm and walking down the stairs.
"And now, presenting, the Wizard of Oz and his daughter, Elphaba!" the announcer said as the door opened.
Elphaba and her father walked into the room of clapping Ozian officials. Elphaba forced a smile on her face, knowing that she would never hear the end of it if she didn't at least look happy. She took a deep breath as she prepared to talk to the important people of Oz.
"Governor Thropp!" the Wizard smiled, shaking the hand of a man about his age.
"Your Ozness," bowed the governor. "Miss Elphaba, let me be the first to wish you a happy birthday!"
"Thank you, Governor Thropp," curtsied Elphaba.
"I have brought you a small gift from Munchkinland," he said, handing Elphaba a box. Elphaba smiled and took it gratefully. She carefully opened the box to reveal the most splendid pair of shoes she had ever seen.
"Jeweled shoes," she exclaimed, admiring the shoes. "Thank you!"
"You're very welcome," the Governor smiled. He walked out of earshot of Elphaba to speak with the Wizard. "I believed that she should have a small trinket to take her mind off of her… illness. How is she, anyway?"
"She's holding up. She has the heart of a soldier," the Wizard smiled, looking back at Elphaba. "But you shouldn't have spent so much money on the shoes!"
"Nonsense," the Governor said, waving his hand. "I had a pair just like them made for my Nessarose, only in ruby. They are the same age, you know."
"Really? You must bring Nessarose by here sometime. Lurline knows, Elphaba could use a friend."
"I will see. Nessa attends a boarding school in the Southern Vinkus and she doesn't get many breaks. Will Elphaba be attending Shiz University?"
"Hopefully. Elphaba is a very bright girl."
"If she does, maybe their paths will cross. Nessarose already has a scholarship there."
"That's wonderful. Please tell Nessarose that I said congratulations on the scholarship. Those are very hard to get!"
"Thank you, and I will," Frex said as he bowed and walked away.
The Wizard turned his attention back to Elphaba, who was still admiring the shoes.
"Elphaba," he said gently, reminding her that she still had to speak to other people. Elphaba snapped out of her trance and placed the shoes back in their box. As the night passed on, she met more people; the King and Queen of the Vinkus, the Duke and Duchess of the Gillikin, the Lord and Lady of Quox, and a host of other officials. They all gave her extravagant gifts; hairbrushes and dresses and books (Oh my!). Elphaba was exhausted by the end of the night. She grabbed the shoebox and headed back to her room.
"Did you have a nice birthday, Fabala?" the Wizard asked that night.
"I did, Father. And thank you," Elphaba smiled.
"I'm glad you did. Also, I was wondering how you feel about attending Shiz University?"
Elphaba sat up. "Isn't that a college?"
"It is. I just want to get your opinion. They are offering early scholarships. Governor Thropp's daughter received one, and I was wondering if you would be interested."
Elphaba thought about it for a moment. "I never really considered it. I would love to!" she exclaimed.
The Wizard smiled. He couldn't remember when he had seen his daughter this happy.
"I'm glad you like the idea. We shall consider it as time goes on. Sweet dreams, Fabala," the Wizard said, wiping stray hairs out of Elphaba's face.
"Thank you!" Elphaba smiled as she drifted into a blissful slumber.