Ok sorry that I haven't updated in a while but school and GCSE options have taken over my life for the past couple of weeks, so I am really sorry...but here is the next update!
It is my Wicked Anniversary tomorrow, on Friday 13th...which I don't think sounds all that good but oh well...it means I have officially been a Wicked fan for a year, I can't believe that the first show I saw was that long ago! :D
I am now changing tack with the story ever so slightly so that I have a filler storyline for the next few chapters whilst I work out what to do with the whole Grand Vizier, dead Sam visions storyline which I am trying to work out where to take next. This won't be particularly nice but it is a storyline I have seen featured in many previous fanfics, if you do not like it then you don't have to read but bear with me whilst I work through this! I have now edited (I think) all of the typos! :L
"Elphie," Galinda spoke up timidly once the two girls had turned out the lights that evening, the blonde girl still sitting up firmly in her bed, almost rigidly as if in fear.
"Yes Glin," Elphaba groaned slightly, turning over to face her roommate, her bed creaking softly in protestation.
"You know the situation with your father, is it really bad?" Galinda asked, her voice quiet yet almost as inquisitive as a child asking their parents a question they knew was morose.
Elphaba had known Galinda wouldn't be able to keep her prying mind off the subject and quite frankly the blonde had a right to know what was going on between Elphaba and her father, if the story was as morbid as she was making it out to be.
"Galinda I want you to come over here," Elphaba instructed quietly, scooting over in her bed as Galinda carefully and confusedly crossed the room to her friend's bed.
"Elphie?" Galinda questioned as she sat down next to her friend.
"Me and my father we've never had a good relationship, you remember what I told you? When I first came to Shiz?" Elphaba asked her warily, not wanting to have to repeat anything regarding Melena to Galinda again.
"Of course I do Elphaba, that he blames you for your mother's death," Galinda recalled sadly. Truthfully, though she would never admit it to Elphaba, she thought about that particular part of the story a lot. She often spent quite a while contemplating what life would have been like for Elphaba but she could never even begin to imagine how she must have felt.
"Well, when mother died, somebody was needed to look after and bring up Nessa, and my father was always busy. He was always at assemblies, or at some kind of meeting regarding the governance, we had nobody else. I was left alone to bring up my sister; to feed her, educate her, wash her, clothe her, sing to her, put her to bed, wake her up again in the morning, tie pretty peach bows in her hair and drape shawls around her shoulders when she cried from the cold. I went along with it, I believed it was my duty to care for Nessa; after all it was my fault mother wasn't here to do it and my fault Nessa couldn't do it for herself. One day my father realised I was getting good at the jobs and tasks he delegated for me and he began demanding I do similar things for him. I began cooking every single meal for the family every day and in between I would attend to Nessa and clean the house. When Nessa got older it became harder because I had to go to school with her and there was less time at home. When I had no time to do my chores my father would...he would..." Elphaba stopped her explanation for a while, choking on her words as she tried to force them out of her throat to no avail, involuntary tears were welling in her eyes, "...he made certain that I was severely punished for my failings and then he would make me sing for him, until my voice hurt so much that I was choking."
"Elphie," Galinda soothed softly, rubbing circles on her friends back, tears streaming down her own cheeks as well as her roommates', "you could have told me this you know?"
"I know Glin, but I have never spoken a word of what happened at home to anyone before, it's so hard to put into context how it felt," Elphaba said, wiping her eyes in a futile attempt to stop the tears flowing.
"What I don't understand is why Nessarose has invited your father here, to visit, if you get along so awfully, because I know you didn't tell him about what happened in the Emerald City," Galinda questioned the principles behind Nessa's actions.
"Nessa's like you Glin, very blissful and unaware but she isn't idealistic. She's as pious as our father and as prim and straitlaced as I believe you can get, she notices where the cracks and faults are in this world and believes that it is all part of a plan formed by the 'Unnamed God' , she doesn't believe in coincidence, everything happens for a reason. I think that deep down Nessa knows how father treated me but she chose to ignore it and turn a blind eye. She's adored our father for as long as I can remember and she's his precious little girl, nobody can get past that bond. She's oblivious to my feelings where our father is involved. She's proud of me and she seems to forever be trying to prove that I am worth my father's affections too, but both he and I know he could never love me the way he loves her." Elphaba explained, and she let out a sad sigh at the end, conceding that her father would always think of her as some kind of abnormal freak who was a punishment for his and Melena's wrongdoings.
"Whatever happens between you and your father tomorrow, you must know that Fiyero and I will be here for you no matter what, Elphie I promise you he can't hurt you here," Galinda reassured her kindly.
Elphaba scoffed slightly, turning to face Galinda, "you don't know him Glin, he'll stop at nothing," and with that Elphaba turned away from her friend and Galinda rather awkwardly walked back to her own bed and lay down, she knew that after what Elphaba had told her she was going to have a rather restless night's sleep.
By the time Galinda woke up the next morning she observed that Elphaba had already left for classes. The first thing Galinda noticed was that Elphaba's glasses were gone from her bedside table which was weird; Elphaba never wore her glasses anymore, Galinda had got her used to contact lenses instead as her glasses weren't entirely fashionable.
When Galinda opened the wardrobe she noticed that from Elphaba's side certain pieces of clothing were still there that she wore as uniform on a daily basis, including her white blazer with the green embroidery. Instead Elphaba's dull navy blue dress had gone that she had worn in her first weeks at the university, as well as her original navy official Shiz blazer that Elphaba hadn't worn in months. What was going on with that girl? Just when Galinda thought she might be tapping into a fashionable side of Elphaba she went and backtracked ten steps to the start of the year.
Galinda hurriedly dressed as quickly as she could manage and tied her messy blonde curls hastily into a loose ponytail before running off in the direction of the life sciences classroom, desperate to speak to Elphaba before classes begun.
"My, my, Miss Galinda, slacking in the hair and make-up department today are we, getting fashion advice off the Artichoke now are you?" Avaric taunted her maliciously, his nefarious grin as ever stuck to his smug face as Galinda bustled past him in the corridor.
"Shut it Tenmeadows you moron," Fiyero's voice sounded from the end of the corridor and Avaric backed away from Galinda as Fiyero jogged over to her.
"Where's Elphie, have you seen her?" Galinda asked him hurriedly, bouncing up down slightly in her eagerness to find her best friend.
"No I haven't seen her why?" Fiyero questioned anxiously as Galinda stood up taller so she could look over his shoulder and he followed her gaze to find nobody there, "Glin what is it?"
"She left really early this morning, and she's not wearing fashionable clothing..." Galinda started and Fiyero cut across her.
"Oh for goodness sake Galinda, just let Elphaba be Elphaba, she looks..." Fiyero interrupted the blonde who placed a silencing hand to his mouth in her avidness to speak over him.
"No you idiot, quite frankly at this moment in time I don't care what Elphaba looks like I'm just worried about her, her father is supposedly visiting her today, according to Nessarose," Galinda spoke clearly and quickly before tugging on Fiyero's arm and leading them off in the direction of the library, thinking that maybe Elphaba was there.
"And why is that such a quandary and a hindrance to you Miss Galinda?" Fiyero questioned probingly, desperate to get to the bottom of Galinda's state of panic she'd worked herself into.
"I can't say, that's Elphaba's business," Galinda said, the sound of her heels on the floor tiles resounding quicker down the corridor as they approached the wing of the university that housed the library and study rooms.
"Galinda, seriously, stop," Fiyero said sternly, his voice authoritative as he skidded to a halt in front of her and placed both hands firmly on her shoulders.
"I'm worried because Elphie said some things to me last night, about her father, and how he treated her when she was a child at home. I've never heard Elphaba sound scared, or terrified of anything before because she is a strong person but I couldn't help thinking there was more to the story than she let on. I'm worried something is going on with her father that she doesn't have the confidence to talk to me about, something bad." Galinda explained to Fiyero, her voice showing clear signs of panic that was quite unlike her.
"Galinda whatever it is, I'm sure Elphaba can handle herself, you said it yourself she's a tough person, come on, let's go find her," Fiyero smiled genuinely at Galinda in an attempt to reassure her and he took her hand, leading her in the direction of the main library building.
The turned the next corridor to be faced with a conversation between Boq, Nessarose and Elphaba as Frexspar was led towards them by Madame Morrible. The three students all had their backs to Fiyero and Galinda who stood silently watching the encounter that was about to happen.
"Father," Nessarose beamed at Frex as he finally reached them and bent down, hugging Nessa tightly, placing a kiss on her forehead.
"Hello darling, how are you?" Frex smiled kindly at his youngest child.
"I am good thank you father, how was your journey?" Nessa asked him politely, she too was smiling proudly at her father.
"It was rather pleasant for this time of year actually Nessie, the roads were no trouble, the Unnamed God was on our side," Frex smiled, knowing talk of religion and piety would make Nessa ever more happy he was here.
"Father I believe you have heard of Elphaba's news, isn't it fantastic," Nessa smiled up at her father before glancing at Elphaba who wore a sour expression on her face.
"Yes, congratulations Fabala, we have much to discuss," Frex spoke monotonously and not at all in an appraising tone yet he forced a rigid smile onto his face.
"I understand father," Elphaba too spoke in a tone that was tedious and she barely managed to suppress the insinuation that she was not at all understanding.
"Nessie my sweet, why don't you and Boq go and order us all some drinks in the cafeteria, Elphaba and I need to have a word in private, perhaps in the gardens," Frexspar said in the over-cheery, heartening tone he reserved only for his precious Nessarose.
"Of course, but don't be too long father, we all have classes this morning," Nessarose smiled before allowing Boq to wheel her away and in the direction of the cafe.
"Outside now," Frexspar spoke angrily through gritted teeth as he wrapped his hand tightly around Elphaba's upper arm and shoved her forcefully through the nearest open door to the gardens.
"Fiyero," Galinda panicked, her voice breaking as she realised just what Elphaba had been hiding last night, tears filling her eyes as she looked to Fiyero for help.
"Come on," Fiyero said urgently, pulling Galinda forward and quickly yet vigilantly they slipped into the gardens too.
The two crouched down behind the school building, peering around the corner to see Frex manhandling Elphaba away from the prying eyes of other students.
"I sent you to this school for the sole purpose of looking after your sister you selfish little brat, you couldn't even do that, you've got Boq and Morrible doing it for you." Frexspar shouted angrily as he threw Elphaba to the ground hard, Fiyero noticing that Elphaba's hands had grazed painfully.
"I didn't ask..." Elphaba started but Frex silenced her by striking her hard across the cheek.
"You do not speak over me, you insolent child," Frex bellowed at Elphaba, cowering before him, "when I ask you to do something you follow my orders and you do it. Since when did you become so important that you deserve free visits to the Emerald City and audiences with the Wizard? You are a murderous, undeserving little fiend who is supposed to be looking after her sister. People like you don't deserve to have friends, you don't deserve to get what you want and most importantly you don't deserve to be accepted. You are not normal Elphaba, do you get that, you are an abnormal trivial little witch." Frex spat angrily at his daughter, administering a second spin chilling smack to Elphaba's other cheek and for the first time in years Elphaba cried at the hands of her father.
"That's enough you bastard," Fiyero cried angrily as he blew his cover and sprinted at Frex, pushing him to the ground and punching him square in the jaw, allowing Galinda to pull Elphaba out of harm's way as Fiyero bent down to Frex's height, the older man nursing a split lip, "if you lay another finger on her then I swear to Lurline I will kill you myself, is that clear?"
Frex merely smirked in Fiyero's direction and Fiyero scoffed angrily in disgust as stood up, staring in disgrace at the man who had the nerve to beat up his own flesh and blood, his own daughter, his own little girl.
Oh and er...sorry about the language...got a tad carried away! Sorry! And yes I know...nasty storyline and everything but I think it fits the story rather well as I felt Elphaba was holding something back from the others and this was it. Please let me know what you thought and review! Also please keep on reading!