Here's the next chapter! Sorry that it's a bit shorter, but it's pretty action packed. Thank you for all the reviews! Please keep them coming! C:

Elphaba couldn't recall a time in her life when she was more afraid. Etai had thrown her to the floor of the basement, the floor that was already stained with her own blood.

"When will you learn?" Etai shook his head as he unrolled the leather whip.

Elphaba whimpered and tried to move away. She was close enough to the stairs; maybe she could make a run for it. But where would she go? Glinda couldn't do anything for her and Carole would never help her.

Etai's rough hand gripped the front of her dress and he unzipped the back with mock sweetness. Elphaba felt her stomach hit the cold, wet cement and a shiver ran down her spine.

He brought down the cackling whip onto her back with a sadistic smile and she screamed in agony. Etai knew how much he was hurting her, he knew alright, but he loved it. And plus, in his eyes, the disrespectful bitch deserved it.

"Please stop! Please…. I'm sorry…" Elphaba moaned, sobbing as he brought down the whip again. She felt herself slipping from consciousness, but she could still hear her master spew profanity at her.

The whip ripped at her skin once more before she blacked out.

Elphaba awoke, hours later, and found that she could barely stand. She had been dressed, but she was alone in the basement and there was a disgusting stench of fresh blood in the air. The green girl stumbled to the stairs and slowly made her way to ground level, her back hunched. Elphaba couldn't straighten her back without experiencing blinding pain and she finally entered the kitchen. There was no one present, so Elphaba assumed that she had missed dinner. And if he tries to punish me for missing dinner, I don't know what I'll do, Elphaba thought, grabbing the tea tray and shuffling to her mistress's bedroom.

"Miss Glinda, may I come in?" Elphaba called, her voice strained.

"Of course," Glinda called back, not quite understanding why her friend wanted permission to enter her chambers.

Elphaba opened the door, slipping inside to see Fiyero and Glinda on the ottoman together, his arm around the blonde.

"Oh my Oz, Elphie, what happened to you?" Glinda screeched, running to take the tray from her friend. She placed the platter on the vanity and pulled the girl to the bed.

Fiyero watched in horror as Elphaba grimaced. All that pain that she was feeling was because of him. He had caused that pain! He rushed over, fell to his knees before her, and took her hand. "Elphaba, I'm sorry. This is my fault."

Glinda stood and shook her blonde curls and bit her nails. "I cannot believe that father would do this. I'm going to talk to him and hope that he feels just the slightest pinch of remorse for what he's done," she stated, heading towards the door.

"Glinda, don't. Please. He'll only be angrier with me," Elphaba pleaded, attempting to stand up, although the pain was slowly killing her.

Both Glinda and Fiyero were shocked. The poor girl had just been whipped, for Oz's sake. Why would she not want them to report this?

"Elphie, you're trembling." Glinda placed a small hand to her friend's cheek. "Take off your dress. I want to see how badly you're hurt."

Elphaba looked up at her. She didn't want to unclothe herself, especially in the presence of a male. But orders were orders, and she had to obey her mistress. The girl reached behind her, unzipped her dress, and stepped out of it. When she straightened up as much as possible, Fiyero and Glinda were speechless and Glinda felt like she was going to puke.

Elphie's back was striped and dried blood was caked around the edges of the gashes. "It's not as bad as it looks," She lied, lowering herself back on the bed.

"Not as bad? Elphaba, this is horrible! You need treatment!" Glinda told her, clutching onto Fiyero's arm.

"Do you know what could happen if that gets infected?" Fiyero asked, his eyebrows arched.

"I can't clean it! Just leave me alone," Elphaba snapped, both of them backing away. She zipped up her dress and glared at both of them.

"And plus, if I die, maybe that'll be better for my mother," she added angrily before slamming the door behind her.

"Her mother?" Fiyero asked, giving Glinda a questioning glance.

"I have no idea, but something's wrong," Glinda answered.

"Her back is ripped up, of course something's wrong!" Fiyero exclaimed.

"No, something in her past. Something's wrong with her mentally," Glinda said, and they both began to wonder.