Here's another update! Fiyero's not in this until the end, but I promise that there'll be more of him later. Thank you for all the reviews and I hope that I'll be getting some more soon. I've been seeing all these fanfictions with 90 + reviews in their early chapters and I'd also like to be at that point. Please feel free to link the story to any friends or your readers. But a big shout out to all my loyal readers! Enjoy! :)
"This is a rather important decision, dear. Pay attention."
It had only been fifteen minutes and Glinda was already annoyed with her mother. Boq was due over in an hour and she'd rather be curling her hair or fixing her makeup. In her opinion, the color of the napkins at her wedding didn't seem all that important. As her mother drew her breath to admonish her once again, Glinda leapt to her feet in exasperation.
"How is it an important decision," She exploded, "They're the same shade of pink!"
Carole gazed up at the girl and sighed with a shake of her head. "They are, Glinda. How many times do I have to tell you?" She corrected.
Glinda scoffed. "They are the same shade of pink." She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her mother.
"Why are you so upset? Are you stressed about the wedding?" Carole questioned, not getting angry (much to Glinda's surprise).
I am stressed, just not about the wedding, Glinda thought. Out loud, she said, "A bit. Everything just seems so… fast. I barely know the prince."
"Honey, I know that it is hard. Your father and I had an arranged marriage and it has turned out fine." Carole told her, patting Glinda's hand when the blonde had sat back down.
That reminds me….. "Mom, does Father keep any secrets from you?" She asked, trying to sound inconspicuous.
"Of course not. He never has and he never will." Carole responded, not even thinking about what was asked.
They sat for a minute, neither of them speaking. Carole made to get up and straighten her skirt when there was a knock at the door.
Elphaba stumbled in, her feet unsteady. "Your tea, madam." She said, putting the tea on the vanity as always.
"It's nine thirty, Elphaba. It's way past tea time." Carole informed her, pursing her lips and heading out of the room.
"Elphie, what's been wrong with you? You've been missing shifts, dinner hasn't been prepared, and you're late to everything! Father is beginning to believe that you're slacking off." Glinda told her, looking at her friend with sympathetic eyes.
Elphaba coughed into her clenched fists a couple of times before answering. "I'm not trying to slack off or anything. My back has been unbearable and I feel as though I've caught the flu." She told her, putting a green hand to her forehead before sitting down uncomfortably.
Glinda gasped. "Your back is getting infected, isn't it? We told you!" She exclaimed, gliding over and placing the back of her hand against the servant's forehead. "You're really warm, Elphie. Maybe we should get you to a hospital."
"What would I say?" Elphaba asked, placing her head into her hands. "I can't exactly say that my master whipped me. No doctor would listen to someone like me."
Glinda didn't know how to respond. If the doctors actually saw her back, they would know that it was caused by a whip. It could be nothing else. She sat on the arm of the chair, stroking her friend's glossy hair while the girl nearly coughed her guts up.
"Glinda, honey, can I come in?"
Elphaba's face froze with terror and she got up as quickly as her back would allow. Etai believed that she was slacking off and he was at the door. She knew what was coming next.
"Uh, of course, Father." Glinda answered, smiling as her father opened the door wide.
"Ah, Elphaba, there you are. We need to talk." Etai told her, grabbing the girl by the wrist and leading her outside.
I'll be okay, the green girl mouthed to the blonde. Well, she hoped she would be okay. The other wounds hadn't gotten the chance to heal and another whipping would most likely kill her.
As Etai jerked her down the hall, Glinda realized that she had to do something. "Father, stop!" She screeched. When he didn't stop but, in fact, move faster, Glinda began to scream. She began to scream bloody murder.
Her high-pitched shout brought the entire manor into the corridor. Etai stopped in his tracks as Carole stood beside her daughter. But he really had no reason to be afraid. Just because he was holding Elphaba by the wrist didn't mean that he was going to harm her.
"Mama; you, Father, and I need to talk." Glinda whispered to her mother.
Carole gave a slight nod, acknowledging her daughter's request. "Everyone, get back to work!" She ordered, and the crowd in the hall was quickly dispersed.
"Etai, we need to talk." Carole snapped.
"Honey, now's not a good-"
"I said now!"
Everyone was stunned at the tone of her voice. "Now, Glinda, dear. What did you want to say?" She asked.
Glinda drew herself to her full height of 4'11" and stared her father in the eyes. "Father, I want you to stop hurting Elphaba."
Etai looked at her, his eyes devoid of emotion. "Glin, darling, why would you ever think that I was harming her?" He asked innocently.
"I've seen her back. You've whipped her and not just once." She retorted.
Carole was stunned. Never in her life did she think that her husband would do such a thing. She knew that Etai had a rather dark side, but she didn't think that he would go that far. "And you have proof, I assume?" She inquired, raising her eyebrows.
"Elphaba, take off your dress." Glinda told her.
Elphaba gulped before slowly unzipping her dress and letting it fall to the floor. The chill of the hallway raised goosebumps on her flesh and she crossed her arms with a shiver.
Carole gasped and nearly fainted. Elphaba's wounds had turned a disgusting white and, in some parts, the gashes were as green as the girl's skin.
"Etai, I cannot believe you. She may be our servant, but that gives you no right to harm her in such a way." She scolded him, her lips pursed with anger. She glared at him until he ducked his head. Etai didn't feel shame or remorse. He only acted this way so that his wife would calm down.
"Mom!"
Glinda's shouts broke Carole's infuriated glare and she turned her attention to her daughter. The blonde was on her knees next to Elphaba and the servant girl was lying unconscious on the marble floor. "She's barely breathing! She needs a hospital!"
As Fiyero was leaving his chambers after a nap, he heard Glinda's shouts and ran as quickly as they could. When he came to the scene, Carole was giving out orders.
"Call a carriage!" She instructed, "The girl is dying!"