Chapter 27
Glinda awoke in a fog. She hurt all over and it was hard to concentrate. A moan escaped her lips and then she could hear the room seem to come alive as shoes could be heard hitting the hard marble floors.
"Lady Glinda, how are you feeling?" Doctor Magi asked.
"Everything hurts," she managed to mumble.
"I bet it does. I'll give you some more pain medication," Magi smiled slightly.
"What about the baby?" The blonde wanted to know.
"I've been giving you lose doses of medication so it doesn't harm the baby. You're not far enough along for me to try and guess about the baby. The nurses and I are doing everything we can," he explained.
"Where is my husband?" Glinda was hoping he was around.
"He is still out in the field. I hope that he and the rest of the group will be back soon. Avantador does not want to leave to get them while there is no one here to protect the kingdom. The news of the King's death will spread. While Oz will mourn with the Vinkus, there will be questions and doubts raised. I can only imagine what upheaval will come. Queen Adalet will rule until Fiyero is of age and there is still stability in the family so let us hope that things will be quiet," Magi told her. The blonde only nodded and the doctor quickly got up to fetch more medication for the leader of Oz.
Meanwhile, out in the forest, Asli and Sergeant Stewart carefully scooped up the body of King Haluk. It was not easy given the state of the body but they did the best that they could. They both realized that trying to get the King back to the Palace was not going to work. Fiyero was steaming and Elphaba was trying to calm him and comfort the Queen. Asli recognized that without Elphaba's magic, the King would need to be buried out here in the woods. Sure that Fiyero would be in no mood to hear about burying his father out in the middle of nowhere, the Captain asked Elphaba if he could borrow her. She nodded and they moved toward the body and away from the two people who were grieving in their own ways.
"What can I do?" She asked.
"I don't know but I do know that Fiyero will not handle me telling him that we can't move his father's remains," Asli swallowed.
"It's that bad, isn't it?" Elphaba asked.
"Regrettably, I have seen bodies in the various stages of death and this is very bad. We're lucky that there is actually something left besides bones. The wildlife and Burcin did a number on him. Far as I can figure, he did not die a quick death," the Captain explained. Elphaba heaved a sigh. No wonder Fiyero was very upset. Anyone would be upset but as she moved over toward the remains she now understood Fiyero's rage. Despite her non-existent relationship with the King, no one deserved what she saw. While she did not have very much medical training due to her ability to use her magic to heal, she knew the holes in both of Haluk's kneecaps were not from animals eating the remains. The holes in his stomach and the one in his head told her what she needed to know. Burcin may have had magical powers but she decided to not use them to kill the King. Bullet wounds were bullet wounds which made the witch wonder if Burcin had had help. Elphaba swallowed hard and tried to think of a spell she could use. Finding one would be tricky; she wanted to solidify the body without making it breakable. An idea hit her and she got to work.
To Be Continued…