I returned to Oz, and as I got closer to Munchkinland, I hid more often in the woods and Courage asked, "Why are we hiding?" I whispered, "Because I've gotten this close and I can't get caught, not now—Father's still got men searching for me, even thirteen years and eleven months later." Courage rolled her eyes and asked, "Didn't we already go over this? Frexspar isn't your father, remember?" "I know, but I couldn't stop in the Emerald City—too many guards," I replied.

I soon reached home and knocked and asked, "Father home?" Nessa wheeled over to the door and let me in and said, "No." I grinned at her and hugged her and said, "I missed you." "I missed you." She said. "No, you missed being able to annoy me," I shot back. She laughed and said, "You're right." "I know I am." I replied. Nessa and I went back and forth with our little teasing argument—the way we would have throughout our childhood had I not run away. Then I heard a knocking and sprinted up to the attic. Nessa called, "I'll see if I can distract Father long enough for you to get ready to come downstairs and prove I'm telling the truth when I tell him you're home." I nodded and called, "Thanks, Nessa."

Then I thought, how am I supposed to get to the Emerald City now? Nessa's father will ground me for life, oh, wait, I already am grounded for life. Stupid Thom is good for nothing except getting me mad all the time. I was supposed to talk to the Wizard, not deal with Frexspar. Oh, well, I'll find some way to talk to the Wizard.

Nessa said, "Father, it's about Elphaba." "What has that troublesome sister of yours gotten herself into now?" he asked angrily. "She's home; she came back just like I said she would." Nessa said eagerly. I knew that was my cue to come downstairs and reveal that Nessa was telling the truth. I stepped forward and said, "Father, Nessa is telling the truth. I did come home." He glared at me and I said, "I am so grounded, aren't I?" "Actually, I want to know what you think you were doing for the past thirteen years and eleven months, girl," he snarled at me.

I gulped nervously, before thinking, okay, here goes everything. Then I began, "Father, I couldn't take you yelling at me all the time anymore when I was four. I had to find someone, someplace, where I'd be, well, where I'd be accepted for me and loved the way you loved Nessa—and I may found that—I'll get to that part—and so I left. I traveled cross-country to the impassable desert and turned south. Then I crossed the Grimhold Mountains, was nearly mistaken for a Scanra raider, but then two kids—my siblings now—Thom, the older one, and his twin sister, Alanna of Trebond—found me hiding among some bushes and brought to their house. Their father, Lord Alan of Trebond, acknowledged me and shoved a book at me. I was ashamed when I had to admit that I didn't know to read or write. He made sure that I learned reading, writing, some figures, and some deportment or manners as they're practiced by nobles—all I learned was the basics. I also would visit the village healer, Maude, and secretly learn to control my magic—my Gift—not my wild magic, which allows me to understand animals and Animals better than most people. I also would train to be a warrior with Coram Symthesson along with Alanna and Thom, who was a failure as a warrior, but a great sorcerer. Then Alanna and I disguised ourselves as boys—she became Alan and I became Fabiethe, Fabie for short—and went to Court and trained and became knights of the Realm of Tortall—that's where I lived during all this—and I worked hard and stayed up studying for classes. I also met some pretty nice kids—Prince Jonathon of Conté, who treated me like I was normal, Gareth—Gary—the Younger of Naxen—who understands what it's like to lose your mother, as did Alanna and Thom—theirs died when she was born—Alexander—Alex—of Tirragen, Francis of Nond—he died when the Sweating Sickness struck in Corus—that reminds me, Nessa I owe you since you basically saved my life—yes, Father, little Nessa is a hero—and Raoul of Goldenlake. I'd have classes in the morning and training in the afternoon. I got better and better with training and discovered that I was born to the sword—that is to say I am a natural with a sword—and then, during a trip to Persepolis, my friend, Raoul of Goldenlake, made me his private squire—I had to look out for his business and help him when he needed me. Then we went to war against Tusiane and Alanna and I were kidnapped. Jon, our cats, Courage—who's here, and Faithful led the rescue. Then I nearly drowned and then when I was eighteen, I underwent the Ordeal of Knighthood, won my shield, after hearing the code of honor—If you survive the Ordeal of Knighthood, you will be a Knight of the Realm. You will be sworn to protect those weaker than you, to obey your overlord, to live in a way that honors your kingdom and your gods. To wear the shield of a knight is an important thing. It means you may not ignore a cry for help. It means that rich and poor, young and old, male and female may look to you for rescue and you may not deny them. You are bound to hold up the law. You may not look away from wrongdoing. You may not help anyone to break the law of the land, and you must prevent the breaking of the law at all times, in all cases. You are bound to your honor and your word. Act in such a way that when you face the Dark God you need not be ashamed. You have learned the laws of Chivalry. Keep them in your heart. Use them as your guides when things are their darkest. They will not fail you if you interpret them with humanity and kindness. A knight is gentle. A knight's first duty is to understand.—then I fought and, after he revealed that Alanna and I were both girls—some people already knew—Thom, Alanna, Maude, Coram, Raoul, Jon, Queen Lianne of Naxen and Conté and I—defeated Duke Roger and returned home."

Then Father gave me The Look—the-you-are-grounded-for-the-rest-of-your-life-girl look—which I lived in terror of—since I hated being grounded.