Chapter Eighteen:

The old maunt stared at Glinda with her creepy and haunting smile, "It seems, Sisters, that we have a guest." She nodded towards Glinda and suddenly the blonde felt numerous eyes on her.

"Lady Glinda," said the maunt in the front as she made her way slowly down the aisle towards her, "What a pleasure."

For a moment, Glinda did not know what to do. She sat there, frozen and still shocked by the words that the old maunt had just said. What in Oz did that mean?

And there Saint Aelphaba stayed for a very long time…

Did she ever come out?

Not yet…

Where had Glinda heard that from before? She racked her brains, trying to figure it out before reality hit her and she hastily put on a gracious smile as the old maunt finally came to her pew.

The first thought that came to Glinda's mind when she saw the maunt was that she needed moisturizer. The second thought was a realization that the woman was really just that old. Glinda stared at the endless wrinkles on her face. Her white hair seemed puffy on top of her head. Her eyes seemed hypnotic, those beady dark eyes drew Glinda's gaze towards them.

"And you are?" asked Glinda as she put her hand out in greeting.

"Mother Yackle, dearie," said the maunt as she gripped Glinda's hand tightly. The blonde grimaced at the contact but kept the smile on her face.

Sister Revinkins chose to speak up at this point, thank goodness on Glinda's part for she stumbled trying to figure out what to say next.

"Lady Glinda would like to help the orphans and the sick and dying. I asked her to attend mass with me before we went to you to discuss details."

Mother Yackle as they called her looked back and forth between Glinda and Sister Revinkins.

"How good of you, Lady Chuffrey. We thank you very much," said Yackle, her beady eyes back on Glinda's face. The stare continued on much longer than Glinda had liked, and suddenly it was as if Yackle remembered that she was still in the chapel.

"You are dismissed, Sisters," said Yackle softly as the doors opened up showing the foyer, "Go and bring fore peace into our great Oz."

The sisters all rose and exited but Yackle made a point of keeping Glinda. Sister Revinkins moved slowly, as if she distrusted Yackle with Glinda alone.

"Sister Revinkins," said Yackle when she noticed the maunt lingering in the doorway, "Will you please go treat the young woman that came in just a few days ago? I will send Lady Glinda to you with instructions in just a minute."

Almost reluctantly she left, and the doors closed as she did so.

It was just Glinda and this Mother Yackle person.

Glinda breathed slowly, and searched for dirt beneath her fingernails as a way to avoid the maunt's scary gaze.

The chapel was silent for a while, and all Glinda could hear was Mother Yackle's raspy, wheezy breathing as she stood there, one hand gripping the pew for balance.

"I know about you, Lady Glinda," said Yackle after a moment.

Glinda looked up startled from her nails but did not say a word, for what could she say to a statement like that?

"I know all about people like you," the maunt's gaze returned to Glinda and she felt its accusatory heat.

"Those who have all the money Oz can buy and yet are too air-headed to do anything smart with it! The privileged ones who can do no wrong, and somehow end up in higher positions than others who work harder than themselves. You are married to Sir Chuffrey, is that correct?"

Yackle's harsh tone carried throughout the stone chapel and Glinda nodded numbly. Never in her life had she been so harshly called out upon.

"Tell me, did you want to marry him?"

Glinda paused, and spoke for the first time since the other maunts had left.

"At the time I was seventeen, I didn't know what I wanted and what I didn't want. That's like asking a child what he or she wants to be when they grow up. It changes with the times," concluded Glinda looking at Yackle again.

Yackle stared back at her, "For a woman who does not seem to act politically correct, you speak like one."

Glinda accepted that as a compliment.

"I have my moments," said Glinda softly but firmly, "I am not who you think I am nor who people say I am."

"Clearly," said Yackle with a small smile as she now sat down next to Glinda. She slid a glance at the blonde.

"But are you a murderer?"

The question made Glinda blanch fully and her fingers started to shake. Flashes of what happened at the Corn Exchange filled her mind, and she whipped to the side to face Yackle.

Yackle to her horror was smiling as if they were talking about something completely normal.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," stammered Glinda trying to compose herself.

A witch-like cackle erupted from the old woman causing Glinda to cringe.

"Oh, but you do dearie. You remember Fiyero Tiggular, Prince of the Arijikis? The one you brutally stabbed to death and blamed the Gale Force all because you wanted a certain green woman for yourself?"

She was waiting for an answer. But Glinda's mouth was wide open, giving away that she knew exactly what she had done in the Corn Exchange.

"How-how did you-"

Yackle scoffed as if this was a stupid question, "Mother Yackle knows everything, my dear."

Glinda stood up straight and looked at Yackle in the eye.

"And what do you want to do with that information, regardless of how you got it?"

Yackle looked at her and tutted, "You really are a pretty girl, Galinda. A pretty girl who's lost, who's trapped, one whose life has turned into a living nightmare all in one decision. Mother Yackle just wants to help the poor dearie."

"I don't need any help," said Glinda stubbornly even though it was a lie.

"Nessarose didn't exactly tell you what you wanted to hear did she?" asked Yackle gently. Glinda's eyes widened. She probably looked like a gaping fish to Yackle right now.

'No," answered the blonde softly, "She didn't."

Yackle smiled warmly and put one wrinkled hand on top of Glinda's, "You came here for forgiveness, Lady Glinda. No one but the Unnamed God and Lurline can judge you for that. I am merely being of service."

Glinda thought about that for a minute. Maybe Yackle really was trying to help. Glinda recomposed her face, smiling warmly back at the Superior Maunt.

"I'm sorry for my earlier actions, Mother Yackle," said Glinda sincerely, "I was just caught off guard. Of course I would love your help."

Yackle seemed pleased, and she looked at Glinda, "I knew you would come around, Lady Chuffrey. Now how long are you planning on staying?"

"Just a few days," said Glinda now playing with the stitching on her dress.

"That will certainly be enough time," said Mother Yackle it seemed to the air.

Glinda snapped her head to look at Yackle but the older woman gave nothing else away.

"What type of charity work would you like me to do?" asked Glinda dropping the subject of asking what it was that she meant by' that will certainly be enough time'.

"You will be working with Sister Revinkins with the sick, right now she is tending to a woman that we brought in last night. A poor ghostly woman who fell into some sort of deep sleep after she got here and hasn't woken up since." Yackle paused and looked at Glinda, "I think if you tend to her you will truly earn forgiveness, and realize what exactly you have done."

Glinda noticed that Yackle's tone had changed, "Thank you, Mother Yackle," she said politely, "Is there anything else?"

"Yes, a trip to Kiamo Ko would do you good."

Glinda frowned, "Kiamo Ko, Mother Yackle?"

Yackle nodded, "Yes, where Fiyero's widow and her five sisters and his children all live. I suggest that you go there yourself and apologize to them. That will truly give you a new conscious and a new outlook on life."

"And tell them?" exclaimed Glinda, "Tell them what I've done?"

Mother Yackle looked at Glinda seriously, "The truth will set you free, my dear," she said gravely, "You may go."

Glinda got up after a moment and left the chapel still feeling numb about the whole thing. At the doorway she turned, the door half open, and looked at Yackle.

"What we discussed will never leave this chapel, right?"

Yackle turned around and looked at her with steady eyes.

"The Unnamed God works in mysterious ways, Lady Glinda. I cannot promise you that."

Mother Yackle turned back around and started to pray, leaving Glinda halfway in the door. The blonde turned and nearly stepped on something that was near her feet when it dashed into the chapel right in front of her eyes.

Glinda could have sworn she had seen white fur like that before…

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I really like this chapter because I really like how I made Yackle. Anyways I put in a reference (hint hint the last sentence) to A Lion Among Men so those who don't get it don't worry it will be explained later.

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