AN: For those of you who care, I wasn't happy with the last chapter and went back and edited and tweaked a few things. Nothing major to the plot, but just a heads up. Thank you to all my lovely reviewers, it made my day on this gloomy rain filled day. I asked Madame Morrible if she could please make it stop raining but she said no. Sad day. I have a shout out to make: vinkun wildflower queen, I used one of your lines in this chapter. I had to, I just really liked it.
Elphaba looked out the window of the carriage in wonder. She had never been in this part of the Emerald City and it was like a completely different planet to her. She would have enjoyed it more, but every time the carriage hit a bump in the road, it would jar her already painful ribs. Melena looked at Elphaba and smiled at her enthusiasm towards what was happening. At Elphaba's hiss of pain as they hit yet another bump, Melena looked at her in concern.
"Are you all right dear?" Elphaba looked up at this, and met Melena's eyes. She would have tried to deny all she was feeling, but one look at Melena's face reminded her of the mother she never had, and silently shook her head and quickly looked back down. Melena grabbed her chin and gently tilted Elphaba's face up to look in her eyes. She was shocked at the fear and happiness warring in her eyes.
"Can you tell me what hurts the most?" Melena looked down as Elphaba tensed again and pressed a hand to her ribs. "Is it your ribs? Did he kick you?" Elphaba silently nodded, not entirely sure this woman wasn't being kind, only to turn on her later. Melena grew angry at that, and Elphaba saw it in her eyes and shrank back from her.
"Are you angry at me?" Elphaba asked this is a small voice, afraid to hope, to believe in her good fortune.
"No! Of course not! I am angry at that miserable excuse for a man who is supposed to protect you and love you until you find a home of your own. First thing when we get to the palace, I will have one of the Wizard's personal physicians look over you, make sure you are ok, and help ease the pain."
Elphaba looked at her, dumbstruck that a complete stranger would take her away from Frex, get her to meet the Wizard and have someone care about her in general.
The carriage rolled to a stop and Elphaba followed Melena out of the carriage and stood there like a statue, staring at the elegant emerald palace in front of her. Melena smiled at the awestruck look on Elphaba's face and touched her shoulder to get her attention. It wasn't until Chistery started tugging lightly on her hair that she looked around.
"Come dear, let's get you inside and get those injuries looked at."
The two made their way inside to the throne room where the entire staff was assembled. If they were supriised at Elphaba's green skin, they were too well trained and too loyal to the Wizard to comment on it. As they walked in, the giant head resting on the throne sprang to life and flashing lights and loud booms could be heard as a voice boomed out.
"Who are you and what do you seek with the Wonderful Wizard of Oz?" At this Elphaba visibly tensed, but it was Melena's lack of a reaction that kept her from bolting from the room, so she stood there trembling instead. Melena felt this and responded.
"It's me, your Ozness, with the person you requested to see." At this the head ordered everyone from the room except for Melena and the green skinned teenager. Elphaba gasped as a middle aged man stepped from behind the head.
"Welcome back Melena! I trust you were successful? And this is…?"
Elphaba shook herself and responded, "Elphaba, my name is Elphaba, and yes I have always been green."
"Nah, I expected the green, it doesn't bother me. I may be from another land, but very little surprises me anymore." Elphaba was surprised at this. How could he expect the green?
When she asked this, the Wizard did not want to overwhelm her with important people right away and simply answered "I am the Wizard of Oz, plus I asked Melena here to do some research into a worthy orphan to spend the holiday with me and she came up with you."
Once they were done talking, Melena hailed a maid, and had her show Elphaba to her room. Once ELphaba had ledft the room, the wizard turned to Melena.
"What was wrong with her? Her lip was split and it looked like she was in pain. Were you attacked on the way here?"
The personal assistant sighed and shook her head. "I am afraid that was Master Frexspar." At his questioning look, she related the story to him as well as she knew. When she was finished, he looked as angry as she felt.
"Right now my hands are tied, and there isn't anything I can do to him. Technically, as sad as this is, he never broke the law as she was under his care. At least she is away from there for now, and I will see what I can do about once the two weeks are up. Now, you should keep your promise and get a doctor to look at her."
As Elphaba lay on the bed in her new room, she felt like she was lying on a cloud, it was so comfortable. She looked up at the knock on her door. "Come in."
Melena came in followed by the doctor. The doctor, however, stopped and stared as soon as he saw ELphaba sitting on the edge of the bed. Accurately reading his expression, she sighed and mumbled "Might as well get this part over with."
"No I am not seasick, yes, I have always been green, no I did not eat grass as a child and no I do not glow in the dark!" Melena hastily disguised a chuckle as a cough as the doctor stood there blindsided by this strange girl's sarcasm and wit. When she stood and winced, pressing a hand to her side, he quickly regained his senses and asked, "What seems to be the problem?" Elphaba told him and he wondered how a girl this young came by injuries when she was under the Wizard's protection. When he asked her to undo the back of her dress and she turned her back on him, he drew in a breath at the bruises on the girl's slender form. He knew without a doubt that she had been beaten, for the bruises around her ribs and back were in the shape of a man's boot. He noticed she was lucky considering, her ribs were bruised, rather than broken and there seemed to be no internal bleeding. He wrapped her ribs tightly, and gave her some medicine for the pain. After doctoring the split lip he got ready to leave and told her to not do anything too strenuous for the next week as her ribs healed and told her to get plenty of rest and she would be healthy in no time.
After the doctor left, Melena spoke to ELphaba. "If there is anything you need dear, or need for your monkey friend, do not be afraid to ask."
As she turned to leave, Elphaba called out. "Ms. Fairchild?" Melena stopped and turned.
"yes?"
"I just wanted to say…thank you. No one has ever cared about me before."
"You are most welcome Elphaba. Now, its late, why don't you try to get some sleep, tomorrow I will arrange a tour of the castle for you." With that she left the room, softly shutting the door behind her, leaving Elphaba on the bed wondering if she was going to wake up and find it was all a dream.
