By the time Elphaba returned to their room, Galinda was already fast asleep. It seemed like the apology would have to wait until the next morning, and Elphaba was more than fine with that. She carefully unfastened her hair and wiped off any remaining traces of makeup, planning her study schedule tomorrow. With any luck, she would finish The History of the Arjikis and Their People tomorrow in time to start with noting questions down for Dr. Dillamond when he returned (where was he, anyway?) and start on her Sorcery Seminar practice.
As luck would have it, though, the next day was a Saturday, and Elphaba was woken up at an ungodly hour with an equally ungodly scream.
"Elphie, wake up! It's Saturday!"
"Yes, I know that," Elphaba groaned as Galinda pulled open the curtains. "Could you stop blinding me, please?"
"No, because it's Saturday and we have to hit the Market!"
"The Market?" came the muffled reply from the green head buried in a pillow. "What Market?"
"Goodness, Elphie, it's like you've been living under a rock this whole time," sniffed Glinda. "The Market, where we get to buy all your new clothes!"
Elphaba sat up then, the shock being an effective alarm clock. "Are you serious, Galinda? You're actually bringing me shopping?"
"Yes, and there's no need to be so shockified about it. Why, I promised, didn't I? And I know you probably have a whole study schedule planned, so I hid all of your study books when you were still snoring away. Face it –– "
"You did what?!"
"Face it," Galinda continued, unperturbed. "You're probably months ahead in any schoolwork this University can possibly offer us, and Dr. Dillamond isn't even back yet! So why don't take today off and come with me to shop? Fiyero's coming, too!"
"How do you know?"
"Oh, I'm going to ask him. But he will come, and so will you! Pretty pretty please …"
"Alright, alright," Elphaba grumbled, thoughts of gratitude rather far from her mind as she headed towards the bathroom to freshen up. "After all, if I don't agree, it's either my books or my ears that are going to disappear forever thanks to you."
"That's the spirit!" Galinda called cheerfully as Elphaba slammed the door.
Shopping, as Elphaba had predicted, was as boring as watching paint dry.
Actually, Elphaba corrected herself. It is like watching paint dry for a very, very long time after you've painted it yourself.
For there was an element of inclusion now that was always absent whenever Father let Nanny bring Nessa out for new clothes. As Nanny aged, Elphaba had to tag along, and Nessa had always included her own cheap purchases in her own allowance card. But nothing that Nessa had bought in their little town's marketplace was ever, ever comparable to the shops that Galinda brought Elphaba to in the Market.
"Goodness, Galinda," Elphaba gasped as Galinda dragged her into the fourth shop in two hours. "You've already gotten me three new dresses and a hat, I don't think I can even finish wearing these out in a year!"
"Nonsense," Galinda dismissed with an airy wave of her hand. "This shop sells shoes! Oh, Elphie, you can't really deny these babies, could you?"
Babies? Elphaba mouthed to Fiyero, who had also been dragged along as (in Galinda's words) a "hunky bag-carrier". Just let it go, he mouthed back, evidently suppressing a mirthful smile.
However, Elphaba privately confessed to herself, Galinda did hit a point there. Elphaba had a soft spot for shoes, ever since Nanny had let her see Mother's collection of shoes that Father had hidden away in the attic. Although the colours had mostly faded and the leather was sadly scuffed, admiring those shoes –– remnants of a happier time –– had given Elphaba a sense of being connected with the mother she almost couldn't remember. Shoes were also part of her attire that were almost never seen by the general public (as she usually favoured long skirts), and thus wearing a pair of new ones often gave her a secret, especial pleasure.
Her musings were interrupted by Galinda waving a pair of tags near her face.
"Hello, earth to Elphaba?" Galinda said, huffing impatiently. "I've already picked out two pairs for you, what do you think?"
To Galinda's credit, she never tried to force Elphaba into the pink, fluffy style that Galinda adored and Elphaba abhored. The shoes that Galinda picked out were sturdy, smart black boots that did much justice to Elphaba's own dress sense and character and, more often than not, Elphaba wished she had the innate fashion sense that Galinda had demonstrated over the course of the day to choose suitable clothes without much deliberation and fuss.
"I like the first one," Elphaba admitted. "But –– oh! –– it's so expensive! Father would never allow this."
"Who cares about your grump of a father?" Galinda said flippantly. "It's on my tab, after that hideous hat I gave you."
Elphaba immediately pushed the boots away. "Oh no, Galinda, I'm not –– " Her cheeks burned, as she tried to articulate her thoughts. "I'm not accepting your charity," she finally said. "It's alright that you've offered to bring me out, but all that you buy must be on my allowance."
"But Elphie, that paltry sum your father gives you is hardly enough to cover all school fees, much less –– "
"I know, but you really don't owe me anything –– "
"It's not charity, you twit, if I offer –– "
"Ladies, ladies!" Fiyero interrupted. "I'll do it."
Elphaba turned to him with an incredulously angry look. "You can't be serious! You?"
"Me?" Fiyero parroted back. "Yes, I'm offering –– no, not because I'm a chauvinistic pig as you're clearly about to call me –– but because I still owe you an apology after I nearly knocked your down."
"I seem to recall you saying that it was Avaric's fault."
"Well –– yes, but since he was my chauffeur at that time, it counts that I –– as his infinitely understanding and graceful royal employer –– should take the blame in his behalf. What say you?"
Elphaba debated in her head for a while. On one hand, she was desperately in need of a new pair of shoes. Looks aside, the months of long campus walks had really done her old ones a number, and continuous mending was not going to keep them around for much longer. On the other hand, she was loath to accept any charity, independent-minded as she was, and the fact that she had two people arguing over how to pay for her shoes rankled her more than she would like to admit.
However, as she looked at Fiyero's twinkling eyes and Galinda's pleading ones, she realised one thing: charity was not degradation if it was sincerely given. Fiyero was right, he did owe her an apology after the fiasco in the Main Courtyard, and after all –– it was a nice pair of boots.
"Alright," she conceded.
Galinda let out a rather unladylike whoop and nodded to the anxiously hovering sales assistant, who quickly took the pair of boots with an air of relief before scurrying off to the counter.
"But no more," Elphaba added firmly, foreseeing that Galinda would continue her shopping rampage.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Fiyero joked, though he too sported a pleased smile as he passed a wad of cash to Galinda.
As Galinda bounced to the counter to pay, Elphaba lingered behind, feeling as though she ought to say something.
"Um, thank you," she said quickly, casting a look at Fiyero.
"Nothing to thank for." He replied airily. "After all, I do have to commend you for attempting to read through a book about my people. We have the most boring history ever known to Oz."
Elphaba laughed before she could stop herself. "Well, I wouldn't say that …"
"You totally would," returned Fiyero. "Which chapter were you on? Industrialisation? Or rather, the lack of it that happened in the Thousand Year Grasslands?"
"Further than that, I was on –– " Elphaba stopped, as a realisation hit her. "You've read that book!"
"Of course I have," Fiyero shrugged. "There weren't much books to read about my people, anyway, and a Prince has to occupy his time."
"But you, reading?" Elphaba said incredulously. The mere thought of Fiyero curling up in front of a fire in some Vinkus castle was almost too much to handle.
"I do read, okay?" Foyer said seriously, before abruptly changing to a joking tone. "I just like partying more."
Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Oh, sod off," she said, smiling, as Galinda returned with the bag.
"All right, everyone?" Galinda said cheerily, dumping the bags on Fiyero, who accepted these with a good-natured "Oof!".
"Yes, but I'm famished," Elphaba groaned. "One difference between watching paint dry and shopping is that the latter really takes up a lot of your energy."
"Ooh, fret not," Galinda chirped excitedly. "I've got the perfect café for us to visit for brunch. Just wait 'till you taste their mango pudding, you'll faint in delight …"
"The only fainting anyone will do is when the waiter sees my skin colour."
"Don't be so daft, Elphie …"
With that, the three of them exited the store into the bright sunlight.
A/N: So ... /peeks/
Is anyone still around?
I don't want to bore any readers with the story of how I left to do my own thing for 2 years as it's extremely boring and just includes a lot of studying. I have never left as a reader, though, and it was only through clicking through my reviews for this story did I realise what beautiful readers I had and how happy their comments made me. Y'all are really the best!
The thing is, I've also retreated to the ultimate border of the musical theatre world. I still love musicals but it's not a life-and-death thing like it used to be (Finding Neverland though, ahh). This time, I'm restarting this fanfic as an exercise in writing. I actually still have chapters written that are unpublished, and I really want y'all to be able to see them as I (hopefully!) continue to write.
Last but not least, I really enjoy writing Elphaba, Fiyero and Galinda. Even if none of you still read this, writing them as their young, relatively carefree selves always brings a giggle to my face. It also makes me more eager to get to the really dark stuff when *bleep* hits the fan!
Signing off now,
aurora-inked