You have no idea how hard it was to be patient and write all this set up, I have a document full of moments and dialogue from chapters well into the future that I'm desperate to get to! But now, after this chapter, things really begin to pick up!
Also, I've decided to start answering some of your reviews! So if you have any questions for/or about me in regards to the story or life in general feel free to ask in a review or a PM :) You guys reviewing is what keeps me going on this.
NiatheWickedLover: Not only the Wizard, my dear...
Thedoctor24601: Thanks for joining in friend! I know exactly how you feel with unsatisfactory stories so I'm glad you like this one!
Note: A 'firkin' is an 8 gallon barrel. I also want Chenoweth to play Morrible. I think that would be great.
Elphaba's trunk, packed with her meagre belongings thudded heavily down the church stairs behind her. Even though she had only filled the trunk halfway, it still somehow managed to weigh as much as Elphaba herself. Passing through the kitchen to use the back door Elphaba ran into Biff, his arm hidden in a sling.
Upon spotting each other they both froze, uncertain how to address one another. Biff's jaw clenched and he backed away a few steps, boring holes in the stone floor with his eyes.
Elphaba hesitated, before taking a deep breath and greeting him. "How's your arm?"
"Alright, considering." Biff replied softly,, the muscles in his neck straining with the effort it took to not turn tail and run.
Elphaba nodded absently before awkwardly shuffling past the boy and continuing out to the awaiting carriage. She wanted to apologise but knew that nothing she could say could reverse the damage she had done, and there was no way she was going to look at that cursed book again.
Elphaba watched from the window of the carriage she shared with Frexspar as villagers and soldiers alike went about cleaning the streets of ash and debris. Fires still burned in some places, and Animals were being caged and carried away in the town square.
As they passed, Elphaba found herself searching the crowds of faces in search of the soldier who had been so arrogant earlier that day. As she searched, she tried to remember his name, before it came back to her. Fiyero. Something inside her twinged with disappointment as the town faded from view behind her with no sign of him.
-Nine Years Ago-
A small farmer's cottage nestled by the road, hidden from view by a cluster of trees just outside the Munchkin village of Longstone.
"Boy!" A young Munchkin boy around ten years old ran into the kitchen at his mother's call. "Take out the bin for me."
"Yes, Ma." The Munchkin replied quickly as he wrapped his short arms around the firkin barrel that served as their bin. He held his breath as he hoisted the barrel into his arms, attempting to hold his nose as far away from the decomposing scraps as possible.
When he had successfully shuffled his way out into the yard he was met with the stinging cold common for mid-Winter night. Fresh snow had fallen that day, causing the boy's small feet to sink in the snow to his shins.
"Hurry or you'll catch your death out there, boy!" Called his mother from inside, her voice clipping through his musings, hurrying him along his way.
Momentarily putting the barrel down, he pulled his coat tighter around his small shoulders before moving on. He trudged his way through the thick snow to the rubbish cart and hoisted the barrel over the edge, tipping its contents out, ready to be carried away the next day.
As he turned to return to the warm house the boy noticed a bundle of rags lying underneath the cart. The rags were half buried in snow as if they had been there for quite a while. Knowing his father would be upset if the cart wasn't in order for tomorrow, the small boy shuffled under the cart to retrieve the rags, only to be stopped when he noticed something odd. From the bundle of rags a pair of small, bare, green feet protruded, the cold having caused a strange, purple discolouration to the toes. The Munchkin's eyes widened in a terror before he ran inside, frantically calling, "Ma! There's a monster in the yard!"
His mother stood at the kitchen counter, her attention focused on kneading pastry for their dinner, "Nonsense, boy. Monsters don't exist."
The young Munchkin grabbed his mother's skirts and tugged, excitedly repeating himself. "A monster! A green monster!"
The woman sighed as she wiped the flour from her hands, deciding to humour her young son. "Where's this monster, now?"
The boy tugged his mother's skirt and she followed him out into the night.
"There, see?
His mother leaned close, her eyes searching the rags for a sign of life. When she spotted the two green feet she recoiled in horror, "Oh sweet Oz! What is it?"
"It's a monster!" exclaimed her son, bouncing up and down on his toes.
"Get your father," his mother demanded, panic evident in her normally even voice. Her son ran back inside and she pulled her shawl tight around her shoulders as she stood, staring at the feet until the pounding of heavy footsteps came from inside.
"What's wrong Rri?" The boy's father came running out into the snow, picking up a pitchfork that was resting against the cottage wall, his son close behind.
"There's something in there." Rri pointed at the pile of rags beneath the rubbish cart.
Her husband crept forward, pitchfork extended before him. Carefully, he used one of the prongs to move some of the rags so he could get a better look. Behind him, his wife stood anxiously by the door, holding their son who was craning his neck to see what his father was doing.
"What is it, Ger?" she asked.
"It appears to be some kind of creature," Ger frowned in confusion. "I've never seen anything like it before."
"An Animal?"
"Maybe." He sounded doubtful. "Looks human to me."
"What if it's dead?" said their son, childish curiosity welling in his eyes.
Rri quickly hushed her son just as she realised a new fear. "What if it's a demon?"
Ger withdrew his pitchfork and backed away. "We should get Father Frexspar," he said. "He'll know what to do."
Ger turned to his son, "Go fetch Father Frexspar from the church down on the In Road."
The little boy nodded and scampered off, leaving his parents to decide what to do in the meantime.
Father Frexspar was pulled from his evening prayer by a sudden knocking on the main doors to the church. He pulled off his glasses and set them on his desk before going to the doors. Pulling them open he was surprised to find a Munchkin boy gazing up at him excitedly.
Before Frexspar could ask what the boy wanted he had piped up, "We've found a monster in the yard!"
"A monster?" exclaimed Frexspar, bewildered.
"Ma told me to come and fetch you to get rid of it. She said it's evil."
Frex nodded slowly, unsure whether it was another over-reaction by the simple-minded Munchkinfolk before hurrying back into the church to gather his hat and bag. Stepping back out into the snow he started following the young Munchkin down the In Road towards the little farm house.
"What's your name boy?"
"It's Boq, Father," the Munchkin boy replied.
When Boq and Frexspar arrived at Boq's house, they entered the yard, finding a small fire had been lit alongside the creature in a feeble attempt to warm it.
Boq's parents were standing in the kitchen door waiting for him to return. Upon seeing their son they beckoned him over, leaving Father Frexspar alone to face the demon.
Father Frexspar muttered a quick prayer to himself before slowly reaching out and lifting part of the rags off of the green creature.
"My word!" He exclaimed.
Boq's mother hugged him closer, "What sort of demon is it, Father?"
"It's-" stuttered Frexspar, his shock leaving him speechless. "It's a little girl!"
Rri and Ger looked at each other in shock while Boq looked decidedly disappointed.
"A green little girl."
Hesitating for a moment, Frexspar sent another prayer heavenward before shuffling the girl into his arms and moving her closer to the fire.
The Priest further examined the form before him. "She very nearly died."
"Its still alive?" Rri cried, horrified.
Her husband put his arm around her shoulders protectively saying, "She looks like one of us, but there's no telling what she's like on the inside."
"Perhaps she's been cursed!" piped up Boq, his mother quickly shushed him.
Frexspar looked up at the young boy and nodded absently. "That may quite possibly be the case. Until the curse can be lifted, someone is going to need to care for her."
Looking up at the Munchkin family before him, Frexspar was greeted with nothing but silence.
"Why not you Father?" said Rri, offering him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "If she's at the church she'll be close by for you to study, and you're protected by the blessings of the Unnamed God!"
Frex looked up at the hopeful faces around him. He was trapped. Looking back at the malnourished girl in the snow he conceded. "Alright. She can stay at the church until we find someplace else more suitable."
- Present -
"Wake up!" Frexspar's voice shattered through Elphaba's sleep. "We're here." After three days of travel they had finally arrived in the Emerald City.
Just as the coach carrying Frexspar and Elphaba arrived in the Emerald City, an old man stood high up on the balcony of the Emerald Palace looking over the city.
"It is time."
Behind him his Chief Advisor smirked with satisfaction before giving the order to mobilise.
I almost wrote, "Oh hey, Elphaba. What are you doing there?"
"Oh, not much. Just chillin'." But I decided that wasn't a good idea.
It was a RENT question in disguise, the answer being 525,600 minutes! Congratulotions to my beta, FaetheQueen, Rosepetal33, Annabeth Granger and The Wizard Of Wicked! You're all geniuses! Though we had a lot of good (and not so good) guesses.
Next question is: Where is the song, 'Sit down you're rocking the boat' from?