AN:

All right, my lovelies!

Here is the next chapter. Not much to say, I think? Just read, and I hope you'll enjoy! :)

Happy reading!

xxx

Exceedingly Peculiar

"Who are you?"

The voice that belonged to the woman whose reflection she saw in the water was deeper and stronger than Galynda would have guessed, judging by her thin, pale, yes, almost frail appearance. Her heartbeat speeding up a notch, she cautiously turned around to see the mirror image's counterpart. Then her breath caught in her throat.

"Who are you, and what brings you to my waterfall?" the woman asked, not unfriendly, but certainly wary.

Galynda knew that it was more than impolite not to answer; yet she was too enthralled by what she saw – in a nonplussed kind of way. Although she had seen her likeness reflected in the water before, seeing the real thing, and in all her glory was different. There was a strange, otherworldly beauty about this woman. She was taller than the Gillikinese ideal, and her face with those magnificent, pastel green eyes looked too foreign to be considered pretty in the common sense, but still Galynda felt that her own beauty would never compare to that of the woman before her.

"I… am Galynda," she answered at last, eyes still trained on the stranger.

The pale woman nodded.

"I did not mean to intrude, I was just-

"Wait, did you say your waterfall?"

"I live here," came her curt reply.

This seemed odd to the blonde, but only until she realised that the strange woman was not wearing a shred of fabric to cover herself. Her long, dark, slightly wavy hair concealed her chest, but the rest left fairly little to imagination. Galynda blushed. She must have seen it the moment she had turned to face her, however, the strangeness had simply not registered before now.

"W-what are you? A sea witch?"

Galynda had heard of those creatures in tales her father's friends had brought back from their travels. They lured unsuspecting sailors into their territories before swallowing them with one gigantic wave – ship and everything. Then they would feast on their flesh. The young lady's heart skipped a beat. The fact that this pool seemed rather small and placid did not necessarily mean that it wasn't just as dangerous.

Quirking the corners of her lips, the other woman huffed amusedly.

"I'm about as human as you are. My name is Aelphaba."

The blonde bobbed her head wordlessly, slightly confused and slightly embarrassed.

"I apologise. I suppose this was a little silly of me."

"A little," Aelphaba agreed. "You're not from here," she observed.

"No. Although I have no idea where 'here' is, I can say with confidence that I'm not from this place. My guard was killed, and I was taken by a band of outlaws, to be sold to a Winkie king, apparently. I-"

She wanted to say something more, but suddenly her mind went blank. Her lower lip began to quiver, and soon her entire body was shaking. She sank to the ground, tears streaming down her cheeks. It seemed like her emotions had finally caught up with her. Clearly at a loss as what to do, Aelphaba watched her for a few clock ticks, but then she went down to her knees to rest a comforting hand on Galynda's shoulder. Her hand was as cold as the water of the stream.

Galynda's head flicked up in alarm.

"Oh, my apologies… my fault," the pale woman muttered, and withdrew.

"What happened to your hand?"

Galynda's tears, although still dripping down her nose and her chin, had stopped. In her eyes, Aelphaba saw only curiosity and worry - not the fear, or repulsion she had expected. She opened her mouth, although she didn't quite know what exactly she should tell her. Then she froze.

"You escaped the outlaws?" Aelphaba asked after a brief pause.

Galynda nodded.

"Were you followed?"

A crease appeared between the smaller woman's eyebrows, and she shook her head.

Aelphaba remained silent after that, however, her eyes were restless. She was worried, or scared maybe. But she was also deeply concentrated, as if she were riddling something out, or trying very hard to listen? Suddenly, she lunged forward, grasping for Galynda's upper arms, and pulling her up with her as she rose.

"Come," she breathed. The only reply Galynda knew to give was a bewildered look.

"They are coming for you, we have to go."

"Go? But where? How do you even-"

Terrified, the Gillikinese whipped her head about, trying to see with her own eyes what Aelphaba was hearing. There was nothing at first, but then a small herd of deer broke through the thicket. They were followed by a drumroll of heavier, bigger hooves. Aelphaba reached for her hand, and squeezed it. Next thing Galynda knew, she was being pulled into the cool water.

Fully submerged, she had no sense of direction. The water was stinging her eyes, still sore from crying. She hadn't had a chance to catch a decent breath, yet Aelphaba was dragging her deeper and deeper. Panic gripped her. She didn't want the outlaws to recapture her, but she didn't want to drown either. As her air ran out, she gasped, swallowing a mouthful of water. Struggling with all she had, she fought to free herself from Aelphaba's grip.

The pale woman turned around, eyes wide when she realised the blonde's distress. She pulled her close. Placing a hand at the back of her head, she stilled Galynda enough so that their mouths could meet, like in a long, firm kiss. Utterly perplexed, Galynda almost forgot to take in the much-needed air Aelphaba was offering her. But now they had to move quickly, for even Aelphaba could not go for much longer without breathing. She wrapped one arm around the smaller woman's waist, and swam as fast as she could. The next moment, everything went dark, and Galynda's spirit dropped. Her own grip on Aelphaba's hand loosened, as her head became light and dizzy. Just on time, she was being hauled out of the cold pool.

She coughed so hard she thought she was about to vomit. Then, the first proper gulp of air. It was so painful. Her throat, her lungs, her midriff, her abdomen – everything burned, stung, or hurt in one way or another.

"Are you all right?"

Galynda could barely understand what Aelphaba was saying. The throbbing in her head was too intense. Coughing some more, she collapsed onto the hard ground. There she lay, motionless. Her eyelids felt so heavy that a little nap sounded like a pretty good idea.

However, she wasn't granted this luxury. She couldn't quite tell what was going on around her, but as soon as Aelphaba had noticed her weakened state, she had hurried to her side. The blonde grumbled grouchily, as she was being picked up. Long, surprisingly strong arms wrapped around her torso, and began to squeeze. Two, three jerks, and Galynda was coughing out spouts of water. Once her airways appeared to be clear, she was gently lowered to the cold, clammy floor.

Slowly, life returned to her exhausted body. Her environment came into focus. The ground was uncomfortable, rock-hard, but then she realised that her head was resting on something softer. She tilted her head as best she could. What she saw was dark, wet locks, sticking to pale skin. Galynda jolted up in surprise, and immediately clambered away from Aelphaba's lap. Breathing heavily, she sat there for a short while, taking in her surroundings. It was still rather dark. They were in what looked like a cave. The pool of water lay calm, only a few inches away. In the background, she could hear steady dripping. From further away sounded the muffled thundering of the waterfall. After a few clock ticks, she finally dared to meet the other woman's eyes.

"I'm sorry," Aelphaba said. "Are you all right?"

Galynda nodded.

"I'm fine. I think."

"Good. Let's move on then. Your lips are blue and you're trembling. I didn't save you from those ruffians to have you freeze to death in my own home."

Hesitant at first, Galynda accepted the outstretched hand. It was still just as cold, and an involuntary shiver ran down her spine. If Aelphaba had noticed, she didn't let it show. The taller woman pulled her to her feet, and carefully guided her through the narrow passageways. Most of the time they walked up gentle slopes. Sometimes, there were steeper inclines to climb, and every now and then, there was a slight dip in the path. The light was dim, but the sun found enough ways into the cave system to help them see at least the outlines of their obstacles.

To Galynda, their journey through the dark had seemingly taken an eternity, although in truth, it had been no longer than five minutes. When they finally stepped out of the twilight, the claustrophobic tunnel widened into a generous chamber-like structure; the waterfall was pouring down right in front of them, disguising the open end of the cave like a veil. The light filtering through the curtain of water and various gaps was just enough to let them know that it was still day outside.

"I suppose you could call these my living quarters," Aelphaba laughed, then she grew serious again.

Galynda didn't know what to say. The cave was impressive – in regards to size, and as a monument, created entirely by nature. However, for a domestic space it was terribly bare and uninviting. There was a dark spot in the middle of the room (and nearby a wicker basket filled with little sticks and a few bigger branches) where she suspected Aelphaba built a fire whenever she was in need of one, and there was a heap of hay that looked only semi comfortable for seating, or sleeping purposes – even by poor-people standards. And then there was that dusty pile of jute sacs in the right-hand corner, perhaps some sort of storage. Although whatever was in those bags couldn't be very important if they obviously hadn't been touched in a good while. And that was already all she could recognise as any form of furnishing, or décor.

Aelphaba released the Gillikinese's hand, leaving her standing where they had entered the room, dumbfounded. She crossed the area until she reached a spot where there was a slight gap between the water and the wall of the cave. She leaned just far enough to catch a glimpse of the clearing. Galynda bit her lip. She was trembling more violently now, and she could not quite tell whether it was the chill, or the fear. She took a timid step forward, but didn't dare to actually look.

"A-are they gone?"

"On the contrary. I'm afraid they are setting up camp."

This was odd. Discarding her initial reluctance, Galynda hurried to have a look.

"It's in the middle of the day. Why would they rest now?"

Aelphaba pointed a long, slim finger at a branch the men had driven into the soft soil.

"It would seem they found a vital clue regarding your whereabouts."

Standing on her tiptoes, the blonde strained to see over the taller woman's shoulders. Her eyes grew wide as she recognised the dress she had left behind, handing from the rod like a pennant.

"Oh no! What in Oz shall we do?"

"Nothing," Aelphaba replied calmly, shrugging one shoulder. "They don't know these caves exist. Neither do they know that you know they exist. They will never find you."

Galynda drew a shuddering breath, and swallowed hard.

Both women fell silent. Aelphaba cast a final glance at the men further down, then turned towards Galynda. She studied her thoroughly, taking in every detail, from the golden curls to the tiny goose bumps on her arms and legs.

"You're cold. I almost forgot. I'll make you a fire."

One last lingering look, and she swiftly turned to fetch some sticks and kindling from the wicker basket. She piled up the wood expertly, and lit the fire using flint and steel.

The crackling of the fire was inviting, and drew Galynda closer. She sat down opposite Aelphaba, her gaze trained to the ground. The warmth was soothing, and after all that had happened that day, a great comfort. She suddenly realised that she was free, and to a certain degree, she was safe. Although still far away from home, she was less afraid now. It was a good feeling. The thought that she should thank her unlikely saviour crossed her mind. She looked up, not yet sure how to express her gratitude. Words failed her, as she beheld Aelphaba braiding her long hair, leaving her entirely exposed. Galynda's ears turned read, and her face blushed deep pink, but she could simply not avert her eyes. As inappropriate as it might have been, there was something fascinating about this sight.

Sensing the blonde's eyes lingering, Aelphaba paused, and returned her gaze.

"My old clothes I arrived in proved highly impractical," the pale woman explained quietly. "And just as unnecessary. I no longer feel the cold... Nor do I usually entertain guests. It has been a while since fellow human eyes last met mine."

There was a deep sadness to these words. Galynda almost felt compelled to reach out, and embrace this woman she barely knew. Almost. She tried to offer her a small smile instead, hoping it would have a similar effect.

"How long have you been here?" she asked carefully.

Wrong question. Quickly looking away, Aelphaba let her hands drop into her lap. Her entire body seemed tense.

"Too long," she pressed out between grinding teeth. Then she jumped up, the unfinished braid unravelling, and the silky hair smoothly falling over her back. "We will need more firewood. If I collect some now, it might be dry again by tomorrow morning."

With that, she disappeared through the narrower passageway. Galynda considered the basket with the rest of the wood. Once dry, she wouldn't need the fire to be burning constantly. It was not as cold here as it was in Gillikin. Then she remembered the outlaws, probably still on the lookout for her. She staggered to her feet, and stumbled over to the viewpoint.

Of course they were still there. Galynda gasped, her eyes searching restlessly for any sign of Aelphaba. There was noting. She wondered how long it would take her to reach the entrance to the cave, how long to swim until she reached the other side. After only two minutes, she grew fidgety. Treading from one foot to the other, she kept watching the pool and the shore. The men were not far. One was looking after the horses, two of them were erecting a makeshift tent of some sort, and two more were standing close to the water, talking animatedly. The man who had tried to force himself on her the night before was not among them. As soon as she had realised this, she dismissed the thought. She preferred not to ponder over his fate. Then, at last, she spotted Aelphaba. She had resurfaced to the far right, as far away from the outlaws and as close to the shore as possible. Galynda watched her climb out of the water, and disappear in the thicket. Finally, she could release the breath she had been holding.

Already on her way back to the fire she felt terribly drained. She sat down, watching the flames, and waited. How long would that odd woman be gone? The dancing fire was hypnotic. She felt her head grow heavier while she slipped in and out of conciseness. She saw shadows, heard sounds, yet couldn't tell which were real and which were mere tricks of her tired mind. At some point, she was able to convince her body to move, and retrieve some more wood from the wicker basket. As soon as she had added it to the fire, the warmth increased considerably. Eventually, she lost the struggle, as this feeling of cosiness lulled her to sleep.

When Galynda awakened, it was dark. The fire had almost burnt down. It was getting a little chilly, but her hair and chemise had dried in the meantime, so she didn't mind too much.

"Aelphaba?"

She pushed herself up on her hands to look around. Evidently, she was still alone. A small whimper escaped her lips. Anxious, she turned her head towards the waterfall.

"Miss me?"

A hand placed over her heart, Galynda wheeled back around to the entrance.

"Thank Oz, you're all right. You are quite inconsiderate, you know? Being so reckless and all. Without you, I'd never make it out of here!"

Aelphaba's brows rose, and she smirked.

"So you're glad to see me?"

Noticing the bundle in Aelphaba's hands, the blonde cast her a questioning look. Aelphaba placed it on the ground, and began to unpack a piece of cheese, something that looked like soaked dried meat, and an apple.

"I realised you'd get hungry soon."

"You stole this from the men who are looking for me?" Galynda asked incredulously.

"Yes. That's why I had to wait until they were asleep."

With one swift motion, the taller woman picked up the cloth the food had been wrapped in, draping it around her torso. The white sheet covered everything from her chest to her mid-thigh. To the Gillikinese's surprised expression she replied,

"I know it made you uncomfortable."

With that, she began to sort out the firewood.

After Aelphaba had turned around, Galynda waited a clock tick longer before slowly scooching closer to the food, and reaching for the apple. The other woman soon returned, adding a few pieces of wood to the smouldering pile of charred sticks, and stoked the fire. Then she sat down, and began to braid her hair again.

"Have you already eaten?"

Aelphaba's hands stilled, and she looked up.

"I learnt to live off the wild grapes that happen to be growing on the side of the cliff. There is not much else here I could eat on a regular basis."

"Now that it's here, you could at least have a bite of the cheese," Galynda suggested.

"An extremely rare treat. I better resist, or I might develop a taste for it."

Shaking her head, the blonde returned her attention to her apple, taking a healthy bite.

They went to sleep soon thereafter. Even though Galynda had already had a nap, she was still exhausted enough for a second round. The 'bed' really was the pile of dried grass and leaves she had noticed earlier. It was meant for only one person, so, naturally, it was somewhat cramped - on top of being scratchy, and not at all as soft as she had dared to hope. Aelphaba did her best not to come in contact with her blonde guest's skin, and although Galynda at first thought that she was being overly concerned about giving her enough space, she eventually found out the real reason. In her sleep, she rolled over, unconsciously wrapping her arms around the slender frame next to her. She was used to the presence of another person in her bed. Gillikinese winters could be cruel, so in the coldest nights, she and her lady in waiting often shared beds to keep each other warm. This body, however, had no warmth to offer. Shocked by the cold, the smaller woman jolted up. For a drowsy moment, she panicked, thinking the other woman had died in her sleep. Luckily, Aelphaba's deep and even breaths told her otherwise. It was a confounding phenomenon. Not only Aelphaba's hands – no, her entire body was frigid.

"Who, are you? What happened to you?"

The pale woman stirred at Galynda's hushed whispers, and the Gillikinese tensed, afraid she might wake up. If she did, she didn't know what to say to her. All this was too bizarre to comprehend, especially in her sleepy state. Strangely enough, she was not scared, only concerned for her newfound friend. They were friends of sorts, weren't they? Aelphaba had protected her, even went out of her way to procure something edible for her. And Galynda in return cared enough to worry about her. This made her wonder whether, in the event that she could never return to her own home, Aelphaba would allow her to stay here with her. After all, she surely had no better idea where else to go.

Heaving a heavy sigh, she snuggled back into the soft bedding. Her body still felt weak, but the cogs in her head had begun churning, and there was no stopping them now. So she closed her eyes, brooding over anything that came to her mind. She made a mental list what to ask Aelphaba, what to tell her about herself in return to maintain a fair trade-off. She would find out where she was, and how far away from Gillikin. If there was a way for her to return, she would leave sooner rather than later. Perhaps, she should ask Aelphaba if she would like to accompany her. The journey would be less dangerous if she weren't alone, and surely, her father would have enough room in his castle for someone who saved his daughter's life.

The first thing the two women did once they had awoken was to check on the outlaws camping in the clearing. They were already awake, but did not seem in a hurry to leave. Galynda huffed in frustration. She bent down to pick up a small pebble. When she reached back to throw it as far as possible, Aelphaba seized her wrist. The blonde turned her head to glower at her, but the taller woman simply shook her head, and the stone dropped to the ground.

After that, they continued with breakfast and some housekeeping. While Galynda used a makeshift besom to clean up the remainders of their campfire, Aelphaba left the cave to harvest a bunch of the wild grapes she had told her about earlier. She left the white sheet behind, as is would only get wet, but put it back on as soon as she returned. Galynda was left with a mild sense of confusion, as she noted that she was almost disappointed at that. She comforted herself with a meal of cheese and grapes. The grapes were a little sour, but together with the cheese, the tanginess only added to the flavour.

Although Galynda did her best not being too bothersome with her questions, Aelphaba seemed disinclined to tell her much. By the time they shared a meagre lunch, Aelphaba knew all about the Gillikinese lady's childhood, her favourite pastimes and even her greatest fears. Galynda, on the other hand, had learnt not much more than the trivial fact that Aelphaba didn't care much for murdering wild animals – a shred of information she had surrendered quite willingly after hearing Galynda gush about the excitement of a good hunt.

By the afternoon, the men had left. Galynda was relieved to say the least, but when Aelphaba declared that she would use this chance to collect some more material for their bed, she was still reluctant to let the other woman go. In the end, she was able to convince her that their current bed pile was most certainly sufficient.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, as did the next few. The women enjoyed each other's company, despite the restrictions they faced. Although occasionally tempted by the threatening boredom, Galynda was adamant that she would not take the dive again, unless she had a good reason not to return to the cave afterwards. The worst times were when Aelphaba left in search of food, or other necessities. Sometimes she left without any warning, knowing that the Gillikinese would otherwise try to physically hinder her, or at least try to wheedle her into staying. The first time this had happened, Galynda had almost died of worry – or so she had told Aelphaba upon her return to make sure she felt adequately guilty. However, to her credit, she had to admit that Aelphaba never stayed away for very long. Galynda knew for a fact that, if she had the opportunity to leave, she would want to enjoy her freedom for as long as possible.

With the food and supplies Aelphaba brought back from her trips to the forest, she also brought grass she later hung up to dry, one bunch at a time. Eventually, their bed increased in size, yet Galynda didn't even think about making full use of the additional space available to her. She still preferred sleeping as close to the taller woman as possible, despite still being skittish of accidental contact with her cold skin. In their sixth night together, though, she hesitantly reached out to place the palm of her hand on Aelphaba's upper arm once she believed her sleeping. The chill was uncomfortable at first, and prevented her from falling asleep. After a few hours had gone by, however, her eyes had fallen shut, and sleep had claimed her at last. The following morning, she opened her eyes to find that her hand was still lingering on the exact same spot. She was particularly surprised to discover that her hand had not turned into an icicle, as she had secretly feared, but that the area of Aelphaba's arm where her hand had rested was just a little bit warm to the touch.