AN:
Hey guys! New Chapter!
That was kinda quick, but I have to warn you - gotta start working on my uni stuff now, so the last few updates might take a bit. Also: I originally said this story would be no longer than 6 chapters. Screw this! This already IS chapter six, and well, it's not the last one... There won't be too much more, but I'm over making predictions that won't really hold true anyway lol
So yeah...
Happy reading! :D
Vulnerable Hearts
Galynda jumped to her feet, her blood rushing to her head, as her emotions flared up like a wave of fire. Her entire girlhood she had been the perfectly obedient daughter, however, so far from home, she was through with allowing others to decide over her life and happiness.
"But I'm not prepared to let go of you!" she yelled. "Forget Gillikin, forget my father; none of that matters anymore, none of that is real anymore. I have you now, and that's all that counts. You are my new reality."
The anger and desperation stole her breath away, and had her chest heaving while she stared down at Aelphaba, waiting for a response. This was like a test of sorts, she told herself, to see whether she was prepared for the uncertain future awaiting the pair. She was confident that she could change her love's mind if she only demonstrated her determination and dedication.
"Well? Are we heading back now?" she prompted bolshily when the wait for Aelphaba's reaction became too much for her to bear.
The taller woman shifted her weight a couple of times before finally staggering to her feet. She stood before Galynda, her gaze eerily vacant.
"Come," the blonde said, despite how unnerved she felt looking into her love's empty eyes. She grasped her hand, and gave it a firm squeeze.
Although Aelphaba didn't reply, she allowed Galynda to lead her to the edge of the pool. From there, the Gillikinese didn't know what their next step should be - from where to jump into the water, or where exactly the entrance to the cave was located. In the dark of the night, she couldn't even recognise the spot where they had climbed ashore earlier. So she waited for Aelphaba to make her move, but the pale women remained hesitant.
Very slowly, Aelphaba turned to face Galynda. Drawing a shallow breath, she reached out, and brushed a golden curl behind her ear. Was this her attempt at reconciliation? Galynda smiled.
"Let's not wait here forever," she said, much gentler now. "Let's go home, and then we can discuss everything - or not, if you'd prefer that," she added when she noticed Aelphaba biting her lower lip. "I wouldn't mind just forgetting this argument ever happened. Especially in face of how wonderful this night has been up until then."
Her features vacuous, and as cold as her breath escaping into the night air, Aelphaba still leaned closer. The hand that had previously tucked away the strand of Galynda's hair now tenderly cupped the shorter woman's cheek. The gap between their faces was closed quickly, and cool lips brushed against warmer ones. Galynda felt a hint of disappointment at the all too transient effect she'd had on her love's body temperature, but the hope and joy that had begun to swell in her chest soon overshadowed any doubt, or discontent. The pale woman seemed to have discarded her initial impassiveness, and one kiss followed the other, until Galynda began to wonder how much of Aelphaba's affection she could possibly handle, having already had a full course of it less than an hour earlier. Was there such a thing as too much of a good thing when it came to love?
Just as they approached that ultimate tipping point, where Galynda knew that the desire would become uncontainable, and inevitably lead to more than fervent kisses, Aelphaba's mouth moved away from Galynda's, along her jawline. Her arms snaked around her neck, and down to the small of her back, holding her close. Then a pause. Her entire being once more set on fire by so much passion, Galynda suddenly felt almost hypothermic when it subsided, and a violent shudder overcame her.
"The village is very close," Aelphaba whispered in her ear. Another shiver. "Take the deer trail to the far right, and follow it until it crosses a little creek. Follow the creek downstream, and you'll find your destination. Tell the Munchkins Aelphaba of the Waterfall sent you. They'll give you supplies, and point you in the right direction."
Galynda was so shocked, she barely remembered to breathe. Eyes wide, she remained stock still when Aelphaba pressed her lips against her cheek one last time.
"I'm sorry," the pale woman murmured, and Galynda caught a glimpse of a sparkling tear before she stepped away, and - with a small splash - disappeared into the black water.
For a moment, the Gillikinese stood like frozen in time, staring in wild disbelieve at the spot where she had last seen her lover. Then, she fell to her knees.
"Aelphaba!" she cried, yet other than the gentle licking of the calm waves there was no answer. "Aelphabaaaaaaaaaaa!"
Denial was the blonde's first reaction. This couldn't be happening. Aelphaba must be playing with her, and Galynda swore that she would pay her back with interest for this cruel game. She continued calling her name, even laughed, and listed what shenanigans she had in store for her if she didn't come to pick her up right this instant. This stage soon passed though, and big, salty tears replaced the frustrated huffs, and pouts. The calls persisted, albeit they were quieter now and weaker. Only when the sun of a new day climbed the sky, the realisation that Aelphaba would not come back for her began to truly sink in.
No matter how hopeless the outlook, Galynda didn't leave. She curled up beside the fallen rushwood log, her hazy gaze directed at the pool, and waited for something - anything at all - to happen. The lonely morning melted into an even lonelier midday, and by late afternoon, the blonde was trembling from the chill that had settled in her heart. Her love had abandoned her, and she felt utterly betrayed. She still loved Aelphaba, but intertwined with that love were now deep hurt, and resentment. Her stomach protested being neglected, but she didn't care to listen.
"Should get up from the ground, pretty thing, the nights are growing cold."
Galynda's eyelids fluttered open, and the blurry outline of an ancient, poorly dressed hag revealed itself. The blonde couldn't recall falling asleep, yet was barely surprised, as she still felt drained after all the crying and heartbreak – even after the short rest her body had claimed. She pushed herself to a sitting position, trying to blink away the dizziness and confusion.
"Who are you?" she murmured, squinting her tired eyes in hope it would help her see clearer.
She could make out a pack basket on her bent back, filled with foliage, and grass; in her hand she carried another basket, almost empty, safe for a handful of berries and mushrooms. She carried no lantern, however, which made Galynda wonder how she had found her way trough the darkness of the forest.
"Only an old travelling woman browsing the wood for supplies," the stranger finally answered, her voice rough and grating from the long years she had already lived. "The real question is: Who are you? Unescorted young Gillikinese noblewomen as yourself are a rare find in Munchkin forests."
"How do you even-"
"These eyes might be less bright than they used to be, but they are not quite blind yet. Golden curls, blue eyes, ivory skin, soft spoken; I know how to recognise a nob from my homelands if I encounter one. Quite a peculiar bunch they all are with their haughty looks, and impractical gowns." She paused to look Galynda over, amusement reflecting in her wizened features. "Although I see you have taken the idea of essential attire to another extreme."
Blushing, Galynda drew her knees up to her chest, and wrapped her arms around her legs. The crone bared her crooked and foul teeth in a wide grin.
"Here, take this," she croaked, offering her a scratchy old blanket she had been using as cushioning between the basket and her hunched back.
"You… you are from Gillikin?" Galynda asked quietly, her eyes shyly glancing up and away again. "Are you one of the merchants who recently passed through a nearby village?"
"A merchant maybe, but I travel alone. I prefer my own company to that of others. But I might be willing to make an exception if you need a ride. My caravan is not far from here."
The younger woman's first instinct was to decline the proposal, but when she cast a longing glance at the waterfall on the other side of the pool, a little voice inside her head told her that she had nothing left worth staying for. Aelphaba could not be reasoned with once she had made up her mind. If there was any chance at all that she might reconsider, an entire day should have been enough for her to do so. Hearing her nightly screams must have been the toughest test for Aelphaba, the blonde supposed. Once quiet had returned to the clearing, she probably had gone to rest, passing the the time sleeping until the coast was clear.
"Indecisive child," the crone huffed impatiently. "Well, I don't have all night. Follow me if you want my help, otherwise farewell, and best of luck to you."
Galynda watched her plodding away. She looked back to the waterfall, then to her feet, and one more time to the waterfall. The little voice that preached prudence finally convinced her to pull herself together, and so she unenthusiastically followed the strange woman, trailing but a few paces behind.
No more than twenty minutes later, they reached a path. It was wide enough for a carriage, but overgrown with grass, and uneven. It didn't seem like it was used very often. A horse's whiny sounded through the dark wood, and soon, the old woman's caravan came into sight. The heavy horse attached to the waggon – a piebald Glikkun Dray – was tied to a tree.
The old woman placed her smaller basket at the steps of the caravan and the big carrier in front of the horse, who greedily began to devour the fresh leaves. Galynda's stomach used the opportunity to remind her that it, too, would like to be fed. The crone laughed.
"Come inside, and I will see what I can find in my modest pantry. Can't have you pinch my horse's food – he has to go back to work in the morning."
The interior of the carriage was roomier than Galynda would have expected. There were two beds - one hovering above the other (the lower one was occupied by a sleeping cat) - a wooden table that could be folded, and fastened against the wall, and a surprising number of shelves, and bookcases. The old woman waddled to her miniature stove, on her way snatching two metal cups from their hooks on the wall. She poured some lukewarm tea, and handed one cup to her guest before rummaging through her cabinets and drawers in search of food. In the end, they both sat down at the table, chewing away on dried fruitcakes and chomper nuts.
"So, what brought you all the way to Munchkinland, young lady?" the crone asked conversationally while cracking a few more of the tough nuts for them to feast on. "Didn't look like a pleasure trip."
Galynda put down the rest of her fruitcake, and folded her hands in her lap.
"I was abducted by outlaws. They brought me all the way to Munchkinland before I could escaped."
"They took your clothes, too?" the old woman smirked.
Galynda shot her a disdained look. Somehow she really didn't see what was so funny about that.
"You don't need to tell me; I already know you have been with the maiden of the waterfall."
The old woman snickered gleefully at her own witticism, while Galynda could only stare at her in wide-eyed astonishment.
"I can smell her on you. Not that I've ever met, or even seen her, but I detect the lingering scent of a powerful spell. There's nothing else in these woods that oozes magic like this."
The blonde didn't know how to react to all this. All she knew was that the ancient crone was becoming creepier by the minute. Most likely, she was a magic being herself, and not an ordinary merchant as Galynda had been led to believe. She toyed with the idea of simply running away. The witch's wobbly legs would not be able to keep up with her, that much was certain. Yet she didn't know what other powers she might have to stop her, or even where she should go in the event of a successful escape. Treading through the darkness, she had blindly followed her, and couldn't possibly find her way back to the waterfall. So she remained seated, making a rather unsuccessful attempt at hiding her discomfort.
"You should know, poppet, that I don't mean you any harm. I will take you back to Gillikin, rest assured. As fare I only ask that you tell me a bit about that poor soul that is bound to that waterfall. I have heard many a story about her, but stories are just that. You seem a far more reliable source, and I am eager to learn what I can."
"Will you send me away if I don't tell you?" Galynda asked warily.
"You are worried for her? About revealing her secrets?"
The younger woman chose not to reply.
The old witch's chair was dragged across the wooden floor with a screaking noise. Sitting beside Galynda now, the wrinkly woman deftly reached for a soft hand, and held it tightly in place. Galynda's breath caught in her throat, but she couldn't quite explain why. An odd feeling overcame her, almost as though the witch was using her hand to suck the energy out of her body. She began to tremble. When she was released at last, she slumped back against the backrest of her chair, panting slightly.
"What was that?" she demanded, her voice shaking somewhat.
"It is worse than I thought," the old hag replied, shaking her head. Galynda watched her, dreading what she might say. "You love her, don't you?"
That conclusion, the blonde had not expected. How could the witch know about this from simply holding her hand, and why was she so concerned about this?
"What if I do?" she retorted curtly.
"Oh, did my little remark worry you? Sorry about that, my pet. I will explain.
"You lay with her." At Galynda's shocked expression she merely lifted a finger, and wiggled it in front of the younger woman. "Don't you dare denying it, I can feel the power of her spell within you."
Galynda suddenly felt sick.
"Does that… does that mean I caught it… like a flu or something?"
On a second though, the idea was strangely appealing. She would ask the witch to bring her back to the waterfall, so she could tell Aelphaba that they would be together for the rest of eternity.
"Nothing of that sort," she old crone chuckled. "The seed of magic within you is too weak to truly bind you to this place. However, it binds you to her. Not in a spatial sense, but on an emotional level."
"What do you mean?"
"The effect will eventually subside, no worries. But until then, your feelings for her will remain strong, making your little heart ache. It might even break and kill you, so take good care. We don't want that to happen, no."
"Is that all?" Galynda asked, a frown furrowing her brow. From what she had heard, the pain from loosing a loved one was a dreadful experience, but was the old woman being serious that it could be lethal, too?
"You think I'm jesting? Listen to me, poppet: This is no usual bond between two lovers. The magic within her amplifies the emotions of you both. She will suffer the same as you, only you are so very fortunate to have met me. Wait here, I'll only need a moment."
Again, the thought of escape crossed the blonde's mind. This woman was insane. Or perhaps she was wise. In case of the later, her inner voice of reason argued, it would be better to stay and receive her help. The witch returned, and Galynda perked up and acted conspicuously innocent, as though she had something to hide. The witch snorted, and shook her sparsely haired head.
"I have two potions that might help – free of charge for you, because I must admit that I enjoy this most curious case. The first one-" She placed a blue vial with a weathered, unreadable label on the table. "-will capture, and retain the essence of her that still lingers within you. What that means is that you will never be able to forget your love for her. Your heart will be hers till the day you die."
Galynda was about to protest, for she didn't see how that was supposed to improve her situation in the slightest. But the ancient crone had anticipated her question.
"It also means that a part of her will always be with you. This will make the pain more bearable, and will protect your heart from shattering to pieces."
Galynda nodded, and grabbed the small bottle to inspect it sceptically. The old witch pressed the other vial into her free hand. The content seemed less, but it was as heavy as a chunk of lead, making her hand drop onto the table.
"And if you take this one," she explained, "it will erase her presence entirely. Within a tick tock, you will have forgotten all about her, and your feelings for her."
Galynda's eyes immediately snapped to the second bottle. Her hand tightened around it, then she opened it again to study the label. There was none. She swallowed hard. Her heart was beating in a strange, irregular rhythm. She had never been this torn.
"The decision isn't as easy as it would appear, ey?"
"How much time do I have to make up my mind?"
The older woman shrugged her shoulders.
"You can take the second potion any time, only waiting would increase the risk, and prolong your suffering. The first potion will be most effective if taken immediately. As her presence fades, there will be less of her that remains to protect you against the adverse effects."
After all that, Galynda had lost her appetite. The witch told her to use the bed at the top, while she would share the lower bed with the cat once she was finished cleaning up. Crawling under the thin blanket, the blonde was overcome with exhaustion. She placed the potions that had been given to her on the edge of the shelf installed right next to the bed's head end, and collapsed into the pillow.
The next time Galynda opened her eyes, she found herself not in a bed, or anywhere else in the witch's caravan, but on a pile of hay and leaves. She jumped, her head snapping around to scan her surroundings. She sensed movement further down, right beside her. Aelphaba turned in her sleep, quietly muttering her name, and reaching out to pull her back down. For a moment, Galynda was confused, unable to discern which scenario was dream, and which was reality. Had it all been but a terrible nightmare? How much of what she thought had happened, had truly come to pass, and how much was fantasy? Or was this a fantasy while she was still lying in a bed somewhere else. She hoped not.
Cautiously, she lay back down, resting her head on her arm, and studying her opposite, the light of the campfire reflecting so beautifully on her alabaster skin. Aelphaba flexed her right hand, then stretched her arms, her eyes slowly fluttering open. She shuffled closer. A tender kiss was placed on Galynda's lips.
"You're cold my heart," Aelphaba's voice whispered softly, and the pale woman wrapped her arms around Galynda's body. Her embrace was so wonderfully warm and reassuring, and the blonde already felt sleep claiming her again. But the second her eyelids had fallen shut, Galynda woke with a start, eyes wide, and breathing heavily.
She was surrounded by cold darkness, and she was alone again. Well, not quite alone – from underneath her, she could hear the distinctive sound of snoring. And the gentle padding of paws; the cat was now awake, and eagerly exploring the interior of the waggon. Galynda covered her face with her hands, and expelled a frustrated groan. Wrapping her blanket around her shoulders for some minimal comfort, she attempted to calm her pounding heart, but it was of no use. Every single thud delivered real, physical pain, and she was fearful of what the witch had told her coming true. Her eyes darted towards the nearby shelf. The two bottles were still sitting there. She reached out a trembling hand, and picked up the one to the right. It took her considerable effort to remove the cork, but once the seal was gone, she didn't think twice before downing the liquid, knowing even a clock tick's hesitation would be enough to unleash her doubts.
The following morning, the ancient crone woke the blonde by poking her mattress with a broomstick.
"Time to rise and shine, poppet," she cackled in that rough voice of hers, and exited the waggon, slamming the door. Soon thereafter, the heavy vehicle set into motion.
Careful not to fall, Galynda climbed off her bed. Her head was throbbing, and the shaking of the caravan, accompanied with the noisy clattering of various dishes, pots, bottles and other trinkets was absolutely not helping. Half-blinded by the pain, she felt her way to the small table where she knew the chairs to be. Her hand found a tiny, shrivelled apple and a piece of rock-hard bread. She sat down, and ate them anyway. While her appetite had still not returned, her hunger was no longer ignorable.
The pain subsided somewhat as she chewed, and her thoughts, and sight became clearer. She noticed the plain, grey dress that was draped over the backrest of her chair, and slipped it on. It was both, too short and too wide for her, yet it was better than that lousy blanket. At least she would not have to hide herself away once they reached more populated areas. If that was the sort of route they were taking – given the old hag's peculiarities, it would have hardly surprise her if they were to avoid human contact at all cost.
They didn't however. After her meagre breakfast, Galynda jumped out of the back of the caravan, and quickly ran up to the front where the witch sat on the coachman's seat. She gripped the brass handle, and hopped onto the small step, then climbed all the way up to sit next to her. They were already nearing a village, and Galynda recognised it as the very place where she had escaped the outlaws.
"We will pick up some bread and spiced wine here," the ancient woman supplied. "My provisions were not meant to feed two mouths."
The trade was settled quickly, and they were on their way again. Galynda watched the roads carefully, memorising every landmark, and the name of every town they passed, or travelled through. At their steady, gentle pace, it took them two and a half weeks until they reached Galynda's hometown. The witch halted her caravan in front of the large, wooden north gate to bid her young travel companion a brief farewell.
"Are you sure you don't want to see me to my father's estate? He certainly would reward you generously for your services."
"Ah, you see: Not a day in my life have I served the high and mighty, stuck-up folks that arrogate the right to rule over these lands, and oppress the simple people. And I'm sure as hell not going to start now. No, my pet, I did a poor, helpless thing a favour, but mostly, I acted in my own interest, quenching my curiosity. I wish you well, poppet, but now I have to continue on my way. My own home is not far from here, and I plan to reach it before sundown."
With that, the witch clicked her reins, and the massive piebald horse began to move.