Elphaba slowly opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling. One silver lining of Colwen Grounds was the soft sheets, which made leaving the comforts of bed much harder than normal. She turned over and looked out the window at the rays of sun streaming into the room. Figuring it was only a matter of moments before Nanny barged in and forcibly helped her dress, she slowly got out of bed.
She had her own, private bathroom in the guest room, and quickly went to work. Just as she was coming out, clad only in a robe and a towel cocooning her wet hair, Nanny barged in without knocking or preamble. She was already dressed, and was disappointed to see that Elphaba wasn't.
"Elphaba, how are you not dressed yet?"
"Nanny!" Elphaba hissed.
"Nanny swears, she will never be through raising Thropp children." She went into the wardrobe and pulled out a dressy, white blouse and long, violet skirt, then got to work setting out Elphaba's underclothes, muttering to herself about how she would never get a break.
"Nanny, I am eighteen years old. I can get myself ready."
"Then you should have done it before."
"Goodbye, Nanny."
Nanny glanced over at her. "Very well. Nanny will give you ten minutes. More than enough time. Then come to the morning room for breakfast. And make sure you're wearing a slip!"
Knowing Nanny would keep her to that strict timer, Elphaba agreed and Nanny left, closing the door behind her. Once she finished, her hair was dry enough to brush and braid, and she went downstairs with forty-five seconds to spare.
Most of her family was already there, and she greeted Navi, who had returned from his business trip earlier that morning. She took a seat between Shell and her grandmother as they waited for the Eminent Thropp.
They weren't waiting long, since he came in five minutes later. Everyone stood and bowed, and he motioned for them to sit and for breakfast to be served. Breakfast was lively and casual. There was chatter, discussing the day's plans, and a minor food fight that ensued when Nessa assumed that a rogue blueberry that landed on her plate was thrown by Shell.
Once breakfast ended, the Eminent Thropp dismissed his family for the day, but asked Elphaba to follow him to his office. Not knowing what she could've possibly done to upset her great-grandfather within twenty-four hours of arriving, she nervously followed him out of the morning room to his office.
"Naoleine informs me that she wishes for you to go shopping with her in town," he said, standing behind his desk.
Elphaba stood on the other side. "Yes, sir."
He nodded, but his stern gaze didn't relax. "I trust you will keep your oddity under control."
Her hand twitched, subconsciously reacting to the subtext. "Yes, sir."
"I know I don't need to remind you of the horrible fallout that would ensue should you, as a member of this family, disrupt the peace." He stared at her twitching hand.
He'd just reminded her. Elphaba hid her hands behind her back, rubbing her knuckles until it calmed. "I know."
"I trust you won't cause a commotion."
I don't cause commotions, I am one, Elphaba thought, but knew better than to voice her joke. "I won't, sir."
He gave her a short, satisfied nod. "Good. You may go."
Elphaba nodded and left as gracefully and quickly as she could. She ran up to grab her headscarf, styling it by pinching it at the base of the back of her neck and pinning it in place, before going downstairs, where Naoleine was waiting for her.
"Ready?" the older Thropp asked.
"I'm ready," Elphaba nodded.
"I've decided we'll walk to town. It's not far and the weather is agreeable enough. Elisy will meet us by the fountain."
Elphaba agreed and they left Colwen Grounds, their security details trailing discreetly behind them on foot.
"What did Great-Grandfather say to you?" Naoleine asked, her voice low even though no one else was close enough to hear them.
"He told me to be on my best behavior and not cause a commotion."
"You still suffer from you… oddity?"
"I will always suffer from my verdigris. If you mean my magic, I have learned to control it and keep it hidden."
"You have? How? Magic isn't a widely recognized… or accepted… topic in Munchkinland, and with Uncle Frex being a Unionist minister…"
"I've smuggled books from the Rush Margins Athenaeum."
She said it so casually that Naoleine had trouble hiding her shock. "You've… what? That's the largest library in Munchkinland. How did you –"
"It was rather easy. I asked Boq Briscoe to go find whatever books he could find on magic. I told him not to check them out all at once, so he wouldn't raise suspicions. He came back to me with two books and a list of eight other book titles and descriptions of the other magic books he found."
"Boq Briscoe? That's the Mayor of Rush Margins, Bfee Briscoe's, son."
"He has a crush on Nessa, so getting him to do my bidding was easy. Don't look at me like that. This was five years ago. And I'd say my scheme worked, since we never got caught. I learned to hide my magic, Father is pleased with one less embarrassment to worry about, Nessa thinks she's saved my soul, Mother feels slightly less ashamed, and Shell is clueless."
Naoleine hummed. "I'm glad everyone ended up satisfied."
"Yes. Everyone is satisfied."
"But wait, didn't they wonder how you learned to control it?"
"Probably, but they didn't ask. They didn't care how. They got the result they wanted, and everything's been fine since then."
Naoleine noticed how Elphaba had tensed up, signaling that she wanted to change the subject. "How is life in Bright Lettins?"
"Fine."
"It's been years since I've visited Wend Farleigh Manor. The last time I was there, we were both… twelve, I believe. Does that large field behind the manor still have that overgrown grass?"
"Yes. Shell loves it there. He'll sometimes take his map supplies out there and draw until our parents find him. One time, he fell asleep out there."
Naoleine hummed. "And what are your plans now that you've finished upper school?"
"I want to go to Shiz University," Elphaba admitted quietly, yet confidently.
"Shiz? That's in the Gillikin. Why would you want to go all the way out there?"
"The Three Queens Library is there. I found a catalog of their books. It's one of the largest libraries in Oz. There's a large magic section."
"You wish to study magic?"
"I wish to know more. I have no idea why I was born with magic, or if it's related to my skin. I have a right to know, or at least try to find out. If I could have access to that, there's so much I could learn."
"That is a valid reason."
"I would probably study chemistry. It's so fascinating. I secretly packed some books in case things got boring here."
Naoleine chuckled. "Things won't be boring all week. I can assure you. Your parents are allowing you to go to college?"
"I… haven't asked them yet. The admittance test is next month. I haven't found the right time to bring it up. They have no reason to say 'no'."
Naoleine smiled. "I must tell you honestly, I sometimes envy your freedom, Elphaba."
"My freedom?"
"Yes. You have more freedom from public scrutiny, and have the option to dream of things you want that are well within your reach. You have more freedom from the family's politicalness."
"I am the topic of many rumors and gossip papers."
"Yes, but it's not…"
"As important," Elphaba finished for her.
Naoleine gave her a sheepish look. "Your life isn't used to boost public opinion. Your role in this family isn't as restricted. I am the dutiful heir, Navi is the businessman, and Aurol and Eadgyth are the young teenagers whose cheekiness is often forgiven because they're always in cute, matching outfits. You, Nessa, and Shell haven't been assigned roles, which means you have more freedom in choosing your roles and how they will fit into the family."
She didn't want her role to fit into the family, but knew that even though she had more freedom than her older cousin, she didn't have the freedom to be picky. She always saw it as an inconvenience when she was forced to come to Colwen Grounds, but she never thought of how it was for her cousins, who were in the direct line of fire. "I never thought of it like that. You're right."
"I am happy for you, though. I want you to go to the university. I want to live vicariously through you."
"So you'll go over my parents' heads to Great-Grandfather if they say no?" Elphaba asked hopefully.
"I will tell them that sending you to Shiz will be so beneficial for Munchkinland, that it will ensure our safe reign for generations to come."
Elphaba smiled, looking at the ground before returning her gaze to her cousin. "Do you want to get married?"
"Yes. Loiln is a nice man, and we're very fond of each other. Yes, it was a match Great-Grandfather arranged, but not in a full-on arranged marriage sense, and it all worked out in the end." They reached the town, and she immediately spotted her friend by the fountain. "Lisy!"
A young woman with short, black hair, olive skin, and a dark blue dress turned and smiled. She hurried over and gave her friend a curtsy and a hug. "Lienie!"
"Lisy, may I introduce my cousin, Elphaba, Thropp Eighth Descending of Nest Hardings. Elphaba, this is Elisy Adinlet, granddaughter of Judge Yeuni Adinlet."
It didn't surprise Elphaba that Naoleine was close friends with the granddaughter of one of their great-grandfather's ministers, seeing as she was about to marry the son of another one. It made complete sense, and further solidified her gratefulness to not be fully involved in politics. "Miss Adinlet."
The young woman smiled and gave Elphaba a small curtsy. "Your Excellency."
"I brought a list of things I need, so we should try to get as much as we can done before lunch. I made a reservation for the three of us at the Raven Torr Café for twelve-thirty," Naoleine said, pulling a folded paper from her skirt pocket and handing it to her friend.
The three walked around the carts and shops, Elisy taking charge of the list. Naoleine linked her arm with Elphaba's and expertly led her through the streets.
"I'm here enough that people have become used to my casual presence. I was told it would be good for publicity and our family's image, so I do it," Naoleine explained to Elphaba's inquiry as to why their shopping was going smoothly and no one was fussing over them.
There were a few isolated, deferential nods and mutters of "Your Excellencies", but for the most part, they were greeted with friendly smiles and minimal fussing.
"People are staring at me," Elphaba muttered.
"You're rarely here. It's not often the people get a glance at your side of the family."
"Most people didn't believe the rumors of your skin. Your photos are rarely released and circulated," Elisy admitted softly. "You're seen as an enigma, Your Excellency."
Elphaba was convinced that if it weren't for the rumors about her skin, no one would know who she was if she were to just walk around town.
Melena had done all she could to grant her family as much privacy as possible, though whether it was due to her personal preferences or wanting to hide Elphaba from the public eye as much as possible, was a mystery to everyone. But at the end of the day, the people's will would always override her wishes. As much as Elphaba hated how her mother made her "behave for their family", she knew and had to respect that she was trying her best.
"I'm used to it. People in Bright Lettins stare, too. People must wish for me to remain an enigma, because no one's ever tried to talk to me. I can't blame them, though. The green can be very off-putting," the green girl shrugged.
"We used to call her 'Little Frog' when she was little," Naoleine said in an attempt at lightening the mood. "It was endearing."
"Now, Nanny only calls me that when she's aggravated, which is often," Elphaba said with a slight smile.
The girls got most of their shopping done in the morning, and made it on time to their lunch reservations. After lunch, they stopped by a few more boutiques.
"You haven't spent all of your monthly allowance yet, have you?" Naoleine asked, noticing how Elphaba was starting to look bored as the girls inspected cute trinkets.
"Not all of it," Elphaba said.
"Then I have one more stop for us." Naoleine took her cousin's arm.
Elphaba bit back a groan and dutifully followed the two out and down the street. She was tired and started to get a headache. She fought to keep her face neutral. If word got back that she was seen in town frowning up a storm, her mother would never let her hear the end of it.
"Here we are," Naoleine announced.
Elphaba's eyes lit up when she glanced up at the bookstore sign.
"I had to make this trip worth your while."
The three browsed the shelves for a while, and Naoleine got nervous when she realized Elphaba was no longer standing next to her. She discreetly walked past a few stacks before she found her cousin balancing a large stack of books in her arms.
"Here, let me help," she said, taking the top three and placing them in her basket. "Are these all the books you want?"
"These are all the books I can fit in the room Nanny left in my suitcase. Maybe I could get more if I hid them in Shell's suitcase."
Naoleine chuckled. "Let's stick with these for now, then."
After paying for the books, the three parted ways at the door. Elisy had errands to run, and bid the Thropp heirs farewell. The two made their way back to the Governor's Mansion, happy with their purchases, and saw Nessa, Aurol, and Eadgyth playing on the front lawn under Nanny's watchful eye.
"You're back!" Eadgyth squealed, running up to her older sister and cousin.
"You missed lunch. We had the sandwiches I like," Aurol said with a slight pout that her sister missed out.
"Ah, the sandwiches I don't like," Naoleine said with a teasing grin. "I'm deeply sorry I missed out."
"Where's Shell?" Elphaba asked, not seeing her brother.
"He went fishing down at the creek with Grandfather," Eadgyth said, giving her ribbon to Aurol so she could fix her hair.
"You went shopping," Nessa said.
Naoleine nodded. "We did."
"And you invited Elphaba… and not me?"
Elphaba was about to respond, but her cousin beat her to it. "I was told I couldn't steal you from Aurol and Eadgyth. They planned a special day and wanted to include you," she said diplomatically, yet kindly.
"We forbade it," Eadgyth said proudly.
"And we had fun," Aurol added.
"No one gave us any special treatment. You would've gotten bored. Plus, Elphaba had to hold my bags," Naoleine nodded to Elphaba with a subtly wink.
The clearly-offended girl's face slowly melted. "Yes, that does make sense. But I don't think all those books are yours."
"They're mine, Nessa," Elphaba sighed.
"More books, Fabala? Why don't you finish reading all the other ones you have before buying new ones?" Nanny asked.
"I already finished those, Nanny."
"You may come with me and Mother to my final fitting tomorrow. Is that alright, Nessa?" Naoleine asked, crouching next to Nessa's chair and placing her hand on top of hers.
Placated, Nessa agreed. Naoleine gently patted her hand and stood, announcing that she was going to have a nap before afternoon tea, and disappeared inside.
"Elphaba, will you play Monsters and Maidens with us?" Aurol asked, grabbing her cousin's hand.
Elphaba gently freed her hand. "No."
"I believe a nap before tea is a good idea for everyone," Nanny said, already stepping behind Nessa's wheelchair.
The three younger Thropps complained and protested, but Nanny would hear none of it as she pushed Nessa inside, motioning for the twins to follow her. Not opposed to a nap, Elphaba followed her sister, with the reluctant twins behind her.
After stripping off her outerwear, she laid on the bed, clad in only her undergarments and slip. She reached for one of her new books, and the adrenaline of the day wore off before she finished the first chapter.