Chapter 4: Late in the Night
The next few days went by incredibly quickly.
The mornings and afternoons were spent visiting possible homes for Nessarose. Mina had come away with six homes for sale near Kiamo KO, the farthest was located near the Choc River, about a 30 minute carriage ride.
The morning after, Elphaba had presented Nessarose with the diagrams Mina had given her, each depicting the layout and scale of the home. Right away, Nessa had vetoed two of them, declaring them too big; she didn't have the need for that much space.
"Would you like to see the rest of them in person then?"
"I think so," Nessarose nodded. "How will that take?"
Elphaba hummed. "We don't have to visit all of them today, but they're not far from the castle. We could probably go to two of them and be back by three hours after midday if you wish, my sweet."
"Oh, Fabala could we? I still need to grant Val that rematch she demanded," the young teen chuckled.
The green girl's eyebrows went up. "Alright."
And so they'd gotten on a carriage, along with Mina and security, and headed off to the first house. It was close to a hospital, though what worried Elphaba was that it was also near a prison.
As soon as Elphaba had stepped out of the carriage, many eyes fell on her. She tried to not pay mind, but that proved to be hard when she could practically feel each one burning holes into her green skin. Once she had her hands on the handles of Nessa's wheelchair, she mustered up the best smile she could and directed it at the people staring.
To her slight surprise, the people just started waving, some even bowed to her from where they stood. Elphaba waved back, which only earned her more smiles. She'd known the Vinkuns had been informed of her green skin, many of them had even seen her themselves during that Ozforsaken carriage ride after the wedding ceremony. But she hadn't expected the…reverence they showed her, even if she was a queen they'd been expecting for years.
"It's alright, Your Majesty, you're both safe," Mina said as they walked.
"It's not that," Elphaba waved at a family as they rounded a corner. "It's just…I've never been…received," she went with. "Like this before, not with," she rubbed all her fingers across her thumb and Mina understood.
"I see. No one would dare disrespect you, however, you're our sovereign."
"I came from a noble family name with high status, that still didn't stop the things that were said behind my back," Elphaba admitted and she caught Nessarose sneaking a glance at her over her shoulder. "The thing is that the whispers I hear now are more from awe than disgust."
Mina pondered for a moment. "If it's your disbelief at the disregard for your skin color, I guess the best explanation I can offer you is that Vinkuns come in many shades and colors themselves. I'm sure you've noticed that yourself."
Elphaba nodded.
"I admit, we're not perfect, and while we've never seen green skin before, we'd be hypocrites to base our opinions on you based on that."
Elphaba's shoulders dropped as she let Mina's words sink in. She supposed that made sense, but she still couldn't fully believe that so many people - a country - would be kind to her upfront and when she turned around. Maybe she would believe it one day.
"This must be it," Nessarose spoke up.
"It is," the young queen confirmed.
The visit was relatively short. The house needed much repair on the inside from the walls to the plumbing. And while the owner assured that nothing was beyond fixing, Elphaba didn't want to spend extra on fixing a home if she didn't have to. Nessa also hadn't been too fond of the layout; the walls were narrower than expected, barely wide enough to fit her wheelchair, and the rooms would not be spacious enough for her to move around once they'd placed all the furniture.
One down.
The second house was more promising. It was part of a modest neighborhood with a large market nearby. Some of the other members of the community; a mix of older couples, families, and young adults; greeted them and even mentioned how there were often gatherings at different houses to celebrate holidays together.
The inside of the property was also good, far better than the previous house. It had a single floor, the walls were bare and clean, all the oil lamps worked as well as all the faucets. There was ample space in all the rooms, enough that Nessarose would be able to move without problem within them even after the furniture was added. The stone stove in the kitchen was low enough for Nessarose to comfortably cook herself, though she would need assistance if she needed to use the pots, which required hanging. The washroom had been the last room they'd taken a look at, and it was also of a decent size. By the look on her sister's face, Elphaba was sure Nessarose could see herself living here, but they still needed to look at two more homes.
That afternoon, Val spent more time with Nessarose while Elphaba allowed Mina some time to herself so she could organize all the jewelry she'd decided to keep. The shelves had come in hand for that. Elphaba opened all the boxes with necklaces and began to pair them with a tiara. Once she'd had a pair, she closed the box, gave it a place on the bookshelf near her desk and looking glass, and placed the tiara on top. Once she was through those, she took the time to also organize the bracelets and rings; some looked good along with sets she'd created, others were better with less.
The next day, Val offered to take Nessarose into town. Nessa had hopped - hopped - in her chair and her eyes had sparkled with glee. Elphaba wasted no time in letting her little sister make the decision herself. She knew the girls would most likely spend the entire day out, so she decided this was the perfect opportunity to sort through the clothes she'd been gifted.
Like she'd predicted, almost nothing fit her properly. Fortunately, she learned that her lady-in-waiting was quite versed in sewing. Mina quickly set up her boxes of pins and chalks, effortlessly pinching the cloth tighter and drawing a line where some fabric would have to be removed.
They repeated the pattern with practically every article of clothing: put on, pin, mark, keep or put back, unpin, take off. Elphaba hadn't received only dresses either. There were ensembles of tunics along with the dress to wear over it and a corset, more simple articles compared to some of the more elaborate gowns.
"Does that feel better, my lady?" Mina asked once she'd finished pinning Elphaba's dress.
Elphaba gave her reflection a once-over. "Yes," though the dress now fit her perfectly, she wasn't entirely sure the bright red color suited her. "But I don't think I'll keep it."
"Understood," Mina nodded and began to remove the pins to help her mistress remove the dress.
Her lady-in-waiting was just about to undo the buttons in the back when there was a knock at the door.
"Sister!"
"Come in, Nessa!"
The door opened and Nessarose happily wheeled herself in, closing the door behind her. "Hello, Mina. Fabala, I need to tell you about everything we saw! Oh, it was amazing! You wouldn't believe the beautiful artifacts they sell at some of the shops!"
"Alright," Elphaba chuckled. "Let me just get into my dress," she said.
Once she had her own garment on, she helped Mina fold the pieces to the red dress she'd tried on. Elphaba ran her hands over her head, they weren't even near halfway done with sorting through all the clothes. It would probably take a day or two before they finished.
"Mina, please take these back to the - actually, darling, would you like to look at them? See if you like anything?"
"Oh! Alright," Nessarose set down a couple bags that she'd been holding on her lap and began to give each piece a quick glance. She ended up taking only one dress, a simple garment she would easily be able to don herself. There was only a ribbon at the waist that needed to be tied.
"Now Mina, please take these back to the cubicle and you're dismissed for the next few hours."
"Shall I come and fetch you at dinner time then, Your Majesty?"
"Yes, that would be perfect."
Mina nodded and pushed the cart with the clothing the queen had sent back. "Excuse me, my lady. Miss Nessarose."
"Now," Elphaba sat on the cushioned bench in front of her bed. "What were you telling me, sister?"
The sisters spent the next hours talking. Nessarose giddily showed Elphaba everything she'd purchased for herself and she'd also gotten her older sister a small gift.
"I hope it fits," she murmured and presented the green girl with a small white box.
"Nessa, you didn't have to get me anything, my sweet."
"I wanted to."
Elphaba smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind Nessa's ear. She opened the box and inside was a thin, gold band with a small diamond, smaller than the nail on her pinky finger.
"I got one for myself too. I just…we're starting a new chapter, you and me. And it's always been you and me. I hope it always is."
"It's lovely, Nessa," Elphaba removed the ring from its box and tested it on each finger of her left hand. She paused when she spotted her wedding ring. She'd forgotten it was there to begin with. She pursed her lips and simply decided she'd wear Nessa's ring on her other hand. It fit best on her third finger. Nessarose held her right hand as well, showcasing the ring's other half on her fourth finger. "And it will be. I love you."
"I love you too, Fabala."
Val and Mina joined them at dinner time. The hours seemed to fly by whenever the group of them sat down to have a conversation. Soon enough it was bedtime and another dawn broke.
Elphaba decided to use this day to check the last two houses Nessa had made note of. Though they were in ample condition and each room was perfectly spacious enough for Nessarose's wheelchair, it seemed the young teen had her heart set on the second house they'd visited a few days prior.
"It was a very nice home, wasn't it?"
"Indeed, and it's not far from Kiamo Ko either," Nessarose added. "Besides, Val likes to keep busy and the market is within walking distance as well as laundry services. She won't have to travel so far if she needs to entertain herself."
Elphaba set down the diagram of the house she'd been glancing over. "You wish to live with Val?" It was the first time Nessa had touched on the subject.
"I do. I enjoy talking to her. She's kind and witty and when we spend time together…how can I describe it?" Nessarose gnawed at her lip. "Fabala, she treats me like anyone else in spite of my wheelchair. She doesn't immediately assume I need assistance to do things. And…last night, it was one of those times. My legs were torturing me; I was in so much pain. Val helped me get through it and didn't talk to me like a babe. She just…helped. She made sure I was feeling better before she left. She's a friend and after last night, I trust her wholeheartedly."
Elphaba held Nessarose's hand. "I'm glad."
She'd lost track of time. Not even mere hours, the days. She'd been so preoccupied with finalizing the purchasing of Nessarose's new home and deciding what wedding gifts she would keep.
Now that she had the deed to the property, she left everything up to Val and Nessa. They would pick out the furniture, decor, and stock up on the foods they wanted. Mina had begun making the alterations on the garments she'd chosen while Elphaba went through the remaining cubicles which contained miscellaneous items: laces, bowls, ribbons, and vases. Those hadn't been hard to go through at all.
But the sun was setting, which meant it was almost time for dinner, that tomorrow she would officially begin her duties as queen, and the king still hadn't returned. She had no idea what would happen in the morning.
Elphaba opted to miss dinner. Her plans of taking notes on the books she'd set aside never happened. She figured something would be better than nothing, therefore she needed all the time she had.
"Would you like for me to bring you dinner to your chambers, my lady?" Mina offered.
The green girl shook her head. "No, that won't be necessary, Mina. Thank you, and you're dismissed for the night."
Her lady-in-waiting picked at her fingers, but made no effort to leave the room.
"Is something wrong, Mina?"
"Your Majesty…it's just that - and I apologize if I'm overstepping, you have every right to banish me from your chambers," her mistress clasped her hands in front of her. "You haven't been…eating," she breathed out. "Or rather, you're eating very little and I'm…to speak a tad bit freely, my lady, I'm concerned for you. Are you alright? Does Vinkun food make you queasy? I could find remedies for that if that's the case. I know food from different countries - "
"Mina," Elphaba interrupted the teen's ramblings. "Breathe."
She did as instructed and she swallowed hard. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty."
Elphaba smiled grimly. "You're not wrong. I…I'll admit I haven't been eating much. But I'm working on it."
"Is there anything I can do to help you?"
"No, I don't think so," she'd rather not explain the root of her struggles.
"Alright," Mina nodded. "I'll see you at sunrise, my lady."
"Rest Mina."
She dimmed the lights as much as she could except for the one next to her desk. She grabbed the first book in sight, The Vinkun Monarchy. She was sure she'd read it weeks ago, when she was told she'd be coming here, but it wouldn't hurt to refresh her memory. She opened it and dipped her quill in ink.
'In the event of disaster or tragedy, it is a sovereigns duty to - '
A knock prevented her from finishing the rest of the sentence.
She glanced at her only window. A near new moon sat high in the sky. No doubt the city was long asleep. "Yes?"
Her main door didn't open. The one connecting the king's chambers to her own did. "You're awake."
Elphaba stood, messily arranging the few pages of notes she'd managed to scribe. She turned to him and swallowed. "You're back."
He nodded. "My apologies. I was called to Quadling Country for an emergency meeting regarding negotiations for a peace treaty."
"I hadn't realized we were feuding."
"We aren't. It was between them and Ev. Border disputes."
"Oh," she said. "Well, welcome home."
In truth, she'd begun to wish he were here. She'd been informed that his return was imminent, but no one could give her an exact time. She had so many questions about her roles and responsibilities, what their schedule would look like in the upcoming days, things only he could give her an answer to. But it was so late. Perhaps they could wait until morning? But what if they never crossed paths tomorrow, or if he was called away again for Oz knew how long? She'd be on her own, officially active in a role she'd had no preparation for, and in spite of her best efforts, she'd be lost.
She opened her mouth to speak, but the words trapped themselves in her throat as he began to unbutton his coat. Her heart pounded in her chest and fear washed over her. She immediately wished he weren't here.
"My apologies, have I interrupted something?"
"Um," she stammered. "No," Ozdammit, say 'yes' you fool!
He made no move to remove his coat, just left it to hang on his shoulders. He approached her and pointed to her papers. "May I?"
Elphaba stiffly nodded.
He pulled the top page towards him and silently traced the words with his eyes. "You've been reading The Vinkun Monarchy."
"Yes."
"Mhm," he hummed. "Do you have any questions for me?"
"Many," she quietly admitted. "I'm…I'm not entirely sure of what…what I'm supposed to do."
He only stared at her notes. "Are you tired at all?"
Where was he going with that? Elphaba cleared her throat. "Not…exactly."
"Come with me."
She didn't move as she watched him walk away from her. It was only when he opened her main door that she felt light enough to move her feet. Sweet Oz.
The king led her towards the stairs, but instead of going down, he walked past. She hadn't gotten the chance to properly tour the castle, she only knew the path to her chambers, the ballroom, and a few common rooms; all places she'd been spending most of her time since she'd arrived. This dimly-lit hallway was entirely unknown to her.
They reached a single door. When he tried to open it, it was locked.
"Damn," he glanced around. "Wait here for a moment," he said.
He made his way towards the stairs. He was out of her sight, but she figured he must've encountered someone when she heard hushed voices. She shifted her weight and crossed her arms, suddenly feeling a bit cold. She turned to the side, mapping out this side of the hall. Her heart nearly lept out of her skin at looking towards her chambers.
There was someone trying to enter her bedroom.
Elphaba opened her mouth in a futile attempt to call out to the king, a servant, anyone Ozdammit. But only a croak escaped her throat. Why was she frozen? All she seemed capable of doing was staring. She saw the king approaching her out of the corner of her eye. She turned to him, a hand at the ready to point towards the figure, but when she turned back, it was gone, seemingly vanishing into thin air. Elphaba shook her head. She was certain there had been someone there. She clearly saw the outline of a young woman, she'd even made out how the hair had been woven into two braids. Whoever it'd been, they must've gone inside her chambers then.
She swallowed her alarm. Surely there was no reason to panic. Not yet, anyways. "Do staff members here make night rounds?"
The king fiddled with something in his hands. "Not always, but yes, they may be around the grounds at odd hours of the night."
Elphaba nodded. With a weight off her chest, she noticed that the king held a ring with three keys. He removed one from the ring and handed it to her.
Elphaba slowly reached for it. She glanced at the door and he nodded. She took the key and searched for the keyhole with her hand. She unlocked the door and nudged it open. The room was undoubtedly a study.
"This is the queen's study," he explained as they stepped inside. He increased the light emanating from the oil lamp then beckoned her to the bookshelf. "Here are many historical records and guidelines about any and all government matters. There are also many empty journals for new record keeping. I apologize, I should've told you about the room sooner."
"It's alright," Elphaba dragged her fingers across the spines of the books. These would be extremely helpful.
He pulled a couple from the shelf and walked over to the desk in the center of the room. "I should begin with the fact that we have a meeting in the early hours of the morning tomorrow. Please, take a seat," he pulled out the desk chair for her and began to flip through the pages of the largest book he'd grabbed.
Elphaba slowly lowered herself onto the chair and scanned the items on the desk. There were numerous quills along with ink bottles and an unused candle. In the corner there was a beautiful silver box. Elphaba lifted a corner ever so slightly. It was empty. It seemed she was supposed to fill it with whatever she wanted. Before she could open the drawers, the king spoke.
"There's three matters of priority to discuss tomorrow: defense budget, taxes on exports, and school buildings."
She hastily reached for a sheet of paper as well as a quill and ink. She wrote down the three points of discussion and he placed the open book in front of her. The pages contained a list of weapons along with a few sketches of the weapon itself.
"I know these," Elphaba traced her finger down the list, paying particular attention to the names with a star next to them. They sparked her memory. "These are the main arms for the Gale Force," the Vinkun army.
"That's right," he said. He paused for a moment before clearing his throat then continuing. "And at the end of their description is how much their production costs."
She nodded.
"Arms along with packaged meals, uniforms, equipment, and everything else written in the next page are the expenses of the defense department; the budget of which is close to entering debt. There's more soldiers retiring than enlisting. What we'll need to figure out at the meeting is if cuts can be made. If so, where and why and what can be the expected growth of income over the next year?"
"There's no worry about the small retention percentage?"
"Not as of now. This pattern has been repeating itself for the past few decades," he explained. "The numbers surge steadily for a few years, reach a plateau, then drop, then begin to rise again. There's normally no need to adjust the budget, but with the decrease of the force coinciding with a recent expenditure to guard the Emerald City, it's best that some precaution is taken, if only for a small while."
That made sense. Elphaba wrote down the main points of what he'd said and quickly scribbled down the main expenses of the Gale Force along with their exact costs. She already had some ideas running through her head, which she also quickly made more of as well. She'd do the calculations tomorrow once she knew what the defense budget actually looked like as well as its monthly deposits.
"And you said there was also a matter of taxes on exports?"
"Yes," the king switched the book in front of her. Now she was looking at a list of products ranging from produce to silverware to minerals. "The Privy Council is expected to present diagrams of supply and demand tomorrow."
"Is it simply a matter of what has sold in high numbers and what hasn't?"
"Precisely. We'll debate about adjustments, if needed, on how much we tax the other countries for certain products."
That didn't sound too daunting. However, "What is the typical range? Does it vary by category?" The last thing she wanted was to propose an unthinkable amount for a certain merchandise.
"Food items are typically between 1-3%. Salt is the exception however. Since the Vinkus is the main manufacturer, salt will typically sit at a 5% tax rate. There should be a page here…somewhere," he flipped through a couple pages until he presented her with a chart containing a standard tax for each item. "I would focus more on the first five products of each chart, and each percentage value will typically be raised or lowered two whole numbers. That's your range."
Oh thank Oz. He allowed her a few moments to copy down the upper five rows of each chart.
"Finally, the last item we'll touch on is school buildings. To put it simply, we need more of them."
"Population surgance?"
"Yes; the most recent census showed that there was a large population of infants from the age of three months to 11. Bigger than we've seen in almost a century."
"That…does not sound like much time," assuming each child started their education at the standard five years of age, there was less than four years left to plan and budget the construction of… "how many more schools exactly?"
He sighed, almost groaned. It was clear this was something that was burdening him and she feared she wouldn't like what he said next. "At least three for each education level in every region."
She was right.
Sweet Oz. Elphaba dropped her quill and ran her hands over her head. The Vinkus had six regions. That meant at least 54 new buildings. The materials, the workers, not to mention the time constraint.
At least she knew about this now. At least she could sleep and try to ward off this headache rather than bear it for an entire day tomorrow.
"Alright," she exhaled. "Am I correct to assume this project will fall in my hands?"
"You will have help. But yes; all major plans and decisions concerning the additions of new schools will be entirely yours to make. You are the head of this project."
She'd figured as much. She was supposed to be the monarch closest to the people. Who else would take the reigns in something that concerned them so? She was going to be extremely preoccupied for the unforeseen future.
"Don't trouble yourself so much."
Elphaba swallowed her scoff. "How can I not?"
"The sun hasn't risen yet. We'll cross that bridge when we get there."
She rested her head in her palm. "I guess you're right. How long do these meetings last?"
"Hard to say. At least two hours, but it's not unusual for them to run well into the afternoon."
Oh jolly. She didn't want to think about the meeting any longer.
"May I ask you a few questions, relating to a different subject?"
"Of course."
"I…I may have already made some mistakes, but what is customary for a queen to don when she goes out in public?"
The king blinked at her, he hadn't been expecting that question.
She'd never left Munchkinlad in her life. She hardly knew the societal norms there, let alone here. And if she's going to be a public figure and tour the country, be a representative of the Vinkus, she should know about their society, be clued in on how it functions. Not to mention the Vinkus hadn't had a queen for more than a decade. There were bound to be changes in regulations and expectations.
"Well," he began. "Not just the queen, but women, even men, will typically wear their hair up when out on errands. Shorter length or special occasions are when it's more common to see locks down. It's a norm, but not something strictly enforced. No one will cast you out if you decide you want to leave your hair down for the day."
She nodded. That sounded easy enough. She preferred to keep her hair up anyhow.
"As far as garments go, the upper class is moving away from the extravagance it once exhibited, even the royals and the court. I've noticed women have left hoops behind, the natural shape of the skirt is preferred, though from the neck to the waist they are still fitted. Ah, here's something: pure white is only worn for nuptials or mourning. The distinction is in the head covering; brides will typically showcase their hair, someone in mourning, regardless of sex, will cover theirs."
"Oh," that was very intriguing actually. She did recall seeing people dressed in white with their heads covered in some of her past outings. "Is there a mourning period?"
"It depends on the deceased. If it was an immediate family member, especially the head of a household, the mourning period would last about eight months to a year. A distant relative is only two months."
"And children?"
"Varies by age and relation. A child, one that has already reached its first year but has yet to reach adulthood, can be considered immediate family. If they were a distant relative, it's four months. A babe is six months regardless of relation."
"Is it inappropriate to ask? To approach someone and ask about their loss?"
"I wouldn't go so far as to say it's taboo. You would typically allow the mourner the opportunity to approach the subject first however."
She nodded. She was enjoying the information he gave. She wanted to ask more about the mourning period, but details could be reserved for another time. There were more topics she wanted to touch on.
"Noted. And moving away from clothes and mourning…what about leisures? What entertains the Vinkun people?"
"Dear Oz," he almost chuckled. Elphaba tilted her head. "Horse racing is all the rave."
"Horse racing?"
He nodded.
"W - what exactly does that entail?"
"The excitement lies in the gamble," he leaned against the desk. "Races were customary for breeders to demonstrate the speed and agility of the animals to potential buyers. Over the past…century, is my best guess, it began to gain traction with the public. People began to bet on the horse they predicted would win, skilled jockeys rode and guided the horse, the track grew in length, jockeys and breeders of the champions received rewards."
"And…exactly how popular is horse racing?"
"Enough that security needs to be appointed every time there's a race, especially a nationwide championship. A member of the royal family is expected to at least attend the final."
Her mouth dropped. She hadn't anticipated that.
"It's quite exciting."
"Have you attended these races?"
He nodded, a smile hinted at his lips. "The races themselves don't last very long. The pleasure is in the gathering of family and close friends along with feasts and dancing."
Oh. "It does sound nice," like something that unified the people, something the country took pride in.
"The next season begins shortly."
She would like to attend one. See what the scene and environment is like for herself. It could help in getting her used to large crowds and events. At least in the races she wouldn't be the center of attention. It would certainly be more enjoyable than that torturous wedding reception. She could perhaps even take Nessarose along too.
"How long does the season last?"
"Six months, the first six of the year to be exact."
"And how does one make their way towards the championship?"
"It's quite the ladder."
She merely pursed her lips, hoping her silence would indicate she'd like to know more. It seemed she couldn't get enough of knowing more about the country she would help rule. This is also the most she's ever known about the society she lived in.
"It is best if I draw it as well," he chuckled.
Elphaba pushed her chair back and allowed him to take over the desk to pull the materials he needed.
"When the season begins, all breeders begin in their own region. Here," he pointed at the paper with the quill.
Six circles made a larger one on the page. Each one had black circles inside.
"For the first month, races are merely for showcasing and bets placed on horses are lower. What one would pay for a confectionary at the market. There is also no tangible reward for the breeder for winning nor a consequence for losing. It's meant for them to analyze all their horses. This way they can eliminate slower candidates and improve the training of the promising ones."
"And how many animals do breeders begin with?"
"As many as they like, only two or three horses will make the final selection however, and the decision rests solely on the breeder. After the selection is made, qualifications begin; it is the longest part of the racing season. Three months. All breeders will face each other's candidates twice."
"And what separates the qualification races from the showcases are eliminations?"
"Yes and no."
Elphaba raised a brow.
"In the qualifications, the placement of the horse amounts to a certain tally," he expanded. "There are ten horses per race. The winner receives ten tallies, next in line receives nine, and so on. After all the qualification races have been completed and all the tallies are counted for, the top two breeders from each region will move on to the next phase."
"Then breeders can stand the chance of placing in the top two regardless of if their animals win a race or not?"
"Correct. It's the consistency of the horses that breeders aim for. One horse may win almost every race, but if the other candidate or two are constantly in the bottom, that breeder may not rack as many tallies as a breeder who's animals may not win, but place consistently high."
"Is it a common occurrence?"
"More than you may think."
"Alright, and what follows the qualifications?"
He held up a finger and dipped the quill in ink. Elphaba slumped in her chair and trailed the edges of the armrests with her fingers. The tip of the quill scratching the paper filled the now quiet study. She pursed then slowly rolled her lips between her teeth. It had been unexpectedly effortless to converse with him. He was thorough and he had a natural pause where she could take the chance to speak. Only now that he wasn't leading, the atmosphere felt slightly off putting. Should she take the reins, ask another question? Why was the thought nerve-racking? Her fingers lightly tapped the armrest.
"After qualifications, come the showdowns."
Elphaba glanced at him then the paper. Two lines fell from each circle he'd drawn and a triangle sat at the end of them.
"The triangles represent the breeders, and the squares," he drew two next to each triangle. "Represent the horses. Depending on how many champions the breeder elects, there will be between 24 and 36 horses. For the sake of simplicity, let's say 24 horses qualified for the showdowns."
She nodded.
"Races are now only between four horses at a time, one from four different breeders and depending on how many animals qualify, about one every week or fortnight. It allows the animals to get some much deserved rest before they race again. In these races, there are eliminations as only the winner moves on," he crossed out many squares. "By the end, there will be between six and nine champions for the championship final, the largest and closing race of the season," he leaves a single square unmarked. "The winner receives a large monetary reward as well as a feast in their honor that same night."
"And is it possible for breeders to have all their contenders in the final?"
"It is, however it's not a common occurrence. Usually by the time the showdowns arrive, breeders have a fairly good prediction of which of their animals is the top contender and will enhance their training on it more than the other or others. It has proven useful to have more than one horse prepared however, in the unfortunate circumstance that an animal gets injured."
She allowed a small smile. "That's very interesting. I think I shall enjoy my first horse racing season here."
"I hope so. And I should also add that ballet is gaining popularity like never before. It wouldn't surprise me if in a few short years it's celebrated with as much fervor."
"B - ballet? Does that involve riding as well?"
"No," his lips quirked. A hint of surprise crossed his expression. "You've never seen a ballet before?"
She merely shook her head, self-consciousness washed over her.
"Well, in the simplest of terms, it's a form of dance."
"Oh," dear Oz, she must've sounded utterly brainless. Her cheeks warmed.
"Recitals have been around for almost 200 years, but in more recent years, with new stories being created for the stage, they've garnered a larger audience than ever."
"Stories?"
"The most popular ballets involve storytelling through three dance acts."
"And what kind of stories do they perform?"
"Tragedies, romance, comedies, mysteries; anything to elicit strong emotions in the audience."
"And are there well known…dancers? Is there a word for a ballet dancer?"
"Ballet dancer is perfectly fine, though you may also call them ballerinas. Unfortunately I'm not familiar with any individual performers."
"And do…do you enjoy the ballets?"
He breathed out, a slight chuckle mixed in. "If I'm honest, I'm not particularly fond of them. But I can appreciate the artistry and talent of the dancers."
That made sense. It only sparked her curiosity further, she wanted to see one for herself and form an opinion of her own. Who knew, it could be something she really enjoyed, or she may find it incredibly boring, but at least she'd know.
"It's - "
"If - " Elphaba cleared her throat. "My apologies. Please," she encouraged.
"No, on the contrary, you speak, please."
Her mouth opened, but her thoughts strayed. She couldn't recall what she'd wanted to ask him. She silently stood, using her arms to push herself off the chair. Then it occurred to her that if she was growing tired, surely the king must be exhausted. He'd just returned from Quadling Country, nearly a full day of traveling. And it wasn't like he'd been there for leisure, he'd been on business. He must've not had a day to rest and here she was keeping him awake.
Her original trail of thought returned, but she dismissed it as quickly as it came. "Nevermind. Surely you must be tired. I won't keep you from bed any longer."
"I'm not quite so tired as to retire if you wanted to ask me something else."
She eyed him warily. "Are you certain?"
He nodded curtly. "Unless you wish to sleep?"
"Not quite yet," she'd learned things about the Vinkus that she wouldn't find in a book. These were things that pertained to the people, not just the government. The people were equally as important for her to know. "Um, well, what would be an appropriate course of action for wedding gifts I don't intend to keep?"
He arched his brow. "You sorted the gifts?"
"Just the ones intended for me alone…and while they were all beautiful and thoughtful, there are some that aren't of my particular taste or don't fit."
"Your style?"
"No, literally. Many dresses were too big for me."
His laugh startled her. He ran a hand through his hair and placed the other on his hip. "My apologies, what was your question?"
"What - what would be the appropriate thing for me to do with gifts I will not be keeping? I don't want to offend anybody."
"What kind of items?"
"Jewelry, dresses, bowls, candelabras," she listed. "I can't recall anything else at the moment."
"Hmm," he paced the front of the desk.
"I've thought about possibly auctioning a few items, though I fear that would be disrespectful."
"Wait - an auction is not a bad idea."
"It's not?"
"No. In fact it may raise additional funds for the constructions of the schools as well as the shelters. Though it's best to wait a few months, that way you've at least had the gifts for some time before parting with them."
That sounded perfectly reasonable. And, "Shelters? What kind of shelters does the Vinkus have?"
"Disaster assistance, homeless, emergency, animal shelters."
"Would it be improper for me to pay a visit to shelters sometime? I'd like to see how they function."
"Not at all. In fact, they are a part of our schedule for when we tour the country. You'll get the opportunity to see them all."
"What else do tours involve?" my, wasn't she unusually talkative this late night?
"The opportunity to personally check in on the subjects, make note of major problems or struggles that haven't been brought to the Privy Council's attention. It's the chance to assure the country's well being as well as the people's."
"How often are the tours?"
"Once, sometimes twice a year. I expect that the upcoming year will add a third."
"Wh - Nevermind," of course. The public needed to see the newly crowned queen. "And their duration?"
"A month or two."
"Sounds awfully short?"
"The Vinkus may be large in land, but there are some regions with far less population than others."
"And the most populated region is Kiamo," she remembered, where the castle stood.
"Correct."
"And, aside from what we'll discuss at the meeting, is the country…alright? I mean, are there any crises I should be aware of or…?"
"Not anything to cause a major alarm, I don't think. There is tension with the Glikkus, but it stems from our alliance with Gillikin rather than direct hostility."
"It's more accurately a resentment from aiding Gillikin back when Glikkus was part of it? Is that right?"
"It is."
"And that's as far as it goes? Is there no concern that they may act on that resentment?"
The king tucked his hands in his pockets and walked towards the window behind the desk, standing mere feet from Elphaba. "I've never truly mused on that possibility."
She looked out the window, mindlessly playing with her fingers. "I didn't mean to cause a migraine."
"No, no," he shook his head. "I'm glad you brought it up," he was pensive for a moment, then, "at this time, I sincerely doubt they would want to attack, though it does not completely exclude any conspiracy."
"How do you figure?"
"Glikkus is still young and still recovering from the difficulties their search for independence brought on them. Were they to attack, they would be overpowered and defeated without much difficulty."
"That historically hasn't deterred many other countries."
"No and therefore we shouldn't count them out completely. We'll stay aware of them in case anything does happen."
Elphaba turned back to the desk. She gathered all the papers she'd written on and quickly read them over once more. Defense budget, taxes on exports, and school buildings. Those were the main topics of tomorrow's meeting.
"I think I've kept you long enough," she said. "Thank you for talking to me," she felt infinitely better prepared for tomorrow. She was almost looking forward to it rather than dreading it. Almost.
"At your service."
She cleared her throat. "I…I will see you in the morning?" and not before?
He nodded and Elphaba slowly breathed out. Thank Oz. He walked to the door and paused when he realized she hadn't followed. "Will you be here long?"
"No, I'll retire once I put everything away."
"You don't have to worry about that."
"It's no trouble," she closed all the books and walked over to the shelf he'd pulled them from. She easily spotted the gaps in the rows and carefully shoved them into place.
"Here," he said. "Before I forget, this is yours," he placed the key to the study on the desk. "You may lock up once you're finished."
"Thank you."
He nodded.
She heard the door open and without looking away from the books, she quietly muttered, "Goodnight."
She didn't think he'd heard her, but before the door closed, she could've sworn she heard him say it too.
Lyric Inspo:
Late in the night, the city's asleep
Your love is a secret I'm hoping, dreaming, dying to keep
Change my priorities
The taste of your lips is my idea of luxury
- 'King of My Heart', Reputation, Taylor Swift.
Also, I did not research how horse racing competitions work, (and tbh I wrote this chapter while going through some insomnia) so *fanfare* I described football championships pfffffff.