Chapter 9: Something Different Bloomed
Duty doesn't stop, not even for the holiday season.
The days leading up to Lurlinemass had been chaotic, but it was nothing compared to today; Lurlinemass Eve. The plan had been to get a head start on the day to, hopefully, finish early and allow everyone to go home and officially begin their holiday. That is not what ended up happening.
First, there were so many letters to read and respond to. Countless invitations to formal and informal events alike; from diplomats requesting a meeting to request additional services in their ally agreement with the Vinkus, to government officials inviting both monarch to a succession ceremony, and even fellow kings and queens asking if Elphaba and Fiyero would join them for a private dinner in order to formally meet the new queen. This task had not even taken the entire morning; they'd answered them together. The king would dictate his answer as Elphaba quickly wrote down his words on a parchment and prepared an envelope while he read the next letter out loud. It was the only thing on the schedule that had gone according to plan.
Then as they'd been sitting at their monthly meeting with their Privy Council, a young lad had burst through the doors in a panicked frenzy. He could barely get the words out, but when he did, Elphaba went cold. A bomb threat. A bomb threat at a senior hospital.
The worst part of it had been that Elphaba hadn't been allowed to go and deal with the situation head on. The king had to go alone while she'd been sent away to a mansion the royal family owned almost a hundred miles west. In part, she understood; if there was any truth to the rumor, then it was a dangerous, potentially lethal situation to be in and no one would risk putting both the king and queen in jeopardy.
Thank Oz it had been an empty threat - well, as 'empty' as a threat like that could be. Nonetheless it was something they had to take seriously, so when Elphaba had been given the all clear to return to Kiamo Ko, the first thing she did was make an evacuation plan. Bomb or no bomb, she did not want anyone in that building until they could be absolutely sure there was no imminent danger. Every patient, nurse, doctor, receptionists - everyone - would be moved to the biggest hospital at the Greater Kells and would be accompanied by security the entire way there.
Due to the fact that no one would take a chance on letting her leave Kiamo Ko for the day, Elphaba wrote down her instructions with as much detail as possible and handed what ended up being five pages to the captain. He assured her they would execute everything as was written.
The Gale Force launched a full force investigation as to who could've been behind the possible threat. All Elphaba could do now was wait as she remained inside the castle grounds. The relief she felt when Fiyero had walked through the doors unharmed was indescribable.
Despite the horrible scare, they had to pick up where they'd left off. After a five hour pause, their Privy council meeting resumed. There was an obvious dampness in everyone's mood. The king amended the meeting to be only a summary of reports; the drafting of plans could take place after the new year.
Speaking of which, with a new year upon them, they'd had to meet with their advisors and map out what and when their main events would be. First and foremost, the tour was an official introduction of Elphaba to the general public; there would be many outings and strolls to give the people the opportunity to see and perhaps even talk to her. She would also have to give a speech at each region - something she was very much not looking forward to, but what could she do about it?
There was the construction of the schools and even though Elphaba had visited the sites not too long ago, a lot could change in a month. There was also the fact that the horse racing season would commence in less than two weeks; something the Vinkus took very seriously and held great pride in. It meant that they would have to schedule stops at each region to attend at least one race. Then they needed to have a private meeting with each ambassador and make time to visit local shelters and hospitals.
And on that note, they needed to set aside plenty of time to stay in Kvon at least three weeks. Not only would they be kicking their reconstruction plans for the homeless shelters into gear, but if they were going to begin a domestic market of seafood, it meant getting ambassadors from Ev and Kvon in the same room to make arrangements in essentially sharing the Shale River's resources.
Needless to say, Elphaba and the king spent their entire evening cooped up in an office. They didn't begin to wrap up their duties until well into the night. By now it'd been hours since their sisters had had dinner, both of of whom were now in bed.
"You must be hungry," the king said after locking up the study.
"I actually am," Elphaba had genuinely been looking forward to dinner. It sounded rather appetizing. "Is there any chance of there being apple purée leftover? I wouldn't mind that even if it's warm."
"If that's all you want? I'm sure the staff has saved up enough for each of us to have two portions."
"You're joking?"
"Of course not," he wore the same puzzled face as she. "If there's ever a time where we're indisposed for meals, there will always be enough stored for later if you want it. And if not, the staff knows it's at their discretion after three days."
Oh, well that was good to know. "Ok."
He opened his mouth as if to say or ask her something else, but thank Oz he seemed to discard it and simply kept walking.
True to his word, in the large, cold storage there were two plates that had been carefully preserved. Elphaba eyed one of them wearily; were the two portions he'd mentioned already served? All that food couldn't seriously be just for one person.
But Oz, if it didn't smell absolutely delightful. Since she'd arrived at the Vinkus, Elphaba had yet to find a food she disliked. Yes, a lot of it made her feel sick, but that was more due to the fact that she had the stomach of a child rather than the food's taste. Her body was changing however, she was sure of it; she was getting healthier right along with Nessarose. She was simply treading slowly. At least if she didn't finish her plate the king could take care of that for her or she could simply store it for another day.
"Western parlor?"
Oh that would be much more comfortable than a stiff chair in the dining room. "Yes."
It's not until Elphaba is seated on the soft cushion of the sofa in front of the fireplace that she feels the day is truly over; like all the chaos is behind her and she could actually look forward to Lurlinemas - which was merely hours away at this point.
"What a day this has turned out to be," the king commented.
"Exactly what I was thinking. Will I be allowed to leave Kiamo Ko tomorrow?"
He chuckled. "You should, as soon as it's been 24 hours since we received word of the threat."
She sighed in frustration. "I understand it, I do; but it's infuriating that I can't leave the grounds if I want to," she'd gotten so used to leaving when she wanted that suddenly going back to the way things had been, even if it was only for a day, was exasperating.
"We'll be fully entertained the entire day. You may not even realize the 24 hours have passed."
"You think so?"
"Whole heartedly," he emphasized. "Galinda always has an itinerary down to the second on Lurlinemas day."
The green girl scoffed lightly. "And what does she do with it if met with unforeseen circumstances like today?"
"Well, hopefully we won't see that tomorrow, but trust me, she works her way around it."
"Hm. What exactly is the meal?" Elphaba hovered her fork over the food. There were some things she recognized, but she was absolutely at a loss for what the main protein and the white little chunks were.
"The meat is a duck breast with a blueberry sauce," he began, pointing to the items as he said their names. "The bed is a mix of wild mushrooms, pancetta, and shallot; the potatoes have been seasoned with rosemary and thyme, and everything is sprinkled with pieces of pule cheese."
Ah, so that's what they were; and she'd never heard of that before. "Pule cheese?"
"It's made out of goat and donkey milk; incredibly difficult to make as well."
"Oh," by the smell alone, it's different from the cheeses she'd tried thus far. It had a fresh, almost grassy aroma; a sharp contrast from the strong milky smell the ones in storage typically gave off.
Elphaba loaded her fork with small pieces of every element on her plate and bit back a moan. How was it that everything tasted absolutely sublime? They spend the next few minutes in silence, fueling their bodies with the wonderful meal after the hectic day they'd had. As much as she wanted to practically inhale her meal Elphaba reminded herself to take her time to avoid throwing everything up. It wasn't like anyone was going to remove her plate any second. She could go slowly.
"Where did they take you?" he asked suddenly.
"Pardon?"
"When I left to investigate the bomb threat, I was told they would escort you somewhere safe, away from Kiamo Ko."
"The guards took me to a mansion on the other side of the mountains. It's owned by the royal family?"
"Ah," he nodded. "The Upland Mansion. I assume you were well entertained?"
"For an hour or so," she nodded. The Upland Mansion was conscientiously built for outdoor activities to be done indoors. One of the rooms, for instance, had everything a person would need for a friendly croquet match, including ample space. It was actually very astute; it was effectively a safety shelter, where one could remain inside without losing their mind with nothing to do. "News arrived that imminent danger had passed quicker than expected, we began the journey back to Kiamo right away."
The king hummed and drank from his glass of water. "Which rooms do you think you'd find useful there?"
Elphaba pursed her lips in thought. "Well, definitely the library. The horseback riding and archery spaces interest me, I simply have no clue how to do either of those things."
"I could teach you, if you'd like."
"Really?"
"Provided we somehow find the time in our schedules," he chuckled.
"That's true."
"We've both been so busy…did you ever find the time to find and purchase Lurlinemas gifts?"
"I did," she laughed at his shocked expression.
"I've spent the past week practically glued to your side; when?"
"About three days ago I took myself to the street market a few hours after we'd retired for bed."
"Wh - how…"
"I was very mindful to not make my intentions known to anyone besides Mina, who escorted me there. The gifts are meant to be a surprise after all."
"I applaud you for not collapsing into bed."
"I assume you didn't purchase any Lurlinemas gifts then?"
"No, I absolutely did - my sister would murder me otherwise. But I couldn't retrieve them myself, I had them discreetly delivered to the castle."
"May I ask who you got assigned for the exchange?"
"May I ask the same of you?"
Elphaba nodded.
"I drew Nessarose's name."
"Interesting," the green girl sat up straight, setting her near empty plate on the mahogany coffee table in front of her. "Did you struggle to find her a gift?"
"This may surprise you, but not at all."
That indeed surprised her; Elphaba had a difficult time deciding what to get for Nessarose every Lurlinemas, this year was no different. "How come?"
"Nessa loves to chat during our friendly chess matches. During our talks she passively mentioned how she hated her wardrobe."
Elphaba immediately grew concerned. "Hated?" how come she hadn't known that?
"Not the clothes themselves; more specifically, she mentioned how everything felt incredibly ill-fitting because they weren't meant to be worn by someone in a wheelchair."
"Oh…"
"Therefore, I found a respected seamstress who assured me she could make garments that could be meant for someone in a wheelchair; clothes that would be flattering and comfortable when worn sitting down."
A warmth spread in the green girl's chest, a surge of unexpected joy overcame her at seeing just how much importance the king had given to Nessarose's words. What baffled her was that he didn't seem to have an inkling of just how much it would mean to Nessarose, or how much it also meant to Elphaba; to have someone care for her younger sister as well. Oz, if she didn't pull it together, she was going to break down in front of him.
Elphaba unconsciously pressed her hand to chest in the spot above her heart. "She'll love that…you…Thank you," she whispered at the end, her voice just over the edge of cracking.
"It's no trouble, and I was happy to."
"I can't wait to see her smile in the morning."
He twirled the glass of water in his hands. "Would you like to see them?"
"Wh…me?"
"You know her tastes better than I would. Perhaps there's something I should throw out before she even sets eyes on it?"
"She's not fussy about clothes; Nessarose wears just about anything. And I'm telling you she'll love every item you've gotten for her."
"Alright, thank you. Now who was your person?"
"Galinda."
"Huh, how ironic; I get your sister, you get mine."
"Do you think our own sisters got us? Or do you think our person got us?"
"I wouldn't know," he chuckled. "But we'll find out soon enough."
"That's true."
"Can I be privy as to what your gift for her is?"
"I…I got her two things actually. One for the gift exchange, which is a 'Galindified' version as you like to call it," she smirked at the playful roll of his eyes. "Of a training uniform."
"A training uniform?"
"Mhm. Galinda has mentioned to me countless times that she loves sword fighting and even sets time apart for it when she's away at Shiz, but more often than not she trains in the thinnest gowns she has because the training uniforms at Shiz are 'atrocious'," Elphaba smiled to herself, recalling the absolutely appalled tone in Galinda's voice as the princess had shuddered just picturing the uniforms. "I know Galinda can design and create her own garments and therefore it may not be an extraordinary gift, but I do think she'll find some use of it. And I must confess that my uncertainty on her Lurlinemass gift led me to get her a second gift…which led me to getting everyone else a gift."
"Let me begin by saying Galinda appreciates everything gifted to her regardless of what it is, even if she has hundreds of the item already, and that appreciation is always genuine. She'll love what you got her; what is the second item - if you're alright with telling me?"
"Oh it's an assortment of ribbons that she'll be able to put to use as she pleases."
"She'll enjoy that very much."
"You think so?"
"Definitely."
"That's a relief," Elphaba sighed, feeling much lighter knowing her sister-in-law wouldn't detest the gifts she'd bought for her.
"Did you mention that you got gifts for everyone?"
She chuckled at herself. "Yes, I couldn't help it."
"I did as well."
This time she outwardly laughed. "Truly?"
"Yes," the king ran a hand over his unruly curls. "I've always done this for some reason; it never feels right to just give a gift to one person even if that's the entire purpose of the gift exchange."
"No, I understand," Elphaba rested her head on her knees; her eyes felt heavier and heavier every couple of minutes. Sleep was creeping up on her. She needed to get to her chambers lest she lose consciousness within ten seconds on the sofa. She would only close her eyes for a few seconds, just a few.
"Would you like your gift?"
"Now?" she asked, albeit drowsily. Her eyes remained closed. "It's not even Lurlinemass yet - " her head shot up in fright at the loud chiming of the clock. It had struck midnight. "Disregard the latter; shouldn't we wait until all of us are together?"
"We can, though if I'm being honest, I've been itching to get my gift in your hands since it arrived."
Suddenly intrigued, Elphaba stood and stretched her surprisingly sore back. She sighed and ran a hand across her eyes. "Alright, you've got me intrigued. And I think I would like to give you yours as well."
"Fair enough," he smiled and stood as well.
"I assume you found it difficult to find something for me?"
"Like you wouldn't believe," he confirmed. "As much progress as we've made with each other, I don't really know your personal interests, likes, or dislikes."
That sounded accurate; Elphaba felt the same way. "I won't be cross with you if you decide to throw mine out."
"I wouldn't do that even if I did hate your gift."
"I'm simply letting you know you have that option."
He laughed and shook his head. "Alright."
Everyone had set their gifts under the Lurlinemass tree a few days prior. Galinda had insisted that it built up anticipation; you couldn't help but stare and wonder which one was your and who'd gotten it for you. It only made the reveal much more exciting and worthwhile. Supposedly. This would be Elphaba and Nessarose's first time doing a traditional Lurlinemass gift reveal and while the green girl would admit that she was curious as to what she would receive, she was much more neutral compared to her younger sister. Nevertheless, she was happy - ecstatic even - to be a part of it.
"Asking Galinda for her help wasn't effective either," Elphaba voiced out.
"No?" the king asked, clearly amused.
She shook her head. "She never could make up her mind and instead handed me a scroll with a list. Did I mention that the scroll was as tall as I am?"
He laughed, looking ahead with a fond expression on his face. "That is Galinda through and through. Was there anything on that list that stood out to you?"
"Not particularly," she confessed, though she couldn't put a finger on the reason why. Had Lurlinemass been the day after their nuptials, Elphaba would've gotten him the first item on the list without a second glance. But it's been two months; she knew him more or less and none of the words had made her stop and think 'yes' to herself. "Which ones are yours?" the young queen asked once they'd reached the warm, intimate living room; a large Lurlinemass tree tucked at the far left corner.
He strode past her and approached what Elphaba had designated as the 'diamond stack' due to their wrapping. "These ones. Now where…" he muttered to himself as he checked each gift.
While he sorted through them, Elphaba approached her stack; his gift was at the base of it. He was still searching when Elphaba backed away from the tree, the present she'd gotten for him in her hands. "Would you like some assistance?" she sighed, deciding to sit and wait instead of standing, though what she really wanted was to lie down.
"You know how you called me brainless the other day?"
"Yes," he had not been too happy with her after that, but then again she couldn't believe he'd mistaken Val for Mina.
"Well, it seems like I may have forgotten to label each gift. I'm not sure which is which."
Elphaba very nearly cackled. "Oh I would've loved to have had this happen with our sisters in the room."
He chose to ignore her last remark and instead made the decision to tear the wrapping paper just enough to be able to discern the present inside. Thank Oz the boxes themselves were vastly different. As soon as he got a glance of the maroon wool, he knew he'd found the one meant for her.
Seeing the difference in the size, Elphaba grew incredibly self-conscious about what she'd chosen. Perhaps she should've gotten one in a large size? Or something else to go along with it to compensate for the small size? Well, there was nothing to be done about it now. And as she'd told him, he could get rid of it if he saw no use for it; no harm done.
She should go first then. "I saw something similar to this while out with Nessarose," Elphaba began, shifting the box in her lap. Her leg began to bounce and Elphaba tightened a fist on her skirt. She breathed in. "I had a custom design made," she offered him the box as he took a seat next to her. Was there something she was forgett - right! "Happy Lurlinemas."
"Thank you," he smiled at her and ran his hands over the box. "Nothing will jump out and crawl at me will it?"
"Of course not," she said, only mildly offended.
"I apologize," he chuckled at seeing her expression. "Galinda and I have a history of having the first gift be for laughs before actually exchanging gifts."
"Remind me to poke my gift with a stick in the morning then."
"I highly doubt she'd do that to you on your first Lurlinemas with that. I make no promises for next year, however."
The king slowly undid the wrapping paper until he was left with the cardboard beneath it. He pulled at the strings that had held it closed then lifted the lid of the box. Elphaba had no clue what his reaction to it was - his face hadn't changed, but his body certainly froze upon seeing what rested inside the box.
It wasn't much; it was a dagger along with its black leather sheath. The handle was exactly like the one she'd seen on the display window of a bladesmith's shop; marble with intricate black and gold patterns. The blade, however, was different. It was warped and not at all straight. It reminded her of waves flowing in the ocean. One would think that the blade was dysfunctional but that couldn't be further from the truth. It was, by all accounts, useful and effective. That was what had made her think of him. She recalled how Galinda had said that Fiyero had been thrust into the role of king much earlier than the general public knew and how he'd had great difficulty during that first year. And yet he'd risen to the occasion in spite of the obstacles, in spite of the doubts of others as well as his own. Elphaba felt that the dagger showcased him in that aspect.
Then again, maybe not. He didn't seem to like it.
"Like I said, you can dispose of it if you - "
"I love it."
"Y - you do?"
He nodded, never taking his eyes off the dagger. "I…I've never had anything like it and…it's impeccable," he said so softly Elphaba almost didn't hear him.
He didn't voice anything else, but his stare at his gift never wavered. He was looking at it so attentively, making sure to scan every little detail from the handle to the blade; almost in adoration. If Elphaba didn't know any better, she'd say this was his first Lurlinemas present. She felt incredibly lighter knowing she'd gotten it right. Now that the pressure was gone, all she felt was inquisitiveness as to what she would receive from him.
He snapped out of whatever daze had entranced him when he locked eyes with her and realized she was patiently waiting her turn. The king cleared his throat, diligently set his dagger aside, and presented his gift to her. "Happy Lurlinemas."
"Thank you," Elphaba's hands hovered over the wrapping for a few moments before she began to tear it. Well, not tear it exactly; more like unfold it. The box certainly carried a bit of weight and the wood had a smooth, cold surface.
"It's more of a two-in-one gift."
Elphaba paused, confused. "'Two-in-one'?"
He pursed his lips and clasped his hands together. "Another way of saying I got you two gifts."
"Oh," she undid the clips of the box and the first thing that caught her eye was a simple, silver band with three pearls delicately set on a dent on the left side. "It's beautiful," she said honestly.
"Do you know the story behind it?"
There was a story? "I do not."
"Five hundred years ago, back when the Vinkus was under its old name, Ozma, the quest to conquer the land brought on one of the bloodiest wars in Oz' history."
"I do know that; the War of the Roses," Elphaba voiced, though she had never read or heard of the significance of a ring in it.
"The legend goes that when the first king, Silas - then the leader of his army, killed the opponent's commanding general, he did so with only a swing of his sword, cutting the other man in half, including his armor."
Oh, that was…honestly a very disturbing image.
"The fall of the general ended the war and the sword from that moment was seen as a gift from the heavens. After he was elected king, Silas preserved that sword as if it was something holy, meant to be venerated. So when he fell madly in love with his first wife, Arsinoe, his gift to her was his most prized possession; he had his sword melted and the steel was used to create a ring for her. The three pearls were added throughout the years, one for each child they had together. Since then, the ring has been passed from queen to queen as a symbol of their strength and dedication to the Vinkus; their ultimate vow to serve."
Elphaba was stunned; she felt an incredible urge to return the ring, not feeling worthy of it.
As if reading her mind, he spoke before she could make any protests. "You deserve; you've earned it," he emphasized.
"I've hardly done anything."
"You've done more than you realize," he said adamantly. "You may not realize it, but the Vinkun people adore and respect you. Have you not noticed that when you're out in public, your personal space is hardly invaded?"
She shrugged. "My guard is always by my side."
"That's hardly stopped crowds before. They know you're reserved and private, therefore they keep a respectable distance so as to not make you uncomfortable."
Elphaba softly picked the ring out of its dent. With this ring, there would be three that adorned her hands; her wedding ring on her left and her matching ring with Nessarise on her right. Where to put it?
"You're doing a magnificent job in everything; meetings, finances, socializing, legislation; and you've still got a lot to learn, which means you'll only get better."
"Or worse."
"Impossible. I have faith in you."
She looked up at him and his eyes rendered her immobile. What was it about him that just made this warmth spread in her chest? Everything he said he did with such conviction, even in a conference, Elphaba found herself feeling like second in command rather than his equal due to the fervor in his voice whenever the floor was his. He meant every word he spoke, there was no denying that. And it made her feel things she'd never felt; for one, she felt accepted. So wholly and undeniably accepted in the country, into this home. Oh sweet Oz, were tears falling down her face?
Elphaba quickly wiped them away, though there was no way he hadn't seen them. She cleared her cloggy throat and immediately changed the subject. "Where would it be appropriate for me to wear this?"
"Anywhere it fits," he said. "It should fit at least one of your fingers; it's similar in size to the wedding band. But if it doesn't, resizing it is no trouble; it's gone through countless adjustments over the years to fit so many different queens."
Slowly, carefully, she tried the ring at each green finger, going from her pinky to the index. Elphaba decided to settle it on her index finger; not only did it fit perfectly, it would also not rub against her other ring with a finger in between the two. Bashfully, she raised her hand to showcase her beautiful Lurlinemas gift.
"It suits you."
She looked down and got thrown off guard at seeing there was still something else in the box in her lap. Lurline, she'd completely forgotten that there was a second gift. It took up the entire right half of the box and was covered in a black cloth. Elphaba simply moved it aside to reveal a stack of books.
"I've been looking for my next read," she said.
"Then keep searching."
"What?"
"Those aren't books."
What else could they possibly be? Elphaba opened the cover and immediately understood. They were blank; these were journals.
"I noticed that the one you had was nearly full, only a few pages remained. These have a larger number of pages, they're wider and longer, and the line space is thinner. They should last you far longer than your previous one did."
After she'd taken a moment to look through each of the journals - four in total - Elphaba took notice of something that had been placed underneath them. They were an assortment of ribbons, thin and soft and each with a distinct figure hanging from the chain. She spotted a moon, a tree, a seashell; but her personal favorite was the owl. It was abstract with no discernible features apart from its outline and made out of continuous lines. It was nothing short of exquisite. She had an inkling that she would use this one a lot.
Elphaba melted in her seat, tears threatening her eyes. For the love of Oz! What was it with her? She refused to cry over receiving a Lurlinemas gift…a very thoughtful and sweet Lurlinemass gift from someone other than her own sister. "Thank you, truly. I love them," she swallowed the growing lump in her throat and tasked herself with organizing everything back in the box. She rested her hands on top once she'd sealed it. "Maybe I'm mental, but I'm not in the least bit tired anymore," she chuckled, and it was true. She was wide awake now. If she was honest with herself, trying to find some sort of entertainment in a book or with pencil and paper sounded quite boring.
"Would you like to play a match of sorts?"
"I won't ask you to stay awake simply because I'm unable to sleep."
"Then I'm offering."
"When was the last time you managed to sleep for more than five hours?"
"When was the last time you did?" he fired back.
"Touché," she conceded. "But you carry a heavier burden than I do."
"Debatable."
"No it's - "
"Elphaba, would you rather just be left alone then?"
Was he upset? "No…I just," she wasn't exactly sure what it was. Perhaps she should go to bed. She sighed and kept her gaze down. "I'm sorry," he kept quiet, waiting for her to decide a course of action. "Would you join me in a game of checkers?" something much more lighthearted and simpler than chess, but still difficult enough to keep her entertained until the itch for sleep returned.
"Of course," his expression relaxed and with it Elphaba's shoulders. She hadn't realized she'd been so tense.
The two monarchs moved from the sofa to a round table across the room.
"Black or blue?" he asked.
"Blue," Elphaba chose and both began to set their pieces on the board. "It's a pity I don't have my journal with me. I could keep adding to the score."
"You've been keeping score?" he laughed as if she'd just told him the most amusing joke there ever existed.
"Why is that so hilarious?"
"Not hilarious; endearing."
That did not sound any better. Elphaba actually felt a tad insulted. And it must've been evident on her face.
"I just would not have expected that from you. I'm not laughing at you, I promise."
He wasn't one to lie to her, so Elphaba responded with, "Alright."
"Out of mere curiosity, do you remember what the tally is?"
"Hm," Elphaba did her best to recall the pages; it'd been a while since she'd looked at them, it'd been a while since they'd gotten the chance to have a relaxing evening. "I'd like to say you have the slightest upper hand on me. Your victories were somewhere in the 30s and I was not far behind."
"Good to know. I'll make sure to not go easy on you anymore."
"Oh, please. You never have," unless he was teaching her a new game, he was rather competitive. It was why he and Nessarose got along very well, they both carried the same kind of stubbornness and determination that went beyond a chess match.
"I allow you to think that."
What in Oz? He would usually talk to Nessarose like this, not her. He must be more exhausted than she'd thought, and this may work in her favor; she would defeat him easily. "Whatever you say, my lord."
"How have you been spending your time with Galinda?"
"Why do you ask?" she had no idea what had prompted such a question.
"You're beginning to sound like her."
"I am not."
"Since she arrived, you've been increasingly cheeky."
The green girl pursed her lips.
"It's not a criticism."
"I know," there'd been nothing but tenderness in his tone. There was something more beyond her simply sounding like the princess. "What are you thinking about?"
"I miss having her home. It's been an adjustment for the two of us, having her away from Kiamo Ko."
"I understand," and she did, especially when the two of them seemed to be as close, perhaps even closer than her and her own sister. "Am I correct in assuming then that you miss her talk-back?"
"You are. And you may not believe me, but even as adults, we've gotten into our fair share of mischief inside these walls."
"You're right, I don't believe you," she almost laughed. The Tigulaars were the definition of propriety and respectability. And yes, Elphaba knew that there was more to them than just their titles - Galinda could slice an apple in half with a sword for Oz's sake - but she certainly wouldn't use the word 'mischievous' to describe either of them.
"Ask any staff member with more than twenty years experience in this castle. The things they've witnessed are nothing short of blackmail."
"Are you serious? How naughty could two royal children be?" especially two that are raised to be leaders?
"There is a very dangerous state in a child that every parent, especially one that's a monarch, dreads: boredom."
Elphaba pondered on that statement for a moment. "I see your point…but how did you or Galinda ever have the time to be bored? From my understanding every hour of almost every day was planned for the both of you."
"Except that there was one day where absolutely nothing was planned. Sundays were always ours to do as we pleased and," he breathed deeply. "It would be an understatement to say we struggled with keeping ourselves entertained."
"In this castle?"
"It's not as much of a thrill when you've been familiarizing yourself with these rooms since birth."
"May I hear one of these blackmail-worthy tales of yours?"
"And give you ammunition against me?"
Elphaba jumped over two of his pieces, but quickly crowned him when his next move had one of his pieces reach her end of the board. "Eye for an eye?"
He appeared incredulous at her offer, and he didn't answer her immediately. "Are you certain?"
"I'm very curious."
"Alright," he said a bit hesitantly. "Though I doubt anything you've done will have been as dire as what I'm about to tell you."
"We'll see," Elphaba smirked and she watched as disbelief slowly overtook his expression. She merely shrugged. She knew she may not look like it, and her demeanor certainly hinted otherwise, but she'd been a wildfire in a certain phase of her life. It definitely hadn't done her any good with Frex and she'd suffered painful consequences, but at the time, she hadn't cared.
"Oh, now which one should I tell," he sighed then reclined his back onto his chair, a playful glint in his eye. "I've got it. On this particular Sunday, our father was out in the town. Galinda and I had just come from a chemistry lecture the day before and…we were rather interested in testing our tutor's warning about alkali metals and water."
Elphaba tilted her head. Alkali metals. She needed a refresher on what they were. Picturing the periodic table in her head, if her memory served her right, the alkali metals were the very first row of elements from left to right. Lithium, sodium, potassium to name a few; characterized by - oh dear Oz - high reactivity. Mixing them with water created explosive reactions.
Her hand went to cover her mouth in absolute shock while he seemed delighted at the fact that she'd figured out his implication. "The two of you blew something apart?"
"Yes…and we also set hundreds of linens aflame."
"How - oh, your match," she haphazardly reset her pieces but her attention was solely focused as to what he would say next. She didn't even feel sour at the fact that he'd beaten her extremely quickly. "How did it happen?"
"Our tutor had brought over pure samples of the elements. He wanted us to be able to recognize them with just one glance. And when he left, he'd forgotten to take the samples with him. My sister and I were curious as to if his warnings about mixing them with water were true or merely exaggerated. And so, that particular day, we took the samples out into the garden and put his teachings to the test."
"Where do the linens come into play?"
"Well, also on that particular day, the staff had been tasked with a large load of laundry that had been hung out to dry. The linens had to be rubbed by hand with alcohol to get stubborn stains out. Thus, when the vase exploded and the sparks flew…" he allowed her to finish the thought herself.
And Elphaba could only imagine the chaos that must've unfolded. "I do think you have me beat."
"In more ways than one," he gestured to the checkerboard, having beat her yet again in their second round.
"That's unfair; you know very well I wasn't focused on the game."
"Fatal mistake. Always be focused," something in his tone told her he wasn't referring only to the game. It was yet another piece of advice he managed to slip in nonchalantly. "Especially given…"
"What could've happened."
"Yes."
"It's…more serious than we think, isn't it?"
He nodded solemnly. "Although the thread turned up nothing, the rumor didn't stem from nothing. We need to be alert for anything that may be amiss or suspicious, especially now that we'll be leaving for a tour soon."
"Understood," Elphaba nodded.
He took a deep breath and tried to put on a happier expression. "I've dampened the mood quite enough."
"No harm done."
"Now I believe we agreed on an eye for an eye. What did you do as a child to cause any trouble?"
"Nothing as dire as setting linens on fire, and I wasn't exactly a child; this particular incident occurred five years ago," she didn't know what had possessed her that day, but, "Frex was out and due back until the next day," there was an ever so subtle reaction from him at hearing her call her father by his name, but he wasn't fazed exactly. "and…I guess I wanted…" she shook her head; Elphaba didn't want to go there. "I needed to expend pent up energy," she went with instead. "There was this pond in our yard that attracted birds; swans, geese, ducks; depending on the season. And I decided they would love to stay in one of the guest rooms."
"You did not."
She smiled at the memory. "I snuck them all inside, nests and all. And by some incredible coincidence, every single egg decided to hatch that night. When I went to visit them the morning after, the room was an utter disaster."
"Sweet Lurline. Thank Oz our garden doesn't attract many birds."
"Ha-ha," she said dryly. "Anyhow, that's probably the most devious thing I ever did."
"I can only imagine the smell."
"I actually don't recall the room smelling foul at all, but I admit I was in a mild state of panic."
"Did Nessarose have any part in that?"
"No," Elphaba vehemently shook her head. When Nessarose had denied any knowledge of it to Frex, it had been the absolute truth; Elphaba had refused to drag her little sister into a scheme she'd pulled simply to displease their father on purpose. The punishment had been hers and hers alone.
"I will say your plot must've been much harder to pull off than that of Galinda and mine's, especially on your own. Respect."
"Thank you. I win," she gleefully revealed.
The king didn't seem the least bit surprised. The chime of the clock rebounded through the walls; dear Oz, it was two o'clock in the morning. They really should get some rest, or at least try to before the rest of Kiamo Ko awoke for Lurlinemas.
Without needing to say a word, both of them tidied up to the parlor; putting everything back to where it'd been, except the opened Lurlinemas presents.
"I never asked plainly; are you alright?"
"Me?" Elphaba shot a glance at him over her shoulder before continuing up the stairs. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"A bomb threat can be traumatic, even mildly."
"Oh. Well, yes I'm alright," she didn't think the threat itself had actually left any lasting impact on her. The only thing she was left with after the ordeal was thoughts on who and what brought it on about. "And you?"
"I'm also alright; thank you."
She nodded and, with a hand on her doorknob, turned to wish him goodnight, but Elphaba froze.
A few paces ahead in the corridor, she saw a figure slowly creep into a room; more specifically, his chambers. It'd been a dainty figure, no doubt a woman. Even in the almost darkness, there was no mistaking the robes that accentuated the body.
"What is it?" he asked, glancing in the direction she'd been looking in.
"Nothing," Elphaba shook her head. It was none of her business what he did during the night, and if she was honest, if they could put off the inevitable business of an heir, Elphaba was fine with that. The longer the better. "Just tired."
"Get some rest then."
"You too, goodnight."
"Goodnight, Elphaba."
She felt a warm, crawling sensation from where his fingers lightly brushed her elbow in an attempt to be comforting. Elphaba didn't know if it necessarily worked or not, but she felt it until she pressed her body into the cold bed sheets. Or perhaps it did work; she fell asleep very easily that night.
Lyric Inspo:
Something different bloomed,
Writing in my room
I play my songs in the parking lot
I'll run away
- 'You're on Your Own, Kid', Midnights, Taylor Swift.