Chapter 8: It's Miserable and Magical
Elphaba nearly pricked her finger yet again. Despite having already done three other similar garments, she still managed to overestimate the thickness of the fabric. One prick had managed to spill a few drops of blood.
After a couple weeks of council meetings, planning visits, receiving reports from the regions, and signing countless documents day after day, Elphaba finally had a day - an entire day, to herself. The king unfortunately didn't have her same luxury; he had been called away to deal with a minor delivery crisis as the apparent quality had been subpar to what had been expected. Elphaba didn't know exactly what was wrong, but he promised to fill her in once he'd returned. She was looking forward to it as well.
Elphaba had grown accustomed to their shared dinners followed by friendly competition games. It wasn't something they were able to do on a daily basis, but if they both had the time and energy after a long day, they took to it. It had silently done wonders to their relationship. They'd gone from strangers to…friends? They didn't strictly speak of duty related matters every time they were together anymore, and if she was being truthful, Elphaba quite enjoyed talking to him about things that had nothing to do with work. He was…surprisingly easy to talk to and a wonderful listener. Though they've fully avoided certain topics - their fathers - she found herself telling him things she never would have mere weeks ago. When he'd told her about a few of the many shenanigans he'd gotten up to as a child, the green girl had found herself relating some of the few, rare happy memories from her own childhood, most of them involving Nessarose.
Speaking of her younger sister, the young teenager was grasping the concept of tailoring clothes much quicker than Elphaba.
The young queen, needing to do something with herself, invited Nessarose to spend time with her while simultaneously helping her make adjustments to all the garments she'd received as wedding presents. Mina had very graciously finished quite a few gowns already, having pinched the waist, reformed seams, and cut the length; but there were still so many more clothing articles to go through.
They group quickly developed a system. Mina assigned Elphaba to sew the simpler adjustments: sleeves that could be folded down to shorten their length. With Nessarose effortlessly absorbing and executing different sewing techniques Mina introduced, she'd been given the more complicated adjustments such as pinching fabric at the shoulders, chest, waist, and hips. Mina took to adjusting the length of the skirts with her sewing machine once the sisters finished and had banned her twin from even touching any of the clothes.
"Val, you know I adore you, but may I remind you of the disaster that was repurposing clothes for our cousins?"
"Ooh! I would very much like to know what happened," Nessarose giggled.
"They made do!" Val defended herself.
"You're just lucky our aunt is a seamstress. Somehow, and it still blows my mind, she gave each shirt three arms, made the pants entirely too short that they were practically shorts, and the socks had no toes."
"Like I said, they made do. The socks made excellent toys for them."
Mina rolled her eyes and Nessarose laughed.
"That explains so much. Did I tell you about what happened with our Lurlinemas tree base mat?"
"No! Don't tell her that!"
"How about I guess?" Mina paused what she'd been working on. "She tore the mat in half when the only thing she needed to do was make a small hole?"
"Yes!"
Val pouted at the betrayal while Nessarose gleefully laughed. Elphaba chuckled to herself as she finished the last stitch of the sleeve she'd been working on. The more garments she worked on, the more comfortable she grew with the pattern she had to make, even if she did poke her fingers countless times.
"Don't give me that face Val. You do have some skills."
"Well if that isn't the most backhanded compliment I've ever received in my life."
"Oh really?"
"Mina, if you open your mouth - "
"All I'm saying is - "
"Your Majesty, is she this insufferable with you?"
"On the contrary," Elphaba stifled a laugh at hearing a small thud! No doubt the sound of her lady-in-waiting having thrown something at her sister. "This is a side I rarely see from Mina."
"You bring out the worst in me, Val."
The teen began to smack her twin sister on the shoulder, who returned the attack with much more force. The mock brawl ended with both girls in a hug, laughter emanating from their lips as they held each other tightly.
"She misses her greatly," Nessarose whispered to her own sister.
"Hm?"
"Val. She misses Mina so much. Not a day goes by where she doesn't mention her."
"Well it's my understanding that they've never lived apart from each other. It'll certainly take some time to adjust, especially with a bond as strong as the one they have."
"I…I miss you too," Nessarose admitted, almost bashfully. "I know I was here not too long ago when your husband challenged me to a chess match," she laughed, remembering the bitter taste of defeat she'd given the king. "But…it's not the same is it?"
"I know what you mean," the young queen whispered, squeezing her sister's forearm.
I miss you as well," it had always been just the two of them, but things were different and for the better. Even if they were living apart, Elphaba couldn't be more grateful for their current situation. "I am sorry to keep you waiting," she chuckled as she passed her newly adjusted garment over to Nessarose. Even though the younger girl had more fixings with each garment than Elphaba did, she worked so fast, she would sit patiently for a few minutes while Elphaba finished,
Nessarose smiled and happily took the garment, quickly scanning where the marks had been made before she began to tailor it.
"Your pace is very well worth it, my lady" Mina pulled at the sleeve of the newly finished dress. "The stitch is strong. You're doing an excellent job."
"Thank you," Elphaba smiled. She took the next dress on the folded pile.
"I'm restless," Val began to pace the room. "With you barring me from helping," Mina stuck her tongue out at Val. "I'm bored."
"Weren't you saying just yesterday that you'd like to get more art supplies?" Nessarose chirped. "Surely there's some here you could use, right Fabala?"
"Yes."
"Why don't you bring some up here?"
"Wonderful idea, Nessa!" Val exclaimed. "Oh, and remember you said you would take me up on an art lesson one of these days? I can fetch supplies for that too, if that's alright, Your Majesty?"
"Of course, Val," Elphaba affirmed.
"Would you like to try pastels, watercolors, acrylics, or simple pencil and paper?"
"Considering I only know what one of those is, let's do pencil and paper."
All of them laughed and Val quickly ran to get everything she needed.
"May I suggest another activity for you today, Your Majesty?" Mina said.
"Hm?"
"A visit to the street market. It's a short carriage ride away from Kiamo Ko."
"Oh sister, I've been there! It's lovely."
Elphaba thought about it. Come to think of it, she had yet to leave the castle grounds for something other than work, never having the opportunity to simply roam. She hadn't paid much attention to the scenery and she also hadn't had the chance to properly interact with the people in this region aside from merely waving from afar. It would be crowded, no doubt. But it was unavoidable; sooner or later she'd have to get used to them. The opportunity to absorb the Vinkus' beauty was also an incentive.
"Why not?" she said. "Would both of you like to accompany me? And I'm including Val with you, Nessa."
"Yes!"
"Of course, my lady!"
"Your Majesty?" a new voice rang from the doorway.
"Yes," Elphaba stood upon seeing it was one of the guards.
"Presenting, Her Royal Highness, Princess Galinda Flora Celine Tigulaar."
The green girl's eyes widened and her mouth dropped in shock. She hadn't expected Galinda to arrive for another week, closer to Lurlinemas.
A bubble of baby pink strode through the doorway. The princess was the embodiment of grace and beauty. Her lithe limb was accentuated by a beautiful, body-hugging top with an airy skirt that seemed to spill from her waist. The ruffles created an almost waterfall illusion to her dress. The sleeves at her shoulders poofed out then gradually tightened down to her wrists. Sparkles decorated her torso and sleeves, coinciding with the butterfly choker at the center of her neck. Her golden hair, the same shade as the king's - as well as her eyes - was slicked back, smoothly falling to the middle of her back while a single lock with a gentle curl framed the left side of her face.
A dainty hand with pink nails that perfectly matched her dress pressed against her heart. "Elphie?" her voice had a soft timbre.
"Elphie?" she could practically hear the scrunch on Nessarose's face.
"Your Highness," Elphaba bowed her head. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
"Oh! What am I, your grandmother? We're sisters! Give me a hug!"
Before the green girl could even process what the princess had said, she found herself wrapped up in a tight embrace. From this extremely close proximity, Elphaba was surprised at the height difference between the two of them; the top of the princess' head barely reached the young queen's shoulders. She patted the blonde's back a couple times before the aforementioned woman stepped back.
"Sorry! I'm a very physical person. You'll get used to it! You'll love me, we'll love each other, we're going to be great friends! And you must be Nessa!" Galinda gave Nessarose the same treatment she'd given Elphaba, only the young teen hadn't even had the chance to return the hug with a dress in her hands. "I have a feeling we're also going to be really great friends! Though I'm told you're not living in Kiamo Ko. Where is your home? Are you comfortable? Oh! May I visit you there sometime? And sweet, merciful Oz, Galinda, breathe," the princess placed her hands on her hips and took a deep, full breath. "Can you tell I am so happy to meet you?" she spoke much slower this time.
"It's very nice to meet you too, Galinda," Nessarose beamed. "Though I thought we were to expect you in six or seven days?"
"I fibbed a little bit in my letters; surprise!" she squealed. "Where's Fifi?"
Elphaba almost snorted. The nickname was exponentially more amusing when said out loud. "He's away at the Lesser Kells to deal with a minor crisis, but he should be back tonight."
"Oh! Well that actually makes this much easier; I had hoped to steal the both of you away to spend some time together and get to know each other?"
"I'm completely agreeable to that!" Nessarose said. "In fact, not two minutes ago we'd made plans to go to the local street market."
"That would be lovely! It's no problem if I tag along?"
"Of course not! Right, Fabala?"
"No," Elphaba said. "Of course not, we'd be happy to have you come with us."
"Oh! Fantastic, thank you!" Galinda jumped for joy and gave both sisters another hug. "And how have you been Mina?"
"Excellent, Your Highness. And you?"
"Where's Val? I can't believe the two of you aren't glued at the hip."
"I'm right here. Welcome back, Your Highness," Val sneaked in behind the blonde, carrying a massive stack of papers with boxes of what Elphaba assumed was pencils sitting on top.
"Oh! Hello Val," Galinda smiled.
"Ooh! Sister, since we will be spending quality time with Galinda, why don't you give Mina the day off?" Nessarose suggested.
That wasn't a bad idea. "Would you like that Mina?"
Her lady-in-waiting and Val shared a quick glance, silently communicating their thoughts to each other like they have countless times before. "You wouldn't mind, my lady?"
"Of course not. In fact, start right now. I'll see you in the morning."
Mina's lips slowly curled into a smile. "Thank you so much, my lady. I'll just finish this last hem."
"What are you ladies working on?" Galinda took in all the gorgeous clothes in the room, feeling a bit like a child presented with a plate of desserts. Her fingertips tingled with the urge to run her hands through them.
"We're tailoring Fabala's clothes," Nessarose held up the garment in her lap with one hand, needle and thread in the other. "It's unbelievable how out of all these, almost nothing fits you properly."
"That's hardly my fault," Elphaba protested.
"May I?" Galinda's hand hovered above the pile of gowns that had yet to be modified. The green girl gestured for the blonde to do as she liked. The princess held a gown by the shoulders and looked at the markings that had been made to where adjustments were needed. "These are easy fixings! I actually find myself making changes like these to my own garments all the time. It's not easy being petite, is it Elphie? at least you've got some length to you though."
"Thank you?" Elphaba said, confused as to whether that last statement had been meant as a compliment or not. "You sew as well if I remember correctly?"
"I do! I could teach you sometime if you'd like? Both of you," Galinda looked between Elphaba and Nessarose excitedly. She gasped. "I could guide you through making clothes of your own too! Oh that would be so wonderful! And I'm in some desperate need of inspiration - I need to have at least ten designs drawn and notated for one of my courses."
"Oh I would love to try that! And sister, didn't you say you were also given fabrics as wedding gifts? We could finally find a use for them!"
"Stop, you were given fabric? Oh there are angels in this world!"
"Excuse me," Elphaba stood from her chair and marched herself out of the room; had she been anyone else, she would've ran.
That was…a lot. And she needed a moment
The young queen entered the closest study room and leaned against the door once closed behind her. She should be more like Nessarose, more adaptable to her audience. But she wasn't. She didn't dislike the Vinkun princess, not even a smidge; on the contrary, Elphaba's first impressions of Galinda were nothing other than positive. She was just…a bright burst of energy and excitement, it felt like a sucker punch and Elphaba wasn't sure of how to respond. It was overwhelming, and she needed some quiet, just for a couple minutes. Then she would pull herself together and plaster on a smile like she had on her wedding day. She couldn't not talk to the princess; she was her sister-in-law.
Elphaba wondered how the king and Galinda got along. Then again, was Fiyero more like Galinda and merely adjusted to Elphaba's character.
The green girl jumped when a knock sounded behind her. "Yes?"
"Elphie? It's me," Galinda said, a slight tremble in her voice.
"One moment," Elphaba pressed a cool, green hand to her forehead and closed her eyes, taking a moment to focus on her breathing and the way her chest rose and fell. She patted her cheek and chastised herself. Stop exaggerating. She opened the door, an apology prepared to pass her lips, but Galinda spoke first.
"I'm so sorry, Elphie."
"No, no. There's nothing to apologize for - "
"No, you don't have to spare my feelings, which there's no harm done. I'm not insulted or hurt or anything."
Elphaba nodded. "Alright."
Galinda didn't speak, just silently gestured with her arm to ask if she could come in. For a moment, both women simply stood there, Galinda looking intensely at Elphaba while the green girl alternated between the princess and the walls of the study. After a minute, she was sure Galinda wasn't going to say anything else, so Elphaba opted to take a seat, relishing in the silence.
With her gaze downcast, Elphaba felt the slight breeze of Galinda walking in front of her then settling down on the sofa beside her, leaving ample space between the two of them.
"I…I know I can be a lot."
Elphaba didn't deny it. "It's not your fault. I'm just…very closed."
"And I get that, I do. I guess I just didn't read the room and for that I do apologize; I didn't mean to overwhelm you."
"It's alright, thank you."
Galinda smiled and visibly sighed, relieved that she hadn't damaged her relationship with her new sister before it had even begun. She paused before speaking again. "I'll let you lead," she smiled and the raven haired women and sat back on the pillowy sofa. This was new for her too; Galinda was someone who thrived on chatter, but that wasn't what Elphaba needed, and she would accommodate.
The green girl eventually stood. "I'm alright."
Galinda smiled.
"Well, Mina has probably completed her last task."
"Which means the rest of the day is now ours?"
"Yes."
The princess stood and bounced happily. "I know there are still countless garments that need to be adjusted, but may I suggest we head down to the market now? The crowds don't usually pour in until it nears dinner time. It's more of a night activity."
Elphaba considered it. Dear Oz, if she had felt this taken aback with just Galinda, would she truly be able to bear a market full of people? It wasn't like the wedding day; there was no carriage that would eventually whisk her away nor could she simply retreat into herself and blame it on "jitters". And it would be different from the tour because she wouldn't be at the market for duty. She would truly be one with the crowd.
But she couldn't put her own comfort first, she just didn't have that luxury. She would swallow any uneasiness and make the best of the experience.
"No, that's alright. But I do agree on pausing the garments. I would prefer not to lose any more blood."
Galinda giggled. "It couldn't have been that bad, could it?"
Elphaba held up her hand so Galinda had a full view of her palm. Prominent, dark purple punctures covered her fingers, almost completely covering the fingertip of her index finger.
The blonde covered her mouth. "Ouch."
"Ouch is correct."
"Well, we've got plenty of hours until we prepare a carriage. What would you like to do until then - if you would even like to do anything, that is."
"Um…I think I'll let Nessarose decide what we could do."
"Fantastic. And may I ask, how old is Nessa?"
"15."
"Truly? I guess it does fit her; she has a youthful glow, but at the same time she seems wise beyond her years."
Elphaba hummed. "That she is," though the fact pains her.
Both women leave the room in a much lighter mood than when they had entered it. Galinda offers her arm to Elphaba, who tentatively grabs the crook of the blonde's elbow. The princess placed a hand atop the green on her arm. "Is it ok that I call you Elphie?"
"It's a little perky."
"Just like me! Can that be something just between us?"
"Alright."
"Yay! And you can call me…Ga-linda."
Elphaba couldn't help but chuckle at that.
Nessarose, feeling slightly chilly and peckish, chose to have all three of them prepare cookies. "I wonder if we have the ingredients needed to make a mousse."
"A mouse, my sweet?"
"Yes! As you know, Fabala I love to experiment when baking and something I've recently discovered is that a scoop of vanilla bean mousse on a warm, gooey oatmeal cookie is heavenly."
"Oh it sounds heavenly. I'm excited!" Galinda beamed. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and donned an apron large enough to cover her entire torso and most of her skirt.
"As you should. I happen to make incredible cookies."
Nessarose listed off the ingredients she needed and Elphaba and Galinda, with the additional help of some of the cooks, located everything in the pantry. Chuckling amongst each other, they stacked what they could on the young teen's lap and had her wheel away, leaving the other two women with a much lighter load to carry back to the kitchen.
Galinda eagerly followed all of Nessarose's instructions on making the cookie batter while Elphaba gave - an albeit horrible - attempt at making the mousse. She would allow her sister to take over that and the green girl would stick to what she did best: shaping the batter. Elphaba was barely a cook and even less of a baker.
"Don't get me wrong, I adore Shenshen, I do. But she's not someone I feel like I can truly open up to. I would never tell her about my love for sword fighting, for example. She…she would undoubtedly make me feel like it's something I should give up."
"Perhaps you need different friendships?" Elphaba placed a ball of batter next to Galinda's star.
"Perhaps. But we do get on really well! We have fun together when we go out for a weekend and it's easy to talk to her. I just can't seem to talk to her about absolutely everything."
"Well…" Elphaba thought about what she could say to Galinda. She quickly caught on that her sister-in-law was incredibly comfortable in confiding in her and in asking for advice. Even though they'd just met, Galinda, somehow, really saw her as an older sister; a role Elphaba was well adapted to, and one she was surprisingly willing to extend to the princess without a problem. "There are different kinds of friendships. I'm certain that the way you interact with people you see only in lectures is different from people you see in the dorm hall?"
"That is very true."
"Maybe Shenshen isn't the best friend you were hoping for, but she can still be a friend. When you go back to school, try opening up more. I'm not saying you need to tell everyone you know your deepest, darkest secret, but just let them know you beyond the classmate or the neighbor. Maybe you'll unexpectedly find someone you can relate to on an unprecedented level."
Galinda smiled. "You're right. Thank you, Elphie."
"You're welcome."
"Oven is ready! Are the cookies shaped?" Nessarose wheeled herself to the table, wanting to see all the different shapes Galinda had created. The little sun was adorable! The young teen made a note to ask her sister-in-law about making some decorative cookies for a Lurlinemas dinner.
"The tray is full, though there's still some batter left," Elphaba held the bowl to her sister.
"That's an easy fix," Nessarose grabbed the first spoon she spotted and began to happily eat the batter.
"Oh that is gnarly."
"May I have some?"
"Help yourself!" Nessarose placed the bowl in between herself and Galinda while Elphaba shuddered and placed the cookie tray in the oven.
"Darling, just take it."
"But it's yours!"
"And I'm telling you, you can have it."
"But, Fab- "
"For the love of Oz, Nessa, take it. I'm not even that hungry," Elphaba practically shoved the last half of her cookie to her younger sister, who had been eyeing it longingly since the girl had polished her own cookies.
"And besides, if you do get hungry, Elphie, there's plenty of delicious food that gets sold at the market. You could try something there if you'd like," Galinda said.
"There you go. Now wipe that frown off your face. And for the last time, everything that's mine is yours," the green girl tucked a strand of hair behind Nessarose's ear. "Speaking of, should we begin to call for a carriage?"
"Yes, we should! Though I suggest we all change into something thicker and warmer. The temperatures are sure to drop as soon as the sun goes down."
"Oh, I didn't bring anything," Nessarose said.
"Not a problem!" Galinda reassured. "I'm sure something of mine will fit you."
"Ok, thank you!"
"Where have you placed your bags, Galinda?" Elphaba asked, unsure if the princess had a designated room in the castle or if she had a particular room she favored.
"In my bedroom! It's on the second floor, not right under your chambers, but right next to it."
"Noted."
"If it's alright with you Elphie, I can take Nessa to my chambers and give her some warmer clothes while you go change and we can meet at the main entrance."
Elphaba looked at her sister who nodded. "Yes, that's alright."
"What's your favorite class at Shiz Galinda? I'm very curious as to what your curriculum entails."
"Oh well let's see…"
Their chatter faded away as the women divided themselves up. Once Elphaba reached her bedroom, she quickly looked through her closet for something that would keep her relatively warm in the cool night. She settled for an ensemble that consisted of a dark brown fleece top, a black fleece skirt with many thin layers under it, and a shorter maroon layer on top. This would be adequate.
Elphaba quickly dressed herself and headed downstairs. Evidently, Nessarose and Galinda were not yet ready. However, not even a minute passed before Elphaba picked up Nessarose's voice echoing off the walls. Once she spotted them, Elphaba was slightly taken aback by Nessarose's clothes - well, Galinda's clothes really, on Nessa.
She wore a dark blue dress that covered her from neck to toe. It was big on her; the top hung off her body and she had rolled the sleeves a few times to keep her hands free. She looked every bit the teenager she was, the teenager she should and was now allowed to be. Oz, what Elphaba wouldn't do to see that smile on her face all the time.
"Is that what you're wearing?"
"Hm?" Elphaba turned to Galinda.
"Is that what you're really wearing, Elphie? Don't get me wrong, you look beautiful, but there's got to be something in your wardrobe that will amplify it even more."
The green girl shrugged. "It's a simple outing."
"The Queen of the Vinkus is going on a simple outing. This is the first time Kiamo will see you in a 'natural state'. No agenda, no speech, just you. Let's leave them with a powerful impression and give them something to talk about!"
"I…" Elphaba lost her argument as Galinda's words sunk in. She wasn't entirely wrong; she was a monarch now and part of her role was to have the people see her in a positive light. Every little thing she did in public would be under a lens. It wasn't that long ago that the king had told her there had been talk about the way she'd dressed while on her impromptu tour. She'd dressed casually then, but she'd been visiting construction sites. This was different. She'd thought that so long as she dressed modestly, she couldn't go wrong; apparently she could. This was her life now and these were things she had to think about. And if there was anyone who knew a thing or two about image, it was definitely Galinda. "Alright then. What should I change into?"
Galinda smiled. "Allow me. Nessa, will you be alright on your own for ten or 15 minutes?"
"Of course! I'll actually go and head into the carriage. I'll wait for the two of you there."
"Perfect! Come on, Elphie; let's accentuate all your Lurline given gifts."
Elphaba raised a doubtful eyebrow, but nonetheless allowed herself to be pulled back upstairs.
The street market was as big as Kiamo Ko, possibly bigger. Galinda said that it would take the average person a full day or two to visit every single stand.
With Lurlinemas just around the corner, there were decorations, clothes, paintings, even handmade soap bars on the Lurlinemas theme for sale at almost every single stand. The products were beautiful and innovative. Elphaba hadn't seen much Lurlinemass apparel before, but as someone who had decorated the governor's mansion for upper class parties before, she'd seen her fair share of classy and elegant decor. What was on display here surpassed anything she'd ever seen before.
Like Elphaba had expected, there were many eyes on her, and whatever stand the women - with Sair not far behind them - stopped at, the owner inevitably engaged her in conversation, wanting to know how she was doing and what she was looking for. Despite this having been meant to be a casual outing, Elphaba felt like she was still on duty. Every interaction felt like a test. Galinda on the other hand was carefree; she joked along with anyone who came up to her and talked to them as if she'd known them her whole life. Maybe it was her cheerful personality, the fact that she carried the rank of a princess, or that she was a native Vinkun; but Elphaba felt like she couldn't let her guard down just yet. Even if she felt like she was settling down in the Vinkus, the fact of the matter was that Elphaba was a foreigner to whom the people were still acclimating themselves to.
And Galinda read her very well.
In certain topics of conversation, particularly the ones that would've required Elphaba to reveal personal details about herself as well as her values and beliefs, the blonde took the lead then formed a question for the young queen that allowed her to be broad. The young queen could say enough to satisfy curiosity but remain vague enough to prevent any debate or scandal.
As far as any actual purchases, that was also something Elphaba let Galinda take the lead on. The green girl had no idea of what Lurlinemas was like inside Kiamo Ko. The only Lurlinemas experience she'd ever had was quietly having a nicer dinner than usual with Nessarose behind Frex's back. They'd been lovely, but obviously this year would be different. Sweet Oz, and so would every year after for the rest of their lives.
"Does Val know?"
"Know what, Fabala?"
Elphaba kept an eye out for Galinda, who was waiting on the most recent purchase she'd made on a stand not too far from them.
"Does she know what life was like in Munchkinland for us?"
"Oh…" Nessarose sagged in her wheelchair.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to dampen your mood, my sweet."
"No, no, it's alright Fabala. I just haven't really given it much thought since we left."
"That's good," she envied that.
"But to answer your question…not really? She knows some things - as in she knows there was a time in my life I didn't need the wheelchair, but she doesn't know the full story behind the accident," and who caused it was left unsaid. "She knows we mostly depended on each other, but assumes it was because we simply have an estranged relationship with father, she doesn't know what it truly was."
Elphaba nodded.
"Does Fiyero know?"
"No. No, of course not."
"Do you think you'll ever tell him?"
"Probably not," Elphaba really saw no reason as to why she should.
"If…if I ever do want to tell Val, would you let me?"
"Nessarose you don't have to ask me to 'let' you do anything. If you trust Val and feel comfortable sharing it, of course you can tell her…I just ask that she doesn't bring it up to me."
"Perfectly reasonable," Nessarose searched for Elphaba's hand and held it tightly, resting her head on her older sister's arm.
"I'm all good!" Galinda chirped, holding up the brown bag in her hand.
"Wonderful."
"Is anyone else feeling a bit hungry?" Nessarose wondered.
Actually, "A little bit," Elphaba said.
"I am as well. Are you both open to trying something new? I know a place here that sells something not found anywhere else in Oz."
The sisters glanced at each other.
"Absolutely!"
"Why not?"
"Yay! Follow me ladies."
"One thing about Vinkuns is that they love their food fresh. Everything you see is either made to order or is not more than two hours old," Galinda related.
"Respect," Nessarose said.
After navigating their way through the food court - which was incredibly packed as it was dinner time - the princess eventually approached a food stand that was relatively isolated from the rest. An older man and woman chatted amongst themselves as they moved around wooden skewers inside a large, boiling pot. The vapor cascading from it prevented Elphaba from identifying what exactly was cooking inside.
"Ah, Your Highness! How lovely to see you again, welcome home. Your Majesty, Miss," the man addressed Elphaba and Nessarose with a toothy smile. "Welcome."
"Thank you," the sisters chorused
"River, how lovely to see you! How have you been doing Chaderra, is the arm better? I see it's out of its sling."
"Almost fully healed now, Princess, thank you," the woman said.
"Elphie, Nessa, this is Mr. and Mrs. Enoch or River and Chaderra. I assume this beautiful lady needs no introduction but she's getting one," Galinda chuckled. "Her Majesty, Miss Elphaba Tigulaar," wasn't that a bit odd to hear? "Queen of the Vinkus. And this equally beautiful lady is her sister, Miss Nessarose Thropp."
"It's very nice to meet you Miss Nessarose," the woman, Chaderra, offered her hand to the young teen, who shook it.
"You as well."
"And it's a pleasure to have the both of you here."
"Ladies, River and Chaderra have had this business for over thirty years now and thus far remain the only business to sell such a product. They're quite the attraction when the summer season rolls around . Fiyero and I have been visiting their stand since before we could walk."
River looked at Galinda with fondness in his eyes, as if he were seeing her as a young child. "His Majesty and the princess do love their treats"
"Oh do you make candies of sorts then?" Nessarose asked.
The couple shared a look, clearly struggling to stifle their laughs. Elphaba, confused, turned to look at Galinda, who was biting down on her lip hard, also trying not to burst into a laugh. Nessarose was bewildered; what had she said?
Chaderra wordlessly pulled out a wooden stick from the pot and now it was clear why the question had been amusing.
Little, different kinds of critters were impaled on the stick.
Nessarose's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Are they alive?"
"Oh no no no. Of course not, Miss," River reassured. "At least, not when they're ready to be boiled."
Nessarose nodded, only slightly eased. Elphaba was left agape. True to Galinda's words this was not something found in Munchkinland. Who would've thought of putting insects on a stick? This…treat was certainly something different and she could see the appeal. But they couldn't possibly taste good, could it? Inexplicably, Elphaba wanted to find out for herself.
"Here you go, darling," Chaderra handed the skewer she'd been holding to the princess, who held it out to Nessarose.
The young teen looked at the skewer apprehensively. She took it from Galinda's hand and twirled it in her own. Galinda offered Elphaba a second skewer and the green girl took it with less fear than her sister had, feeling more intrigued than anything.
From up close, the wooden stick gave off a garlicky smell and she could clearly identify the individual bugs. There were a variety of crickets, scorpions, beetles, and spiders and their size was larger than anticipated. The cricket alone was nearly the size of her thumb. The scorpion was the main pull however, it was the biggest one of all and appeared to contain a variety of spices and textures.
Elphaba threw caution to the wind and took a bite out of the stinger. It was reminiscent of dried beef and yet not quite; it maintained some moistness and was more tender than expected. She tried the head next and it came cleanly off the body. It was an explosion of flavor; garlic was definitely the star, but there were also hints of pepper, lime, and a very delicate touch of honey. It tasted like nothing she'd ever had before and it was amazing.
"It's delicious," Elphaba said.
"Yay! I knew you'd like it!"
"Is it really?" Nessarose looked up at her sister.
"I very much enjoyed that," she was confident this was a serving she would actually finish.
"If you don't like it, there's no harm done Miss," River reassured. "We acknowledge that it's not everyone's cup of tea."
Slightly soothed, Nessarose slowly bit into the side of a beetle. Elphaba watched the young teen's face morph from uncertainty to shock. She was also surprised with how tasty the bug actually was. "Oh sweet Oz. It's incredibly savory."
"Isn't it?"
"Should we take some back with us?"
"Absolutely!" Nessarose grabbed Galinda's hand. "Any chance there's sweets nearby? I feel like I need to counteract the acidity," she said, her cheeks turning a warm, dark shade of red while holding a now bare skewer.
Galinda reassuringly squeezed her hand. "Of course!" She quickly paid the Enoch's for their food and pushed Nessarose's chair further down the aisle. Elphaba followed behind, still munching away at the shockingly delightly critters. "What are we in the mood for? Cakes, cookies, macarons, hot cocoa, fried foods…" she listed.
"Anything worth the stomach ache."
They both laughed and Galinda turned to the left. "Ever had a pavlova?"
"No."
"You will after tonight!"
"Are you sure you don't want to buy anything, Elphie?"
"Yes, I'm sure. I don't really need anything at the moment."
"Well…do you simply want anything? Trust me, I know everything that gets sold here, I'll tell you if they have it."
Elphaba smiled and shook her head. "I appreciate it, Galinda."
"Sweet Oz, it'll be a great challenge to get you something for Lurlinemas."
"You don't need to get me anything."
Galinda looked almost appalled. "You can't not receive gifts for Lurlinemas," she expressed passionately. "But also, it'll depend on who is assigned to you."
The green girl raised a brow. "'Assigned?'"
"Yes! It is a family tradition for our family to do a gift exchange for Lurlinemass. You can still give as many gifts to as many people as you'd like, but everyone gets a specific person for whom they need to get a nice present."
"Oh. I don't know…I wouldn't want to - "
"Whatever you're about to say, you are family now Elphie. You both are," Galinda looked at Nessarose. "And you will be participating in this year's gift exchange. I would not have it otherwise and I assure you, neither would Fiyero."
Nessarose polished her plate of the last slice of pavlova. "Thank you," she whispered and blinked away tears that had begun to sting her eyes. It didn't go unnoticed by either woman, both of whom placed a hand on the young teen's shoulder. "Who else is participating in the gift exchange?"
"This year, it'll just be the four of us: You, Elphie, Fifi, and me. We do have a few cousins on our father's side, but they informed us they would be traveling for Lurlinemas. If I'm completely honest, I don't know when or if you'll ever meet them. They aren't the nicest of people, but you know, 'family' and all that."
"I understand," Elphaba said.
"We can draw names tonight! And it should leave us plenty of time to find our respective person a gift."
"Can it be any kind of gift?" Nessarose wondered. "As in, could it be handmade if we'd like?"
"Oh absolutely!" Galinda sipped her hot cocoa. "I once gave my father a winter coat I made myself and a few years ago I was gifted a gorgeous painting from an uncle of mine - Lurline rest his soul."
Elphaba couldn't help but notice this was one of if not the first mention she'd heard of the previous King of the Vinkus. The current king never mentioned him, at least not that Elphaba could recall. Much like herself, Fiyero never touched the subject of his father, who'd only died two to three years ago.
Nessarose noticed that detail too. "Galinda…if you don't mind my asking, what was your father like?"
The princess stared at the steaming cup in her hands, a longing look on her face. "I think this is a conversation best had in private."
"I didn't mean - "
"No, you said nothing wrong, Nessa," Galinda stood from her chair. "There are just some things not even the Vinkuns know about."
"Oh."
"He was…a complicated man," Galina spoke in a low voice, even within the same compartments of their carriage. "He…for my entire life he was unpredictable. One day he could be the best father in all of Oz, the next he shouted to us that he wishes we'd never been born."
Nessarose put a hand to her heart and slowly reached for Galinda's hand, who accepted the comforting gesture.
"He wasn't all there. In the head. And we never did figure out what was wrong, the doctors seemed flabbergasted themselves. It was simply…painful; not only due to the things he would say but because Fiyero and I had to watch him slowly waste away until he could no longer even remember us. My brother was king long before his coronation, but we didn't want our father's condition known to the public. I remember him fondly, and I miss him dearly. I know that when he shouted those things at us it was never truly him, it doesn't mean they didn't burn."
Sweet Oz. Elphaba felt a horrible pain in her stomach from Galinda's words. That was unimaginable.
"I'm so sorry, Galinda," Nessarose said.
"Don't be. Pops is in a much better place now."
Elphaba, unsure of anything she could do to comfort her sister-in-law, simply placed her hand where Nessarose's already laid.
"Oh! That's his coach! Elphie, you said he should've been back by tonight, so that must be him, ri - yes! FIFI!"
As soon as the carriage came to a stop, Galinda burst through the door and ran to her older brother, who had come out of the castle doors to greet them. She jumped into his arms and he picked her up effortlessly, hugging the princess just as tightly. He'd clearly missed her.
Elphaba dismissed the coach, assuring that she would get Nessarose, and thanked him. While she prepared the wheelchair, Nessarose used her upper body strength to get herself across the seat and onto the floor. Her younger sister felt heavier than Elphaba remembered and simultaneously, the green girl felt stronger carrying her from the carriage to the chair rather than thinking she would drop her at any second. An unbelievable change from nearly two months ago; at times it was still hard to believe their lives had truly changed.
"...and I took them to River and Chaderra's stand; both of them ended up loving it. Then we sat down and had some sweets while we chatted, and then we decided to head back home," Galinda summed up. "Oh! I also told them about our traditional Lurlinemas gift exchange, which speaking of, I need to write our names down for the draw!"
"Well, it sounds like you ladies had a fun day," the king said, stopping at the bottom of the stairs where Elphaba was once again, preparing to carry Nessarose.
"It was lovely, Fiyero. And Galinda was right, it doesn't take much to love her," the young teen said. Galinda put her hands to her cheeks and smiled warmly.
"Allow me?" the king offered.
Elphaba stepped back and instead let him carry Nessarose bridal style up the stairs. She was actually grateful for it; the green girl had accepted that she would've most likely ripped her dress while carrying her sister up the stairs, but with only the wheelchair to take care of, that made everything much easier. And her gown remained intact.
"Galinda, may I help you with arranging the gift exchange?"
"Of course, Nessa. Oh! You know what you can also help me with?"
The princess wheeled Nessarose away inside Kiamo Ko, leaving Elphaba and the king outside.
"Well?" he asked.
And Elphaba knew exactly what he was referring to. "She's lovely. We are definitely on two opposite ends of the spectrum, but she's willing to meet me in the middle."
He smiled. "I knew you'd get along."
"How was the trip? Is everything settled?"
"Yes, thank Oz. I don't think you'll believe what the mishap was."
"Oh?"
"We were given produce that was meant to go to the Badlands."
"Wh - how did a mistake like that even happen?" there was no feasible reason for them to have gotten a delivery meant for the Badlands. They didn't even have a common ally.
"Your guess is as good as mine."
"At least everything's in order now."
"Yes," if he was trying to be subtle, he failed miserably.
Even a nearly blind elder would've caught the way he eyed her up and down. "What?" Elphaba widened her stride as she entered the castle, not liking the way he'd looked at her.
"Nothing, n-nothing. I apologize if I offended you," he scrambled out. "It's just…you've been Galindafied."
He…wasn't entirely wrong. She certainly wouldn't have chosen to wear something so eye-catching; the gown was a beige color with embroidered gold patterns at the chest, shoulders, sleeves, and on the edge of the two layers of the skirt; not to mention the asymmetry of it all.
Elphaba only shrugged.
She felt the briefest of contact on her arm, and then he said, "You don't have to do that you know."
She blindly pulled at a loose thread at the end of her sleeve. "Ok," she whispered, looking down at the floor.
"Let's go find our sisters."
Elphaba followed behind him. The coolness of the air as she walked did little to bring down the warmth spreading through her cheeks.
Lyric Inspo:
Yeah, we're happy, free, confused and lonely in the best way
It's miserable and magical
Oh yeah, tonight's the night when we forget about the heartbreaks
It's time
- '22 (Taylor's Version)', Red (Taylor's Version), Taylor Swift.
P.S. Galinda's dress and hair is my favorite of the looks Ariana Grande served for the Wicked Sydney premier. It's to die for (and I'm not even that big a fan of pink)
P.S.S, that was what one of my now friends asked me when we first met when we studied abroad: What's your deepest, darkest secret?
Pff.
