The Witches of Oz

The Emerald City:

Halfway across Oz Glinda woke up from her afternoon nap, screaming.

“Elphie! Look out!”

She sat up in bed shaking from the dream.

“Everything all right in there, Lady Glinda?” called the guard.

“Yes,” she called back hoarsely then more strongly. “Yes. It was just a bad dream.”

It was not just a bad dream, she admitted to herself as she dressed for the afternoon’s activities. Elphaba is really in danger…but why should I care? We’re clearly not friends any longer…but if we aren’t friends why am I having dreams about her being attacked? Fine! Maybe we aren’t friends anymore but if she’s in danger then Fiyero might be too and I do care about him!

Having justified her concerns to herself Glinda made her way to Madame Morrible’s office.

“Ah good afternoon, Glinda dear,” Madame Morrible was dressed in her full finery as well. “I trust you are refreshed after your rest?”

“Thank you Madame I am feeling very well. Has there been any news yet?”

“I know you are anxious for news of the Prince but it has only been a few days. As soon as I know anything I will tell you.”

“Thank you Madame I do appreciate that.”

“I do have some news. The Lion Miss Dorothy insisted accompany her here has informed us that there is a large Den of Animals in the Great Gillikin forest. It was also revealed that, while she has not been there recently, the Lion is acquainted with Miss Elphaba but has no idea the witch all of Oz is looking for is one and the same person.”

“Living in an Animal Den?” Glinda shuddered delicately. “Yes, I can imagine her doing that. She’s very… enthusiastic about what she perceives to be the mistreatment of Animals.”

“The Wizard has ordered his soldiers to prepare for a through investigation of the forest and its inhabitants. It’s close enough to the Emerald City and the Capital City of Munchkinland for them to have been there. Even if they aren’t it will be one less hiding place for her once they are through.”

“Good,” replied Glinda sincerely. “The sooner we find them the sooner this whole mess will be sorted out and forgotten!”

“We have another visitor,” said Madame Morrible, moving onto the next subject. “Another poor innocent victim of her maliciousness. Do you recollect a Master Boq from your days at Shiz University?”

“Of course, that sweet Munchkin boy that Nessarose was so fond of. He went back with her when she became Governor, I believe.”

“That is correct.”

“You said he was a victim,” realised Glinda in alarm. “What happened?”

“Apparently she forced Nessarose, who was a little less wicked than her sister, to call him to her room where she, for reasons none of us can fathom, cast a most dastardly spell upon him – not content with merely killing him she first stole away his heart the transformed him into a man made of tin!”

“That’s horrible! Oh poor Boq!”

“As you can imagine he is most eager to help us in our hunt.”

“Naturally,” agreed Glinda. “I’m sorry. I just need a moment to absorb this… does Boq know about Nessarose?”

“Yes. He was informed of her death and the possibility of her sister seeking revenge against that poor innocent child whose house was responsible for the incident. He asked to meet her and I saw no harm in it. She didn’t react with horror as most would because there are many things in Oz that don’t happen in ‘Kansas’ and it will distract her from asking to see the Wizard.”

“I didn’t foresee that she would get here so soon when I suggested he could help her. She only wants to get home and I was concerned that, if she stayed too long in Munchkinland, they might declare her their new leader. They are under the impression that she is another witch and the last thing Oz needs is another witch, good or wicked, of the East.”

“You have developed a clever mind for politics,” Madame Morrible praised her.

“I have learned from the best, Madame. I am glad you approve of my actions even though they have placed the Wizard in an unanticipated awkward position.”

“You were absolutely correct in your actions. The Wizard has already sent an emissary to the Munchkin government and we expect a messenger bird any day now with an update on the status of the West. It seemed only prudent to warn the King of what has happened to his son.”

“Of course and if they capture her so much the better for everyone involved.”

“You know what Elphaba is like, it’s hardly likely that she will convince anyone to help her in her losing battle.”

Glinda thought for a moment then decided to ask Madame Morrible a question.

“Just before I go, Madame, if you aren’t too busy?”

“I have a few minutes.”

“I was wondering do you know anything about those deserts that border Oz? It’s not important, I read about them briefly before the recent unpleasantness.”

“I know as much as anyone. They surround Oz on all sides and are completely impassable except by twister or balloon it seems but that is only coming into Oz – I have never heard of anyone leaving.”

“And nothing lives in the desert?”

“There are no records of anything being able to survive there. May I ask why you are so curious?”

“It occurred to me that I didn’t know if it was possible for someone to survive there. I was considering it being used as a hideout.”

“No need to worry yourself, dear, only death waits for those who enter there.”

Yes, said Glinda in the privacy of her mind. That’s what worries me.

“Thank you Madame, my mind is much easier now. Excuse me, I don’t want to be late!”

“Our Glinda is starting to use her brains,” remarked the Wizard, stepping out from behind the curtains of Madame Morrible’s office after the blonde woman left.

“I’ll keep an eye on her. Don’t worry too much, as long as we get her precious fiancée back she’ll be happy.”

“You think we can?”

“Of course. Both he and Elphaba are cursed with the need to do right by others, one of them is bound to come here and apologise to her, sooner or later, then we’ll use them to get the other.”

“You are a devious woman, Madame,” said the old man in admiration. “I always find it useful to have a backup plan myself.”

“I thought you’d approve. Naturally I’m having Glinda followed and I already convinced her it was safest to stay in the palace.”

“Very good indeed Madame. Now I must be off and so must you I’m sure.”

Fiyero was lending his gun to the Lion’s hunt and returned with them around mid-afternoon. Elphaba was still huddled on the bed when Fiyero, without thinking to call out to her, entered the room. Her long black hair was covering her like a living cloak but it wasn’t enough to disguise the curves created by the position she was sitting in – it was very obvious that there was nothing underneath Elphaba’s hair but the rest of Elphaba.

“Elphaba?” he called out softly. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to… Elphaba? Can you hear me?”

He stopped speaking and listened carefully, he could hear her breathing but just barely. He bolted across the room and shook her gently, trying not to look at her as he did so. He risked a glance at her face, her eyes were wide open like she was looking straight ahead but she didn’t seem to hear him. Fiyero grabbed her wrist and felt for her pulse – it was there but as barely as her breathing. He shook her again and called her name, her skin was clammy and cold, and she didn’t seem to know he was there.

Don’t panic, Fiyero, you can handle this just take a deep breath and pretend this isn’t the woman you love… and this is no time to gawk at her! he added when he realised that he was doing just that.

“Okay, Elphaba, I hope you don’t take this the wrong way when you wake up.”

Fiyero wrapped his arm around her waist and, all without looking, moved her across the bed a little so he could wrap one of the blankets around her and gently rub her cold skin with the coarse wool.

“Come on Elphaba, wake up, please!” he pulled her, blanket and all, onto his lap and held her close against him hoping that the extra warmth would encourage her to wake up.

“Fiyero?” Elphaba murmured sleepily, “You found me… it was so dark, it is so dark, I thought I’d never find the way out.”

“It’s still dark because you have your eyes shut.”

“Oh.” She blinked several times then looked at him. “That explains it.”

“What happened? When I came in here you were… I don’t know really, you were barely breathing, your heart was hardly beating, and your skin was freezing although that could have something to do with… umm…”

“With what?” She looked at him; he was blushing and looking over her shoulder. She risked a quick peek under the blanket. “Yes.” She agreed, equally uncomfortably, “Yes, that would be it.”

“I… uhh… thought so. I didn’t look,” he added in a rush. “I mean I tried not to look…”

“Fiyero… you saved my life,” interrupted Elphaba. “I only held on because I knew you were coming back.”

He didn’t question or protest her words; he’d seen for himself that she had been near death.

“Of course I came back – how could I not? But Elphaba what happened? You were sleeping when I left and when I got back you were nearly… gone.”

“It started off as a dream… I was flying above one of the borders – no way of telling which – then I was pulled into the desert where I’ve never been able to go before. Fiyero, there’s something out there, it saw me and came towards me and suddenly it wasn’t a dream – it was a vision, a message, whatever is out there is death and it’s coming here, to Oz!”

He wanted to ask if she was sure but he’d learned to think before he spoke and reasoned that being the one who’d nearly died because of the dream-vision-whatever it was she would know.

“Do you know where it is? How far away? Anything at all?”

“Only that it’s out there,” she lifted one arm and gestured, losing some of the blanket covering her in the process. “Somewhere.”

Fiyero ran his hand down her bare arm.

“Is it close?”

“It’s difficult.” She swallowed as he, clearly unaware of what he was doing, continued to stroke her arm. “Difficult to say with no… no point of reference and no idea of how… how big the deserts are.”

Her skin was much softer than it looked, the colour gave one the impression that it would be rough but it was so smooth and soft that he couldn’t seem to take his hand away even though it was obviously distracting her. Elphaba managed to get her other arm, the one that was pressed between his chest and hers, out of the blanket and lift it up around his neck forcing him to look at her.

“Kiss me.” She said and it was less a demand than a reminder of something he was supposed to be doing and had forgotten. There were a score of reasons not to, mainly the dual facts that she had just had what could only be described as a near death experience and she was completely naked except for the dubious cover of the blanket. Sensing his reluctance Elphaba pulled her other arm free, causing the blanket to slide to her waist in the process, wrapped them both around his neck and pulled him closer.

“Please Fiyero… remind me that I’m still here, that this is real…”

He was kissing her before he could find another reason not to, one hand pushing her hair out of face the other pressed against the soft skin of her bare back, very aware of her bare curves pressed against him as she held him close with both hands.

“You are…” He gasped between kisses. “The most… beautiful woman I have… ever seen!”

“Really?” she gasped as breathlessly as he had.

“You’re so lovely… the rest of the world must be blind not to see it!”

“Fiyero.” Another breathless whisper then she leaned out of reach for a moment. “Being with you... it’s like finding a part of myself I didn’t know was missing!”

Her voice dropped to a whisper as she shyly added,

“Do you really think I’m beautiful?”

“Yes!” replied Fiyero emphatically. “Every last lovely green inch of you from here…” he ran his hand from her face, down her bare arm and over the blanket, to her bare feet and tickled her toes. “Here!”

“That tickles!” protested Elphaba, giggling and trying to move her feet out of the way. She only succeeded in losing her blanket entirely; Fiyero immediately fixed his eyes on her face.

“Are you going to… pull that up?”

“No.” replied Elphaba, thoughtfully stroking his face with one hand, “No I don’t think I am…”

Elphaba was the first to wake up, cradled against Fiyero with her arms around his waist and his around hers. Smiling she snuggled closer and listened to his heart beating. The steady sound lulled her back to sleep, not that she had been very awake to begin with.

When Fiyero woke up he blinked several times just to make he wasn’t in the middle of a fantastic dream… it was hard to believe that he could actually be here holding a sleeping Elphaba against him with her smiling as she slept. He was only sorry that it took her nearly dying, by some mysterious magical means no less, to precipitate the event. He managed to free the arm she was laying on and stretch both without waking her up. A tentative attempt to move away caused Elphaba to tighten her grip on his waist and murmur in protest.

“If you move I’ll get cold.”

“How long have you been awake?”

“Don’t know,” she replied sleepily. “Not long.”

“You kept your eyes shut?”

“If this is a dream I want to stay here as long as possible.”

Of course, everyone knew that if you opened your eyes while dreaming about sleeping you would wake up.

“I was thinking the same thing myself but my eyes are open and we’re still here.”

Cautiously she opened her eyes and tilted her head up to look at him.

“I’m still here,” he pointed out. “And so are you. I guess that means neither of us are dreaming.”

“I’m glad of that,” said Elphaba after a short awkward pause. “Really I am.”

“So am I.” He reassured her straight away. “There’s nowhere I’d rather be than right here with you right now.”

“It was almost as good as flying,” said Elphaba playfully.

“Almost?” repeated Fiyero. He looked at her and realized she was trying, and failing, to keep a straight face. He raised an eyebrow at her then started tickling her sides mercilessly.

“I’ll give you ‘almost’ Elphaba Thropp!”

Elphaba giggled hysterically and tried to disentangle her arms so she could defend herself. Fiyero pinned her arms to her sides and grinned at her.

“Ready to surrender?”

Elphaba made a rude face at him then nodded.

“Good.” He let go of her arms and lay on his side. “Now what were you saying about flying?”

“Uncivilised oaf.” She muttered at him, it would have been more insulting if she weren’t smiling.

“You look very pleased with yourself.” Fiyero noted cheerfully.

“Should I not?” asked Elphaba, only half seriously. “I’m feeling rather pleased with everything at the moment.”

“I’m glad you’re happy… I mean I’m happy too but… I’m not saying this very well am I?”

“I know what you mean Fiyero.”

“Well as long as one of us does!”

“Come on,” said Elphaba sliding out of bed. “I need a bath and, not to put too fine a point on it my Fiyero, so do you!”

“I’ll get you for that!”

Elphaba laughed as she grabbed a towel from the shelf.

“You’ll have to catch me first!”

After they cleaned up Elphaba and Fiyero went to see Edest the Lion.

“Fiyero told you about Cub?” asked Elphaba, all business, after the briefest of greetings.

“Yes. We are evacuating. We will travel East then South then West, it sounds a long journey but for us it is not so. You will go directly West?”

“Yes,” replied Elphaba. “We are hoping that Fiyero’s sire, the Elder of the Westlands, will see the truth of the Wizard’s duplicity and join us in the fight against him.”

“Elphaba is being very pessimistic about our chances of succeeding there.”

“Realistic,” corrected Elphaba. “My negative expectations are based on experience so it’s realism not pessimism.”

“And if this Elder, too, sides against you?”

“Then we will stand together against all of them,” answered Fiyero before Elphaba had a chance to reply. “We shall, no matter what happens with my family, claim the Western mountains as our domain. When you get there seek out the castle of Kiamo Ko if you wish to find us.”

“Or go to the unclaimed lands if you wish to be safe for now,” added Elphaba. “The choice, as always, is yours. I must warn you, before we go, another danger approaches – the vision was unclear, I can not tell you what it is or when it will happen, only that it is different to the danger of the Wizard.”

“We will keep our senses sharp and…”

A scout bounding in to the room interrupted him.

“Forgive the interruption, Elder.”

“Of course, what news?”

“A Bird scout has just reported a group of soldiers marching this way. He said they are close enough to get here within a day and he got close enough to hear their mission! To find the Animal Den within this forest!”

“Spread the word, tell everyone to travel East as far as they can then south to Quadling country. Small groups, everyone knows what to do.”

The young Lion ran off into the caves and Edest turned his attention to Elphaba and Fiyero.

“Anything here that you want will have to be taken with you or very well hidden.”

Elphaba did some quick mental calculations.

“I’ll use the broom to hide some things in the high caverns. What about the lions?”

“We’ll tell them to hide until the men are gone.”

“It’s nearly dark, we can leave as soon as it is. The moon is nearly full and there is a lot of low cloud cover. As long as we stay above that no one on the ground will see us.”

“You’re the expert,” said Fiyero agreeably. “Want me to help you pack?”

“No, I’ll do it… why don’t you go down to the store room and get some food?”

“Sure.”

Fiyero nodded once, kissed her quickly, and then disappeared in the direction of the storeroom Sarla the Cat had shown him earlier.