Without another word from either woman Galinda politely opened the door for Nessarose and waited for the younger girl to leave.
“Elphaba, I said you didn’t have to wait for me!”
Galinda heard Nessa exclaim from the hallway and walked over to see her glaring at Elphaba.
“That’s good,” said Elphaba quietly. “I came back to see if Miss Galinda could spare me a moment of her time.”
“You’re talking to Galinda?” repeated Nessa incredulously. “What happened to all those things you kept telling me about how rude, self-absorbed, shallow, conceited and ignorant she was?”
Inside the classroom Galinda flinched as she listened to what Elphaba had said about her.
But then, she thought, I suppose that is how I have acted towards Elphie ever since she got here and it really seems like Nessa is just saying those things because she knows I’m in here…
Of course Nessa knew that Miss Galinda was still in the classroom and so did Elphaba (because she hadn’t actually left) but the younger Thropp sister chose to ignore that fact and not spare Galinda’s feelings.
“Why, Miss Nessarose, didn’t you know?” said Galinda cheerfully as she appeared out of the classroom and smiled brightly, not politely as she had before, at Elphaba. “Elphie and I are friends now!”
Elphie? thought Nessarose, I cannot believe my sister would actually let someone refer to her by a nickname when she’s always said they’re ridiculous!
“Friends?” was all she managed to repeat out loud. It was one of the strangest things she’d ever heard, she was sure of it!
“Well,” she continued stiffly, “I’m sure this will make your living situation much more agreeable. If you’ll excuse me, I promised Miss Rané that I would meet her for lunch. I shall see you in History, Elphaba.”
“Enjoy your lunch, Nessa,” said Elphaba, speaking to girl’s back because she’d wheeled herself away as soon as she finished speaking. She turned to Galinda and smiled shyly. “Thank you.”
“For what?” said Galinda, with a happy shrug and a careless hair toss. “It’s true after all. What did you want to talk to me about? Please, I beg of you, tell me it’s no more complicated than asking to borrow my hairbrush or something equally trivial I don’t think I can handle any more seriousness today!”
“Actually I was just going to ask how your little talk with my sister went but if you don’t want to talk about it…”
“It went well, I think… Miss Nessarose can be very…”
“I know exactly what you mean,” Elphaba assured her straight away. “I only hope she isn’t so… like that when Boq talks to her.”
Elphaba’s eyes widened and she slapped her hand over her mouth when she realised she’d revealed the fact she had spoken to Boq.
“Oh no! I shouldn’t have said that. Galinda please, please, don’t tell Nessa I talked to him!”
“Of course not, Elphaba,” agreed Galinda, obviously confused by Elphaba’s distress. “Not that I speak to Miss Nessarose that often anyway but why not?”
“I only told her I’d talk to you and find out what really happened with Boq, when I offered to speak to him she told me not to.”
“If she told you not to then why did you?” asked Galinda who knew fairly well, even this early in their friendship, how much power Nessa’s will had over her sister. Elphaba fell silent for a moment and when she answered it was with a far away look on her face.
“I had a bad feeling about what might happen if he doesn’t talk to her.”
“A normal bad feeling,” asked Galinda, more perceptive than usual. “Or a bad feeling like those dreams you told me about?”
“Like the dreams, Gaia,” agreed Elphaba quietly but offered no further explanation.
“Come on,” she continued, shaking off the odd mood that had been bothering her for several days concerning her sister and the Munchkin boy. “You had better get to lunch before your adoring masses start to miss you.”
“Elphie!” protested Galinda. “Don’t make fun of me! I should go though before people start wondering where I am. You can come with me, to lunch. If you’d like to?”
“No, thank you, Galinda,” replied Elphaba, masking her shock with mild sarcasm. “I wouldn’t want to put anybody off of their food. I’ll see you in History class.”
“If you’re sure…”
“I’m sure.”
“Enjoy your lunch then, Elphie!”
Sometimes, mused Elphaba as she watched Galinda walk away from her, smiling and waving. Sometimes it is so easy to forget about all of the bad things that are happening in the world. Is that what true friendship is? Knowing someone who makes you feel like everything will turn out well in the end?
For a moment she looked through a nearby window in the direction of the farm where the Goats were surely hidden, in plain sight, by now.
A false feeling, she acknowledged silently. But a good feeling nonetheless and who knows perhaps everything will turn out well…eventually…
The air in the History classroom was expectant – though all of those who had been present in the last class still found time to look apprehensively at Elphaba who ignored their stares and whispers – they all knew there was to be a new History professor and everyone was wondering who was taking on the extra teaching duties.
The new professor was in fact a new professor, not one of those already employed by the University, and escorted into the classroom by Madame Morrible herself.
“Good afternoon students. It is my delightful pleasure to introduce to you the newest member of the faculty of Shiz University – Professor Arlina Torelle – who has just finished a year of teaching at the Emerald City Academy for Young Ladies, which is one of the most prestigious establishments of education in all of Oz.”
The only person who didn’t look to the front of the room straight away was Fiyero, who made a point of not paying attention in class, he happened to be looking in the direction of the Thropp sisters and was confused by their reactions to someone who was apparently a stranger. Nessarose had a smile on her face and looked like she’d just seen an old friend for the first time in years whereas Elphaba looked as pale as he’d ever seen her and the expression on her face was quite similar to the night she’d overheard Galinda talking about her.
How peculiar, he thought, I wonder if they’ve heard of this woman.
He turned his attention to the new teacher, wondering of her appearance would give him any clues. She was pretty, he supposed, in the way that women of a certain age could be. It was hard to tell under the makeup, it looked like she’d gotten some fashion tips from Madame Morrible or perhaps that was just the fashion in the Emerald City, there was a lot of dramatic eye shadow and bright lip colouring. From her golden hair and slightly buxom figure he deduced that she was probably almost pure Gillikinese though a certain delicacy in her facial structure suggested a hint of Munchkinlander blood.
Of course most of this would not be obvious to the average student, particularly a male student, but Fiyero spent a lot of time watching people when he was supposed to be studying and could almost always accurately guess an individual’s bloodlines – it gave him something to do when he was bored.
She has the look of highborn Gillikin about her, perhaps that’s why Elphaba looks so… upset and her sister so cheerful, she could be someone their father knows.
“I am delighted to have been offered a teaching position at this distinguished University,” said Professor Torelle as she looked around the classroom. “I am equally delighted to become acquainted with you all, Madame Morrible has told me all about this particular class.”
It was impossible to miss the way her eyes turned towards Elphaba as she finished that particular sentence. The green girl, despite the fact everyone was looking at her and most of them unpleasantly, pointedly looked away from the older woman in a manner that would have been an insult if she had been specifically addressed but could not be faulted in this particular instance. Nonetheless Elphaba was quite certain that the new professor would find sufficient opportunity to take offence at her words and actions.
“We will begin with an oral exam so that I can evaluate your current level of knowledge. I am given to understand that your previous professor was… less than satisfactory,” continued Professor Torelle, when Madame Morrible had left the room after warning the students to behave themselves.
Fiyero, telling himself that he was not deliberately watching Elphaba, was the only one who saw her clench her left hand on the edge of the bench she was sitting on. He expected her to jump to her feet in defence of the Goat Professor to whom Professor Torelle was obviously referring but she just sat there, albeit glaring daggers (as the expression went) at the History teacher, and the only sign that she was angry was the fact that her clenched fingers were nearly white.
“Who can tell the class the full name of the last Ozma before the glorious reign of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz began?”
Elphaba’s hand was in the air first but the professor ignored her, which was surprising because even the teachers who ignored her now let her answer questions at first, in favour of the second person to offer an answer. The lesson went on that way, with Elphaba persistently putting her hand in the air, though some of the students began to think she was doing it to be irritating because the teacher wasn’t calling on her at all. When she asked the next question Fiyero put his hand up a fraction of a second before Elphaba.
“Master Tiggular?” said the professor, indicating that he should speak.
“This is all very dreary,” drawled Fiyero lazily. “Since Miss Thropp is so keen on History why don't you just let her answer the questions before we all die of boredom?”
He grinned charmingly at the Professor who looked distinctly unimpressed with his suggestion. He ignored her sour expression and the glare Elphaba treated him to as soon as he looked at the side of the classroom she was on.
“I think I have a fair idea of what areas you have covered now,” she said, as if he hadn’t spoken. “Take out your History texts and turn to page one hundred and seventy two. Today we are going to begin our study of the Wizard’s Reign.”
Two and a half very long hours later the class finished, Boq waited until everyone had left the room then approached the Thropp sisters.
“Miss Nessarose, may I speak to you for a few minutes?”
“My, my, aren’t you popular today,” muttered Elphaba snidely, her mood having been completely ruined by the arrival of the new History Professor. “Are you speaking to this young man or can we leave?”
“Not that it is your business, Elphaba, but yes I am going to speak to Master Boq and you need not wait for me.”
“I’ll meet you in our usual study room then,” replied Elphaba with a careless shrug.
Boq planned to wait silently until the classroom was completely empty before speaking to Nessarose but it seemed she had other ideas because she addressed him before he could begin.
“I believe I know why you are here,” said Nessa. “Miss Galinda spoke to me this morning. She was kind enough to explain to me the real reason you invited me to that party last week – to impress her.”
“Miss Nessarose, I…”
At this point Nessarose would have interrupted any other person with accusations and made them feel as guilty as possible about what they had done to upset her but she still harboured a secret hope that Boq might actually like her for herself so she decided to let him speak.
“It is true I only invited you because Miss Galinda suggested it but it‘s not that simple. You see I never thought you would accept my invitation! You really are beautiful and you are the future Governor of Munchkinland. I thought someone, or even several someones, would have already asked you. I really don’t know what I was thinking of! No matter how much I… Miss Galinda there are some things that are simply not done, or at least they shouldn’t be, and one of them is a mere farmer’s son asking to be the escort of someone as far above him in society as you are. Not only that, I committed two such offences in one day! I feel like such a fool for even dreaming that Miss Galinda would condescend to acknowledge my interest in her.”
At this point Boq’s voice trailed off and he blushed a little at the fact he had admitted his foolishness.
“She made me feel foolish as well, Boq,” said Nessa, addressing him informally to make him feel more at ease. “I was so thrilled that you had finally spoken to me and then to find out… well it’s not your fault really and you must not think that you have committed such a great impropriety by speaking to both of us. Things are different at Shiz, we aren’t even supposed to officially acknowledge rank, a person’s worth is – and should be – measured by who they are not who their parents are.”
“Do you really believe that, Miss Nessarose?”
“Of course I do,” answered Nessa empathically, and truthfully. “No wonder you never spoke to me if you think I am so old-fashioned that I wouldn’t speak back!”
“I must admit I did think that. There were a number of times when I almost spoke to you and didn’t because I thought you would disdain me.”
He paused in his explanation, took a deep breath, and continued.
“May I be so bold as to ask why you didn’t speak to me first?”
“I am not quite so modern as that,” protested Nessarose. “I wanted to speak to you, Boq, I just couldn’t quite bring myself to disregard appropriate Eastern behaviour to that degree. So you see this little mess we seem to be in isn’t entirely Miss Galinda’s fault… if I hadn’t been so… you know…”
“It’s not entirely any one person’s fault,” agreed Boq. He hesitated then spoke again. “Perhaps, Miss Nessarose, we might start over and begin our friendship on a better note?”
“You really want to be friends with me?”
“Of course.”
“But why?”
“Well, for one thing… err… it’s not because you’re the Governor’s daughter and… well… we’re just about the only Munchkins here but that isn’t the only reason of course! And it’s not just because you’re beautiful but you are. I am making a mess of this aren’t I?”
“Only a little,” said Nessa with an encouraging smile. “Forget I asked that. Let’s start right back at the beginning with proper introductions.”
Boq nodded, stood in front of her, and bowed to the exact degree of a Munchkin farmer’s son greeting the daughter, and heir, of the Governor of Munchkinland.
“If you please, Miss, I should very much like to give you my name and have yours in return.”
Nessarose found the formal Eastern way of speaking comfortingly familiar after spending the last few months talking to Northern and Border girls who tended towards the more informal Central style of speech and, using words she’d learned as a very young girl, responded in the same formal manner.
“I am delighted to be acquainted with you, sir, and I do not object to a proper introduction.”
“My name is Boq Androsen. My father is Lariq Androsen of the Andros Farm and my mother is Shea Androsen, formerly Shea Lenahn, a Border Lander by birth. I was raised as a Munchkin and, as the only such citizen here at Shiz besides your good self, I have taken it upon myself to conduct a proper introduction.”
“I’m sure you already know my name and title, Master Boq. You have my permission to address me by my given name.”
She looked thoughtful, almost confused, for a moment until she realised he was referring to those who were raised as Munchkins not everyone who had Munchkin in their bloodline.
“Are you really the only other Munchkin at Shiz?”
“I am, Miss Nessa, it seems not many Munchkinlanders are interested in leaving Munchkinland and even fewer in leaving for further education. I myself applied for and received a scholarship to Shiz. My parents are very proud even though they don’t see why I need to attend University.”
“My father thought it would be better for me to attend a Central school to improve my understanding of international matters. I still think that I could learn all I need to know from him but I didn’t want to disappoint him by refusing to come.”
“I think everyone secretly wants to make their parents proud,” offered Boq understandingly. “What do you think of the new History Professor? She seems to have a bit of a grudge against Miss Elphaba already…”
His voice trailed off as it occurred to him that Elphaba was not the best topic to discuss with Nessa when one was trying to gain her forgiveness. To his surprise Nessa actually smiled, though someone who knew her better than he would have realised that it was not a particularly nice smile, and decided to answer his question truthfully.
“Because we are friends I shall tell you why Professor Torelle reacted the way she did but you must promise not to discuss it with anyone.”
“Of course, Miss Nessa, you have my word on it.”
“Professor Arlina Torelle is my mother’s cousin through my grandfather’s family, before she pursued her higher education, she was my Nanny. She lived with our family for nearly fourteen years and cared for my sister as a child as well. So you see there is quite a bit of history between them, most of it unpleasant, my sister hasn’t seen her since she left the household though I have kept in regular contact and met with her a few times on journeys with Father. That’s about all there is to it,” concluded Nessa, though she hadn’t told him all of the circumstances of the situation.
“It is certainly understandable then, that they would not like each other,” agreed Boq. He was fairly certain that she wasn’t telling him everything but he was glad that she trusted him enough to tell him as much as she had. “You may rest assured that I will not tell anyone about your prior acquaintance with Professor Torelle, particularly in light of the fact that she is now your teacher as well as a trusted family friend.”
“I agree,” said Nessa. “As soon as I realised whom our new teacher was, I knew we would have to be discreet about our prior relationship to avoid certain, baseless, accusations of favouritism. I’m glad we sorted all of this out, Boq; truly I’m glad that we’re friends now. It would have been so awkward if we had just carried on as though everything was well, don’t you think?”
“Very awkward indeed, Miss Nessa,” agreed Boq. “If you will excuse me rushing off I was supposed to meet my Science study partner some time ago.”
“Please don’t let me keep you, I’m sure Elphaba will be here any minute to make sure you haven’t reduced me to weeping hysterics or anything like that,” said Nessa in a rather dry tone that was, if any such thing could be needed, proof that the Thropp sisters shared a few mannerisms. “She’s always nagging me about not wanting to study enough, but then she studies enough for any three other people.”
There didn’t seem to be anything diplomatic to say to that so Boq nodded in what he hoped was a suitable response.
“Would you like me to escort you to your study room, Miss Nessa?” he offered politely. As they had just discussed he had been raised as a Munchkin and Munchkins were always polite to women, especially but not particularly those of higher rank than themselves, it was simply good manners instilled since childhood.
“I would be delighted,” replied Nessa, who had had the same good manners instilled in her since childhood, she had long since learned that a lady never refused such an offer from a gentleman (the definition of gentleman in this instance being any man, or boy, who made such an offer in a genuine manner).
When the pair of friends reached the only study room on the ground floor (therefore the only one that Nessa could reach easily on her own) all appearance suggested that Elphaba had been there since she left the history classroom. She was nose deep, as she often was, in a book and could have told anyone who asked exactly what she had read in the amount of time she was supposed to have been spending alone in the room. Certainly it never even occurred to Nessarose, or Boq, that Elphaba had sat outside the classroom until it became apparent that they were going to sort themselves out then raced to this room.
“There you are, Nessa,” she said in a reproving tone that was just mild enough to avoid upsetting her sister. “I was about to come and look for you.”
“I haven’t needed a nursemaid to round me up since I was eight, Elphaba,” replied Nessarose very pointedly. “I can certainly manage to get myself from a classroom to a study room without you checking on me because I’m a few minutes late.”
“Your pardon,” said Elphaba stiffly. “I certainly did not intend to imply that you are a child, Nessarose. I simply thought you might have better things to do before curfew than studying and would prefer to get it done as soon as possible.”
“I bid you good afternoon,” said Boq in the pause between Elphaba’s apology and Nessa’s reply.
“Good afternoon, Boq,” said Nessa with a smile. She turned back to face Elphaba as soon as he had left.
“So,” said Elphaba, faking boredom so badly that Nessarose knew she was really interested. “What did Master Boq have to say to you?”
“Me first,” insisted Nessa. “You spoke to Miss Galinda?”
“I did, as you know since she spoke to you.”
“It seems after your little ‘chat’ she talked to Boq and explained everything. He wanted to apologise, and explain a little too, he was very sweet. It seems that he actually wanted to be friends before the party and he really was too shy to ask me! He thought I wouldn’t speak to him because of the difference in our ranks but now we’re friends and I think… I’m not sure yet because it’s so new but I think I can be his friend and be satisfied with that even though I still feel the way I did before.”
“I’m glad that it worked out, Nessa,” said Elphaba sincerely.
And I’m doubly thrilled that Boq and Galinda haven’t let slip that I had spoken to him as well.
I wonder if I should say anything about Arlina being here, contemplated Nessa. No, it would only get her started on one of her rants.
“I brought my Literature notes with me,” Elphaba solved Nessa’s dilemma by moving on to the simpler topic of their homework.
The sisters spent the next two hours discussing the text they’d been assigned to study for Literature and the questions the Professor had suggested would be in the exam. The bell rang to indicate that the evening meal was about to begin, Elphaba gathered up her notes and put them back in her bag.
“Would you like me to take you to the dining hall?” she asked her sister. The question surprised Nessa because Elphaba usually just assumed that she wanted assistance. Nessa thought about it for a moment, decided that Arlina would probably be in the dining hall already, and replied:
“No, thank you, Elphaba. I can see myself there this evening, no need for you to come along.”
“I’ll see you in the morning then,” agreed Elphaba neutrally. “Shall I come in early so we can go over out notes as we did this morning?”
“Please, that would be very good.”
“Are you worried about something, Nessa?” asked Elphaba perceptively.
“Whatever gave you that idea?” asked Nessa who was, in fact, preoccupied with thoughts about the likelihood of Elphaba causing trouble with Arlina and her own worries about Boq.
“You slipped into Eastern dialect, just said ‘please’ instead of ‘if you please’.”
“You’re imagining things, Elphaba, as always!” scolded Nessa. “Would you please take your conspiracy theories somewhere else so I can get to my meal.”
“I do beg your pardon, it was only concern that made me speak of it. Good evening, Nessa.”
With that rather icy farewell Elphaba picked up her things and left the room.
“Well,” mutter Nessa, as she picked up her own books and put them on her lap so she could wheel the chair along. “She is in one of her moods today.”
Galinda had left a note on Elphaba’s bed, which she picked up as soon as she entered the bedroom.
Elphie,
Fiyero is taking me out for dinner and dancing!
Have a good evening, cover for me if anyone important asks where I am, see you later!
Galinda.
“Your level in trust in my discretion is fascinating, Gaia dear,” murmured Elphaba, with a smile, as she placed the note on her bedside drawers and sat down on the bed.
She had planned to continue studying but, in the privacy of her mind and an empty room, she had no choice but to acknowledge the fact that she didn’t need to study any more for the exam and could probably have passed it without any study at all.
So what are you going to do for the rest of the evening? wondered Elphaba silently; she saw no point in speaking out loud when she was alone anyway.
You can’t practice magic because Madame has forbidden you to use the training wand outside of the special classroom, Galinda won’t be back for hours yet so you don’t have to worry about entertaining her, Nessa is obviously going to renew her acquaintance with our dear Miss Arlina as soon as she finishes her meal. In short, Miss Elphaba Thropp, you have absolutely nothing that you need to do and you haven’t a clue what to do with yourself. Well, I’m glad I was able to sort that out.
She stood up and paced around the room for a few minutes, wondering why she couldn’t sit still. Stopping at the bedside table she pulled a notebook and a charcoal pencil out of the drawer.
I’ll soon get this sorted out, she decided as she balanced the paper on her lap and closed her eyes. It didn’t always work but sometimes if she concentrated in a special way, that she now guessed probably had something to do with magic, she could draw a picture of what was nagging at her mind.
The charcoal moved over the paper and some time, she could never measure it, later Elphaba felt that it was as complete as she could make it and opened her eyes. The top half of the page was covered by her other hand so she looked at the bottom first.
A fork in the road, two different paths, only one set of footprints, so where do they lead?
The sound of the door opened loudly distracted her from further analysis of the obscure drawing. In her haste to put in the drawer next to the bed she ended up with charcoal smeared all over the palm of the hand she had been covering the drawing with.
“Galinda? Is that you?” she called out as she glanced out of the window to check the time.
Lamps always illuminated the face of the clock in the courtyard at night so it was clearly visible. Elphaba’s mood changed rather abruptly as she realised it was nearly curfew. On one hand she was shocked that she had lost several hours in her semi trance but on the other she was angry – perhaps without cause – that Galinda was only just getting home.
“Of course it’s me, Elphie!” called out Galinda in an extremely, even for her, cheerful tone as Elphaba entered the sitting room. “And Fiyero, of course!”
“Of course,” muttered Elphaba, clearly unimpressed by Galinda’s enthusiasm.
“You didn’t have to wait up for us!” added Galinda with a giggle.
“Galinda Upland!” Elphaba finally realised why Galinda’s behaviour seemed more giddy than usual. “Are you drunk?”
“I most certainly am not!” protested Galinda as she collapsed onto the sofa and dragged Fiyero with her.
“You most certainly am are,” disagreed Fiyero, heedless of the terrible grammar of that sentence.
“You,” said Elphaba, glaring at him fiercely. “I didn’t think you were this irresponsible.”
“Me?” protested Fiyero. “Are you suggesting that Galinda being slightly inebriated,” he wasn’t quite as drunk as her and could still pronounce big words, “is my fault?”
“I wasn’t just ‘suggesting’ it!” snapped Elphaba. “You should go back to your room before curfew.”
“I don’t feel so good!” exclaimed Galinda, very suddenly. She stood up and stumbled across the room into the bathroom, leaving Elphaba and Fiyero alone and glaring at each other.
“I was just trying to cheer her up,” said Fiyero, perversely annoyed by the fact that he felt he had to explain himself to Elphaba Thropp.
“By helping her drink herself sick?” said Elphaba, more sarcastically than usual. “Exactly what I would expect from you.”
“At least I don’t have such a reputation that a new teacher already expects me to misbehave!”
Fiyero retorted with the first cutting remark he could think of. He probably wouldn’t have said it if he hadn’t been nearly as drunk as Galinda, though better at hiding it, and irritated by the fact that she blamed him for Galinda’s behaviour. Elphaba’s face paled quite noticeably and her glare became even more intense as she clenched her hands together in front of her.
“For your information, Fiyero Tiggular,” she spat the words at him, emphasising every syllable. “Professor Torelle and I have been acquainted for quite some time, not that it is any of your business. Our reasons for mutual dislike have been well established.”
“Are you going to tell me how you are acquainted then?” challenged Fiyero, more for the sake of baiting her than because he wanted to know. The fact that she had admitted the acquaintance suggested that his first guess of ‘father’s friend’ was probably correct.
“No.”
Elphaba replied flatly and walked away from him without a word, she went into the bathroom to check on Galinda.
The blonde girl was sitting on a pile of pink towels (obviously hers) humming to herself.
“Galinda, what in Oz are you doing?” asked Elphaba in exasperation.
“I’m just thinking about what an absotively wonderific evening I had, Elphie! I loved the restaurant, and the music, and the wine!”
“Yes. I think it is abundantly clear, particularly from the ridiculous made up words you just used, exactly how much you ‘loved’ the wine.”
“And I love Fiyero,” continued Galinda obliviously. “And I love Shiz, and you, and Shannee and Pfen-Pfen…”
“Other way around I think you’ll find,” murmured Elphaba.
“And everyone else at Shiz, and Momsie and Popsical, and simply everyone… well except that horrid boy who put ink in my hair when I was eight, and come to think of it I’m not terribly fond of Madame Morrible or your sister – no offence – or the new History Professor who seems very unhappy indeed but then I suppose it is difficult to be a Torelle and be truly happy with one’s position in life.”
The sarcastic sentence uttered by Elphaba, about a third of the way through Galinda’s declarations of love, finally penetrated the younger girl’s clouded mind.
“They are not made up!” she protested, “they’re abbry-, abbrevi-, oh you know what I mean!”
“Abbreviations?” supplied Elphaba with a sceptical roll of her eyes that went unnoticed by Galinda.
“That’s the one! I could have said that I had an absolutely, positively, wonderful terrific evening but that just takes so long!”
“I told you she was cheered up,” interjected Fiyero from the doorway.
“Fiyero!” Galinda stumbled to her feet and half crashed into him before she managed to right herself. “You’re still here, dearest, isn’t that so nice of him, Elphie? Staying here to make sure I’m alright even though it’s nearly curfew!”
“It’s after curfew,” pointed out Elphaba, her tone making it clear that she doubted either of them capable of knowing that. “He shouldn’t even be in our room at this time of the night.”
“Fiyero has a name, Elphie!” protested Galinda. “Don’t be so impolite.”
“Blame it on my poor upbringing,” suggested Elphaba icily.
“Don’t worry about it, Galinda,” said Fiyero with more drunken cheerfulness in his tone than he actually felt.
“Miss Elphaba…” He barely restrained himself from calling her ‘Elphie’, knowing how much hearing the nickname from him would infuriate her. “…Is quite correct about me leaving and I only intruded upon you to bid you goodnight.”
“Oh don’t go so soon!” protested Galinda with a charming, calculated, pout. “Please?”
“Oh this is ridiculous!” said Elphaba, throwing her hands in the air and disappearing back into the bedroom.
“What’s her problem?” wondered Fiyero out loud as Galinda snuggled up against him, nearly asleep from the after-effects of too much wine. He absentmindedly raised one hand to stroke her hair only to have his hand batted away with a muttered comment about not mussing her hair up.
“Who knows?” Galinda shrugged, “I think the new Professor annoyed her.”
“It seemed like me being here didn’t help,” he suggested. “I don’t think Miss Elphaba approves of me.”
“She talks to you,” observed Galinda with a giggle. “So she probably doesn’t disapprove of you completely!”
She yawned delicately and took a step back from Fiyero.
“I had better get to bed,” she told him, “I don’t feel very well now but it really was a fantastical evening! Thank you so much for cheering me up after all the dreary business I had to put myself through today.”
“You never did get around to telling me what that was all about,” remarked Fiyero.
“I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow,” promised Galinda. “I’m far too sleepy, not too mention happy, to go through it all now.”
“Of course,” agreed Fiyero kissing her hand in a manner that was, from Galinda’s Gillikinese perspective anyway, endearingly old-fashioned. “Good night, Galinda, may your dreams be blessed.”
Now whatever possessed me to use that particular phrase in front of a Northern girl? wondered Fiyero as soon as he had uttered the Arjiki version of ‘sleep well’. Fortunately the unusual phrase didn’t make much of an impact on Galinda in her current state.
“Good night, Fiyero, sleep well. I would see you to the door but I think I shall sit down for a moment then retire to my bed.”
Where has Galinda gotten to? wondered Elphaba, about ten minutes after she heard Fiyero leave the suite. It doesn’t normally take her this long to get ready for bed. I suppose I had better check on her.
What Elphaba really wanted to do was open her bedside drawer and finish examining her picture but she couldn’t do that until Galinda was asleep. She opened the bathroom door and smiled slightly when she saw Galinda curled up on the same pile of towels she’d been sitting on before.
“Galinda, you can’t go to sleep on the bathroom floor,” she sat down next to the other girl and shook her shoulder gently.
“Can,” muttered Galinda and buried her face in her arms.
“No, you can’t,” repeated Elphaba.
“Why not?”
This has got to be the most ludicrous discussion I have ever been involved in! Elphaba decided as she tried to think of a way to convince Galinda to get up from the floor.
“It’ll hurt your neck?” she suggested helplessly. “Umm… I don’t know because it gets cold in here?”
“Silly Elphie,” murmured Galinda. “I had a funny dream about you while I was sleeping – how long was I sleeping?”
“Not more than ten minutes,” replied Elphaba, as Galinda seemed to pull herself together a little bit. The blonde girl sat up and shook her head.
“Is that all? It felt much longer,” she waved her hand dismissively. “Where’d I leave my nightgown?”
“On top of the linen basket.”
“Well where is the linen basket?”
“You’re leaning against it,” Elphaba managed to reply without even smiling.
“Why so I am!” She turned around and picked up the nightgown then stared at it oddly. “It’s pink.”
“All of your nightgowns are pink,” replied Elphaba, pulling a face at Galinda’s back. “That I’ve seen anyway. I thought you liked pink?”
“I adore pink! I just don’t feel very pink right now.”
“I see,” said Elphaba, even though she had no idea what Galinda was talking about. “How do you feel?”
“I feel… funny, like my head is in the wrong place. No,” she contradicted herself. “Not my head, my mind, my… me… oh dear I don’t know, it’s all too muddled up! I need sleep, lots and lots of sleep.”
“For once I agree with you,” said Elphaba, politely turning her back when it became obvious that Galinda had decided she liked pink again and intended to get changed right at that moment.
The small room was silent for a few minutes until Galinda announced that she was ‘all done’.
“Right,” said Elphaba, “I closed all of the drapes while you were…resting. Would you like a drink of water?”
“No, I’m fine, thank you. I just want to go to sleep,” replied Galinda with an unladylike yawn. “You haven’t gotten changed yet, were you waiting up for me?”
“Oh no,” said Elphaba in immediate denial of the suggestion. “I was just… I just lost track of time, that’s all.”
Elphaba helped Galinda walk to her bed; the blonde girl was swaying so badly that she nearly fell over three times before finally take the hand Elphie offered in assistance.
“So tell me, Gaia,” said Elphaba, when Galinda was snuggled under her blankets and not quite asleep. “What did you dream about?”
“About us, Elphie,” replied Galinda; so sleepy she probably wouldn’t remember the dream or telling Elphaba about it, in the morning. “We went to see the Wizard, in the Emerald City, and you shouted at him. You aren’t supposed to shout, Elphie, you’re supposed to tell him how wonderful he is, Wizards love that!”
“I’ll be sure and behave myself next time. What happened next?” replied Elphaba with amusement in her voice though her skin was crawling because she felt like she should already know what Galinda was going to say.
“Then you flew away,” replied Galinda sadly. “You left me all alone, Elphie!”
“Hush, dear one, it was just a dream. I won’t leave you alone, I promise,” she grasped Galinda’s hand in her own and smiled reassuringly.
“That’s good,” said Galinda as she drifted into proper sleep.
Elphaba took a deep breath and walked to her side of the room.
So, she said to herself, now I know where the other path leads.
She picked the, now smudged, piece of paper up out of the drawer and looked at it. Sure enough one of the forks led to a very basic sketch of Shiz University and the other to a huge city. Looking at the picture she had the feeling that it was not quite complete though she couldn’t imagine what could be missing. Absently she picked up the piece of charcoal and scrawled a few words above the Emerald City without even knowing what she was writing – such was the nature of her foresight at times.
When she did look at the page she read the nine words over and over again, as though the repetition would make them more comprehensible. At the same time she forced herself to not remember the dream-visions that might tell her what the words, and Galinda’s dream, would reveal. It was too soon for some truths to be remembered, no not remembered because they had never happened but it wasn’t time to know what might have been, so she continued staring, they were nine simple words and yet they implied so much.
It's the Wizard who should be afraid... of me.