Finding Elphaba (Book 2 in Endless Love Trilogy)

Clearing the Air

(Glinda's pov)

I watch as Elphie leaves the kitchen and sighs. "I'm worried about her Bessie. She seems as if she is shutting down again, and I'm not sure I can handle that." My voice cracks a little. Bessie gets up, comes over and puts her hand in my shoulder. "Lady Glinda, your Goodness," she says and I can't help but roll my eyes, "you have come so far already, and honestly, despite all the hardships to get through to Elphaba I can honestly say that in all the time I have served you I have never seen you happier. She has just gone through a very traumatic experience, and she is going to struggle with it because something that traumatizing takes time to process."

"But what do I do Bessie?" I can't believe that I Lady Glinda of the Upper Uplands I'd once again asking a main for advice, and yet... Bessie isn't just a maid. She has become a very good friend to not only me but Elphie, and that is why I ask, because I know she won't give me I'll advice. Bessie let's go of my shoulder and starts cleaning up the dishes. "Do what you said. Take Elphaba for a walk, spend some time with her, let her know you are there for her, and maybe she will open up to you. Tell you all she saw, and then go from there."

"I suppose you're right.Bessie would you mind putting a light picnic basket together for us please? I am not sure how long we will be gone, or if Elphie will actually eat anything." I stand up and give her small smile, and she returns it. "Of course! I would be happy to to."

"Thank you." I say and head towards Elphaba's room. Knocking gently I open the door. "Elphie?" I say looking around her room. I spot her standing silently by window, and I must admit I'm surprised to see that she has changed. I guess what is surprising about it is she is wearing her black gown. I hadn't seen her wearing that gown since, well, since she 'melted.' "Hey, I was just coming to see if you were ready go?" Elphie turns to look at me. She still looks wary and seems skittish, but nods and comes towards me. "Lead on." She says somewhat quietly, and then follows me.

We get outside and begin to head towards the woods I am not sure what to say, and everytime I try to talk the words don't come, and so we walk in silence.

(Elphaba's POV)

I can't believe I agreed to go with Glinda. I sigh, and she looks over at me. I avoid making eye contact. Maybe if I don't look at her she won't want to talk, but I'm not that lucky. "Elphie? Are you okay?" She asks me rather worriedly. I close my eyes a moment and nod. "Yeah. Fine." I mumble. I can feel her still gazing at me. Assessing me, trying to decide if she agrees, and after a few minutes I feel her gaze leave me. "Alright." She says though she doesn't sound convinced.

We walk for about forty minutes in silence when we finally get the clearing. I stop suddenly feeling anxious and panicky. "I- I can't go in there!" I whisper sounding as shaken as I feel. Glinda looks at me quickly somewhat alarmed. "Why not? It's just the clearing. We have been here a few times before."

"I can't go in there!" I say again feeling even more panicky. "They- they will find me and... and get me!" I begin to back slowly up. I can hear them chanting. No not chanting but singing. Kill the witch! Wickedness must be punished! They are getting closing. I clamp my hands over my ears and drop to the ground.

"Elphie!" Glinda says very alarmed. "Elphie! Talk to me please! What's the matter? What's going on?" She drops down beside me, and puts a hand gently on my shoulder. "Elphie. Please talk to me!" She begs. I can't think over the chanting or singing or whatever it is! Suddenly though, Glinda whispers gently hugging me. "It's okay Elphie. It's going to be okay. I want to help you, but I can't unless you talk to me. Please?"

I am finally able to calm down a little, and began telling her what the looking glass had shown me. I started with the memories from my childhood. I told her about what happened when I first realized I had magic, and what I felt then. I told her of Turtleheart, and how I felt that he was one of two maybe three people who had actually cared about me, and how he was the one who first game me the looking glass and told me I special.

Glinda listened quietly and just let me speak. When I told her of the memory of the bar when we attended Shiz she smiled. "I remember that night." She says smiling. "You wanted to return to the dorms because you felt we had all, especially me, had too much to drink." She chuckles. "I refused to leave until I heard you sing, and refused to sing unless everyone else did something too. When you finished we all knew that if we sang then we would never be allowed back at the bar again. You're voice was so amazing and almost enchanting. Nobody could do better than you."

I give her a small smile, but quickly replace it with a frown as I look at the ground, and Glinda notices. "Elphie?" I look at her staying quiet. "Elphie? Are... are you, I mean, what's really wrong?"

"There was... there was another vision I saw." I say quietly. She watches me another minute. "You don't have to tell me Elphie."

"It's the reason I can't go into the clearing." I close my eyes again hearing the angry voices of the people. Kill the Witch! Wickedness must be punished! Kill the Witch! Kill the Witch! Kill the W-

"Elphie!" I hear my name and it sounds distance, but I can still hear the voices and it's getting hard to breathe. "Elphie!" I need to run but I can't move. I know they are coming. "Elphaba!" My eyes snap open and I gasp for air. As quickly as the memory came it left. "Elphie, please talk to me!" Glinda begs. I need to know if you are okay."

"I- I... don't know if I am. I saw them coming, and they wanted me dead. They called me a witch, and it hurt, but it wasn't just their words that hurt. My entire body was covered in sores, it hurt so much all I wanted to do was die!" I am beginning to feel overwhelmed again.

"Elphie. Shhhh honey." She says taking me in a hug, and I bury my face against her her chest, and she gently strokes my hair. Surprisingly I feel myself begin to calm down. "Elphie, I know this won't be easy to hear, but what you saw really happened."

"That's what Bessie said." I mumble. "She told me what your mother had shared with you and you told her."

Glinda nods. "Sadly, what she told you and what you saw was all true. People hated you, because you chose to go against the Wizard, and take a stand for those who couldn't stand up for themselves. Elphie, people didn't understand that, and they believed the lies that were spread about you. Lies saying you were a threat to them all and not to trust anything you say." I look up and study her not sure if I entire believe what she said. She goes on. "I felt terrible after you died, or I thought you had that is, because I had to go on and allow people to believe that you were really wicked, because you made me promise to not tell them the truth."

"Why would I have you lie?" I ask looking at her curiously. "Because, you wanted to protect me. You knew the people would turn against me if I told them I what I knew about you, and what was really going on in Oz. I kept my promise and never told anyone. Not a single person." She gives me sad smile. I give her a small smile back.

We sit there awhile longer just outside the clearing for a little while longer. At some point we eat the food, and try to make small talk. After awhile though we head back, and just before we get back to the cabin I stop Glinda. "Hey, Glin."

"Yes, Elphie?" She stops and looks at me. "I- I just want to say... to say..." I sigh not sure what to say. She just smiles and squeezes my hand. "It's okay Elphie. You don't have to say anything." I nods and give her a small smile. "Thanks."