Chapter 3
Late in the night, once the commotion had settled, Rain quietly slipped from the Witch's Den. The air was unusually cold, and the wooden houses and cobblestone streets only seemed to amplify the dark feeling. Rain made her way through the streets, stopping when she found where the crash had occurred. This place, this was the source of the cold and dark that covered Rain like a blanket. She waved her hand, whisper a spell to reveal leftover magic, the remains of spells long since cast.
It was immediate. As soon as she waved her hand and her green light spread across the area, it turned into wisps of gray. The remnants of dark magic, of a curse placed on a person or thing, come to fruition.
Elphaba hadn't fumbled her magic, hadn't used it so recklessly that it tore apart. Rain knew this of course, knew she had been too competent for such a thing. She had entertained the idea though. Rain had been hopping though, stupid as it was. The alternative, that there was a malicious force at play, was far worse. There had been a curse on the Vinkun queen, one made to kill her in labor. Another curse had been placed on Fiyero.
Someone was trying to kill the Vinkun royal family.
--
The first thing that assaulted Elphaba's senses when she woke was the commotion below. Footsteps traversed between the end room on the second floor and around the building, more than usual. Then she heard the voice of a woman shouting in panic.
"Where is he Rain?! where is my son?"
That would be the queen, Elphaba thought to herself. Soon after the sound of a baby wailing filled the halls as well. The poor thing was probably all wound up from their mother's stress. It seemed unfair, but children were so often at the whims of their parent's emotions. It was better to understand such a thing young, so young that you can't even remember when you learned to understand such a sad truth.
Before Elphaba could think more heavily on it, she felt her stomach begin to groan. It was then she remembered that she hadn't eaten since breakfast the day before. Skipping meals wasn't uncommon when she became consumed in her magic, but Rain had always been especially keen on reminding her to eat before she went to bed, meaning morning hunger was usually not much of an issue. With how exhausted she had been last night though; she hadn't even thought to heat before washing up and going to bed.
Heading into the kitchen was an easy task, despite the chaotic nature of the Den at the moment, Gale Force men and Vinkun guards alike running through the building. It was easy enough to ignore them, though she did get a few lingering stares from the soldiers, given the small linen night dress and robe she had on. With as little effort as she gave getting to the kitchen, she pulled out a piece of bread and a chocolate spread, not even bother to toast it before taking a bite into the rushed concoction she had made.
"I'm okay," she heard a voice, one that seemed rather familiar coming from down the hall. The sound grew louder, presumably as the source moved closer. "Better than okay actually, that ache in my back I've had for forever is gone. My injured tooth is back to normal. I don't know what that Witch did, but I feel better than I have in years."
Too late Elphaba realized who was talking. Every instinct she had would have been to hide back up in her room and avoid the Arijikan prince. He was already cutting through the living room, blocking the entrance to the stairs. Behind him was the Vinkun queen, holding her newborn, and Rain who seemed no less exasperate than she had the night before.
"That doesn't mean you don't need rest Fiyero," the queen said. "You went through a terrible accident."
Fiyero stopped abruptly as he caught sight of her. There was little to no decorum in the scene in front of him. Elphaba's hair was ruffled and frizzy, her clothes wrinkled with the left-hand shoulder of the robe falling slightly to reveal the batter of green that followed down her arm and up to her neck, and a crumb covered mouth to top it all off. In truth Fiyero found the scene endearing, cute even. He was sure that his perception was slightly colored by Elphaba's natural beauty. her hair was a ruddy color, one that was common among Quadlings. Her skin was an odd complexion though. Like a lighter shade of the olive tone so common to the southern area. He had seen such a complexion in many Scrow, but even they tended on the lighter side, due to time spent near the Gilkin border. It was a unique look to say the least. One he hadn't been able to truly see the day before, considering the pain he was in and injury to his face. Now though, she was in plain, unobstructed view, and that is when Fiyero realized he had seen her before.
"It's you," he said. "The girl from the train station."
"I've no idea what you're talking about," Elphaba lied, showing not so much as a tell as she bit into another bite of her make-shift pastry.
"I caught you," he said, a frustration clear in the furrow of his brow and the flaring of his nose. "You were about to fall through the gap, and I caught you."
Elphaba looked at Fiyero plainly, as if none of what he said meant anything to her at all. Slowly, she shifted her gaze to Rain, how tapped her foot repeatedly against the creaking wooden floor. It was clear that the Western Witch wanted to deal with this conversation about as much as Elphaba herself did. Unlike Elphaba though, she wasn't willing to lie her way out of an uncomfortable situation. Not if she didn't have to, that is.
"Elphaba's my ward," Rain said. "She was born in Munchkin Country and returned a few weeks prior from a visit home. I think it was -"
"That place isn't my home," Elphaba interrupted. "Yes, I was on the train that day, and yes, you stopped me from falling into the gap. I healed your injuries, so we can call it even."
Fiyero's expression softened for a brief moment before widening in surprise.
"You're bleeding," the words rushed out as he shot forward, his hand reaching for the cloth in his pocket.
The Fiyero reached towards her face, and all her stoicism left her. A panic ran through, one that she relied on for survival, bracing her for an impact, a harsh sting, a feeling she had grown up so very used to, but terrified of, nonetheless. She pulled back, her arm moving to cover her face, though not quick enough to avoid contact. Instead of the sharp pain she expected, she felt the softness of a fabric against her ear.
As quickly as he made contact, he was pushed back violently. A streak of blood dragged across Elphaba's face as the white fabric grazed her. A wild look settled in her eyes, suddenly feeling far too vulnerable and raw in front of this man she did not know. Rain noticed the water in an abandoned cup on the island beginning to sway. Then the glass rattled, shaking against the wood beneath it. Finally, it shattered causing a piercing sound through the air.
Ilinora wailed, scared by the sound of the shattering glass. Elphaba blinked, snapping out of whatever trance she had seemed to Find herself in., blood dripped from her nose and onto the floor between Fiyero and herself. If she kept up with anymore magic the bleeds would only get worse.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled, rushing past Rain and the Vinkun queen, desperate to go back to the sanctuary of her room.
"Elphaba," Rain turned, reaching out for the girl, but she had already turned the corner, her footsteps loud against the creaking stairs.
The green which let out a disappointed sigh. She had planned to formerly introduce Elphaba to the Vinkun Royals when she was more emotional abled. While Elphaba's strength and knowledge had excelled beyond any witch Rain had seen in years, her emotions were fraught, messy, and scarred beyond belief. Her control over them, for the most part, had improved greatly over the years. The time she spent at the clinic, often working in the pediatric focus, had slowly seen her open up more to the community around her, and Rain hopped that she might go to Shiz University, thinking it would help greatly with her social and developmental growth, considering she rarely was around people her age.
"I didn't mean to scare her," Fiyero said. "I would never-"
Rain turned back towards him, morose. He didn't have to finish the sentence. The first few months Elphaba had been under Rain's care, she flinched at every mistake. It seemed she was always waiting for the other shoe to drop. It took her a long time to realize that not everyone used pain as a motivator or punishment.
"Don't mind Elphaba," Rain assured. "She's standoffish at the best of times to new people."
The queen held her daughter tight, kissing and rocking the young girl till she quieted down. She too looked in the direction Elphaba had run off. Looking back at her son, then to the baby in her arms, she felt as if she might cry. A mother's intuition one might say, to know that something horrendifying must have happened to her.
"We should be on our way," Fiyero voiced, suddenly feeling himself to be more of a burden than anything else. "Thank her for me. For everything."
"Of course," Rain promised.
After a few pleasantries, Rain saw the Royal family off, along with their litany of guards. Looking up from the street, she could see Elphaba staring down the circular window of the attic, watching as the carriage rolled away.