The Trial of Elphaba

By 18lzytwner

Chapter 1

"Sweet Oz!" Private Schultz said as he pulled the Village doors open with the help of his comrades. The Captain's steed rushed through as soon as the opening was large enough and headed down toward the Dillamond's home.

"Get Lieutenant Balfour!" Schultz shouted down the way to his comrades and one man shot off toward the barracks. The morning sun had come up over the horizon but the temperatures had not risen since the night before.

The shouting and sounds of feet and hooves tramping the earth made the Dillamond's rush outside. Seeing the Captain slumped over his bride-to-be and not wearing a coat, they quickly shouted for help. Everyone nearby, Animals and Gale Force alike, rushed over and helped get both down off the horse and into the house.

"Are they alive?" Lieutenant Balfour asked as he shooed away all the curious onlookers, leaving only those that could help.

"The Captain is barely breathing. We need to bring his core temperature up slowly but otherwise he looks unharmed. Help me get him near the fire, wrap him in blankets, and start heating water. We'll need to soak him in warm water," Mrs. Dillamond instructed. Balfour nodded and quickly had help moving the Captain near the fire and then started collecting water to boil.

"Lady Glinda has lost a lot of blood but I think the medic who wrapped her wound bought us some time along with the cold temperatures. We'll need to warm her as well but it might be best if we patch her up first," the Goat said.

"Why didn't Miss Fae patch her up?" Doctor Dillamond asked.

"Oh Oz…" his wife murmured. The thought had not occurred to anyone until that moment. Shaking the fears that were rushing to the forefront away, Mrs. Dillamond took charge.

"No time for that now. We must get these two healthy first," she said. They got to work, all wondering what had happened to their friends when they entered the enemy village to the north.

"Move out!" Came the shout of Corporal Reap. He'd been voted in charge since the Lieutenant and Sergeant were under arrest and the Captain was off trying to save Lady Glinda. They had loaded a still unconscious Elphaba into the first wagon they were using to carry some of the belongings of those now committed to Oz and the new government. Originally the hope had been to just take horses and people bringing only what they could carry but there were not enough horses to carry everyone. Wagons were then loaded when first light dawned and the group was off later than the Corporal would have hoped but with any luck they would still make the walls of the Village by nightfall.

Those arrested would have typically forced to walk but the fact of the matter was that the train of people was going to be much slower due to the large number of them that the Corporal decided they should be tied to their horses. In order to keep them from escaping, the rope was then tied to the back of the first wagon.

"I worry for Miss Elphaba," Theo said quietly to Fiyero.

"As do I my friend," he frowned.

"I know that's all we can do for now but should it come down to it, I will more than gladly sacrifice my life so that the world will understand the truth," Theo told him.

"Let us hope it does not come to that. Though your bravery means more than you know," Fiyero smiled slightly. Just then a scream came from the wagon in front of them.

"Elphaba!" Fiyero strained against the ropes that bound him but all they did was to dig deeper into his straw and slowly wreck the stitching job that had been done.

"I've got her," the medic promised as he swung his horse close to the wagon and jumped inside.

To Be Continued…