Chapter 7: Friends

Elphaba

"Your majesty, should we start?" Elena asked as she approached me from her corner of the room

"If we must" I replied, and I let Elena peel the layers of clothes off me, one by one until I am left with a thin chemise to hide my body. Elena immediately draped a thick robe down my shoulder which I tightened around my body. After serving me for three years now, she knew how I hated being left half naked and vulnerable for far too long.

"Are you ready?" Nessa asked, as she wheeled herself inside my room which is considered to be the most luxurious apartment in the palace "Nanny would have been delighted tonight if she was here" she reminisced, reaching for Elphaba's hand

"Yes, she would" I smiled at the memory. Nanny left us three years ago, surrendering from old age and since then, Elena was assigned to take care of me and Nessa was left to Frexspar, who hired a younger nanny.

"Would you need anything else, Your Majesty?" Elena asked and after shaking my head, the young girl bowed "Congratulations, your Majesty. I hope you a good life with Queen Galinda" she said and left the room as soon as she's done speaking.

Nessarose opened a carefully wrapped box on my bed to reveal a scantily white satin nightgown. I blushed at the sight of the dress. I sighed "Is this really necessary?" my face on my hands, hiding the embarrassment.

"It is still your wedding night" she answered "and the Unnamed God blesses your marriage"

"Do you even know what is supposed to happen on this night?" amused at my sisters unaffected reaction with the nightgown and the word 'wedding night'

"I am very well aware, thank you very much" the younger Thropp answered with dignity which surprises me and so, to save us from further embarrassment I let the topic ebb away.

I took the nightgown designed by Ricardo and Nadia and hid in the little partition at the corner of the room. As I slid on the wretched nightgown, I swear to Oz, I will never trust those two again. I took the robe once again to cover my body, wrapped it tightly in my waist as I made my way back to Nessa.

"Thank you, for being here" I tell her sincerely.

"You're welcome, Fabala" she replied, returning the sincerity which rarely happens. Nessarose and I are indeed an odd pair, sisters who grew together, yet separated at a young age. The sibling rivalry always there but the love between us sometimes win amidst the insults and stubbornness. "Now off I go, before your new wife arrives" and she let herself out of the bedroom.

Silence was welcome when Nessa left, especially after the chaos the bearded man did on the reception. Jiîri the man was called, didn't even try to escape, in fact he looked me directly in the eye as the gale forces took his arms behind his back to cuff him. His eyes on me as a show of defiance. Although, unbeknownst to everyone, I let his collaborators leave silently and be paid generously, they didn't know the weight of their show as they are only following orders from him. I just have to figure out who made him do it.

A knock on the door pulled me out of my musing "Enter" I replied, and Mrs. Pue arrive with her usual assortment of fruit and drinks. She carefully laid out her creations unto the table near the fireplace as she eyed the new addition to the room. Layers of luggage still left unopen in the far corner of the room, a vanity table now stood in the opposite wall with an assortment of bottles and creams, jewelry boxes and pink fabric strew all over which clearly looks out of place from the usual gray and mauve décor of the room.

I noticed where she was staring at and before she could say anything, I decided to state the obvious "her things were just moved in and Elena will sort them out as soon as possible"

"I can send someone to help, your majesty" as Mrs. Pue finished her arrangement on the table

The old stocky lady is one of the few servants in the palace who I know genuinely cares for me and it is a welcome feeling amidst all the chaos and politics in the palace.

I smiled at her suggestion, "I couldn't believe how much clothes and shoes and what not that girl needs" I replied but it is Galinda's belongings and it will be her decision how she would arrange herself in our shared apartment.

"Your Majesty, I hope you'll be happy with her" she said sincerely

I don't know how to answer that quite frankly, so I only nod and smiled. "She would be good for Oz at the very least" I answered in the end

Another knock came and Morrible and Boq entered the room. For a wedding night, my bedroom has become more crowded than it should be

"We just came here to congratulate you again and wish you good luck, your Majesty" Boq immediately commented, a blush forming on his cheeks

"Your Majesty, I wish you a wonderful evening with Queen Galinda" Morrible said, more mocking than necessary

"Thank you, my bests advisors!" I smiled sarcastically, this wedding has indeed become an emotional rollercoaster and to think the night is still young.

"Very well" Morrible announced "We must go and Princess Galinda is on her way" as she motioned for everyone to leave

"It'll be okay" Boq assured before leaving and shutting the door on their way.

No sooner than they left, I heard Ama's voice as if arguing with the newly crowned Queen, then a knock and then came in a blushing Galinda in her fluffy pink robe. I looked at her intently, my face blank, hiding my nervousness. While the blue-eyed blonde stood vulnerably on the door. From her stance, I can astutely guess that like me, she also doesn't know what to do. It would have been an opportunity to taunt her and make a rise out of her but seeing her unlike the usual confident and stubborn princess, made me think otherwise. And I also have to thank her for reassuring me in the throne room during the wedding ceremony.

"Please make yourself comfortable" I said as I move towards the table and reached for an apple. "Hungry?" I asked, uncomfortable with the silence and awkwardness of the situation. Offering comfort was never my specialty, and the impending idea of touching and intimacy that a wedding night beholds added more pressure.

"Are we doing this?" she asked out of the blue "I'd rather it be done over with as quickly as possible"

I was stunned by her frankness and how she said those words with reckless abandon. I would have been impressed with the braveness she is exhibiting, well come to think about it, she was always head strong. Although the only reaction I could muster was a laugh, a very harsh laugh that reverberated through the whole room.

She looked surprised at my reaction and quite frankly I am too. "Oh dear" I manage to say in between laughter "I'm afraid I'll have to say no"

Her eyes widen at my reply and after a few moments, she smirked at me sarcastically "You find this hilarious?"

"Don't you think how sour of a comedy this has come to be?" I replied, mirth still in my eyes

Instead of replying, she moved from her position near the door towards her vanity table, she sat and started putting on creams to her face and eyeing herself at the mirror. We stayed like that for a few moments. Galinda doing her rituals and me still on my feet beside the table. I find this turn of event a bit strange for I expect her to be angry at me for laughing but instead there she was, prepping herself for the night.

"Very well" she said as she stood from her vanity "I will take my rest" and quickly arranged herself in the bed, covering her body and claiming a side as if she have done this a lot of times before.

My eyebrows raised, confused by her immediate acceptance of the room arrangement and her nonchalance "Do you want me to turn off the lamps?" I asked and the blonde just shrugged her shoulders as a reply.

"Fine, forgive me if I laughed at your proposition" I sighed, the guilt getting itself known

"You can be very rude Miss Elphaba" her voice small, her body hidden by the gray covers of the massive bed

"I know"

She didn't acknowledge me after that, so after finishing my apple and leaving the uneaten core in the table, I moved to the couch near the fireplace, ease myself down and reached for a book which is my version of a well-deserved rest considering the events of the day. I thought she was asleep by then, but then I heard shuffling from the bed, and I saw her lift herself to a sitting position.

"What happened there?" her voice filled with curiosity "I mean with the show"

I wanted to say it is none of her business, because clearly it isn't, but I don't want a repeat of the earlier exchange so I supplied her with the best answer I could muster "A show of half-truths"

"So, which is true, and which is not?"

"Galinda" spite clear in my voice "gossip is not my usual choice of topic"

"This is not gossip and you know it" she replied annoyed with my dishonesty. After a few unanswered clock ticks, she pleaded "Please, just tell me the truth"

I didn't know what came over me, maybe hearing the vulnerability from her voice, the pleading or the stress of the day that I relented and carefully chose my words, I simply said "Everything was true, except for the death of the Wizard"

"And the Animals?"

I hugged myself when I heard the question, because I know the answer. I know it very well and oh how bitter the truth is. But I owe them that, I owe the Animals the truth and I must owe to the monstrosity of my actions when I was young and stupid and only followed orders from the Wizard.

"Yes" I replied as I choked a sob from the admission. "I gave the winged Monkeys their wings and crushed the Animal rebellion on the mine" I added, words seemingly out of my mouth before I could think. "The wizard, he used me to overpower them and as stupid as I was, I followed him" my voice full of regret and anger at myself. I didn't notice Galinda has moved from the bed and positioned herself in front of me, kneeling as she hesitantly reached for my hand

"It's not entirely your fault" she tried to pacify me "You were young and impressionable"

"I should have known better" I move to stand from our position, to get away from this warmth, this consolation that I know I didn't deserve, but her hand in my lap stopped me.

"I'm sorry" her eyes looking into mine and I can see sadness and regret reflected at me "I didn't know that it hurts you that terribly"

I am not sure if she meant my admission or the horrid show Jiîri has produced, but either way I let myself be comforted just this once. Even though doubt and guilt will always win in the end. We stayed like that for a few clock ticks and only the crackling sound of the logs in the fireplace could be heard, the room basked in an orange glow.

"If it'll make you feel better" Galinda finally broke the silence "I'll tell you a secret too" she smiled as she toss her curls from her shoulders and made herself comfortable in the carpeted floor "You see when I was a kid I was playing down the pond in the Upland estate, when a duck attacked me out of the blue, so I ran away! but the duck was relentless and it ran after me. I was crying and shouting for help when my Ama found me and shushed away the duck as easily as if it is a fly. I have nightmares after that and my Ama, as insane as she is, still calls me duckie up to this day. Which is insulting really, as I never resemble a duck, far from it, actually."

I laughed once more, more to this girl offering solace than to the story of the duck that I actually find adorable. It is refreshing to say the least, my horrid story compared to a young girl chased by a duck.

She giggled back at me "it is funny now isn't it?"

"It is, funny and adorable, Miss Galinda".

"You think I'm adorable?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself" I replied; teasing seems to always be a part of us

"Fine, should we get to the bed, Elphie? The carpeting is nice and all but, it doesn't do good to my bottom"

"What did you call me?"

"I just came up with it, can I call you Elphie?"

"It sounds perky"

"I'll call you Elphie and you can call me, Glinda. The ah is silent"

I cackled again for the third time that night, this girl made me laughed so easily which I find surprising, considering I just told her how wicked I am

"Very well, Glinda" and she beamed at the name which I find myself partial to as she pulled me towards the bed. And as we were setting down to sleep in our own respective side of the bed, Glinda animatedly asked, "So now that we're friends, are you also wearing a seductive nightgown too?"