General Wicked Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or any of its characters.

Gelphie Disclaimer: This story contains Gelphie. If you don't like this kind of stuff then don't read.

Rating is M: This story contains content that is not suitable for young readers. (There is some mild language, brief abuse, some brief sexual themes, but the main reason why its rated M is because of the harsh violence.)

Author's Note: Sorry it has taken me so long to write a new story, I have been very busy. I have a little time now though, but anyway I hope you enjoy this story, and remember feedback is always welcome.

When in Rome

Chapter 1: The Gladiatorial Games

Ancient Rome... it was a harsh place where only the strongest lived to witness a new day. Everyday was a fight for survival. Deep in the underground of the Colosseum the gladiators of Rome knew this the best.

"Group three get suited up for your fight! Hurry up! You know how the Roman people hate to wait!" One of the trainers of the gladiators, named Nanny, shouted. Of course her real name wasn't Nanny, but all the gladiators called her by that name because she cared so deeply about all of her fighters.

"You ready to go Elphaba?" Nanny asked, her favorite warrior. The young woman, named Elphaba, who's skin was an emerald shade, looked up at the husky woman and gave her a small grin.

"Of course," Elphaba muttered, as she strapped on her armor and secured her weapons. "I don't see you worrying so much about the other gladiators."

Nanny took a seat next to the green skinned fighter and kissed her on the temple. "That's because you're my favorite. You are so unique. I mean, you are an excellent fighter and you're green."

Elphaba rose to her feet. "Must you always say that?"

"I only speak the truth," Nanny retorted, as she fixed Elphaba's chest plate. "Give them hell, and maybe, a common gladiator, more lowly then a slave, will become more divine then the all the leaders of Rome. Then, my dear, you will have your freedom."

"I can only hope," Elphaba scoffed, as she began to pace. There was still some time before she had to look death in the eye once again.

...X...

"Come Glinda, my Empress, you must see the gladiatorial games," Emperor Chuffrey barked, as he fixed the lavish ring on this finger. "You are losing face with the people of Rome."

"You know how I hate the concept of people killing one another for sport," Glinda replied, as she fixed her long flowing sparking blue dress.

"Just give it another try, and I'm sure you will love it," Sir Chuffrey answered, as he stroked her cheek. Glinda cringed as he touched her, but for her own benefit he didn't notice. "Besides you must see the great green warrior. You missed this amazing fighter the last time you watched the games. Also it will please the people of Rome to see you there. Your popularity will soar if the commoners see their Empress."

Glinda let out a deep sigh and gave a pout. "Fine, if it will please the people of Rome, and heighten my popularity then I'll go, and watch these horrific games." Sir Chuffrey only grinned, for he knew he had gotten his way.

...X...

Once Lord Chuffrey and Lady Glinda were seated, at the royal balcony box, over looking the arena that would hold the gladiatorial games, they were served fine food and wine. Only the best for the rulers of Rome.

When the crowd saw Lady Glinda they cheered with great volume. It was clear they were overjoyed in seeing their Empress join in on watching the games.

Glinda grinned widely at the crowd's reaction and addressed her people by saying, "It's good to see me, isn't it?"

Just then booming horns began to play. This signaled the gladiatorial games were about to start. Glinda fumbled with her hands, in a nervous fashion, as the horns increased in volume, and before they knew it round one and two played out. There was so much blood and gore that Glinda had to look away most of the time. She never understood why people enjoyed these brutal games so much.

Finally the third and final round was upon them, and the crowd became more restless and excited. It wasn't long before two gladiators entered the arena at the left. They wore blue feathers that were attached to their helmets. One fighter stood out for Glinda, this was because that gladiator seemed to be wearing green war paint all over their body. Suddenly two other fighters came from the right side. They wore red feathers on their helmets.. The two teams walked out into the center of the arena, held up their weapons, and turned to the Emperor and the Empress of Rome.

They then all shouted together, "We who are about to die salute you!" Lord Chuffrey nodded his head, and waved his hand to signal the beginning of the slaughter.

Once his hand was lowered the two teams began to circle each other. They were trying to scope out a prefect place to make their attack.

"Which one do you want TurtleHeart?" Elphaba asked, as she nudged her fellow teammate in the ribs.

"I'll take the one with the whip," He answered, as he pulled his mace close to him.

"Oh, we are being daring today," Elphaba mocked in an non-hurtful way. TurtleHeart grinned for he knew she was teasing him in a way a sister would a brother.

"I guess I get the one with the morning star," The green warrior replied, as she placed her shield close to her body.

"Be careful, it looks like he wants you to make the first move," TurtleHeart warned her.

"No worries I...AHH!" Elphaba hissed, as the red feathered gladiator swung his morning star, and hit Elphaba in the shoulder.

"You okay?" TurtleHeart asked, in worry.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just peachy, you just worry about that one with the whip."

"More blood! More blood!" The crowd began to chant.

"I better give the crowd what they want," Elphaba sneered, as she faked an attack. The morning star missed her, and her sword meet her opponent in his arm. With a yelp of pain he jumped back to look over his wound that had begun to bleed quite well.

"You better take care of that wound, for the flies and maggots will make a banquet of it," Elphaba taunted her foe.

"You'll pay for that!" Her opponent growled, as he whipped his morning star at her once again. "I will make you beg for death before this fight is done!"

"You wish," Elphaba snapped, as she dodged the morning star with a quick tuck and roll. Her sword clashed against his shield with such power and force that it shattered. Elphaba would have stabbed her foe in the gut if he didn't pull away in the nick of time.

"Come and face me coward!" Elphaba jeered, as she threw her arms open to tease her foe even more so.

Her opponent was so angered about being taunted, that he charged the green warrior without thinking. Elphaba let a crafty grin form and waited for the last moment before slamming her sword against her foe's back. He stumbled forward trying to gain control again, but was met with another hard blow to his back.

Elphaba went to finish the job, but her opponent grabbed a handful of sand, and threw it into her eyes. She snarled in pain, pulled away, as she rubbed her eyes with great earnest. Her eyes still stung, but she could hear her the chain from her foe's morning star. He was rising to his feet to deliver a fatal blow.

The green gladiator was too witty to be meet such an end. When she heard the chain of her foe's weapon reach a certain spot, she crashed her sword down towards the direction. She heard a scream of pain, and when her eyes were finally cleared, from the sand, she saw her foe laying on the ground. A deep wound in his ribs could be seen. Elphaba then spit onto the sand and looked up at the crowd. They were shouting at her, and using their thumbs to tell her what she should do to her foe.

The thumbs of the crowd were nearly all alike. The choice was crystal clear for Elphaba, so with one quick motion let her sword come down onto her foe's neck. The will of the crowd was done. TurtleHeart's own opponent was begging for his life when Elphaba turned around after finishing off her own foe. She ran over to her teammate's side to aid him if need be.

"What do you think Elphaba? Let him live, or kill him? The crowd is split about this man's fate."

"Whatever you want TurtleHeart. He's your opponent," Elphaba said, her voice chilling.

TurtleHeart's face went hard, but in a shocking turn of events pulled his sword away, so he could help the wounded man up. "Go off now. Be thankful you can fight another day."

The man bowed his head and slipped away from the victors. He wasted no time fleeing out of the arena, and back to the underground.

Elphaba then hugged TurtleHeart. Both were shouting war cries to show they were the true winners of this battle. The crowd cheered in response. They were clearly satisfied with today's fights and their outcomes.

"That green gladiator is one amazing woman, don't you think?" Sir Chuffrey asked, as he finished eating his chicken leg.

"You mean that green gladiator is a woman?!" The blonde Empress asked in pure shock.

Lord Chuffrey laughed hard at his wife's naiveness. "Of course, there are female gladiators you know. My dear wife you must get out more."

"What a barbaric woman," Glinda said, in a disgusted tone. "Why would anyone in their right mind become a gladiator? Being a gladiator makes you lowlier than a common slave."

"She's one of the best of her kind," Sir Chuffrey said, as he gulped down the last of the wine in his glass. "The day's gladiatorial games always goes by so quickly. I wish they were longer."

"If you ask me they are too long," Glinda mumbled. Suddenly Rex, one of the gladiator trainers, approached the Chuffrey and Glinda. He gave them each a bow before speaking.

"Emperor Chuffrey and Empress Glinda, my name is Rex, and I was wondering if you two would be interested in seeing the very underground where the gladiators stay? I have heard from a reliable source that you especially enjoy these fights Lord Chuffrey."

"We would be honored," Sir Chuffrey answered, before Glinda could open her mouth to protest.

"This way then my Lord and Lady. If we hurry you two can meet the great green gladiator," Rex replied, as gave them one last bow before leading the way.

"How could you speak for me?" Glinda demanded. "You know I hate to watch these savage games."

"Come now, my wife, paying a visit to these lowly commoners will bring you more favor among the people of Rome. I know how being popular is so important to you," Sir Chuffrey answered, as he took her hand. "Just think, in a few moments, you will be meeting the great green skinned gladiator Elphaba. Imagine the feelings you will experience when you meet her."

"I already know the feeling I'm going to experience," Glinda whispered, as she was dragged along. "It will be loathing."

...X...

"What a fight you had today Elphaba," Thelma, Elphaba's cell-mate said, as she slapped the emerald skinned woman on the back as a gesture of goodwill. "You were amazing as usual."

"Oh, Thelma, you flatter me," Elphaba chuckled, as she cleaned her wounds with oil soaked rag that the underground Goat healer, Doctor Dillamond, had given her. "If I did so well then you should give me that dagger of yours that I have had my eye on since we meet."

"Don't push it," Thelma scoffed, as she folded her arms across her chest.

"You can't blame a woman for trying. It is a beautiful weapon," Elphaba replied, with a crafty grin.

"Nanny's heading this way I better get going, or she'll yell at me again for just standing around," The Goat healer said, as he patted Elphaba on the back before hurrying away.

"Rise gladiators, you have some visitors," Nanny's voice could be heard only a few feet from them once the Doctor left.

"If it's Hades, the Lord of the Underworld, and his army of the dead tell him to come back later. I haven't nearly have fought enough battles," Elphaba replied, with cackle.

"Rise gladiators! We have important visitors!" Nanny barked. Her tone told them this was no time for jokes.

Elphaba and Thelma did rise, and both were stunned to see the Emperor and Empress of Rome appear around the corner.

"By Aries the God of War! It's the royals of Rome," Thelma whispered, in shock, as they both bowed to the royal couple.

"So you are the great green gladiator Elphaba," Sir Chuffrey answered, as he bowed his head slightly as a sign of respect. "I must say you are an amazing fighter."

"Don't you get tired of wearing that green war paint?" Glinda asked, with a huff, before the green woman could response to the comment made by the Lord of Rome.

"War paint?" Elphaba questioned, as she tried to hold in her cackle. "This green color is my skin color."

"You lie!" Glinda cried out.

"I wish," Elphaba muttered, as she turned back to the Emperor of Rome. "I take it you enjoyed the fights today?"

"Very much so," Lord Chuffrey answered, his voice loud for he was still riding the high of the day's games. "Keep up the good work green one."

Just then Rex tapped the Roman Emperor on the shoulder. "My Lord I have another spot where I think you might enjoy, but I don't recommend it for the Lady. It might distress her."

"Very well, Glinda, my wife, you stay here with Elphaba," Sir Chuffrey answered.

"You can't leave me alone with these savages!" Glinda exclaimed, she didn't care if she insulted these lowly gladiators.

"Don't fear, my Empress, there are guards all around this underground, and besides these gladiator are honorable," With those words Lord Chuffrey was lead away by Rex.

"Did you enjoy the fights, my Empress?" Elphaba asked, as she began to pull her cot away from the window.

"No, I hated it! How you can fight and kill all for the name of amusement sickens me!" Glinda growled, as she threw up her arms in anger.

"Ooh, a fiery one, I like it," Elphaba replied, her voice slick, as she moved close to the Empress. Her browns eyes bore into Lady Glinda, and the blonde could feel her breath quicken. But she couldn't understand fully why. The feeling was new and she assumed it was because of the loathing feeling coursing though her veins like an enraged bull.

"Why are you moving your cot?" Glinda questioned, hoping her quicken breath was not noticed.

"If you must know...water and I don't get along. It burns me like fire would if you placed your hand in a burning flame," Elphaba replied, her voice monotone. "That is why you never see me in the arena if there is a chance of rain."

"Again with your lies! Well if that is the case, I hope it rains so hard that your skin burns until you are nothing but a puddle. Then you can never harm a living soul again," Glinda spat.

"Excuse me, Empress, but we did not chose the life of a gladiator. We had no say in our destiny. The fates Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos played with our life threads. We can't all be lucky like you and be someone of a royal line," Thelma replied, trying to keep the anger from her voice. "Do not judge us until you put yourself in our place."

"I will hear no more for either of you," Glinda grumbled, as she headed to the exit, but Elphaba grabbed her arm and pulled her in close.

The Lady of Rome was so frightened, yet she couldn't yell for help. She just stood there waiting for the green warrior to make her move.

"Good day to you, Empress, I doubt this will be our last encounter," Elphaba whispered, into her ear. Her hot breath sent shivers down Glinda's spine, and not to mention the green gladiator's brown eyes seemed to cause her heart to pound against her chest.

"We'll see about that, but know this, green one, I'll be loathing you my whole life long," Glinda answered, softly back, as she made a hastily exit. Her mind told her this was her first and last time here in this awful underground, however, Lady Glinda didn't know how very wrong she was.