Stranger to Myself

By Vinkunwildflowerqueen

DISCLAIMER: I have absolutely no right or claim to Wicked, except as a fan.

One

It was a stormy spring night in Munckinland when Omega, the local midwife, was summoned to the Governor's household to deliver his wife's first child.

When she entered the house, her assistant behind her; she was met by the Governor, Frexspar Thropp, who was quite frantic.

"Melena's in a lot of pain."

"That's perfectly normal," Omega assured him and led the way upstairs, to where they could hear the screaming.

Omega bustled into the room, and quickly checked Melena's progress. The labour had progressed quickly, she could see the baby's head.

"It's coming!" she gasped.

"Now?" Frex gaped, following her into the room.

"The baby's coming," she confirmed, and Frex happened to see.

His face paled and his head swam. "And how!" he said faintly, and moved up by Melena's head to clutch her hand.

Melena was panting as she looked up at Omega.

"I- thought you said that- that first babies take a while to come," she gasped and Omega smiled.

"Not always. Evidently, your little one wants to meet you. Are you ready to push?"

Melena nodded, sharing an excited and apprehensive look with Frex.

"On the next contraction, push. Got it?"

Melena nodded again and grimaced. "I- I can feel it coming."

"Then push!" Omega said firmly and Melena obeyed.

Omega watched carefully and expertly, watching the dim top of the baby's head she could see slowly move forward.

"I see a nose!" she called out, and Frex bravely took a step forward himself to see his child be born.

Omega, from the corner of her eye, saw a look of awe and wonder spread over the Governor's face as she had seen on the face of many a father-to-be.

"I see a curl!" he told Melena excitedly. "It's a healthy, lovely, perfect little-"

The baby slid out of Melena and into the light of the room, and Frex stopped mid-sentence, both he and Omega uttering involuntary gasps of shock.

"Sweet Oz!" Frex exclaimed

Melena looked up, panic stricken. "What is it?" she asked frantically. "What's wrong?"

Her first thought was that something was wrong with the baby. It was alright, wasn't it? She could hear no crying, she couldn't even see the baby as it lay on the bed between her legs on the bed.

A cold chill crept through Melena. The baby… was it even alive? She looked between Frex and Omega, hoping for reassurance.

Frex left his wife's side to consult with Omega, not even bothering to answer his wife's terrified question.

Omega was completely flummoxed, she'd never seen anything like this before in all the babies she'd delivered.

"How can this be?" she was muttering to herself.

Frex's shock was beginning to wear off, and he was horrified.

"What does this mean?" he demanded.

"It's… atrocious!" she gasped, lost for words.

That seemed to be an understatement in Frex's mind. "It's obscene!" Frex spat back at her.

Melena was still looking between the Antelope midwife and her husband wordlessly, wondering what could be wrong with the baby.

Frex saw the worry in her eyes, but did not comfort her. Instead he told her bluntly,

"Like a froggy, ferny, cabbage, the baby is unnaturally green!"

Melena frowned, not understanding. The baby was green? What did that mean? Was it alive?

Silently, Omega held up the baby for her to see. Sure enough, the baby's skin was a sickly green colour.

Melena was breathless in shock, almost hyperventilating. She couldn't speak, she was so horrified. She was almost completely numb. How could the baby be green? But she was alive, and small, and perfect. But green. And as Melena stared at her daughter, the baby raised her tiny head and looked right at her.

Omega knew better than to hand a new born baby to Melena when she was in such a state, even if the baby was… well, the way it was.

Instead, she offered it up to Frex.

He only glanced at the baby, then turned his face away in disgust. "Ugh, take it away."

Omega hesitated, not sure what he meant. "Take it away!" he spat, and strode out of the room.

Leaving her assistant to clean up Melena and the baby still in her arms, Omega followed after the Governor.

"Sir, what exactly do you-"

"Take it away. Get it out of this house!" the Governor said angrily. "Drown it for all I care!"

Omega was flabbergasted. "But… Mrs Thropp-"

"Will be better off without such a child," Frex replied coldly. "Do what you will with it, Omega. I want nothing to do with this… thing."

Omega looked down at the baby in her arms. It wasn't crying, it just lay there peacefully. As far as she could see it was in perfect health- apart from the fact it was green all over. It was breathing on its own; was a good size… Omega knew she'd never be able to bring herself to do as Frex had suggested and drown a perfectly healthy, albeit abnormal child.

"It's a girl," she said quietly.

"I do not care," Frex retorted.

"Sir, I cannot kill a healthy, living child. Abnormal though she is," Omega said firmly.

Frex glowered at her. "I won't have this… I want it gone. I will not have it be known that Melena gave birth to such a…"

He couldn't even say the word 'baby'.

"I can take it to an orphanage, in the Emerald City," Omega offered. "So no-one will ever associate her with your child."

"Fine," Frex agreed. He didn't care. He just wanted it gone.

If word got out about this… monstrosity, they'd be humiliated.

Omega hesitated. "She'll need a bottle or such. She'll require a feed before I leave her."

She knew she had formula, and blankets in her supplies, but she had no bottles.

Frex sighed heavily, as though the matter of finding a bottle was too much hassle for him, on top of his first child being born green.

"I will take care of it."

"And Mrs Thropp? The people?"

"Melena will see reason," Frex said icily. "As for the people, I'll make the announcement in the morning that the child was born dead. Melena and I are in grieving and would appreciate privacy."

Omega nodded. "Very good, sir. The bottle?"

Frex disappeared for a few moments and came back eventually with a small green bottle.

"I found this amongst Melena's things. It will suffice, I trust?"

"Yes. Thank you sir."

"Just get that thing gone. I must talk with Melena. Goodnight Omega."

"Goodnight, Governor. My sympathies to you and your wife."

Omega left, with the child in her arms, and Frex returned to the bedroom. Omega's assistant bowed courteously to him and left the room silently. She knew without having to be told not to mention what had happened here tonight to anyone.

Melena was struggling to sit up in bed. She was pale and weak, but the worry in her eyes was clearly evident.

"Frexspar! Where is the baby?" she asked.

Frex sighed and sat down on the bed next to his wife's side. "Gone."

"Gone?" Melena repeated. "Gone where? Is it a boy or a girl?" she asked eagerly.

"A girl," Frex replied shortly.

Melena's face lit up. "A girl! I always wanted a daughter… what do you think of the name Nessarose? I think it's quite beautiful."

"Melena, the baby is not coming back," Frex interrupted. "Omega has taken her away."

As it sunk in, horror appeared over Melena's face. "You- you gave away our daughter? Frex, how could you do such a thing?"

Frex gripped her by the shoulders. "Melena, the child was green. If news got out, we'd be a laughing-stock through all of Munchkinland! We can't have such a thing besmirching our family reputation."

"That thing is our daughter!" Melena snapped at him. "How dare you? She grew inside me, we felt her move to our voices! I sang a lullaby to her every night my entire pregnancy! And you just throw her away?"

"It was for the best, Melena," Frex replied firmly.

"And how do you intend to explain this to the people?" Melena demanded.

"I will send out news in the morning that the child was born dead. People won't ask questions."

Melena began to sob quietly. "I didn't even get to hold her," she cried. "I only saw her once… and you gave her away. You gave her away… my baby…"

Frex felt a touch of sympathy, and tried to put his hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged him off, crying harder.

After a moment, Frex stood up and left the room. Melena would see in time, once the shock was gone and her body began to heal physically.

She would see they were better off this way. And in time, they would have other children. Proper children, who would not be born green and could make him proud, eventually taking over as Governor.

Yes, Frex nodded to himself as he went into his office. This was for the best.

He didn't give another thought to his green-skinned daughter sitting beside Omega in a carriage bound for the Emerald City, drinking hastily made formula out of a small, green glass bottle.

AN. When I saw my 4th show in Perth 2011, I was thinking about the scene of Elphaba's birth and when Frex said "take it away!" I wondered… what if she actually was taken away? And thus, the story was born!