literature

Dear Old Shiz, Part 3

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Gillikin was blanketed in a layer of snow much thicker than that which had covered Shiz.  The train was just pulling into the station at Frottica when I stood in the door of our compartment and turned to face Fiyero and Elphaba.  “Now, don’t tell my parents anything about… anything.”

Fiyero frowned and Elphie looked at her hands in her lap.

“I don’t mean that—well, don’t tell them that, either—but I mean, don’t tell them that we go out to bars or that we’ve been to the Philosophy Club on purpose or—”

“That you go to parties when you should be doing your homework?” Elphie smirked.

“Well, you can tell them I go to social gatherings, they’ll be pleased to hear that, but don’t mention the part about the homework.  Okay?”

Their nods gave me a bit of relief.  I didn’t know how Momsie would react to hearing about my… “activities”… at school, but I was sure Popsicle would forbid me ever to return and send me off to a finishing school instead so he would actually have some chance of marrying me off as a presentable young lady.  I wrapped my warm pink coat more tightly around me and buried my chin into my white scarf before placing my matching hat on my head and stepping onto the platform.  Thankfully there was no wind, but the air was bitter enough to make my nose sting and my eyes water a little.  Where was the carriage? Damnit, he had better not be late, it was freezing

“Miss Galinda!”

My head whirled around to the sound of Zid’s voice.  The family coachman grinned at me—at least, his eyes were grinning.  I couldn’t see his mouth for it and his nose were covered in a blue-and-silver-striped scarf.  He waved a gloved hand at me and I hurried over, Fiyero and Elphie close behind me.  “Thank goodness you’re here, I was afraid we would have to wait—where’s the carriage?”

“Just outside the station.  I’ll just get your trunks and we can be on our way!”

When he had loaded our luggage onto the back of the carriage, he slid into the driver’s seat with a shiver.  The interior of the small car was small relief from the bitter cold air outside, but I knew that there would be an enormous fire blazing when we arrived at home, and that was all that kept me going.  I huddled against Fiyero, who had one warm arm around my waist and the other around Elphaba’s shoulders.  Elphie looked quite uncomfortable at the arrangements, but I rolled my eyes at her.  “Elphie, you’re going to freeze if you sit over there on your own.  Please.  Winter in Gillikin is no time for dignity.”

“That’s for sure,” Zid said from the front seat.  “Just take a look at the getup I’m wearing and you can see that easy enough!”

I smiled; his thick, long brown coat, though protective against the elements, was particularly hideous and didn’t even begin to match his off-white hat with the earflaps tucked into his scarf.  “Momsie didn’t see you before you left, did she?”

He grinned over his shoulder at me.  “Now what makes you say that?”

I giggled.  She probably would have pitched a fit over his outfit—she was of the opinion that our servants should reflect our household, and therefore should look presentable at all times.

When we pulled up to the manor, we braved the cold once more and rushed in a most undignified manner up the front steps and through the door.  The doorman closed it quickly behind us, only opening it once more for Zid and a few other servants to carry in the trunks.  A great fire was blazing in the entrance hall, and we huddled around it, unwilling to remove our countless layers.  I closed my eyes and leaned (still shivering) against Fiyero, letting the heat wash over me.  

“Galinda, darling!”

My eyes snapped open and I whirled around.  “Momsie!” I met her halfway across the hall and she caught me in a tight hug.

“I’m so glad your home! Are these your—oh, my…”

She looked at Elphaba in shock.  Elphie looked equally uncomfortable.  “Momsie, this is Elphaba.  She’s my best friend.” I looped my arm through my roommate’s and shot my mother a warning glance.  She swallowed and then managed to smile.  “And this is Fiyero!”

This was a subject she knew.  “Fiyero! It’s so nice to meet you at last—Galinda has told us so much about you!”

I grinned up at Fiyero, who had flushed a little and was smiling.  He bowed his head slightly to my mother and said, “Likewise, Madame Arduenna.”

“So this is Master Fiyero!” my father strode into the hall.  He was wearing one of his nicest suits, a midnight blue coat with silver trimmings over a white ruffled shirt and gray trousers.  “Pleasure to meet you, my boy—or should I say ‘Your Highness’?”

Popsicle,” I glared at him.  He could be so embarrassing….

“Just Fiyero is fine, Master Arduenna,” Fiyero said with a smile as he shook my father’s hand.  He glanced down at me as though to reassure me that he wasn’t as embarrassed as I was, but I just shook my head.

“Popsicle, this is Elphaba,” I said, motioning to the green girl.  “She’s my roommate at Shiz.” I watched him carefully to see if he would startle or blanch at all, but he merely smiled and shook Elphie’s hand as well.  Elphaba was clearly surprised, but a little pleased, too, though she tried not to show it.

“Wonderful to meet you as well, Miss Elphaba.”

Score one for Popsicle—I couldn’t believe he hadn’t been at least a little surprised.

“Well! You must be exhausted from traveling all day,” Momsie said.  “If you’d like to clean up and get changed, Mamphilo will show you to your rooms, and dinner will be served at half-seven.”

Mamphilo was a kindly old Goat who had seemed ancient to me when I was young, so I couldn’t venture to guess how long she’d been with the family.  She smiled warmly at us from the base of the grand staircase that led upstairs.  Elphaba looked a little uncomfortable.  “What’s wrong?” I whispered to her as we followed Mamphilo upstairs.

“Do you have slaves for everything?” she murmured back.

“They’re not slaves!” I said indignantly.  “They’re servants.  There’s a difference.”

“Are they getting paid?”

“I don’t… know…”

“And couldn’t you have shown us where our rooms are? I mean, you’ve lived here all your life, I’d think you’d know where we were sleeping—”

“It’s because she’s an Animal, isn’t it?”

Elphaba frowned.  “That’s part of it, yes!”

“We have people servants as well!”

“Girls, girls,” Fiyero fell back between the two of us.  “We’re on break.  Elphaba, try to take things down a notch for a couple weeks.”

Elphaba looked sideways at me, tight-lipped.  As if it were my fault.

“And Galinda, don’t provoke Elphaba.”

My mouth fell open.  “What?! I didn—” Fiyero leaned over and stopped me mid-sentence with a deep kiss.  All my muscles relaxed and closed my eyes, leaning into him.  When he broke away, I gazed up at him with a foolish smile.  “Okay.”

“Master Fiyero? This will be your room,” Mamphilo opened the door to a grand room that already had a fire crackling in the grate.  We walked down a little closer to my room but stopped a door before it.  “And Miss Elphaba, this is your room.  Your bags are already inside.”  Elphaba thanked the Goat kindly before closing the door behind her.  Before I could escape to my room, however, Mamphilo laid a hoof on my arm and smiled knowingly.  “That boy knows the two of you well, doesn’t he?”

I giggled.  “Isn’t he just… perfect?”

“I’m sure you’d much rather play choo-choo train with him than with Mackie, eh?” she winked.

My face burned and I turned away.  I’d forgotten how much Mamphilo seemed to know about me with just one look… I hoped she wouldn’t discover more than I wanted her to know.  “I—um—” I stammered.

She chuckled and patted me fondly.  “Don’t worry.  I think your mother already knows.”

Knows what?! Panic twisted my gut.  I glanced back at Mamphilo’s grinning face and my stomach began to unknot itself; she had been referring to my desires, not what had actually taken place… the secret was still safe.  So far.


*


At half-seven, the three of us were seated at the table with my parents.  We were in the small dining room next to the kitchen because the servants had begun to decorate the large dining hall for the Lurlinemas party and it was presently in a state unfit for eating meals.  Popsicle sat at the head of the table and Momsie opposite him; Fiyero and I sat on Popsicle’s right and Elphie was on his left.

“What did you say you were studying, Fiyero?” Popsicle asked before taking a bite of meat.  I noticed that Elphie had pushed hers to the side of her plate and was carefully eating around it.  She had this fear that she would accidentally end up eating an Animal, since there was no way to tell once the thing was already dead, so she had given up eating meat altogether.

“Political science and international relations,” Fiyero said.

“Definitely headed for the royal track, then?”

“Yes, sir.  Family business and all,” he grinned.  Popsicle chuckled.  I was so glad they were getting on well.

“What about you, Elphaba? What are you studying?” Momsie asked.

“Um, well, mostly Animal sciences, but I’m also taking lessons in sorcery with Madame Morrible.”

“Sorcery!” Popsicle raised his eyebrows.  “Isn’t that a little… impractical?”

I bit my lip and felt my stomach drop through the floor.  I had been so excited that I was actually doing something right at school, something I actually enjoyed, that I hadn’t stopped to think about its practicality.  I glanced up at Elphie, who looked at me for a second before responding.

“It can be very useful and powerful if you’re good at it,” she said carefully.

“And are you? Good at it?” Popsicle pushed.

Elphie darkened and looked at her plate.

“She’s brilliant,” I said softly, watching Elphie.  She glanced up at me and the corner of her mouth twitched in a small smile.

“And how would you know this?” Popsicle raised an eyebrow.

“I—she’s shown me some things,” I said, careful not to lie, but also careful not to tell the complete truth.  “It’s quite fascinating, actually.”

“Well, don’t go getting your pretty head wrapped around silly ideas like that.  Don’t get me wrong, Elphaba, I’m sure you’re wonderful at it and will do great things.  But Galinda—well, you must know her, if you’re her roommate… still don’t know what you’re studying, do you, button? Sometimes I wonder why we bothered…”

“Herol!” Momsie was quick to shoot him a glare.

I dropped my gaze to the food on my plate.  Suddenly it all looked very unappetizing.  Why did my parents bother to send me to Shiz? I was just a big joke—I hated schoolwork, and the only thing I enjoyed was impractical and something I was only mediocre at.  So much for showing them what I could do….  Why didn’t I just drop out of school and go get married straightaway? At least then they’d be happy.  I felt Fiyero gently squeeze my thigh under the table, in what was sure to be a gesture of comfort, but it only made me want to cry.  Stop it.  Be tough.  Be like Elphie.

“Oh, Galinda, honey, don’t start crying,” Popsicle said.  “You’re a beautiful girl, you know that, and you’ll have no trouble at all getting on in life, especially once you get married, you know, you’ll be fine—”

“Beauty doesn’t last forever, Father,” I said coolly, looking at him through misty eyes that I was determined to keep from crying.  “What happens when I’m old and wrinkled? I’ll just be a stupid old hag with no brains in her head, just some big joke—but that’s all I am right now, isn’t it?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, button.  You’re not wrinkled or a hag.”

“I meant about being a joke.”  I threw my napkin on the table.  “I’m awfully tired.  May I be excused?”

“Galinda, don’t be rude to your guests,” Momsie said quietly.

Fiyero and Elphaba looked at each other awkwardly.  I was sorry they had to witness this classic Arduenna family moment.  What a way to break them in on their very first night here….

“It’s all right,” Fiyero said.  “I’m actually done… I can escort you upstairs if you like,” he glanced at my parents as though for approval.

A momentary look of panic passed over Elphie’s face, probably at the thought of being left alone with my parents.  “I’m done, too,” she said hurriedly.

“But you didn’t even touch your meat,” Momsie said.

“Elphie doesn’t eat meat,” I said.  “Animal or animal.”

“Oh,” Momsie said quietly.  Elphaba looked uncomfortable.

“Well, I hope you find your accommodations suitable,” Popsicle said, frowning at me.  “And we’ll see you in the morning.”

“Can’t wait,” I muttered under my breath as I turned and left the room.  I made it all the way upstairs before Fiyero and Elphaba caught up with me.  “I’m sorry you had to see that,” I said quietly.

“Suddenly you make so much more sense,” Elphie said with a half-hearted attempt at a smile.

“Galinda, you’re not a joke.  You’re a very bright girl, and you know that,” Fiyero said, rubbing my arms and bending his knees so he could come closer to looking me straight in the eyes, but I was so short that I still had to look up to him.

I tilted my head to the side.  “You’re sweet, but I think we both know that’s not really true.  Why am I bothering with school, after all? If my only purpose in life is just to get married and be a baby-making machine…”

“That’s not your only purpose!”

“There’s so much you could do!” Elphie said, her hand joining Fiyero’s on my arm.  They accidentally brushed fingers and Elphaba shied away at the contact as though she had been burned.  Was she allergic to guys, too? Is that why she was always so hesitant to touch anyone? And maybe why she’d never had a boyfriend? Odd as it sounded, being allergic to water was also exceedingly bizarre, so I guessed it might be possible.  I made a mental note to ask her later.  “Maybe you should show them how good you are at sorcery instead of just telling them that’s what you’re studying.”

“You think it’s so easy, don’t you?” I sniffed, my hard exterior beginning to break down.  It was much more difficult to be tough than I’d thought.

“No one said it was easy,” Fiyero said gently.  “Look, why don’t we get you to bed.  Everything will be better in the morning, I promise.  We can go skating on the pond—you love skating.”

I swallowed hard and let him lead me to my room.  “Goodnight Elphie,” I said as the green girl slipped into her room.  She offered me a smile before closing the door.

When Fiyero and I reached my room, I closed the door behind us so I could actually talk to him without the fear of being overheard.  I sat down on the edge of my bed and looked up at him miserably.  “Fiyero, I am so sorry—I mean, look what you’re getting yourself into with me… I come with a whole host of problems, a royally screwed-up family, I can’t even stand up to my parents and all they think I’m good for is—”

“Shh, Galinda, it’s okay.”  Fiyero sat down next to me and stroked my cheek.  “Everyone has messed up families.  I mean, you can’t talk until you’ve met my parents,” he chuckled softly.

I smiled through my tears.  “So this hasn’t totally ruined everything?”

“Of course not.”

He really was perfect.  If he still wanted me after all that I’d put him through tonight… I placed my hands on his cheeks and pulled his face close to mine and kissed him.  I ran my tongue across his bottom lip and he met it with his.  He kissed each of my cheeks, as though trying to clear away the tears, and then along my jaw line.  I tilted my head back as his lips found my neck and wrapped my fingers around the back of his neck, pulling him closer.  His fingers traced down my collarbone and lightly across my breasts, and I giggled into his mouth as he kissed me again.

Galinda?!

I fell over backwards, tumbling off the bed, and Fiyero stood up and stepped away in one fluid motion, hands immediately behind his back and eyes downcast.  I hadn’t even heard my mother open the door.  My face flushed what I’m sure was the deepest shade of scarlet that was humanly possible.  I was at a total loss for words.  I couldn’t even stammer.

“I should be getting to bed,” Fiyero said quietly.

“Yes, you should,” Momsie said—not coldly, as I might have expected, but more in a voice of complete shock that her little angel had been caught in such a compromising position.

“Goodnight, Galinda.  Goodnight, Madame Arduenna.” Fiyero hurried from the room and I picked myself up off the floor, carefully avoiding my mother’s eyes.  I heard the door shut, and in one wonderful moment thought she might have left without a word, but instead she had entered the room and shut it behind her.  I groaned and turned my back to her.

“Is this what that school has done to you?” she asked incredulously.

“No, please, Momsie, it’s not like that.”

“You’re not even married to this boy! How can you—”

“Stop being so old-fashioned! We were hardly doing anything!”

Obviously the wrong word choice.  Her eyebrows shot up.  “Oh? Then what would be your definition of ‘doing something’?”

“That’s not what I meant! Okay, yes, we were kissing.  Happy now?”

“No! If you’re doing that here, I can only imagine what you’re doing at school, away from us—no family is going to want a daughter-in-law who’s not a virgin!”

My mouth fell open and my stomach knotted worse than it ever had before.  “Is that all I’m good for?” I asked quietly.

“Galinda, please.  Don’t start this again.”

“No, Mother, I really want to know.  Is that all you see me as? Am I just a pretty baby-maker? Because if that’s the truth, I’d like to know now so I can give up this foolish university thing before I waste any more time.  Hell, I’ve already wasted a few months there—that’s three and a half months out of the baby game already! Why don’t I trudge over to Mackie’s right now, I’m sure he’d be glad to have me—”

“Galinda, stop it,” she said sternly.  “You’re being ridiculous.  The only reason we’re worried about you at that school is because we’re afraid that you won’t find anything you’re good at.”

“So you think I’m stupid!”

“No, honey—”

“Well, I’m not stupid, Mother.  I actually found something I can do and enjoy doing.  Imagine that, huh? It’s not something you or Popsicle will like, but you know what? I don’t care.  I am so sick of trying to do everything right! So guess what, Momsie, guess what I’m studying at school.  Go on, guess.” I felt like my eyes were on fire and something burned in the back of my throat.

“I haven’t the slightest,” she said timidly.

“Sorcery.”

Then she laughed.  “Oh, Galinda, I see now.  This was all just a deflection! You didn’t want me to talk about Fiyero, so you—oh, you are a strange girl…” she shook her head, smiling.

I wanted to pummel her with my fists.  How could she honestly think that?! I had finally gotten the guts to tell her the truth, and look where it had led me? She still thought I was a joke! “Why won’t you believe me?”

“Galinda.  You could have picked anything, but you chose sorcery—sorcery is for girls like… like… Elphaba.  Not pretty girls like you.”

“Elphaba is pretty!”

“Sweetheart, she’s…” she lowered her voice, “green.”

“So? Being green doesn’t make her any less beautiful!”

Momsie looked at me strangely for a moment.  “All right… well, I’m going to bed, and I suggest you do the same.  No midnight trips to Fiyero’s room.”

I glared at her lighthearted attempt to dismiss our entire conversation.  “Goodnight, Mother,” I said bitterly.

Next in my Dear Old Shiz series. Days of Elphaba, Galinda, and the rest of the crew at Shiz University, told from Galinda's point of view. Mix of the book and the musical and then, of course, some elements of my own creation to keep things interesting.

Characters (c) Gregory Maguire.


Dear Old Shiz, Part 1
Dear Old Shiz, Part 2
Dear Old Shiz, Part 3
Dear Old Shiz, Part 4
Dear Old Shiz, Part 5
Dear Old Shiz, Part 6
Dear Old Shiz, Part 7
Dear Old Shiz, Part 8
Dear Old Shiz, Part 9
© 2008 - 2024 Sleekfur
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RLKarnes's avatar
AHH! This is incredible. :woot: