confusifying | wicked | book 3/3

Elphie

My sister sits glaring at a corner in the ceiling, she's so overcome with rage that she's taken up just observing nothing, I can feel the anger and sadness just radiating off of her.
The air feels thick enough that you could slice away at it with a blade, I understand why Nessa is so angry and I wish I could make it better by talking to her but I fear that interring her glaring may be a fatal mistake.
She's still furious with me for not allowing her to die, I can tell she's trying so hard to suppress the feeling of destruction that wants to tear through the walls, she's angry because she has had to stop her medial treatment, she's angry because everyone has either belittled her or spoken for her and she's angry because the one part of her life that she though was behind her, isn't.

Nessarose has every right to be furious, so I'm not going to try to tell her otherwise.
Ever so often Glinda will walk over to her, put a hand on her shoulder and attempt to get some sort of conversation out of my sister, but it's not going to happen, I doubt she'll be in a talking mood for a while.
Nessa looks terribly tired too, I'm not surprised as she was woken up rather abruptly on the journey to the emerald city, she's fighting slumber however as it would mean asking either Glinda or myself to carry her into bed and she doesn't want to admit that going into this room was a good idea.
Because above all else my sister will have the last say, she always has done.
"Nessa." I mumble at last, Glinda looks hopeful that I'll be the person to get through to her. "What are you feeling?"

My sister turns around dramatically and stares dumbfounded at me.
"What on earth do you want me to say to that?" Nessa splutters "that I feel perfectly fine?"
"Well do you?" I quiz, Nessa sighs.
"Of course not!" She exclaims "I feel stupid, and powerless and like I have a duty fulfil but I have no idea how to do it!"
There's silence throughout the room for a while, before Glinda takes it upon herself to speak.
"Nessa, I understand if you need to go back to Munchkin Land..."
"What did I just say Glinda!" Nessa shrieks,suddenly exploding with range, the whole room shakes, Nessa covers here eyes with her hands and cowers.
I rush over to my sister, embracing her tightly until the chandelier on the ceiling has stopped swinging back and forth.
"I need to stay" Nessarose whispers tearfully into my ears, "I have to help these people."
I nod slowly.
"You will Nessa, but you can't help them like this. Are you ready to go back out there?"
Nessa nods and viciously scrubs at her eyes.

Mayor Franklin, Rebecca and Celeste met with us again, this time Franklin seems significantly more on edge.
"I've been having the visions again." He announces, "Madame Thropp would you do me the honour of speaking to me in private?"
Nessa seems to smile at the fact she's acting being addressed.
"I would love to." Nessa replies formally.
The two exchange smiles before I'm tapped on the shoulder by Rebecca, she nervously beckons me back into the larger room and I follow hesitantly.
Once inside, Rebecca looks at me nervously, I'm almost ready to give my long awaited we get it, I'm green routine but I just about manage to restrain myself from doing so.
"I'm sorry to take you away from your sister like that." Rebecca mumbles shyly, "but Mayor Franklin had some questions for you."
I nod my head, hoping to get this over with and to go back with my sister before mayor franklin whisks her away.
"Does Madame Thropp require any special services?" Rebecca asks bluntly, the question catches me off guard with its rather mundane tone.
"What exactly do you mean buy that?" I pry, expecting her to come out with something tactless.
"Nobody outside of Munchkin land has ever met the governess, unless they were of governing status, we've all heard story's of her ailments and want to best support her whilst she's in our company."
I'm not sure whether or not to be impressed at Rebeccas honestly or offended on behalf of my sister.

"I'm still not sure what things you want me to be telling you?"
"Anything you think may be of help to your sister." Rebecca responds, the way her eyes light up when she's talking about Nessa is just as heartwarming as it is off putting.
"Nessarose cannot walk, she has brittle bones so you must be gentle with her, a low immune system so don't expose her to too many people and she's also a sufferer from chronic pain." I blurt out without thinking "is that enough for you?"
Horrifyingly, there's tears in Rebecca's eyes, which she hurriedly wipes away.
"The Governess is truly remarkable." Rebecca marvels "A heartbreaking reality."
I restrain myself from correcting Rebecca's blatantly absurd use of language.
"It's an honour to be in the presence of Madame Thropp, and for her to make such an effort to come and help us even in her condition." Rebecca gushes "Miss Glinda was right about her, she truly is remarkable."
I bite my tongue as Rebecca spews out compliment after compliment commending my sisters efforts despite her daily struggle.
In a sense I'm glad that the citizens of Oz don't loath my sister like she thought they did, and I'm glad that they idolise her so much because perhaps it will make my sister be glad that she didn't die because so many people are doting on her.

"Mayor Franklin will be delighted to hear of my findings." Rebecca chirps, turning back to face the door, "thank you ever so much."
I raise an eyebrow.
"Delighted?" I question uneasily, "what exactly is there to be delighted about?"