Every Story is a Love Story

Promises Kept

Except for one person- Glinda Upland, formerly Glinda the Good, the ruler of Oz. She had voluntarily stepped down a few months ago, and since then she had travelled the length and breadth of Oz, watching the progress of Animal Rehabilitation programs and such. She felt as if she would finally have made Elphie proud of her. If only she could have known how much Glinda had loved her.

Glinda found herself in an isolated area near the border. She knew the nearest village was at least a few miles away. But she trudged on. She would mentally flinch whenever she heard the thunder strike. She found herself wishing for Elphaba to be alive, and to be with her again.

She looked around. The path was empty. It scared her. Her carriage had broken down quite some time ago, and she wasn't sure when she would be able to go back. If she even had a back to go to. As she walked on, she saw a small cottage. There was a candle burning in the window- that gave her hope.

As she approached the cottage, she could discern a faint sound of someone- most likely a woman- singing:

"And here I am in this room again
Just as lost and small
That lonely girl with a desperate heart
Is who I am after all
There's no escaping her
But now the dream is gone
Because I spent a lifetime
Counting on true love
True love

I was looking for a fairytale
And dove headfirst into his
Turns out you can't find love
If you don't know what it is..."

Somehow, the voice sounded familiar to her. It had the same warm, rich tone as that of the woman she had loved so long ago. She felt a faint flicker of hope in her heart as she knocked on the door.

The door opened. Glinda gasped as if she had seen a ghost. For, standing in front of her was the very person she had thought to be dead for the last five years.

But she looked so different! There was a sad, but almost motherly softness in her eyes that contrasted beautifully with the fire in them. Her angles had softened slightly. But the biggest change was her hair. Short hair would be the last thing Glinda would have expected to see on her Elphie. And yet, now...her hair was in short, shaggy layers that just brushed her collarbone (had she recently had it trimmed?). It framed her face and magnified those amazing features of hers such that it made Glinda's heart leap. Those beautiful dark eyes went slightly wide and unfocussed as she said, softly, "Glinda?"

"Oh, Elphie, I can't believe this...how could you not tell me you were alive? How could you leave me all alone like that? Why?"

Elphaba smiled sadly. Glinda was relieved to note that at least her smile was still the same. She said, "You'd better come on in. The weather's terrible out there."

Glinda came in as she took off her cloak. Elphaba was still with her. Glinda felt a flutter in her chest. It was not just from the novelty of seeing her again, but also the strange charisma Elphaba possessed, which had always put Glinda in the shade. Also there was that unknown thrill which made Glinda shy, and caused her to rush her words, and to speak in a false high voice like an adolescent. How quickly you could be thrown back to the terrible uncertainty of your youth!

But then, she wasn't that old- not even thirty. But Elphaba's maturity somehow made her feel like a child again. Just as she was thinking that, though, there was a loud thunderclap outside. Glinda squealed and grasped Elphaba in a hug. Elphaba stroked Glinda's back as she whispered,"Some things never change, do they, my sweet?"

They would have stayed in that position forever had there not been a voice that called out,"Momsie! Help me!"

The loud, childish squeal jolted Elphaba from the moment she had been having with her oldest friend. She shouted back, "Yes, sweetie, I'm coming!"