The North

I fly with Theo. He holds on tight. I laugh as we sway though the sky. When we land Kaylin asks,

“Can I go again.”

“Just wait until you fly in one of Glinda’s bubbles.” I say. Knowing Glinda will love her. I notice the world grows more barren as I fly over it. The dense trees thin out as expected, but the ones I see are dry, and dead. The ground is sandy. Not like the flat shifting sand of the dessert I can make out in the distance, but this earth is dry and cracked. The heat beats down on us. I try to cast a rain spell, but it fails. If only I had Nessarose’s gift. I glance down at the two umbrellas in the back. One is black, the other lilac. The lilac on looks almost like a parasol with all the fancy trim and lace.

“We should be almost there.” I tell them. Nessarose having been the closest to Locasta had a castle built in her honor. The Purple Palace. I had never seen it. It’s a monument in a way. A castle made of amethyst. We reach the first town. Catty Corners. A bunch of cats own this town. “Theo get us some rooms. I’m going to ask about the area.” I don’t know too much about the place. After all I had only read about what was to be my sisters Kingdom in books. I go into the nearest Night Club. It looks more like a tavern. We probably didn’t take the most derect way to the palace. So it’ll be best I start by getting directions.

“Excuse me?” I ask politely to a ginger cat sitting on a bar stool with a glass of water in front of them. “Can I ask you a few questions?”

“I suppose.” The cat says not very enthusiastically. An aloof loner I’d wager. “I’m Tom the tom-cat. He, him. What do you want to know?”

“Can I get you anything?” A grey cat asks me from behind the bar.

“Apple juice.” I say. I turn to the ginger tom. “What’s the fastest way to the Purple Palace?”

“Tourists are we? Don’t get many of those anymore. You’d have to go though Blackenberg from here. Though not many visit that place. Then you take a left, and you’re there.”

“I was wondering if you could tell me about the North.” I say.

“Well there’s not much to say. Our biggest source of trade is the Button fruit. It only grows here. I’m sure you past the forest in your way here. Right next to the apple trees in the West. The Buttonwood forest. Which surrounds Kimbaloo the main town the trades the fruit. Some other well know places is Icetown. It’s always snowing there. Living snow-folk make their home there. Good ice business. Then there’s the Back-woods. Small forest. Everyone speaks back words. Kinda of away from everything else. Not exactly a place I’d recommend tourist visit. Let’s see. Oh we’re the Blackforest meets our land is the Forest of Winged Monkeys. We also have the largest population of purple spiders. That’s about everything.” He says.

“Thank you.” My drink it served. The orange cat taps it with his paw a few times before pushing it off the bar, and onto the floor with a crack. I go to the Inn. When I walk in Theo is speaking loudly with a tuxedo cat in a tux. A Mist Maiden. (A being found mostly in the Northern glades with butterfly wings.) Flaps impatiently behind him. “What’s the problem?” I ask.

“They’re just ignoring me. Like I’m not even here. Can I get three rooms?” He asks loudly, and carefully. “See. How do they get patrons with this customer service.” Theo says more exasperated than I’ve ever heard him. I move in front of him.

“Hey!” I shout. “You will give us rooms NOW.” On the word, now, the end of the cats tail starts a lite. The cat yowls. Pressing the end of their tail between their paws to put it out.

“Why you go and do that?” The cat asks.

“Stopped you ignoring us didn’t it?” I say.

“I’m a cat it’s my nature to ignore people when I feel like it.” I lean over the counter conspiratorially.

“And I’m a wicked witch. So it’s my nature to be wicked. So about those rooms.” We get the three best rooms in the Inn. With a view of the whole town. The light tan brick stone streets, and wooden houses. Some painted in bright colors. Like big dog houses. The room is big. Complete with a wash room. There’s a big cream bed, and a cat bed in the corner. A the side-table is a tray of mints, and a sliver bowl of cat-treats, with a lit candle. Theo takes off his work boots, and flops down on the bed. I use my magic to change my black dress into a black nightgown, and lay beside him.

“Did you have to lite the cats tail on fire?” I remember how painful it was to resist. I remember my sisters warnings against me going poof.

“Yes. It’s my nature.” We move on to the Purple Palace. It takes a long time. At one point we have to stop to rest. We cover the barrels of apples in the back with a yellow tarp. Then Kaylin uses her magic to unfurl a white tent. I feel a sting on my back. Then my cheek. I float the umbrellas over to us, opening them.

“Rain. Get in the tent!” I say. With magic my clothes change to a water resistant, green half-cloak, a black hat with a ribbon to keep it on my head as the wind picks up, black water proof boots, a black dress, and white and yellow striped leggings. “Inside!” I tell Kaylin. Whose clothes stay the same. A frilly, lacey, blue dress, with a large bow and lots of ribbon. I change it with magic. A two layer black dress, with a water proof yellow coat, white tights, and yellow water proof boots. She does manage to change the black dress to red. I grab her arm pulling her inside. The wind blows raindrops.

“You couldn’t have picked something more functional?” I say over the wind. Glinda would never have said that. The wind blew the drops at us, but I’m sure I got the brunt of it. The others join us. Kaylin, and Eve are out in minutes. After Eve tended to us, Theo sits next to me. I lean against him. He holds my face with his hand, examining the burns.

“Not very pretty. I’m sure.” I say.

“You’re beautiful.” He takes off one of my gloves so he can hold my hand. I only wear them when it rains now. Or when I don’t want to draw attention. We fall asleep like this. In the morning I lite a fire for breakfast. I make fried eggs, and Theo makes blueberry pancakes. I used magic to keep the ingredients good for longer, and the eggs cold as long as they were in my general presence. I summon salt, and pepper, and it sprinkled down onto the eggs from midair. Kaylin watches me. Then she closes her eyes for a long moment. Butter and maple syrup adds on top the stack of pancakes. She claps her hands with delight. Eve takes a bite of a pomegranate we packed.

“How much longer until we get there?” She asks.

“Another day at least if I had to guess.” I take out my crystal ball which I put on a chain. I unwrap it. Then it grows to the size of my palm. “Find Nessarose.” I see down a dirt path into a yellow brick one. Then I see her on a balcony giving orders. There’s almost as many guards here as it was in the East. They all wear sapphire. Including Nessarose. In a dark blue ball gown, black tights, and a sliver crown to match her sliver slippers. As to be expected, she’s the first one there. The image dissipates. “We’re not far.” The ground was muddy, and there were puddles, so me and Kaylin stayed in the air. It was easy to make out were the Capitol was. It was the best maintained, and I assume Glinda worked her magic the second she got there. We pass a guard on horse back. They look up at us. Me sitting normal, and Kaylin sitting side saddle on broomstick.

“Princess Elphaba I presume?” They ask. Right we still need a coronation.

“Queen.” I correct all the same. “And yes.”

“Her highness are expecting you.” With that they lead us though a beautiful town. The grass here is purple, and the leaves on the trees the color of plums. I notice white stuff. Wisps of it stuck in patches of grass, and a bit in the guards hair. Cobwebs. Most of the houses look normal. People with purple hair, or skin mill about. Many stare at us when we fly past. There are also many purple spiders. Most smaller than the last one I met. Though still big. The size of a pony. One sits on a web weaved between town houses. There’s many shops, and stalls selling buttonberry cakes, pies, and tarts. With awnings and wallpapered interiors in every color, but purple being the most prominent. I notice there’s much in the way of repairs being made to the building. Many are under construction.

“Look out!” Some one cries as a flying monkey carrying a silver beam almost flys into us. I swerve out of the way.

“Watch where you’re going!” I snap. I think about setting their tail on fire too. I notice there are still small cracks in the yellow brick road. I notice that in the Capitol the ground isn’t wet, or muddy. Probably Nessarose’s doing. I change my outfit for something more fitting the good weather. I don’t for Kaylin knowing she packed half her room.

“Oh can we get a button berry tart? Please?” She begs. I also learned she has quite a sweet tooth. We pause briefly so she can grab one. I check my crystal showing me the cuckoo clock back at the Emerald Palace. We made it in good time. We pass a bakery with yellow plaid wallpaper inside. A book store with green flora wallpaper inside. Then a hat shop with purple bird patterned wallpaper. Kaylin asks to stop at every single one of them.

“No.” I say annoyed at being asked a third time. “Maybe on the way back.” I add. We make it to a large perfectly round lake. In the background is mountains made of shiny grey rocks. Snow capped peaks glistening in the sun. I notice the bottom of the lake has purple sand. I know beneath that layer is purple clay. Another thing the North trades. Purple clay or purple clay vases, and purple glass.

“Wow.” Kaylin says ask I drop her off back in the wagon. We look out at the purple glass castle in the distance, on a perfectly green island. Glinda had made a rainbow bridge until the glittery white stone one could be finished. But at her recommendation we would be taking the old way of crossing. The ferry. It was purple with a red roof. On it read: The Toy Boat. I had heard my grandmother had really used her magic to make a toy boat bigger. It’s whistle whistles, and it stops before us. Glinda thought Kaylin would appreciate it, and Eve and Theo had never been on a boat before. We all get on. Passing construction workers, and more guards as we walk up, Kaylin explores. (I keep an eye on her.) And the three of us move to the front.

“Look at this view.” Theo says. The water is perfectly clear. It sparkles in the sun. You can see the purple sand floor.

“Did you know when sand gets hot enough, and then cooled it turns to glass.” Theo shakes his head, but I had known. Not just because of my research on the South. I knew much in the way of heat, and fire. I think better understanding my talent help me better apply it. I new the boiling point of water, the hotter gases that made up the sun and stars, the melting point of glass and metal. I have dabbled in blacksmithing, and glass blowing. I knew that with enough heat and pressure sand didn’t just become glass, it became a diamond. We get off, servants taking our luggage. A few taking them right out of Theo, and Eve’s hands as they try to do it them selves. After trying to insist the servants I guess win the argument of politeness. Kaylin who had been using magic to make her many bags float lowers them so they can be carried. Asking in the same good mannered way if the bags are to heavy, or if there to many of them. If she can help. Still she seems pleased to be waited on. I had not expected the servants to have such a positive response to us certainly not a negative, but they seem almost excited to serve us. Most wear purple. Though there are a few in red, and blue. I’m pleased by their loyalty. I now get to see the state my parents left these people in. Servants with no queen, to serve. My sister long dead I realized that many would have been out of a job. Foolish I was to have assumed my parents would have things properly taken care of. As young as we were could we be blamed? We make our way to the glass castle. Some of it you can see though, other places is made of one way glass for privacy. There are long purple drapes covering some of the walls. A long purple carpet when we enter. We’re brought into parlor. The curtains in this room is open letting in the natural sunlight. Burning at 15 million degrees Calsius. There is a dark green carpet. A purple velvet sofa, and purple leather lounge chair. A gold table with a tray of tea, and button berry tea cakes on it. The little sweets are very small with fluffy white frosting on top. Kaylin takes one admiring look at the room. Then she seems to notice my sisters already sitting there. She, and the others quickly curtsy. Glindas puts down a teacup, and gets up. I hug her. Then sit next to Nessarose as she beckoned me too.

“Please sit.” Glinda says. I do introductions all around. “Yes I’ve heard a lot of you Miss. Jasper. That’s why I had this made up for you.” Glinda hands a scroll to Kaylin. Whatever it says makes her jump up and down. “You’ll be going to a prestigious, private school in Emerald City. You’ll stay in the dorms. And when you’re older I’ll personally fund a dress shop for you.”

“Boutique.” She corrects. “Oh thank you. It’s everything I could ever dream of. All I could ever wish for.” She wraps her arms around Glinda. Glinda’s dress looks like it could be made of the stars themselves. I change my clothes into that of a ball gown. Simple and black with a black diamond tiara to match.

“If you try and kill my sister there will be nothing left for the crows to peck at.” Is the first thing Nessarose says when addressing my boyfriend.

“Ok. I see the wicked winning this day.” That was defiantly not something she should have said allowed. The wickedness probably mixed with her desire to protect me.

“It’s so lovely to meet you both.” Glinda says.

“I definitely see which one you take after.” Theo says breaking the tension, and lightning the mood. We leave the others to socialize in the parlor. We head for the meeting room.

“So first order of business.” Glinda begins. I realize I often let my older sisters take charge. Being the youngest and all. I think about all the changes they made to the Kingdom already. I hear Nessarose’s guards caught a murderer, and she’ll be hosting his execution later today. Her executioner is creepy. I like her. She wears these long purple robes. Very gothic. (Though she technically has more than one. She has one Royal Executioner.) “I was wondering if I could take Kaylin as my apprentice, but I didn’t want to take that away from you if someone else wanted too.”

“That’s too much responsibility for me right now.” Nessarose says. I shook my head. It’s probably better Glinda does it. Especially considering she’s a good witch. Not that we couldn’t teach her of course, or do worse job. I always thought that if Nessarose had a witch family member she would take on an apprentice otherwise I couldn’t see her taking on the extra responsibility. I was open to taking on an apprentice. I wondered if with Kaylin here if she could mean a wicked witch would fallow.

“Ok so what are we going to do about our Coronation?”

“We should host it together at Emerald City.” Glinda says.

“Oz will take the opportunity to attack.” Nessarose says.

“Let me take care of Oz, and his witch hunting mobs. You both keep doing what you’re doing.” They share a look.

“Are you certain-“ Nessarose starts gently.

“Yes.” I say though gritted teeth. All the fires in the castle grow, and turn green.

“Ok, ok.” Nessarose says. I find them, and I’ll burn it all down. Then take my place in the Western castle.