❝ where do we go from here? ❞
A stubborn Gwendolyn Farris absolutely refused to buy into the story-based choice games her friends were oh so obsessed with. She found them to be pointless and it seemed as though her best friends were choosing them ov...
strength (VIII) your compassion, strength, and bravery help define you
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~.~
Gwen nervously awaited the arrival of Princess Cordelia Fyodorov. That Friday morning, a servant knocked on Gwen's door to inform her of the meeting place.
That would be why Gwen found herself standing in the back gardens of the palace, on the edge of a dark, dreary forest. Overall it was unnerving, but her anxiety as she caught sight of the princess making her way towards her.
Seeing her in a full-on gown was one thing, but the intimidation Gwen felt from her in her training outfit was immense. She oozed confidence.
"I am Cordelia Fyodorov. Before we begin, I have several guidelines: I may be royalty, but do not address me as such. Secondly, I expect you to work yourself to your limits while under me. Finally, you need to prove yourself worthy to me. Are we clear?"
Gwen nodded mutely, processing the information Cordelia smirked. "Great. I want you to run three laps across the entirety of the castle. Starting now."
~.~
Gwen's day continued like that. She had begun her lessons with Cordelia at nine in the morning, only to finish at seven in the evening. Gwen missed dinner, leaving her hungry, sweaty, and exhausted.
Gwen slowly but surely made her way to the bathhouses. It definitely had taken a bit of adjusting. There were three of them (women, men, and neutral). They were rather open, one large communal bath, with separate bathroom stalls and a column with sinks surrounding it.
It was empty when Gwen walked in. She undressed and sank down into the hot bath. A sigh of relief left her lips as the warm water soaked into her cramping muscles.
The door creaked open, but Gwen didn't bother to open her eyes. She was so exhausted, she felt as though she was about to pass out right then and there.
"It seems your group missed you this evening," Acacia noted, slipping out of the stall to wash her hands. Gwen cracked open one eye to see her smiling down at her. "Is Cordelia working you that hard?"
"That would be an understatement," Gwen said, making Acacia laugh. The steam in the bathhouse soaked into her pores, relaxing her further.
"Maybe I'll catch up with you before the New World's Ball," Acacia said with a wink, exiting the bathhouse.
Gwen didn't even get a chance to ask her what that was. She didn't have much time to ponder, as They sank into the bath directly next to Gwen.
"All in a day's work, am I right?" They sighed, putting their hands behind their head. Gwen furrowed her eyebrows. "Am I supposed to decide on something?"
"Am I not allowed to check on my little disciple?" The asked, looking fake offended. "How rude!"
"Well, I'm tired. Thank you for wondering," Gwen replied, frowning as the bath began to get cold.
"You're welcome. So, back to the real reason I'm here, I suppose," They said with a dramatic sigh. "The New World's Ball."
Gwendolyn furrowed her eyebrows and glanced at Them. "What even is that?"
"Well, by now you've learned of Occeralia's history and the union of Fire and Ice, it became a holiday in the magical realm!" They gossiped, clapping their hands.
"So, what does this have to do with me exactly?" Gwen asked, dreading the answer. They could clearly see that based off the expression on her face. "Oh, stop it!"
"It won't be that bad! I'm even letting you get to pick from a few different outfits free of charge!" They said, sticking out their tongue. "I came to let you know you need a date."
"What if I don't want a date?" Gwen frowned, cocking her head.
"Then'll I'll pick one for you," They said. The joking tone in their voice disappeared, leaving only complete and utter seriousness.
When silence was left, without a single goodbye, They left, leaving Gwen to her thoughts.
~.~
The following day, a Saturday, Gwen ventured out with her weekly allowance in search of help. Of course, she wasn't quite sure exactly she was looking for, but something told her it would be out there.
She had 14 days to find a date to this ball, and Gwen did not want to find out who her date would be in Their hands.
She walked through the streets, watching her classmates and townsfolk enjoy their weekend. A warm feeling settled on her heart albeit her brain screaming at her.
Gwen was not home. She was not on her university campus, she was not shopping for birthday presents for her younger siblings, and she was not looking for a date on her campus.
It hurt her to think about it, and as much as she wanted to push those thoughts in to the back of her head, she knew it was no use.
She finally arrived at her destination; Elphaba let out a squeal before giving Gwen a bone-crushing hug.
"I've been absolutely so excited to see you, dearie. I wanted to say hi, but you were with a boy, so I decided to not interrupt," she said with a wink, making Gwen blush.
"The Union Ball is coming up soon, and I've been...dared to come with a date," Gwen began, tucking a curl behind her ear. "Do you have anything that could help me with that?"
"Of course! Here," Elphaba said, handing Gwen a golden bracelet with two pink stones in it. She looked at it with a questioning look before looking back at the older woman.
"That would be Rose Quartz. It attracts love energy! You should be able to find a date in no time with that," Elphaba explained.
"Is there anything special I need to do with this?" Gwen asked, clasping the chain on her wrist. It was cold, and made the goosebumps on her arms rise.
"Don't get it wet. It'll do the exact opposite," Elphaba said after a few moments, giving Gwen a small smile. She sent her off, biding her good luck on her journey towards love. Kind of.
~.~ I am mega behind rn and I'm not even that mad. It's almost my birthday though. Maybe I'll be able to pump out a huge chapter tomorrow. ava
