Chapter 1: The Voyage Out
In this chapter, seven years have passed and Elphaba is about to leave the maunts with a woman named Oatsie Manglehand and is taking a boy with her whose name is Liir. They travel in a caravan with a variety of other passengers. Elphaba often stays awake and reflects on her time spent with the maunts. They pass through Kellswater and reach the Great Kells and Liir becomes friends with the cook's dog, Killjoy. Elphaba invites some bees to join them and the group sends out a request for a hired rafiqi to guide them through the Vinkus tribes. The travelers discuss the legend of the Kumbric Witch and the cook says he does not believe in her at all.
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The rafiqi says they may have some trouble from the Yunamata due to some negative activity involving the Emerald City. In the middle of the night the cook disappears and all are concerned except for Elphaba. The Yunamata arrive the next night and surprise the travelers with their hospitality. One of the messengers comes and tells the group that a body has been found covered in welts and they blame Elphaba's bees for killing him.
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The caravan is approaching a new encampment, of Scrow this time. They meet the Princess Nastoya, an Elephant in hiding. She asks each of the travelers what their intentions are and Elphaba says she wants to have Sarima (Fiyero's wife) forgive her for his death. The Elephant speaks to Elphaba privately and tells her why she is in hiding and gives her three crows to be her "familiars". She will now use the disguise of a Witch and be under any protection that the Princess can provide for her. She brings up Elphaba controlling the bees to kill the cook since she says she can hear bees. Elphaba asks to stay with her, but the Princess says she must continue on her journey and that nothing can control your own destiny.
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They leave the encampment and many of the travelers get dropped off at their destinations. They are getting close to Kiamo Ko when they stop to rest near a small body of water with a small bit of land in the middle of it. On this island there is a baby monkey who Killjoy immediately goes after, but Elphaba saves by turning the water to ice and running across to take it from the dog. They reach Kiamo Ko (where Elphaba, Liir, the monkey, Killjoy, and the bees stay) at last and it is revealed that Liir is Fiyero's son.
Chapter 2: The Jasper Gates of Kiamo Ko
In this chapter, Elphaba meets Sarima and her six sisters, who just go by their numbers, as well as the children Irji, Manek, and Nor. Sarima tells the Nor the story of the Witch and the fox babies, where the Witch is going to cook fox babies, but they escape and block the Witch in a cave. It ends with, "And there the wicked Witch stayed, for a good long time." "Did she ever come out?" "Not yet." Elphaba says she wishes to immediately discuss why she came and Sarima says that she remembers Fiyero talking about her and Glinda and Nessarose, as well as the others. Elphaba reveals to her that she believes she was the cause of Fiyero's death but Sarima dismisses the idea and refuses to listen. She says that Elphaba is welcome for as long as she likes and that she will be called "Auntie Guest".
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A week has passed and Sarima asks to see Elphaba in the Solar. She says that Elphaba will have to stay a while longer because of the weather and offers her and Liir the highest room in the castle. Also, the children play on the roof and Manek asks if Auntie is a Witch. Liir says she is magic and so is her broom, and Manek threatens to push Liir off the roof. Eventually the children lose interest and go find something else to do.
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Lurlinemas is approaching and everyone is helping decorate the castle. Chistery (the monkey Elphaba rescued) makes a mess in the kitchen and the sisters yell and throw things at him until Elphaba comes in and scolds them all. She gets upset with Nor because she went into her room and took her paper that had writing on it. On Lurlinemas, all of the children receive presents except for Liir, who was overlooked, and Elphaba stays in her room all day.
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A few weeks later, Elphaba goes to see the sisters and apologizes for what happened with Chistery. She also asks how they found out that Fiyero died and what they think happened. They say Sarima believed that he was having an affair with Glinda and that he husband, Sir Chuffrey, had him killed out of jealousy but they believed he was killed because he was involved in dangerous politics against the Wizard. They refuse to discuss the topic further.
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Sarima and Elphaba go through some old books that were stowed away in the castle. Elphaba finds a Grimmerie, a book of magic that is almost impossible to read. Sarima says an old man who claimed to be from another world left it with them to keep it safe because it was such an important book. She gives Elphaba permission to keep it.
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The children play hide-and-seek and find finally find Manek outside of Auntie Guest's room. The four listen while Elphaba tries to teach Chistery how to talk. A few days later, the family along with Elphaba and Liir go skating at a nearby pond. Sarima tells Elphaba about what they do in the summer and asks about the broom Elphaba always carries with her. She says it was given to her by Mother Yackle and it may be enchanted. Then Nor asks to hear the story about the Witch and the fox babies again, so Sarima tells it to her in front of Elphaba, who comments on the fact that she does not believe in the afterlife, especially for evil. Sarima is upset by this because she plans to see Fiyero in the afterlife.
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The children go into Auntie Witch's (as they now refer to her) room and try to talk to Chistery. Elphaba catches them and explains that he does not understand what he is saying and is only able to mimic what others say. They decide that they are no longer afraid of her.
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The children again play hide-and-seek, but this time Manek convinces Liir to hide in the fishwell in the castle's basement. They forget about Liir and he remains in the fishwell. Meanwhile, Elphaba goes to Sarima and complains that her children are running wild around the house and need to learn manners. Travelers are seen coming from a distance and the sisters and children get excited. One of the sisters comments that she has not seen Liir in a while but no one thinks anything of it.
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The traveling caravan arrives and it turns out to be Nanny, who is now going to stay at the castle to visit with Elphaba. She tells them that the Wizard has named himself Emperor, is giving out honors left and right, and is building an army.
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Nanny tells the sisters Elphaba's name and they discuss the legend of Saint Aelphaba of the Waterfall. The children find Liir and everyone rushes to get him out of the fishwell and bring him upstairs. Elphaba gives him mouth to mouth and he survives and she glares at Manek. Nanny takes care of Liir and scolds Elphaba and the sisters for the treatment Liir receives (he does not even have his own bed). A few days later, Elphaba makes an icicle fall on Manek and he dies.
Chapter 3: Uprisings
In this chapter, Nanny and Elphaba catch up while the sisters pick flowers. Nanny tells her that Nessarose has become the Eminent Thropp and is doing well with the politics. Apparently Glinda magicked Nessa's shoes so that she can now stand by herself. Shell is rumoured to be working as an agitator for Munchkinland's sucession from Oz. Elphaba reflects on the chat from many years ago with Madame Morrible about the three girls being "Adepts" and wonders if this is true. Also, Liir tells them that a fish had talked to him in the fishwell and told him that Fiyero was his father (Madame Morrible used to look much like a fish). Sarima dismisses the idea, even though Elphaba wishes she knew the truth. She reveals to Nanny that she was in a coma when Liir would have been born, so she is not sure that he is even her son. Nanny reveals that the Wizard is recruiting for a youth camp, called the Emperor's Garden, for children. Elphaba tries to find something in the Grimmerie for overthrowing a regime, but is unsuccessful. She does find a picture of "Yakal Snarling", a creature that is part woman that reminds her of Mother Yackle from the mauntery.
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The family is upset about the death of Manek, especially since the sisters were hoping he would be the man Fiyero was not. Nor begins to wander around the mountains and spots a group of soldiers. She leads them to the castle and the sisters welcome them but Elphaba is cautious. The leader of the group, Commander Cherrystone, says he is under orders from the Emperor to find shelter while they are doing their work in the Kells and they stay at Kiamo Ko. Irji avoids the men at all costs, while Liir follows them around, and Elphaba constantly argues with the Commander and tries to find out what their work is. Nanny tells Elphaba more about her mother, Melena. First, that she was only upset Elphaba turned out to be a girl because she did not want any of her children to have to be Eminent Thropp (passed down to the girls) because she herself hated the position so much. She is also mentioned that it is uncertain whether Frex or Turtle Heart is Nessarose's father and that Melena took medicine from a woman named Yackle to prevent another green child.
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Nor becomes a young woman, Liir becomes a waterboy for the soldiers, Irji becomes very religious, and the sisters try to unite Commander Cherrystone and Sarima (with no luck). Nor begins hanging out more in the soldiers' quarters and fantasizes about them. One day while she is cleaning their things, she spots Elphaba's broom (to sweep with) but she ends up finding that it is magic. She flies around the castle a bit until the Witch spots her and tells her to come down. Now that she has seen Nor flying, Elphaba gets curious and tries flying herself. After receiving a letter from Frex telling her about how Nessarose led a revolt so that Munchkinland could become and independent state, Elphaba decides to fly on her broom to Colwen Grounds to visit her father, Nessarose, and Shell.
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Elphaba makes the journey to Colwen Grounds and meets first with her father. She tells him that she is a Witch and they talk briefly about her life before she asks about Nessarose. Frex says he wishes for Elphaba to join Nessarose and help her govern Munchkinland and she refuses because her she does not want to continue to be in her sister's shadow in the eyes of her father (she mentions that she is jealous that he gave Nessarose the shoes). She then goes to see her sister.
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One day an old woman comes to Nessarose to complain that her maid has fallen in love with the woodcutter and she wants Nessa to get rid of him. She offers to give her some of her Animals in exchange, and Elphaba is repulsed at the idea. The woman brings the woodsman's axe and asks Nessarose to enchant it so that it will slip and kill the woodsman, and she does but only so that it will cut off his arm. Elphaba is amazed that her sister is a Witch. Later, Elphaba goes to see the Sheep and Cow that were traded and even though the Sheep no longer talk, the Cow tells her about how the Animals are living now. Elphaba sets them free, but the Cow says they will be captured and brought back and be slaughtered for one of Nessarose's religious sacrificings.
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Elphaba and Frex discuss Nessarose's power and once again Frex tries to convince Elphaba to join her. Frex finally tells her about the love he had for Turtle Heart, and she realizes that he will always love Nessarose more because she is a connection to both of his past lovers. Nessa also asks Elphaba to lead alongside her, but Elphaba dismisses this idea and asks her sister if she remembers the conversation with Madame Morrible and although Nessarose thinks nothing of it, Elphaba wonders if the headmaster was right about the three girls all along. Right before Elphaba leaves to go back to Kiamo Ko (without saying goodbye to her father), Nessarose says she will pray for Elphaba's soul. Elphaba says she will wait for Nessarose's shoes.
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On her way back, Elphaba reflects on who controls her fate (Madame Morrible, Yackle, the Kumbric Witch?). She arrives at Kiamo Ko to find Nanny alone in the castle. The soldiers kidnapped Sarima, her sisters, and the children "for their own protection" and although they had put up a fight, they were taken a while before Elphaba arrived.
My Thoughts/Questions:
-is Liir Elphaba's son?
-Princess Nastoya-illusion and reality
-is Chistery the flying monkey from The Wizard of Oz?
-Elphaba has more power with magic as the story progresses
-importance of Witch story?
-theme: abandoned/neglected child (works for both novels but not very strong topic)
-themes: guilt, betrayal, jealousy
-Yakal is Yackle? why does she keep coming up?!
-Saint Aelphaba of the Waterfall seems important
-more about good vs. evil and the afterlife, fate
-is the Woodsman the Tinman from The Wizard of Oz?
-what happened to the family/will Elphaba save them?
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