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Elphaba reached antagonizingly slow for the small stack of cards sitting in front of her.
Where would she be directed to move?
Back? Perhaps closer to the fudgy glob that Galinda insisted (despite the brief flash of disgust that crossed her face) meant well?
Or forward?
Two spaces? One? Or land directly at the entrance of the giant ice cream castle where King Kandy himself was waiting for her with open arms, concluding the game?
Who was to say?
While Elphaba herself wasn’t in any hurry to find out the state of her future on the board, the same could not be said about her opponent.
The blond across from her was failing spectacularly at her attempt to hide how desperate she was to know the outcome.
She had readjusted her blouse, skirt, and hair numerous times within the span of a few minutes. The look on her face flitted back and forth between faint indifference and anticipated eagerness.
Her eyes were currently glued to Elphaba’s reaching hand.
Elphaba smirked and stilled her hand on top of the stack.
She watched as excitement, then confusion flashed across her lover’s face. When Galinda looked up to see her partner’s goading smile, her expression changed to one of annoyance.
She tsked softly, “Elphaba, it is your turn. I do not think I should need to explain how the game works at this stage. Don’t get cocky, you might get a reverse card and have to retreat, weakening your position in this competition.”
The green witch’s smirk deepened and she gave a small shrug of her shoulders.
“No matter. I may lose my advantage, but it would put me in a better position to reattempt at meeting the Queen again.”
Nonchalantly, she gave a short wave of her hand, “What is her name again?”
Galinda looked confused, “Whatever do you mean? You are well within reach of your destination and Queen Frostine’s queendom is far behind you.”
Elphaba explained, “If I draw a reverse I must continue going backwards until another reverse card presents itself.”
Bewildered, her girlfriend responded, “That is not how the game is played.”
With unwavering confidence, Elphaba pressed on, “Of course that is how you play. It is the trickster card of the stack. You must keep retreating until you get the command to turn around. Therefore, I could retreat far enough back to land on the Queen’s character square and gain her favor.”
Galinda was beside herself, “That is absurd Elphaba! No such rule exists!” She could barely get her words out, “I’ve been playing this game since I was in leading strings!”
“So have I. Dulcibear was quite competitive. Nessarose even more so. The game could go on for hours.”
Galinda's composure was in tatters. She pointed an accusatory finger at the green witch, “Elphaba Thropp you are spinning falsehoods! That is not how you play the game! Everyone knows this!”
Elphaba held her head high and spoke in her most pompous tone, “My sweet, you may ask anyone. The rules have been nothing but clear since the beginning. Perhaps the adults you played with told you falsely because they wanted you to win?”
Galinda suddenly looked uncertain.
Elphaba, struggling to contain her laughter, went right for the throat.
“I imagine they even shuffled the cards around when you weren’t looking to assure your victory.”
Elphaba had no doubt this was correct. Dulcibear had done the same to her and Elphaba had done the same to Nessa. Caretakers rearrange cards during games in order to get a more favorable outcome for their beloved charges. It was a universal truth. And she would wager any amount that Ama Clutch had done the same for little Galinda.
The blond looked as if the rug had been pulled from under her. She sat, completely flabbergasted. Her mouth moved as if speaking, but nothing came out.
Elphaba quickly jumped in before she could question further.
“Therefore, if my destination is changed then it is entirely possible that I will land at the entrance to the Queen’s realm.”
That seemed to jolt Galinda out of her stupor, “You will not! I am the one who will land on the crystal wand!”
Elphaba leaned in ominously for dramatic effect, maintaining direct eye contact, “Not if you draw a card that skips you past her square or…” her voice lowered, “If I draw her card myself.”
Galinda looked to be in a state of emotional turmoil and frustration. “You wouldn’t!” she cried.
Elphaba gave her a wicked grin, “Oh I wouldn’t, my sweet?”
Elphaba herself was only five spaces away from finishing the game, but she knew Galinda did not count reaching the Candy Castle as winning; it was landing on Queen Frostine’s character square. To reach the most revered and respected character on the board was to be crowned the true victor.
She knew how important Queen Frostine was to her lover. The character she most looked up to as a child and spent hours impersonating. The one who had ignited her dream to be a sorceress.
When they started the game, Elphaba had teased Galinda that she was more of a Princess Lolly since her sweet must be as sweet as the candy princess.
Galinda rolled her eyes, “Really Elphie.”
Elphaba chuckled, “How most unbecoming of you, my dear.”
Her girlfriend was too easy to rile.
Elphaba enjoyed it immensely.
Faced with the threat of another challenging her rightful place on the crystal wand, Galinda forcibly righted herself.
This was war.
Determination set in; the blond sat up straighter, squared her shoulders, toss-tossed her hair back and clenched her fists. Matching Elphaba’s pretentious tone, Galinda said very cooly, “Very well, Elphie. We shall see who reaches Queen Frostine’s crystal wand first.” She gestured sharply at the stack of cards,“Draw quickly and let us put an end to this foolishness.”
Quite satisfied with herself, Elphaba leaned back, but could not resist nettling her further, “Of course, my love, but I will start playing backwards if I draw a reverse.”
Galinda glared daggers at her from across the board, “That remains to be seen.”
Elphaba did not in fact draw a reverse. She was a touch disappointed. She would have liked to see how far she could push Galinda’s patience.
Before she could even move her gingerbread man two spaces forward, Galinda had quickly snatched up her own card from the top of the deck.
She harrumphed loudly and moved her game piece forward one space. Crossing her arms in dissatisfaction, she stared back at Elphaba who had yet to finish playing her turn.
“Well?” Galinda grumbled.
Elphaba gently set her game piece next to her instead of on the board.
“Well what, my sweet? You played your turn when I had yet to finish playing mine,” She took her glasses off calmly and started polishing them on the hem of her dress, “and you know what that means.”
Once again, Galinda looked utterly baffled, “What?”
“I get to draw twice from the deck.”
Galinda nearly swept the pieces from the board with her excited hand motions, “That is not a rule either!”
Setting her glasses back in place, Elphaba stated softly, “Impatience is not rewarded in this game. If a player can not wait for their opponent to finish playing their turn then they must skip a turn.”
Elphaba was almost certain Galinda was going to flip the game board.
Through gritted teeth, Galinda practically snarled, “Where is the rule book?”
Elphaba shrugged one shoulder, “It is an old game. Someone must have forgotten to replace it. No matter, it is up to us to follow the code of conduct if this is to be a fair game.”
“Nothing about this game has been played fairly! You are making up rules! First, you insisted that it is the player with the closest upcoming birthday who goes first, not the youngest! Then you told me that in order to cross the rainbow bridge I must sing a tune of my opponent's choice! Completely ridiculous! Then you argue that you are to play backwards if you draw a reverse! Now it is skipping a turn if I drew my card too soon! This is completely nonsensical!”
“These are the rules of Candy Land,” Elphaba insisted.
“Complete balderdash, Elphaba Thropp! You are lying through your teeth!”
“Prove me wrong then, my dear.”
“I have no rule book to dispute you!”
“Then we must simply finish playing the game. I’ll even waive the rule of you skipping a turn for impatience.”
Galinda slammed her fist on the ground, “You aren’t waiving anything! It is not a rule!”
“If you wish to reach Queen Frostine’s crystal wand first, I would take my gracious offer and proceed further.”
Elphaba’s green eyes practically shone with mirth. She took in Galinda’s flustered state with relish.
Her face was nearly crimson with indignation as she breathed heavily and her gaze was razor sharp. Momentarily, Elphaba wasn’t sure if Galinda was going to jump across the board to strangle her or kiss her.
She surprised Elphaba by doing neither.
She straightened her already straight posture and reached for a card.
Elphaba visibly winced as Galinda let out a high pitched squeal as she flew to her feet and threw down her card like she had just witnessed the greatest play of a lifetime.
Queen Frostine’s character card.
Galinda cheered, raced to her vanity and crowned herself with a pink tiara.