How It All Goes Down
- Sarima and the rest of the family have been suffering since Manek's death.
- Part of the problem is that Irji is now next in line to be the Arjiki prince, and he is a bit of a flake.
- Irji likes his religion and seems to be the Nessarose of the family in some ways.
- Nor, meanwhile, is nearing puberty and growing more aware of her body.
- She's started wandering by herself and thinking deep thoughts, a bit like young Elphaba:
How in the world did I come to be here, of all places in Oz, she asked herself, freshly treading upon the terrain of reflection. (4.3.2.6) - Nor spies some soldiers coming up the mountain. They are members of the Gale Force from the Emerald City.
- Nor boldly walks up to them and takes them back to Kiamo Ko.
- The soldiers actually seem pretty polite.
- Commander Cherrystone says his men are just there to conduct a survey.
- The soldiers are quartered at Kiamo Ko.
- Elphaba is the only one who doesn't trust them. The kids, especially Liir, like the soldiers.
- Nanny tells Elphaba to chill out and says she needs to be a bit more like Melena, who knew how to cut loose.
- Elphaba is intrigued and gets Nanny to tell her about her mother.
- She learns that Melena didn't want any of her kids to become Eminent Thropp and that she also took medicine to keep Nessarose from being green. The medicine was sold to Nanny by Yackle.
- Elphaba freaks out at this and starts to worry about Nessarose:
Perhaps Nessie didn't want the position of Eminence, and was just as incarcerated there as her older sister was here. (4.3.2.52)