Kidnapping of Sarima's Family

When Elphaba returned to Kiamo Ko after her journey to Colwen Grounds for Nessarose's memorial service, she found the castle transformed into a ghost of itself. The soldiers who had been stationed at the outpost near Red Windmill had finally acted. Commander Cherrystone and his men appeared at the front door and announced that they needed to escort the entire family—Sarima, her five sisters, and her children Irji and Nor—back to their base camp. They claimed it was for the family's own protection, in case a fighting battalion came through and there might be a bloody incident. Nanny, left behind because she was too old to march down a mountain and no relation besides, reported the events to Elphaba with bitter indignation.

The Family's Resistance and Capture

The sisters did not go quietly. They barricaded the dining room and set fire to the chapel wing, trying to draw attention. Three slammed a sharpening stone on Commander Cherrystone's hand and broke every bone in his wrist. Five and Six rang the bell, but the shepherds were too far away to hear. Two wrote messages and tried to tie them to the feet of Elphaba's crows, but the birds refused to be liberated and kept roosting on the windowsills. Four had a great idea about boiling oil, but they could not get the flame high enough. It was a merry chase for a day or two, but the soldiers won. Men always win, Nanny concluded. Sarima fell in a heap, fainting dead away, while Liir and Nor looked after her. The soldiers scattered the peasants in the village, though there was no killing—it all seemed quite humane, except for the chains.

The Aftermath and Elphaba's Response

Only Nanny was left behind, being too old to march and no relation besides. A few days later, Liir disappeared too, presumably following the soldiers to their camp out of loneliness. When Elphaba returned, Nanny told her that the townspeople believed she could rescue the royal family and had left word for her at the hamlet of Red Windmill. Elphaba, however, was overwhelmed by the scale of the loss. She had come to Kiamo Ko to make her apologies to Sarima, and now she had lost Liir in the bargain. She paced, she sat, she stroked her chin, she kicked Nanny's chamber pot and broke it. She inventoried what she had left: the broom, the bees, the monkey Chistery, the dog Killyjoy, the crows, Nanny, the villagers if they were unharmed, and the questionable Grimmerie. It was not a lot. But she clenched her fists and declared that they could get them back, that they would. The castle was deathly still, except for Nanny's labored breathing as she took a catnap in her rocking chair. The sky was broad and hopeless beyond the windows. Elphaba was tired but could not sleep, imagining she could hear the sound of water lapping against the sides of the fishwell, as if the legendary underground lake were rising to drown them all.