POV: Asher
It's been three years, and while I was treated like a monster at first, the maids and servants eventually started to warm up to me. My appearance green skin, pointy ears, sharp teeth, and nails was unusual, though not entirely foreign in this world. My sister, Elphaba, shares my green skin and sharp nails, though she files hers down in an attempt to appear "normal."
Today, I'm gazing out at the garden, waiting for the tutor to arrive for another tedious lesson on etiquette.
"Asher, the tutor is here. Come on!" Elphaba said, poking her head through the door.
"I'm coming, Elphaba. Just give me a second," I replied, hopping down from my bed.
She stood there nervously, her recent encounter with the neighborhood kids still fresh in her mind.
"Don't be scared. No one can hurt you while I'm around," I reassured her with a smile as we walked together toward the study room.
When we arrived and opened the door, we were both startled to see a cheetah wearing a scholarly hat sitting there, waiting for us.
"Nice to meet you, young master and mistress. Please have a seat, and we'll get started," the tutor said warmly.
The next hour passed in excruciating boredom. As soon as it ended, I bolted out of the room, muttering, "That sucker is never catching me again!"
Though the foundation of knowledge in this world is similar to Earth's, sitting through the lesson was unbearable. With a college degree already under my belt, it was hard to take these lessons seriously.
Finally, I escaped to my courtyard. The courtyard is my personal space, a cold haven that often snows due to my abilities. My father had moved me here when my mother became pregnant to avoid any mishaps caused by my freezing touch. The courtyard is special there's a pond outside, and I even had servants dig it for me after I used an EMC table to generate gold ore. That gold was the reason my father started treating Elphaba and me better; he realized I could find gold deposits easily.
The maids and servants know Elphaba and I are "special," though our powers differ. Elphaba rarely trains hers, caught up in fantasies about meeting the fool, Oz. Meanwhile, I focus on refining mine, occasionally sneaking her strengthening potions to help her grow stronger.
In my courtyard, Buck, one of my most loyal supporters, was lounging on a chair, sunbathing. Buck is part of the "Three Bears" family who work for me Sam, Lola, and their son, Buck. Lola insisted that Buck remain at the manor to protect Elphaba and me, and he follows my orders unwaveringly.
"You lazy bum, I'm here doing all the hard work," I teased, pointing at Buck. Raising a finger, I shot a cold beam at his shoulder.
"AHHH! Young master, I'm sorry! I won't sleep again!" Buck yelped, scrambling to his feet.
This routine was familiar. I never hit him hard enough to freeze his arm, just enough to wake him up.
"I actually need you to do something important. Check on my mother she's almost due. And give her this apple." I waved my hand, conjuring a golden apple. Buck nodded, taking it carefully.
"Yes, sir!" he said, rushing off.
Once he left, I turned my focus back to the lake. It was time to practice walking on water not by freezing the entire surface, but by freezing only what was beneath my feet as I stepped. After months of practice, I took a step and steadied myself.
"Yay! I finally didn't fa—" SPLASH.
I fell into the lake mid-celebration, quickly swimming back to the edge.
"Thank god nobody saw that," I muttered, only to hear giggling behind me.
Turning, I saw Elphaba laughing uncontrollably.
"Oh, look who came to train," I teased.
She nodded, trying to stifle her laughter, and approached an ice block I had formed.
"You have to focus your emotions," I instructed. "Don't fear your powers. They're a gift, not a curse."
I waved my hand, shaping the remaining ice into a rough sculpture of Elphaba how I imagined she might look when she meets Glinda.
"Don't ever be afraid of what the heavens gifted you. There's no such thing as bad magic only the way it's used determines whether it creates or destroys."
I placed a hand over hers, channeling a small amount of cold magic to guide her. She focused, and the ice block she was trying to move began to float steadily at eye level.
Just as I was about to compliment her, my door burst open.
"Young master! The madam is going into labor!" Buck shouted, panting.
"She wasn't due for another week!" I exclaimed, panic surging through me.
"Take us to her now!" I ordered. When Buck hesitated, I added, "You fool, pick us up and run!"
Without further delay, Buck scooped us both into his arms and ran toward the birthing ward.
When we arrived, I froze, unable to enter the room. The floor beneath my feet turned to ice from my nervousness. I turned to Elphaba.
"Go inside. Check on Mother. Ask the maids how she's doing," I said firmly.
But Elphaba stood frozen, fear in her eyes. Our father was inside, and though he had softened slightly over the years, he never let us forget how our births had "stained" his reputation.
I sighed. "Fine. Let's hope fairy-tale logic works."
Concentrating, I waved my hand to summon a snow figure to deliver the message. But my magic surged uncontrollably, and a cold wind blasted the door open, pushing everyone including me inside.
All eyes turned to me. My father's glare burned with anger.
"Leave at once! We don't need another curse in here!" he barked.
"Please," I said, standing my ground. "I'll stay in the corner and ensure my mother and the baby are safe. Then I'll leave."
His expression softened slightly before turning back to my mother, whose screams filled the room. I stepped into the corner, motioning for Elphaba and Buck to join me.
Minutes felt like hours until we finally heard the baby's cry. Relief washed over me, but gasps from the maids pulled my attention back to my mother she was losing too much blood.
"Buck, now!" I shouted.
Buck rushed forward with the golden apple, but the maids tried to block him.
"She doesn't need that garbage! Get a real doctor!" my father yelled, slapping the apple out of Buck's hand.
Anger boiled inside me, and a gust of icy wind slammed everyone my father included against the walls. Buck retrieved the apple and handed it to my mother, who weakly bit into it. Instantly, her complexion brightened, and her breathing steadied.
Exhausted, I slumped to the floor, my vision blurring.
"Buck… I'm going to faint…" I mumbled before everything went dark.