Witches of Oz - FanFic: What If?

If Fiyero had lived... Also known in some circles as Fae and Yero Fluff. Starts off from a page or two before Fiyero's death in the book. The entire book of Wicked : The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West has happened, up until page 219, from the line, “At a clip, he headed back across town.” But from there on out, the story takes a different turn.

This is my version of what would have happened if Fiyero had lived. If he had, the events in The Wizard of Oz would never have taken place, because she wouldn’t have been in the place she was at the time she was. So this contradicts a lot. But, hey, that’s what fan fiction is. Pairing: Fiyeraba. PG-13.

Chapter One: "I told you not to follow me"

He’d lost sight of her; the only way to find her was to wait for her in the only place he knew she’d go, her “home”. Without another thought, he started on his way to the street of abandoned warehouses next to the military district.

There was a reason he’d seen all of that, he knew. She’d backed out; fallen apart and hadn’t done what she’d come there to do. And thinking about it, he finally knew the answer to the question he’d been asking himself for so long: he loved Elphaba. What would he be doing here, risking his life, if he didn’t love her? He loved her; he didn’t love her the way he loved Sarima. The way he loved Sarima was the way one loves family; he loved her because he had to, because, since the age of eight, she’d been part of his family. After all of this, his wildly indulgent affair, he didn’t know what road he’d follow. Eventually he would be faced with the choice: go back home to Sarima and his kids and live the way his life had been planned out, or stay with Elphie for however long either one of them lived.

Suddenly, someone on the side of the road kicked a foot out in front of him and he tripped, falling almost face first into the pavement. He didn’t fall too hard; he gathered up his graceful nature even as he was standing and looking for the person who had tripped him.

“Fiyero, you idiot! I told you not to follow me; I told you to stay in your hotel room. Why don’t you ever listen?”

He turned to face her, looking somewhat like a puppy that knows it’s about to be scolded. She’d tied her cloak around her again; her face was hardly visible. From where he was, he could just barely make out her facial expression – anger. There was more than anger, though; there was fear, there was worry, there was disappointment, there was love. “Hello, Elphaba. I didn’t expect to run into you here.”

“Very funny, Fiyero. A block from where I live? I know exactly where you were headed, dear; don’t even try to tell me otherwise. Go back to your hotel, now.”

“But Elphie, I won’t see you again.”

“Of course you’ll see me again. I’ll find you. If you think I’m not going to give you the what for about this imprudent little stunt you’ve pulled, you’re out of your mind.” She was frustrated, her bony hands twisted around one another anxiously.

“How are you going to find me?”

“Unlike you, Yero, I am no fool. Youdon’t believe me? Fine, then. Tell me your room number.”

“It’s forty-two, but - ”

“No! Go, now. If I catch you following me or anywhere but your hotel room, I will disappear on you, Fiyero, I’m serious.” Elphaba waved him away, watching him as he turned and began his walk towards the opposite side of the city.

He entered his hotel room and flipped the lights. The bed was made, as usual (it wasn’t as if he slept in his hotel room every night, anyway) and a “Do not disturb” sign hung on the inside doorknob. Lazily, he placed it on the outer doorknob, closed the door and flopped himself on the bed, lying on his back, closing his eyes. And he couldn’t help but wonder where Elphie was now.

Hours later, he awoke to a tapping noise from outside his window. Forgetting that Elphaba had said she would find him, he almost thought it was the Gale Force, coming after him because he was associated with Elphie. But when he looked out the window, it wasn’t the Gale Force, it was Elphie. Gratefully, he got up and opened the window, helping her inside. “It’s good to see you. What would you do if I wasn’t on the first story?”

She pulled her cloak off and just looked at him for a moment, shivering. He couldn’t bear seeing her like that, and he put an arm around her, but she wasn’t shivering from the cold. After a minute she said, “I can’t go back. I failed and I’m lucky if they don’t come after me for this. It could’ve ruined the entire…” Trailing off, she shook her head and shrugged his arm off of her. “And you, what did you think you were doing? Had I not caught you, you’d be dead right now! The Gale Force was by my place, Fiyero; they killed the cat and made it a display, a warning. You could have been killed!” At that point, she sounded so afraid; there was so much emotion in her voice that he didn’t recognize.

He had nothing to say to all of this; there was no use in trying to defend himself. “Sit down.” She sat down on the bed and he sat next to her, watching her face.

“I want you to go back to Kiamo Ko.”

“But, Elphie, I - ”

“No! You have to go; I told you before that it wasn’t safe.”

“And where will you go?”

“Away. You don’t need to know anymore. I love you, Fiyero, but this has to end. You’re putting yourself in danger. Go home to Sarima. Pretend we never happened.”

He took her hands. “No, let me come with you.”

“You almost got murdered tonight because of your foolish actions and because of me. I will not be responsible for your life, Fiyero. You can’t come with me.” She stood up, looking as if she was ready to leave.

Desperately, he grabbed her wrist. “If I can’t go with you, I’ll purposely get myself caught.”

“Fiyero!”

“I will. Please, don’t leave me.”But he was smiling inwardly; he’d given her no choice.

“Don’t do this. You have a wife and kids waiting for you in the Vinkus, all I am is a lover. It doesn’t balance out.” She jerked her arm away from him, but he didn’t let go.

“But it does, Fae-Fae. I love you.”

“No, you don’t. You don’t even know it all, Yero. You don’t love me, you love the sex, the feeling of making love to someone other than Sarima, that I don’t refuse you when you wake me up in the middle of the night, that I’m different. But you don’t love me.” Elphaba wouldn’t look at him, then. She stared solemnly out the window, waiting for his response.

“Is that all that this is to you, then?”

“Stop it. Don’t you dare start that with me. But you’re naïve, Yero my hero. We can’t keep this up, it won’t work.”

“It will if you let it, Elphie.” He came up behind her stealthily and pulled the zipper at the back of her dress.

“No, Fiyero.” She looked at him and he knew she was trying to convince herself, as well as him, to stop. Her dress was already loose, though, and he slid his hands inside of it, teasing her breasts. “We can’t,” she told him. Again, she tried to wrench herself away, but the effort was halfhearted and unsuccessful.

Eagerly, he tugged at her dress, kissing the curve of her back. “Come on, please?”

“Damn you, Fiyero. I love you.” She reached and turned down the lights, allowing him to take her standing up. When they did reach the bed sometime later to fall asleep, she murmured, “Oh, Yero, what am I going to do about you?”

He held her tight as she slept, afraid of letting go of her for even a moment, for she might slip out of his grasp.

When morning came, he awoke to the pathetic sight of her trying to wriggle herself out of his arms without rousing him from sleep.

“Elphie.”

She turned her body around to face him, caught in the act. “I can’t be seen here. I have to go.”

“No one is going to see you. You don’t have to go anywhere. Why do you insist on leaving me?”

“I have to, Fiyero. Can’t you understand that and let me go?” Elphaba sighed. “Heart, if it was safe, I’d stay. But it isn’t safe and you’re in danger just as much as I am. Go home to Sarima.”

“I want to stay with you.” He wasn’t going to let her out of the bed so she could run away. His hands gripped her fidgeting, resistant form; she couldn’t go.

“I’m leaving. You have to accept that, dearie. This thing is out of control; I should never have allowed you to get to me in the first place. You are the prince of the Arjikis; you have responsibilities that you can’t just throw away. Listen to me, there are children waiting at home for you, and a wife. Go to them. Fiyero, you marriedSarima, not me. I don’t exist; I have no self, no soul. Sarima is a realer person. Kiamo Ko is where you belong, with the children you had with the woman you married.”

“I didn’t marry her by choice!”

“But it’s your life. It’s been set out like that since the day you were born. I was never supposed to be a part of your life; you were never supposed to give up your castle, your throne, your people. Please, if you ever do anything I tell you, go home.”

“No. Someone else will take over the throne if I don’t return; perhaps someone already has.”

“Not someone with a college education.”

“It’s not a difficult task. Fae-Fae, if I can’t be with you, I’ll turn myself in.”

“No, you won’t, Fiyero. You will do what you were born to do and guide your people for the better part of your life.”

“How are you going to make sure of that?”

“Yero, don’t make this difficult.” After a little more shoving and pushing, she released herself from his hold, grabbing for her dress.

Fiyero moved in front of the door, glad that she’d had to dress, giving him time to block her escape. “Isn’t it difficult saying goodbye to me anyway?”

“Stop it. Move away from the door and let me go. That’s all I’m asking of you.”

“But I’ll do it. I’ll turn myself in; say I know more than I really do. I’ll make something up. You can’t leave.”

She was getting exasperated. “Just do what I told you to do. It’s not complicated.”

“Oh, but it is. I’m not going to be happy without you.”

“And you’ll die if you’re with me, so I’d rather you live.”

There was a loud banging on the door. Fiyero pulled on whatever clothing he could find on the floor and dashed to the door. Elphaba, though out of Fiyero’s grasp, was still on the bed, having not yet gotten fully clothed, and she went almost white with horror. Sliding her dress over her, she got off of the bed and looked for another way out of the room.

Fiyero caught her wrist again. “Don’t even try the window. If you don’t want to be seen here, then hide in the closet.” Trying not to be rough, he pushed her into the closet and shut the door. Before she could say a word or even turn the door handle, Fiyero had opened the door for his mysterious visitor. “Yes?”

A tall, well-muscled man stood in the doorway imposingly, holding some wrinkled paper in his hands. “Fiyero, prince of the Arjikis?”

“That would be me.”

“I’m afraid I am the bearer of somewhat distressing news.”

Bewildered, Fiyero took the paper the bellhop was holding out to him. “What is it?”

“Your people, sir.”

Almost tearing the paper as he unfolded it, he asked, “What’s happened?”

“No one quite knows.”

He finally opened folded paper; it was a newspaper article. “What is this about?”

“Read.”

Early last week, a caravan traveling through the Vinkus came to the land of the Arjikis to find it barren and unoccupied. Investigators havebeen sent to search for anything that might help discover the missing tribe. So far, nothing has been found and no progress has been made. It seems the Arjikis have disappeared.

As Fiyero refolded the paper, clutching it tightly in his fist, the bellhop said, “I’m sorry. Would you like me to arrange a way for you to return?”

“No. I’ll do that later, thank you.” His face blank, he shut the door. He reached to open the closet right as Elphaba stepped out, having heard the other door close. “It looks like you got what you wanted. I have to return to Kiamo Ko.”

“What was that all about?” She studied his face curiously.

“I’m returning to Kiamo Ko, and you’re coming with me.”

“Fiyero, what kind of preposterous idea is that?”

“The tribe is missing.” He handed her the article.

She glanced at it briefly, her black eyes moving over the paper, drinking up and soaking in every word written in ink. “Yes. It’s best you return home.” With an empty, resolved look, she gave the article back to him, sounding apologetic.

He began to pack, throwing things into his bag carelessly. “Come on, then. Let’s go.”

“You go.” She tried to act as if she didn’t care.

“No. If you don’t go, I don’t either.”

“Fiyero, your people – not to mention your wife and children – are missing and you want your lover to come home with you to the last place they were seen? That’s ridiculous.”

“It’s not, though. Sarima isn’t going to find out if she isn’t even there.”

“And when you find them…?”

“I don’t know. But Fae, please. I don’t want to be alone right now.” He was on his knees, pleading with her to keep him company.

“Correction: You don’t want to be without sex right now.”

“It’s not just about that!”

“Fine, then. Name one time – just one – that you’ve come to see me without expecting sex.” She’d put her hands on her hips and turned away from him.

“That isn’t fair, Elphaba. You don’t allow me to see you other than to get in bed.”

“Not every time.”

“Elphie, that was once.”

“Oh, Yero, just go.” She waved him away as if he was nothing.

He was getting desperate. “I told you, I’ll turn myself in.”

Turning back to him, she had a look of horror in her eyes, and said, “No! For all we know, I might be the reason your entire tribe is missing in the first place. They could’ve followed me to you and mistaken you as a coconspirator.” Her eyes widened; he could see the ring of green around her pupils perfectly. “An entire group of people could be dead, for all we know, and it may be my fault.” She looked stricken with guilt, suddenly realizing that there was no other solution.

Fiyero took advantage of this, feeling a little bad for it, but it was the only way. “As much as I doubt that, Fae-Fae, you have a point. If, by some chance, it is because of you, who do you have to make itup to when the rest of the people are missing?”

“I see where this is going. And no.”

“If it is your fault, though, don’t you want to help find them?”

“No. The more associated I am with them, the more likely it is that they’ll be killed. Go home. Please.”

“I’ve said this already: I’m not going if you’re not.”

“Why, Yero? What are you thinking? Do you have any idea how much danger you’re putting your people and yourself in?”

“I don’t care.”

“You care more than you think you do, my love.”

“Love. And yet, you tell me I don’t love you.”

“Fiyero, don’t.”

“Then go with me. Elphie, there’s nothing else to do. I’ll turn myself in. I said I would and I meant it.”

Angrily, she picked up her cloak; he moved to block the window. “Relax, I’m going.” She gave him a look of defeat.

“I love you.”

“Believe what you wish to believe. And I love you. But we have some problems to solve. How am I going to get out of here without being seen?”

He was going to suggest the window, but then he didn’t trust the idea. “Keep your cloak around you tight.”

“That looks suspicious.”

“Do it anyway. It’s not as if I don’t look ridiculous, anyway. Walking with you isn’t going to make me look any more like a common person.”

“Fine. Rain. Tell me how we’re going to solve that problem.”

“I can get us a ride out of here, you won’t have to worry about getting wet on the journey.”

“And the driver isn’t going to be a little confused why I’m coming along?”

“Just trust me.”

“I have nothing but this dress and my cloak. That’s a problem I don’t think you can solve. I will not wear this filthy thing day after day.”

“It won’t take very long to reach Kiamo Ko. Once we’re there, we’ll work something out.”

She was out of excuses to run away, and she was partially glad for it, though she felt selfish for being happy at a time like this. “Fine, then.”

“Come to the front desk with me so I can arrange a ride. I’m not leaving you here alone. And hang on to my hand, it’ll look strange if I keep looking back to make sure you’re still there.” Fiyero grabbed her hand and pulled her out into the hallway.

An hour later they were standing outside, waiting for a carriage. Elphaba was still hidden in her cloak like a turtle in its shell; the only visible part of her body was the hand that clutched Fiyero’s. When the carriage approached, Fiyero paid the driver in advance and then shoved Elphie into the carriage in front of him, not trusting her to get in behind, for she might disappear again.

Once inside the carriage, she would not take off her cloak, or even lower the hood. Though the carriage was dark, it was daylight and rays of sun seeped through the carriage. Fiyero held her hand on his knee, knowing better than to try to talk to her. She was almost completelysilent the whole day. He wanted desperately to talk to her, or to touch her, but the way she was holding herself told him it wasn’t a great idea.

When the night began to fall and the light in the carriage faded, Fiyero pulled off the hood of her cloak, keeping his face close to hers so he could see her in the dark. She bowed her head, not allowing eye contact.

“All righty then, we’re a’ stoppin’ for the night.” The driver turned around, waving a lantern. “I got myself a tent and such ‘cause there ain’t much room up here. I’m ‘fraid you’ll have to manage back there, though. I’m gonna park this thing and tie up the horses. You folks have a nice rest.”

As soon as the driver had stepped out of the carriage and shut the door, Fiyero said, “Talk to me, my darling Fae.”

“What is there to say, Fiyero? We’re only Oz knows where on the way to the Vinkus in this grungy old carriage. All I want is to sleep.” She shifted against the side of the carriage, unable to lean her head on anything.

Squinting his eyes to see her clearly, he reached for her cloak to pull it off completely. The weather out there was warm, unlike in the city.

She swatted him away. “No, Yero.”

“No what?”

“Not tonight.”

“Did I say that’s what I wanted?”

“What did you want, then?”

“To be able to see you a little better. Besides, it’s hot out here.”

Uncomfortably, she pulled off her cloak. “Well, I could use something to rest my head on.”

He slid an arm around her and said, “Use my shoulder. That cloak would make a better blanket than pillow.”

Agitated at her lack of control in the situation, she leaned against him and closed her eyes. “Goodnight, Yero my hero.”

“I love you, Elphie.”

“I love you, too.”

Chapter Two: Moods

As Fiyero had promised, the trip to the Vinkus was short, three days in all. Elphie wouldn’t let him do more than take her hand, and sometimes she’d even balk at that. Fiyero said nothing; he knew he was lucky to even have gotten her to come with him in the first place. Though, at times, he found it difficult not to let his imagination run wild.

When they reached the castle at Kiamo Ko, Fiyero found the castle strangely foreboding. Leading Elphie inside, he realized he barely remembered the layout – he’d been in the Emerald City for months. He brought her upstairs to the guest room (somehow it seemed disrespectful to sleep with her in the bed he’d shared with Sarima, though whether disrespectful to Sarima or Elphie, he wasn’t sure).

“We will be sleeping in here.” He told her as he entered the room. The bed was hardly fit for two, but the bed in the abandoned corn exchange back in the city hadn’t been very big, either.

She sat down on the bed, gazing intently out the window. It had begun to get dark; Fiyero had lighted a candle and placed it onthe nightstand. “I think I’ll go to bed,” she said, simply.

“All right.” He said, not moving from the room.

Suddenly, she seemed very awkward. “Uh, Yero?”

“Yes?”

“Since we left so quickly and I obviously was unable to take anything with me, I need some sort of oil…”

“Will do.” He wandered back down the stairs. But how was he to know what items they had? He hadn’t been in his own home for so long. It took him fifteen minutes to find anything even remotely close to what he knew she used. After another twenty, he climbed the stairs and went into the guest room. “This is the best I could do for now.” He told her, placing two bottles on the table.

She was already beneath the blankets, reading an old book he supposed she’d dug out from somewhere. Its pages were yellowing and the spine had many creases. Looking up at him, she said, “Thank you.”

Fiyero sat on the edge of the bed, removing his shoes. He was waiting for her to tell him off or pull the usual “not tonight” routine, and she hadn’t. “What in Oz are you reading, Fae-Fae?”

She put the book down on the bedside table, dust flying up from the impact. “You amuse me. Did you not know that the closet in this room seems to be a storage area for documents on old Vinkus religion? It’s quite intriguing.”

Shrugging off the rest of his clothes, he blew out the candle and got in bed next to her. “We never had much of a religion.”

“That’s what you think. And, in a way, you’re right. It’s pretty much basic religion, but there are some interesting myths woven in. Myths of magic and scandal.”

“That sounds like appealing reading material.” He commented.

“Believe me, dearie, it is.” She turned and pressed her body to his, finally welcoming him to her again.

Zealously, he responded, entering her smoothly and eagerly, ecstatic to love her again. Together they became entangled around one another, taking a good long time.

In the morning, Elphaba woke up earlier than Fiyero and crawled out of bed, rubbed some oil on her skin and realized she had nothing to wear. So she crawled back into bed, waking Fiyero in the process.

“Good morning, Elphie.” He turned to her, grinning, and began to kiss her. “How are you feeling?”

“Fine. And from what I can feel, you’re feeling fine, too.” She arched her back against him and they sank beneath the blanket. When it was over, Fiyero and Elphaba looked at each other for a moment and something flashed in Elphaba’s eyes.

“Fae…”

“What?”

“Is something wrong?”

“Why in Oz would you think something’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I haven’t seen you enough recently to really guess, anyway.”

“Fiyero, what do you mean?”

He ran his hands across her rib cage and abdomen playfully, noticing how one of her hands always slid to block him should he try to touch her below the waist. “Nothing. Nothing at all.”

She looked at him curiously but he didn’t speak again. “Yero?”

“Mmmm hmm?”

“I have nothing to wear.”

“Oh,right. Um… Sarima’s a little dumpy and you probably wouldn’t fit right in her clothes. Maybe one of her sisters’ clothes.” He got up and motioned for Elphaba to follow.

“No.” She still refused to let him see her. “Please, just, find something – anything.”

He realized that being with her so often would cause difficulty, with her rules and all. “All right. One moment.” Fiyero went into number Three’s room (who was the slenderest) and pulled out normal day clothes. “Here you go, try this.” He handed them to Elphie.

“Leave the room.”

“Fae-Fae…”

“I said leave the room. Please, Fiyero.” All of the sudden she looked greener than usual, and her expression changed from aggravation to pained. “Never mind.” She dashed out of the room, forgetting her self-consciousness for a moment

“Elphie?”

“One minute.”

He had no idea what room she was in – not that she did. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She sounded like she was coughing. “I… think I got some oil in my mouth or something,” she said, shrugging, when she came back into the room, uncomfortably covering herself up with her arms.

Fiyero averted his eyes out of instinct and stared at the ground. She tugged on a dress and stretched out her arms. They stood there in an awkward silence for a moment until Fiyero said, “Breakfast?”

Three weeks later, waking up with a stiff neck due to the fact that the bed was not fit for two, Fiyero woke up next to Elphaba and roused her from sleep. “Elphie?”

She opened her eyes; she was comfortably in his arms, no neck pain for her. “What?”

“Is there anything you’d care to tell me?”

“No…” She looked at him curiously.

“Oh, Fae-Fae, don’t make me bring it up.”

“Fiyero, I have no idea where you’re going with this.” She turned away from him, obviously not completely oblivious to his intentions.

Fiyero made a gesture with his hand. “This is what I’m talking about.”

“I still don’t understand.”

“I’ve seen you enough in the past two months to know you haven’t bled at all. Not since at least two months ago. I had three kids with Sarima. I know how pregnant women act, Fae.”

“You’re wrong. I… I did bleed, it was just a very short spell of time and you didn’t see me during that small period of time.”

Knowing what to say, Fiyero asked, “Is it mine?”

“Fiyero! Of course it’s yours! What sort of…” She trailed off, only then realizing what she had just admitted. Sighing, she said, “I hate it when you trick me like that.”

“I hate it when you don’t tell me that you’re pregnant, so we’re even.” He turned her to face him. “So, my darling Fae, what are we going to do?”

“There’s nothing to do, Yero. If you’re asking about what will happen once you’ve found the tribe and Sarima is back, I’ll go off on my own and take care of the child myself. I understand the situation.”

“No, no. I want to be with you and I want to be a father to that child; I never was muchof a father to Manek, Irji and Nor.”

“And what are you going to do about your real family, Fiyero?”

He saw in her face that she wanted to be with him just as much as he wanted it. Though she told him to leave her, to walk away, her eyes were begging him to find a solution in which neither one of them would have to go. But she didn’t want to cause trouble or to be a burden. Tenderly, he caressed her cheek with his thumb, smiling at her reassuringly, though he didn’t know what to say. “Well, if… if we do find the tribe, then we’ll find my family, and I don’t just mean Sarima and the children. I had three younger brothers. One of them can have the throne.”

“But you are married to Sarima.”

“Do you remember me telling you how the taboo against things like this disappears once you enter the Vinkus? She can just marry one of them. There isn’t even something to unmarry her and I, she could just remarry if she so desired.”

“What if she doesn’t want to?”

“It’s not as if she loves me. I don’t think she’ll object. I’ll just have to neglect to mention why I’m giving up the throne and leaving the Vinkus.”

“Wait, no. Where would you… we… go?”

“Somewhere, anywhere.”

“Right.” Elphaba was disbelieving. She shook her head and pushed his hands away when he tried to touch her. After a pause she said, “And, if there is nothing wrong to you about committing adultery with me and being unfaithful to Sarima, tell me how I’m supposed to believe you’re not just going to do the same sort of thing to me?”

“Fae-Fae, you know me better than that!”

“No, I don’t. We’ve been together, what, three months? How do I know you don’t just fall in and out of infatuation easily and that I’m not just a phase?”

“Elphie, look at me.”

She didn’t move.

“Elphie!”

When she didn’t turn back to him again, he tried to turn her head towards his but she kicked him, almost grazing the groin.

Fiyero took a deep breath. “I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that was the hormones because of the baby.”

“Sorry.” She muttered over her shoulder, the closest she would come to an apology.

“If you won’t look at me, at least listen. Elphaba, don’t you remember Shiz? Don’t you realize, Elphie, that I loved you even then?” Not only did she not move, but also she froze, caught her breath. “Remember the last night all of us were together? And Avaric got that idea to go to the Philosophy Club and you refused to go or let Nessa and Glinda go. I had no idea what the Philosophy Club was, so, I, ignorant as I am at times, begged you to come with us. I didn’t want you to go to the Emerald City. I wanted you with us. I know you remember that, Elphaba.”

Finally, she moved a little, though she still refused to lookat him. She stared at the ceiling pensively for some time. After what seemed to Fiyero to have been an hour, she spoke. “When you caught me in the Emerald City, one of the first things we talked about was that day in life sciences with the antlers. And I said something about how intrigued I had been by ‘those beautiful markings on your face’. The next time I saw you, you…”

“Purposely wore something open at the neck to seduce you, provoke you?” Fiyero laughed. “Yes, I did.”

At last she let her gaze rest on him, her eyes amused. Playfully, she hit him. “You little…”

“What? I only did it because I loved you.”

“Ugh! You could’ve just made a move first.”

“I’m not an idiot, love. When it comes to that sort of thing with you, you have to make the first move. I just hurried it along a little.”

She stretched out in the bed, smiling. “I can’t believe you…”

“Oh, you can believe it. You wouldn’t have done anything had you thought I wasn’t asking for it.”

Elphaba shook her head and laughed. “Yero my hero, I love you.” She reached for him and kissed him sensuously.

“And I love you.” He told her, looking at her eyes. “And I mean it.”

Elphaba tousled his hair and put a hand behind his neck so that they were nose-to-nose. “Prove it.”

The next week, Fiyero began the search for clues on what had happened to his tribe. He explored abandoned huts, hunted for trails and still couldn’t find anything. There had been no struggle, or at least a very, very small struggle. If it had been the Gale Force, they would’ve left something, a sign. They would’ve left a ransom note: Give us Elphaba and you can have your tribe back. He shuddered at the thought of losing Elphie and shook his head, almost glad that there was no sign.

During the days, Elphaba rummaged around the castle for books, read them and then repeated the process of searching for them. Occasionally, she would wander the rooms and discover the personality of Fiyero’s family.

The five sisters seemed virginal, just from the clothing they wore and the fact that they were living with their sister. It looked as if they’d become old maids, at this point, especially if they were trapped somewhere.

Sarima had been a little pudgy, Elphaba found, looking at her dresses. The bedroom Sarima and Fiyero had shared ignited no jealousy in Elphaba, just curiosity. She wondered if Fiyero was the same with Sarima as he was with her. She wondered if he spoke to her differently. She wondered if he touched her differently. She wondered if he loved her differently. She wondered if she’d ever ask.

Something tugged at her heart when she glanced around the children’s rooms. One of the boys, the elder, she supposed, was into masculinity and proving himself. The younger boy left no interesting evidence of his personality. She imagined that he had been quiet. And then the girl, she had dolls, wornand used. She liked to draw. She had a drawing on her desk labeled: Nor by Fiyero.

Feeling guilty, she eventually stopped wandering the bedrooms and explored the other rooms in the castle. There was almost a library of books in one of the towers, entirely covered with dust. She realized that the Arjiki tribe was what some people would consider less civilized. But she didn’t approve of civilization, so perhaps they were better off uncivilized.

She saw that, as detached as he was of his own, Fiyero loved the concept of family. He must be so distant from his because he’d wanted a family that he loved, and Sarima had been the first member of his ‘adult’ family, and he didn’t love her in the way he wanted to. She saw this and she wondered if he loved her the way he wanted to, and if he would love their child, which she hadn’t wanted. She had only begun to want the child when she realized how much Fiyero craved a family he could love.

When they were alone together doing something aside from making love, Fiyero and Elphaba acted very much like a constantly quarrelling elderly married couple, especially when Elphaba’s moods began to change.

She was very emotional. Little things would upset her and bother her like big things wouldn’t. And she was less angry. The downside to that was that she was more sensitive, more likely to break down into tears. He got in the habit of carrying a handkerchief in his pocket at all times in case he should say something that made her cry.

Other times she was giddy and excitable. He suspected that these emotions existed normally in her, but she refused to let them show. He loved when she was giddy; he loved her smile and her laughter. She was glad about the baby, much of the time, and he was happy for that, too.

She could be shy and quiet. A lot of her time was spent curled in a corner with a book, but not reading. He suspected, seeing her hand on her stomach, that she was hoping to feel the baby move. Of course, he never accused her of such a thing. She’d be horrified if he accused her in the wrong mood.

He tried not to laugh at her womanly concerns. At moments, she would muse over whether she would become plump like Sarima after having the child. Fiyero doubted it. Sarima had a figure that was waiting to become chubby, Elphie didn’t. Hormones were interesting things, he had to admit.

They did get into many fights, of course.

“Elphie…”

“I said ‘not tonight’.”

“That’s not the problem.”

“Then what is?”

“I can’t touch you at all.”

“Gee, Fiyero, I’m glad you’re trying to understand that I’m pregnant right now and maybe I don’t want to be touched.”

“No, I do understand. I know you don’t want to make love, I accept that. I understand that. That’s not the problem. You won’t even let me hold your hand, Fae-Fae.”

“Yero, everything we do leadsto sex.”

He looked at her, lying on her side and huddling as close to the edge of the bed as possible, to keep away from him. This was difficult, of course, since the bed was meant for one. “It does not.”

“But it could, and I really don’t feel like it right now.”

“How far along are you now?”

“Somewhere between two and three months.”

“This is going to be a long next six or seven months.”

“Why, no sex? Or the anticipation? Or…?”

“The anticipation and so much more. Your moods are amusing, though.”

“I’m glad you think so.” She snapped, huffy.

“Speaking of moods…” He mumbled, loving the way he could get a reaction to rise in her.

“I’m not that bad!” She protested, offended. “Am I?”

“You’re awful.”

He was being sarcastic, but she was in her sensitive mood suddenly. “Well, I’m sorry, I can’t help it. I’m trying. I don’t want to be so terrible.”

As he thought he saw tears well in her eyes, he hurriedly took back his words, reaching for a handkerchief (he always kept one on the bedside table, too). “I was kidding, Elphaba.”

“Don’t kid like that, it hurts.”

“I didn’t know you could hurt.” That had just slipped. “I mean, that joking was hurtful. I’m sorry, my darling Fae.”

“Humph!” She turned away.

He tried not to laugh at her dramatic attitude. “I said I was sorry.” Desperately, he went for the over used soften-up trick, “I love you.”

She caught his eye, smiling softly. “I love you, too.”

“Good.”

As he reached for her, she glared at him and snapped, “But that doesn’t mean you can touch me!”

“That doesn’t matter. I still love you.” He was having way too much fun with her emotions.

“Really?”

Almost snorting, he said, “Yes.” He meant it, but her reactions were so out of character.

“That makes me feel a little better. Thank you.”

He wanted to bring up the issue of her thinking he only wanted her for sex, but he thought he’d wait a little while…

As in, seven months.

Chapter Three: Nanny

As Elphaba’s pregnancy progressed, Fiyero’s luck in the search for his tribe did not. Elphaba was in her second trimester; her mood swings and morning sickness were gone (as was her unwillingness to make love) and she was starting to show. Though her mood swings were gone, she was in a different mood than usual. She was giggly and bubbly and happy. Fiyero enjoyed spending time with her and hoped that her happiness would continue even after she’d given birth.

Of course, her pregnancy did present a problem. Fiyero didn’t want her going through the birth on her own without some kind of midwife or doctor around. However, there was no one around, so that wasn’t going to be the easiest problem to fix. And they couldn’t just go anywhere; Elphaba was still in hiding and, it seemed, always would be. When Fiyero brought that up to Elphaba, she ignored it and waved him away. She was too happy and excited to worry.

“Fae-Fae, I’m a bit concerned about you giving birth without some sort ofassistance from someone who knows what they’re doing.”

“I’ll be fine, Yero.” She said carelessly.

He turned to her and realized that even beneath the blanket, he could still tell she was showing. Her cheeks were redder than usual. “You’re beautiful when you’re pregnant, you know that?”

She laughed lightheartedly. “No, I had absolutely no idea. It’s just…”

“What? Fae, are you all right?”

“Fine. But, Yero my hero, when you do find Sarima and the rest of the tribe, you’re going to realize that your place is with them and not with me. Then I’ll leave. I will have to. I just, for some reason, don’t like the idea of leaving.”

“I don’t like that idea either. Perhaps it’s because I love you. You’re not going to leave. I won’t let you, so don’t even think about it.”

“But it would be best for you if I did. If they think I’m with you, they’ll come looking for me and you could get hurt.”

“How many times do we have to have this conversation? I don’t want to live a life without you, Elphie.”

“Even if you knew yourself well enough to mean that, Fiyero, do you want to live a life with pain?”

“Pain to me is life without you.” He told her, pulling her into his arms.

She didn’t resist; she was too tired. “You’ll see differently eventually.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Oh, Yero, I love you.” She smiled, her eyes bright and shining when she looked into his.

“And I love you, too. So stop trying to convince me otherwise. I don’t want you to leave me, Fae. I want you right here, with me…”

“Right here as in, in your bed?” She laughed.

“Right here as in not far from me. But Fae, as I was saying before, it’s not safe for you to have the baby on your own.”

She sighed. “And what is there to do about it?” He didn’t answer. “Exactly. There is no solution for that problem. We’ll just have to see how it goes.” She nuzzled her head against his chest. “Don’t dwell on it, love. What happens will happen.”

He gave up his protesting. “Whatever you say.”

“I like that attitude. Keep it that way.” She kissed him.

“As you wish.”

But as it got closer to the time she was due, it became much more difficult not to worry. She didn’t feel like getting up. Her back always ached. He did what he could, spending most of his day next to her.

She was giggling uncontrollably. “Yero,” she said, hand on her stomach, “there’s definitely something moving in there.”

He touched her stomach and smiled at her. “That’s a good sign. Everything so far is going fine.”

“Of course it is.”

“Maybe the birth will be easy…”

“Oh, here you go again, my Yero, with your worrying. If it’ll make you feel better, I can try and contact someone to come out here.”

“It’ll make me feel tons better, Fae-Fae. But who?”

“Nanny. Well, she was Nanny to my mother, so, I guess she’s Great Nanny to me, but I’ve always just called her Nanny. Shewas there when my sister and brother were born. I could write her and see if she can find a way out here.”

“We can’t send it from here. They’ll know we’re here if we do that. The closest place to send it from would belong to one of the other tribes.”

“Is that a problem?”

“No. We’re friendly with one of the tribes and not hostile with the other, just not… friendly.”

“What if they’re watching my family’s mail?”

“I doubt that.”

“All right, then.”

“Write your letter now, so she can get here before you’re due. I’ll take it over to… oh, damn.”

“What?”

“I’ll be gone overnight.”

“So?”

“I don’t want you to be alone that long.”

“Sweet Oz, Fiyero, I can take care of myself if I have to. I won’t like it, but I’ll do it. I can get up and walk around. It’s just uncomfortable, that’s all. I don’t need you to survive – though I wouldn’t like surviving without you, of course – so stop worrying. Bring me a hard, flat surface to write on, some paper and a pen, please?”

“No problem.” He handed her a pencil and paper and she strained to write the letter. When she was done, she handed it to him and groaned, laying back down, her eyes closed. She had lines across her face now. This must really have been taking a toll on her. He held her somewhat sweaty hand. Even writing the letter had been difficult for her.

“Go.” She murmured, laying on her side and looking at him with tired, weary eyes. “Go now so you can be back quickly.”

“I love you, Fae. Please, if something should happen, take care of yourself.”

“I lived on my own in the city for five years before you found me, Yero, I can take care of myself.”

“But you weren’t pregnant when you lived on your own in the city, Fae.”

“Just go. The sooner you leave, the sooner you’ll be back, Yero my hero.”

And so he left. It was dark by the time he reached the castle of another tribe and it was almost pitch black by the time he’d explained why he was there and what he needed. They offered him somewhere to stay the night, but he was anxious about Elphie and so he trudged on.

The Vinkus was eerily quiet at night, but he was used to that. However, when a great growl escorted a lion into his path, he hadn’t expected it in the least. Circling each other, he faced the lion and thought, What should happen to Elphie if I don’t get back to her?

Elphaba woke up in the middle of the night, shivering. When she remembered Fiyero wasn’t next to her, she groaned. She wondered how long he’d be and, naturally, she worried. He’d never know how close he’d come to being killed. The thought of losing him tore at her insides. Before, it had simply been worry, but now that she’d almost lost him, she couldn’t think about it without getting nervous.

She hated love. Hated it. Wouldshe have failed to assassinate Morrible had Fiyero not gotten to her conscience? Would she be lying here, in an empty castle, pregnant with his child, if not for him?

But would she be happy without him?

She was reluctant, at first, about showing him that he was anything other than a lover with whom she had sex. But she did love him, and she still didn’t show it enough. Resolutely, she decided that, once he got back, and even after the baby was born, she would be more affectionate.

He was bleeding, though not severely. Still, his arm ached and he moved on through the night, needing to get home, to clean the wound, to be with Elphie. The sun was almost rising and he glanced around, wondering how much longer. It was then that he saw the castle in the distance. Thank Oz.

She heard him come in then heard water running downstairs. Pots and pans clanged together as he, she assumed, put together something to eat. The stairs echoed and, finally, he was at her side. “Oh, Yero, you’re hurt! What happened?”

“Nothing, nothing.” He moved the bedside table so she could reach it and placed a tray on it. “Just a little disagreement with one of the many wonders of the wilderness.”

She smiled. “I’m glad you’re back and safe. I love you.”

“I love you, too. Now eat something.”

Nanny didn’t write a return letter. Weeks and weeks went by and still there was no letter. Elphaba became anxious and Fiyero would not leave her side.

“Fiyero, someone’s outside.”

“Elphie, I know you’re just trying to get me to walk away from you for one moment. Nice try.”

“No, really, Yero.”

Quickly glancing out the window, he saw she was right and jogged down the stairs, alarmed. Opening the door, panting still, he said, “Hello?”

An old, gray-haired but strong-looking woman was standing at the door holding a suitcase. “I’d assume you’re the father of my Elphaba’s unborn – or at least I’d hope she hasn’t given birth yet – child?”

He had no idea what Elphaba had told Nanny regarding the situation or his marital status. “Yes,” he replied and took the old woman’s bags, leading her upstairs. “Elphaba’s in the room across the hall,” he told her as he placed her bags in an empty room (there were a lot of empty rooms in the castle, with or without his family).

“Nanny?” Elphaba looked up from the bed. “Thank Oz you’re here.”

“Tell me, my dear, exactly what is going on.”

“Nanny, remember Fiyero from Shiz?” She gestured to Fiyero, who was standing hesitantly in the doorway, to come in. “I ran into him in the Emerald City and now I’m pregnant. I think that’s all the information that’s required.”

“Tell me why you are here in this abandoned hell hole.”

“Because his tribe disappeared and he’s trying to find out what happened to his family.”

“Family?”

“He’s kind of… married. Remember? Since he was eight he’s been in an arranged marriage.”

“So you’re having an affair?” Nanny looked at Fiyero.

“Well, you could call itthat.” Elphaba said.

“And now you’re pregnant.”

Elphaba nodded.

“How far along?”

“Eight and a half months… at the least.”

“So you’re due any day now, is that what you’re telling me?”

“I should’ve written earlier.”

“You’re right about that.”

Fiyero interrupted, “You’ve been traveling for some time, would you like something to eat or drink?”

To Elphaba, Nanny said, “Well, he’s married, but at least he’s a gentleman.” She turned to Fiyero. “Some tea would be nice. Thank you.”

Fiyero left the room and headed down the stairs, feeling awkward. When he came back upstairs, Nanny and Elphaba were discussing the child’s future.

“So the child is just going to live here with you in an abandoned castle for its entire life?”

“No, but… Nanny, what else is there for me to do?”

“Send it to school.”

“Nanny, if anyone were to find out who the child’s mother is that would be bad. I’m in hiding, remember.”

“And what will you do if your adulterous lover here finds his family?”

“I don’t know. We’ve discussed that. We’re not quite sure.”

Fiyero stepped into the room and that point and said, “We’d run away somewhere. I’m staying with her.”

“Loyal, I see.” Said Nanny. “Or possibly. Though he is cheating on his true wife.”

“She is certainly not my true wife. Neither one of us was true, apparently.”

“Fiyero, what in Oz…?” Elphaba was confused.

‘I wasn’t sure how I was going to tell you about this, Fae-Fae, but the other day I was wandering the castle and I found in my bedroom several sex toys and birth control methods. And sure enough, some things that had already been used in the garbage can.”

“Sarima was cheating on you?”

“It would seem so.”

“So neither one of you were happy.”

“I guess not. Well, we can always look at it as a good thing. I told you Sarima probably won’t have a problem marrying someone else as long as I consent.” Fiyero shrugged.

Elphaba’s eyes brightened a little and she smiled. “Well, that makes the chances of us being together a little better.”

Fiyero leaned over the bed and kissed Elphaba. He put his hand on her stomach, as he had several times in the past months, to feel the baby move. “I love you, Fae.”

“I love you, too.”

“How cute. Now, we need to get a room ready for her to give birth in. I’m assuming you don’t want her to give birth in the bed you share. That would pretty much ruin it.” Nanny said.

“Well, yeah.”

“The nearest guest room should do, then. And we’ll need a lot of towels. She’ll need her oils. I’ll need clean knives and any sort of medical tools you may possibly have in this place. I’ll need… Elphaba what is it?”

Her face had changed. “Um, Nanny, I think my water just broke.”

“What?” Nanny didn’t want this to be happening at that moment.

“I think I’m going into… labor.”

Chapter Four: Liir

Of course the first thing she’d done was kick him out of the room. What else would she have done? Still, he thought, it wasn’t fair. Nanny had told him to “go boilsome water”, which really meant just to get himself out of the way. He’d been through this three times; he wasn’t exactly stupid. So, he found an empty guest room far away from the room Nanny and Elphaba were in and sat back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

Hours went by as he waited for Nanny to come barging into the room to tell him something. It seemed like he couldn’t wait any longer when the old woman finally did come looking for him. He bombarded her with questions immediately. “Is she all right? Is the child all right? Is it a boy or a girl?”

“Sit back down and calm down. I will not let you rush me. Now, she is fine and so is the child. He is just beautiful.”

Fiyero smiled. “Can I see them? Elphaba and the child, I mean.”

“She’s nursing. I’ll see if she wants me to let you in.”

“Why would she care?”

Nanny shrugged and left the room as Fiyero stared at the ceiling.

“A boy…” He mumbled.

“She says you may see her now.”

Fiyero jumped up and pretty much jogged to the room where she was. “Fae?”

She was sitting up, half naked, in the bed, looking worn and tired with bags beneath her eyes. In her arms was a small, blanket-wrapped bundle, no more than two thirds of a foot long. Though she’d probably just gone through some sort of unimaginable hell, she smiled when she saw him and held the bundle out to him. “Meet your son.”

Fiyero sat down beside her on the edge of the bed and took the baby from her. He was asleep. Quietly, Fiyero whispered, “He’s amazing. So tiny.”

“He better be tiny, considering where he had to come out of.” Elphaba laughed lightly.

“Was it bad?”

“I don’t know. I can’t exactly compare it to all of the other births I’ve experienced, seeing as there are none.”

“What do you think we should name him?”

“Something that insinuates strength and doesn’t imply anything even remotely shameful. My child will not be an embarrassment to himself the way I always was.”

“He doesn’t really look like either one of us.” Fiyero studied the child closely.

“Well, he’s yours, believe me.”

“I believe that. He doesn’t look like you at all, either.”

“Maybe that’s because he’s not green.”

True, the child’s skin was fairer than either of theirs, as fair as Glinda’s skin had been at Shiz so long ago. His features were not pointed, like Elphaba’s, nor square and husky, like Fiyero’s. They’d have to wait and see if he’d have a build like either of them, or if perhaps he’d develop pointier or squarer features later in life. Fiyero said, “Not just that.”

After a moment, she said, “Fiyero, you’re forgetting about what you were saying – naming the child, I mean.”

“What do you think?”

“I’m open to suggestions.”

He was struck with a thought then: what if he never saw his children again? What if no one ever heard from his children or wife? Would it even be remembered that those children hadexisted? He had the impulse to name the child after one of his boys, but he tossed the idea away. This child was his and Elphaba’s. This child would be different.

“Yero?”

He’d spaced out for a moment. Shaking himself back into the here and now, he smiled at his lover and his newborn son. “I don’t know.”

“Neither do I. But we have to decide on something, silly.”

He noted her attitude was still positive, something he was glad hadn’t disappeared after the birth. She had changed a lot, he realized. Her stomach was still bloated, though already beginning to return to its normal size. It was strange to see her in that moment, so cheerful, so not cynical, so beautiful. Before he spaced out on her again, he put his hand over hers and said, “You’re still beautiful, Fae-Fae.”

She smiled, somewhat wistfully, and said, “Stop changing the subject, my hero.”

He leaned over the bed and kissed her. “Sorry. Now, a name… hmmm.” Standing up, he paced the room for a moment, as if he were still a nervous father-to-be, waiting for news. This caused Elphaba to giggle helplessly, bringing him back to himself. At once, he sat back down. “I know, how about Adarac?”

“Sounds too much like Avaric.” Elphaba made a face.

“You’re probably right. How about Liirio?”

“How about just Liir?”

“I like that.”

“Me, too.”

“Then it’s settled.”

She nodded and Fiyero handed her the baby. Rocking him in her arms, she said, “Welcome to the world, baby Liir. Say hi to your father.” Elphaba handed the baby back Fiyero.

Fiyero lifted the child up in his arms, stood and spun it around. Promptly, Liir spat up all over Fiyero. “Shit!”

“Fiyero! Don’t use words like that in front of the baby!”

“Sorry.” He handed the baby to Elphaba again. “Here, spit up on your mother instead, why don’t you?” Then, he went to the counter and grabbed a towel, wiping the spit-up from his shirt and arms. “That was pleasant.”

“There’ll be more of that to come.” She warned.

“And I’m going to love every damned – sorry, darned – minute of it.” Fiyero laughed.

“You’re going to hate it at times.”

“Probably. But I will always love you. And I will always love him.” Fiyero moved to kiss Elphaba and little Liir began crying. “Except when it does that.”

Elphaba smiled gently down at the baby. “Hungry, are you?” She offered him her breast, which the baby took to greedily. “Well, aren’t we thirsty?”

Fiyero rolled his eyes. “Women.”

Still holding the baby in one arm, she reached the other and smacked Fiyero playfully. “Hey! Don’t make fun of me! What’s so funny, anyway?”

“Nothing.”

She glared at him, but got no response, so she went back to cooing at the baby. “You’re a beautiful baby, you know that?”

“Elphaba, it can’t understand a word you’re saying.”

“Shut up.”

Nanny decided to stay with them for the first few months of the new baby’s life. She took care of it when Elphaba was too tired to do so, and she’d talk to it often times late at night, horrifyingElphaba when she overheard it.

“Now, you’re a good little boy. You won’t turn out to be a cheating little slut like your grandmother, or take any sort of participation in adultery the way your mother behaves.”

“Nanny!” Elphaba stood in the doorway of the nursery, frowning.

“Well, it’s true! You act like there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the fact that your lover is married.”

“He didn’t want to marry her, Nanny.”

“He wasted no time having children with her.”

“He had to! He needs an heir to the throne.”

“Did he have to keep having kids when his first was a boy? I don’t think so.”

“Nanny…” Elphaba sighed. She had no defense for that.

“Exactly my point.”

“But I…”

“No ‘but’s.”

“Nanny, he loves me.”

“Does he?”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I’m saying that perhaps he’s only in love with you when his wife is not around. When she’s back, will he still love you so much?”

Elphaba faltered. “I don’t know.”

“You see? This is what I’m talking about. I want this child to have a real love. Someone who loves him and only him.”

Elphaba hung her head. “I’m not such a terrible person for falling in love with him, am I, Nanny?”

“No, not terrible. Only foolish.”

“He loves me!”

“Keep telling yourself that, child. Just keep telling yourself that.”

“What makes you think he doesn’t?”

“Why would he be so desperate to find his tribe if that would lead to finding his wife? I thought he wanted to be with you, not her.”

“I…”

“And he seemed to almost be hurt when he gave you the news about his wife being unfaithful. Would that hurt him if he didn’t care?”

“Maybe. I mean, to think he trusted her…”

“I doubt it, Elphaba. And why does he miss the children he had with her so much?”

“He’s allowed to miss his children!”

“If he really loved you, he’d want to start a new life with you. And bringing children from his prior life into that would make many complications. Wait until his wife returns, dearie, and tell me what you think then.”

“I will not have you speaking this way around my son!”

“Fine. I’ll stop. But if I were you, I’d be watching out for myself better.”

Elphaba shook her head wearily and left Nanny to care for Liir. It was late and she was in no mood to deal with Nanny’s doubts and ill reasoning. She trudged back to the bedroom she shared with Fiyero and buried herself in the bedclothes, trying to forget the comments Nanny had made.

Fiyero wandered in several moments later and saw the way she was positioned under the blanket. “Elphie?”

She flipped over in the bed and looked at him sadly. “What?”

“You don’t seem happy right now.”

“Why are you bugging me?”

“For reasons like that. You never act as if I’m bugging you.”

“Things are different now that we have a child.”

“You’ve been saying that for three months now.”

“Well, it’s true.”

“In the past three months, you haven’t acted as if I’ve been ‘bugging’ you and now you are, so what is wrong?”

She smiled weakly. “Nothing. Come to bed and everything willbe fine.”

“Sex doesn’t fix everything.” He told her, getting undressed.

“No, sometimes it only makes things worse. That’s true. But right now I need you to love me.”

“But do you need me to love you in that way, or do you need me to really love you?”

She shuddered. “I don’t know.”

“What is it, Fae-Fae?”

“It’s nothing, Yero.”

“It’s certainly not nothing.”

She sat up and looked at him solemnly. “You don’t love me.”

“What in Oz are you saying? Of course I love you!”

“I’m not the only one you love.”

“Of course not. I love our son. I love my other children. I love my family. Is there anything wrong with that?”

“You love Sarima,” she accused in a whisper.

“In a way.”

“You can’t love two women, Fiyero. It’s one or the other.”

“I don’t love her the way I love you. I love her as a sister, perhaps. Because I have no choice but to love her. I had to love her.”

“If you loved her as a sister, you wouldn’t have been in such a huge hurry to have three children with her.”

“I needed an heir…”

“I considered that already. You needed one heir, not three.”

“Wouldn’t it seem wrong if I didn’t make love to my wife every once in a while? I didn’t know you still existed, then, Fae.”

“You didn’t have to.”

“What is going on with this? I don’t understand where this is coming from.”

“You can forget I existed now, then. Go back to her.”

“What? Elphaba, no.”

“You said you loved me before you ran into me. If you had, would you have loved your wife so much?”

“I didn’t even know if you thought of me at all!”

“Look, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking.”

“I’m not liking the way this is going.”

“And I’ve decided that tomorrow, I’m going to begin a journey to the city.”

“What? Why? I’m coming with.”

“Fine. I’m going to turn myself in and get you your family back.”

“No you are not!”

“You can’t tell me what to do, Fiyero!”

“I love you, Elphaba. Don’t do this.”

“You love me. You love her. What difference does it make which one you’re left with?”

“Because I love you. I don’t love her that way.”

“I’ll leave Liir with you. Sarima is probably a very good mother. After all, she raised three kids, why not one more? She may not like that he’s your lovechild, but, as you said, there’s not that huge of a taboo against these things.” Elphaba said simply.

“My God, what is wrong with you?” He sat down at the edge of the bed, naked, in the dark. “You are kidding me. I love you. I love you a million times more than I love her.”

“No you don’t.”

“Prove it.”

“Prove that you love me more! You can’t, and I’m not going to wait around until god only knows when for you to find your family and make your choice.”

“I made my choice already, Elphaba. I made it back in the city. I chose you.”

“How was that your choice?”

“I should’ve returned home long before I did, Elphie. I didn’t for a reason. Iabandoned my family for you.”

“Were you really not planning on going back?”

“Well, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do…”

“That’s not enough.”

“But I knew I loved you and that was enough for me.”

She wrapped the blankets around her tighter and struggled against him when he tried to tear them away. “Fiyero, I love you too much to be here when you leave me for her.”

“I’m not going to leave you for her! I plan on leaving her for you. I’ve told you that.”

“Only because she was unfaithful.”

“No. Because I don’t love her! For the millionth time, Elphaba, Fabala, Fae, Elphie, whatever the hell you want me to call you, I love you!”

Only in the proper moonlight did he see that she was crying. “Go.”

“I will not leave you alone. I will not leave you ever. Not ever.”

“Why can’t you just make it easy on us both and just let go of me and of everything that we had?”

“Because love isn’t that easy, my Fae. The only easy thing is realizing you love someone. And I know I love you.” Gently, he moved to wipe away her tears, which he knew were burning the cheeks he loved to caress so much.

“Do you? Do you really?” She challenged.

“I do.” He pulled the blankets away successfully. “I really do.” All he knew to do was wrap his arms around her and hold her close, letting her tears soak his skin rather than hers. “I will always love you.”

“I love you so much. I just can’t…”

“Shhh. You won’t ever have to.” Fiyero’s lips pressed against the corners of her eyes, kissing away her tears. “Help me. Tell me how to make your pain go away, Elphie.”

“Just love me. That’s all I want.”

“You didn’t have to ask. I love you already.”

She touched his face in the darkness and turned the lights back on. “Love me so I can see.”

Her reluctance to be seen had disappeared, it seemed. She sat on top of the blankets, bare, but beautiful. “What do you mean so you can see?”

“I want to see that you love me.”

“Can’t you see it now?”

“Yes and no.”

“Can’t you see it in my eyes every day?”

“Not when we make love. I can never see your eyes.”

“You never let me turn the lights on.”

“I’m letting you now.”

He hesitated for a moment, unsure of what was allowing her to be so bold, so unashamed. “Are you okay?”

“I will be if you’ll love me.”

“You sure?”

“More than sure.”

He began kissing her body wherever he pleased, listening to her moans to best please her. Their bodies joined together and their voices softened, the harsh, angry words she’d used replace with sweet whispers and murmurs of love.

Two hours later, Elphaba was asleep against Fiyero when Nanny called up the stairs. “It looks like we have company.”

Elphaba yawned, unaware that the moment she’d dreaded only hours ago was arriving. “What?”

“Company. There’s a huge group of people outside.” Shouted Nanny, grumbling her way up the stairs.

Elphaba shook her head and wiped sleepfrom her eyes. “What on earth could she be talking about?” Then Elphaba’s eyes filled with terror. “On no! The Gale Force! Have they found us?”

“Worse.” Nanny said from the doorway.

Elphaba hugged herself. “What?”

“Look outside.”

Elphaba, once again ashamed of her body – her moods where she was unashamed never lasted long – nudged Fiyero. “Fiyero? What’s going on?”

Fiyero got up and looked out the window. When he turned to Elphaba, he was paler than she’d ever seen him. “My tribe is back.”

Chapter Five: A Fair and Happy Ending

Elphaba got up from the bed immediately and clung to Fiyero, “Stay in here.”

He tore away from her. “I have to go down there. I have to know what’s been going on. I have to confront Sarima.”

She looked at the ground, at her bare skin, at the tower window. “Go, then.”

“Fae.” He said, knowing it was hurting her.

“I will be gone by the time you get back up here. Don’t try to change my mind. Do you want Liir or should Nanny and I leave with him?”

“You are out of your mind!” Fiyero stumbled over his words, not understanding how Elphaba could just offer to give or take their son. “You’re coming down there with me.”

“Well, that’s a novel idea.” Elphaba remarked sarcastically. “I don’t think that’ll go very well.”

“You’re not leaving me.”

“I should’ve left you a long time ago.”

“No. Please don’t do this,” he begged, forgetting his family outside, forgetting everything, pleading.

She looked at him, on his knees, as she stood with her back to him, naked. Humbly, she slid away from his view and wrapped herself in the blankets again. “I know you’re going to say you love me. I don’t want to hear it. Not now. Not ever again.”

“I can’t live without you,” he protested.

“You did before.”

“I don’t want to now. Not after I’ve loved you for so long.”

“For so long? We’ve been lovers for a year and a month. You’ve been married to Sarima for much longer than that.”

“But I love you!” He was exasperated. It felt as if he’d just had this argument (perhaps because, prior to making love, they had already had this argument). “We’ve fought this fight before. I’ve won. Give in.”

It took ten minutes a miracle to make her see reason, but she did. By the time Fiyero got downstairs, Elphaba behind him, Sarima and the rest of the family were in the kitchen.

“Fiyero, honey, I didn’t know you were coming home…” Sarima ran to her husband.

He put out a hand and stopped her from hugging him. “Where has everyone been?”

“Are you serious? You know where we’ve been. The men leave on a hunt for half of the year every year, only now there was no one to lead, what with you being gone and…”

Fiyero brought his hand to his forehead. How could he forget? The entire tribe must’ve gone, instead of all of the men, which is why no one had been around. “But no note?”

“I didn’t think you cared!” Sarima said haughtily. “Youdidn’t even send the kids Lurlinemas presents.”

“I did and they’re here now. They came in the spring. Sarima, you know that the mail doesn’t come through quickly out here, especially in the winter.”

Elphaba, who had been standing in the shadows, put a hand on Fiyero’s arm. “Calm down.”

“Who is this?” Asked Sarima.

What a mess! The three children looked at their parents, confused. Manek piped up, “What is wrong with her?”

Elphaba sunk back, ashamed.

Fiyero grabbed Elphaba’s arm. “This is Elphaba, a friend of mine from school whom I ran into in the city. She came back here with me when I found out that the entire tribe had gone and disappeared on me.” He glared at Sarima.

“How could I send you a letter? I can barely read and I certainly cannot write. There was nothing to do. But what is your friend doing here after so long?”

It seemed Sarima was already catching on to the doings of her husband. Fiyero sighed and said, “I think the three of us need to talk.” He turned around and gestured to Nanny, who was standing, enthralled, in the stairwell. “Will you watch over my kids, please?”

“I’m already watching over one of them.” Nanny gestured to Liir.

The three children were confused, but Sarima knew what was going on. “Yes, I think we had better have a nice little chat.”

Fiyero opened the door to the next room and held it open for both Elphaba and Sarima. The two women stayed far away from one another and sat on opposite sides of the room. Knowing the choice was really more than just who to sit next to, Fiyero sat beside Elphaba. “We both have some explaining to do, don’t we?” He began a conversation he knew was going to be difficult.

“I suppose we do.” Sarima said simply.

“Sarima, you know this marriage wasn’t exactly what either of us wanted. We’ve never loved each other all that much, though we tried. Without the throne, this marriage would have failed miserably by now.”

Sarima was quiet.

“I know this is hard, Sarima. But all along, I’ve loved...”

“Wait.” Sarima cut him off. “I have, too.”

“You have what?”

“Loved someone else.” Sarima said solemnly. “Almost as soon as you left for the Emerald City, there was this man...”

Fiyero couldn’t believe she was admitting to him what she had done. He’d thought he’d have to bring it up. “Who?”

“Oh,” Sarima waved it away. “No one. I guess I have no right to be angry.”

“Then this was,” Fiyero paused, “I hate to call it this, but mutual faithlessness? That makes it so much easier.”

“I’d rather hate you.” Sarima opined.

“It’s just,” Fiyero looked at Elphaba, who was staring at him, waiting. “I want to stay with you, Fae, I do. But I don’t want to leave here. My kids...”

“That’s right.” Sarima said. “How is any sort of mutual split going to make this any easier on the kids?”

Resigned, Fiyero decided, “I’ll leave. She and I will get out of here.”

“You don’t have to leave, you know. This castleis big enough for two families.”

This was unlike Sarima, to be so giving. “What?”

“I don’t want the kids to lose their father, Fiyero.”

“But how can it possibly work?”

“I don’t know. But I’m tired and so are you. This discussion shouldn’t continue any longer. Not without some thinking on all of the parts involved,” said Sarima generously, “including her.” She gestured towards Elphaba, who had half hung her head in shame.

“I’m sorry,” whispered Elphaba.

“Don’t be. Or maybe you should be.” Sarima shook her head. “But we all should be. This is a difficult situation.”

How was it that this strange woman did not hate her? “Thank you.”

Sarima smiled comfortingly at Elphaba. “Get some rest. You, too, Fiyero.”

Fiyero led Elphaba back to the bedroom they shared and they both got into bed, somewhat exhausted from the worry and confusion that had controlled such a small, but important, part of their day. After a long time, Elphaba’s voice emerged from the darkness. “Fiyero?”

“Yes?” His voice brushed against her body and he kissed her softly. He traced his hands along the outline of her hips, asking permission.

“Yero my hero,” she granted it, and the two made love without restraint, coming together until they were both satisfied. Elphaba laid her head on Fiyero’s chest. Things were not worked out yet, not completely. Fiyero and Sarima still had to discuss what was to become of their marriage. Fiyero and Sarima still needed to decide how to deal with their children. They still needed to decide if Fiyero and Elphaba would stay in the castle. Sarima had been a kind woman, kinder than Elphaba had expected. She didn’t understand why Fiyero didn’t love his wife. Well, after all...

“I love you,” he whispered.

Maybe she did understand. And maybe, even with Sarima, and her sisters, and Fiyero’s children, and Nanny and Liir, maybe there would be a fair and happy ending. Just maybe. “I love you, too.”

Questions? Comments? E-mail moowithme@comcast.net, IM me at ElphieTheTragic. Or, come into the forums and post in the "Fanfication" section under the thread with the title of this fic. I hope you enjoyed!