So starting a new fan fic is really the last thing I need to be doing. But let's be serious.
Fiyero's POV.
Disclaimer: I own Baako.
I was promised to someone when I turned five years old. Not exactly what most five year olds are over the moons about, but I got my first Vinkun made bow, too, so I didn't care much at all. When I was thirteen, I the promise moved to betrothed after someone somewhere had decided that my betrothed was a woman. It was in all four of the papers we had circulating around the Vinkus. I was very much into girls at that age, and my father always talked about what an exotic beauty my wife would be. I imagined she looked like the fine beauties of Ev, and I lost all complaints. The buzz never really died down after that. People were mostly excited to figure out who the exotic beauty was and which tribe, kingdom or territory the Arjiki—and Vinkus by the 6th of 10 Vinkun Decrees—would be permanently tied to.
Baako and I used to lock ourselves in the archives to go through all families we were associated with to see who had daughters closer to my age than his. We had a list, but before the summer of my seventeenth birthday, all of the names had been crossed off from death or another betrothal. Two weeks before fall term started at Shiz, I was teaching Baako how to shoot flying game when my father had come out with a grin on his face and a letter in his hands. The seal on the envelope, along with a stiff and thick penmanship, was a very blue color. Baako perked up, and I frowned at it as I tried remembering all the lands where blue was the color. Fliaan, Jinxland, Kingdom of Dreams, Mulgravia, Munchkinland, and Weg. Fliaan was bare. Jinxland was unwelcoming of foreigners. King of Dreams had limited women's rights. I didn't even know what Mulgravia was. Munchkinland was Munchkinland. Weg was on the sea.
"We have an invitation," my father said, holding up the envelope. "To Munchkinland."
I scowled at Baako as he dropped the bows to double over with laughter. Father frowned at him before continuing, "It's her sister's birthday, and our presence has been requested. We'll leave at the close of the week."
And just like that we were on our way to Munchkinland. I still couldn't get my head wrapped around that. I didn't think I had been prejudice of people, but I can't say I was overly excited about being tied to a Munchkin for the rest of my life. What good was a short wife going to do me? And an exotic beauty? There was nothing exotic about a corn-fed, cow eating pimple with pigtails and hay fever. Saying that I was bitter about having to marry an easterner was an understatement. I had been told on multiple occasions the week leading up, and the ride there, to watch my expression.
A Gillikenese boy was waiting at the train station for us. He had been our welcoming party. I didn't catch his name, but I never forgot the sneer that had been on his face when I was introduced to him. Baako and my father liked him well enough, and he seemed amicable towards them. Smiling, joking, and laughing with them. He just glared at me.
Compared to the rest of the territory, the Governor's mansion was lavish. It shone in ways that the huts that the Munchkins lived in couldn't even get their windows to do. The lawns were lush and surrounded by fertile crops that died into the meager ones farmed by the rest of the city. I exchanged a look with my father. If the Gillikin saw it, he did great at pretending like he had never seen it. At the bottom of the large staircase that lead up to the mansion was the governor and his two daughters. Years and years of banquets, balls, and bullshit kept my face trained from gawking at the sight. Baako got his ear cupped, though, and was threatened to be hanged, drawn, and quartered if he didn't shut his mouth.
The Governor's daughters were a tragic pair. One was green and the other lame. At least they aren't short, I had thought bitterly. The daughter in the chair smiled brightly at us as we approached. The green girl went greener, if possible, and sharply turned to her father, begging him not to make her do this.
"Elphaba," the Governor had snapped, his eyes flashing dangerously.
My father coughed lightly when I sighed and straightened out my jacket. So this was the girl I was going to be spending the rest of my life with. Elphaba.
That was the moment I thought about as I started at the piece of metal that had been my wedding ring for the past four years on the nightstand. The girl next to me snored lightly, unaware of anything but her own dreams. Her hair was splayed across the pillows with the tips tickling at the skin of my neck and back. I pushed the covers off my legs and stayed still, waiting to see if the movement would wake her. When moments passed without her snoring breaking, I pushed myself off the bed and rushed in the dark to get dressed before the girl work up. For the most part, I was really lucky with this portion of the night. There had only been a time or two in the last three years where they would wake up and I would have to make up some line. The majority of them understood how it worked, though. Or they were just too worn out to notice anything. I liked to think it was that. I gave this girl one last look before grabbing my ring and escaping.
There were empty bottles and random pieces of clothes strewn about the hall I walked out into. I figured it was one of those off campus, edge of town dormitories for those who couldn't afford to live on campus until I opened the front door to see the ivory and marble that marked it as Crage Hall. Of course it was.
Avaric was still awake when I found my way back to the apartment we had claimed as our own. He had been the boy that had greeted us at the train station all those years ago. I wouldn't say we were friends, but we had a mutual understanding. When Elphaba had posed her interest in going to Shiz, since she was robbed of the opportunity before, her only stipulation was that Avaric go with her. Avaric had no interest in going back to Shiz. He had already obtained his degree in agricultural science the same year I got mine in politics. So going back to Shiz would mean having to go through the motions of another first degree or continuing study on agriculture: both equally bleak. The royal court, though, liked the stipulation even less, but they agreed to let Elphaba go to Shiz, taking Avaric with her, just so long as I was there, too.
She had never asked for anything from me since our wedding night, and she vocalized that as she pleaded with me. I told her I needed to talk it over with Baako, but here we were.
Elphaba was the only one who wanted to be here.
"You just missed your wife," Avaric said as I locked the door behind me. I glanced over at the clock. It was just barely past eleven. I was losing my touch.
"I'm sure I'll survive."
"She needs a new tailor."
"What?" I barked.
We had just hired a new one two months ago, because the last one had talked about the possibility of bleaching Elphaba's skin. Galinda had been in the room when it happened, and, well, no one knows how to cause a bigger scene than that puff of pink. Elphaba was too good of a person to do it herself, so I fired the tailor and brought in one recommended by the pink princess herself.
"She said they had a difference of opinions."
Tailors were not cheap. Sure, you can find them a dime for a dozen here and there, but only a handful were capable of making fine garments for royalty. And whether or not Elphaba cared to admit it, she was a royal. She had been able to snake her way around a lot of things that royalty was expected to have—don't even get my started on the fucking headdress and diadem—but our tailors were something we hardly compromised. We took pride in how we presented ourselves. If Elphaba had it her way, she'd still be wearing plain frocks and those ghastly combat boots. She still won't even wear heels. Even at the banquets and galas. She wears long dresses, so she can wear flats or, if she gets really lucky, the only style of boots we get her wear with her finely tailored frocks.
"There's always a difference of opinion with her."
Avaric raised his glass to me before looking back down at the text book he had opened. He had decided to specialize in agricultural crossbreeding. Most of his classes on the agriculture part were independent study and easy enough for him, but the genetics part of it all had him befuddled most of the time. He gave off the impression that he barely studied and was just skating by in his classes, but he studied almost as much as Elphaba and did almost as well as her. Avaric waved me off half-heartedly after I quickly washed up and told him I was going to the library for a bit.
It was only a five minute walk from our apartment to the library. I had complained when Avaric had picked it out, but it ended up being more convenient than I thought. After all the university stipulations, my father had decided that diplomacy would be my focus in politics. I spent more time in the library than I cared to admit. It's also the only place I tended to run into my wife. She was there during the day for the sake of escaping Galinda's neediness and other's ridicule, and she worked the nightshift every other day.
She was organizing books on a cart to be put back when I walked in to the library. Boq, a true bred Munchkin, though tall for his kind, grinned and gave me a small wave, but Elphaba didn't even turn around.
"You know, you can't fire a tailor every time she says she doesn't know what her stance is on Animal Rights."
Elphaba glanced over at me to roll her eyes, and Boq suddenly looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here.
"I'll go take the books back," he said, hurrying to steer the cart away.
"You can't even reach the top two shelves," Elphaba called quietly after him. He threw up his hand dismissively and disappeared through a door into another part of the library. "It wasn't like that this time," she added defensively, moving behind the desk to finish whatever the Munchkin man had been working on.
"Oh?"
"I'm well within my rights to fire and hire those I desire."
"She wasn't a cheap tailor, Elphaba."
Elphaba opened her mouth to respond and then shut it again like she wasn't quite sure if she wanted to say what she was thinking. I frowned at her. I'd been married to her long enough to have an idea of the thoughts going on. She chose to keep her mouth closed. Opting to pick at the corner of her own politics book on the desk instead.
Elphaba had also had her choice of study taken from her when she enrolled in Shiz. Being the crown princess comes with certain responsibilities. Since they don't exactly teach 'How to be a Princess 101', she was enrolled as a politics major. The coursework was lacking because of her being a woman, though. She had a private tutor on the side. Avaric said that the tutor mostly had her writing essays every week and participating in mock courts. Most people would have their hands full with that alone. If I had learned anything about Elphaba, though, was that she quite enjoyed proving people wrong. When the court told her that politics would be enough for a woman to handle, she stared at them as she signed her name on an appeal to dual degree in politics and natural sciences.
I have been assured that this will be an admirable quality to have in a wife when we eventually ascend to the throne. When dealing with others, I'm sure, but I was a bit worried to have it used against me.
"My dad is coming up tomorrow," Elphaba whispered, still picking at the book's edge.
There weren't many things we talked about. We talked about the weather when it drastically changed or failed to change. We argued over which outfits were appropriate for certain functions. We discussed motions that were on the table in the Vinkus, deals wanted to be made by allies, possibility of revolts by the other clans. We kept things business-related. Her family was something that went without saying. It had been pretty clear from the first time we met, though, that Elphaba and her dad were on completely different levels. If it wasn't obvious from his snappy comments at her, it was from his open favoritism of her sister.
She went on, "Madame Morrible doesn't think Nessa has the constitution for exams, so she let her write a couple hundred word essays and called it done for the term." Elphaba rolled her eyes again. It was a common occurrence with her. Though, when Avaric told me the other week, I was inclined to agree this time. There was still another two weeks of course review before exams. We all had papers and exams for almost every class. I never knew anyone who received the special treatment Nessarose did. "So he's coming up to collect her," Elphaba finished.
"Are we being called to dine with them?"
"No."
"So then why should there be a fuss?"
"He's my father, Fi-"
"When did he tell you he was coming?" She didn't say anything. As it always is, it was heavily implied she received the knowledge second hand. "So we already have plans," I told her. "I need to help you with one of your politics' papers, and you need me to go into town with you to find a damn dress after the sudden loss of another tailor."
"I can't just not-"
"Sure you can."
She let out a huff of breath but agreed.
When the next day came around, though, Elphaba was pounding incessantly on my front door at three in the afternoon with two satchels strapped across her chest and Galina in tow with a multitude of other things. The second I opened the door, she pushed past me with a grunt. Avaric watched her as she dropped her satchels on the nearest chair.
"Well, what a pleasant surprise, my darling," I said to her back. "What brings you to my lonely corner of the world?"
"Hi, Fiyero, Avaric," Galina smiled at us as I took some of the bags from her. I was nothing if not considerate.
"Galinda," I kissed her cheeks before she shed her coat and gloves. "Always a pleasure." Elphaba snatched the garment bags from me.
"Only if you brought something with you," Avaric added.
"My father's requested our presence at dinner," Elphaba explained, jiggling the knob to my bedroom. She was expecting someone to be on the other side, which was apparent from the breath she let out after opening it to reveal no one.
"And Oz forbid you deny him."
"I brought wine." Galinda pulled a bottle out of one of the bags.
"Would you deny your father?"
"Bless your soul," Avaric pushed away from the couch and grabbed a couple glasses.
"My father is King of the Vinkus. Yours is a Governor." I followed her into my bedroom as she took the dresses from the bags and hung them on available surfaces. For all our boundaries and reservations, Elphaba gave no second thought to temporary crossing them.
"The Governor," Elphaba corrected as she threw open my wardrobe.
"Center Munch is not impressive enough for him to be The Governor." She rolled her eyes at me. "Didn't we agree last night that we were busy?"
Elphaba flipped through the shirts in my closet, frowning at some and pulling others out. It was odd having her in my room for longer than a moment to tell me something. We had separate quarters back at Kiamo Ko. Right next to each other, but it was still the cause of a lot of gossip when it was first requested. No one gives it a second thought anymore, unless we have a new member of staff, but from time to time, someone does catch another calling Elphaba "The Virgin Queen". My father started docking the wages of every employee caught saying it to keep a scandal from arising. Elphaba almost had an anxiety attack about it the first time it happened, but Avaric managed to calm her down before anyone got suspicious.
She stopped her search for whatever picture of us she had in mind. Her fingers trailed over the soft fabric of one of my dress shirts and turned its cuff over a couple times.
"He never calls for me," was all she said before pulling out a simple white button up.
I took it when she held it out for me. Neither of us had mothers, and there were times when it was easy to forget Elphaba wasn't an orphan. Baako and I were the apples of my father's eyes. He had been there for us every step of our life. He was our biggest supporter and fairest critique. Elphaba didn't have that. Elphaba was the other Thropp child. So I took the plain white dress shirt and asked her what she wanted me to wear.
Galinda and Elphaba commandeered Avaric's bedroom, laying out everything they brought with them on every surface available. Avaric sent a few glares in their direction, but he mostly hugged the wine bottle as Galinda floated in and out of his room while Elphaba bathed. All her primping did make me a little nervous. She was voluntarily doing all this, and normally we had to drag her to get ready more than an hour before an event. Maybe she knew something that she wasn't telling me? I tried remembering when the last time we saw Frex was. It had to be at the start of term when he brought Nessarose to Shiz.
"Frex is going to die one day, and she's not going to know what to do with her newfound freedom." I mumbled as I held up a couple different ties to my neck in front of the mirror.
"Frex is never going to die for Elphaba."
I looked at him through the mirror, but he was too busy staring into the dark red liquid.
"You should probably wait til you leave to pick a tie. Galinda will have her changing outfits several times before deciding." Avaric commented as he moved to put the wine in the ice box.
I ignored his suggestion and picked out the tie that would best match Elphaba's skin tone. It didn't matter what design Galinda shoved Elphaba into, because we all knew that the colour would be black or some dark grey. If it's not black, grey, or school issued, Elphaba won't wear it. Our wedding had been delayed an hour, because when the tailor woke up, the pristine white gown had been colored black. He wasn't sure how she did it, but he put his life on accusing Elphaba of doing it. He said she had complained the entire day before about how white clashed with her skin (it really didn't) and that she would rather the dress be black. The next day it was black. My father had sentenced him to a public lashing for calling the crown princess a liar. That was the first tailor we fired.
True to history, Elphaba came out of Avaric's room in a black dress. This one wasn't frumpy like I had grown accustomed to. This dress fit her like a glove, accentuating the curves I was not aware she owned. Was this her dress? Did she actually own this?
"Well," I said, fixing my hair in the mirror, "we should invite your dad to dinner more often if it gets you to dress like a proper lady." I smirked at myself in the mirror, but yelped when Galinda's small hand purse smacked me between my shoulders. She was tiny, but for the love of Oz the woman was packed with dynamite.
"You look great, Elphie!" Galinda assured my green shackle at the uncertain look on Elphaba's face. She picked at the fabric as if she was trying to loosen it up, but it just kept tight to her body. "And look," the blonde nudged me, "no boots."
"Maybe we should just hire Galinda to be your tailor." I teased, earning another eye roll from Elphaba.
"Oh, sweetie, I have higher aspirations than a princess's tailor."
"She's no good at math either," Elphaba added.
There was a carriage waiting for us outside when half five rolled around. The driver rushed to help Elphaba into the carriage, but he stopped short at the darts she shot him. She still hadn't managed to capture the demure part of being royalty. She crawled into the thing herself, swatting even my hands away as I tried to be of aide. Damn feminist. The ride over was as eventful as could be expected by two halves of a business arrangement. I stared out the window, and she fidgeted with her dress, her hair, her nails…anything she could get her hands on.
"Can we-" Elphaba started but cut herself off as we drew closer to the city center. I tore my gaze off of the pretty girls in pretty dresses who were flaunting their own curves as they mingled about. Elphaba shifted under my attention, rubbing the edge of her thigh nervously through the sleek black fabric. "Can we pretend we're in love with each other?" A blush crept up her neck as she said it. "Or infatuated with each other," she corrected herself; and then one last time, "or at least like each other?"
"I don't dislike you," I told her.
She blinked at me and said, "I-oh." Well, I didn't dislike her. There were many other people I would rather keep company with, but I didn't dislike Elphaba. One day, eventually, she'd be the mother of my child. I couldn't dislike someone who'd give me something that great. "I don't dislike you."
I let out a short laugh, and the action caused Elphaba to close up a little. "So we're in love tonight." She nodded. "I don't see why our affections are any of your dad's business."
"I just want him to think that our marriage isn't as bad as he imagined it to be."
"And how did he imagine it?"
She hesitated for a moment. "Just as it is now," she said, turning her attention out the window, watching the pretty girls in pretty dresses that I had been staring at.
Nessarose looked as beautiful as ever. Her hair was pinned back with some jeweled hairpiece. She was a very sweet person. I couldn't take that away from her. She had a tendency to come off as an— I don't know—entitled spoiled brat. I supposed she really wasn't to blame, since her dad had been treating her like God's gift to Oz. She was a product of her upbringing. It was easy to dislike her, but sometimes I felt so guilty about doing so. She really was such a sweet girl. And Elphaba loved her, which was part of the problem. Elphaba loved her more than anything to the point where she'd probably risk her life to be with Nessarose. The problem was that I thought, and Avaric agreed, the sentiment wasn't always returned.
I placed my hand at Elphaba's lower back, startling her, before we caught the attention of her family. Nessarose smiled widely at us. She did not look like someone who was worrying about upcoming papers and exams, and I truly envied her for it. The Governor was just as morose looking as he was the last time I saw him. Whenever I saw him, really. He didn't even look pleased at our wedding. I had asked Elphaba if he always looked like that or if it was just when I was in his company. She had stared at me for a moment before locking herself in the bathroom until I fell asleep.
"Elphaba, you look stunning!" Nessarose patted the seat next to her excitedly when we approached the table they had reserved for the four of us.
"It's a little ostentatious, don't you think?" Frex asked, giving her appearance sour once over.
"It was a gift from the Queen of Ix." Elphaba smoothed out the sides of the dress and gave the dress a slight frown.
"I, for one, am inclined to agree with Miss Nessarose," I kissed Elphaba's cheek, immediately feeling her heat up at the action, and pulled out the chair for her.
"Nessa's always been a nice person," The Governor said.
"And Elphaba more than I deserve."
"Madame Morrible said this place has the best selections of teas in Shiz," Nessa handed her dad a menu. As varying as the Thropps were, each of them was a genius in their own right. "You might want to try the chocolate chai, Fiyero. Elphaba said it's your favorite."
"Yeah," I grunted before taking the seat between Elphaba and Frex.
I took Elphaba's hand as Nessarose was telling Frex about how Madame Morrible was turning out to be the best caretaker she's had. Elphaba blinked rapidly for a little bit, bringing her cup of tea up to her lips but not drinking it. I kissed the back of her hand and rested our hands on the table, keeping my eye on Frex. My father had always been present whenever Elphaba and I were in the company of her dad. There was always some social function we'd all be present at, so it was only proper that both families meet up for a meal of some sort. But never had it just been Elphaba and I without some member of Vinkun royalty.
It annoyed me more than I thought it would. She was his daughter. She was the crown princess of the Arjiki clan, set to rule the Vinkus alongside me. I didn't know much about the political landscape of Munchkinland, but I knew that she was Third Thropp Descending, which meant Munchkinland would be under her control when her grandfather kicked the bucket. One day, eventually, our child would inherit the Vinkun throne and the high title in Munchkinland. She was one of the most, if not the most, powerful women in Oz, and here he was treating her like she was a waste of space. This was what she couldn't miss? This was the man she had to get dolled for?
"I would have never passed if it weren't for Elphaba," Nessarose was saying, sending Elphaba another grateful smile halfway through the salads.
"Oh, Nessa, you're much better than you give yourself credit for," Elphaba assured her sister earnestly, "I just needed to change up your points a bit." I choked on the vegetable I had been chomping on. A bit? Avaric had said that Elphaba basically outlined Nessarose's essays for her.
"You're not failing your classes, are you?" Frex asked Elphaba. I couldn't decide whether to be impressed that he spared her any attention or displeased at the negative way he phrased it.
"No," pride slipped through the smile she gave him, "quite well, honestly."
"Double majoring and minoring," I added, "and working fulltime at the library." I was thrown a warning look by both sisters this time.
"Whenever do you have time to be Master Tiggular's wife?" Frex asked, looking at Elphaba directly this time.
"Prince Tiggular, actually," I corrected. "I'm curious to know if you would address her so if-"
"I will address my daughter anyway I please, Prince Tiggular."
"But not the Crown Princess of the Arjiki and future Eminence of Munchkinland," I glance around before going on, "I assure you, Governor, your city does not have to be vital to the diplomacy between the Vinkus and Munchkinland."
Frex's eyes flashed over to Elphaba briefly before skirting back to me, "Are you threatening me, sire?" He asked with all the calm and collectedness one could imagine.
"Just refreshing your memory on propriety and diplomacy. You'll have to forgive me: all my studies put diplomacy at the front of my brain."
The table grew tensely silent as the waitress brought out the dinner. Elphaba always got the vegetarian option wherever we went. I had never heard her define herself as a vegetarian, but I had been present many times when she would go off on a rant about the dwindling rights of Animals and their lack of proper recognition and protection. I figured she just refused to eat meat if she didn't know exactly where it was coming from, right down to its parental history and chromosomes. The Governor had ordered for her, though, so a fillet of fish was placed among the greens on her plate.
"I have business to tend to in Quadling Country the week after next, and it could take anywhere from a week to a month for negotiations. Nessa very well can't run the house on her own, so I need you both to be there to help her keep the staff in line." Nessa can't even run a house on her own, yet she's due to take over the Governorship in the Governor's long awaited passing. I assumed, though, this was the reason we were here. He needed a very public setting to guilt Elphaba into helping.
"My father-"
"I've already written His Majesty," I noticed the bite behind the honorifics, "and I'm sure we'll both be receiving his response with the week."
"Of course," I agreed.
Though, it really didn't matter what my father's response was, Elphaba would advocate to help her sister. I knew it, Frex knew it, and the inanimate table knew it.
I stopped a waitress when she passed as Frex was telling us that the budget would take care of our expenses should we run out of what he so kindly provided. His words came to an abrupt halt, and I did not miss the look he gave me for interrupting his flow. Without giving him a glance, I asked the waitress, if it wasn't too much of a burden, if she could bring out a vegetarian equivalent of Elphaba's meal. I told her that it was an old Vinkun superstition that women trying to conceive must steer clear of seafood. Frex lost his place. Nessarose turned the most magnificent shade of pink. And the waitress begged for Elphaba's forgiveness, calling her "Your Grace" and wishing her the best of fortune, before taking the fish dish to exchange.
"You're trying to conceive?" Frex asked after he cleared his throat.
"It is one of the most important duties I have," Elphaba said over the top of her tea cup.
"You've not even finished school."
I opened my mouth to respond, but Elphaba beat me to it, "We don't mind practicing."
I was going to buy her a drink.
When the waitress brought out a different plate, the chef came out with her. He explained the composition of the meal: how each vegetable symbolized something different for health and well wishes, how the garnishments were known in the North to bring good fortune for conception, and how the dressing was meant to signify the protection of the husband over the wife. Nessarose broke out into a quick and silent fit of giggles as the chef poured the off white dressing over the grain on the plate. She bit her bottom lip, and her face contorted as she tried to contain herself after the warning glance the Governor sent her. I winked at her. We were on the same page.
"Thank you so much," Elphaba grinned at pair of workers. "I didn't mean to be such a bother."
"Never, my Princess," the chef gave her a small bow before leaving us to our meal.
"Well," I sighed, cutting the chicken on my own plate and holding Frex's gaze, "at least we can always rely on the working class to reciprocate respect."
Fiyero is in the last year of his Master's degree, and Elphaba, being fast tracked, is in the last year of what would be her Bachelor's.
I know, I know, I know arranged marriage AUs are nothing new in this neck of fan fics, but it would mean the world if you gave me a chance:)
Interested? Intrigued? Let me know in a review!