Disclaimer: I don't own Wicked. I'm too tired to come up with a witty way of saying it. Yeah. Sorry.
Summary: Fiyero can't marry anyone his parents don't approve of. The Thropps come to visit the Tiggulars on business and he falls for Elphaba. Frex is assassinated and Nessa and Elphaba are orphans. Elphaba is considered generally healthy and strong so she becomes a servant to the Tiggular family…
Fiyero's POV
I tapped my foot on the brownish carpet of my bedroom. Feeling suddenly exhausted, I sat down on the luxurious bed. Why do all girls have to be the same?
Pink, spoiled, gossipy, artificial. A great example would be Galinda Upland.
Also a great example of the kind of girl my parents wanted me to marry.
Someone rapped on my door. I grumbled, "Come in."
Galinda burst in, pouting and squealing in a stupidly and annoyingly high voice, "Fiyerrrrrooo! Now what did I do wrong? I thought we were having fun!"
If you can call nearly being killed because of an embarrassing situation involving a picture of me intoxicated, seven bubblegum wrappers, and a fist fight between several members of the Our Lady of Perpetual Peace clergy.
"Galinda, I just got tired. I guess I was just…thinking…about," I quickly thought of the next thing that was happening, "about…the governor of Munchkinland. He and his daughter, Nessarose, are coming tomorrow."
Galinda digested this for a moment. "Okay! I'll have to meet Nessie as soon as she gets here!" Galinda immediately made this nickname for her. I was quite proud of myself for noticing that she made a nickname for everybody soon as she met them. Usually, I didn't pay attention to little details like that.
My nickname used to be FiFi until I threatened to get a restraining order. It was a little unnerving to hear someone shout from across the lawn, "FiFi! Come on here! It's time for dinner!"
- - -
Elphaba's POV
I was anxious as I fast-walked to Frex's office. He had sent a servant out to fetch me. Soon, thanks to my quick pace, I arrived at Frex's office. Peeking through the door, I saw Nessa and Frex talking. Nessa wheeled around and waved me in.
Frex cleared his throat. "Elphaba, I'm going on a business trip to the Vinkus. I'd decided to bring Nessarose, but she tells me she couldn't breathe if you didn't come along. So, you may. We'll be staying with the royal family. Now, I don't want anyone seeing you, so, as you and Nessarose will be staying in the same room, you're to stay in there at all times. There'll be a bathroom, and food brought to you."
I sighed inaudibly. Of course. No one wanted to see a frog around a palace. No one. Nope.
"Only bring necessities. One frock, one shirt, one skirt, one nightgown. Some undergarments. Do you hear me?" I nodded and sighed again.
Nessa beckoned for Frex to lean near her and whispered something into his ear. He straightened.
"Elphaba. You may bring some books." Thank you, Nessa!
"Now, Elphaba, go help Nessarose pack. Then you may."
I hurried to get Nessa up to her room. I helped her pack for two hours. That left me an hour left. But of course, Nessarose was going to be seen, so she'd need more things. And I'd only need a few minutes. When I got down, Frex scolded me and hurried us into the carriage that would take us to the Vinkus.
- - -
Fiyero's POV
"So when are the Munchkins gonna be here?" I asked my father. Absentmindedly, I stretched on the woven white hammock I was currently laying on. It was Sunday, and sunlight flickered between the leaves of the trees all around me. It was a perfect day in the garden. This was my favorite place in all Vinkus, because of several things. It was like magic. Rows upon rows of flowers, a waterfall in the distance, a nice view of the Ozlantic Ocean, mountaintops just grazing the sunsets…and more I couldn't describe with my lacking vocabulary.
My father replied from his perch on a white lawn chair, speaking tiredly, "Fiyero. I've told you seven times now. They aren't actual Munchkins. They just live in Munchkinland. On top of that, Frexspar Thropp is the governor of Munchkinland. I think you might've met him before…" I sighed impatiently and he looked at the garden's sundial. "And they'll be here in…sweet Oz! Thirty minutes!"
The half hour came and went.
We saw the carriage as it passed through the gates, grand white against the cherry blossom trees and lush green forest. Green, I thought. What a nice color. Goes good with the pink from the cherry blossoms. I knew my mother would get at me if I'd said that aloud. Grammar…
The wind whispered through the trees as the Thropps arrived. As the driver hurried out to open the door to the un-automated vehicle, I noticed a wheelchair strapped to the back of the carriage. Remembering my father's words about how Nessa was a cripple and behaving in proper, gentlemanly manner, I rushed out to assist her into her chair, if needed.
Soon as I reached them, I asked the driver if he needed any help.
He thought about it for a moment, and then nodded 'no' vehemently. I asked again to see if he was sure, but he pushed me away. I resisted the urge to report him and walked away, slowly, but watched suspiciously. He did a double-take, and a man came out who I immediately recognized as Frex.
Once, when I was little, about seven, there was a meeting in Frex's mansion. My dad took me along. Frex'd been kind to me. When I'd asked if he had a daughter, though, he'd smiled and shown me a plain, pale girl in a wheelchair with light brown hair, and when I asked if he had another (even then, I was very fond of making friends…particularly of the female sort), he slapped me across the face. I was outraged; it was against the law to even touch a prince. I didn't tell anybody though.
When the girl in the wheelchair—Nessa came out and the door was still open a little, I saw a flicker of green and a glimpse of some of the most beautiful eyes I'd ever seen, brown with a shining light. The driver caught me staring and slammed the door shut.
Great. A mystery. My natural curiosity often got the better of me…propelling me into mischief.
- - -
Elphaba's POV
I had to wait until dark to get out of the carriage. Frex was waving his arms at the side of the palace. The wind blew my dark cape about. I hurried over with my carpet bag, feeling awfully like a fugitive seeking cover, running across the trimmed grass lawn. I almost felt like someone was watching me.
He walked me over to Nessa's room, never looking at me. As always.
I went inside, and Frex said goodnight to Nessa. He just glared at me.
Fiyero's POV
As I was just thinking about the green flash and the eyes, I saw something from my room overlooking the west lawn. A shadowy figure darting across the lawn. My first thought was: a thief!
But then something happened. A wind picked up and blew the loose figure about, turning the scoundrel male thief I'd imagined into a skinny girl with strange skin. The moonlight obscured the color, I told myself. But, if I was being frank, I could've sworn the skin looked almost…green.
- - -
Elphaba's POV
I woke up the next morning with a pain in my back. I had to sleep on the hardwood floor; obviously, they didn't know I was coming, plus Frex probably wouldn't let me use one even if they did, perhaps something about me getting too spoiled already.
Frex was already up and about and had me make both Nessa and himself some tea in the little kitchenette the room was surprisingly equipped with. There was enough stuff in there to feed an army of munchkins!
I was just starting to boil the water when I heard a knock on the door. Frex pointed to the walk-in closet just beside the little kitchen. I trudged through the mess Frex had already made into the closet. The knock resounded through the room again. In the darkness, I saw a circle of light…a hole in the door. I peeped through, curious.
A boy (from the looks of it) came in. Nessa wheeled over. Then I figured out why.
He turned slightly towards the closet and I barely managed to keep my gasp inaudible.
He was probably the most handsome boy I'd ever seen! His eyes, deep blue with a twinkling light in them, were probably the most striking I'd ever seen. His warm dark brown hair tossed slightly as he shook Frex's hand and greeted them. I noticed he wrinkled his nose up a little bit while shaking my father's hand.
"Good morning, Mr. Thropp and…Nessarose?" he said the names uncertainly, and as if he had to try very hard to remember them. I chuckled when Nessa said, "Nice to meet you…I really prefer Nessa." Frex gaped and then hid it; he'd almost always called her exactly what she'd hated. That was amusing. Fiyero looked amused when she said Nessa.
"My name is Fiyero Tiggular. Would you like to come down to the dining room for breakfast? We didn't see you and wondered if you were still asleep or had some issues with anything…?"
Okay, a Tiggular. That'd mean part of the royal family. "We," should mean the king, queen, and the prince. He didn't exactly look like a queen, nor seem as old as a king, so I implied he was the prince.
Great, Elphaba, have a crush on the prince. Wait, WHAT? A crush? No way. Simply no way in Oz!
Involuntarily, my stomach grumbled. And LOUDLY. I backed up into a hamper and it crashed. And LOUDLY. Through the now very small hole, I saw Frex say something about keeping a family pet cat in the closet. Fiyero still walked up to the closet, a confused expression on his face. I didn't have time to hide well, so I settled myself behind an aged furry green cloak of Frex's that was a little darker than the color of my skin.
Fiyero's POV
I walked into the closet hesitantly, ignoring Frex's calls about cats. Something queer has been going on since the Thropps came. Something strange, I thought.
The closet looked just like any other. I was about to turn around when I looked and saw something twinkle in the dim lighting. Almost looked like eyes. Brown eyes. I whipped my head back to roughly where I'd seen it. An awfully treated green cloak was hanging there. Hmm. My eyes adjusted to the darkness then. I saw a strange difference between the colors of green on the cloak. One seemed a little lighter and smoother. I extended my hand and ripped the darker part away.
For a moment, I was too shocked to speak.
There stood the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. Large brown eyes, raven hair that glinted in the faint light, a slight figure, and jade skin that glowed captivated my eyes.
Wow, she is definitely not a cat.