A Horrible Quickness

Rifiuto: Non Miriena

Summary: A new alliance with a shared tie to the past. A dynasty's missing jewels. And a hidden family secret come to light with heartbreaking consequences and the first stirrings of familial revolt. Can a former missing princess recover what rightfully belongs to her and keep her sanity, despite the secrets slowly coming to light? 4th in the Fliaanian Royals series.

A/N: So, apparently, she had A Horrible Quickness, Grant Us All and But Only Love titled wrong. Grant Us All is actually But Only Love (from what I can figure) and A Horrible Quickness is actually Grant Us All (I'm still trying to figure out how) so bear with me, if you will. It might take me a while. Written: 2006, Found: 2018.- Licia

March, 1936

"We get so few moments like this anymore."

A soft chuckle, followed by a quick kiss. "That's because we rule two countries and are the parents of eight children all under the age of ten, my queen. Our oldest turns seven this October, remember?"

She 'hmmed' softly against his lips, melting against his body, the soft material of her dress bunching under his hands as he pulled her closer, brushing his hips against hers. She laughed, a soft, throaty chuckle, her arms going around his neck as he lifted her lightly off the ground. These stolen kisses and touches were so few and far between lately, that she had forgotten what it was like to be kissed and touched.

Three months into the new year had seen new trade treaties between the Vinkus and Munchkinland, and the possibility of trade with Quadling Country. Fliaan, Elphaba's domain, was thriving, with an influx of new jobs and a growth in higher education, as well as the passing of several bills in regards to healthcare for all and the reproductive rights for women- something Elphaba had insisted on, especially considering she had nearly lost her own life seven months earlier, giving birth to her two youngest children. If she were honest with herself, it was her husband who had brought up the possibility of a bill concerning women's reproductive rights. He'd watched his wife go through the whole process- from labor and childbirth, to near fatal hemorrhaging minutes after the birth of their youngest twins. Trism had determined that no man have to watch his wife bleed to death after giving birth- and that he knew it was all too common, especially in the poorer areas of not only Fliaan but the Vinkus.

"Can we just forget for a few moments that we aren't parents? Just... just for a moment, a few seconds, my king. I just want a few moments where it's just... just us. Like it was during our engagement, and the first year of our marriage, before Faola made her appearance. Please?"

"Sounds like a wonderful plan." He chuckled softly, pulling her closer, hands sliding slowly up her sides; his long, slender fingers trailed over the bodice of her dress, gently caressing her breasts through the fabric. She could feel her heart speed up, and the butterflies erupt in her stomach at his touch, and she captured his mouth with hers, arms sliding around his waist as the kiss deepened.

A knock quickly sounded on the door, but they ignored it. Another knock, and another, followed quickly by a very loud, persistent,

"Mama! Daddy!"

Trism groaned in annoyance as he slowly broke the kiss, forcing himself away from his beloved wife. "Please tell me that wasn't who I think it is?"

"If you mean our oldest daughter, I'm afraid you're right." She released him with a sigh, watching as he made his way to the door of their bedroom. A moment passed before she made her way to the vanity mirror, quickly cleaning up any smudges in her makeup; the last thing they needed was their six-year-old daughter asking questions they weren't ready to answer quite yet.

"Faola, how many times have we-" He stopped, however, at the sight of his mother, standing behind her oldest grandchild. "Mother."

Locasta raised an eyebrow at her son's disheveled appearance, before turning to her granddaughter. She handed the girl a rukla, a kind of Vinkun quarter, with a soft, "You know how Mama and Daddy feel about candy before a meal, Faola." The child nodded, taking the coin with a quick glance at her parents. Then, she turned, bounding down the stairs, headed for the foyer where her siblings were with Cattery, the young maid tasked with looking after the royal children.

"Using our first- my firstborn daughter- against us." Trism shook his head in disgust. "I never would have expected you to sink so low, Mother." He turned and strode back into the room, Locasta following. Elphaba's gaze snapped up in the mirror, and she quickly finished fixing her lipstick before straightening and turning to the dowager.

"I'm a grandmother. What good is being a grandmother if I can't use my grandchildren to my advantage? Besides, I seem to remember both my parents and your father's parents doing the same with you and your brother when you were Faola's age." Trism stopped midway to the window, blushing.

"What is it, Mother?" He slowly turned back to her.

The cut of her black dress accented her figure perfectly; once upon a time, Locasta had been a very beautiful young woman; though time had not stolen that beauty, the death of her husband, her soulmate, in November of twenty-eight seemed to add a weight to her shoulders she could not remove. With Traper's assassination, the throne had gone to Trism, Locasta's youngest son, and the former queen had gratefully stepped down, recognizing that it was time for a new generation to take the Vinkun throne. And Trism, her beloved baby boy, had, at the tender age of twenty-four, had accepted the responsibility, the duty, that came with ruling a country. He had quickly proven that he was much more suited for the crown than his older brother would have been.

"Zor is here. He says he has something for you, Fabala." Locasta turned her gaze to her daughter-in-law, who tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The young Fliaanian empress blushed, meeting her mother-in-law's gaze.

"He came all the way to Kiamo Ko just to give me something?"

The dowager queen nodded, holding out a hand to her daughter, who took it. "He said it would be of great importance to you, something special, from the past."

Elphaba glanced at her husband, who allowed the women to leave the room first before following. The three hurried down the stairs in silence; they found the young Governor of the Free State of Munchkinland in the sitting room, being entertained by the four oldest of their eight children. The young man chuckled softly as Faola told him a story, while Havni and Fechín- who was seated on Zor's lap- were showing him their dolls, attempting to talk over their older sister's story. Chiss, their second-born child and firstborn son, their young Crown Prince, was seated next to the young governor, asking him question after question about Munchkinland-

"All right, that's enough you four. Let the governor breathe."

Reluctantly, the four children slid off the sofa; Fechín slid off his lap, her black curls bouncing with the movement. With two months before they turned five, Trism and Elphaba's oldest twins were identical- and a complete surprise, for Elphaba hadn't realized she was having twins until the night they were born, when she'd gone into labor, given birth, and then immediately realized that she had to push again. The discovery that his wife had unknowingly carried and given birth to twin girls had thrown the young king for quite the loop- it had taken days for him to wrap his head around the fact that his beloved wife had given birth to twins, let alone accept that fact that he was the father of two identical newborn princesses. But now, as he watched his girls scamper over to join their siblings near the fireplace, he couldn't help but feel a small flicker of pride in his heart, for the simple fact that they were his.

"Your Majesties." The young governor stood, bowing to the young royals, who quickly nodded in return.

"Zor." A soft smile graced Elphaba's features as she went to the young man, wrapping him in a hug; perhaps the most surprising part of this whole trade alliance was the friendship that had blossomed between the Munchkinland governor and the Fliaanian empress. Especially considering he was the son of the very man who had massacred her family eighteen years earlier. "How have you been? How's Trot doing?"

"She's good. Ojo's sick however, and she wanted to stay home with him, make sure he's okay, so she couldn't come, but she send her regards."

Zor and Trot- who's real name was Mayre- had, like Trism and Elphaba started a family young, though unlike the royals, they had stopped at four. Their oldest son, Tip, as he was called, was the same age as Havni and Fechín; their oldest daughter, Amalina was a month younger than Kio, Trism and Elphaba's second oldest son. Ojo and Zixi were each the same age as Elphaba and Trism's three youngest- Ryn, who was almost two, and Vala and Ruli, their youngest twins, who were only seven months old. The young princes and princesses were the closest playmates the governor's children had, for they were shy around other children and not used to strangers, but they were used to the young king and queen for they saw them most often.

After quickly shaking hands with Trism, Zor turned back Elphaba. The young empress sighed, giving him a quick smile. "You said you had something for me? Something important?"