Author's Note: I am nearing the end of my most recent Wicked fanfic and I have several chapters of this one and left it for quite a while. I want to publish this one for you now, essentially to test the waters. If you like it then I will publish the rest, but to be honest I'm becoming a little disheartened with working so hard on fictions only to have no response from you guys a few chapters down the line. So please let me know if you're enjoying it otherwise I won't keep writing. Thanks very much!

Not that it needs to be explained, but it is the Shakespeare comedy set in Oz. As the story develops, I will veer from the original plot because the characteristics of some of the principle figures don't mesh fully with the characters of Oz and I don't simply want to rewrite the play as though Baum and Maguire had come before Shakespeare.

Enjoy.

As always, I own nothing of either Shakespeare, Baum, or Maguire's creations.

"I declare myself to be fully content with this beautiful young city. What say you, Tibbett?"

The older man chuckled, clutching his lapel with a withered and wrinkled hand. "The city is far from young, sir. Nevertheless the feeling is very much a mutual one." He gestured to the town square in which they stood surrounded by the busy life of market people bronzed from years of working in the sun. "'Tis a fair city indeed." He observed.

Boq nodded, rolling back on his heels to better gain a view of the bustling streets. "Huzzah! What a city it is! I have travelled about this land for many years and had the benefit of the best and most endowed institutions of learning. Shiz, Gillikin and the Emerald City have been my playgrounds for many a year now and I return to my homeland, a mind filled with knowledge and an insatiable lust for logic, literature and science." Boq tapped the supple leather strap of his valise which lay across his chest and together they strolled along one side of the square. Their heels clicked proudly on the terracotta paving. "I am eager as a schoolboy on his first day of fractions. Is there no more alluring concept than that of the dry rush from paper, pen and master?"

"I think you show your years, young sir, when you declare yourself so." Boq creased the smooth skin of his forehead with a bemused frown. Tibbett continued. "You are not yet five and twenty! My good man, I admire your forthrightness and your resolve to educate and inform yourself. This is indeed an attitude not easily found in many minds of young men today." Boq nodded his thanks for the compliment. He had always liked this manservant. "Perhaps, however, there is something to be said for matching that lust for logic, as you say, with an equal passion for pleasure?"

"And what other pleasure could I possibly hope to find that would not be present in my studies, which have for these last twenty years been the sole focus and joy of my life?" He asked, naively.

"You might seek the happiness of a tankard of mead, a raucous crowd or a woman." Tibbett offered.

"Those baseborn pleasures so enjoyed by the lower classes?" He asked with distaste.

"Some might say there is much to be learned from those living outside of the ivory tower in which you have ensconced yourself for far too long." Boq considered his servant's proposition. "Life is not fulfilled when one walks along merely one path. True satisfaction and wisdom, I might add, may only be known if one is willing to pepper oneself with many different winding lanes and beaten tracks. Let us be neither stoics nor stocks and temper learning with a love of gratification."

Boq offered his hand the two men shook in agreement. "I am glad you said this to me, Tibbett. You advise me very well, and always have. We must send for Crope at once, my other servant and your lesser, so that we may make this plan a reality at once!" He declared happily, delighted to have a new idea to explore. Tibbett hoped he would not approach this in a studious manner. "With him by our side we must rent a lodging as soon as possible that would be fit to entertain the myriad of friends as Munchkinland shall produce!" They laughed together in anticipation of their fun. "But stay a moment; what company is this?"

Tibbett stopped their walk and indicated a tightly spaced alley to their right. A large group emerged from the distance and made their way to the square in a cacophony of visceral shouts and spitting. "Ah, I see my point is proven for me, sir." Tibbett remarked, stepping to the side to allow the party through. "Perhaps a performing troupe comes! A fine welcome to the city, sir." He said, the joke not lost on his young master.

The first man to speak was a perfectly bald middle-aged man clad in a blood red muslin cloak and fine, tall, black hat shaped in part like a diamond. A man of position and substance it would seem to the two younger observers. When he spoke, his voice was gruff and concerned. "Gentleman, trouble me no more." He said, addressing the men who followed him hotly. "I am firmly resolved not to bestow my youngest daughter to any man before I have found a husband for the elder." The men appeared utterly crestfallen. Boq and Tibbett exchanged glances; glad to have an intrigue to amuse them so early in their day. "I know and love you well and so I offer you my daughter Elphaba. Leave you shall have to court her at your pleasure."

Every man turned to the lady in question. Both Boq and Tibbett worked hard to contain their gasp of horror at the sight that greeted their sore eyes. The gentleman to whom the elder man had been speaking performed no such courtesy and groaned audibly, so much so that the young woman – if indeed she was a women, for who could tell? – heard their outcry and despair and turned a vicious eye to them.

Her skin was a sinful shade of green. No man would have believed it, least of all the young learned man of letters whose expression hardly contained his amazement upon laying eyes on the lady. She was tall and proud and her features would have been handsome and alarmingly captivating had it not been for the admittedly shocking hue of her pigmentation. Boq wondered what hideous affliction or illness had caused such a terrible disability. When she strode forward it was with menacing power and anger, and every man, woman and child wisely removed themselves from her path.

Of the two gentleman whom they had yet to meet, the taller spoke to the shorter, hiding his face from the view of the green woman and remarking, "To court her? To cart her rather, for she is too rough for me!" He moved a pace away from his friend and declared loudly. "There, there, Hortensio," he said to his mate, "will you take any wife?"

"Sir!" The vile woman dryly said to her father. "Is it your will to humiliate me, showing me off as a whore in front of these mates?" Her voice was haughty, sarcastic and she spoke of men as dismissively as one would speak of a discarded paper in a wicker bin. She seemed indifferent to her vulgar tongue. She laughed and ignored the gentleman until the one who had not yet been named but who presently was the only one of the two to have uttered a word, replied to her.

"Mates, maid?" He cackled. "No mates for you, Shrew, unless you were of a gentler and milder mould." He nodded to the young maid who stood quietly and graciously behind the Shrew – as she had apparently been named, Boq could not recall what her other was, though he was certain her father had mentioned it. This young lady was a gloriously beautiful young girl. In many ways she bore similar looks to her sister but they were made all the more attractive by her clear white skin and the calm, quiet manner in which she conducted herself.

The Shrew scoffed at the comparison. "Ha! By my oath, sir, you shall never need to fear such a thing. The only interest I would have in you is to hit you across the head with a stool, paint your face with your blood and make an utter fool of you!" She shrieked, stamping across to stare the man in the face. He paled, whether in anger or fear, one could not know.

He blessed himself, for all the good it would do him when faced with such a woman. "From all such devils may the Lord preserve and deliver me!" He exclaimed.

"And me, too! Good Lord!" Echoed the man who was named Hortensio.

Tibbett then turned to his master as a frightened silence descended on the group for a short moment, his voice a mere whisper, lest they attract the dragon to their presence. "Oh master, what a pastime this is! The wench is stark mad or stupidly wilful."

"But the other, Tibbett," he replied in an equally hushed tone, "the other is silent I see. That maid is mild and all sobriety. Be peaceful, Tibbett."

"As you will it, master."

The young maiden who was the admiration of all men appeared distressed at her sister's harshness and shamefulness, and it was a hard man whose heart did not ache to bring her comfort, to ease her suffering with sweet wines and fruits. Her father being the only man at present with such a right at that time, went to her. He placed a gentle arm on her delicate shoulder and spoke in a gentle voice. "Since I should like to make good on my promises, dearest Nessarose, do take yourself inside. Try not to be unhappy, my love, for I shall love you nevertheless." He bestowed her with a kiss on her forehead.

Elphaba rolled her eyes in sullenness. "The stupid, spoiled brat would cry if only she could find a reason."

Nessarose passed her elder sister as she obeyed her father, and looked up to her. Her voice when she appealed to the woman was so light with sadness that every ear was turned and tuned to her word. "Sister, be content in my discontent. I humbly obey our father and take up the company of my instruments and books, which I do hereby practise by myself." With no further words and no immodest glances to any man, though many would have joyfully held her attention, she crossed quietly to the red wooden door of the finest house in the square. The family were of severe import, and maidservants abandoned the green sister in favour of accompanying the white.

Boq gripped his man's shoulder. "Listen, man! 'Tis the very voice of our goddess Lurline you hear!" He exclaimed.

Hortensio gazed longingly after the maid, then turned in a wild frenzy to the girl's father. "Sir Frexspar, I beg you, will you be so strange and cruel? I much dislike that our goodwill so affects Nessarose's grief!"

The other, shorter gentleman said, "Aye! Why are you locking her up for this fiend from very hell, and insisting on this endurance of her tongue?"

Frexspar held up a powerful hand and sent the crowds which had descended into uproar in agreement with the two gentlemen into silence. "Content yourselves, men. I am resolved, the decision is made. I am on guard for tutors for my youngest, since she is made so happy by her music and her talents thereof that I wish to please her further. I must find a man fit to instruct her, and if you, Hortensio, or you Gremio, know of any such man, do send them hither. I shall pay well for good teaching for my children." He dismissed them and his long cloaks flew majestically about his person as he walked with purpose to his door. "Goodbye gentlemen. Elphaba, you may stay. I needs must speak with Nessarose." He turned inside the dark entrance hall which many men fervently wished to enter.

"What? And I trust I may go, too? Am I to be scolded as a child? Am I to be appointed hours during which I may come and which I may go? As though I know not when to leave and when to stay! Ha!" She screamed after him, and followed him in a storm of her own black skirts to the house.

"You may go to hell!" Gremio bellowed, his face red with rage and his finger thrust angrily into the air in her direction. His collar was like to burst from his neck at such unrepentant discomfort. "Your gifts and talent are such that there are none who would dare hold you!" He said, though Boq was quite certain that he would not have been half so brave had the Shrew been within earshot. "Hortensio, listen. Our desire to be married is not so great that we cannot withstand the wait, is it? We may and we shall wait out the time until Elphaba is married." Hortensio nodded, the two men hot with resolve and sun stroke. "I bid you farewell, and yet in faith if I can shed light on any man to aid in Nessarose's teaching, which will foster her delight, then I will spirit him to her father."

"Wait, make peace with me for a further moment, Gremio." His companion said, taking the man's shoulder. He had a look of happy intrigue on his face and a devious smile. "We have never been great friends, and yet I think that now we find ourselves in a situation which could serve us both. We may yet have access to the fair maiden if we work as one, and if we wish to have any chance of returning to the chase for her affection."

Gremio eyed his mate suspiciously. "What is this, I ask?"

"Why, to get a husband for her sister!"

He balked at the words. "A husband? A devil more like!"

"I mean a husband." Hortensio repeated, determined to impart his grave seriousness.

Gremio shook his head. "In faith, I think you mean a devil! Be real, though her father is rich, and her dowry is large indeed, do you honestly believe any man in this land would be fool enough to be married to hell itself?"

"Oh hush, Gremio. Though her words and temper are beyond our patience, why, there are good fellows in the world and light can be shed on them by any man who would take her with all her faults, if there were enough money involved." Hortensio reasoned. His had rested happily on his hip in fearless response to his scheme.

Gremio remained decidedly uncertain and unconvinced. "I cannot tell. But I would be rather be whipped naked at the high church every morning than endure her and her wild tempers. No matter the money."

"You make a fair point, friend." Hortensio relented. "But since it seems we have no choice in the matter let us work together to find a husband for Frexspar's eldest daughter, regardless, so we might free his youngest for sweet matrimony and so we might return to our roles as rivals." The two men laughed, and Hortensio gestured to Nessarose's closed window. "Happy is the man who wins your heart and bed Nessarose! And may the best man win! What say you, Gremio?"

"I am agreed!" They cheered and snickered. "I would give this as yet imaginary suitor for Elphaba the best horse in Munchkinland that he might wed her, bed her, and rid the house of her! Let us go." With those words, they burst through the reforming and amused crowds to return down the alley from whence they had originally come.

Boq walked out into the centre of the square now, that he might better view the window of the beautiful maiden Nessarose, whose charm had to quickly captured him. "Tibbett." he called his manservant, who walked to join his master with unease; this kind of thing was certainly not what he had meant by entertaining the people and friends of Munchkinland.

The man was alarmed. "Sir, Boq, is it possible that love has taken such hold with such haste?"

"Oh dear Tibbett, til it had happened to me just now I never thought it possible. But look, it has taken me while I stood idly looking on. I confess to you now, the art of love is now a secret to me. Tibbett, I burn, I pine, and I would perish if I could not achieve the love and attention of this modest maiden." He sighed, his hand draped languidly over his heart. "Give me counsel, Tibbett. I know you can and have. Give me some assistance, I know you will."

Tibbett considered his request for a moment, stealing looks between his master and the window of affection. "Well, master." He started. "I shall not lecture you now. If love has touched your heart then it is here to stay. However, I will say this, if this is the path you wish to walk, then I would advise that you try to make it as smooth as possible."

Boq grinned, his heart filling and overflowing. He had never quite felt like he did at that moment and wondered if this was not what his servant had meant when he chastised him to look for other pleasures. "Yes, yes. You are right, do go on."

Tibbett braved his master's reply with his next words, hoping he bore in mind the many previous times he had afforded him with generous thoughts. "Master, I think perhaps you looked so well and ache so much from the maid from afar that you did not mark the point of it all."

"Indeed no. I saw it all. Such sweet beauty in her face that I thought she must be the Ozma returned to us!"

Tibbett laughed at his young master's youthful innocence. "And that was all? Noticed you not how her sister scolded her such that no human ear could possibly withstand the din?"

Boq squinted in the sun. "I saw how Nessarose's lips breathed words into the air like fine, light perfume from a faience bottle. She was all that is sacred and sweet."

"Wake up sir!" Tibbett yelled, smacking the lovesick student on the back harshly and scolding his stupidity. "You must learn how to win her. This sister is so crude, rude, base and difficult that her father quite obviously cannot wait to be rid of her." A wave of realization came over Boq and his eyes lit up in glee. "Until he is rid of her, your little sweetheart must remain a maid at home and banned from meeting with any suitors."

"Curse such a cruel father!" Boq shrieked, causing Tibbett to doubt the rationale of their journey here, he rubbed his bearded chin in deep thought. The two men pottered about as though they had never faced such a problem before in their lives. "Still," Boq said, his keen mind thinking at the speed of the Gillikin horses during the ton's seasonal races. "Did you take note of how he cared to get a cunning schoolmaster for his daughter's instruction?"

Tibbett's head snapped up and the hand which had held his head now clicked in triumph. "I did – and now I have it!"

"Tibbett! I have it!"

The servant laughed, his own heart racing now. "Ah, master. Both our inventions meet and jump hand in hand."

Boq smiled. "Tell me yours first, man."

Tibbett tipped his head back with pride. "You shall be schoolmaster and undertake the teaching of the maid. Was this your device, too?" Boq informed him that it was and voiced his concern over its plausibility. They entered an establishment opposite the famed house to develop their plot. The swift and cool air which greeted them was a welcome departure from the heat and dust of the streets and they lowered their voices to accommodate the hushed room in which they were now sheltered. The servant was troubled, however. "I think there is not much chance of it working, though. Who shall play your part here in Munchkinland? For you, Vincentio's son, are meant to be studying in this fair city. Who shall tend his servants, drink his wine, attend his lectures and take up residence in his lodgings?"

"Enough. I have figured it out." Boq whispered, the two men leaning close to one another over a small dark wood table in a dark corner as they were served hot water in a brightly painted short vase, accompanied by similarly decorated tea cups and an array of colourful tea bags. The scent was overwhelmingly attractive. "We have not yet been seen here. No one can distinguish our faces by either man or master. Therefore, you shall be master, Tibbett, in my stead. You shall keep house and servants as I should. I shall be . . . I shall be some other philistine, some man from abroad; perhaps the Emerald City or that great seat of learning, Shiz. There! What a plan!" Before the water was gone cold, the men agreed upon the plan and quietly exchanged the other's garb. When this was completed, they had passed two hours and the servant Crope approached the table. "Here comes my other man, Crope!"

"Good Lord, what is this trickery? Has the servant Tibbett stolen your clothes, master? I confess I had not known his tendency to dress in another's costume to have surfaces! What is this? What is going on?" He begged, his small frame shaking and his nose wrinkling in distress.

"Quiet man!" Boq hissed. He explained in detail his plan to disguise himself as a strange man to take up the office of Nessarose's tutor, and related in full the dramatic episode they had witnessed in the square earlier. "So now, Tibbett is 'Boq' and you are not to utter a word of this!"

"Not a word." Crope repeated dutifully. "I wish I could say the same." He said.

Tibbett sneered. "As would I, if it meant the achievement of your master's goal. This is for his sake, not mine. And to that end, you shall not breathe a hint of this until such a time as Nessarose is his to call wife. Use your manners discreetly in all company. When I am alone, why then I am Tibbett, but in all places else, I am your master, Boq."

"Indeed." Boq finished, ensuring the second servant understood and complied with their plan. "And Tibbett, as long as you are masquerading as your master, it would be better for you to also court and attempt to attain the affection of young Nessarose. Lest any man wonder why such an illustrious figure as Vincentio's son is stupid that he cannot notice the prize that she would be to bed."

Once they were all understood and all in agreement, the men exited the place and took up their happy roles to be performed until the perfect conclusion was within Master Boq's grasp.

Drop me a review and let me know what you think please. Thank you!