From Wicked- Tomorrow, Fiyero would make his apologies to his business colleague. Tonight he would not lose Elphaba. As she hurried through the streets, checking over her shoulder more than once, he thought: if you were trying to lose someone, if you did think someone was on your trail, this was the time of day to do it-not because of shadow, but because of light. Elphaba kept turning corners into the summer sun that, setting, was bowling blinding shafts of light alon side streets, through arcades, over the walls of gardens. But he had had many years of practice stalking animals under similar conditions-nowhere in Oz was the sun more of an adversary than the Thousand Year Grasslands. He knew to squint his eyes, and follow the persistence of motion and forget about identifying by shape. He also knew how to duck sideways without tipping over or losing his balance, how to move again-the startled birds, the change in sound, the disrupted wind. She could not lose him and she could not know he was on her trail.
And then the inexplicable occurred. There was a sudden burst of white as a large birdcage housing white pfenixes in the Traders stall to his immediate right toppled over and came open. The tiny birds took flight and the whole effect dazzled and distracted him for the slightest of instants. He caught himself but Elphie had vanished into seeming thin air.
No! He searched for her face in the crowds, in the alleyways, the windows above. He cursed himself for being so easily distracted. A cage of birds! Of all the absurdities! But he did not give up, not yet at any rate. He kept looking for several minutes, loath to lose hope. Why had she run in the first place? Why deny him in the chapel? Was it fear of him, or for him? But for the love of Oz, why?
He gave the area one last sweeping gave, though he was sure she was long gone at this point. As expected, she was nowhere to be seen. He sighed, dejected and turned back. He could still catch the opera but now was decidedly disheartened. With wounded pride at his failure and her snub, he resigned himself to it and backtracked.
For days, no, weeks afterwards he was plagued with thoughts of this almost-reunion. Of having seen her! Five years was a long time...
He returned to the Vinkus and then Kiamo Ko.
Lurlinemas came and went in a flurry of lights and splendor. Despite the blatant frivolity of the celebration and being surrounded by Sarima, her sisters and the three children, he couldn't shake the thought of Elphaba from his mind.
Finally, news of Madame Morrible's death reached his ears. Killed in an explosion on the holiday, while en route to the very theatre he had patronized after Elphie had given him the slip. Tragically, a group of young girls and some street performers had died along with the old Matriarch. No one claimed responsibilty, which he found odd.
He thought of Elphie again.
But then Irji stumbled on the stairs and scraped his knee and began to whine. Nor was sitting in the middle of the floor, sucking on her pacifier. The sound of her brother's crying startled her and her nook fell from her mouth. This was enough to set her off as well.
Fiyero stood up and went to Nor first, sweeping up the toddler. She was instantly calmed by this. Then he went around to Irji who always took some work in consoling. He sighed and put Elphie out of his mind for now.