Chapter Two
Frost
"Where are we, exactly?" Elphaba asked as they entered a ramshackle mountain town at dusk a few days later. The buildings appeared deserted, although she kept the hood of her cloak drawn over her face and stuck close to Fiyero. She could have sworn that she saw movement in the shadows here, a pair of yellow eyes glaring from an alleyway there. It wasn't as if she was afraid of what might be lurking in the darkness…in her lifetime she had become an expert at using darkness to veil herself from unwanted eyes, but strolling down a village square, out in the open in a public place for the first time in ages, made her feel inexplicably vulnerable.
"Never you mind the exact location," called Tobias, who was soaring several feet above them, level with the crumbling rooftops. "It's safer for everyone, you included, if you don't know. You can call this charming little dump Iron Town. Everyone else does."
"Iron Town?" she asked. "Why?"
"Good question," he laughed. "It used to be an old mining town, as far as we know. Well, there's no iron ore up here, of course- that comes from the Quadling bogs- but Iron Town sounds more intriguing than Granite Town or Coal Town, I think."
Fiyero glanced around suspiciously. "Where is everybody?"
"Hiding," Tobias said simply. "Does that surprise you?"
If the town's occupants were hiding from them, Elphaba thought, then the population was most likely comprised of Animals. Any humans, friend or foe, would have revealed themselves by now.
Elphaba shivered. They were fairly high up in the mountains, and the air was positively frigid. Patches of ice and snow covered the ground. She could see her breath. It was incredible to her that this degree of cold could exist in a location so close to the sweltering desert they had left only days before.
Tobias stopped before a house that, like the others, was fairly shabby and built from wood. It was clearly distinguishable from the others, however, by the fact that it was two stories tall. The shutters were closed and icicles hung from the window frame. Elphaba noted that none hung from the doorframe, suggesting that the place was not as abandoned as it appeared.
"Wait here-" Tobias began, but he was cut off by a deafening roar. Elphaba wheeled around. She felt air whoosh past her and caught a brief glimpse of a tan-colored blur before she heard Fiyero's surprised yell. Seconds later, she saw that Fiyero was pinned to the ground several yards away, a large cat-or Cat- on top of his chest. Elphaba guessed it was a Cougar. It had its head bent low over Fiyero's, and low growls sounded from deep within its throat.
"Lirah!" Tobias cried, swooping down to land next to the Cougar.
"How…dare you…bring him here?" the Cougar hissed at Tobias.
"Lirah, stop it. He won't harm us."
"Like hell he won't," she snarled. "You know full well what this monster's done. How could you-"
"Listen, Lirah," Tobias snapped, his eyes flashing dangerously. "We were wrong about him. He never tried to kill the Witch."
"Prove it." Lirah's claws were now digging into Fiyero's shirt.
"Uh, Fae…" Fiyero tried to turn his head to look at Elphaba.
Elphaba glanced at Tobias, who nodded. She took this as a cue to throw back her hood and walk up to Lirah. "Is this proof enough?" she asked her.
Lirah gasped. "L-lady Fae?" she managed to stammer after a few seconds.
Elphaba nodded, grinning at Lirah's use of her old codename.
Tobias rolled his eyes. "Told you."
"Pleased to meet you," Elphaba said courteously. "Now, if you please-"
"Get off me," Fiyero finished with a slight smile.
Lirah, who appeared to have forgotten that she was on top of Fiyero, quickly removed herself with a hastily muttered apology. Elphaba helped Fiyero up.
"You'll get a good long explanation for all this in time, Lirah, trust me," Tobias said, watching bemusedly as Lirah alternately gaped at Elphaba and glowered at Fiyero. "But for now I need to take them to Frost. You and your cubs are perfectly safe in the meantime."
Just then, the door to the house opened, and the silhouette of a woman- at least, Elphaba thought it was a woman- appeared on the threshold, backlit by the room behind her. "What is going on?" said a sharp voice.
"Milady, we have some visitors," Tobias explained, fluttering over to her. The woman held out her forearm and he perched on it.
"Ah," she said curtly, approaching them. As she stepped into the light of the newly risen moon, Elphaba got a good look at her. She was a tall, stately woman in a dark robe. Her long white hair was pulled back from her face in a braid, affording a clear view of her sharp features, high cheekbones, and keen eyes. Her expression of guarded curiosity was replaced by one of surprise when she got a better look at Elphaba and Fiyero. "Oh Lurline…" she whispered.
***
In less than a minute, Frost had ushered both of them into the house and bolted the door behind her. She silently pointed to a table surrounded by stools sitting by a brick hearth. They took their seats, Fiyero eyeing the odd smokeless purple flames dancing within the hearth rather anxiously and sitting as far from the fire as possible. Tobias hopped onto the table next to him.
"Now," she said briskly, "explain yourselves, please. You may start with your names."
"Elphaba Thropp," Elphaba said promptly, looking the woman in the eye. "I've also been called Fae."
Frost inclined her head in recognition, then arched an eyebrow at Fiyero. "And you?"
Fiyero exchanged glances with Elphaba before saying, "Fiyero Tiggular, Madame."
"Prince Fiyero Tiggular, I presume?" she asked, studying his face. He nodded.
"Ah," she said shortly. "Well, Tobias, it appears your suspicions regarding these two were correct."
"So I believe, Madame," Tobias replied confidently.
Frost smiled, then addressed Fiyero and Elphaba once again. "If, however, he happens to be incorrect in his assumptions and I sense treachery afoot, I assure you both that you will never leave this house." Her eyes were steely.
"We understand, milady," Elphaba replied calmly. "We mean you no ill will."
"I should hope not," she said tersely, her eyes lingering on Fiyero.
***
Fiyero was still not entirely sure whether this woman was trustworthy, but he knew that they had little choice but to tell her the truth. He listened as Elphaba described to Frost everything there was to tell, from their Shiz days to when she had first defied the Wizard, her years of resistance, and her supposed death at the hands of Dorothy. Fiyero supplied information where he could, recounting his experiences as the head of Gale Force, the weeks he spent traveling with Dorothy, and the occurrences in Emerald City shortly after Dorothy had completed her mission. Fiyero had shifted uncomfortably in his seat when Elphaba described how he had been dragged off by Gale Force after Nessa's death. She told Frost exactly what Fiyero had told her, that her spell had protected him the whole time. He could not sense any change in Frost's unreadable expression. Tobias caught his eye and nodded almost imperceptibly, and Fiyero hoped that this meant that Tobias had not told Frost anything contradictory to their version of the story.
When they had finished, Frost was silent for a few minutes, staring into the violet flames. She appeared to be considering all they had told her. Fiyero glanced at Elphaba, who was clearly trying to quell rising impatience.
"So," Frost said after awhile. "The Wizard and Morrible are gone. I knew as much- I have certain connections- but I knew nothing of the nature of this new regent. I've heard that Animal raids have quieted down since the throne changed hands, but I had no idea…"
"You believe us, then?" Fiyero asked.
Frost was silent for a moment. Then she nodded once. "I'm inclined to, although I do wonder why Tobias brought you to me. I am indeed relieved to know that you are both alive and well, but surely there is another reason for your presence aside from bearing good tidings. Are you in trouble?"
"No, milady," Elphaba replied. "We've been successful at hiding ourselves in the four deserts. We haven't yet made an attempt to cross them-"
"As well you shouldn't," Tobias interjected.
Elphaba nodded. "But we've managed to keep out of trouble. Tobias found us a few days ago, and he asked us to follow him. He said…" Elphaba trailed off, looking at Tobias.
"I told them you could help with Master Fiyero's- ah- condition, Madame," Tobias explained.
Frost smiled wryly. "Oh, you did, did you?" She shook her head. "Such audacity…"
Elphaba sighed and started to stand up.
"Sit down, lass," said Frost. "I didn't say no. Tobias was right to bring you here. If all you say is true, I would be honored to assist you however I can."
"Thank you, milady." Elphaba sat down. She took Fiyero's hand beneath the table and squeezed it gently. "But…" she paused for a moment. "If you don't mind me asking, how do you intend to do it? I never attempted a reversal because I thought that it could not be done."
"Who told you reversals were impossible?" Frost asked.
"Madame Morrible-" Elphaba began.
"Ah. So Madame Morrible told you that."
"Well, yes…" She caught Frost's eye and immediately looked sheepish. "Of course, I did consider…that she wasn't being completely truthful at the time, and that she just wanted to keep me from causing any more trouble, but…"
"I understand, lass," she interrupted with a small smile. "There was little you could have done anyway. But she was correct, to a certain degree."
"What do you mean?"
"By that, she meant that no one in Oz has the ability to reverse a spell."
"But for our purposes, that practically means the same thing," Fiyero objected.
"Ah, but it doesn't, lad. You see, I'm not from Oz. I'm from the Kingdom of Ix."
She took in their confused expressions and sighed. "I suppose it's my turn for explanations."