Chapter 2: Apprehension

Fiyero was beginning to become concerned. She had refused to leave the apartment the entire night the night before, and now she was resisting him again. "We really need some food. And I know how you've been longing to get your hands on some new books. We have to pick up our school books by the end of the day."

She was curled up on the couch, staring out the window. "Can you go?"

"You're the one who knows how to cook. How am I supposed to know what to buy?"

"Oh. Let me make you a list." Elphaba got up and grabbed a piece of paper.

"Fae, I would really like you to come with me."

She looked at him helplessly, a look he hadn't seen since... since she'd been forced to undergo hell because of that unwanted pregnancy. "I'm just so tired."

He knew she was lying. But that look in her eyes, he couldn't handle it. So he gave in. "I understand. A list will be fine, Elphaba." Fiyero stood there while Elphaba wrote him out a list. "Will you be okay here by yourself?"

She smiled at him. "I'll be fine, Fiyero."

He kissed her on the cheek. "I love you."

She did what she always did when he said that: lowered her eyes and nodded. "I'll see you soon. Don't worry about me. I've got plenty to do."

He left her sitting on the couch and headed outside into the sunlight. Fiyero could not understand why she wanted to stay inside so badly, but he realized pressing it never worked with her. It was so lovely outside, the sun shining, but not scorching. He had never seen so much green in his life. The campus was absolutely lovely. How could Fae want to stay inside? This sudden change in behavior worried him, but he couldn't put his finger on why.

When he got back, she was staring out the window again. There was an expression on her face that he couldn't place, but he knew he didn't like it. Still, when she saw him, she smiled. "Thank you for getting all of those things. Would you like me to make us something now?"

"In a little while." He put the things he had bought on the counter near the sink in the kitchen and sat beside her on the couch. "What's so interesting outside?"

"Nothing really. I'm just looking at the people." That look came back on her face.

"You seem fascinated."

"Just curious."

"Are you feeling okay?" He asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You seem different."

She brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "It's nothing."

"Fae, darling, it's not nothing. You won't leave the apartment. Don't tell me it's nothing. I know you better than that."

"It's just... there are so many people out there."

He didn't understand. "So?"

"And when we came in everyone stared at us, Fiyero."

She was back to this again. He'd been confused when she had said that a lot of people had been looking at them. He'd only noticed one or two particularly ignorant people who had really stared. What was she seeing? Fiyero cupped her cheek. "You're imagining things, Fae. Why? Are you afraid of something?"

"Not exactly. It's just... all this time, I've been a bed slave. I spoke to you, and only you. Once or twice I spoke with your father or your adviser or to Bokin, when I escaped and you came after me, but there are a lot of people out there."

"What about when you were out talking to the people these past weeks?"

"I spoke with maybe one or two people in one hut. Your guards wouldn't really let me out of their sight, and that meant I couldn't go anywhere too far from the castle."

"So you've been cooped up all this time and that crowd of people feels..."

"Intimidating. And Yero, a lot of them are munchkins. Not everyone in Munchkinland probably knows what I look like, but I'm guessing at least half of them do. It's not as if I'm easy to miss."

"Nothing is going to happen to you here. My adviser spoke with the headmistress himself. And you know I would never let anyone hurt you."

"I'm not sure that getting hurt is what scares me. I don't know that I'm scared, exactly, either. The idea of going out amongst everyone just seems daunting to me. But I honestly don't know why, Fiyero." Elphaba didn't look at him.

"You're going to have to, you know, to go to classes."

"I realize that! And I'll go. I told you that I cannot wait for classes. But socializing? That's not me." She shrugged.

Fiyero laughed. "No, it isn't, is it? But you don't need to hide in here like a scared Puppy."

"I guess not."

"Making a friend or two wouldn't hurt you, you know."

"You should talk. Your only friend is a stable boy."

"I didn't tell you?" Fiyero asked. Elphaba shook her head. "He's the stable master now. I had him promoted."

"Of course you did." Elphaba smiled at him. He was glad to see that smile again.

He kissed her. "Just relax. This is going to be wonderful. And when classes start tomorrow, you are going to be the happiest student on this campus. I know it."

"You're probably right. And class will be different than being social. Studying is what I like."

"Good. Because I might need some help!" He teased.

"I don't know. You can keep up with me. No one back in my school at Munchkinland could. And you're the only real opponent I've ever played in chess."

"Are you actually admitting that I might be as smart as you?"

"I just said that you could keep up," she kidded. "Although on other ways, you are on a completely different level."

"You mean emotionally."

"That. And status-wise."

"Um, Fae, I'm a king. You're a queen. I think we're close to equal."

"Not until recently."

He sighed. "I don't want you to forget what happened to you. But Elphaba, you need to stop thinking with the mindset of a bed slave. You are my queen now," he said, standing up and drawing her with him. "You are my beautiful, amazing queen. And you should think and act like one. You deserve to." Fiyero kissed her on the mouth, hard.

Her body melted against his. "One thing hasn't changed," she breathed.

"It never will," he replied, brushing her hair away from her neck and kissing it. "And that's not the only thing that hasn't changed. I loved you when you were my bed slave and I love you now. No," he said, keeping her face turned towards him, "don't look away. You don't need to say it back. But you need to see that it's true. I love you, and I always will."

He thought he saw tears in her eyes, but she blinked. "You mean more to me than you know, Fiyero. I didn't marry you just to go to Shiz, you know."

He smiled into her eyes. "I know that. You don't have to say it, because I do know."

"You want to know something else?"

"What?"

"I'm absolutely dying to get you into bed right now."

He raised his eyebrows.