Chapter 4

It's Just Me

Elphaba secretly prayed that Nessa would get the letter by the next day, which happened...

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Nessa looked the letter over several times, re-reading the parts that had been visibly crossed out, but carelessly so that they were still legible. Nessa's heart broke when she read that Frex had been murdered, she wanted to know more about his death straight from Elphaba, she called to her fiancé , Locke, her voice wavering as she did, on the verge of tears.

"Locke, E-Elphaba sen-t-t-t us a letter, my father- he-he-he's been murdered!" she slumped in her chair and began to cry.

Nessa gave him the letter and continued to cry. Locke read it over and his jaw dropped. He wheeled her around and out the door, into a carriage, she was still crying.

"Where are you taking me?" she said angrily taking her face out of her hands.

"We're going to go get Elphaba and bring her here. Did you read the letter? It said to pick her up!" said Locke lifting Nessa into the carriage.

"Oh!"

"Maybe we can get Fiyero to come to the wedding... or I could get him to let Elphaba stay with him, oh why would he do that, he's to self absorbed, well he might..." Locke dawdled on talking to himself about one of his best friends.

"Locke, dearest we have bigger things to worry about than what to serve at the wedding!" interrupted Nessa, Locke was in mid-sentence when Nessa spoke, he had moved on from Fiyero and onto the wedding, preoccupying himself with the wedding preparations.

"Right, focus Locke focus!"

Nessa and Locke were now in the carriage and Nessa laughed at Locke's remark between sobs. The horses set off at a brisk pace, and Nessa and Locke were nearly thrown off their seat. Nessa's sobs were amplified with each jerk and bump that was hit. Locke was trying to get her to calm down by rubbing her back soothingly. Nessa was a nervous wreck; her face was puffy and red, all up until she couldn't cry at all. She somehow lost all of her tears as soon as she reached her old house in Munchkinland. Elphaba ran out of the door her arms outstretched Locke pushed Nessa out of the Carriage, and Nessa wheeled herself over to Elphaba to give her a hug.

"You got my letter!" said Elphaba nearly crying again.

"Yeah I did, I can't believe that our father was murdered, who did it? Oh that doesn't matter; you can tell me about it on the way to Vinkus."

"Well, I actually don't know who did it, but I saw him dead two days ago. Tell me about the wedding plans."

"Oh well that doesn't matter, can I see the photo of our mother, but do you realize that the photo is probably the only thing left of both our parents?"

"Yes I do, I already have all of my stuff packed, which isn't very much! Let me go get it!"

She ran into the house and came back with two suitcases. She wiped a tear off her face and helped Locke push Nessa into the carriage, which is where they explained everything that had happened, including everything that Elphaba knew about the murder. She didn't tell anyone else other than Nessa and Locke, and she just left the house as it was, not for sale or anything, almost like a museum, of course now Nessa owned it, but she was too upset to think about that. Then it was Locke's turn to talk.

"Um, Elphaba I have someone I want you to meet, his name is..." Elphaba cut him off,

"Oh let me guess, Fiyero Tiggular, and you think he would like me because..."

"How did you know?"

"Oh I just over heard you talk to our father two days ago and I read up about him, and my answer is no!"

"But you didn't know what I was going to ask."

"I can guess thank you! I'm not as stupid as him!"

"He's not always like that; sometimes he's really... well,"

"Self absorbed, shallow? Yeah he sounds real nice! Perfect for me, in like what, oh how about when pigs fly!"

"They started to experiment actually..."

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!"

Locke shut his mouth when Elphaba yelled at him, which was a good choice on his part. He remained quite throughout the remainder of the trip. Nessa tried to convince Locke that Fiyero would not be very good with Elphaba, but she secretly knew otherwise. Although Nessa had never met Fiyero, she had heard about his reputation, and it seemed to fit Elphaba even thought their reputations were nothing like each other's, but opposites attract.

"Is this your new house Locke?" asked Elphaba once they reached Vinkus she pointed at a house with large cream shudders and a tan coat of paint all around.

The carriage stopped at the front yard to drop off its passengers. Elphaba wheeled Nessa out of the carriage and saw at the front door a blond young man with a certain boyish charm, Elphaba recognized him immediately.

"Locke, what did you do?" she turned to find Locke pretending not to hear her. He was feeding one of the horses then looked over to her.

"Excuse me, did you say something?"

"Locke you are dead!" Elphaba left Nessa to chase Locke around to the back of the carriage; he dropped the carrot he was feeding to the horse to run. He obviously knew better than to make Elphaba mad, but it was too late.

Fiyero stood on the porch looking at the strange green girl, mesmerized by her jet-black hair. She was so beautiful, but there was something about her that excited Fiyero. She didn't fawn over him like all of the other girls he had met, in fact she seemed like it was awful to meet him. Fiyero found this intriguing. Fiyero grabbed Nessa's chair and began to wheel her inside.

"Wait, don't you touch her!" yelled Elphaba leaving Locke on the ground panting, to go beat up Fiyero. Fiyero noticed that this strange green girl was quite protective over her sister.

"Elphaba, it's ok, this is Fiyero Tiggular I know him!" said Nessa reassuringly

"Oh, I know who he is! Now Mr. Tiggular would you please let Nessa go, and give her to me!"

Elphaba, so that was her name. Fiyero released Nessa's chair and Elphaba immediately took her inside.

"Elphaba, what was that? Fiyero can be a nice person, well if you get to know him!"

"Nessa, you know what I get like if someone who I don't know tries to get a hold of your chair, you've seen me!"

"Oh Elphaba, it's just Fiyero!"

"I don't care!"

"Yeah Elphaba, it's just me!" Elphaba felt a hand on her shoulder and her whole arm went num. she had no clue who had just spoken but she had a feeling. His voice swept calm all over her. Nessa giggled. Elphaba turned around and as soon as Fiyero's hand left her shoulder, she could feel again. She felt blissful, and surprised by her own reaction to his touch, she had heard about this and she began to fear the worst.

Could she be in love? Not with that Arijki prince, never, but her heart was so sure he was the right one!