I see we are a bit weary about Avaric. Don't worry, this chapter shall provide us with a bit of an Avaric hiatus, but this will not last long.


"You didn't find anything else about Fiyero, did you?" Elphaba asked the next day as the two girls sat on her bed. "I mean… we pretty much stayed together half the night."

"Found out… m-more," Galinda said as she handed Elphaba a notebook. She had written down everything she overheard people saying about the prince, whether they knew him personally or were just gossiping.

"Apparently, he grew up in Brayon Hill, where the upper crust of the Vinkus lives," Elphaba said as she read Galinda's notes. "His father is a merchant and his mother is a seamstress for the queen of the Vinkus. Not bad, I suppose," Elphaba said as she turned the page. "He had private tutors until he was seventeen, then he went to a university, but got expelled. What did he do?" Elphaba asked, looking up from the book.

"D-Don't know," Galinda shrugged.

Elphaba looked back down at the page. "He got expelled from six universities before finally managing to graduate from Shiz University. Wow. That's quite a record he has built for himself. I wonder what he did to get himself kicked out of so many schools."

Galinda turned the page and pointed to the bottom. Elphaba's eyes skimmed through the notes and widened. "He was most known for parting, drinking, and bedding many girls at the universities," she read. "Where did you hear that?"

"Women w-were g-gossiping," Galinda answered, reading over Elphaba's shoulder.

"All gossip has at least a little bit of truth to it," Elphaba said. "Well, I guess there's not much we can do about it now. He somehow managed to work his way up to being captain of the guard… and my future husband." She gave the notebook back to Galinda and got up, walking over to her window. "I just hope he's improved with his time in the forces."

Galinda didn't know what to say, or if she should say anything at all. Was Elphaba really that against marrying Fiyero?

"Although I should count myself lucky, I suppose. At least I had a real engagement, as compared to meeting my husband at the actual wedding ceremony." She began to draw pictures on her foggy window. "I guess I won't mind bearing his children."

"You're r-really… against th-this?" Galinda asked, stepping over to Elphaba.

"I… I don't know. I just… I don't know," Elphaba sighed, wiping her hand over her fog drawing. "I don't know how I feel about this." She stood up. "But I do know that if there's a way out of this, I'm going to find it."

"Where are y-you going?" Galinda asked as Elphaba walked past her towards the door.

"To speak to my father. Wait here for me."

Galinda sighed as Elphaba closed the door behind her and waited. She waited for at least an hour, but Elphaba still didn't return.

When Elphaba finally got back, she found Galinda fast asleep on top of her bed. Sighing, she went over to her and gently shook her shoulder. Galinda startled awake, but calmed when she saw Elphaba. She stretched and sat up as Elphaba told her what happened.

"I found him in the throne room. I told him everything, including what you found out what people were saying about him at the ball. He asked me where I heard this and I told him that I overheard it. He said that it was too late to cancel the wedding and I kept insisting that based on Fiyero's past, he would make an unfit king. He said that there was no way to prove it and even if it were true, he said that all young men go through a "wild" phase in life, but that Fiyero is grown up now and thinks like a mature man. The bottom line is… I'm still marrying him in seven days."

"I'm s-sorry, Elphie," Galinda said, taking her friend's hands.

Elphaba gently pulled away, not in the mood for handholding. "I'm alright. Deep down, I knew he would say that. There's no way out of this wedding." She forced a smile. "I suppose Fiyero isn't a bad man. He does come from a respectable family. I suppose I could learn to…"

"N-Not d-despise him?" Galinda said with a smile.

"Not despise him," Elphaba agreed.


The week leading up to the wedding went by quickly for Elphaba. Too quickly. She found herself being pestered with wedding preparations nonstop. She rarely got any time to herself.

"You look very beautiful, Your Highness," came a chorus of the maids as they helped Elphaba with her dress.

Elphaba smiled gratefully at them as she examined herself in the mirror. The dress was a slightly off-white color with golden trimming. The skirt reached the floor and the sleeves were long and flowy.

Galinda put the finishing touches on Elphaba's elegant updo before declaring her ready.

"Let's get this over with," she muttered under her breath once the maids left, leaving her alone in the room with Galinda.

Galinda fixed the veil over her face and, handing Elphaba her bouquet, smiled at her. "You'll b-be… fine, Elphie."

"I suppose. I'm sure this will be relatively painless… physically, at least." She took a deep breath as she left, with Galinda close behind her.

The wedding would take place in the grand ballroom. Many dignitaries from all four providences of Oz filled the room. Once they reached the bottom of the staircase, Galinda turned and gave her friend a hug. "Try to h-have f-fun."

"I don't know if "fun" is the right word, but I'll try not to hate it," Elphaba said, returning the hug. She watched as Galinda gave her one final wave before disappearing inside and she waited for her cue. A triple trumpet blast sounded and she walked in. Everyone "oohed" and "awed" as she slowly walked down the aisle, her eyes locked with Fiyero's. The captain was wearing an all-white suit, and appeared to look very nervous.

She met Fiyero at the altar and gave her bouquet to Galinda, who stepped forward to retrieve it before going back off to the side, and the couple turned to face the Wizard.

"My people," the Wizard said in an authoritive voice. "We are gathered here today to celebrate the joyous union of my beloved daughter and our esteemed captain of the royal guard."

Elphaba was barely paying attention as her father spoke. She only snapped back to reality to exchange vows and kiss. This was the first kiss she shared with the captain, and while it wasn't bad, it lacked the spark she had read about in her books; the spark that you feel when you kiss the person you are meant to be with. When they pulled away, Elphaba registered the sound of the dignitaries applauding. She took Fiyero's arm and played the part of a happy couple as they walked down the aisle, allowing the guests to throw rice over their heads.

After they went up on the balcony to great the people, they both retired inside.

"Well… that was fun," Fiyero said, trying to lighten the mood as they walked into their new, shared bedroom.

"Indeed," Elphaba agreed dryly.

"Elphaba, sit with me. Please," Fiyero said as he sat down on the bed.

Elphaba obeyed her husband and sat down next to him, but avoided his gaze.

"I feel… I feel like I don't know you. I mean… we've talked a bit and I… well… I barely know you. And I'm sure you feel the same way about me."

Elphaba still didn't say anything.

"Are you happy with me?"

"Happy with you?" Elphaba repeated.

"Happy with the fact that we had to marry."

"We didn't have much of a choice, did we?"

"But if we did, eventually, would you have chosen to marry me?"

"What's the point of having my opinion? I know the real reason you wanted this."

Fiyero blinked. "What?"

Elphaba rose to her feet. "You knew that if you could climb you way to a high position here, you could earn the privilege of marrying me and one day becoming the King of Oz."

"Th-That's what you think?" Fiyero asked, shocked.

"I know all about your past. I know how you got kicked out of six universities and were known for parting and drinking and bedding every brainless girl you saw."

"That's not true!" Fiyero argued, also rising to his feet.

"Yes it is and you know it! You just wanted all the power and attention I would bring you. That's why you wanted to become captain of the guard and win some battle in a mountain range that no one cares about!"

"Elphaba –"

"You care nothing about me and probably never will!"

"Woman –"

"And furthermore –"

Before Elphaba could finish, Fiyero quickly slapped her across the face. Elphaba yelped and fell to the floor. Nursing her cheek, she looked up at her husband, whose hand was still in the air. Fiyero looked at his hand, then back at Elphaba as the reality of what he just did sunk in. "Elphaba –"

"I knew it," Elphaba whispered brokenly, pushing herself to her feet, glaring daggers into Fiyero's eyes.

"Elphaba, please, I'm s-"

"Save it," Elphaba hissed, holding up her hand to silence him. "I refuse to be in this room any longer with you, husband or not."

Fiyero watched as Elphaba turned on her heels and hurried out the room. He sank onto the bed and ran his hands through his hair. What had he done?

Elphaba knocked on Galinda's door, hoping she wasn't sleeping off the excitement of the wedding. Luckily, Galinda was wide-awake and quickly answered the door, surprised to find Elphaba standing on the other side, her eyes filled with unushered tears she refused to let fall. "E-Elphie?"

Elphaba walked past Galinda and looked out her window, looking down at the snow covered gardens. Galinda stepped beside her friend and gasped, seeing the dark green mark on her cheek that meant blood must have been rushing to her face. She lightly touched it and Elphaba flinched, turning away.

"What h-happened?" Galinda asked, gently guiding Elphaba to sit on her bed.

"Nothing," Elphaba muttered, looking down.

Galinda knelt down in front of her friend. "Y-You're s-still in… wedding d-dress."

Elphaba realized that she completely forgot to take off her dress and allowed Galinda to assist her. Galinda gave Elphaba one of her cotton dresses to wear for the time being.

"Did… C-Captain…"

"He hit me," Elphaba whispered, a single tear sliding down her cheek and she stubbornly wiped it away. "He said that nothing we learned about him was true. I told him I knew he was lying and he hit me."

"Oh, Elphie," Galinda said soothingly, rubbing the back of her hand.

"I refuse to live the rest of my life like this, Galinda," Elphaba said as she finally looked at her friend. "I don't want this."

"I know, E-Elphie," Galinda said. She wrapped her arms around the green girl and smiled softly when she felt her return the hug. "Tea?"

"Okay," Elphaba sighed, releasing the blonde and watching as she disappeared.

Galinda was walking back up the stairs with the tea when she ran into Fiyero. She curtsied deeply, not wanting to spill the tea or drop the teacups.

"Have you seen Elphaba?" Fiyero asked quickly, almost desperately. He continued without waiting for an answer. "Of course you've seen her. Do you know where she is?"

"Yes," Galinda nodded, knowing that Elphaba was still very upset with the captain.

"Where is she? I need to speak with her."

"Sh-She said she… w-wanted p-privacy."

Fiyero sighed. "Can you ask her if she'll speak to me?"

Galinda nodded, curtsied, and hurried away back to Elphaba. She told her that Fiyero was looking for her and wanted to talk to her.

"Well, that's good for him, but I am not ready to speak to him," Elphaba said loudly, knowing Fiyero was on the other side of the door.

"Elphaba, please, it's important," Fiyero said from the other side of the closed door.

Elphaba frowned and sipped her tea. "I will stay in here for as long as I please. Then, if I feel so inclined, I will come out, but that does not mean I will speak with you."

"Can I come in, then, and save time?"

"No."

Fiyero exhaled. "Fine. But you know you must come back to our room by tonight."

Elphaba stiffened. "I refuse to consummate a marriage I wish never took place!"

"Well, fine! Be that way! I wish I never married a stubborn, spoilt, egotistical princess like you anyway!" he yelled at the closed door. He heard the sound of something dropping and a struggle of some sort, probably Galinda trying to stop Elphaba from getting to the door, before something soft, probably a pillow, hit the door. Grumbling to himself, he stalked back to his room, knowing he would get Elphaba to come back one way or another.

"Let me go, Galinda!" Elphaba grunted as she fought to get to the door. "He will pay for that!"

"Elphie, n-no!" Galinda said, Elphaba's force pulling her behind the green girl before she dug her heels into the carpet. "St-Stop!"

"I will not go back to him. Not tonight, nor ever. Man or not, I am the one of royal blood and it will be as I say. And I will not go with him."

"B-But… wedding n-night… scandal…"

Elphaba sighed. "No one needs to know we didn't consummate. It's a stupid tradition anyway. I will do away with it as soon as I have the power. I will not sleep with that pigheaded Winkie. Let him bed some other girl tonight."

"E-Elphie…"

It took a lot of pacing, muttering, cursing, and throwing Galinda's pillows for Elphaba to calm down enough to hear reason.

"He p-probably w-wants to a-apolo-gize," Galinda reasoned.

"I suppose," Elphaba said half-heartedly.

"Just l-listen to... h-him."

Elphaba forced a very slightly smile. "Okay, Glin. I'll try to just listen to him."

Galinda smiled and hugged her friend. "Good l-luck."

Elphaba went back to the bedroom that night, still upset, though willing to listen. Fiyero looked up from where he was reading in bed and blinked, clearly surprised to see the green girl. "Elphaba," he said as he put his book aside.

"Fiyero," Elphaba said curtly.

"We… can we talk?"

Elphaba raised an eyebrow. "It's our wedding night, you know what we have to do, and you want us to 'talk'?"

Fiyero frowned. "Do you want to talk?"

"I… yes. I'm sorry," Elphaba said.

Fiyero's face softened and he gave her a gentle smile before scooting over and patting the vacant spot next to him. Elphaba slipped under the covers and turned to face the prince.

"Let's talk," she said, bracing herself for whatever was to come.


Elphaba and Galinda's dresses from the last chapter are now up on my blog, along with Elphaba's wedding dress from this chapter.