I Fall

Into You

Chapter 7

Shadows

AN: Hello everyone! Well, the reactions were exactly how I figured they would be the thirst for Galinda's blood to be spilled! Lol. Thank you all for the great reviews! Can I say, they all made me laugh? Lol. I'm sorry for the last chapter, but hey, it's all part of the plot. Though I promise in this chapter, there's some Fiyeraba fluff for you all. And I promise more in the next. Well, L8lzytwner, thank you for your review(s), they made me laugh and I truly cherished them. Ravencurls, I'm so happy to not lose you as a reader! I would be so sad if I did! Swear it! ComingAndGoingByBubble, Galinda is making me do it, honesty! Lol, yes she's an evil character, but as the story progresses, she will start to change, for the better? Elphab-WWW, wow! 14 seconds! That's unbelievable! I bow to your skills! Lol. And the wonderful Fae the Queen, sadly, it's going to take A LOT to melt that frigid heart of hers. But don't worry, it will happen. Okay, here's the next chapter, I hope you all enjoy it! As always, let me know in a review, love it, hate it, come on and let it spill, I can take it! Lol Thanks again, and just a warning, the next chapter may take a bit to be uploaded. Busy weekend. Thanks again. Love you guys! By the way…ChaoticSymphonyOfDarkness…where are you?

Galinda remained numbed, frozen to the floor; a twitch was the only give away that she was alive, for she looked like a broken doll, splayed out on the ground.

Her heart cracked little by little, with each horrendifying echoing scream; a phantom's yell, resonating deep from within her heart, and reverberating throughout her entire body.

The valley of scars marring a field of emerald, remained frozen within her brain, fading into the darkness, flickers of blood, echoing whimpers of pain, of defeat, of despair of a broken soul, crying out to the heavens; silence on its heels.

She didn't know how long she remained there, on the ground, surrounding by the remnants of her stomach, mixed with crimson sparkling in the sunlight. Cascading waves of gold and splints of dark gold fell over her trembling shoulders.

Rippling lines of faded black drip down her face, revealing tear stains long since dried by the heat of the afternoon sun, half glisten on her face, giving the woman an almost haunted look. It was frightening; a mirrored ghost of an image to the beauty she once held.

"Galinda?" came a voice, shattering the silent chaos crashing in around her.

Robotically, Galinda rose on her arms, her hands flat on the ground, cushioned her weight. Her legs curled limp behind her, and her head bowed as her dark cerulean eyes stared placid down at the ground, the frozen tears in her eyes made the swirls of cerulean and sky blue sparkle within her majestic orbs. Her small, fragile lips were partially parted, revealing small tips of her pearl white teeth.

Suddenly, she tensed at the feel of warm hands, caressing her arms, pulling her up, and gently forcing her head to rest against a stone built chest. It wasn't until said hands, caressed her wet cheek, whilst the other gently curled within her golden curls. The scent of Munchkinwood filled her senses, making her head spin, and her heart to beat frantically within her chest. She knew that scent, for only one man wore that cologne.

Slowly, Galinda tilted her head up, till her dark cerulean stared into sea blue, mixed with small sparkles of emerald staring lovingly down at her.

The man's skin was soft, and white as the sand along the shores of Lake Chorge. His hair was the same golden sheen as hers save for small swirls of canary yellow waves trickled throughout his hair; like a sunset slowly dipping below the edge of the horizon in the Gillikin. He was tall, with a muscular built, and an angelic face.

"Avarice" whispers Galinda, her voice was low, small, and broken.

Avarice Tenmeadows was the twin brother to Avaric and the next in line to the Tenmeadows fortune. He was as shrewd as he was cunning, with a quite wit and an eye for deals.

He and Galinda had been childhood friends since the two were toddling around their mother's skirts. For a long time, the Uplands, and the Tenmeadows almost dared believe their children to be married, when they reached the proper age. Though, that thought quickly changed, when Fiyero Tiggular came upon the scene.

Avarice's family heritage was rooted deep into the Gillikin, for his mother was a Duchess, with strong talents in potions and herbs. His father was Admiral to the last of the Ozma's regime.

"Glinny…why in Oz are you crying…what happened to bring about such sorrow?" asks Avarice, his voice was soft, yet held an edge of anger.

She knew that anger; for it was no secret how much Avarice truly despised the Vinkun Prince. After all, he had taken the one thing that Avarice was unable to acquire, which was something he was not used too. After all, throughout his entire life, Avarice always got what he wanted, no matter what, or whom he had to step on to get it.

She knew his anger, his loathing for her husband. She also knew his feelings for her, and even though her heart screamed for her to stop, she couldn't resist, but use his infatuations for her, to her advantage.

"Oh Avarice!" wails Galinda. Dramatically, she falls into Avaric's chest, and starts weeping.

His heart twisted and his fists clenched, feeling the blonde beauty shake so violently against him with such tears, and pain. If her husband had so far as laid a finger on her, he was going to pay, and pay dearly.

"Glinny…what's the matter?" asks Avarice, gently he wraps his arms around her, and his right hand lovingly cups her cheek, the other rests placid against her back.

"It's been…hor…horrendible! I can barely bare it!" wails Galinda.

She could feel him stiffen, and inwardly, a small, wicked smile started to tug at the sides of her lips, before being washed away by the tears of her heartache.

"What's so horrendible Glinny? Tell me? Did that no good son-of-a-Winkie hurt you?" growls Avarice.

"No no…nothing like that" gasps Galinda, as she pulls her head back to stare incredulously into Avaric's sparkling blue diamond eyes.

"Then what…tell me" pleads Avaric.

Sighing, Galinda collapses against Avarice's chest as more tears start to dance down her porcelain face.

"A…about a month ago.." sputters Galinda.

"Yes" seethes Avarice through clenched teeth.

"FiFi…came home…with this…this..thing!" wails Galinda, waving her arms dramatically in the air.

"A thing?"

"A horrible green freak of a whore!" wails Galinda.

"A whore…who's green?" gasps Avarice.

Galinda noted how the color in Avarice's face drained away at the mention of the woman with green skin. Deciding that one, her story was more important than the reasons for Avarice's reaction, Galinda pushed on, deciding to question him on this later.

"Yes…skin as green as sin" seethes Galinda.

"Where…where did he find her?" asks Avarice, his voice was hoarse and low, a hidden emotion, laced deep within.

"The Shadow District" sighs Galinda, not enjoying the fact that, once again, the attention has once again been taken off of her, and onto the Artichoke.

"What…what company had she been keeping?" swallows Avarice.

"What…Avarice…what has this anything to do with me and FiFi!" snaps Galinda, irritated now that the green woman has taken president over her once more.

"Just answer the question" snaps Avarice.

Ozforbid he loved her, but he really hated her selfish side. She was the prime example of one who had been born with a silver spoon in her mouth.

"Some merchant in the Shadow District…I guess FiFi said she was being sold as a prostitute since she was nine" replies Galinda, pouting.

"A merchant aye" replies Avarice.

Galinda watches, as Avarice places two thick fingers beneath his chin. His eyes phased out of focus in deep concentration. Oz this was frustrating, why in Oz's name, would that be of any importance to him?

Snapping out of his thoughts, Avarice gave Galinda a sheepish smile, at the sight of her frowning, angrily back at him, her slender hands balled into fists, resting on each hip.

"Sorry Glinny…you were saying"

"He brings her home while I was out at the Palace…and I come home to find that…that THING laying curled in one of my favorite beds! So I freak out, and scream for her to leave, throwing things at her while screaming for Fiyero to come and help me!"

"You threw your shoes at the woman?" asks Avarice, one eye brow raised.

"No…don't be silly" giggles Galinda.

"Aha…Ozforbid you do that" laughs Avarice.

"Can I continue…or are you going to keep being rude and interrupt me!" snaps Galinda, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Go on Princess" laughs Avarice, as he makes a grand sweeping motion with his arm.

"So I'm throwing things at her, beating her with my fists, when FiFi comes in and screams at me…he actually has the tenacity to scream at me!"

"And?" asks Avarice.

"He told me not to hurt her…or he'd have me thrown in Southstairs. So I ignore her, until I come across her peeing in the corner of my favorite room!" wails Galinda.

"Peeing…like an animal?" asks Avarice, laughing in amusement.

"Not funny Avarice…the room still smells like her un-godly piss" growls Galinda.

"Sorry honey…couldn't help myself" laughs Avarice.

"He came storming in and grabbed me by the wrist, spun me around to face him, he backed me away" cries Galinda.

"Backed you away…why?"

"Oh I was beating on her…she was like a stupid animal and needed to be punished!" growls Galinda.

"And?" asks Avarice.

"He told me never to touch her again. My mother came later and we came up with this grand plan to rid my life of that aberration!"

"A plan…which consisted of what?" asks Avarice amused.

"A set up…I placed some of my fine jewels in the green beans bed, accuse her of thievery. Fiyero comes and sees the evidence and has the Gale Force come and remove her from our home…she goes to Southstairs. And me and FiFi return back to marital bliss" sighs Galinda.

"I'm guessing that didn't happen?" asks Avarice, as he indicates towards the large pool of blood. Torn pieces of ebony fabric laid half tilted in the crimson gore.

"Not exactly. She was found guilty of thievery…but the Captain told Fiyero she would either receive fifty lashes by public display…or thirty by his own hands…you can guess what he took" sighs Galinda, her voice softening at the last part.

"He…he did that?" asks Avarice, as he nods to the blood.

"Yes" replies Galinda, sniffling.

"So…how exactly does that explain you laying here...alone and crying?" asks Avarice, confused.

"He forced me to watch" whispers Galinda softly, almost in a whisper. If Avarice hadn't been paying attention, he would have missed it.

"He made you watch!" roars Avarice, the rage from before once again bubbling to the surface.

"He forced me to watch!" cries Galinda. "He had that wretched Captain hold me, keeping me from leaving!"

"Why?" asks Avarice, through clenched teeth. If he wasn't ready to beat Fiyero to a blood pulp before, he sure was itching to now.

"Cause he knew" whispers Galinda.

"Knew…knew what?" asks Avarice, confused.

"That I set the whole thing up" replies Galinda softly.

For a moment, all Avarice could do was stand there, and stare at the blonde beauty who should have been his wife. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Sure Galinda could be deceiving, cruel-hearted and bitchy. But never, in all his years of knowing the blonde beauty, had he ever wagered on her being sadistic!

"I…I don't" starts Avarice.

"Please Avarice! You have to help me! I'm losing him!" pleads Galinda.

"Glinny…I" starts Avarice, as he starts to back out of the room.

"You don't understand…its wearing off! I can feel it! His heart is straying…and I fear that there is nothing I can do! I can't lose him Avarice! Not when I'm so close to achieving everything that we had always wanted!" pleads Galinda, her voice getting more and more hysterical.

"Everything…Glinny what in Oz are you talking about?" asks Avarice confused.

"Don't play dumb with me Avarice…you have a part in this whole scheme of things! You're just as deep in this as me!"

"Glinny…I don't know what you're talking about" replies Avarice.

Slowly, the six foot tall man backs out of the room, hands up, palms open in front of his chest, as if blocking an unforeseen attack.

"Avarice…your as terrible a liar as your brother" replies Galinda.

"Glinny I really don't know what you're talking about…you're obviously upset. I'll leave and come back when you're more…sane"

Worried Avarice spins on his heels and starts towards the door, but the darkness in Galinda's voice, stops him cold.

"What if I told the Gale Force Captain your families little plot from the past…eighteen years ago…when the symbol of Oz disappeared…and the Shadow's descended down upon the City of Emeralds" replies Galinda darkly.

Slowly, Avarice turns to once again face the blonde. His eyes widen at the sight of the petite woman, standing before him, one knee slightly bent, her slim figure limp, and one elegant finger curls a golden strand.

"I" starts Avarice. "How do you"

"I know a lot Avarice…I know a lot…and if you don't want to have that exposed then you'll do as I say and help me rid my home, and my life of this freak" replies Galinda darkly.

Knowing he's beaten, Avarice turns fully to face Galinda. His head bows as his body goes relaxes. His hands fold on top of each other and rest against his chiseled abdomen.

It was, seeing him in this pose, that Galinda finally took notice of his outfit. He wore a crisp white dress shirt under a dark blue vest, with gold outlining the fine edges. His pants were of fine Gillikin black silk that matched his shoes. A silver chain hung loose around his neck, the pendant at the end, remained half hidden, beneath his shirt.

"What do you wish of me?" asks Avarice.

A soft, yet wicked smile, slides across Galinda's face at Avarice's defeated stance. She had him, and he knew it, for she held all the cards, and she would use them, if only to get what she wanted.

Upstairs, Fiyero held the shaking emerald woman lithely within his arms. His dark sapphire eyes glistened with unshed tears, and his heart cracked little by little, hearing the soft, pain-filled whimpers slipping past her quivering lips.

He hated himself for what he was forced to do. Though he hated his wife more, for it was because of her jealousy which forced the Prince into such a precarious position.

Shaking those feelings aside, Fiyero very gently laid Elphaba's trembling body down on the bed, and, pulling the covers up to her waist, took a seat beside her, his eyes never leaving her quivering form.

Was it really but a few minutes ago, that he had enforced such brutality upon this innocent soul, that her body was met once again with the brutal kiss of the whip?

Sighing, Fiyero buried his head in his blood-stained hands. His heart hurt, and his body was completely numb. A hard shudder, rained down his entire body, at the echoing screams, reverberating within his aching skull, the blood, the tears, the cries, all it, like a phantom's kiss upon his skin, a stain, that would not be removed.

"Sir" came a timid voice, shaking the broken Prince from his nightmarish thoughts. Slowly, Fiyero turned to see Mirabelle standing at the threshold a basin of warm water in her hands, two towels hung from her arms, and a basket of rolls of cloth and scissors hanging from her right arm. A timid smile lighted her face, as she waited in the awkward silence of the room.

Weakly, Fiyero rose from the chair, and crossing the room, timidly took the procured items from the Maid. Licking his lips, Fiyero's eyes barely rose high enough from the ground to look at her, as he choked back a sob. Licking his lips, Fiyero forced out the words, hanging at the edge his tongue.

"Thank you Mirabelle" replies Fiyero.

"You're welcome sir" bows Mirabelle.

"Your dismissed…take the rest of the day off" croaks Fiyero.

"Thank you sir" bows Mirabelle.

"Fiyero"

"E..excuse me?" asks Mirabelle, shocked, she stares wide-eyed at her Master. Never, in all her years, had she ever addressed her employer by their first names. It just wasn't done.

"Please…call me Fiyero" replies Fiyero, his voice soft, like a baby's whisper, a ghost of smile, tugging at his thin lips.

"Fiyero" smiles Mirabelle.

Fiyero drops the items on the floor as his arms wrap suddenly around Mirabelle's waist, making the maid go rigid, and freezing in place.

For a moment, the maid stood there, not daring to move, as her Master's arms tightened around her. Soft sobs filled her ears, breaking her heart. Never, had she heard, nor seen her Master so lost, so broken.

Slowly, Mirabelle wound her arms around the Prince's shaking form, and gently, she patted his back. It was a mother's instinct, one that Mirabelle knew all too well, for neither did the Prince, nor his wife know, that Mirabelle was a mother of three; two boys and an infant daughter. A secret, that Mirabelle had kept to herself.

In reality, she really didn't need job, for unlike many of the servants here in the City of Emeralds; Mirabelle was actually quite wealthy, having married a rich business man. But regardless of her station, she chose to take work as a Maid, if only to help bring in extra money; if not her own. Plus it didn't help that she had developed a mother's love and care, for the handsome Prince.

"It will be alright Fiyero…I promise you" soothes Mirabelle.

"How…how can it?" croaks out Fiyero.

Laughing slightly, Mirabelle gives Fiyero's back a slight pat, before pulling back. Her soft silver blue eyes sparkle sunlight, bubbles back at the Prince, shadows of a mischievous grin, and flickers within her beautiful orbs.

"It's always the darkest before the light. The Shadows may fall, but Light will always outshine the Darkness" is all Mirabelle says.

Confused, Fiyero stands rigid, as his mind tries to process the hidden meaning behind Mirabelle's words.

Smiling, Mirabelle quickly gathers the fallen objects, and places them back in Fiyero's open arms. Standing on her tip toes, Mirabelle gently sweeps her hand through Fiyero's tangled locks, before placing a gentle hand on his cheek.

"Seek the past…in order to find and conquer your future" replies Mirabelle.

With that Mirabelle turns and heads towards the door.

Snapping out of his stupor, Fiyero takes a step towards Mirabelle, his free hand reaching out towards the back of her dress, to the ties of her apron.

"Wait! What in Oz are you?" starts Fiyero.

Turning abruptly, Mirabelle stares darkly back at the Prince. The look in her eyes sends chills down his spine. A slight smile, tugged at the sides of her lips.

"You are her past…her present and her future…protect her…and she will do the same" With that, Mirabelle turns and steps towards the door.

"But!"

Stopping, Mirabelle looks over her shoulder at the Prince, a spark, flickers within her eyes, making the Prince relax his stance.

"She'll forgive you Fiyero" replies Mirabelle.

"How do you know?" asks Fiyero softly.

Smiling, Mirabelle touches her nose softly, before turning once more, and disappearing down the hall.

"What in Oz?" asks Fiyero.

Soft whimpers pull Fiyero from his thoughts. Immediately, Fiyero turns and runs back to Elphaba's side. Setting the bowl down, he takes one of the towels and lithely dips it in the warm liquid. Wringing out the extra, he brings the towel close to Elphaba's bleeding, and torn back.

Slowly, Fiyero lowers his head down to Elphaba head. His lips, hover mere inches from her half exposed ear half hidden beneath a veil of ebony, and as if sensing him near, Elphaba weakly jerks away from the Prince.

His heart cracks, seeing the emerald beauty pull away from him. Stilling his emotions Fiyero leans closer, then but not as close as he was before.

"Elphaba…I'm going to clean your wounds" replies Fiyero softly.

Not waiting for a response, nor wanting her to jerk away again, Fiyero very carefully starts to dab at broken emerald skin. The fine white towel clutched loose within his fingers immediately becomes stained with blood.

Whimpers and cries of pain slip past Elphaba's lips as Fiyero continues his gentle ministrations. It broke him more, seeing her writhe beneath him, her cries of pain cracking his heart more.

The trust was gone, broken, just like a gilded mirror smashed by the hands of rage, the shards laying in a sea of broken crystal before his feet, mirroring back the horrors of a nightmare that he just couldn't awaken from.

"I'm so sorry Elphaba…I'm so sorry" whispers Fiyero.

"Fiyero" came a voice.

A squeak of fright and Elphaba tries to thrash away from the Prince's touch. Lucky for her, Fiyero managed to grab her, before she could fall off the bed, and crack her head open.

Grunting, Fiyero managed to place Elphaba back on the bed, and with one hand holding her wrist, he turns and all but glares icily back at the one who had sent the emerald beauty into hysteria.

His eyes though, immediately soften, at the sight of Avaric, his longtime friend and companion, stand at the entryway. He was but a foot taller than the Vinkun Prince, with dark blue eyes. Though, if the sun caught his eyes just right, one could see the small flickers silver, swirling within his majestic orbs. His hair was a golden wheat color, with small highlights of darkened gold, splayed within. He was of a muscular built, with thick fingers and tree trunk size arms.

"Avaric…what are you doing here?" asks Fiyero softly.

"I came to see how you were doing" replies Avaric softly.

Frowning, Fiyero stared confused back at his friend, for his friends eyes, were normally stormy, strong and full of life. This time though, a haunted look stared back at him, brokenness, and emptiness shimmered within.

It took Fiyero a moment to realize, that the look in Avaric's eyes were not coming from him, but behind him. Slowly, he turned in his seat to see Elphaba, whimpering in the bed, her lithe body curled in on itself, half-hazard dangled along the edge of the bed. Her dark, chocolate eyes stared broken back at Avaric.

"Do you…know her?" asks Fiyero, a little annoyed by how his friend was staring at the emerald woman.

"No I…I have to go" is all Avaric can bring himself to say.

"Avaric!"

But his words merely echo within the silent room as his friend quickly turns and runs down the hallway, leaving Fiyero alone once more.

"Odd" is all Fiyero says.

Slowly, he turns back to face Elphaba. A soft sigh, slips past his lips, seeing Elphaba clinging to the bed, half her body lay limp on the floor.

"Oz this is going to be hard"

Avaric brushed past servant and Maid, never even bothering to apologize. Bursting through the door, Avaric jumped immediately into his awaiting carriage, and, slamming the door, slumped against the seat.

"It…it can't be" huffs Avaric.