(A/N: This is just a little chapter to get the ball rolling. Do enjoy, and thank you for all reviews and readings)

"Ooooh! You impertinent little thing!" Fiyero rolled his eyes heavenward as the abominable howl drifted throughout the large castle. Today it seemed would be like any other day, which would be like every other five minutes. He had hired a tutor for his children, the lovely, if not aged Madame Scrouch. She was known for her strict teaching methods, although now Fiyero thought she'd be better remembered if associated instead by her howls of frustration and anger. However not once had Fiyero heard the old hag howl at his children. Actually, her long, droning almost, glass-breaking noises were preserved for the Tiggular's guest, whom last time Fiyero had checked, was not a pupil of Miss Scrouch.

"You know I'm beginning to think Fiyero, that Madame Scrouch should have an aneurism of sorts and keel over," Avaric grumbled, the howls putting even him in a sour mood, "It would please me very much."

"Homicidal tendencies Avaric, tsk, tsk." Fiyero said, sipping his tea.

"There's nothing homicidal in an accidental, natural aneurism. And there's certainly nothing wrong with wishing for it." he huffed, "And quite frankly, at this point it doesn't even matter if she has the aneurism or I do, either way I shall most certainly be rid of such sordid sounds."

"Did you ever think that maybe the problem is in Miss Elphaba and not Madame Scrouch?" Lila asked, droningly, raising an eyebrow at Avaric.

"Miss Elphaba isn't the one calling forth all of the stray dogs in the neighborhood." Avaric quipped.

"If she wouldn't bother the poor dear so much we'd all be saved of a lot of headaches I'm sure." Lila refilled her and Avaric's lemonade glasses moodily, the screeches obviously had taken their toll on her usually regal mood.

"Yes well with both sides equally guilty, I will almost always assume the younger, prettier side." Avaric grouched, sipping his lemonade.

"If not greener." Lila muttered under her breath. Fiyero sighed. Usually such snarky gossipy comments he would dispose of quickly and order a subject change, but since the beginning of Madame Scrouch's incessant howling, everyone was granted foul mood and action free of consequence. But even though they were all entitled and welcome to foul moods, it did not necessarily mean they desired to stay in bitter moods the rest of the summer holiday. No, no, Fiyero would have to handle this. He did not want to, he was not looking forward to it, but as man of the castle, who else was there to solve the problem? He was after all the fool who'd hired her in the first place, and he was also, that even bigger fool who'd agreed to have Miss Thropp guest in his castle.

"I will go settle matters." Fiyero finally stood, reluctantly, "We'll get things fixed once and for all." he decided and he angrily stormed inside. To say that he was displeased by the ungodly screeches would be an understatement. And with whom he was angrier with, could not be said.

"It's not my fault if you refuse to teach the children the correct-" Fiyero heard Miss Elphaba yelling at the tutor and he felt his brain throb with all the noise.

"Now you listen to me you little cabbage-!" Madame Scrouch's reply was louder and far more painful than any of the things her counter arguer had yelled.

"Now what the devil is going on in here?" Fiyero shouted, coming into the room, making both ladies jump. Madame Scrouch was the first to react.

"Your Highness this young woman just comes traipsing-"

"I assure you I do not traipse anywhere." Elphaba snapped, but the Madame continued undeterred.

"- into my class time whenever she pleases and then insists that my lessons are illegitimate and incorrect!" the old woman stabbed her unusually plushy finger in Elphaba's direction with much vigor and frustration.

"Miss Elphaba, I don't know how many times I have asked you. Madame Scrouch is only here for two hours each day, is there nothing you can do during those two hours besides interrupting her lessons?" Fiyero asked her in a strained voice. Elphaba crossed her arms indignantly.

"Well excuse me Sir if I happen to care that your children are being incorrectly educated."

"You little cockroach, you stupid little-" even in his furious state, Fiyero did not quite agree with Madame Scrouch's defensive habit of insult and name-calling.

"Madame Scrouch, if you would please refrain from screaming." Fiyero rubbed his temple. Madame Scrouch's mouth flopped open silently after much gasping and spluttering.

"Well how else am I supposed to get rid of this rude little-"

"Madame, I assure you your creativity is not needed, she has a name, use that." Fiyero held his hand up for her to stop.

"Name? Well I'll be damned if a discolored little creature like that's even got one." the old woman harrumphed. Fiyero's eyes flickered over to Elphaba, trying to gauge her reaction. He saw a flash of hurt cross her face, but she quickly straightened up and pretended not to care. Her badly faked nonchalance made Fiyero feel badly, and he wished the old crone was more sensitive to other's feelings, particularly, Miss Elphaba's. While Miss Elphaba was not Fiyero's favorite person in the world, he felt she deserved to be called by her name at least.

"Madame Scrouch that was uncalled for." Fiyero said tightly.

"Now, just whose side are you on, anyhow?" the old woman turned to squint her eyes at him, betrayal evident in her tone.

"Miss Scrouch, you are making this far more dramatic than it needs be." Fiyero hushed her, his voice cautious, the woman was about to crack, any moment now.

"ME?" she screeched, "Dramatic?" she sucked in a deep breath, "Well I nnnneevveeer!" she huffed, "I'm leaving." she announced, "You can have your stupid stick of asparagus here teach the children, this entire castle has just sent me bonkers and I for one shall not stand for such treatment any longer." she grabbed her bag and stormed out of the room.

"Bonkers indeed." Elphaba muttered under her breath as she strode from the room.

"And I suppose you think you can teach my children something Miss Scrouch couldn't?" Fiyero fumed, following her into the hall, slamming the door behind him, "You think you are capable of tutoring them?"

"I do, Sir." Elphaba nodded, "I am actually more than capable if I do say so myself."

"A very modest assumption Miss Thropp." Fiyero muttered sarcastically.

"If I am anything, it is humble Master Tiggular." Elphaba quipped back, just as sarcastically. Fiyero's eyes widened at her rebuttal and he turned back around to face her.

"Perhaps you do not understand that modesty is a trait that is generally likeable in a person." Fiyero rolled his eyes, "Conceitedness however is not."

"Nor is grouchiness." Elphaba mumbled. Fiyero's lips thinned.

"You're very outspoken." he noted with a dangerous growl.

"I've been told." Elphaba quipped back just as quick.

"Outspokenness, another trait-" Fiyero began.

"Also unappealing, I know." Elphaba interrupted him.

"And add to that list your discourteous knack for interruption." The King snapped before she had the chance to interrupt him, which she very clearly had tried to do. She scowled at him and the King certainly returned the look, "Now, where were we?" he asked, truly in wonder how he'd gone from the dismissal of Madame Scrouch to the brutal scrutiny of all of Miss Elphaba's traits which he found unfavorable.

"We started with a matter of modesty." Miss Elphaba reminded him.

"Ah yes-" Fiyero could say no more before what should have been a quite predictable interruption.

"I don't see why I can't flaunt my intelligence the same way other women flaunt their beauty, it only seems fair." Elphaba shrugged.

"Excuse me, but how have we suddenly jumped to the subject of beauty and intelligence if modesty was the topic at start?" Fiyero asked, furrowing his brow.

"You accused me of being conceited because of my confident statement that I could educate your children better than Miss Scrouch. However it is hardly a crime when a woman puts on makeup and fancy dresses to enhance her beauty and therefore show it off, so it should hardly be a crime for me to speak, very lightly might I add, about my intellectual capabilities which I think I should be proud of."

"If you really do possess such intellect as you boast, then you should be proud." Fiyero relented, grumpily, not liking her fast talk as he felt somewhat left behind in what had started off as an equally stimulating and balanced argument.

"Like I said," Elphaba nodded, "It only seems fair."

"Fair?" Fiyero asked, raising an eyebrow and growing thoroughly irritated. She had now put him into a light state of confusion and he felt even more behind. Slowness was not something Fiyero was accustomed to.

"Please don't pretend you don't know what I mean." Elphaba sighed with a huff.

"I assure you I do not understand what the devil you are talking about." the King sent her a cautionary glare, warning her to speak up. She however, was not effected as he had planned by the glare and his answer was just as stubborn as the first.

"Well then I do not wish to expand on the subject." Elphaba said, avoiding his gaze. Fiyero stared at her for another quizzical moment and then upon noticing how the light pink blush tinted her cheeks and she avoided his gaze, he realized exactly what she had been speaking about. He supposed to quite a few people it seemed there were two types of women; beautiful women, and then smart women. He supposed Miss Elphaba thought herself to only acquire properties from the latter. If Miss Elphaba was as smart as she had boasted, she should know that there did exist women in the world with generous amounts of both properties. He had been married to one.

A silence settled between the two as Fiyero realized and Elphaba realized he had realized. Fiyero felt that now that he'd realized what he'd realized, there was nothing to say. Complimenting her would embarrass her and ignoring the subject might possibly sound like a concurrence to her own thoughts, therefore inadvertently offending her. Fiyero was saved from this dilemma however by nosey Avaric, who upon hearing the shouting and slamming of doors had bounded up to see what all the fuss was about.

"So you've done it?" he asked Fiyero, happily, "Gotten rid of the old hag?"

"Madame Scrouch shall not be returning." Fiyero nodded, turning to his friend and away from the embarrassed guest with relief.

"Happy Days are here again." Avaric smiled. His eyes darted across the room to Elphaba, still blushing as she looked down at her shoes. He frowned, "What's going on here?" he asked, "Don't tell me that old talk about showers has been dredged up again. I assure you I was joking about the disco balls."

"Oh nothing of that sort." Elphaba quickly said.

"Well what has mean old Fiyero said to make-" Fiyero noticed with grievance that Avaric was about to tease the poor girl again, which would undoubtedly garner even more unintentional blushing. While normally Fiyero would be game, he decided she'd suffered enough at his hand for the day. He jumped to her rescue, interrupting his friend.

"I was just…complimenting Miss Elphaba on her…erhm…intellect." Fiyero said, sending a quick glance at her.

"Oh, so we have a scholar in our midst." Avaric's eyebrows rose, impressed.

"Yes I've just hired her as the children's new tutor." the words were out his mouth before he could stop them. After all harsh words and realizations had been exchanged he realized that he wanted desperately to make it up to her. Though he regretted the tumbling words, he was happy to see her finally at ease in the room as she beamed at him excitedly.


(Alright, so that's that. I do hope you enjoyed. Thanks for reading)