Guest: You're right! It could be a boy or a girl! LOL!
Ultimate Queen of Cliffies: Don't worry. You can dismiss the Frex Hunters. And you're also right. It could be a boy or a girl.
With the first week of April came beautiful weather. Galinda took to making her last four days in the Vinkus the best ever and spent most of the waking hours with Elphaba. Not that the green girl minded. She enjoyed spending time with her best friend. The blonde made sure that the baby got used to hearing her voice, and even got a few kicks of responses, which made her giggle in delight.
'How are you feeling, Elphie?' she asked as the two rested on the balcony, sipping lemonade.
'Like a personal punching bag.' Elphaba signed as a sudden kick almost caused her to spill her drink.
The blonde smiled sympathetically and handed the green girl a napkin. 'Your little one just wants some attention.'
'I don't know how much more attention he or she could want at this point. He or she is pretty much active all the time and never seems to want to settle down. I'm giving all the attention now that they're ever going to get.'
Galinda chuckled. 'Do you want to go back inside?'
'In a little bit. The weather is really nice.'
The two stayed outdoors for a while longer, until Elphaba finally had enough of the baby moving and decided that she wanted to lay down. The blonde helped her friend to her feet and they walked inside. Elphaba immediately went upstairs and tried to relax, and finally, the baby seemed to calm a bit.
When she woke up a few hours later, she found herself in Fiyero's arms. She smiled as she snuggled closer to him and inhaled his sweet scent. The prince immediately wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hair. He gently rubbed her baby bump, causing Elphaba to chuckle. The two stayed silent, their fingers intertwined. Elphaba felt Fiyero's heart beating and allowed it to comfort her. Fiyero took comfort in the fact that his wife and future child were right here with him in his arms, and everything was going to be okay.
Finally, with Fiyero's help, Elphaba turned around to face him. 'How long were you here?'
'Galinda said you wanted to rest, but I was helping my father with boring, business things. I came around an hour and a half ago.' He scooted down to level with Elphaba's stomach. "I hope you didn't miss me too much, little one."
He got a kick and smiled as he rested his head against the baby bump, but something made him stiffen. Elphaba felt his movements and inquired as to what was wrong, but he didn't answer. His ear was pressed against Elphaba's stomach and his eyes were wide in awe. A smile quickly its way into his face and he let out a laugh.
'Yero?' Elphaba signed when he finally looked up at her. 'What's wrong?'
'Nothing's wrong, Fae.' Fiyero signed, still smiling. 'I just… I heard the baby's heartbeat.'
'What?'
'I just heard the baby's heartbeat.' the prince repeated.
Elphaba smiled broadly. 'That's amazing.'
Fiyero wrapped his arms around his wife's neck and kissed her passionately. 'Do you want to go and tell everyone else?'
Elphaba nodded. 'Sure.'
Needless to say, everyone was super excited and wanted to hear. Galinda had squealed when she heard the little, but strong heartbeat. Raal looked very proud and Amalie looked like she was going to cry.
After being on the receiving end of all the attention and belly touching, Elphaba excused herself for some alone-time. They didn't think anything of it, knowing how Elphaba needed some personal time ever now and again, but Fiyero sensed that there was something else wrong. After leaving Elphaba alone for a few moments, he asked a servant of her whereabouts and found her in the library. He gently touched her shoulder, trying not to startle her (even though he did, anyway), and sat down next to her. 'What's wrong?' he asked, skipping the "Are you alright?" question, since he already knew the answer to that.
Elphaba regarded him and sighed. 'Everyone's heard the baby's heartbeat.'
'I know. They seemed really happy and excited.'
'I should be able to hear it, too.'
Fiyero suddenly realized what this was about and gently pulled her into a gentle hug. "Oh, Fae," he said into her hair.
Elphaba gently pulled away. 'I'm already missing milestones, and the baby isn't even born yet. What will happen when they have their first laugh, or say their first word, or cries, or…'
'Hey.' the prince signed gently. 'Don't worry about that. You still be able to be a part of many other firsts, like their first solid foods, their first smile, their first steps…'
'But it's not enough!' Elphaba argued, interrupting him. 'Our child deserves more than a mother who can only be there half of the time.'
'You'll be there all the time, Fae. Being deaf won't change that. You have so much to teach our child; how to think for themselves, how to sign, how to have good study habits, because Oz knows I won't.'
Despite herself, Elphaba chuckled softly.
'Plus, you have people to help you. You have my parents, Galinda when she can visit, your family when they can visit, and me. We're all here for you, Fae. And we'll get through everything together. Even if you weren't deaf, we would still be here for you.'
Elphaba considered all this. She knew she would always have the support of her friends and family. She didn't realize she was crying until she felt her cheeks stinging and Fiyero quickly wiped them away, kissing her superficial burns. 'I love you.' she signed as she leaned her head against his shoulder.
'I love you, too, Fae. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you that Cally and Windon are coming tomorrow.'
Elphaba smiled. She liked Fiyero's cousins. She met them when Fiyero first took her to the Vinkus their second year of Shiz. They didn't know sign language back then, but took a quick liking to Fiyero's then-girlfriend. By the time of the wedding, they were both fluent in sign language. She hadn't seen them since the wedding, but had been in constant correspondence since then. 'I can't wait to see them again. How long are they staying?'
'Just for three days. They're coming for my parent's wedding anniversary.'
'Oh, yeah. I forgot that was this month.'
'Geez, Fae. You really have a bad case of baby brain.' the prince chuckled.
Elphaba smiled sheepishly and leaned against him. The baby seemed to be having a grand time making Elphaba feel uncomfortable by doing summersaults and kicking her rib cage. She balled her fists against Fiyero's shirt in an attempt to stop herself from crying out. Soon enough, the baby calmed and Elphaba decided to get up and walk around before it started again.
The next day, Elphaba and Galinda were relaxing in the parlor. The blonde was doing her nails while Elphaba was reading the newspaper. Fiyero came in looking positively gleeful. He jumped onto the couch next to his wife and laid his head in her lap. Elphaba looked down and saw him looking up at her with his wide, sparkling eyes.
'Is there something you wanted?' Elphaba asked, placing the newspaper aside.
'Yes. Your attention. You've been here for all of half-an-hour.'
Elphaba rolled her eyes. 'It's only been half-an-hour, Yero.'
'That's half-an-hour you didn't spend with me.' the prince pouted.
'Yero, you're going to have to get used to sharing me. We'll be parents soon.'
'I know.' The prince looked at Elphaba's stomach. "I hope you're happy."
The baby did a summersault and kicked Elphaba's bladder. The green girl excused herself to go to the bathroom and waddled out of the room. When she got back, Cally and Windon had arrived. The monarchs, Fiyero, and Galinda were greeting them in the parlor, and when Cally saw Elphaba slowly coming down the stairs, her smile broadened. 'Hi, Elphaba.'
'Hi, Cally.' the green girl smiled when she descended the steps, slightly breathless, and quickly pulled her cousin-in-law into a hug.
'How have you been?'
'Fine, considering the fact that the baby never seems to want to settle down.'
'Oh, they'll be like that, even after their born.' Cally said before turning her attention to her two children.
Windon and Elphaba greeted each other before Elphaba turned her attention back to Cally and the children. 'I didn't know you were bringing Dahlia and Maven.' Elphaba smiled as she watched as she tried to get her twin three-year-old girls together. The girl were complete carbon copies of their mother, with their shoulder-length brown, wavy hair, brown eyes, and soft features.
'I had to. Our usual babysitter got sick and we couldn't find a replacement at such a last minute notice.'
"Hey, girls," Fiyero said as the twins ran over to him and attached themselves to his pant leg.
"Hi, Uncle Yewo!" the girls chorused.
"Did you girls say hi to Auntie Elphaba?"
The girls detached themselves from the prince and ran over to their aunt, who knelt down to greet them. "Hi, Auntie Elphieba!" they giggled, hugging their aunt.
Elphaba smiled as she hugged the children, having not seen them in a year and a half.
"What's that?" Maven asked when they pulled away, pointing at Elphaba's stomach.
The green girl got the message and signed the word for 'baby'.
"Do you know what's she's saying?" Cally asked, kneeling behind her children. She had been teaching her daughters sign language so they could talk to Elphaba. "What does it look like she's doing?"
"Rocking a baby?" Maven asked, looking up at her mother.
"So what do you think the sign means?"
The girls looked at Elphaba signing and tried to figure out what she was saying. "Baby!" Dahlia finally smiled, copying Elphaba. "It means 'baby'!"
"Right! Auntie Elphaba is going to have a baby," Cally grinned.
"When?" Maven asked.
"In a few months," Fiyero smiled.
Elphaba gently took the girl's hands to get their attention. 'You'll be big cousins in a few months.'
"You'll be big cousins in a few months," Fiyero translated as he helped his wife back to her feet.
"Wow," Maven whispered, still looking at Elphaba's stomach.
Everyone soon moved into the parlor for coffee and cakes. Elphaba couldn't have any coffee, so the maid brought her a glass of warm milk instead.
'Elphaba, the girls want to know if they can feel the baby move.' Cally signed once everyone was settled.
'Of course.' the green girl smiled, opening her arms to the girls.
Maven and Dahlia ran over to their aunt and climbed onto the couch on either side of her. They both placed their little hands against Elphaba's abdomen and felt the baby move.
"If you talk to the baby, you may get a kick in response," Fiyero chirped from his chair.
"Really?" Dahlia asked.
The prince nodded. "Try it."
"Hi, baby!" the twins giggled to Elphaba's stomach.
They felt the baby kick and gasped in awe. "Mama! Mama! We felt the baby kick!" Dahlia said as they ran back into their mother's arms, jumping in excitement.
"That's wonderful, dears," Cally smiled, exchanging an amused look with Elphaba as everyone laughed.
Once things settled down and Windon took the twins up for their nap, Cally and Elphaba caught up.
'How are you really feeling?' Cally asked. 'Woman to woman.'
'Emotionally, I think I'm okay. I don't think I'm as nervous as I was about being a mother when I first found out. Physically, I still feel like a personal punching bag. I am constantly breathless and have constant back and leg pain. I can't seem to fall asleep at night, and because of that, Fiyero thinks that he has to stay up with me, even when I tell him to go back to bed.'
Cally laughed. 'I know Windon wished I would have let him sleep when I was pregnant with the twins. Have you and Fiyero started working on the nursery?'
'We haven't. I know there's a special room set aside, and Fiyero and I have seen it, but we haven't started decorating it yet.'
'I recommend starting soon. Because as your little one gets bigger, you begin to move around less and less.'
'You were carrying twins.'
'And it's still not as different.'
The next day, Fiyero, Galinda, Cally, and Elphaba went to work decorating the nursery. Fiyero had asked some servants to go up into one of the spare rooms and find any baby things that they could use. They found a surprising amount of useful items. They found Fiyero's old crib, some old baby blankets, toys, and books. They set up a rocking chair next to the crib and painted the walls a light blue. They set up the dresser and filled it with a few baby clothes and some clothes Galinda had brought with her.
'It could be a girl, Elphie.' she signed logically when Elphaba opened the suitcase filled with pink baby dresses and gave her a look.
'Or a boy. What if it's a boy?' Elphaba asked.
'Then I'll just have to wait until you have a girl.'
Elphaba rolled her eyes, but smiled. 'One baby at a time, Glin.'
The group admired their hard work once they finished. 'Do you like it, Elphaba?' Cally signed.
Elphaba looked around the room and smiled. 'I love it.'
'So do I.' Fiyero smiled, pulling Elphaba closer. 'It looks great. I'm sure the baby will love it, too.'
The following day, everyone stood in the parlor as they bid the blonde and her parents farewell.
'I'll miss you so much, Elphie.' she said as she gave her a goodbye hug.
'I'll miss you, too, Glin.' the green girl smiled, watching as the servants carried the Uplands' many suitcases into the waiting carriage.
The Uplands bid their farewells and gave thanks to the king and queen before gently telling their daughter to release the green girl. The blonde obeyed and said goodbye to the baby before following her parents.
Elphaba and Fiyero watched as the carriage drove away and vanished from sight. They were going to miss the blonde. The moment was interrupted by the baby pressing against Elphaba's bladder and kicking her ribcage. She hurried as fast as she could to the bathroom. When she came out, she had a horrible attack of back pain and went back to her room to lay down.
The wedding anniversary of the king and queen was rather eventful. There was a parade, fireworks, and a grand festival to celebrate the day. Children were off from school and played and danced in the streets. Elphaba participated in as many activities as she could before succumbing to kicks and pains and went to rest for the majority of the afternoon.
A week after Cally, Windon, Dahlia, and Maven left, with the promise that they would come back to visit and see the baby, Elphaba was in the parlor, reading. Fiyero was working with his father, and Amalie was taking an afternoon nap. The green girl looked outside and decided that she would take a quick walk to stretch her legs. She would be back before Fiyero and Raal were finished working and before Amalie woke up. Grunting softly, she pushed herself up and grabbed a light sweater before making her way outside.
The green girl smiled as she walked through the garden, looking as the last remnants of winter disappeared, making way for the flowers as they began to bloom. She didn't realize she had wandered far from the castle until she felt moisture in the air. She looked up and saw the clouds beginning to darken and she smelt the familiar scent in the air that came right before it started to rain.
She barely had time to react before it started to downpour. She covered herself as best she could, but her sweater wasn't very thick. She looked around, searching for shelter. There was a small shed around a quarter of a mile away, and she hurried as quickly as she could towards it. She made it before the rain had really affected her, but she didn't make it out unharmed. Most of the burns were on her face, neck, and arms. Her neck didn't hurt as much as her face and arms did. She knew she would probably have to apply her burn cream on her injuries soon or risk getting an infection, which would not only be horrible for her, but for the baby, as well. She subconsciously rubbed her swollen abdomen as she backed away from the shed door. What if Fiyero didn't come looking for her? Even if he did, would he know where to find her? She didn't tell anyone where she was going because she felt that she didn't have to. She just wanted to go for a quick walk. She bit her lip, knowing there wasn't much she could do except wait for the rain to stop, or wait for Fiyero.
When the prince was finished working with his father, he went into the parlor to find Elphaba, but instead, found his mother sitting on the couch, drinking a cup of tea.
"Hi, Mom. Have you seen Elphaba?" Fiyero asked.
The Queen turned and frowned slightly. "No, I thought she was with you."
"Maybe she's in the library." He quickly kissed his mother's cheek and hurried away. But she wasn't in the library. Nor in the bedroom. Nor in the kitchen or the nursery. The prince was beginning to run out of places and he was beginning to get worried. Thunder crashed from outside and he jumped, bumping against the wall.
No, he thought to himself.
He quickly found a maid and asked if Elphaba had gone outside while he was busy. She confessed that she did see the princess grab a light sweater and go out into the gardens. And that's when the prince's nerves worsened.
"Elphaba went outside!" he shouted as he ran back into the parlor.
"What?" Amalie asked as she looked up.
"Elphaba went outside and now it's raining! We have to help her! She could be hurt."
"But Elphaba wouldn't have gone outside if she knew it was going to rain," Amalie said.
"But maybe she didn't know. It wasn't raining when I started working with Dad. Who knows where she is right now?" Tears sprang to the prince's eyes as he pictured his beautiful Fae with burns all over her skin. "I have to go out there!"
"Fiyero, you cannot go outside in the rain!" Amalie chided gently.
"But I have to! Fae could be hurt! She needs me! We can't wait for the rain to stop before we look for her."
Amalie saw the love and worry in her son's eyes for his wife and sighed. "Just… be careful. Take your raincoat and an extra one for Elphaba. Hurry back."
Fiyero smiled as he hugged his mother tightly and grabbed his raincoat. Twirling it around his shoulders, he grabbed an extra one for Elphaba and an umbrella and ran out into the garden. He looked around for a hint of green, knowing that it would be useless to try and call out to her. The rain was coming down harder and he prayed to the Unnamed God that she was somehow safe from the rain.
He looked and looked, but he still couldn't find her. Finally, he found a little shed, praying as he hurrying towards it that Elphaba was there. He opened the door and let out a relieved breath when he saw Elphaba huddled in a corner. He quickly stripped off his soaking wet rain coat and hurried towards her, pulling her into his arms, but pulled away when he heard her hiss in pain.
"Oh, Fae," he whispered as he gently inspected her wounds. He gently ran his fingers over the parts of her skin that wasn't blistered. He gently pulled her closer and rocked her in his arms, regretting not bringing her burn cream with him.
'What happened?' Fiyero asked when they pulled away.
'I wanted to go for a walk, but then it started raining. I'm so sorry, Yero.' Elphaba signed.
'Why are you apologizing?'
'I worried you.'
The prince smiled softly. 'Of course I was worried about you, Fae, but you don't have to apologize. We'll wait until the rain clears up a bit, then we'll go back inside and treat those burns.'
'Okay.' The green girl leaned against the prince and allowed him to hold her, wincing a few times when he accidentally touched a sore spot. A while later, the rain lightened up to a drizzle and the two decided to go back.
'Elphaba, thank Oz you're safe!' Amalie signed when she saw the green girl, obviously relieved. She saw the green girl's blisters and gasped softly.
"I'll take her upstairs and put some cream on the burns," Fiyero assured his mother, gently leading Elphaba away and up the stairs to their bedroom.
Elphaba sat still as Fiyero applied the cream onto her wounds. She winced a bit, but tried to calm down, knowing Fiyero was being as gentle as he could.
'How much does it hurt?' he signed when she winced again.
'The burns are superficial, but they still hurt. My face and arms hurt more than my neck.' Elphaba confessed.
Fiyero nodded as he carefully continued to apply the cream. 'You'll be fine.' he signed as he gently kissed her forehead.
'Yero my hero.' Elphaba smiled, leaning against him.
Fiyero smiled as he held his wife. He gently pressed his hand against her abdomen and almost started crying when he felt the baby push back. He watched as Elphaba fell asleep in his arms and gently tucked her into bed, trying not to touch her cream-covered burns.
