I Fall
Into You
Chapter 9
In the
Dark
of the Night
AN: Hello everyone I'm baaack! Lol. Here's the next chapter. Well, after a review left by another wonderful author, Ravencurls, who continually loves to challenge me (thank you very much by the way) this chapter is not only dedicated to you, but I hope this answers your question as well. You know who you are (wink, wink). Big hugs to all who reviewed! I absolutely love reading them and thank you all for showing your support for this story! It really means a lot to me! Elphaba-WWW, thank you for the lovely review! It warmed my heart and put a HUGE smile on my face! Thank you so much, and you'll find out who the "mystery" guy is. ComingandGoingByBubble, thank you so much for the review! Big hugs to you and anyone who hasn't read her stories, get yourselves over to her page immediately! The Main Attraction is soooo good! Fae the Queen a huge hug to you and a big thanks for reviewing! And in answer to your question, you'll find out, I promise. Well, thanks again to all who've reviewed, and to all who have been staying with this story. Your continued support has meant the world to me! Enjoy the new chapter, and review! Your reviews are wonderful and I love reading them, is the story good, bad, loving it, hating it, let me know, and keep posting your questions too. Thanks again, and the next chapter will be up soon!
Days turned to weeks, weeks into months, and still Elphaba's fever had not broken. Fiyero did all that he could, sought out the best Doctors the City of Emeralds could provide, and even beyond, to the greater Kells, to Kumbricia pass. And every single one of them came to the same deathly conclusion; there wasn't anything they could do, for the illness, was out of their hands.
It was an illness that very few had seen, and none could cure, it was a foreign disease, carried on the winds of chance. The few stricken with it, never recovered, or remained in a coma-like state for the rest of their lives.
Fiyero had to smile slightly at the horrified looks, each one of the Doctors held on their faces, when standing at the threshold, staring with eyes wide as saucers, at the writhing green girl, twisted in the sheets, sweat glistening off her raw forehead.
Yet, even with the horrified expressions, none could mask the pain, aching within his broken heart, for the mere thought, the horrifying truth of losing this emerald beauty to the darkness of the night, shattered what remained, of the Prince's soul.
As Fiyero sat by Elphaba's bedside, staring lost, into the darkened depths of his despair, the veil the strings once wrapped tight around his heart, slowly loosened, and stretched, frayed and unraveled one by one.
It was almost as if the invisible strings once controlling him were falling away, the Puppeteer, slowly vanishing into the darkness. For once, he could see the World; actually see the world for the first time.
Stilling the tears brimming at the edge of his eyes, Fiyero very slowly leaned forehead in his chair; his eyes staring intently back at the pale, writhing form of the angel, thrashing wildly within the sheets. Her long raven hair billowed out around her, spilling like a cascading waterfall over the silk lavender pillows, and swaying in the light breeze.
Every now and again, the silken strands, half-drenched in sweat, swayed, lithely brushing against the tops of Fiyero's hands, resting against his knees; a ghost of a kiss, a shadow to her lips.
With trembling fingers, Fiyero very gently brushed a few loose raven strands from the emerald woman's sweat-beaten forehead, and after gently tucking them behind her ear, lovingly cupped her elegant cheek; still bruised from the horrors from a lifetime of nightmares.
To many nights, to many nights to count, Fiyero had sat there, rigid, his fingers lithely tangled within her raven locks, the other gently cupping the elegant slope of her cheek, as she writhed before his eyes, mumbling, her lips trembling, and only a few coherent words, slipped past her quavering mouth.
"Daddy…help…please…" whimpers Elphaba.
"Fae" whispers Fiyero.
Unconsciously, Fiyero leans forward, and presses a gentle kiss to her forehead. For that moment, Fiyero reveled in her touch, the taste of her skin against his lips, her exotic scent, to intoxicating, so enthralling, and enticing. It made his head swim, and his heart to race.
How he relished her scent, craved it, yearned and hungered for it. Soon, Fiyero found any reason to be close to her, to touch her, to feel her, to taste her. She was quickly becoming his obsession. And a part of him, became absolutely frightened by that, and yet, exalted.
Yet, an ache pulsed within his heart. One question kept encircling his mind; why oh why, couldn't he have met her in the past, for she was his everything, his Earth, his moon, his sky, his castle, the gatekeeper to his heart, and the Key to unlocking it from its gilded cage.
"Daddy…Shadows…help…" whimpers Elphaba.
Hearing the words Shadows made Fiyero sit straight, his heart to jump into his throat, and his stomach to twist. The Shadows? Why in Oz would she be mentioning the Shadows?
Slowly, Fiyero fell back in his chair, his eyes staring absently out the window. One hand curled up next to his chin, his thumb pressed against the top of his teeth, the other, rested beneath the other, cradling his arm in place.
The Shadows were creatures of pure Darkness, who descended down upon the Land of Oz eighteen years ago. Many believed, the Shadows were summoned by one who had sought vengeance against the Wizard, and his Emerald City. Others, though believed, the Shadows were darkened spirits, wronged in life, seeking out those who had stolen the life they were meant to have, a jilted lover.
Course the most prominent theory on the Shadows were that the Shadows were Knights of Darkness, sent by the Forgotten Queen, seeking, searching for her lost daughter, the one stolen from her cradle. The Shadows were demons, appearing for vengeance, seeking out the Princess of Oz and steal her Light, before she grew and casted them down to the Shadow Realm for all eternity. After all, it was too much of a coincidence, that when the Shadows fell, was right when the Princess vanished.
Fiyero was shaken from his thoughts by the hard shudder made by the window panes. His head snaps up, just as the large bay window burst open, and bang against the wall, allowing freezing sheets of rain to spill into the room.
For a moment, Fiyero sat there, rigid, a cold chill running down his spine, as he watches the silken curtains sway and dance violently within the breeze. Lightning flashed, casting eerie shadows to splay against the walls and rain to drench the ground.
A flash of something makes Fiyero's heart twist within his chest. For just beyond the rain, a flicker of something dark, solid darted across the window, before disappearing against the thunder and lightning.
Slowly, Fiyero's hand reaches down and grasps onto the hidden dagger strapped against his leg. Flinching, Fiyero pulls the dagger free, and clutching it tight, his fingers curling around the ivory handle, he slowly rose from the chair, and silently tip toed towards the banging window.
His heart raced, his breath hard, and heavy, and his eyes, never left the spot where the darkness appeared, then vanished within the veil of lightning.
Steadying the dagger within his hand, he slowly raised it up, till the point of the blade trembled perpendicular to his eye level; the glint of silver flashed from his peripheral vision. Unconsciously, his eyes closed, as a rush of air, screamed past him, tussling his hair. A few raindrops followed on its heel, splashing the Prince's shirt.
Taking a deep breath, Fiyero lunged towards the wall, and pressing his back against it, clenched the dagger tighter in his fist, as he slowly staggered towards the banging windows, his eyes, never leaving the flickering splints of light and dark, rumbling just beneath the waves of chaos.
An inch away, Fiyero stills his hand with the dagger ready, the fingers of his other hand press hard against the walls, turning the tips white. Slowly, he turns to stare once more at the woman, thrashing wildly within the sheets, sparkles of sweat, flickering within the dancing candlelight. The wind billows around her, lifting a few strands up to dance lissome in the breeze.
Holding his breath, Fiyero slowly turns back towards the window, ready to pounce and attack whomever, or whatever, hid beneath the veil of darkness, just beyond the window frame.
"FIYERO!" came the cry of a shrill, bell-like voice.
Startled, Fiyero jumps, and whirls towards the voice, his eyes wide with fury and surprise, for standing rigid at the door, was none other than his wife, Galinda Upland. One delicate hand rose up towards her mouth, two fingers pressed lithely against her lips. Her long blonde hair billowed around her in a golden waterfall of glistening curls. She wore a dark blue nightdress with silk thin spaghetti straps. The rest of the nightgown flowed down in layers, revealing every elegant curve.
"Galinda! Don't do that!" snarls Fiyero breathing hard.
"FiFi!" screeches Galinda again; ignoring her husband's scolding words. Huffing, she grabs the ends of her nightdress and storms over to Fiyero's side, till she was literally standing toe to toe with him.
Absently, Fiyero's body stiffens as he leans back.
"Glin?"
"What in Oz name are you doing in here FiFi! And at this time of night and with this!" snarls Galinda, as she roughly grabs the dagger out of Fiyero's hand.
"First of all" replies Fiyero, as he rights himself. "I'm here because the woman who suffered for your jealousy…is lying here dying because of your stupidity! And secondly" roars Fiyero as he grabs back the dagger.
"I have this because I thought I saw something" finishes Fiyero, as he waves the dagger in front of Galinda's face.
"Please FiFi…you know how I feel about weapons" growls Galinda.
Angrily, she pushes the dagger away from her, as she turns her face away from Fiyero's gaze. But a sudden thought, crashes through her brain, making the blonde turn back to face her husband. Fear alight within her eyes.
"What do you mean you saw something?" asks Galinda, her voice low, and timid.
"I thought I saw something dart across the window" replies Fiyero, turning away from his wife's frightened gaze to once again stare out at the window.
"But…it was probably the lightning…there's a vicious storm out there after all. The lightning could have made you think you saw something" replies Galinda, her usually bubbly voice returning again.
"I wouldn't be so sure" replies Fiyero darkly.
"No…no…leave me, don't touch me…no!" whimpers Elphaba, turning and writhing in the sheets.
Both Fiyero and Galinda turn to stare back at the emerald woman, thrashing in the sheets, each with a different emotion flickering within their eyes. One was of love, and despair, the other, of complete and utter revulsion and hate.
"Why is she still here" sneers Galinda, pointing an elegant finger at the woman whimpering in the bed.
"I beg your pardon" asks Fiyero through clenched teeth.
"Why is she still here FiFi? Why haven't you casted her out of here! This is my house and I want her out right now!" whines Galinda, stomping her foot with each syllable.
Growling, Fiyero reaches out and grabs firmly onto his wife's shoulders, stilling her. A brief smile flickered across his face, feeling his wife stiffen beneath his grasp. Her eyes widen in both fear and confusion, making the swirls of dark and light blue pop within the lightning flashes.
"She's still here because of the injuries she endured by your hateful black heart. And she's not being casted out of this house. Not today, not tomorrow not ever! And third, this isn't your house Galinda…it's our house"
"FiFi" whimpers Galinda.
Fiyero watches as Galinda puckers her lip, and pouts, fake tears shimmering within her eyes. Normally, this would soften the Prince's heart, and give into whatever she wanted. But not this time, this time, he was much stronger.
"You might as well stop now Glin…it's not going to work"
"Fine!" yells Galinda, stomping her foot.
In a flurry of blue, Galinda spins on her heels and storms out of the room, but stops at the doorway. Whirling around, she glares icily back at her husband. Growling, she points a menacing finger back at her Prince.
"This may be our house, but I'm still your wife! And I demand respect! And If I want that green abomination out of the house than by Oz she will be out of the house! By sunrise!" roars Galinda.
Just as those words leave her lips, a loud, deafening roar, fills the room, making the entire house shake and rumble. Pictures on walls fall to the ground, glasses in shelves clatter, before falling to the ground and shattering.
"No!"
Suddenly, Elphaba pitches forward. Her eyes open as she screams. But what frightened Fiyero the most, was how empty her eyes looked, for though they were open, she still could not see.
Instantly, both Fiyero and Galinda's hands rise up and cup their ears, as the thundering roar reverberates throughout the room. The candles flicker once, before being snuffed out, casting the occupants in complete darkness.
Stumbling, Galinda falls to the ground. A cry of pain slips past her lips as her knees skim against the rug. Looking up, her dark cerulean eyes scan the darkness billowing in around the room, for any sign of her husband, a servant, a maid, anyone.
The wind roars through the room, picking up objects and throwing them around the room. Her curls, thrash around her, as the wind whips past her, cutting her skin.
"Fiyero!" cries Galinda in both fear and in pain.
"Glin…where in Oz are you!" calls Fiyero; his voice barely rose over the roar of the wind.
"Over here dearest!" cries Galinda.
A dark figure slowly appears through the chaotic sails of wind and thunder. Weakly, Galinda reaches out towards the figure, hoping, praying for it to be that of her husband. Yet, as hope filled her heart, fear soon replaced it, as the dark figures massive head turned suddenly to face her.
Galinda's eyes widen in horror at the large, red eyes; like crimson fire, glaring back at her. Long ivory teeth gleam within the flickers of lightning, as the thing's mouth opens, emitting another loud roar, and making the entire room shake and tremble.
"Fiyero!" screams Galinda.
"WHERE IS SHE! THE ONE! THE FORGOTTEN. I CAN SMELL HER!"
"Fiyero!" screams Galinda.
