A/N - I'm not 100% happy with this chapter but after writing and rewriting, I'm not sure what to do to fix it so I decided to move on into the rest of the story. The next chapter will be up this weekend. Thanks for the reviews and for reading!

Chapter 10

Fiyero walked out and found the women still seated in the garden. In fact, Glinda had not yet formed a response to Elphaba's new plan to sneak into the Palace and steal the Grimmerie.

"Hello Glinda." Fiyero said. Both women turned and immediately recognized something was wrong by the look on the man's face.

"Fiyero?" Elphaba asked. "What is it?"

Fiyero was gritting his teeth, his jaw muscles clenching. "I've had news from home. My father is ill. I have to go home to the Vinkus. If he passes, tradition holds that I must be there to be named heir and new leader of the tribe. If I'm not there, one of my cousins will be named ruler and my father has made his wishes clear. He wants me to rule when that time comes."

"Oh Fiyero," Glinda said softly. "I'm so sorry."

Fiyero smiled down at the blonde slightly. "Thank you. I'm sorry to have to leave. Perhaps the Resistance can take a vacation while I'm gone. I don't like the thought of not being here. I'm not sure I could forgive myself if something were to go wrong."

"Fiyero," Elphaba said firmly. "Don't worry about the Resistance. Go be with your family. We'll be fine. If it would make you feel better, we can hold off on any major assignments."

"The Resistance is bigger than me and can carry on just fine without me. But I just hate the thought of not being here if something happened. I'm sorry. I'm just a little overwhelmed I suppose." Fiyero took a seat across from the two and wearily ran his hands over his face.

"Fiyero, please, try not to worry about us." Elphaba said again. "When do you have to leave?"

"Soon actually." Fiyero said softly. "I'm taking the train out in a few hours."

Elphaba nodded. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

Fiyero smiled and shook his head. "No. But thank you. Just take care of yourselves and please don't do anything too dangerous until I'm back, ok?" He ended giving Elphaba a pointed look before smiling again.

"Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on her." Glinda said reaching and giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

"And who's going to keep an eye on you?" Fiyero replied with a chuckle. "You're working undercover in the belly of the beast. I hate the thought of leaving the two of you."

The three chatted for a few more minutes; the women hoping to reassure Fiyero before he retreated back inside to begin packing.

Glinda grimaced before saying timidly, "I guess now is a bad time to tell him about your plan to break into the Palace and steal Morrible's prized possession."

"I would say so."

xxxx

Fiyero had been on his way for a few hours and the women were still plotting and planning. Glinda wanted Elphaba nowhere near the Palace but Elphaba refused to allow Glinda to be the one to swipe the book. Elphaba then had a thought.

"Glinda, who else has Morrible told about the book?"

Glinda's brow furrowed. "Well, I don't know. I guess I'm the only one other than the Wizard and Chuffrey. Why?"

Elphaba tiredly dropped her face into her hands. "Because if the book all of a sudden goes missing, you're going to be suspected since you're the only one who knows about it. We need to think of a way for more people to hear about it, just so she can't automatically assume you had anything to do with it."

Glinda groaned. "Oz, as if she needs another reason to assume I'm up to something. I feel like she's watching my every move."

"What? You think she suspects you? Glinda, why haven't you said anything?"

"Oh, Elphie, I don't know that she really suspects anything. I still don't believe she thinks me capable of scheming on such a grand scale." Glinda attempted to smile reassuringly at Elphaba but the green woman was clearly troubled.

"Glinda, I don't like this. Maybe you should take a break from all of this. Take a break from the Emerald City even. Can you go away somewhere?" Elphaba asked, looking at Glinda earnestly.

"No. No I cannot." Glinda replied. "I'm not leaving and I'm not taking time off. We'll think of something. We just have to make the book's existence public knowledge somehow. Then it will be safe for me to snatch it without being the only suspect."

"You mean then it will be safe for me to snatch it." Elphaba replied with a brow cocked.

"Eh, details. One thing at a time Elphie dear." Glinda said with a smile.

Elphaba then became concerned with getting word to Nessa that she might be in danger. "I just wish there was some way I could get to her quickly. Not that she would listen to me even if I could talk to her."

"Maybe she'll listen to me." Glinda said thoughtfully. "I'll write to her. Honestly, she should be fine if the Wizard and Morrible are satisfied with the progress I'm making with the Grimmerie. Nessa will only be used as leverage to get you to perform the spells for them if I can't manage. Which it doesn't look like I'll be able to. It makes my head hurt just thinking about those little swirly letters. Just for an instant I think I can understand them but then they scatter again. The only good thing is, Morrible is getting just as many headaches from the frustration as I am."

Elphaba chuckled. "Morrible is not the most patient teacher from what I remember. Where does she keep the book?"

Glinda smiled picturing Morrible in her huff of frustration from the evening before. "She keeps it in her private study, which is connected to her private living quarters. I've only been in there once or twice. She keeps her things fairly well guarded. But I could get in, I'm sure of it."

"Well then, I think perhaps we should go have a look at the book. We don't have to take it, just get a look at it. We can worry about taking it later but at least I might be able to copy some spells down and have an idea of what we're dealing with. What do you think?"

Glinda looked up into Elphaba's eyes and noticed the mischievous glint was back. "Oz, I hate it when you get that look in your eye. Trouble generally follows it." She couldn't help but smile. "Fine. We sneak in, look at the book, and sneak right back out. Without blowing anything up this time if you don't mind."

"Yes ma'am." Elphaba replied with a chuckle. "When would be a safe time to go? Obviously it has to be a time when Morrible is out. How does she spend her evenings?"

"Well, if you recall, Morrible has a thing for poetry. Bad poetry if you ask me, but that's beside the point. In two night's time, she'll be at her reading. She goes every week and is gone at least an hour, sometimes two."

"Alright. We've got two more days to plan then."

xxxx

The next day and a half was spent scouting out a new secure location to hide supplies and any family that needed assistance. Glinda was not happy to be left behind.

"But Elphie, I want to come!" Glinda practically whined.

"No!" Elphaba replied. "We've made it this long without anyone unnecessarily knowing about your involvement. If you start wandering around with us, the wrong person might see you. You're not that hard to recognize if you recall. Stay here. We'll be back in no time."

Glinda paced while Elphaba and the others were gone but in just a few short hours they returned with no incident.

"See," Elphaba said, drawing Glinda into a loose embrace. "I told you we'd be back in no time."

Glinda furrowed further into her embrace and Elphaba couldn't help but close her eyes and breathe in the scent that was Glinda. She smiled softly and gently stroked the blonde head before pulling away.

xxxx

The afternoon of Morrible's poetry reading left Glinda and Elphaba becoming rather antsy. They were arguing over their mode of transportation and how to actually make their way into the Palace.

"Glinda, no." Elphaba said flatly. "I refuse to travel by bubble."

"Oh, come on Elphie!" Glinda whined. "It'll be perfect, we can get in and out without anyone seeing us. Do you really think we'll be able to just waltz in there? With the bubble spell, we can land right on her balcony without anyone ever guessing. At least give it a try."

Elphaba's looked anything but convinced. "Glinda, have you ever even done this spell? Can you 'bubble' two people?"

"Well we won't know until we try, now will we."

Elphaba opened her mouth to respond but the sound of the door slamming immediately caught their attention. They rushed to the door at the sound of Fiyero's voice.

"You are impossible! Go home!"

They rounded the corner and saw Fiyero striding through the corridor. Behind him was a young woman. A young attractive woman.

"Fiyero?" Elphaba asked tentatively. "How's your father? And who is this?"

Fiyero ground to a halt and the woman had to side step to avoid ramming into his back. "My father is just fine, thank you. He was never even sick." He quickly moved to continue on his way when Elphaba caught him by the arm.

"You're forgetting one small thing. Just who is this who is now standing in the middle of our secret location?"

"This," Fiyero said with a snarl, "is my…betrothed. Sarima."

"Which for all intents and purposes is the same as being his wife." The young woman replied with her arms across her chest. "How else was I supposed to get you back to the Vinkus? People were starting to talk Fiyero. You practically jilted me and left me at the alter! You promised your hand in marriage and I'm tired of waiting!"

"I've been busy." Fiyero muttered dryly.

"So I've heard." Sarima retorted. "Rumor has it, you're with the Resistance. And I want in."

Elphaba cocked a brow and took in the woman before her. She was dark skinned and had dark hair, much like Fiyero himself and most of the Vinkuns. Her dark eyes were narrowed in an almost intimidating way.

"Sarima," Elphaba said cautiously. "Hello. I'm Elphaba, and this is Glinda. Just why exactly would you wish to overthrow our Wonderful Wizard?"

Sarima narrowed her eyes even further on Elphaba. "So you're Elphaba are you. I would have guessed the other one. No matter, stay away from my husband, he's spoken for."

Glinda coughed and sputtered off to the side while Elphaba's eyes widened in surprise. "Excuse me?" She growled.

Sarima chuckled softly. "Oh, don't get all defensive. I've just heard quite a bit about you, that's all. And I've got the Resistance to contend with, I don't need any further competition. So the same goes for you blondie."

Elphaba and Glinda exchanged a glance. Elphaba cocked a brow as Glinda tried to stifle a laugh.

"And as for your other question. The Wizard's taxes have practically bankrupted my father. He can barely make ends meet for my family. Not to mention the Animal bans. I want to help. Please." Sarima seemed to deflate at the end of her speech and looked sullenly at the ground.

"Welcome aboard." Elphaba said softly. She ignored Fiyero bristling.

Sarima on the other hand, looked up to meet Elphaba's gaze and smiled. "Thank you." Her soft demeanor quickly faded and she looked back to Fiyero. "Well, betrothed, which way to my room?"

"There's an empty bed in the basement." Fiyero growled.

"Fiyero!" Glinda exclaimed. "Stop that. Sarima, there's an empty room right next to mine. Make yourself at home. I do own this place, remember Fiyero? Second floor, third door on the right dear."

Sarima nodded with a smile and quickly made her way to find her room. Fiyero collapsed into a chair with a groan.

"Well Fiyero," Glinda said with laugh, "your wife seems just lovely."

"Glinda, please. I'm in no mood. This is just awful."

Elphaba began to feel a small amount of pity for him but it passed quickly. "Fiyero, what happened?"

"She sent the note about my father." Fiyero groaned miserably. "And then when I got home, I couldn't shake her. She followed me everywhere. When I got on the train to come back, she stowed away. I even had her forcibly removed. I thought I was safe when the train pulled out of the station but then, right before my very eyes, she kicked the attendant right in the shins and actually chased down the train. She could have been killed. I still might kill her."

"She's got spunk!" Elphaba laughed. "And let's face it, we need all the help we can get Fiyero."

"Oh, I'll handle her. I'm sure she'll be on the first train out of here tomorrow once she realizes this isn't some game. So, what have you ladies been up to?" Fiyero asked rising to his feet.

"Oh, not much." Glinda replied, casually. "Elphie and I are going to bubble our way to the Palace and sneak a peek at Morrible's magic book. Not much at all."

"Bubble." Fiyero burst into laughter as he moved to make his way to his room. "Thanks for trying to cheer me up Glinda! By bubble!"

Elphaba's eyes had once again widened as Glinda turned to her with a sly grin. "Alright Elphie, time's a wastin'. Let's go."

"What? Right now? Don't we get a practice run?" Elphaba asked nervously.

"Nope. Come along. Honestly, I'm beginning to think you have no faith in my bubble abilities." Glinda said with a wink.

As it turned out, Glinda remembered the bubble spell perfectly and could in fact lift two people. But as it also turned out, she was being truthful when she told Morrible she was afraid of heights. As the magic bubble floated through the air, Glinda had her head buried in Elphaba's shoulder and her eyes clenched tightly. Elphaba had her arm around Glinda's shoulders protectively.

"Are we there yet?" Glinda squeaked.

"Not yet my sweet." Elphaba replied chuckling. "You just keep concentrating on Morrible's balcony. You're doing a fine job steering blindly."

Glinda nodded slightly, then meekly asked, "how high up are we?"

Elphaba squeezed her shoulders. "Oh, not very. I can't see the ground or anything, but not very."

"Oh, Oz. How did I ever let you talk me into this bubble spell?" Glinda groaned. Elphaba just laughed. "Don't you dare cackle at me Thropp!"

xxxx

Chuffrey strode up to the door and knocked loudly. The door opened a few inches and the man on the other side of the door took in the sight of the eight Gale Force soldiers on his stoop. Chuffrey pushed his way inside and the man quickly shuffled further into the room, trembling. Four of the remaining soldiers remained outside but the others followed Chuffrey inside.

"Good evening." Chuffrey said smoothly.

The man just nodded.

Chuffrey sat down at the man's table and pushed another seat out with his foot. "Please, sit down. We have much to discuss Mr. Roxly. What do you know of the Resistance?"

"Resistance? I don't know anything about the Resistance! Honest I don't!" Roxley exclaimed.

Chuffrey smiled and narrowed his blue eyes. "I don't believe you." He nodded to the guards and they immediately grabbed Roxly and held him stationary in the chair while Chuffrey grabbed the man's hand and held it down on the table.

Chuffrey pulled a knife from his belt and looked at it thoughtfully as another guard stepped forward to hold Roxly's arm down.

"Do you see this blade?" Chuffrey asked, waving it in front of the man's face. "I really should do a better job sharpening this. Do you have any idea how long it will take me to cut off each of your fingers with this blade? It's a good thing I don't have any other engagements planned for this evening."

Roxly's eyes went wide in fear. "You can't! Please!"

Chuffrey ignored his cries and pried the man's fingers apart and pressed the blade to the smallest finger. The blade dug in and the man cried out as a small bead of blood formed.

"Alright! Alright!" He cried. "I can't tell you anything about the Resistance but I know someone who can! Mason, Mason Beasley and his wife Susie! They've sheltered Animals in the past, I'm certain of it!"

Chuffrey stopped his motions with the blade but didn't pull it away. He raised his eyes to Roxly's face. "And just how would you know that?"

"I've seen things. People show up at all hours. Just recently, two people showed up with a wagon full of big barrels. They pulled one off and carried it in. Didn't seem too heavy on the way in but on the way out, it took Mason to help load it back up. You talk to them, you'll find something, I'm certain!"

Chuffrey pulled the blade away then. He wiped the blade on Roxly's shirt and stood to his feet. He pulled a bag of coins from his jacket and dropped it on the table. Roxly's eyes widened, this time in appreciation. Chuffrey smirked. "No doubt you'll be sure to report to us any further activity you become aware of. There's plenty more where that came from. Now, what did you say this Mason's address is?"

xxxx

They finally landed, and not a moment too soon for Glinda. She was still trembling when she dropped to her knees on Morrible's balcony. "Oh sweet baby Lurline, Ozma, and Unnamed God."

Elphaba dropped beside her. "Glinda?" she whispered. "Glinda are you alright? Because we're on Morrible's balcony and I really need you to be alright." She brushed Glinda's hair back and lifted her chin.

Glinda exhaled slowly. "I'm fine Elphie, just had to get my bearings."

She pulled herself to her feet and they turned to the door of the darkened room. Elphaba had already stepped to the door. She pushed it open with no trouble. "Does she always keep her door unlocked?"

Glinda shrugged and followed Elphaba into the room. "Over here, the study is this way."

Elphaba took note of her surroundings as Glinda led the way into the study. The room was impeccably clean. The billowing curtains almost matched the flowing yards of fabric Morrible used to bustle herself.

She moved into the study then and was shocked to see the mess that was all over the room. Books and papers were scattered about everywhere. The only indication that this room was ever cleaned was a broom that was propped in the corner. In the middle of the room was a podium. And there on that podium, right out in the open was the Grimmerie.

Elphaba smirked. "Only Morrible would be arrogant enough to leave something this dangerous and valuable right out in the open. When we do decide it's time for me to swipe the book, I'll have no trouble."

"Oh, just read the book already!" Glinda exclaimed nervously. She was pacing. From the balcony door of the study back into Morrible's private quarters and back to Elphaba's side. "Well, can you make any of it out?"

"This is incredible." Elphaba mumbled. "I'm afraid to even think what Morrible could do with this book. Here's a location spell, a blinding spell, a levitation spell, and even spell to cause paralysis. A protection spell! Glinda, just think of what we could do with this!"

Elphaba quickly began writing spells down onto the pad of paper she swiped from Morrible's desk. Glinda began pacing again. At the sound of heels clapping on the marble outside in the hallway, Glinda went bounding back into the study to Elphaba.

"Elphie! Someone's coming! We have to go!"

Elphaba looked up nervously at the sound of the door to main quarters opening.

"Elphie!" Glinda whispered harshly. "Outside now! Maybe I can get us back into a bubble before she spots us."

She was already dragging Elphaba toward the door and she could hear Morrible huffing in the next room.

"Those simple fools. They don't appreciate real talent. I could bury those prats if I wished. Iambic pentameter, whoever heard of such?"

Glinda looked to Elphaba with panic stricken eyes. Elphaba's eyes lit suddenly. She darted to the corner and grabbed the broom before silently following Glinda out onto the balcony.

"Elphie, what are you doing? Now is not the time for a clean up!"

Elphaba began chanting softly and suddenly, the broom came to life and rose gently into the air. Glinda's eyes widened even more, if possible. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me." She breathed.

Morrible's muffled voice grew louder and closer to the study door. Elphaba swung a leg over the broom and held her hand out to Glinda. "Come on! Glinda, we have to go now!"

Glinda cringed and clamped her eyes shut as she was pulled onto the broom and they took flight into the night sky.