Fiyero had no choice but to send her to the dungeons. She had lied to the Royal family and deceived them, it was against the law, he had no choice. He knew that she had had no choice but to lie to them, but still, it was against the law. Fiyero felt terrible. He couldn't get any sleep; all he could think about was her; Day and night, evening and afternoon, morning and dawn. He thought about how she must feel down there in the dark dungeons, all alone, he wondered if the guards were harassing her. It was still hard for him to comprehend that she had been Elias. When he fell asleep (which hardly ever happened) his dreams were haunted with the look in her eyes as she looked at him. Her eyes had been terrified and frightened, and not just of the dungeons. She had been afraid of him. Out of all the people to fear, she was afraid of him. He, who loved her, who was her best friend, him: Fiyero. She wasn't afraid of the guards who took her away, or the King or Queen, she was afraid of him. Every time he saw those scared eyes in his dreams, staring straight at him, he could feel his heart break and shatter. He loved her. Fiyero's eyes opened, he was sweating as he had relived the events of that night in his dream.

Frex finally let go of Elphaba and threw her roughly at Fiyero. He caught her easily. Frex's eyes were panicked and almost animalistic. Then all of a sudden, there was a fire where Frex had been. The last Fiyero saw of Frex were his eyes, which were greedily staring at Elphaba. He felt Elphaba shudder in his arms and he held her tighter. Guards of the palace began to run after Frex as soon as the fire was out, but they were too late. Frex had fled. That left Fiyero, Elphaba the King and Queen and a few guards standing in the hall.

"You have lied and deceived the royal family." said the King harshly.

"Dear, can't you see the poor girl had no choice?" asked the Queen gently.

"There's always a choice." said the King, "She could've just stayed home."

"No she couldn't." said the Queen, getting angry now. Fiyero realized what his father was trying to say.

"Fiyero, she belongs to you, you may do with her what you wish, but she has broken the law and there are no exceptions to breaking the law. You may either give her the thirty lashes yourself or you may send her to the dungeons." said the King. The King held up first a whip, and then a ring of keys. Fiyero stared at the whip, he would never forgive himself if he took that whip and hit her, lashed her thirty times. The very idea made him sick. He then looked at the ring of keys. Locking her in a dungeon, could he really do? How long would she be there? It was the only thing he could do. He took the ring of keys and handed them to the guard standing next to him.

"Take her to the dungeons." he ordered, not daring to look at her. He let go of Elphaba and gently pushed her towards the guard. The guard was not so gentle. He grabbed her arm forcefully. She looked so much smaller and fragile in the guard's rough hold. The guard began to shove her down the hall to the dungeon stairs. She looked back only once over her shoulder and Fiyero could see an apology in her eyes. He felt so guilty and like a monster. What did she have to be sorry for? All she did was ensure her survival. It should be him begging for forgiveness. He turned away from her, unable to meet her eyes or even look at her. He quickly left the scene.

"Can't you see he loves her?" the Queen demanded once Fiyero was gone.

"As though that matters." said the King.

"As though it doesn't!" the Queen exclaimed. The King just sighed wearily and he too exited the scene.

*****************

The dungeons were dark and dingy. There was not a single window down there, only flickering torches on the walls. Their footsteps echoed throughout the dungeons like someone was throwing a pebble against the wall many times. Haunting shadows danced across the walls and the lights flickered across the gaunt faces of the prisoners. Elphaba flinched as one of the prisoners pale life-less faces looked directly at her. The guard noticed and laughed at her.

"Don't worry, he's dead." said the guard. Occasionally, they would walk past a cell where the prisoner had gone mad. They ran to the bars and stuck their arms out, begging for something, freedom, light, water, just begging. The guard would kick the prisoner and they would cry out in pain as they shrank back into their dark cell. There was a long hall and the wall of cells seemed to go on forever. Cell after cell after cell...until all you could see was darkness ahead. There were several guards stations posted throughout the dungeons where the different groups guards would monitor their section of vast dungeons. They would sit at the table and play poker, perhaps harass the prisoners when they felt like it.

"We've got a new addition." said the guard as he neared the others, who were playing poker, smoking and drinking. They looked up. One of them sneered.

"She's a girl, they hardly ever put girls in the dungeon. She must have done something dirty, like screw the prince."

"You sure she's a girl? She's wearing boy's clothing." said one of the more drunk guards, his words slurring, "Although, on the other hand, I guess that's kinda hot."

"She disguised herself as a boy because there weren't any maids up for hiring. If she didn't take the job, she'd be living on the streets." said the guard.

"Well, I'd choose streets over the dungeon any day. The streets are a hell of a lot better than this devil's den." said a guard, taking another swig of beer.

"I don't think she actually counted on getting caught. The prince's heart wouldn't let him give her lashings, so he sent her down here." the guard took her a cell only a few feet away from the table and shoved her inside and then locked the door.

"Don't worry, we'll keep you lots of company." said the guard. He turned back to the other guards, "Right boys?" they all laughed in agreement.

***********

Frex was furious. He was not the forgiving type. You would think that a man of the unnamed God would be most forgiving, but Frex was the least of that. If there was any man in Oz more vengeful than Frex, that was the devil himself. Frex was also known for getting what he wanted, that wasn't the case. And it was all because of his green skinned daughter, Elphaba. Frex rode through the night on the black horse. The rain started and with it came the thunder. Perfect. He rode until he came to a cave: his new home. He led the horse inside and he sat down against the wall, exhausted and raging with a desire for revenge for power. This brought him to more thoughts, including that damn prince. What right did he have to say that he owned Elphaba? Frex owned Elphaba, always had, always would. She was after all his daughter, his flesh and blood, she belonged to him. He pounded his fist against the cave wall in frustration. Yes, he would take back what was rightfully his.

***********

Elphaba closed her eyes and sat as far away from the cell bars as she could, curled in on herself and trembling. The guards were gathered around ther cell, shouting at her and harassing her. They were making fun of her and high fiving each other every time they came up with a particularly funny insult. One of them even through their empty beer bottles at her through the bars. She flinched as she heard the shattering of a bottle next to her. She blocked out their shouting, by imagining she wasn't there. She imagined the beach....she saw Fiyero. Then she saw Fiyero the day she had been caught. She shuddered inwardly as she heard his voice echoing in her head: She belongs to me...those words were so harsh, so like something her father would say. For a split second, she believed it was her father speaking, but she recognized Fiyero's velvety voice and she knew it was Fiyero. She didn't belong to anybody, not Frex, not Fiyero, not anybody. Elphaba's thoughts were interrupted as she heard the cell door creak open. She opened her eyes and looked up. The guard who'd brought her down a week or so ago stood there.

"She's fooled us about her gender before, who's to say she's not fooling us again?" asked the guard, grinning evilly at her. He neared her, "I think I want to make sure she's really girl." all of the others laughed and cheered him on.

"I am!" Elphaba shrieked, scrambling away from him, "Don't you dare touch me!"