Chapter 11
"Let me see if I have this right, you want me to help you escape," Azra asked looking at the green skinned woman and the Scarecrow. They had waited until Mücahit had gone outside to do his chores to talk, hoping they wouldn't get interrupted.
"Well yes but we also want to help you. When your husband finds us gone, we fear he'll take it out on you. In good conscience, we could not leave you to deal with him," Elphaba explained.
"I can handle myself," the woman gave her a look.
"No one is saying you can't but I fear that you do not know enough about your husband to realize just what he is capable of," Fiyero spoke up.
"How is it that you know?" Azra was curious as to what exactly they were trying to protect her from.
"He is former Gale Force, is he not?" Fiyero asked. He wasn't sure he wanted to get into all the details about himself. They still might need the cover.
"I was told he was. If he was, he never talks about it. Not that we talk much. This arrangement has not been good for either of us," the look in Azra's eyes seemed to tell Elphaba all she needed to know. There was a reason for their deep seated hatred of each other and it went much deeper than the fact that they didn't get along.
"All the more reason to come with us. You can start a new life in a new village somewhere, far away from him," Elphaba said.
"He will just return to my family and demand that my sister take my place. You have to understand. The reasons for this marriage were more than just the fact that my family couldn't afford having three daughters. My family works Mücahit's family farm to pay off the debt my father owes his father. As part of the deal, Mücahit was to marry the oldest daughter when she became of age. My older sister, Sara, died in the Great Plague ten years ago. I was then thrust into this position at a younger age. I am expected to bear him children to carry on the family name and create another farm in their quest to become even more wealthy landowners," she explained.
"Then there is only one solution. We must get Mücahit arrested or perhaps more preferably dead," Fiyero clenched his fists.
"Dead is a little…" Elphaba started.
"Let him speak," Azra said, cutting her off.
"Considering that he is former Gale Force, he has already brought his family shame by being released from the service. Once you are in, it takes death or some serious incident to get you out before you've served your twenty years. This should actually make it easier for Mücahit to be arrested. Despite the problems that some Gale Forcers have of thinking for themselves, they frown on those that soil the uniform. Is there an outpost nearby that you could ride to?" Fiyero asked.
"There is one that is not that far. How does that help?" She gave him a look.
"The less distance there is the more likely someone will hear the ruckus and come to your aid or will report the sound of gunshots. Being out here, unless you're stockpiling ammunition, a gunshot will be out of place. Farm animals can be slaughtered without a gun…" he didn't get a chance to say any more as they suddenly heard the roaring of an angry bear outside.
"What the…" Azra got up from the chair she was sitting in and crossed to the window where she saw a large brown bear rear up on its hind legs and roar at her husband. Fiyero joined her at the window and realized that the arrival of Mestek's help had not gone unnoticed.
To Be Continued…
