Chapter 11: Going Nowhere Fast

He began to tutor Elphaba twice a week. Fiyero didn't think he was the greatest teacher, but maybe he wasn't bad. She caught on so quickly, though perhaps that wasn't his teaching so much as her intelligence. "If there are different species of animal, do they have a different categorization name if they're Animal?" She asked one afternoon as they sat in the library.

"I'd never even thought about that. I don't suppose so. There's nothing in the books about it." Fiyero began flipping through the book, feeling stupid for not being able to answer her question.

"I wonder why not, then. I mean, Animals are clearly superior to animals, shouldn't they be categorized differently?"

"It makes sense."

There was a rustle in the doorway and he looked up to see Sarima standing there. "Your brother told me to come on up."

Fiyero sighed. Of course he had. "Ah. Well, I promised to work with Elphaba for a bit more."

"Oh no, Fiyero, clearly you have other commitments. I can read this on my own." Elphaba gathered up her books. "Thank you, though. I really appreciate how much you've helped me."

"It was nothing."

Elphaba scurried out the door and it took Fiyero a moment to realize he was staring after her. Sarima had her arms folded across her chest. "You two looked cozy."

"You have to sit near each other when you're sharing a book, Sarima." Fiyero rolled his eyes. "I was teaching her about life sciences."

Sarima shrugged and headed back out into the hallway, expecting him to follow. "Shall we go to your room where we can have more privacy?"

He knew she hated being around books. She couldn't read and she didn't see the point. Given that she already seemed to be in an unhappy mood, he decided to follow. "Why not?" He smiled and walked beside her, taking her hand.

"Do you study often?" She asked.

"Not particularly." Actually, that depended on what she considered to be often. They usually studied at least two times a week. He figured he wouldn't say that, though. "What have you been up to?" Maybe a change of subject would be best.

"I helped with breakfast and then headed over here. It's early." She looked at him as though the question were absurd. Sarima waited for him to open his bedroom door and plopped on the bed the moment it was open. "And you've just been… studying?"

He nodded and sat beside her.

"I had no idea you were so interested in academics." Her voice had a hint of sarcasm.

Of course she had no idea. She made it clear she didn't want to hear such things, so he avoided them. "You know I'm to head off to Shiz soon. It'd be best if I went over everything, and what better way than teaching it?"

"What purpose does it serve her, then?"

She actually cares about these things. And maybe… "I don't know. She's very smart. Maybe she has a chance at Shiz of her own merit." Of course, he knew that probably wouldn't happen. Who would pay for it? But she certainly was smart enough, and it would keep her busy. He didn't want to leave Elphaba here when he went. Fiyero couldn't be certain his brother wouldn't either kick her out or at least drive her to leave. She'd go back to the streets. He didn't want that.

Sarima wrinkled her nose. "Really? You'd take her there? Have you looked at her? She's hopeless, a street urchin. People would laugh at her."

He bit back a remark about how not everyone was as judgmental as she. "I think she's made great strides. And she doesn't talk like a street person. Besides, what does it matter where she came from?"

Sarima just looked at him blankly.

"What is your problem with her? She has never said an unkind word to you."

"Forget it, Fiyero." She kissed him. "I don't want to talk about it right now." Sarima unbuttoned the top button of her blouse.

He knew what she was trying to do, and for the first time he wasn't going to fall for it. "No, really, Sarima, what is wrong with her?"

"Nothing."

"Then why do you have an attitude about it? I told you there's no threat to you, and she's perfectly respectful every time you two interact." He drew away when she put a hand on his arm.

"I just don't see what you want with her, Fiyero. She's unrefined and not even pretty!"

"You know what?" Fiyero stood up. "Maybe you should go. I don't think this conversation is going anywhere."

"You're right about that," Sarima muttered, jumping off the bed. "I'll come back another time."

Part of him wished she wouldn't come back at all, but he knew he was just upset in the heat of the moment. "That's probably a good idea." He didn't see her out. Instead, he walked over to Elphaba's room.

She was laying on the floor reading a book. Fiyero had come upon her like this more than once, and had considered asking why she didn't sit comfortably on the bed. But after some consideration, he knew why. Elphaba wasn't used to the bed at all. At one point she'd made a comment that it was almost too comfortable to sleep on.

"I'm sorry about that," he told her.

She looked up. "Oh! I hadn't expected to see you again for a few hours. You two usually end up a little occupied." Elphaba coughed.

Was that jealousy he saw in her eyes? "We aren't seeing eye-to-eye at the moment." He shrugged. "I wondered if you wanted to study more."

"I'm fine, actually." She wouldn't meet his eyes. "But thank you."

"Are you certain?" He didn't want to go. Though he had all but kicked Sarima out, he still wanted company – just not the type Sarima was offering.

Elphaba gazed at him with confusion. "Did you want something?"

He smiled kindly. "I just… I meant to… it's nothing."

She rolled her eyes, but nodded. "All right, then."

Fiyero wandered the halls for a few minutes, feeling a little rejected. He was thinking about what he had said to Sarima about trying to get Elphaba into Shiz. Until it had come out of his mouth, it had only been a pipedream. Now, he realized he'd meant it more than he thought. So Fiyero went to the throne room to talk to his brother.

"I saw Sarima storming out of here. Please tell me you didn't do something stupid." His brother commented, not even looking up from the papers he was glancing over.

"No, Rod. She's just worked up over something or other."

"Women," his brother muttered.

"Right. Speaking of women, I wanted to talk to you about Elphaba."

"What about her?" Rod's face immediately changed into a look of disapproval.

"I was just thinking… I've been working with her on schooling. She's smart, Rod. I know she was uneducated until now, but she's catching on so fast I can barely keep up with her."

"And?"

"And it's not too late for her to send off for the entrance exam to Shiz... She wouldn't even have to travel to take it, if we explained the situation like we did for me…"

"Fiyero, who would pay for her to actually attend, assuming she could get in? We're not sending some random girl off to Shiz because you've got it in your head that you're going to rehabilitate her! I don't even think she should be here, much less go to school with you. And think of how that would look! The rest of Oz already thinks we're barbaric. She can't go out there! She has no manners, no wardrobe… absolutely not."

"It couldn't hurt to just let her take the test, Rod. We're not promising her anything."

"This conversation is over, Fiyero. I suggest you get over your little fantasy about this girl and focus on your own life."