Sorry for the late chapter, everyone! Fanfiction wasn't letting me upload my documents, so I couldn't post.


Dear Elphaba,

While these days may feel endless, you should not lose faith in yourself or your country. We are all allowed to make mistakes, especially when we have looked to others for guidance. I wish I could give you advice on how to fix this. But all I can tell you is to follow your heart. Open your mind, examine your choices, and your honesty will take you through this storm. I have the utmost confidence in you that you can do this and make it right. You have courage and heart and I remember you telling me that you are stronger than you look.

If you should ever need help, please don't hesitate to ask me. I want to be useful to you, if not as a political advisor, then as a friend.

Yours,

Fiyero

...

Dear Fiyero,

The storm still rages outside the palace walls. I'm beginning to think that everyone, especially Sir Liunes, was right. Maybe I am too young for this much power. I have proven that I am unfit and unprepared for the task. I feel so alone. I feel like people will tell me things just to make me fail. After this assassination attempt, it will take a while for me to get my courage and confidence back. My great-grandfather didn't make a mistake this big, and if he did, I never heard of anyone trying to take his life.

I thank you for your kind words, but I still have a long way to go. I am truly grateful for our friendship. In terms of you being useful to me… not yet. I must get through this storm on my own.

Always,

Elphaba

"But, Your Eminence, surely –"

"No, Sir Harv. You have used me and now, you will fix the mess you helped me make. I want you to track down every Munchkin citizen who was removed from their homes and reinstate them, along with a monetary compensation from your account. I will agree to meet with the Quadling Top Chief and find a way to correct this upset."

I could tell that Sir Harv wasn't the least bit pleased, but he nodded.

"Sir Harv," I called after him when he reached the door of my office.

"Your Eminence?"

"No funny business this time."

Sir Harv's lips twitched, but he bowed and swiftly left, closing the door behind him.

It took the better part of the next two months, but things slowly began clearing up with the Quadling Country. I met with the Top Chief and we discussed where to go. I agreed to send funds and medical supplies to the Quadling Country to help contain the outbreak, and once it was over, remove the extra border patrols.

I told him that while Munchkinland would be unable to accept more refugees since I didn't want the outbreak to spread even more in Munchkinland, I told him that the sick Quadlings in the country would be safely quarantined and taken care of until they were well enough to travel back.

The Top Chief agreed to my help and thanked me for meeting with him. Once our meeting was over, I was starting to believe that things would really get better.

During those two months, there were more protests because people believed that I was favoring helping Quadlings over the destitute Munchkinlanders. They really thought that after I visited orphanages, hospitals, food banks, clinics, and help centers that I didn't still care about them. Munchkins were known to be very small-minded at times.

"I can only fix one problem at a time," I sighed, rubbing my temple against my oncoming headache. "Once we get this situation with the Quadling Country under control, I will focus more on domestic issues."

The two advisors I was with people didn't know what to say, or what they should say, so they simply nodded. "Very good, ma'am."

A month later, in early December, the outbreak had ended and the sick Quadlings had returned home. I wrote personal apology letters to everyone affected by the "Quadling removal". I wrote so many letters that I couldn't feel my hand afterwards. I had Sir Liunes get me a full report on the living conditions of the poorest places in Munchkinland, which included an inventory of parish benefits, housing, and everything else.

"Very good, Ma'am," he told me when I said I wanted it by the end of the following month.

The whole time, I continued to write to Fiyero. His letters really encouraged me through the whole ordeal. It was then I realized that I no longer wanted his encouragement through letters, which is why I wrote my final letter to him.

Dear Fiyero,

A few months ago, you asked me if you could be of help to me. And I, ever so brave, proud, and confident in my great powers replied "Not yet". But since that time, so much has changed.

Please come to Munchkinland again soon. I… I need you.

Yours,

Elphaba

The prince came back the following week. When he arrived, I completely forwent all proper protocol and wrapped my arms around him. Although a bit surprised, he quickly returned the hug and I relaxed against him.

The next day, I asked a maid to find him and tell him to meet me in the parlor during tea break.

"You asked for me?" Fiyero asked when he entered.

I was sitting on the sofa and I turned to face him, patting the spot next to me. "Sit, please."

The prince sat down, looking as nervous as I felt. "I went for a walk through the back park. It's very beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it. I want you to feel… quite at home here." I paused briefly. "I'm sure you're aware of why I wished for you to come here."

"Into the parlor?"

"Yes… but I meant back to Munchkinland."

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Or at least… I will be… soon… hopefully."

"What did you want to ask me?"

"It would… make me very happy… too happy, really, if you would agree to what I'm asking of you. And I… hope it would make you happy, too. I really enjoy your company, Fiyero. And I miss you whenever you're not here. And I… I don't want to be apart from you anymore."

I couldn't tell if Fiyero had stiffened or relaxed, but his posture changed. "You want me to stay here with you?"

"Yes," I nodded.

"And marry you?" he smiled hopefully.

I felt tears in my eyes as I nodded again. "And marry me."

Fiyero stood up and gently pulled me to my feet and kissed me. It felt just as good as the first time, if not better. "Yes," he whispered against my lips. "A thousand times yes." He gently pulled away and wiped the tears from my eyes, and I did the same to him.

We agreed not to make the public statement until we had written to our respective families and received responses. I wrote a letter to Father and Nessarose, telling them the big news. I asked Father to give me away and Nessarose to be my flower girl. My sister wrote back in full-caps, and while Father stuck to the rules of professional writing, he was clearly very excited and happy that I asked him to give me away.

Once Fiyero heard back from his parents, sister, and brother, who were all equally excited, we drafted the official announcement. His family wanted to know how he proposed, and I laughed as I watched him write back that I'm the one who proposed to him, since I'm the ruler.

"I never really thought about how I would propose to anyone," he had told me thoughtfully.

"I never thought about how I would propose to anyone either," I had admitted, which somehow lead to us kissing again.

"How does this sound?" Fiyero asked, handing me a piece of paper.

The Official Eminence Estate at Colwen Grounds

December 11th

Her Eminence, Elphaba Melena Thropp, is pleased to announce that she is now engaged to the youngest son of the Vinkun monarchs, King Raal and Queen Amalie, Prince Fiyero Liir Tigulaar. The twenty-year-old prince will be the first of his siblings to get married.

The wedding will take place at the Cateline Chapel in mid-March. Further details to follow soon.

"We're getting married in mid-March?" I asked, raising an amused eyebrow.

"Is the weather not seasonable in mid-March?" Fiyero asked.

I chuckled. "It depends on what you mean by 'seasonable'."

"It won't rain all the time, will it?"

"No… not all the time."

Fiyero laughed and kissed me yet again. I had to admit, I did love it when he kissed me. I could easily get used to it, and I fully intended to.

Munchkinland seemed happy as a whole that I had chosen a husband. But that didn't mean that I was completely forgiven. And to be honest, I still hadn't completely forgiven myself.

But the holiday season was coming up, so everyone was in high spirits. While Munchkinland, as a whole, didn't celebrate Lurlinemas, since it was a predominately Unionist country, that didn't mean decorations weren't in place. When my great-grandfather was the Eminent, decorations in the palace were kept to a minimal.

"So, if Munchkins don't celebrate Lurlinemas, what do you celebrate?" Fiyero asked as he tried, and failed, to braid my hair.

"We have a seven-day celebration called the Feast of Plenty. It goes from the day after Lurlinemas to the first day of the New Year."

"Is it a religious holiday?"

"No. It's a time where we give thanks for the year as a whole, specifically the harvests. On the first day, we families come together and have a big feast. There are seven principals of the holiday and each evening, after eating, a candle of the kinara is lit and a principle is discussed."

"What are the principals?"

"There's unity, self-determination, responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. And each night, everyone in the household gets to open one present."

"That sounds amazing."

"If you want, you can go back to your family to celebrate Lurlinemas. I'm afraid the most festive we get will be a few simple decorations. We won't even have a tree."

"What about celebrating the Feast of Plenty?"

I grinned. "We'll have plenty of time to celebrate it for the rest of our lives."

We were both silent for a while, sitting together on the sofa. "Elphaba?"

"Mmm?"

"I love you."

I looked at him and smiled. "I love you, too."


I know this is a short-ish chapter, but at least we got our Fiyeraba wedding in the works.

And can anyone guess the holiday I based the Feast of Plenty off of? If anyone guesses correctly, I will be very impressed (And might even offer a prize *Smirk*)

Don't forget to review! :-D