ElphieNeedsAHug: Thank you! And you're right. Of course something is going to happen.
Indy's Green Hat: Thank you! I fixed that typo.
Torchakaywrites: LOL! Thank you!
AnOreoForElphie: We will have to wait a bit longer for the Fiyero/ Nessa talk.
I'm glad to see that we're all on the same page that Nessa deserved everything Elphaba said to her, but Elphaba was still being a bit harsh. And special thanks and shout-out to AnOreoForElphie for being the 100th reviewer! *Confetti and balloons drop from the ceiling*
It took a while for Elphaba and Fiyero to piece back their relationship. It took a lot of conversations, apologies, explanations, and a few tears, but the couple eventually managed to get back on the same page again. Fiyero happily returned the bracelet to its proper place on Elphaba's wrist and the two began to go steady again. The weather was starting to warm up again, which meant they could spend more time outside. It was a relief to Elphaba, who had spent most of the cold, winter months inside. She was more than happy to sit outside under the shade of a tree and read or study with Fiyero.
"Fae?" Fiyero asked one day as they sat under a tree one afternoon in late March.
"Hmm?" Elphaba hummed, half distracted by her book.
"Do you have any plans over the spring break?"
Elphaba looked up. "Why?"
"No reason. Just asking."
"Yero…"
"Because the Annual Cherry Blossom Festival is over the break and I was wondering if you wanted to come to the Vinkus with me."
Elphaba smiled. "I've heard about the Vinkun Cherry Blossom Festival."
"Well, since you've heard about it, how would you like to experience it for yourself?" Fiyero chuckled.
"Yes," Elphaba said after considering it briefly. "I would love to go with you. But… I would have to write to my father and ask him, though. And he would probably say no…"
Fiyero nodded. He knew that Elphaba had never told her father that they were dating (or that they were even friends), so he didn't know how it would work out. "You can always try. I also invited Galinda, but she already has plans for over the break. And Nessa can come, too, if she wants."
Elphaba frowned. "No."
"Fae –"
"No, Fiyero. If I go, Nessa cannot come."
"Are you still not speaking to her? Fae, it's been almost three weeks."
"I don't care how long it's been. I don't want her to come with me."
Fiyero looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't, seeing the look on Elphaba's face. "Okay. Write to your father and ask him."
A week and a half later, Elphaba knocked on Fiyero's door with a letter in her hand.
"What did he say?" Fiyero asked as he led Elphaba inside.
"Apparently, telling Father than I have a boyfriend who's the infamous prince of the Vinkus through a letter wasn't the best idea ever," Elphaba admitted as she sat down on the couch and Fiyero sat next to her. "He wasn't too thrillified to find out. Especially when I asked him if I could go to the Vinkus over the break with you and without Nessa. He said that I should know my responsibilities for taking care of Nessa by now, since I've been taking care of her for years. And he wasn't exactly happy that I wanted to go someplace without her, even though I told him that Nessa was okay with it, which is beside the point," she said when Fiyero gave her a look. "And the fact that he's never met you didn't exactly help things."
Fiyero looked crestfallen. He had always enjoyed the festival, but he really wanted Elphaba to experience it as well.
"But he said yes, Yero," Elphaba said when she saw the look on the prince's face.
He immediately lit up. "Really?"
Elphaba laughed and nodded. "Surprisingly, he said I could go. As long as I take my medicine and don't do anything stupid, I can go with you over the break."
The prince, unable to contain himself, jumped up and lifted Elphaba into his arms, kissing her passionately as he spun her around in the air. Elphaba was surprised, to say the least, but quickly kissed the prince back.
"I'm so glad you'll be able to come with me," Fiyero smiled when they pulled away, nuzzling his nose against Elphaba's as he returned her feet to the floor.
"Me, too, Yero."
"And I can't wait for you to meet Defek and Khynel, my two childhood friends. I've told them so much about you."
"Including that I'm green?"
"I actually first told them about you when I got back from the Emerald City when we were kids. They didn't believe that a person could actually have green skin. They said that they won't believe it until they see it."
Elphaba rolled her eyes. "And do your parents know that you're inviting me?"
"Of course they do, Fae. I wrote to them telling them that I wanted to bring my wonderful girlfriend to the Vinkus to experience the cherry blossom festival. How could they say no to the girl who helped me to stay at Shiz for longer than a month?"
"Quite easily, since they've never met me."
"Of course they've met you, Fae. They met you back at the hospital."
"They still remember that?"
"I kinda wouldn't stop talking about you for a good two weeks after that. And when my father told me that he was taking me on a trip to the Emerald City, I was so excited because I thought I might see you again. So yes, they remember the green girl from the Emerald City hospital."
"It's just… what if they don't like me?"
Fiyero blinked. "What do you mean?"
"What if their opinions changed? What if they don't want their son dating the green girl of Oz? What if…"
Fiyero stopped her with another kiss. "What if they just accept you for who you are? What if you stop worrying about it before you work yourself up?"
Elphaba looked into his eyes and sighed. "I hate it when you do that."
"I love you, too, Fae," the prince chuckled, pulling Elphaba closer so that her head was leaning against his shoulder. "Trust me, everything will be fine."
It was clear that Elphaba didn't believe him, but she let the subject drop when Fiyero gently tightened his grip around her. "I hope you're right."
"Trust me," the prince said as he tenderly kissed the top of her head. "I know I am."
The two weeks leading up to the spring recess went by very quickly. Elphaba continued to ignore her sister and Fiyero would try to intervene, but quickly realized that Elphaba was not budging. Elphaba had two more small attacks, which were quickly solved by her taking her inhaler medicine before it escalated into something worse.
"Have the bestest fun, Elphie," Galinda smiled as she hugged her friend before parting for the break.
"I will, Glin," the green girl smiled. "Have fun in the Gillikin."
"I will. And don't forget to write. I want to hear every single detail about the Cherry Blossom Festival. Pay close attention to colors, smells, sounds, and anything else you know I would want to hear about."
Elphaba laughed. "I will, Glin." The green girl watched as her friend said goodbye to Fiyero and told him that he was in charge of filling her in on the details she was sure Elphaba was going to leave out.
"Bye-bye!" Galinda smiled, skipping over to her waiting carriage and climbing inside, waving to Elphaba and Fiyero until the carriage drove out of sight.
"Our bags are already in the carriage," Fiyero said, then saw Nessa wheeling over to them out of the corner of his eye. "Say goodbye to your sister. And please try to be nice."
Elphaba frowned as Fiyero kissed her nose and walked back to the carriage.
"Hi," Nessa said softly as she stopped next to her sister.
"Hi," Elphaba replied shortly, refusing to look at her sister. She belatedly realized that this was the first time she was speaking to her sister in over a month, but pushed that thought aside.
"Where are your bags?" the brunette asked. "It's time for us to leave."
"My bags are in Fiyero's carriage."
Nessa blinked. "Why are they there?"
"Because I'm going to the Vinkus with him."
"You're… what?"
"I'm spending the spring recess with Fiyero in the Vinkus."
"Does… does Father know about this?"
"Yes. He gave me his permission to go."
"And… how long will you be… gone?"
"The whole break."
"The whole break?" Nessa repeated, her eyes widening. "You'll be gone the whole break?"
"Yes."
"And I won't see you until we come back to Shiz?"
"Yes."
"Why… why didn't you tell me?"
"I don't have to tell you everything, Nessarose!" Elphaba snapped, finally looking down at her sister. "I don't have to answer to you."
"I… I wasn't asking you to. I just… wished I had known ahead of time… that you weren't coming back to Munchkinland with me," Nessa said, shrinking back slightly. In truth, the brunette was a bit jealous that she wasn't invited to the Vinkus, but pushed that feeling aside. It didn't matter right now, anyways. Her sister probably told Fiyero that she didn't want her to come along, and she couldn't blame her. "It's just… this is the first time we will be away from each other for a long period of time. And Elphaba… I'm really sorry about –"
"I have to go now," Elphaba interrupted, turning away from her sister.
"O-Okay," Nessa said, seeing that she wasn't going to get any more conversation from her sister. "Have a safe trip. And... have fun."
The green girl nodded and walked away towards Fiyero's carriage.
"I love you!" Nessa called to her sister's back, but she was ignored. She watched as her sister climbed into Fiyero's carriage and drove off. She wiped a tear from her eye as she wheeled back to her own carriage, where Boq was waiting for her.
Elphaba leaned her head against Fiyero's shoulder as the carriage drove off. She kind of expected more of an argument from Nessa and some last minute over-protective lectures, but wasn't surprised when the younger Thropp remained calm. Deep down, she felt bad for leaving her sister, and even worse for not telling her about the trip or inviting her. But then she felt Fiyero kiss her forehead and she remembered why she had done that.
"Fae, are you alright?"
"Of course."
"I don't mean physically. I mean… are you really alright?"
Elphaba understood what Fiyero meant and looked up at him. "Yes, Yero. I'm fine."
The prince knew better than to argue, so he simply settled for pulling Elphaba closer. "Fae?"
"Hmm?"
"The Cherry Blossom festival this year also coincides with my grandmother's eightieth birthday."
Elphaba stiffened slightly, sensing where this was going. "Yes?"
"And there's going to be a lot of festivities, especially since eighty is a big year for her."
"Yero, what are you saying?"
"I'm saying that if things become too much for you, I want you to tell me. I don't want you trying to hide the fact that you're not feeling well. I don't care what's going on or what we're doing. If you feel sick, tell me and we'll leave."
"Yero, I don't want you to have to miss out on anything because of me."
"And I don't want something happening to you because of me," Fiyero said, looking Elphaba in the eyes. "Promise me, Fae. Promise me that you will tell me if you feel an attack coming on. Even if it feels small and you may not think that it's a big deal, you'll tell me."
"I promise, Yero," Elphaba said after a slight pause.
"Thank you," the prince smiled.
The couple made small talk and watched the passing scenery as they traveled down the Yellow Brick Road. They stopped once to water the horses and stretch their legs, and then they were back on the road again. By early evening, just as the sun was beginning to go down, they arrived at Giniva Castle, the royal Vinkun residence.
"Fae," the prince whispered, nudging his sleeping girlfriend.
Elphaba hummed and slowly opened her eyes.
"We're here."
The green girl sat up and yawned, feeling awake and alert. The prince smiled as he opened the door and stepped down, helping Elphaba next. The green girl looked up and saw four people, which she guessed were Fiyero's parents and grandparents, descending the steps to meet them. She suddenly felt self-conscious, but relaxed when she felt Fiyero wrap his arm around her.
"Welcome home, son," Fiyero's mother smiled, her arm around her husband.
"We've missed you so much," the older woman, who Elphaba guessed was Fiyero's grandmother, smiled.
"I've missed you all, too," Fiyero said to all four of them, and hugged them, starting with his grandmother.
"It's been too quiet without you," Fiyero's grandfather smiled when it was his turn to receive a hug.
"Which isn't necessarily a bad thing," Fiyero's father chuckled.
"Ha ha," Fiyero teased, then stepped back to Elphaba. "And I brought someone for you all to meet. This is my girlfriend, Elphaba Thropp. Elphaba, these are my parents, Raal and Amalie, and my grandparents, Alyena and Navon."
The green girl dipped into a slight curtsey. "It's nice to meet you," she said shyly.
"It's very nice to see you again, Elphaba," Amalie smiled. Her husband smiled and nodded at the green girl.
Fiyero smiled and looked at his grandparents, waiting for their reactions. His grandfather was looking at Elphaba with a neutral face, which he didn't know if it was good or bad. His grandmother was trying to smile, but Fiyero could tell that it was very forced and didn't make it to her eyes, which were slightly wide with shock. It was very clear that both of his grandparents were a bit uncomfortable with the green girl.
Probably because of her skin, Fiyero thought, his face falling slightly. He had told them about the girl's interesting coloring, but he was sure they didn't really believe him until now.
"You two must be very tired after your long trip," Raal said, watching as the servants brought their bags into the castle. "There's tea and biscuits in the parlor."
Fiyero nodded. "Will you be alright, Fae?" he whispered, looking from his girlfriend to the three-dozen steps leading to the front door.
"Yes, Yero. I'll be fine. I can handle steps," she whispered back with a slight eye roll.
Fiyero nodded, but he wrapped his arms around his girlfriend's waist as they ascended the steps behind his parents and grandparents.
Just for reference, Giniva is pronounced with a soft g.
