Chapter 20: A Better King

Elphaba detached herself from Fiyero's arms, put on a robe and got up to look out the window. It had been weeks since she had run away, and things had gone back to "normal" faster than she had thought they would. What she saw when she looked out the window, however, made it clear that things wouldn't stay that way for long.

She rushed back to the bed and woke Fiyero. "Yero! Get up. There are twenty servants leaving on horseback looking concerned. What is going on?"

Fiyero sat up. "I have no idea." He began pulling on his clothes when there was a knock at the door. "Open it, Fae."

She opened the door to Fiyero's father's main adviser.

"Prince Fiyero, we have a situation."

"What is going on?" Fiyero demanded.

"Sit down."

Elphaba sat on the bed and Fiyero did the same. She took his hand.

"Your father never came back from his nightly ride last night."

"So the servants riding outside are going to find him?" Fiyero squeezed her hand.

The adviser nodded.

"I want to go."

"No."

"Why can't I?" Fiyero demanded.

She held his hand tightly.

"Because we don't know what happened to your father. If he was attacked, you could be in danger merely going to look for him. I advise that you stay here." The adviser left the room.

"Oh, sweet Oz." Fiyero got up and went to the window. "What could've happened? I hope he wasn't attacked. That would probably mean another war..."

She went to him and put a hand on his arm. "Maybe he got lost, or maybe his horse got hurt and he couldn't get back easily. They'll find him, Fiyero."

"They will. But what if he's...?"

"Shhh." She put a finger to his lips.

"Thank you."

"What?"

"For being here."

"I'm not going to leave you. No matter what." Elphaba told herself she was just saying that to comfort him, not that she meant it. "They will come get us when they find him. Come sit down with me." She sat down on the bed.

He nodded, dazed, and joined her on the bed.

"Fiyero, listen to me. Whatever happens, we'll get through this, okay?" She felt silly, comforting him when no one had been their to comfort her when she'd watched her own father die.

He smiled lightly at her. "I love you."

She touched his cheek. "You're a good man, Fiyero." There was a part of her that wanted to tell him she loved him, too, but she thought maybe she'd be lying, so she said nothing.

He kissed her.

She kissed him back, thinking perhaps she could distract him for some time (and have some fun), but the door burst open and she pulled away.

Fiyero jumped up as his father's adviser entered. "What happened?"

"We found him."

"Where was he? Is he okay?"

The adviser reached out and put a hand on Fiyero's shoulder. "He had a heart attack and fell from his horse. The horse panicked and trampled him. I'm sorry, Prince Fiyero."

Elphaba brought a hand to her mouth. She held no affection for the king, but she knew Fiyero did. And she knew things would change – a lot. "Oh, no."

Fiyero sat back down on the bed, shaking. "What... what... what do I do?"

"Nothing right now. They're bringing him back. His funeral will be tomorrow. Your coronation will be the day after that. I will let you know when they return so you can say goodbye. Tomorrow we will discuss what is to happen. Do you wish me to stay? Or should I send your uncles up to grieve with you?"

"I'd rather grieve alone," Fiyero murmured quietly.

The adviser nodded and left.

"Do you want me to go?" Elphaba asked. She began to leave the room.

He grabbed her wrist. "No." Fiyero pulled her into his arms. "Please stay with me."

She nodded up at him and rested her head against his chest. "I'm so sorry, Fiyero."

He buried his face in her hair, and she pretended she didn't notice the tears. "I don't even know why I'm upset about it. All he ever did was lecture me. It's not as though we were close."

This she understood. "My father wasn't kind to me, either. But I loved him. It's only natural, Fiyero."

After a few more minutes, he said, "I guess I'm going to be king now, I guess."

"You are."

"I'm not ready."

"You will be a great king." And she believed this. Fiyero was kind. Perhaps he would need some help being diplomatic, because sometimes he was too soft. But he would be fair. And so few kings were. "I know you will, Fiyero."

"My father didn't become king until he was in his late twenties and I was already born."

"You are not your father. Not that your father wasn't a good king, but you don't need to be like him. Do what you think is right, Fiyero, and you will be the best king."

He kissed her cheek. "You know that as my bed slave you're going to get a better bedroom, right?"

"I didn't know. And I don't exactly care. I spend more than half my nights in your room. Although I suppose that's going to change soon."

"Why?"

"Fiyero," she said gently, "I'm guessing that when you become king, they're going to expect you to marry."

Fiyero did not look happy about that.