This is the final chapter! *Hands out tissues* You're gonna need these! Just a warning.

Fifty-eight years.

That's how long I reigned over Munchkinland with Fiyero by my side. For fifty-eight years, we worked tirelessly together, overseeing the prosperity of Munchkinland. Together, we reformed Munchkinland's education system, oversaw the welfare of the lower class, and saw the expansion of industry. Of course there were a few bumps in the road, but we overcame them together.

We saw our children grow up, get married, and have children of their own. Falaycia had two sons; Lyle Navon and Windon Traylor. Rebekkah had three children; two boys and a girl named Mikal Lars, Rixen Dahn, and Maven Nicia. Adson had two daughters, Dothia Carme (who we all affectionately called 'Dottie'), and Amalitta Hirelle (who we called 'Litta').

Unfortunately, Fiyero died before Dottie and Litta were born.

He had been very sick for a while. The doctor had diagnosed him with a lung disease that left his lungs scarred and damaged. He spent his final days in bed with me by his side. He was seventy-eight years old when he passed. I will never forget that day. It was Thursday June twelfth at five forty-seven in the evening. He was asleep and I was laying next to him, our children surrounding the bed, then I felt it. His chest just stopped rising and falling and he was gone. I was devastated when he left me, but I knew that whatever afterlife he was in, he was no longer suffering.

I created and sponsored a yearly scholarship for any Munchkin who wished to go to a university outside of Munchkinland in his honor. They had to exemplify characters of courage, passion, compassion, and be the top of the class. By doing this, I felt like I was making him proud.

After he died, I hid away in the palace for a while, not necessary neglecting my duties, but also in no rush to complete them. After a few months, I slowly began to go back into the public eye, due to my advisors' advice. I continued on, but not a day went by where I didn't miss the love of my life.

"Nonna! Nonna!"

I look up from where I'm sitting on the porch to see six-year-old Dottie running over to me. I smile as I open my arms for the hug I know is coming. She leaps into my arms and I grunt softly. I am still healthy and on my feet, but being eighty-five years old, I don't exactly have the body and strength of a twenty-five year old anymore.

"Hi, Nonna!" she says happily.

"Hello, sweetie," I smile as I kiss her forehead. "How was the ride here?"

"Okay."

I look up to see my son and his wife, along with three-year-old Amalitta, approaching the house. "Hello, Adson. Hello, River. Hello, Litta."

"Hello, Mother," Adson smiles as he kisses my cheek and River gives me a gentle hug.

"Say hi to Nonna, Litta," River gently encourages her daughter.

"Hi, Nonna," the little girl repeats with a little wave and I give her a kiss on her forehead. I look over at my daughter-in-law and smile at her rounded stomach. "How far along are you?"

"Seven months," she answers, rubbing her stomach. "I think this one is another girl, but Adson is hoping for a boy."

"Can you blame me? I want to play catch in the backyard, not have my nails painted," my son sighs.

River winces slightly and I know immediately that it's a kick.

"Has anyone else arrived yet?" Adson asks.

"Laycie and Goam are here, as well as Lyle and Windon," I respond as I go back into the house with them in tow.

"They live here, Mother."

"I know. You think I would forget which one of my children still live under my roof?"

"I thought you loved having us here, Mother."

I turn at the indignant sounding voice to see my first son-in-law coming over to me. "I would love it even more if you stopped eating me out of house and home."

"Growing boys need to eat," he protests.

"And what are you?"

"A big baby," Falaycia laughs as she comes into view.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," I smirk and let out a laugh when Goam pouts.

"Can we have a tea party now?" Dottie asks, tugging on my skirt.

"Tea party!" Litta repeats happily.

"Dottie, Litta, I'm sure Nonna would like to rest for a bit," River says.

"Nonsense," I say as I wave her off.

"But, Mother, surely you would like to rest for a bit," Adson adds.

I give him a look I had perfected over the years of raising my three children. It is a mixture of a glare and an incredulous look, complete with a raised eyebrow. I cannot even begin to recount the number of times I've had to use this look, especially with him.

"You really should rest, Mother," he says, not relenting.

"I'm fine," I say stubbornly, and I swear I can hear Fiyero softly laughing at me.

While Dottie, Amalitta, and I are having our tea party, Rebekkah and her husband, Cean, arrive with Mikal, Rixen, and Maven.

"Hello, Mother," Rebekkah smiles as she comes into the parlor.

I slowly rise to my feet, swatting away Adson's "helping" hand, and approach my daughter. "Hello, Bekkah. Hello, Dhan."

"Hello, Mother," Dhan says as he hugs me.

Before I have the chance to say anything else, I hear a chorus of "Hi, Nonna!" and three pairs of hands engulf me.

I simply love group hugs with my grandchildren. "Hello, my darlings."

Mikal and Rixen, ages fourteen and twelve respectively, gently pull away after a while, but Maven stays attached to me. I rub her back softly. Out of all my grandchildren, Maven is the clingy one, which I completely understand. Rebekkah had been rather clingy when she was younger, and Maven was a complete carbon copy of her mother.

"Are you alright, Maven?" I ask the ten-year-old.

I feel Maven shake her head and I look up at Rebekkah.

"She's upset because we won't get her a puppy for her birthday," my younger daughter says with a slight sigh.

"I can remember a certain someone wanting a puppy for six years straight," I say knowingly.

"And looking back, I can see why you didn't get me one."

I hum and look back down at Maven. "And you think attaching yourself to me will get you a puppy, Maven?"

"It was worth a try," she says as she pulls away and goes to sit by the window.

I chuckle. "Where are Lyle and Windon?" I ask Falaycia.

"In their rooms," she says, then announces that she's going to get them.

A few moments later, I hear hurried footsteps come down the stairs and I see my two oldest grandchildren come into the parlor. Lyle is seventeen and every bit like me. He is studious, very book driven, and organized. Windon is fifteen and shy, but the girls love him. Like his brother, he mostly has his nose in a book, but unlike his brother, he is more willing to talk about what he thinks and feels.

We all gather together in the parlor for our little family reunion. Laycie and Rebekkah begin setting up a chessboard, while Adson pulls out a novel. Mikal, Rixen, and Windon play a card game on the floor, while Maven teaches me a string game called Cat's Cradle, which I picked up rather quickly, even though I don't know why it's called that if it involves neither a cat nor a cradle, but only a piece of string. Amalitta plays with Dottie's hair, while Lyle absent-mindedly looks out the window.

"Is everything alright, Lyle?" I ask him as Maven pinches the crossed strings and wraps them around her fingers before transferring the string to her hand.

He nods wordlessly before opening the book that sat on his lap. I want to ask him another question, but it's my turn to take the string from Maven.

As I look around at my family, I couldn't help but think about the missing faces. Of course there was Fiyero, but there was also Nessarose.

Nessa had married Boq and they lived happily in the village. A few years before Fiyero died, I got a message from Boq saying that she was very ill. I visited her and she died a few days later. She was sixty-four years old. I didn't see Boq very much after her funeral, and he died a few years later. I miss my sister dearly, and I feel like a part of me died with her.

"I'll be right back," I say, passing the string to Maven and slowly getting to my feet.

"Are you okay, Mother?" Falaycia asks.

"Yes." I roll my eyes. "I'm fine."

"Where are you going?"

I don't answer as I walk out the back door and through the gardens to the family cemetery. I just need some time alone. I stop in front of a very familiar grave and smile sadly.

Here lies Fiyero Liir Tigulaar-Thropp

Eminent-Consort to Elphaba Melena Thropp

Cherished Husband, Beloved Father, and Loving Grandfather

May He Rest With The Unnamed God Forever

"Hi, Yero."

Silence answers me back and I take a deep breath.

"Everyone is here today. Our three children and seven grandchildren are all under one roof together. It's actually quite peaceful. I wish you could see how much they've grown. I'm so proud of each and every one of them. River is pregnant with her third child, and between the two of us, I think it's another girl."

I sigh and lean against a nearby tree, brushing my long, grey hair away from my face. "I miss you, Yero. I miss you more than you could ever know, but I know that somewhere, you and Nessa are waiting for me with my parents, Nanny, Galinda, and everyone else we've loved over the years. But I won't rush. I can't. I love our children and grandchildren. I can't rush to leave them. I'm sorry, Yero."

I take off my glasses and wipe a tear from my eye. "I… I know it's only been nine years… but it seems like so much longer. I miss your smile, your laugh, your advice – whether good or not –, the way you would always make me smile when I had a bad day, your kisses, your –"

"Nonna?"

I gasp and turn sharply. I return my glasses to my face, seeing my eldest grandchild behind me. "Lyle? What are you doing out here?" I demand, placing my hand on my heart as I try to calm myself from the scare.

He doesn't answer me. Instead, he approaches me and looks down at the grave. "You miss Pappa, don't you?"

I smile softly at him. "Every day. I was just thinking about how he would have loved to see you all here together."

"I… I miss him, too."

"You remember him?" Lyle was only eight when Fiyero died, and my other grandchildren had been even younger, or not even born yet.

"A little. I remember how he used to do the funny voices when he read us stories, and how we would dance together during the Feast of Plenty."

I smile fondly. "When you were born, he was so excited at the thought of being a grandfather. He would take you out to the village and show you to whoever would look, which was everyone, of course. It scared your mother and father half to death."

"Why?"

"Because he would take you and not tell anyone." Lyle laughs and I smile, then think for a moment. "Lyle, does anyone know where you are right now?"

"Maybe."

I give him my signature look.

"No."

I slowly shake my head. "You left the house without telling anyone?"

"Maven wanted to paint my nails pink."

I chuckle. "They'll be looking for you… and for me too, I suppose. Let's go back inside." I wrap my arm around my grandson and we walk back inside together. Lyle gently leans closer to me and I try my best to hide my grin.

"Mom! Dottie is calling me 'Winnie' again!" is the first thing I hear upon reentering the house.

"Dothia, you know Windon doesn't like to be called that," I hear River chide, followed by a few giggles.

I have lived longer than my great-grandfather and out-reign him, as well. With sixty-eight years and counting, I am the longest reigning Eminent Thropp in Munchkinland history. But right now, I am simply 'Nonna', having to deal with the whines and pleads of my children and grandchildren.

"Nonna, can I have a cookie?"

"Nonna, tell Litta to stop poking me!"

"Mother, please tell Adson that I'm your favorite."

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

The End.

Thank you all for reading/ reviewing/ favoriting/ following me on this journey.

My next story, 'Escape the Darkness', will be up in a few months.