What Dreams
May Come
Chapter 26
Deception Behind
The Mirror
Erik gasped hard against the stabbing pain slicing through his body. His dark chocolate eyes widen back at the man as his hands tighten against his shoulders. Blood pounded in his ears, and the world spun, splotches of black darted across his vision, his legs quivered, threatening to give beneath him.
Elphaba only had a moment, before her magick reacted to her unstable emotions, for within a blink of an eye, the man is hurled back. A hard gasp and Erik crumples to the ground in a heap and winced, hearing the man's bones crack and splinter.
And for a moment, the man and Erik stare back at each other; the hunter staring back at his prey. Slowly, his bloodstained lips move; a silent apology, a curse, no one but Erik knew what the man's last words were before his eye roll up into his skull, and his body slumps dead to the ground.
Leaping from her hiding place, Elphaba but back her dizzying nausea and ran towards her love. Falling to her knees, she reached out a hand towards his side. Her fingers trembled watching the crimson stain of his blood spread down his shirt.
"Come on Erik," she says in a surprisingly strong voice. Turning, she grabs the edge of her dress and rips pieces of the thick fabric into strips. Setting the pieces down, she quickly unbuttons his shirt and gasps. The wound was worse than she had thought, for the blade had broken off from the hilt when he had been thrown and remained still lodged in his side, "stay with me" she finishes seeing his eyes start to grow heavy.
"E…Elphaba…th…the blade" he gasps in pain.
Lifting her gaze towards him, her eyes soften, "I know," turning, she found the handle to wooden spoon lying beside her. Grabbing it, she turns back to face Erik, "here…bite down on this" she says placing it in his mouth.
"Ange" chokes out Erik weakly.
"I can't leave the blade inside you" she says. Closing her eyes, she steadies her nerves, "bear with me" opening her eyes, her fingers lower and dig into the wound.
Erik clenched his eyes and arched his back high off the ground as agonizing pain sliced through his body. His teeth clamped hard onto the wooden handle and sweat perspired against his forehead, as he fought to stay conscious.
"I'm so sorry" she whispered softly as she tried to find the blade. Feeling the edge of the blade, she grabs it and carefully pulls it out of Erik's writhing body.
Erik screamed before falling unconscious, the handle of the spoon dropped from his mouth and clattered noisily to the ground.
For a moment, Elphaba stared at the dagger, soaked in Erik's blood, dripping down her fingers, twisting down her wrist and disappearing beneath the cuff of her sleeve.
The nausea returned. Turning, she threw the dagger away into the sweltering darkness before retching everything out of her stomach.
Having emptied her stomach, Elphaba shakily lifted herself up. Wiping the vomit from her chin, she set to work to bandage Erik's wounds with the pieces of cloth she had ripped from her skirt. Once finished, she magicked the both of them to the bed.
"M…mon….ange" whispers Erik weakly.
"I'm here" Leaning closer, Elphaba gently took Erik's hands in hers, "you're going to be alright"
Weakly, Erik lulled his head towards Elphaba. His eyes weakly blink open and stare lackluster back at her.
"Thank you" he whispers.
"For what?" whispers Elphaba, her voice cracking slightly
"F…for giving me…one moment…of happiness" he whispers.
"Don't talk like that Erik," Elphaba said furiously, she wasn't going to let him give up. Not now, not when they had finally found each other, "You're going to be fine"
Erik blinked back at her, his fight to keep his eyes open was fading, and darkness was slowly creeping over his consciousness, he didn't have much time left, before unconsciousness would claim him and he wanted to tell her what was in his heart, in case he didn't wake up.
"You…made…my life…wonderful" he whispers
"And you mine," smiling, Elphaba lovingly caresses his pale cheek, "and you're going to continue making it wonderful alright. You're going to get through this"
"I…love…you" a breath and his body falls limp beneath the covers.
"Erik…Erik!?" Rising to her full height, Elphaba leans in closer. Pressing two fingers against his neck, a soft sigh of relief escaped her lips, feeling the weak thread beat of his heart pulse against the meats of her fingers. "You scared me" she says as she rests her forehead against his.
Three days passed since the incident and Erik remained unconscious, his breathing, though soft and raspy, had grown weaker and wispy and the color of his skin had remained pale and clammy. A fever had started a day ago, and had grown worse as time went on.
Elphaba tried everything she could to break his fever, yet no matter what she did, nothing seemed to work. She would leave only for a few minutes to go down to the lake and collect some water, before returning to his side.
Dipping the cloth she had been using in the cold, frigid water, she wrung it out and placed it over his forehead.
Erik hissed feeling the cold rag touch his burning forehead. Panting, he weakly moaned and shivered beneath the covers. His fingers, laced loosely with hers tightened.
"I wish I knew how to break you of this fever" she whispers softly
"Monsieur Destler…Mademoiselle Elphaba?" called Meg's voice.
"Meg…what are you doing here?" Elphaba asks as she turns to face the young blonde.
"I've come to check on you two," hearing Erik's weak moans, her dark cinnamon eyes rise and widen seeing him writhe beneath the covers, a heavy sheen of sweat perspired across his forehead, "My God what happened?" she asks rushing over to his side.
"He was stabbed" answers Elphaba softly
"Will he live?" Gently she takes Erik's free hand and brings it up to her cheek.
"I think so…he's just unconscious"
"What led to this?" Meg choked out. Her heart wrenched, feeling his fingers shake against her cheek.
"Him being stabbed?" Meg nodded silently in response. Sighing, Elphaba leaned against the back of the chair, "Some men came down here looking to kill him. I took one of them out…he took the other one and was shot for protecting me," shivering, Elphaba closed her eyes against a fresh wave of tears, "Erik managed to wrench the gun from him and had the man by the throat when he pleaded for Erik to show him mercy…Erik did…and the moment he released him the man stabbed Erik in the side"
"Oh Erik" whispers Meg softly
"Meg Giry!" turning, Meg's eyes widen seeing her mother stand in the doorway. Her dark chocolate eyes glared angrily back at her daughter, "What are you doing here?"
"I…I came to see Monsieur Destler and Mademoiselle Elphaba" Meg replied softly, her voice shaking slightly
Elphaba rose and stood protectively in front of Erik, "And who are you?"
"Did…did you say Elphaba?" gasps the older woman.
Meg nodded. Instantly she knew what her mother was thinking, and she cringed inwardly, knowing full well what her mother would be planning.
"Elphaba…were you once known as…Fae?" she asks
Elphaba immediately stiffened hearing her old nickname.
That was confirmation enough for Madame Giry. Closing her eyes, she steps in further into the room. Her hand remained lace together in front of her. Stopping, she lifts her gaze towards the green woman.
"Did you know a man named Fiyero?" she asks
Slowly, Elphaba turned to look at the older woman.
'H…how do you know that name?" she asks, her voice quivering slightly.
"Answer the question" says Madame Giry firmly
Elphaba could feel her throat closing up as the bile churned violently in her stomach. Closing her eyes, she nods slightly back at Madame Giry.
"I see…and I'm guessing you thought him to be dead?" another nod and Madame Giry takes another step, "Then you must go to him"
"What?" Snapping her head up, Elphaba's eyes widen.
"Your Fiyero, you must go to him" says Madame Giry simply
"I can't! He's dead!" shouts Elphaba. Rising on shaky legs, she takes a step towards Madame Giry, "What game are you playing at?"
"No games Mademoiselle Elphaba. This…Fiyero…a friend or former lover of yours is here in Paris" says Madame Giry.
"No," chokes out Elphaba. Stumbling, she grabbed the back of the chair as the world spun violently around her, "Your lying!"
"I do not lie Mademoiselle Elphaba. Now come with me now, and I'll take you to him"
Elphaba was ready to scream at this woman, blast her back with her magick, punish her for toying with her heart which had just begun to heal when the nausea became worse. Clamping a hand over her mouth, she turns and runs into the darkness to throw up.
Madame Giry quirked an eyebrow before turning to face her daughter, "Has she been throwing up a lot?"
Meg shrugs her shoulders in response.
Madame Giry narrows her eyes in the direction where Elphaba had fled.
"I wonder" she says