A special thanks to my sister for flaming the last chapter! With friends like you, who needs enemies;) A big thanks to broadwaylover07, Juelz Rox, jerryholloway and Love That Wicked for reviewing last chapter. I might yet break 100!

Just a warning, this chapter gets a high T rating for adult content. Shroud is a very depraved human being and you'll see just how terrible at the end of chapter. The middle part is a bit disturbing but I have left everything as vague as possible to keep the T rating. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: If I was Stephen Schwartz, Gregory Maguire or Winnie Holzman do you really think I would be suffering through law school right now?

Now onto the meat and potatoes:

Chapter twenty eight

"ELPHABA," both Fiyero and Glinda shrieked and their voices would have been heard if it hadn't been for the sudden commotion below. The Gale Forcers gave cries of alarm and quickly jumped on Elphaba as a ravenous animal would a piece of meat. Fiyero and Glinda's exchanged looks of horror as they could no longer see Elphaba below. All they could see were the green uniforms of the Gale Force.

Elphaba, still seeing stars from her fall, opened her eyes and stared up at the fifty men now surrounding her. She could barely breathe because of the congestion but she finally managed to pull herself into a sitting position. "I've come to..."

Her statement was cut off when one of the Gale Forcers hit her hard on the head with his gun butt. She gave a cry of pain and surprise as blood swam its way down her forehead and into her eyes, blinding her momentarily. Elphaba moved her hand up to her face in order to clear her eyes but even that slight movement caused fear and alarm in the Gale Forcers. They quickly grabbed her and twisted her arms so she couldn't move them.

"Who is it," Glinda and Fiyero heard Shroud ask. His maps were still spread before him and he didn't look up. His voice sounded terribly uninterested in the individual who had just dropped into their midst.

"The Wicked Witch of the West, Your Highness," the Gale Forcer who had struck Elphaba answered. "We're positive. Her skin is disgustingly green."

Fiyero and Glinda saw Shroud's eyes brighten. He quickly abandoned his maps and hurried forward to get a closer look at his prisoner. A smile crept over his features as he recognized Elphaba. He would know the Wicked Witch of the West anywhere. After all, she had been locked in his basement not very long ago. How and why she had come back was a mystery he was eager to solve. Plus, who better to lead him to Glinda than her best friend?

"Should I shoot her, Your Highness," a Gale Forcer asked, raising his gun and resting it against Elphaba's forehead. The green witch gave a slight shudder but kept her face passive.

"I'm going down there," Fiyero hissed to Glinda as he shouldered his gun. Glinda, however, grabbed Fiyero's hand and held him fast.

"Don't! There's nothing you can do. We have to put a plan together! Don't panic, Fiyero, I'm already about to!" Glinda's voice was barely audible and her breath was coming in quick gasps. Nothing could have prepared Glinda for what Elphaba had just done to herself. Still, they couldn't panic. Glinda took a deep breath before glancing up at Fiyero.

The Winkie looked at Glinda's pale but determined face and nodded. He would be of no use to Elphaba if he was simply taken prisoner as well. What was the purpose of her actions though? Knowing Elphaba, Fiyero knew she had meant for something to happen. But certainly not this. There was a gun pressed to her forehead and what reason did Shroud have to let her live? But to Fiyero's surprise and relief, Shroud gave the Gale Forcer the order not to fire and, indeed, to lower his weapon.

"I have something I need to discuss with the Witch," Shroud answered the questioning stares of his men. "Then you may execute her in any way you wish."

The Gale Forcers nodded but none of them moved. Shroud walked over and picked up Elphaba's gun, which had slipped from her hand when she hit the ground. He handed it to the nearest guard.

"Take this and leave us," Shroud ordered as his eyes raked Elphaba strong stance but shaking body. She was terrified but her strength was unconquerable. Or at least she seemed to believe that. Shroud had seen even the toughest of men on their knees begging for the pain to end. Certainly Elphaba would be the same way.

"Your Highness, I strongly recommend that at least one of us stay with you," said the Gale Forcer that had struck Elphaba in the head. She recognized him as the man who had led the charge in the Badlands. Perhaps it was the pain pounding in her skull but she couldn't remember his name. "She's the Wicked Witch of the West. Who knows what she's capable of?"

"I said leave us," Shroud repeated, a little more forcefully this time. "Liken, if it'll make you feel better, cuff the Witch and then leave us. I can handle her."

The Gale Forcer, whom Elphaba now remembered was named Liken Janans, nodded and secured her hands behind her back with a pair of cuffs. He wasn't the least bit gentle and even pinched Elphaba's skin when securing her.

"Try anything and I'll blow you to the unnamed god," Liken snarled and then turned to the face the Gale Force. "You men heard! Out with the lot of you!"

Then, to Glinda and Fiyero's surprise, the men slowly began to empty the room. Liken Janans was the last to leave. He exited but as he turned to close the door, he paused. There was doubt etched on his face and Fiyero, Glinda and Elphaba silently wondered if he actually looked to Shroud as a friend and not just a means to a position of power.

"Should you need me, Your Highness, just call," he said and remained in the door frame almost as if hoping that Shroud would change his mind and allow Liken to stay with him and offer aid.

Shroud, however, nodded before gesturing for Liken to leave them. The Gale Forcer did as he was bidden but he still looked unsure. Now, Shroud was alone with the exception of Elphaba. Fiyero and Glinda exchanged looks of utter shock. They suddenly understood what Elphaba's goal had been and she had accomplished her ends. Shroud was now alone and unguarded. All Fiyero and Glinda had to do was figure a way down.

"But this also means that the Gale Force is now loose in the palace," Glinda muttered quietly to Fiyero. They had to keep their voices to a barely audible whisper as there was no other talking for their voices to get lost in. Fiyero hadn't thought about that. They couldn't risk walking into the throne room because the Gale Force was probably waiting right outside.

"Fiyero," Glinda whispered. "I suggest that we scrap our kidnapping plot and simply take him out if we can. There are too many risks to attempting a kidnapping now."

Fiyero nodded his agreement but it would still be a hard shot to hit. Shroud wasn't a large man and he kept moving about, making a direct hit nearly impossible. Fiyero quickly took his gun and aimed down below into the throne room. If he could get a shot, he would take it. For the time being, though, he and Glinda would simply watch the action and wait. By this time, Elphaba had pulled herself to her feet and was facing Shroud as calmly as possible.

"I suspected Morti would try something as soft-hearted as a kidnapping," Shroud said plainly. "He's too predictable for his own good. I also guessed he would use you."

When Elphaba still said nothing, Shroud continued. "You see I knew that you couldn't go into battle with the others. The whole point of publishing Glinda's letter was to get Oz to rise up against me. Well they have, to some degree, but that also left you out of the action. They wouldn't join anyone who had the Wicked Witch of the West as an ally. You'd be a liability. But I also knew that you wouldn't be content to just sit on the sidelines. But I didn't suspect to be correct on everything."

"Well aren't you the clever one," Elphaba answered, her voice as deadpan as she could possibly make it. Her pride wouldn't let her beg or plead for her life but she had to make Shroud think she was a cornered woman without a means of escape. He couldn't know that her appearance was a ruse, that Glinda and Fiyero were formulating a plan just above their heads.

"I do have one question for you before I get into the heart of my interrogation. How did you fall through the ceiling?" Shroud was starring up at the ceiling where he could see a tile missing. He could see the remnants of the tile laying on the floor beside Elphaba. It must have broken right as she stepped on it. Judging by the gun that had been in her hand when she fell, Shroud suddenly wondered if Elphaba's goal had been an assassination rather than a kidnapping. No, he decided. Morti was too soft for that. He was a pathetic pacifist who would choose the peaceful path rather than the most convenient.

Elphaba shrugged in answer to Shroud's question. "I stepped on a piece of rotten paneling, I guess. How should I know? One minute I was about to shoot you and the next I'm laying on the ground being beaten by your men."

Shroud glanced skyward once again at this revelation. "Hmm, I always thought my ceiling would be made of more a secure material than simple paneling," he muttered. The Emerald Palace had stood in Oz for centuries. The Wizard had loved the color so much that he had raised the Emerald City around it. The rest of the palace, however, was made of fine emerald marble. Why would a ceiling be made of simple paneling?

"Well you thought wrong," Elphaba answered quickly. Shroud, she realized, was a bit like her. He was quick to find plot holes and even quicker at filling them in. Elphaba knew that she wouldn't take anything Shroud said at face value and he knew that he would return the favor. She had to keep him talking if she wanted him to keep his mind off of the mystery surrounding her entrance. Already he was dangerously close to unraveling the plan. "Could you please get on with it? You know you won't get anything out of me so you might as well just kill me now."

"So sure of yourself, are you," Shroud asked, quickly remembering his main reason for keeping Elphaba alive; Glinda. "Well let me at least try. If I can't get information out of you, I can at least say I tried. You know what I want, Elphaba, so I would just make it quick. Tell me where Glinda is and once I have her, I'll insure a quick and painless execution for you but I give you my word that I'll let her live."

Shroud snarled when Elphaba started to cackle. It was the cackle she had made infamous as the Wicked Witch of the West. Glinda remembered that cackle. She had heard it in Munchkinland when she and Elphaba had been fighting right after Nessarose's death. Elphaba was mocking Shroud and the steward knew it. However, he was quick to recover himself and he kept his temper in check.

"Ah, I should have known you wouldn't crack so easily. But no matter, no matter, I'll throw a little more…persuasion into the mix." Shroud reached into his belt and retrieved a small dagger. It was ten inches long total with an eight inch blade. The blade was smooth on one side but jagged on the other. It came to a fine point but Elphaba surprised herself by not even shuddering at its appearance. Shroud stroked and handled the dagger as if it were a lover. He held it out before Elphaba so she could better take in its features.

"Beautiful, isn't it," he asked as he placed one hand on top of the hilt and the other just under the point of the blade. He held it just inches from Elphaba's face so she could better appreciate it's subtle beauty and the damage it could inflict. "I had it made for me years ago when I was supposed to become captain of the Gale Force. As you know your lover, Fiyero, got the position instead." Shroud walked forward and gently stroked Elphaba's face with the dagger. Her body betraying her, Elphaba shivered slightly. Fiyero often stroked her face in the same gentle manner. Granted with her husband it was his hand instead of a dagger but Shroud was surprisingly just as gentle.

"Shall we see how many of your fingers I can cut off with this beauty," he asked her in an off hand voice that was surprisingly more terrifying than any raised voice could ever hope to be. Shroud was taking great pleasure in Elphaba's unwillingness to bend. "Which side do you think hurts more? The smooth edge or the jagged? We can try both if you want? Or what about your toes? You would have trouble standing for the rest of your life that way."

Elphaba still said nothing and Shroud was clearly becoming annoyed by this. He backhanded her hard and kneed her in the stomach. As her hands were cuffed, the assault to her face made her to stumble but the kick to the stomach caused her to hit the ground. Before she could regain control of her breathing, Shroud was down at her side.

"I'd say your tongue, but I really need you to tell me where I can find Glinda. But your eyes I really don't need. Do I, Elphaba," he hissed and when she said nothing, he simply spit in her face before twirling the dagger between his index finger and thumb. He watched her for several seconds but still she said nothing.

"Fine, with your impertinent silence you make your choice," he snarled and gently moved the dagger up to her right eye. "Should I just dig it out or maybe just put it out? Well, you have two eyes so we'll try it both ways."

Elphaba closed her eyes and tightened her body in fear and anticipation but before Shroud could strike, a shot rang out in the throne room. It missed Shroud and Elphaba by mere inches and another one quickly followed. This second shot was ever more off base than the first. With the reflexes learned by his years in the Gale Force, Shroud grabbed Elphaba from the ground and fixed her in front of him, laying his dagger along her throat. He positioned her so no bullet could hit him unless it hit her first.

"You have an accomplice," Shroud snarled at Elphaba as his dagger dug into the tender flesh at her throat. "That I wouldn't have predicted but my guess would be that it's your lover. I'm right, am I not, Elphaba? It's Tiggular! You wouldn't be stupid enough to bring Glinda!"

Elphaba said nothing so Shroud let his dagger dig in more. "You have ten seconds to surrender yourself, Tiggular, or else I'll bleed her like a stuck pig until you do so or she dies. Leave all your weapons. If I see even the smallest knife I'll slit her throat immediately."

Elphaba prayed that Fiyero wouldn't act, that he would stay hidden and plotting with Glinda. If Shroud bled her slowly, it would take a while for her to die. That would leave them with plenty of time to act and still save her life.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven," Shroud counted slowly, his knife breaking the flesh on Elphaba's throat and she could feel the blood dripping slowly. She winced at the pain but made no verbal outcry. "Six, five, four, three, two, one. Time's up, Tiggular," Shroud bellowed loudly. His gentle voice had been replaced with anger and frustration. "Show yourself or she dies!"

Just as Elphaba thought Shroud wouldn't get his way, Fiyero jumped down from the ceiling and crashed onto the floor. He had hoped to land on his feet. He would seem more fearsome that way, he thought. However, the length of the fall made Fiyero's knees buckle and he sank to the ground. Shroud still didn't release Elphaba, however. In fact, his dagger cut deeper causing more blood to flow.

"Get up," Shroud snarled at Fiyero. The Winkie slowly started to move but not fast enough for Shroud's liking. Quickly, he removed his hand from around Elphaba's waist and withdrew a pair of cuffs from his back pocket. He threw them at Fiyero before securing his arm back around Elphaba.

"Get up and look at the area around my throne." Fiyero looked over his left shoulder at the throne that had once belonged to the Wizard. He had no idea what he was supposed to be looking for but his eyes still scanned the area.

"There's a small metal pole that's secured to the wall on both ends." Shroud didn't need to gesture for Fiyero saw the pole once it was pointed out. It seemed to be a handrail for it was beside a small staircase that would allow someone to ascend the dias the throne itself sat upon. "Cuff yourself to it," Shroud ordered. "Then, one of you will tell me where Glinda is and then one of you will accompany me to find her. If you lie, the other dies."

"Fiyero, don't listen to him," Elphaba snapped and was rewarded by the arm around her waist tightening and the dagger drawing more blood from her throat. The Winkie found his footing and looked at the cuffs. There had to be a way out of this... There just had to be!

"Hurry it up, former captain," Shroud snarled. "She's already bleeding you'll see!"

Fiyero looked at Elphaba and his eyes locked onto hers. Both of them knew what would happen if Fiyero obeyed; their fate would be solely in Glinda's hands. This they hadn't planned for. Elphaba thought of her best friend, sitting alone in the passageway, trying to put a plan together. Elphaba was supposed to be the strategist and Fiyero second after her. Glinda had never been one to put a plan together. She hadn't even been able to figure out Elphaba and Fiyero's plan four years ago.

"I'm so sorry, Fae," Fiyero whispered as his fear of what the dagger was doing to his wife overcame his fear of what would happen to them now. Live now and fight when the opportunity arose. Perhaps they could keep Shroud's interrogation going long enough for Morti and the others to reach the palace and take it by storm.

"Yero," Elphaba called but he wouldn't look at her. He secured his left wrist in one cuff before fixing the other to the small metal pole Shroud had pointed out. The situation was now as desperate as it could be. Fiyero and Elphaba were out of commission entirely. One was cuffed in place and the other had a dagger at her throat. Even if Shroud did drop Elphaba, she was essentially useless. Her arms were cuffed behind her back. She couldn't do much without her hands. Everything was now on Glinda's shoulders.

--

From up above, Glinda watched everything in horror. When Shroud had beaten Elphaba to the ground and made it clear that he really was going to try and cut out her eyes, Fiyero had acted on impulse and fired a shot. In his anger and fear he had missed that shot and the second one as well.

"Stop," Glinda had cried as Fiyero prepared another shot even though Shroud had pulled Elphaba in front of him making it nearly impossible to hit the steward. "You'll shoot Elphie!" Glinda had lunged forward and grabbed Fiyero's arms, lowering them to his side. Fiyero would never forgive himself if he panicked and accidentally shot Elphaba instead of Shroud.

Once Glinda had lowered his arms, Fiyero laid his gun aside, his hands shaking as Shroud called up to him to surrender. Fiyero had looked at Glinda on her knees beside him, her hands wrapped around his arm. Her face was pale white and her entire body was shaking. Fiyero quickly put his gun aside and looked at Glinda.

"What do I do," he asked fearfully.

"I don't know," Glinda whispered. It had just hit her that Fiyero would become Shroud's prisoner as well if he jumped, meaning that Glinda would be on her own. Glinda hadn't thought this would happen. How would she act without Fiyero and Elphaba? She wasn't a plotter or much of a planner. Sure, she could come up with ideas but she had always had others to help her. As Supreme Ruler of Oz, she had the Gale Force and numerous staff to carry out her orders. With this mission, Glinda thought her job was essentially over. She had gotten them safely to the passageway. Now, however, things had drastically changed and she would have to serve as architect and builder.

"Fiyero, please," Glinda begged. She wasn't sure what she was about to ask of Fiyero for they were left with little choice. Shroud's cold voice cut Glinda to the quick. She was scared for her best friend and she was scared for herself. But Fiyero had shaken his head before Glinda could continue her begging.

"I have to, Glinda. You can do this! I have faith in you!" He then handed Glinda his gun so she would have two. "If things get bad either take him out or run for it. Find help but don't get captured whatever you do!"

Shroud had reached the end of his countdown. He now called out to Fiyero that he only had a short time left to comply before he would kill Elphaba. Fiyero suddenly felt brainless once again. He couldn't think of another way out of this. He trusted Glinda but he wasn't sure how much faith he had in her ability to save them. Still, Fiyero gave Glinda one last smile of confidence before he jumped down into the throne room.

--

So now Glinda was alone. She held Fiyero's gun and glanced at her own. She raised the rifle and took aim at Shroud. She still couldn't shoot him without hitting Elphaba. She couldn't very well jump down herself though either. By the time she situated herself, Shroud would have had time to spring on her. And she couldn't try and sneak into the throne room without walking into certain detainment by the waiting Gale Force. She thought of her bubble but ruled it out as Shroud knew of her ability come and go by bubble. No, she would have to find another way. As Glinda's mind attempted to think up new and more original rescue missions, her eyes returned to the throne room.

Once Fiyero was secured to the wall, Shroud threw Elphaba in the Winkie's direction. Without hands to catch or balance herself, Elphaba hit the floor face first. She was able to roll a bit so as not to hit her face on the marble floor but it still hurt a great deal. She winced with pain as she shoulder, chest and the left part of her face struck the ground.

"Glinda," Shroud repeated. "Where is she?"

Elphaba was struggling to slide her way over to Fiyero. She wanted to be there beside him, to let him know she wasn't terribly hurt. The cut in her neck was already clotting and the blood was only coming down in small droplets. Plus, she found strength in Fiyero and he found strength in her. If they were to wait out Shroud's interrogation, they would need to be together.

Glinda raised her gun as Shroud returned his gaze to the now united lovers. She could attempt to shoot Shroud but her aim was worse than an angry Fiyero's and one miss would give her away. If she were captured, their entire effort, plus that of Morti and Daley in the battlefield, would be wasted. Something would present itself, Glinda told herself. It had to!

"Neither of you will talk," Shroud asked, as Fiyero put his free hand on Elphaba's shoulder as she situated herself on the floor beside him.

"Are you hurt," Fiyero asked, compelling himself to ignore Shroud and focus on Elphaba. He looked at her throat as well as the rest of her body. He offered his wife his hand and helped Elphaba pull herself back up to her feet so they were face to face. Fiyero raised his free hand and moved it along her throat, just below the cut.

"Not terribly," Elphaba whispered, forcing herself to keep her attention on Fiyero. If they were to hope Morti and the others would be victorious and come to their rescue, they had to keep Shroud talking and ignoring him seemed to be the best means to accomplish that end. "A little sore from the fall but not bad. You?"

"Fit as a fiddle," Fiyero answered as he ran his free hand threw her hair and down her face. "I'm sorry, Fae," he repeated. "I wasn't thinking clearly and my aim was off. I'm so sorry for this."

"Don't apologize," Elphaba whispered, wishing she had a free hand to touch him, to let him know she was more concerned than angry. She wasn't angry at all actually. She was worried. What if Morti and the others didn't come? How long would they be able to withstand whatever Shroud had planned for them before one of them would crack? "You did the best you could, Yero. I love you!"

He wanted to kiss her, to comfort her, but he knew he couldn't. Shroud had said nothing during their exchange and that worried Fiyero. Why wasn't he angry at their sudden withdrawal from the conversation? Shroud was an attention seeker and here his two prisoners were ignoring him completely. Fiyero let his peripheral vision find Shround. He seemed to be watching their interaction with a mixture of interest and intrigue. What was going to through his brain, Fiyero thought as he let his eyes focus on his wife.

As Fiyero gently stroked her hair, Elphaba leaned it and kissed him gently on the lips. It wasn't a passionate kiss but a comforting one. Fiyero returned the kiss gently, letting Elphaba know that she wasn't alone. Fiyero let his eyes open during their kiss and he turned his gaze for the faintest of second to Shroud. The man still didn't look bothered by his prisoners ignoring him. In fact, Fiyero saw a small smile come over his face when Elphaba broke the kiss. The feeling of Elphaba's lips leaving his made Fiyero turn back to the green witch.

"I love you too," he whispered before their lips came together in a kiss of love, passion and comfort. While their exchange had been meant to show Shroud that nothing could break them, the tyrant was actually forgotten in this kiss. Fiyero heard the footsteps right before Elphaba's lips left his and her breath caught in her chest as she was ripped apart from Fiyero by her hair.

"Stop!" Fiyero shrieked. "Please don't hurt her! Do what you want with me but don't hurt her!"

Shroud once again tossed Elphaba aside, this time behind him. Once she hit the ground, Shroud walked up to Fiyero and put the dagger against his throat. "You want me not to hurt her? Then tell me where Glinda is! Certainly you aren't going to choose Glinda over Elphaba? Your former lover over your wife? Where is she, Fiyero!"

From where she was laying Elphaba beamed as Fiyero, in answer to Shroud questions, hawked back a mouthful of spit and hurled it into Shroud's face. For several seconds, no one said anything. Fiyero was glowering while Shroud seemed relatively and unusually calm. Using his left hand, Shroud wiped the saliva from his face. He turned his neck to look at Elphaba and gave a small and knowing smile.

"Very well, Fiyero, we'll now see how strong you are or fast you talk." Shroud held up the dagger, the same blade from earlier, and twirled it threateningly in front of Fiyero face. "Pretty little thing isn't it," Shroud asked and Fiyero shrugged.

"Just skip the fancy talk and cut out my eyes or my fingers or my tongue or whatever you plan on doing. You can't do anything to me that'll make me talk."

"Really," Shroud asked in a voice that was far too calm for Elphaba's liking. Her eyes went to the door that was across the room. That was the exit but Elphaba wasn't sure how she would open it and, if she succeeded, if there would be a large number of Gale Forcers waiting outside. She couldn't be sure for there had been no commotion at Fiyero's two shots into the room. Perhaps they had joined the battle? Or maybe the door was sound proof? Elphaba was pulled back into the throne room when she felt eyes upon her and realized that Shroud was watching her with hatred etched on every inch of his face.

"Fine, you won't talk of your own volition, Fiyero? And by your own admission, you won't talk under persuasion. Well, let me see how you react when I use her." Fiyero's eyes narrowed but before he could say anything, Shroud help up his dagger once again.

"Let me see if I can satisfy her the way you do, Fiyero. With this."

Fiyero's eyes grew wide as he took in what Shroud had just said. But before he could say anything, Shroud raised his eyebrows at Fiyero before rounding on Elphaba.

"Sweet Oz!" Elphaba gasped under her breath. She was still on the ground but when Shroud whipped around, she started trying to find her feet.

"Run, Fae!" Fiyero shrieked at her. His voice was filled with a fear Elphaba had never heard before. He sounded desperate as he gave a harsh tug on the cuff securing his wrist to the pole. He wasn't able to help her, Elphaba realized. No one could help her now. She was on her own.

"Get out of here," Fiyero bellowed as he gave another hearty pull on his chain. He would rip the wall apart if he had too. Fiyero quickly grabbed the cuff in his hand and attempted to force is off of his wrist. He didn't care what damage he inflicted upon himself. He had to get to Elphaba! "STOP, GET AWAY FROM HER! ELPHABA! EPLHABA!"

"You don't want my dagger to tear you apart," Shroud asked as he eyed Elphaba, Fiyero's pleas falling on deaf ears. The green witch was watching Shroud but he didn't advance on her. He still clutched the dagger in his hand but he made no attempt to fulfill the threat he had promised. "Then one of you will take me to Glinda!"

"NEVER," Elphaba shrieked as she continued to back toward the wall. There was no exit, except through the main doors and into the arms of the waiting Gale Force. Her thoughts were flying as she attempted to work a plan. Everything was in her bound hands. She could attempt an escape but what about Fiyero? And Glinda? She couldn't very well leave them. Then suddenly it hit her! She could teleport out of here and return to Glinda! She would take Shroud out before he knew what was happening.

Before Elphaba could start the spell, however, Shroud rushed at her. Instinct taking over, she raised her knee and planted it firmly into his side. Shroud gave a grunt of pain as he sank to his knees. He began to cough loudly and his chest heaved as he gasped for breath. Elphaba gave Fiyero a satisfied smirk. That hadn't been nearly as difficult as they had feared. It was all a matter of hitting the right spot.

Elphaba's eyes returned to the man she now assumed to be her prisoner. Shroud was still hacking and coughing. Then Elphaba saw her mistake and she saw it too late. In Shroud's dominate hand he still clutched the dagger. If he had truly had the wind knocked out of him, he would have dropped it. Shroud was faking, Elphaba realized, just as he slammed her into the wall he had backed her into. Using the full of his body weight, Shroud pinned Elphaba to the wall. His left hand immediately went to her throat while his right clutched the dagger.

"Fine, I'll tell you everything," Fiyero yelled from across the room. "I'll tell you anything you want to hear but let her go!"

"Where's Glinda," Shroud shouted for the umpteenth time, his body still pinning Elphaba to the wall. "That's all I want to know right now."

"Fiyero, no," Elphaba shrieked before Shroud's hand clamped over her mouth, cutting off her next words.

"Nothing out of you," he snarled at her. "No spells, enchantments or words of wisdom. Just keep quiet!" And he didn't remove his hand from her mouth. He pushed back hard to keep her silent, her head being forced painfully into the wall. "Tell me, Fiyero, and I'll let her live!"

"She's hiding at Kiamo Ko," Fiyero hoped that his lie was convincing. "It's my family's home but we never live there. That's where I sent Elphaba after she was nearly captured years ago. It was the only place we thought Glinda would be safe without endangering others. I'll take you there right now!"

"Really," Shroud asked, his eyes digging into Fiyero's. "I believe you. But just to be sure," he added when Fiyero breathed a small sigh of relief. "I'll make sure you're not lying before you take me there!"

"But I told you," Fiyero shrieked. "You're right! I can't choose Glinda over Elphaba! I'll take you to Kiamo Ko right now! I'm so sorry, Elphaba, but I love you too much! Please, I'll take you now!"

Fear was filling Fiyero's very being as he watched Shroud manhandle the woman he loved. His hand had moved from her mouth and was now was so tight about her throat that Fiyero wondered how Elphaba was breathing. Mostly, his eyes couldn't leave the dagger that Shroud still clutched.

"I told you," Fiyero repeated, his voice sounding pathetically desperate and the prince didn't care. There were tears rolling down his cheeks in utter desperation. His only goal was to keep that knife away from Elphaba. "Please don't kill her! You can kill me instead! Torture me!"

"You think I'm going to kill her," Shroud asked in what could almost be called an innocent voice. He sounded very much like a child with his hand caught in the cookie jar. His eyes also held the expression, "who, me?".

"Why would I kill her," Shroud asked Fiyero imploringly. "I need you to take me to Glinda. If I kill her, you won't have a reason to do my bidding. Though if I cut her up a bit, you'll do anything I say to get her the medical attention she requires. Or will require in about one minute."

Fear and anger took over Fiyero and he simply began to pull on the cuffs. "NO! ELPHABA! LEAVE HER ALONE! ELPHABA!"

Fiyero's screams added to his frantic pulling on his cuff. He pulled with such force that for one moment Shroud actually wondered if Fiyero would be able to break free. The prince's attempts, however, were futile but he still continued to pull. "ELPHABA! PLEASE, NO! ELPHABA!" Fiyero's wrist was cut and bleeding freely as he attempted to once again force the cuff over his wrist. He spit into his free hand and attempted to lubricate the cuff with saliva. As he pulled and twisted, he screamed Elphaba's name.

"Let me take you now! Wait to see if I'm lying before you hurt her! You're wasting time!" Fiyero really didn't have a plan. Would he really take Shroud to Kiamo Ko? Well, he would do anything to give Elphaba the chance to escape. His only goal was to keep Shroud's dagger away from her. "ELPHABA!"

Shroud, however, was now completely ignoring Fiyero and had turned his attention to Elphaba. She wasn't going to beg him to spare her the pain that was to come. Her pride wouldn't let her. Nor would she confirm Fiyero's lie about Glinda hiding at Kiamo Ko. Then it would be too obvious that the story wasn't true. Shroud never expected her to break. But Fiyero was a different story. Shroud now realized how easy it would be to break the Winkie using Elphaba. Their plan of ignoring Shroud had back fired in their faces. From across the room, Fiyero was still screaming Elphaba's name and begging for mercy. He was also sobbing by this point. He kept alternating between trying to force the cuff over his wrist and attempting to break either the chain or the pole.

"Would you care for a bullet from my gun," Shroud asked Elphaba in what she would have called a compassionate voice if it hadn't been for the maniacal grin that was covering his face. "It'll give you something to bite on. You know, to dull the pain."

"Fuck you," Elphaba hissed, trying and failing to keep the fear out of her voice. She looked over at Fiyero, still struggling against his bonds. The Winkie was still screaming, his voice growing hoarse. He had his left foot upon the wall and was pulling backward as hard as he could. He was still crying out for Shroud to release Elphaba but his body was now wracked with sobs.

Elphaba had endured pain, both physical and emotional, but she had only felt fear like this a few times before. She would die from what Shroud would do to her. However, it wouldn't be a quick death and it would be far from painless. Elphaba struggled but her bound arms did nothing to help her. Her legs wouldn't bend in the direction necessary to kick Shroud. She was truly trapped.

"Your spirit intrigues me," Shroud whispered as she continued her futile struggles. "But your poor choice of vocabulary certainly makes me question your supposed intelligence," Shroud smiled down at her. "I would advise you not to move. It might hurt less that way. Well, maybe not but you probably won't be cut as badly or bleed to death so quickly."

Elphaba's eyes went to Fiyero. The Winkie was struggling so hard to free himself that Elphaba could see the cuts along his wrist that were growing deeper each time he struggled. His cries no longer held the force they once had. Instead, he sounded like a cornered and resigned man. He was still fighting but emotion had overcome him. Elphaba looked at his wrist and didn't cry out for him to stop. She knew anything she said to Fiyero would fall on deaf ears. He wouldn't simply stand by while Shroud tortured her. "Fae," he whimpered to no one in particular as he placed his face on the marble floor of the palace. "Please don't do this! I'll do anything..."

Shroud glanced over at Fiyero before turning back to Elphaba. "He really loves you, you know," he told the green witch gently. "You're screams will echo in his ears for the rest of his life, however short that may be. I bet that after thirty seconds, he'd be willing to cut Glinda's throat himself if it would make me stop. What do you think of him now?"

Elphaba glanced at Fiyero, who seemed to have given up. His entire body was shaking in trepidation as he lay on the floor. There was a putrid smell permeating the throne room and Elphaba suddenly realized that Fiyero must have vomited at some point. She watched him give two pulls on the chain but there was little to no strength left in the Winkie. He was now muttering her name and begging for Shroud to leave her alone.

"I think he's more of a man than you'll ever be," Elphaba told Shroud plainly and his maniacal smile faded as he put his full weight upon her, crushing her into the wall. Fiyero and Elphaba were weak. They put up strong fronts but at the end of the day they would both easily crack out of love for each other. It truly was a weakness that Shroud was grateful to not possess.

"Try and enjoy this, won't you," he commented when Elphaba said nothing more. He couldn't wait to see her break, to hear her scream and cry for Fiyero or maybe even Glinda.

What happened next no one in the room could have predicted. Right as Shroud rested his hand on Elphaba's hip, Glinda appeared in the room, a gun in her hand.

Christine, Christine, don't think that I don't care but every hope and every prayer rests on you now!
Phantom of the Opera