Chapter 29

She stared out the carriage window at the City looming in the distance, smog hovering above the green buildings. "What if someone sees us, Fiyero?"

"We're just a happy couple sightseeing in the City." He shrugged. "That's what I told my parents. I'm a prince. I've never been to the City. I'm going to have to spend time out here when I take the throne, and so are you. I wanted to see what it was like. It's a simple as that."

"And if we're caught?" She clutched the bag containing Dr. Dillamond's notebooks against her chest.

"Don't think like that."

"Fiyero, for the sake of our families and our people, we need to consider what could happen."

"I have. Should we get captured and they recognize us, we will both immediately step down from our respective positions and surrender on the condition that our families be left alone."

"Both of us? Fiyero, you've done nothing criminal."

"Neither have you."

"I stole the notebooks."

"Technically, Fae, I stole them."

"At my request. If we get caught, it's better if I just take all the blame. Maybe they'll let you go."

"No. You are my wife. At the very least, I am an accomplice."

"Fiyero, promise me. I cannot live with the idea that I could've destroyed both of our lives."

"This is my decision. I'm in this with you, no matter what." He took her hand.

She struggled to repress tears. "And this is why love is so dangerous."

"Stop that," he kissed her gently. "Why don't we focus on not getting caught?"

She blinked. "Yes, of course."

"Now, it will be late when we get to the hotel, so we'll stay in tonight. Tomorrow, we'll do exactly what's expected of us. We'll wander the City like tourists. If we end up in the wrong part of town or talking to the wrong person, we didn't know any better."

Elphaba grinned at him. "You're too clever."

"I'd better be, being married to you. Otherwise we'd never understand each other."

She found herself perched in the hotel windowsill late that night as the City thrummed along below her. It was a quiet buzz, but the City remained awake and vigilant, and so did she, barely blinking as she watched the movement below them.

Fiyero stirred. "Come back to bed, Fae."

"If you get to call me Fae," she mused, not moving from her post, "what do I get to call you, my love?"

He climbed out of bed, still nude, and came up behind her. "Whatever you want."

"This isn't how I imagined the City would be."

"We haven't seen anything but the inside of this hotel and what you're looking at out that window - half naked, I might add."

She leaned her head back against him. "I'm wearing a nightgown."

"I'd hardly call it that. It barely covers anything."

"I never thought I'd hear you complain about something like that."

"Well you're standing in front of window for all to see."

"Fiyero, the lights are off and we're six stories up."

"So maybe I'm the slightest bit irrationally jealous. I'm just trying to protect you."

"As long as you realize that it's irrational, Yero my hero."

"So that's my nickname?" He pressed his face into her hair.

"Yes. You always seem intent on saving me, so I thought it was fitting." She closed her eyes and laughed. "What have you done to me?"

"Nothing you didn't want," he murmured into her ear. "Why?"

"A year ago, if you had told me what this would become, that I would be affectionate towards you, trust you, even love you, I would've smacked you and told you that you were absolutely insane."

"And now?"

"And now," she said, turning to him, "I've never been more in love with you."

The next morning as they were preparing to leave for the day, a knock came at the door and the couple looked at one another with surprise and concern. Fiyero opened the door to a Gale Force guard. "Um, hello."

Elphaba felt her nerves begin dancing under her skin and wondered if such a thing was visible to anyone else.

"His Ozness heard that Prince Fiyero of the Arjikis and Elphaba, Thropp Third Descending, were in the City and wished to extend an invitation to tour the Palace and have tea with him." The guard said curtly.

"That's very kind of him," Fiyero said graciously.

"I am here to escort you." The guard said stiffly.

"Now?" Elphaba whispered.

He nudged her. "Give my wife and I just a moment to finish getting ready and we'll be out in a tick." Fiyero closed the door and lowered his voice. "We're going. I'm not certain that invitation is optional and it would look suspicious if we don't."

"How did he know we were here?" Elphaba asked.

"My father probably told some of his dignitary contacts that we were in town. Don't panic, Fae." He put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you ready? I know this isn't what we had planned for the day, but we can get to that later today or tomorrow."

She steeled her will. "Let's go."

They sat in a thick silence as they were led outside and into a carriage with the guard. Fiyero took Elphaba's hand and she didn't pull away, though she didn't look at him. The carriage rocked along slowly and Elphaba had to remind herself to breathe.

"Your tour will be first." The guard said as they entered the Palace.

She was too nervous to remember anything other than the obvious excess and extravagance that populated every room. Fiyero kept a hand on her waist, a gentle reminder that he was beside her and he wasn't going anywhere.

It felt like they waited for hours in the Palace for the Wizard to see them. Elphaba looked at Fiyero's watch multiple times as minutes, then an hour went by. When it got close to two hours, a different guard emerged. "He will see you now."

Under his breath, Fiyero said to her, "You look beautiful, you are amazing, this will go fine."

She swallowed hard and looked at him. "I hope so."