For those of you who called the Nia Hunters: I can't say I blame you, but…. REALLY!?
For those of you who wanted to call the Nia Hunters, but didn't: Thank you!
For those of you who trusted me enough not to call anyone: THANK YOU SO MUCH! I KNEW I HAD SOME SECRET SUPPORTERS OUT THERE!
"What happened?" the Queen asked, running into the room with the King and Castella right behind her. "Dear Oz…"
Fiyero was kneeling beside the bed, crying over his wife's dead body. "Fae," he whispered brokenly.
"Oh no," Castella whispered, burying her face in her father's arm, tears filling her eyes and falling down her cheek.
"She's gone," Galinda whispered, holding Elphaba's hand.
"No! Fae!" Fiyero sobbed.
"Here, let's give them some time alone," Kili said, placing the baby in a basket and ushering everyone out of the room.
Fiyero was left alone. He continued to sob and kiss Elphaba's cold and clammy hand. "Fae, please come back," he begged. But it was too late. She was never coming back.
A soft cry came from the other side of the room. Fiyero slowly got up and walked over to the basket. There, wrapped in a warm blanket, was his newborn child. His daughter. Fiyero cautiously picked the baby up and rocked her in his arms.
"Don't cry," he whispered, kissing her forehead. "It's just us now. You and me." Fiyero suppressed a sob as he continued to rock the baby in his arms. She was so tiny. Like a delicate flower. He thought of Elphaba. She was his delicate flower. And always will be. "Everything's gonna be alright," he said, more to himself than to his daughter.
"Fifi?" a small voice asked from the doorway.
Galinda was standing there, her arms hanging limp at her sides. Taking a deep breath, she slowly entered the room, walking up to Fiyero. She placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to still his quivering body. "Fifi?"
Fiyero sniffed and turned to face Galinda. Galinda gasped, seeing the hurt bubbling over in Fiyero's red, puffy eyes.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered, leaning her head on Fiyero's shoulder.
"Fae's gone," Fiyero whispered, trying not to cry again.
Galinda bit her lip. She had to be the strong one for Fiyero. She looked at the baby in his arms. "She's beautiful."
"She looks like Elphaba," Fiyero said, trying to smile.
"She does," Galinda agreed, a soft smile on her lips.
The two adults stood in silence, admiring the new princess. Her soft features captured the sun's rays, causing it to shine. Her tiny hand slowly rose and gripped Fiyero's pointer finger.
"G-Glin, c-can you…?" Fiyero stuttered, tears quickly filling his eyes again.
"Of course," Galinda said, sensing that Fiyero wanted some time alone. Standing on her toes to plant a delicate kiss on his nose, she turned on her heels and walked towards the door. "I'll be downstairs if you need me."
Fiyero nodded and heard the sound of Galinda's heels growing fainter and fainter until he couldn't hear them anymore. Sighing, he turned his attention to his daughter. She slowly opened up her eyes and looked at her father. Her tiny mouth opened wide in a yawn. Fiyero smiled. She had Elphaba's beautiful chocolate eyes, her black hair, and her lips. She had Fiyero's eyebrows, his nose and his chin. Her skin was a beautiful crème color. She was a perfect mix of both Elphaba and Fiyero.
Elphaba.
Fiyero placed his daughter back in the basket and went to the corner of the room. He stood there, facing the wall, crying his eyes out. What was he going to do without Elphaba? He needed her. Their child needed her.
"Fae," Fiyero whispered, his knees giving out beneath him. Crumbling to the ground, he broke into another sob.
"Yero?" a horse voice whispered from behind him. Fiyero whipped around and saw Elphaba stir before slowly opening her eyes. "Yero?"
Fiyero couldn't believe his eyes. Elphaba was alive. But how? She was dead. He saw her die.
"Fiyero, where are you?" Elphaba whispered.
It took Fiyero a few seconds to process the fact that Elphaba was alive and another few seconds to register that she was calling to him.
"I'm here, Fae," Fiyero said, running to her side and grabbing her hand.
"I- I need water," Elphaba said, her voice hoarse.
"B-But, how can this be? You were dead. I thought – KILI!"
"Yes, sonny?" Kili asked, coming back into the room. "Are you al- WHO THE WHAT NOW!?"
"Kili?" Elphaba whispered, turning her head towards the midwife.
"D-Don't move," Kili instructed, running to grab her bag. She pulled out nettle leaves, crushed them and mixed them with a little bit of water. "Drink this."
Fiyero helped Elphaba sit up as Kili placed the cup in her hands. "Thank you," Elphaba whispered, drinking the crushed herb drink.
"Kili, how can this be? I saw her die," Fiyero said, looking at the midwife.
"She lost so much blood, I believe her body stopped working for a while. It probably needed a moment to regroup. I've seen it happen a lot in my day," Kili explained, placing a hand on Elphaba's shoulder.
"Will she be alright?"
"I'm sitting right here, you know," Elphaba smirked.
Kili and Fiyero chuckled. "Just drink the tea, sweetling, and you should regain your strength soon," Kili explained.
Elphaba smiled. "I will."
"Good girl." Kili stroked her hair and left the room.
Elphaba quickly finished the tea and Fiyero took the cup. "You should get some rest now."
"Fiyero, I-"
"There will be no more protesting out of you, young lady," Fiyero said sternly, but playfulness was edging onto his voice.
"Yes, Daddy," Elphaba said, rolling her eyes.
"Fae, I almost lost you forever."
Elphaba could tell Fiyero was serious. "I know. I'm sorry."
"Please rest."
"But, what about –"
"I'll tell you everything when you wake up," Fiyero said, kissing her nose.
"Will you stay with me?" Elphaba asked as Fiyero helped her lie down again.
"Of course. I'll never leave you. Not now, nor ever. You couldn't get rid of me even if you wanted to."
"Good," Elphaba smiled as she leaned her head against the pillows. "Because I don't want to."
As promised, Fiyero stayed with Elphaba while she slept. He watched as her chest rose and fell at a steady rate. A soft smile was painted on her lips. Fiyero had his Fae back. And he was never letting her go. Never, ever again.
He watched as Elphaba stirred and opened her eyes. He reached out a stroked her cheek.
"Hi," she whispered, smiling at her husband's touch.
"Hi," Fiyero whispered back, helping her sit up.
"Fiyero, the baby…"
Fiyero got up and went over to the basket, where his daughter lay sleeping. He slowly lifted her into his arms and walked back to Elphaba.
"Fae, I would like to introduce you to our daughter," Fiyero said, handing the small bundle of blankets to Elphaba.
Elphaba smiled as she held her daughter in her arms. "Is she…?"
"No, she's not green. And even if she was, I wouldn't love her, or you, any less," Fiyero said, kissing Elphaba's nose. "She's beautiful. She has your hair, your lips, and your eyes." A sudden thought crashed into Fiyero's mind; Elphaba would never see her daughter's face. She would never see their beautiful gift. Come to think of it, she had never seen his face. Or her father's. Or Galinda's, Castella's or his parents'. She never would.
"Yero, I'm scared," Elphaba whispered.
"Why?" Fiyero asked, wrapping his arm around his shoulder.
"What if I'm not a good mother?"
"Elphaba, you'll be a great mother."
"But, I can't –"
"It doesn't matter whether you can see or not. I know you'll be a wonderful mother. And Galinda, Castie, my parents and I will stay right by your side."
A single tear slid down Elphaba's cheek and Fiyero quickly wiped it away. Elphaba slowly lifted her hand and touched the infant's small nose. She smiled as her fingers softly traced over the baby's face.
"What should we name her?" she asked.
"Whatever name you chose is perfect."
"Well… I've always liked the name Khylana."
"That's a beautiful name. What does it mean?"
"It's means 'delicate flower'."
"That's perfect."
Elphaba giggled. "And I suppose you're going to give her the nickname 'ma fleur délicate'?"
Fiyero gasped. Did Elphaba just speak Vinkun? "How… What… Where… When did you learn that?" he asked, finding his voice.
"Castie's been giving me secret lessons."
"So that's what you girls were doing," Fiyero smiled, giving his wife a playful nudge.
Elphaba nodded. "I wanted to surprise you."
"Believe me, I'm surprised."
Elphaba chuckled. "Yero, would you like to choose the middle name?"
"Are you sure? I didn't win the bet."
"Yes, Yero. I'm sure. I knew I was going to win the bet from the beginning."
"Of course you knew," Fiyero teased. "And the middle name could be… Nellina."
"I like it. Khylana Nellina."
"It sounds beautiful," Fiyero said, looking down on his daughter. Khylana yawned and opened her eyes, gazing up at her mother.
"Her eyes are open," Fiyero whispered.
"Hi," Elphaba whispered to Khylana, slowly rocking her in her arms.
"I love you, ma ange," Fiyero said, stroking Elphaba's hair.
"I love you, too, Yero mon héros."
"Yero my hero," Fiyero translated. "I like that."
"I'm glad."
"So… we're keeping the pink crib?"
"Yes, Yero," Elphaba chuckled. "We can keep the pink crib."
Fiyero sat in silence as he watched his wife get to know their daughter. "It's getting late," he said after a while. He gently took Khylana from her arms. "I believe it's time for both princesses to retire for today."
"Okay," Elphaba sighed, to tired to protest.
"I'll stay with you." Fiyero climbed into the bed and wrapped his arms around Elphaba.
"Thank you," Elphaba whispered.
"Fae, will you promise me something?"
"Yes?"
"Promise me that you'll never leave me."
Elphaba turned in Fiyero's arms to face him. "I promise to never leave you… willingly."
"That's good enough for me," Fiyero said, kissing the top of her head.
Elphaba snuggled closer to Fiyero and began to sing. "I'll be your candle on the water. My love for you will always burn. I know you're lost and drifting. But the clouds are lifting. Don't give up you have somewhere to turn."
"I'll be your candle on the water," Fiyero sang to her. "'Till ev'ry wave is warm and bright. My soul is there beside you. Let this candle guide you. Soon you'll see a golden stream of light."
"A cold and friendless tide has found you. Don't let the stormy darkness pull you down. I'll paint a ray of hope around you. Circling in the air. Lighted by a prayer," they sang in unison, their voices mixing.
"I'll be your candle on the water. This flame inside of me will grow," Fiyero sang.
"Keep holding on, you'll make it. Here's my hand so take it." Elphaba took Fiyero's hand and squeezed it. "Look for me reaching out to show."
"As sure as rivers flow, I'll never let you go," Fiyero sang, squeezing back.
"I'll never let you go," Elphaba sang, leaning her head against Fiyero's chest.
"I'll never let you go..." they whispered, falling asleep.
Now, aren't you all glad you didn't virtually kill me? 'Cause if you did, there wouldn't be an update. I HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY!
Song Used:
'Candle on the Water' from Pete's Dragon