Bro'mance
Chapter 56
Here and Back Again
AN: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! Yes Siefer is dead, sorry. Special shoutouts to TBLewis, Fae the Queen, NiatheWickedLover, Woodland, Mad-Idina-Fan98, Maddy, L8zlytwner, and Elphaba'sGirl. Thank you all and God Bless!
Elphaba stood tall and regal upon the cliff, her soulless eyes gazed like shattered crystals out towards the horizon. A soft breeze swept past her, threading through her long raven hair, the ends billowed and swayed like ribbons of ebony silk. The layered ends of her cloak danced around her, swept up in the riptide of the western gale. One hand remained pressed against her abdomen, the other, remained placid at her side; a slight twitch of her fingers was the only indication of life stilling rippling within her empty core.
A swirl of crystal air, and a few strands of raven silk dip, and twist around her pale, emerald fingers.
Galinda and Fiyero stood off to the side, watching her; sadness brimmed along the edge of their eyes, shimmering like misty dawn. Slowly, the small blonde turned, her soft cerulean eyes bubbled back at the Vinkun Prince, standing alone in his own despair.
"Fiyero?" whispers Galinda softly.
"Just give her a minute Glin" murmured Fiyero softly. His gaze remained transfixed on Elphaba's rigid form, for though she tried to hide it, he could see it, the slight tremors, rippling down her body. She was ready to collapse beneath the strain, the pain ripping throughout her heart and soul.
"But" starts Galinda, fear shimmered in her eyes. Shifting, she turned her gaze towards the east and her heart trembled hard in her chest. For she feared if they did not move soon, the army of the Glikkus would catch up to them, and all that Siefer had sacrificed, would have been in vain. His life's blood spilt, staining the ground in crimson gore, smeared into the pavement by those who could have given a damn. "The Glikkus…they'll be upon us soon"
"Just leave her Glin…let her have this one moment" sighs Fiyero.
Galinda stiffens and her gaze snaps back to the Vinkun Prince. For a moment, she stiffened, seeing his staunch stance, the hardness in his eyes fades, replaced by anguish. He was hurting too, just as much as Elphaba.
A soft smile pulled at the tip of her lips. Shaking her head, the little blonde steps up next to Fiyero and stilling, closes her eyes as she leans closer. Her arms spread and close tight around Fiyero's rigid form.
At first, Fiyero stiffened, for he had not counted on anyone, let alone the blonde, to touch him, let alone hold him. Slowly, he relaxed into her arms. His shoulders slumped and his head bowed. His arms rose and wrapped loosely around Galinda's slender waist. Resting his forehead against the top of his head, he closed his eyes, and breathed in the blonde beauties exotic scent.
"It's alright to cry" whispers Galinda.
Fiyero's arms tightened and his eyes snapped open. His heart twisted tight in his chest as the emotions he had tried to keep buried deep within his shattered soul, and kept locked behind a barricade, begin to crack and splinter. He wanted to cry, to expel the anguish crashing within, and yet he couldn't, wouldn't. Not now, now he had to be the strong one, not only for Galinda's sake, but for Fae's.
"I can't" whimpers Fiyero, his voice cracking slightly.
"Why?" asks Galinda softly. Slowly, her hands rose and cupped the back of his head. "Why can't you?"
"I can't break down…not now or ever…"
Pulling away, Galinda tenderly stared back into Fiyero's broken eyes. Her heart broke, seeing the pain shimmer in his eyes. Siefer's death was not something he had been prepared for, nor wanted. Sure he may have hated him in the past, but he still loved him. After all, he was his brother.
"He was your brother Fiyero…your allowed to cry over his passing" whispers Galinda softly. Her hand rose and cupped his quivering cheek. She could see it he was fighting to keep his tears at bay. Closing her eyes, she rose high on the tips of her toes, and pressed a tender kiss to his forehead. "Your allowed to mourn" her lips vibrated against his forehead, making him shiver.
His arms tightened around her waist as a sob escaped his lips. Clenching his eyes, he buried his face deep into the river of silk and gold, as the tears he had kept at bay, dance down his cheeks.
"I loved him" cries Fiyero. "I had hated him for so long…yet he never knew…that I still loved him…he was my brother…and now he's gone"
"Siefer knew you still loved him Fiyero" soothes Galinda.
"I betrayed him…spun so many webs of lies filled with deceit…and why!" angrily Fiyero pushes away from the blonde, and turning, steps close to the edge of the cliff, his soulless eyes gazed down at the ravine below. "And all so he would lose the girl whom he belonged to"
"Fiyero" whispers Galinda.
"None of this would have happened…if it wasn't for me" chuckling, he turns to stare back at the blonde. "If I hadn't taken Avaric's advice…if I had been myself that night…then…"
"Enough feeling sorry for yourself" came a voice, hard and cold like ice. Stunned, both Fiyero and Galinda turn, and their eyes widen at Elphaba, standing tall, the rising sun behind her, casting shadows to fall over her slender body. "taking pity on ourselves will not bring back Siefer…nor dwelling on the past…all we can do is keep pushing forward"
"Elphie" slowly, the blonde steps towards Elphaba's regal form. A gasp, and the raven haired witch's hand shoots out, fear flickering in her eyes. It was obvious she wasn't ready to be touched. "Let's go…we need to reach the Vinkus before nightfall"
Nodding, Fiyero watches silently as Elphaba marches past him.
"Elphie" whispers Galinda, worry shimmered in her eyes, for she didn't like the way her friend had looked at her, nor the emptiness in her eyes. She was repressing, and that alone, scared her.
"She's right…the entire Glikkus army is on our trail" replies Fiyero. Turning he nodded, before following Elphaba deep into the woods. He had seen it too.
Sighing, the blonde picked up her skirts, and flittered after her friends. Reaching the edge of the forest, she stilled, and turned, her eyes casted off into the far horizon.
"I'm sorry Siefer" whispers Galinda. Closing her eyes, she whispered a silent Gillikinese prayer to the whistling wind. "May you find peace" a tear slid down her slender cheek, glistening and sparkling like a crystal snowflake in the dawns early light, before she turns and disappears deep into the brush.
The rest of the journey was made in silence, save for the occasional grunts, groans and complaints made by the blonde regarding the state of her dress, her shoes and her hair.
Elphaba stayed off to the side, her head bowed. The hood of her cloak cast her face into shadows, veiling her emotions from the others. The heavy cloak was one that Fiyero had "bought" quickly in the market place, with the intention of using it to hide away Elphaba's identity as they journeyed out of the Glikkus.
Elphaba didn't mind, the heaviness of the cloak, nor the course material, for the darkness it casted upon her broken body had always been her one and only comfort, her silent warmth, shielding her away from the world and its cruelties, and numbing away the pain.
"Are we there yet?!" whined Galinda. She had taken off her shoes a few hours ago, and had taken to walking the mud-riddled roads leading out of the Glikkus barefoot, which did nothing for her pedicure, or her skin. Slowly, she turned, and glanced at her friend, stepping silently in time with her. The ends of her cloak billowed out before her, swaying with each silent step she took. 'Elphie'
"We'll get there when we get there" growled Fiyero. Oz, he loved the blonde as a sister, but really he was about ready to kill her.
"But we've been walking for days!" cries Galinda, as she dramatically throws her arms up in the air. Her shoes pinched between her fingers smack together, and a few pieces of dirt fall off and patters down on top of the blonde's head.
"Glin it's only been a couple of hours…don't be so dramatic…and secondly were almost at the edge of the Glikkun border…once we reach it…we can hail a carriage to take us the rest of the way to the Vinkus" sighs Fiyero. And perhaps whilst they're there, he'll look into a gag or something for the rest of the trip.
"Why can't we hail a carriage now?" asks the blonde.
Stopping, Fiyero turns and eyes the blonde girl before him. A twitch of the eye and he takes a step closer.
"Did…did you really just ask me that?" asks Fiyero dumbfounded.
"What!?" cries the blonde.
"Oz!" smacking his face with the palm of his hand, Fiyero dramatically turns, his arm rises as he gestures wildly at their surroundings. "Look around Glin…do you see a carriage…better yet…have you seen one at all pass us since we've been on this road?"
"No"
"Then why in Oz would you ask me that?!" cries Fiyero.
"I'm bored" shrugs Galinda.
"Your. Bored?" asks Fiyero dryly.
"What? There's nothing to see…except for these hideodious trees and rocks which by the way are mutilating my precious toe nails" whines the blonde.
"Welcome to the wilderness sweetheart" replies Fiyero dryly.
"Next time" growls the blonde. "When we go on these crazy adventures…be sure you find me a proper place to sleep…" sighing, Galinda's hand rises and threads through her hair. "A delicate flower like me cannot possibly sleep on the ground"
"Oz…remind me to never take you camping" groans Fiyero.
"Unless it's in a luxury hotel…forget about it" quips Galinda.
"Get your primped butt moving young lady!" snarls Fiyero.
"Alright geeze…no need to get grumpy" rolling her eyes, Galinda picks up her discarded shoes and prances past a very fuming Fiyero. His eyes glance over to Elphaba, standing rigid a few feet away.
"Don't look at me…I never chose her as a friend" replied Elphaba softly.
Back at the Glikkus, the Captain of the Guard returns and kneels before the throne of the King, Queen and the Crowned Prince.
"Any news of my intended?" sighs the Prince.
"I'm sorry your Highness…but neither the guards nor the Necromancer's powers have been able to locate the Princess" replies Glijkin.
"Damnit" swears the King. "Those Winkie savages have her…I'm sure of it"
"Father…what if they are heading back to the Vinkus?" offers the Crowned Prince. Honestly, it was moments like these when he wondered whether or not this man really was his father.
"The Vinkus of course!" jumping to his feet, the King points a thick finger at Glijkin, still bowed before the throne. "Take your guards and storm the Vinkus…do not come back without the Princess!"
"My King" replies the Queen. Softly, her hand rises and cups over her husbands. Gently, she pulls his hand back to his side. "If you storm the Vinkus…a war is sure to break out" leaning closer, she whispers softly in his ear. "And we do not have the man power to take on the Vinkun army"
"True" grumbles the King.
It was true, since the last time the Glikkus had gone to war, the Vinkun army had outnumbered his army, slicing through many good men, and forcing the King to retreat. He had sworn vengeance, yet could not fulfill his threat, due to the small number of men enlisted.
"I say we forget about her and find another" sighs the Prince.
"Are you dense!?" turning, the King smacks his son in the back of the head. "Our esteem cousin from Munchkinland had promised us one of his daughters as a peace treaty! We cannot forget her!"
"Why don't you send a letter to Frexspar Thropp, telling him of what has happened?" offers the Queen.
"We'll send Frexspar Thropp to retrieve his daughter and return her to the Glikkus" smirks the King.
"Will she go?" asks the Queen, fear tinged in her voice, for she had heard Elphaba cry out many of times at night, screaming at an invisible phantom hurting her, yet there was nothing there. It didn't help that she had heard rumors of the Governor of Munchkinland abusing one of his daughters, and it was easy to see, which one.
"She will either go willingly, or hog tied…either way…she is returning back to where she belongs" growls the King.
Hours later, Fiyero, Galinda, and Elphaba reach the border of the Glikkus and entering a small town quickly buy a few supplies, before hailing a carriage that would take them to the Vinkus.
It had taken awhile, and after a few tense negotiations, Fiyero had finally managed to acquire a carriage.
"Does he recognize you?" asks Galinda. Her eyes drift and glance at the driver.
"No…no one in the Glikkus knows what the Crowned Princes of the Vinkus look like…for all he knows…were travelers wishing to go to the Vinkus and learn more of its culture" whispers Fiyero.
"Smooth" smiles Galinda.
"Well…sometimes I can be smartified" smirks Fiyero. Suddenly he stiffens. Noticing, Galinda turns and her eyes soften at the sight of Elphaba, stepping towards them, the hood of the cloak hiding her face. Her long raven hair maintained tuck deep beneath the folds of the cloak. But that wasn't what had stolen Fiyero's breath, for during the time it took for Fiyero to buy the supplies and negotiate a ride, Elphaba had taken some of the money and bought a new dress, one that didn't scream royalty.
It was a modest dress with a black bodice and ebony laces that ran up her sides. The dress itself was long and tight, accentuating her slender curves.
"Oz" breathes Fiyero.
"Hey goofball!" snarls Galinda. Angrily, she bops Fiyero on the top of the head. "Not a good time to be staring"
"Will you stop hitting me?!" hisses Fiyero.
"Sure"
"Really?"
"Sure…" winking, Galinda steps into the carriage. "When you start using your brains"
The rest of the ride went by in silence, none of the occupants willing to speak, nor daring to say a word. Soon, they reached the Vinkus and as the carriage pulled through the cast iron gates, Fiyero's mother and father, and twin sisters had stepped out to greet them.
"Fiyero!" cries the Queen. Racing towards her son, she engulfs him in a bone crushing hug.
"Hi mom" smiles Fiyero.
"I was so worried" cries the Queen.
"Were fine mom…really"
"Where's Siefer?" asks the King as he steps closer to Fiyero, Galinda and an unknown figure half hidden beneath a thick cloak and hood.
"He" starts Galinda.
"There you are!" bellows a voice
