Chapter 20
"I do see the predicament but I am not sure I can help. As a dragon, I tend to be a bull in a china shop, rather a bad idea for a job in need of precision," Bonescraper said after the Prince and Princess had explained the situation. Elphaba had called to him as they needed to warn those at the border of what treachery could be afoot. They had decided that meeting just out of town would offer them some privacy. The dragon had lain down in an attempt to keep their voices down.
"You let me do the sniffing. Just make a big show of heading back to the capital and checking the Council Hall for survivors," Fiyero winked.
"That I can do," Bonescraper winked. Suddenly, he sat up and Elphaba could tell that he was listening.
"Your daughter must have left the Palace. I can feel that she is nearby," the dragon said. Now nearby was a relative term for a dragon. For most humans, nearby could mean up to a ten minute walk. For a dragon it could mean within five hundred miles, a distance easily covered in a few flaps of their wings.
"She must have headed toward the border when news of your departure arrived at the Palace," Elphaba said.
"Why would she do that?" Fiyero asked.
"Magical backup for the troops at the border would be my guess. She is her mother's daughter," Bonescraper chuckled and Fiyero looked at his wife.
"Yero, she must follow in our footsteps. She must become who she is destined to be. We cannot keep her a little girl forever," she said.
"I was hoping for more time," he admitted.
"Every parent does, or so I'm told. Now you two skedaddle and I'll make a big show," Bonescraper promised before taking to the sky. Fiyero hopped on the broom with Elphaba and they lifted up into the sky as well.
"I shall stop at the Council Hall, as you request, your Highnesses," Bonescraper said in his regular tone which the entirety of the Gillikin probably heard.
"You really think this will work?" Elphaba asked.
"If our revolution starters are as highly trained as I think they are, they'll react. They are probably made up of retired army or guys who were kicked out of the service. If they think that someone is launching an investigation, they'll want to insert themselves or they'll try and cover their tracks," Fiyero explained as they landed. His wife nodded and they headed inside the tent they had reached the night before.
"Is all well?" Philador asked.
"For now. We need to get word to the Vinkus of your intentions to try and reunite Gillikin's peoples. My guess is that they are getting nervous back home and Lady Glinda and her Gale Force will be arriving at the Palace soon," Elphaba said.
"Bonescraper said he would be happy to pass a message along once we had it composed," Fiyero told him.
"I'm not sure I know where to start with such things. I don't want to lead Gillikin. I just wanted change," Philador admitted.
"A good goal to have and we'll start with that," Elphaba smiled as she and the reluctant leader headed for his table and some ink and paper. Fiyero on the other hand, headed for the medical facility.
"How goes it Doc?" He asked.
"With your wife's help, there are many who will live to tell about their experiences. Though I cannot help them with the mental journey ahead," Doctor Fikri said.
"Yes a long road ahead to be certain, as is the Gillikin's. We will get this all sorted," Fiyero reassured him.
"So Bonescraper heads to the Council Hall. I shudder to think what he will find. Only more dead bodies I would assume. Given my patients' conditions, I can't imagine anyone left behind fared much better," Fikri heaved a sigh.
"Probably not but we need confirmation if we can get it," the Prince said.
"I'm just saddened that it came to this. The senseless violence has only caused more death and chaos," Fikri heaved a sigh. Fiyero patted him on the shoulder and then followed the doctor as he made his rounds.
To Be Continued…