The following weeks passed like a dream; much more beautiful than any dreams Elphaba ever remembered having. She'd never been able to just let herself go like this, to allow herself the luxury to be young and happy and loved. She was overjoyed, being able to spend so much time with Fiyero and with his family, who – for reasons she couldn't fathom – seemed to have taken a liking to her. Fiyero's father would often engage her in lively political and social debates, marveling at her wit and eloquence, and earning himself many a complaint from his son (Father, she's on vacation!). Elphaba herself didn't mind. As a daughter of a governor, she knew a fair share about the politics od her province and was interested to learn that the Vinkun political system did not differ from the one of Munchkinland nearly as much as she'd thought. The royal status was not so much practically motivated as it was one of the many Vinkun traditions; explained queen Fiyalla – whose name, Elphaba came to learn, could roughly be translated as 'a believing heart'. Fiyero's mother seemed to enjoy the young girl's company during quiet evenings at the library, where she would always happily answer any questions about the Vinkun language and culture.

As for Safiya and Zefiyr, they stubbornly refused to use Elphaba's name, no matter how many times 'Miss Fae' assured them she was not a creature out of their bedtime stories. After the one time she made each of them a flower crown – an ability she'd mastered long ago, when Nessa had been about the twins' age – they would always cheer at the sight of her and beg their older brother to take all three of them to the lake again.

One day, they were slowly walking by the shore. Elphaba, who had been afraid of water since childhood, when her father would threaten to drown her in the nearby river, held onto Fiyero's arm; as a shriek from one of the twins made them both turn around. They were relieved to notice that neither of the children seemed to be drowning – on the contrary, they were running out of the water and towards someone approaching them slowly from a distance.

"Rohan!" Safiya yelled, jumping into the newcomer's arms, and Zefiyr followed in her footsteps.

"Look, Han! Here comes Yero with Miss Fae!"

The man turned to look at the couple approaching him.

"Fiyero!" he exclaimed joyously, opening his arms to pull Fiyero into a bear hug. "Oz, it's been so long, mate!"

"Must have been, what, five years?" Fiyero said, patting him on the back and turning to Elphaba again. "Elphaba, this is my friend Rohan! We've known each other for, well…"

"Forever," Rohan finished, nodding. He was shorter than Fiyero, had a broad chest, wide shoulders and a square jaw with a hint of a beard. His curious, bright eyes were now set on Elphaba, and Fiyero rushed to introduce her.

"Rohan, this is Elphaba, my…," he paused, looking at her thoughtfully. His eyes were filled with pride and admiration and something else, something that seemed to go beyond words. Finally, he nodded decisively to himself and said: "K'allame."

Rohan's eyes went wide with surprise.

"Well. Pleased to meet you, Miss Elphaba," he said, sending Elphaba an impressed look and extending a hand to her. "I assume you're the reason Fiyero has managed to last an entire year at one university?"

Elphaba smiled with the corner of her mouth, trying not to show her discomfort; while Safiya and Zefiyr, apparently already bored with the adults' conversation, went back to splashing in the water.

"Well, what about you?" Fiyero retorted, sliding his arm around Elphaba's shoulder. "Aren't you supposed to be at the academy in Ank'Sékhar?"

"I've just graduated, actually," Rohan said. "And I'm waiting to be assigned my first post. Hey, put in a good word for me with your parents, will you? Don't let an old friend end up rotting away, guarding some abandoned rabble."

Elphaba could swear she heard Fiyero inhale sharply, as if something had just struck him.

"Say, have you seen Meyla lately?" he asked nonchalantly. "How is that sweet Lynx friend of yours doing?"

Rohan looked surprised by the awkward wording, but didn't comment on it.

"Well, she's obviously very concerned, with all the Animal bans and whatnot," he said, suddenly frowning. "I'm worried about her, too. You know she's always had to speak her mind, even if it meant getting in trouble."

Fiyero nodded sympathetically.

"Elphaba and I used to have a teacher like that, a sweet old Goat… poor Doctor Dillamond, I hope he's safe and doing okay."

"Yeah…" Rohan sighed. "Sometimes I wish I could just take Meyla away somewhere. I'm afraid things are only going to get worse for Animals; and I just wish I could protect her through all of this mess."

Finally, Elphaba's brain caught on to what Fiyero was trying to accomplish. One part of her wanted to cut his idea down immediately, because it was reckless and dangerous, and they couldn't risk it! On the other hand, she couldn't pretend to ignore the benefits of having someone trusted guard Kiamo Ko – assuming, of course, that Rohan was actually to be trusted. The fact that he had a close relationship with one Animal wasn't enough for her to trust him. However, she did trust Fiyero; so if Fiyero trusted Rohan, she was willing to as well. She looked up at him and nodded, letting him know she was onboard with his plan; and his eyes brightened.

"Well," he said, looking back at Rohan, "perhaps there is a way I could arrange that."

Rohan looked at him curiously.

"What do you mean?"

"Well… you know Kiamo Ko?"

"Your family's second castle that you never use? Yes, Fiyero, I recall."

"Exactly," Fiyero said triumphantly, completely ignoring the sarcasm. "It's standing empty. No one is ever there except for the guards who patrol the grounds once in a while. And, didn't you say you have just graduated and were waiting to be assigned a post?"

Rohan narrowed his eyes.

"Are you suggesting…"

"I certainly am suggesting, yes. I can talk to my parents; but I have to know I can count on your discretion."

"Well, I—I mean, of course," Rohan stammered, looking at his friend in disbelief. "But why—"

"We don't know for sure," Fiyero said, glancing at Elphaba, "but we hope that there might already be someone at the castle. Someone who does not wish to be found, but who would keep Meyla company."

"You mean—"

"We don't know for sure," Fiyero repeated. "But I know you, I know you're a good man and you know right from wrong. It would mean a lot if you could look after the castle and make sure no human soul ever walks in there."

Rohan's eyes shifted from Fiyero to Elphaba. He was clearly trying to decide what to make of this entire situation.

"No one can know about this," Fiyero reminded him firmly. "Not my father, not my mother, not your superiors, not anyone. Do you understand me?"

Rohan let out a loud breath.

"I do," he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Wow, that's … I don't know what to say."

"Just say you'll do it."

"Of course I'll do it," Rohan said, and Fiyero smiled in relief, pulling his friend into a hug.

"Thanks, mate," he said, patting Rohan's back. "I knew I could count all you."