A Lazy Afternoon
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.
Author's Note: I am in technology hell right now(otherwise known as the O'Neill Theatre Center). By the time this is posted, hopefully my internet in the dorm room issues will have been worked out, but I still have little to no internet time thanks to 9 hours of rehearsal daily. Woo!
Chapter 22
"Fiyero!" Glinda shouted, as she scurried across the courtyard to him, through the throngs of students pouring over the huge, granite academic buildings.
He stood and waited for her.
"I'm glad I caught you. You two left awfully early this morning."
"Beautiful morning," Fiyero smiled.
"I'm sure," Glinda giggled.
Fiyero grinned.
"Anyways, I still have these candle boats," she produced three from her purse. "We only made three before it started to pour, and she bade me come get you. I was thinking, oh, hold on…Avaric! Come here!...I was thinking, that we could go do it now."
Avaric sauntered up to them. "What's up?"
"I was just telling Fiyero, that we should do the candle boat thing now."
"I'm game. Get it over with, so we can go drink later."
"Gee, how sweet," Fiyero snickered. "I guess that I am fine with doing the candle boats now, but we don't have most of the group."
"Most of the group…"
"Avaric, be nice!" Glinda snapped.
"I didn't say anything."
Fiyero lifted his hand over his eyes like a visor to block the sun, and scanned the courtyard.
"Can't find your shadow?" Avaric laughed.
Fiyero smacked Avaric's shoulder, but smiled. "No, I can't."
"She's busy today. She made us sit way up in the balcony during class, so she could go through this folder of old papers. I don't think she took a single note. Anyways, she took off the second class was done. I have no idea where she went, and Avaric's kinda right, we do need to do this now, because I have plans tonight too. Sorry."
Fiyero nodded. "I understand."
The trio walked to the river. Nessarose and Nanny sat by the wall, Nanny feeding a bowl of applesauce to Nessa.
"How are you?" Nessa greeted.
"We are just about to do the delayed candle boat memorial for Fiyero's mother," Glinda explained, laying the three boats on the wall.
"Only three?"
"Well, we were going to do more, Nessa, but then it started to pour."
"Why didn't you make more anyways? Three is a rather meager offering."
"Well, we didn't even know if we were going to be able to do it, get over it!" Glinda snapped.
Fiyero lay down on the river wall, while Nanny and Avaric watched Glinda and Nessa argue about just how many candle boats was a sufficient offering to the Unnamed God. He stared blankly at the far side, perking up as he noticed movement. A form sat up straight, and an arm tossed a scarf around a shoulder, then slumped back down. Elphaba, without a doubt. He watched, a little longer, but there was no movement.
"Nessa, if you don't think three is enough, then why don't you make some more!"
"Glinda! You know I can't!"
Fiyero turned back to the argument. "Will you both quit it?!"
They turned to him in silence.
"I do not care how many boats we put out on the river. It is a nice gesture regardless."
Glinda and Nessa glared at each other.
"Well," Glinda began, "Everyone who can, grab a boat…"
"Glinda!" Nessa shrieked, and they were at it again.
Fiyero banged his head against his arms, frustrated, and turned away again. Elphaba was watching, a small bit of her hair and forehead visible. He looked to her in despair. She disappeared, and he buried his head in his arms. No one seemed to care about him in all this. After what seemed like an eternity of bickering, a hand on his back startled him out of his misery. He looked up to see Elphaba standing over him, holding the candle boats.
"Come with me. They won't even notice. Avaric already left, Nanny's playing moderator."
He sat up, and she took his hand, and pull him in the direction she had come. Nanny smiled after them, and did not alert Glinda and Nessa at the disappearance of the benefactor of the candle boat ceremony. Fiyero and Elphaba crossed the river, and walked along the wall until it ended, and the river headed into the woods. She sat by the edge. He knelt beside her.
"Don't get to close."
"I'll be careful."
"Interesting reading today?"
Elphaba nodded. "Extremely. I was just reading a really good journal article that Dr. Dillamond had, when Glinda and Nessa's bickering drew me out. I couldn't leave you there like that."
"Thank you. I really didn't expect it."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I just thought today was devoted to your work."
"It was. But you looked pitiful. I needed to save you from it. Why do you assume that I don't care?"
"That's not what I was saying."
She looked at him. "What were you saying?"
He sighed. "Elphie, I know you care. You've proved it before. I…I don't want to have this argument right now."
He facing the river, his head on lap. She tensed, at first, but he grabbed her hand and slowly she relaxed.
"I'm sorry," Elphie finally admitted. She didn't want to see him so distraught. Gently she ran her hand through his hair, and he moved his head so as to encourage it. With her free hand, she grabbed the first of the boats out of her satchel. "Ready?"
He took it from her hand.
"Shit."
"What?"
"We don't have anything to light it with."
Fiyero chuckled. "I don't think it really matters. It's the gesture. It's not even dark out anyways."
Elphaba smiled.
"Will you let one go to, Elphie?"
"If you want me to."
"I do."
"Okay then. I need a better position so as to not pitch myself into the river."
She lifted his head off her lap, and turned to lay on her stomach. He rolled up beside her.
"Ready?"
They held their candle boats out over the water.
"Do we need to say anything special?" Elphie asked.
"I was hoping you knew."
"This was Glinda's idea."
"Oh well, let's just put them in. Silent prayers, keep it, if you please."
Very slowly the lowered their boats into the water. Elphaba handed the last one to Fiyero.
"All yours."
He held it in his hand for a moment, then kissed it, and dropped it into the water. He turned to her. "What are you going to do now?"
"I need to go back to the papers, I'm sorry. It's just my run in with Madame Morrible earlier left me uneasy. I think she knows more than she's letting on, and it just a matter of time. I have to take in as much of this as I can, before…" she scowled.
"Before what?"
"Before I can't."
"Do you think she knows you have it?"
"I don't know what she knows anymore."
Elphaba stood up, and Fiyero grabbed her arm.
"Don't get too frustrated."
"I don't do hope well."
"Try. Please, try."
He stood up, and wrapped his arms around her. She rest her head on his shoulder, and allowed him to stroke her back.
"So where are you going to read?"
"Outside was good until I got distracted."
"Not worried about Morrible outside?"
Elphaba shrugged. "I guess I'm worried about her everywhere."
He squeezed her tighter.
"I really do need to get going now." She pulled away.
"I'm not going to get to see you tonight, am I?"
She looked at him for a moment, and shook her head. "I don't think so."
He nodded to himself. "Make sure you eat. Don't get so caught up that you forget."
She smiled softly. "I won't."
Elphie reached down to pick up her satchel, then leaned in to kiss Fiyero on the cheek. She didn't notice a paper fall from the bag. He wrapped his arm around her and walked her back along the river. Once they were a good distance off, Grommetik emerged from the woods, and retrieved the fallen article to bring back to his master. This could be the kind of thing they were looking for.
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