Author's Note: This chapter was determined not to be written…however, I have outsmarted it. I think. The end of that last chapter was a test to see whether or not my readers had read the book…if you knew who was following the group you passed. If not, you have been sadly deprived. Anyway, I finally managed to get my two main characters to talk to me (and each other) so the next few chapters should pick up a lot. And…yeah…go read. And review….
Chapter 3
Fiyero stopped between two particularly thick blades of grass and stood stooped over, hands on his knees, breathing heavily. He wasn't sure quite why he was running away, but he certainly hadn't expected to encounter his old friends out in the middle of the grasslands. He'd been tracking them for several days now from afar, almost certain that he was following a reconnaissance part of Gale Forcers.
There was a loud crashing noise, and Boq stumbled into the clearing, nearly falling flat on his face. Fiyero resisted the urge to laugh at him, watching silently as Boq stood gaping.
"You-you're dead," said Boq finally, "and so's Elphie. And now you're both…not…" He threw his hands up helplessly, "Next thing I know they'll be telling me *nobody* really dies and my grandmother's just hiding somewhere."
"I wouldn't be all that certain of anything, Master Boq." Replied Fiyero, "If there's one thing I've learned these past few years it's that anything which first appears true is most likely a deception."
Boq continued to stare. Glinda entered the clearing a moment later, followed by a native girl Fiyero didn't recognize. Behind them came two donkies, once again hitched to the wagon. Glinda stopped short, her face caught in an expression of surprise much like Boq's.
"Master Fiyero…" she said finally.
"So you are what has caused us so much panic," said Gerema sourly.
Fiyero blushed slightly.
"I apologize. I hadn't intended to make such an entrance."
Glinda giggled suddenly, and they all turned and looked at her questioningly.
"Memorable entrances would seem to be your specialty," she replied," But where have you been all these years we thought you dead?"
"Serving our Wonderful Wizard on his wonderful mission," said Fiyero sarcastically, "But I don't want to tell that story now, and this is not the place for it. Where are you headed?"
"To the fort supposedly under Kiamo Ko," said Boq, snapping out of his stupor. "If such a place exists."
Fiyero nodded.
"It does. Who told you of it?"
"My mother," said Gerema, "Princess Nastoya, of the Scrow."
"A wise leader," he replied, and dipped his head respectfully, though he did not identify himself. He nodded to the group. "Come, I'll show you a better way."
The tunnels below Kiamo Ko were old, dusty, and partially collapsed, but still remarkably preserved after nearly a hundred years of disuse. They lit the ancient torches in the wall sconces as they went with little balls of flame Glinda magicked for them. The long, winding corridor ended at a heavy wooden door that swung open with a creak, revealing several rooms hollowed out of the rock.
"We're supposed to live here?" Glinda asked incredulously, running her fingers along one of the walls. Her hand came away black with dust. She wrinkled her nose.
Fiyero shook his head at her.
"Considering your other options…"
"Which are?" Glinda snapped.
"Staying in the Emerald City and getting captured by the tiktoks. Or worse, the Gale Forcers. I think they might be working together now."
Glinda waved a hand dismissively.
"I don't understand why everyone thinks we're about to be captured. What would they want with us?"
Fiyero glared at her.
"First there is the fact that the tiktoks are slowly eliminating all living beings from their world. Then there is the fact that you are both powerful and well-known. And now you have Elphaba with you, which puts you in considerable danger even if they do not yet know of her presence here. Speaking of which, what happened to her, and what do you plan to do?"
Glinda just stared at him for a moment, slightly taken aback by his sudden fervor. Fiyero had always been rather quiet and was even more so since he had reappeared.
"We're not really sure what happened…" said Boq, making them all jump slightly, "Something to do with that Dorothy Gale who blew in after that awful storm. She killed Nessarose and according to the Wizard, Elphie too."
Fiyero nodded slowly. He too had heard the rumors, none of which made any sense.
"How did you find her?" he asked finally.
"We…we were given a message by…someone that we had a friend in need. So we came out here and we met up with the Scrow and Nastoya and…well, here we are."
They stood in silence for a few moments before Gerema finally spoke.
"It's nearly nightfall outside. We should make provisions and rest."
The group split to explore the remainder of the underground stronghold, leaving Fiyero and the unconscious Elphaba alone together. He looked at her for a moment, then took a pile of blankets off the stack of supplies they'd brought down from above and tucked them around her.
Fiyero knelt beside her on the cold stone floor and brushed the back of his hand across her forehead. Her skin felt like it was on fire and her face was flushed. He ran his hand down her arm, then had to turn away as the tears started to fall. He cried until he was too exhausted to cry anymore, then wiped his face on the edge of an old blanket and laid down beside Elphaba, wrapping his arms around her wasted body.
Ugh okay so it still wouldn't do what I wanted it to…be nice and review anyway please. You'll like the next chapter better, I promise.
