Author's Note: Ok, here comes the angst warning…be warned, from here on out this fic will be painful.
Chapter 29
For a moment they all just stood there staring at one another in the dingy, moldy hallway. Elphaba could feel her heart pounding in her temples, but the rest of her body felt cold somehow. Dead. Liir's eyes were wide with astonishment, with disbelief, perhaps with fear. Elphaba realized suddenly that eve after living with the boy for fifteen years of her life, she knew almost nothing about him. She had no idea how he'd react, but she had a feeling he would be angry.
"You…" sputtered Liir after a moment, pointing back and forth between Elphaba and Fiyero. "You…and he…and…" Liir clapped a hand over his mouth as though he were about to be sick.
"Liir, please try to restrain yourself," said Elphaba sternly. She was shaken enough by having to tell him; she could not deal with an extreme reaction from him.
Liir took a few deep, panting breaths, and removed his hand, seemingly a little calmer. He continued to look back and forth between Elphaba and Fiyero, utterly bewildered.
"So…so then that means that you two…if you're my parents…then you had to…why?"
"Liir," said Nor scoldingly. "This is hardly the time."
But Liir was still staring at them, anger replacing his initial shock. He turned on Elphaba, his dark eyes hard and accusing, full of hatred. Elphaba shuddered. She'd seen that look entirely too many times in her life.
"Why didn't you tell me before?" he growled at her through clenched teeth.
"I—I thought he was dead," choked Elphaba, déjà vu sending a thrill down her spine.
"You're a liar," said Liir suddenly, "all you've ever done is lie to me! You're lying to me now, I'd bet."
"Liir, I'm not lying to you," said Elphaba, fighting to keep her voice firm. The last thing she wanted was for this to dissolve into a fighting match in front of the others.
"You are!" shouted Liir, raising his hands as if to strike her. "You're lying to me just so you can hurt me more than you already have. He's not my father. You're just saying that."
"Liir, listen—"
"I WILL NOT LISTEN TO YOU ANYMORE!" exploded the boy. "You abandoned me for your own hopeless causes and now you expect me to respect you after everything you've done!"
Liir rushed forward, intending to bring his fists down on her shoulders, but Elphaba was too fast for him. She caught him by the wrists and held his hands in the air. For once her temper did not overtake her mind, and she managed to stay calm.
"Stop," whispered Elphaba, her voice practically dripping with venom. She let go of Liir ever so slowly. He was still breathing hard, but the burst of anger was gone. He stumbled as Elphaba released his hands, sagging against the wall.
"Elphie?" said Glinda cautiously, opening the door to her room a crack and sticking her head out. "Is everything all right out here?"
Elphaba glared at Liir a moment longer, then nodded.
"Everything's fine. Thanks for asking."
"Well then…in that case," said Glinda, stepping out into the hallway. "I think I have someone who's been looking for you."
Glinda opened the door a little further and Chistery poked his head out, then flitted up to Elphaba's shoulder.
"Chistery!" said Liir, who had been staring wide-eyed at Glinda.
The monkey stared at Liir in confusion for a moment, then flew over to his shoulder and began playing with his hair. The boy's gaze returned to Glinda. He blushed.
"A-are y-you—" Liir cut himself off and took a deep breath. "Are you Glinda the Good?"
Elphaba groaned, willing herself not to be sick. Glinda laughed, a silvery, tinkling sound; then nodded.
"So you helped Dorothy?" asked Liir, starry eyed.
"Liir," scolded Elphaba.
Glinda sighed and looked at the floor.
"Yes, though I can't say I'm proud of the results."
Liir blanched suddenly as though he'd just remembered. He turned and glared at Elphaba.
"How are you are you alive anyway? Or did you have more magic than you led us to believe all along?"
"It's a long story," said Elphaba, "and I don't have the energy to tell it." She turned back to Nor, then added almost as an afterthought, "especially to you."
Liir looked hurt at that and Elphaba felt guilty despite herself. Luckily the door opened again and Boq stumbled out, still rubbing sleep from his eyes.
"Did we have to get up so soon?" he mumbled groggily, "I was just drifting off." Boq turned and glared at Glinda. "She snores something awful."
Glinda responded with one of her "hmph" sounds, and everyone laughed. It was a welcome break in the tension.
"Don't try to deny it, Glinda," said Elphaba nastily, "I spent two years rooming with you, remember."
"Oh, how could I forget?" said Glinda in a long-suffering voice.
Liir was looking more surprised than ever and his eyes were darting around at an alarming rate as though he was struggling to process the overload of new information. Elphaba resisted the urge to laugh at him. Somehow she did not think the others would find it quite as funny."
As if on cue, the door to Igitur's room opened and the little old man shuffled out, leaning heavily on his twisted old walking stick , and muttering about how hard the mattresses were. Chistery fluttered to the ground and started slowly creeping in the hermit's direction, but Fiyero reached down and snatched him up before the winged monkey had a chance to start any trouble. Chistery squealed loudly as Fiyero turned him on his back and tickled his stomach.
"Oh, leave the poor child alone," teased Elphaba.
All eyes immediately turned to her.
"Is that how you think of him?" asked Liir. "Your child?"
Elphaba felt her face burn. She swallowed hard, surprised to find that there was a lump in her throat. She took a deep breath and turned to Nor.
"You said something about the meeting?" she asked firmly.
Nor looked back and forth between Elphaba and Liir, then nodded. "It's going to start soon. Follow me."
She turned and walked down the hall, Liir close behind her. The others followed in uneasy silence. Nor led them down the hall until they reached the big main room. About thirty young people were seated in a rough circle. As the group entered, all eyes turned expectantly toward Nor. Elphaba realized with a shock that she must be their leader.
Nor began the meeting by introducing the newcomers. Elphaba was surprised by the girl's poise and passion as she spoke about the tiktoks and their strategy. Several others spoke, about the Vinkus, about Gillikin and how all the schools were shut down, about Munchkinland where all the crops were dying. Finally, Fiyero got up and spoke about his time in the Quadling ruby mines. When he sat down again he was pale and shaking. Elphaba wrapped an arm around his waist. Nor closed the meeting by giving out assignments to some people, then everyone went back to their rooms. Nor chased after Elphaba and Fiyero, dragging Liir by the wrist.
"Wait!" she called.
Liir looked at them sulkily.
"I have a favor to ask you."
"Yes?" asked Elphaba.
Nor took a deep breath.
"We pretty much have all the major areas covered. The only place I don't have anyone assigned to is—"
"The ruby mines," Fiyero interrupted, nodding grimly.
Nor sighed.
"I know this isn't easy. But since I know you both have been to Quadling country before…we need someone to scout it for us. That's all I'm asking."
Fiyero nodded slowly.
"If it's necessary then I can't refuse."
"And me?" asked Liir rudely.
"You're going because I think you need a lesson in teamwork." She turned on her heel and was gone.
Liir stayed a moment longer, then followed.
Elphaba turned to Fiyero. His strong jaw was set in grim determination, but she could see the fear burning in his dark eyes.
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