Note: I do not own any of these characters. They are the property of Gregory Maguire.

She was met with a cold, damp air. The house, burdened by its horrific past, seemed to sigh. Glinda shivered. Elphaba stepped into the one place she had called home in her former life. Her companions followed close behind.

Death hung in the air as thick as fog. Elphaba could practically hear the voices of the Gale Forcers ringing off the walls, their boots echoing in the corridors. The castle was in disarray. The four companions began climbing the main staircase. Fiyero stopped in the first room to the left when they reached the landing. He knelt on the floor beside a bow and arrow that was leaning against the stone wall. Elphaba knelt beside him in an effort to comfort him.

"This room belonged to my sons," he explained to Boq and Glinda. "I gave this bow and arrow to my oldest son, Manek, for his tenth birthday. It was the year he should have been accepted into the tribe as a man."

He looked around as tears welled up in his eyes.A sob escaped his lips and he buried his face in his hands. Elphaba held him close and rocked him like a baby. Glinda watched Elphaba stroke his hair; she couldn't help but notice what a caring mother Elphaba would be one day. Fiyero's sobbing slowly ceased.

"Come on," Elphaba said softly. She led Fiyero and the others out of the room and down the hall. As they passed another doorway, Glinda couldn't resist peeking inside. Fiyero entered behind her as she gazed around the room.

"My daughter Nor's room," he said.

She couldn't believe how many horse figurines there were. Shelf after shelf was filled with horses. There werebrown ones, black ones, Pintos, Arabians, all in various poses and sizes.

"She really loved horses." Glinda commented.

Fiyero nodded. "I promised her I would teach her how to ride when I returned from the Emerald City. By the time I escaped from the Gale Force's prison camp...they were gone."

"Fiyero, I'm so sorry," said Glinda. "What was the camp like?" She knew it would be painful for Fiyero to talk about but she thought it might help release some of the pain.

"It was...unlike anything I have ever experienced. There was so much suffering. The guards beat the prisoners mercilessly and for no reason. They told us it was good for our morale, that it would keep us in line. They were wrong. It only made me more determined to escape. I wanted to make sure Elphaba was ok. The Gale Force was looking for her but they found me instead. We had been having an affair which is why you saw me in the Emerald City. They thought she would come to my aid but she and I had agreed that she would go on without me. She wasn't too happy about it but I managed to convince her that I would find my way back to her one day. It took me ten years but I kept my promise. We formulated a plan to stage her death. The Wizard was becoming more hell bent on eliminating her and he was using Dorothy to get to Elphie. He knew Elphaba wanted her sister's shoes more than anything so he gave them to Dorothy as a bargaining tool. I'm just glad she didn't get severely burned by the water."

She placed a dainty hand on his arm. He could only sigh and exit the room.

They caught up to Elphaba and Boq at the end of the hallway. A second staircase twisted in front of them leading up into the tower. Slowly, the four friends made their way to the heavy oak door at the top. Deep marks slashed its surface in an ugly, disfiguring manner. Everyone knew how the marks got there but no one spoke a word. Elphaba held her breath as she slowly turned the brass doorknob. The door opened quietly, reflectingthe solemnity of it surroundings. Elphaba tentatively stepped inside and a wave of memories washed over her: angry voices, an uncontrollable fury, her fury. All of it wasdirected at the farm girl who had gotten ensnared in the Wizard's web of lies and deceit and was used as an innocent tool of destruction and chaos. The glass beaded shoes glinted in the firelight, taunting her. She had lunged for the one thing her sister had left behind. Her dress had gotten too close to the fire and quickly flared. The girl had screamed before grabbing the bucket used to stop a leak in the roof. She remembered the pain as the water made contact with her sensitive skin. It hadn't been enough to do any serious harm but she had screamed as if she had been dying. She sank to the floor before slipping through the trap door below her, just as she and Fiyero had planned. Frantic footsteps stomped above her head before silence settled in.

"Fae?" Fiyero asked as he came up softly behind her. She was jarred to her senses as the memories faded.

"If this is too much for you we can leave." She shook her head fiercely. "No. I'm fine now." She looked at Fiyero and added in a softer tone, "Really."

"Elphie! Look what I found!" Glinda shouted. She brought it to her triumphantly. It was a black hat. Her hat, though it was covered in dust. "I found it under the bed," She explained. Elphaba gently brushed it clean.

"Thanks," she said quietly. A rustling from behind them made them turn around swiftly. Elphaba saw a shadow out of the corner of her eye. "There's someone here," she said, stating the obvious.

Boq peered around nervously. Fiyero walked over to the far corner of the room which was hidden in shadow. The figure leaped at him as he came within breathing distance.

"Aaaaagghh!" he screamed as his unknown assailant attacked.

"Chistery! Get off him!" Elphaba commanded. The winged monkey obeyed and ran to his mistress. She stroked his brown fur lovingly.

"You gave me quite a fright Chistery." Fiyero told him. He chattered incessantly, elated to be reunited with his mistress. He grabbed Elphaba's hand and led her to the closet.

"What is it Chistery?" she inquired. He pointed to the door and motioned for her to open it. She slowly turned the doorknob. She opened the door and inhaled sharply. What she saw nearly caused her to faint.

A huge thanks to Sweet Saturn for beta reading for me!!