Note: I do not own any of these characters except for Keahn, Leina, Jiana, Tar,and Mikail. The remaining characters are the property of Gregory Maguire.
The last four months had been hectic. Fiyero had been busy helping the healers while Elphaba looked after Leina. At first, Elphaba had protested because she wanted to do more, but Fiyero convinced her that she needed to rest for a while. Liir and Boq helped rebuild the huts that had been destroyed and Glinda aided the elderly. It had been a lot of work, but their efforts were not in vain. All of the huts were rebuilt and the sick were healed, except for one. At the rear of the village stood a gravestone. It bore the name of the one little boy who did not survive, Mikail.
Fiyero had taken the boy as his special mission. He tended to Mikail day and night, never leaving his side. Sometimes, Elphaba would visit with Leina. The baby seemed to cheer Mikail up. He had begun to improve, growing stronger under Fiyero's careful watch. One night he developed a high fever. Fiyero tried everything he could to break the fever but to no avail.
Fiyero cradled Mikail in his arms and watched the young boy slowly die. When Mikail drew his final shaky breath, Fiyero could see the fear in his eyes. He faded silently from one world to the next. Fiyero had wept for days, blaming himself for Mikail's death. Elphaba was constantly by his side doing all she could to comfort him. He didn't sleep for two weeks. Mikail's frightened eyes haunted his dreams.
However, today was a special day, and Fiyero had improved in recent weeks. The snow had all but melted, and flowers were beginning to bloom. Elphaba sat in front of the mirror and tried desperately to fix her hair.
"Urgh! This is never going to work! No matter what I do it doesn't look right. I don't know why I'm even bothering. I'll never be beautiful." She paced the room and wrung her fingers.
"Hey, hey, hey. Take it easy. And stop saying you'll never be beautiful. You know that you have always been gorgeous and you always will be," Fiyero said while massaging her shoulders. He stared at her in the mirror. She looked stunning in her white wedding dress. It was nice to see her wearing a color besides black for a change. There was a light knock on the door.
"Come in," Elphaba said wearily.
Glinda came in wearing a sleek pink gown. "Elphie!" she gasped. "Your hair is all wrong. Sit down. Let me fix it for you."
"Take your best shot. I've been fighting a losing battle all morning."
Glinda deftly braided Elphaba's long locks. When she finished there were two thin braids running along either side of her head. They met and wove down the middle together. The rest of her hair lay loose. Elphaba smiled at her dearest friend and gave her a big hug.
"It's perfect. Thank you."
"It was nothing."
Fiyero squeezed her shoulders. "Are you ready for this?"
Elphaba took a deep breath and held it for a second before releasing it slowly.
"As ready as I'll ever be."
She lifted Leina out of her crib and handed her to Glinda. Liir appeared in the doorway looking very handsome in his suit.
"Everyone is ready for you."
"We'll be right there," Fiyero said.
He grabbed Elphaba's hand, and they walked out of the hut. Glinda followed close behind with Leina who was staring around in wonder. She looked adorable in her lavender dress adorned with little embroidered daisies. Her dark hair was held back with a small silver clip on the side of her forehead. Fiyero and Elphaba walked slowly down the dirt road to the center of the village. Elphaba was still amazed at how much they had accomplished in such a short amount of time. The huts stood strong and secure. There was no evidence of the destruction that had consumed the village a few months prior. The village holy man stood there waiting.
Elphaba tried to calm her jittery nerves. Fiyero had warned her that there would be a tattooing ceremony following their vows. She had picked a pattern to be painted onto her skin. Her water allergy would ensure the process was permanent. She had been reluctant at first, but she had wanted to be as much a part of Fiyero's culture as possible. It was a big decision, but she figured she was already different from everyone else. When they reached the holy man, Elphaba and Fiyero knelt before him.
"We have come together today to join two souls. They have been through much turmoil and heartache, yet they remain together. They have chosen to spend eternity with each other. Elphaba and Fiyero would like to recite their own vows in place of the traditional ones."
Elphaba and Fiyero rose to their feet and faced one another. Elphaba went first.
"I know I haven't been the easiest person to deal with, but I want to thank you for always being patient with me. I promise to always be there for you. I will never love anyone the way I love you. No matter what happens, we will be happy as long as we are together."
Glinda wiped the tears from her eyes. Elphaba always spoke so beautifully when she allowed herself to open up. Boq held her hand tightly and smiled at her. Fiyero caressed Elphaba's face before beginning.
"I have never met anyone like you and never will again. I am honored that you have chosen to spend the rest of your life with me. I promise to treat you the way you deserve to be treated. I will love you with all my heart and willnever hurt you."
Elphaba smiled at him and looked away. She would have to get used to being complimented and treated like a normal person.
"You may now take each other to have and to hold for eternity," the holy man proclaimed, signaling the end of the marriage proceedings.
Keahn approached with the black powder and water. He poured the water into the bowl of powder and stirred the concoction. Elphaba braced herself for the impending pain. Keahn dipped the brush into the ink and began to paint Elphaba's skin with small starbursts. She clenched her teeth and squeezed her eyes tight. Keahn worked as quickly as possible to spare her as much pain as he could. After an hour, he was finished. When Keahn had left Fiyero turned to Elphaba.
"How are you feeling?"
"A little worn out, but I've lived through worse." She smiled weakly at him.
The festivities had already begun around them. Fiyero pulled Boq aside while the wine was being uncorked.
"I'm going to let Elphaba rest for a while. We'll be back later."
Boq nodded to show he understood. Fiyero carried Elphaba back to their hut. He laid her on the bed and soon she was fast asleep. He watched her sleeping form and smiled to himself. They were finally married. It just felt so right. The new pattern on her skin made her even more beautiful than before. It definitely matched her personality; fiery and strong. He sat and stared at her, watching her chest rise and fall. In the distance, he could hear the merriment of their friends and neighbors as they celebrated. Gradually, a pale beam of moonlight crept across the room. Fiyero looked out the window and saw that evening had fallen. He shook Elphaba gently.
"Fabala…Fae…Honey, wake up."
Elphaba's eyes slowly opened. "Hi handsome," she whispered.
"Are you feeling any better?"
She yawned and stretched her slim body. "I'm a little drowsy but otherwise ok."
"Are you ready to join the party?"
"As soon as I change out of this dress," she answered.
Elphaba chose a long, black cocktail dress, and quickly slipped it on.
"Thank Oz for Glinda and that wand of hers. We would have had nothing to wear," remarked Elphaba. She slipped her arm through Fiyero's, and they went to join the celebration.
Everyone in the village offered their blessings upon Elphaba and Fiyero. Elphaba's heart felt light and joyous. A symphony played a constant, cheerful melody in her head. She had never smiled so much in her life. The funny thing was, she didn't mind. For the first time she had a reason to smile.
The party went on into the early hours of the morning. The guests began heading to their respective huts. Elphaba rested her head on Fiyero's shoulder as they walked slowly home. Glinda had offered to watch Leina for the night, and Liir was at a friend's hut. Elphaba was glad the hut would be empty. All she wanted to do was curl up next to Fiyero and go to sleep.
They reached the hut as the sun began to peek over the horizon. Fiyero sat on the ground and pulled Elphaba into his lap. They watched the sun consume the darkness. The whole world was quiet. Fiyero looked down at Elphaba who had fallen asleep. He closed his eyes and breathed in her scent. It was a woodsy, earthy smell that drove him wild. He began to feel very fidgety, so he picked up his emerald soul mate and carried her into the hut.
She was roused from her slumber when he laid her down on the bed.
"Go back to sleep, love," Fiyero said.
"I would if my shoulders weren't so stiff," Elphaba responded.
"Come here."
Elphaba sat in front of Fiyero and leaned against him. Fiyero slowly massaged her shoulders.
"You are really tense, Fae."
"Mmmhmm…but you are definitely easing it."
"I can make you feel even better since the hut is conveniently empty," he said seductively.
Elphaba cocked an eyebrow at him. "Oh, really? And just how do you plan to do that?" she dared him.
Fiyero flashed an impish grin. "Like this."
He held her face in his hands and brought his anxious lips to hers. He had been waiting all day for this moment. Elphaba's will shattered in that instant, and she happily surrendered.
A thousand fingers tickled her brain, igniting her desire. She was carried back to the first time their bodies became one. The sensations that washed over her were familiar yet strangely new. She had never wanted anyone this badly. It had always been him; Fae and Yero, Yero and Fae. Fiyero was her foundation, her balance and, at the moment, her intense pleasure.
She had to hold him tighter to remind herself of the reality of this fantasy. His mouth discovered, tasted, and devoured every fiber of her being. Her senses screamed at every touch of his nimble fingers. Her body lifted to meet his, waves of the ocean ebbing and flowing.
Their movements became more frantic, driven by the mounting passion. It grew in intensity until it could go no more. Just as suddenly as it had appeared, it was gone. Their spent bodies lay tangled together. The evaporating sweat cooled their warm flesh.
"Yero, promise me you'll never leave me again," Elphaba pleaded in a barely audible whisper.
"Of course I'll never leave you. Why would you think I was going anywhere?"
Elphaba sighed and began tracing the pattern of diamonds on his chest. "I don't know. Maybe it's because our lives are too good to be true. Leina is a joy and gets more beautiful every day. Liir is great with her. Everyone I care about is safe." She looked into Fiyero's eyes and ran her hand through his thick locks.
"Remember when I was a Revolutionary hiding out in the Emerald City?" Fiyero nodded. "I think about that time in my life mostly because of your visits, but it also reminds me of how quickly life can change." She slipped her arm around his slender waist.
"I'll never forget the day you were taken. I came back to the flat after my failed mission, and I knew something was wrong. There was so much blood. It was at that moment that I died. There was a gaping emptiness inside, and I didn't know how I could go on without you. I had a strange feeling for weeks before. I didn't feel like myself. I had wanted to tell you countless times, but I could never find the words. Now I know that it was because I was pregnant. I don't even remember Liir being born. I think the reason I kept my distance from our son was because I was afraid of losing him like I lost you. He was a constant reminder of you and of my failure to keep you away from harm. I'm terrified of losing you like the last time we…"
She stopped as a tear burned its way down her cheek. Fiyero reached to wipe it away, but Elphaba turned away from him. She got up from the bed and walked over to the window. She pulled Fiyero's shirt on as she walked. She would not cry. She tried to blink the ghosts of the past away. Fiyero rose from the bed and walked up behind her. He turned her around to face him.
"It's ok to cry. We've done this before. I'd rather see you cry than see you walking around with the weight of the world on your shoulders," he said.
Fiyero wiped her tears away with his thumb. He kissed her nose and held her close. Elphaba kissed his mouth in return. She allowed herself to be consumed, and the shirt fell away with the rest of the world.
