Chapter 8

Several days later, while Fiyero was entertaining Dyre and Dawn in their playroom upstairs, Glinda and Elphaba drank tea in the library. It was a beautiful two-story room, which contained thousands of books, mostly Elphaba's. It had velvet armchairs, a fireplace and a heavy wooden desk.

"What time is it?" asked Glinda suddenly.

Elphaba glanced at a big clock behind Glinda's shoulder. "A bit after six, why?"

Glinda shook her head, in a motion that was supposed to hide her concern. "I wonder where Boq is," she said, trying to sound indifferent.

"I'm sure he is on his way. Or maybe the assembly was longer than expected. He'll be along."

"Yes, I guess you are right," answered Glinda, but didn't sound too convinced. Soon they were talking again about something else, but Glinda was obviously distracted. She was there in body, not in soul; she was listening but not really.

Boq returned half an hour later. He barely made it to the front door, and collapsed in the arms of the servant who opened it. Elphaba and Glinda left the library when they heard the servant's frantic voice. Glinda shrieked when she saw Boq. He was badly beaten and had a bleeding wound on the left side of his face. His cloths were ripped and torn. He could hardly stand. The servant helped him into an armchair.

"I'll go get Fiyero. Garth, go get some water or something to clean this wound," said Elphaba and ran upstairs. Garth, the servant, followed her out.

"In the name of Oz, Boq, what happened to you?" exclaimed Glinda the minute they were alone.

"The assembly… I was on my way here, and somebody… three of them… it was dark and they waited for me-"

The door was burst open. Fiyero and Elphaba rushed inside. Fiyero gasped when he noticed Boq. "What in Oz is going on?"

"This is what I was trying to find out," said Glinda, gently touching Boq's face. He flinched.

"That's a nasty cut," remarked Elphaba, "Where is Garth with the damn water?"

"How did it happen, Boq?" asked Fiyero.

"The cut or the whole thing?" he managed a bitter smile. It was painful to do even that. "I was on my way here, and out of the darkness they just jumped at me-"

"They?" asked Elphaba.

"Three men. I couldn't see their faces, they wore black hooded cloaks. I tried to defend myself but I've never had the chance, not against three strong men like they were. They… said things." He saw Elphaba tense. She was waiting to hear that, he knew. He just wasn't sure he wanted to tell her exactly what the strange men said.

"What? What did they say?" she asked urgently.

Boq sighed. Garth chose that moment to go back with some towels and a bucket of water to clean Boq's wounds.

"Thank you, Garth, I'll do it," said Glinda. Garth nodded slightly and left the room.

"They said…" started Boq but flinched as the wet towel made contact with the wound on his face.

"Sorry," murmured Glinda. "I'll be careful."

"Boq, tell me," said Elphaba, urging him on. She had to hear it. She had a feeling that she wouldn't like what Boq had to say, but she had to hear it anyway.

"They said that this is what I deserve… for moving to the side which supports the Wicked Witch." Glinda gasped. "And… that this is only the beginning, this and the graffiti on the wall. They said they wouldn't stop until you are captured and killed, as was supposed to be long ago in that day… no matter what it takes. Only then their revenge would be complete," he finished, looking sadly at Elphaba. She looked sad too, but not too shocked, which surprised him. Could she possibly expect this, after all these years?

Fiyero looked confused. "Revenge?"

Boq nodded. "I guess they meant the Wizard. I thought that they were some sort of furious Wizard fanatics or something."

"Yes, that or…" started Glinda as a memory crossed her mind. My professional opinion is that you do not have what it takes. I hope you prove me wrong. I doubt you will. Take her away!

"Glinda, what are you thinking?" Elphaba's voice brought Glinda back to reality.

"Oh, I was just…" Glinda said, but her voice soon trailed off as she shook the thought away. It was silly to even consider it; she was locked in that prison, for good. Besides, it would be wrong to make Elphaba worried for nothing when there was enough on her mind as it was. There was no reason to worry about, anyway. It couldn't have been Morrible. "Nothing," she said eventually, smiling reassuringly at Elphaba.

By the look in Elphaba's eyes, Glinda knew that she didn't believe her for a second.

Later that night Elphaba sat on a rocking chair in Dawn's room. She waited for her daughter to return from her bath so that she could put her to bed. Giving Dawn her bath was Fiyero's responsibility; only the thought of Dawn splashing water all over the place made Elphaba shudder. That was their night ritual. They never missed it, not even in the light of the evening's events.

Fiyero entered the room, carrying a sleepy Dawn in his arms. Elphaba smiled to herself at the perfect image they made. Dawn wore a tiny lavender nightgown; Fiyero's clothes were soaked, obviously.

She took Dawn from him and breathed in her sweet soapy scent. "You stay away from me," she warned Fiyero, laughing softly.

He smiled. "Tuck her in, I'll go changing into something a little more… dry."

"No go, daddy," murmured Dawn.

"Do you want daddy to stay while we brush your hair, Deanne?" asked Elphaba and carried Dawn to her bed.

Dawn nodded. "Yes, want daddy stay."

"How can I refuse that?" Fiyero asked, smiling. He watched Elphaba while she gently brushed Dawn's long raven hair. They looked so much alike, minus Elphaba's green skin. Elphaba asked Dawn questions, and the child did her best answering, with her still limited vocabulary, at the age of three.

"Go to sleep now, okay, my little pretty?" asked Elphaba once she finished brushing Dawn's hair.

"No sleepy, mama," protested Dawn but got into bed.

"I think you are," smiled Elphaba and tightened the covers around her. She gave Dawn her stuffed teddy bear, the one that Fiyero bought her when she was still a baby. "Goodnight, sweetie," she whispered. "Say goodnight to daddy."

"Night, daddy."

"Sweet dreams, princess," said Fiyero and leaned to kiss Dawn on her forehead. Her eyes fluttered shut. Elphaba and Fiyero waited several moments until they were sure that she was fast asleep. Then they quietly left the room.

The night's events whirled in Elphaba's mind while she was brushing her own hair later. Fiyero entered their bedroom, wearing a dry pajama. Elphaba looked at him through the mirror, and he smiled at her reflection. She put her silver hairbrush on the dresser as he approached her, put his hands on her shoulders and massaged them gently. Elphaba closed her eyes.

"Fae, you are so tensed," he remarked, his voice low and husky. "Are you still bothered about what happened with Boq?"

"Aren't you?" she asked. Boq was asleep at last, after taking some pain-killers. Glinda was finally asleep too. Elphaba had doubts as for her ability to fall asleep at all that night. She took several deep breaths and felt her muscles become limp under Fiyero's touch.

"That's better," he whispered as he felt her relax.

"I wonder what Glinda was thinking earlier," she said. This one bothered her as well.

Fiyero shook his head. "I don't know. I was more bothered about this 'no matter what it takes' thing. What do you think they meant by that?"

"I'm not sure I want to know," she replied, getting up. "Enough with that. Or we'll never be able to sleep. Are you coming to bed?"

Several blocks away, in a dark alley, two men met.

"Mission complete," said one of them.

The other man smiled with satisfaction. "Excellent," he said. "And I have some more great news. Luke has finally arrived to the Emerald City."

"Good news, indeed. So when is our next mission due?"

"As before, wait for my orders. We still have to pay a visit to the lady in the city's prison, as you well recall."

"Yes, I do."

"Well, then, I'll inform you with your next mission soon," promised the tall man and soon disappeared in the city's shadows.