Chapter Three: Nanny
As Elphaba's pregnancy progressed, Fiyero's luck in the search for his tribe did not. Elphaba was in her second trimester; her mood swings and morning sickness were gone (as was her unwillingness to make love) and she was starting to show. Though her mood swings were gone, she was in a different mood than usual. She was giggly and bubbly and happy. Fiyero enjoyed spending time with her and hoped that her happiness would continue even after she'd given birth.
Of course, her pregnancy did present a problem. Fiyero didn't want her going through the birth on her own without some kind of midwife or doctor around. However, there was no one around, so that wasn't going to be the easiest problem to fix. And they couldn't just go anywhere; Elphaba was still in hiding and, it seemed, always would be. When Fiyero brought that up to Elphaba, she ignored it and waved him away. She was too happy and excited to worry.
"Fae-Fae, I'm a bit concerned about you giving birth without some sort of assistance from someone who knows what they're doing."
"I'll be fine, Yero." She said carelessly.
He turned to her and realized that even beneath the blanket, he could still tell she was showing. Her cheeks were redder than usual. "You're beautiful when you're pregnant, you know that?"
She laughed lightheartedly. "No, I had absolutely no idea. It's just…"
"What? Fae, are you all right?"
"Fine. But, Yero my hero, when you do find Sarima and the rest of the tribe, you're going to realize that your place is with them and not with me. Then I'll leave. I will have to. I just, for some reason, don't like the idea of leaving."
"I don't like that idea either. Perhaps it's because I love you. You're not going to leave. I won't let you, so don't even think about it."
"But it would be best for you if I did. If they think I'm with you, they'll come looking for me and you could get hurt."
"How many times do we have to have this conversation? I don't want to live a life without you, Elphie."
"Even if you knew yourself well enough to mean that, Fiyero, do you want to live a life with pain?"
"Pain to me is life without you." He told her, pulling her into his arms.
She didn't resist; she was too tired. "You'll see differently eventually."
"I don't think so."
"Oh, Yero, I love you." She smiled, her eyes bright and shining when she looked into his.
"And I love you, too. So stop trying to convince me otherwise. I don't want you to leave me, Fae. I want you right here, with me…"
"Right here as in, in your bed?" She laughed.
"Right here as in not far from me. But Fae, as I was saying before, it's not safe for you to have the baby on your own."
She sighed. "And what is there to do about it?" He didn't answer. "Exactly. There is no solution for that problem. We'll just have to see how it goes." She nuzzled her head against his chest. "Don't dwell on it, love. What happens will happen."
He gave up his protesting. "Whatever you say."
"I like that attitude. Keep it that way." She kissed him.
"As you wish."
But as it got closer to the time she was due, it became much more difficult not to worry. She didn't feel like getting up. Her back always ached. He did what he could, spending most of his day next to her.
She was giggling uncontrollably. "Yero," she said, hand on her stomach, "there's definitely something moving in there."
He touched her stomach and smiled at her. "That's a good sign. Everything so far is going fine."
"Of course it is."
"Maybe the birth will be easy…"
"Oh, here you go again, my Yero, with your worrying. If it'll make you feel better, I can try and contact someone to come out here."
"It'll make me feel tons better, Fae-Fae. But who?"
"Nanny. Well, she was Nanny to my mother, so, I guess she's Great Nanny to me, but I've always just called her Nanny. She was there when my sister and brother were born. I could write her and see if she can find a way out here."
"We can't send it from here. They'll know we're here if we do that. The closest place to send it from would belong to one of the other tribes."
"Is that a problem?"
"No. We're friendly with one of the tribes and not hostile with the other, just not… friendly."
"What if they're watching my family's mail?"
"I doubt that."
"All right, then."
"Write your letter now, so she can get here before you're due. I'll take it over to… oh, damn."
"What?"
"I'll be gone overnight."
"So?"
"I don't want you to be alone that long."
"Sweet Oz, Fiyero, I can take care of myself if I have to. I won't like it, but I'll do it. I can get up and walk around. It's just uncomfortable, that's all. I don't need you to survive – though I wouldn't like surviving without you, of course – so stop worrying. Bring me a hard, flat surface to write on, some paper and a pen, please?"
"No problem." He handed her a pencil and paper and she strained to write the letter. When she was done, she handed it to him and groaned, laying back down, her eyes closed. She had lines across her face now. This must really have been taking a toll on her. He held her somewhat sweaty hand. Even writing the letter had been difficult for her.
"Go." She murmured, laying on her side and looking at him with tired, weary eyes. "Go now so you can be back quickly."
"I love you, Fae. Please, if something should happen, take care of yourself."
"I lived on my own in the city for five years before you found me, Yero, I can take care of myself."
"But you weren't pregnant when you lived on your own in the city, Fae."
"Just go. The sooner you leave, the sooner you'll be back, Yero my hero."
And so he left. It was dark by the time he reached the castle of another tribe and it was almost pitch black by the time he'd explained why he was there and what he needed. They offered him somewhere to stay the night, but he was anxious about Elphie and so he trudged on.
The Vinkus was eerily quiet at night, but he was used to that. However, when a great growl escorted a lion into his path, he hadn't expected it in the least. Circling each other, he faced the lion and thought, What should happen to Elphie if I don't get back to her?
Elphaba woke up in the middle of the night, shivering. When she remembered Fiyero wasn't next to her, she groaned. She wondered how long he'd be and, naturally, she worried. He'd never know how close he'd come to being killed. The thought of losing him tore at her insides. Before, it had simply been worry, but now that she'd almost lost him, she couldn't think about it without getting nervous.
She hated love. Hated it. Would she have failed to assassinate Morrible had Fiyero not gotten to her conscience? Would she be lying here, in an empty castle, pregnant with his child, if not for him?
But would she be happy without him?
She was reluctant, at first, about showing him that he was anything other than a lover with whom she had sex. But she did love him, and she still didn't show it enough. Resolutely, she decided that, once he got back, and even after the baby was born, she would be more affectionate.
He was bleeding, though not severely. Still, his arm ached and he moved on through the night, needing to get home, to clean the wound, to be with Elphie. The sun was almost rising and he glanced around, wondering how much longer. It was then that he saw the castle in the distance. Thank Oz.
She heard him come in then heard water running downstairs. Pots and pans clanged together as he, she assumed, put together something to eat. The stairs echoed and, finally, he was at her side. "Oh, Yero, you're hurt! What happened?"
"Nothing, nothing." He moved the bedside table so she could reach it and placed a tray on it. "Just a little disagreement with one of the many wonders of the wilderness."
She smiled. "I'm glad you're back and safe. I love you."
"I love you, too. Now eat something."
Nanny didn't write a return letter. Weeks and weeks went by and still there was no letter. Elphaba became anxious and Fiyero would not leave her side.
"Fiyero, someone's outside."
"Elphie, I know you're just trying to get me to walk away from you for one moment. Nice try."
"No, really, Yero."
Quickly glancing out the window, he saw she was right and jogged down the stairs, alarmed. Opening the door, panting still, he said, "Hello?"
An old, gray-haired but strong-looking woman was standing at the door holding a suitcase. "I'd assume you're the father of my Elphaba's unborn – or at least I'd hope she hasn't given birth yet – child?"
He had no idea what Elphaba had told Nanny regarding the situation or his marital status. "Yes," he replied and took the old woman's bags, leading her upstairs. "Elphaba's in the room across the hall," he told her as he placed her bags in an empty room (there were a lot of empty rooms in the castle, with or without his family).
"Nanny?" Elphaba looked up from the bed. "Thank Oz you're here."
"Tell me, my dear, exactly what is going on."
"Nanny, remember Fiyero from Shiz?" She gestured to Fiyero, who was standing hesitantly in the doorway, to come in. "I ran into him in the Emerald City and now I'm pregnant. I think that's all the information that's required."
"Tell me why you are here in this abandoned hell hole."
"Because his tribe disappeared and he's trying to find out what happened to his family."
"Family?"
"He's kind of… married. Remember? Since he was eight he's been in an arranged marriage."
"So you're having an affair?" Nanny looked at Fiyero.
"Well, you could call it that." Elphaba said.
"And now you're pregnant."
Elphaba nodded.
"How far along?"
"Eight and a half months… at the least."
"So you're due any day now, is that what you're telling me?"
"I should've written earlier."
"You're right about that."
Fiyero interrupted, "You've been traveling for some time, would you like something to eat or drink?"
To Elphaba, Nanny said, "Well, he's married, but at least he's a gentleman." She turned to Fiyero. "Some tea would be nice. Thank you."
Fiyero left the room and headed down the stairs, feeling awkward. When he came back upstairs, Nanny and Elphaba were discussing the child's future.
"So the child is just going to live here with you in an abandoned castle for its entire life?"
"No, but… Nanny, what else is there for me to do?"
"Send it to school."
"Nanny, if anyone were to find out who the child's mother is that would be bad. I'm in hiding, remember."
"And what will you do if your adulterous lover here finds his family?"
"I don't know. We've discussed that. We're not quite sure."
Fiyero stepped into the room and that point and said, "We'd run away somewhere. I'm staying with her."
"Loyal, I see." Said Nanny. "Or possibly. Though he is cheating on his true wife."
"She is certainly not my true wife. Neither one of us was true, apparently."
"Fiyero, what in Oz…?" Elphaba was confused.
'I wasn't sure how I was going to tell you about this, Fae-Fae, but the other day I was wandering the castle and I found in my bedroom several sex toys and birth control methods. And sure enough, some things that had already been used in the garbage can."
"Sarima was cheating on you?"
"It would seem so."
"So neither one of you were happy."
"I guess not. Well, we can always look at it as a good thing. I told you Sarima probably won't have a problem marrying someone else as long as I consent." Fiyero shrugged.
Elphaba's eyes brightened a little and she smiled. "Well, that makes the chances of us being together a little better."
Fiyero leaned over the bed and kissed Elphaba. He put his hand on her stomach, as he had several times in the past months, to feel the baby move. "I love you, Fae."
"I love you, too."
"How cute. Now, we need to get a room ready for her to give birth in. I'm assuming you don't want her to give birth in the bed you share. That would pretty much ruin it." Nanny said.
"Well, yeah."
"The nearest guest room should do, then. And we'll need a lot of towels. She'll need her oils. I'll need clean knives and any sort of medical tools you may possibly have in this place. I'll need… Elphaba what is it?"
Her face had changed. "Um, Nanny, I think my water just broke."
"What?" Nanny didn't want this to be happening at that moment.
"I think I'm going into… labor."