Well, I was trying to post this last night, but my computer was being extremely aggravating and wouldn't let me! But it's alright, it's working now. :D Thanks to everyone who commented! It made my day. Well, these chapters are... alright, I think, just part of the story. Don't know how much I like it, but I do what I can. I'll write more in the next few days or so, I just got Son of a Witch and am currently engrossed in it, hehe.
The wind
Glinda walked slowly down the sidewalk, Boq's hand in hers. She smiled slightly. Was she feeling—nervous? How ridiculous, over Boq! She resisted the temptation to look again at their locked hands and distracted herselfinstead by fixing her gaze upon the landscape.
"It's so beautiful," she sighed. And, indeed, it was. The wind played lightly across her face and sent her curls dancing in the morning air.
He had his green eyes fixed upon her when he replied, "Yes. It is."
She blushed slightly. "Oh, look. Here we are." She dropped his hand as they approached the infirmary.
He led the way, holding the heavy metal door open for her to pass. She stepped inside and wrinkled her nose slightly. Medicine. The smell always reminded her of Elphie. As does everything else.
"Where is the room again?" She spun about on her heel, trying to make sense of her surroundings.
"This way." He led the way down a corridor to the right.
• • • • •
Nessa shivered as a cool breeze drifted in through the open window. She glanced out into the courtyard and saw the prowling figure of Madame Morrible as she swept menacingly across the lawn. At the sight of her, Nessa shivered more violently, and the wind picked up. BAM! Suddenly the window slammed itself shut. She jumped. The weather these days!
"Nessa!" She heard her name echo along the hallway outside her room as someone approached. Nanny peered her head through the door and entered when she saw that Nessarose was awake.
"Hello, my dear," she said, warmly. "Are you ready to go back to the dorm today? I know I am. The smell of medicine is just about…"
Nessa stopped listening as Nanny droned on. She was quite glad to be leaving the infirmary—she was tired of the cooped-up feeling and musty smell of the room. She wasn't, however, looking forward to being back in the dormitory. The last night she had spent there had been the worst. She shivered again.
"Oh, are you cold, dear?" Nanny asked her.
"I'm fine." She shrugged her off as she went to place a blanket about her shoulders.
"Oh, I almost forgot something," Nanny said, abandoning her attempts at warming her. "A letter came for you a few days ago."
Nessa sighed in a slightly aggravated way. It's just like Nanny to forget something like that. But, then again, she is getting old.
Nanny broke the seal of the envelope and unfolded the letter inside before placing it on Nessa's lap. She gazed down at the immaculate handwriting sprawled across the top of the page.
My darling Nessarose,
Know, firstly, that I love you. I didn't tell you that enough. I've taken care of you for far too long. It's about time you learned to stand on your own two feet. Someday, you'll have to take care of yourself. Until then, don't worry about me. You still have the others.
The note was not signed. Tears filled her eyes and sorrow filled her heart. At least the anger's gone, she thought warily. She held the tears back and her eyes dried.
"Thank you Nanny. Please put it in my bedside cabinet."
Nanny did as she was told, jumping when she heard a knock at the door. She hurried to answer it.
"Oh, heavens, you two scared me!" Nessa heard Nanny remark as she stepped aside to allow the visitors to enter the room.
• • • • •
Boq walked tentatively into the room, followed closely by Glinda.
"Oh, here, dear," Nanny said, leading them to the few chairs near Nessa's bed.
"Thanks," he mumbled as he settled into the chair.
"So, Nessie, I hear you're coming back to the dorms today! How wonderful!" Glinda said, trying to break the uncomfortable silence that was beginning to form.
"Yeah, well," Nessa said, glancing about the room. "It'll be a good change from this place."
Boq gave her a curious look. She sounded peculiar—like she'd been crying. But she looked perfectly happy. Well, as happy as one that had been stuck in a bed for the past week can be, anyway.
He heard Glinda tut at him, and turned to look at her, startled when he realized that she was expecting him to speak.
"Yeah, you know," he said awkwardly. "It'll be good to, erm… get back into the routine of things."
"Yeah," she sighed. "It would."
He had a vague sense he had said something wrong, but brushed it off. I'll leave all the social stuff up to Glinda from now on, he thought, making a mental note.
Elphaba sat quietly at the table, munching a piece of toast distractedly. She would need her strength that day. She smiled slightly at the soreness in her muscles. It was worth it.
She gasped, startled, when Fiyero placed a hand upon her shoulder. "I didn't hear you get up," she said to him for explanation.
He laughed and wrapped his arms about her neck. "I'm sneaky," he whispered in her ear.
"Sneaky, huh?" she asked, smiling at him as she handed him a piece of toast.
"No thanks. I've already eaten."
She turned to look at him. "You have?"
"Yeah," he answered, grabbing her hands and pulling her to her feet. "I'm just so sneaky that you didn't see me."
"Oh, is that so?" she asked, leaning in close to him.
"Yeah," he whispered. "I bet you didn't even see me coming."
She laughed at the irony of the statement. It was true, she hadn't.
He pulled her to him andbegan to kiss her collarbone, but she resisted slightly. "Yero," she protested. "I've got things to do."
"I know," he said, kissing her again.
"I mean it. You think you're so seductive. You aren't, you know."
He laughed playfully. "You can't resist."
And he was right. She couldn't.
She pushed him to the floor and climbed down onto him, running her hands up the smooth skin of his flank. His skin felt warm against the coolness of her hands. She wrapped her slenderfingers around his wrists and pinned his arms tothe floor, staring into his eyes.
"Elphie. I am yours," he said, gently, repeating her own words to her.
○ ○ ○ ○ ○
"Fiyero," she murmured as she felt him begin to drift off.
"Hmm…" he asked, his face buried between her shoulder and collarbone.
"It's time to get up, love," she said as she ran her fingers through his hair.
"I'm too tired, Elphie."
"No. I mean, really. We have to get up."
He rolled sideways and looked at her sleepily. "What for?"
"Well, for one, you've been here for… who knows how long. I know they must be missing you at Shiz," she said as she climbed from the bed and began dressing. "And I have to work tonight. You need to go back to school."
He sat up in bed, fully awake now. "What?"
She looked at him and sighed quietly. "Fiyero. We've gone over this."
"No, I mean. What do you mean, it's a work night?" He sounded surprised.
She looked at him, slightly confused. "Well, the same thing I meant all the other times…"
He looked completely disbelieving. "You mean to say that, after what happened—whatever it was—you're still going to continue doing this?"
"Fiyero-" she began, her voice rising, but he cut her off.
"Don't you "Fiyero" me, Elphie. You could've been killed! I was scared half out of my mind! How can you even considering going back to- to those people?"
Her eyes filled with a cold fire that made him cower beneath her gaze. "Fiyero, I told you when all of this began that nothing was going to stand in the way of my work. Including you. And I'm not going to let your little nighttime fun stop me from doing what I have already decided to do," she said coldly.
He winced at her words. Is that all she thought she was to him? "I love you too much to see you get hurt again," he said, quietly.
"I know," she said, more gently. "And I, you. That's why you have to go. For both of us."
He sighed and pulled her resisting form into his arms. "Alright," he said.
She gave into the embrace before pushing him away. 'I love you,' she mouthed the words to him. She hesitated. "Now go."
