The Search
The sounds of arguing could distinctly be heard through the thick wood of the library door. Glinda the Good and her former fiancé, Fiyero Tiggular, had gone in there about an hour ago to discuss the new developments.
"…don't understand Glinda!" Fiyero yelled. "If even one Ozian finds out about how magic could be so powerful that you need the person who created it to reverse it, there will be chaos!"
"Oh?" Glinda asked, getting angry, "And what makes you think that will happen?"
"They won't believe the spell-casters undid the magic." He sighed, sitting down on one of the couches. "Think about this Glinda. The Wizard told everyone that Elphaba's a powerful wicked witch, she read the Grimmerie when the most powerful spell-casters couldn't. They probably think that she is more powerful than them, and I for one don't doubt that."
"Well what do we do then?" Glinda asked, joining him on the couch. "The witch hunters will kill her and so will the Guards."
Fiyero sat there, deep in thought, trying to figure out some way to get to Elphie and bring her back safe and sound. But it wasn't as if he could just up and leave to find her…or could he?
"Glinda…" Fiyero started, "I'm still officially captain of the Guard, right?" Glinda nodded, "I mean, no one has made any announcement otherwise?"
"No," Glinda replied, "You're still in charge but I don't see what that has to do with…"
"If I were to go, lead a bunch of Guards, to go find her, I could order them not to harm her, merely contain her. I mean, I have authority over what they can or cannot do regarding prisoners. If I go and lead them, I can make sure that they don't hurt her."
Glinda gave that some thought. It sounded like a good idea, she could explain to Oz about the new information and the new search. "It sounds alright…but Fiyero, we don't even know where she is! Isn't she going to be hard to find, I mean you've been looking for her for three years and never found her, she found you."
Fiyero sighed, she was right. But for some reason he felt that he could find her this time, that maybe this time, Elphie might want to be found.
Well, he'd never know unless he tried…right?
The next day would find Glinda the Good once again on her balcony ready to make one more announcement to the people of Oz as her former fiancé readied the guards for their task.
"Fellow Ozians," Glinda called, gaining the attention of her subjects once again. "I have some very disappointafying news. The spell-caster council has told me that the Witch's magic may be more powerful than expected. They have informed me that if this is so, we may need the Witch to reverse the magic herself." Glinda winced at the sounds of outrage that filled the crowd, this was not good. "Fellow Ozians!" She called again, waiting till they calmed. "Fiyero, the captain of the guard has offered to help his fellow workers find the Witch and bring her in to reverse her magic!"
She winced again, this time at the cheers of joy from the crowd. "If any is to come across the Witch, do not harm her!" The crowd silenced, confused as to why Glinda the Good didn't want the Wicked Witch harmed…maybe it was a spell? "After all, we need her alive to reverse the magic right?" That seemed to assuage the fears that there was something going on involving the Witch. "I beg you, for me, please just contain her and alert the Guards as to where she is. That is all."
With that Glinda the Good turned and walked slowly back into the palace, praying to the Fairy Queen Lurline that Elphie was all right…
Fiyero walked quickly, leading the small group of Guards into the forest. He stopped short once they reached a clearing, turning to face his soldiers. "You three go left, you three go right, and we," he said pointing to himself and two others, "will continue this way. Remember do not harm her or attack her, and if by nightfall, you have not found the Witch, return to the palace. Now move out."
He waited till the two other groups had left before sending a glance at the two men before him. He turned and headed straight out across the field. It was the same field that he had crossed about a week ago with Elphie, when he took her to the cave…
That's when it hit him. The cave! He should go there, it was the last place that he saw Elphie, and from there he could track her better. She would have to walk out of the cave to fly, if she even flew from there, and if she did he could look to the trees for any sight of broken branches to indicate which direction she flew.
Yes, that was it! He quickened his pace, almost running in the direction of the cave, forcing the men to run to catch up with him. He climbed quickly up the way to the cave, about ten feet up on the side of a mountain.
But he stopped short when he reached the entrance, something was wrong. The guards caught up with him just as he knelt to inspect the soft ground beneath him. There were two sets of footprints walking into the cave. Elphie made him disappear which would explain why there could only be one set leading out…but there wasn't any…
'Did Elphie fly out?' Fiyero asked himself. Then a thought occurred. 'Did she leave at all? Is she still in there?'
Panic and fear started to fill him, as he walked swiftly into the cave. He followed the same darkened path that led to the heart of the cave. Daylight filtered in through the many cracks, allowing him to see his path with out aid of a lantern.
He slowed his pace; there was something in the air. One of the Guards sniffed the air then made a face, what a disgusting smell. It was faint yes, but as the three walked farther and farther into the cave the smell became stronger. Fiyero kept trying to place the smell, it smelled slightly like a sickness…like well, he didn't really know what. The only other time he smelled it was when his younger sister had had the Vinkan flu and was upchucking every two hours.
He had reached the entrance to the room he had taken Elphaba to; the smell was the strongest there. He went to step in, but his foot came in contact with something lying on the floor. He looked down to the broom by his foot, his gaze wandering to the side of the broom where a black bag and cloak lay. He looked up; there were small piles of decomposing regurgitated food scattered on one side of the room.
His fear that Elphaba was still there was confirmed when he saw a mound of black fabric laying in the corner of the small room. He ran over to it after seeing a flash of green. Elphaba was lying there, huddled in a fetal position, shaking horribly. Fiyero pulled her into his arms, trying to warm her; she was freezing, which could be expected when one has been lying on a cold floor for a week.
"Elphaba, Elphaba!" he shouted, trying to wake her. There was a thin trickle of sweat on her forehead, he moved to wipe it away, she was burning up. Her skin had gone from a lovely shade of Emerald to a disturbingly sickly green. "Elphie," he whispered, "Elphie, please wake up. Please…" He whispered, cradling her in his arms.
The two guards behind him exchanged looks; this was not the work of magic. It couldn't be, could it?
"Please Fae," he whispered again, "Don't leave me…"
No, this was not magic.
He bundle in his arms stirred slightly. Her hazel green eyes fluttered open a little, gazing up at Fiyero with a look glazed with pain. "Y…Yero?" she whispered, voice hoarse, as if she hadn't used it in many days.
Fiyero sighed, "Yes it's me, I've come back for you…"
"No…" she whispered, trying to struggle out of his arms, but was far to weak. She had little to drink and nothing to eat for days. She couldn't keep anything down, she didn't want to. She had spelled Fiyero to love her when he really didn't, there was nothing left for her. "No…you ca…can't…the guards…"
"It's alright Elphie," he said, picking her up, cradling her ever so gently. "I know a certain blonde who will be very glad to see you."
"Glinda…" Elphaba sighed, "But…you…the guards will…I don't want…I can't…can't lose you…" She gazed up at Fiyero, fear evident in her eyes, along with a vulnerability that Fiyero never thought he'd see.
"Shhh…" he said, calming her, "I'll be fine…" Elphaba gently shut her eyes, falling asleep, "I'm more worried about you…"
He turned; throwing a look at the guards that clearly said 'get out of my way', before pushing past them to take Elphaba back.
The guards looked at each other, they had never seen the Wicked Witch look so broken…weak…scared… The captain's reaction to her condition could not have been caused by anything less than true, un-magiced love. They both knelt down, each picking up either the broom or the bag, before turning to follow their leader.
A/N: I had to use some book reference, it just seemed to fit.
