Tell me it's not true
.
"Thank you for coming across these lands. We would not have asked you to make the journey if it was not necessary." Elphaba spoke to the crowd gathered around a short distance away from Kiamo Ko. She paused as she scanned the faces of the people she and her husband ruled over, seeing confusion written on their faces. "And I'm sorry to tell you that we don't bring good news..."
"As you will all know, we took a little family trip away to see an old friend and the sights of the Emerald City. Unfortunately, it didn't end as we had hoped as one of the Wizard's old Loyalists had shot at us as we were getting ready to come home." Fiyero explained, and at the revelation, shocked murmurings rippled through the crowd. He waited for the noise to die down and put an arm around Elphaba as if reassuring himself that she was still there.
She smiled a little up at him. "It's alright, my love," she told him softly.
He nodded and looked back at the crowd. "I regret to announce it in this way, but we have suffered a death in the family as a direct result of his actions. The two young princes were injured, but we have lost the children's Nanny, Gianna Maltaya in the shooting. She died protecting Ashender and Liir, but her life should not have been cut so drastically short." As he had expected, shock turned to anger and calls for the man responsible to be brought to justice, and concern for the welfare of their young princess and princes could be heard.
"Please! I know it's hard but I must call for calm!" Elphaba exclaimed over the noise. "Leila-Rose was not hurt, she is just understandably worried and frightened for her brothers. Our youngest was left fighting for his life and Liir escaped with only a minor head injury... The king and I were also unhurt, but we do have reason to believe that we were his targets. We have the man responsible, he was taken on ahead of us to our main residence where he is locked away and awaiting trial. I also would like to make a plea, if Gia's family is in the crowd today, if they can be reached, we would like their help in arranging her burial, we will make sure she is treated like family on her final journey because she became such a big part of our family in such a short time. We will miss her so much."
A short spell of silence fell across them as they waited for a possible acknowledgement of a familial connection when none came, they chanted 'long live the king! long live the queen!' three times as Elphaba and Fiyero left them and made their way back to Kiamo Ko and their children.
Two days later...
"What are you two doing up here?" Elphaba smiled softly at her twins as she found them standing outside of a room.
"We wanted to see GiGi." Liir looked up at her, holding up a stuffed bunny that must have been given by the young girl at some point. "I want to give her this so she's not scared."
Elphaba's heart stung and she knelt down next to them, hugging them to her body. "I think that's a lovely thing to do."
"Can we see her mama?" Leila asked.
"Are you sure you want to? It's going to look just like she's asleep, only you won't be able to wake her up."
They both nodded and followed their mother inside. Gia had been placed in a wicker casket which lay open on a low table.
Leila squeaked and covered her face in her mother's side, and Liir bravely walked forward alone. Elphaba cuddled her daughter close. "Liir, be careful," she told him gently.
"Mama, I want her to wake up!" Leila cried.
Elphaba sighed and picked her up, hugging her tight. "I know, baby. I know." She watched as Liir stretched up to place the cuddly animal beside Gia and then she quickly took them both out of the room. They were too young to experience the death of someone they loved, it only served to fuel the hatred she felt for their attacker. It didn't matter now if the Wizard was involved or not. "Come on, let's go home."
"Where were they hiding this time?" Fiyero queried as he saw them approach him.
"They wanted to say their goodbyes. I think it got a bit too much," she told him quietly.
He nodded and hoisted Liir up in his arms. "Ready to go?"
Liir nodded and huddled closer to him, burying his head in his father's shoulder.
"Where's Ash?"
"Asleep in the carriage already." he smiled a little. "Kid's got the right idea."
Elphaba scoffed lightly. "Yero, if it includes sleep or food, you always think it's a good idea."
"Or-"
"Don't you dare."
He just laughed. "Can't blame a guy for trying."
She rolled her eyes with a laugh of her own and they walked out to the waiting carriage to take them all home. Gia would be sent shortly after the trial of the man who shot her.
The family were home by the following day, and Elphaba was keen to get back into a familiar routine. She started by sorting out the bags they had taken with them on what should have been a short fortnight away turned into a month-long ordeal. Fiyero had given a gentle warning to the staff wanting to help to let her be, mostly because he knew she was at exploding point, and he didn't want some poor unsuspecting maid with good intentions to get the brunt of it. His wife's fury was frightening even to him, and he knew not even he could calm her when she was this mad.
The three children appeared to get back to normal now that they were back in familiar and safe surroundings. They had raced up to their playroom to play with their toys.
A couple of hours later, Elphaba made her way up to the cells in the north tower where the Loyalist and Oscar were being held.
"Back so soon, witch?!"
"Avanté!" she snarled, whipping a hand in the shooter's direction.
He growled, but no sound left him.
The green witch simply smirked darkly. "Yes, I am a witch. Quite a powerful one at that, and you have the Great and Powerful Oz to thank for that," she spoke. "Although, not even I would go that far."
Oscar watched silently, warily. He could sense she was just a clock-tick away from setting the man on fire and she wouldn't even regret it, even with a heart and a conscience as big as hers.
"It's not enough that you had to ruin a perfectly good family holiday by shooting at us. You had to mentally traumatise my children by doing so, and kill a very dear friend too. I should burn you where you stand." she spat.
"He did what?!" Oscar couldn't help it, glaring in disgust at the wall that separated the two men.
"You needn't sound so shocked! It was done in your name!"
"Elphaba, I would never have authorised that! Especially now I-"
"Don't play the concerned father and grandfather now. You never had the right!" she growled and rounded back on the man who now wore a shocked expression on his face. "Oh, yes, you tried to kill the daughter of the Wizard of Oz. I'm shocked by that sentence too." she took the smallest pleasure of watching the colour drain from his face. "Instead you killed a member of one of the bloodiest tribes in the Vinkus, and they will be out for your blood. So, no. As angry as I am, I'm not going to do anything to you. I was going to, but now... I've changed my mind. I have a trial to arrange." She smirked again.
"Elphaba, please. I know... I know I can't make it up to you, but please let me try and help them."
"If you go anywhere near them I will swing you from the nearest tree, father or not." she spat and left the tower.
It wasn't long before Fiyero heard the yell he had been waiting for, followed by a series of explosions and crashes. His wife had finally let go of the pent up anger and frustration on a spare room that they kept for the times where her magic would get too much for her. He sighed heavily and slowly made his way to her, and he found her in a heap on the floor in the middle of the chaos she had created, curled up and shaking, her hair hiding her face, but he knew she was crying, he silently headed over and sat on the floor beside her, wrapping her up in his arms.
She stiffened for a second and collapsed against him, sniffling quietly. They sat in a very long silence until she whispered: "Thank you..."
He kissed her head in response and made no move to stand.
"Do you think we will be okay...?"
"Us? Or as a family?"
She shrugged. "Both?"
"Of course. Fae, over the years we've got stronger together. And our children will eventually come to terms with what happened to them. Ash probably won't even remember it."
She nodded and looked up at him, he wiped the last of her tears before she could do anything, and he kissed her. She smiled a little and kissed him back, sinking closer into the embrace, clutching at his shirt. She then broke apart and looked at him. "We still have time before we're needed..."
"Are you sure?"
She nodded again. "Yero... I just need you... I need to feel something other than..." she trailed off and he understood.
"Come on." he smiled. "My wife deserves a bed, not a floor."
"I didn't exactly hear you complaining when we first made love."
He rolled his eyes and stood up, dragging her up with him.
She giggled as he dragged her up off the floor and pulled her out of the room to their bedroom. As soon as they were inside, she locked the door with a spell. There were times when they weren't gentle with each other. This would be one of them.
Later, they lay together wrapped in their embrace among the tangled sheets, and she lay her head on his chest above his heart with a satisfied smile on her lips. Her nails gently traced his blue diamonds, mostly now marred with scratches and patches of red when she dug in her nails from their earlier activities.
He kissed her head and lazily played with her hair as they both caught their breath. "Well... it's been a while since we went that far."
She giggled and blushed. "I know... I... I didn't hurt you, did I?"
"Nothing you and I didn't both enjoy." He smirked, laughing when he saw her blush deepen. "You scratch, I bite, isn't that how it works?"
"Oz... people would think the worst if they saw these..." she shook her head with another laugh.
He tilted her head to make her look at him. "I just give my loving wife what she begs me for. And I, being the dutiful husband, would gladly give her what she desires," he smirked.
She rolled her eyes. "I don't beg."
"Oh, you do." He kissed her. "You do. Especially when I find a spot that you like."
She shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about."
He smirked in response and flipped them over, covering his face into the crook of her neck and heading straight for her pulse point.
She bit her lip and fidgeted, trying not to prove him right. When his kissing didn't work, he gently grazed his teeth there and she moaned softly.
He applied gentle pressure with his teeth to the small patch of delicate green skin he found.
"Yero, please..."
He smirked then and kissed the spot instead, and rolled off her. "You were saying?"
She pouted and kicked at him lightly. "That wasn't fair."
"I'll bite you again later," he smirked again and got up to get dressed.
"Where are you going?"
"We need to eat, Fae." he reminded her.
With another pout, she kicked off the sheets from her long, emerald-hued limbs and she forced herself out of bed to dress. With help from her husband to lace up her corset, she picked out a long, dark blue gown to wear. "It's a good job our staff are used to seeing these marks, you know, " she told him, turning away from the mirror.
He grinned, seeing his work littering her neck. "Even if they weren't, what business is it of theirs. You're certainly not scared of me. And they weren't done with malicious intent."
She rolled her eyes with a smile and she unlocked the door before they both walked out and down to the kitchens.
Andrianna looked up when she felt the presence of someone else in the room. "Your Majesties." she curtsied, mentally shaking her head at the sight of them.
"Hello, Andrianna." Elphaba smiled. "We just wondered if we missed dinner..."
"No, it won't be ready for another hour." The elderly cook told her with a smile.
Elphaba nodded and they left the kitchens. "I think I'll go and see the children."
He nodded. "Do you want me to come with you or not?"
"If you like." she smiled.
He held her around the waist and they walked to the playroom where the twins were still playing. Ashender had been put into Leila-Rose's toy pram and had gone to sleep.
Elphaba chuckled softly at the sight and she walked over to them, scooping her daughter up into her arms, making the child squeal with delight. "My baby girl." she cooed gently.
"Mama!" Leila giggled, hugging her around the neck as Elphaba sat on the floor with her, Liir then took the opportunity to jump at her back and hug her from behind.
Elphaba turned her head to kiss him on the head, revelling in the feeling of her babies arms around her, hearing them tell her they loved her.
Fiyero spotted a camera on the dresser, most probably one of Gia's forgotten possessions. He picked it up, wondering how many more photos she may have taken, and quickly snapped the picture of the three of them there.
Elphaba looked up at the flash with a raised eyebrow. "What was that?"
"Nothing." He grinned and walked over to them, sitting on the floor with them.
Liir then dropped himself into his father's lap, squealing and laughing when he was tickled, trying to get away from it.
Leila giggled and reached over to try and pull her brother free, only to find herself brought close and tickled instead. "Papa, no!" she squealed as more laughter ensued, Liir taking refuge with his mother in his sister's place. "Mama, help!"
Elphaba giggled and shook her head, cuddling her son.
A passing maid peered inside, wondering what was causing the commotion, she smiled softly at the sight of her king and queen in their element, playing with their children. After the tragedy they had all been through, peace and normality were needed and thoroughly deserved.
"Mama, when can we go back to school?" Liir looked up at her.
"As soon as you feel ready to. I'm sure your teachers would understand how much you've missed and will help you to catch up."
"Your mother is smart enough to do it if they can't," Fiyero added with a smile.
"I miss my friends." Leila pouted.
"Can we go tomorrow?"
Both parents shared a wary look.
"If you're sure you want to," Elphaba said slowly, sighing when her children nodded enthusiastically. "Alright."
"At least we know they're yours." Fiyero teased with a smirk, laughing when she elbowed him. "What? You're the one who loved school, not me."
She rolled her eyes and smiled. "There must have been something you enjoyed about it."
"Meeting you."
She scoffed. "Sap."
He kissed her cheek with a grin. "Thank you."
The twins giggled as they watched their parents.
Elphaba shook her head with another smile. Yes, he was a sap, but she wouldn't change him for the world.