A/N: Shout outs to my anonymous reviewer and James Birdsong! Glad you liked it. A slight interlude and then the main event. ;)
Chapter 8
"Good people of the Emerald City! Please return to your homes!" Glinda tried from the Palace walls. The crowd had heard the drums and they were now growing restless.
"What are those drums?" Someone shouted.
"They are the drums of the Vinkus! Those that approach us are here to help!" Fiyero joined the blonde at the wall, hoping his words would calm the crowd. The truth was he was unsure of just what his parents had in mind but telling the folks at the base of the walls that wasn't going to help.
"What of the Gale Force? Shouldn't they be able to handle this?" Another voice went up from the group.
"Members of the Gale Force have proven they are not willing to accept the truth! It is why things are the way they are at the moment! Now, trust me when I say this is only temporary! The troops that came to help us did not send word back and my parents worry about their people!" Fiyero tried to explain.
"Let them in!" Elphaba called from below. Fiyero turned to her and then to Glinda. The blonde heaved out a breath but did not object. If Elphaba was suggesting it, then maybe it was a good idea. The Prince nodded and then turned to Lieutenant Zetti. The man gave a quick salute before shouting down to the men to open the gate. The men didn't question it and quickly opened the gate.
The crowd slowly but surely made their way inside and the gate was closed behind them. The sound of the drums told Fiyero that his parents and more Vinkun troops would be at the walls soon. He only hoped that they would make it unmolested by those that remained on the streets.
"The Witch!" Someone had spotted Elphaba, who was standing in the middle of the courtyard, but before anyone did anything Private Schultz stepped in front of her.
"You will not refer to her as such! She has done more for Oz than you can imagine and she will be respected for it!" He practically bellowed at them, which scared a good number of them. Elphaba put a hand on the young man's shoulder.
"It is ok Private. I've been called much worse," she smiled slightly. Schultz turned and looked at her,
"You deserve better." It was a simple statement, but it threatened to break the emotional dam that Elphaba was holding onto with everything she had. It wasn't enough that all this had been going on but now she was going to meet Fiyero's parents and this moment when someone other than her friends stood up for her.
"Do you need some help here Private?" It was Lieutenant Zetti.
"I do not, sir. Just correcting someone who spoke out of turn," Schultz said.
"Good," Zetti smirked and then turned to the crowd, "What have you come here for?" Before anyone could say anything, a little girl moved forward from the crowd. She ignored the Lieutenant and walked right over to Elphaba. The green woman knelt down so that she was at eye level with the child who could have not been more than four years old. She was afraid that it would scare the little one, but she didn't flinch, instead she asked, in a low tone,
"Have you seen my daddy?"
"Maybe. Should we see if we can find him?" Elphaba wanted to know. The little girl nodded.
"Where is your mommy? We can't go without her," the green woman smiled. Fiyero was watching it all, unable to help but smile, when a shout from the gate nearby was heard, and it made him turn his head.
"The Vinkuns are approaching!" The Vinkuns were now coming down the main road, the front of the line of troops were only about one hundred yards from the gate. Fiyero could see the royal carriage and he swallowed hard.
To Be Continued…