School began again and conflict died down. However, several occurrences rose Elphaba's suspicions to heights that drove her mad, and she didn't know exactly what she was suspicious of. All she knew was that Fiyero was doing something that she wasn't in on, and she didn't like it.
First, she'd come back from one of her classes to find him sitting in her dorm room, having a grand old time with Nanny and Glinda. Nessa had sulked in the other room, of course, as she tended to do whenever Fiyero was around nowadays. Elphaba had heard him say that hated being around Nanny with or without her because it made him feel awkward hundreds of times, and then suddenly there he was, voluntarily talking with Nanny and Glinda without any tense feeling to it at all. When she'd come in, he'd stood up, looked at the clock, mumbled something about not watching the time, kissed her quickly on the cheek and left.
That was one moment, but it had not stopped there. Perhaps if it had, she would have let her mind dismiss it. But no.
The fall holidays brought Elphaba's father unexpectedly into town. Well, at least she hadn't expected him. She and Fiyero had been in the café, sitting close and sipping tea when Frex had just walked in. He claimed he'd been by the dorms, but Elphaba hadn't been there. Since when had he cared where Elphaba was? Nessa had been at the dorms, didn't that matter?
Fiyero behaved admirably in the presence of a man who he knew was aware that he'd taken Elphaba's virginity. Frex had barely introduced himself before Fiyero was pulling up a chair and inviting her father to sit with them. Elphaba gaped.
"So," her father said, a bit uneasy, "is this the young man you mentioned on the few occasions when you write?"
Elphaba, still stunned, nodded dazedly.
"Fiyero," Fiyero shook Frex's hand amiably.
Frex looked at Fiyero closely. "Ah, yes. You are a prince?"
"From the Vinkus. The Arjiki tribe."
"Currently the tribe with the most power and control out there, I've heard."
Fiyero shrugged modestly. "We might be. It's a different view from inside, though."
"I'm sure it must be. When do you take the throne, according to tradition?" Frex inquired.
"When my father becomes incapable. That normally means that I'll take the throne when my dad's about fifty-five."
Frex smiled. He was barely under fifty-five himself. "That would be soon, then?"
"I'll be in my late thirties," Fiyero estimated.
"What'll you do until then?"
"I'll probably help out with ruling the tribe and such. At some point, I'd like to get married, maybe have children. I'm not rushing that, though, since I've got some time." Fiyero answered, looking Frex directly in the eyes.
"I see. That sounds reasonable. Elphaba," Frex turned to his daughter, "I heard so very little from you about the actual visit with the Wizard. What did he say?"
Elphaba quickly reiterated (for what felt like the millionth time) what had gone on at the Palace. She noted that Fiyero had draped an arm around her shoulders lazily and was grinning happily at her.
"Don't you think it's only natural that you, the Third Thropp Descending, rule the east, though?"
Elphaba bit her lip. "Poor mother never wanted to burden me with that, did she? Well, see, Father, I think Nessa would rule better there. There are more unionists in Munchkinland then there are in the west. I don't know what the formal rules are, but if I should still believe this when the time comes to split up the power, it should be possible to hand over the position."
"And where would you live in the west?"
"I… I'm not sure."
Frex glanced at Fiyero, blinked, and then smiled at the both of them. "Well, it's been good meeting you, Fiyero. And it's nice to see you, Elphaba. I'll be in the area for a few more days. I might stop by the dorms or something." He got up anxiously and left then, leaving the couple to sit in silence.
Elphaba and Fiyero stared at each other. "What the hell?"
Fiyero laughed and ruffled Elphaba's hair. "Your father was checking up on you, I guess."
"No. He never does. He 'checks up' on Nessa. Never me."
"Maybe he checked up on Nessa and wanted to take a fast look at how you were doing." Fiyero suggested innocently.
"I don't know. That was so odd. He seemed to like you, though."
"As much as he can, anyway, with his thoughts on a few of the things your sister's probably convinced him that I talked you into."
"Oh, he knows I do what I want. He's well aware most things are my fault, whether I'm involved with a larger group or not."
"But that doesn't mean he thinks I'm the most innocent man in the world."
"No, not at all. You did it, too."
"'Did it'?"
"Skipped class, had sex… you know, the usual sinful stuff." Elphaba teased.
"Avaric's going to hell," Fiyero said.
"That he is. But I don't know if skipping class and having sex is the reason why."
"Even if it is, it's because he does it in excess."
"Lucky you. You'd be doing it in excess if I didn't slap some sense into you every once in a while," Elphaba joked.
"You know I wouldn't!"
"I know, I'm kidding." She kissed his cheek. "I'm still a little freaked out by my father looking for me and showing up here, though."
Fiyero looked away. "Maybe it was me. After finding out what we did, maybe he decided he wanted to meet me."
"If he had, he'd have been a lot less polite." Elphaba told him.
"I don't know. But he does have a point. The Wizard said he wanted you to go live 'out in the world' for a year before he hires you. Where are you going to live?"
"Maybe I'll go into the city."
"Oh."
She gave Fiyero a searching glance. Elphaba had expected more protest from him; he hated the idea of her in the city and her running off. "Aren't you going to argue with me?"
"Do you really think that, when the time comes, I won't beg to live with you after we graduate?" He answered.
"I'm not so sure I'd let you. I like my privacy. But I don't think I'd object to you living somewhere nearby and spending the occasional night at my place." Elphaba leaned her head on his shoulder.
"You live with someone now."
"With you it would be different."
"Why? Because you have some sort of silly issue with me seeing you naked?"
She glared at him. "I never said that."
"You didn't have to."
She sighed and sat up straight. "Fiyero, let me have some dignity, okay? I lost my virginity to you and we're not married. No one sees me naked until I'm married to him, end of story," she resolved. That gave her a good enough excuse.
Fiyero thought about this for a moment. "That makes sense, actually. Fine. But that won't stop me from being near you for that year. I'm not going to let you get away."
"Is that a threat?" Elphaba asked playfully.
"No. People don't always go through with threats. What I just said I mean, and I'm going through with it. You'll never get away from me, Fae. You're mine."
"I'm my own person." But she was only half-serious.
"But your love belongs to me." He said confidently.
"It does." She promised. Elphaba curled up and scooted towards him even more. "I don't know what I'd do if you weren't around, Yero."
"You need me?"
She flushed and stared at her hands. "I might be able to survive without you. But I wouldn't like it," she grudged.
Knowing she wouldn't admit to anything more, he hugged her close. At least he'd gotten her to say that much. "Hey, over winter break I've got to head home. My parents claim they need to talk to me without the distraction of you," he lifted her chin, "so I can't even try to convince you to come along."
She eyed him curiously. "Okay. So?"
"Nothing. I'm just letting you know."
"Right."
The day before the winter holidays started, Fiyero came to visit Elphaba's dorm to say goodbye. Nanny, Nessa and Glinda all gathered in the room, as well. Everyone had tea and was almost merry (again, Elphaba wondered about Fiyero's sudden ease with Nanny, but couldn't see where it would take her to be suspicious, anyway). Fiyero finished his tea and sat down on Elphaba's bed, wrapping his arms around her. She squirmed a bit, feeling everyone watching them.
Glinda only beamed at them. "Oh! Elphie, I wanted to show you something."
"Can you do it later?" Elphaba asked.
"Yeah, Glinda. In a few minutes, please?" Fiyero kissed the top of Elphaba's head. Whispering he said, "I'm going to miss you more than anything."
"I don't think you mean more than anything. I think you'd miss breathing, if you had to stop that, a little more."
"It's the same thing. I'm not sure I could live without either."
Elphaba blinked tears out of her eyes. "Don't say that."
"What?"
"Please. You're making me nervous. Fiyero, you could go one without me. You'd hate it, but I'm not your life."
"If you say so. But you're a large part of my life, then."
"I'm not going to fight you anymore." Elphaba murmured. "I'll miss you, too."
"Elphie!" Glinda whined. "I want to show you this now."
She thought she saw something flash in Fiyero's eyes when he turned back towards Glinda, but she couldn't read him. Elphaba chuckled and waved at Glinda, "Go ahead, if you're so eager."
"If Fiyero says so."
"What?" Elphaba narrowed her eyes.
"I don't want to interrupt your last little meeting before the holidays."
"It's fine now, Glinda." Fiyero said.
"Okay. I learned this new spell." Glinda bounded across the room, grabbing her wand. She opened a book that wasn't her usual sorcery book.
"Wait, what does this new spell do?"
"It's a surprise! That's the point, duh!"
Elphaba groaned but said, "Go on."
Glinda squinted intently at the words on the page and began to mumble some mystic-sounding language. Elphaba watched and realized that the wand was pointed at her. Fiyero was staring at her. Before she could say anything, her world went blank.