When they arrived at the castle, Elphaba and Fiyero were lying across the carriage bench naked, the lantern off for Elphaba's comfort, still gasping for air. The carriage driver knocked on the door, not at all ignorant to what the couple had been doing during the majority of the ride. Fiyero poked his head out and asked the driver if he could wait a few minutes before announcing their arrival. Mumbling to himself, the carriage driver agreed and then grumbled, "It's not as if she didn't announce her own little 'arrivals' about three times during the ride, anyway."
In a few minutes, Elphaba and Fiyero stood outside the carriage, brushing each other off lovingly and looking at each other adoringly. Arm around Elphaba's shoulders, Fiyero dug through his pocket and handed the driver double his salary, which cheered the driver immediately. Scratching the back of his head and turning a deep red in the cheeks, Fiyero mentioned, "Don't worry about anything. We cleaned up."
The driver nodded knowingly and went to park the carriage, feed and groom his horses. "Well, at least I got a good pay out of it." Later, when he went to clean the inside of the carriage, he was surprised that the young man had truly meant it when he'd assured the driver they'd fixed everything up. "I'll be damned. I can't even tell that they were making it like animals in here."
Fiyero and Elphaba stood in the looming doorway of the castle, fingers intertwined. The door flew open and Fiyero's mother squealed the moment she caught sight of Elphaba. "She said yes!" She hugged Elphaba. "I thought you would! Welcome to the family."
"Mom," Fiyero cautioned, embarrassed, "don't get so excited, you'll make her re-think her decision."
"Nothing's going to do that," Elphaba laughed.
"See?" Elyria folded her arms over her chest. "Now, come inside! Oh, I can't wait to start planning. There are some things we've got to get done now, before you two return for the summer." To Elphaba, she started chattering. "We've got to get you fitted for your gown, and for some cute little get-ups for the honey-moon!"
Elphaba choked, ignoring Fiyero's chuckles behind her. "Can we skip that part, please?"
"What?"
"The lingerie…"
Fiyero cut in and put a hand on Elphaba's shoulder, his eyes dancing. "No way. We're not skipping anything."
"Suddenly I'm wondering why I agreed to marry you," she threatened.
"I'm not backing off." He told her.
"But… I…" She sputtered. Elphaba groaned and gave in. He knew she wouldn't refuse to marry him just because of one thing. "Fine."
Elyria turned to Fiyero for a moment. "Now, Fiyero, go tell your father! Elphaba, don't worry. It's not nearly as dreadful as you think. If you'd like, I could tell you about my wedding night."
Fiyero, coughing uncontrollably, left the room.
"Weren't you sixteen?"
"Fifteen."
"Were you even ready for… that?"
"Of course. A woman's body is ready the first time she menstruates. That's what the system is telling you. It's shouting 'hello, I'm ready!'"
Elphaba raised her eyebrows. "I can only imagine it would hurt terribly."
"Only for a second. Is it the sex that's scaring you?"
"No," Elphaba said quickly. "I'm fine with that. I mean…" Her cheeks darkened. "I'm not too concerned with that, but I'm not going to act like some showgirl and walk around in skimpy underwear." She declared.
"No, you aren't. Because it's just for your husband." Elyria patted Elphaba's arm comfortingly. "Now, don't freak out if you don't actually bleed. Some women from different parts of Oz are less likely to bleed."
"Like Munchkinland?"
"Probably. It's just because activities are different and certain behaviors might, you know, change things."
Elphaba thanked Oz she wasn't going to be scorned if she didn't bleed, for she knew she wouldn't. No one in Fiyero's family would ever have to know what she and Fiyero had done. "Are Fiyero and I going to be expected to have children right away?"
"Not at all. In fact, before your wedding, the midwife can give you a potion (only to be used once) that will prevent pregnancy for six months. I chose not to take it. You see, my husband's father had passed away just before we were married, and I knew that the tribe wouldn't be very confident in their king until he'd had a child or two."
"There's a potion?"
"They haven't really perfected it. If it's used more than twice or so, it can cause infertility, so most women take it once or twice in the early years of their marriage." Elyria shrugged. "I'm not sure of the details. As I said, I didn't take it. You can talk to midwife. She, like the rest of the tribe, will be at the wedding."
Elphaba took in all of the information she'd been fed and then asked, "Can we sit down?"
"Come into the sitting room. I'm sure Fiyero and my husband are done talking." Elyria took the young woman into the room where Fiyero and his father were sitting, discussing something in low voices.
The moment he saw her, Fiyero smiled and moved over on a couch. "Here, love."
She sat down wearily and curled up in Fiyero's arms. Elphaba felt over informed and exhausted. "Thank you."
Elyria beamed at the couple. "Oh, Elphaba, you poor dear, you look exhausted. I thought the two of you would've slept on the way here; your clothes were so ruffled. I suppose no matter what you do, reading or sleeping, in a carriage, the space makes it hard to keep your dress straightened out."
Fiyero ran a hand through Elphaba's hair. "She's been pretty anxious since we left this morning."
Elphaba bit her lip. "Yeah. I could barely sit still on the way here."
Fiyero winked at her and then turned to his parents. "Can we get her some food as soon as we can and get her to bed?"
"Aw, look at that, he's already taking care of her," Elyria observed. "Dinner's at the table. I almost forgot."
Elphaba ate as fast as she could and collapsed on her bed in the guestroom. Fiyero watched from the doorway. "Regretting the carriage ride?"
"Not in the least," she muttered. "But I wouldn't repeat it right this moment."
He came into the room and sat on the edge of the bed. "Have the energy for a kiss goodnight?"
"You can kiss me goodnight. I might not kiss you back."
He planted a gentle kiss on her lips. "I love you."
"I love you, too." That was all the strength she had, and she fell asleep.
In the morning, she woke to an incessant tapping noise from outside. She wandered towards the window and looked out of see several workers beginning work on some sort of quarters, still in the boundaries of the castle, but at the far edge (so far from the castle that she could barely discern much). Fiyero came in and joined her at the window. "That's where we're going to live until I take the throne."
"Can't we live here?"
"With ten of my siblings? I don't think so. We need a little privacy, at least for a few years. And don't worry, the mansion will be big enough."
"Mansion?"
"Five stories." Fiyero said. "I had to promise all of my extra savings."
"Why?"
"Because I love you. I want us to live a halfway normal life for a little while. I've already mapped out every room and such, if you don't mind."
"That's fine. Where's our room?"
"It'll be on the second floor. Is that okay with you?"
"Wonderful." Elphaba gazed out the window dreamily.
"It'll be ready by the wedding, at the latest. We'll have the entire summer as our honeymoon. The servants quarters will be in the backyard. I'm thinking we only really need a few servants."
"We don't need any, but if you insist."
"We'll have about five. They'll make themselves scarce unless we need them, especially during the honeymoon."
"Did you say the entire summer?"
"Yup. About three months. Just think of it, in half a year, I'll be leading you into that fully built and furnished mansion and making love to you all night on a new, luxurious bed, all our own."
"That sounds so good." Elphaba hugged herself. After a pause, she said, "But until then, let's abstain, okay?"
"I was thinking something similar. That way it's even better when we have our honeymoon."
"I can't believe I'm standing here listening to this." Elphaba buried her face in her hands. "I can't believe I'm marrying you. This is… amazing."
"No. When we're married, that will be really amazing."
She wondered what would happen if she did find herself useless to the government. If she was married, she couldn't very well run off into the city and become a rebel and join the Resistance. Having a husband rooted her somewhere, kept her from losing it. It wasn't a shame that she couldn't be independent, she realized. Elphaba liked having something to keep her focused, keep her sane. "It will be. I don't know what to say. You're crazy for building that mansion."
Fiyero shook his head. "No. I'm a prince. As outrageous as some of the things I do may seem to you, Fae, they're not as excessive as you think. Think of it as my wedding present to you."
"And how am I supposed to find something to give you to top that?" Elphaba demanded.
"You're not supposed to. That's how. Elphaba, all I want that you could ever give me is you."
"And you're all I want, but you're still giving me more. When will you stop?"
"This is special, Elphaba. It's for our wedding. And it's for me as much as it is for you, really. I designed it on my terms, after all."
Elphaba thought for a few moments. "It better damn well have a library."