Fiyero felt her stiffen. They'd been sitting in the Palace waiting for over an hour, his arms around her waist as she leaned against him lazily, when a door opened and a guard walked in, presumably to escort Glinda, Elphaba and Nessa to the Wizard's office. The guard looked at his three charges and paused, taken aback for some reason, and then shook his head. "Misses Elphaba, Nessarose and Glinda?" He asked, reading from his clipboard.
Elphaba was immediately clutching Fiyero's hand desperately. He gave her a questioning look and she tried to smile at him. It wasn't very believable. Nonetheless, she stood up and took charge of Nessa's wheelchair. Nanny would stay in the lobby with Fiyero, as was instructed.
Fiyero pulled Glinda aside. "Please, no matter what happens, don't let her say something stupid. Don't let her run off. If anything goes wrong, do what you can. I don't care if you have to chant a spell to black her out, just keep her from harming her chances."
Glinda nodded. "I know. Don't worry so much, Fiyero."
"How can I not?" He gestured to Elphaba, who was trying to focus all of her attention on only Nessa.
Glinda giggled. "True. Well, I'll watch out for her. I don't want to lose her any more than you do."
Fiyero hugged Glinda and then watched as the three walked, led by the guard, down into the depths of the Palace. He returned to the comfortable chairs, a few seats away from Nanny, and closed his eyes for a moment.
A guard was tapping him on the shoulder. "Master Fiyero? Prince of the Arjikis? The Wizard requests that you join the meeting, sir."
He blinked sleepily and looked at the face of the same guard who had brought Elphaba, Glinda and Nessa to the Wizard's office earlier. "Oh! I'm sorry. I had a late night." Fiyero dusted himself off quickly and stood to follow the guard.
The guard coughed and led Fiyero down emerald hallways. He bowed slightly as he opened the door. "The Wizard awaits, sir."
Fiyero nodded and walked into the room. At the head of the table was who Fiyero assumed to be the Wizard, an old graying man with weak limbs and a false grin. Nessa, Glinda and Elphaba were gathered around the table. He grabbed the empty seat next to his wife after bowing respectfully and murmuring, "Your Ozness."
Elphaba looked at him, relief in her eyes. She let him take her hand. "Our Glorious Wizard asked you to join us since you are my husband and share my responsibilities, not to mention will eventually take the roll of ruling the Arjikis and possibly the entirety of the Vinkus." Biting her lip, she wondered how fake her voice sounded.
Only Fiyero noticed, and possibly Glinda. The Wizard only continued his smirking and spoke. "Right. As I was saying, in my old age I've decided it shall be best to split up the ruling of Oz between four territories. I shall handle the south, Miss Glinda the north, as that is her native land, Miss Nessarose the east, as that is her native land, and much of what she would be doing, being Eminent Thropp, and Miss Elphaba the west, as she currently resides there and is married to the prince of the most powerful Vinkun tribe."
Fiyero nodded. All of this was beyond him. As the Wizard explained more, he barely heard any of it. He focused on Elphaba, assuring himself that she was happy, and not about to burst out into some sort of rage that could compromise their peaceful situation. Ironically, she had no problems until they were returning to the lobby.
The guard who had led them there was leading them back and attempted to speak to Elphaba as they entered the lobby. He cornered her as Fiyero was gathering their things. All Fiyero could hear before Elphaba cut the man off was, "Forgive… control… you… sorry… meant… hurt you… understand… different…"
Elphaba then reached up and slapped the guard hard across the face. "No way in hell. I can't believe you had the nerve to come near me. Get away from me."
Fiyero watched as the guard pivoted and turned around, red-faced, and exited back into the depths of the Palace. Elphaba was shaking. "Fae?" He reached to touch her.
She backed away. "Don't."
"Elphaba…" Glinda was nervous, too.
She collapsed into one of the chairs. "Sweet Oz," she mumbled, tearing her fingers through her hair.
Fiyero nodded for Glinda to disappear and sat down next to Elphaba without touching her. "Fae, what was that about?"
When Elphaba looked into his eyes, everything was terrifyingly clear. "He… that's the…"
"Oh my god." Fiyero stood up again and whirled around, almost ready to run after the guard into the Palace. Elphaba placed a hand on his arm and shook her head. He clenched his jaw. She needed him more. So he turned back to her.
Her face was blank. "Let's just go back to the hotel, okay?"
"Aren't we heading back towards home?"
"Were you listening at all? We have to come back tomorrow for a longer explanation (Oz help us) and a few more rules."
"Oh, yeah," Fiyero shrugged.
"Let's get in the carriage, okay? Glinda, Nanny and Nessa are waiting."
He sighed and left the building with her. The taxi carriage had one empty seat and Elphaba placed herself on the other side of it, making it obvious she didn't want to sit directly next to anyone or anything but the wall. Fiyero sat on the other side of the empty seat, obeying her wishes. She tried to give him a grateful look. Nessa and Glinda opened their mouths, but she shook her head quickly. The ride was silent.
Glinda pulled him aside when they entered the lobby. Elphaba ignored this and headed up the stairs to the room without waiting for him. Having taken notice of this and Elphaba's other behavior, Glinda asked, "What's going on with her?"
No one, not Glinda or Nanny or Nessa, no one but Fiyero's family knew about when Elphaba had run off into the city, though he thought Glinda might have some suspicions about it. "I can't tell you."
"Who was that man, Fiyero? You've got to know. You wouldn't allow her not to tell you! If some man had that sort of effect on your wife, you sure as hell better know why!" Glinda demanded.
"I know why." Fiyero told her. "But I cannot tell you. Things have happened in the past year since Elphaba and I have been married that you don't know, that Elphaba hasn't told you yet, and I'm leaving it up to her to tell you. I apologize."
Glinda's eyes widened. "Is she pregnant?"
"No."
"How do you know?"
"We're waiting. I'm positive she isn't pregnant. It's almost impossible, if we've calculated right."
"Then what is it?"
"I said this. I can't say. You'll have to ask her yourself."
Glinda made to go upstairs. "I will."
"Not now. I need some time with her, okay?"
Glinda sighed, disappointed. "Fine."
Elphaba was lying sprawled on the bed on her back, staring vacantly at the ceiling when Fiyero walked in. He tried not to get too near to her, fearing how she might react at anyone's touch. Standing close to the edge of the bed, he knelt so he was eye level with her, if she chose to look at him. "That was him?"
She swallowed hard and nodded faintly.
"But you said he was part of the Resistance. Why was he working for the Wizard?"
"He's been doing that since before I even came to the city. It's the least likely position for a member of the Resistance to have, isn't it? Besides, he might be able to get useful information."
"Aren't you worried he might expose you?"
"He'd then be exposing himself. Stupid idea."
"Okay." Fiyero rested his chin on the edge of the bed. "What did he say?"
"He asked me to forgive him. He claimed that the moment he saw me he fell in love with me and he knew he couldn't have me any other way. He said he was sorry, that he just lost control. He begged for me to 'please understand', and that he never meant to hurt me, that it was different than I thought." Elphaba looked sick.
"So you slapped him?"
"Pretty much. I mean, how could he even approach me? He knew the moment I saw him I was uncomfortable and wanted him to stay away from me!"
"Why didn't you tell me it was him earlier?"
"I didn't get the chance." She sat up. "What's with you? Are you afraid I'm going to bite your head off? You don't need to stay a yard away from me at all times, you know."
He knew that, for Elphaba, that was practically a plea for him to hold her. Fiyero climbed onto the bed and wrapped his arms around her gently. "My sweet Fae," he murmured. "I'll never let anyone hurt you again."
She relaxed in his arms. "I know you won't. Oh, Yero, how can you love me after all of this?"
He almost said that he didn't know. Catching himself he said, "I just can."
Elphaba wanted badly to just hide herself in him, close out the world, retreat to their mansion and never face anyone but her love again. But, damn it, her conscience wouldn't allow her that much, she knew. All she could hope for was that she could do what she felt she needed to with him by her side always. He made her act so weak sometimes, though. "I love you."
"I love you, too. You know that."
She kissed him longingly. "Fiyero, I need you."
He smiled and hugged her closely again. "I need you more."
"I'm not so sure."
"Really?"
"Just, please, shut up and hold me?"
He looked down into her eyes and let their lips meet in passion and devotion, and then he erased her pain, cloth by cloth, thrust by thrust, love by love.