Glinda elegantly let her bubble dissipate. As usual, she stepped down out of it causing it to disappear with a light pop. A porter was already waiting for her with a smile. Glinda returned it.

"It is nice to see you, Dale." she said.

"And you as always, Lady Glinda." he replied.

"Are my parents home?"

"Yes, and-"

"And someone else." came the strong female voice from the steps.

Glinda glanced up to see a woman in trousers, hat, doublet, and a half cape standing there. While most of it was tucked up under said hat, the red hair, pale skin and green eyes were unmistakable. Glinda's own smile grew as the woman cheerful dipped down the stairs, making sure with a practiced hand that her rapier cleared them. Dale bowed and took his leave into the manor.

"Wynessa. What surprise!" Glinda replied. "What are you doing here?"

"Fall back plan." was her response. "After the mansion raid, the Dogs went into prevent mode. Most returned to Mockbeggar Hall to prepare it for an eventual siege. Most likely it won't happen, but we wanted to secure what belongings of yours we could. Your flat is sealed up; luckily there isn't really anything of note there. Otherwise, we dispersed to wait to be called. Jonkel is at Mockbeggar while I, and a small contingent, came to Frottica as the next likely choice for your return. Plus, guard your family in case of further reprisals."

"And have there been?" asked Glinda, suddenly worried. Wynne shook her head.

"Nope! All quiet. Or mostly quiet. Many people have expressed distaste at someone targeting you."

"That's good to hear." Glinda paused. "Did Durandal really put all this into place?"

"Durandal?" Wynne arched an eyebrow.

"It's Duran's full name." Glinda explained.

"Huh. But no, it was Jonkel. Standard procedures."

"I see." Glinda sighed. "I need to send a message to Andre de Phillipe."

"Who?" Wynne asked. Glinda gave her a quizzical look.

"You don't know of him?"

"No. Name doesn't ring a bell."

"Interesting." Glinda sighed again. "He lives over the Tilted Bucket on High Street."

"Okay. But why did you say it like you expected me to take it?"

Glinda steeled herself.

"Wynne, I have some bad news." Glinda started. With a deep breath, she continued. "Duran, he was...slain. In battle."

"What?" the woman blinked. "How? No one could touch him!"

"He met an old comrade, just as talented. He won, but his wounds were too great." Glidna reached out to touch the swordswoman's shoulder. "I am sorry."

"I…" Wynne took a breath. "I...just don't know what we'll do now."

"What I need you to do is to take this letter to Andre de Phillipe." Glinda answered gently but firm. Twirling her hand, a letter appeared. "As quick as you can."

"Why me? Why should I play messenger?" Wynne asked, anger creeping into her voice.

"Because Andre is not just some person; he's one of the Captains of the Dogs of War."

"He's...what?" Wynne's eyes widened. "Why...why wouldn't he contact me? Or any of us? They're staying in Frottica."

"Because Duran keeps his people separate." was Glinda's answer. "Separate groups means if one is compromised the rest are not. Either way, I need you to go as quickly as you can."

"Yeah. I'll grab a horse into town right now." Wynne said and made for the stables. She stopped. "Did...did he tell you what is going to happen to us?"

"Yes." Glinda replied. "He transferred all of you into my service. Of course, if any don't wish to-"

"If that is Duran's wish, it shall be done." Wynne cut her off. The woman continued onward to the stables.

Glinda sighed and made her way into the manor. Unsurprisingly, her parents were waiting for her. Her father smiled as she approached.

"I see my daughter has once again returned to us after running from kidnappers." he observed amused. "Perhaps this is to become an annual occurrence?"

"Not funny, Popsicle." Glinda sniffed.

"Quite agree, Highmuster." Larena added. "But then again, it does seem to be a recurring thing much too often."

"Well, I wish I could visit on happier occasions." Glinda replied.

"Yes. Having your acquaintance show up last month was unexpected." Larena answered. "I'm not quite sure I'm fond of it."

"I am quite sure I am not." Vitorili added definitively.

"It is merely for your own protection." Glidna soothed.

"We've done quite well enough so far." her father bristled.

"Things have changed, Popsicle." Glinda glanced around. "But perhaps we can discuss this somewhere else where there are less ears?"

Her parents looked at each other for a moment. Vitorili motioned to a side room.

"You two adjourn to the sitting room while I tell the staff to be scarce."

The two Arduenna women waited patiently for Vitorili to return. When he did, he carried a tray with three glasses and a pitcher. Setting it down on the table, he poured each of the women a glass before taking his own.

"So what is it now?" Vitorili asked while he sipped his water. "Another Administration spat?"

"I thought that possibly at the beginning, but now I believe it is something more."

"More?" her mother leaned forward. Glinda nodded.

"Yes. Several incidents happened that make me think that this is not just about politics. Our path was guided to move us into certain conflicts; conflicts which had we not escaped would either see us dead, or our allies embroiled in war."

"Who could do that?" Vitorili asked. "It sounds like someone using fortune telling."

"Yes, it does." Glinda nodded. "Which could be someone in the Administration, or their employ, but it would require a certain level of skill that is rare."

"And so why did you return here, darling?" Larena asked. "You let us know when you reached Kiamo Ko safely - which was nice I may add - and that seems to be a safer location than Frottica."

"One of our associates, Duran -"

"The swordsman?" Vitorili asked.

"Yes, Popsicle, the swordsman." Glinda huffed. "He traveled with us. He actually got me safely out of the Emerald City and to Kiamo Ko."

"That's good to hear, darling, but why do I feel there is more to it?" asked Larena.

"Because, Momsie, there is. Duran had a retinue of...bondspeople, basically. Those who served him as part of his house, and an extensive network of allies. Wynne is one of those."

"Had?" asked Vitorili.

"Yes, had." Glinda sighed. "At Kiamo Ko, the Yunamata, an aggressive tribe, challenged Fiyero's to a duel for a made up sleight of honor. He could not refuse it. The Yunamata used a mercenary that was a superlative swordsman. Duran managed to be chosen to fight him."

"So he perished in the duel? What did the Arjiki lose?" asked Vitorili.

"He did not lose. Duran was an outstanding swordsman himself. He managed to win, but it cost him his life."

"I'm sorry to hear that, my dear." Larena said gently. "You sounded close."

"We...were." Glinda sniffed. "Either way, he passed his retainers to me. The person I need to contact is in Frottica. I sent Wynne to go give him the message."

"I see. All of that sounds terrible, Glinda." her mother replied. "When do you expect to meet with them?"

"After a nap at the very least." Glinda replied. She yawned for additional effect. "I am quite tired."

"Well, your room is still there." Larena replied with a slight smile.

"Thank you, Momsie."

"One last thing, Glinda dear."

"Yes?"

"Have you been stress eating?"

"Momsie!"

"My darling, I only ask because you seem to have added a bit to your midsection." Larena looked at her. "Otherwise, you look quite fit and healthy."

"No...I...ah…" Glinda looked away. Larena raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? Don't tell me you're with child?"

"Twins, to be exact." Glinda explained softly.

"And who is the father?" asked Vitorili. "Duran?"

"No!" Glinda huffed. "It's...well, you won't believe it."

"Elphaba?" asked Larena. Glinda squeaked.

"How did you know?"

"I didn't. But your response made me jump to magic, and then…"

"Yes." Glinda told them. "Apparently when we combined magic last year to beat Morrible, it did this."

"So you were pregnant when we were in the City?" asked Vitorili.

"That makes some sense." Larena nodded. "Does Elphaba know?"

"She does."

"And how is she taking it?"

"Well enough, I suppose." Glinda sighed. "We were in the middle of a crisis at the time, so we didn't talk much about it. And after that another one. And then I left."

"You're going to have to discuss it more." Vitorili cautioned. "You can't leave it like that."

"That is all true, but currently she is with Fiyero so I will bring it up when the time is right." Glinda replied stiffly. Her parents shared a look.

"Okay dear. Well, let us know if you need anything."

"A nap would do just fine."

"Do you have some time to talk?" asked Elphaba.

In his study, Fiyero lifted his head from where he was going over some details about the grain stores for Kiamo Ko. Looking at Elphaba standing in the doorway, he started to smile. As he took in her downward gaze and hunched demeanor, it died on his lips. This was not going to be a happy conversation. He pushed the papers to one side.

"Of course." Fiyero answered. "I've always time for you. Do you want to talk here, or somewhere else?"

"Here...here is fine." Elphaba replied.

Stepping in, she shut the door behind her. Though he kept a schooled open face, Fiyero inwardly frowned. Elphaba never shut doors. She did not like to be trapped. If she was shutting it, that meant it was something that she did not want even the slightest chance of being overheard.

"So what do you want to talk about?" asked Fiyero with a warmth and calm he did not feel. But letting Elphaba see his anxiety would not help the conversation.

"Well, it's about us." Elphaba started. Fiyero's eyebrows rose of their own accord. "Well...not us, us, but sort of tangential to us...I mean, not tangential, it does affect us but it's not between us, but it could be…"

Fiyero let her stammer off into silence. He had learned long ago that interrupting her, or trying to cajole more out of her before she was ready would either make her angry, or send her into a spiral where she would flee. So he waited patiently for her to gather herself and start again.

"There's something I haven't told you." Elphaba paused and looked down. "About when we thought you were dead."

"I'm listening, Elphaba." Fiyero answered affectionately.

"Well, we got news that you had died in the Emerald City. Well, not you, but the Scarecrow. And it was from a reliable source, so we thought you were dead. We didn't know you had been thrown in the dungeon."

"That makes sense. No way you could have." Fiyero added supportively.

"And so you see, I was really upset and distraught over it. And so was Glinda."

"Completely understandable." Fiyero agreed. He did not miss the mention of Glinda, however.

"And so, well, we were grieving you. Together. While being on the run with people trying to kill us and hiding together."

"It must have been a lot to deal with."

"And we really leaned on each other. Became really close during that time." Elphaba paused and almost whispered. "Really close."

"Understandable…" Fiyero felt there was more. Elphaba took a deep breath.

"No...I mean...we started a relationship. A...romantic relationship." Elphaba paused to see Fiyero's reaction. The man held the warm accepting look he had throughout the entire meeting but now it also had some confusion. Long moments passed without him saying anything. Elphaba fidgeted, linking and unlinking her fingers. Finally, she could not take it anymore. "Fiyero? Say something."

"I didn't know you felt that way towards women." was his answer. Elphaba huffed.

"That's all you have to say?"

"No, but it's the start." the man replied. His face slowly returned to one of concern. "The next is how long did it last?"

"Are you asking if I cheated on you?" was her reply. "No. It ended when I brought you back in the Emerald City."

"When you kissed me." Fiyero's tone was flat. Elphaba winced.

"Yes."

"And you broke it off with Glinda shortly after?"

"Well…" Elphaba looked away.

"Oh Elphaba," Fiyero groaned, "please don't tell me you never officially broke it off."

"No, I didn't." Elphaba hung her head. "I told myself it was because I was confused at the time; whether I was going to live or die; money and titles and politics; everything that went on. But that wasn't the truth. I did not want to face it. I wished for an easy out. Either you or her would stop caring for me, or I'd be killed. But none of that happened, and I just made everything worse."

"I thought your distance in the Emerald City was because it had been so long since I was me. Flesh and blood." Fiyero admitted. "I never thought it was because of something else. And Glinda hid her pain so well I thought it was just the stress of being Throne Minister again."

Fiyero waited for Elphaba to say something. The fact she did not made it even worse.

"And then you left with me." he continued. "Did you have any talk with her before you left for the Vinkus?"

"No." Elphaba quietly admitted. Fiyero sighed and ran his hands over his braided hair.

"So why did you wait to tell me until now?" he asked. Elphaba shrugged. Fiyero was not having it. "No Elphaba, I want to know. Why wait until now?"

"Glinda sort of...yelled at me about it." Elphaba admitted.

"I can imagine. You're lucky she travelled with you all the way here." Fiyero sat back and crossed his arms.

"I know."

"Of that I'm sure." Fiyero sighed again and stood. Elphaba head lifted to follow him. "I'll need some time to think about this."

"Fiyero…"

"Elphaba," Fiyero gently, but firmly, cut her off. "I can't say you've done anything wrong by me. Everything you've done makes sense. I can't fault you for taking a partner after you thought I had died; it makes sense you'd believe it. I can't fault you for not telling me; we've never cared about the others' partners in the past. I can't fault you for cheating on me; you stopped your relationship with Glinda the moment I returned. By all accounts, you've done right by me. The only fault I can find is how you treated a friend of mine in Glinda. You did cheat on her, Elphaba."

Elphaba winced but said nothing. Fiyero continued.

"It doesn't matter that I was actually alive. By choosing to immediately restart a relationship with me without even speaking to her means you did. And what makes it worse is you never came to any closure for her. You ran away from the problem, and used me to do it."

"I thought you would…"

"Would what, Elphaba?" Fiyero raised his eyebrows. "Not being in a relationship with you if you told me? Would look poorly on you?"

"I...I don't know." Elphaba answered. She dropped her head and hugged herself.

"If you truly think that of me, you give me too little credit." Fiyero let that hang in the air. "But I don't think you do. Instead, I think you avoided a hard situation by running. And I think you know that too."

"...Yes."

Fiyero walked around the desk. He slowly approached Elphaba to give her a gentle kiss on the cheek. The woman closed her eyes and savored the affection. Fiyero placed a hand on her shoulder as he moved away.

"I cannot judge you on this. The Ancestors would know me as a hypocrite with my past. But that does not mean I can ignore it. So I must take some time to myself."

"I understand, Fiyero."

"I know you do." Fiyero walked over to the door and opened it. As he stepped through, he stopped. Without turning around, he asked. "Glinda's children: whose are they?"

"Mine, so she says. " Elphaba winced. She turned around to look at him. Fiyero looked back at her, puzzlement over his face.

"Magic?" he asked.

"Yes."

Fiyero brow furrowed for a moment before it returned to a restful state. He nodded.

"Make sense. At least, as much magic does."

With that, he walked out and left her standing there.

Fiyero wandered the halls of Kiamo Ko. He automatically acknowledged the nods of his retainers, and answered questions posed to him. He saw Sarima with a satchel on her back and her oar in her hand. That struck Fiyero as odd. He made his way to her.

"Leaving?" he asked. She saw him and sketched a slight curtsy.

"Yes. With Lady Glinda's departure yesterday, my services are not needed anymore." Sarima replied. After a moment she added, "And with no more lessons, there is no more reason to stay."

"I see." Fiyero answered. "Will you return to your home now?"

Sarima nodded.

"Yes. I will go back to serve my people."

"What are your duties?"

"The Hall of Approval has adjourned for winter already, as you know, so I am not needed there." Sarima shrugged. "I shall probably help the women prepare for the harvest and for the winter."

"It sounds as if it is an important duty."

"Every little bit is." Sarima shrugged again.

"Stay here for another week." the words slipped from Fiyero's mouth. Sarima looked surprised. Fiyero was surprised as well, but did not let it show. A plan was forming. "Let me see if I can find you a teacher. If not Elphaba, from one of the Yunamata."

"Thank you, Chieftain Kiamo Ko, but that's not necessary for one such as I."

"I know, but you have been a good ally during this time, and it is the least I could do."

Sarima smiled shyly, and nodded.

"If that is your wish. A week will not hurt my people."

"Good." Fiyero nodded. He went to move, but stopped. Checking the corridor, he turned serious eyes back on her. "Did you know?"

"Know?" Sarima furrowed her brow. Unconvincingly to someone like Fiyero.

"Know that Elphaba and Glinda had a relationship." he clarified quietly. Sarima glanced around.

"There were...rumors. Insinuations. Signs. All before they reached the Garamana, and during their brief stay. But nothing outright confirmed it."

"Did you think that maybe I should have known?" Fiyero asked. He was immediately ashamed at the anger in his voice. Luckily, Sarima took it for what it was.

"I did not know if it was true or not, and even if so, it was not my place to speak on it." was her answer. "I am guessing she recently told you."

"Yes." Fiyero sighed. "But you are right. It was not your place nor would have helped. It is just...frustrating."

"A wise king you will be with that head on your shoulders." Sarima replied. Fiyero laughed.

"Let's not get a head of ourselves. One step at a time. First, the Yunamata must be brought to heel."