A/N: Shout outs to my anonymous reviewer and James Birdsong! Glad you liked it! More on our secretive Oz problems coming up.


Chapter 20

Fiyero knocked on the former fish woman's office door. It was well past dinner and the three had not shown up for a meal. Mr. Samuels had let the Prince bring a tray of food to the hard workers.

"So, I know you're burning the midnight candle wax, but I think you need to eat," he announced after Corporal Norris had let him into the room.

"Yes, that sounds lovely. What has Mr. Samuels cooked up?" Mopsi asked as his stomach growled.

"A lovely meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy, and a side of the green veggies that make you wish they tasted like the meatloaf," Fiyero teased.

"That's what the gravy is for," Popsi chuckled. The two lifted a tray apiece off the cart. Next to the trays were mugs of beer and a fresh pot of tea was off to the side. The two Munchkins went for the beer.

"There's dessert but Mr. Samuels says you have to stretch your legs to get it," the Prince told them.

"Anything for a delicious baked good. I have no idea where Mr. Samuels learned his talents, but I am grateful," Mopsi smirked.

"Aren't we all? Fae, you need to eat," Fiyero reminded her. The green woman was sitting behind Morrible's desk, reading the heavy, thick tome about the Ozma years in Oz.

"Please bring it over and I'll make sure to move the book," Elphaba looked up and smiled at him. He was a tad surprised that she wasn't fighting him, but he wasn't about to question it. Fiyero brought the tray over and went back for the tea.

"Find anything interesting?" He wondered once he poured her a cup of the hot, steaming liquid.

"Someone has obviously adjusted these books. I have to admit, the Wizard didn't strike me as a reader," she said as he hopped up on the desk and made himself comfy.

"He did not strike me as one either. So, who was the official librarian?" Fiyero wanted to know.

"There hasn't been one since this book was finished. The Wizard's exploits were in the process of being recorded but that was by Morrible's staff, so they're a tad slanted," Elphaba shook her head.

"Yeah, not a lot of truth there," he nodded.

"I think we need to speak to Lady Glinda's parents," Mopsi spoke up in between bites of meatloaf.

"They might have some insight and be more helpful than these books. How about Boq's sneaky map?" The Prince wondered.

"Well, the sneaky message relates that Lake Mossmere is indeed low. Lieutenant Zetti got us the weather reports. The only reason that that lake would be low is if someone is siphoning it off. There was indeed a lot of rain as of late, which is affecting crop production," Popsi spoke up, wiping the corners of his mouth with a napkin.

"What I can't figure out is why they'd be siphoning the water off? I mean you don't use water to build a railroad. If the ground is wet, you don't want to make it wetter," Elphaba said. Fiyero nodded and replied,

"Could they be giving it to the Glikkuns? There had been scuttlebutt that you can pressurize water to cut through rock."

"Well, that would explain it," Elphaba nodded.

"How would you pressurize it?" Mopsi asked.

"I can't explain the math or the process, but I know someone who can. Let me write a letter to Glinda's parents and reach out to the Vinkus' own scientists. You keep plugging away," Fiyero said. He leaned over, kissed Elphaba's cheek, and then headed for the door.

To Be Continued…