Chapter 11

Two days later guests from all over Oz arrived to celebrate the birth of little Zara. Elphaba was nervous about how her daughter would handle the level of attention and noise and how the guests would react to a green skinned baby but Fiyero seemed perfectly calm.

"How can you be so calm?" Elphaba asked as she managed to get her dress into position. Fiyero helped her close the line of buttons that travelled down from the base of her neck to the base of her spine. The purple dress was a little larger than her usual size to accommodate for her post-pregnancy body but no one would have known she'd just had a baby the way the floor length gown fit her.

"I'm used to these kinds of functions. Everyone is going to congratulate us, lie to us about how cute Zara is, and then we're all going to drink way too much," he said as he finished up the buttons.

"What do you mean lie about how cute Zara is?" His wife turned around and gave him a look.

"People do that. You never hear someone say to the parents' faces – "your baby is ugly", do you? Not that we have to worry about that anyway. Zara is just as beautiful as her mother," Fiyero explained.

"Don't you think you're a little biased?" Elphaba teased.

"That may be true but only my opinion matters so…" he had that lopsided grin on his face. Elphaba leaned in and kissed him. Fiyero's arms pulled her close as he deepened the kiss. There was a knock on the door and they frowned as they pulled apart.

"It's time your majesties," the voice of Lieutenant Ash floated through the door. Elphaba went to the crib and scooped up little Zara, who seemed much happier now that the doctor had figured out what was going on.

"Shall we?" Fiyero asked as he opened the door.

"No time like the present," Elphaba swallowed while Zara gurgled. All three made their way out into the hallway to meet the Lieutenant. Then the group headed down to the large ballroom.

Fiyero had been right about the party of course, with one exception, Glinda. The blonde had travelled with Lieutenant Balfour, partly for her own protection and partly because they were joined at the hip, but only a select few knew that. The leader of all of Oz was enamored of the little Princess, which got Elphaba to wondering if her friend was hiding something from her.

The party was still in full swing when Elphaba started to get an odd feeling while talking to Councilman Mopsi Pipt of Munchkinland. Her magic bubbled inside of her and it bothered her. She did not often feel that way and when she did, it was her body's way of warning her something was coming. Looking across the room, she noticed that Glinda had an odd look on her face. The blonde had been chatting with her mother and father and now her eyes found Elphaba's.

"Are you all right Princess?" Mopsi asked.

"Perhaps it is just too much of a good time," Elphaba tried to calm him.

"Then why is Lady Glinda seemingly having the same problem?" He raised an eyebrow. Mopsi was no fool and Elphaba had always appreciated his honesty. She did not have a chance to explain herself however, when the ballroom doors were thrown open.

"Chistery!" The green skinned woman exclaimed. The Flying Monkey quickly moved to her and began signing away. Behind him, the Griffins walked into the room, which caused a stir.

"Altan what is going on?" King Tahir asked.

"Do you not feel it?" The elder Griffin responded.

"Magic," Glinda stepped forward.

"Lady Glinda," the Griffins quickly bowed their heads.

"What is all the fuss?" Everyone in the room turned their heads to the doorway to find a woman standing there. Her hair was like spun gold while her eyes were raven black, in stark contrast to her skin which was fair as a lily. She wore a grand flowing white dress and held a large ornate staff in her left hand.

"Who are you?" Queen Ayla asked.

"I am Zixi, Queen of Ix," came the reply.

To Be Continued…