ElphieNeedsAHug: No, you were right the first time. Alyena is Fiyero's grandmother. And WHAT THE HECK GAVE YOU THE IMPRESSION THAT FIYERO IS GOING TO KILL HIMSELF? No, seriously, I'm actually really curious. What did I do to make you think that?
And special thanks and shoutout to NellytheActress for being the 200th reviewer. I forgot to mention it in the last chapter.
Elphaba was laying in bed, trying to contemplate what had happened. She felt so bad for Fiyero, knowing how close he was with his grandmother. She couldn't imagine what he was going though. After all, she was so young when her mother died, and she barely remembered her. Fiyero had developed a very good relationship with his grandmother.
"I'm so sorry, Yero," the green girl whispered softly. She moved to push herself up, but a wave of dizziness caused her to crash back against her pillow. Moaning, she closed her eyes and bit her lip.
She heard the door open, but was too weak to open her eyes and see who it was. She heard footsteps and felt the bed sink, and quickly realized that it was her father. She slowly opened her eyes and saw her father sitting on the bed next to her.
"F-Father…" she whispered.
Frex gently helped his daughter into a sitting position before reaching over and grabbing the small pill bottle and a glass of water. He helped Elphaba take the medicine before helping her lay back down again.
"Are you hungry?"
Elphaba shook her head.
Frex nodded slightly. "I will be going to the Vinkus tomorrow for the funeral and coronation."
"Coronation?" Elphaba blinked.
"Prince Raal and Princess Amalie will be crowned the day after the funeral."
Elphaba nodded. She figured that since Navon wasn't royal by birth, he wouldn't stay on to be king. He was probably just tired, as well. Both Alyena and Navon had a very long and prosperous reign.
"You and Nessa will stay here. Madame Tappanc will watch over both of you and call the doctor if something happens."
Elphaba nodded again. Even though their housekeeper was a bit cold and standoffish, she had known the two girls since they were born and cared about them deeply. "Okay."
"Do you need anything else?"
Elphaba shook her head.
"I will be packing for the journey. I will have one of the maids check up on you."
Too tired to protest, Elphaba simply watched as her father stood up and left the room. Once the door closed, she slowly pushed herself up and leaned against her headboard. After taking a few breaths, she pushed herself to her feet and made her way over to her desk.
Dear Yero, she wrote,
I'm so sorry about your grandmother. I know how close you two were. I wish more than anything that I could be there for you. I… I don't know how to tell you this, and I especially hate that I have to tell you through a letter. But, Yero, I don't think I'll be able to come to the Vinkus for your birthday. I didn't want to admit this to anyone, but I can feel myself getting weaker. I had another attack two weeks ago, and I have barely left my bed since then. I wanted nothing more than to be with you on your birthday, since we were together for mine, but I don't think I will be able to travel all the way to the Vinkus. I'm so sorry, Yero. I really want to be there for you, but I can't. I love you. I love you more than words can say and I will see you back at Shiz.
Your green girl,
Fae
Elphaba sighed as she put her pen down and reread her letter. She hated the fact that she was doing this to Fiyero, but she couldn't help it. She could feel her body growing weaker and weaker. And even though she hated it, she couldn't deny it.
She was dying.
The door slowly opened and a maid peaked her inside. Her eyes widened in alarm when she didn't see the green girl in bed, but relaxed when she turned and saw Elphaba sitting at her desk. "Miss Elphaba, you're up."
"I am," Elphaba said, trying not to sound as tired as she felt.
"Do you need anything?"
The green girl shook her head before attempting to push herself to her feet. The maid was by her side in a flash, gripping her arm and trying to get her to sit back down.
"Miss Elphaba…"
"I'm fine," Elphaba sighed. "Help me downstairs."
"Miss Elphaba, surely this isn't – "
"Help me downstairs."
The maid bit her lip, as if wondering who's wrath was worse, Elphaba's or her father's, then decided to assist the green girl down the stairs and into the parlor, where Nessa was nursing a cup of tea.
"Miss Elphaba requested that I help her downstairs," the maid said when Nessa looked from her to her sister before shooting her a look.
"I wanted a change of scenery," Elphaba said as she eased herself into a chair and dismissed the maid.
The younger Thropp opened her mouth, but closed it again and simply shook her head. "I don't know what I'm going to do with you, Fabala."
The green girl smirked and poured herself a cup of tea.
"Did Father tell you that he's going to the Vinkus tomorrow?"
Elphaba nodded. "He did."
Nessa nodded and looked down at her lap.
"I'm going to ask him to give a letter to Fiyero."
This caught Nessa's attention. "What did you say to him?"
"That I'm sorry about his grandmother and that I wish I could be there for him, but I can't."
"You've met her, haven't you? You told me that you met her over spring break."
"I have. She's a very kind woman."
Nessa nodded again. "That's good."
Elphaba took a sip of tea. Nessa regarded her sister, wanting to say something, but knowing that she shouldn't.
"I'm going back upstairs," the green girl said, taking another sip of tea before placing the empty cup on the table.
"You want to lay back down?"
"No," Elphaba confessed as she pushed herself up. "But you want me to."
The brunette blinked. "But… I… I didn't even say anything."
"I can see it in your eyes, Nessa," Elphaba said, smiling slightly. "And, after all, a little rest isn't going to make anything worse."
Nessa didn't even bother trying to argue as she watched her sister get up and leave. "You'll be fine, Fabala," she whispered softly.
The next morning, Elphaba watched out her bedroom window as her father's carriage drove away to the Vinkus. She barely had enough strength to get out of bed, and she didn't need a doctor to tell her what that meant. Her father had come upstairs when she didn't come down, and she could see it in his eyes. She saw the pain he was trying to hide, the sadness of seeing his eldest daughter bedridden, and a hint of nostalgia, which she knew was from her mother's death. He sat with her for a while and she told him about the letter she wanted him to give Fiyero. The governor bit his lip, but nodded and took the letter, promising to deliver it as he placed it in his pocket.
"Stay safe, Fabala," Frex said as he lightly stroked the back of her hand.
Elphaba knew that that really meant. Please still be alive when I get back. "I will, Father."
The governor nodded and gave her a very light hug before leaving. Elphaba didn't know how long he had been gone, but when she woke up again, Nessa was sitting by her bedside.
"Hey," she said gently.
"Hi," Elphaba whispered.
"How are you feeling, Fabala?"
"Weak," Elphaba admitted after a while. "And tired."
The brunette smiled sadly. She knew how much her sister hated feeling weak, but she hated admitting it even more. "Do you want your medicine?"
"I don't need it right now."
Nessa nodded again. "Do you want anything?"
Elphaba shook her head.
"Do you… want me to stay?"
The green girl looked at her sister and smiled softly. "Sure."
The brunette smiled as she slipped her hand into her sister's, her smile widening when she felt Elphaba give her hand a gentle squeeze. Nessa searched for topics to talk about with her sister, knowing that she wouldn't want to talk about her illness. They ended up talking about Boq and recalling childhood memories.
"Do you remember when, on my ninth birthday, I thought I could eat the entire chocolate cake by myself?" Nessa giggled.
Elphaba smiled and nodded. "You got about less than a quarter of the way through before over-stuffing yourself and getting a stomach ache."
Nessa smiled at the memory. "Or when I was seven and we had a funeral for my pet goldfish in the gardens."
"You made everyone, including the staff, dress in all black and attend the funeral," Elphaba smiled, then sobered.
"Fabala, what's wrong?" Nessa asked.
"I was just… thinking…"
"About what?"
Elphaba bit her lip, wondering if she should be discussing this at the moment with her sister. "It's nothing."
"It's something, or else you wouldn't have been thinking about it."
"It's just… what happens after… after you… die?"
Nessa inhaled sharply. "Why… why are you thinking about that?"
"Because I…" Elphaba couldn't finish that sentence, and she didn't need to.
"Fabala, you still have a lot of living left to do."
"Do I?"
"Yes, you do. You have to keep living for Father, Galinda, Fiyero, and me."
"Do you think there's an afterlife?"
"Fabala, stop!"
"Someplace where there's nothing wrong and no pain and Mother's waiting and..."
"Elphaba!"
The green girl looked over to see her sister staring at her with wide, tear-filled eyes.
"Why are you talking like this?"
Elphaba quickly pushed herself up and pulled her sister into a hug. "I'm so sorry, Nessa. I didn't mean to make you cry like this. I'm sorry, my dear, sweet Nessie."
Nessa clung to her sister for dear life. "You're not going to die, Fabala," she cried into her older sister's shoulder. "You're going to stay right here with me and that's final."
"I'm sorry, Nessie."
"I don't want to hear any more talk about death or an afterlife! You're not going to die!"
"Okay, Nessa. I promise. No more."
Nessa calmed after a bit and wiped her eyes. "Good."
Elphaba sighed and regarded her sister before she started coughing. She didn't cough up blood this time, but her dry coughs were enough to scare the younger girl. Once she was finished, Nessa was ready with the glass of water. She held it up to her sister's lips and helped her take a few gulps of water.
"Just rest, Fabala," Nessa said as Elphaba took as deep of a breath as she could to recover. "Just rest for a few hours. I'll have food sent up to you later. Just rest."
Elphaba frowned slightly, but found her eyelids growing heavier as she laid back against her pillows.
Later that afternoon, as Elphaba slept, there was a knock at the door. Madame Tappanc opened it to find the doctor.
"Doctor," she said, surprised. "Has Miss Nessarose called for you?"
"No, Madame," the doctor said. "I'm here to speak to Governor Thropp about Elphaba."
"I'm sorry, but he's not here. He went to the Vinkus for the funeral of Queen Alyena."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know. When will he be back?"
"In a few days. He's also staying for the coronation of Prince Raal and Princess Amalie."
"But I'm here," Nessa said, wheeling into view. "What news do you have about Elphaba?"
"Miss Nessarose, I don't believe I should…" the doctor started.
"Please," Nessa interrupted softly.
The doctor had looked to Madame Tappanc, who simply shrugged and nodded to the wheelchair bound girl. He sighed and nodded, and the housekeeper showed him into the parlor and went to fix him a cup of coffee.
"I have your sister's test results from her last hospital visit two weeks ago," the doctor said, a manila folder in his hands. He paused, looking from the young girl to the folder and fiddling with the edge.
"Just tell me, Doctor," Nessa said, taking a deep breath. "How long does my sister have to live?"
So, apparently, Maddy and I are in a cliffy-off; a cliffy-off that I am determined to win! *Throws head back and cackles*
And to those of you who are worried about leaving long reviews, don't worry. They're encouraged. In fact, they're more than encouraged!
I also started posting a collection of fluffy Fiyeraba family drabbles called "Connected in Heart". Check it out (especially if you want a break from the angstiness that is this story right now).
