Thanks again for all your reviews! They are still very much appreciated. :)

12. The Fish's Plans

Time passed quickly the days after that. Elphaba did what she had to do and in between, she checked up on Lulu, who was still a little despondent after Delani's death. Most of the girls assembled in the park one afternoon to have a small ceremony for their friend, digging up memories and lighting some candles they had sneaked away. It made it feel more like a proper good-bye to them all and Elphaba could tell it made it a little easier for Lulu to cope with everything, too.

She and Fiyero went for a walk one afternoon and he walked her back to the brothel afterwards, stopping just outside the door.

"Elphaba," he said as she made to walk away, taking her hands to keep her with him. "Wait."

She gave him a quizzical look, mainly at his use of her full name instead of his nickname for her. "What's wrong?"

He hesitated, then decided to bite the bullet. "Elphaba, I just want you to know that I was serious that day at my grandparents' house," he said. "I'm not saying I want to marry you, but I am saying that it's not unlikely that that will change in the future. I don't know how you feel about me. I've said more about my feelings to you than I've said to anyone over the past years and I understand why you're hesitant to say anything in return, but if this is just a game to you or a temporary thing, if there's not a chance in the world that you'll ever want a life with me... I'd rather have you tell me now, before I get in even deeper."

She could only stare at him, her fingers frozen in his, her entire body still. She took a moment to organise her thoughts and compose herself. "Fiyero..." she began, but she honestly had no idea what to say. "I... I don't know. I don't... I mean, I don't think..." She trailed off. She didn't even know if he was sincere or not. He sounded sincere. She wanted to trust him, but she had learned early on in her life that trusting people was generally not a good idea for someone like her because it almost always ended in disappointment.

"Wow." Fiyero pulled his hands away from hers and ran them both through his hair, clutching the back of his head. "Okay. I, um... I've never had my heart broken before," he confessed, letting out a nervous, tight laugh. "I suppose it had to happen at some point, and maybe it's payback for all those times I broke other people's hearts..."

"Yero," she cut him off, seeing that he was genuinely upset despite his attempts to cover it up. It confused her, but it also convinced her – a little, at least. "I'm not breaking your heart. I just... I don't know if I can see us getting married," she said, averting her gaze. "I don't know if we could ever have something long-term, because I still think you'll get sick of the excitement of me at some point and move on, not to mention the whole royalty thing..."

"I know," he said. "I'm still working on that. One tiny step at a time, remember?"

She studied him closely – the look in his eyes, the way he tucked his hands deep into his pockets, his nervous shifting and fidgeting. She saw nothing that indicated he didn't mean what he was saying and she said quietly, "I think this was another one of those small steps."

He looked up at that and smiled, a hint of relief shining through. "So... regardless of how you think I feel... how do you feel?" he dared to ask.

She sighed and bit her lip as she considered her answer, forcing herself to be completely honest with him. She owed him that much. "It's not a game to me," she said slowly. She lowered her gaze. "I... I do like you. I'm not sure about love, because truthfully, I have no idea what that would even feel like, but I care about you. I like what we have."

The relief fully broke through on his face now and he grinned at her. "That's all I need to know for now," he assured her, taking her hand again and tugging her closer. He gently tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, his thumb brushing against her cheek as he did so. "We'll just keep this up for a while, then. I'm not going anywhere and you refuse to let me take you anywhere, so we have time. No matter how long it takes for me to convince you, Fae, I promise you that I will succeed in the end."

She snorted. "Am I your new project now?"

"In a way," he said, grinning impishly at her. "You're the most interesting project I've ever worked on, though. The smartest, too, and the prettiest, and the one I'm most motivated to see through to the end." He kissed her softly. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye," she whispered, closing her eyes as he kissed her again, longer this time. He deepened the kiss and she made a soft noise against his lips as she pressed herself closer against him.

He was grinning like an idiot when he pulled away and when he saw the look on her face, her lips a little swollen, he couldn't help but kiss her again. "Tomorrow," he said huskily as he forced himself to pull away from her, knowing she had to go have dinner and then get to work.

She smirked at him and gave him a little wave as she watched him leave. Then she slipped through the door and into the brothel, touching two fingers to her lips as she leaned against the door for a moment.

"Well, well," Madame Morrible suddenly drawled from behind the green girl, making her jump. "It looks like our little Emerald has found herself a prince."

"I – I don't..." Elphaba stammered, taken by surprise. She cursed herself for being so obvious. "I mean, he isn't –"

"Don't deny it, dearie. I've observed the two of you for a while now and the other girls have told me things, too," Morrible said ominously. "Some of them even think he might try to get you out of here."

Elphaba opened her mouth to deny that, but Morrible cut her off by holding up one hand. "I want him gone."

The girl stared at her. "What?"

"The prince," said Morrible. "I want him gone from this brothel – preferably from this town entirely. He was a good client, but I won't have him stealing my girls away from me; and if he really is in love with you, or something ridiculous like that, he'll try to buy you free or even get his parents involved to try and oppose me and I won't have that. You're one of my best, dearie, like it or not, and I'm not letting you go for quite a while yet." She folded her arms in front of her chest. "Get rid of the prince somehow. Push him away. Tell him you don't love him anymore – I don't care how you do it, but do it."

Elphaba lifted her chin, crossing her arms as well. "No."

"Excuse me?" Morrible brought her face closer to the green girl's. "Let me make this clear, little Emerald," she said in a dangerously low voice. "You're mine. You do as I say, when I say it; because I have your money, your future, and your friends in the palm of my hand." She studied Elphaba's face. "Isn't our dearest Sapphire planning on trying to buy herself free?" she asked casually. "Strange, isn't it? The last time I checked, she didn't have nearly enough money for such an attempt... and some money disappeared from my office right around Jade's death. Maybe I'll just accuse Sapphire of theft and have her thrown in the dungeons... or I could refuse to let her go and keep her here for another while."

Elphaba gritted her teeth. "You monster," she spat.

Morrible smirked at her. "I didn't get my successful business through kindness and generosity, dearie," she said. "Either you get rid of the prince and stay with me for another nice, long while, or I'm not letting Sapphire go. The choice is yours." With that, she turned around. "That being said, I have a lot to attend to. Go prepare for work," she told the younger girl before walking away into her office and closing the door behind her.

Elphaba was seething, but she changed into her revealing little black dress and went back down to the common room to entertain the men there, all the while trying to think of a way to get out of this. Even if she did love Fiyero and wanted a future with him, she couldn't make Lulu the victim of that. One way or another, Lulu had to get away from here and the sooner, the better... but that meant Elphaba had to push Fiyero away.

She didn't want to. She really, really didn't want to. She liked him, she thought she might love him; and even though she couldn't see herself as a princess or even as his wife, she did want some kind of future with him.

On the other hand, however, she still thought that he would be better off without her in the long run. He needed a girl from his own world – someone beautiful of high status who would not be frowned upon by the people and who would make an excellent queen. What could a crown prince possibly want with an orphaned, green prostitute who wasn't even of Vinkun nationality?

She kept mulling it over all night and the following day as well, even as she walked across the village to meet Fiyero in the park. It was a beautiful, sunny day and when she arrived, he was already there, sitting on a blanket that was spread out across the grass. There was a basket beside him and he beamed at her when she walked up to him.

"Surprise," he said, getting up to greet her with a kiss. He took her hand and led her over to the blanket. "Picnic to celebrate the first nice spring day. I've got bread, a fruit salad, cheese – no meat, because I know you don't eat that – juice, wine, some pastries, cold blueberry pancakes..."

"Fiyero," she cut him off, torn between being touched and exasperated. "Did you plunder your grandmother's entire kitchen?"

He grinned impishly at her. "Actually, she made most of this," he said, gesturing at the food. "Along with my mum."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Your mother is here?"

He bit his lip, suddenly looking sheepish and slightly guilty. He busied himself opening the basket and piling food on the two plates he'd brought, not looking at her. "Well... yeah."

When he didn't say anything else, she prodded, "Why? When did she arrive? And why didn't you tell me?" She knew she sounded a little hurt, but she couldn't help it. She'd told him basically everything going on in her life – she'd been uncharacteristically open with him – and she'd thought he shared everything with her as well. Did he not trust her? Was he pulling away? Maybe she wouldn't even need to push him away anymore. Maybe her predictions were coming true and he would be going away soon all by himself.

He must have picked up on what she was feeling, because he shook his head, hastening to reassure her. "I would have told you," he said, looking down. "I just..." He sighed. "I was a little embarrassed, I guess. I mean... she came because of the letter I wrote her about you, and about how I've changed. I wasn't even expecting it, but she and Dad agreed it was such a big thing that one of them had to come see me." He glanced at Elphaba. "She'll be leaving again soon," he said carefully. "We've been... working on some plans."

She instantly became suspicious at the look on his face. "What kind of plans?" she asked as she took a bite of a blueberry pancake. It was delicious.

Fiyero was busy stuffing his mouth full of bread and cheese, thus rendering himself unable to reply, and the green girl waited with narrowed eyes for him to finish chewing and swallowing. Once he had, he still didn't say anything and she sighed. "Fiyero."

"Yes?"

She levelled him with a glare.

He averted his gaze.

"Look," she said. "I always knew you would be returning to your home at some point, Yero. If she's come to take you back, or whatever, you can tell me."

He looked shocked. "No! Well... yes," he corrected himself. "I do have to go back, and given the fact that my parents' goal has been achieved and I've changed, albeit not quite because of the country life with my grandparents... maybe indirectly through that, though, but... anyway, given that fact, they do kind of want me back home soon to continue my royal education. But that's not really the plan we were discussing."

He didn't elaborate and Elphaba sighed again. "Spit it out, Fiyero."

He looked uncomfortable, but then he made a decision. "No," he said firmly. "Later. Let's have lunch first. I'm hungry and I don't want you to freak out before we've finished eating this food, otherwise Mum and Grandma will have been working on it for nothing."

Elphaba scowled at him and his words did nothing to ease her nerves, but she relented, knowing by now to pick her battles with him. They ate and chatted about other things. The food was all wonderful and there was so much of it that Fiyero packed up the rest and gave it to Elphaba, telling her to share it with Galinda and Lulu that night or the following day, for which she thanked him. She knew her friends would love a meal like this.

"Do you still think about it often?" he asked her at some point. "About... about what happened right before we met?"

She stilled, her fork with a piece of fruit halfway to her mouth. "You mean the... the baby?"

He nodded and she chewed on her lower lip.

"Sometimes," she said. "I mean... I'm not in any pain anymore, or anything like that, and I wasn't pregnant for long enough to have really felt anything of that... but I can't help but wonder sometimes what it would have been like. To be pregnant and stay pregnant, to give birth and raise a baby... I'm not sure I would be a great mother, though."

"I think you would be a fantastic mother," Fiyero said quietly and she gave him a sad little smile.

"Maybe someday I'll find out," was all she said.

Once they were on their feet again and walking out of the park, the basket dangling from Fiyero's arm, Elphaba gave him a long look. "Now what do you need to tell me?"

He sighed, realising she wasn't going to let this go. "All right," he began. "Well... Mum knows I'm pretty serious about you. You and me, I mean. Our... relationship."

She raised her eyebrows, but didn't say anything.

"She wants me to return to Adurin Iir," he said, taking a deep breath, "and she would like for you to come with me."

Elphaba stopped walking and stared at him.

"That's what the plans are about," Fiyero continued. He still wasn't looking at her. "She's helping me to find a way to free you from Morrible and bring you to my home. Not for marriage, or anything like that... not yet, anyway." He flushed a little. "But just to... I don't know. To be out of here and to continue whatever it is we have."

She was still staring.

He coughed awkwardly. "Um... only if you want to, of course."

She blinked once, very slowly.

"Fae?" he asked, unsure of what to make of her reaction. "You don't have to. I mean... I know this is going a little fast, but..."

She opened and closed her mouth a few times. She shook her head. Then she took a breath and finally found her voice again. "Yero, I... I don't know," she said, her voice shaking a little. "This is indeed going a little fast and I... I need to think about this. Oz, I can't believe your mother came up with this idea... what in Oz did you tell her about me? And us?"

"Nothing I didn't mean," he said honestly and she sighed, deflating, her shoulders slumping as she turned away from him.

"Hey." He touched her shoulder gently and when she didn't pull away, he moved both hands to her shoulders and started massaging them. "You can think about it," he assured her. "It's okay. I get that it's a bit much now, all at once."

She didn't say anything and he continued rubbing her shoulders for a while before putting his chin on her shoulder, his arms sliding around her waist. "Fae?"

"Yeah." She sighed again, but she did lean into a him a little, which he considered a good sign. He started planting soft kisses on her neck until he felt her relax and he grinned a little. That always worked.

"Let's go back to Morrible's," he murmured into her ear. "We can spend some time in your room, maybe read together for a while or something."

She detached herself from him, pulling away and hugging herself. "Actually," she said quietly, "I think I'd rather go back alone. I mean... I need to think."

"Oh. Of course." He tried to hide his disappointment. He was pretty sure thiswas not a good sign. "I'll walk you back."

She shook her head. "It's fine. I can get back by myself." She hesitated. "Yero, I hope you know that it's just... I mean... I can't be someone's wife," she said almost pleadingly, desperate for him to understand. "I wouldn't know how. I'm not made for that. You'd need an heir, and being a mother is something I would probably be even worse at than being a wife, and... and the whole princess thing? That just freaks me out. I can't do that. I'm not meant to do that. No matter how much I like you, or even love you, life isn't a novel. Love doesn't conquer all and the prince can't always save the damsel in distress. Sometimes he just needs to leave the damsel be and let her fight her own battles while he goes off to find a damsel better suited for him."

He snorted sceptically. "Sometimes, maybe," he said. "But this isn't one of those times. It's not hard being a wife, Fae. It's just the same as being with me now, only with a ring and a piece of paper binding us, and in a new place. I already told you I'm convinced you'll be a wonderful mother and as for the princess thing, you can learn that. Everyone would help you. This conversation isn't over yet."

She didn't say anything and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her for a moment before pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Think about it," he told her. "I'll visit you tomorrow night, all right?"

"All right," she whispered. She turned around and started walking back to the brothel, not looking over her shoulder even once. She'd have to convince him. She'd have to break things off with him and make him go home by himself. She'd meant everything she'd told him just now and then there was Morrible to think about, and Lulu... she had no other choice. She would have to ban Fiyero from her life.

I should probably sit my arse down to write the ending to this fic soon, but for some reason all kinds of other things keep coming up... Not to mention the fact that I'm going on a theatre/musical trip to London next week, so there'll be a bit of a hiatus for a few days. Maybe that'll inspire me! (The trip, not the hiatus.)