Only five more chapters...tear

Chapter Twenty-Six

Elphaba didn't sleep well that night. She'd made the decision not to go to Fiyero's until the next morning, but she sat on her bed, the letter from her father in her hand wanting to rip it up and forget she ever read it. However, she sighed, getting up from her bed, careful not to wake her roommate. Glinda had stayed up with Elphaba through the night until she cried herself to sleep.

She slowly walked across campus to the boy's dorms and took a deep breath as she knocked on the door. A few seconds later, her heart jumped when Fiyero opened the door, still in his pajamas.

"Hey, Fae." He said, "I wasn't expecting you-"

She sighed a shaky breath, "We need to talk." She avoided his gaze.

He tensed, "Are you alright? Is everything okay?" he said, letting her in. After looking at her more closely, he asked, "Have you been crying?"

She turned to him and handed him the letter. He gave her a confused look and she dropped her head, walking away and giving him the cue to read.

Fiyero pulled out the letter and began. It read: Dearest Nessarose, I hope you are well. I have a very important message for you to give to your sister, and this is to be transmitted immediately. Inform Elphaba that I will be coming to Shiz haste to take her back to Munchkinland. I have arranged a marriage for her, and she is due to wed soon, and must prepare for her new duties. Should she resist this news, inform me upon my arrival. With the upmost love, Father.

Fiyero read the letter several times, making sure he understood every word. When he was finished, he went over to where Elphaba was, and her gaze was cold and distant. He sat next to her she didn't flinch. He put the letter on the table and she spoke first, "I don't think I've ever cried this much in my life. I feel as though there are no tears left in me." she said, looking at the wall.

"Elphaba, I'm not going to let this happen." He replied, putting an arm around her.

Elphaba closed her eyes at his touch, "I can't run from this, Fiyero. It is his mission to ruin my life." She laughed sickly, "It probably took him a while to find someone for me. Not many people want to marry an Artichoke."

Fiyero sighed, "Don't submit to him. I can protect you, Fae. All you have to do is let me." he said, his eyes pleading with hers.

"He couldn't even bother to write me a direct letter." She replied, and Fiyero threw the letter on the ground.

"Elphaba, listen to me, we can get-"

Her eyes met with his and she interrupted, "Fiyero, don't you see? This was fate all along- I was destined to hurt you!" her eyes got glassy, "I'm sorry it had to be this way, if I'd known sooner-"

He grabbed her by the shoulders, "Elphaba, you're not going anywhere! I'm not going to let him take you, I promise." He looked at her and exhaled, "I love you, Fae. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

She looked deeply into his eyes and began to cry silently, "I…I don't want to marry anyone but you, Yero." She replied slowly. He brought her into an embrace and she wrapped her hands around his torso and hugged him tightly as she cried into his hug. Fiyero's heart broke at the sight of his fiancé.

"You won't have to, Elphaba." he kissed the top of her head and after a few minutes she started to calm down. She broke the embrace and wiped her eyes and replied,

"I'm sorry for being so emotional." She said as she continued to clean herself up.

Fiyero furrowed his brow, "Fae, I would be worried if you weren't emotional. This is something that most people don't take lightly." He offered his hand and helped her up, which she accepted. After cleaning up, Elphaba decided it was best to go and speak to her sister, whom Fiyero understood, and she left his dorm. She walked slowly to her sister's room, knowing the end result of this situation.

Her sister opened the door to a saddened Elphaba, "Come in." she said, seeing her sister's plight.

Elphaba went in and sat on the bed, "When is he coming?"

Nessa sighed, "Tomorrow morning." Elphaba winced at her sister's words. "Elphaba, maybe this could work out in the end. Maybe this guy is someone special-"

"Nessa, Fiyero proposed to me last night." Her sister's mouth gaped open.

"What?"

Elphaba pulled the ring out of her pocket and replied, holding it in her palm, "I said yes."

Nessa was shocked, "Oh, Elphaba. What are you going to do?"

Elphaba furrowed her brow, "You say that like I have a choice."

Nessa looked at her sister with a candid look. Both girls knew that their father would never let Elphaba get out of an arranged marriage, and let alone marry Fiyero. All Elphaba could do was wait for the inevitable, and she hated every second of it.