Fiyero took Elphaba's hand and they began to walk down the long hall to the dinning room. Fiyero held the tall door open for her as they reached the end of the hall. He was about to follow her inside when Rolfe came out instead.
"A word Fiyero?" asked Rolfe gruffly, his joking manner gone. Fiyero nodded.
"You go on inside, I'll be right back." said Fiyero to Elphaba. She nodded somewhat tensely and slipped inside. Fiyero and Rolfe waited until the door was completely closed behind her and they walked down the hall a ways.
"What is it?" asked Fiyero, not rudely.
"Fiyero, how many green girls are there in Oz?" asked Rolfe, almost sounding accusatory.
"Just the one." said Fiyero, wondering where this was leading to. His father wasn't being prejudiced was he?
"She's the girl you brought with you to the Emerald Ball, correct?" said Rolfe.
"Correct." Fiyero answered.
"Is she Governor Frex Thropp's oldest daughter?" asked Rolfe, "Is she the girl who was in that dreadful sermon? Is she the girl that nearly died at least twice? Is she the girl that got kidnapped by bloody Raman?"
"Wha--" Fiyero began, wondering where all of this was coming from. And why it only now began to interest his father.
"Is she?!" asked Rolfe.
"Yes. Does it matter?" asked Fiyero.
"No. I just—didn't realize. At the Emerald Ball I—couldn't tell what color her skin was, and at Frex's mansion, I didn't really notice..." said Rolfe, "Frex would have my head if he knew you were dating his daughter. If I knew him, he'd probably start a bloody war."
"Why? It's not as though he gives a damn about her." said Fiyero.
"He may not act like it, but he's very protective of her." said Rolfe, "He doesn't want her leaving his house once she's finished at Shiz." Fiyero snorted. Rolfe continued, "No it's true. He won't let her go. He was talking about her the other day. He talks about her like she's his property or something, not his daughter. He needs her for the show she makes for in his sermons. He knows she'll make a better governor than that other child of his ever will. And that's just besides the obvious reasons."
"The obvious reasons?" asked Fiyero.
"You know, the same reasons Raman had for kidnapping her." said Rolfe, "I don't think she knows this, or anyone else for that matter, but Frex has been getting a lot of gentleman at his door, asking for her hand."
"In marriage?" asked Fiyero incredulously, "Well, shouldn't they ask her first? Shouldn't at least talk to her first? At least introduce themselves?"
"Well, I suppose they think of her as property too, so I suppose it's natural they ask Frex for her." said Rolfe, shrugging his shoulders.
"Disgusting." Fiyero muttered, "Well it's a good thing I don't need Frex's blessing to marry her."
"Are you thinking about marriage?" asked Rolfe.
"Of course." said Fiyero, "But I don't think we're ready for that yet. Especially not Elphaba."
"Of course you're not ready for that!" said Rolfe. Fiyero chuckled.
"I said I have been thinking, I didn't say I'd spring the question on her right now." said Fiyero, "If that's all, we'd better head back before Elphaba worries you disapprove of her." said Fiyero.
"She doesn't think much of herself does she." said Rolfe as they walked back.
"No. She doesn't even think she's pretty." said Fiyero.
"Well, I blame Frex. He's been telling her terrible things to her all her life so that she won't think she's worthy of marriage." Fiyero pushed the tall double doors open and was greeted with the sight of his mother and Elphaba pouring over an old photo album. Fiyero groaned as he realized they were pictures of him. Ugh, how terribly classic.
"Oh, Fiyero used to never go anywhere without his Captain Noodles action figure." Meredith was saying, pointing to a picture. Elphaba laughed. Meredith flipped the page, "Ugh, this was the worst part of Fiyero's childhood I tell you. See, Fiyero went through different stages, and this was his 'goth' stage. All of the other kids at school were going 'goth' after this stupid punk rock band. They were cutting themselves all day, disgusting. Fiyero, bless his soul, was too chicken to actually cut himself, so he drew on fake cuts with a marker." Meredith laughed and pointed to a picture with Fiyero, wearing all black, about 12 years old, and drawing on himself with a marker.
"Oh, that sounds just like him." said Elphaba.
"Oh c'mon, those scars were very macho." said Fiyero, "Macho and washable."
"Well turns out the band that started this whole gothic stage, they all died within the month. Tragic I suppose, but at least it ended the dreadful goth stage." Meredith said. She turned the page to some pictures of Fiyero. He was about 14 or 15 in these pictures. In one he had a guitar and in the other picture he was playing the piano. Meredith smiled at these pictures.
"Oh, this was what I think was the best stage of Fiyero's childhood ever." said Meredith, "It was his musical stage."
"Musicals?" asked Elphaba, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh yes. All he did all day was sign RENT songs and watch the Sound of Music over and over again. He even tried out for his school musical and got the lead of Radames or something like that, from Aida. He even wrote his own song, called it....oh, what was it? Oh yes, called it 'Dancing Through Life'." said Meredith.
"Hey, that song was good." Fiyero said defensively, "And very philosophical."
"Ha!" said Meredith.
"Will you sing it for me?" asked Elphaba.
"Perhaps after dinner." said Fiyero, already blushing.
"You'd sing for her but you wouldn't sing for your old mother?" asked Meredith, "Well I'll be." Meredith turned the page and began laughing out loud. Before Elphaba could see the picture, Fiyero grabbed the photo album out of Meredith's hands.
"Alright, enough pictures. Can we eat?" asked Fiyero hurriedly. He set the photo album on the mantle of the fire place. Meredith, who was still laughing, took her seat next to Rolfe and Elphaba and Fiyero took the seats across from them. The rest of dinner was spent laughing and exchanging stories and recounting old memories. There was a lot of teasing on Fiyero's part, and a lot on Rolfe's too. Somehow, the photo album had found its way back to the table and Fiyero found himself blushing like crazy. The four didn't even notice when dinner was finished. They'd migrated to the sitting room, crowded around old pictures.
***************************
Galinda slouched into her dorm room. She'd been looking for Elphaba all afternoon, Fiyero had disappeared too. She went to her bed and plopped onto it unceremoniously. She jumped when she felt the crinkled of paper beneath her. She pulled out the now crumpled piece of paper, and realized it was a letter from Elphaba, written in her neat slanted cursive.
Dear Galinda,
I am sorry I couldn't see you before leaving an tell you in person, but you were in classes and we would miss our train. Fiyero and I have left Shiz. Now before you jump to conclusions, we have not dropped out, surely you know me better than that. The stress at Shiz has been building. The rumors were getting out of hand, although I'm sure our leaving will only spark more rumors. Ah well, it comes with the price of being green or being royal. We have gone to the Vinkus, but we will be back within the next week sometimes. I'm sure you won't miss me too much, you'll have Lucas (and you know what I mean). Tell Nessa where I am, and Lucas if he asks. I'll be back soon.
Elphaba
Galinda lay back onto her pillows, thinking things over. So, Elphaba and Fiyero would be gone for a week or two, leaving her and Lucas. True, Galinda was already missing her best friend, and was sad to see her go, but perhaps her leaving was a good thing? Or more so, Fiyero's leaving was a good thing....With the two of them gone, she and Lucas could concentrate on each other and who knows, perhaps by the time Elphaba and Fiyero returned, everything would be alright, and everyone would love who they were supposed to love and...Galinda didn't know anymore. She wanted to get over Fiyero so badly, but you can't really will yourself to fall out of love can you? I mean you love who you love. Perhaps if she spent more time with Lucas...? Oh, who knew, she'd just have to wait and see.