"So I heard that you and Fiyero went ice skating today." said Meredith at dinner that night.
"We did." said Elphaba, "It was surprisingly fun, who knew Fiyero could think up such good ideas." Elphaba was surprised at the ease at which she could talk to Meredith and Rolfe, as though they were her own parents. She felt like they understood her and did not judge her. They treated her as she supposed Frex treated Nessa, like their daughter. She actually talked to them; she didn't just give them the short curt answers she gave most everyone else. Sure, at first she had been shy and only spoke when asked a question, or nodded, but now, she felt so at ease with them.
"Yes, well I'm sure Fiyero can't think of two good ideas in a row, which is why I thought of one myself," said Meredith, smiling at her son as he rolled his eyes at her dig, "I thought we could go whale watching."
"Whale watching?" asked Elphaba.
"Yes," said Meredith, "You don't actually have to watch for whales if you don't want to, but it is fun if you spot one, or a dolphin. You see we have this big royal yacht and sometimes we take it out to the ocean and sail around and chat, and just relax in the sea breeze."
"Um, I'm allergic to water," Elphaba said a little uneasily.
"Oh, that's alright, you won't get wet." said Rolfe, "And if you do, we'll blame it all on Fiyero and you can shove him over the side."
"Hey!" Fiyero interjected, pretending to be offended, "I'd like to see you getting shoved into the sea." Fiyero muttered at his father.
"Ah, but I am the King of the Vinkus and you--" Rolfe began, grinning at Fiyero.
"--are a mere prince," Fiyero finished for Rolfe, an annoyed but slightly humored look on his face, "yeah, I've heard it before, like when you made me do that stupid dunk tank thing at that stupid carnival."
"It was for charity!" Rolfe laughed.
"Which is the only reason I did it," Fiyero grumbled.
"Alright, boys settle down," said Meredith, sounding as though she was reprimanding two little kids rather than a grown man and his teenage son.
"Yes mother." said Fiyero and Rolfe at the same time, crossing their arms in unison.
*************************
Elphaba stood at the head of the yacht. The yacht was grand and white with rooms and a beautiful view of the sea. Her hair swirled around her in the wonderful sea breeze, the moist air felt good blowing across her skin. The moisture in the breeze made her skin tingle, but not burn, it felt wonderful, it was the closest she would ever get to touching water without burning. The ocean stretched before her for miles and miles until it disappeared into the horizon, as though flowing off of the end of the Earth. The water was different than the green phlegm lakes and rivers throughout the rest of Oz. This water was blue and pure, and unpolluted, it seemed innocent, but it was just water. Elphaba loved staring at it as the waves rolled about carelessly, crashing into the yacht. She closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the sea, like music the waves beat in rhythms that were lost to her. She opened her eyes as she heard the seagull's swooping above the ship. They dipped towards the sea, letting their wings skim the surface of the smooth water. Elphaba watched longingly, it must feel good, to let your fingertips glide through the water, unharmed. She'd always said that if she could have one wish, it would be to not be green, but perhaps now she wished to not be allergic to water. She felt a hand on her shoulder.
"What are you looking at?" asked Fiyero.
"The sea." said Elphaba, "It's beautiful."
"You should see it at sunset," said Fiyero, "It's even prettier."
"I believe it." Elphaba said, "What does it feel like?" she asked.
"What does what feel like?" asked Fiyero.
"Waves, rain, water, what does it feel like?" asked Elphaba.
"It feels like....water." said Fiyero, he knew what she wanted to hear. But he didn't know how to describe the feel of water. For everyone, the feel of water was just taken for granted, like air and sunlight. Elphaba had never felt water as he or anyone else did, it was a torture device to her, but she wanted to feel it as others did, Fiyero could tell. She looked at the rolling waves, with sea foam coating the tips, with a look of longing.
"It looks so wonderful," said Elphaba, remembering when she'd stay inside as she watched other children dance and play about in the rain for days and days wishing she could do the same thing, "But it won't ever be for me. I am so different. I am the aberration."
"Is being the aberration so bad?" asked Fiyero softly, wrapping his arms around her small frame.
"Yes, it is." said Elphaba, leaning back into his embrace.
"I don't think its so bad." sad Fiyero, "I love you and everything about you."
"Really? Does your love for me make me seem more normal?" Elphaba smirked.
"No, it makes you seem even more special." said Fiyero. Elphaba had nothing to say to this, and Fiyero did not expect her to say anything.
********************
Later, they went to the top deck on the yacht and had a lovely dinner. It was dinner at the sunset. The clouds took on a light pink/purple color and the sky turned to faded peach. The waves turned a darker blue and the sun a beautiful dull orange sinking down into the depths of the sea. The white seagulls that floated above the sea turned to black silhouettes that glided among the clouds. A few candles were lit and a table set up with a white tablecloth that seemed to match the innocence of the sea.
"Oh Fiyero look!" Elphaba suddenly cried, and pointed to the sea with one hand, using the other to latch onto his arm in excitement. Two dolphins, (or were they porpoises?) were seen looping in and out of the water near the horizon, seeming as though they were dancing together. They chirped seemed as though to wave their fins at the ship. Elphaba laughed and waved back before the dolphins disappeared.
"Oh, that must have been Leo and Lem," said Rolfe, "Nice fellows them."
"You know them?" asked Elphaba.
"Leo and Lem? Sure I know them. We used to be great pals; they used to live in the sea near the Emerald City, but then those stupid laws were made against Animal rights. The Wizard had his men find all of the Animals in the sea and kill them or put them in tanks or cages to prevent them from speaking. I was able to smuggle Leo and Lem out before they were caught and brought them here. No one hunts for Animals here, it's too serene, to peaceful, there's something about this place that makes people just want it to stay this way you know?"
"That was very nice of you to rescue Lem and Leo." said Elphaba.
"Oh look, there's Borkin." said Meredith. Elphaba looked out to the sea and saw a great Whale leap from the sea and plummet back in with a large splash that sent sea foam scattering across the top of the sea like marbles being dropped onto a wood floor and rolling in every which direction.
"Has Borkin always lived here?" asked Elphaba.
"Yes, he used to give Fiyero rides on his back when Fiyero was a little boy," said Meredith, "Oh, the sea, you've got to love it."
"It is very enchanting." Elphaba commented.
"We'd better start heading back," said Rolfe, "I'll go give the orders." Rolfe walked down to tell the captain to start heading back to shore.
*************************
The rest of Elphaba and Fiyero's stay in the Vinkus was spent doing various activities like picnicking in the gardens or bowling, or going more skating, Elphaba really took a liking to that. Every once in a while the family would take the yacht out. The family, that's how Elphaba felt, like she was part of this family, and that's how everyone else felt too. Even the servants and castle staff viewed Elphaba as family. Brian, the chef's apprentice, he was about 21, already treated her like a little sister. He was also Fiyero's best friend. Sometimes Fiyero went down to the kitchens and helped out because he didn't like having to do no work, so sometimes he helped in the kitchens. Elphaba of course followed him and helped cook too. The Chef had praised her and had called her his little cooking angel. Brian and Fiyero teased her about that all of the time now.
"Hello my little cooking angel." said Brian as Elphaba and Fiyero came into the kitchen's the next day.
"Hello, ready to learn how to make crème brulee?" asked Elphaba, everyday she gave Brian a different cooking lesson while the main chef was busy.
"Oh yeah," said Brian, rolling up his sleeves and fisting his hands, as though getting ready to take someone out. Elphaba laughed.
"What're you going to do? Punch the flour to death?" asked Fiyero, "Because it's already dead Brian."
"Oh shut up Fiyero," said Brian, laughing, "At least I can punch something to death, whether it's dead or not. It'd probably take you all your energy and 5 hours just to flip the light switch."
"Ha ha." said Fiyero sarcastically. Elphaba laughed at the boy's banter and proceeded to show them how to make crème brulee.
"Don't I feel manly," muttered Fiyero as he stood in front of the oven waiting for the desert to cook in a pink apron, the real cooks had taken all of the white ones.
"Hey, don't mock the manliness of cooking," Brian warned, it was his dream to become a chef.
"Right, because this is what all the tough guys do." said Fiyero.
"Exactly," Brian nodded.
"Well, I think you two are both great cooks." said Elphaba.
"Oh gee, I'm blushing." Brian laughed. They all laughed as they joked around waiting for the food to cook when Kohl walked in, a letter in his hand.
"Miss Elphaba, this is for you." he said, "It came this morning, from Shiz."
"Oh?" Elphaba took the letter and opened it quickly, she quickly recognized the curly cursive that bubbled and the 'I's were all dotted with little hearts.
Dear Elphie,
It's me, Galinda! I'm sure you miss me, because I really miss you! I wouldn't be writing to you and distracting you from all your Fiyero lovey dovey time, but a letter just came for you from the WIZARD! The Wizard! I really want to open it and see what it says, but I believe you should open it. It looks really important and stuff. I could probably send it to the Vinkus, but I won't, because then you won't come back for even longer!!! So I am holding your letter hostage until you come back. Besides, you've been gone for like a week and a half already. Didn't you say you'd be back by now? The dorm is lonely, even with Lucas over here all of the time! Oh, did I just write that? Scratch that last sentence for me.
Anyway, I thought you might want to know about your letter, and come back to Shiz!!! (pretty please?) And besides, you should be dying to see what the WIZARD wrote to you for! If you don't get back, I shall open that letter with my handy dandy pink letter opener myself. I will! I tell you I will!
Miss You!
Galinda Upland (The Ga is most absolutely not silent)
"Fiyero," said Elphaba, "I think we should go back to Shiz tomorrow."
"Why?" asked Fiyero, "Is something wrong?"
"No, but Galinda's just written to me. She misses me and well, a letter from the Wizard came for me and I want to get back so I can read it!" said Elphaba, unable to contain her excitement.
"Fabala, I'm so happy for you!" said Fiyero. He picked Elphaba up and spun her around like in the cheesy romantic movies. Brian laughed at the cute little couple.
"Congratulations little angel." said Brian.
******************
The next day, Elphaba and Fiyero stood at the carriage, saying goodbye to Rolfe, Meredith, Kohl, Brian and a number of the other castle staff.
"Now if you ever want to come back, you just come back, you're always welcome here." said Meredith, giving Elphaba a warm motherly hug. Elphaba nodded.
"If Fiyero ever does something stupid, I give you full permission to slap him on the head." said Rolfe.
"And to put food poisoning in his crème brulees!" Brian called. Elphaba laughed and gave Brian and hug and quick peck on the cheek before climbing into the carriage, Fiyero getting in after her. Elphaba waved goodbye one last time as her Vinkus family began to fall out of sight as the carriage rolled down the dirt road.
"I don't think I've ever been anywhere else better than that." said Elphaba, "All it was missing was Galinda and Kendal."
"I'm glad you had fun." said Fiyero, "It was a nice break, wasn't it?"
"A very nice break." Elphaba agreed, "I think I'll be able to handle the rumors now when we get back, I mean, they can't be worse than what they were saying before..."
"When we get back, I swear, I'm going to make an announcement that will stop those damn rumors once and for all." said Fiyero, suddenly angry, but not at Elphaba, never at Elphaba.
"Don't do anything drastic." said Elphaba, smiling softly at him.
"When have I ever done anything drastic?" Fiyero joked. Elphaba smiled and laid her head on his shoulder and fell asleep.
************************
Elphaba awoke to Fiyero's gentle nudge. She opened her eyes to the familiar Shiz fountains. They got out of the carriage and the driver went on to the dorms to deliver their things so they wouldn't have to carry them. Unfortunately, a rather large portion of Shiz was by the fountains in the courtyard area, eating lunch. They all stopped their idle chatter to stare at Elphaba and Fiyero. Elphaba took a subconscious step away from Fiyero and started to walk away, when Fiyero grabbed her wrist suddenly and pulled her back gently. Then he let go and climbed on top of the large statue in the middle of the courtyard.
"Alright, everybody listen!" he called, as though they were not already, "I am IN LOVE with ELPHABA THROPP!" Elphaba started blushing furiously at this, but Fiyero continued, "And if you have a problem with that, you'd better be able to defend yourself if you value your life! I don't know why it is so hard to comprehend that I love her and that she loves me but it's happened, it's real. You people probably wouldn't know love if it crapped on your face! She did not spell me, she did not black mail, I am not using her, I just love her and she just loves me. Understand?!" Fiyero yelled. Nobody said anything, but he was pretty sure they got the message. He jumped down, took Elphaba's hand and kissed her long for the everyone to see. Everyone gasped at the sight, they wouldn't admit it, but surprisingly the prince and the green girl looked....good together.
"Do you think it worked?" asked Elphaba as they walked away.
"I'm not sure, but I'm pretty sure the message was delivered." Fiyero smiled at her.
"Did you hear what Fiyero said? I think he actually loves her." someone said.
"Well, if he loves her, maybe she's not all that bad." said the other.
"But she's green!"
"And you're white!"
"Good point."