As I said in the author's note, for those of you who read it, I am sorry for not updating in ages and I hope this chapter makes up for it. Next update is the 1st November (I'm off school for half term so more time to write). Enjoy!
Chapter 12 – Try to Explain
As Elphaba carried Clyara down the corridor she worried about what the little girl had just told her. She vaguely knew an empath in the year above her at Shiz, and had read about the condition, and knew that although it was controllable in a way that did not interfere hugely in everyday life, it could also be very distressing to sufferers. It was also very unusual for the condition to show itself so young, it usually did not show itself at all until the middle teens and yet Clyara was showing developed skills as such a young girl, it showed a very powerful dormant talent.
Her thoughts broke off as the subject of her wonderings spoke her name softly and tightened her arms around her neck.
"Elphaba?"
She looked at the child in her arms, a tender smile on her face.
"What is it, sweetheart?"
"Are you angry with me, for what I told you?" The child looked troubled; her bottom lip quivered and there were tears welling up in her eyes. "Please don't be angry with me. I don't want you to be angry…"
The tears which had been threatening spilled over down her cheeks and her small body shook with suppressed sobs as she buried her face in Elphaba's shoulder.
Elphaba was horrified. She rocked Clyara in her arms, and then turned back up the corridor the way they had come. The little girl was in no state to sit at the table with her family. As she hurried back towards Clyara's room she caught at the arm of one of the serving men.
"Excuse me, could you tell the king and queen that Elphaba and Clyara will not be joining them for breakfast, and that once they have eaten could they come to the nursery as soon as possible."
"Of course, Miss Thropp." The man bowed and hurried off, for Clyara was the pet of all the servants.
This settled, Elphaba continued back up the corridor, murmuring soothing words to the still sobbing Clyara as they went. As they reached the nursery Elphaba gestured to the nurse, who left the room unobtrusively.
Elphaba settled down in the armchair by the fire with Clyara on her knee, and then kissed the top of the child's her and held her close until the sobs subsided somewhat.
"Darling, how could you think that I was angry with you. I could never be angry with you. You haven't done anything wrong."
The tear stained face looked up at her.
"But…you weren't saying anything to me and I thought…"
Elphie silently cursed herself.
"Oh sweetheart, I was worried about you. Please don't think I was angry with you."
Clyara nodded more contentedly and then whispered "I love you Elphaba".
The slender green arms tightened around her as Elphaba whispered "I love you too, Clyara."
Then she loosened the hold on the little girl and said in an undertone "almost as much as I love Fiyero, but don't tell him, hem might get jealous!"
Clyara giggled and Elphaba breathed a sigh of relief.
The door banged open and then closed as Fiyero hurtled into the room, followed at a more sedate pace by his parents. They all looked worried, Fiyero crossed the room in three strides and leant over the back of Elphaba's chair, kissing the top of her head. Then he spoke to Clyara softly.
"Cly, do you want me here? I will stay if you want me to, or I can leave, it's your decision."
His sister looked at Elphaba, who nodded at her.
"It's your decision poppet, Fiyero won't mind what you say."
Clyara pondered for a minute.
"Elphaba, will you tell him quickly now, outside, and then come back and we can explain to Mama and Papa."
Elphaba nodded and rose from the chair as Clyara slid off her lap and ran lightly across the room to her parents.
Fiyero took Elphaba's hand and led her from the room at a more sedate pace than the one he had entered at, as soon as they got out of the door he kissed her tenderly and wrapped his arms around her.
"Fae, what's wrong with my baby sister?"
Elphaba looked tired as she turned her face to his.
"She's an empath Yero" she raised her finger to his lips as she began to say something "please let me finish. But there's something all wrong about it. Her powers have manifested way too early and I don't know what to do…" she broke off and simply leaned into her fiancés touch for a moment, then recovered herself somewhat and pulled away.
"I need to go back Yero, Clyara needs me to help explain."
He let go of her reluctantly, kissing her again before turning away. Then he turned back for a moment and spoke softly but passionately in her ear.
"Ok then, my darling fiancée, go and help your future sister-in-law. But as soon as you finish I want to see you in your room and we're going to talk about this."
Elphaba looked troubled for a moment and then saw the twinkle in his eyes. "Oh, you…" She kissed him again and then re-entered the nursery to see Ulbard and Sulid in the armchairs with Clyara sitting on the floor in the middle of the room with her arms held out. As she approached Ulbard rose to give her his chair but she smiled at him and knelt down on the floor by Clyara, hugging the little girl.
"Sir, Ma'am…" she broke off as she remembered the conversation of the previous night and blushed. "I mean, Ulbard, Sulid, I'm sorry not to have been at breakfast and to have worried you. Clyara was upset and I felt that her need was the greatest at the time. If she feels able, I would like her to explain to you what the problem was." She looked at Clyara, the question she wanted to ask in her eyes. "Is that ok, Cly?"
Clyara nodded and spoke softly to her parents, her eyes downcast.
"Mama, Papa, sometimes I can hear the thoughts of people around me. Well not hear the thoughts exactly but I know that they're happy or sad and it makes me happy or sad too. Like when Yero and Elphaba came to tell me about them being engaged this morning I felt happy as soon as they came in, even though I didn't know why they were there."
Elphaba saw the distressed faces of both parents and jumped in to reassure them.
"It's nothing to be concerned about as far as I am aware. I believe that Clyara is an empath, I have read about them and I know one at Shiz, although not very well. There is nothing dangerous about the condition, it just happens to have emerged very young in Clyara's case."
Sulid smiled at the girl who her son loved so much, understanding his feelings in that instant. How could one not love a girl who cared so much about the feelings of others?
Ulbard sat in silence for a moment, and then spoke.
"Clyara, come here darling."
His daughter jumped up and ran to sit on his knee.
"Why could you not have told us about this darling? I'm not angry with you, neither is Mama, but we're worried. I wish you could have spared yourself this upset."
Clyara looked slightly shamefaced.
"I'm sorry Papa. I didn't think it was anything important because it was only sometimes, and I didn't want to bother you and Mama when you're so busy…"
He kissed her on her forehead, and her mother rose and did the same, and then spoke for the first time.
"Now, sweetheart, you run along to Nursey and she'll take you down to Cook for some breakfast. You must be hungry."
Clyara nodded, kissed both her parents and then Elphaba, and skipped out of the room. Elphaba got up and made to leave also, but Sulid stopped her.
"Elphaba, I wanted to thank you for looking after our daughter.
Ulbard echoed her.
"Thank you for being there for her. It means a lot to both of us."
Elphaba blushed and nodded shyly.
"She is a sweet girl, I don't see how anybody could help but love her instantly. I certainly couldn't. And thank you both for accepting it so well.
The king and queen nodded, and then both roes. Ulbard laid a hand on Elphaba's arm and then Sulid kissed her cheek warmly.
"Thank you my dear. Now, if I know our son he will be pacing up and down wrecking the place whilst he waits for you so please go and rescue the palace!"
Elphaba laughed and left the room, walking lightly down the corridor until she reached the bedroom where she had slept the previous night. She opened the door quietly and walked inside, only to be swept off her feet as Fiyero crossed the room in an instant and wrapped her in his arms. She put her arms around his neck and then reached up to kiss him, he returning the kiss as deeply as she gave it. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he carried her over to the sofa where they continued to kiss. This was very out of character for Elphaba, but Fiyero didn't comment, letting his fiancée take whatever comfort she needed from him. After a few minutes they drew apart and Elphaba rearranged herself so that she was curled up with her head on Fiyero's chest.
"I'm sorry Yero. I needed that more than I realised. I was just so overwhelmed by everything with Clyara, and then I needed you so much…" she was silenced by Fiyero hushing her gently.
"Don't apologise, Fae. We're engaged for one, so it's allowed for us to do that, and for another I'm here to love you and protect you, and if you need me then I'm here for you. You know that."
She nodded her agreement and then leaned her head into his chest, listening to his heartbeat as he stroked her raven black hair.
"I love you, Yero my Hero."
He chuckled softly as he sat there. "No as much as I love you, my darling Fae. Nobody ever could love anyone as much as I love you."
She pouted in a truly Galinda-esque fashion, sitting upright opposite him at the opposite end of the sofa.
"I love you more, Prince Fiyero."
"Oh no you don't, Miss Thropp."
"She pushed his chest so that he fell backwards, laughing, into the cushions. "No, I'm afraid you are quite wrong."
He laughed back, wrapping his arms around her slender frame and depositing her unceremoniously onto the floor. "I win. I love you the most."
AN: I hope this chapter makes up for the wait! Please review and tell me what you think! Reviewers get virtual cookies and hugs. Next update on the 1st November!