"Elphie?"

"Glinda I just want to be alone right now." The blonde, ignoring her friend's words, climbed onto the palace's roof and curled up next to the green girl.

"If I leave you alone you're sure to just sit out here and beat yourself up," Glinda insisted. "Talk to me."

"I just let her die," Elphaba snapped bitterly. "What more is there to say? I deserve to beat myself up."

"You had to make an impossible decision," the petite woman soothed, wrapping an arm around her friend's shoulder. "You tried to save both of us."

"But I didn't save both of you," the green woman insisted. "She slipped right out of my hands." Moisture bloomed in her eyes and spilled over. "Damn tears."

***

The Governor's Residence had become a fortress of hostile activity. Tent villages extended out all around, holding the men and women of Nessarose's army. Technically speaking she was conquering Oz for the good of the Sand People, whom had made her their leader. Of course the witch of the east knew that her intentions were not for the advancement of those she ruled. All she wanted was a chance to get Glinda out of the way and have Boq to herself. She knew he wouldn't choose her, but Nessa wasn't above mind control. In the years since she'd discovered her talent for manipulating thoughts with magic the brunette had honed her skills to a razor keen point. Her enemies would fall and then the elusive munchkin would be hers. She would be Oz's queen and he would be her king.

However, even Nessa's acute senses didn't pick up the approach of a cloaked figure in the darkness of night. A flash of black fabric outside her window was all she saw as someone, or something, moved across the roof of the manor house. Two pacing guards looked up from their patrol at the sound of a creaking board. One could have sworn he saw a shadowy shape but when his eyes swept the place again it was empty.

***

"Someone's been sabotaging the Sand People," Caya informed the rest of the gang as she marched into the dining hall. "They're calling her 'The Raven'."

"It's a her?" Brrr inquired curiously.

"Eye witnesses claim she has a distinct feminine figure," the Tiger read from the newspaper in her hand. "Most people believe she's a black Cat."

"What's she done to hinder our enemies?" Elphaba wanted to know.

"Burned supplies and stolen weapons," Izo answered, reading over his mother's shoulder.

"How do they know all this?" Glinda questioned.

"Munchkinlanders are keeping a close eye on the Governor's Residence," Caya responded. "It sounds like this Raven person has made more than one trip to the enemy camp."

"Maybe we should arrange a meeting with her," Fiyero suggested, the strategic gears in his head beginning to turn. The Tiger snorted incredulously.

"I doubt some disappearing renegade with the nerve to go poking around Nessarose is gonna want to talk to you," she growled amusedly.

"Well it's worth a shot," the Winkie insisted.

"And how exactly do you plan on sending the Raven a message?" Elphaba queried.

"We could put something in the papers," Boq advised. "A headline that says 'Lady Elphaba seeks and audience with the Raven'."

"I'm sure that'll work," the green witch huffed, getting up to leave as she did increasingly often. Nervous glances were cast around the table.

"I'll get her," Fiyero sighed.

***

"Fae you can't go on like this." As usual Elphaba's wandering feet had led her back to the rooms she shared with Fiyero.

"I can do whatever I want."

"Elphaba…" His arms encircled her waist. "Wallowing in blame won't do anyone good."

"But I deserve the blame," she sniffled, bearing her face in his shoulder. "It was my fault. I could have saved her if I'd dived first and then shot the fire at Glinda's attacker."

"And the Glinda might have died and you'd be in the same predicament," the Winkie sighed. "Sometimes you've just got to accept that you couldn't have stopped it. You've got to accept that everyone is powerless sometimes."

"I can't afford to be powerless when I'm responsible for so much."

"Yes you can." He gently kissed the tears from her cheeks. Slowly the Winkie's lips trailed down the side of her face, eventually brushing softly against Elphaba's neck.

"Yero…" Her lips found his with fervent need. Fiyero's lovingly caressed his wife's face as he responded to the infinitely sweet kiss.

***

Nessarose was sitting alone in her dimly lit study, facing an old quoxwood desk. A sensation of unease was slowly prickling up the back of her neck, as if she was being watched. "Hello." The brunette wheeled her chair around to face the source of the noise. It was a hooded figure that wore a dark cloak. She, for it was clearly a she, was either swathed in tight black clothing or midnight colored fur. The second of these assumptions seemed more likely.

"Hello," Nessarose responded calmly, reaching out in an attempt to enter the intruder's thoughts. She was surprised to find them rock hard and closely guarded. "I assume, from what I've heard, that you liked to be called the Raven."

"It does not matter what you call me," the shadow of a person replied. "What matters is whether or not you choose to accept my proposition." Nessa quirked an eyebrow, inviting her visitor to go on. "I would like to offer you my services in exchange for monetary incentive."

"That seems odd, considering you've been robbing me."

"My attacks on your operation have been well documented by the papers," the Raven explained. "Therefore the opposition will be more likely to believe I am on their side."

"What services could you offer me?"

"I could feed them false information." Nessarose seemed to consider this.

"Can I trust you?"

"As long as I am paid I will do anything you ask," the cloaked figure assured her.

"Good," the brunette responded, her eyes already bright with ideas. "In that case I will be employing your services. I need someone to begin toying with Elphaba's emotions, but in a roundabout fashion. The easiest way to do that will be through her daughter Selky's death."

"I don't understand."

"Where guards and weapons fail to destroy my sister hope will finish her off," Nessarose quoted sagely. "We're going to make her believe that Selky is still alive, or at least that her spirit still resides."

"An ingenious plan."

"But, before anything is made official, you must swear one thing."

"What?"

"You must promise that, should the opportunity ever present itself, you will kill Glinda the Good."

"It would be my pleasure."

Oooh suspense…

some of my OCs (including Selky) may be making appearences in my humor fic 'Interview with a Witch' (in which reviewers can ask Wicked characters questions) in case any of you are interested …

…let me know what you think about the Raven…hopefully the new OC doesn't bug you…