Chapter 1, Part 2

Fiyero made no move to answer the door, until the rough knock was repeated. He wondered if it were Colverus, bringing some sudden news. So he went to the door and opened it to find... a stranger. A very wet, shivering stranger. He was dressed in ragged clothes and had a long-unshaven face. In fact, his growth of beard was wild, making him look like a wandering, rootless person.

The man extended his hand, introducing himself as Elgaron, saying he had been wandering all day in the storm. Fiyero could see in the man's eyes that he was exhausted, and knew he must be hungry. So he stepped aside and allowed the older man in, offering him a seat at the kitchen table. Fiyero set about brewing some tea while they made small talk about the day's storm and when it was likely to pass.

Once the tea was ready and Fiyero took a seat in the other chair, his visitor started asking more personal sorts of questions. Fiyero had only a moment's hesitation, then decided making conversation with this person was probably harmless, since he apparently had no family to go to and would have no one to tell about their meeting.

"This sure looked like a lonely place. I saw the lights on, but that's about the only way I could tell anyone lived here. You live here by yourself?"

"Yes," Fiyero replied, in his most convincing voice. "I was just thinking about turning in, actually. You're lucky you came by when you did."

Elphaba sat on the bed, perfectly still, listening to the talk from the other room. She wished this Elgaron person would leave. She didn't know what Fiyero was thinking, letting anyone in. She knew he suffered more in their isolation, but Colverus had just been here yesterday.

Finally, after about another half hour, there was no more noise from the kitchen. The silence stretched out comfortably, and Elphaba felt ready to leave her safe haven and join Fiyero at the table. When she stepped out into the living room, she got a rude surprise. She gasped and tried to go back the way she had come. But it was too late. Their visitor had seen her, and their eyes met... Elphaba's fear evaporated instantly, fury taking its place. She whirled on Fiyero, who was utterly mystified by her transformation.

"How could you let him in here??" she demanded, her anger so fierce it made her entire body quiver. Elphaba was so consumed with focusing her anger on Fiyero that she did not hear the wizard, now shed of his self-created magical disguise, utter some strange words. Fiyero's mouth opened and froze midway, before any words of explanation could escape. The wizard had effectively immobilized him which shocked Elphaba and caused her to turn her anger to its rightful source. However, not much was accomplished by this as the wizard had plans of his own. His mouth was forming another incantation, eyes blazing, body rigid and focused. When he finished, Elphaba felt no different and then realized that she was paralyzed. A bolt of pain ripped through her from head to toe and she knew that he had almost complete control over her actions. Fear rushed into her heart, causing it to pound crazily inside her chest.

Elphaba watched helplessly as the wizard took step after step nearer to her. He stopped shouting, but it was clear he was still in a rage, and she was unsure what else he might do. Her eyes were wide with fear, and she tried with all her might to move some part of her body. Seeing her desire in her eyes, the wizard smiled, but it was more of a leer than a true smile.

"You won't be going anywhere until I decide you can," he said levelly. "But don't worry. I'm not going to kill you... Yet. I may not have been much of a sorcerer when I was in the city, but it's surprising how fast one can learn, when they're determined. I never expected to be ready to come here so soon. It's already been more fun than I could have imagined." The wizard laughed, a bit crazily, and Elphaba realized she still had control of her voice. She began to demand that Fiyero be released from the spell he was under.

"Oh, not yet, I'm not finished with you... Can't have your lover interfering, can we?" He spoke as if he were addressing a very young child who could understand little of what he was saying. Elphaba glared at him, but fell silent for a few minutes. Then, in the most steady voice she could muster, she said,

"Whatever you've come here to do, do it. There's no one to stop you. You've had your fun. Be done with it. And me, if that's what you came here for."

"I'm not going to kill you right here," he replied calmly. "Such an easy death is too good for you. You humiliated me, tried to rob me of my power. Whether or not I really earned it, I was in a place that made me happy. And you ruined everything. How do you think it feels for a man to be destroyed by his only child??"

Elphaba was so surprised that for several interminable minutes she could say nothing. She wanted to protest that no, he must be lying, playing on her feelings because he knew how she longed to belong to a family again. But one look at his face told her that he was being truthful. He was furious, yes... but his eyes did not lie.

"How long have you known?" Elphaba asked quietly, and just for an instant, she saw in his eyes the desire to really have a daughter. To have someone to love. But in a blink, that was gone, and the hatred returned to his expression.

"Since just before I was sent away. I was still so angry at you. I hated you for what you'd done to me. To find out that you were not only my enemy, but also my daughter... I could never rest until I finished you. No one does those things to me and lives. Not even my own flesh and blood."

As a final act of humiliation, the wizard reached into a pocket of his large trench coat and withdrew a bottle Elphaba instantly recognized. He turned and placed it delicately on the table, as if it were a treasure he couldn't risk breaking. "A memento for you," he said cruelly. "I'm sure you thought this had been lost, but I saved it... for you." Then he turned and strode out, slamming the door behind himself.