Chapter 7

"Maybe there is a way," Glinda said, her smile widening. Fiyero turned from the sink in surprise. "What? How?" Glinda laughed softly to see him so excited. "Well, you two ARE already coming to a wedding. It can't be that hard to make it a double wedding can it?"

"I don't know... I suppose not. But Glinda, we have no money for wedding clothes. I do not want to take Elphaba as my wife standing there in our traveling clothes. She deserves better."

"She does, and she will have it. Oh, it will be even more fun planning this part than it was for mine!" The twinkle in Glinda's eyes was so obvious Fiyero laughed out loud. She went on almost as if he weren't in the room. "The flowers, the cake... of course you two have to have your own cake! And the clothes... that will be the tricky part, the fittings. You two could always come once or twice before the day arrives to do that. Or did you want to surprise her?"

"SURPRISE her? With a wedding?? Come on, Glinda. You know how how shy she is... Being hit with that all at once will be too much for her. I need to tell her, give her time to prepare. That way, we can come and go from the city, let the people fuss about the clothes. And that cake you insist we have to have. Elphaba should decide that. I have no clue about that kind of thing. Maybe she doesn't either, but it might be fun for her. Besides, that's girly stuff."

"Oh, don't make that sound like such an insult!" Glinda cried, shooting him a dirty look. "Okay, so we can't surprise her with a wedding... There is still another way. Leave those stupid dishes for later and come over here. Just sit down and wait for a minute, I forgot the book in the bedroom."

As Glinda went to fetch the book from the bedside table, Fiyero sat there in the kitchen, knowing what was about to happen. Very soon, he would look like himself again. He supposed he should feel more excited at the prospect, but as he had told Elphaba so many times in the last six months, his appearance did not trouble him. But he also knew the light it would bring to Elphaba's eyes to see him looking like himself again. That alone would make casting the counterspell worthwhile. What DID make him nervous, excited, and happy was the idea of the wedding. Him, a groom! And he knew that whatever they both ended up wearing that day, whatever they or their wedding cake looked like, it was going to be a wonderful day.

Glinda had returned and was standing expectantly in front of Fiyero. He could see from her expression she'd been waiting for him to notice her. "Sorry," he whispered. "Daydreaming. Are you sure you can get the right spell twice in a row, there?" Fiyero was joking, but Glinda frowned and slapped him lightly on the arm. "That is NOT funny," she snapped. "I'm nervous enough when it comes to this book. Just sit there quietly, let me read and make sure I've got it right..."

Glinda stood there reading to herself for several minutes, long enough that Fiyero began to wonder if something was wrong. But after another moment, she looked up and said, "All right, I'm sure this is the right one. You're sure this is what you want? Because if it isn't, it might make the spell go wrong... I'm not really sure that's how things work, but it may be."

"Go ahead, Glinda. I'm sure. Elphaba needs to see this spell reversed, countered, whatever... It will please her. If it makes her happy, it makes me happy."

"All right then. Hopefully it won't take long..." Glinda cast her eyes down to the page and focused so intently on reading the words printed there that at first she didn't realize Fiyero's reversion back to his former self had begun to happen. Once it reached his face, though, Glinda did catch glimpses. The words of the spell now concluded, Glinda set the heavy book down on the kitchen table. Fiyero was looking at himself from head to toe while seated in the chair at first. After a minute, he rose and walked to the nearest mirror, and began to study his reflection.

"It's me," he whispered. "It really worked. She'll be so overjoyed. Thank you!" Glinda had followed him across the room, standing behind him as he gazed at himself in the reflecting glass. Now, Fiyero turned and hugged Glinda tightly. "Thank you," he repeated, the sound of tears in his voice. As he released her from the hug, he asked. "Did Elphaba fall asleep? I can't wait to show her!"

"She was already fast asleep when I went back in to get the Grimmerie. But I asked her to let me know as soon as she was awake. You can show her then."

"That will have to do, then," Fiyero sighed, his excitement ebbing considerably. "I should look in on her, though, to make sure she's all right. Can you stay long enough to be here when I show her what you did, and to tell her about the wedding?"

Glinda smiled brightly. "I already promised I'd stay until she woke. Go on, look in on her. I need to go outside for some fresh air anyway." Glinda exited through the front door, seeming in a sudden hurry to take her leave of the house. Fiyero was puzzled by this, but decided to ask Glinda about it later. His thoughts turned to Elphaba alone as he entered the small bedroom to see if she was sleeping peacefully.

As soon as Fiyero had closed the door and sat carefully on the edge of the bed, Elphaba turned to face him. "Hey... Glinda said you were sleeping. Why didn't you say something before, Ivy?"

Elphaba paid no mind to his question, her eyes riveted to his face. "It's you!" she cried. "Glinda really did it... She made things right again. Where is she, did she leave?"

"She's outside. I think she was a little overwhelmed," Fiyero replied as Elphaba reached out and began to caress each side of his face. She didn't say anything, only stared as tears came to her eyes. "Don't cry, Ivy," Fiyero soothed, even as tears began to fall down his cheeks. He removed her hands from his face tenderly, before they could be burned by his tears. "Don't cry. It's a happy day... I can cry for us both. There is something else, Ivy. Glinda asked me if, when we come to the city for her wedding, we'd want to get married too. She's already begun to make all these plans inside her head. Would that be all right? Would you like that?"

"Of course I would." Elphaba was smiling, but didn't seem as happy as Fiyero had expected. He waited patiently, sensing she would be forthcoming with the explanation why. "Fiyero, she already put herself in danger just by coming here. She has saved my life, and undone the spell I cast... How can we ask her for anything more? You know we have no money to pay for a single thing. She will have to give it to us. Colverus already does so much for us, with no compensation. But an actual wedding... We are going to have to repay her somehow, even if it takes us years."

"I know, I've thought of that too. We'll figure something out. Why don't you come outside? The sun is out, and you've been trapped in here for days. It will be good for you."

Elphaba nodded and rose slowly from the bed. She had been in bed so long she seemed unsure on her feet. Fiyero left the room for a few minutes to give Elphaba time to change clothes. She soon joined him in the living room, and they walked outside. Glinda had lingered next to the house, but seemed lost in thought as they approached. When Elphaba spoke, she actually startled her friend.

"You don't have to leave yet, do you? Please stay longer. I know there isn't a lot of room, but we can figure out something. Please?"

"I really shouldn't," she said sadly. "I want to, but it's safer for the two of you if I go soon. I'll send a carriage for the two of you in a few weeks. You can come to the city and start making the wedding plans. I can see Fiyero told you about the plans. I should probably teach you that masking spell before I go, but we can do that inside. I'm glad you and Fiyero are so happy with the results of everything I did. How do you feel now, is all of the pain gone?"

Elphaba nodded quickly, and smiled. "I'm fine. Thank you, for everything. I'm sorry we argued earlier... I feel very frustrated sometimes with the way things are. I know Fiyero isn't happy here, and it's my fault we had to come here in the first place."

Glinda met her best friend's eyes, her face serious. "Well, when the two of you come back to the city for the wedding, you'll never have to leave it again unless you want to. I'm going to make sure of it."

Elphaba thanked Glinda again, then everyone but the coachman went back inside. Glinda taught Elphaba the words of the spell that she would need to travel safely to the city. They tested it out briefly, and found that it would work perfectly. Elphaba was fascinated by her reflection in the mirror, and as she stood looking at herself, she seemed about to start crying again.

"This is what I would have looked like if I'd been born looking normal..." she whispered. "If I had been beautiful... like Nessa."

Glinda and Fiyero could think of nothing to say that wouldn't come across as encouragement for Elphaba to keep her true appearance masked constantly, so they both remained silent. After another moment or two, Elphaba reluctantly lifted the spell, knowing the time had come to say goodbye to her friend.

"Don't look so sad," Glinda whispered. "It will only be a few weeks until we see each other again. We have a wedding to plan, and you can meet Travion. I'll ask him if he can be there especially to meet both of you. Once we know how long it will take the seamstresses and everyone to finish their work, we can set a wedding date. How does that sound?"

"Fine," Fiyero began, trying to sound cheerful. "Thank you again, for everything. I don't know how we can ever repay you."

Glinda hugged both of her friends goodbye before she replied. "I don't expect any repayment. Friends have to help each other, that's all. Seeing the two of you happy is all the repayment I need. Take care of yourselves, and I'll see you soon."

Glinda then left quickly, knowing that if she didn't leave immediately, she may change her mind and decide to stay longer. Elphaba and Fiyero watched from the front window as Glinda climbed back into the carriage, and the driver steered it away from the house, slowly at first, then faster. Once the carriage and its occupants were only a speck on the horizon, Elphaba turned away from the window, her shoulders sagging, looking very sad. Out of the corner of his eye, Fiyero saw Elphaba's expression, and wrapped an arm tenderly around her shoulders.

"Try not to be too sad." Fiyero whispered. "You heard what she said. Soon, we'll be headed back to the city, and making plans to get married!" Elphaba smiled but made no reply, so Fiyero went on. "You do look tired though. Maybe you shouldn't have gotten up yet."

"I'm not tired. It was time I got out of bed. I'll just have to live with this, that's all."

"With what? What's wrong?" He sounded alarmed, and Elphaba was sorry she was making him worry about her again.

"The pain... Glinda did the best she could to take it away, I know that. But it's still there... I think the wizard did that on purpose. So that even if Glinda saved me, I would still suffer. He has known for years Glinda is my best friend, and he trusted she'd come here to help me. So I'm going to live. Live with the pain until I die."

"Ivy, why didn't you tell her?? Maybe if she had cast the spell a second time..."

"No, Fiyero! Don't you understand what I'm saying? He WANTED things this way, exactly this way! I'm going to live the rest of my life feeling this pain inside. It isn't agonizing. I can move and breathe well enough, but it is a constant dull ache. There is nothing I can do about it. HE could probably remove this... this curse. But it's not as if any of us would be able to find him. You know that, Fiyero. He did as he wanted, and now he has disappeared. I'm sure NO ONE will set eyes on him again. He hated me for betraying him, he told me so... and I've earned having this curse put on me, Fiyero. It's only right I should carry a burden like this."

Anger flashed in Fiyero's eyes, and he gripped Elphaba's shoulder as he spoke. "You know how I feel when you say things like that, Ivy. You do not exist just to bear punishment from other people! No one deserves a life like that. You deserve to have happiness, too. To make the best life for yourself that you can. I know you have a lot of regrets... Nessa, and Boq... and me. But I'm fine now. Nessa is dead, and I know how that hurts you, but it can't be undone. No matter what you did or didn't do, you do not DESERVE punishment, Ivy!"

"Yes, I do," Elphaba said firmly. "No matter whether you agree with me or not, this spell is a fact of my life now. I realize exactly what the wizard has done to me. Nothing can lift this from me. All I ask is that you do your best to endure everything with me. I'm glad it isn't you that has to suffer. But I suppose some days will be worse than others for me, and it will help just to have you here. You will stay, won't you?"

Fiyero was completely puzzled. "Ivy, of course I will! What kind of question is that? I love you, I'm about to marry you. I'd never walk away from you. Come on, you need to rest. You look exhausted."

As they slowly walked toward the bedroom, Elphaba asked quietly, "What do you think Glinda will say when she finds out? I didn't admit to her the pain was still with me. I don't want her to feel like she failed, because she didn't. She did the best she could..."

Fiyero could hear the heartbreak in Elphaba's voice, and though he doubted whatever he said would be enough comfort, he had to speak up. "I think she will feel badly for you, and wish there were more she could do. But you can just tell her you know she did everything she possibly could, and that you are grateful. All four of us are going to have a happy wedding day, curse or not. I'm going to make sure of that. You deserve nothing less on that day than the happiest day of your life."