Chapter 14

"What did she say? Does she know anything about them?"

"All she said was to tell you not to worry about them. that the shoes are in a safe place where no one can get to them. I pressed her about it, but she wouldn't elaborate. I'm sorry for that. Maybe if you asked she'd say more. But they are rightfully yours, Ivy, and one day you will have them back, even if I have to make sure of it myself."

They sat talking quietly for several more minutes, then Fiyero announced that he was worn out and ready to turn in. Elphaba said she wanted to stay awake for a while yet, so Fiyero kissed her tenderly on the lips, then stood and departed for the upper level of the house. Elphaba left the sitting room to stand in the entryway almost without thinking about it. She could hear bits of Glinda and Travion's ongoing, happy discussion. Glinda's bubbly laugh seemed matched perfectly with Travion's deeper, heartier one. Hearing those sounds drifting through the house made Elphaba wish her childhood home had been filled with more sounds like that, rather than the sadness and anger that always seemed to swirl around her little family.

The remaining days of Elphaba and Fiyero's visit to the city passed quietly, with the rest of the wedding arrangements being taken care of much more uneventfully than earlier on. On the final day, the single person in the city whose job it was to perform civil marriages came to speak to both of the couples. At first Elphaba had worried that a problem had arisen. But after just moments of speaking with the person, whose official title was Civil Unifier, Elphaba understood nothing was amiss. The gentleman simply liked to become acquainted with each of the couples it was his duty to join in wedlock.

At one point on the last day of their visit, Elphaba had cautiously mentioned the subject of the shoes to Glinda. While Glinda's reply was neither rude nor unkind, she made it clear the subject was no more open to discussion between them than it had been with Fiyero.

"They're in a very safe place, you don't have to worry about them," was all the information Glinda would volunteer, just as before. So on that score at least, Elphaba and Fiyero returned to the Vinkus feeling unsatisfied. About everything else, however, they were filled with anticipation and somewhat cautious joy. Despite the happiness they felt at being so close to their friends, the couple was somewhat glad to be back home, in their place of solitude. They planned to cherish their moments of quiet during the two months that remained until the wedding.

Fiyero and Elphaba had not found time during their visit to look for a new home, but Glinda had seemed confident that they would find one when they returned to the city, perhaps a week before the wedding, in case of any last minute things that needed taking care of. The friends had parted even more reluctantly than last time, but kept in mind that the next time they were together, they would share a day of great joy.

Upon their return to the city, it seemed somehow different. Elphaba in particular seemed to feel this, but quickly dismissed it as being part of her case of pre-wedding nerves. She didn't mention her initial impression to Fiyero, lest she sound foolish. Elphaba was simply glad their days of traveling were once again over for a while, and that the day was warm and sunny. At least she didn't have to be worried about simply alighting from the carriage to walk to the front door!

As usual, Glinda greeted her friends at the door personally, rather than allowing the maid to show them in as most guests were. The three friends took several minutes to finish greeting each other, then they went directly to the comfortable, informal sitting room Elphaba and Fiyero had used previously. They asked where Travion was, since he had not been with Glinda at the door, and did not seem to be in the house.

"He had some business to take care of at home before coming here," Glinda explained, sounding completely unconcerned. "He's leaving someone else in charge so we will have time for both the wedding and a trip somewhere by ourselves. He'll be moving the business to the city eventually. His parents may not be here until the morning of the ceremony. They're very sweet people, and they're worried that they might be imposing on me by coming ahead of time. I'm surprised your friend and his parents didn't come along with the two of you."

Fiyero explained that Colverus and his parents would be arriving by their own carriage the night before the ceremony. Glinda's parents would be doing likewise, at her mother's insistence. Though Symana claimed their late arrival would be due to unavoidable prior engagements, everyone knew it was because she wanted to see as little of Elphaba and Fiyero as possible.

The first day or so of the visit was spent at Glinda's house, during which the friends spent every waking moment in conversation about anything imaginable. Besides the wedding plans, they discussed what sort of house Fiyero and Elphaba wanted to find in the city, as well as the difficulties with their respective parents. Glinda still hoped that her mother's attitude of acceptance would increase, but both Elphaba and Fiyero had grave doubts about this. To lift their pensive moods at this point, Glinda guided the subject back to the wedding preparations. She informed her friends that she and Travion had initially thought of getting wedding bands, but had ultimately decided against them. Rings were not a common custom, particularly in the city. The couple had instead chosen to speak personalized vows to each other and have just their marriage license as physical proof of their union.

After an early dinner that first evening, Fiyero and Elphaba retreated to their room, knowing most of the following day would be taken up with house hunting. Fiyero began to drowse almost immediately, but Elphaba seemed preoccupied and could not relax enough to attempt to drop off to sleep. After an hour or two had passed in this manner, Fiyero woke from his unusually light slumber and asked what the matter was.

"Nothing in particular," Elphaba said honestly. "I'm not nervous about tomorrow, and even the ceremony doesn't seem like it will be so nerve-wracking now. I guess part of me can't believe it's really going to happen. I hope Symana can manage to be nice to us."

Fiyero met Elphaba's eyes, then sat up and shrugged. "If not, I'll just ignore her. She isn't going to ruin our day." He sighed heavily. "My parents might, though, and they won't even be here!"

"Fiyero, we still don't know that they had anything to do with that curse being placed on me. I'm sorry the idea ever occurred to me. You've been so convinced of it since I suggested that."

"I'm convinced because I think it's true," he said roughly. "Cole swears to me he had nothing to do with it, and I believe him. None of our friends would do a thing like that, unless they unintentionally led the wizard to us. I think if anyone felt they'd done that, they would have admitted it by now. I know you wish I'd forget about it, but I can't, Ivy. You've only had one or two really bad days since the last time we were here, but we never know when the pain will hit you again. I want answers from them. I think that since we aren't planning a post-wedding trip, I'll set out to see them the day after the ceremony. I don't know whether I could ask to borrow someone's carriage or not, I'll see. Would you be too angry if I left you that soon after our wedding?"

Elphaba frowned and scoffed loudly at him. "Well, I won't be happy, if that's what you mean. But I will understand why," she assured, her voice softening. "If you need the answer that badly, you should go ask them. I hope for your sake everything turns out well. I want one of us to still have parents. You've never even told me your parent's names. What are they?"

"Mother's name is Jeranda, and Father's is the same as mine. He's actually never liked his name. The only reason I have it is because It's customary to give a child who is heir a name that's the same as or similar to one of their parents'. He's always felt bad I got 'stuck' being a Fiyero, but I like the name much better than he does."

"Me too," Elphaba said with a smile. "Which one of them do you look like?"

"I look like both of them. I have Mother's eyes, though, if that's what you're really asking." Fiyero said with a mischieveous smile. Elphaba shoved him gently, but was laughing at the same time.

"Fine, pick on me. See if I care. I'll still love you more than anyone, no matter what you say."

Fiyero's smile softened, and he took Elphaba's hand tenderly. "I know, thank you. Do you think you could sleep now? We have to be careful you don't get overtired, Ivy. If you do, the pain is more likely to..."

"I know that already, you don't have to remind me!" Elphaba cried angrily, tugging her hand from Fiyero's grasp. "I hate the way you coddle me sometimes!"

Fiyero's eyes looked wounded as he spoke now. "It's not coddling, it's caring," he said, sounding a bit angry himself. "Don't you know how it hurts me to see you in any kind of pain? That the one thing I wish is that I could take it away for you? I hope you didn't mean what you said about hating the way I treat you sometimes. It would mean you hate it that I care so much. I try so hard to take care of you, make you happy. Then you go and say things like that. No matter how much you try to push me away, it will never work."

"Of course I didn't mean it," Elphaba said, sounding suddenly afraid. "I know you only worry so much because you love me. But it makes me sad to see you worry, and I wish things could be different. And I guess I'm just concerned that our wedding day will be one of the days I'm feeling sick... I don't want to ruin everything, not after all the money and time that's been spent on everything. All of you would be so disappointed in me!"

Fiyero pulled Elphaba close to him in an attempt to soothe her anxieties. "We wouldn't be disappointed," he assured her. "Just worried. I know you aren't one to complain, so whenever you actually say how much pain you're in, I can only imagine how much it must hurt. It's time to go to sleep now, Ivy. We have some long days ahead of us."

Within moments, Elphaba drifted off to sleep. Despite his advice, it was Fiyero who was awake until very late that night, just watching Elphaba sleep. He doubted she knew he was fond of observing her as she slept, even when masked by her disguise as she was now. He ran one hand gently through her hair, which he earnestly tried to forget was a wig. Eventually, Fiyero began to drowse, and fell asleep himself well after midnight.

The major part of the next two days were spent in a search for a new house. While Elphaba was glad to be out and about in the city, the search itself was tedious. While they looked at several houses they liked, they didn't find one they set their sights on until late in the second day. They had to wait until the next day to be granted an appointment to go inside. Even then, they couldn't show too much interest due to the fact that they had no idea how they were going to pay for the house. Asking anymore generosity of Glinda and her family was out of the question. After some discussion of the subject, Elphaba and Fiyero decided that they would simply wait and see if any opportunities presented themselves. Perhaps Fiyero and Elphaba would both have jobs in the city soon, eventually enabling them to begin payments on a new home. They knew it was a distinct possibility that they'd have to live with Glinda and Travion for some time following the wedding.

Soon enough, the evening preceding the wedding had arrived, bringing Glinda's parents, Travion, and Colverus's family with it. Dinner that night was naturally more boisterous. Everyone seemed so filled with anticipation that it was impossible to have quiet conversation. Even Symana was talkative and rather friendly. She was still cool, particularly to Fiyero, but managed to be polite. Cole and his parents seemed very comfortable even in the presence of so many strangers. Dinner lasted longer than usual, and when the company at last broke apart, Glinda approached Elphaba and told her she'd like them to take a few minutes alone, without even Fiyero's companionship. Glinda seemed somewhat nervous, which in turn made Elphaba apprehensive. Still, she followed her friend upstairs to her private suite of rooms, which she hadn't been in since their initial tour of the house months before.