This story is based on the events of the musical but I am borrowing the names of several characters from the book, they have no relation to the book, I am simply borrowing the names.
The first thing Fiyero was aware of was his head pounding; it felt like there was an earthquake going on inside his head. He sat up in confusion; his last memory had been observing the settlement that he had found, and had no idea how he had gotten to where he was. Fiyero sat up and saw a man sitting in the corner, watching him.
"Who are you? What happened?" Fiyero asked shakily, he was still a little groggy from whatever had happened.
"My name is Avarik, I'm the mayor of this settlement." I'm sorry for the rather violent way we found you, but we weren't sure who you were." For all we knew you could have been a scout from Oz."
"You could have just asked, but in that case I'm Fiyero. So who are you? What is this settlement doing here." Fiyero was more puzzled now than when he woke up.
Avarik shifted in his seat, "It will take a little explaining." This settlement was created by a group of outcasts from Oz, criminals to be honest. The first of them were banished from Oz eighty years ago, I guess the Ozians figured that the desert would kill them. The Ozians never bothered to wonder if there was something beyond the desert. Anyway, they banded together, knowing that their only chance of survival was to work together. So they agreed to put aside their criminal pasts, no one would be forced to explain their crimes before they came here. After two years of wandering and foraging they decided to stop here and try and build something of a life for themselves."
Fiyero's mind was racing, there were people beyond Oz, he was in the company of former criminals, and those were just a few of the thoughts racing through his head as Avarik continued.
"It was only a matter of time before the first child was born, and ever since then our town has continued to grow, and occasionally we get people like you; people who were banished from Oz, they are our main source of information from Oz."
Avarik looked straight into Fiyero's eyes, "You are free to stay here if you would like, you will find our community very accepting as long as you make a commitment to work and to live an honest life. Do that and no one will ever question your previous life."
Fiyero was at a loss for words, no one in Oz had ever dreamed that there was a lush land beyond the desert of Oz, and now he was sitting in a room talking with someone who lived in that land. Was Avarik telling the truth, would he and Elphaba be allowed to live a lifeā¦..Elphaba! How could have forgotten about her!
"Avarik, I must go! I told Elphaba to travel without me while I scouted your settlement, we didn't know who you were. I have to go find her!" Fiyero was ashamed that he hadn't thought about Elphaba and the baby until now.
"Elphaba?" Avarik asked in confusion, "You mean you are not alone?"
"No, we left Oz together, and she is pregnant, I need to go!"
"Rest easy Fiyero, we can loan you a horse to go find her, if you would like we can send out a search party to find her." Avarik replied
"Thank you Avarik, that won't be necessary though, I told her to follow the river nearby and that I would catch up with her in a few days time."
"In that case take a horse, and consider my offer, you are both welcome here." Avarik got up and led Fiyero to the stables. On the way he was surprised to see Animals coming out of houses and working on various jobs.
Avarik noticed Fiyero's interest in Animals and said, "We know that in Oz the Wizard has revoked all rights of Animals and banished them from society, that's not going to be a problem is it?"
Fiyero couldn't help but laugh at this, "not at all, part of the reason we left Oz was because of the fight Elphaba led to free the Animals and restore their rights."
"When you return we will have to have a discussion with you both, it has been a little over two years since we have had any news from Oz. The last we heard the Wizard was battling someone named the Wicked Witch of the West."
Fiyero kept his face impassive at that comment. "Yes, we will tell you everything we know when I return with her."
He was suddenly nervous, after all, who knows what they had been told about Elphaba. He decided that they would cross that bridge when they came to it. Fiyero had assumed that he and Elphaba would live out their days in isolation, and now here was a settlement in a beautiful land and they were being offered a home. This was too much of an opportunity to pass up.
Elphaba couldn't help but consider the worst. It had always been her nature to expect the worst possible outcome, even more so since she had found out the Wizard was a fraud and she had been vilified for it. Now she couldn't get the worst out of her head. Her mind kept conjuring up images of Fiyero being captured and killed or tortured.
It had been a day and a half and there was still no sign of Fiyero. Elphaba cursed herself for not being able to go back and get him. For the thousandth time she reminded herself that she was pregnant, and she couldn't just act on her feelings, because the consequences would affect the baby as well as her.
Elphaba was shaken out of her gloomy thoughts by a sound, she couldn't make it out at first but after a minute it was clear what it was.
"Fae! Fae! Where are you?
It was clearly Fiyero's voice, and Elphaba could feel the pessimism evaporate from her in an instant.
"Yero! I'm here! Over here!"
Elphaba got up just in time to see Fiyero emerging from a patch of trees and dismount a horse. She was about to ask Fiyero where he got a horse, but Fiyero spoke before she did.
"Fae! Thank Oz, I've been looking for you for hours!"
"Yero, I'm happy to see you, but where did you get that horse? What is going on?" Elphaba asked with curiosity thick in her voice.
"Fae, there's a settlement there, they are the descendants of people who were banished from Oz, they have offered us a home. There is more to explain but I'll tell you on the way back."
Elphaba could feel hope rising in her. Could this really be true, had she and Fiyero been lucky enough to stumble onto a settlement that was willing to accept them with open arms. She had never expected this and had resigned herself to a quiet existence with Fiyero and their baby.
"Fae, there is one thing. They know about your fight with the Wizard. They don't know you are the Wicked Witch, but they have heard of your fight. How much they know I have no idea." Fiyero could see the fear instantly return to Elphaba's face.
"The good news is that if you agree to work and live an honest life, no one will question your previous life."
The rest of the trip was quiet as Elphaba thought about what was happening. Fortunately it was a short ride on horseback, and they covered in a few hours what had taken Elphaba more than a day to cover on foot.
Elphaba was on the verge of falling asleep though, she had been awake for over a day, and it was beginning to tell. She was just about to fall asleep when Fiyero nudged her and whispered, "Fae, look."
Elphaba looked up and was surprised by what she saw. This was no mere village with wooden huts and dirt roads, she was looking at a town that could have been straight out of Oz. There were paved streets, full sized houses, shops, a school and many other buildings surrounding what had to be something of a town hall.
"Yero, how is this possible? How did these people do all this?" Elphaba asked.
Fiyero smiled and replied, "I don't know Fae, but I think we have found a place to call home."
He led the horse to a stable where Avarik was waiting for them. He waited for Fiyero and Elphaba to dismount before speaking with them.
Avarik nodded at Fiyero then turned his eyes to Elphaba. He was taken aback by her green skin but was quickly struck by her beauty. Somehow her green skin made her look even more beautiful.
"Hello, my name is Avarik, you must be Elphaba. I'm sure you have lots of questions, but for now let's get you both a place to stay for the night. We can talk more tomorrow after you are both rested and have eaten. You will find we take very good care of our guests. To be honest people that know you have arrived are excited. Like I told Fiyero it has been several years since we have had any news from Oz.
Elphaba spoke first, "Thank you Mr. Avarik, that is most kind of you. I'll be honest though, I'm surprised you take in strangers with such trust.
"It may seem surprising to you, but consider that almost everyone who comes here from Oz comes by themselves, very few are lucky enough to have a companion, much less a lover like the two of you. After months of total isolation, most people who come across this place are more than willing to do whatever is required of them to stay here, so trust has never been an issue. And please, just Avarik, not Mr. Avarik."
"Very well then Avarik, we are truly happy to have a chance to live a normal life, and are in your debt." Elphaba replied.
Avarik extended his hand toward the door, "If you will both please follow me, there is a small cottage a few minutes from here, there is some food there as well, please make yourselves at home, and someone will be by in the morning to show you to the town hall, a majority of the town will be there, like I said, everyone is excited about what news you bring from Oz."
Avarik was right, it was barely a five minute walk to the small cottage where Elphaba and Fiyero would be staying. Once inside they both gazed into each other's eyes, scarcely believing their luck.
"Yero, this is amazing, how were we ever lucky enough to stumble onto this place?" The joy in Elphaba's voice was clear.
Fiyero smiled and replied, "I don't know Fae, but its about time something went our way. We should figure out what to tell them about Oz though, I don't know how well it would go over if we said you were the Wicked Witch."
"I think your right Yero, we'll tell them everything, but just leave out the part about me being wicked. Now it's time for me to go to bed, I have been awake forever Yero."
With that they both went into the small bedroom, snuggled up in sheets for the first time in ages, and both fell into a deep sleep.
Elphaba awoke and immediately caught a scent she hadn't smelled in years. It was unmistakable however and she got up and looked into the kitchen to see Fiyero at the stove making bacon and eggs.
Fiyero looked over and saw Elphaba standing in the doorway.
"Well good morning sleepy. I hope you are hungry."
"I haven't eaten in two days, I've been on the move for almost is long, and I'm eating for two, hungry is an understatement."
"I know, this should help a bit, just a few more minutes then breakfast will be ready."
Fiyero was as good as his word, and in five minutes she was enjoying the first real breakfast she had eaten since she had decided to fight the Wizard. They had just finished when there was a knock on the door. Avarik was outside waiting to take them to the town hall.
As they left the cottage Elphaba could feel the townspeople looking at her and talking. She was comforted by the fact that Fiyero was there with her, and by the fact that the people didn't seem to be disgusted by the fact that she was green, they seemed to be more curious than anything else.
It was a short walk to the town hall, and when they arrived Elphaba could see that every seat was taken, and there was no standing room. There had to be over a thousand people in the building. Elphaba and Fiyero were led up to the podium, where Avarik called the meeting to order.
"Everyone please, I would like to introduce you to Fiyero and Elphaba, they arrived here yesterday from Oz, and are considering our usual invitation to live here. I thought it would be helpful for you all to be introduced to them and to hear what news they bring from Oz."
He then turned to Fiyero. "if you would please share any information you have about what is happening in Oz, it would be greatly appreciated."
Fiyero took the podium with Elphaba squeezing his hand tight. Fiyero told as much as he could remember. He spoke of the Wizard mostly, and how he had oppressed the animals. He also focused on Elphaba's fight with the Wizard, but mentioned that the Witch had been killed, and that the Wizard had won. Elphaba chimed in several times, mostly to discredit the Wizard. Fiyero also mentioned the rise of Glinda to a powerful position in Oz. Neither he nor Elphaba knew that Glinda had ordered the Wizard to leave and had taken over in Oz. After a good deal of time went by, Fiyero ran out of things to tell them, he wasn't use to current events lectures.
Avarik could sense that the Fiyero and Elphaba were running out of things to talk about, and nodded to a woman sitting in the front row. She then made her way to the podium and faced Fiyero and Elphaba.
"Fiyero, Elphaba, my name is Milla, Avarick's daughter. On behalf of everyone I would like to welcome you to our town. You are both free to live here if you chose to."
Elphaba was so excited she responded before Fiyero could even think about saying anything. "We would love to."
I know there wasn't much that went on in this chapter, I'll make up for it in the next one. All reviews and ideas are welcome. I have an idea of where I want to go with this, but suggestions are more than welcome.
