AN: I realize that what Elphaba does in this chapter is a bit out of character, because she stays mad and doesn't let things go easily. I'm just trying to establish how important Drienna is to her, and how bored she gets with only Fiyero to talk to.

Chapter Forty: Missing Drienna

Every morning, it got more difficult to leave Fiyero's arms and go back to the schoolhouse. She would plead with herself not to open her eyes, but the other side of her won every time. After her day, she'd return home immediately and Fiyero would wait for her in the study. Often times, they'd curl up together to read and discuss the things going on in the little Arjiki kingdom. Fiyero was someone to talk to, but she still missed Kalendrio's companionship, nonetheless.

She missed Drienna, too. The little girl hadn't shown up in the three days since she'd thrown Kalendrio out of the schoolhouse. Elphaba wondered why she hadn't considered that consequence when she'd spoken so harshly to Kalendrio. There were a lot of consequences she hadn't considered, though. Having only Fiyero (and occasionally his mother) to speak with – aside from the children, of course – wore her idle mind very thin. It wasn't as if she could sit around and do nothing without thinking or talking over things all day. An active mind needs release. Fiyero helped with that, but there were parts that got blocked between them, things she would've loved to discuss with Kalendrio. Why had he been so stupid?

She'd always thought no man would love her and that she'd live to be the oldest virgin who ever existed, an old maid with cats or something. Now she was married, loved by not only her husband but another man, as well. This had not been one of the many problems she'd expected to face in life.

When Drienna didn't show the next morning, she knew she couldn't bear it anymore. At least allow the poor child an education! It wasn't as if the girl hadn't wanted to go to school. She'd always been excited and ready to work. Something had to be done.

She caught Liana and took her aside as the mothers collected their children. "Where is Drienna?"

Liana shrugged. "I don't know. She's not ill. She still comes outside and plays with Herndon after school. I haven't spoken much with Kalendrio, but I don't think he's allowing her to come anymore. She gets very jealous whenever Herndon or one of their playmates mentions school. But I have to go, I'm sorry. I can't be away from home for more than a few minutes. Herndon's little sister is coming down with something and I don't feel comfortable leaving her with anyone else for very long."

Rashly, Elphaba followed, "I'll come with."

"What?"

"I have to talk to Kalendrio."

The woman didn't ask more, and Elphaba thanked her silently, though she could see her eyebrows raise. Kalendrio had been right, it was just down the path. It took the two women and Herndon (who walked a little slower with his tiny legs) less than ten minutes to reach their destination. Liana pointed to the hut on the right. It was smaller than the rest – she supposed that was because it only housed two people – and the garden looked as though it had been untended for years. Elphaba thought it must've been the wife's.

Approaching the splintered wooden door, Elphaba reached her fist up to knock and then pulled it back. She was royalty. If she really wanted to, she could stride right into the house. This life was full of unexpected surprises, and Elphaba considering using the power she held as the crown prince's wife was one of them. With the thought that no harm could come to her – there were severe consequences for touching any member of the royal family in a harmful way – she stepped inside.

It wasn't a neatly kept kitchen/eating area, but it wasn't disgustingly unsanitary, either. There wasn't much one man could do when he had to do work with the rest of the men, take care of his daughter and keep his own house. She wondered suddenly how he'd found the hour or more each day to spend time talking with her. Well, she knew why, but not how.

There were two open doorways that didn't have a door to open or close and one with a door crooked halfway in to reveal a bathroom. The other two rooms would probably be the bedrooms, she guessed. She would not go further into the house, for the idea of walking into the bedroom of a man who claimed he loved her made Elphaba uneasy. But Drienna emerged from one of the rooms just then, holding a toy shovel, calling, "Daddy, I'm going to go outside and play with Herndon now. I saw through the window that he's home. Is that okay?" She didn't notice Elphaba.

Kalendrio came out of what must've been his room and stopped abruptly, seeing Elphaba at an angle almost perfectly across from her. Before the little girl said anything, he waved Elphaba away from the door and said, "Yes. Go ahead, Dri."

"Bye Daddy!" Drienna skipped happily, just realizing Elphaba was in the room. "Bye Miss Elphie!" The door shut behind her and the room flooded with silence.

After a few minutes, Elphaba's voice pierced the room, "You can't tell me to leave. But I want to, and you're coming with me. I demand you speak with me in the schoolhouse. If you don't, I will have guards escort you to the Palace and you can explain to Prince Fiyero why you refuse to do as I wish. Lying would get you nowhere with my husband, especially not when I know the truth. He'd believe me, and he'll do whatever I ask, the crazy man. So, make your choice."

Kalendrio straightened up and nodded. "I'll come. But may I ask, your Highness Princess Elphaba," he spoke and mocked her name cuttingly, "why you'd rather talk with me in the schoolhouse?"

"Of course, noble peasant. I shall grant you an explanation." She wasn't going to correct him; she'd play his game. "Imagine how my husband would feel to come for me in," she looked around, "a little over an hour and find the schoolhouse empty. He's probably already concerned that I didn't go straight back to the Palace to him after teaching." She motioned him out the door and walked in front of him towards the schoolhouse.

"You go straight home to your husband these days?" Kalendrio asked, sounding slightly amused.

"I have nothing else to do. I find it comforting going home and spending time with my husband before dinner." In a malicious attempt to make him jealous, she added, "It's also very nice to make incredibly passionate love with my husband before going to bed. It seems to make it easier to fall asleep, though it's easy enough with his arms wrapped around me, anyway. But that was beside the point, wasn't it?" She didn't look back at him.

"It was." He answered shortly. "And I thought you felt that your husband wanted sex too much."

"It was only that one time. And there was a reason. It's not as if he pressures me all the time." She replied.

"Of course, only once." Kalendrio mumbled sarcastically, as if dismissing the idea. "I thought it bothered you that Prince Fiyero always comes to get you every day?"

"No. It bothers me when he gets needy and complains as we walk home that I'm never around. Our walks home have never been the happiest past time," she said, glad the schoolhouse wasn't far.

"It seems like a lot of things aren't the happiest past time with you two."

Before opening the door, she told him, "I would appreciate it if you would stop degrading my relationship with my husband, or my husband in general, thank you very much."

Kalendrio didn't have a comment to answer her with. He silently followed her into the schoolhouse and pulled a chair from behind one of the desks, bringing it closer to the main desk, which Elphaba had taken her usual seat behind. The biting attitude of their conversation seemed to fade. "So, you wanted to talk to me?"

Elphaba looked at him a bit her lip. "I wish this was just about begging you to put Drienna back in school, but it's not." She shifted self-consciously in her chair. "Kalen," she started, using the nickname she'd only used once before, "I'm not going to pretend that you weren't an idiot. I won't hesitate to tell you that what you did was…"

"Stupid? Wrong? A mistake?" Kalendrio finished.

"That and more." She almost smiled. "And I can't return whatever it is you think you feel for me. I'm married to the man who's to become your king, and I love him. But I don't want him to be the only intelligent person I talk to day in and day out. I don't want his mother to be the closest thing to a friend that I have around here. I was hoping we could go back to being friends, back to talking after I've let the kids out for the day, back to talking politics and books, back to talking about things I just can't talk to my husband about. I miss that. I miss your daughter, too."

Kalendrio was confused. He'd expected her to beg or demand that he keep Drienna in school, but she was so stubborn he hadn't expected her to come right out and say that she wanted his friendship. She wasn't one to allow herself to be vulnerable, but now here she sat, looking at him, still biting her lip helplessly, waiting. She seemed almost surprised with what she'd said.

And she was. If it hadn't been for Drienna, she wouldn't have bothered even walking into the village. She had planned on speaking to him about considering letting the girl continue school, but she certainly hadn't planned on what she'd said. It sounded almost like she needed him, and that wasn't the impression she'd wanted to give. Nonetheless, her words were out now and taking them back would be childish.

Kalendrio studied her for a moment. "I understand. I can't promise I won't think the way I have been, but I can promise I won't act on it. Drienna will be in school tomorrow morning."

She let the air she wasn't aware she'd been holding out and her body deflated. "Thank you."

"So," Kalendrio sat back in his chair, as always, "read anything good lately?"