Chapter Fifty-Two: Small Favors

Glinda returned that day only to tell them that she was to leave the castle again later that evening. "I've been invited to dinner by one of the families."

Elphaba and Fiyero looked at one another, reading more into Glinda than she thought they could. Fiyero said, "What family?"

Glinda took a deep breath.

They already knew the answer. Elphaba groaned. "Glinda, what are you thinking?"

"Hey! As you said, he didn't do much wrong, Elphie. He's a nice man. Besides, his daughter will be there. It's not like anything can happen." Glinda said defensively.

"He has ways of getting rid of his daughter for an hour or two," Fiyero said sourly.

Elphaba gave Fiyero a sideways glance and then shook her head at Glinda. "This is too soon."

"Too soon? You've had me by your side daily for a month, now, and I've been speaking with him after school every day. How is this too soon?" Glinda demanded.

"Look, Glinda, don't go. You'll upset her. And she'll take it out on me. Sometimes that's fun. Sometimes it's not." Fiyero intervened.

Elphaba reached to smack Fiyero, but he ducked. "It won't be fun," she threatened.

"See?" He pouted.

"I am going and there is nothing you two can do to stop me! If you want to kick me out, I'll stay at his place."

Both Elphaba and Fiyero recoiled at this idea. Elphaba sighed and hung her head, defeated. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you. He's four years older than you, though, just remember that."

"What difference does it make?"

"Experience."

"You're telling me he's had more experience than you two?" Glinda argued.

"He has." Fiyero shot back. "He's had a kid."

Elphaba winced and looked away.

Fiyero bit his lip. "Look, it's fine. You can go."

Elphaba nodded silently.

Glinda was confused at what had suddenly caused Elphaba such distress, but she knew Fiyero wanted to handle it himself. "I'll go, then. I'll be back in a few hours. Don't worry about me."

When the door shut behind Glinda, Fiyero wrapped his arms around Elphaba, "I didn't mean anything by that."

"You did have a point. Because of me, you're missing out on the entire experience of being a father." Elphaba said softly.

"I'd rather have you." He promised.

Again, there was someone at the door. They ignored it and left it to the servants. The couple was about to head upstairs when Fiyero's father called, "Son, come down here."

Hand in his, Elphaba followed him back down the stairs. When he dropped her hand, she was sure she understood why.

A dignitary from the Scrow, a female, was standing in the doorway with two of her men, bodyguards, perhaps. She had long dark hair and her eyes were as violet as the last layer of a rainbow. Her body had more curves to it than Elphaba's, and her dress was cut low at the neck revealing large, voluminous breasts.

Fiyero immediately bowed and stuck his hand out. "Welcome."

"This is Anlea, you remember her from when you were kids, don't you?" Fiyero's father said. "You two used to say you were going to get married."

Elphaba's face darkened.

Fiyero's father continued, "We have some business to work on. I thought that you'd help out."

Elphaba, seeing that she wasn't needed, headed upstairs into the bedroom, grappling for her favorite book on the pillow. She didn't get jealous. Not her. Elphaba was not the type of woman to get jealous. Besides, that was Fiyero's job.

She heard voices down the hall a few hours later and got up, peering through the crack in the door to see.

They were laughing. She watched in horror as Anlea softly placed her hand on Fiyero's arm. Quickly, the woman kissed him on the cheek. "It was nice seeing you again."

Fiyero's father came into view. "Your guest room is just down the hall."

"I'll show her to it, Father." Fiyero said.

Of course, Elphaba reasoned, he was always gentlemanly. It was just his nature. When he didn't enter their room until and hour later, she tried not to be perturbed. Instead, she asked, "She's staying here?"

Fiyero shrugged. "Yeah. The Scrow headquarters is a bit far off. She's their queen."

"Why aren't they opposed to women doing anything but caring for children, the way the Arjiki are?"

"I don't know. We really aren't much different. But her parents died and she was the only child. She still hasn't married."

Elphaba wondered for a moment if Anlea had any idea that Fiyero was married, or if that had just slipped his mind. She smiled falsely, and curled up beneath the blankets. "Oh."

He got into bed next to her and wearily wrapped an arm about her waist. "It was good to talk to her again."

Elphaba just pretended to be asleep.

The day after next, when Glinda told her she was going to have dinner with Kalendrio again, Elphaba wasn't even fazed. Fiyero had been working with Anlea all day long. His father had taken breaks. The other two had not. She watched Glinda go halfheartedly and made her way upstairs again.

On her way past the throne room, she had an idea. She tapped the servant outside the room on the shoulder. "Could you please fetch Fiyero with me and tell him I'd like to see him in our room?"

The servant nodded.

She dashed into the bedroom, undressed and buried herself under the covers, waiting eagerly for Fiyero.

Fiyero entered the room, looking somewhat peeved. "What?"

"Nothing." Elphaba rose from the bed, revealing her body to him. "I've just been terribly lonely all day." She slinked across the bedroom towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You know, I don't like it when you're gone, love."

Fiyero stared at her. His irritation went dry as quickly as his mouth. "Fae, I… well, you… oh, forget that." He kissed her longingly, kicked the door shut and it wasn't very much time before they were tangled on the bed.

"I love you." Elphaba said afterwards, smiling into his eyes.

"I… Fae, can you do me a favor?"

"Anything for you, love." She giggled.

"Could you not disturb me when I'm working? It doesn't look very good. I need to make the most of my time with Anlea."

He did not understand why suddenly the romance disappeared and she would not speak for the rest of the night.