Chapter Fifty-Four: Difficult

Before Elphaba returned to the castle that day, Fiyero's father beckoned him into the throne room. "Look, I told her I was sorry."

"Why do you care, Dad?" Fiyero challenged.

"She's going to be the mother of my grandchildren one day, I might as well get along with her."

Fiyero shook his head. "No, she won't be."

"What?"

"She can't have children, Dad. Something happened with the medication she was taking and now…"

"You need an heir."

"When one of my brothers has kids, let one of their sons be the heir." Fiyero waved it away.

"People sometimes don't feel confident in the king if he doesn't produce an heir."

"We'll deal with it when we come to it."

Fiyero's father sighed heavily. "Whatever. But I need her to forgive me. I don't need tension in this castle."

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"I'd like for you to find a good time for me to talk to her. You know, when she's in a good mood."

"I can't control her moods."

Quietly, his father said, "But you can make her happier at some points."

"I am not interpreting this right. Did you just tell me to sex her up?" Fiyero folded his arms across his chest.

"Not at all. But I'm certainly not telling you not to, if you think that'll help her be in a good mood by tomorrow afternoon."

"Why should I?"

"Are you really asking me why you should have sex with your wife?"

Fiyero stomped out of the room without answering. Glinda was waiting in the front hall, as well, as she was to leave for yet another visit with Kalendrio as soon as Elphaba returned. He struggled to pull a smile. "Hey."

"Hi. Is that lady gone yet?"

"Huh?"

"That one that had Elphaba so pissed off."

"Oh, Anlea. Yeah, she's gone. Elphaba has trouble admitting it, but she does get quite a bit jealous."

"She does. I knew she would." The door opened. "Elphie! Hello and goodbye. I've got to get going."

Glinda was out the door, leaving Elphaba staring. "What the hell? Sweet Kumbricia, she needs to slow down sometimes."

Fiyero smiled at her genuinely. He thought about what his father had suggested and decided he wouldn't initiate anything tonight. However, if she did, he would certainly not reject her. It was unfair and difficult. But just thinking about it, he wondered if he mightn't start something. She was so hard to resist, especially when he thought about making love to her. Sweetly, he leaned down to kiss her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "How was your day, love?"

"It was all right. Did you know that these days Kalendrio doesn't even pick up Drienna when I'm teaching? I think we knew who he's got his mind set on." Elphaba looked towards the door. "I just hope she can keep herself safe."

"Mmm." Fiyero mumbled. Pressing his nose to hers, he said, "I think you're the one who better worry about keeping safe. Your devoted husband has some thoughts in his mind you might need rescuing from."

Elphaba raised her eyebrows and then pretended to faint. "I'm a damsel in distress."

"You'll be in quite a lot of distress with me in a few minutes," he scooped her into his arms and carried her up the stairs.

Glinda came home very late in the evening. She found Fiyero's parents in the living room. "Are Elphaba and Fiyero still up?"

"I don't know. They haven't left the room since she came home. Not even for dinner." His mother looked a little wary.

Fiyero's father shrugged. "They're probably just enjoying some alone time. No need to bother them."

Glinda nodded. She didn't see Elphaba when Glinda left for her day of teaching the next day, either.

Late in the morning, Fiyero kissed Elphaba awake. "How you feeling?"

"Like you need to do that more often." She grinned.

Fiyero replied, "How about one more time right now?"

Later in the afternoon, the couple headed downstairs into the living room and curled up on the couch. Fiyero's father came in and Elphaba shifted closer to Fiyero uncomfortably.

"How are you two doing?" He asked amiably.

Elphaba just looked down.

Fiyero ran his fingers through Elphaba's hair. "We're all right."

"Just all right?" Elphaba teased.

"Mmm, more than all right." He told her.

"I see you're both in a, well, good mood." Fiyero's father winked at Fiyero.

Elphaba stood up then, not ignorant to what was going on. To Fiyero, she said, "I should slap you."

"Huh?"

"The men in this family are very bad at subtlety." She said, storming out of the room.

"Damn it, Dad! I didn't even do it because you told me to! Well, not exactly." Fiyero stumbled for words.

"I didn't mean… shit. You really married a difficult woman." Fiyero's father shook his head.

"She wouldn't be so difficult if people would stop nosing their way into our lives." Fiyero answered heatedly. He ran after Elphaba and grabbed her by the wrist before she even reached the stairs. "Fae, wait. Listen to me."

"What? Listen to you tell me that you only had sex with me because your father told you to? I thought you wanted me."

Fiyero laughed. "How could I not? Look, in a way, it was because he told me to. But I didn't plan on doing it. It's just… with that thought in my head and you right there, suddenly I couldn't help myself. If anything, I wanted you so bad I had to, even though I didn't want to take his suggestion. Fae, please, he doesn't mean to be such an ass."

"By telling you to 'get me in a good mood'?"

It was funny, since that had been exactly what Fiyero's father had said. Fiyero sighed. "He just wants to make things right. My father knows you're a bit… set in your ways, especially when you're angry, so he was just trying to find a way to resolve things."

"Telling you to fuck me in no way was the right way to resolve things!"

Fiyero wrapped his arms around her and dragged her against him. "Shhh. I know it's hard for you to understand. Things around here are strange to you. But I love you, and I did want you, and my father means well."

Her voice was muffled against him, "I'm sure. But that doesn't make it okay."

"Let it go this time, please?"

She pulled away slightly and looked into his eyes. The plea in them was just impossible to resist. Kissing him on the cheek, she whispered, "Fine. Just this time."