AN: My favourite line from the previous chapter was when Elphaba calls him Yero and he says that his parents used that one, too, "...until I started driving them crazy to the point where the only name they ever called me by anymore was "Fiyero Hamold Tiggular!"." :)

I hope you'll like this chapter... I know for sure you'll like the next one!

7. Defying Gravity

Elphaba felt exhausted.

She had spent the day with Galinda and Nessarose, wandering around the ship and allowing one of the builders of the ship to give them a tour, at Galinda's request. He had explained to them all the technicalities of the ship – which Elphaba was immensely interested in, while the other two girls couldn't care less – and showed them everything. Afterwards, the girls had tea on deck and then returned to their respective rooms to dress for dinner.

Dinner, as usual, had been horrible. She had been seated between Avaric and her father, which means she was ignored by everyone within earshot. Galinda had shot her sympathetic glances from across the table, but she had been talking animatedly to Nessarose throughout the entire affair. Frex refused to even look at his green daughter and Avaric only ordered her harshly to sit up straighter, eat with more grace, or smile, every now and then.

After dinner, though, Elphaba sneaked out to one of the lower decks and roamed it for a bit, unsure of what to do, but unwilling to return. It was much calmer here; none of the women were babbling as much as they usually did on the top deck. People were taking walks or having fun, parents playing with their children and young women Elphaba's age chasing each other around, laughing. Elphaba watched them wistfully, wishing with her whole heart that she could be one of those girls. That she could play like that without consequences. That she could live carelessly, having fun with whom she liked, instead of having to put on a mask and be perfect all the time. She wasn't meant for perfect. The fact that she had been born with green skin proved that more than anything.

That was how Fiyero found her, leaning on the railing and watching the people on the deck below, where the third class was, as they went about their business. He stepped up next to her and she looked at him, though she didn't say anything.

He broke the silence after a while. "Are you alright?"

She shrugged. "Fine."

She didn't say anything else, and he didn't press the issue.

"Come on," he said after a while, pushing himself away from the railing and holding out his hand for her to take. "I want to show you something."

She was a bit wary, but she allowed him to take her hand and lead her over to the bow of the ship, all the way in the front.

"Close your eyes," he said, which she did. She could almost feel him smile as he took her hands and guided her over to a certain spot.

"Step up," he said. "Don't be afraid. Keep your eyes closed."

She took a step up to stand on the railing, wobbling a little, but Fiyero's hands on her waist steadied her. She inhaled sharply when she felt his hands move away from her waist, but relaxed again when he slid them along her arms, spreading them.

"Ready?" he whispered in her ear, his breath tickling her hair. She nodded.

"Open your eyes," he said, and she did.

She sucked in her breath again when she realised she was standing on the railing on the bow of the ship, looking out over the sea below her and the sky above. They met in the middle, a horizon in orange, blue, gold, and pink, the setting sun illuminating it all. She could feel the wind blowing through her hair and she closed her eyes again, a wide smile slowly spreading across her face. It felt like she was flying.

"And?" Fiyero whispered in her ear. "How does it feel?"

Her smile widened even further and she opened her eyes again. "Like I'm free," she said. "Like I'm… I'm defying gravity… and no-one can bring me down."

He smiled, too. "I'm glad you like it. I love your smile," he said, which made her blush a little. "I almost never see you smile. Really smile, I mean – not that fake smile you always wear around your father and Avaric."

She chuckled mirthlessly. At least she had succeeded in learning how to fake-smile like all those other society women.

"Yes, well," she said, still staring out across the sea, "I don't have much to smile about. Thank you," she added before he could respond to that. She turned her head to look at him. Her breath caught in her throat when she realised how close he was, but she didn't move away. "For showing me this."

He slipped his hands down her arms to wrap around her waist instead. "You're welcome."

She turned her head back and they stood like that for a while longer, he with his arms around her waist to steady her, with his cheek pressed against her back; and she standing on the railing, her arms still spread. She closed her eyes again and raised her face to the sky, enjoying this feeling she had never felt before and would probably never feel again.

The moment was broken by a voice calling her name. "Elphaba?"

Her eyes flew open and she half-turned, nearly losing her balance and toppling down, but Fiyero tightened his grip on her just in time. "Careful."

He helped her down and she pushed her hands through her long, ebony hair, trying to smoothen it out, but she already knew it would probably be of no use – she was wearing it loose and the wind had been whipping it around her head ever since she had first set foot on deck.

"Father," she said, forcing herself to smile even though she knew how this looked to Frexspar. Her hair in tangles, her cheeks red and her eyes sparkling… and Fiyero right behind her.

Indeed the governor pressed his lips together to form a thin line. "Could I talk to you for a moment?" he asked her, his eyes flicking towards Fiyero briefly. "Alone?"

She nodded. "Of course." She gave Fiyero an apologetic look over her shoulder even as Frex started pulling her away, but the prince just smiled sympathetically.

"Elphaba," Frexspar hissed as he led her inside, his grip on her upper arm tight. "Why were you even on that deck? That is for second-class passengers, Elphaba – you do not want to be seen there! And what do you think you're doing with that boy?"

"Nothing!" she protested. "I was just roaming the deck and admiring the sunset, and Fiyero showed me that spot at the bow of the ship. It gave the most amazing view of the sea and the sky, but that's all, Father, I swear."

He grumbled something unintelligible under his breath. "For Oz's sake, Elphaba. Don't you know what people will think if they see you two together like that?" he wanted to know. "Don't you have any respect for me? For your husband?"

"He's not my husband yet," she corrected him icily. "And I am not his property. I wasn't doing anything inappropriate, Father. I was just spending time with a friend."

"Yes, well, that's over now," Frexspar snapped. "From now on, you are not to spend time with anyone from the opposite sex that is not either your fiancé or your father. Is that clear? Aside from Avaric and I, no man is coming near you again until we arrive in Gillikin, understood?"

She yanked her arm free, eyes blazing. "No."

"What did you just say?"

"I said no," she repeated, looking back at him defiantly. "You and Avaric – you're exactly the same. You're trying to control me. But I'm not letting you. You don't tell me what to do!"

Frexspar's eyes grew very cold suddenly.

"You're right," he said. "I don't tell you what to do. Not anymore." He grabbed her arm again and roughly pulled her into a room.

Avaric turned around, a cigar in his hand and a surprised expression on his face. "Governor Thropp? What…"

"He does," Frex told his daughter, pushing her towards the other man. "You're not mine anymore – you're his. Master Avaric," he addressed the younger man, "I found her fooling around with Prince Fiyero once again."

"I was not 'fooling around'!" Elphaba protested hotly. "We weren't doing anything!"

"Deal with her," was all Frex said to Avaric before he left the room.

Avaric sighed and rubbed his forehead. "For Oz's sake, Elphaba…"

"I didn't do anything!"

"Sure you didn't," he snarled. "But did it maybe look like you did something? Have you thought of that? Image is everything, Elphaba. How many more times do I have to tell you that? If people notice how often you spend time with that prince, what do you think they will think? They'll think you're cheating on me. They'll think that I'm not able to control you. They'll think you a slut and me a worthless man and husband!"

Elphaba lowered her eyes.

"I want you to stop this behaviour," he ordered, pushing his cigar out and pouring himself a glass of whiskey instead. "And I want you to be honest with me, too. Is anything going on between you and that prince? Because you have been spending an awful lot of time lately."

She shook her head vigorously. "Nothing's going on," she insisted. "He's just a good friend."

"Huh." Avaric sipped his drink. "Careful, though, little green girl." He narrowed his eyes at her over his glass. "I'm watching you. Don't disgrace me."

She glared at him and disappeared to the bedroom, flopping down on the bed and wondering if this was really going to be her life from now on.

"You look awfully gloomy."

Fiyero gave the man standing beside him at the railing a sheepish look. He ran his fingers through his hair. "Is it that obvious?"

The other man, who was short and thin and had friendly brown eyes, chuckled. "Kind of. What's the matter?"

Fiyero sighed heavily. "I'm in love with a girl I can never have."

The shorter man sighed, too, and mirrored Fiyero's position beside him. "Ouch. I know how that feels."

Fiyero looked at him curiously. "You do?"

The man, whom Fiyero now realised must be a Munchkin – that explained his height – nodded wistfully. "A society dame," he said. "The most beautiful girl ever to grace this ship with her presence… she's up there." He pointed at something above them and Fiyero was confused at first, but then he gave the Munchkin a sympathetic look.

"Did she pass away?" he asked carefully.

The Munchkin looked at him as if he had gone crazy. "What? No." He realised why the prince had thought that and he laughed. "I wasn't pointing at the sky – I meant the first-class deck," he clarified, clearly amused.

Fiyero felt his face grow warm. "Oh. Yeah. Of course."

The other man laughed. "Her name is Miss Galinda," he said. "Miss Galinda Upland of the Upper Uplands. She has golden curls that shine in the sun, a skin pale as a white rose, lips like cherries, and eyes like the sparkling blue ocean… and I can't even talk to her, let alone something more."

"I know her," Fiyero said and the Munchkin's head shot up.

"Really?"

"Yeah." Fiyero nodded. "I've been to the first-class level a couple of times," he said. "I'm travelling second class, but it's easy to sneak up when you're me. I'm Prince Fiyero Tiggular of the Vinkus," he introduced himself, shaking the other man's hand.

"Wow," the man said, clearly in awe. "I'm Boq. Boq Parlone. I'm from Munchkinland."

Fiyero smirked. "Obviously."

"Yeah, yeah." Boq rolled his eyes. "I'm small. I know. Tell me more about Miss Galinda," he urged the prince, who complied.

"I've talked to her a couple of times," he said. "She's very friendly, perky, and pink-obsessed. She talks a lot. She's a real lady, but she's funny to be around. She also happens to be the best friend of my own love interest," he added, sighing once again.

Boq perked up at that. "Really? What's her name?" he asked, intrigued.

"Elphaba Thropp," Fiyero said. "She's the daughter of the governor of Munchkinland, Frexspar Thropp."

Boq was frowning. "Is she in a wheelchair?"

"No." Fiyero shook his head. "That's her younger sister, Nessarose. Elphaba is the eldest daughter."

"The green one," Boq stated and for some reason Fiyero felt offended on Elphaba's behalf.

"Yes," he said defensively. "But it's a beautiful colour."

Boq grinned at him. "I wasn't saying anything about her skin colour being ugly or beautiful, Fiyero. I was just stating which colour it is. Man, you've got it bad," he said, shaking his head.

Fiyero poked out his tongue childishly. "Look who's talking."

"Why can't you be with her, though?" Boq wanted to know. "You're a prince, she's a high-born governor's daughter… you could be together."

Fiyero shook his head, feeling miserable. "Not really," he said, sighing once again. "She's engaged."

Boq grimaced sympathetically. "Ouch."

"Yeah." Fiyero stared out over the railing. "To a jerk."

Boq stomped his arm. "That sounds like you could use a drink," he said, raising his eyebrow suggestively. "Want to go inside?"

"Only if you pay," Fiyero said, grinning at the Munchkin. "I may be a prince, but I'm currently broke."

Boq rolled his eyes. "Sure," he said, laughing. "My treat."