AN: I was going to wait before posting this chapter, but I needed to ask something as soon as possible. I am looking for someone to do me the honor of being my beta on this. I need someone to read through and make sure everything fits and that I'm not breaking character too much. You should be aware, however, that sometimes I can pound out a couple chapters a day. Other times it'll be a week or two before chapters. Right now I'm on a fast track, but I might not always be.
Also, I post a lot in the beginning of every story, and then eventually slow down somewhere towards the middle. I have a sort of plan for this story, and I really like it, but I'm actually not sure how it'll end. I'd like to share that with my beta as well. Any takers? PM me.

Chapter Four: Quid Pro Quo

Elphaba thought maybe the prince would leave her alone. He didn't bother her for the rest of the week. He did not sit in on lessons. He did not hunt her down in the hallways. He didn't stare at her at meals. All she had wanted was to be left alone, although it was very quiet around the castle. Though they preached against it, the maunts had all gossiped and chattered constantly.

Her quiet did not last long. The first day of the weekend when she had a little time to herself, she took a book from the library, figuring as the schoolmarm it would only make sense for her to read, and settled down on her bed to read when a tall figure appeared in her doorway. She absolutely hated being interrupted when she read. She sighed. "Prince Fiyero, what are you doing here?"

He seemed to take that as an invitation and stepped into the room. Did she have the right to send him away? This was his castle. Well, it was his parents' castle, but he was the crown prince… He sat down in a chair near the wall. "Miss Elphaba, I know you told me you don't want to talk, but what if you thought about it as teaching me? I want to learn what life is like outside of Oz."

She bit the inside of her cheek. He certainly was creative in trying to get her to talk. And it had been so quiet. Ten and five-year-olds weren't exactly good conversation. The prince seemed intelligent enough. She relented a little. "If that's what you wish, Prince Fiyero."

"You said you were from the City. What is it like there?" He leaned in towards her, eager.

"Well, I didn't go out much. The maunts did send me on errands, though. Many of them wouldn't leave at all. But the City… it's dirty – at least the part I was in. There were homeless people and poor families. It was more grey than emerald."

"It must have been tough to see."

She shrugged.

"What is it like in a mauntery?"

"Loud. The maunts talk and talk and talk. They may be good in their actions, but the things they say seem to contradict their behavior. The food was not as… spicy as it is out here. It was very plain. They prayed five times a day. Once before each meal and once between breakfast and lunch and lunch and dinner."

"Did you pray, too?"

"No."

"If you weren't religious, what were you doing in a mauntery?"

"That's a bit personal, Prince Fiyero." She said immediately. He was trying to ease her into talking about herself. It was obvious enough.

"You were an orphan." He stated.

She sighed. He wouldn't give up, would he? "Basically."

"How long were you at the mauntery?"

"As long as I can remember."

"So how did you become so well read?"

"The mauntery had many books that were donated. And some of the maunts weren't maunts when they were younger, and they had knowledge to share." Elphaba dropped her gaze. His eyes were too focused on her for her liking. "That's really all I can tell you about being outside of the Vinkus," she said with finality.

"Can you at least tell me why you don't want to talk at all?"

Why wouldn't he just drop it? "Prince Fiyero, I am not one for talking and have never been. And you are a prince. I am a servant. I don't see why you are so eager to talk to me in the first place."

"I told you. I want to know what life is like outside the Vinkus."

"And I told you."

"Fine. You are interesting to me. I am curious. Maybe I'm nosy. You live in this castle. So do I. I just want to know about you."

"Do you interrogate all the servants?"

"Only the ones I find interesting."

She had a feeling she was the only one he found interesting. "I'm afraid you'll find me dreadfully boring, Prince Fiyero. I grew up in a mauntery. There's not much scandal that can come from that."

"You're the only person who's at the same level intelligence-wise as I am, if not higher. Perhaps I want intelligent conversation."

"I don't consider intelligent conversation to be asking personal questions."

"I'm just trying to get to know you."

"Well, what about you, then, Prince Fiyero? I don't know anything about you. Why should I tell you anything?" She realized after she said it that it wasn't the smartest thing to say. Now he'd never stop talking to her. Elphaba had meant to turn the tables on him, and she had, but now she'd have to listen to him.

"What do you want to know about me?"

"Nothing. But since you insist on asking me questions…"

He laughed. "Okay, well, then I'll think of something to tell you. I'm sixteen, the same as you, from what I gathered. I'm to be King, but you know that. You know I'm to go to Shiz in the fall."

"Lucky you," she muttered.

He raised his eyebrows. "Jealous?"

"I just like learning," she said evasively.

"I can tell. Well, what else can I tell you? I'm engaged to be married."

"To whom?"

"Her name is Sarima. That's about all I know."

Elphaba raised her eyebrows. She had never understood the idea of marriage. Maybe that came from living in a mauntery. "It was arranged?"

"Yes."

While she thought marriage was strange, arranged marriage seemed just stupid. If someone was stupid enough to fall in love and get married, shouldn't they at least be able to make that decision for themselves? She shook her head. It wasn't a custom she respected at all. It wasn't like it ever worked out well. People had affairs; she knew that much – living in a mauntery did not make her naïve. And that was their prerogative. If someone was married and wanted to be with someone else, let them. Marriage was a ridiculous custom, especially arranged marriage. "Well, when is that to happen? Is she going to Shiz with you?"

"Of course not. It's not to happen until I'm twenty."

"What do you mean 'of course not?' Are women not allowed to learn?" Elphaba felt her face grow hot.

"That's not what I meant. But my family doesn't have to pay for her to learn. That's her family's job. And they can't afford it."

"Sounds like you'll have a great marriage."

"Yeah, I know." He frowned. "I'm trying not to think about it much until it actually has to happen."

"Tell your parents you don't want to."

Fiyero sighed. "Elphaba…"

"Miss Elphaba, for the millionth time."

"Miss Elphaba, perhaps… how do I say this politely? You never met your parents, did you?"

She shook her head.

"Then, no offense, you don't understand what it is like. I can't simply refuse my parents. I mean, if I had really good reason, maybe, but a king has to get married, and if I have to, then why not to her?"

Pathetic. Elphaba thought. Maybe she didn't have parents, but even if she did, she wouldn't let them make such decisions for her. "You're right, I don't understand. I thought a prince could do whatever he wanted."

"I can. Outside of that. If I want something else, I'm allowed to have it. No one cares. The marriage is…"

"Just a formality?"

"I guess."

He was looking at her again, and she shifted uncomfortably beneath his gaze. "Well, I think I know enough about you now. That's more than I wanted to know, anyway."

He got the message. "It was nice talking to you."

"If you say so."

Before he left, he stood in the doorway. "Miss Elphaba?"

"What?"

"I don't want you to think of me like a 'master.' I just want to talk to someone occasionally, and as much as the other servant girls may or may not 'swoon' over me, they don't talk about anything remotely interesting. But I could tell from the way you taught my siblings that you're more… aware than that. That's it. I don't mean to bother you."

Would he ever quit? "Well, Prince Fiyero, you are my 'master,' whether I like it or not. I can't just ignore that. I appreciate that you think I'm intelligent enough to talk to, but I won't be your friend. I can't."

The look in his eyes was a sad one when he turned and walked away. Elphaba took a deep breath and tried to go back to her book. She couldn't concentrate. Wouldn't it be nice to have someone her own age to talk to? She shook her head hard. No. She couldn't. She was not meant to be his friend. Unless… could he command her to be? And would she have to listen? He wouldn't do such a thing. He preferred a more irritating route to befriending her. Irritating and yet… somehow endearing. Elphaba blinked slowly. She really should get back to reading…