Okay, so I had a bit of a temper tantrum diva fit the other day. It's all over and the fic is NOT on hiatus. I'll continue to write, for myself and the few people who read this regularly. Review, if you like.
Fiyero Tiggular perched on the edge of the stiff leather chair, his hands clasped underneath his chin. He gazed lazily at the sideboard opposite him, finding nothing of interest. His parents were locked in an intense conversation with the Eminence of Munchkinland, and he was being left out like a child who should be seen and not heard.
He yawned.
Because of their position as royalty - the Tiggulars were the ruling family of the Vinkus - they had been invited a week early to spend some time with the Thropps before the wedding. Fiyero had never met the daughter, Elphaba, and he was intrigued by all of the rumours. Some said she was crippled, others that she had some kind of skin condition that kept her inside the house.
Right on cue, a girl in a shapeless blue dress entered the room. Her hair fell, poker straight, to her waist. It was thick, shiny and black, with a silky appearance. Her eyes were large and mournful, the colour of overturned earth flecked with aventurine. The rest of her features were prettily formed, even if her nose was slightly too long in the bridge. With calm surprise, Fiyero noticed the peculiar hue of her skin: a pale, pretty green.
Elphaba cast her eyes in his direction, nodding stiffly in acknowledgement. Her mother and father welcomed her with a smile, and made to introduce her. Eissa, on the other hand, jumped to her feet and stomped towards her young niece.
"How dare you interrupt our conversation without a thought, you little toad!" she chastised, landing a sharp slap on the emerald cheek. The girl did not flinch, but turned the powerful force of her eyes disdainfully upon her aunt.
"I thought I would come and introduce myself to our guests, Aunt," she said coolly. "Since they are here for my wedding, I deemed it polite."
Eissa pursed her lips and she returned to her place on the settee. Fiyero noticed Elphaba's mother's fingers curl in anger.
Being a gentleman, he immediately rose and extended a hand towards the girl. She took it with a faint smile, and her grip was firm and determined.
"Fiyero," he grinned.
"Elphaba," she replied, directing her steady gaze to his bright eyes. Neither relinquished their grip on the other's hand, and they locked their eyes, coffee and sapphire. Each of the older people in the room could feel the palpable intensity radiating between the pair.
A few silent moments passed, before Fiyero dropped his eyes. "These are my parents, Biaxana and Follor, King and Queen of the Vinkus." he motioned to the pair on the settee, and Elphaba's eyes widened.
"Oh! Your majesties!" she gasped, turning quickly and bobbing an elegant curtsey. Eissa glared at Elphaba, nodding briefly at the boy she had turned her back on. Stifling a sigh, the green girl curtsied to him also.
"Your highness."
The eve of the wedding.
Melena and Elphaba decided to take a turn about the gardens, linking arms and meandering among the shrubbery.
"Dear…You know that tomorrow is your wedding night?" Melena ventured, regret colouring her tone. Elphaba looked away and nodded.
"I plan to drink as much wine as I can lay my hands on, Mother." she smiled wryly. The redhead chuckled a little, and stopped walking.
"You know your duty then, my sweet?"
Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Of course I know. How could I not?"
"You know…what happens?"
"I know the basic mechanics of it, anyway. And, like I said, I plan to be entirely off my head with alcohol. I'm not entirely sure I plan to be conscious when it happens." the daughter sighed, perching listlessly on a low stone wall. Melena perched next to her, a sympathetic smile on her lips.
"If only you were marrying a nice young man! Someone who could make tomorrow special for you-"
"There's no use wishing for things to change, Mother. Wishing only wounds the heart and soul, because nothing ever comes of it. I'll put up with my lot in life; there's nothing I can do about it."
"But Fabala-"
"If this marriage has brought me anything worthwhile, it's Galinda. I've never had a real friend before, save you, Papa, Nessa and Shell. Even when Rilt dies, I think we'll stay friends. I hope." Elphaba sighed, rubbing the goose bumps from her forearms.
A while later, as the sun was setting, Melena left Elphaba to return indoors. The younger woman kept walking, eyeing a small gazebo at the far end of the rose garden. Upon reaching it, she entered and flopped onto the cushioned seat.
"Hello," a quiet voice on her left murmured. She jumped and her heart stuttered briefly. Fiyero leaned out from the shadows, a serene smile on decorating his handsome features.
"Oh, your Highness, you scared me half to death!" Elphaba cried, fanning herself in an attempt to calm down. The young prince chuckled and murmured an apology.
"Are you nervous? About tomorrow, I mean?" he asked after a few minutes of comfortable silence. Elphaba didn't think twice about telling him the truth.
"Dreadfully," she admitted, her features drooping in sadness. Fiyero scooted closer, and she continued. "I know I should be grateful to my Aunt. I mean, she's spared me the pain of a loveless life. Or, at least, I can pretend that she has…Will you ever have to marry?" she quizzed, shaking her hair from her face.
"One day. If I don't find the right girl by the time I'm twenty five, my parents will find someone for me. Why didn't you get the same chance?".
Fiyero was curious as to why the intriguing girl was being denied the chance to find love. It was obvious that this marriage was entirely the wrong path for her. Elphaba raised an eyebrow incredulously, and motioned to her harlequin green face.
"No man in his right mind would want this," she snorted. Fiyero pressed his lips into a hard line, annoyed at her self deprecating words.
"It's different, and there's nothing wrong with that. I, personally, find it quite attractive. And trust me, I know. I've had my fair share of girlfriends. None of them were as interesting as you are." he smiled, and Elphaba wrinkled her nose at the praise.
"You've abused the privilege of trying to find a wife, haven't you?" she sniggered. The young man shrugged.
"I have, and I'm not proud of it. It's amazing, all those girls and I still…" he trailed off, shifting uncomfortably.
"You're really unhappy, aren't you?" Elphaba sighed, her eyes wide with empathy. He held his hand out, and she took it willingly.
"Not as unhappy as you are, I'll bet." He laughed wistfully and squeezed her fingers. An icy rush erupted in her stomach, and she plucked nervously at a loose thread on her dress.
Silence reigned.
"Have you never even been kissed?" The prince asked suddenly, winding his fingers through Elphaba's. The girl started at the unexpected voice, then frowned, her lips parting slightly in surprise.
"No," she replied simply, as though only just realising the truth of the fact.
"I could kiss you, if you'd like." Fiyero ventured nervously. Something flared in Elphaba's heart, and she nodded. If this was going to be the first and last chance she got to kiss a real life handsome prince, then by Oz was she going to take it, and to hell with the consequences.
"Okay then. Kiss me. "