Chapter 8 - Her Royal Majesty and Friends

Elphaba had spent most of the morning in the library archives taking inventory. The sounds of a door slamming and footsteps caused her to poke her head out from behind several stacks of old books.

"Elphaba dear, are you in here?"

"Who's there?" she asked, rising from her seat.

"There you are," Queen Yasaman said, walking around the desk. Holding out her arms, she embraced Elphaba. "I've missed you."

"Your Majesty," Elphaba said, surprised by her unexpected visit. "How are you? Won't you have a seat." Gesturing to an empty chair in front of the desk, the Queen nodded.

"You can suspend the formalities, my dear. You've called me Yasa at the castle when you've visited several times."

"Can I help you with anything? The children loved your storytelling time yesterday. Why are you here today?" The librarian asked, although she knew the reason.

The Queen handed Elphaba a brown paper bag. "I brought lunch. I told Cook I was visiting a friend and asked if she could make those delicious Monte Cristo sandwiches that you love. Of course without telling her, she probably knew who it was for."

"Thank you for thinking of me." She looked inside of the lunch bag." I do love this."

"There must be a question or two in your mind why I'm here. Take a wild guess."

Elphaba shook her head. "I would rather not."

The Queen folded her hands on the desk. "Okay. I'll start. My son. I want to thank you. Since he's met you, he's a changed man. These couple months he's become more responsible, caring, not argumentative. And his outlook on life seemed promising and he's been happier than I've ever seen him. Everyone in our household has noticed his change for the better. He's no longer what people would say the carefree prince. But right now, he's miserable, lonely and unhappy. My husband is thinking of stepping down from the throne in two years when he's sixty. Fiyero will be next in line. We don't want an unhappy king, do we?"

Elphaba kept silent. She remembered Fiyero's concerns regarding the family business.

"You know, you're the first girl he's ever brought home for us to meet. He's never been serious about anyone before...until you came along."

Tears welled up in Elphaba's eyes. The Queen searched for a tissue in her handbag. Reaching over, she wiped her tears.

"Fiyero doesn't know I'm here. He would be very angry if he found out. But I'm sure Cook has already told him. When he was little, he'd cry for her. He'd say he wanted his mommy. I'm your mommy I'd tell him. No, my other mommy he would say."

"At least he has two mothers. I have none," Elphaba said.

"I'm sorry for your loss. You're a remarkable young woman. Your mother would have been so very proud of you."

"Thank you, Yasa."

"Fiyero loves you. You do know that, don't you?"

Elphaba shook her head. "You're wrong. It was just a game. A joke...a very cruel joke."

"I don't know what your friend heard or told you but it's a misunderstanding. A huge misunderstanding. He doesn't do much in his free time. Doesn't tend to his garden anymore. After his royal duties, he goes straight to his bedroom. He'll come down for dinner. Doesn't say much. I can't remember the last time he smiled. I can't tell him what to do, what to think, what to feel. He's a grown man...but he's still my baby."

"I'm sorry," Elphaba said.

Queen Yasaman reached out for Elphaba's hands, gently patting them. "I believe you're the one for him. Can't you find it in your heart to think things through? To work things out? To trust him and believe in him. I'm not asking you as a member of royalty. I'm asking you as his meddling mother. Don't you miss him? It's been three weeks."

"I've been alone all of my life. I'm used to being by myself. I don't need anyone."

"That's not what I asked you," Queen Yasaman said. "And everyone needs someone."

Elphaba placed her hand on her heart. "I never wanted to know the feeling of ever missing someone in my life...except for my mother. And then he came along. He taught me things that could never be found in any book. He taught me the love of nature...flowers...stars...the moonlight...a rainbow, even a dance. Things that can't be bought. They're everywhere and I've never noticed them until he pointed them out." Elphaba caught herself and held her breath. Slowly she exhaled. "He had no right to have barged into my life. I was doing fine without him. In my own little corner."

Queen Yasaman's eyes were filled with understanding. "What are you afraid of? If you're afraid to love him, it's a little too late, isn't it? You can't command yourself not to feel. A heart is like a magnet, it attracts itself to someone without you realizing it. You can't choose whom to love, your heart has a mind of its own. I want my son to have the very best. And you are the very best for him."

Elphaba rubbed her arms. "A green girl? He should be with someone of his caliber. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth."

"What does your skin color have to do with anything? Someone with his caliber? You mean someone of royalty? You do know that I'm only royalty through marriage. And Max and I have a very good marriage. Who knows if he had married Princess whatever her name was would have worked out. It was an arranged thing. His parents preferred her and not a commoner like me. Elphaba my dear, love conquers all."

"Love conquers all obstacles," Elphaba said. "Not this time, Virgil."

"You've read his works."

Elphaba nodded. "Love conquers all...it's just a vague concept. It's open to interpretation."

"Throughout times of hardship, love will reign," the Queen insisted.

"Why do people fall in love? Why does it hurt when you love someone?" Elphaba asked. "Because I'm hurting."

"You've just admitted you love him," Queen Yasaman smiled.

Elphaba blinked back her tears. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't change anything."

The Queen held out her hands. "Dear, give me your hands."

Elphaba obeyed her command.

"Now close your eyes. No peeking. Think of your life before Fiyero came into it. Think for a moment of how it was. Were you happy before he came into your life? Tell me what you see."

Elphaba's face showed no emotions. "I wasn't living. I was just existing."

"Now think of when you two met. These past months you were together. Were you happier then? Think of the good times...of the days and nights spending time with each other."

Elphaba smiled, but caught herself again. "I don't like this game." She tried to pull away but the Queen gripped her hands tightly.

"Close your eyes."

Elphaba reluctantly agreed.

"And lastly. Think of the future. Think of how it would be without him. Growing old and gray without each other. No one to go home to, no one to love. No one to take care of you or worry about you. Your life will be an empty shell if you close that heart of yours. You'll be alone. He'll be alone." Queen Yasaman released her hands. "Can you see that in your future? Doesn't that frighten you? Isn't it sad to love someone and not be with that someone, my dear?"

Elphaba stared at the Queen. "I don't know about anything anymore."

"You will. I know you'll make the right decision." Queen Yasaman pulled out a gift wrapped item out of her handbag. "An early birthday gift for you. I know it's next week, but I'd like you to have this now."

"How did you know that my birthday was coming up?" Elphaba asked, but answered her own question. "Fiyero told you. You shouldn't have."

"Open it," she said. "I wanted to give you something special."

Elphaba unwrapped the little gift box, finding a beautiful silver comb piece with diamonds, sapphires and pearl stones.

"It's very pretty, Yasa. It's much too expensive of a gift for me."

"I got it from my travels. I had long flowing hair when I was your age. I've worn it a few times. I'd like you to have it. With your long beautiful hair, it will look lovely with your hair upsweep to one side."

"Shouldn't this be for Zita?"

"No, dear. Zita has her own collection which she chooses herself. This is for you. I want you to have this. Just a little keepsake from me."

"Thank you, Yasa. It's very generous of you. It really is beautiful."

...

Farjad and Emad lingered around the library checkout counter in the late afternoon trying to build up the courage in speaking to Elphaba.

"You think she'll want to talk to us?" Farjad asked.

Emad shrugged his shoulders. "There's only one way to find out."

Farjad pointed his finger toward her. "There she is with those stacks of books. Let's go help her."

Emad approached her. "Here why don't we help you with these books, Miss."

"Thank you very much. They belong over there on the shelf," Elphaba said, walking across the room.

The two young men followed the librarian placing the books on the newly painted shelf.

"I'm Emad," he said. "And this is Farjad."

"It's nice to meet you." Elphaba stared at them for a few seconds, then stepped back distancing herself away from them. "You're Fiyero's friends. He often spoke about you two. What do you want? I'm assuming you're not here to borrow books."

"Hey look," Farjad said. "You got this wrong. Fiyero never agreed to...what...we...you know. Your friend heard wrong. What was her name?" He turned to Emad.

"Glinda," Emad said. "She didn't hear everything. Just jumped to conclusions. Couldn't wait to run out that door and tell you all about it."

Elphaba crossed her arms in front of her. "What do you want from me? Why are you here? I'm working right now. Please leave."

"Elphaba," Farjad said. "Fiyero doesn't know we're here. He's hurting right now and..."

"And you think I'm not?" Elphaba's temperature rose, but lowered her voice. "What's the matter? He doesn't want to play with his little friends anymore that you had to come here and bother me? What is today? Visit Elphaba Day? First the Queen, now you two."

"Aunt Queenie was here to see you?" Farjad asked.

"Aunt Queenie?" Elphaba rolled her eyes. "I should have figured."

"We've been friends with Fiyero since five years old. Come on, Elphaba. Emad and I haven't spoken to him in days. Never saw him like this before."

"Like what?"

"Sad," they both said.

"Like you are right now," Emad said.

Elphaba blinked back tears. She walked away. The two followed her. "Employees only," she said, as she entered the library conference room, blocking their way. "How do you know what I'm feeling? You don't know what I'm feeling. It's not easy being green. He made me forget about the color of my skin. And I believed him...only to find out about your stupid bet. His stupid lies."

"But he didn't agree to it. I promise," Farjad said. He held up his hand as if taking an oath. "I am sorry for what we've done or tried to make him do. But he didn't."

Emad agreed. "Yes, so very sorry."

"I almost want to believe you. You two actually look sincere. But I'm not going to be made a fool again."

"Once you'll get to know us, we're actually not that bad," Farjad said. "Just talk to him."

"No, I don't want to get to know you at all...you or your friend. And I definitely don't want to talk to Fiyero."

"Aww...come on. Farjad and I really feel bad about all of this. Why don't you call him? Please?"

"Yes, call him. Pretty please?"

Elphaba lowered her glasses, and peered at them. "Are you what? Like ten years old? You're grown men acting so childish. Don't beg. And besides, if he wanted to see me, he would have called by now."

"It's only because you told him to get out of your life," Emad said.

"And out of your house," Farjad said.

Elphaba snickered. "You two and Fiyero all belong together. Now get out of my library. You're giving me a migraine."

TBC - Chapter 9