(A/N: whoa! Look out! It's another update! yeah! Well...at least I'm excited...anyhu, thanks if you reviewed and felt sorry for me and my computer deprivation. It has been a hard few weeks. My grandma had to go to the hospital and she passed away. I played "For Good" on my flute at the funeral and the lyrics were up on the screen because nobody could sing it, but I felt that the lyrics really pertained to the the funeral and saying goodbye to someone you love, you know? Anyway, enough on that, here's the next chapter! I hope you enjoy it! It's longer than the previous one I believe (i hope) and if it gets boring and stuff...sorry! so please review! I updated super fast for you guys!)
The shots and cannons finally stopped. It was like someone had flipped a switch, everything seemed silent. The battlefield was a cake of war; blood was smeared across the grass like frosting and bodies strewn across randomly like sprinkles. It was disgusting. Galinda stared at the battlefield with tears flowing down her porcelain face. Most everyone else was asleep right now, or out on the battlefield, looking for survivors. She was waiting for Fiyero to get back. He and his group had gone back to the palace to try and rescue others that were being held hostage in the ballroom. Finally she saw him come through, about 10 extra people behind him. He and Galinda hadn't had time to really talk that day, Fiyero and his group making constant runs between the palace and the Wizard's territory. Fiyero was exhausted. He showed the people he'd gotten out to a tent that had just been set up, then hauled himself over to wear Galinda sat outside of one of the tents where people from the ballroom were staying. He sat down next to her with a tired sigh. He looked out at where the battlefield had been.
"You know, I thought that if anyone figured Daniel out, it would be me." said Galinda, turning to him, wiping tears off her face, "Turns out you were harder to crack than I thought."
"It wasn't easy Galinda." said Fiyero, turning to her as well, then he let a grin slide across his face, "You made sure of that." he laughed. Galinda blushed and giggled.
"Well, I just knew you couldn't be gay!" said Galinda.
"Oh honey, are you sure about that?" asked Fiyero, using his fruits-a-lot voice. Galinda's eyes widened for a minute, and then they both started laughing.
"But Fiyero, why did you do it?" asked Galinda as their weak laughter faded.
"It was a desperate attempt to keep Elphaba safe, keep my parents alive and save my own skin." Fiyero sighed, looking up at the moon, which hung over the battlefield, as though recognizing the fallen today.
"What happened after Elphaba and I left for the Emerald City?" asked Galinda.
"Frex took over our castle and took my parents and I hostage. But then I escaped because this group called the organization helped me. I joined up with them and my job was to disguise myself and work in the palace because Frex had already installed men there. There were about four others I think, maybe more or less. We got messages every time someone was figured out and we knocked them out and took them to Organization headquarters, I never knew what happened to them after that, but I'm pretty sure they're not alive anymore."
"Oh." said Galinda.
"But, none of it really mattered at all." said Fiyero, suddenly tearing his gaze away from the moon to look at Galinda, the moon stayed in his eyes, which were glistening with tears, frustrated, angry and distraught tears, "Did it?! Frex still took over the palace and got Elphaba. I should have been spending my time being with her if this was all going to happen anyway! I wasted the time we could have had together. Nothing I did protected her! And it just—I just—I can't understand why all of this had to happen! I shouldn't have wasted my time with her, I shouldn't have..." he looked away from Galinda as he felt the tears drop. He rested his head on his knees and tried to stop the stupid tears that only reminded him of his efforts to protect Elphaba, his tears weren't going to help her either and he felt he was wasting time again.
"Fiyero," Galinda said gently, placing a small hand on his shoulder, "You're talking like you're never going to see her again."
"Well what if I don't, Galinda?! She could be dead right now, and I'm just sitting here!" Fiyero shouted angrily, looking back up at her as more tears flooded his eyes.
"Fiyero, you need to rest." said Galinda softly, "You're exhausted."
"It seems like I've saved everyone today but her." Fiyero sighed, looking back at the moon, "Someday, we're both going to be free, you know what I mean?" asked Fiyero as he saw a bird fly past the moon, "Together, me and her, we'll be like that bird up there, free whenever we want to be, defying gravity."
"I believe it Fiyero." said Galinda. They fell into a comfortable silence then, until they realized the bird Fiyero had just pointed out was flying towards them. He landed in front of them, wheezing from flying so long.
"P-prince Fiyero!" the Bird finally managed to say.
"Yes?" asked Fiyero.
"Linus at your service!" Linus bent down into a bow, or whatever it was Birds do, "I would've gotten here earlier, but for some reason, I got all mixed up and ended up in the bloody Munchkinland forest. Anyway, Princess Elphaba sent me to tell you to be careful and to ensure your...what's the word...aliveness..."
"Elphaba, you spoke to Elphaba?!" asked Fiyero.
"Yes, she's being kept in the East Tower at the Emerald Palace," said Linus, "She wanted me to tell you to be careful and stay out of battle."
"Linus...what...what did she look like?" asked Fiyero, not really wanting to know the answer, but needing to. Linus was about to answer when he suddenly got what Fiyero really meant by that. He sighed and looked at Fiyero sadly.
"She's badly bruised, I think she's been hit a lot, but no blood, no blood." said Linus. Fiyero felt a knife twist in his heart. Galinda winced and took Fiyero's hand, giving it a quick squeeze.
"After you rest, in the morning, I want you to tell her that I love her and that I am coming for her." said Fiyero.
"I will your Highness." said Linus, "Now I must go see the Wizard about the other news she had."
"What other news?" asked Fiyero.
"She overheard Frex talking about a surprise attack tonight."
"Linus, it's night now!" said Fiyero, "There's no time to tell the Wizard, make the call!" Linus had never made the call before, that was for bigger Birds....He sucked in a deep breath and rose above the territory, making the call as loud as he could. Fiyero ran to the different tents as he heard the first shots from Frex's men as they realized they'd been discovered. Soldiers quickly grabbed their guns and another fight was raging. Fiyero ran back to Galinda, who was paralyzed with fear and shock. He grabbed her hand and tugged her away from the battlefield, further into the forest. They didn't stop until the shots were muffled by distant.
"You stay here." said Fiyero and he started to head back.
"No!" Galinda shouted, grabbing his arm, "Elphaba told you not to! She said to stay out of the battles!"
"But I--"
"Stay."
************
David had been with Fiyero the entire day mostly, getting people from the ballroom, and he was exhausted. This surprise attack was sprung on exhausted soldiers. It was obvious that Frex had held back during the first battle, saving his men's energy for this. David could sense everyone was at their breaking point as the sun began to rise, sending a pink/orange glow sliding over everyone. Finally, James had to pull back. He called the men back before anyone else died and Frex took the victory smugly as he walked to the borderline of where Wizard territory started. James went to the borderline as well, standing right in front of Frex, unwavering.
"Ah, you Highness," Frex sneered, "I don't think we've had the pleasure of meeting one another yet. I'm Frex, ex-governor of Munchkinland and soon to be Wizard of Oz."
"Aren't we setting high goals for ourselves?" James growled, "What is it you want Frex? You can't have Oz."
"I figured you'd say something like that." said Frex shrugging, "But what if I brought this into the picture." one of Frex's men pushed Elphaba forward and Frex grabbed her arm. Her hands were tied behind her back and she was blindfolded, bruises colored her skin and she didn't have any shoes. Immediately, James reached for her, but Frex pulled her back.
"Ah, ah, ah, negotiations first." said Frex.
"You can have Oz, just let my daughter go!" James cried desperately. A murmur went through the night at this proposition. Frex, have Oz...even if it saved the Princess....
"Your daughter?" asked Frex mockingly, "You didn't she was actually your daughter did you?!"
"She is." said James, "You're not her father, you're not even human, you're vile, cruel and pathetic." Frex was dangerously silent for a moment, terrifyingly calm. David was behind a tree, nearly as close as James to the Elphaba. He saw the anger in Frex's eyes and knew he was about to do something terrible.
"Pathetic am I?" asked Frex, his voice low and quivering with anger. In one swift movement he broke Elphaba's arm. A sickening crack was heard. She screamed as the pain rippled through her body like waves of fire. James was horrified. Cries and gasps were heard from James' side of the borderline.
"It'll be her back next!" Frex yelled at James, he breathed out and began to calm down, "Let's see how long the great Wizard of Oz will last now, knowing that every attack he makes will hurt her." he pointed at Elphaba, "Though don't be too concerned, I won't kill her, I would never think of it. But she will be begging me to before this war is over. The longer you drag this out the worse it will be. I'd surrender fast if I was you."
*********
Fiyero heard the scream even as far back as he was in the forest. Galinda had fallen asleep. Fiyero would've headed back to territory sooner, but he didn't want to wake Galinda. Galinda woke up when she heard the scream. Fiyero knew who it was, the gunshots had stopped a little while ago, the two heads were negotiating most likely. Fiyero began to run back to territory, Galinda behind him. A march band seemed to have taken over his heart as it beat past it's limit. It hurt. He didn't look back to see if Galinda was following him, he was too scared for Elphaba. Finally they got back to the tents. Fiyero saw Frex and his army in the distance, they'd already left. James stood at the borderline, a statue to any stranger. His eyes were haunted. Everyone seemed terrified and indecisive, confused, not knowing what to do. Fiyero saw David and went to him.
"David, what's happened?" asked Fiyero, "I heard--" David nodded.
"It was her Fiyero." he confirmed, "Frex came by after the battle. He told James that he was never going to give Elphaba up, not even for Oz. But he's going to torture her until this war is over, so the faster James surrender's the less Elphaba has to suffer. Just now, he got so mad, he just broke her arm, really fast. But nobody knows what to do. It's hard to watch that sort of thing happen, especially to her, but surrendering Oz could put a whole lot more people through hell and on."
"So either way, Frex gets Elphaba." Fiyero swallowed even more tears. He had stayed back in the forest with Galinda, he could've seen her. Could he have helped her? There was no way of knowing, probably not, but just that fact that he had not been there when she was just made him angry and sad and frustrated and pathetic and despairing....Frex's deal was in no way fair. Fiyero knew that had he been James, he would've surrendered in a heartbeat, which just went to show that he wasn't meant to rule Oz. James had to think about everyone in Oz, had Fiyero been him, he would've only thought of Elphaba. Either way James chose, he would be the one carrying the guilt on his back that would weigh more than any other weight in Oz.