"Tell me you atleast have a plan," Elphaba asked, after walking in silence for a great while.
"Yeah, I wanted to make it up as we go."
She sighed, wearily. "I was thinking that maybe it would make more sense if we waited until after we find Nor, to change you back."
Fiyero wrinkled his nose at the thought, as much as was Scarecrowly possible.
Elphaba grabbed his arm and stopped him. "Listen to me," she pleaded. "It makes more sense. As Fiyero, you're a traitor to Oz, as the Scarecrow you're a national hero. You could just walk into, even the Southstairs and liberate whoever you wanted, and no one would think twice of it."
He tilted his head, slightly, considering. "You're right, it does make more sense."
She sighed again, knowing him too well. "But...?"
"You don't understand what this is like. It's important to me, Elphie. That I get myself normal again. To feel a cool breeze on my face, to taste the sweet nectar of pearlfruit...to revel in the love of a good woman," he said, with an unsurreptious look at her.
Why, Fiyero, if I weren't green, I'd have turned pink. Oh you rake. She put a hand on either side of her face and her eyes dropped demurely to the ground, in an uncharacteristic gesture of girlishness.
Fiyero forced himself to tear his eyes away. "It's getting late. Maybe you and Liir would like to get some rest."
Elphaba shook her head. "I'm not tired. But I'm sure Liir must be. It can't be easy for a child."
"Dorothy had little trouble," Fiyero told her and regretted it instantly.
Elphaba bristled. The moment they had shared was clearly over. "Why, Fiyero, I thought Boq was the one who had no heart," she hissed. "That little soubrette killed my sister.
He smacked himself upside the head. "Sorry, Elphie, nothing going on up here. As a result, my mouth tends to run away from me. Wasn't her fault anyway, how was she to know that her house would just go flying and Nessa would be in the way?"
She softened at once. She never had been able to stay angry with him for long, not even in their tulmutuous youth. "Well, if you put it like that, I suppose I can't blame her."
"I'll stand watch," he told her.
"Wake me at midnight and I'll relieve you."
"No, I got it."
"All night? Yero, I won't even here of it."
He smiled at her and she felt she would melt, for real this time. "One of the good things about being a Scarecrow is that I don't need to sleep. You do. Tommorrow will be just as long as today was," he said.
She removed her cape and spread it out on the ground. She glanced 'round herself, looking for Liir. The lad was already asleep, leaning into the crook of an apple tree. She sat down and turned her attention back to Fiyero. "Are you sure this is what you want? No matter the disguise, we will attract unwanted attention. The three of us can disapear to anonymity. No one will be the wiser. They believe you and I to be dead, and there are few that even know of Liir. I'm sure there is a spell somewhere that can make life more bearable for you and I promise you, I will find it."
"This isn't life. It's an existance alright, but hardly so." He looked down at her and his expression was without blame. "You did this out of your love for me, I know. And I love you all the more for it. But Elphie, try to understand. I can't go on like this. This isn't life. It's emptiness with the semblance of life."
Oh, Fiyero, though you play the fool and play it well, the truth of what you are makes itself known again and again.
He kicked at some pebbles and scattered them wide.
Elphaba tried to speak but her voice fell apart before she formed the first word. She cleared her throat and tried again. "So what you're telling me is that this...what I've done to you is worse than death would have been?"
"I love you, Elphie, and I respect you. And that is why I can't lie to you."
She nodded her understanding and turned away from him. She lay down and closed her eyes. For along time, her thoughts dwelled on the conversation they had had but as the moon climbed higher into the night sky it gradually slipped from her mind. Finally, she relaxed.
For the first time in she didn't remember when, she felt safe. Not even the mighty fortress of Kiamo Ko had brought her this sense of security. Not so much as this empty stretch of land, with Fiyero watching over her.
She woke once during the night. Her eyes fell immediatly on his form. He stood completly still some thirty feet from where she lay, his figure sillhoutted in the moonlight. She sighed blissfully. Would that I could give you everything that you wish for my love. Soon I hope that you will get it. How hard it must be for you.
She watched him for a long time but sleep eventually snuck back upon her.