Elphaba bit her bottom lip, pressing her eyelids together to begin forcing herself up again.

Her legs fought against her, she didn't feel anything more than numbness from them but she willed them to work. They were only numb, not gone. That's what she kept repeating inside her mind. She took another deep breath willing herself to move her legs. She felt one of her feet twitch. That wasn't quick enough. Every second that passed was another second Morrible and the Wizard did what they wanted. A thought came to her suddenly - the spell she had used a few days ago. Relan was onto something earlier - it was no coincidence that Avaric was able to stand mere days after he got shot. She blamed her forgetfulness on her still drugged up body. If only she could remember the spell.

"Sannai sannai corra di-." She whispered the words she was able to recall but trailed off forgetting the last word. She thought for a moment trying to remember that last word.

"Sannai sannai.." She began again, "Corra di... bufura. " As the last word came out she gasped as her body was forced upright. Her blood felt like it was on fire and her eyes burned from the tears collecting there. She bit her lip from the pain and after a few seconds it slowly died out and she was breathing heavily, her hand coming to her forehead to wipe the sweat there. She grinned twisting her head around and moving her arms, she did notice a gleam of sweat all across her arms and she felt the wetness on her body but that didn't matter to her. She did however do a double take at the dress she was wearing, it wasn't her usual dress but something new, something black. She decided on focusing on getting herself out of bed instead of wondering who changed her clothes and she started looking around the room for her bag. She couldn't leave without her bag. Luckily it was laying atop of a table near the bed. Elphaba threw her legs over the bed, her legs stilling, feeling stiff but coming to quickly. Her hands on either side of the bedside table to keep right. The drugs were out of her body thanks to the spell but her body had not caught up. She drew another breath as she pushed off the bed to stand. Her body rocked from side to side but she stood fine and with no numbness. One foot went forward and then the next and she moved towards the desk where her bag lay. She rummaged through it making sure that her items were still inside. Once she had it she went towards the gigantic window, nearly stumbling over a broom on the floor, and looked out.

Mountains upon mountains with only grass as far as her sight went. She was high up. Extremely high up. There was no way she was going to be able to leave without someone noticing.

She let herself stop for a moment and listen. The only noise was the wind blowing fiercely outside the window. Rattling the window.

Noise. A lot of it.

Perfect cover.

As long as she wasn't seen. The Queen told her to rest and leave it all to them, Elphaba could not sit still…She glanced around the room her eyes focusing on an enormous book sitting on the top of a drawer. Once her eyes noticed the book she felt a sudden urge to check it out. She went over to it slowly and leaned up stretching her hand to pull it to the edge so she can grab ahold of it. Her hand touched the book and her fingers grew warm, pulling her hands sharply back as the book tumbled to the floor in front of her. Her fingers glowing bright green when she began reaching for the book without a second thought. She glanced over the big book seeing the worn binding and blank cover with nothing but wear. This was old and it was a magic book, that much she could tell from the way her hands hummed when she opened the cover, her previous escapade on the back of her mind. She wanted to- needed to- know what this book was. Her brows furrowed watching the letters as they bounced across the page, settling themselves to words she was able to read. Or rather fragments of words as some were unrecognizable and others still fluttered across the page. The more her eyes focused on each individual word the more she was able to understand. She felt compelled to just sit there and read what sort of spells it contained but she had no time for that, she could read once she was out of this castle and going to the palace. She closed the cover and slipped the large book of spells into her bag, promising herself to return it after she was done.

With that in her bag, she turned back and searched for her cloak or any cloak that could shield her from the cold weather; and from any onlookers gaze as her skin would be visible in the day and she was easy to pick out in a crowd if they saw the green. She found her own cloak thrown on the chair that the Queen had used to sit by her. She tied the front hiding herself behind the large cloak and made her way towards the door.

Elphaba opened the large door slowly peering out of the tiny crack and seeing nothing but a quiet hallway. She walked out hoping no one was around to stop her from leaving.

Sneaking out was simpler than she thought. She walked the halls and went down the stairs without coming across anyone or alerting the few people she could hear within the other rooms. Elphaba found her way out and walked right out of that castle. She wished everything else she did was as easy as that... And also she understood how easy it was for Fiyero to gain that scandalous reputation so fast. He could literally just walk out of his castle without being told a thing, or being heard by anyone.

Or anyone being there…guarding…Odd indeed. Much too odd, she thought as she traveled down the rocky terrain. She looked over her shoulder for a few seconds, she had heard people laughing as she snuck out but there was no one stopping her or anyone watching her. That to her meant that neither the Queen nor Fiyero were there and the Queen must not have counted on her to use magic to heal herself. Which was good in a way. It assured her an easy way out when she needed it. The only obstacle now was how she was going to get back into the Emerald City from the Vinkus all the way on foot. No matter what, it was better than being stuck in a bed while everyone else did everything. So she walked.

Seeing nothing but the rough stone road and grass as far as the eye could see. There wasn't anything here that would cover her particularly now that she saw a lone figure riding horseback towards her.

Elphaba cursed loudly as she looked for anything to use as cover. The grass was tall but not enough to hide in and there was scarcely any trees and the ones she could see were bare. She bit her bottom lip as she pulled the hood as far out as she could and withdrew her arms into the cloak. If it was someone from the castle and she was asked what she was doing she would simply tell them she wanted to go. They couldn't stop her unless the Queen had ordered otherwise, and if that was the case she had no other option than to run or go back and hide like a coward. Or maybe she was overthinking things and all she needs to do was keep her eyes down and go, it was too late to go back to sleep like the Queen had asked her to. The rider was coming closer and Elphaba continued to walk not putting anymore attention to herself. It wasn't until she heard them call out, "Hey you!" that she cursed again and when she raised her head and recognized the rider she cursed even more.

Fiyero rode over to her, his terror stricken face as he recognized her as well. "Elphaba what in... How... You shouldn't be able to walk right now?"

"I have to go Fiyero I have no time." She replied in a hurry.

"Where? You should be resting, but you're up... That drug..." He shook his head rapidly. "It wasn't something that would go way so soon. Here hop on we have to get you back and get a doctor to - "

"No," She shook her head and Fiyero slowly retracted his hand, "I can't go back. There are things I have to do. "

"Do them later. It isn't safe out now. My mother went off and ordered me to come back and watch over you. We aren't allowed to go anywhere. There are some of our soldiers that aren't that far behind me." He looked over his shoulder to emphasize but Elphaba didn't see anyone at all.

"Then I must leave now. " She rephrased stalking off. She heard him follow.

"This isn't our fight Elphaba." Fiyero said, keeping his horse in step with her. "We need to stop pretending —"

Her nostrils flared but she did not stop walking. "How can you say that? How can you stand to the side while this is our minds that they are playing with?" Maybe even his own mind.

"I-" He began but she cut him off.

"If it isn't your fight what exactly were you doing working with Morrible?" She questioned, sidestepping a rather large rock.

"I was keeping Galinda safe!" He argued, holding tight to the horse.

"Keeping Galinda safe?"

"Yes. Morrible offered her a meeting with the Wizard and some sort of apprenticeship soon after you left and she took it thinking she would be able to help, she confided in me what she was really doing and I joined her." Fiyero confessed to her.

"So where is Galinda then? Back in the castle?" She hadn't seen her, nor Galinda her. They weren't friends for long but she didn't think she would just ignore her.

Fiyero stared at her sheepishly when she glanced at him, holding the horse reigns with one hand as he scratched the back of his head with the other. "I left her to bring you here…"

Elphaba stopped walking, whirling around to look at him. "You what?"

"I left her..." He repeated himself a lot quieter than before in hopes that she didn't hear him.

"You idiot! You big idiot, you left her with Morrible just to bring me here?" Elphaba hissed scaring the horse who took a step away from her.

"Um…Yeah." Fiyero said, lowering his head.

"Why—"

Fiyero interrupted, "Wait a second…If I would have followed her orders you would have been in her custody having you do gods knows what. Galinda is a big girl and she can take care of herself. "

"So can I Fiyero, I didn't need you to help me, I didn't need any help, I was going to go to the palace myself and end this."

"End what? What can you do about this?

"Alot!" She yelled causing Fiyero's horse to stand up. Fiyero tried to calm the animal down petting it's mane to stop it from jumping.

"Alot?" Fiyero grumbled as he held on tightly. "Like getting Boq killed?"

"What are you talking about?" She glared icily at him and Fiyero flinched.

Fiyero sat straighter, once the horse had calmed down. "Morrible told us what really happened."

"She told you it was my fault? That I killed him?" She said incredulously.

"She didn't say you killed him but it didn't help that you ran off with Avaric and never returned." Fiyero said accusingly.

Her eyes widened. "So you think we killed him and you believe her?"

Fiyero looked into her eyes."I don't think you killed him. No."

She understood what he meant. "Avaric?"

Fiyero nodded. She couldn't quite believe it, but then…He could have been made him do it. That witch could have forced him to do it.

Morrible was capable of it and if that was the case Elphaba had accused Sanevan of something he was not guilty of, yet the clues were there. He had his arms bandaged from cuts that he argued were caused by heading back into his room.

"What exactly did she tell you?" She inquired quietly looking to Fiyero again. Fiyero looked equally relieved and tired as he held his hand out.

"Hop on, I'll tell you on the way back."

"No. If I get on that horse with you, the only way we are going is that way." Elphaba pointed towards the direction of the Emerald City. "Because Galinda cannot stay there and because Morrible and the Wizard cannot keep getting away with what they are doing."

Fiyero stared at her and stared down the road to where his families castle stood. Then looked towards her, his gaze lingering. "If I don't you're still going to go aren't you?"

"Yes."

Fiyero sighed heavily as he nodded. "Okay, I'm not letting go alone besides the walk will take forever…get on."

He held his hand out again and Elphaba pushed it away holding on the horse's saddle and straddled the horse.

The truth was that she only agreed to getting on the horse with Fiyero so she could know if Fiyero was really himself and not acting under Morrible to keep her away. If that turned out to be true she would paralyze him and take him home where the soldiers there would have to guard him and she would be able to go.

"You'll have to wrap your arms around my waist so you don't fall." Fiyero said when her hand jutted out to his back when the horse began to go.

She grumbled a few words under her breath but she slowly let her arms rest on either side of him, hating the feeling of warmth coming from her fingers as she touched him.

"You were saying what Morrible told you?"

"Yes. Um. .." Fiyero words faded away when he looked down to where her hands were situated. "Morrible gave us the option of coming with her into the city, well, not really an option as we were in no position to deny what she told us."

"Why did she want to go into the city for?" Elphaba inquired as she tried to look behind his ear with no result - Fiyero kept moving his head.

"I don't know really, I was never really told. I was only there because Galinda had personally asked for me, all I really know is that Galinda was beside Morrible in public."

Elphaba nodded in acknowledgement.

"Morrible is very impossible to like, but there is no way to not like Galinda."

"She is using her to charm the people." Elphaba realized.

"And charming the people she is…" Fiyero chuckled holding still for a second as he thought something, Elphaba used that moment to study his ears.

They were fine, there was no incision there was nothing but his lightly tanned skin from riding in the sun. Fiyero continued speaking but she was no longer listening. Everything was real. His kindness, his words, his smile. It was all him.

Fiyero Tiggular.

She wasn't aware at what moment Fiyero had turned towards her, nor at what moment her face went red, or when her lips had widened into a smile.

It wasn't until Fiyero leaned towards her and pressed his lips on hers that she realized what was really happening.

He was kissing her.