Chapter 93. The Mermaid Pool II
Rifiuto: Non Miniera
Thanks to Elphaba1Fan and Akasharouge for reviewing 92.
Question: How could 12 year old Fae believe her mother killed her baby sister?
Answer: She doesn't understand that something went wrong during Elphaba's pregnancy, that caused her sister to be stillborn. For all her travels, Fae's been sheltered most of her life, and so believing that her mother killed her baby sister is a way for her to cope with the loss, because no one told her what really happened. All she knows is that the baby died, but she doesn't know how because everyone has been basically keeping her in the dark, so blaming her mother is her way of dealing with it. It's her way of accepting the death, even if it is an irrational way of accepting it. But don't worry, all will be explained soon....
They returned to Shiz.
The girls had to get back for classes, and Fiyero believed it would be good for Elphaba to get out of the Vinkus for a while. After settling in their hotel room, Fiyero dragged Elphaba out to the small cafe near Shiz, and for an hour or so, Fiyero had the girl he'd fallen in love with back.
When they got to Shiz, however, everything changed.
"Classes don't start until Monday, so we have today, tomorrow, and Sunday to do nothing but relaxify." Makinla said, collapsing among her many pink pillows.
"Or, we can continue looking for Fae." Anakinsa replied, perching on the end of Makinla's bed. The blonde raised an eyebrow.
"Anakin, we've looked. And every attempt has been fruitless. You're starting to sound like Fae. We have three days where we don't have classes, enjoy it." Anakin rolled her eyes, and turned her attention to her aunt.
"Auntie Fabla? Are you okay?"
Elphaba ignored her. The queen wandered back and forth between the bathroom and the rest of the dorm, absentmindedly picking up a bottle of oil or a book every once in a while. Fiyero watched his wife curiously, concern in his eyes.
"Fae? Are you okay love?"
Finally, Elphaba stopped her wandering, and turned to her husband. She clutched her broom in hand. She looked every bit the fabled 'Wicked Witch'.
"I'm gonna....go for a quick broom ride. Want to come, Yero?" She asked. She seemd slightly disjointed from the others, but Fiyero chalked it up to stress. He slowly shook his head.
"No thanks love. I think I'll stay here."
"Okay." Elphaba shrugged, and moved past her husband to the window. On impulse, he reached out and grabbed her arm, turning her towards him.
"Yes?"
"Nothing love. Just...be careful....and don't stay out too long."
"I won't. I promise." She whispered, kissing him gently, before going to the window and pushing it open. Fiyero watched as she It took that one moment to get a good look at his wife's eyes. There was something shining in them, and he didn't like it.
Insanity.
Finally, Elphaba landed near the pool.
She moved to the water's edge, and knelt down, setting her broom next to her.
Two eyes, then nothing. Then, the mermaid sat in front of her, resting on the rock a few feet away.
Elphaba held out her hand, mimicking the mermaid.
What do you desire?
Elphaba didn't blink. Didn't breath.
Death.
Very well.
Elphaba didn't focus, not this time. She let the mermaid lead her into the water. With one good tug, the mermaid had pulled Elphaba into the murky depths. The heaviness of her skirt collected water faster, and it pulled her down. She didn't register the sting of water on her skin, she just let it consume her.
Fiyero checked the clock.
Elphaba had been gone far too long.
"Stay here, I'lll send for help if something's happened."
"Where are you going?" Glinda cried, as Fiyero fled the dorm. "Fiyero!"
Quickly, he raced out of Shiz, and towards the mermaid pool. The first thing he saw when he got there, was the broom.
Elphaba's broom was laying on the ground, but Elphie was no where to be found. His eyes wandered to the pool. Thinking quickly, he pulled his jacket off, and then dived into the pool. Quickly, he searched for her.
No sign.
As he went deeper, he kept his eyes open for Elphaba.
Then, he found her.
BY the time he broke the surface, Elphaba in his arms, his heart was in his throat. As he climbed onto the edge with her in his arms, the mermaid broke the surface, and watched.
She wanted this.
Fiyero met her eyes.
No, she didn't. She'd never choose death. Never.
You obviously don't know her well enough to know what she desires. She desired death. She wanted this.
You're wrong.
He sat on the bank, trying to resusitate her with CPR. When nothing happened, he stood, scooped her into his arms, and rushed back to the dorm.
"Glinda! Glinda! Open up! Hurry!"
The door opened, and Glinda gasped, to see Fiyero soaking wet with Elphaba in his arms.
"Fiyero, what happened?" Glinda cried.
"She was in the mermaid pool." Fiyero said, laying her on Fae's bed. He sat next to her, pulled out his pocket knife, and then cut away her dress.
"Fiyero, what are you doing?" Nessa asked, wheeling closer.
"We need to get this off her, before the water gets to any more of her skin. Glinda, grab a towel and oil, hurry!" Fiyero ordered.
"Dad? Is--"
"Not now, Liir!" When he'd taken the dress off, they saw that Elphaba's skin was starting to bruise. The skin on her face got the worst of it.
"Here Fiyero." Glinda said, handing him the oils and towel.
"Liir, dab the oil on your mother skin." His son did as told, as Fiyero gave his wife CPR. "Come on Fae, breathe!"
Breathe, compress, breathe, compress.
Over and over.
Finally, Elphaba gasped, choking on water. She struggled to sit up, reached for the trash can, which Boq handed her, and coughed up water into the can.
"Fae?" Fiyero whispered, once she'd finished. She turned to him, weak, but alive.
"Y....Yero....why....." He hushed her, and pulled her into his arms, burying his face in her damp hair.
"Thank Oz, I thought we'd lost you there for a moment."
"For a moment there, you did." She whispered into his chest.