This is going to be a rather sad chapter so I am sorry but hopefully you will enjoy the fact the Elphaba and Fiyero are getting reunited! Please review at the end! :D
The gardens of Kiamo Ko were busier with mourners than Elphaba had originally anticipated but what had she expected, there were bound to be a lot of people attending the funeral, after all Sam had been royalty and royals had connections with lots of people. Taking Galinda's hand in her own the two headed wordlessly in the direction the other people were taking. They passed the main gardens that fronted the main veranda at the eastern side of the castle and followed the slight hill downwards towards the riverside. In the two days that had passed since the storm the previously swollen river had shrunk back down to its normal size and was flowing silently, calmly and almost captivatingly westwards, suppressing the danger and sorrow that it could instigate and it had.
As they walked the two could see the grave coming into view. Many bouquets and garlands of flowers, all in different arrays of colour had already been placed accordingly in a specific arrangement at the graveside. There was a Vinkun, the King's second servant directing the guests to pre-planned places surrounding it and Elphaba noticed that Boq and Nessarose were already in their places. Fiyero had obviously had some say in his friend's positions for they were in the first row alongside the royal family themselves. Galinda took her place next to Nessa and Elphaba next to her.
"How are you doing Nessie?" Elphaba asked her politely, but quietly out of respect.
"I am fine thank you Fabala, it has been hard staying here with the family after the tragedy but they insisted that we didn't leave, if not for their sake for Fiyero's, he has hardly spoken to anyone since it happened," Nessa explained to her sister who's expression took a more forlorn look.
By the time the royal family left the castle through the main east doors and over the veranda the guests were all in place outside and Fiyero noticed the familiar and reassuring sight of Elphaba standing next to Galinda. He was glad she had come, no matter what had happened, no matter what he had done, he knew that she would be there for him anyway. He observed that she was wearing one of her usual floor length black dresses that she wore at school but it was accompanied by a black shawl and Galinda was wearing a knee length black dress made of the same material as Elphaba's and a long black coat that came down to her mid thigh. It didn't seem right, Galinda in the same dark almost oppressing clothing that Elphaba wore, it signified that something was wrong, that something in the world had happened to provoke a reaction from everyone.
Everyone looked sorrowful, pitiful as the family approached, Fiyero taking his place next to Elphaba who glanced up at him with a look of regret in her eyes but never pity, even at a time like this she was never one for such an emotion, she neither welcomed it herself nor imposed it on others willingly. She noticed that Fiyero was clutching Sam's baseball glove to his chest tightly and she became more saddened as the priest began to speak.
Elphaba could not even begin to imagine what it would feel like to lose Nessa, the thought had crossed her mind numerous times, especially when she thought of her mother and Nessa's traumatic birth, it still did not give her an incline of what Fiyero must be feeling, she had barely known her mother, she was too young when she had died to remember her.
Silence reigned as the priest ceased talking for a moment and his head turned to Fiyero, the congregation following his gaze.
"Fiyero would you like to drop the glove in now?" he asked him compassionately.
Fiyero was silent for a few moments, stepping forward slightly before finding his voice, "no, no I can't."
Elphaba noticed that he was clutching the glove tighter to his chest than he had been before so she too stepped forward and intertwined her hand with his free one that was hanging at his side.
"Yes you can," she whispered to him encouragingly.
Fiyero glanced over his shoulder to where she was standing, slightly behind and to the right of him and subconsciously he squeezed her hand tighter as he knelt down, Elphaba following suit. Gently and caringly he tossed the glove over the side and it landed softly on the coffin. He did not say anything as he stood back up still keeping a firm hold on Elphaba's hand.
The wake was more formal than it would have been at the funeral of a commoner and everyone headed inside to the Great Hall of Kiamo Ko for the meal which had been Sam's favourite. Fiyero requested to be moved from the head table so that he could sit next to Elphaba. He had not let go of her hand since she had taken his, she had willingly allowed him to lead her everywhere and the others seemed somewhat relieved that he was still making some kind of contact with somebody.
Reluctantly Fiyero had to let go of Elphaba for the duration of the meal for which he ate the most he had eaten in two days. It gave Elphaba a chance to look at him more closely without making him feel uncomfortable. She saw that he had a deep looking cut down his left cheek and several other scratches on his face, she could see another cut on his neck that disappeared beneath the line of his collar. The room was adorned with pictures of Sam, most of them featured Fiyero too, one had been taken on Fiyero's arrival at Shiz and it was only then that Elphaba realised that the only thing she had ever said to Sam had been rude, something along the lines of "Did you want to say something because in case you were wondering, no I'm not sea sick, yes I've always been green and no I didn't eat grass as a child."
Elphaba could tell from his body language and that he was getting more reclusive, that Fiyero was finding the meal increasingly more difficult but she did also notice that he was beginning to talk with more people and when she left to get a drink she glanced back at their table to see him deep in conversation with Galinda and Boq, something that was clearly taking his mind away from the thought of Sam.
Eventually many of the guests began to filter away as the afternoon wore on and the sky darkened signifying the evening was drawing in. Fiyero made his excuses and left their table and went to speak with his mother before leaving the hall and heading in the direction of the stairs.
"Where's he going?" Elphaba asked the others who knew the castle better than her enquiringly.
"That's the direction of his bedroom and our guest rooms," Nessa told her.
"Which we should be getting back to because we still need to pack for Shiz, we leave tomorrow," Boq said, quick thinking and the others nodded in agreement.
"We'll meet you up there," Galinda said to Boq before leading Elphaba out of the main doors as Boq took Nessa a different way that was more easily accessible for her.
As the two girls headed towards Galinda's room so that she could collect her remaining belongings they passed Fiyero's open bedroom door and noticed he was packing clothes into his school suitcase. The two exchanged a glance of worry and Elphaba sighed.
"I'll catch you up," she said with a sad smile to Galinda before knocking on Fiyero's door quietly.
He looked up and acknowledged her presence, stopping what he was doing to offer her a slight smile.
"What are you doing Fiyero?" Elphaba asked him, although she knew perfectly well.
"I'm going back to Shiz Elphaba and don't you even try to stop me, I cannot stay here any longer," Fiyero said his voice stern.
"Ok, I won't try and stop you but I will advise you that it probably isn't the best idea you have ever had, you are still grieving," Elphaba said, trying to make the conversation more light hearted.
"Elphaba the longer I stay I will keep looking back, wondering what could have been, what might have happened if I had never taken Sam boating and I just need some kind of normality back in my life," Fiyero explained to her.
"I understand," Elphaba nodded, completely appreciating where his train of thought was coming from.
"Now I know this day is meant to be about Sam but I want to know what happened in the Emerald City, what did the Wizard have to say to you?" Fiyero enquired as he automatically went back to packing.
"Well," Elphaba started as she moved over to lean on his desk before speaking rather nonchalantly, "he offered me the position of becoming Oz's new Grand Vizier."
Fiyero immediately stopped what he was doing, surprised yet proud as he smiled at her, "I knew you would make us proud, congratulations."
"Thank you," Elphaba smiled, knowing it was hard for him to overcome any emotion other than anguish at the moment.
"Come here," Fiyero said more cheerily as he opened his arms to her and she moved away from the desk and allowed herself to melt into his embrace, his arms holding her tightly to him, "I've missed you Thropp."
"I missed you too," Elphaba said emotionally as she clung to him strongly.
"Are you going back? To the Emerald City?" Fiyero asked her, knowing deep down it was inevitable.
They sat down in his window seat and Elphaba explained everything to him that she had to Galinda two days previously and he seemed to take a more optimistic view of the circumstances, showing he was clearly happy for her.
X-X-X-X-X-X
The cloud coverage the next morning was more than it had been in the days previously and it reflected the downcast mood of the Shiz students heading for the train station. Nessa and Boq were deep in conversation with Galinda on the front steps of the castle as their bags were all being loaded along with Elphaba and Fiyero's onto a waiting carriage. Elphaba was stood on the balcony looking out across the castle gardens when Fiyero came and stood next to her.
"You know classes won't be the same without you scrawling away at the Professor's every word," Fiyero said and Elphaba laughed, leaning forwards then backwards.
"I think you will be ok for a few days," Elphaba smiled at him modestly.
"Thank you," Fiyero said meaningfully, his voice showing clear emotion.
"For what?" Elphaba asked him, for an intelligent girl she was still pretty terrible at reading emotions.
"For everything, you have made the past few days a lot more manageable for me, if you hadn't have turned up who knows what sort of mess I would be in now," Fiyero said to her, tucking a stray strand of her hair behind her ear.
Elphaba could not find the words to express that she would always be there for him, no matter what happened, that she would always come back for him so she merely nodded with a slight smile.
"Goodbye Fiyero," she smiled affectionately.
"Goodbye Miss Elphaba," he smiled back, with no more words he wrapped his arms around her tightly, taking in that all too familiar smell of her hair before reluctantly letting her go.
The two headed to the carriage and got in just after the other three students and the carriage pulled away from the castle forecourt. When they arrived at the train station Fiyero helped Boq to get Nessa and her things to the train before helping the flustered looking porters with Galinda's many suitcases. Once everything was dealt with, the five students were stood in a line looking up at the information boards for departure times before heading in their respective directions Fiyero and Elphaba were left alone, their gazes locking and forming an unbreakable bond before Fiyero forced himself to break it. He nodded to her before following the others towards the train to Shiz and Elphaba headed to her train to the Emerald City.
As the Vinkus finally began to disappear from view Elphaba tried to focus on something else but the only thing occupying her thoughts was Fiyero, and Shiz and how much she wished she was on the train with the others, maybe becoming the next Grand Vizier wasn't for her after all?
So what do you think? Rather depressifying I know but don't worry Elphaba will be going back to Shiz soon! :D And then more Fiyeraba fluff can ensue! Please review! Thanks!