Chapter Thirty-Three: A Family Affair

"Why would we need Nessa?" She asked him.

"Because we'd need to convince her to step down, too. You have a younger brother. I met him for maybe five minutes. He doesn't seem like he's been brainwashed by your father. And he's still young."

"Shell? Eminent Thropp? The boy can barely tie his shoes, Fiyero!"

"Like I said, he's young. It's perfect." Fiyero needed her to believe in this, for both of their sakes. "They could even send him to a boarding school of their choosing."

"It's not a terrible idea." She admitted. "It depends on Nessa quite a bit, though."

"Which is why we need to get her out here now."

"Do we tell him why? Or do we just request that Nessa join us?"

He thought about that for a moment. "That's up to you, Fae. I don't think it'll make much of a difference either way."

"It would take a few days to get her here."

"Good thing we have three weeks." He smiled. Fiyero could tell that she was starting to like the idea. Hope was beginning to seep into her eyes again. He wanted to kiss her, but didn't trust himself to keep it chaste.

"First thing in the morning, then." She agreed. "I better get myself settled, Yero." She got up and walked out.

He watched her walk away and swallowed hard. Sometimes he found himself wanting her for no reason, just from a look at her. And of course, knowing he had to keep his hands to himself only made it worse. But when her cheeks flushed with excitement, when her hips swayed slightly as she walked, he had to push the images away before they brought other less… appropriate images into his mind. The thought of her naked, her eyes dark with lust and pleasure, her hips moving frantically with his… he shook his head. Did she ever have this problem or was it just him? He clenched his fists and tried to clear his mind.

Nessa got there towards the end of the first week, clearly unsure as to why she was there. Elphaba had written directly to Nanny and given her some details, but asked her not to tell Nessa. He'd helped her figure out what to say without telling too much. "Fabala, what was so urgent that you needed to drag me out here? Father was not pleased!"

He was surprised her father had let Nessa go at all, and he'd told this to Elphaba before she even wrote the letter. But Elphaba had assured him that, if the request appeared to come from her great-grandfather the Eminent Thropp, her father wouldn't fight it. She'd expressed some concern that he'd try to join Nessa, and had told Nanny to do whatever it took to make certain that did not happen.

Elphaba only smiled at her younger sister. "Nessie, relax. Why don't we talk after you're settled?"

The young woman frowned, but Nanny quickly gathered their things and helped her up the stairs.

"I'm glad your father didn't come," Fiyero commented.

"So am I," she leaned into him a little. "I can't imagine what sort of scene he'd have put on."

He wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her forehead. "I'd probably have hit him myself."

"Not if I stopped you."

"I don't know if you could." He turned her to face him. "There's no use fussing about something that didn't happen. I love you." He kissed her briefly, trying to ignore the softness of her lips, the way her mouth felt so inviting beneath his.

"I love you, too." She smiled up at him in a way that melted his heart. Sweet Oz, he didn't know what he'd do without her. He wanted her by his side forever, needed to see that smile every morning for the rest of his life. Fiyero knew, then, he was going to ask her to marry him. He didn't know when, but he knew he would.

Her great-grandfather entered the room then and cleared his throat. "Was that Nessa I just heard?"

"Yes, Sir." Fiyero turned to him. "We'd like to talk to her for a few minutes about a personal matter, if you don't mind. Of course, you're welcome to greet her first. They should be back down in a few moments."

"Fabala, your beau is awfully polite."

Her lips played at another smile. "He is. Sometimes too much so. I suppose I make up for it in my own behavior."

Nessa and Nanny appeared again at that point. "That you do," Nanny commented. She smiled at the Eminent Thropp. "Good afternoon."

A crinkled smile crossed the old man's face, as well, and a sparkle twinkled in his eye. "It's nice to see you again."

Fiyero and Elphaba exchanged glances and Elphaba looked like she might gag. He, on the other hand, was struggling not to laugh.

"Hello, Grandfather," said Nessa, ignorant of the entire exchange.

"Ah, sweet Nessarose, how are you?"

"I'm well. Thank you. I hope you are well."

"I am. You've grown up to be so beautiful, my dear."

Nessa's face flushed. "You're too kind."

"If you don't mind, can we steal Nessa for a few minutes?" Fiyero asked.

"Go ahead. I don't know exactly what this is all about, but Elphaba's always been clever. I trust this."

Under her breath, Elphaba said, "Except this wasn't my idea. It was yours. But you're just as clever as I."

He raised his eyebrows at that and walked over to Nessa, taking her chair. "Nanny deserves a bit of a rest. I'll take her into the other room."

Elphaba gave him an uneasy look, but followed behind them. As soon as they were in the next room she said, "Tell me you didn't do that so you could leave the old woman and my great-grandfather alone."

"I might have." He shrugged. "Everyone deserves something."

"My great-grandfather had a wife, you know. If there was something there…"

"His wife passed years ago, Fae, you told me. Don't fret. It's not like anything can happen in their current state, but it wouldn't kill them to reminisce a bit."

Nessa shook her head. "Nanny would never have done anything. I know she used to live here, before Fabala was born, but that was when my great-grandmother was alive. You two are seeing things."

"Of course. You must be right." Fiyero told said, winking at Elphaba, who wrinkled her nose. As he sat down, he drew Elphaba to him. "You have no idea what I'm going to do to you when we're alone again," he murmured into her ear.

She only grinned.

"Are you going to tell me why I'm here?" Nessa demanded.

"Because we want to get married and there's one thing that stands in the way, Nessa. The eminence."

"We've talked about this, though. If Elphaba steps down, I don't really have a choice, do I?"

"Except we don't want you to feel burdened." Elphaba said. They'd discussed exactly how to word this so as not to hurt Nessa's feelings. She didn't need to know about her great-grandfather's reservations. "You want to serve the Unnamed God, and I would feel terrible taking that from you." They had agreed not to mention that the old man had threatened to pull funding if she didn't figure out something that made everyone happy.

"Father isn't too pleased about that, by the way."

Except he probably was pleased about it, though he wouldn't tell Nessa as much. He could use Nessa and rule Munchkinland like he wanted. Fiyero had seen enough for Frex to understand that. Gently, he said, "Nessa, you have a younger brother. If you refused the position on religious grounds…"

"Then it would be Shell."

"Exactly."

"He's barely even ten."

"Think about it, Nessie, if we told Grandfather right now, he'd probably send Shell to boarding school. He'd have the best opportunities for education." Elphaba said. "I know the Unnamed God says that women are too frail and should never serve in a place of power. Shell is a boy."

"You don't believe in that, though."

"But you do. And I respect that, Nessa, you know I do. Think about it. It would be perfect. Everyone would get what they want."

"I suppose so."

"So will you, Nessie?"

"I will."