Hello everyone! Well, I actually managed to finish this chapter rather quickly, thanks mostly to your amazing and very motivating reviews. I'm so glad so many people are enjoying this story, and your reviews are always appreciated!
Well, that's all I have to say right now. Oh, and because I seem to be too lazy to keep up with replying to reviews, I'm going to go back to answering them at the end of each chapter. It's just easier for me this way and I'm not sure why I stopped in the first place. Well anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter!
Fiyero felt his breath catch in his throat as he stared back at his troops. How could he have been so stupid? Of course there were going to be soldiers out searching for him, he was their captain! In fact, he was surprised it had taken them this long to find him, though he supposed it had taken them a while to find the area and decide on a course of action. A course of action they hadn't even needed, because Elphaba and Fiyero had practically walked right into them. Helplessly he turned to Elphaba, who was watching the scene with wide eyes, disbelief clearly written across her face.
The soldiers seemed to take a few moments to compose themselves, but soon began shouting and racing at the two figures still frozen on the hilltop. Fiyero felt as though he was watching the scene through someone else's eyes. Elphaba, apparently too stunned to move, made no attempt to flee as twenty guards closed in around her. It was not until two of them ceased her arms that she seemed shaken back into reality, and Fiyero immediately realized that she was slipping back into character.
With a few muttered words the three guards nearest Elphaba went flying, freeing up her arms. However, other men had joined the fight now, shouting and closing in on her. She continued to repeat the spell, but it was obvious she was outnumbered, and she could do nothing more powerful without the aid of her spellbook. For every three or four guards she knocked back five more would take their place. Fiyero could only watch helplessly as he was shoved back in the chaos of the impending capture. Finally, apparently exhausted, Elphaba stopped fighting and hung her head. Sensing her surrender, two of the guards ceased her arms again, the rest staying close by in case she attempted to escape once more.
Fiyero watched numbly as she was dragged away. He knew he should say something, order the guards to release her, but what good would it do? After all, it was sixty to two, and Fiyero doubted such an order would be obeyed. He did not answer as a few of the guards crowded around him, asking him if he was OK and cheering the long awaited capture of the Wicked Witch of the West. He felt as though his throat had sealed itself shut.
He caught another glimpse of Elphaba as they pulled her away. She struggled a bit as she turned to face Fiyero. He expected to see defeat in her eyes, but instead was taken aback by the blaze of fury that was present there. Her eyes boring into his own, she hissed, "I knew I shouldn't have trusted you."
The words were so soft that Fiyero almost missed them, and yet they hit him like a slap in the face. He knew he was betraying her with every second of his silence, and yet he still made no move to help her. The guards dragged her to the front of the ranks, and Fiyero merely blended into the group as the guards began to march, too ashamed to even look at her.
The march back to the palace was one of cheer and celebration for the guards, who were overjoyed with their success. Fiyero walked with his head down, nearly forgotten in the center of the group. He was not in much of a mood to celebrate at the moment. Elphaba was visible from where he was standing, and he wanted nothing more than to explain to her that he'd had nothing to do with this capture. However, this was obviously impossible at the moment.
The guards were moving swiftly now, obviously still running on adrenaline, and the group reached the palace about four hours later. Upon entering, they proceeded immediately to the dungeons, much to Fiyero's surprise. Usually prisoners were brought before the Wizard and the guards would await his orders before taking any further course of action. Fiyero supposed they weren't taking any chances with Elphaba.
He watched as they overpowered her once more and managed to force her into a cell, though by this point she really wasn't putting up much of a fight. Fiyero tried to think of something to say, some plausible reason why Elphaba should be kept out of the dungeons, but he could think of nothing. Perhaps just being back in the Emerald City was causing his brain to revert to its old ways.
Once Elphaba was behind bars, a better part of the guards departed, obviously feeling their presence was no longer required. Of the remaining half, two rushed off to tell the Wizard of their success and the rest remained behind to guard the cell. Fiyero stayed with those by the cell, simply because he could think of nothing else to do at the moment. He looked back at Elphaba, who was sitting with her legs crossed and a blank expression on her face. She was not going to give the Gale Forcers the satisfaction of seeing her show any sort of emotion.
There was silence for all of about two seconds before one of the more arrogant guards spoke up, "Didn't think you could hide forever now did you? We were bound to catch up with you sooner or later, you green menace to society." The guard grinned cruelly and spat at her through the bars, but Elphaba did not so much as flinch. The other guards began to jeer at her as well, but were cut off moments later as the dungeon door swung open and a very anxious looking Glinda the Good swept in.
With an extremely high pitched squeal, she bolted straight for Fiyero and enveloped him in a bone crushing hug. "Oh, Fiyero darling, I'm so glad you're alright!"
Fiyero was so surprised by this sudden affection that he could think of nothing to say. He could do nothing but stand there until Glinda was finished, for she'd unintentionally pinned his arms to his sides. Briefly Fiyero snuck a look at Elphaba, who had obviously forgotten that she was supposed to be acting unaffected. Her eyes were as wide as saucers, and her face showed anger, hurt, confusion, and a myriad of other emotions. No one else seemed to notice this, however; for their attention was focused on Glinda.
She finally pulled away a few moments later, and turned to address the guards. Speaking in the most authoritative tone possible, she said, "I'd like a moment alone to…interrogate the Witch, if you please."
Immediately the guards protested, "No Miss Glinda, she's too dangerous for us to allow you to be in here alone with her."
"That's alright, Captain Fiyero can stay with me to make sure nothing happens," she insisted.
Fiyero nodded nervously in agreement to this statement, not sure what Glinda was planning to say to Elphaba. Perhaps there was someway he could speak to her before she condemned the green witch. He had to convince her that Elphaba had done nothing to harm him, or he was sure the consequences would be dire. However, what Glinda said as soon as the other guards had left the room caught him completely off guard.
Once she was sure they were out of earshot, she moved closer to the bars and said, "Oh Elphie, are you alright? What on earth were you thinking?"
"It's nice to see you too Glinda," Elphaba said evenly, her eyes focused on the floor once more.
Shocked, Fiyero could do nothing but look back and forth between the two women, completely at a loss for words. However, before he could question Glinda, she turned and asked, "Fiyero, what in Oz's name happened to you?"
"I-um…I," Fiyero stuttered, trying desperately to form a sentence. He wasn't sure whether he was trying to fabricate a lie as to why he'd been missing for a week, or ask Glinda why the hell she'd just addressed the supposed Wicked Witch of the West as 'Elphie'. He supposed it was whichever of the two left his mouth first.
However, seeing that speaking with Fiyero was obviously not getting anywhere, Glinda turned toward Elphaba once more and said, "Oh Elphie, I have no idea how we're going to get you out of here! If I let you go, Madame Morrible and the Wizard will know it was me! I can't ask any of the other guards for help either, because none of them would even consider it! Oh Elphaba…." There were tears in Glinda's eyes now, though Elphaba still looked uncaring.
Fiyero's mind was reeling. Glinda had mentioned Madame Morrible, but how could Elphaba possibly know who she was? His thoughts flashed back to the Shiz University card he'd found wedged between the pages of that old Animal Rights book, and his heart nearly stopped beating. Suddenly everything made sense.
Now he knew why Elphaba's name had sounded so familiar to him. She was the Elphaba, the friend Glinda had lost in the Emerald City so many years ago. He couldn't believe he hadn't connected the dots sooner. Elphaba hadn't been killed by the Wicked Witch, she'd become the Wicked Witch! Fiyero had been having an affair with his fiancée's best friend! He felt a strong surge of guilt. He should have told Elphaba that he was engaged right from the beginning, now she would really think he was a lying scumbag.
Suddenly their attention was diverted as the dungeon doors swung open and Madame Morrible entered, flanked by the two guards who had run off to contact the Wizard earlier. The rest of the guards, who had obviously been waiting outside, now re-entered the chamber as well.
Morrible glanced into Elphaba's cell with a triumphant smirk on her face before turning to speak to Glinda, "Well my dear, I know you probably wanted time to "interrogate" the witch," she began, in a tone that made Fiyero wonder exactly how much the woman really knew. "But I think it would be best if you and the captain retired now and left this matter to the Wizard. After all, your fiancé has been through a dreadful ordeal. It can't be all too pleasant, being a prisoner of the Wicked Witch of the West."
At Morrible's words Glinda's expression turned to one of disbelief, and she cast a shocked look at Elphaba. However, she could say nothing with so many guards present, and Elphaba appeared unable to look Glinda in the eyes. Fiyero wanted to say something, but he knew he'd have to wait until he could get Glinda alone to explain what had happened.
"Well, I'll need ten of you men to stay and guard this cell, the rest of you may return to your normal duties. Glinda and Captain Fiyero, please don't worry yourselves about the matter, it will be sorted out accordingly, please go and settle yourselves, you've been through trying times.
Seeing no reason to argue, Fiyero took Glinda's hand and began to lead her from the room. After all, there was obviously nothing more they could do here and the sooner he explained everything to Glinda the better. Perhaps they could think of some way to help Elphaba once everything was sorted out.
However, as he began to walk form the cell, he felt a peculiar yet strangely familiar tingling sensation overcome him. It grew steadily stronger, until finally he could bear it no more and fell to his knees. In an instant he could sense that several concerned guards had rushed to his side, trying to gauge what was wrong with him. However, Fiyero already knew what had happened. Elphaba had never lifted the spell she had cast on him earlier that morning.
They were still bonded together.
Yeah, I realize that by now you're probably all fed up with the cliffhangers, but I just love them to much to give up. I'll quit tomorrow, I swear.
Well, as promised, I'm going to answer some reviews now:
MoonlitInoku: Well, you called that one! Although Fiyero's pretty much pretending because he has no choice, not because he's really being smart about it I suppose. And I'm glad you liked the book reading scene. I needed to get some fluffy stuff in before the drama began.
X-Kate-X: Le gasp, how can you forget about a chocolate donut!? Well, that mystery aside, I'm glad you liked the chapter and thanks for the review!
LostOzian: Yeah, Elphaba's definitely not too pleased with him right now. But don't worry, I swear she won't brutally murder him. Although that might just be because she's detained at the moment, but you know how it is.
Elphabathedelirious32: Wow, I'm glad to hear you like the story that much. :) Thanks muchly for your review!
OMG it's WickedJelly: I'm good, thanks. :) Aww…but torturing the readers is fun. Can't I do it just a liiiittle bit? Pleeeaaase? And thanks, I'm glad to hear you liked the chapter. I shall shush now.
missfit: Um…thanks for the suggestions, but I already have an outline for this story and no exactly what I want to happen. I'm glad you like it though, and thanks for reviewing. And yes, I have read the book, three times actually.
danderson: Heh, well, if you count Fiyero's little thought about it as coming up in conversation, then I suppose it did. I'm glad you like the story and thanks for reviewing.
BubblyPhantom: Glinda has been "mentioned". :P
Well, that took up a bit of space, but at least I said everything I wanted to say, which I would have been too lazy to do if I had to send out individual messages. Well, please leave a review and I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible!
S.P.