AN: YAY! Another update! Umm not much to say this time other than that Vinkun Wildflower Queen better update before next week! (Love you! ) A little bit of some long unseen characters are going to show up in this and the next few chapters This chapter is rather boring in my opinion, but it has to be written.

Fiyero was in the library, spending time with Elphaba. She had talked to him after her big fight with Oscar and told him the entire story. He listened patiently and was supportive of her, knowing how hard this had to be on her. They were sitting in one of the armchairs together and he was trying to distract her from her reading with little touches and kisses. So far he wasn't having much luck at it. He had just moved his hand into a rather intimate position when a voice boomed out.

"Fiyero Ibrahim Tiggular!"

Fiyero startled, causing Elphaba to fall off of his lap and onto the floor. He looked down at Elphaba. "Uh oh. Father doesn't sound too happy right now…"

She looked worried too. "You better go see what he wants."

Fiyero got up from the chair and followed his father into an unused room down the hall. His father turned to him with a disapproving frown on his face.

"I am disappointed in you. I thought I and your mother had raised you to be a gentleman. We expect you to behave like one!" To say Fiyero was confused was an understatement.

'Be a gentleman? What are you talking about? I am always polite to women! I am kind and I treat them with respect!" Alain raised an eyebrow.

"Then what was that I just saw with Miss Elphaba? Wizard's daughter or not, that young lady has suffered enough in her life and does not need you to act rude to her. Your mother and I raised you better, and not be so familiar with her so quickly! She is not like the other girls you have dated who were only looking to date a prince!"

"Father! I know she is different, and I am not talking about her skin. She is special. She doesn't care at all about my title; in fact, she has told me she was attracted to me even before she knew I was a prince. I know she has suffered and my strongest desire is to protect her from any other harm. I love her. That fact scares me beyond belief, but I do love her. I will protect her with everything I have, just as you would Mom. What you saw, is nothing more than innocent touches and playful distractions. Oz forbid I go any further than she is comfortable allowing me to go; I would be flat on my back before I could blink. I know she is different, and I thank Oz every day for whatever forces threw us together." Alain was impressed. Alain perhaps saw Fiyero for the first time as the young man he was and not the little boy he once knew. It brought a pang to his heart to know that he was losing his little boy to adulthood. A king he may be, but he was and will always be a father first.

"All right. I am trusting you son. I need to go back to the Vinkus for a while, but rest assured, your mother and I will be back for the ball. I was going to bring you home too, but I can see that is not what you want to do. I will be leaving tomorrow, and you may stay if you wish. After the ball, we will figure out how to proceed. I am giving you my trust, Fiyero. Act as a gentleman, and treat her right or there will be hell to pay."

Fiyero smiled slightly at the stern warning from his father. "Thank you Father. I will do my best to make you and mom proud."

While Fiyero and the others were busy in the palace, Frex sat in his office at the orphanage, fuming. He had in front of him the day's newspaper. The main headline screamed out about Elphaba being the Wizard's daughter. It detailed her time at the orphanage, skirting around the abuse, but it was definitely implied, and went on to describe her story, as well as speculation about her relationship with Fiyero. Frex was livid. How dare they portray him as some rotten person? He fed her didn't he? He gave her clothes when they were needed, made sure she had a roof over her head among other things.

The little twit owed him and he would make her pay. Even now after she had left the orphanage, she was a thorn in his side. Soldiers coming around and questioning his methods, and his care of the other children. Coming around with smirks on their faces as if they were so much better than him. He would show them. He would show all of them, but first, he would deal with the problem of the green teenager. It was a disgrace and he was going to get rid of this problem once and for all. He looked back at the newspaper article, and saw the date printed for Elphaba's debutant ball. He grinned to himself. A little time, a little planning and he would be rid of this little green twit once and for all.