AN: I'd like to dedicate this chapter to PocketSevens, Elphaba'sGirl and Musicgal3. You know, BECAUSE THEY'RE CURRENTLY THE ONLY PEOPLE ON HERE WHO DON'T WANT TO KILL ME.

Ahem.

You're going to want to kill me. Definitely. Probably after this chapter, but after the next one, it will be so much worse. Guys? (The ones I just mentioned above.) I need protection?

Hunger Games tonight, yay! I hope I can stay awake :3.

Chapter 31. Poor unfortunate souls

'Elphaba?'

The young mermaid looked up from the paperwork she'd been sorting out. The forms and letters weren't technically made of paper, of course, since that would just disintegrate under the water. Elphaba hadn't been able to figure out so far what they were made of – not that she really cared. No matter what they were made of, she still had to sort them out.

Aurya came swimming in and Elphaba removed her reading glasses. Images of herself in the library at Adurin Iir flashed before her eyes and she tried her hardest not to think of those memories, pushing away the thought of how much Fiyero loved it when she wore her glasses. 'Yes?'

Aurya smiled when she laid eyes on the glasses. 'Aren't they going to rust or something?'

Elphaba shrugged. 'Maybe,' she said. 'Eventually. But I can't read without them, so I had to bring them, anyway.' She rubbed her eyes, which she knew were bloodshot. 'What did you want to ask me?'

Aurya became serious again as she perched on the desk, carefully avoiding bumping into a stack of paperwork. 'I was just wondering if you were okay.'

Elphaba looked at her. 'Why wouldn't I be?' she asked.

Aurya sent her a sceptical look, and Elphaba sighed. 'Okay, stupid question,' she said. 'I know why. But I'm fine. Really.'

Aurya raised one eyebrow. 'Are you really?'

Elphaba glared at her.

'Because I don't think you are,' her aunt continued. 'You've been officially living down here for a month now, and in all this time, you've never talked to me once…'

'I've been busy,' Elphaba interrupted her.

Aurya went on as if her niece hadn't said anything. '…you lock yourself up in this room with those stacks of work twenty-four hours a day…'

'It takes a lot of time to get the kingdom back on its feet.'

'…every time I mention Cohvu or Galinda,' Elphaba cringed and Aurya threw her a look, 'you cringe.'

'I do not!'

'And the moment someone even dares to mention Fi-'

'I'm fine!' Elphaba yelled before Aurya could even finish his name.

The older mermaid shook her head. 'You miss them,' she said.

Elphaba groaned, burying her face in her arms. 'Of course I miss them,' she said, her voice muffled by her arms. 'More than you'll ever know. And not just them – I miss Hamold and Lori, I miss the castle, I miss the beach and the turtles and school and the land. I'm getting to the point where I even start to miss Avaric,' she admitted.

Aurya looked at her questioningly and she clarified, 'The boy that tried to drop me into the pond some time ago.'

Aurya chuckled softly. 'Elphaba, I think you know as well as I do that if you're starting to miss a boy who tried to kill you, you're definitely not okay,' she pointed out, but Elphaba shook her head.

'It's only healthy to miss them, isn't it?' she said. 'I've lived with them my entire life. They're my friends, and my family, and… of course I miss them. But that doesn't change anything about the fact that this was the right decision for me to make. I still believe that.'

Aurya nodded and smiled at her. 'Well, for what it's worth: I'm proud of you, Elphaba,' she said. 'Within mere months, you got rid of Morrible and you've been restoring order and peace to the kingdom ever since. We're doing better than we've done in years, and all thanks to you.' She squeezed her niece's shoulder. 'You'll make a great Queen one day.'

Elphaba returned her smile tiredly. 'Thanks, Aurya.'

'I have to go and meet some officials,' said Aurya. 'I'm not sure when I will be back, but I just wanted to let you know. It's a meeting in town, so if you're looking for me…'

Elphaba waved her away. 'Fine,' she said absently. 'I'll just stay here and finish this.'

Aurya raised one eyebrow and looked at her niece pointedly, but Elphaba had already put her reading glasses back on and was refocusing her attention on the papers. 'Okay,' Aurya said, not really sure what else she could say or do. 'Bye.'

Elphaba waved one hand in the air without so much as looking up. 'Bye.'

Aurya sighed and left the palace.

Fiyero, as Galinda, Cohvu, Hamold and Lori soon discovered, wasn't handling their separation nearly as well.

When Hamold re-entered the living room after having checked up on his son, the others all looked up. 'Has he come out yet?' Lori asked hopefully.

Hamold shook his head with a sigh. 'Nope.'

Galinda gasped. 'He hasn't come out of his room all day?' she asked incredulously, but Lori sent a wry smile in her direction.

'No,' she corrected the blonde girl. 'He hasn't come out of his room all week.'

Galinda gaped at her.

'His room.' Cohvu let out a mirthless laugh. 'Well, at least he switched locations.'

The first week, Fiyero had been sitting on the beach. Everyone had tried to talk to him, but he refused to listen, talk, or even acknowledge their presence; and Lori and Hamold ended up bringing him food a few times a day, because he wouldn't take care of himself. He ate on the beach, he sat on the beach, he slept on the beach. He just kept on staring at the ocean, as if by staring long enough, he could make Elphaba appear.

When he apparently realised that wasn't working, he retreated to the gardens. The second week, he slept, sat and ate on the walls surrounding the garden, staring at the pond Avaric had almost dropped Elphaba into a few months prior.

The third week had been library-week, which was only logical, Cohvu thought, since that had been Elphaba's favourite room in the entire castle when she had still been here. Fiyero would lie on the couch and stare at the ceiling, occasionally getting up to glide his fingers along rows and rows of books, before letting himself fall back onto the couch.

And apparently, now Fiyero had moved into his own bedroom.

'He's hopeless,' Lori sighed. 'I just… I know he loved her, and I know that they were close. When Elphaba told us about her decision, I knew he would be sad. I figured it would be like last time, when he was forced to stay here and Elphaba was down there for about a week. I thought we'd be able to handle it.'

'Last time, it was sad,' Hamold agreed. 'This time, it's just plain…'

'Miserable?' Cohvu suggested.

'Devastating?' Lori offered.

'Heartbreaking,' Galinda whispered.

Hamold sighed. 'Yes,' he said tiredly. 'That.'

'Can't we just talk to him?' Galinda asked in a small voice.

Cohvu squeezed her hand. 'We've tried that,' he reminded her. 'He doesn't listen, Glin.'

The blonde's eyes filled with tears. She sniffled. 'I feel so bad for him!' she cried. 'I mean… Imagine that being us, Cohvu!'

The fact that she didn't call him 'Coco' told him enough about her emotional state, and he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close, kissing the top of her blonde head. 'I know,' he said soothingly. 'I can imagine how horrible he must be feeling right now.'

Galinda buried her face in his shoulder and he held her for a while. Lori eyed them sadly. Hamold sighed, sounding defeated.

He rubbed his forehead. 'I have no idea what to do about this anymore,' he confessed.

Lori squeezed his hand and said, 'You're not the only one.'

'Elphaba? Do you have a minute?' Aurya called.

Elphaba looked up, confused. 'Weren't you here, like, half an hour ago?' she asked in bewilderment. 'Aren't you supposed to be at that official meeting in town?' She removed her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose. 'Or did I lose track of time again?'

'You didn't,' Aurya assured her. She shrugged. 'I decided to skip the meeting and spend time with you instead.'

Elphaba eyed her suspiciously. 'Okay,' she said slowly.

Aurya smiled at her. 'I just think you should get out of this room for a moment,' she said. 'It didn't feel right to leave when I know that you'll be sitting here all afternoon. You need to get out and do something fun, and I'm going to help you with that. Those officials can wait.'

Elphaba raised one eyebrow.

'Come on,' Aurya said, extending her hand for Elphaba to take. 'Admit it - you need a break from all this. Let's go outside for a moment, shall we? I have something I want to show you. A surprise.'

Elphaba hesitated for a moment, then nodded. 'Okay,' she said, taking Aurya's hand. 'You're right – I could use a break.'

Aurya's smile widened. 'Let's go.'

'Good evening,' Aurya greeted the guards at the entrance of the palace. 'Do you know if Princess Elphaba is still in her room?'

'No, Your Highness,' one of the guards said, saluting. 'She hasn't returned yet.'

Aurya furrowed her brow. 'Returned?' she asked, puzzled. 'Returned from where?'

'From your trip together, Your Highness,' the second guard said. 'The two of you left together this afternoon, didn't you?'

Aurya's eyes grew wide. 'No,' she whispered. 'No, we didn't. I've been in a meeting all afternoon.'

The guards shared a confused look.

Suddenly, Aurya let out a colourful curse that caused even the guards to blanch. 'When did they leave?' she asked the guards urgently.

'Just after noon, Your Highness,' the first guard said. 'She and you left together. You said you had a surprise to show her.'

Aurya paled visibly. 'Gather your men,' she instructed the guards. 'The princess is in trouble. Comb out the entire ocean if you have to, but find her. Oh, and if you see Morrible, kill her,' she added. 'Immediately. I'm going to Adurin Iir.' With that, she left the guards behind, swimming as fast as she could.

'Fiyero!' Cohvu ran up the stairs and banged on his friend's bedroom door. 'Fiyero, come out!'

No response came.

'Fiyero, Aurya is here.'

Still no reply. Cohvu threw his hands into the air in exasperation, then said the three words that he knew would lure the prince out of his bedroom, no matter what.

'It's about Elphaba.'

The door opened.

Cohvu smirked. 'That's better.'

His grin disappeared, however, when he laid eyes on his friend. He looked horrible, to say the least. His eyes were dull and bloodshot and he looked like he hadn't washed up, combed his hair, or even changed clothes in days.

'What do you mean, it's about Elphaba?' he asked, sounding anxious. 'Is something wrong?'

Cohvu shook his head. 'I'm not sure,' he said, 'but if it's important enough for Aurya to change into a human and come up here, I think you'd better come downstairs with me.'

Fiyero nodded and left the room. The two boys quickly headed for the foyer downstairs.

'Fiyero,' Aurya said the moment she saw him, relief visible in her eyes. 'Thank Oz. I need your help.' She looked around. 'All of your help.'

'Why?' Fiyero demanded. 'What's wrong?'

Aurya looked at him. She didn't want to tell him. She really didn't. He looked so heartbroken already, and she was about to break his heart even more.

But she had to tell him – she knew that. She needed his help… for Elphaba.

She took a deep breath. 'It's Elphaba,' she said.

The others just stared at her, silently urging her to go on.

When Aurya didn't immediately continue, Cohvu prodded, 'What about her? Is she okay?'

Aurya shook her head, biting her lip. 'I'm afraid she's not,' she said.

Fiyero drew in his breath with a sharp hiss.

Aurya looked at him. 'She's gone,' she said simply. 'Morrible has her.'