"FINALS ARE –– FINALLY –– OVER!"

Elphaba winced as Galinda came running out of the Great Hall at full tilt –– but only Galinda, of course, would look perfectly adorable screeching her excitement down the school corridors, and not like some wild banshee on the loose.

"Galinda," she called. "Sweet Lurline … Galinda! The train leaves at six in the evening –– well, your train leaves at six in the evening; Fiyero and I both have our carriages thank to our eminently noble families. Could you please calm down and start packing? Oz knows your wardrobe would need a day to fit into your seven suitcases."

Galinda slowed down and looped her arm through Elphaba's. "I just can't understand why you aren't more excited for winter break, Elphie," she said petulantly. "Why, anyone who looked at you wouldn't even know that you just passed everything with flying marks! … Or was it flying colours?"

Elphaba rolled her eyes, though she made no move to dislodge her arm. "I'm heartily inclined to disagree. That last question of the History essay was like a bolt from Ozma out of the blue! I'm sure if Dr. Dillamond had been here, he would've explained that whole era of Vinkan history –– but no, I had to only read it in a small section of our notes because our replacement teacher is such a daft …"

"Hush, you're starting to rant," admonished Galinda. "Anyway, it's only the last question and I'm sure you're the only person who even knows a single thing about what's going on!"

"Well … I guess I am thankful that it's over." Elphaba admitted. "And I'm pretty sure I studied all that I could have, so there's no use trying to think through the exam again."

"That's my Elphie!" Galinda squealed as they entered the room. "Oz, this place is a mess! Quick, help me to pack …"

Four hours later

"Ten minutes to departure, Ten minutes to departure! All luggage, suitcases and magical pets on board and secured, please! Ten minutes more!"

The conductor's amplified voice echoed around the train stop in the sleepy town near Shiz University, with long tracks extended to the East and West as far as the eye could see. It was the only stop near Shiz on the Great Gilikin Railway, and students who hailed from the Gilikins and the Glikkus made up most of those milling around the platform for a last goodbye. Hugs and exclamation of "you'll write me, won't you?" were heard through the mist from the engine's smoke, though five figures could be seen shadowed a little way from the crowd.

"I'll write to you everyday, Fiyero," Galinda said, throwing her arms around Fiyero for a goodbye hug. "And you'll do the same, won't you, darling?"

"Of course, Princess 'o mine," Fiyero said affectionately, tousling her hair. "My penmanship would rust otherwise."

"Oh, Fiyero, don't ruin my hairdo!"

"Galinda! Galinda!"

Shenshen and Pfannee rushed up to Galinda with syrupy smiles on their face. Although they and their cronies had distanced themselves after Galinda befriended Elphaba for fear of being seen "too close" to the green girl, it was clear that they rather hoped their tenuous acquaintance would be renewed throughout winter break –– enough to last them until next term, anyway, so they could continue saying they were friends of the glamorous Galinda Arduenna Upland of the Upper Uplands.

Galinda knew this, but her inborn diplomacy did not allow her more than an almost imperceptible tightening around her eyes, and a polite smile. "Shenshen, Pfannee! How nice to see you before I leave!"

"Oh, we came down especially for this! After all, our clique was the first to befriend each other after University started, and it wouldn't do not to bid farewell to our first friend," said Shenshen, pointedly ignoring Elphaba's presence nearby.

"Yes, yes!" Pfannee echoed, gingerly folding Galinda into a hug, which Galinda returned in an equally cool manner. "I so want to hear about what you'll be up to in the Upper Uplands –– promise me you'll tell me all about it in your letters …"

Fiyero watched the play-acting enfolding in front of his eyes with an amused smile, before turning to Elphaba. She, Boq and Nessa had retreated once Pfannee and Shenshen had intruded into their midst, and now stood a little way off watching Galinda bid goodbye to her friends with detached interest. Well, maybe not all of them –– Boq, twisting his hands anxiously, was clearly waiting for a chance to grab Galinda alone, while Elphaba herself was bent over Nessa's chair, her long hair covering her face as she fiddled with something on the wheel.

"You might want to tie your hair up, it's sweeping the floor." Fiyero said cheerfully.

Elphaba's head shot up. "Mind your own business, Prince," she snapped half-heartedly as she combed back her hair with her hands.

Fiyero shrugged. "As usual, my kindness goes unnoticed," he said, bending over to kiss Nessa's hand. "But I hope our lovely Nessa would do better?"

"Thank you, Fiyero," Nessa said, blushing prettily. "You've been so kind to me, and Boq too."

Ah, Boq, Fiyero thought inwardly. He was neither blind nor deaf; he had noticed Boq's obvious dislike of him as Galinda's boyfriend, and couldn't help feeling a mix of amusement and pity at how the small Munchkinlander had tried so hard to win Galinda's affections despite her many polite rejections. Perhaps the winter break will give him time to get over her. I, for one, am certainly looking forward to that!

"It's been my pleasure," he replied gallantly, extending a hand for Boq to shake. Faced with the prospect of outward defiance, Boq sulkily shook Fiyero's hand –– once.

"You'll write to me, won't you?" Fiyero directed to Elphaba. "I'll die of boredom if you don't. The Vinkus doesn't have its equivalent of the Ozdust."

"Yes, of course," Elphaba replied distractedly, focusing somewhere beyond his shoulder. "That is, I would if Galinda hasn't promised to write me everyday, too. I'm afraid that with her numerous parties and gatherings, I wouldn't have time to reply to your letters."

"Perish that thought!" Fiyero laughed, trying to cover his unease. What's gotten into her? "You owe me for all those times I stayed up late with you and helped you back to your room. Or have you forgotten?"

Elphaba ducked her head to pick at the spokes of Nessa's wheelchair. "No, I haven't." She finally said. "But don't bore me with tales of your conquests, please. Between Galinda's parties and yours, I'm likely to be tired living even vicariously through you two."

"It's a done deal." Fiyero promised, before enveloping Elphaba in a hug. He could feel her stiffen in his arms, having been the object of affection less than five times in her life, and thus didn't prolong her suffering any longer before releasing her. "Well," he said, giving the three of them a winning smile. "I suppose I better get going, if Galinda has managed to extricate herself from those two she-devils."

At this point, the aforesaid Galinda bounced up. "Oh, I'm so glad that they're gone!" She exhaled. "Have you smelt Shenshen's new perfume? Perfectly ghastly!"

"Miss. Galinda," Boq stammered, his pent up anxiety finally letting loose. He hurried around Nessa's wheelchair to grasp Galinda's hands in his own. "Please –– Please promise you'll write me too? I'll write to you –– everyday –– if you'd let me."

"Oh, Boq, you're too kind," Galinda demurred as she gently extracted her hands from his own. "But I've already got so many people to write to, and I really don't want to keep you waiting days for a letter from me."

"It's alright, really!" Boq said eagerly. "My parents are farmers and I live near the Corn Basket –– It's farmland in all four directions with nothing else in sight, so I really won't have anything else to do! I'll wait for your letters as long as you'd write me one."

"Oh … If you insist," Galinda acquiesced with an uncomfortable glance at Nessa, who sat smiling gently at the exchange with no inkling of what was really going on. "But you must write to Nessa first! Won't you, Boq?"

"Of –– Of course," Boq muttered reluctantly.

"Boq has already promised," Nessa smiled. "And our family lives in the Nest Hardings, so he will be closer to us than Elphaba will be to you and Fiyero. Oh, I can just imagine the courier coming thrice a week to our house this break! It will be so exciting."

Just then, the whistle blew, and the train's engines began to gear up. Students bid their last farewell before grasping their hand luggage and running towards the carriage doors. Galinda looked around wildly for hers and kissed Fiyero's cheek as he handed her a pink bag emblazoned with "G. Upland", before enveloping Elphaba in a hug.

"I'll miss you so much, Elphie," she whispered. "Remember to write to me!"

"I will, Galinda," Elphaba promised, a genuine smile on her face as she hugged Galinda back briefly, before pushing her towards the train. "Now go, before the train leaves without you!"

Galinda ran towards the train and hopped on a second before the carriage doors closed, and the three of them lifted their hands obligingly as she enthusiastically waved at them from her window, as the train slowly became just a speck on the horizon.

Boq turned around. "We must really be going, Elphaba." He said, without meeting Fiyero's eyes. "The carriage has been waiting for us since Miss. Galinda left, and it wouldn't do to keep the Governor waiting."

"Oh, you're taking the carriage with them too, Boq?" Fiyero asked in surprise.

Boq stiffened. "Yes, the Governor has kindly extended the privilege to me as well, seeing that I am Nessarose's –– companion."

"Well, have fun on the Yellow Brick Road!" Fiyero said, clapping a hand on Boq's shoulder. "I'm taking the bumpy path through the Gilikin River and down to Kiamo Ko."

"Yes, how unfortunate," Boq said distantly as he wheeled Nessa around to the waiting carriage. "But we really must be leaving. If you'll excuse us, Pr –– Fiyero."

This left Elphaba and Fiyero in a rather awkward silence.

"I'm sorry he's ––"

"Elphaba ––"

They both paused and gestured for the other to continue.

"You first," Fiyero said.

Elphaba took a deep breath. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry for Boq's behaviour. He really is a gentleman ––"

"When he isn't with me?" Fiyero said humouredly. "It's alright, Elphaba, you don't have to apologise for everyone's behaviour. Boq's jealous because of Galinda and I'm fine with it. I was hoping the winter break would do him good and get rid of his crush, but … We'll see."

Elphaba gave a tiny smile. "Well, what was it you wanted to say?"

Fiyero placed his hands on her shoulders. "You will write me, won't you? I know your return home will probably be less … warm than Galinda's and mine. I just wanted you to write because, well … I don't want you to be alone."

Elphaba's face softened, before she sighed. "Why are you so nice to me, Fiyero?" She asked softly. "I've been almost nothing but horrid to you since we first met."

"You criticise yourself too harshly, O Green One," Fiyero joked gently. "After all, I owe you one too. Without your manic studying sessions, I probably will be receiving a report card less glowing than –– Oof!"

Elphaba had tackled him with a tight hug then, and he almost didn't catch her whispered "thank you" before she stepped back looking extremely embarrassed.

"Hey." Fiyero said seriously. "Don't sweat it. And I think you'd better go before Boq has a heart attack."

Elphaba smiled at him and sprinted towards the waiting carriage.

"Bye!"

Dearest Elphie,

How have you been? Was the road home a rocky one? Did your father pull another of his long faces?

Well, I'm back home as you can evidently tell. Our home in Frottica has been less lively of late since Lorien is busy governing near Brox Hall and can't visit for Lurlinemas, and Malinda has been busy, well ... Having a baby.

Yes! I have a little nephew and niece, the darlingest things with their little red lips and golden curls. I saw them the night I arrived, but sadly Malinda and Stefan had to move to their winter home near Wiccasand Turning, where the weather will be less horrid since it's closer to Winkie Country. Salinda chose not to return to Frottica for her holidays as she's studying for her Advances, and frankly, I find that the castle seems to be rather free without her snotty presence.

… Alright, maybe I do miss my sisters a little. It's the first time since I'm home with no one else save for my parents, and the little amount of servants we have. After all, it's only my mother who's of the Arduenna Clan. Father's money comes and goes depending on his business.

But they did buy me a new dress for the party tomorrow to celebrate my return! All of Mother's relatives and cousins from Wittica, Settica and the Pertha Hills will be coming, and so will some of Father's business associates. Although you can't come, I'm enclosing one of the beautiful ivory-embossed invitations so you can have a look. Isn't the font just wonderful?

Well, ta-ta. I have to start planning the meals for the party with Mother. Reply soon!

Affectionately yours,

Galinda

O Mighty Green One,

Has Galinda beaten me to writing a letter first? If she has, I'm not surprised. My first letter arrived from her before I even had the chance to settle into my rooms. The servant girls have been so excited for my arrival that they have cleaned my room to the point of obsession. You would be proud at how glad I am to see the floor for once! How about you? Your house must be inundated with post couriers from Gilikin and the Vinkus; I can't claim any credit if your father takes to his bed from the shock of it all.

I find myself rather at a loss as to what to write next. Doubtless Galinda has already told you about her party –– the invitation I received was half the size of the envelope –– and I think that amount of frivolity would last you for a week. I haven't much to say on my side, except that I'm rather glad to be home. My parents certainly are, though my mother's been looking rather peaky. Perhaps it's just that winter is coming.

There is one thing I'm looking forward to doing, however, which is training my hunting skills in the Thousand Year Grasslands again. It takes the better half of the day to ride out with a hunting party, but I'm planning to ditch the formal protocol and head out next week by myself. That's one thing my father willingly turns a blind eye to; he was once a hunter too, and the Grasslands are where a Winkie's heart lies. Besides, we'll be doing the rounds to check on our herds in preparation for winter. Though it's more of a tradition than a necessity now, even my father likes a break from Court.

Well, enough about me. Tell me what you've been up to –– and don't say that you've been studying. If you are, I command you to stop now and go … sit in a garden somewhere. Take a deep breath, Elphaba, and try not to wilt the flowers with the force of your gaze.

From my princely irreverence,

Fiyero

Galinda,

I'm fine, the road home was alright, and Father's too busy on his recent tour to his parishes in Munchkinland to pull any sort of face, much less a long one.

The babies sound delightful, though I certainly would drop them had I been there to witness their parade around the family hall. The invitation also looks great, though I thought you'd written much more than you originally had thanks to its ivory thickness making up more than half of the envelope's size.

Well, aren't you glad you're the only Upper Upland girl in your home now? What remains of the servants are at your beck and call. The party certainly sounds exciting –– I'm expecting your next letter to be full of such details, and I don't think I'll be disappointed.

Waiting for your next letter,

Elphaba

Mr. Prince,

I'm rather surprised at the speed of your writing. It took only three days to reach our dismal outpost here in the Nest Hardings –– and yes, Galinda's letter did beat yours.

How glad I am for those servant girls! I recall the state of the room you shared with Avaric with a disgust rivalling that of Shenshen and Pfannee whenever they pass me in the corridors, except for that comely twist of the upper lip that Shenshen always demonstrates. Certainly I hope the floor stays that way for a good long time, and perhaps you can learn some cleaning tricks from the ladies while you're twiddling your thumbs in that castle of yours.

You caught me just as I was about to open my books to revise for next year, and I did go out and sit in the garden … Or what's left of it, anyway. Winter in the Nest Hardings always announces its arrival in its coldest, most rainy form, and thus Nanny's flowers have either been drowned or frozen half to death. Even the 'force of my gaze' couldn't thaw them, I assure you of that.

I'm interested in your mention of hunting. How are the migratory lifestyles of the Vinkan people faring with the rapid industrialisation? Galinda told me once that the old dairy farms near her home in Gilikin have been cut up for country estates for those people who got rich from Shiz, though her family still lives in that secluded part of the Upper Uplands that seems more like a mystical place than a reality now. What are your Thousand Year Grasslands like?

Greenifying herself further,

Elphaba

P.S. I do hope your mother gets better. What is she like?

Darling Elphie,

It was one of the most memorable parties I ever had! You're right, I am glad that my sisters aren't here; for the first time ever, I was the centre of attention the whole night.

All my aunts cooed over my becoming dress (I've attached a scrap of the material I used to make it as well as my original sketches) and talked about the eligible males they knew. Of course, I shocked them all when I told them about Fiyero! My mother was absolutely beside herself, as she didn't know that I'd saved that piece of news just for this night. Needless to say, the rest of the party was spent with everyone wanting to hear how Fiyero was like. How I wish you had been there to help embellish my stories with your witticisms!

The meal planning also went splendidly. We might not have much in winter but I managed to convince Mother that little appetisers and finger food are all the rage in the Emerald City. I knew my aunts and uncles wouldn't say otherwise, having never been remotely close to the Emerald City like we were, and I was right. All in all, a splendid success. I'm so pleased!

Has Fiyero replied to you yet? My only letter from him was rather short, telling me that they were off to tour the Hundred Year Grasslands or something like that, and that he would be hard-pressed to write a long letter. He was ever so sweet about it, though I think it's completely unnecessary for a royal like him to gallivant about in the wilderness! I would quite literally die if I had to spend a night out in that roaring wind.

Reply soon, dearest!

Yours, Galinda

To The Great and Terrible Artichoke,

I'm so sorry I haven't had time to reply to your letter before. The day your letter arrived, we were setting off to camp in the Thousand Year Grasslands, and I'm afraid even my squire couldn't find the time to post a second letter for me after the short missive I sent to Galinda. Every inch of the castle had to be locked down in case scavengers from the Thursk Desert chanced upon it in our absence, and then our horses had to be combed, fed and watered for the ride into the Grasslands. Thus I decided to wait until we were really settled to properly write you a reply.

Before I continue, though, my mother sends her regards. She's kind but firm, and is probably the only person who can curb my unruly instincts with a single glance. In essence, she's wonderful, and she thanks you for your concern.

What are the Thousand Year Grasslands like to someone who hasn't seen it? It's rather hard to explain, but I'll try my best.

Imagine a sea of the greenest grass as far as your eye can see, waving in all directions with a single breath of wind. Winter here makes its appearance in sweeping gales, though with no trees I suppose our royal camp is much safer here than anywhere else. No trees have grown here for a thousand years (that's why the moniker, as you can tell), and in places here the grass can reach to your shoulder. As it is, most of them are around waist height thanks to our herds' grazing.

As a Prince, I live much less of a migratory lifestyle than my people. We do still have clans that rotate in the Grasslands for a whole year, before camping near the Great Kells to wait out the winter. There are also clans that have moved near Kiamo Ko to set up villages; but those are clans without herds who have to eke out a living somehow. That's the extent of our industrialisation; the Great Kells and the Vinkus River have done a good job of protecting our country from those Ozian developers and their grubby hands.

You would like it ––

Fiyero stopped and sighed, scrubbing out the last part of his sentence. "'You would like it here?'" He muttered to himself, half-laughing. "Whatever possessed you to write that?"

He laid down his pen and stretched. After a day's hard riding, it was rather difficult to sit in one place and write a long letter to send to the Nest Hardings, though he did have the privilege of having a foldable writing desk in his tent. Outside, the whistling of the wind sounded through the whole camp, and besides the crackling of the fire and the soft murmurs of the guards stationed outside camp, everyone was silent at this time of night.

Fiyero exited his tent and nodded to his guards. "I'm just going for a stroll around camp, there's no need to follow me."

"As you wish, Your Highness." They replied, used to his midnight wanderings.

Fiyero waited until they were out of sight, before deliberately stepping out of the camp markers and into the waist-high grass.

This was where he felt truly at home. Sitting in the whispering grasses, and looking up at the wide black sky, he could easily imagine that all of Oz was so quiet and free. There was no need to deal with pesky politicians, dirty business deals or the whole tedium of ruling a migratory people. One only needed to look up to see the works of the Unnamed God spread on a largest scale beneath him, and to feel the absolute power and splendour of nature. It would and should humble the best of man and Animal, and Fiyero couldn't imagine how people would look around at a beautiful place such as this –– which once existed in all of Oz –– and think only of money.

Fiyero's thoughts turned towards Elphaba. Why had he thought, in a moment of impulsiveness, that she would have liked it here? But then again, why would she not? There was a wildness about her that strongly reminded him of the Grasslands; now that he came to think about it, if the Grasslands were to be personified, they would likely to take the shape of Elphaba: green (he snorted), unencumbered, and free.

Fiyero wished he could bring her here –– with Galinda, of course –– far away from the wet, marshy place that was Munchkinland. It irritated him whenever she mentioned it in passing; that her detestable father could shut her up in such a lonely place all for the sake of his puritanical ways. Fiyero doubted that Nessa suffered much, as she seemed to be poised to take on every sort of pain with the same gentle smile she always wore, but Elphaba –– Elphaba should have had her wit and courage demonstrated in a liberal salon of thinkers or some political school of thought. Instead, she was little more than a glorified servant before she came to Shiz (Fiyero had gleaned much from her occasional comments), forced to study her books by herself when the Governor ran out of patience with her shows of magic. The unfairness of it all rather grated on Fiyero whenever he thought about it.

Yes, she would like it here, Fiyero thought as he got up from his spot and dusted himself off. And I'll write that in her letter.

Fiyero,

I had a dream last night about the Thousand Year Grasslands. Only, it wasn't a dream –– well, it was, but more of like a waking dream. A vision, if you like. Excuse my sorry language, I had to tell you immediately when I woke up and I'm writing this by candlelight.

I was standing in the middle of a sea of grass, which extended in all four directions, just like you said. Above me was a night sky that was a darker blue than I'd ever seen, and dotted with stars as bright as diamonds. It was all so clear to me, and I turned around and saw you standing there too. Only –– you seemed to be crouching and stalking something, and didn't respond when I called your name. That was when I thought that it might not be a dream, since I was yelling loud enough to wake up Nessa –– who woke me up.

This has never happened to me before. Well, I wouldn't say it hasn't happened –– sometimes I get feelings, or images in my mind that won't go away. But I haven't had such an extended vision before. Do you have any explanation for it? Were you hunting prey last night?

Elphaba

Elphaba,

Take a deep breath and don't panic. We've been hunting for the past few days, though never at night, so I can't tell you exactly what I was doing when you had your vision. But suffice enough to say that I think your magic is amazing, and that you're truly something else. Visions, Elphaba! I feel almost afraid to touch you when Term starts!

Are you going to tell our distinguished Head Shiztress about this?

Sorry this is so short, I was too excited upon receiving your letter. Before dashing off, though, I have to say: at least you saw the Thousand Year Grasslands before I had to waste my time going to Nest Hardings and dragging you here! Thanks for saving bucket loads of my money, Elphaba.

Fiyero

Fiyero,

No, I don't think I'll tell her just yet, until I'm perfectly sure what's going on. I can't wait to get back to the Shiz Library when term starts in order to get down to the bottom of things. I'm sure there's a book somewhere that can explain things.

By the way, have you responded to Galinda's letters? I've been inundated with proof of her boredom. Please reply to her if you have time to do so for me!

Elphaba

Galinda,

If you have mercy at all, darling, don't write to Elphaba about how I don't respond! She's been scolding me in her letters and you know how fragile my ego is when she does that.

How have you been, princess o' mine? I heard your party was a rousing success, and I'm sure it's all thank to your capable hands and winning smile. You must tell me all that went on, I'm sure you're dying to.

We're planning to move back now to the castle, and soon after Lurlinemas, we'll be back at Shiz. I'll see you soon, dearest.

Fiyero

Fiyero dearest,

Where have you been? Elphie says you have been writing letters to her despite being in that dreadful Hundred Thousand Years –– whatever, and I was so indignant to hear that! Oh, you're going to get it from me when we're back, you scoundrel!

The party was such a success! Everyone was so happy to hear about you and I, and I regaled them with stories of how we met. My aunts in particular are salivating to meet you, though don't think for a moment that I'm blind to their secret desires to make you a match for one of their daughters. My mother, however, is absolutely delighted and can't wait to meet you. Why don't you come home with me for a visit next summer? I'm sure you'll have a splendid time at all our parties –– and they'll have a splendid time because of you!

Yes, term is starting soon –– and I can't be more excited to see you and Elphie again. I can't say the same for our classes and homework, though.

Kisses,

Galinda

Dear Miss. Galinda,

It has been almost a month since winter break started, and I still haven't received a letter from you, so I hope you will forgive my presumption in starting our correspondence.

The truth is, Miss. Galinda, I find it easier to express my feelings on paper rather than in person. You must know that I lo value esteem you greatly in my heart, and that you are the most wondrously perfe kind person I could ever hope to meet.

Miss. Nessa is a lovely lady, but I'm afraid I can't continue being her companion forever. One word from you, Miss. Galinda, would satisfy me forever. Please reply to me.

Your Ever Faithful,

Boq

Dear Boq,

How nice to hear from you! I'm dreadfully sorry not to have written a letter; I was rather busy with social gatherings as befitting my station, and thus writing to you unfortunately slipped my mind. I hope you'd be so kind as to forgive my transgression.

Boq, we're completely different people. I hope you realise that I am perfectly content to continue being your friend, and I hope you'll also continue to treat Nessa with the kindness that you've shown her so far. You make her happy, and when Nessa's happy, Elphaba's happy, and I'm happy. Do that for me, my friend. Will you?

Yours,

Galinda Upland

Dear Miss. Galinda,

As you wish.

Boq

Dear Boq,

How have you been? I'm afraid my earlier letters didn't manage to reach Corn Basket, which is why I'm tasking our special courier to deliver this to you personally.

I've been well, though I miss your presence very much. You're always such a constant companion, Boq, and I cannot express my gratitude enough. Please, if you have time, write back to me.

Also, Father would like to invite you to dinner at our home to thank you for being with me at Shiz. Would you like to come?

Yours,

Your Nessa

Galinda,

Well, I finally have a party of my own to tell you about, although I don't think you would think it much of a party. Boq came over for dinner at our house, and between Nessa's silent blushes, Boq's stutters, and Father's rather sanctimonious conversation, I don't think I've had such an entertaining evening for a long time.

After dessert, Boq took Nessa out for a stroll in our miserably frozen gardens, while Father retired to his study. I was left with Nanny, whose first words were (of course), "That boy's got a stutter strong enough to rival a treepecker." I had to stifle my laughter as the kitchens opened to the gardens, but it's true –– I think his stutter gets worse with nerves, and it's worst around you, dearest –– and I think we know why!

I think my mirth makes my writing more loquacious. Well, you can forgive my excitement, as it's only a week until we're back in Shiz. I shan't be sorry to say goodbye to this dreadful weather.

Elphaba

Mighty Thropp of the –– Oh, forget it

Elphaba,

I'm running out of nicknames to call you. Help!

Elphie is of course, taken.

El-PHA-ba? Fabala?

Fae?

Anyway, only one week 'till you hear my annoying voice again. Aren't you excited?

His Royal Princefulness,

Fiyero

Elphaba resisted the urge to smile as she read over Fiyero's letter. It was just like him to waste a courier's journey with a letter that took up just five sentences, and was spent talking about what kind of nickname to give her. As if she needed one!

"What are you smiling about?" Nessa's gentle voice interrupted her mirthful reverie.

"Oh …" Elphaba hastily covered the letter. "Just some rubbish Fiyero sent me."

"Rubbish? I certainly haven't seen you smile over rubbish in a –– well, not ever!"

"Oh, don't you have something better to do?" Elphaba said irritably. "Like writing more lessons Boq?"

"Well, thanks for nicely dismissing me from your presence," Nessa huffed as she wheeled herself out of the door. "Have fun writing to your boyfriend!"

"He's not my –– Ugh!"

Elphaba trailed off as Nessa slammed the door, and felt a vague sense of guilt. Tiffs between the sisters were rare and far between, but ever since they started Shiz, the closeness between the sisters had felt somewhat strained. Being the older sister, Elphaba had always unselfishly sacrificed her own wellbeing when it came to ensuring her sister was well-protected and happy, but ever since winter break started, Nessa had got on Elphaba's nerves whenever she insinuated something was going on between Fiyero and Elphaba, and Elphaba grated Nessa's sensitivity whenever she teased her about Boq.

Well, blast her and her sensitivity, Elphaba thought uncharitably. I have every right to write to my friends and laugh at whatever they send to me.

She turned back to her letter and traced the words inked onto paper by Fiyero's firm hand. His handwriting was as far from Galinda's elaborate calligraphy as it could be. Every letter was pressed into the paper and traced with strong penmanship, and devoid of any fragrances or embossed monographs. Elphaba had a guilty pleasure of smelling his parchment paper whenever it arrived in the mail, as it sometimes held a trace of damp wind and grass, which evoked in her mind an image of the soaring planes of the Thousand Year Grasslands, just like the one she had dreamed of on that eventful night.

Truth be told, she rather liked his third choice, "Fae". It was soft and gentle like a verbal caress, and very different from the three no-nonsense syllabus of El-pha-ba. But of course …

Elphaba felt the tell-tale sign of heat in her cheeks and sighed. These –– dratted –– reactions had been happening ever since that night in the corridor, and try as she might, she couldn't get rid of them. They happened spontaneously whenever she thought of Fiyero and the lone finger tracing her cheek, or when she read a particular passage in his letters that made her think of him, alone in his tent, furiously writing to her.

Elphaba didn't know what caused these reactions, and it irked her immensely. For her whole life, she had been an outsider to society, which gave her ample opportunity to observe her fellow humans at work. It was her favourite pastime whenever she was leaning over the bannisters looking down at a social meeting (where Nessa was invariably the centre of attention), or when her father hosted a gathering of fellow luminaries. To her, human behaviour had been easily dissected. At the root of it all were two subjects. If Subject A wanted something from Subject A, this was Cause A. Subject A usually gets about their business, and their attempts usually results in Effect B. Consequence C would determine the success or failure of the outcome. If Fiyero had been his usual swaggering self, trying to charm her (Cause A), then she would at least chalk her natural reactions (Effect B) up to hormones, physiology, the usual. But his letters have been anything but that. Rather, they spoke of Fiyero as she had gotten to know him: irreverent, yes, but serious and surprisingly thoughtful at times. Elphaba never had the experience of writing letters to friends (or writing letters to anyone for that matter) and if her heartbeat increased exponentially whenever she saw the courier's carriage, she only chalked it up the novelty of having an actual reply to her letters.

Of course, she couldn't reach an inner conclusion on what the exact consequence was supposed to be.

Dear His Royal Princefulness,

Elphaba would do just fine. You don't find me calling you Fi-Fi, right?

Elphaba

Elphaba,

That's horrible. Alright, I'll stick with Fae.

Fiyero,

You wouldn't.

Elphaba

Elphaba,

I sure would, Fae. It's done and signed in ink. Now both of us have a nickname for you!

Fiyero

Fiyero,

I think I'm going to jump into the Munchkin River.

Elphaba,

I'm looking forward to seeing you too!

Fiyero

A/N: Well! I can say today that I finally ran into that infamous formatting problem that I always see fanfic authors having! For some inexplicable reason my copy-and-pasting ended up having lines of indecipherable code, and my previous asterisk signs for separating the letters did not come through at all; hence my usage of the line breaks.

I do have something I wish to clear up after questions received about my usage of the Wicked universe. My characterisations are deeply steeped in Musical!Verse, as I don't think I have the skill or time to draw on Gregory Maguire's brilliant writing. As such, all fanfictions are just a figment of our collective imaginations and a shadow of the real thing. That being said, I do draw the landscape from Maguire's map (which can be found online as well as on the wall of the Gershwin Theatre), which includes the details of our trio's journeys around Oz (using the Great Gilikin Railway and the Yellow Brick Road). I have also expanded on what the musical left unsaid, which namely are (so far): Nanny, Galinda's less-than-noble ancestry, Elphaba's exact residence in the Nest Hardings, and different Gods besides Oz and Lurline.

Once again, thank anyone who has read, favourited and/or subscribed to Story Alert. Of course it would make me really happy if y'all reviewed too! ;)

Last but not least, anyone who caught the blatant Princess Bride reference gets a hearty rolling down the hills with Westley.