"Funny story." Duran said as he held out a hand for Glinda. She hesitated for a moment, before grasping it. He gently helped her from the ground and Glinda looked at her hand after he let her go.

"I somehow doubt it." was her dull reply.

"Well, maybe not funny like a joke, but there is at least one moment." he shot her a smile. "But come, we can walk and talk."

"How did you find me?" she asked as he led her to a side door.

"Some old friends of yours." he paused. "Well, I should say some young friends of yours."

"Young friends of mine? You mean Pfannee and the others?"

"No." Duran shook his head. He glanced back as he opened another door. "Well, yes, but not completely. I mean some young friends you might not know you have."

Through the door were five guards. Glinda tensed, but none of them raised weapons. Nor did Duran. As they approached, Glinda recognized a few of them.

"You were the guard outside my door." Glinda said to one young man. He gave a sheepish smile.

"Yes, Lady Glinda."

"And you helped me on the stairs." she said to a woman. She nodded.

"Yes, My Lady."

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Don't you recognize them?" Duran beamed.

"There's no reason Lady Glinda should." another young woman at the back interjected. "We were younger and she visited rarely."

"Visited? I'm not following." Glinda answered.

"We are all from one of the Upland schools." the woman answered. Glinda blanched slightly.

"Oh dear."

Duran frowned.

"That was not the reaction I was expecting." he said. Glinda shook her head.

"It's not that I don't appreciate the help. It's just...I wanted them to make a better life for themselves. Not become another extension of mine."

"Most of us are." said the young woman who helped her on the stairs. "We just got caught up in the conscription sweeps last year. But we're happy that we could help you now."

"Alright, that's enough gabbing." one young man that had not spoken yet said. "They're going to figure out really soon something has gone wrong."

"You all know the story, right?" asked Duran.

"Yeah." said the young man that had guarded her cell. "They came to get Glinda, but were being chased by a blonde witch and a redhead with a sword. The Captain left us as a rearguard and they threw us into the cell and ran past, locking it. Had to bash it open to get out."

"Perfect." Duran nodded.

"Here's the map." the bossy boy said and handed it Duran. "Get going."

"I…" Glinda started. She lost the words and the group waited. "Just...thank you."

The group of young men and women nodded. Duran placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Let's go." he said softly. Glinda nodded.

Giving the group one last look she followed Duran through another door. They walked in silence. Duran had to check the map several times. Glinda was lost in her own thoughts. It seemed that no matter what she did to help it only brought more pain to those people. Even a school for the less fortunate. Instead of improving their lives, she turned them into followers. Much like the Household of the man in front of her. Which reminded Glinda.

"So about this funny story…" she said.

"I was wondering if we'd get back to that." he answered.

"You mentioned Pfannee in your story. Which means you had to come into contact with Elphaba and Sarima."

"Yes, I did. Scared Elphaba half to death."

Elphaba decided. She would do as Duran would. As Duran had. She would walk into danger, and walk out with Glinda. With that, she turned away from the window.

"If Duran isn't here to do it, I will." she declared.

"While I'm behind you all the way," a voice from behind her said, "what is it I'm not doing?"

Elphaba whirled around. There, standing in the window she just vacated, was a dead man.

"By the Unnamed God!" she cried out and fell backward.

"Weird thing for an irreligious person to yell." he pointed out.

"Says the ghost standing in my window."

"Oh, I'm not shade from the other side."

"Then how are you here? You died; I watched you die!"

"Though there are many things that can cross the veil between this world and the next. I was fortunately spared such a trip."

"It's good to know you work on your lines." Glinda commented sarcastically.

"Got to workshop them until they feel right." Duran replied.

"Uh-huh. Get to the important part."

"So impatient."

"What does that even mean?" Elphaba retorted.

"It means I only mostly died. Thanks to someone's stubborn insistence and use of healing magic, my body was able to keep going. That, and the binding spell. You see, if our charges are in danger it is meant to keep us going even after we should have died; barring anything massive like decapitation and the like. Blood loss won't do it. Anyway, you two were still in danger due to the Yunamata not agreeing to honor the duel's outcome. So it kept me alive until after you put me in the tomb. By that point, the residual magic from my own spells and the healing from your spell sustained me."

"But we burned you."

Duran chuckled.

"You know, that's what Elphaba said too. And I'll tell her what I told you. Not exactly. You see, as I lay there on the edge of consciousness, I didn't have the strength to get up. Not dead does not mean doing well. But as strength slowly returned to me, I heard a voice."

"Someone from the other side? Or the past?" Glinda asked. Duran chuckled again.

"Not at all."

"I don't know what to say to you, or how to say it." a voice creeped into Duran's consciousness. A male voice. "I only knew you for a short time, and did not trust you until the last moment. But you have delivered safety to those I care most about in this world, and all my ambitions in one fell swoop of your sword. I will forever be in your debt."

"Go..od." Duran choked out and grabbed the man's arm. The man jumped back.

"By all the spirits of the ancestors!" he exclaimed in Arjiki.

"I'm...not dead...yet."

"How?"

"Need..heal...ing."

"I'll get Elphaba and Glinda."

"No." the flat word stopped the man in his tracks.

"No?"

"Ne..ed to find...their own...way."

"I'm about to be very cross with Fiyero and you. I can feel it." Glinda cut in.

"Funny enough, Elphaba said something similar." Duran replied.

"I'm going to be yelling at Fiyero tonight, I can feel it." Elphaba seethed at Duran's retelling.

"Not me?"

"I'm going to start yelling at you much sooner."

"That's fair."

"You both had no right to keep your survival from us!"

"Bit hypocritical for a woman who faked her own death and fled to Ev for five years, don't you think?"

"No, nothing?" asked Duran when he still saw Glinda's fierce look.

"You underestimate my ability to be angry at multiple people at the same time."

"That's fair."

"I...that was for Glinda's own good!" Elphaba responded.

"And this was for your own good." Duran replied. "When I'm too intertwined with your lives, I can't see clearly the strings of fate. You two pluck and pull and move them too much. So I needed to get away and you needed to find your own way."

"So you left us here by ourselves."

"You've been trying to get rid of me since you met me. I just fulfilled your wish. If you ever needed me I could always return to the stage. Like now." he smiled. "You've been pouring a lot of feelings into the sending stone."

Elphaba looked down at it.

"What do you need me for, Elphaba?" Duran asked seriously.

"Where did you go?" asked Glinda.

"What?"

"Where did you go?" she repeated. "How did you slip out without us knowing? And how did you get healed? That sort of damage to the body doesn't just heal itself fine. You should be barely able to move."

"I…" he stopped for a moment. "You know, Elphaba didn't think to ask me those questions."

"Stop dodging them then."

"Fiyero got me enough ingredients for a health drought, lent me a horse, and I slipped out the same back way they did all those years ago while everyone was focused on the funeral. Mikel's body was still burnt, but the funeral shrouds around mine hid a fake body of straw. After that, I…I went to see some friends about advanced healing."

There was a knock at the door. The two women looked over at each other, smiles threatening their lips. The small party of all their friends gave them a curious look. To confirm their suspicions, the blonde one glanced out the window. Her lips gave into the smile. The two women excused themselves to the atrium where they dismissed Steward from answering the door. The dark haired woman smiled lightly before opening it.

"And just who is this on my doorstep?" she asked, dark eyes twinkling.

"You know," Duran managed to grunt out, "you always ask me that."

Then he collapsed.

"Oh, so they healed you." Glinda said.

"Yes. It was quite painful." Duran replied. "As you know, magic cannot regrow much. So to get back most of my functionality was a...process."

"But you're back and alive again."

"Never died, but back."

Glinda stopped walking, a hand to her mouth. Duran stopped and turned around. As the tears escaped her eyes, she grabbed him and buried her head in his shoulder.

"Hey now, I'm not dead. No need to cry for me." he said.

"I'm not." was her muffled reply. "I've no more tears for you as I've shed them all. It's for...all the others."

"Others? Like the Dogs."

"Did anyone besides Wynne live?"

"Not at the party, no." Duran answered.

"Ronce...I had just met his wife, Josephine. " Glinda gripped Duran tighter. "And I killed her husband."

"You didn't kill Ronce. It's not your fault."

"Don't tell me it's not my fault!" Glinda cried. "He wouldn't have been there if I wasn't. I led him to his death, Durandal. Just like...just like I'll lead those children to theirs."

"Glinda, you don't know that."

"I'm tired of it, Durandal. I'm tired of others dying for me. I just want it to be done."

Duran said nothing for a while. Then, he gently pulled away.

"Come. We've not much time to get you away."

"Away to where?"

"To the Vinkus and Kiamo Ko."

"I don't want them to be put in danger again."

"Putting you there makes everything safer."

"How so?"

"I can get Glinda away safely," Duran said to Elphaba and Fiyero, "but I need somewhere for her to go."

"She can come here." Fiyero answered. "By next week the ascension will occur. I will be able to bring some warparties to me. They're not professionals, not yet, but they'll be enough to hold Kiamo Ko against anything for a little while."

"That's good. We just need to discourage anyone from attacking." replied Duran.

"I can get some of the Animal networks on the lookout for anything." Elphaba added. "They're not soldiers but sometimes knowing a fight is coming is the best way to avoid it."

"Also a good idea."

"I'll go send a carrier Pigeon now." she said before hurrying off. The two men watched her go.

"Walk with me?" Fiyero asked.

"Of course."

Fiyero led them through the castle. He nodded as retainers gave him slight bows. Several nodded in Duran's direction, seemingly not surprised to see the dead man alive. They finally made their way onto a parapet on Kiamo Ko. Facing east, it held a great view out of the Great Kells and the grasslands beneath.

"What did you want to talk about, Crown Prince?" asked Duran with his customary smile.

"A true Crown Prince." Fiyero said wistfully. "I'd never thought I'd get to see it. All thanks to you."

"You're welcome."

"I bet Fiyero is happy about that." Glinda commented. "Though I can't see Elphaba being a Princess."

"Well…"

"Oh?"

"Do you care for Glinda?" Fiyero asked. Duran blinked a few times. He opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again.

"That's...not what I expected."

"But do you?"

"Of course." Duran replied, looking over the battlements. "Much in the same way you care for Elphaba."

Fiyero sighed and leaned on one of the crenellations. Looking over the Vinkus, the grasslands glowed in the fading sun's light.

"We are fools, are we not?" he said softly. Duran leaned on the wall himself.

"Aye, but they make it hard not to be." Duran sighed. He turned around to look inward. A pair of figures were moving up the stairs on the inside wall towards them. "But then again, you've seemed to have moved on well enough."

Fiyero sputtered, losing his normal affable nature. His reply was cut off as the two women crested the wall. Both hard wild dark hair and flowing clothes which contrasted the rich hues of their skin; green and dark Vinkun brown.

"I've got a message out to the Animals. They'll know if anything is going on." Elphaba said without preamble.

"And I've let the Ladies in the City know you're coming." Sarima added.

When neither man answered, they gazed between the two of them; Duran with his smirk and Fiyero with an affable if slightly confused look on his face.

"Did we...interrupt something?" asked Sarima.

"No!" Fiyero protested too quickly. "No. We were just talking about the future."

"As the Crown Prince says," Duran emphasized the point. "much is in motion."

"I care only about one thing in the future." Elphaba replied bluntly. "And I expect it to be delivered."

"And that's my cue." Duran smiled and bowed. "Ladies; Crown Prince. I will take my leave."

Before they could respond, Duran spun and hopped the battlement wall. Sarima gasped and all three rushed to look over the edge. The sheer drop gave them a perfect view of Duran gliding effortless down to the grasslands below. It was Elphaba's turn to gasp. It quickly turned into a scowl.

"Show off."

"So?" asked Duran.

"You can do magic because of the bind with us." Glinda concluded. "You can only do what magic is woven into your blood."

"Damn. There goes my fun."

"That also explains why your spells are not so bright. You had to reweave them, and they lost the potency of age."

"Correct again." Duran chuckled. "Such memory."

"But your magical control is astounding. There's no way you could have it in such a short time."

"I tried to cast magic for decades." Duran answered. "And have studied it for centuries. Not to mention the great role models I've been around."

"Flatterer."

"Always. But anyway, those factors plus the ability to sense magic means my control is excellent. Plus no sleeping, remember?"

"So what is the plan now?" Glinda asked.

"Now." Duran stopped. He checked the map. "Aha. Here it is."

He went over to a grate and gave it a tug. It resisted with years of rust and grime. Duran gave it a harder yank and it came away. He stooped low to crawl through. Glinda did so as well. Normally she would have scrunched her nose at such a thing, but right now she was dirty as well. The little tunnel was moist and filled with mildew, but surprisingly short. On the other side, Duran offered her a hand to stand again. Taking it, she looked around.

"This seems familiar."

"As it should." Duran answered.

The duo walked a short way before coming to another inlet. This one was more rough hewn. As Duran led them up, Glinda had a feeling of deja vu. When they reached the end of the tunnel, Duran reached up to a small metal handbrake like one would find on a coach. He grabbed it and depressed the handle. A loud screech was followed by a thunk. Duran pressed the end of the corridor and it swung open. Glinda followed.

It was like stepping back into time. The cellar was a mess: wood barrels lay broken and splintered, smoke had blackened part of the walls, and blood stained the floor. Here and there Glinda saw the lash of a sword stroke or the strike of a musket ball against the stone. Duran carefully picked his way up and out. Glinda did not need to follow him to know where he was headed.

Back to the place where her adventure started three months ago (Was it really only three months? Glinda wondered). The flat was still a mess, half boarded up. The front doors had been knocked off the hinges and then put back and nailed into place. Sunlight streamed through its cracks. To Glinda who had not seen the sun in weeks it was like walking back out of the entrance to hell and into the land of the living. The light burned her eyes and she for the first time noticed how absolutely terrible she looked. A light whisper and she was cleaned up.

"Bet that feels better." Duran chuckled.

"Much."

Up into her room she expected. Out onto the veranda she did not. Glinda did not follow Duran. The brightness of outside seemed almost to be a mirage; a life she never thought she would see again. Shaking herself for such a notion and steeling her feelings, she marched out into the light. Duran smiled as he held a broom in his hands.

"Elphaba's broom?" Glinda asked.

"Stashed when we dashed." he smiled. "No one would look up in the eave. I thought it might come in handy."

"I don't know how to fly it."

"It's like riding a bike." he replied and tossed it to her.

Glinda caught it. Unlike other times, she felt a warmth from it. Warmth and freedom. Glinda knew that it would respond to her. She looked at Duran.

"It's a little small for the both of us."

"Good thing I'm not going." he smiled. "I've got some things to tidy up here. Ladies to annoy, Dogs to meet. You know how it is."

"That I do."

Glinda turned the broom horizontal. A nudge caused it to levitate at that waist height. Glinda sat sidesaddle on it rather than straddling it like Elphaba would. Much more dignified (and comfortable due to her pregnancy).

"I just want you to know." she said as she slowly started floating away. "I'm still very cross with you."

"As to be expected." he answered.

"I expect you to make it up to me."

Duran's eyebrows rose. His smile widened and he gave a bow without ever taking his eyes off her.

"As My Lady commands."

With a nod, Glinda floated up on a breeze and away to the Vinkus.

Her arrival at Kiamo Ko was a rush of hugs. Elphaba nearly did not let her go long enough for Sarima and Fiyero to get in a hug elsewise. Despite being six months along in her pregnancy, Glinda was not much else than broom sore. After eating dinner while Elphaba and Fiyero heard reports of no movement from the City, Glinda made her way to her room. She had to shoo a fussing Elphaba away, but let Sarima play minder. After a real bath, she lay in the soft bed and closed her eyes for a well deserved rest. While some others might not be able to sleep after such events, Glinda was wrapped in the comfortable safety of those around her. As such, she was asleep within moments.

A/N: So bringing Duran back was a hard decision for me. It was in the original draft, but between my dislike of the "back from the dead" trope and the reaction to his death, I started leaning against it. However, as I worked the story more it became apparent I still needed him as a vessel to move the story along in some specific aspects.