A/N: Sorry this is so late! Things have been busy... Only one more chapter to go in this one - leaving just enough left for another story. ;)
A/N2: Shout outs to my anonymous reviewer and James Birdsong! So glad you've been enjoying the story. Thanks!
Chapter 36
The Farhidi children were motherless and traumatized. The troops were told to take them back to the Palace and make sure that Doctor Talib gave them a checkup. The soldiers were also told to consult Lady Glinda on what should be done with them. Their father would have to serve time for his part in the crimes committed against the state. He had helped them and that part could not be forgotten nor could the situation he'd been put in, but he had not reached out to the authorities and instead followed the lead of a madman.
Sergeant Schultz did not want to leave Fiyero or Elphaba. They told him to stay and Fazil would bring the troops and Farhidi children back to the Emerald City. The Flying Monkeys had given Chistery a hard time as well, but he sent them on their way. Now alone, Elphaba wanted answers from Brrr. They would probably not get answers from the traumatized teenagers.
"You killed our two suspects. We needed answers out of them," Fiyero was blunt.
"Your diplomatic teaching hasn't served you well, has it?" Brrr deflected. He knew the Captain was the Prince of the Vinkus.
"It serves me just fine, but those two men attempted to kill Lady Glinda and Lieutenant Bayram. The two children they'd kidnapped watched their mother be butchered in front of them. We needed to know how big their network was and what future plans were in case someone decided to follow in their footsteps," the Prince pointed out.
"Those two were complete boobs. They were trying to complete a spell that they did not fully understand. If I had let them complete it, it would have killed the girl and then left the boy with them," Brrr gave him a look.
"What kind of spell? We were told that the one was trying to bind the girl's soul to him. I have only read about those spells. I have no idea where they would have heard about that or even how they would have had a list of ingredients or the proper wording," Elphaba spoke up.
"I honestly don't have any idea, but I recognized that he was butchering the ancient language and there is only one reason to be speaking it," Brrr explained.
"So, they had someone who gave them the spell and the directions. Could explain why it took Rocky so long to join the party," Fiyero gave his fiancée a look.
"There is no one in Oz who would give them that. The ancient language is no longer spoken and it is like the Grimmerie – only I can read it. Morrible found that out when we were at Shiz. She attempted to teach me how to do the pronunciations but even she had a hard time. She's dead and I most certainly would not have given anyone that kind of information," Elphaba shook her head.
"Then there is another out there who isn't as caring as you. This Rocky… he may no longer be alive, but maybe I can smell where the buggers been. Might give you a lead on this spell caster," Brrr offered.
"That would be most helpful but how do you know which one he is?" The green woman asked. He gave them a look.
"I'll go Mistress. Two noses will be better than one," Chistery gave her a wink. She gave him a nod and the two Animals moved back toward the room where Foster and Rocky's bodies were.
"We don't know enough about this Rocky. How did he manage to find someone like you described?" Fiyero asked her.
"I have no idea," Elphaba didn't like it.
"I might have an idea but it's an old fairy tale from my childhood. My mother used to tell me when I asked her for a story," Schultz spoke up. The two turned to him.
"Finding this person will have to go on the back burner, but you tell us when we get back to the Emerald City," Fiyero said.
"Yes, sir," the Sergeant nodded.
"An odd one that Rocky," Brrr announced as he came back from the room where the final assault occurred. Chistery was right behind him.
"I concur," the Flying Monkey said.
"What did you find?" Elphaba asked.
"Besides the usual body odor and manure – there were hints of Quoxwood, not surprising, given what we have been standing on. There was red sand and grass from the Thousand Year Grasslands, along with mold. The man must have been wet for quite some time," Brrr told them.
"He was going through the Vinkus and Gillikin?" Fiyero found that odd. Kiamo Ko was on the edge of the Thousand Year Grasslands but Rocky had been seen inside the Emerald City. Something was off.
"The story that my mother told me involved the Red Sand and Gillikin River," Schultz said.
"Ok, back to the Palace everyone. We need to sort this out and we aren't doing it tonight," Fiyero needed to think and he was getting hungry.
"You too, Brrr. Glinda will want to meet you," Elphaba said.
To Be Continued…