I am so sorry I have not updated in over a year. Life was crazy. I finished school, got a full time job without a set schedule, got a puppy, got married and finally months after my wedding was able to transfer to a different department at work with a set schedule. I don't know when I'll be able to update after this as I also picked up a part time job to try to pay off my student loans faster but that one has a more flexible schedule and it's just on the weekends. I don't plan on ever abandoning this story. It's so much fun to write.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything

Then next morning found Elphaba, Nessarose, and Fiyero awake and packing carriages bright and early. Nessa had decided she wanted her own carriage and as a result Elphaba and Fiyero were able to have the entire journey alone in the same carriage together.

For the first hour Fiyero tried to sleep. However, sleep failed him. He was too excited to have Elphaba so close to him after being so certain he wouldn't be able to speak to her at all. Maybe his mother was right, maybe he was falling for the green girl.

He and Elphaba passed the hours in conversation. The conversation from the previous night did not come up.

When they were just outside the Vinkus they made a quick stop so Elphaba could get in the carriage with Nessarose. They did this so Elphaba's father wouldn't be angry with her for being too close to Fiyero.

When they arrived at Kiamo Ko, Frex was already waiting outside with two people, a man and a woman, who Elphaba assumed were Fiyero's parents.

"Hello, you must be Elphaba and this beauty must be Nessarose. I am Leauda and this is my husband Adeuro," the woman said.

"Yes, I've been tutoring Fiyero this past semester since midterm. It seems to have paid off, considering his grades improved so much," Elphaba said.

"Don't worry about your sister. I have asked a couple of the maids to help her with whatever she needs. Fiyero invited you to visit, I want you to enjoy yourself while you're here," Leauda told her.

"Thank you," Elphaba said.

"Nonsense," Frex said. "Elphaba always takes care of Nessa."

"I insist that you give Elphaba and Fiyero some time to visit. They are friends after all. Perhaps they could use this time to get a head start on their semester reading. I understand you two have a literature class together," Leauda countered.

"Yes, we do," Fiyero pointed out. "It would be a good idea to try to get as much ahead as we could before term resumes."

"Fiyero, why don't you show Elphaba and Nessarose to their rooms. I would like to speak with Frexspar for a few moments," Leauda said.

"Yes, mother."

Fiyero led Elphaba and Nessarose inside the castle and to the guest rooms. He purposefully chose the two rooms at the end of the corridor, they were closest to the library and therefore it would be ea*-+sier for he and Elphaba to meet up.

"Thank you, Fiyero," Elphaba told him.

"After dinner meet me in the library? I get the feeling that's the only place we're going to be able to be alone together and you and I need to talk in private," he replied.

Elphaba agreed and went back into her room to settle in and get ready for dinner.

Dinner was rather uneventful. They ate in the formal dining room. The king sat at the head of the table, his wife to his right. Frexspar sat on the king's right with Elphaba beside him, Nessa next to Elphaba and Fiyero across from Elphaba.

Because of this lovely seating arrangement Elphaba and Fiyero couldn't say a word to each other without Frexspar hearing everything. They quickly finished eating and Fiyero asked to be excused. Elphaba purposely waited a few minutes before asking to leave as well. Frexspar reluctantly agreed, having to be reminded of the maid the queen had appointed to care for Nessa.

Elphaba tried not to seem too eager as she was leaving the dining room, as soon as she was out the room she took off running to the library. When she closed the door she slumped against it and let out a breath.

When she looked up she saw Fiyero staring at her with a look in his eyes she couldn't name but she liked it.

"What did you want to talk about?" Elphaba asked him.

He gestured to a window seat and said, "You might want to sit down."

She nodded and sat in the window seat.

"Well, what is it?"

"I don't know how else to say this so I'm just going to come right out and say it. I think I'm falling in love with you."

"Don't be ridiculous, Fiyero. Why would you say that?"

"Because it's true."

"Why would anybody love me?"

"You're smart, beautiful, you care about more than what other people think or at least you act like it. I've had deeper conversations with you than with every other girl I've ever been with."

"I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow."

And with that she left the library.

She ran into Leauda on her way back to her room.

"Elphaba, what's wrong?" the queen asked her.

"I don't want to talk about it right now," Elphaba told her.

"Fiyero finally told you how he feels about you didn't he?"

"How did you know?"

"I'm a mother, a very perceptive one at that. Now why don't we take a walk and you can tell me why your conversation with my son has shaken you so much."

The queen led Elphaba outside and they took a walk in the rose garden.

"All my life I've been told nobody could love me. Until Galinda decided to be my friend I had always been made to feel unlovable. Now that somebody thinks they love me and has told me so it scares me," Elphaba explained.

"I was watching you two at dinner. I can see you feel the same way as he does. Why not go back and tell him?"

"My father would never allow me to have a relationship with Fiyero."

"Take your father out of the equation. What do you want?"

The queen turned around and walked back inside, leaving Elphaba alone with her thoughts.

The more she thought about it the more she realized every word of what Leauda had said was true. She felt the same way for Fiyero and she didn't need her father's permission to have a relationship, she was a grown woman. She had to go find Fiyero.