3.
The palace was looming before them, as magnificent as he'd remembered. Memories washed over him yet again, but he refused to be distracted by them. Elphaba stepped out of the carriage carrying their daughter, and her gaze immediately wandered upward, to its many turrets. She was clinging to the sleepy child with all her might. Whereas she seemed so sure of herself earlier, something about this place seemed to make her confidence crumble. She looked genuinely terrified.
Avaric, who noticed her sudden distress, touched the small of her back ever so slightly. "It's alright, Elphaba. You're safe here, I promise."
"I know," she whispered. She lingered for a moment longer, but then determinedly followed Avaric's lead, her chin held high. He wanted to applaud her. Before he managed to suggest she'd pass Talleen to him, a shrill voice cut through the quiet echo of their footsteps.
"Elphie! You're here!" Glinda all but flew down the stairs. Well, not exactly. Their conversation from the day before came to mind as he did a double take. Was she…
"Glinda Upland!" hissed Elphaba, partly amazed, partly outraged, her own fears instantly forgotten, and pointed at what was most definitely a baby bump. "Are you…"
"Yes!" Glinda giggled in reply, but put a dainty hand on her mouth as soon as she noticed the toddler in her friend's arms, and instantly lowered her voice. "By the time we received confirmation this one is likely to stick around, I thought it better to just wait tell you in person."
"Sweet Oz, I'm so happy for you," Elphaba reached for Glinda's hand and grasped it.
"Hello, little one," cooed Glinda, looking fondly at Talleen, who in the meantime opened her eyes and was looking at her curiously. "You've grown so big since the last time I saw you."
"This is your aunt Glinda, sweetheart," Elphaba told their daughter. "Remember Papa showed you her pictures in the newspaper?"
"Ginda the Goo."
Glinda laughed softly, placing a kiss on the child's temple. "Well, that one I haven't heard before."
"Here, let me have her." As Talleen settled more comfortably against him, already half asleep again, he watched Elphaba and Glinda share a fierce embrace, the long months apart falling away with each moment they held each other. As they pulled away, Glinda reached for his hand, squeezing it amiably, as their eyes locked with a wordless hello.
"Do you want to put her in bed?"
"I'd rather have her with us," he said, looking up at Elphaba, who nodded. "In case she wakes up and needs something."
"Then let's sit in the library, she'll be comfortable on the sofa. There's a light supper waiting for you. Avaric, would you mind terribly..."
"No problem, I'll ask for it to be brought there."
"Thanks plenty, dearest." Catching sight of the pram, Glinda squealed in delight and walked passed them to peek inside. "Oh, Elphie, they're precious."
"Give it an hour," he joked. "You won't think so when they begin to wail."
"When you wrote to say they were born safely, I can't tell you… After last time, I was so relieved."
Elphaba, expectedly, frowned. "Fiyero was watching me like a hawk. Didn't even let me go to the market for groceries."
"He was just looking out for you, dearest, you gave us all quite a fright. Now listen." Glinda linked her arm with Elphaba's, leading the way to the library. "Before you say anything, I put the children in a room next to yours and arranged a governess for them to take the load off just a little bit, and now I see I was right to do so, you both look dead on your feet."
"That's simultaneously kind and offensive," he noted to no one in particular.
"Some things never change," replied Elphaba. "And to think you wanted to give her one of the boys."
He lay Talleen on a sofa by the fire, then settled on an armchair opposite Elphaba and Glinda. Soon Avaric joined them, followed by a servant who bid them good evening with a friendly smile and laid out a huge tray of mini sandwiches and small cakes. Elphaba seemed momentarily tense, but the servant didn't even flinch as she asked her if she'd like tea or hot chocolate.
As soon as they were left alone, Glinda began to tell them in detail everything that had happened with Boq. "Honestly, if I knew all the fuss it was going to cause, I would have just consented to go out with him back at Shiz! Don't think nothing of it, dearest," she turned to blow Avaric a kiss.
"No worries. I heard he was a wee obsessive back in the day."
"Just a tiny bit," replied Elphaba, then shook her head in dismay. "I cannot believe you refersified him in your condition."
"Uhh, excuse me?" He all but chocked on his sandwich. "If my memory serves, you reversified me while pregnant. And faked your own death using an incredibly powerful spell, while we're at it."
"It's not the same, Fiyero, you know what she's been through to - "
"I dread to think what could have happened if I haven't watched you like a hawk, as you so aptly put it, this time around."
"Oh, hush, you two, it was perfectly fine. It seemed to have refersified his attitude as well!"
"Which means he will keep his mouth shut if you go public about Elphaba?"
"Well, I did go public about Elphaba, and you got here mob-free, didn't you? You'll be surprised how many people didn't buy into Morrible's narrative in the first place! It seemed to have been a very vocal minority."
"And you're making a public statement tomorrow?"
"Yes, tomorrow afternoon. If all goes according to plan."
"What exactly is the plan?" asked Elphaba, a bit fretfully.
"Well, first of all, I'm going to break the promise I've made to you years ago, and clear your name. Also, I have a proposition for you. Well, for both of you. And if you consent like I hope you do, I might announce it tomorrow as well!"
"I'm almost afraid to ask," he mock-groaned, hoping to break the sudden tension.
"I know you didn't graduate from Shiz, Elphie, through no fault of your own, of course. And Fiyero mentioned in his letters what a gifted herbologist you've become, so I was wondering… there's a position opening at Ozma University."
"Ozma University?" echoed Elphaba, certain reverence sneaking into her voice. "You can't be serious."
"I'm perfectly serious," Glinda replied calmly.
"What's so special about Ozma University?" he asked.
"It's only the best academic institution in all of Oz," said Elphaba. "It was my dream college and I could have easily made it in with my grades, but Nessa and I ended up at Shiz because her grades weren't good enough for an elite school and, well, who cared where I wanted to go school?" she shrugged in mock-indifference, but the sorrow in her tone was clear. His heart broke all over again at the way her own father had disowned her.
"And you want her to teach there?"
"I want to appoint her a senior professor of herbology and sorcery. I know you have the little ones to think about, Elphie, but it doesn't have to be full time, not while they're so young. I have a feeling you'll be a brilliant professor."
"It sounds amazing," said Elphaba; she looked almost hesitant to admit it. "But we haven't even decided if we wanted to stay here permanently. And what if tomorrow goes horribly wrong?"
"It will go just fine!" countered Glinda. Her optimism was refreshing. But before he could comment on it, she was addressing him. "And you, Fiyero. I'm in the process of revamping my parliament, making it slightly more appropriate to our times - Animals, women, younger men knowing our generation's needs as opposed to our parents'. I think you'll be an asset to what I have in mind."
Her vote of confidence was humbling, especially after everything they've been through. "Glinda, I don't know what to say."
"Well, say yes, of course," she giggled. "We could find you a nice house, with a yard for the children and for Elphie's herbs. Or you could have your own wing at the palace. Whatever you want." Glinda's pleading gaze shifted from him to Elphaba. "You said it yourself, Elphie. Together we'll be the greatest team there's ever been."
"Feels like a different life, now."
"No, it's just finally time to make good on that promise."
"Look, you had a long day," said Avaric. Glinda tried to glare at him, but he was holding his own. Just as before, his softer tone seemed to put Elphaba at ease. "Everything might seem different in the morning."
As much as they all wanted to spend the evening catching up, the first months of pregnancy took their toll on Glinda, who kept nodding off to sleep by the fire, and he and Elphaba were exhausted from their journey, and so they parted for the night, jokingly complaining how old they'd become. They met the governess, Myla, a soft-spoken Panda, and he accompanied her to the nursery, so that Elphaba was already in bed as he stepped into the room Glinda had prepared for them, staring at the opposite wall. As he closed the door behind him, though, she turned to flash a weary smile at him. "Are they alright?"
"All three sleeping soundly. I don't think they even notice me. I feel so redundant."
She rolled her eyes, apparently unmoved by his mock-misery. "It feels strange to not have them here with us. I don't remember the last time we had a whole room just for ourselves."
"Well, I, for one, mean to make the most of it," he pointed out as he finally joined her under the covers.
There was a naughty glimmer in her eyes as she said, "You better not think about what I think you're thinking."
"I was thinking about sleeping in tomorrow morning, but care to share what were you thinking, Miss Elphaba?"
"Good night, Fiyero," she laughed, clearly not intending to dignify his query with a reply. Instead she reached out to turn off the light.
The sheets were crisp, smelling of lavender and cleanliness. The pillows were as soft as clouds. He sank into them gratefully and yawned. He would admire the tastefully decorated room tomorrow; right now he just wanted to sleep. "Sweet dreams, Fae."
She turned to give him a look. "Fae?"
"What, are you the only one allowed to come up with cutesy nicknames?"
"I don't do cutesy, Fiyero," she said straight-faced, but he saw right through it.
"Oh, believe me, I'm aware." He only barely avoided the gentle kick she aimed at his shin. He grabbed her before she could do more damage, and pulled her against him. He thought she said something about payback, but fell asleep before a coherent reply presented itself, a shadow of a smile still on his lips.
The sound of a crying baby pulled him out of deep sleep. It was a moment before he remembered where he was and why the sound wasn't coming from right next to his bed. But upon leaving the bedroom, the crying didn't come from the nursery across the hall. He chased it along the hallway, then down the stairs, dazed with sleep. There was distress in the sound, not something he'd ever heard any of his children utter.
He pushed open a door, and found himself in a vast room he remembered only faintly. The Great Hall seemed much less glamorous now, much more eerie. The old Wizard's throne was there, pushed to a distant corner, its massive head in shambles after years of disuse. The moonlight washed the room soft silver. It was so quiet he could hear his own labored breathing. The baby's cry was faint now, definitely coming from elsewhere. He meant to turn back and trace it when a soft groan made him stop dead in his tracks. Only after squinting into the darkness he noticed the motionless figure on the floor.