Thank you again and as always to anyone who read and/or reviewed the last chapter! I appreciate hearing from you guys. With this chapter we're already halfway through the story! I'm very fond of the next few chapters, and excited to get into the new stuff. I hope you enjoy!
Fiyero mentally kicked himself as he stared after Elphaba's retreating back. It was almost impressive that he'd managed to send two women running from him in the span of under an hour. Yet even as the frustration set in, he knew that he hadn't handled that well. He should have realized that the confession of his burgeoning feelings would be enough to scare Elphaba away. He sighed. He'd always had an easy time with women. He suspected this was going to be different.
When Elphaba had vanished from sight around a corner, Fiyero pondered what he should do next. He decided it would be better to give both Elphaba and Glinda some space for the time being. He would have to set things right with both of them soon, lest their continued travels together become a waking nightmare, but that was a problem for the future. For now, he decided to see about a meal and some rest before they left camp.
Fiyero didn't know his way around, so he simply picked a direction and began to walk. He was once again struck by the fact that places like these camps could exist so close to the Oz he knew. These Animals had been living out here for so long and most Ozians were oblivious. It was amazing how much ignorance had been bred by the Wizard's lies.
He wandered past a group of children playing with a slightly deflated ball. One of them was a Bear Cub, and Fiyero found his thoughts wandering to Lorgen and the other Animals at the previous camp. He wondered how they were doing. His visits there with Elphaba seemed like a lifetime ago now.
Fiyero watched their game for a few more moments before approaching them with the friendliest smile he could manage. Upon seeing him, their giggles turned to silence and their expressions grew wary.
Fiyero gave a short wave and said, "Hi there. I was just looking for a place to get something to eat. Think any of you guys can help me out?"
There was a short pause, before a small Goat pointed shyly to a tent on Fiyero's left. Fiyero glanced over, then flashed another winning smile, thanked them, and continued on his way.
Fiyero entered the small tent and looked around for signs of either Elphaba or Glinda, but neither woman was in sight. Fiyero supposed they had gone off in a different direction than he had, which was honestly a relief. The inside of this tent appeared to be some sort of canteen. There were a few Animals scattered about at makeshift tables, some carrying on animated conversations as they ate.
Fiyero gratefully accepted a chunk of bread and an apple from the Cow behind the front counter, suddenly aware of how much time had passed since he'd last eaten. He took a bite of his less-than-satisfying meal and sighed internally. The sooner they made it to Kiamo Ko, the sooner he would be able to get his life back to some semblance of normalcy. At the very least, he would no longer have to scrounge for food.
Fiyero glanced around the room for a vacant seat, but he could already feel himself attracting unwanted stares. Not wanting to finish his meal under such scrutiny, he made his way back outside, biting into his apple as he went.
He wasn't sure what to do with the remaining time he had to kill. It was only midafternoon, and there were still a few hours before the sun went down. Fiyero decided the best course of action would be a quick nap. He had just set off to find himself suitable accommodation when he heard some rather loud and vaguely familiar sobbing coming from a nearby tent.
Fiyero followed the sound and poked his head in. As he'd expected, he was met with the sight of a rather distraught looking Lion. Startled by Fiyero's sudden appearance, the Lion yelped and toppled backwards off the stool on which he'd been perched.
"Lion?" Fiyero asked, somewhat confused as to why the large Cat was crying alone in his tent.
Oh, F-Fiyero," he stammered, looking abashed as he straightened up and replaced the toppled stool.
"Everything alright?" Fiyero asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow as he noticed the Lion had begun wringing his paws again.
The Lion paused for a moment, looking unsure as to whether he wanted to answer, before he once again burst into loud and exaggerated sobs. "No everything's not alright," he choked. "I know you said that witch lady is your friend, but I can't help how s-scared I am. I've heard the stories they tell about her. They say she can kill you with a snap of her fingers! I've been jumping at every little sound. It's driving me out of my mind."
Fiyero shook his head, once again awed by the seemingly boundless scope of the Lion's cowardice. Although Fiyero could hardly fault him for being afraid of Elphaba. It was, after all, a fear Fiyero himself had suffered from only a short while ago.
In an attempt to calm the sobbing Cat, Fiyero said, "Well if it makes you feel any better, I don't think Elphaba's snaps are actually lethal. And anyway, it doesn't really matter. We're going to be leaving at sundown and then you can relax."
Fiyero's words didn't seem to have the effect he'd intended. Upon hearing them, the Lion's head snapped up and he said quickly, "Wait, you're leaving already?"
Now Fiyero was genuinely confused. "I thought you just said-" he started, but the Lion cut him off.
"Well, I-I know. But just because I'm scared of the Witch doesn't mean I wantedyouto leave so soon," he said.
Fiyero rolled his eyes at the Lion's insistence on referring to Elphaba as 'the Witch,' but gave up on trying to correct him. Instead, he responded, "Well I went out of my way to find her, so I'm not exactly going to let her slip away again. We're going to be traveling together from now on."
The Lion began twisting his tail between his paws, looking as though he wanted to say something more. Fiyero waited a few moments to see if the Cat would work up the courage on his own, but when he remained silent Fiyero prodded, "Yes?"
"Well…I was wondering if you'd mind terribly if I left with you?" he stammered.
Fiyero had no clue how to react to that. He was finding the Lion to be a somewhat contradictory creature. "You were just moaning over how afraid Elphaba makes you, and now you want to travel with her?" he asked incredulously.
The Lion seemed embarrassed. He twisted his tail around a few more times before responding, "I don't think the other Animals like me very much. I hear them whispering about me behind my back when they don't think I'm paying attention. They think I'm too cowardly for my age, and they got angry when I was too afraid to go into the woods to help gather food. I don't think I can pull my weight the way they want me to. I don't want to stay here."
Fiyero did feel a bit of sympathy for the Lion's plight. He might be an insufferable coward, but he'd grown up alone and isolated from his kind and couldn't really be faulted. Fiyero knew he should probably consult Elphaba first, but against his better judgment he said, "Well…I'm sure it wouldn't be too much of a problem for you to come with us. But you are aware that you'll be traveling with Elphaba too?"
The Lion gulped and nodded reluctantly. Fiyero stared at him for another moment. "Well, alright then. We're going to be leaving at sundown. You might want to pack some supplies, because I think Elphaba's only gathering enough for three. I'm going to find somewhere to get some rest and I'll meet up with you again before we head out."
The Lion seemed nervous at the prospect of Fiyero leaving. "You can sleep here if you want. I don't mind," he said.
Fiyero glanced at the small cot in the corner, then back at the Lion, before giving a tired shrug. He supposed it was easier than searching for an alternative. Without another word, Fiyero climbed into the cot, sighing in relief at the much-needed rest for his aching muscles, and dozed off as the Lion began busying himself with packing supplies.
By the time Fiyero awoke again, the sky had begun to grow dark. He'd forgotten where he was and startled as he noticed the Lion sitting a few feet away, which in turn caused the Lion to jump.
Fiyero shook his head slightly and stretched his aching muscles. The Lion's cot might not have been ideal, but it was still worlds better than dozing in a pile of dried leaves. Still slightly groggy, he poked his head out of the tent and took a brief look around. He noted that it would most likely be time to leave soon, and that he should head out and find Elphaba and Glinda. He wasn't sure which woman he was less thrilled about facing, but also he was sure it was Glinda.
"We should get going," he said, voicing his thoughts aloud to the Lion before strolling out into the cooling dusk air. The sound of footsteps behind him confirmed that the Lion had followed with some measure of reluctance.
It only took Fiyero a few moments to spot the two women a short distance away. Each was carrying a small satchel, and Fiyero noted that Glinda had traded the slippers she'd been wearing for a pair of more practical hiking boots. She and Elphaba were having a muted conversation, but they stopped abruptly at Fiyero's approach. He could see that Glinda's eyes were red and puffy as he drew nearer to them. That did not bode well.
Glinda looked away pointedly as he joined them, suddenly fascinated by a patch of dirt near her right shoe. Elphaba ignored this and turned to face Fiyero. "Are you ready to go?" she asked, slinging her satchel over her shoulder. She cast a confused look somewhere to Fiyero's right.
Following her gaze, Fiyero turned and remembered that the Lion was standing behind him. He was standing a bit too close for comfort, actually, and his large frame was shaking slightly. Fiyero supposed there was no hope that the Cat would speak up for himself.
"The Lion has asked to accompany us," Fiyero offered.
Elphaba seemed surprised by the news, but she recovered quickly. For a moment it seemed as though she wanted to question the Lion, but she seemed to think better of it. "Well, I suppose one more can't make much of a difference."
With that she brushed past Fiyero and began to say her goodbyes to the Animals that had gathered to see her off. As they set off toward Kiami Ko, the Lion stayed pressed nearly against Fiyero's back, whimpering to himself all the while. Elphaba was out in front, leading the party as she always did, and Glinda had fallen slightly behind. It seemed she had not yet figured out how to walk properly in her new, bulky footgear. Fiyero took a glance around at the lot of them and shook his head, wondering how in Oz he'd found himself in such strange company.
If Fiyero thought their travel situation had been tense before, it was nothing compared to the aftermath of two awkward conversations and the addition of the Lion. Neither of the women seemed to want to acknowledge Fiyero at all, content to walk on in determined silence.
That just left the Lion, who had practically attached himself to Fiyero's back. The large Cat seemed wary of Glinda and was absolutely terrified of Elphaba, even though she had shown him no ill will since he'd joined their party. Of the three of them, she seemed to have the most patience for the bumbling Animal, yet the Lion continued to act as though she were about to turn and attack him at any given moment. Fiyero was rapidly growing annoyed.
They did their best to travel under the cover of darkness. There was no telling if the Gale Force was still out looking for them, but it seemed very likely now that Glinda was involved as well. Thus far they had seen no sign of soldiers, and they were hoping to keep it that way.
Their first stop for rest passed rather uneventfully. The had Lion put up a fuss at first, apparently too terrified to sleep while Elphaba was keeping watch. Upon seeing that his protests were going largely unnoticed, however, he eventually gave in and settled for sleeping with one eye open. They still elected not to give Glinda a shift on guard duty, and she didn't seem inclined to argue. No one said aloud that it was because they didn't trust her skills as a sentry, but the unspoken truth was well understood.
They instead split an eight-hour rest into three shifts between Elpaba, Fiyero and the Lion, and afterwards they ate a quick meal and continued on their way again. For all of their personal squabbles, it was uncanny how well the group could get along when they needed to. There wasn't a lot of speaking, but the ever-present threat of capture served to keep them working together.
When they stopped to sleep again after the second night of travel, Fiyero decided that he would finally find some opportunity to speak with Elphaba. It somehow seemed the less terrifying of the two conversations he was fated to have, and it would be easier to get her alone while Glinda and the Lion were sleeping.
Elphaba always volunteered for first watch, without fail. She never said anything, she simply stood quietly while the others prepared their makeshift beds and then she took up her post. Fiyero curled up on the ground and waited until Glinda and the Lion had fallen asleep. Once he heard their breathing grow even beside him, he crept silently from his spot on the grass.
Elphaba jolted and whipped around as Fiyero approached her, then visibly relaxed when she spotted him. "You should get some sleep," she said. "You have the second watch in a couple of hours."
Fiyero nodded, but responded, "Actually, I just wanted to talk to you for a minute." Elphaba seemed less than thrilled by the suggestion. Fiyero continued, "Look, I know I made you uncomfortable back at the camp. I'm sorry about that."
Elphaba studied him for a moment and then shook her head. "It's alright," she said. She didn't offer anything else, to Fiyero's disappointment. Not sure what else to say, he fell silent, and the two stood like that for almost a minute.
Fiyero was still searching his mind for the proper way to break the silence when Elphaba spoke up. "You confuse me," she said simply. Fiyero glanced over at her in surprise, but she wasn't looking at him. She was staring straight ahead.
Fiyero watched her for a moment before responding, "Well, I can't say I've exactly got you all figured out either."
At that, Elphaba turned to face him. Her face grew serious again as she said, "Honestly though, I really don't understand you. Most people aren't inclined to show me a scrap of kindness even when I haven't done anything to wrong them. I captured you, terrorized you and held you prisoner, and you don't seem to hold any ill will towards me at all."
Elphaba spoke about the matter casually, not letting her voice betray any emotion. She was as offhanded as though they were discussing the weather. Fiyero wasn't quite sure how to respond, but he was glad she finally seemed willing to at least talk to him. He tried to hide his eagerness and thought carefully about what to say next, not wanting to ruin this chance.
"For what it's worth, and I know you may not believe me when I say this, I never lied to you." At the pointed look Elphaba gave him, Fiyero added hastily, "So I never told you I was engaged, but that wasn't really a lie so much as an omission. Everything I said to you, I truly meant."
Elphaba looked at him for a moment and then replied, "You never mentioned that you were a prince either."
Fiyero was surprised by her comment. It was certainly not what he'd been expecting. Apparently, she'd managed to piece together that particular aspect of his identity on her own. He supposed he should have figured that out when she'd shown no surprise that his family owned a castle. He was once again unsure as to the proper response. "It never came up," he offered lamely.
Elphaba hardly seemed thrilled with this answer. "So now I've kidnapped the crowned prince of the VinkusandGlinda the Good. Oz only knows what Morrible and the Wizard are saying about that," she sighed.
Fiyero supposed he hadn't really thought about it, and suddenly found himself wondering how the events of the past few days were being explained to the general public. He pushed the thoughts aside, wanting to get back to their initial conversation. "Look Elphaba, I still- I don't know, I think I have feelings for you," he said quickly.
Elphaba looked down at her hands. Fiyero could tell he was making her uncomfortable again. After a moment she said, "I used to listen to Glinda talk about you all the time back at Shiz, after your families had decided that you two would be married. We were roommates, you know."
Fiyero nodded. He'd already recalled that particular bit of information. She was changing the subject again, but Fiyero knew so little about Elphaba's past that he let it go and waited for her to continue.
"After I became the Wicked Witch of the West, I wasn't sure I'd ever see Glinda again, and I never imagined I'd actually meet you, let alone kidnap you. It's very strange trying to reconcile you with the Fiyero I used to hear so much about. You're not quite like how Glinda used to describe you."
Fiyero winced. He could imagine how Glinda might have described him back then. "I'd like to think I've changed a lot since college," he said, though in the back of his mind he acknowledged that this had been a fairly recent development.
"I imagine we all have," Elphaba said, and then fell silent.
They stood like that for a few more moments before Elphaba spoke again. "What's your castle like? Kiamo Ko?"
Fiyero was disappointed that they'd veered so far from what he so desperately wanted to discuss, but he decided to let it go for now. He supposed this was progress, at least. "Well, I haven't spent a whole lot of time there. We don't live at Kiamo Ko, though we did stay there a few times when I was younger. That's why it should be safe. The only people at the castle full time are the guards, and they're loyal to my family, not to the Wizard."
Elphaba nodded. "If you don't stay at Kiamo Ko, where does your family live?"
Fiyero was slightly abashed as he answered, "We have another castle."
Elphaba only stared at him, then shook her head and said, "Of course you do."
Fiyero continued, encouraged by the easy conversation, "I think you'll like it though. It's sort of old and ominous."
"What are you implying?" Elphaba responded. For a moment Fiyero thought he might have offended her, but he realized that she was smirking at him.
For a brief, fleeting moment Fiyero was tempted to kiss her again, but he shook his head to clear the thought away.
Instead, he decided to play along. "Well, just that if you happen to be a discerning witch in the market for an evil lair, it's a prime piece of real estate."
Elphaba's eyes narrowed a bit at that, but she was smiling. Fiyero went on, "When I was younger and my cousins used to stay with us, we used to take turns locking each other in the north tower."
Elphaba's eyes lit up. "There's a tower?"
"It has a spire and everything," Fiyero responded, amused by her enthusiasm.
Elphaba seemed about to respond again, when suddenly her face grew serious and she held up a hand, signaling Fiyero to be quiet. Startled by the sudden change, he obeyed.
A look of concentration passed over Elphaba's face. After a moment she whispered, "Do you hear that?"
Fiyero strained his ears and after a moment he heard the sound she was referring to. It was the sound of boots on leaves. His heart rate quickened.
The look on Fiyero's face seemed to give Elphaba her answer. "Stay here with Glinda and the Lion. I'm going to take a closer look."
And before Fiyero could respond, Elphaba had hopped on her broom and flown off.