A/N: Shout out to my anonymous reviewer! Glad you liked it. Trouble explanation up ahead. ;)
Chapter 17
The two dressed as quickly as they could and then exited their bedroom. Boq quickly led them down to the infirmary where there appeared to be a meeting of the minds. It was an odd spot, but Elphaba caught Chistery's eyes and she knew that some sort of letter must have been delivered.
"Can we all fit in my office?" Doctor Talib asked.
"Should we move this to a conference room?" Fiyero asked, noting that his parents had been alerted as they were being brought into the room by Corporal Roth.
"Perhaps that would be best," Elphaba agreed. The group quickly left the room, ducked into the nearest conference room, and took seats around the large table. Besides Fiyero, Elphaba, Chistery, and Fiyero's parents, there was Doctor Talib and his assistant Hamza, Mayor and Mrs. Smythe, and Boq.
"Ok, what's going on?" Fiyero asked.
"Master Chistery delivered this letter from a Doctor Howat. It seems that he's identified what was on the piece of furniture that Miss Sarah cut herself on," Talib looked like he was getting angry and Elphaba wondered what was going on.
"It wasn't any sort of tattoo. It was poison," Talib said.
"They were trying to kill her," Elphaba shook her head. Fiyero pounded his fist on the table before asking,
"Did Dilek's men weigh in?"
"Howat states that he told the soldiers investigating the incident about his discovery. The chemical was the Vinkun tree frog secretions mixed with stomach acid. Luckily, it was not enough to have killed her immediately, but it does explain why it had penetrated so deep and had started killing off tissue," Talib heaved a sigh.
"Could this have lasting side effects?" Mrs. Smythe asked.
"We will have to be on our guard for nerve damage. I cannot reverse it, but Hamza has learned some new techniques to help with keeping her moving and to help with any lingering pain," the doctor said.
"Have you told Sarah and Fevzi?" Queen Ayla wanted to know.
"No. I didn't want to burden them with this until I spoke to all of you," Talib admitted.
"I'm concerned that whoever did this doesn't actually live in the village," Mayor Smythe spoke up.
"What do you mean?" King Tahir asked.
"No one blamed Sarah for her parents' actions. Once it was explained that she had been not only a victim of her parents but also Mombey, I never heard anyone say anything bad about her. Especially once they got a chance to know her," the Mayor explained.
"If it wasn't someone in the village, they'd have to time it fairly well," the King frowned.
"Well, the village has a lot of people coming and going. It is buffalo hunting season after all," Mayor Smythe said.
"Good point," Tahir nodded.
"Someone who could have seen her with Fevzi may have thought it wrong and then figured out how to enact their trap. I'm sure that out of towners tend to end up at the cobblers to have their shoes fixed," Boq figured.
"Mistress, do we need to go to the village?" Chistery asked.
"I wish we could but until Glinda is back, I have to make sure things are running smoothly here. Plus, I want to protect Sarah and Fevzi. I certainly do not want to send her back until this person is caught," Elphaba told him.
"I could go in your stead," he offered.
"Master Chistery, we appreciate what you are willing to do for young Sarah, but I believe this may be a time for the King and Queen to roll up their sleeves and get involved," Ayla told him.
"I will go where I am needed," the Flying Monkey said.
"Chistery, you've given me an idea," Elphaba let him know.
"What is on your mind?" The Queen asked.
"I made myself quite clear before I left the village that Sarah and Fevzi were under my protection, so who better than to send in my stead but Chistery? Everyone knows that he is my companion and that he acts on my behalf. They also know that he follows Fiyero, so should he arrive with the King and Queen in the village…" the green woman trailed off.
"Then the entire royal family would be seen as to knowing what was going on. I'm willing to bet that someone reaches out quickly after that," Tahir nodded.
"We will return with you if it is all right with Prince Fiyero and Miss Elphaba. Fevzi and Sarah are in good hands here," Mayor Smythe said.
"It's agreed then," King Tahir gave him a smile.
"I'll alert the stables for a morning departure," Boq promised.
To Be Continued…