Obtaining the Unknown

Fiyero was shocked to say the least when his father sent him on a goodwill trip to the City, to the poorer part to see how some of the people lived and their conditions. Since the new policy with the City, the Vinkus was looking for ways to help the lesser fortunate of both the City and their own, to regain more recognition from the Wizard as being more civilized than he gave them credit for.

Fiyero had been in the lower part of the City for around four hours when he began to meet more of the citizens that lived there and their horrific stories of things that had gone on. There was definitely an even worse part under these citizens, but these people were in no way well off. The lower ones were the truly homeless people that had constructed boxes to make shelter, but these people also needed help. He had heard one story from a young woman and her struggle to try to find work, and keep her children healthy and fed while trying to keep their home intact. She had told of the winter before this spring when her roof had over 4 leaking spots and they weren't able to repair until just a little bit ago. She told him of another woman in the small village, as she referred to it as, that has a young daughter and how much of a help they'd been to each other as they were both in the same boat. She told Fiyero that if he wanted he could go talk to her if he wanted to. She would be able to tell him more than she would as she was one of the newer ones in the village. Fiyero continued to visit with the woman for a while more before she had to tend to her children and Fiyero took his leave then, promising the woman that they were trying to bring change for people like her and the other living here. She had smile and gave a thanks and he left, continuing his walk further into the village.

He had been walking for a few minutes when he came up to a little girl reading out on the front lawn, or as much of the little grass there was in front of the small hut, and she didn't seem to notice him yet. He approached slowly not to startle the girl, and quietly stopped in front her. She was so absorbed into her book, she still didn't even notice him.

He smiled as she reminded him of Elphaba, who used to be absorbed into a book like that. His smile turned a bit sad at the thought. He hadn't seen Elphaba in just over 7 years. She had been called home near the end of Shiz to Munchkinland to help with the Eminence as he was even more aged and was needing her help, as he wrote in this last will that Elphaba was to become the next Eminence, no matter what. The old man had still held on this day, as far as Fiyero knew. He hadn't gotten any correspondence from Munchkinland for the last half a year. He figured that the post either messed up, or things were busier for her and she couldn't write as often as she had. He was also busy at home himself, so there wasn't a lot of visiting time available.

He snapped out of this thoughts as he noticed the little girl was now looking at him. She had long and curly dark auburn hair and bright eyes. It was then that Fiyero noticed the little girl had two different coloured eyes. One was a bright azure blue, and the other was emerald green. She was a beautiful child, he thought.

She was looking at him with wide eyes, almost afraid. He smiled to try to not scare her, "Hello." He gave a small wave, but the little girl didn't move an inch.

He smiled again, and slowly held out his hand to her, "It's nice to meet you."

Though he didn't think it was possible, her eyes widened, and she quickly got up and ran into the house behind her, slamming the door rather quickly.

He looked down, and realized that his blue diamonds down his arm were showing and they probably spooked her. A City child probably didn't know much about the Vinkus or their tribal tattoos.

He sighed, walking up to the door, wanting to apologize for scaring the girl. He felt bad for spooking her.

He knocked, and he could hear a woman's voice from inside and then the door opened. Someone stood behind it, blocking Fiyero from seeing who it was, "Yes?"

"Hello," he began, "I just wanted to come apologize for scaring your daughter. I've touring around the village, talking to people, trying figure out how my homeland and the City can team together to help you folks out down here to have better living conditions, and I walked by your daughter and I think my tribal tattoos scared her. I didn't mean to. I was trying to say hello. I apologize."

He could hear the woman gently intake a breath, and then let it out, "You are forgiven. It wasn't your fault. Thank you for coming by."

She began to try to close the door, when he gently slid his foot in, "Wait. Can I speak with you and your daughter? I've been trying to meet with everyone that I can to try to find all the stories I can."

"No, you may not. Thank you." She spoke bluntly, and tried to close the door, when a small voice spoke.

"Let him, Momma. Let Prince Fiyero in." the little girl softly said to her mother.

A deep sigh was heard and then the door opened, revealing a woman in her twenties, and Fiyero eyes widen when he notice one specific detail about the woman.

He swore his heart stopped for a moment, and his lungs burned as he held off oxygen to his lungs.

"Fae?" he asked, eyes wide.

She looked to the floor ashamed, and wouldn't bring her eye back up. She slowly nodded, "Yes."

The little girl gently grabbed onto her mother's arm, and lead her to the small bench in the, what Fiyero wouldn't call but was probably their living room. Elphaba brought her hands to her face, rubbing it. The little girl came back over to Fiyero gently grabbing around his wrist and and sitting him also on the bench beside Elphaba. She then sat herself in a rocking chair to the side of them.

No-one said anything, until the little girl spoke, "You are Prince Fiyero, right?"

He had to let out a small chuckle at the way the girl spoke, "Yes. I am."

"Well, if I know your name, it's only fair you know mine…" she replied.

Fiyero slowly nodded, "If you want to."

She let a shy smile, and held out her hand, "I'm Alora, and I am 6."

He shook her small hand, "It's nice to meet you Alora."

Fiyero looked over to Elphaba, who still hadn't spoke a word, "So Fae, care to tell me why you are here, and not in Munchkinland…?" His eyebrow was slightly raised, and his tone was not as friendly as before, but not too much because Alora was finally not scared of him, and yelling at her mother wasn't going to make Alora like him.

Elphaba was about to speak, when Alora's voice rung out again, "So you went to Shiz with Momma?"

"Yes. I did." He answered.

"How long ago did you guys last see each other?" she asked.

"Seven years, I believe. Elphaba?"

Elphaba looked at the two and nodded. Hiding her face in her hands, knowing what her daughter was doing. The girl was wise beyond her years, and it wasn't always a good thing.

"Prince Fiyero, do you remember how old I said I am?" Alora asked, her eyebrows raised.

Fiyero was slightly confused, "Yes. You said you were 6, am I correct?"

Alora nodded, "So you last saw Momma 7 years ago, and I am 6."

Fiyero nodded and didn't understand. She waited in silence, staring at Fiyero.

A minute passed, before Alora turned to her mother, and with a raised eyebrow and said, "Momma, you weren't lying when you said he could be a little bit brainless."

Elphaba didn't move her hands, but slightly shook her head and Fiyero could have sworn he heard her snort.

He looked to Alora, who already staring at him, "Do you get it?" she asked, almost sounding worried that he didn't understand yet with all that she had revealed.

Fiyero slowly shook his head, and he looked over to Elphaba for help, but it whipped to look at Alora, when she quite bluntly remarked, "You are my father."

Elphaba finally looked up to see Fiyero's reaction, though she hadn't thought her daughter was going to say the whole thing right to Fiyero. Fiyero was just dumbly looking between Elphaba and Alora looking at the appearances and then thinking of himself, and his features.

Elphaba shook her head, "Thank you, Alora."

Alora just smiled to her mother, "Your welcome, Momma."

Elphaba point her head towards the door, "I believe you were reading your book out front."

Alora raised her eyebrow at her, but Elphaba just did it right back, until Alora sighed, getting up and grabbing her book before heading outside.

Fiyero turned to face Elphaba, "Is Alora really my daughter?"

Elphaba looked him in the eyes and saw all of his emotions. Anger, hurt, fear, happy, nervous, all of them at once. "Yes, she is."

He processed it, before he abruptly got up off the bench, and she knew what was coming: the anger.

"Why did you keep it from me!? Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?" he stood in front of her, waiting.

Elphaba swallowed, and look at him, "Fiyero, sit down and I'll tell you everything."

Though he still felt a bit of anger, coursing through his viens, he attempted to calm down and sat beside her.

"I found out I was pregnant just before graduation, and I couldn't bring myself to tell you because you have a reputation to uphold and it couldn't be interfered with. If it had gotten out that you had an illegitimate heir, it would be a scandal. I held it in until after graduation, and told you I was having to go back to Munchkinland, and then I heard you had to be back in the Vinkus. So in that aspect it worked for me. It killed me having to leave you and not telling you but I couldn't, it would have ruined your family. So I tried to go to Munchkinland, like I had told you. But it didn't go over well, not that I thought it would. My father found out and threw me out, saying he would never have me there to disgrace Nessa anymore. I told Nessa that I was offered a job in the City and that I was going to be out there for years, but that I would try to keep correspondence, but it stopped after a while. I figured my father intercepted them. Galinda tried to get a hold of me many times, but I told her what I told Nessa. I was in the City for a job, that I wanted to travel for a few years. At that time that Galinda contacted me, I had Alora already. I tried to do the best I could, with what we had. That's how we got this place," she paused, looking around the little hut, "it was the best I could do to keep a roof over our heads, and have somewhere to call home. It isn't much, but it was enough for us. It's our house. It was tough, but we got through it. Galinda and Nessa don't know to this day still. Everyone was kept in the dark. Other than my father." She had a bitter tone at the end.

Fiyero just stared into space as he listened, "Wow."

Elphaba nodded, "And I was almost going to write to you to tell you about Alora but then I remembered her Heterochromia iridium, and the fact that she's an illegitimate heir and I didn't want her to be looked at like a creature how I was when I was little. Not because of you, but more so your family and your people."

Fiyero quirked an eyebrow, "Her differently coloured eyes?"

Elphaba nodded, "I read that sometimes Vinkuns look down on things like that. Things they might consider deformities… That outcasts weren't treated nicely." She trailed off, looking down at her own skin.

Fiyero shook his head, "No. They may have in older times, but not now."

Fiyero smiled, "Her eyes were one of the first things I noticed about her before she ran inside," he chuckled before continuing, "She's beautiful."

Elphaba smiled, "She is."

"I want to get to know her more, and I don't want to leave you two, but I don't want you to live here. This house, Fae, I don't know if I can even call it a house. I want to give you a real house… A proper place to call home, to raise Alora." Fiyero spoke solemnly, looking around what they called home." I want you back, and I want to know my daughter and be in her life. I don't care what my parents or anyone else thinks. I know we have a lot to talk about and think about, but I don't want to lose you again."

Elphaba nodded, "I agree with that." She let out a small laugh.

"When you left, I thought you didn't want to be with me, that you weren't happy with me. I was willing to let you go if it meant you were happy. Our titles, well my title, just got in the way and time got away from me. Though I believe that your title may be more important even more so now." Fiyero spoke, giving Elphaba a look.

"It's been a rough ride, but I wouldn't trade her for anything in the world. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me," She noticed Fiyero, giving her a look, "Besides meeting you. But it killed me being away from you, but it is what I had to do to protect her and both of our families, more so yours."

Fiyero turned to her, "Fae, do you still love me?"

Elphaba turned to look at Fiyero, and a slightly blush came to her cheeks, and she nodded, "I do."

The smile Fiyero gave her in return, made her eyes tear up slightly, with emotion.

She wondered if he still felt the same too. The only answer she needed in return was Fiyero slowly leaning over, and brushing his lips to hers.

Elphaba looked into Fiyero's eyes when they broke apart, "I guess it's time to make up for all the time lost?"

Fiyero nodded in agreement before leaning over, and planting a kiss in her hair, "Together?"

Elphaba nodded, leaning her head onto his shoulder, "Together."