The spoon was placed into the pitcher and she gently stirred, watching as the ice swirled around in the container. A few second later she lifts the spoon bringing a tiny amount of the liquid to her mouth to taste. It was tart and sweet; perfect. The drink was carefully poured into the glass she had ready, filling it nearly to the top before she set aside the pitcher and took the glass in her hand. She eyed one of the pictures hanging from the wall as she walked out, the picture bringing memories of what felt like a life ago. She shook her head—Not now. Walking out of the house and into the heat that summer brought to the land. She didn't walk far as he was only working feet away.
She whistled at him and he looked up from between a row of beautiful coral roses, his forehead drenched in sweat as he worked in the summer sun. He dropped the clippers in his hands to reach for the drink, downing the drink in gulps before he sighed and placed it on the ground beside him.
"Thank you," he breathed, dropping to sit on the dirt ground. He wiped at his forehead with his sleeve and she handed him the small rag she brought with her. "Thanks, " He said again, taking it and wiping his entire face.
"No, problem." She replied, squinting her eyes from the sun blaring in her face.
"You look so otherworldly in the sun, did you know that?" His voice makes her head turn sharply down.
"I look otherworldly without sun as well, green doesn't change." She chuckled and he smiled, plucking a rose with his bare fingers and handing it to her.
"Green is very beautiful. It doesn't need to change." He said as he did so.
She looked at the rose and she smiled. "You're so sweet."
He simply smiled back.
They felt a breeze come through and it felt wonderful. "You don't have to do this today you know." She spoke quietly and he blinked a few times before he opened his mouth.
"I know," He shrugged a bit. "but considering it's…I do." He looked up at her. "Today I do. I prepared a few bunches for each one."
She looked down at the rose in her hand, twirling it in her fingers. "I think I want to stay home for it."
"But you aren't."
She sighed, he knew her. "No, I'm not."
"If your prince charming didn't make you go, Galinda would drag you out." He chuckled, running his hand through his hair, the sun making it appear lighter than it really was.
"It's Glinda now. The whole public change thing…" It was stupid thing to do, but Glinda thought it was meaningful somehow, so who was she to disagree?
"I knew her by Galinda and that's what I will call her. It's like if you wanted to change your name to Elphie, I would still call you Ellie no matter what."
Elphaba frowned slightly, and flicked him in the forehead. "Don't call me Elphie."
"I'm not calling you Elphie." He snickered, rubbing at his forehead.
"Good." She huffed and he started laughing at her. She sent him a look and he quiets down with a drawn out sigh.
"I think the weather is trying to kill me. " He said instead, looking up and back down when the sun began to blind him.
"You idiot." She laughed. Why would he look up at the sun in the first place. "That's sort of what happens when you work in the sun without any sort of hat."
"Lend me that pointy one I've seen you wear?"
"Thats my flying hat." She said pointedly and he nodded.
"You look so gorgeous in it and it stops the sun from blinding you. I want that too. "
"Glinda's grandmother can get you one." She told him and he shook his head.
"I don't want one I want the one you wear."
She shakes her head. "You can't have mine."
"Come on Ellie don't be so mean to me." Sanevan pouted jokingly and Elphaba smiled, messing his sweaty hair with her hand, "I don't think you want me to really be mean to you."
He laughed shaking his sweat at her. "No one wants that."
She breathed deeply through her nose, holding his head still with her hand. "That's good."
Sanevan looked up at her. "I'm glad you are still in my life."
"So am I." Elphaba looked at him, a small smile on both of their faces. There was no need to tell him what he meant to her and what he would always mean.
"Well," Sanevan sighed, pushing himself off the ground and dusting at his dirt stained pants and shirt. "I guess I should get to showering, it's going to be a long day."
"What for?" She coughed at the dust forming in the air. "You already covered me with all your dirt." She frowned, shaking her clothes to remove the dirt that had settled on her.
Sanevan slowly smiled elfishly. "You are always free to join me?"
"I'm always free to punch you in the face too?" She growled flicking a leaf out of her hair.
"And if she doesn't I have no problem doing it either." Fiyero said, coming to stand beside her, flexing both of his hands.
"Hey Yero." She greeted him with a small kiss to the lips. Fiyero relaxed and sighed, his scarred hand resting on her cheek.
"Hello Yero," Sanevan teased looking straight at Fiyero. Elphaba felt a tad bit guilty at her behavior in front of him, but he didn't really seem to mind anymore at her display of affections towards Fiyero.
"Morning." Fiyero responded, voice still filled with sleep.
"We've passed morning for a couple of hours now." She told him, patting his locks of hairs down. He must have woken up and realized she was not beside him and came to look for her.
"I'm not as used to the hour change so it's still morning to me." He grumbled, squinting his eyes from the sun shining at his face.
Elphaba took a step back to look at him better, "It's a three hour difference?" She reminded him.
"And Munchkinland is three hours ahead." Sanevan added with a grin.
Fiyero's brows came together, "It is? "
"Yes, it is." She nodded and Fiyero smiled sheepishly.
"Oh. Yeah..." He said scratching at his head.
Elphaba chuckled, "Idiot."
"I can agree on that."
Fiyero stuck his tongue out at both of them, his hand wrapping around Elphaba's waist.
"I have an Elphaba and you don't, so I'm not that big of an idiot." He said smugly and Elphaba jabbed her elbow into his ribs. "Fiyero!"
A quick shot of pain ran across his ribs, but he didn't stop smiling because Elphaba was in his arms and not his.
"I was first." Sanevan challenged smiling as smugly as Fiyero was.
"Sanevan!" Elphaba said indignantly.
"I'm forever." Fiyero said arrogantly.
The both of them yelped when Elphaba pinched their earlobes, giving Fiyero a look. "You'll be Ex as well if you keep this up," She then took turns to look at them both "Are you children? Arguing over something as trivial as this?"
"We're only being playful Elphaba!" Fiyero winced when she pinched harder.
"We're just joking Ellie!"
"Good." She said letting them go, they both went to immediately rub at their ears.
"Now really," Sanevan began, wincing as he rubbed his ear, "I should get ready, Galinda is due any time now."
Elphaba looked at him slowly. "And why does that matter?"
He looked back at her and shook his head. "It's a memorial, Elphaba…No need to get jealous, when Galinda comes its pretty much started."
"I'm not jealous." She huffed. "I have nothing to be jealous of, you never even realized she was flirting with you back at Shiz."
He rolled his eyes. "I had bigger things to think about and I only had eyes for you."
Fiyero interrupted, "Besides isn't she with that—"
She held her hand up to his mouth, "Don't remind me Fiyero."
He nodded as her hand dropped. "Wont do that again."
"Did she pinch your ear?" Sanevan asked Fiyero.
"No, she slapped my chest."
"Yeah, she likes to do that."
"This whole talking about me while I'm right here is getting old real fast. Quit it or both of you can stay here while I leave."
The two guys smiled at each other before nodding.
"Yes, dear." Fiyero sighed as if it was the hardest thing she could have asked of him.
"Sure El." San chuckled, patting her head and jumping out of the way of her hand. He laughed as he ran off to his house.
She fisted her hand and looked at Fiyero who looked terrified. "Can we go get ready now? I want to get this day over with already."
Fiyero blinked and looked at her as if he understood something. "Please don't hold your feelings in today."
"It doesn't make any difference from any other day." She brushed his words off and Fiyero looked at her sadly.
"You need to let yourself feel."
"What happened the other day that I let myself feel for a moment?" She asked him plainly and Fiyero's eyes widened.
"You…dtyd…te…" Fiyero mumbled something under his breath and Elphaba raised an eyebrow.
"I destroyed all the glass within ten feet of my room." She finished for him and Fiyero scratched at his ear.
"Yeah that."
"So no, I will mourn in quiet."
"Elphaba that's all you've done for the past six months." He sighed, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.
She shook it off. "And that's what I'll continue to do because the alternative is even worse for us all."
"You know that there will come a day that—"
"I know, but not today. Let's go get ready."
...
The rest of the hour went tediously. Fiyero had said nothing else to her as they both readied themselves. Elphaba wore a simple black dress, there was no need to get as dressed up as Fiyero seemed to be getting. He wore a black suit, with a white shirt that he had learned to press himself. His dark shoes were shined and it took a lot of energy to smile at him when he asked her if she was ready.
She was never ready, not when she found out and not when they first buried them. She would never be ready to let them go.
She swallowed and took the hand that he offered, walking out of her home and out where Sanevan stood waiting for them, in his newly bought suit, looking grimly out to a carriage that was waiting in the streets.
She looked at him and almost as if feeling her eyes he turned, "Don't." She mouthed in warning and he grimaced but nodded.
She swallowed again, a little harder than before and they walked over. The carriage door opened and Galinda—Glinda—came out, and she honestly couldn't help but laugh a bit at the enormous blue dress she wore. Glinda saw her and smiled happily with some tears in her eyes as she picked her dress up and rushed over to them.
"Elphie! Fiyero!" She shouted throwing her hands around her, Elphaba was crushed by her hug and frowned at the glitter that seemed to be all over her now.
"It's so good to see you two!"
Elphaba patted her dress to shake some glitter off. "You too Glinda." She said honestly as she did so.
Glinda sighed looking sadly at them both. "I wish I could see you two more often."
"That's what you get for accepting that job."
Glinda knit her eyebrows together, "Elphie, we had very limited options."
"I know," She softened, knowing it wasn't up to Glinda at all. Elphaba herself was one to suggest it too. "and I guess I wouldn't want anyone else as my Ozness."
"Don't call me that…" Glinda pouted, "I'm just supposed to be his temporary replacement until he comes back from vacation."
"He can stay wherever he is." She muttered bitterly.
"He will, he chose that."
"He deserves far worse than what he got. He let it happen, even Tenmeadows got imprisonment but Oscar walks a free man?" It made her angry, he got away with everything. He gets to spend the rest of his life traveling while they get to sit there and suffer from the aftermath.
"This argument again?"
She was about to respond but her words got stuck in her throat when he appeared beside Glinda,
Glinda smiled lovingly at him and he took her arm in his but he didn't look her in the eye.
"Why do you bring him?" She growled.
"Elphie," Glinda cautioned. "His name is Cero."
"Cero, shouldn't be here." She snarled glaring at him.
Cero closed his eyes and flinched.
"He lost people too, Elphie. And you know this. He has made mistakes and he is paying for them everyday."
"Yes, getting to be with you is such a punishment." She said dryly and Cero looked up.
"She knows who I am, and she makes me better."
"You don't deserve to be here." She didn't pretend to like him.
"I never said I did, but Glinda is here," He turned to her and took her hand, "So, so am I."
"Elphaba, honey, can you maybe not squeeze my hand so hard?" Fiyero whispered into her ear.
Elphaba loosened her hold and caught sight of Sanevan. Sanevan was glaring into the distance, his hands fisted to his sides. She turned to Fiyero and Fiyero took one look at her and understood. "Go," He nudged her forward and she smiled sincerely at him, quickly kissing him. She took a few steps and held her hand up to Sanevan's arm.
He turned and his expression softened.
"You okay?" She asked him quietly and he shrugged.
"I'm sorry he is here. If it were up to me he wouldn't be here."
"It's not your fault. She didn't choose who she fell in love with. It just happens that he killed my family." He sighed matter of factly.
"She chose him as her bodyguard after the entire taking over Oz thing. So, yes I blame her for falling in love with him and she knows it." She blew air out of her nose, crossing her arms, something that made Sanevan chuckle.
"You shouldn't make her feel bad about her feelings." He told her, his hands relaxing at his side.
Elphaba grimaced, "I'll remind her about it until my last breath."
"Alright then…" Sanevan scratched at the back of his neck."So...how are you?"
She paused and looked at him. "What?"
"I'm asking you how you are? You know, it being six months after—"
"I'm fine." She cut him short, watching as the royal carriage arrived and Fiyero went over.
"Well, I can tell you that I'm not. That man killed my parents and he's with her, but it wouldn't be the best thing to go over and kick his face."
"I couldn't care less about it being the best thing. It infuriates me to see him beside her."
"Honestly, the only thing that's placating me, is the fact that he cowers away from you." He smiled and Elphaba rolled her eyes.
"She likes him." She said, and honestly it was the one thing that stopped her from harming him.
"Sanny!" Glinda squealed pulling onto Cero's hand to bring him over to him. Sanevan seemed to freeze beside her as Glinda squeezed him into a hug.
Cero stood awkwardly as Elphaba gave him a murderous look behind Glinda's tight hug.
"I'm glad we could be friends after all of this." Glinda smiled laying her hand on his shoulder.
Sanevan relaxed and started to laugh. "Yeah…Okay, I guess."
"I wasn't aware you two were anything but friends the whole time?"
"Elphie, you and I both know I wanted him from the moment I saw him—Sorry Cero, it's true but nothing came out of it." She smiled charmingly at Cero and he seemed to melt before her.
Elphaba hated it. "I'm sure he doesn't mind sharing you. Do you mind sharing her?"
Cero looked at her in alarm and opened his mouth but Glinda beat him to it.
"Elphie!"
"I don't like him." She replied simply, staring at Cero.
Glinda pouted and frowned. "He knows, but you mustn't be so cruel when he was never in control of his actions. You befriended Avaric and he did horrible things as well. Don't be hypocritical." Glinda pointed out and Elphaba flashed her teeth tired of the same conversation. The problem wasn't that she was being hypocritical; the problem was more in line with the fact that Cero was here and Avaric wasn't. Cero was alive and in love and happy with Glinda, while her sister never had her chance with Boq. Cero was able to be acquitted of any charge against him for being a victim of Morrible even though he ended lives. He lived while her sister and her friends never got to see the day. They would never see day again.
She was angry with him, and with herself; she couldn't help it. This is the way things ended and how they were now. Life was not fair to anyone.
Elphaba found herself drifting away from them and finding Fiyero, who raised an eyebrow at her but she shook her head as Elarra began to greet her. She greeted her warmly and relaxed her thoughts while she talked to her; Fiyero placing his arm around her waist to keep her close something his mother seemed to smile at. Elarra told her how Glinda was doing an exceptional job and how the Wizard was staying away for while— at least until people began to wonder where he was, and if that were to occur he would—to her misfortune— make a quick appearance in the city before leaving again.
It didn't take long after for them all to take the small walk towards the burial place. Not everyone was there. It was a private spot, in between the Mayor's home and her own. It was where her mother was buried, as well as some of her mother's earlier ancestors. She had opened it up for a small memorial, which included Boq; he deserved it.
Boq's parents were somewhere in the group of people looking cheerless at the others.
Nearing closer to the burial site, Fiyero took her hand in his and gently squeezed letting her know he was with her. She gave him a small smile back and she took a breath before she faced the stone graves they were there for, her eyes scanning over to her mothers out of habit.
Melena Thropp.
Frexspar Thropp.
Nessarose Thropp.
Boq Fennet.
Avaric Tenmeadows.
Menia Tenmeadows.
Olsen.
Devin Valner.
Leena Valner.
Only six of which were truly buried there. Two of them buried elsewhere and it was something that she hoped ate at Tenmeadows head as he rotted in a prison cell.
Fiyero placed a kiss on her forehead seemingly sensing her tension. Her eyes wandered towards him and his eyes were watering as he let his chin rest on top of her head. Her chest began to heave but she held it back as Fiyero rubbed her back.
There was a couple of sobs and she recognized them from Boq's mother.
She glanced from the side of her eye. Glinda let Cero's hand go as she roamed over to her sister's grave rubbing at the tombstone that lay there with a sad smile before her sights came to the one that belonged to Avaric. Her expression seemed to freeze up as Glinda's jaw appeared to shake as she kneeled over it and murmured quietly, "I'm proud of you…of your fight, of your internal battle. I'm sorry I ever doubted you. Thank you for being there. Thank you for saving me."
It wasn't something she should be listening in on but it kept her mind off the fact they were gone. Sanevan was on her other side, simply staring at his parent's graves. He was quiet as could be as he stood by.
After a few seconds he crushed his eyelids together and opened them to lay a bouquet of flowers over their graves. Then to the next until every grave was covered in the beautiful flowers. He kept a ways back afterwards glancing at Cero every once in a while. Cero took the hint and backed away, Glinda paid no attention when he went off.
Fiyero slowly removed himself from her, gently prodding her towards her families graves. She gave him a look but every thought was washed away the second her eyes came to face her sisters tombstone.
Her knees seemed to weaken and she fell over her grave, crushing the end of the flowers Sanevan had laid there.
"Oh Nessa. Forgive me." She cried out, holding back the tears that were burning at her eyes.
Her entire body shook but she did not lose absolute control. She held back for the safety of the others. She didn't have to look up when arms wrapped around her, she instantly knew Fiyero was holding her. It helped immensely to keep her powers under control. He whispered sweet comforting words into her ear, stroking her cheek and planting small kisses on her temple as he guided her to sit in his lap.
"This is all my fault." She muttered through shaking lips.
"How in Oz can this be your fault?" Fiyero whispered pulling back to get a look at her. She didn't want to see his disappointed face.
"I should have listened." She said with her eyes closed. "I should have gone back to the castle with you and waited it out. I should have listened and stayed out of it."
"Elphaba sweetheart." Elarra said softly.
"No Elarra. I couldn't help Boq or Olsen, but If I would have listened to you and stayed in the castle, my sister; my father; Avaric; his mother…they would be here right now."
"You don't know that my love." Fiyero tried telling her, rubbing her shoulder. Elphaba stopped him, gripping his hand tightly.
"Elphie, you mustn't blame yourself." Glinda spoke up quietly, kneeling down and dirtying her dress to give her a hug.
"I-" Her breath shook. The sound of something falling in front of her made her quiet and she lifted her head to see what it was.
"What are you doing?" She questioned furiously, watching Glinda's boyfriend twisting a large square stone a foot in front of her. He didn't respond and Elphaba stood, ready to kick him out—to hell with Glinda's protest. She stopped when he got out of the way and her words seemed to die in her throat. There was quiet as they all stared at the stone in front of them, her eyes seemed stuck on one face that was carved delicately and precisely on the front. She didn't miss the names, her mother wasn't on there and with good reason she had died years before this had happened. The detail put into it was incredible and she found herself reaching towards the faces, most of them smiling and happy with the large carved words, WE REMEMBER, written underneath their portraits. Her head twisted to find Cero and he had an unreadable expression as everyone else's eyes came to him as well.
"This is what you were hiding from me dearest?" Glinda asked him in a hushed tone and he gave her a faint smile. Glinda took his hands in hers and massaged his palms, "You did this yourself?"
"I had to do something, anything. This is what I was able to do."
"This is beautiful." Elarra told him giving him an assuring smile. He gave her a grateful smile and stole a glimpse at Elphaba and he turned away when she noticed that she was staring intently at him. Fiyero seemed to sense something was wrong as his arm snaked around her waist to hold her still. Every single hateful comment, or thought towards him seemed to have died the second he placed that stone mural in her sights. She didn't say anything to him and neither did Sanevan who was still staring at the mural, his eyes watering at the carefully detailed face of his parents. It didn't seem to matter what he did at that moment, it didn't seem to matter to any of them at all. She gave him a tiny, meaningful nod, sullenly going back to admiring the mural. Fiyero didn't say anything, just letting her settle in his chest, holding her against him and resting his chin on her head.
There's a moment, an overwhelming second, in which her pointless and meaningless anger and hate simply evaporates—it disappears, and her heart seems to relax. Because Elphaba knows that each and every person currently standing in her presence is actively fighting every day to change the land, and correct the terror that was left behind by a terrible person. Whether they are trying to run one country; an entire land; a small province; maybe simple changing themselves for the better, or even making sure that their loved one's get to see the beauty of a rose—they are all doing their part, making her resentment for one man worthless. Some may triumph and get everything they ever wished for despite being kept away. Elphaba's lips curve up at seeing Glinda leaning back against Cero's arms, smiling up at him. Others may have died to see it through, she stole a look at Boq's grave…at Avaric's. She looks up to find Fiyero watching her with a curious smile and Elphaba's smile widens. Even loving her and being besides her is a job in itself. She might punish herself mentally for being unable to save those laying under her feet; she might have thought everything she did was meaningless and even questioned herself on why she tried and fought at all…But then looking around she feels an odd sensation in her chest.
Hope.
She guesses it's hope, as it's the only words the feeling compares to.
Hope that everything she did, everything her friends did, made Oz turn out better than the hell it could have ended up as. She just wished her sister was here by her side, that way she could apologize for leaving. She wished Avaric had the chance to hear Glinda forgive him. She wished Sanevan was able to see his parents one last time. She wished Boq was here to thank him for stepping up when he could have just let it all happened and stayed alive.
She wished for so many things that she knew would never come true. Things that could no longer be changed.
Elphaba took a brief moment to simply gaze at the stone with the carving, letting herself marvel at the smallest detail, from the dimple decorating her sister's cheek to the stoic but gentle lift of her father's lips; the almost overbearing smile on Avaric's handsome face; Boq's silly open smile; Sanevan's parents holding one another; and the Wolf sitting and staring off intimidatingly. She didn't want to know how Cero came to or found the images to recreate their likeness on stone. She didn't need another reason to dislike him.
Fiyero cleared his throat beside her and she found him staring at her.
"What?" She murmured going back to the stone. Fiyero gave her a sly little smile as he put his hands on either side of her head and softly kissed her, "Are you ready to go my love?" He asked after pulling away.
"Hmm?" She managed to hum, her eyes fluttering shut at his lips pressing on top of her head.
"Everyone's gone already." He whispered nuzzling his nose with hers.
Her shut eyes popped open and she looked around. "Since when? They were just here?"
"Probably an hour or so," he told her, smiling gently. "I love you and don't mind standing here with you, but if we could go and eat I'd be a pretty happy prince."
"Just another second." She told him and he nodded. Elphaba moved away from Fiyero and pressed two fingers to her lips, pressing her fingers on each grave. When she was finished she turned back to Fiyero and nodded. "Okay, I'm ready. Let's go."
Fiyero smiled and offered her his hand. "Let's go."
...
AND...That's it!
Thank you all for reading and following along! Incredibly grateful to all those that reviewed!