A/N: My first Wicked fanfiction! Because I love it, and I've been wanting to write a Wicked multichap for a while now, so here it is. Hope someone out there enjoys.

Rated T for child abuse. Nothing too bad I don't think, but if this is a difficult subject for you, then just please be aware.

On with the story!

Oh, and I don't own Wicked.

Elphaba dusted the mahogany table and adjusted the position of the decanter. Right in the centre. Pulling the curtains back to allow more light into the room, she viewed the parlour with a critical eye. There. Everything seemed to be in order. She decided to come back in a couple of hours just to make sure that the room was spick and span, but for now, she was happy. Elphaba drew her arm across her forehead and sighed. They would be hosting the Crown Prince Fiyero Tiggular of the Vinkus, and the Governor had ordered Elphaba to make preparations on top of her usual chores. Her bones ached from having been up before the crack of dawn, and she allowed herself a moment to catch her breath. She rubbed her sore shoulders and groaned. After a clock-tick's grace, she shook herself and picked up the heavy water pitcher by the table, leaving the room. It was only ten in the morning, and already she felt like she'd been run over by a carriage, drowned in the lake and fed through a laundry wringer to be dried out.

It was no secret why the Prince was coming – the whole Thropp household was in uproar. Nessarose had just recently celebrated her sixteenth birthday, and everyone in Munchkinland knew what that meant. Ever since Elphaba had been born, there were whispers. What did a green child mean for the succession to the Governorship? How would it affect her marriage prospects? Would she have green children? Could Munchkinland be governed by a sorceress? Would the rest of Oz want to trade with a country run by a witch? Would there be war? Embarrassed by the scandal and frightened by the threat to national stability caused by his daughter, Governor Thropp had at last decided it would be unwise to allow Elphaba to succeed him as Governor.

Elphaba supposed she couldn't be surprised by that.

That left only Nessarose. Sweet, innocent Nessarose who had never seriously considered the prospect of being Governor of Munchkinland in her life, assuming as she always had that Elphaba would take the role, being the eldest. It was certainly a matter of great concern for the Governor, as besides the paperwork involved in giving Governance to a second daughter, Nessarose was – how to put it – as much as he hated to admit it, Nessa was wholly incapable of taking on the responsibility. There were things he could do, of course, to help. Nessa had not received the education she would require since childhood. In truth, he had hoped to avoid her having to be sworn in, and had sheltered and pampered her accordingly since infancy. But he could hire a tutor to teach her as much about Munchkin politics, economy and history as was possible in advance. If he lived to a ripe old age – and he was a robust man that illness scarcely dared to touch – then Nessa may very well be ready to be Governor by the time he died. However, this could not be guaranteed. The worry plagued him night and day that his precious daughter would not be prepared when the responsibility was thrust on her. What if he were to have an accident, or something was to happen which forced her to take his place earlier than expected? And so he thought hard. Elphaba would be able to care for Nessa's physical needs. She had been doing so since Nessa was born, with her little legs all tangled up, and Melena never waking up. He hated to admit it, but Elphaba was truly the best person to care for his wheelchair-bound angel. She would do anything for Nessa, he knew. But the thought of Elphaba helping her sister to govern was simply not to be borne. The council would never countenance it. And so another solution had to be found, and quickly.

It had crossed Frexspar's mind once or twice that perhaps he ought to find a husband for Nessa. But he had dismissed the idea as impractical. Who would be deserving of Nessarose? More to the point, who would be qualified to care for her? And so he had pushed the idea to the back of his mind.

That is, until he made a narrow escape having attempted to corner the Vinkus into an unfair trade deal. Money in Munchkinland had been tight since the minor economic crash of five years prior, and it had seemed a good idea at the time. But the Vinkus caught on, and he had found himself in a precarious situation, with the King and Queen of the Vinkus threatening to cut off trade entirely. It was only Frexspar's knowledge of the behaviour of their eldest son, the Crown Prince Fiyero, that had stopped the whole fiasco from ending in disaster. Frexspar had taken advantage of the uncertain economic situation the Vinkus was in due to the Prince's taste for gambling, and had convinced King Rohjar and Queen Valri that a deal between Munchkinland and the Vinkus must be reached if they were each to avoid bankruptcy. And so a deal had been struck – providing that the Prince gave up his rebellious lifestyle, the Vinkus and Munchkinland would look into the possibility of a betrothal between Prince Fiyero and Nessa.

It was by no means a perfect solution – he knew that. The arrangement had come about more due to economic stress than a sincere evaluation of the Prince's suitability to marry Nessa. And Governor Thropp knew that the Prince's character was severely more dubious than he had originally hoped for in a suitor. But, at present, it was the best option he had. And so the news had spread throughout Munchkinland that after Nessarose Thropp's sixteenth birthday, the Prince would make an extended stay in Munchkinland, after which, it was hoped, a firm deal would be reached.

Frexspar had cornered Elphaba the day of Nessa's birthday celebration to give her instructions.

"The Prince of the Vinkus will be staying with us here at Colwen Grounds for two months as of three months from now." He spoke brusquely.

"Yes, Father." This was not news to her.

"You will oversee the necessary preparations. I expect you to begin immediately. Your ordinary duties will, of course, be completed to their usual standard."

Elphaba gulped but nodded.

"Please remember that your sister's future depends on the Prince being well received."

Elphaba caught the subtle threat in that, and curtsied, managing to conceal her slight quivering. She was under no illusion what the consequence would be if her father perceived that she had embarrassed Nessa in any way.

The Governor nodded, satisfied. "Return to the kitchen."

Elphaba couldn't leave his study fast enough.

And so it was that on the morning of Prince Fiyero's expected arrival, Elphaba worked to complete the preparations of the past three months. The pitcher of by now dirty water she emptied in the scullery sink, placing it on the ground with relief. Mentally, she went through everything that needed to be done before the Prince arrived in the late afternoon. The list was long, and was enough to make her heart sink. House parties were always exhausting, and she was sure that this one crowned the lot. Nonetheless, she couldn't ignore the spark of curiosity about the Prince. She had heard about him – everyone had, and although she was wary at the prospect of him marrying her sister, she couldn't quite contain her interest. Maybe it was a sign of how little variation there was in her life that she was almost looking forward to the arrival of the scandalacious Winkie Prince. True, she had no interest in his stay for the reasons that girls usually did. But she would love to size him up, to observe him, just to see if the things they said about him matched the genuine original.

The sound of a bang startled her, and she whipped around to see her father standing in the entrance to the cramped scullery, the door flat against the wall where he had slammed it. "Elphaba."

She curtsied quickly, her brain running through all the potential things he could want.

"Nessa is waiting for her tea. Where have you been?"

Elphaba mentally slapped herself. In the whirlwind of arrangements, she had forgotten. Nessa liked Elphaba to make tea for her mid-morning, after she had completed her first hour of lessons. "I'm sorry, Father," the words fell out of her mouth. "I'll get it right away."

Frex merely scowled.

Elphaba brushed past him, heading for the kitchen before he could direct that frown at her for any longer. She always withered under that hard look, and she hated it. She hated that the man had such influence over her, that he could reduce her to such a quivering mess. She hated that every time she criticised herself, the voice in her head sounded like her father.

Entering the kitchen, Elphaba blew on the fire to cheer it up and grabbed the teapot, filling it with water and placing it on the stove. While she waited for the water to boil, she found Nessa's favourite Munchkin farmed green tea and started to prepare the leaves. This done, she started to measure out the ingredients she would require for lunch and placed them aside to come back to later as the water came to the boil. Taking deep breaths to steady herself, she poured the tea and placed everything on a tray, heading out to the veranda where she knew Nessa would be.

She found her little sister sitting in her chair by a dainty white table, her small white hands folded in her lap, a peaceful smile on her face as she enjoyed the fresh air. Nessa turned her head when she heard Elphaba coming out with the tray. Her baby blue eyes lit up when she saw who it was. "Fabala!"

Elphaba smiled despite herself. "Hi Nessa. I'm sorry you had to wait for your tea."

"Oh no, that's alright!" Nessa beamed at her as Elphaba set down the tray. "I was just enjoying the beautiful day. It is lovely today, don't you think, Fabala?"

Elphaba looked out over the extensive Thropp gardens, taking it in, and nodded. "Yes, it is." Actually, this was the first time she had been outside today, but she didn't tell her sister that.

"It is wonderful," Nessa continued. "Feel that breeze! It makes you feel so alive, doesn't it? Like nothing can possibly ruin this moment. And like nothing but good things can be in store."

Elphaba bit back a sarcastic remark. "Yes, of course."

"And to think, in just a matter of hours, Prince Fiyero will be here! What do you suppose he's like?"

"I suppose he's just like we've heard," she muttered. "Irresponsible, a libertine..."

"Fabala!"

"I'm sorry, Nessie," Elphaba sighed. "I guess we'll see what he's like ourselves soon."

That placated her. "We will." Her hands twisted in excitement. "Oh, I simply can't wait!"

"Well, why don't you drink your tea before it gets cold?"

Nessa started. "Oh yes, of course! Sorry." She lifted the cup to her lips, her pinkie slightly raised. Lowering the cup, Elphaba saw her eyebrows furrow together. "But will he like me, Fabala? There's a chance he might not like me. I mean, he's a... prince. And he's so... lively."

Elphaba quietly sniggered at that last moniker, but Nessa didn't notice. "He would have to be blind not to like you, Nessa. Don't worry – I'll kick him across the Impassable Desert to Ev if he spurns you." Nessa was beautiful, it was true. Tragically beautiful, some said. Standing next to Elphaba, she was – perfect. Gentle, innocent, demure. Everything that Elphaba wasn't. Elphaba sighed. "I should get back to work."

Nessa looked a little crestfallen but didn't argue. "Okay."

Elphaba nodded and left the tray with her sister. "See you later, Nessa."

"Will you be with me when Prince Fiyero comes?" Nessa called after her, hope evident in her tone.

Elphaba stopped at the door and was quiet. "I don't know, Nessie. You'll have to ask Father." The Governor didn't like to have Elphaba around when there were guests. Usually, she was expected to make herself scarce in the kitchen, or with some other task.

"I'll ask him," Nessa said vehemently.

A smile played around Elphaba's lips as she slipped back inside.

The Prince's visit would certainly be interesting.