Chapter 7: Separate ways

Fiyero didn't know how he managed to reach the forest with Elphaba struggling against his grib. Somehow he managed to drag her further into the forest. She tried to free herself again and again. She was crying and so was he. He didn't know where he took the power from to walk, to breathe, to live. Everything happened in slow motion… They had lost their daughter…because of him…

When they finally found a place in the forest which seemed safe he let her go but Elphaba didn't go anywhere. She fell to the ground crying. She looked like a picture of misery.

He tried to focus and concentrate because they had to go away very quickly. The residents had seen her and he was sure that in a few days all Oz would know that the Wicked Witch of the West was still alive. And Glinda would know it, too…

They had no time to waste. They had to disappear right now. Even if it was very hard right now but he wouldn't let them take Elphaba! He had to thank his parents for forcing him to attend military service where he had gained skills highly utile at the moment. He wiped away the last tears and tried to block out the thoughts and pictures of Emijn. He felt like a traitor but he had to protect Elphaba. When he had achieved this he would grieve…but right now Elphaba's life was in real danger. He begged his daughter for pardon and approached Elphaba. He reached for her arm but she shook his hand off immediately and faced him. "They killed our child! Why did you stop me!? They killed Emijn!" Her rage was evident in her voice and he saw her tremble due to the same reason.

He kneeled down in front of her and laid his hands on her cheeks and forced her gently to look at him.

"I couldn't risk losing you, too! Elphaba they would have killed you, too!"

Elphaba looked to the ground.

"Who cares?" She whispered.

"I do!" He said determined.

"You don't! I failed her, I killed her!"

Fiyero looked at her. "Stop saying this, Fae! It's not your fault!" 'It was mine!' He thought.

She couldn't face him. "Yes, it's my fault. She inherited my green skin. I gave it to her! She would be still alive if she had been born with normal skin! It's my fault!"

"No, Fae, stop it please!"

He couldn't see her being so distressed thinking she killed their daughter because of an incident Elphaba hadn't been able to influence. She would destroy herself if she continued to think about it this way.

"Elphaba, it's not your fault! It was mine!"

She watched him unbelievingly.

"Fiyero, it wasn't your skin color she inherited!"

But Fiyero shook his head. "I'm not talking about the skin color…"

Elphaba didn't understand. "What are you talking about?"

Fiyero sighed. "The day before the night she…disappeared, she asked me what lies beyond the borders of the forest. I lied to her! I told her that I don't know what's outside the forest. So she wanted to see it by herself…" He trailed off.

"What?!" Elphaba asked unbelievingly. "You lied to her?!"

He was taken aback from her reaction. He hadn't expected her to react this way. Maybe he had hoped she would at least understand.

She rose to her feet and watched him unbelievingly.

"But we lied to her before about…about your past!" He tried to justify his actions.

"We decided together that we wouldn't tell her the truth! Together!"

He couldn't believe what she had just said. He has hoped she would support him but she made it worse by placing the whole burden on his shoulders, when he needed her the most to take the burden off of his shoulders. But this couldn't be! Not her! Elphaba had never stabbed him in the back. This wasn't fair! He wouldn't accept this! He wanted to take her pain away but she gave it away willingly. He faced her and still saw the rage and hatred in her eyes which was now directed at him.

"But…but you… You could have saved her! You have magical skills! You could have saved her by turning her into something similar to a scarecrow. Later when she had been safe you could have turned her into human again!"

Elphaba's eyes sparkled and she clenched her fists.

"And how should I have done it? I don't have the Grimmerie and I didn't learn the spells by heart! Don't you think I thought about it?! Don't you think I would have done it if I could?!"

Tears appeared in her eyes and he knew he had hurt her deeply but he couldn't understand.

"Then why didn't you cast a simple searching spell? We could have found her just in time to save her!"

"Fiyero! Don't you understand?! I would have if I could! She is our daughter! Do you think I left her to die on the stake on purpose? Don't you dare to think I wouldn't have done everything to save her! Don't you dare to think this!"

Tears ran down her cheeks.

"Just a little searching spell and we could have saved her! She would still be alive!" He whispered.

Elphaba looked at Fiyero unbelievingly. Now she was the one who had caused Emijn's death?! She wiped away the tears angrily.

"If you think magic and casting a spell is that easy why didn't you do it by yourself?" She asked angrily.

Fiyero didn't believe her.

"You are saying that you can't cast a simple searching spell?!"

"They are very complex and I have to invent the spells by myself because I don't have the Grimmerie or any other book which contains spells!"

Fiyero let out a laugh of desperation.

"Are you kidding? The Wicked Witch of the West who is feared all over Oz can't even cast a simple searching spell!? That's hilarious!"

He saw her face fell and it hit him what he had done. He had never addressed her as the Wicked Witch of the West for he knew that she wasn't the Wicked Witch she was supposed to be. Elphaba had never done those things!

"Fae, I'm sorry… I…"

He walked over to her but she backed away still shocked about his comment. Not Fiyero, too! Not Fiyero!

"Fae, please…" He tried to grab her arm.

"Don't you dare! Don't you dare touching me!" She fought back her tears.

"Fae, please! I'm sorry. I…" He begged and tried to reach Elphaba. But Elphaba simply shook her head and backed away some more steps.

"I… I have to go!"

Elphaba turned around and jumped on her broom which had still been in her hand. Then she took off. Fiyero ran after her but couldn't reach her anymore.

"Fae!"

He sank to the ground crying.

"Fae! Come back! Please! Come back!"

But Elphaba was already out of sight…and out of reach.

Don't worry, this is not the end!