Chapter Text
The King and Queen of the Vinkus moved through the halls of Kiamo Ko hand-in-hand to meet their son in the foyer, as a carriage could be heard making its way through the gates. It was an unseasonably warm afternoon in late April, and the family had been expecting the first of a few visitors for a weekend of celebrations.
King Armond was beloved by his people as the reigning monarch. He was known to be a just ruler; kind and charming, intelligent and strategic, and would go to great lengths to defend his family and his province. To those who knew him personally, he was a remarkable chess player, could often be found hiding in the library with a cup of soup and a book, and had a wicked sense of humor. His son, Fiyero, was the spitting image of him, just twenty-five years his junior. The only clear differences between them being that Armond had about an inch more in height on his son, darker brown hair that had gone about half silver, as well as a full beard that he allowed to grow out once he took the throne. He had the same bright blue eyes as his son, the same color that managed to be passed down to every Tigelaar child for at least five generations.
Queen Ismene was, by all accounts, a perfect match for the King. The first queen by marriage in the Vinkus to be seen as equal in power to her husband, she was never afraid to speak her mind. She was known to be brilliant with a very sharp wit, kindhearted and tender, and was fiercely protective of those who she loved. Ismene was the perfect balance of power and grace, and looked the absolute definition of royal. She was not much shorter than her husband, and her sandy brown hair, the one trait of hers that her son did inherit, could often be seen pulled back into a simple twisted updo. Ismene had kind hazel eyes, and was the type of woman you couldn't help to feel comfortable and safe around - so long as you remained on her good side. Cross that line, and you'd discover how quickly she could make you regret being born.
They were still deeply in love after all these years, and were incredibly proud that their only child had finally settled down and begun to embrace his royal duties after graduation; a milestone they were once worried they'd never see with the constant expulsions and the endless partying. However, those days were long behind him, and he had finally allowed himself to become the loving, devoted man they knew he was hiding from the world. As they turned the corner of the west hall, they saw their son exiting his study with a stack of books and paperwork in hand.
Ismene eyed Fiyero critically. "Yero, your guest should be arriving at the door any moment, you should already be there waiting to meet her!" It had been a running joke for ages that Fiyero hasn't been on time for anything in his life, from the day he was born two entire weeks late. Her son had grown and changed in many ways the last few years, but apparently timeliness was not one of them. "I know she's your friend but you can at least try to be a good host."
He fell into step with them as they made their way down the steps to the foyer. "Sorry, mom, I had to grab some paperwork to bring down to the workshop for -"
"Fifi!"
Fiyero looked at the ceiling in exasperation, while his parents tried to stifle their laughter at the nickname. No matter how many years passed, it never sounded any less ridiculous, or any less like the name of a very small, very fluffy dog.
Armond smirked in his son's direction, "Sounds like your guest beat you to the door, Fifi."
Fiyero glared at his father, "Don't you start - "
Heels frantically clicked across the floor and suddenly a blur of blonde and pink flew into Fiyero's arms for a hug. She pulled back with a bright smile across her face. "It's good to see me, isn't it?"
Fiyero rolled his eyes, "Yes, Linny, it's good to see you."
Galinda huffed, "Well you could at least try and sound a bit more genuine."
She moved on to Ismene and Armond to give them hugs as well, before noticing the person she was most excited to see wasn't present.
"Fiyero Tigelaar, where in Oz is your wife? I didn't spend all that time traveling in the heat just for the entire reason for my visit not to greet me at the door!"
About two weeks after the now infamous "Lion Cub Incident" their first year at Shiz, Fiyero finally got the nerve to break off his brief relationship with Galinda. His reluctance wasn't so much because the relationship was serious; if anything, though he genuinely felt connected to the blonde as a friend. But it was a pairing just as devoid of true feelings as any of his others. However, as short and meaningless as his flings may have always been, he had never been unfaithful. So he realized very quickly that he had to end things, given that he couldn't stop thinking about her best friend. Especially if he hoped to one day begin dating said best friend.
Much to Fiyero's surprise, Galinda saw it coming from a mile away. From the day they rescued the Lion Cub, there was an almost immediate shift in his personality. The fun-loving party boy turned sullen and moodified seemingly overnight, and when the behavior didn't pass after a few days, Galinda snapped out of the spell that had her initially enamored with the prince. Once she began to see him through clearer eyes and chose to pay closer attention, she saw the undeniable truth. The way his face would change when her prickly, green best friend and roommate entered any room, the gentleness in his gaze when he watched her, which was seemingly all the time, and the rapt attention he paid to her every word.
Not once in the month they dated did he look at her like that. Upon further reflection, not once in the month they dated did she look at him like that either. She just wasn't in love with him, and he wasn't in love with her. He was truly, madly, deeply in love with one Elphaba Thropp.
Somehow, the breakup morphed into Galinda encouraging him to follow his heart, though it came with a warning. That if he ever broke Elphaba's, she would break his perfect princely nose, ruining his perfect princely face for any future lover to come. As silly as her choice of words sounded, he knew she was gravely serious, and gave her his word.
With Galinda's blessing, he began to pursue the true object of his desire. While it took him some time to climb the walls Elphaba had built around herself, Fiyero was nothing if not stubborn and determined. Things got off to a rocky start, with Elphaba's lack of confidence and fear that this was an elaborate scheme to embarrass her nearly ending things several times they even truly started. However, with time, patience, and many reassurances from Fiyero that his feelings were true, soon enough they were officially dating.
Everyone at Shiz watched in fascination as the unexpected couple hit it off like a match to kindling, and their friends watched in amazement as the two transformed under the gentle influence of their love for one another. Fiyero, the notoriously scandalocious playboy, proved to be quite the opposite of his reputation. Fiercely loyal, entirely devoted, and utterly smitten with his green girl, he was every bit the gentleman Elphaba deserved, and it felt like he was rarely seen more than a few feet from her side. Of course, they each attended their own classes and spent their nights apart (though those nights apart became much more occasional over time), but Fiyero never seemed to get enough of the woman he delightfully claimed "bewitched him heart and soul". A joke Elphaba would prefer he not make, lest the press believe and spread the word that she had actually put a spell on him.
While the group would go out for dinner and beers at the pub in town, and occasionally a night at the OzDust, Fiyero was most content to spend cozy nights in his suite with his girlfriend. Their usual banter remained, but as Fiyero finally found peace and began caring about his studies, the rest of the group watched as the two engaged in political debates and heated intellectual discussions over nearly any and every topic. Galinda thought it was hysterical to joke that their back-and-forths seemed like more like foreplay than debates, much to Elphaba's mortification and Fiyero's amusement.
His relationship with Elphaba proved to be the long-awaited catalyst for the change his parents hoped to see in their son. Her presence helped Fiyero to finally stop running from his future; to shed the persona he once created as an escape, but ultimately found himself drowning in. Instead of a partying prince, people began to see him as the king he would someday become.
As for Elphaba, even though it took her some time to believe Fiyero wanted her of all people (and to this day she even had occasional doubts), she blossomed when showed the love and devotion she deserved. She never became one for dramatic public displays of affection, but she was openly affectionate with Fiyero, often initiating holding his hand in front of others or wrapping his arm around her waist as they walked together. She was softer, she was happier, and most importantly: had finally accepted that her father's treatment of her didn't mean she wasn't meant to find joy of her own. She still found the OzDust exhausting and preferred nights at home to loud music and dancing, but she would occasionally indulge her boyfriend with a night out and a dance or two, while allowing her roommate to give her makeovers without too much fuss.
The most obvious change in Elphaba was seen upon the return from Lurlinemas break during their final year of school.
What she didn't know at the time, was that Fiyero had asked his parents for his grandmother's engagement ring in his letter home after their very first date. He kept it on him at all times, to propose whenever it felt right. That moment turned out to be midnight on New Year's Day. They managed to sneak out of the ballroom at Kiamo Ko with a blanket, a bottle of sparkling wine, and a couple of glasses with enough time to ring in the new year alone, in the furthest gardens from the castle. They shared a kiss upon hearing the cheers and whistles from the castle, and as they pulled apart the words slipped out before Fiyero could stop them. He panicked for a clock-tick, thinking Elphaba would run in the other direction. After all, they'd only been together two and a half years, was that too soon for her? But before Fiyero could spiral any further, Elphaba captured his lips in a kiss more heated and passionate than he had ever experienced. She was crying, but radiating pure bliss. He slipped the ring he had carried since their first date on her finger, and afterwards they sealed their promise to each other under the night sky.
Elphaba was absolutely glowing (phosphorescent, Galinda would tease) when they returned to school and shared the news with the others. Of course, the maid of honor wanted to get right to work planning everything, but she was disappointed to hear that much of the wedding would be dictated by royal tradition.
"But this is your special day! Shouldn't it be about the two of you?" Galinda pouted. "My best friend is getting married and I don't even get to make it special for her!"
Elphaba was silent for a moment before suggesting something that shocked the entire group.
"What if we get married in the Emerald City after graduation?"
Fiyero couldn't quite process what she was saying, "You want to elope? You, the most sensible person I've ever met, want to toss centuries old tradition out the window and elope? Fae, my parents love us but I don't think they love us enough to be okay with an elopement."
Elphaba laughed loudly, she knew that was true. "No I don't want to elope… not really. We'd have to ask your parents, but maybe we can have a small wedding just for us before the big official one. It'll take months to plan the wedding for the Crown Prince and the future Crown Princess of the Vinkus. But, Yero, a small ceremony sooner with just the five of us and your parents? Torin and Caelum if they can make out too? That one can just be about us."
Fiyero stared at her in awe. "You would do that? Get married so soon?"
"Of course I would," Elphaba smiled, "I'm ready for forever to start, whenever you are." Elphaba shrugged. "Why wait?"
At the look in Fiyero's eyes, you'd be convinced Elphaba hung the moon and every star in the sky herself.
Galinda's mouth had fallen open during this entire exchange, and even Nessa and Boq couldn't believe what they were hearing. "Alright everyone," Galinda was practically vibrating with excitement, "Let's start planning!"
While Elphaba may have been much more ready to marry Fiyero than anyone expected, Fiyero included, it didn't mean she suddenly cared much for wedding planning. She largely left it in the hands of Galinda and Nessa, with the basic guidelines of no pink and no ridiculously puffy dresses.
"Fabala," Nessa looked up from the wedding magazines that Galinda had spread across the table, "is there a date you had in mind?"
"I don't really care," Elphaba shrugged, "you can ask Fiyero."
"Elphie, you're going to let your husband pick out your wedding date for you?"
Elphaba just stared blankly at Galinda. "Yes? I don't really see why it matters so much, it's not like we're getting married near any anniversaries. None that I'm aware of at least, Yero would make seeing my hair down the first time an anniversary if he could."
Galinda and Nessa both giggled. They knew full well that the man would happily fill the entire calendar with random anniversaries if Elphaba was on board with it. In fact, Galinda suspected he did have a secret calendar with nearly every date filled with something notable about their relationship. Though Elphaba claimed it was ridiculous, it always warmed her heart knowing how much he truly adored her.
As Fiyero walked into the room the girls asked him about the wedding date. "And Fae doesn't care what date I choose? At all?" He turned to his fiancé who didn't even bother looking up from her notes as she shook her head, confirming that she couldn't be bothered with this topic. Fiyero smirked and grabbed a pen and small piece of paper from one of his notebooks, wrote down the date, and handed it to their self-appointed wedding planner. Both Galinda and Nessa glanced down at the paper and their heads snapped back up in unison facing him. "Oh, Fifi, that's perfect."
At that, Elphaba looked up warily.
On April 27th, Elphaba's 24th birthday, she was whisked away on a surprise trip to the Emerald City under the guise of a last-minute venue scouting trip with Galinda and Nessa. That night, Elphaba and Fiyero were married amongst their closest friends and family.
"I'm fairly certain I said after graduation." Elphaba tilted her head. "Also, remind me why in Oz you chose my birthday?" She tried to look stern as she questioned Fiyero during their first dance as husband and wife, but she was failing miserably. She was just too happy.
"Well, my Fae, you also said you didn't care what date I chose and that you were ready to get married when I was. Since I was ready to marry you after our first date, I figured a month early would be a good compromise."
Elphaba bit her lip in an attempt to stop her smile from growing.
"As for it being your birthday," Fiyero looked at his new wife with nothing but adoration in his eyes, "you've never allowed us to celebrate it because you've been tricked into thinking this day isn't important. But it is the most important day of my life, because it's the day that brought you into this world. So I decided to make the second most important day of my life the same date. This way, I can shamelessly celebrate and buy you gifts and claim they're anniversary gifts."
Elphaba couldn't hold in her laughter at that, and Fiyero used that moment of total joy and relaxation to spin his wife out and then back into his arms.
Now, a year later, Galinda was the first of their friends to arrive to celebrate both Elphaba's birthday, as well as her and Fiyero's first official wedding anniversary. Nessa and Boq were arriving from Munchkinland the next morning, and Fiyero's two childhood best friends from the Vinkus, Torin and Caelum, would be arriving later the next afternoon.
Fiyero couldn't help but laugh at Galinda's dramatics. "To be fair we didn't know it would already be hot by now, but she's in her workshop. I wanted to keep this a surprise until the last possible moment."
Galinda tilted her head in confusion. "Workshop?"
"Well, that's what we've been referring to it as. Just her own space to work on her magic." Fiyero gestured with his hand. "Spells, potions, other magical things that I'm sure I have no clue exist. You name it, she's probably working on it in there."
"Ooh she must love that," Galinda furrowed her brow, "though I'm sure it looks just like one of those creepy old witch's lairs from the storybooks."
Fiyero chuckled, "Well, I think she'd refer to it more as a sanctuary, but you've got the right idea. Black lace curtains, ceiling-high bookshelves filled to the brim, desks with papers covering every inch, jars of herbs, a cauldron."
Galinda grimaced, "Sounds very Elphaba. I'd probably hate it." Fiyero grinned. "You'd certainly think there wasn't nearly enough pink."
"There's never enough pink." Glinda led the charge to find her best friend, before realizing she had no clue where in the castle Elphaba's workshop was. "Fifi, what are you waiting for, be a gentleman and lead the way!"
Fiyero rolled his eyes and slid his hand down his face; somehow even five minutes with the blonde after months apart have managed to exhaust him.
Galinda was bouncing with excitement as Fiyero led her and his parents down to find Elphaba, "Creepy or not, I can't wait to see what Elphie's workshop looks like. She deserves somewhere of her own to practice her magic, especially after all those years Frex forced her to hide it." She sighed wistfully, "Having your very own magical hideaway in a magical castle; it's any sorceress' dream."
Galinda turned to Fiyero's parents. "You're so lucky, I miss getting to see Elphie's magic all the time. Isn't it just the most incredible thing?"
Armond's walking slowed as he came to a realization. "Actually, now that I think of it, I haven't ever seen Elphaba's magic." He turned to his wife, "Have you?"
Ismene looked shocked as the same thought struck her as well. "Huh. No actually. I've seen a broken glass or two left behind when she and Yero get into one of their tiffs, but that's always after the fact and certainly not intentional."
Galinda was floored. "But, she's lived here for over a year already. How is that even possible? You have the most powerful sorceress in Oz currently living under your roof, and you've never seen her magic?!"
Armond and Ismene looked at each other, nearly as surprised by this as Galinda.
At that moment they came to a stop, and Fiyero knocked before opening the door to Elphaba's workshop. Galinda practically bowled over Fiyero in her rush to run inside and greet her best friend.
"Elphieeeee, happy almost birthday!" She squeezed her best friend tightly before rounding on her. "Elphaba Thropp, how in Oz have you never shown Fiyero's parents your magic? Why are you hiding it away in this dreary old dungeon lair of all places?"
"Good to see you too Galinda," Elphaba deadpanned.
"It's Elphaba Tigelaar!" Fiyero hissed from behind Galinda.
The tiny blonde whipped around to glare at the prince before starting again. "Elphaba Tigelaar." Fiyero let out a pleased sound from where he stood. "Is it true that you've never shown Armond and Ismene your magic? How is that even possible?"
Elphaba rolled her eyes, "It's actually quite easy, I only use it when I come down to my dreary old dungeon lair, as you so kindly described it."
"Actually, it's surprisingly charming," Galinda finally took in the room around her, "I just kind of assumed it would be creepy and witchy and went with that. Still, Elphie, if I had your abilities I would be showing them off to everyone."
Elphaba's temper flared quicker than expected, but she supposed months of distance robbed her of the patience she had built up with her best friend over the years. "Well I'm not particularly keen on parading my magic around and making myself more of a spectacle than I already am."
Galinda's hands flew to her hips. "Don't you dare put words in my mouth, you mean green thing. You know that's not what I meant."
Elphaba let out a long suffering sigh. "I know, but you need to understand. Galinda, I have spent my entire life being told to hide my magic. Father made me fear it, Nessa made me embarrassed of it up until only recently. Yes, Morrible encouraged it, but it was still only the two of us in her sorcery seminar; everyone else at Shiz was terrified of it. And to be honest, Morrible's fascination with my powers always made me feel like I was performing rather than learning. I've never really considered my magic to be something people are interested in seeing at all; certainly not genuinely."
Glinda softened.
Fiyero looked a bit hurt.
"That's not true, Fae," he said quietly, "I've always loved seeing your magic, and I've never been terrified of it. Not ever."
Elphaba turned to Fiyero and the look in his eyes made her heart clench. She felt guilty for a short moment, but this was her truth, and she needed him to see that. "Yero, I know that, and I love you so much for it. I'm not trying to hurt you, it's just… there were so many years before you where my magic brought me nothing but trouble. I don't have nearly enough positive memories associated with it to see it as anything good, let alone worth sharing with people."
He did understand, and he tried to see it from her point of view, but he just couldn't bring himself to. Fiyero only had positive memories of her magic, and it was one of his favorite things about his wife.
Faerie lights made from magic that would float around them when they snuck out for late night picnics at Shiz. The gardens at the castle blooming and growing even fuller as they walked, reacting to her excitement as she shared everything she learned in the castle library that day. The first night they allowed themselves to explore a bit more after a date and he felt the soft golden tendrils of her magic flow throughout his chest. Even the day they saved the Lion Cub; the first time he ever saw her magic. While he may have been surprised and confused by the display, the poppies floating through the air gently lulling everyone to sleep were undeniably beautiful.
Of course there were a few cracked glasses from when arguments got heated, a random book or two thrown off the shelf at his head when he was being particularly "insufferable" (she claimed that those were accidental, but he knew better). But in his eyes, memories of Elphaba's magic had always been associated with love and passion and beauty.
His thoughts must have been showing on his face because when he looked back at Elphaba, she was looking at him with a knowing smile. "You're remembering with your eyes, not with mine."
But Fiyero was quick. "Well, those glasses are pretty thick, Fae. I don't quite trust that your eyes see things the right way."
Ismene smiled and rolled her eyes at her son's sweet foolishness.
"Elphaba, dear. We never want you to feel like you're on display or that your magic is being used for our entertainment. It's just another part of who you are that we'd love to see and learn about. However, if it truly makes you uncomfortable please know we would never force you to use it."
"I know." Elphaba smiled gently. If there is anything she knows and trusts in this life, it's that her husband's family - her new family - loves her.
"Well," Elphaba hesitated, "I guess I can show you what I've been working on most recently." Everyone smiled encouragingly. "It's a spell that allows me to walk through my or someone else's memories. Not so much a recollection spell, but actually placing myself in the moment the memory took place."
Armond tipped his head to the side inquisitively, and Elphaba gently laughed to herself. It was an expression clearly passed down to his son. "Like time travel? Is that possible?"
"No, not time travel." Elphaba tried to find the words to express what she actually meant. She didn't believe anyone had come up with a similar spell before, at least, nowhere she could find in her research, so this was new for all of them. "It's not that I'm physically going back to the moment, it's more that the memory surrounds us in our current time. As though it's replaying itself in the room I'm in."
Galinda looked a bit confused herself. "Why would you need to place yourself inside a memory? Can't you just… remember it?"
Elphaba shrugged, "Memories fade. Even ones that haven't can't always be trusted, they're impacted by our own biases and perspectives. What we were actually paying attention to, what else was going on at the time -"
Galinda giggled, "Like how Fifi claims he didn't run you over because he slept through it?"
Fiyero glared at Galinda while Elphaba let out a cackle, "Exactly. This spell allows you to revisit the moment so you can see things as they were, to inspect them without the blinders of personal bias, and to fill in the gaps of what you may have forgotten."
Everyone in the room was nodding their heads in understanding, looking incredibly impressed at the prospect. Ismene was very curious, "Was there a certain memory you were hoping to revisit? I imagine you weren't just working on this for the sake of it."
Elphaba and Fiyero's eyes met over Ismene's shoulder. Fiyero had actually found out a few days prior about the spell she was working on, and he also knew the real reason that Elphaba was seeking out memories of her mother, after her emotional admission to him that same afternoon. But he knew she wasn't comfortable talking to the group about the truth quite yet.
"I was actually hoping to use it to show Nessa memories of our mother; her birthday is in just a couple of months and I was hoping to share a little bit more about her as a gift." Not a complete lie. "I've been hoping to perfect it by then and plan for some specific memories to visit. But Mother passed when I was only three; so I can't remember much about her without magic helping me fill in the blanks."
Armond looked positively giddy. "And the spell works? Or is it something you're still experimenting with? Are you able to show us now?"
"It works." Elphaba smiled, with a hint of pride in her voice. It was rare for her to openly be proud of herself and her accomplishments, so it warmed Fiyero's heart to see her give herself the credit she deserves. "I've revisited some of my more recent memories to practice. Nothing too special, just some of us at Shiz -"
At that, Fiyero gasped, mock-offended. "Nothing too special?! What am I, chopped liver?"
Elphaba smirked, "You're right, the memory of Morrible's sorcery seminar discussing rune integration in spells was one of the most important of my life. I'll be sure to invite you to the next -"
He was already waving his hands frantically trying to undo his own joke. "Nope, no, I'm good. I already accidentally spent an extra six years in school than everyone else trying to escape it, no way am I spending another moment in a classroom if I can help it."
Elphaba and Armond both snorted while Glinda and his mother tried to stifle their own laughs. They were only slightly successful.
"Back to what I was saying," Elphaba rolled her eyes fondly, "I wasn't old enough to have many memories to visit, but Nessa has none at all. And as much as Father dotes on her, he almost never brings Mama up. The few times he does it's just to tell me how ashamed of me she'd be."
Ismene was seething. It always broke her heart to know how badly Frex has always treated his eldest daughter, especially when she and Armond could see how remarkable she was from the first day they met. But to make her believe her own mother would think such terrible things about her? "Elphaba, your mother would not be ashamed of you. She would be so proud and absolutely thrillified to see who you've become."
Elphaba smiled, "I hope so. Fiyero always makes sure to tell me as much, but it's hard to believe after so many years being told otherwise. Plus, it's not like I have any way to be sure."
"Well, I can tell you that I know for a fact that she would be incredibly proud of you."
Elphaba looked at her knowingly. "Because you're a mother?"
Ismene looked down at her hands for a moment. She had known this day would come eventually, and didn't know how Elphaba would feel once she found out, but she knew it was finally time for the truth to come out. She met Elphaba's eyes as she spoke her next words:
"Because she was my friend."
Silence filled the room followed by gasps and what felt like an explosion of voices:
"You KNEW her? Did she look just like Elphie?"
"Wait, what? When did you even meet her? You've never told me this!"
"Oh you must tell us everything about her! What was she like?"
"Mom, how in OZ have you not mentioned this before?"
But Ismene focused on the person whose question mattered most:
"You… knew my mother?"
Elphaba's eyes were wide and full of more emotions than she could identify.
Ismene smiled sadly, you could almost see the ache in her chest as she spoke. "Well, yes, of course; our paths did cross. When we were younger, we all used to go to the Emerald City for meetings with the other Ozian heads of state. Melena and I found ourselves attached at the hip the very day we met, and she was my favorite part of any of those state visits. I didn't hear much from her the last few years she was alive, but I loved your mother very much."
Elphaba blinked.
"Oh."
Elphaba couldn't figure out which of the many feelings swirling around her mind she felt strongest. Shock that her mother-in-law knew her mother as more than just a name and a photo? Envy that she could actually remember who Melena was, instead of being left with the shadows of memories she herself had? However, there was one particular emotion that she did not expect to feel so keenly, let alone feel at all:
Betrayal. The trust between them that she was appreciating just moments ago started to fracture around the edges. She and Ismene were remarkably close, as if they truly were bonded by blood, and she knew how desperately Elphaba missed her mother. How could she not share this with her sooner?
Maybe… her stomach dropped and as her thoughts began to spiral out of her control, her breathing became shallow. Did Ismene think she didn't deserve to know more about Melena? Did she agree with Frex, that her mother's death was her fault? Was withholding these memories a way to punish her for taking her friend away from her?
"Fae -"
"Elphie -"
This was it. Every moment of her life since she and Fiyero began dating had felt like a dream come true. Too good to be true, and she voiced this worry often. Fiyero spent so much time trying to convince her that she deserved every bit of happiness they found together. A relationship where she felt adored, cared for, and safe. Parents who took her in as their own. She finally allowed herself to stop living in fear of the other shoe dropping and now this.
"Fae, love, are you alright - "
"Fifi, maybe you should sit her down - "
"Elphaba, dear. Can you hear us - "
She could hear their voices calling to her but she couldn't focus on them, until one cut through the turmoil in her mind.
"Elphaba. Please look at me."
Elphaba felt hands grab her forearms firmly. Ismene's. She slowly started focusing back on the present moment, seeing Ismene's concerned gaze meeting her own. Her voice was gentle. "Sweetheart, are you with us?"
"How could you," Elphaba bit her lip as she held back a sob, "how could you not tell me?"
Ismene turned away as tears gathered in her own eyes. "I am so sorry, Elphaba. Never for a moment was it done to hurt you. I just thought," the queen let out a sigh, "I just thought that it was unfair that I had so many memories with your mother, when you were left with so very little. It felt like I would be rubbing salt in the wound to bring her up to you."
Elphaba met Ismene's eyes, and she could see in them that she was telling the truth.
Ismene took a deep breath before continuing, a thought coming to mind. "If you had a specific memory you wanted to visit, please don't let this stop you. But if you were interested, maybe I could share a memory I have with her? It won't make up for hiding this from you for so long, but maybe it could be a start."
Elphaba didn't trust her voice not to tremble when she spoke, but she knew she had to reassure Ismene at that moment. She grabbed her mother-in-law's hands and gave them a squeeze. "That would be amazing. Are you sure?"
Ismene smiled, though her eyes were still teary. "I would love to."
She looked at Ismene nervously, "You're certain you're comfortable with this? If not we don't have to, I don't want you to feel like you have to just to make things up to me. I'm just as happy to show you when Fiyero ran me over when he arrived at Shiz."
"Hey! I didn't -''
Ismene couldn't hold back her laugh, "I absolutely want to see that next, but I would love to show you a memory of Melena and I. I trust you completely, and I have just the one in mind."
Elphaba smiled before turning and walking over to her desk, rummaging through a bunch of papers. Fiyero chuckled. He was never any less amused at how his typically very organized wife always managed to find herself working in a mess of papers and books when she would hyperfixate on a project. Ironically, as disorganized as Fiyero had a tendency to be, his workspaces were always pristine. He never quite understood how she could keep track of anything she was working on when it got to that point.
"I have told you already, Yero. It's organized chaos."
Fiyero gaped, "I didn't say anything!" then turned to his mother, "I didn't say anything… right?"
Elphaba cackled, "No, Yero, you didn't say anything out loud. But your thoughts are loud." She smirked, "And unoriginal."
Fiyero winked, glad that the mood had lightened and intending to keep it that way. "Or you just know me so well you can read my mind."
Galinda rolled her eyes and stomped her heel impatiently. "Enough of the flirty banter, I want to see Elphie's mom!"
Everyone laughed at her outburst, and at that moment Elphaba found exactly what she was looking for. She read over the page once, twice, before turning to Ismene. Even working on the spell for weeks on end, she didn't want to chance going off memory when using it on someone else for the first time.
"Alright, focus on the memory you have in mind. You'll feel a little bit tingly." She furrowed her brow trying to find a way to best describe the sensation. "Imagine your mind is a book, and it feels like someone is flipping through the pages."
Ismene nodded her understanding.
Elphaba began chanting the words of the spell. The words weaving together and the chant slowly began to sound more like a melody. Soon, everyone in the room began to feel a cool bit of wind in the air, like a summer breeze once the sun has gone down. The walls of Elphaba's workshop began to fade away.
All of a sudden, everyone found themselves in a crowded room in what seemed to be the Emerald City.