Chapter Text
Feldspur’s descent happened in an instant—so suddenly that he had no time to brace himself or prevent the fall. The slippery forest floor gave way beneath his hooves, sending him crashing down with a resounding thud. In that moment, Feldspur’s focus narrowed completely. The whereabouts of the monkeys didn’t matter. The location of the other soldiers was irrelevant. Even the green witch they had been searching for since Shiz faded into insignificance. All that mattered to Feldspur was his rider—his best friend—whose safety and wellbeing became his sole concern.
Feldspur had heard Fiyero’s startled shout as they tumbled to the ground together. In that brief, chaotic moment, there was nothing he could do but hope he hadn’t landed on top of his rider. The impact knocked the wind out of Feldspur, forcing a grunt from his chest as he hit the earth hard. For a few seconds, he lay on his side, struggling to regain his breath and unable to see Fiyero clearly. He could feel Fiyero sliding off his back—and then, unsettlingly, there was silence. No curses, no complaints, not even a groan of pain.
“Fiyero—” Feldspur managed to pull himself upright. He didn’t try to stand just yet. Instead, his attention was fixed on Fiyero, who lay motionless on his back beside him. His arms and legs were splayed awkwardly across the forest floor, clearly unconscious.
"No—" the blue horse scrambled to get his legs under him and only realized then that one of Fiyero’s feet was still stuck in the stirrup.
“Fiyero!” Feldspur carefully turned a little so as not to twist his friend's leg needlessly. He gently nudged the man's face with his muzzle. He knew he wasn’t supposed to speak when the other soldiers were so close, but what did that matter when his friend was unresponsive? He continued to try to rouse his friend, but to no use. Nipping at the collar of his uniform, nudging his shoulder and trying the same with his face again, but to no use.
“Please wake up,” the horse let out the softest whinny. He might be joking around and roughhousing with the young man on a good day, but right now there was no sign of that playfulness. He had been Fiyero’s horse since the day he was born. He was just a newborn colt trotting the fields with his mother when he first met Fiyero. A fine, kind young man. No one mattered more to him than his owner. His friend. Seeing him unconscious deeply unsettled him, so he kept his muzzle on his friend’s cheek.
Hearing something coming, Feldspur lifted his head. Ready to protect Fiyero if needed. Instead, the woman they had been hunting was there. She held a broom in one hand and a hat in the other.
"Elphaba—" Feldspur hesitated. He knew she was the last person he needed to fear, but from her point of view, they were hunting her.
“Please. Help him. I will explain everything. Just help him,” the blue horse begged.
The green witch glanced around for any sight of the other soldiers or the monkeys, but while she could hear their shouts throughout the forest, she saw none. It wasn’t a trap. She had seen them go down. She had seen the split second of horror on Fiyero’s face as Feldspur lost his footing.
She gave a nod and hurried over. Throwing the hat and the broom to the side, she quickly but carefully released Fiyero’s limp foot from the stirrup.
She lowered it gently to the ground before kneeling next to him.
“Fiyero?” she whispered, pressing her fingers to the pulse point on his throat. She gave Feldspur a reassuring nod while the horse nuzzled his friend’s chest. She cupped his face and gently tried to rouse him, but had as much luck as Feldspur had. Blood was coming from a cut on his temple, coating his dark blond hair with red.
“Can you help him?” Feldspur asked quietly.
“Why would I?” she asked, but with no ire behind her words. She cared too much for him to just leave him like that. She knew that. Feldspur knew that.
“He is your friend,” the horse reminded her.
“You are hunting me,” she pointed out, throwing another glance over her shoulder when the soldiers were clearly near.
“They are. Fiyero is not. I promise you. Please, just help,” Feldspur begged urgently.
Elphaba pressed her eyes shut for a moment before deciding she really had no choice. She couldn’t just leave him like this. Even if he weren’t on her side, he was under her care now.
“Okay,” she nodded and got up. She grabbed her broom and attached it to Feldspur’s saddle, then did the same with her hat.
“Go hide. We don’t have much time,” Elphaba insisted. Feldspur hesitated. Watching as she turned her focus back on Fiyero. Lifting him up the best she could by the shoulders, she dragged him off into the shadows beyond the path.
Only once they were out of sight from the pathway did Feldspur trot off to hide further away as the sound of the soldiers and the other horses neared them.
Elphaba kept her voice low,
“Don’t make me regret this,” she murmured to Fiyero’s unconscious form as she cradled him close. They remained concealed within the deep shadows just off the pathway, careful not to draw any attention from passing soldiers or monkeys. Fiyero’s head rested gently against her shoulder, his body enveloped by her arms in a protective embrace. To further obscure his distinctive green and golden uniform, Elphaba had covered him in her cape, determined to keep him hidden and safe from prying eyes. Her focus was entirely on shielding Fiyero while they waited for the danger to pass.
“Where is he? I’m sure he went this way,” she heard one of the men say.
“Maybe she took him. The wicked witch took him. She surely heard everything going on in Munchkinland. The engagement,” another man sneered.
“Let her,” a third voice scoffed.
“Let her have her way with him. Glinda deserves better than that.”
“You mean someone like you?” the first voice snorted.
“Maybe. It’s not like she’s getting any from the dear Captain. She’s blind as a bat. I’ll be a shoulder to cry on and the frustration to take out on,” the man leered.
Elphaba sneered hearing them, but got distracted when she felt Fiyero move slightly. She quickly covered his mouth with a hand, shifting his head to her arm so he would see her when he opened his eyes.
“What about the horse?” some man asked.
“Screw the horse. Let’s go,” one of the other soldiers insisted. She had missed part of the conversation, but at least they seemed to be heading back to Emerald City now.
“Sssh,” Elphaba whispered when Fiyero groaned under her hand. Not daring to risk any sound just yet while she could still hear the soldiers moving around nearby. She could feel the moment Fiyero’s eyes were on her. Once their eyes locked, it felt as if she couldn’t look away. Oh how she had missed those kind, blue eyes.
“Sssssh,” she whispered again, lifting her index finger to hers while still covering his lower face. Leaving their faces inches apart. He could not look away from her either, but he did give a slight nod. So she moved her hand, but only to cup his face.
He looked so different and yet not. The difference was in his eyes. While his depression was well hidden back at Shiz, it was clear as day now. A sadness that did not belong behind such kind eyes.
“It’s you,” he whispered after a long time of just studying each other. She couldn’t quite believe the change happening behind those eyes as she watched them.
“Well, you were looking for me, were you not?” Elphaba whispered back, stroking his cheek in a soothing manner. She knew helping him was risky.
“For so long,” he tried to lift his head, but groaned when pain shot through his head.
“Sssh give yourself some time. You just woke up,” she reminded him. Her mind was still reeling. Exactly how long had he been looking for her?
"Feldspur—" he muttered, tilting his head against the crook of her arm as he tried to look for his friend.
“He is fine. Just hiding for now. He was so worried for you,” she explained, lifting her and gently pressing her fingers right on the bloody wound on his temple. Trying to ignore his pained moan before she felt him slip back into unconsciousness.
She closed her eyes. Focusing on her healing spell while his skin slowly knits itself together. Leaving the blood behind and would probably give him a terrible headache, but it’d finish healing faster overall. She heard the sound of hooves returning, but was right not to worry since it was indeed Feldspur finding them.
“They are gone,” the blue horse explained, nuzzling his friend’s cheek and this time he woke quicker.
“My home is not that far away. I can take you there,” Elphaba said. Feldspur carefully lay down next to them and thankfully, with Fiyero awake again, he managed to clumsily arrange his limbs enough to get on his back with Elphaba’s help.
She got on behind him and soon they were off through the woods at a steadier pace. Elphaba held tightly around Fiyero’s waist and although he was awake, he was clearly dizzy and unwell. Slumped over in the saddle while Feldspur followed Elphaba’s instructions.
“We will be there soon,” she whispered encouragingly.
She wasn’t optimistic about how to get him inside her secret hideout once they got there, but they did manage. He leaned heavily on her while Feldspur waited outside. Fiyero looked around the incredible place Elphaba had created out here in the middle of nowhere. Open to the night air outside, with small lights around and paper clippings hung up. She pulled him across the room and down a set of stairs and they both dropped onto her bed. His legs hanging over the edge.
“Could you check on Feldspur?” Fiyero sighed, his head feeling heavy on his shoulders when he tried to lift it. Elphaba hesitated. Almost pointing out that they had just ridden in on him. He seemed fine, but at the same time, she also wanted to make sure he was okay.
“Stay there. I’ll be right back,” she promised before returning to Feldspur to help remove the equipment from his body so he could get more comfortable. She didn’t have a stable for him, but she had a small, dry alcove right on the side of her home where he’d have a safe place to rest.
After promising to look out for Fiyero, she returned inside, Elphaba removed her cape and coat on her way back to him. He had sat up and removed his boots and was now carefully touching the part of his hair that was sticky with blood.
“Careful,” she said quietly, taking his wrist away from his head,
“I healed the wound,” she explained, her eyes locked with his again when they touched. There it was again. That strange, intense connection they made when their eyes met.
“This wasn’t how I hoped I would find you again,” Fiyero sighed, reading her face. She was understandably apprehensive, but she had still helped them.
“Do you intend to take me to the Wizard?” she asked, moving away to find a bowl and fill it with water. She glanced over her shoulder when he didn’t answer. He was shaking his head slowly.
“Of course not. I have been looking for you since I left Shiz. After… what happened in Emerald City,” he explained. She frowned.
“Why?” she whispered, bringing a small towel with her back to the bedside.
“I believe you know why,” he sighed, closing his eyes. Clearly still feeling dizzy.
She didn’t answer. Just crawled into bed next to him and knelt there while she dipped the towel in the water.
“Why would I?” she asked. Gently cleaning his temple. The cool water clearly felt very welcoming to him as he sighed softly when it touched his skin.
“You brought me here. If you truly believed me as your enemy, why would you do so?” he asked, opening his eyes, but keeping them focused on his lap. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see her small frame kneeling next to him while cleaning blood off his face and hair.
“I don’t know what to believe anymore. I do believe Glinda would not want me dead, but she is also gladly working the Wizard and Morrible,” she pointed out.
“And you are the captain of the guards. You have to excuse me if I am a little out of the loop with people from school,” she said quietly, trying to avoid his gaze now.
“Though I did hear your men’s conversation while you were unconscious. You’re engaged. So even if there ever were anything you might have felt for me, Glinda suits you better,” she said.
He shook his head and she dropped the towel in the bowl in favor of grabbing his chin.
“Don’t do that. We can talk later, okay? You need rest,” she said, unbuttoning the top of his uniform jacket so she could get a better look at his neck.
“Your shirt is bloodied. I can clean it while you sleep,” she offered.
“Elp-” he started, but this time she stopped him from saying more with two fingers on his lips. Their faces close.
“Don’t. You are right. I wouldn’t have helped you if I truly thought of you as my enemy, but you do need rest. We can talk when you wake up. You are safe here,” she insisted as she slipped out of bed. Putting aside the bowl for now to help him with his coat. It was heavy so he looked naturally relieved when she helped slide it off his shoulders.
It was when it was time to remove his shirt that she mentally had to steel herself. He was not her man. While she couldn’t ignore that she did have feelings for him, she had heard he was engaged. To her best friend. Not to mention she was here to help him. Not ogle him like any other man or woman out there. The Fiyero she had learned to know was more than just his good looks.
“Thank you,” Fiyero ended up saying, despite there being so much else he wanted to say. Eyes on hers while she unbuttons his shirt. Feeling as if his heart were in his ears when their eyes met while he shrugged out of his shirt. The tension alone was undeniable, but he respected her need for time to think.
“You would do the same for me,” Elphaba said quietly, not confidently, but gathering the slightly bloodied shirt in her hands and decidedly not looking at his chest.
“I would,” he smiled. Feeling her give him a slight nudge to silently tell him to get comfortable.
She wasn’t an expert at love at all, but she didn’t know what else to call the way he looked at her. It was completely unfamiliar territory, and she doubted her heart could take it if she were wrong.
“Don’t be spooked when I join you later. I only have one bed,” she pointed out. Making sure he got settled under the covers before she let him be. Taking his uniform jacket with her as well so she had something more to fuss over while she cleaned them.
She would take his shirt down to the small brook nearby and at the same time show Feldspur where it was. Kneeling by the water, she dunked the white shirt in it. Rubbing at the blood for a while, using some magic to help get the stains out. It wasn’t too hard to get out since the blood hadn’t been stuck on it for long.
“How is he holding up?” Feldspur asked after enjoying the fresh water next to her.
“Dizzy, but he will be fine. He didn’t show any signs of his leg hurting so you didn’t land on him,” she assured the blue horse. He nodded a little while watching her twist the water out of the white shirt.
“Thank you for helping him. That happened because I didn’t watch my footing. If something worse had happened to him—" Feldspur shuddered at the thought.
“Accidents happen, Feldspur. Please do not blame yourself. If anything, nothing worse happened because you were able to keep from landing on his leg,” Elphaba soothed as she stood up so they could head back.
“There are a few Animals in these woods because they know I am here. So don’t be too worried if you hear the sounds of something coming. Unless they sound distinctively human,” she shrugged.
“I’ll keep both ears and eyes out,” Feldspur assured. She helped the Animals. The least he could do was to help her in return.
Elphaba spent the next couple of hours after hanging his shirt up to dry doing what she usually did. Practice her magic. Though once the sun had long since gone down, she figured she should try and get some sleep too. The thought kind of intimidated her considering Fiyero was there, but she eventually got into something more comfortable before going to him.
Fiyero had moved to lay on his side, facing away from her. Leaving plenty of room for her. She did note that he had made sure she had a blanket ready for her, too. Which she found oddly considerate even though it might just be a natural thing to do.
She carefully settled down next to him. Taking deep breaths to calm her beating heart and racing thoughts. He was here. With her. For her. He had pretty much told her he was here because he cared for her, but she just had a hard time allowing it to be true. She was used to rejection, but Fiyero was one of the few people that could as easily break her heart as he could mend it.
Despite the unexpected company that night, Elphaba found sleep quite easy for once. Not only did she sleep uninterrupted – she slept for a very long time. She undoubtedly needed it, but it was unquestionably her company that made her feel safe enough to rest so easily.