Ties That Bind: Vol. 2
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing *sadly* But I'd happily snog his glittery hotness the Goblin King if ever given a chance. *le sigh*
Warning: This story contains mature content, possible consensual and non-consensual violence, occasional foul language (which Jareth is still trying to put a stop to), random food fights, references to bdsm, and other oddball things. No fairies or goblins were hurt in the writing of this story...although a few of the goblins have developed an aversion to chocolate cake due to seeing Jareth covered in it (see volume 1) and several of the fairies now have a leather fetish (and with Jareth in leather pants and boots, who can really blame them? That is how I got started too!).
If you have not read Vol. 1, this story may not make much sense for a few chapters.
Please review...they are my latest addiction and will ensure that I write more! :) That said, school starts next week, so chapters will be shorter from now on. I hope to update all 3 of my stories at least once a week.
Ch. 1
The next several days flew by for Sarah. She spent her time playing in the kitchens while teaching Brangwyn to cook, meandering through the gardens with Hoggle, Didymus and Ludo, lazing about in the library reading, or playing tag with Brangwyn in the Room of Planes – childish yes, but oh so much fun. When she wasn't exploring the castle, she was spending time with Diedre practicing her magic.
Her days were filled with relaxed fun and magical practice, but her nights were filled with Jareth. Once he had made her Queen, it was if the floodgates opened for the two of them and they could not get enough of each other. And it wasn't just the nights. They would often find stolen moments during the day when they could creep away with each other.
Five days after she discovered Derick in the dungeons, Sarah was returning to her room after bathing before dinner, and discovered a large box wrapped in purple paper laying on her bed. Fleur was practically jumping up and down with excitement, waiting for Sarah to come from the bath so she could open the box. She smiled at the excited goblin, her thoughts turning fondly to Jareth.
Sarah loved Jareth's surprises, and since he had officially made her Queen, there had been several. He had changed out the metal collar for a delicate fairy silver chain, from which hung a silver pendant that matched his amulet of office. She loved her necklace and liked looking at the beautiful, opalescent stone in the center, as it would randomly swirl with color. At another time, he surprised her with a wedding ring made from dream diamond, which would change color to match whatever dress she was wearing. Yes, she loved his surprises.
"M'lady, this was outside your door," Fleur squeaked happily, bobbing a curtsey and, holding out a black envelope to Sarah, as she pranced around near the box excitedly.
Sarah took the heavy black envelope and looked at it, her fingers running over the coarse texture of the paper and caressing the dragon imprint in the red sealing wax on the back. Opening the envelope, she slid out a piece of charcoal colored parchment, the message written in a flowing script of silver ink.
Dearest Sarah,
Meet me in the formal gardens before dinner. I have a surprise for you.
- J
Lifting the lid of the box, Sarah peeled back the lavender tissue paper and gasped. Under the paper was a stunning dress of silver silk-satin. She lifted the dress, holding it against her body as she turned to the mirror. The material shimmered in the light of the room, looking for all the world as if it was covered in tiny crystals. Looking closely at the fabric, she saw that the crystals were actually woven into the material.
Fleur helped her into the dress, tightening the laces until it looked like it a second skin, while the skirt swished smoothly over her legs, making her skin tingle. The bodice of the dress plunged low between her breasts, with thin straps swooping up over her shoulders and attaching under her arms. She gasped in shock as she turned around in the three-way mirror of the wardrobe. The dress was backless – not just backless, but it dipped so low in back, that the tattoo above her left hip was visible.
With great care, Fleur wound Sarah's hair about her head, leaving delicate curls dangling, to tease the creamy flesh of her neck. The curls wound about her head were held in place with amethyst tipped hairpins, which sparkled softly as Sarah moved.
When she was finally ready, Sarah made her way to the formal gardens. She and Hoggle had spent several of the last few days replanting flowers in the formal gardens, preparing it for a delegation from the High Court which was coming to visit as witnesses to her last trial. It took Sarah pleading and a direct order from Jareth (including a threat of long-term bogging) to get Hoggle to allow Sarah to help with the planting, as he was determined that it was unseemly behavior for a Queen.
Entering the garden, she couldn't help twirling quietly around the flower beds, as if dancing with an invisible partner. She loved the feel of the evening breeze on her skin as it caressed the material of the dress, pushing it to flow against her bare skin beneath it. Eventually, she settled on a marble bench carved with an intricate knot-work design.
Sarah had only been seated for a few minutes before she sensed someone behind her and smiled.
"I'd been wondering when you would join me," she purred softly, her jade eyes hooded as she wondered what Jareth had in mind.
"Had you now, m'lady?" sneered a cold voice that she didn't recognize.
She spun to look at the intruder, her eyes wide. Before she could even think to scream, a rag was stuffed into her mouth. Her eyes shifted from emerald to amber as she looked at the dark-haired Fae and then her world went black.
Jareth and Lord Elden were leaning against the balcony in the dining room discussing arrangements for the arrival of the High Council delegation, when Greeble entered to announce that dinner was ready.
"And where is the Lady Sarah, Sire. Is she joining us this evening or is she too tired from her manual labors in the garden?" Lord Elden enquired, as Lady Brangwyn took his arm to move into the dining hall.
"She needed a bath after working in the gardens today. I expect she will arrive momentarily," replied Jareth with a quiet smile. He loved the fact that she wanted to dig in the earth herself, rather than merely using magic to place the flowers. The fact that she still wanted to do the work herself said so much about her personality.
Jareth motioned to Fleur, who was waiting in the corner of the room for the dinner service to begin.
"Fleur, why aren't you with Lady Sarah? Didn't she need your assistance to dress for dinner?"
"Yes, Sire. She did. I's helped her as always. She put on the pretty new silver dress, then went to meet you in the gardens," answered Fleur, dropping into a deep curtsey before her King.
"The gardens?" Jareth asked, his pale eyes clouded with confusion as he looked at the small goblin before him. "Why there? She knows dinner is to be served at 7pm sharp."
Frowning, Fleur looked up at her King, suddenly afraid that she had done something wrong.
"She went because of the note, Sire."
Jareth felt a sharp pang in his chest, knowing he had to ask and sure that he would not like the answer.
Trying to keep his voice calm, Jareth knelt down until he was eye-level with Fleur, struggling to keep his voice gentle so as not to frighten the goblin.
"What note, Fleur?"
"Why, the note you sent with the dress, Sire."
Jareth closed his eyes as the feeling ripped through him, threatening to tear his heart from his chest. Standing he roared, "Treachery!"
"Fleur, bring me the note, quickly!" Jareth snapped, his eyes darkening dangerously as he paced the room.
Pointing at Lord Elden, he bellowed, "Call out the guard! Lock down the castle and the city – no one in or out and everyone under curfew. I want every house, shed and building searched!"
Diedre rushed toward her brother, her pale eyes flashing with fear at the sound of his voice. She had only heard it once before, when the Drow Alliance had killed their eldest brother Alder in the skirmish and Heglin Rock, and it chilled her to the bone. Brangwyn looked close to tears at the frightening sound of the King's shout.
"Sire, what are they to look for?" asked Elden, his voice shaking as he looked at his King.
"The Queen," came the cold reply.
Fleur rushed back into the room, her fluffy blonde hair flying behind her as she raced to the King, waving the black envelope. Taking the envelope from her, Jareth looked closely at it, his gloved fingers gently matching up the broken wax seal. Seeing the embossed image on the sealing wax, Jareth hissed, the envelope bursting into flames from the anger that coursed through him.
Jareth rushed to the balcony overlooking his kingdom, trying desperately to sense whether Sarah was still in the vicinity. Conjuring a crystal, he held it up to reflect the light of the moon. "Show me Sarah," he whispered, only to groan when the crystal filled with black mist.
"Jareth…?" murmured Diedre, placing a gentle hand on her brother's arm. "What does it mean?"
"The Unseelie have my Queen," he groaned, holding out the remains of the black envelope.
A/N: Okay...ordinarily I dislike the whole Sarah as the 'damsel in distress' archtype. I actually cringe over the fact that I have now written her as such in my own work (groan). However, it couldn't be helped, as HisNibs was quite insistent on this plot point.
