"So... What exactly did Ravyn mean when she said the 'high court incident'?" Jareth sighed. She had managed to keep her questions to a minimum, considering, and he had said that he'd tell her later...
Apparently, a day and a half is long enough to wait, Jareth groused. Of course she asks about what is possibly the most embarassing thing that's happened to me... Next to having my ass handed to me by a fifteen year old girl.
He sighed again, and held up a hand when Sarah started to repeat the question.
"I heard you the first time," he said, "And the High Court 'incident' happened... hn. I'm not sure exactly, but I would guess five or six hours after you and Toby were returned to the Aboveground. And it could be said that the whole thing is really centered around... age."
"Whose age?" Sarah's brow wrinkled. "And how could something be as bad as something about aging?"
Jareth made a rude noise. "Are you going to let me tell this story or not?" He sounded mildly irritated, and Sarah shook her head 'yes' quickly. She reached up and grabbed a pillow off the bed as she listened to Jareth tell his tale
(NOTE!!! Jareth's Perspective here! And this one's using italics to show he's speaking, alright? Good. On with the show!)
Like I said, this abut age. Particularly my age, but your age factored in some, too.
You see, while I am old for your kind, I was only eight-hundred and fourty two (A/N:: Rowie, you and Carrie should get the joke there, and the rest of the crew who studied with us::); by Faeran count, that would have made me abut seventeen or eighteen, it really depends more on the Fae. And while I am officially the Goblin King now, when you wished Toby away, I was sort of... King on probation.
It was here that Sarah made the oddest noise, somewhere between 'huh?' and 'meh?'. I raised an eyebrow at that; I didn't think humans could make such wierd noises. Her confusion was as easy to read as her curiosity, but since she made no move to ask a question, I continued.
My father is the Unseelie King, and he needed to delegate the Goblin Kingdom to someone with more time to care for it. I volunteered, and he 'showed me the ropes' of being the Goblin King, I'd even took care of several Challengers on my own by the time you came to the Labyrinth. You were, in fact, the nineteenth Challenger that ran the Labyrinth without my father helping me. You were also the first to run the Labyrinth while my father wasn't watching me.
You see, my father and the High Court- the local Unseelie lords and ladies that attend to my father- had left for two weeks to visit the King of the Southern Canyons. Sarah seemed ready to burst with questions now, but I continued the story as if I hadn't noticed this.
I had told my father that I was capable of taking care of the Goblins and the castle. Your call came through on the last day, by that point I didn't expect anyone to call... I trailed off here and glared at Sarah pointedly. She had the decency to look guilty before making a 'please continue' gesture with one hand.
Well, your method of exiting left the Escher Room in rubble- not to mention the rest of that wing of the Goblin Castle. I was watching over you and your co-conspiracers for about two hours, and then I flew home and started to clear away the rubble. I was only halfway done with the task when my father arrived.
As you can imagine, he was furious. 'I thought you said you could handle things while I was gone!' he roared, and that brought the High Court running to see what was happening. 'If you can't be trusted with running the kingdom for two week, how are you going to manage being King for real? And WHO invaded and left this mess? A fifteen year old human! I taught you better than this!' The lecture went on like this for two hours before your friends got back from the party.
Now, I'm not sure if they told you, but your friends defended me quite honorably. In fact, while my father wouldn't let me say a word, he was more than willing to listen to that trio of troublemakers...
"Hey!" Sarah whacked me lightly with the pillow. "If they defended you, then you shouldn't call them names!" I glared and she smacked me again. "Now get on with the story, please?"
Fine. As I said, those- three... This, I was sure, came out somewhat strained, as I remembered at last minute that Sarah had no qualms with hitting people to defend her friends or their honor. ...Managed to talk my father out of his rage. Oh, he was still angry, of course, but he had settled down a great deal, and it was during this time when the most embarassing part occured. Here I paused. Did I really want to tell her this? No, but I suspected-
"You can't stop the story there! What happened next?"
-that Sarah wouldn't allow it. How did I know?
I took a deep breath and finished the story. While my father's temper fled, Hoggle managed to persuade him not to be angry at me, since it wasn't my fault.
"That's what's so mortifying? You were saved by Hoggle in front of the High Court?"
No, it was what Hoggle said that was the problem. Hoggle said to my father, and the whole High Court, word for word: Yous can't really blame hims, Majesty, anyone would be knocked ass over teakettle by Sarah.
Oro: This one thinks this was inspired by all those stories where a certain SOMEONE has been ruling since forever, yadda yadda ya...
Jareth: Are you implying something? And how'd you learn my age?
Sarah: 'snickers'
Oro: Anyway, this one doesn't think it was as funny as it was in this one's head. Just try picturing the Goblin King sprawled out on the rug swapping stories with a friend like girls at a slumber party. Ooo, while you're at it, imagine him with pigtails and a stuffed bear.
Jareth: 'twitch' I know your weakness!
Oro: Nii to you too, Vogon!
Sarah: 'watching the arguing' Well, Oro, don't you have something to say?
Oro: Oh yeah! 'takes out Magic 8 Ball' Oh great and powerful Magic 8 Ball, will I ever own Labyrinth or Rurouni Kenshin? 'shakes'
What d'ya mean, TRY AGAIN LATER?! Gaah! 'throws Magic 8 Ball, sound of glass breaking in the background' Uh-oh... Er... Bye!