According to his Dad, the rumors started when his father was just a young kid. The legend that the abandoned temple on the outskirts of town was home to a nefarious witch that terrorized humanity before her tragic death. She was said to possess the minds of the public to do her will, or just cause destruction against their loved ones. She was caught, and burned at the stake for her crimes, and cemented her ashes away in a tomb, with added protection spell to keep her damned soul from rising again. David was always entranced by the story, because it was just vague enough to have two stories to it. What if she was protecting the people from something, and she just lost the fight, or maybe she wasn't even human, but a monster in disguise. When he first heard the urban legend in grade school, David had a great morbid curiosity to see this mysterious temple. He was unfortunately too young to go by himself, and his father, well, to call him superstitious was an understatement. So, the story resided on the backburner. Until now. David, with his mousey brown hair, blue eyes, glasses and short stature, was finally making the trip to the tomb beyond the forest. It only took till his senior year of high school to gain the nerve and enthusiasm to do something for himself for once.
This last year was coming to an end, and poor David had fallen into a major meltdown due to him messing up his life before it even started. His grades had dropped drastically, and there was a massive wave of panic if he was even going to graduate. Then there was his father. Paranoid, controlling, and apathetic, his father and David formed a bit of a contentious relationship over the years. All that combined made David's anxiety that much worse. So for once, he was going to get away from it all and read a good book...at a supposed gravesite for a murderous witch.
This has brought David to the current scene, traveling through the well manufactured forest at midday, book in hand and a cold fist of dread curling in his stomach. That was for the previously mentioned events, and he willed himself to stop thinking about his uncertain future for a minute please. Then he saw it. A small stone mausoleum, covered with romantic greek statues that framed the structure. The typical winged cherub stood at the peak of the roof. To David's mild surprise, the door leading inside was ajar. Even as he made the trip, there was a part of him that expected the place to be sealed off. Counting his blessings, David heaved and pushed the cement door the rest of the way.
Sunlight flooded from behind, bathing the room in light. In yet another odd occurrence, David noticed that the interior was completely clean, not even the stray cobwebs found in even spooky place. Though his query was interrupted by the sight of what was obviously a stone casket, lying at the center of the tomb, sunlight dancing across its skilled engravings. Feeling very conscious of himself, much like one would inside a church, he quietly approached the casket. Once he was hovering over the grave, David noticed words engraved on the surface. The Late Great Sarah, Queen of Follies. So perhaps she was a witch back in the day, or at least thought she was. David was well-read enough to know that this send-off was extremely condescending. Though, what town ravaged by supposed death would directly insult their aggressor, especially if they were afraid she would come back?
"I don't think I would want to be known as the Queen of Follies." David said to himself, more out of nervousness than a need to hear himself talk.
With a bit more carefulness than was probably needed, David sat atop the casket, residing to spending the afternoon buried in a good read. He was on the verge of reading about Joseph Lister discovered antiseptic, and turned the page. A flash on pain rang through his hand, and David gasped as he whipped his arm back. A red droplet slid down the edge of the grave stone, falling into the crevice that outlined the stone below David's feet. Said boy stuck his ring finger in his mouth. He didn't seem to notice light dimly emitting from the stone foundation. That is, until everything started shaking violently beneath him.
"What the-" His book fell off the ledge, forgotten on the ground as the blinding light encompassed the stone tomb. The gray ashy hue fading away under the brightness and the grave began to lose its shape. He closed his eyes against the harsh light. Before his brain could register the events, David felt his body fall through the formerly cement exterior and onto something...soft?
David's eyes shot open, and he looked down to see his hands clutching the white dress of a woman. Startled, he gazed in awe at her beauty; dark raven hair, pale skin and a curvy figure. Her dress was a modest white design that could pass for both a day and night gown. She appeared to be not much older than him in comparison. She seemed to be in a deep sleep, in spite of the earthquake occurring around them. David leaned forward and attempted to address this creature.
"Hey! Are you okay?" After this event, David will certainly question his strange actions, how he could treat an impossible situation like this as if it were another Saturday. But in all honesty, the panic and distress would come not much later. And there's no doubt that Sarah got a smidge of entertainment from his utter confusion and spastic behavior.
Moments after his exclamation, the woman's eyes snapped open, covered by the same piercing light. She sat up and placed her smooth hands along David's cheeks, and out came an otherworldly voice from her mouth. It reverberated around the confines of the tomb, sending shock waves up David's spine.
"From up to under."
They both fell through the floor and into the Underground.
It was a beautiful sunny day, the west forest was alive with all of the animals in the awakening of Spring. Which of course meant that the peace was rudely interrupted by a torpedo falling from the sky containing two people, one of which was screaming like there was no tomorrow. The woman clutching the screeching monkey seemed to be unconscious of the boy's sounds. That is until the light dissipated from her eyes and was given only a few seconds to take in her surroundings before they would make a fleshy pancake on the forest floor. Going on instinct, she willed a bubbled shield around the both of them just as they hit the tree line.
From a distance, a thunderous boom could be heard as they collided with the ground. She released the bubble and they both collapsed in differing amounts of exhaustion.
"It's been awhile since a shield has taken that much out of me." She said breathlessly, not even aware of the mental breakdown David was going through who seemed to be ranting to himself through slight hysterics.
"...Just wanted to finish my book in peace, but nooo I had to get wrapped up in some fantasy western rip off this side of Inuyasha!" The woman lifted her head, finally acknowledging her new compatriot. Her stiff muscles groaned in protest as she stood up for the first time in what seemed like centuries. She stretched slowly, ignoring David's muttering. She could deal with that soon enough, the woman was far to happy about her freedom to be brought down by a mortal from the surface.
Looking up at the bright sky, she was encased in a familiar warmth that told her she was finally home. Respectively speaking at least. She basked in the fresh sunlight and the soft hum of fairies in the backdrop. "And can you at least tell me what's going on!" Well that didn't last very long. She pushed her hair out of her face, sizing up this squawking human.
"Not really, though I have a general idea of where we are." Straight to the point, much unlike her fellow fae. She always hated playing games of those variety. When it looked like he was going to start ranting again, she cut him off, "My name's Sarah by the way. And trust me, I have a pretty good idea of what you're going through right now."
David's face morphed into what only could be described as panicked incredulity, "OH! Oh-I see! Crazy dead lady with magic gem powers knows exactly what I'm going though!" He started nodding to himself, and Sarah had to commend his dedication to sarcasm even as he was visibly shaking.
"Where's my book!" He shot a look accusingly at Sarah, who shrugged. "Oh god is it still up there? Wherever there is?" Gazing up, the sky betrayed no inclination that it had dropped two people from it.
Sarah sighed, she was a bit disoriented as it was. Her body was numb and groggy, and she honestly had no concept of how long she's been gone. Her previous elation was fading fast, and she could only hope she wouldn't put the boy in the crossfire of rage that would no doubt overtake her once she collected herself. Jareth always did say her unpredictable temper rivaled his own wrath; it wouldn't be fair to this human at all.
Deciding to interrupt his hysteria, she took hold of his shoulders, forcing him to freeze and look her in the eyes. Taking a weathered breath, "Listen, I'm sorry that this has happened to you, but I can't really explain anything if you're going through a mental breakdown." She pleaded with her eyes, hoping to convince him to hear her out. Sarah may be a vengeful thrill seeker, but she was always willing to help out others deserving of it. Sure, that's part of the reason she's in this mess now, but that doesn't mean Sarah was wrong. This boys eyes spoke to her, blue as can be and holding so much innocence. It almost hurt to look simply from the memories they ignited of herself. If Sarah had been anyone else, any other fae of creature, she would instantly take advantage of him and his naivete.
She took hold of his chin. "Look at me." she said in an even tone. He stared up at her, and nodded slightly. "Take a deep breath, " He inhaled shakily, air filling his lungs, "and exhale." The breath was released in a short burst. She smiled, attempting to comfort him anyway she can. Still, confusion remained in his eyes, and it would be a bit before he would be feeling normal again. David gulped and whispered, tone broken, "What's going on?" Sarah took a step back, spreading her arms wide in introduction.
"I'll say it again, my name is Sarah, and you good sir have fallen into the Underground." She broke to facade, and scratched the back of her neck sheepishly, "I don't think I caught your name."
He blinked, "Oh, um it's David. Me. My name is...that." He growled to himself in embarrassment. Sarah laughed, this had the possibility of becoming very amusing. She may not be one to play stupid mind games, but endless teasing was never of the table. How she loved to piss off her council back in the day.
"David, I'm sorry to say I may have dragged you into a terrible situation, and possibility a war." He jumped, and wondered if he was dreaming for a second. Sarah continued, "You see, last I checked, I am a high profile fugitive on the run from my own people for starting a revolution against the fae." She opened her eyes and observed that David seemed utterly confused. He scratched his head, "Fae?" he said. He shook his head, "Is this a bunch of fantasy fairy stuff?" Sarah smiled sardonically, "Yep, except it's now reality."
David looked like he was going to explode from the amount of questions he needed answered. Sarah gazed up at the sky, knowing that it would be best to find shelter before it started to get dark. "Come on, let's get going." Without word, Sarah began walking away. David caught up with her and asked, "Where are we going?" With a brilliant cheer filled grin, she turned and said, "I have absolutely no idea."
But they both got the feeling that it was going to be a long road ahead.