Time passed and finally Ondine spoke. "Aren't you wrinkled from the water?"
Jareth looked over at her and draped himself along the edge of the tub, so he faced her. "That took long enough."
"If it's alright, Your Majesty, perhaps we should grab some food" Ondine suggested. Jareth nodded and stood up. Ondine blinked and turned away from what was at eye level. She stood up, with a small groan, and moved the chair.
"I am most curious about your predicament, Lady" Jareth said. He pulled on loose clothing and his riding boots. Ondine followed him out of the bathing house and to the dining room. Jareth ordered food to go and they took it to their shared room. It was a simple meal of fish and chips, but it was filling. "How is your side?"
"Fine, Sire" Ondine replied between bites.
"Take down your hair" Jareth ordered. Ondine furrowed her brow and watched him to see if he was serious. "Do it." Ondine wiped her hands off and sat back in her chair. She unpinned her hair and unwound her braid. Her hair spilled over her ears and shoulders, making her look human. Jareth smiled. "What a fantastic dichotomy of feminine and masculine. The bear killer and the woman with delicious caramel waves." Jareth ate a bite of his fish before continuing. "I'm going to leave word for the pixies. I want an audience with them."
"You really don't need-" Ondine said.
"No" Jareth said cutting her off. "Think of how long you've been this way. I've been going through it in my head. It must be torturous."
"I've learned to deal with it" Ondine replied with indifference.
"What happened earlier with the rabbit?" Jareth asked. He finished his fish and started in on the chips.
"Didn't you see?" Ondine asked. Jareth raised an eyebrow and waited for her. "It...that tree...it's going to lose that branch. It's all out of season."
"You barely made a sound" Jareth stated. Ondine took a bite of her fish and nodded.
"I know, I'm sorry" Ondine said. "I let myself become worried about the pixies. I could have done serious damage to you, to the horses, to that rabbit, to the forest."
"What happens during the day?" Jareth asked. Ondine chewed her food and took a deep breath. She had been asked that very question a lot over the years.
"If I make noise, vocal noise" Ondine said softly, pausing to look nervous. "Plant growth happens."
Ondine coughed a few times as soon as the words left her mouth. She stood up and turned away, wretching and coughing some more.
"My lady" Jareth said with concern. He stood up just as her fit ended. Ondine wiped her mouth and turned around with a spit covered pinecone.
"The price I pay for telling" Ondine whispered in a raspy voice. Coughing up a 4-inch pinecone was never pleasant. It left her feeling like her throat was cleaned out with a wire brush. She tossed the pinecone into a wastebin. Jareth sat down, taking in what had just occurred.
"I suppose you have been used to grow crops" Jareth said solemnly. Ondine nodded. "And, those twelve men that you killed?"
"All I did was greet them" Ondine said. She picked up one of her fried pieces of potato and swirled it in the sauce that the dish came with. "They became trees."
"That's a hideously beautiful curse" Jareth whispered. It wasn't so much praise as it was respect for the idea behind it. "The only way to remove it will be by the pixie who cast it."
Ondine focused on finishing her meal and Jareth let her. He watched her eat in the way that lonely people eat, kind of a sloppy, eat-it-quick sort of way that says no one has been around to see them dine in a great while.
"Why were you sent?" Jareth asked after a while. Ondine was down to two fries. She left them alone and sat back in her chair.
"I don't know" Ondine said, her voice scratchy. "Honestly, I'm not sure. I spend most of my time working on not speaking during the day. It was only the weapons keeper who came to check in on me every so often. After the incident, everyone was scared. I was moved to a shack on the far side of the gardens, away from everyone else." Ondine's jaw clenched briefly. "I don't know why I was sent. I just...I was handed my orders."
"You still trained as a guard member?" Jareth asked. Ondine nodded 'yes' before saying mostly. "Mostly?"
"Just the basics over and over again" Ondine said. "I was expected to work the gardens and use my curse to produce food for the others. I was not to socialize, for the most part, and I had to adjust to being looked over...a worker bee in worn out armor."
"One scream from you and a whole army could be stopped" Jareth said. "You could regrow forests and save starving people."
"One scream from me and it would be everyone on the battlefield would be affected, animals included" Ondine tensely replied. Ondine stood up and walked a circle around the room.
"One black sheep to another" Jareth began. "I can understand the ache of shunning. I will try to help you out, Lady Ondine. We just need to get to Grousloge for the treaty first."
"Thank you, Your Majesty" Ondine replied with something less than actual thanks. The rest of the evening was spent quietly. Jareth scribbling furiously in his journal and Ondine reading her book. The silence was only cut short when Jareth put his journal away for the night.
"We should make Grousloge in two days" Jareth said. "Tomorrow we should be able to make it to Rose City, but after that we have to deal with Bone Pass."
"Bone Pass shouldn't be too bad this time of year" Ondine replied. "You will have safe passage, Sire."
"I'm absolutely played out" Jareth said softly. He got up and extinguished a handful of candles, dimming the room. "Good night, Lady Stone."
"Good night, Your Majesty" Ondine replied.
The ride to Rose City was not a hard one. Ondine had cleaned up her armor for the ride and, just in case any pixies saw her, she wore her owl face helmet until they cleared the forest. She could feel the bad mood clinging to her back like one of the king's handsy goblins. For the ride, Ondine was glad that she was not allowed to speak.
The third day of riding was met with a cold day. It seemed that all the animals in the forest were hibernating and Ondine couldn't blame them. This was the time of year she preferred to be inside working on processing her harvest by canning, pickling, and making things that the parliament guard could store away during the winter.
They reached Rose City by mid-afternoon. Rose City was lovely in all seasons. The mortar and concrete used for the buildings was always tinged with a natural rose color from the local quarries. The city was also known for its year-round roses. Right now, the yellow winter roses were just beginning to bloom. The sunshine-colored roses were usually a big hit in winter. It was such a high contrast to the greys and blues. Rose City was also the last place to stop before Bone Pass, if one was heading to the coast.
"Let's stop in here for a quick bite" Jareth said hopping down from his horse and hitching it to a post. Ondine followed him, removing her helmet just before entering the small pub. Jareth ordered for them upon entering the pub. "Two hot specials." They took up a table against a wall, where they could see the windows clearly. "We could push on and get to Grousloge late tonight."
"It's hot stew today" A rotund lady said cheerfully. She deposited two big bowls of stew and a basket with a small loaf of steamy bread onto the table. "Anything to drink?"
"A peach cider for me" Jareth replied. Ondine nodded and signaled that she would like one too. "Two peach ciders."
"You're in luck. We are barely able to get peach cider here, but we have a little left from our monthly delivery" The woman said. She hurried to fill the order.
"This needs to become a new trade route" Jareth said softly to Ondine. When the lady came back with their ciders, Jareth spoke up. "Any word on Bone Pass today? We need to get to Grousloge."
"Oh my" The lady said holding her hands in front of her. "I'm not sure. I spend all my time in here." She looked around and seemed to find someone in the pub. "Let me go ask one of my regulars. I'll be right back."
Ondine was hunched over her bowl, nearly half way through her stew. It was full of rabbit, vegetables, fresh herbs, and delicious hot broth. Jareth sighed and cleared his throat. Ondine looked up and slowly sat upright after noticing his outright look of disgust.
"Perhaps you should work on your table etiquette" Jareth quipped. He reached for a chunk of bread. "You eat like one of my goblins." Ondine pointed at herself, then at her bowl, and then signaled "no". "Eat your food and be respectable about it."
"Sir?" The lady called out as she approached the table. "Sir, my friend over there told me that Bone Pass is currently impassable. The tribes are at it again, despite the snow."
"Thank you" Jareth said with a smile. "We will have to figure out when we can pass."
"You're welcome" The lady said with a bubbly tone. The unasked question lingered between King and Knight as they finished their food, do they stay or go?
Jareth stood at the window in the room with a pout. Snow fell from the sky in large wet clusters and they were stuck at an inn in Rose City watching it. Ondine sat on her bed finishing up her book. Jareth had been frowning at the window for nearly an hour and she was getting bored.
"Damn snow" Jareth grumbled for the fifth time. Ondine waited until she was completely finished with her book before getting off the bed. She pulled on her boots and stood up. "Where are you going?" He turned to face her. She held up her book and pulled two coins from a belt pouch. She tossed her book the bed and reached for her cloak. "I can just wait here for you." Ondine tilted her head a little. "Leave me for a while. Go do what you need to. I'll be here, in this room, door locked."
Against her better judgement, Ondine nodded and left. She was on a quest for a new book.
Jareth was deep in paperwork when Ondine returned. Jareth looked up at her, but went right back to his work. Ondine tossed two books onto her bed and checked the window and bathroom. Everything looked secure.
"You weren't gone for very long" Jareth finally said. His work was interrupted when a book was shoved between him and his paperwork. In gilted letters it read "The Garden of Lilies by Monserrat". A piece of paper stuck out from the top of the book. Jareth took the book and looked up at Ondine. "What is this?" Ondine gestured to the bookmark and Jareth opened the book. It was a book of poetry and Jareth read the marked poem aloud. "I sit upon my chair of gold and wait. I watch from my high tower and wait. Down below I see them scamper like mice. My crystals show me beauties and I wait. My pain is my fear and I wait. Stay away or rise above is the best advice." Jareth looked up at Ondine. "That's an awful poem. It's sophmoric at best."
Ondine sighed and crossed the small room to sit on her bed. Jareth tossed the book of poetry aside and looked as if he was finished with his work. Exhaustion fell over his face. He collected his papers and tucked them away in a leather portfolio.
"Would you be kind enough to rub my shoulders for me?" Jareth asked. Ondine gave him a look and made a few gestures that involved tapping her dagger. "You're not just a knight, you're the gardener. Get over here and do it."
Ondine took a deep breath and begrudgingly moved to perch herself behind the king on his small bed. He was naturally taller than her, so she tossed a pillow on the floor and gestured to it. Without complaint he slid down to sit on the pillow. Ondine moved so she had one leg on each side of his body. Her hands shook as she reached for his shoulders and she stopped to shake them out. She began with a light kneading of his shoulders and upper back.
"You can go a bit harder, I'm not made of glass" Jareth said. It was awkward for her and applying more pressure just seemed to compound that feeling. Ondine did the best she could and was relieved when she felt him relax a little. "That feels much better."
Ondine moved to her bed as soon as she possibly could. Jareth watched her from his position on the floor. He gave her a smile. "Nervous, My Lady?" The knight put on a firm face and picked up her book. "I can understand your reluctance with everyone avoiding you for so long."
She took a deep breath and glanced at the window. She had heard this very thing from the weapons keeper many times. It was just pity and Ondine didn't want it. It must have shown on her face because Jareth stopped and scooted to sit back on his bed.
"What a pity" Jareth muttered. He picked at his papers, bored with them for the moment. He picked up the poetry book and flipped through it, stopping to read a poem here and there. Time was passing slowly and it bothered him. Jareth stood and gracefully, quickly pulled on his cloak and boots. Ondine began pulling on her boots, following his leads. "You don't have to go with me."
Ondine gave him a look and pulled on her own cloak.
"My Lady, if something happens, I'm sure I can take care of it" Jareth replied. Ondine simply shook her head 'no'. Her hands were a flurry of gestures and Jareth rolled his eyes. With a flick of his wrist he produced a crystal that turned, with a pop, into a sheet of parchment and a quill. Ondine took the proffered items and furiously wrote down her reply. Jareth read the parchment as soon as it was thrust into his face. "You asked for my help and I will do my duty. Yes...mmm-hmm...What if someone finds out who you are and what you're doing? Why request help if you didn't want it?" Jareth sighed and looked at Ondine without finishing the note. "Lady, we have had no troubles so far. I can keep a low profile and-"
Ondine pulled Jareth, forcefully, to the mirror in the room and shook her head 'no'.
"How dare you manhandle me in such a way!" Jareth hissed at her. His hand connected with her face with a crisp slap. "I'll have no troubles out there. Don't follow me...gardner."
Ondine felt her face redden as the king stormed out of the room.
NOTE: Hope you guys like this. I have something BIG planned for the next chapter.
