Chapter 7 : The Sixth Kingdom
"Mummy! Mummy wake up" Violet pounced on Sarah waking Jareth immediately. "Hey there, Easy Violet, you have to be careful of mummy's tummy." Sarah continued sleeping, exhausted from the party, Morgana, and staying up in the Library.
"Let's let mummy rest ok?"
"Ahh, but" "No, no, no fussing, mummy needs rest" "But you don't take me to breakfast, Mummy does..." Jareth felt guilt wash over him. "Today Daddy is going to spend some time with you, okay" Jareth sat up quietly. " Now let's whisper so we don't wake mummy," Violet looked skeptical, but she really did want to spend time with her father. "Okay, I have to go potty." Violet announced. And helped herself to the restroom. Jareth was astonished, he didn't know Sarah had potty trained their daughter already. He heard the toilet flush and then saw Violet step up on a stool to wash her hands. Curiously he walked into the bathroom, Violet stood on a stool with her name carved into it. Jareth placed his hands in his hips. He felt out of sorts. He didn't even know about a personalized stood Sarah undoubtably made for their daughter.
"Come on Daddy, I'm hungry" Violet slipped into her room waiting for her father to help her get dressed.
He was surprised to see Violet's crib was gone and a beautiful bed was in her room. "When did you get a big girl bed?" Jareth asked his daughter. Violet climbed up the two steps it took to get on her bed, and she began giggling and jumping. "Mummy did it for my birthday, she said I'm a big girl now."
"Did she now?" Jareth caught Violet mid-jump and tickled her, the child's laughter was like music to his ears. With everything happening since Violet's birth, Sarah had single handedly made sure the child had a normal life experience. Jareth found himself in awe of Sarah again. "Okay now, what to wear..." Jareth said very seriously. Opening the wardrobe of mini gowns... humm, this was Foreign to him.
"You know what I bet mummy would like to pick out what you wear today, you can have breakfast in your nightgown." Violet crosses her arms. "It is not lady like to walk around the castle in my nightgown Daddy!"
"Says who?" Jareth crossed his arms and for a moment they stood the same. "Mummy... she's the boss"
"Is that so... did mummy say that too?" Jareth puffed up his chest.
"Well if that's true, you're Daddy here is going to need some assistance..." Jareth realized in this moment Sarah had completely done this on her own, she seemed to have a routine with Violet he knew little about.
" Don't worry daddy..." Violet took his hand smiling up at him. She then used magic to dress herself for the day. Jareth was astonished, and bent down to his tot. " let me guess, mummy taught you that?"
"Yep!" Violet giggled. " now let's go, I'll miss Michael for breakfast!" Violet proclaimed, pulling Jareth out of her room to the kitchen.
Sarah listened to them as she lie in the bed, it was refreshing to hear Jareth with Violet. Sarah knew as soon as he showed up in the kitchens with Violet that Elizabeth would come looking for her.
Devising a plan Sarah quickly got up. She had work to do. She dressed quickly and headed to the gardens.
Once there she looked at the statue of Morgana long and hard. The rage that built up inside her had her wanting to blast the beautiful statue into oblivion, but then reason would take over and she would calm down, trying to place things in order, who was this woman and how did she come to work with Nalan. Soon frustrated tears were glistening in Sarah's eyes as she covered her abdomen. She wanted answers but didn't know how she was going to get them now. She wanted to fight, but couldn't risk her family. Soon sarah was pacing, biting her bottom lip.
"Sarah?'" She heard someone call out, she halted with a start, looking up the staircase leading to the garden was Jareth. Sarah took a deep breath. It was time they talked.
"I was frightened when you weren't were I left you... are you alright?" Jareth noted Sarah's nervous agitation. Sarah was torn, she wanted to scream at him, for his actions, and coldness, for his secrets. But right now, with the way he was looking at her with such love and concern, what she wanted most was to run to his arms. Everything was so tangled up inside her and she needed to find some resolve.
"No Jareth, I'm not... alright" she answered honestly. Looking deeply at him as he descended the stairs. Feeling her essence Jareth reached out for her testing for her reaction. He could feel she was scattered and afraid.
She hesitated when he reached for her but gave into her need for his warmth. She admitted finally to herself, she wasn't going to get anywhere being at odds with her husband.
As soon as she touched him she blinked them to the massive study. "Before we start this discussion Jareth... I need you to understand that I need you to hear me, and answer me honestly. But first, where is Violet?"
"Our daughter is with Elizabeth, playing with Michael, I promise to listen and answer your curiosities to the best of my ability, all I ask precious is you do the same for me."
"Fair enough." Sarah took a seat in the lush chair behind the desk, it was normally where the King would sit to conduct his business with the kingdom, but he knew full well, it was not the priority, nit pick over seating; she was making a silent statement, and Jareth received the message clearly, if he was going to gain his wife's trust back, he would let her take the lead.
"Who is Morgana?" Sarah said quickly. A wave of nausea overcame her, she placed her hand on her stomach and took a slow breath.
Jareth sat infront of her. Noting her discomfort.
"She is a powerful sorceress from the banished sixth kingdom. After you... left the labyrinth, and refused me, Morgana was relentless at her attempts to take your place."
"Why?"
"I'm not rightfully sure, I can assume to become queen, the Labyrinth would not have her, nor would I," Jareth raised his eye brow, feeling a tinge of jealousy swirling off Sarah. "She looks like me..." Sarah almost whispered. "Surely you would have,"
"Sarah, are you suggesting I tried to replace you?" Jareth scoffed, almost offended.
"It was her intention." Sarah leaned forward. Eyes blazing.
"Precious, why don't you tell me what you're leaving out..." Sarah sat back, she wasn't ready to admit her misguided actions. At her silence Jareth grew frustrated. "Fay mate for life, they are matched up to their equal, Morgana was delusional, she thought she could glamour her way into my heart, no amount of magic in the under or aboveground could take your place, in the labyrinth, in the kingdom and most of all in my heart. I rejected her. And in her bitterness she and my cousin tried to have me dethroned, they tried to steal my kingdom through deceit, Nalan tried to find you, to use you against me, these are very dangerous laws to break... and your safety, even before you wished yourself here was my priority.
"Nalan tried to use me against you before I came back?"
"Yes," a painful look crossed Jareth's features. Sarah bit her lip. She decided to leave that part alone, already knowing what Nalan was capable of. "You never spoke of a sixth kingdom, before... I'm assuming that's where..."
"My cousin was a cruel leader, many of his subjects fled, few made it." Jareth said carefully. And a shiver ran down Sarah's spine. Jareth walked over to a rack, where maps draped much like quilts, seeking a hidden one he carefully pulled it out lying on the desk infront of Sarah. "Here," he pointed to the sixth kingdom, the illustrations of the kingdom were bleak, and Sarah found them to be dark and jagged, very different from the flow of the other five kingdoms, which were full of color and light.
At the top of the map, was the Labyrinth, it was void of its life and color. Jareth noted Sarah's soft touch over their kingdom. "That was after my love," Sarah knew he was referring to when she had left. She sighed, a wave of guilt washing over her. Had she known... she would never had left. Jareth pulled an updated map out, showing a much brighter Kingdom where they reside, the six kingdom was removed.
"So its gone? Just like that?" She asked looking to an empty sixth kingdom.
"Nothing is ever truly erased in the underground, I'm sure he still is there, however it is no longer recognized to the other Kingdoms, as I said laws are taken very seriously here, seeking out to harm a future queen earned him banishment"
"What about what he has done," Sarah said in a shaky whisper. " We are working on that, the crimes against you... the charges Nalan has, he has earned a death sentence." Sarah noticed Jareth's hands were clenched. "He has eluded the kingdoms efforts in finding him thus far" Jareth stopped pacing and sat back down.
"He was working with her...Morgana." Sarah mention with as much might as she could. "How do you know this?" Jareth asked slowly.
"The farm women I healed... I... I don't know, and when you wanted to destroy our child..." Sarah was shaking, she was visibly upset. "When I took Violet I went to the farm house, I overheard Morgana's plans to hand me over to Nalan, it was her plan to take my place, as Queen and mother to Violet...that's what those marks were on Violet..." Jareth rushed over to Sarah when she began to sob. The thought of putting Violet in danger hit Sarah hard.
"Sarah, are you saying you were with Morgana when you ran from me?"
"I didn't know who she was, and then she tried to take Violet... she said I was your trash and Nalan's treasure because you didn't want this baby. I removed the marks from Violet..." Jareth's blood ran cold. Rage coursed through his veins.
"Do you have ANY idea the danger you were in?!" He shouted.
"Yes I do, and right under your nose!" It was Sarah's turn to shout. "She came here last night! In the castle, walked right up to Violet...but I took care of it..."
"The statue..." Jareth crossed his arms looking up, he felt foolish, and most of all he felt remorse, had he kept his temper in check... none of this would have happened. He sighed in defeat. "So What Sarah, you thought you'd read a few books," the black book she'd been reading magicked into his hand, he slammed it onto the desk, the loud clap made Sarah jump. She closed her eyes, trying to find the nerve to keep this up. "And fight him yourself?" Jareth leaned on the desk with both hands looking intensely into Sarah's eyes.
"Yes." She answered simply. It was the truth after all.
Jareth stormed out of the library. Slamming the door for dramatic effect, Sarah winced at the loud bang. She sighed deeply and reached for the black book, only to have it dissolved in her hand. "Damnit Jareth," she rested her head in her hands, letting the tears fall silently.
Looking up from her frustrated tears, Sarah saw a stack of opened letters. Two, from the third and fourth kingdom, sharing their alliance against Nalan, and offering Jareth whatever assistance he may need, and with added condolences to the Queen. She shook her head letting out a peeved puff. As she stood an unopened letter fell to the top of the Mahogany desk.
It was small and the edges were burnt, it was sealed with black wax, with no specific markings engraved in the wax. Feeling a bit intrusive, Sarah ran her finger slowly under the parchment, breaking the wax seal.
Why would a King such as yourself leave such a precious possession so unprotected, could it be cousin you are lacking control? My offer stands, you know I can take the unruly wench off your hands, in our previous days you'd not think twice on the matter. Tick tock cousin, my patience is wearing thin... oh and do send Morgana back to me, I find Stone gray is not her color. - N
Sarah's hands shook with fear and betrayal. From the way this letter was written... Sarah stopped her train of thought. It had to be Nalan being manipulative. No way could Jareth be corresponding with him. Sarah shook her head in disbelief and walked to the window overlooking the gardens. Immediately her eyes were drawn to her husband, standing in-front of the statue, and with a wave of Jareth's hand. He undid Sarah's spell, Morgana reanimated and it looked as if Jareth was having a conversation with her. But it was when he took Morgana by the elbow and led her in the palace walls that Sarah gasped. Dropping the letter, she backed away from the window.
She swallowed hard, damning her tears. She placed a hand on her abdomen, protecting her unborn son... and... " Oh my god, Violet!" Sarah rushed out of the study. Trying to feel Violets essence. She blinked herself into Violets room in the corner facing Elizabeth putting the Princess down for a nap. "Sarah, you gave me a fright," Elizabeth stood up from Violets bed. "Are you Alright? What's happened?"
"It's Jar..." just as Sarah began to speak she felt an arm snake around her abdomen and a blade to her throat. She let out a scream before it was quickly stifled by and unforgiving grasp on her mouth.
"Sarah!" Elizabeth cried out. "Mummy!" Violet screamed in unison with her auntie. Elizabeth found herself on Violets bed gathering the child trying to protect the small bundle, whom was thrashing about trying to get to her mother.
" Now Sarah be a good Mummy and calm the child before she alerts the entire underground or she'll see her Mummy bleed to death before her sweet little eyes" Nalan whispered harshly in her ear.
"Shhh baby it's ok, hold onto Auntie Elizabeth" Sarah cried. "Please you don't have to do this!" Sarah pleaded, "not here". She felt the daggers blade sting her neck. Sarah look right into Elizabeth's eyes hoping she remembered her promise. "Elizabeth, promise me." Sarah weeped, as she cried out from the blade, blood tricked down her neck.
Jareth was closing the lock on the enchanted dungeon, Morgana had no way out, no magic would work and the iron laced silver bars would keep her put. It was when Jareth went to blink back to Sarah that he heard her cry out. Jareth immediately blinked to Sarah's location only to see Nalan and Sarah disappear in a cloud of black smoke. Elizabeth held Violet in horror. The child was screaming for her mother.
"What has happened here!" Jareth screamed, in shock. Elizabeth pulled Violet close. "you were to late!" Elizabeth cried. "He took Sarah..." Comforting Violet as best as she could.
"Nooo!" Jareth screamed. Violet cried louder for her mother. Jareth turned his attention to his daughter gathering her up in his arms.
"Shh it's alright my lovie, Daddy's going to fix this, I'll get mummy back." Jareth kissed Violets cheek, looked to Elizabeth, "please have Marcus meet me in the grand hall, tell him to gather our men, I have to get her back... I have to get her back." Jareth looked down in despair. The last time he spoke to Sarah he was so cross with her. Elizabeth reached out for Violet. " I'll look after her, go..." Violet wrapped her arms and legs around Elizabeth clinging to her for dear life.
Jareth rushed away summoning Marcus himself, Elizabeth gathered Michael and took the two to the playroom. She quickly cleared her tears, trying to remain calm for the children. "Please auntie Elizabeth I want my Mummy..." Violet begged.
"I know sweetheart, you're daddy, and uncle Marcus are going to gather an army and find your Mummy, I promise."
A/N : talk about edge of your seat, ok thats all I've got for now but I promise to update asap. I'm sorry about any grammer mistakes, please be forgiving. Hope you enjoyed!
