Chapter 8.
The happy riding party arrived in the Royal apartment's private dining room. The meal was already being put on the table, and the King looked at all the arrangements with gratification. "I asked some of the Elven folk in the Kingdom to come to work here in the castle. They seem to be working out alright."
"Well your idea of alright and mine may not be the same." Anne said as she sipped her glass of juice. "My maid was standing over the bed when I woke up."
Jareth snickered. "Walk up earlier, Anne. Or sleep in your own bed."
Ryan laughed but covered it quickly. "He's got you, sweetheart."
Giles smirked.
"So has everybody thought over my offer?" Jareth asked as he began to eat his breakfast.
Giles also began to eat, "I gave you my answer last night, and I've not changed my mind. Nor am I likely to. Living here would be a good change for me. I have no family, or at least none that would miss me. The company I work for will not notice I am gone. Just show me where to sign up."
Ryan nodded. "We talked it over last night." He leaned on the table. "I'm not sure you know, but Anne and I don't have the greatest track record with our families."
"I'd heard." Jareth confirmed. "You've a brother who get most of your father's attention, and Anne has a family that is scattered like dust in the wind."
Ryan frowned. "That's a polite way of putting it." The young man looked somber. "I really hate the idea of going to work for my Uncle. There is no growth there, no way to go up. He has four sons in the business already. He has already said he would not give me time off for the things I enjoy pursuing, that he expects me to be glad I've a job at all. He is only offering the job out of a sense of obligation to my father for bailing him out a time or two."
"That does not sound very promising." Jareth sympathized.
"What you are offing me, is promising. So yes, after graduation I'd like to come and take up my post on a permanent basis."
Anne nodded, "Life here would be far more interesting than going to some school. So I too would like to accept your offer, Sire. Besides, Ryan and I, we come as a matched set."
Jareth smiled. "Good, I've the contracts right here." He snapped his fingers and the parchment papers were in his hand. He passed one to each of the champions with the exception of Sarah.
Anne sighed hers and handed it back, "Now what about Sarah?"
Jareth looked at the contract. "Sarah is part of the Kingdom already, she can eat what ever she wants. And has been able to since her last visit."
"Some visit." She scoffed.
Jareth winked. "Wasn't it?"
Giles handed his contract to the King. "When this adventure is done, I'll go back, close my living quarters and quit my position with the contractor."
Jareth nodded, "I'll have goblins come and help you move. We'll open a portal. You are to leave nothing behind."
Giles raised his brown. "Goblins, Sire…after last night you think that wise?"
"Perhaps not wise, but efficient. They make excellent works when a good strong hand is directing. Moreover, some of your archers are going to be Goblins, you need to get use to them and vise versa." He then gave the assignments for the morning. "Anne, you need to get in the office and pull it together. Start reviewing the histories and important papers, get me caught up. Giles I want you and Ryan to practice the sword moves I taught you yesterday. I need to spend about two hours with Sarah getting the house together. We all meet here for lunch; and then get started on preparations for our guests. They will be arriving this evening in a grand procession."
Anne finished first and went off for a shower and change before tackling the office. Ryan and Giles did not bother changing but went down to the courtyard for a work out. Jareth looked at Sarah who was just finishing her meal.
"Was it too you liking my dear?"
She smiled, "It was wonderful. Who was the cook?"
"He's a Satyr," Jareth said watching her reaction, "His name is Apollo, after the Sun God. He has a very poetic nature, and is an artist! His food creations are renown…but so is his womanizing. You stay out of his kitchen, unless I'm with you."
Sarah laughed, "Got it. I remember what the Mythology teacher said about them. What I was thinking was we should use his talents to impress our Fae guests."
Jareth shook his head, "Apollo and Quinn don't mix, Apollo might try to poison him."
"Oh dear, this brother of yours is starting to sound like a real menace." Sarah pushed away from the table. "I'm surprised Hoggle and Didymus have not arrived." She looked at Jareth; "We will need a cook who won't poison your brother, got any ideas?"
"One, but you won't like it." Jareth said with an evil smirk.
"Stop teasing, we have a serious deadline here." She followed him out of the dining room. "We need to get staff in here fast and we have to have staff we can trust."
Jareth pointed to the entry hall where subjects assembled. "I put the call out to the loyal, and these have answered."
Sarah looked at the array of beings standing in the entry hall. "Good morning." She greeted them.
"This is Mycroft, he worked as a butler in my father's place and retired here to Lybrinthia." Jareth made the formal introductions. "Mycroft, this is Sarah."
The tall elegant Fae looked at her with politeness. "Miss."
Sarah looked at him; "You're retired?" he did not appear to be of an age to retire.
The man smiled. "I am."
"Yet you consider coming out of retirement, why?" Sarah got a vibe from him that was most positive.
"I only retired because there was so many of us in the High King's Palace that there was little to keep one interested. Here, it's a different story." The man spoke eloquently.
Sarah looked at him, "We're over run in the castle with goblins, think you could work around or through them?"
"I like a challenge, Lady Sarah." He said in a friendly tone.
"OH, he's good." Sarah said to Jareth. "Now we need a housekeeper."
"Might I make a suggestion?" Mycroft said politely. "My wife has some experience working with a household staff. She would make a very good housekeeper for you." He motioned a woman to his side.
Sarah hid her surprise, the woman was not of the Seelie courts. She was a halfling, half elf and half goblin. Her features were elfin, and she had honest eyes. Sarah smiled, "Hello."
The woman bowed to her, and greeted her in return. "Lady Sarah,"
Mycroft presented her. "My wife, Lusha. She keeps a very neat house and is very good at keeping goblins in line."
Sarah liked the couple. "Lusha, would you like to come and work here in the castle?"
The woman's eyes began to shine. "It would be an honor."
Sarah looked at the pair. "Mycroft, I want you to go through the applicants here and get your self a staff. We are receiving state guests this evening, and I want them to think our staff have been with the castle for ages, and that everyone is devoted to our King." Mycroft bowed, and went toward the men in the entry. "Lusha, go through the women and find maids."
Jareth, who had been standing off to the side, snickered. "You're enjoying this."
"Darn tootin' I am!" she watched the group being whittled down. "The rest of you, I've jobs for you as well." She looked at Jareth; "Do we have uniforms?"
"It's taken care of." He promised. "If you don't like the style I can change it."
"As long as it looks tasteful I won't complain." She was watching Mycroft choose men to be footmen and others to be valets. He was making quick work of it, and sending them off to duties. "He's having a good time!" She commented then looked at Lusha, who was also giving duties out to new maids. "We still need a cooking staff." She looked at Jareth; "I won't have a guest poisoned, even if he is your brother."
A rather large man presented himself. "May I be of assistance?" He bowed. "I am Krus, the retired baker of the High Kings court."
Sarah looked at Jareth. "Your father sends his retirees here?"
'No, some come because they like me." Jareth said arrogantly then smiled at Krus. "Krus came because his wife is a goblin and she was homesick."
Sarah looked at the large man. "So you're a baker…but we need.."
"I'm a master cook, my lady." He corrected. "Baking in the High King's Court was all I was allowed to do. In the High King's court there's more workers than jobs, I am afraid. It was considered an honor to just be a baker."
"You want to come out of retirement and run a kitchen for the Castle?" Sarah asked.
"It would be an honor!" Krus cried joyously. "My entire family would be honored to serve our King."
"You're hired." Sarah said and waved the man off. "I'll have this evenings menu sent to you in an hour. The King will see to it you have supplies."
Jareth tapped her shoulder, and pointed to three figures coming into the hall. Sarah ran to the open arms of her companions from her last adventure in the Underground Kingdom.
"Ludo!" she threw herself into his fury body. Then she bent over and hugged the dwarf; lastly, she bent down to plant a kiss on the brow of her little knight.
Jareth stood back watching. The dwarf eyed the King with suspicion. "What's he done that brought you back here?" he complained bitterly, his intense dislike of Jareth flared.
"Hogsbain, nice to see you again too." The King drawled, pulling on his gloved fingers. "How have you been?"
The dwarf frowned, "Sarah, you don't belong here!"
Sarah shook her head, "Hoggle, this is where I need to be right now. Jareth's got a real problem and it's something that could affect the entire Kingdom."
Sir Didymus moved toward the King, took off his plumed cap and bowed with many flourishes. "My King," he spoke with fine courtly manners. "You may count on me to do what ever is needed to protect our Kingdom."
Jareth pulled himself upright, suddenly appearing very regal. "I thank you, sir knight."
Ludo looked at Sarah, then the King, "King friend?" When Sarah nodded, the great orange beast lumbered toward the monarch. "King friend!" his great arms reaching out.
"A hand shake will do." The King grabbed the hand as it neared him.
Ludo looked disappointed at not being allowed to hug his King. "Ludo friend…"
"Yes, I know, but really…" Jareth looked at Sarah who was sputtering as she tried to hold in her laughter. "You are not helping!" At that moment, the beast pulled the King into its enormous arms and hugged.
Even Hoggle had to snicker. Sarah after a moment collected herself enough to disengage the beast. "Enough Ludo."
"Like being hugged by a fur coat." Jareth said as he shook himself free.
Hoggle looked at the King, and the folk rushing about. "What's the danger anyway?"
Jareth bit his lower lip then motioned Hoggle forward. He went down on his knee as he had in the tunnel to address the dwarf. "Quinn."
Hoggle's eyes popped open with alarm. "What can we do? It's our kingdom too."
Jareth stood up. "Get my gardens in line. Get every garden Gnome you know on the job, we've only got until Sundown." He watched Hoggle rush off, "And do not spray any more of the swarm fairies!" he called after the dwarf. "We may need the little buggers!"
Sir Didymus stood awaiting his orders. "Sire?"
"You're the leader of my Guard, of course." Jareth said politely. "Sir Didymus, I want you to make sure every one of our guards are spit polished and up to snuff. The only persons not under your authority is my Paladin and my Master Archer."
Didymus bowed and twitched his mustache as he moved his head side to side. "I shall not fail you, Sire!" He headed off toward the guards quarters.
Ludo looked at the King with big wondering eyes. "Job?"
"Go make sure the beasts of the forest behave." Jareth said gently.
Sarah waved good bye to the great beast. "That was sweet of you." She said turning to the man. "Sometimes you surprise me."
Jareth mumbled to himself. "Surprise myself too." He pointed toward the throne room. "We'd best take a look at what we can do to make that room presentable."
The great circular stone chamber had not changed much in the few months since Sarah had last seen it. With perhaps the exception that now it was occupied by a myriad of Goblins. They were arguing with some of the maids and men servants who were trying to usher them out of the chamber. It was littered with everything from uneaten meals to bones. Sarah shook her head, and growled.
The sound of the girls' growl silenced every single Goblin; all eyes turned her direction. One of the goblins screamed, another began to shake in fear. One cried out. "The girl who ate the peach!"
Jareth stepped back. "They are all yours darling."
Sarah grabbed one goblin that came running past her with a chicken. "No more Chickens in the throne room!"
The little goblin looked up at her, then over to the King, then back at Sarah. "Yes…ma'am." He turned and took the chicken out of the throne room.
"Ok, boys!" Sarah bellowed. "Play time is over and it's time to pick up and put away our toys!"
There was a combined complaint.
Sarah looked at the horde gathering around her demanding to know why they should listen to her. "Quinn is coming." She said in a calm quiet voice.
The horde stilled, looked at each other and then began to pick up the throne room.
Jareth placed an arm over her shoulder as they watched the goblins put straight the mess that had been in the room for years. "How in the world did you know that would work?"
"It seems to be the consensus that no one wants Quinn in the Kingdom. I don't know what he did to Hoggle or the Goblins, but it's clear he's the common foe here." Sarah said calmly. "I'm going to shower and change. See you at lunch. Keep up the good work boys!" she called to the Goblins as she exited the room. "And don't get in the way of the serving staff."
"We want to serve too!" one goblin attached himself to Sarah's leg.
"Fine." She said shaking free. "There's enough work to go around."
Jareth looked at the room being cleaned by Goblins and new staff. The girl going up the steps to the royal apartments was on his mind. He mused that perhaps all the kingdom had ever needed was the feminine touch. Then looked around he changed that, to one feminine touch, Sarah's.
