"That's a lovely shade of blue you are wearing, Sarah, it suits you," Karen said as Sarah came into her parent's room wearing a pale blue dress that came to just above her knees. Karen was just finishing dressing Toby in a dark blue sailor suit with white trim. Karen herself was wearing a dark blue dress that swirled around her knees as she walked.
"We match," Sarah said, grinning. Her stepmother tilted her head and grinned.
"Great minds think alike," Karen drawled, amused. "Well, let's go - I hate to keep my sisters waiting."
Sarah's eyes grew wide as she held Karen's hand while her stepmother held onto Toby with her other arm. A swirling pink glitter, like fine sand that tickled, surrounded them and within moments they were at the gates of a enormous castle. Trumpets blared as they waited for the doors to open. A sweet floral smell wafted through the air and Sarah took a deep breath. Karen smiled.
"Mourning willow flowers," she said. "It only grows in the Under Ground. A cousin to the Above Ground's willow trees. How did you like the trip here this time?"
"You don't use a mirror?" Sarah asked, looking around in surprise. This was nothing like Jareth's castle.
"Royalty does not need such devices," Karen explained. "Jareth's mode of arrival is a thunderstorm. I prefer something a bit calmer."
"You can still do this even though you gave up the throne?"
"I'm still royalty here, even if I choose not to be queen. I'm more of an advisor now, but I still retain my title while in this realm, and command a sort of respect from the people here. My magic is even a bit stronger while I'm here."
A guard glanced down from his vantage point and motioned for others to open the massive wooden gates to let the visitors enter. Sarah looked around in awe, everything was clean and sparkling, tiny diamonds embedded into the walls and floors. Music seemed to come out of nowhere, filling the air with a peaceful serenade of flutes and invisible singers.
"Is this where your sister lives?" Sarah asked. Karen nodded, staring up at the large fortress.
"If you think this is impressive you should see where Sasha lives," she smiled, tickling Toby under his chin.
"Sasha?"
"My other sister, the Crystal Queen. Her name is Marissa, but we've always called her Sasha - it means 'whirlwind' in our language and she is certainly that when she wishes to be. She's very passionate about her likes and dislikes and you always know where you stand."
"And the High Queen Seline is your sister also?"
"They are both half sisters. I share my mother with both, but we all have different fathers." At Sarah's look of confusion Karen sighed. "Fae males have a dangerous life when royal. Some are murdered, some are killed in war. It is not an easy life. The High Queen treasures Jareth more for this reason, it may be why he is a bit spoiled."
"Will she like me, his mother, I mean?" Sarah asked, concerned. "I mean, I didn't exactly treat her son very well in the end."
"Jareth is her life, but his fate is his own. She knows that you were - confused by his offer. Truth be told, Jareth has never asked another woman to love him. That alone makes you someone she wishes to meet."
"The music is beautiful," Sarah said, changing the subject to keep from smiling. Karen was mistaken if she thought Jareth had been serious with his supposed offer. He barely knew her.
"Ah, that is the castle singing." At Sarah's confused look, Karen laughed. "The castle is infused with magic which manifests itself in music. It's how we communicate our emotions. If a Fae sings to you, he has given you his heart. I sang to your father the night he proposed." Karen blushed. "It was quite - satisfying."
Sarah paled. Jareth had sung to her in the ballroom. He'd asked her to love him. He came into her room and held her to him like she was his.
"I'll always come back to you," he'd said. Maybe he'd meant it. Maybe she was in deeper trouble than she'd thought. She took a deep breath and followed Karen into a large sitting room filled with flowers.
The High Queen rose from her seat and held out her arms. "Let me hold my nephew," she cried and Toby held out his hands to her as well. Karen smiled and handed over her son to Seline, who sang to the boy in a lovely old language that made Sarah feel warm inside.
"You must be Sarah," Seline said, smiling. "Please, come closer, so that I may see the young woman who has won my son's heart."
Sarah walked to the queen slowly, trying to get her heart to quit trying to jump out of her mouth. It was going to be a long day.
JSJSJS
Hoggle and Ludo followed Sir Didymus through the forest talking quietly. Hoggle was still not sure what he was going to say to Sarah, only that he was sure Jareth was plotting something. The rat didn't like to lose.
He'd heard stories about Fae losing their one true love and the devastation that happened within a year of the refusal. Hoggle sniffed. Jareth didn't know what love was so how could he have a one true love? It was all a trick of some kind and Hoggle was going to make sure Sarah did not fall in love with Jareth out of pity or trickery. Besides, Sarah was his best friend and Hoggle liked having something in his life that Jareth could not take away from him.
"Sawa back," Ludo said slowly. "Knows truth?"
"About her stepmom, yeah," Hoggle said, distracted by his thoughts. Ludo shook his head.
"King loves Sawa," the rock caller said wisely. Hoggle felt himself growing angry.
"He does not! And she ain't gonna love him either," Hoggle said fiercely. "The rat's got a bunch of women fallin' all over him. He doesn't need my - I mean our Sarah."
Sir Didymus heard the exchange but did not look back as he rode on his trusty steed. Hoggle had feelings for the lady? That would not be good, not good at all. It was known all through the lands that the Goblin King had made his offer to the girl and she had refused him out of misunderstandings between them. But Jareth had never made the offer to anyone before - surely Hoggle must admit what that meant?
"Love strong," Ludo said, shrugging. "Can't fight."
"Hoggle thinks you've been out in the sun too long," the old dwarf said, reverting to the third person he always used when upset. "Hoggle's gonna prove you wrong on this, you just wait. Sarah's too smart to fall for the rat's mischief."
Sir Didymus cleared his throat. "My brothers, we have at last arrived at the Crystal Palace. I shall fetch our lovely Queen Marissa and we shall escort her to the High Queen's luncheon."
"Uh, Ludo and I will meet you there," Hoggle said. "I want to check on a few - um, flowers in the queen's garden before we see Sarah. We'll meet ya there."
"Oh. Well. Certainly if that is your wish. I will see you both at the High Court in one hour's time." The small knight bowed and disappeared into the palace. Hoggle looked at his friend and nodded.
"All rights then - let's go. Sarah needs our help."
"Sawa in trouble?" Ludo asked, eyes widening. Hoggle nodded again with a strange gleam in his eye.
"Yep, she's in trouble and Hoggle's gonna make sure to get her outs of it. Come on, let's get to that luncheon."
JSJSJS
Jareth always enjoyed coming to his parent's castle. As he and his sister rode their horses to the palace, he breathed in the scent of mourning willow flowers, his mother's favorite. Everything about it shouted of ancient traditions and new possibilities. He glanced over at Briella who was frowning.
"You look pensive, dear sister. Tell your brother what irks you so."
"I do not understand the attraction you have for the mortal. She refused you, mocked you in your own home. Distracted your subjects, destroyed your kingdom." The girl shook her head, guiding her mare through the long paths to the palace. "It confuses me greatly why you intend to court such a female."
"Sarah is strong. She has an inner strength that I did not believe mortals could possess. She went through many hardships to save the babe - or she thought she was risking everything to do so. It does not change the fact that she carries within her a great magic that I wish to understand."
"I know you are curious about her - but to court her? To lay claim to one who openly defied you. I mean no disrespect, but surely there could be another who would worship your kindness with the proper devotion? Love shouldn't have to be given with such - compromise."
"I am finding that I do not understand what humans consider love. I'm hoping that Sarah would be agreeable to teaching me, for my heart is slowing a bit more each day. If this is love, I wish to know."
Briella paused before speaking. "Brother, what if the girl never loves you in the way humans do? You might still find a replacement for her if you do it now - before the sickness comes upon you."
Jareth sighed, shaking his head. "I fear it is too late for that, sister. My heart yearns for her even as my mind cannot comprehend why. I will have her and show her that being mine is not so great a punishment. She will come to enjoy having me rule her. I will show her that I can be a fair master if she is but a willing slave."
"I hope so, Jareth," the girl muttered. "But you told her you'd be her slave as well."
"Of course - she will rule me as long as she doesn't openly defy me. My terms were clear, her understanding of them was murky. We will come to an understanding soon. Trust your older brother - he is quite wise." Jareth gave a lop sided grin and Briella felt the tension ebb from her slowly.
"Yes, your majesty," she smirked and her brother laughed. It was one of Briella's favorite sounds. She looked over at her parent's palace as it came into view.
"Jareth, isn't that your dwarf Hogmore?"
"You mean Higgle?" Jareth asked, narrowing his eyes. "I gave him orders to remain at my castle to clean the kitchens. What would he be doing here?"
"Let's find out," she suggested, raising a finely arched brow.
"After you," he smirked and the two siblings rode quietly towards where Hoggle was hiding amongst the bushes.
JSJSJS
"Come, let me take a look at you," Seline said grandly to Sarah. Sarah dropped a curtsey before the queen and smiled nervously. She was surprised when the woman grabbed her and gave her a swift hug.
"Beautiful. Tell me Sarah, do you enjoy gardening? I love my flowers, I believe that each one tells a story and each one holds a bit of my heart."
"I - well, yes. I have a small flower garden at home. Sometimes, when I've had a bad day, I work on my flowers and it makes me feel better." At this confession, Seline's eyes grew bright and she nodded.
"I do as well. After lunch, you must walk with me in my gardens and see what flowers we have here in the Under Ground. Did you know that the Labyrinth's plants are all sentinent?"
"What? No - did I hurt any when I walked on them. I didn't know, I swear!"
"Don't worry, dear girl - they do not feel pain and are quite hardy. But they have a life essence that surrounds the rest of the Labyrinth with a sort of intelligence. They have told me things about you - good things. Your parents are right to be proud of you."
"What things?" Sarah asked, frowning.
"You saved Ludo from warrior goblins. You saved Hoggle from falling into the Bog. You gave Sir Didymus the respect due a knight even when he was, shall we say, overzealous in his attempts at battle. And in the end, Toby's welfare was more important to you than your own dreams." She looked at Sarah with a critical eye. "You are quite beautiful. I can see why Jareth was so taken with you. But your inner beauty, that is what has kept him interested. It is something that cannot be enhanced by cosmetics or purchased from merchants."
Sarah's eyes misted as Karen smiled at her with pride. Maybe this luncheon wouldn't be so bad after all.
