WAAAAAAAH, I'M SO SORRY!!!!! I've left you guys all alone! I have an excuse, though; I've been sick all this week and my mom won't stop watching Star Trek on Hulu! Gah!!!!
But I'm back now, if only for a brief moment! Please enjoy this relief to the cliffhanger from last chapter!!! And enjoy another dose of Toby's cuteness!
"You don't have to be sad anymore! You don't have to be mad anymore! We can all join hands and sing Ring Around the Frickin' Rosie!"—Bowling For Soup, I'm Gay
Chapter 9: Feasts and Titles
The sun never looked so divinely golden as when it shone on the Elf Kingdom of Amarantha; its beams seemed to separate into different shades, from white to bronze, whichever was appropriate for what or whom it touched. Everything seemed to shine with its own natural light, from the queen's magnificent castle to the white, English cottage-styled houses outside the garden that surrounded the palace. The pine trees glittered with dew drops; so did birds' feathers.
The terrace they stood on was crawling with flowers three times as big as the flowers in the mortal world and the lawns were a perfect green and had fountains and rose mazes everywhere.
"It's beautiful," Sarah murmured as she walked to the balcony rail.
"Indeed," Didymus agreed in awe, "I love what you've done with the place! It's positively breathtaking, Your Highness!"
"Merely a trifle," Jemna grinned as she plucked a huge chrysanthemum petal, "I had the housekeeping staff shine it up from top to bottom for the ball—sheep's wool." She rolled up the petal like a cigarette and lit it up.
"Wow," said Sarah, "They really are made of flowers!" Jemna released a puff.
"Yes, but don't tell my Head Gardener I did that," she chuckled, "Heads will roll if Elisheba finds out I've smoked one of her flowers—my head, to be precise. Come, come; I'll show you to your rooms."
Each of the Elf Queen's guests found her arrangements befitting to their taste; Ludo got a spacious room with a sleeping couch, since it was easier for him to sit on and get off, and a fireplace. Hoggle's room was small yet stylish and cozy, dimly lit with a rustic feel, and a cheery fireplace. Sir Didymus' room had paintings of great heroes on the walls and a comfortable silk dog bed for Ambrosius in front of a marble gray fireplace.
Toby's room had a blue and green color scheme with a four-poster canopy bed, tall windows that were pointed a the tops and made lotus flower shapes in the panes that gave it the nickname "The Lotus Room." He also had a fireplace, one of green marble, and a big walk-in closet with all sorts of boys' costumes in it that he could reach more easily and two big cushy armchairs—one blue, one green—sat on a fluffy white rug before the fireplace.
"Oh, wow!" he cried, "This is awesome!" He spun around while running to get the feel of the space. "It's as big as two of my room!" He jumped on a window sill.
"Sarah, check it out!" he bounced on his hands, "A garden view! And we're so high up, I can see everything from here!" Jemna chuckled warmly.
"I'm glad you like it, Toby," she beamed, "All that's left is your room, Sarah. This way, please."
She led them to a beautiful door at the end of the hallway made of brightly colored cherry wood with a finish of the finest patina and a delicately curved golden handle carved with flowers on English Ivy. Sarah nearly winced when Jemna gripped it and opened the door to a room of pale pink and red-draped windows with panes shaped like cherry blossoms. The bed also had red curtains and pink satin quilts with a white lace bed skirt around the sides. The four posts were dark cherry and the headboard was carved with cherry trees and beautiful maidens. The fireplace was also cherry wood and brightly colored, like the door, and was carved with weeping cherry willow trees. The floor was shiny marble with a thick red rug comfortable and thick enough to sleep on. Above was a magnificent chandelier with glass cherry blossom lights on wire strands that threw tinkling lights over everything like a disco ball.
Sarah was speechless as she walked around the room; it was the most beautiful room she'd ever been in. She felt so unworthy of it!
"I save this room for only the most special of guests," Jemna smiled, "And you, my dear, are very special indeed." She took a drag of her flower and asked, "Do you like it?" Sarah pressed her hands to her flushed cheeks with wide eyes.
"It's too beautiful for me," she exhaled in awe, "I couldn't possibly stay in here!" Jemna laughed in a wispy cloud of white and walked to her.
"You wouldn't refuse the generous hospitality of the Elf Queen, would you?" she asked, trapping her on purpose.
"Of course not, but"— Jemna cut her off by sealing the girl's lips with a delicate, slightly tanned, perfectly manicured finger.
"Then don't," she smiled, "The Cherry Room is the most popular guest room in the entire castle. All the girls love it. When it comes to my guests, I see no need to go cheap! Not when I have the finest and loveliest resources at my disposal! Besides, whatever would Jareth say to me if I didn't totally spoil you? What would he think of me?"
"Excuse me, Your Highness," Didymus piped up, "Someone wants you in the hall."
"Ah!" she sparkled when she saw who it was with her arms out, "My lord and my lady, how I've missed you both!"
She pranced out to the hallway like a ballerina and embraced two elves a head shorter than Sarah—a slender woman with golden curly hair cut short around her pointy ears and diamond-blue eyes who looked to be in her 30's, and a man who looked to be in his 50's with marble gray eyes and a gray beard that was neatly trimmed; his aura exuded a no-nonsense manner.
"Friends," said the queen with a sisterly arm around the woman, "I have the honor of introducing you all to two of the finest elves I've ever known in my 1630 years of rule: Lady Michal of the noble House of Dumain…"
The lady curtsied with devastating grace.
"…and Lord Gimble of the prestigious House of Puck," said Jemna, "They are two of my ten councilors that serve on the Council of Elves. My lord and lady, my I present the lady Sarah…"
"Nice to meet you," Sarah curtsied, even though she was wearing pants ('cause really, a curtsey is nothing more than a slight dip of the knees; why do you think girls have to lift their skirt to do it?).
"How do you do?" smiled Lady Michal, her voice like delicate silver bells. Lord Gimble nodded gruffly.
"…her brother, Prince Toby…" Toby swept off a feathered musketeer's cap he'd found in his closet and bowed low to the elves with precision that came from years of playing make-believe with Sarah.
"With the humility of a wounded sparrow," he said gallantly, "I genuflect at the feet of your nobility."
"Why, what a charming young man!" exclaimed Lady Michal as she shook his hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you, my Lord Prince! Wherever did you learn such an eloquent greeting?"
"I heard it on a video game once," he stated simply.
"My queen!" spoke Lord Gimble sharply, "What in the world is the matter with you?"
Sarah turned to see Queen Jemna doubled over with her head in her arm, leaning on Hoggle's head, her shoulders shaking. Hoggle was in a similar position. Jemna soon raised her head with a gasp for air, like she was laughing. As if betraying her, Hoggle gave a long whoop and slapped his knees.
"What's so funny?" Sarah asked.
"Nothing!" Jemna squeaked and waved, "Nothing, we're all right. It's just…whoo! Your brother is just so adorable!"
"Was it something I said?" Toby asked.
"Oh, ho-ho." Jemna wiped a tear from her eye and knelt to the boy. "Forgive me, little prince, but you were just so cute! Ah, no wonder Jareth chose you as his heir!" She ruffled his hair and stood up.
"If Your Majesty is quite through," said Lord Gimble, tapping his toe, "we have some urgent business to discuss with you, so…ahem…if you please." He held out his hand expectantly, like a stern schoolteacher; she smiled while smoking her flower.
"You flatter me, my lord," she smirked as she snuffed it out in his palm. He balled it into a fist, crushing the petal to the startled gasps of Sarah and Toby.
"Doesn't that hurt?" asked Sarah.
"My dear lady," he replied with worn patience, "if that had hurt, do you think I would've let Her Majesty do that?" Jemna winked and walked away with her councilors.
"Call for Bilba," she called over her shoulder, "She'll show you around!" They looked around for a moment in confusion.
"Bilba?" Toby said in a regular voice.
"Yes?" came the reply from behind Ludo, who jumped to the side from surprise, like the rest of them had. She was exactly a head taller than Toby and had a sweet smile on her face and curly red hair.
"I'll be your assistant this afternoon!" she chimed, "What would you like to see first?"
That evening near sunset, Jemna knocked on Sarah's door.
"Come in." The queen entered in a sweep of fabric; she was wearing a dark blue dress that fell in folds around her on the skirt, trimmed in gold at the hemline, the elf-type sleeves that draped down in a cone shape, and the v-shaped waistline. The bodice had decorative criss-crossed strings like a corset and lace on the neckline; her upside down crescent medallion hung in front and a dazzling string of dark blue sapphires adorned her chest plate, stones on a silver chain. Her hair was surprising; she had long hair done up into a fancy braided bun with a beautiful medieval-style hairnet holding it up and she had her emerald pendulums on her ears once again. No woman looked so beautiful and regal as the Elf Queen.
"Sarah," she smiled, "What are you looking at?" She walked over to Sarah, who was sitting on one of the cushioned window sills with an open window.
"Your lake," the girl answered, "It's beautiful at sunset." (or, almost sunset)
"Yes," the queen agreed, "It is. The banquet is about to begin and you're not ready. Is something wrong?"
"Yeah," she admitted, "I can't decide what to wear. Can you help me?" Jemna smiled brightly.
"I've got just the thing!" She flew to the ornate closet and picked out a beautiful white elf-like dress etched with silver curves and Celtic symbols on the cone-shaped sleeves, a criss-crossed ribbon pattern on the bodice and lots of veil material under the flowing skirt.
In a matter of minutes, Jemna had Sarah in that dress with a silver string of emerald stones across her neck, diamond studs on her ears, pink lip gloss, and a faint shade of lavender eyeshadow. She put her hair up the way Sarah liked when she wore her costumes with silver ribbons woven in.
"There," said Jemna, "Lovely. Take a look!" She spun her around to look in the rose-carved, dark cherry wood, oval mirror. If Sarah had been the kind of girl that was easily susceptible to tears, she would have wept at the beauty the elf queen had adorned her with. The girls of the Drama Club would massacre each other for something like this!
"I…" was all she could get out. It wasn't often she admired herself in the mirror, and she wasn't vain, but this outfit left her breathless.
"I love it," she finally managed to say, "It's wonderful!"
"Well, then," Jemna smiled warmly and walked toward the door, "I'll present you to your escort."
"Jemna?" Sarah called. She paused at the door.
"Yes, dear?" she asked.
"How did your hair get so long?" Sarah inquired.
"Oh, this is a hairpiece I wear for appearing in court and public and things like that," she winked, "It's actually a whole wig. I call it my good hat. Shall we?"
Sarah stood next to the door so no one would see her yet; the queen opened the door to see Hoggle, Toby, Ludo, Didymus, and Jareth all standing in the hallway with the sunset catching their evening formals (except Ludo; he's just wearing a bow tie). Sarah was a little nervous about how her friends would react, especially Jareth. She hoped Hoggle would like it, of course, but what would Jareth say? What would he think? How would he look at her with those beautiful, dichromatic eyes of his?
'Aah,' she thought, 'I'll deal with it. It's not like I don't like it when he looks at me.'
Jemna held her hand out after stepping into the hall with a beaming smile. Jareth saw Sarah's smaller hand take his sister's and the maiden stepped into the shimmering light of the sunset. She smiled at her friends.
"What do you think, Toby?" she asked a little self-consciously.
"You look awesome, Sarah!" he piped excitedly as he grabbed her hand, "You're the prettiest girl I've ever seen in my whole entire life!"
"You're not so bad-looking yourself, my little musketeer!" she giggled. Toby was dressed in a white puffy shirt with a blue tunic over it, brown gloves and boots, baggy gray pants, and a wide-brimmed feathered hat with a rapier sword on his side.
"Sarah pretty!" Ludo said happily as he hugged her.
"Thanks, Ludo!" she grinned.
"A fairer maid I never did see before this day," said Sir Didymus as he swept off his cap with a gallant bow.
"Thank you, Sir Didymus," she curtsied back, "You flatter me. Well, Hoggle? How do I look?" The dwarf nodded approvingly.
"Just don't let me get a hold of that necklace of yours," he pointed, "You'd never see it again!" Sarah laughed and hugged him.
"What do you think, Jarry?" asked Jemna with a wry smile, "I know it's not taffeta, but I think she's quite lovely, don't you?"
Jareth looked at Sarah with his head raised a bit, his eyes dark and deep as a well; Sarah remembered that look from her first dream in the crystal ball and lost her breath at how the sunset sparkled on his blue evening suit. It was even more beautiful than in her dreams! Each individual glint was like a star in a dark blue sky. He then lowered his head and smiled.
"Breathtaking," he said warmly. Jemna smiled back knowingly.
"I thought so," she said, "Now come along; everyone's waiting for us!" She walked ahead of everyone with Didymus riding by her side as an escort. Toby trotted up to her and took her by the hand. She looked surprised at him.
"Can I walk with you?" he asked nicely.
"I'd be honored, Your Little Highness," she smiled. Jareth chuckled shortly.
"I'll certainly say this for Toby," he told Sarah as he took her hand in his arm, "He's a born gentleman." They walked off with Hoggle on Sarah's other side and Ludo bringing up the rear.
They made their way to an enormous ballroom that Sarah recognized.
"Hey," she turned to Jareth, "isn't this the ballroom from my dream?"
"It is," he nodded, "but I fear I haven't done it justice."
"Her Majesty, Jemna," a herald announced, "Queen of the Elf Kingdom of Amarantha!" She nodded and dismissed him as everyone who was sitting stood up. All of the Elf Kingdom was there, dressed in their Sunday best.
"I wish to announce my guests," she said clearly, "You all know my brother Jareth, King of the Goblin City and ruler of the Labyrinth! Joining us tonight is the lady Sarah, Friend of the Goblins, Lady of the Labyrinth, Protected One of the Goblin King."
Sarah was mortified as she and the Goblin King came down the steps, which were the kind that circled the whole room like an amphitheater.
"Lady of the Labyrinth?" she muttered, "Who came up with that?"
"You did," he answered quietly in her ear, "You're famous in this world, you know. You're the first mortal to solve the legendary Labyrinth under my rule. I've been the Goblin King for 1300 years, so that's quite an accomplishment."
"Prince Toby," said Jemna, "heir to the throne of the Goblin City, brother to the Lady Sarah." Toby gave another practiced sweeping bow with his hat in his hand and ran next to Sarah while the queen announced the others.
"Look at all the kids here, Sarah!" he piped, holding her hand, "I've never seen so many pretty kids! Can I go play with them? Can I?"
"Don't get your suit messed up and you can," she answered, "Remember your manners, all right?"
Jareth smirked to himself; she was almost like a mother to the boy.
"Okay," he nodded, "Thanks, Sarah!" He ran off to a small group of the most beautiful children Sarah had ever seen.
"Hi! I'm Toby!" she heard him introduce himself, "Can I play, too?" They all ran off together, laughing happily, with the mortal child in their midst.
"Well," said Hoggle, "he's certainly popular."
"Of course he is," said Queen Jemna behind them, "He's a prince in heart as well as in rank. Come, Sarah; I want to introduce you to some friends of mine."
"Oh…uh…" Sarah looked at Jareth.
"Go on," he nodded, "She's not going to hurt you." Sarah let Jemna take her away, leaving the king with Hoggle.
Author's Review:
Uh-oh; Jareth alone with Hoggle! How will that turn out? Not a lot of action in this chapter, I'm sorry to say; this is one of those piecing together chapters where nothing crazy happens, but it sets the stage for the craziness—and believe me, there WILL be craziness! ;)
Oh, about Jemna and her acceptance of Toby as an escort: There's an emotional depth to that small gesture on Jemna's part that will be partly explained in the next chapter, and I hope to do a whole story of it someday. But don't look for any Jemna subplots, 'cause it ain't happenin' in this chapter.
Now then, references…
The name of the Head Gardener, Elisheba, is a name I heard on "The Ten Commandments." I think it's a pretty name, so I used it!
The house names of the two elf people, Dumain and Puck, are both from Shakespeare plays: Dumain is from "All's Well That Ends Well" (I think) and Puck is the sprightly creature from "A Midsummer Night's Dream." ^_^
Toby's greeting of "wounded sparrow" is from Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon. It's one of my favorite games. PS2 forever!
I didn't realize this until after I'd handwritten it, but Jemna snuffing her flower out in Lord Gimble's hand is just like in "Howl's Moving Castle," when the Witch of the Waste snuffed out a cigar in Howl's hand! I totally didn't know that until later! (He's embedded into my subconscious…)
Another thing I didn't realize (but this wasn't until I typed it just now) is that Bilba is just like the House Elves from Harry Potter! THEY'RE TAKING OVER MY BRAIN!!!!
As far as the taffeta comment, I don't really know what Sarah's bubble dream dress was made of. I just read it in someone else's fic and thought they seemed like they knew what they were talking about. -_-'
And Toby's dressed like the Disney's Three Musketeers (I'm talking Jack Bauer here).
That's all the references I can come up with for now, but consider this as a seat belt chapter, in which you buckle up and HANG ON TIGHT! (I'll try to update sooner, I promise!)