Chapter 10: Act II, Scene II (I): Games of Chance- Snakes and Ladders
Quick as a wink, Sarah felt herself sucked through the flue and out the chimney. Hurtling out the chimney was a disorienting experience, and she was vaguely aware that something was wrong, but she was in the midst of an adrenaline-induced response. It was only on realizing that she was rapidly approaching the ground in a freefall that it occurred to her that death was soon coming her way. Her heart jumped into her throat. Sarah spread her arms as if to break her fall only to find herself flying.
Immediately, Sarah almost fell again on realizing that the updraft that had saved her had only done so because she now had wings. She was absolutely not meant to have wings at all, she was sure of it. She let out a cry of dismay only to further discover that her voice was now the piercing cry of a bird of some sort. Surely she couldn't be stuck this way? Experimentally, Sarah pumped her new wings. She couldn't say that she was really enjoying the experience of flight considering her main concern was how to land and change back.
Looking down, Sarah could spot the stables and noticed a figure that was walking alone back toward the castle. It was unmistakably Jareth. Sarah called out to him in her panic, only to be extremely frustrated on hearing the piercing screech again. He looked up at her immediately. Sarah flew toward him at an alarming rate, but he didn't even flinch. Jareth merely held out his arm and Sarah grabbed on for all she was worth, her instincts taking over.
The Goblin King didn't look a bit surprised. Instead, his expression was one of amusement and satisfaction. With his other hand, he gently sent a finger down the back of her head. "I declare, you're the smallest kestrel I've ever seen, Precious," he cooed. "I admit to having been in want of a falcon."
Sarah could have spit nails. Her righteous indignation was exactly the mental event to cause her to change back. It was only unfortunate that she had to change back with Jareth's arm around her waist. "Is that all you can say? Someone just tried to kill me!" Sarah seethed.
She picked up a lock of her hair at the end of her braid, which had been singed, to show the Goblin King. She noted that Jareth's hand gripped her more tightly, and his amusement immediately faded to something darker.
His voice sounded dangerous. "Tell me," he commanded.
In fact, Sarah had never seen him looking quite so dangerous before. Sometimes she forgot he could be terrifying- but now she couldn't help but be aware. Sarah started shaking. "I-I went in-to the solar- and Mab said- to sit down- so I did," Sarah spoke nervously.
Sarah vaguely noted that her eyes were wet and her breaths were of the trembling variety that foretold an eventual start of a bout of sobbing. She wasn't going to start crying. She wouldn't. However, when Jareth pulled her closer to his side and brought his other hand up to caress her head, Sarah lost the battle and buried her face in his side.
"Shh, don't cry, Sarah," Jareth crooned gently.
Sarah closed her eyes so she wouldn't have to focus on the fact that Jareth's presence was simultaneously comforting, infuriating, frightening, and that she was embarrassed to be seen in such a state. However, Sarah conceded that she had been through a lot. She took a deep breath and collected herself somewhat. "Then- then Jenny Greentooth asked me to get her things by the hearth and I tripped straight into the fire," Sarah said in a monotone. "The next thing I knew I was flying through the chimney."
"Ah, Jenny Greentooth. If she is the one responsible, I will slay her where she stands," Jareth said with dark promise.
"Wh-what?" Sarah asked, coming out of her meditative stupor at Jareth's side.
Jareth rested his chin on top of her head. "No one touches what is mine, Sarah. No one," Jareth stated with a dangerous edge to his voice.
"But—"
Jareth ignored her. "Be they Seelie or Unseelie. Even Mab," he said, his voice dropping lower at the last.
Sarah wanted to protest that she wasn't his, per se, especially with the whole wooing thing going the way it was. Yet, she held her tongue considering his mood. Something told Sarah this was not the time to correct his misconception about their absolutely non-existent relationship. "Jareth," she whispered timidly.
"I will avenge you, Sarah," Jareth said. "As it is now obvious you're a changeling, you'll need more explicit instruction in our ways."
"But I can't be. Linda can't be right," Sarah protested.
"But you can- and you are. Jenny Greentooth was obviously meant to flush you out, so to speak. Didymus can be trusted to find out the truth of the matter. He'll fill in all of the gaps in our knowledge. I await a message today, in fact. Don't fret."
With that, Jareth transported them directly into his throne room where Mab was once again holding Court. The redheaded queen looked as if she was expecting them.
"Mab," Jareth said curtly.
"Jareth and Sarah. We are so glad to see you in good health," Mab stated calmly.
Sarah reluctantly took a step away from Jareth. It was disconcerting to once again be in front of so many people, especially considering she had just been through the emotional wringer. Sarah's whole concentration was on not bringing attention to herself, yet looking like she wasn't scared out of her wits either. She considered it a proper distraction to keep herself from fidgeting.
"Where is Jenny Greentooth?" Jareth asked.
"An oubliette. I thought it best to wait until we could sort out the unfortunate details of her betrayal," the redhead explained. "And sort it out we shall." Mab smiled in contentment and then looked to Sarah. "Seelie spies have no place in my Court, Sarah," the redhead continued. "However, it is a pleasant surprise to see that you aren't truly from the Aboveground. It suits my plans to see one of our own back here in the Underground where they belong."
Jareth interrupted Mab in his impatience. "I demand that you bring Jenny Greentooth out now. My guest could have been killed and I intend—"
She cut him off. "To what, Jareth?" Mab taunted. "You demand? My, aren't we getting above our station, my dear Goblin King."
Those in the Court snickered and jeered in response.
"Jenny Greentooth is a pitiful creature. I've known her to be a Seelie spy from the moment she came to me. I was just waiting for her to do something exciting. She's dreadfully dull and must be painfully dimwitted to even think she could attempt to pull the wool over my eyes.
"Her story is tragic. Her father is Unseelie and her mother is Seelie. He raped her mother who gave her up in shame. I'm sure they told her she would be taken in with open arms if she played the spy for them," Mab relayed with a look of revulsion. "She'd be better off accepting her true nature instead of fighting it."
Jareth was standing stock still, his face impassive. However, Sarah could sense the tension in his frame. There was something about Jareth that radiated menace and hatred and it was directed at Mab. Apparently, it wasn't lost on Mab either.
"I know you hate me, Jareth. It's why it makes it more exciting having you as my Lieutenant. Your hatred feeds our chaos. We need your hatred and violence. A somewhat unwilling Lieutenant is much better to have on hand than a willing one. I take pleasure in forcing your hand," Mab said blithely.
"What do you have planned, Mab," Jareth asked quietly, almost lightly. It was a tone of barely restrained violence that was just waiting for an excuse. Any excuse would do.
His tone gave Sarah the heebie-jeebies.
It made Mab smile in delight. "Just the tone I was looking for. There you are, Jareth. I was wondering where you had scampered away to," Mab said in sly tone. "I need you for a special task that will strike a blow to the Seelie where it will hurt the most."
"Yes?" Jareth practically hissed.
Mab licked her lips in anticipation before speaking. "The Seelie aren't the only ones with spies. A messenger just sent word that Sir Didymus has been intercepted. I want you to take a contingent to retrieve him. The Seelie may be willing to do a trade. One of theirs for one of ours."
Sarah let out a gasp. "Oh no! Not Sir Didymus," Sarah whispered.
Jareth curled his lip in disgust. "You don't mean for me to trade that Jenny Greentooth creature? I can't promise that I won't shed her blood before we ever reach the Seelie lands," Jareth growled disdainfully.
Mab laughed her clever little laugh that Sarah had grown to hate. "Why would the Seelie want her? No. They would take Sarah, however," Mab said gleefully. "She is obviously from a Seelie family. Use her as bait. Taunt them with the knowledge that we have her. It will be amusing to see how they counter my move- especially if you free that insignificant stray creature you insisted on rescuing from their clutches once before."
Jareth's face looked savage. "I will not have Sarah put in danger," Jareth vowed.
"I approve of your possessive qualities, Jareth, but don't let them blind you to your duties. If you're successful and she's still alive at the end, you may keep your little Seelie tart," Mab said scathingly.
"And if they refuse a trade?" Jareth asked.
"Well, of course we wouldn't really go through with a trade anyway, would we? Threaten to kill the girl, threaten to defile her, do whatever it takes to get them to react. Rape her in front of all and sundry for all I care. She's the perfect tool for us to obtain our objective. However, I will have satisfaction. We want war. My Horde wants war! Soon we will bathe in Seelie blood and rule all of the Underground!" Mab said, raising her voice to fever pitch.
The Unseelie Court erupted at this in a cacophony of horrible noise at the prospect of war.
Sarah was in shock, especially when Jareth gave Mab a sweeping bow. "As you command, Mab," Jareth responded, his eyes glittering with malice.
"You leave tonight. Meanwhile, we shall prepare for war," Mab stated ecstatically, thus ending the discussion.
Sarah was appalled. Was she just downgraded to prisoner of war status? The means to an end? A pawn? If she was scared before, she was terrified now. Sarah expected nothing better from Mab, but Jareth? She had to admit that she had expected a whole lot more from him. It was clear to Sarah that once they were in Seelie territory; it was in her best interest to escape. Sarah was so lost in her own horrified thoughts, that she didn't see Jareth nearing her until it was too late.
"Come along, Sarah. We have a lot to do," he told her with an air of authority.
Sarah turned to him with a look of hurt confusion, but she didn't move.
Jareth grabbed Sarah's arm and transported her to the Place of Arms where his goblin army assembled, and strode into the barracks. "Don't defy me," Jareth hissed in an undertone.
Sarah looked around and saw goblins that were nothing like she had encountered during her trip through the Labyrinth. These goblins looked fierce, intelligent, and well trained. Jareth had yet to let go of her arm, and when she attempted to pull away, he gave her a warning glance. She stilled her movements.
Sarah watched as Jareth turned to one of the goblins she had seen him with before in the graveyard. Sarah figured this one was obviously some sort of garrison leader or something. "Bucca Boo, assemble a team of fifteen goblins and equipment. We leave for the Seelie lands tonight," Jareth ordered an intelligent looking burly goblin.
Bucca Boo gave a wicked grin that caused Sarah to shiver. "Right away, yer Majesty!" the goblin responded in obvious excitement.
"Brag," Jareth ordered. "Bring our effects and then make sure we have enough food packed for a week."
The little goblin that came out of the shadows said nothing, but bowed and disappeared again just as quickly.
Jareth then turned his attention to a grisly old goblin with one eye and gave him a conspiratorial smile. "Grant, you're in charge of the garrison while I'm gone. No matter what Mab says- follow the procedures we've always employed. And don't let her men use our artillery and siege engines."
"They'll get a nasty surprise if they do, Sire," the grisly old goblin said while chuckling.
Soon enough, Sarah found herself alone once more with Jareth, who still hadn't let go of her arm. For her part, Sarah was busy staring at all of the weapons on display, trying to figure out what some were.
He was being eerily quiet and looked contemplative. Just as she was sure she had properly identified a halberd, Jareth spoke. "Unlike traveling here in my own lands, or when I'm called Above, we can only travel the old-fashioned way when going into Seelie territory," he murmured quietly.
"So we'll be camping then," Sarah responded dully.
Jareth smirked. "Not fond of camping, I take it?" Jareth asked in a light tone.
Sarah didn't answer. The halberd was looking more interesting by the minute. She vaguely wondered how heavy it was. She felt rather than saw Jareth's glare.
"The silent treatment, Precious?"
This time, Sarah shifted so she was turned away from Jareth entirely. Ah, now that must surely be a war hammer. She felt his grip tighten on her arm.
"Don't ignore me, Sarah," Jareth growled.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize that prisoners were allowed to banter with their captors," Sarah muttered sarcastically.
Jareth snorted. "Is that what this is about? Sarah, everyone has his or her own agenda here. Mab has hers. The Seelie have theirs- and everyone in the Unseelie Court has one. Things aren't what they seem."
"And what is your agenda, Jareth?" Sarah asked as she turned back to face him.
Jareth's eyes glittered disturbingly. "Ah, now that would be telling, Precious," Jareth purred.
Jareth's response didn't reassure Sarah at all. In fact, it made her even more worried. Her fate seemed to be in his hands and it didn't help that he was wearing the same expression on his face that he did right before he threw a snake at her.
Notes: In changeling stories, they are sometimes exposed via fire. In many accounts the changeling will escape through the chimney in a shape-shifted form (usually a bird or deer).