A/N- Chapter 9, I've got a proposition for ya…No not really that was completely random. Please excuse the total lack of sanity right there. I kind of had brain fart or something…ANYWAY! I would like to present... (Drum Roll)…. CHAPTER 9! OOOHHHH YEAH! TOGA! TOGA! No not really, again, forget that mental relapse there. I had sugar and wrote this chapter when it was like one in the morning because I couldn't sleep. Needless to say I'm a bit jittery.
By the time Sarah finished scrubbing ever stinking inch of that castle, she had missed lunch all together, and would be lucky if she wasn't ten minutes late for her next chore…
Sarah ran to her next duty. She pulled out her map as she went down the hall. 'The metal shop,' Sarah thought, 'that's not too far from here. It's East Wing… Bla-Bla-Bla. I'll be able to get there in five minutes if I run.' Sarah knew if she ran hard, her back would catch flame. She also knew she couldn't afford to take a chance at being any later, so she took off in a Hard. Fast. Sprint.
Sarah managed to arrive just in time for the Guard that was locking the door to huff. "Well," he said in a gravelly voice, "I'm glad someone decided to come and clean up here." He unlocked the door again and motioned for her to go in. "Go on, hurry up. I'll leave the keys here." He glanced at the clock on the wall. Then with a steely unforgiving gaze, he focused back on Sarah. "You are five minutes and forty-three seconds late." He got up in her face and stared at her eyes. Sarah thought she was going to go cross-eyed trying to keep contact. "Don't. Let. It. Happen. Again." With that he turned on his heal and headed off in the opposite direction she had come.
Sarah let out a shaky breath she had been holding. She looked down at her hands and then at the clock. They both had something in common. Her red puffy hands were unforgiving just like the time had been. 'I have re-ordered time…' Sarah shook her head and tried to knock away the uneasy guilt feeling that was rising up in her chest.
"I guess I'd better get to work if I want supper." Sarah said quietly.
First Sarah looked all around the room. The room was almost big enough to be the first floor of her old home if it had an open floor plan. The floors and walls were smooth stone, so she figured it would be pretty easy to clean. Around all the walls she saw there were shelves lined with all sorts of nifty stuff. They ranged from small tinker toys to large battle axes. In the center of the room there were four large tables in block formation with all sorts of tools and metal shavings on the floors. Among the already existing chaos there were randomly scattered weapons. She realized she would have to pick up all the swords and axes first before she could sweep if she wanted to do it right.
Sarah rolled up her sleeves, bunched her skirt up, and picked up the nearest sword. It shot flames through her back, but she trudged it over to the wall and placed it down. Sarah glanced at the clock and worked out a time management table mentally. She had one hour and thirty-five minutes until supper started. If she used one hour and fifteen minutes to put up all the weapons, she might be able to get to supper on time.
Despite her searing pain, Sarah managed to get all the weapons put up in the correct places. All the time thinking why the weapons were scattered all about anyway. Even though she knew a lot of goblins worked in the metal shop, she expected them to at least leave the arms in a pile or something. The little part of Sarah that still stuck around from before the Labyrinth wanted to shout 'It's not fair!' But, the much larger part of Sarah that remembered her run knew that's just the way it was.
When Sarah finally finished picking up the weapons, she picked up the nearest broom and started to sweep, and sweep, and sweep, and sweep.
When she was done she swiped the sweat from her brow and leaned against the broom she had in her hands. Her back was killing her, but she remembered the cotton fields. When that was her basis for comparison, nothing could out do it. She suppressed a shutter. Sweeping hadn't helped her lashes. Sarah forced her head to turn and check the clock…She was six minutes late for supper…
Sarah sighed heavily. She laid the broom against the wall, and jogged to supper. On the way Sarah unrolled her sleeves, un-bunched the skirt of her dress, and tried to wipe as much of the sweat off her brow as she could. She was a mess and she knew it.
When Sarah arrived at supper, she had exactly fifteen minutes to eat. She quickly grabbed a plate of mashed potatoes, black beans, and a small slice of what was left of the chicken…or at least she hoped it was chicken…Sarah woofed down her food, and Lee watched.
Lee was starting to develop this sort of maternal protectiveness of the girl. She had eyes in every room, every hall, every stairwell, and every door way; whether it be her own set of eyes or not it wasn't the point. Goblin, fae, dwarf, brownie, it didn't matter. All of them would report to Lee at least once in their job history.
Lee knew that 'Lottie' had had a very rough first day. She knew about her reluctance to speak at the Seamstress's. She knew about Kim and Ann. She knew Lottie had missed lunch. She knew about the metal shop guard's harsh words, and of her surprising show of cleaning up after the goblins in the room. She had told Lottie to sweep. She hadn't told her to pick up after the little goblins. Lee had never had a maid that actually did more than what she was told. She would have been happy with her work if Lottie would have just swept around the armor and weapons. Lee could tell she was in some sort of pain, but the girl hid it well. The King would be very interested in this new information.
Lee watched at Lottie tiredly started to collect dishes. The girl had had a tiresome day, and Lee just couldn't help it anymore. She took pity on Lottie. Lee walked over to the young woman and cleared her throat. The girl turned sharply in alarm. Lee gave a small reassuring smile. She could see the girl physically relax. She had probably been worried about being late. "Lottie, you may go to your room early tonight. It's nearly nine and I already have enough girls doing the dishes tonight."
Lottie nodded slowly and looked down at the plates in her arms as if waiting for someone to say 'Gotcha!' Then she let out a big, yet sleepy, smile. "Thank you very much Ma'am." It was said very quietly, but Lee could hear the gladness and sincerity in her voice. Lee smiled once more at the girl, and watched as she went off to her room.
Lee made sure she took care of the cook so he didn't complain, and then made her way to the king's study with a plate of food. She had been sent a message early by his Majesty to bring a plate with her and where to find him.
Outside of the King's study she made sure she didn't hear any of Dian's annoying squeaks. Then when she didn't hear anything, Lee walked in. Jareth was sitting in his favorite leather and velvet chair by the fire. He had his half-moon reading glasses on and was reading an old text on protection spells.
Lee bowed slightly with the tray in her hands and was glad to note that the guards were gone as well. Jareth looked up from his reading and smiled. "Hello my old nanny. How has your day been?"
"Better than Lottie's, I can guarantee." She spoke dryly with no emotion.
Jareth frowned. "Oh?" He tried not to sound interested, but bog that woman could always get him concerned in what she wanted him to be.
Lee nodded and handed him the plate. He accepted it thankfully and motioned for Lee to sit. Usually this would be frowned upon in any "proper" kingdom, but Jareth didn't give a Bogged Goblin's Stench about being "proper" when there were no consequences.
Jareth took the top off of his plate and took a large bite of his meat. "Hmmm, artificial chicken again is it? Pity, I do actually like chicken." Lee chuckled. Jareth had been grumbling about the Goblin Kingdom's faux chicken since he took the throne. The goblins were too fond of their pet chickens to ever eat them, so therefore the King of Goblins wasn't allowed to eat chicken either.
"So," Jareth said after he swallowed his faux chicken, "what goings on have occurred so far?" Lee knew what he meant to ask was: "What in the Underground happened to Lottie today?"
"You have asked me to keep an eye on her, as I have, and I have some unpleasant news." The King raised an eyebrow. Lee nodded and proceeded to tell him about Lottie's day. When she told him about her reluctance to speak and her slip up about her friends Jareth questioned her. "Could it be she is just not very sociable?"
Lee looked a little sad and told the king about the other maid's outburst when she had knocked on the door. She explained that the girl wanted friends, but seemed almost afraid to seek them out. Lee could tell the king was a little disheartened by this, but kept her observations to herself. She knew the king was interested in this girl for her peculiarity, and she thought about how she might have to make sure he becomes a little more interested. This girl Lottie was perfect for him. She just knew it. Jareth's father never stated that Jareth had to marry one of the girls he found for the Goblin King.
Lee told him more of her day that she had not actually witnessed herself. When she got to Kate and Ann she took a calming breath.
"Kate and Ann?" Jareth inquired with a knowing lopsided smile.
Lee eyed him suspiciously. "How did you know?"
Jareth smiled and stated matter-of-factly, "You only prepare yourself like that when you speak to or of them."
Lee chuckled slightly again, then her face became saddened. "Yes, well they haven't been extremely welcoming to Lottie."
Jareth looked tenser than he had before. "Oh?" his voice was laced with harshness that Lee knew he hadn't ment to share with her.
The old nanny nodded, and then prepared herself for his Majesty's outburst. "They left her to clean the whole East End, West Junction, Alcove Eight, First Corridor by herself."
"THEY DID WHAT!" The King had stood quickly and started pacing. Jareth had no idea why he cared so much for this girl, but boggit when someone hurt her it made his blood boil. It was like he was connected to her or something. It confused him and angered him all at once. What was wrong with him?
Lee stood and placed a calming hand on the king's shoulder. "Now, don't lose your temper with me little owlet. It won't do anyone any good at all if you work yourself into a fit." Lee had know Jareth would calm his anger when she used her nickname for him- little owlet. She knew that in reality Jareth was still a very young king, no matter how he tried to hide it at times. It helped him when she calmed him like that.
Jareth sighed and slumped back into his chair. "Is there something you can do about it?"
"No, I'm afraid not. Unless she comes to me and complains, or I catch them away from their post, I am powerless… Sire, the girl will not complain, and I'm away at the market at that time…There's not much I can do. My hands are tied." Lee too looked saddened.
"Please tell me that's all that happened to the girl."
"No. She missed lunch all together and was five minutes late for her next duty. She can't be missing meals like that; she's too thin as it is. And…Caster was on guard." She added softly. Jareth groaned and placed his face in his hand. Caster was the strictest of all of his guardsmen. He was loyal to a fault, but he could be very rude and crude to anyone who upset him or crossed his path at an inconvenient time.
Lee told him how Lottie had cleaned up after all the goblin's randomly scattered objects and swept before coming to dinner. Then she retold how at dinner she had woofed her food like she was starved. She also told him about her suspicion of the girl's hidden pain. "I suspect the girl is hiding some sort of pain or ailment. She sits ridged in her seat and she makes sure not to make any jerky movements."
"Pain? You think the girl was harmed while in my care?" Jareth spoke with utter astonishment and concern in his tone.
"No, she has not been harmed while in your care. Of this I am completely certain."
Jareth nodded. His nerves and feelings were all in jumbles again. He would have to lean to control that better, even if he was only around Lee.
Lastly, Lee told him about how she had taken pity on the girl and sent her to bed before her dish washing duty. Jareth smiled at her kindness and thanked her.
The King was now officially depressed and in need of a distraction. He thought about it for a moment and quickly crossed visiting Diana off the list. Then he remembered how the goblins had been seen sneaking off into some sort of mischief earlier. "I think I'll have to go down to the goblin's throne room and stick around for a spell before I head to bed. The little buggers always manage to cheer me up." Lee and Jareth made their formal goodbyes, and Jareth went off to his throne room; Lee to her bedroom.
A/N- Sarah and Jareth will meet in a few chapters so for all of you impatient people out there just be warned I like to add lots of suspense before I go in for the kill. ; P