Thy Bog Overfloweth

Chapter 12


Jareth roughly shook Sarah awake. It was barely eight, but Jareth's worried look snapped Sarah into wakefulness immediately.

"What's wrong?"

"We have to leave soon," he informed her, standing awkwardly above her, a step away from the bed, warily eyeing the drake, who hissed at him. "Faolan's... well, we need to get back to the dorm, or I'll have to take us Underground. Pack quickly, we need to be at the dorm by noon at the latest, and I figured your family would want time to say their sappy goodbye and all..." Jareth yelped as Sarah swatted him for the comment.

"Give me ten minutes to get dressed, I'll take half an hour to pack, and we'll leave a note for Dad, Karen, and Toby. Toby gets up earliest, and he doesn't wake up until nine-thirty on Sundays. Go pack and get Faolan ready to go," Sarah instructed while stretching.

"We're waiting on you and that... creature," Jareth told her before gliding away. "Just call when you're ready."

Sarah turned to the still-hackling drake on her shoulder. "Today on It's the Mind, we examine the peculiar phenomena of deja vu..." She quoted."Come on, friend, we'll get ready to go and I'll pick a name for you on the way to the dorm. How's that sound?" The wood-drake trilled, and floated easily over to her bonsai perch to watch Sarah get ready to leave.


Sarah had everything except her book packed. Which was problematic, because she really liked the book and needed something to read during those lulls in activity in which neither Jareth nor Chame were bothering her over this or that.

She also needed it for when she was pointedly ignoring a certain Fae King, his wolf, and his Goblins.

She'd even written the note for her family, but she couldn't for the life of her find the damn book.

Sarah ended up stalking over to the guest bedroom, the still unnamed drake hiding in the fold of Sarah's hooded jacket. The mortal girl rapped lightly on the door before opening it. "Jareth, have you seen--" Upon catching sight of her book on the nightstand, Sarah sighed heavily and stalked over to collect the tome. She leaned over to rub Faolan's ears (and he really did look quite miserable, poor thing) before swatting Jareth and gliding out of the room... And tripping on a wrinkle in the carpet, completely ruining the dignified exit.

It didn't take long to put 'Good Omens' away, and after that, Sarah scooped up the bonsai and waited at the door for Jareth to carry Faolan downstairs. It was an awkward trip, since Faolan was so bulky and kept wriggling, but eventually the two Fae beings made it out to the car. Sarah had taped the note to the door already, and she drove off quickly, wondering if Faolan's problem was what she thought it to be.


Jareth spent the ride balancing the bonsai and stroking Faolan's ears. "This must hurt like a sonnuva gun, but it doesn't last long," he murmured softly to the wolf. Faolan just whined pathetically.

The ride was uncomfortably tense, as Sarah sat stiffly while driving and Jareth tried to keep Faolan from jarring too much. The drake had perched on the edge of the seat, rubbing her muzzle to Faolan's in an attempt to sooth him.

It took nearly five minutes to get poor Faolan up to the dorm room, and Jareth immediately set the wolf gently on the bed. Sarah watched as Faolan shivered, and restlessly shifted his shoulders. The drake trilled uncertainly, looking from Sarah to Faolan, clearly questioning the mortal about what was happening to her furred friend.

"Jareth, would you be so generous as to explain what in hell's name is going on?" Sarah set the drake's bonsai on her desk before gliding over to sit on the bed next to Faolan to stroke the ailing wolf's brow.

"He's... Faolan isn't a mortal dog. You knew that already," Jareth fidgeted. "And you know he's Fae. But, he's... not... really a dog. At all. He's a wolf, Sarah, and Fae wolves are related to chimeras, gargoyles, and griffs. He's kind of... growing-his-wings." The last three words came out in a rush, and Sarah stared at him incredulously.

"Griffs?" She finally managed. Jareth nodded.

"Hippogriffs and gryffons."

"Will he have feathered wings, or bat's wings?" The shock had changed neatly into curiosity, a trait that you could safely gamble upon while dealing with Sarah.

"It depends on which pack he came from," Jareth said. He scowled and paced helplessly when Faolan whined pitifully. "It should only last and hour, two at most, for the wings to... break through." The King's voice was a mixture of frustration and comfort, as this last sentence was directed at Faolan. The wolf shot the Fae man a look of understanding, but couldn't help wincing when another shudder racked his lupine frame.

The drake burrowed into the wolf's ruff, singing a soft lullaby to her friend. Faolan seemed to take comfort from the song and Sarah's gentle touches, for nearly twenty minutes... but all too soon, another convulsive spasm ripped through the wolf, and an awful, wet tearing sound followed the motion. Faolan howled loudly, and Sarah quickly forced the wolf's mouth closed as Jareth wove a muffling spell. Apologetically cradling the wolf's head, Sarah whispered to the wolf that he had to be silent, or--

A pounding on the door startled all of the room's occupants. "Williams! You got a dog in there?" The R.A.'s voice was loud despite the door between the voice's origin and the listeners.

"No," Sarah called back truthfully.

"Then what was that god-awful racket?" The R.A. demanded.

"An audio-clip for the Multi-Media project," Sarah lied easily. "I didn't realize the volume was so high. I must have hit the wrong key. It won't happen again," Sarah continued.

After a long, uncomfortable pause, the R.A. responded, "Just make sure it doesn't happen again, Williams." The motley group within the dorm released a sigh of relief. At least until Faolan seized again. This time, though, the rippling of the wolf's back lasted far longer than before, and two shiny black bumps protruded from just behind Faolan's shoulders. They trembled for a moment before the sleek bumps moved. Faolan shifted as the growths trembled, and then... they unfurled.

The drake trilled encouragingly as Faolan attempted to move his wings. They were thin but sturdy, even now, and while they still had some catching up to do, the wolf had a wingspan of almost five and a half feet already. Webbed but not bat-like, each wing extended from one bony, thorny limb to connect at the muscles above Faolan's spine; the limbs twisted to ripple the webbing and it took Faolan a good ten minutes to figure out how to fold his new wings.

Sarah and Jareth watched, laughing softly, as Faolan stumbled about like a new-born colt, trying to adjust his center of balance to accommodate his wings. The drake flew circles around the colt's head, and Sarah whispered to Jareth, "You'll have to take them flying!"

He nodded noncommittally, thinking, No way am I taking the little monster flying, but I will have to teach Faolan. The wood-drake floated happily over to Sarah, her bright mane and chine standing out as she wove herself through Sarah's dark hair. "That reminds me," Jareth said casually, "what did you decide to name the little beast?"

Both Sarah and the drake let off a disgruntled snort at the jibe. "I hadn't quite decided," Sarah started.

"Oh, just name it already!" Jareth griped irritably. The drake hissed from Sarah's shoulder before calming herself and absently floating in a loose orbit around Sarah.

"This coming from the one who wanted to name Faolan Zev," Sarah snapped. "Anyway, I thought I'd name her--" Sarah stressed the word purposely-- "Izzi."

"Izzi? As in, short for Isabelle?" Jareth turned his wary gaze away from the newly-dubbed Izzi to glance at Sarah.

"No, just Izzi. I think it suits her. It's spunky!" Sarah grinned at the wood-drake floating lazily closer to Jareth.

"Spunky isn't a word I'd use to describe it," Jareth murmured.

"Her!" Sarah corrected.

"Whatever," the Fae King scoffed. Izzi snapped forward and bit his ear. "Get off, you damnable drake! Sarah, remove your beast!" Izzi clamped down harder, and Sarah shook her head.

"What's said is said, and everything has a price. If you're going to be insulting, I'm going to let Izzi bite you." Jareth cursed at her response, pulling at the drake's jaws. Faolan, not to be excluded, bounded over to join the fun. Unfortunately, the wolf misjudged his pounce and knocked Jareth onto the bed.

Sarah snapped pictures with her Polaroid, hanging them up when it had finished developing. The white frames would forever more depict the memory of Jareth wrestling with Izzi, trying to pry her off his ear, and Faolan, trying to fend off the wolf. After taking these precious pictures, Sarah joined Faolan in impeding Jareth's conflict with Izzi.

Jareth swore, later, that the world was against him, and that his ear would be forever scarred from Izzi's bite, and that he wasn't rough-housing with Faolan again until the wolf learned to be more careful of the horns at the tips of his wings.


Oro: (snickers) Izzi and Jareth just don't get along. Much thanks go to OceanFae, who recommended Izzi early on. It was such a fun name that I started thinking of her as Izzi, and before I knew it, I just couldn't imagine anything else fitting, save Jessie, which was what I originally had in mind. I do like Izzi better for her; it suits the little drake.

Jareth: Ahem.

Sarah: You're procrastinating!

Oro: Don't know what you're talking about. Anyways, my apologies; this chapter isn't nearly as long as the last one, but important-- Faolan grows his wings and you get a hint at much of Jareth's encounters of the Izzian kind...

Jareth: I'm getting bit every chapter?!

Quill: Just focus on getting her to say the damn disclaimer!

Sarah: Right. (turns to find Oro missing) Or not. (turns to readers) I don't know about those two (points to Jareth and the Monty Python quote) but I belong to myself, thanks.

Quill: I'm afraid not. None of the belongs to Oro. And Oro belongs to me. Now kindly go away so I can pester the author.

Oro: (faintly, as if from great distance) I heard that! And you be nice to the readers! Please don't listen to him, he's mental!