Author's Note: Am I sorry for the 'cliffhanger' at the end of the last chapter? – Nope. :) It might have taken another week to finish the chapter otherwise (we are leaving on vacation tomorrow) and I decided it would be kinder to post the cliffie than keep y'all hanging on so long. I will be on vacation until the 13th. This extra long chapter (nearly 10k words!) will have to hold you over until after I get home. I hope you enjoy it and will leave LOTS of feedback/reviews/comments for me to read during the LOOOOOONG ride back home.
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The Thirteenth Rider
Ch. 12: The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea
Nana Miller paused mid-sip as the first howl of the Fae hounds rang out over the moors. Looking at Fergus Kerr, their eyes met and the conversation they had been having ceased. The Hunt was on. Their only hope was that after the Goblin King's intervention the previous night, the little cottage would be safe from the hunters. Two sets of eyes watched as the lanterns, carried by riders on horseback, danced across the top of the ridgeline in the distance. Although the sound of hooves and hounds drifted down the moors to the little yellow cottage, the riders themselves were moving parallel to them.
"Thank Danu…" muttered Mr. Kerr, sucking deeply upon his pipe in relief.
Cocking her head, Nana listened for movement in Sarah's room, relieved when she heard the faint squeak of the old bedsprings, then nothing. Ever stubborn like the rest of the women of their line, Sarah had originally argued that she was going to sit up, avoiding sleep in favor of watching out for the hunt. After arguing for what seemed like hours but was in all reality, only a short while, her grandmother had managed to make the willful girl see that see that there was no reason to avoid sleep because the Goblin King had offered her protection and clearly the wards of the house were working. The hunters would not enter the garden gate or house. It was safe to sleep.
Kissing her granddaughter's cheek softly, Nana Miller had watched Sarah head to her room, waiting for the door to her bedroom to shut before she leaned toward Fergus.
"I understand your suggestion Fergus, but sending Sarah back to the US would do nothing about this other Fae she's gotten herself mixed up with. It might protect her from the Hunt, but the Goblin King promised to do that anyway, so she is already safe from them."
Frowning, Mr. Kerr tamped down the tobacco in his pipe and lit it, puffing thoughtfully before he replied, "Safe, except on the Fairy Moon."
Nana Miller's eyes narrowed in response, irritated that he would remind her of that fact.
"Yes, yes. I am well aware of that. However, with luck she won't need protection from the Hunt by then," she replied sharply. "Now, do I have your oath, Fergus?"
The wizened old man nodded, sucking upon the elaborately carved mershaum pipe that he clutched between his teeth, "Aye. Ye've got it, Colleen. I'll stay and watch 'or the wards all the moon cycles that the lass is here. But, there is naught more that I kin do than what ye've already done."
Nana peered at him, her grey-blue eyes shining in the flickering candle light, "Another set of eyes and ears is helpful Fergus, 'specially if I must take… additional measures. I kin't watch 'or Sarah and invoke 'Him' at the same time."
Mr. Kerr nodded, his eyebrows knitting into a worried frown as his turned his gaze from the line of riders and lanterns in the distance, to the woman he had been friends with since before they had been weaned from their mothers' breasts.
"D'ye think it wise to call upon Him? Ye know as well as I do that to call upon Him puts you in his debt, 'an ye never know how He'll answer when summoned," he questioned.
Sipping her tea as the scent of moon poppies and white heather drifted over them, Nana Miller considered her friend's objection. What she was planning could be dangerous, as 'He' was unpredictable at best. Although she had niggling qualms about it, in the end it was her last resort and she would do anything and make a deal with anyone to ensure her granddaughter's safety.
"The family is already cursed and will lose Sarah to the Goblin King in debt of that curse, what further harm could come of it? He'll no' take the life of one as old as me, nor press me into service," replied Nana Miller.
"An' kin ye be so sure of that? Tis making a deal with the Devil, Colleen," Fergus muttered with a shake of his head.
"Better the Devil you know, Fergus. Better the Devil you know," she answered solemnly.
Silently the two of them sat in the garden, each lost to their own thoughts, the only sound the quiet hum of evening creatures, and the distant baying of Fae hounds. As they watched the line of riders move further away from Gifford with an inward sigh of relief, the sound of rapid footsteps down the cottage stairs disturbed the quiet of the evening.
"What the Dev…." Fergus muttered, his exclamation cut off when the kitchen door flew open and Sarah launched herself into the garden, only to be stopped by a seemingly invisible barrier.
Nana Miller's eyes narrowed darkly as she looked at the pajama clad figure of her granddaughter as she tried again to run through the kitchen door, only to be slammed back into place just inside the door. Pursing her lips, Nana rose, her hand tenderly gripping Sarah's arm as she looked at the open, yet unseeing eyes of her beloved granddaughter.
"What is it, Colleen?" asked Mr. Kerr, on his feet, his stooped body straightening as he stood between the Miller women and the garden gate, as if doing so might somehow protect them.
Nana didn't look at him, she merely hissed, "Quiet man. This be Fae magic." Gesturing at the pendant that hung around Sarah's neck she continued, " 'An it's not of the Goblin King's doing."
Looking at the Fairy silver pendant, now glowing red, Fergus Kerr felt his insides contract. Unseelie magic. It had to be.
Returning her attention to her Sarah, who was muttering in agitation as she continued to press forward, only to be rebuffed by whatever barrier was in place at the kitchen door, Nana Miller gently asked, "Sarah love… what is it?"
Sarah's indistinct muttering paused as her grandmother's voice seemed to penetrate her sleep state.
"Danger…for me…..she said… run…."
"Who, Sarah? Who said that?" asked Nana Miller, her heart thudding in her chest as she waited for the answer.
"Diantha…."
Mr. Kerr's eyes snapped toward the distant hills at the name of the fabled Goblin Queen. Colleen had told him of Sarah's triumph over the Labyrinth and the current Goblin King. It hadn't surprised him that she won, all of the Miller women were smart and quick to take up a challenge, but that didn't mean his heart was quiet at the knowledge that she would at some point be forced to take up the Goblin Queen's crown – which meant joining with the Goblin King. It was that which troubled Kerr the most, given the many legends and stories about his notorious cruelty and mercurial temper. That Sarah should be trapped into a loveless union with the Fae in the first place was bad enough, but for it to be the Goblin King… well that was just pouring salt in the wound.
"Come Fergus," murmured Nana Miller, tenderly turning Sarah around and leading her into the kitchen, "Help me get her back to bed."
Shutting the kitchen door, Mr. Kerr double-checked the locks and set the heavy iron cross-bar. With a solemn nod, he took Sarah's other arm and the two old friends led the still sleeping Sarah back to her bedroom. It looked like it was going to be a very long night.
~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~
Sarah didn't know what Diantha did after she ran from the singing stanes, but it must have been impressive, as a shock wave of green magic hit her in the back and sent her flying. Groaning as she picked herself up, Sarah chanced a look back toward the stones, to seeing Diantha standing in the middle, her posture majestic as her hair blew wildly around her head, a green glow suffusing her body. She didn't pause long however, as Diantha's voice echoed urgently in her head, "Don't stop, daughter! He comes for you!"
Finding her feet once more, Sarah took off in the direction she had been heading before the magic knocked her off her feet. As she ran across the moor, another blast of magic shimmered around her. Sarah gasped, as the edge of her vision seemed to shiver, like the very fabric of the dream was being ripped. Then she was tumbling into darkness.
~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~
Nana Miller sat on the bed next to Sarah, smoothing the wisps of white hair back from the girl's pinched face, watching as her granddaughter panted as if she were running. As she watched, Sarah seemed to spasm on the bed, gasping and moaning with the force, a dark mark appearing on her forehead as if she had been struck.
"Wha-What's happening Colleen?" Fergus asked, his eyes glued to the writhing figure tucked under the heirloom quilt upon the bed.
"Dream magic…" Colleen answered quietly, her wrinkled face showing her worry as she caressed Sarah's face, trying to sooth away the distress, yet knowing it would do no good.
Fidgeting with his pipe, Fergus looked out the window, relieved to see the Wyld Hunt had crested the far hill and were racing down the other side toward the small hamlet of Midsummer. While he felt for the inhabitants of that village, he was just glad the riders had not come to Gifford. Returning his gaze to Sarah and Colleen, he noticed the pendant around the girl's neck was still glowing red, with a faint green tinge around the edges.
"The pendant," he whispered, afraid to speak any louder for fear of disturbing Sarah further, "I thought the Goblin King had her under his protection."
Looking at the eerie glow of the pendant, Nana Miller reached out to touch it, drawing her hand back with a gasp as a shock arced from the silver toward her fingers.
"He told Sarah it would protect her from the hunt. So whatever magic has hold of her now, must be hunt related since the pendant reacted," she murmured, more concerned with why the red glow of the pendant was now edged with green, a green that seemed to pulse with a different kind of energy. Deep down, Nana prayed that whatever the green was, it was good and protecting her granddaughter.
Suddenly, Sarah seemed to lurch off the bed, her head rocking from one side to the next like she had been hit, a bloom of blood seeping from her lip as it split.
"Saints preserve us!" yelped Mr. Kerr, rushing toward the bed.
Rising Nana Miller pushed Mr. Kerr to sit in her place, her grey-blue eyes stormy and narrowed, her jaw tightening as she made her decision.
"Stay with her Fergus. Don't leave her no matter what happens or what you hear from below," she muttered in a steely voice that brooked no argument.
With his pipe clamped firmly between his teeth, Mr. Kerr merely nodded. He knew what she planned to do, and while he didn't agree, seeing what was happening to Sara, he understood that they were running out of options.
"Aye… but don't let the tricky blighter fool ye, Colleen. Keep the bastard honest and true to his word," he replied, gripping Sarah's hand as Colleen left the tiny bedroom, the door clicking quietly behind her.
Nana Miller moved with purpose down the stairs of the old cottage, the usual aches and pains that came with such movement forgotten as she focused upon what she was about to do. Deep in her chest, her heart pounded as she fought down a wave of panic – there was no time for self-doubt. Not with Sarah's safety at stake.
~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~
Oscar yawned as his human came down the stairs, blinking sleepily he watched as she paused at the hearth and lit the log waiting in the iron grate. For a moment he pondered why his human thought he needed a fire, but it had been a cool spring so far, so in his opinion, it was thoughtful of her to light the fire for him. Meowing his approval, Oscar hopped from his perch atop her knitting basket and settled himself in front of the hearth, his yellow eyes following her as she rushed to the closet, only to fling open the door and begin rummaging through the contents of her coat.
Her movements puzzled him. Ordinarily she would light the hearth, then sit in her chair and invite him to settle in her lap. Clearly his human was up to something.
When she returned to the hearth, she stuck her foot under him and forcefully nudged him away from the warmth of the fireplace, her words sharp, "Move it, cat! I've no time for you now."
He glared at her disdainfully as he jumped into her chair, his yellow eyes watching her balefully as he deliberately dug his claws into the faded upholstery, vaguely surprised when she didn't scold him as she usually did. In fact, she seemed fully intent upon the small clay figurine in her hands and the silver disc she had pulled down from its hiding place behind the loose brick in the base of the hearth.
Curling in upon himself, Oscar lay down in her chair and watched. While her actions were not quite as amusing as the things she liked to watch on the little picture box, they were unusual enough that, being a cat and prone to curiosity, he was intrigued.
His human knelt upon the rug in front of the fire and placed the silver disc in front of the flames, placing a white candle upon the end of each of the three spiraled arms of the disc. Sticking a broom straw into the fire, she lit the white candles, then with a flick of her wrist set the disc to spin, the slick metallic surface flickering in the firelight as it slowly began to twirl. With the disc spinning, his bi-ped threw a handful of herbs into the hearth, the flames sparking wildly with shades of green and purple. Then she spoke.
Finnavhar please hear my plea,
Ancient One and Lord o' Green,
Sovereign or' the Fae Kings Three,
A boon I ask, on bended knee.
Oh Ancient One, please come to me.
Oscar was surprised when his human threw the clay figurine into the hearth, the fragile clay shattering with a brittle crash against the stones as the clay itself was consumed by the roaring, multi-hued flames. The fire flared to life once more, then went dark as wind rushed down the chimney, swirling around the room with enough force to rattle the windows and shift the furniture across the hardwood floors. Yowling, Oscar was aggravated when his own chair scooted backward, gliding on the rug over the varnished boards of the cottage floor. As the miniature whirlwind died down, the fire roared to life once more, casting flickering shadows over the room, shadows that illuminated not just his human, but the figure of a man.
"You request my presence, daughter," the man asked, his voice booming yet strangely calming in the quiet of the cottage, startling Oscar's bi-ped as she turned to face him.
Cocking his head, Oscar looked at the new person, unimpressed by the flowing green robes he wore, although the way the colors seemed to shimmer and dance across the fabric was novel – almost interesting enough to move Oscar from his chair, longing to touch and chase the colors as they flitted about. The man inclined his head, his eyes a bright green that seemed to glow from within, as a mane of silver hair stood out at random angles from his head, to fall wildly down his shoulders. Unable to help himself, Oscar hopped down from his chair and approached the strange man, weaving around and between his legs with a low purr that turned into a loud burbling when the man bent down and answering with a deep rumbling purr of his own, picked Oscar up and stroked him. From his new vantage point tucked in the man's arms, Oscar watched his bi-ped as she knelt low, pressing her lips to the sandaled feet of the man.
"M'Lord, forgive me. I am Colleen Rhiannon McCoullough Miller, last living matriarch of Clan Fionnan."
"Clan Fionnan," mused the man with a slight smirk. "Fionnan the cursed. Yet you uphold the old ways and call on me despite that – for what reason would you risk my displeasure, daughter of Rhiannon?"
Ducking her head, Oscar's human seemed to blush.
"I had no choice but to call for you, M'Lord. My kin, the last of the daughters of Rhiannon is in danger and I seek your help to keep her safe," replied the human, looking up at the man.
"And why should I care for this life of your bloodline?" came the icy reply. "After what your kin took from me, you dare ask for a boon such at this?"
"But you took back that which my ancestor kept from you and cursed us to be tormented and slaughtered by the hunt until the price of the curse could be paid," protested Oscar's human, her grey-blue eyes flashing with unspoken anger at his words. "My granddaughter is the curse price – she has bested the Goblin King to become his bride and Queen. But if she is not protected from those that hunt her in the land of dreams and waking, I fear she will not live to fulfill her duty to the family, the Underground and her rightful King."
Purring louder, Oscar gently dug his claws into the man's arm, butting the top of his head against the man's chin.
"Bested the Goblin King, you say?" he asked, his voice quieter as the ice seemed to melt from it. His eyes washed over the woman kneeling at his feet, all the while his hands continued to scratch Oscar's ears. "Then she is his to protect, not mine," he declared, then his voice rose in the language of the Ancient Ones, the lilting tones vibrating the very stones upon which the cottage was built – "Lethane li` tan o' tannelyn Jarethkint Go'Ha Ri`."
Thunder seemed to boom within the room, as a bright flash of lightening lit the sky outside, momentarily bathing the little cottage in light as bright as the noonday sun, before fading once more as another man appeared before the hearth. Recognizing the newcomer, Oscar hissed once, before settling at the green man's soothing caress, continuing to voice his displeasure with a low growl.
"I see you and Oscar have already met," laughed the green man. "They say cats are an excellent judge of character, and I do believe he is right about you."
The new man glared pointedly at Oscar, before turning his mismatched eyes to the green man, his lips twisting in a smirk as he nodded, "This feline and I have met, although in my defense, he was escaping the rather enthusiastic clutches of a frightened human at the time. I suggest he is reacting less to my character, than his memory of being crushed in the arms of a mere girl." Looking down at the woman still kneeling on the floor, the mismatched eyes widened, an elegantly sculpted eyebrow raising in question as he continued, "I gather this is not a social visit, grandsire?"
"That would be most accurate, Goblin King. This is Colleen, the matriarch of the cursed Clan Fionnan," replied the green man, gesturing at the kneeling woman, as the dark man's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"I was only made aware of the curse recently. They were cursed to be tormented by the hunt, were they not?" enquired the dark man, his mismatched eyes flashing with unspoken anger.
With a smile, the green man inclined his head in a brief nod, "More or less that it the truth of it."
"More or less?" snapped the other man, his eyes darkening in frustration. "Must you speak in riddles, Sire? The only note on the curse in the Goblin Archives says that it was put in place due to a stolen child, yet no other information is written. As Goblin King and Lord of the Chase, I am one of the few people both Above and Below who should know the full details of this curse and I would greatly appreciate it if you would stop being obstinate and dispense with the details – Now."
Laughing, the green man dropped Oscar back on his chair and approached the dark man, clapping him on the shoulder as the dark man audibly growled and shrugged away from the gesture.
"If you were anyone but the Goblin King, you would not get away with speaking to me like that, Jarethkintan," chuckled the green man, his eyes flashing mischievously. "As the fates would have it, the reason you were summoned here this night will provide you much of the information you desire." Turning gentle eyes upon the human at his feet, the green man spoke in a soft voice, "Seek his help, daughter. But know that as you would were it my assistance, a price you will pay."
Oscar's human nodded her head, stooping once more to press her lips to the green man's foot.
"Aye, M'Lord. And thank you," she murmured, her cheek lying for a moment against his foot before righting herself once more.
Offering her his hand and helping her to stand, the green man shook his head, an amused smile teasing the corners of his mouth as his green eyes sparkled impishly, "Thank me not, daughter. You have no promise that the Goblin King will help, or that his help will be what you want. Best wait and see the outcome. As to that, I think I too shall wait to see the outcome of this."
Oscar growled a low warning at the other man as his face darkened further with an emotion Oscar was not able to identify – but he knew it was not happy.
"Well woman, what is it you want with me? I would question your sanity, but you at least had the sense not to summon me directly," the dark man snapped peevishly, flipping his heavy leather cloak back over his shoulder as he made a show of adjusting the leather gloves that encased his hands. As he watched the dark man, Oscar momentarily saw the man as a giant cat, preening in a show of superiority. "Come come, woman. I haven't got all night. As it is I have been called away from the hunt by the only being who has the power to disrupt such things. So, please do get on with it."
For a moment, Oscar actually felt sorry for his human, watching as she gawped at the dark man before finding her voice, her words quiet as her voice cracked, "I…I sought the Ancient One's help to protect my granddaughter."
"Sarah…yes," growled the dark man, his lips a grim line as he bit out her name, his words causing the green man's eyes to widen in surprise. "I came to her aid last night," he continued. Seeing the look on the green man's face he snapped, "At her invitation, Sire. I know the laws of the Sidhe and rules of the Labyrinth as well as you. I broke neither in my actions."
"Of course not, Jarethkintan," murmured the green man, his face unreadable once more.
Waving his hand at the old woman, the dark man addressed her impatiently, "As I said, I helped her last night. I even left her a small gift to protect her further from the hunt."
"A gift?" questioned the green man his eyes alight with interested amusement.
"Yes. A gift. No payment was requested nor received. What of it?" grumbled the dark man, glaring at the green man who merely smiled mysteriously and waved his hand, ignoring the question.
Frowning at his obvious dismissal from the green man, the dark man turned his cold eyes back to Oscar's human, "Sarah asked for protection last night and I gave it. Why do you seek me now?"
"Your Majesty, though you be both Lord of the Chase and Goblin King, by my Sarah defeating you she becomes your destined Queen."
The dark man's eyes flashed with anger at the human's words, the Fates were notoriously cruel in their sense of humor and the irony of Sarah being his destined Queen was not lost on him – although it did not sooth his anger over it. His voice was steely and cold when he replied, "She bested my Labyrinth – Not. Me. And I am well aware that the law of the land that dictates she is Queen by conquest. That however, does not answer my question. Why should I do more than I have already done? She is safe from the hunt on all but the Fairy Moon. I have done all I can and dare to ensure her safety from the hunt – even the Lord of the Chase must abide by rules."
Raising her head, Oscar's bi-ped stared boldly into the dark man's eyes, her voice shaking with her mounting anger, "Because being your Queen makes you and Sarah the key to lifting the curse that your grandsire placed upon Clan Fionnan for the actions taken by my ancestor Rhiannon."
The dark man's face face showed fleeting surprise, before being schooled to his customary, self-satisfied smirk.
"We are the key? How intriguing." he enquired smoothly, the friendly nature of his words belied by the cold and calculating smirk he now wore.
"I thank you for the help you have already given the girl, M'Lord, but I fear she has become mixed up with another Fae of more," at this Nana Miller paused, eyeing the Goblin King warily, well aware of his fearsome reputation. "Well… more questionable motives. He has tricked her into giving up a protective charm that I had hung in her bedroom and today when I met him in town, I swore he smelled of burnt ash and cinder."
At this, both the green man and the dark man's faces seemed to shadow as they shared a look, as if they knew something that Oscar's human did not.
Nodding, the dark man addressed the mortal woman, "How do you expect me to help? Do you want me to break up with him for her?" he growled, his face once more curled into a malicious sneer. "I'd be far more likely to break him – into tiny pieces."
"Now Jarethkintan," laughed the green man, although his voice carried a distinct hint of warning, causing the dark man's eyes to flash brightly for a moment, before returning to the woman.
"M'Lord Goblin King, I seek your oath that you will protect Sarah from any Fae that wishes to harm her. Like Diantha, she beat your Labyrinth and is now fated to be Goblin Queen, but until you claim her as such, I want you to do all in your power to keep her safe, with your very last breath if need be. Give me that oath and I will send her away from the hunt, and hopefully away from the dangers she has found upon arriving here," replied Oscar's bi-ped with quiet determination.
Oscar watched the wicked grin that spread across the dark man's face at this. He wasn't sure what was going on, but felt that the dark man just might be willing to manipulate things to suit his needs – because the green man was right – cats are an excellent judge of character. And when it came to the dark man, Oscar was wary - very wary of his intentions. Oscar liked this being more than the one that came to the garden gate the night before, but he was still wary.
Flipping his cloak outward where it seemed to hang suspended in the air around him, the dark man bowed deeply, his black shirt flowing fluidly over his chest, a gloved hand caressing the golden-horned pendant hanging over his heart. "As you have beseeched me to intercede on her behalf, giving me power over her, I give you my oath as the Goblin King and Lord of the Chase, I will protect Sarah Williams, the destined Goblin Queen, with my very life's blood if need be," he said, his icy voice echoing in the quiet of the room.
With a great sigh, Oscar's human seemed to relax then tense as the dark man gave a shark-like grin and spoke once more-
"On two conditions…."
~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~
Sarah whimpered, her breath rushing harshly from her with each labored breath as she ran through the darkened stone corridor. She didn't know where she was, only that she was running down unlit stone hallways of a building she didn't recognized, in a place she didn't know, from an attacked that she couldn't identify.
Reaching an intersection, Sarah veered left, thumping hard against the wall as he feet slid from the beneath her momentarily. Finding her feet once more, she took off down yet another black hall, trying to ignore the aching pain in her shoulder from where she hit the wall, and the glass-like pain in her shins from running on the stones in bare feet. Behind her she could hear the sound of booted feet clipping sharply on the stones – whoever was chasing here, was gaining ground – fast.
"C'mon feet," she begged in gasping breaths as she threw herself around another corner. Stopping short with a squeak of fear, Sarah realizing she had found a dead-end. Without thinking she turned and backtracked, her hooded attacker running straight toward her as she darted down a different hall, praying to every God she could name, that this hall would lead her out of this building and away from the man in black.
Seeing a large arched doorway in front of her, hope bloomed in Sarah's chest – large doorways had to mean large rooms or maybe an exit.
In this case, it didn't.
At full tilt, Sarah careened into the room only to find herself in a large round room with only one exit – the doorway she had just come through. Turning to flee once more, Sarah moaned seeing the only exit now blocked by the hooded figure, the only hint of their face being the brief flash of silver eyes within the darkened hood.
"You can't escape me, girl. I mean to have you and I will," laughed the cruel voice, the sound echoing around the room.
"I don't belong to you. I…I…I don't belong to anyone!" she shouted, creeping away from the approaching figure. Finding the great stone throne in the center of the room with her hands as they were clutched behind her back, Sarah deftly stepped around the throne, placing it between herself and her attacker.
"Guess again, wench," came the chilling reply as the figure seemed to fly upward, landing atop the throne. Reaching down he dragged her upward by the throat, his fingers digging into the soft skin as she squeaked for air, her fingers clutching at his trying to free herself.
Releasing his hands, Sarah reached for his face, her thumbs searching to find his eye sockets. With a hoarse scream of anger, Sarah dug her thumbs into her attacker's eyes sockets, trying not to gag as the nails found the soft flesh and warmth flooded over them. She didn't want to know what the warm stuff was, having the sickening feeling she knew already. Bellowing in pain and anger, the man dropped her on to the stone floor. Sarah gasped for air as she was freed, her mind frantically whirling as she fought for air to clear her head, all the while her mind was still screaming – RUN! FLEE!
Scrabbling to her feet, Sarah ran for the door, resisting the urge to look over her shoulder to see if he was following. Behind her she heard the pained growls and to her frightened mind, that was enough confirmation that he was likely to follow her. Pushing upright, she lurched for the door, only to be brought to the ground with a scream as strong hands grabbed her ankles. Kicking and screaming, Sarah tried to free herself, but his grip was too strong. He drug her effortlessly over the stone floor, sharp stones snagging her skin and cutting into her body and head as she bounced along. With a furious snarl she jerked her right foot free, then slammed her heel viciously into his groin.
"LET. ME. GO!" she roared, the air around her shimmering green for a brief moment before it faded.
~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~
The Goblin King watched the mortal woman as he spoke. It was customary in the Fae realm to seek payment for services such as this, yet in this case, he wanted no payment. No, Sarah's grandmother was going to give him exactly what he wanted most – she was going to give him power over Sarah.
As he opened his mouth to state the conditions of the oath, the quiet of the cottage was torn by an enraged scream from Sarah.
Grabbing the woman's arm, Jareth transported the two of them to Sarah's room, knowing his grandsire would follow. The sight that greeted him made his blood boil through his veins. Sarah's face was bruised and bloody, her hands curled into claws, red chaffed lines appearing around her ankles and wrists as if she had been bound. Growling and snarling, Sarah thrashed on the bed, pulling against the invisible bonds. Without a word, Jareth conjured up a crystal and gazed deeply into it watching the scene unfold, so engrossed that he didn't see the shocked eyes of the mortal as she peered over his hand.
~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~
"You'll pay for that, bitch!" the hooded figure yelled, grabbing her freed angle and giving it a sharp twist, the resounding crack of the bone making Sarah shriek in pain.
Ignoring her sobs of pain, Sarah's attacker hauled her up by the neck once more, slamming her over the back of the throne, the sharp edges of the carved stones digging into her stomach, the stabbing pain almost making her forget the shattered bone in her ankle.
"Make no mistake, Champion of the Labyrinth, you are mine to take…" he snarled, a gloved hand slipping around her hands, magical chains appearing and binding her to the throne.
"Mine to have…" he growled, his fingers caressing her ankles, a blood-curdling scream tearing from her throat as he dug his fingers into her broken ankle. Having secured her ankles to the side legs of the throne, he laughed, the fetid warmth of his breath brushing across her check as he whispered in her ear, "And with your blood and spawn I'll take the Goblin King's power, and you my traitorous little queen will take the life of the Goblin King by your own hand…."
"Never! I may not like Jareth, but I wouldn't kill him!" she shouted, struggling against the bonds and whimpering at the electric pain that shot up her leg from the shards of bone in her ankle.
"You'll do whatever I want you to do once you bear my child," her attacker snapped, the flash of sharp teeth winking at her from the depths of his hood.
"What?" struggling against the bond, Sarah tried frantically to figure out how to get free. Diantha said she had power, but so far she couldn't seem to do anything. As the man's hands ran down her back, his fingers hooking into the waist of her shorts, Sarah's fear and anger collided, and with it came a shining moment of clarity. She knew what Diantha had meant. It was crazy. It was illogical. It infuriated her. But deep down Sarah felt the crystal shards of understanding piercing her, pricking their design into her heart and soul with indelible ink – she was the Goblin Queen and with that position came a certain power.
"You're going to regret this.…" she growled coldly, pulling violently against the bonds that held her down. "I don't belong to you."
"I know, I know," the hooded man laughed. "You think you belong to yourself."
"I was wrong. I know the truth now," replied Sarah, her voice suddenly calm and cold, a calculating air humming around her. "I belong to the Goblin King. I belong to Jareth."
The man chuckled, ripping Sarah's shorts from her thighs with a sharp tearing sound.
"Bold little bitch to use the Goblin King's name," he muttered, roughly gripping her hips, his fingers digging into the soft flesh with bruising force. "So what if you belong to him. In another moment you'll be mine."
"You haven't taken into account one tiny, little detail," Sarah said, her lips twisting in a sneer that gave the man pause, she should be in pain. She should be a whimpering, blubbering, pliant shell, but instead her icy sneer looked suspiciously like the Goblin King's customary smirk.
"You're just trying to distract me," he grumbled, moving to face Sarah as he slapped her, rocking her head to the side, a purple bruise blossoming on her cheek with the force.
Sarah grunted, her head dropping forward as if in pain, only to give way to peals of laugher, the disturbing sound seeming to dance around the room.
"No. But you've forgotten one very important thing… I belong to the Goblin King, and the Goblin King doesn't share!"
~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~
Infuriated by the hooded figure's words and actions, Sarah's words made Jareth smile. The willful and incredibly stubborn woman had finally acknowledged his claim to her.
"Do something!" screamed Nana Miller, her hands tugging fretfully at the Goblin King's sleeve. "Any conditions, I'll meet them, but you have to save her!"
Before Jareth could respond, the tension in the room was rent by an ethereal shriek from Sarah – "I wish the Goblin King were here…. Right. NOW!"
Jareth disappeared from Sarah's bedroom in a haze of golden glitter, his words booming through the room – "Oath given!"
~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~
A loud crack of thunder ricocheted around the stone room, making the very stones of the throne shiver from the force of the sound. Sarah cringed as she felt her attacker move close behind her, she knew what was coming but she would be damned if she made it easy for him. Squirming and pulling against the bindings that held her spread over the throne, Sarah ignored the way the stones dug into her belly and the screaming agony of her ankle, desperately trying to free even one limb.
"You'll regret this. I swear it," she snarled, every muscle tensing with the anticipation of what he planned to do. If she ever saw Jareth again, she'd kill him for not answering her call. "If Jareth doesn't kill you, I will!"
She felt the man fumbling, his thighs brushing against the bare flesh of her ass as she struggled.
"Actually, Precious… that pleasure will be mine," replied the Goblin King from somewhere behind, his voice deadly in its intensity. The welcome sound of his voice made Sarah's heart pound, while her body relaxed in the knowledge that he was here. She would be safe – from the hooded attacker at least.
The next thing Sarah saw was the hooded figure as he was thrown bodily over her to slam against the wall so hard the very stones cracked. Before she could fully register what had happened, she felt the binding around her hands and feet release, as she was hauled upward, Jareth's arms surrounding her and supporting her.
A low groan followed by wicked laughter told her that the attacker was still conscious.
"You broke Sidhe law in being here, Goblin King. You are as much a criminal as I, now."
Peering up at Jareth, Sarah trembled inwardly at the look of unbridled fury that burned behind his eyes, his voice cutting through the room like a knife, "On the contrary, my presence here is lawful – she invoked me and I am duty bound to reply. You however, will not be so lucky."
"You can chase me off, but another will take my place," the man laughed, wiping his hand across his face, the gloved fingers coming away smeared with blood. "Sooner or later, we'll succeed in breeding the bitch and you will lose your power, your throne and your life. Then she will lose hers."
A feral growl enveloped Sarah, the sound rumbling from the Goblin King's chest. Tenderly, he deposited her upon the throne, before disappearing only to reappear in front of her attacker, his leather clad hands finding the hooded figure's throat as he pulled him upright.
"Sarah Williams is MINE," he bellowed, the sound making her body seem to vibrate as it swirled around the round room, seeming to ring from the very stones themselves.
"Not….yet…." gasped the hooded man, his hands clawing at Jareth's fingers. "And…you…can't…."
Sarah didn't get to find out what Jareth couldn't do, because her attacker suddenly vanished, leaving the tattered black cloak dangling limp in Jareth's fingers. With a roar of rage, the Goblin King slammed his fist into the wall, the cracks in the stones spider-webbing outward with the force, until clumps of stone fell from the wall to shatter on the floor. Unsure of Jareth's anger, Sarah tried to stifle the whimper of pain that crawled up her throat as the swelling of her ankle refreshed the pain.
At the pained moan from Sarah, Jareth spun, crossing the floor swiftly to kneel before her, his hands gently cupping the broken ankle.
"It's just a dream, Jareth. If you help me wake up then the pain will go away," she panted, wincing against a fresh wave of pain as it washed over her.
"No Precious," came the clipped reply, "This dream was manipulated against Sidhe law, so the pain you feel is quite real, both here in the Netherworld and in the real world."
Cradling her ankle carefully in one gloved hand, Sarah watched as Jareth lifted his other hand to his lips. Despite the pain that radiated up her leg, she found herself mesmerized by the sight of his fine white teeth gripping and tugging upon the fingertips of the glove as he pulled it from his hand. Turning his head, he dropped the glove on the stone floor.
"This will not be pleasant, Love," he murmured quietly, before bringing his bare fingers to caress the swollen purple flesh of her ankle.
As his bare fingers touched her, Sarah gasped as the pain intensified, as if the bones in her ankle were grinding glass.
"Don't hold back, Sarah. Scream, yell, do what you must, but it will be over soon," he said, his piercing blue eyes meeting hers, as his fingers shifted to a new position, sending a new wave of pain shooting up her leg, only to be greeted with an ear-splitting scream.
With a wry smile, Jareth gently set her foot upon the floor, "There Precious, that should fix the worst of it, the rest will be minor bruising. Although this whole misadventure could have been much worse."
"Gee thanks, for stating the bloody obvious, Goblin King," Sarah snapped peevishly, trying desperately to quell the heated flush that had crept up her face at the feel of his bare fingers touching her. It was bad enough that she had told the hooded attacker that she belonged to the Goblin King, she couldn't let him know that.
Suddenly Sarah found herself hauled to her feet, her body pressed tightly against Jareth's, his arms steel bands around her back. It was only now, pressed against him as she was, that she realized he was wearing the leather armor he wore when she first laid eyes on him in her parent's bedroom all those years ago, the embossed ridges of the armor digging into her skin through the thin fabric of her t-shirt and the faded flannel shorts which had reappeared on her body sometime between when Jareth had freed her from the throne and pulled her into his arms.
"Is that really the way you want to treat the one who saved you – again?" he drawled in crisp, clipped tones.
"I….I…." Sarah stammered, feeling her face flush further. "I only wished you would come to me. I never asked you to save me, you did that on your own."
For the first time since she had met him, Sarah saw the Goblin King falter, his elegantly arched eyebrows raising in surprise, as a wicked smirk teased his thin lips. Then he laughed, his lips curling upward to reveal sharply pointed teeth. Sarah trembled inwardly as her mind taunted her with the image of what those teeth would feel like if they were dragged along the tender flesh of her neck – or other tender areas of her anatomy, her nipples tightening in response, to pebble against the armor in a deliciously teasing way with every ragged breath she took.
"Cheeky wench," Jareth murmured, his eyes darkening as he leaned in closer to her, his lips mere millimeters from hers. "That just proves you are the rightful Goblin Queen."
Sarah panted audibly as she forced herself to look away from his lips, her half-lidded eyes meeting his seductive gaze, "Wh…why?"
"Because, my love…. That is the epitome of Goblinesque logic," Jareth said, the tip of his tongue flicking out to tickle the crease of Sarah's lips, making her gasp and shiver in his arms. Then his lips were on hers, burning in their heat as he attempted to consume her, his tongue claiming hers, twisting and dancing around it, his teeth tenderly scraping along the fleshy mass, making her whimper and moan against his lips.
Unable to resist, Sarah's fingers entwined themselves in the hair at the base of his neck, pulling him harder against her as she opened herself to the kiss. She hated him. Loathed him. Resisted him. And she wanted nothing more than to lose herself in this kiss. As his gloved hands crept up her sides, thumbs lightly ghosting against the sides of her breasts, Sarah couldn't help the needy moan that was ripped from her throat when he broke the kiss. Nibbling and biting at the sensitive flesh at the hollow of her throat, Sarah felt as if she were being consumed by flames, the heat suffusing her entire body now.
"There. Is. No. Question. Now. Precious…." He murmured, continuing the path of burning kisses and nibbles against her neck. "You. Are. Mine."
Gasping and arching against him, Sarah shook her head, her mind warring with her traitorous body that wanted nothing more than to drag him down onto the throne with her and see how fast should could get to the flesh that was hidden beneath that leather armor. All the while her mind screamed warnings at her.
"N-n-no," she panted, vaguely amazed that she could speak at all.
Pressing his lips to hers once more, the Goblin King drank deeply of her mouth, teasing and tormenting her with his tongue and teeth, until she whimpered and rubbed her body against him like a cat in heat. She felt his lips curl in a smirk as he kissed her forcefully, as if trying to gain her submission by kisses alone – and her body was willing to surrender based solely upon those kisses.
"Deny me all you want, your body does not lie," he chuckled, sharply nipping the skin under her ear and making her squirm against him further.
Abruptly pulling away from her, Jareth sneered at the breathy moan that escaped her lips, her face flushed as her body writhed with want.
"And Sarah," he began, a mischevious smile shining in his eyes as he looked at her lust-addled face. This was almost too easy. Between her grandmother's acceptance of his conditions without even hearing them, and Sarah's own summons, she was even closer completely his and she didn't even understand how or why. "This is the second time I have saved you…. Do you know what Sidhe Law says will happen if I should be asked to save you a third time?"
Still reeling from the depth of passion he had enflamed her with, Sarah shook her head.
"Your life becomes forfeit ….To. Me."
Dipping his lips to hers once more, Jareth left her gasping for air and clinging to him to remain upright. "For now however, you my Precious little Queen, need more restful sleep," he chuckled, lightly caressing her forehead with his thumb and catching her as she fell limp against him for the second night running – something he was rather starting to enjoy.
~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~
A burst of golden glitter and an ethereal wind heralded the arrival of the Goblin King as he returned to Sarah's room, a sleeping Sarah tucked into his arms.
"Sarah!" Nana Miller gasped, rushing to the Goblin King's side, her hand reaching out to push the white shock of hair from Sarah's face.
"Relax," murmured the Goblin King quietly as he lay her in the bed, tenderly pulling the quilt around her, before taking her grandmother's arm and leading her toward the door, his eyes meeting those of his Grandsire who watched his grandson's actions with a great deal of amusement. "Sarah is sleeping and will likely sleep most of tomorrow as well. I healed her ankle and other wounds."
"But…." Protested Nana Miller, trying to pull herself from the Goblin King's grasp. "I need…."
"You need, to come downstairs with me and arrange to meet the conditions of my oath," murmured the Goblin King firmly, his lips set in a stern line as he looked down at the woman beside him. "Sarah is fine. Leave Fergus to watch over her if you must," he ordered, steering the woman from the room and down the stairs.
When they reached the kitchen, Jareth guided her into a chair, his cloak creaking in the quiet of the kitchen as he leaned upon the counter and watched the woman fidget with a box on the table. Snapping his fingers, the box appeared in his hand, his pale eyes narrowing as he turned it over, examining it closely.
"Where did you get this…tea, is it?" he demanded, eyeing the woman carefully to see that she told the truth.
"That's Sarah's tea. She drinks it before bed," Nana Miller replied with a frown, unsure why the Goblin King would be so interested in Sarah's tea. "I bought it at the store in town. Why?"
Raising an eyebrow he looked at his grandsire, who nodded grimly in reply.
"This tea has been enchanted," he answered, running his fingers over the box until it visibly glowed with a faint blue tinge. "Dream magic in fact. This is how she was able to be attacked in her dreams."
"Unseelie…" said Finnavhar with an angry growl.
"Yes," agreed Jareth, flipping the box of tea into the air where it vanished. "No matter, I've taken care of it for now. From now on, give Sarah this tea instead," he said, twisting a crystal and casually tossing it to Nana Miller who caught it with a startled gasp as it transformed into a box of tea identical to the one the Goblin King had just taken.
"Wha-what will it do?" she asked, eyeing the Goblin King warily as she gingerly set the box on the table in front of her.
Leaning forward slightly, the Goblin King fixed her with a cold look, his patience wearing thin. "It won't hurt her, woman. I gave my oath to protect her from others, I have no intention to harm her myself," he snapped irritably, his eyes flashing as his lips curled into a wicked grin, "Not much at any rate. It is only fair that she suffer a little for the torment she has inflicted upon me for these many years."
Seeing the woman open her mouth to protest further, the Goblin King waved his hand as if to silence her, "Now then, I believe we need to address the terms of our little agreement. My oath in exchange for two specific conditions from you. That was what you agreed to before I went into her dream to protect your precious granddaughter, was it not?"
Nodding, Nana Miller replied, "Yes, M'Lord. I did agree to your terms."
The Goblin King sneered, a triumphant smirk on his face as he glanced at his Grandsire, noting the bemused smile upon the elder's face.
"Yes, you did. And without even knowing the conditions to which you were agreeing. With what you know of the Fae, was that wise?"
Frowning, Nana Miller looked at her hands as they fidgeted across the marred wood of the kitchen table, "Probably not, but I would give anything to protect my Sarah. Even my own life."
"Well banish the thought, woman. I have no intention of demanding your life in exchange for her protection. For one thing, Sarah would never forgive me and that woman is going to be hard enough to tame without angering her in that way," laughed the Goblin King, a malicious sneer upon his face. "No, what I want are two things that are actually quite simple for you to grant. Firstly, Sarah is to remain here."
"But she would be safe from the hunt back in the US," protested Nana Miller, feeling her heart drop at the knowledge that her beloved granddaughter would remain on the hunt path, despite the Goblin King's charm and assurances of her safety.
Tugging at his gloves, the Goblin King proceeded to smooth them over his fingers while answering her objection, "There is no argument woman. You already agreed. However, I am nothing if not magnanimous, and therefore will offer you a reason when I am not honor or duty bound to give one. Quite simply, in order to protect her fully, I will need to draw upon the Earth magic of the singing stanes. My power, while great," he paused here to grin at his grandsire, "…is not infinite. If Sarah leaves Gifford I may be unable to intercede on her behalf."
While she was not happy, Nana Miller nodded. She had agreed to the terms, she was now bound to comply or risk far worse. At her silent nod, the Goblin King continued.
"Secondly, as the matriarch of the Finnan Clan line, I want an open invitation from you to enter this dwelling whenever I see fit, for whatever reason I deem worthy."
Unable to meet his steely gaze, Nana Miller merely nodded, "Aye, M'Lord. As you command."
Finnavhar looked at his grandson with interest, wondering how his triumphant grin could seem even more smug than usual. The boy was up to something, that much was clear.
"If that is all, then I will take my leave. I have a kingdom to prepare for the Queen – when I finally claim her fully," sneered the Goblin King, before vanishing in a whirlwind of golden glitter, his devilish laugh ringing through the kitchen, leaving a puzzled Nana Miller to ponder the meaning of his last words.
"Surely he doesn't mean….?" She asked, looking at the High King in shock.
Patting Nana Miller's arm gently, Finnavhar simply shrugged, "I did warn you, daughter. Goblin King he may be, but he is still Fae. We may give our word, but the price may not be what you expect."
With a nod, the High King disappeared, leaving Nana Miller to her thoughts. Picking up the box of tea, the old woman crossed the kitchen to lean against the sink. With trembling fingers she opened the box and sniffed the contents – the scent of peaches wafting over her. As she held the box over the disposal, she considered upending the tea, considered that is, until an unearthly voice whispered around her…
"I wouldn't do that if I were you…. There are worse things that could have been demanded in payment."
Yelping in surprise, Nana Miller hastily put the tea back on the table and hurried off to bed, muttering to herself as she went up the stairs, "Fergus is right. I've made a deal with the Devil – and the Devil won."
The Goblin King's laughter followed her up the stairs, ringing in her ears the whole way.
Author's Note: Thank you to everyone for your lovely reviews. As there were so many for the last few chapters, I have been unable to respond to everyone individually, unless you have asked specific questions, or addressed specific plot points. As always, I love reading the reviews and feedback – they help keep me motivated to write faster. That said, this extra long chapter will probably be the last one you get until after I return home from vacation! I hope you enjoy it and look forward to reading LOTS of reviews on my cell phone while we take the LOOOONG drive back home next week. :)