Chapter 14.
Jareth stood up, descended the stone dais and took his place standing beside Sarah. He looked at his brother, and could see that the other was more than impressed. Sarah intimidated Quinn in some way. "We hope your journey here was not too taxing, we've a fine evening of entertainment planed. Don't we, my dear?"
Sarah could feel the hair standing on the back of her neck. This was a far more dangerous game than she had ever played. "Indeed." She responded keeping her game face in place.
Quinn and his party received escort to the state dining room of the castle. Once all the members of the court and guests had been shown their assigned seats the King's procession entered. Anne was on Ryan's hand and they entered behind Sarah on Jareth's arm. Giles brought up the rear, his eyes keeping a careful watch as they entered. Jareth escorted Sarah to the Hostess seat, kissed her hand and moved down the table to his own seat. A footman stood behind Sarah to help with her chair. Ryan escorted Anne to her seat then moved to the one directly across from her. They sat closer to the king, and Giles was in the dead center of the long banquet table, across from him the daughter of the visiting Mystic, Celestia. Once the King took his seat, everyone took his or her places.
Footmen and maids appeared they began serving. Jareth found himself holding his breath for an instant. Each of the servants behaved as if they had worked in the Goblin Palace all their lives proudly. Jareth let go of the anxiety, and enjoyed the looked of unabashed surprise on his brother's face. Looking down the table to the other end, he caught Sarah's eye and silently thanked her.
Sarah was glad that Jareth had not insisted that she wear gloves as he did. She listened to the diner conversations that were beginning to take place. More than once she had seen the old Mystic gazed her way, as if he were trying to intimidate her. Her attention directed more on what was happening in the room, and she could not be troubled with the Old Mystic's games. The serving staff was doing her proud, and Goblins were behaving. That was what mattered to Sarah.
Quinn had been to the Goblin Castle a time or two. As recollected it had been at least a century since the last state dinner in the place. Quinn had to admit things in the palace had changed, and for the better. The last diner here had not been so beautifully choreographed. Nor had the menu been so elegantly simple. Someone's hand, other than his brother had directed the staging for the meal. Azure eyes moved down the table, past guests to the young woman in the hostess seat. This was a puzzle, and Quinn loved to solve puzzles.
Shifting his gaze from the hostess, Quinn turned to look at the Archer his brother had introduced. He pondered the name, then asked. "Brother, you said your Archer's name was Giles Centaurus… that is rather a…unique name. Is it not?"
Giles looked over at the guest of honor, then to the King. Jareth shook his head, "Rather a common name in the woodlands." He said.
Quinn frowned. "Common if one happens to be a Centaur…which your archer is not."
Jareth gave a mocked surprise gasp. "He's not?" At the glare he received from his sibling, he motioned down to Giles. "Would you like to explain how you came by your last name, Giles?"
The aristocratic archer looked over at the King's guest. "I had the honor of battling side by side along with Falken and his clan of centaurs. They offered me the protection of the Clan name and I accepted."
Leaning back in his chair, Quinn looked more carefully at the archer. "You must have shown a great deal of skill, I've never known Falken to offer his name to any outsider…"
"I think it was more a matter of the devotion I show my King, Lord Quinn." Giles downplayed his skills. "Falken and his men have skills few others could master."
Quinn's Archer, Timmus regarded the human mortal and dismissed him.
Celestia sat quietly listening to the man, her lips parted once but she did not speak. When Giles felt her gaze, he looked across at her. She lowered her eyes, before drawing attention. Giles looked at his dinner.
Quinn looked down the table at the hostess; she had been watching the exchange. He frowned again and turned to his brother. "How can a mortal girl come from the Vortex?" the question came out more challenging then intended.
Jareth just smiled, declining to answer.
Quinn had a urge to throttle his sibling, punch out his own archer and hang his scholar.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Cairbre had been holding his breath since Sarah had appeared. Solea placed her hand on his arm. "Breath." She whispered.
The Bard relaxed a bit as the diner progressed. "She's holding her own." He whispered.
Solea looked over at Morea, "Perhaps too well." She urged the Bard to look at the face of the Dryad.
Morea's jaw clenched and her teeth were grinding.
Xia motioned the Asian wise man, Qwai Chang forward. She whispered something in his ear, harshly. Chang frowned and looked over at Morea He nodded to his Queen and took his place again. Tos looked at his bonded mate then over at the Dryad.
The Snow Queen had seen the Dragon Queen issuing an order, and she mused. Her cool features took on a soft glow. More games afoot than just what shown in the Scrying pool.
Cairbre was aware of the growing murmurs and agitation in the on lookers. He wondered just how many levels of gaming were being played. He covered Solea's hand again with his own. "You've good eyes, Solea."
Caladon from under his hood kept watch.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
The diner had been a success; no one could deny that. Quinn had been impressed, and Jareth counted that as points in his favor. Jareth rose from his seat, and the guests followed him to the grand ballroom of the palace. Jareth was certain that Sarah had seen to it that this room as well had been put into spit polish order. He was not disappointed when he entered and found it decorated with the finest taste. Instead of looking gaudy, it looked sedate and elegant. Even he was impressed. He moved to the platform with a throne like chair, took his seat and motioned the minstrels to begin to play.
The guests began to file in. Ryan and Giles took their places flanking the King. Anne and Sarah took seats below the platform. Once the room filled, Jareth stood and asked Sarah to honor him with the first waltz of the evening. The floor cleared and the King moved her gracefully across the floor. Slowly others moved also to the floor, including Anne and Ryan.
Giles had been watching the Lady Celestia. She stood with her father behind the seated Lord Quinn. Giles approached and bowed to Quinn, "My Lord, with your permission, I should like to ask the Lady Celestia to dance."
Garfrith bristled and growled. "No."
Quinn held up a hand that silenced the old mystic. "I see no harm."
The old mystic protested. "He is Humanie! My daughter is too good for the likes of him. His very touch would despoil her!"
Amused at the old man's venom, Quinn waved him back. "I see no harm. Of course you may ask the Lady."
Giles did not bother looking at Garfrith, he kept his gaze at the girl. "Lady Celestia, would you honor me with this dance?"
The old mystic was certain his daughter would spurn the advance of the Humanie. When he heard her answer his features fell into a mask of disbelieve.
"Yes, Sir Giles, I'd like to dance with you." Her voice was like quicksilver.
Giles extended his gloved hand to her. Her hand set lightly, nearly not at all, upon his. He escorted her to the dance floor and drew her into the waltz. "Thank you." He said softly.
"Thank you." The relief in her voice was palatable.
Garfrith growled as he bent near his lord, "Why do you allow this?"
"Silence old fool, the girl may be of use unsettling that one." Quinn retorted.
Jareth whispered to Sarah. "Giles has asked the mystic's daughter for a dance."
Sarah gave no indication of having looked. "So I see." She kept her face toward the King.
Jareth looked down, "What else do you see?"
"Not now." She cautioned. "Even the walls have ears."
The first waltz ended and another began. The King went to ask a lady of his court to dance and Sarah moved back to her seat at the platform. Keeping her face schooled, she looked around the room, beginning to assess the situation, and the players. Timmus could not be trusted, she was sure of that. There was something about him that raised the hackles on her. Klaws of Tarsi seemed an honorable man, but cold and unfeeling. He stood over his lord, never moving far from his side. The mystic clearly hated humans, and Sarah for one was going to find out why. She made a note to have Anne look up the wizard in the volumes in the King's library.
Giles was again waltzing across the floor with the daughter of the mystic. Sarah felt pity for the other girl. Garfrith was glaring at the pair as they danced by. It was evident that he was going to make the girls life hell, if he had not already done so. Sarah studied the other girl. She was beautiful and gentle, and clearly affected by the presence of the handsome human who was of the Centaur Clans. Sarah liked her, but pitied her.
The Scholar was another perplexity altogether, Elthric the Elf appeared to be an arrogant son of a bitch. Egotistical, and rude, and it did not appear that he cared too much for the master he was serving. Sarah made a note to warn Anne not to underestimate that one.
She had assessed the champions, which left their master. Up to this time, Sarah had avoided looking at the man. His resemblance to Jareth was more than a bit spooky. Sarah had known a set of twins back home, identical twins who were alike in form and feature and some thoughts. That did not come close to what she was feeling about Jareth and his brother. They were more like two severed halves of the same being. She had avoided eye contact with the darker brother on instinct. Now she felt it her duty to look at him, to study if she could from across the room.
There was no denying he was handsome, nor that he was posed. The man knew how to move, how to dress and how to speak. He also had the same flair of style and wit that Jareth possessed. The eyes were different, and not just because they matched, Sarah noted. It was the lack of warmth or joyousness, which disturbed her. She had yet to see the man even smile all evening. He had smirked, half smiled, but never did a joyful look appear in his eyes. Still, there was something about the man, something very disturbing and familiar.
Quinn had been talking to another member of the court; he felt the intense scrutiny from across the room. At a leisurely pace he turned and looked directly at Sarah. The intensity of the gaze startled her; reminded for an instant of the other brother's gaze in a Crystal Ballroom. Sarah kept her face schooled and her feelings hidden. Quinn looked away again when someone asked him a question.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Solea whispered tersely. "What is wrong with her?"
"I don't know." Cairbre shrugged.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Sarah was enjoying the evening she had arranged. The music was divine, the room perfectly decorated, the guests scintillating. Everything was going according to Hoyle as her father would say. Anne and Ryan were on the other side of the room, discussing some subject with a young couple who resided in the Kingdom. Giles was making conversation with one of the Elven Lords that was a guest. Jareth was receiving complements on a wonderful evening. Sarah drew in a relived breath, and turned to a companion who was speaking to her. The minstrels began to play a familiar tune and Sarah found herself off guard and distracted. She had arranged the play list herself, and knew for a fact, that tune was not on it.
"Lady Sarah." The voice drew her attention and she turned to face…Quinn.
"May I have this dance?" He held out his hand expecting her to comply.
"No," Jareth intercepted. "I'm afraid she is spoken for…" He looked at Sarah. "They're playing our Song."
Sarah placed her hand on Jareth's. "Excuse me." She said quietly to the haughty man staring after her. As Jareth led her to the dance floor, she whispered. "I didn't ask for this song…did you?"
Jareth moved her into the familiar waltz, "No." His eyes moved around the room. "I did not. Someone must have, but who?" He looked down at her. "Keep the mask on. Don't let it fall."
Sarah closed her eyes, "But this song…"
"It does not matter…All that matters is we are …" He stop speaking and shuddered. "Not now." He muttered. A thunderous sound of footsteps clamored outside the Ballroom, and a horde of Goblins gathered. Jareth let go of Sarah's hand, much as she had his only months ago. "It's a summons. I have to go."
Sarah nodded. "I understand. Go. Take care of it, I'll take care of this."
Jareth bowed to her, turned and moved toward the Goblins awaiting him. "Ok, let's go." They vanished.
"Well," a voice said from behind her. "It appears this has become…my dance."
Sarah turned ready to refuse. Seamlessly Quinn moved in where his brother had left off. He moved with her into the dance, closed his eyes briefly and then looked down at her with the look of being mystified. "I'm not familiar with the song, do you know what it is called?" Quinn asked.
"It is an original composition by your brother," Sarah answered trying not to respond to the strange feelings this darker brother evoked. "It is called, 'As the world falls down'." The same heady spicy scent that Sarah had thought was uniquely Jareth's was also belonging to this man.
"Jareth composed this?" Quinn was genuinely surprised.
"He did." Sarah was very troubled by the fact that they looked much alike, danced alike, sounded alike and blast if they did not smell alike!
Sniffing the air lightly, Quinn could not be sure. The girl belonged to his brother, he was sure. Nevertheless, how she belonged to him was escaping him. He decided to take a chance, knowing that the result would answer his question. Leaning toward her, he moved his head so his lips were at her ear. She gasped, and he quietly made his suggestion.
Sarah drew back eyes wide and her face looking as if she had bitten into a sour persimmon. She stopped dancing, her eyes darkened and she raised her hand, slapping the man soundly. Turning she exited the dance floor.
Timmus and Klaws moved toward their lord, ready to defend him. Yet, instead of being angry, the Fae Lord looked for an instant surprised, then delighted. He quite suddenly smiled and laughed. Timmus looked at the Warrior who but shrugged.
Anne saw the slap and went to Sarah's side. "What was that all about?"
Sarah looked at her, and growled. "Don't ask."
Ryan and Giles joined the two human girls. Ryan cleared his throat. "He made a pass?"
"That's putting it mildly." Sarah fumed. "I'm going for a walk. Don't follow me."
Giles said. "We'd best make sure the purple people eater does not follow her either."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Morea was laughing so hard she spilled the wine in her goblet. "At last your little mortal champion has met her match!"
Cairbre tossed coins into a pot. "Put your money where your mouth is."
Solea groaned.