It was with exceeding joy that Sarah joined Jareth on their way back to the Labyrinth after the two-hour celebratory luncheon at the Imperial Palace. Somehow sitting at a table for hours on end with thirty-something Sidhe who droned endlessly about politics was not high on Sarah's list of enjoyable activities. Even being seated across from Saoirse and next to Jareth did little to content Sarah, for many of the elder Sidhe had carefully steered the conversation out of the hands of her friends. However, the time spent there was crucial, for Sarah had the opportunity to observe a great many things that she had not been able to gather at the ball the night before. Eorlth sat near the end of the table, far from the Empress and other higher-ranking nobles, but Sarah had also witnessed a lack of nobles from what she understood to be the lower houses. Eorlth was clearly important to the court, and not just for his spying capabilities.
One thing had caused Sarah to wonder greatly, with more than a little amusement, and that was the number of glances she had intercepted between Eorlth and Saoirse. Eorlth had pretended to ignore the looks, but Sarah had seen the both of them getting increasingly frustrated, Saoirse blushing madly and Eorlth's breathing getting steadily heavier as he pretended to ignore her. By the time Jareth had finally transported the two of them back to the Labyrinth, Sarah had readied a good number of questions for the Goblin King. Knowing that Jareth would probably flee to his study at the first opportunity, Sarah refused to release his arm and put on her most innocent look, desperately hoping to hook him. "Jareth, I'm not sure I understand what's going on with the court."
Jareth turned to Sarah, a slightly tender look on his face for a mere moment before his usual arrogant mask slid over it. "I saw nothing unusual occur. What are you speaking of?"
Sarah sighed at Jareth's obtuseness. Perhaps all of this was fairly ordinary for him, but the Faewilde, and its stupid High Court, was an entirely new experience for her. "Everyone was ignoring Lady Saoirse, like Caoilfhinn was the only sister that existed." After a slight pause, Sarah added, "Except Eorlth." She donned a gleeful smirk with an otherwise musing expression. "I think there's something going on with those two."
That startled Jareth, both Sarah's face and words disconcerting him. Considering Sarah's last thought, Jareth resolved to write Eorlth about the matter. While he had no doubt Sarah was merely imagining things with her young mortal mind, it was better to be safe than wed to the Empress's sister. Verbally, though, he ignored it. "Things have been this way since the twins were about fifteen, and Saoirse tells me she prefers it this way. Though the twins have always been equal in power and cunning, Saoirse has prefers a quieter lifestyle that one cannot receive as a notable part of Court politics."
Still confused, Sarah groaned at Jareth. "But why would the Court go along with it? That's what I don't understand. I've known girls like Saoirse all my life, and I understand how they think. It's the stuck up aristocratic mindset that I'm having trouble grasping."
Amusing wording aside, this was a new perspective for Jareth, who had not questioned the motives of the court once Saoirse had proclaimed herself content. It did no party harm, after all, and rather assisted in Eorlth getting information to the Empress without too much notice. It was also a rather philosophical question, one of Jareth's weaker fields. Trying not to sound hesitant, he offered Sarah the only solution he could think of. "It is a rather long tradition that the Empress have only a single child, one possible heir. The court is likely attempting to overlook yet another tradition broken by the late Empress CairistÃona. Beyond her lineage, Saoirse means little to the court. With the Caoilfhinn's opposition holding so much power in Court, Saoirse does not truly further the social interests of any House she chooses to marry into, beyond bringing them under the scrutiny of the Empress, and the odds of her ascending to the throne are slim, as paranoid as Caoilfhinn is. The court sees no reason to be concerned with Saoirse so long as she makes no stir."
Knowing that Sarah would not stop until her curiosity was sated, Jareth steered Sarah toward the library and changed the topic deftly away from the uncomfortable topic that he had never considered before. "You know, Sarah, the twins were actually remarkably like I was as a child; always asking questions and pushing the limits of knowledge. I was meddling with time before I ever came to the Labyrinth."
The most gratifying, and entirely distracted, gasp escaped Sarah's lips. "You were?" The impact of Jareth's complete statement hit her then. "Wait, you weren't raised in the Labyrinth?"
Jareth shook his head and dropped Sarah's arm to search for a book, glad to have diverted her attention. "I am from a dead House in court. It was rather controversial when the Empress at the time brought me for the Labyrinth to choose from rather than having me marry some mortal and restore my house."
Choosing one of the chairs in the sun, Sarah watched Jareth with interest. "I hadn't gotten that far in the Labyrinth's history. What happened to the previous Goblin King?" Another dynasty change had happened three generations before Oberon. The former line of Goblin Kings had suddenly died out, all of the last generation dying at a young age, within a year of each other.
Jareth haphazardly pulled a couple of tomes from a dusty shelf and joined Sarah by the large window. "Oberon's son died without a Queen, and so it was the Empress's duty to find a few young lads for the Labyrinth to choose it's new King from. None of us were older than thirty at the time." He carefully hid a smirk, basking in her avid attention.
Wincing in pain, Sarah halted in the middle of leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees and returned to her perfect posture. She was beginning to hate this corset. Honestly, it was nothing like the one Sarah remembered wearing on stage as Christine. However, her thoughts still overrode the jabs in her ribcage. "The Labyrinth decides who rules it? Not the goblins, or the Empress?"
Light laughter was Jareth's primary answer. "As if any authority could be assigned without the Labyrinth's consent. It has been tried before." The consequences had been spectacular, to say the least. "The Labyrinth chose me from a selection of boys, as it will choose my Queen from the women I consider."
A chill ran through Sarah. For some reason, this news made Sarah sad. She told herself it was because thought was an awful thought, an arranged marriage for someone she knew. A twinge in Sarah's heart told her that there was more behind that sadness, but she resolutely turned her curiosity back to the matter at hand, "So does that mean that the Goblin Kings before you couldn't reorder time?"
Memories, bittersweet, flooded Jareth at Sarah's words. Yes, he often reordered time for her. More often than he ought to. "That would be correct. Time meddling was, for the most part, a forgotten art. The Labyrinth's Queen has always had a specific time magic in relation with the mortal world, but it is not quite the same thing. You'll find that Caoilfhinn has a similar penchant for magical innovation, with a focus on the illusory magics. Before her experimentation, the most tangible illusions were mine."
"You mean the hallucinogenic drugs?" Sarah interrupted with a raised eyebrow. She would have happily held onto that grudge forever. However, if Caoilfhinn had improved on something already so realistic . . .
Amused, Jareth smirked. "I was going to say dreams, but your wording works just as well. If Caoilfhinn sent an illusion to us now, it would take a good deal of luck to determine that it is not, in fact, her."
These words reminded Sarah of that morning's assassination attempt. She worried her lip, something that Hoggle had said to her coming to her mind. Jareth saw this and was perplexed. His expression softened. "Is there something worrying you Sarah?"
With a small sigh, Sarah voiced her concern. "Back when I thinking about escaping, Hoggle once told me that I posses a strong magic. Is it something I could use against intrusions like that?" Sarah considered, remembering the assassin that had snuck into the Labyrinth. If she could have used magic to see him coming, then Lizabeth may have been able to get his name without killing him. Things could have gone very differently. If Sarah had the magic to do these things, she would fear far less for Jareth's wellbeing. That would take a load of concern off of Sarah's mind, bring her some peace.
Jareth turned away to hide the exultant smile that now spread across his face. This was the Sarah he remembered, the Sarah who had used his own Labyrinth against him to win her baby brother back. She was ever resourceful, always thinking. At times her conclusions were incorrect, but this was not one of those. "You have such admirable goals, Sarah. I could instruct you in the use of magic, if you are willing to make the sacrifices such study will require."
The temptation to look at Sarah when he heard her snort was strong. "It's not like I'm doing much else with my time Jareth, since I can't roam the Labyrinth."
Heart beating rapidly in anticipation, Jareth swiveled and leaned forward on the back of his chair. "When you have learned sufficient magic, we could take fieldtrips into the heart of the Labyrinth. Anywhere you like Sarah." He baited her, knowing she would not be able to refuse. Then, affecting flippancy, he added, "However, I think you may be underestimating the time it would take from your day"
Sarah's eyes widened, thinking of all the gardens she had seen out her window from time to time. A promise like that was well worth any amount of time. Besides, her friends all had other matters occupying much of their time. The only thing that Sarah would be missing would be several hours of reading, time she would rather be spending in a useful manner anyway. "I'm sure I can make the time, Jareth, especially for that."
Many muscles that Jareth had not known were tense suddenly relaxed. Ah, yes, this was definitely the right course of action.
Hours later, Jareth closed his office door with a sigh of relief. He, finally, was alone. To his surprise, his hands shook with emotion he had been suppressing since the attack on Sarah this morning. Anger mixed with fear. How dare they? Those imbecilic little Houses. What gave them the temerity to enter the Labyrinth, his sanctum, and take a swipe at his Sarah?
He needed to calm down.
Had it not been enough to embarrass themselves with that farcical challenge? Was the Goblin King too much for them, and so they had to go after easier targets to hurt him? Jareth went to his window, hands clenching painfully around the sill. How had the assassin gotten past the Labyrinth? That was quite unlike his sentient home. Unless, of course, it had wanted Lizabeth to neutralize the intruder. Jareth closed his eyes and inhaled the sweet, cool wind of night. Teaching Sarah magic might be enough to keep her safe, but he could not risk that, not with the way the Labyrinth had been misbehaving since she had first arrived. That left three choices.
Considering his options, Jareth gazed down at the starlit Labyrinth. Despite the late hour, a wave of Jareth's fingers had the papers on his desk spring to life, jumping into place so that he could conveniently use them after he had cooled his temper. It had been a long time since Jareth had felt the impulse to start throwing around the stronger magics, to maybe cause some temporal shifts for his enemies. Yet he had considered it no less than three times since Sarah had come back to the Labyrinth. He needed to find an outlet for this possessiveness that involved only the paper and ink upon his desk, no curses or greater spells.
Even if a magic peach sounded like a very good idea.
A slow smile spread across Jareth's lips. Birdsong may not have peach orchards, but they did have vineyards. Add just a pinch of untraceable magic, withdraw all Labyrinth revenue. Ah, that would be a sweet revenge. He could bring economic ruin upon them. He would have to find a different source of spirits for the goblins . . . but that would not be so difficult. Jareth sat at his desk, a plan in mind.
It was not much after he had carried out this plan of revenge that Jareth's dark mood returned. Retribution was not enough. He also needed to prepare for future situations like this, and that required one thing he could not give Sarah. He had once considered getting Sarah courtesy lessons to keep her in line. Now she needed them, not to keep her busy, but to keep her alive in this cutthroat Court environment. She needed to understand politics, hierarchies, and there were only three Fae he trusted to teach her about it.
Steeling himself with a sigh, Jareth began the most humiliating missive he had ever written to Caoilfhinn.
A/N: It is with great joy that Cringe and I present the next chapter. We've re-wroked things, so hopefully from now on, their should be fewer hitches. While the wait was unsavory, it was extremely necessary in terms of editing. I like this half of the story, because Jareth has finally got his groove on, and am definitely looking forward to posting the upcoming chapters.