A/N- Hey guys, well I know the last chapter was the awe chapter, but now we have to get back to business, and it's the worst kind of business... Dian business *shutters*
But on the bright side, you get to see some 'daddy' Jareth.
Dian, dressed in an abnormally dark purple dress, shuffled purposely down a long dark hall way. She slinked around a corner, being careful to peer over the side before continuing again. She travelled in the dark castle for several more minutes before she stopped at a black wood door. There were no ornamental carvings or knockers. There were only cast iron hinges, and a dark-stained silver handle.
Dian hesitated at the handle, and then moved her hand to a secret pocket in the dress. Deftly she pulled out a flask with thick red liquid moving around in it. The stopper was taped on top, as if the red life was very precious indeed.
Seemingly happy with the condition of the bottle, the woman slipped it back into her dress and nimbly opened the door. She sidled across the wall towards a dark figure sitting near the corner of the room.
The man had on black from head to toe. His boots, pants, button up shirt, cloak, and gloves were all stark black. Even the man's face had a dark tinge to it, including his dark brown- near black- eyes. However, atop the man's head was a full head of snow white hair.
"Lord Zark…"Dian curtsied and waited for the man to stand. She knew he had heard her enter. Once the man stood she continued as she pulled out the blood. "I have what you requested. It was taken but two days ago, and it has not been opened." Dian rose and smiled.
Looking at the two closely you would be able to see a small amount of resemblance in the face and hands. "Lord Zark?" The man asked mockingly. "Since when do you call me Lord anything?"
Dian slapped his arm half-heartedly. "Since you have something I want, and if you're not careful, you'll soon be Lord Bas-"
He fell into a fit of evil laughter at her words. "Oh dear sister, you do have the most spiteful nature. Our mother would be proud." He snatched the bottle from her hands and swirled it gently. "Hmmm. It is good blood, both in condition and composition." Dian smiled. "However, it will still take me about two and a half months to prepare what you've asked for."
"WHAT! I don't have time!" Dain started to screech some more, but Zark glared at her.
"Yes, two maybe three months at the most."
"But I have the Phoenix Feathers and Sphinx hair right here." She pulled out the other vile she had with her. "Can't you just use the usual spell you do to bind the lover's blood with the potion taker?"
Zark shook his head. "No, not unless you want it to start wearing off in four months and stop working altogether after a year. I must perform a more advanced spell on it if the potion is to last."
Dian shifted uneasily and questioned him further. "But how is this new potion any better than the old?"
The white haired man sighed and dropped into a chair, you could tell his patience was wearing. "Dear sister, this new potion is guaranteed to work for at least a year unless the man is bonded."
"No, no. He still wears his gloves." She mumbled more to herself than to Zark. "Will the affects ever waver?"
A crooked smile appeared on the man's face, and he clapped patronizingly. "Why Bravo Dian! No, it will not, you merely have to replenish it every year or so, as no potion can last forever."
Dian was still hesitant to hand over both containers. "Are you sure it will take three whole months?"
"YES Dian! I'm sorry, but it's as fast as I can work!" The man's temper was starting to show, and Dian knew it was time to leave soon. An Unseelie, no matter how closely related, was something you NEVER messed with.
She took out the smaller vile and handed it to her brother. "Here, I will be back in a month to check on the process." With that final statement she walked over to the book case and pushed a lever, displaying a secret passage way. "Can't have the gossiping servants telling everyone in the Seelie court I'm conversing with Unseelie now can I?" She had rebuked at his inquisitive stare.
The woman slipped through the hall and disappeared into the night…
-BREAK-
Jareth and Sarah looked at each other awkwardly. Sarah was embarrassed beyond all reason, and Jareth had no idea what to say next. Sarah had cried until she could no longer. Jareth, being the fae he was, simply held and comforted her until her sobs turned to small hiccups. It was no burden though. He relished in the fact she had let him comfort her. After that, Sarah had stood, causing him to follow her. That's how they were now.
"I," Sarah started uncertainly, "I'm very sorry Your Majesty." Submission was one thing she had learned quickly. If punishment simply outweighed the gain, be submissive until the opportunity showed itself.
Jareth's eyes betrayed him. His face said, 'Yes good, be submissive,' but his eyes said, 'Why? Stop, just let me hold you a little longer.' Yet his mouth said, "Jareth."
Sarah looked startled. "What?"
"Let us start over Sarah…Hello, Miss, my name is Jareth." Jareth bowed, and when he came back up, he stuck out his hand, as if to offer a handshake.
Sarah couldn't help but giggle a bit at his antics. Even though she knew they still needed to 'talk' she would go with this, and postpone that talk for as long as she could. Putting on a smile, she curtsied and said, "My name is Sarah…Jareth." She took his hand. However, instead of shaking it, he brought it up to his lips and placed a butterfly kiss across her knuckles.
"A pleasure, I'm sure." He smirked a good-naturedly.
"Hem-Hem!" Lee cleared her voice loudly from behind them. "I love that you two have 'met' now, but I'm afraid I still have an ear boxing to deliver. Lee started forward towards Jareth, and he quickly fled behind Sarah. Lee wouldn't be so hard on them, if they hadn't almost knocked over the few private books Jareth let her keep in the study.
Sarah looked behind her were the taller fae was crouching, "Really, is this what I should expect from the mighty Goblin King?" She shook her head, and tried to smother the smile on her lips. Sarah realised with a small sigh, that that was the first joke she had made aloud in two years.
Mock whispering near her ear he replied, "You would be afraid too if you had ever experienced an ear boxing from Lee."
Sarah flushed as his breath ran across her neck. She shouldn't feel this way! …Well, she knew she did, but that still doesn't mean she should. He's the GOBLIN KING…He's probably spoken for anyhow.
As Sarah was distracted, Lee had managed to run Jareth away from her. "Wicked woman! Go box Jasper's ears! He's the one that started it!" He darted around a table. Inside, Jareth knew this was childish, but he also knew it might help Sarah become more comfortable…plus Lee really did box his ears hard!
"I would, but he had ran off, after I got him once more." She spoke as she dodged around the chair to get closer to Jareth. Then as she caught him by the sleeve she brought him back and smacked him a good one on the side of the head.
"OW!" Jareth rubbed the side of his head, and internally smiled when he saw Sarah burst into a small attack of giggles. He would suffer the wrath of Lee all day if he could see more of her small sweet smiles.
"Why did you hit Daddy?" The boy smiled and giggled a little when Jareth stuck out his lower lip like he was pouting and rubbed his head. Toby stood in his dragon pajamas with a stuffed dragon in his arm. Evidently someone had forgotten to wake up Tobias, and he had wondered down the hall when he heard the racket.
As if to prove their thoughts, the boy gave a sleepy yawn. "Mornin' Sarah, Daddy, Lee…lady." Toby had been smiling as he greeted everyone, but when he saw Helen, he looked shy.
Helen, who had been watching everything happen, smiled at the boy as he took an attentive step towards Sarah and Jareth. "Hello there, you must be Toby." She smiled sweetly at him, to let him see she was 'nice.'
Toby glanced at Jareth to explain. "Toby, this is my sister, your aunt," he picked up the boy as he spoke and brought him over towards Helen. "Helen, this is Tobias, my son."
At hearing Aunt, Toby had gone wide eyed. After Jareth had stopped speaking, the boy said, "You're a lot younger than any ant I've ever had. My ofer ants were old and always wore sweaters."
Helen burst into a fit of laughter, and Sarah smiled widely remembering one of their plumper sweater wearing aunts. Jareth merely raised an eyebrow, and smiled faintly. "That'll do Toby." He set Toby down, and the little boy stuck out his hand. Helen took it, and Toby shook it. Then he kissed it.
"He still hasn't quite grasped the idea of greeting yet. He mixes mortal and fae traditions." Jareth said, with a still loving tone. Sarah was surprised at this. It made her happy that the king cared for her brother like he did, for she knew her father would have severally reprimanded her or Toby if they had greeted someone so improperly as their custom must have been…Maybe this would work out for the King and Toby if all went well. She only hoped his future wife would be as kind to Toby.
The boy's stomach growled and he looked down and poked at his belly. "I think it wants food."
The room exploded into laughter. Toby looked around sternly. "Well, I need food too!" he spoke as if the whole room was crazy.
"Alright goblinboy, let's get you some grub, or else you'll be a starving Goblin like…ME!" Jareth whooshed down, snatched the boy up into his arms, and pretended to nibble at Toby's neck and shoulder.
Sarah's eyes lit up as she followed the group out to the dining room. Silently she thought, 'Jareth is such a good father to Toby…maybe it's for the best.'
A/N- I know it's not an extremely long chapter, but I thought this was a good stopping point. I just passed my first Oral Latin Quiz, so as a gift you guys should totally leave a little review in the box below... :D