Their trek was silent for the most part, except for the occasional dwarf trying to stop them for some sort of trade or other. Jareth's expression was usually enough to swiftly cut their propositions short. As they left what Sarah was beginning to internally call The Strip, the foothills of the mountain started calling for more of a hike than a stroll. At first Jareth made to lead her again, but she gently pushed his arm away, muttering a barely audible explanation of "not necessary" which he found quite amusing.
The beautiful citadels grew larger and larger as they ascended, with fewer non-housing structures in between. At the last stretch of the mountain, there was nothing but wild shrubbery and trees between them and the gates of the fortress.
Sarah, suddenly lightheaded, stopped and turned to see how high they were. She frowned as she took in the scenery before her. The vast city lay beneath, view reaching to even beyond its great walls. They had to have climbed somewhere around two miles by her estimation, maybe more. Her expression was noticeably puzzled. Jareth snickered softly.
"Disoriented, are we?" he teased. She looked questioningly at him. "We may not be allowed to appear in there," he gestured toward the fortress. "But a little magical assistance isn't frowned upon. Much." He added with a smirk.
"You've been...helping us climb faster somehow?" She surmised. He gave a small smile in response. "I haven't even noticed," she sounded almost impressed and immediately regretted it as she watched the smugness grow on his face. "Apparently it's not harming me right? Since you're not being stopped by magic intervention," she gave a shrug to try to show indifference. "You must really be in a hurry though." The question was heavily implied, though Jareth made no response.
As they arrived at the gates, Sarah noticed they were even more lavish than the city's entrance. They looked to also be a white marble, although they twinkled with something else laced within. The gates were barred with golden rods, and she could see through to an elaborately sculpted fountain and a breathtaking garden. Instead of using a crystal this time, Jareth simply pressed an ungloved hand at the seam of the gates, which opened almost silently after a short pause. The trickle of the fountain became louder as they entered, along with the distant sound of soft music. The beauty of the sounds mixed with the scent of some unknown flower effectively made Sarah's skin tingle with the beginnings of goosebumps. It was an undeniably enchanting place.
Jareth was holding Sarah's arm so gently she barely noticed his grasp at first. The skin where he touched started to tingle in an entirely different way. She glanced down as the feeling began to register. His hand was still bare. She couldn't shake the distinct spark that the small skin-to-skin contact was causing, and realized that this was the first time he had ever touched her ungloved. Unsettling discomposure started battling with the desire to feel more of him, and she knew she was visibly flushing. His sideways glance at her only caused her to redden more, and he smiled knowingly as he led her through a white archway.
Through the archway was an outside corridor, one side with a short wall that still allowed a view of the garden, and the other side was the wall of the castle itself. The charm of her first impression was beginning to wear off as Sarah realized they were about to enter this unknown palace. To do unknown things. Armored guards stood aside to allow their passage through the double doors at one end of the corridor, a red velvet carpet spanning their path as they entered. Marble pillars formed a pathway that led to an open doorway. As they neared it, Sarah could see a raised throne from the side, as glittering and white as the rest of the ridiculously ornate place. Upon entry, she realized that there were actually thirteen matching thrones, all forming a circle. Each chair had a roman numeral engraven into their base, with number I at the very head of the circle, raised a little higher than the rest.
Sarah's mouth dropped slightly as she recognized the design of a thirteen-hour clock.
"Thirteen kings of thirteen realms." He answered her unspoken question in a soft voice. "In order of crowning. Number one has reigned longest," he nodded towards the chair with the I engraved. "And he is also High King, and King of the United Realm."
"Fey City?" Sarah guessed.
"Is the highest populated area of the United Realm, yes. Beyond this palace lies a more... wild land. Many of us royals happen to adore it," he added with a small grin, as if he were enjoying an inside joke. "But its populous refuses to officially include themselves under his rule. The lands still very much belong to him, however."
Realization was dawning on Sarah, making the connection when he used the word 'us'. "You're...one of the kings on the counsel," she stated, somewhat sheepishly as she realized how obvious it should've been. His only response was a widening grin as he stepped away from her to approach one of the chairs. She noted that it had XII at its base.
"Recently the Ironlands had a change of leadership, making their king the newest," he said as he ascended the few steps to the tall throne. He lounged inside of it as if it were his own sofa.
Sarah turned towards the sound of footsteps through the entryway behind them. Several people were entering the room, and she was suddenly very aware of how out of place she must seem. Jareth noticed her discomfort and made a small motion for her to move closer to his chair. She hesitantly moved to do so, just as a pair of large hands gently closed on her shoulders.
"Lady Sarah, I presume," came a honeyed voice behind her as she jumped from the sudden contact. She quickly turned to see an amused man grinning down at her. His appearance, as much as her startle, left her speechless. He had shoulder length raven hair that fell unevenly, yet somehow still seemed styled his garb a fine cloth lined with a striking blue-green that matched his bright eyes. An illustriously attractive facial structure held her spellbound above all else, features almost as beautiful and prominent as Jareth's. His grin was perhaps as smug too.
"Yes," she finally found her voice. "And you might be…?" She kept her voice calmer and stronger than she felt.
"Egir," he said with a slightly dramatic bow. "King of the Greysea. And an old friend of our mutual acquaintance there," he glanced up at the now descending Goblin King.
"A very old friend," Jareth's voice came less enthusiastically than Egir's. He pointedly stepped slightly in front of Sarah, facing his fellow ruler with a subtle look of warning. Sarah rolled her lips together, trying to stop herself from laughing in annoyed amusement at Jareth's conspicuously territorial behavior.
"Some memories seem almost too distant," Egir agreed softly with a half smile and playful gleam in his eyes. "I rather miss the days when we both lived here in the City. Those were…" he turned to Sarah, his grin now growing, "good times." His eyes stayed on Sarah as he finished his seemingly weighted reminiscence. Jareth, with an unreadable expression on his face, reached out a gloved hand in dutiful greeting. Egir grasped his own gloved hand around Jareth's forearm and the two gave a short shake before parting.
"I would have guessed you'd be having much better times in the Graysea, Egir." Jareth's subtle taunting undertone was not lost on Sarah.
Egir ignored whatever underlying meaning the statement had and turned his attention back to Sarah. She kept her face carefully still, unwilling to show that his beautiful eyes made her a little weak.
"I am surprised to find that you hadn't exaggerated," he remarked towards Jareth, gaze not leaving Sarah. "How...delightful," he let his eyes rove brazenly down her body. Sarah was unable to hold back the blush any longer.
Jareth's eyes flashed dangerously from the sight of Sarah's flushed face back to Egir, whose enjoyment was openly showing.
"Let's see how long you can keep her this time," Egir continued with mischievous eyes dancing between the two of them. Before either could respond, he slipped away with an exaggerated swagger, knowing Sarah was still watching. She snorted softly and blinked a quick eye roll. Amusement quickly evolved into a glare as she turned to Jareth.
" 'Keep' her?" Mounting ire was evident in her otherwise soft voice.
Jareth looked mildly irritated - at either Egir or herself, Sarah wasn't sure. "He likes to try and stir things up," was all Jareth supplied. He extended a hand as he stepped back up his throne. "Join me now, won't you?" His expression and tone told her it wasn't really a request. Glancing around the now filling room, Sarah reluctantly decided to let him lead her up to the ridiculously large chair.
He sat down and pulled her to his side. She jerked away at this, refusing to be made to share even the very roomy space with him. He cocked his head to the side slightly, expression almost daring.
"I can stand," she voiced her thoughts.
Jareth moved his legs to the side he'd meant for her to sit on, sprawling comfortably while still holding her gaze. "Suit yourself. You can appear as my foot servant then. Suitably dressed for the role, even," his eyes moved downwards and back up to meet her now scowling face. His smirk told her the reaction was exactly what he'd been aiming for. With a reluctant huff she leaned against the very edge of the seat, purposefully avoiding contact with his legs. She crossed her arms over herself defensively and refused to look back at him, eyes searching the great room for any distraction from her mounting exasperation.
Every chair but number I was now filled. Two kings were actually queens, Sarah noted, one of which was next to them in chair XI. This queen was staring right at Sarah with an unreadable expression. Sarah met her blue eyes and was momentarily stunned at the intensity within them. The woman's beauty was certainly noticeable - long locks of almost platinum-blonde hair fell down her straightened posture like a foamy waterfall, a sky blue dress fitting perfectly against her slender figure. But what really struck Sarah was those eyes. Something unmistakably familiar burned within them, and she was unsure whether it was pleasant or formidable. The queen looked away at last, expression still masked. Sarah's peripheral vision caught Jareth watching her intently as she studied the queen, and a quick glance his way revealed an expression of pure curiosity. She turned back away from his direction entirely, not willing to give him any more attention at the moment.
The head chair was now filled by a suddenly-appearing king. Sarah guessed that perhaps he was the only one allowed to transport here. The man had a wizened appearance, yet somehow still retained a youthful glow. His brown hair was cut short and peppered with gray, with a markedly square jaw. He had a muscular build that showed through an armor-like vest, arms left bare, skin more tan than most in the room. He was entirely chiseled with the usual Fey perfection, save for a large dark scar that ran from his forehead to his jawline, skipping over his right eye.
"Everyone," his powerful voice somehow boomed over the entire vast room. "Thank you for arriving on such short notice. The circumstances have been...quickening their pace of change at an unexpected rate," he looked pointedly towards Jareth and Sarah. "You two have no respect for the Old Order."
Horrified, Sarah realized he was speaking directly to them. She whipped to face Jareth, pleading internally for him to explain why this obviously powerful being was upset with them. He still remained in his lazily lounging state, meeting the High King's intense gaze unflinchingly.
"The Old Order is dying," was Jareth's response. "Otherwise there wouldn't even be any trouble in the first place. Times are changing, King Leo."
King Leo seemed to study the Goblin King.
"Indeed." He finally stated, eyes shifting to Sarah. She tried to keep her uneasiness at bay as he sized her up dispassionately. "And what do you know of your role in these changing times, young one?" Sarah swallowed thickly, trying to gain some semblance of strength to reply to the confounding question.
"I intend on teaching her her own role," Jareth replied before she could manage to. Her bewilderment mixed with renewed outrage as she looked at his unwaveringly sturdy expression. "She has already proven advancement in her short time back in my realm."
Leo looked back to her. "And yet clearly she's still unaware of it. Unaware of most everything, judging by her stupefied appearance." He shook his head in disappointment as he turned back to Jareth. "King of the Underground - complicating things as always."
Sarah noticed as the blonde queen beside them shot a look towards Jareth, displeasure apparent in her face. There was something else though, Sarah thought, something like worry. Sarah mentally added that mystery to the list of questions that were rapidly growing in her.
"I can help," the blonde queen suddenly spoke to Leo with a beautifully musical voice. "I know more than perhaps anyone about what to expect." The queen glanced at Sarah, eyes even more intense than before.
"Agreed," Leo nodded once. "However, I still plan on intervening when necessary." He looked back to chair twelve. "If you two fail - and, make no mistake, it is a probability - there will be no second chance." Sarah saw Jareth nod before looking to her. More voices seemed to flood the room, talking at once with Leo interjecting several times. Sarah's focus seemed to fade from what everyone was saying as her eyes affixed to Jareth's, searching for the faintest hint of what she'd gotten herself into. But the blue and brown eyes were carefully masked, giving away nothing.
"...then the matter is closed for now," Leo was announcing loudly, breaking Sarah from her scrutiny. "Queen Ayleth will assist the mortal in demonstration of whatever control of powers she possesses, and at my granting, the King of the Underground will return with her to begin fixing their mess." His tone was controlled but clearly angry. Sarah's look of bewilderment returned, too stunned to speak or move as the royals began dispersing
Jareth lightly pressed a hand against her back to guide her down the steps. Numbly, she descended and allowed him to lead her towards the door. The blonde queen swiftly intervened their departure.
"Ayleth," the Goblin King greeted her with an uncharacteristically respectful tone. She reached a hand and placed it on his shoulder. Sarah's disbelief at the warm greeting showed, and Queen Ayleth turned to her with an understanding smile.
"Sarah?" she reached out politely. Sarah fumblingly took her hand in a quick gesture that was trying to be a handshake. Ayleth's smile widened. "You must be absolutely overwhelmed. I know how tight-lipped Jareth can be, and how frustrating it can make life," she rolled her eyes towards him, though a hint of the fond smile remained on her lips.
"Another word for it just plain dishonesty," Sarah felt her scorn renew. "He's a lying trickster, and now I'm trapped in something that I don't even understand." She felt Jareth's burning gaze at her words.
Ayleth studied her face for a moment, still a hint of a smile in her eyes. "I can understand why you feel that way," she replied with careful deliberation. She glanced back at Jareth, who was still silently watching Sarah. "Why haven't you explained this to her? No," she held up a hand and shook her head. "No, don't answer that. I'm afraid the answer will send both of us to your throat right here in the Great Hall. Just follow me," she looked back at Sarah. "Both of you."
They trailed behind her into the garden, around to the farther side that Sarah hadn't yet seen. A large willow draped over a section, under which a small elf-like woman sat playing a lyre. As they neared her, Sarah realized that she was, in fact, an elf, and also that she must have been the source of the music she had heard at their entrance. Ayleth continued walking towards a marble terrace that stretched out beyond the cliff, golden baluster the only thing blocking from a rather steep fall. She turned to face the pair, leaning back against the balustrade in an oddly familiar way.
"What has she demonstrated thus far?" she questioned towards Jareth. Sarah frowned and looked back and forth between the two Fey royals. They both ignored her obvious confusion.
"Small things. Effortlessly, though, which is what has impressed me. She conjured a full breakfast this morning, just by wishing for it."
Sarah's mouth dropped.
"I did that? And you knew?" Sarah pushed against his arm with no effect. He flashed a quick look of amusement at her before turning back to Ayleth, who looked equally amused, if not also a bit pitying.
"That's a promising start," the queen was admitting. "Was there anything before her return to your realm? Any signs in her own world?"
"Not directly. Her dreams of the Underground were connecting more and more strongly to the uncontrollable storms that started coming. After each of which another change appeared. The penultimate one - a nightmare I believe it was - was what brought the Beast not long ago." His voice slightly deepened at the mention of the unwelcome menace. Then his sobered expression left as quickly as it had descended, lips now forming a smirk. "And two nights ago...well, let's just say she had a vivid enough dream to cause her to call on me," he fully grinned as Sarah flushed with indignation.
"I absolutely did not call on him," Sarah emphasized as she looked to Ayleth, whose expression seemed carefully guarded. "He's just trying to gloat," she added with a glare towards a very smug Jareth.
"What happened that night, then?" Ayleth sounded suddenly impatient with their back-and-forth.
"Aside from the most destructive storm my land had seen in ages, nothing I've noticed. Although I do believe my wine vineyard changed a few shades brighter." His eyebrows raised with mild fascination.
Sarah's mouth had dropped back open. She searched the two again for more explanation, and for one wild second she expected them to burst into laughter as they admitted that they'd both been messing with her. At last she decided she'd have to prod for any more clarity.
"You're saying that I...caused storms. In the Underground. That you couldn't control. Whenever I dreamt of the place. And that I have...developed...powers?" The last word almost squeaked out.
"Yes, Sarah," Ayleth replied in a tone of sincerity. "When you were taken there years ago, its King was too arrogant," she threw a reprimanding look at Jareth, "and perhaps also too smitten, to be entirely careful enough. Every mortal is given limited powers in order to even enter our world, but his...infatuation with you ended up causing an out-pour of more power than he'd realized. Power connected to his, and therefore connected to the Underground."
"Take them back!" Sarah blurted angrily towards Jareth without thinking. A look of surprise was quickly followed by amusement, a small smile beginning as he let out a soft chuckle. "I mean...just...I don't want this. I never knew, and I...didn't intend…" Sarah stammered, trying to back peddle from her angry outburst. Jareth's smile only grew.
"No, of course not." His tone was markedly sarcastic. "But what's done is done. I'm afraid 'taking them back' wouldn't be all that simple." Something in his voice made Sarah think that he'd tried already.
"We're going to help you control them. Enhance them." Ayleth's voice was oddly soothing, her words anything but. "Starting immediately." Her face suddenly lighted, as if she just came up with an exciting idea. She gently took Sarah's hand, turning to face outwards beyond the cliff and bringing her to her side to do the same. "What do you see?" Sarah's face looked blank at the vague question. "Just start describing," Ayleth offered further.
"Um," Sarah took in the view before her. "There are distant mountains, much like the one further behind us. Mostly wild grass and trees scattered between forested areas and plains. A storm cloud is starting to surround us…" she squinted at the cloud, starting to notice something about it. Ayleth nodded encouragingly. "There's...there's some sort of magic in the clouds?" She questioned her sudden revelation, confusing herself with how sudden she was feeling it; a soft yet distinct charge, gently prickling at her skin and causing something like butterflies in her stomach.
"Grasp that feeling, Sarah," Ayleth whispered.
Sarah was already trying to do so, a new sense of excitement beginning to build within her. She tried to feel more, where the magic was specifically flowing from or what it was doing. It still felt so distant.
Out of the corner of her eye, Sarah noticed Jareth silently watching her. Even without focusing she could see a fire in his eyes, his expression showing excitement and what looked like awe. Perhaps even a little admiration. Something about it caused an absolute ignition within Sarah, as if her blood had been heated. Electrocuted almost. All at once her mind's eye zoomed in to a distant figure on a mountaintop, conjuring a storm and emanating the absolute power that existed within the clouds. Simultaneously she heard a spell whispered in her ear, feeling the raw meaning rather than interpreting actual words.
Tonight we dance.
Sarah couldn't understand what it referred to, nor why she felt her skin tingle at the simple thought. Suddenly, sparks were emitting from her hands. Awestruck, yet still entranced with the absolute power all around her, she felt a connection start to grow between the fire in her veins and the magic in the clouds. In rapid motion, the sparks left her hands and flashed through the air, growing until they met the clouds in a full bolt of lightning. Thunder cracked almost immediately.
Sarah realized she was breathing too rapidly, her mind starting to descend back down to earth and become conscientious of her immediate surroundings. Ayleth's eyes were dancing, a smile full of respect firmly shaping her lips. Jareth's expression was much more carefully subtle, yet the fire in his eyes was still undeniable. Before she even noticed, Sarah was openly smiling, incredulous gasps of excited laughter escaping between breaths.
"Did I...did I just create lightning?" She asked both of them, her outrage towards Jareth quite forgotten.
"Yes. Storm conjuring was one of Jareth's first mastered powers. It appears he has passed it to you." Ayleth's words brought flashbacks of the storm of Sarah's first meeting of the Goblin King.
"But...who did I see? Someone else had started creating this storm. Someone on the mountain. His spell had something to do with dancing…" Sarah searched her own recent memory for any hidden meaning, the whole thing slipping away as if she'd only dreamt it.
"Your hold on magic has not yet solidified," Ayleth explained as if reading her mind. "But yes, you did see him. Donar, an ancient Wild Fey with a knack for thunderstorms. Little is known about him, like with many Wild Fey beyond Fey City. They keep much to themselves, but they do feel a connection with us when they recognize a change in the air. And sometimes they come to our foothills to celebrate."
"Celebrate? Change is always something to celebrate?" Sarah tried to grasp Ayleth's explanation.
"For the Wild, yes. They are a...somewhat lawless people. Scattered in many groups, some loners. All in love with the unknown and with new magic. Of any kind."
Sarah frowned. "So...they're going to celebrate the 'newness' of me, down there?" she nodded down the cliff.
Ayleth nodded, her smile suddenly fading. "And because of the Beast." Sarah's face was pure shock. "They indeed welcome change of all kinds. And they rarely take sides. His dark presence in the wrong realm, your raw powers growing into something new and unknown altogether." She swept an arm out in a gesture across the vast landscape before them. "Excitement all around."
"We should join them." Jareth spoke for the first time, causing Sarah to whip around to fully face him. He was eyeing her intensely, as if surfacing from some deep thought. Sarah surprised herself with her own suddenly intense desire to know what he was thinking.
"Yes," Ayleth agreed for her. "You two should definitely be a part of this."
"Oh," Sarah softly uttered, slowly pulling away from her thoughts. "I...What exactly do they do?"
"They're surprisingly simple," Ayleth answered. "They dance to thunder and music and drink sweet wine. If they feel the vibe is right, they do get a little...excitable," she glanced at Jareth as she searched for the right word. Or the watered-down one, as Sarah suspected from the smirk now forming on Jareth's face. Sarah stifled a shiver at the gleam in his eyes.
"Maybe I should...sit this one out" Doubt replaced the echo of excitement as Sarah was suddenly reminded of how little she trusted the man before her. "I can go stay with Toby tonight."
"You belong here tonight." Jareth's voice deepened with something like urgency, sounding both pleading and demanding somehow at the same time. "It is a high honor to catch the attention of the Wild. I promise you enjoyment." His inflection along with his grin sent an unsuppressable shiver down Sarah's spine. She eyed him distrustfully.
"Queen Ayleth," Sarah addressed her new acquaintance without turning from Jareth. "May I ask for a moment of your company before it begins? Privately?" She clarified, now turning towards the woman she was speaking to.
"Of course." Ayleth sounded slightly surprised and more than slightly amused. She locked an arm around Sarah's and walked back towards the castle entrance with a quick grin towards Jareth. He didn't look the least bit surprised at Sarah's request.
Ayleth led Sarah to what appeared to be her own guest chamber. Sarah pointedly closed the door behind them.
"Feeling jumpy?" Ayleth chuckled.
"It's a small measure, but Jareth is never to be trusted," Sarah replied dryly.
"But a strange woman whom you just met is?" Ayleth asked, eyebrow raised.
Sarah knew she didn't have a solid explanation for wanting to speak to her alone. Some instinct within her just told her she could trust this woman for some reason. Almost as if she saw a little of herself in her, or at least a potential ally.
"I just have a feeling," was all she could answer with, shrugging to indicate there was no further explanation. Ayleth chuckled again.
"Instincts are hard to ignore," the queen agreed. She motioned towards a silver wardrobe in the corner of the room. "Why don't you pick something out for tonight while we chat about whatever you need to get off your chest?" Amusement still sounded in her words.
Sarah hesitantly opened the lavish wardrobe, immediately regretting it as it lit up and revealed some of the most elegant and regal gowns she'd ever seen. They were certainly not what she'd have chosen for a Wild Fey festivity held in the foothills during a storm. Whatever a Wild Fey festivity actually was.
"Um..are you sure?" She awkwardly looked back at Ayleth. "Isn't this a uh, 'wild' party of sorts?" she softly snorted at her own quip.
Ayleth swiftly glided over to the selection, pulling something out from the back as if she'd already planned for it.
"I think this will do nicely." She was holding an ecru colored dress of fine, light linen, laced with thin vines of silver and cut flirtatiously yet tastefully. Sarah took it with a grateful nod, Ayleth walked out and moved the door to sit ajar, allowing privacy without closing Sarah in.
Sarah began changing, awkwardly realizing she'd have to change bras as well due to the light color. A drawer of undergarments extended open, as if from nowhere. Sarah was struck with the reminder of her breakfast's sudden appearance that morning. And of the full wardrobe in the Goblin Castle guest room. Was that also me? She had to now wonder, logging the question away to ask later.
"What did you need to discuss, Sarah?" The question brought her back to awareness of why she was there.
"Well, I guess for one thing, I wanted to know more about what you had said to King Leo. About you understanding me or my situation more than most?" Sarah fastened a lacy, cream colored bra-like garment around herself, finally figuring out the workings of it as it was a bit different from what she was used to.
"Ah," Sarah could hear Ayleth's smile as she spoke. "I suppose the simplest answer is that I was born in your world." Sarah halted lacing up the dress at the abrupt reveal.
"What?" She called out, inwardly denying she could have heard Ayleth correctly. A short chuckle was her first reply.
"Yes, I was born a mortal. Although, much after my life began in this world, it was discovered that my grandfather had actually been a Fey. But that's another, perhaps even longer story."
Sarah came out, surprise showing on her face at Ayleth's words. She followed the queen's gaze as she appraised her, causing her to do the same. The dress fell asymmetrically just above her knees and altogether fitted as if it were tailored to her. Lacy arm straps fell just off-shoulder, neckline dipping to show the first hint of cleavage before the silver vines seemed to wrap around the curves of her slender figure. Ayleth was grinning when Sarah looked back up, as if to some secret joke.
"I do believe it looks perfect on you," the queen complimented. "And he's certainly going to owe me one," she added almost inaudibly.
Sarah frowned in confusion as she was reminded of another question. "How do you know Jareth? You two seemed...affectionate when you greeted each other." Sarah hoped the tinge of jealousy hadn't been clear, but Ayleth's laughing grin told her it, in fact, had been.
"You want to know if we have a...history?" The queen's wise summation made Sarah lightly blush, suddenly very grateful that she'd pushed for a private conversation before thinking of this question. "Well, we do," she began her answer after a pause to take in Sarah's reaction. "But probably not the kind you are worried about." She grinned again at Sarah's head shake, holding up a hand to stop her from arguing. "I saw it, dear. Women know what women look like when jealousy hits. It is nothing to be ashamed of; it happens to the best of us. Even centuries-old Fey like Jareth or I can be hit with that irrational pang. Believe me, he's felt it too. For you." she canted her head in a knowing look, as if they were suddenly gossiping girlfriends. Sarah suppressed the urge to feel pleased with the reassurance.
Ayleth gracefully retrieved a silver brush from the nightstand, circling around to Sarah's back to start brushing. It was oddly comforting, Sarah thought. I really probably shouldn't feel so at ease with this stranger, she reminded herself. But the brushstrokes felt absolutely magical.
"You don't have to admit anything to me, though," Ayleth continued. "I know how hard it can be to deal with conflicting feelings. Believe me."
Sarah's jealousy threatened to reappear as she automatically thought Ayleth was referring to Jareth. She immediately pushed the thought away, again vexed with herself for being affected at all.
" 'Conflicted' is an understatement," Sarah replied. "I actually rather believe I hate him. It's just that, for now, we have this connection that I never chose. And never wanted," she added, trying to convince herself as much as Ayleth.
"Hmm," the queen frowned slightly as she rounded Sarah to face her. "I believe you hadn't chosen to form the connection, but I suppose I'll have to take your word for never having wanted it." Ayleth eyed her with a half smile.
"What realm do you rule?" Sarah eagerly changed the subject with the first thing she could think of.
Ayleth obligingly dropped the discussion to answer her. "The Elvish Kingdom. It is the newest realm to the High Castle. For the longest time, Elves ruled themselves and rarely connected with any other realm. But, after a great war had shaken their old ways, and after I had...spent a great deal of time there, it was almost unanimously decided for me to rule." Sarah could tell something important had been glossed over.
"Is that the realm you first came to? From my, er, the mortal world, that is?"
"No." She answered simply, lips thinning as her face tensed.
Sarah's curiosity was desperately peaked, but a boisterous knock interrupted her consideration on whether or not to press the question further.
Update
A thousand apologies, jarethstwilighteyes, I am new on here and sadly just scattered in general at times and I thought I responded (I think I may have PMed you?) But! Thank you very much for your review! And yes Jareth should definitely feel mercurial and dare I say a bit dark at this point ;)
