CHAPTER 6
Sarah looked at all the things people were selling. She saw a beautiful mother of pearl owl with its wings extended in a pendant with a silver large moon behind it. It was about three inches across. She asked the merchant how much he wanted for it. He said ten gold. That was very over inflated of the price so she went to walk away. The merchant said he would sell it for eight and Sarah said no thank you. By the time she bartered and got him down to one gold and nine silver. She bought it with an unusual linked silver chain like she had never seen before that hung below her clavicle on her neck. She showed him her few chains. She wanted to know if he would like to buy any of them and that they were unique. She knew the links were different from anything she had seen down in the Underground. They were manufactured herringbone and Figaro and Mariner links. He was very interested. She got five gold for the three chains.
She walked into a pastry shop and got a selection of three different kinds of pastries and they tied it with twine in a box for her. She went to a store that was jewelry but had watches that you wind up. It had a 13 hour face. It was a nice smaller black face pocket watch in silver on a silver chain with a clip on the end. She bought it for 1 gold, seven silver. She clipped it to her jeans and asked him for the time to set it to. It was 4:30pm. She was told it would stay working for two days before it needed winding. She slipped it in her other pocket and said goodbye.
She walked to a small shop and was looking around at all the gadgets this person made. Telescopes, kaleidoscopes, magnifying glasses. Stain glass sun catchers, wind chimes, ect. Sarah saw a fancy Celtic knot hand wood carved mirror. The merchant wanted after bargaining, six silver for it she paid and he wrapped it up for her. She found a shop with cloth bags for shopping. And put her items in it. Next she went to a candy store and got a mixed selection of different kinds of chocolates.
She was making her way back to the castle when a fae man stepped in her way to block her path. He said, "Hello pretty bird, where have you come from?"
She couldn't stand arrogant and/or impolite disrespectful fae or not men. She said, "Far away, please remove yourself and let me pass."
He snickered and said, "All in due time, little human. No need to be rude. You are a tasty morsel. I think I'll take you to my room and sample your wares for an evening. I may even like to keep you for a while to lessen my sexual urges. I have a few friends who may like a taste too."
She said, "I'm not interested and you disgust me. Do you kiss your mother with that nasty mouth?" She tried to go around him.
He grabbed her arm painfully and said, "Not so fast you little whore."
She reacted by grabbing his arm, twisted it behind his back, kicked the back of his knee, took his other arm doing the same and pinned him to the ground face down in the cobblestone.
He shouted, "See here, how dare you do this to a fae. I'm above your station and your species. You will do as I say."
Sarah said, "I will not bed you, your friends or anyone else for that matter, just because you say so. You are a swine and full of crap."
"I think the lady has got her point across to you, Galron. She is not and will never be interested in you. most especially because you were treating her like a whore and offering her up to your friends.", it was Jareth.
Galron shouted, "Get this woman off of me, please sire? She is beneath me, a human and female."
Jareth rolled his eyes and said, "This is Lady Sarah, she may be human but she is of higher station than you as Champion of the Labyrinth. Besides, she is smart enough to know to bind both your hands so you won't be able to perform magic on her." Galron struggled and let out a defeated sigh.
Jareth said, "It's ok, Sarah. Let him up. He is my cousin but will apologize now for his rudeness, but will not tolerate him talking to his betters like that, even if he doesn't know who you are." Sarah let him go and stood up brushing herself off. Galron got up and did the same.
Jareth said, "Apologize."
Galron said, "She is human."
Jareth said, "It doesn't matter she is titled and my guest indefinitely. You will apologize for treating her like a trollop, now!" Jareth's patience was wearing thin.
Galron knew this and said, "I apologize, Lady Sarah." Galron was humiliated and knew he was out matched with Jareth here defending her.
Sarah said, "Next time, I'll break both your wrists, if you dare try to force your sexual fantasy of sex on me again. I choose and it's my decision. I am no man's harlot." She spun on her heels and stomped off to the castle.
Jareth said, "You got lucky this time because I believe she actually would do just that and then some. She is not weak like most female humans. She is unique. Bear that in mind for future use." Jareth walked away heading back to his castle and went to find Sarah. He knew she was fuming.
He knocked on her chamber door and she opened it and left it open. She went and sat on the couch in front of the fireplace. She had her bag sitting next to her. Jareth sat on the other end of the couch and said, "Are you ok, Sarah?"
Sarah was staring into the fire and said, "Not really. Is that the attitude that I'm going to deal with for as long as I am in the Underground? Do all fae want to wipe their boots on humans?"
He said, "Perhaps some, but not everyone.The problem stems from the separation from your world. The fae were basically forced out of your world and it caused resentment from then to now. It started out benevolent on our behalf and ended up in hate and fear. It's hard to change minds when it's been instilled inside for 5,000 years."
Sarah said, "I get that. What bothers me is that he acted like he was entitled to use my body for anything he could dream up. I've seen men like that before and I will kill him if he tries to touch me ever again. I am giving you fair warning, whether he is your family member or not. Do the human females in your kingdom really let themselves be used like that?"
Jareth said, "I guess some of them are enamored with us, as well as, some are intimidated by us."
Sarah asked, "Do they use magic against them?"
Jareth said hesitantly, "Perhaps, they would manipulate. I suppose it could happen. Nobody has brought it up that they have been treated like that. Sarah, I swear I would never do that to you."
She was relieved he swore again not to do something like that. She said, "That is good to know. It is unsettling that even if a human woman was violated, she would have been too frightened of retaliation to report it anyway. It happens with physical violence that even human men do. It is called psychological conditioning. So why wouldn't it happen here with those who possess magic mixed with those who don't? Fae magic is too strong for us to defend against. The only reason that I wasn't manipulated by magic today, is because of the small amount of knowledge I have found and the element of surprise. The only alternative I have is to shoot my gun from a distance, but that would be an immediate death sentence for the fae. I have iron bullets for projectiles and deliberately had them made that way before coming here. I did not know what to expect, so I made sure I had a weapon for use against anybody."
Jareth got nervous and shifted in his chair. He said, "You really did come prepared, didn't you?"
She said, "Yes, because I can't defend against magic, but I can defend myself physically. I'm trained in karate, self defense, archery, shooting and knife throwing." He realized the wisdom of her fear of the unknown and that there was every possibility that something bad may have occurred. It was the risk she took to come here in the Underground not knowing what to expect in advance. She didn't know how the humans lived here or if they lived here at all. She was blind coming here and anything she wasn't exposed to outside of the Labyrinth. It was reasonable that she was prepared for deadly force. He just felt bad that she had to worry about it at all.
Jareth slid over closer and reached out and took her hand. The skin to skin contact was like a tingling static charge of electricity going up each of their arms and entering their bodies. It was like a connection or exchange of energy, or magic. She turned looking at him in curiosity. He had his one eyebrow up in interest. He caressed her knuckles with his thumb and kissed the back of her hand. He said, " Your necklace is lovely. You know that is my crest, don't you?" He reached out and fondled the pretty owl pendant.
She blushed and, "No,I wasn't aware. It was just too pretty not to buy it and I happen to like owls." He was flattered that she was drawn to his crest above all she saw in the jewelry shops. He caressed her cheek with his knuckle. She looked into his eyes and her head tilted into the touch of his finger on her face.
He said, "I'd like to kiss you right now, but I'm afraid you may shoot me." She started laughing and he did too.
Sarah said softly, "I wouldn't shoot you." He leaned over and captured her lips softly. His hand went automatically to thread his finger into the hair at the nap of her neck. She tasted like honey. She opened her mouth a little bit and he felt her tongue touch his and he deepened the kiss. After a minute, he stopped himself because he was going to lose control and he didn't want to move too fast and ruin what he felt for her.
He said, "You taste like honey on my tongue. Thank you for trusting me, Sarah. I won't ever do anything to harm you." He pecked her lips.
He said, "Sarah, it's time to eat dinner please come with me to the dining room?" She nodded and stood up with him. He opened the door for her and they walked together down the hallway. Jareth had placed his hand on Sarah's lower back.
They came by the woman she saw earlier in the hall. The woman smiled seductively at the king and said simperingly, "Good evening, my king. Will you have me join you tonight when you retire?" Sarah realized this was his mistress. She sidestepped, away from him, making him drop his hand from her back. Jareth was pissed that the maid could be so brazen. They do not ask him, or to ask him in front of other people is brazen.
Jareth said, "No. Never again in your lifetime. You are disrespectful and I want you out of the castle within the hour. How dare you say that to me!" He turned and walked a few feet down the hallway and realized Sarah was not with him.
The woman who was angry said to Sarah, "You won't keep his attention long." She flounced away to go pack her things.
Sarah said, "Go ahead. I'm not hungry anymore. Good evening, Goblin King." She left to go back to her room leaving him in the hallway alone.
Sarah was disappointed that his human bed filler was spitting hate at her with him standing there. What could he do other than shut her down like he did and he did remove her didn't he not? Sarah sighed. Sarah sat in her bed and thought about how well they were getting along. He was caressing her hand, had his hand on her lower back and God, his kiss was panty melting. It was the first time he showed affection that he cared for her more than a friend since they met again. What was that tingling going up her arm she wondered? She knew he felt it too. What were the last lines in that little red book? Oh, yeah. 'But what no one knew was that the King of the Goblins had fallen in love with the girl, and he had given her certain powers.' She wondered if he really was in love with her and what kind of powers?
Sarah decided she would go back to the Goblin City and visit the pub she saw earlier, get a bite to eat and an ale. She grabbed a few more coins and put them into her pouch and left her room. She walked out of the castle the same way she did earlier and walked across the courtyard into the city. She heard music when she came up to the pub. She entered and walked up to the bar in the back, and sat on the stool at the end.
A bartender came up and asked, "Whatcha be needin', lass?"
Sarah said, "what's on the menu? An ale, please."
The bartender said, "Shepherd's Pie." He turned and drew her an ale. He sat it down in front of her.
She said, "I'll take it. How much do I owe you?" He told her five coppers. She gave it to him and he went and got her food. She turned and watched the room and every face in there. She then focused on the band. The bartender came back with her dinner. She ate heartily and relaxed. It was quite good.
Meanwhile, Jareth was incensed standing alone in the hallway and eating alone. He was glad he told the maid to be gone from the castle in an hour for her impudence. How dare she proposition him in front of anybody! His mind screamed. Now, Sarah won't want his attentions. It set him back to square one, he thought, with her. He was having such a nice time with her immediately upon stumbling across her in his favorite spot to camp outside his kingdom. Oh well, tomorrow is another day. He went to his study afterwards.
When he was ready to go to his bed chambers, he thought he would stop to say goodnight to Sarah. He knocked but no answer. He opened the door to find it empty. He thought, 'Where could she have gone?' He looked inside his crystal to locate her and saw her in the pub in town singing with a band. He reabsorbed the crystal, made another and cast it to the ground. He was transported to the pub and stepped inside the door. The pub was crowded. He never saw it so crowded. He watched Sarah from the back of the room.
She stood up and was talking to the band members. She told them, "I'll give you a tempo for this one. I'm sure it is unknown here. You can join as you catch on to the rhythm." She hummed and tapped out a beat for them. They smiled and caught on to it. She started singing "The Bonny Swans" by Loreena McKennitt:
A farmer there lived in the north country
A hey ho and me bonny o
And he had daughters one, two, three
The swans swim so bonny o
These daughters they walked by the river's brim
A hey ho and me bonny o
The eldest pushed the youngest in
The swans swim so bonny o
Oh sister, oh sister, pray lend me your hand
A hey ho and me bonny o
And I will give you house and land
The swans swim so bonny o
I'll give you neither hand nor glove
A hey ho and me bonny o
Unless you give me your own true love
The swans swim so bonny o
Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam
A hey ho and me bonny o
Until she came to a miller's dam
The swans swim so bonny o
The miller's daughter, dressed in red
A hey ho and me bonny o
She went for some water to make her bread
The swans swim so bonny o
O father, o daddy, here swims a swan
A hey ho and me bonny o
It's very like a gentle woman
The swans swim so bonny o
They laid her on the bank to dry
A hey ho and me bonny o
There came a harper passing by
The swans swim so bonny o
He made harp pins of her fingers fair
A hey ho and me bonny o
He made harp strings of her golden hair
The swans swim so bonny o
He made a harp of her breast bone
A hey ho and me bonny o
And straight it began to play alone
The swans swim so bonny o
He brought it to her father's hall
A hey ho and me bonny o
And there was the court assembled all
The swans swim so bonny o
He laid the harp upon the stone
A hey ho and me bonny o
And straight it began to play alone
The swans swim so bonny o
There does sit my father, the King
A hey ho and me bonny o
And yonder sits my mother the Queen
The swans swim so bonny o
And there does sit my brother Hugh
A hey ho and me bonny o
And by him William, sweet and true
The swans swim so bonny o
And there does sit my false sister Anne
A hey ho and me bonny o
Who drowned me for the sake of a man
The swans swim so bonny o
—--
Jareth noticed that during her singing magic was subtly filling the room. Nobody could see it but he could. It was like tendrils or misty fingers swirling interweaving in a very pale almost invisible shimmer into the atmosphere and around the room. It was coming from her. She was radiating and releasing magic around her. It was a healing magic, he sensed. Oh, she was such a beautiful creature.
When the music ended everyone cheered. Sarah bowed. She had sung six songs and was done. She shook hands and thanked each musician. One was an elf, one a dwarf, one a goblin, and two were humans. She went to the bar and the bartender said, "This ale be on the house. Ye sing lovely, lass. Thank ye fer boosting up me profits fer our music night." She smiled, thanked him and took a drink of her ale.
Jareth watched from his obscure corner. The youngest musician took his hat and peddled the room for donations to the band. Jareth put money in the hat. The young man came back and said to the oldest musician, "We got four times more than ever."
The older fellow said, "Give half to the girl, she earned it." The young man split the takings and gave half to the older fellow. He walked up to the bar and offered her the other half of his money collection.
Sarah turned and said, "No you all keep it as a gift. I was just having fun and you lifted my spirit tonight and that was payment enough. Thank you and bless you all for your honesty and kindness."
The young man smiled and went back to the older fellow and told him what she said. He took the money. They had packed up their instruments already. The older man walked up to the bar and said to her, "Yer a kind lass, an' we be thankin' ye fer a great evenin'. Ye can sit in an' sing anytime ye be wanten'. Me name be Dan."
He shook her hand and Sarah said, "My name is Sarah. It's been a pleasure to meet you, Dan."
Dan was shocked and said, "Not The Sarah?"
She smiled and said, "One in the same."
Dan said, "This be a true pleasure to meet ye, lass." She smiled and waved as he left. Sarah finished her beer and left the bartender a couple silvers as a tip. She left to go back to the castle.