CHAPTER 9
Jareth walked in the door in his dark blue leggings and black boots, royal blue velvet brocade jacket, over a white silk shirt. It had a white cravat and ruffles at the sleeves. His necklace was over the shirt. His eye markings were very prevalent and his hair was tinged with blue on the ends.
He stopped dead with his mouth open and looked at her. It took a moment. He said, as she turned to him, "Oh, how you turn my world, you precious thing."
Sarah looked up at him as she came near and said, "Is it alright?"
He said, "Oh my, yes. You are the most beautiful fae woman I have ever laid my eyes on. Fear not your beauty and dark hair will turn heads. A fae doesn't have dark hair like yours and it shines so lovely. Come let's get breakfast, my love."
He led her into the dining room and held out her chair for her. A full breakfast appeared on the table with tea and coffee in fancy carafes.
She said nervously, "Jareth, do you think that your parents will like me? I hope I don't do or say anything to embarrass us. I don't know the protocol or anything really." He couldn't stop looking at her. The change to fae enhanced her beauty even more and he never thought possible.
He said, "Don't worry, my darling, everything will be fine. How could anyone not love you? When we get back, you should see your friends. I'll summon them for you."
She smiled and said, "Thank you Jareth, it is very considerate of you." He reached over and patted her hand and smiled at her adoringly.
He said, "You're welcome, precious. I will help you with learning protocol ahead of events." She sighed and let it go. She ate her hearty breakfast feeling much better about it all.
She whispered, "I love you, Jareth." That was the only payment he would ever want from her and he would never be tired of hearing it from her lips.
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Sarah found a long black velvet hooded cloak with a silver Celtic knot border trim on the entire cloak, even the hood. It had pockets on the inside. It was beautiful. Jareth was wearing a black woolen hooded cape, also. They were ready to go. He transported them to the stables. In the stables was her horse Spirit. She patted him on the nose and scratched his ear.
Jareth said, "I want you to ride with me, precious. I love having you in my arms. She smiled at him. He had a huge black war horse stallion in full fancy black leather and silver brocade conchos and studs on his tack. He was a stunning horse named "Treun" (Valiant) and very tall.
Jareth lifted her up on a bail of hay and he mounted his horse. Jareth helped her up to sit in front of him sideways, with his arms around her holding her in place. She kissed his lips and turned forward. He rode with her to a place inside the Labyrinth. It was a huge stone doorway that looked like a watery silver mirror. It was swirling; he had them walk straight through it without flinching. They came out into a city bustling with people. He turned them toward an abstract white modern looking building. It looked like a formation of a natural clump of crystals. Everyone was looking at them as they passed.
Sarah asked, "What is that white building?"
Jareth said, "It's the High King's Place, my love."
She asked, "Why is everyone staring at us?"
He grinned and said, "Because we have great hair." She started giggling. He just loved the sound of it.
They made it up to the gates with guards. Jareth dismounted and helped her down from the horse. The guards bowed and said, "Welcome home, sire. I'll take your steed to the royal stables." Jareth took her hand and they walked down through a courtyard walkway to the front steps.
Jareth said, "Just let me do the talking no matter what is said, good or bad, in front of you. They may be negative until I explain it all. Keep your hood up and don't look at them until I say so. I don't want them to see your markings until the time comes. Perhaps, they may know what tribe you come from, because I've never seen them before. My parents are over 1,200 years old, I hope they have more knowledge." Jareth opens the throne room door. His parents were sitting on their thrones. He walked in and Sarah had her head down. Jareth bows and Sarah curtseys.
The High King says, "Son, greetings. It's been a long while since you visited or came to court. We see Malachi more than we see you. What is this about a betrothal? Who do you have there?"
The High Queen said, "Yes, Jareth, who do you have hidden there?" She was peering at Sarah.
Jareth said, "It is Sarah, my Champion the Labyrinth."
The high King gruffly said, "You mean that human child you fancied years ago?"
Jareth said, "Yes, father."
The High Queen asked, "How did she return? Did you bring her here? You know it's forbidden to bring back a runner twice."
Jareth said affronted, "I did not. She found her own way because she is brilliant. She researched the past encounter between our people 5,000 years ago. One day, she stumbled upon an old book that was falling apart. It had instructions on how to gain access through Dagda's ancient portal. She performed the ritual."
The High King exploded, "That's a criminal act and the start of an invasion by the humans! They could make war against us! You should have wiped her mind of us and the Underground! This is your fault!" Sarah cringed and gripped his arm harder and stood behind him as a shield.
Jareth shouted, "Calm yourself father! Stop your screaming! You're frightening her! Use your rational mind to see what I'm trying to tell you! SHE'S NOT A HUMAN! Don't you see, we need your help!" The High King sat back down composing himself.
The High Queen asked, "What do you mean Jareth? We do not understand."
Jareth said, "During her run ten years ago, she went home and three days later she noticed subtle differences in her appearance. Her ears were tapering, her eyes and hair were shinier than before and she developed an eidetic memory she did not have prior. None of the humans noticed, so she just started with an obsession to learn everything about us and the human encounter 5,000 years ago through academic sources."
The High King, more composed, said, "But she is human, right?"
Jareth said, "She has been in the Underground almost two weeks visiting the human towns outside of my kingdom to the north. I swear fate guided me to her campsite of all places. It was one in a million, the timing was uncanny to find her specifically, but I wasn't even aware. Father, you would have been as impressed as I was at her preparedness. She even stumbled upon a full pot of gold some leprechaun left in the old portal entrance. She used the money for a horse, clothing and lodging. She is amazingly resourceful."
The High King asked, "Where is the book on the portal?" Jareth whispered to Sarah and she whispered back.
Jareth said, "She brought it with her to protect our existence and not have someone else find it. She has it in my castle for safe keeping."
The High King said, "I want it and I will investigate who may have done this. I will then destroy it. Someone did that deliberately. Knowledge of that magnitude would have died out and been untraceable thousands of years prior to now."
Jareth said, "I told Sarah that it was fortunate that it fell into her hands before any damage could have happened. She was aware of this already before I said anything. She is not ignorant; she possesses wisdom in her actions. Don't you see? She is something different. I want you to look closely at her and help me understand what she is. She is fae now. She has transformed completely after "An Cheangail" occurred between us last night. She is frightened don't you see? We both don't know what has happened." The High King and Queen gasped.
The High King asked, "Jareth how can you "An Cheangail" if she is human."
Jareth said, "Father, you aren't listening with your ears. She is not human anymore."
The High Queen stepped down from the throne, walked up to Jareth and said, "Show me." The High King did the same.
Jareth turned and kissed Sarah. He caressed her face and removed her hood. She looked up into the faces of his parents. The High Queen fainted and the High King caught her as he stared open mouthed at her. He said, "Jareth put her hood up and then hide her face. We are going into our private chambers to discuss this." Jareth did as he asked, kissing her once again.
They followed the High King as he carried the High Queen to their private chambers. The High King laid his wife down on the bed. Jareth took off the cloaks and laid them over the back of the Queen Anne settee, they both sat down on. The High King sat down stunned looking at her. Jareth put her hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. He intertwined their fingers. She scooted closer to him being under the High King's scrutiny.
The High King cleared his throat and said, "Don't be afraid of me child, for I will do you no harm. I swear this to you. You are a rare and special woman from a line of dark haired fae that we thought had died out thousands of years ago. Historically, it tells of how the line of Lugh was lost to us after the separation from the Aboveground. The tribe of Lugh stayed behind to watch over and blend in with the humans in hope of guiding them and educating them. They were very superstitious and ignorant back then. They were driven by fear. You are of the fae but the lack of magic exposure must have reverted your genes to that of humans in that environment of iron up there. Like some kind of survival adaptation. Can I let my healer examine you?" She looked into Jareth's eyes and he smiled.
Jareth said, "It's ok, my love. He is sworn to secrecy and is loyal to the royal line of my family.
She laid her head on his shoulder and said to his father, "Ok."
His father sent a crystal to his healer. The High King said, "Boy am I glad you didn't marry. Darius has been pestering me to persuade you into marrying Emiline. She's a spoiled, intolerable woman." He smiled at Sarah and said, "Even your name means princess in our language. You are a much more suitable mate for my son. You are of a lost lineage of fae and very beautiful if I may say."
From the bed, the High Queen said,"Oberon, stop flirting with the poor child." She sat up and steadied herself. She walked over to sit in the other chair across from Jareth and Sarah.
Oberon asks, "Tatiana, my love, are you feeling better?" She caressed his cheek
Tatiana said, "Yes, my dear, much better. I wish to know about my future daughter-in-law." Sarah blushed.
Sarah said, "I don't know what to say. I want to understand how this all came to be, myself. I'm confused about who I am now."
Tatiana patted her hand and said, "That's very understandable, young one. You are a very unusual and beautiful fae, Sarah. No wonder my son fell for you in an instant and refused to marry. You are his soulmate if the "An Cheangail" occured in your first mating. It is such a very rare occurrence to experience. It's the magic and the soul intertwining together. Can you read each other's emotions?" They both nodded. "Then you are mated for life and this betrothal business is just paperwork. I haven't seen a perfect match in over 900 years. Most occur on a fluke because of all the status and political liaisons in our culture. I'm just so happy it's my only son who will experience something so profound." The healer knocked and came in closing the door.
He was a gentle looking little old man. He had grey hair that was long and pulled back into a ponytail down his back and a wrinkled kind face of a fae. He was dressed in gray robes and long sleeves. He asked, "What can I do for you, sire?"
Oberon said, "Haloran, we need you to do a thorough examination of everything you can find on this young woman."
Haloran looked at her finally and saw the markings. He said with a loud gasp, "Oh my stars, she is of the Lugh. How can this be? It's a miracle."
Oberon said "See if you know how she transformed from a human to a long lost fae after being exposed to magic and after the "An Cheangail" happened with my son." The healer gasped again.
Haloran said, "Come child. Come lay down on the bed, please." Jareth and his parents talked while Haloran ran every test twice over to make sure his results were correct. Once he had no doubts about his findings, he helped Sarah sit up and walked with her over to the seated royal family.