CHAPTER 12
The day for court was here, Sarah woke up in Jareth's arms. She kissed Jareth awake. He rolled her over and made love to her slow and easy. They took a bath together where he made love to her again in the water. They couldn't get enough of each other.
When they were ready, Sarah was dressed in a dark hunter green velvet dress with gold trim with panels of damask pattern gold and green, a rounded neck off the shoulder with long sleeves. It was a rich, beautiful dress. She had a pair of the same color green velvet high heels. She had on a set of diamond and emerald gold filigree jewelry. The necklace was a link setting and a large 1 1/2" emerald cut green emerald with matching drop earrings and a bracelet and a 4ct ring. She did light makeup and eyeliner with mascara gave her a dramatic look with the eye color of the Lugh. She took her knife tied to her thigh and her gun in a hidden pocket in her skirt. She still did not trust anyone but Jareth, Tatiana and Oberon for her safety. Everyone else was a toss up and gamble.
She turned and looked and Jareth was smiling leaning in the door jam gazing at her. He said, "You are the most handsome woman I have ever laid my eyes on in 527 years."
She giggled and said, "My lover, you said I was beautiful before, now I'm handsome? I thought that was my word for you? Are you stealing my lines?" He grinned at her and pushed off the door and walked over, slipping his arm around her and kissing her thoroughly.
He said, "I'd never steal from you, precious. I might borrow though." She used her thumb to wipe the burgundy lipstick off his mouth.
She said, "You messed up my lipstick, Jareth. I liked it though. She took a cloth and wiped it off and reapplied it. She turned and said, I think I'm ready. He made a matching green velvet, gold Celtic knot cloak with a hood appear. It was identical to the black and silver one she had from before. He put it around her and kissed her forehead.
They were transported to the stables and he had her in front of him again riding to the Labyrinth's portal. It was starting to snow flurry when he came out into the city of Murias (where the High King's Palace is) and proceeded to the High Court. They dismounted and had their mount taken to the stables.
The High Court was grandiose with leafy Romanesque style capstone pillars and archways, French Baroque interior walls, all white marble floors and vaulted ceilings. Very intimidating. Tatiana and Oberon asked them to come early and meet with them in their private meeting chambers. Jareth led her to the room and knocked. An old man opened the door letting them in. In the room was Oberon, Tatiana, Haloran the healer, and the gentleman that opened the door.
Oberon said, "Children, glad you are here. We need to go over testimony and facts quickly." Tatiana wrapped her arms around Sarah and kissed her forehead.
Tatiana said, "Relax, my child. I feel your nervousness. It will be ok, sweet girl." She patted Sarah's back and guided her to a seat next to Jareth.
Oberon looked at Sarah and Jareth and said, "We will not bring up the book, the ritual, the blood, or the fertility. Do you understand?"
Sarah asked, "What do I say led me to the portal? My research or by accident?"
Oberon said, "Both."
Sarah said, "Can I tell everyone that I found a legend of Dagdas home being a gateway to the Underground. I am an archaeologist, a researcher of ancient relics, and stumbled inside Newgrange mound and when I touched the wall I fell through?"
Oberon clapped his hands and said, "That's perfect, my child. You found the pot of gold and the nearest town to buy items you needed to survive here. Then, Jareth found you camping in the woods and the rest you know."
Sarah asked, "Won't the leprechaun people be mad and say I stole from them?"
Oberon said, "It is written in the laws that if they can't hide the gold in proper places and it's found it is forfeit. They are very crafty and that place hasn't been used in 5,000 years, so their luck ran out leaving it there. The odds of you finding it are an astronomical stroke of luck. They have to see that and if they don't, so be it." Sarah nodded.
Oberon gestured to the man who opened the door and said, "This is Radison, my Historical Scholar. This young lady is my soon to be daughter-in-law, Sarah, the Labyrinth Champion from ten years ago and of the tribe of Lugh."
Radison said, "Lady Sarah, I am extremely honored to meet you. You are a very valuable person to the entire Underground, even if they don't know that you will save our children's lives one day." He bowed and kissed the back of her hand.
She smiled at him and said, "That is very kind of you to say, thank you, sir."
Oberon said, "See, I told you how she is, didn't I, Radison? A kind and unspoiled beautiful girl. She is unique. My son has found a rare and precious gem for a wife and queen."
Tatiana said, "Now, Sarah, my child, they may try to rattle you during questioning, but you be yourself and stick to the answers. Ok?" Sarah nodded.
Oberon said, "I think they are ready for you now." He and Tatiana stood up and walked Jareth and Sarah to the door. Oberon and Tatiana both hugged Sarah and opened the door to let them leave.
Jareth said, "I'll be right by your side, precious so don't worry." He rubbed her back as they walked up to the courtroom doors.
The herald announced, "His majesty King Jareth, the Goblin King and Lady Sarah, Champion of the Labyrinth!" They walked in and Jareth led Sarah to a table with chairs. There were twelve beings sitting up at the front in a high long table, like a kingdom representatives panel. The gallery was full of beings and people also.
A court official said, "King Jareth, you do not sit at the supplicant table?"
Jareth said, "I sit by my betrothal's side." The court official bowed and left.
The herald announced the High King and Queen as they came in and took their thrones. The herald announced, "The court recognizes the supplicant Lady Sarah of the Aboveground, Champion of the Labyrinth. Here by cometh to be recognized as a member of the fae tribe of Lugh." The gallery and panel loudly murmured.
The High King said, "The court recognizes the Court Officiant of the Elven Kingdom, King Alok Eilnorin."
Alok stood up and walked to a podium. He said, "Lady Sarah, it is my understanding that the people of the fae tribe Lugh are extinct. Can you explain your claim?"
Sarah stood and said, "I was under the assumption that I was a human who lived in the Aboveground, until recent events have changed my status as you can see. I was a Labyrinth runner ten years ago, as you know I won my brother back. I returned to my home Aboveground and three days later I woke up and noticed subtle changes in my appearance, my ears were tapering, my eyes and hair were shinier and I developed an eidetic memory. All this I did not possess prior. Over the last ten years, I applied myself academically to seek information on the fae during the time of their departure from the Aboveground 5,000 years ago. I acquired four masteries in education and research. During my research I discovered information on a vague reference and possible entry to a portal to the Underground in Dagda's home, called Newgrange mounds now." Murmurings proceeded.
"I studied information, relics and locations as my job. I went to Newgrange and was investigating the interior and put my hand on a wall and fell through to the outside. When I looked back and got up and touched the wall it was stone and an opening wasn't there. I proceeded eventually out of the tunnel and fell over a pot of gold. I gathered up the spilt coins and loaded my pockets and wrapped the rest in my coat. I found my way to a small town called Bhaile. After outfitting myself I was camping out in the woods and somehow by coincidence his majesty the Goblin King found me in his travels to camp also. I had been in the Underground for twelve days and been to Àiteigin also. The Goblin King convinced me to come to his kingdom and I did." More murmurings.
She cleared her throat and said,"I had intimate relations with his highness and experienced what he called 'An Cheangail'. The next morning I was fae with tribal markings." The room breaks out in murmuring and whispers.
Princess Emiline shouted out from the gallery, "It's a lie! It's makeup!"
The High King shouted, "Silence! One more word from you Princess Emiline and you will be removed!"
Alok asked once the room quietened, "May we check your markings and make sure they are real and of the Lugh?"
Sarah said, "Of course, you may." Alok had the representative of the Pixie and Unicorn Kingdoms examine her markings to look for makeup. They smudged and examined the pattern on her eyelids. They went back and whispered comments to Alok.
Alok said, "The representatives of the Pixie and Unicorn Kingdoms say they are authentically there. What say you Court Scholar?" Radison approached and looked at her patterns on her lids.
Radison said, "They are the official patterns of the royal tribe of Lugh. I also add that if she came through an ancient portal only a fae could have opened that portal and passed through it and only if blood was introduced."
Alok asked, "Was there blood used to enter, Lady Sarah?"
Sarah said, "I had a cut on my hand from earlier the day before."
Radison said, "I also submit that historically, the Lugh tribe stayed behind when the rest of the fae returned. It is documented."
Alok said, "Lady Sarah, did you submit to a medical exam?"
Sarah said, "Yes, the Goblin King had his father's healer do a full examination on me."
Alok said to Haloran, "What were your official findings healer Haloran?"
Haloran said, "I have run every test I can think of and did it twice to be sure. She is a Lugh fae, she is speaking the truth. She is 100% fae. She has a large magical reserve and possesses no human genes. It is my conclusion that the Lugh were not exposed to magic and were exposed to iron in the Aboveground. Their bodies must have adapted and reverted to a human state until exposed to enough magic to stimulate the fae genes to dominate her body once exposed. The 'An Cheangail' is a huge burst of magic and both must be fae and must possess magic in order for it to occur."
The room breaks out in loud talking and Emiline shouted, "No, it's a lie! She is human! They are all lying!"
The High King shouts, "Remove her!" A guard physically wrestles Emiline out the door as she keeps screaming.
Alok said, "I open the floor up to questions from the panel." He sits down.
The Queen of the Pixies asked, "Did you not realize what was happening to you after your run?"
Sarah said, "No. I thought it was odd but nobody else seemed to notice or care. I was only in the Underground for ten hours before I was sent home."
The Queen of the Pixies asked, "You didn't go through the whole 13 hours?"
Sarah said, "No, your majesty, the Goblin King took three hours away from me." The room laughed. Sarah blushed.
The Queen of the Pixies asked, "Goblin King, why did you do that?"
Jareth said, "She was proceeding too quickly and had a smart mouth." The room laughed. Sarah was still blushing.
The King of the Unicorns asked, "Did you ever feel different?"
Sarah said, "Yes, your majesty, all my life, I was a square peg in a round hole. I never felt a part of anything until I came here for that brief time."
The King of the Leprechauns asked, "Didn't ya feel bad fer taking the gold?"
Sarah said, "I did at first, but I was in need in a strange world with nothing and I needed the help to survive. I know the leprechaun must have died or forgotten it, because it was extremely layered with a thick layer of dust and dirt. It must have been abandoned a long time ago because if that passage was from a 5,000 year old portal it makes sense he could have died." The leprechaun nodded in agreement with her logic. That was all the questions about the matter.
Alok stood up and said, "I will close for debate in the ante chamber." The twelve and the High King went into the ante chamber to vote if she was to become a citizen of the fae tribe of Lugh.
After a while, they returned and Alok said, "It is upon official judgment that Lady Sarah, Champion of the Labyrinth is an official member of the tribe of Lugh fae. Welcome to the Underground, Lady Sarah." He nodded his head to her and Sarah curtsied smiling at him and the other fae panelists.
The High King said, "I submit to court officially the announcement of the betrothal of my son the Goblin King..." The room loudly murmured. " …to Lady Sarah, Champion of the Labyrinth and tribe of the Lugh. The celebration will be in one week." The room erupted in half clapping, whispering and angry murmurings."
Alok said, "Congratulations, Goblin King. Courts adjourned." Jareth nodded at him and stood with his arm around Sarah. They started walking out of the courtroom.
Sarah whispered, "The angry ones must be the fae who wanted you for themselves."
Jareth said, "Too bad, I'm a one woman man." She squeezed his arm.
She whispered, "Damn right, you are." He grinned at her. They were headed to the High Palace to visit with his parents before returning home to The Castle Beyond The Goblin City.