Disclaimer: not mine, copyright Labyrinth Enterprises (at least, that's what it says on my copy of the movie). Not making money of this. Thank you Mr. Jim Henson way up high for creating such loveliness.
Enjoy
Ramowen
Diamond Tears
3. On The Road
Rolling hills and a quiet summer day. A light breeze to make the walk a pleasure, not a labor. The sweet scent of wildflowers and herbs in the air. Flower fairies buzzing around, dancing on the fragrance and not biting. Life could be wonderful.
Right.
Sarah had too much on her mind to enjoy the scenery. Because of her, her friends were led into an adventure that might be more than just annoying. Because of her, they would loose their possessions. She had calculated that she had about ten hours left. It was true Jareth had given her no time limit this time round, but that could mean she might wander around for days or longer. And although Sarah's experience in the Labyrinth was such that more time passed here compared to her own world, about two too one hour, she had read too many elf-stories in which an unlucky human spent no more than an evening in the fairy-world to find himself in the future upon coming home. And more often than not turning to dust upon setting foot back there.
Still, in spite of what he had done to her, she thought Jareth could not be that cruel- now could he? Sarah had thought of the Fay many times. She was both relieved and frightened by Didymus telling her the King had not been harmed by loosing his game to her. Except for his pride, that was. And that had made her snicker, given her the trust to come back here, ask her friends to visit. Yet he had known! But done nothing. So why now? What had changed?
Sarah sighed and looked, really looked around at the land, the clear blue sky and her friends. She allowed her senses to be filled with the colors, the scents and the sounds. This place was lovely. And in spite of her annoyance over being forced to jump Jareth's hoops, if she gave in ever so slightly she knew she would feel more alive here than she could ever felt at home. Sarah stared down while silently admitting to herself, never daring to utter the thought because of its consequence, but she wished she truly could call the Underground 'home'.
"Sir Didymus?"
"Milady?"
"What did you mean with 'the King not being himself?'"
"Well, he hasn't been heard of for a while. He spends a lot of time in his High tower.."
"Moping", commented Hoggle under his breath.
"There are rumors he has given up on stealing young humans."
"Really?" asked Sarah
"Sour looser." Grinned Hoggle, winking at her. Sarah smiled back.
Ludo scratched his head. "No bog." he stated. Sarah arched her brow and looked at the others. Didymus shrugged. "The last person to disappear into the Bog was Lepran, a person whom I cannot justly place. All I know of him is that he is a hunter killing for sport or selling his captives into other realms of Myth. He also has brought creatures from there to here. The King was not amused."
"You are not telling me Jareth is actually changing? That in spite of harassing us he is being -nice-? Cheech."
Hoggle laughed. "Perhaps he's just growing up."
"I taught he was ancient already."
"Thats right- but ancient is still young for Fay. And he has been King only for three hundred years."
"King Jareth succeeded his father, good King Erkon, right after his disappearance. His lady Queen Azurmandi was heartbroken. She retreated to splendorous Owinaress Castle, the white one thou cants see in the distance."
"His father disappeared?"
"Some say Jareth did 'em in. But I don't believes that."
Sir Didymus shook his head. "No. I say our poor former King died in the fire that raged the Castle behind the Goblin City the night Jareth came back from his quest to become the King's legitimate successor-" The knight frowned and looked pensive, as if trying to remember something. "There was -something- else. A someone." He sighed. "One tends to forget many things from so long ago."
Sarah shivered. She had had no idea her foxy friend was that old. On the other hand, why should he not be. Wasn't everyone immortal down here? Save their kings, perhaps.
"Still," sighed Hoggle. "Its a shame the old Queen left Jareth to find out for himself what it meants to be Goblin King. He never planned to bees one and he had no idea. He was just a brat and just like that a brat with power. He was spoiled and behaved like that and there was no one to tell him not to."
"Until a year ago? Until he lost from me?" Sarah chuckled. "I really made an impact, now didn't I?" And suddenly she realized she and Jareth had something in common. When they had needed them most, their mothers had walked out on them. And they both had taken it badly, kicking at the ones around them. Sarah shivered. The last thing she needed was some kind of sympathy for the King. That sort of thing was so distracting and she found herself lost in thought too often already.
Remembering, Hoggle looked up at Sarah, a wicked glint in his heavenly blue eyes.
"Yeah, Sarah. You sure got his attention."
"He can't be serious."
The words were whispered by Jonathan the Cartbuilder, a tall and broad shouldered man in his late thirties, his beard and hair black as raven's wings and his eyes light blue marbles, currently threatening to pop out of his scull.
"Oh he was quite adamant!" Patrick the Horsebreeder told his friend fuming. The smaller man looked away from his companion, almost ashamed yet firmly in control of himself. He was older too, probably his late fifties, mostly bald but for a short cropped band of gray. He held the reigns of two large almost white horses, which were clearly not the usual type the man reared for the environs. Patrick's hazel eyes burned with an angry fire and his chiseled features were stern and pale. Both men, handsome in their own respective way, showed their wealth by being well and colorfully dressed, gold on their fingers and gems on their scabbards. They had been soldiers together, once. Civilian life had been generous to them and they were good comrades still.
"That damned Fay! For the first in one whole year we hear from him and why? To play some innocent a cruel joke. And we better be serious about it as well."
"Or what?" Jonathan asked.
"Or -we- will be riding these things!"
The two white horses looked foreboding somehow, with pale silver eyes and a docile demeanor. Their muscles however quivered restlessly under their skin. Given half the chance they would bolt and run to the nearest sea.
"They are Aughiskies." A statement, not a question.
"And the only reason why I dare to stand as close to them as I am now, are these enchanted reigns. Part from Unicorns -maybe- they are the fastest creatures on hoof. Especially when they smell water."
"The King wishes somebody to drown then? Odd."
"No- he calls it 'helping'. Can you imagine the poor sod's reaction to climbing a cart with these two in front of him and tell them to guidy-up?"
"They'll be on the other side of the Underground in minutes!"
"Indeed."
Both men turned and stared at the creatures. Normally the ghost-like beings would haunt a river or lake, drowning and sometimes devouring anyone who had the gall to try and ride them. But King Jareth had captured the Aughiskyies, enchanted them and brought them to the stables of the horse-breeder. Patrick was to go to his friend the village's cartmaker, so he could sell the horses together with a cart.
"Well, we better put them away in a stable then."
Jonathan led the way to his stable, but he had to lead the three normal horses he housed there to the paddock behind his workshop to avoid them panicking around the magical creatures. Patrick locked the Aughiskies in now empty boxes, relieved to be able to put some distance between himself and the beasts.
The stable was a tall wooden building with sacks of wheat in a neatly pile and a large hayloft. From the shadows a small fairy with dragonfly wings had watched the two men. They left their uneasy charges to discuss the unfairness of kings in general over some ale and their voices grew distant. She detached herself from her shadows, flew around nervously for a few moments and then honed in on the right ear of the left Aughisky. She whispered something in the ear of the beast and went to the other to do the same. The calm beasts grew restless now, docility gone, impatient to run to the edge of the world.
Instinct warned the little fairy and she retreated hastily to her shadows just in time to avoid being noticed by a white barn owl entering through one of the open windows. The animal landed in front of the boxes and in a glittering whirlwind of silver dust he shape-shifted into the slender form of the Goblin King himself. Jareth went to the beasts smiling, but that smile faded when he noticed their uneasiness. He gently clacked his tongue and spoke to the animals in a soft, reassuring voice. They came to him, head over the half door, and allowed themselves to be patted on the nose by the Fay. Jareth looked around, frowning.
"Vasili- is one of you here?"
From the hayloft a sleepy voice grunted.
"Well!"
A small dwarf peeked at Jareth from under the hay, annoyed to being awakened during daytime. Upon seeing who had called for him, he shot up, freed himself from the hay and made his way to the ladder leading down. The small dwarf, not even reaching up to Jareth's knees, had to take his time in doing so. Being a caretaker of horses, he himself had little hoofs for feet. In front of the impatient King he bowed deeply.
"I am Alexei the Vasili of this stable my lord King. How may I- Oh my goodness!"
Little Alexei had spotted the Aughiskies.
"Don't fret about them- they will leave today. You did not notice them coming in?"
The dwarf shook his head, stepping back from both the King and the animals. There was a haunted and lost expression on his bearded face. Jareth shrugged.
"Yours are not replaced- they are in the paddock behind. I take it you did not saw them come in?"
"No, my Lord King."
"Than you could not have noticed who tampered with them either- something is -hiding- from me here!"
However, before Jareth could investigate one of the sunbeams falling through the window thickened, became golden dust and swirled into the form of a small female Fay.
She was a lovely Primrose fairy, with flowers in her blond hair, colorful see through wings and a scantly dress woven out of the morning mist. She tucked one of her locks behind a delicate pointed ear and faced the Goblin King without fear- without much interest even. Jareth crossed his arms defensively over his chest- he knew this one but too well. The Primrose fairy curtsied to Jareth and he gave her a sleight nod. The Vasili quickly took cover behind some sacks of barley, not even wanting to know what had disturbed his tranquil little life. And from the shadows the Other watched.
"Goblin King."
"Anna."
"The Queen, your mother, requests your presence, my Lord."
"O does she. Well you may inform the Queen I am rather engaged at the moment."
The Primrose fairy glanced with the same haughty indifference at the Aughiskies.
"The Queen told me to inform you she -wishes- you presence, -right now-."
Jareth's stance slacked a little, but one would have to know him well to spot it. Anna did know him well, was there some faint trace of humor in small Fay's expression?
"Very well then," Jareth answered rather bored. His form instantly lost cohesion and he dissolved into a silver speckled ray, more suited to go with moonlight than the sun. The energy of the King left the barn and Anna prepared to follow- but she halted at the horses and before leaving she whispered al little spell.
"To whomever dares to ride with you
"To whomever is thusly forced to do
"The Queen shall grant this gift so true
"Be protected beneath the sun."
Turning to sunlight Anna the Primrose fairy left, leaving an upset barn dwarf and a spiteful hidden Other in the shadows. The Queen's protection and Jareth's calming influence had almost undone her damage. Almost.
Over the stone bridge over the lazy river onward over the muddy sand road. When home again there would be hell to pay for Sarah's ruined jeans and low suede boots. To the right the fenced paddock with dumb looking sheep and three curious cows, their eyes following Sarah's 'Goblin Gang'. To the right a low stone wall encircling the cemetery of the village they entered- Suddenly Sarah stopped and scrutinized the churchyard. Or was it.
"Hoggle?"
"Yes?"
"Where is the church? Come to think of it- none of those villages had churches, did they?"
"Sarah- You is in the Underground! There is no place for such things here."
"O- yeah. Sure."
Sarah felt a bit silly and worried at the same time. She had never given the normal day-to-day life of those who actually -lived- in the Underground much taught. Or expected farmsteads, cattle, or people for that matter. And the fact that they lived without the modern religion Sarah had grown up with worried her a little. It was absurdly logical Christianity not to have a place in a world driven away by her own people- but still. She wandered to what god the people down her would pray. Herne? Thor? Did it matter?
Daily life in sleepy a mediaeval storybook village. The group rounded a corner and entered the main street. It was obvious the well to do dwelled here, for most houses were built of gray stone and tiled with red roofs. Further to the end of the street she saw the white patches and dark wood of half-wood houses. Near the end of the street was a tavern with people sitting in front, watching and chatting with workmen who were cobbling the street.
Sarah smelled freshly backed bread, smoked meat, wood fires and flowers. She had expected dirt, manure, sewage- none of it. Storybook village indeed.
There were shops in this street, a jewelry-shop, somebody selling fine cloth, a bone worker who had all kinds of interesting items on his counter. Needles, buttons, a child's toy and the frame for horn rimmed glasses. She could hear the clanking and hammering of a smithy and smelled the burning coal. Colorful well dressed people walked by. Housewives and maids carrying wicker baskets filled with greens and flowers. A man on horseback wandered by, looking rather pointedly at Sarah. Not at Ludo, or Hoggle, or Didymus. No, it was Sarah herself who seemed slightly out of place here, dressed as she was in blue-jeans, white blouse and jacket. She smiled at herself and wondered if her own people would react so quietly to her company.
But these people lived in a world where fairies were truth, were you would leave a saucer of milk on your doorstep at night for the house dwarf and where blue worms talked back. They were probably not so easily disturbed by what elsewhere would be strange. It made Sarah a little self-conscious though.
Hoggle pulled at Sarah's sleeve and made her follow him to a tavern. On one of the benches in front of the tavern two man sat, drinking and talking and, for as far as Sarah could read their faces, being rather annoyed. She hoped she would have nothing to do with them, but Hoggle steered her straight their way. When they came closer, Sarah witnessed the two men exchange a rather significant look witch each other and the smaller one of the two nodded at the larger, bearded man.
"You know those two?" she asked.
Hoggle shrugged. "Hoggle knows many. Many -passed- Hoggle."
Sarah frowned? But her question had to wait.
"The one with the beard is the one we needs."
Hoggle took the lead, Sir Didymus being not a very capable barterer and Sarah too inexperienced. Hoggle let the man know he needed a cart capable of carrying them all and the horses to go with it. The cartmaker, who introduced himself as Jonathan, told the dwarf Ludo's might be a problem for he usually had nothing to encompass his kind of seize. But if they would be so kind as to follow him to his workshop, there might be a hay-cart available. And yes- he -had- the horses to go with a cart.
The older man looked rather grim at that. Jonathan introduced him as Patrick, the Horse breeder and told the group it were 'his' horses they might be buying. Both men walked Sarah and the others to Jonathan's workshop.
Here Sarah suddenly had a vision in her mind's eye of a second hand car salesman prizing his wares to a critical customer. Jonathan rambled pleasantly and quite charmingly about the advantages of certain models of vehicles- but in the end they went with his first suggestion of a large and sturdy hay-cart. Jonathan took some of Hoggle's gems in payment and held on to the pouch to give it to Patrick who was getting his horses out. And in horses there apparently was no choice, because he almost automatically put the horses to the cart.
No-one noticed the little fairy leaving her shadows once more, following, buzzing around like so many of her kin in the fields, she went unnoticed.
To Sarah, they were gorgeous, as mythical and wonderful as the rest of the Underground. She neared the gray animals without even the slightest trace of fear and gently patted one of them on the shoulder and stroke his nose.
Patrick's mouth fell open with the courage of the strange girl. Perhaps the King had not been planning some cruel joke after all, perhaps these animals were exactly what these travelers needed. But he admired the young woman nevertheless.
Sarah saw the silver eyes, but had no grasp of their meaning. Hoggle was to busy with haggling down the price to notice, he had merely glanced the animals and saw only that they were strong. Didymus had already eagerly jumped the box to hold the reigns.
Ludo followed Jonathan into the barn to get a sack of wheat and other things to take care of the horses. And Ambrosius cautiously neared the animals and sniffed at their legs.
Sarah left the horses and climbed the cart to sit behind Didymus. Hoggle stepped up and sat down next to the knight, heaving a deep sigh over the lessened weight of his pouch. And they still had to buy provisions for themselves…
The scent Ambrosius got from the horse reminded the Sheepdog of salt and running along the seashore in happy times. Of dead things. The dog looked up and saw the horse glare at him. Ambrosius jumped backwards, barely avoiding being kicked by the Aughisky. He gave a high pitched yelp and a harsh bark and fled. Didymus stood on the box, calling out for the dog and Ludo scurried after him.
The little fairy landed on one of the horse's nose, bared tiny and extremely sharp fangs, and bit.
The Aughisky violently reared up, taking the other halfway and startling them both. The two-wheeled cart lurched backwards and its three passengers were painfully thrown into the back. The horses bolted and the cart ran without master in a mad, mad dash to the unknown.
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Yes, I know, I am sneaky little pixy grin. Hands up who recognized the additional characters of the salesmen? Expect more cameo's! No, I don't own them either, just being a fan here.
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An Aughisky is an Irish water fairy, mostly appearing in the form of a young horse. It haunts lakes and seas and it tries to drown whoever dares to mount it. Once in the water it tears the unhappy rider into pieces and devours him, leaving only the liver. Good for them. Who likes raw liver anyway?
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A vasili is a friendly and shy Russian dwarf or domovije, who lives in stables. He takes care of the horses of his favorite color and has hoofs for feet.
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Enjoy
Ramowen
Diamond Tears
3. On The Road
Rolling hills and a quiet summer day. A light breeze to make the walk a pleasure, not a labor. The sweet scent of wildflowers and herbs in the air. Flower fairies buzzing around, dancing on the fragrance and not biting. Life could be wonderful.
Right.
Sarah had too much on her mind to enjoy the scenery. Because of her, her friends were led into an adventure that might be more than just annoying. Because of her, they would loose their possessions. She had calculated that she had about ten hours left. It was true Jareth had given her no time limit this time round, but that could mean she might wander around for days or longer. And although Sarah's experience in the Labyrinth was such that more time passed here compared to her own world, about two too one hour, she had read too many elf-stories in which an unlucky human spent no more than an evening in the fairy-world to find himself in the future upon coming home. And more often than not turning to dust upon setting foot back there.
Still, in spite of what he had done to her, she thought Jareth could not be that cruel- now could he? Sarah had thought of the Fay many times. She was both relieved and frightened by Didymus telling her the King had not been harmed by loosing his game to her. Except for his pride, that was. And that had made her snicker, given her the trust to come back here, ask her friends to visit. Yet he had known! But done nothing. So why now? What had changed?
Sarah sighed and looked, really looked around at the land, the clear blue sky and her friends. She allowed her senses to be filled with the colors, the scents and the sounds. This place was lovely. And in spite of her annoyance over being forced to jump Jareth's hoops, if she gave in ever so slightly she knew she would feel more alive here than she could ever felt at home. Sarah stared down while silently admitting to herself, never daring to utter the thought because of its consequence, but she wished she truly could call the Underground 'home'.
"Sir Didymus?"
"Milady?"
"What did you mean with 'the King not being himself?'"
"Well, he hasn't been heard of for a while. He spends a lot of time in his High tower.."
"Moping", commented Hoggle under his breath.
"There are rumors he has given up on stealing young humans."
"Really?" asked Sarah
"Sour looser." Grinned Hoggle, winking at her. Sarah smiled back.
Ludo scratched his head. "No bog." he stated. Sarah arched her brow and looked at the others. Didymus shrugged. "The last person to disappear into the Bog was Lepran, a person whom I cannot justly place. All I know of him is that he is a hunter killing for sport or selling his captives into other realms of Myth. He also has brought creatures from there to here. The King was not amused."
"You are not telling me Jareth is actually changing? That in spite of harassing us he is being -nice-? Cheech."
Hoggle laughed. "Perhaps he's just growing up."
"I taught he was ancient already."
"Thats right- but ancient is still young for Fay. And he has been King only for three hundred years."
"King Jareth succeeded his father, good King Erkon, right after his disappearance. His lady Queen Azurmandi was heartbroken. She retreated to splendorous Owinaress Castle, the white one thou cants see in the distance."
"His father disappeared?"
"Some say Jareth did 'em in. But I don't believes that."
Sir Didymus shook his head. "No. I say our poor former King died in the fire that raged the Castle behind the Goblin City the night Jareth came back from his quest to become the King's legitimate successor-" The knight frowned and looked pensive, as if trying to remember something. "There was -something- else. A someone." He sighed. "One tends to forget many things from so long ago."
Sarah shivered. She had had no idea her foxy friend was that old. On the other hand, why should he not be. Wasn't everyone immortal down here? Save their kings, perhaps.
"Still," sighed Hoggle. "Its a shame the old Queen left Jareth to find out for himself what it meants to be Goblin King. He never planned to bees one and he had no idea. He was just a brat and just like that a brat with power. He was spoiled and behaved like that and there was no one to tell him not to."
"Until a year ago? Until he lost from me?" Sarah chuckled. "I really made an impact, now didn't I?" And suddenly she realized she and Jareth had something in common. When they had needed them most, their mothers had walked out on them. And they both had taken it badly, kicking at the ones around them. Sarah shivered. The last thing she needed was some kind of sympathy for the King. That sort of thing was so distracting and she found herself lost in thought too often already.
Remembering, Hoggle looked up at Sarah, a wicked glint in his heavenly blue eyes.
"Yeah, Sarah. You sure got his attention."
"He can't be serious."
The words were whispered by Jonathan the Cartbuilder, a tall and broad shouldered man in his late thirties, his beard and hair black as raven's wings and his eyes light blue marbles, currently threatening to pop out of his scull.
"Oh he was quite adamant!" Patrick the Horsebreeder told his friend fuming. The smaller man looked away from his companion, almost ashamed yet firmly in control of himself. He was older too, probably his late fifties, mostly bald but for a short cropped band of gray. He held the reigns of two large almost white horses, which were clearly not the usual type the man reared for the environs. Patrick's hazel eyes burned with an angry fire and his chiseled features were stern and pale. Both men, handsome in their own respective way, showed their wealth by being well and colorfully dressed, gold on their fingers and gems on their scabbards. They had been soldiers together, once. Civilian life had been generous to them and they were good comrades still.
"That damned Fay! For the first in one whole year we hear from him and why? To play some innocent a cruel joke. And we better be serious about it as well."
"Or what?" Jonathan asked.
"Or -we- will be riding these things!"
The two white horses looked foreboding somehow, with pale silver eyes and a docile demeanor. Their muscles however quivered restlessly under their skin. Given half the chance they would bolt and run to the nearest sea.
"They are Aughiskies." A statement, not a question.
"And the only reason why I dare to stand as close to them as I am now, are these enchanted reigns. Part from Unicorns -maybe- they are the fastest creatures on hoof. Especially when they smell water."
"The King wishes somebody to drown then? Odd."
"No- he calls it 'helping'. Can you imagine the poor sod's reaction to climbing a cart with these two in front of him and tell them to guidy-up?"
"They'll be on the other side of the Underground in minutes!"
"Indeed."
Both men turned and stared at the creatures. Normally the ghost-like beings would haunt a river or lake, drowning and sometimes devouring anyone who had the gall to try and ride them. But King Jareth had captured the Aughiskyies, enchanted them and brought them to the stables of the horse-breeder. Patrick was to go to his friend the village's cartmaker, so he could sell the horses together with a cart.
"Well, we better put them away in a stable then."
Jonathan led the way to his stable, but he had to lead the three normal horses he housed there to the paddock behind his workshop to avoid them panicking around the magical creatures. Patrick locked the Aughiskies in now empty boxes, relieved to be able to put some distance between himself and the beasts.
The stable was a tall wooden building with sacks of wheat in a neatly pile and a large hayloft. From the shadows a small fairy with dragonfly wings had watched the two men. They left their uneasy charges to discuss the unfairness of kings in general over some ale and their voices grew distant. She detached herself from her shadows, flew around nervously for a few moments and then honed in on the right ear of the left Aughisky. She whispered something in the ear of the beast and went to the other to do the same. The calm beasts grew restless now, docility gone, impatient to run to the edge of the world.
Instinct warned the little fairy and she retreated hastily to her shadows just in time to avoid being noticed by a white barn owl entering through one of the open windows. The animal landed in front of the boxes and in a glittering whirlwind of silver dust he shape-shifted into the slender form of the Goblin King himself. Jareth went to the beasts smiling, but that smile faded when he noticed their uneasiness. He gently clacked his tongue and spoke to the animals in a soft, reassuring voice. They came to him, head over the half door, and allowed themselves to be patted on the nose by the Fay. Jareth looked around, frowning.
"Vasili- is one of you here?"
From the hayloft a sleepy voice grunted.
"Well!"
A small dwarf peeked at Jareth from under the hay, annoyed to being awakened during daytime. Upon seeing who had called for him, he shot up, freed himself from the hay and made his way to the ladder leading down. The small dwarf, not even reaching up to Jareth's knees, had to take his time in doing so. Being a caretaker of horses, he himself had little hoofs for feet. In front of the impatient King he bowed deeply.
"I am Alexei the Vasili of this stable my lord King. How may I- Oh my goodness!"
Little Alexei had spotted the Aughiskies.
"Don't fret about them- they will leave today. You did not notice them coming in?"
The dwarf shook his head, stepping back from both the King and the animals. There was a haunted and lost expression on his bearded face. Jareth shrugged.
"Yours are not replaced- they are in the paddock behind. I take it you did not saw them come in?"
"No, my Lord King."
"Than you could not have noticed who tampered with them either- something is -hiding- from me here!"
However, before Jareth could investigate one of the sunbeams falling through the window thickened, became golden dust and swirled into the form of a small female Fay.
She was a lovely Primrose fairy, with flowers in her blond hair, colorful see through wings and a scantly dress woven out of the morning mist. She tucked one of her locks behind a delicate pointed ear and faced the Goblin King without fear- without much interest even. Jareth crossed his arms defensively over his chest- he knew this one but too well. The Primrose fairy curtsied to Jareth and he gave her a sleight nod. The Vasili quickly took cover behind some sacks of barley, not even wanting to know what had disturbed his tranquil little life. And from the shadows the Other watched.
"Goblin King."
"Anna."
"The Queen, your mother, requests your presence, my Lord."
"O does she. Well you may inform the Queen I am rather engaged at the moment."
The Primrose fairy glanced with the same haughty indifference at the Aughiskies.
"The Queen told me to inform you she -wishes- you presence, -right now-."
Jareth's stance slacked a little, but one would have to know him well to spot it. Anna did know him well, was there some faint trace of humor in small Fay's expression?
"Very well then," Jareth answered rather bored. His form instantly lost cohesion and he dissolved into a silver speckled ray, more suited to go with moonlight than the sun. The energy of the King left the barn and Anna prepared to follow- but she halted at the horses and before leaving she whispered al little spell.
"To whomever dares to ride with you
"To whomever is thusly forced to do
"The Queen shall grant this gift so true
"Be protected beneath the sun."
Turning to sunlight Anna the Primrose fairy left, leaving an upset barn dwarf and a spiteful hidden Other in the shadows. The Queen's protection and Jareth's calming influence had almost undone her damage. Almost.
Over the stone bridge over the lazy river onward over the muddy sand road. When home again there would be hell to pay for Sarah's ruined jeans and low suede boots. To the right the fenced paddock with dumb looking sheep and three curious cows, their eyes following Sarah's 'Goblin Gang'. To the right a low stone wall encircling the cemetery of the village they entered- Suddenly Sarah stopped and scrutinized the churchyard. Or was it.
"Hoggle?"
"Yes?"
"Where is the church? Come to think of it- none of those villages had churches, did they?"
"Sarah- You is in the Underground! There is no place for such things here."
"O- yeah. Sure."
Sarah felt a bit silly and worried at the same time. She had never given the normal day-to-day life of those who actually -lived- in the Underground much taught. Or expected farmsteads, cattle, or people for that matter. And the fact that they lived without the modern religion Sarah had grown up with worried her a little. It was absurdly logical Christianity not to have a place in a world driven away by her own people- but still. She wandered to what god the people down her would pray. Herne? Thor? Did it matter?
Daily life in sleepy a mediaeval storybook village. The group rounded a corner and entered the main street. It was obvious the well to do dwelled here, for most houses were built of gray stone and tiled with red roofs. Further to the end of the street she saw the white patches and dark wood of half-wood houses. Near the end of the street was a tavern with people sitting in front, watching and chatting with workmen who were cobbling the street.
Sarah smelled freshly backed bread, smoked meat, wood fires and flowers. She had expected dirt, manure, sewage- none of it. Storybook village indeed.
There were shops in this street, a jewelry-shop, somebody selling fine cloth, a bone worker who had all kinds of interesting items on his counter. Needles, buttons, a child's toy and the frame for horn rimmed glasses. She could hear the clanking and hammering of a smithy and smelled the burning coal. Colorful well dressed people walked by. Housewives and maids carrying wicker baskets filled with greens and flowers. A man on horseback wandered by, looking rather pointedly at Sarah. Not at Ludo, or Hoggle, or Didymus. No, it was Sarah herself who seemed slightly out of place here, dressed as she was in blue-jeans, white blouse and jacket. She smiled at herself and wondered if her own people would react so quietly to her company.
But these people lived in a world where fairies were truth, were you would leave a saucer of milk on your doorstep at night for the house dwarf and where blue worms talked back. They were probably not so easily disturbed by what elsewhere would be strange. It made Sarah a little self-conscious though.
Hoggle pulled at Sarah's sleeve and made her follow him to a tavern. On one of the benches in front of the tavern two man sat, drinking and talking and, for as far as Sarah could read their faces, being rather annoyed. She hoped she would have nothing to do with them, but Hoggle steered her straight their way. When they came closer, Sarah witnessed the two men exchange a rather significant look witch each other and the smaller one of the two nodded at the larger, bearded man.
"You know those two?" she asked.
Hoggle shrugged. "Hoggle knows many. Many -passed- Hoggle."
Sarah frowned? But her question had to wait.
"The one with the beard is the one we needs."
Hoggle took the lead, Sir Didymus being not a very capable barterer and Sarah too inexperienced. Hoggle let the man know he needed a cart capable of carrying them all and the horses to go with it. The cartmaker, who introduced himself as Jonathan, told the dwarf Ludo's might be a problem for he usually had nothing to encompass his kind of seize. But if they would be so kind as to follow him to his workshop, there might be a hay-cart available. And yes- he -had- the horses to go with a cart.
The older man looked rather grim at that. Jonathan introduced him as Patrick, the Horse breeder and told the group it were 'his' horses they might be buying. Both men walked Sarah and the others to Jonathan's workshop.
Here Sarah suddenly had a vision in her mind's eye of a second hand car salesman prizing his wares to a critical customer. Jonathan rambled pleasantly and quite charmingly about the advantages of certain models of vehicles- but in the end they went with his first suggestion of a large and sturdy hay-cart. Jonathan took some of Hoggle's gems in payment and held on to the pouch to give it to Patrick who was getting his horses out. And in horses there apparently was no choice, because he almost automatically put the horses to the cart.
No-one noticed the little fairy leaving her shadows once more, following, buzzing around like so many of her kin in the fields, she went unnoticed.
To Sarah, they were gorgeous, as mythical and wonderful as the rest of the Underground. She neared the gray animals without even the slightest trace of fear and gently patted one of them on the shoulder and stroke his nose.
Patrick's mouth fell open with the courage of the strange girl. Perhaps the King had not been planning some cruel joke after all, perhaps these animals were exactly what these travelers needed. But he admired the young woman nevertheless.
Sarah saw the silver eyes, but had no grasp of their meaning. Hoggle was to busy with haggling down the price to notice, he had merely glanced the animals and saw only that they were strong. Didymus had already eagerly jumped the box to hold the reigns.
Ludo followed Jonathan into the barn to get a sack of wheat and other things to take care of the horses. And Ambrosius cautiously neared the animals and sniffed at their legs.
Sarah left the horses and climbed the cart to sit behind Didymus. Hoggle stepped up and sat down next to the knight, heaving a deep sigh over the lessened weight of his pouch. And they still had to buy provisions for themselves…
The scent Ambrosius got from the horse reminded the Sheepdog of salt and running along the seashore in happy times. Of dead things. The dog looked up and saw the horse glare at him. Ambrosius jumped backwards, barely avoiding being kicked by the Aughisky. He gave a high pitched yelp and a harsh bark and fled. Didymus stood on the box, calling out for the dog and Ludo scurried after him.
The little fairy landed on one of the horse's nose, bared tiny and extremely sharp fangs, and bit.
The Aughisky violently reared up, taking the other halfway and startling them both. The two-wheeled cart lurched backwards and its three passengers were painfully thrown into the back. The horses bolted and the cart ran without master in a mad, mad dash to the unknown.
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Yes, I know, I am sneaky little pixy grin. Hands up who recognized the additional characters of the salesmen? Expect more cameo's! No, I don't own them either, just being a fan here.
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An Aughisky is an Irish water fairy, mostly appearing in the form of a young horse. It haunts lakes and seas and it tries to drown whoever dares to mount it. Once in the water it tears the unhappy rider into pieces and devours him, leaving only the liver. Good for them. Who likes raw liver anyway?
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A vasili is a friendly and shy Russian dwarf or domovije, who lives in stables. He takes care of the horses of his favorite color and has hoofs for feet.
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