Hey everyone, sorry about the delay but I have had the worst case of writers block. Ug!! Talk about frustrating! Don't worry though I think I've finally beaten that writer's block and am currently working on getting the next chapter out. Please be patient, I promise that any waiting done on your part will be well worth it, or at least I hope you'll think so. Again, thank you all for your reviews. It helps me so much especially when that annoying writer's block comes clogging up my creative juices. So for your reading enjoyment I give you chapter 18. LOL! Enjoy!
To What May Come
Chapter 18
With the early morning light and the rising of the Underground's sun, the inhabitants and visitors of the Goblin Kingdom rose, preparing for the festival and its guests. Tents and booths came to life as its tenants worked diligently to get them ready to their full glory. Goblins, elves, and gnomes rushed down the Goblin City streets, in and out of buildings and tents. All subconsciously avoiding one tent in particular as it stood out from all the rest and yet no one seemed to notice its existence or even seem to care.
Legs stretching lazily across the smooth cool mattress, the scent of freshly cut roses and the clean scent of the sheets wrapped about her, stirring her to wakefulness. Memories of her dreams from the beginning of the night drifted to the surface causing her to pull the sheets up over head as she let out a muffled squeal. 'Oh god! It was just a dream right? Oh god, oh god, oh god!'
Knowing that even though staying in bed was tempting, she had to get up and face him. Face flushing, she tore the sheets from her body, sitting up from the bed. Sarah blinked her eyes, trying to chase away any traces of sleep. Standing, she stretched, eyes lazily scanning the room around her, for the first time in several mornings she was surprised not to see Fayla.
Usually it was Fayla trying to get her out of bed, opening the drapes, and fussing about getting ready for the day ahead. Noting it as odd, she shrugged thinking nothing more of it and made her way towards the bathroom, where she knew a hot bath would be waiting.
Her whole body ached, the hard floor cold against her legs. Groggily waking, Fayla found herself in the same spot that she had collapsed when Varden had returned her to her room. Pulling herself up into a sitting position, she grimaced as the stiff muscles in her body ached from her efforts. Pressing her hands to her temples, she concentrated on the magic that constantly existed within the Underground, that surrounded everything, to help return her strength.
Whatever Varden had cast over her, weakened her considerably. She did not remember falling asleep, realization hitting her that she must have blacked out right after her return. Remembering what he did to her last night, she clenched her eyes closed feeling nauseated from the memory. The bastard Fae had some nerve!
Taking in a deep breath, she rose from the floor, stumbling slightly as her head swam dizzily from the sudden change of altitude. She had to tell Jareth about Varden's return.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you!" Varden's voice whispered mockingly in her ear.
Turning swiftly, she saw that he was not there, reaching out with her powers, she immediately regretted doing so as she was mentally pushed back. Damn that Fae to all that is vile! He was somehow watching her and was able to block her from seeing him.
"Ah, such thoughts my dear! Try to go to the King and warn him and I will stop you before you can even reach him. Lady Peal would be most interested in what I would have to tell her, now wouldn't she?" Varden's laughter followed, mocking her as she glared at her reflection seeing him staring right back at her.
Stepping forward towards Varden's image, she immediately pictured his head on a pike knowing that he would see. Varden only grinned in return, making her all the more angry. Before she could say more, his image was gone and she was left alone, or was she?
Relaxing within the soothing warm water of the bathtub, Sarah concentrated on nothing but enjoying the silence. She watched contently as the steam rose slightly from the water's surface. A smile was edging on the corners of her lips as she replayed Jareth's proposal. She never thought that she could be this happy. Oh, she was helplessly in love with the Goblin King and soon she would become his wife, a queen.
"Queen Sarah", she softly whispered, letting it roll off her tongue as she tested how it sounded. She had to admit that she liked the sound of it.
A faint sound from the bedroom caught her attention, breaking her from her musings. Knowing that if she stayed in the bathtub any longer she would turn into a prune, she slowly rose. The shift from the soothing waters to the open air made Sarah shiver, so she quickly grabbed her robe, wrapping it around her wet form. Damp feet padding softly on the cool stone floor, she made her way into the bedroom to see if the sounds coming from her room was Fayla.
Fayla mechanically went through her routine, making the bed, getting the dress ready for Sarah to wear. She could not allow her thoughts to give away anymore to Varden. She knew that anything that she would say or think to warn anyone of his presence, he would be ready to stop her from doing so.
Dress in hand, she proceeded to gently lay it across the bed, ready for her charge. She would leave soon as to not be there when Sarah returned from her bath. With a slight turn of her wrist, she left a note as to explain her absence. Fayla had to find out what Varden was up to and stop him. She just hoped that she would be able to stop him.
To Sarah's chagrin, she had found her room empty. The only sign that someone had been in her room were the made bed and a flowing gown of ocean blue lied out ready for her to wear.
Making her way to the vanity to brush out her damp hair she noticed a piece of paper. Lifting the paper Sarah sat at the vanity and read:
Sarah,
I apologize for not being here this morning. Your dress is laid out and I have cast a small enchantment over your hairbrush. All you need do is run it through your hair, it shall do the rest. Please forgive me, but something has come up that I need to attend to. His majesty Jareth will be waiting for you to join him and a few others for breakfast. I will see you later today at the festival.
Fayla
The dinning hall was quiet, only a few of Jareth's guests being present. Lord Cunningham drank from his goblet, his thoughts on a certain Fae sitting beside him. Lady Elizabeth was stunning this morning, her long golden brown hair pushed back away from her face by small rose shaped hair clips. She was wearing a dress in a stunning shade of red accenting her features pleasingly. Much had transpired between them last night and he was looking forward to spending the day with her at the festival.
All within the room, Lord Cunningham, Lady Elizabeth, and the Goblin King sat quietly awaiting the future Queen of the Goblins, Sarah. Lady Elizabeth was happy for her new friend and decided that she would return often to visit both Sarah and Fayla.
Jareth was inwardly grinning as his thoughts were focused on a particularly pleasant dream. He was counting the minutes to see his love, his betrothed. They had not been waiting long, but to him it was feeling as if it were an eternity. If she did not come soon, he would go to her, not caring for leaving his guests. As soon as the large doors to the dinning hall opened, Jareth's gaze was fixed on the door's entrance.
His eyes soon rested on her lovely form; she was wearing a flowing gown of ocean blue, bringing out her eyes. He admired the way the dress accented her figure, revealing in just the right places. Her dark hair was in a mass of large curls cascading over her shoulders. Sarah indeed belonged within his world. Standing, he watched as she slowly made her way towards him, to sit by his side, and the bashful smile that graced her lips made him yearn to pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless.
Sarah's eyes were fixed on Jareth, his gaze making her heart flutter. She barely had noticed Elizabeth and Lord Cunningham seated at the table as she made her way to sit beside Jareth.
Pulling the chair out for her, Jareth leaned so that he could whisper in her ear, "Slept well?"
Sitting in the chair offered her, Sarah visibly flushed at his whispered words. Eyes glancing to him she quickly looked away, her courage leaving her completely. Sarah could feel his eyes watching her, bringing about emotions of desire, excitement, with just a hint of embarrassment. Oh boy! She could feel her body heat rise in temperature, as the remembrance of the dream and the feelings induced from it came to mind with amazing clarity. She was having a hard time believing that it was only a dream, it felt way too real.
Lady Elizabeth noticed Sarah's composure, she seemed flushed with embarrassment and something more. She grinned as she wondered what exactly went on between those two after the ball last night. Seeing the way the King was watching her friend, she could imagine.
"Sarah, so when is the happy occasion?" Elizabeth asked, amused as Sarah took a moment to respond.
Sarah barely noticed that she had been asked a question, vaguely hearing it, as her mind was fixed on certain events of the night. Looking towards Elizabeth, she wasn't sure how to answer, "I don't know…" 'Soon I hope,' she thought. Looking over to Jareth her eyes locked with his, "We haven't exactly discussed it."
Elizabeth grinned at the way that the two were regarding one another. It was all too obvious that the two were deeply in love. Looking to Lord Cunningham she lightly touched his arm, "Breakfast was delightful. Would you mind escorting me to my room?"
Seeing that they had both yet to even touch the food on their plates, he was about to question her about it when he noticed the look that she was giving him. A quiet understanding was shared between the two and he gently took her hand in his, kissing the back of it, "It would be my pleasure." Both rose from their seats, leaving unnoticed by the other two within the room.
Sarah's heart was racing, her appetite nowhere in sight as the butterflies within her stomach were fluttering wildly.
Taking her hand in his, he rose it to his lips, his eyes never leaving hers as he laid a light kiss on the back of her hand. Reaching across the table, he caressed her cheek, admiring the texture of her smooth skin. He did not hide his admiration of her form as his eyes racked over her from head to waist, as the table was hindering him from gazing any further.
Sarah would have flushed by the way his eyes were washing over her, but she was guilty of doing the same to the Goblin King. He was beautiful, his skin pale and otherworldly, his hair wild and free yet orderly. Her eyes swept over his face downward following the curve of his neck down even further over the slight opening of his white shirt where she could vaguely make out the muscles of his chest. She vaguely wondered what it would be like to run her hands over those muscles of his. Her cheeks reddened at where her mind was wondering, but how could she help it? Especially after what had happened within her, no, their dreams last night.
Not really hungry for the food before him, but the woman sitting by his side, he slowly stood pulling her out of her chair towards him. Willing his magic into being, he conjured his power filling the room with soft music. With a mischievous grin he pulled her into a waltz.
She was taken completely by surprise by his actions, expecting him to pull her into his arms for a kiss, not this. Laughter bubbled up inside and she found herself breathlessly dancing, smiling from ear to ear as they danced around the dinning table. Dancing in his arms, she felt so complete, so alive. How could life get any better than this? She had everything that she had ever wanted and it was thanks to the Fae holding her in his arms, spinning her around the dinning hall, not at all caring how out of place it might seem to any onlookers. It was all so intoxicating and mind blowing, all that she could really concentrate on, though, was being in his arms and feeling completely happy.
The woman in his arms took his very breath away. The feel of her so near, the fragrance of her hair, the smile that graced her lips, lighting up her eyes in a way that was intoxicating and made his soul soar. She made any and all other things within his world trivial in comparison to her grace and beauty. Such an intoxicating and alluring creature and she had consented to be his for eternity. Twirling her in his arms he brought their dance to a stop, he watched as her breast rose and fell with breathlessness and he could hold back no longer.
Slowly, they closed the small distance between them, lips connecting and deepening in an intimate embrace that could be matched by no other. Their kiss was an intoxicating dance of its own, bringing both a type of pleasure that craved for more.
Reluctantly, breathlessly pulling away from their intimate embrace, Jareth sought her eyes out with his, "I would take you to my chambers here and now…I admit that I can not wait much longer for our wedding."
She could feel herself trembling from the amount of passion and longing he brought about within. Hand reaching up to caress his cheek, she softly spoke, "I feel the same, but…" an idea came to mind, bringing about a smile of satisfaction to her lips, "how much longer until the end of the festival?"
Jareth studied her closely, trying to gage where she was going with this or what it had to do with their wedding. "Three days, why? What is it, my dear, that is going through that beautiful head of yours?"
Sarah grinned, "Is that plenty of time for making arrangements for our wedding? You wouldn't have to send out any invitations since everyone is here and…"
A grin tugged at the corners of his lips, as he knew exactly where she was going with this. Like her, it was perfect. Swiftly he swept her in his arms kissing her deeply. Pulling away, he tapped the tip of her nose with his, "I love you."
Her mind had clouded from that kiss, taking her a few minutes to recuperate her thinking process. What had she said before he kissed her? Mind clearing she smiled to her love, "I take that as a yes!"
They both laughed as he twirled her around, her feet dangling slightly off of the ground. Both were wondrously happy and nothing could take that away, or so they thought.