AN: *blearily salutes everyone* I'm tired. But I posted. Rah, rah, go me. =) Enjoy, review,
sleep. Till next time... PS: Kimi: you *did* ask... ;)
Disclaimers: ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz *mumbles incoherently* ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
************************** Sacrifices: Chapter Twenty ********************************
They stood, two against their world, on the plain black marbled floor. The Court was seated
in tiers that surrounded them in the large room that served as host to the Court's more
political activities, like Judgment Sessions. The crystal pillars were the same. Cadreth,
Phoenix King, Lord of the Court was seated in a raised granite box that served as a desk, like
a Judge, though his presence was nothing but Kingly. The flames of his hair flared and lit
the already bright room lighter.
There was no soft golden illumination here though. Harsh light showed very clearly the human,
and inhuman, unmasked faces of the Side Court. Sarah tried not to look too closely as she
sidled unconsciously closer to her King.
"They sure set out to intimidate, don't they?" Jareth, who had been staring impassively at
the seated crowd, smiled condescendingly and glanced down at the immortal human who stood so
much closer to him then was necessary. The cold cruelty in the smile wasn't directed at her
though and in that instant Sarah was suddenly very aware of just how powerful, how terribly
arrogant, how great of a King, Jareth was.
He was too damn proud but it was pride that was earned... Earned through the fact that the
Goblin King was the best in his, their, world, was the first, the brightest in everything.
The man standing at her side had never bowed, had never been bowed, had never done anything
against his will.
He was not untested or untried though.
Sarah had lived through enough to see life's scars, and, Jareth had lived longer then most.
Immortality tended to do that to people. The man standing at her side had never lost...
Never lost anything until he had allowed her into his realm on a whim. Until he had granted
her demand to win her brother back from that instant of foolishness. Until he had
underestimated the mortal child who had danced through his hell, played his games, and won.
She felt sick at how great her 'triumph' had really been. Not shamed, not regretful, for
Toby, Toby had never been meant for the Goblin King. She had done no less then what he, by
his own selfish actions, had forced her to do.
But Sarah was not proud of his defeat. Was not proud of tarnishing the demented angel of
her dreams and nightmares. If he had been destined to fail she would have vastly preferred
for him to not have learned humility at her hands. At her very human hands. They clenched,
unnoticed, at her sides, as Jareth answered her.
"Yes, little Sarah, they certainly do. Do they succeed?" She surprised him by flashing
a dazzling smile.
"After my first trip through your Kingdom, very little has ever intimidated, or impressed
me." Jareth's eyes narrowed for a heart beat, and in that instant they stood apart from
the expectant room, from their future, their destiny, their fate, no matter what it would
be.
"Feeding my vanity?" The question was harmless, the undercurrents in it were not. Sarah
squared her jaw and smiled again, softer, more honest.
"Granting my King his due, and the truth. Don't let it go to your head." Jareth chuckled,
low, and the sound warmed something in the pit of her stomach. Sarah cursed the Goblin
King silently to herself.
"I shall take your advice to heart." Sarah shivered and their spell was broken as Cadreth
rose. The Phoenix King addressed the assembled beings as he rose in one fluid motion and
spoke.
"Jareth, Goblin King, has been called before you all to answer to his peers' accusations.
He stands before you for the crime of bringing a grown woman to this world and granting
her immortality. His accuser is Evirey, Queen of the Unicorns, who has demanded this
Judgment Session be heard.
"The Court has now officially granted her demand. Will a representative of the faction who
will seek a punishment upon the Goblin King please step forward?" Sarah swallowed, suddenly
afraid.
"What's going on Jareth?" He ignored the question and lack of title as his mismatched gaze
raked the rows of assembled Sidhe. And there, from the back of the highest tier, Evirey rose.
Damned Unicorn always had to make an entrance. She had learned from the best.
Jareth's sudden grin was terrifyingly feral.
Evirey gathered her magic and expended it in a brilliant flash that sent her gliding from her
seat, through the solidified air, until her thick, hoof like feet touched down gently on the
marble floor next to Cadreth's raised dais. Her thin silver gown fluttered and stilled,
settling to reveal a shapely body of perfect, white skin. Evirey smiled widely at the Goblin
King, sharp face settled into smugness.
Jareth's eyes narrowed dangerously. Her lesson in humility had gone too long untaught. That
ended now. His roving eyes went back to the crowd.
Jareth's gaze flickered and passed Daculo... The Vampire King had played his cards for the
information concerning the Dragons with mixed results. But he had already named Sarah Goblin
Queen. He would not, could not, stand and deride them before his peers, not after the Ball.
Apparently Evirey had missed that small change in her plans. The smile on her full mouth
tightened and stretched with effort as Draculo stayed seated.
Her strongest ally had betrayed her. But then, Jareth always had more than one enemy.
Tortar stood after a moment of thunderous silence. That was unexpected, but then, Jareth had
never truly expected Evirey to push it this far.
"Jareth, who is that?" The fear in Sarah's voice drew his attention for a moment. He
answered absently, though his reply gave no reassurance.
"That's Tortar little Sarah, Troll King."
******************************************************************************************
The Troll King floated, though slower, from his seat to a position by the Unicorn Queen's
side. He was... he was masculine but with none of the seductive, dangerous, deadly beauty
that marked the Unicorn, Goblin, and Vampire Monarchs. He was not ugly but beauty had
never brushed his cheeks.
Tortar was about Evirey's height and stocky, muscled, thick limbed. He radiated a solid,
competent aura and wore some kind of ceremonial armor that was a meld of precious metals
and fine leather and furs. His skin was dark olive, curling, close cut hair a sable that
matched Sarah's own. His face and features were square with full lips, a Roman's broken,
noble nose, and a brooding brow.
His eyes like Sarah's as well, a warm brown that concealed hidden depths, of rage, of pain,
of bloodthirstiness. Trolls were not a peaceful race and Tortar ruled them well.
Those mirror like eyes were intent on her own. Sarah swallowed at the deliberate force in
them and wished suddenly, that she had read more books on Trolls. He spoke and his voice
was a low bass, loud without seeming out of place in this silent room of fate.
"I will represent Evirey's faction." Cadreth, Phoenix King, inclined his head in
acknowledgment.
"Will a representative for the Goblin King's defense please step forward?"
No one in the crowded room moved.
"Jareth?" Sarah's question was a whisper of terrified sound. Despite her best intentions
of bravery she edged closer to the Goblin King as the weight of a thousand hostile glares
descended across her bar shoulders.
Despite her best intentions, one hand sought and slipped into Jareth's gloved one. He
squeezed her fingers, a warm, comforting pressure, sharp face still titled upwards to watch
the waiting Sidhe Court. Sarah's hair danced up his own broad shoulders and twined around
his arms.
For once she didn't mind, much. She started to speak again as the painful moment stretched
but Jareth fingers from his free hand touched her lips, stilled the painful questions,
muffled her fears.
"Shh," he said softly. "Wait Sarah, just wait."
And then, and then a being rose from those still seated. Sapphire power pooled and then
flowed, bringing the creature through the ranks of the assembled, then down, down, down,
until bare feet settled upon the cool marble floor.
She was, was almost human looking... She was tall at what was nearly six feet, skin pale,
pale, but still peach. She was slender, waif like, despite her height, almost ethereal.
The burgundy dress that flattered her form grounded her in its rich color and velvet cloth.
It was the most tasteful article of clothing Sarah had yet to see worn Underground.
White blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail, accenting the cerulean eyes that peered,
shockingly blue, through wisps of bangs and sharpening features that would otherwise be
soft. A muted locket, in the shape of a star, was the creature's only ornamentation.
Besides her wings that is.
Iridascent, opaque, the wings stretched, like any good fairy tale illustration, from
between her shoulder blades. They fluttered, even in the still room, as they stretched, a
riot of shimmering color, nearly nine feet from tip to tip, three feet wide, like a
beautiful, fragile butterfly.
The woman took several gliding steps until she stood at Jareth and Sarah's side. The spell
of the Troll King was broken as Sarah watched the slight woman before her, entranced,
despite herself.
One pale hand lifted and brushed the heat of Sarah's cheek. The being smiled and, there
was nothing to fear in it... nothing to see except the pull of rose colored lips across
perfect, even teeth. Teeth that had two petite fangs.
Sarah blinked as the being dropped her hand and turned away, towards the Phoenix King.
Jarerth had become an unmoving, unbreathing, source of warmth at her side. She licked
dry lips.
"What, who is that?"
Jareth drew her against him suddenly, a movement she would have protested if she had
sensed his intent, but once secure in iron like arms Sarah only took a deep breath and
accepted the sanctity, the illusion of safety as long as it lasted. The Goblin King
rested his chin on the top of her silken head.
"Won't this kind of display hurt us?" She felt more then heard Jareth sigh before he
replied simply, voice level...
"No."
"Who...?" Relieved laughter bubbled in the Goblin King's chest as he clutched his prize,
his subject, the woman he had given his love to, closer, reveling in the feel of her in
his arms, no matter what circumstances had forced her into them...
"That is... Her name is not pronounceable in human form, or with a human throat, but,
call her Kym, Faerie Queen." Sarah twisted in Jareth's arms, trying to find his eyes,
but the Goblin King was too tall.
"But..." she finally answered after a heart beat of confusion, "I've seen Faeries before,
in the Labyrinth before, remember? They looked nothing like Her!" This time a deep
throated chuckle escaped and Sarah jumped at the sound, and at the purr it made in Jareth's
lean chest, which was pressed to her own back.
"Those Sarah were Non Sidhe Faeries. They live in my Labyrinth yes, but they are no
less Hers," his voice made gentle mocking of the emphasis placed on the pronoun, "and
she is Queen. Queen and the oldest ruling monarch in the Underground. Perhaps things
are not a bleak as they seemed..."
Kym, Faerie Queen, addressed the patient Lord of the Court, her voice honey. "I will
defend the Goblin King." Cadreth inclined his regal head again, hair flickering.
"Then we shall begin in earnest."
sleep. Till next time... PS: Kimi: you *did* ask... ;)
Disclaimers: ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz *mumbles incoherently* ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
************************** Sacrifices: Chapter Twenty ********************************
They stood, two against their world, on the plain black marbled floor. The Court was seated
in tiers that surrounded them in the large room that served as host to the Court's more
political activities, like Judgment Sessions. The crystal pillars were the same. Cadreth,
Phoenix King, Lord of the Court was seated in a raised granite box that served as a desk, like
a Judge, though his presence was nothing but Kingly. The flames of his hair flared and lit
the already bright room lighter.
There was no soft golden illumination here though. Harsh light showed very clearly the human,
and inhuman, unmasked faces of the Side Court. Sarah tried not to look too closely as she
sidled unconsciously closer to her King.
"They sure set out to intimidate, don't they?" Jareth, who had been staring impassively at
the seated crowd, smiled condescendingly and glanced down at the immortal human who stood so
much closer to him then was necessary. The cold cruelty in the smile wasn't directed at her
though and in that instant Sarah was suddenly very aware of just how powerful, how terribly
arrogant, how great of a King, Jareth was.
He was too damn proud but it was pride that was earned... Earned through the fact that the
Goblin King was the best in his, their, world, was the first, the brightest in everything.
The man standing at her side had never bowed, had never been bowed, had never done anything
against his will.
He was not untested or untried though.
Sarah had lived through enough to see life's scars, and, Jareth had lived longer then most.
Immortality tended to do that to people. The man standing at her side had never lost...
Never lost anything until he had allowed her into his realm on a whim. Until he had granted
her demand to win her brother back from that instant of foolishness. Until he had
underestimated the mortal child who had danced through his hell, played his games, and won.
She felt sick at how great her 'triumph' had really been. Not shamed, not regretful, for
Toby, Toby had never been meant for the Goblin King. She had done no less then what he, by
his own selfish actions, had forced her to do.
But Sarah was not proud of his defeat. Was not proud of tarnishing the demented angel of
her dreams and nightmares. If he had been destined to fail she would have vastly preferred
for him to not have learned humility at her hands. At her very human hands. They clenched,
unnoticed, at her sides, as Jareth answered her.
"Yes, little Sarah, they certainly do. Do they succeed?" She surprised him by flashing
a dazzling smile.
"After my first trip through your Kingdom, very little has ever intimidated, or impressed
me." Jareth's eyes narrowed for a heart beat, and in that instant they stood apart from
the expectant room, from their future, their destiny, their fate, no matter what it would
be.
"Feeding my vanity?" The question was harmless, the undercurrents in it were not. Sarah
squared her jaw and smiled again, softer, more honest.
"Granting my King his due, and the truth. Don't let it go to your head." Jareth chuckled,
low, and the sound warmed something in the pit of her stomach. Sarah cursed the Goblin
King silently to herself.
"I shall take your advice to heart." Sarah shivered and their spell was broken as Cadreth
rose. The Phoenix King addressed the assembled beings as he rose in one fluid motion and
spoke.
"Jareth, Goblin King, has been called before you all to answer to his peers' accusations.
He stands before you for the crime of bringing a grown woman to this world and granting
her immortality. His accuser is Evirey, Queen of the Unicorns, who has demanded this
Judgment Session be heard.
"The Court has now officially granted her demand. Will a representative of the faction who
will seek a punishment upon the Goblin King please step forward?" Sarah swallowed, suddenly
afraid.
"What's going on Jareth?" He ignored the question and lack of title as his mismatched gaze
raked the rows of assembled Sidhe. And there, from the back of the highest tier, Evirey rose.
Damned Unicorn always had to make an entrance. She had learned from the best.
Jareth's sudden grin was terrifyingly feral.
Evirey gathered her magic and expended it in a brilliant flash that sent her gliding from her
seat, through the solidified air, until her thick, hoof like feet touched down gently on the
marble floor next to Cadreth's raised dais. Her thin silver gown fluttered and stilled,
settling to reveal a shapely body of perfect, white skin. Evirey smiled widely at the Goblin
King, sharp face settled into smugness.
Jareth's eyes narrowed dangerously. Her lesson in humility had gone too long untaught. That
ended now. His roving eyes went back to the crowd.
Jareth's gaze flickered and passed Daculo... The Vampire King had played his cards for the
information concerning the Dragons with mixed results. But he had already named Sarah Goblin
Queen. He would not, could not, stand and deride them before his peers, not after the Ball.
Apparently Evirey had missed that small change in her plans. The smile on her full mouth
tightened and stretched with effort as Draculo stayed seated.
Her strongest ally had betrayed her. But then, Jareth always had more than one enemy.
Tortar stood after a moment of thunderous silence. That was unexpected, but then, Jareth had
never truly expected Evirey to push it this far.
"Jareth, who is that?" The fear in Sarah's voice drew his attention for a moment. He
answered absently, though his reply gave no reassurance.
"That's Tortar little Sarah, Troll King."
******************************************************************************************
The Troll King floated, though slower, from his seat to a position by the Unicorn Queen's
side. He was... he was masculine but with none of the seductive, dangerous, deadly beauty
that marked the Unicorn, Goblin, and Vampire Monarchs. He was not ugly but beauty had
never brushed his cheeks.
Tortar was about Evirey's height and stocky, muscled, thick limbed. He radiated a solid,
competent aura and wore some kind of ceremonial armor that was a meld of precious metals
and fine leather and furs. His skin was dark olive, curling, close cut hair a sable that
matched Sarah's own. His face and features were square with full lips, a Roman's broken,
noble nose, and a brooding brow.
His eyes like Sarah's as well, a warm brown that concealed hidden depths, of rage, of pain,
of bloodthirstiness. Trolls were not a peaceful race and Tortar ruled them well.
Those mirror like eyes were intent on her own. Sarah swallowed at the deliberate force in
them and wished suddenly, that she had read more books on Trolls. He spoke and his voice
was a low bass, loud without seeming out of place in this silent room of fate.
"I will represent Evirey's faction." Cadreth, Phoenix King, inclined his head in
acknowledgment.
"Will a representative for the Goblin King's defense please step forward?"
No one in the crowded room moved.
"Jareth?" Sarah's question was a whisper of terrified sound. Despite her best intentions
of bravery she edged closer to the Goblin King as the weight of a thousand hostile glares
descended across her bar shoulders.
Despite her best intentions, one hand sought and slipped into Jareth's gloved one. He
squeezed her fingers, a warm, comforting pressure, sharp face still titled upwards to watch
the waiting Sidhe Court. Sarah's hair danced up his own broad shoulders and twined around
his arms.
For once she didn't mind, much. She started to speak again as the painful moment stretched
but Jareth fingers from his free hand touched her lips, stilled the painful questions,
muffled her fears.
"Shh," he said softly. "Wait Sarah, just wait."
And then, and then a being rose from those still seated. Sapphire power pooled and then
flowed, bringing the creature through the ranks of the assembled, then down, down, down,
until bare feet settled upon the cool marble floor.
She was, was almost human looking... She was tall at what was nearly six feet, skin pale,
pale, but still peach. She was slender, waif like, despite her height, almost ethereal.
The burgundy dress that flattered her form grounded her in its rich color and velvet cloth.
It was the most tasteful article of clothing Sarah had yet to see worn Underground.
White blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail, accenting the cerulean eyes that peered,
shockingly blue, through wisps of bangs and sharpening features that would otherwise be
soft. A muted locket, in the shape of a star, was the creature's only ornamentation.
Besides her wings that is.
Iridascent, opaque, the wings stretched, like any good fairy tale illustration, from
between her shoulder blades. They fluttered, even in the still room, as they stretched, a
riot of shimmering color, nearly nine feet from tip to tip, three feet wide, like a
beautiful, fragile butterfly.
The woman took several gliding steps until she stood at Jareth and Sarah's side. The spell
of the Troll King was broken as Sarah watched the slight woman before her, entranced,
despite herself.
One pale hand lifted and brushed the heat of Sarah's cheek. The being smiled and, there
was nothing to fear in it... nothing to see except the pull of rose colored lips across
perfect, even teeth. Teeth that had two petite fangs.
Sarah blinked as the being dropped her hand and turned away, towards the Phoenix King.
Jarerth had become an unmoving, unbreathing, source of warmth at her side. She licked
dry lips.
"What, who is that?"
Jareth drew her against him suddenly, a movement she would have protested if she had
sensed his intent, but once secure in iron like arms Sarah only took a deep breath and
accepted the sanctity, the illusion of safety as long as it lasted. The Goblin King
rested his chin on the top of her silken head.
"Won't this kind of display hurt us?" She felt more then heard Jareth sigh before he
replied simply, voice level...
"No."
"Who...?" Relieved laughter bubbled in the Goblin King's chest as he clutched his prize,
his subject, the woman he had given his love to, closer, reveling in the feel of her in
his arms, no matter what circumstances had forced her into them...
"That is... Her name is not pronounceable in human form, or with a human throat, but,
call her Kym, Faerie Queen." Sarah twisted in Jareth's arms, trying to find his eyes,
but the Goblin King was too tall.
"But..." she finally answered after a heart beat of confusion, "I've seen Faeries before,
in the Labyrinth before, remember? They looked nothing like Her!" This time a deep
throated chuckle escaped and Sarah jumped at the sound, and at the purr it made in Jareth's
lean chest, which was pressed to her own back.
"Those Sarah were Non Sidhe Faeries. They live in my Labyrinth yes, but they are no
less Hers," his voice made gentle mocking of the emphasis placed on the pronoun, "and
she is Queen. Queen and the oldest ruling monarch in the Underground. Perhaps things
are not a bleak as they seemed..."
Kym, Faerie Queen, addressed the patient Lord of the Court, her voice honey. "I will
defend the Goblin King." Cadreth inclined his regal head again, hair flickering.
"Then we shall begin in earnest."