Chapter 2: They Arrive Home
Storm clouds were convening overhead as Sarah made her way up the front stairs, seemingly plotting the storm of the century. Shaking off a few stray raindrops that had fallen to crown her mahogany hair, she pushed the front door open and was greeted by her shaggy counterpart, Merlin, and not far behind was the little terror himself, his blond little head bobbing near her hip.
"Saywah! Saywah!" Toby piped energetically as he practically bounded up into her arms. In spite of her slight annoyance at the intrusion on her solemn musing, she felt herself laughing at the antics of the bright-eyed little boy as she lifted him up.
"Yes, yes, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah's home," she smiled, giving him a peck on the cheek.
"Yes, Sarah's home-an hour late!" Sarah whirled around to encounter the angry eyes of her stepmother. "Really Sarah, I was beginning to think you had gained some sense of responsibility, but it seems I was sorely mistaken!"
Sarah rolled her eyes and gave her a little smile. "Really Karen, I was beginning to think you could keep your panties on straight and chill out a bit, but it seems I was sorely mistaken!" Karen's eyes smoldered at her stepdaughter's insolence. Sarah grinned toothily. She loved irritating that woman; it was one of the few things she really enjoyed that had nothing to do with her fantasies. "Besides, what are you worried about? Its not as though the dance hall is going to burn down if your not there at the stroke of eight!" Not waiting for her reply, she set Toby down to go play and tripped up the stairs to her room, locking the door behind her.
Quickly shedding her wet clothes, she stretched out on her bed, enjoying the sound of rain against the windowpanes. Once more her mind wandered to the earlier encounter with the mysterious woman. There was no question in her mind that Nikki was from the Underground, not with those eyes and that amulet, but there was something more. The utter shock in her eyes, the panic, seemed unnaturally severe. Of course she would have been surprised to find someone here that had been to the Underground and back, but afraid? Why?
But she had no more time for thinking. She could already hear Karen downstairs, whining and complaining as she dutifully reported Sarah's insolence to her father. Hopping off the bed, she pulled on a fresh tee shirt and some leggings and ran down the stairs in time to give her father a peck on the cheek on his way out the door.
"Sarah, you know, even though Karen isn't your mother you should still treat her with respect," he admonished. She gave him a big, innocent, 'who me?' smile. He shook his head and smiled at her, returning her peck. "Just don't forget to get Toby to bed by nine, okay?" Karen, from the car, was honking and he hurried out the door, leaving Sarah to a sneak attack from behind by Toby. Laughing, she took him into the family room to play, neglecting to notice as the raven that sat just outside the window took off into the wind and rain.
~~*~~
The raven landed on an open windowsill, then hopped into the darkened room. As it beat its wings, black, flowing robes swirled up and about the soft curves of a feminine form. Yawning, she sat back on the sofa and smiled as she produced a crystal, letting it twirl and dance over her hands. And then she tossed it lazily into the shadows nearby with a smirk and laughed at the stifled cry of surprise that issued forth.
"Quit hiding, I don't know why you enjoy lurking so much!" She laughed as a cowed figure emerged from the shadows, a hint of resentment playing in his mismatched eyes, and tossed the crystal back. It burst like a bubble in midair and she graced him with a satisfied smile. "Hullo, Ayron, what brings you to the Aboveground on such a lovely, stormy evening?"
Bowing half-heartedly, Ayron sat down next to her on the couch, running a gloved hand through his unruly black hair. "Don't you know, Anikara? You ought to, after that cry of alarm you sent up this afternoon!"
"Oh that? Just a little surprised, that's all. You'll never guess whom I met!" she giggled. "Oh, and by the by, my new 'human' name is Nikki Faette.get it? Nikki Fae-ette?" She laughed again.
Ayron sighed. Though used to Anikara's unconventional ways, he never could tell what she would come out with next, and it sometimes worried him. Being the caretaker of such an impish little sprite was trying, and he only hoped that she was about to announce her replacement and free him from his service.anyone, even a mortal, must be easier to manage than her.
When he didn't respond right away, she continued. "Well, dear, I'll tell you. This lovely young lady came in to my shop today and she took a liking to my amulet, which I had prominently displayed. But can you guess? You'll never! She said she'd seen the like before. Well, I was outright shaky by then, but then she said something about a man from another world with one just like it! Well, needless to say, I was a bit flustered, and I was sure she'd seen my eyes, so I hurried her out the door with some excuse about closing up shop." She sighed, suddenly sobered. "That dear Mrs. Ezra, the poor thing, she never did close up early, no, she was a good, hard-working woman, she was. But that's how the mortal world works, I suppose, you try your hand at life, then you die.Ah but back to my story."
She continued to ramble on, something about following the girl and about her baby brother, but Ayron wasn't really listening too intently. Rather, he was working at keeping his eyes off Anikara's scantily clad form. She was a tempting creature, stunning as a goddess, and rather intriguing when she wasn't gossiping. He had more than once wish to court her, but couldn't bring himself to broach the subject. He didn't think he was brave enough to be rejected by such a woman.
The robes she wore were thin and teasing, drifting here and there, showing not enough skin to be sinful, but enough to ignite the imagination, and in spite of his upbringing, he found his imagination being rather naughty. This had its effect on him, and Anikara noticed it even in the dim light. Rolling her eyes, she reached out and ruffled his hair.
"Your not listening, darling, and your thinking with the wrong head again," she teased as she elbowed in the side, just hard enough to make him hiccup in surprise. Shame faced, he turned away, wishing he could crawl under the sofa on which they sat, but Anikara just laughed and placed a hand on his shoulder, turning him back to her. "You can't get out of hearing my story that easily. Mind you pay attention, though, or you might regret it!" she grinned at the look on his face, which she couldn't quite decipher, though she had a pretty good idea what he was thinking. He really was gorgeous, though he certainly didn't know it. He was so shy and she loved teasing him, it was just so easy.
"As I was saying, I am fairly positive it's the very same girl that your cousin Jareth's labyrinth! Wouldn't that be remarkable?"
"Well, I suppose, but what does that have to do with your duty?" As soon as the words left his mouth, the answer struck him. "Oh, you wouldn't.would you?" Her laughter told him she would and likely intended to. "Are you certain it's a good idea, Anikara? If you choose this Sarah girl, Jareth may well flay you, no matter what the Council has to say about it."
Anikara raised a skeptical eyebrow. "I'm really not intimidated by Jareth. I am fairly certain that most of his talk is just that. Besides," a little grin crept onto her face as she gave Ayron a side long look, "I think he might be a bit more pleased with such a choice than he'd be willing to let on."
Ayron's eyebrows knit as he cocked his head in thought. "You really think so?"
Anikara shook her head. He was hopeless! "Oh, you're hopeless, Ayron!" she announced with a little laugh.
"I know, you'd never let me forget," he sighed glumly. "But I must be going. Can't be watching you all the time, I do have things to see too." He stood to take his leave, but Anikara jumped up and grabbed his wrist. Whirling him about, she kissed him firmly on the lips. When she pulled away, she had to stifle a laugh. He looked like he might pass out from shock.
Giving him a satisfied grin, she stepped back. "Don't say anything to Jareth, darling," she grinned. And with a flick of her wrist and a playful laugh, he was gone, back to his castle. Sighing with satisfaction, she returned to the couch. Flopping down on it, she grabbed the remote and started channel surfing. The television was a remarkable invention, and she enjoyed simply flipping mindlessly through the channels when she was tired. As she watched the moving colors flash before her, inspiration struck.
"That's it!" she cried out loud, sitting up in excitement. "I'll just have to make sure that Jareth is okay with my little plan! Oh, this should be fun!" Laughing to herself, she tripped off to the kitchen to get a midnight snack. Magic took a lot out of her these days, so she would need all the strength she could get.
A/N: Hope that explains a little more, I know there's a bit of mystery about this 'duty' but the answers are coming.so you'll just have to keep reading and reading.. I have sucked you into my twisted mind game, from which there is no escape! Bwahahahaha! Anyhow, please review, or I will sic my pet rock on you!
Storm clouds were convening overhead as Sarah made her way up the front stairs, seemingly plotting the storm of the century. Shaking off a few stray raindrops that had fallen to crown her mahogany hair, she pushed the front door open and was greeted by her shaggy counterpart, Merlin, and not far behind was the little terror himself, his blond little head bobbing near her hip.
"Saywah! Saywah!" Toby piped energetically as he practically bounded up into her arms. In spite of her slight annoyance at the intrusion on her solemn musing, she felt herself laughing at the antics of the bright-eyed little boy as she lifted him up.
"Yes, yes, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah's home," she smiled, giving him a peck on the cheek.
"Yes, Sarah's home-an hour late!" Sarah whirled around to encounter the angry eyes of her stepmother. "Really Sarah, I was beginning to think you had gained some sense of responsibility, but it seems I was sorely mistaken!"
Sarah rolled her eyes and gave her a little smile. "Really Karen, I was beginning to think you could keep your panties on straight and chill out a bit, but it seems I was sorely mistaken!" Karen's eyes smoldered at her stepdaughter's insolence. Sarah grinned toothily. She loved irritating that woman; it was one of the few things she really enjoyed that had nothing to do with her fantasies. "Besides, what are you worried about? Its not as though the dance hall is going to burn down if your not there at the stroke of eight!" Not waiting for her reply, she set Toby down to go play and tripped up the stairs to her room, locking the door behind her.
Quickly shedding her wet clothes, she stretched out on her bed, enjoying the sound of rain against the windowpanes. Once more her mind wandered to the earlier encounter with the mysterious woman. There was no question in her mind that Nikki was from the Underground, not with those eyes and that amulet, but there was something more. The utter shock in her eyes, the panic, seemed unnaturally severe. Of course she would have been surprised to find someone here that had been to the Underground and back, but afraid? Why?
But she had no more time for thinking. She could already hear Karen downstairs, whining and complaining as she dutifully reported Sarah's insolence to her father. Hopping off the bed, she pulled on a fresh tee shirt and some leggings and ran down the stairs in time to give her father a peck on the cheek on his way out the door.
"Sarah, you know, even though Karen isn't your mother you should still treat her with respect," he admonished. She gave him a big, innocent, 'who me?' smile. He shook his head and smiled at her, returning her peck. "Just don't forget to get Toby to bed by nine, okay?" Karen, from the car, was honking and he hurried out the door, leaving Sarah to a sneak attack from behind by Toby. Laughing, she took him into the family room to play, neglecting to notice as the raven that sat just outside the window took off into the wind and rain.
~~*~~
The raven landed on an open windowsill, then hopped into the darkened room. As it beat its wings, black, flowing robes swirled up and about the soft curves of a feminine form. Yawning, she sat back on the sofa and smiled as she produced a crystal, letting it twirl and dance over her hands. And then she tossed it lazily into the shadows nearby with a smirk and laughed at the stifled cry of surprise that issued forth.
"Quit hiding, I don't know why you enjoy lurking so much!" She laughed as a cowed figure emerged from the shadows, a hint of resentment playing in his mismatched eyes, and tossed the crystal back. It burst like a bubble in midair and she graced him with a satisfied smile. "Hullo, Ayron, what brings you to the Aboveground on such a lovely, stormy evening?"
Bowing half-heartedly, Ayron sat down next to her on the couch, running a gloved hand through his unruly black hair. "Don't you know, Anikara? You ought to, after that cry of alarm you sent up this afternoon!"
"Oh that? Just a little surprised, that's all. You'll never guess whom I met!" she giggled. "Oh, and by the by, my new 'human' name is Nikki Faette.get it? Nikki Fae-ette?" She laughed again.
Ayron sighed. Though used to Anikara's unconventional ways, he never could tell what she would come out with next, and it sometimes worried him. Being the caretaker of such an impish little sprite was trying, and he only hoped that she was about to announce her replacement and free him from his service.anyone, even a mortal, must be easier to manage than her.
When he didn't respond right away, she continued. "Well, dear, I'll tell you. This lovely young lady came in to my shop today and she took a liking to my amulet, which I had prominently displayed. But can you guess? You'll never! She said she'd seen the like before. Well, I was outright shaky by then, but then she said something about a man from another world with one just like it! Well, needless to say, I was a bit flustered, and I was sure she'd seen my eyes, so I hurried her out the door with some excuse about closing up shop." She sighed, suddenly sobered. "That dear Mrs. Ezra, the poor thing, she never did close up early, no, she was a good, hard-working woman, she was. But that's how the mortal world works, I suppose, you try your hand at life, then you die.Ah but back to my story."
She continued to ramble on, something about following the girl and about her baby brother, but Ayron wasn't really listening too intently. Rather, he was working at keeping his eyes off Anikara's scantily clad form. She was a tempting creature, stunning as a goddess, and rather intriguing when she wasn't gossiping. He had more than once wish to court her, but couldn't bring himself to broach the subject. He didn't think he was brave enough to be rejected by such a woman.
The robes she wore were thin and teasing, drifting here and there, showing not enough skin to be sinful, but enough to ignite the imagination, and in spite of his upbringing, he found his imagination being rather naughty. This had its effect on him, and Anikara noticed it even in the dim light. Rolling her eyes, she reached out and ruffled his hair.
"Your not listening, darling, and your thinking with the wrong head again," she teased as she elbowed in the side, just hard enough to make him hiccup in surprise. Shame faced, he turned away, wishing he could crawl under the sofa on which they sat, but Anikara just laughed and placed a hand on his shoulder, turning him back to her. "You can't get out of hearing my story that easily. Mind you pay attention, though, or you might regret it!" she grinned at the look on his face, which she couldn't quite decipher, though she had a pretty good idea what he was thinking. He really was gorgeous, though he certainly didn't know it. He was so shy and she loved teasing him, it was just so easy.
"As I was saying, I am fairly positive it's the very same girl that your cousin Jareth's labyrinth! Wouldn't that be remarkable?"
"Well, I suppose, but what does that have to do with your duty?" As soon as the words left his mouth, the answer struck him. "Oh, you wouldn't.would you?" Her laughter told him she would and likely intended to. "Are you certain it's a good idea, Anikara? If you choose this Sarah girl, Jareth may well flay you, no matter what the Council has to say about it."
Anikara raised a skeptical eyebrow. "I'm really not intimidated by Jareth. I am fairly certain that most of his talk is just that. Besides," a little grin crept onto her face as she gave Ayron a side long look, "I think he might be a bit more pleased with such a choice than he'd be willing to let on."
Ayron's eyebrows knit as he cocked his head in thought. "You really think so?"
Anikara shook her head. He was hopeless! "Oh, you're hopeless, Ayron!" she announced with a little laugh.
"I know, you'd never let me forget," he sighed glumly. "But I must be going. Can't be watching you all the time, I do have things to see too." He stood to take his leave, but Anikara jumped up and grabbed his wrist. Whirling him about, she kissed him firmly on the lips. When she pulled away, she had to stifle a laugh. He looked like he might pass out from shock.
Giving him a satisfied grin, she stepped back. "Don't say anything to Jareth, darling," she grinned. And with a flick of her wrist and a playful laugh, he was gone, back to his castle. Sighing with satisfaction, she returned to the couch. Flopping down on it, she grabbed the remote and started channel surfing. The television was a remarkable invention, and she enjoyed simply flipping mindlessly through the channels when she was tired. As she watched the moving colors flash before her, inspiration struck.
"That's it!" she cried out loud, sitting up in excitement. "I'll just have to make sure that Jareth is okay with my little plan! Oh, this should be fun!" Laughing to herself, she tripped off to the kitchen to get a midnight snack. Magic took a lot out of her these days, so she would need all the strength she could get.
A/N: Hope that explains a little more, I know there's a bit of mystery about this 'duty' but the answers are coming.so you'll just have to keep reading and reading.. I have sucked you into my twisted mind game, from which there is no escape! Bwahahahaha! Anyhow, please review, or I will sic my pet rock on you!