A/N: OK, no jareth in this chapter, but soon, soon, soon, I promise! Thank
you everyone for your reviews, they're the only reason I get up in the
morning.well, that and chocolate marshmallow fudge sundaes, but that's
besides the point.heres another chapter, read, enjoy and fantasize about
jareth until he pops up.
Disclaimer: I own nothing that you've heard of before and probly some that you haven't.
Chapter 9: Their Majesties
After bathing and dressing in a simple blue dress that Brexis had found for her, Sarah was ushered down flight after flight of stone stairs. Brexis now wore a heavy black veil to shield her from the sunlight that poured through the turret windows. At long last they came to a set of heavy double doors carved with dragons. Brexis pushed them open with an ease that belied her strength and waved Sarah into a brightly sunlit room. The doors shut behind her and she found herself in a magnificent library, the full shelves reaching to the vaulted ceiling and interrupted only by tall crystalline windows with a view of nothing but sky, and a great stone hearth with a fire roaring and crackling therein. In the middle of the room, seated at a long oak table, were Anikara with three others.
At the boom of the closing doors, Anikara leapt to her feet and rushed over to Sarah, looking her over. Sarah was surprised to see her wearing a white cotton bodice, embroidered with flowers, and a skirt to match, with pastel ribbons of pink and blue tying her sleeves at the elbow before they flowed down around her wrists. Her luxurious black hair was piled atop her head and woven with ribbons of the same color. She looked altogether unlike the woman that had poured her soul out over the midnight fire. Yet this bright airy look suited her as well as the darker one. She seemed made for all seasons.
"Oh, Dear, I am so glad to see you up and well! I was worried, you know," her eyes gleamed with amusement as she eyed the amulet that adorned the front of Sarah's dress, "you weren't supposed to just throw it on, you know."
Sarah's cheeks colored and she shrugged with a little smile. "I've never inherited magical powers before," she said shyly, still a bit intimidated by Anikara's presence.
Nodding her concession, she took Sarah's wrist and led her towards the group sitting at the table. "Come, I've some people who want to meet you." Pulling her around the table, she motioned her to sit. "Sarah, may I present Lord Cirus and Lady Isra, my father and mother." She held up an indicative hand to the regal pair seated across from her. Some how they looked younger than Sarah had imagined them. That is until you looked into their eyes, wherein could be seen a depth of age and wisdom that left no question in her mind that they were indeed very ancient. "And this is the royal stuffed-shirt himself," she laughed, indicating the dark haired fae at the end of the table, "my friend and caretaker of sorts, Ayron." He dipped his head once in acknowledgment, but seemed entirely absorbed with his own thoughts and said nothing. Anikara grinned. "Don't mind him, he's acting as viceroy to the vampire kingdom and he isn't used being responsible." Ayron's silence remained, but he cocked an eyebrow to indicate he'd heard every word before leaning back and sighing, with a shake of his head and a small smile.
Sarah gave her best curtsy, which wasn't much, and took the chair she had been offered. There was a moment of tense silence during which she got the distinct impression that she was being scrutinized. She felt herself begin to squirm under the bright, wise eyes of the four fae, but just as she thought she might burst from the tension, Lord Cirus spoke.
"It is an honor to meet you, Lady Sarah. You must indeed have a strength and spirit beyond your years to have stood against the formidable Goblin King," he began. Anikara could not help but crack a smile as Sarah squirmed a bit at the reference. She was going to be almost as much fun to tease as Ayron!
"I wish there was more time for pleasantries," continued Lady Isra, picking up where her husband left off, "but there is much to be done in less time than we are accustomed to have for doing it. In the coming days, Ayron will show you how to use your new powers. In a week's time we will travel to the high court and bring you before the council and you will be judged as to whether or not you are worthy of you powers and of being made a full fledged fae."
Sarah felt her brows come together uneasily. Judged? She didn't like the sound of being scrutinized by this ambiguous council. And what if they judged her unworthy, or whatever? What would become of her?
As if reading her mind, Anikara smiled at her reassuringly. "Don't you worry about a thing, darling, I know you are worthy, and all three of these naysayers will agree with me once they've see you in action!"
"In any case," the king began again, smiling kindly at Sarah through twinkling mismatched eyes, "Anikara wants to show you around the grounds this afternoon, so you two had best be off."
"Yes, lets!" Anikara exclaimed, fairly bouncing out of her chair. "And besides, I'm starving! Lets go see what we can find in the larder, Sarah, you must be absolutely starving!"
Sarah was surprised at how different Anikara seemed to be today than she had been that night across the fire. But she was hungry and was far less intimidated by this more laid-back Anikara than the mysterious, black clad figure stalking through the darkness. So she didn't resist when Anikara grabbed her wrist once more and pulled her out through the big double doors and down a nearby stair, chattering giddily all the way.
Ayron stood and was about to take his leave when he stopped himself. Now was as good a time as any, he mused as he turned back to the royal couple. "Your majesties, I wonder if I could discuss something of great importance to me with you." He gulped. Now that he had their attention, he wasn't sure he really wanted it. They were a formidable pair, when it suited them, but they were also wise and kind and fair. Nothing to worry about, he reassured himself, but he found he had to keep his hands clasped firmly behind his back to keep them from shaking. "It involves you daughter, majesties. It has to do with Anikara."
A/N: Well, get reviewing or I will have to stay in bed with my chocolate marshmallow fudge sundae and forget to update again :D thanky (
Disclaimer: I own nothing that you've heard of before and probly some that you haven't.
Chapter 9: Their Majesties
After bathing and dressing in a simple blue dress that Brexis had found for her, Sarah was ushered down flight after flight of stone stairs. Brexis now wore a heavy black veil to shield her from the sunlight that poured through the turret windows. At long last they came to a set of heavy double doors carved with dragons. Brexis pushed them open with an ease that belied her strength and waved Sarah into a brightly sunlit room. The doors shut behind her and she found herself in a magnificent library, the full shelves reaching to the vaulted ceiling and interrupted only by tall crystalline windows with a view of nothing but sky, and a great stone hearth with a fire roaring and crackling therein. In the middle of the room, seated at a long oak table, were Anikara with three others.
At the boom of the closing doors, Anikara leapt to her feet and rushed over to Sarah, looking her over. Sarah was surprised to see her wearing a white cotton bodice, embroidered with flowers, and a skirt to match, with pastel ribbons of pink and blue tying her sleeves at the elbow before they flowed down around her wrists. Her luxurious black hair was piled atop her head and woven with ribbons of the same color. She looked altogether unlike the woman that had poured her soul out over the midnight fire. Yet this bright airy look suited her as well as the darker one. She seemed made for all seasons.
"Oh, Dear, I am so glad to see you up and well! I was worried, you know," her eyes gleamed with amusement as she eyed the amulet that adorned the front of Sarah's dress, "you weren't supposed to just throw it on, you know."
Sarah's cheeks colored and she shrugged with a little smile. "I've never inherited magical powers before," she said shyly, still a bit intimidated by Anikara's presence.
Nodding her concession, she took Sarah's wrist and led her towards the group sitting at the table. "Come, I've some people who want to meet you." Pulling her around the table, she motioned her to sit. "Sarah, may I present Lord Cirus and Lady Isra, my father and mother." She held up an indicative hand to the regal pair seated across from her. Some how they looked younger than Sarah had imagined them. That is until you looked into their eyes, wherein could be seen a depth of age and wisdom that left no question in her mind that they were indeed very ancient. "And this is the royal stuffed-shirt himself," she laughed, indicating the dark haired fae at the end of the table, "my friend and caretaker of sorts, Ayron." He dipped his head once in acknowledgment, but seemed entirely absorbed with his own thoughts and said nothing. Anikara grinned. "Don't mind him, he's acting as viceroy to the vampire kingdom and he isn't used being responsible." Ayron's silence remained, but he cocked an eyebrow to indicate he'd heard every word before leaning back and sighing, with a shake of his head and a small smile.
Sarah gave her best curtsy, which wasn't much, and took the chair she had been offered. There was a moment of tense silence during which she got the distinct impression that she was being scrutinized. She felt herself begin to squirm under the bright, wise eyes of the four fae, but just as she thought she might burst from the tension, Lord Cirus spoke.
"It is an honor to meet you, Lady Sarah. You must indeed have a strength and spirit beyond your years to have stood against the formidable Goblin King," he began. Anikara could not help but crack a smile as Sarah squirmed a bit at the reference. She was going to be almost as much fun to tease as Ayron!
"I wish there was more time for pleasantries," continued Lady Isra, picking up where her husband left off, "but there is much to be done in less time than we are accustomed to have for doing it. In the coming days, Ayron will show you how to use your new powers. In a week's time we will travel to the high court and bring you before the council and you will be judged as to whether or not you are worthy of you powers and of being made a full fledged fae."
Sarah felt her brows come together uneasily. Judged? She didn't like the sound of being scrutinized by this ambiguous council. And what if they judged her unworthy, or whatever? What would become of her?
As if reading her mind, Anikara smiled at her reassuringly. "Don't you worry about a thing, darling, I know you are worthy, and all three of these naysayers will agree with me once they've see you in action!"
"In any case," the king began again, smiling kindly at Sarah through twinkling mismatched eyes, "Anikara wants to show you around the grounds this afternoon, so you two had best be off."
"Yes, lets!" Anikara exclaimed, fairly bouncing out of her chair. "And besides, I'm starving! Lets go see what we can find in the larder, Sarah, you must be absolutely starving!"
Sarah was surprised at how different Anikara seemed to be today than she had been that night across the fire. But she was hungry and was far less intimidated by this more laid-back Anikara than the mysterious, black clad figure stalking through the darkness. So she didn't resist when Anikara grabbed her wrist once more and pulled her out through the big double doors and down a nearby stair, chattering giddily all the way.
Ayron stood and was about to take his leave when he stopped himself. Now was as good a time as any, he mused as he turned back to the royal couple. "Your majesties, I wonder if I could discuss something of great importance to me with you." He gulped. Now that he had their attention, he wasn't sure he really wanted it. They were a formidable pair, when it suited them, but they were also wise and kind and fair. Nothing to worry about, he reassured himself, but he found he had to keep his hands clasped firmly behind his back to keep them from shaking. "It involves you daughter, majesties. It has to do with Anikara."
A/N: Well, get reviewing or I will have to stay in bed with my chocolate marshmallow fudge sundae and forget to update again :D thanky (