A/N: Sorry it took so long, college is looming and I've been busy.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, blah, blah, blah
Chapter 11:Getting Ready
During the next week Sarah learned to harness her newfound powers, and despite the bumpy start, Ayron found himself impressed by her aptitude for magic. She learned quickly and seemed just as fascinated by the bits of history and society that he explained as by the magic they practiced.
Sarah herself was amazed by her new skills and found herself happier than she had been in years. With each new ability she discovered she felt more and more at home here, making easy friends with this or that person on some business or other about the castle with an ease that astounded her. Each night she would stand on the balcony of her tower room and look out over the sleeping lands below and feel a sense of belonging that she had never known in all her years Aboveground. And, inevitably, her thoughts would stray to Jareth, and she would picture him lounging placidly on the wide sill of the window overlooking the labyrinth, or sprawled carelessly on his throne, one knee hitched up to him as he tapped jadedly at his thigh with his riding crop. She was disgusted with herself for dwelling on him, but she could not help but let herself fantasize a little. He was, after all, dashing and charming, despite his roguish attitude and arrogance. Besides, she assured herself quite often, she would never actually act on any feelings she might have towards him. And he hated her, didn't he? Still.
~*~
Ayron straightened his jacket and steeled himself. If Jareth was in one of his moods, he was liable to be ducking flying objects from the moment he entered. To be sure, this was one place he did not want to be, and he wouldn't have been there if Jareth hadn't marked the message urgent. He wanted very much to get back to the Banshee Wood and get his affairs in order for the journey to the High Court. And he wanted to spend time with Anikara too. He felt guilty, keeping her in the dark, and nervous on top of it all. He could never tell how a surprise would strike her, particularly this kind of surprise. She would either be delighted or angry out of her mind, and Ayron was inclined to believe the latter. He just hoped he was doing the right thing. It was the only way he could think to keep her from banishment to the Aboveground. He just hoped she didn't hurt him over it..
But enough stalling, he thought as he pushed open the door to Jareth's throne room. As per usual, there was a mess of no less than thirty goblins lying here or there in various stages of drunkenness, tormenting chickens, yelling obscenities, throwing things, and generally running amuck. The place looked more like a three-ring circus than a throne room. And there, amidst the confused jumble was his dear cousin, acting as ringmaster and looking as tired and annoyed as ever.
Jareth stood from where he had been draped casually over his throne and advanced towards Ayron, managing to injure a few of his minions along the way. As Ayron had suspected, he had that moody edge in his eyes that bespoke trouble.
"Hallo Ayron," Jareth greeted.
Ayron inclined his head slightly. "Good day, cousin, what is this urgent business you sent word of?" he inquired. Pleasantries were not one of Jareth's strong points, and Ayron did not feel like doling out a lesson in social graces.
Jareth snorted. "Nice to see you too, cousin. Very well," he smiled accommodatingly, "right to the point." He turned back to the squalid room. "But not here. Too much noise." He flicked his wrist and they were at once in Jareth's study. Ayron sighed and relaxed a little. After a week of Sarah's haphazard transportation, Jareth's usual cool control was a welcome change. Jareth settled in a large red chair near the fireplace, which suddenly roared to life, and offered Ayron a matching one across from it. "Right then, down to business." He gave a light smile. "Two weeks ago I was..sort of..assaulted, shall we say, by a fellow fae." Ayron's face paled as Jareth gazed at him intently. "I have been trying to trace the magic source ever since, but I lost it as it led me Aboveground." At the look on Ayron's face, Jareth had to fight to stifle a laugh. "Since you are the only fae that I know of who has any business frequenting the Aboveground, other than myself, of course, and since I know how sensitive you are to magic, I just knew you had the key to solving my little mystery."
Ayron hated lying, especially to Jareth, because he was a horrible liar and Jareth was particularly difficult to lie to. But now was not the time for the truth, not with Anikara still in such a precarious position, not to mention Sarah's. Who knew what Jareth might do if he found out that Sarah was indeed Underground? Not for the first time, he was glad that Anikara had not told him exactly what she had done with Jareth and Sarah that night nearly two weeks ago. It was easier to lie when you didn't know the whole truth.
He managed a transparent smile. "Well, as awful as that sounds, I'm afraid I can't help you." Not entirely a lie, more like a half-truth. And of course, Jareth saw right through it.
"Damnit, Ayron, you're the worst liar I've ever met! I know you know something about it, and there's no point in denying it!" He leaned forward, meeting Ayron's mismatched eyes with his own most fearsome gaze. "Now the matter is whether you will be a good friend and cousin and tell me who it was that has been toying with me, or not."
"Jareth," Ayron stated, his jaw set, "I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about." There, a full out lie.
Jareth's brows arched at his stubbornness. It was not like Ayron to be so firm in his untruths. "Alright, Ayron," he sighed, relaxing back into his chair, "alright." Resting his elbows on the arms of the chair, he conjured a bright crystal atop his gloved fingers in front of his face, glaring at Ayron through it. "So," he continued amiably, dropping all the iciness from his voice and letting a bit of his weariness show through, "what's new?"
It was Ayron's turn to be surprised now at Jareth's swift surrender, but he quickly recovered. "Ah, nothing of great importance," he lied, "but I am afraid that I must be going. I have to get my affairs together in the Banshee Wood and prepare to travel to the High Court."
Jareth's eyebrows rose a bit, but he continued to gaze lackadaisically in to the crystal. "Hmm, is that so? Well, you best be off then. I trust you remember the way out," he added with a wave of his free hand.
Ayron stood, feeling, for some reason, a bit guilty at leaving his cousin alone all of a sudden. He quickly cleared this from his mind, however, and nodded his goodbye to Jareth, then turned on his heels and was gone.
For a moment, Jareth simply continued to stare into the crystal, before tossing it lazily into the fire, where it burst in a flare of flames. He felt drained and helpless and he didn't know why. No, that wasn't entirely true. He felt helpless because he wanted something and had no means by which to get it.
"Sarah, Sarah, Sarah," he murmured, closing his eyes against the threat of tears, "oh, my dearest, what am I to do?" Well, he knew the answer to that. Dragging himself to his feet, he summoned a few goblins and set them to various tasks. It would take a day or two, but he would get his own affairs in order and join his cousin at the High Court. Perhaps if Ayron did not know anything, they would. And if that did not work.he did not know what he would do. But he'd not think of that. He was certain he would find some answers when the Council met. Little did he know how many answers, nor how many new questions.
A/N: I know I took a long time to post, ,but that's no excuse not to review, so go on, scurry off and review you little hearts out! :D Luv yas!
Disclaimer: I own nothing, blah, blah, blah
Chapter 11:Getting Ready
During the next week Sarah learned to harness her newfound powers, and despite the bumpy start, Ayron found himself impressed by her aptitude for magic. She learned quickly and seemed just as fascinated by the bits of history and society that he explained as by the magic they practiced.
Sarah herself was amazed by her new skills and found herself happier than she had been in years. With each new ability she discovered she felt more and more at home here, making easy friends with this or that person on some business or other about the castle with an ease that astounded her. Each night she would stand on the balcony of her tower room and look out over the sleeping lands below and feel a sense of belonging that she had never known in all her years Aboveground. And, inevitably, her thoughts would stray to Jareth, and she would picture him lounging placidly on the wide sill of the window overlooking the labyrinth, or sprawled carelessly on his throne, one knee hitched up to him as he tapped jadedly at his thigh with his riding crop. She was disgusted with herself for dwelling on him, but she could not help but let herself fantasize a little. He was, after all, dashing and charming, despite his roguish attitude and arrogance. Besides, she assured herself quite often, she would never actually act on any feelings she might have towards him. And he hated her, didn't he? Still.
~*~
Ayron straightened his jacket and steeled himself. If Jareth was in one of his moods, he was liable to be ducking flying objects from the moment he entered. To be sure, this was one place he did not want to be, and he wouldn't have been there if Jareth hadn't marked the message urgent. He wanted very much to get back to the Banshee Wood and get his affairs in order for the journey to the High Court. And he wanted to spend time with Anikara too. He felt guilty, keeping her in the dark, and nervous on top of it all. He could never tell how a surprise would strike her, particularly this kind of surprise. She would either be delighted or angry out of her mind, and Ayron was inclined to believe the latter. He just hoped he was doing the right thing. It was the only way he could think to keep her from banishment to the Aboveground. He just hoped she didn't hurt him over it..
But enough stalling, he thought as he pushed open the door to Jareth's throne room. As per usual, there was a mess of no less than thirty goblins lying here or there in various stages of drunkenness, tormenting chickens, yelling obscenities, throwing things, and generally running amuck. The place looked more like a three-ring circus than a throne room. And there, amidst the confused jumble was his dear cousin, acting as ringmaster and looking as tired and annoyed as ever.
Jareth stood from where he had been draped casually over his throne and advanced towards Ayron, managing to injure a few of his minions along the way. As Ayron had suspected, he had that moody edge in his eyes that bespoke trouble.
"Hallo Ayron," Jareth greeted.
Ayron inclined his head slightly. "Good day, cousin, what is this urgent business you sent word of?" he inquired. Pleasantries were not one of Jareth's strong points, and Ayron did not feel like doling out a lesson in social graces.
Jareth snorted. "Nice to see you too, cousin. Very well," he smiled accommodatingly, "right to the point." He turned back to the squalid room. "But not here. Too much noise." He flicked his wrist and they were at once in Jareth's study. Ayron sighed and relaxed a little. After a week of Sarah's haphazard transportation, Jareth's usual cool control was a welcome change. Jareth settled in a large red chair near the fireplace, which suddenly roared to life, and offered Ayron a matching one across from it. "Right then, down to business." He gave a light smile. "Two weeks ago I was..sort of..assaulted, shall we say, by a fellow fae." Ayron's face paled as Jareth gazed at him intently. "I have been trying to trace the magic source ever since, but I lost it as it led me Aboveground." At the look on Ayron's face, Jareth had to fight to stifle a laugh. "Since you are the only fae that I know of who has any business frequenting the Aboveground, other than myself, of course, and since I know how sensitive you are to magic, I just knew you had the key to solving my little mystery."
Ayron hated lying, especially to Jareth, because he was a horrible liar and Jareth was particularly difficult to lie to. But now was not the time for the truth, not with Anikara still in such a precarious position, not to mention Sarah's. Who knew what Jareth might do if he found out that Sarah was indeed Underground? Not for the first time, he was glad that Anikara had not told him exactly what she had done with Jareth and Sarah that night nearly two weeks ago. It was easier to lie when you didn't know the whole truth.
He managed a transparent smile. "Well, as awful as that sounds, I'm afraid I can't help you." Not entirely a lie, more like a half-truth. And of course, Jareth saw right through it.
"Damnit, Ayron, you're the worst liar I've ever met! I know you know something about it, and there's no point in denying it!" He leaned forward, meeting Ayron's mismatched eyes with his own most fearsome gaze. "Now the matter is whether you will be a good friend and cousin and tell me who it was that has been toying with me, or not."
"Jareth," Ayron stated, his jaw set, "I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about." There, a full out lie.
Jareth's brows arched at his stubbornness. It was not like Ayron to be so firm in his untruths. "Alright, Ayron," he sighed, relaxing back into his chair, "alright." Resting his elbows on the arms of the chair, he conjured a bright crystal atop his gloved fingers in front of his face, glaring at Ayron through it. "So," he continued amiably, dropping all the iciness from his voice and letting a bit of his weariness show through, "what's new?"
It was Ayron's turn to be surprised now at Jareth's swift surrender, but he quickly recovered. "Ah, nothing of great importance," he lied, "but I am afraid that I must be going. I have to get my affairs together in the Banshee Wood and prepare to travel to the High Court."
Jareth's eyebrows rose a bit, but he continued to gaze lackadaisically in to the crystal. "Hmm, is that so? Well, you best be off then. I trust you remember the way out," he added with a wave of his free hand.
Ayron stood, feeling, for some reason, a bit guilty at leaving his cousin alone all of a sudden. He quickly cleared this from his mind, however, and nodded his goodbye to Jareth, then turned on his heels and was gone.
For a moment, Jareth simply continued to stare into the crystal, before tossing it lazily into the fire, where it burst in a flare of flames. He felt drained and helpless and he didn't know why. No, that wasn't entirely true. He felt helpless because he wanted something and had no means by which to get it.
"Sarah, Sarah, Sarah," he murmured, closing his eyes against the threat of tears, "oh, my dearest, what am I to do?" Well, he knew the answer to that. Dragging himself to his feet, he summoned a few goblins and set them to various tasks. It would take a day or two, but he would get his own affairs in order and join his cousin at the High Court. Perhaps if Ayron did not know anything, they would. And if that did not work.he did not know what he would do. But he'd not think of that. He was certain he would find some answers when the Council met. Little did he know how many answers, nor how many new questions.
A/N: I know I took a long time to post, ,but that's no excuse not to review, so go on, scurry off and review you little hearts out! :D Luv yas!