Chapter 11: A History Hint

Vendae entered the castle at the center of the Labyrinth nervously. Jareth had commanded her to come and prepare some mortals to be shown in public as his guests. That boy had some nerve! She was old enough to be his grandmother even though she appeared to be in her late twenties or early thirties. But by the time she stood in the throne room before the Goblin King, she understood the rumors that had been spread. As she entered behind Damien, she could see the Goblin King sitting on his throne brooding. And toying with a crystal. She could see his face only in profile as he was sitting sideways with one leg thrown over the arm of the throne as usual.

"Your Majesty," Damien announced. "The Lady Vendae has arrived..." Jareth barely acknowledged the announcement. "I will take her to them..." Jareth waved his hand to signal Damien's departure, but he made no other sign he'd even heard. Damien bowed, and Vendae curtsied although she couldn't recall ever feeling so uncomfortable.

"So it is true..." Vendae commented as they moved through the confusing hallways. Damien chose to pass over the comment.

"We were glad to hear of your return, Lady Vendae..."

Vendae got the idea. Talk of the King was not permitted. Soon they were standing before Sarah's room. Damien knocked softly.

"Lady Sarah?"

"Come in, Damien. We're all here."

Damien opened the door and preceded Vendae so he could announce her.

"Lady Sarah, may I present the Lady Vendae of Willoway. Lady Vendae, the Lady Sarah and her sons my lords Daire and Darien of the Aboveworld."

"Sarah?" Vendae asked in shock. "How did you get here!"

Sarah was shocked speechless. She had never seen the woman before her in her life! "Do I know you?" Vendae's form shimmered, and suddenly a very familiar person appeared.

"Auntie Cat!" Daire and Darien exclaimed as they rushed forward to give the Faye woman a hug. "Miss Elaine wished us all away by accident!" Daire reported.

"Caitlin?" Sarah tried still trying to understand.

"Sarah, there are many things you don't know about your family..." Vendae began. She turned to her astonished escort. "I shall take them for a walk in the garden, Damien."" Damien bowed and retreated, but he was obviously still confused. Sarah and the boys followed the woman who had been Auntie Cat. Once in the garden Vendae spoke in very low soft tones.

"Auntie Cat..."

"Vendae is my true name, Sarah, but you may still call me Aunt," Vendae reminded.

"Ok... Aunt Vendae..." Sarah said testing the name. "Why are you speaking so quietly?"

"Because even the walls have ears, Sarah. What I am about to tell you has been kept a secret even here in the Underground for over two decades." They found a bench that was not near any walls, and all four sat down. "It is time to tell you, Sarah, that you are Faye-born. You and both of your sons are Seelie..."

"Now, I know you are pulling my leg!" Sarah whispered. "Faye cannot survive so long in a realm without magic..."

"Which is one reason why your mother had to leave with only minimal contact..."

"But she's a famous actress!"

"Quietly now, Sarah... Your mother maintained a front so your father could explain her absence better. Perhaps your father's situation would better explain your resilience."

"My father?"

"Have you never seen the necklace he always wears?"

"Oh, yeah, once or twice. He would never fully explain it. Usually he kept it hidden beneath his shirt."

"That was given to him when he was banished to the Aboveworld." Sarah looked confused so Vendae continued. "The story of your parents, Sarah, is much like your Aboveworld tale of Romeo and Juliet." Sarah's interest was instantly hooked as were the boys'. Vendae saw this and it encouraged her. "Your parents both come from powerful families. Both were firstborn jewels, and they both fell in love in their first century. However, there has long been bad blood between their families. Only a few seem to know what started it, and those that know are not telling. Being only a century old, your parents did not know either. They only knew that it was ridiculous. They met often in secret until at last they eloped. I was one of two witnesses of their wedding for we pitied my sister's predicament. For a long time, Sarah, your mother stayed in her family's home meeting your father often by night."

"But how did Grandpa end up on earth with Grandma?" Darien asked.

"Patience," Vendae said with a smile. "I am coming to that." Darien nodded and settled back on his mother's lap. Daire had laid claim to their Aunt's. Vendae focused back on Sarah since it was Sarah who ultimately needed to understand. "Understand, Sarah, that it is very rare for Faye to have children. Because we are so long lived, nature has compensated in this way. Needless to say, Sarah, your parents carelessly took no precautions. When your mother was found to be pregnant, there was very nearly an all out battle instead of the massive celebration that should have been. However, when the matter was taken before the Seelie court, it was discovered that they were indeed married. Their friends fought for their happiness, but the court would not pass over their willful deceitfulness. For their punishment, the court decided that they should be separated. Your father was banished to the Aboveworld always wearing his medallion to protect his life... Unfortunately neither family was feeling amenable when you were born so your mother and friends prevailed upon the court to send you to your father. Since you were an infant, your power of resilience was placed within you."

"Who was the other witness to their wedding? This is about the third time you've referred to their fight with my Grandmother and Grandfather..." Daire asked smiling innocently.

"I'll tell you what I told your brother... Patience!" Daire made a face, but he listened intently and now quietly. "The other witness was a young Prince by the name of Jareth..." Sarah and the boys sat dumbstruck. "What you look at me as though I were crazy?"

"Pity would not be high or even existent on my list of Jareth's attributes!" Sarah said still astounded.

"Surely you, Sarah, understand he has not always been as he is now..."

"Even my first visit, I could not imagine a shred of pity in him!"

"Have you heard the Aurelis, Sarah?" Vendae asked quietly. Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Yes! I've heard it! Why does everyone make such a big deal of it?"

"Because, Sarah, it is not for nothing that Jareth was called the Underground's most beloved star. Jareth was popular and had many friends when he was young. He was our shining hope for the Underground... And you have seen how it has darkened..."

Sarah snorted quietly, "Darkened? It's black!"

"No, Sarah, believe it or not, there have been worse than Jareth is now, but they were not in line for the throne of the Underground. Sarah, it was Jareth who orchestrated the few days your mother was allowed to stay with you and your father in the Aboveworld. It was Jareth who, until recently, covertly sent gifts and messages from your mother to the daughter she was never supposed to have any contact with. Until your father remarried, Jareth arranged for secret love notes between the two."

"But if my mother and father were so in love, why did he remarry? How come Jareth didn't realize all this before he took me the first time to the Labyrinth?"

"The first I think was merely bad judgement of character on your father's part, and Karen led him on to believe she would be good with you. But your father will have no need to worry of this mistake for too long. He is immortal; Karen is not... Believe me, Sarah, he only married Karen to give you a mother. He remained distant in your life because I think he knew someday you would return to the Underground as you are a full-blooded Faye."

"Toby?"

"No, Sarah, Toby is half and half. Such a combination without the influence of magic develops a human child." Sarah nodded. "As for your second question, Jareth never actually saw your house or you until your first trip to the Underground. Your mother was directing the messages, Jareth merely helped her power them across realms. That's why I said he orchestrated it instead of sending them himself..." Sarah nodded once more and Vendae was recognizing signs of overload. "Well, I've given you much to think on. While I'm here I guess you must learn something about behaving as a guest of the King. The secret to being the King's guests is really simple. Look pretty or handsome as the case may be and don't speak unless spoken to. Even when you are spoken to, don't speak your mind." Sarah sighed quietly. "What are you thinking, Sarah?"

"Only that I have to rewrite my entire history now. I'm not even the race I thought I was! I know nothing of the Faye other than what rumors I know from the Aboveworld."

"You know Jareth also sent me..."

"Really?" Sarah asked incredulously.

"I'm sure he did not know why, but he did."

"Why did you come then?"

"Because we heard what happened, Sarah. I had to come and ensure that your children were not harmed and that they developed normally."

"I thought Faye had trouble conceiving... Perhaps I am just a mix up somehow..." Vendae could tell that Sarah was trying to find a means to deny what she was hearing.

"Apparently, Sarah, your upbringing amongst the mortals of the Aboveworld and the power that was implanted within you at infancy to survive it has altered this drawback. You are just as fertile as any human is... But I had other reasons to be careful with your boys though. Some of them you yourself provided."

"What reasons?" Sarah asked. Even though it seemed too incredible to be true, Sarah couldn't tear herself away. Daire and Darien were also listening closely.

"The hawk, Sarah..." Vendae looked as if it should be intuitively obvious. "You know our kind can change into a type of bird. Yours takes after your mother. You have the ability to turn into a swan. Your boys, however, will take after their father. What I really want to see is what they turn into. Darien is the eldest twin so his will be the same type." Vendae turned to Darien. "Darien, I need you to do something for me..."

"What is it, Aunt Vendae?"

"I need you to think about a bird. Any kind of bird..." Vendae prompted. "Think very hard now..."

"Ok..."

"Ok, now I need you to think about that bird flying. Can you do that?"

"Ok..."

Sarah gasped softly and Darien opened his eyes. The boy was first surprised to find that he seemed to be having a problem with his eyes. He turned his head only to be surprised that his mother, brother, and Aunt were all towering over him. He looked down and saw that not far down where his feet should have been were clawed talons.

"Mommy, look! I'm a bird!" he shouted, but all that the others heard were the screeching protests of the hawk he'd become.

"Darien! Darien, calm down!" Vendae soothed as she attempted to calm the boy/hawk. "Now I need you to think of yourself as a boy..." The black hawk before them nodded enthusiastically. Moments later Darien stood before them once more. "Well, at least we know the boys have developed intact! Unfortunately, it is as I feared..."

"What?" Sarah asked breathlessly. She was only just overcoming the shock of seeing her son transformed before her eyes.

"Sarah, have you not guessed? No, of course you couldn't. You're not schooled in our ways. Did you not recognize the animal Darien changed to?"

"It... it is the same... you mean?"

"Yes, Sarah, Daire and Darien's sire is Faye. You have just glimpsed his bird form since Darien is the eldest. Had your attacker been non-Faye, the boys' bird forms would mirror yours not their father's." What Vendae did not add was the most stunning of all... Not only was Sarah's attacker Faye, he was royal! Only Faye royalty had the right to change to birds of prey. But hawks were prevalent amongst the rulers in the Underground since there were many types of hawk. Pinpointing Sarah's attacker would be difficult if Vendae did not already have her suspicions... One thing was certain, and Vendae could rest only slightly easier now...

The boys were not Jareth's...

(My apologies to all my readers who thought that the twins would turn out to be Jareth's... Sorry! The plot thickens!)