Chapter 30: No More Hiding
AN: In this chapter, the Centaurs will be having a discussion in the Centauri language. To ease in the large list of vocabulary, the translations will be placed in parenthesis after the phrase. But read the phrase first so you can appreciate the full beauty of their conversation. It's the whole reason I use it. (
It seemed that forever had passed at the same time it felt as though no time had gone by at all. Sarah was still getting used to the fact that she was an immortal. In reality only two years had gone by. Faye had long memories, and neither family was yet pleased with those taking refuge in the castle beyond the Goblin City. Jareth had been more than willing to shelter them. He was learning so much from Sarah and Vendae as well as Elaine and Joseph. He was also finding that Sarah made a wonderful friend. Sarah was reveling in the time spent with old friends. Hoggle, Ludo, and Didymus were regular visitors at the castle. She was also finding the Chironian centaurs to be valuable friends as well. She had never dreamed that so much went on behind the scenes in the Labyrinth! Ione kept up patrols in the Junkyard to keep watch over its delicate structures and to guard against duels between some of the more Seelie races that resided there. Sarah was indeed amazed to find how many creatures lived in hiding when mortals tread the Labyrinth. Sprites, Elves, Faeries, Dwarves of various races besides Hoggle's, and a vast array of creatures made up the residents other than the goblins. The goblins were simply the majority group. Today Sarah was seeking Ione to see if she might tag along with her. The work of the knights fascinated her. She had joined Apollo the week before on his inspection of the oubliettes, and the week prior to that she had walked the secret paths of the Fiery Forest with Isis. But Ione was her favorite to walk with. As one of the oldest creatures in the Underground the centauress had many stories to tell. Many of those were of her own Aboveworld due to the centauress' long stay there. Today, however, she found the centauress in discussion with her children. She would not have stayed and eavesdropped but the language they were using caught her attention. She was soon standing outside the door simply enjoying the music of their tones though she had no idea what they were saying.
AN: Again keep in mind that Sarah cannot even tell what the structure is from listening. By reading the grammar and structure of the sentence, you may be able to get the gist of some words. This is also replaying some events that have already happened by the end of the previous chapter.
"Manen nalye, hininya?" Ione asked. "Maite ehte a macil mara? (How are you, my children? Your training getting better?)
Isis nodded emphatically. "Ilye piuta linpilindi. Ilye hare mara ve Ataryana Hendi!" (I split many arrows. I'm nearly as good as Apollo Literally: His Father's Eyes)
"Terevare nan ilye mara," Apollo replied almost lazily teasing his sister. (She's good, but I'm better.)
"Nalye la!" Isis protested. (You are not!)
"Ilya mara mi Huelar Sarne, Amme?" Apollo asked changing the subject. At first meeting him, Sarah had made the mistake of taking his voice for the King's. They were alike in all but that palomino body of his. (All well in the Fifth Division, Mother?)
"Na, Ilya mara, Ataryana Hendi. Man i Bleynar Sarne?" (Yes, all is well, Apollo. What of the Seventh Division?)
"Latina manna ilya," Apollo replied with a shrug. "Unatnor na senda." (Cleaned that's all. The Labyrinth Literal: The Impossible Kingdom is at peace.)
"Elena Yende?" Ione questioned. (Isis Literally: Daughter of the Stars)
"Eresse Uruva mahti, Amme. Quentar Sarne na tereva. Uruvi unire hatAranel." (Only Fiery fights, Mother. The Fourth Division is fine. The Fieries didn't tear up Sarah. Literal meaning: Princess)
All the centaurs laughed. All three knew full well that the Fieries had a tendency to attempt to dismember their playmates. It was Isis voice that broke the merry mood.
"Amme, na Aranel anana tari?" (Mother, is Sarah to be Queen?)
"Umin ista, Elena Yende. Aran melme Aranel. Umin ista e Aranelrya fea." (I don't know, Isis. The King loves Sarah. I don't know of Sarah's soul.)
"Nan, Amme, elye melme Atar! Elye nostadraa e Atarya hini!" Isis sounded angry though the beauty of the language itself lost nothing in the strength of her tone. (But, Mother, you love Father! You gave birth (to two) of Father's children!)
"Farea!" Ione demanded eyes narrowing. "Uilye uss an Silme Aran. Ilye eresse usa anaista melmerya. Vanye mando Silme Aran alassello. Ta nyerfeanya ilfirin anavanwas nan cuile lelyaor." (Enough! I am not the one for Jareth Literal: Star King I was only the first to know his love. I will not keep Jareth from happiness. It will grieve my immortal soul to lose him, but life goes on.) This quieted the younger centaurs until Ione spoke again. "Sin autahini. Meren sere e sama." (Now go children. I wish some peace of mind.)
Apollo and Isis looked at each other in worry. Isis had touched a raw nerve in their mother. Ione never sent them away, but they obeyed her wishes. As they left they could hear the quiet tears the elder centauress cried into her delicate hands. Sarah had stepped back in the shadows when she heard them coming closer. Fortunately both younger centaurs were worried about their mother, or she would have been caught in a hurry. Slowly she peeked around the doorway to see what had happened to Ione. The centauress was looking out the window though tears slowly made their trails down her chiseled features. Though outwardly the mare appeared calm, the almost strangled anguish of her voice made Sarah want to weep rivers of tears.
"Melda e cuilenya, man elva? Nira hehtacce meldocca? Tirincce wille or Unatnor e mi orenya ea nyenye. Feanya, ea mi qualme; ea nyere. Ea racina! Ucennirenya, Melda. Almie istanye mi ranquicce. Vanya hroacca mi alcar quatmernya! Ea oira nauta anacce, Herunya. Endenya u nar." Here the centauress paused allowing her tears to reign in silent freedom for a moment. (Love of my life, what of us? Will you forget your lover? I see you flying over the Labyrinth and in my heart I am weeping. My soul, it is in agony; it is grief. It is broken! You see not my tears, Beloved. Bliss I knew within your arms. Your beautiful body filled my eternal desire! My heart is bound to you, my lord. My core is deprived of fire.) "Namarie, Meldanya. Niranye melcce vahaiallo." (Farewell, My Love. I shall love you from afar.) Twisting a crystal from the air, Ione created a handkerchief to dry her tears. Sarah nearly jumped when she heard Jareth's voice in the room.
"You worried your children, Ione," he accused lightly.
"I'm afraid Isis does not always know when to leave well enough alone."
"Apollo informed me that Isis had touched on a sore subject. Care to share?" Jareth held out his hand, which she accepted, and led her towards some chairs. He easily created one for her kind, and Ione bowed her thanks.
"Isis raised the question of whether or not you plan to marry Sarah. I told her I could not guess for, though knowing your heart, I do not know hers."
"That was all?" Jareth inquired. He knew well that there was more. "No more hiding, Ione U."
Ione sighed, "Isis was arguing that I as the mother of two of your children should be the one you marry..." she noticed Jareth sit back a bit. "You need not worry, Jareth. I told her it would never be so."
Jareth shook his head in wonder, "You were crying your heart out over by the window yet you are worried of what I will think? Ione, I am concerned for you. I do not wish to break the most loyal heart in my kingdom."
Ione shook her head fervently, "I told you once, Jareth, that I would never love again. To that I hold. But I will not hold onto any hope that your affections would ever turn to me. Good friends we will remain. I cannot compete with Sarah for your heart, Jareth. I know this well. I saw the extent of the damage she did to your heart with her refusal of your love. This love for her has only grown since you were freed from Taureth. No, I shall remain your loyal friend and counselor." Jareth took her hand in his own.
"Thank you, Ione. No more selfless a friend could I ask for."
The glint returned to the centauress' eyes as she questioned her King, "So when exactly are you going to get around to finally asking that girl to marry you?" Jareth smiled briefly.
"We have been keeping each other at somewhat of a distance relationally, Ione. I have had much growing to do in my new faith." Ione nodded.
"You have spent much time listening to their views."
"But it has been worth it, Ione. I am convinced they are right."
"Someday I shall have to sit down with them and discuss it."
"I hope you will, Ione. It's the wisest decision you will ever make."
"All the same, Jareth. Two years of friendship between the two of you, and you're not even officially courting yet?"
"I have been waiting for her to make the first move, Ione."
Sarah walked around the corner, "Then consider it made." She smiled. She had been waiting for Jareth to make another move. Now she could see the logic of his choice to wait on her. It was she who had demanded the distance of friendship. She saw Ione stand immediately blushing fiercely as she began to back away. "There is no need to leave, Ione. I value your friendship especially now that I know the depth of that friendship you have for Jareth." Ione only blushed more, but she no longer was backing away.
"You are ready to consider a courtship?" Jareth asked in surprise.
"Perhaps if I knew first what this whole courtship thing entails. It sounds like it's a lot more involved than dating Aboveworld," she stated. She smiled for she was starting to feel at home in the Underground. She never called Aboveworld home any more. Yet whenever she heard someone speak of courtship, it was with a kind of reverence almost. She had gathered it was something they held rather dear.
"It is somewhat complicated for me to explain what it would mean," Jareth began. "It is a concept we grow with in the Underground." He glanced toward Ione clearly looking for help.
"I can explain, milord," the centauress acknowledged. She turned to Sarah locking her violet gaze on Sarah's eyes. "Courtship is indeed much more involved and binding than the 'dating' you are familiar with from Aboveworld, Lady Aranel. Courtship is a contract of sorts between two people who seek to marry. In Aboveworld you might decide to date a man and a week later 'dump' him I believe you call it. This does not happen in the Underground. Courtship should never even be talked about unless you really seek to marry the individual you are courting. In Aboveworld it can be either partner's choice to end the relationship on a whim, but in the Underground both parties must mutually agree to end the courtship. The only exception to this is if the Court is given proof of gross abuse of the bonds of courtship such as unfaithfulness."
"What about physical abuse, Ione? In America of Aboveworld, abuse of women was not tolerated and the relationship could end for those reasons," Sarah asked.
"No, Lady Aranel, such a thing would be extremely unfortunate, but women in the Underground have fewer 'rights' as you call them. As a courting woman, you would belong to Jareth. In a sense he would also belong to you, but in a different manner. A courtship implies to those around you that you are considering marriage." Ione paused since she could see Sarah was becoming confused. "Let me create a scenario for you. This is not something I believe would happen should you and Jareth enter into courtship, but it is an example. If you and Jareth attend a ball together, you may each dance with people besides your partner. While Jareth may engage in some innocent perhaps even a bit suggestive flirtation, the same from you would be wrong." Ione showed Sarah in her mind the same scenario as she spoke.
"That's not..." Sarah bit her lip when she caught the amused smiles from Ione and Jareth. "Don't worry, I remember. 'But that's the way it is.' Habits die hard." Jareth chuckled slightly.
"Also remember, Lady Aranel, that I highly doubt such flirtation would actually happen if Jareth was courting you." Sarah nodded and Ione continued. "Courtship does, however, free you two to spend more time together. Now you both are bound by rules of hospitality. Courtship relieves those rules somewhat so that you can get more of a taste of what a marriage with each other is like. I can say with an almost certainty, Lady Aranel, that should you decide to enter into courtship with Jareth, there will be an almost immediate start in training you to someday rule as a Queen."
"A Queen?" Sarah stuttered a bit. It was the first moment that Sarah realized what marrying Jareth would actually mean.
"Yes, Aranel," Jareth interjected lightly. "You would first become the Goblin Queen, but it would only be training before we would eventually rule the Underground."
"So the Goblin King title is sort of like the Underground's crown prince title?"
"Exactly!" Ione exclaimed.
"So that's why you refuse to marry Jareth?" Sarah inquired looking at the centauress. Jareth held his breath. He could not be sure how Ione would respond. She'd sent her children away for touching this subject.
"Yes, Lady Aranel. I could never be a proper Queen of the Labyrinth and especially not the Underground."
"But why?" Sarah pressed somewhat confused.
"Aranel..." Jareth warned quietly.
"Let her ask, Jareth. She has a right to know for she is involved as you are." Ione took a deep breath. "Lady Aranel, do you remember the night I showed you right before the climax between Jareth and Taureth?" Jareth looked confused, but Sarah slowly nodded her head. "I am a warrioress, Lady Aranel. My extent of leadership is in battles and patrols. The Knights is where I excel. I am a follower of commands. Either the head of our order or the King gives me the information I need to know. I may be able to strategize a battle plan, Lady Aranel, but you will rarely find me attending a ball or organizing a treaty. I cannot match Jareth in spirit. I am too easily swayed by him." Ione's hand fell to the muscled equine chest below her human abdomen. "Then there is the issue of race. I am a centauress, and while I grant you I would rather see a descendant of Chiron on the throne than that of the clouds, we are not made to rule. My kind are designed to be warriors and teachers; we are made to be loyal. If I were to become Queen of the Underground, Apollo would be the next in line for the throne. This would stop the millennial tradition of the Faye rule of the Underground. I don't believe I need to tell you that this would not go over well with the ruling class, which is primarily Faye."
"You've thought this through thoroughly, Ione. You deserve much respect for this."
"Thank you, Lady Aranel. I shall cherish your respect, but you still have not answered Jareth's question." Ione smiled as she reminded Sarah of the true question at hand.
"What you ask is indeed a deep request," Sarah replied as she faced Jareth again. "But I believe I am ready for courtship." Ione smiled and slowly faded as she left the couple alone. They would appreciate the privacy she knew though they had not asked.