One sits the whole day at the desk and appetite is standing next to me. "Away with you," I say. But Comrade Appetite does not budge from the spot. Leonid I. Brezhnev
I cook with wine; sometimes I even add it to the food. W.C. Fields
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hoggle raised his bushy eyebrows, "Missy we have to take action, who knows what might happen next and too much is at stake." Sobered by the Toad's words Sarah quickly agreed, "I'm with you Hoggle. I've got to talk to Jareth as soon as possible and get that witch away from him. Ok, how do I get some time with him, any suggestions?" Hoggle offered, "Hows about asking for it in a note?" Sarah's eyes lit up, "Great idea, I'll ask to meet with him." Hoggle added, "I'll helps yous write it, its got to be formal like."
Jareth leaned on a tree just outside the Forest of Illusions trying to sort through his emotions and regain himself. Overwhelmed by what he just witnessed he was building a wall to shut the experience off from the rest of his mind. He knew the compartment in his head called "Helena" would periodically haunt him for the rest of his life. He pitied her deeply and hoped the flute he left would give her some small respite from the endless torment. Standing upright he banished "Helena" behind the mental barrier and moved his mind on to the other matters at hand.
The next consideration was the choice he had to make. Until now Jareth had the luxury of dancing on both sides of the coin and for different reasons enjoyed each. The light gave him humor and strength while darkness gave him cruelty and power. Searching himself he could not answer which he would choose at this moment. To make such a decision he would need to know and reflect on what he would stand to gain and lose. He knew the answers to those questions were coming soon enough and he could wait until then.
Last, but not least, he was furious with Sarah and Hoggle for their deception. Jareth paced in agitation. "How dare they try to trick me? And I was concerned she might die? I felt guilty for not getting there sooner?" The more he thought about it the angrier he became. At first he was going to beeline for the castle and throw her and that Higgle person right into an oubliette - no a dungeon - no, no - too good for them - a year or two with that yappy knight guarding the bog ought to straighten them out - perhaps they might even accidentally fall in – with a little push.
Jareth stopped pacing, raised one eyebrow and slowly smiled. The sight was enough to make a mother's blood run cold as his mind contemplated an even more ingenious plan...two could play at this game and he was a master at it.
Sarah was ravenously eating from both hands when a goblin came to the door with a pen and some writing paper. She was not willing to put down the pear she held in one hand or meat in the other so Hoggle took the writing implements from the goblin a placed them on the vanity. Sarah held up her index finger indicating, "wait a minute" and took a good bite of the pear and meat before laying the uneaten portions back on the tray. Wiping her hands on her blue jeans and still chewing she sat down at the vanity to write. Pen poised above the paper she finally swallowed and asked, "Do I start this with Dear Goblin King?"
Hoggle shuffled over so he was looking over her right shoulder, "Yers address him Yer Royal Highness or Yer Majesty. Sarah's hand wrote Your Royal Highness. Hoggle continued, "I beg your royal forgiveness for being so stubborn." Sarah shook her head and wrote, "I apologize for my recent behavior." Hoggle continued, "Your overwhelming goodwill and pity on me makes me feel like a worm when I think how I treated your royalness." Sarah rolled her eyes and wrote, "I would like to thank you properly for your generosity." Hoggle scratched his head, "Missy, yous ain't writing what I'm saying." Sarah shrugged, "Yes I am but I'm putting it in Aboveground phraseology. We don't want him to think you composed the letter, now do we?" Hoggle shook his head. "Continue" Sarah said waiting for his next sentence. "On bended knees I would like to tell my king hows sorry I am to speak such treasousness words to you."
Sarah shot Hoggle a sharp over the shoulder look, "My king?... he's not my king.... he's your king." Hoggle slowly backed up and gave her his best innocent face. Sarah stood up and frowned down at him, "What don't I know Hoggle?" The dwarf hesitated, "Er..Sarah..as long as yous are in his lands he is your king..it's..." Sarah interrupted finishing the sentence, "the rules." Sarah flopped back down into the chair and groaningly asked, "So what does it mean? Can he tell me what to do and I have to do it?" Hoggle quickly replied, "Yes, but only if there were a war or something..since yous a guest it would have to be for something big...he can't just order yous around to order yous around."
Sarah grumbled low to herself, "All I can say is he'd better not try it or he'll have his first rebellion." Hoggle stepped back up, "Did yous say something?" Sarah put pen back to paper, "Nothing of importance, let's finish the note."
Jareth no sooner returned and sat on this throne when a goblin who was obviously waiting hurried up to him, "Your majesty, the girl who drinks the red potion asked that I give you this," handing over Sarah's note. Jareth opened it and read, "Your Royal Highness, I apologize for my recent behavior. I would like to thank you properly for your generosity. May I request an audience with you so I can express my appreciation in person? Sincerely, Sarah."
Jareth smirked and tossed the note aside, it disappeared before it hit the ground. He twirled his wrist and a rolled parchment appeared in his gloved hand. With a lazed smooth motion he presented it to the waiting goblin, "Give the girl my reply."
Taking the parchment from the goblin Sarah noticed it was sealed in purple wax with a serpent stamp. Breaking the seal Sarah read, "It would please me if you and Higwart would join me for dinner. Shall we say 7:00? Don't bother to dress; it will be an informal affair. A guard will escort you." Hoggle reacted, "Good, it will give us a chance to talk to him. Remember missy, no fights, we have to stop him from marrying that witch." Sarah was about to take issue with Hoggle's thinking that she couldn't control herself when another knock on the door interrupted her reply. Glasis walked in carrying "Sarah's Potion," it now had a name of it's own. Seeing she was up, dressed and with a much more acceptable pallor he congratulated himself on his fine healer qualities. "Well, Sarah, you look much better, how do you feel?" Sarah smiled at Glasis then grimaced at the glass he carried.
At 7:00 there was a knock on the door. A goblin voice said, "His majesty requests the honour of your presence at dinner, I am to escort you both there right now." Relieved from the trial of waiting, Sarah and Hoggle quickly followed the guard to the royal dining room. Sarah learned Jareth didn't eat with the goblins; their table manners spoiled his appetite. The guard knocked on the door and Jareth's voice called out, "Well? Come in." The door opened to a smallish richly adorned room draped with banners and tapestries. A fireplace blazed on one wall making the space cozy and inviting. His majesty stood in front the fire with his gloved hands held behind his back. Upon seeing it was Hoggle and Sarah that entered he gracefully stepped forward and politely said, "Ah, there you both are, come in and join me."
Walking up to Sarah he lightly bowed then led her to her chair and helped her seat. He indicated Hoggle to his seat, as he elegantly took his own. Methodically pouring wine for the three of them he said, "We have many things to discuss, but I make it a rule to leave important matters until after dinner. Please, let us converse and amuse ourselves until then." With a practiced silent gesture he commanded that dinner be served.
Sarah and Hoggle exchanged glances over the table as a goblin brought in the first course, an appetizer of carrow leaves and strawberries mixed in walnut oil. Before they could begin to eat Jareth raised his goblet and said, "I would like to propose a toast to Sonya, my beautiful bride to be." Sarah and Hoggle hesitated then reluctantly raised their cups staring at each other. Hoggle raised his eyebrows and shifted his eyes quickly in Jareth's direction and back at Sarah. Jareth of course pretended not to notice anything.
They all took a sip and put their goblets down. Sarah took the plunge, "Your majesty, I have not had the honor of meeting your fiancé, what is she like?" Jareth smiled in pure delight, his face beamed, "Unfortunately she could not be here tonight so you could meet her for yourself. You must forgive her for she is absent for good cause. You see, we have upped the date of the wedding to tomorrow night and she gathers her trousseau as we speak. You both are honored in being the first to know."
"But..but.. that doesn't give us much time!" Hoggle loudly blurted. Then he restated in a normal tone, "I means to get yous a proper wedding gift and all." Hoggle and Sarah had not eaten a bite but the Goblin King seemed to take no notice as he gestured for the second course to be served. Sarah and Hoggle's eyes were riveted on Jareth as the first course was taken away and the second one installed in front of them; wild mushroom caps with melted sweet cheese. Sarah's stomach growled and she unconsciously started eating but not really tasting the food at first, "But what about your subjects? Won't they be disappointed not to have all the pageantry of a royal wedding? By the way, these are really good." She said pointing to the mushrooms. Hoggle glared at her. "I mean, maybe you are rushing things." She recovered then drank some more wine.
Jareth was having the time of his life. "Oh, I don't think so." He drawled as he lazily poured more into her glass, "Besides, I've waited for my wedding night long enough." Then he added in a low voice, "If you know what I mean." Hoggle and Sarah took their goblets and drank deeply. Jareth smirked as he gestured for another course and gracefully poured more wine.
Sarah was starting to feel warm and a little bold. "All I know is her majesty might one day regret a rushed wedding. It's such a special day.... for the bride." Her voice trailed off as her eyes left Jareth and followed the sight of the main course, broiled hens in cherry sauce. Hoggle smacked his head and Jareth glanced at him, Hoggle waved his hand and deadpanned, "Fly."
Sarah was busy eating, stopping only briefly to drink more wine. It was obvious her concentration was on dinner and the Goblin King wasn't even on the list. Amused Jareth wanted to see if he could get her attention, "So tell me Sarah, what kind of wedding would you have if you were marrying me?" Sarah almost choked on her drink. She gulped and looked at the fuzzy Goblin King, "What?" Jareth leaned back in his chair intensely watching her over steepled fingers; "You've piqued my curiosity, what kind of wedding would be – as you so charmingly put it, "special?"