Chapter Three
Magic Coco Butter, Mutes and Pepper
The three of them came to the dining room though Piper only made it halfway through because she stood in shock at how enormous it was.
"You eat in here?" she asked an Jareth nodded.
"Yes," he smirked "the servants and myself use this room to eat in."
"Oh," she nodded "I thought maybe you just used it." She looked around at the marble flooring and the large table at the center of the room lit with candles.
"That'd be kind of silly wouldn't it?" he asked "me having this huge dining hall and eating here all alone."
"I guess," she breathed and he pulled a chair out for her. She smiled and took a seat, she really wasn't used to all this. Daniel was placed in a seat beside her and Jareth watched them both look around in amazement. "Your magick aren't you?"
"Me?" he asked and she nodded. "Well, yes, I suppose you can say that."
"But," she paused "what exactly are you? I mean, you don't look like a goblin."
"I suppose you think goblins are ill behaved creatures," he sighed "with no brains or intelligent whatsoever, right?"
"No," she admitted "I can't tell you anything about a goblin's personality, since I've never met one. But my grandpa told me that he didn't think you were a goblin because you didn't look or act like one, so I'm just asking." He admired how she thought of things, she couldn't judge anything until she knew for herself and everything seemed to have an off twist with her.
"I suppose its hard to explain," he muttered "I'm goblin, just not, all goblin."
"Oh," she nodded "I see." She shut her mouth after that, she didn't want to blankly say, oh, your mixed because some people were sensitive about things like that.
"And what are you?" he mused.
"Human," she said blankly "unless there's something I don't know. But from what I do know, I'm human." A few small goblins brought out food and set it in front of them and first thing Piper did was fix the food for Daniel. Jareth watched her gave the boy a plate first, then fix on herself. The young boy folded his hands into one another and bowed his head as did the girl. "Thank you for this food we've been given," Piper said quietly "and thank you for us being safe and comfortable and together. And thank you for Jareth who saved us. Amen."
"Is," Jareth started and the girl jumped a little "that something all humans do before eating?"
"Uh," she paused "some do I guess. Me and Daniel have been doing it since the night mom left him with us."
"Why?" Jareth asked as they finally started eating.
"Well," Piper swallowed "we never had an actual… religion. So we just sort of prayed to whoever listens."
"And this helps?" he asked.
"Gives hope," she shrugged "I pray when something really bad is going on. Which… was most of the time. Or when something really good happens."
"And you don't know what or who your praying to," he smirked.
"Nope," she smiled "but on good days I figure whatever it is, can't be too bad."
"Pepper," Daniel breathed and Piper's eyes widened as she looked at the small boy. "Pepper!" Piper covered her mouth with her hands and looked from the toddler to Jareth with shock.
"Piper," she sounded it out "PIE-PER."
"Pepper," the boy laughed and she hugged him nonetheless.
"Close enough," she smiled and Jareth watched them both.
"Can he not speak?" he asked after they'd both calmed down.
"He's never talked before," she breathed "never. He's always been too afraid." They finished eating and Jareth watched Piper as she cradled the young boy in her arms.
"Tomorrow," Jareth started "you will rest and then the day after you shall work for me." Piper looked up, her mouth open slightly in wither shock or confusion, a lot like… he blinked the idea away.
"You mean," she paused "I'll be a servant."
"Well," he shook his head "I wouldn't say that exactly. There are five other humans that I've taken in that work for me, cleaning, cooking and taking care of the children that are wished away. And I'll-"
"You mean you don't turn them into goblins?" she blurted out and Jareth laughed.
"Of course not," he chuckled "you can't believe everything you read you know." Understanding she nodded and he continued. "I will pay a small salary to you every week, and provide you with clothing, food and shelter. Is that generous enough?"
"Oh yes," she nodded "very. Thank you so much, I don't know how to tell you how much this means to me, to us." He laughed at her earnestly, it was nothing, really, but to her it was everything.
"Just," he paused "do what I ask and that'll be enough." The girl nodded and he got up, as did she. She took the babe in her arms and followed Jareth to a long hall full of doors. She set Daniel down on the stone floor since he was wriggling around to much. "Alright," he breathed "the first door is the nursery, the second one is yours. Most other doors are the other servants. The goblin servants quarters are down the hall, be wary, they can be quiet loud but I've warned them to be quiet in this hallway because of the babes. We have four children, they are five, three, one and seven years of age. Now Daniel may sleep in the nursery, most children do until they reach the age of ten and then are given a room of their own."
"Alright," Piper nodded and Jareth turned to leave.
"I'll send someone for you at lunch tomorrow," he explained and lingered a moment for Piper to say something. Before Piper could grab him, Daniel took a firm hold of Jareth's leg and hugged him for dear life. Jareth looked a little taken aback and Piper giggled a little and managed to pull Daniel off of him.
"Sorry," she smirked "he's a little emotional." Jareth merely nodded and left them there. Piper took Daniel in her arms once more and opened the first door in the hall. A large stained glass window was at the other end of the room, glass roses and vines made their way up the window and hinged together alone with various odd colors like lilac, indigo and jade. Five beds were made up, two of them cribs, the other three children's beds. A young boy looked up quickly as Piper entered the room. He smiled at her.
"Hi," she said "Do you work here?" The boy nodded and motioned to a crib for the boy. "Oh," she smiled "thanks." She kissed Daniel on top of the head and lay him in the crib. "Night, sleep well, alright?" He just yawned sleepily at her and closed his eyes. She turned back to the boy. "What's your name?" He covered his mouth and waved his hands around. "Can't you talk?" He shook his head. "Don't you know sign language?" He nodded. "Then what's your name?"
My name is Luther, he signed quickly are you going to work here too? Piper nodded. Good. There are five other human servants and a few goblin ones. Three of them are girls, Becky who's twelve, Eeva who's sixteen and Sonya who's nineteen. Two are boys, me and Freddy. He's eighteen and I'm seventeen. Freddy is gay by the way. Piper laughed.
"I'm Piper and that's my brother Daniel, he's two," she smiled "I'm sixteen." The boy nodded.
I'm glad you understand me, he signed no one else knows sign language. I talk to Jareth a lot though, only because he can read minds.
"He can?!" Piper worried a little, what if she thought something that made him mad or…
No, no, Luther's expression was a laid back one he won't read your mind unless you give him permission. He's cool that way. Piper smiled and Luther looked at her neck. Come from a bad home?
"You could say that," she shrugged "you could also say I fell down a flight of stairs. That's what I was planning on telling everyone."
Well, he paused a moment I think there might be some coco butter in your bathroom and if you put that on the bruises they'll go away.
"Thanks," she smiled shyly.
No problem, he looked around at the sleeping kids you might want to get some rest. Goblins will probably want to meet you once they wake in the morning so, don't be surprised if they come barging in your room at four. Piper chuckled a bit and nodded as he waved her away. She slipped out the door and slipped into her new room. A smile crept across her face as she walked to the center of the room. A fire had been started in the hearth, in front of it was a soft green-blue rug. Her bed was a good size, with a beautiful headboard with carvings of goblins and other creatures she'd never even seen before. She had a bookshelf that was a little shorter than two of her, a dresser, a bathroom, and a closet. Damn, she thought to herself this is what he gives servants? I'd hate to be a guest here. She took Luther's advice and searched her bathroom and actually did fine coco butter. She put it on all visible bruises and as she rubbed it in, it seemed like the black markings just rubbed away. She read the bottle:
Comforting
Vanilla. Coconut. Basmati rice. And a touch of soft sandalwood. Together they're the inspiration for this rich and cozy sent.
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Miracle Oil, Snakes, Snails, Puppy Dog Tails, Thunder, Lightning, Something Frightening, Vanilla, Coconut, Basmati Rice, Sandalwood, Honey, and a lot of other words you probably can't pronounce.
Piper set the bottle down, wishing she hadn't read it in the first place. She shrugged it off and walked back into her room and saw that a dark green pair of pajamas had been left on her bed. She looked around, cautiously scanning her room for whoever might have left it there for her. But she kept in mind, things here were magick and not everything was going to be explained. She slipped off her old clothing and put on her nightclothes. She folded her old things and went back into the bathroom and set them on the sink. She came back out and sat on her bed. She smiled, she never had her own bed before.
Slowly, she covered herself up with the soft warm comforter and clicked off the lamp, though the fire still burned. For the first time in eleven years, she could sleep without being afraid. She clicked on her light once more and knelt by her bed and folded her hands.
"Alright whoever," Piper whispered "I asked for a break, and now I got it. And I know you're the one giving me this break but I ask to bless (or whatever you do) Jareth because, he's the one providing me with everything. So, just, if he's not happy with something maybe straighten it out for him, you know, karma and stuff." She looked up at the ceiling and smiled "amen." She soon crawled back into bed and covered herself back up. Turned to one side she quickly fell asleep, though she wished that she could stay awake to ponder the day's events. It was possibly the best sleep she'd gotten in forever. That is, until the goblins woke her.
Author's Note:
Acantha Mardivey: yes, I did update! Thanx a lot. I'll hurry and write.
Chaimera: Dynamic… wow… no one has used that word yet! Cool, thanks.
LadyAniviel: oh, you'll see what happens. Sarah's gonna have a good part in here, but… yeah, should be interesting.
