Emancipation and Anarchy
Chapter Six: Not Materialistic
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"What the hell are you doing here Goblin King?" Sarah demanded, deadly.
How could she not even have realised he was here? How long had he been here? Why am I interrogating him like this? The kind Sarah asked. He bought you to Jamie and treated you like a guest with this massive and obviously important room. Even after I defeated his Labyrinth. You owe him an apology.
No, I don't! The new, hard Sarah injected bitterly. Once again he has just walked into my life, this time stealing my Daughter instead of my Brother. He probably just bought you here direct to spare himself the humiliation of his 'oh so' invincible Labyrinth being defeated again.
Either way, the kind Sarah pointed out, I will find out his motives before I judge him. Surely he is not still the arrogant, taunting Fae who stole my Brother away. He probably just treated my like that because I was an annoying, whining teenager.
Oh yeah right, said the newer Sarah. And the day that happens you'll find yourself walking on the ceiling!
Oh shut up please! The old Sarah whined.
No! Why don't you!...
XxX
Oblivious to this private argument being waged in Sarah's head, Jareth stared at the glass shards on his hands in shock. In the 12th human century (I will use mortal years for easier understandings sake) this red glass bottle had been commissioned by his uncle to honour the allegiance formed between the Goblin and Gypsy people of Gnomel and the dwarf kingdom of Cremais. The dwarfs, master craftsmen, famous glass blowers and mildly magical creatures, had created it to reflect light dependant on the onlooker's mood. It also reflects light and hope on the gloomiest of days.
Because the glass had been melded to the magic that wasn't his own, Jareth couldn't repair it. And now he held it in pieces. Gulp. He glanced at Sarah; her face was amazingly calm and poised. In spite of himself he couldn't help but be in awe of this new skill she had developed. But…The bottle. She didn't even know what she had done. He looked at it again. Gulp. He wasn't even going to try and explain the magnitude of what she had done to her now. She'd probably just throw another bottle just to prove her point about him deserving it for invading her privacy. He looked up. Jamie seemed to be warning him not to do anything deeming stupid with her eyes. Smart kid.
"I just came to invite you to lunch."
He needed to get out of here quickly, and none are as good at getting out of bad situations with angry females as the Goblin King.
"I'll come and get you at 12:00am" then he made his disappearance, glass still on his hands, as fast as Fae possible.
xXx
Jamie smiled. Yup, that guy was quick. Even I couldn't have made a faster get away. Why does Mummy hate him? Does she hate him? Something is going on between the goblin king and mummy that doesn't quiet equal right. Kinda like one of those pokemon duels I see on TV after school going on right over my head. She decided she liked the Goblin king, and she was going to get to the bottom of this….With or without help.
XxX
Sarah sighed and looked down at her watch, still out of wack from earth times. On earth it was 11pm. In the underground it would be 11am. Time to get up. Wiping the blankets off she stood….. And almost feel flat on her face. Pulling herself she was confronted by an anxious Jamie. Writing a reassuring, but falsely reassuring look on her face she began to explain yesterday's escapades. When she finished she looked back at Jamie. Jamie raised an eyebrow, looking frighteningly similar to herself.
"Why?" was all she asked.
Sarah groaned. "Honestly? I don't know. I've just been so angry recently with your daddy-"
"He's not my father" Jamie snapped icily.
Sarah didn't exactly complain. It was probably better for Jamie to isolate herself from that man, just like she had done with her own mother.
Instead she continued "and the thought of losing you drove me over the edge."
Jamie didn't look overly satisfied, but instead gave her a hug. "C'mon old woman" she teased, offering a shoulder for support.
Sarah squeaked in outrage. "Old woman!" she stuck her tongue out at Jamie, but leaned on her anyway. Walking a three legged race over to the door Sarah had last night identified as the Wardrobe. Sarah loved being around Jamie. Sometimes it felt like she was a carefree teen again (or had been before Labyrinth and an un-named individual with spiky hair), and often wondered who was really the Mother and who was the Daughter. Together they opened the magnetic doors and gaped.
Rows and rows upon rows of clothes packed rails stretched out on either side, four on each side. The ones facing Jamie seemed smaller, designed for her in styles she liked. The same could be said for Sarah's side. "I am not materialistic. I am not materialistic…" Sarah murmured.
Elegant dresses of all types for all occasions. They were obviously not humanly made. Pretty skirts, endless Jackets, Tops, shirts of every kind imaginable…. It seemed to defy description. Someone had made an effort to supply her with earth and underground style clothes. Slowly Sarah walked to the end of the massive room. At the end there were racks and cabinets of millions of accessories. Hats, Gloves, Shoes, Bags, Jewellery, Sunglasses, Scarfs….Practically everything imaginable for a lunch appointment with a Goblin King.
Had Sarah been a material girl (and she firmly believed she was not) she could have lived here for eternity quiet easily. However, having more depth then a wet napkin she just managed to withhold from screaming 'all mine!' However, she was defiantly still female, and (as a general consensus) females love to accessorise. Many a male mind has tried to understand the complexities of the female mind and has either gone mad, become Homosexual or much, much worse.
Shuffling through the massive racks, Sarah finally appeared with a tan/brown peasant skirt that seemed to float in the wind with all the hues of earth. It had a small fresco of a curling jasmine vine that seemed to move and grow. She had a fitting stretchy top that seemed to be only brushed with pink fairy dust that moved. It didn't look quite real, but when she put it on it seemed to mould effortlessly to her every curve and contour, Falling just off the shoulder.
Considering she had no idea where Jareth intended to have lunch she also grabbed a long black jacket that shimmered with amethyst fire and was incredibly light. Slipping her feet into flat heeled white sandals she added a single silver bracelet to her wrist. Brushing her long chocolate hair into something resembling order she secured it behind her ears with two jewelled pins. She never was one for overloading her self with jewellery, going for the 'less is more' concept. The idea of waving mascara anywhere near the vicinity of her eye seemed slightly dangerous so instead she went au natural.
Herself sorted she turned to Jamie, and laughed. Jamie had somehow caused a clothes-avalanche and was pinned to the floor by a mountain of spilled items. Freeing her from her captivity they chose a floral Jamaican style summer dress, lime green white. Sounds unusual but looked awesome and strangely suited her slanting stormy eyes, so like Sarah's. Sighing in satisfaction they exited the wardrobe.
Sarah shoved all thoughts of her upcoming lunch appointment as Jamie scrambled over to the massive mirrors that had appeared lining the walls, doing a impromptu catwalk imitation and pout. She almost missed a light but distinct knock on the giant and unidentifiable wooden doors. Calming her racing heart she waved Jamie over and walked in her most carefree stroll to the door. Jareth was dressed as per usual, this time with a black glittering cape on. She hadn't come close to expecting him to change.
He grinned mischievously. "Good, I see you found the wardrobe."
Sarah gulped guiltily thinking of the clothes avalanche awaiting removal. She sincerely hoped Raewyn wouldn't have to be the one to tidy up their mess. "You could say that" she admitted.
"Well then" Jareth said, suspiciously cheerful. "Where would you like lunch? In the country or in the Goblin city."
Sarah felt a headache coming on at the very thought of the rakus goblins running amok and blanched. "Maybe the goblin city some other time" Sarah started quickly, cutting through Jamie's plea of the goblin city. Jareth looked faintly amused and grinned, sensing her discomfort. "Well then" the continued, offering Sarah his arm. Sarah latched on tightly to Jamie and looked hesitantly at Jareth. A faint smile played on her lips as she gently rested her hand on his arm. Then everything started dancing.
Mountains were the first thing that hit Sarah, towering and jagged onyx, piercing the pure azure sky. They seemed to fall directly into the deep, opaque aqua lake. On the far edge seemed to be a forest; the underground equivalent of pine? Sarah wondered. Pretty wild flowers raged the steep bank Sarah seemed to have found herself in, though her vicinity was coated in a translucent powder. Guess who? Crocus, Trillion etc danced in the light, warm breeze. It seemed to remind Sarah of the Canadian Rockies, of those beautiful postcards of impossibly perfect settings where no weak willed human notion ruled. It seemed similar, but seemed distinctly not humanoid like. It would take me forever to express this place that seemed to drink in simple joy I have to cut it short.
"Wow" Sarah breathed. Looking up at Jareth she smiled and flicked her hair over her shoulder, before trying desperately to see and digest everything at once. "Are we in Canada?" she asked after a moments thought. She couldn't quite keep the excitement out of her voice. When times with Jessie had got to bad, and she couldn't bear to pierce herself with all the 'could-have-beens' of Labyrinth she had secured herself in a place, free of anything put herself; very similar to this.
Jareth just grinned displaying his white pointy teeth. He led her up the bank, somehow managing to retain his grace and floating elegance as Sarah and Jamie clambered up beside him. Jamie pulled frantically on Sarah's sleeve. "Can I please go swimming, mummy? Preeetttty pleeeaaaseeee!" Sarah's optimissim returned and she grinned. It was amazing the effect Jamie had her. "maybe later." If Jamie was so like her when she was a child, how much had Sarah changed? If so, what had made her change? Rubbing her Forehead she wished sincerely that she could just put all her queries and questions into a box and bury it six feet deep.
A large picnic table was resting on the grass flat over the rise. Of course, it wasn't just an ordinary earth table you find dime a dozen in the parks and gardens. Difference; 1) Most picnic tables don't have huge plush red satin cushions. 2) this table was about four meters long, or so Sarah guessed, and piled high with a phenomenal amount of 'Earth food' (Fruit, Sandwiches, Sushi, Salad ect.) and 'Unidentifiable-most-likely-Underground-foods-that look-a-step-left-of-normal'. Sarah felt her stomach contract at the thought of food. She didn't really care if it looked 'a-step-left-of-normal'.
If Jareth served underground food, he probably meant to communicate with her some message he didn't dare to tell to her face, a part of Sarah commented.
Or he could just like it more than earth food, the old Sarah pointed out.
Are you kidding! Even he would prefer normal food to that…. Stuff?.
Oh yes. And what exactly is your description of normal? The old Sarah questioned triumphantly. Sarah groaned. Either way, she wasn't picky.
xXx
Jareth guided them to the table. He wondered how Sarah would react to the meal. He was also hoping this would give him some indication on wether to broach some tender subjects. Key word here; hoping. Sarah was difficult to read and interpret at the best of times. Seating them both on one the side of the table so they could see the lake and mountains. It reality they were in the realm of Shecil, north-east from his own kingdom. It was a small portion on the boundary with Tamir that wasn't underwater. This area was uninhabitable most of the year and the water had high concentrations of Iron. OK to swim in for a short amount of time, but the Mer-people and other Underground creatures had bad reactions if had high exposure for a long time.
Sarah was still looking 'round with avid curiosity, trying to find reasons, clearer understanding of her location and situation. She eyed the food suspiciously. Jamie was swinging her small legs impatiently, not quite reaching the ground. Pulling his demure expression on he carefully positioned himself on the other side. He couldn't help but stare a Sarah. When Sarah realised she was being watched, she stared back, daring him to start a snowball conversation. How dare she think to challenge him? The continued to stare back, determinedly stubborn. Nether had any intention on being the one to give in first and accept the dominance of the other. Jareth scrutinised her closely. Expressionless face, fiery eyes, hair being tousled by the wind, damn that t-shirt looked good on her… Stop it! he mentally prodded himself. Eventually it was Jamie who broke the silence with a very relevant question.
"What is this?" She directed at Jareth, pointing at some dark, cherry red jelly-like substance.
"Good question" Jareth grinned. He knew how much Sarah hated non-answers. He concealed his amusement; Jamie seemed to be exactly the same. He formed three crystal bowls in his hands and briskly served some out with a unusual spoon contraption. Gracefully he extended them to Sarah and Jamie. Jamie immediately dug in but Sarah just looked at it suspiciously.
"Trust me, when I want revenge for losing my eyebrows, I'll make it far better than this." He smirked.
Apparently she believed this, because she took the offered teaspoon and scooped up a bit so small Jareth was surprised she could even see it, led alone taste it. Human's taste buds were incredibly weak, after all. It looked to have the condensity of a hapless jellyfish stranded on a beach. She hesitantly tasted a it, eyes closing against the upcoming experience. Jareth watched her intrigued. Suddenly her eyes widened "It's really, really good! It tastes like fresh raspberry with a spray of mint…." Jareth opened his mouth to speak but before he could form more than a syllable Sarah cut him off. "I don't want to know what it's made of. I am perfectly content being ignorant on this front, so don't even think of telling me!" Jareth actually laughed. He was in safe territory; the question was, for how long?
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A/N please reviw on the way out. I might not continue this FanFic.