Chapter Twelve
The police submitted no information to Tara, and so she resolved to simply search the old fashioned way. While there she went through the phone book at the pay phone, but there was no Cryssandra Belli listed. The Belli -industries- however, was.
She dialed the number, and pressed the phone irritably to her ear, watching Xanthe as she listened to it ring. The little girl was currently sitting beside one of the larger of the officers, and chatting merily with him as she eyed the donuts on his desk. This, of course, was an action that the officer refused to acknowledge. That way, he didn't have to hand any over to the child.
"Hello?" Tara asked hopefully as a monotonous woman picked up the phone. "Is this Crysandra Belli"
"No," Dralled the woman, "This is Elenor of the Belli Industries of Fashionable Dresses"
"I need to talk to Crysandra Belli." Tara cut her off before she could go on to ask her to state her business. "This is urgent"
"Miss Crysandra isn't here." The woman titled Elenor yawned. "I'm sorry." The phone clicked.
Tara's jaw dropped. She'd just been hung up on for no apparent reason! She growled as the electronic voice asked her for two more dimes, and she slammed the phone back onto the reciever. She blinked, and lept back as it began ringing.
She glanced at the other officers, who seemed to hear nothing before picking the phone back up, and putting it cautiously to her ear. She felt like she was in some old horror movie, and half expected to hear something about a murderer being on the second floor of her house! Instead, it was a familiar voice on the end of the line. High pitched, and shakey.
"Lady Tara?" Asked the Goblin, "Is this Lady Tara"
"This is Tara." The girl muttered, amazed, and wide eyed. She glanced again around her at the officers who still noticed nothing.
"Give me that." She heard Jareth demand on the other end, and then he spoke to her. "Tara, you are quite alright I presume?" Despite his attempts to keep his voice emotionless, he couldn't hide the sigh he gave out when she assured him that she was.
"Why haven't you taken us back to the--" She glanced around her at the people, "back home? Do you think we enjoy running away from--" another glance, "people at all manners of the day"
"You are wearing the pendant?"
Tara looked down at her chest where, indeed, the beautful pendant rested. "Yeah." She confirmed moodily.
"They will not touch you"
"But why haven't you brought us back?" She demanded, probably louder than she should have. "You're supposed to be protecting us, aren't you! You're the ones they hate, they don't need to take it out on us!" She was taking the needed opportunity to rant. "Because of you my entire world has been turned upside down"
"Yell on, pet." He cooed almost boredly, "I'm sure you want the knights around you to hear"
"Knights!" Tara retorted, "KNIGHTS!" She shook it off, and hung up the phone. It merely rung again. She hmphed, and turned away from it, and grabbed Xanthe's hand, as well as two donuts, in passing. The little girls eyes lit up as one sugary pastery was handed to her, phone still ringing as the cop stared after them. "Well... guess you can have a couple." He muttered dismisively, too lazy to persue such a trivial matter as stolen donuts.
"Tara?" Xanthe asked curiously, glancing at her aunt as they climbed into the car. "Why are you angry"
"Heh." Was Tara's only response as she turned on the car. The radio flipped on, and Jareth's voice overcame the music that would have played.
"You have to listen to me sooner or later pet, and I'm sure you would prefer sooner"
"UGH!" Tara cried out, and changed the radio channel, but it was no different from the first. She tried turning the radio off, but it wouldn't go. All the while Jareth waited patiently.
"Are you finished?" He questioned elegantly as she leaned back in her chair and resolved to simply glare at the traitorous device. She could just imagine him lounging in his filthy throne and twirling three crystals in his fingers. Three alone, because one had come to her, and she was dreaming all of this.
"I hate you." She snapped, and hit the gas, deciding that she might as well drive as he talked. She nearly ran into the police station, having shifted into reverse by mistake, and growled. Changing to drive, she sped out of the parking lot, not caring whether or not she was stalked down just to get a ticket. She could rant to them about how the goblin king wouldn't leave her alone. Could elves get into insane asylums?
"I am sure." Stated the king, sounding amused, "But I expect that to change shortly"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Tara retorted, temper high, and brave in her rage.
"It means I am about to help you, dearest Tara." He stated as if stifling a laugh. "My observers"
"You mean your goblin SPIES." She corrected bitterly, and this time he did laugh-- as did Xanthe. Tara grit her teeth together, and narrowed her eyes on the road.
"My observers," He went on as if he hadn't been interupted, "Have found the third piece of the trinity"
"Whoopdy do." She grumbled, "So have we. Wow. What a coincidence"
"Tara, be quiet and let me speak." She opened her mouth to protest, but found herself unable. She learned then that his magic wasn't limitted to the underground. "Ah, how nice." He mused, "Now, as I was saying. We have found the third piece of the trinity, and have tracked her down to the building she is about to enter. I believe that your power combined will be enough to transport you back to the underground.
"On that note, it is a very unfortunate thing that it is the Elves, for the most part, control the boundaries between dimensions. They seem to have closed off the underground from the aboveground, so there is nothing I can do to assist you, but offer my guidance.
"You should be advised that there are more dimensions than simply the above ground and the under ground. The Elven Empire has threatened to open the gates to these dimensions. The pendant you wear is designed to give you strength against elves, but will do nothing against the creatures of the middle ground, the elusive ground, and the permanant ground. I suggest you begin training as soon as possible.
"I will give you the knowlege of the girls whereabouts, and I will appear to her to insure that she will accept you into her quite hidden abode. Good luck"
The moment Tara was allowed to speak again was the moment that the radio clicked itself off. She sighed, and closed her eyes for a moment, mumbling to herself as she opened them again and glared straight ahead.
"Isn't this fun!" Asked Xanthe, sounding absolutely delighted. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the older girl, and she grinned.
"Yeah. Fun."
"Oh my god!" Crys cried out, leaning away from her mirror as the form of an amused man appeared where her reflection had once been. She dropped her brush to the floor of the limosine she was sitting, alone, in the back of. Once the initial shock had warn off, her curiosity took over her, and she leaned toward the image, wide eyed. Jareth was quite a hansom man indeed, but with features too sharp for her liking.
She hmphed expertly, and gracefully snatched her brush from off the floor. She resumed the brushing of her hair.
"Hello, Crysandra." Jareth drawled, finding the scene rather amusing.
"Hello." She muttered indifferently.
"I am Jareth, the"
"Goblin king, I know." She rolled her eyes up to look at the mirror hanging off the ceiling. She smirked back at him as he grinned. "I take it you're here about this." She set her brush down carefully, and lifted her magenta coat sleeve away from her wrist, revealing what appeared too dark to be a burn, or birthmark, but too natural to be a tattoo. It was a design of some sort.
"Not today." He stated, amused. "Please, I mean you no harm. Put the mask down"
"Finally." Crys muttered without hesitation, and slouched in her seat, glancing out the windows first to ensure that none had seen her. "So what -do- you want if this isn't some strange questioning thingy about that thing"
"I have a favor to ask of you." He stated calmly, taking a moment to look over her relaxed position. "A woman and a child will be coming to your door shortly after you do. I would appreciate it if you looked out for them. Their names are"
"Tara Hamilton, and Xanthe Figeroa." Crys cut him off almost boredly. She followed the prediction with a wicked grin.
"Indeed." He stated with a grin of his own.
"They won't be turned away." She stated, stretching. "They need shelter, right? From the wierd blonde haired people that won't leave them alone." She paused, and added a bitter, "Or me, I might add." She shrugged, "They've never come to the mansion before. The girls'll be fine"
"I have one more request." The goblin king stated.
"Help them get back to the underground." She predicted again, and her grin broadened. "Sorry, I can't help myself some times. I've been having visions since this thingy appeared. Heard you talking to Tara. She doesn't like you much, does she"
"I believe she is upset at the moment"
She paused "Can't see why. I think I'd be overjoyed if I was wanted in the Goblin Kingdom that much. Or by the Goblin King that much, for that matter. Oh, but then she doesn't realize how much you feel for her." A pause, "Nor do you. Oops. Guess I let too much slide." She shrugged, and whipped out a lollipop.
He blinked at her, staring.
"You can go now." She stated with a grin, and closed the mirror. Ah, to play the matchmaker!
Authors Notes: Okay. Somewhere along the line, this chapter went poof, so I had to erase what is now chapter thirteen to put THIS in. Sorry to anyone who read chapter thirteen over the month or so of my inactivity and noticed a rather unusual jump. Here's the missing piece.
Reviews are appreciated!
