Sara awoke with that strange feeling when you cannot remember what you dreamed of. She had a moment of confused panic when she didn't recognize her surroundings, but quickly remembered she was in the Goblin castle. She also remembered that today was the day she was going to see Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Diddymus and Ambrosius. She dressed quickly in a simple blue summer dress and sandals and hurried through the castle in search of Jareth.
She peeked into several rooms, hoping to find him, but had no such luck. Finally she gave up and decided to go outside, reasoning that he would find her if her friends arrived.
Outside, a fine mist covered the ground and the air was crisp and cold. Sara was reminded of lazy summer days spend at her cottage watching the morning fog that rolled in from the lake dissipate as it was pierced with sunlight. She wandered over to a flower garden and sat on a stone bench that looked out over a pond. A family of swans glided across the mirrored surface, leaving long ripples in their wake. Sara shivered a little in the cool morning air.
"There you are." said a voice behind her. Sara turned and saw Jareth standing in the path that led to the garden.
"I have news of your friends." he said, strolling towards her. He joined her on the bench. "My messengers inform me that they are in Foramene, the kingdom that lies east of here, participating in a tournament. And doing quite well, I might add. That Sir Diddymus is far more talented than he looks."
Sara laughed. That was so characteristic of Sir Diddymus, who loved nothing more than a good sword fight.
"Unfortunately, even if we send them word, it will take them a fortnight to get here." Jareth added. This was a slight exaggeration. It would take them a fortnight, on their own, but Jareth could easily get them to his kingdom much faster if he wanted to. However, he had no intention of doing this. He wasn't exactly on good terms with Sara's friends, what with chucking them in the bog of eternal stench, setting the palace guard on them,or above all, trying to steal Sara from them. They would only interfere with his plans, and he wasn't having that.
"Oh." Sara said, looking disappointed.
"We could always try it." Jareth offered. But Sara saw the logic. "No," she said, "Let them enjoy their tournament." Jareth allowed himself a inner smile of triumph. Sara sighed, her breath clouding the air, and shivered again. Jareth noticed. "It's always chilly in the mornings here, but don't worry, it warms up nicely by mid-morning. Here," he said, taking his jacket off, "take this.'
"Thanks" said Sara as she accepted the jacket and draped it over her shoulders. She watched the swans slowly circling around the still waters and felt her eyelids drooping.
x x x
Sara opened her eyes from a dreamless sleep. She was lying down on the bench, with the jacket spread across her, and Jareth was gone. She lay still for a moment, eyes still closed, savouring the warmth of the sun on her cheek. She opened her eyes and saw that a little lizard had joined her on the bench and was basking in the sunlight. Sara sat up slowly, so she wouldn't startle it, and took the jacket off because it was no longer cold. The swans were nowhere to be seen.
A clamour of voices drifted to her from the direction of the castle. Sara stood, brushed herself off, then followed them to their source. The cul de sac at the end of the main entrance to the castle was covered in carriages and coaches and people. Bedraggled-looking servants and coachmen, laden with luggage, were bustling in and out of the castle, bringing everything in as their masters oversaw. Jareth stood on the steps before the main door, welcoming guests. Sara spotted him and started towards him across the grass, shading her eyes with one hand. Jareth's back was to her, and he was deep in conversation with a man Sara didn't recognize.
The stranger wore a suit of deep marine blue, with subtle silver embroidery. He was very tall, with broad square shoulders and a muscular build. Two small, brown, softly pointed ears, like those of a cat, protruded from beneath curly chestnut hair. But as Sara neared, it was his eyes that caught her gaze. Framed by long dark lashes, they were the colour of sunbeams in shallow waters; a green so pale as to look almost clear, and a sharp contrast to his cinnamon complexion.
Feeling her gaze, the stranger looked toward her and caught her staring. Sara blushed and looked away, but not before she saw a small amused smile twitch the ends of his lips.
Jareth glanced behind himself to see what had caught his guest's attention, and spotted Sara walking towards them. "Sara." he said as she drew nearer. "Allow me to introduce you to Sanjay, the Arkaar - prince that is - of the Hidden Realm of Aerboli."
"I am pleased to make your acquaintance, your highness." Sara said, hoping that she was addressing him properly. She had never really met anyone royal before, and was unsure of the proper etiquette. She put her hand out for a shake. She tried not to look directly at Sanjay incase he was smirking over the staring. But when she snuck a glace there was only a shy, tentative smile on his face.
Sanjay took the proffered hand and bent to plant a gentle kiss. "The pleasure is mine, Lady Sara." he said in a soft voice. "And please, do not call me 'your highness'. It would shame me to hear one so fair address me so formally."
Jareth decided it was time to stop this little encounter. "Sanjay," he interjected, "We mustn't keep you any longer. You must be utterly exhausted from your long journey. I'm sure you'll want to unpack and perhaps freshen up before tonight's banquet." He turned and beckoned a nearby goblin servant.
"Pigstye" he called.
"Er, Pigsnap, your highness" corrected the terrified red goblin.
"Whatever." Jareth muttered. "Escort Arkaar Sanjay to the corner suite in the east wing." The one furthest away from Sara, he added in his head.
"Yes milord." the goblin replied before scurrying off. "Until this evening, then." Sanjay said, sweeping a bow before spinning on his heel and signaling his servants to follow the receding red goblin with him.
"Well," said Jareth, turning back to Sara, "Did you have a good nap?" he asked, a smirk twithching at his mouth.
"Oh, ah, this is yours." Sara said, remembering Jareth'sjacket.
"Yes it is." he said, taking it back. "I should probably familiarize you with a few of our guests."
"See the elderly couple over there?" he asked, pointing. Sara looked. An elegant woman, tall and thin, with wispy white hair caught up in a bun, stood talking to a round, corpulent man, who looked as though he had been born with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. He reminded Sara of countless Santa Claus pictures.
"Yes." Sara replied, nodding.
"They are queen Erin, matriarch of Kingdom Kaed, and her husband, Prince Padrick. A warmer fellow you've never met, and her highness is a very wise woman, and a dear personal friend." As Jareth told Sara this, the pair disappeared through a door. "I'm afraid I already welcomed them - you will have to wait for tonight to meet them." he said.
Jareth pointed out a man across the courtyard from them. He tall and spidery, with a shock of bright yellow hair. He had a rather large, beaky nose and an unpleasant gleam to his eyes, and wore the expression of one who had just had a lump of rotting cheese waved under his nose. Beside him stood a young pretty girl, whose gaze never strayed from her feet.
"That unpleasant-looking blond fellow" Jareth said, "Is His Esteemed Sir Wenfry Herpdunkle III, Ambassador to the Gnome King, who is a neighbor of mine. Our kingdoms aren't on the best of terms, politically speaking, so I am going to have to keep the despicable Sir Wenfry very happy if I want to avoid war. Personally, I think the Gnome King wants war, because a more infuriating, unpleasant, arrogant man I have never met. And I've met many."
Sara laughed. "Who's that girl with him - his daughter?" she asked. "No," Jareth replied, "That is his wife Matlilda."
"His wife?" Sara exclaimed. "He must be three times her age!"
"Four, actually." Jareth corrected. "Yes, it was a very unfortunate affair." He sighed. "Damn, here he comes. I'll tell you about it some other time." he said, just as Sir Wenfry drew near.
"Jareth!" he drawled in a nasal voice. "How marvelous to see you."
Jareth made a face to Sara, winked, then spun around with a smile that could have melted an iceberg. "Sir Wenfry!" he exclaimed. "So glad you could make it. How was your journey?"
"Ugh, awful." Sir Wenfry replied. "I don't even want to talk about it. The roads were muddy, and we had to stop thrice for the coachman to fix the wheel, and when I told him to hurry it up, he had the audacity to tell me he was working as fast as he could. Well. I wasn't about to allow that sort of cheek. I mean, you have to treat these people with severity, rule with an iron fist and whatnot. So I actually had to climb out of the carriage and stand in mud to give him the thrashing he deserved. My shoes were absolutely caked! And then I had to wait while he cleaned them, and-" he stopped mid sentence as he noticed Sara. "My my, what have we here? How rude of you not to introduce us." he said to Jareth.
"This is Lady Sara, our guest of honour for the Feast of the Goblin." Jareth said. "Milady." said Sir Wenfry, taking Sara's hand and kissing it wetly. "She's exquisite." he said to Jareth, apparently not caring that Sara was a living, breathing, thinking person and not an object. "It would appear to be true what they say about mortals, that because they live such short lives they burn brightly and quickly." he looked back at Sara. "She and I must sit together this evening. Jareth, be sure to seat us together." Sara didn't like the way he was looking at her.
"Actually," Jareth lied, "As the guest of honour, Sara must sit in specific places."
"Nonsense," Sir Wenfry objected, "I'm sure you can work it out."
"I'm sure I'll try." Jareth said.
"Yes, do." said Sir Wenfry. "Now, I must get Matilda to start unpacking, or she won't be finished til dawn. Very slow, that girl. I shall see you later then, Jareth," he said, with a curt nod, then "Milady." and he took Sara's hand again and kissed several times, all the way up to her elbow, before striding off back to Matilda.
"Handkerchief" Sara said ina strangled voice, and Jareth gave her his, which she quickly used to wipe her arm off. "What a repulsive man." She commented.
"That's putting it mildly." Jareth replied, and they both laughed.
"Now, there is someone I think you'll find very interesting." Jareth offered. "Do you see her? Over there with the blue hair?" Sara looked, and saw her right away. She was hard to miss, with bright blue hair, long pointed ears and an elfin face.
"Her name is Lily, and she's the sole heir to the Pixie throne." Jareth continued. "She's very... spontaneous. I think you'll like her." he added.
"That lady who just arrived in the carriage over by the hedge," he continued, "is the Queen of Hartt, home of the dreaded card soldiers." Sara saw her. She had long, pin straight black hair over a perfect heart-shaped face. She was dressed in black from head to toe, in a modern aristocratic dress which featured a wire ruff, and had very pale porcelain skin. Beside her stood two guards, dressed in vividly coloured elizabethan style uniforms, which were yellow except for the vest, which was blue, and the ruff, which was white. Each bore an insignia on his chest, though one was a red heart and the other a black spade.
"I'm really through the rabbit hole now." Sara joked. Jareth gave her a confused look, before continuing. "Anyhow," he said, "She is a very powerful mage, and not one to be reckoned with. And it doesn't hurt that she also has entire armies of card soldiers at her command. I'm afraid Hartt is a very military-minded kingdom."
"Over there," Jareth continued, gesturing to a rather muscular blonde man with clear blue eyes, "Is the famed knight Ismayel, who fought the Dreaded Porrinkold, as he'd be the first to tell you."
And so things continued, with Jareth pointing out an assortment of people and telling Sara a little of each's background and character, until the steady influx of coaches and carriages trickled to an end.
It was well into the afternoon by then, and Sara was suddenly aware of how hungry she was. It had to be too late for lunch, she decided. "How long till dinner?" she asked Jareth as they went inside.
Jareth laughed. " A little hungry are we?" he teased. "People are due to be in the dining hall in about an hour. It is a somewhat formal affair, so you may want to take some time to change or freshen up." he added, "Many if not all eyes will be on you, oh guest of honour." he said, his eyes sparkling mischievously.
"Well, till dinner then, oh host of honour." Sara replied equally mischievously, before departing for her chambers.
