CHAPTER 18
They locked the door and blocked it with the chair. Sarah had Brie take her bath and showed her how the faucets worked. Sarah bought her some rose soap and herself some lavender soap.
Once Brie was done, Brie said, "Tha be nice not ta heat water, dump tha tub out an it be bigger. Tha privy be nice"
Sarah smiled and said, "I know it's nice. I miss it." Sarah got undressed and got in her bath water. It was nice to relax and her lower back ached from her time of the month. She had her soap and washcloth and scrubbed herself well. She washed her hair under the faucet after her water drained. It wasn't a shower but it was good. Sarah rinsed out the tub after and felt so clean. She filled the tub halfway and soaked their clothes after scrubbing them. They dried their hair by the fire. Sarah rinsed out their clothes, rang them out real good and hung them up to dry. The two of them turned in for the night to get some sleep.
—--Day 63
Sarah and Brie woke up and got dressed and fed Azrael. Sarah wore an all burgundy skirt and blouse with her black corset. She wore her black leggings, black boots and belt with her knife and coin purse. Brie wore her dark blue outfit the same way as Sarah. They each had hair combs pulling their hair back and Sarah had her owl pendant on with garnet earrings. Brie had on sapphire earrings and pendant. Sarah put light makeup on them both. They put their cloaks on and stuck their gloves in the pockets and put Azrael on a leash. Sarah had on Azrael's bag in case he got tired. They went downstairs.
Elion smiled and greeted them saying how pretty they looked as they took a seat at the counter. There were about six people eating and talking at tables. Sarah thanked him and asked for two breakfasts and tea. She laid down the money. Elion brought them eggs, venison bits, potatoes, toast and tea.
Sarah smiled and asked, "So how is your morning going?"
Elion said, "It be pretty ok, so far. What be ye ladies doing today?
Sarah said, "Visiting with the king most of the day."
Elion said curiously, "Ye be friends to the king, then?"
Sarah said, "Yes, we have known each other a while, but we haven't seen each other in a while also."
Elion said, "Ye sang beautifully last night. Thank ye fer boostin' me profits. Ye brought me in more business than I ever be havin' ona music night before."
Sarah smiled and said, "You're welcome. I had fun." Elion smiled.
Elion said, "Ye be a nice lady, Sar. Most would want pay fer it."
Sarah said, "I was just having fun." They finished up their breakfast and went out for a walk going towards the castle.
Sarah approached the guards at the entrance and said, "Excuse me, but we have an appointment to see the king today."
The one guard said, "No entry."
Sarah said, "The king requested our company."
The other guard said, "Right, we hear that all the time. No entry."
The guards wouldn't let them pass, so Sarah said, "I 'wish' the Goblin King was here, right now." Jareth appeared in front of them.
He smiled and said, "Sarah. I have been waiting for you."
Sarah said, "Your guards won't let us in even though we told them we were her by appointment and request."
Jareth said, "This is the Champion of the Labyrinth, Lady Sarah. She is to have access to me at any time. Notify all guards not to bar her entry."
The guard said a little scared, "I'm sorry, your highness, but we were not informed today."
Jareth turned to Sarah and said, "I'm sorry Sarah. I told my Commander but it must not have gone down the chain of command fast enough, even though I must have a talk with my Commander." He took her hand and kissed it. He said, "Forgive me."
Sarah smiled at him and said, "No harm done."
He said, "Come ladies. I have been looking forward to your visit today." He put Sarah's hand on his elbow while she held Azrael in her other arm and led her and Brie inside the castle.
Jareth said, "I'll start with the healer first and get that out of the way." Jareth led them through the castle to the healers rooms.
He said, "Healer Alaric, this is Sarah, Champion of the Labyrinth, and her little girl Brie."
Sarah said, "Brianna. Pleased to meet you, Healer Alaric. Thank you for your time in seeing us." Alaric was flattered at her respectful manner. Human or fae, she had impressed the elf, so far.
Alaric bowed and said, "Lady Sarah, you are kind and respectful. May I examine you and the little girl over there?" He gestured to the cot. Sarah went and put Azrael down on the floor and gave Brie the leash. She laid down on the cot. The elf started casting spells and chanting magic looking at her complete chemistry. Sarah's body tingled as the spells swept over her one at a time. After a while, Alaric stopped and looked puzzled.
Alaric said, "Lay still for a little while, Lady Sarah. The sensation will subside."
Alaric said to Jareth, "The lady Sarah seems to have changed due to the combination of three things in her makeup. She has fairy venom, a large amount of magic storage and she has a genetic marker showing fae blood in her system originally."
Jareth put his finger and thumb to the bridge of his nose and said, "You mean she has fae bloodlines? The fae haven't been able to access the Aboveground for over a thousand years." He crossed his arms looking at Sarah.
Alaric said, "Yes, she is of a diluted lineage. In combination to the fairy bite in her bloodstream and the exposure to magic here, it triggered a regeneration effect. She may have had increased abilities after her run even a decade ago."
Alaric turned to Sarah and asked, "Did you ever notice that you happened to develop abilities you didn't have after your run in the Labyrinth?" Sarah sat up and took a few to think.
Sarah looked thoughtful and said, "Things did come easier academically and I picked up skills over time quickly like archery, shooting guns and survival techniques. My reaction time always impressed my uncle who taught me."
Jareth said, "It's incredible you could survive up in the Aboveground with iron and no magic."
Alaric said, "It is puzzling to me that she still retains her immunity to iron and fertility. That was from her human genes that have not changed. She is a full fae without the problems the fae have now. She is a very peculiar yet unique fae in all ways but those two differences and a large magic store of power."
Jareth said, "How big of a store of magic?"
Alaric said, "I hate to say and insult you, your majesty."
Jareth said, "Tell me."
Alaric said timidly, "Equal to you, Sire. With her own magic and the presence of the Labyrinth and your own power within her, she is the most powerful female in the Underground." Sarah's mouth dropped open. She was astounded at that revelation. Brie sat down next to Sarah listening. Brie put her hand in Sarah's.
Jareth said slowly, "I didn't know the Labyrinth gave her a power source. What did it give her?"
The elf shrugged, "You'll have to ask and find out from the source, Sire. I have no knowledge but that it's the Labyrinth's power she is tapped into."
Jareth called out, "Gaia!" A faint green glow appeared before Jareth.
Gaia said, "Yes, my king?"
Jareth said, "Did you give power to the Lady Sarah after the Labyrinth run?"
Gaia said, "Yes my king. She is the chosen one. She is the equivalent. The balance. She is whose will is as strong. She is whose kingdom is as great. She is the winner and has won back the right to be my other chosen as you are." The entity bowed to her and then the king. Jareth was beside himself about this. Basically, the Labyrinth had chosen her a decade ago to be his queen, yet never informed him of it.
Jareth said, "Why did you not tell me?"
Gaia said, "The child was not ready, though it was written in time. The child had to grow in the pursuit to return. The way forward was the way back." Sarah was in shock.
Sarah said, "That was the Wiseman's words on my quest to get to the castle."
Gaia said, "Yes, in metaphor, the pursuit to the castle is the claim to the throne and the king."
Jareth was getting frustrated and said, "You're saying, Sarah is preselected to be my queen by you?"
Gaia said, "Yes. My king was trying to select her himself also." Sarah was getting nervous about this preselected nonsense. She was her own person. She will do the selecting.
Sarah stood up getting angry and said, "I am the one to choose my own destiny! I am the one in control of it! You're saying I have no choice! Your saying I must fall into line! I am not a puppet!"
Gaia said, "You are strong, yes, but you are the balance. Your passions run deep with the matched desire of my king. You will make children that will fulfill a legacy."
Sarah was embarrassed now and said, "Shut up! I choose, not you. I am my own person. You can't just bend me to your desires." She didn't want him to think she was weak and had no choice but to choose him this minute. As if she was not in control of her destiny. She couldn't believe that she was preselected by an entity all those years ago to be his mate with no say on whether she wanted that. All she wanted was to get her brother back.
Gaia said, "You are not attracted to my king? But, you desire him. I have seen it." Sarah grabbed her pup and Brie's hand and started to run out the door remembering the exit nearby. Brie ran with her down the hallway trying to keep up.
Jareth shouted, "Damn you Gaia! You went too far, embarrassing and scaring her!" Jareth ran out the door and was shouting her name as she ran away.
Brie said panting, "Sar… what's… wrong?"
Sarah said, "I am my own person. They are forcing me to marry, be Queen of the Goblin's and mate with Jareth." They ran into the inn and up the stairs. Sarah opened the room. She locked it and put a chair in front of it.
She spun around and said angrily, "Start packing! We're leaving! Now! Nobody forces me to do anything!" She was rushing around cramming things in her bags and Brie was too.
Jareth started banging on her door saying, "Sarah please talk to me! I'm sorry, the Labyrinth was out of line. Please Sarah don't go!" She thought at least he isn't just transporting inside but that will be next.
Sarah said, "I 'wish' that there would be a barrier of entry in this room and nobody could see me through crystal magic either." The magic swirled and made it so.
Jareth was still begging Sarah to talk to him. He cast a crystal to see if she was packing and it was black again. He knew she just blocked him from seeing her.
He said sadly at the door, "Please Sarah, please don't go away again. I know you're scared of what she said. I won't force you. I told you I'd never hurt you or detain you. I meant it. It's winter, stay here. I won't bother you if that's what you want. I don't want you afraid of me. I don't want you to have to leave. Please Sarah, talk to me." Sarah felt sorry for him. She was terrified that the Labyrinth was going to manipulate her if she stayed. She finished packing and was changing her clothes to men's clothing quickly. When she was done, she started helping Brie change. They were dressed and ready in record time. They put on their cloaks, Sarah had Azrael in his bag and their bow and arrows on their backs. Sarah's adrenaline was very high and was lifting and carrying more than she ever had before. She had all her gear in her hands and the part of Brie's that Brie couldn't carry. Sarah unlocked the door and charged out of the door knocking Jareth out of the way. She went downstairs and out of the inn with Brie following best she could. Sarah started down the street to the stables. Jareth was transported to the stables.
As soon as Sarah arrived he said, "Why? Why are you running away?"
Sarah said, "That creature is not going to make me do a goddamn thing in this world or my own. I can't stay. I don't trust it and I have to protect myself from it." She sat down, all the baggage. She started saddling her horse.
Jareth was beside himself. He asked, "You're not afraid of me are you?"
Sarah said, "I don't think you're the problem. It is the Labyrinth and it's dangerous. I 'wish' the Labyrinth to take ba…" Jareth quickly put his hand over her mouth to stop her from wishing back the power. He turned her face to him. He put his lips on hers, he held her tight and languidly kissed her deeply. It was making Sarah's knees weak. It was wet and sweet and tasted like honey. It felt so perfect and so right. She broke the kiss and started to cry.
Jareth said, "Please Sarah don't hurt me again. I have loved you for so long and waited to kiss your perfect lips. I can't bear the absence of you again from my life. Stay my sweet Sarah. I'm a king who does not beg. I'm begging only you not to break my heart again." He kissed her face between his hands as her tears ran down her face.
She said, "But… the Labyrinth will manipulate me. I… I want to choose. I… I… want to be loved…" His mouth captured hers again. Tasting searing everything he was into her. Massaging and feeling her tongue respond and her lips moving.