CHAPTER 21

—--Day 78

The day of the ball had arrived and Sarah was excited to try on the dress Jareth had commissioned to be made. The seamstress was all a flutter doing last minute touches. Sarah had taken a long luxurious bath and lotioned and powdered her body to a soft feel and scent. She put on stockings with a garterbelt and all in white lace, even her underwear. She wore a strapless corset in white lace that automatically laced up once put on. The seamstress had her put on the dress and it fit like a glove.

It was made to look like a not quite open bloom upside down. It was many shades of green and beaded in highlights. It was off the shoulder, but had a strap going over to her left shoulder like the stem that went around the back of her neck to wrap around her throat. It was long sleeved and had a low neckline but not too revealing. It fit her hourglasses figure perfectly in multi-fading medium to dark green reflective beads highlighting the folded sections and veins of the bulb. At the bottom, it was from above the knee that it slit with a crepe white petal peeking out like a white ruffled bloom sticking out to the bottom. The bloom had violet purple beaded highlights like vines on the white crepe petals. It came to the ankles with the gathered ruffled ends of the petal. It was incredibly gorgeous.

Sarah had a fit telling the seamstress that she was an artist and had created a work of art that was beyond amazing. She kissed the Goblin seamstress on the cheek and hugged her in gratitude for such fine workmanship. The Goblin was blushing at such flattery and appreciation. She had never been so proud of herself. This lovely dark haired fae, Labyrinth Champion, looked and acted so very different from any fae she had ever encountered. She instantly liked this woman being courted by the Goblin King and would love to create new beautiful dresses for her.

A fae maid came in and started fixing her hair in a style like from the 1940's it was pulled back from her face on each side with a part down the middle and two large barrel curls going from the sides of her head behind her ears going down her back. She had the large barrel curls even in the long hair going down her back from her head that magically held their shape. She gave her smokey eyes, dramatic looking eyeliner and bright red lipstick. She put a light peach blush contour on her cheeks. Sarah looked fabulous and incredibly beautiful. She had three inch high heels in cream white.

Jareth came to the adjoining room and knocked. He was dressed in a dark green velvet sparkling jacket with white ruffled cuffs. He was in a white shirt and cravat with an emerald jewel pinned inside it. His signet necklace hung below it on top of the shirt. He was in green velvet britches, white stocking legs below the knee, with silver buckled black stacked heeled shoes and his black gloves on. His hair was wild and tipped with green. When Brie opened the door, Jareth gasped and just stood there with his mouth hanging open in sheer awe of how absolutely perfect she looked. It was amazing.

He said after a moment, "Great Danu, you are indeed the loveliest creature, my eyes have ever beheld. Sarah you will most definitely be the most incredible beauty at the ball. You will be stared at, at first. You will have to dance, one dance, with King Cyran of the Pixie Kingdom because he is the host. You are mine for the rest of the night and I will not share you with anyone else. You will be my dancing partner and companion all night. No cut ins." He inhaled and sighs saying, "Oh my most precious thing ever. You take my breath away." Sarah walked up to him and lightly kissed his lips with her hand lightly on his chest. Under her dress she had her steel iron knife strapped to her thigh. She refused to go unarmed anywhere.

She said, "I like you in your breathless state. It makes you so appealing. Perhaps after the ball, I can come visit you afterwards in your room?" His eyes went dark and dilated.

He inhaled sharply and said, "Nothing would please me more than that." They had not been intimate yet and Sarah just made an offer he could never refuse. Sarah told Brie she was going to stay the night with Jareth that night when they got back. Brianna knew what that meant and knew Sarah and King Jareth were falling in love. She had no problem with that at all and agreed that she and almost eleven week old Azrael, would sleep alone in the bed together that night.

Jareth used his magic and had a dark green cloak with silver Celtic knot scroll work embroidered around the borders. It was beautiful she had her gold owl with its wings spread over a silver moon Goblin King crest pendant on and emerald stud earrings. She had her luck and Merlin ring on with her bracelet as always. She kissed Brie and told her they would be back before 13am, midnight. Sarah and Jareth left for the ball.

They took a carriage through a portal. It was a big standing stone bordered mirror that was silvery and swirling with reflection. They came out into a city on the other side that had a huge palace in the distance. The carriages were lined up in a line to be dropped off at the entrance. People were flowing into the palace that was lit up brightly in every window.

It was amazing how the exterior design was in the Beaux Arts style, which is a combination of French neoclassicism, Italian Renaissance and French Baroque elements. The gardens, fountains and tile work were beautiful. The typical lavish Parisian look of the 1800's. The entire building is eclectic, unique and artistic in style. It was a beautiful and amazingly historical looking building.

Once they got to the entryway, it was an open stairway of gold steps, stepping down onto a black marble with real gold viens shot through its tiled floor. The inside was stunning with dainty and extravagant crystal chandeliers. There was beautiful polished wood, iron, glass, marble and gold with an Art Deco statuary in the promenade and vestibule areas. Further inside. It was even more incredibly elegant. They were led to the ballroom. The herald announced each royal that entered. Jareth led Sarah over to the coat check.

When he took her cloak off with his own, random people in the entire open hallway gasped. He handed them their cloaks and had her take his right arm. Everyone was gaping at her in awe and amazement. Jareth knew he had the prize on his arm and was strutting like a proud peacock. Sarah kept close to him and smiled at everyone.

They arrived at the entry door to the grand ballroom. Jareth handed his card to the herald. The herald announced, "King Jareth of the Goblin Kingdom and Lady Sarah, Champion of the Labyrinth!!!" The entire ballroom gasped at them as Sarah held her head up high and followed Jareth's lead down the stairs to the main floor.

Jareth whispered, "You're doing just fine. We will be greeted at the bottom by King Cyran." Sarah stayed focused on being regal with poise.

They got to the bottom and a tall dark red haired man with a mustache and a neatly trimmed beard on his chin greeted them saying, "King Jareth, it is good to see you. You have the most exotic beauty I have ever seen on your arm tonight."

He took Sarah's hand and kissed the back of it and said, "You, my dear, are the most attractive woman of the evening. Please enjoy yourselves." Sarah smiled at him.

Jareth nodded and said, "We will. Thank you, King Cyran." Jareth took Sarah to the refreshment table. He got a glass of red wine for each of them, handing her one. They moved off to the side and he held her intimately close with his hand on her lower back above her butt. He was being possessive tonight in a room full of fae. She didn't mind.

A woman with blonde hair piled in curls in her head, dressed in a deep violet blue, walked up to him. Sarah had never seen such a confrontational demeanor and said, "Hello, your majesty, I was expecting you to call upon me, when the invitations were sent, but I see you are occupied elsewhere." She arrogantly looked Sarah up and down. Sarah could feel the jealousy rolling off of her.

The stuck up woman said sceptically while looking at Sarah, "I did not know there were fae with dark hair?"

Jareth said, "Yes, she is unique in many beautiful ways. Lady Sarah, Champion of the Labyrinth, this is Lady Aliyana from the Fairy Kingdom."

Lady Aliyana said, "I thought your champion was a human?"

Jareth said, "Not anymore. She is 100% fae now and no I did not change her. She is of fae lineage and changed all on her own. Like I said, she is unique in many beautiful ways." Lady Aliyana pouted.

Lady Aliyana asked, "Can I call on you to dance with me this evening?"

Jareth said, "I'm sorry, but my dance card is completely full, permanently." He pressed Sarah closer to his body and looked in her eyes smiling. Lady Aliyana huffed and left. A man one could only describe as a 'dandy', all primped and preening, walked up to Jareth.

He said, "Oh my, King Jareth, what a lovely fish you have caught in your line tonight. She is the most attractive creature here tonight. I would love a dance with her." The musicians struck up and started playing a waltz.

Jareth said, "Yes, I have and know, Lord Darril, but she is only dancing with me tonight. One dance to King Cyran, only one. She is my jewel and I won't share her with anyone, ever."

Jareth said, "Come, Sarah mine, dance with me, my lovely." They put down their wine on a table. Sarah had only drank half her glass of wine. He led her to the dance floor. There were only a few couples dancing. He twirled around as she giggled. He smiled and took her in his arms and waltzed with her. They glided across the dance floor seamlessly. They made a stunningly handsome couple.

—--

Brie went into the bathroom and disrobed to take a bath, a little while after Sarah and the king had left. Azrael followed her from room to room. She had placed her ring and bracelet on the little washcloth on the dresser. She went into the bathroom and relaxed in the huge luxurious bathing pool. Azrael laid down off to the side and closed his eyes to snooze.

She loved the feeling of the waterfall running over her skin when rinsing off the soap from her body. She had brought her soft long sleeve flannel nightgown and panties with thick socks to wear when she was done. It was all so wonderful that the king and Sar were falling in love. She was so happy for them. Sar had waited a long time to be together with him. She rinsed off and rung out her hair. She dried off and put on her warm bed clothes. She towel dried her hair and went to the bedroom and took her comb out of the dresser top drawer to comb out the tangles. She went to put on her jewelry and it was gone. She frowned and looked around but she sat on the side of the bed working on the tangles in her hair thinking where it could have fallen and thinking hard. When she was done combing her hair she put on a heavy robe and started looking harder around and under everything. It was gone. Sar was going to be upset because she told her not to ever take it off. She started taking them off only to bathe in case they slip off from the soap and float to the bottom of the pool. She didn't like going to the bottom underwater. She was getting worried. Where could it have gone?

She knew she never moved it or knocked it off. A blanching feeling came over her and the blood left from her face and fear took over. She knew something bad was about to happen. She grabbed Azrael and climbed in the back of the deep magically extended armoire, making sure the door was closed securely. She climbed behind the clothing in the smallest back corner with all the material hanging from several long gowns deep in front of her. She prayed nobody could see her. Azrael curled up in her lap and went to sleep. She listened with heightened senses for any noise she could hear like a little mouse.

After a moment, she heard the door to her bedroom from the hallway open up and close. The lock clicked. She heard footsteps, doors opening, whispered swearing. The door to the King's chamber opened and she could hear muffled shuffling around in there. Then she heard a door open and there was a muffled argument going on.

One male voice said, "Where is she? You said she was here."

A second male voice said, "I'll do a location spell." After a pause. "It's black. I don't know why it isn't working. You need to hurry up and find her. I took her jewelry to make her vulnerable. I will go check the kitchen, in case she went in there. You stay here until I get back. If you haven't found her by then you have to leave. I'm not getting caught letting you in the castle."

The first male voice said, "Arabella's plans to sell them to the ogre's wizard Ewyn will be for naught if we don't find the child. It's the only way to lure the fae woman into the magic stealing dungeon trap in her manor in The Outlands. We won't get paid, Cornaith."

The second male voice said, "Shut up, Grayson. I held up my part of the deal for two thousand gold. I got you in here to get the human animal. That fae bitch slighted me and I wanted her gone from the first time she threatened me. She deserves to be a sex slave with that animal brat of hers. The king is a fool for her. Just keep looking and I'll look in the kitchen." Someone left out the door.

Brianna didn't even want to breathe when after a while the armoire door opened and her heart stopped when the clothing was being moved around.

The door opened and Cornaith returned and said, "I don't know where she is but you have to leave now! It's taking too long. Come on." The person named Grayson closed the armoire.

Grayson said, "She is going to be angry about this. It will delay her plans."

Cornaith said, "Like I give a damn about her plans. I don't want to get caught by the king plotting against him." The door closed and Brie breathed slightly again. She was still scared to death and went over everything they said and the names of everyone. She stayed in the armoire for the rest of the night with Azrael. She wished Sar was back from the ball already.

—--

Sarah was tired by almost 12pm, so Jareth and her decided to leave. They finally got back to the castle around 12:20pm. They went into each of their rooms to get out of their ball clothing.

Sarah rushed into Jareth's room while he was bare from the chest up and said, "Jareth, I can't find Brianna." Jareth went with her into her room.

They were looking around and Sarah started calling out to her. Brianna woke up and clamored to the sound of a panicked Sar. She crawled out of the armoire with Azrael and rushed into Sarah's arms in complete hysterical tears.

Sarah asked, "Baby girl, tell me what happened to make you hide like that?" Sarah and Jareth listened, concerned to everything Brianna said. Her jewelry disappeared because Cornaith took it off the dresser while she bathed. Cornaith let Grayson in the castle to try to kidnap her and talked about plotting against the king for two thousand gold. The plot to lure Sar into a magic stealing trap in a dungeon of Arabella's in The Outlands. Arabella is going to sell both of them to the ogre wizard Ewyn for sex slaves.

Jareth was pissed off more than words could say. He said, "That bastard!" He got up and started pacing and thinking.

Sarah said, "The best way to catch a rat is to lay a trap with enough cheese to tempt it to be reckless. He is watching us through crystals." Jareth sharply looked at her.

Sarah said, "I 'wish' Cornaith, Grayson, Arabella and Ewyn could not see all three of us through the crystal location spells." Jareth grinned at her.

Jareth said,"You still have me blocked, precious, from the night you ran."

She smiled at him and said, "You just like to peek at me naked I bet." He chuckled. She giggled and said, "I 'wish' that Jareth could use crystal location spells on me again."

Brianna cried and said, "I be so sorry mama fer taking off me jewelry ye searched fer ta help me. I be afraid it would slip off in tha bath an I canna go underwater ta get it ifin' it did." Sarah realized she didn't understand how magical jewelry resizes so that never happens. She explained it to her and she burst into tears apologizing for being stupid.

Sarah said holding her tear filled face between her hands and said, "Your not stupid, Brianna! You just didn't know and now you do. You're brilliant and knew to hide with Azrael before anything happened that was bad. You're the smartest little girl I have ever known. I'm not angry, but when you talk bad about yourself and calling yourself stupid it hurts me in my heart. It's not your fault that you don't know everything. Now, you do know this and it will never happen again, my little one. I love you more than words can say." Jareth watched as Sarah wrapped her arms tightly around the little girl. Sarah was right, the child just didn't know and it was not her fault. He made a crystal and did a location spell on her jewelry and saw it in Cornaith's bedroom on his dresser. He was going to get rid of that traitor first thing.