Chapter Five: Chilly Water

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This chapter, after awfully long last, is dedicated to anyone who was put on the spot by an authority figure.

[Clan of Xymox "Medusa"]

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Ice shelves move as the glacial melt progresses. In human hours the waters warmed on surface. The ascent welcomes a spindly figure from the depths. Breaking to the surface, air changed its appearance, and into the blinding light it rose and broke onto the ice shelf with a sharp slap. Bones rattled. Muscles contorted and limbs switched places, nerves creating a jolt.

The figure made an unearthly sound. Its greenish hairlike material changed, tightened, to a human pattern, contorting with its facial and physical aspects. It crawled and scraped on flat stomach, nails dulling into a human material. It scraped in the burning light... until, after eternity, land and dirt met the underside of its nails. The sun's rays scorched its otherworldly pale complexion. Its transformation was complete. It scraped forward and lay defeated, and slipped into darkness.

….

"In the Underground, time moves at a pace unexplained by humans,"

The Apothecary's eyes moved across the documents. The Goblin King rolled his eyes, for a chicken squawked during the mention of 'earth'. "I believe, your Highness, that a human appointment would bring disfavor. Disfavor From the Water Realms."

"And what does that entail? I do not ask for political advice from you often," he moved to swallow the concoction. Bitter, gritty. He cringed. Despite its cruel texture, he allowed it since she created it specifically to soothe his body from the jolting trip to the Human realm.

"With all due respect, I am no idiot." Her inhuman eyes flicked in frustration over his face. "I have no reason to believe a human could mediate better than, well, any other creature. Most have a bitter memory of the Humans in their creature cruelty. If she was caught in the act of correspondence..."

"By who?" He sharply jolted to make eye contact after swallowing.

"I fear by any creature, really. But especially by an Elf of neighboring lands. And once the Elves catch the information, soon could the Water Realm."

"I am well aware of political ties and gossip,"

"Your Highness, I implore you to reconsider the Human, the Champion. She is hardly capable-"

"Sar-" Jareth caught himself. "Sarah Williams, the Champion, is capable of doing her work when provoked. I have my ways of convincing her to do right..." He smirked.

"She had better not be a conquest. I will advise you in this interest. It is wrong."

That stopped his words. He glared at her and turned away. "Never insult me with...that..." Apothecary Ha'ta was not to meddle with his thoughts. The Seelie of the Mountain-Inlet knew better.

"You have no reason to pursue a Human." She pushed the issue.

"I have pursued many stranger, powerful, ones! Don't make me laugh with your morbid interest in my desires..." he tried to show her up by sheer size.

Ha'ta stood her ground and shook her head. "You will face my resignation the moment I catch wind of Sarah as a new consort," she moved to open the door. "I have work to attend to, I suggest you do the same."

He strode away and the door slammed shut behind hum. Across the hall, noises and more chicken racket arose. Back to the fray.

/Jareth understood her dilemma, despite her hostility. The Mountain-Inlet Seelie existed in a realm that served as a partially landlocked place, where tens of creatures interacted an traded daily. It was a cornerpoint of political and social interaction in the Underground. The Goblin Kingdom's best ally. As a respected elder and cultural figure, her reputation truly relied on the projects she undertook. An she never failed to treat him like a juvenile.

He refused to barter creatures as they did in her, and others' Realms. He may make deals and tricks and contracts with humans...yet they were in reason and consent. He knew Ha'ta would demand a hefty sum if he was to bring Sarah into the Realm uninvited. Arboreal Grey Moss was a commodity that was not slim in price- in her realm, the Moss was sold as humans sold gemstones. It was a miracle product that could cloak vision and change perception of space if ground into an airborne powder.

It worked waves on humans running the Labyrinth. And on Sarah... as the lumbering bulk of a creature Ludo fell into an Oubliette./

Jareth swallowed involuntarily as his inhuman face twitched with thought. His owlish eyes darted to and fro, taking in the dark of the evening. Off to tend the farm living in his throne room.

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'The changeable features are essential to its success as hunters. They take no heed to credit-based finance, but rather, use Bartering Systems as a practice.'

Sarah groaned as she lay and stretched into the chair. Continued reading under strained eyes.

'Ice Swimmers. In some Human lore known as Child Takers. Not to be confused with Mer-Beings. A similar form to Sidhe, Seelie, and Humans, is often taken in defence. The power is diminished during this form as does with Fae in the Human Realm. Capable of human contact due to Contact-Initiated Magic; its similar natural environment in the Underground requires it to swim in Human Northern Seas if in the Realm. Sustained by a primarily carnivorous diet, omnivorous is necessary. Known to devour human flesh if provoked. Cannot live a human week out of its simulated environment. Considered to be a danger to Humans, Faun-Beings, and Worm Types. Diplomacy is essential.'

Sarah stopped. The incandescent light formed a shadow on the rendering in ink. She jumped in her seat; its inhuman face bore beady eyes, seal-like musculature, and an eerie spinal shape. Another rendering to the right made her breathe lightly in tension. It seemed to glare into her skull with its humanoid face. In its hand was a swaddled child. Held aloft by a roll of fabric.

Sarah looked to her clock. 10:34pm. Thank god her shift began at One in the afternoon.

This research got under her skin. It had been a long time since she read a horror novel. The endless leather-bound pages would lull her into a sleep, if not for that juicy tidbit. And she was genuinely affected by it. Was this...Child Taker… really a threat?

/She lived nowhere near the North icy waters. Why did Jareth want her help with a being from a different region? She had better not be asked to travel there for mere scouting./

She shivered and gulped cool water from the metal flip-top bottle. By now Karen, dad, and Toby slept in their respective rooms. And Sarah was kept awake by her part-time job of reading translated Fae texts.

A skittering drove her into the back of her chair. Her heart stopped. She looked to the door. Shut.

"G-goblin, is that you?" No answer.

/Where was Sir Didymus' courage when she needed it?/

Sarah nearly held her breath, and inhaled in spurts. She tried to regularize her breathing. A bash into her door sent her into a frightened gasp, and shut her eyes.

A curious meow followed. Scratching. Silence. She opened her eyes to groan in anger.

/That damn cat./

0000oooo0000

May 2019.

~Hello my faithful Readers! Thanks for sticking with my unreliable updates! I hope this tale is palatable, considering how damn long it takes me to write and upload a chapter from start to finish. I honestly began this chapter in...well...February. I encountered some morrreeee time consuming tech, money, and life things that I am currently still dealing with in this quarter.

~All blubbering aside, I hope y'all are well and excited to see where this bonkers tale goes! I spent a fraction of my free time taking some chills to myself. As in reading much-neglected Fan Fics I wasn't able to read for a while. Karen IS indeed Irene as known in the Laby canon. However I made a typo that stayed. My headcanon is that Karen is her middle name that she stuck with. I know, crappy, but manageable. And I HAD to create a bullet-point storyboard for this one. In case you're wondering, the Unresolved Sexual Tension will indeed appear soon in this fic. /winkwink/ Like I said, slow burn but a burn after all. Do ya like the amateur metaphysics of the Human and Underground? I try. Find the Vampire Hunter D film reference (think incense).

Pleaseeeee Review and read and do whatever your little hearts do. Love ya! & check out my shameless promotions of things I like:

- Novels Receiver of Many and Destroyer of Light by Rachel Alexander. I cannot praise them enough!

- The Measure of a Man and Whisper of the Wisps here on FFN. Wowza.