Chapter 26

(Get Clean)

Ari threw the basketball up into the air and caught it once more. She'd been awake for nearly 2 hours thanks to a very loud thunderstorm. When she'd first woken up she'd gone to check on Sarah but found her sound asleep.

"How can anyone sleep through this?!" She said annoyed as another loud crash of thunder ripped through the air. A flash of Toby the morning they had all had a sleep over at Sarah's gave the new princess her answer. Toby could be very loud sometimes. Sarah had learned to sleep through a lot of things.

With a huff Ari put her basketball down and taking her feet that were propped up on the bed down she got up from the floor. She walked to her door and opening it headed out of her room and down the hall. Her hands went to her ears as the loudest crash of thunder she had heard yet echoed through the castle halls.

"Ever hear of carpet?!" The blonde woman complained. She hated that nearly every noise seemed to echo through the castle walls. Annoyed she continued down the long hallway.

Ary stopped as she reached where the hallway she was in intersected with another hallway. She looked right and then left and sighed. Her blue eyes scanned the walls hoping to recognize something on the wall that would tell her which way to go. "I really need a map," she complained.

"May I be of assistance?" Ary jumped and whirled around to see Tae behind her.

"Where the hell did you come from?" She asked before she could stop herself.

Tae smiled at her and then gestured to a door she hadn't realized she'd passed several feet behind them. "I'm not surprised you didn't hear me with the storm," He told her after another roll of thunder had passed and she'd be able to hear him."

"Yeah storms very loud. I've been up for two hours. If it wasn't for Sarah's brother being so noisy sometimes I'm sure Sarah would be up as well," Ary said not hiding her annoyance.

Tae gave a nod. "Where is it you are trying to get to highness?" The captain asked.

"Kitchen," she replied.

"Then allow me to escort you," he said and gestured to the left side of the intersecting hallway. Ary didn't argue and the two headed down the left side. Ary looked around as they continued to walk. "If you would like I can have a tour set up for you."

"Not really one for history sessions. I could use a map though," she replied. While Ary wouldn't mind being shown around the castle she did not want someone to show her around and give her a detailed history of everything they passed along the route. She really didn't care what materials had been used by an artist to make a piece of artwork or how long it had taken to complete it.

"History lessons?" Tae inquired.

"Arium took forever to tell us the history behind every piece of art work at King Riodan's castle," Ari informed him. "I mean I don't mind learning about some things but not everything. If I want to know I'll ask."

"I understand," Tae replied with a smile. "I have heard others mention Arium can be extremely thorough during his lessons."

"Don't forget boring," she added. Tae gave a nod of agreement to the princess.

Tae lead the princess through a few more hallways and then into the dining room. "If you will have a seat I will have the servants prepare you some breakfast," the captain told her.

"Oh no. I can get myself something to eat," she told him. "No reason for them to make breakfast for one person."

"They will not mind," he assured her.

"Maybe not but I would. Plus I'm not actually sure what I want."

"Very well then we…"

"Ahhhhhhh!" the two looked at each other and Tae immediately headed into the kitchen. Ari followed right behind him.

They entered the kitchen to see a servant pinned against the wall and Whippley on the ground covered with flour except for the crushed pastry on his head.

"Oh Whippley are you okay?" Ari asked walking past Tae and over to the fallen goblin.

"Sceem loud," Whippley said and shook his head. Ari laughed as a dust cloud of flour came off the goblins fur. A frown crossed her face as the apple strudel on the goblin's head fell and landed on the ground causing a pout to cross Whippley's face.

"It's okay," Ari told her little goblin shadow. She walked over and picking up a towel she began to clean the strudel of the goblin's head. "I think we need to get you cleaned up," she said. "Afterward I'll get you a new strudel."

"Stutel?" the goblin asked. Ary smiled and nodded at the creature. "I Keen. Keen up fast!" Ari and Tae watched as the goblin suddenly whisked to the other side of the kitchen. The Goblin opened a small window and suddenly threw himself out into the rain.

"That's not exactly what I had in mind," Ari said and looked back at Tae. The captain looked a little surprised that Whippley had headed out into the storm but said nothing. Goblins were not always the easiest of creatures to judge. They often changed their mind halfway through whatever they were doing.

Ari looked over at the dark haired woman still standing against the wall. "Whippley won't hurt you," she assured her. "He likes to have fun and judging by the strudel and all I'd say he got hungry. Sorry he startled you."

"I thought goblins were mean," she said looking confused.

"They can be I guess but I just have fun with them," Ari replied. "I've never seen them be mean without a reason."

"Keen!" Whippley announced suddenly back through the window.

"You may be clean but you're also dripping wet," Ari told the goblin as water dropped all around him. "I think we need a hairdryer."

"What's a hairdryer?" The servant asked.

Ary gave an annoyed frown. "It seems we shall have to do this the old fashioned way." With a sigh Ari grabbed a dry towel and began drying the dripping goblin's fur. 'This is going to take a while,' she thought to herself. Shaking her head she worked dry Whippley off.

Amador stood at the window watching as rain patted against the courtyard stones outside. A frown crossed his handsome face and a sigh escaped him. The High Prince had thoroughly enjoyed his time with Ari in his brother's kingdom. A smile crossed his face as he thought of Lady Gwendalyn slipping on some cooking oil falling over a railing and ending up in a bathtub sized serving pot of spaghetti sauce and meatballs. He had no doubt her cream and yellow dress was ruined.

The prince was amazed at how skilled Ari was at doing pranks. She did things in a way that made it look like an accident unless she wanted you to know she had done it. The goblins had loved having Ari around and had been more than willing and eager to help. When the time had come to leave Whippley had gone with Ari to her father's kingdom.

"It'll be okay." Amador looked over to see his mother. She approached him and put a reassuring arm around his shoulders. "She's worth waiting for isn't she?" Queen Dahlia asked.

"Yes," he said calmly. "Soren has invited guests for dinner tonight."

"There is nothing wrong with that," She replied.

"No. Jareth is going. He's invited Prince Mannion and Prince Hansel." Amador knew that Soren wanted his daughter to spend time around other men but the idea gnawed at him. He did not want anyone getting that close to the Dark Elf Princess.

"Yes well, you knew he would be introducing others to her," Dahlia said. Amador gave a silent nod. "Ari is not an easy girl to handle and you know it. It would take a lot to get her attention."

"What if they do?" Amador asked concerned. While he knew he had Ari's attention he also knew there were others in the Underground that would love her mischievous side as well. "I don't want to lose her mother. I hate the idea of…"

"Don't think like that," the queen said quickly. "Besides you have something the others don't have and can't have." He looked at her questioningly. "Ari's friends like you." Amador gave a small smile and nodded.

"Speaking of her friends has father found anything out yet?" Amador asked.

"Yes. He's checking some other kingdoms but he says he knows why Jenna is here."

"Why?"

"He didn't say. Only that she should never have been in the mortal realm," The Queen told him. She shrugged and said "You know your father he likes to know everything before he tells anyone anything." The queen gave a shrug. Her husband annoyed her at times but she loved him regardless. Queen Dahlia figured if he took too long she'd send for Soren's daughter and her husband would be talking in no time.

"At least with Jareth there I can find out about anything that happens," Amador commented.

"I'm sure Jareth will not make it easy for anyone to get too close to Arianna. He finally has Sarah and will be sympathetic to you." Amador nodded. "Come let's go see how Ari and Sarah's friends are doing." Amador nodded and the two headed down the hall.

Ari sat up in a window ledge looking out into the kitchen and watched as Sarah tried to get orange juice out of Ricket's ears. She laughed as Ricket sneezed and Orange juice shot out of his ears; some landing on Sarah.

"Ricket!" Sarah said.

"Sawy," The green goblin apologized. Ricket gave Sarah as angelic of a face as he could causing the dark haired girl to laugh.

"I still don't understand how you did this," she told him. She saw Ricket open his mouth and said, "You don't have to explain Ricket I'm sure however you did you were having fun. Or it's Ari's fault," she said and looked at the blonde girl."

"Hey! I'm not responsible for every disaster!" Ari said.

"No just many of them," Sarah quipped. Ari could only laugh. "I'm sure Whippley could take some of the blame," she added looking over at the call of fur. Whippley almost immediately scampered up to where Ari was and sat quietly next to her.

"Hey don't confirm anything!" she said. Ary playfully smacked Whippley who suddenly lost his balance and grabbed Ari's leg to prevent his fall. Unfortunately Ari hadn't been expecting it and before either knew it they both fell a few feet and landed in the crate of grapes Ari had climbed over to get up in the window.

The room echoed with laughter. Ari and Whippley were suddenly covered in grape juice. Sarah rolled until Tae pointed out she was now covered in grape juice as well. The captain had immediately stepped back after warning the princess about getting up into the window in the first place.

"Need Keen again," Whippley sighed.

Ari laughed and nodded. "We both do."

"Okay." Whippley got out and grabbing Ari's hand abruptly headed for the nearest door that lead outside.

"Uh Whipp…" Sarah's words died and her eyes went wide as Whippley abruptly took Ari and himself both outside into the rain. "I think they're going to need some towels." Sarah had somewhat expected to hear Ari scream when Whippley pulled her out into the rain but instead all anyone heard was laughter.

Author's Note: Hi everyone. As you can see I am back and this story will continue. The next chapter will bring Sarah and Jareth together and Ari will meet a couple other men from the Underground. Whippley and Ricket have a plan of their own =o)