Chapter 24
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The Duke
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"Show me Sarah." Jareth whispered to his crystal, again purple clouds swirrled within and cleared revealing darkness. "No matter...I shall soon regain power over her." Jareth smirked. "And there will be no escaping this time.."
It had been a week since the ball and Robert and Gavin paced anxiously in their small cell. A pattering of footsteps could be heard from down the hallway. "Finally." Gavin muttered. Both men sat down near the large wooden door and waited for the bottom slat to be opened. Once opened two plates of food were pushed into the cell. "Hoggle, is that you?" Gavin questioned.
"Keep it down." Hoggle said in his own gruff whisper.
"What have you heard." Robert whispered, his mouth full of bread.
"I saw Midge n' Lily. They's fine but they're worrisome about you. I told 'em you ain't being treated too bad."
"What of Sarah and Toby?" Robert asked impatiently.
"The small one is fine. King's treatin' em like a prince." Hoggle grunted. "Don't know what the rats up to."
"and Sarah?" Gavin interupted this time.
"I went to the Marquee's, she ain't there no more."
"What?!" Robert and Gavin exclaimed.
"Jus' let me finish!" Hoggle raised his voice slightly. "Found out she's singing for Jareth's cousin, another rat if you ask me." he grunted again. "It's too far for travel. I haffta have Midge send a letter."
"Thank you Hoggle." Robert said sincerely.
"I better leave." Hoggle grunted and looked around suspiciously, satisfied that no one was watching him he left. Rounding the corner, Hoggle fell flat on his back as he collided with something or someone.
"and where do you think you're going?" Jareth's voice decended upon the dwarf.
Scrambling to his feet. "Uhh.uhh no where your majesty." Hoggle fumbled.
"Fraternizing with the prisoners I see?" Jareth mocked. In one quick movement the Goblin King had grabbed hold of one of Hoggles ankles. Before Hoggle could blink his head was only a foot away from the Bog of Eternal Stench. Hoggle felt he would wretch as he let out a gasp for air and quickly plugged his nose with one of his free hands.
"Now, tell me Prince." Jareth laughed. "Where were you going?"
Hoggle sighed with dispair at his cowerdice. "I was going to tell Sarah what you've done." he muttered as he trembled. Jareth let Hoggle's ankle go and Hoggle let out a yelp. The dwarf was mightily relieved when his head hit the stone floor of the throne room instead of the bog.
Hoggle scrambled to his feet once more while goblins of all sorts laughed and jeered at him. "Silence!" Jareth snapped and the goblins fell quiet. "Go Higgle, tell Sarah what a horrible Goblin King I've been." he mocked. "Your purpose suits mine, otherwise I might not have been so generous."
"Yes yer majesty." Hoggle trembled.
"Oh! I think you've forgotten something Prince." Jareth called out as Hoggle was rushing out of the throne room. Suddenly an ugly black metal crown appeared on Hoggle's brow and reeked of the bog. Hoggle groan and quickened his pace out of the castle.
"Well?" Jareth questioned his goblins. "Laugh." he ordered. The goblins continued their rivited laughter as they watch the dwarf scurry out of sight. Jareth joined them.
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The Duke's Palace
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It had taken a full week's carriage ride to arrive at the Duke's estate. Lasair had explained to Sarah that there were easier ways to travel to his home but that Sarah would enjoy the scenery on the way. The Duke was right, Sarah had enjoyed herself very much that week, seeing new sights and people that she had not yet dreamed of. Each night they stayed at a different noble's house and rose early to continue their journey.
At last they had reached there destination, the Duke's palace had far more grandeur than the Marquee's estate. The style and decoration between the two places were drastically different. The Marquee's estate had been light and airy, full of bright colors and frills. Definitly done to the tastes of the Marchioness. The Duke's palace was furnished with dark woods and red upholstery, black and red seemed to be the theme throughout, everything was clean and masculine. "Definitly lacking a ladies touch." Sarah gigled to herself, remembering what Fionna had said to her about the Duke being single. Sarah decided the place was delightfully gloomy, and she almost preferred it to the bright cheerful estate.
"And this is your room my Lady." Sarah came back to the present, she had been ignoring her maid during the entire tour lost in her own thoughts.
"Thank you...I didn't catch your name?" Sarah questioned, walking into the room.
"My name is Sade. Would you like me to draw you a bath?" the maid asked.
"Yes, Thank you Sade." Sarah said, hardly paying attention again. Her room was decorated in the same dark colors, although black and emerald green seemed to be the theme for her room. Sarah flopped herself down on the silky emerald bed and found it extremely comfortable, it had a beautiful canopy made of a sheer sparkling black. Sarah noticed that the colors were the same as the ballgown she had worn when she first met the Duke and giggled wondering if he had her room decorated this way on purpose.
Thinking of the ball, she was reminded of her encounter with Jareth which she had been trying very had to forget about the past week. Staring up at the canopy it no longer reminded her of her dress, but of Jareth's cape he wore when she had first laid eyes on him. Sarah scowled at the canopy.
"Your bath is ready my Lady." Sade interupted Sarah from her thoughts once more. "I shall check on you later." Sade bowed and left Sarah to her own devices.
. Sarah soaked in the warm bath, melting away the aches from the last days ride. "I wonder if they wrote back yet." Sarah wondered, thinking of her family.. Sarah had written her family a letter, explaining her new position and berating them for missing the ball. She alway warned them of the Goblin King's appearance and that most people knew who she really was now, she warned them to be careful. The Marchioness had promised to have it delivered right away.
Upon arriving home, the Duke had deposited Sarah with her assigned maid and left to find the steward. His charming and happy facade melted into an angry scowl as he marched through his palace. Lasair found the steward in his study. "Welcome home my Lord. Did all go according to your plan?" the steward inquired, seeing his master enter.
The Duke smiled. "Yes, it went very well."
"and the Lady Sarah?" the steward questioned.
"She's here now." the Duke looked smug.
"Most excellent." the steward praised.
The Duke smiled more mischieviously. "Unfortunately...Sarah is most curious about her family. Any mail addressed to Sarah is to come to me first. I don't want my cousin getting his greedy hands on her again. But...if that should happen, I've assured her hatred for him." he laughed cruelly. "In the end, Sarah will loathe Jareth, Jareth will die and I shall have the throne. Sarah shall be my shining trophy for all to see." he gloated, pleased with himself.
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Author's note: The next chapter Sarah finds out about her family...