Chapter 27
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Sarah makes a Choice
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Sarah sat at her vanity humming to herself softly as she combed out her hair; thinking about the Duke and how he had proposed earlier that day. "Duchess Sarah...hmmm." Sarah smiled to herself. "Why not?" she said aloud to the mirror. "But do you really love him?" her mind asked her. "Will I find someone who loves and treats me as well as the Duke? I know I have feelings for him, I may not be certain as to how strong those feelings are at this point. How charming and handsome he is though." she sighed. "He has been very generous." Sarah thought fingering the ring that hung from her cord. "Someone else was generous too." another voice in the recesses of her mind chimed in. "No. He was cruel." Sarah said bitterly to herself.
"Oh my dear family, have they forgotten me? Has something horrible happened to them?" Sarah's thoughts continued to decline. Guilt crept upon her, knowing she'd never forgive herself if something had happened in her absence. Sarah sighed once more and sat the brush down. "I just wish I knew what was going on." she said aloud. As soon as Sarah spoke she saw movement on her vanity. "What's going on?" Sarah questioned as she lifted the small mirror that Hoggle had given to her as a present. His words flashed through her mind.There was rumors that it has some magical properties.
Sarah quickly moved to the fireplace and sat by the hearth so she could see what movement was in the mirror. Sarah saw the Cottage, she saw Midge. Sarah winced as she took in Midge's features. She looked tired and ill, her age was showing as it had never before. Lily was in asleep in bed, but she did not appear restful. "Where are the boys?" Sarah whispered. The images began to fade away. "Hey!" Sarah shouted angrily and shook the mirror. New images began to appear, she saw a woman tucking Toby into a strange bed. Toby's face had fresh tear stains upon his cheek and Sarah felt a terrible mix of emotions. As the woman left she recognized it to be Priya, Sarah furrowed her brow and then realized that Priya had been at least aquaintances with the Goblin King. "Traitor!" she spat. The image faded again and she saw her father and Gavin. They were in a small room, they looked tired and bored out of their minds. They were talking to eachother but Sarah could not hear what they said.
Sarah was angry. "How dare he!" she screeched, pacing her room. "How dare he touch my family. He has no right!" Grabbing her robe and pulling it around her tightly she left her room and made her way to the Duke's chambers.
The Duke had just emerged from his bath when a loud and rude knocking came at his chamber door. Wrapping a towel around his waist he scowled and went to the door. "What!" he snapped as he flung open his door.
Sarah forgot her mission for a moment as she took in Lasair's half naked form, strands of wet hair clung to his shoulders. "Sarah!" he exclaimed, surprised to see her at his door. In an instant he was dry and pulled Sarah to him, shutting the door behind them. "Is everything fine?" he questioned, sensing her emotions.
"No! Everything is definitely not fine!" Sarah began to pace the Duke's room.
The Duke could not help smiling as he watched Sarah in her fury. "She's so alluring when she's mad." he chuckled to himself and changed quickly into his robe while she was turned from him.
"What is it Darling?" he questioned, confused as to what would upset her so.
"It's that blasted Goblin King. He's kidnapped Toby again and he's imprisoned Gavin and my Father!" Sarah roared.
The Duke's eyes narrowed and he went to Sarah and halted her pacing. "How do you know this?" he questioned, gripping her shoulders.
Sarah was so upset that tears were streaming down her face even though she was not crying. "This." she said a bit more calmly and revealed the mirror to the Duke. The Duke took the mirror and inspected it, he could detect no magic from the object.
"Are you sure?" he questioned.
"Yes!" Sarah threw up her arms. "I'm not crazy." she said angrily.
"Darling I never said you were." he pulled her into an embrace. "Everything will be fine." he tried to soothe her. Sarah let her head rest against the Duke, noticing that he had put on a robe when she wasn't paying attention. The Duke lifted Sarah's chin so he could look her in the eyes. "I promise, everything will turn out as it should."
Sarah turned her face from him again. "I should leave. I should go to them." she started to say.
The Duke held her firmly. "No! Sarah. You don't know what game he is playing. You can't march in there and demand them. He is a King, there will be no rules to bind him this time." Lasair warned. "He's baiting you with them, he wants you to go, dont you see?"
"But I can't do nothing!" she argued.
"Give me time. I will negotiate with my cousin, I promise." he lied to her. Sarah nodded her head, believing his lie.
The Duke lifted her chin again and this time placed his lips firmly against hers. Sarah kissed him back hard, pulling him closer, letting all her frustration vent through an act of passion. Lasair wrapped one hand in her silky hair and they continued to kiss, his other hand trailed down appreciating her supple and curvy figure. Sarah found herself being pushed back and felt her thighs hit the Duke's bed. Lasair did not break the kiss as he lifted her onto the bed, pushing himself onto her. Sarah let out a slight moan as he pulled away and trailed kisses down her neck and collar bone. Sarah felt the Duke undoing her robe tie, "No" she managed to gasp pushing her hands against his chest.
Lasair rolled to her side, smiling impishly. He reached out a stroked her cheek. "No worries darling, I shall keep you pure till we are wed." Sarah blushed in response and tried to sit up. Lasair pulled her back down, "You're upset, stay with me tonight. Let me be your comfort." he whispered in her ear. Sarah wanted to protest but found that she had no good reason.
"But, what will people say?" she tried to argue.
"Since when did Sarah Williams care what other's thought?" he teased her, pulling her back against him.
"You're right." she shrugged and cuddled closer to his side, trying to assure herself that her family would be alright.
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Three Days Later
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"Have you had any luck with the negotiations today? You should let me speak to him." Sarah argued with the Duke.
"Sarah. As I've told you before, you speaking to him will not help matters!" Lasair was beginning to lose his patience with her, everyday now she came to him and they had this same argument. "I'm doing the best I can." he lied.
"I know." Sarah said softening a bit.
Lasair went to her and kissed her forehead. "Once he released them, they shall come and live her and they shall have my full protection."
"My Lord!" a guard interupted.
"What is it?" Lasair questioned.
"It's Illiana, we've captured her." the guard announced.
"Excellent." Lasair followed the guard and Sarah followed him.
Entering the main hall, Sarah saw several guards, two holding the fae woman in unusual chains. "Must prevent magic escape." Sarah thought.
Illiana saw Sarah and the Duke approach. "So he hasn't tired of his mortal pet yet I see." she spat venomously.
"Silence." The Duke ordered. "Illiana, for treason and tresspassing and attempted murder against the Lady Sarah. I sentence you to death." he declared.
Sarah gasped, she had not expected him to have her executed. The idea horrified her. "No!" Sarah exclaimed, grabbing the Duke's wrist. "Please, don't execute her." she pleaded.
The Duke looked down at Sarah curiously. "Sarah, why should I spare her life. She tried to take yours."
"But I'm alive and I couldn't bare it, even if she is wicked I could not live with that." Sarah's eyes pleaded with him. "She loves you."
"A crime is a crime Sarah, acted out of love or not." he chided her.
"Punish her, just don't kill her. please. for me?" she implored.
"Fine, I shall not have her executed." he sighed. "For you, my beloved." he kissed her hand, satisfied Sarah left the hall. Once she was out of sight, he turned back towards his guards. Walking over to the chief he ordered. "I want her executed before dawn."
"But my Lord." the chief guard protested. "She is a countess, don't you need the approval of the King?"
"Don't question my orders! Just do it!" he glared at the guard.
"Yes, my Lord." the guard bowed and they escorted Illiana away.
Sarah paced in her room. Three days had passed and the Duke had gotten no where with his negotiations. "It's never going to work, he wants his revenge, he wants me." she thought. "I must go." she made up her mind.
Sarah waited till the dead of the night, when the palace was asleep. She sat down at her vanity and wrote a note for the Duke.
Dearest Lasair,
By now you know I have gone. Forgive me, I know you want to protect me. I know the Goblin King will not give up my family, I know I alone must face him, as I did years before. I will rescue my family and I will return to you. If you will still have me, when I return my answer is yes, I will marry you, happily.
Love
Sarah
Sarah left the note on her vanity and weighed it down with a bottle of perfume. Changing into her riding clothes and taking nothing with her except the little mirror that Hoggle had given her, she quietly left her room. It had been easier that Sarah thought to make her way unnoticed to the stables. The moon was full, and she was able to see her way in the moonlight to the stables. Taking one of the lanterns she made her way down to Seafoam's stall, the horse whinnied when she saw Sarah.
"Shhh quiet!" Sarah quietly scolded Seafoam. "We have to go away for awhile, we have a long journey ahead of us." Seafoam snorted in response. Sarah was relieved once they had passed through the palace property. Urging Seafoam to go faster, they raced along the road that would take Sarah East towards the elven forest.
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Author's Note: Okay, she now knows! Happy? haha. Now you'll all be wanting the big confrontation between Sarah and Jareth. That will be the next chapter, it will take me longer to update cause i want that chapter to be especially good. As always, please review.