Chapter 32
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Lost Blood Line
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"What do you want?" Sarah scowled as Priya walked into the room. Priya rolled her eyes as she crossed the room and sat by Sarah's side.
"I'm not going to apologize for the incident at the Ballroom. I didn't apologize to the King for it, I'm certainly not going to apologize to you. I'm not sorry, I had my reason's and I'm sticking to them." Priya returned Sarah's defiance and Sarah only continued to glare at the elf.
Priya sighed as if she was going to say something very difficult. "I will, however apologize for my temper. I am sorry that you're here under these conditions, it's not what I expected to happen. I'm also sorry that you're stuck in this bed, and I'm sorry that our arguing has only helped delay your recovery." she signed deeply again, grateful to be done apologizing. 'I've never been so sorry' Priya mocked herself.
Sarah's glare had softened into a look of subtle surprise, she knew that Priya's will and temper almost matched her own.
"And!" Priya exclaimed. "Quite frankly I get enough from Jareth alone, I don't need another person to fight with."
Sarah laughed despite herself. "I agree with you there."
"Truce?" Priya offered.
Sarah smiled, she had learned that Jareth had raised Priya. She couldn't really blame the elf for the way she acted. Besides, she needed a friend. "Alright, truce accepted."
"Good!" Priya grinned. "Just think how much it will irk Jareth when he learns that we are best friends!" she giggled.
Sarah smiled and shook her head. "You're truely insane." she sighed. "I'm not trying to start a fight, I just want to know why you pulled that stunt at the Ball."
Priya looked at Sarah carefully and shrugged. "I told you before, I wanted you to see his good side." Sarah snorted. "Despite what you think, he does have a good side." Priya continued. "I thought maybe you and him would become...friends." she finally finished.
Sarah laughed fully now. "Oh Priya, you really are too much for me." Priya only sighed. "Please don't make me laugh, im so tired. I'm really sick of lying in this bed."
"The Healer is suppose to be back today, perhaps he'll be able to do something." Priya offered comfortingly. "Now I get to ask you a question and you cannot get angry at me."
"Alright." Sarah promised.
"Do you really love the Duke?" Priya asked quietly.
Sarah frowned, she hadn't been expecting that from Priya either. "Yes...well...I believe so." Sarah sounded unsure of herself. Priya raised an eyebrow in question. "I care for him, he's wonderful to me. If I don't love him now then I'll certainly grow to love him." she defended herself.
"Well, it's none of my business Sarah." Priya stood to leave. "But I won't agree to marry someone unless you're sure without a doubt that they are they love of your life." Priya wasn't being smart or sarcastic, she was being the most genuine Sarah had ever seen her.
Sarah sighed. "Well, I already agreed. I can't go back on my word, I want to marry him."
Priya frowned. "Well, I'll visit you later I have things to do." she waved and left Sarah alone.
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Jareth was lounging in his throne, bored and brooding as usual. 'Sarah's here and I'm still not amused." he rubbed his temples gently, blocking out the sound of the noisy goblins running amuck. No one had been wished away since Sarah had come, demanding her family. He spent the weeks fighting with both Sarah and Priya and being down right miserable.
"What is it?" Jareth sighed irritated, as he noticed Priya standing in front of him.
"I'm not here to argue." Priya started but was cut off.
"Then I don't know why else you'd be talking to me." Jareth was his usual cold self.
Priya was silent for a moment so she could control her temper. "I merely wanted to inform you of what Sarah told me."
Jareth started paying attention at that point. Priya came closer, so that only he could hear what she would tell him. "I spoke with her about the Duke." she hesitated when she saw Jareth's eyes glow with hate. "and she confessed to me that she is not certain of her love for him. Jareth, you only have eight months. The Jareth I know wouldn't give up, he'd go out with a fight."
"I don't need you to remind me of the time I have left." Jareth snapped.
Priya didn't snap back, but looked at him with pleading eyes. "Jareth." she stroked his cheek. "Despite your cold shell, I know how wonderful you can be. You must try." she said softly. Jareth had pulled himself away from her touch and she moved away to leave.
Jareth watched Priya leave the throne room, a mixture of adoration and deep irritation shone in his eyes. It faded as she left his sight and he continued to think. 'I will either have her or make her suffer, there is no other way.' he thought full of bitterness.
"Yer majesty!" one of his goblin guards interupted his thoughts.
"What?" he snapped.
"Healer has returned!" the goblin announced.
"Finally" Jareth muttered and made his way to meet the Healer.
"Your excellence" the Healer bowed, his eyes gleamed with the knowledge of a secret.
"What are your findings?" Jareth demanded.
The Healer grinned broadly. "Most unusual and intriguing findings!" he exclaimed excited.
"Yes, I'm sure. Get on with it." Jareth waved his hand impatiently.
"I'm sure you recall Queen Amalthea and King Falcor?" The Healer smiled knowingly.
Jareth narrowed his eyes at the Healer. "Yes. They were killed long before I was born. They were unique and very powerful, they ruled before Thanvannit was united. What of them?" Jareth quickly became impatient.
"Ah, yes. They did die and their Kingdom no longer exists. What many do not know is that the Queen escaped with their only child, a princess." Jareth looked at the Healer sharply, he did not like where the Healer was headed with this. "When the great war ended and the coucil formed, they began to search for the missing Queen and Princess. They did not look aboveground because aboveground had not yet been created, it was someone from your line that discovered that we could not only travel between the different worlds but that we could travel between time in other worlds as well."
"Yes I know that." Jareth snapped. "What does this have to do with Sarah?"
"Well isn't it obvious? Sarah is from the missing line." the Healer was clearly excited about his findings. "They began searching though the treads of time in the mortal realms, that is when they found aboveground. By this time the Queen was long dead, presumed she was mortal wounded when she fled. The Princess had been found and adopted by a mortal King. She was grown, married and had a child of her own, she knew nothing of being fae. The coucil decided she was best left as she was for the time being. Time wore on, the princess's husband grew old and she remained younge. She was unfortunate enough to live in an age where mortals feared anything they didnt understand, they called her a witch. She fled with her child, another girl. The coucil had forgotten about her until they heard her crys for help echo into our realm. Before she was captured, her power unknown to her, she weaved a spell of protection for her child and her child vanished. The coucil was able to rescue her before they attempted to burn her alive. She had weaved a spell so strong that not even she could locate her baby, she later died losing the will to live. Thus ended the line of Amalthea and Falcor. Until now." he grinned widely.
Jareth was silent, if this was true then Sarah would be by birth rights a Queen or Princess if she had a kingdom to return home to. She did not have a Kingdom, which Jareth was grateful. Sarah would hold the title of Grand Duchess by right of birth even though she owned no land or had any real wealth. Jareth sighed.
"Amalthea and Falcor were unique, their power exceeded that of the merfolk yet they were not enlightened. The fact that they joined together could have meant a great advancement in the bloodlines of the Shalobree. Sarah could have vast power." The Healer whispered.
"Nonsense!" Jareth snapped. "Any power from that line has been diluted by mortal blood."
"That could be, even so, the magic she does have needs to be controlled and monitored. She should be trained. We must also test her father to see if the bloodline came through him or her mother. My assumption is that her first visit here awoke her dormant fae blood, her sucess here would only strengthen that awakening." he grinned happily. "I would also assume, if the bloodline runs through her father he is too old to be awakened, but the boy...well with proper directions he could become very adept."
"Do not tell Sarah any of this. Missing bloodline or not, she is under my rule and I will not have this going to her head." Jareth ordered.
The Healer frowned. "As you wish my Lord." he agreed reluctantly. "What of her father?"
"Have them tested...discretely." he warned.
"Very good." the Healer pulled a small vile out of his bag. "Now that I know noble fae blood runs through her veins I can administer this to her." he said holding up a reviving elixir, which legally he was only able to give to fae of noble birth.
"How long until she's fully recovered?" Jareth asked hopefully.
"With this and the start of proper training...she'll be good as new by the morning." the Healer confirmed
"Very well, proceed." Jareth watched the healer make his way towards Sarah's chambers.
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Sarah woke as she heard someone enter her chambers. She rubbed her eyes, her vision cleared and she saw a rather gangly looking elf smiling down at her. "Who are you?" she asked sleepily but her voice was still tainted with suspicsion.
"My name is Caleb, I'm an elven Healer." he announced cheerfully.
Sarah perked a bit. "It's about time he bloody sent someone to make me well. I thought he was trying to kill me." she complained.
Caleb, the healer chuckled. "Drink this, you'll be feeling quite well by morning."
Sarah took the vial, and sniffed at it still suspicious. Caleb laughed. "It the King wanted to kill you, he wouldn't send a Healer to poison you."
Sarah glared at the Healer briefly before drinking the contents of the vial. She was surprised that there was no terrible taste, really there was no taste at all. "Thank you." she offered the Healer a small smile.
"It's my pleasure my Lady." Caleb looked down at Sarah. 'A true beauty, the fae is strong with her. Jareth is wrong." he thought to himself. "Well I must be going now." he announced.
"Hey, wait." Sarah called. "No one has said anything about me being able to use magic. Maybe you can explain it?" she asked hopeful.
"Well..." the Healer began nervously. "It seems that your first trip to the Labyrinth awakend you...uh more so than most mortals that traverse the Labyrinth sucessfully." he told her a partial truth. "Needless to say, you will need training to control and test the limits of your capabilities."
Sarah crossed her arms. "Well I'm not being trained by that rotten Goblin King." she spat angrily.
Caleb supressed a laugh. "Perhaps I can arrange something else for you. Until we meet again my Lady." he bowed slightly before leaving. Sarah watched him go, wishing that there were more nice people like him around.
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Author's Note: Yes, for any of you who might have noticed. I stole the name Amalthea from the Last Unicorn and Falcor from The Neverending Story. The names have nothing to do with those movies however, except in context to what type of creature the names belonged to.
So that's the story on Sarah's abilities. Hope you like it. Next chapter Sarah gets out of bed! haha. Thanks much and much love to my readers and especially those who review! hugs