Chapter 35

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The Healer returns

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"You're very smart, it's a shame you were never able to get schooling." Priya commented after she had finished a lesson with Gavin. "It won't take long until you can assume your duties." she smirked.

Gavin grinned at the elf woman. "It will be a strange change of duties for me." he rubbed his neck thoughtfully. Priya gently took hold of Gavin's hands, turning them over and inspecting them.

"You have the hands of an artist, you don't belong on a farm." she smirked.

Gavin scowled at his calloused and scarred hands. "We take what we get."

Priya laughed. "Well life is handing you something new, I'd suggest you take full advantage of that." sobering she continued. "The King...can be infuriating and petty. If you'd lived through his life, you probably would have turned out the same if not worse. The King is good inside, you'd do well to have his favor Gavin."

Gavin shook his head. "I know...but he really knows how to bring out the worst in people." Priya laughed and then Gavin smiled a bit. "It would infuriate Sarah to no end...if I had the King's favor." he laughed.

"Do you really love Sarah?" Priya questioned suddenly.

Gavin was taken back by the question. "I..." he rubbed his neck again.

"You really don't know who Sarah is, do you?" she asked gently and Gavin did not respond.

"I think you're in love with the idea of Sarah, you have her on some pedestal that I doubt she deserves nor would do justice. No one wants to admit it and Sarah wont see it but she is the King's match." Priya gushed her opinions openly, pointedly but with a sensitivity that neither Jareth nor Sarah could manage.

"You may be right." Gavin said after soaking in all that Priya said. "I appreciate your open honesty."

"Ha!" Priya snorted. "Besides, you're too handsome to waste your time wanting something you can't have." she winked before she turned to leave. Gavin could only watch her go with a child like grin.

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Sarah sighed deeply as she meandered down the hallway. She was bored and she missed performing, she had not sung since becoming the Goblin King's captive. "Perhaps I'll take Seafoam and try to find Hoggle...maybe I can get more out of him about that curse..." she wondered. "Perhaps he is cursed to be the Goblin King? Nah...he enjoys that awfully much to be a curse." she continued pondering on her way down to the stables. "Maybe he's always so foul because of the curse, or maybe that is what got him cursed in the first place...Well I don't know why you're so curious Sarah...I could care less if he's cursed, I hope he stays cursed, whatever it may be." She tried to convince herself to end her curiosity.

Soon Sarah found herself outside of Seafoam's stall, "Hullo girl, did you miss me?" she asked as she petted her horse lovingly. Seafoam leaned into Sarah's hand and snorted. Sarah began to take Seafoam out and looked around for a saddle.

"And where do you think you're going with my horse?" his suave voice upset Sarah's calm. She told herself she should be use to him popping up out of no where but it still unsettled her each time.

Sarah whipped around, "I'm taking my horse, Seafoam, for a ride." she tried to keep her voice level. Seafoam stomped a foot and flared her nostrils indignantly at the King. "She doesn't like you anyways!"

Jareth scowled at them both, "It looks as if the two of you deserve each other then." he mocked. "No matter, I have far superior steeds." he said as if he was unaffected as usual. With a whistle, a beautiful grey stallion approached the King. The horse nuzzled Jareth lovingly, Jareth looked smug as he patted his steed with pride.

"What's his name?" Sarah tried to sound just as uninterested.

"Askurr." he replied demurely.

Sarah didn't know what else to say and the saddle she was holding was getting very heavy, ignoring the King she set to saddling and bridling Seafoam. When she turned she frowned to see Jareth sitting atop Askurr, smirking down at her. "What do you think you're doing?" she asked dryly.

"You." he pointed his riding crop at her. "Do not ask your King what he does." his eyes were stony but his tone had a hint of playfulness that Sarah did not trust in the slightest. "You're going on a trip with me." his grin widened as her eyes widened.

"I'll do no such thing." she snapped.

"Oh, you will." he said seriously. Jareth muttered something else and suddenly Sarah found herself dressed in different ridding clothes and sitting a top Seafoam. She glared down at herself and was horrified to find that she matched Jareth. Wearing tight fitted black pants, black ridding boots and a white poet shirt. Her shirt was a more feminine cut than Jareth's and while his black jacket was cut short, her's flaired out like the train on a dress and sat laid gracefully on Seafoam.

"These are NOT my clothes." she felt her face flush red.

"Watch your temper Sarah. You don't want to accidentally hurt someone." he spoke to her with the same tone one would use to scold a small child.

"I'd like to hurt you." she mumbled, glaring at him.

"Come now Sarah, I need you to be dressed appropriately." he reasoned with her.

"Appropriate for what?" she snapped still glaring.

"You'll see." he smirked.

"Oh no I wont." she argued and tried to dismount, unfortunately she found she could not.

Jareth laughed. "Remember who has the power Sarah dear." Realizing she had no choice, Sarah followed behind as the Goblin King took off.

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"Lady Priya!" Priya turned as she heard her name being called, she turned to find Healer Caleb briskly approaching her.

"Caleb, what can I do for you?" she asked pleasantly.

"I've been informed that the King is away, do you know when he shall return?"

"After sunset I assume." she shrugged.

"Well may I see Lady Sarah then?" he persisted.

"Sarah is with the King I'm afraid." Priya informed him.

"Oh I see." Caleb looked disapointed.

"I'm not sure I understand, Sarah is well isn't she?" Priya asked, a hint of concern.

"Oh yes, quite well. Has she started her lessons yet?"

Priya furrowed her brows. "Lessons, what are you raving about?"

"Oh, the King did not tell you?" it was Caleb's turn to frown.

"Apparently not!" Priya exclaimed.

"Well he only said to keep the information from Sarah...so I suppose I can tell you." he smiled. Caleb then told Priya all that had passed. Priya looked very amused.

"I suppose I should be surprised" Priya laughed. "I always felt there was something different about that bunch though...and your certain about her father?"

"Most certain." Caleb shook his head enthusiastically. "The Line definitely comes from the father."

"Well this is most interesting, you should stay until the King returns. Come, I will make you comfortable." she said as she led him to the guest common rooms.

"Where did the King take the Lady Sarah, dare I ask?" Caleb wondered.

Priya smiled knowingly. "He took her to see the sea."

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Author's Note: Okay so my chapters are fluctuating between kinda long and kinda short. This one was kinda short but if I added everything I had originally planned it would have been ridiculously long. :-P Anyways...next chapter you'll see what happens at the sea...Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the last chapter!