Chapter four Pieces of a puzzle
Sarah had returned from England with only a week before she had to be at the little collage up state she'd be attending on a full Scholarship. Even Karen's friends had been impressed. In that last week, she and Karen did a whirlwind of shopping for the things Sarah would need to take with her. They had decided to make a family trip out of the event. Little Katie was almost eighteen months old, Toby was now nearly four, and they traveled very well for "smalls".
At the collage registrations office, Robert and Karen filled out last minuet forms and paid the book fees, and dorm fee. The campus was amazing, with gardens and knolls, and a beautiful lagoon. The main building looked as if it had been modeled on a castle. In fact, the whole collage looked as if a medieval kingdom had been magically transported here. Strangely there was something that didn't set well with Toby or Katie, who began to fuss.
Sarah's dorm was one of the oldest buildings, and had only two floors unlike some of the others. It was also set a bit apart from the newer dorms, sharing a small quad and parking lot with two others. On one side of the building, the woods came marching up with in a few yards of the three dorms; on another side, a path that led to a small spring fed lake. Robert and Karen helped Sarah gather up her cases and began to carry them up to the second floor room. Sarah went down the hall looking for the room number and found it quickly as it was not too far from the stairs.
"Here it is!" She announced and tapped on the door incase her new room mate was already in there. There was no answer and she turned the knob. The room was a good size, and painted a nice color of green. Robert brought in the case he was carrying and offered to go get another load if Karen and Sarah would start getting her squared away. Karen looked around the room; the one side was already occupied. On the wall were posters of rock stars and abstracts. The occupied bed was covered in a black satin bed spread with a red lace dust cover. A moment later, as Karen stood looking at the strange knick -knacks the other occupant had gathered about, the occupant entered the room.
"Hiya!" The owner of the strange and unusual was a girl of average height girl, with long straight red hair. She wore deathly white makeup on her face, and blood red lipstick. "You must be Sarah Williams! I'm Morgan Dru. Welcome to Somerset Hall." She held a hand out to Sarah. "Oh, and don't let the getup throw you. I'm going though a phase."
Karen raised an eyebrow. "I see."
Sarah accepted the offered hand. "Hello, Morgan. Yes, I'm Sarah Williams."
Karen looked at the other girl, "You don't look like a freshman to me."
"I am what's politely known as a Non-Trad," Morgan explained making quotation marks in the air with long delicate fingers. "Basically, I took a few years off to 'find myself', much to my dad's disgust. But he loves me still! Both Sarah and I will be taking Liberal Arts courses."
Sarah smiled as her father arrived with the second load. He looked at Morgan and almost turned round to leave. "Dad, this is my roommate, Morgan," Sarah grabbed for a suitcase.
"She is?" Robert sounded doubtful.
"Hey, my dad has the same exact reactions to me!" Morgan laughed. Toby and Katie were both hiding behind Karen by this time and peering out around her at Morgan. Toby suddenly grabbed Sarah's hands. "No, come home. You must come home." He shot a look at Morgan that could have killed. "I don't want you stay here! Come home, Sarah."
Sarah knelt down. "Toby, honey, I told you. I have to go to school. I'll be home for Thanksgiving!" She looked up at Morgan. "This is my little brother, Toby."
Morgan suddenly understood, both of the little children were immune to the enchantment that caused other's to see her in the goth garments. These little ones saw her as she was, as Morganna, a Fae. It didn't seem to bother Katie, as much as confuse her. But Toby had his own history with Morganna's kind. His looks toward Morgan were more than distrust and confusion, Toby was boarding on hysterical. "You're lucky. My little bother isn't anywhere near as cute," Morganna smiled at Toby, "Hey Kiddo. What's up?"
Toby turned back to his sister. "Sarah! This is a bad place! Bad things are going to happen here. You gotta come home, now." He tugged urgently.
Sarah, held him to her. "Toby." She spoke soothingly. "I'll be fine."
Toby whispered in her ear. "I don't like it here…there's scary things here."
Sarah whispered back. "Toby, if I can find my way though a labyrinth I can get though this."
He looked at her. "Sarah." He whispered urgently in her ear. "I don't like her!"
"She's just a girl." Sarah soothed. "Just a girl."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Sarah walked her family out to their car after the last of her things had been brought up to the room. Toby was still trying to get her to come home. He looked at the woods with dread. Katie kept looking about, confusion on her little face. Karen and Robert both put it down to the long drive, and the changes. Toby hadn't been all that happy when Sarah had gone off to London, either. Sarah kissed and hugged each member of her family goodbye. She waved as the car pulled away, and made her way back up to the room.
"Sorry about the kid's reaction." Sarah apologized to her roommate as she came back in. "I think the long trip was a bit much on him. That and he may have separation issues."
"Think nothing of it," Morgan sat on her bed, "Need any help getting stowed away?"
"No, I can handle it." Sarah said in confidence. She began to place her belonging in the places she thought they'd look right.
Morgan watched, "Hey, the folks are gone. You can whip out the pictures of your boyfriends now." She teased.
"Boyfriends? I don't have one, let alone multiples," Sarah laughed. She had noticed the various pictures of a variety of handsome young men stuck on Morgan's mirror and walls.
"You kidding?" Morgan demanded. "I'd have expected a trail at least a block long. Or did they put you in the wrong dorm? Rainbow Hall is on the Front Quad…" She thumbed toward the window.
"Oh, I like men just fine," Sarah grinned. "It's the boys who drive me round the bend. They never seem to know what they want…or at least the ones in my acquaintance have left me with that impression." She had her mandolin in her hands as she turned to face Morgan.
"Do you really play that thing?" Morgan looked at the mandolin.
"Yes I do." Sarah said proudly handling the instrument with tender care. "I've taken over a years worth of lessons. I even restored this beauty myself." Carefully she looked for a place of honor on her side of the room for the musical instrument. "I find the sounds of the mandolin very comforting."
Morgan picked up Sarah's class schedule from Sarah's bed. "Oh you are so lucky! You've got Professor Woodard for the study of literature. I hear he's the absolute best. I wish I had gotten him!" She looked at the other classes. "Most of our classes are the same, only two with different professors. We can spell each other taking notes and keeping track of assignments."
"The media Art class is the one that scares me. I'm good at sketching, fair at painting; I'm even somewhat skilled in thread art… but media… I don't know the first thing about using a computer to do the kinds of things they describe." Sarah hung the mandolin from a peg on the wall near her bed.
"I have problem just turning a computer ON," Morgan admitted. "Sarah, do you own ANY pants?" The Goth girl was inspecting the other girls half of the closet.
"I use to live in jeans." Sarah admitted. "But this past summer I learned that skirts have… their own charm. Anyhow, look whose talking. Do YOU have any pants?" Sarah pointed to the myriad of skirts and long dresses on the other side of the closet.
"Very few. The men in my life would disown me if I wore them too often," Morgan admitted laughing lightly at being caught in her web.
The door to the room flew open and a young man dressed much like Morgan in goth style came in and fell on Morgan's bed and moaned theatrically. Morgan pointed to him and said to Sarah. "That lump is my boy friend, Seth Fisher. Seth, sit up and say hello to Sarah."
Seth obediently sat up, looked at Sarah, and said hello before falling back on Morgan's bed. "Life is a bummer." He announced.
"He's got issues." Morgan rolled her eyes. "I wonder why I keep him sometimes. But he can be amusing." She picked up the sketch book off the desk. "Wow, who's this?"
Sarah knew without looking which sketch Morgan was looking at. "He's just someone I know." She tried not to sound like she cared, and failed. She fought the urge to rip the sketch book from the other girl's hands.
"I thought you said you didn't have a boy friend." Morgan looked closely at the drawing. She was amazed at what the mortal had captured. Right about then, Morganna began to get a glimmer of a suspicion. "He's a stunner."
"He's not exactly my boy friend…and he is certainly not a boy." Sarah said ruefully.
"So you go in for older men." Morgan shrugged as she handed her back the book. "Older can be good."
Seth was still lying on the bed, glared at the pair of them for ignoring him. "Hey, person here! Needing tender loving care."
Morgan patted him on the head. "Later baby boy. Sarah, would you like to see some of the campus?" Sarah nodded. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
In the trees sat an owl, watching, as he often did. Along side him a pair of angry ravens.
Oberon watched in a scrying pool, his wife stood at his shoulder. "It's a good thing the time limit is almost up. I'm at my wits end trying to keep that boy busy."
"Too bad there are so few children being wished away." Tatiana commented. "If he had that to occupy him he'd be less of a nuisance."
"You, my dear, have a nasty sense of humor," Oberon informed her as he patted the hand she'd placed on his shoulder. "The problem is, no matter what his duties, they are going to suffer, because he cannot focus on them. He's obsessed with that girl. I doubt that even he knows just how obsessed he is."
Tatiana looked into the scrying pool. "What worries me is his desire for vengeance and retribution."
The High King cleared his throat, "I'm afraid he learned that at my knee."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
The last stop on Morgan's tour was a hilltop overlooking the campus. The sun was going down, and the sky had taken on a purple hue. "This is already my favorite place to be at this time of day," Morgan announced, sinking into the lush grass. "Words fail." She gazed toward the campus and it's many paths snaking about.
"Wind in the trees, mist over the hills. Bathed in rose and purple heathered-light," Seth said dreamily, and then he made a face. "Sorry bout that. It's the Poet's soul and all that nonsense."
Sarah was still standing, looking at the vista that stretched below them. "This place reminds me of somewhere…"
"Looks like Camelot to me," Morgan shrugged. "The way Mallory described it."
"Nah," Seth disagreed. "More like an extension of the old World Theater."
Sarah closed her eyes, basically ignoring the two of them. As the soft evening breeze wept over her, she could almost hear her name being whispered on the air currents. The voice was one she knew well, and both thrilled to and dreaded. For a moment she was on another windswept hill. "I think it's going to be wonderful here." She didn't see the looks Morgan and Seth exchanged, and wouldn't have wanted to. It would have disturbed her more than slightly to realize she's picked up another set of tails. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
The first few weeks of classes went by in what seemed a heartbeat. Sarah was settled in with ease. So did Morgan, which seemed to surprise both Morgan and Seth. Sarah became very fond of Professor Woodard. Morgan had snuck in one morning to listen, and was jealous that Sarah and Seth had such an inspiring teacher. That was something else Morgan and Seth had not counted on, enjoying school.
Only in Media Arts were both Sarah and Morgan less than confident. Morgan had the ideas, she grasped the concepts… it was the computers she tended to fry. Sarah found translating the required elements into the media almost impossible.
They were assigned a project to complete by half-term. They had to develop a poster, and display it. The subject matter was up to student discretion. Sarah went over sketch after sketch, and finally put her head down on her desk in frustration. Others' around her were working on exciting subject matter, and she had nothing. Even Morgan was busy plotting away.
"Williams, what seems to be your obstacle?"
Sarah raised her head, looked at the professor and frowned. "I can design blankets for the smalls, costumes for the drama club, even back drops for the drama club… translating any of it to this…"
Mr. Dylan was straddling a chair, his chin on the back of the chair, a thought full look in his grey eyes. "Let me see the sketch book."
"There's nothing there," Sarah moaned regretfully, handing it over.
Mr. Dylan ignored the pages full of concepts she'd been working on for class, and looked instead at the sketches and doodles she did on her own time. "Williams, you're trying too hard." He smiled slightly, holding the pad out. "Look at this, and tell me what you see?"
For a moment, Sarah wasn't sure what Mr. Dylan was talking about. She stared at the incomplete sketch for several minutes. Then it dawned on her, and she relaxed, grinning. Before class was over, she had a preliminary file that made the class wiz kid jealous.
Life was pleasant at the collage, and Sarah had even managed to set aside Toby's fears. When she'd call home on Sunday evenings, she'd tell him that all was well and his fears were not coming to pass. Days were busy, and fun. In the evenings she'd strum her mandolin, beginning with 'Greensleeves' and always ending with his song. Each night she told herself she would not play that song. Each night, she lost the battle.
The Media Arts project was due for display the day of Sarah's Birthday. Sarah and Mr. Dylan had roped and curtained off one entire wall the day before, and only Morgan was allowed behind the curtain. "Sarah, this is an amazing poster," Morgan commented, helping put a large section in place. "I love the buildings and the gardens, and the winding path there. But what has the title got to do with it?" She pointed at the little plaque that read 'In His Eyes', by Sarah Williams.
"You're standing too close." Sarah had just finished putting another dark strip of tape on the marble floor. "Come here, Morgan." She positioned her roommate, and turned her, "Now look."
Morgan gasped. Two mismatched eyes were gazing back at her with almost a self-important high and mighty proud gaze. "Wow!"
Sarah nodded. "That's all that's within his eyes. Everything he promises." Her voice was filled with girlish longing. "At a price impossible to pay."
"Girl, I don't care what you say," Morgan looked at Sarah sternly. "You've got it bad for this stud."
Fingers moved over a little orb hanging from her neck, "Perhaps I do. But if you stand closer, you see not everything in the picture is pretty. Some of it is really dark, and dangerous."
"Dark and dangerous can be pretty enticing," the Goth girl shrugged. "And any path you chose can have its pitfalls. Are you ready to leave? We have to get dressed for the grand showing." Arm in arm, the pair walked out.
When the hall was empty, a single form appeared, stood at the tape and smiled. Then he walked closer. How well Sarah had captured all that he was, within just his eyes. Disturbing, almost, she saw more with her human eyes than she should have.
Sarah dressed in the midnight blue outfit she'd worn to the club on her night out in London. Morgan had chosen one of her more revealing black outfits, and they chatted while getting ready. A package had arrived for Sarah from home. It was a birthday gift from her folks and the smalls. She opened it with nimble fingers. Karen had made her a shawl in shades of blue hairpin lace yarn. Her father had sent her ear bobs that had belonged to his mother. Toby and Katie had sent a little bracelet they'd made. Sarah placed the bracelet on her wrist and the bobs in her ears. She draped the pretty shawl over her shoulders and looked at her reflection. She wondered how she could have been so cruel to Karen in the past.
The Media Arts building was filled with students, professors and locals. The showings at the building were an event, and drew a good crowd. There were people looking at Sarah's poster from both of the tape marks on the floor. Mr. Dylan came over to Sarah as she entered the gallery. "I would say this was one project you did not struggle with," commented the instructor. "Congratulations." He looked at the crowd and winked at the girl. "You're the hit of the showing, Williams. Most of the people can't get enough of your poster. We've even had requests for prints." He left her to go over to talk to a group of professors.
Sarah smiled, walking to where she could look at the poster without being in the way of other viewers. Suddenly she stopped, the air was filled with exotic spice…spice and leather. She franticly looked about, but could not see the origin of the fragrant aroma. Morgan brought her a cup of punch and looked quizzically at her. "Do you smell that?" Sarah demanded closing her eyes and breathing it in deeply. "Spice and leather." She exhaled almost dreamily.
Morgan shook her head in the denial. Of course she smelled it, but she wondered how a mortal could. None of the other mortals in the room seemed to perceive it. Morgan knew darn well if the females in the room could smell it, they'd be reacting. "I don't smell anything, except that perfume you always use. I've never seen a bottle of perfume last so long!" She hoped changing the subject would get Sarah to think about something else.
Sarah didn't hear her, she was looking about. 'Look for me, sweet Sarah. You'll know me when you see me.' He had said in the club in London before leaving her befuddled. She'd hoped secretly that he'd show now, on her birthday, just as he had when she turned sixteen. Morgan was distracted by Seth, Sarah made good her chance at escape. She pulled her shawl tighter and discreetly slipped out of the media hall. She loved the campus at night, and felt safe to wander about. In the six weeks she'd been there she'd found a secret place. It was a topiary garden, with high privet and evergreens cut in shapes. Within the topiary garden was a small arbor. Here she'd come to sit and gather her thoughts. Tonight, she stole to its safety to feel sorry for her self. Taking a seat in the arbor she let out a long ragged sigh. "You didn't come." Her voice wavered with raw emotions.
A voice across from her in the dark recesses of the arbor whispered. "Says who?"
Sarah looked up, "Jareth?"
Jareth smiled coyly, "You were expecting another?"
"You're here." She said, her heart pounding so loud she could hear it, and feel it. "You came. I knew that was your scent." She was leaning forward, her hands gripping the edge of the bench she was seated on.
Jareth cocked his head; she was able to sense him, how odd. She was after all only a mortal. "Yes, I came, and I saw." He stepped out of the shadows, again in his royal midnight blue flowing cloak, imposing and regal. "Now, I have but to conquer." His voice went dark and dangerous, and husky. As he came closer, he saw she was mesmerized, "Or have I already conquered you?"
Sarah swallowed hard, "You've seen the portrait?"
Jareth paused, "Hardly a portrait, Sarah. You only depicted my eyes, my gaze." He was now within a breath of her, "Hardly as frightening as I can truly be. And I am frightening am I not Sarah? You once cowered before me, do you remember?"
"Yes." She trembled, but with the fear was mixed a measure of gladness that he was again near her. This all confused her.
"Sarah, I've brought you a gift." His voice was quieter now, huskier.
The words were the same as the first meeting. She looked up at him, eyes shining as they had been that first night, mixed with fear and awe and desire. "What is it?" She asked before she could stop the insanity. Was she doomed to repeat her words and this scene, over and over with him? She tried to look away, but found her face frozen in its gaze at him. This time he didn't produce a crystal. He pulled her to him, bent closer and placed his lips to her neck. She moaned softly as his teeth scraped along the tender skin of her throat in a love bite. Her heart was pounding, her breath caught in her throat, she shivered as the moan escaped her. Jareth raised his head, "Sweet Sarah, still so innocent after all this time." He eyed her in astonished admiration, "Not knowing, yet craving, how delicious."
Her green eyes filled with apprehension and bewilderment as she gazed at him. Her lips parted, but no words came. She wanted to take her eyes off him, to be able to pull away and run, but there was no escaping him. He raised his right hand to her eye level; with a flick of his wrist and a motion of long elegant fingers he drew a bobble out of the air. Holding it between thumb and index fingers he displayed it before her eyes. Moving as if in slow motion he lowered the object until his fingers were touching the fine sliver chain that his other gift was attached to. The bobble in his fingers affixed itself to the chain and he released it from his grasp. As the bobble touched her she shivered and a soft cry came from her lips. Her eyes were still on his face, which now wore a proud arrogant leer.
Again he lowered his head, and kissed her throat with a violent kiss. One she'd never known and was not enjoying. She was diving him insane! One portion of his being wanted to hurt her, to pay her back for the agony he'd been though. Yet a growing portion of him wanted nothing more than to… What? His mind screamed, love her? He stopped himself, and pulled back.
As he did, she drew breath, moved away and sat down again on the bench of the arbor. "What do you want from me Jareth?" Her voice sounded frantic.
He closed his eyes, pained. What did he want…? 'I ask for so little. Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave.' He looked at the young woman now before him. He'd said those words to a child; she was no longer a child. Oh she was young and innocent, to be sure, but not a child any longer now she was on the verge of womanhood in its flower. "Sarah." He lingered over her name as he often did. She looked up into his eyes fearfully. "What I want…I'll take." His voice was ruthless, callous and cruel. He turned to dissolve into the darkness.
Sarah felt the pain at her throat, but refused to raise her fingers. She refused to touch the bobble he'd added to the ones she wore that he'd already given her. Rising up, she walked slowly to Somerset Hall, and her room. Her mind was cluttered, and she tried to shake it back into working order. What the hell was she thinking of…being glad to see that man yet again? He had stolen her brother for God's sake! He'd forced her to journey through a labyrinth! Because of him she'd lost her … what… her dreams? No, her dreams were still hers. What was it he'd taken from her? Her innocents, was that what he'd taken? When she entered the room, Morgan and Seth were sitting there talking.
Morgan jumped up. "Where the hell did you go?" She asked scowling at her room-mate.
"I needed a bit of air." Sarah said dropping her shawl. "It got too close in the Media Hall."
The Goth girl gasped. "Sarah, you've a cut on your throat, how did that happen." She reached out to touch the girl only to have Sarah pull away.
"The thrones in the arbor, I must have sat too close to one of the branches." Sarah said quickly.
"Those came for you when we got back." Morgan pointed to a vase of flowers, Birds of Paradise. Sarah's hands shook as she took the card. 'You are always in my eyes.' And it was signed. 'Jareth'. Sarah felt like she was going to faint.
Morgan looked at the flowers, "Who's Jareth?" She asked looking at the note over Sarah's shoulder.
Sarah shuddered, "The man with the eyes." She didn't bother with lying.
"The one you claim is not your boy friend." Morgan stated.
"He's not." Sarah Snapped harshly.
Morgan pointed to the flowers, "Sarah, those are Birds of Paradise. You don't send those to someone you are not interested in! Honey I'd say you've got his attention."
A strangled laugh escaped before Sarah could suppress it. "Oh yeah, I've got his attention." Then she buried her face in her pillow and cried. Right now she'd have preferred the cleaners, or the bog or any number of the obstacles he'd tossed in her path in the past.
Morgan ordered Seth out, and then sat on the edge of Sarah's bed, patting her back. 'Damn you Jareth!' she thought hotly. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Sarah sat alone in the room the next evening, Morgan and Seth had gone to a movie. Picking up her mandolin she carried it to the arbor, as the sun was setting. She had her new shawl draped over her shoulders as she sat in the glooming. Slowly she began to strum and sing softly to herself. Each time she began to play his song she'd stop, frown. "I will not play that!" she said out loud. "You kidnapping, mind controlling pest!"
"Kidnapping?" Jareth in his hiding place frowned as well. "I don't kidnap." He said to Zonk who stood beside him. "I've never kidnapped anyone!" He was indignant and resentful. "How dare she accuse me of such a thing, she of all people."
Zonk shook his head.
Sarah began again, only to find her self playing that haunting song he'd sung her. "Damn you! You have no power over me!"
A bitter smile passed the lips of the Goblin King, "So say you, my pigeon."
She took a moment, the thought of a song she'd only just heard, softly she began.
I could build a mansion that is higher than the trees
I could have all the gifts I want and never ask please
I could fly to Paris, it's at my beck and call
Why do I live my life alone with nothing at all?
But when I dream, I dream of you
Maybe someday you will come true
When I dream, I dream of you
Maybe someday you will come true
I can be the singer or the clown in any room
I can call up someone to take me to the moon
I can put my makeup on and drive the men insane
I can go to bed alone and never know his name
But when I dream, I dream of you
Maybe someday you will come true
When I dream, I dream of you
Maybe someday you will come true
Sarah had made it though the entire song, took a deep breath. Then her hands went back to his song. "Smart assed, Goblin." She said under her breath. Sarah was not sure, but she'd have sworn she could hear laughter. Quickly she left the arbor, vowing never to sit in its dark comfort again.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Oberon watched the pair from a scrying pool. He'd kept watch like this for the longest time. "So it's games with you two, is it?" his voice showed the wrath that was building. "Games you shall have, but of my making this time." He turned to Tatiana who wisely kept still. "My dear, are you in the mood for a masked ball?"
His wife purred as she came to his side. "Always my lord, where and when?"
"Samhain." The king said softly, patting his wife's hand.