Chapter 13.
Sarah in the guise of the Goblin King was seated comfortable in the King's private dinning room. Milo was right, there were no Goblins in the rest of the castle. And the rooms were elegantly appointed. The serving staff of the castle appeared to be other Fae races, Elves mostly. Dinner was served and the servants stood back or left the room altogether. "So this is what it's like to be the King." She muttered. "Damned lonely."
Sarah could not imagine the years of eating alone, of having one to talk to during meals. She gave thought to how it had been at home, with Toby, and Katie. No wonder Jareth had wanted to keep Toby and name the child his heir. He was lonely.
The meal was beautifully prepared and presented. It tasted like nothing Sarah had ever eaten and she enjoyed every last morsel. Looking at the wine glass that had been poured, she toyed with the idea of drinking it down, but passed. The last thing the Kingdom needed was a tipsy King, and she had little or no experiences with wines, mortal or Fae. Instead she sipped from the clear crystal goblet containing water. It was cool, and tasted slightly flavored… she grimaced for a moment when she knew what the flavor was… Peach. After a few sips she found it was not all that offensive.
In the quiet, Sarah had time to take a good look at how the King lived. The room was beautiful, without being flamboyantly over-elaborate. The terracotta walls were kept free of ornamentations and looked far more regal for it. The only real ornament in the room was the beautiful crystal chandelier over the dining table. Because she had the time to take notice she was impressed by the fact that Jareth actually showed not only good taste, but refinement.
When she'd eaten her full, Sarah walked down toward the King's private study. The body knew the way, and she just followed. Hidden in the very fibers of the body were secrets of this man's existence. The study was masculine, no doubt about it. Leather and wood and first editions. Maps of the world, from different centuries were on the wall, adoring it. There was a large window with no covering, letting in the loveliness of the Labyrinth night. Sarah moved around the desk, looking at the top, littered with correspondences that had yet to be answered. Also on the desk was a journal bound in leather, this caught and kept her attention. Picking it up, she moved to one of the fine leather wing backed chairs. There was a bell cord beside the chair, she pulled it and moments later a uniformed footman entered. "Could you bring a decanter of water? The same kind as was served with dinner I think." She said nonchalantly.
The footman was surprised by the mild manners but knew better than to give it physical notice. "Of course, Sire."
Sarah opened the volume, reading the words of the man whose body she was occupying. The water was delivered, and a glass poured and served to her. She thanked and dismissed the servant. At first reading the words seemed impersonal; the words at the beginning of the book were years before she knew of him. She leafed though the book, and was ready to discard it when she found something that arrested her. Her name, in bold letters. She looked at the date on the entry, disturbed that it was nearly a year before the fateful night she'd wished Toby away. He had said he'd been watching her, but seeing it written out in black and white made it genuinely factual.
His first entry was just her name, boldly inscribed with a tiny little sketch of her face. Sarah looked up from the book, nervously. She read his first entry about her. 'Have just seen an angel. Sweet child whom no one understands. She's so lonely, just as I am lonely.' She looked at the date again. The entry was at the time she'd entered high school. She'd felt alone and forsaken. She read how he had happened on her as he had followed a sad and lonely scent in the air. How he had been pulled out of his realm by the scent, he had watched her reading a little book to her dog in the park. She had begun to act out the parts of the book. He wrote of how he had ventured close enough to see what it was she was reading. He was surprised and pleased to find it was a book about him and his Kingdom.
She read how he watched her day after day. How her life reminded him of his own. Then she read the words. 'I am hopelessly in love with the human child. I can not bear to see her in pain any longer. I am giving her the gift of the power of words.' He had watched her and listened to her practice the words of her little story book, and now he intended them to come to life for her. He intended to come to her, sweep her off her feet and carry her away to be with him always. Where they neither of them would ever be lonely again.
Sarah put the book down in her lap. "He came for me… he really came for me, not Toby." She said aloud. She read on.
'She's here! I can not believe my luck! She's here.' Jareth had written, just moments after he'd left her on the windswept hillside. He was giddy and overjoyed. He had plans to give her an adventure much like the one she'd been reading and play acting out. He was confident by the time she reached the inner walls of the Labyrinth, she'd be ready to give up and accept his offer of a happy life.
Sarah laughed. "Oh Jareth, you foolish boy!" she remembered the first hours in the Labyrinth itself.
'She's in the oubliette! I can not believe it! She made it that far, what an amazing young woman my Sarah is!' Sarah read how he had sent Hoggle to go lead her back to the beginning of the Labyrinth so she could start again. He had wanted her to be confused and yes, just a little frightened so he could play the hero. The next entry was not nearly as sweet.
'The little witch! She said my Labyrinth is a…piece of cake. Of all the nerve! She sorely tests my patience! I took two hours back from her; let's see how she likes that!' This tirade was followed by praising the girl for pushing on, and even for getting the dwarf to pull a bit of his own weight.
Sarah sipped the peach water, and read on.
'I've changed my mind, I'm not going to let her finish the Labyrinth…I've given a peach to the dwarf to give to her. One bite and she'll belong to me and the Labyrinth forever. I shall give her the dreams she's always wanted and yet feared so. I adore her, and can not be without her.'
The next entry wrenched her heart. 'I should never have allowed the Goblins to keep watch over her. They have made a mess of things, bringing Toby here. He's a delightful child, and I find myself very attached to him. And now I can never send him home. He too has eaten of Fae food. I shall keep him and raise him as my own. I shall be his father, and Sarah will be his mother. We shall be what none of us have had yet. A family.'
'Hoggle gave the peach to Sarah, I'm going to throw her a ball. I've created a special ball room just for her to show her my love. Once I've sung my Fae Song to her, held her in my arms and given her my heart she will be mine forever.'
Sarah felt the cords in her throat go taunt.
'All is in ruins!' he wrote next. 'She was in my arms, looking like a bride, a Queenly bride. We moved as one, and she was like part of my very soul for a moment or two. Then she became fearful. Of what I can not fathom. She ran off, left me standing there. She broke the spell of the room with one of m y own party chairs. All because of that stupid clock. I'm going to order all clocks to be destroyed!'
Sarah recalled the moment she'd picked up the chair and tossed it into the crystal walls, shattering the dream, or what she'd thought was a dream. "Oh Jareth." She whispered sadly.
'She's made it to my castle. I have but one chance left. I am going to offer her, her dreams again. I will not surrender the child. I will keep them both!'
Sarah could hear his words in the Escher room once more. "How you turned my world…you precious thing." Even at the moment he was fearful of defeat, he'd thought of her as precious.
'she…rejected…me…' Sarah read the words and closed the book. She could not read more. "I had no choice." She said defensively. "I had to get Toby back home."
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Emrys looked at Oberon. "You planted that journal so she'd read it." He accused.
"Guilt." Oberon said smugly.
The old wizard snickered. "To what purpose?"
"So she'd see his side of the story." The High King said calmly. "Hearing it from him is one thing….seeing it printed is yet another altogether with women."
"When did you become an expert on women?" Emrys teased.
"I'm not," the High King assured. "But one does not live as long as I without having learned a thing or two." He looked at the scrying pool; the energies were changing fast and furiously. "A summons comes. Let us see how well she walks in his shoes now."
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Sarah heard the alarm go off and she dropped the book in her hands, stood up and went to the door. A horde of little bodies came her way, "What is it?"
"A child, Sire. A child is wished away." One of the larger Goblins said with a wide grin.
Quickly Sarah searched the collective memories in the King's body. "Go prepare the portal, I will be with you directly." She ordered in her most kingly voice. She shut the door and concentrated, a moment later she exited dressed in the Royal Regalia of the Goblin King. She was escorted to the portal by a pair of goblins from the throne room. Milo was no where to be seen, and she thought it best not to ask after him.
One of the larger Goblins came to her side. "We know that it's a little girl, but Sire, she seems to be the one wishing herself away."
"We'd best see what this is all about, can't have mortals wishing themselves away on whims, now can we?" Sarah impersonated the King well. She looked at the portal and the Goblins already filing though, "Don't frighten the child!" she warned.
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Oberon looked at Emrys. "Do you remember what he was like when he first became Goblin King?"
"He was just like that." Emrys marveled.
"She's drawing on the very memories in his muscles and bones." Oberon observed. "Clever girl…she'll make a fine Goblin Queen."
Emrys gave his old friend a sideways glance. "He claimed her as property. They are only joined because you intervened."
"I have faith that Jareth will see reason." Oberon stated firmly.
"Jareth and reason in the same sentence?" Emrys patted his friend's arm. "Oberon, really."
"Perhaps she can remind him of the way he felt when he took up the mantel."
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Sarah stepped though the portal, not bothering to try and become the King's owl form. It was something she felt she could not master. The Goblins were surrounding a child in a dark, dank room that looked more like a dudgeon. The little girl looked as if she were not long for the world, her clothes were dirty and her body looked malnourished. The Goblin King waved the Goblins back and knelt beside the child.
Vacant eyes blinked then focused slightly. A faint voice whispered. "You're him, aren't you? You're the Goblin King?"
Sarah nodded, and smiled at the child the same kindly smile Jareth had given her. "You called for us, child?"
The dirty little creature that had once been a human child didn't have the strength to raise her own head. "Take me away…please…"
Sarah looked about the cell, and then back at the child. "Yes." She lifted the child up. "I shall take you where no one will hurt you again." She looked at the goblins and nodded.
The largest of the Goblins blinked. "I remember when we did this before." The sound was almost reverent.
The little one in Sarah's arms looked up. "Please."
Sarah nodded. Stepped though the portal and called for a healer to be brought to the castle at once.
The healer was standing near the portal. "I'm here sire. Another abused child?"
"So it would seem." Sarah said handing the weak child over to the healer's hands.
"I'll report as soon as I've had a chance to give the child an examination." The healer walked off.
Sarah felt the heavy weight of the responsibility of Jareth's post. An Elf came forward with a cup of tea. Which Sarah took gratefully, as she began to pace. Milo appeared out of no where and flung himself at her booted leg, and hung on. Sarah looked down and smiled. "Hello, Milo."
"Hello King." Wide round eyes smiled back.
The largest of the Goblins closed the portal. "I hope the little one will be well again."
"Yes," Sarah nodded to him. "I do as well, poor little thing."
The Goblin shook his head. "I will never understand mortals." He walked away sadly muttering about beings who had such treasures and didn't appreciate them.
Sarah placed the tea cup on a tray that the Elf was holding. "I'm going to my study. Send the Healer to me if he returns." She looked down at Milo. "Care to come along?"
"You want a Goblin in the other parts of the Castle?" Milo asked in a shocked voice.
"If you promise to behave, and just keep me company." Sarah said gently.
"I promise." Came the devoted and affectionate reply.
Sarah smiled, "Hang on then." She walked with the Goblin attached to her boot. Arriving at the study, Milo crawled up into the king's lap and curled up contentedly as Sarah sat quietly in an armchair looking out the window at the Labyrinth night sky.
A tapping at the door later announced the arrival of the healer. "Sire, the child is resting. We've seen to her wounds and have given her some healing broth."
Sarah remained seated, motioned for the healer to sit in the opposite chair. Milo had fallen blissfully asleep in the King's lap. "What is your prognosis?"
"She will recover, for the most part." The healer took a seat. "The body will recover, we can hope for her mind. She is young and resilient."
"Have you learned anything about her, her name her history?" Sarah stroked the sleeping Goblin as one would stroke a sleeping cat.
"She is called Meggie." The healer produced a scroll for the King to read.
Sarah was pleased when she found she could read the words written in a Fae language. "A hostage taken in the civil unrest…" She handed the scroll back to the heal. "Taking children as hostages and brutalizing them! Barbaric!"
"War is war." The healer rose to his feet. "In a week, perhaps two, the child will be well enough for us to decide on her placement. I bid you good night, my King."
"Good night, healer." Sarah leaned back in the King's chair and let the tears for the poor children who were wished away fall.