Chapter 52.

Phineas watched Millicent walk in her garden. She was not hard on the eyes, and she seemed to enjoy being observed. "Once you are a Queen, you will be under observation constantly." The Healer commented as she passed beneath the terrace.

Millicent looked up at him with a vacant gaze. "I'm not likely to be Queen now that Jareth has bonded himself to that creature…the Nephilim Spawn."

"Bide your time, dear Millicent. They are only bonded, not wed. Even if they were, she is only a spawn, not a true Fae. And as we all know…accidents happen." The Healer wore an evil smile.

Millicent move to stand directly beneath the man, looking up she knew she was also giving him a view of her shapely bosom. "What do you get out of all this, Healer? I understand my father's motivations. He wants to avenge his lover, Elise. I get to be a Queen…what do you get?"

"I get to see the right man on the Goblin Throne." He looked down at her. "You are no innocent, dear Millicent. I expect to be thanked by you as well once you are Queen. Your father and his ambitions aside, I expect you to thank me."

Placing her hands on the rail that was before her, Millicent smiled. "Perhaps I should give you a down payment on the debt I will owe you, Healer." She simpered. "Won't you come walk the garden with me?"

Phineas eyed the prize she was offering. "My dear child, tempting an offer as that is I prefer to wait until you are wearing the crown."

Millicent pouted. "Phineas, there is always a chance I won't be successful…would you pass up a chance to collect a debt that may never be owed?"

In a shimmer of light, the Healer left the terrace. He appeared beside the young Fae woman, "Your father will be very angry." He warned.

"What care I?" she asked carelessly. "He has his entertainment and diversions, why shouldn't I? It's not like Jareth is expecting me to be a blushing rose. After all both he and that other sampled my assets and found them a pleasant diversion." She slid her hand up the sleeve of the Healers robe. "I know a lovely place in the garden, where a pretty gazebo sits. Swans swim lazily in the pond and the willows sing into the wind. Does that not sound tempting?"

Phineas agreed. "Yes, dear child. Very tempting."

Millicent pouted. "Must you address me as dear child? She turned, began walking toward a path in the garden that darkened with the thick growth of trees and shrubs.

"I am older than your father, Millicent." Phineas stated as he followed her footfalls. "I'm no callow youth, like The Shattered Soul. I am very close to the same age as the High King himself. So yes, to me you are a child."

Pausing; the Fae woman glanced over her shoulder. "What you want from me is not what one wants from a child though, now is it?"

The healer watched her move as she walked. "What you offer is tempting."

Millicent followed the path; it opened to a shaded glade surrounded by willow tress. At the edge of a pond where swans swam, stood the gazebo just as she'd said it would. "This is my quite place." She teased. Pointing to wards that were placed to stealthily hide the accommodation of the well placed gazebo she turned to face the Healer. "Welcome to my secret place."

"Your father is not aware of your…gazebo?" Phineas looked at the pretty structure with its ornate columns and lattice work.

Millicent laughed, turned and began to ascend the few stairs up into the summer house. "The only garden my father ever took interest in was the one where he would meet Elise."

The healer could hear the jealousy in the young woman's voice. "Are you so sure that your father and the High King's daughter were…lovers?" He followed her up the stairs, coming to stand with her in the shadowy interior of the gazebo.

Millicent's eyes darkened. "I followed him once." She admitted. "I could not understand how or why he could leave me alone. Mother was gone…she wished herself dead, and was granted her wish, weak fool that she was. But I was not weak; I was and am strong even if I have to play delicate, vulnerable and powerless."

"You followed him?" Phineas was astounded by the admission.

The beautiful, vain creature smiled and nodded. "Yes, and he never knew." She nervously laughed. "It was very educational."

"Was it?" The healer questioned. "What did you learn?"

Millicent looked at the healer for a moment, deciding whether or not to tell, and then smiled softly. "I learned that men are as vain as women are." Her words were soft.

Phineas nodded, "That's very true."

"My father lapped up her flattery like a cat laps up cream." The young woman accused. "He didn't care that her feelings for him were false. He wanted to be praised, petted and bedded." Wickedness and sinful malevolence were shining in her beautiful eyes. "It was very educational. So I watched. I watched her seduce my father, and him cuckold his friend Jett."

"And you've told no one of this?" Phineas asked.

"Not a word until now." She said proudly.

The healer took a seat on the chaise lounge that was in the center of the shadowy interior. "I'd no idea you were so devious."

"I am many things." She said taking a seat on his lap. "What would you like me to be, Healer?"

"For now, just a woman." His hand began to unfasten her elegant gown. "Show me what you learned at your father's knee." He pulled her gown roughly off her shoulders to reveal the creamy skin of the soft rounded mounds she'd been tempting him with.

Millicent gasped and made soft cries as his hands tore her gown from her. "I've learned a great deal, but not all at my father's knee. I found Elise to be a rather boring study. She's far to interested in her own pleasures for my liking." She began to kiss the Healer.

"And the shattered soul, what did they like?" Phineas questioned as his hands sought and found the firm round breasts.

"They are wicked boys," the woman teased. "Done far too quickly for me. You won't be satisfied quickly, will you Healer?" Sharp teeth took his ear.

"Wicked child." He gave a swift and hard smack to her bottom. When she jumped and cried out he shifted his weight, trapping her beneath his body. "No, Millicent Hawthorne, I will not rush this. Your wards will protect us from your father. You want to rut like a stay cat, allow me to accommodate you."

Millicent dug her sharpened nails into the back of the Healer. "Take me, Phineas."

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Linda and Jeremy were escorted by guards to the family dining room. Karen was seating her little ones when the pair entered.

"Linda." Karen said in what she hoped was a pleasant tone.

"Karen." Linda said in reply.

Jeremy took a seat without speaking. He watched the women and their exchange instead.

"Did you have a pleasant… time in the Yucatan?"

The actress shrugged. "I prefer filming in London."

The blond felt the awkward strain. "I suppose we need to discuss the wedding."

Linda nodded. "I suppose we do."

"Would you like to come to our suite?" Karen offered.

"I don't think that would be wise. Robert is not happy about my being in the castle, let alone his suite of rooms." Linda said breathily. "Perhaps a neutral location would do…say… a battle field?"

Karen was a little taken aback by the biting words. "This is not my doing." She snapped back defensively.

"No." Linda agreed. "It's not your fault." She sat down next to Jeremy. "There must be some meeting room or something that we can use."

"I know of a little alcove off the garden. It has a pretty view and is very private." Karen suggested.

"Fine. We'll use that tomorrow and get to work on the wedding." Linda leaned back.

Karen stiffened. "The plans are already in the works, Linda. I started working on the plans with Sarah when the announcement was made."

Dark anger filled the actresses' eyes. "I see. WELL! I think as the MOTHER of the BRIDE, I should have a say in the plans…has a date even been set?" She knew it had but some devil in her made her taunt the other woman.

"You know that it has, Sarah's eighteenth birthday. That evening the wedding will be held." Karen wasn't biting the bait. She shook out her napkin and placed it daintily on her lap. "We are keeping it very simple."

"Sarah is marring a King," the actress countered. "This is not one of your dreary garden parties, Karen. This is a Royal Affair."

Sarah heard the argument within the room, turned to the King and whispered. "Want to go find a nice quiet war to witness?"

Quinn frowned. "What can I do, they have to live here…both Jareth and I know that." He extended his arm to her and said. "Hail Cesar."

"Yeah, yeah." The girl sighed.

Karen looked at them as they entered. "It will not be a dreary garden party!"

Linda smiled putting on a mask of motherly love. "And here's our happy couple now!"

The Fae King pulled Sarah's chair out for her, "Good evening ladies." He said to the two mothers. Then looked at Jeremy. "Sir."

Jeremy saluted him with two fingers. "Evening, Gov."

Robert entered the room, looked at his ex-wife, then his present wife. "Are you two fighting already?"

Linda feigned shock. "Why Robert how can you ask such a thing? You know very well how much Karen and I adore each other."

Giles escorted his wife into the room, made introductions and took their seats. As did Ryan and Anne, Solea and the Bard had sent word that they would not be joining the family that evening.

The meal was a constant battle of wills. Quinn and Sarah sat back watching the two mother's vie for attention and center stage. Robert seemed to be the target of both women's ire.

Quinn whispered in Sarah's ear. "Is your father still playing footsie with your mother?"

"I had not thought so…now; I wonder." She shrugged.

Robert slammed the flat of his hand to the table, "Enough! You two women will cease this nonsense now!" Both the blond and the dark haired woman quieted down and stared at her plate. Robert grumbled as he glared at the pair. "A man can't think with all that caterwauling."

Linda meekly looked at him. "I'm sorry."

Karen also looked taken down. "I'm sorry."

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Millicent lay spent along side the Healer. "Pleased?" she cooed.

"Very." He said with eyes closed. "I look forward to taking advantage of our arrangement once you are Queen."

"And until then?" She teased.

Phineas opened his eyes. "I think I shall have to come to this wonderful gazebo for solace quite often during my stay here." He smacked her bare backside, making a loud cracking sound. "You're a very good diversion Millicent. In fact you've given me ideas to use as I send messages mentally to the Goblin King."

"Too bad I have to marry that one." The young woman crooned. "You'd be a better husband. Never have I been with one whose appetite matches my own."

The Healer scowled. "You are to be a Queen," he snapped. "Your hunger must be forgotten in the course of achieving our goal."

"Perhaps we can arrange for you to become the Goblin Court Healer…we'll get rid of that Elf who sits in that chair now." She stroked his leg with her foot. "I would much prefer being examined by one of my own kind."

Phineas, no longer sexually hungry, pulled away from her and stood up. Walking over to the rail he looked at the moon rising over the garden. "How many lovers have you had?"

"Not as many as I'd have liked to have had." She sat up and stretched. "I like making love."

"This was not making love." Phineas looked at her with amusement. "This was just having sex, Millicent. There is a difference. I may hunger for you…but I don't love you."

"You love the power I can offer as Queen." She said smoothly.

The Healer nodded. "I have only one love, and that is power. Power is everything, girl, everything."

Taking a provocative pose, the Fae woman growled softly. "I like men of power," She the leaned back; "They make the best partners."

Phineas looked away from her again. "Tell me again what Quinn liked, and then what Jareth liked."

"Why tell you," she simpered. "When I can demonstrate."

The Healer returned to the lounger and took a seat. "I am going to go into a trance, Millicent. I will be in contact with the darkest measurement of the inner mind of the Goblin King. Once I am in the trance state, begin."

"What will happen to the Goblin King when I do?" She asked excitedly.

"He will remember the pleasure of being Fae, and being with Fae." The Healer gloated. "And will know that no Nephilim Spawn can measure up."

"I am your willing accomplice." The woman slid from the lounge to the floor of the gazebo. "Begin."

Phineas closed his eyes and felt the faint thread he'd placed in the mind of Quinn upon his birth. "Open to me!" He commanded.