Chapter 61.
The Goblin King hid constantly from Millicent. Each day it became more and more of a problem and he had to find new and inventive ways to take cover. Several times he'd found refuge in the Escher room, hiding in dark archways and practicing his stealth spells. He found the room to be more than just a refuge. He found it to be a sanctuary for the inner peace of his mind.
'We need to hide.' The inner voice told him often. He listened to the voice.
"Jareth!" she called in that singsong voice that while some found inviting, he found irritating. "Come out and play with your Millicent."
'Not on your life.' The inner voice reminded him. 'She does not have what we need.'
The Goblin King took refuge in the arch near a passage and became aware he was not along in the room. Someone was there, waiting. He held his breath as he listened to the other pace. 'Sarah,' the inner voice called out. 'We need you.'
Sarah saw Millicent and knew at once the King was hiding from her. A voice called out to her, she heard it clearly in her mind and she moved swiftly toward the Escher room. Just past the throne was the stairs that lead to the royal apartment and the other passage to the Escher room. Hearing a voice she turned and looked in the direction of the stairs. She moved quietly toward the sound to investigate. Passing one of the arches into the Escher room a hand shot out of the dark, covered her mouth and pulled her into the shadows.
"Be still." A voice at her ear urged.
The touch was familiar, as was the scent and the voice. Sarah relaxed against the man, and listened as did he.
"You are sure no one knows you are here?" Phineas asked the man in the shadows.
"How could they? The wards are strongest here in this chamber." The voice answered.
"It would not do for you to be discovered," the Healer warned.
"What is so important that you call me to meet you here?" the voice was impatient.
"Our little worm has found something of interest." Phineas spoke with disdain of Millicent. "Were she not of use in feeding the lustful fires, I'd discard her. However this information may be of use to us in stopping the Consort."
"What did the cow find?" The other was none too fond of Millicent either.
"The King's people have a copy of a script by Robin."
There was a long pause, and then a warning. "Don't let Hawthorne know. He'll want to preserve the scrawling of his bastard. It must be destroyed before they can glean the information."
"We don't even know it contains information." Argued the Healer thinking of what uses could be made of words by the imprisoned Fae.
"Too great a chance of there being information. He never could keep things to himself." The voice warned.
"I doubt that the mortal scribe has the depth to find the meanings." Phineas scoffed.
The voice in the darkness grew dark and dangerous. "I made that mistake. Never take those mortals for granted. I must go…I've been here too long."
The King waited, and when he was sure they were alone he removed his hand from the lips of his Consort. "Did you understand any of that?"
"Almost all of it." She looked at her beloved. "Robin is a bastard. I wonder if he knows."
"I doubt it." The King said firmly. "He was always too quick to tell everyone just who his father was…he was very proud of being the son of Jett." He took a seat and pulled her down beside him. "Is the script important?"
"I'm not sure, it could be. With Robin you never know what is or is not important." Sarah said. "I saw your little hound trailing your scent."
"Pest." The King spat out. He sighed. "Can we not just send these unwanted guests home?"
"No, but they will be leaving soon." Sarah promised. "My birthday is in a few days."
"Oh are we having a party?" The King brightened.
"You could say that." Sarah teased.
"I love parties…will there be dancing…and cake?" He was as excited as a child Toby's age.
"Oh yes," Sarah promised again.
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Phineas found the girl in the arbor pouting. "Is something amiss, Millicent?"
"I can't find Jareth!" she snapped. "How can I tempt him if he won't stand still?"
The healer moved into the shadowy recesses of the seat she was occupying. "Poor dear." He said placing his hand at her waist, drawing her into the darkness. His hand moved upward, cupping her breast. "What a pity the King is paying so little attention to you."
Millicent closed her eyes and let herself enjoy the pleasure the Healers touch bestowed. "What a pity we can not afford to consummate our desires." She lamented. "But I don't need your scent on me as I try to pry him from that Nephilim scum."
"I've a mission for you, dear girl." The healer said softly. "You've not told your father of the script have you?"
"Of course not!" She giggled. "I completely forgot to. I suppose I should."
"No, don't." Was the order now given. "You and I are going to see to it that they can never use it."
"You and I together, what fun!" She simpered as she slid her hand skillfully over his thigh. "When?"
"This evening, when everyone is getting ready for dinner." The healer said.
"But don't you think Father would like to be party to this act?" she asked innocently.
The Healer wondered if the girl was aware of her relationship to the writer of the play. "It may distress him too much."
"Oh yes, he's always had such great sympathy for Elise and her son," the girl agreed. "You're right; we should not distress him with the destruction of the boy's words." She leaned closer. "I wish this were all over and that you and I could be together again. You're far more interesting than Jareth, in and out of bed."
Phineas let her think he was pleased with her complements. "You are too kind." He used skills to coax her. "You are almost too exquisitely pleasing to share." He complimented her swollen ego. When she left his side, he made plans on seeing to her encasement in crystal and began to contemplate other's who could fill the position of Queen.
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Anne took care to wrap the copy of the script. They had yet to decipher all the words in the passage. She set it aside and looked at the chalkboard, and the words she'd placed there only an hour ago. Her eyes were burning and she was tired. She looked at Cairbre who was still working on something from the original prophecy. "I'm going to have a long bath before dinner." She announced.
"I'm almost done." The Bard said, and looked up. "Go on, Anne. I'll close up the room."
Two people hid in the growing shadows of the hall. When the Bard exited the room they watched and waited. No one was near, they moved into the war-room. Phineas looked at the girl. "Touch nothing but that script. What does it look like?"
Millicent pointed to the canvas covered pages. "That's it."
Phineas was reading the few words written on the board. "Well we can't have them making use of these." He raised his hand and the chalk fell off the board into a pile of dust.
The Fae woman giggled. "That was good. But this is better." She touched the script, turning it to cinders. "They won't use it now." Looking around at the rest of the work she had an excited look in her eye. "Shall we destroy the rest?"
Phineas would have enjoyed giving her the opportunity, but he hesitated. "No, we leave them with what they have…it will of no use to them, it's already too late." He pointed to the door. "We must go."
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The Orb had shown it all to the viewer, then darkened. The viewer took a moment to decide what to do. Walking slowly.
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The Goblin King was becoming irritable. The constant game of being chased by Millicent had become tedious. The daily torture of having to entrain the unwanted guests at dinner bored him. He ignored the girl as best he could. He gave little notice to her father as well. It was the Healer though who would not be put off. He was making demands on time the King would rather put to use elsewhere. Coming out of his chambers he was surprised and not delighted to find the Healer stalking the corridor awaiting him.
"Healer, what are you doing here?" He demanded.
"I would have words with you…my boy." Phineas moved forward. "It is imperative that we speak."
A battle raged one side didn't want to talk to the Healer. The other kept saying what could it hurt? "Fine. I'll make time for you to come see me in the morning."
"Now. Boy, now." The older Fae insisted. "Hear my words, Quinn! Hear my words now."
The King blinked, his face froze.
"Quinn you must fight, you are the stronger! You and you alone should be King…and cast off the Nephilim, to take a true Fae Queen." Phineas then moved away.
The Goblin King leaned on a wall, and closed his eyes to the pain.
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Sarah heard the commotion in the hall and went to find out what was going on. Out side the war-room she saw her mother and Jeremy standing and watching what was going on inside the room. Inside, the Bard and Anne were frantic. Pushing past her mother, Sarah entered the room and could feel the magic and the distruction. "What has happened?"
Anne was raging. "Someone came in here…they destroyed our work with the script and the script itself." She pointed to the cinders on the table.
The Bard nodded. "They used magic to destroy the words on the board and the script."
Sarah looked at her mother. "Do you remember the lines?"
Linda shook her head, "It was not my speech, I never learned the lines." Her voice was miserable.
Sarah looked around and said softly. "Leave me…all of you…. I want to be alone." Anne placed a hand on her friends arm, and then walked out of the room. The Bard also left. Jeremy sent Linda on with the others. Sarah was feeling the sting of the tears when she noticed her mother's lover had not gone. "Please Jeremy there's nothing you can do, go on…go with Linda to dinner. I'll be along shortly… I promise."
The handsome actor didn't move, instead he entered the room, closing the door behind him. "I don't think you want what I'm going to say to be over heard." He said softly in an almost playful manner. "Sarah, I know the words."
"What?" She moved toward him. "Say that again."
Jeremy's blue eyes danced with delight. "I know the words." He whispered.
"How?" Sarah looked around making sure they were alone, and no spies were about.
"I ran dialog with the lad who did the lines in the play…even your mother is not aware of that." He tapped the girl's nose with his index finger as he had when she was younger.
Sarah grabbed his arms. "Are you telling me, that you remember the words line for line?"
"Photographic memory." He tapped his temple.
Sarah hugged the man, "Jeremy! I love you!"
"Yeah, I know." He smiled.
Moving away, the Consort looked at her mother's lover. "Tell me the words, Jeremy…we don't dare write them down."
He nodded, "It starts with a bit of a strange poem." He cleared his throat and began to speak.
"From
the city, lost and forsaken,
she leads once more,
breaks the
spears and makes them see,
truth long hidden in the ancient
dream.
Power
of the Apparition made human flesh,
wakened to turmoil, strife,
and ruin.
The Reborn One, marked and bleeding,
dances the
sword in dreams and mist,
Into
the heart she thrusts this sword,
into the heart, to hold their
hearts.
Who draws it out shall follow after,
What hand can
grasp that fearful blade?
And it shall come to pass, in the days when the Dark Hunt rides, when the right hand falters and the left hand strays, that mankind shall come to the Twilight and all that is, all that was, and all that will be shall balance on the point of a sword.
The trumpets of war shall sound at her footfalls, the ravens feed at her voice, and she shall wear a crown of swords. All that was shall be consumed in the fire of her eyes or the land is one with the Dragon Reborn. She is one with the land. Soul of fire, heart of stone, in dignity she conquers, forcing the arrogant swollen with pride to yield. She brings the mountains to kneel, and the seas to give way, yeah, the very skies to bow. Pray that the heart of stone remembers tears, and the soul of fire, love.
Beyond
the horizon, hidden fires swell, and serpents nestle in the
bosom.
What was exacted is cast down; what was cast down is raised
up
in dreams of past, in shattered glass, therein lies the Crystal
throne.
The unstained tower breaks and bends knee to the forgotten sign."
Jeremy has spoken as if he were on stage performing, Sarah being his rapt audience. When he finished Sarah blinked. She repeated a few words. "In dreams of past, in shattered glass…. Dreams of past?..Shattered glass!" She looked at Jeremy and smiled. "Thank you…I know where the Crystal throne is."
The Fae Actor bowed. "Happy to serve you, my Queen."
Sarah giggled, "Not yet, but soon." She abruptly took on a confidant stance. "Soon I will be."