Chapter Thirteen
Residue of a past Life
In a side wing down the hall, stood the rooms Jareth had thought would work for the nursery. The rooms were like most of the rooms of the Royal apartment, light and airy, and of a good size. These just happen to be empty at the time. He looked around and then looked at Sarah. "What do you think?"
The shape of the doorways reminded her of her father's house. "It's very nice." She liked the dimensions, wished she could have provided her children with a room like this.
Jareth walked silently behind her, his gloved hand reached out. One finger slid down her back, and she jumped out of her skin. "Stand still." He commanded, as his hand repeated the motion.
Sarah shivered and cursed silently to herself when he snickered. "Must you?"
"Yes, I must." He tormented. As quickly as the assault began it ended. He pointed to the wall and a great portal opened. He called out something in a language she didn't understand. A group of creatures appeared. Jareth spoke to them in their native tongue and quickly they scampered though the portal. They were all masculine, small, and covered in hair all over.
"They are Domovoi," Jareth said as he watched her face. "A type of home guardian, a crossbreed of Goblin and Gnome, very strong and very loyal. They will move your belongs here to my palace. You may direct them to the placement of the furnishings. They understand every language know to man." The room was quickly filling with her belongings. Jareth called one of the Domovoi over. "Yuri." The leader of the pack came scampering over, bowed to the King. "Sarah this is Deda Yuri, he is the tribal leader of the Domovoi that reside here in the Kingdom. Deda Yuri, this is Sarah. You will help her here in the apartments. If she wants something moved or placed, do so."
Yuri, a creature that appeared very old, with parchment like skin bowed to her. As he did he sniffed then turned to the King with excited eyes. "Bebé?"
"Waxta." Jareth said with a sly grin.
The Domovoi bowed and kissed the King's hand. "Many blessings, King Jareth be upon your head."
"My thanks, Yuri." The Domovoi rushed back to ordering his crew about and spreading the news. Jareth looked at Sarah with a look of unbridled pride. "I told him the baby is mine."
Sarah looked at him with suspicions. "If I'm pregnant, it's only a few hours. How could he tell?"
"There is no if about it." Jareth took her chin into his gloved fingers. "I made sure of that when I took you. As for it being only hours, you really must stop thinking in mortal terms. You are carrying the child of a Fae King. Fae creatures will know you are with child."
Sarah saw that the Domovoi were looking at her with excited eyes as they dropped load after load of her belongings. "How pleased you must all be."
His fingers tightened on her chin. "Yes, Sarah. I am pleased. Others are pleased for me as well. What did you expect?" When her lower lip quivered, he released her chin. He barked an order to Yuri and turned to Sarah. "I've ordered your personal belongs taken to your dressing chamber and sitting room. You may arrange this room however you please."
"Thank you." She fought the impulse to be snide.
His stormy eyes darkened. "Behave and you will be well treated." He warned darkly. "Defy me or disobey me and you will be punished."
Sarah pulled away from him. "You're a bully."
"Yes, I am." He said with some mirth. He gripped her arm. "You are to leave the lifting and carrying to the Domovoi, understand?" she nodded. His grip tightened briefly. "I must return to the throne room, there's work to be done." Without so much as a by your leave, he turned and exited.
Yuri was standing beside Sarah, unnoticed. "King happy. Very pleased with his self."
Sarah looked down at he ancient creature. "Yes, he is."
"Is good for man to be pleased." Yuri said in a strange tone. "Pleased man is easy to live with." He advised. "Now, we fix room for you?"
Sarah looked at the furnishings and frowned. "I don't know where to even start."
Yuri patted her hand and led her to a chair. "We try many things. What you like best. We keep."
Being patronized was not something Sarah found natural. "I don't mind standing."
Yuri looked at her with his enormous sad eyes. "Domovoi knows best." He told her.
Thirteen hours in the Labyrinth, falling down the shaft of hands, being molested by Fireys, having been pulled into the realm and having lost her children to her worst night mare. Sarah closed her eyes, maybe the little Domovoi was right. "What should I call you?"
"You call me Yuri, like King."
"Thank you, Yuri." She watched as he ordered his crew, and the room took shape. Soon there was a play area for the children decked out with all their own toys. The few things she had been able to hang on to after the move. She had sent many things to Dad and Karen's place. Things the kids could play with in the big back yard of the old Victorian. A stray thought made her wonder what would become of those things. Would Karen think they had belonged to Toby when he was a tyke?
She looked at the room when Yuri and his crew finished. It was homey, and out of place in the castle. Sarah felt as out of place here as her merger belongings. Yuri saw the sadness come over her.
Willa entered the rooms with the children. Jenny ran to her bed and buried her face in her doll. Gwynn reacted to things the way Toby had twenty years before, he thought it was all great fun. He ran up to Yuri and hugged the little Domovoi; Yuri looked as if he were about to die of pleasure. Willa had a serene smile that Sarah found irritating. The Elf seemed to sense the discourse, and tried to engage Sarah is discussion.
"The little girl is very sad." She said to Sarah.
"Yes, I know." Sarah did not want to be harsh; she did not seem to be able to help it. She looked at the room. "She does not understand why we can not go home."
Willa held a hand out in friendship, "I would like to be of help."
Sarah looked at the Elf, threw herself into the open arms, and wept.
Willa looked at Yuri, who looked back just as bewildered. She held the mortal comfortingly. Soothing her as one would sooth a child who had lost everything.
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Jareth watched in a crystal, concern on his face. He wondered how long it would take Jenny to accept her new life if Sarah was going to refuse. He could not allow refusal, and he would not tolerate Sarah dissenting. She was going to have to accept this was her punishment. It had just begun, he sighed, and it was going to get worse.