Sarah awoke alone in the bed, a parchment note on the pillow beside her. 'Had a summons early this morning. Will see you when I return.' The note had a very dramatic J for the signature. Sarah showered and went to see the children. Willa had them both well in hand and was giving them their breakfast. Sarah returned to the royal bedchamber where Faun had her breakfast laid out. She sat alone in the alcove and ate quietly, enjoying the view of the Labyrinth from the alcove.
Gibbs came to see her and he watched as she ate. "I see your appetite is good today."
Sarah nodded. "So far so good," she smiled at the healer. "Do Fae get morning sickness?"
"You are not Fae," he said instead of answering the question.
Sarah shrugged. "I just wondered."
The healer stood, "I think if you keep things light, you should be able to fulfill your duties today." He exited with the same grace he'd entered with.
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There were fresh flowers in a crystal vase on Sarah's desk; a gift from Master Theo and the crew of gardening gnomes. Sarah was touched, not just by the gesture but by the flowers chosen. She had long ago learned that flowers had a language. Ferns said they had confidence in her, and the Daffodils said they respected her. She touched the flowers with gentle fingers. A throat being cleared altered her that she was not alone. She lowered her hand, and moved to the seat behind the desk. "Master Steward, what is on our agenda today?"
Carlin took a seat and went over the notes he had. "You have three supplicants who wish audience."
Sarah leaned back in the chair. "Send in the first."
Carlin moved to the door and motioned with one hand for the supplicant to enter. The creature that entered the room was not human, or was it a Fae. The creature looked at Sarah with beady little eyes that darted wildly. It was not small but appeared so as it was bent and curled. Its long spindly arms and legs were the color of aged parchment, and it didn't like the light.
"You're an Ashray, aren't you?" Sarah asked quietly, not wishing to spook the creature. The creature kept to the shadows, leaving a trail of water. "Carlin, close the drapes." Carlin was already at the window, pulling the coverings closed, Sarah waited until the room was dim "How may I help you?"
The creature moved closer, still trailing water. "I am the guardian o the well, and the moat."
Sarah looked at the Steward, "We have a moat?"
He shook his head, "Not for centuries." It was clear he was not happy with the supplicant.
The watery creature looked close to weeping. "They covered over the moat! Built their city right up to the Castle door. Gone now be the drawbridge, my lovely moat, and all the hidden caves."
"You were given compensation, the King gave you a lovely well to live in." Carlin was tapping an impatient toe.
"Have you a name, guardian?" Sarah inquired.
"I am called Aquis, my Lady." He looked at her with watery eyes.
"Aquis, what is it that brings you to me today?" Sarah said in the same voice she used with Jenny when she wanted something.
"My well is going dry," he wept piteously. "Soon, I shall be forced to live in dust."
"Dear me," she sighed, then looked at Carlin. "Did Jareth cover over the moat? It hardly seems like something he'd do."
"As a matter of fact it was the last King's last act," Carlin said calmly.
"I see... He just waved a hand and poof, no more moat?" She shook her head. "Seems a rotten thing to do…Carlin how do you know the well given this Ashray was a good well?"
"I assumed…" he paused. "Blast, I never did check." He looked over at the creature. "My apologies."
The creature held out long fingers to the Chatelaine. "All I want is a nice bit o water to live in, Mistress."
"How do you feel about a nice garden pond?" Sarah asked. "You can move in tonight. It's deep and I believe the gnomes told me it has a cave and underground spring feeding it. How's that sound?"
"You are wise, kind and gracious!" The creature patted her hand. "May your wee babe be just like you." He curled close and nearly rolled out of her office.
Sarah looked down at the trail of water. "Call for someone with a mop, and open a window… He really is a musty old codger. "
Carlin waved a hand and the water vanished and the air freshened. "You handled that better than either the King or I have in the past… we took it for granted that he was just being troublesome… his kind can be you know."
Sarah smiled, "Who's next?"
The Steward looked at his notes. "The Master Candle Maker."
A Fae of mixed race swept in. He was tall, and Elvinish in feature. His name was Lucian, and he was proud. Nearly too proud to speak to a mere mortal, be she Chatelaine or not. He looked down at her with impatience, not even bowing toward her.
"Master Lucian, how may I help you?" Sarah asked, keeping her aplomb.
The Elf scoffed. "You? I doubt very much you can do anything for me, Mortal." His dislike of the human race was unmistakable. He turned to the Master Steward. "I will not deal with this…female. I don't care to bring my problems to an outsider." He turned to leave.
"Then perhaps you should resign your post," Sarah kept her voice even. "For I assure you sir, I am going nowhere."
The Elf-man turned and glared at her. "You dare address me?"
"You dared offend me," she stayed calm. "Mortal or not, I out rank you, sir."
The man grumbled under his breath then took a seat. Without warning he began his complaint. "I have for the last four centuries been the Master Candle Maker here. I create candles for this court and this court alone." He frowned deeply. "I have been complaining for the longest time about the inferior bees wax we've been getting." He produced from his robe a small block of the substance. "Now this is what was sent to us." He produced another block and it was clearly of lesser grade. "What are you going to do about it?"
Sarah looked at both samples. "Why don't we have our own bees? We've orchards, and gardens. The bees would benefit and so would the castle," she said thinking it was only logical. "Perhaps Master Theo has a gnome who is gifted in working with bees."
Lucian regarded the woman. "Perhaps I have underestimated you."
Sarah sighed, "Make due with what we have, and we'll get started on getting our own bees in production. Send the last shipment back to its origin and let them know the Castle is not pleased."
Lucian considered her words. "As you wish…. Chatelaine."
Sarah looked over at Carlin. "I thought you said we were self-sufficient."
"There are one or two things that have gotten away from us," the man admitted.
Sarah looked at both blocks of wax. " This is an insult."
"Yes, of late we've received more than our share." The Steward grumbled.
"Send for Master Theo, I want to see him as soon as I've finished with the next supplicant. Who is next?"
"One of our bakers, a widow named Clovis." He ushered the goblin widow in.
Clovis was a not as tall as Sarah, but she was lean, unlike so many of her race. She had huge eyes and a long pointed nose. Her hands were long and looked like they had done hard work for a long time. She entered boldly, looking at the Chatelaine with only mild amusement. "You be the one called The Sarah?"
Sarah nodded, "That would be me."
"I come to ye, not to the men." She glared at Carlin.
Sarah almost snickered. "Go call Master Theo, please Carlin." She watched him leave. "What do you need, Widow Clovis?"
"My son and daughter would like to apprentice to the bakers here," Clovis said giggling madly.
"What does the master Baker say?"
"Him? That lazy lout? He tells the king we are full up with help! And there be just him, me and one other. So I go over him head, I comes to ye!" She leaned on the table. "We's women, and we's knows better."
"I'll send word that your son and daughter are to apprentice under you." Sarah wrote down the names of the two young goblins. "Now, I want something in return."
"Names it, Lady." Came the cackle.
"I want you to report to me what is really going on in the bakery." Sarah looked at the goblin woman. "Things here in the castle are not as they should be. Some of the problems are from outside the realm, some are under our noses."
The goblin woman gazed at her with knowing eyes. "And ye wants to fix things?"
Sarah nodded, and the goblin smiled a toothy smile. "I will be thy eyes and ears." She came round the desk and placed a hand on Sarah's belly. "The heir?"
Sarah blinked, "Yes."
The goblin woman moved closer and placed her head on Sarah. "Blessings on you, little one." She then curtseyed to Sarah and scampered away. Carlin ushered Master Theo in, and listened to the plans Sarah laid out with him.
After he exited, Sarah looked at the Steward. "Has the King returned?"
"No." Carlin looked worried.
Sarah rose from her seat, "I'll be having my lunch with the children. If the King returns send for me."
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Sarah entered the nursery and Willa smiled at her as she took a seat. The children told their mother of their adventures that morning. Sarah ate with the children and tried not to worry. However, the king had been gone a very long time. Some inner sense told Sarah something was terribly wrong.
She went to the bedchamber and laid on the bed, but her rest was troubled. She was almost asleep when strange bells began to ring all over the realm. Sarah sat up in the bed. "Oh that can't be good."