Chapter 14. The Bard McFadden
The morning of the festival dawned bright and beautiful. Everyone in the palace seemed to be alive with excitement and expectation. Jareth stood on the parapet looking down at the bustle in the Goblin City below. Looking out at the Labyrinth he could feel the creature surging with life. His cape fluttered in the winds like the feathers of his wings when he was in owl form. He had chosen to wear the owl cape today, enjoying the change of pace from dark colors to the colors of his owl form, the browns and white and tan.
"My, don't you look handsome?" His mother said standing behind him.
He turned to grace her with a smile, "Do I?"
She nodded. "Indeed."
He bowed in appreciation, and complimented her gown, "Lovely as ever, Mother."
She joined him at the edge of the parapet. "I see your subjects are already giving a wide birth to the Princesses quarter." She pointed to the gaily colored pavilion with its pink banners.
"Do you blame them?" He asked leaning over to look with disdain.
She leaned her head on his shoulder. "No, I don't." She confessed sympathetically. She enjoyed a long and respectable relationship with the Goblin community, even before her son had ascended to the throne; "Poor dears."
Jareth nodded, "Indeed." He could look at the Princess' pavilion no longer. "At least it will keep her busy, and they Goblins don't have to entertain her."
Leaning closer she whispered. "Is it true she dressed them up in tacky outfits and insisted they have tea with her?" When he nodded she closed her eyes. "Your grandsire asks too much."
"I gave my word, Mother." He said quietly.
She nodded, "Under duress."
Jareth sighed deeply. "Mother, I am a King and sometimes the Kingdom comes first… as in this instance."
Breanna looked down at the Princesses' Pavilion; servants were making it ready for the arrival of the princess. "For the good of the Kingdom you've been saddled with a ninny."
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Sarah dressed in her Brigadoon costume, as it was her finest garments. Over which she placed her Bardic shawl. Her hair was swept up and she'd placed an ivory comb that had belonged to Lorna in her hair to keep it in place. Even without the modern makeup she'd learned to love, she looked beautiful. Today for some reason she almost glowed. There was hardly anything about her to remind anyone of the girl who'd been here at age fifteen. The woman of twenty didn't resemble the child, with the exception of the lovely green eyes. Time had worked wonders, and now the woman hoped it would hide her in the crowds. She prayed there were few who remembered her last entry into the Goblin City. She had tried to stall, to tell Colyne she really had no interest in seeing the festival. It might have worked too, had the boys not been so excited about seeing everything. There was no way Sarah could allow Toby anywhere near the town with out being there to prevent his being discovered. She told herself she had not gone though the rabbit hole in an effort save the lives of the two boys just to loose them in the Goblin City. She often thought of the mine shaft as a rabbit hole, and herself as a dark Alice in Wonderland. Today, however, she looked more like she'd stepped out of the Highland Mists than the girl who'd traversed the Labyrinth. "Sarah McFadden." She said quietly into the mirror.
The boys had dressed in fine new pants and shirts she'd made them. They were fussing with something and Sarah called out from behind the reed curtain that if they expected to have fun at the festival they would have to behave. From the other section came boyish giggles and laughter. Sarah smiled to herself as she listened to them laugh. They were alive, and happy, and safe for now. That was all that mattered, to her.
Thom stood at her wagon door waiting; he pondered the words of his father the last few days. He'd been warned not to wear his heart so visibly on his sleeve where the Bard was concerned. Thom could not believe his father was warning him off the girl. He knew that both his parents were more than a wee bit fond of Sarah, and her boys. Looking at her filled his heart with unbearable joy, and he found himself speechless. Each day he was coming to love her, and he had told his father that when they reached the winter grounds he intended to make his feelings known to the girl herself. His father had said Sarah was not as free as Thom thought.
Sarah greeted him with a sweet smile, "Good morning Thom."
"Sarah, darlin'," he eyed her garments, thinking she'd chosen her best to impress him. "Ye look like an angel come down from the heavens to tempt the hearts o men."
Toby pulled at Thom's sleeve. "Can we go now? I want to see the town."
The man laughed and extended a hand to the lad. "Aye, we can go now." Thom smiled at the Widow, "My Father said we should join him and Mother."
They walked along the lane, knowing it was protection between them and what lurked in the dark woods beyond. Sarah heard a howl and had a flash of memory, her lips formed a word. 'Ludo'. For a brief instant, she felt an urge to grab Toby and Georgie and run back to the Bard wagon and hide until the festival was over. Still, the boys faces shone with bright expectations of a grand time and she could not deny them.
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Princess Adrianna and her merry maidens were giggling and playing a game of blind man's bluff within her pavilion. They were dressed in their Fae best, long flowing gowns of pastel colors and gauzy capes. They looked completely out of place in the Goblin City. Gandar had a word with the guards who'd been chosen to watch the princess. He then was quick to vacate the premises and rejoin the King; Jareth with his mother at his side was making the rounds of seeing the stalls. Each Goblin master craftsmen had his or her best wears on display. Each one was only too proud to offer his or her wears to the King for inspection.
Sarah stood at the gate of the Goblin City, the humongous metal Goblin Robot was still frozen with its axe still penetrated deep into the cleft between two stones in the arch just as it had been when Hoggle had disabled it. Looking at it gave Sarah the willies, and made her shudder. She walked past the hulking monster and it groaned as wind rushed though it. Looking up, she could swear it looked back, that the eyes for a moment focused on her. Another motion and she was clearly startled.
Thom snickered as she gave an involuntary jump. "It's just a war trophy, darlin'." He teased easily. "One the King here likes to keep as a reminder."
Sarah looked up at the hulk, "A reminder?"
"Aye," Agreed the Laird, "he says it reminds him not to be too arrogant about his advisories."
Sarah was sorely tempted to give the giant metal monster a good swift kick. However she was not entirely sure she'd be able to explain her actions and therefore gave up the sick idea. She looked down at the two boys walking before her, and prayed that no one here in the Goblin city would remember the child that had been won back.
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Goblins had come from every corner of the Kingdom to celebrate. They stood shoulder to shoulder in some of the lanes. Jareth listened to the joyous sounds they made as they greeted each other and their King. He looked at the town; some scars of the battle with Sarah remained. The walls held their scars from cannon fire, and there were still rocks that had been impossible to remove. Everything here reminded him of the girl who had come though the Labyrinth. That same girl was even now somewhere in his kingdom hiding from him. He laughed as someone made a comment to him, and led his mother to where the King's reviewing stand had been set up.
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Sarah looked at the fountain, little gnome figures pissing. She blushed at the memory of her first encounter with Hoggle. Toby ran toward the fountain and held his hand under the stream of water coming from one of the figures. He and Georgie were laughing and enjoying the sights, and she told herself it was alright, no one knew who they were.
Thom stood at her side; he was thinking how proud a man would be to claim the woman and her boys as family. He laughed as the boys held hands under the water spray and then flicked water at each other playfully. They were lively lads, and he was thinking he'd enjoy watching them grow into manhood.
Colyne and some of the other men were ahead of them, the Laird called back to his son and waved. Thom returned the wave.
Princess Adrianna heard voices that were not Goblin, nor Fae. She moved to the opening of her Pink Pavilion, peering out she saw the throngs of strangers moving up the lanes. "Who are those people?" She asked one of her maids.
One of the Fae girls looked out the opening and sweetly said to her princess. "Those are the Travelers, Princess. They are nomads who travel from place to place doing odd jobs and hire themselves out to work as harvest workers. They come though in the spring to help with planting and then return in the autumn to harvest. Completely harmless and descended from mortals who traveled though the mists, my Lady. They will be assembling their minerals to play music for us later."
"Is that not the markings of the Bard on that woman's shawl?" the Princess asked swiftly catching a glimpse of someone in the crowd that stood out.
"Yes, my Lady." Another of the girls answered. "They often have Bards as members of their caravans."
The princess smiled, "Perhaps we could prevail upon the Bard to come tell us a tale or two… it would be most amusing." She snapped her fingers and a Goblin guard rushed forward. "Go to the Traveler's Bard and ask her to come and tell a tale to us." She ordered in a spoiled tone.
The Goblin looked at her, wide eyed, bowed and told the other guards to remain. He muttered to himself as he walked up the lane to where a group of Travelers stood looking at a stall of goods. He moved past the men and women to where a young woman stood with her back to him. "Begging pardon, Lady Bard." He bowed.
Sarah saw him as she turned her head; she drew the shawl over her head and covered her face. "Yes?"
"Our Princess invites you to come to her pavilion to tell her a tale or two." He bowed again, in jerky motions. He was sniffing the air, something was familiar but he could not place the scent.
Thom touched her elbow and whispered in her ear. "That's quite the honor. And it should not be refused as it would be seen as an offence."
"Keep the boys with you." Sarah said in a soft voice, she then looked at the Goblin who was sniffing the air. "Tell your mistress I will be along shortly. And that I'm most pleased to tell her a tale."
The Goblin Guard, still trying to remember what he could not, looked at the Bardic Shawl covering the face. "Yes, ma'am…." He paused, thought he remembered, then lost the thought and moved toward the pavilion.
Sarah turned to see Colyne come to her side. "I'm being asked to entertain the Goblin Princess. I'm leaving the boys with Thom…" She looked at the pink pavilion. "That hardly looks like a Goblin tent."
"It's not." Colyne fumed. "It's the tent of the King's child bride… the ninny who has distracted him for over several years now."
Sarah felt a stab in her stomach, something clutched her heart. "The King's bride?"
"Aye…. Poor man." Colyne was now escorting her toward the pink tent.
Wanting to turn and run the other direction Sarah found her steps faltering. He was married, it should make her feel safe… it should make her feel free… it should make her feel out of harm's way. What she felt though was anything but, she felt wounded and unhappy and a bit lost. Reaching the entry of the pavilion, Colyne told the guard to announce the Widow McFadden to her royal highness. Sarah took a deep breath and prayed the obvious doting husband was not present.
The inside of the pavilion was also decorated in shades of pink and white. Everything was pink and white, and Sarah felt like she'd fallen into a Pepto-Bismol bottle. She came before the girl who was dressed in soft shades of pink. The woman looked like everyone's ideal of the perfect Fairy Princess. "Your Majesty," Sarah bowed to the young girl on a pink and gold mini throne.
"Widow McFadden." The girl spoke in a breathy childish voice. "How lovely… oh do sit and tell us a story."
Sarah looked at the Princesses' Fairy Court; there were at least a dozen girls not much younger or older than what the pretty little princess appeared to be. All the young ladies wore the same empty headed dazed looks. They were all dressed in pretty pastels and were gathered about the girl in pink, seated on the cushions of white and pink and gold on the dais and beneath it. The Goblin who had been sent to fetch her brought a chair for the Bard to sit upon. He sniffed at her once more, twitched his long white mustache and frowned as he could not place that scent.
Sarah looked at the faces of the court, it was like looking at a pretty picture, but rather lifeless. "What tale would thee like to hear, Princess?" Sarah asked in a guarded tone, using a bit more accents then she'd been using.
There was a titter of chatter among the girls and the princess smiled as she too joined in the silliness. At last they seemed to come to an agreement. "Do you know the Wild Swans?"
Sarah nodded and began her tale. "Once in the land where the swallows go to winter, there lived a King… he was handsome and kind and his people loved him. His Queen had blessed him with eleven sons… fine, handsome and strong boys… and one daughter. She was as sweet as the boys were strong. But sadness came to the Kingdom, for the good Queen died and the King was left alone to raise his family. In his sadness he was misled and was persuaded to marry a new Queen. She was beautiful but vain and wicked and she plotted to be rid of the King's children by his first Queen.
From the moment she married the King she became wicked toward the children. She sent the girl away from court… to live in the countryside and be a servant in the house of a peasant farmer and his wife. She took from the girl her royal gowns and all her pretty trimmings. She was made to dress in homespun and tie her long tresses up with a leather cord. Her beautiful shoes were taken and she was made to walk barefoot. The king was told lies about the girl and because it was his Queen who spoke the lies, he believed her. He had been told that the princess was away at a school, and that she didn't want to come home.
Rid of the troublesome and far too pretty princess, the wicked Queen now set her sights on being rid of the eleven princes as well. One day she was watching them swim in the pond that stood outside the castle walls. Having known the dark ways of magic she mixed a potion and pouring it into the waters she spoke the words of Incantation. 'With this potion and my will grow feathers and long necks and a bill… fly away, like great birds of the sky with no voice until the day ye die.'" Sarah saw tears in the eyes of the pretty court maidens.
She turned at a sound; the Goblin Guard was sniffing the air harder. Sarah tried to ignore him and went on with her tale. She told of how the princess was cast out form her father's castle when the wicked Queen gave a drought of forgetfulness to the King. He could not remember his own daughter. How she wondered the land being jeered by passers by who heard her claims that she was a princess, until she came to a river where she hid under the bridge to be out of the elements. She told of how one day a great flock of beautiful swans came to rest upon the waters of the river. Swans that wore golden crowns.
Princess Adrianna leaned forward, rapt in her listening to the tale. Her pretty rosebud mouth dropped open in astonishment.
Sarah came to the end of her tale, which she'd drawn out and embellished so to please the pretty court. She rose from her chair and bowed. "I hope my tale was to your liking, Princess."
The girl and her court were all clapping. "Oh yes… you must come back and tell us another."
Sarah had no intentions of returning; she planned on making good her escape but didn't wish the Princess to be alarmed. "I shall try." She bowed again and turned to leave. She had taken a few steps out side the tent, and was looking every direction to spot her boys.
The Goblin had followed her to the entrance, he watched her movements. Then saw her profile as she spotted the boys. His eyes popped open, be began to speak in a sputter. "The girl… the girl who at the peach!" He muttered to himself. "She's here…." He ran from the tent and tried to remember where it was the King was going to be. "The girl who at the peach is here!" He muttered a bit louder.
Sarah turned at the sound, she heard the words of the Goblin rushing off in one direction, and she moved swiftly in the other. She grabbed the boys hands, "Come now…" she said quietly, but urgently. Thom had not seen her grab the hands of the boys, he was looking at a leather rigging that he thought would work for Sarah's wagon. Colyne and some of the other men were speaking to the Goblin craftsmen as well. Going back down the route that had brought them into the town, Sarah headed to the woods and her wagon.
Jareth was seated on a throne-like chair being entertained by some of the Goblin leaders. He noticed his mother seemed to be enjoying the festival far more than his Princess who had refused to leave her pink prison. For months now she had barely even acknowledged the very existence of the Goblins. Now she was insulting them by refusing to take part in their festival and by hiding in the open in that pink tent with her pink unicorns sitting prettily outside the entrance.
The mustached Goblin was rushing past the stalls, headed toward his King muttering about the girl who at the peach. Those he passed by hearing the words girl and peach followed him. Soon there was a long trail of followers behind the muttering and raving Goblin Guard. He looked franticly about then spotted the King sitting comfortably amidst the Goblin Lords.
"Sire!" he cried out rushing forward, remembering at the last moment to bow to the King, and nearly toppled over. "Sire… the girl…." He was breathless.
Jareth turned, looking at the sputtering Goblin Guard with a expressionless gaze. "Girl…what girl?"
"The girl… who ate the peach…" the Guard wheezed as he fought to catch his breath. "And forgot everything….." He was waving his hand in the air to emphasize his point.
Jareth having a sudden sense of déjà vu, became a bit testy. "Yes yes… what of her?"
The Goblin's eyes were popping as he fought to breathe. "She's here!"
Jareth rose swiftly, so much so that he knocked the seat he'd been sitting in over sending it crashing to the ground with a loud thud. "What! Where?" he bellowed.
"I just saw her…" the Goblin wheezed as his knees collapsed and he went down, "In the Princesses Pavilion."
Repeating his words of five years earlier roared. "Call out the guard! She must be stopped." He looked at the astonished faces of the Goblins who were now standing with him. He looked at them waving his arms in frustration. "Now…" The King commanded loudly.
They who were gathered around him looked at the King, then the wheezing guard on the ground then at each other. "Call out the guard?" They asked blinking.
"She must be found!" Jareth ordered, "I want that girl found, now!" He kicked on Goblin, sending it flying and the rest scattered for fear of being the next missile. He then bent on one knee and gripping the scruff of the neck of the wheezing Guard he snarled. "Which way did she go?"
The mustached Goblin twitched, and pointed toward the woods. "Travelers…." Was the last thing he muttered before descending into a faint.
Dropping the dead weight Jareth stood up, faced the direction of the woods and laughed. "I have you now…" He transformed into an owl and swiftly flew toward the woods.
Breanna tapped her chin and muttered to herself. "Oh dear… this is going to be very messy."
The rush of Goblin Guards running past the Laird of the Travelers drew more than just his attention. He grabbed his son's arm. "The boys…" he muttered and they and other Travelers raced behind the Goblin Hordes toward the encampment.
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Sarah knew the moment she'd stepped into the encampment that something was wrong. A foul odor filled the air, and turned her stomach. Her skin was crawling and she shuddered violently. The encampment was filled with something evil. She grabbed the boys closer to her, not wanting them to wander from her. "Stay close." She ordered.
"What's that smell?" Toby placed his sleeve over his mouth and nose to protect them form the odor that was now surrounding them.
"Lord Goggie!" Sarah bellowed harshly. "Show your self."
The vile Hobgoblin appeared with a malevolent leer on his hideous face. "Ah Brad…you're back early…not having a good time at the Festival?" He jeered.
Sarah held tightly to her boys. "You have no right to come here."
"No right?" He shrieked back at her. "I have every right! I am the Lord of these lands."
Sarah didn't know where the boldness she felt came from but she sailed into him like a icebreaker. "These woods are under the protection of the Goblin King! I repeat you have no right here, be gone you blighter."
Lord Goggie, never fond of mortals, and hating the females especially bared teeth toward the puny creature; "You dare issue orders to me? You have no idea of whom you are dealing with you paltry creature." He rose to his full height trying to make an impact on the girl. "I am Awd Goggie! I am to be feared and respected…"
"You are nothing!" The girl spat at him. "I fear you not." She placed the boys behind her and spread her arms the bardic shawl hanging off her arms and looking like the wingspan of a great bird. "You have done nothing to earn my respect you worm."
Goggie reared his head and howled; saliva flowed like a river from his open gaping mouth as he raged. "I shall rip the very flesh from your bones!" So enraged was the Hobgoblin that he had not heard the commotion of the horde descending into the encampment followed by the Travelers.
Goblins by the hundreds suddenly surrounded the woman and her boys placing themselves between her and the Hobgoblin. The Traveler's Laird joined the Goblins in forming a protective line. Colyne and Thom shielded the woman who was lowering her arms. "What do you mean invading our encampment, Lord Goggie?" Demanded the Laird.
"I go where I want, mortal." The Hobgoblin spat viciously. "I take what I want."
"You have no rights here," Thom bellowed.
"Rights?" Cried the angry creature filling the air with his stench.
Sarah recognized that odor. "The Bog…" she said gagging. "He smells of the bog…"
Goggie took a swipe and sent dozens of Goblin Guards flying. "I have more rights here than you misbegotten mortals… I am a Goblin! I will one day rule all the Goblin Lands… I shall close off our lands from the influences of your kind forever!" He boasted.
"Do tell," a sarcastic voice from behind the Hobgoblin came.
Goggie shuddered as he coward down and turned to look at the cross expression on the face of the Fae King. "Your… majesty…"
"You plot to remove me from the throne?" Jareth asked.
Sarah raised her shawl, covering her head and drew part of the fabric over her face. She hoped the King had not noticed her, and she looked for a means to slip away with the boys.
The Hobgoblin snarled. "You have lost interest in our people… soon you will do what all your Fae Kind do…move on… leaving the remains to be picked over by those who can deal with the mess left behind….Why should I not plan on being the leader?"
Jareth walked forward, his cape fluttering in the breeze. "I'm not going anywhere." He smiled nonchalantly at the angry creature. "You however are… I am banishing you from the wood and you are here by removed as Orchard Keeper. I've had complaints..."
"You would take the word of Travelers over one of Goblins?" the Goblin Lord sneered. "I who have been insulted and thwarted while performing my duties? Does this mean so little to my own king?" He pointed into the crowd now surrounding a hooded figure. "That one has prevented me from carrying out my sworn duty, Sire…And all these have shielded her… I demand satisfaction… they are but mortals and mean nothing. I demand the blood of the Bard, and her offspring."
"Your demands I fear must go unheeded." Jareth mocked. "You see the Travelers have been kind enough to return to me something very precious. Something I treasure." He moved like a great cat and Goblin Guards parted to allow him to move closer to the Traveler leader.
"You stand there saying these miscreants have been toiling for you? What task have they performed? What is this great treasure they have restored to you?" The teeth gleamed on the Hobgoblin.
Laird Brodie wondered himself what the King was up to, but he saw the King wink. There was a broad smile on the handsome face of the King. He motioned the Laird and his son to be parted. Jareth looked down at the covered figure before him. "This is what they restore to me," He tugged on the shawl and it fell away from the woman's face. "This is my greatest treasure."
Goggie laughed contemptuously. "This insignificant woman, this is your treasure?"
Jareth placed his index finger under Sarah's chin, lifting it ever so slightly. "This is no ordinary girl…or woman…if you prefer… This is the only person to ever reach the center of the Labyrinth. "
"Impossible!" The Goblin roared. "I don't believe it."
Jareth breathed her scent in, it was like nectar. "Champion of the Labyrinth, keeper of the safety of…" Reaching behind her he took hold of a boys arm and drew him forward. "My heir." He gazed with tenderness on the child whose eyes mirrored his own. "Hello, my boy."
Goggie staggered forward. "I don't believe it! This child can not be your heir…prove it!"
Jareth smiled a cocky smile. "Of course," He said calmly, he then winked at Sarah who flushed. "Toby, would you please show the little gift I gave you to Lord Goggie?" The boy looked up at him with a concerned face. "It's alright, you can show it now."
Sarah looked down at her brother, who was reaching into his jacket and withdrew a perfect crystal sphere. It glowed and spun over the finger tips of the boy. She then looked up at the King who again winked at her. Sarah crossed her arms, and pursed her lips.
Thom looked at Sarah who was trying not to make eye contact with the King. The flush of color told him that she was more than mildly acquainted with the King. He looked at his father whose sympathy was very apparent. He quietly backed away.
Jareth again placed his fingers under Sarah's chin. "This one and her boy…"
"Boys." She corrected softly as Georgie peered out from behind her skirts.
Raising an elegant brow the King continues. "Her Boys belong to me and to me alone. The Clan Brodie acted as my agents in the transporting of my …" He paused then smiled broadly. "My subjects back safely to me." He looked at the Laird. "And for that I am most grateful." He shot a look of seething hatred at Goggie. "You have three days to vacate my lands." A flick of his wrist sent the Goblin Lord away. "Nasty bit of work, that one." The King muttered. His finger was now stroking the girl's long neck. "Welcome home, Sarah." He growled in a sensual tenor. Before anyone could object or interfere, he suddenly moved forward and the girl was upon his shoulder kicking and protesting. A firm hand smacked her bottom soundly. "Come boys," He called to Toby and Georgie. "Time to go home."
"Jareth! Stop!" Sarah protested as she struggled. "Put me down you over grown escapee from a rock show!"
Jareth laughed, "My how I've missed your silky tones. Brodie see that her belongs and those of the lads are delivered to my castle." He smacked her bottom again and they were gone.