Chapter 19. Games of temptation
The High King's daughter studied the face of the Pink Princess. "Perhaps you best tell me what it is exactly you are attempting to do."
The girl took a deep breath. "I demanded that Jareth make Sarah my companion. He did so, rather quickly…. I think he felt it was good to have her near, but not too near…." The girl paced. "I thought the servants would do something after what they did to her last night."
"What they did to her last night?" Breanna took a seat, content to allow the younger woman to pace.
"They destroyed the gown Jareth sent her to wear for him." Adrianna placed fingernails to her teeth. "Made a rag of it, and she turned it around and comes in here looking more regal than she would have in Jareth's gown."
Breanna smiled, "A gown for him… how typical. Do go on."
"They were ordered to bring breakfast… you should have seen the swill they presented to her…" The younger woman looked disturbed. "I had not considered how viscous it would get…. She left this chamber in tears…. I sent the King after her on the errand of bringing her back to me… I thought he'd see her vulnerable and…."
Holding up a hand, the High King's daughter interjected. "You thought he'd use that moment to take her." When the Princess nodded, Breanna sighed sadly. "Child, Jareth would no more do that than he'd force you to comply with your wifely duties."
Adrianna blinked, "You know?"
"Of course I know." Breanna said deliberately.
"Then tell me why!" the girl demanded. "She's there, and he's there… and he's comforting her… It should be so easy for him… all he has to do is take her…give in to the love everyone tells me has for her."
Breanna snickered. "He not an easy study, child…besides he has locked away that part of his heart…"
"Excuse me?" The Pink Princess took a seat, "Explain."
"When Sarah rejected my son, it was a devastating blow to his male ego." Breanna stated calmly. "To protect himself from further harm, as he saw it, he locked all his feelings of love for the girl in a crystal orb and placed it in safe keeping."
"How inconvenient," Adrianna huffed.
Breanna leaned forward and patted the girl's hands. "Don't fret, the feelings are still there, just blocked a bit…. But notice, he didn't give in to lust… he made to comfort the girl. Would a man do that for a woman he was not in love with?"
"He comforts me." Adrianna said in argument.
"Ah but you are his wife, and Child he is fond of you," Breanna stated without emotions, her hands held lightly in her lap. "Why dangle Sarah before him at all? You are his wife, and he did offer you the Goblin Queen's crown I've been told."
Sadly the little Princess stood up and waved a hand sealing the breakfast room from unwanted observations. "This goes no further?"
"I promise."
Adrianna paced, "You've known me since I was a child, and I've always thought you to be most fair-minded. My only purpose in wedding the Goblin King was to secure the safety of my Principality."
"You could have done that without having wed the King." Breanna suggested.
The girl shook her head. "No, it was imperative that the King be made official Sovereign over my lands. And that could only be achieved by my being his bride."
"But you don't love him, do you?"
"On the contrary," Adrianna groaned softly. "I love King Jareth with all my heart."
"But you've refused his throne and his bed;" Protested the King's mother.
"And will continue to do so." She held up a hand. "I've got reasons; good reasons…sound reasons… please trust me on this fact without my giving you proof for now."
Breanna was intrigued, "Why Sarah? Why dangle her before him?"
The younger Fae woman wore an expression older than time. "She is his one true love."
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Jareth ached seeing her in such anguish and misery, far more than he wanted to. Far more than he should feel, he wondered what was wrong with him. He had set her up to be an object of ridicule amongst his servants. Yet here he was, acting to sooth the very hurt he'd set upon her.
She looked up at him after the racking sobs ceased, "I knew there'd be animosity… I expected it… I didn't expect hate…" she lowered her eyes, ashamed of her own betrayal to her self.
"Didn't you?" he asked coldly.
She shook her head, still not looking at him. "No." she sniffed. "I thought creatures of such higher evolution would have… at least a touch of mercy."
Tipping her face upward with the tips of his gloved fingers, he looked down at her with something worse than pity. He looked at her with insolence, "What ever gave you a notion like that?"
Icy cold swept though the girl, she backed away from the man who only moments before had been so gentle and consoling. She moved as far away from the King as she could without falling off the bed. "You're right, I shouldn't have assumed." She snapped.
"Did you think your offensive behavior last night would go unnoticed?" He asked guardedly.
She glared at him suddenly, remembering him laughing on the terrace with the woman who was not his wife; "My behavior?"
"I sent you a gown and you callously refused to wear it…" Jareth said coldly.
"If I wore what was delivered to my chamber, you'd have been more offended Sire." Sarah returned his coldness. Sarah left the bed; Zoan had retrieved the gown and was planning on using it as evidence. Sarah picked it up from the chair it had been laid on. She tossed it to the King who stared at it. "That's how it was delivered to me, Sire… Your Elf staff found it unsuitable for one who is not your wife."
Staring at the cloth, he felt his temper rise. "You are telling me that my staff did this?"
"I am." She curtly answered. "However since I'm a mortal and you can't possibly believe me, ask Prince Zoan." Sarah turned away, not able to bear his gaze; "Sire I beg you, let me and Toby and Georgie go back to our life with the Travelers."
"No," He sighed. "That would make my wife very unhappy… I promised her you would go back, and she is waiting for you."
Sarah's mouth dropped open. "Jareth, you can't ask me to go back there. You can't."
"No," He moved closer, his eyes were icy. "I'm not asking… I'm commanding."
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The Pink Princess knelt before the daughter of the High King. "Help me, help me bring them back together."
Breanna paused, and then nodded. "For my own reasons, yes, I'll help you." She motioned the girl to be seated and to release the room. "You are going about this all wrong… you can not dangle the girl, you have to be far more cunning."
"You've a plan?" She asked the King's mother.
"Give me some time to observe them." Breanna said calmly.
Adrianna whispered. "Time is not on our side, My Lady."
Breanna understood more than she was willing to give away, and said nothing.
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"You're commanding me to serve as companion to your wife?" Sarah repeated not believing what she'd heard.
"Understand this Sarah Williams McFadden; you are here only because I allow it. You choose to step though the portal."
"I fell though the portal!" She corrected him. "The boys and I could have broken our necks in that fall." Her chin lifted, defiantly and quickly, there was the old familiar Sarah toss of her head as well.
Jareth pointed to her, his eyes blazing with heat. "You spoke the words, Sarah. By doing so you choose to enter the world of the Fae. And doing so you put yourself into my hands…you more or less made yourself my… chattel!" His hand gripped the lifted chin; he lowered his face and breathed upon her. "You are mine to do with as I so please. And it pleases me to see you…serve my wife. Do I make myself clear?"
Sarah could not see anything in the mismatched eyes that reminded her of that man in the Crystal ballroom. "Let me go…let me and the boys go…" she begged. "You can't want me here….."
"Want you here?" He mocked as he released her chin. "I'll not tell you again what I want, Sarah."
She winced, feeling his anger. "Jareth, please…let us go…"
"Toby is my heir…" He snapped. "I'll never allow him to leave this Kingdom again. As for the other boy, he and Toby are close, and they will remain so as it pleases me. You however madam may take your vixen eyes back to hell for all I care."
Sarah felt the world fall out from under her, how she remained standing was beyond her.
"Now," he extended a hand. "You can come back and serve my wife or you may leave and never see Toby or Georgie again." His cold eyes told her he was not going to waste much time on squabbling.
"I'll stay." She lifted her arm; her hand went to his sleeve.
Jareth felt the vein in his temple throb, he felt his jaw clench. He had almost wished she'd demand to be set free. The idea of hunting and chasing her down, and doing some violence on her almost appealed to him at the moment. Yet, he had won and felt no elation in seeing her so humbled. He had done the unthinkable; he had used Toby as a threat against her. No, he told himself as he looked at her slender hand on his sleeve, it had not been a threat. It had been a vow; if she walked out on him again he would bar her from the palace and the Kingdom. "There will be no more nonsense or hysterics." He warned as he summoned the power to transport them both to the breakfast room.
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"He comes." Breanna said as she vanished like wood-smoke.
Adrianna admired the skill of the older Fae woman, only those of Oberon's clan had the power to become stealthy. She looked at the spot she knew her husband would reappear. When he finished materializing, he shoved Sarah back at his wife. The Pink Princess enfolded the girl in her arms in a loving embrace. "Oh Darling Sarah, don't ever leave me again." She begged.
Jareth's face went white with anger, and humiliation. "I've work to see to." He announced as he stormed out.
'Interesting,' a woman hidden in shadows thought. 'He behaved like a jilted lover just now.'
Sarah looked with sad eyes at her Princess. "Your Highness, I'm so sorry if I caused you any pain."
"Oh sweetheart," She kissed the tear tracks on Sarah's face. "I'm sorry for the evil you suffered here today." She pulled Sarah closer. "Come sweet friend, we'll go to the garden and read and drink nectar from flowers."
Sarah moved with the girl holding her close. It was cold comfort, but it was comfort.
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Jareth had stormed out of the palace, out to the garden and beyond. He headed into the Labyrinth. There was only one person who could answer his questions, that is if he was awake. He looked for the most likely place the old one would be, and found him in an arbor seated on a stone bench and sleeping with the sun bathing his face. The King approached carefully, quietly and looked from the old man's face to his hat.
"How long has he been sleeping?" Jareth asked.
The Hat looked at the King, craned his neck to peer at the sleeping man below. "He's been sleeping longer and longer of late."
Jareth nodded, "Wake him."
The Hat looked at the King, scoffing. "You wake him! I don't wish to talk to him."
Not wishing to start a prolonged argument with the hat, Jareth leaned forward and placed a hand easily on the old one's knee. "Tutor…Tutor…" he gently shook the man. "Tutor, I have need of your wisdom."
Brows rose long before lids opened and eyes focused. The old man sniffed and wiggled his nose, "I was but resting my eyes, lad." He addressed the King fondly.
"Of course, Tutor." Jareth sat at the man's feet, keeping his hand on the old one's knee. "Would you mind reviewing a spell with me?"
The old eyes looked at the King with interest. "What kind of spell lad?"
"A spell of encasement," Jareth said quietly.
"Encasement, ah;" The old one twitched slightly. "Tricky spells those."
Jareth nodded, "I remember you saying that when you were teaching them to me."
The old teacher gazed down on his favorite student, the King who'd apprenticed under his care for a time and now in whose care he was left. "You always did very well with your lessons my lad."
The King sighed heavily. "I may have not done so well this time. You know of the mortal girl, the one who beat my Labyrinth?" The old one nodded. "When the girl rejected me… my pride…." He paused ashamed of being so weak. "I found an orb that I'd made for the boy, my heir. In it I placed all my emotions of love and my passions for the girl."
"Encasement in crystal?" The tutor frowned.
"Something I did must have gone wrong…" Jareth complained. "I should have no feelings for the girl, none at all. Yet I find I do…"
Confused the old one tapped fingers on his free knee. "My King, did you say you put all your emotions into the orb?"
"My emotions of love and my passion for the girl;" Jareth said slowly, "why?"
The old one cleared his throat. "What were you thinking?"
The hat craned his neck down and he muttered, "Don't put us in the middle of this mess."
Swatting at the bird with one hand the old one glared. "He has to know, there may be time for him to fix it." He looked at the King. "You've blocked love from your heart, love for this mortal girl. But Sire, it will not block other emotions, emotions that could get out of hand. Anger, lust, hate…Sire, you must release the emotions you've encased to keep things balanced. I told you when you were a boy… One can not keep emotions encased for long… blocking one can set an avalanche in motion."
Jareth shook his head, "I don't want to feel those feelings again…not for her. I refuse to be at her mercy again." He stood up. "I'll just learn to govern my other emotions better. A well placed distraction should do it." The redheaded Fae woman came to mind. "A very well placed distraction. Thank you Tutor!"
The old man and the hat watched the King leave. "Fool." The hat whispered hoarsely.
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Sarah sat with her back braced against one of the trees; the princess' head lay in her lap as Sarah read to the girl. It seemed the princess had a taste for human poets. The girl looked up at the sky dreamily as the mortal girl recited the poems with a depth of emotion few Fae could equal.
"Another one, Sarah;" Begged the Princess.
Sarah leafed though the book, finding one she liked she read it to the other girl. When she finished she noticed that the Princess looked peaceful. A long fair hand reached up and caressed Sarah's face.
"You read so beautifully my Sarah." Adrianna whispered.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
The Princess sat up and gazed at her mortal companion. "Have you ever seen so beautiful a garden? The King keeps it secret you know."
"I can understand that, it is a treasure." Sarah nodded. Looking back toward the palace she noticed two figures walking side by side. The one she could not miss, the woman with red hair was unmistakable. It was the same woman who the night before had asked her friend to loosen her gown so she might tempt the King. The King who now strolled on the terrace at her side looking well amused. Sarah found herself frowning. Adrianna saw the frown and turned to see what was distressing her friend. Sarah said, "Who is that woman, the one walking with your husband?"
"That is Lady Rosalind, an old friend of His Majesty." Adrianna said softly. "Why do you ask?"
"I've seen her before." Sarah said trying to keep the emotions from showing in her voice.
"Ah yes, she has been here often I'm told." Adrianna stood up and pulled Sarah to her feet. They walked toward the pond, with Sarah glancing over to the palace terrace every now and then.
"Does it not disturb you?" Sarah asked the Princess.
"What?" The Fae looked confused at her mortal.
Sarah winced when she heard the trill of feminine laughter; she looked over to the terrace. The King had his arm about the buxom beauty and was enjoying a private joke it seemed. "That does not disturb you that your husband is … with that woman?"
Adrianna put on just a bit of her breathy voice and childish act. "Should it?"
Sarah winced again at the sound of the laughter now mixed with the rich sound of the King's. "Yes, yes it should."
Knowing her husband was aware of them, the Princess slid her hand to Sarah's face. "Why?"
"Where I come from," Sarah explained softly. "When a man and a woman wed… they save their… love and loving touches for each other alone."
"Really?" Adrianna breathed softly. "Fidelity is not common here, in the Fae Realms. My husband is a King and he has had lovers long before I came along. I wouldn't think to deprive him of that."
The laughter had ceased, and the King was staring down at the garden. Unseen, but observing was the King's mother. Understanding dawned in her eyes, and she formulated her plot.
Jareth said quietly to Rosalind, "Look, yonder is my wife…"
The Fae woman turned toward the balustrade and looked, "ah yes, and the little mortal Bard is with her…. How…charming."
Jareth extended his hand to the woman. "Let us go greet them."
Rosalind laughed, a light trilling sound, amused that she was a pawn in some game the King was playing. She didn't care who he was playing against, "Always a pleasure to be on your arm, Sire."
Sarah stiffened as they pair approached; she lowered her eyes not wishing to allow the King to see how disturbed she was at what she took to be a breech of conduct toward the Pink Princess.
Adrianna, who still had a hand on Sarah's face, smiled sweetly as the pair approached. "Jarikins!" She greeted him warmly. "Thank you so much for bringing Sarah back to me."
"You are most welcome," He said in a cordial tone. "Are you having a lovely time?" He stood beside the woman hanging on his arm.
"Oh yes," Adrianna sighed. "Sarah has been reading poems for me. Her voice is wonderful and very soothing." She looked at the Fae woman on her husband's arm and smiled blankly. "Hello Rosalind, how are you?"
"Well Your Highness… thank you for asking." Rosalind then looked at the mortal girl refusing to meet their glances; "Ah Bard, how lovely to see you again so soon."
Sarah looked at the woman, fire behind the pale jeweled eyes. "Lady Rosalind." She acknowledged her coldly.
Jareth took a seat on a bench and pulled Rosalind down to his lap. "Let us hear one of these wonderful poems."
Adrianna handed the book to Sarah and took a seat beside her husband, ignoring the fact that the red haired woman was doing her best to be enticing. "Yes Sarah, read."
Opening the book, Sarah found a poem and began to read it out loud.
"To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old time is
still a-flying
And this same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying.
The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
The higher
he's a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting.
That age is best which is the first,
When youth and
blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times still succeed the former.
Then be not coy, but use your time,
And, while ye
may, go marry;
For, having lost but once your prime,
You may forever tarry."
Jareth narrowed his gaze until it became a fierce stare. Swatting the woman on his lap he pushed her off and swiftly rose from the bench. He was beside Sarah taking the book of poems for her roughly. He opened the book and read a few lines of another poem, then shoved the book back into Sarah's hands and stormed off wordlessly with Rosalind trailing close behind.
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Breanna came to the Pink Princess' chamber after all had gone to their beds. She sat with her daughter in law and laid out her plot. "It will mean a bit of skullduggery… and a bit of trickery."
"I've been playing an adolescent for several years now, trickery is not an issue." Adrianna leaned back in her chase lounge.
The High King's daughter counseled the younger Fae woman to be careful. "This could back fire… and we could make the King most angry. Still he was enjoying making the mortal girl suffer… in some part of his being he is aware of her, and of her feelings toward him."
"You mean he was trying to make her jealous with that Rosalind to day?" The Princess snickered. "No wonder she choose that poem to read for them."
"My son is a proud man, Adrianna, and you must never forget it," Warned the High King's daughter. "But he does have his shortcomings and his weaknesses, the most outstanding is his deep and abiding desire for the Mortal girl, Sarah Williams."
"What is your plan?" The Fae Princess asked.
"Just as he used Rosalind to make the girl feel the pains of jealousy, you are going to do the same to him with Sarah." When she saw a blank stare on the girls face, the older Fae smiled coldly. "You are going to begin to seduce the girl right before his eyes."
Adrianna gasped, "You want me to romance the mortal before him?"
Breanna nodded, "Fawn over her, praise her, touch her…. Let him see you having an interest in her you've never shown him."
The Princess looked worried. "How am I to do that without arising suspicions from the girl?"
"Stick to what you've done this childish act… but start to treat Sarah like an adored pet." Breanna suggested. "If I know my son, and I do, it won't take long to get his attention and make him want what he believes he's given up."
The Pink Princess sighed, "We don't have long…. The ladies in waiting will return at the end of three weeks. I want the king to make Sarah his mistress long before that."
"You do as I tell you, use the charms I'll instruct you on and your husband will be bonded to the mortal girl in a fortnight!" The King's mother boasted. "Remember little Princess, I was taught by the best…I am my Father's daughter after all!"
Adrianna poured a goblet of spring wine for both of them and raised her cup, "To games of temptation." She said with a touch of suggestiveness.
"To games of temptation." Her mother in law touched her cup's rim to that of the Princesses and took a long and lingering sip.