Chapter 24. Dangers untold
Rosalind sat quietly, watching the sleeping Princess, and plotting her next move. She heard the door of the chamber open and she moved her hand to the Princess', knowing it would give the impression of giving comfort. She looked over her should as the old Fae maid came closer.
"What are you doing here?" She challenged.
Rosalind put on her best innocent face. "I came to sit with the wife of my dearest friend."
Ona looked about, "Where is Lady Sarah?"
"Lady Sarah?" Rosalind scoffed, "When was she granted a title?" she turned back and looked at the sleeping girl in the bed. "I have no idea of where Sarah Williams is. She left her over an hour ago, when I arrived."
One thing Ona was sure of, that the red haired Fae was lying. Sarah would never have just walked away. She would never have just left the Princess. The maid was about to confront the Fae woman when she heard the girl in the bed moan softly. Rosalind looked down at the ailing wife of the King with consternation on her lovely features. She quickly recovered and turned her consternation into worry.
"Oh dear, do you think she's in pain again?" Rosalind clasped the hand of the Princess with what she hoped looked like tenderness. "It's alright, Adrianna, dear… we're here…" She crooned.
Ona moved closer, wanting to grab the hand out of the one clutching it, but knowing she had to maintain her place and rank. "I will take over watching her, Lady Rosalind." She addressed the redhead with as much respect as she could muster.
Rosalind remained in her seat. "It's no trouble for me to sit with her." She waved the maid off. When Ona was out of earshot the woman leaned toward the bed. "Nice try, little girl, but you're playing with the big girls now… and I've been playing the game far longer than you have." She leaned back looking serene.
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Sarah leaned back against the fallen tree, looking for a spot rough enough to rub the ropes that bound her hands. She hoped to be able to rub them to either a breaking point or at least loosen them so she could free herself. Keeping her breathing shallow and calmed was the difficult part. Somewhere she'd read that fear could be smelled by the beasts of the forest. Two things kept her working, a need to get back to the princess, and a desire to get revenge on Rosalind. Several times she tried to make a sound, but nothing would come. She wondered if the spell had a time limit or was she forever doomed to being mute.
The sounds in the woods kept her alert, that and the feeling of being watched. She wondered to herself where they had taken her, her Elvin captors. This was not part of the Labyrinth, of that she was sure. But how far from the Goblin Kingdom would they dare travel? Could she find her way back?
Working slowly, methodically, she began to feel the fibers of the rope shred and snap. Over and over she rubbed against the rough bark of the tree. She knew she was also now rubbing raw spots on the sides of her hands but kept going. How long she'd been working at the ropes she didn't know, but she knew they were giving way. As the last few strands snapped she wiggled her shoulders to move her hands in a jerky motion. The rope began to unwind and fall way. When at last her hands were free, she shook out her arms to get the feeling back. She had gone numb in places and was sure she'd sprained something. Looking at her feet she hoped the bindings could be undone with more ease.
Once on her freed feet, Sarah looked about for something she could use as a weapon. Set against the fallen tree was a long branch that was light enough to carry, but hard enough to act as protection. She took a long breath and began to try to get her bearings.
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Jareth, didn't like being away from the palace. He didn't like leaving Adrianna or Sarah alone. He kept feeling something was amiss. If the meetings here with the miner's guild were not as important as they were he'd have sent some Goblin General to see to it. But the negotiations with the guild were delicate, and the King had to tend to it himself. It grew more difficult to keep his mind on the miners and the issues of the negotiations. He excused himself and left the chamber in which they were meeting. He stood outside, and nearly collapsed. One of the Hobgoblins reached out his hands and gripped the shoulders of the King.
"Sire!" His growl was loud and angry.
"Interference…." The King moaned as he slumped into the Guard's protection.
"Call our leader," The personal guard said harshly to a fellow guard. "We must protect the King!"
Zoan came roaring into the chamber, having left the Goblin Heir and his companion in the care of his most fierce warriors. The King's personal guards had been trained by Zoan and he was looked upon as the natural leader of the guards, even the house goblins answered to him without restraint. He growled the guttural words of accusations, and demanded answers.
The Guard holding the King grunted the guttural answers, not fearful as they had done their duty.
Zoan knelt beside the suffering King, "Sire. Can we move you?"
Jareth shook his head, "Negotiations not finished." He drew a breath and gripped Zoan's hand, "Must finish." Locking hands with his long time aid, he drew from his strength. "Stay with me Zoan."
The Hobgoblin Prince nodded and gave a hand to the King so he could stand on his own again. "I am with you, my brother."
Jareth clenched his jaw, "Let us finish this swiftly…and find the source of my ailment." He turned and stormed back into the chamber, the delectate measures gone. He barked at the miners and was given their attention. Moments later the accord was signed. When the miners fled swiftly, Jareth slumped against Zoan. "Take me home." He commanded the Prince.
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The forest was shadowy; the canopy of leaves above didn't allow much light to fall upon the forest floor. The ground was deeply furrowed by something that had burrowed underneath it. It was rutted and hard to walk on but walk on it she did. It was slow going, and she was not getting very far. However she was getting, and she wanted to continue. More than anything she knew she needed to get back to the castle, if for no other reason than to protect her Princess.
The sounds that had been around her went quiet and Sarah stopped dead in her tracks. If sounds ceased, something was up she was sure. She took on a battle stance she'd seen Zoan demonstrate to the boys the day before. Eyes darting from side to side she looked for any sign of movement as she her self remained motionless.
A face, with wild orange hair, and wide eyes and pointed chin that resembled a birds beak peered out of the foliage at her. Sarah recognized it at once, a Firey. It looked at her with a wide toothy grin and threw back its head releasing a laugh that was more of a cackle.
"Hey lady! You came back to play." It shouted as it jumped into the little clearing Sarah was standing in. He clapped his hands starting a rhythm and others hooted in the foliage. He began to do a wild dance expecting Sarah to jump in, when she didn't he stopped and stared at her. "You is the same lady, isn't you?"
Sarah nodded, but kept still other than that.
The others whom she'd seen on her last visit joined them in the clearing. One looked at her and then at the one who'd called them to the clearing. "Cat got her tongue?"
The first one shrugged but moved closer. "She looks different." As a group they moved closer and she eyed them with trepidation fearful of what they could do to her. One reached out a boney finger and touched her lightly. One sniffed at her, and kept sniffing. Steadily they gathered round her until she was surrounded by them. The leader and the first to find her pulled on her chin, peered in her mouth and said loudly. "Her tongue's right here!"
Sarah suddenly pulled free, shoving them away and took a wide swing with the branch she was holding to.
"I don't think she wants to play." One said sadly.
They crouched on the ground still surrounding the girl. "Maybe she's got a different game in mind." He looked at her with hopeful eyes. "Do you?"
Sarah thought for a moment and wondered if anyone in the underground had ever played Charades.
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Zoan and his men transported the King to his private chamber, where the King was placed on his own bed. Zoan called for the healer to come to the Master's chamber immediately. He then paced as he awaited the healer.
The healer entered and frowned. "What has happened?" He demanded.
Zoan growled back, "You tell me… he collapsed, and I was called away from the Heir." He looked at Jareth, "I'll go check on the boys and then return… do you want me to get Sarah?"
Jareth sighed, "She's worried enough about Adrianna; let's not give her more to worry over." He looked at the Healer.
Zoan nodded in agreement and left.
The Healer began to examine the King and ask questions.
Looking in on the boys Zoan could see they were with the Tutor learning the Goblin dialect. He smiled as he heard them repeat simple phrases. It was good for the Heir to know how to speak the tongue. He exited without allowing the boys to know he'd even been there. He looked down the hall and thought he'd take a look in on the Princess just to be assuring himself that all was quiet. He opened the door, just a tiny bit. Sitting smugly looking at the princess was not Sarah. He entered and glared at the Fae who jumped at the sight of him. "What are you doing here, and where is Lady Sarah?" He demanded baring teeth like an enraged creature of the forest.
Rosalind backed up until she was against the wall. "How dare you come in here and be accusing of me!"
Zoan took a deep sniff of the air. "Guards, " he shouted, from out of nowhere it seemed a small army of Goblin Guards entered the Princess' suite. "Hold this…Lady." He pointed to her. "If you try anything, they will tear you limb from limb." He warned.
Zoan rushed down the hall and heard Jareth arguing with the Healer. "I've found a problem, Sire! Lady Rosalind is sitting with your wife where your mistress should be."
Jareth pushed the healer out of his way roughly. "Where's Sarah?"
Zoan thumbed back toward the door. "I thought perhaps you'd like to ask the Fae woman that."
Turning to the healer, Jareth growled. "You'd better come."
The three moved swiftly down the hall. Rosalind was cowering against the wall she'd backed herself into. Adrianna lay in the bed looking deathly pale and still, and Ona was screaming obscenities at the redhead. Jareth shoved everyone side, gripped the woman's arms as he shook her violently. "What have you done?"
"Nothing…" She whimpered. "I just wanted to help…" she lied.
Jareth's eyes blazed. "Healer, see to my wife."
"She's been drugged." The healer leaned close to the Princess's lips and sniffed. "Sleeping Potion." He looked up at the woman, "Are you trying to rush her death?"
Rosalind shook her head, her eyes begging Jareth for understanding.
"She's my wife Rosalind!" He shoved her away not carrying if she were harmed when she hit the wall. "My wife! The Royal Princess! How dare you interfere?"
"Jareth she's dying anyway!" Rosalind defended her self. "Soon, my darling, soon you'll be free to wed again… once not so long ago… you were fond of me…."
Jareth raised his hand, silencing her. "I wouldn't take you to my bed, let alone wed you, you viper." He glared at her, "Sarah would never have allowed you to pour that filth into Adrianna…what have you done with Sarah?" Folding her arms and becoming obstinate, the woman refused to answer him.
Tonya was entering the chamber; she carried a tea tray for Lady Rosalind. Seeing all the Goblins in the chamber she frowned. She saw Lady Rosalind surrounded by guards, and the healer standing over the Princess. She moved forward, fearful that the evil human had done something. "Is my Lady Princess alright?" she asked.
Ona pointed to Tonya. "That one, Sire…ask that one what has happened. She was here in the chamber with Lady Sarah when I left to do the errands the Princess gave me."
Tonya blinked, "Lady Sarah? You call that mortal Lady?"
A loud sharp growl came from Zoan, "She's far better than any number of you Elvin!"
Tonya looked down her nose at the Hobgoblin Prince. "You dare speak to your better?"
Rosalind smiled, knowing the Elves would be blamed for the missing Sarah.
Jareth watched as Goblin and Elf went at each other with heated words, and dark hate. He saw the look on Rosalind's face, and turned to the healer. "Will this hasten that which is already in progress?"
"It didn't help her, but it didn't hurt her either, Sire." The Heal sat beside the Princess.
Jareth roughly took hold of the Elf maid and forced her to face him. "You will never speak to Prince Zoan like that again! I will not tolerate disrespect to him; he is a Royal, are you?"
"No, Sire," she shook her head and tears formed in her eyes.
"You where here when Sarah was?" she nodded and his fingers tightened their grip. "Where is she?"
"Gone Sire." She moaned as the fingers dug into her arms. "Taken away…" She screamed as his hands tightened. "We were trying to help… she distracts you from your Fae wife… she is not worthy!"
Jareth had murder in his eyes as he growled. "Where was she taken, and by whom….and on whose orders." He looked past the Elf to the now worried Rosalind.
"Servants of my Lord took the human to the forests just beyond our boarders…. Lady Rosalind suggested it, Sire…" She whimpered.
Jareth handed her off to two Goblin Guards who snarled in her face. "Hold her," He ordered, they backed their faces away from hers. Jareth looked at Rosalind. "You suggested?"
She smiled sweetly. "Jareth, she's only a mortal… so you've bedded her…."
"I bonded to her, Rosalind." He corrected, and then watched her face fall. "That's right; I took off my gloves and touched her. Not only that but she carries my seed."
Rosalind shook her head, deep in denial. "No, you wouldn't do that… She rejected you… toying with her is one thing… but to gift her with your seed…." She shook her head vigorously. "No." She pointed to the princess in the bed. "And does your wife know of this…infidelity?"
"She arranged it." Jareth smiled wickedly. "I've a most understanding wife." He wagged a finger in her face. "You will be held for trial, your crimes will be exposed before all the Fae." He looked at the cowering Elf maid. "As for you, I want the names of the ones who took Sarah." He drew a crystal dramatically from the air. "Show me Sarah." He commanded, but the orb remained foggy. He lowered the orb and looked back at Rosalind who was wearing a satisfied gloating expression on her face. "A cloaking spell? You dare use a cloaking spell against the King? What other crimes have you been committing?"
Zoan placed a hand to the King's arm. "Sire, find the Elvin who removed her, get the location and I shall hunt her down for you. I know her scent nearly as well as you."
Jareth nodded. "True." He looked at the healer. "Will Adrianna awaken again?"
"It is doubtful…" His words were guarded. "She is very weak, Sire."
Breanna entered the chamber. "What is all this commotion?"
"Rosalind and the Elves have taken it upon themselves to remove Sarah." Jareth said coldly. "Rosalind gave a sleeping potion to Adrianna… and placed a cloaking spell on Sarah so I can't locate her." He again took hold of the Elf maid. "You will tell me the names of your co-conspirators now!"
The maid named off the three who had carried Sarah away. Zoan sent word to the servants' quarters that the three were to come to the King in the Princess's chamber at once. It was a few moments later when the Steward for the house entered. The old Elf looked displeased at the sight of the maid in the grip of the Goblin Guards. He went on bent knee before the King.
"Sire," He bent his head.
Jareth looked down at the old Elf who had always served him well. "Glimmer, we have traitors in our mist. Where are the three I just sent for?"
"Gone Sire," Glimmer looked up, his old Elf eyes hot with anger and disgust. "They have disappeared from our quarters." He stood when the King motioned for him to. "I've only now learned of the degrading way they have behaved." He looked at the maid in arms and shook his head, "My own granddaughter," he shook with fury. "That she too takes part in this…"
Jareth placed a hand on the old mans shoulder. "I don't blame you. You can't make up the minds of others…no more than I can."
Glimmer was grateful for the understanding but no less pained. "That they would see themselves as better than those who are native to the land…" He sighed, "I have failed you, my King."
"No, they failed, not you." Jareth said firmly. He looked at Tonya, Glimmer's granddaughter. "Do you have any idea of where they could have taken Sarah?"
She shook her head. "I wasn't party to the directions." She pointed to Rosalind. "She was, and then she cast the cloaking spell."
Rosalind smiled, "The location I'll take to my grave."
Breanna looked at the orb in the hands of the King. "You tired to find Sarah, with that?"
"Yes, it's no good." He watched as Breanna also drew a blank as she called for an orb. "She's too clever, mother. She's cast it against me and Clan. She's made it impossible for me to find Sarah."
"What of the seed?" Zoan asked deep in concentration. "She didn't know of the seed."
Jareth blinked, raised the orb, "Locate my seed." He commanded. The orb didn't clear but it did show a foggy dim location. "Zoan, go swiftly! Sarah could be in grave danger."
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Sarah sat all five of the Firey's down and began to make broad gestures. The first one looked at her with wide eyes. "What is she doing?"
"It's a guessing game." The second one shouted joyously. "I love guessing games."
On the ground she drew a castle, and then looked at the five who shrugged. She sighed and pointed to the drawing.
"Castle?" the third asked, scratching his head. "She wants to know something about the castle."
"The forth one giggled. "Which castle?"
Sarah wrote the word goblin and then wondered if any of them could read. Seeing them stare she reckoned none of them could. She wiped it out and drew a goblin.
"The Goblin Castle?" the first firey asked. And when she nodded he smiled. "She wants the Goblin Castle."
"Ok, you go down this path… When you get to a big tree that use to be there, you stop…" the forth one began his directions.
"No, that will take you to the bog…" the first one argued.
Sarah sat down and listened to the banter on which was the way to get to the Castle.
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Zoan and his guards appeared in the clearing, he looked down at the fallen tree. He sniffed and smiled. "She's been here, and not long ago. Look the ropes that bound her… she must have worked the binding free on the bark of this tree." He knelt down and sniffed. "That way," he pointed and the guards began to follow the human girl's scent.
He moved through the brush as if it were not there, his armor protecting him from the limbs in his path. He sniffed and motioned them to move forward. Then he paused, he heard something.
"No, no, no!" Cried a firey. "It's not though that wood, it's over the lake…"
"No, it's best to go over the trees…" another argued.
Zoan saw Sarah sitting in the middle of five Firey's arguing over paths. Her head was in her hands and her shoulders were slumped over. He cleared his throat, "Lady Sarah, would you like to go home now?" Sarah looked up at the Hobgoblin and tears came to her eyes as she rose and walked swiftly to him. She threw her arms around him and cried her silent tears. Zoan pulled her face up and looked down at her. "That Fae witch silenced your tongue?" When Sarah nodded he growled. "Jareth will not like this." He looked at the five Firey's who were watching. "Thank you for looking after the King's lady… you will be rewarded."
Sarah looked with relief at her escort; she smiled at them as Zoan placed a protective arm about her. She laid her head on his chest and sighed. Zoan snickered, he said something to his companions in Goblin and they gave hearty laughs. "I told them that you are the only human who would ever take such comfort in the company of Goblins."
Sarah nodded and laughed a silent laugh as they vanished from the clearing.
The first Firey looked at the second. "Do you think the game is over?"
The second shrugged.
The third pulled off an ear and tossed it to the forth, "I didn't hear what he said, did you?"