Ch 8 A Bargain Is Struck
Author's Note: Wow…this story is *realllllly* under my skin, as is apparent by the quick creation of new chapters. I don't know how much longer I will be able to keep up this pace. That said, this particular arc is nearly done, so it may taper off a bit until I dream up the next 'big thing' for this story. In the meantime, enjoy…and please review. I do love hearing what you think and what your favourite (or least favourite) bits are.
Warning… this chapter is not all 'sunshine and roses' but I promise it has a (very) happy ending.
Being Pixie, Jerra did not feel the call of the land and fire in her blood the way the others seemed to, which suited her just fine. She was happy sitting on the porch of the house, a large mug of Narran ale in her hand, as she played a most excellent string of winning tosses of Goblin Dice against Jaeme. Time moved differently on a night such as this. It was over two hours since the Goblin King began the dance, and still the dancers sang, spinning wildly around the snapping and crackling flames. Mothers with babes in arms had long-ago returned to the house, tucking their children to sleep in the large bedroom upstairs, then retreating to the fields with their mates. Even Leatha and Jaeme's son was curled in his cradle upstairs, sleeping the sweet sleep of the newborn. Glancing up as Jaeme shook the dice cup, Jerra grinned at her friend, who was settled across her mate's Jaeme's lap, her arm wrapped around his neck. Nearby Mama Yana sat in a well-padded rocking chair, a mug of ale in her hand as she hummed along with the song from the bonfire.
"Honestly Jaeme…your luck is terrible," Leatha teased, nibbling his ear and making him blush.
"Oi, rashglang…we have company still," he muttered, tilting his head to tug his earlobe from between her teeth. He gave the cup another vigorous shake, before tossing the dice on the small table. Frowning he calculated the score, then groaned. Another losing toss.
Purring, Leatha wriggled in his lap and winked at Jerra. "Awww…you weren't worried about the presence of company when you kept me in the field for two hours, causing me to miss the lovely feast that Mama Yana and the crones prepared."
Jaeme blushed deeper, his sunburnt cheeks seeming to glow up into his hairline. "Yeah, well thas' different, tha' is."
As Jerra reached over to scoop the dice into the cup once more, a great cheer went up from the bonfire. The group on the porch turned to look at the dancers who were still a moment, before chaos broke out. Dancers were swirling around madly again, but there was a new energy upon the air at their shouts of joy.
"The Sarah! She's the Harvest Maid!"…. "Lugh has come! The Maid is crowned!"… "The Sarah! It's really her!"
Puzzled, Leatha looked at Jerra, "The Sarah? Was she here? But how? When did she arrive?"
Jaeme grinned and hugged his wife, "If The Sarah is at our farm and crowned as the Maiden, then we are truly blessed."
Hearing their words, Jerra's purple tinged skin blanched to white, as she fumbled the dice cup, spilling the carved bones onto the wooden floor of the porch, where they scattered, pinging wildly against the wall and the chair legs. "Goddess help us," she murmured, pushing back her chair with such force that it toppled over, her pale eyes wide in panic. "Oh what have I done…?" she moaned, clutching a hand in her hair as she glanced toward the revelers, swirling and spinning around the bonfire once more.
~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~
When he first saw Sarah wearing the Harvest Maid's crown, Jareth's immediate thought had been that it was just another trick of his mind answering the ache in his heart for the one who held his love oath. But when she twined her fingers in his, holding his hand against her cheek and spoke, all doubt was erased from his mind.
"Jareth…don't be angry. I'm sorry…I can explain…." she whispered, fear shining in her emerald eyes, as her words seemed to tremble upon her lips.
Then she was snatched from his grasp once more. Just like when she shattered the glass bubble of the ballroom, and again when she declared that he had no power over her.
'It's rather infuriating how that keeps happening,' he grumbled to himself, still trying to process the fact that she had returned. Against all odds and expectation, Sarah had returned – in the guise of someone else. That thought burned him in a way that nearly consumed what happiness he found in her return. She had returned under a false name and appeared so in his own court. The blasted girl seemed intent upon destroying him at every turn, first by beating the Labyrinth, then denying his offer, before challenging his power over her. Now here she was, making a fool of him in front of his entire kingdom. 'And on a festival to uphold my sacred oath!' he roared inside.
Black and dark, the anger swirled up inside him, making his chest ache as the lines etched into his skin momentarily flickered with inky blackness. Curling his gloved hands into tight fists, his eyes flashed amber while the pupils dilated, until owl eyes peered from beneath the steeply arched eyebrows of the King – predatory eyes tracing the path of the dancing witch.
'She's no mere girl anymore,' whispered a voice deep inside him. 'A girl wouldn't react the way she did last night.'
His anger at her betrayals dulled for a moment as he considered the way she had grabbed him of her own free will, pulling him in for her lips to capture his. With a feral growl, the Goblin King shook his head, his pupils dilating further as his predatory nature took over, scanning the swirling dancers to find the lying creature. 'She played me… and I let her do it,' he thought, the anger slowly creeping along the deep orange lines on his body, until they too were flecked with black.
Dancing wildly around the flames, the Goblyn revelers shouted their glad news to the sky - "The Sarah is our Harvest Maid. Long live Lugh and his love!"
'Love! Hah! That wench knows nothing of love. She is a vile vixen and I will rid my kingdom of her influence,' he roared inwardly, just as his eyes caught sight of her. Slowing his breath, Jareth let his owlish nature take hold, his eyes tracking the brunette as she sang and spun through the dancers. 'Heartless wench!'
Even as his anger growled and snapped within him, demanding to see her strung up in the deepest, darkest dungeon cell, a small part of him knew that she was dancing and singing not to taunt him, but because the magic of the night and the land had infused her. Deep down he knew her human body could not fully manage the amount of magic she had been exposed to. Despite his anger, he felt a small niggle, an infinitesimal but growing feeling of protectiveness toward her. 'If I don't get her out of the magical circle soon, she'll end up ill from the withdrawal when the moon goes dark,' he grumbled to himself. 'Blasted woman won't even realize that I am doing her yet another favor.'
Waiting patiently, the Goblin King counted the beats of the music as his own heartbeat, biding his time until Sarah danced blindly near him. With her eyes shut and head thrown back, she sang out the ancient Goblyn words, her hands linked with those around her. In a flash he was beside her, his warm twining like steel around her back. "Excuse us, but the Harvest Maiden and I things to discuss," he said, his tone cool, even as he smiled at the Goblyns dancing with Sarah.
The feel of the hard arm twining around her waist jerked Sarah from the dance, making her gasp. Seeing Jareth and hearing his cold words, her stomach dropped and she trembled from head to toe. One minute she was dancing without a care in the world, and the next she felt herself being marched toward the cottage, her body tucked so tightly against the Goblin King's that she felt the heat of his body searing against hers.
"Jareth…I…" she stammered, her heart fluttering in her chest like a frightened animal at his cold demeanor.
"Not. One. Word," he hissed, giving her the barest of glances. Trembling, she opened her mouth to try again, only to be cut off with icy words and a glare to match. "Girl…you don't know the trouble you've caused or understand the trouble you are now in. Don't defy me!"
Snapping her mouth shut, Sarah felt tears stinging against her eyelashes, prickling uncomfortably as she fought to contain them.
'I'm dead. Gods above… the Goblin King is going to kill me,' she thought, the icy fingers of panic twining themselves around her chest until she gasped for air.
~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~~J/S~
Puzzled by the pixie's sudden terror at the news about The Sarah, Mama Yana leaned forward, her wizened face pinched with concern. "What ails thee, girl?"
"He knows she's here. You have to help me hide her. We have to protect her," Jerra moaned, grabbing Mama Yana's hand. The old woman could feel the girl's hands shaking, even as she pleaded with her. "Please… we've got to find her… escape… Above…. He won't know…" she muttered, her thoughts rushing together in her fear.
"What are you talking about child," Yana asked. "Hide who?"
"Charlotte…I mean Sarah," Jerra said, fretfully twisting her hands as she glanced once more at the fire, then started for the stairs leading down from the porch. "I must find her. We have to escape before he finds her."
"Who?" demanded the Jaeme on his feet now. Leatha clung to his hand, her amber eyes as confused as his own.
"The Goblin King!" Jerra moaned. "Sarah was afraid to come to court for fear of his hatred of her. So…I found someone to help us with a glamour potion. The maker swore it would hold until the dark of the moon tomorrow night."
A slow laugh started up, as Mama Yana cackled quietly from her chair. "Silly girls. Fae magic can't compete with the full force of the festival and the magic of the land. If tis true that the King, channeling Lugh, crowned the glamoured Sarah, then tis ancient magic that cancelled the glamour." Rising from her chair, the old crone shook her head, her stooped shoulders shaking from her laughter. "Daft children dabbling in things they ought not to."
"Please! I beg of you… he'll send us to the mines. Help me find her and get her away," Jerra practically sobbed, clutching at Jaeme's hand, not noticing when his eyes widened as he looked over her shoulder toward the porch steps. "We must escape..."
"Don't bother attempting to flee, traitorous wench…"growled a cold voice from behind her. "I have your partner in crime here and I think it is high time we have a proper chat - Now that I know who I'm actually dealing with."
Hearing the angry words of the King, Jerra squeaked in surprise, spinning around. She gave one look at the dark countenance and furious glare of the Goblin King, then dropped to her knees, her forehead practically upon Jareth's boot.
"Are you going to throw us in the dungeon?" Jerra whimpered.
At the same time Sarah sniffed, "Please, not the bog!"
"Have mercy, Sire…"
"I'm sorry, Jareth… really I can…."
The pixie and the human babbled frantically in their fear, causing the muscle in the Goblin King's jaw to tick irritably in time with his heartbeat. Around him, his magic buzzed in the air, the sound akin to a million angry bees. As one, Leatha, Jaeme and Mama Yana edged back from their King, watching him warily.
"Enough!" he hissed, through gritted teeth. "As much as I might like to drop you both into an oubliette for what you've done, I refuse to cast a pall upon the festivities by leaving before the full moon has risen. And thanks to Sarah being crowned the Harvest Maiden, I actually can't do either of those things without reneging on my oath to the Labyrinth." Stooping he grabbed Jerra's shirt and hauled her bodily to her feet. The faint sound of threads popping could be heard beneath his glove, twisted tightly into the thin fabric. "Get. In. The. House," he ordered, marching the frightened women forward. With a bang, the door slammed open before they reached it. Jareth never slowed; his grip on the two woman firm until he stopped in front of a well-worn sofa set beneath the picture window overlooking the bonfire, where the dancers still twirled on, oblivious to what was transpiring in the house. Releasing them, the Goblin King stepped back and crossed his arms over his chest, the lines etched in his skin flickering black and dull orange. "Sit!" he barked, the icy tone in his voice sending a shudder through both girls.
Turning to look at him, Jerra opened her mouth, only to be silenced by the pitch black eyes of the Goblin King, his lips set in a stern line. His eyes burning a dark hole through her, the Goblin King glared at the pixie, even as she shrank back, her calves hitting the front of the sofa.
"You lied to me in my office and then knowing I planned to pardon you and this…witch… you committed fraud…in front of my entire COURT!" he roared, the sound making the furniture in the parlor vibrate with the energy that crackled from his words and body. "You'd best hold your tongue until I'm ready to hear from you. Now…sit!"
Gulping, Jerra dropped onto the sofa, as Sarah sat down numbly next to her, reaching over and clasping the pixie's shaking hand in her own. Unable to bear the horrible anger upon his face, Sarah's eyes dropped to the floor, never straying higher than the Goblin King's ankles, taking in the scuffs and dirt that marred their surface from the day's manual labor.
"Jaeme, take Leatha to the fire. Keep the others there," Jareth said, his eyes locked upon the young women in front of him. "I want no one to disturb us."
Jaeme reached for Leetha's hand, finding it clammy and trembling. He squeezed it gently, then gave a brief nod of his head. "Yes, Sire." Turning to his wife, he wrapped his arm around her and guided her from the doorway of the house, "Come love. There is nothing we can do to help them," he murmured gently.
Arching an eyebrow at the Goblin King's actions, Mama Yana patted Leatha's arm as Jaeme led her past. "Rest easy, child. No harm will come to them." Without another word, the old crone entered the house with the Goblin King and the girls, shutting the door firmly behind her and drawing down the curtains.
Inside the house, the Goblin King stared at the two women on the sofa. Sarah sat mute, staring unseeing at his boots, while Jerra hung her head, her slender fingers twisting fretfully in the fringe of her belt. Hearing the sound of a baby's cry, Jareth glanced toward the stairs. Without being bid to, the old crone made her way to the stairs. "Aye, I'll see to the youngun's, Sire."
The house was silent except for the groaning of the steps and the old woman while she slowly made her way to the upper floor. As she climbed, the Goblin King pulled a shimmering crystal from the air and let it float gently to the ceiling, watching as it grew and grew until it had formed a bubble that stretched from one wall of the room to the other and covered the ceiling and floor – effectively encasing the three of them within a private room of crystal.
No sound could be heard within the crystalline bubble, save for the steady ticking of the clock upon the mantel, and the panicked breathing of the two young women sitting as still as statues upon the sofa. With a low growl, the Goblin King began to pace in front of the fireplace, his boot heels clicking sharply upon the worn wooden floor. Suddenly he slammed his fist against the wall, a puff of plaster dust rising in the air, while splinters of wood cascaded to the floor. Not looking at the women on the sofa, he shook his head, the feathery wisps tipped with black the same color as the inky blackness that tinged the lines on his flesh.
"I don't believe it… five years…five years! And not a word from you, Sarah…and now this?! You have no idea what a position you've put me in, do you?" Pulling his hand from the wall, the Goblin King resumed pacing, his words a feral growl that made the walls of the bubble vibrate. "Sure, I'm relieved you found your way back to my kingdom safely, but this…this is beyond the pale!"
For the first time since Jareth began his tirade, Sarah dared look up, blinking dumbly at him. Waving his arm, he ran a gloved hand through his hair, lost in his own thoughts and apparently unaware of the admission he just made.
"You came into my court, under an assumed identity and I pardoned you! You've made a fool out of me, Sarah! Not only that, but you've made me look weak for not seeing through whatever magic you used to pull this off." As he paced the orange in the lines upon his body faded, the lines taking on a solid black hue. "And now that your treachery is known…to the whole of the kingdom I might add…I have no choice but to hand down a formal ruling and suitable punishment for it!"
Feeling a lump in her chest, Sarah swallowed heavily, her voice cracking when she spoke. "We're sorry, Jareth…"
Whirling toward the sofa, Jareth pointing a gloved finger at Sarah, his eyes pure black in his anger, so that Sarah felt for an instant that she was staring into the depth of eternity – and it was bleak. "You lost the right to call me by name when I learned of your treachery!" Throwing his head back and clenching his eyes shut, his hand fell to his side, curling in a tight fist. For several long moments that seemed to stretch for hours in Sarah's mind, the Goblin King remained unmoving except for the deep, slow breaths that gently moved his chest. She could see the twitching of the muscles across his chest and arms, momentarily fascinated by the sinewy strength of the man.
'The man who is about to throw you in a dungeon for whatever is left of your life' her inner-self reminded her.
"I fail to understand why you felt the need to lie to me in the first place. If you had only come to me, Sarah… we could have worked things out. But no, you had to go behind my back and lie!"
"Um…look at your reaction now. I'd say that answers your question, right there," Sarah muttered, then cringed when his black eyes found hers, the steeply arched eyebrows of the High Fae narrowing until they nearly met upon his forehead.
"Choose your words very wisely, girl," he snarled, his tone deadly.
Sarah squeezed Jerra's hand, feeling her friend tremble and cringe away from the angry Fae in front of them. A wave of fierce protectiveness washed over Sarah. This was her fault and if anyone would be punished, it wouldn't be Jerra. Sitting up straight upon the faded sofa, her emerald eyes met his, even as she felt fear coursing through her veins. "I…I was afraid you'd hurt Jerra if her partner didn't show up and I didn't want you to see me because I know you hate me for what I did."
The steeply arched eyebrows fell at that, leaving the Goblin King tilting his head as his eyes narrowed questioningly upon her face. "I hate you? Wherever did you get that idea?"
Gulping, Sarah licked her lower lip before finding her voice, her words squeaking a bit as she forced them out. "I destroyed the city and at least one room in your castle. You had to be angry and hate me for it, because when you found out about the mirror portal you closed it!"
The sound of bitter laughter rang in the enclosed bubble, leaving Sarah and Jerra cringing further away from the Goblin King.
"Found out about it? I created it! I always knew it existed," the Goblin King yelled, waving his arms in frustration. In the next instant he was pacing again, as if he wished to wear a groove into the floor in front of the fireplace. "As the Champion of the Labyrinth you needed the connection to remain open as long as possible to solidify your bond with the Labyrinth. The portal was closed because you turned 18 and became an adult in your world. That is the law of the our land. From that point on, you had to find your own way back to us if and when you were ready to…or could."
Like a chastised child, Sarah's gaze slid back to the Goblin King's boots, her shoulders slumping a bit. "Oh…" she mumbled, while her mind raced in confusion, trying to grasp all that he said.
"Let me reassure you, Precious," he sneered, glowering sternly at the top of her head, "You didn't destroy the city, just the area by the barracks…which gets destroyed by the goblins several times a year. And as for my castle, the Room of Broken Dreams always falls apart like that. It is an illusion!"
Sniffing softly, Sarah shrunk down further, her hand clasping Jerra's tight enough that her knuckles were white. "I'm sorry," she whispered, so softly her words could barely be heard over the Goblin King's agitated breaths and the ticking clock on the mantel.
"Sorry won't fix the mess you've created, Sarah. You can't even imagine the ridiculous position you've put me in," Jareth growled, as he slammed his fist down upon the mantel, making the clock bounce with the force of the impact. "I have to punish you both for the fact that you essentially committed fraud in front of the crown…in OPEN COURT! I can't pardon you twice or I will appear weak, but punishing you is just as bad," he snapped, his voice mimicking a weak falsetto as he continued, "Hello kingdom…Sarah is back as my consort oh, and by the way, she'll be spending the next 5 years in the dungeon for crimes against the crown. Happy Harvest!" he laughed bitterly.
Sarah's head snapped up and she blinked dumbstruck at his words. Beside her Jerra's eyes widened and her mouth fell open in surprise.
"Consort?" Jerra gasped, slowly swiveling her head to look at Sarah. Confusion flashed in Sarah's eyes, then faded just as fast. Her eyes narrowing, she rose from the sofa, wagging her finger at the Goblin King as she approached.
"Hold up there Goblyn Boy! What's this consort business?" she demanded, stopping just in front of him, until they were nearly touching.
Glaring down at her, the Goblin King growled. "You're my wife, so of course you'd be granted the title of consort…. " Pausing he shrugged, briefly looking pensive. "Granted, you could petition the Labyrinth to for the right to become Queen. She seems to like you."
Sarah jabbed a finger into the Goblin King's bare chest, drawing his attention back to her. The feeling of the raised black line sendt a sudden jolt of energy through her that made her head spin, but didn't quench the anger that roared through her at his words.
"Whoa! I think your tight pants are cutting off the blood to your brain, Oh Mighty Tightness! I am not your wife," she shouted, flinging an arm back to point at Jerra, the gesture making her friend shrink back against the corner of the sofa as if to become invisible. "Jerra told me what a Goblyn wedding entails and we are not married, buddy! I mean, yeah you fed me and we drank from the lover's cup…but we weren't blessed by a Goblin Druid."
From the landing upon the stairs, came a cackling laugh. In unison they whipped their heads in the direction of the stairs, seeing Mama Yana sitting on a step, her ancient eyes crinkling merrily as she laughed. "I'm happy to bless you two now if you'll stop this yelling and growling, and take to the fields to work out your issues out like proper Goblyn Rashglang."
A low warning snarl rumbled in the Goblin King's throat, "A retroactive blessing is not acceptable and you know it, crone. I have no Rashglang, nor will I take one!"
"Silly boy. She's perfect for you," laughed Yana, leaning heavily on her walking stick and ignoring the Goblin King's implied threat. "And don't you forget who you're talking to, Jarentha-dan. I gave you your Goblyn name, child."
The Goblin King's demeanor thawed a bit at her rebuke, his eyes softening as he gave the slightest incline of his head in her direction. For her part, the exchange was lost on Sarah, who was still fired up about the idea of being married to the Goblin King in the first place.
"Hah! Like I'd want to be bound to him anyway?! Pochara, pactelic peacara! (Pompous prancing peacock)." Turning her attention back to Jareth, Sarah jabbed him in the chest with her finger so hard he flinched. "So what were you were trying to do, huh? Bind me to you without my consent? All you lacked was what a…a…blessing?! And all that after you gave me your oath you wouldn't misuse my trust?! How can I trust you now?"
Throwing his hands up in frustration, the Goblin King roared back at the harpy currently stabbing him with her finger. "I wasn't trying to marry you without your consent! I was trying to be nice to a woman I thought was attractive and interesting to be around – only it turns out that woman didn't exist in the first place!" Jareth's eyes narrowed as he advanced upon Sarah, forcing her back several steps with each jab of his gloved finger against the soft swell of exposed breast peeking over the top of her bodice. "Besides that, it wasn't me who managed to effectively marry us, but you!"
"I did no such thing!" Sarah retorted, her stance widening slightly as she crossed her arms against her chest, standing her ground against the force of him.
The Goblin King towered over her now, his anger pushing down upon her in the same way his body screamed to have her pressed against him in the field. The more they shouted at each other, the more his Goblyn instinct clamored to drag her to the fields, roaring that she was the perfect Goblyn rashglang.
"Did you or did you not step willingly into the bonfire circle to join the dancing?" the Goblin King demanded, his voice dropping until it was as deadly as the sharpest blade.
Sarah's face pinched at his words, her gaze falling from his face, to his chest, then to Mama yana who was still sitting upon the stairs, watching the shouting match with a great deal of amusement.
"Well…yeah…but I wasn't the only one."
Shaking his head, Jareth's eyes rolled skyward. "Infuriating woman," he muttered under his breath, then pinned her with a steely glare that made her step back once more, only to land back upon the sofa. "Did you stop to think that there was a reason that none of the other dancers were couples, spouses or mates? That they were all single?"
"What…does that have…." Sarah began, then her jaw snapped shut with an audible click. A knowing chuckle rumbled in Jareth's chest as he watched her eyes widen. Lifting her eyes to his, she gave a faint shake of her head."Oh…Oh no….you can't mean…."
"Ahh…. Just like when you wished Toby away, you rushed into something without thinking it through!" Mocking her he gave a dark laugh that rang with bitterness despite the triumphant smirk that curled the corners of his lips. "You willingly stepped into a Goblin dance, led by a member of the High Fae court - making it a fairy ring. You did this during the full-moon of a fire festival, in a land that you know was observing an Ancient Rite. And you didn't think that maybe things weren't as they seemed?!"
Hanging her head, Sarah clasped her trembling hands in her lap, cringing at each of his words as if they were a physical blow. One by one crystalline drops started to roll down the slope of her nose, dropping onto the sapphire material and leaving dark navy spots in their place. "No…I didn't…" she mumbled.
"What's that, Sarah? Kindly make sure that Mama Yana heard you…her hearing isn't as good as it once was," he sneered maliciously at her.
"I…I didn't think," she whispered again, giving a frightened cry as he roared.
"That's right…you never think, Sarah! And your actions always have consequences for others – not like you seem to care about that, you selfish child!"
Sniffling, Sarah clutched the sleeve of her dress in her shaking hand and scrubbed her eyes with it, trying in vain to stop the flow of tears. "So…just…I don't know… Can't you just uncrown me…Or go out there and choose another Harvest Maid?"
"I can't!" he yelled, turning and hurling a barrage of crystals into the fireplace.
The sound of glass shattering violently against brick hurt Sarah's ears until she clapped her hands over them, an anguished sob bursting from her throat. She was dimly aware of a warm arm wrapping around her, and Jerra's body pressed tight to hers, shaking in her own fear.
Silence fell still across the room. The Goblin King didn't move, nor speak for some time, before he turned and looked at the cringing women on the sofa. All of the anger seemed to have gone out of him in that instant. His eyes were no longer black, but they weren't their usual crystalline blue. He looked at them with dull grey eyes that lacked any of the luster ordinarily associated with one of High Fae birth. Similarly, the black faded from the lines that crossed his flesh, but the warm orange didn't return. Instead the lines pulsed weakly with a dusty grey, giving him an ashen appearance, like a body that was dead, but hadn't yet discovered that fact.
"It isn't that simple, Sarah," he said, his voice quiet, a melancholy tenor to it. "By joining the dance you agreed to the consequences of your actions. You agreed to accept the terms of the magical contract should you be chosen."
Puzzled by the sudden change in Jareth's mood, Sarah nibbled her lip, half wondering if he would begin shouting again, or if he'd actually strike her in his anger. In the end, her curiosity and sheer stubbornness got the better of her. "What if I refuse?"
Jareth turned away from her at her words, laying both hands on the mantel, while Sarah was surprised by the outright horrified looks that both Mama Yana and Jerra were giving her.
"Um…What if I choose not to be the Harvest Maid," she asked again, an icy feeling taking root in her stomach. She wasn't sure how she knew, but she was somehow certain that she was not going to like the answer.
"Then you would leave me no choice, but to imprison you until you comply," the Goblin King replied, hanging his head as he leaned against the mantel. His words were not cold or angry, rather they hinted at a heart that was breaking.
"You…you wouldn't…Please, Jareth. I'm sorry."
The Goblin King shook his head, his shoulders slumping further in defeat. His words were quiet when he turned toward her once more and spoke, like a parent patiently explaining something dire to an obstinate child. "Sarah… you dabble in magic, but you do not take seriously the laws and rules that underpin it. You being crowned as the Harvest Maid placed both of us into a magical contract with each other and the land. For a year and a day we are bound as husband and wife. Thankfully it is symbolic in many ways. We do not have to cohabitate, in fact you can remain Above for the most part. And there is no requirement for intimacy, but the other rules of an Underground hand-fasting apply, neither of us may be alone with a member of the opposite sex until the time is up. All major Underground holidays and feast days are to be observed together, here in the Underground. If we fail to honor the contract in any way, even something small, it becomes void – and that would be disastrous."
"So how does imprisoning me and forcing me into this solve anything?" Sarah muttered, immediately flinching at the dark look the Goblin King gave her.
"Because it is not just the well-being of the kingdom that is at stake you selfish child!" he hissed, then immediately seemed to wilt a bit, the lines on his body fading altogether until it was as if they had never been there. Hanging his head, his words rustled like brittle bones crumbling to dust, "It isn't just about the kingdom… My life is also at stake."
Three sets of eyes looked on in shock, as the Goblin King looked down, lightly running a hand over the twisted lines of the triskellion upon his chest.
"As part of my oath to the Labyrinth, I swore upon my own life that I would always uphold the festivals and the Ancient Rites. We both danced around the bonfire. Whether you understood the purpose of the dance is irrelevant Sarah. As far as the magic of the land is concerned, you were a willing participant in the ceremony. You were crowned. If you refuse to participate, then the Kingdom will fall to ruin and my life is forfeit. It is as simple as that."
Sarah gazed at him, her green eyes shimmering with horrified tears at what he was saying – all the while her mind screamed that there must be a way to fix things.
Overhead, the full moon slipped from behind the clouds, illuminating the valley in cool light. Seeing the moonlight shimmering under the edge of the curtains that blocked the window behind the sofa, Jareth sighed.
"Even though you care nothing for my life, I would hope that you would think to spare the lives of your friends and my subjects, who have done nothing but honor and love you since you bested me," he said, all anger gone from him now. He looked and sounded, like the broken man he now was, knowing that his kingdom and life were now in the hands of the one person who seemed bent on destroying him.
Quiet footfalls carried him to the door at the back of the parlor. The Goblin King snapped his fingers as he opened the door, a faint 'popping' sound echoing through the room when the bubble burst, leaving no trace that it had ever been there. With his back to the women in the room, Jareth paused, then glanced slightly over his shoulder, not meeting their eyes. "The moon has risen. My purpose at the bonfire has been served, so I will take my leave now. Alesander will bring a copy of the marriage contract to your rooms, Sarah, and Sir Didymus will be along in the morning to act as your legal advisor in the matter. He will be able to answer any questions you may have and counsel you. Send word to me by noon of what your decision will be. I will need time to prepare a statement for my kingdom prior to the start of the closing court at 6."
Without another word, Jareth walked out of the house, the cheerful yellow door swinging shut with a muted 'click'.
No one spoke.
Three sets of eyes stared at the door, each woman lost in thought over what they had witnessed and heard in the protected bubble. Sarah's mind was a whirlwind of thought and emotion. He didn't hate her. But he'd imprison her if she didn't go through with the contract. But she didn't know about the contract. Perhaps it was a trick? To what end? The Fae couldn't be trusted, could they? But Jareth said he was more Goblyn than High Fae. She couldn't let her friends die. And apparently the Labyrinth liked her.
And then there was the matter of Jareth. 'Could I really sentence Jareth and the kingdom to death?' she wondered, until she felt the heavy cold that seemed to settle around her heart at the thought.
With a sob, Sarah launched herself from the sofa and rushed to the door, jerking it open so hard several brightly painted teacups shook loose from the shelf they sat upon, falling to shatter on the hard wooden floor.
"Jareth…um…Your Majesty…wait!" she called into the moonlit night, then darted out the door, pulling it shut behind her. "Please?"
Through the moonlight she could make out a path of pebbles leading from the back steps down toward the forest glade. A bit along the path was a shadowy figure who stopped at her call. Sarah's boots crunched upon the tiny pebbles, as she ran up the path toward him, then stopped, panting slightly. Slowly the Goblin King turned around to face her, his eyes hollow. In the moonlight the lines in his skin took on a glowing grey appearance, but the joyful color and pulsing they had show all day was gone.
Seeing Sarah following him from the house, Jareth felt his heart sink. He'd made a horrible muddle of everything and he knew it. He'd let his anger get the better of him and yelled at her. Worse still, he had roared at her in such a way that she physically flinched, as if he had struck her. Just the memory of that moment made his chest ache with wanting to throw himself at her feet and beg her forgiveness – but he could not. He was a King and although he might hate himself for what he had done and said to her, in the end her carelessness would cost him his kingdom, his people and his life. He had every right to be angry.
He only hoped for one last kiss from her lips before his life was made forfeit. If the Fates had any compassion, surely they'd allow that.
Silently he watched her, a defeated man awaiting the sentence to be passed down to the executioner – and his executioner now stood before him, nibbling her lip and reaching toward his chest. Dead eyes watched as she hesitated, a hairs-breath from actually touching the faintly pulsing swirls upon his chest.
"Do…do they hurt?" she asked, pulling her hand away and fidgeting timidly with the woven lace belt around her hips. "The way they glow?"
Jareth tilted his head slightly, puzzled by her question in light of everything they had said – no shouted…at each other.
"No, Sarah," he replied, his tone gentle. "They are my lines of king-ship, given to me by the Labyrinth when she accepted my oath to her."
"And they are dull now because…."
His breath caught in his throat at the nearness of her. Slowly and gently, he reached out and guided her hand away from her belt. Cupping her hand in his, he brought it toward him, guiding her finger to trace the starting point of the triskellion upon his chest. At the first touch of her finger, they both gasped, an almost audible sizzle of energy racing between them - strong enough that Sarah snatched her hand away, looking at him with wide, frightened eyes.
Feeling his last hope fading, Jareth turned away from her once more, his words somber. "They are fading because the Labyrinth knows you wish to forfeit on the marriage contract. She is reacting to that and her fear that the famine and strife will return," he murmured, flinching slightly when he felt her timid touch, the jolt of energy shared between less shocking this time. "And she is reacting to the fact that if you refuse to stand by the contract, then my oath to her will be broken, through no fault of my own. She and I have an understanding… she does not wish to claim my life as that will bring her pain, but she will do it to protect her people."
In the distance the sounds of Goblyn song could be heard, the joy and hope in the words standing in stark contrast to the crushing melancholy which seemed to weigh down upon the two of them. Silently Jareth stood there, feeling Sarah tracing the faint grey lines on his back. It was the first time since he had been made king that he had allowed a woman he desired to see them, let alone touch them. Shutting his eyes, he felt a shiver run through him at the gentle touch, trying desperately to stifle a shuddering sigh of longing and sadness – and failing.
The two were silent in the moonlight, the only sound either made being two synchronous intakes of breath, followed by synchronous exhalation. Without a word Sarah traced the winding lines upon his skin. Around and around her finger went, eventually leading her to stand in front of him as her finger traced it's way to the center of the design, right above his heart. She stared at her finger, still touching his chest, drinking in the way his heart beat steadily beneath it, the rhythm soothing to her aching heart.
"I don't hate you either, Jareth," she murmured, slowly spreading her hand out and laying her palm over his heart.
Surprised at the action, Jareth covered her hand with his own, his eyes narrowing in wonder.
"I don't want you to die…or the kingdom. But…before I can agree, you have to promise me something."
Giving the hand over his heart a gentle squeeze, Jareth nodded. "Anything, that is in my power to grant, it is yours, Sarah."
Slowly she lifted her head, until her tearful eyes met his once more. Seeing the tears glimmering in her eyes and the tracks of those already shed marring her cheeks, he wanted to enfold her in his arms and kiss the away, but he dared not move.
"Promise me this is not some scheme to get revenge or hurt me."
Hurt by her words, he cringed, the pain almost physical. Stepping back with his right foot, the Goblin King silently dropped to one knee before her, Sarah's hand falling away from his chest as he took it in his, the gloves that had covered his hands disappearing.
Sarah shivered at the sight of the Goblin King on his knee before her, gazing in surprise at the sight of his bare hands. As he cradled her hand in his, a faint orange color began to spread through them, slowly tracing the etched lines that marked him and bound him to his oath with the Labyrinth. Looking up at her, Jareth's eyes showed no guile or deceit, instead shimmering with some deeper emotion that took Sarah's breath away.
"Sarah, you have my oath…in ways you cannot even begin to imagine," he murmured, his eyes locked upon hers. "I swear to you, the contract was not of my doing, but an artifact of the fire festival magic and the land itself. You will come to no harm at my hand through accepting the contract. Nor will I break any previous oath I gave to you."
Blinking back tears, Sarah nodded, the feeling of his bare hands cradling hers overwhelming in the simple intimacy of it. "Okay. I'll honor the contract and the ancient pact."
At her words, Jareth gave a tremendous sigh, pressing his lips to her hand, then holding it to his cheek.
Once upon a time Sarah would have loved to see the Goblin King taken down a few pegs and groveling at her feet, but now that she had him down there, she decided that it didn't feel very good. In fact, it made her decidedly uncomfortable.
"Come on, get up, Jareth," she muttered, trying to tug her hand free in the hope that might get him to stand.
"As my Queen commands," he replied, rising, but still holding her hand.
Pursing her lips, Sarah quirked an eyebrow in his direction and rolled her eyes. "About this Queen stuff…" she began.
"Would you prefer consort? Technically the wife of the king is automatically a consort, so that would be perfectly appropriate too."
Sarah bit her lip, trying to stifle a giggle at the wickedly cheeky smirk he was giving her. Given the anger, rage and sadness she had seen him express through the course of the evening, she was relieved to see the mischievous glint returning to his eyes. Unable to help herself, she giggled, shaking her head as she tried once more to free her hand from his – but he wasn't having any of it.
"How do you feel about the title of 'Concubine to the Goblin King'. It has a nice ring to it, don't you think?" he teased.
Snickering, Sarah felt her insides flutter as they had the night before when he made such comments and her libido crowed triumphantly. She gave him a nudge with her shoulder, finally succeeding in freeing her hand, as she turned and walked up the path leading around the side of the house. Pausing, she peeked coquettishly over her shoulder and winked at him, "Oh, I don't know… I think I prefer 'The Goblin King… willing concubine to the Labyrinthian Witch Queen."
For a split second Sarah thought Jareth might actually fall over with shock from her words, his mouth hanging open in an 'O'. Seeing him completely dumbstruck was a moment she'd never forget. Then in the next instant his positively evil smirk was back in place, as his pale eyes flickered brightly in the moonlight.
"I can live with that, little witch." Without warning he rushed toward her, his laugh ringing out across the valley. Squealing, Sarah turned and ran toward the bonfire, with the Goblin King quickly gaining on her. "Come, little Goblyn Witch. Let's seal our pact with a kiss…." he called after her, darting to the side as she turned sharply toward the wheat field instead. "Oh…ho!…Excellent idea! To the fields we go!"
"Jareth…no!" yelped Sarah, as he caught her, throwing her bodily over his shoulder and marching toward the fields, with Sarah pounding upon his back which was glowing with warm orange lines once more. "No…we can't! Not the fields…anywhere but there!"
"Oh ho! Anywhere, she says? You really are Goblyn aren't you?" Jareth gave her bum a light swat as he carried her toward the field, relishing the surprised squeak she gave. Squealing and squirming she struggled, until he swatted her a bit harder. "Hold still wench or I'll drop you on your blasted head."
Stilling on his shoulder, Sarah lightly ran her finger along the kingmaking lines, her eyes lighting up at the sharp intake of breath from Jareth and the way he seemed to shiver. "Paxuan?" she murmured softly, wondering briefly at how the word came to her lips, when she didn't speak Goblyn.
"Speak, Goblyn witch," he replied, his voice hoarse with a sudden burst of need that rushed through him at her touch and words.
"No fields…not tonight. But… more dancing and a kiss to seal our pact."
The Goblin King held her still upon his shoulder for several minutes, with neither moving or speaking, before nodding. "Acceptable." Gently set her down, letting her body slide slowly down the length of his chest, until she was standing in front of him, chest to chest, his arms like steel around her back. "You know, if you wanted a kiss, you could have just agreed to my original offer, little witch."
"True, but where would the fun be in that?" Sarah asked, then reached up and pulled him down to her lips, her fingers threading into the hair upon the side of his head. Growling the Goblin King returned her kiss, while his Goblyn instincts howled their approval.
From the porch, Mama Yana shook her head, leaning heavily on her walking stick as she settled back in her rocking chair, her keen eyes watching the Goblin King and the Harvest Maiden sealing their temporary marriage with a kiss under the careful watch of the moon and stars.
"The sooner those two claim each other as Rashglang, the happier they'll be," she muttered, toasting the full-moon with her mug of ale.
"I give them until Samhain," Jaeme said, dropping three copper praxils upon the table next to the empty dice cup.
"Nah…Yule will get them nice and cozy in the snow," giggled Jerra, adding her coins to the pile.
"No, she'll make him work for it," murmured Leatha, curling up in Jaeme's lap as she dropped three praxils and a crystal pyrite on the pile. "I predict that by Beltane they'll be properly wedded, bedded and mated – with a babe on the way by the time the current contract expires."
The wizened crones grin broadened and she cackled. "I want in on that bet."
"Oh, old woman? What do you have to add?" asked Jaeme, eyeing her with interest.
Mama Yana pulled a small purple pouch from her shawl and dropped it heavily on the table. "Not one babe, but three."
Author's Note:
While I *could* end this story here, I think my regular readers might form a lynch mob since they didn't get the smut they are used to. So, despite the fact that this would be a perfectly darling way to end the story…I will resist that urge and continue writing on this story – provided my readers wish me to *lol*
Notes to Readers:
Bloodsong: Aww…thank you for your kind words. I am no expert on pagan or celtic lore. I do lots of reading, then use a fair sprinkling of 'poetic license'. *lol* But I'm glad you are enjoying it. The last thing I want to do is offend anyone in my use of pagan and celtic lore… but this is still a work of 'fiction' even if I borrow from real things.
Jetredgirl: You're so sweet. Thanks for the feedback. I like to think I've come a looooong way since 'The Ties That Bind'
BowiesLilWitch: Thank you for your comment. The nasty review you referred to threw me for a moment, but then I realized it was quite similar to the same one that was given on that chapter when it was first published and is phrased similarly to another 'Guest' reviews of some of my other stories. I suspect you are right, and it is the same spiteful person. To be honest, I try not to let the 'haters' get under my skin as much these days. The fact is they aren't worth the stress…bitter people never are. I write for fun and for the readers who appreciate my world-building. If people want the same quality as published book, then they can go to a bookstore and go buy a bloody book. *lol* I don't get paid for this, it is a hobby …and I just happen to enjoy sharing the fruits of my hobby with others. As the gamers say "You know you are going the right direction when enemies pop up." *lol*