Disclaimer: See chapter 9
A/N: I have no words to make up for this delay. I won't even try.
Chapter 11:
"Silence that squalling brat! I cannot even think," Lorcán hissed as he paced angrily about the inside of the cavern.
Drystan cast him a disgruntled look before waving a hand towards the sobbing child who lay upon a pile of tattered blankets on the floor. The frightened boy immediately became silent as the sleeping spell rendered him unconscious.
Turning his attention to his brother once more, Drystan waited until Lorcán finished his restless circling and then asked, "What now?"
Throwing himself into a nearby chair, Lorcán grabbed a goblet of strong wine and drained it quickly, savoring the bitterness as it coated his tongue and spread it's numbing warmth through his tired body.
"I don't know," he replied, his frustration overwhelming his ability to think clearly. "I need time to re-assess the situation before I decide what must be done."
"Answer me this, brother... how exactly did the girl manage to get away from you? I'm afraid I just haven't been able to put the pieces of last night together in a way that makes any sense. She's mortal! You should have had no trouble whatsoever in bending her to your will, and yet here we sit, no closer to our goal than before, only now we have the whole of the Underground after us, a noisome child to deal with and our strongest fighter has been apprehended by that bastard elf, Bram."
"Cease, brother!" Lorcán shouted, crushing the metal goblet he held in his hand. "Remind me no more of my failings, if you please! I am well aware that my plan suffered a disastrous end." Rising from his chair, he hurled the ruined vessel aside and resumed his restless prowling once more.
What could he say to excuse his behavior? How to save face with the few men who'd put their faith in him when he'd declared his intention of undermining the Seelie Court? For time out of mind his people had willingly accepted the yoke of Seelie authority, living in their small communities on the fringes of the Underground, forsaking their customs and traditions, all because the Seelie Court had established dominance. No longer were they allowed to hold their sacred Wild Hunt, nor even walk among humans Aboveground, using them, making sport of them.
While his fellow Unseelie resented their banishment, they more or less had given themselves over to the control of Danae's chosen rulers, believing that any resistance would be futile. He, Lorcán, was the only one in centuries with any vision. Only he had possessed the strength and temerity to grow bold enough to challenge this oppression.
And his people, with the exception of a pitiful few, had scoffed at him. Only a meager following had been willing to leave the safety and relative comforts of their little communities for the damp, dreary caves of Bleak Forrest. There he had plotted and planned his treason with the help of his informant, one who worked near enough to the almighty High Prince, the all-powerful Goblin King, to supply him with valuable information.
His plans had received a fantastic boon when his contact had provided him with the knowledge of the Goblin King's only apparent weakness – his obsession with a mere mortal girl. With much skulking and creeping, the traitorous spy had managed to discover her identity and where she could be found.
He'd been so certain that victory was his at last. He would use the girl to draw Jareth out, kill him quickly, and then slit the girl's throat afterward.
The mission seemed simple enough. They had waited for the signal from their traitorous friend that the Goblin King was sufficiently distracted so that their small raiding party might slip through the veil unnoticed. In no time they would reach their destination, gain entry to the mortal household, steal the human, and return to their lair, where they would make ready for their confrontation with Jareth.
Except that once he had the girl in his grasp he'd lost all common sense. Even now just the thought of her, of her startlingly beautiful eyes, her plump, perfect lips, those high, firm, luscious breasts he had fondled so briefly caused his blood to flow swiftly until it became an unbearable ache. Sexual arousal unlike anything he'd ever felt before had gripped him, enthralled him, as he'd inflicted pain upon the helpless, beautiful, bleeding creature he'd held at his mercy. He would never forget how powerful he had felt as he had made her afraid for her very life. He always needed that gratification when taking a woman, whether she was elven or Fae. He couldn't reach climax without causing his partner some degree of pain. Their cries fired his libido, enabling him to achieve his orgasm. Some liked it. Some didn't. But none had ever played along so... deliciously. None had ever been so wonderfully and excitingly arousing as this one.
He'd never imagined a mere human girl could have such a surprising effect on him. He knew with unshakeable certainty that he'd never again be satisfied with anyone but her.
He had to have her, no matter the effort or risk it would take to get her.
He'd had a great laugh at the High Prince's expense when he'd learned that a human female had captured Jareth's much-sought-after heart.
But he wasn't laughing now, though.
He could all too readily understand how a superior Fae could easily forget her inferiority, her human-ness.
She was magnificent!
So strong. So brave.
And so absolutely made for a man to ease his lust upon.
Lorcan gripped the edge of the rough-hewn table, fighting to get himself under control. He would never admit aloud that he had been too enamored of the king's girl, too overcome with his desire for her, to efficiently play his part in the raid. His men would lose what little respect they still held for him.
He would simply have to rework his plans. A new possibility was already forming in his scheming brain.
He looked over at the small child sleeping a deep, magical sleep on the floor of the cave. The boy was practically worthless to him, really, yet he wouldn't kill him. He would find a way to use him to get close to the girl.
Because she was still the key to his future.
He would bide his time and, with luck, have his chance to kill the Goblin King.
And then the entire Underground – and Sarah Williams - would be his.
I know, I know. It's not very long. It's basically just to get the ball rolling again.