Bride of allegiance

thank you to all who reviewed. three is better than nothing but i still feel confident enough to post chapter two. sorry if the last chapter was so short i'll try to make them longer but it's not really easy because this one took four pieces of looseleaf. anyway enjoy this chapter.

disclaimer I do not own Labyrinth nor Toby, Sarah, or Jareth though Malaysian, Ayden, and Lily are mine.

Ch. Two

Once again Sarah was kneeling before the mound of junk this time she opened the stained glass windows' curtain to let soft yellow light filter through to make pretty colored patterns everywhere in the dark and dreary attic. It was always nicer when a room was filled with natural light, it was prettier too.

Taking random things from the pile Sarah put them in their marked boxes. Toys here, a book there, marble rolling pin in a box to her right. She had almost all of the attic cleaned which was good for her because her friends' parents would be back tomorrow evening and if it wasn't clean she'd have to stay until it was and she'd miss out on a slipped forty dollar tip. Amy keeping a secret was like saying the sky wasn't blue, it wouldn't fly with her she'd rather tell it than keep it bottled up inside. If you wanted to know something all you'd have to do is talk to Amy she was a professional eavesdropper.

Glitter caught her eye just then, reaching towards the sparkles she pulled it out and held it up to the sunshine. It was the spine of a book. The book was old and worn but the glitter shone as if it were brand new, turning it over on the cover at the top in small gold letters shone the title 'The Fae Kingdom' Curious Sarah opened the book expecting to find a fantasy story embedded in the yellow pages but found them blank instead with only four small words written in elegant handwriting on the first page. Reading the tiny sentence in her mind her brow knitted together in confusion.

Then she read it again this time out loud. "Take me back home." Just as soon as she had finished reading that one sentence her vision blurred then went black as she stood frozen physically not able to move. Sarah felt a wave of panic and dizziness hold her tight as she willed an invisible cloak to uncover her eyes.

When the dizziness subsided her ears were greeted by soothing nature noises and the sweet tinkling of laughter belonging to a multitude of young children. A smile absentmindedly crept over her face it was so peaceful she almost didn't want to open her eyes but she did anyway and what she saw constricted her throat. This was most certainly not the attic she had been in a few moments ago; this room was abnormally large with its white stone walls, high cathedral ceiling and pale marbled flooring. In the middle was a luxurious four poster bed with periwinkle blue sheets, on her left the far wall wasn't a wall at all it was more like a curtain, on her right the farthest wall had one vanity with a white basin on it's top. Across the bed where a fluffy bench stood a church-like window was propped half open.

Slowly Sarah walked over to the window. Each deliberate step shook off the stiffness and shock. Wide-eyed Sarah peered over the edge where ten or twelve children below were running about trying to catch tiny fireflies. "Where am I?" She whispered to the children playing.

A cold draft came in through the window misting along the floor curling at her feet like a loyal dog then crept up her legs. Shivering she wrapped her hands around her bare arms….wait….bare arms. Gasping Sarah looked down at herself. What in hell was going on here? She noticed she wasn't wearing her jeans and t-shirt anymore but a floor length white nightgown with wide shoulder straps. The material was simple but soft and silky to the touch as it brushed her naked flesh. Her long chestnut hair that had grown a bit longer over the course of six years was in a tight braid all ready to go to sleep in without the hassle of brushing tangles out in the morning. She felt like screaming her frustrations if it weren't for a quiet knock on the door then a young girl slipped into the room.

The fae girl was young, looking barely fifteen but very pretty with her ashen blonde hair and deep blue eyes wearing a maid's dress of forest deep green and white with a corded corset-like top in a rich gold. Her slight smile faded when she saw Sarah's fear stricken face. "Your highness are you alright you look out of sorts is something wrong?" the girl made to come towards Sarah slowly but she took several steps back so the girl stopped not wanting to upset her anymore than she already seemed to be.

"Where am I?" Sarah demanded.

Well that was an odd question. "Why, Princess Sarah, you are home." The fae told Sarah who had a horrified look painted across her face.

Sarah shook her head. She wouldn't believe it. She couldn't. This was not her bedroom nor was it the cluttered attic. She felt sick to her stomach and her brain was trying to shut down. "This is not home" She yelled at the fae. Her vision went black as the marble floor rose to meet her falling body.

"I will go get a physician." The girl told a crumpling Sarah then darted out of the bedroom and down the bright stone and cheery rugged hallway.

Sarah woke to four people talking. Their words went silent as she sat up propped by a few pillows. "Your highness, how are you feeling this morning?" A man close to his fifties asked her as he left the group to stand by her bedside.

Confusion marred her pretty features. "Where am I...who are you?" There was a few seconds then, "Most importantly…who am I you keep calling me 'highness'?" Sarah looked about the group. There was the same girl from before, the physician, and two others. The man stood rigid and was dressed as if he was royalty; the woman however had concern written all over her face. She had light brown hair and the exact same eye colour that she herself had. The woman wore red and gold on her gown complete with a necklace and a pair of ruby earrings. She was very beautiful, even her unnatural skin glow seemed so natural to Sarah.

"You my dear are Princess Sarah of the fae kingdom." Then he turned and gestured towards the man and woman who stood beside each other. "King Ayden is your father; Queen Malaysian is your mother. You princess are home in the Northern fae kingdom. Can you not remember?" He asked and she shook her head in reply. Turning once again to the king and queen he told them, "Sarah has amnesia, Loss of memory. It may take a while for her memories to come back so I insist that you be patient with her. She may have to be retaught everyday manners, dancing, or even very little things such as brushing her hair."

"Thank you doctor." As Malaysian thanked the physician she let out a sigh of relief. If she were to be given to her new husband with physical damage he would be less than happy with the both of them. "Lily, bring Sarah some breakfast she's had a hard morning." Nodding her head the young girl left the room to do her queens bidding. Ayden, close behind the servant left too. Alone with her daughter, Malaysian sat on the edge of her bed on the periwinkle sheets.

"You are my mother?" Sarah asked as the pretty woman nodded her delicate head. "How old am I, and am I like you… a fae?" Malaysian smiled, her smile was warm and friendly she felt actually welcome.

"My darling." Malaysian took a breath. "You are twenty one and have decided to stay so until your time is spent. Because you are fae you had made that choice on your eighteenth birthday." There was a moment between the two where she let Sarah digest all the information then, "Later this afternoon I will send in Lily to see what you need to relearn." Malaysian made to get up but Sarah stopped her so she sat back down again.

"Uhm, never mind." Her gaze went sheepishly to her lap.

Getting up Malaysian took a few steps towards the door then stopped. "Eat some breakfast then change into a day dress. Just tell Lily what you need and she will show you which ones to wear." Giving Sarah an elegant wave she opened the white door and left closing it behind her.

After the door had closed Sarah threw back her covers and shakily made her first step off of the high down-puffed bed to open a door by the vanity that had been bothering her upon waking to reveal a bathroom half as large as the bedroom but just as white with silver faucets . She made the mistake of looking into the beveled mirror atop the sink and what stared back at her made her blink twice and look again. Lifting one hand to her cheek she supported herself with the other one by holding the edge of the sink and looked closely at her reflection. Every wrinkle and every flaw from not only her face but from her whole body was gone so she noticed when she caught sight of her abnormally femininely slim hand. Her ears had a point to them as elfish folk always do and her skin took on a glowing radiance and youthful vitality that was almost blinding. She was just as beautiful as Malaysian if not more.

Sarah turned on the hot water tap and let it run then splashed some of the water on her face, looking back into then mirror she scowled. 'The glow won't wash off, this is a nightmare. It has to be.' She thought. So now she was a fae, a princess, and stuck in a world that altogether was clearly not hers. Huffing she dried her face as a knock came at the door.

Turning the tap off Sarah walked over to the door and peeked around it to see the fae girl; Lily set a tray on the bedside table then start to make the bed. Going back into the bathroom Sarah looked around for a robe spying one she put it on then walked out of the bathroom. If she was going to be stuck here she might as well make it worth her while. She'd find a way back, back to Toby and Karen who really cared she and her stepmother had never really seen eye to eye anyway. At least breakfast looked good so did the tea. Sarah almost cried where was the coffee?