Chapter 8.
Sarah heard the vibration long before the heads of the goblins popped up, her tea cup slipped from her fingers as she stood up. One goblin in the middle of complaining about the clean floor let out a scream. Others also screamed, Sarah held her ears and looked at the worm.
"The king is in trouble," he said making a beeline for the window he'd come in by. "Stay put," he warned, "Let us take care of this."
"Toby," Sarah called out. "Something's happened to Toby!"
"Don't worry lady," a goblin tugged at Sarah's skirt, "We'll take care of this."
Sarah moved to the window, heart pounding and fearful. "Toby, oh Toby…" She moaned softly; "This is my fault, all of it is my fault." Her fingers turned white gripping the sill so tightly; "Oh why did I ever wish you away?"
--
Oberon stood patiently by as the Goblin King roared with anger and pitched the move violent fit he'd. When the first wave of roaring had ceased, the High King crossed his arms and asked quietly, "Are you done?"
Feeling quite ill, Jareth leaned forward and griped his knees, "Not by a long shot," he growled, "Who in the hell does this fool think he is?"
"Sarah's rightful groom," Oberon offered with no sign of amusement. He placed one hand to the base of the Goblin King's neck, "Keep your head down, and breathe slowly." Watching his son recover the High King sighed impatiently, "Really Jareth I thought we were through with this foolishness after she and her brother were returned to their home."
"I didn't cause this to happen," Jareth replied defensively, gaining enough of his balance to stand and face his Sovereign, "Honestly, I didn't pursue her."
"I was informed that young Master Toby wished her away," Oberon acknowledged, "What I need to know is if you in any way influenced him."
The Goblin King sighed deeply, sounding annoyed and frustrated, "For once I can claim total innocence!"
The High King said nothing, looked into the eyes of his childe, and nodded, "Yes, I can see that this time you are." Shaking his head he frowned, "Not that it does us much good." Moving to a stump of an old tree, he took a seat, "My boy I'll be honest with you, I'd have preferred if this had not happened. Your involvement with that girl…"
"Father, I love her." Jareth stated with closed eyes. "Granted this was not how I planned on returning to her life, but beggars cannot be choosers."
Quizzically the High King explored his son's features. "You planned on returning to her life, how?"
Quilt filled the younger King, "Father there's a little matter of having tricked Sarah into eating a peach…"
Groaning the High King shielded his eyes with one hand, "An enchanted peach?" He shook his head, "You get this from your mother's side of the family… this enchanting of fruit!" He groaned deeper, "Well it's over and done with… I imagine you were planning on sending the boy back once he'd lost, and filtered the memories of the mortals…" He saw shadows pass over Jareth's face and asked, "You were planning on sending the boy back were you not?"
Clearing his throat, Jareth confessed. "I fed him too…"
The hand shielding his eyes dropped and Oberon gaped at the younger King for a moment. "Good Lord in Heaven man," he rasped out. "You've lost your mind."
"I intended for Toby to remain in his realm until he was older…" Jareth made a clean breast of it. "I wanted him to grow up in that world so he'd be a better king in this one."
"You were intending on him replacing you," Oberon asked.
"Yes," Jareth said quietly, "I intended to retire to my lodge with my wife and create beautiful Halflings with her."
"Did you know that Sarah had become engaged?" The High King inquired softly.
"No," Jareth admitted, "And I should have…" more guilt filled his voice, "I touched her…on her last visit…"
"You what," Oberon struggled for breath.
"You better know the all of it," Jareth placed his hands behind his back, "I sang Fae song to her as well…"
Confusion showed on the face of the leader of the Seelie court. "Let me understand this, you tricked her into eating an enchanted peach, you touched her and sang to her…" when the younger king nodded. "Did you sing to her before or after you touched her?"
"During," blushed the younger king, "I sang to her as we danced…"
"She should not have be able to return to her realm…" protested Oberon, "You know cannon as well as I do, perhaps even better as you are in much more closer proximity to the mortals than I."
"I allowed it," Jareth took a seat beside his father, "I couldn't keep her… she was~ too young." Embarrassed he sighed, "She has the most enchanting eyes, and a soul that called out to me… and I knew we were fated~"
"Fated," grumbled the High King, "Boy you've caused an incident here!" He rose to pace, "Sarah's groom is here to reclaim her…"
"She does not love him," Jareth informed the pacing elder. "I asked, and she admitted she didn't love him."
"This is too much," Oberon chuckled. "If this happened to someone else I'd be rolling in the aisle." Taking a long breath he mused; "Boy there are times when you are just too much like me.."
"Not entirely," Jareth shrugged, "I've only touched, sang to and danced with one mortal… Sarah, my equal."
"Your equal," Oberon ventured enigmatically, "Yes you'd best hope his is…" He took a most royal stance and gazed at his son. "We've a problem here, you've a wished away… child, and a runner who has been kidnapped." He shook his head, "And because I was not aware of the existence of the Halfling Woodbine, I have no radar on him."
"And because I've allowed my heir to grow up in the mortal realm," Jareth continued for his father, "He's not on your radar either." Jareth stood up, "He is however on mine," he withdrew a crystal from the air, stared into it and saw his boy, kicking and screaming. "One almost has to pity Woodbine," he mused.
"Almost," the High King agreed.
Tossing the crystal back into the air, Jareth squared his shoulders, "I must tell Sarah," he said resolutely, "She must be worried."
"Are you sure you want to tell her," Questioned the amused High King.
"Want to~ no," sighed the younger King. "Have to~ yes." Waving a hand he vanished.
Oberon remained in the spot for a moment longer, "Woodbine," he called out. "Where the duces are you?"
"Still at your palace sire," the ghostly answer came. "I know better than to enter the Labyrinth uninvited. I am not a fool."
"No," agreed the High King, "You only raised one." With a flick of his wrist he was gone.
--
Ridge was sitting quietly at the waterfall garden of the High King's palace, knowing Oberon would come to him. It had been far too long since he's had the pleasure of walking Fairy Lands, to take in the unique beauty and fragrances of the rare blooms the Fae Royals favored in their gardens. He had spent a good deal of time in the High King's company and knew this waterfall estuary well. His departure from the High King's grace had pained him, for he'd always valued the opinion of the High King, and curried his favor. If only the Queen had not gotten it into her head that he'd make the perfect match for her sister. The thought of the Fae woman the Queen had picked out for him sent a shiver through him as memory after memory flooded his mind.
Oberon arrive in time to witness the shiver and the contemplation on the face of the other. "Regrets," he asked approaching the man.
"A few," Ridge answered without looking toward his once friend. "I'll not lie to you, yes, I have a few." He turned to look at the waterfall. "We were once friends," he murmured. "I valued that~ friendship."
"As did I," Oberon stated coolly.
Ridge turned to him, saddened and disturbed. "Then why couldn't you understand why I didn't wish to be with that woman?"
"Is that what you think caused our severed friendship," asked the amazed High King. "You think that I would end years of friendship over a woman?"
"What then?"
"You defied me," Oberon accused icily. "You were requested to court and refused to come…"
"I only declined the marriage," defended the other. "I never received a summons to court."
"Of course you did," Oberon glowered.
"No," Ridge repeated, "I didn't…surly you know me well enough old friend to know I'd never insult you in such a way…" His voice was filled with honesty and frankness, and the tone was more than forthcoming. He reached out a hand toward the king, open and palm up, a gesture of friendship. "Oberon, I thought of you not only as my King but as my friend… my dearest friend. I would never refuse your command to come to court."
Perplexed and mystified the bewildered King stared at Ridge Woodbine, "You're telling me you never received the summons…"
"I assure you, I never received a summons," he pulled an object from his inner vest, "I did however receive a dismissal." He handed the object to the High King.
Oberon turned the object over his hand and inspected it, it was a Rowan coin, carved and used for one purpose to send a Fae away. "Who sent this to you," Oberon asked puzzled by it.
"You did," Ridge answered with deep remorse; "The day after I declined the offer of the Queen's sister."
Oberon's hand closed over the coin, "I never sent this to you…."
--
Sarah paced the throne room, some goblins had remained and they tried to cheer her, but to no avail. She was inconsolable, something had happened to Toby, and she was at fault. So wrapped up in her own misery was she that she didn't even see the Goblin King enter the chamber.
"Sarah," he called to her softly.
She turned looked at his face and ran to his arms, her face buried into his chest, "Oh Jareth, it's all my fault." She moaned.
"Hush my precious," he soothed, "Hush."
The girl sobbed, "You know it's true."
Arms wound about her to comfort her, "All I know is that some fool has broken anchient law…" He gently tipped her chin up. "No runner is to be interfered with."
"You interfered with me," she challenged.
"Ah yes, well I should have said no outsider is to interfere with a runner… they are under the protection of the Labyrinth."
"Do you know who took Toby," she asked.
"I do," he answered. "You're not going to like it one bit…"
Sarah looked at him and asked, "Who?"
"Jefferson Davis Daniels, the son of Lord Ridge Woodbine, and I suppose his heir." Jareth answered.
The girl went ridged, "You're telling me my intended groom swooped down and kidnapped my little brother while he was running the Labyrinth?" her voice rose several octaves. "You're telling me that Jeff is a Fae?"
"Not entirely," Jareth winced as her voice hurt his ears, "He's only a Halfling."
"You're telling me he's Fae blooded!" Sarah shouted.
Sniffing and pulling back slightly, Jareth braced himself. "More or less…."
Sarah Williams than did something she'd not done in years, she pitched a tantrum.
--
Spiderhat looked at Poky, "She screams pretty," he commented before picking up his clothe and returning to cleaning the hearth.
Blot and Inkspot looked at one another and backed slowly toward the exit, sure that the scream was not going to be the end of it.
Gree and Grim covered their ears and winced.
The screaming and words kept coming.