Checked for continuity, grammar, and spelling: May 3, 2011.
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Dinner With the Goblin King
Sarah surveyed her reflection with interest. Now dressed formally for dinner, having received assistance from a Goblin maid, she grinned at how the last half hour simply flew by.
Though Jareth made light of the changes to the castle, she had been blown away when her eyes first lit on the monumental structure. According to her host, who appeared to be most amused at her reaction, it was an even more impressive sight when seen from the front. She found this difficult to believe, so astonished at the side entrance as she was. Jareth merely chuckled and led her through the door, a small thing of dark and heavy oak surrounded by intricate relief sculptures. Best she could tell, it depicted a scene of some creatures frolicking in a garden. When she mentioned this, Jareth nodded, explaining that, as the door was considered the Garden Entrance, the stone doorway had been decorated to indicate this. He added that, should she take a closer look at the door itself, tiny carvings wound around the knots to continue the scene. Even the ironwork had been crafted to match.
As he quickly swept her along corridors, staircases, and even a secret passage, Jareth told her that eventually the entire castle would be completed in the same manner. However, Goblin hands, even those belonging to the master craftsmen among them, could only create so fast.
Sarah was surprised anew that he would leave such fine detail in the hands of Goblins, her own experience with them leaving her with the impression that they would be quite incapable of such deeds. With another laugh, he told her that their ability actually surprised him as well. He had not hoped for the results he had been given. But once he had seen what they could do, he could do little else than employ them to their fullest abilities. "Goblins are not self-motivated by nature" he had said. "When left to their own devices and with little guidance, anything they do will be done in the least productive manner and with very little care. However, teach a Goblin a skill and give him a task and he will do naught until it has been completed. Give him explicit instructions of what it is that needs to be done and favor the skills at which he excels, and he will accomplish such feats as are not to be believed. Which" he had added after a pause, "I confess I try to keep secret from, well, nearly everyone. That others cannot believe my Goblins capable of anything leads them to constantly underestimate them. And that gives me an edge."
Soon after that comment, he stopped in front of another door. "This is where I leave you, Sarah" he had said. "You will find everything you need to dress for dinner in this room. And, should anything not meet your satisfaction, simply ask for it and it shall be done." He then opened the door and bowed her inside.
Her eyes grew wide in astonishment. It was a room straight out of a historical novel or, perhaps, a very detailed retelling of a fairy tale. A window, complete with window seat, overlooked the gardens. There were two wardrobes, a dresser, a vanity, and an assortment of chairs and mirrors. The furniture was crafted of cherry, polished to such a degree she felt sure she could see her own reflection in the wood. Drapes, cushions, and the rug were of a brilliant sapphire coloring with silver trim.
"Wow." She gazed around the room. "This is... wow. Your Goblins did all this?" When she looked at Jareth, however, the slightly smug gleam in his eye prompted her to turn back to the room and add, "Though I would have preferred burgundy and cream."
With those words, the color scheme of the room had shifted to meet her preference.
Sarah's jaw dropped. "How... I mean, well, how?" She was so astonished, she could not quite elaborate what she meant.
"There are some things, I admit, that I do not leave to the hands of my Goblins." Jareth smirked as she whipped her head around to meet his eyes. "When you are ready, a servant shall be waiting to take you to the dining room." Still smirking, he bowed once more and closed the door, leaving her to her own devices.
She immediately opened all the doors and drawers to find, as Jareth had said, everything she could possibly need to get ready. There was even a ceramic basin with a matching pitcher filled with perfectly heated water, something she also attributed to his magic, and towels. Much as she wanted to spend time looking through everything, she had begun to feel hungry so she quickly washed before blindly choosing a dress from one of the wardrobes.
At this point, Sarah had gotten stuck. She had never worn anything that fastened with nothing but strings. Some of her costumes over the years had laces, to be sure, but they were all for show. These had no zippers, buttons, or snaps (she had not been so foolish as to expect velcro). Merely... strings. After staring at her selection for a moment, she went back to the wardrobe. A brief inspection led to the conclusion that all of the clothing posed this challenge. "I think I may actually need that help getting dressed," she muttered, shaking her head and holding her original choice up before her.
Someone rapped at the door. "M'lady?" a muffled, yet obviously female, voice called out. "His Majesty sent me to aid you in your preparations for dinner."
"I obviously need to be careful what I say here," Sarah commented before opening the door. On the other side stood a Goblin outfitted unmistakeably as a lady's maid. How Sarah knew that this was how a lady's maid would be outfitted she could not say. All Sarah knew was that, had she been told to describe such a thing, it would have been that which was presented before her at that moment. Shaking her head to rid herself of the residual shock of the whole experience, she said, "Actually, yes, I could use some help. Do you happen to know how this," Sarah held up the dress, "works?"
The Goblin laughed, a pleasing yet equally grating sound. "Aye, m'lady. But you don't want to be wearin' that gown tonight." She bustled in and set to work pulling things out of the wardrobes and drawers.
"Uh... I don't?"
"Nay. 'Twouldn't match His Majesty's outfit at all."
"Match?" Sarah looked skeptically at the dress in her hand. "I'm supposed to dress... to match?"
"Well, you don't really have to. But it'd make a nice gesture, don't you think"
"Um..." Matching outfits would be just too... well, corny. How am I supposed to get around this one? Sarah thought fast. "Could we just... make sure the colors don't, you know, clash horribly instead"
The Goblin took in Sarah's expression and sighed. "Oh, all right. Now, let's get you ready"
And she had, in a whirlwind of fabric and laces. The Goblin had even done Sarah's hair and then, without giving Sarah a chance to voice her thanks, she was gone out the door with a quick curtsey. Sarah was left to admire the maid's handiwork on her own.
"Jareth was right about giving the Goblins specific tasks. I feel like a heroine from a fairy tale," she told her reflection softly. "Only this time, I guess it isn't at all pretend."
Another knock on the door interrupted her musings. This time, there was no query or announcement, so Sarah made an attempt at gliding across the floor to open the door. Another Goblin stood on the other side, this one some sort of footman. "Yes?"
The Goblin bowed so quickly and so low his forehead nearly smacked the stone floor. "I've come to escort you to the Dining Room, my Lady."
"Oh." Sarah blinked. "All right. Um, do I need to lock this door or anything?" she asked as she pulled it shut behind her.
"No, them's one of those magical doors that only opens at the hand of His Majesty or the one he bequeaths the room to."
Bequeaths? "Oh. Well, let's go then, I guess." The footman bowed once more, then hurried on his way, leaving Sarah to follow at such a pace that all thoughts of Jareth's bequeathing fled to the back of her mind.
Now, she stood before a set of tall doors flanked by Goblin guards. The footman had hurried off with a third bow as soon as they arrived, the guards kept staring at her openly before looking away as soon as she tried to catch they eyes. Deciding there was nothing for it, Sarah straightened her shoulders, took a deep breath, and reached for one of the doorknobs.
It opened before she could touch it.
Walking into the room, she was first struck by its massiveness. She immediately looked up at the stone, barrel vault ceiling. It floated, long, wide, and impossibly high. There were spacious windows lining two outside walls, no evidence whatsoever of buttressing, and few columns supporting it. Indeed, what columns there were supported instead a narrow walkway nearly two and a half stories up that led to a balcony at one end of the room. If I remember anything correctly from my high school Humanities class, this should be architecturally impossible, Sarah thought. Or at least unsound.
Her gaze fell to the centre of the room where a long oak table stood. It looked able to seat perhaps twenty people, though it was set for only two: one at the head, and one directly to the right of the first. Crystal and silver gently reflected the candlelight coming from the candelabras scattered throughout the room.
She then cast her gaze about the rest of the room, looking for the one who had invited her there. She found Jareth standing by a window, hands clasped behind his back. He slowly turned as soon as she looked at him and, with a warm smile, bowed to her. She could not help herself and curtseyed, grinning impishly back at him. He gestured to the table and walked toward it, arriving in time to pull out her chair. Sarah sat with what she hoped was grace, not entirely accustomed to the fit of her gown.
As soon as Jareth sat next to her, at the place set at the head of the table, a small door seemed to appear out of the masonry and a line of Goblins entered bearing trays bedecked with platters. Though by far the most formally presented event she had ever attended, Sarah was no less comfortable than she had been when they had gone on their picnic. Courses came out one at a time, and they ate at a leisurely pace enjoying each others company in lighthearted conversation covering all manner of topics. After dessert had begun, the topic shifted to the room itself.
"It's so huge" Sarah said, looking around once more. "I'm amazed that everything we say doesn't echo."
Jareth shrugged, a movement Sarah was becoming quite familiar with. "Oh, it should, I suppose. But I thought perhaps the lack thereof would create the illusion of a more intimate setting. I would not have preferred to eat here but the only other option at the moment is the Kitchens."
Sarah giggled. "I wouldn't have minded the Kitchens all that much. But I don't understand. In a place this big, there are only two rooms in which to eat"
"Yes. This will eventually serve as the Banquet Hall and nothing else. However, the actual Dining Room is yet to be completed."
"Oh." She contemplated this over a bite of dessert. "Do you have company enough to fill this place often"
Jareth chuckled. No," he said dryly. "You are the first visitor I have had since reconstruction began." And for many years previous as well.
"Then why not complete the rooms that would be more comfortable to use first? Why finish the Banquet Hall first, something that would generally be used for," she wagered a guess, "hundreds?"
"Because the first guests any Fae Royal should always be prepared to entertain would be the High King and Queen. Generally, when they travel they have quite the entourage in tow. And though they have never actually made such a visit in all the years of my reign, as Their Majesties also tend to arrive unannounced, I thought it best to be prepared."
"Hm. That's sort of, well, rude."
"What is?"
"Just showing up and bringing enough people with them to fill a room this size for dinner."
"It is their right as High King and Queen."
"Just because someone has the right to do something doesn't excuse a lack of common courtesy. I mean, if it was just the two of them with a small group of attendants or whatever, then ok. That would be reasonable. But even so, a little advance warning would be polite."
"Their Majesty's actions are not governed by what is considered 'polite'."
Sarah blinked at him, astonished. "So they just... do what they want, whenever they please"
After the briefest consideration, Jareth nodded. "Generally, yes."
"And you just accept this?"
"As I said, they are the High King and Queen. I owe them my allegiance and my loyalty. Though I rule this kingdom, they rule this entire world."
"Ok, so they outrank you. But say you weren't prepared at the drop of a hat. What could they do to you?"
He sighed heavily, meeting her gaze and all hint of lightheartedness gone. "Much."
She responded by echoing his gesture of a raised eyebrow, challenging. "Such as?"
"Sarah..." Though he knew he would tell her anything she wished to know, his tone was guarded, hinting at a warning that this would not be what she would want to hear.
She deliberately ignored it. "Just name one thing that would make compliance to this sort of behavior a necessity."
"Very well. They could remove me from my position and of power."
She blinked. "Oh, is that all? And here I thought you were going to say death and destruction."
He leaned back in his chair. "It amounts to the same thing."
"You are joking." At his shaking of his head, Sarah's jaw dropped and it took a few heartbeats before she could recover. "What, simply because you couldn't accommodate some random whim of theirs" He nodded. "Jareth, that's outrageous!"
"Perhaps. But it is the way of things here, Sarah. Their word is law. I am their subject and as such I must adhere to it. I expect no less of my own."
There was a long silence as Sarah simply stared at him, dumbfounded. When she spoke, it was quiet. "Do you mean to tell me that if one of your subjects wasn't prepared to serve you a formal dinner in his or her home when you randomly drop in for an visit, you would find it a capitol offense"
He puzzled over the unfamiliar term. "A what"
"Worthy of... execution as a punishment."
"It would be extreme, but within my rights to do so."
She gaped at him, shaking her head. "And what about their rights"
"Their rights?"
"Yes! Hasn't there been a human rights movement here in the Underground? Or a Goblin rights movement or something?"
"No... Whatever for?"
"To guarantee that they are not being cruelly and unjustly punished!"
"That is part of what the monarch does."
"But you just said that you would-"
"No. I never said that I would. I said it would be an extreme reaction and within my rights, but not that I would. Only one who is truly evil would do such a thing."
"That so does not make any sense. If you wouldn't, and only one who is truly evil ever would, then what is the point of it being within the rights of the Monarchs in the first place, or even have it be something to worry about?"
"I would think that one who would inflict such punishment would disregard any... Rights Movements of any kind."
"So there is no one to represent your people? Your subjects? Nothing to balance the power?"
"The power balances itself. That is the way of things here."
"Well maybe it's time for a change then."
"Change? Change what? The very nature of the Underground? The basis upon which this entire world and all its inhabitants exist?"
"Oh, come off it. How can giving your subjects more of a say have such an effect?"
"Because it would. Were any of them to make the attempt at attaining such power as needed to rule one of the kingdoms, we would be lucky if they only destroyed themselves and those close to them. The same would happen were I to attempt to overrule the High King and Queen. Their place is where it is, just as mine is right here."
"That is ridiculous. It's barbaric and speaks only of oppression. Positively mediaeval."
"You could not possibly understand what you are talking about, Sarah."
"You know, you're right. And I don't think I even want to. I'd like to go home now please."
"Very well." Jareth stood, offering his hand. Aggravated though he was at her stubborn insistence that things should be just as they are Aboveground, what he believed to be her only basis for comparison, he could not help but admire the care and dignity with which she removed her napkin from her lap, set it next to her plate, rose, and placed her own hand in his. And, much as he would have preferred to not part on a negative note, he knew how their tempers could fly. Were it to get much worse the damage to their still tenuous relationship could be irreparable. Later, when tempers had cooled, he would be able to explain precisely why her notions were incorrect.
For her part, as she teetered on the edge of hysterics, a tantrum, or worse, Sarah gathered every ounce of self-control she had left and took Jareth's hand to return home. She vaguely wondered how she would get her clothes back, and tried not to be even more affronted by his seeming eagerness to be rid of her. She was sure that once she had time to think things through and calm down, she would discover a way to convince him she was right.
With a slight whoosh, the air around them swirled a bit and they were standing once more by the bench next to the pond. They stared at each other, not quite glaring but neither backing down. Not breaking from her gaze, Jareth gave a short bow. "Goodnight, Sarah."
"Goodnight. Thank you for dinner."
"Of course." And with that, he faded out of sight.