Author's Note, 13 May 2013: The title of this chapter refers to our poor Kevein from the previous chapters. It has little to do with this chapter, but I really wanted to use the word and could not work it into the conversations. So there.

Chapter Forty-One: Zounderkite

"Wills, the whole point of this is to get rid of books you will never need again." Agnes was watching Sarah sort her textbooks into 'keep' and 'resell' piles. 'Resell' was currently quite outnumbered. "And maybe get enough fast cash for a new pair of shoes or something."

"But I might need them. You never know."

"In what possible scenario could you ever need to refer to," she reached over to grab a random book, "The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association?"

Sarah looked up from the shelf she was clearing and blinked several times. "Oh. Well..." There was a long pause. "Alright, you've got me on that one. I'm not even sure why I even have a copy of that."

"Hah." Agnes tossed the book onto the 'resell' pile.

"But I'm keeping the rest of them."

"Oh for -" she sighed. "At least explain why?"

"Sentimental value."

"Wills. They're textbooks."

"But their content spans my entire college career."

There was a long pause, followed by yet another sigh. "I wash my hands of you and your folly. Don't ask me for help when you have to haul these downstairs."

"That's what freshmen are for." Sarah pulled the last stack of books off her shelf to give each title due consideration. "Speaking of which, put together a couple of boxes for me?"

Agnes moved to the chair and started picking at the roll of tape to find the start. "Won't all the residents be long gone by the time we RA's move out?"

"Ah ha." Sarah waved one finger. "I have a cunning plan. My dad is driving up tomorrow with the pick-up to get all the major stuff. And since they all owe me for hiding The Incident from the custodial staff here and taking care of the worst of the clean-up, they will carry every box I own to load up."

Agnes chuckled at that. "If they only knew how conniving you are. How did you manage to get all the water and glitter and glue out of the carpet? Everyone went to bed thinking there would be hell to pay in the morning. But the next morning, all evidence had vanished."

Sarah wiggled her eyebrows and leaned in conspiratorially "Magic," she whispered.

"Really," Agnes threw her friend a flat look. "You're not going to tell me?"

"Some secrets are best kept forever." At Agnes' dubious look, Sarah shrugged. "Plausible deniability. Suffice it to say the Powers that Be would likely not approve my methods."

"Right." Agnes shook her head and returned to picking at the tape. "Only you would involve yourself in a situation that would get you expelled right before graduation, Wills. Only you."

Not that she could ever admit it to anyone, but Sarah's answer was not untrue. When she had come back to her room, exhausted after cleaning, Jareth was waiting in owl-form outside her window. After very little convincing, she acknowledged his plan would be best. He then cast a spell ensuring all the residents would remain asleep while he walked the halls with her. She had lived there long enough to be able to tell him which stains were new and which would draw suspicion if missing.

When she brought up the fact that he was performing a rather large bit of magic Aboveground, he assured her it was not unsanctioned by Their Majesties. In addition, he was making it as complicated a spell as he could come up with, while including a myriad of unnecessary but flashy protections on the entire building. As none of this would be going unnoticed by those dwelling Underground, all was done as a subtle reminder to other Fae who might also consider interfering directly in Sarah's life that she was not under the protection of some half-wit Fae with few skills to his name.

Grinning, she commented that 'subtle' was not the appropriate word to describe it but said not a word else on the subject save to thank him for his assistance when he was finished. After he left, she spent a sleepless hour in bed with a mug of cocoa and a handful of marshmallows wondering when she came to be so casual at the idea of him casting manipulative spells upon her residents and what she should make of all that.

"So."

The weight Agnes put behind the monosyllable brought Sarah out of her reverie. She looked at her friend, eyebrow raised. "So..."

"I know you plan on running off into the sunset with Jareth eventually. Figuratively speaking, of course."

"Right," Sarah grinned. "Of course."

"What have you told the fam?"

"Actually, I had a long chat with Alison about it just after things started to get serious."

Agnes snorted. "The moment it started it was getting serious, Wills. But continue."

"When I was done talking, there was this long pause. Finally, she said that if it was anyone else, she would be concerned about the alacrity with which everything was happening -"

"She actually said 'alacrity', didn't she."

"Yup. But then she said that because it was me, and I have always been more fanciful than other people, she couldn't say she was all that surprised. Then she said to not tell Dad yet. That she would break the news that I have a serious beau to him gently so he can get used to the idea and we'll all have dinner after Graduation."

"Fanciful? Beau? Your step-mother, seriously."

"I know. Kills me. The kicker was when she admitted being extra reassured by the fact that he is not in a band, has a steady job, and makes a decent living."

"Now that sounds like the Alison we all know and love."

"Yup."

They were quiet for a bit, the silence interrupted by the sound of tape being applied to cardboard. Then Agnes began to chuckle.

"Yes?"

"I'm sure in most cases like this, when the 'serious beau' meets the parents for the first time, it would be customary to think, 'poor Jareth'. But having met the man and all, I can only think, 'your poor dad'." She laughed outright at that, falling over onto the floor behind the stack of assembled boxes.

Sarah giggled as well, then grabbed a box and started to fill it.

"Can I drag you away for a quick lunch?" Lewis Williams looked at his daughter across the truck bed. "My treat."

"Absolutely, Dad. Let me run upstairs and grab my coat."

"Great. I just need to put a tarp over these boxes then we can go."

Sarah grinned. Regardless of the fact that no rain was on the forecast for several days between her dorm and her family's home, her father insisted on taking no chances with any of his daughter's 'treasures'. The way their conversation had gone all day it was as though he was determined to put her back in the 'little princess' box. Curiously, Alison called her early that morning to forewarn her of this possibility. According to her step-mother, Sarah's father was having a difficult time 'coping with it all'.

The pair soon found themselves at a small deli in town. They ordered sandwiches and sat at a small table by the window. After a few minutes of chatting, Lewis said, "Alison tells me you have a new boyfriend."

It was all Sarah could do to not laugh outright at the poor attempt for casual. "I was wondering if you were going to bring him up."

His brow furrowed, slightly. "Hm. So it's true, then?"

Sarah did giggle at that. "Yes, Dad. I have a boyfriend, and his name is Jareth. Jareth... King." She continued to be amused by his choice in last name, though admittedly it truly was the perfect option.

"Hm. Is he, er, in your grade?"

Grade? What, am I back in high school now? "No, Dad, he isn't in college."

"Hm. So he's older then?"

Now there's the understatement of the century. "Yes."

"By...?"

"Oh, several years." Centuries, even.

"Hm. And what does he do?"

"He's a CEO at a bank or financial institution of some sort. Investments. Managing the little people. Overseas. It's all... Complicated." She and Jareth had a few brief conversations about how to explain his career to her friends and family here Aboveground, but she was realizing they would have to clear up the finer details here soon.

"Hm."

There was silence then as their sandwiches arrived. Lewis poked at his, mulling things over. Sarah refused to be uncomfortable, rearranged the lettuce, and dug right in.

Finally, Lewis picked up his sandwich and looked at her. "Jareth King, eh?"

The corner of Sarah's mouth twitched. "Mmhmm."

"I suppose that is acceptable for my princess."

At that, she burst out laughing. "Oh, Dad."

During the rest of their lunch, Sarah filled in her father on some of the details of Jareth's courtship. Not nearly as detailed as she had told Alison, for there are some things one simply cannot share with one's father. However, she did her best to paint a picture of Jareth her father would be able to accept and handle. Eventually, though in some ways not soon enough for Sarah, it was time for her to get back to campus and Lewis to get on the road.

He pulled into the parking lot closest to her dorm, putting the car into park and tapping the steering wheel a few times. "Sarah," concern was thinly veiled in his voice.

"Yeah, Dad?"

"Jareth isn't like that other boy at all, is he? The last one?"

Sarah blinked at him. "Sammuel?" She had not thought about him in quite some time to the point that her relationship with him seemed like it happened in a different lifetime. She was more than a little bewildered that her father would bring him up. "No. No, not at all. Why would you think that? Why even bring it up?"

"You never seemed happy when you were together. And that aside, I never liked the boy. I just don't want you to end up in another relationship with someone who makes you feel less than you are."

It was awkward, and he was not really being entirely clear, but it was more touchy-feely than her father had been in years. "Don't worry, Dad," she said gently. "Jareth and Sammuel are nothing alike. Worlds apart, even. You'll see, when you meet him."

"Oh? And when will that be?"

"Well, he'll be at my Graduation. And then we are all going to dinner after."

"We are?"

"Didn't Alison tell you? She's the one making the reservations."

"No. She didn't mention anything about it."

Sarah grinned. "She did say she was trying to get you accustomed to the idea slowly." She laughed at the perplexed look on his face. "I gotta go, Dad. Thanks for coming to get all my stuff." She leaned across the seats and kissed him on the cheek. "Safe drive home and I'll see you in a week or so."

"Ok, sweetheart. Be good."

"Sure thing, Dad." Sarah hopped out of the truck and waved as her father pulled out of the parking lot. When he drove around the corner, she turned and jogged into her dorm.