A Ring in the Hand
Summary: Sarah left a contribution, a ring. Unknowingly our heroine invoked an ancient rite and is now bound to the Underground and the Labyrinth's King. And then the Summer King finds out.
Rating: T (implication of sex in public... sort of... I err on the side of caution)
Disclaimer: I neither own, nor claim to own, The Labyrinth and all it's characters. I lay claim to future OC's that may or may not show up. But that is all.
**See below for Author's notes
The ceremony was short and sweet. However with the taste of fairy wine mixing with the heady sensation of the magic of the Undergound blossoming in her body, Sarah was getting impatient with the incessant toasts to her. "Night sky beauty, with her face as ethereal as a new moon and the stars in her eyes…" and "Many blessings for a healthy sexual life, may you both have many orgasms. Oh and also children. Have lots of kids. Kids are good. Keep fresh blood in the populat-" He was cut off by the next toaster. Thank God.
Sarah couldn't blush any harder. It was one part embarrassment, two parts wine and seven parts anger. As the toasts faded down, she realized what came next… and every part of her rebelled against this atrocity. With a look at Jareth's grim face, she, with sudden clarity realized that this was no picnic for his Highness as well.
With a huff, she pursed her lips. A glance around her gave a quick idea for her options. She wavered only a moment, before recalling that she'd just been blackmailed into marrying the Goblin King. That made her Goblin Queen.
A moment later, after downing the rest of her cup of wine, and she stood. Her head was held regally high and her hands were behind her, buried in the folds of her dress.
She slowly walked from the bridal table where she and Jareth had been ensconced for the toasts, and made her way in the sudden silence to before the Summer King.
She inclined her head, scandalously little. But after all, she was a queen now. "My lord." She smiled sweetly.
Jareth perked up at that. Oh it may have been a few years (or a hundred, give or take a few), but he knew when this woman was acting. And when she was fumingly angry. Right now she was both.
Ever the consummate actress, the dark haired queen carried on. She did not realize that her dress swirled around her, it's edges faded into nothing and stars as in the deep of the night glimmered in the waving mass of her hair and dress. Her eyes glowed green fire in the moon pale of her face. The audience was rapt on her.
"Though the path was far from easy, and I perhaps would have appreciated being asked before being whisked back here," The crowd tittered appreciately at her good humour, "may I nevertheless have the honour of kissing the hand that returned me to my promised?"
The King smiled fiendishly, subject to her ego boost nonetheless. "Sweet Sarah, would that you were not married to my brother. I would as soon taste your lips as he would." He held out his hand.
Sarah stepped forward to grasp it in one hand while the other hand clenched around the frost tipped arrow of Jareth's she'd borrowed, hidden behind her in the folds of her voluminous dress. A sudden yank and he was close enough for the arrow that was pressed into his throat withdrew a thin line of golden blood from him.
The Summer King gulped, his adams apple rising audibly to Sarah who was pressed up against him.
"Thank you." She said loudly. "Now, a couple things, before my Husband takes me home, where it's possible to finish this ceremony in a manner more befitting a King and Queen." She ignored the tingle of magic that swept through her.
"He calls you brother, but I don't see it. You stole me from my home, you blackmailed the Goblin King, you were willing to kill me, and start war. Because don't think I didn't hear you and your little mage making plans. But most of all," her voice grew low and deadly, "You threatened my brother."
If he'd been able to speak, the Summer King might have pointed out that her reasoning illustrated the sibling similarities all the more. But the pressure of the arrow point stole his words.
"You made an enemy in me this day, for I won't forget. If you ever, threaten me again, you will lose your head. So you can keep your court of lies and tricks, and sweet smells that hide the stench of rot. The Goblin King and I are leaving,"
She flicked green eyes over to Jareth, who was now standing, almost idly watching the proceedings. A glint of satisfaction rose in his eyes. "Right now!" She finished.
He was behind her, one arm wrapped around her waist like a chilled band of steel. His pointed chin rested on her shoulder and he raised smirking, laughing, eyes at the shocked Summer King. A final gloating smile, a wicked glimpse of pointed teeth. Then, with a burst of frosted magic and a shimmer of stardust, the Goblin King and his Queen went home.
The Summer King, in the throes of a mercurial mood swing, was livid. Fuming. Raging. Words could not express the depth of his ire at the presumptuous mortal and his treatment at her hands.
Not to mention that the Goblin King's smug arrogance and his willingness to let the dark haired witch abuse kings and the ancient magic of Underground, was unacceptable. The encouragement of his Queen's snubbing challenge was a betrayal of all he, the Summer King, held near and dear.
He had foisted an unwilling bride on his oftentimes enemy, and he had shown Jareth just how much power he held with and through the Summer Court. Even though he'd succeeded in creating a claim to gross insult from the disrespect of the Goblin Queen, it still felt like he'd lost somehow.
Never defeated for long, the Summer King sat and angrily considered the not unforeseen turn of events. He twisted and plotted. He would not allow for some chit of a girl to believe she had bested him. Not forever.
Her little tirade was nothing but a nuisance. Necessary to his future plans pertaining to the subjugation of the Goblin King and his powers, but a nuisance nonetheless.
Predictable as her reaction was, the sudden memory of her flashing green eyes and the smug smile of the Goblin King caused the sky to crack and thunder boom with the Summer King's rekindled anger.
He did not find consolation in the fact that in an enemy who'd had no weakness, he'd created one. At least, he did not take consolation just yet. For now the Summer King stewed and simmered in his self-righteous anger, plotting his deep revenge.
Winter was mistaken in his deep belief that it was all a drawn out, elaborately serious game. A belief that Summer had carefully and meticulously cultivated. He desired nothing more than to see the Goblin King on his knees, broken in body and spirit, serving the Summer Court with his magic, owing fealty to him alone. All in good sport, of course.
He'd planted a sharp nail in the Goblin King's armour, and he intended to pound it until he was cracked open and vulnerable. He would destroy him. And he would use Sarah Williams to do it. Eternity would be interesting while she was around.
Warm rain poured down over the Summer Court in wild sheets. Green fronds held over sopping heads protected some of the eerily still creatures from the deluge. They sat, keeping a strange vigil with their raging king.
**AN: Ooooookay. First off, thank you all for your reviews! I'm a little shocked at the response! I write to please myself and it's pleasant when it pleases others too!! I am encouraged by you all!
Secondly, SORRY! for the long wait. It is true that this story is finished, however I hit a snag when editing this chapter. I realized I was entirely dissatisfied by the chapter following. So, until I had a viable and workable 8th chapter, I refused to post this. Never fear, I've begun re-writing the last chapter, and am pleased with its direction.
Thirdly, I had the most brutal day off. I'm packing to go away for a week... Or I would've been if I hadn't first broken the laundry machine (okay, turns out I only thought I did, but it was an honest mistake when there's a lot of water leaking out from underneath it!!), and then after that I set my oven on fire. Needless to say, the first attempt at baking my brother's birthday cake was a disaster. So. Now I'm back on track, the laundry is being done and the (2nd) cake is in the fridge. I am 5 hours behind schedule and not even packed. Sooooooo, the warning is this, the 8th chapter will be coming in a little bit, but I'm not going to say soon. I'm in summer semester, I have two difficult upper level history courses that require much reading, one Shakespeare course and one Geography course. I'm a little busy. And away for a week where I do not foresee much time for homework. So please be patient but know that it is coming!!!
I think that's it. As always, remember, review and please let me know of grammar errors! If you have time to click "add story to alert" (or whatever it says), you have time to review!! I'll see you all when I get back!