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Sarah woke late the next morning in a bad mood. Karen's words the night before had stung, and she did not want to see her sister today. So after slipping out of bed, she rang for a servant to bring breakfast to her rooms. It took all her willpower to smile at the young girl brining the tray up. Grouchy as she was, no one deserved to be snapped at for doing nothing. Resolving to walk in the gardens after lunch, Sarah settled down to practice her needlework. If she was fast enough, she might be able to finish the baby booties for Agemos and Nissa's child before it was born. As she pulled the needle though the soft cloth, Sarah lost herself in memories of her childhood.
"I'm going to the Fae kingdom?" a six year old Sarah asked, expression unreadable. Her mother nodded, and Karen stood by her side, wringing her hands anxiously. What if Sarah was upset about this turn of events? What if she hated her for what she had done? Karen didn't think she could bear leaving home and taking a sister who hated her. Much to her relief, Sarah grinned. "At least we will be together sister." she said, "Besides, I've never met a Fae before. What are they like, mother?"
The queen smiled and held out her hand for Sarah to take. "I haven't much time to describe them to you my dear," she told her daughter, "But I can provide you with enough reading material to satisfy even your undying curiosity." Sarah slipped her hand into her mother's, and they slowly made their way to the library, Karen trailing behind.
Sarah had spent the rest of the afternoon snuggled into a large chair, turning page after page in book after book about Fae. They were fascinating! She couldn't believe that a being could be so similar to a mortal and yet so very different. A small thrill of excitement trailed down her spine as she thought about living in the Fae kingdom. She was actually going to live with them.
Nearby, Karen sat in her own chair, sulking. Sarah didn't act upset at all! Her plan of avoiding marriage had failed; she was all out of excuses, loopholes and ideas. There was nothing else she could do... Or was there?
Sarah was dragged from her memories by a knock at her chamber door. Karen's voice filtered through the intricately carved wood, but Sarah ignored her. She was nearly done with the top embroidery of one bootie, and she also was still mad at her sister. She did not want to talk to her. After only a few seconds, Karen left and Sarah rolled her eyes.
"You really wanted to talk to me didn't you?" she snorted under her breath, "Practically broke down the door!" Shaking her head, Sarah set her needlework down and decided to see what the cooks were making for lunch. Maybe she could snag something and take it out into the gardens. She still owed herself a walk, and staying inside all day was giving her a headache.
The head cook, Madelin, reluctantly gave Sarah some bread and cheese wrapped in a napkin, and after gathering her skirt in one hand, made her way to the gardens. They were beautifully cultivated, the flowers cared for in such a way that they bloomed all year long. Fountains littered the enormous grounds and some looked deep and wide enough to swim in. The heat of the afternoon caused her to gaze longingly at the clear water and with a sigh, she seated herself in the shade of one of the fountains. Every so often while she ate her lunch, the wind would blow a mist of water, cooling her heated skin. The relief was heavenly.
Her bread and cheese quickly devoured, Sarah rose from her surprisingly comfortable bench and began walking through the gardens. Having been through them hundreds of times before, her stroll couldn't really be called exploring. She knew every stone and each hedge, every fountain and each twist or turn on the pathway by heart. She had even helped care for some of the fauna every year; simple tasks though, such as watering. When she was younger, she used to weed the beds, but that stopped when Karen found out and insisted it was unladylike.
Glancing around and making sure no one was looking, Sarah pulled her skirt up past her knees and knelt in one of the flower beds right off of the path. It looked like no one had gotten a chance to care for it in a while, and weeds were choking the soft pink blossoms. With a grin at the thought of spiting her sister, Sarah eagerly yanked at the weeds, creating a pile of them next to her. It was hard work (for a princess) but she welcomed it. Anything to keep her mind off current events. As she pulled up the offending plants, Sarah once again lost herself in memory.
Her short legs made it difficult to run after the puppy, but Sarah just had to get her ribbon back. It was one she planned on wearing when the Fae king and his entourage arrived in two weeks. The mischievous animal had snatched it from her while she was trying it on and she had been chasing the pup for a good ten minutes now. It just wouldn't let go! "Besta!" she called breathlessly after it, "Drop it now!" The puppy simply paused, wagged its tail and took off once more.
"Fine then." Sarah panted, "Keep it." She plopped down against the wall near a door and leaned her head back in attempt to catch her breath. The corridor was silent without Besta's yipping, and Sarah felt too alone. She was about to get up and look for a new ribbon and someone to keep her company when she heard voices.
"You can't go with him! He doesn't know you like I do. Come away with me. I love you, Karen." Karen? Who was talking to her sister?
"But I have to." that was Karen's voice, "I've been given no choice. As much as I love you, I cannot marry you. You should know that. If I married anyone less than royalty, I would be shamed eternally and most likely hunted down to be killed."
There was a long pause, and Sarah felt a small voice in the back of her head. Eavesdropping is wrong. Sarah wrestled with her conscience, but her curiosity won out and she remained in a heap on the floor, listening through the door.
"Karen. I haven't been entirely honest with you."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm not a stable boy. I am Prince Arden of the Elven Kingdom."
"Prince Arden?" Karen gasped loudly.
"Will you come away with me now? I offer you my protection, my inheritance and my love."
"Oh, your highness." Here she paused and Sarah rolled her eyes, knowing it was for dramatic effect. "I will go with you."
Time passed, but Sarah was unaware of its passing as she lost herself in her work and moved to other beds. When footsteps clacked on the stone path, Sarah's head popped up from the flower bed and noticed that the sun was setting. Around the corner came a servant, and she looked relieved to see Sarah kneeling in the bed.
"M'lady!" the old woman exclaimed, "It is nearly supper time and we have been looking for you!" Upon seeing the dirt streaking Sarah's dress and face, she tsked. "Oh, we have to hurry to get you to dinner in time!"
Sarah sighed. "I'm not going to dinner." she announced after some thought. The servant blanched and opened her mouth to respectfully protest, but Sarah spoke again. "Tell them I don't feel well, and am resting in my rooms." As an afterthought, she added, "And I don't want to be disturbed."
The old woman was about to speak again, but Sarah shook her head. "I'm not coming to dinner. Now if you would be so kind..." She smiled and waved her hand down the path and the servant reluctantly left her alone. Once she was out of sight, Sarah glanced around before standing up and slipping off her shoes. Pulling her skirt up past her knees, she hurried over to the fountain. Finally. She'd been dying to do this all day...
Meanwhile, earlier that day...
Jareth eyed his cousin skeptically. "You have a plan?" he asked. Odysseus shushed him fiercely, and made a gesture threatening to cover Jareth's mouth again. "Quieter!" he hissed, "Do you want the whole camp to hear?"
Rolling his eyes, Jareth pulled himself out of Odysseus's grip. "What is your plan, then?" he asked in a whisper, "And why on earth do you need my help?"
Looking around as if someone might be inside the tent with them, Odysseus leaned closer and smirked. "I have an idea," he began, "And it is ingenious! You and I are going to sneak into the Elven city, and scout out the castle. Tonight!"
Jareth attempted to look his cousin in the eye seriously, but was having trouble keeping a straight face. Honestly, what was Odysseus thinking? Had he been hit over the head, or had the heat finally gotten to him?
"You want the two of us Fae to slip into an Elven city? Unnoticed?" Jareth asked slowly, "Do you really think that is logical?" Odysseus shrugged and grasped his cousin's shoulders.
"Think of it," he pressed, "We alter our features and there! We're in. No one expects royalty to scout. Its the perfect plan!"
"We'll never get in." Jareth reminded his cousin, "And you very well know, we're taller than elves."
"Psh!" Odysseus scoffed, "Excuses excuses! If you must be so difficult, we'll simply fly in. Ha! I'll wager you never thought of that, now did you, cousin? I'm royalty too you know. We'll use our bird forms!" He crossed his arms and raised a brow in triumph.
"But I don't understand why we have to go." Jareth sighed, "Or do you suddenly feel the need to act like a child again?" He pulled Odysseus's hands off his shoulders and walked around him, sitting himself down on a trunk near the tent flap.
"We have to go, because I know no one could do the job as well as you and I." Odysseus sighed in annoyance. He pouted and continued with, "Please cousin! It would only be one night of scouting. When do I ever ask such favors?"
Jareth raised an eyebrow. "Do you really want me to answer that?" he asked sarcastically. Odysseus frowned.
"You're missing the point!" he protested, "Come on Jareth. Don't be such a stick in the mud!"
"I am not being a stick in the mud!" Jareth exclaimed indignantly. With a smirk, Odysseus crossed his arms.
"Prove it."
Several hours later, Jareth found himself in owl form, perched on King Priam's castle wall. Odysseus had left him to search out the other half of the castle grounds, and Jareth was far from amused. So far he barely avoided getting drenched with dishwater (at least, he hoped it was dishwater) being dumped from one of the castle windows, had at least five cats eye him in hopes of a meal and he was certain a female owl had tried to woo him. Jareth may have been young, but he was not foolish, and this little adventure was far from exciting.
Damn you Odysseus! he thought as the sun slowly dipped below the horizon, This is completely ridiculous! He ruffled his feathers and prepared to take off, when a noise pulled his attention to the gardens below him.
"M'lady!" someone exclaimed. Jareth turned his head to see an elderly woman hurrying down the garden pathway. From among the rose bushes, a young woman rose up and turned to face the servant. The conversed for a few moments, and Jareth could see that the servant was upset about something when she turned and left. The girl however, looked relieved to be alone once more.
Glancing around, the girl shifted, and as she raised her skirt up, Jareth could see that she had taken her shoes off. Looking about one more time, the girl hurried towards the fountain across the path. She was obviously a mortal; even from this distance Jareth could tell. She lacked the grace to be anything but a mortal. Pulling her skirt up past her knees, she dipped one foot into the water and let out a sigh.
Jareth was growing uneasy watching the scene before him, not liking where it was heading. He was about to take off and leave the girl, when something struck his right shoulder. Turning his head almost all the way around, he caught sight of two elf-boys on the opposite side of the wall, each holding sling-shots and a handful of stones. One took aim, and Jareth launched himself into the air just before the stone would have struck him. However, he wasn't lucky a second time, as the other boy sent a rather large rock up to him. It hit his left wing, and with a screech, he was forced to land inside the gardens, unaware of the attention he was drawing from the girl.
Great. Now he was injured, inside enemy territory. He was going to murder Odysseus. If he was able to get out that is. Landing on a stone bench, Jareth twisted to get a better look at his wing. Damn. The brats' shots had torn half of the feathers from it, and he let out a small squawk of annoyance and pain. Suddenly, something cold hit his beak. Water.
"Oh, you poor thing!" Gentle, but cold and wet hands were encircling him, and he struggled to break out of their hold.
"Calm down, calm down." the voice soothed, "I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to help." It was the girl, and she was dripping wet. Jareth tensed, but stopped struggling. Maybe she could help him if he remained cooperative. The girl seemed pleased by his reaction and softly stroked his head. It took all of Jareth's willpower not to snap at her. He. Hated. Being. Patronized.
"Now, can I look at your wing?" Jareth was certain her voice was not normally that high, but he shifted anyway, holding out his injured wing. The girl gasped, though Jareth wasn't sure why.
"Can I..." she hesitated, "Can I see... your other wing?" Unable to roll his eyes in owl form, Jareth mentally rolled them and held out his right wing with a wince; his shoulder was sore from the first rock. If only he was in his human form. Then he could just heal it himself and be on his way.
The girl quickly put him down and stepped back with another gasp, and Jareth got a better look at her. She was completely soaked, apparently having gone for a dip in the fountain. Her hair was dark and her eyes were green. She was rather pretty, Jareth thought, at least for a mortal. But what was a mortal doing in King Priam's gardens? She obviously wasn't a servant, and Jareth was certain she wasn't Princess Karen. Why is she stepping back? he wondered.
"You can..." she stuttered, beginning to breath heavily, "You can understand me?" He did not just do that. Now his cover was blown. He hopped to fly away, but his injured wing wouldn't move quickly enough and he began to tumble. The girl quickly sprung forward and caught him before he could hit the ground however, and she held him at arm's length.
"It's getting cold," she stated, breathing still far above normal speed, "You won't last out here. If I take you inside, do you promise not to tear anything up?"
Jareth thought for a moment. It was getting cold, and as long as he remained in this form, he would be safe. The girl seemed harmless enough, and maybe he could pick up some information while inside. He would be able to fly in the morning anyway...
With a squawk he hoped the girl translated as a yes, Jareth's fate for the night was sealed.
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