CHAPTER 11
She was relieved he swore again not to do something like that. She said, "That is good to know. It is unsettling that even if a human woman was violated, she would have been too frightened of retaliation to report it anyway. It happens with physical violence that even human men do. It is called psychological conditioning. So why wouldn't it happen here with those who possess magic mixed with those who don't? Fae magic is too strong for humans to defend against. The only reason that I wasn't manipulated by magic today, is because of the small amount of knowledge I have found and the element of surprise. The only alternative to that is, I would have to shoot my gun even from a distance, but that would be an immediate death sentence for the fae. I have iron bullets for projectiles and deliberately had them made that way before coming here. I did not know what to expect, so I made sure I had a weapon for use against anybody. Now that I possess some magic. I'm still not trained, only in a little bit to get by."
Jareth got nervous and shifted in his chair. He said, "You really did come prepared, didn't you?"
She said, "Yes, because I can't defend against magic, but I can defend myself physically. I'm trained in self defense, archery, shooting and knife throwing." He realized the wisdom of her fear of the unknown and that there was every possibility that something bad may have occurred. It was the risk she took to come here in the Underground not knowing what to expect in advance. She didn't know how the humans lived here or if they lived here at all. She was blind coming here and anything she wasn't exposed to outside of the Labyrinth. It was reasonable that she was prepared for deadly force. He just felt bad that she had to worry about it at all.
Jareth slid over closer, removed a glove and reached out and took her hand. The skin to skin contact was like a tingling static charge of electricity going up each of their arms and entering their bodies. It was like a connection or exchange of energy, or magic. She turned looking at him in curiosity. He had his one eyebrow up in interest. He caressed her knuckles with his thumb and kissed the back of her hand.
He said, "Your necklace really is lovely. Having my crest on you should have been a warning to him but I think your cloak covered it up?" He reached out and fondled the pretty owl pendant at her throat.
She blushed and, "No,I wasn't aware. It was just too pretty not to buy it and I happen to like owls." He was flattered that she was drawn to his crest above all she saw in the jewelry shops. He caressed her cheek with his knuckle. She looked into his eyes and her head tilted into the touch of his finger on her face.
He said, "I'd like to kiss you right now, but I'm afraid you may shoot me." She started laughing and he did too.
Sarah said softly, "I wouldn't shoot you." He leaned over and captured her lips softly. His hand went automatically to thread his finger into the hair at the nape of her neck. She tasted like honey. She opened her mouth a little bit and he felt her tongue touch his and he deepened the kiss. After a minute, he stopped himself because he was going to lose control and he didn't want to move too fast and ruin what he felt for her.
He said, "You taste like honey on my tongue. Thank you for trusting me, Sarah. I won't ever do anything to harm you." He pecked her lips.
He said, "Sarah, it's time to eat dinner please come with me to the dining room? After we can go to the inn?" She nodded and stood up with him. He opened the door for her and they walked together down the hallway. Jareth had placed his hand on Sarah's lower back.
They came by the woman she saw earlier in the hall. The woman acted seductively walking up to the king and said simperingly, "Good evening, my king. Will you have me join you tonight when you retire?" Sarah realized this was his mistress. She sidestepped, away from him, making him drop his hand from her back. Jareth was pissed that the maid could be so brazen. He thought, 'They do not ask me, or to ask me in front of other people is brazen.'
Jareth said, "No. Never again in your lifetime. You are disrespectful and I want you out of the castle within the hour. How dare you say that to me!" He turned and walked a few feet down the hallway and realized Sarah was not with him.
The woman who was angry said to Sarah, "You won't keep his attention long." She flounced away to go pack her things.
Sarah said, "Go ahead. I'm not hungry anymore. Good evening, Goblin King." She left to go back to her room leaving him in the hallway alone.
Sarah was disappointed that his human bed filler was spitting hate at her with him standing there. What could he do other than shut her down like he did and he did remove her didn't he not? Sarah sighed. Sarah sat on her bed and thought about how well they were getting along. He was caressing her hand, had his hand on her lower back and God, his kiss was panty melting. It was the first time he showed affection that he cared for her more than a friend since they met again. What was that tingling going up her arm she wondered? She knew he felt it too. What were the last lines in that little red book? Oh, yeah. 'But what no one knew was that the King of the Goblins had fallen in love with the girl, and he had given her certain powers.' She wondered if he really was in love with her and what of the powers, was it the wishes she used? She hadn't wished since the Labyrinth run eleven years ago. Now she used it twice and it seemed to work on that woman in Bhaile and the fae brothers were grateful to her for her wish for them. Hmmm… she will have to ask him. The kitten cried out. She fed him again and refilled his bottle.
Sarah decided she would go back to the Goblin City and go back the inn earlier than she planned, get a bite to eat and an ale. She changed her clothes again and put on her leggings the blue skirt and blue peasant long sleeve blouse and the black bodice. The black Aboveground boots. She grabbed a few more coins and put them into her pouch and had her gun and knife hidden on herself. She left her room. She put her cloak with her hood up because it was getting dark outside and colder. She had Midnight inside her cloak safe. She walked out of the castle the same way she did earlier and walked across the courtyard into the city. She heard music when she came up to the inn. She entered and walked up to the bar in the back, and sat on the stool at the end.
Lukas came up and asked, "Whatcha be needin', Sar?"
Sarah said, "What's on the menu tonight? An ale, please."
The Lukas said, "Shepherd's Pie." He turned and drew her an ale. He sat it down in front of her.
She said, "I'll take it. How much do I owe you?" He told her five coppers. She gave it to him and he went and got her food. She turned and watched the room and every face in there. She then focused on the band setting up. The Lukas came back with her dinner. She ate heartily and relaxed. It was quite good.
Meanwhile, Jareth was incensed standing alone in the hallway and eating alone. He was glad he told the maid to be gone from the castle in an hour for her impudence. How dare she proposition him in front of anybody! His mind screamed. Now, Sarah won't want his attentions. It set him back to square one, he thought, with her. He was having such a nice time with her immediately upon stumbling across her as she entered the Labyrinth. Oh well, tomorrow is another day. He went to his study afterwards.
When he was ready to go to his bed chambers, he thought he would stop to say goodnight to Sarah. He knocked but no answer. He opened the door to find it empty. He thought, 'Where could she have gone?' He looked inside his crystal to locate her and saw her in the inn in town singing with a band. He reabsorbed the crystal, made another and cast it to the ground. He was transported to the inn and stepped inside the door. The inn was crowded. He never saw it so crowded. He watched Sarah from the back of the room.
She stood up and was talking to the band members. She told them, "I'll give you a tempo for this one. I'm sure it is unknown here. You can join as you catch on to the rhythm." She hummed and tapped out a beat for them. They smiled and caught on to it. She started singing:
"The Bonny Swans" by Loreena McKennitt:
-
A farmer there lived in the north country
A hey ho and me bonny o
And he had daughters one, two, three
The swans swim so bonny o
-
These daughters they walked by the river's brim
A hey ho and me bonny o
The eldest pushed the youngest in
The swans swim so bonny o
-
Oh sister, oh sister, pray lend me your hand
A hey ho and me bonny o
And I will give you house and land
The swans swim so bonny o
-
I'll give you neither hand nor glove
A hey ho and me bonny o
Unless you give me your own true love
The swans swim so bonny o
-
Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam
A hey ho and me bonny o
Until she came to a miller's dam
The swans swim so bonny o
-
The miller's daughter, dressed in red
A hey ho and me bonny o
She went for some water to make her bread
The swans swim so bonny o
-
O father, o daddy, here swims a swan
A hey ho and me bonny o
It's very like a gentle woman
The swans swim so bonny o
-
They laid her on the bank to dry
A hey ho and me bonny o
There came a harper passing by
The swans swim so bonny o
-
He made harp pins of her fingers fair
A hey ho and me bonny o
He made harp strings of her golden hair
The swans swim so bonny o
-
He made a harp of her breast bone
A hey ho and me bonny o
And straight it began to play alone
The swans swim so bonny o
-
He brought it to her father's hall
A hey ho and me bonny o
And there was the court assembled all
The swans swim so bonny o
-
He laid the harp upon the stone
A hey ho and me bonny o
And straight it began to play alone
The swans swim so bonny o
-
There does sit my father, the King
A hey ho and me bonny o
And yonder sits my mother the Queen
The swans swim so bonny o
-
And there does sit my brother Hugh
A hey ho and me bonny o
And by him William, sweet and true
The swans swim so bonny o
-
And there does sit my false sister Anne
A hey ho and me bonny o
Who drowned me for the sake of a man
The swans swim so bonny o
—--
Jareth noticed that during her singing magic was subtly filling the room. Nobody could see it but he could. It was like tendrils or misty fingers swirling interweaving in a very pale almost invisible shimmer into the atmosphere and around the room. It was coming from her. She was radiating and releasing magic around her. It was a healing magic, he sensed. Oh, she was such a beautiful creature.
She sang another song:
"Cymbeline" by Loreena McKennitt (from words written by Shakespeare from 'Cymbeline', Act IV. Scene 2)
-
"Fear no more the heat o' the sun
Nor the furious winters' rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages
-
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.
The sceptre, learning, physic, must
All follow this and come to dust.
-
Fear no more the frown o' th' great;
Thou art past the tyrant's stroke
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak.
-
The sceptre, learning, physic, must
All follow this and come to dust.
All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee and come to dust.
-
Fear no more the lightning flash,
Nor th' all-dreaded thunder-stone;
Fear not slander, censure rash;
Thou hast finished joy and moan.
-
All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee and come to dust."
—--
When the music ended everyone cheered. Sarah bowed. She had sung six songs and then four more. She was done. She shook hands and thanked each musician. One was an elf, one a dwarf, one a goblin, and two were humans. She went to the bar and the Lukas said, "This ale be on the house. Ye sing lovely, Sar. Thank ye fer boosting up me profits." She smiled, thanked him and took a drink of her ale.
Jareth watched from his obscure corner. The youngest musician took his hat and peddled the room for donations to the band. Jareth put money in the hat. The young man came back and said to the oldest musician, "We got five times more than ever."
The older fellow said, "Give a third to the girl, she earned it." The young man split the takings and gave two thirds to the older fellow. He walked up to the counter and offered her the other third part of his money collection.
Sarah turned and said, "No you all keep it as a gift. I was just having fun and you lifted my spirit tonight and that was payment enough. Thank you and bless you all for your kindness."
The young man smiled and went back to the older fellow and told him what she said. He took the money. They had packed up their instruments already. The older man walked up to the bar and said to her, "Yer a kind lass, an' we be thankin' ye fer a great evenin'. Ye can sit in an' sing anytime ye be wanten'. Me name be Dan."
He shook her hand and Sarah said, "My name is Sarah. It's been a pleasure to meet you, Dan."
Dan was shocked and said, "Not The Sarah?"
She smiled and said, "One in the same. For some reason I've changed into fae."
Dan said, "This be a true pleasure to meet ye, lass. Ye ta be fae is unusual, but ye still be like a human, lassie."
She put on her cloak and secured the kitten that was going to wake up soon. She smiled and waved as he left. Sarah finished her ale and left Lukas a couple silvers as a tip. She left to go back to the castle.
As she was walking out the door, she saw Jareth standing there. She said a little inquisitive, "Whatcha doing here in the dark, Goblin King? Did you follow me tonight?"
Jareth reached out and took her hand and said, "Yes after I had come to your room to say goodnight and found you left and was singing at the inn. I thought I would listen in and walk you back to the castle. You have a beautiful voice, by the way."
Sarah said, "That's very nice of you and thank you."
Jareth asked a bit confused, "You're not mad at me from earlier are you? I was embarrassed that she had the audacity to say something so private from three months ago, right at you deliberately, to make you jealous of her. It was disrespectful to both of us. I'm so sorry." Sarah was surprised that he just said he hadn't had sex in three months. Who was she to judge, because she was still a virgin at twenty six years old. She just didn't make the time with her academic obsessions of trying to find out about him and his people and how they affected humankind 5,000 years ago.
Sarah said softly, "Jareth, it's ok. I just thought… Well, it doesn't matter what I thought. Just forget it ever happened."