CHAPTER 16
The herald announced, "His majesty King Jareth, the Goblin King and Lady Sarah, Champion of the Labyrinth!" They walked in and Jareth led Sarah to a table with chairs. There were twelve beings sitting up at the front in a high long table, like a kingdom representatives panel. The gallery was full of beings and people also.
A court official said, "King Jareth, you do not sit at the supplicant table?"
Jareth said, "I sit by my betrothal's side." The court official bowed and left.
The herald announced the High King and Queen as they came in and took their thrones. The herald announced, "The court recognizes the supplicant Lady Sarah of the Aboveground, Champion of the Labyrinth. Here by cometh to be recognized as a member of the fae tribe of Lugh." The gallery and panel loudly murmured.
The High King said, "The court recognizes the Court Officiant of the Elven Kingdom, King Alok Eilnorin."
Alok stood up and walked to a podium. He said, "Lady Sarah, it is my understanding that the people of the fae tribe Lugh are extinct. Can you explain your claim?"
Sarah stood and said, "I was under the assumption that I was a human who lived in the Aboveground, until recent events have changed my status as you can see. I was a Labyrinth runner eleven years ago, as you know I won my brother back. I returned to my home Aboveground and three days later I woke up and noticed subtle changes in my appearance, my ears were tapering, my eyes and hair were shinier and I developed an eidetic memory. All this I did not possess prior. Over the last eleven years, I applied myself academically to seek information on the fae during the time of their departure from the Aboveground 5,000 years ago. I acquired four masteries in education and research. During my research I discovered information on a vague reference and possible entry to a portal to the Underground in Dagda's home, called Newgrange mounds now." Murmurings proceeded.
"I studied information, relics and locations as my job. I went to Newgrange and was investigating the interior and put my hand on a wall and fell through to the outside. When I looked back and got up and touched the wall it was stone and an opening wasn't there. I proceeded eventually out of the tunnel and fell over a pot of gold. I gathered up the spilt coins and loaded my pockets and wrapped the rest in my coat. I found my way to a small town called Caladh. After outfitting myself, I was camping and traveling from town to town to reach the Labyrinth and the Goblin City. I had been in the Underground for over a month by that time. I had changed one night in my sleep while in Loch Glad and at that time I was only in the Underground twelve days." More murmurings.
She cleared her throat and said, "I had intimate relations with his highness and experienced what he called 'An Cheangail'. The next morning I had fae tribal markings." The room breaks out in murmuring and whispers.
Princess Emiline shouted out from the gallery, "It's a lie! It's makeup!"
The High King shouted, "Silence! One more word from you Princess Emiline and you will be removed!"
Alok asked once the room quietened, "May we check your markings and make sure they are real and of the Lugh?"
Sarah said, "Of course, you may." Alok had the representative of the Pixie and Unicorn Kingdoms examine her markings to look for makeup. They smudged and examined the pattern on her eyelids. They went back and whispered comments to Alok.
Alok said, "The representatives of the Pixie and Unicorn Kingdoms say they are authentically there. What say you Court Scholar?" Radison approached and looked at her patterns on her lids.
Radison said, "They are the official patterns of the royal tribe of Lugh. I also add that if she came through an ancient portal only a fae could have opened that portal and passed through it and only if blood was introduced."
Alok asked, "Was there blood used to enter, Lady Sarah?"
Sarah said, "I had a cut on my hand from earlier that day."
Radison said, "I also submit that historically, the Lugh tribe stayed behind when the rest of the fae returned. It is documented."
Alok said, "Lady Sarah, did you submit to a medical exam?"
Sarah said, "Yes, the Goblin King's healer and his father's healer did a full examination on me."
Alok said to Haloran, "What were your official findings healer Haloran?"
Haloran said, "I have run every test I can think of and did it twice to be sure. She is a Lugh fae, she is speaking the truth. She is 100% fae. She has a large magical reserve and possesses no human genes. It is my conclusion that the Lugh were not exposed to magic and were exposed to iron in the Aboveground. Their bodies must have adapted and reverted to a human state until exposed to enough magic to stimulate the fae genes to dominate her body once exposed. The 'An Cheangail' is a huge burst of magic and both must be fae and must possess magic in order for it to occur."
The room breaks out in loud talking and Emiline shouted, "No, it's a lie! She is human! They are all lying!"
The High King shouts, "Remove her!" A guard physically wrestles Emiline out the door as she keeps screaming.
Alok said, "I open the floor up to questions from the panel." He sits down.
The Queen of the Pixies asked, "Did you not realize what was happening to you after your run?"
Sarah said, "No. I thought it was odd but nobody else seemed to notice or care. I was only in the Underground for ten hours before I was sent home."
The Queen of the Pixies asked, "You didn't go through the whole 13 hours?"
Sarah said, "No, your majesty, the Goblin King took three hours away from me." The room laughed. Sarah blushed.
The Queen of the Pixies asked, "Goblin King, why did you do that?"
Jareth said, "She was proceeding too quickly and had a smart mouth." The room laughed. Sarah was still blushing.
The King of the Unicorns asked, "Did you ever feel different?"
Sarah said, "Yes, your majesty, all my life, I was a square peg in a round hole. I never felt a part of anything until I came here for that brief time."
The King of the Leprechauns asked, "Didn't ya feel bad fer taking the gold?"
Sarah said, "I did at first, but I was in need in a strange world with nothing and I needed the help to survive. I know the leprechaun must have died or forgotten it, because it was extremely layered with a thick layer of dust and dirt. It must have been abandoned a long time ago because if that passage was from a 5,000 year old portal it makes sense he could have died." The leprechaun nodded in agreement with her logic. That was all the questions about the matter.
Alok stood up and said, "I will close for debate in the ante chamber." The twelve and the High King went into the ante chamber to vote if she was to become a citizen of the fae tribe of Lugh.
After a while, they returned and Alok said, "It is upon official judgment that Lady Sarah, Champion of the Labyrinth is an official member of the tribe of Lugh fae. Welcome to the Underground, Lady Sarah." He nodded his head to her and Sarah curtsied smiling at him and the other fae panelists.
The High King said, "I submit to court officially the announcement of the betrothal of my son the Goblin King..." The room loudly murmured. " …to Lady Sarah, Champion of the Labyrinth and tribe of the Lugh. The celebration will be in one week." The room erupted in half clapping, whispering and angry murmurings."
Alok said, "Congratulations, Goblin King. Courts adjourned." Jareth nodded at him and stood with his arm around Sarah. They started walking out of the courtroom.
Sarah whispered, "The angry ones must be the fae who wanted you for themselves."
Jareth said, "Too bad, I'm a one woman man." She squeezed his arm.
She whispered, "Damn right, you are." He grinned at her. They were headed to the High Palace to visit with his parents before returning home to The Castle Beyond The Goblin City.
--
Jareth was thinking about his parents and was amazed at how Sarah was affecting them. They doted on her and hugged and touched her with such affection. They were affectionate to him as a child, but it was mostly formal and more detached in some ways as he got to be an adult. In the last hundred years they have been steadily increasing their pressure to be outright authoritative and demanding to get him to marry. Now that Sarah is here and giving them a grandchild. They had become different people to Sarah and himself. It's like she has charmed them into loving her like their own. They seem to enjoy their visits now and it felt more like a family to him because of her. He realized that her asking for their love changed everything for them, even before the baby was mentioned. So, he knew it was her, not the baby that started it all. The baby just sealed it in their hearts.
--44th day
The day of the celebration party came for their betrothal. Jareth was watching Sarah get dressed. She was putting on her garter belt and attaching her stockings in her underwear. He thought, what a sexy beauty she was as she moved around hooking her stockings. He couldn't wait to bring her home and unwrap her from her clothes and have her leave her stockings and heels on while he pounded her beautiful pussy. She made him feel so stimulated all the time. He never felt this way for anyone in his life; it was such an amazing feeling. The fae were very sexually free people.
She wore a lovely deep burgundy velvet empire dress in gold trim and brocade gold bodice with long sleeves.. She wore her hair up and pinned. Jareth sent in a servant that did her hair and make up. Sarah's markings are always there and his markings would only show when he wants them too. He thought he would need to show her how to mask them when she wanted to. He thought, perhaps, she was proud to be a Lugh fae and display them for now. He decided he would mention it eventually to her.
Sarah was wearing a fancy ancient ruby jewelry set. It was delicately made and suited her so well in her burgundy dress. She had on a pair of burgundy velvet slippers that were flats. She thought they were perfect for dancing and would be less hard on her feet and his too if she stepped on him. She had been practicing dancing with him over the past week.
She was still very cautious and untrusting everyone but him and his parents, so she wore her knife and carried her gun everywhere she went. Jareth doesn't say anything because he knows she is not magical trained yet and it was her way of defending herself.
Jareth was dressed in his black leggings and boots with a burgundy velvet and gold brocade jacket that matches her dress. With a black silk shirt with cravat with ruffled cuffs. His necklace on the outside and his royal eye markings on full display. His hair was tipped with red.
Sarah turned and walked up to him, went up on her tiptoes and kissed his lips. She said, "You look so handsome and regal." She caressed his cheek.
He said, "Thank you, my love. You look lovely. Are you ready?" She nodded. They had left Midnight with Orrian again before they left. Orrian was getting fond of her little helpless kitten. He tossed a crystal at her bed and a burgundy velvet cloak appeared trimmed in gold Celtic knots. He helped her put it on with the hood up. It was snowing and they were taking a carriage through the portal this time to the High King's Palace. Jareth had on his black cloak, as they snuggled in the carriage under a fur blanket.
After they arrived at the palace and made their way inside. Jareth took her to his room there and they left their cloaks there. He escorted her to the ballroom.
Sarah said, "I'll try to keep my feet to myself tonight."
He chuckled and said, "My toes will forgive you, my love."
They walked up to the ballroom and you could hear the murmurings of a crowd. The herald announced, "His Highness King Jareth, The Goblin King and Lady Sarah Champion of the Labyrinth!" They entered and went up to the High thrones and Jareth bowed and Sarah curtsied. They stepped to the side.
The High King stood and announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming to celebrate the betrothal of my son King Jareth and Lady Sarah. Please enjoy!"
Jareth took Sarah to the refreshments and got her a fruit drink and himself a glass of wine. He said, "I want you to enjoy yourself, my love. This is your first party in your honor. You'll get to see how people act good or bad tonight " He kissed her temple.
A woman in overdone pepto bismol pink ruffles with a dress barely covering her breasts came flouncing up to Jareth. He looked at her and rolled his eyes pinching his bridge if his nose with his thumb and index finger. The woman curtsied, showing her boobs to him and said, "You magnificence, I missed your occasional visits to my boudoir."
Jareth said, "Pansy this is rude and unbecoming of even you. I haven't seen you in four years. Leave and don't return. It's just a ploy to assert yourself between me and my beloved. You're making a complete fool of yourself." The woman gasped and retreated to go lick her wounded ego. Jareth turned to ask Sarah for his forgiveness.
Sarah started laughing. She said, "Oh my God, what the hell was that thing? She looked like a piece of pink taffy candy wrapped around a jealous bitch." She continued laughing and Jareth started laughing too. He knew that she wasn't offended.
A handsome man with dark blonde hair came up next with a very pretty redheaded woman on his arm. He said, "Congratulations, Jareth old man, about time you settle down and take a queen. A pretty one too."
Jareth said, "Lord Shade and Lady Ashton, may I introduce you to my beloved, Lady Sarah. Sarah, Shade and I have been friends for years. He used to play with Malachi and I when we were children. Ashton used to always follow us around causing trouble, like putting tacks under our saddles and vinegar in our juice." The Lord and Lady laughed and shook her hand.
Lady Ashton said, "They were little monsters growing up chasing me around to push me in every body of water they could find nearby. Don't let them fool you, I fought back with cleverness while they used brute force. They were devil boys." She laughed at them. Sarah smiled thinking of what a devious precocious child Jareth was.
Shade said, "You must come visit the Pixie Kingdom and our home. Ashton and I would love it." Sarah thought they were very nice and personable people.
Sarah said, "I'd love to. I hope you will be coming to our wedding too."
Ashton said, "You can count on us being there." Sarah smiled at her.
After a while, they went and talked with his father and mother who were talking with Malachi in hushed tones.
Malachi said, "... yes I will be keeping an eye on both of them tonight."
Jareth said walking up, "Who would that be, Malachi?"
The High King hugged and kissed Sarah's cheek and said, "You look beautiful my dear."
Sarah whispered in his ear, "You look handsome grandpa." Oberon smiled at her, patting her shoulder.
Malachi said to Jareth, "Galron brought Emiline with him. I know they are up to something because everyone knows Emiline is furious over this betrothal. So why would she be here and Galron allowing her to come with him. I think he's helping her undermine or cause trouble. You told me about that one incident between Galron and Sarah, so now I'm sure it's a possibility of trouble."
Oberon asked, "What happened?"
Jareth said, "He sexually accosted Sarah when she still appeared human and she took him down into the ground with both hands behind his back with his face in the dirt." Oberon and Tatiana chuckled with Malachi.
Oberon said, "Would have liked to see that."
Jareth said, "She was brilliant."
Sarah blushed and said, "Now stop it. I was just defending myself."
Jareth said, "As you should have. I heard some of what he said. Now let me take you to dance, my beauty."
Sarah giggled, "Your toe's funeral." He smiled.
They danced and were in their own little world. Until Galron tried to cut in and Jareth said, "You must be kidding me. No way. I am not letting you dance or be anywhere near my Sarah. I know your motives and you are not welcome. Go dance with the others."
Galron said, "Oh come now cousin. There is no harm. It's just a dance. What could possibly happen in a crowded ballroom anyway."
Jareth said, "I said no, Galron. Now, go dance with the others." Jareth walked away with Sarah on his arm to the direction of his parents.