CHAPTER 12

Sarah walked into the market and stocked up on her dry goods and would come back for fresh when she left town. She then went to the bakery and got pastries, cookies, and some honey glazed almonds and walnuts.

Sarah walked back to the inn and sat at the counter. Keynan walked up and asked, "What would you like, pretty Ash?"

Sarah blushed and smiled at him. She thought he was so nice. Sarah asked, "Can I get a tea, please? Would you join me and have some cookies and a pastry or two?"

Keynan said, "I think I will." Keynan came back with two teas and a jar of honey and spoons. He sat next to her and they shared her treats.

Keynan reached for a pastry and asked, "If you would like, I can start showing you some spells like healing and defensive out behind the inn later, say an hour or two? I can have Jamie watch the counter for me."

Sarah leaned over and nudged him and said, "That's nice of you. Good people need to stick together and help each other out."

He smiled and said, "I like that. You are right. Ash, you are polite, not many people are. You get used to it, and it is so new when someone like you comes along."

Sarah smiled at him and said, "I was taught manners, is all. It's how I was brought up."

Keynan said, "By the humans you were raised by?" Sarah nodded.

He said, "I am glad they took care of you." Sarah sipped her tea and smiled at him.

Suddenly, a girl burst into the inn's front door with red hair to her shoulders and a gray peasant dress on and a green cloak. She shouted, "What is this I hear about you spending time with someone else who walked into town last night, Keynan?! I have been trying to get you to court me for three years, and you will not give me the time of day!" Keynan got up and faced the girl. Sarah stayed where she was. The three other fae got up and watched, stepping away from them.

Keynan said, "What the hell are you yelling about, Leela? I never encouraged you or asked you to go anywhere with me ever. I can talk to anyone I please. It is none of your business. My wife died whilst having my baby. I don't have to choose you because you want me too. Ash, is my friend and a lot better company than you talking about yourself all the time! So leave me the hell alone!"

Leela shouted, "How dare you go after the first trollop that slithers into town with her legs open! She looks like an elf or human anyway with that nasty hair!"

Keynan said in a low voice, "I am warning you. Get out!"

Leela lobbed a crystal at Keynan trying to hurt him. They started throwing magic at each other, and Leela tried throwing attacks at Sarah. Sarah stood up, looking at the girl, Leela. She couldn't do any magic against Sarah at all. So, Leela ran up to her with a knife and tried to stab Sarah in the stomach where her kittens were in the bag.

Sarah was struggling with the crazy woman to make her drop the knife. It was iron or silver, and Sarah didn't know whether it would kill her or not. Sarah swept her knees from behind and the girl fell forward, though on her knees and then to the floor on the knife. She didn't move. Keynan rolled her over to show the knife went all the way to the hilt in her chest where her heart is. It killed her instantly. Sarah stood there and stared at the girl.

The three others went to get her family. A little while later, the father of the girl and her aunt who was in earlier that morning were there looking at the dead girl. Sarah leaned up against a wall out of the way. The father demanded what happened.

Keynan said, "Leela was jealous of me spending time with Ash, who came in last night. She attacked us both with magic and then went after Ash with an iron knife. During the struggle, she fell on the knife. I did not know she was like that. It was scary how out of control she was." The three other people said it was exactly like that.

The father looked at Sarah and said, "Did you or did you not kill my daughter, woman?"

Sarah had tears in her eyes and said sadly, "I didn't mean for it to happen. I tried to stop her from stabbing me and my kittens. She wouldn't stop. I tripped her to stop her, and she fell on the knife."

Keynan said, "Ash did not even say a word to antagonize or anything. She just tried to stop her from hurting her and her kittens."

Leela's father asked like he had a bitter taste in his mouth, "What is this about kittens? What kittens?" Sarah took out her mewing kittens and cuddled them. They sensed she was upset. The father was older looking and had salt and pepper hair.

The father looked at Sarah and said, "Cathwyllts?" Sarah nodded.

The father sighed and picked up his daughter and took her home.

Keynan magically cleared the floor of blood. He went over to Sarah and held her in his arms. Sarah sadly said, "I'm sorry."

Keynan said softly in her ear, "It is not your fault, Ash. You did nothing wrong. Let me take your things upstairs and talk for a little while." He closed up her bag and boxes of treats. He carried them upstairs and Sarah held on to the kittens and opened the door. Sarah sat the kittens on the bed and sat down herself. Keynan sat the box and bags of goodies on the little table. He sat on the bed next to her. She was laid down across the bed and her kittens were cuddling to her neck.

Keynan laid down across the bed with his bent arm, propping his head up with his hand, and said, "Leela caused it all to happen by attacking us. You and I just defended ourselves. Accidents happen, Ash."

Sarah looked him in the eyes and said, "Sarah. My real name is Sarah. I'm the Labyrinth champion. Ash is just a nickname I gave myself. If I jumble up the letters, it spells Ashar and Ash for short. I thought you should know."

Keynan asked, "It's not your magical name, is it?"

Sarah said, "I don't know if I even have a magical name. It's my Aboveground name. I never lied to anyone. It was just a different form of my same name. I come from very far away. I was raised by humans. Wish magic accidentally happened when I wished myself fae in my sleep and kept my dark hair." He started laughing. She wondered what was so funny?

He says, "You wished yourself, fae in your sleep?" He starts laughing harder.

Sarah smiled and said, "Only I could sleep wish and everyone else sleep talks." She giggled. He reached out his hand and caressed her face. He smiled with soft eyes at her. Keynan leaned in and kissed her. Really kissed her. Sarah was melting.

Keynan broke the kiss and said, "Are you going to stay the full week, so I can have more time to show you the magic you need to know? You are so very lovely, Ash, Sarah or any name you want to go by. You're so kind. It makes you so unique. Your heart is gentle. I can tell how you treat your kittens. I could fall in love with you so easily, but you're only here for a brief moment. It would be a shame if I had missed knowing someone so beautiful is out there in the Underground."

Sarah said, "Let's stay friends while I'm here. I don't know if I'm staying yet. I 'wish' love, happiness, and prosperity for you for the rest of your lifetime. Now I won't have to worry about you." The magic swirled around the room. Sarah sat up and so did Keynan.

He hugged her tight with his head on her shoulder and said softly, "Thank you, Sarah. I will treasure your gift forever. I wish you the same."

Sarah said, whispering, "Thank you, Keynan." He kissed her again, stood up and left to go downstairs.

—--

Jareth finally got a wish-a-way and went up to deal with and had his advisor, Lord Galvin, deal with the runner until he returns.

Jareth sent the runner to the Labyrinth and the child was in the castle. Jareth went to Greenwich, Connecticut and did a location spell on the vanity. He was invisible to humans and found the vanity in a home on the upper west side of Stamford. He appeared there and did a magic detect spell finding his magical signature and his father's the High King. Jareth was outraged. He went down to deal with the run in the Labyrinth.

Jareth decided that after the thirteen hours expired and the run ended, he was going to pay his father a visit and find out why he tampered with Sarah, cutting off communication with her.

—--

Later that evening, Sarah went down to get dinner and everyone in the room was looking at her in silence. She felt extremely uneasy with their accusing eyes. Sarah asked Keynan for a meal and a wine to take up to her room. He gave it to her on a tray.

Sarah said, "I'm sorry, but I'll be leaving in the morning." It took the wind out of Keynan's mood, and he looked at everyone, throwing angry stares at Sarah. She walked straight up the stairs and locked the door. She ate her meal and fed a bit to the kittens. Sarah packed up everything and took a bath.

She was drying her hair in front of the fire when there was a knock on the door. She looked in Keynan's eyes and saw his sadness. Sarah stepped back and let him in.

He said sadly, "They do not care to understand. They think if you never came here that she would not be dead. They refuse to see that you're innocent. My brother, Navin, the blacksmith, and I know the truth of it."

Sarah said, feeling sad disappoint, "It's ok. It's better this way. I'm just a traveler. You'll still have a bright future, Keynan, and that makes me happy to ever have met you." He rushed over and embraced her. She hugged him back.

He was miserable that she had to go and was upset about the people of the town shunning her like they were by taking it out on her for an accident. He said forlorn, "It's not fair. You are such a good person, Sarah, and we should be able to stick together, like you said."

Sarah had a tear roll down her face with her head on his shoulder and said, "It's all going to be ok. I need to follow my path and destiny. You just have a different path than me. We got only a moment that crossed paths to become good friends, and that's all we can ask for." He nodded his head.

He said, "My heart was closed off until you opened it."

Sarah said, "Then my purpose will be done, and now I'll never have to worry about you. That's what good people do for each other."

Keynan pulled back, kissed her passionately, put his forehead to hers and said, "I can never forget you, Sarah." He smiled with a melancholy look to it, let her go and opened the door, looking back at her. He left, closing the door behind himself. Sarah went over and locked the door. She stoked the fire, put the screen back up and got in bed, cuddling her kittens. She stared at nothing, thinking for a longtime and smiled softly before falling asleep.

—--Day 37

When morning came, Sarah brought all her baggage down, ready to leave. She gave Keynan the key and kissed him softly, only lingering for a moment while everyone was watching. She walked out the door of the inn and straight to the blacksmith's barn. Sarah saddled Shadow and packed him up.

The blacksmith, Navin, Keynan's brother, said, "Fair winds and gentle seas to you, Lady Sarah, Champion of the Labyrinth. Be safe."

Sarah smiled at him and said, "Thank you, look after him." He nodded.

Sarah led Shadow out of the barn, and it started to snow. Sarah mounted up and rode out to the next town of Réalta (star) that was two days away.

After a while, she would need to camp. The snow became heavier and deeper. Sarah spotted a cave in an outcropping of rock formations. She wished the cave to be empty of bugs and harmful creatures.

Sarah led Shadow into the cave with a crystal she created as a light. It was small, but Shadow was brought to the back of the cave. She wished for hay, water that never gets dirty or runs out, and wood, kindling and rocks for a campfire. She set up her tent and the litter box, putting all the gear in her tent as she wiped it down with a towel from the snow. Sarah wiped down Shadow and the saddle as she put it to the side. She had the kittens go to the bathroom and started a fire.

Sarah laid out the bedroll and the cave heated up nicely with the smoke going out the front of the cave. She started tea and lunch being it was nowhere near dark, but you couldn't tell with a snowstorm. The winds were picking up outside. The snow outside the cave was two feet already. She wondered how long she would be hunkered down inside the cave for the storm to pass.