CHAPTER 21

—--day 59

Very early the next morning, Princess Valindra from the Fairy Kingdom had heard from her father that the High King was dethroned and that Jareth had taken a titled fae as a bride. She had been coveting the High Queen's seat for decades, following Jareth to every event in hopes of capturing his interest like a puppy. Jareth never paid her consideration, but any courteous treatment was enough to make her think he was paying attention to her exclusively. She went to Jareth's castle unannounced and stomped past everyone. She magically slammed open the Queen's chambers door and looked at the dark-haired fae woman in a nightgown, in the Queen's chambers sitting on the bed with small spotted kittens mewing as she cuddled them to calm them from the scare of the loud door.

Valindra was in a pink, gray fur trimmed cloak with the hood down. She had a purple satin dress underneath, peaking through the cloak. She had dark blonde curly ringlet hair that was long and emerald green eyes. Not only that, but she had her nose in the air.

Valindra forcefully said with her hands on her hips, "Who are you? What are you doing in the Queen's chambers? Why are you a fae with dark hair? There are no dark-haired fae."

Sarah was getting angry and put her kittens inside the bag at the foot of the bed. She replied stoically, "What are you doing in my chambers? Who are you? What gives you the right to barge into Jareth's castle demanding things?"

Valindra snottily said, "I am Princess Valindra from the Fairy Kingdom. I have been awaiting Jareth to court me. Who are you?"

Another woman showed up at the Queen's chamber door. The woman replied, "I am Princess Meriwether of the Pixie Kingdom. I am the one who is waiting to be courted by the Goblin King. Yes, who are you?"

Sarah stood up and walked slowly towards her to the door and answered, "It is none of your damn business who I am. I'm from very far away and never realized how the royalty here has no manners and protocol whatsoever. So, I beg your pardon and want you to remove yourself from my room before something bad happens to you."

Jareth was enraged when his advisor told him that that stupid girl, Valindra from the Pixie Kingdom, dared to come barging into his castle, uninvited and unwarranted. He did a location spell. She barged in like she owned the place and marched up to Sarah's bedroom? He stomped up to the Queen's bedroom and saw the door wide open, with Valindra and Meriwether and Sarah facing one another. He listened to what was being said.

Valindra snottily said, "Something bad happens to me? You don't belong here! I am the finest pick for the High King's throne and everyone knows it! You're a big nobody and you are a stranger! How dare you usurp the throne from a legitimate fae!"

Meriwether said, "You're the finest pick? Ridiculous, I am the first pick. I have even slept with him already. He would want me!" The two princesses argued with each other. Sarah saw Jareth was about to intervene. She looked him in the eye, almost grinning, and shook her head no. He leaned up against the opposite wall and watched what would happen.

Sarah announced, "ENOUGH!" Both women snapped their heads to look at her and stopped arguing. Sarah stated, "What is wrong with you two? Is elevating status and social climbing a hobby here? Are you two insane, both of you? Don't you have any idea what both of you have just done? King Jareth, by all rights, could lock both of you up in the dungeon until a formal hearing of the high council is convened. You have trespassed into another king's castle, invaded his home uninvited, undermined his right to pick his own betrothed, accosted me and more charges to be stacked on if both of you do not get out of here and go home this second." Sarah looked at Jareth and nodded. The women turned to see what she was looking at over her shoulder. They froze, staring at the perturbed face of the Goblin King.

Jareth said, "How dare you! You barge into my castle, open doors and walk into bedrooms like you own it?!!! Get the hell out of my castle and never show your face around me again, you little simpletons!"

Princess Valindra and Princess Meriwether were both in shock. Nobody had ever spoken to them that way. They knew now of their transgressions, because they had pointed it out. They realized that they had just blown ever being on his good side ever again, but maybe they thought they could smooth it over.

Valindra simpered, "Oh Jareth you do not need her when you have me. She even has icky dark hair. How crude. I am prettier."

Meriwether cooed. "No, your majesty, I am lovelier than both of them."

Jareth's guards showed up. Jareth was very agitated, he paced and paced to get away from them and said, "By all of my rights, I can have you both locked up in my dungeon for your transgressions against my kingdom and my soon-to-be queen. But I am friends with your parents and do not want to upset them anymore than what I'm about to do." The women looked at him in fear with big eyes.

Jareth sent a message by crystal to King Ruan of the Pixie Kingdom and King Kerinan of the Fairy Kingdom telling them of what their daughters have done and to come collect them themselves, until then, they will be locked down in the drawing room.

Jareth spoke to his guards, "Take them to the main drawing room until their father's come to collect them." The guards led them to the drawing room. Jareth was still pacing.

Sarah stated, "Jareth? Come sit down. Everything is going to be ok." Jareth stopped and looked at her. He walked over to the bed and sat down frowning. Sarah took his hand and patted it. She wrapped herself arms around him and held him in her arms. His hands came up and embraced her. She kissed him, and his anger melted away. Sarah broke the kiss and caressed his face as he caressed hers.

Sarah stated, "They were haughty bitches?"

Jareth answered angrily, "I am polite to them but never interacted socially with Valindra. She had her father try to get me to court her several years ago, but I was not interested in her. I never even danced with her before. Meriwether, I slept with her once about a century ago, and it was like the most boring experience I have ever had. My father has been pressuring all the kings with princesses to get me to court them, as well as the titled ladies in the Underground. Meriwether was here recently. They had the audacity to come right into my castle and up here to see who the person was that I wanted over them.

Sarah giggled and said, "They looked shocked at you calling them little simpletons, like they had never been told off before."

Jareth laughed and replied, "They probably never have. Valindra's father spoils her terribly. It's the same all over the kingdoms. The royal women are beautiful but very vindictive to each other, territorial, and status climbers."

Sarah declared, "That must get old quickly and make a person wary and weary of motives."

Jareth, surprised, replied, "That's exactly what it is. I thought I found someone who was not that type of person once."

Sarah curiously asked, "Who was that?"

Jareth looked at her and said, "You." Then it dawned on Sarah that he was looking elsewhere for someone different from the same pool of women.

Sarah responded shyly, "I'm flattered, really, but I'm nothing special. I'm just me."

Jareth said matter-of-factly, "That's why you. You are not arrogant, vindictive, manipulative, or a status climber. Wealth and position doesn't matter to you. You don't latch on to someone because they may rule the whole Underground or even a queenship."

Sarah replied, "No, I'm definitely not the type of person to be an opportunist. Wealth and position never impressed me."

Jareth curiously asked, "What impresses you?"

Sarah replied, "Integrity, fortitude, wisdom, and charity."

Jareth answered, blowing out a breath, "Those are big shoes to fill, but I'll try. Perhaps I can show you I can do those things eventually."

Sarah stated, "We can do this if we become a team and tackle things together." He gave her his toothy smile. She smiled back. He grabbed her and kissed her again. Sarah blushed.

Jareth stated, "It is breakfast time. Can we eat together?"

Sarah smiled at him and replied, "I like it that you ask me. Yes."

He grinned and added, "I have arranged for the hand fasting ceremony to take place this afternoon before dinner. I'll see you in a half hour, ok?" She smiled and nodded. He pecked her on the lips and left.

Sarah was ready, wearing a lovely dark blue velvet dress. It was a simple square neckline with long sleeves trimmed in gold and a built-in corset. It was magical and closed on its own. Sarah had on matching ankle boots, wore sapphire jewelry from her collection and light makeup. She had her hair down.

There was a knock on the door. Sarah opened the door, smiled and saw Jareth standing there. She backed up and let him in as she collected the kittens that were already fed. They walked down the hall with her hand holding his elbow.

Jareth stated, "You look beautiful in dresses. I cannot believe you will finally be mine today. I will be so happy."

Sarah smiled and replied, "Thank you. It feels surreal to me. I'm still reeling from everything that happened yesterday just to me. I almost got raped, assassinated, then I was proposed to and accepted all in one day. Life sure changes quickly here in the Underground." Jareth opened the door to the dining room for her to enter.

Jareth smirked at her and said, "Just think it is not over yet. Many things are going to happen quickly, even between us and our relationship." He seated her and took his place at the end of the large dining table.

He continued, "Sarah, you are going to be my wife before dinner. We have to consummate our marriage and become my only lover. You will be crowned with me as High Queen, then come here and be crowned Goblin Queen also after. Like you claimed, it will happen quickly."

Sarah sighed and spoke softly, "I see what you mean. Do you think the goblins will like me?"

Jareth smiled at her and replied, "They already respect you by winning, fear you a bit after bulldozing them and their houses. You'll be the perfect queen." Sarah giggled and fake smacked his arm. He started chuckling at her. The food appeared on the table and they started filling their plates.

Sarah asked, "Jareth, I… I am not a virgin, but might as well be. I had one boyfriend in college, and he was a selfish bastard in bed that cheated on me with another woman in the two months I was with him. I'm not very experienced or lucky in love my whole life. Even my parents were not close to me. They always had a barrier to keep me at a distance. My father did not have that barrier with Toby, so I know it was me."

Jareth replied, "Forget everything from before you got here. I love you, and I have enough for both of us for now." Sarah got up and went over to him as Jareth moved his chair back. She sat on his lap and kissed him and announced, "I am falling for you slow and steadily, Jareth. I'll catch up to loving you as much quickly." She laid her head on his shoulder and hugged him. She added, "Thank you, my sweet Jareth. Your love is all I have and probably all I'll need until we have children. Then we can spread it around a bit."

Jareth replied, "Anything for you. Sarah mine. Anything at all, my precious darling." He kissed her again and added, "Now get up and eat, or your kittens will devour it all off the edge of your plate before you." Sarah looked over and Merlin was dragging a sausage link in his mouth off her plate. Sarah giggled at the little thief.

She got up and said, "Why didn't you just ask, you big silly boy?" She took the sausage from his mouth and tore it up in his little food dish. She sat them down on the floor in front of the dish. They ate breakfast, talking and laughing from time to time.

Hours later, Sarah was ready to get hand fasted to Jareth. She chose a beautiful light yellow lace and silk gown. It had a built-in corset with long sleeves that draped in long ruffled from her elbows. It had an off the shoulder round neckline scalloped with the yellow lace. It had a demure long cut with a split to just above the knee with a golden rope that hung down her leg. She put her hair up in a chignon style with yellow citrine and gold filigree jewelry she found in a jewelry box on her dresser next to the one she kept.

Jareth knocked on her door, and she answered. He gasped at how incredibly stunning she looked in yellow with her dark hair. Sarah blushed. Jareth claimed. "My beautiful soon to be wife, you are the loveliest daisy in a field of flowers." He escorted her to his study, where his advisor, Danforth, was there to witness the marriage.

The royal officiant was a fae cleric, who spoke, "Today we gather in the Underground and realize the sacred bond of two fae beings, King Jareth and Lady Sarah. They will join their magics together as one as they enter into this most intimate covenant and join together. Through their marriage, they will find protection and sanctuary as they journey through this beautiful life together."

He wrapped a golden rope that was glowing around their wrists and over their hands together in a figure eight, touching completely.

The cleric said, "With this partnership, bound by the laws of this land and sealed with a kiss, the Underground calls upon you to protect one another. To cherish every moment. To find humility when it is needed. To support, uplift, and encourage the heaviest of hearts and the wildest of dreams. This marriage is your gift to bestow upon the world around you. When you leave today, you will both have the power to demonstrate the divine magic that is a lasting love."

The cleric said, "What say you, King Jareth of the Goblin Kingdom?"

"I, Jareth, take you, Sarah, to be my wedded wife. To hold in the highest of light, day in and day out, through the storms, and the rain and the wonderful mysteries of this life. I promise you faithfulness, compassion, friendship, and love from this day forward until we have no more days remaining and pass into the fade."

The cleric said, "What say you, Sarah, Champion of the Labyrinth and of the Aboveground?"

"I, Sarah, take you, Jareth, to be my wedded husband. To hold in the highest of light, day in and day out, through the storms, and the rain and the wonderful mysteries of this life. I promise you faithfulness, compassion, friendship and love from this day forward until we have no more days remaining and pass into the fade."

The cleric said, "This golden rope is a symbol of the never-ending trust and commitment you share. There is no beginning, and there is no end. For the shared experience of your existence has no limit. By the power given to me by the Underground and the divine forces of nature, I now pronounce you lawfully and spiritually wed. You may kiss!"

As they kissed, the magic was released in the rope and melted into their skin. Sarah could feel it in her skin and it felt strange. Marriages were permanent among the fae and never can be broken but by death, and sometimes not even then. Their magic was joined at that moment also. Jareth kissed Sarah softly.

Sarah caressed his face and announced, "I will love you forever and beyond, my handsome, loving husband."

Jareth smiled down at her, cupping her face with both hands, and said, "Forever that's not long at all, my beautiful loving wife. Eternity." He kissed her again, deeply and very passionately this time. They put their foreheads together and caught their breath and grinned at each other. Sarah giggled, and he chuckled.

Sarah said,"I can't believe we did it." They held hands, intertwining their fingers.

Jareth was smiling at her and replied, "I know. It's my dream to have you be mine, my lovely wife." Sarah smiled up at him.

The cleric spoke, "I see this is a love match. I am glad it is. There are so few to witness these days. Be happy because it is rare." The cleric bowed and Sarah said thank you. He was surprised at her politeness and respect, which was rare, too. The cleric left to report to the High Court and record the marriage.