CHAPTER 8

—--day 28

The next morning, Jareth got an early visitor, Princess Carilina from the Pixie Kingdom. There was a knock on his bedroom door. Lord Garren stood there when Jareth finally opened the door after getting dressed magically.

Jareth asked, "What is it, Garren, that is so urgent at 6:30 in the morning?"

Garren said, "Princess Carilina is here to see you in the informal throne room."

Jareth asked, "Do you know what she wants?"

Garren said, "No. She demanded I come get you."

Jareth said, "I will go see what is so urgent to that spoiled pink princess. Garren, I want you to listen in on the conversation." Garren nodded as he walked with Jareth to the informal throne room. They opened the double doors and Jareth walked straight to his throne.

He sat down throwing his leg up and his riding crop appeared in his hand as he nonchalantly tapped it in an annoying way and said, "What is this about Carilina? It's early and you disturb my sleep."

Carilina said arrogantly, "Really, King Jareth this room is filthy. Can't you get your subjects to clean it?"

Jareth, very annoyed now, said, "I know you didn't come to criticize the conditions of my throne room? Get to the point, Carilina."

Carilina said arrogantly, "Your father has sent me to tell you to court me and only me. He said I have the proper petiagree and he wants me to be by your side on the High Throne when he retires. He said to tell you that if you don't comply he will go to the above and kill the human girl who ran the Labyrinth. I told him it was cruel to threaten you but he would not listen. He demands that your consent will be expected in two days' time." Jareth was incensed and started tapping louder on his boot with his riding crop.

Jareth spat, "You go back and tell him if he thinks for one second a threat like that can force me to his will, he is very mistaken. He just lost an heir because I am refusing his throne under his conditions. The human girl is not up there anymore anyway. She does not exist in the human world." Jareth twisted his words to make it sound like she is dead.

Carilina looked surprised at his reply. She said, "You really want to tell your father that? Is it so hard to not court me?"

Jareth said, "I have found someone to court already. Yes, tell him what I said. I will refuse his throne and he will just have to settle for another." Jareth was an only child and his father had tried to manipulate him his entire five hundred year life. Petty things he gave in on, but big things like this delivered with a threat were refused.

Carilina said stoically, "Very well, King Jareth. I will tell him."

Jareth sat up and leaned forward saying, "Tell him the next time he threatens me, he is barred from my kingdom completely."

Carilina said. "Is it not extreme to bar the High King from your kingdom?"

Jareth shrugged and told her arrogantly, "He does not matter. He thinks he can control me by inheritance. I have no desire to ever follow in his footsteps with him threatening me like a child and trying to do harm to people he does not even know."

Carilina said nonchalantly, "I see. It is the way in the Underground to take any advantage possible to get what you want. Your father is not above his own liaisons. I will deliver your message. Good day. King Jareth." She turned and walked out of the castle.

Jareth sighed and sat back relaxing on his throne and thought about what she told him his father would do. Sarah was under threat as a target for his father's ire. It means that as the winner of the Labyrinth she will always be a target if using that title. He needed to talk to Gaia. He called its name in his mind.

Gaia said, "Yes, my king?"

Jareth said. "The High King sent a princess he wants me to court and put on the High throne. I just got Sarah back in my life and I am building trust. I am going to formally court her. My father has issued a threat against Sarah's welfare. He said he will kill the human girl that won the Labyrinth, if I do not court and marry Princess Carilina of the Pixie Kingdom. I refused his threat and made it sound like she was not up in the Aboveground anymore, because she is here and not human anymore. I hope he thinks she's dead."

Gaia said, "If he touches my champion, I will strip his magic from him. She is my child and I am her guardian. He has no claim or right to interfere with my champion."

Jareth said, "I have a plan to make her seem dead and he cannot go up there for three more days to check and find out if she is dead. I must discuss and plan it out with Garren before I tell Sarah. I will keep you informed. Do not say anything at the moment to my father unless my plan fails to dissuade him from thinking she is dead."

Gaia said, "I will wait, my king."

Jareth said, "Thank you, Gaia."

—--day 29

Sarah woke up and fed her kittens, she brought them in the bathroom in the pouch. Sarah grabbed towels and took a bath in the luxurious pool. The kittens watched her from their pouch.

After her bath, she dressed in a green teal dress with beautiful black lace around the neckline and long sleeves. She dried her hair and used her magic to curl it and pull it back on both sides. She put on light makeup and a lavender and vanilla scented perfume she found in the vanity drawer in the bathroom.

There was a knock on the door. Sarah answered it and it was Garren. Garren was stunned looking at her because she was incredibly beautiful. He asked with a stutter, "L… Lady S… Sarah, may I escort you to his majesty's garden solarium for breakfast?"

Sarah smiled at the man and said, "One moment please." She left to get her kittens. She called to them squatting down gathering them both up and kissed them before putting them in the fur pouch on her shoulder. She went back to the door and said, smiling, "I'm ready now. Thank you for waiting." Garren thought she was very polite and saw how gently she treated her kittens. He thought it odd that she carried them around with her. He attributed it to her human nature that she has inside herself.

When they arrived Garren opened the door and led her into the room. It was bright and sunny. The plants must love it here without winter snow never reaching them. The walls were lined with vines and lush greenery while the two glass panes sides of the room and roof of glass.

Sarah smiled at how pretty it was in there. She saw Jareth staring at her. She looked at him and smiled. Sarah walked over to him and he had gotten up walking to her. He took her hand and kissed her passionately. They lightly touched tongues and he broke the kiss saying, "You become more beautiful everyday, my precious. Please come sit and have breakfast with me." He led her to the chair and seated her. He kissed her hand and sat down.

They both filled their cups with coffee. He filled her cup and then his own. The food instantly appeared. Sarah was very hungry. She put the kittens in her lap and filled a plate with sausages, bacon, eggs and hotcakes. She was in heaven it was all so good with actual maple syrup and butter. Jareth was watching her fill her appetite and enjoying her food.

Jareth asked, "So my beauty, I have a ball coming up in a week."

Sarah asked, "Which royal are you taking or are you going alone?"

Jareth smiled and asked, "I was hoping you were able to go with me? I'd feel more comfortable and love it, if you did?"

Sarah started to tease him a bit and said breathy, "I don't know. Are you going to get me a dress?"

Jareth was surprised at her flirty playfulness and said, "Of course. I'll have one made in whatever color you would like, my love."

Sarah smiled and said, "I like sage green, but not poofy."

Jareth thought for second and said, "Sage green lace and satin. I think a more demure style."

Sarah smiled and said, "I like that."

Jareth clapped his hands together and said, "Great, now that it's settled, I'll look forward to it."

They finished eating together and Sarah went back to the bedroom with the kittens following her around the room like her shadow everywhere. They are six weeks old now and are getting to be so fluffy. They cuddled every night under her chin on her shoulder and she just adored them.

Sarah sat on the couch petting her kittens as they laid in her lap and to the side of her leg. She looked into the fire thinking about how the dynamic had changed between her and Jareth. They went from him trying to dominate and control her, to trying to be friends. It was a polar shift in everything he was like almost her boyfriend but he hadn't made their courting formal yet. When she was younger, she used to fantasize about him being her lover and longing for his taste and touch. She was such a kid and so naive. He was still so very attractive to her, maybe that is why she gave him a second chance.

There was a knock on her door and she got up and it was Jareth. He had discussed the finer points of his meeting this morning and Garren said that he must tell Sarah about his father's threat so she is aware and can protect herself. So he was coming to have that discussion.

Sarah said, "What's the matter, you look serious and upset." He walked into the room and hugged her to his body and breathed in her scent. Sarah was worried and held him in her arms and said, "Jareth, it will be alright, my dear." He tightened his hold a little.

Jareth said, "I don't ever want anything to cause you harm , my sweet love. It would kill me if you were taken from me."

Sarah pushed back and looked him in the eyes and caressed his face. She asked, "What's going on now, Jareth?"

He sighed and led her to the couch and she picked up the kittens and put them in her lap as they sat down. Jareth said, "Princess Carilina came to see me at 6:30 this morning. I was not happy with the timing of this visit being it got me out of bed. Anyways, she told under no uncertain terms that my father wants me to court her and that I better comply or my father will go to the Aboveground and kill you."