CHAPTER 16

Sarah went back to the inn, paid for five more days to stay there and got lunch before going to the room. She made a fire and warmed up the room. She remembered that she hadn't wished for hidden objects, so she made her wish. A large humpback chest appeared, like an old pirate treasure chest and an old crate appeared. They were all dusty and cobwebby on both items. Sarah unlatched the chest and found it filled to the brim in cut stones, coins, gold and silver nuggets and gold and silver goblets and candlesticks in silver. Sarah then looked in the crate and there were spell books, potion books, there was a box with a white leather band inside with a large oval sapphire in the middle. It could be a headband. She could feel the magic that it had on it radiating. It was incredible. She wished all of the treasure chest nuggets, cut gemstones into her necklace. Sarah had the gold and silver objects reduced to gold and silver nuggets and put it into her necklace. She wished in increments of ten thousand to count the gold and silver then to thousands, hundreds and tens into her bracelet. She was then able to count the amount of silver coins and gold coins in the big chest. Sarah had 23,590 gold and 12,327 silver. Taking her bracelet up to 536,661 gold and 109,440 silver coins. She put the cut gemstones that did not fit in with her one bag of cut gemstones. Everything was in and she added the books to the one valise, and shifted the rest out into other bags with space. She wished the crate and chest to someone who needs them.

She stopped and fed Gypsy on her lap after she washed her hands. Those were some dusty books. Sarah decided that she would have to find a house to live in and have a protected room in it that nobody but herself could enter to store all of her magical items. She thought, 'Now that I am fae, I am going to live longer. I want to learn what is in those books and hopefully find a library if there is such a thing in the Underground? I would think that the wealthier fae would have their own libraries. Humm….'

Sarah went out with her wolves and went to the women's clothing store. She asked the lady goblin clerk if she had any ladies peasant clothing. She took her to several racks of clothing. Sarah bought six full skirts, black leggings and six long sleeved blouses of different colors. She got more soap bars for herself and washing her clothes. Sarah took it all back to the inn.

As she was walking back, she picked up a tail. Not a person but a rolling crystal following her. She shooed it away but it kept on rolling. Sarah stopped and the crystal stopped. She said sighing, "What do you want, Jareth?"

He appeared in front of her and picked up the crystal and started rolling it around. Jareth asked solemnly, "Sarah, why can't we get along together, ever?"

Sarah sighed and said, '"Because you don't think about others feelings but only your own. You act and think you can walk all over people and don't have to be held accountable for your actions or things you say. That's why."

Jareth inhaled then exhaled saying, "I am a king. You have no idea what I do from day to day trying to help my people and answer grievances, build roads, bridges and dams. There are times you don't know if people appreciate all the things you do because they just demand more and more. Then it makes you think why should I care? I am alone in this madness and responsibility who do I get to complain to or care about how I feel or what I want."

Sarah asked softly, "How do you feel, Jareth? What do you want?" He looked at her in the eyes for a moment.

Jareth said quietly, "I feel tired. I want… a friend that will listen, hear the things I can't tell others and not hold it over my head. Some I can trust, but there isn't anyone in this aristocracy that fits my needs."

Sarah then knew what he was telling her by saying that. He wanted her to be his friend. All this time even as a child he was not saying it the right way because he didn't know how. He threw everything he could in that last moment after she had won because he was lonely, but worded it like a possessive claim. She was to young to see it back then, but now she understood.

Sarah said, "You cannot step on my feelings, Jareth if you want to try to be friends. No tricks and manipulation to control, trap or possess me. I will not tolerate you being cruel to me because I will not be cruel to you. You must earn trust through kindness and friendship."

Jareth asked, "So you will be my friend?"

Sarah said smiling, "Ok." He smiled back at her.

He asked happily, "Have you ate dinner?"

She answered, "Not yet. I was about to."

Jareth said with a smile, "Come to my castle and have dinner with me?"

Sarah said, "Alright." She had a little bit of trepidation in how she felt about that castle, but she was going to give him the olive branch of friendship. He put out his hand to her. She took it and they disappeared.

When they reappeared in his dining room there were two place settings. He led her over to the seat on the left side to his intricately carved high back throne chair at the head of the table. He pushed her chair in and seated himself. The room was opulent and filled with intricate carved furniture in rich luxurious colors and fabrics. There was a large crystal chandelier and silver candelabras on the table. There were colorful rugs resembling oriental rugs but somehow different. There was a sitting area in front of a huge fireplace. The room was comfortable yet fancy.

There was wine on the table and he poured them each a glass. The food appeared on the table. There was mutton, venison and chicken in smaller trays laid out and sliced with roasted root vegetables and a bowl of spinach or chard. Another bowl had salad with fresh cut vegetables in a dressing. Sarah was very hungry looking at the food. Jareth served himself and Sarah followed in case it was protocol. Everything tasted so good. Sarah made up a nice size plate for Beowulf. He devoured it and licked his plate clean. Sarah had to stop and feed Gypsy and resumed eating.

In the meantime, Jareth watched her every move. Her table manners were fine but the animals at the table and feeding them was not. He did not care because it was just them and not a room full of people. Besides, she had been traveling for a long time and how else would she have fed them. He noticed the aura of the magical jewelry she was wearing, it was powerful.

Jareth asked curiously, "So, Sarah, How did you come by your magical jewelry?"

Sarah replied matter of factly, "I took it away from thieves that had stolen it from honest citizens. I punished them so it was fitting."

He asked, "What did you do?"

She answered smirking, "Some I took everything away, turned them to human women and took away their magic leaving them with ten gold and their clothes in a major city. If they really made me angry, I wished them naked with nothing."

He laughed and asked, "How much have you collected?"

She said, "Depends, I'm over five hundred thousand in just gold coins and one hundred thousand in silver. I also cleaned out a treasure room and mine of ore, nuggets and dust. I need to go to a processing place to get the metals processed." Jareth was in shock that she had over half a million gold on her and had precious metals on her person traveling the roads taking from the thieves as she went. He knew she was a very capable woman now.

Jareth said in awe, "That's amazing. Sarah, you are not safe."

Sarah replied, "I know, I need to settle down in a house with a very protected room. I have accumulated many magical items, books, scrolls and treasure maps." He was stunned by her collecting it off bandits and highwaymen.

He said earnestly, "I could help you with those kinds of things and show you how to do it. I have several rooms in my castle. You can stay in one of them with an extra room. I have my own chambers and I have a magically protected room set up for my personal research. I think that was what Zinthea was looking for to get in my rooms for my books and magical items."

She said, "I have nine items I need help with because I don't know how they work." Jareth's eyebrow went up. She avoided the invite to stay at his castle. He would need to be direct again.

He sighed and said, "Come stay here, Sarah. The winter is coming and you will be more comfortable and protected here. The labyrinth and I can keep you safer than on the road traveling in winter." Sarah thought about it. All the traveling wasn't bad, but in knee deep snow it will be a lot harder and little Gypsy was so young and the cold would not be good for her as she grew. Jareth was right.

She said, "Ok, but I have paid for five more nights to make it a week in the inn. I'll come tomorrow around noon, ok?"

He grinned and said, "Yes that will be fine. I'll take you to the smelter in the city. How did you conceal all of that? You said a whole mine was full?" Sarah nodded.

She said, "A couple finite space items."

Jareth started laughing and said, "You are brilliant! That is the perfect thing to do." Sarah was flattered.

She said, "I have five bags of uncut gemstones and one cut that wouldn't fit in my item. I need an appraiser also."

He was excited to see what else she could come up with. She was completely fascinating Jareth. He said, "I know of reliable people who will deal fairly with you."

Sarah asked, "Jareth when you saw my markings on my eyes you said I was Lugh. A fairy friend I met, Lily, said that was the Lugh tribe of the markings also. She also said, my magical longsword is more powerful because I am Lugh. She said they have been extinct for three thousand years."

Jareth said seriously, "She was right. I don't know why you got in the Underground because it would take fae blood to open any portal to the Aboveground. I and the High King are the only ones who can travel up there under strict rules. The portals were shut down three thousand years ago. My father may have more information and I can have you checked over by a healer too. They can detect anything different." Sarah nodded. She and he lost track of time and were there talking for two hours.

When Sarah said goodnight and thanked him for dinner, Jareth kissed the back of her hand. She smiled at him and walked back to the inn with her parcels she had before in her hands. The business was all closed, but the inn was still doing business. Sarah walked in and went to go straight upstairs and a drunk fae stepped in her way. Beowulf growled.

He said, "Hey there boy, y.. you think you are tough, h.. how you handled those s.. soldiers. Why are you w..with a wolf anyway. Let's see how tough you are ou.. outside." He belched. Sarah wished him to go to his bed and sleep it off. The guy disappeared and she climbed the stairs and got in her room and put a shirt on the door and heated up water once she started up the fire.

Sarah took a long hot bath and went over everything Jareth said he could do. A smelter to melt down all her ore, nuggets and dust will eliminate a lot in her necklace. The uncut stones needed to be appraised next. She took her time washing and doing her laundry. She dried her hair and put another log on the fire and the screen was put up. Sarah fed Gypsy. She and her wolves went to bed.