CHAPTER 14

—--day 54

In the morning, Sarah was woken up by a person banging on her door. A goblin shouted, "King wants you taken to throne room!"

Sarah got up to a crying Gypsy and whipped open the door glaring at a big buff muscled goblin soldier. Sarah said, "What the hell is wrong with you banging like that, waking up everyone in the inn!"

The soldier growled menacingly, "You come now!"

Sarah said angrily, "No! I refuse until after I have dressed and eaten breakfast. You just go tell him that you tore me from my bed." The soldier looked a bit worried for a fleeting moment. She slammed the door in his face. Sarah went back to bed. She thought, 'Damn Jareth having that goblin rip me from my bed and demanding an audience. He should know I don't respond to that crap through the few talks we have had over the years.'

When Sarah woke up, she got dressed in her men's clothing and wished her cloak to be heavier. Sarah went down to eat breakfast in the inn with Beowulf on his leash. They had a good breakfast with everyone staring at them.

Afterward, Sarah left the inn and was walking around the town looking at the shops. She stopped in a bakery and bought candied nuts. She was deliberately stalling Jareth. She was eating her warm nuts and strolling about with Beowulf walking with her. People were still staring at her.

Two goblin soldiers approached her and said gruffly, "You come now! Leave wolf!"

Sarah told them with authority, "He goes where I go and if you don't like it, I will not go with you!"

The soldier said menacingly, "You do as told!" He waved his sword at her.

Sarah said, "I 'wish' to suspend in the air both of these soldiers with my finger directing where until I let them down." She pointed at the one being belligerent. He went up in the air with her finger pointing at him. Then she pointed her other finger at the other one and he rose up next to the other.

They were shouting and scared, "Nooo! Let down! Let down!"

Sarah said with authority, "Shut up! I am Sarah, the Labyrinth Champion, you will treat me with respect! Do you understand?! My wolf goes where I go, so take me to the king or leave me the hell alone!" It was making a crowd form and gathering. The goblins, humans and fae were all whispering and talking to each other.

The one belligerent goblin guard said begging, "Ok, ok, The Sarah. I no be mean no more." Sarah put both of them back on the ground.

They gathered up their dignity and said, "Come, Champion." They led her to the castle and through to the informal throne room. It looked cleaner. Sarah thought, 'Must be a leftover result from Zinthea's stay at the castle.' Sarah saw Jareth staring at her with his mouth open.

Sarah smiled at him and said, "Hello, your majesty." She bowed like a man, being she was dressed like one.

Jareth asked arrogantly, "Sarah, why didn't you come earlier when I sent my soldier after you?"

Sarah stated firmly, "Because, your majesty, I was still in bed and not dressed at six o'clock in the morning. The soldier rudely banged violently on my door yelling for me to come with him. I was yanked from my sleep and in my nightshirt. My pup was terrified and crying and I am sure the entire inn was jerked from their sleep too. So no, I was not going to come in my nightshirt. It was rude of him to be told to do that." She was insinuating that Jareth put the soldier up to it. Jareth rolled his eyes smirking.

Jareth said loftily, "I expect anyone in my kingdom to come when I want them to, Sarah." He waved his hand lazily. Sarah was getting riled.

Sarah had her eyebrow up looking directly in his eyes challenging him. She said, "Except for me. You know I do not respond to demands and you are not my king. I will only consider complying if asked and you have no power over me, remember? If I'm not mistaken it still applies. So next time show a little courtesy and not at six in the morning." Jareth narrowed his eyes and huffed at her.

Gypsy started crying, Sarah pulled her out of the pouch and got the little bottle and was feeding her. Jareth was in shock and then fascinated that she was so nurturing to the wolf cub. The baby was very small and the half grown wolf was sitting at her feet staring him down. It was like the wolf knew about the tension between himself and Sarah.

Sarah said softly to Gypsy, "You're a good girl."

Jareth asked, "Why are you traveling with wolves? They are not tolerated in most places."

Sarah said, "These two are my family. I saved my boy when he was hurt. Beowulf knows everything we say. He is completely sentient. I did it with magic so he could understand me when he was hurt. I am his fae. He is not my wolf, we are family. The baby he found and took me to save her when her mother was killed with an arrow. So, Jareth, how have you been? Last I heard, you were building canals and dams. How did that go?"

Jareth perked up a bit. He said, "It went well we got water to the fields in the eastern and southern parts of the kingdom from the mountain spring. Next year will be an abundant year for our winter storage."

Sarah said happily, "That's great. It should increase revenue trading with the other kingdoms." Jareth nodded.

He asked curiously, "Sarah, how did you get here in the Underground on your own and why are you fae with Lugh royal markings?"

Sarah smiled and said, "I moved to England and went on a tour in Ireland inside of Newgrange Mound which is believed to be Dagda's home and the portal to the Underground where the Tuatha De Danann went over five thousand years ago. I walked up to a wall that had a hole in it and cut my finger digging out the dirt and put my finger in it and fell through the wall. There was no way back. So I looked around and found a pool of water that was reflecting light and was pulled in head first. I was judged by a merman king. They called it a Pool Of Destiny. They gave me a potion and told me to drink it immediately. I fell asleep and this is what happened."

Jareth couldn't believe the mermaid's king gave Sarah the Elixir Of Life and judged her worthy. Nonetheless, she gave a blood sacrifice to enter the Underground and Danu let her in. Jareth said, "That's very interesting that the deities let you into the portal and the mermaid King judged you worthy. Most never come back out of the pools and a human blood sacrifice is curious that they would accept such a thing. It normally would not work, but only for a fae."

Sarah sat on the edge of the sunken circle in the middle of the floor. She sighed and said, "They all seemed surprised themselves. They seemed to think it was urgent for me to get started on my way. I have collected some very fascinating items on my journey here. You have a highway robbery problem. I was being attacked every time I turned around. It's rampant out there in your kingdom. You need patrols out on the roads desperately to protect your people, Jareth."

Jareth asked, "What direction did you come from?"

She said, "From the north east of the Fairy Kingdom. I was in the Fairy Kingdom when I came out of the portal. I met your brother High Prince Jarron. He didn't know who I was, being I wouldn't let him see inside my cowl hood. Jarron said you had finally booted out your girlfriend and he was wondering why I was traveling with a wolf. There was a speeding carriage before that. It passed me on the road. I never told anyone my name. I told them all it was Haras instead of Sarah." Jareth was stunned that she had encountered his brother and saw Zinthea's carriage speeding by. He thought that was odd timing.

Jareth cleared his thoughts and said, "Yes, well, I did get rid of my ex-girlfriend, Zinthea, for trying to change my kingdom into hers, when all I was doing was courting her. I terminated the courtship and sent her home. My citizens were grateful. I guess while I was gone getting the canals created and the dam set up, she was making everyone miserable including my advisor. She had the audacity to tell me that my kingdom was subpar but she was going to change everything to make it more comfortable to herself. She had a full wardrobe made for herself from my stores and was found taking the crown jewels for herself while I was gone."

Sarah said in shock, "I hope you didn't let her get away with all of that? I would have taken it all back and given her the boot but good, right in the behind." Jareth smiled at her saying that.

Jareth said smiling still, "That's exactly what I did. I took all the clothes and jewelry back and packed her bags for her so she only took what she came with. She even tried to get access to my private chambers. I can't believe she went crazy like that after I was out of sight. I should have sent her home right away and not left her alone in my castle. She was a consummate actress at acting nice to my face."

Sarah said, "So it would seem. I can spot a faker a mile away thanks to my mother's acting deceptions."

Jareth asked nonchalantly, "Sarah, would you like to have lunch with me after you do some paperwork? I can come get you from wherever you are?"

Sarah stood up putting Gypsy back into her pouch. She smiled and said, "Ok, I'll go look up my friends. See you soon, Jareth." She turned and walked out to the main door off the throne room. Jareth was smiling watching her leave. He was glad she was back in his kingdom once again.

*Sorry, it's a little short this week.*