Chapter Twenty-Four
Third Week of October
Sarah was up to her elbows in pumpkin guts. She and the Ughlánas had returned from the Pumpkin Patch with four giant pumpkins for their annual jack o' lantern carving, and currently the deep orange squashes were on her kitchen table in various states of butchery.
The Ughlánas really loved Halloween. Dressing up in costumes, getting candy (and especially all the fun scary stuff) was something they all looked forward to. She enjoyed all the pumpkin that the holiday brought… pumpkin spice coffee, pumpkin bread… pumpkin air freshener…
She had just scooped out a huge quantity of pumpkin seeds with her hands when there was a knock at the door. Smiling to herself that she'd learned to recognize his knock, she called out, "Come in, Jareth."
The Goblin King opened the door, smiling as he shut it behind him. "What are you doing, Precious?"
"Turning these pumpkins into murder victims, at the moment,"
Sloog looked up at Jareth, grinning madly. "Whatcha think, Kingy? Are they scary?"
Jareth smiled at him indulgently, "Horrifying."
The Ughlánas around the table cheered. He looked at the bowl of pumpkin innards with mild distaste, "And… dare I ask… what will you be doing with that?"
Sarah chuckled, "I soak them in salted water, then toss them with olive oil and roast them. They're really yummy."
He looked at her dubiously, "I'll take your word for it."
She picked up a large spoon and began scraping out the inside of the pumpkin. "Guinness in the fridge… forgive me for not getting it myself," she said as she wiggled one of her slime covered hands at him. He laughed and moved to the kitchen. "Isn't the Samhain Ball coming up? That's Halloween night, isn't it?"
"It is. And it happens to be the reason I've come to visit you tonight."
Sarah had finished the scraping and set the pumpkin back on the table. Taking her bowl of seeds, she moved into the kitchen. "Hang on… let me wash my hands."
Jareth moved over to the couch in the living room as the Ughlánas started carving the final pumpkin with their claws. Sarah soon joined him, a glass of wine in her hands.
"So… what is this about Samhain?" she asked.
"Well… actually, I had hoped…" he said, looking nervously at her. "I was hoping to convince you to come to the Samhain Ball with me this year." As she sat there looking at him wide eyed, he continued, "Lily is going this year too, and I thought… well you'd never seen Ardalon, you might want to…" his voice faded out for a moment. "I'd really love your company."
"Jareth… I…" she stammered. "I admit, I'd like to… maybe… but I always take the Ughlánas out for Halloween and…"
"Ah, but I have the perfect solution for that, my dear. We attend the Samhain Ball, return to the Goblin Kingdom the next day, and I reorder time so that you can take the Ughlánas tricking."
She laughed, "That's Trick or Treating."
"Not if it involves the Ughlánas, I'm afraid."
"You're right about that… it's more tricks than treats, but they enjoy it so much. I don't want to disappoint them… but…"
He seemed to see the indecision on her face. "I promise you, I can reorder time so that you won't disappoint our little friends."
She sat back a moment, the internal argument she was having in her mind probably quite clear to him. On the one hand, the opportunity to see the High Court of the Underground, on what was their most important holiday… to attend the Samhain Ball with Jareth… On the other hand… there was that lingering fear. What if he decided not to let her go back? What if…?
What if you just have a lovely time, Williams? Get a grip.
"Sarah".
She sharpened her focus on Jareth, not realizing she had somewhat drifted away in thought. "I'm sorry, I… was just… thinking…"
He placed his hand over hers. "I understand, Sarah. I do. There's a part of you that wonders if you go Underground for a visit, whether you will be allowed to return Above."
She blinked at him owlishly… she hadn't meant to, but that's exactly where her thoughts went.
He squeezed her hand gently, "That's my fault. That you fear this… it's my fault." He sighed. "Sarah, I would offer you a blood oath… that you will be treated with all respect and decorum, that I will return you here as promised. That I will do nothing whatsoever to interfere with your free will… I…"
"You would?"
"Yes. I would."
She thought about it for a moment. She loved him… shouldn't she at least start trying to trust him?
"All right. I'll go. If you agree to… do whatever you do to time… so I can take the Ughlánas out for Halloween like I promised."
He brought the hand he was holding up for a kiss. "I will. Thank you, Sarah."
She smiled softly at him, then her brow furrowed. "Jareth… I don't even know what to wear to this thing…"
"I'll make sure you have everything you need," he said, smiling broadly at her. He seemed… excited. Glad that she was going with him.
"Just… nothing red. "I won't wear red," she said quietly.
"Nothing red. I promise."
She looked back over at the Ughlánas, who had finished their carving and were now putting the completed jack o' lanterns over their heads. Chuckling softly, she leaned over and laid her head on Jareth's shoulder.
On Friday after her last class, she returned to the apartment and picked up her small bag. As Jareth said he'd take care of her attire for the Ball, she didn't have to pack much beyond some pajamas, some toiletries, and an extra two outfits. Almost as soon as she had picked up the bag, she heard his knock at the door.
Without a word of preamble, he produced a blood oath talisman. Pricking his thumb on the spike at the top, he swore to her that he would honor her wishes at all times during this excursion, that he would return her no later than the evening after the Ball, that he would return her sooner if she desired it, that neither he nor anyone under his command would interfere with her free will to stay or go as she chose. Lastly… he swore that he would alter time so that she could fulfil her promise to the Ughlánas to take them out for Halloween. He pressed his bloody thumb to the parchment, then handed her the talisman. She put it in her jewelry box as he instructed, knowing it would be safe there.
After bidding her to close her eyes during transport, she opened them to see that she was inside the castle, in a rather large room. She looked around, seeing a lovely seating area near a roaring fire, a table with chairs around it, and a few cabinets and bookshelves lining the walls. There were several doors, leading who knew where. Sitting on one of the chairs was Lily, who rose with a smile.
"Sarah," she said as she came over to hug her. "It's so good to see you. And so good to know I won't be the only lady in our party this Samhain." Lily's smile was infectious as Sarah hugged her back.
"I'm looking forward to it."
Jareth chuckled softly, "Lily, perhaps you'd show Sarah to her chamber. We have about an hour before dinner begins."
"Gladly," said Lily. "This way, Sarah." Lily led her through one of the doors to a lovely bedchamber. The bed had four carved wooden posts which held a canopy of a grey-blue velvet, arching over a matching spread and a multitude of pillows covered in what looked like silk. There was an inviting hearth with a cheerful fire blazing away.
Before she could take in more of the room, Lily had led her through another door to what seemed to be a bathroom. In the center was a large roman tub. Sarah's eyes lit up at the sight. "Oooh… I don't suppose I have time to…"
Lily laughed, "Of course you do. Let me start filling the tub for you."
As Sarah watched, Lily manipulated some colored crystals that were set at the foot end of the tub rim. Water started rising inside the tub, steaming as it filled. Lily went over to a vanity table that was in the bathroom and picked up a vial. She brought it to the tub, took out the crystal stopper and poured some of the contents into the water. Instantly, Sarah could smell a lovely jasmine-like scent.
"Go ahead, Sarah. I'll be back in about thirty minutes." As she was walking out, she pointed to a small door at the far end of the room, "In there is what you would call the toilet compartment. Over there," she indicated a glass enclosure. "Is the shower."
"Thanks, Lily," said Sarah, smiling. Almost as soon as the door was shut, Sarah dashed over to the toilet compartment. It looked very similar to what she was used to Above, only instead of a lever, there was a single crystal mounted in the wall. She used the facility, then pressed her hand against the crystal. Thankfully, it worked as she thought it would.
Wasting no time, Sarah stripped down and sunk into the delightfully warm water. Interestingly, it shut off seemingly automatically and was at the absolute perfect temperature. It was pure heaven, relaxing in a tub that was long enough for her to stretch out in.
After about twenty minutes of relaxation (and oddly, the water never went tepid), Sarah realized she had forgotten to get the shampoo and conditioner out of her bag. Shrugging to herself, she simply submerged, getting her hair wet with the sweetly scented water. She had just surfaced when Lily knocked on the door.
"Sarah? Are you almost ready to come out?"
Sarah laughed, "I'm not sure I ever want to get out, to be honest. But come on in."
Lily came in with a stack of what looked like towels but were much thicker than their Aboveground counterparts. Lily opened one of the folded towels (more the size of a bedsheet) and held it ready to wrap around Sarah as she got out of the tub. Once Sarah had the 'towel' securely around her, Lily again manipulated the crystals and the tub silently drained.
"Come, you should choose your gown for dinner tonight," said Lily as she led her to a door on the opposite side of the bathroom. In here was a large closet, which had a variety of garments hanging within. On the far wall in the center was what appeared to be a chest of drawers. Curious, Sarah opened the drawers. Inside were various items of lingerie, bras, underwear, and stockings.
Blushing furiously, Sarah turned to Lily. "How did he know what sizes to get?" She was a little… disconcerted at the thought of Jareth getting her underwear, let alone knowing what sizes she wore.
Lily, seeing something of her discomfort in her face, laughed lightly. "Oh, he didn't get these. I did. What men think are comfortable undergarments oftentimes is very different from what we as women would choose." She indicated the underwear and bras in the drawer, "We have similar builds, although you are taller and your cup size is larger than mine. It was pretty easy to estimate what the proper sizes for you would be."
Sarah was relieved, and it probably showed, since Lily's grin widened. A thought occurred to Sarah, "Wait… you said Garthan doesn't like you going Above without him… did you make him take you shopping for underwear?"
Lily laughed delightedly, "I certainly did. Although, he waited in the little seating area they had in the center of the shop. His cheeks and ears were a lovely shade of pink most of the time."
At this, Sarah laughed. "I can imagine. Poor Garthan."
"Don't feel too sorry for him… I picked up a few interesting items for myself while I was there and treated him to a bit of a fashion show when we got back to the castle. I don't think he'll mind if I ask to go back."
As they giggled together, Lily led her over to where several gowns were hanging. "Go ahead and pick one, Sarah. They're all yours." The materials were a variety of silks, velvets and satins, along with a few more casual dresses of what seemed to be a fine wool.
"Which one is the gown I'm wearing to the ball tomorrow?"
"Oh, your ballgown and mine are already packed for transport." She indicated the casual dresses hanging, "Any of these is fine for dinner… we tend not to be very formal unless there's an actual Court event or out-kingdom visitor." Sarah chose a dark green gown with gold braided trim around the neck and cuffs. After putting on her underthings (and noting that Lily had been absolutely correct in predicting the sizes she'd need), she was soon clad in the gown and stepping into a pair of soft slippers. Lily then led her to the vanity in the bathroom, bidding her to sit. She took one of the smaller 'towels' and with a few strokes, Sarah's hair was completely dry.
"That's amazing. Is that magic?" she asked.
"No. It's a special kind of wool that's incredibly soft and absorbent. It is used for bathing towels and really anything else that needs absorbency, such as diapers or moon-day supplies. It can be laundered very easily, and we find it to be much better for the environment to use as opposed to something like cotton."
Sarah shuddered mildly, "That's not a job I'd like to have."
Lily shrugged, "Nor I, but the launderers are paid a ridiculous amount of gold, so they are quite content." Lily picked up a lovely silver backed brush and began smoothing Sarah's hair. Using a ribbon that matched the gold trim of the gown, Lily braided the hair at Sarah's temples, then tied the braids together at the back of her head. It was a simple style and very flattering.
"Lily, why do the Othánas attend the Samhain Ball? I thought the Fae hated the Goblins…"
"They do. Most of them, anyway. On a rare occasion, you'll find one that doesn't have a grudge against us. But for the most part, they view us with contempt. They still see us as their servants, their… playthings. And treat us accordingly."
"Then why go?"
"Because in a sense, we have to. The Samhain Ball is the one event where all the rulers of the known Underground congregate. Ostensibly, this is where alliances can be made, agreements reached. You could say that we fought hard for the recognition of the Goblin Kingdom as a sovereign nation. It is our right as such to attend the Ball, so we do. No matter how much we hate it."
Lily leaned up against the vanity to face Sarah, her expression a bit grim. "The Fae… they always thought that they were the true children of Danu. That all other races were created to be their… toys. And they had the magic to make it so… at least for a time. The Elves simply went aground to escape them… keeping to the forests. The Dwarves carved out cave complexes, knowing the Fae would avoid them. Humans… well, you were so savage and backward that the Fae preferred to ignore you… at least until they couldn't. But the Goblins… we had few defenses. Our magic was strong, but so long as we were kept only in small groups and prevented from uniting, there wasn't much we could do about the Fae as a whole."
"That changed with Jareth's grandfather, right?"
Lily looked at her in surprise, "Yes. Konrad Danaaru. He made it his mission in life to get word to every Othánas, to coordinate a rebellion and mass escape. He made sure the Ughlánas went into hiding out in the wilderness, then began the exodus. He was successful but was killed during his escape, as was his wife, Liyarin. His son, Jareth's father, then took up the mantle of leadership along with Jareth's mother, Helayne. Vesryn Danaaru not only led the final part of the exodus but molded the scattered Othánas and Ughlánas into formidable fighting units. When Jareth was the human equivalent of ten years old, he became part of a guerilla unit along with Garthan and Randel. The three of them would perform acts of sabotage to help cover the escape and protect the civilians. Vesryn was so revered that he was declared to be King of the Goblins."
"And Jareth became King after his father died?"
"Both of his parents. They both died."
Sarah looked at Lily, startled. "The book didn't mention that." At Lily's inquiring look, she continued, "Jareth gave me a history book that outlined the rebellion and the founding of the Kingdom. It didn't get into detail at all, just mentioned that at Vesryn's passing, Jareth became King."
"That isn't quite… the whole story. Jareth's mother was caught in a Fae attack. She had been trying to help evacuate a Goblin camp when a large company of marauders came. She… lured the marauders away from the camp, hoping to distract them long enough for the civilians to get away and for Vesryn's unit to get there. She was partially successful." Lily took a deep breath. "The civilians got away, but the Fae captured her before Vesryn's soldiers could get to her. They…" her face twisted in rage and horror. "It took a very long time for her to die."
"Oh God. And Jareth's father…"
"Rode up right as she died. The emotional backlash was… hellish. From what I understand, he managed to tear three quarters of the marauders apart with his bare hands and teeth before they were finally able to mortally wound him. The rest of his soldiers finished off the remaining Fae and… brought the bodies back to Jareth. He was somehow able to rally the Goblins in the face of such a disaster." Lily seemed to gather herself. "After the loss of his parents, Jareth understood that so long as we were just fighting a guerilla war, we'd never really be safe. We needed a homeland of our own. So, he dispatched Randel with a couple of Othánas and a dozen Ughlánas to cross the Frozen Sea and go East… to find an uninhabited land far, far away that we could take for our own." Lily gave her a grim smile. "We found it. But that's not all we found."
"What else did you find?"
"The Labyrinth."