Samhain Ball, Ardalon…

This wasn't going at all the way Karina thought it would.

She'd figured that since Randel was trapped into being in her presence and interacting with her, that he might actually speak to her like a civilized Othánas, but no.

He spoke to her, but only when asked a direct question, and his voice was a mix of condescension and light mockery, as if she were a child. She thought for sure that the other members of their party would notice the way he treated her, but their focus was on the upcoming negotiations with the High King of the Underground and not on one heartsick Princess.

As soon as they'd arrived, the three men vanished into the warren of the Inner Court. Karina was obliged to keep company with her mother and Lily, as they made the rounds of the gardens, the conservatory, and the sporting fields, chatting with the various dignitaries. It never failed to impress her, how smoothly her mother could interact with them and the concessions she could wring from them, just with a smile.

When they'd first arrived, Karina had asked her why as Queen she wasn't involved in the negotiations with Dad, and was surprised when Mom had replied, "Oh, but I am… they just don't know it. You see, I used to attend the meetings, but I found it to be a lot more enjoyable to deal with these people in a social setting, when their guard was down." She chuckled softly, "In a lot of ways, your dad is just too intimidating to make a good diplomat. So is Garthan, for that matter. Randel is a bit easier to deal with, but a little of his disdain for the Fae still manages to peek through. So, naturally, the Fae look to me… the more approachable one… the more reasonable one. Dad makes impossible demands which they cannot meet. So, they 'go behind his back' to talk to his Queen… and I use my 'feminine wiles' to talk your dad into making a concession here or there. We get what we want, they get some of what they want. What they don't know is that your dad has already discussed with me the terms he will propose, we hammer out which concessions we want to make, and then wait for them to ask me to tea or invite me to their little social gatherings." At this, she outright laughed, "I love nothing more than to go back to your dad with an even better deal than he was willing to settle for. We used to place wagers on my success, but he got tired of losing after a little while." Mom's gaze softened a bit, "To be honest, Jacen's just as good at it as I am, maybe even better. He's young, and so affable that they naturally think he's easier to get one over on. Nothing could be further from the truth. But then, he learned from the master," she grinned at Karina while pointing to herself.

Making the rounds was actually rather enjoyable, since both Lily and her mother were highly entertaining, fun-loving women. According to Lily, Ardalon had changed over the last couple of centuries, making it a much more… palatable place to be, and probably the only reason that Jareth allowed Karina to come along. Many of the hostile Fae had either retired to their homes, died, or were replaced by younger representatives. These younger Fae did not share the absolute disdain for the Goblins that their elders did. This meant that they could attend events and socialize without enduring a lot of the hatred and vitriol that had been common in the past.

Oddly, Karina seemed to have attracted quite a few potential suitors among the Fae males. She really didn't understand why. Fae women had a beauty to them that transcended mere flesh… the only Othánas that even came close was Lily. She couldn't imagine that her own looks could exceed a Fae. She was also taller than most of the males. She was so used to men who were a head taller than she was, that it was strange to her to look down at her dance partner, as if she were dancing with a youth.

She did get the chance to meet some of the Strigoi, or at least some that had never been to Caladh. While she could never go anywhere without her two guards, her mother at least would let her socialize with the Strigoi with only her two guards. She was absolutely forbidden to go anywhere with the Fae without Lily, her mother and at least six Othánas warriors. She'd heard enough stories from her father and Uncle Garthan to take this command to heart.

She attended a joust yesterday with Prince Varion of the Strigoi, a handsome, charming young man. It was almost a shame, really… if not for the heart-bond, she might well have thought about pursuing him. So far, there had not been a life-bond between a Strigoi and an Othánas, but that didn't mean one couldn't form. It was futile anyway… Varion was actually in love with a rather unsuitable lady, something Karina could relate to. Their friendship was forged by mutual suffering.

Since Varion was such a good companion, she'd accompanied him to several daytime functions, and was his preferred dance partner for the nighttime ones. Randel was closeted with her father and Uncle Garthan during the day, and at night he made the rounds with various Fae ladies, all of whom seemed to know him quite well.

It might have sent her into a jealous rage, if not for the heart-bond. She knew very well that Randel wouldn't be sleeping with any of these women. That really should have alerted him to the heart-bond, but he seemed determined to pretend it didn't exist. To pretend she didn't exist.

Except… as before, his eyes would follow her when he thought she wasn't looking. She saw the look of rage on his face when Varion had bid for her during the dance auction last night. For her part, she acted as naturally as she could, but she couldn't even silently convey her love to him when he refused to meet her gaze.

Tonight was their last night in Ardalon. The Samhain ball was sure to be talked about for months to come. It was her last chance to try and get him alone and at least talk to him. She had resolved to do exactly that.

Now… if only he'd cooperate.


Randel stalked into his room, growling under his breath. Pacing a few rounds within the chamber, he forced himself to inhale calmly. When his heart rate had slowed a bit, he looked around and to his relief, found a bottle of Cjeth Whiskey. Not as good as Jack Daniels from Above, but it would serve its purpose.

He'd left the ball early, unable to watch for another minute while Kari spun about the dance floor in the arms of the Strigoi prince. Every smile, every move, he watched with growing anger. When the couples on the dance floor began to levitate, he saw her laughing with delight, hovering over the floor as she was turned expertly by her partner.

It was all he could do not to rip her away from that bloodsucker.

To be fair, they only did that during their mating rituals, but still. Othánas didn't mate with Strigoi.

That you know of… just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean that it can't…

That thought sent waves of anger and a curious despair washing over him. The same could be said of the Fae. True, an Othánas had never bonded with one, but up until recently, there was no reason to believe it was even possible. For all he knew, matches with the Fae might become a possibility in the future. And from what he saw, the Fae males thought Kari to be exceedingly attractive and hovered around her constantly.

He stripped down and pulled on a pair of sleeping pants, pouring himself some whiskey. At least he was able to make his escape without much fanfare. Jareth and Garthan assumed that he had a dalliance arranged and was leaving for that reason. The truth was… he couldn't bear to look at Kari even a moment longer.

She entered the ballroom tonight as if she'd owned the place. Wearing a dark blue satin gown that clung to every delicious curve, her hair piled up on her head and spilling down her back, ropes of crystals sparkling in the candlelight… she was absolutely stunning. He felt his heart beat faster the moment he caught sight of her. Worse… he'd had to take her hand and escort her to the festivities. He did it stiffly, without even looking at her. He was grateful for the gloves he was wearing to conceal his claws, otherwise he was sure the contact with her skin would have been his undoing. As soon as it was politely possible, he dropped her hand and escaped to the other side of the ballroom.

It was becoming well-nigh impossible to keep from looking at her… wanting her. He was going to have to figure out how he was going to handle this. It was only a matter of time before Jareth or Garthan figured out that something odd was going on between him and Kari, and that was a conversation he really didn't want to have.

By the way, Jareth… I want to bed your daughter so badly that it's driving me insane. You don't mind, do you?

That wouldn't go over well, he was sure. And while he tried to keep his anger at her deception stoked to a fever pitch, he had to admit…he was the one who pursued her. True, she didn't tell him her whole name. But she also hadn't been the one to start the flirting, the propositioning, or the kissing. That was all on him. And deep down… he wasn't really sure if his anger stemmed more from her deception or the fact that her true identity precluded him from having her.

Having her as what? She won't be your paramour and you won't have her as a life-mate. An impasse, as she'd once said.

If he had hoped this trip to Ardalon would get her out of his blood, it was a dismal failure. He couldn't even lose himself in one of the Fae beauties that dotted the Court. It was unbelievable… almost like he'd become impotent. He couldn't produce even one tingle of desire for any of them. It was frustrating. Kari, on the other hand, had his anatomy standing at attention, just by walking past.

He needed to leave Caladh. It was the only way.

He noticed that his whiskey bottle was practically empty. That would explain why there were three bell cords instead of the single one he'd remembered earlier. He grabbed the one in the center and yanked it.

How much time passed before an Elven male entered his room in response to the summons, he didn't know. He asked for another bottle of whiskey. The Elf was far too experienced a valet to even raise an eyebrow at the request and set off to obtain the needed bottle.

He must have sat there for some minutes, staring off into space. Seeing Kari in his mind's eye.

He absolutely needed to leave Caladh. If he didn't…

The Elf returned, setting the bottle down on the table next to Randel, bowing and exiting the room quickly. Randel rubbed his eyes; they were starting to play tricks on him.

When the door opened again a moment later, Randel looked up blearily to see Kari slip through and shut the door behind her. His body came alive at the sight of her in her nightgown, a sheer, pale pink nothing, that left little to the imagination, her feet bare and her hair cascading all around her. He didn't think he'd ever seen anything so beautiful as she was in that moment.

But he couldn't have her.

He wouldn't have her.

She said nothing, just eating him up with those emerald eyes of hers, making him remember that all he had on was a pair of sleeping pants. He'd never felt so naked in them before until now.

The silence stretched between them. Drawing from the last dregs of his sanity, he growled,

"Get out, Kari."

"I can't," she replied. "Someone was coming through the hall when I dashed in here. If I leave now, I'll be seen." She gave him an impish smile, "That would be a little difficult to explain, don't you think?"

He grumbled under his breath. Her smile faltered a bit, then returned hesitantly. "Aren't you going to invite me to sit down?" He looked at her incredulously. "I just wanted to talk." Her smile became a smirk, "You didn't think I came here for something else, did you?"


Karina got quite an eyeful, even in the candlelight. The strong muscles… that chest… she wanted to touch him, run to him, and never let go. But she didn't. He was furious with her, and she had no doubt that he'd push her away if she tried to move nearer to him. His scent was washing over her, mixed with the suspicious tang of whiskey.

"Why won't you talk to me, Randel?" she asked softly. "If you'd bothered to talk to me all the other times I've tried, I probably wouldn't be here now." She took a single step forward. "This is much more… private, anyway."

He glared at her, "I want you to turn around and get yourself out of my room. Now."

"I don't think so. I just got here."

"Kari," he cut in warningly.

"We haven't even talked yet…"

"Kari!"

"No, bog damn it!"

The words fell between them, and they were a challenge… a dare to make her obey him. If he could, that is. He started toward her, with every intention of tossing her bodily out of his room, she could see it in his eyes, in his furious expression, but she didn't try to run. She stood her ground, taking the chance that he wouldn't really do it.

He laid his hand on her arm… and that was all it took. She could practically see the electrical current that passed between them when he touched her. Muttering an obscenity, he pulled her into his arms and captured her mouth with his own, at this point completely out of control. She should have been afraid… she'd never imagined this kind of wild passion before, but she wasn't. If anything, she gloried in it.

Twice he tried to set her away from himself, his expression still angry, but also filled with pain and desire. Karina didn't understand why he kept trying to fight something she'd felt was inevitable. Each time he tried to draw away, she held on tighter, pulling him back to her.

Between kisses, he mumbled under his breath, "We're going to catch on fire before I get you to the bed."

Karina could have laughed with sheer joy, but he was kissing her so deeply that all she could do was hold on and go with the storm. From what he'd said, she knew he'd given up the fight. Whether it was a willing decision, the whiskey, or that he just couldn't resist her anymore, she didn't know. And she didn't care.

Somehow, they got to his bed, and he laid her on it, following her immediately and settling between her legs. Having him pressed against her this way was the most evocative feeling she'd ever experienced, even stronger than that time on the balcony. And he wouldn't stop kissing her, his touch roaming over her skin, setting her very flesh on fire.

Karina let her hands wander all over his back and shoulders, reveling in the strength she found there. Knowing he wouldn't continue if she spoke, she tried to tell him with her body that she wanted more. Almost involuntarily, she felt her hands drift lower, grasping his buttocks and writhing against him. He groaned so loudly; she was sure that she'd caused him pain. He reached down, quickly untying his sleeping pants and drawing up her nightgown until it was bunched around her waist. He then took hold of her hip and was driving into her with one fell swoop.

The pain wasn't severe, Karina's body was all too eager for that, but she noticed it. She stiffened and hissed, slightly. He must have noticed too, because he raised himself to look at her, a slow expression of shock and alarm starting to creep across his face. She was afraid he was going to stop when she was already adjusting to the heat and fullness of him. She pulled him back down and kissed him with everything she had in her.

He kept one of his hands buried in her hair, the other he used to guide her legs around him. He started to move, slowly at first, then driving her mercilessly when she began arching into him with abandon. She reveled in it, took from him, and gave herself back. It was the most blissful thing she'd ever experienced, a wild maelstrom of pleasure that she'd never imagined. Onward they soared, until the passion exploded around her in a burst of unrivaled ecstasy.

"Oh, sweet Goddess…" she vaguely heard him groan against her neck.

Oh my, yes…


Garthan and Jareth had expected Randel to have company when they went into his room in the morning. He always did. They'd go in and he'd nudge his little piece of cake out of the bed and off to her own room. It was a common occurrence when they came to Ardalon.

What they didn't expect was that his little piece of cake was Jareth's own daughter.

Garthan stared at the couple asleep in Randel's bed and felt his mouth working like a landed fish, his eyes blinking as if to refocus them and show a different picture. He looked over at Jareth in mounting horror. A myriad of expressions chased themselves on his King's face.

"We could be generous and assume that they've life-bonded," Garthan heard himself say, quietly. Jareth gave him an incredulous look. "Well, it's not that farfetched."

"Why don't we ask him?" Jareth said so low that Garthan could barely hear him.

Garthan felt a savage smile spread on his face. "I don't mind if I do." He then leaned over and backhanded Randel across the face.

Almost before the sound of the slap had faded, Randel came up swinging. Both men had already backed up. "What the hell, Garthan? What did you do that for?"

Garthan stared at him. "I have a better question. Are you life-bonded?"

Randel looked at him with puzzlement. "What the hell kind of question…" his voice faded. A look of dread spread itself across his countenance.

"Ah, I see you remember that you're not sleeping alone," said Jareth, his tone flat.

Randel dropped back against the pillow and threw his arm across his eyes. "Danu, please tell me I'm dreaming."

It was Karina who answered, Randel having inadvertently nudged her shoulder enough to awaken her. "What…?"

"We've got company," said Randel quietly, his voice dripping with self-loathing.

Clutching the sheet to her naked chest, she sat up wildly, "Oh, the hell we…" she paused, seeing him and her father standing beside the bed. Her eyes widened almost comically, and she ended her sentence on a horrified note. "Do…"

Jareth looked down at them, his face impassive. "Dress yourselves. We return to the Goblin Kingdom immediately." He then turned and walked away without looking back. Garthan followed his King out the door.