The King sat at his desk, shuffling through papers which he had no intention of going over now, his mind was on the girl with the green eyes. She was an interesting creature to be sure. Bold, daring and not afraid to take risks upon herself to correct a situation it would seem. She had left an impression on him. He sighed, pushing his chair out from under him and walked to the window, his hands clasped behind his back in thought. Jareth was up to something. Champion of the labyrinth, hmm? There would be plenty of his subjects who would be interested in the girl, who would want to question her, tame her…master her. Not just anyone could have beaten the labyrinth, after all, there were none before her who did. Jareth's plans would no doubt get in his way, and he had always been a sly one, never too quick to let his intentions known. The scene at court today was very interesting though, Jareth had done some things he would never have expected of him.
He supposed he could hardly blame him; it had not been easy when he and Morgana had first approached him with the offer of marrying Fleur. It would make a handsome marriage, the two had similar personalities…in some ways at least. He cleared his throat and looked out the window. His shining city lay below, the white alabaster houses, marble pillars and golden tiles made it a beacon of light to all who needed shelter within its folds. Beyond its borders an enemy waited in the Snatchwood Forest, citizens were already going missing lately. He had posted extra guards at the gate entrances; a curfew was in place and a nightwatch had been assembled but still it was happening. Something had to be done.
The doors to the King's study exploded inward as Jareth downright stalked into the room, his long strides carrying him to the king in three strokes. The guards were shouting, brandishing their spears and yet were trailing his heels, afraid to engage him. The king held up a hand to the guards and they left immediately all too happy to not have to deal with situation, cautiously closing the doors behind them. Jareth for his part never took his eyes off the king, fury radiated from him in waves. The king pointed to a chair in front of his desk. "Won't you sit down?"
Jareth did not move. The King was unfazed and continued to stare out of the window.
"She is a remarkable creature to be sure. I can see why you brood over her."
"I am a hen now?" Jareth asked, the anger in his voice, barely contained.
"Well, I do know you do not keep your eggs all in one basket. No. Not a hen. A viper. Waiting for just the right moment to strike. But not yet, am I right?"
Jareth said nothing.
"You will wait to show your hand, till the last possible moment, I think. You have always been a clever one, Jareth, a child between the worlds with a foot in either one but never really caring for one or the other. It is high time you chose a side before you are caught on the outskirts without a friend in the world to care."
"A threat?" Jareth questioned.
"A warning. Now, I suppose you have something to say about this morning's events, hmm?"
"You know why I'm here."
"Do I?"
"You had no right to invoke a trier on the girl. The law Fleur used was barely passable for what Maven had done. You know I had no choice in bringing her here."
The King's eyebrow rose and he turned to look Jareth in the eyes. He wanted to see his reaction. "And I suppose the timing of bringing her here isn't at all convenient for you?"
"I can admit that it did help get me out of a tricky situation, but I was not given much choice on that matter, either, if I must remind you, your majesty."
"Do not speak to me of choices, Jareth. You made your choice a very long time ago and you knew the consequences of making it."
Jareth sneered. "Consequences. Yes. Consequences for a child who didn't know what he was or what he would become. You knew, and still you did nothing. In the end you watched and just let them banish that child to the Wastes. Alone.Youdid that"
The King looked pained; his face contorted in grief. "There was nothing I could do. I had not assumed the throne yet."
"Keep telling yourself that. I hope it helps you sleep at night." Jareth nearly spat, he turned to leave.
The King walked back to his desk and sat down, looking over his papers again. He appeared to be distracted but Jareth was very aware of just how much the King knew, each was playing a chess game and hoping to win. "You aren't going to tell me to stop all this?"
"There is no going back now. You made that clear. Now you must accept your own consequences, your majesty." He ground out the last two words as if bile was in his throat.
"Now you are threating the King?" He puffed out his chest and watched as Jareth just stood there silently, calculating, a cold stare on his face.
"My own warning your majesty. If anything happens to that girl in thirteen days. You will regret it. I promise you."
"I cannot interfere with the judges, Jareth, you of all people should know that. No one can."
"Yet, you've never had trouble meddling when it means securing your own throne, haven't you?"
The King's eyes turned dark and stormy. "Get out, Jareth." He growled. "Get out, before I kill you, myself."
Jareth turned and left the king's study, placing a piece on the chess table in front of the fire before shutting the door behind him.
Sarah awoke for a second time in a place that was unknown to her, but this time she was laying on something soft and warm, she realized they were down feathers and for a moment she thought she was home again in her dorm room but when she opened her eyes, the warm yellow-green light let her know she was anywhere but there. She sat up to find herself lying in a large king-sized bed with cream colored satin bedding. There were tall standing candle lanterns throughout the room and two large circle windows laced with wooden framework and contained no glass, open to a warm, humid forest, the moss and ferns overgrowing into the room. A small set of stone stairs to the left of the foot of the bed led up to a bath, she could see through the open door. The room was pleasantly warm and was softly lit by the candlelight. It looked like something she would have imagined from Rivendell in the book Lord of the Rings. This did not look like Jareth's stone castle, or at least nothing she had seen the first time she had come to the Underground. She wondered where they had taken her. Wherever it was, she felt safe and happy, the room almost seemed to emanate the feeling. She wondered if there was magic involved in that in any way.
Sarah pushed back the covers and stood up. The air smelled of earth, moss and sunshine, making her smile for the first time since she arrived.
Julel walked into the room. "Ooooo." She squealed; a smile plastered on her face. Sarah nearly jumped in fright at her loud excitement. "Your awake!" She rushed over and immediately bombarded the girl with a crushing hug. "I'm so glad. You have been sleeping for hours and I was beginning to get bored." The girl still had her white hair in low pigtails that hung from the bottom front of her face, but she had changed her clothes, now she wore a simple blue cotton dress that matched the color of her ears and tail. Short, puffed sleeves covered her shoulders, and the skirt went down to her ankles, with a hole to allow her tail to poke out in the back. Sarah had never seen someone so cute and yet so incredibly annoying in the early morning.
"What time is it?" She asked. "How long have I been out?"
"Out? You haven't been outside, silly. Except for when my brother dragged your cold carcass over to our house."
Julis walked into the room from the same door his sister had just entered a moment ago, wearing a suit in the same blue color and rolled his eyes. "She means sleeping, sis. How long has she been sleeping? Really. You need to brush up on what the mortals are saying these days."
Julel blushed profusely but Sarah waved away his comment. "It's fine." Julel smiled, finally letting Sarah go from the hug, but still holding onto both her hands, like two bosom friends.
"I'm Julis and this is my twin sister, Julel. We are Grimalkin, and as commanded by the Seelie King, Dameal, you are our charge for the duration of your stay for the next thirteen days. You will be staying with us, in our house, in the court of the Seelie Fae."
Sarah wasn't quite alert yet, having not been fully awake without her morning coffee but she could pick out a few things he was babbling on about. She tried to remember all she could about what she had researched these past summers at the library on the Fae and their kind. "Seelie court? So then, you have an Unseelie court as well?"
"Oooo, look Julis, we have a smart one here."
He nodded. "Indeed. Yes, Maven, there is an Unseelie court. We try not to speak of them often. The Winter Court, as they are sometimes called, are ruthless, cunning, cruel and chaotic. They are dishonorable, vile, wicked wretches that will lie through their teeth to trick unknowing mortals. Stay far away from them if you value your life."
For a moment it was almost as if he was describing Jareth. Jareth, an Unseelie Fae? She could almost imagine it. "So, it's like good Fae versus bad Fae kind of thing?"
Julis snorted in derision. "Hardly." He sighed and tried to gain his composure, he had to remember this girl didn't know very much about how things were down here. Patience. He must exude patience. He could do that, he dealt with Julel on a daily basis after all and hadn't killed her yet. "Don't think of it in terms of good and bad but more like two sides of a coin. Manipulators verses Deviants is more like it. A Seelie Fae may stretch the truth to get what we want but we will never outright lie for devious purposes, and we hate cheats. We love beauty and we protect it in all its forms including the purest manifestation of that form which is love between two people. As contrary as it might seem, it doesn't happen to a lot of us down here, especially in the noble court where marriages are made for convenience or power. However, when we find love, we like to protect it. Think of us as a chaotic neutral party. The Unseelie are not harmless tricksters, they are intentionally cruel, dark and more than likely have been banished from the Seelie court for crudely embracing death, chaos, famine and destruction. They will torment you for the pure pleasure of seeing you squirm. The Unseelie are a chaotic evil party if you will. Does that make sense, Maven?"
Sarah nodded in answer to the new name they had seemed to have given her. Still. Good and evil basically. She just decided to ask it outright, after all, how much more damage could she do then to lose her memories? "Is Jareth part of the Unseelie court?" Both of their eyes went wide, neither chose to speak. "Did I say something wrong again?"
Julel forced a smile and put her hands behind her neck nervously. "No, no. It's just, no one really speaks about him."
"More than that." Julis continued. "King Dameal has forbidden us from speaking about him. Anyone that does, will be banished. We are allowed to speak to him when he is in court but never about him. The King will not tolerate gossip about Jareth. As much as I look forward to being your keeper, Maven, Julel and I value our lives and we will not speak on the matter, so please, do not ask us. It is in your best interest to leave it alone."
"But…I'm the champion. Don't I have a right to know? The whole reason I came here was because I wanted to find out what had happened to everyone after I left that day…" She said sadly, unable to continue her thought. She prayed Hoggle was okay. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself if anything had happened to the little man on her account. Even though they had not spoken in years, she still considered him to be one of her dearest friends. If they wouldn't speak about Jareth, perhaps she could get them to talk about her other friends or the labyrinth itself. Wouldn't that be considered part of their history after all down here, if she was the one who had beaten the labyrinth? Surely, they would be able to talk about that? She would have to choose her words carefully.
"Hmm. A little late to return now, don't you think?" Julel laughed and pounced on the bed, lying on her side and looking at her nails.
Sarah blushed. "Better late than never, my mother always used to say. Besides, if I made a mistake, I want to fix it and apologize, it's the least I can do."
"And your quite sure, dear, that it doesn't have to do with a certain Goblin King?" Julel made goo-goo eyes at her like a girl fresh out of high school.
Sarah scowled and turned her back on the cat-girl, folding her arms across her chest. "That bastard can rot for all I care. How dare he leave me to the wolves back there! No offense." She said quickly to the both of them.
"How did you know…"
Julis smiled and shook his head, interrupting his sister. "A woman scorned is a fearsome thing indeed. I shall watch out for you in the future. But who can blame him? If he brought you here, as he claimed to have done, then he is partly to blame for your trier. I suggest you let him wallow in his guilt a bit, don't worry, he will come around." His ears twitched and Sarah smiled at them. They had little intricacies that were very cat-like and the way they played off one another's personalities was interesting. She could tell she was going to like the duo.
"So how does this work? Do I just stay here the whole time in your house?"
Julel laughed, light and airy, like the tinkling of bells. "You aren't a prisoner, silly. Don't worry, we will show you around the Underground in due time. There will also be plenty of events to attend at the castle. Because of the engagement ceremony, there is lots to do and as members of the noble court, we will be part of that."
Sarah furrowed her brow. "Wasn't the engagement ceremony canceled because of my coming?"
"Oh no, dear, just put on hold for the moment. We will still have the festivities as if it happened and Jareth will have to attempt it again in thirteen days."
"What if he doesn't want to?"
Julel laughed again, waving her hand at Sarah. "Oh, Maven, you do say some funny things, doesn't she, Julis? Of course he would. It's not about wanting to."
"It's not?"
Julis stepped up to Sarah. "No. It isn't. In the Underground, we don't go by wants. We do what is ordered of us or we face banishment to the Unseelie court. No one wants that. Jareth, least of all."
So, he wasn't part of the Unseelie court then, Sarah surmised. Interesting. But Jareth didn't seem to be the type to be pushed around easily. Maybe King Dameal had something on him or was using something against him. She couldn't see him marrying that awful brat, Fluer. She just didn't seem like his type. Listen to her, she hadn't seen the man in seven years, what gave her the right to even know if he had a type? She shook her head. "But didn't you say you protect beauty in all its forms including love?"
Julis tilted his head, a corner of his mouth turning up. "Yes. What is your point, Maven?"
"Well, if he was in love with someone else, shouldn't he get to choose who to be with?"
Julis shrugged his shoulders. "Perhaps. It would depend on the rules of the engagement he made with the royal family and if the king decided to be lenient with the arrangement."
So many rules. It must be an awful place to live with so many things to remember and rules to follow here. She wondered if she could bare it. Then the more important question, when would she start losing her memories? How quickly would they leave and how could she ever find out how to stop it? King Dameal's answer had been a riddle, and she could barely remember the words. How could she recall them piece by piece if they were being stolen from her? It didn't make any sense.
Julis saw the look on her face and his eyes softened. "First things first, why don't we get you cleaned up and into something more comfortable than that sham of a witch's costume you are wearing."
Julel looked her over. "Is that what she is supposed to be? You're a witch, Maven? I didn't think they dressed like that the last time I was Aboveground."
Julis rolled his eyes. "They don't. It's a costume, sis. It's something mortals wear on Samhain to collect candy and treats."
"What a strange tradition."
"Well, adults really don't get candy, we, well, never mind. A bath does sound really good about now."
"Well, by all means. Let me leave you two ladies to it then. I will come back in a few hours with tea and cakes."
Sarah had a sudden thought. Food. Her stomach grumbled. How was she not supposed to eat Fae food for thirteen days? She would starve. But the alternative would be to stay here forever and she would never be able to eat human food again, it would turn to ash in her mouth, at least that's what the research said. How could she get out of this?
"Um, I appreciate the gesture, but I'm not very hungry." Sarah lied.
Julis looked at her queerly. She wondered if they could tell she was lying. He stood and stared at her for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders. "Very well, I will be back to take you on a tour of the house later."
Sarah nodded as he left. Julel jumped up from the bed and snaked her arm through Sarah's, pulling her along the short stone steps up to the bathroom. It had the same kind of round, open, windows as the ones in the bedroom only in a much smaller size. The walls, floor and ceiling were covered in a mosaic turquoise and gold tile, with a sink and vanity that stood on the opposite wall. There was copper pot that resembled a toilet without a lid and a large copper tub in the middle of the small room. Thank God, they did have indoor plumbing. Sarah sighed in relief.
Julel smiled as she drew a hot bath and began adding a bunch of salts and potion-looking bottles from a shelf on the wall.
"Does it ever rain here?" She pointed to the windows.
Julel shook her head. "Oh, no, not really. The Queen controls the weather. It only mists enough on certain days of the week to keep the plants alive, which keeps everything very warm and humid here. It is quite pleasant. I guess that's why they call us the Summer court. We are always pleasantly warm here."
"Does that mean there are a lot of forests here?"
"No. There are small groves around the castle gardens and within the golden city, but the only real forest around here is the one that borders the Seelie Summerlands and no one would go there. No one sane anyway."
"Why is that?"
"It's called SnatchWood Forest. Fae have been disappearing around there recently and at the heart of the forest is where the Unseelie Court lies."
"Oh."
Julel shooed Sarah toward the tub. "Enough questions for now, into the tub with you. I need to get you clean before my brother gets back or he'll be angry. He hates it when I'm not on time." She reached out to Sarah's shoulders and began to try to undress her. Sarah wrapped her arms around herself and pulled away abruptly.
"That's quite all right, I can do it myself."
Julel shrugged and turned around. "Suit yourself."
Sarah waited for the girl to leave but after a moment or so it was apparent that she had intentions of staying.
"Could you please get out so I can change?"
"I am tasked with incinerating your clothes. I need them before I leave."
"What? Why can't I keep them? I'm expecting to go back after the trier in thirteen days. Some of them are borrowed and I would like to return them."
"Oh, dear, you won't be going back. Didn't you know?"
Sarah's pulse sped up. Her words caught in her throat. "What do you mean?"
"Well, if you do, you'll be near death. I mean, really, don't humans know anything these days about us anymore? You cannot eat our food and return to your own world, and you can't very well starve to death down here. I can't allow that, I'm afraid as one of your keepers. It would be bad press."
Sarah felt her stomach drop. Julel had confirmed one of her worst fears. How was she supposed to manage this? Sarah had a thought. "Wait. I had food before from the Underground when I was here last, and I still went back to the mortal world."
"That's impossible."
"No, it's true." Sarah could feel the truth of her statement like a punch to the gut. She was sure. But the memory was blurry. She couldn't remember what she had eaten.
"What was it?"
"I…don't remember." Sarah said softly.
"Do you know who gave it to you?"
Did she? She tried to recall a face. It was the face of someone she had known quite well. Maybe Hoggle? She couldn't ever imagine Jareth sharing a meal with her. "No, I can't seem to recall, but I swear I did!"
Julel patted her shoulder. "There, there. Well, you simply couldn't have, my dear, not if you returned to your world and ate your own food. It simply wouldn't be possible. You must have been mistaken."
"Maybe. I'm sorry. I just. I can't." Sarah put a palm to her forehead, her head was beginning to pound. Why was this so hard? She never had trouble remembering things before.
Julel nodded and rubbed the girls back, "come on, let me help you into the tub. You'll feel much better after a warm bath."
Sarah nodded, letting the girl help her. She felt suddenly tired and weary, almost as if she needed to lay down again. Was this the memory spell that was doing this? Sarah stepped into the steaming water, wincing at the temperature at first and then sighing as she slowly sank beneath the foamy bubbles.
"Julel, you won't be able to tell me anything about the Forgotten Memories spell either, right? Isn't that part of the rules?" Sarah sighed, poking at the bubbles with her finger with a little more force than normal.
"I'm afraid so. I wish I could, dear, I really do. It's a shame, really."
"How am I supposed to figure this out on my own?" Sarah whined. She knew it would get her nowhere to speak like this, Julel had as much to do with it as anyone, she couldn't help her, but it made her feel better to whine anyway. Even if she did sound a lot like her old self before her trek through the Labyrinth.
Julel smiled softly. "I don't doubt you will. You are the champion of the Labyrinth, after all, Maven. You used cunning, physical strength, wisdom, and mental acuity to help you navigate it before. You will do so again."
"Yes, but then I had help. I had my friends with me."
Julel swished the water back and forth, sitting on a stool next to the tub to keep her company. "True. But Julis and I will not let anything happen to you if we can help it. I know we cannot change the trial or stop your memories from leaving, but I promise we won't let any harm come to you."
Sarah nodded and sat with her legs tucked up against her, deep in thought. Julel took a pitcher from next to the stool, filled it with warm water and poured it slowly over her back. She closed her eyes and drank in the comfort of the small deed done in kindness. What of Jareth? Would it really be that bad if she forgot everything that had happened between them? She tried to think of what that might mean for her. Would it change her somehow? Change her personality from everything she had learned about herself since her journey through the Labyrinth? What would that mean for her relationship with Toby? Would she hate him again? Would she look at him as just another snotty brother who gets in her way instead of cherishing every waking minute with him as if it could be snatched away in a moment? She wished she could talk to Jareth about it. Maybe he could help her in some way, he always seemed cleverer than her, not afraid to break the rules to get what he wanted. Surely, he could help her find a way out of this mess. He was the one to put her in it after all. It was only fair.
"Julel?"
"Hmm?"
"Where is Jareth?"
The girl stopped pouring water on her for a moment.
"Where is he staying? Does he have a home or castle here? That's not gossip about him, right? That's just asking a simple location question."
The water began pouring again and Julel started soaping Sarah's hair and rubbing her fingers through the girl's scalp. "Yes, I suppose that's true." Julel's voice was soft for once and careful, thinking her words carefully through. If she was acting like that over a location question Sarah could only imagine what would happen about other questions. Would the King really banish people just for speaking on it? How horrible to always watch what you say, to never be able to make a mistake or say what you feel on a certain matter. "Jareth is staying at King Dameal's castle for the time being, his is a guest of the King as the fiancé of Lady Fleur."
"Will you take me to him?"
She laughed again, like the sound of bells. "Interested in him, are you? Who can blame you? He is devilishly handsome in a rogue sort of way. Well, he's off limits, dear, obviously. Besides, we can't just go barging onto the castle grounds whenever we want. We must be invited first. Lucky for you, there is a formal ball tomorrow as a pre-engagement celebration. Julis and I will have to take you down to the market this afternoon to get your measurements for a dress fitting, so perhaps you will get a glimpse of him then. But don't hold your breath, I'm sure he will be occupied by a certain Lady the entire time."
Sarah nodded as Julel finished washing her hair. Julel then left the bathroom to give Sarah some privacy. She stayed in the tub for a while longer, soaking in warm oils and salts until her fingers and toes were good and puckered. Thinking of how to piece and recall her memories together as they were being stolen away. Did that mean she had the power herself to recall them? She had the power. She remembered that little red book, she wondered how many other things she could remember and how would she know when they were being taken from her? Could she keep them from being taken at all? She wondered what had happened to that little book, she had lost it years ago when she had returned from the Labyrinth, but she could almost quote it line for line if prompted still. She smiled at the thought. It was easy to remember how quickly she could get lost in her treasures, toys, and dreams when she was young, even now, she still felt drawn to that. When she was in school it was always hard to study instead of constantly reading fantasy novels like Lord of the Rings, The Discworld Series, The Mists of Avalon, The Blue Sword, and Howl's Moving Castle. She loved the stories within and how the characters had to go through epic journeys much like her own. In the end what they went through would change them in some way and she always felt like she saw herself in those stories.
She sighed and stepped out of the tub, into a soft towel that Julel had left for her on the stool. She would eventually have to get up and do something, she couldn't sit here and wallow all day long and being active and useful may just help her find the answers she was looking for all along. "Come on, feet." She said to herself and went back into the bedroom. There, lying on the recently made-up bed was a new dress. It was made of forest green velvet with an off the shoulder neckline and had Celtic knot silver embroidery from the fitted bodice to the floor. She picked it up and held it to the towel currently wrapped around her, smiling. The skirt flowed out in flared A-line that ended with black lace. It was one of the most beautiful dresses she had ever seen, and she knew Julel had exactly picked it to match the color of her eyes. She slipped into it and wondered why they even had to go to town for a fitting, it seemed like they had her measurements already, the dress fit her like a glove.
She was twirling around in it when a knock came at the door. Julel came in and beamed. "Well, don't you look as pretty as fresh spring ivy. You know, for a mortal if we dress you up you could almost pass for one of the Seelie court."
Sarah shook her head and decided to take the girl's underhanded comment as a compliment. "I appreciate the dress. It is lovely."
Julel waved a hand at her. "Oh, please, we can't have you going around town half-naked now, can we? Anyway, let's get your hair done. She pulled out a soft bristled brush from a wooden dresser built into the wall and had Sarah sit down on the edge of the bed. Sarah was silent as Julel talked about court nobility and mentioned all the names of the heads of state she would need to remember when she visited the castle tomorrow. Julel's hands flew through her long tresses, brushing and pinning, she kept expecting the girl to pull or knot her hair somehow, but she apparently had very nimble fingers because Sarah never felt a thing. She couldn't quite concentrate on what the girl was talking about anyway, her mind kept wandering to Jareth. She wondered what he was doing or thinking right about now. Did he regret bringing her here at all? Had she caused him nothing but trouble wishing herself away from the party? Did he think of her at all?
Her shoulders slumped at the thought and Julel caught the movement and stilled in her machinations. "What's wrong, Maven? Did I say something to upset you?"
"Oh, no, I'm just thinking too much."
Julel came around to look at Sarah. "Wondering if you made a mistake in coming here?"
Sarah furrowed her brow. "Well, yes, how did you know?"
"It doesn't take a genius to think about that question when one is in as deep a crevice as you are, dear."
Sarah nodded sadly. "I'm sorry. I just can't seem to keep my mind from it."
Julel put a hand on Sarah's shoulder and smiled tenderly. "I understand." She pulled Sarah to her feet and gave her a small hand mirror she took off the dresser. Sarah looked at her reflection. Julel had pinned her jet hair up in a delicate pattern of curls all around the nape of her neck, it was simple but beautiful and she had make-up in emerald green and black kohl around her eyes that had not been there before.
Sarah looked at her in surprise. "How did you-?"
"A bit of magic. It is useful for some things. We just don't use it as much as you mortals think. Magic is better wielded with caution, it allows you to surprise your enemies in a fight."
Sarah nodded. "I'll remember that."
Julel smiled and held out her hand. "Come, let's go downstairs and meet Julis. He's waiting with the cab to go to town."
The two girls went down a long hallway and descended a wide staircase at the end to find Julis waiting. He smiled as he looked over Sarah. "You look wonderful." The twins had changed again, the same blue color but more formal styles, Julel's was now a satin that draped her small, delicate form perfectly with a high slit up the leg and Julis wore a formal suit and tie. He looked rather dashing, Sarah thought, if you didn't look at his ears. She tried not to giggle, the ears just made him too cute, and she got the feeling that it would be a mistake to try to pet either one of them like a house cat.
He led them outside to a small Hansom carriage, the cab driver, a Fae with green skin and leaves for hair, sat in the driver's seat behind the cab, a white unicorn mare, a little smaller than a horse was hitched to the front. The three of them climbed into the Hansom and the driver took off for the market. Sarah took the seat next to the window to be able to look at all the people going about their day. It was fascinating to see all the different kinds of Fae beings that were walking about, Centaur's heels clicking on the cobblestone streets, dryads and naiads, majestic elves with creamy white skin and elegant clothing, the kind she imagined from Rivendell, tiny little pixies and sprites flying around like Tinkerbell from Peter Pan. It was all kind of magical. Not a goblin in sight, she realized. She wondered if goblins were Unseelie or something else entirely.
The Summerlands did feel like Summer as Julel had described them. The houses were white with golden tiles that reflected the sunlight or made of rich, earthy wood that looked like the twin's house, very organic shapes and open round windows. There were plants, vines and flowers flowing out of every nook and cranny but only a few scattered trees here and there. Groves were in shorter supply it seemed. The shops were situated on the bottom floors of some of the houses, with large open doorways that were big enough to fit a cart into. Some of them had the most interesting things to sell, potions of every color in every shape and size of bottle, the glass reflecting the colored liquid onto the streets like stained glass, fruits and vegetables in colors that Sarah had never seen before and the pies and cakes! In large tiers dripping with sugared candies, gum drops and lacy frosting. It was enough to make her mouth water. She realized it had been an entire day now since she had eaten anything. Her stomach grumbled and she prayed the twins couldn't hear it, but they seemed distracted by all the sights to much themselves to notice.
They stopped in front of a wood building that looked like it was built out of a single large oak tree, similar to the one in the throne room. There were dressmaker's forms set up inside and outside around the building covered with all manner of Fae dresses and suits in every color imaginable, it was almost an overload to the senses. Julis stepped down from the Hansom first and held out his hand to help both the women down. The twins went inside to speak with the tailor while Sarah stayed to look at the different gowns, ones with flowers, one with gems, one with what looked like sequins but were actually opalescent miniature shells. The handiwork was nothing like Sarah had ever seen Aboveground. Each gown was prettier than the last. It reminded her of a dream she thought she had when she was in a ballroom in a silver-pink gossamer gown dancing the night away with Jareth. Was that a dream? The memory seemed faded, like she could quite grasp at its edges. Sarah furrowed her brow as she looked at the silver dress of shells.
"Such mortal vanity, seeking to dress for a game far beyond your understanding."
The deep voice near her ear made her jump. Sarah whirled around to find a man standing very close to her shoulder, bent at the waist, smiling slyly. He had a round, bald head and short, pointed ears that lay close to his face, different than the longer elves she had seen earlier. His irises had a yellow glow to them, golden, but dull like a snake not bright. His nose was shorter, and his cheeks sunk in a bit like he had scars cut into them that had been sewn shut and had not quite healed correctly. On his face were tribal tattoos with sharp edges that went up his chin, over both of his eyes to the top of his head resembling thorns or spiked horns. There was a sinister look about him that Sarah didn't trust.
She glared at him. "Do I know you, sir?" How had he known she was mortal? Was he there at the throne room yesterday?
"You do not." He stood up, fingering the delicate dress of silver shells. "But word does travel fast in this kingdom when one knows what to listen for, champion."
"You seem to know a lot about me, but I am at a disadvantage for not knowing who you are. I can only guess."
His eyes seemed to light up with dark humor. "Can you?"
"You look different than anyone I have seen in the Summerlands." Sarah said, watching his reaction, he only looked at her with mild curiosity. She looked at his clothing, they were regal, she thought. A long black robe that fell to his feet with wide sleeves, and a chest piece of intricately woven metals in spiral-like patterns that fanned into sharp points over his shoulders and up his neck to the base of his skull. He had the look of a higher-class Fae, though she didn't know how she could judge something like that, she felt like she was spot on with this one. "You are from the Unseelie court I think, either a general or noble of some kind or perhaps the King himself. I regret that being freshly new to the Underground I lack such knowledge in these things."
"Clever girl." He purred, watching her carefully.
"It seems I must be to survive down here."
"Yes, it would."
"Well, aren't you at least going to tell me who you are?"
"Not in the slightest."
She sighed. "Very well. What do you want?"
"To observe."
"Is that all?"
"I have not decided as of yet."
"Well, let me know when you do." Sarah began to walk away from him, tired of his short, curt answers, when he grabbed her by the wrist.
"I did not say you can walk away yet." His voice was hard and steely.
Sarah looked him in the eyes, she wouldn't let him know he was beginning to frighten her. "I have other things to do. If all you are going to do is take up my time, you can just leave."
His eyes narrowed. "An arrogant little thing, aren't you?" He smiled, showing too sharp of teeth. "I can see why he likes you."
Sarah's heart hammered in her chest. Sweat was beginning to bead in her palms. "You mean, Jareth?"
"Would you like my aid in the matter?"
Sarah shook her head. "No. I refuse to take any kind of aid from an Unseelie court member. For all I know, you could be tricking me to my death, or wanting to change me into some kind of horrible creature. I don't even know youandyou won't even introduce yourself to me properly which means you want to keep your presence here a secret. I can smell your vile intentions sir, now let me go and leave me alone."
"Smell?" He leaned in, bringing her wrist to his mouth, Sarah jerked her arm, trying to pull away but his grip held her still. He grinned and inhaled her scent. Sarah blushed, heat rushing to her face at the intimate act from a perfect stranger. "You smell of woven spells. Of forgotten memories." He said quietly. "It would be a shame to forget everything you've accomplished Underground. To forget friends. To forget even him?" He posed that last sentence as a stinging question. Making its mark on Sarah's aching heart.
She knew in that moment he had read her correctly.
"How would you help me?" She asked cautiously, watching him closely, he was fingering the same dress again, smiling in thought.
"I can offer you two gifts to aid you, however, I will want something in return for both. I will trade two gifts for two payments. What say you?"
"What are the terms?"
"The aid is this. You can choose both or just one. I have the power to slow the loss of your memories if you should wish it."
"And the other?" Sarah asked, her stomach was sinking at this offer. She knew the price would be too deep to pay.
"I have the power to let you control and shape your own dreams. You may lose your memories of him and this place but in your dreams, you can relive these memories with Jareth while you are asleep. This will allow you to reconnect with forgotten moments you have lost."
"What would be the payment?"
"I get to decide when the time is right."
"That's not fair." Sarah claimed.
"I never said it was. I will at least promise you this, I will not kill you or cause your death in these payments that will be required."
"There are worse things than death." Sarah whispered.
"True." He nodded; his hands were now behind his back. "But the deal remains. Please, by all means, do take your time. I am nothing if not patient."
"How can I trust you? If you are from the Unseelie court, you can outright lie to me."
"True. You cannot."
He was still leaving her the choice. Her thoughts raced, what was she doing? Was she contemplating a spell deal from an Unseelie Fae who wouldn't even give her his name? She would be walking straight into a trap to be sure! She couldn't believe she was doing this.
"How will I find you if I decide I want to take the deal."
"I will find you, champion. However, if you would like a more concrete answer, I will give you one payment option now. If you would like more time with your memories, you can go with me tomorrow to the ceremony as my escort."
Sarah's eyes went wide. Was he serious? "You mean, like a date?"
He nodded.
"Let me get this straight, you're saying you can slow down the loss of my memories if I go on a date with you? Does this involve anything nefarious?"
"Not entirely."
Sarah thought deeply for a moment. "You hate him, don't you?" She asked.
"To whom are you speaking of?"
"Jareth. You want to make him jealous; I think."
He looked at her like King Dameal had looked at her in the throne room, with interest. His eyes shined with a dark light. "Clever indeed."
He looked again at the white shell dress and waved his hand over it, a dark yellow glow snaked through the air from his fingers as he traced an intricate pattern down the bodice in a V-shape, spreading out over the hips of the dress. When the light brightened and faded, in its place was green ivy and vine embroidery on the dress.
"You shall wear this." He commanded. "Do not make me wait. I will meet you at the top of the veranda. Farewell, my champion." He lifted her wrist again and this time Sarah didn't pull away. He kissed her lightly on the top of her hand and was gone down the street in a moment in a flurry of robes.
It was at that time that Julel ran back outside. "Maven, aren't you coming inside? We need to get you fitted today for the ball tomorrow."
"No need." Sarah said and pulled at the white shell dress. "I'll take this one. I have a sinking suspicion it will fit me perfectly."
In the back of the castle in the highest tower was a small alcove at the top that had been turned into a small office. There were purple bottles brewing in beakers on a small table, books on occult and dark magic in every spare nook and cranny and a small writing desk next to the window overlooking the castle courtyard. A lone figure sat at the desk pouring over a small red leather book with classic block lettering and a black flower border. Green-yellow light poured over the person finger's as they gently laid their index finger on the page and dragged it across the lines on the page. "She bit into the peach. The sound of her biting made Hoggle tremble. He wanted to put his hands over his ears. Sarah's face was rapt. 'This tastes…so strange.' She looked at the peach and found that her eyes would not focus on it." As they dragged their finger over it the words softly peeled themselves off from the paper and floated into the air where the figure ground them to dust within their fist.
"The last peach memory. Poor Sarah. Soon you won't remember anything at all precious child. Soon."
I hope you are enjoying it so far. Let me know in the comments how I am doing and follow along to show some love! I will be trying to get a chapter out every week and I still have not forgotten my Etain story for those who are interested, I am just very very stuck with a certain part right now. Kids and life also get in the way, but drop me a line or a question if you have them! Thanks!