Haorsham Palace, Kingdom of Iftanzel, Four Hundred and Eighteen Years After Sarah's Run…
"His Majesty will see you now."
Xensor turned to face the voice with barely concealed contempt. The nod he returned to the pompous little prick, however, was dripping with it.
This glorified door warden has no idea who he's dealing with…
He followed the official through the gilded doors to the Privy Council chamber. He was taken aback for a moment… the room was practically empty. For this time of day, there should have been a multitude of bootlickers hovering around the King, but aside from the ubiquitous Royal Guard, the High Councilor, and the King himself, there was no one around.
King Caelan sat upon his delicately carved throne with it's vinework and gold leaf. A fitting symbol of Iftanzel itself, it's beauty a mere thin façade of little worth. As was the King.
He was relatively young, and only recently crowned. A widower, who managed to lose his Queen within the first two years of his reign, he was rare amongst the Fae for having a natural born daughter. Whether this spoke of Danu's favor or not, Xensor couldn't say.
Caelan's daughter was not present either, which itself was unusual. The King thought it best to involve her in the governance of the Kingdom from the moment she reached her majority, if not before. She attended the Privy Council, the military briefings, and the Audiences, first to acclimatize herself to the protocol and procedures, then later to familiarize herself with the chicanery that came with any Fae Court. She was a pleasant young woman, her pretty face an open book to any who chose to read her. She had garnered the interest of quite a few Fae men, both locally and in the court of Ardalon, and her popularity had inspired an amusing wave of reactions through the female Fae population.
First it was contempt. Fae women had long past mastered the art of cutting a person to ribbons with nothing more than a smile and some words. Princess Illiana seemed impervious to this, responding in such a mild, almost sympathetic way that the women's vitriol stained them as opposed to her. When their tricks failed to cow her (and more importantly, failed to lessen the male interest in her), the women began the time-tested technique of imitating that which they could not destroy. While this was greeted with an almost comical relief by the Fae males, Xensor himself thought it to be rather ridiculous.
But then, there might not have been much choice in the matter. Fae marriages were a tricky thing. The fertility issues that had plagued them since moving to the Underground had been mitigated to a small extent by the inclusion of the 'wished-aways'. The adoptions brokered through the Goblin Kingdom had not only added to the population as a whole, but had added more variety, both in aesthetics as well as personalities. The wished-aways carried a myriad of exotic traits, from dark skin to the shapes of the facial features, and the Fae as a whole were fascinated with the way those traits blended with the genetics of their species. Wished-aways were highly prized in the marriage market, at first solely because of those variations, but later when it was discovered that their fertility was somewhat better than that of the natural born Fae. Actual duels would break out between potential suitors for the hand of one of them. This was not limited to the female wished-aways, as fights between the Fae women over the adopted males became an equally common sight.
Xensor himself was ambivalent to it. On the one hand, it irked him that the Fae had to look outside their species in order to survive. In a few millennia, the Fae would have interbred with the wished-aways to the point that there would be no more natural Fae. True, the wished-aways were indistinguishable genetically… that was undisputed. But they were not naturally so, and Xensor often felt that he was alone in his disdain for them. Still, they served a valuable purpose, and as such, he accepted the necessity of integrating them.
It was how they became Fae that rankled.
Xensor was drawn out of his musing as the official stopped before the throne with a bow. "Xensor Dai, Your Majesty."
Xensor took his cue and executed an elegant bow toward the King. He kept a mild expression on his face as he looked over the man on the throne. A handsome specimen, with rich violet hair and golden eyes, the King returned Xensor's scrutiny with an almost wary mien. The door warden moved to the side, ready to escort Xensor out when the audience ended. It was irritating.
"To what do I owe this… pleasure, Lord Dai?" asked the King.
Xensor inwardly gritted his teeth. He was a Lord, yes… but he was a General first. And this fool knew it.
"I have come to seek your blessing, Majesty," replied Xensor. "To re-form the Naruvian Legion."
Caelan's eyes narrowed slightly. "And why would I want to do that? We are not at war."
"That is true, Sire… but we should be ready for any eventuality. Iftanzel as it stands could not hold off a Goblin invasion—"
"Something that hasn't happened since the founding of their Kingdom," replied Caelan evenly. "Jareth stays on his side of the fence. He always has. The only time he ventures into others' territory is either by invitation or provocation. As I have no intention of provoking him… or inviting him, for that matter… why should I fear an invasion from him?"
Xensor could feel his irritation growing, "Just because he never has, doesn't mean that he won't. He has made no secret of his hatred of the Fae—"
"As we have made no secret of our own for him," Caelan returned with a touch of acid in his voice. "This mutual antagonism has not benefitted either Kingdom in any measurable way. Perhaps it is time for a new direction."
"With that bastard?" said Xensor bitterly. "If you think the Goblin King will treat honorably with the Fae, you—"
"I didn't say it had to be with the Goblin King, now did I?" asked Caelan, his annoyance now openly displayed in his expression. "I am well aware that Jareth avoids all but the most necessary contact between the Goblins and the Fae. But you forget… we aren't restricted to dealing with just him. His son is not nearly as hostile as he is, nor is his Queen. In fact, the last few centuries have opened up a lot of possibilities for the future."
"Are you saying that we have to wait until Jareth is dead before we can—"
Caelan frowned severely, "That is not what I am saying, and you'd best not infer otherwise. What I am saying is that Jareth has been content to let his wife and son handle the diplomatic dance his Kingdom must perform. Every Fae knows that if you want any meaningful negotiations, you go around the Goblin King. To be honest… It wouldn't surprise me if he actually welcomed it. His own people have benefitted greatly by him allowing his wife and heir to be the 'face' of the Goblin Kingdom. Jareth may be many things, but he has always put the needs of his people before his own personal inclinations."
"That's as may be," said Xensor between his gritted teeth. "But the fact remains… you are trusting the security of this Kingdom to Jareth's better nature… one I highly doubt he even has. He and his Kingdom are a blight on the face of the Underground, and—"
"And what would you have me do, eh?" asked Caelan, his voice now sharp. "Re-form the Legion… and what? Invade? Tell me, Xensor… what would that avail us? My father tried that, four hundred years ago. He wasted time, treasure and Iftanzel lives, all to do… what?"
Xensor didn't bother to hide his anger as he responded, "He knew that no Fae should be subject to the whim of a fucking Goblin! We kowtow to that bastard, and for what?"
Caelan's eyes had narrowed at Xensor's words. "He holds the very future of the Fae in his hands, Xensor. We do ourselves no favors by antagonizing him."
"And that's the point," said Xensor with satisfaction. "Why should Jareth be the one to control the adoption of wished-aways? From what we know, it is the Labyrinth that facilitates that, not Jareth. Why should he get to control—"
"Whether he 'gets' to control it is immaterial. The fact remains, he does control it. Do you remember what happened after the last war? It was at least a century before Iftanzel saw another wished-away. Wars bring death, Xensor. Casualties. Just how are we going to replace those lost soldiers if we are cut off from adopting?"
"We wouldn't be cut off… not if we controlled it ourselves," said Xensor quietly.
Caelan sat back in his throne, his eyes wide with disbelief. "So that's it… you think to take control of the Labyrinth and thus, take control of the wished-aways." For a moment he simply watched Xensor, his expression shuttered. "Let's say that I did re-form the Legion. It wouldn't matter. All of our men together wouldn't be enough to invade the Goblin Kingdom before being repulsed. They don't have the same fertility issues that we have… they've been building their ranks in the centuries since their revolt. Not just with birthing new generations, but with taking in other peoples. Their population easily triples ours… quadruples, more likely. He would bat away our forces as easily as he'd bat away a fly. And that's just the Goblin Kingdom itself. You haven't taken his allies into consideration. The Strigoi are joined to him at the hip. Understandable, as they are considered to be outcasts much as the Goblins are. That makes his southern flank secure. To his north is the Dwarven Kingdom, one that has enjoyed a healthy diplomatic relationship with him from the founding of his Kingdom. The Elves hold territory under his nominal control, although they are autonomous. Even so, they are unlikely to just sit back and allow us to invade their titular Kingdom without participating in its defense. Jareth is unassailable, and it's best that you and the other dinosaurs in Ardalon figure that out sooner rather than later."
"Not if his allies are neutralized," murmured Xensor.
Caelan wasn't having it, "And how do you propose to do that? Even if you did manage to separate Jareth from his allies, you have not accounted for the fact that his population exceeds ours by an overwhelming degree. And one thing I do know… that was brought home to us all in the last war… every single citizen of the Goblin Kingdom is trained to defend it. Men, women, creatures… hell, the very land rose up in its defense the last time. Aside from the moral questionability of such a war, the numbers themselves do not support your position."
"If the Fae were united—" began Xensor.
Caelan cut him off quickly, "United for what? What cause will you present to them that would get them to send their sons to die in Tír Ceilte? Control of the Labyrinth? Why should they bother? They already get wished-aways with a satisfying frequency, something that would naturally be cut off, should they be so stupid as to invade the Kingdom that is providing them. And you also make a very dangerous assumption." Caelan leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, his gaze fierce. "You have no idea what the relationship is between the Labyrinth and the Goblins. You have no idea who is controlling what. Nor can you guarantee that the Labyrinth will merrily go along with a new set of masters. For all you know, it could simply refuse to cooperate. That is, if Jareth even let the Labyrinth get into our hands. If I were him, I'd have figured out a way to destroy it before I let it fall into my enemy's lap."
"Let him! Without the Labyrinth, he has no leverage over us—"
"And now, you venture into the realm of stupidity," said Caelan in a low voice. "You would sacrifice the future of the Fae species for your pride. It is just this sort of thinking that has cost our people so much…" for a moment Caelan drifted off, before his eyes narrowed back on Xensor. "That's what it boils down to, isn't it? Your pride. Don't think I have forgotten that the entire reason the Naruvian Legion was disbanded was because you'd been taken prisoner in the last war. And not by the Greater Goblins, either. It was the little ones that managed to put you in chains."
Xensor's face twisted in rage, "I was betrayed—"
"Bullshit!" yelled Caelan. "It was incompetence that landed you in Jareth's dungeon. My father's incompetence, by attacking a Kingdom that was not an existential threat. Your incompetence by underestimating the abilities of the foe you faced. We were damned lucky that Jareth was content to simply push us back and not march his men right to the Palace! If we attack him again, there's nothing to stop him from dictating terms to us right from this very chamber!" At this, Caelan took a breath. "No, Xensor. A thousand times, no. This Kingdom is moving in a different direction, as is the rest of the Underground. And I will do nothing to halt that journey. Nor will you."
With that, Caelan nodded at the door warden. As the little official stepped up, Xensor snarled at the King. "You will see, Caelan. They can't be trusted. You will rue your foolishness this day." Before the door warden could take his arm, Xensor turned on his heel and left the chamber without bowing.
As a Lord of the Kingdom, Xensor had a suite of rooms within Haorsham Palace for his exclusive use. He stalked into the small solar, his vision almost black with rage. His valet, who had started to step towards him, now halted in his tracks.
"Leave," growled Xensor. The valet scurried away into one of the inner rooms. Xensor moved toward a small liquor cabinet in the corner of the solar, snatching the first decanter his fingers touched and poured himself a sloppy drink. He raised the glass to his lips, gulping down the alcohol almost absently.
To Hades with that idiot… him and Jareth both.
The anger was flowing within him, burning its path through his veins and into his heart. He had expected some resistance, the King of Iftanzel was known to be a rather soft individual. He hadn't expected him to be so… stupid.
He was convinced that diplomacy was the way. He was content to let the Fae grovel to the Goblins for their very survival. That bastard would rather use a pen and a smile as opposed to a sword, even when it made him look weak.
Well, so be it. Caelan will have to be removed, one way or another.
But even if he did manage to get rid of the King, there was still the Princess to consider. Given what Xensor knew of her personality, it was highly unlikely that she would be any more willing to move against the Goblin Kingdom than her father was.
Pride. Caelan had the gall to take a stab at Xensor's pride. He'd already suffered the snide remarks, the mocking laughter that came when one mentioned his imprisonment at the hands of the Goblins. Xensor doubted that any one of them had ever had a look at the little vermin… if they had, they might not have laughed.
Those little cretins are savage… and the Fae would do well to remember it. Caelin would have pissed himself if he'd faced what I had…
Just the memory was enough to send a shudder through him. Those glowing eyes. Those sharp, pointed teeth. The long, razor-like claws. He could still feel the dry, almost pebbly skin of their hands when they'd seized him, those claws laid against his throat. He remembered the frission of terror that went through him at the thought that these… monsters… would start biting into his flesh.
Shaking off the residual fear that had come over him, Xensor poured another measure of liquor into his glass and threw himself into an armchair. This was a setback, to be sure, but not insurmountable. What Caelan didn't know was that the Naruvian Legion had already been reconstituted, its members frustrated with the Crown's continued unwillingness to give them their due. All he had to do was inform them of the King's contempt of their service and they would fall in with his plans.
And now, those plans needed to be altered. One benefit of this humiliating audience was that Caelan had a point… the numbers didn't lie. Even if he could command the entirety of Iftanzel, it would not be enough to overcome Jareth's own population, let alone the allies he could call upon. Xensor had to give some serious thought about how to separate Jareth from his allies… and unite the Fae against him. Slowly, almost painfully, the plan took shape. As each detail flashed across his mind, more possibilities opened up.
Yes… oh yes. By the time this is finished, the Goblin Kingdom will have been ground into dust. I will finally receive the acclaim that I am owed. I can get rid of Caelan then. And Jareth… oh, Jareth… I'll insist upon executing you myself. After I execute your family before your very eyes.
For the first time since that humiliating audience, Xensor smiled.
Author's Notes:
Some warnings… there is mention of non-consensual sex and drugging. There is also violence. While I write these things with quite a bit of restraint (I would have no issue with 14+ kids reading what I wrote) it is still there and I wanted to give a heads up.
The original suggestion for this story came from a reader on AOE (Morgana Holmes). She had thrown me the idea to have a Fae plot against Sarah, one that the Ughlánas would defend her from. Unfortunately, by the time I had gotten the suggestion, I had already finished writing the main story, which had Sarah channeling Jareth's power (the only thing she couldn't do was manipulate time, which as we know now was a gift directly to Jareth from Danu). I just didn't see a way to integrate such a scenario into the main story before Sarah married Jareth, and afterwards… yeah, she was just too powerful for it to be a credible threat to her.
So… I hit upon the idea of using another victim. And the story sort of went off in its own direction (as you will see). But all credit for me even thinking up this scenario goes to Morgana Holmes.