CHAPTER 12

Jareth's eyes became huge. Sarah was freaking out, ran over to the large wall mirror and stopped dead, looking at herself. She put her hand over her mouth and stared in complete shock. Lyra started mewing because she could sense Sarah's anxiety. Sarah automatically started comforting her kit.

Sarah exclaimed in awe, "Oh my God. How did that happen?!"

Jareth was in stunned shock and walked up slowly to her wings, touching them gently with his hand. It made them flutter. He said in awe, "How do you have fairy wings? That's incredible. The fae lost theirs thousands of years ago."

Sarah said warily, "I don't know how. I was getting upset, my back by my shoulder blades started tingling and they shot out of my shoulder blades."

Jareth was stroking them making them flutter mesmerized and murmured, "Beautiful." Sarah yawned and suddenly they retracted and disappeared.

Jareth asked chuckling, "What did you do?"

Sarah giggled and said, "I yawned." Jareth smiled and chuckled.

Jareth said curiously, "I can't wait to find out what all you can do. The Labyrinth said you were to be more than fae. It's going to be a fascinating journey." Sarah smiled looking at him in the mirror and nodding agreeing it would be interesting.

Jareth said seriously, "Sarah, I will wait for you when you are comfortable to be with me. The document is just a formality. Just legally keeps others from bothing us. I will want you to move back in the castle with me in your own room like before. I won't pressure you to sleep with me. I don't want to argue with you over that anymore. Let's try to be friends and I will try not to make you angry at me all the time. Just don't run away from me anymore, we need to find equal footing. We can't accomplish that from a distance." Sarah sighed and sat down in her chair again and took a sip of wine petting Lyra. Jareth came back to his chair.

Sarah said exhaling, "Yes, honestly, I am still very angry at you for setting me up this whole time even before the run, kidnapping me after thirteen years, hitting me in the face because you forced yourself on me, sending that abusive woman to hurt me, the sexual molestation as I was sleeping still in pain and threats of rape to claim me. You even pushed sex right after being nicer to me when I was in pain still from the change, and then got mad because I refused to be your sexual paramour. That's a lot of things to get over for one man doing it all in the space of days."

He sighed with his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. Jareth said, "It sounds terrible when you say it all like that. What do you want me to apologize for first? I have to stop playing the villain, Sarah."

Sarah sighed and rubbed her temple and said, "Ask me to do things, stop being selfish, stop trying to control me and most of all don't just assume I'll come to your beck and call to fall at your feet. I can take care of myself. Though I am not naive enough to think I know everything about the Underground. Try to be kind because if you do I will be kind back. Most of all, I demand monogamy or I will leave."

Jareth asked hesitantly, "If I agree to only be with you? Will you come back to the castle?"

Sarah looked in the fire and was mulling it over in her mind. She still would not allow him in her room. Courting wasn't like a fiancee or wife. She would set the pace of this relationship? More like an arrangement. Sarah said stoically, "We can try it and see how it goes but I'm setting the pace, not you. I agree to go to functions and events with you being cordial as a girlfriend in public. I agree to be in the castle in my own room that you cannot enter. You will respect my privacy, though I know that no fae can see or locate me still, but Gaia can. I'll come to the castle tomorrow with my horse and belongings." Jareth nodded, agreeing.

—--

Sarah woke up the next morning in the inn and had her over three month old kit sitting off to the side staring at her while she slept. She turned her head to the side looking into Lyra's lovely amber eyes just looking at her. Studying her introspectively.

She said, "What is it, my little love? What are you thinking so hard about? It makes you look so wise and beautiful." Her purr motor switched on. Lyra walked up and headbutted her chin, rubbing her face against Sarah's in long strokes. Sarah reached up, petting her and rubbing her ears.

She said, "I love you too, my sweet little girl." She scooped Lyra up and kissed her face all over, rolling over putting her on her back. Lyra put her paws on Sarah's chin like she was holding her mother back. The kit had an adoring look in her eyes looking back at Sarah.

Sarah giggled and said, "You are the most adorable little baby ever. I could eat you up by stealing all your kisses just for your mama." She rubbed her nose on her kit's nose and rubbed her ears with her thumbs.

Sarah told her, "I like waking up to such a loving sweetheart every morning. Let's get up and I'll do my things and feed my favorite girl some breakfast." She kissed Lyra on the nose and rubbed her belly before she got up. She went to the bathroom, stretched, yawned and brushed her teeth.

Sarah sat down on the bed and started mixing milk and meat together in Lyra's little bowl and filled her other bowl with water. When Lyra was through, Sarah cast a crystal on herself and had a lovely sea green color dress in muted shades, long sleeves off the shoulder boat neck neckline and she was wearing matching flats. Her hair was the same as last night curly and swept back from her face. It was a lovely dress. She cast another crystal and had a heavy dark green velvet cloak on the bed.

Before Sarah was going to get ready to leave, she made a wish that all hidden and forgotten items that did not belong to the owner, patrons or employees appear in her room. What happened next, astounded Sarah…..

A huge mountain of things in bags, boxes and crates appeared filling up the floor space almost to the ceiling. Sarah sat down on the bed in shock with her mouth open. She moved items away from the door, picked up Lyra and put her in the pouch she had around her neck and went to breakfast.

When she returned to the room she locked the door and blocked it. There was a lot of hidden items long forgotten inside the inn. She began making a series of wishes to filter it out. When she was done, this is what she had…

47,533 gold coins

13,480 silver coins

4,521 copper coins

1 silver fancy necklace w/chain

45 bags of mixed jewelry

31 large bags of gold nuggets

17 bags of silver nuggets

19 bags of cut gemstones

35 bags of gold ore

22 bags of silver ore

11 bags of gold dust

9 bags of silver dust

37 jeweled daggers

1 big sacks of gold/silver mini bars

8 big old books of spells

20 scroll tubes

1 runic athame knife

1 ritual crystal wand

1 crystal ball with rune stand

2 treasure maps (Pixie Kingdom Dwarven Kingdom)

Sarah dumped all of the nuggets, gemstones, ore, dust, gold/silver mini bars and broken down ores into her bracelet. She really needed a smelter for her gold and silver to exchange for coins. She bagged up the magical jewelry, books, scrolls, mirrors, athame knife, crystal wand, crystal ball w/stand, 37 jeweled daggers and two treasure maps while combining them with some items she already had. Sarah took in so much coin she had in her bracelet, 68,710 gold, 14,870 silver and 4,670 copper coins. She knew with all the gold, silver and gemstones once sold would be way way more. She wished for all of the 61 bags of jewelry that would fit to go into her bracelet. It took it down to five bags, reducing it greatly. The one silver fancy necklace with a chain, had a tiny key on the chain. Sarah took the key off of the chain and unlocked a back panel of a 2x3 inch door on the back. She turned it upside down and tons of coins and nuggets and gemstones came flying out of it. It was an infinite space item like her bracelet. She put everything back into the necklace, locked it back up, put the key back on the chain and put it around her neck. It hung low between her breasts.

She grabbed everything wishing the weight light and turned in the key to go get Valiant. Once she had him packed up with everything on him, she led him to the gates of the castle. She couldn't believe how much stuff was abandoned inside the inn.

Sarah was standing outside the gates and said to the two guards, "I am here at the King's request."

The goblin guards put their spears crossed to bar her and shouted, "No entry!"

Sarah said seriously, "I have permission from the King to come to the castle. I am Sarah, the Labyrinth Champion."

The first guards said nastily, "That's what everyone says! Move along!"

Sarah took down her hood and said authoritatively, "How dare you not check to be sure you're not wrong! I will call the king himself! I 'wish' the Goblin King was right here." Both guard's eyes got big.

Jareth appeared and said, "Why are you late, Sarah?" He was dressed all in black with his black cloak on because it was cold outside.

Sarah said indignantly, "Your nasty attitude guards practically called me a liar when I told them I was to come here at your request. I even told them I was Sarah, the Labyrinth Champion."

Jareth said to the two guards, "I left specific instructions last night that the champion was coming to the castle today. Why did you not let her in?"

The one guard said, "Sire, we were not told about a visitor coming or the Champion."

Jareth said frustrated, "I left word with your Commander to notify you."

The other guard said, "We received no instructions, your majesty."

Jareth huffed and said, "I will take this up with your Commander then. Sarah can come and go as she pleases. Come, Sarah." He held out his hand for the reins and put his arm around her waist. He had them all disappear in a swirl of glitter.

They reappeared in Jareth's bedroom. He said, "All your belongings are in your room and your horse is in the royal stables." He had brought her to his room because he still couldn't enter her room.

Sarah stepped back from him and said, "Ok." She went to leave and go into the adjoining door.

Jareth said hesitantly, "Thank you, Sarah, for coming back." She stopped and looked at him.

She said, "You're welcome." She turned and went through the door. Jareth stood there a moment and then left out the door to go to his study. He thought, 'I have to get her to trust me. She is completely on guard when she is around me. *sigh* I want her to love me.'

—--

Sarah put all of her belongings away to get settled in. She put all of the magical items into the back of the extended deep armoire.

She put her empty bags condensed down inside of each other in the armoire by her boots. Sarah wanted to see the castle and explore. She put on her cloak with the hood down and needed to let Lyra walk on her leash. They slowly walked out into the hallway.

They kept walking around everywhere until Lyra got tired and mewed up at Sarah to pick her up. They kept wandering around. It was a big place. Sarah walked down a set of stairs and came out into a room of rustic tables in rows. There was a kitchen with wonderful smells of fresh baked bread and roasted garlic. Sarah walked over to the kitchen and saw a big goblin and a human old woman making dough. Sarah was fascinated at how well they worked together like in a rhythm.

The old woman said, "Dredge, can ye get the loaf pans and check the bread in the oven?"

Dredge said, in raspy deep voice, "These loaves be needin' 'bout ten minutes ta brown." The old woman nodded. Dredge sat the big stack of loaf pans on the table and they both started breaking down the dough filling them. The old woman looked up, probably feeling herself being watched.

The old woman kept working saying to Sarah, "Who be ye?"

Sarah said kindly, "I'm Sarah, nice to meet you. It smells wonderful here and I was curious."

The old woman cackled and said, "Ye would be surprised at what ar cooking be attractin'." Sarah smiled.

The old woman stopped and wiped her flour dusted hands off on her apron and walked over to the doorway grabbing a basket with baked rolls, biscuits and a few pastries in it. The old woman said, "I be Maggie, Sarah, it be a pleasure ta meet tha champion. Here be a sample of me baked goods fer ya ta try." Sarah was very flattered.

Sarah said with a big smile, "Well thank you very much, Maggie. That's very kind."

The old woman smiled real big and said, "Ye ar a beautiful fae lassie, but I be thinkin' that champion be a human?" Sarah bit a little piece into a roll and rolled her eyes. It was fresh sourdough.

Sarah said giggling, "I was bit by a fairy queen and the venom turned me into a fae shortly after I arrived."

Maggie gasped and said, "Ye be important then cuz most fairies don' be givin' a fig bout humans."

Sarah smiled and asked, "Is this the castle kitchen?"

Maggie said giggling, "Nah, this be tha employee kitchen. Tha royal kitchen be up higher in tha castle near tha king's dinin' rooms."

Sarah said smiling at the woman, "Thank you for your time, Maggie. I'll let you get back to baking such wonderful things. Both of you have a wonderful day." Sarah waved and walked away. She gave Lyra a nibble of the roll. They walked out of the lunch room and went out into a corridor of small doors that were made of old wood. A goblin came out of one of the rooms and Sarah saw they were tenant rooms for employees.