CHAPTER 15
The next day, Jareth, Sarah and Lyra were eating their breakfast in the solarium. Jarell had arrived earlier in the morning so he could get settled in a room.
Jarell came into the room sighed and said, "I'm sorry, your Majesty, but your father has arrived with Lady Josellyn and her father Lord Racieren. I put them in the Grand sitting room." Jareth put his fingers to the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes.
Jareth asked, "Did you tell him he is interrupting my morning meal?"
Jarell smiled and said, "Yes, sire, I did but I don't think he cares."
Jareth inhaled and exhaled, "I'll go face him." He went to stand up.
Sarah said, putting her hand on his arm to stay him, "No, we will go face him, Jareth, together." Jareth smiled and put out his hand as she picked up a well fed Lyra in her other arm. She kissed her kit and they walked together down the hall to the Grand sitting room.
As they entered the room, all conversation stopped, they all three stared at Sarah. The High King stood up and said snootily, "I did not request her presence, only yours."
Jareth said tempering his ire, "Really father, how rude you have become to say something like that in front of a titled fae lady."
The High King said feigning caring, "Fine she doesn't matter anyway. I have brought Lady Josellyn and her father Lord Racieren because I wish you to betroth her." Jareth was about to say something, but his father interjected, "Now listen to the offer. If you betroth Lady Josellyn, Lord Racieren will give you 50% of his ruby mine and and the other 50% of the ruby mine if you marry her. If you have a child, he will give you 50% of his shares in the gold mines in the Unicorn Kingdom. Doesn't that sound nice and fair?"
Jareth said smiling, "Yes, father that sounds nice…."
The High King pounced on interrupting, "I knew it! I knew it!" All three were getting excited.
Jareth said loudly, "BUT…nothing can compare with what my Sarah comes with." The three gasped.
The High King shouted, "What do you mean?! She is nothing but a changeling human! She is not even a natural fae!"
Jareth said getting mad, "Like I said, Sarah comes with much more."
Lady Josellyn put her hands on her hips and snottily said, "Like what? She's a former human, a lower life form, trash and only good for cleaning and relieving sexual urges of fae. Why because she beat your little game? I bet I could do it, no problem!" She threw her chin in the air
Jareth said snapping, "You couldn't without magic and in only ten hours!"
Sarah was getting very pissed off at these arrogant snobs. Suddenly, magical shooting stars were releasing from her aura bouncing off the walls. Her wings shot out of her back as she stepped back with two glowing orbs in her hands. The room filled with oppressing magic and was sealing the room. Lyra was afraid mewing and hiding under the folds of her skirt laying on her belly.
Jareth had no idea what the hell was going on with Sarah but she had everyone scared and him puzzled at what she would do next.
Sarah said in a booming powerful voice with her eyes glowing bright green with power and her wings flapping rapidly, "How dare you say such vile things in my presence! Who do you think you are?! I am sick and tired of the lack of respect around me! Don't you ever say anything about me like that again in my presence! Do you hear me?!!!"
Lady Josellyn in anger threw a crystal at Sarah and it bounced off of her barrier and shattered on the ground. Sarah read what the spell was when it tried to touch her barrier. She said menacingly, "Trying to kill me, Lady Josellyn, with the killing curse?! That breaks your own laws, by trying to kill a fae outright! I have done nothing but show my power! I have not harmed a person in this room!"
Jareth shouted in anger, "Josellyn!!!! What did you do?!!! How could you even try to harm her?!!!!"
A green mist formed in the room spinning in chaos now because Sarah was even more angry. Gaia said, stretching out green tendrils of magic to soothe Sarah's magic and emotions, "Calm, my champion, calm." Sarah was calming. The room wasn't spinning stars as much and things were settling down. Sarah reached down and took her kit into her arms, cooing and cuddling to calm her down from trembling. It calmed Sarah too as her full wings opened and closed on her back.
The High King spat, "This is your doing Jareth! Bringing a dangerous entity into the Underground! Get rid of it now!!!!!"
Gaia's voice was booming loud, "You tried to murder my champion! You are the one to pay, Lady Josellyn! You forfeit all for your magic according to the laws of the Underground!" Gaia reached out a tendril in the shape of a hand and pressed it against Lady Josellyn's chest and ripped out all of her being's magic. Lady Josellyn screamed like she was being murdered and fell to her knees crying in misery.
The people of the High Court materialized in the room summoned by Gaia. They were startled and looked around. Gaia spoke boldly, "I am the Labyrinth. I am Gaia the Goddess Of Magic, the raw form of all magic in this realm. Lady Josellyn has transgressed against the laws of the Underground under Article 4, section 8, under the Laws Of The Fae. She has tried to murder my champion, Lady Sarah, before these witnesses and only did not succeed because my champion is more powerful than any fae in the Underground. I have removed all of her magic and she is no longer worthy of her position."
The Court Officiant, King Aidwin of the Elven Kingdom, had the council member next to him, that was fae, toss a crystal at Lady Josellyn. He then asked, "Lady Josellyn, do you admit to this crime under the truth spell?"
Lady Josellyn was on the floor looking pathetic and said, "Yes, I was scared of her violent out of control behavior and defended myself. I don't want Jareth to marry an ex-human and put it on the throne."
The Court Officiant had a truth spell tossed at Sarah but it bounced off and popped. Gaia said to Sarah, "Take down your barrier, my champion so they may use a truth crystal." Sarah took off her necklace that glowed and handed it to Jareth to hold. He held it in his hand.
The Court Officiant had a truth spell tossed at Sarah again and it popped on her. He asked Sarah, "Lady Sarah, did you commit an act of violence?"
Sarah said sincerely, "No, your Majesty. I only displayed my power because they were calling me undignified names and being cruel. So I showed them that I am not weak. But I did not harm anyone in this room at all."
Lord Racieren shouted, "That's a lie! My daughter was threatened!"
The Court Officiant asked Sarah, "Did you threaten anyone's lives, Lady Sarah."
Sarah said honestly, "Now, that is a lie. I said exactly this…..'How dare you say such vile things in my presence! Who do you think you are?! I am sick and tired of the lack of respect for me! Don't you ever say anything about me like that again in my presence! Do you hear me?!!!' That was all I said and she threw the killing curse at me which bounced off my barrier."
The Court Officiant nodded his head and said, "The title of Lady has been rescinded and removed of all magic has been warranted. You Josellyn, have brought shame upon yourself and your family to your own embarrassment. Lord Racieren, take your magicless daughter home for trying to commit murder against a fae. Any retaliation from your family will result in banishment and full magic removal. I suggest you get a carriage because she has no magic to transport through city portals any longer , just like a human herself now. Lord Racieren grabbed his daughter by the arm, who began wailing.
She screamed out, "She's a human! She's not fae!"
Lord Racieren shouted angrily, jerking her arm hard, "Shut up, Josellyn! Everyone has heard and had enough from you embarrassing our family!" He pulled her out of the door followed by Jarell.
The Court Officiant said, "Lady Sarah you are recognized as a full fae in this court and anyone who opposes this will is stating it under false pretenses. The court is adjourned." King Aidwin of the Elven Kingdom, the Court Officiant, smiled at Sarah and recognized the markings of the fae royal Lugh tribe that was deemed long extinct, which had him completely intrigued and enamored with her exquisite beauty. Elves had dark hair like her and he could swear he felt elven magic coming from her.
Gaia stated to the High King, "High King, be careful where you tread when it comes to my champion. My champion was chosen to be more than any fae you would think to put on the High Throne. You threaten my champion and you threaten me. I will strip your magic and you will lose your crown. Beware of your actions." Gaia faded away.
King Aidwin approached Sarah as the others of the court disappeared. He was a tall, very handsome elf with long dark hair past shoulder length and was smiling friendly. It made Sarah smile at his demeanor.
King Aidwin said, taking her hand, "Dear lady, I sense elven magic with much more coming from you. I also noticed the Lugh royal tribe markings under your eyes. That is quite fascinating in itself." He took her hand and kissed the back of it while still holding it.
Sarah guessed that elves were not fae royalty and did not have to steer clear of her. She noticed in her peripheral vision that Jareth was narrowing his eyes, getting jealous. Sarah decided to just let him get jealous because she wasn't flirting back but being kind.
Sarah said smiling, "I have five kinds of full magic and yes, elven is one of them. I was blessed with a great shock that had thrown me across the cave by Lugh while visiting his effigy along with Dagda, Nuada and Brigit or Danu holding the Lia Fáil. It was really quite fascinating to see the worn effigies that had been forgotten for so long. I was quite kind and respectful talking to them and appreciated the visit."
King Aidwin smiled at her and said, "I am sure such an exquisite beauty as yourself was a refreshing presence after so long. It would appear that Lugh personally adopted you into the royal tribe. That is amazing. Perhaps, you have some of the Lugh royal blood in your family line from the Aboveground. After thousands of years, I'm sure they would have blended into the human genealogy." Jareth was fuming because elves were the only hole in his plan to keep everyone away from Sarah.
He led her to the fireplace and said, "I would love to spend some time talking about your family background in the Aboveground and maybe find out where it all could have intersected. I love mysteries." She liked his curiosity and curious behavior towards her.
Sarah laughed and said, "I'm sure we will see each other again and figure it out eventually. Then we will both know." The Elven King was completely charmed by her and chuckled.
The Elven King was not married so Jareth was very upset at his interest in Sarah. Jareth walked over to them and said, "I am glad this mess is over with. Sarah, my precious, we can go back to eating our breakfast if you like? I am sure King Aidwin has business to deal with at the High Court after the incident."
King Aidwin smiled knowing that Jareth was marking his territory with Sarah. He decided to let it go for now, but would give him a run for his money. He liked Sarah too and would compete if he had to in order to secure such a lovely woman.
King Aidwin smiled and said to Sarah, "Perhaps you will be at the Yule Ball in a few days? I would love to have a dance and converse more with you."
Sarah smiled and said, "Yes, I will be there. It will be nice to see you again."
Aidwin smiled, bowed and nodded his head kissing her hand again. He said, "Lady Sarah, King Jareth, good day." He turned and disappeared.
The High King said snippy, "Seems you have some competition, Jareth." He looked down his nose at Sarah and said snottily, "You should be with Aidwin and leave Jareth alone, "The Elven King wouldn't care of your purity, obviously. Elves are known for their tolerance of humans." The High King walked out of the room.
Jareth looked at Sarah and said, "Do you wish to resume eating breakfast?" Sarah nodded and took his arm. They went back to the dining room.