CHAPTER 16
The night of the ball, Sarah was dressed to the nines. She had a very sexy dress. She didn't go for the whole Victorian Georgian style all the way. Her dress was all in sage green antique lace with scalloped lace around the off the shoulder, vee plunging neckline and vee bareback coming to a point above her behind. The dress was completely bodycon molding to her body and the scalloped lace was from her mid thigh split all the way to the floor in a rounded hemline. There was sage green crystal beading that sparkled throughout the dress's lace. She wore matching lace shoes with gold soles and mid high heels.
Sarah had on her choker necklace from Cernunnos the White Stag. She also wore a solid periot large faceted fanned out set of jewels displayed in all gold filigree settings that graduated wrapping around her chest. It was from her magical jewelry with matching earrings. The necklace was a magical repellent mirror protection. It would send back to the caster of the spell to be cast on themselves.
Sarah had her makeup done dramatically in a shadow eye with cat's eye eyeliner. She wore dark burgundy matte lipstick and her dark hair was up in a curled cascade high ponytail with a large peridot clasp holding her hair up but dropped down over her bare back. It was back away from her face except for a few twisted curls in random places along the sides of her face making her look very sexy with her green eyes that still are slightly glowing. She put a matching sage green lace garter on her thigh in the split. She had her other thigh garter reinforced to hold her Kel-Tec P32 with an extra magazine loaded with iron bullets.
She had a sage green velvet scallop lace trimmed cowl hooded cloak that matched in sparkling beads to wear over it. She left Lyra with the elven healer in the castle with her toys and food. There was a knock at the door of her bedroom.
She walked over to answer the door. It was Jareth. He got an eye full of her dress and how very uniquely beautiful she looked. He was speechless.
She blinked at him standing there not saying a word at all for a moment and asked him, "Are you ready?"
Jareth opened his mouth and said, stuttering, "I… I think I need a minute…." She smiles and turns around walking to go get her cloak and hears him gasp. She grinned to herself scooping up her cloak.
Jareth saw her beautiful bare back and couldn't believe that a woman could look this sexy and beautiful in that dress she designed herself obviously. She was going to attract the attention of everyone. He had the most unbelievably beautiful unique woman in the entire Underground on his arm tonight and was courting her formally too. He thought, 'I am one lucky king to have the only woman worth having on my arm. They will all envy me. Gods, I want her so badly, more than I ever did.'
Sarah put on her cloak. Jareth changed the colors of his outfit, cloak and tips of his hair to sage green to match her. He put his hand out and took her to his elbow. He kissed her cheek and said, "Thank you."
Sarah looked at him and asked, "What for, Jareth?"
He said looking in her eyes, "For coming with me and looking so incredibly beautiful and unique. You are the most exquisite of women." She blushed and he loved it.
Sarah said, "Thank you for inviting me." He smiled his sharp toothy smile and held his head high escorting her to the front of the castle where their carriage waited for them to go through the city portal to the capital in the Highland Kingdom and to the High King's palace. The carriage was fancy and very Cinderella-ish like it was out of the French baroque period with two black horses pulling it and a Victorian Georgian style driver and two footmen on the back.
Jareth helped her into the carriage and got in sitting next to her and banged on the top of the roof. The carriage lurched forward.
—--
Upon arrival at the High King's palace, once they reached the entry in the lines of carriages and horses being received, they waited and were stepping out to a front beautiful courtyard of pine, spruce, fir, cypress, hemlock and cedar trees. There were ice sculptures, fountains and fairy lights gently illuminating the night and the entryway. They both walked together to the entrance of the crystal palace that has crystal cut faceted stairs that twinkled in the fairy lights with a red carpet trimmed in gold leading inside. They were directed to the coat check and stood in line. When they stepped up Jareth handed them his cloak and turned to Sarah gently peeling hers off. The entire groups of people in eyesight gasped at the reveal of Sarah. Jareth handed the cloak over and smiled, taking Sarah's hand on his elbow and walked proudly to the ballroom with everyone staring and whispering as they passed by.
As they approached the ballroom, Jareth handed the herald a card. The herald announced, "The High Prince His Majesty, King Jareth of the Goblin Kingdom and Lady Sarah, Champion of the Labyrinth!" People gasped and were whispering. Jareth led Sarah into the ballroom and stood off to the side of the throne on the dais. The High King Jaron frowned at them.
The High King Jaron banged his ornamented staff of wood and gold called a ceremonial mace to get everyone's attention. He announced, "King, Queens, Lord's and Ladies, thank you for joining us tonight for the High Palace's Yule Ball! Please enjoy yourselves!" Everyone started mixing and mingling. The musicians started playing.
Jareth said looking around and turning to Sarah, "Sarah, allow me to show you to the punch bowl?" He led her to a fountain punch bowl with continuous cascading tiers up high. He poured a cup of punch and turned to Sarah, as a very attractive dark redheaded fae woman approached, plucked the cup of punch from Jareth's hand, who was offering it to Sarah, and took a sip.
The woman said in a sultry way, "Thank you Jareth for getting me one. I was quite thirsty." Sarah thought, 'What a rude arrogant high-handed bitch.'
Jareth bitingly said, "My Kerina aren't you being pushy tonight? I haven't even seen you in over six months and here you are acting like a territorial bitch in heat. Now why is that?"
She said smoothly pouting, "Oh Jareth, come talk and dance with me tonight. I'll tell you all about how much I have missed you in my bed."
Jareth said filling another cup after giving this one to Sarah, "I think not. Why would I want to listen to you blather on about yourself as usual? It's just so very boring and I personally don't give a damn. I'm just not that interested in you for a very long while now. Have you met the exquisite beauty I'm officially courting? Sarah is much more entertaining and beautiful than you ever were. Besides, I haven't seen your bed in over, what, fifteen years now." The woman frowned, he shrugged and led Sarah away.
Sarah asked with her brow lifted looking at him, "An old conquest rolled up into a possessive bitch, I would guess?"
Jareth said, "That selfish woman? I think I slept with her once, regretted her selfish behavior in bed and ran for it. I'd rather sit and watch the goblins pick their earwax and talk about how much tastier theirs is than the goblin sitting next to him." Sarah started grossing out and giggled at the same time with her hand up in front of her mouth. He started laughing too.
Sarah said wrinkling her nose, "That's so gross and nasty."
He smiled and asked, "Then why are you laughing, Sa-rah?" He drawled her name.
She said smiling, "As disgusting and sick as that is, I can really see them do that. Who knew you had such a twisted sense of humor in that crazy head of hair on your shoulders." He laughed out loud heartily.
He said chuckling, "If I said things like that to other fae women, they would get mad or offended at me and walk away." She was glad he had a silly side.
He smiled and asked her, "I like that you are not like them. Will you dance with me, Sarah?"
She looked at him over her punch cup and sat it down. She said, "Ok." He led her out to the dance floor and swirled her into the crowded dance floor as people looked at them.
He said while dancing with her, "Sarah, I am glad that you came and agreed to my courtship." He couldn't believe how good she felt in his arms dancing. She moved perfectly with him.
She said seriously, "You're welcome. Jareth, it's been a long time since I danced with you. It was my first dance back then."
Jareth looked deep in her eyes and said, "My brother, Jared, shut down your mirror when I verified his magic signature on it. I think we could have been friends by now if he had not tampered with it."
Sarah looked him in the eyes and said, "That might have been true. If you could have controlled your urges to possess me we might be friends by now too."
Jareth said, cocking his head to the side like an owl, "I was angry that you never wanted to talk to me. That you forgot about me… That you dismissed me. I didn't realize that you couldn't, but were cut off and scared to wish every again. That's probably why I went out of control the whole time you were gone."
Sarah said seriously, "I needed to live my own life, Jareth. Now that I am here, I realized I always felt like an outsider anyway in the Aboveground… Jareth, I don't want to talk about this right now, here at the ball. Perhaps, some other time back at the castle, because this isn't the place and it makes me upset. I don't know how to feel mad or sad about it all."
Jareth said sadly, "You're right. I'm sorry. But we should talk sometime later." Sarah nodded. He held her closer. His song came on and he started singing it softly. She started feeling emotional, because she loved that song.
"As The World Falls Down" by David Bowie
There's such a sad love
Deep in your eyes.
A kind of pale jewel
Open and closed
Within your eyes.
I'll place the sky
Within your eyes.
-
There's such a fooled heart
Beatin' so fast
In search of new dreams.
A love that will last
Within your heart.
I'll place the moon
Within your heart.
-
As the pain sweeps through,
Makes no sense for you.
Every thrill is gone.
Wasn't too much fun at all,
But I'll be there for you
As the world falls down.
-
I'm falling.
I'm falling
I'm falling in love.
-
I'll paint you mornings of gold.
I'll spin you Valentine evenings.
Though we're strangers 'til now,
We're choosing the path
Between the stars.
I'll leave my love
Between the stars.
-
As the pain sweeps through,
Makes no sense for you.
Every thrill is gone.
Wasn't too much fun at all,
But I'll be there for you
As the world falls down.
-
I'm falling.
I'm falling
I'm falling in love.
-
As the world falls down.
Makes no sense at all
Makes no sense to fall
I'm falling in love
Makes no sense at all
Makes no sense to fall
I'm falling in love
(Makes no sense at all)
—--
As the song ended, King Aidwin the Elven King came up to cut in and dance with Sarah. Jareth kissed her hand and stepped back walking away but keeping a vigilant eye on her even as he danced with others.
King Aidwin smiled at her and said, "We meet again, beautiful Lady Sarah. I would love it if you could come visit my kingdom and come see the palace in Nádúr the elven capital?"
Sarah said smiling at him, "I was on my way there as I was traveling the elven kingdom. I was a day away from Nádúr but was called back by the Labyrinth to teach me my different magics and train me in full combat. It took a few months."
He was amazed at her and asked, "What kind of combat, my dear?"
She said, "I was already trained in archery, all weather survival and hand to hand combat in the Aboveground. I had to learn swords, knives, spears and the style of hand to hand combat here. It was all tough and difficult but I loved the challenges. It was making me stronger physically from the transformation I went through." He thought she was the most interesting woman he had ever met. The more she said, the more he wanted to know.
He smiled and said, "I'll have to remember to have you covering my back if there is ever a skirmish."
She laughed and so did he. She said giggling, "You'll have to call me. I'll be right there."
He asked softly, caressing her face, "I heard you were formally courting, Jareth. I would try to steal you away if I could. You're such a lovely woman." Jareth was fuming mad watching him touch Sarah so intimately. He thought, 'She belongs to me, Aidwin! Get your damn hands off my woman!'