CHAPTER 18
The Gremlin King Jared smoothly, taking her hand and kissing the back of it. He took her in his arms and started to dance with her. He was dressed in a brocade crimson dark blood red doublet with gold trim and filigree gold clasps going down the front of it from his throat to his hips. He had on short pants in the same color, a white shirt underneath with ruffled collar and sleeves, the traditional white stockings and high heeled shoes with buckles.
He said with a sly smooth tone, "Hello, my dear, Lady Sarah, Champion of the Labyrinth. I have been wanting to meet you for some time this evening. I am Jared the Gremlin King, twin brother to my brother Jareth. You are an unusual woman, blended of so many things physically and magically. You could keep a man's interest for quite some time. I hear the buzzing gossip going around the room, like the buzzing of bees, that you are an intelligent, unusual, delightful and a beautiful woman. Tell me, are they truly speaking?" They started dancing together. Sarah thought he was arrogant, self-confident in his charm and a complete narcissist.
Sarah said fake smiling, "I suppose that would depend on the person's intentions or the individual opinion of each fae. Personally, I don't listen to any banal platitudes and false cliché flattery. It is colorless and bores me." Jared was instantly taken aback at her. Then her words seeped into his mind. He realized she was not an easy mark and could see through the fae royalties flowery words. It had no effect on her because she wasn't a simpering status climber. He supposed he would have to change tactics.
He said seriously, "Yes, I suppose it's predictable behavior. Excuse me if I may have lessened your opinion of me. I am but a lonely king following protocol. Tell me about yourself?"
Sarah kept her mask up while looking at him, she could sense his temperamental ego behind his bullshit.
She said smoothly back at him, "Oh I'm sure your father must have told you or given his entire dissimilative full description of me. Do not think or mistake that I don't know that he sent you over here to dance with me. I may have been a human once, but I was never an unaware fool." Jared was now intrigued by her. He never would have guessed her intuitive answer proving her awareness and intelligence.
He said, clearing his throat and standing a bit taller, "My father did send me and has his opinions of you. That is true, but I have learned, as Jareth has, from growing up around him, that we have always had the need to discern for ourselves because he has a predisposition to his bias on… well just about everything." *He chuckled* "I must say, other than that, I did want to meet you tonight honestly."
Jareth was on high alert when he saw his father dance with Sarah and leave angry then go talk to Jared whispering in his ear. He watched as Jared waited for his opportunity to approach her. Jareth wondered, 'When did Jared get here? I expected him to make an appearance but did not notice him until now. Now he is dancing with Sarah. I wonder what he is saying to her? I'll have to ask her later.'
Sarah said with her mask in place, "While flattering, I'm sure you wanted to find out what the human/fae highbred looked like. Everyone has been curious tonight to find out if she was capable of putting two words together being raised as a lesser being. I must say it has been truly an interesting experience to see the flagrant narcissism in a species claiming superiority over… well just about everyone." *She chuckled* "Present company excluded of course."
Jared was a bit offended and wanted to subtly cast a long-term heavily binding love spell on her. He cast it through his fingertips. The spell ricocheted off of Sarah's shoulder back through his fingertips and completely took over him. His body was overwhelmed with wanting to touch, kiss and have sex with her. His hands moved, grabbing her to his body and taking possession of her lips.
Sarah read the spell immediately as it tried to enter her body and was offended he tried to bind her into such a strong spell. When he grabbed her and put his lips to herself she shoved him away and walked off the dance floor furious. Everyone around was gasping and whispering. Jareth saw what happened but not the specifics and was shocked he would break protocol and behave like that in a ballroom full of people.
He ran after her leaving his partner on the dance floor. He hurried to catch up to her dodging people in the crowded dance floor. When he caught up to her he took her hand and led her off to a secluded balcony. They were both standing in front of the baluster.
Jareth asked, upset, "What on earth happened, Sarah?"
Sarah shocked him because she started hysterically laughing. Jareth was confused. Sarah said after it took a moment to breathe, "He did it to himself… He tried to cast a heavily binding love spell on me… I have a magical necklace that is very old I found… It has a strong magical repellent mirror protection effect. It would be sent back to the caster of the spell to be cast on themselves." She started a fit of giggles.
Jareth had his mouth open in sheer shock and started laughing out loud. He said chuckling, "Jared is such a fool and in a full ballroom of people. He wanted you to fall all over him to make a fool out of you and me. He got exactly what he deserves."
Off at a distance there was a big commotion. Suddenly, Jared screamed out, "Sarah! Sarah, I love you!"
Jareth and Sarah peeked out of the curtains into the ballroom. Jared was being held restrained by guards and guests. The High King Jaron angry shouting orders to remove him and take him to the healer. Jareth and Sarah went back to the balcony and sat on the bench by it.
Sarah asked, "The healer will reverse the spell, I'm sure. You've been out there dancing for a while like me. I was dancing with the Prince of this and the Lord of that. It becomes such a blur after a while."
Jareth smiled and said, "That's how it always is at these social events, Sarah. It's a royal show of socialization and liasoning. I'd rather dance with you all night, but protocol requires socializing. Were you at least having fun before my father and brother?"
Sarah giggled and said, "Yes. It's my second ball and you were at both of them. The first I shattered but this one I stuck around for."
Jareth was watching her lips and said, "I'm glad you stuck around this time. I wanted to do this last time." He took her by surprise and slid his fingers in the nape of her neck and caressed her cheek with his thumb. He leaned in kissing her lips passionately with his tongue to gain entry. She opened her mouth and he slid inside her warm depths. It was like time stopped for him in a passionate bubble. After a few moments, he turned and pulled her body into his. His hands smoothed over her dress squeezing her hip. Sarah's head was spinning. It was a fantasy fulfilled from all of the ones she had after her run, but she had to stop him. She wasn't sure of him yet and didn't want to lead him on.
Sarah broke the kiss and breathlessly said, "It's too soon, Jareth. We haven't talked things out completely." He wanted her so badly. He knew she was right.
He said reluctantly looking in her eyes, "Ok, Sarah, but you should know that you taste like honey. It's hard to stop. You know I… have so many feelings for you, Sarah?" Sarah thought, 'God, his mouth is so very dangerous, but he really does taste like honey too. Damn!' Her body was so aroused and tingling just from their first kiss. He let her go of her involuntarily against his body's needs. l
Jareth asked, "Would you like to go home?" She smiled at him and nodded.
She said softly, "After what you father and brother said and did. I'm not sure staying is a good idea anyway."
At that moment, the High King and guards entered the balcony. Jaron growled pointing at Sarah, "What did you do to my son Jared! Guards seize her!"
Jareth jumped up and shouted at him, "Leave he be father! She did nothing! Jared cast that spell on Sarah and her jewelry repelled it back on the caster! She didn't do anything to anyone!" The guards were hesitant.
Jaron spat at Jareth, "This is all your fault, bring that creature here!"
Sarah said looking hard at Jaron, "Everything was fine until you just had to threaten me while dancing and I pointed out that the Labyrinth had warned you not to harm me. You said that to truly get rid of me, you will have to handle it delicately without crossing Seelie laws. That's a threat! I just told you to make sure I'm dead. I told you the Labyrinth told you, that you would lose your magic, position and your life will be at stake. That's all I said, but you had to go run to your other son, Jared, and tell him to dance with me. What did you tell him to seduce me? He was being an arrogant ass and tried to cast a heavily binding love spell on me and you have the nerve to blame me for his recklessness?! Shall we call the council again?! Who do you think will be in the wrong this time?!"
Jaron growled sneering at her and said to Jareth, "Take her away from here now! I no longer want her in the High Palace and don't bring her back as long as I am High King!"
Jareth said, chuckling at his father which infuriated him more, "We already decided to leave before you came in here blustering, shouting and accusing Sarah of falsehoods. Goodbye father, marvelous party by the way, well until you sent Jared over to seduce the woman I am courting. How very droll of you. Especially when that circulates the gossip groups and is made public tomorrow. Come Sarah, my love." Jareth took her hand and placed it on his elbow. He went to walk out with her out the balcony when
Jaron said angrily, "It's a shame I got a son that never listens to his father."
Jareth stopped and said, "It's a shame I got a father that never knows when to leave well enough alone when it comes to his son." He turned and they went directly to coat check. The biggest gossip in the Underground, Lady Deena, intercepted Jareth and Sarah.
She was dressed in all cream colors with gold, pomp and finery. Deena said, smiling from ear to ear, "Jareth, dear, what on earth was that all about?"
Jareth smiled at Deena and patting Sarah's hand on his elbow. He said like a whisper to Deena, "You know how my father and Jared are. My father is up to his games wanting to tie me to another even though I'm in a formal courting relationship. He sent Jared to seduce my Lady Sarah. He cast that love binding spell and my lady had a ricochet spell on her. He had to wear his own spell." Jareth laughed loud and heartily as Sarah smiled. Deena started laughing hysterically.
Deena said chuckling, "Oh you dear man, you always have told me the strait of it. Are you both leaving?"
Jareth said smiling, "It is for the best, Deena. My father is displeased and we are tired. He came to accuse us of Jared's predicament and told us to leave because of his own embarrassment. Good evening, Deena." Deena frowned and said goodbye.
Jareth helped Sarah on with her cloak kissing her cheek in front of everyone. They left together to go get the carriage brought up.
The ride back was quiet. Jareth asked, shaking his head, "Did my father really threaten you like that? He is really playing with fire."
Sarah sighed and said, "He's going to get himself killed if he goes after me like he said. I just don't know why he hates me so much to put his life in jeopardy just by the thought of me being with you. It's so insulting and irrational." Jareth agreed with her it really was irrational of his father to be going down this path. His brother doing what he did was simpler out of jealousy. He knew his brother hated that he was the one born first to be next in line to the High Throne.