The Darkened King

An Unexpected Turn

"Sarah, what does this Fae want with you?" Karen asked as the house, once more, shook and the lights flickered out. Sarah, who knew that the Goblin King was only moments away from making an elaborate entrance, darted to Toby's side. She was not about to let her little brother out of her sight.

"Long story short: "What no one knew was that the King of the Goblins had fallen in love with the girl and had granted her certain powers", he wants what I took back. Actually, he claims that I lost something in his realm, apparently memories, and that I can, if I find them, lead him back to his world." Sarah explained as she pressed Toby behind her, she would not allow the arrogant Fae to steal her brother away, not again.

"But why is he attacking our home?" Karen questioned as her grip upon Sarah's father's arm tightened and Sarah fought back a groan. How could she possibly explain something she did not understand?

She was saved from answering as a large surge of magic was slammed against her wards and she nearly blacked out. Sarah tightened her grip upon Toby and gritted her teeth. The wards were being unraveled, her connection to them was being dismembered, and the pain was nearly mind numbing.

When Sarah had first found and used the wards, she had used blood magic, meaning that the wards were connected to her and to break the connection was to cause a high level of pain. She was certain that the Goblin King knew exactly how much pain she was feeling and that he was enjoying himself immensely. He could have been merciful and ripped through her wards all at once, like taking off a bandage, but no. Instead, the Goblin King slowly peeled and unraveled the edges until the slow pain nearly drove her sparse.

With another blinding pain, Sarah felt his power overshadow hers and the wards become nearly inexistent. She knew it was only a matter of moments before she was faced, once more, with the tempermental King, and she had no way to prepare herself. She could not, obviously, beat him in a battle of power, and she doubted that her pain numbed mind could best him in a war of wills. Her only chance at beating him would be to do the unexpected.

Sarah was screaming at the top of her lungs. She did not scream because of fear, but because she could feel her wards slipping away and she was trying a last attempt at saving them. Which was a terrible idea, what would she use old wards for?

Lightening struck the house, traveled through the building, and Sarah was not surprised, in the least bit, to find the Goblin King standing before her. She stood so that her family was blocked from his view and hoped that she could entice him not to make good on his threats against them.

"This, Goblin King, is not about them. This temper tantrum you are currently throwing is about me. So let's keep it about me, shall we?" Sarah bargained and she saw that she had caught his attention.

He may not have listened, but he was intrigued.

"And what would you have to bargain?" Jareth questioned as he studied her. She certainly had his interest. If only she had remembered that things rarely ended well for mortals whom caught the interest of the Fae.

"What would you accept?" Sarah asked in return as she fought to file away the remnants of the pain of having her connections broken. A dull ache pounded in her mind and she was regretting ever wishing away her little brother.

"Your surrender." His answer did not surprise her, but the speed at which he answered did. It was as if he had been waiting for her to say her words. Sarah was, once again, reminded that he was a master of manipulation and she was just a mere mortal. What good did she stand against him? Sarah did not know, but she was still going to try.

"And what would you bargain?" Sarah inquired as she pressed her palms against Toby's shoulders in order to draw him closer to her. The firmness of her hold reminded her of why she was willing to risk playing with a bad hand and sitting with her back to a mirror. He reminded her of why she would gamble everything on a slim chance of winning. Jareth was far older and much more experienced than she, but she was hoping for a little beginner's luck.