I walked through the gates and when I turned around the cave was gone and on the other side of the gates was the overview of the High Kingdom. I stared at its beauty and smiled. The kingdom created a semi circle around the castle. The kingdom was very large and each house or structure looked like it had been perfectly placed in its exact position. The streets were buzzing with creatures but most of the creatures looked like me. “Their Fae” Hedian said watching me assess what was happening. I only saw their silhouette from the distance we were at. My eyes followed the different grassy streets to pathways.
Three pathways led to the castle, each having its own gate. From the gates was an open field serving as a courtyard with huge trees in full bloom around the sides. Creatures rushed about the field with different things in their arms. I looked at them confused and Sina gasped. “They are preparing for a ball!” She said and I nodded. My eyes moved next, to the castle. Its many towers soared into the sky, reaching for the sun. The walls were covered in white stone. The castle had a very large, wooden door with black metal trailing towards the middle at its lock. From there, I looked to the back of the castle and saw a lake jutting out towards a mountain. The lake pushed at the mountain, but the mountain held its ground and kept the water enclosed.
“Beautiful isn’t it?” Hedian asked. “It’s the most spectacular thing I’ve ever seen” I said too taken with the entire kingdom to rise above a whisper. “We should keep moving I plan to make it to the castle by evening” Sina said. “Why evening? Is it truly that far?” I asked her. “The underground plays tricks on your eyes. Never take any distance at what it looks like” Jareth said, jumping off the side of the cave opening. He landed on a perch just below us. Hedian jumped next then Sina. I looked over the side and my heart skipped a beat. If I missed the perch, I would plummet to the ground so far below us. I swallowed my fear and stepped off. I felt weightless as my body fell to the perch. I didn’t notice how fast the ground was coming to me until I was in Jareth’s arms. I immediately pushed his arms away and muttered “Thank You” Before I continued to walk.
We reached about halfway done the mountain when Sina put her arm in front of me. “We haven’t been to the high kingdom since being sent to our kingdoms. Understand that we were much younger and looked different back then. When we are confronted by the warriors, I want you to stay by Jareth while Hedian and I handle them” She said. I nodded to her but kept the most distance from Jareth that I could manage. My mind went in circles trying to imagine what these Warriors would look like. I didn’t know if they were big or little, fat or skinny. Whatever they were, I wouldn’t want to get into a fight with any of them.
Sina and Jareth jumped to the next ledge followed by Hedian. I climbed down last and hoped that it wasn’t much further down. When I looked up and past the three siblings, I was looking straight into dark woods with the mountain behind us. “What?” I asked to no particular person. “We just stood on the center of the mountain and now we are at the beginning of the woods” I explained. “Distance never matters” Jareth said behind me. I ignored him as Sina and Hedian creeped through the woods and motioned for us to follow. These woods were nothing like Sina’s beautiful forest. These woods were purposefully placed as a way to trick your mind and keep the unwanted out. The woods were dark and ominous. An eerie silence hung over the forest and brush like a blanket. The trees all around were being suffocated by dark green growths on the sides and the ground looked like a black hole to nowhere. With every step the woods grew darker and darker.
“They’re watching us” Jareth whispered in my ear, so low that it sent a shiver of fear over my body. Sudden noises occurred everywhere at once. A snap to my left cause my head to turn but the only thing I saw was a slight fog. Another whisper to my right rattled me and our group stopped. Hedian and Sina took steps forward towards the noises. “Audience” Hedian roared. The woods erupted in battle cries and screeches. The sound of the Warriors cries were deafening. Within seconds of hearing them, Jareth had taken a hold of my arm and pulled me to him. I attempted to protest his strong hold but a spear to my neck forbade me the movement.
My eyes moved to the Warriors now surrounding me. They were huge. Unlike the elves, these creatures were incredibly strong and a little shorter. The male Warriors were dressed in. baggy, shredded, pants with armor on their shins. Thick leather belts wrapped around their waists with a leather strap running up their pale naked chest and over their shoulders like a sash. Most had longer brown hair that draped over their shoulders and chests, glistening with sweat. The women wore the same pants with dark brown colored tops that were shredded around their stomachs. The women’s hair was pulled into tight braids and reached the small of their backs. Each one of the warriors held either a sword or a spear in their hands with many knives in their belts.
The Warrior holding the spear to my neck glared into my eyes. He was one of the more muscular ones with scars all over his torso. He kept his gaze directed towards me as the obvious leader circled Hedian and Sina. The leader was the largest and most intimidating. Even his eyes held a sense of sorrow and intense anger. Over his left eye was a scar that told the story of a deep blade crossing his path. The warrior stood fearless and unshakable, but I thought perhaps the abundant fear from many years and experiences had hardened him to the point that he clung to his fear as an anchor. As if hearing my thoughts, the leader jerked his head in my direction and walked over to me. Jareth’s hold on me tightened making me gasp. The leader leaned in towards me then to Jareth. “State your business before I allow my Warriors a target practice” He said in a deep and gruff voice.
“Desben, it is I, Sina Queen of the Elves. I have come with my two brothers Hedian, King of the Sand Dwellers and Jareth, The Goblin King” Sina said with as much force as she could muster. I was impressed at how calm she was in handling this situation. The leader, Desben, turned to Sina sharply and studied her. His face was so close to hers that I was under the impression that he was going to kiss her. Desben recoiled and looked to me. “Who is the creature you bring with you? How am I to know that you are not imposters of the High King’s kin?” Desben asked.
Hedian stood taller and held out his arm to Desben. “My adolescent brother from different blood gave me this” He said. Desben took hold of Hedian’s arm and pulled up his sleeve to reveal a burn mark in the shape of an arrow inside a diamond. Desben’s eyes twitched before calling out an order in a different language and all the weapons pointed at our bodies were removed. I took a deep breath as the two men held their left arms where the burn marked both their arms. Desben looked to Sina and she nodded her greeting. He gave a short nod back before turning to Jareth and me.
I struggled against Jareth’s hold and finally broke free. Desben took hold of Jareth’s arm and gave a firm nod. Jareth’s hand shot out and yanked me towards him when a sword swung towards my neck. “Who is this?” Desben asked looking at me suspiciously. “This is Sarah” She was captured by Kilton and escaped. Once you deliver us to the High King’s castle, we will reveal more about our situation” Hedian said striding over to Desben. Desben bowed his head slightly to Hedian but made no move to remove the sharp metal from my throat. “We must make haste if we want to get to the castle before sunset. Follow us” He said. Desben turned to the warrior that held the spear to my throat first and spoke to him in a different language. He spoke with authority and ended in a strange word that they both said equally as loud. The warrior turned on his heel and rushed away, out of sight in seconds.
“Hurry, we don’t want uninvited guests following us” Desben said to us and we were escorted through the dark woods. The trees began to thicken and Warriors started to disappear all around us. When one would fall I jerked my head in their direction then another would disappear on the other side of me. Jareth still held tightly to my wrist until there was a sudden drop. I flailed my arms and legs around trying to brace myself but instead landed in Hedian’s arms. I looked around me frantically in attempt to comprehend what just occurred. Warriors fell through the ground all around me and landed silently on the ground. Desben stood in the front and nodded to us when we were all counted for.
With a sharp cry of a foreign word he turned down a tunnel and ran. Hedian placed me on the ground next to him and when the Warriors ahead of us disappeared down the tunnel, so did we. The air turned humid as we ran causing me to sweat. I breathed deeply to try and keep up with the Warriors fast pace. Tunnels were all around us while we ran making me feel like I was about to take a wrong turn. Bursts of light shown through the tunnel with small holes in the ceiling only allowing a little light to see the path. Roots hung from the ceiling and constantly slapped me in the face and pulling at my heels.
“There’s a drop ahead, be ready” Hedian said behind me. With his words my steps became timid until the only steps to take were on the air. I held my breath as time slowed then released it when I reconnected with the ground. My feet hit the ground hard and the momentum almost made me fall but I kept my step. “Climb” Jareth hissed near me. I reached up and my hands caught on dirt. I clawed upwards and felt a Warrior behind me lift my body up and into the tunnel. I pulled at roots until I was on level ground and able to run again. When my throat started to burn from the lack of oxygen from running, I was relieved to see Desben slowing ahead of me.
Desben stopped completely and put his fist up for everyone to follow his lead. He spread his fingers and then pointed upwards. The sounds of Warrior movement ceased. All was quiet for a moment before a boisterous laugh echoed above us. Thundering footsteps came from every direction and dirt fell from the ceiling every time a large amount of pressure was applied. I stared at the dark ceiling imagining who was above us. “It’s the High Kingdom. We should be right below the market” Sina said appearing beside me. I jumped at her sudden statement but collected myself quickly.
“We must walk from here. I managed to keep these tunnels secret from all creatures besides my Warriors and I refuse to let it be revealed now. I will take Palkon and Tiplin with me to the castle. I dismiss the rest back to the guard in the Dark Woods” Desben said. The Warriors all except for the third largest male and shortest female fled backwards. They scurried silently through the abundance of tunnels and their many steps soon faded into nothing. I glanced around the tunnel and took an easy breath from the larger space.
Desben said something to us in a different language but I just stared at him blankly. He repeated it to me louder as if I ignored him but I looked to Hedian and he spoke back to Desben. Desben’s veins from his neck bulged slightly and I could tell it took most of the patience and control he had to repeat what he said calmly. “We need to be quiet going to the palace. I am the Warrior to guard the castle and need to know if you have anything on you that may harm anything that may be there now. I must take precautions because you are an unstated creature that I know nothing about at this point” He said. “No, I hold nothing in my possession to cause anyone any harm” I replied embarrassed to not understand.
With a nod Desben turned and began to walk down the tunnel. Sina walked beside me and I leaned towards her. “What language is he speaking?” I asked Sina. “He is speaking the sacred tongue of the Underground. I assume he is very confused that you are unaware of the most valued tradition in the entire kingdom. Here in the Underground humans are told as legends as we are legends in the Aboveground” Sina said in a low voice.
The group continued to walk until the sound of laughter and talking had faded in the distance. “Welcome home” Desben said as a door appeared in front of us. He took hold of the door knob and slid it to the middle of the door and pulled it towards us. The single door opened in two causing me to rub my eyes confused. Desben stood holding one of the doors open and another Warrior held the other open. Desben glared at me as I walked through the doors. When I emerged I looked around at the stone ground. “We’re under the castle” Sina said.
I followed the siblings who were following Desben and his smallest female Warrior. The male was behind the entire group. My feet ached as we walked up a narrow stone staircase. From the staircase we entered a large hall with a ceiling that looked fifty feet up. I looked upwards in awe at the magnificent architecture that I couldn’t even fathom existed. The arches at the ceiling twisted beautifully into the walls. The floor was made out of a strange cream and brown stone and the walls were made out of dark brown wood. We walked down the large room with two hallways on either side of the middle of the room.
Desben approached the large oak doors at the end of the room and pulled them open slowly to reveal a throne room. Red material draped from the floor to ceiling windows with gold stitching. A man and woman stood in the middle of the room talking with a creature like an elf. When they heard the doors creak open, they turned their heads and stared. The woman put her hand to her mouth gracefully in surprise and happiness. The grey haired man stood tall with a hard expression. “My children, come, we need to speak” He said.
I stood like a statue terrified of the people in front of me. “I will make introductions after we meet with our parents privately” Sina said to me with a nod. I stayed in the throne room with Desben and his two Warriors as the family walked into a side room. The family remained in the room for a while before reentering. The High King emerged from the room and nodded at Desben and me. “We need to speak with you Sarah. Desben, you are requested as well” The king added. “Yes your majesty” Desben said proudly. Desben and I walked into the room after the king.