My eyes fluttered open to the light streaming in my room. I felt a dull throb in my wrist and a hammering in my head as I tried to lift my head. My body lay snugly under the covers and my head rested perfectly on the middle of three pillows. I turned over on my bed and allowed the beams of light to warm my face. I held my pillow that my head was resting on and felt the sun warm my exposed wrists. At first I didn't recognize the feeling but began to notice my wrists held a slight throb.
My body stiffened as images flashed before my eyes. I saw myself running down the outside corridor, and then the images flashed to dark water on the ceiling of a small room. I gasped as I saw myself jump onto Jareth's bed and throw him to the floor. As our bodies hit the floor the image switched to me hitting the black stone floor below the dark water above my head. I could feel my thumbs pressing into Jareth's neck to choke him and his harsh grip on me as he threw me off of him. The image switched to Jareth leaning over me as my wrists began to burn and finally to Kilton's face smiling wickedly down at me.
"No" I said to myself as I sat up quickly and looked down at me hands. "It was just a dream." What I thought had happened was just an illusion. "I had a fit with my wrists in my sleep and it caused bad dreams" I reassured myself. "It is quiet concerning to see someone talk to themselves like they were two people" A voice said from across the room. I froze and looked up slowly. "Jareth" I breathed. He sat on a stool beside my mirror across the room while tapping his boot with a finger and lounging his back on the wall. Thankfully Jareth had on a shirt when he stood up.
I pushed myself against the headboard as Jareth took a step towards the bed. I looked at his neck where two small ovals were bruised into his skin where my thumbs had been. He caught me staring at the marks and pursed his lips. "So easily controlled" He mumbled as I met his eyes once again. "You know, I could report you and have the King have you cast into the dungeons or enslave you" He said as if he were considering it. "No you wouldn't" I said gaining confidence. "Oh? And why not Sarah? You did try to kill me." I moved my legs out from under the covers and stood on the other side of the bed. "You don't play that kind of game. Acting immature might be one of your strengths but a child nark is not your style" I spoke clearing and he smiled. I took a step back towards the glass. "What is my style exactly?" He asked. "Manipulation, cheating, and selfishness seem more like you" I replied taking another step.
"If anything I believe my intentions thus far have been pure" Jareth said. "Pure? You drug me into your broken kingdom and threatened my life. You've constantly placed my life in danger and have your own agenda only known to you" I stuttered. I put my hand behind my back slowly and found the door knob. "And I assume you know my plans for the future?" He asked walking slowly around the bed. "I've overheard some talk about it. I won't let you win Jareth, not like my mom. I will never be your slave. I know what you want from me and I know what you did to get it" His face twisted in confusion before returning to normal.
When I turned the door knob, he reached for me and I ran. I heard his footsteps echoing behind mine and gaining distance. My dress caught the wind and the bottom flew behind my body like a cape as I ran. I didn't have enough time to pull my dress to me because of my pace already tripping at my feet. My head twisted in every direction trying to find a place to run to but the corridor seemed to stretch for forever. I looked to the lake and swallowed. Jareth shuffled to a stop as I changed direction and ran for the stairs but he was closer. Jareth ran around me blocking my path to the stairs and cocked his eyebrows at me, toying with me. I grabbed hold of a column nearby and swung myself. Using the momentum I gained, I launched myself off of the small wall and dove into the water. As soon as my skin touched the water, I felt a shiver rush down my body.
Underneath the water was another city in itself. Fish swam all around of every kind including ones I had never seen before. It was like a beautiful reef. Colorful coral shimmered in the light protruding under the surface. I continued to swim away from the castle and through the reef. At first the fish swam away from me but as I swam deeper, the fish brushed up against my body and acted like I was no threat. When I neared the end of the reef, my lungs screamed for air. The reef took a sudden dip into darkness and I pushed back. Giving into the pain, my legs kicked to the surface and I took a large gulp of air.
Jareth was nowhere in sight, but to make sure, I kept low and watched the corridor for a moment. When there were no signs of life I began to swim back but something stopped me. My body was yanked underwater. I reached to my ankles in a panic and found hands made out of seaweed. I opened my mouth in a scream as they pulled me deeper into the darkness of the lake. I thrashed all around taking in water and hitting at the seaweed. Soon the hands made of seaweed wrapped around my arms as well and I was pulled twice as hard. The hands jerked by limbs down. I was in an arc with my face looking towards the surface. The seaweed hands pulled my arms and legs together behind my back. I fought even harder and more hands grabbed my dress. My vision began to dark and my fight started dwindling.
With seconds before I would pass out I thought of my crystal necklace and put all will power into a focus. Suddenly light exploded from my necklace and all around me illuminating everything in the lake. Some of the hands retreated into the depths but others held firm and continued pulling me. I felt a tug and then another. The light grew brighter as I became desperate. The hands from my arms suddenly released and I turned around. Something in the water caught my attention but my dress floated lazily obscuring everything. I felt my head start to droop and with one final attempt I began to sink. Something wrapped around my torso and pulled but my head hurt so bad and everything spun so fast I couldn't tell what was up or down. Everything went dark.
***
Pressure, I could feel pressure. I was feeling something, I wasn't dead. It felt like I was fighting to open my own eyes but they wouldn't budge. More pressure. What was happening? More pressure. The need to scream enhanced when I couldn't move anything. Why did I feel pressure? Slowly I began to feel my fingers and toes. More pressure.
As if I were being loaded into a sling shot, I felt my body sink down then explode upwards. My eyes shot open and my entire torso lifted from the ground as water spilled from my throat and down my lips. I choked and choked until it was all out then fell back to the ground in exhaustion. My green eyes met the face of two different color eyes. Jareth was bent over mine with his hands over my ribs. His soaked hair dripped beside me. "Never know when to stop running do you?" He asked. My breathing, still quick, slowed and I shoved him way.
I sat up with a major headache and put my hand to my head. As I turned to get up my eyes moved across the ground to another set of feet. I cringed as I looked up the body to Sina and Hedian's faces. Their expressions were tight with horror. Sina fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around my shoulders and Hedian put a hand on my head and ruffled my hair as he helped Jareth up. Sina pulled back and looked into my eyes. "What were you thinking?" She asked before pulling me to her again. I watched Jareth pull away from Hedian but then nod to him about something. They both walked away in conversation about something. I watched their backs as Sina held me to her.
"Sarah, you can't just dive into the lake with a full dress on" She laughed as she pulled away. "I was running from something" I said trying to hold my smile back. Sina was soaked from hugging me. "Who were you running from?" She asked concerned. "I don't know. I felt like I was in danger" I muttered. "Well my mother has called us to the throne room. We will go to her now and discuss the rest later over hot tea" I nodded and she helped me stand.
We walked down the corridor to a set of two large glass doors that extended three stories up. White stone was built in around the door making the glass seem even more beautiful and added to the strength of the building. The doors were opened by Warriors. Their muscles bulged as they pushed the heavy door open. I had to walk carefully for the fear of slipping on the smooth stone beneath me feet. I felt a tap on my shoulder. When I turned around a petite warrior handed me a robe. I nodded my head in thanks as I pulled the robe around my shoulders and instantly felt its warmth. I wrapped my arms around my body and Sina smiled to me. "It is naturally warm. I love those robes, they are wonderful"
We turned our attention to the room ahead of us when the doors opened and I kept my head down. Everyone entered the throne room and bowed before the High King and Queen. Desben stood by the king. The only people in the room besides the royal family and me were Desben, Palkon and Tiplin, and another Warrior, who was among the group in the dark woods that helped us reach the castle.
I kept my eyes low as they addressed the group. "We are aware of strange events happening in the past couple of days. The war is approaching swiftly and our armies are steadily preparing for their time on the battlefield. Kilton is gaining power by the hour not only over our lands but Sarah's actions. He has learned how to control her through his bind on her. Because of his rapid advancement on her, the Queen and I, despite our first intentions, have decided to train Sarah for her protection along with everyone else's. She will be given an instructor for overcoming this hold Kilton has on her. Tomorrow, we prepare for war. Rest well today, because after tonight will be the most trying days of your time" The High King stood tall and strong as he talked.
My cheeks heated when I figured out that the King must've known what happened last night. "Sarah, I have placed you under the teaching of my eldest son Jareth, because he knows Kilton more than any of us. He has also dealt with his control over you and managed to end it. You will train first thing tomorrow. You are all dismissed until further notice" He finished. We bowed slightly once more before turning and leaving.
I walked with Sina to her room and there were two metal chairs around a small table by her window. "Take this" She said handing me a lavender silk nightgown. I went behind her changing screen and stripped off my still wet blue dress and put on the nightgown in its place. When I was finished, Sina handed me another warm robe and motioned for me to sit on one of the metal chairs. I stepped carefully over the vines on her floor that jutted out from under her bed in every direction. As I sat down, Sina had a white teapot with rose designs in her hands. She poured tea into two cups and sat down across from me handing me a cup as she sat.
"What will it be like?" I asked taking a hesitant sip of the delicious tea. "The war? I suppose this war will be difficult. With the mass scale of the armies alone I expect many casualties. I have not yet uncovered much about what is happening, but tomorrow we will be called into the war room. Sarah, the wars in the Underground are far graver than the ones Aboveground. The hostility of the creatures turned dark outranks any being Aboveground. If we prevail in the end, it will be a victory that will go down in history" I took another sip of my tea in slight fear. When we were finished, Sina led me to her door and opened it. "Sleep well Sarah. As for the coming days, you're going to need it" She said with more of a grimace than a smile.
Hey, I've been so busy lately with so much. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I was asked outside of wattpad to answer a question and I thought it was an interesting idea. If you have any questions about the writing or anything, comment or come to me and I'll address it in the next chapter! :)
Katie,
(How do you get your ideas?)
I get my ideas from experiences in my life. I also get them from constant daydreaming, It's such a bad habit for me. I'd tell you about specific scenes, but that's a different question!
Sam,
(Which is your favorite creature?)
I like them all, but if I had to choose a favorite... probably the elves in Sina's kingdom!