Chapter 18

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Sarah and Merlara were going with the whole royal family to the joust together. Sarah put on her knife, gun, money purse and Azure in his pouch. She wore her warm cloak.

On the way there Sarah told the King that she gave the Cathmere to Hagen to keep and heal. He thought it was a perfect idea. Merlara was happy too, because she said she knew Hagen would heal her and he would be good to her.

The festival was crowded. The field was being surrounded by people who were filling in the gaps. Sarah, Merlara and Kieran were in the stands as royals. They were able to avoid the crowd. Azure was poking his head out peeking to see what was going on around them.

The contestants lined up Jareth and the Unicorn Kingdom's Prince Lorsan. The crowds were cheering each run and Azure was sticking his whole head out and poked through Sarah's cloak watching and wondering what all the ruckus was about. She was petting his little head. They did seventeen runs and four lance breaks. The last run Prince Lorsan was unseated. After the joust was over everyone that was royal mixed and mingled. Sarah thought how handsome Jareth was in his armor and colors. She thought of how many times as a kid she imagined kissing him in that ballroom, at least a million times. She wanted him so badly but she wasn't ready for him yet.

Merlara came up to her and said, "Sarah, we are returning to the palace and you are coming?"

Sarah said, "Yes, I'll come with you."  They all went to the carriage.

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Sarah was with Merlara getting ready for the ball. Merlara had a dress made with her own for Sarah. It was a cerulean blue and sea green combination. It would set her eyes off and her shiny long black hair. It had an empire waist with silver threads shot through several panels draping down. It was completely off the shoulder and long tight sleeves. A corset was worn underneath and garter belt and stockings. The shoes were silver with a mid heel. She had her hair styled in a mass of curls in a Greek roman style with a silver braided rope wrapping around and crisscrossing pinning her hair up with curled tendrils here and there. The silver was a beautiful contrast to her black hair. She had silver blue topaz drop earrings and her opal owl pendant. She did her and Merlara's makeup, smokey eye and dramatic eyeliner with matching colors to their dresses. Merlara had her royal eye markings high up near her slanted brows in a pattern like she had seen on Jareth in the ballroom dream years ago. She had on her gun and knife strapped to each thigh. She wore all her jewelry.

She left Azure with Hagen, the royal healer for the evening. She gave him his milk and jar of meat. She kissed Azure and told him to be a good boy until after the ball was over.

Sarah and Merlara were ready, the king and queen were announced first by the herald. Then Merlara and Kieran were announced. Jareth suddenly appeared at her side taking her hand and putting it around his arm. Sarah was shocked. The herald announced, "His Majesty, King Jareth of the Goblin Kingdom and Lady Ashar of the Fairy Kingdom!"

Jareth led Sarah in and stood off to the side. King Elwin announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us tonight for the Fairy Kingdom's Winter Festival Ball! Please enjoy yourselves!" Everyone started mixing and mingling. The musicians started playing.

Jareth said, "Allow me to show you to the punch bowl?" He led Sarah to a fountain punch bowl with continuous cascading three tiers. He poured a cup of punch and turned, as a very attractive sultry blonde woman approached and took the cup of punch from Jareth was offering Sarah and took a sip.

The woman said in a sultry way, "Thank you Jareth for getting me one." Sarah thought, 'A high-handed bitch.'

Jareth bitingly said, "My Alidonna, aren't you being pushy tonight. I haven't seen you in over six months and here you are acting like a territorial bitch. Now why is that?"

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