Anam Cara

The Champion Beats a King (Again)

Sarah awoke, her eyes heavy, head still pounding, and body aching. It was worse than any college hangover she had ever had. Who knew time travel would be so hard on the body? Vague recollections of being undressed and put into pajamas by soft paws and purring whispers of reassurance reminded her where and when she was.

Darkness surrounded her. It took her a moment to realize the blue and gold curtains around her bed were drawn. No, Brigid's bed. She was back in the Goblin Castle in the room designed for her .

Daisy! This whole time Brigid had been right under her nose. She pulled back the curtains but the darkness persisted. The night sky was framed by the mullioned windows. Standing on wobbly legs, she stumbled to the door. She needed to get back. To find out more about Brigid. To fix her own blunders.

Staggering down the hall, she made her way to Jareth's room. She had to see him. She had to make sure that he was still there. That she hadn't changed the past so much that he ceased to exist. Leaning on the door, she pushed it open with her body weight.

The room was lit by the fire crackling in the fireplace. The sconces on the wall flickered weakly but the chandelier was unlit. Shadows danced across the walls and floors, giving Sarah a wave of vertigo with her already unstable stance.

Torren glanced up from the makeshift office he had created in the sitting area. "You're awake. I didn't know how long you would sleep." He looked her up and down, examining her. "Using a spell like that for that length of time is unpredictable."

"How long was I out?" she asked, panic straining her voice. Had it been days? Had she wasted valuable time sleeping?

He exhaled slowly. She didn't look worse for wear other than exhaustion. She was in one piece. No visible injuries. Maybe she had actually been able to stay hidden. "Only a few hours. It's just after dinner."

"How is he?" she asked approaching the bed with slow cautious steps. He came into view as she neared. His frail form shrunken amongst the pillows and bedding surrounding him. He looked so peaceful. So sick. The red marks still creeping over his face. Not at all the strong sinister Fae he was.

"As you can see, he still lives. Were you able to procure the information we need?" He took off his glasses and wiped them with a clean handkerchief from his vest pocket.

She groaned, her palms pressing into her eyes. "I had just found her before I was pulled back. I have to return." She didn't need to tell Torren that she had also found Jareth and was the center of his attention. It wouldn't matter when she fixed everything.

Torren lept from his seat, papers and parchments spilling to the floor. "Absolutely not. You have to rest. We must prepare if you insist on returning. I, for one, will not incur the wrath of His Majesty should he awaken. You will recover. You will eat. Bracken will make you food to take with you. When did you last eat? You need to keep up your strength to withstand the strength of a spell of this magnitude. And here," he took her wrist and wrapped a string around it. "It's a talisman. It won't protect you from death but it's better than not having any means of protection at all. I cannot believe you left without anything. Of all the imbecilic–"

She twisted her new bracelet, admiring the simple braided design. "I know. I'm sorry. I won't do that again."

"You were just about to!" The audacity of this woman. Gods, help the king should he recover and be stuck being indebted to her.

"Okay, fine. I may have a tendency to act without thinking. I will admit this but I just want him to get better."

"We all do but what good would it do to lose you in the process? Think of the paperwork you would create for me. Death of a monarch. Mortal missing who knows when. Absolute nightmare." He took her shoulders and gently pushed her towards the bed. "Sit. Rest. I'll call you up a very late dinner or very early breakfast," he said producing a pocket watch to check the time.