Nothing Is What It Seems

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Lunch had gone great. She hadn't used the wrong fork or made a fool of herself. Sarah was beyond elated, but this, this was torture. Here was standing on a raised platform in barely anything as a woman placed fabric against her body, rather quickly.

"Ella, you still have months to prepare. You don't have to be in such a rush."

The middle age looking woman stopped placing yet another bolt of fabric against Sarah's skin, "I'm trying to find the prefect fabric, Your Majesty. Once I have that, I can start designing."

Queen Evera nodded, "I understand, but there is no need to be in such a rush."

Ella humphed, "I had to make your gown in two days. I refuse to not have it ready."

Queen Evera sighed, "that wasn't my fault."

"I know that, but I don't want to be empty handed. I plan to make multiple gowns. That way we have a gown no matter what happens."

Evera nodded, "alright, Ella. I leave it in your hands."

Ella nodded as she went back to work, "good."

Sarah watched as the High Queen rolled her eyes. Had they acted like friends? What was going join here?

Evera gave her a smile, "it's all right, Sarah. We've been a pain in each others side for a very long time."

"Humph, you more that me, " Ella placed a bolt of pale cream against Sarah's skin.

Evera shook her head, "we've been best friends almost our entire life. Of course, my husband dislikes it, but he leaves me alone."

Sarah frowned at that. Was Jareth like that? Would he try to stop her from seeing her friends?

"Don't worry about Jareth, Sarah. He takes after me. You would actually be surprised who his friends are."

Sarah tilted her head slightly as Ella moved away from her. What did Queen Evera mean by that? What friends?

XOXOXOX

That had not gone as he had hoped. His mother had thwarted his every question to Sarah about where she had been hiding. Why was his mother hiding her from him? He would never harm her. He rested his hand against the window frame in his father's study.

"Still determined to find out where she's been hiding?"

"Of, course," he turned to face his father whim sat behind his desk.

Nodding, his father glanced at the door, "there isn't many places she could hide her. You just need to start deducting which location seem the less likely." The High King leaned back in his chair, "who all knows the girl?"

Jareth sighed, "the entire goblin kingdom."

His father frowned, "Jareth."

"Sir Didymus, Hoggle, and a rock caller."

His father smiled, "she did rather well. Sir Didymus rarely leaves his post, but I think it's the dwarf that has you a bit upset."

Jareth frowned, "it isn't funny."

His father laughed, "you realize that he and your mother know exactly where she is don't you?"

"Damn."

"And since she is his friend you can't threaten him."

Jareth hung his head.

"I would not wish to be in your shoes, Son."

"Neither do I," Jareth in the chair in front of his father's desk.

"Why would they even hide girl from you? Others I understand for her protection, but you?"

Jareth sighed, "I might have caused her to fear me a little."

"A little? Jareth, I know she had to run the Labyrinth, but what did you do?"

"I didn't threaten her, but she made me angry. So I took a few hours away from her."

His father shook his head, "you let your ego get the best of you, but the fact she still beat you at your game speaks volumes." He leaned forward a bit, "that doesn't explain her fear."

"I don't know what else. Of course, I had to be intimidating. I did as she asked, and somehow I became a villain in her eyes."

"You took the baby. That's what did it. She was also very young if I remember."

Jareth groaned, "she asked me to."

"Jareth, up until you and the goblins showed up I'm fairly sure the poor girl only thought the tale in the book was a tall tale and not actually fact." Diedrick sighed, "think about it, Son. If someone you thought didn't exist appeared before you, wouldn't you be afraid?"

"I also did the snake scarf trick."

Diedrick shook his head, "you were really trying to scare her?"

"She had to run. I was trying to make her angry, but I'm beginning to think I went too far."

"Oh, you went too far, Jareth." Diedrick leaned back in his chair again, "I'll try to convince your mother to allow you some time alone with the girl, in which you better apologize."

Jareth nodded, "I know."

"Good. Once you do that and are nicer to the girl, maybe she'll tell you where she's hiding." His father smirked.

Jareth groaned.

"Now get going. I have to think how best to ask your mother to arrange everything."

Jareth stood up and gave his father a slight nod, "then I'll leave you to your thinking." He walked to the door and quickly escaped the room, trying not to think what his father might have planned.