FicWad

Chapter 26 - Darkside

They all arrived simultaneously in a room that felt eerily like a vault. There were no doors or windows and the place was lit by torches in the walls. Each wall - even the floor and ceiling - appeared to be one solid piece of granite that had been polished until it shone. A large black couch graced one wall and a table piled with an assortment of breads, cheeses, fruit, various drink decanters and books in a number of languages filled most of the remaining available space. Claustrophobia threatened to overwhelm Sarah in spite of the fact that it was not a small space; the ceiling was a very respectable height, at least twenty feet. It was the fact that there was no logical way for air to ever enter here! Was breathing a luxury for these beings, too?! A hand on her shoulder steadied her and she looked back; it was the guard who had transported her.

“Not to worry. It simply wouldn’t do to have paid donors suffocate in here, now would it?” His twinkling brown eyes and slight smile spoke more amusement than kindness but it was still reassuring to know. One of them walked up to the far wall and rapped three times.

“Enter!” a male voice said from the other side. The guard took her by one arm with his left hand interlaced tightly over hers and their entire company walked through the wall! Sarah felt the sensation of passing a barrier not quite like a thick soap bubble and unlike anything else. The room they were now in felt heavy somehow, she couldn’t quite place it. The illumination in here was so bright it almost looked artificial save that there was no visible source, which made the place feel even more ominous. Four black chairs that looked to Sarah like they were straight out of someone’s dungeon were bolted to the floor with their backs to the walls. All had multiple restraining belts, even one for the neck. Two faced the wall they had come through, the others faced the one opposite. An older-looking male sidhe with shoulder-length salt-and-pepper hair was already in the room and he motioned for the guards holding Jareth to put him into the chair in the left-hand corner of the room, addressing him.

“It was quite generous of you to bring your own supply, Lord Ravensong, but I think that you will find our Angus and Thor to be more than sufficient,” he smiled.

“My Lady Sarah is here to witness,” Jareth said, seating himself and giving the signal that the guards could commence binding him. The older sidhe suddenly looked back to Sarah in shock as if truly noticing her for the first time and noting well the Goblin King’s seal hanging conspicuously around her neck, finding himself in rather an awkward position.

“This…is…?” he faltered.

“You honestly didn’t think I’d give up after all that, now did you?” Jareth teased him, enjoying his nervousness.

“With all due respect, your Majesty, a first-feeding is no place for a human female, especially one not accustomed to our ways.”

Jareth’s raised eyebrows were all that greeted this concern.

The elder sighed, defeated. “Put her in the chair in the opposite corner.”

Sarah was shocked as two of the guards got up from securing Jareth’s legs and lead her over, motioning for her to sit.

“Am I allowed to ask why I’m being tied to a chair?” she asked uneasily. The elder sidhe turned to her with a grim smile, pacing toward her.

“He might try to pull you over by will alone. You are being restrained for your own safety, child.” He walked back over to Jareth’s side and put a hand on his shoulder, looking down at him as they carefully adjusted his neck belt. “Hades does not hold a demon half as strong as a starving son of the Leanaan Sidhe,” he said with a touch of pride. Like clockwork there was knocking on the wall again. “Enter!” In came another guard and two well-built human men in their early-to-mid twenties, one a fiery redhead, the other a sandy blonde. Both appeared to be wearing peasant clothing after a fashion; shirts, breeches, boots, all obviously handmade.

They’re men from the colony, Sarah thought. And it suddenly dawned on her. This is why they brought them here in the first place, of course, she shivered. In spite of the macabre scene, the men were in high spirits. The one she took to be Thor spoke first.

“So, the almighty Goblin King has finally come begging for a piece of this?” he gestured to himself. “We were taking bets as to how long you’d hold out and I won!”

“Oh, he won, alright,” the other chimed in as the guard rolled up his right sleeve and put his arm in a splint, “but you don’t want him, mate. B-positive is awful if you ask around; all this brute has is stamina. Now, me, on the other hand - well, these nice gents here say A-negative tastes like dessert wine and I’ve got plenty of it!”

Thor belatedly noticed the other guards putting the final straps on Sarah and asking her if any of them hurt. “Whoa, nobody said nothing about a double-header! I can hold out for one starter but I don’t know about two!”

“It’s all right, lads,” Jareth said with a smug half-smile, “Her Majesty is only a spectator.” At this they both whipped around to stare at her. The reaction was getting old but she realized now that she should’ve expected it; her story must’ve been legendary.

“Hello,” she said quietly with a small smile. The guard securing Angus’ arm acted as if nothing extraordinary were happening and finished his work, attaching a strap with a cup to go over his left shoulder, holding the splint up effectively at a 90 degree angle.

“I’ll take those amulets now,” the elder said, effortlessly pulling free the chain that held Jareth’s around his neck. As if anticipating her question, Jareth answered it.

“It’s standard procedure, love; they hold a bit of magic and this room is warded against it as a precaution. Then, of course, there’s the strangulation liability and in more ways than the one you’re currently imagining.”

The elder crossed the room and took hers as well. His presence was comforting somehow, she couldn’t quite place it. “I do wish you would reconsider your decision, child. Once we have commenced, no one will be leaving this chamber for any reason at all until he has completed the first round. If you are truly here of your own free will, no one in this room would hold it against you if you took shelter in the antechamber. There are a myriad of diversions and a couch you can rest on if you are tired. It is rather late…”

Suddenly Sarah wanted nothing more than to flee this horrid place. What was she doing here?! She had no business being here and, truth be told, she was exhausted both physically and mentally. She couldn’t desert Jareth in his hour of need. Wait. That last thought didn’t fit the pattern of the other ones and she knew it had come from the heart. She blinked. What was going on? Why was she feeling this way? The elder was still standing there, radiating a feeling of compassion, his expression all concern for her. And then she remembered what Jareth had said about sidhe commonly using variants of the same come-hither spell on humans that they didn’t know or trust. The urge to leave was coming from him. For whatever reason, he wanted her out of the way. She pushed against the feeling and it bent back easily.

“Thanks all the same but I’m staying right here,” she said with a confident smile. He looked a bit put out but walked away and the feeling left with him. He strode up to Jareth, who was looking awfully proud of his queen - she had just passed her first test with flying colors.

“I hope for your sake that you know what you’re doing,” he murmured just loud enough for him to hear.

“Your concern is duly noted,” Jareth replied with a cold, diplomatic smile.

They were ready. “Angus?” The man swaggered over, momentarily sticking his tongue out over his shoulder at his companion, who had gone to stand by Sarah in support; the elder had produced a small silver sickle-shaped knife no bigger than his palm. Presenting his now-splinted arm, Angus didn’t even flinch as he watched the sidhe make a tiny incision into the vein in his wrist. To Sarah’s amazement, it didn’t bleed! Now prepared, he walked over to Jareth and positioned his opened wrist right in front of his face. During this whole preparation, Jareth had been feeling that lurking beast within him stirring violently in its sleep and now it had begun to awaken. And he hated it with every last cell in his body. It was instinct and it was taking over. Angus was the one to break the tense silence.

“Oh, come on! You’ve gotten us all to this god-forsaken place in the middle of the night - the least you can do is suck!”

Jareth’s gaze flicked to Sarah momentarily, who was watching with trepidation from the edge of her seat in spite of the fact that she was strapped back into it.

“Forgive me, darling,” he whispered, glancing at her with a look nearly as frightened as her own for a moment. With a snarl he roughly willed the man’s arm to his mouth and latched on hard, eliciting a surprised yell from the donor.

“WOW! He’s pullin’ fast - look at him go!”

“I should say so,” the elder said placidly, checking Jareth’s vitals in his left confined wrist, “he certainly waited long enough. If he’d waited another day he’d be looking for a new queen,” he said pointedly looking at Sarah. Her eyes were glued to the spectacle and they spoke of awe, sympathy, and a bit of honest revulsion.

At least he isn’t messy. ‘Would you deny a carnivore the very meat it needs to survive?’ Morgan’s words cruelly echoed in her memory as one treacherous tear escaped her. She was beginning to feel faint at the sight but she was already sitting down; there wasn’t much else to be done. Even if she passed out she wasn’t going anywhere.

“As you can see, Lady, they’re not always that pretty,” Thor said quietly, putting his hand on her shoulder; it was almost an act of sympathy. She looked up at him. The difference between these men and their otherworldly counterparts couldn’t have been more stark than day and night when they were presented side-by-side like that. There was real weight to that frame standing next to her, thick bone and muscle and sweat glands and so many other things that she had always taken for granted.

How strange we must seem to them, she suddenly thought; these preternaturally clean beings who could process everything they ate and shift everything from their clothes to their location at will. And with all that they’re still dependent upon us. No wonder they don’t talk about it!

Things had been going pretty steadily when Angus piped up again.

“…hey, hey! Oh, bloody hell, he’s bitin’! Get him off!”

The elder instantly interceded, mentally separating them, eliciting a frustrated snarl from Jareth, who looked up at him with wild, bestial eyes.

“Please…so…hungry…”

“Now listen to me, Jareth,” the elder said sternly, “this man’s flesh does you no good. You only need his blood. If you want the hand that feeds to continue to do so you can’t bite it!”

Jareth suddenly saw his brutal handiwork and gave a heart-wrenching sob.

“Shh,” the elder stroked his hair momentarily as if he had been his own son, “just drink.” And Jareth did so. “His vitals are on the rise. How much longer can you hold out, Angus?”

“A few more minutes but I’m starting to get light-headed.”

“Good work. Thor, you’d better get over here.” With a nod the man took his leave of Sarah and briskly joined the company. “Do you mind if we use your left arm this time?”

“Not as long as you fix me up as well as you did the last time.”

“Of course,” the latter oozed genially, pleased that he would willingly cooperate; Thor usually favored his right wrist due to an old injury. Perhaps the human woman here was of some use after all. “I ask because we’re going to have to perform a clean switch. Do you both remember the drill?” They nodded in unison. The guards rapidly splinted Thor - time was of the essence now - and the elder made the same ominous incision. Thor walked casually over to feeder and food and placed his arm on top of Angus’, lined up at the wrists. When Jareth showed no acknowledgement of his presence, he tapped him on the shoulder with his free hand, then slightly shook him. The sidhe’s dilated eyes flashed up to his, transfixing him to the spot, releasing Angus.

“Yes?”

“…dessert’s over, Sire. Here’s the liver and onions.”

Eyes still locked he judiciously sniffed the man’s wrist and gave a bark of a laugh with a wry smirk that looked much more like himself.

“Good answer,” he silkily drawled. Sarah watched with baited breath as he released the man’s consciousness and took his wrist instead. Angus leaned against the wall in relief and two of the guards helped him over to the chair opposite to Jareth’s and removed the splint. There was were large, dark bruises from the biting and some areas where his skin had been roughly scraped off but only a drop of blood on his wrist showed that anything of a vampyric nature had happened to him at all.

“That was a good show, Angus,” the elder said, approaching him as the man caught his breath. “Your stamina is improving.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Now, let’s see that wrist. Ah yes, he did leave some nasty marks but at least he didn’t go all the way through the skin. I thought he had sharper teeth than that. Lucky for you.” Without another word he produced the sickle knife again and slit his own palm clear across without the slightest hesitation as Jareth had tried to do clumsily that day with her. Murmuring some words in the sidhe tongue, he grasped the man’s wounded wrist with his wounded palm for a moment. When he pulled away, they were both completely healed. “Do the bites still hurt anywhere?”

“No, not at all.”

“Excellent.” He produced a purse of coins and deposited it in the man’s upturned palm. “Should he choose you as one of his regulars, I have no doubt that you will be able to bargain most amiably with His Majesty but tonight was an extreme emergency on very short notice and we must take what we can get.”

Angus gave the purse a heft and it jingled loudly. “I don’t know what you’re worried about; this will suit me just fine!” the big man laughed heartily.

The elder returned an arch smile. “Just remember who the client is,” he said quietly, turning back to his patient.

In his heightened state, Jareth was becoming hypersensitive to everything and everyone in the room: the bored but ready guards, the cynical master of ceremonies, the recovering man with a wife and five children and a farm, the man he was currently feeding from who made money any way he could to cover his gambling debts - even fighting - and Sarah, his beloved Sarah, who was helplessly watching this whole miserable ordeal with nothing but her devotion for him and the faith that this would soon be over to sustain her wracked nerves and relentlessly pounding heart. He even felt his chair’s molecules and the floor beneath his feet vibrating to keep their solidness. He felt as if he filled the whole room and could move about freely in spite of the magic ward on the place and his complete bodily restraint. And in that moment he knew what he wanted to do more than anything else in the world. He consciously shot across the room and kissed Sarah full on the mouth. His presence was so sudden that she hadn’t even had time to think and he was working on her with such passionate abandon that she could do nothing but respond, crying in relief as he cradled her face in his hands, lavishing his great affection upon her. Only Thor noticed the sudden change and finally mustered the courage to speak.

“Um…guys…I know this is going to sound crazy but I think His Majesty has taken a fancy to me arm…”

The elder looked over and beheld the strange sight himself: Jareth appeared to be making love to the man’s wrist as much as he was drinking from it. His open eyes were vacant as if he were mentally somewhere else. But where? Angus laughed at their predicament, pointing in jest, and turned to Sarah to see her reaction to the spectacle. And see it he did. She was making love to the air with her eyes closed and like lightning he put two and two together.

“Look to the woman!” he cried out in alarm. The elder looked back and realized what danger they were all in. Strong indeed - he’d never seen a feeder so strong or concentrated in his entire existence! What power was this that leapt about free as a bird when body and soul were in chains?!

“Look alive, men! We have to break his concentration now! Hold hands! On the count of three! One…two, and-”

A shockwave of power ripped out of the group, sufficient to plant Jareth squarely back into his body. He stopped sucking to glare at them angrily for interrupting as Sarah jolted in surprise, reeling from his sudden departure. He was back in his bonds once more and all the other sidhe were in a ring on the left side of the room.

“I am sorry to have to intervene like this, your Highness,” the elder began to apologize, “but it simply isn’t safe for any of us when you…” He looked dumbfounded, slowly shaking his head; he had no words to describe what had just happened. Jareth’s look turned almost to pity. They would never understand. At least, not unless he had the courage to say something. He looked across the room to her.

“I love you, Sarah.”

“I know,” she nodded, tears flowing down her cheeks. The present company was completely baffled. All except Angus; the emotion in the Goblin King’s eyes was clear enough that he was willing to go out on a limb and believe him to be the rare exception of the species that could make a union like this actually work. Thinking about it, he himself would’ve been willing to risk something like that to console his own wife were he in the king’s boots. And to think that these ‘advanced’ beings couldn’t understand something so simple. It was pathetic. Thor chose to simply ignore the awkwardness and got to the point.

“Any more, sire? I can hold out longer than Angus there.”

Jareth looked up at him, appearing to be more in his right mind now, and sighed.

“I suppose I shouldn’t let the opportunity go to waste but I think I’m about finished. Just tell me when.” Thor had never been given the choice before and he straightened up a bit, feeling slightly more important. He was used to being looked down upon and patronized by these beings…well…by some of the townfolk, too, but that was different. This was different. He couldn’t believe that this sidhe king had just treated him as if he had some worth, even in slight, and Jareth wasn’t missing a moment of his mental soliloquy. Circumstances permitting, he had made his decision. He had sped up again but Thor was starting to feel weak in the knees.

“I think that’s all I can give, sire.”

Jareth promptly pulled away and the guards cared for the man while the elder checked Jareth’s vitals again and gave his verdict.

“Well, considering your age your body handled that remarkably well. Everything is finally getting up to where it should be.”

“Am I free to leave, then?”

“No, not yet. Your energy is still a bit chaotic; your body hasn’t had the proper time to stabilize it yet - this is quite a big change, physically-speaking. And you need to learn to control it at will and not the other way ‘round. We will see to that tonight. You’re staying in these restraints at least an hour. I and my men will be here to look after your needs.” He crossed the room and healed Thor, who was now sitting in the chair that Angus had occupied; the other man now lounged against the wall. Jareth thought of asking Angus as well but quickly perceived that he was already too busy with these sorts of ‘clients.’ Thor, on the other hand…

“Thor?”

The man looked up in surprise. “Yes, sire?”

“Come here.”

The elder looked slightly amused at the king’s decision when there was a veritable directory to choose from but Jareth ignored him, eyes full on the tall, burly man quickly striding toward him with his steel-blue eyes glued submissively to the floor. “I can help you to stop gambling,” he said quietly. Thor met and searched his eyes.

“Why?” he asked, suspicious. There was always a subversive reason for an offer like that.

“Oh, come, man, you can’t tell me that you have no further aspirations in life! Don’t you want to do something other than squander all your resources? I can make you want to stop.”

“If you’re tryin’ ta get off cheap-”

“I am trying to help you!” He looked sincere. Thor was confused.

“But…why?”

Jareth’s expression softened. He had to remember where he was. Clearly no one had ever bothered to care.

“Because I believe some good should come of this necessary evil. What say you?”

Thor’s gaze dropped again, his hands in his pockets, lightly kicking the floor.

“I wouldn’t even know what to want.”

“Ah, now dreams happen to be my specialty,” Jareth wryly smiled, feeling a twinge of irony. “Think it over. I shall call upon you in a week for your answer.”

“Very well. Was that all, sire?”

“Yes; you can go.” Thor turned to leave when Jareth suddenly thought to ask. “How is the human colony faring these days on the whole?”

Thor looked over his shoulder and gave a humorless laugh. “It’s a tough life by your standards but we seem to manage alright.”

Jareth nodded absently and the man retreated.

Downright bizarre, that one, Thor thought. Maybe he was trying to be nicer about it because of the species of his queen. He saw that she was all but forgotten, restrained in the other corner of the room. “What about her?” he asked the elder, who glanced back in turn with a slight smile.

“I think it would be best if she joined you both in the antechamber for the time being; we’re all in for a long night.”

The guards came over and quickly undid her bonds, the one who had transported her offering her a hand up, and then an arm seeing that she was still a bit shaken. Sarah gave Jareth one last backward glance and the guard with her and the two human men passed through the wall again into the other room. Thor and Angus quickly took to the food and drink and crashed into the couch as if they felt very much at home here. Now feeling rather awkward, stranded between two worlds - the world of these men and the world of the guard - she had no idea how she was supposed to act here or what she was even allowed to do. Swallowing her trepidation (nothing would ever faze her nearly as much after witnessing that) she screwed up her nerve and asked the guard.

“Am I allowed to sit? Is it alright if talk to them?”

“This is not a prison, my lady,” he mockingly threw her new title at her, “you are all free to do as you wish in here. Within reason, of course.”

She nodded, trying to smile, and made her way over to the couch. “Mind if I join you?”

Angus looked a bit surprised but Thor answered her.

“Not at all. Please, sit. Have some wine. You have very strong nerves but all the same this should help.”

“Thank you,” she said as he poured her a glass and she took a few swallows in relief, sitting down between them as they made room for her. Goodness, what to talk about! “How long have you two been…”

“Donors? Ever since I came of age - it’s easy money if you’re strong enough to do it regular. Angus here only started about… when, last spring was it?”

“My wife just gave us our third daughter - five children in all.”

“Well, congratulations!” Sarah turned to him.

“Thank you…my lady,” he said, feeling a bit awkward about saying it for the first time to one of his own kind, “but even with a successful farm that’s too many mouths for my pocket. And of all things, the first one who signs me up is an aging duchess with the, uh, sidhe birthing problem,” Angus said quietly and Sarah nodded, “and wanted nothing more than to play with my children! She still takes them in on certain days of the week. Spoils ‘em rotten but I don’t begrudge it; she’s never had anything like ‘em and they deserve everything she gives. Treats ‘em a bit like you or I would treat a litter of puppies but other than that no complaints here,” he laughed.

“You said it takes stamina…how much? Is it always like what I just saw in there? I plan on…helping my lord as I can.”

“Oh, goodness no,” Thor said, “it’s nothing like what you just witnessed. Lord Ravensong was catching up back there - I’d say he’s been starving for the better part of a month or two. No, it’s a lot tamer than that. Well, usually anyway; there are a few crazies floating around out there but on the whole this is a pretty casual experience. Once they’ve civilized your lord in there in a few hours they’ll give him one of those nice little blades and he’ll be able to take it from anywhere he fancies, not just the wrist. There are those who even do it as they…” he looked down pointedly at her lap and met her eyes again suggestively and Sarah flushed bright pink - she had certainly never thought of that before! The guard had been listening in and noticed Sarah’s sudden discomfort.

“I believe that’s quite enough out of you, Thor.”

Angus piped up in his defense. “He wouldn’t be sitting here clumsily trying to tell her the facts of life if you all weren’t so damned secretive about your so-called weakness! This woman has braved everything to come here for some shred of the truth!” He turned to Sarah. “And the truth is that it normally doesn’t even hurt,” he said gently. The elder suddenly entered the room and walked over to Sarah.

“How is he?” she asked. He smiled at her concern.

“Lord Ravensong is stable and holding, child, but I want to keep him overnight just to make sure. You are to be one of his donors, are you not?”

She nodded.

“For your own safety I desire to accustom him to your taste. This is normally not a great danger but you share a roof and a bed if I am not mistaken from your energy, and he needs to be doubly in control of his urge because of it. With your permission, I would like to take a vial of your blood for him. Do you know what type you are?”

“A positive.”

He sighed in relief. “Thank the gods it isn’t negative; I would almost have to protest for the sake of your life! Is the right wrist acceptable?”

She swallowed. “I guess so.”

He smiled warmly at her unease. “Be calm, child; this shall only take a moment.” He produced a clear glass vial about seven inches long - really only a bit bigger than the ones they used in the doctor’s office for her yearly physical - and knelt in front of her. Gently shoving up her sleeve and turning her arm over, he took the small sickle knife and positioned it over her vein. She was shaking slightly but Thor held her arm to steady her and the elder made his cut along the vein. To her amazement, she didn’t even feel it! He turned her wrist down over the vial and her blood simply trickled in at a pretty quick rate - it was uncanny seeing something behave like that. After about half a minute it was full and he put a stopper on it, setting it on the table. Quickly slicing his palm, he said the words again and held her wrist for a moment. There was only a vague tingling as if her arm had fallen asleep and then he pulled away with a knowing smile: it was over. “There, now that wasn’t so terrible, was it?”

“What are those words you say? I mean, what do they mean? I’m sorry if I’m not supposed to ask but I was just curious.”

“I believe it translates to, ‘by our blood done, by our blood undone’ in your own tongue, but saying it in the sidhe language makes it a healing spell.”

“That should be common knowledge if you don’t mind my saying so - doing that without it…” she shuddered. “It’s an experience I wouldn’t care to repeat.”

“Who did this to you?”

“Jar- Lord Ravensong. We tried it at my house but not with the wrist when he was still trying to gain power. He said he didn’t like the taste.”

The elder stood up, looking serious. “That was extremely foolish of him to do; you were both very lucky.” He picked up the vial and looked at it thoughtfully for a moment. “Perhaps if he isn’t terribly fond of A positive it is a blessing in disguise. Then again, they all taste dreadful until the full instinct comes upon one.” He met her eyes again. “But we shall find out for certain. He isn’t leaving this place until I am confident that he can turn it on and off at will and perform the incision and healing properly. I want him to come back three times a week until we can determine his physical schedule and how often he actually needs it. If you ever feel that you are in eminent physical danger from him, do not hesitate to contact me immediately. I charge double for house calls but I feel certain he would pay it under such a circumstance. I do not say this to frighten you but mistakes do happen and I need you to be aware of the possibility, at least at first. As for the present moment, I see no further reason for you to be here and Lord Ravensong quite agrees with me this time. There is nothing more for you to learn and the hour is very late. Do you need an escort home or can you manage?”

Sarah lowered her eyes, embarrassed. “I cannot transport by myself.”

The elder nodded with a small smile and gave her a hand up. “Anwyl, take the Lady Sarah wherever she wishes to go.”

“Yes, sir,” the guard gave a quick bow and walked over to join her, stepping in behind her as he had before.

“It was nice meeting you all,” she said quickly. The elder quietly laughed and exited the room. She looked after him, confused.

“It isn’t often that a predator is so warmly welcomed by his prey,” Thor said. “It was nice talking to you, too. Please tell your lord for me that I accept his offer - you’ll be seeing more of me!”

She smiled and nodded.

“Where does my genial lady wish to go?” the guard asked, amused by the whole scene.

“The Goblin Castle.”

“Yes, but where?”

She thought. “The Throne Room?”

He smirked at her hesitancy. “As you wish.” Rather than the star-form she had seen before, the room rippled like the surface of a pond and the world swam around her for a moment until it stilled again. They were in the castle. He stepped back, releasing her. She turned to face him, surprised.

“How did you…why was that…”

He gave a short laugh. “May I ask you a question?”

“Probably.”

He smirked. “Is it really true that no two humans are totally alike? Not even when a litter is born all looking identical?”

“Yes.”

“It is so also with the sidhe. We all have unique ways of doing certain things even though they are things that we all do. I believe your lord is more of the air variety. My affinity is with water.” He proudly ran his finger down the dark blue ribbon of color along the side of his nose.

“Then why the stars?”

“It is easier to transport as a pod if the group agrees beforehand on a uniform way; that one is standard. Now, is this an inquisition or can I return to my post?”

“Oh, yes of course. Sorry to keep you,” she blurted. He smiled, shaking his head.

“If you are truly a queen, you cannot be afraid to act like one,” he said, handing her back her amulet. “Goodnight, my lady.”

“Goodnight.”

He rippled out of existence. Sarah wearily made her way up to the bedroom, wondering how she would ever get to sleep.