Nothing Is What It Seems

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Dirty dish water really took the pleasure out of being the fiancee to the Goblin King. Sarah groaned as she stood over the basin washing.  She had lost count of how many, dishes. The Cook hadn't been very happy that she had disappeared during the ball. The Kitchens had become very busy once the announcement of the King's impending marriage to the Lady of the Labyrinth had been announced.

Sighing, Sarah scrubbed the pot she had been soaking. What would the Cook think if he knew that he had his future queen scrubbing pots and pans? Sarah smiled secretly to herself. Maybe one day she would tell him, but she understood his anger. Things had gone fairly bad once the word had gotten out to the goblins.

From what she had over heard from the others in the Kitchens, the goblins were still celebrating, three days later. The King had forbidden the revelers from entering the Castle, but the City was fair game.

Sarah knew Jareth, it felt odd to think him as such, couldn't be happy with her disappearing, but she had done as his mother had told her. Even with the announcement, she would be in danger. So for at least the time being, Jenna, she, would still work in the Kitchens of the Castle.

Sarah looked up as the Cook came walking in with a basket of fresh vegetables, "you better finish those dishes, Jenna. I forgot how much I don t like that gardener."

Sarah continued to scrub the pot, "Hoggle's not that bad, Sir."

The Cook began to pull the vegetables out of the basket, "well, even if you don't finish I'm sending you to deal with him. He was in a real grouchy mood for some reason. Guess it has to with the up coming wedding."

Sarah had feeling it wasn't just the wedding, but she couldn't just leave and talk to her friend. She didn't need the Cook even more angry with her.

The Cook sat the last vegetable on the worktop and then walked over to her, "having problems?"

"I've had it soaking for hours, and it's still not coming off," Sarah leaned back on her heels.

The Cook nodded, "you've done enough. This may need a bit more magic than you have to get it clean. You've been punished enough." He returned to the vegetables, "I need you to look over some more recipes his majesty has sent. They are apparently some favorites of Lady Sarah. He wishes for us to be ready to prepare them once she's queen."

Sarah took her hands out of the water. What new recipes could Jareth have sent down here? Did he send them because he knew where she was? Sarah took a quick breath to calm herself.

He didn't know where she was. Queen Evera had told her that before leaving her to return to the Kitchens. That was one of the biggest questions the Fae were asking. That, where had she been hiding, and how long had she been in the Underground. The goblins didn't care. They were just happy that they were getting the queen they wanted.

Sarah moved away from the basin, "what has his majesty sent us?"

The Cook held out a rather large pile of papers, "all of these. I hope she won't be too angry with us if we don't get them not."

Sarah took the pile from him and glanced down at the recipe on top, "I think she'll understand. You're still learning. It takes time to become a master of a craft."

The Cook, "we can only hope."

XOXOXOX

He was not happy. Where was she? Where had his mother hidden her? He knew she had to be the one who had helped Sarah come to the Underground. His father had not met Sarah before making his lovely announcement.

Sighing, Jareth leaned back against the arm of his throne. There was no reason to hide her from. The fools who had wished to gain his throne and crown were another matter.

The goblins were celebrating. He had been forced to banish them all to the City for the most part. There was still a reasonable number of guards around. He groaned as he heard another crash from the City below. It was going to be worse than when Sarah had run the Labyrinth.

Leaning his head back, he closed his eyes. This was slowly becoming a major problem. At least, it wouldn't take much time to repair the damage they were causing. Of course, he couldn't blame them for celebrating. He would be celebrating as well, if he could. He had no real way to celebrate, but he also knew something they didn't.

She was only marrying him to save his throne, but she did care about the goblins and maybe about him. He would give her all the time she needed after the wedding. After all they had forever, and that wasn't long at all.