The Labyrinth was bracing itself.
With the influx of so many new and strong personalities all arriving at once and the presence of so many non indigenous magical species, the maze almost groaned in its obligation to accommodate them all. Some groups that were arriving attracted its attention like the Astraeans whose people and magic was similar to the Labyrinth's own energies and hungers. But there were other groups that seemed to repel the Labyrinth and cause a kind of oppression like the Empyrean whose primarily leader was to descend to the ground for the first time. It was hard to say if the Labyrinth's attitude was somehow a reflection of Jareth's own projected anxieties, and this would not have been such a far fetched theory if it were not for the fact that while the Labyrinth and Jareth were consciously linked their subconscious wants and needs were separate and unique to each individually. Indeed Jareth's primary relationship in his life was the Labyrinth itself. Even the goblins took second place over the wants and needs of the great maze and that was one of the many seldom understood and known truths about the kingdom and Jareth's position there.
Jareth could feel the Astraeans arrive. And was relieved privately at the thought that both ruling brother and outcast had come with their party. While Jareth had had personal dealings with Marten, who was a weak but redeemable man, Jareth had had little reason or desire to deal with Dedric. When Marten had been punished Jareth had been included in the formal inquirers by the high council and had originally acted as a character witness and spoken in Marten's defense. Jareth had been honest about what he'd seen in the man. Technically, despite his position and the goblin King Jareth was also considered a figure among the ranks of the Good Neighbors (a collective grouping of magical men and women able to cross worlds in the interest of aiding those that fell in some way into the human vein). Jareth provided less services than others who shared his duties but nevertheless he had his obligations just like any of the Good Neighbors did.
He just didn't generally discriminate when it came to the type of people he was willing to help. Some had spoken against his bargain with Marten. But Jareth had always defended his role in the business reminding his critics that it was not in his nature regarding the subject of the aid he provided to pass unneeded judgement. Jareth would be glad to see Marten again, even if he hadn't thought about the man in a long time.
as for the Empyrean, Jareth's reactions and vice verse would be hard to predict. Ozias had made it clear in no uncertain terms that Jareth should expect resistance if not outright defiance and misplaced anger. in some ways he was almost expecting another Sarah and a part of him hoped that the lady Empyrean would indeed live up to her hype. At least then Jareth could respect her for her spirit if not the depth of her understanding regarding his perspective of their worlds and their individual roles there in.
It was all bound to be very....Interesting.
The Astraean nobles and their representatives approached the wall that surrounded the Goblin City and its labyrinth. Dedric watched a distracted Marten lean towards the window, shoulders slumped, hands clasped, one thumb tapping an anxious beat against his wrist. Marten, like most Atraeans, struggled in concealing his emotions. Dedric on the other hand was well practiced in the art of revealing nothing but a facade of cordial charm and impeccable manners. However, within the walls of the carriage, he hid none of his growing irritation at the state of his younger brother. He found it unseemly for a ruler, even an exiled one, to show any kind of nervousness or apprehension when conducting business outside of his borders.
"Will you stop that" he snapped, leaning forward to slap Marten's restless hands. "And sit up straight. They're going to present you like a real prince for a change so start acting like one."
Marten straightened his shoulders, Dedric's words doing nothing to ease his anxiety. He knew he had a real chance to prove to the High Council that twenty-five years under exile changed him for the better, that he had freed himself from the clutches of darkness' influence and was ready to reclaim his place and perform his rightful duties as a prince of Astraea. All he had to do was not choke. He just had to stay close to his brother, pay a little lip service to Mab, admit his wrongs if asked, and carry himself with the confidence and ease of a man who had never known shame. Simple.
The carriage halted. It was time.
From seemingly out of nowhere, flower petals began to fall on the main road that lead to the castle. In the distance, came the echoing of bells and flutes as well as a chorus of voices chanting;
Ringle-rangle, ringle,rangle....
Flickering lights whizzed to the front of the parade. They rained a shower of sparks before transforming into their full size. In a flash, about a dozen winged creatures, a little smaller than the average human danced and sang in merriment, donned in glittering thin cloth that appeared to grow from their bodies. Some transformed their appearance to look just like some of the onlookers in the crowd. Following them were the childlike greenies. Donned in thick, woven cloths of brown, they bounded in playing pipes and rattling tambourines. Others performed acrobatic feats, flipping and tumbling with incredible energy. The last of the representing fae were the dwarves. Some pounded deer hide drums, others handed out tiny bottles of wine, and others performed their own set of tricks for the onlookers. A loud clanging of bells signaled a brief silence and then all the creatures began to sing:
Deep there above the greenery
Meddle and mischief sing the Wee
Hidden among the greenery
"We are the Free-Folk," sing the Wee
Nettles and nuisance bring the Wee
Tingle and tangle sing the Wee
Under the forest canopy
"We are the Free-Folk," sing the Wee
Tatter and scatter bring the Wee
Freckle and fumble sing the Wee
Getting you from behind a tree
"Fun is a wonder," sing the Wee
Illusions of forest animals appeared and bounded through the parade. Deer trotted along greenies, rabbits hopped around the sprites' feet, and birds looped and darted around banners. One of each magical being proceeded to the front, joined hands, and sang:
We are the Wee
As you can see
So wild and free
So sing the Wee
This would be the first Centennial Ball in which the beings of the forest would have proper representation. Despite the ills Astraea suffered under Lord Darkness' curse, the union of Jack and Lili brought a deeper understanding and friendship between the humans of the city and the creatures of the forest. Their reign, though marred by some infighting, brought forth a stronger bond and respect between the two cultures. Under Jack and Lili's rule, Astraea became a truly fair kingdom in which all voices were heard. The party of sprites, greenies, and dwarves, collectively known in Astraea as the Wee, symbolized that bond and trust; they were the overseers and watchers of the forests of the unicorn.
Unicorns were a rare and incredibly important element to the underground. As the purest of all creatures, they anchored the light to the underground and kept the scales from tipping towards the darkness. They only lived in Astraea, leading many interested scholars to debate if they stayed there because of the eternal spring, or if their very life and presence was what kept the spring in Astraea. One thing was certain, the nobles and denizens alike made their protection the highest priority. As a means of keeping their unsteady word tethered towards the light, the people too were encouraged to keep their own hearts pure and serene. To symbolize the pure spirit of Astraean life, several dozen young maidens clothed in soft pastels paraded behind the Wee. They carried the banners of the kingdom and performed another important piece of music. They sang Lili's song, a beautiful trilling of the loveliest voices in the kingdom:
Come down sparrow, sing me good morning.
Rise up sun like the arch of the sky.
Living river, turn light to diamonds
When I look in my true love's eyes.
Like a child feels watching a rainbow.
Like a bird feels the first time it flies.
I feel magic stirring within me,
When I look in my true love's eyes.
Young as any spring, his eyes almost sing.
Come white moss, weave us a carpet
Spreading oak make a shade where we lie.
Leaves and branches, whisper a love song,
When I look in my true love's eyes.
Young as any spring, his eyes almost sing to me
Come down sparrow, sing me good morning.
Rise up sun like arch of the sky.
Living river, turn light to diamonds
When I look in my true love's eyes.
_____
Dedric and Marten followed close behind at the very center of the parade. Dedric's horse was white and gray with a long, elegant waved mane. Its bridle was adorned in bluebells in the same soft shade of blue as the enormous mantle that graced Dedrics shoulders. The rest of his ensemble consisted of a cream-colored tunic underneath a cream and gold embroidered vest. He wore a fitted pair of tan breeches and dark brown knee high boots. A gold crown topped his head.
Marten rode beside him, his steed in shades of black dappled it in white, starbursts that dotted its his hindquarters in constellations. He wore his standard black attire nearly from head to toe, save for his cuffs, gold collar, his own gold vest, and a cape that hung across his chest and over his shoulders in an unbecoming shade of lavender. His own crown was a simple gold band that hung a little loosely on top of his limp hair.
Dedric maintained a warm, jolly persona as he waved at the detestable creatures of the city.
He hated goblins and everything about them. He found them to be ugly-spirited little brutes with selfish, self-serving hearts and a thirst for dark magic. They gravitated to darkness and power. He would never forget the story of Blix, Lord Darkness' right hand man, and the one Dedric found solely responsible for the near murder of the unicorn stallion. To him, it was that wretched animal more so than his sweet mother, who nearly destroyed Astraea. He was the one who shot the dart. It was he who stole the horn.
He successfully drove the lot of them deep into the swamps, in the mucky mires with the witches where they belonged.
The notion of having to be amiable around the little monsters and their keeper was the biggest thorn in Dedric's side. He was the first of his family to have any real goals outside of his kingdom's borders. Astraea was an integral part of the whole underground, but no one before seemed interested in expanding its influence, especially his poor parents who were content with making house calls to commoners and frolicking in the forest rather than conduct some actual work in the interest of their people.
Behind the royal party came wagons filled to the brim with foods, ales, and other gifts for the hosts. At the rear, marched a fleet of royal guardsmen.
At last, the train came to a halt before the castle.
The announcement ceremony featured more than a dozen kingdoms from across the underground. Just a few of which included representatives from the Earthlong and Drow elven people, Several dwarves clans, and representative parties lead by the child-like Ozma of Oz, the White Queen of Underland, and representatives from Narnia and Never Neverland. A large assortment of Good neighbors from across the underground were also present along with many individual sorceress and underground folk who held no particular titles but who served various functions in the Underground.
One by one the titled parties came, announces by Scheherazade.
Jareth greeted them all in accordance with tradition. Most he'd only ever heard stories about and some he'd never heard of at all. As they came Jareth studied their parties, mentally making notes regarding what their appearances and demeanor s revealed. Ozma was one he planned to speak to about an alliance in the future between she and the child-like Empress whom was currently serving as a member of the High Council. He could also detect signs of a few who looked eager to bring forth their own business when the time was right. Many of the rulers were women, a common occurrence in the underground considering Queen Mab being a female herself and the embodiment of great mothers everywhere.
Finally, the proceeding were due to conclude with only the Empyrean Empire and the Kingdom of Astraea left to e announced. Jareth found it ironic that the two groups had managed to be left for last. Jareth had had dealings with both and was curious to see their reactions to his presence. The Empyrean specifically was of personal interest given that if thing had turned out differently it might have been he and Elspeth walking together in the procession as husband and wife, mutual leaders of the Empyrean empire. Granted Jareth would never actually see Elspeth's face since the traditions of her people required her to remain asked, but never the less Jareth was deeply curious about the young woman who by all reports deeply hated him. Jareth was good at being cast in the role of villain. He hoped he didn't disappoint the Empyrean, whatever she thought of him.
The brothers dismounted and took their place near the rear of the line. Marten took his position behind Dedric who was to lead their party inside.
"Feeling nervous, brother?" he heard Dedric ask.
Of course this was a redundant question. As much as he tried, Marten was a true Astraean and struggled to mask his emotions. Still, he tried to maintain a casual air, running a hand through his hair as he gave a shrug.
"Oh, a bit I suppose," he said. "But I think things will go smoothly as long as I keep my head down. Besides, you're the one who's about to step in the spotlight."
"About that," Dedric responded still facing forward. Marten caught a note of humor in his voice he was not sure he liked.
"I believe I forgot to mention that I spoke with Mab before we left home. She and I have both agreed that you should be the representative of the kingdom. After all, you need a proper opportunity to show how you've improved, and to exhibit your skills in diplomacy. She wants to see if you would be prepared to take on your duties as a prince should she decide to free you from exile."
Dedric finally turned to a stunned Marten with a somewhat mischievous glimmer in his eyes.
"My, and I thought you couldn't get any paler."
He only felt slightly displeased about having to step from the spotlight on this one, but Dedric reasoned that he could conduct business much easier as a result. While Marten fumbled through the formalities, he could watch the floor and plan his future meetings with the Underground's upper echelon.
The younger sibling stared into the approaching doorway as if it were the entrance to a slaughterhouse. The man slowly shook his head.
"Do you think it wise? I-I mean I haven't really been in a position of leadership in decades, and I certainly don't possess your mind for diplomacy, I'm shamefully unpracticed in court affairs, I'll make everyone uneasy, and what if I'm called to speak? You know my voice doesn't carry well a-and-"
Dedric sighed, grabbing the man's shoulder and turning him towards him.
"You're going inside and meeting your friend, not your doom. Relax, little brother. It's nothing more than politics. Now, straighten your back, tilt that chin up..."
He fixed Marten's collar and smoothed his cape over his shoulders. He gave a firm clap to his back.
"...and breathe for goodness sake. You can do this."
Dedric rarely expressed affection towards his bother in the public eye, but he temporarily stepped down from his position as Marten's hard-nosed warden to ease his nerves.
He then unclasped his own mantle and passed it on to a servant. He also removed his cown and swapped it for his brother's more simple circlet, an action that promted gasps and smiles of approval from some of their party. It wasn't like him to be so humble, but he felt the action would set him up to be the warm, shining star the rest of the underground was expecting to see. Even kind deeds could be strategic moves in Dedric's book. Some small factions back home had begun to see him as a power thirsty egoist, an image he planned to conceal from the others. Even the party was hand picked to ensure attendees were sympathetic to his rule.
He still expected to outshine his brother, but he wanted to do so as little as possible. Not only would he be free to carry out his plans to build alliances, he would also be able to evaluate Marten. He was as curious as anyone to see how he would perform. On one hand, he would be sad to lose the best helper he ever had, but he would be thrilled to see Marten freed from his terrible reputation once and for all.
Dedric was right. It was high time that Marten showed his true capabilities as a leader. He had the knowledge and skill, he just needed to channel some of Dedric's confidence and control. The queen of the Forgotten Desert call his name. He stepped to the front of the line and led his group into the ballroom.
He could feel the eyes watching him, he caught expressions of curiosity, apprehension, and disgust. He willed himself to maintain his dignity, to carry himself like a proper nobleman. He knew he was trying too hard. His posture felt too stiff, his jaw clamped tensely, and even the rhythm of his footsteps seemed too calculated. The burdens of his over thinking eased however as he neared Jareth. His face softened and a hint of a real smile tugged at his lips. He clasped the Goblin King's arms with an unexpected enthusiasm.
"We come in friendship, we come in unity."
Marten didn't have any friends to speak of, but he considered Jareth to be the closest thing he ever had in the Underground to one. While their whole world seemed divided as to whether or not he was a good man, Marten saw in Jareth a kindred spirit, another individual whose actions both shook the realm and brought uncertainty to his kingdom's future. Perhaps he didn't know Jareth that well, but he had an inkling that he shared the same regrets, that he too was haunted by his own selfish past. He knew how it felt to be hated, feared and kept at a distance from the rest of society. Much of the realm had a very fixed definition as to what goodness meant, and it made no room for the likes of men like them: men who had made unsavory choices in the past and aimed to change. For many, good and evil was a black and white matter; there was no standing in between.
He remembered approaching him, empty-handed and desperate. He knew Jareth had conditions tied to his ability to travel to the Above. But he only had to hear Marten's story to take the bargain, and in seventeen years he had yet to call for his end of it.
Marten's gratitude and admiration of the man shone through his face. Perhaps at last he would get a chance to thank the Goblin King in person for saving his Lilian.
~@~
Truth be told, Elspeth hated her mask regalia. All of her masks were hand-crafted in the Empyrean artisans' workshop in the palace, the very same one she often poked her head into to see what works were underway amongst those granted access to its use. When she was a child, she'd wait until her governess might fall asleep in the afternoon, as she was so prone to do, and sneak into the great hall where the masks were put on display for guests to see during public court or significant functions. She'd always peered up to the dozens of masks shining from their dependable posts upon the great stone walls, wondering how it was that the sunshine never tarnished their quality. What a sad day it was when she discovered that those masks on display were replicans--the real masks were stored safely in a guarded wing. They were still well cared-for, but part of the romanticized aspect of wearing the masks on the wall that she'd grown up seeing had been just slightly dashed.
Those who took care of the masks were masters of their craft. She was so surprised upon examining the secured masks to discover that while durable, they were also light and easy to breathe through.
What she hated, perhaps, wasn't the regalia itself—but the stark reminder of her parents' memory.
But as much as she hated her mask regalia, it felt far more inconvenient to suffer the idea of being required to wear it when outside of the kingdom. She'd only been out and about a few times, but never on The Ground. But today marked the day where her feet would walk on solid earth for the first time.
The luckdragons, ten in total, descended upon the upper landing of the castle, not far from the tower where Jareth had considerately chosen to house The Empyrean and her entourage. Sayer stood by vigilantly, watching the flying beasts as they all touched down expertly. Elspeth's small fleet were smaller, more nimble creatures than the ones that had spirited Sayer and his knights from The Sky to The Ground, not causing too much strain on the ancient castle's structure.
Elspeth descended from atop her own magical beast, much to Sayer's chagrin. He strode to her side and walked alongside her. She could feel his chastising eyes boring through her blue-and-white travel mask. "Riding your own dragon is not considered Empyrean-like conduct," he reminded her gently, but predictably.
Elspeth didn't allow him a verbal reaction, simply walking on as she felt she ought to. It was rare that she didn't provide a snappy comeback or outright comply with Sayer's recommendations. Besides, who was he to tell her that she couldn't ride the luckdragon she'd trained and loved since she was a small child? "We appear to be on time," she reported, her voice not obscured by the covered mouth of the mask. "Who has arrived below?"
"The Astraeans," Sayer answered dutifully, nodding to two of his knights ready to open the door into the castle. "Here is our home for the duration of your visit."
Elspeth waited until the doors were shut to remove her headpiece and mask, her long brown hair covered by the blue scarf that had also edged the mask itself. "It'll do," she said quietly, not wanting to admit that she was quite impressed with whatever trick had been pulled to adorn the ceiling so beautifully. "We've arrived with plenty enough time to prepare for the ball. Ariadne is not far behind."
Sayer nodded and gestured toward her chambers. "Then you'd better be on your way," he remarked quietly, watching her gather her skirts and move forward, shutting the door behind her. He knew she'd be poor company until she permitted herself to have a good time. He was sure that the only person who'd know how to deal with her otherwise would indeed be Ariadne, as much as he hated to admit it.
He exited back onto the landing and decided to keep an eye out for the handmaiden to pass the time.
As was customary Ariadne was due to arrive on the tail of everyone else. It was her duty to ensure everything had been packed correctly and that all the lesser servants under her were in top form that were coming with the Lady Empyrean as well as those where were to stay behind and manage the basic functions of the kingdom.
The other benefit of this duty was that Ariadne had plenty of her own time to prepare for the journey to the underground. It was time to change things. Ariadne had served the Empyrean in one way or a other for centuries, whether the current leaders realized it or not. Much of her magical abilities were rooted in her attempts to remain ageless and flawless in everything she did. Yet immortality was not natural to the Empyrean people and the cost of Ariadne's maintenance had been costly. All magic came with a price whether it came naturally to an individual or was learned or acquired later. Ariadne had taken about as much as could be taken from the empire without it completely crumbling.
The time had come for a change of scene.
The Labyrinth was the most ideal candidate for her relocation in centuries. Its largest appeal being that the kingdom was naturally regenerative, meaning there would be no plausible limit to what Ariadne could utilize for her own interests. Unlike many of the powers that were currently in route to the castle, Ariadne had no interest in the Kingdom or Jareth specifically. Her ambition was not to seize the kingdom. Rather, she desired only to immerse herself into the flow of its neutral magic. Magic that she would intimately twist to her own desires and needs. As a sorceress her own power and knowledge likely rivaled Jareth's but was perhaps more limited despite that she was more mobile than he was. Once the Goblin King caught onto her presence and intentions he would surely find it difficult to isolate her from the greater design.
Ariadne planned to seduce and entice the labyrinth as much as she repelled it. in this way it would both resist and accommodate her will until she was so inter grated into the old magic that it would naturally protect her interests.
But the business was complicated. In the past when Ariadne had need to change her identity it was a simple matter of retiring as her old self for awhile and re-emerging as a slightly new identity. But this time wouldn't be so easy. Ariadne intended to create a diversion that would cause the Empyrean Empire to take up issue with Jareth and fan the flames of their distrust for him. Ariadne had to fake a terrible demise that would free her up to conduct her business and caste suspicion on Jareth and his people. There were stories of course that assassinations were not unheard of in the kingdom. Ivor the Hammer Fist was proof of that and Ariadne was so good at spinning the sins of the past into the realities of the present. she simply needed to bide her time.
final loading of the luck dragons was almost finished and Ariadne was due to mount and arrive within the half hour. It was time to summon her favorite pets in preparation for their arrival. Reaching into her skirts Ariadne removed a handful of small obsidian stones carved with vicious little faces. Kneeling as if to secure one of the last of her personal boxes, Ariadne poured them onto the ground and removed a small vial that was disguised as one of her teardrop earrings. Unplugging the stopper she gentle poured the small liquids contents over the stones and made a mooching sound as if she was calling a small animal to attention. within seconds the stones broke apart revealing little black gremlins about the size a bats with yellow eyes and chattered and bickered I. Some sort of chattering language.
Ariadne smiled almost lovingly and opened her box witch the creatures promptly climbed into. she then stood. It was time to leave the Empire for the last time. Ariadne had no intention of ever returning.
True to form a half hour behind her mistress Ariadne arrived. Dismounting on the platform and moving elegantly and in a calm and reserved manner toward Ozias. "I assume my lady is inside, let us see if we can improve her temperament before its time to be announced."
Ariadne offered Ozias a placid though friendly smile and for once her benevolence seemed completely genuine instead of its usual fabrication. And why shouldn't the sorceress be generous? The Lady Empyrean was about to get her first taste at real leadership and even Ariadne who normally didn't take real pleasure in anything was very interested in seeing how Elspeth faired.
"You have to do it." Ariadne said firmly.
The Empyean empire was due to be announced within the half hour and in classical style Ariadne was going over the expected protocols of the announcement ceremony that all the kingdoms were required to participate in.
At the moment Elspeth was in the middle of taking issue with the finer points of what she was expected to do when she came face to face with the Goblin King.
Elspeth shook her head as she frustratedly smoothed her hair back, sleekly pinned back to make her mask easier to apply and wear for long periods of time. Her clear face was devoid of any makeup or pigment of any kind--but was beginning to cloud with a burgundy tone, standing out against her pure-white ensemble. "There's no reason Sayer can't do it," she grumbled back, refusing to look Ariadne in the eye as she gazed ahead into the massive mirror above the silver vanity table, which no doubt Jareth had specifically picked just for her.
"Actually, there's every reason that Sayer can't do it."
Elspeth glanced over her shoulder at the sound of his voice. Her cousin stood in the doorway, armored arms folded across his metal-plated chest, the pinned drape of fabric bearing the Empyrean crest clipped to his shoulders. She didn't waste any time. "But you're the one who's got the relationship with The Goblin King," she spat sullenly, refusing to acknowledge their host by name.
Part of her knew that she was being more than absurd. Part of her knew that there was every reason for her to be the one to lead the procession and greet Jareth. Part of her knew that by this time in her life, she should be able to just let that hurt go. She'd never even been face-to-face with him before. But the rest of her knew that she had every single reason to be affronted by him, to have him arrested where he stood if he even dared think of setting foot into her skyborne kingdom. Yet, here she was in his subterranean kingdom, on his turf, taking temporary residence in his castle, partaking in his food, his drink... It was insufferable.
"Elspeth." Sayer gave a short nod to Ariadne, stony and steadfast in her expression. "Ariadne's right. You're The Empyrean. This is your first Centennial Ball, and your first major engagement in your position. You must do right by all of us and represent us."
She let out a small growl through her teeth, then shook her head. "I just won't do it."
Sayer glanced again at Ariadne, smirking the corner of his mouth just slightly, then back to Elspeth. "Okay, Elspeth. You win."
A small part of her loved hearing those words. She smiled satisfactorily and turned to the large table not far from Sayer, reaching her hands out for her mask. Sayer watched as Ariadne seemed to gracefully fly to the table, deftly picking up the strong, light, simple mask, adorned with feathers and the very slightest crystal detail. She placed the mask upon Elspeth's ready face. "Thank you, Sayer," Elspeth drawled out, hardly muffled by the material. "It means a great deal to me."
He turned on his heels and gestured toward the door. "Onward we go," he said warmly. He let the younger woman lead the way as she reached two small gloved hands to pick up her skirts. Ariadne shot a quick glance at a few of Elspeth's attendants; they scurried forth to follow behind her as part of the procession, dressed in robes of sunshine yellow and cerulean blue, but devoid of masks, themselves.
Sayer and Ariadne stood in the room, watching after them. "I'm going to slip away," he informed the handmaiden. "This was the only way we were going to get her out of there."
It was as the Queen of the Forgotten Desert called her name that Elspeth realized that Sayer wasn't beside her. She silently cursed behind her mask, thankful to have the exterior shell to mask her surprise and sudden bolt of frustration. Of course he would do something like that.
No matter, though. She looked ahead into the vast ballroom, surprised at the assortment of emissaries and attendees from far-off lands. For it being such a backwards kingdom, the formality assigned to this grand event surprised the young Empyrean as she took a step ahead. She could see hundreds of heads turn in her direction at the sound of her name. Undoubtedly, many of those gathered had never seen her before--at least, not in the traditional mask garb of generations of Empyrean royalty. The unspoken mythology of Empyrean rulers who wore masks beyond the borders of the kingdom was easily on their lips and minds as they measured her against their own expectations. Very few of them had ever ascended into the clouds to visit her kingdom, where no one had to wear masks. Surely at least one of them would have met her at home at some point, to provide some kind of friendly or familiar face...
She confidently strode ahead, seemingly floating along in place as she'd practiced for so long. She kept her focus ahead, not wishing to distract herself from her goal: getting away from Jareth as quickly as possible.
Finally, she stood before the tall man with the unique features. She worked to stare at the middle of his forehead instead of into his slightly mismatched eyes, not wishing to give him the benefit of a full lock on eye contact. She kept her posture rigid as she braced her eyes and let her calm voice carry without shouting, "... we come in friendship, we come in unity."
She kept her eyes up and raised as she wound about to stand beside the other rulers gathered. The sooner this was over, the better...
When it was Elspeth's turn to walk the procession, Jareth noted that Ozias wasn't with her and the thought made him smile slightly to himself. The knight must have pulled a fast one on her. Jareth was sure given how hard she stared in front of herself. Jareth could almost imagine the little wrinkles around her young eyes as she furrowed her brows behind her mask in fustration and forced decorum. Of anyone that had come, the Empyrean was the most mysterious. Both her mask and outfit shrouding much of her physical features and making it hard to determine her age or anything else about her if one didn't already know. That was the point of the custom, he supposed. The people of the sky rarely trusted ground dwellers and most all of them tended to have a very high opinion of themselves. The Empyrean were no different as a people in that regard.
Still in spite of all the pageantry the most important indicator of who Elspeth really was was the only thing that was clearly exposed. Her eyes. seeing into her eyes was all he needed to get a glimpse of her true character and of course when Elspeth approached him and said her dutiful words, he noted how she would not truly look at him.
The behavior was both childish on her part and disappointing to Jareth. He wanted her to face him, to look into his own eyes and see that they were both more than they appeared to be. He hoped on some lever she would catch a glimpse of his humanity and, in spite of anything else she might ever think of him, remember it. But Jareth wasn't going to force the issue. Sooner or later she would have to deal with him directly and the sooner she accepted his hospitality if not his nature the better for both of them.
While Elspeth was speaking, Jareth noticed that she forgot to extend her arm, no doubt because she consciously had no desire to touch him. Procedure demanded the gesture however and there could be no exceptions. To avoid breaking with the flow of their greeting Jareth subtly over reached with his own arm and lightly circled her smaller wrist with his thumb and pointer gently tugging it so that it would appear they were making the proper contact but in a slightly daintier way than the rest. The audience would hopefully assume that Jareth was simply taking more care with the Emprean given that it was her first ball and that they shared a unique history that the others did not. If Elspeth was smart she would keep still and not react even though Jareth was quite sure that if she wasn't being watched by over a hundred people that the young Empyrean might have assaulted him over it.
"You may go in friendship, Elspeth. We are all united in peace."
Elspeth didn't permit her body language to waver, but couldn't do much to hide the sudden glare that bore through the mask. She inconspicuously tugged her arm back with a slight pivot of her elbow, not visible to anyone else but Jareth as the most subtle warning for him to let her go.
How she wanted to take that moment to spin around and address the crowd, to tell them of Jareth's grave sins against The Empyrean and its people. How his irresponsible actions put her in this insufferable position before she was ready to carry the kingdom on her shoulders. How he'd robbed her of the two people she cared about most in the world. She could make her case passionately as those gathered would listen to her every word. And even if they didn't believe her, at least the truth was out in the open.
And action would have to be taken to investigate the allegations.
But, she'd have to wait. She had no idea if she had allies or enemies before setting foot into the kingdom. She'd have to meet the others. She glanced about quickly, catching sight of the Astraen Prince Marten (intriguing, indeed, that he be here), Queen Mab, and more. Surely, there had to be someone sympathetic to her cause.
She stepped backwards carefully, hoping that this would be a more direct indication that Jareth ought to return her hand. As she stepped backwards she flicked her brown eyes up, shocked to see the startling contrast between his irises. Intriguing. She blinked, and finally crossed her eyes back to the ground.
The moment he didn't have to touch her anymore, Jareth let Elspeth go. Ironically that moment occured about the same time she looked him in the eyes and he caught her startled expression at the realization that one eye looked diffrent than the other. Jareth knew that most people assumed his irises were diffrent colors. One being a blue green and the other practically black. But the truth was Jareth's pupil on one side was perpetually open to its widest point and thus dominated the middle of his eye. It was generally startling to people who ever bothered to really take a good look at him and almost no one ever considered wondering why he looked that way or the effect the anomoly had on the Goblin King's sensory experiances.
For his part when Jareth caught a glimpse into Elpeth's eyes, he mourned for her. The anger and hostility she presented on the surface was nothing more than a mask covering a much deeper hurt. A hurt she undoubtedly held him responsible for.
Its only forever
Not long at all
Lost and lonely,
That's Underground...
Jareth knew he would have to tread carefully with the Empyrean. The temptation to hurt her in order to free her would be strong in him. At this point cruelty would be the only thing she would trust from him. She was so young. Old by human standards perhaps, but young by his. He pitied her for it. While Jareth knew he was not responsible for the things Ozias implied she was accusing him of, Jareth suspected that someone somewhere was culpable somehow and he did not look forward to the day when the truth was foxed out.
But the Goblin King had little time to think on these matters fore he felt Mab arrive with the rest of the High Council. Her presence was like a balmy summer fragrantly blossoming all at once with sudden opressive yet alluring warm. For an irrational two seconds Jareth instinctually wanted to grabbed Elspeth and drag her behind him as if to shield her from Mab's gaze which was trully timesless, all knowing, and all seeing.
Jareth's eyes swiftly scanned the room for Ozias who he knew was not far from Elspeth. Even though he and Jareth were friends, at any sign of impropriety Ozias would have intervened to protect and defend the Empyrean and wouldn't have hesitated to cause permanent bodily harm against Jareth if the situation had warranted. But for now Jareth wanted to hand Elspeth off so that Ozias could help get her out of the way as Queen Mab and her Council announced themselves. Jareth as both the host and one of Mab's favorite children would be expected to come to her side as immediately as possible.
"Mab, she's here. Go." Jareth warned under his breath just audibly enough for Elspeth to hear him.
Jareth's tone and alert expression was less dominating and more full of acute concern that not even he was probably aware was discernable.
