The cave was cool and star light filtered in from cracks in the ancient earth.

Inside the cave a woman was pacing, or at least cursing as she walked.

Sarah was unhappy, first her kingdom was set ablaze, than her husband went missing, the guards had put her under lock down, and now she had been left behind with a single guard while the others went to look for Jareth.

She should have gone, after all they were bond mates! Her bond informed her that the Fae king lived, and that he was injured, but it was not fatal.

Sarah kicked a rock against the cavern wall and then paused, in the distance she heard the sound of a horses's hooves.

Already her remaining guard and Harry were looking out of the cave, but, luckily, Sarah pulled them both back.

The riders bore no signia to show that they were of friendly nature, she did not trust them.

The horses had also been hidden, though deeper, in the network of caves that had, long, LONG ago, belonged to the dragons. Until the dragons returned to the sky and hid on the peaks of mountain tops.

"The are foes, we need to be weary." Sarah whispered as she led them both down the winding path and deeper under the earth.

The caverns were now used as the meeting place in case of an emergency, but what of the enemy had learned of it?

Sarah knew every footstep of the cavern and knew that more than one exit was hidden from obvious sight.

Placing a hand upon Shakespeare she calmed the horse and motioned for the others to do so as well. The beasts silenced and they all seemed to hold their breathes'.

But no one entered the cavern.

"We cannot afford to leave in case his majesty returns." The guard argued.

"His majesty is well aware that I am not one to sit on my ass while I can help." Sarah stated as she led Shakespeare down the caves.

"This is where the others expect to meet us!" The guard insisted.

"So we leave a message that my husband will be able to decode." Sarah stated confidently as she used a little power to bring a flame alight in her hand.

Walking calmly up to the wall she dragged the flames across, leaving a sooty mark in its path. Pulling back she moved over and completed the symbol.

Once finished, Sarah walked to the opening of the cavern and looked at the goblin symbol of the turned horns, and nodded in satisfaction. One would have to look at the mark at just the right angle to make out the sooty symbol. Else it would look as if a campfire had made the markings, but not everything was as it seemed.

"Are we going to the goblin realm?" Questioned the guard as his eyes took in the symbol.

"Don't be absurd, that would take us right past our enemies." No, Sarah was going to take them into the Unseelie courts, the opposite way than the Goblin kingdom.

Besides, Sarah would be too easily recognized if she went to the Seelie villages or the High courts'. The Unseelie were unused to her, seeing as Jareth normally handled them, giving her the perfect place to hide.

Though perhaps not the safest.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>⚡>>>>>>>>>>>

Sarah led the other two into the town, acting as if she were simply another weary traveler. The Unseelie villages and towns were where her face was not as well known. Making it the safest choice to hide in and await Jareth's arrival.

The trip had cost them a day in traveling, but the dust that hung to their cloaks and horses helped only to disguise the small group.

Sarah had taken them into the wild of her kingdom, her every footfall sure and without hesitation.

After all, a queen should know her kingdom...

                                                                                                ...And Sarah knew every last inch of it.

Deeper in the town held the safe house that Sarah was hoping had not been breached, wards that Jareth himself had placed upon the house would warn her if it still was safe.

After having the guard, Arkon, buy supplies Sarah led them through the back allies to the small house.

It was not grand, nor did it drip wealth, but it was safe, if the wards were to be believed.

Moving in the cover of darkness Sarah led them through the houses' cellar and into the sparsely furnished home. It was not meant to be comfortable but to offer protection.

Once inside, the group all visibly sighed and dropped their sparse gear, the horses had been stabled nearby by Arkon and the group were all in desperate need of a good washing.

"We should sleep in shifts, my queen, I will take first and allow you both to rest." Arkon offered and Sarah nodded. The group decided to make camp in the living room, using their bed rolls instead of the couches.

As Sarah settled down she allowed not sleep to take her, but for her body to go into a state of meditation. Her senses stretched out across the land, allowing her to feel the presences of her king as well as those that hunted her.

And one was closer than comfort allowed.

She sensed the movement before the dagger could even be fully unsheathed, her own shot out from its loyal place at her hip, and pinned the man to one of the sparse walls.

"Did you honestly believe I would allow another to take watch? One does not live very log by being overly trusting." Sarah stated as she stood and quickly disarmed the Fae.

"Harry, pack only the money and food, leave the bed rolls, we will not be sleeping for a long time." She did not take her eyes off of the royal guards, but instead uses his own dagger to pin him better.

"Who sent you?" She demanded from the Fae but was given only silence.

"Very well, I need not hear what I already know. I also know that they will kill you for your failure and that we have but moments before your accomplices will be upon us." Sarah gagged Arkon before heading up for the roof with Harry close behind her.

"I have a friend that lives in this city, you can hide with her while I draw the Fae that hunt us away." She stated as she helped him jump from roof top to roof top.