Sarah swore bitterly as she looked in on the cake in the oven. She knew she should have bought an ice cream cake or something. This burnt piece of tar wasn't going to be good enough for the dog, let alone Toby. She yanked the pan out of the oven, but moved too quickly and burned herself on the door. She yelped and the whole thing went flying out of her hands, and the twenty year old drama student watched as her burnt, charcoal cake fell to the floor.
She sighed as she looked up at the clock in her kitchen and saw that there wasn't any time to try again before her little brother came home from school. It was a good thing she bought a bunch of Little Debbies at the store the other day. She scooped the mess off the floor, went to the pantry and began to unwrap the little chocolate pastries and arrange them on a plate.
She couldn't help think of her stepmother as she pulled out seven candles and began to place them in little debbies, one for each pastry. Her stepmother had always made such beautiful cakes for Toby. They were always made with lovely fondant icing, and hand crafted frosting flowers for her little boy. The cakes she had made Sarah had always been a little less grand, but still very pretty. She smiled lightly at the pleasant memory, but it didn't last. Thinking of her parents always ended up making her sad.
It had been nearly three years since the accident. Sarah thanked the heavens every day that she had been 18 when it had happened, otherwise the state would have had to take Toby away. But fortunately, not only was she able to keep the little guy, but her father had parked away enough money for them to live on while she went to college.
Sarah still had to work. She wasn't sure how long the money would last, and she wasn't exactly on a secure career path as a banker or something. Still, her acting was proving to be promising. She consistently got lead roles in the school productions, and had even been in a national auto-insurance commercial recently. It wasn't a speaking role, but she got paid for it.
So, three years had gone by, and Sarah did her best to replace Toby's mother. It really wasn't too difficult. She had been extremely protective of him for years, and hers had been one of the first names he had uttered… well, a version of her name, at least. They loved each other dearly.
She heard the latch key turn and spun around just in time to yell "Happy Birthday!" as the boy opened the door. His big blue eyes widened with joy as he saw the bright candles on the table. His golden curls flopped on his forehead as he trotted to the table, dumping his backpack in the middle of the entryway. When he got to the table and saw the Little Debbies, he laughed and smiled up at his sister.
"I should have figured you wouldn't be able to make a cake." He said teasingly as he stuck his tongue out at her. "Hey! It's the thought that counts." She said as she pointed to the lumpy black pile of what was now cake pudding in the trash can. He nearly toppled over with childish laughter when he realized what it was. She smiled at him. It was impossible to get mad. He wasn't disappointed that there was no cake. He was thrilled to have anything. That was just the way Toby was.
She marveled that she hadn't like him when he was first born. She thought he was spoiled and arrogant, and she knew that anyone who didn't like him automatically assumed that about him, but it wasn't true. He stated facts. It wasn't out of malice, or undeserving pride. He was just honest, and true. He took joy out of everything, and that was what made him the light of her life. It had taken nearly losing him at to the Goblin King so many years ago for her to see that.
Her smile faded. There it was again, the memories. After her ordeal in the Labyrinth, Sarah's memory of her time there had faded into oblivion for years. It hadn't been until about a month ago that she had woken from a dream in the middle of the night. The dream had contained images of Hoggle, Sir Didymus, Ludo, and most importantly… Him, the Goblin King.
It was someone had turned on a slow, leaking faucet in her mind, but the water that was slowly filling up the sink were her memories. More and more, they were coming back. She was nearly able to piece together the entire ordeal now. Just a gap or two between meeting Sir Didymus in the Bog of Eternal Stench, and finally rescuing Toby, but she knew those memories would be coming soon.
"Sassy?" Toby questioned with a tilt of his head at her far off look. She smiled at the endearment. He was perfectly able to say her name these days, but what had started as his babyish inability to say her name correctly, had turned into a joke between them. He loved watching her act, and it gave her no greater pleasure in the world than to make him laugh.
"Sassy" was not only an endearment, but the name of a character she had created to make him laugh, an old, Cockney woman who was more than a little rough around the edges, and probably a bit too Monty Python-esque to ever be able to legally put her into a performance.
"Whot's this we have here?" She asked in her screeching old lady voice. "Ow, seems we haf a birfday on our 'ands. Well LA DEE DA!" He was already giggling, and she had hunched over to make the illusion as complete as possible. "How old is ye now little bugga?" She squawked. "I'm seven." He chuckled. "SEVEN!" She shrieked. "Why when I were seven, I'd already had me second child, and I were workin' in the cotton mills for 6 pence and hour." Sarah shook her hands and licked her lips like she was gumming false teeth. Toby was laughing brightly. "Stop laughing you little ingrate! I'll get me horse whip out, I will!"
She straightened and smiled at him as he dried his eyes. Sure, it was only impressing a seven year old, but it still made her feel good that she could impress someone. "Alright, Goober," She said in her normal tone. "I think it's time you blew out these candles." He nodded, and she helped him into the chair. He looked at the candles with such a lovely childlike smile, that she couldn't help but thank her lucky stars she had him.
"Ok, don't forget to make a wish!" He squished his eyes closed in thought, and then he nodded and opened his eyes. "One, Two, THREE!" She helped him blow as hard as he could, and all the candle went out. She started to clap and cheer, but one of the candles suddenly seemed to re-light.
She paused mid-clap. She heard Toby let out a groan and say "Aww, now my wish won't come true." She shook herself back, and said to him without missing a beat "That's only true for grown-ups. Kids get three tries, everyone knows that." He contemplated for a second, and then nodded his head. He leaned forward to where she was almost concerned he was going to burn himself on the still lit candle and he took a large breath and blew. He couldn't have missed it that time. The candle went out in a flash. She cheered again… and again, the candle re-lit.
They were both quiet this time. Sarah didn't say anything, but got very close to the candle. Had she accidentally bought trick candles? She took her own deep breath this time, and blew. The candle went out, and stayed out. They watched it for a few seconds to be sure, but it stayed out. She looked at him and smiled. "Well, that was weird!" He laughed. "So, what did you get me!" He asked eagerly.
"Pushy little thing, aren't you?" She said with a smile as she crossed her arms over her chest. He blinked sweetly, and gave her a huge I'm-Too-Cute-To-Be-Mad-At smile. It worked every time. She ruffled his golden blonde locks, and said "Well, as tomorrow is Saturday. I figured you might like…" She paused for dramatic effect. "Tell me!" He groaned excitedly. "… to go to the beach!"
He nearly bowled her over as he launched himself into her arms. "Sassy! !" He said so quickly it all sounded like one word. She just laughed and spun him around.
Neither of them saw the candle light itself again… and then put itself out.
Jareth sat on his throne. Well, I say sat. He more lounged on his throne with one leg throne over an arm. Two of his subjects stood before him, strong Fae. The Fae that were strong of heart and magic looked as Jareth, human-like but more beautiful, with luminous eyes and pointed ears. Unfortunately, not all Fae were strong of heart. Those that weren't, turned into Goblins.
The two that stood before the King were strong Fae. A husband and wife amongst his nobles. "We thank you for your generosity in helping our family, my liege. As a token of our gratitude, we have brought you a human female of considerable beauty and of breeding age." The lord motioned to one of his goblin servants, a large burly creature, and he threw someone forth.
The girl was attractive, red hair and fine skin. She was shaking furiously. They had obviously not explained anything to her, he thought with a sigh. He waited for the inevitable, and like clockwork, it happened. When she caught sight of him, she froze. There was the pupil dilation. There was the stunted breath, and… yep, there was the racing heart beat.
He sigh inwardly. Human women were so predictable. This one would be more than willing to go to his bed. He placed his feet on the floor and stood to inspect her further. Was she even worth it? That was an unfair question. Was she hot enough for him to get it up? Yes, that was a better question. He knew she wasn't worth it. None of them were.
Human women fawned over him like gaggling morons, and Fae women were like fucking an ice block. Would this one at least remain quiet until he was done? He walked around her slowly, assessing. A mildly attractive face, but she wasn't his coloring. He like raven hair… green eyes that sparked. He shook his head and continued his assessment. The coloring could be overlooked. Ample bosom, and rounded hips. Pleasing. Yes, she'd do for tonight.
"Consider your debt repaid, Orthian." The King said to the Fae Lord. Jareth watched as they bowed and made their way out of the throne room. He didn't miss the look that Orthian's wife shot him as she walked out. Infinitely more subtle than what this human was displaying, but it spoke volumes. He knew the Lady would leave her husband if he so much as snapped his fingers… and that sickened him.
He turned his attention back to the human girl. "Out!" He shouted to the guards in the throne room. The goblins made several surprised and stupid noises before they ran out. The moment he heard the doors close, he began to saunter up to the girl. Her breathe was shallow. As he approached he began to smell the tell-tale pheromones that humans release when they are aroused.
He stopped closer than would have been normal conversation distance, but didn't move further. He remained distant, removed. He looked down on her and quirked his lip. "Would you like me to make love to you, girl?" That was all he needed to say. She closed the distance between the two of them, and kissed him.
This was pleasant, he supposed as she ran her hands up and down his chest. Being the king of an entire land had its perks, but he had his duties, rather difficult duties at times. He considered as she began to desperately remove his shirt.
No Fae was born a Fae. Both the Goblins and the strong Fae were born humans with a recessive trait. Once they reached a certain age, that gene became active, and the Fae's nature would start to appear. It was different timing for each individual, he reminisced as the human girl shed her own clothing and he stood in his trousers. His own had started nearly 500 years ago. He had been a teenager riding back from Bath to London. His horse had thrown him, but instead of breaking his neck, he had miraculously righted himself in mid-air.
Shortly after that, he remembered as she stood before him, breasts bare and licking her way down his chest, he had been brought to the underworld by the previous ruler. Jareth had been lucky. He had been old enough to make his own decisions and understand what was happening. Unfortunately it doesn't always work like that. Fathers and mothers with families in the overworld sometimes turn, and what's worse, children, babies, can turn into goblins in their mother's arms.
That was one of his more difficult duties, he thought as she began to remove his pants. She never stopped licking his torso as she did. He'd had to occasionally bring infants to the underworld that were suspected of being Fae. It was best that they were separated from their family's quickly, he thought. Better that then have them turn into hideous disfigured creatures in front of their eyes. Yes, it was the best decision, and he'd had to do it 5 times in the past 500 years… wait… 6 times.
The memories flooded him as the woman on her knees in front of him placed his cock in her mouth. He had tried to take the boy named Toby, but he had been unable to find him unguarded for a moment, and when the opportunity had come, the young girl, Sarah had called him… he hadn't expected that, and the one thing he had learned was to not ignore coincidences.
So, he had foolishly brought her to the underworld, thinking he could distract her long enough for her brother to turn into a goblin, and she could be mollified enough to leave him. Yet not only had her little brother proven himself to be strong Fae, but she herself had stunned him, so unafraid, so sharp and strong.
He sighed and closed his eyes at the memories as the wench continued to suck his now pulsing rod. The girl, Sarah, had been barely more than a child at the time, maybe 16, but her midnight hair and flashing eyes had stirred something in him. He thought of the spar in her, the fight, the fire, and he lost his head.
He telekinetically lifted the girl off her knees, turned her around and entered her from behind. He bit her shoulders and grabbed her breasts as he brought himself closer to his climax. The girl was crying out in pleasure, and as he felt her muscles spasm around his member, he groaned his own release.
Jareth let the girl collapse on the floor in front of him. He didn't speak as he put his clothing back on, and arranged himself. He sighed at himself. He hated how much he thought of her, that young girl with the beautiful eyes. She was such a child… and yet not a child. It didn't matter, he told himself, he would never see her again, anyway.
"Umm…" Came a soft voice behind him. Without turning around, he placed his hand in front of her face and felt the power escape him as he erased her memories. As he left the throne room, two goblins scurried in after him to take the girl back to the overworld. It was better this way, he told himself, better.