Disclaimer: The only thing I claim to own is the insane idea that formed this story, everything else is borrowed from respective owners and copyrights.
A Walk in the Park
"Well, how do I look?"
"You askin me how you look? I'm nuthin but a scab to you!"
"Yes, well, you're also one of the few in my kingdom that ventures to the Aboveworld frequently."
"So why not ask somebody else?"
"Who says I haven't?"
"Well, if you asks me, and since you did... I thinks you look like a jackass, but then I'm not a pretty girl from the Aboveworld, so whats do I know."
"Hoogle, you've been very helpful." With a pleased smirk he disappeared.
"It's Hoggle, and you're not welcome!"
XxXxX
Sarah was reading in the park when the man came along the path walking a dog. She didn't recognize him from living nearby and watched as he allowed the dog to sniff at its own leisure. The dog, upon first sight, reminded her of her old sheepdog, Merlin, and she smiled fondly in memory of her lost pet. Yet, there was something familiar about this dog as well, something she couldn't put her finger on. Shrugging, she went back to her reading, though watched the pair covertly through veiled lashes.
He was tall and lean with sandy blonde hair and wearing stylish shades. He walked with a fluid gracefulness that wasn't queer yet arousing just to watch him. His jeans fit him just perfectly, brown boots graced his feet under the denim. Just then another dog came into the park unleashed and barked loudly at the man's pet. The sheepdog pulled so hard on his leash that it knocked the man off balance, causing him to fall on his butt as the dog ran off to hide under the thicket of bushes scared shitless.
'Ambrosius.' Sarah thought with clarity. 'That's why he seemed familiar.'
Rising from the bench, Sarah headed toward the man rising to his feet, dusting off his jeans. She glanced over at the barking Rottweiler and yelled at him. "King! Shush!" She didn't notice how the man spun his head at her shout, but she did notice that the dog in question behaved himself and obeyed her. "Stay!" she commanded as she approached the man now looking at her.
"Are you alright?" she asked, suddenly having a weird feeling in her gut as she got closer.
"I'm fine, thank you. But I fear my dog has run off. I see yours is very well trained, though," he commented, gesturing towards the Rottweiler named "King".
She stared at him unbelievingly as he casually glanced around the clearing for some clue to where 'his' dog had run off to. "You're kidding me, right?" Crossing her arms over her chest.
He looked back at her. "Pardon?"
Sarah raised her fingers to her mouth and whistled shrilly. "Ambrosius! Come!"
The sheepdog poked his head out from under the thicket, saw the Rottweiler sitting not far away enough to his liking, and cringed back into hiding.
"I found your dog for you. As for King over there, he belongs to my neighbor and follows me to the park all the time. As for the king in front of me... I can't even imagine what he's doing walking a dog in the park."
"Tell me it wasn't the clothes. Hoogle will never let me live it down if it was the clothes. He said you'd recognize me right off, and so you did."
"No, it wasn't the clothes. If you hadn't had Ambrosius with you and spoke to me directly, I would've never suspected."
"Hmm." He seemed to be saving that thought for another time.
"Though, I would've eventually figured out what the gut feeling in my stomach was from."
"Oh, you still have that ability, do you?"
"Apparently, yes." After a short pause she added. "So why the glamour? Have we reached some sort of impasse that I'm not aware of? Do we have to meet every ten years or something bad will happen?"
"I admit I'm surprised at your casual acceptance of my being here."
"I'm waiting for the shoe to drop."
The Rottweiler started barking again.
"King! Go home, now!" The dog barked one last time at Sarah but ran off in the direction of his home. When she turned her attention back she found the space empty. "Big surprise," she muttered, and turned to go get her book from the bench.
She was heading over the bridge when a whimpering sound came to her ears. Looking closer she noticed Ambrosius still hiding in the thicket. "Come here, Ambrosius," she called the dog softly. He came out and greeted her affectionately. "You can stay with me until they come back for you."
XxXxX
"You've lost my faithful steed?" Sir Didymus said sadly when Jareth returned to the castle without the dog.
"It wasn't my doing. Besides he'll be fine. I'm certain Sarah has him with her by now."
"Did you see her? Is she happy? Has the maiden become more beautiful since we have last met?"
"Yes, I have no idea, and... more than you could imagine."
"Did you actually talk to her or just stare at her from fars away?" Hoggle asked.
"I spoke to her. She was most accepting of my presence."
"Yea, until she told you to go home!" Hoggle bent over laughing, slapping his knee with hysteria.
"Actually, I found out that she hasn't been referring to me at all. It seems there is a dog that follows her to the park and his name happens to be 'King'."
"Well, that explains lots, now don't it?" Hoggle remarked, still in a fit of laughter.
"But, how are her commands effecting you, Sire?"
"That, I have no idea."
XxXxX
Sarah was reading in the park, as was her favorite past time during nice weather, when the Rottweiler came sauntering along the path towards her. Luckily Sarah had had the fore thought to leave Ambrosius at home, which the dog seemed to enjoy as he laid on the rug in her living room.
"Hey there, King," she said warmly as the dog stuck his big head over her lap to be pet. "You have to stop jumping the gate, you know." She scratched behind his ears and laughed when his hind leg twitched. "Oh, you like that, huh?" She chuckled as something caught the animal's attention and he ran off.
Returning her attention to her book she quickly became absorbed in the story until a ruckus broke her concentration. Lifting her head she saw the dog chasing the ducks from the pond, one of them very close to the animals jaws.
"King! Don't you dare hurt that creature!" The dog immediately let the duck get away. "Come over here, now!" As the dog headed towards her Sarah had the sudden distinct feeling of being glared at. Turning around she found Jareth standing behind her with his arms crossed over his chest and an extremely unpleasant expression on his features.
"We need to talk," he stated. "And for magic's sake, don't say one word to that beast!"
"What did I do?"
"Allow me to take you home to avoid distractions." He held out his hand and she hesitantly placed hers in his palm. The dog paused, pulled his tongue in, closed his jaws, and stared with his head tilted to the side. He sniffed around the area where Sarah had been sitting, took her book in his mouth, and headed home.
Within a blink they stood in the center of her living room. "How'd you know where I lived?"
"I was looking for Didymus's... steed. He is most upset that I had previously left the animal behind. He also sends his regards."
"Tell him I said hi for me. But why do you keep coming here after all this time, Jareth?"
He regarded her thoughtfully before answering. "You honestly don't know, do you?"
"Obviously not if I'm asking you for answers."
She had grown so beautifully in the past ten years. She was calmer, more willing to listen, held herself with confidence, and her appearance had only been refined by age.
"Something has happened, I know not what, that has been having disastrous effects; on my part at least."
"What sort of disastrous effects?"
"My unexpected return home the other day, for example. I had no intention of leaving at that moment."
"Then why did you?"
"You commanded it."
"I wasn't talking to you," she laughed. "I was talking to the dog."
"You were talking to 'King'."
Sarah gasped and slapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with realization. "Oh shit," she whispered under her palm. She slowly shook her head from side to side in denial. "No, it can't be... I didn't mean to."
"I realize that, now. I did mention how surprised I was at your acceptance of my presence. Considering the events of the past few weeks I had expected... well, a more hostile reception on your part."
"You mean every time I've yelled at that dog, you were effected?"
"Most of the lesser things I can ignore, others I can not. I was in the middle of punishing a thief when you commanded to 'not harm that creature'. Thanks to you a certain goblin still has four fingers."
"How many fingers do goblins have?" He raised an elegant brow at her with an otherwise stoic expression. "Never mind."
"Have you any idea why your words would effect me at all... especially after all this time?"
"Uh... Nope, haven't a clue. But I'll be sure to watch what I say to my neighbor's dog from now on. Ambrosius is most likely upstairs laying on my bed, where he's not supposed to be, mind you. So, if there's nothing else… ?"
He understood a dismissal when he heard one, and that was exactly what she was doing to him. Dismissing him from her home, her life, and her thoughts.
"I'll be sure to take him with me, then." He stepped away from her then turned back. "Something has caused this, Sarah, and it seems to be your doing. Reconsider your answer, please. Your demands on me have already caused me great embarrassment in my own castle."
"I can still call you, then?"
"You always had that ability." With that he left, taking Ambrosius with him.
XxXxX
Sarah sat on the small couch by her bay window with a glass of wine in her hand. After Jareth had left she checked to make sure he had taken the dog with him, and he had. Then relaxed in a long warm bath to think about things. A storm brewed outside as she wrapped her shoulder length hair in a towel.
Watching the lightening streak the sky she closed her eyes as another roll of thunder sent a tremor all around her. She sighed and took a sip of her wine. She had had a feeling that he would show up, though was amused at his attempt to disguise himself. She was certain he would've been able to pull it off perfectly if he had actually tried, which told her that he had wanted her to notice him, to recognize him in broad daylight.
No, she wasn't surprised at all because lately she'd been thinking about him constantly. Having just went through a divorce, she often found herself wondering… 'what if'. That she was effecting his life troubled her though. She hadn't meant to get his attention, and if what he says is true and she commands him as easily as the neighbor's dog… that was bad, very bad.
But she figured it out, at least she thought she had anyway, while soaking in luxury. Every time she saw that dog, no matter how or where, his name alone brought Jareth's memory visibly to her mind. Somehow she was still bound to him in such a way that she had power over him.
"Well, that won't do," she said definitely, and rose to her feet, placing the wine glass on the table. "Jareth, …" She paused, not sure if she had to say something specific or not. Apparently not when he appeared before her within seconds. "Oh, good. You heard me."
"Yes?" he drawled detachedly.
"I've been thinking about what you said, and… well, you'll just have to take back the gifts you gave me so I don't embarrass you further. Or tell me how I can give them back to you, whatever works."
"They are yours. There is no removing them or I would have done so a long time ago."
"Oh, good point." She bit at her lip in concentration, trying to think of something else. Then she looked up at him suddenly. "Jareth, what exactly 'are' the gifts you gave me, and how do they work? Because obviously I'm using them and don't know it."
"You know exactly when you use them, you would feel a sensation within yourself telling you that the magic is being called forth."
"Oh shit," she voiced, diverting her eyes as she mused to herself. "That's what that feeling in my gut's been."
"If that would be all, I must return."
"Yea, go ahead," she waved him off not even looking at him as she continued to ponder all the times she'd felt that gut feeling as of late. "Jareth, no wait!" she spun her gaze in his direction just barely preventing him from disappearing, and that's when she saw the sadness in his eyes.
She stared at him for the longest time, her breath knocked out of her at how callous she was being towards him. She had no idea what embarrassments she had wrought upon him and all he wanted was for her to be honest with him and help to make it stop.
"I have been thinking about you a lot lately," she heard herself telling him. "I've recently… I just finalized a divorce, and I think that has something to do with what's happening. I didn't mean to call you. I had no idea… I figured you severed yourself long ago."
"A part of me always hoped that one day you would want to return. Even I dream, Sarah."
"I still don't see how I'm effecting you."
"How vividly do you think of me while commanding the dog named 'King'?
"Very," she whispered.
He regarded her with his head tilted back somewhat. "You always did have a very vivid imagination, though next time don't scratch behind his ears quite so harshly." He turned his head and she could see red marks near his neck when he moved his hair.
She gasped and slapped both hands over her mouth. "Oh my god," she whispered in horror. "How could I do that? I… I wasn't thinking of touching you, I only … oh my god, Jareth, I am so sorry!" She moved to sit down on the small couch, completely shaken at the depth of what was happening between them. "When did these things start happening to you?"
"A few weeks ago according to your world's time."
"That's when I signed the papers," she said in a low voice. "I guess I wasn't handling the divorce as well as I pretended."
"Why did you divorce him, then?" he asked, trying to sound impartial when all he wanted to do was rejoice at another chance to win her heart.
"I found out that he'd been having affairs during the six years we were together. He squandered our savings to buy them gifts and rent hotel rooms, then paid support for three children I didn't even know he had! The whole while telling me how much he loved me and wanted to have a family, and…"
She rose to her feet and turned away from him to hide her tears, biting her fist to silence her crying. It was suddenly fitting for it to be storming outside, a flash of lightening alerted her to him moving closer to her back. "Please, don't," she whispered, anticipating him giving her comfort. She was ashamed of being so vulnerable in front of the one person who thought her strong and cruel.
"Anyway," she continued in a whispered voice. "That's why I've been thinking of you lately. My memories of you were the strength I needed to go through with it and get him out of my life. I didn't mean to cause you trouble. I won't…" she took a deep steadying breath. "I won't trouble you anymore, Jareth."
He wanted to take her in his arms and hold her, to soothe her hurt, to let her know that she was still loved. But she asked him to stay back, and that conflicted with his own desires. He produced a small crystal, and reaching over her shoulder, held it before her eyes. "Take this."
"More false dreams?" she scoffed, harshly wiping at her unbidden tears.
"No. It's something to take away the hurt when it becomes unbearable. Just a small amount, actually. Simply gaze into it when the pain becomes too much and it will help."
"Is this what you used when… when I left you?"
"I don't have the luxury of using my own magic in such a way." He stepped back from her as she took the crystal from his fingers. "I have plenty more where that came from if you need them. Simply call me." And with that he was gone.
His leaving left her feeling even worse than before. She gazed into the crystal, trusting that he meant what he said and that it held no tricks. She felt a warmth surround her as she watched little flecks of glitter float in the crystal like a snow globe. With a contented sigh she lowered the glass ball, hoping that she hadn't used all of its magic. He hadn't lied, it didn't make her forget, or give her false hope, but it somehow made the hurt seem more bearable.
"Thank you."
XxXxX
It was the first day the sun shone after four days of rain and Sarah was anxious about going to the park for some fresh air. Her life was slowly turning around leaving only the lonely hours at night to battle against. Her neighbor's dog came loping towards her and she smiled, getting ready to call him when she realized that 'his' face appeared vividly in her mind.
She closed her eyes to block out his image, but it was being persistent. Then she felt his presence and looked around the not so isolated park. She noticed him step out from some trees on the other side of the clearing and headed in his direction.
"Sorry," she told him as she drew nearer, noticing how he used his 'disguise' again. "I tried not to think of you so clearly, but it didn't work."
"I'm simply grateful you hadn't commanded the dog in some menial way."
"That crystal helped, thank you."
"You look rested. Do you require another one?"
"I'm not sure. How will I know when the one you gave me is… uhm, used up?"
"It will vanish," he replied simply, and began walking slowly towards the path. She fell into step with him, feeling at ease with his presence.
"You look good, by the way."
"You think so?" he asked, his eyes sparkled at her compliment. "You don't think the clothes out of place?"
She smiled, taking in his jeans and casual jacket with brown boots tucked under the legs of his jeans. "Not at all. When in doubt, go with jeans and a t-shirt and you'll be fine."
"Heh, I told Hoogle this wasn't out of fashion."
"It's Hoggle, and how is the dwarf anyway?"
"He is well. Annoying, but well."
"He told me that you assigned him castle duties," she mentioned. "I'm sure he seems ungrateful, but, it means a lot to him."
"Really? He gives me the impression that he'd prefer bridge duty in the bog."
Sarah laughed. It was a pure sound that made the day just that more perfect as they strolled together through the park talking idly like old friends.
XxXxX
The following week brought cold winds and a drift of snow that had everything closed for the day. Sarah of course bundled up and trekked out to the park. Standing on a knoll she gazed upon the beauty of the clearing with undisturbed snowfall, the pond frozen over with wisps of snow gliding over the surface with the wind. The trees glistened with snow and ice and she thought of 'him'.
"I'm beginning to think you summon me on purpose," he stated, standing behind her off her shoulder.
"Look how beautiful it is, Jareth," she said, her voice full of enchantment. "I never get tired of seeing this park with all its wondrous changes."
"Here, accept this," he told her, holding out a crystal over her shoulder. "Then return home where it is warm. We don't need you catching ill in this bitter cold."
She took the crystal with a gloved hand, noticing he wore no gloves nor coat as she half turned to face him. "Could you at least pretend to be cold and need warmer clothes? You're making me feel colder just looking at you dressed like that."
He smiled and was instantly adorned with an unbuttoned long leather coat, a white scarf draped over his neck to hang to his waist, and a cream pullover cabled sweater. "That is much better, thank you." She smiled as she looked at the crystal in her hand. It was a perfect replica of the scene before them. "This is beautiful, thank you," she said sincerely. "Will it disappear?"
Jareth looked over her arm at the crystal unnecessarily, then met her eyes. "No. It is yours to keep forever."
"Forever." She scoffed. "Not long at all, is it?"
"And yet sometimes longer than you think."
She gazed up at him, her eyes full of wonder. It was an expression he hadn't seen from her in such a long time and it gave him renewed hope. "Would you like to have lunch with me?" She asked.
"I believe everything is closed due to snow." He reminded her.
"Yea," she chuckled dejectedly. "Forgot about that." She was actually thinking about him going back to her house and she'd fix something, but he obviously wasn't interested. "Thank you for the crystal, then. I think I'll take your advice and get out of this cold."
She took a step to leave when Jareth jerked physically behind her. She turned around to see him glaring towards the trees. Following his line of vision, however, she didn't see anything. "What is it?"
"Just a troublesome thing whom I will deal with later," he replied with annoyance. His tone was much more pleasant when he faced Sarah. "Would you like me to walk with you?"
She smiled, almost shyly, and dipped her head for a second. "Yea, I'd like that."
He glanced back over his shoulder as they started towards Sarah's home. Hoggle stood at the tree line with his arms folded in front of him, pretending to whistle whilst looking up into the trees innocently. Jareth would make sure the dwarf was compensated for daring to throw a snowball at the back of his head. Perhaps a plastic trinket would do nicely.
XxXxX
She stood at the bay window watching the snow fall outside. She hadn't bothered to turn on her lights after it became dark and had no idea how long she simply stood there with an untouched glass of wine in her hand. She was becoming infatuated with 'him' and she knew it. What bothered her was that she wasn't sure if she should fight the growing feelings or just give in to them.
He still loved her, and she knew it. He was being so kind and generous these past few weeks that she often forgot who he really was, what he really was. But she was so lonely and he was always by her side at the mere thought of him, that she wanted to believe in those old fairy tales again. Only without the hardships and dangers untold this time.
All of a sudden strong arms snaked around her waist, his face next to hers over her shoulder. She jumped and almost spilt her wine. "Did I think of you that strongly again?"
"I'm not sure," he whispered in her ear. "But I heard you none the less. It's different than how you remember, Sarah."
"What is?" she whispered in turn, leaning back against his chest. It felt so right to be in his arms like this.
"Everything. The labyrinth… the castle… me. You earned your right to believe a long time ago… would you like to see?"
She turned in his arms and beheld his features by the dim light of the snow filled night sky. Her heart pounded in her ribs at seeing him without the glamour he'd been using this whole time. Her breath caught in her throat at how stunning he still was, how his eyes sparkled with the power of magic that was him and him alone.
"Yes."
XxXxX
She stepped into the throne room, her dress making swishing sounds as she went to stand beside him at the open stone window. Slipping her arm around his waist, she leaned her head at his chest to gaze out over the labyrinth with him. He slipped an arm around her shoulders as they watched the sunrise in silence.
"I really did come far to reach the castle beyond the goblin city, haven't I?" she asked rhetorically in a quiet voice.
"Farther than anyone else."
"Today is Toby's eighteenth birthday, don't forget. You have to go get him at seven-thirty in the park."
Jareth sighed deeply next to her. "It seems only yesterday he was just a babe in footie pajamas pulling on the goblins ears when they got too close to him."
She chuckled. "It seems only yesterday the twins were doing the same. Some of the goblins still haven't returned from when they were teething, and that was five years ago."
"That was a very difficult stage, I must admit."
"You also need to make a dozen more crystals to curb their magic, they've already used up the ones you gave them yesterday."
"So soon?" He looked down at her with a frown. "They really are growing fast, aren't they," he stated with pride.
"They're not the only ones growing," she hinted with a sly grin.
"What are you saying?" Pulling back to look down at her directly.
"Give them each one of these." She held her hand up and a crystal appeared at her fingertips.
Realization lit in his eyes. He grabbed her up in his arms and spun her around in a circle with elation. "I told you that night was magical," he grinned at her, landing her back to her feet.
"Every night with you is magical," she smiled up at him.
She pulled his head down to hers to kiss him languidly until someone cleared their throat for their attention. Breaking their kiss they saw the goblin nanny standing in the doorway covered in spots of pink, green, red, and purple all over her grayish skin.
"I beg your pardons, My King and Queen, but the children have discovered the use of their magic again. May I request some assistance?"
"I'll handle this," Sarah told him with a knowing smirk, and went to meet up with the nanny.
"My Lady, beggin your pardon, but me thinks this would be better handled by his majesty. They are very unruly without the magic guard over them."
"It's alright," Jareth beamed with proud excitement. "Your queen is with child. She'll be able to handle anything those two come up with until the babe is born. After all, my children are born to magic and their mother shares that power during pregnancy."
"Another child?" the maid asked with wide horrified eyes. Then promptly passed out and fell to the floor.