This is probably a mistake but I decided to continue—it'll consist of very few, short chapters. Love the feedback!
If you haven't seen the movie Conversations with Other Women then I recommend you do. It's insanely romantic.
Disclaimer: This fic is based on the premise of the movie Conversations with Other Women—I do not own the Labyrinth or Conversations with Other Women.
It's her first year as Queen and she's not sure whether she likes it. She sleeps in her own chambers, is attended to by a gaggle of five maids, and is constantly surrounded by courtiers who, in all likelihood, probably want her head. The court is full of actors—they are pleasant to each other's faces but vicious behind backs.
-"The Goblin King married to a human?"
-"He had her converted?"
-"A Queen who knows nothing of our history or culture?"
She ignores them the first year—he kisses away her insecurities. She requests that they share the same room, but he is insistent that the Goblin Queen should have her own. He makes sure that she is thoroughly exhausted every night before leaving. She concedes to having separate chambers.
By the third year, she's furious. The whispers have only gotten more vicious and she's had to make too many concessions.
By the fifth year, she leaves.
Ten years have passed since.
She reminisces her old life with wry humor—what a naïve girl she had been. She's sitting at the bar in a popular restaurant, Zafre that serves Spanish and Arabic fusion cuisine.
"Thinking of me?" He sits next to her, a swish of fabric as he inches slightly closer.
She can see him out of the corners of her eyes. His suit is dark gray and his shoes are jet black. It's a conservative yet stylish look, perfect for the east. "We have got to stop meeting like this." There's humor in her voice. And perhaps there's something else.
"You look like you're waiting for someone." There is a hint of a question in his voice, but he doesn't ask her forthright.
She's dressed in a plain black cocktail dress that falls just above her knees with black pumps. Very monochromatic. Her eyes are smoky and her lips stained deep red. Taking out her phone, she sends a message. "I was."
His knuckles turn white as he grips the counter.
"Were you asking a question?" She turns to him now, flashing him a smile.
"Who?" That's all he says.
Her jade eyes flash with cold amusement, like she's pondering what to tell him. But she relents. "Meilis—I told her we should reschedule as something came up last minute. Or she'll see you and freak out. Anyway, why are you here?"
"I was intrigued by your story the last time we met, precious. I would like to know what happened in this distant land of yours to turn you so… severe."
She rolls her eyes and takes a large sip of scotch. "Heart break, humiliation, and disparagement to name a few things." She smiles as he widens his eyes, "enslavement."
"I believe you were Queen."
"I was a slave to the whims of the King, the Council, and the Court…I will not return to that."
Anger blazes deeper in his eyes and the beautifully harsh lines of his face begin to contort. "What's said is said, and what's done cannot be undone. You know our rules, Sarah." His lilting voice is rough. "I've been lenient enough to allow you your freedom these last ten summers but you will return as my Queen."
"Freedom?" she laughs slowly. "I would have liked the freedom to visit my family, Jareth but I can't. Guess why, Your Highness?" her voice is sweet. "Because I have been erased from their memory."
"Sarah-"
She doesn't let him speak. "When you turned me immortal, you never told me that my mortal life would vanish," there's a commanding tone in her voice that he's never heard before. "You will never take me back alive." Light catches on the rock on her finger.
"You cannot go through with this absurdity, it is against the law."
"Then arrest me, Your Highness. Have me executed." She speaks in a low voice—almost whispers these words to him.
He opens his mouth to answer her when a tall, brown haired man swoops in and places an arm around Sarah. Turning to face this man, she puts on a dazzling smile before kissing him on the lips. "You're late."
The Goblin King goes very, very still.
"Sorry about that Corina. Work," that's all the explanation he gives before turning to Jareth and extending a hand. "Avi David," he says.
The Goblin King is too stunned to notice how the man calls her Corina, not Sarah.
"Avi, this is Jareth, an old friend," she smiles wickedly, "Jareth—Avi, we're getting married in a few months." She has rendered the Goblin King speechless…and perhaps immobile.
Avi doesn't seem to understand the Goblin King's shock as he grabs his hand in an impromptu shake before answering his phone. He's the kind of man who's always multitasking. "Yes. Don't buy now, wait for the UK market to open," he gestures at them as he keeps speaking, "that's two in the morning eastern standard. I'll be up, call me." He opens his mouth to ask a question, presumably how Jareth knows his fiancé, but is disturbed by his phone again. "Excuse me," he says before heading outside.
Fury.
She can feel his fury pulsing along her skin, along the bar counter, and even her glass of scotch—the amber colored liquid is literally shaking. "Stop that. It's against your rules."
He looks at her with an almost violent level of intensity. "What makes you believe that I wouldn't rip the poor mortal from limb to limb and tear out his heart, my love?" His voice is deceivingly quiet but there's a low hum of magic vibrating from every spoken word. He is very capable of carrying out his threat.
"I'm familiar with the laws, Jareth—you cannot harm a mortal who has done nothing to cross you." She smiles when his eyes constrict with rage. "Fucking me, your alleged Queen doesn't count because I've never told him about you or me, for that matter. Hell, he doesn't even know my real name." Her smile widens as she bears her teeth, "The deception is mine, my King. Arrest me." If you dare.
He doesn't. Instead, he gets up gracefully and leaves.
"What happened at the Elysium ball?"
"She did not…she did?"
"But he is King. Foolish former mortal."
"She has not come out of her chambers since."
"The last time, she stayed inside for three weeks."
"I won't."
"Sarah, I can't be the bearer of bad news to His Majesty."
Sarah gives her friend a look. "He is using you to blackmail me."
"Regardless, we've both seen what he is capable of doing to messengers who bear bad news." The golden skinned woman is pleading.
"Then tell him I'm open to meeting him in my realm. Not the Underground."
"He may not be pleased…"
"Tell him to meet me at my house in LA—he's been there before."
The actress nods, resigned. Being in the middle of two warring monarchs is a terrible position.
"And if he so much as harms a single hair on your head, so help me-"
"Thanks Queenie," Meilis interrupts, using the old nickname for her friend. "But that won't be necessary."
This was fun.
AN: What'd he do? Hmm. Lots of things.
SarahlouiseDodge—you're the first to notice that ;) she became an immortal fifteen years ago and left J ten years ago. Her moral compass is quite ambiguous.
Based on PMs—Why I keep Sarah generally…relatively wealthy? And in a nice city?
Don't know. I prefer it if my characters are comfortably well off with decent lives. I'm familiar with NYC, LA, Atlanta, Houston, and, to a level, DC. So I'll probably set my stories in these places (probably NYC and LA for the time being).