Sarah slowly opened her eyes, quickly closing them right back from the sudden burst of light from the curtain less window on the other side of her bed. As she felt the warm sunlight upon her feet, she rolled on to her stomach so she couldn't be blinded again, and opened her eyes once more to see a dark red velvet material under her face. She sat up lingeringly, looking around questioningly.
The room she woke up in was rather large with a small amount of space with numerous dressers and large wardrobes around the light colored room. Sarah moved her thick sheet off of her body and looked down to find the she wears wearing a black nightgown, with a v-neck that tastefully commented her chest as the gown ended right above her knees. She automatically covered her self-back up, hoping no one was in the room. She scanned the foreign area quickly and then got up and walked over to one of the dressers that had familiar clothes on them. 'Whose clothes are these…They look familiar…' Sarah thought to her as she moved her finger over a pair of jeans that looked as if she had gone hiking the day before.
'What did I do yesterday…?' She slipped off the surprisingly comfortable nightgown and began putting on the clothes she found. After buttoning her jeans and slipping on a very light eggshell colored poet blouse and a vest to match, she looked around to find her shoes, but that didn't happen. Sarah shrugged and began to the door and stepped into a rather large hallway. The floor was a cold marble to her bare feet, just like the walls and ceiling. She walked down the hall, had tracing the wall. She came to a door that was ajar. She looked at the dark wood for the door, and began tracing her hand over the swirled designs, when the door came open a little more to revel to Sarah a massive bedroom. With a large bed in one corner with all 4 corners going up in to tower-like roof, with dark curtains draped around the sleeping former of a blonde man, lying on his side with his arm hanging of his sculpted waist.
Sarah stepped into the room on to warm carpet from the cold on her bare feet. She let out a small sigh at the warmth when she saw the man's eyes open quickly. He slowly rose in suspicion on who entered his chambers and was taken by surprise. But hiding his shock, he quickly offered an arrogant smile.
"Well, good morning, my dear Sarah." He said as he sat up from his bed and moved the curtain back so she could see his muscular chest easier. "Did you sleep well? I made sure everything was in fair condition for my runner." He said, standing up and walking to a dresser to pull out a tight black shirt while waiting for her to reply.
"Well, I guess…..But, well….um… I'm sorry, but… who are you?" Sarah stammered after looking down and blushing when he saw her staring at his chest. She looked back up after fighting off her blush and looked at the man how had a small smile, looking off at the ground, to also have a different expression of arrogance before pulling his shirt on over his delightfully messy hair.
"Speak up Sarah, come on closer. I can't hear you when you stand all the way over there." He said, beckoning her closer in the room. After she made her way about three feet from him, he closed off two of the feet to stand closer. "Now, what did you say?" He asked leaning down, cupping his ear in a mocking state to "hear her better".
"Well, uh….I asked who you are…" She trailed off when she thought of the closeness between her and this man in only skintight clothes. I wonder if his skin is as soft as it looks… She mentally shook herself for that thought when she had just asked him who he was, and she wanted to touch him! He's probably married for his age; it's not like his fighting to get away from being single….
Jareth stood straighter and scoffed at her question. "Sarah, that's almost funny enough to make me laugh." He gave a wicked smile. "Are you ready for your breakfast?" He asked, stepping around her, brushing against her with his arm. He stepped over and slipped on inch tall boots, retying them as he hummed a small, familiar tune.
"Has that song played on the radio lately?" Sarah asked, breaking their silence. Jareth looked up slightly and made a noise to have her explain.
"I've heard that rhythm before, has it been on the radio in the past few months?" She asked looking everywhere besides the person she was talking to in the room.
"Sarah dear, what in underground are you speaking of?" He asked after he finished tying his shoes and stood straight again, adding a few more inches taller than Sarah.
The young girl stiffened remarkably, one side of her body completely rested, and the other completely tense with all her weight balanced out. Her once dangling arms now cross over her chest. "What was that word you used? That sounds…well, sounds like I've heard it before….." She asked, looking at him straight in the eye, making the Fae start to feel uncomfortable.
"Yes Sarah, it is because you have. You have heard the song, this place, you know me. And you're treating me like I'm some person that you've just met. What is with you, Sarah?" He asked as a flash of pain appears across his face as he realized that she didn't remember the labyrinth…or even him….
"Me? What do you mean "What's wrong with me"? I just woke up in a place I have never seen before, talking to a man I have never even met, and hearing things that I don't understand!" she retaliates as she stomps forward. But…" she paused in her footsteps as she starts to gain a headache from all of the confusion. "It's… it's all so familiar! This place, that pretty song you were humming… you!" She said, stepping forward once more and poking his chest repeatedly.
Jareth heard all she said, understood every word, even wanted to agree with her and apologize, but because of her, he couldn't. She was the reason he had to be so tough: he had to be tough on her, tough on everyone. "Sarah, I understand your upset but if you ever do that again, I will throw you into the Bog of Stench. Understand? If anyone else were here, that would already have happened. So, Know. Your. Place." He said, sounded out each word from the overall meaning. He forcefully grabbed her hand from his chest and placed it next to her side, holding it tighter, little longer to get his point across and to keep his message strong.
"Well, that doesn't sound that bad, it just smells… really bad. There's nothing wrong with that. Besides, if you were going to do that to a girl like me, don't you think your people would be scared?" She asked sarcastically, smirking at him in a way that made Jareth want to hit her but laugh at the same time. He chose his fake laugh and smile, showing her he knew what he was doing.
"Oh, dear Sarah, my goblins know what's going to get them thrown into the bog, only three have ever gone against me, trust me; the bog is enough to have goblins cover their noses." He laughed at his own joke, though mentally kicking himself for the umpteenth time for being so rude to Sarah. There is no reason for it. Just let her go as she pleases and just dip the rest and send them out with that gang of red things. They will have some fun….
"Ok, um… whatever your name is, I believe you have a very over active imagination and have gone a little crazy," She asked as she started to step back. "because there, are, no, such, thing, as, GOBL-" she began, only to be cut off by a young goblin to walk into the room with a tray of food on a large silver plate.
"Your majesty," She bowed as she walked in and quickly placed the tray on his large, dark oak nightstand. She turned to walk out when she caught Sarah's startled eyes and stopped in her tracks. "Sir, is this….." She started, pointing slightly to Sarah while wearing the same expression as her.
"Yes, yes, please get out now Estelle. I need to speak with Sarah a little longer without interruptions." He said, ushering her out the door quickly, trying to calm the little ignorant Sarah. The small goblin bowed and walked swiftly out of the room with almost no trace left behind except for the food.
"I'm quite sorry for that Sarah. She's never very subtle of a single thing that she can say out loud." He said, coming closer to the shocked girl, checking to make sure she wasn't going to faint on him yet again.
"That, that was a… a goblin, really? Hmmm…." She trailed off in thought and began to subconsciously walk towards the food on his nightstand. She began to trace her fingers
over the cool, elegant design jutting out of the handle. She absent-mindedly lifted off the
cover to be struck by a warm and delicious smell wayfaring off the buffet of food sitting in front of her. She felt her mouth water as she heard a chuckle from behind her, to then feel the warm breath hit her neck through her hair.
Sarah reached forward towards a small patty of meat when a larger hand beat her there to then reach over her and take a bite from the meat that was rightfully hers. She turned around swiftly, with a murderous glare in her eyes to look towards the man she felt like she had known for years instead of mere minutes.
"That's not fair. I wanted that!" She huffed at him and stomped her foot like a 12 year old instead of a soon to be 16 year old.
"Sarah, what would be fair then?" He asked after a sallow of the first bite. "You taking it and leaving me hungry?" He asked before pointing behind her to show her of a second patty that hadn't been there at first. "Now calm down and eat. It's what you need right now…" He turned away and made his way towards the entrance of the room to close his door, allowing them some privacy.
Sarah grumbled to herself until she looked over and saw the man walking away gingerly, allowing her eyes to wander very quickly, before she shook her head and reached over and began to nibble on her small meat patty.
"Sarah, do you not remember this castle?" Jareth finally asked, sitting down on the bed behind her.
"Uh, not really…I feel like I do, but it's hard to think of details about it…" She looked around at the room, turning slowly before sighing and sitting down on the bed, not far from the Goblin king.
The Fae sighed audibly, focusing his attention on what he remembered of her run. "What about Hogwart? He was your friend; do you remember that little scab?" He asked, allowing venom to slip into his voice as he talked about the reason she was able to beat his
labyrinth.
"Who? Why would I know someone named Hogwart? That's a very strange name…." She mumbled as she took the last bite of her food, leaning back onto his bed.
"Well, there are many strange things, like, why you cannot seem to be able to remember anything….." The Fae mumbled to himself.
"What was that?" Sarah asked, missing his statement looking over at him after finishing her meat.
"Oh, nothing…." He said quietly, dumbfounded by her being unable to remember such an important thing.
"What's your name anyway, I can't seem to remember it…" Sarah said, leaning forward to look as his face while it was pointed down.
"Jareth, The Goblin King…." He said, trying to sound strong while he felt powerless because of Sarah's memory.
"That's a strange name too. Do you expect me to call you 'Your Highness' or 'Your Majesty'?" She mocked him, trying to get him to smile, simply making him upset that she didn't remember how rude she used to be towards him. Now that she wasn't doing it, he kind of missed that wittiness. With the brave attitude, the smart comebacks, the rude statements; all of that made Jareth fall in love with her.
"You can call me what you want, just please be respectable in front of others…" He said quietly through clenched teeth.
"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm going to take a walk around. Do you want to stay here and mope or come with me?" Sarah asked, standing up and stretching her arms towards the ceiling. Jareth looked at her, his eyes going from upset to confusion before quickly shaking his head 'yes' before standing up with her.
"Follow me, I'll show you something." He said, stepping in front of her, beckoning for her to follow him. He opened the door and turned down the hallway, making Sarah's feet become cold again. She was almost jogging to keep up with Jareth, but she kept quiet about it.
"How much do you think all this marble costs?" Sarah asked, trying to start a conversation with the quiet man.
"As far as I know, this castle has been here since my father can remember…" Jareth said quietly. This is a mistake! I can't do this. It's wrong! He sighed and sped his pace up, to make sure he could do it before he talked himself out of it. His fists kept clenching and unclenching as he sped his pace up to an almost jog for him, while poor Sarah was actually almost sprinting behind him.
"Where are we going? Because, this isn't really a walk anymore…" The girl grumbled as she was running as fast as she could to stay next to the taller man.
"To the garden of the castle, I wish to show you something…" Jareth replied, slowing his speed down to a normal pace for the poor girl.
"A garden, what's in the garden?" Sarah asked, pondering what he could have in a garden for her.
"It's a surprise. I think you'll like it." Jareth said, speeding up at a normal speed for both them.
The King led her to a large, dark and prosperous garden. All around the grey walls were different bushes with fruits and berries. With occasional tree here and there, there wasn't much else besides a very large white gazebo in the center of it, taking up almost the entire space of the already small garden. Around the top of the gazebo, there were large candles with glass surrounding them, with very elegant designs around each cover. Sarah gasped in amazement as she walked up the stairs to the gazebo and twirled around in it, feeling like a little girl on Christmas as she took in all of the sights, the sounds, even the smells from the beautiful flowers and fruits around her.
"Jareth, this, this is amazing!" Sarah was able to get out, looking around dazzled.
"I had it built not long ago. I thought it would be nice for thinking…" He said, walking up next to her, feeling like he shouldn't be doing this. "Sarah, may I ask you a question?" the Fae asked shyly, rather odd for him to feel.
"Sure. What is it?" Sarah asked, stepping over to side of the gazebo, facing out over the labyrinth, leaning on the white railing.
"Well, I was wondering if, if you are being courted?" He asked quietly, looking down to hide his faint blush on his cheeks.
"Courted? You mean like, if I have a boyfriend? No. Most of the guys are just 'get in your pants' kind of guys, and I don't really want that." Sarah answered; not at all shy to what he had asked her.
"So, you have found no interest in any males on aboveground?" Jareth asked, strolling next to her, placing his hands on the rail gingerly.
"Not really. I mean, there are some cute ones, but they're just in it for sex…" Sarah answered, sighing quietly at the end of her sentence.
"Do none wish to court you?" Jareth asked, able to tell that she felt bad about no guy actually like her for herself.
"Well, there is this one new guy…he just came a few days ago. He's really nice." Sarah replied, feeling better remembering her new friend.
"Oh, well, that sounds nice…" he said nonchalantly before lingering closer unconsciously.
"Sarah, I think I know how to fix your memory." Jareth said, looking over to the side when he saw a small bush with small green berries on it.
The girl looked over at him and followed his line of sight. The Fae turned over towards her and smiled, keeping all of his disappointment hidden from her when she was looked like she would explode from joy.
Jareth began his descent down the small flight of stairs to travel towards the bush, with a puppy like Sarah right behind him. He bent down next to the bush and pulled a group of berries and laid it in his gloved hand. He plucked one of slightly and gently squeezed the hard berry. He sighed audibly and let the rest fall back into place on the bush.
"What's wrong?" Sarah asked, her expression changing from a smile to a frown quickly.
"They aren't ripe yet, they won't do anything to help you right now…." Jareth said sadly.
"So, why don't you just use magic to speed up the process?" Sarah asked, squatting down onto his level.
"Because when I transported us here, you came in contact with magic. And when you
were here last time, you ate a peach that uses magic to wipe away memories. But you were able to beat it, but... not destroy it. So, the second time you came into close contact with magic, the affect from the peach came up, and you see, if you come in contact with magic, by me using it on the berries, then it will just make the problem worse." He explained.
"So, how long will it take?" She asked, looking at his face.
The Goblin King turned to look at her, with a rather grim expression. "I'm not very sure about that…"
