Jareth stood in the doorway, watching silently as a mother smiled down on her child. She glanced up only once at him before placed the child back into the crib. Backing slowly out of the room, she nodded her head at Jareth and then at the kitchen. He hit the lights before he followed the woman, shutting the door quietly.
"What do you want now?" Jareth asked abruptly. He didn't want to waste his time on this ridiculous family.
"I'm dying." The woman met his eyes calmly. "I hope you will follow the book, just as I wrote it." Jareth made sure his facial expression did not change. He could not allow it to change.
"Why should I?"
The woman sighed.
"Death is taking me because it is necessary to the story." She explained in her patient tone. His eyes widened slightly.
"Are you saying you wrote your own death, just for me to be rejected?" He tried to sound scornful, tried to make her feel stupid. It was stupid.
"Not to be rejected, Jareth." She sighed again. "I've known you for too long to be fooled. You won't give up after one try. You never do." Jareth shrugged carelessly. It didn't matter to him how many times he tried.
"Death is haunting you, precious, and it's because you decided to write it that way."
She smiled wistfully.
"If only I had that much power, Jareth. I do have a favor to ask of you, beyond the book." Jareth desperately wished he could say no, could reject this woman who guaranteed his fall. But he couldn't before, and he couldn't now.
"Of course, precious." He responded.
"Make her father allow her to read my book." She sighed, staring toward the bedroom. "I fear he will try to erase me from her life, if only to save her pain." Jareth's hands clenched into fists.
"She will read your book, and she will love it more than me." Jareth vowed. The woman turned to him, smiling widely.
"She will love it, but not for me. For you, Jareth." A cry went up from the bedroom. The woman began to walk towards the room. "Don't mourn me Jareth. I will be satisfied." He saw her head tilt slightly toward him. "I've done what every mother wants to do. I've guaranteed my daughter will become a strong woman." The cry increased in volume. "I'm coming, Sarah."
I didn't expect for this to turn into a series, but it seems to be going that way... Oh well.