I'd like to thank everyone for the wonderful reviews and encouraging words! I hope you continue to enjoy my story. ~Kat~
One Single Tear
Chapter Four
"Is this a dream?" Sarah asked quietly in the predawn lit chambers, lazily stroking long strands of Jareth's blonde hair between her fingers.
"If it is, it isn't mine," Jareth answered groggily.
"How comforting," she replied irritably, her hand poised above his head. "Especially after everything you've said to me during the night."
"I was referring to my magic," he clarified, turning his head to face her with his eyes closed. "I didn't use any. So, to answer your question, no, it's not a dream." He lifted his head from her bosom to meet her gaze with the intention of showing his sincerity. "Oh, dear," he voiced with dismay.
"What?"
"Not exactly the smartest thing I've done recently."
"What are you talking about?" Sarah asked with growing apprehension. "What have you done?"
He lifted a hand to her face, propped her chin upwards with a fingertip, then cringed slightly. "I've marked you."
She scoffed with relief. "Marked me? With everything that we did last night, you worry about a little hickie on my neck?"
"It's not what you call a hickie. It's a mark that declares I've claimed you for myself."
"Well, that's what a… oh," she stated with realization, then further analyzed the situation. "Oh, no. You didn't want anyone to know that the curse has been lifted."
"It wouldn't matter if you were still cursed or not, bearing my mark as you do," he stated, rolling over to exit the bed. "I won't apologize for it, nor will I explain myself for it." He slipped on his robe, stepping towards the door while tying the belt around his waist. "The mark means forever, Sarah, and it will never truly fade." He paused to look back at her as she sat up to keep him in her sights. "Though, only other magic users would see it after the actual bruise heals."
"Then, I truly belong with you now," she stated slowly, making sure she understood exactly what he was telling her. "Not just by the command of the High King, or because of the magic you gifted me with years ago, or even physically, but… completely, forever?"
"Shhh," he sounded gruffly, turning to the door. "Someone approaches."
"Am I allowed to move?" she whispered urgently just a resounding knock came to the door. "What if it's the High King? I can't lie to the High King, Jareth!"
"Be still your tongue!" he hissed at her in a low, whispered voice. "I care not what else you chose to do. Jump up and down if you wish, just keep your tongue silent!" Taking a deep cleansing breath, Jareth squared his shoulders regally, then opened the door.
"His Majesty, the High King, commands your presence in his counsel chambers immediately," the messenger declared without any personal acknowledgment to Jareth. "The servant girl is to accompany you."
Jareth closed the door in the messenger's face without a response whatsoever. Turning on his heels, he strode toward the bath, dropping the robe along the way. Sarah got out of the bed to follow him only to lessen her pace as she gazed upon his bared back.
"I'm not the only one who bares some incriminating marks," she stated, staring at the claw-like marks that littered his otherwise pristine back. Jareth turned around to look at her and noticed her cringe at the sight of his body. "I wouldn't wear an open necked shirt, either, if I were you," she commented calmly at seeing his bared chest.
He briefly looked down upon himself to find a few purplish marks upon his chest and scratches upon his stomach. "On the contrary," he grinned mischievously, meeting her gaze. "Openly displaying what you've done will further validate my claim over you." He turned back towards the bath. "Come, come, we haven't all day," he announced in a light tone. "The High King expects us in his counsel chambers."
"It's not my fault, you know," she stated defensively, following him to the bath. "You're reaction to my teeth on your skin is extremely arousing to me!"
After magically refilling the bath with fresh warm water, he took her firmly by the arm to pull her close to his body. "Don't ever apologize for how we give each other pleasure," he told her sternly, then softened his tone as he continued. "And, there is no blame while we sate our desires. I gladly bear these marks for the rest of my days knowing they were given by you to please me."
"Well, it's not as though I didn't get anything out of it," she commented, glancing up at him slyly.
He dipped his head to meet her lips with his, immediately feeling the heat of desire spread through him. "The High King waits for no one," he stated, pulling back to hold her at arms length. "Though, I like how your eyes glow when you're aroused."
"I'm sure they're nothing compared to yours right now," she replied coyly. He grinned, then stepped into the bath, holding her hand as she followed. "I won't lie to the High King, Jareth."
"I would never expect you to," he replied with an indignant tone.
"So…" she voiced hesitantly. "As long as I don't talk it's okay for me to move and act freely before others?"
"Only when I direct you to do so, temporarily, but yes," he smiled fully, taking her into his embrace, pulling her down into the warm waters up to their necks. "Show them your defiance towards a curse that gave no recourse to anyone but me."
"You are so arrogant," she laughed, taking comfort by his amicable mood as she reached for a soft cloth from the side of the bath. Dipping it into the water she positioned herself before him to run it gently over his chest, stomach, arms, then legs.
"You have no idea how arrogant I can be when I chose."
"Of that, I'm certain," she smiled at him, handing over the cloth when he reached for it from her hand. She closed her eyes as he washed her in the same manner that she had him.
Leaving the inlet tub, they patted each other dry before Jareth moved away to magically done himself with clothes. Within seconds, Sarah found herself fully clothed in a dress she'd never seen before.
"This isn't mine," Sarah commented openly, holding out the straight skirt to admire the colorful hues of blue and green of the soft material.
"It's a gift," Jareth replied airily from across the room, giving his attention to the sleeves of his shirt. "I'll provide your clothing, and everything else you would desire," he continued, shifting his gaze to pointedly meet hers. "No other shall gift you with necessities. You belong to me, and me alone," he affirmed in an even tone, striding across the room towards her with purposeful steps. "As will everything you possess."
Her breath caught in her throat at his declaration, at the way his body moved in graceful strides with each pace, at the way his eyes bore into hers possessively as no one had ever looked upon her before. A hot thrill enveloped her entire being, causing her breathing to become uneven by the time he reached her. "So much for women's lib," she whispered in a labored breath, looking up at him with color flushing her features.
Jareth paused to look at her curiously for a moment, tilting his head slightly back and to the side thoughtfully. Then, a sly smile formed upon his lips and he leveled his eyes upon her. "You're not without your own power, Sarah," he stated suggestively, his eyes gleaming with magic as he cupped the sides of her face. "You, above all others, know the power of words, and what's said is said, no matter how long ago the words were spoken."
He pushed away from her suddenly, turning his back to her as he busied himself with some trivial thing concerning his attire. "The High King awaits our presence, Sarah," he sing sung pleasantly. "We mustn't dally any further."
Snapping back to her appearance, Sarah turned to face the full length mirror. "Thank you, Jareth," she stated with a smile, admiring the dress he had gifted her. "I like the colors… how they shimmer and seem to come alive every time I move."
"It matches your eyes," he replied off-handedly with a shrug, seemingly indifferent. Though, it pleased him greatly that she liked his choice of clothing on her behalf.
Sarah 's attention went to her eyes at his comment, then leaned closer to her reflection. She had been aware of certain changes to her outward appearance over the years, though rarely had the opportunity to examine them for herself in her cursed state. Her sea green eyes shone with an inner light, a tell tale sign of the magic that coursed through her. "Jareth, what kind of magic do I possess?" she had asked him as she stared at her reflection.
He came up behind her, wrapped his arms lovingly around her slim waist while dipping his head to touch his lips to her neck. "I've gifted you with the desire to remain with me," he whispered, closing his eyes to relish having her in his arms, being able to touch and caress at his own leisure. "But, with all you've been through… exploding potions, His Majesty bestowing magic upon you, and simply living Underground… I haven't a clue of what you may possess deep within."
She turned in his arms, making him raise his head to gaze down at her. "Will I live forever, or will I age like a mortal?" she asked with obvious consternation.
"None of my kind actually live forever," he answered in a gentle tone. "Though it seems that way compared to mortals." He raised a hand to slip elegant fingers through her long dark hair, looking upon her with appreciation. "As long as you remain with me, you're existence will carry on for a very long time."
Sarah smiled up at him, feeling content at the prospect of being with him forever. Raising herself up on her toes, she planted a kiss on his cheek, pulled back to look up at him, then repeated her actions to meet his lips with hers. With arms wrapped around each other their kiss quickly deepened into something more as a resounding knock came to the door.
"Your Majesty, Goblin King!" a messenger exclaimed through the door. "The High King impatiently awaits your presence!"
Jareth ended their kiss with a deep, resigned sigh. Sarah rested her forehead against his chest, just under his neck, with a giddy smile on her face.
XxXxX
Sarah followed Jareth through the entrance hall in the same manner as before, with her chin held even, her shoulders squared, and her eyes focused upon her king's back. She had discovered while fixing her hair in her usual simple style, that she was capable of retaining the fixated, blank expression that had plagued her features for far too long. Her features themselves, however, had literally changed over night giving her a slightly more defined bone structure that better matched Jareth's kind.
"King Jareth," King Darkus addressed, joining them after Jareth had paused just outside the High King's counsel chambers. "Was our meeting not important enough for you to attend our meeting?"
"I found myself with more important matters to attend, Darkus," Jareth replied evenly.
"So I see," the other king commented, his eyes surveying Jareth's neckline exposed by his open shirt. "I don't recall the girl being able to protest against what those marks suggest."
""There was nothing to protest, Darkus, as these marks suggest."
"Perhaps they are the marks of an unwilling partner, Goblin King," Darkus accused in a deep, accusing tone.
"Sarah!" Prince Ramus suddenly whispered unexpectedly into her ear from behind. "We have a plan that will discredit the Goblin King within this very day. His Majesty will have no choice but to remove you from his feared cruelty by the time we are done with him. I tell you this so you needn't fear for your life any longer." With that said, Ramus quickly disappeared from sight.
"That would be for the High King to decide, not you Darkus," Jareth responded in a clipped tone. "Sarah, follow me."
Sarah did his bidding on cue, following Jareth into the High King's counsel chamber, breathing with anxiety for what had been whispered to her mere seconds before hand. The heavy doors were firmly closed behind her, leaving only herself and Jareth to stand before His Majesty.
"I trust you wish to address what had occurred last evening, your Majesty," Jareth addressed to the High King with an inclination of his head, and an ample dose of arrogance in his tone.
"What the hell were you thinking, Jareth!" The High King nearly bellowed from his plush chair.
'Your Majesty, I must speak to you,' Sarah called upon the High King silently, as he had given her the gift to do so. 'They conspire against him! Jareth has done nothing wrong!"
"Why would you question…" Jareth started to ask when the King interrupted him.
"Step forward, child," the High King stated openly, giving his full attention to Sarah. Sarah stepped from behind Jareth to stand by his side, meeting the High King's gaze directly.
"You've marked her," His Majesty declared with mild astonishment, glancing from Sarah back to Jareth, only then noticing the marks the lesser king bore on his own person. "Did you welcome this union?" he asked Sarah, holding up his hand for Jareth to remain silent.
Sarah held the king's gaze for a long moment before opening her mouth. "Yes."
"By the fates," he whispered in astonishment, glancing once again at Jareth. "You were the cure all along, just as I suspected."
"Yes, your Majesty, it appears so," Jareth replied with a confused expression. "What other reason do you have for summoning me, if not because of Sarah?"
The High King took a long deep breath and sat back in his chair. "Would you speak with me alone, child?" he questioned Sarah. "Or will you speak freely before your sworn king?"
"I was just informed of a plan against Jareth, your Majesty!" Sarah blurted out in response.
"What plan? By whom?" Jareth questioned, looking at her with furrowed brows.
"While King Darkus spoke with you just outside," Sarah explained to Jareth. "Prince Ramus whispered to me about a plan to discredit you so that I would be removed from your care."
Upon hearing what Sarah had to say, Jareth turned on his heels to stride briskly towards the doors.
"Goblin King," the High King addressed in an authoritive tone. "Their plan has already been set in motion." Jareth stopped but didn't turn around right away. "They used your own goblins against you, I'm afraid. I received word early this morning that one of your armies that were sent to do repairs destroyed half a village."
"What of casualties?" Jareth asked in a deadly calm tone.
"Three families perished," the High King replied reluctantly after a short pause. "Along with half of your goblin army."
Jareth continued to walk forward, stopping only after reaching the doors that did not open at his approach. "I demand retribution!" he bellowed heatedly, turning to face his sovereign. "After all these talks, after all the destruction I had caused, I never allowed anyone to be injured beyond healing!"
"Your Majesty," Sarah addressed hesitantly, continuing to speak only after he met her gaze. "King Darkus has an army of five thousand strong somewhere in the Shadow Mountains. If they trek over the peak, they will reach the goblin city within two days."
"How do you know this information?"
"No one pays attention to the servants when they talk amongst themselves. I overheard King Darkus speaking with Lord Gallion just the other day."
"We have no way of knowing if they plan to attack the Labyrinth Kingdom, my child."
"I could find out," Sarah volunteered urgently.
"No, I forbid it!" Jareth exclaimed heatedly, striding back to Sarah's side.
"I know who every servant is assigned to in this court, Jareth! I know what task each servant is given as duties. No one would question my standing silently in any given place as long as you are in the same room. You've already left me twice, let me continue to be cursed and find out who is behind this!"
"She's right," the High King stated resigned. "None of us pay attention to what we say over our meals while being served food and drink. The servants are sworn to secrecy, but they see and hear more than any of us realize."
Jareth stalked away to pace with agitated steps, his head bent in thought. Suddenly coming to a decision, he stopped his pacing to fix Sarah with a baleful glare. "I seriously hope your intentions are on my behalf, Sarah."
"If they weren't, I wouldn't have warned you, Jareth," she spat back indignantly, inwardly hurt that he didn't trust her, especially after all they had shared the night before.
Jareth stared at Sarah long and hard, his expression impassive, his body rigid and ready for anything. "I request that my magic be fully restored under these circumstances, your Majesty," he stated thin lipped, turning his gaze to the High King.
"Granted. However, both of you must keep these changes within each of you secret." He looked upon Sarah with regretful, patient eyes. "You will be most at risk, child, for what I must do next."
"What must you do?" she asked innocently, looking from the High King to Jareth.
"He must bind me as an unlawful," Jareth answered. "This will leave you unprotected with everyone still believing that you have a curse upon you."
"But, you're innocent!" She threw her attention at the High King. "You know he is, why punish him when you know he didn't do anything wrong?"
"The Goblin King is the only one who can command his army. It is up to you to bring forth the true culprit of these attacks, and prove that the goblin armies reacted to defend themselves. And, save Jareth from a fate I would have no choice but to uphold."
Sarah turned a level gaze towards Jareth, her expression impassive yet cunning at the same time. "The Goblin King isn't the only one who can command his armies," Sarah stated with conviction, turning her gaze back to the high King. "The day that Lord and Lady Septor were set upon by the goblins," she explained softly. "All I did was step forward and they all bowed before me, leaving the kingdom with the simple gesture of my pointing towards the gates."
"Information such as that would have been most valuable before now, Sarah Williams," the High King reprimanded tight lipped.
"I never thought about it, your Majesty," she defended pleadingly. "Until just now I always thought they just recognized me from before and went home to tell their king that I was back in the Underground."
"Oddly enough, they never mentioned even seeing you to me," Jareth responded. "Which, in hind sight, was probably the wisest thing my goblins had ever done on their own."
"Let me go to the Goblin City, your Majesty," Sarah pleaded. "To at least warn them so they can defend themselves. I can slip out under the cover of darkness tonight, and return by morning with no one the wiser that I ever left."
"You don't possess the magic to accomplish such a feat, Sarah," Jareth told her regretfully, though his gut twisted at her valor to try. It was that part of her that had gotten his attention in the first place, her strong will and determination to never give up no matter what the odds were against her. "And, even if you did, someone would detect magic that strong as soon as you used it."
"No," the High King stated in a low voice. "It's not magic that she possesses to accomplish such a feat. It's her alliances that would make her successful."
"Alliances?" Jareth questioned. He looked over at Sarah, noticing how she diverted her gaze shyly. "Who, exactly, did you call upon after my rejection, Sarah?" he asked slowly.
She slowly turned her head to meet his steady gaze. "I summoned Pegasus and told him what happened. He brought me back to the Underground."
"Pegasus!" Jareth exclaimed with surprise. "You summoned Pegasus?" He raised his chin indignantly to look down his nose at her. "So much for sharing secrets," he snipped indignantly. "It never occur to you to mention that during our conversations last evening?"
"There wasn't enough time to talk about 'everything' last evening," she replied, slightly uncomfortably. "Besides," she added with fake nonchalance. "I dreamed of Pegasus long before you… and I ever met."
"What price did he demand for your transport?" Jareth asked resigned, pinching the bridge of his nose with his eyes squeezed shut.
"There is no retribution to be paid, Goblin King," the High king stated with authority. "The girl's alliance with the creature had been established long before she was aware of our existence. You should be grateful for such an alliance, especially now with your very life in the balance."
"Of course," Jareth responded with reverence. "I've simply had previous encounters with the Pegasi, and most of them had not been favorable."
"Then, it seems by marking your woman, you have dramatically changed that alliance in your favor. What is your decision, Goblin King?"
Jareth didn't like this turn of events at all, the decision he found himself having to make to save his kingdom… at the risk of losing the woman he loved, whom he had just given himself to, and had marked her to be his queen. He leveled a steely gaze upon the High King, declaring his final decision.
"Iron shackles will not prevent me from wreaking revenge if I lose my kingdom, or my queen," he solemnly swore before his sovereign.
"She's not your queen yet, Goblin King," the High King replied, leaning forward to hold Jareth's steady gaze with one of his own. "And, I will remind you how far this woman has come, how hard she has fought, to be by your side." He leaned back in his chair with a smug expression upon his features. "I haven't seen such a perfectly matched pair in over a thousand years as the two of you who stand before me at this moment."
He looked down at Jareth with a kinder expression. "I can't lend any more assistance than what I am extending to you at this moment. We all know what happens when I show favoritism, Jareth, it never bodes well. Make use of her alliance on your behalf, Jareth, and believe in her as you once did before."
Jareth nodded his consent, unable to voice his response from the tightness of his throat.
Turning his attention to Sarah, the High King smiled briefly with a touch of sadness in his eyes. "You make me proud to call you a daughter of my realm, Sarah Williams. Summon your allies and fly swiftly into the night to warn the Labyrinth Kingdom. You will be taken under guard along with Jareth to give you the freedom to slip away from watching eyes. There is a tunnel to the south of the holding chambers, stay to the left until you come to the fountain, then use the center tunnel to take you to the mountains. I would suggest for you to leave your skirts behind, you will get very dirty I'm afraid."
"Dirty?" Sarah huffed with mild amusement. "You didn't see what I looked like by the time I reached the goblin city on my first adventure." She briefly turned a pointed gaze toward Jareth, "And you wonder why I didn't believe you were serious with all of your promises, I was a filthy mess by the time I reached the castle."
"Were you, really?" he questioned with a thoughtful frown. "I hadn't noticed you being anything but beautiful." Sarah smiled at the compliment, her cheeks flushed while her eyes shone brightly with arousal.
"Ehem," the High King interrupted. "If we could keep our minds focused on the matter at hand, you will have plenty of time to woe each other later."
"If I may make one request, your Majesty," Sarah stated respectfully, giving him her full attention after taking a deep cleansing breath to clear her mind. "If you could summon the servant, Sheila, I have a plan that might help in Jareth's favor while I warn the goblins."
"Consider your request granted," the High King conceded. "Now, tell me of your plan."
XxXxX
The heavy doors to the High King's counsel chamber slowly opened to reveal the feared Goblin King being escorted under the High King's personal guards, his cursed servant girl followed in her trance-like state at his heels. Prince Ramus broke from the crowd as Sarah approached where he stood.
"Sarah!" he exclaimed robustly. Stepping in front of her, he held her back with his hands on her shoulders. "Stop!" he commanded in a light tone, making her pause her footsteps. "Everything will be fine, Sarah. Now I will be granted permission to take care of you once more, you'll see," he told her in a voice full of promise.
Jareth stopped walking at Prince Ramus' interruption, the guards paused alongside of him. "She belongs to me, Ramus," Jareth stated calmly from over his shoulder. "No matter that I'm condemned, she is still mine. And, she goes where I go." He turned his head forward once more, taking a step to continue under his guard escort. "Sarah, follow me." Without so much as a blink of the eyes, Sarah turned to the side to walk around Ramus in her trance-like state to follow behind Jareth as he had commanded.
"No!" Ramus declared heatedly at Jareth's back. "I will not let you keep her! I will save her from the likes of you, Goblin King! If it means by your death, I will take her from you!" Turning on his heels, Ramus rushed towards the High King's counsel chambers while numerous fae whispered softly amongst themselves as he entered through the massive heavy doors.
"Prince Ramus," the High King acknowledged tight lipped in a dry tone. "Why am I not surprised by your insistent interruption to my counsel hall?"
"Your Majesty," Prince Ramus addressed, bending to one knee with reverence. "I bid for you to assign the cursed servant girl back unto my care upon the Goblin King's demise."
"Your request is refused."
"But, your Majesty, there is no reason for her to suffer his crimes!" Prince Ramus declared heatedly. "I plead to you, release her from the bonds of the Goblin King, and I will take care of her personally!"
"She no longer responds to anyone but King Jareth," the High King replied in a controlled tone. It was bad enough that this whelp continued to disrupt his court, but to argue his authority had reached the end of his patience. But, there was more at stake at the moment than simple disobedience, and so the High King continued to play his part in the scheme of things. "The Goblin King has marked her as his possession. There is nothing I can do on the girl's behalf."
"You are High King! You have the power to overrule all others!"
"By natural law, yes. However, the girl has been cursed in a way that we don't understand. The bond that already existed between the Goblin King and the girl has been strengthened, there is nothing I can, or shall I do regarding this matter."
"But, your Majesty…"
"Enough!" the High King shouted, finally meeting the end of his patience. "That is all I will say. You are dismissed from my counsel hall, Prince Ramus!"
His High Majesty relaxed back in his plush chair, relaxing his shoulders and back as he watched the young prince leave his counsel chambers with angry, brisk strides. 'Fates protect the girl,' he thought to himself, then turned his gaze to the side of his chambers.
"Step from the shadows, child," the High King commanded in a much softer tone than the one he had used upon the wayward prince. After the heavy doors were closed behind the retreating Prince Ramus, the servant Sheila nervously stepped forward, wringing her hands in front of her as she stopped to stand before her sovereign king.
"Have… have I done something to anger His Majesty?"
"I'm sure you have not," he told her in a gentle tone. "But, what would make you think you had?"
"With all this confusion, and death, and planning, I… I am so very frightened, your Majesty! The guests have become very unsettled and make such high demands of us."
"Calm your fears, child," he assured her kindly, bestowing her with a brief, warm smile. "I summoned you on good authority from a trusted friend who desperately needs your help." He waited until her fear was replaced with curiosity. As soon as she raised her eyes to meet his patient gaze he continued. "Sarah Williams has spoken highly of you."
"Sarah?" Sheila questioned in an urgent tone, her expression turning to that of worry. "Is she alright, your Majesty? I've heard so many things that I don't know what to believe!"
The High King smiled with satisfaction. This was precisely the reaction Sarah had premeditated on behalf of her friend. "Yes, she is in fine health, child. Now, tell your king, what is it that you've been hearing?"