Robert had a long and hard think about life, which must have been hard for him to do. His mother had always warned him he shouldn't do to much of it. In a few months his daughter would be sixteen, and although it made him sad that he had never been able to see his daughter grow up, and although King Robert didn't realise it, it was almost sadder that once she came back, as a sixteen year old she would have to be presented to court and then he would marry her to the future King of Bristonia, Phillip.
Robert saw benefits in the trade, to say the least. Bristonia's lands were vast and next to Robert's. Not only would the marriage unite the two kingdoms, but due to the close proximity of the kingdoms, he would get to see Sarah all the time! (Or so he thought)
Furthermore, no one had seen nor goblin hide or scraggly tail of the Goblin King in over a decade! He'd probably died, figured Robert. Then, if he was dead, it would be safe to presume that Sarah could come back a little earlier than sixteen, so that she and Phillip could hit it off.
Yes, that was a good plan. King Robert would write to his advisor immediately! Preparations must be made for the return of the Princess and his son. All was well in his world.
A world away in a forest, all was not well. Sarah and Phillip were absolutely, most definitely NOT hitting it off. If someone was watching, which someone was, they may have presumed that an older boy was shouting at a tree, in actual fact he was shouting up a tree.
The boy was going through that awkward stage where the nose is slightly too big and the bodily odours slightly too strong, and right now he was focused on one thing. Getting a girl.
"Come down from there fair forest maiden."
"No." Came the stubborn response.
"Please? If you give me a kiss, I'll make you my mistress once I become King."
A rotten peach bounced off his head, leaving a sticky mess in his mousy hair.
"I said NO, Prince Phillip. Now stop bothering me and buy another one of those houses full of cats you're always bragging about."
Sarah could not believe she was in this situation! Her one day off when she didn't have to baby sit her little brother (Who was currently teething, so Sarah was back to two hours of sleep) or do her lessons and the infernal Prince of Stench had followed her to her secret hide out and to escape him she got stuck up a peach tree. Figures.
"It is considered an honour for a peasant to become a Prince's lover." Said Phillip angrily.
"It would be a bigger honour to be left alone by a Prince." Sarah shot back.
"I'm certain we could find some pace to be left alone together."
Ewww, Sarah shuddered, causing it to rain peaches on the Prince. That sort of thing ALWAYS sounded so sliming coming from him. Slimier than Hoggle pickled cucumbers and well... Let's just say she didn't want to think about that.
Sarah's mind continued to drift drowsily, the warm sum beating down on her. She had been so happy today too! Turning around expecting to see her Fae friend and instead being faced with Phillip was not what she had intended.
After her first encounter with the man she had grown quite close to him. It seemed whenever she left the house she would turn around to find him dozing against a tree as if he'd been there all day or talking chatting with a tree spirit as if they'd been good friends for years. And golly, tree spirits were temperamental and untrusting at the best of times!
Occasionally she would find out little tibits about his life.
For example one time, early in the morning, Sarah was aimlessly strolling through the woodland, when off in the distance, she noticed two figures embracing each other. She was about to turn around, slightly embarrassed, when she noticed a shock of blonde hair. "Such a flirt." Sarah grumbled. It was to early for flirting.
Catching sight of Sarah, who had stopped to pick flowers (and maybe pretend that she wasn't watching him), Jareth gave the dryad a short bow and strode down to where Sarah was collecting armfuls of daisies.
He got a coy smile.
"Morning Jareth, reacquainting ourselves with old friends, are we?"
This got a laugh, "Did you like what you saw, you little minx?"
Sarah smile widened into a grin, "Oh I certainly wasn't looking, but I would certainly say she was enjoying herself. Planning on seeing her again Jareth?"
"No, no just completing a payment."
"Oh... I see." Sarah's minuscule romantic hopes and dreams were crushed. Of course. That was it. Money was useless to forest spirits so you had to pay them in different ways, some times a simple song would do. Sometimes other... transactions were required.
Jareth chuckled at her crestfallen face. "Sarah, I am betrothed, to the most stunning, headstrong, courageous creature I have ever had the most ultimate pleasure of meeting." His eyes had her pinned to the spot and Sarah shivered. What was with this cool morning breeze? "I can assure you that I would never fool her around in such a way."
So that was how and all she found out about his bride to be.
Another time she'd been collecting brightly coloured stones in the stream, as Jareth watched on lazily. A sudden splash in the water caught her eye and on closer inspection she noticed a stout, vicious-looking creature watching her intently from the bushes. With a yelp she backed out of the stream and tripped over a tree root, landing with a thud in Jareth's lap.
"Eager little thing, aren't we?" Had been the purred response.
To this day she still remembered the humiliation! She was still shaken from seeing the little critter but Jareth was never going to let her forget this! Some where along the lines his arms had entwined around her hips, trapping her against his chest. If she was being honest Sarah had been quite happy for the warmth and support.
Sarah's breath caught in her throat as his lips pressed roughly into her hair.
"Now, what could have possibly driven such an enticing, young thing into my arms?"
"Um... It was a, uh, Hobgoblin, I believe. In the bushes over there. It startled me, and, uh, well, here I am now!" She laughed nervously
Jareth's eyes narrowed and glittered dangerously. Sarah seriously had to resist the urge to bolt.
"A Goblin? In the bushes?"
Sarah was roughly forced from Jareth's lap as he prowled closer to where she had seen the misshaped creature.
"How ...amusing. I'm almost certain that their King had most strictly ORDERED them not to enter this side of the wildlands, unless otherwise commanded."
Jareth thrust his hand into the bush viciously, wrenching the squealing thing aloft in the air. Sarah watched on in horrified shock. An icy fear flowed through her veins freezing her in place.
"And were you?" He continued in a low voice.
"Were I, what your most regalness?" The goblin had a strange squawk like quality to his voice.
"Were you commanded to enter this side of the wildlands?" The poor thing whimpered, "Hurry up now. It's a yes or a no. Surely not to challenging, even for the likes of you."
The goblin muttered something under his breath. Jareth's head tilted predatorily to the side.
"What was that?"
"No, your worshipfulness, I were not commanded ta this side o' da wildlands." murmured a little louder.
"I see, and we both know what happens to those who disobey their King so openly, don't we?" Jareth hissed.
"Oh no's, oh no's please your almighty one. Not there. No, no, no not the bog." It moaned.
"Oh yes, yes, yes. The Bog!" The Fae exclaimed as he swiftly bought a crystal towards the Goblin.
The sight of the opaque sphere snapped Sarah out of her fear and she sprung into action, leaping from her spot on the ground to latch onto the gloved arm.
"NO! Jareth, STOP!" She begged, clinging onto the arm holding the glowing orb. "It wasn't hurting ANYONE. It just frightened me. That's all! Can't you see that it wasn't hurting anyone?"
The Goblin whimpered softly as it pawed at Jareth's hand around his throat.
Jareth growled, "Sarah let go. It is not your place to stop me punishing this thing."
"Any it's not YOUR place to take matters into your own hands!" Sarah cried. "Just- just send him back." She coaxed, stroking his tensed forearm. Large pooling eyes gazed up at him with apprehension, "Please Jareth. The Goblin King can deal with his subject."
Jareth looked resigned. "Fine. For you sweet Sarah." He glared at the pitiful creature, still gasping for air, "The King shall deal with you when he returns." and without further warning, Jareth rammed the crystal forcefully into the Goblin's side. A white light filled the forest and when Sarah finally blinked away the black spots from her eyes, all that was left in Jareth's hands was a fine trickle of glitter.
"I could have handled it." Said Sarah softly. Jareth continued to watch the glitter fall for a moment before turning back to her. Sarah tried her best not to flinch away, unsure if he was still as angry as before.
"Come now Sarah," He soothed. "Surely a mere goblin would not have been that terrifying for you!"
"No, it was not the Hobgoblin."
The wind rustled through the leaves like the sound of pattering feet running through the trees and there was an uncomfortable silence between them, which Sarah tried in vain to fill.
"It called you 'worshipfulness.'"
"So it did." Jareth said cooly.
"You're a part of the Seelie Court, aren't you?" Ventured Sarah.
A teasing element came back into Jareth's voice, "Oh? And why would you say that?"
"Well... Um... It's just, You're a Fae... I think... And the way you wear your hair and make-up, it's regal I suppose and your clothes... Um... and the Goblin called you by a title and you seem to know the Goblin King, or you know he's not in his castle right now. So that's why I just kind of presumed..."
"That I'm a handsome Prince of the Seelie court?"
"Something like that." Muttered Sarah.
"Something like that wouldn't be wrong, I presume." Mused Jareth
"The girl you're marrying? What about her? Is she a fairy Princess?" Sarah asked in a breathless voice.
"Something like that." Jareth said softly.
The sadness lacing his voice reminded Sarah of the goblin for some strange reason.
"Will it be okay? The Goblin, I mean. The King of the Goblin's wouldn't do anything to bad to it?" Sarah queried.
Jareth frowned slightly, "Nothing that I wouldn't do."
Sarah's memories came to an abrupt end there as a rustling disturbed her from her thoughts. Sarah tried, rather uselessly, to rub sleep from her eyes. Phillip had never been able to climb a tree before she thought nervously, but then again, that may not stop him from trying, she thought as the rustling got closer. Her eyes simmered with a determined anger. Well she wasn't about to go down without a fight.
"I thought I told you. Leave. Me. Alone." The rustling stopped for a moment, before continuing. "If you don't, I'll stick your head in a beehive." She warned.
A low chuckle resounded by her feet and a blonde mass appeared from the leafy canopy. Sarah breathed a sigh of relief, her entire body untensed. It was only Jareth. That was good thing too, Sarah thought sluggishly, she didn't know if there were any bee hives around here.
"A frightful suggestion precious. Whatever could have put you in this mood? Or whoever perhaps?"
Sarah let out a melodramatic groan and prodded his head with an outstretched toe, yawning.
"Thank you for your kind help Fae, I will never forget your services to me."
"And one day fair forest maiden I shall collect a payment for my services." Said Jareth assisting Sarah down from the tree, strong arms hoisting her from the tree, and she slumped gently against the peach tree. Stuck between a Fae and a barky place, Sarah thought as slim fingers lingered against her waist.
"Perhaps I shall collect my payment... Today." Jareth's voice was little more than a whisper, head leaning in to claim her lips, claim her.
"Perhaps not." Sarah said sleepily, stretching a sore spot out of her back and successfully manoeuvring out of Jareth's grasp. "Hiding up a tree from an overbearing Prince is hard work, I'll have you know." Sarah muttered curling up at the base of the tree, eyelids fluttering serenely in the dappled sunlight.
"Ah! So it was the boy who put you in such a foul mood." Jareth smirked as he lowered himself down next to Sarah.
"Yes. All this foolish talk of marriage." Sarah snuggled against Jareth, unconsciously seeking warmth.
"You see marriage as foolish?" questioned Jareth.
Sarah eyed the Fae blearily, "From what I gathered from Phillip's talk yes. The girl is more or less sent out onto a market where the man who has the most money," Sarah yawned, "or the largest kingdom, or the best claim, something like that, gets to have her. She is dressed up like his own personal dolly in clothing that he provides for her and is displayed in public events whenever he wants. It's just not fair! I don't want anyone to have that kind of control, that kind of power over me!"
Sarah finished her rant by sinking on to the Fae's shoulder.
"I'll never marry a boy like Phillip."
"I see," Jareth drawled slowly, "And what if it were not union between you and someone like that detestable pest?" He drew away from Sarah leaving her lying disgruntled in the dirt with a leafy canopy overhead.
"A Fae... per say?" Jareth leaned over her questioningly.
"Someone more like myself? Perhaps that would be to closer your high standards?"
Sarah rolled onto her side, effectively rearranging herself so that there was no longer a tree root prodding her back (Also effectively arranging herself so that a certain, internally cursing, Fae had less access to her lips, although she wasn't aware of this).
"It would be just the same Jareth." Sarah murmured drowsily. "Except it would be forever and ever and ever. To be trapped with someone you didn't love for all eternity. How..." Sarah sighed deeply. "How horrible."
Jareth's eyes were barely slits, "It is considered an honour for a mortal," he nearly spat the word, "to become a Fae's paramour." He finished in barely a hiss.
A small smile flitted across Sarah's face, he was in a worse mood than the teething Toby, "You sound like Phillip."
Jareth's face hardened into an unreadable mask, his mouth a firm line and cat-like eyes glittered with venom.
"Really. Well then, give my regards to your 'bosom companion', Phillip, next time you see him, won't you?" He said in acidic tones.
Sarah attempted to mumble a response but sleeps call was to strong and as her eyelids grew heavier and heavier she gave in to sleep at last.
A very frightened, extremely cold Sarah woke up all alone, hours later, when a fat rain drop hit her cheek. Hoggle and Sir Didymus were going to be furious with her! This was the second time she was late around that Fae! Sarah looked around to scold the man but Jareth was nowhere in sight.
# # # # # # # # # ## # # # #
Hoggle gawked at the monstrous frills of material set on the low, wooden table of the mill house, and then at the proud, beaming faces of Sir Didymus and Ludo. "Well... It be pink."
The pair nodded hopefully, "T'was the but the height fashion from when I was in court." Didymus pitched in from the bench beside the dress. Hoggle bit his tongue to avoid pointing out that Didymus had been to court once, and it had been for a costume ball.
Sarah had been sent out for the day and the little lad had been set down for his afternoon nap. So hurriedly the dwarf the fox and the rock monster had pulled various presents out from hiding places to compare and make sure everything was ready. Except everything was so completely, utterly, totally unready. And as for Sarah's birthday dress...
"Honest to truth, I's be speechless."
Words could not be found to describe just how awful this fuchsia creation was.
Ludo, who was sitting on the floor as they were yet to find a chair that catered to his needs, raised his scraggily head.
"Hoggle... Like... Dwess?"
Hoggle hoped on the bog that he wasn't turning a steady shade of purple. This was Sarah's last 'foundling day' with them and the King had sent length after length of material in the most horrid shade of pink imaginable with a note explaining that they should measure Sarah up so she would have something presentable to wear for when she and little baby Toby arrived at court two weeks before her birthday.
Now it was only four weeks away and the outcome was being to look woeful. Nearly as woeful as the dress painstakingly hand-stitched by Ludo's clumsy hands and heart-wrenchingly designed by Sir Didymus. So the outcome was actually extremely woeful.
"Hoggle Like?" Ludo repeated.
"Um, well, it not be being my cup of ale exactly..." Hoggle stared guiltily at Ludo's crestfallen face "... But, um, that being said, It's not to say the little missy won't be liking it." Hoggle added quickly.
He felt his wrinkly, old heart squeeze at the grins plastered on Didymus and Ludo's faces.
"And how fares the Lady's trial cake old friend? Is it truly befitting of a Princess?"
Hoggle shuffled around the table to reach the blackened caldron hanging over the chimney hearth.
"Now this only be a trial run." said Hoggle as he cautiously prodded at the spongey mass, with it's strangely moss like consistency, in the cauldron, before scooping it out and setting it on a plate.
Didymus nibbled on a piece before practically throwing it back on the plate. "My... What an... Unusual... Flavour." The wizened knight strained.
Ludo responded more simply by gagging. Hoggle had known he should have just made his grandpape's special salad.
This was not brewing up to be a good day at all.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Sarah was not having a good day at all, she thought as she passed the tree in the shape of the old hag of the third time. She should have never had taken directions from a squirrel! A squirrel of all animals!
"Stupid, stupid, STUPID!" She cursed at herself.
Everyone knew that squirrels forgot where they hid half their own nuts. How one earth had she expected one to remember where the abandoned ruins were.
Why was she trying to get to the abandoned ruins? She asked her self for close to the millionth time. Oh yeah, Jareth had gone missing, and the ruins were looking like a final, desperate option.
Sarah paced frustratedly before sitting down on a misshapen rock (She asked permission first of course).
It was nearly a month since she had seen Jareth and despite her current grumpiness, she had long moved past anger at the Fae to a deep, dark worry. It was almost surprising that Hoggle and Didymus hand't noticed but they seemed distant at the moment. Ludo, in his own special way showed his concern and Sarah had started spending her nights snuggled up next to his warm fur instead of in her bed.
Jareth had been with her close to everyday for the past year and now he was nowhere to be found.
Had he been taken away that day under the peach tree? From right under her nose too! Sarah's mind ran wild trying to understand it, ANY of it!
Had Phillip killed him? Something about that thought lingered in the back of her mind.
Sarah crumpled her eyebrows in thought. She wasn't sure the weak Prince would be able to take down a fully grown Fae lord on his own but... It snapped into place whilst a cold dread rose through her body.
A heavy weight seemed to hang from her stomach.
Phillip's sword was iron.
Wasn't iron deadly to the Fae?
Sarah hugged her arms around herself as the wind stirred in the trees, in a low feral moaning way and her eyes welled with tears. Jareth couldn't be dead! The Fae were immortal! No, he was just being kept away. It was probably busy in the courts at the moment. Perhaps he was having a glorious honeymoon with his fairy Princess!
Phillip couldn't be responsible. Could he?
Sarah felt the hairs prick on the back of her neck. She was certain that she could feel eyes following her.
Stop it! Sarah snapped to herself. No one was visible from trees in the dusky half light. The feeling of a storm tingled in the air and Sarah shivered. She should be getting back. She didn't want to get drenched again or even more lost come to think of it.
Sarah rose from the rock and politely thanked it before setting off uncertainly to what may, or may not, have been the way home.
A twig snapped from behind her.
"Ooh, You're imagining things!" Sarah muttered to herself, before setting off on the stony ground. Sarah was less sure when she heard a second twig breaking. Sarah was growing anxious. Maybe it was a bunny? She hoped setting off at a quicker pace.
After the third branch, Sarah couldn't take it anymore! She spun around to face the threat, her blown out hair creating a halo and peered into the gloom wearily. She was tired! Tired and alone and so dreadfully scared. She locked her eyes on a shadow, leaning casually against the roughened bark of a tree.
The silhouette watched her back with casual disinterest.
Sarah's heart leapt in her throat.
"Jareth?"
The figure cocked his head to the side as he swept forward, garbed head to booted toe in black. The heavy weight in her stomach dissolved and Sarah had to resist squealing as she ran forward to hug him. "Oh, it is you!" She spoke with her face pressed into his leather breast plate "You're all right! I was so worried..."
The air that wafted over her was tinged with something unpleasant. It was a smell Sarah could never forget because of the memories it bought back. Memories of Hoggle shakily singing a rowdy shanty about a fairy and a troll and Didymus reciting stories of the olden, more chivalrous days well until past midnight before passing out. It was the smell of ale.
"Are you... Drunk?"
Sarah pushed away from Jareth a little so she could look at his face. He looked awful. Waxy skin peeped out from under disheveled and matted, grey blonde-hair and was pulled tight over sunken features. The eyes holding more of the dangerous glitter than usual.
Jareth had pulled back to examine Sarah in return, turn her this way and that in his arms, drinking in all her features, like he had been drinking ale not a moment ago.
"Extremely."
Sarah was astounded.
"Why?"
Jareth growled playfully deep in his throat, slowly stalking towards here, Sarah hastily took a step back.
"Why? Well, my dear, dear Sarah. I'll tell you, why." Jareth had continued stalking towards Sarah who took another step back and had now found that she had run out of places to go as she felt the harsh trunk of a tree press along her back.
"It all began with a girl." He said in a sing-song voice, slowly pressing the length of his body against the fear stricken Sarah's. She couldn't think. He was too close. "My beloved, my betrothed. Mine." Jareth took a fist full of her brown hair watching intently as long strands of the stuff sifted through his fingers.
"Oh how I love her, worship the very Ground on which she treads, but sweet Sarah, she is so very cruel." The lilting quality of his voice, along with him gently tracing her face began to be lulling her to sleep. Sarah shook herself slightly. She couldn't let her guard down. Not around a drunken Jareth. Sarah gulped as the Fae lord began to press slow, demanding circles into her hip with his other hand.
"So very, very cruel." Jareth whispered, his mouth beginning to trace Sarah's jawline. Sarah's eyes flashed with a hot fire.
"Jareth. Stop this." Sarah commanded.
Jareth's mouth stopped it's path, hovering over her neck.
"Why? Why. Should. I? Why can I not take what I desire? What I want? What I need?" His fingers gripped roughly at her arms.
"Is there a point to live without the sun? Hm? A point to living without her love?"
He seemed to be choking on the words, delirium scrawled across his face. All this only riled up Sarah more and she pushed away from him, chin thrust out in a disgusted manner.
"Stop it! Stop it now!" Her voice cracking, "You're acting like a spoilt brat who hasn't gotten his favourite toy."
Sarah saw the steely glint in his eye and her heart stopped. She ducked behind the tree a split second before he lunged, gloved hands missing her by a whisper. Sarah ran ferns whipping at her legs, twigs snagging her hair but Sarah just and she ran and ran until she collapsed, The ever perusing Jareth only one step behind her all the way. Sarah sucked in bursts of sweet, cool air, still tainted with the oncoming storm. He was close now. She could feel it.
"Come out, come out where ever you are Sarah." He taunted. Sarah's mind flashed back to when they first met. A loop hole. There had to be a loop hole. There was always a loop hole with the Fae. A word or... Or a phrase! Something! Anything!
Sarah tried her hardest not to shudder the Fae draped himself over her. He chuckled darkly, cloak pooling around the two of them.
"Do you fear me, Sarah?"
Sarah, set her eyes straight ahead, staring at nothing. A persistent roar fired up at the back of her head.
"Come now precious, How about love? Do you love me?"
A thick taste settled in the back of her mouth as her ears continued roared with the sound of rushing blood.
"Please Sarah," He coaxed, "This is not attractive behaviour. Smile, For me? Will you do." Jareth's voice started softly became more and more commanding with every word said.
"As. I. Say?"
The roaring grew louder until, it blocked out everything. The wind in the trees. The forest creatures. Even Jareth. All she could focus on now was beating him and waiting until he was sober. Then she was going to whoop him up the side of the head until he apologised or until she felt better.
"She'll hate you forever, I suppose... If you do this." Sarah said nonchalantly, still unseeing and unfeeling as Jareth continued to lay treacherous kiss after kiss on every inch of exposed skin.
"Your future wife that is."
"Hate," Jareth replied hungrily between kisses, "is a passion, and a passion is always better than indifference, than not feeling anything. And by my word I will make her feel for me as I do for her." He began the feverous kissing again, almost angrily.
"You will not change her mind taking it out on me." Sarah stated calmly. The Fae man was either to caught up to listen of was ignoring her.
"Jareth, beware." Sarah warned, "If she finds out, she will never return your love, never indulge you, never forgive you, and neither will I."
Jareth looked up suddenly, almost like a confused frightened child.
"Sarah..?" His face seemed to crumple with despair.
A sudden rush of air surrounded her, and for a blinding moment she was free falling. With a thump she landed at the gate outside the mill.
"I'm so sorry Sarah." The wind called, but when Sarah turned around she was alone.
!%!%!%!%!%!%
A/N: Let's through a disclaimer in here: This is not mine. They are not mine.
Please note: I didn't mean for this to get so dark, sorry. I think. I did try to keep it humorous but there's nothing really funny about sexual abuse so...
I was going to write part of this story from Jareth's point of view but you have to get into the character and he's just too... Blah *Gestures hands wildly to prove a point*
Yes, the girl Sarah thinks is the fairy Princess to who Jareth is smitten is actually her, he's just going around talking in Fae riddles, trying be mysterious.
Drunk Jareth is great. He should appear in fanfics WAYYY more, in my opinion. To fill in his drunken blank month, basically he threw a temper tantrum after Sarah said that she would never want to marry a boy like Phillip and then she compared him to Phillip. So after trashing every square inch of the castle he probably went round, drinking whiskey. watching Sarah, moping and fantasising about his future wife.
Why did he run off when Sarah was talking about his wife (Her)? I think he realised just how close he was to raping her, probably realised how she would never forgive him and he would be trapped with a lifeless, puppet bride for all time.
My guess, he was probably trying to turn her on just so he could leave her in the lurch being satisfied with that fact that Sarah physically wanted him, but also having the twisted part of him having her pine over him. Does that make sense?
Dear God I'm so tired, I haven't even proof read. Send in mistakes if you find them.
If you get bored watch Repo! The genetic Opera: An innocent, but whiny young girl explores the fantasy/gothic world around her. Also includes rubbish parenting, the lack of a real mother figure, weird music and a man nearly double the age of the female lead, following her around, with his voice of liquid sex, occasionally helping and occasionally causing even more trouble for the girl, but always, ALWAYS, making innuendoes.
Goodnight Night Vale.