Chapter Six: Uncertainty
Cassandra hummed as she cut back another branch of the rose bush. Lady Michu had given her many ideas about how to help the roses along, but had insisted with a strange smile that they needed love most of all. Cassandra had asked her what she meant and Lady Michu shook her head.
"…You mean he didn't tell you about the roses?"
"Who? Jareth?"
"Yes." Lady Michu walked over and touched a thorn. "You have heard of Natalie, I suppose?"
"I have met the… lady." Cassandra kept her voice calm.
"This garden was given to her by Jareth, but her love proved unfaithful, and he left them to die when she was banished."
"Oh." Cassandra's voice was small. "I had no idea."
"That is why I was amazed he allowed you to try to bring them back to life, although perhaps he has finally forgotten all about her and her evil ways…"
Cassandra shook her head and sat back from the roses, thinking about that earlier conversation. Why had Jareth allowed her to try and bring them back to life? It made no sense, usually he refused to be reminded of Natalie, and this must have been a terrible reminder to him. Unless Lady Michu was right and he had put it all behind him.
"Giving up?"
She looked up to see Jareth standing over her. "Of course not. I'm just resting."
"Good." He held out a hand and helped her to stand. "Then perhaps I have caught you at a good time."
"Oh?"
"Would you care to walk to the beach? It's a lovely day."
"Pleasantries Jareth?"
"There are some things I need to speak to you about which may concern our guests."
Cassandra wondered for a moment why her heart lurched when he said "our guests". Shaking herself mentally she nodded. "Then lead the way."
* * * * *
Stephan watched the couple walk away from the gardens and the castle with a frown. His brother had better not tell her about the Valentines, that would spoil all the fun.
Lifting his hand in the air he produced a crystal ball, which he held in front of him with a frown. He would just have to make sure Jareth didn't say anything he shouldn't… and then if he did…
"Your Majesty?" A soft voice asked from the doorway.
Stephan swung around. "Charity."
"I ah, do you have a moment?"
"Of course." He smiled at the vision before him. When he had told her she was lovelier than he had last saw her he was telling the truth. Her green eyes glowed like small gems, and her hair was an amazing yellow gold. She was beautiful, and he couldn't figure out how he had never noticed it until now.
"Good." She walked into the room. "I was hoping you could help me with my valentine. I seem to be horrendous when it comes to writing."
"Help you my lady? But that would require you to tell me who your valentine is."
"No, not really. I could only give you characteristics of him and you could help me out."
Stephan thought for a moment. True, the only two names he manipulated were Jareth and Cassandra's, so he had no clue who anyone else picked. There would be no harm in helping her, especially if it meant spending more time with the sweet young woman in front of him.
"Deal. Why don't you start by telling me about his person."
"Well, he's quite handsome, and rather witty. I know him to be an extremely intelligent man." She smiled.
Stephan stood up straighter. What compliments he was receiving!
The crystal was promptly forgotten.
* * * * *
As they walked in silence, Jareth worried about how to break the news to Cassandra. As they neared the cliffs, he resigned himself to tell her. He was sure she wouldn't like to hear it, but he knew he had to let her know, for her own well being.
When Stephan had come to him the night before, Jareth knew something was wrong. His brother had been drinking, something he rarely did, and although not quite drunk, he was certainly loose-tongued. The things that Stephan had confided to him last night were perhaps not shocking, but surprising nonetheless.
Now, he knew more than he would like to, and was afraid he was about to break Cassandra's heart. He couldn't let her find out on her own, that was for sure.
"Cassandra…"
"Yes?" She stopped walking, surprised at the sound of his voice.
Jareth pointed over to a flat patch of moss on the cliff overlooking the sea. "Shall we?"
Cassandra sat down on the dark green moss, smoothing her skirts out and looking over the ocean. She sighed. "I truly envy you the years you have had, able to gaze out over the sea whenever you wish as a king."
Jareth sat down beside her, stunned slightly. "You may visit the sea whenever you wish Cassandra."
Cassandra laughed slightly. "I know, but it is not *my* sea."
He was at a loss for words, and just nodded.
"But you did not ask to talk to be about the sea, did you?"
"No. I did not." He took a deep breath. "Cassandra, what do you think about my brother?"
"Stephan?" She asked, surprised. "Why, he is a great friend, I love him dearly."
"You love him?" Jareth couldn't believe what he was hearing. Something inside him was nearly screaming, wrenching at his stomach.
"Of course. He's a wonderful friend."
"Then I don't know how to say this Cassandra, but…" He faltered. How could he do that to her? How could he break her heart? "I'm sorry."
"Jareth, there have been many times you made no sense to me, but you are really pushing it here. What the hell are you talking about? I'm surprised, to say the least, that you walk with me all the way out here to ask what I think about Stephan. You should *know* what I think about him! You are his brother, after all." She turned to him, her eyes brewing like the sea below. "What is going on, Jareth?"
All he could do was stare at her. At her eyes. Their colors swirled together to create such an amazing brilliance that he couldn't think straight.
Perhaps it was her eyes, or perhaps the roaring of the sea, or perhaps the way her lips slightly parted as she gazed at him in confusion. Whatever the reason, he suddenly found himself wanting to take her in his arms and kiss away any thought she had of his brother. He found himself leaning towards her when her voice softly questioned.
"Jareth? What's wrong?"
As if awakening from a dream he looked up. "What?"
"You looked as if you were in another world there for a second."
"Perhaps I was." He smiled slightly.
"Well perhaps you could come back to this world for a moment and tell me what you brought me here to tell me."
"Perhaps I shouldn't."
"Well why not?" She nearly screamed.
"Because you love him."
"What?" Confusion washed over her.
Jareth stood up abruptly. "Because he's in love with Charity." Before she could say anything he stalked away, leaving Cassandra alone and bemused.
"Oh you ridiculous man." She smiled. "I knew that. Did you think it would break my heart?" A strange warmth began to fill her. Perhaps there was more to Jareth than she though. She smiled.
Then a dark thought crossed her mind.
"Or perhaps it has already broken yours."
She turned back to look at the sea. Was Jareth in love with Miss Charity then as well?
* * * * *
Cassandra hummed as she cut back another branch of the rose bush. Lady Michu had given her many ideas about how to help the roses along, but had insisted with a strange smile that they needed love most of all. Cassandra had asked her what she meant and Lady Michu shook her head.
"…You mean he didn't tell you about the roses?"
"Who? Jareth?"
"Yes." Lady Michu walked over and touched a thorn. "You have heard of Natalie, I suppose?"
"I have met the… lady." Cassandra kept her voice calm.
"This garden was given to her by Jareth, but her love proved unfaithful, and he left them to die when she was banished."
"Oh." Cassandra's voice was small. "I had no idea."
"That is why I was amazed he allowed you to try to bring them back to life, although perhaps he has finally forgotten all about her and her evil ways…"
Cassandra shook her head and sat back from the roses, thinking about that earlier conversation. Why had Jareth allowed her to try and bring them back to life? It made no sense, usually he refused to be reminded of Natalie, and this must have been a terrible reminder to him. Unless Lady Michu was right and he had put it all behind him.
"Giving up?"
She looked up to see Jareth standing over her. "Of course not. I'm just resting."
"Good." He held out a hand and helped her to stand. "Then perhaps I have caught you at a good time."
"Oh?"
"Would you care to walk to the beach? It's a lovely day."
"Pleasantries Jareth?"
"There are some things I need to speak to you about which may concern our guests."
Cassandra wondered for a moment why her heart lurched when he said "our guests". Shaking herself mentally she nodded. "Then lead the way."
* * * * *
Stephan watched the couple walk away from the gardens and the castle with a frown. His brother had better not tell her about the Valentines, that would spoil all the fun.
Lifting his hand in the air he produced a crystal ball, which he held in front of him with a frown. He would just have to make sure Jareth didn't say anything he shouldn't… and then if he did…
"Your Majesty?" A soft voice asked from the doorway.
Stephan swung around. "Charity."
"I ah, do you have a moment?"
"Of course." He smiled at the vision before him. When he had told her she was lovelier than he had last saw her he was telling the truth. Her green eyes glowed like small gems, and her hair was an amazing yellow gold. She was beautiful, and he couldn't figure out how he had never noticed it until now.
"Good." She walked into the room. "I was hoping you could help me with my valentine. I seem to be horrendous when it comes to writing."
"Help you my lady? But that would require you to tell me who your valentine is."
"No, not really. I could only give you characteristics of him and you could help me out."
Stephan thought for a moment. True, the only two names he manipulated were Jareth and Cassandra's, so he had no clue who anyone else picked. There would be no harm in helping her, especially if it meant spending more time with the sweet young woman in front of him.
"Deal. Why don't you start by telling me about his person."
"Well, he's quite handsome, and rather witty. I know him to be an extremely intelligent man." She smiled.
Stephan stood up straighter. What compliments he was receiving!
The crystal was promptly forgotten.
* * * * *
As they walked in silence, Jareth worried about how to break the news to Cassandra. As they neared the cliffs, he resigned himself to tell her. He was sure she wouldn't like to hear it, but he knew he had to let her know, for her own well being.
When Stephan had come to him the night before, Jareth knew something was wrong. His brother had been drinking, something he rarely did, and although not quite drunk, he was certainly loose-tongued. The things that Stephan had confided to him last night were perhaps not shocking, but surprising nonetheless.
Now, he knew more than he would like to, and was afraid he was about to break Cassandra's heart. He couldn't let her find out on her own, that was for sure.
"Cassandra…"
"Yes?" She stopped walking, surprised at the sound of his voice.
Jareth pointed over to a flat patch of moss on the cliff overlooking the sea. "Shall we?"
Cassandra sat down on the dark green moss, smoothing her skirts out and looking over the ocean. She sighed. "I truly envy you the years you have had, able to gaze out over the sea whenever you wish as a king."
Jareth sat down beside her, stunned slightly. "You may visit the sea whenever you wish Cassandra."
Cassandra laughed slightly. "I know, but it is not *my* sea."
He was at a loss for words, and just nodded.
"But you did not ask to talk to be about the sea, did you?"
"No. I did not." He took a deep breath. "Cassandra, what do you think about my brother?"
"Stephan?" She asked, surprised. "Why, he is a great friend, I love him dearly."
"You love him?" Jareth couldn't believe what he was hearing. Something inside him was nearly screaming, wrenching at his stomach.
"Of course. He's a wonderful friend."
"Then I don't know how to say this Cassandra, but…" He faltered. How could he do that to her? How could he break her heart? "I'm sorry."
"Jareth, there have been many times you made no sense to me, but you are really pushing it here. What the hell are you talking about? I'm surprised, to say the least, that you walk with me all the way out here to ask what I think about Stephan. You should *know* what I think about him! You are his brother, after all." She turned to him, her eyes brewing like the sea below. "What is going on, Jareth?"
All he could do was stare at her. At her eyes. Their colors swirled together to create such an amazing brilliance that he couldn't think straight.
Perhaps it was her eyes, or perhaps the roaring of the sea, or perhaps the way her lips slightly parted as she gazed at him in confusion. Whatever the reason, he suddenly found himself wanting to take her in his arms and kiss away any thought she had of his brother. He found himself leaning towards her when her voice softly questioned.
"Jareth? What's wrong?"
As if awakening from a dream he looked up. "What?"
"You looked as if you were in another world there for a second."
"Perhaps I was." He smiled slightly.
"Well perhaps you could come back to this world for a moment and tell me what you brought me here to tell me."
"Perhaps I shouldn't."
"Well why not?" She nearly screamed.
"Because you love him."
"What?" Confusion washed over her.
Jareth stood up abruptly. "Because he's in love with Charity." Before she could say anything he stalked away, leaving Cassandra alone and bemused.
"Oh you ridiculous man." She smiled. "I knew that. Did you think it would break my heart?" A strange warmth began to fill her. Perhaps there was more to Jareth than she though. She smiled.
Then a dark thought crossed her mind.
"Or perhaps it has already broken yours."
She turned back to look at the sea. Was Jareth in love with Miss Charity then as well?
* * * * *