"Wild Is The Wind" is (c) David Bowie, not me or CG!
7
The next day brought everyone to the barn with a surly mood except for Trinity. She didn't mind the pouring rain that immediately soaked through everyone's clothes, and was unseasonably cold for the summer. She only wore a baseball cap to keep the worst of the moisture out of her eyes, but was otherwise completely comfortable in her jeans and t-shirt.
Jareth envied the girl her mood. He hated the rain, which is why it only rained in the Labyrinth when he was in a surly mood. He was uncomfortable not being able to control the weather here.
The rain had started coming down in buckets by the time everyone made the dash inside for shelter. The horses had been fed, and seemed to Trinity and Evelyn that the Fae had indeed taken good care of the animals while they had been gone. Finally, though, they were all inside the farmhouse where it was dry and warm. Trinity took the opportunity to shake out her short hair, splattering everyone with water. They were already soaked, so no one was upset. The girls ordered Jareth and Raiv to stay put while they went to change into dry clothes.
This was a new lesson for Jareth in patience. He and Raiv could change clothes instantaneously, and Jareth wasn't used to just sitting while waiting on someone. It was other people who waited on him, not the other way around. His attention span was very short, so after about five minutes he started to get impatient. Luckily for him, that was just about when the two girls appeared.
"Finally!" Jareth snapped, forgetting himself. "What were you doing that took so long?"
Trinity glared at him, while Evelyn rolled her eyes and sat on a recliner.
"Well I apologize for taking up so much of your time," the younger girl said sarcastically, "I'm sure you have plenty of important business to attend to."
Jareth shut his mouth, but glared back.
"I do wish," Evelyn said, standing up and walking across the room, "that this piano would work. We obviously can't do much outside today, and it would be so nice to be able to play a bit."
She pulled out the piano stool, sat down on it, and then opened the lid to the piano. She attempted to play a small piece of "Music of the Night" but the piano wouldn't cooperate. Its keys sounded wooden and old, and some of them wouldn't make a single sound. Evelyn sighed and then put her fingers on the furthest key to the right. She then dragged her fingers along the keys, all the way to the bottom note, and then brought her hands back to her lap and stared at the keys.
"You play the piano?" Jareth asked, standing up from the couch and moving to Evelyn's side.
"I do, but no one can play this one," Evelyn answered. "It's greatly in need of repair."
"Let me give it a try," Jareth said, and Evelyn stood up and stepped away without arguing.
Jareth sat down and placed his fingers on the keys. He tapped a few of the keys and then began to play an ancient Fae folk song, but the keys refused to sound under his attuned fingers, and he turned to Raiv with a frown on his face.
"Raiv, give this a bit of your magic," he ordered.
Raiv stepped over to the piano and tapped Middle C a total of three times before he moved away.
Jareth didn't thank him, but ran his fingers across the keys. Sounds came from the keys, beautiful, sweet-sounding music.
"Wow!" Evelyn exclaimed. "It worked!"
"Would you please sing for us, Jareth?" Trinity asked. "I'm sure you have a beautiful voice."
"I can sing somewhat," Jareth answered, and he puffed out his chest a bit and raised his head higher. "What would you like me to play?"
"What can you play?" Evelyn asked.
"What can I play?" Jareth snorted. "Anything and everything, girl."
"Pick a song that somewhat goes along with the weather," Trinity shrugged.
Jareth thought for a moment and then began to move his fingers against the piano keys, nothing but beautiful sounds floating like magic from his fingertips. He played a somewhat haunting melody, and then he began to sing, his voice clear and his eyes brightening with every word that escaped his lips.
"Love me, love me, love me, love, say you do.
Let me fly away with you.
For my love is like the wind,
And wild is the wind, wild is the wind.
Give me more than one caress,
Satisfy this hungriness.
Let the wind blow through your heart.
For wild is the wind, wild is the wind.
You touch me; I hear the sound of mandolins.
You kiss me; with your kiss my life begins.
You're spring to me, all things to me.
Don't you know you're life itself?
Like the leaf clings to the tree
Oh, my darling, cling to me.
For we're like creatures of the wind,
Wild is the wind, wild is the wind."
Trinity and Evelyn were both speechless as Jareth sang the last two measures again and then finished the song. How to describe how the Goblin King sang? Try listening to a David Bowie song sometime. If you fall in love with David Bowie's voice, then you're bound to love Jareth's.
His voice was one of those voices that leaves you breathless and makes you admire the singer no matter how old he may be, nor how old he might look.
Jareth looked up expectantly, hoping to have some adoring comments or appreciation from his audience.
"Well," Evelyn said, clearing her throat and struggling to keep her voice from cracking, again. "That was impressive, Jareth."
"Impressive? Just impressive?" Jareth snorted. "It's certainly not every day someone, especially two normal human girls, get to hear the Goblin King sing and play the piano!"
"I didn't mean it offensively," Evelyn said quickly. "It made me think of a waltz."
"A waltz?" Jareth asked, and his eyes, which had been so sullen before, suddenly lit up.
"Yes!" Evelyn said, catching on to his enthusiasm. "I'm sure you know how to, although, you probably wouldn't want to after…"
"Oh, tra la la, girl. I wouldn't mind a waltz at all. Miss Trinity, may I have the honor?" Jareth asked with a sweeping bow.
"But what about music?" Trinity asked, cheeks pink as the handsome king bowed before her.
"Miss Evelyn, do you not play the piano?"
"I do, but I only know one waltz," Evelyn said carefully, eyes flitting to Trinity's.
"Perhaps you should give her the music from your dance of so long ago with…" Raiv perked up but then lowered his voice as he stopped his sentence.
"I shall do that. That is an inspiring idea, Raiv," Jareth said. "Give her the music."
Evelyn turned to look at the sheet music that stood waiting for her on the piano, and she looked uncertainly at Raiv.
"This is the music for 'As the World Falls Down.' You really wish to dance to that?" she asked carefully.
"Why not? It is a charming dance, and I wrote it, after all," Jareth said with a shrug.
Evelyn sat at the piano as Trinity stepped towards Jareth.
"I don't know how to waltz," Trinity said, stopping before the Goblin King.
"I shall show you. It isn't difficult," Jareth said easily. "Take my hand and put your other hand on my shoulder, like so."
He moved Trinity's hands into their appropriate places, marveling at the smallness of her hands as he did so.
"Now," he said, waving his free hand easily in the air. "I shall put this hand on your waist, here."
Trinity involuntarily shuddered as Jareth placed his hand on her waist. She nearly squeaked with surprise when he pulled her close to him, so their bodies were almost touching. Jareth thought nothing of it, and he turned his head to Evelyn.
"Please begin."
Evelyn studied the sheet music for a short moment and then placed her hands on the piano. She began to play, the music flowing softly and quietly beneath her fingers.
"Now move with me," Jareth instructed Trinity, beginning to waltz. "Let me lead, and you shall learn this quickly enough."
Trinity did as he told her to. She followed his pace, letting him move her gracefully across the small open area in the living room.
"Raiv, move the furniture," Jareth said, spinning Trinity and then pulling her back towards him. "There is little room here to dance."
Raiv moved the furniture away from the center of the room, giving Jareth and Trinity more space.
Trinity hummed to the melody flowing from the piano as she danced with Jareth, trying hard to keep up with him and not trip over her own feet. Jareth didn't mind her awkwardness, and his eyes danced with pleasure. He didn't sing, but smiled in delight at Trinity, who tried to match his smile while she stumbled slightly.
Evelyn looked over her shoulder and gasped with surprise.
"Jareth!" she exclaimed. "Your fingers!"
Trinity and Jareth both looked to the Goblin King's fingers to see that a tiny, almost invisible cloud of glitter was dancing at the tips of his fingers.
"You're getting your power back!" Trinity exclaimed. "Jareth, you're doing it!"
"Sing!" Evelyn said cheerfully. "Sing, Jareth! Maybe it will help!"
Jareth waited for the appropriate timing in the music, and then he began to sing, his voice low and soothing. He sang through "As the World Falls Down," allowing his voice to fill with passion and letting the music carry his voice. He and Trinity moved like there was no floor, and indeed, Trinity could have declared that there really wasn't one. Her eyes were locked on the blue and brown ones of the Goblin King, and her ears were tuned only to hear his music. There was no Evelyn, no Raiv, no living room, and no piano. There was only Jareth, gorgeous and suave all at the same time. Though he had no power at the moment, he had entranced her, and she closed her eyes, letting the music fill her soul and letting his hands guide her dance.
The song finished, and Evelyn smiled to herself as she looked at the Fae and the human, still dancing, entirely oblivious to the fact that the song was over.
"Well," Raiv said, breaking the magical silence that was hovering through the room. "That was quite charming."
"It was," Jareth said, pulling away from Trinity and bowing, his eyes never leaving hers. "Thank you, Trinity. I have not danced like that in a long time."
"I have never danced like that," Trinity said breathlessly, collapsing onto the couch. "Your voice…it's…it's…"
"Irresistible," Evelyn piped up helpfully, and Trinity turned beet red. "Shall I make something for lunch?"
"Is it lunch time already?" Trinity asked, still in a slight daze.
"It is. Let me go see what's in the cupboard," Evelyn nodded and then stood up from the piano stool.
That, Evelyn would later claim, was the turning point in Raiv's behavior.
At lunch, he was silent. He still scooted his chair uncomfortably close to Evelyn's, but made no move to be a part of any conversation. Trinity was still blushing from her dance with Jareth, and avoided the goblin king's eyes, though they followed her. The conversation was kept neutral, centering around the weather.
"How long do storms in your world last?" Jareth asked, still annoyed at the rain.
An answering boom of thunder seemed to challenge him.
Evelyn shrugged. "It differs. Sometimes they can last a few minutes, sometimes a couple days."
Jareth scowled. He did not like the idea of rain lasting for longer than he thought necessary.
Trinity had different views. "I love the rain," she said, "It's like everything is being washed clean. It gives new life. I especially like hearing the thunder, because it always reminds me that there is someone bigger out there, watching over me."
Jareth considered this food for thought. It was definitely a new take on something he detested.
Raiv seemed to be trying to bore holes in the table with his eyes.
As they cleaned up the lunch dishes, Trinity mentioned that she always got better ideas for drawings when she was stuck inside, and it struck Jareth's curiosity. He asked if he could see any of her artwork. Trinity ducked her head, but she liked showing other people her work, and so led the goblin king into another room to see her sketches.
Evelyn decided to take this opportunity to apologize to Raiv, who was still in the kitchen with her.
"Raiv…" she began.
He glanced at her.
"I just…wanted to apologize," she said, actually meeting his gaze, "If there's anything I've done…that's offended you or anything…" she trailed off because of the look she saw in his eyes.
He was annoyed at her. "Why are you apologizing?"
"I just thought that…the reason you weren't engaging so much was because of the way I'd been treating you…"
"No!" he snapped, "That's not it at all. No. You're a perfectly nice and amiable girl. You both are." He spat the last few words, as if they were terrible. "What's not to like?"
With this, he stomped towards the front door, and went out into the rain and thunder.
"Ev?" Trinity called, coming around the corner, "Are you alright? I thought I heard…"
The look on her friend's face stopped her cold. She saw that Raiv was nowhere to be found, and quickly understood what had happened.
"Oh, Ev," she said, coming to put her arms around Evelyn's shoulders, "I'm so sorry."
Jareth came around the corner then, but stopped, bewildered by the girls' downcast faces.
Trinity glared at him.
"What happened?" Jareth wanted to know.
"Go talk to your friend," Trinity said softly, dangerously.
Jareth didn't know exactly how much damage the small girl could do to him, but he went outside as she ordered.
When he was gone, Trinity buried her face in Evelyn's back. "I knew it," she said, "I knew he was a creep. He's just a dorkface. We should have never let him in in the first place."
Evelyn turned to her younger friend, smiling as she gathered herself. "It's not your fault," she said, "So don't blame yourself. We probably can't do anything about him but put on a brave face. There's no telling how much power he's got. If we were to act mean to him like he was to us, he could decide to retaliate. Besides, it's good for Jareth to see forgiveness in action."
Trinity sighed. "I guess you're right."
