How on earth could one woman, one mortal woman, frustrate him so? Jareth knew the answer, but denial was all too tempting. She had power over him. More power than he could ever hope to have over her. Pacing his throne room, which was very out of character for the normally put-together Goblin King, Jareth mused over the possibilities in Sarah's vision at the Forgotten Ocean. Pain and the presence of the Goblin King. Would he make her a slave? Impossible. Immortals have never made slaves of any creature. Not that Jareth had not considered it before. Those pesky fairies. Would he torture her? Unlikely, although not altogether undeserved. Clever, she may be but she was not the most submissive. Jareth smiled at the thought.
~XxXxX~
Sarah was also pacing in the library. She knew she had feigned exhaustion, but after her experience in the Forgotten Ocean, she had become restless. Maverick sat at the table watching her.
"What exactly has you so anxious, Sarah?" he asked.
"I saw something in the Forgotten Ocean." Sarah admitted. It had taken Maverick nearly an hour to get this far.
Maverick could barely keep his mouth from dropping open. "Inconceivable."
Sarah looked at him, pausing briefly. "That sounds oddly familiar." She continued to stalk back and forth.
The older man sighed. "Sarah, you are very lucky that you only gained knowledge, and did not lose yourself entirely."
Sarah stopped pacing and stood in front of Maverick. "It was the future, like the legend. I know it was."
"Tell me what you saw, Sarah."
"I saw a room. I was lying in a bed. Jareth was standing beside me, leaning against the wall. He looked concerned and worried, as though something were wrong.."
Sarah fell to the ground, as though in pain, her back arched and hands clenched into fists. Maverick went to her side. She whimpered and he saw sweat bead above her eyebrows.
"Sarah, what is it? What's wrong?"
Her eyes were rolled back into her head. "There's something wrong, Jareth. Something wrong with the baby!" She screamed.
Maverick was nearly in a panic until her labored breathing became steady and her eyes closed gently. She opened them moments later. She sat up, moving slowly as though to test her ability to do so.
"Sarah, what happened?"
"The vision, I must have been concentrating too hard, it came back to me."
"You said something about-"
"Something about what, Maverick? I'm utterly dying to know the details." Jareth interrupted. He was indeed dying to know, but his mask was far too thick for the librarian to decipher.
"She said something about pain, your Majesty."
Jareth glowered at him. "If I find you have lied to me, Maverick, punishment will be swift and smelly."
Maverick shuddered but shook his head. "No, Majesty. That was all she said."
Jareth knew he was lying but there was no use in dunking Maverick in the Bog. He liked the man, and smelly librarians did not do good work. "I think we will forego lessons today, Maverick. Sarah is looking a tad pale, don't you agree?"
Maverick nodded.
"Good. Sarah, say your goodbyes until tomorrow, and then please go to bed."
Sarah nodded as well.
Jareth vanished before them and Maverick instantly snapped his head toward Sarah.
"You saw yourself bearing Jareth's child?"
"Yes, I was going to ask you if immortals can procreate with mortals."
Maverick frowned. "Of course they can! They are both human, after all!" He whispered harshly.
"How was I to know that? I am just starting this class, you know."
He looked at her, a fatherly expression on his face. "Tell me you haven't...entertained his Majesty in your room already?"
Sarah's cheeks blushed red as mid-October.
Maverick shook his head. "Sarah, you could already be with child."
"I know, I know." She didn't think it was likely since her monthly visit was due to make an appearance.
"You should see Asclepius. He could tell you just by looking at you."
"Another Greek God?"
"Named after. No relation. He is an immortal in the Crystal Forest. He is a gifted Remedian."
"Remedian?"
"You call them doctors in the human world."
"No. I won't go until it is necessary."
Maverick shrugged. "I think you should definitely tell the Goblin King, however."
"Definitely not." She hastily left the room.
~XxXxX~
Jareth had heard every word. Sarah's vision in the Forgotten Ocean had been intriguing. Sarah bearing his child? He wondered if what she had seen was already in motion. Was she already pregnant? He decided to visit the Crystal Forest. When his destination lay before him, he went straight to Asclepius' hut in the front of the little village. Although Jareth preferred his own lifestyle to that of the other immortals, they had a very well established community. They lived simply. Only taking what they needed from the forest, they were entirely self sufficient. Jareth didn't bother knocking. Not only was Asclepius a Remedian, he was probably waiting on Jareth. His Sight was better than even William's.
Jareth was right. Asclepius was sitting in his front room, arms crossed loosely over his chest. He was older than Jareth but he looked barely over thirty. His face held dimples and a the smallest teeth one has ever seen. He had a broad chest and a square jaw. Jareth understood why most mortal women found him maddeningly handsome. "Your Majesty?"
"Asclepius, I require your assistance." Jareth said crisply.
The man only smiled. "Of course. As my king, I would love nothing more than to assist in any way I can."
Normally Jareth appreciated Asclepius' sense of humor, but right now Jareth had priorities. "Not now, Asclepius. I have a simple task for you."
His face straightened, seriousness clouding his eyes. "Yes, your Majesty." He stood. Unfortunately, that was when Asclepius blinked. He found his hut had disappeared, replaced by a bedroom. His lunch rolled around in his stomach.
When he saw the girl sleeping in the bed, he gasped out loud.
"Is that...?"
"That is Sarah."
"And what is it you need from me?"
"Is she with child?"
Asclepius raised an eyebrow. "You want to know if she is pregnant..with your child?"
"That is what I asked."
Asclepius only glanced at Sarah for a moment. "No. But she is dreaming of you."
Jareth blinked. "I beg your pardon?"
The remedian's eyes lingered on the woman's sleeping figure. "She is dreaming of you..and thinking of her vision..." He drifted off, a scowl marking his face and his hands clutching his temples. By the time Asclepius had composed himself, Jareth had already returned them to his hut. Jareth helped the man to the nearest piece of furniture.
"Tell me what you witnessed."
"He is coming back." Asclepius whispered without removing his hands from his face.
"Whom?"
"He wants the kingdom." Once more, his voice was barely a whisper.
Jareth cursed aloud. William was returning. He would be wanting Sarah.
~XxXxX~
Sarah woke feeling rested, which was unusual enough. She dressed in a pretty purple gown that made her feel dazzling, realized it was midmorning and that she had slept through the evening and night. Her stomach growled painfully, urging her to seek nourishment. She made her way to the kitchen and ate a light breakfast. One of the kitchen maids informed her that once she had finished her meal, the Goblin King waited in the throne room. He wished to speak to her. She slowly walked the long halls to Jareth. He was sitting at his desk in the study.
"You asked to see me?"
Jareth nodded slowly. "I feel I should warn you. William will be returning to the Goblin City."
Sarah's breath hitched. "When?"
"That I do not know."
"Then how do you know he's coming?"
"I visited the Remedian today and he informed me as such."
Sarah managed to choke out the question, "What is a remedian?" but the word rolled off her tongue a litte too well. It was hardly believable.
Jareth ignored it. "You would call him a doctor."
She nodded as nonchalantly as possible. Did he know about ther vision?
He did and stated as much. "I do know what you witnessed in the Forgotten Ocean, Sarah. Did you think you could keep it from me?"
She responded without hesitation. "I had hoped."
He was standing before her in an instant. Rather than respond he brushed a kiss across her lips. Without a word, he vanished.
Sarah immediately ran to the library.
Maverick did not so much as look up from where his head lay on the table. He was fast asleep.
She gently roused him and he practically threw the books beside him on the floor.
"Gah!" He shouted.
"Sorry, Maverick. I didn't mean to startle you."
He waved his hand. "It's quite alright. Why do you look so perturbed?"
"Will is coming back. Jareth just told me. And Jareth knows about my vision."
