disclaimer: no. I don't own it
rating: T for now...
note: I'm glad you all like the last chapter, but a lot of you seem to be worried that I won't continue this story. Worry not! This story has a hold on me, and it's not letting go!
Also, there is a reference picture of Lenam linked in my profile, drawn by me. Oh, and one of Barenwyn too.
Oleander
Sarah lifted up the hem of her blue dress, tentatively placing one booted foot on the first step. Lenam snickered at her from a few steps down, but she wasn't about to let that teasing overwhelm her sense of caution. Taking a deep breath, she began to climb down, her eyes wide so as to let any light in in the darkness. Reaching the bottom, she heard the rustle of Barenwyn's gown, and seconds later the room was alight.
Sarah gaped up at the ceiling, transfixed. It seemed the upside-down tree was actually many more times immense as it appeared. Thick, russet colored limbs wound their way outward, clinging to the earthen ceiling. Pale fruit hung, soft translucent white skin stretched over what appeared to be red flesh. Ever curious, Sarah stretched out a hand to stroke one, snapping her hand back with a gasp as she found they were warm as flesh.
"The trolls planted it." Lenam remarked, and Sarah looked to her, her green eyes curious. Lenam smiled. "take one. It might help us trick Jareth's wards..." Barenwyn clucked her tongue.
"Now, Princess, you know it won't last long against that magic..."
"It's worth a shot..."
"It's not worth shite..."
"I beg to differ..." she snapped, looking to Sarah. "What could it hurt? Trolls aren't the tricksy type." Sarah deliberated, before taking one against all caution. Studying the fruit, she seemed to miss the sly smirk that slid onto Lenam's mouth. Barenwyn grumbled.
"Alright, you two, let's be going..." Lenam followed after her, and Sarah trotted behind, the fruit close to her lips. It was strange, but it felt hauntingly like the brush of lips before a kiss.
Jareth stirred in his throne, blinking blearily at his cat-like pose for a total of three seconds before snapping to alert. He could have sworn the dream he'd just had was real...it had felt that way. Closing his eyes briefly,he could remember warmth brushing across his lips, but he could recall no image. Which meant...He felt is lips curl into a sly smirk, opening his mismatched eyes. Sarah his mind whispered insistently, and for once he didn't respond adversely to the sound of it ringing between his ears. She was here, he could feel her. Her presence sang along his skin, and his fey nature thrilled at the thought of who he considered his bonded. Revenge? A small part of his mind hissed, but no...he'd have that when he had her. And this time...he would not lose.
Sarah soon found that the shortcut was actually quite long. Trudging behind the two long legged fey, her stomach began to growl, and began to consume her caution in the absence of food. She stared at the fruit in her hand. Finally she gave up, sinking her teeth into the soft flesh, shivering slightly as the warm liquid poured down her throat, burning like whiskey. It tasted like some aged and expensive liquor, but filled her stomach and warmed her insides, so she couldn't complain. Taking another bite, which, provided the warmth in the fruit, felt like a kiss, she hardly noticed that she stopped walking. Neither did she notice when both of the other women turned to watch her, one in glee, the other in apparent disgust. Swallowing, she did notice when the floor bottomed out on all of them, sending them plunging into even deeper darkness than before.
Humming to himself, Didymus seemed to laugh with delight when the three lovely ladies came rolling out of a pipe and into his swamp. Chortling to himself, he dismounted and trotted forward, seemingly ignoring Barewyn's cursing.
"Oh damn it all---this isn't what I wanted at all..." She grumbled, while Lenam sat up, flicking her hair out of her face.
"Deal with it Barry, we have to find a way out of this place--"
"B- Barry—WHAT?!" Barenwyn snarled, but Lenam snorted and looked around to Sarah.
Her green eyes were open and fever bright, her cheeks flushed. She looked a bit dazed, but still aware. Looking to Lenam she blinked, as if to adjust her eyes.
"What did that fruit do?"
"er well...it makes you like one of us for a while. I'm sorry Sarah but it seemed like the best way to camouflage you..." Sarah stared at her, eyes unusually penetrating, then nodded. She felt...strange. Her head seemed weightless, as did everything bu her arms, which felt leaden, but that seemed to be lessening. But the strangest feeling was of a non-physical sort...in fact, she couldn't quite point out what it related to at all. Turning her head, she saw Didymus, and managed to form her face into a smile for him.
"Hello Didymus. You're looking well..." but Barenwyn cut in.
"That means all the more, since you can't tell untruths now..." Sarah darted a glance at her, swallowing. So that's what the strangeness was then? She'd had a basic human defense taken from her...she could manage, right? She tried to ignore the edge of panic trembling at the edge of her psyche, turning back to Didymus, who was looking worried.
Lenam glared at Barenwyn behind her, receiving the match in return, but Sarah didn't see it, focusing on her friend, a source of solidity in her currently quicksilver world.
"Didymus—we were on a shortcut before. Do you think you could at least show us a way out of this? We don't have Ludo this time..." Didymus removed his hat, looking somewhat abashed, as if he'd been caught in the hen coop.
"Ah my dear...I am afraid I will lead you on another path, as I have little choice. The king wishes to see you directly." Sarah tried to throw a tantrum, to say she did not want to see him, but her tongue curled backward at the lies. Trying again, she managed to at least answer softly.
"good..."
Jareth stood in his throne room, for once devoid of goblins. His hands were clasped behind his back, his eyes closed, and his head tilted to the side as if he were listening for something. Which he was, of course.
Thought they were dim, he could hear the click of Ambrosius's feet, and the soft padding of the leather slippers of Barenwyn and...he presumed another fey. But what he focused on was the gentle thud of man made boots, uneven in rhythm as the wearer stopped occasionally to look at things. Sarah...it was her, he knew.
His thoughts whirled with her, at his ears tuned to her soft steps. Had she grown even more lovely? He had seen her in the balcony, with so little light, and he had thought she had. He had watched her sing like a lark on stage, (which he hadn't known she could do) and been caught in her spell...but neither of those times had let him see those green eyes, ablaze with light and defiant. Years ago now, he pondered, it had been years since he'd looked her in the face. But what would he see there? Fear? Fascination? Or would she stubbornly hate him until the end of her days? No,he thought, as stubborn as she was, he would win her.
Opening his eyes, he watched the great door scrape open with a groan. Mentally switching to analytic mode, he grimaced upon seeing his sister. She gave him a cheeky smile, and his scowl deepened. Turning his extraordinary eyes to Barenwyn, he waved his hand.
"Leave us. Take the..."he struggled, finally deciding he couldn't call Sarah a girl. "lady with you for a moment and wait." Nor could he look at her just yet. Barenwyn curtsied and ushered an annoyed Sarah out. He rounded on his sister.
"You?! You brought her here, of you own accord?" his tone was intense and low, teetering toward anger. His sister nodded slowly, looking much like their father it was eery. His grumbled, apparently thinking. "Why?"
"She saved my life...and she thinks of you still." He looked up at her words, surprised.
"Does she now?"
"She must. She was far too flustered by your visit, as if she was overthinking it..." Jareth snorted at his sister's logic, but he had to admit it sounded plausible. He fixed her with a solid look.
"...There's something else." Lenam stayed solemn for four seconds before her face split into a large grin.
"Ah well. Happy birthday brother."
Sarah was slumped against the wall when Lenam poked her head back out, looking cheerful.
"Your turn Sarah..." Sarah frowned at the congruence of this and a doctor's office. Straightening, she strode through the door, and this time forced herself to look at him.
She'd forgotten how...magnificent he was. Beautiful and deadly, like an oleander, or something twice as poisonous. He was not looking at her as yet, but when she closed the door, he turned and fixed her with those eyes of his. They both froze, as if ensnared. She studied him, her eyes taking in each detail of his face. Slowly, she realized he looked tired,a little drawn. She wondered what could do that to him, who she'd thought was invincible...a girlish notion. Thinking it over,she remembered Lenam telling her about...what was it?...the spirit-bonded. And she had said that Jareth had needed her for that reason. Could this be what was draining him so?
Jareth stared at her. Lovely was not the word at all..perhaps divine would do. She had grown taller, he noted, and shapelier. The loose dress she wore did little to disguise her now womanly shape. He tried not to linger on that and forced is eyes to her face, specifically those eyes. He didn't know what he'd expected to see in them, but it certainly wasn't awe. He looked at the rest of her face, finding a particular point of interest in her mouth. It was fuller than he remembered, and even more irresistible. Dimly, he was aware he was caught by her, like a fly in her web. But she made no move to use her advantage, and he wondered why. Irritated with this impasse, he forced a smirk.
"well Sarah, I'm sure you must be ever so pleased to see me..." She hesitated, and he moved closer, waiting. She seemed as if she was fumbling with her tongue, until she finally just blurted.
"yes." she winced then, and he felt his brows raise to the hairline. What was this? He looked at her curiously, as if he were a cat staring at a canary.
"Sarah? What new game is this? Honesty is quite..." he juggled a crystal. "novel for you, I must say." Sarah glowered at him, (which did not dim her beauty, he found...) and attempted to keep her mouth shut. He grinned, pleased at this new development.
"Oh Sarah, I think I see. Well, now that I have such an advantage..." she started as his hand landed at her collar and slowly slid up her neck, causing her lashes to flutter unconsciously. "I think, that we have much to catch up on, hmm? So tell me, Sarah mine..." he leaned forward, lips at her ear. "who has the power now?"
an: yay! Longer still! Oh, and the underground tree is for the most part Holly Black's idea, with a few alterations when it comes to the fruit on my part.
