Author's Note: Ok... Ok... so I'm terrible at updating... I could make excuses about how I go married this year, but that doesn't go far. Long story short, I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I've read every single one of your reviews, and yes, they always serve to make me write more. You guys are incredible, and you keep me remembering why I love to write. Keep reviewing, and I'll keep writing!
Frankness had always felt that he had been dealt a shit hand. He'd been born to witches of the lesser nobility, and though his parents had worked hard to improve their station enough to send him to foster with the Goblin King, an honor generally reserved for the higher nobles, he still felt cheated. His parents told him time and again to keep his head up, that adolescence would pass soon enough, but they were stupid people. Small, and unambitious. He had known it from a young age that he had been destined for more.
His eyes wandered over the crowd of dancers in the ballroom and alighted on his princess, Justice of the Witches. He had tried, unsuccessfully several months ago to ask the beautiful woman out, but she had simply smiled at him. "Maybe in a few years." She'd said.
It'd been like acid in his mouth. She obviously saw in him what everyone else did. A slight, gangly creature with a ginger complexion that might have done him fine if he had the body to back it up, but he didn't. He was the son of lesser people, of uncultured idiots, and she must have seen that.
He watched the princess speaking to that lecher, Reegan, and he couldn't help a sneer of disgust. If that was the type of man she preferred, then so be it. He himself had moved on to better things, grander ventures that would surely lead him farther than either of his simple parents could have dared to dream.
He thought with more than a little glee of his plans as he walked out onto the terrace toward the stairs that led down to a secluded garden house out of the view of the main ballroom. His parents would soon have to treat him like their superior, and he would make them feel it. He would make them regret every move they didn't make out of honor or pride. He knew eventually, they would come to respect him, and that made him the most excited of all.
He opened the door to the little gardener's hut, and there she was. The woman who would soon make all his plans and dreams come true. It had been a whirlwind romance, certainly, but he knew that this was a love that would last a lifetime. Some would cry how their age difference was too much, but they were also small people, idiots. This woman saw the greatness in him, and he had nothing but love and desire for her.
He bowed to her sharply. "My queen," he said as regally as he could muster. "Frankness," she said on a sigh as she moved to him swiftly, embracing him in a deep, passionate kiss. "These last weeks without you have been torture, my love." She said as she placed a hand on his face. "I know. I think of you every night. It is so hard to be apart."
She buried her face in his chest as she spoke. "Soon love, soon we will be together. The arrival of the boy has accelerated our plans immensely." He pulled back and looked at her in confusion. "What does the boy have to do with anything?" She looked up into his eyes and set a stern expression. "Frankness, the boy is everything. Without him, my kingdom… our kingdom will fall. I must have him brought to me." Her faced had been hard and cold, and then in changed into a look of such sadness. "But I don't know how I'll be able to get him to my castle without that beast Jareth's interference…"
Frankness felt his heart pull, and suddenly he knew what he needed to do. He knew he would do anything to make this woman happy, and he knew that the health and safety of her throne was paramount to all. He stiffened his spine and gave her his most manly expression. "I'll bring him to you." Her eyes brightened with unshed tears of joy as she looked up at him. "Oh, my love, you will?"
"I would do anything for you. Don't worry. I'll make sure you have everything your heart desires," he said with a surety that belied his unease. He had no idea how he would pull off the act, but he knew he would do anything for the woman before him.
Her bright look slowly changed into a low smolder. "I'm sure I'll have to reward you for such a valiant act. Now I wonder what I could do that would please you?" As she spoke, she slowly ran her hands down his body, and grasped his member through his trousers.
He gasped and stammered, "I'm…I'm sure you can think of something." She smiled at him, and slowly began to sink to her knees. She truly was a goddess amongst fools.
Jareth held back his amusement as much as he possibly could. Sarah's expression was glorious, all doe eyes and slightly agape mouth. Had she really expected him not to recognize her? Particularly when she wore nearly the same outfit she had worn when they had last danced? Images of that night had been filling his minds from the moment he saw her.
She had been younger then. Young enough to feel the taboo in his veins as his pulse had quickened at her defiance. When they had danced he had adored the way she had gazed at him, like he was the only thing in the world. Her large green eyes had captivated his own, and it hadn't been until later that he had felt sickened by his own response to the girl.
Sarah looked at him in much the same way now… but she was not a child now. No. His eyes wandered over the fullness of her breast, the roundness of her hips. It didn't matter, he told himself. She was still a girl, really. She was still untouchable as far as he was concerned… but then that defiance came, and oh, how he wanted…nearly needed to show her who was boss.
As if in perfect synchronicity with his thoughts her stunned expression turned to one of insolence. "Does it really matter? I would hate to wound your pride more than I obviously already have."
He felt his eyes narrow on her. "Careful, little one. It is by my own good grace, and frankly, for my amusement that you are still here to begin with. I could send you home just as easily as I did last time."
"You will not take me away from my brother." She said with potent vitriol.
"No, not for now at any rate." He mocked. "In all honesty, I think it would be good for him to have some family with him during this time. IF," He amended. "You can behave yourself."
"Oh, I must be the one to behave?" She said rolling her eyes at him. "Forgive me for not falling at your feet with rapture, your grace." She said with a mock curtsy. "I seem to remember you being the one who stole my brother from me, lied to me by telling me you'd turn him into a goblin, and sent me into a maze for hours!"
She huffed and turned to walk out toward the garden. He stepped forward and grabbed her arm, stopping her. "What was I supposed to say? There is a chance your brother could turn into a goblin before your family's eyes? He might need to be taken away from you? Or would you rather I have just taken the boy, and when he did turn into a goblin, you be blamed for his disappearance for the rest of your life?"
She opened her mouth to say something to him, but closed it again. He sneered at her wryly. "Oh please, don't let my little facts ruin your perfectly good image of me as a monster. I'm sure it has been crafted quite meticulously."
Her eyes flashed as they snapped up to his. He felt his pulse quicken involuntarily. She enraged him, but somewhere, deep in the recesses of his mind, he was dancing. He had missed this.
"None of that explains what you did to me! You could have concocted a story that didn't involve torturing me with the idea that if he turned into a goblin it would somehow be my fault! You don't think that would have ruined me for the rest of my life? What if he had turned before my time had run out? Did you stop to consider that?"
He rolled his eyes at her. "I knew the moment he entered the underground that he wasn't going to turn. Even before I had set the rules to you. If he were to turn, he would have done so the moment he entered the Underground."
That stopped her for a moment. "So… you just wanted to torture me then?"
He sighed. "I needed a story for you, like I said. Why do you think I moved the clock up? I wanted you gone quickly, too. You needed a villain, Sarah. I was only too happy to oblige."
She eyed him, and smirked. "We both know you did more than was necessary. You were in front of me, chiding me, frightening me, every second you could be. I won't feel guilty for seeing you in the way that you presented yourself."
Jareth finally looked away from her at that. She was right in that aspect. It had started as nothing more than an amusement. She had been a welcome distraction from the monotony, and, frankly, horror of what his job could entail. How many times had he needed to take children from their families? How many times had he thought about his own family? A family he'd had to leave without a word centuries before? A family that was certainly completely wiped out from existence at this point…
He shut his eyes hard to block out the painful emotions flooding his conscious. "You're right." He said quietly. He couldn't see behind his eyes, but he could almost hear her quick intake of breath. "I caused you grief and worry, and for that, I am sorry. But, I will never apologize for taking a single day out of my duties to enjoy myself." He turned and looked at her again, sternly.
Her damn lips were parted in silent astonishment. He had to grit his teeth as he went on to tame the desires that look brought forth in him. "You were spared the fate of watching your family turn into something terrible and unrecognizable… you were spared." He trailed off as he looked away. "I have not been so lucky these many years. I have seen the worst my bloodline has to offer. I have seen families destroyed. I have heard their grief."
"I… I didn't," Sarah began.
"No, you wouldn't know. I have wiped so many memories. Watched from a far as mothers, fathers, brothers and sister wake to think they're child, or sibling has died in their sleep. Maybe they 'Ran-Away' in the night to never be seen again. I generally try to make it an easy passing in their memories, but loss isn't a thing that can be eased in."
He watched as she cast her green eyes down in sorrow. The tears beginning to pool in her eyes made them seem like emeralds. He hated that he made her hurt this way, but she had pushed him. He had tried to play the bad guy for her for so long, but he was tired. Just as he'd been tired of the sorrow and horror that night 7 years ago.
"So, forgive me, Sarah. I caused you worry as a price for my joy. I marveled in the resilience of life, and the determination of love and family… Your determination for love and family, for one night. I played with it, basked in it, and watched it glow. I was able to witness joy and triumph for once instead of inescapable pain. So, I ask you to forgive me for frightening you, but I will never take back my actions… They are memories I cherish."
He turned from her then, made his way over to the railing on the balcony to overlook the gardens, and the fountain that flowed softly beneath. He waited to hear her retreat. It had been enough. Most in the underground knew his duties, and understood that the monarchs of the land held a heavy burden in dealing with the lesser of their bloodlines, but it was spoke of rarely.
"You want life? You want fire, Jareth? Fine." Came a determined voice behind him. He started. The Goblin King turned to find Sarah standing proudly toe to toe with him. The hint of moisture still made her eyes dance like fine jewels, but they were set in a determined gaze, not in grief.
"I think you are a coward." She said firmly.
His mouth dropped open. Had he heard her right?
"Don't get me wrong. You've dealt with things, with horrors I don't know I could have mentally handled. But you," She said poking his chest effect, "are a coward."
He was near speechless. "I…I bear my responsibilities as best as any man possibly could!"
She brushed this statement aside with the flick of her hand. "Of course, of course. Frankly, it sounds like you've let yourself become too much of a martyr if anything. What I meant was, if you needed help, all you needed to do was ask…"
He watched as the blush crept gently into her cheeks. She blinked several times at his burrowing expression, and looked away. God help him, she was beautiful, but her soul made him near powerless to stop himself.
Sarah was furious at herself for blushing, yet again. It was incorrigible that this man had the ability to heat her so. His damn story had nearly had her bawling like a baby out here on the terrace for all eyes to witness. But nothing compared to that demonic grin of his that always seemed to be plastered to his face whenever she was around. She cursed her olive branch as his expression slowly morphed into the aforementioned expression.
He turned to face her completely, and lazily leaned back onto the railing as he perused her. "So, little Sarah wants to save the broken puppy does she?"
She felt her spine stiffen as quick as lightning.
"You may want to be careful, little one. Taking in wild animals is a tricky business." He grazed a fallen lock of her hair with his long fingers as he spoke.
She staunchly suppressed a shiver, and returned his smile in kind. "Push me away all you like, your majesty. You were the one who sought me out 7 years ago. If you have no need of me now, I'll find my brother and stay out of your hair." His brows shot down, and she made a mock curtsy to him as she turned to walk down the terrace steps and find her brother. She decided it was high time she removed herself from the situation.
But, warm fingers grabbed her by the arm, and pulled her close. She gasped as she collided with the solid mass of muscle and sinew that was Jareth's chest. Her eyes shot up in surprise to see his mismatched ones had turned stormy as they devoured her.
Sarah's heartbeat raced away as she realized the precariousness of her situation. The fact that she was alone in a dark area with a very powerful man wasn't what unnerved her. Nor was it the fact that this very powerful man had just pulled her forcefully against his chest, bringing her within kissing distance, and forcefully pushing her breasts against him. It was the fact that she suddenly realized that she wanted… nearly needed… more.
He leaned in close to her ear, and spoke with a deadly quiet. "I would be careful, Sarah." She shivered at the nearness of him. She could feel his breath on her ear. His one hand held her arm steady while the other had found its way around her back.
"You may find that your puppy was really a wolf all along." To prove his point, he ran his hand down her back, and pulled her up against his hips. The sensation of his hand on her was exquisite, but she gasped as she felt the point of his statement push against her stomach, proof that he was no simpering lamb, no illusion of this magical land, but a flesh and blood man.
… and the realization set her on fire. She nearly let out an audible sigh as he ran his nose gently against the delicate skin of her ear. The sensation felt like molten liquid spreading toward her core. She felt him dip his head lower, running down the sensitive skin below her ear. Against her will, her body betrayed her, and she tilted her head to allow him better access.
She felt him bunch his fist in the cloth at her back in response to her slight yield. Her breathing was shallow, and she let out a gasp when she felt his breath on her neck, a purposeful, warm breath he exhaled onto her skin.
With a mixture of excitement and embarrassment, she felt her nipples tighten under her dress. Was this real? Was this another of his illusions? How could she be having such an explosive response to the Goblin King? He chuckled lowly.
"Take care, Sarah. This wolf bites."
She felt him graze his teeth against her neck. There was no pain. He hadn't bitten her, just let her experience the warm, explosive sensations and promises of things that could possibly be. However, an instant later, he was gone.
She had to steady herself against the sudden loss of his body against hers. She turned, shocked, and found him meandering toward the ballroom doors. He glanced over his shoulder and smirked at her.
"Look after your brother, little one. I'm going to have a word with that Witch. I'm sure she's the one that's been hiding you, somehow."
She struggled to sort through her emotions, but her immediate reaction was to settle on the rage she felt and not the bereft felling of loss his departure annoyingly was leaving her with. Her glare only seemed to make his smile wider.
"I look forward to seeing you again."
And with that, the Goblin King melded into the crowd.
