A/N: Here it is, finally. I hope it was worth the wait. To reward you for your patience, I put in some real M worthy stuff. It's also the longest chapter to date, since I had a lot of time to develop it while up north for the weekend.
As to the title, I'm sure many of you recognize it from Disney's Sleeping Beauty. The writers of that particular movie wrote lyrics and set them to Tchaikovsky's beautiful music. You'll understand why I used it later in the chapter and why the reference to this movie works well in chapters to come.
A side note, I used a particular song as inspiration for the garden scene coming up. The first person to comment with the correct answer gets to be a character in an upcoming chapter. So review with your answers and a name you'd like me to use.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own any work of Disney, Jim Henson, George Lucas, or the unnamed artist that inspired me.
CRASH!
Epifanio looked at the broken vase at his feet. He had been lucky. When he noticed his mother pick up the heavy ceramic vase, he had ducked out of the way in the nick of time. The vase hit right where his head had been a second ago, sending shards of pottery flying everywhere.
"That almost hit me!" he exclaimed.
"Next time," his mother yelled, "don't move." She was pacing furiously back and forth in her suite.
Her son took a seat in one of the large chairs, dejected, as he watched his mother pace. He knew that he had failed her and only wondered how soon it would be when she gave up on him and tried herself. It wouldn't look good to have the Duchess get her hands dirty with this and she would make sure that he was severely punished.
"Mother," he pleaded, "please stop that incessant pacing."
His mother stopped for just a moment to shoot him a warning glance. "Since when do you give me orders?" she asked. She continued her pacing, letting the anger build within her.
"I'm sorry mother," he apologized. "I've tried, really I have. With this wedding, she hasn't been alone for a second. Every time I try to give her the rose, someone stops me."
"Shut up," his mother demanded. "I don't want to hear any more excuses from you. That's all you've done for the past three weeks and I'm sick of it. The wedding is less than a week away and, so help me, if you fail this one, it will be your head."
"Tell me what you want me to do," he said, his voice slipping into an obnoxious whine.
"Stop that incessant whining!" she ordered. "Now be quiet so I can think. There must be a way for you to get close to her without raising suspicion."
He sat still, watching her think. He thoroughly wished that he was someone else doing something else entirely. The person he really wanted to be was Jareth. The Goblin King had everything that Epi could only dream of having. A great and powerful family, a tidy Kingdom to rule, a beautiful woman who loved him…the list went on and on. Well, it won't be that way much longer, Goblin King. I will have the girl and the Kingdom. You will have nothing! A smile crept to his face as he thought about Jareth, alone. The power of the two Kingdoms would sweep the Underworld. He settled into his thoughts while his mother continued to pace, thinking. Soon, very soon, everything will be mine!
"Another letter Miss?" Irini asked, watching her young mistress seated at her desk writing furiously.
"Uh huh," Sarah answered absently as she continued to write. In the three weeks since the engagement ball, she had been to a flurry of meetings, lessons, dinners, and teas. She and Jareth hadn't been able to say two words to one another, let alone enjoy each other's company. They had reverted back to writing letters to stay in contact. Only one more week to go until the wedding and then they would spend a whole month together before having to get back to the Kingdom and begin the mundane task of ruling. Sarah smiled as she thought about the honeymoon that she had planned. They were going to one of the outermost Kingdoms to a quiet little destination spot. It would be Jareth and her and no one else for miles. Sarah felt a tingle go down her spine in anticipation.
"There," she said finishing. She folded up her letter and placed it in an envelope. She kissed the back of it, leaving a glowing seal. Finally, she held it in her hand. With a flick of the wrist, she watched it disappear. She sighed, thinking about her handsome King. I wonder what he's doing right now.
There was a knock at the door and Irini went to investigate. "My lady," she called. "It is Miss Gelasia here to see you."
"Gelly!" Sarah exclaimed with a smile, standing to meet her friend. The two women embraced and took seats next to the fire. Sarah and Gelly had become best friends in the weeks since they first met. She loved the redhead's fiery personality.
"How are ya Sar?" the young woman said warmly. "Have they let you out of your prison for today?"
Sarah sighed and shook her head. "No, I only have this brief respite until my next meeting with the wedding planner. Want to come along?"
"Sure! I love planning other people's weddings," Gelly said. "I just don't want one of my own."
"Oh, my dear friend," Sarah replied. "You just haven't met the right guy yet. When you meet him, you'll want nothing more than to marry him just so you can have him be the last person you see before sleeping and the first thing you see when you wake up. You'll spend every waking moment with that man and it still won't be enough time." She settled into a dreamy smile as she thought about Jareth.
"Wow Sar," her friend laughed. "You've got it bad. I can't imagine spending one hour alone with my brother and you want to spend the rest of your life with him."
"That's because he's your brother Gelly," Sarah replied. "I wouldn't want to spend that much time with Toby. But as a husband, I can tell you that Jareth will be passionate, kind, and loving. I will be his as he will be mine."
Gelly stuck a finger down her throat and made a gagging sound. "You should listen to yourself sometime, Sar," she said. "You sound like…like…"
"Like a woman in love," Irini said laughing.
"Yeah, that too," Gelly replied. The three women giggled. "You forget that he's also arrogant, egotistical, and self-centered."
"I won't deny that he can be all of those things," Sarah admitted. "I'm just saying that things are not always what they appear."
"If you say so," replied Gelly.
"So," responded Sarah, sticking her tongue out. The women laughed and stood to leave.
"That's what I like about you Sar," Gelly said, walking towards the door. "Always so mature and wise. It's like talking to Yoda."
"Happy am I to hear you say this," Sarah replied, joining her friend. "I didn't know you knew about Yoda."
"It's a different Realm, Sar," Gelly said, laughing. "It's not a different planet. I do enjoy going Aboveground once in a while."
Sarah rolled her eyes and the two set out to meet with the wedding planner together.
Sarah returned from her meeting with the planner alone. It had been exhausting. There were more samples than she could comprehend and too many choices. She just wished it were over so she could finally enjoy herself. Gelly sat through about an hour of this before she had to excuse herself with a headache. Sarah lowered herself into the comfortable chair and thought about taking a nap, knowing she probably wouldn't even get her eyes closed without someone else needing something. Right on cue, the door opened and Irini stepped in.
"I have a meeting with Gregory, my lady," she said. "If you won't be needing me for a while, I will be in the library."
"Ok," Sarah replied. "I was just about to take a nap anyway."
"A nap this late in the day could prove troublesome when you go to bed tonight," Irini said. "Why don't you go for a walk in the garden? The fresh air might revive you."
"That's a good idea Irini," Sarah replied. "If you need me for anything, I'll be in the garden taking a walk." Irini nodded before leaving to find Gregory.
Sarah flicked her wrist slightly, transporting herself into the garden. She began to stroll among the brightly colored flowers. Sarah walked along the path, lost in thought. Suddenly a pair of hands covered her eyes. Sarah screamed and turned to see Jareth standing there laughing.
"You ass," she yelled, hitting him in the arm. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"
He slipped his arms around her waist and smiled. "I'm sorry, my love. I was hoping to catch you alone." He looked around for her irritating chaperone.
"He's inside, talking to Irini," Sarah muttered, trying to get her heart to begin its normal rhythm again. Looking into his eyes, she saw a shrewd expression and understood at once. "You already knew that, didn't you? You planned this whole thing."
"Guilty, my love," he replied with a smirk. "I can't very well have that damn hellhound hanging around now can I?"
"My lady," she said, impersonating Gregory. "You must learn to behave yourself. You are a princess now and you cannot allow yourself to give into your urges."
They turned as if they could see the man directly behind him. Taking her hand in his, they ran as fast as they could out of the garden and into a little clearing within the Queen's Forest. She felt that he must be able to hear her heartbeat at she stood trying to catch her breath. Jareth looked at her without making a sound and wrapped his arms around her tightly. Picking her up gently in his arms, he placed her on the ground in the soft grass. Jareth sat next to her looking down in wonder at her beauty. The couple felt completely alone in their love. No one else existed in that moment.
"I wish we didn't have to hide from everyone," she said at last. "I love you Jareth, why shouldn't I be allowed to show it to the world?"
Jareth smiled, "I know, my love, I know. I wish the same, but what would your mother say if she knew?"
"You're right," she said, dejected. "Only one more week to go and then we can be together forever." She smiled brightly at the thought.
"We're alone right now, my dear," he purred seductively into her ear. "Let's not waste time talking."
Sarah giggled as he made a playful nip on her earlobe.
"Oh, you find that funny do you?" he teased. "I am going to have to punish you for laughing at your king." He rolled her on her side and gave a tantalizing slap to her soft, round derriere, making her squeal and roll on her back again. She caught his face in her hands and brought him down for a satisfying kiss. His hand went to the laces on the front of her teal dress. He unlaced the first few, planting kisses on her neck, her collar, her chest. She moaned, wrapping her left leg around his waist. After he was finished untying the dress, he stretched the soft fabric apart, exposing her breasts. He cupped the supple flesh of her breast and brought the nipple to his lips. It tightened into a hard little bud inside his mouth. She gasped, her eyes narrowing with desire.
"SSSaaaarrrrraaaahhhh," a voice called out. It was Gelly, coming to find Sarah before her next appointment with the seamstress.
"Shhhh," Jareth whispered. "Maybe she won't find us."
"She's getting closer," Sarah said, lacing up her stays and looking towards the trees. Jareth groaned, stretching out in the grass next to her. He took her face in his hands, unwilling to let the intrusion stop him in his passion. His lips met hers and she forgot all about Gelly coming to find her. His hand found her breast again and massaged her nipple through the soft cotton of her dress. Her leg found it's way around Jareth's waist again, pulling him closer to her.
"Hey Sar," Gelly said, coming into the clearing. "What're you do…Oh Gods…I'm sorry…didn't mean to interrupt." She watched as Jareth gave her a death glare. Sarah looked at him and giggled, untangling her leg from his and pulling herself up into a sitting position.
"It's ok Gelly," Sarah said. "I need to get to my next appointment anyway." Jareth stood and reached out his hand to his fiancé. He helped her to her feet and took her into his embrace. She looked into his wonderfully beautiful mismatched eyes and placed her soft lips onto his into a gentle kiss. "Until we meet again, my King, may that stay in your thoughts."
She walked over to Gelly, laughing at the unpleasant expression on her face as she struggled not to gag. The two women walked back to the castle, leaving Jareth in the clearing trying desperately not to hate his younger sister. With a sigh, he followed the women back to the castle.
When Sarah returned to her room just before dinner, a letter was waiting for her on the vanity. She grabbed it and left the comforts of her room. She loved to read Jareth's notes in the beauty of the garden. Sitting on the stone bench she read:
"My Dearest Sarah, it feels as if an eternity has gone by since I last saw you. I am counting down the minutes until we can finally become one. I will try to be the best husband to you, the kind of man you deserve. I love you, my precious thing. I hope to show you someday, just how deep my love for you goes. Until then, I remain, Yours Forever, Jareth."
"What are you reading?" Epi said, startling Sarah.
"Oh!" she gasped. "I didn't see you there Epi. Here, have a seat." She indicated a spot on the bench next to her. He took a seat and looked at Sarah, trying to see what was written on the note she held in her hand. "It's a letter from Jareth," she explained. "See, we haven't really gotten much time to spend together, so we write letters to each other." She held his note to her breast and smiled.
"That's really romantic Sarah," Epi said. Inside, jealousy was tearing him apart. Jareth didn't deserve such a lovely, romantic creature as Sarah. It's not fair!
"I guess so," Sarah said with a smile. "It's just our way of being together even when we can't be in reality."
"You've only got a week left, right?" he asked.
"Yep," she replied. "I can't wait."
"Well," he said. "I guess I'd better get back inside. For what it's worth Sarah, Jareth's a very lucky guy." With that, he walked back towards the castle. Sarah sat there looking at the note for a few moments and then, with a flick of the wrist, produced her stationary and began to write her reply. When she was finished, she sealed it in an envelope and sent it to Jareth. She stood and stretched, smelling the aroma of the flowers in bloom. She walked back to the castle to ready herself for dinner.
Epi sat in his mother's room, happy that he finally had some good news to share. He thought about his fortuitous run-in with Sarah. Thanks to her, he finally had a plan. If his mother were only here right now, he could tell her and receive some hard earned respect. After waiting for what seemed like hours, the door finally opened. His mother walked in and looked at him with a frown.
"I sincerely hope you are not here with more bad news," she said.
"Not this time, Mother," he replied.
"This had better be good," she warned.
"Oh it is Mother," he responded. "I have a way to get Sarah to smell the rose without even my presence."
She smirked, curious to see what he might have up his sleeve. "Go on," she said impatiently.
"I just returned from the gardens after seeing Sarah," explained Epi. "She was holding a note in her hands and so I asked her what it read. She wouldn't tell me any specifics, but she said it was from Jareth. Apparently, they have been writing back and forth since the engagement ball. I think our best bet of getting her to smell the rose is to create a fake note and place it and the rose somewhere where she would be sure to see it. She would think it was from Jareth and would be sure to take a sniff."
"My son," Dy replied, happily, "I think your halfwit brain may have stumbled upon something. Get to work writing a letter to Sarah to go with the flower. Sneak into her room tonight and deliver it."
"Where are you going?" he asked, watching her open the door to leave.
"To tell your father," she replied. "He's been waiting for some good news and now I can finally give him some."
After his mother had left, Epi transported himself into his room and locked the door behind him. He sat down to pen a little note of his own. After many hours and many attempts he finally finished. Satisfied, he placed the note in an envelope and wrote Sarah's name on the front. With a smile, he left to deliver it.
After dinner, Lyndora called Jareth to her office. She waved her hand and two glasses of coffee appeared. She handed one to Jareth, indicating a chair for him to take a seat. He sat down and sipped at the dark liquid, trying hard to discern why he would be called to the Queen's office.
"You're probably wondering why I called you in here," she said, taking a seat near him.
"Quite frankly, Your Majesty," he replied. "I have been curious."
"I'll get right to the point, Jareth," she said. "How well do you know the Duke and Duchess of Phos?"
The question surprised him and he thought hard before answering. "Not well," he replied. "I know that they have been rather loud voices in the political sphere, but I don't think we've talked much outside of formal dinners and the occasional court matter."
"They have been interested in allying themselves with Luna for some time," the Queen acknowledged. "Their family is next in line for the throne and rumor has it that the current King has fallen ill. I worry that they may do something to disrupt your marriage to my daughter."
"Do you really think they might try something before the wedding?" he asked.
"Yes I do," Lyndora replied. "I have seen their young son, Epifanio, doing strange things around Sarah."
"Like what?" Jareth asked, trying to control the anger building within him.
"On the night of your engagement," Lyndora replied, "I caught him trying to give a rose to her. Then a week ago, I saw him walking around with that same rose looking through a hedge in the garden. When he saw me, he quickly walked away in the other direction. When I investigated further, I noticed that he had been spying on Sarah and your sister."
Jareth seethed. How dare this man try and do something to his Sarah. He was going to break the little man in two.
"Calm down Jareth," Lyndora said calmly, noticing the enraged gleam in Jareth's eyes. "You can't help Sarah by doing something that you will regret later."
Jareth took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. He looked at Lyndora and asked, "What do you think he's up to?"
"I don't know," Lyndora replied. "I have an aide researching spells and roses, but so far he has come up with nothing. I just know he is up to something, although I'm sure that he isn't working alone."
"I will keep an eye on him," Jareth said. "You have your aide continue his research. If you find anything, let me know."
"I hope I'm wrong Jareth," Lyndora sighed. "Please, take care of my little girl."
"I will," Jareth promised, standing. "I give you my word." He walked to the door and left the room, setting out to find Epi.
Sarah and Gelly walked back to Sarah's room after dinner, chatting about her disappointment at never seeing Jareth. They sat down in the chairs by the fire, drinking a glass of wine.
"If you want to be alone with him so badly," said Gelly. "Why don't you just dream project?"
"Dream project?" Sarah asked, curious.
"Yeah," Gelly replied. "You remember. Didn't you say that Jareth used to come to you in your dreams?" Sarah nodded. "That's dream projection."
"How do you do it?" Sarah asked. "We haven't gotten to that one yet in the lessons." She set her empty wine glass on the table.
"Ha!" Gelly laughed. "You wouldn't get to something like that in lessons. It's just something you learn for yourself. Before you fall asleep tonight, think of Jareth and his dream. Try to picture yourself in his head. As you fall asleep, concentrate on Jareth and project yourself to him." She emptied her glass in one last gulp and then set it next to Sarah's.
"It sounds easy enough, but I hope he isn't too mad," Sarah worried. "I mean, I did get him into trouble for doing that to me."
"Trust me Sar," Gelly said, standing. "I wouldn't worry about a thing. The moment he sees you alone, he's not going to be feeling anything, but you." She flicked a wrist and the two glasses disappeared.
Sarah stood, blushing at the thought. She walked Gelly to the door and they embraced before Gelly left. Irini slipped Sarah out of her dress and she quickly put on her nightgown, excited about trying some new magic.
Jareth stalked back to his room, angry at not having found Epi anywhere in the castle. He paced for a few moments before removing his clothes and climbing into bed. Within mere seconds, he was asleep.
Sitting on her bed Sarah tried to do as Gelly said. After a few minutes of picturing herself in Jareth's head she decided to go to sleep. Lying there she tried to concentrate on Jareth as Gelly had told her. This will never work. She gave up her attempts of dream projection and opened her eyes. She gasped when she realized she wasn't in her room anymore. She was in a tall forest filled with dead trees. As she walked on the little path towards the center, she spotted a red rose. This isn't Jareth's dream. Jareth may be a lot of things, but he most certainly didn't dream of death and destruction. She took several steps back before falling backwards. She screamed as a pair of arms expertly caught her. Looking up she saw Jareth's handsome face smiling down at her.
"Why precious," he cooed, "I do believe you are dream projecting."
"How do you know it isn't you in my dream?" she teased.
He looked at the length of her in his arms and turned to smile at her deviously. "Because, my love, I'm certain you wouldn't have picked out this enticing attire."
Sarah looked down at what she was wearing and blushed furiously. It was a black, lace negligee. Although it reached to her ankles, the fabric was see-through and left little to the imagination. The bodice clung to every curve. She looked over at him and realized he wasn't wearing anything.
"You little perv," she laughed.
He halted her laughter with a kiss. His lips felt warm and inviting and she felt hers part in response. He slipped his tongue into her open lips and she gave a soft moan as it met hers. As they kissed, he carried her over to a beautiful canopy bed that appeared out of nowhere.
She broke the kiss to laugh. "I see where your mind goes," she teased and went to work placing soft kisses on his neck.
He placed her on the bed and stood back to look at his lovely fiancé. "You are so beautiful, my love," he gasped. "I can't help but stare."
Her arms reached out, calling to him to get into bed with her. He did as she commanded. Their lips met again in passion. Liquid heat began to pool between Sarah's legs. He moved his lips down to her neck, his tongue teasing over the naked flesh. She caressed his head, getting her fingers entangled into his uneven hair. She could smell his scent, something spicy and distinctly male.
He moved down to the bodice of Sarah's negligee and began untying the stays. Looking into her eyes, he saw them darken with lust. He continued to slowly remove the stays, smiling at the groan coming from his beloved. This was torture, but it was worth savoring the moment. Finally, he came to the end. He opened her bodice, revealing the near perfect breasts contained within. The fresh air across her nipples made them harden into tiny points. He caught one of them between his teeth, making Sarah moan in pleasure. His right hand began to explore the rest of her body. He slid his fingers down her side to her hip and then lower as it came to rest between her legs. She gasped, choking in the air, as his fingers began to move over her clit in little swirling motions. He captured her mouth with his, making every nerve ending tingle with delight. She moved her hands to his chest and began softly exploring his flesh. She could feel the smooth skin and the hard muscles beneath.
Looking into his eyes, she saw desire and love at war with one another. He parted her legs and settled between them. His hardness meeting the softness of her sex. She moaned and said, "Please Jareth, make love to me."
He thrust in, causing Sarah to scream out in a mixture of pleasure and pain. He stopped and allowed his love to collect herself. When she wrapped her legs around his waist, he continued. Slowly, he moved in and out of her. Sarah moaned and dug her nails into the flesh of his shoulders. "Jareth," she gasped.
He began to move faster, unable to contain himself any longer. Her soft moans and his breathing were the only sounds as she moved her hips in rhythm with his. Their passion flared within them, uniting them as one. She arched her back, wanting him to go deeper and deeper. "Oh God," she screamed.
They both shuttered in simultaneous orgasms, calling for each other. He collapsed on top of Sarah, holding her in his arms. She let out a little sigh of contentment, caressing his back with her small hand. They stayed like that in silence for what seemed like an eternity.
"It's almost time for us to wake up, my darling," he sighed, rolling off of her and settling next to her.
"No," she protested. "I don't want it to be over yet."
He looked in her eyes and smiled. "My dear," he purred. "If you liked this, just think of how much fun we'll have when it's for real. Then I won't ever have to let you go."
She smiled at the thought as Jareth's form began to disappear around her. It was indeed time to wake up. With disappointment clear on her face, she opened her eyes.
Epi tiptoed into Sarah's chambers. He looked at the sleeping woman. A strange smile touched her lips. She rolled over and he stepped back, scared that she would wake up to find him there. She stayed asleep and was moaning softly. "Jareth," she said breathlessly. A frown crossed Epi's face. He could tell she was dreaming about the Goblin King.
"Go ahead and dream, my lady," he whispered, turning to her vanity. "Soon you will forget all about him and my name will be the one you whisper as you sleep." He put the note on her vanity, her name written on the front of the envelope in Jareth's hand. The rose, he placed on top. Quickly, he left the room.
In a few moments, Sarah sat up in bed. She hugged herself, unwilling to end the wonderful feeling of her dream. Finally, she stood and walked over to her vanity. A smile crept to her face as she noticed the beautiful rose and note sitting there. She picked up the rose rolling the stem in her fingers. Bringing it up to her nose, she took in the seductive scent. Suddenly the room began to spin and she collapsed. The rose disappeared, it's duty having been fulfilled.