Thank you everyone for the reviews! I know the grammar and story isn't perfect and I'll try to comb through stuff more carefully before posting. I probably won't go back and fix the past stuff though because I'm lazy lol. Autocorrect sucks sometimes.
Also, I'm not sure why people think English is my second language. I am bilingual but I learned English from birth. Just because I'm not familiar with the term "On Broadway" doesn't mean I can't speak English Lol HOWEVER thank you for the feedback and I will keep that in mind should I make anyone go on broadway again! I just thought it was funny, I'm not offended by it at all haha!
I'm actually working on two stories at the moment. This story is my guilty pleasure because I'm more concerned with how these guys act together and really developing a relationship organically instead of being forced to because of, well, whatever the heck I usually cook up for them in my longer stories. I hope you'll keep enjoying this story and I'll think about extending it or not, but let me know! Leave a review!
"Is this really all you have?" Jareth put a box into a storage room.
Sarah shrugged. "I don't have very much in college besides essentials and when I moved for my internship last year, I didn't have much then either. Most of the stuff I really want is with my parents. We can slowly move all that here."
"Very well, Precious." He said.
It was moving day and Sarah had officially moved in with Jareth. All last year she had been working at an internship and even invented some things to use for sustainable water energy. She could've gone further but she also knew that humans would go far and fast with technology change and a better, healthier environment (if they actually get their politics together). Her role now was to go Underground with her Jareth.
"Would you like me to help you with interviews again?" Jareth offered her.
Sarah nodded. "Yes please. I have one tomorrow and it would mean a lot."
She really wanted to prove herself as able to be a productive member of society here, not just by marrying its king. She wanted to have a real job here and had applied to work in designing and/or fixing bridges. A lot of those bridges were held up by magic, which was great when there were magical beings around but not so great if left alone without constant streams of spells. Magic took a lot of energy and she wanted the bridges to be more self sustainable. As a magician herself now, she could aid in using magic and her knowledge of technology to improve the world.
"I don't want them to be nicer or meaner to me because I'm with you." She sighed. "I'm glad we made our courtship public, but I really wish that I could be an equal."
"I know." Jareth said sympathetically. "But there will always be biases. Just be you. Prove yourself worthy for this job."
He still didn't totally understand her. She could be queen and just work with him. She already gained respect from the people. He even told her this.
"That's not nearly the same." She pointed out. "These people love me for being a kind hearted person, to be by your side. They love me as if I was a future consort not as a leader in my own right. That's not what you want either."
"No." Jareth said simply. He wanted her to be his equal, his queen. He wanted her to have the crown matrimonial so that she would have completely equal power as he. He didn't want a consort, not with Sarah.
"Then please, try to understand that this is what I have to do." She kissed his lips. "Now help me rehearse."
Sarah was willing to be flexible, but she also did things her way. Her innovativeness also provided her with strategies where she thought of everything.
Being familiar with Underground customs for years now, she knew that things tended to be stagnant. The creatures that were able to wield magic were immortals whereas the ones that did not (like dwarves or goblins) were not. The attitude was one of "why fix something that works?" As such, improvements in technology or strategies were few and far in between. She hoped to change that for her philosophy was "something can always be improved even if it works."
She approached a cottage and knocked on its door. A sorcerer and his wife, a fae, came out to greet her. Both were in charge of fixing the bridges and were a nice couple, never living lavishly as they could and instead focused their wealth on explorations rich for the mind.
"Lady Sarah, how do you do?" Nathaniel gestured her in. "Come come."
"Let us get you some tea." Laura offered.
Sarah smiled. This was already the nicest and coziest job interview that she had so far. She kept her guard up though. She wasn't a fool. She knew that they only considered giving her an interview because they liked her as a person and that they worked under Jareth. Everyone wanted to gain the King's favor.
Not that she blamed them.
Sitting down comfortably, they exchanged a few pleasantries before Sarah got on it. She slid her neatly typed up resume to them.
"What is this?" Nathaniel noticed how the paper was nice and white, not like parchment paper and the letters were neatly typed and not handwritten.
"In the Aboveground, many places use something called a resume. It has credentials and references to my skill, like education and job experienced. It makes things easier and normally I would send to a future employer before being interviewed but I thought it would be best to talk to you about it."
Laura looked at it with great interest. "Does this replace actually showing what you could do?"
"Oh no, not at all." Sarah corrected. "Up there, many places are competitive so to be able to scan the candidates before an interview is helpful. If you had thousands of applicants, it would be difficult to assess each one of them yourselves."
"There's a hierarchy it seems." Nathaniel said. "Do you think having these, resumes, are useful?"
"I think they could be." Sarah said. "Just a glimpse then you could ask me to prove my skills. I do like the idea of being able to see on paper, written or typed out by the candidate themselves rather than relying on word of mouth to communicate for an apprenticeship. However, I do prefer to always meet the candidates in person to really assess them instead of just throwing away their resumes. For big companies, they would often use these to disqualify them and sometimes that's useful but sometimes it's rather tiring. I myself had to interview others so I've seen the process."
Laura nodded in agreement. "That is quite a lot of thought, my lady."
Sarah wondered if she ranted too much on resumes. Ugh! It was something that she had a problem with, talking and talking when she got nervous. She took another sip of the tea.
Her resume had a lot of things that wouldn't mean much to them if not for the explanations. She explained in there what her degree meant, the things she could do, and her projects. Those were he most important parts. Unfortunately, that would mean very little to them and the one part that wasn't as important her, stood out to them.
"You were magically tutored by the king himself?"
Sarah schooled her face and took a deep breath. People knew that she could do a little magic before, but never the extent of it for her own personal safety. She intertwined her fingers and told her knee to stop nervously bouncing up and down. "Yes. When I defeated the labyrinth, I received 'certain powers.' As king, His Majesty felt responsible for me to harness that power and not have it go unchecked."
They both gave a nod. If this concerned Jareth, they weren't going to spread it around. More than power and prestige, they cared about Jareth as he was their king and protector.
"Well, as you are human, your magic isn't as strong as ours. But I would like to have you at least be quite knowledgeable in magical theory." Laura said. "For your science won't be enough in a magical land."
"I understand." Sarah said. "I have been studying but I know that it's not even close to the knowledge even adolescents here have."
"Then you shall take lessons. That is non negotiable." Nathaniel said. "Before we employ you, we would like to see you in action with the different bridges and buildings in your mathematics."
Sarah smiled. This was going a lot better than expected. They still had standards and weren't going to just hire her on a whim but they also weren't discriminating against her for being human or for being Jareth's girlfriend.
She brought out a small kit from her satchel. "I know that mathematics beyond arithmetic isn't common knowledge here. But I'd like to show you this bridge model and a sample of what I'd do. Then later today, after some lunch, maybe you could take me to some sites and we can work together."
Jareth didn't like hiding things from Sarah, especially when she was JUST moving in with him. It was a dream of his and finally after so long!
He knew there was a way for her to change to become immortal like him. He wanted her to become immortal so she could channel magic like him, to be his equal. As queen, being able to have a large amount of magic was of great importance.
He was going to live out the rest of his life with Sarah. No matter what happened. He was still insecure though, and decided to investigate the exact process by himself. Afraid that she may still say no, he wanted to be as informed as he could before he talked to her about marriage again.
"Maybe I should go to therapy as she said." He pinched his nose. "All this anxiety is driving me mad."
Sarah was going to take all day with her interview with Nathaniel and Laura, he was sure. So he trekked off to a different kingdom right after she left.
Transporting, he approached a large castle. Brilliant lights all over with beautiful granite staircases made him feel smaller. He made sure to dress formally today, in mostly black but also a bit of color on his red cape and white gloves. He waited in the hall and then was summoned to The Council.
The Council consisted of 13 members in total. They were the supreme judges and magicians of the Underground and were rarely called upon, if at all for most issues would be dealt at a local level. They dealt with large issues, like if the entire Underground was in danger. The last time they had been called to judge, it was even before Jareth's time. Members could change over time with retirements and such. Those who retired would have much of their memory erased of certain secrets in order to not abuse any big magic spells.
The king knelt down in deep respect to the Elders, as they were called and waited to be told to rise. He hung his head in modesty all while keeping his face straight.
"Jareth, King of Goblins, Keeper of the Realms and Lord of the Labyrinth. Please rise."
He felt all 13 pairs of eyes boring into him from nearly every angle. He had been kept on his toes so often that he didn't feel nervous. But here he was, ready to "shit his pants" as Sarah would put it.
"Goblin king, you have asked us to convene for you this day and have requested this to be a private matter." One elf said. "What has happened?"
Jareth crossed his right arm in front of his chest to again show respect. "Elders, there is no danger to my kingdom. I am here to ask for advice and a request."
They all looked at each other with raised eyebrows. This wasn't typical of Jareth at all.
"As you may know, I am currently courting Sarah Williams of the Aboveground. She is my one and only Labyrinth Champion."
"We understand this." A sorceress said. "But that is not our concern. You may choose whoever you want to be your future husband or bride. It is your right as king. I'm sure you know the risks, that she will die long before you do."
Jareth inclined his head again. "I understand this. However, I seek to not make her my consort, but a queen of her own right. I seek for her to one day have the crown matrimonial."
Now this was something big. The crown matrimonial was still something that was for Jareth to decide, but with a human?
"Seeing as Lady Sarah isn't here, does she know any of this?" Another Elder asked him.
Jareth clasped his hands behind his back to prevent himself from twiddling his thumbs in nervousness and from lashing out in anger as well. He knew that they didn't deserve any of his pent up frustrations. "She and I want to be equals and we want to get married. I came to inquire of the details alone."
One Elder tilted her head and regarded him almost worriedly. "For her to seek the crown matrimonial, you have to get this approved by at least half of the reigning monarchs for that changes the line of inheritance. Though I am informed that you have no next of kin to rule unless you appoint an heir. And she cannot stay human, which is what I assume is your point in coming here."
"Your assumption is correct." Jareth swallowed thickly. "With all due respect, nothing will stop me from living my life with her. Not even you Elders and I will give up my throne for her if I have to. Sarah is the only one who can stop me from being with her."
"Goblin king, you will do well to hold your tongue." A Druid said. "Do not repeat the same mistake as your sister by abandoning your throne."
Jareth snapped. He jabbed a finger at the Druid's direction. "How DARE you compare me to her! I won't ever just leave people that need me to rule. I am nothing like her!"
"Keep that temper in check, Your Majesty!" Yet another Elder bellowed. "You know better than this. Do not take our precautions personally. We are not here to break up your union or to hurt you. The Council was made to protect the Underground."
Jareth clenched his teeth to the point where he was sure that they were going to come off. But he took a few breaths and bowed his head again. "I apologize." He rose up. "Might I know the process of what to do to make her my equal?" Cursed inwardly for losing his temper. He loved Sarah and couldn't afford to get the Council on his bad side.
The sorceress spoke again. "You must make her one of us, an immortal. There have been less than ten mortals turned to immortals, do you know why?"
"To protect immortality so it isn't being abused." Jareth recited from a textbook.
"That's only part of it." The Druid said. "Part of it is the sheer amount of magic it takes to transform someone. The entire Underground feels it, though only a few will really sense the lack of magic in the world before rejuvenation."
"So that puts us in danger." Jareth whispered. "And as we are a slow changing world-"
"We are more susceptible to attacks from more dangerous creatures or from humans should they decide to harm us." An Elder nodded. "However, we do not have much of a threat anymore from humans since your kingdoms has the Labyrinth and the lack of belief they have of us. It's just a precaution from the ancients."
Jareth let it roll around in his head for a moment. Alright, so they can turn Sarah immortal, but it's difficult to do. He tilted his head in thought. "There isn't a way to get around this? Why can't say, you give me the spell?"
"It's been protected." An elf said. "You must prove yourselves worthy. She won't just change to become immortal, but to be a queen. For that, it is a trial you both must complete together. It will test your trusts in each other, how far you will go to save your kingdom, and worthiness to rule. Are you able to put your whole kingdom before her?"
Jareth swallowed. That wasn't a question he wasn't able to answer. The right answer would be, yes, he and Sarah would discuss that if there was choosing the whole kingdom (not just one person but the whole kingdom) or the other, then they should choose the kingdom. But he was a selfish man. Could he really give his love up for the kingdom's safety?
Instead of answering, he asked another question to deflect it. "She defeated my labyrinth. Was that not enough?"
"No, because you know as well as we do that it tested not just her person and wit but power. You gave her those powers."
Damn.
"You need to work WITH her, King Jareth." The elf spoke. "We can't even give you the spell ourselves. It is locked deep in a vault opened only by blood magic or by competing the trial we have mentioned."
"Blood magic? I assume none of the people who made the vaults have any descendants?" Jareth asked. Blood magic was a way to seal something that can be opened only by the person themselves or a relative. No magic is 100% foolproof.
"Correct. Now, do you have any remaining concerns?"
Jareth sighed and closed his eyes. "Will the trial be of danger to her or me? What sorts of precautions should I set up?
All the Elders looked to the most senior Elder, a fae for he was the best to answer this question without letting any of the secrets go.
"Goblin king, you and your lady will not be in any danger. The trial will last for a definite amount of time and you will be safe whether you complete it or not as some of us will overwatch you. Should you complete your trial, you will be able to retrieve the spell but once you use the spell, you will instantly forget it. You must be careful to watch over her the entire time. You don't have to, but from what I hear it is a painful process and without a loved one by her side, it will be pure torture. Aside from those risks, she will lose much of what it is that is human. Her personality will be the same but her quickness in learning and changing will take much more time than before. She will no longer be able to live Aboveground though she may have extended visits until her magic matures or she may die from being away from the Underground for too long. Prior to any of the trials, you must gain the 50% permission from the monarchs to have her hold the crown matrimonial."
He gave Jareth a small smile. Everyone was aware of his temper, but they also knew of his past and how much he has changed since meeting Sarah. "I am sure that won't be difficult though. Though you helped her defeat your Labyrinth, her personality and kindness, not to mention wit was essential to winning and you can use that in your favor. I suggest taking a year to prepare for everything. Come back to us with Lady Sarah, and we will discuss the trial with you when you are sure that is what you want."
Jareth felt anxiety but at least he knew more of what his stakes were. He bowed his head. "Thank you, Elders. I shall be back with her one day."
"You seem so quiet." Sarah cooked him some friend rice and placed it in front of him. "Something wrong?"
Jareth shook his head. He would tell her later. For now, she was still trying to settle in. He told her a partial truth. "Just thinking about how things will work out one day. Becoming immortal isn't easy and you would be giving up a lot."
Sarah hugged him from behind. "Hey, we will do it. Whatever it takes. We'll deal with it after we settle down a bit, okay?" She kissed his cheek. "I love you."
Times like this, he felt so blessed to have her. "I love you too. How was the interview?"
They chatted about how her day went wonderfully, and how she was even able to show them model bridges from her kit. She saw real bridges and even started to make designs and ideas on fixing them or restoring some as well as she could.
"They tried to snub me from my paycheck though, saying it was because I live with you. Not cool! I'm not a free loader!" She huffed.
Jareth rolled his eyes. "You don't have to pay me to stay here, that's ridiculous."
It was a big argument between them. Jareth finally conceded when she said that if he lived with her, she'd make him pay rent if they didn't own a place together. And he suppose that it did help her be independent, though one day she'd be queen and she wouldn't have to pay rent. As she wasn't married to him, the castle didn't belong to her.
"Still, it's not okay." She told him. "What if some young person got paid less because they were able to stay rent free with parents? That's stupid logic."
Jareth snorted. "I suppose you told them so?"
"Of course." She said. "Not in those exact words though."
He grinned. This was the fire that he so loved from her.
For the next few hours, Jareth spent some time on paperwork on some new citizens who wanted to join his kingdom. Sarah was roaming around the library, reading books on magical theory. She would have to get a real tutor to teach her since Jareth was so busy.
"No, you won't pay them." She said firmly. "It's part of my education here and I will pay them myself. I will have enough money to do that on my own and if I really need help, I will ask but I'm not going to free load!"
"You are ridiculous." He rolled his eyes. But this was something he was going to have to accept. This was who she was. "But when we are married-"
"That'll be different because we both will have shared incomes." She said. "But for now, this is for my job and if I want to be taken seriously, I can't have the king coddle me. Please Jareth. I lived on my own before. You are my equal, not my superior or my inferior and I'm to be by your side. Not on a pedestal."
Jareth wanted to keep arguing but one look from her told him that it wasn't going to happen. He just went with it. "Alright. But, might I help you find a good tutor?"
Sarah intertwined her fingers in his. "Yes of course."
They ended up falling asleep like that, cuddling on the couch as they looked at their work from their respective jobs.
A few months later and they both had settled into a routine. They would wake to have breakfast together, have lunch if their schedules let them, and go to bed together. On weekends they would go visit friends and family or have personal dates. It was a lovely existence and Sarah was progressing quite quickly with magic.
"Sandi, my tutor, says it's partially because I'm human." She told Jareth. "She said humans learn a lot faster than immortals."
"She is right." Said Jareth. "Just like humans though, immortals vary in skill and learning. You are exceptionally smart and quick even for humans." He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck. "No need to be so modest."
"You're just saying that because you're awful at being modest." Sarah quipped.
"But I don't lie." He wiggled his eyebrows. "I don't exaggerate my power." He pulled her closer to him in a growl and kissed down her back.
Just as things were about to get steamy, they were interrupted by a knock on the door.
Jareth groaned. "Come in."
To their surprise, Daniel and Lydia both came in, their eyes wide and looking fearful.
"Sire! An emergency has come up!" Daniel said.
"What happened?" Sarah stood up with Jareth.
"My lady, there are 13 missing people who may be trapped in the Spider Caves!" Lydia said frantically. "It's 12 boys with their mentor. Everyone is worried because-"
"The floods are coming in early." Jareth breathed. "Oh no."
"Spider caves?" Sarah didn't understand. "What are those?"
Daniel formed a crystal and made a projection of the map. "They're near the ocean. We often explore them but since we cannot use magic there as it is filled with a certain type of substance that hinders magic powerless." He sighed. "Those poor children with their mentor!"
"They may drown in there." Lydia shivered. "It's a suicide mission and no one can get out alive of these caves."
"Wait hold up." Sarah tried to think through this calmly. "Maybe we can still figure out a way to save them! Come on, we can't just let them die!"
"I agree." Jareth said firmly. "Think of the families too."
"I'm afraid the public has mixed feelings on it, Sire." Lydia gulped. "Some of them think that they were too foolish to tempt fate by going so close to flood season."
"That may be so," Sarah interrupted. "But if this was someone I loved, I would do all I could. And besides, have we not all done things to tempt fate? It sounds like these caves are a popular place to explore."
"They are." Jareth pinched the bridge of his nose. "Daniel, add securing the caves on my to do list. I blame myself for not doing that sooner."
Daniel conjured a pen and paper. "Yes Sire."
The king rolled his sleeves. "Let's save those boys."
The situation was more heartbreaking than they thought. No one knew the exact path the boys took and without being able to use magic, they couldn't locate them. They were called the Spider Caves for their confusing paths and at the rate the floods were coming in with lack of food, it could be fatal as mentioned.
"I need all the maps of the caves and anyone who's been in there recently." Sarah said. She tied her hair up into a messy bun and took out a pen and paper. "If we can't use magic for our solution, then we will have to use a non magical solution."
The royal guard and everyone else were still a little skeptical about not using magic, but they weren't about to argue with someone who would be their future queen. Sarah consulted the map makers and any explorers to piece locations the boys might have gone. Jareth talked to the families to give them support and to shield them from public scrutiny as many were still thinking that the boys were causing trouble.
Like a true engineer, Sarah taped map sections together and stuck thumb tacks all over to connect places. Everyone watched her doing math as if she was something otherworldly.
"I suppose you doing this kind of mathematics is so high level, it's equal to a human seeing someone do magic." Nathaniel said. He had been impressed with Sarah's work and vouched that whatever math she was doing was truly working for their bridges would only need occasional upkeep instead of using magic all the time.
"I just hope I'm quick enough." Sarah was still trying to solve for the amount of water needed to safely wade in to save those boys.
"Precious, more farmers have offered to let us pump out the water to their lands if that's the solution you want to go with." Jareth told her. "I've reimbursed those farmers already with the funds from the treasury."
Sarah rubbed her eyes sleepily. It was the fourth day, time was running out, and she was the only one down here that could do the level of math she was doing. She was also without anyone to fact check her. "I don't know Jareth. I haven't finished solving the math yet but it looks like there's a lot more water coming in than the amount we can pump out. It's just not possible even if we somehow got Aboveground technology from their military. The pumps we've been using have worked to buy us time but there's no way we can drain it enough for them to walk out. Or if they even will have enough energy to do so."
"Your Majesty! Lady Sarah!"
A young boy ran over and gave a quick bow to each. "Sire, the box, it shows a picture of the group!"
"Oh thank the gods." Sarah and Jareth ran to the monitor they had set up.
Jareth had the idea of sending in waterproof drones that carried cameras. With a bit of help from Robert and Toby to buy the supplies, all of them worked on setting them up to make them strong enough to withstand the currents and to make them waterproof. Sarah attached on an infrared camera instead of a normal camera to get the heat signal of the boys. Unfortunately, they weren't able to attach a microphone on it as that would've been too difficult for them to do. Toby and Robert taught a few people how to control them so they could navigate their way inside the cave remotely.
"Have the family members identify the boys." Jareth commanded.
To everyone's relief, all the boys were alive. They all cheered when they saw them move a little.
"He must be so hungry." One mother said. "Oh, poor thing."
They were all good boys. None were going to seek trouble and any thoughts of blaming their mentor was dissipated when they saw him keep guard in his underwear, giving the boys his clothes to stay warm.
"I hope he makes sure he's warm too." Jareth mumbled. "I bet he's the reason they're all alive and together."
Each boy was around the age of 11-16, still young. The fact that all of them were together was a miracle.
"Where are they at?" Sarah asked one of the people who controlled the drones.
He pointed at a map. "Here, my lady. It seems to be a place of higher ground. My guess is that they quickly went there away from the water."
Sarah took the drone and made it turn around to see the level of the water. It wasn't rising as much but if she had to guess without doing any math, the rate would soon overpower them in days. They had to get the boys out. And fast.
"They're lucky. According to the map, that's the highest ground in that section of the cave." Sarah pointed. "As to how to get them out, they would be too weak. Maybe even too weak to walk. If only we could get professional divers..."
"How about merpeople?" One of the explorers said. She pointed to an area near the caves. "They are of course, expert swimmers."
"We thought about that." Jareth sighed. "They're really difficult to contact and make deals with. Not to mention, they would also be risking their lives. The velocity of the water is insane and there's sharp rocks everywhere. And don't forget, they can't use magic either."
Sarah placed her hand on Jareth's back. "We did say they were our last resort. Maybe we just have to take that chance. Unless we can come up with a better solution."
Jareth paused for a moment then shook his head. "No, I can't think of anything. I suppose that we will have to do what we have to do. Time is short. I will go speak with them at dawn. We should all get the few hours of sleep when we can."
Jareth couldn't sleep. He decided to go and take a walk but then changed his mind and flew instead. This was one long nightmare after another. He really didn't want to go speak to the merpeople. They were a finicky bunch and always demanded high prices for any favors. Bargaining with them was a royal pain in the ass.
He almost stubbornly declined to go speak with them. He was tired, dirty, and hungry. But as he looked around the camp and saw the bags forming under Sarah's eyes, he couldn't just sit around and not do anything. As king, it would be best for him to approach them than for anyone else to.
As he flew around, he observed the small camp they had set up near the caves. Even with their differences and fighting, they all banded together to save the boys and to bring them home. The ones who weren't explorers or experts helped in ways that were far and beyond anything he could've asked. They did their laundry, bought them food, morale support, and so much more.
He was beyond proud to be a king of this nation.
The goblins came and went as well, cheering up the small children of the families of the boys. They assisted in bringing things to them and even made everyone's spirits brighter.
Deciding that he should get at least a nap in before seeing the merpeople, he flew back to the tent he and Sarah were sharing. To his surprise, she was not asleep on their bed but at the desk, dozing off.
She must've decided to keep working anyway, that stubborn, amazing woman he thought to himself. He decided to keep his owl form as he observed her. Her long lashes flared and she was mumbling a few words.
He leaned over the paper and his heart twisted. He saw her scribbles that said "list of ways to avoid merpeople." He knew that she only did that for him because he was the one that complained to her to no end about not wanting to visit them.
He felt guilty. But he also felt touched that she cared.
Jareth continued to watch her sleep. She was so beautiful to him, he could stare at her for hours. He flew down beside her and sat next to her arm, nuzzling against her.
"Wh-what?" Sarah felt something soft and fluffy nudge her hand. She opened her eyes and saw a small barn owl laying against her. He hooted happily at her waking.
She smiled. Jareth was so adorable as an owl. "Hey you. How was your flight?" She scratched his head and he hooted a little in happiness. He closed his eyes in relaxation as she scratched his neck.
"You're so cuuuute." Sarah held him in her hands and kissed him. If Jareth could blush, he would've.
He started to give chirping noises, as if to scold her for being awake. He flew to the bed and stomped his little feet. He clapped his wings for emphasis and Sarah giggled.
"Okay okay, I'm coming to bed." She crawled in next to him and smoothed his feathers down. "I love you."
Jareth grew back into his fae self and kissed Sarah's neck. "I love you too, Precious. Please try to sleep."
Sarah sighed and leaned into him. "Alright. But only if you do. Hold me."
He wrapped his arms around her and traced his thumb across her stomach. "Yes, my dear."
Sarah made Jareth eat a little bit of breakfast before he went off to see the merpeople.
"Here, have a chocolate muffin." She offered him. "I put in extra sugar in it just for you."
"Oh how well you know me." Jareth kissed her cheek before eating it. "I'll be back soon."
"We'll be here, and don't worry if you can't them to make a deal." She intertwined her fingers in his. "I love you, and be safe."
"I will, Precious."
When Jareth flew off, Sarah started to work. "Alright, let's do this!"
Jareth felt renewed energy. Sarah really was showing herself to be devoted and ready to be queen. He landed inside the lagoon and blew a special horn to call them.
After blowing on the horn for about five minutes, they started to appear. He didn't like to bow for anyone but swallowing his pride, Jareth went on one knee and crossed one arm across his chest when King Triton appeared in front of him.
"Goblin King. Why have you called us?" Triton asked.
Jareth bowed his head. "Honored King Triton, my kingdom has an emergency and we have need for you to help us."
Triton tilted his head to the side. "And what is it that is so bad, that the goblin king feels the need to contact us? Are you so desperate?"
Jareth was extremely irritated. And tired. And needed a shower. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose, picturing his Sarah working day after day with little sleep and little concern for herself in a world that wasn't her own. He would do this for the poor boys stuck in the cave and for her.
He opened his eyes and spoke again. "We have 13 people trapped in the Spider Caves. 12 boys and their mentor. We would like to ask for your assistance in the matter."
"The Spider Caves?" Triton raised an eyebrow. "We would have no magic there and the floods are high."
"I understand." Jareth bowed his head. "I want nothing more than to get these boys out without disturbing anyone or possibly putting any helpers in danger. I do not ask you lightly. The risks are high and I understand if you refuse. We will not hold it against you."
He tried to hold in his emotions, feeling lost. "I don't know what I can offer you in order to repay you for what you would risk. Let me know what you'd like. We have tried unconventional Aboveground ways to track them and to even pump water out to buy us time but we are quickly losing that time. My people have banded together and have set up camps by the caves to try to find these boys. We are desperate for the safe return of our precious boys."
He hung his head in silence and respect. Never had the goblin king look so humble as Jareth did that day.
Triton felt his resolve to be cruel tremble and shake. He had met Jareth only a few times, and on very formal occasions like his coronation. Jareth had never asked him for any favors or really favors from anyone. The last time he had any business done with the goblin kingdom was from Raynard. Jareth, he could tell, was a different king than his father. Raynard and Ingrid would never try to risk anything for some lost boys.
Maybe his kind would see it as a weakness, but Triton thought that compassion showed strength. If anyone would volunteer, he would allow them to do so.
"There is no need." Triton said quietly. "Those boys are precious as you say."
"What?" Jareth couldn't believe his ears.
"I said that you don't have to pay us back." Triton said kindly. "Just this once, because it is an emergency, I will allow any volunteers who will risk themselves to rescue those boys. Children are precious, every one of them."
Jareth wasn't sure if this was a trick. But merpeople rarely lied. Triton was a man of his word. "Are you sure, Your Majesty?"
"You have shown more grace, care, and devotion to your subjects than your father ever had." Triton's disgust for Raynard was clear on his face. "You obviously care for them. You look worn, King Jareth, and that is a sign of a good king."
Jareth's heart warmed. To hear someone tell him he was being a good king meant everything to him. He had tried so hard. "Thank you, King Triton. I have tried, but I didn't show this much warmth or compassion until my lady came into my life."
"Well, then you better make sure you marry her." Triton chuckled. "I can see she keeps you grounded. Treasure that love. And she will be a good queen to be beside you one day."
Sarah had a rough plan fleshed out with the other experts. Lucky for her, they all allowed her to be in charge but made sure to speak up whenever something she did was confusing. If the merpeople plan worked, they could enact plan A. Unfortunately, they didn't really have a plan B.
"Sarah!"
Everyone turned around to see the goblin king with the biggest smile on his face.
She took the time to really study him, to understand what was happening these past few days. He looked worn and dirty, so unlike his usual self. His clothes had smudges of dirt and there were even a few rips.
And to her, he never looked more handsome. Because in this moment, he was the epitome of his best self. He was smiling through danger and had done what needed to be done for the sake of others. But more than that, he was sharing his triumph with her.
Sarah ran towards him and he lifted her up by her waist and spun her around. For a moment in this chaotic nightmare, they were both able to truly laugh, to feel happy to see each other.
Jareth was overcome with giddy emotion when he saw her. Before he called out her name, he saw her with her hard hat (most likely from building some more shelters for the boys) and wearing the most practical clothing. Her hiking boots had tracked down mud for even though magic could be used in this area, it took a bit more energy so they had to physically trek their paths. Her hands were pointing here and there, talking to his people and giving words of encouragement.
She was just so beautiful, being her. Being who she was in being so selfless. He was lucky indeed.
Spinning her around made him feel elated. To have good news was one thing but to share it with the one you loved most was something else entirely.
"Oh! I'm so glad you're back!" She gave him a peck on the lips. She couldn't help it.
"So am I." Jareth set her down and laid her hand in the crook of his elbow. "Come, I have good news to share."
He told them that about a dozen merfolk had offered to rescue the boys. Everyone cheered and were surprised that they would do it without payment.
"We do have to thank them." Sarah said. "They deserve our appreciation."
"Agreed." Daniel said. "Maybe Lydia can plan that? She's quite good at international relations."
"KINGYYYYY LADYYYYYY."
A small goblin hobbled up to them and did a quick bow. "The monitor thingy! It broke!"
"WHAT?" Sarah ran over to it. The Goblin was almost correct. The monitor wasn't broken but the drone seemed to be swept away but the current and was now all static.
"Shit." Jareth swore. "Now we can't monitor them and it seems the floods are going a lot faster."
"Bufle, tell them to increase the pressure and speed of those pumps." Sarah told the goblin.
They discussed more of what the plan would be. Even Sarah's three friends came to give moral support.
"Sarah, yer working yerself to death." Hoggle told her. "You need to take a break."
He felt bad for her. Everyone else was tired too but the energy Sarah was putting in along with Jareth really showed. Hoggle couldn't help but compare Jareth to how he was before Sarah. He was much kinder and more patient. Prior to Sarah, he would still help and give his all if someone was in mortal danger but he would've been snapping at everyone and demanded for goblins to be kicked to relieve his tension.
"How can I?" Sarah demanded, all while still writing down their plans. "If this was someone I loved, if this was you, I couldn't and wouldn't stop either."
Hoggle reaches over to hold her hand. "Aww, girly. You are the best."
"My lady." Sir Didymus bowed to her and gave her something. "Thy father has a letter to give thee for he misses thy calls but understands the perils of the situation. Brother Ludo and I made some pastries for you and His Majesty."
"That's so sweet. Thank you for thinking of Jareth too." Sarah gave all three each a kiss on the cheek.
By midday, Sarah, Jareth, and the team had come up with a good plan and backups. Jareth gave her the reigns in explaining the plan one last time.
"So this is how it'll go." Sarah pointed at the maps. "We will have each of the merfolk go in pairs or in threes. You cannot come out the way you go in because of the strong currents. You'll have to enter in from the west side and out the north. As suggested by King Triton, the first two to go in will be Orion and Helena. They are the best at navigation and memory. Helena is also a physician so she can assess the boys, even though they are all of different species. They will also bring with them some food for them."
Sarah drew a red line from the entrance of the cave to where the boys were. "After that, they will continue and exist out the north end. It takes three hours in and three hours out. That's 6 hours of swimming and diving with weak boys. Not to mention the murkiness and the time they will need to rest."
She turned to the merfolk with the most serious face. "Make sure you don't overestimate your abilities. It is crucial for you to remain safe. You really matter to us, every life is precious even though you do go into it with possible worries of death. And for that, we are grateful and feel tremendous amounts of admiration for such a noble thing to do."
At this, Sarah bowed her head in respect. She was followed by Jareth and everyone else in the meeting. The merfolk looked at each other, impressed that this human was so intelligent and capable. It was no wonder that the once cold-hearted goblin king fell for her.
Sarah continued. "Keep yourself safe and get rest or else the boys will not be able to be rescued. The boys will need oxygen to breathe."
"Air." Jareth clarified for everyone. "Humans have discovered that the portion of air we breathe is made out of an element called oxygen." He nodded at Sarah for her to continue.
"Thank you for clarifying, Your Majesty." Sarah smiled at him. He always was helpful in those translations. "We are ordering oxygen tanks from above. These are compressed air and one tank should be enough for each boy to get out. After Orion and Helena are out, we will assess which boy to bring out first."
She got visibly emotional so she turned to Jareth. He understood and took over the rest of the explanations.
He didn't care who saw anymore. He reached out and held her hand, giving it a kiss. "The families of the boys and the coach have stood in solidarity. They will not know who gets rescued first and will instead wait to see their loved ones until after all have been rescued."
Everyone gasped at this. It was a brave, brave thing to do when one just wanted to hug their child. Not a dry eye was in the room and Jareth reached over to wrap his arm around an emotional Sarah.
"And they will be rescued." Jareth said firmly. "Everyone will be alright. We will trust one another and have faith. That is what his disaster taught us. Even in the face of pain, in the face of danger, we have all handed together as one. Being united is our strength. And I am proud to be a part of this group.
Everyone clapped for Jareth. It was true, even with differences, everyone banded together and didn't scoff at each other even for outrageous ideas.
When the applause calmed down, Sarah started again. "Yes, thank you. Thank you for giving me a chance to use my skills to help these boys. It means the world to me that you see me as someone who can truly help. None of this would be possible without the assistance of everyone here. I mean it."
—
Helena and Orion came out of the cave exhausted but with some news. Both good and bad.
"The good news is that no one is hurt. Some scratches here and there and fatigue, but all were able to speak. They got water from the fresh water that came from above their heads." Helena informed them. "The mentor, he's the one who kept them alive. He wants to pass the message that he feels this is all his fault and he insists on being the last to go so he may watch over the boys. He taught them meditation techniques to preserve their energy and gave them all the food he had."
"The press may know that, but don't let the order of the boys be known." Jareth commanded. "The mentor is to be commended for his bravery and his insight."
"What's the bad news?" Sarah bit her bottom lip in worry.
"The water is rising at a faster rate than you predicted, my lady." Orion rubbed his sleepy eyes. "We have maybe a day less than predicted."
"Then we need to hurry and decide how we are going to get people out." She said.
"I suggest we get the strongest of the boys out first. We do two at a time, two divers per boy so six people out at a time. We have more of our people coming to help." Triton reassured them.
"Everyone in their places!" Jareth commanded. "Medics, you wait at the entrance. Divers, you rest as much as you can. We have everything set up. Let's do this."
Everyone huddled around in a circle and placed their hands in the middle. They grasped each other's hands, feeling adrenaline rush through to them. "Let's save our boys!"
The entire kingdom held their breaths as the operation took place. Very few knew of the exact nature of the operation as scrutiny was going to come their way should it be revealed. A merman was waiting in one spot of high ground for the boys to rest. The air can be refilled if needed during that time. They would be carried the whole way, harnessed onto the rope. One diver in front to hold the boy, the other in back to hold the oxygen tank. Working day and night, it was possible to get as many as six boys out in 24 hours.
Communication would have to be scrapped for this. There wasn't a way to make things waterproof for everything and time was short.
Two by two, the boys started to appear. Every boy out was a race against time, a race against the floods that threatened to overwhelm them.
And at long last, when the coach was out, everyone was relieved. They prayed to whatever god(s) they believed in, they hugged their boys and cried with them, and the mentor was commended by King Jareth himself.
Since that day, the respect for Sarah had spread like wildfire. She was well liked in her kingdom, but now, she was seen as not just a good hearted person. She was seen as a true leader in times of crisis.
Has this happened when she was younger, she would've ate up all of the attention. But now, she was older. She was wiser. All she did was tell everyone that she did what anyone else would do: use the knowledge that she had to take care of others.
Jareth whistled in his greenhouse. He watered some petunias in the calmness of the day. It had been a few weeks since the boys had been rescued from the cave and he was enjoying his quiet time.
He felt a presence in his little green house. Before he could turn around, he felt a pair of arms wrap around him and lips kissing his back.
"Hello, my king." Sarah leaned into him. Her hand moved up to where his heart was.
Jareth placed his hand on hers and closed his eyes. "How was tea with Hoghead?"
"You still can't say his name right, can't you?" Sarah's voice was full of amusement.
Jareth turned around and intertwined his fingers behind her, pulling her close. He kissed her eyelids and rubbed his nose with hers. To his delight, she let out a giggle. "It's become something almost endearing now between us."
That part was true. Jareth no longer messed up Hoggle's name to be mean, but as a term of endearment, a nickname between friends. Hoggle now found it hilarious and in turn, he kept calling Jareth a brat.
Sarah held up a basket of goodies. "Hoggle says 'tell the brat I made sure to put in extra sugar in these cookies just for him.' And boy, they are way too sweet!"
Jareth grinned and took a bite. "Mmm. These are delicious. Tell Hogwart I want the recipe for these new cookies."
"You're insane." Sarah play punched him gently.
Jareth showed her his pointy teeth. "You say that and yet, you're the one dating me." He moved so that his lips were right below her ear. "Who's the insane one now?"
Sarah gave him one quick kiss before pulling back and dragging him to sit on the bench.
"That's all you're going to give me is one peck on the lips?" He pouted.
"Later, Jareth. I have something I want to discuss with you."
He looked worried. What was she going to talk about?
Sarah held his hands and looked directly into his eyes seriously. "Jareth, I love you more anything. We've known each other for so long long and experienced so much together."
She rubbed his knuckles with her thumbs. Looking into his worried eyes, she have made sure to show him her love but also her disappointment. "Why didn't you tell me you went to see The Council?"
Jareth closed his eyes and breathed out nervously. He had been wondering how to tell her and now she knew it but was upset that he hid it from her.
He tried to pull his hands away but she refused to let them go.
"Jareth." Sarah looked at him seriously. "Don't close up on me now." She places a hand on his cheek. "Please. Talk to me. I'm not angry. I just want to know why and what happened."
"How did you know?" He said in pain. "I didn't tell anyone."
"I was in your office when you asked me to grab your things. I saw a list in there."
Jareth looked back into her pleading eyes. Oh, Sarah. His Sarah. His sweet, sweet Sarah. All she wanted to do was to love him and to understand him. She was patient and kind, not pushing him.
He sat down with her, still holding her hands. And like a dam, he told her everything he knew. He told her of his fear, his insecurity, his worry that she would refuse him. He told her of his fear that she may not beat the trials with him. He told her that he didn't want to live the rest of his life without her. He told her that he wasn't going to settle for less than being her equal.
"I will be a mortal for you." He put his hands on her shoulders. "I refuse to live an eternity without you. I want to grow old with you if you do."
"No, Jareth I can't ask you to do that!" Sarah put her face in her hands and exhaled. "You can't make a hasty decision!"
"You don't have to ask me, because I've already made that decision and have done so for a long time." He said firmly. "Without you, my life will be dark. That's the beauty of being mortal; you can grow old with someone. And we will have that. If one of us passes earlier, then the other one follows relatively shortly compared to immortals. We will either spend a life time or an eternity together. I know that the spell to become mortal doesn't need anyone's permission."
He showed her his medallion. "I will appoint an heir and raise them if you fail the trials. But I pray it won't come to that. I rather enjoy the way this kingdom is being run and you can offer yourself to more than just a lifetime of improvements to the Underground."
He held her hands in his. "Please, Sarah. Respect that it's the decision I want to make. I could do much Above too. Let me have the possibility of growing old with you."
Sarah didn't want to argue with him. She really didn't want him to give up a long life just for her, so she went back to her original point. "Jareth, you say that, but you went to see the council WITHOUT me. It's MY life and my decision to make too."
She removed her hands from his and held his face. "I love you. We will go through life together, there's no need to be insecure. No more secrets about this, please. Promise?"
Jareth dared to look back at her. Sarah's green eyes were sparkling back at him. He knew right then and there that she wasn't going to leave him.
He kissed her fervently. Sarah didn't protest. This was a hungry kiss that he wanted to feel reassurance from. That what she said was true about going through life together.
He placed his forehead on hers. "I promise, Sarah. I'm sorry."
"Shh." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you."
"I love you too."
I'm no engineer (I'm a biochemistry major myself) so I hope everything seemed realistic enough.
The boys in the cave may sound familiar, because it was based on the story of the Thai boys in the cave earlier this summer. I added my own differences in the story though! It was amazing how people came together to help these boys. The boys apparently had no idea that the whole world were looking for them, or even the whole country! People kept blaming the coach which is sad because he felt so guilty. He also saved the boys. Amazingly, all were brought back safe. Sadly though, there was one former Thai navy seal who died trying to place oxygen tanks for them. Rest In Peace Sir. :( if you want to know more of the real story, read this article!
. news/amp/world-asia-44791998
As for Jareth and Sarah, I had thought that they would do some leadership rescue team together to show that Sarah was capable of being a leader. She wasn't just chosen because "oh I'm dating the king" but because of her own skills. She understood the dangers and put into place her plans and ideas for the whole shebang.
Jareth's visit with the council is a foreshadow for the next chapter! Thank you again for reading this and I hope you'll read my other stories as you wait for the next chapter to come out. If I may, I'd recommend Dreams of Destiny as that's my good long story. But feel free to read all my stories! I love all your encouragement, your comments, opinions, and useful advice. (Any old stories though, I'm too lazy to go fix any mistakes but I will keep in mind the next time I write to not make those mistakes).