'And Toby has said that he wants to come over for a while now that he's old enough to fly on his own. Karen and Dad aren't too keen on the idea, but I've told them I'll meet him at the airport and everything. I've got a thin old sofabed but I can make it up and it'll be alright for him to sleep on. I mean, it's crazy bus at work at the moment but it would be good to have him over for a bit. I feel like I haven't seen him in ages. I last time I saw them was when I went over there for last Christmas. It's October now! That's ages!'
Sarah mind was clearly a whirlwind at the moment. The prospect of seeing Toby for the first time in eight months, and all of the stuff she had going on at work was causing her soul to become excitable in her dreams. Jareth smiled at her, enjoying listening to her talk. Even though he mostly had to explain to her each time what was happening, she didn't just blindly accept it anymore, she lived it, she believed it wholeheartedly instead of thinking of it as a dream. And sometimes, just sometimes, she remembered him from previous dreams, and sometimes she remembered what was happening. It was times like this that Jareth enjoyed the most. This morning however was not one of those times. He had had to explain it to her, and her mind was so excitable this morning that she had thrown herself into it completely. Telling Jareth all about her life at the moment.
'And oh Jareth, there's so much going on at work at the moment! I'm working with three different authors, and one of them is so amazing. He's written this book about mythology and folklore in Britain and Ireland, and it's captivating Jareth! We're thinking of getting a professional photographer out to capture some of the places he talks about, and we're going to make it into the huge book, like a coffee-table book, with little side notes and-'
She was miming having the book on her lap and turningthe pages to show him just how big they were planning on making it, and Jareth thought to himself that she looked so much like she used to. Different clothing obviously, and her hair was all gathered up in a ponytail at the back of her head, but she was sat in the same position as she used to. Back resting against the stone arm of the bench, and her legs lengthways along the rest of it, leaving only just enough room for Jareth to perch at the other end. Although, where before he would be just the wrong side of uncomfortable from sitting on the tips of her toes, now he felt nothing at all, as his thighs went straight through her toes.
'What kind of folklore does he write about sweet?'
She stopped to think for a moment, and Jareth watched as she reached up and plucked a peach from her favourite branch, brought it to her mouth and took a bite. All the while pondering the stories.
'Oh lots of things. There's some good Scottish folklore. It's mostly creatures and stuff but he gets the local perspective on it too. Although the project is on hold at the moment because he's back in Ireland. Some of the best content is about mythical creatures from Ireland though. The Tuatha De Danann is one of my favourites. He's writing more about them because I said it would be really interesting. There doesn't seem to be anything else about them in other books I've come across in the research. He got it all from his Grandmo-'
'The Tuatha De Danann?'
Sarah stopped talking and looked up at Jareth who was looking at her with wide eyes.
'Yeah. Magical people from Ireland. But they were forced undergro-'
'I know.'
He interrupted her again and she looked at him in annoyance before he continued-
'Sarah that's me. That's us. We're the Tuatha De Danann. Forced Underground by the Gaels. This is the Underground, that's why it's called that. Sarah, sweet, no one in the mortal world is meant to know about us. That's why you can't find any books. No-one knows anymore.'
Sarah looked astounded, and she realised now why she had been so drawn to the concept. It was obviously her soul reaching out for kinship again, like it does when she projects into the Labyrinth.
'But Jareth, if no-one knows then how did my client get his information? Do you think his Grandmother is one of us?'
Jareth hadn't thought of that.
'Well, maybe his Grandmother was one of us? You said he goes to Ireland a lot?'
Sarah nodded, open mouthed and wide-eyed.
'Maybe he's going to Ireland to see her. She wouldn't be mortal if she was a Tuatha. Or maybe he's one! And he wasn't told the stories about the folklore by his Grandmother at all! But really he just learnt them as all Tuatha children do!'
Sarah and Jareth stared at each other. Each wondering just what was going on.
'What's his name?'
'What?'
'Sarah you're fading. Quickly tell me what his name is before you go. I can find out about him if you tell me his name!'
Sarah looked at her surroundings, and realised that they were indeed fading. She looked back at Jareth's excited eyes and said 'Alston Leaton'. He quickly leaned in to kiss her, even though they both knew it would do no good, and then she was opening her eyes to the soft light of early morning in her London flat. Alone again.
