DISCLAIMER: I don't own Sarah, Jareth or the Labyrinth. But I do own a really spiffy 'Babe with the Power' T-shirt :)
WARNING: Lemony material within. If you don't like it or aren't old enough to read it – don't!
Ch. 14: 2 Truths, 1 Dare and a Wish Come True
Two cards.
That was all he needed.
Peering over his cards Jareth looked at Sarah, rather enjoying the view. Her costume was, in a word – stunning. When he first saw her sitting at the table playing cards, he felt his heart seize at the sight of her. She was wearing a white velvet dress that dipped so low in the back it left her entire back exposed, teased only by the fluffy white speckled feathers that edged the material. If he stood in just the right position the dress offered a tantalizing hint of soft globes underneath that begged to be caressed. Unable to help himself, his gloved fingers slid up her back to tease the skin of her neck, relishing the breathy gasp that slipped past her lips.
Then she turned around and took his breath away.
Her face was partially covered by a mask decorated with white feathers and a small beak – an owl, while the front of her dress cascaded low between her breasts nearly reaching her navel, a swath of ivory skin peeking from the gentle folds of velvet. Leaning in close to her, he placed a chaste kiss at the base of her throat, his lips pressing against the fluttering of her pulse.
"Lovely dress you are partially wearing, Pet," he murmured against her flesh, the twist of his smile tickling the sensitive skin. "But it does beg the question – what are you wearing beneath it?"
Her laughter was light and mischievous. "Only what is absolutely necessary."
Jareth fixed her with a piercing look at her cryptic reply. Considering the dress and how much it exposed, he strongly suspected there was very little, if anything underneath – and the thought pleased him greatly, making him glad that he had traded his usual tight breeches for more sturdy and less-revealing leather trousers, that served to hide the rather significant effect Sarah's dress and the hint of what she was not wearing beneath it, were having upon him.
The soft, slick sound of cards sliding across the table pulled him from his reverie. Elegantly gloved fingers reached out to lightly caress the patterned backs of the cards before picking them up, his pale eyes flickering over the new cards. This was good. Very. Good. With a wicked leer he finally spoke, his accented voice low, yet seeming to echo in her ears.
"I'll see your two truths and a dare, raising you one article of clothing and a wish fulfilled."
Two of the three other players folded immediately. Dares, truths and clothing they understood, but bidding with wishes added a whole new dimension to the game; one they quickly understood to be too rich for their blood.
After a quick glance at her own cards, Sarah surprisingly met Jareth's searching gaze, a smug smile dancing in her jade eyes. They had agreed that no magic would be used in the game and Jareth had willingly bound himself to the agreement – being a stickler for rules. Without his magic there was very little chance that Jareth could beat the three aces she held in her hand – the odds favored her.
Are you really willing to take that chance? Questioned her inner-voice, somewhat daunted by the idea of granting Jareth a wish. While his fantasy was rather tame, that didn't mean that every dream or wish the Goblin King had was so simple to grant.
We made that wager once before without a problem, countered her libido with an impish grin. Besides, the chances of him winning are slim to none. And when we win he'd have to give us that sexy leather jacket and grant us a wish. That is an offer we can't pass up!
With a sly wink, Sarah nodded. "I'll call," she purred, her eyes clearly issuing the challenge. "Hope you aren't too attached to that jacket Jareth, as it will look soooo nice on me."
"Lay down," Jareth chuckled, enjoying the faint blush that stained Sarah's cheeks at his double meaning, before gesturing toward her cards.
Giving Jareth a coquettish smile, Sarah fanned her cards upon the table, buoyed by the looks of surprise on the faces around them as her hand was revealed.
"Three aces," she announced with a sultry laugh, the people around them applauding wildly.
Jareth's face fell, making Sarah grin all the more. Playing games with Jareth was always a rush, but winning was even better. Her mind was already ticking over what wish she would ask him to fulfill – after all, there were so many wishes she had that only Jareth could fulfill.
Gloved fingers began revealing his cards, moving with deliberate slowness as he snapped each card upon the table with an audible 'snick' of the slickly-laminated cardboard. 10 of hearts. Jack of hearts. Queen of hearts. Ace of hearts.
"Awe….Poor Jareth. You just missed a royal flush. What a pity," teased Sarah with mock sympathy, before holding out her hand. "I'll take the jacket now, if you please."
Mismatched eyes flashed upward, catching her laughing gaze and holding it, a flicker of doubt shining briefly in her jade orbs as she found herself mesmerized by his piercing stare
"I think not, Precious," he replied in a lilting tenor that made her insides contract and tremble violently as he tossed the last card to the table.
Sarah's eyes were riveted to the card as it spiraled, seeming to spin lazily in the air as if time and the laws of physics had been brought to a halt. Ever so slowly it floated to the table, landing silently upon the wood. And a cheer went up around them.
The king of hearts.
A royal flush. The highest hand possible. Without magic and against all odds, Jareth had won.
Sarah blanched, as all blood drained from her face. The truths and dares she could live with, but losing her one item of clothing and having to grant Jareth a wish was enough of a shock to make her blood run like ice through her veins.
As if sensing her fear, Jareth leaned close, his voice washing over her like warm honey, "Relax, Precious. I will not demand that you honor the bidding here." Seeing the blush return to her face as her shoulders relaxed slightly, he chuckled darkly, "Oh, don't get me wrong Pet. I will relieve you of that most bewitching dress, once we are alone."
Sarah shook her head as she looked around her, unable to believe where she was and still somewhat puzzled as to how she had gone from being dressed in white velvet at a Halloween party, to standing in front of the Liar's Paradox in the Labyrinth wearing what she had worn on her initial run to save Toby. True to his word, Jareth had not asked her to complete her bid at the party, instead sweeping her from the room amid a chorus of complaints from the onlookers who had hoped to see the completion of her dares and truths – but Jareth had something more private in mind.
…Private yes….but running part of the Labyrinth again was hardly what I expected!... she thought ruefully while trying to figure out where she lost control of the evening.
First… you should know by now never to take anything for granted, particularly where Jareth is concerned … snarked her inner-voice, more than a little perturbed by this new turn of events …Secondly… you lost control of the evening the minute you agreed to play cards with Jareth.
Oddly, Sarah's libido was silent on the issue, lost in daydreams involving Jareth and the luscious leather jacket he was wearing.
Upon winning the game, Jareth had ushered Sarah from the room whispering warmly in her ear, "Take me to your room, Precious. Now."
Biting back a moan at the heat his demand brought to life within her, Sarah did as bidden, winding through the crowd of party-goers. As she led him through the throng of people dancing in the large foyer of the house, Sarah had to grin when Angela tried to get Jareth's attention, wriggling her scantily clad form as she motioned for him to join her only to be soundly shot down as Jareth frowned haughtily, leaning close to Sarah and kissing her. If looks could kill, Sarah would be dead based upon arrows of jealousy Angela fired at her. The thought of Angela's reaction almost made Sarah forget the terms of her bid – almost - but not entirely.
When they reached her room, Sarah unlocked the door and slipped inside, nibbling her bottom lip nervously as Jareth entered and shut the door firmly behind them. In the darkened room, Jareth stepped toward her, his keen eyesight noting the way she stepped back as he advanced, a wicked smirk dancing in his eyes at the way her eyes widened trying to see him despite the dark.
"Why so nervous, Pet?" he asked, his arms suddenly snaking around her waist and pulling her tightly to him, relishing her startled gasp. "Do you honestly think I would hurt you?"
"Um…" she stammered, her face flushing at the way his firm thigh pressed between hers, making her body shudder as she fought to remember why she was concerned, in the face of the overwhelming wave of lust that rolled through her. "Hurt? Ahh… no. I don't think so…."
"Then why so concerned?"
"Well, you did win truths and dares and…." She muttered, feeling her knees tremble at the way the feathery wisps of his hair tickled along the exposed skin of her shoulders as he leaned down to press tender kisses along her neck.
"A wish?" he purred, his tone dark and teasing.
Sarah nodded, breathing deeply and letting the scent of him saturate every pore of her being. His lips slid up her neck, peppering her jaw with tiny nips from his sharp teeth, before coming to rest upon her own. Just as quickly as his lips found hers, he released them, pulling her to the bed and settling her upon his lap.
"Relax, Precious. I think you will find that my wish is 'a piece of cake' for you to grant."
As they sat upon her bed, Jareth lounging against the pillows that lined the headboard, holding Sarah securely in upon his lap, wrapped in his arms, Jareth called in his 'truths'. First he asked where she got the idea to dress as an owl, laughing heartily when she explained that she merely wished that the Labyrinth would dress her in a costume befitting the Goblin Queen. Wriggling against the hard length that was pressing insistently against the back of her thigh as she sat upon his lap, Sarah was confident that Jareth approved of the Labyrinth's taste in her attire.
His second question was a bit more difficult to answer. He wanted to know why she liked what he wore in their tunnel confrontation. After much hemming, hawing and blushing, Sarah finally managed to tell him.
"When you first approached me in the tunnels, I thought…." She began, feeling her face burn bright under his intense gaze.
As if knowing how difficult her admission would be, Jareth held her tightly to him with one arm, while using his other hand to lift her face upward, forcing her to look him in the eye as she admitted one of her treasured secrets. "Um… well…. I thought you looked so sure of yourself, not terrifying like you were when I first saw you, but definitely dangerous and something else that I couldn't place at the time. Sensual. Everything about you screamed sex."
Raising an eyebrow at the confession, Jareth fixed Sarah with a sultry smirk, his mismatched eyes twinkling with devilish glee as she continued, "I thought you were going to kiss me and I was disappointed when you didn't, although thanks to you setting the cleaners on me I didn't have much time to dwell on the disappointment until I was back home."
Jareth released her chin, his head bending toward hers until his sharp teeth grasped her earlobe, tugging gently on it as he whispered, "I would have kissed you, if hadn't been so infuriatingly cheeky with your 'piece of cake' comment. So it was your own fault, Pet."
"What? You kiss all of the young girls who run your Labyrinth?" Sarah asked, frustrated at the way her voice sounded shrill to her own ears as she tried to fight the surge of jealousy that engulfed her at the thought, her ears burning hotter at the amused look on Jareth's face.
"Jealous, Precious?" he drawled, his voice dropping a register, becoming darker and more intense. Seeing her eyes flash bright in the darkened room, Jareth sought her lips, capturing them in a passionate kiss that made her moan as goose-bumps raced over her arms and across her shoulders, to dive low between her breasts. Breaking the kiss, he smiled at the breathless whimper that slipped through her swollen lips. "And the answer is no, Love. You are the only runner I have ever had the urge to kiss," he murmured against her ear. "The urge to…possess. To claim. Utterly. And thoroughly."
Sarah's jealousy melted, to pool hotly between her thighs as his words bored their way into her mind. Lost in the haze of lust that his words set aflame inside her, Sarah forgot that her bid included a dare, and allowed herself to relax in his arms, the scent of well-worn leather to enveloping her.
"Hmm….I believe you now owe me your dress," he chuckled, gloved fingers lightly flicking the thin diamante strap that fastened the dress over her shoulder. "As well as a dare and then….my wish."
And that is how Sarah ended up back in front of the Liar's Paradox, having been dared to run part of the Labyrinth again. Jareth assured her that she would be perfectly safe and could use her own magic to leave the Labyrinth at any time should she feel she was in danger, so Sarah agreed to his dare.
The least he could have done was remove the dress himself, muttered Sarah's libido feeling more than a bit gipped, since it had been looking forward to the feel of Jareth's gloved hands sliding over her skin as he removed the dress – personally.
Well… the Labyrinth is really no place for an elaborate confection of velvet and feathers, countered her inner-self, altogether too rationally considering her current situation.
While her inner-voice and libido duked it out over the dress, Sarah sighed and turned her attention to the door guards of the paradox. Although she understood the gist of the riddle, she had never really been able to solve it. Even on her original run she was not sure that she had solved it correctly and this time was complicated further because of why she was running the Labyrinth.
Frowning, Sarah turned around and saw that she was in an enclosed section of the stone maze, and the only way out was through one of the doors.
"Well, well, well," snickered the upper knave on the blue door to her left. "If it isn't Miss Smarty-Pants back for another go."
Sarah felt embarrassment creep through her as the other knaves giggled merrily.
"Wasn't once enough for you, girlie?" challenged the snooty lower knave on the red door to the right.
Ignoring them, Sarah stood up straighter and gave the knaves her best 'I'm-in-charge-here-and-not-afraid-of-you' glare', crossing her arms over her chest as she considered her options. She could choose the same door she chose last time, trusting that the riddle was the same and what she found on the other side would be the same, or she could do the riddle again fully. Neither option was particularly appealing, especially since she wasn't sure if Jareth expected her to run the whole rest of the Labyrinth or just a section of it. And more importantly, she didn't know if Jareth expected her to do exactly as she did last time or not. It was all so confusing and really not the type of dare she expected of him.
Lost in thought, Sarah began to pace back and forth before the doors, muttering to herself, until a quiet chuckle rumbled through the area. Spinning around, Sarah searched for Jareth, having recognized the voice as his, her face falling when she realized he wasn't there.
"Stuck so soon, Precious?" asked Jareth's disembodied voice in a companionable tone, tinged with genteel amusement.
"No," Sarah replied, frowning as she turned her attention back to the doors. "But it might be easier if I knew what the purpose of this little dare of yours was, Jareth. I mean, ordinary dares are designed to embarrass or force the person doing them out of their comfort zone. How does this dare do either of those? Besides that, do you expect me to do exactly what I did last time, or what?"
The disembodied laughter continued, as Sarah's ire rose, only to be derailed by a phantom caress, as unseen lips danced over her neck and a warm voice whispered in her ear, "Are you comfortable and confident, Pet?"
Sarah's hands found her hips as she glared around the enclosure, "Comfortable? Not entirely."
"Then I think it meets the qualifications for a dare as you have outlined them – view it as a challenge. Something designed to make you uncomfortable for a particular purpose," replied Jareth in that damnably reasonable tone of his that made her want to throttle him, usually followed immediately by the desire to kiss him until he was breathless. "Do not make the mistake of assuming that all is as it was, Precious. You will face three challenges in this dare, challenges I have designed specifically for you. While they may seem similar to those you faced the first time, I assure you, they are not."
Huffing, Sarah frowned at the doors once more, as if by staring sharply at them she could determine whether the riddle was the same or not.
"Good luck," chuckled Jareth.
"I assume you will be watching me the whole time," grumbled Sarah, moving closer to the doors but addressing the air.
"But of course, Precious. I wouldn't want to miss your reaction to my little challenges."
Shaking her head, Sarah finally approached the doors. Cocking her head to the side she addressed the upper blue knave, "What is your riddle?"
All four knaves sneered, whispering to each other behind the shields that they clung to.
…Apparently that wasn't the right question…..
Ya think? Snarked her inner-voice petulantly.
Sarah paused, lips drawn as she tried to remember how she got them to tell her the riddle the first time, a smile creeping over her features as she nodded.
"Can you tell me how to get to the castle?"
That did the trick, with the upper blue knave explaining the riddle, which had not changed since her first visit. Feeling more confident, Sarah posed her question and chose the red door, her choice greeted by a disembodied chuckle that echoed in the enclosed stone courtyard.
"Was that wrong?" she asked the air, unsurprised when Jareth didn't respond.
Peering through the doorway, Sarah saw a sun-dappled grove of trees that glittered brightly in the sun. Thanking the knaves she stepped through the doorway onto a path of cobblestones that led into the grove. Sarah followed the path into the trees, entranced by the way everything seemed to shimmer with an ethereal silver glow. Reaching the center of the grove she slowly turned around, having found herself in a small round clearing, surrounded by trees that reached lazily toward the sky above. The only way out of the clearing was the cobbled path by which she had entered.
"Okay," she huffed. "What is the catch? Where is the stupid exit?"
Again, no response from Jareth other than a disembodied chuckle.
"You know, the whole Cheshire Cat, phantom-voice thing is getting old, Jareth," grumbled Sarah, slowly turning to look around the clearing once more. "This is sooo not how I had hoped to spend the evening with you."
"Stop griping and get on with it, Pet. It will be worth it in the end if you would only apply yourself. You made it through the first challenge, only two more to go."
Looking at the trees that surrounded her, Sarah frowned, "I wish I could see the exit."
Squeaking when she realized what she had done, Sarah slapped her hand over her mouth, her body hunching over as she waited for something to happen as a result of her wish. Moments passed before she released the breath she had been unconsciously holding.
"Okay…no harm…" she began when the grass she was standing on fell away beneath her, "Doooooooone!" she yelped as she plummeted down the hole.
Just as quickly as she started to fall, Sarah found herself cradled on all sides by helping hands.
"Oh…it's you guys," she laughed in relief. "Can I go back up please?"
The helping hands said nothing.
"Um…hello?"
Silence hung heavy in the cavern as Sarah hung in the middle, her body carefully held aloft by the many hands. Nibbling her lip, Sarah waited for them to speak, but no words were forthcoming. The longer the silence continued, the more worried she became, until she couldn't stop squirming as she tried to get away from them, gasping as they gripped her harder.
"Okay Jareth. This isn't funny," she panted, finding herself held fast in their grip.
Tenderly, the hands began to touch her, gliding over her calves, teasing along her neck, grazing her sensitive scalp. Hanging in the shaft, Sarah sighed, struggling against the hands as she remembered her earlier encounter with them. Each time she fought against them, they gripped her more insistently, holding her still within the cavern. Sarah shivered at the idea of the creepy hands touching her.
"Relax, Precious," came the ethereal whisper, "Things are not always as they seem."
Sarah whimpered as the hands began to move again, gasping as they removed her shoes, following closely by her vest. Without ever saying a word to her, the hands removed her jeans, shirt and vest despite her attempts to stop them. Once more Jareth had left her without knickers, so in short order she found herself naked and held aloft in a shaft by nothing but silent helping hands.
"Um….Jareth," she squeaked, trying not to sound as shocked as she felt by this turn of events, only to be met with silence. No response from Jareth and still nothing from the helping hands.
Then they began to move again, sliding smoothly over her flesh, making her tremble.
….They feel like leather….. thought Sarah …. Like leather gloves….
Like Jareth's gloved hands, moaned her libido.
Then it struck her – the hands felt just like Jareth's hands. It was like her dream, being touched by many hands – his hands. Giving in to the sensation, Sarah relaxed into their grip, moaning as she found herself stretched out, hands caressing her breasts, teasing the taut buds as other hands pried her thighs apart and began to caress her intimately, making her writhe in their grip.
"Oh my God," she whimpered, as fingers slid easily against her slick flesh, entering her swiftly, her sharp cry breaking the silence only to be replaced with a needy moan.
Unable to fight the multitude of sensations pouring over her, Sarah gave herself over to it, her body being pushed quickly toward the peak. With a keening groan, her body shuddered, thrumming violently in their grasp as the torrent washed over her, her head buzzing as the aftershocks rocked through her. Panting, she shivered at the rapid release, barely registering the soothing caresses of the hands as she was passed down the shaft and deposited in the darkened oubliette below.
Yelping as she dropped from the bottom of the shaft, Sarah braced herself to land naked upon the stone floor of the oubliette, only to find that she landed on something soft and silken.
…. A bed. He put a bed in the oubliette…. she gasped in wonder.
Ohhh…kinky. Chirped her libido. An oubliette isn't a bad place to be if there is a comfy bed and a naked Goblin King.
But there is at least one more challenge first, replied her inner-voice, much to her libido's dismay.
Sarah sat up, and moved to the edge of the bed. As she attempted to rise she found herself being pushed back onto it. Grunting, she sat up and tried again, only to be pushed back once more as if there were a force field around the bed.
…. Um….I guess I'm supposed to stay on the bed? …..
Whohooooo! Cheered her libido, doing an overly suggestive shimmy while imagining Jareth's naked assets and hoping for another up-close-and-oh-so-personal view of said assets.
Before she could consider her current situation further, Sarah felt hands grasp hers, pulling her to kneel up on the bed.
"J-J-Jareth?" she whispered hesitantly, reaching out in the darkness to touch the person who had pulled her upward, and feeling a tendril of fear curl in her belly when she realized she was alone in the dark.
"Two down, Pet….one to go," he murmured, the sound rumbling through the small space, washing over her body as if it were warm water, soothing her momentary fear at the phantom touch.
Sarah moaned as the phantom touch returned, gliding up her arms, and over her collarbone before sliding down her chest. Phantom lips pressed against hers, tender yet insistent. With a low whimper, Sarah found herself responding to the touch, her lips parting as a phantom tongue danced against hers, teasing into her heated mouth. As the kiss finished, she felt a gentle pressure in the center of her back, urging her forward. Without thinking, she found herself leaning over, balanced on her hands and knees, the phantom caresses continuing. With deliberate slowness the phantom hands teased over her back, down the rounded globes of her ass and along her inner thighs. Sarah sighed, arching her back into the touch, seeking more.
In an instant she felt the phantom fingers rest upon the fleshy pearl, still sensitive from the heated ministrations of the helping hands. Sarah moaned as the phantom fingers manipulated the little bud, her insides twisting with desire once more. She fought to hold back, biting her lip to still the barrage of whimpers that threatened to burst from her lips. But the more she fought her urge, the more determined the caresses became, gripping her more firmly, until fingers found her slick flesh once more. The phantom fingers thrust within her, twisting and turning to dance upon the hidden nerve center, making her squirm despite her best efforts not to.
That was all it took.
One touch to that bundle of nerves and her restraint vanished, replaced with a lusty moan and a wanton wiggle of her hips as she sought more. The phantom fingers teased her further, always keeping her on the edge of the release she craved. Over and over she was brought to the brink, only to have the touch stop, starting up again when her breathing slowed. Sarah whimpered with abandon, thrusting back against the fingers as she felt heat creep up her back and down her legs, like a ghostly body bending over hers, a heated ghost of a chest pressing imperceptibly against her back, phantom thighs nudging against hers.
It was then she knew what it would take.
….It is like my dream…..I have to beg…..
"Please….please, Jareth," Sarah gasped, arching into the fingers still caressing and teasing her, but refusing to let her find release.
The touches continued, driving her further still.
Reaching the point of desperation, her breath coming in harsh sobs, Sarah begged the phantom entity, "Jareth…Please! Finish it! Please! I'll do anything!"
Her plea was met by a low growl of lust, "I'll hold you to that, Precious one," as the phantom body pressed down upon her back, filling her with a single fluid movement, which was met with a needful wail of pleasure by Sarah.
Body rocking against the phantom thrusting, Sarah's neck arched back, her mouth open as she gasped and moaned in time to the rhythmic movement. As the sensual torment escalated, the phantom hands returned, dancing, stroking and caressing every inch of her body until she was reduced to soundless screaming and inarticulate whines of desire and need, "!"
A phantom hand entwined tightly in her hair, pulling her head back sharply as teeth tightly grasped the taut tendon in her neck. Phantom fingers pinched the hidden pearl, making her shriek as the release thundered over her, pummeling her from the inside, to leave her trembling and panting for air. Shaking as she collapsed upon the bed, Sarah quivered from head to toe. Laying on the bed, Sarah giggled, her eyes shut tight.
"Wow…" she laughed, stretching out to relax the muscles that had tightened as the torment reached its peak.
Seeing an orange glow from behind her closed eyelids, Sarah cracked her eyes, smiling as she found the oubliette bathed in warm torchlight. Sitting up on the bed, she saw that the door was already placed upon the wall and was, in fact, now open for her to leave. With a sated smile, Sarah rose and started for the door until the feel of the cool air on her naked skin made her pause. Turning, she thought to borrow a sheet from the bed, but found that there were none. Her eyes narrowed as she searched the oubliette for something to cover herself with, finding nothing that would work.
"God…I hope I don't run into Hoggle looking like this," she muttered, before taking a deep breath and stepping into the tunnels outside the oubliette.
The tunnel was dim and quiet as she surveyed where she was.
….The big question is whether this is the same route I came last time or a different one…. Which way should I go, I wonder?...
When in doubt, go right…. Suggested her inner-voice, as her libido purred happily curled up on a stack of notes from her psychology class and looking entirely too pleased with itself.
"Come on feet," Sarah muttered and headed down the right hand path of the tunnel. Silently she followed the tunnel, the dim light and silence making her shiver despite herself. Without warning her feet were entangled and she fell, yelping and struggling against an assailant she couldn't see. Grabbing at the thing wrapped around her feet, Sarah yelled, tugging away….
"The beggar's cape?" she muttered, holding it up and examining it in the low light that surrounded her.
Shrugging, Sarah pulled the cape over her shoulders and tugged it tight around her front as she set off again through the tunnel, her footsteps slow as she felt her way along the stone floor. Sarah walked for some time, becoming more and more unsure of her decision in light of the fact that the tunnel seemed to continue on forever without any deviation.
"Where are the false alarms," she wondered aloud, seeking the solace of her own voice to chase away the eerie silence of the tunnel.
The ethereal voice of Jareth seeped from the very walls, 'tsk-ing' at her. "Taking things for-granted again, Precious? I would have thought you had learned that lesson by now," he laughed, the sound seeming to hang in the air around her.
Huffing, Sarah hugged the cape around her more firmly.
"Seriously Jareth? I'm already naked here, what more do you want me to do before you declare the dare completed?"
"Now. Now, Sarah mine. You know me better than that. Besides, you now owe me a wish. I suggest you get on with things," came the unhelpful reply, accompanied by a faint chiming sound behind her.
Turning around, Sarah strained trying to see the cause of the light ringing noise that sounded vaguely familiar. Off in the direction from which she had come, Sarah saw a dim blue light that seemed to be bouncing nearer, all the while the tinkling chime grew louder. Finally, she was able to make out the source of the noise and the light – a shimmering blue crystal the size of a large peach was bouncing along the cobblestones of the tunnel, rolling toward her. She watched transfixed as it caught up with her, swiftly dodging around her as she stood in the middle of the tunnel and took off in the direction she had been walking. As she tried to follow it, the crystal sped up, pinging and tinkling as it raced through the darkened tunnel, with Sarah panting as she jogged to keep it in sight.
Sarah stumbled to a halt as the blue crystal rolled through an elaborately arched doorway and stopped, spinning lazily in one place, it's blue glow creating a small circle of light in an otherwise black area. Unsure whether to draw closer to the crystal, Sarah paused waiting to see what it would do. As she watched, the crystal began to float into the air, the glow around it growing larger the higher it went. By the time it reached the height of her head, the glow of the crystal had illuminated the room, showing it to be a round cavern, the walls of which were lined with mirrors. Six mirrors in all, hung around the room.
Moving through the archway, Sarah clung to the cape as she walked to the center of the room, until she stood beneath the glowing crystal. Without a word, she slowly turned around, glancing at each mirror as the swirling mists shown in them began to dissolve, revealing moving images. As she completed her turn, Sarah sucked in a sharp breath when she saw that the door through which she had entered the cavern had disappeared, replaced with yet another mirror – she was trapped in a room without an exit.
"Terrific," she muttered.
With a resigned sigh, Sarah surveyed the seven mirrors around her, each showing a different scene, ranging from simple to highly erotic. In one she saw herself and Jareth dancing alone in the crystal ballroom, the navy blue diamante of his jacket contrasting starkly with the white velvet of her owl costume dress. Another mirror showed she and Jareth in a highly compromising position upon his throne, the ecstatic groans and whimpers of the mirror Jareth and Sarah making her face flush hotly as she watched.
"Okay….there is no door. So I have to use a mirror to get out. Right, Jareth?" she asked, addressing her question to the room at large, but finding only silence in answer.
Nibbling her lower lip, Sarah moved from one mirror to the next, taking in the scenes found in each. All told there were two scenes that seemingly had no sexual component whatsoever and five that were sexual in some way.
….The dare is complete, which means I only have to fulfill his wish….
Are you sure it is Jareth's wish you have to fulfill? Asked her inner-voice.
Good question…. added her libido ….Some of the scenes here are things that you have dreamt of too.
Thinking through everything Jareth had told her on her journey this time, Sarah looked at the mirrors once more, then smiled, moving toward the mirror that had replaced the door when she entered the room.
"Hmmm… this mirror and its neighbor show the only two non-sexual scenes and Jareth did say not to take anything for granted and that things were not always as they seemed," she mused, her keen eyes watching the scenes intently. "Maybe sex isn't the wish, even though it was a part of the dare."
Sarah ran her fingers around the gilded frames of the mirrors in question, grumbling quietly when she was unable to find a latch or catch that would open them.
"Okay. So they mirrors aren't doors in the traditional sense," she muttered, stepping back from them to survey them further.
Seriously? Grumbled her inner-voice. And this surprises you how?
Pointedly ignoring her increasingly snarky inner-voice, Sarah returned her attention to the mirrors, deciding that they must work similar to the vanity mirror that she used to speak to Hoggle at home. Silently she examined the scenes once more. In one mirror she saw the crystal ballroom, as mirror Jareth and Sarah danced slowly through the room, a lilting melody carrying from the depths of the mirror, the song at once haunting and comforting. Pulling her gaze from the first mirror, Sarah looked at the second. While it wasn't obviously sexual as the other scenes were, this one was in some ways suggestive. The mirror Jareth was only wearing tight breeches and sat stretched upon a wide stone windowsill, with mirror Sarah, who was wearing one of Jareth's shirts and nothing else, sitting between his thighs and leaning her back against his chest, The two of them cradled a shimmering purple crystal in their entwined hands.
"Things aren't always as they seem in this place," she whispered, steeling herself, as she reached her hand out to touch the mirrored glass that held the dance scene.
Upon touching the glass she felt a strange sucking sensation that began in the pit of her stomach, rapidly rushing outward until with an audible 'pop' she was pulled through the swirling mists of the mirror, only to find herself falling once more. Yelping in shock at the unexpected falling sensation, Sarah grunted in an entirely unladylike manner when she suddenly stopped falling, her body halting with a jerk. Opening her eyes, she saw that she was once again in a dimly lit shaft, with light above her and helping hands all around her.
The hands said nothing, but began to caress and massage her naked flesh after sliding the cape from her body.
"Oh hell. Not again," Sarah gasped, arching against the insistent hands that were teasing against her skin, making her wriggle in their grasp once more.
"Jareth!" she shouted, as the leathery hands became more determined in their kneading of her flesh, making her body quiver at their relentless torment.
"Wrong choice, Precious," he replied with a sultry laugh, his amusement clear in his tone. "You must pay the penalty, then you can try again."
Whimpering, Sarah struggled in vain against the hands as they once again delved deeply and intimately into her, zeroing in on the tender nerve center at the junction of her thighs, teasing it with an expert touch.
"Relax, Pet. Fighting them will only make things take longer. You clearly haven't learned the lesson here yet," advised the disembodied voice.
"And….What…..Is…..The…..Lesson?" Sarah panted as the hands worked on her, making her gasp and moan as the exquisite torment forced her body to respond, the roiling sensation beginning deep inside her.
"Now….you know I can't tell you that, Love. But it is a lesson that will serve you well, and me in turn," came the somewhat cryptic reply, a reply Sarah did not fully register as she was lost to the throes of sensation that tore through her as the knowing hands pushed her over the precipice of her release – the cavernous shaft echoing with her cries of pleasure, before she was once again dropped gently upon the silken bed below.
Curled on her side on the bed, Sarah felt the phantom body pressing against her back, hands tenderly caressing her hip and thigh, urging her to lift her leg. A giggle burst from her at the mental image of how she must look, her right leg seeming to hang in midair, although it felt as if it were propped up on the hip of the ghostly body that was tucked tightly against her back. Unlike her previous encounter in the oubliette which was fast and furious, this time the phantom presence slowly crept closer, gently nudging her swollen flesh before sliding deep within, eliciting a shuddering moan from Sarah as she gave herself over to the sensations.
Despite the slow and sensual caresses of the phantom lover, a lover Sarah fervently hoped was Jareth and not some random spook, Sarah's body rapidly found the peak once more and was forced to hang there by the skillful touches. Again and again she tensed up, fighting to find release, only to be thwarted by the phantom lover, who was holding her on the edge.
Struggling for completion, Sarah was only dimly aware of Jareth's voice as it cut through the lust-addled haze of her mind, "Stop fighting for control, Sarah. Give in."
Remembering her previous experience with the phantom, Sarah began to beg, a babbled stream of entreaties pouring from her lips as her desperation and need peaked. As soon as she began to plead, the phantom caresses pushed her over the edge, sending her spiraling into screaming bliss once more, until she was left trembling and panting in the middle of the bed, phantom hands tenderly soothing her tight muscles. And just as before, the torches in the oubliette came to life, their gentle glow serving to further soothe her.
After resting, Sarah gingerly moved from the bed and began her trek back to the hall of mirrors.
Grumbling, Sarah made another circuit around the room, looking for some clue as to which mirror was the right. While she didn't object to the mind-blowing orgasms she had enjoyed in the shaft of helping hands and the oubliette, she was not sure how much more she could take. With at least five more wrong answers possible, that meant ten more orgasms.
… And after the four I've already had, things are sensitive enough. Too many more and they really will feel like a penalty….
Who knew orgasms could be a penalty, mused her inner-self in awe, while her libido merely laughed with giddy glee at the idea of ten more orgasms.
Ten! And that doesn't even figure in what the reward is for choosing the right wish! Her libido crowed happily, a lusty smirk on its face.
After her third circuit of the room with no solution in sight, Sarah frowned in frustration, growling between clenched teeth.
"I give up…what is the trick, Goblin King?" she demanded, her jade eyes flashing impatiently. "I have to figure out which one is your wish, right?"
"Indeed," replied the disembodied voice, in a tone that she was sure was accompanied by his characteristic sardonic smirk. "Does my oh so lovely, and delightfully nude champion need a hint?"
"Please," she asked, her voice honeyed in its sarcasm.
"Very well," Jareth chuckled, somewhat bemused by how quickly she had given up – he had been hoping she would take at least one more trip through the helping hands and oubliette. "However you have already offered me anything in exchange for passing the last challenge. What will you offer in exchange for a hint now?"
Sarah stopped her pacing and considered this. Having gotten so caught up in the sensation and the subsequent orgasm that shattered her during the previous challenge, she had forgotten that she had made that agreement with him.
….Stupid….Stupid….Bloody. Stupid!... she muttered under her breath, as her inner-voice merely shook its head in dismay.
After offering him anything, what else is there? Asked her libido, filtering through various scenarios that might work. You could offer to be his slave for a weekend. After all, he did offer to be your slave once upon a time.
Sarah considered this …. It is worth a chance….. It just might work.
"Um. In exchange for the hint I'll stay the weekend with you and do whatever you want – but – um…. Only for the weekend. No long-term tasks or anything like that," she offered, pleased that her clarification would hopefully circumvent any loopholes Jareth might seek to use.
The room was engulfed in silence, which pleased Sarah immensely– she hoped that the fact that he had to consider the offer meant that she had finally crafted an offer that did not have any wiggle room for him to manipulate the terms of the agreement.
"That is….acceptable," Jareth replied in a syrupy drawl that made Sarah's skin tingle as a slow flush of heat rolled toward her belly.
….Oh fuck…. I can't believe I just made that deal with Jareth. What was I thinking? ….
You weren't, quipped her inner-voice as it considered quitting its job since Sarah never listened anyway.
Easy… giggled her libido, flashing up pictures of various things Jareth might ask of her during her weekend with him…. You gave the Goblin King the opportunity to grant more of your fantasies and his.
Her inner dialogue was interrupted by the smooth tenor of the Goblin King as he gave her the hint, "What is the difference between a dream and a wish?"
Sarah's eyes narrowed in confusion as she wrestled with this clue. Slowly she moved around the room once more, carefully examining the scenes shown in each mirror, looking for anything that might indicate which scenario was the wish she must fulfill.
"A dream is a figment of your subconscious, while a wish is something you consciously desire or want. Right?"
No reply.
Considering Jareth's advice again, she decided that the wish had to be non-sexual. So, squaring her shoulders, Sarah took a deep breath and pressed her hand to the mirror that showed the two of them sitting on the great stone windowsill, engrossed in the purple crystal that rolled across their entwined hands. With a 'pop' Sarah found herself once more being sucked through the glass only to drop straight back into the shaft of helping hands, hands which immediately went back to work on her body, rocking her to her very core.
Sarah moaned, struggling once more against the insistent hands that held her fast.
Jareth said to relax…. Cautioned her inner-voice, trying once more to do its job in the face of Sarah's persistent stubbornness, as her libido quivered happily and melted into a pile of hormone-riddled goo at the seductive caresses that were rapidly encouraging all of the nerves in Sarah's body to self-combust. You have to figure out the lesson here. Maybe it will help you figure out what his wish is!
….Must relax…. Not fight them….How is that a lesson….. Sarah fought to think. The more she tried to think, the more insistent the hands became. ….Relaxing means accepting what is happening…..Accepting what is happening means accepting that I am not in control of it….If I'm not in control….
You have no choice but to sit back and enjoy it! Crowed her libido, coming out of its lust-drunk haze in a sudden burst of clarity – a first.
With a smile, Sarah surrendered herself fully to the ministrations of the helping hands for the first time. Stretched out in their careful grip, she let her mind and body go, no longer thinking about what was happening, but merely feeling. With moans and gasps of pleasure, Sarah finally felt free – a freedom that rang out over the Labyrinth as her cries echoed upward out of the shaft.
And unbeknownst to Sarah, lounging upon his throne watching her surrender in the shimmering skin of a crystal, Jareth smiled with wicked delight.
Having surrendered herself to the caresses of the helping hands and the sensual seduction of the phantom lover once more, Sarah was once more standing in the chamber of mirrors, contemplating which mirror held Jareth's dream. Covered in a fine layer of sweat, her thighs slick with her own pleasure, Sarah's mind ticked over as she worked to put together the pieces of the puzzle.
"The lesson was to surrender and feel pleasure. Add to that the fact that wishes are conscious…kinda like fantasies….and what do you get?" She muttered as she once more walked from mirror to mirror. With a shout of triumph, Sarah rushed to the center of the room, looking at two adjacent mirrors that held scenes that could be construed as requiring a surrender to pleasure. In the first mirror, Sarah saw herself blindfolded upon Jareth's bed, as one of his gloved hands ran a sliced peach over her body, while the other lazily flicked over her nipples, teasing them until they puckered into taut buds. The other mirror showed mirror Sarah kneeling before Jareth in the tunnels, her hands bound before her as he teased along her neck with the tip of one hand, the other caressing the side of her thigh with the flat of his crop.
Surveying the two scenes, Sarah felt her blood rush heatedly through her veins, a sudden burst of want tickling deep in her belly.
….I can't possibly be wanting these things….
Of course you do…. Purred her libido ….Why do you think your body reacted so strongly. You want them and the knowledge that Jareth does to…well….what's not to like?
The question now is, which one is Jareth's wish? And which is merely a dream? Interjected her inner-voice, becoming more and more embarrassed by the contents of the mirrors as the scenes continued to play out.
Out of the corner of her eye Sarah saw a flash of purple. Turning to the mirror that showed she and Jareth in the tunnels, Sarah saw that mirror Jareth's pendant was flashing purple. And Sarah smiled. Fantasies and wishes were both conscious desires.
….This is it!...
Without thinking, Sarah touched the mirror, gasping as she was sucked through it.
Blinking, Sarah slowly cracked her eyes, not surprised when she found herself standing in the torch-lit tunnel where she encountered Jareth dressed as a beggar on her first run through the Labyrinth. With a quiet smile, she stretched fully, her eyes falling upon Jareth as he leaned casually against the wall of the tunnel, the leather of his jacket creaking quietly as he surveyed her, mismatched eyes devouring her with a predatory smirk.
"I was wondering how long it would take you to figure it out, Pet," he drawled, slowly moving toward her, the heels of his boots clicking sharply on the cobbled floor.
"Well, you didn't make it very easy," she replied, laughing softly to cover the sudden attack of nervous vultures that seemed to have taken residence in her belly.
"Nothing of value is easy to obtain, Precious," he chuckled, moving to stand before her.
Sarah trembled as he looked at her, his eyes piercing through her as if seeing her deepest, darkest, desires – and in a way, he was. Without a word, gloved fingertips danced lightly over her jaw, gliding along her skin with a touch so light it was almost imperceptible. Removing his hand, Jareth began to walk around her, his movements deliberate and calculated.
"So tell me, Sarah Love…. What was the lesson of the dare?"
Slowly, she turned trying to keep Jareth in sight, only to have his hand still her, gently caressing her arm as he whispered, "Don't move." Tenderly his fingertips slid along her arm, teasing the sensitive skin of her inner arm, watching her tremble at his touch. "What was the lesson you learned, Pet?"
The intensity of his voice, combined with the quiet command made Sarah shiver in spite of herself, goose-bumps dancing over her skin. This was not fear. No, it was desire. A desire she didn't realize she harbored. Until now.
"To give in and receive pleasure and enjoy it," she whispered, feeling her face heat as she wondered why she was unabashed by her nudity in front of him, but admitting the lesson made her squirm.
Without warning, his gloved hand twined through her thick tresses, pulling her toward him in a crushing kiss that weakened her knees and sent her eyes fluttering shut. Jareth's tongue surged through her parted lips, drinking deep of the desire that poured from her like warm honey, sweet yet sultry. Releasing her lips, Jareth kissed his way along her jaw, to hover near her ear.
"Good. Now let's see if you can put that into practice further," he purred, his voice silky and dark, a devilish smile sliding over his features at the way Sarah seemed to collapse bonelessly against him.
Stepping back, he smirked as Sarah wobbled on her feet with a slight whimper. Resuming his measured pace as he circled her, Jareth chuckled low, arching an aristocratic eyebrow as he took in the luscious figure before him.
"So, tell me, Sarah….How are you enjoying my Labyrinth?" he asked in velvet tones.
Sarah felt her insides burn hotly at his question, her mind immediately flashing back to her first tunnel encounter with him. Frantically her mind whirred, trying to puzzle out what answer he wanted, unsure if he expected her to answer as she had last time, or differently. Lifting her eyes, she watched him step back, his sharp teeth framed by a wolfish grin that spoke of forbidden desires and untold possibilities for pleasure.
….In for a penny….. she thought.
In for a pound…. Concluded her inner-self, as her libido dissolved into a lust-filled mass of unadulterated want.
"It's….it's a piece of cake," Sarah answered, raising her head and meeting his steely gaze, her green eyes flickering impishly at his unspoken challenge.
"A piece of cake is it?" he drawled, stalking toward her across the tunnel, each step forcing her back until she was pressed against the wall, his leather-clad arms coming to rest on either side of her, imprisoning her between them. "Well then," Jareth said, letting his gloved hands slide down her bare arms, entwining his fingers with hers and slowly raising her arms above her head, his sparkling eyes never leaving hers. "Let's raise the stakes then, shall we?"
Before she could object, Jareth removed his hands from hers, leaving hers affixed to the stone wall of the tunnel. Sarah tugged experimentally on her arms, arching her neck to see that her hands were magically bound to the wall above her. Mind whirling madly, Sarah replayed the scene that had been shown in the mirror … This isn't what the mirror showed!... she thought as Jareth conjured a crystal, her eyes drawn to the glistening shell as it danced over his leather covered fingers. With a nimble twist of his fingers, the crystal transformed into a black scarf, which he deftly tied around her eyes, blocking her sight.
While her mind churned over what was happening, her libido was cheering wildly, thoroughly overjoyed by the current turn of events, as unbeknownst to Sarah, Jareth's wish was already fulfilling some of the deepest, darkest, most hidden fantasies that Sarah harbored about Jareth.
Unable to move or see, Sarah gasped as her body began throb under his touch. Hands. Jareth's real and very warm, ungloved hands, were kneading her flesh, reawakening the need and desire implanted by the helping hands and phantom lover in the oubliette. Gliding his hands over her, Jareth grinned wickedly, having enjoyed every moment of tormenting her in her previous challenges – she may not have seen him, but the touch had been all his, and he knew precisely how to play her body so that it would sing any aria he wished. He had waited a long time to have her submit to his will, and now planned to enjoy the fruits of his labors.
His lips caressed her sensitive ear, tongue flicking out to tease the silken shell as he whispered, "I'll take my last kiss now, Pet," before capturing her lips once more in a deep kiss that made her toes curl, the muscles in her calves tightening almost painfully at the fullness of it.
Stepping back just as suddenly, Jareth flicked his wrist, a satisfied smirk coloring his features as his crop appeared. With a hint of malicious glee, he smacked the flat of the crop against the top of his booted calf, the sharp smacking sound ricocheting off the walls like a gunshot, making Sarah gasp and flinch.
Sucking on her bottom lip, Sarah felt the heat rise in her cheeks once more, recognizing the sound as a crop – his crop. The one he had carried in the tunnels on her first visit. She shivered as a cool, smooth object was laid gently against her lips. Breathing in she smelled leather.
….His crop…..
Before she could react, the flat of the crop was slowly scraped down her chin, slowly caressing down her neck, over her collarbones and down until it rested against one rosy nipple which drew tightly budded in reaction to the cool caress of the leather. The leather tapped lightly against her nipple, sending an electric jolt to her very core with each gentle flick.
Tap…tap….tap…..tap….
"Now, Precious….Do you like my wish so far?" Jareth asked, amusement coloring his words.
Turning her head toward his voice, Sarah groaned softly as the leather rubbed lightly against her other nipple, teasing and taunting her, all the while distracting her from his question.
Tap…tap…TAP….
The crop swatted her lightly, the last tap harder than the others, creating an instant warmth across her chest that flooded her core with lust, making Sarah blush in response.
"I'm still waiting, Precious."
"Um…it is….well….that is…." Sarah stammered, unable to bring herself to tell him that she liked it.
But you want this! Protested her libido, while making suggestive wriggles in Jareth's general direction.
Fumbling over her answer, Sarah moaned as Jareth's fingers slid against her inner thighs, dancing over the swollen flesh before disappearing once more. Just as quickly as his hands were gone, she felt warm breath against her lips, knowing his lips were mere millimeters from hers. "Your body betrays you, Precious. You like my wish. And from where I'm standing, it would seem that you like it very, very, much," he purred knowingly, his body pressing her against the wall as a leather-clad thigh pressed solidly against the apex of her thighs until her body was held aloft upon it.
"Let's just see how well you learned the lesson, Pet," he crooned softly, one hand coming to grip her hip, gently rocking her against his thigh while the other hand resumed the light tapping of the crop against her nipple. Leaning his torso back, Jareth watched the pink flush flow up from Sarah's breasts, suffusing her face. Lips parted, she panted, her head tossed back against the stone wall of the tunnel as he rocked her harder against his thigh. The crop tapped in time to the gentle rocking of her hips, as the soft flesh of her breasts swayed in rhythm. With a satisfied smirk, Jareth slowly withdrew his hand from her hip, pleased when she continued, her body following the rhythm he set.
Tap….tap….tap….tap….tap….tap….
Slowly he ramped up the speed, his tongue curling with pleasure around his sharp canines as she kept pace with his tapping, small whimpers escaping her lips as she rode his thigh, the heat of her burning against him.
Tap….tap….tap….tap….tap….tap…tap….
Pressing his thigh more firmly against her, Jareth relished the needy groan as her body strained toward him, pulling against the bonds that held her to the wall. She was willingly giving herself over to his whim, her feet now flat against the wall as she rode his thigh, arching and bucking in time to the rhythm of the crop. Her breathing hitching with the effort, Sarah began to beg, a string of whimpered pleas falling carelessly from her parted lips, "ohgodplease….please…I…ple….plea….I… ohgod…."
And Jareth grinned, his eyes darkening as he watched his Champion, the woman he would have as his Queen, surrendering to her own passions.
"No," he replied, swiftly moving away from her.
Whimpering at the loss of his body against hers, Sarah's hips wriggled, still seeking the stimulation.
"What do you want, Precious?" Jareth asked softly, his lips burning hot against the shell of her ear.
"You," she whispered, her body arching toward him despite the binding of her hands.
Without warning he crushed her to the wall, and with one thrust claimed her once more. Sarah trembled violently in his embrace, her legs wrapping around his hips as his lips devoured hers in a ravenous kiss. His mouth swallowed her cries of desire as bolts of pleasure shot through her, making her insides quiver and tighten against him. Trapped between Jareth and the wall, Sarah writhed against him. Having found her hands freed, she wrapped her arms around Jareth's neck, pulling him closer as she returned his passionate kiss, deepening it until she felt she might lose herself not just to the sensation, but to him. And at that moment, she would willingly burn within him if he would let her.
The tunnel echoed with the sounds of their embrace, inarticulate moans and groans of desire that seemed to make the very ground beneath them shake. Faster and harder their bodies collided until the walls shuddered with the combined completion, a melded cry and roar of pleasure rippling down the corridor and into the chamber of mirrors – shattering every mirror in the room with their force.
Behind her eyes, Sarah's world lit up in a cascade of scarlet sparks. Then everything went black.
Opening her eyes warily, Sarah found herself nestled against Jareth's chest, the two of them blissfully nude amid a mass of pillows. Peering around them, Sarah was shocked by the sight that met her. They were laying in a pit of pillows that was surrounded by a crystal shell, and outside the shell was the Labyrinth – they were floating in a crystal above the Labyrinth.
"J-Jareth," Sarah gasped, wriggling against him as she sat up to look out over the land as it stretched below them in all directions.
"Lovely view, isn't it?" Jareth asked, his arms wrapping warmly around her and pulling her back into his embrace. "You were so worn out, understandably so after the dare and the wish, I thought you needed someplace quiet to recuperate. Somewhere that we would not be disturbed," he murmured, his lips tenderly caressing her ear as he spoke.
Awestruck, Sarah cast her emerald eyes over the land, drinking in the sight of the sun as it began to peek over the horizon, brilliant shades of pink and orange waking the morning sky with their vibrant hues.
"It's stunning, Jareth. Absolutely breath-taking."
Impulsively she turned, throwing her arms around his neck, her lips meeting his is a rapturous kiss.
"Thank you for this. I won't forget it," she whispered against him, melting into his arms once more.
Releasing him from her kiss, Sarah turned and settled back against him, relishing the warmth of his arms, his legs wrapped and entwined around hers as they floated above the kingdom, watching the world drift beneath them from their nest of pillows. Sarah didn't think she could be any happier than she was at this moment and wished it might never end.
Out of the corner of her eyes she noticed a flash of moment, her eyes drawn downward to a pink crystal that rolled effortlessly over Jareth's hands.
"What's that?" she asked, leaning her head back against his chest, the steady beating of his heart thudding in time with hers.
With a flourish, the crystal rolled up Jareth's hand to perch upon his fingertips. "This? This is a crystal. Nothing more," he murmured, his voice a chocolate caress that whispered to her heart. Her eyes were glued to the crystal as it once more began to dance over his hands, sliding over and around his fingers, the shimmering skin reflecting the sun as it rose higher in the sky. "But….if you turn it this way," he drawled in honeyed tones.
"It will show me my dreams?" she asked, a delicate finger reaching out toward the crystal as it spun on his fingertips, then hesitating.
"No…." Jareth whispered, his voice dropping as his lips pressed against her ear. "Not yours, Precious One. Mine."
Sarah's eyes widened as she gazed at the crystal, the pink skin flashing before revealing a series of images. She and Jareth sitting in his throne as they had the day before. Sarah on Jareth's lap, his hands wrapped around her, the two of them laughing merrily as goblins moved forward bringing gifts. Around their necks hung matching pendants, his golden, hers silver. A matched set. Then the images shifted, showing Sarah and Jareth sitting upon a wide stone window seat, the Labyrinth stretching behind them in the distance. Sarah was sitting between Jareth's thighs, her back against his chest, as she held a book – apparently reading to him. As the image angle shifted, she saw Jareth smile, a look of sublime contentment on his face as he leaned down to kiss the reading Sarah. When the image angle moved again, Sarah felt her heart race as she took in Jareth's hands, resting protectively over her belly – her very, very, swollen belly.
Once more the image shifted, mist swirling inside the crystal before revealing Jareth, standing on the balcony of his chambers, a small wrapped bundle in his arms. Holding up his arms, she saw a small, rosy-cheeked babe, with dark fuzz upon its head. She gasped when the baby opened its eyes – one bright blue, the other brilliant green.
Again the image changed, until Sarah saw herself once more pregnant, sitting on a blanket beneath the sacred tree, her hands under the arms of a small child who was attempting to stand. In the distance she could hear the happy, carefree shouts of children. The view shifted, showing her the rest of the garden, where Jareth was spinning in a circle, a small blonde girl and boy tucked under his arms, while a dark haired girl danced around them, her hair flying in a chestnut veil around her head.
Slowly the pink mist refilled the crystal, hiding the images from view once more. Sarah turned in his arms, her jade eyes shining as she looked at him, meeting his pale eyes as they watched her reaction.
"Do you want it, Sarah?" he asked, offering her the crystal.
Sarah reached for the crystal, entwining her fingers with Jareth's as they held the shimmering orb. Seeking his lips in a tender kiss, their bodies sank once more upon the pillows, lost in a dance as old as time – neither seeing the crystal flash brilliantly then dissolve, leaving a silver horned crescent upon a silver chain in its place, the chain wrapped around their joined fingers.
So sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up. Between grading final papers and exams, the holidays and a two week driving holiday with my family, I haven't had much time for writing. This story is officially DONE – although a short epilogue will be posted later this week. Comments are always welcome and help keep me writing more! I hope you enjoyed this chapter.