CHAPTER FOURTEEN
TWO YEARS AGO
Sarah looked at her self in the full-length oval mirror. She fingered the white material and then adjusted the straps over her shoulders. In a half hour she was going to walk out of the room, down an isle, and marry Will. Safe, normal, predictable Will, who promised to never make her mad or move her away from her family. Will who loved her without complications. She re-settled the veil on the crown of her head.
For a few moments she considered touching the glass and calling on her friends. Ever since the night Will had proposed, they had all been scarce, including Jareth. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes. "I can do this," she whispered to her self. "I am human, I can live like a human." She opened them. In the mirror's reflection Jareth stood a ways back. "Jareth," she exclaimed surprised. She turned around. "I didn't think you would make an appearance today."
"I didn't want to," he replied flatly. He saw her look down awkwardly. "You look lovely," he then added.
"Thank you."
"I suppose I should be wishing you happiness and health," he went on approaching her. "Unfortunately I cannot. Sarah you mustn't marry him."
"Jareth, please, don't do this," she snapped. She glanced towards the door: outside someone laughed. "If you love me at all you will wish me happiness or… be gone."
"It is because I love you that I tell you this. You mustn't- you will not be happy."
"Since when were you prophetic?"
He bit the inside of his lip. She saw his struggle. "Do not mock me Sarah," he warned. "I am here out of concern for you, not myself. You marry this day, to this man, and within two years you will experience anguish that will rip at your soul."
She realized her hands were balled into tight fists. "Are you threatening me?"
"Warning you. I'm not the only fae to walk the Underground- I have been informed of your future."
That statement made her falter. She knew of fae that could divine, that had prophetic abilities- what if what he was saying was true? 'Or it could be a trick,' she thought. 'He absolutely hates the fact that I am marrying Will; hates the fact that I turned him down.'
"Leave Jareth," she stubbornly said turning away from him.
He winced. "You will do this thing?"
"Yes."
"You will marry him despite my warning?"
"Yes, I will." He was quiet. She looked back over her shoulder. "I will live a normal life."
"Normal?" he scoffed. She glared at him, daring him to challenge her decision. "Then this is goodbye," he informed her. "I will not stand by and watch while you choose this fate. You are choosing pain, an emotion I cannot bear to see you with."
"How chivalrous of you," she bit out. Looking away again she took a deep breath and said, "Goodbye then Jareth."
He reached out his hand, his long fingers barely touching her veil. "Goodbye Sarah," he whispered. When she looked again, he was gone.