Annie and Lithos slowly opened up more to each other over the next few days, sharing stories of their childhoods and how they always had felt like outsiders. When word of Jordana's attack reached the goblin colony, Annie was more determined than ever to do what she could to stop the witch. Lithos told her that open defiance meant certain death, and he was willing to suffer that fate to save those who Jordana would see hurt, but there would be no way in hell he'd allow Annie to be part of that. Annie didn't know why, but her heart hurt a little at thinking him gone.
Annie watched a group of goblin children running around playing with a large leather ball. They were laughing and jumping on each other with no cares in the world. She wondered what it would feel like to be that free, to not wonder if she was loved. She tried remembering her childhood, to see if she could bring back any happy memories of that time. All she remembered was her father dying and her mother acting like it was the best thing to ever happen to her. Six years old and no more Daddy, hit by a drunk driver. She'd just started first grade and met Sarah who was sad that she had lost her mom that summer. It was like fate and Annie latched on to Sarah as the years went by, never thinking that maybe Sarah needed a friend too.
Annie thought back on all the men who started coming around, pinching her butt when her mom wasn't in the room, smelling like cheap beer and cigarettes. Watching her as she came home from school, or Sarah's house. They were always around and she'd run to her room and wish her door had a lock on it. She wondered if her mother even knew she was gone.
Children shouldn't be raised like that, she thought sadly. Children should be loved.
She didn't hear Lithos come up behind her, so intent was she on watching the children playing.
"You find the game interesting?" Lithos asked, making Annie jump. He smiled in apology and sat on a tree stump behind her.
"They aren't any different from normal children are they?" she asked, then bit her lip. "Sorry, I meant human children. I'm still doing it, aren't I?"
"You are opening your mind to other realities, Antoinette. It takes some time to mature."
"So says the man who stole the last blueberry pancake off my plate this morning."
"You were arguing with Magda about the right way to burn food."
"She doesn't know how to cook - I keep telling you all to just not let her near open flames."
"Would you rather do the cooking?" Lithos gave her a sly grin.
"Oh no, you're not tricking me that easily - feeding 300 hungry goblins each meal can't be easy. Oh. Well maybe I shouldn't be so hard on her. I guess." She kicked a pebble, watching it bounce away into the trees.
"Very mature - see? Even Sarah would approve, I'm sure." He grinned at her and she could not help smiling back sadly.
"I really miss her, Lithos. I was so wrong to blame her for wanting to protect the ones she loved here. I thought that if she loved other people, she wouldn't need me at all. And I thought if I could just pretend none of you were real, then Sarah would come to think that way too and leave with me. I used her to make myself feel like I was special, like I use everyone. My mother was right, I really am worthless."
"Stop that right now," Lithos stood up and looked almost angry. "You are far from useless. You are smart, loyal, and stubborn. All qualities I happen to admire in a female." He became quiet, like he'd overstepped an invisible boundary. If Annie could still have blushed, she was sure she would be bright red.
"Thanks, Lithos." She turned and placed a hand over his and smiled. "You're pretty admirable yourself. For a cranky goblin prince." He rolled his eyes and the two friends, still holding hands, continued watching the children play.
JSJSJSJSJSJSJSJSJS
Lydia and Jareth waited downstairs in the library for word on Sarah. The ancient physician had kicked them both out of Jareth's room for their bickering and they had found their way downstairs before, as the doctor warned, he kicked them there himself.
"She's looking better, Jerath. More color in her cheeks, your room must agree with her," Lydia said idly as she gazed out a window.
"You knew exactly what was going on in there and you deliberately called the healer to stop me," Jareth growled, gesturing wildly with his hands. Lydia bit back a laugh, the poor boy always let his hands dance around when he was upset.
"Did I? I thought I called the healer to examine Sarah after her little adventure with you. You didn't exactly bring her back the way she left." Lydia turned and looked at him as if he were a small child breaking toys on purpose.
"I did not wish her to come with us, she has a mind of her own," he defended himself, also a bit like a child.
"I'm surprised you realize that, the way you yelled at her. I've learned that she's stronger than she looks Jerath. You'd be wise to remember that, she's hardly a child." She started walking towards the kitchen to plan the evening's meal, Jareth following like a stubborn mule.
"She's a child in so many ways," he muttered. "She could have been killed."
"Sounds like she may have helped save everyone - protective magic usually doesn't arrive until much later in a Fae's development and here she is, fighting off Jordana's storms like she was born to it." Lydia entered the kitchen and ignored him as he flung himself into a chair.
Jareth frowned and tapped his foot impatiently, glancing at the ceiling. Lydia came and sat near him, leveling her eyes at her stubborn brother.
"Jareth, all of creation can see that you love the girl. She's brave, impulsive and very loyal to those she loves. Just like you if you must know." She held up a hand, warning him not to interupt her.
"But if you do not let her come into her powers and face all that she can become, you are putting her into a prison. And I get the impression that Sarah is not one to be a caged bird, no matter how lovely the cage is gilded."
"I would die without her, Lydia," the admission came with some difficulty. "I find myself held captive by my love for her."
"Then you must trust that love Jareth. Sarah was born for this fight, we both know it - but only if she is allowed to grow into her destiny. You cannot shield her from what she is to become. You hurt her more with your fear than with your love, remember that."
Jareth thought about what his sister said for a few minutes as she consulted with the chef. Had he been stopping Sarah from developing her powers because he was afraid she'd use them against Jordana without his aid? He was not used to this, the constant ache when he was not in her arms. The loneliness he felt whenever she was not in the same room. Life without Sarah would not be life, but he could not deny her the chance to find her way in the world.
A housekeeping fairy came into the kitchen and bowed showing off her low cut dress. Lydia rolled her eyes and waited.
"The healer would see you both now, upstairs in King Jareth's chambers." She curtsied, smiling at Jareth who barely seemed to notice her standing there. My how times had changed, Lydia thought to herself.
Running upstairs, the two siblings raced to Sarah. The healer was outside Jareth's door, holding up a hand to stop them from entering.
"The girl is sleeping, and needs her rest. You will let her have it," he said primly, seeming to glance at Jareth for a heartbeat longer than necessary.
"I need no permission to go into my own chambers, old man," Jareth said imperiously. Lydia smacked him on the back of his head and turned toward the healer.
"Is she well, Uncle?"
Their father's brother, Prince Herbert, famed healer of the Fae nodded slowly. "She is strong and the changes coming over her are also strong. Her Fae blood is quickly dominating her human half. I can only surmise that she used her magic in a time of trauma?" At Jareth's nod, the old man nodded again.
"You will see a few physical changes to her, nothing drastic, but to other Fae...well, she will be quite noticeable. Her time of Choosing is quickly approaching and I trust a suitable mate has been arranged?"
"Time of Choosing, are you certain?" Jareth asked, surprised.
"It is my job to know such things. Again, has a suitable match been found for the girl?"
"I would think my parents would have told you all about it," Jareth said pointedly.
"I have been told this is the Champion of the Labyrinth, she seems quite young for such an achievement. She must be quite special."
"She is, more than you could realize." Jareth did not bother to hide the intense love and pride he felt for her.
"Have you claimed the girl?"
"Not the way you are asking, no." Jareth was getting a bit frustrated. Why couldn't the man just let him in to see Sarah?
Again, he looked at Jareth for a moment longer than necessary. "To be bonded at such a young age may be troubling for the girl if she is not fully committed to you. Casual dalliances with a potential life mate is not unheard of, but it does cheapen the ceremony a bit. And if the bond is not true, it will destroy her. I trust she is being treated with honor and respect. She must be made aware of the consequences for, well, knowing you a bit better." He coughed and Lydia looked as though she wanted to start laughing. Perfect.
"Of course," Jareth agreed hastily, cursing under his breath. "Now if you don't mind, I am going to see for myself how Sarah fares." And he went into his room before the other two Fae could protest.
"I can see he hasn't changed much," the old man grumbled. Lydia laughed softly and led her uncle downstairs for tea and conversation.
"Actually Uncle, he seems to have changed a great deal now that Sarah has returned to him."
JSJSJSJSJSJSJS
Jareth entered the darkened room and looked at Sarah closely. She was beautiful as always, her dark hair framing her pale face in the moonlight. She was perfection. What changes could possibly make her any more beautiful? He absently brushed hair back from her face and smiled. My headstrong Sarah, he thought fondly.
"Jareth," she asked hazily, opening her eyes. Jareth's breath caught in his throat. Her green eyes now held a deep glow, burning from within like emerald fire. Humans would not notice it, they were blind to such things after all - but even humans would sense her changed. Fae on the other hand - well, they would see her as the Champion she had been born to be and the princess she had always been. They would see proof of the unleashed reserves of power his Sarah was generating and they would respect her as a rightful royal. Other Fae males would come near, waiting to see if Sarah accepted Jareth's formal proposal of marriage at the time of Choosing. He frowned, would she be pleased by the attention?
"Hello my infuriating love, my uncle tells me you need your rest." Jareth sat on a chair next to the bed and stared at her.
"Your uncle? Hmm, explains the way he kept calling you an irresponsible ninny." She yawned, stretching and Jareth saw with some mild annoyance that she was in a perfectly intact nightgown.
"Yes, well - he seems to think you are quite special. I'm inclined to agree with the old fool. Sarah, we must speak."
"Isn't that what we're doing?" Another yawn, followed by her arms reaching out to him. "Hold me, Jareth."
Jareth needed no further invitation, he quickly slid under the covers with Sarah and held her to him gently. He kissed her lightly, tracing the outline of her lips with his tongue. She closed those glorius Fae eyes and slid her tongue into his mouth, moaning as he kissed her with a bit more passion. Breaking away, he looked at her again.
"Open your eyes, my Sarah. Just for a moment." She did as he asked and was slightly surprised at the look of pride on his face.
"Did something happen? You seem different," Sarah said, stretching next to him, loving the feel of him next to her in his bed. She could get used to this.
"You're different, my love. Did my uncle explain anything of your changes to you?"
"He said I was becoming more Fae - I don't feel more Fae. I feel more like myself than I ever have before, is that what he meant?" Sarah's luminous eyes searched his face for answers and he willed himself not to kiss her again. He had to make her understand.
"Sarah, you're going to be much more Fae, you're going to be a full blooded Fae. I don't quite understand it yet, and I'm sure there is a prophecy somewhere gloating about the whole situation, but you are coming into your powers early. Your eyes show the beginning of the change."
"Because of what happened with Toby and Karen?" Sarah frowned.
"Partly, and also partly because of our, well - the way we almost," he stopped, looking up at the ceiling. "I never thought to have this discussion at any point in my life. I find it a bit difficult."
"Well, just tell me. You've never had a problem talking before," she grinned, running her fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes and fell under her spell, kissing her again slowly, enjoying the way she molded her body to his. He ended the kiss, groaning. She would not make this easy.
"Sarah, you must listen to the rest. If you are becoming fully Fae soon, there will be a time of Choosing."
"Choosing what?"
"Well, choosing a mate, actually."
"I thought I had," she purred, reaching to kiss him again. He pulled back from her and bit his tongue as her hands started wandering.
"Sarah, please. There is more to it than that," he tried to explain. She grinned with predatory interest and hooked a leg over him.
"I would certainly hope so," she smirked and he held her hands above her head, staring into her magical gaze.
"You would have to choose your world - your life. To be Fae or to be human - if you bonded with me, chose me - you would choose to live as we do. Your life with your human world would end. You would lose your right to a life Above Ground with your human family."
"And if I chose to be human?" Sarah asked softly.
"Then you would live as a human and would never see any of us again. It's the way the rules are written. Sarah, you should not have come into your time of Choosing so early. You're so young and I cannot make the choice for you as much as I wish to do so. When the time comes, you will have to decide. If that means you walk away from the Challenges now, no one would blame you."
Sarah was completely silent, lost in thought. Jareth dared not speak, his eyes squeezed shut to spare himself the sight of her breaking his heart.
"If we finished what we started earlier - that would bond us?"
"In a normal situation, no - but if you are in your time - I'm sorry Sarah, we ask so much of you," he said in a low voice, eyes still shut. He felt her hand softly glide over his face, stopping at tears he hadn't realized he'd shed.
"I asked you once to never doubt my love for you, Jareth. Don't ask me to say that again." He opened his eyes warily.
"Sarah?"
"Whenever my time comes, whatever we face, we belong to each other. Everything else will have to sort itself out in time, that's what life is, right? Making choices and living with the consequences?"
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying, you obtuse, infuriating, probably insane Goblin King - my choice was made the first time we kissed. And it's never going to change. I love you Jareth, and I don't need a formal ceremony declaring that in order for it to be true. You're my choice, forever."
They fell asleep in each others arms, as the moon smiled down upon them.
Downstairs, Lydia paused in her sewing and glanced up at the ceiling, with a small grin.
"Good night, children."