Chapter 29
Jareth woke, the strangeness of the dream still lingering. He became acutely aware of two things the instant the fog of sleep wore off. First, he was not in his chambers, and perhaps more importantly, he was not alone.
The tasteless opulence of the room confirmed the where. Somehow, he was in Avalon. He shifted to determine the who, and, upon seeing the dark tresses spilling onto the pillow, he froze. Could he dare to hope? He gently leaned over the sleeping woman, and all doubt was gone. She was here, in his bed, and, he realized, very naked.
A flood of memories washed over him as the human life he had been given blended into reality. He had been right; they were destined for each other, and now they were bonded. He smiled as he recalled her confession of love and what had followed. She stirred next to him, and another thought erased the bliss he felt. Just as his memory had been restored, hers would be as well.
She had fallen in love with the human Jareth even if her soul had already accepted the Fae. He searched through the human life he had been dealt and knew instantly that his alter ego was not so different than his true identity. His father had crafted the persona as a human reflection of his Fae life. He smirked knowing that Tatiana would certainly not be pleased his mother had replaced her as Oberon's human wife.
Now, he only had to prove to Sarah that he was the man she had fallen for. Her eyes fluttered and opened slowly. "Jareth?" she smiled sleepily. And then her eyes shot open, and she recoiled from him in fear. "Jareth!"
Her eyes wildly scanned the room trying to identify their surroundings. All too soon she realized their state of undress. "You bastard," she hissed. "How dare you?"
She certainly remembered her trip to his kingdom. Her reaction left no doubts. If he was going to fight this battle, he would do it on familiar turf. Drawing on magic that he only now realized he had deeply missed, he transported them to his throne room. He had dressed her in the jeans and sweater that she favored, but he had returned to his customary attire, savoring the familiarity of it. The goblins froze at the reappearance of their estranged monarch. "Out," he commanded.
His absence hadn't diminished their fear of his retribution, and the creatures scattered in a matter of seconds leaving him alone with a furious Sarah. It was plain from her expression that he had already been tried and condemned. She was simply waiting for the executioner. "Send me home," she demanded.
"You are home, Sarah."
"I don't think so. I may have fallen for the act, Your Majesty, but I never said the words." His eyes narrowed as she mocked his title.
"I beg to differ, Your Highness. You said the only words that matter." He knew that she would be thrown off by the title. Whether she would accept it or not, they were bonded, and it was a union stronger than marriage. She was his queen, even if she didn't know it yet. "I do recall you admitting your love for me."
"It was a lie. I fell in love with a lie! Was that your plan? Trick me into your bed so that you could take revenge?" Tears forming, she bolted from the room, but he made no move to follow. She felt betrayed, it was clear in her eyes. He needed to make her understand, but she would not listen, not like this. He needed to give her time, and he knew where he would find her.
The air stirred, and he turned to greet his father. "She despises me," Jareth snarled. "She believes my love to be a lie."
"A bond could not have been formed without the acceptance of the soul. She may not know it, but her heart is yours," Oberon rationalized. "She simply needs time, and you now have eternity. Return to Avalon when she knows."
Jareth sighed as his father disappeared. They were bonded for an immortal lifetime, and he feared that it would take that long for her to forgive him.
