Chapter Thirty-Six: Celebrate Tonight
For months, the entire World had been abuzz with rumors. Something was going on in the Kingdom of the Goblins. All anyone knew was that the Goblin King had been doing what was forbidden and venturing Aboveground.
Truth be told, journeys of this nature were not expressly forbidden. It was more a general consensus that the Mortal World had proven to be wrought with too grave a danger to that of the Fae. Humans had become to wrapped up in explaining everything away with science. Any mystery unexplainable was cast off as delusions, falsehoods, silly imaginings of children. They no longer respected or, more importantly, feared the might of the Fae.
And good riddance, he thought, glowering at his cup. And Jareth had surprisingly been one of the chief supporters of Their Majesties' plan. Though, he supposed, it was more to avoid the inconvenience of all those wished away children. Spoiled upstart. He drained the goblet of its liquid with a sneer. And we all wondered why these actions now, after all this time.
They had wondered. Every Fae with any amount of power had sensed the change coming from the Kingdom. Truthfully, it had begun years ago when some grave disaster had befallen causing what appeared to be a rebuilding of the entire Goblin City. The first assumption would have been that the Goblin King had died and a new monarch reigned in his place, but everyone knew better. For all his general disinterest in the Court, he was still one of the most powerful of all the Fae, a man to be concerned about in the very least. Feared, should he ever decide to exercise his rights by rank.
No, Jareth remained alive. But something had changed. And the entire Fae World watched with guarded curiosity, more eyes turning in that direction as his visits began, then increased in number. And when he went to That Place, where one goes only when he wishes to speak with Their Majesties in the truest confidence and secrecy... Bewildered, that would describe the mood perhaps. Baffled. Perhaps that is better. However it could be described, it was all very strange and suspect.
Then, suddenly, several nights ago, clarity was found. Jareth, the King of the Goblins, inscrutable, impassive, indifferent Jareth, had apparently lost his heart. The entire world had been rocked by the power of the spell that had been cast. A spell that had not been initiated in centuries, if not longer. A spell that, by all rights, should not have been considered without the Court being informed. If not the Court, then the Council!
Some, he had heard, did not mind this oversight. They believed that if this was all that was behind Jareth's behavior, then so be it. How much worse it could have been! They were willing to let it all go. But he was not. For starters, this still did not explain this business Aboveground. What is his interest there? And who could the woman be?
He refilled his goblet, stopping mid-pour as a preposterous thought occurred to him. No, surely not... It is impossible... He set the ewer down and leaned back in his chair. Could Jareth have fallen for and bound his soul to a mere Mortal?
A week had gone by. Sarah was in full-on paper-writing mode, spending nearly every waking moment in class, in the Library, or in Jareth's Study. There was time enough to finish before her deadlines, but she just wanted them done. She also knew that focusing all her energy on projects that needed completion would serve two purposes: give her time to avoid other things that needed dealing with and, when she finally was able to deal with those things, allow her to not get distracted by said projects.
It did make her behavior around Campus a bit strange. She had a slight air of frazzled about her, though nothing was slipping through the cracks. She could often be found muttering to herself as she walked down hallways or along paths from one building to the next. Once, a couple of sophomores passed her one evening as she stood next to a lamp post scribbling furiously on a tiny notebook. The residents of her dorm were fascinated by all this and determined to be supportive. Some attempts were more successful than others, but for the most part it did not go unnoticed and she did appreciate it. Especially when she noticed a select few were stepping up to the plate of providing emotional support for their classmates in distress. She tucked away their names for a later date when time would come to provide references for next year's Resident Advisors.
The only time she allowed herself to breathe a little was when she was Underground. She felt comfortable, safe, her burdens less dire and pressing. Jareth left her to her own devices, his own time spent delving into the workings of the Labyrinth or meeting with Oberon. He would check in on her with regularity, interrupt her long enough to see her smile, then leave her to her task once more.
Once, that proved to be more difficult than expected, but he eventually found her in the formal Dining Room. She had cards spread out all across the long table, arranged in some mysterious order. Two Goblins were in the room with her, sitting on the tall backs of the chairs, watching with fascinated intensity. She had a sheaf of papers in her hand, notating on both the papers and the cards, periodically cursing under her breath and rearranging a selection of cards. This would then prompt a whispered conversation between the Goblins who would shortly start to nod in agreement and, apparently, approval of her decision. When this happened, she would smile, amused, but keep working.
He did not bother her at that point, closing the door behind him gently. He could wait to discuss it with her, find out what had piqued his subjects interest so. It was another conversation to look forward to and there was plenty of time ahead to have it.
The next evening, after spending most of the day with Oberon, breaking only to bring Sarah Underground at her request, he came into his Study to find not the usual chaos of papers and books. Instead, her bag was sitting on the table, everything neatly packed. Sarah was sitting in the chair behind his desk, also unusual. Her hands were folded on the desk, chin resting atop them. Had her eyes been open, she would have seen him come in. He concluded she had been watching the door, waiting for his arrival. But as she waited, she had fallen asleep.
He sat on a corner of his desk, removing his gloves and crossing his hands on one knee. Jareth realized he could watch her forever and could probably make it so, cheating them both out of the trials life might hold. And while he would sacrifice all to prevent any sorrow on her part, he could not bear to deprive her of the joy that was to be expected should he do so. He whispered her name, stroking her cheek with one finger.
Sarah inhaled deeply and sat up, rubbing one eye as she blinked several times. She looked at Jareth and smiled. "Hi."
"Hello."
"I fell asleep."
He chuckled. "Yes, I noticed."
"Is it very late?"
"Later than I intended, I am sorry to say."
"Oh. That's all right; I don't mind waiting." She sat there, looking at him sleepily until he held one hand out to her. She took it, and he pulled her to her feet and toward him. One arm wrapped around her waist, holding her firmly against him, as he buried his other hand into her hair and tipped her face up toward his. She smiled at him. "I'm finished."
"With what?"
"Everything." She covered a wide yawn with the back of her hand. "Except for whatever new assignments pop up, but most of my classes gave out their paper list at the beginning of the term, so there shouldn't be anything new at this point."
"Ah. Then perhaps we should celebrate."
"I'd like that. But I don't know when at this point. I have two classes in the morning and then a lunch meeting with my advisor who is overseeing my dissertation. And starting tomorrow night, I'm on duty for a week and have to be on campus from in the evenings and overnight."
Jareth put his chin on the top of her head. He thought for a moment, then a smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. "Might I suggest a spontaneous romp for what is left of tonight with a promise for something more well-planned at another date?" At her nod, he smoothed Sarah's hair then, without warning, swept her up into his arms. He chuckled at her squeak and watched her eyes grow wide.
"Um."
"You sound nervous."
"Around you? Generally."
"Good."
Sarah dubiously regarded his self-assured grin. She felt a steady wave of adoration coming from him, barely masking an undertone of mischief. "What are you up to?"
"Close your eyes."
She pursed her lips, debating. Fingering his collar, she finally did close her eyes, resting her head on his shoulder as she did so. She sighed, content, as she felt a familiar tug of magic.
Jareth knelt, placing Sarah on the ground. He settled behind her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her back against his chest. He kissed her gently behind her ear, delighting in the shiver that coursed through her. "Open your eyes," he whispered.
Whatever Sarah might have been expecting, this was not it. They were deep in the forest sitting on a mossy expanse on the edge of a clearing, at the center of which was a small fire. She looked around, taking it all in. Then it hit her. "Hey..."
"Look familiar?"
"Yes." She turned in his arms and looked up at him. "But why -" A cackle of laughter interrupted her. A flash of orange caught her eye and she looked back into the clearing. She stiffened slightly, remembering her first encounter with this particular group.
They caught sight of the couple and zoomed on over. "Well! If it ain't His Majesty!"
"The King is here? Well long live the king!"
"The King of the Goblins himself, in the flesh. And with a lady." There was much eyebrow wiggling at that.
"Hey! That ain't just any lady! It's her! She's back! Come to dance with us again?"
Sarah blinked. "Um..."
"Why are you here Your Majesty? You don't often come to our evening revels!"
"Yeah! In fact he never comes to these shindigs!"
"No he sure doesn't"
"To what do we owe this unexpected pleasure? Is something going on?"
"Yes." Sarah looked back up at Jareth, an eyebrow raised. "What is going on?"
"You did agree that we have cause for celebration, did you not?"
She blinked. "Yes, but -"
"Celebrate? You mean chilly down? Throw a party?"
"Heh heh! No one parties like this crew here!"
"Right on! But what is the occasion?"
They were looking at Sarah expectantly. "Oh. Well, I -"
"I know! It's in honor of the lady coming back to us!"
"That's right! She'll be our Queen soon. I always said!"
"No you didn't!"
There was a bit of jostling each other and Sarah wondered if heads and limbs were going to be coming off again when one of them, the one with the deep voice, bounced his way between the bickering two. "Hey, man, it don't matter. Let's just get the groove on!"
"Woo!"
As if on cue, drums and music started up out of nowhere. The Fireys began to sing and dance and, shortly, all manner of other creatures began to join them, bursting out of the underbrush. In some cases, the rocks and plants themselves unfolded and revealed just how alive the forest truly was. But all of them blended in perfectly, a vibrant collage of orange, red, yellow, and every hue in between. None behaved quite as manic as the original four, but it was clear they belonged in the swamp. Most joined in the dancing and singing until quite a cacophony had arisen.
A handful, however, appeared to be more curious about the couple that had joined them. They lingered in the shadows, just out of reach, and watched. Sarah appeared unaware of them, eyeing the proceedings as she decided whether or not to be comfortable. When she finally relaxed into Jareth's arms, he looked over at the small group of observers. A tiny two-legged, bright red ball of fluff bounced hesitantly in and out of the shadows. He watched as it came closer, its gaze never leaving Sarah. Then, ever so slowly, it reached out with one little hand and touched hers.
She looked down and started slightly at the unexpected sight of wide eyes looking up at her. "Hello," she said. It jumped six inches into the air then bounced off into the darkness with a barely audible "Eep!" She looked at Jareth once again. "Did I do something wrong?"
He shook his head. "Just wait."
A few seconds passed and the creature returned, three others in tow. They bounced up, chirping, until they stood next to her, all in a row. Looking at her. Expectantly.
"Um. Hello," she said again. There was more chirping and more bouncing, then more staring. Sarah leaned toward Jareth and whispered, "What am I supposed to do?"
He took one of her hands in his, palms up, and guided it to the ground in front of the first fluff ball. Again, there was more chirping, though clearly merrily this time, and it hopped into Sarah's palm. Jareth then guided her hand back to her lap and released it. Immediately, the three other fluff balls hopped up to join the first. Chirping until they settled, all snuggled together. Within minutes, they were asleep.
Jareth reclined on the moss, propping himself up slightly with an elbow and angling around Sarah so he could look up and watch her face. The wonder in her eyes filled his heart anew.
"How can they possibly sleep with all this noise?"
He shrugged. "This happens every night, actually. So I suppose they are used to it, being that they are baby Fireys." Her expression upon hearing that tidbit was indescribably priceless and made the entire idea of coming here worthwhile.
The sight of the Firey kits in Sarah's lap seemingly emboldened the other observing creatures. They huddled together, muttering for a few minutes, then disappeared for a few minutes. When they returned, the stood just inside the light, eyeing Jareth until he gave permission to approach with a flick of his fingers. As a group, they slowly came forward.
Sarah looked up as they neared, smiling. When she saw the little group standing there, surprise and questioning briefly lit her eyes. Jareth wondered what she would do.
She waited a moment to see what they would do, but they simply looked at her, hopeful for something though she had no idea what. Mentally shrugging, she offered again, "Hello."
There was a chorus of, "Ohh!" and more murmuring amongst themselves before they turned to look at her once more. Jareth could see Sarah was having a hard time not laughing outright.
She cleared her throat. "Is there something you need from me?" she prompted.
One of them was shoved forward, apparently the spokesperson of the group. "Are you really the King's lady?"
"I, well," her eyes flicked to Jareth who simply grinned at her. She took a breath. "Yes."
"And... are you the same lady who defeated the Labyrinth?"
"Well, yes, actually."
"And... is it true that you..." The spokesperson looked over its shoulder and the others nodded encouragingly. "That you," its voice dropped to a whisper, "that you threw their heads around?" It gestured with a tiny jerk of its own head.
She blinked several times at that one, but other than that her composure did not falter. "Yes, that was me."
This time, her answer met with a chorus of, "Wow!" in a highly approving and impressed tone. Then, as one, they all pulled their hands from behind their backs to reveal small bunches of flowers, the same colors as the creatures that held them. "We hope you like it here," one said as they all put the flowers in her lap next to the sleeping Fireys. They then scattered to join the rest of the party, but at the last second, almost as an afterthought, another ran back up and whispered, "You can come back and do that again, any time."
She pressed her lips together and momentarily looked down, trying again to not laugh. "Thank you," she finally managed, and the creature ran off to join the others. She shook her head, watching it go, then turned to Jareth. "What was that all about?"
"It appears they like you."
"Oh."
"And approve of you."
"Approve?"
"Yes. I confess that, while I did think this would be an ideal place for an impromptu congratulatory to-do, it has served another purpose." She waited while he reached out and pet one of the sleeping Fireys with one finger. "There are so many secrets surrounding your presence here, Sarah. But I do not want to hide you. Much of it has come from necessity; we both have been rather busy. But my people need to know who you are. I want them to know you."
She smiled at him, then picked out a couple of the flowers and began weaving them together. "And by 'my people' I assume you mean your subjects, not your kind." He nodded. "Thank you for that. And for what it's worth, this is the most relaxing party I have ever been to."
"How do you mean?"
She shrugged. "Socializing can be rather exhausting. Aggie is pretty good about making sure we aren't thought of as wall flowers whenever we go out, and I guess I can hold my own when the mood strikes me or when I have to. But tonight my brain is way too fried."
"Understood." They fell silent and he looked out over the clearing watching the goings-on.
Sarah continued weaving the flowers. "Jareth?"
"Hm?"
"Are all of these creatures Goblins?"
"That depends on who you ask. Technically, since they live here under my rule and the Labyrinth claims them, yes. But never suggest it to them."
"Why not? Is it that offensive?"
He chuckled. "Offensive? No. They just have quite the argument against it and their particular diatribe narrative is rather exhausting to follow."
Sarah giggled. "I can imagine. Well, as long as they don't try to take off my head again, I am happy to oblige them and call them whatever they please."
He looked back at her, glad to see she was smiling. "You do know that they would not actually have removed your head, right?"
"If you say so."
"They delight in the chase and they like to test limits and push buttons, but they are mostly harmless."
She eyed him, amused. "Operative being mostly?"
He shrugged one shoulder. "There is little in this kingdom that is entirely harmless."
"Its king included?"
An eyebrow went up. "Indeed." He watched her blush at the weight of meaning he placed inside that one word. "And what of you, Sarah? Will you be one of the few who would never cause harm in the Kingdom of Goblins?"
She held up the flowers, now transformed into a glorious garland of fire, and inspected her work. "I suppose that remains to be seen, doesn't it?"
And with that, she crowned Jareth with the flowers and kissed him.