About a week later, Raeya decided it was time her parents knew the truth. Somehow, she managed to convince Jareth that this round of parental interaction wouldn't be nearly as awkward and uncomfortable. He showed her how to manipulate a crystal to work like a phone so she could call her parents to let them know that she and Jareth would be visiting soon.
"For the sake of my parents' sanity, you might want to wear one of your more understated and less revealing outfits when you drop your human glamour." she told him.
"You know that's not going to be easy, precious. Generally speaking, the less understated my outfits are the more revealing they are." he commented.
"I know, but can you at least use magic to fix that little problem?" she requested.
"Honestly love, the things I do for you." he responded playfully, shaking his head.
"I'm only asking because it might cost you points with my parents if they know that your usual shirts leave half your chest bare." she retorted.
"Alright, Raeya mine; for the sake of impression, I will cover up." he agreed.
"Thank you, Jareth. We need all the help we can get. I have a feeling this is going to be a little rough." she replied.
"I believe you're right. This is going to be an entirely different kind of challenge than the one my parents posed." he stated.
"Most definitely." she concurred.
Finally the day arrived that the two of them decided they were both sufficiently mentally prepared. They donned their human glamours and transported to the Aboveground together. Jareth took Raeya's hand in his and gave it a supportive squeeze. She smiled up at him and took a deep breath before ringing the doorbell.
Luckily, it was Siofra who answered the door, and she gave both of them a bright smile before ushering them inside. As soon as they got through the door, she gave each of them a greeting hug and said how good it was to see them. Afterward they moved to the living room, where Rowan was waiting. He had an immediate smile and a big hug for his daughter, but only a wary look and a brief handshake for her boyfriend. When they were all settled, the interrogation began.
"So, how have you been?" Siofra asked.
"Never better, living together is working out great." Raeya answered, smiling happily.
"You have separate bedrooms?" Rowan questioned.
"Yes Dad, we have separate bedrooms." Raeya confirmed, rolling her eyes.
She had hoped her father's demeanor wouldn't dampen the mood quite so soon.
"Is work going well for the two of you?" Siofra inquired, attempting to lighten things again.
This time Raeya looked at Jareth, and he nodded in response.
"Actually, there's something we need to tell you. Please don't start guessing, because I guarantee it's nothing you'd be able to think of." she stated.
Rowan and Siofra exchanged a worried look before turning back to their daughter.
"We haven't been honest with you about who Jareth is or our relationship. Do you remember my favorite book, the Labyrinth? Jareth is the Goblin King from that story. The whole thing is true, it's all real." she confessed, giving Jareth a slight nod.
Recognizing the signal, he let his human glamour melt away to reveal his true form. He had chosen to wear his favorite casual outfit, a white poet's shirt with a black vest and grey pants with his usual boots. Raeya breathed a quiet sigh of relief when she saw that the neckline of his shirt was far more modest than normal and his pants were significantly looser.
Raeya's parents seemed to be incapable of speech at the moment, and could only stare at the magical being in front of them.
"We met on the last night of our vacation to Ireland. I wished the Goblin King would visit me, and tad a! He actually showed up. According to him, I made a good enough first impression that he wanted to see me again. We've been in contact ever since. At first, we were just friends, but about five years ago we admitted to each other that we'd fallen in love. So, that's how long we've been dating; or rather courting, as Jareth prefers." she continued, praying that their silence wasn't a doom sentence.
"During one of her shorter breaks in college, I took her to the Underground with me to stay for a week. I showed her some of the wonders of my world, and both of us had the best week of our lives." Jareth added, taking Raeya's hand supportively again.
"It was during that week that we discovered my family is not entirely human; at least not on Mom's side anyway. We have a Fae ancestor, who I've actually met. Her name is Siobhan, and she's a very gifted healer." Raeya elaborated, deciding that the rest of the bombshells could wait until the dust settled a bit from the first round.
Unsurprisingly, Siofra was the first to find her voice.
"My grandfather used to tell me stories about the fair folk, and he said we were descended from them, but I only believed him while I was a little girl." she said softly.
"So, Jareth is a Fae king from another world? How old is he, really?" Rowan asked, massaging his temples.
"Yes, and I am seven hundred fifty two years old. Though I am quite young in terms of my kind; Fae grow far slower than humans. Essentially, I am the equivalent of about twenty six, just like Raeya told you." Jareth answered, keeping his voice calm and even.
"I want you to know that the Fae are incapable of outright lying, so you can believe everything he says." Raeya stated, attempting to add some information her parents would appreciate.
"Clearly he can still twist and manipulate the truth though." Rowan growled.
Attempt officially failed.
"Is there anything else we should know?" Siofra questioned, somewhat frazzled.
"Yes, there are a few things actually. Jareth has asked me to marry him, and," she took a deep breath, "I'm not human anymore." she responded, letting go of her own human glamour.
Siofra nearly fainted and Rowan was too stunned to do anything but stare at his daughter's new appearance. Raeya sighed heavily and laid her head in her hands.
"You can yell at me, hate me, and/or disown me now." she told them, feeling utterly helpless.
"Raeya sweetheart, we love you no matter what, and nothing is ever going to change that. It's just a lot to take in at one time, that's all." Siofra replied instantly, finding her voice for the second time.
"I'm sorry I lied to you before. It just didn't seem like the right time to tell you the truth." Raeya said.
"How long has it been since you were human?" Rowan asked, still looking like he had the world's most brutal headache.
"I was fully transformed about a month after I graduated." Raeya answered.
"Well, at least now my request for your hand in marriage seems like small potatoes by comparison." Jareth whispered, trying to make light of the situation.
"Not now Jareth!" Raeya whispered back fiercely, frowning at him.
"How was this transformation accomplished?" Siofra inquired.
"My Labyrinth is a sentient being, and it is one of the few things in the Underground capable of turning a human into a Fae." Jareth responded.
"It seems you've made a lot of decisions on your own lately Raeya." Rowan commented, giving his daughter a disappointed look.
"Rowan, she's a grown woman; you can't treat her like a little girl forever." Siofra told him defensively.
"This is life altering stuff; she could've at least talked to us first." he retorted.
"I'm right here, and I can hear everything you're saying." Raeya remarked dryly.
"You're right sweetheart, we apologize." Siofra replied.
"Wait a minute, back up; did you say Jareth asked you to marry him?" Rowan exclaimed, the information finally sinking in.
"She did, and she said yes. However, both of us would still very much like your blessing." Jareth responded.
Rowan looked completely lost at this point. Seeing his reaction, Siofra stood and took her husband's hand pulling him up with her.
"I think we need to have a little discussion in private. Please excuse us for a bit." Siofra explained.
Jareth and Raeya both nodded, watching as the other couple left the room. As soon as they were gone, Raeya collapsed next to Jareth with her head on his shoulder.
"This might take awhile, so get comfortable." she told him, sighing in exasperation.
"You tell me, precious; how is this going so far?" Jareth asked.
"Considering that I had absolutely no idea what to expect, I think it's going about as well as possible." she answered.
"Are you saying that because your father hasn't threatened my life yet and your mother hasn't lost consciousness from the shock?" he questioned.
"Yeah, more or less." she confirmed.
"Then you can relax, love. I'm certain your parents only want you to be happy, no matter what that entails." he stated, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.
"I know; I'm just afraid they won't approve of this whole thing." she replied.
"We discussed this, Raeya mine; whatever they have a problem with, we rationalize. It's going to be alright." he said reassuringly.
It was then that Raeya's parents returned from their own discussion. They sat down where they had been before, and Siofra took a deep breath.
"We think we've got a handle on this as best we can. Jareth, you're a magical being from another world, and we know almost nothing about you. However, Raeya seems to know you inside and out, and you obviously make her very happy. So we still approve of your relationship because we trust her judgment of character." Siofra began.
"On the other hand, we want to know some details. Tell us as much as you can, and we'll ask questions if we have them." Rowan finished.
Jareth and Raeya exchanged a glance before starting their story. They outlined exactly what a Fae was and what the Goblin King was responsible for. The second half went over a little rough, but Jareth managed to smooth it over. They described the Goblin Kingdom and the Underground, as well as all the magical creatures Raeya had been introduced to. Then they went over as much of their relationship and what Raeya had learned as they could without getting into the non parent friendly parts. When their story was over, Rowan and Siofra were quiet for a few moments.
"That certainly explains why Raeya never felt a sense of belonging anywhere. Will we ever get to see you, sweetheart?" Siofra asked.
"Of course, I can visit whenever you want. Just sit or stand in front of any mirror and say my name. You'll be able to talk to me and see me at the same time." Raeya answered.
"The Fae don't practice polygamy, do they?" Rowan questioned sternly.
"Never in the entirety of our existence has that atrocious act ever been part of our culture. Raeya is my one true love, and I will have no other." Jareth replied adamantly.
Rowan nodded approvingly; he had to respect Jareth's vehement rejection of the mere concept.
"What are the responsibilities of a queen in the Underground?" Siofra inquired.
"I'll be in charge of the castle and keeping the goblins that live there under control. I'm also responsible for any political issues that require negotiation and diplomacy. I have to be a hostess for any guests we get too, but Jareth said if they're rude I'm allowed to seek vengeance and he'll look the other way." Raeya explained, grinning deviously at the last part.
"As I told her myself, no one disrespects my queen." Jareth added, with the same mischievous grin.
"She won't be expected to provide heirs like some sort of brood mare?" Rowan asked.
Raeya placed a hand over her eyes and put her head down in embarrassment. Jareth simply sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose before answering.
"No, Fae children are a rare thing, for reasons I'd rather not go into, and we are immortal so it is not often that an heir or successor is needed." he responded.
"Alright, I believe that's all the questions we had for now. If we have any more, we'll be in touch Raeya." Siofra stated, looking at her daughter.
"So, do we have your blessing?" Raeya questioned nervously.
"You have my wholehearted approval; congratulations sweetheart." Siofra replied, smiling.
"Dad?" Raeya said, looking at him expectantly.
"I suppose you have my permission as well, but only because you're happy and you will clearly be well taken care of. I'm trusting your judgment." Rowan told her.
Raeya smiled in relief before getting up and giving her father the biggest hug she could manage.
"Thank you Daddy; I love you." she whispered.
"I love you too little fox. You will always be my baby girl." he responded, hugging her back.
Siofra was the next to get a hug and a thank you. Then Jareth decided to hazard a gesture of appreciation as well. Raeya's mother was quick to embrace him and welcome him to the family, but Rowan maintained his reserved countenance. Jareth understood his apprehension, and was prepared to try to reduce it as much as possible.
"I know you don't trust me much, but please believe me when I tell you this. Raeya means the world to me, and I have sworn to protect her with my life. Your daughter is the kindest, most accepting, and most unique being I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. She has healed mental and emotional scars that I thought I would bear forever; and I am now a better man because she is part of my life. Words cannot describe how much I love her, and I am certain you love her just as much if not more. You raised her well, and I vow to you that she will always be treated as the queen she will become." Jareth told him, never once breaking eye contact.
"No father is ever truly ready for this day, but I have to trust her and she trusts you. I will hold you to your promises, although I do believe you'll keep them." Rowan replied, extending his hand and finally smiling.
Jareth smiled in return as he grasped the other man's hand. A great victory had been won.