Chapter Forty Nine

Jareth Always Wins

Oberon smiled, well pleased with the final judgment. He watched as his son doted on the babe in his arms. "You have served us well, Consort." He addressed Sarah.

"What becomes of me now?" she asked looking also at Jareth.

Oberon gave her a slow smile. "That is entirely up to my son. This is his Kingdom to run as he sees fit. I will not be making his decisions for him, just as I do not fight his battles for him." The High King looked back to his son. "You are his chosen concubine, I am sure he will have you remain so."

"Am I still Mortal?"

"No," the High King said. "You are not a Fae, but you are no mere Mortal anymore either."

"So Just what am I?" she asked harshly.

"That remains to be seen." Oberon placed a hand under her chin. "Were I you, I'd take care not to incur his wrath."

"Or yours?" she asked as she pulled away from his grasp of her chin.

"I see we understand one another." His voice was firm.

Sarah looked at him fearlessly. "Just what did you do to that fiend?"

"I placed his soul in a crystal prison, and there he will remain for all time, knowing, seeing, feeling but never free." Oberon was smug.

"Where did you send him?" Sarah asked.

"That Chatelaine, I shall disclose to no one, not even my wife." Oberon's voice became stony. "What you do not know, can not be taken from you by force."

Sarah nodded, understanding the High King far better than she had ever guessed she would. "As long as he can never come back and harm us."

Oberon smiled at her. " I also will be taking my leave," he bowed to her, took her offered hand and pressed his lips to the palm. "See to it that you take care of my grandson."

Sarah curtsied. "I take care of all my children, High King; Prince or commoner."

Oberon let his eyes blaze, "I find our friend Baal is right, you are extraordinary, Lady Sarah." He still held Sarah's hand.

"Father," Jareth called down from the throne, "stop flirting with the woman. She is well spoken for."

Oberon released her hand, winking as he did so. "Good day, Lady Sarah. My son, I shall expect you at the Solstice festival. Your mother will want to see her grandson." Oberon said as he vanished.

Jareth, still sitting in on the throne, threw his leg up over the arm and lounged back. "Dramatic, isn't he?" He looked down at his consort. "Woman, come here."

Sarah took her sweet time walking up the dais. "Yes, Your Majesty?"

Jareth patted the seat and made room for Sarah to sit. "My son is beautiful."

"Yes, he is." Sarah took the baby from him. She looked back at Jareth. "You want to explain all that blustering? The constant threats, and sexual harassment?"

Jareth leaned back, his arms behind his head. "All to toughen you up, pet. It would not do to have a Consort who was soft. The Kingdom needed a Chatelaine who was worth her weight in salt." He let his eyes rove over her. "You were a fiery vixen in your youth. You are an even more fervid woman. You needed to be vested in the Kingdom."

"Oberon never had any intentions of the Kingdom being taken from you," Sarah stated shortly.

"No," Jareth agreed. "Father gave this Kingdom to me, and meant for me to keep it and pass it on to a child of our line." He touched the blanket that covered his son. "And so I shall. When our son comes of age I shall abdicate in his favor."

"You big bully," she said placing the child on her shoulder. "I'm on to you."

"I've never tried to hide," Jareth stated.

Sarah stood up. "I'm going to put the baby down."

Jareth stood as well, "I've sent for Willa to bring the children home." He placed a hand at Sarah's waist and transported the three of them to his bedchamber. A cradle was near the bed. "I insist that you also rest." He took the baby and placed him in the cradle.

Sarah lay down without objection. "It's been a long day."

Jareth joined her on the bed. "Yes, but a good one. The throne is secure, and the Kingdom mine. My woman had delivered me a son, and my adopted children are safe and on their way home."

"You must be so pleased." She closed her eyes.

"I am." He agreed. "You did well today, Sarah. You played your part perfectly."

She nodded as she drifted off to sleep.

Jareth watched her. "Sweet dream, my woman."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Willa brought the children up to the nursery, there they waited for Jareth. He entered and both children ran to him. He kissed them both, and looked up at Willa. "My son has arrived."

"My congratulations, Sire." The Elf bowed to him.

"Your baby brother is waiting to meet you both." He offered his hands to the children. "Come."

Sarah was still sleeping as the children came into the room. Jenny looked into the cradle and smiled.

"He's beautiful," she said.

"BeBe!" Gwynn pointed and giggled.

Jareth took the waking child from the cradle and motioned the other two toward the bed. "I've a story to tell you." He waited for them to settle on the bed, Sarah was still sleeping. "Once, long ago, there was a handsome but spoiled king. He had everything he could ask for, and he was well loved. However, he was not satisfied. One day he took a long journey, and came to a land far from his. In this land, he discovered a girl, not yet a woman, who was his equal. He sought to find a way to bring her to his kingdom, and quiet by accident found it. However, when she came to his kingdom, all she did was look for a means of escaping him. Therefore, he let her leave. He became bitter and angry, and looked for a way to get even….." He continued with his own story. "One day a man came to the king, asking him to take his children. The King was surprised to find they were the children of the girl he had once desired. He agreed happily to take them, thinking it a fine punishment for the girl who had rejected his heart."

Jenny looked over at her mother. "You're talking about us."

"Yes, Jenny. I am." He held his son and smiled at his stepdaughter.

"You wanted to hurt Mommy," she said sadly.

"Yes, I did."

Jenny frowned. "I don't like this story."

"Not all stories are nice ones, my little love," Jareth stated. "Jenny, I used all kinds of tricks to hurt your mother. I let her think she was running the Labyrinth to save you and Gwynn, when I never had any intentions of giving you or him or her freedom."

He smiled softly. "I'm a King Jenny, and I always win."

Jenny whispered. "That's not fair."

"No," he laughed, "but that's the way it is."