Ok we are back again for another ride on the emotional roller coaster. I really should have put this in the angst section, and I should have moved the rating up to M. Also I should learn how to spell...spell check is so inadequate.
"Well?" Jareth snarled.
"Nothing Sire" Arthur said sadly. His watery form was shaking. "I've looked through all the secrets that the other kingdoms have submitted, and there is nothing that would save her. They gave us no healing powers, no special life droughts, nothing. I am so sorry sire."
"Not as sorry as they will be" Jareth grimaced and then tossed his riding crop on the floor in anger. They were in his throne room, alone. Jareth had banished the Goblins with a loud roar when they made too much noise.
"What do you mean, sire?" Arthur asked fearfully. Jareth threw him a dark look.
"We take what they have left by force, of course!"
"You mean war?"
"Of course you blathering idiot. War? What else, a cricket match?" Jareth paced the length of the throne room like a ravenous panther.
"But Sire, please think..."
"Think what? What are you saying Arthur?" Jareth had stopped pacing and was standing very still,looking at Arthur was a deadly gleam in his mismatched eyes.
"Only this Sire. We all have destinies..." Arthur began gently, but Jareth cut him off with a roar.
"Enough of talk of destinies and of path's written in the stars. If this is true, then Sarah and I were meant to be together. Since the day she was born she was meant to be with ME!"
"Jareth my boy even you cannot move the stars" Arthur said in his kindest voice. Jareth balled his hands into fists and held them at his thighs. "She is mortal my boy, and mortals die. It is their way."
"I will find a way, and I will do it for her!" he breathed. Arthur shook his head.
"Some things are impossible, even here in the Labyrinth.. When I was alive and mortal, I tried to exert my control to the extremes. I built Camelot up from the ground, made it into an ideal world. I created a world that was full of justice and chiverley and beauty. I thought I had everything, and the pride! The pride I felt was my down fall. I let my pride and the love I had for a woman lead the way to my destruction." Arthur sighed sadly, reminiscing in his past.
"I don't give a damm about your pride old man. You were a fool and you paid for it!"
"I did. I thought my world was unshakable. I thought that Gwennafer would be faithful..."
"Sarah is no Gwennafer" Jareth said with a smile of tenderness and hot passion, "She is real and true, like no other. Your mortal wench cannot compare. Sarah is timeless."
"And as was my Gwen" Arthur said, "But I had to let her go with Lancelot, even if it meant the end of my world, the downfall of my kingdom. It was her destiny, and mine." Jareth shook his head, his mane of hair flying wildly, and began to pace the room again. "We all die someday Goblin King. I knew Gwennafer would die one day as well. I knew that in my heart as I watched her ride away on Lancelot's horse. Either way she was going to die, leave or stay. She loved me but it wasn't enough. I was kind and let her go to her destiny with peace in my heart."
"Contact the Lady Gen and have her research healing methods in her Kingdom..."
"Sire" Arthur began, but Jareth continued pacing and continued barking out orders.
"Then order our spies to follow around the council members. No doubt they all plotted this thing out to very last detail, making sure Sarah suffers an excruciating death because of Arez's venom.."
"Sire..."
"Then arrange for the council to meet here. I want them here in the next few days, Sarah is slipping faster than I thought..."
"Sire..Were you not listening?"
"It makes no difference! I don't give a damm about destinies or your pathetic story. If Gwennafer was anything like my mother, she got what she had coming and so did you for picking such an imbecile to bed with with!"
"Sire!" Arthur cried out in dismay.
"I'm leaving to now to see to Sarah. I trust you will get these things done, Arthur" Jareth said with a warning in his voice. "If my orders are not followed out efficiently and quickly I will be very displeased."
"I am at your disposal Sire" Arthur's voice called, sounding a bit nasal. Jareth threw him a quick glare before stalking out of the room.
He met a few Goblins on his pursuit of Sarah. Their crazy giggles and laughs annoyed him so much that he sent them through the roof, literally.
"Your eyes can be so cruel" Sarah's voice sang out, "Just as I can be so cruel" Then there was quiet laughter. Jareth followed the laughter into the Escher room. The stair cases glittered in the dark atmosphere.
"Sarah" Jareth purred. Sarah raised an eyebrow.
"Goblin King" she said. She was sitting demurely at the beginning of one of the stairs, ball gown spread about, hands clasped to her knees. She looked so innocent, and very very tired.
"Did you bring all the girls here?" Sarah batted her emerald green eyes at him, cat like and cajoling.
"What?" Jareth turned a sharp eye towards her. His breathing slowed.
"The girls..." Sarah repeated, "Surely others have beaten your Labyrinth, or in the very least wished a brother or sister away!"
"They have" Jareth said slowly, "But only you made it this far."
"Is that so?" Sarah said with a smile. "Thats nice. I guess." Jareth snorted.
"I would hardly call it nice. Come" he motioned to his side. "I have something for you."
"A present?" Sarah laughed. "Come on Jareth don't you think that I have enough..." Sarah gave a small cry of delight. "O my goodness, these are beautiful." Jareth had poured into her palm a dozen sparkling flower petals of some sort. They were as hard as crystal and glittered like diamonds.
"And here" Jareth said, handing her two perfectly formed rose buds of the glittering crystal.
"So pretty" Sarah breathed. "And absolutely useless!" She laughed. Jareth frowned.
"Do whatever you like with them. I did not give them to you because they have a particular use. I just did."
"Of course, thank you." Sarah leaned up on her tip toes, and kissed Jareth on the forehead. He gave her a surprised look.
"Sarah"
Sarah suppressed a shudder. The way he said her name, like it was something silky and delightful rolling across his tongue. His deep monotone gave it a sinister yet thrilling tone, reminding Sarah how much power he had over her. She looked into his mismatched eyes and felt herself get lost in the depths.
"Yes Jareth" Sarah managed.
"You do know that I am giving you these things, with no strings attached?" Jareth asked.
"No strings attached?" Sarah questioned, puzzled.
"Yes silly twit, no strings attached. I am not going to demand your brother in return for some silly little trinkets!" Jareth admonished.
"Of course Jareth. I know that by now" Sarah laughed. " I trust you." Jareth inhaled sharply. He ran a long white finger down the length of her arm and then caught a piece of her silken hair. He held it between two fingers. It was the deep black color that he remembered, but now it wasn't so brilliant, it was dull and almost brittle.
"Do you?" Jareth asked. His mouth was held taught and his eyes seemed to sneer at her, but Sarah knew it wasn't so. This was just Jareth.
"I do. As you recall through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered..."
"Yes, all of that" Jareth waved his hand impatiently, "Do you trust me explicitly?"
"Why are you asking?" Sarah frowned. Jareth sighed.
"Its nothing Sarah. Forget it and put it out of your mind." Jareth looked at her, still frowning.
"Yes?" Sarah asked tiredly, getting annoyed. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Just remember this Sarah..." Jareth dropped her hair and stood before her, "I will give you the stars and the very heaven's itself. If there is a way I will find it." Jareth said the last part so forcefully that Sarah was taken back for a moment.
"Alright" Sarah soothed, "Alright." Jareth glared at her and then relaxed. He offered her his hand.
"Come, you must be cold sitting on that hard stone" Jareth said. "Lets go watch the sunset or some other foolish romantic notion that you mortals do." Sarah laughed.
"Yes, that would be lovely. We should hurry, I believe its getting darker out. We must not waste time." Jareth looked at her curiously and then lifted Sarah from the stairs and together they went.
