"It's not true… of course it's not true," soothed Beth. "She was just trying to upset you! She is clearly not a very nice person."
Sarah sniffed and hiccupped and in spite of it all tried not to laugh at Beth's kittenish indignation. "I know, I know, but… but what if she was twisting the truth to make it sound worse? It could have an element of fact!"
"No, no," anxiously. "Jareth would never do that to you!"
"Yeah, okay, maybe, but what if… I don't know, what if he just sees things differently to me? What if he does just want children from me and he thinks I know that? I mean he's Fae, it's not like he plays by the normal rules!" Sarah knew she was being stupid, but at the same time she couldn't banish that lurking, nagging doubt. She felt shaken by the malicious anger that had been in Violetta's eyes, and her insecurity – something that always lurked in the recesses of her mind no matter how hard she tried to banish it – had resurfaced.
"Sarah, shh, don't be silly! He loves you, you know that!"
"Yeah…" She picked aimlessly at the skirt of her gown. "Why do you think V – the psycho ex freaked out so much about my necklace?"
"No idea," shrugged Beth. "I mean it's super pretty and everything, but it's not that special."
"That's what I thought, but Ythan was acting weird about it the other day too." Sarah frowned. "I think I need to talk to Jareth… he can tell me what's going on."
"You just know he'll be mad because Violetta was mean to you," said Beth slyly.
"…Okay that too." They giggled.
"C'mon. Back to the party? Cos for one thing, I'm pretty sure this alcove isn't for… friends to have a cosy chat in, if you know what I mean."
"Hm?" Sarah glanced round. They had ducked behind a fine, gauzy curtain and into a cosy little nook lit with candle lanterns and carpeted with cushions. There was also a glass bowl of crystallised fruit and two glasses of… "Ohhhh…. I get it. Eww!"
Beth snorted as the realisation dawned on her friend. "They're all over the room. You hadn't noticed?"
"No! How… sordid! Are you going to have your wicked way with me?" She was trying not to laugh. Beth raised an eyebrow.
"Why else did I bring you here? I mean, you just look so gorgeous in that dress."
"Have fun trying to get it off me," Sarah giggled, "it took ages to lace up." She hugged her friend. "Thanks for cheering me up, Bethy."
"Anytime. Come on now m'lady, it's half past eleven and you still haven't had your dance with Jareth!"
Almost as soon as they left the alcove, Kalum swooped down to take possession of his girlfriend, leaving Sarah to find her dance partner alone. She wove through the crowd in search of Jareth, reminded against her will of that other masquerade. At first it was just a flicker, but as the search dragged out her heart began to race despite her optimism. Things were different this time… she was stronger, she was more confident, and nobody was openly laughing at her; she tried to push down the fear and panic lurking in the back of her mind, but the memory kept returning. Where was he? She thought she caught a glimpse of an owl mask, only for someone to step into her path and block her view. Frustrated, she turned round and walked directly into Ythan.
"Sarah!" He was startled, and had barely managed to stop himself from spilling his glass of wine all over Sarah's pale gown. She tried to walk past him, but he caught her elbow with a gloved hand. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she muttered.
"No, really, you look terri – er, wonderful. That is, you look… oh, just tell me."
"Okay," she huffed. "I can't find Jareth anywhere and he promised me a dance, and it will be midnight soon and I've barely seen him. Oh, and just this tiny thing, nothing really, this little insignificant thing happened where his lovely ex-girlfriend threw a fit at me in the bathroom and told me I was mortal trash!"
Ythan didn't look surprised. "I'm sorry, Sarah. She's something of a… well, there's no polite way to say it, but she's not very nice."
"You can say that again. And hey, I have a question for you – what's the deal with the necklace?"
The physician's expression turned suddenly wary. "What do you mean?"
"This necklace." She held it up for emphasis, then narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "You know something about it, don't you!"
"I don't know what you're talking about," he lied smoothly.
"Yes you do. Tell me, it's not fair to keep me in the dark!"
Ythan relented. "Very well, I do know something. But I'm afraid it's a conversation you'll have to have with Jareth." There was an odd restraint in his voice that made her think it was more serious than she'd previously assumed. "I did try to tell him that you should know, but he wouldn't listen to me."
"What do you mean?" she asked quickly, frightened by the seriousness in his tone.
"Just talk to Jareth about it. I saw him dancing with someone a moment ago over there. And Sarah?"
She turned back. "What?"
"Try to remember that he meant well."
"Thanks," she muttered as she headed in the direction he'd pointed her. "…I think."
Given that midnight wasn't far away, the dance floor was absolutely packed, so it took quite some time for her to find him. When she did, she stood still, feeling as though someone had thrown an entire bucket of icy water over her.
Jareth was dancing. Not with just anyone: he was dancing with Violetta. And it wasn't a polite, arms'-length dance either; she was snuggled up to him, head on his chest, with his arms round her.
A little battle was immediately waged in Sarah's head. Logic, allied with Reason and Common Sense, began to argue furiously that Jareth – as Goblin King and, more importantly, host – couldn't possibly refuse a dance to anyone and that Violetta had doubtless taken advantage of this fact; the way she was draping herself all over him was clearly her idea and Jareth was not looking particularly happy. Besides, added Common Sense, you know he loves you and not her.
Unfortunately, Irrationality and Panic were in somewhat fragile states after the preceding events, and refused to listen; instead they wrought havoc in Sarah's mind as she stood there watching the love of her life bend his head to catch a murmured comment of Violetta's and then smile in response. She swallowed hard, and at that moment Jareth looked up. Recognition flickered beneath the mask; what was visible of his face went paler than it already was.
"Wait," he mouthed at her. "I – "
She didn't care to hear the rest; eyes blurred with tears once more, and mentally thankful again for the mask that would hide most of the anguish from the other guests, she turned and fled – or tried to. Her flight ended rather abruptly in the form of a jarring collision against a tall Fae dressed entirely in black. Sarah lifted her gaze in order to gabble a hasty apology, and squeaked in momentary terror. Where the man's face should have been, there was only blackness, a void, with no visible features distinguishable under the dark hair.
As soon as the sound left her mouth, Sarah cursed her idiocy. It was just a mask, of course – of perhaps an enchantment of some kind in the same function, for there was no visible means of attachment and no holes for eyes. All the same, it was unnerving, and her apology was somewhat halting.
"Please don't worry," the Fae replied, in a voice that for a second she thought she recognised before thinking better of it. "Excuse me – it is hardly my place – are you feeling unwell?"
She stared at him stupidly, mainly because she was trying to work out where his voice was coming from – she could see no sign of a mouth anywhere in the darkness of the mask-thing.
"You are the lady Sarah, are you not?" he went on, sounding concerned.
"Oh, yes," she said, flushing. "And thank you, but I – I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
It was a most unsettling feeling, being unable to see the eyes she felt on her face. "Yes, yes, I was just, er… getting a drink," she hedged.
"You should be dancing!" he exclaimed, a gloved hand gesturing widely to their surroundings. "The Goblin King may have forsaken the most beautiful woman in the room for another partner, but I, for one, do not intend to make the same mistake. May I?"
Unsure, yet flattered, Sarah hesitated. "Well, I…" She glanced back in Jareth's direction, and hardened her resolve. "Why the hell not."
The mysterious stranger turned out to be just as good at dancing as Ythan, guiding her elegantly around the floor and making polite small talk that made her giggle. He seemed to know all sorts of inside gossip about the Fae around them: this woman had had a child by her sister's husband, another had a taste for dark magic, that man was in debt to the High King because he had been caught trying to steal from the palace. Sarah was both scandalised and intrigued by the secret world beneath all the glamour and beauty of the court.
After two dances, Sarah happened to glance over and catch Jareth's gaze. He was standing alone at the edge of the ballroom, clearly searching for her in the crowd. Her heart misgave her. She had promised him that at midnight, when everyone took off their masks, she'd be at his side, and even if she had barely seen him all night she should keep her promise.
"I'm sorry, er,… You haven't actually told me your name yet…, but I have to go speak to J – the Goblin King. I need to ask him about my necklace before midnight. You didn't need to know that, did you? Er, thanks for dancing with me." She ended her short speech somewhat flustered. Some Goblin Queen I'm gonna make… Fortunately her new friend didn't seem to mind.
"Of course. It has been a pleasure." He bowed to her, but caught her hand before she could leave. "But, if I might – when you refer to a necklace, is it the one currently round your neck?"
"Uh, yeah, why?"
"You mean you don't know what it is?" She couldn't see his face, but his voice was a mixture of concern and shock.
"…A necklace?"
He grasped her shoulders firmly and spoke in an undertone; nonetheless, she heard every word. "Lady Sarah, that necklace bears the emblem of the Goblin King. It signals you as his property, for no one else to touch without permission."
She stared up into the black mask, stunned. "What… I don't understand…"
"This necklace marks you as the future Queen of the Labyrinth. You are engaged to him, and everybody knows it."
DUN DUN DUUUUUUUN.
I won't ramble too much (who am I kidding?), so as not to spoil the drama of the last revelation. Did anyone see that coming? Did any of you think it meant something else? Am I a clever author or what? *preens*
Reading over your reviews like I do every time I post a new chapter, the mushiness just comes out... I really love all you guys *wipes away tear surreptitiously*. You're just all so enthusiastic and sweet and kind and IT'S SO NICE!
Waves of love and glitter. Tsunamis of the stuff.
Oh - and happy Christmas! :D Hope all of you have lovely lovely days. I may have to write another Christmas goblin-themed fic. Any prompts?
XXX
