The appeal of the ski lodge was slowly waning. The cold was making her skin feel feel dry no matter what products she used, and there were aches deep in her joints that never really went away. If those had been the only drawbacks, she could have coped.
But when she walked into the corner store one day, she couldn't help but notice that the clerk and a customer who, prior to seeing her enter, had been huddled together and whispering, suddenly ceased upon her arrival. This by itself was nothing too unusual, but it was the silent stares that followed her when they thought she couldn't see that got her.
Her heart sank when she saw the likely reason why - a freshly stocked stand of tabloids and a terribly familiar face in a blurry snapshot on the cover. Even here? Was there nowhere she could go and just live her life?
She walked stiffly to the counter, now hotly aware of the watching security cameras that could now bring in a few more bucks for their owner. She placed her cash on the faded, chipped pressed board near the register and held up the bottle of green Gatorade that it was for. The clerk nodded and Sarah left feeling humiliated but unsure as to exactly why.
She tried to put those feelings away and make her face a mask, but apparently she didn't do it very well - or perhaps Jareth was that perceptive.
"What's wrong, love?" he sounded concerned.
She frowned and shrugged, focused on twisting the cap of the bottle off.
"It's not a big deal, I guess. Tabloid stuff... Again."
"Well, if it bothers you, then it is a big deal."
"I guess I just thought I could get away from all that here." she said in small voice into her Gatorade bottle. "I just feel like everyone is staring sometimes, and stuff like that doesn't help me to feel differently."
"I might be of service in this regard."
He reached both hands out and gently cradled either side of her face. She felt something like a minor static shock - not painful, but slightly tingling and cool.
"It's called a glamour. Nothing about you is actually changed, but the way others perceive you is now different. No more stares at the famous celebrity."
She fished a pocket mirror out of her purse to try and see what he meant.
The face looking back at her from the glass had wavy blonde hair, a spattering of freckles across her nose, and deep hazel eyes. She reached a hand to her cheek, which still felt the same but now looked so foreign to her.
"I can change it back at any time you wish." he paused as he watched her inspect her new face closely. "I can also make any modifications you desire, if this one isn't to your liking."
"No, it's great!" she looked up at him, beaming. "I bet that snooty clerk won't even be able to tell."
She turned to march right back into the store and show off her new visage, but Jareth placed a firm hand on her shoulder.
"Sarah," he reminded. "You're still wearing your same clothing."
"Oh. Right."
As they walked back to the lodge, she wondered briefly if it was possible that Jareth also had a glamour on. Did he use his magic to change his appearance also? Was this his real face, or was there maybe something different underneath? She almost thought to ask him, but settled on the concept that even if this were the case, his current face was no less real or less his own for being an illusion. If that was how he wished to present himself, she could respect that.
She kept her new face for the rest of the day, reveling in this newfound anonymity. But by the end of the night, she had come to a decision - it was time to move on.
Their dinner was on the heated patio of a little Italian restaurant. The orange glow of the heat lamps tried to compete with the stars in clear sky but didn't get far. She twirled her pasta around her fork and dipped it in the tomato sauce.
She wasn't too certain about how to proceed. She wasn't certain what his reaction would be. He seemed so happy here, and she had no idea whether or not he'd be interested in going who-knows-where with her as she aimlessly tried to travel and keep a low profile. He loved her, yes, she knew that - but she was also worried that he might take her and boredom with and dismissal of the town in a personal manner, as though the place he clearly loved wasn't good enough for her. While she couldn't imagine her life without him, she also couldn't imagine staying here any longer - and if it came down to having to make that choice, she would pick what was best for her own peace of mind and soul in the end. But no amount of knowing it would be the best choice for herself when all was said and done could remove the pain her chest when she thought about the possibility of having to leave Jareth behind in this small, snowy, mountain village.
"I think - I think I'm done with skiing. With this." she motioned her fork around the patio. "I think that thing today just reminded me that it's time to move on. This new face is great, but people already know where I've been staying and that I'm here. I just wanna hit the road, you know?"
Jareth nodded thoughtfully.
"You know, I know of some wonderful little places I'd love to show you. With this glamour and an invented name, you surely wouldn't have the same problem again."
She felt an enormous wave of relief and gratitude wash over her.
"You'd come with me, then?" she asked hopefully. "You'd just drop your life here and... Leave? With me?"
He took a sip of his cappuccino before answering.
"You are my life, Precious."
