Epilogue - 50 Years Later
Sarah and Jareth clapped and cheered along with everyone else at the wedding. The new bride and groom ended their kiss before turning to face the crowd and waving. They walked together back down the isle with wide smiles on their face. Those gathered continued to cheer them on, the noise echoing in the forest grove used for these functions in Lemwyn. Queen Ioelena (the mother of the bride) along with Sarah and Jareth (the sister and brother-in-law of the groom), followed the couple until they reached the area set up for the reception, only a short distance away. There was a large clearing in the trees with tables set up around the perimeter and the center left clear. A slightly raised table held spaces for the bride and groom and their close family and friends. Thick branches strung with fairy lights and dangling streamers arched overhead providing a canopy of sorts in case it rained. However it was a perfect evening made even better by the festivities. It wasn't every day that such an event occurred that pulled all the royals of the Underground together.
Sarah took her spot to the right of Toby, and Jareth beside her. They were seated and waited for the rest of the invitees to find their tables. Sarah turned to look at her not-so-little brother. He had grown into a handsome young man over the past fifty years. She had been glad to find out that he had soaked in enough magic to lengthen his life span too. Thanks to the labyrinth, she would live for many long centuries to come, and she had been worried that Toby would live only a normal human life span. However, he still looked only twenty five despite being over sixty years old. Jareth had told her that because he appeared to have simply stopped aging at twenty five, that he would most likely live almost as long as any fae.
However Toby did show some wear and tear. He had spent the last fifty years training and studying to become a full member of the centaur herd, the first human to ever have done so, and the first non-centaur to have done so in the last five hundred years. His path hadn't been easy. He'd finished his schooling in the Aboveground and even attended university at Sarah's encouragement. He'd gone to the University of Edinburgh and majored in history and politics and minored in classical literature with a focus on mythology. Then he'd come back to the Underground to complete his training with Palath. The centaur had become Toby's mentor after a while and the two had worked together for over ten years to complete his training. Toby had even worked with Jareth to develop his magical powers too. While he couldn't do a lot of magic, he had perfected the things he was able to do. Shields, forcefields, and magical means of communication were his specialities. However Sarah suspected that his amazing archery abilities might have some magical component as well.
Sarah hadn't been idle over the past fifty years either. She had spent her time developing her own magical powers and learning about her position as Lady of the Labyrinth, while also bringing together a collection of knowledge about the Labyrinth and Goblin Kingdom. Jareth had not been convinced that it was safe to gather it all together in the Goblin Kingdom, so they had worked to renovate the temple on the Ruanadh Sea. They had added both magical and physical protections to the building and grounds. Pip had been pleased with the upgrades and proudly guarded the temple. Sarah had officially given him the title of Guardian of the Archives. A staff had been assigned to the temple to keep up the maintenance, and provide a physical guard. So far Sarah and Jareth had been able to track down about sixty individual documents and artifacts to add to the archives in the temple, but Sarah didn't doubt there was still more out there.
She was broken out of her reverie by a call for toasts. Being the only blood relative of the groom, Sarah had agreed to give a toast. Palath, as the best man, would also be giving a toast, something she was looking forward to hearing given the unique friendship that had formed between the two. She stood from her seat, her long elegant pale green and gold dress fluttering around her. "I am so happy today to be able to congratulate my brother Toby and his beautiful partner, Inara. I have always believed that there is someone out there for everyone and today, Toby has bonded with his soulmate.
"The first time Toby and Inara met, I wasn't sure they would make it through a couple of hours together let alone the past fifty years! She was every bit the princess she'd been raised to be, and Toby was every bit the angsty teenager he'd grown to be by then. However they went through a lot together in those first couple of months, and it created in them both a sense of friendship and caring for the other."
She turned to face Toby with a smile. "Toby, I am so proud of you. I never imagined that my rambunctious baby brother could look so handsome and so grown up! I know you're going to be a great life partner. I wish you both the greatest happiness throughout your lives."
She turned back to the crowd and raised her glass of sparkling water. "Let's all raise our glasses in honor of the bride and groom!"
There were many cheers and clinking of glasses as everyone drank to them. Sarah sat back down. She could feel pride emanating from Jareth and she reached over to grasp his hand and lean against him. "You were wonderful, my dear," he whispered as Palath started his speech. "I know you were nervous about embarrassing him or yourself, but I think it was perfect." He leaned closer and kissed her cheek.
She smiled and turned her head to kiss him back. "Thank you," she whispered back before tuning into Palath's story about how Toby had nearly started an interspecies war when he accidentally insulted the High Prince of the Brownies during one of their training missions. Everyone laughed and then clapped as Palath finished his best man speech.
Food was served next. A light caprese salad was followed by filet mignon and pawns in a garlic butter sauce served with sauteed mushrooms and roasted green beans. A palate cleanser of lime sorbet was then served before dessert, which was individual fruit tartlets with a strawberries, kiwi, blackberries, and mandarin orange slices. Servers brought out each course along with a variety of wines. Champagne and harder alcohol made the rounds afterwards once dinner was done.
While dinner was being cleared away to prepare for a dance, Toby rose to his feet with his champagne glass in hand. He tapped it with a spoon to gain everyone's attention. "I want to thank everyone for coming today," he started. "Inara and I are unbelievably grateful to you all for your support. However there is one person in particular without whom none of this would have been possible." He turned and gave a smile to Sarah. "My sister, Sarah." He turned back to the crowd watching him. "To most of you, she is the Lady of the Labyrinth and Queen of the Goblin Kingdom. But to me, she'll always be my overly protective and annoying big sister.
"As some of you know, Sarah and my relationship didn't start out so well. I mean, she wished me away to the Goblin King when I was just a year old. Admittedly, I was a fussy baby, but still..." He paused for a smattering of chuckles. "But she came through in the end and beat the challenge of the Labyrinth to win me back. And ever since then, she's been looking out for me. When our parents tragically died, I was only sixteen years old, but Sarah was there for me. Between her, Jareth, Palath, and Inara, I came through it stronger than I was before."
He turned back to Sarah again to address her directly. "Sarah, I've looked up to you my entire life, even when I was a bratty teenager. But I don't think you know just how grateful I am to you for everything you've done. So I want to say it here and now. I love you, big sister, and I am so thankful that you have been, and continue to be there for me."
He raised his glass then. "A toast to Sarah, Lady of the Labyrinth, Queen of the Goblin Kingdom, and overly protective annoying big sister!"
"Cheers!" several people in the audience shouted out before everyone took a long drink from their champagne flutes.
Sarah's eyes were watery by the end of Toby's toast, and she stood to hug him after he'd drank to her. "Thanks Tobes," she said softly into his ear.
"You deserve it," he replied.
The dance started shortly after that. Toby and Inara danced the first dance to a traditional elven instrumental song that slowly morphed into Elvis Presley's Can't Help Falling In Love, combining two cultures in one dance. A more lively tune started afterwards and other couples and children entered the dance area. Sarah and Jareth watched for a while until another slower song came on. Then Jareth rose and extended a gloved hand to his wife. He didn't have to say anything as she could feel the question through the bond they shared. She smiled and nodded. Soon they were swaying slowly on the dance floor.
"This is nice," Sarah commented. "I can't remember the last time I was this happy."
"I'd like to think that maybe our wedding would be a contender?" Jareth jested.
She chuckled and nodded. "Perhaps."
Three young elven children ran by them then and Jareth smiled. "There are more children here than I thought there would be," he commented.
"Hmm, I think there's been a bit of a baby boom with the last fifty years of peace," Sarah replied.
"That's good. The Underground needs more children, and not just ones who have been wished away."
"Yes, though there have been fewer and fewer of those," Sarah replied, trying to think of the last time he'd been called for a wished away child.
"The words are being lost to those in the Aboveground," he sighed.
They slowly danced for a little bit before Sarah spoke again. "What would you think of us having children?"
Jareth pulled away slightly to see her fully. "Cariad, the thought of having children with you would bring me joy beyond measure. Are you saying you'd like to try for one?"
Sarah smiled and grasped one of his hands to press against her abdomen. "What about two?" she whispered.
He looked down where his hand was pressed against her then back up at her face, his eyes wide and his heart bursting. "Twins? You're pregnant with twins?" he whispered incredulously.
She nodded. "My meeting yesterday afternoon? It was with Healer Isla. She confirmed it. I'm ten weeks along already."
"I… But you…." he spluttered, trying to find the right words. They had stopped dancing and were merely standing in the middle of the dance floor. Sarah could feel the joy coming from him along with the surprise and bewilderment. "Is that why you've been wearing more flowing dresses lately?" he finally asked. "Are you already showing?"
She nodded. "Just barely. But it's there. I'm surprised you didn't notice."
"A gentleman does not comment on a lady's body unless it is to compliment sincerely," he replied.
"Ah, so you did notice," she smirked.
He blushed. "Perhaps I did. But I did not think it to be a baby. Let alone two!" She laughed again, and suddenly she could feel an immense sense of pride coming from him. She raised an eyebrow in question. "I find myself rather enjoying the idea you growing round with our children." He caressed her abdomen slowly before pulling her close, pressed up against him. "I'm going to be a father," he whispered reverently.
"Yes, you are," she replied before reaching up to tangle her fingers in his hair and pulling him down for a passionate kiss. They broke apart after a few seconds to find that some people were noticing them just standing on the dance floor. Sarah then felt Jareth's urge to tell everyone near them that he was going to be a father and she quickly pulled him off the dance floor. "I know you want to tell everyone in the whole Underground, but this is Toby and Inara's wedding. Let's let them enjoy their special day and keep this between us for a little longer."
Jareth looked disappointed for a moment before nodding. A smile crossed his features a second later. "A secret just for the two of us." He kissed the end of her nose.
She smiled and nodded. "In a few weeks, you can tell everyone to your heart's content. Deal?"
He nodded and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Deal, Cariad."
She sighed and relaxed into his arms, her head resting against his chest. His pride was still crossing over their bond to her along with a hint of amusement. "What is it?" she asked.
"Just imagining our children. Jareth II and his brother are going to be a handful, I'd wager."
"Who says they'll be boys? Also, I refuse to name my child Jareth II." She leaned back to give him a stern look.
"Perhaps girls then? Jarna is the feminine form of Jareth in the Underground." He smirked upon feeling her annoyance cross their bond.
She swatted his arm. "No," she flat out refused.
He chuckled and pulled her back into his arms. "Give me time, Cariad. I'll wear you down."
"Not on your life," she sighed gently as she rested her head against his chest once more. They stood watching the dancers on the floor elegantly swirling around, and the bride and groom laughing as he dipped her. A sense of utter contentment crossed their bond and she sighed happily.
The End
Author's Note: This, dear reader, concludes this adventure. I hope you enjoyed it, because I rather enjoyed writing it. I literally have now spent about six and a half years with the two stories in this series, and I feel like it was worth it. I told the story I wanted to tell.
I would like to thank you all for being patient with me and for reading my work. You don't know how much I appreciate each and every favorite and review! I appreciate you all!