Wow. What a summer it is turning out to be. Sorry for the long wait. I was finishing my semester at uni and, then the workload at work doubled as soon as summer started. Time has slipped through my fingers, but I am hoping that it slows down for the month of July so I can finally finish this beautiful nightmare of a story. I really need to finish this story before the next semester starts, so I am going to get my ass in gear here and finish this damn thing.
Please enjoy this interesting chapter. There is some fanservise for making you all wait so dreadfully long, but this chapter is really for the ones that want to get to know our lovely couple on a more intimate level.
Without any further ado...
*~*Chapter 11*~*
~Where It All Began~
The fresh morning rises to a bright yellow sunrise within the large open cobblestone window. The gentle heat of the sun's rays warm up the large chamber, along with the lovers that inhabit it. Two bodies lay entangled in the pillows and sheets of the bed. Faces are covered as their arms lie intertwined around one another. The couple slowly sturrs into an awakened state as various hums and good morning's can be heard by their respective groggy vocal chords.
"I feel... intoxicated." Sarah rubs her eyes as she tries to straighten your blurry vision. "Like, I had too much to drink last night and..." she tries to shake her head, "...I'm still drunk." She chuckles at her own words.
"I can tell." Jareth hums as he trails his fingers along her thigh. "That's probably my fault."
"Is that so?" Sarah's eyes close in a wide smile.
"Mhm," He impishly leers his eyes up and down the shape of her body "It seems as though my venom has not worn off just yet." Jareth gradually slips away from her grasp to get out of bed. "I may have gotten a little carried away last night." Her arms are limp around his body, which proves to be difficult for him to grow any desire in leaving their comfortable position.
But nonetheless, she attempts to mentally sober up at the unexpected word that slipped from his lips. "Venom?" She pulls herself away to release him. She hugs the sheets as a morning chill strokes at whatever nudity that she gleams in the open. She mumbles with a yawn. "-what the... hell are you talkin' about?..." her New York demeanor slips out.
He grins at her response. "I know it sounds a little medieval, but the Fae do enjoy indulging in the dramatics." Jareth takes this moment to dress the lower half of his body. "Might I remind you that humans possess their own unique magic," He lingers his way towards her and swiftly pulls her to sit upright, as if she didn't weigh a thing. "Your species makes my kind react in extreme ways." His body sits quite close as hers.
"Whoa..." Her body leans into him. She groans as she holds her head. She isn't able to sit up right on her own yet.
"Whiplash," he notes. "Each Fae holds a specific power inside of them, and we love using our power on humans." She watches as he slowly moves her hair to show her neck. "As a Fae that works with dreams, my power is euphoria. It makes you feel punch drunk and desirous. You feel as though you are in a different dimension and everything can feel quite lovely." His fingers slowly trail her neck. "I simply bite into you and you get to enjoy yourself a little more." Her head leans to expose her neck to the light.
Sarah is not quite as successful at sobering up as much as she thought she would be. Her head still swims as her subconscious still lingers in and out of reach. His voice echoes inside of her brain, and the spell of his venom keeps her entranced. "This is a lot..." she manages to speak as she tries to shake her head clean of the euphoric feeling.
"And I am only half Fae." He quips a brow. "Imagine the power of a full-blooded Fae creature. You wouldn't even be conscious right now. We can inject our venom into anything, and use it as a tool, but it will wear off after a time."
"Oh...no." she shakes her head at the thought.
"We are quite dark creatures underneath the fetishized glamour that you humans love to impose upon our species." She can feel his toothy grin upon her tender skin. "How else do you think I got to... entertain you with that peach during your run?"
It takes her a moment to catch his words. "You..." she gently pushes him away, "you drugged me?" Her words are angry, but her voice lacks any negative tones. She is still trying to sober herself. "I was a... a kid."
His smile remains as his arms snake around her waist. "No one had gotten as far as you did. It was a fun little experiment to see how stubborn humans could be." He kisses her neck. She gently sighs upon the lingering feeling of desire. "You proved to be very stubborn, indeed."
"Hold on..." Again, she pulls away from him. "You don't find this problematic?" She asks. He smiles as if this were a game. She can sense that he is not taking what he said as serious as she is. She comments with a more bitter tone. "So, what-you're some kind of... vampire or something?"
His impish delight hardens at her words. "That's disgusting," Jareth flicks her hair in annoyance. "Those creatures selfishly wreak havoc for their own petty little hellish desires. They create monsters. My venom does not make you turn into one of me." He sees his own shirt that had been discarded to the floor in the previous night's events. "Now come," he stands as he tosses it to her, "it is time for nourishment." He sounds as though he is demanding her.
"Jesus, those are real, too?" She says leaning back against her arms.
"Endangered, but yes." He grasps one of her hands and pulls her up. "Now you will eat."
"Are they in my world?"
"Now." He points to the window for her to follow, as if she were more of a pet. She follows his command, and looks to him with a puzzled glare. "What?"
She takes a moment to balance while standing. "You seem...different," She states with another yawn.
"Do I?" He becomes curious. "Care to elaborate?" He lazily waltzes over towards the large open window that shows the colorful sunrise.
She shrugs, "I dunno." Her eyes follow his every move. "You're more..." she tries to think of a way to describe her thoughts, "regal- punctuated, you're not as... emotional? There is a different... aura around you. You're just... Different." She tries to explain. "The Jareth that was stuck at my house with cuffs was-"
"Human." He answers her question. Her eyes grow at the connection as he leans up against the window seal. "That is because, in a way, I was human. My magic was muted, as was my Fae side." His hands glide at the rim of the large window. "I had human intentions, human emotions, and human connections that ended up saving us in the long run."
She starts to linger closer towards him. "So... you're back to your Fae self?"
He nods with stoic features chiseled upon his face, "That would be correct."
"How... much of a difference is there between your Fae side and Human side?"
"The Fae are reserved and matriarchal." He speaks as if he were reciting an encyclopedia. "There is a sense of propriety that is expected from every creature in this world, but the Fae are held to a higher standard. We do not become emotional. We think with very strategic minds. We are always thinking five steps ahead of everyone around us, and we are to make it appear that everything is in perfect shape when things descend into chaos." He leans up against the cobblestone wall as he continues. "Humans are not so... punctual. They often focus on their emotions, rather than their thoughts. They're resourceful, and think on their feet. They will hold to their beliefs until death parts them from their bodies. There is a passion inside of humans that is unlike any other creature. Both species have their flaws."
Sarah meditates on this for a few moments before she continues. "Which side of yourself do you like more?"
This puzzles him. "Interesting question," he thinks for a moment, "but I have a bias. I am quite spoiled with the magic that courses through me. I have to work harder whilst human, and that doesn't include the human emotions that I already hold possession of."
She hums at the thought as she hazily looks towards him. She observes the way he gazes out at the large window, watching every single detail with trained and seasoned eyes of a leader m. Although his face appears emotionless, she sees an intensity inside of those eyes.
Sarah deeply inhales. "The euphoria sure feels nice," she slides his shirt on to warm herself from the chilly air, "but I just... can't function." She teases her hair in a way that catches Jareth's attention. She hugs the fabric around her body as she inhales his earthly scent. Sluggishly makes her way at his side, she yearns to see if the city was awake yet.
"It can be addicting," he states as he playfully pulls the fabric up to show more of her skin. "almost as addicting as seeing a pretty little thing like you in my shirt."
She hums, "I wouldn't mind staying like this for a while," she stretches her self out the window to see the scenery. "Maybe I've finally found something to replace that damn smoking habit." She expertly moves her lower body in a way that enhances her looks. She knows that all he can pay attention to are her bare legs.
He approaches her from behind. "Oh, there is plenty of time for this, love." His lips lay close to her ear as he slithers his fingers up her thighs and around her waist. Wrapping his arms around her, he gently arouses her breasts under his shirt with expert fingers. This action causes her to lean out the window as he hears an unexpected hum to slip from her vocal chords. "But we are meeting with my superiors today," He quickly pulls away in an evil tease, satisfied with his skill to arouse her.
"Hey-" her voice darkens at his cruel trick.
"I promise that you would prefer to remain sober during our meeting with my superiors today." He finds her hand and spins her around to show that a pair of chairs and a table full of food have magically appeared for them.
Getting comfortable, they break bread with one another as they open up to each other. They build the energy in both their respective bodies and minds by agreeing to share some of their past stories along with their meal. With the sun rising from the world outside, and the lovely set up, it looks more like a couple on a honeymoon, rather than two people who are really getting to know one another for the first time.
Jareth tells Sarah a little about his royal stance in the line of progression, as well as his longtime commitment to his position. His voice grows negative as he stresses that ruling over goblins was not his domain. Because of the way the line of succession worked, it was supposed to be Michelina or Montgomery, but when the position was created, they were too young to rule at the time. Reputation proved that it is not the most fruitful of jobs. No one wants to rule over these creatures, knowing what they were and what they were capable of, but it had to be done.
As the twins grew, they continued to refuse, and they even ran away. It is understood through the powers that be that this throne can not go unruled. Chaos would ensue, and even though Michelina and Montgomery should take the throne, Jareth would be blamed if anything were to happen, should he choose to be as cowardice. Because Jareth had no reason to withdraw from his duties of the throne, and because he lacked an heir, unless the twins had a change of heart and decided to rule, he is stuck doing a job that he hates and wasn't really his responsibility to begin with. But he makes due. He does his best, regardless of how much he may loathe the creatures, and through his actions, he has proven himself more than worthy of a real position, should Montgomery and Michelina choose to grow up.
At least that's how it used to be before there was knowledge of Michelina and Montgomery being apart of the movement of smuggling humans. This is where they will have to speak to the Matriarch in order to take the next step.
Learning about his past opened so many questions for Sarah to ask, like if there was another place he was supposed to rule. Because he was half human, he was not originally going to be granted a position at all, not that he would really mind. He never felt the desire to rule a specific place, which is why he wants so badly to end this long and tiring job. His mother, who is a Goddess of the Tuatha de Dennan, asked if he could help out since he was the youngest of the oldest. He respects his mother, as well as the rest of the Gods and Goddesses that still exist after an eternity of existence.
Sarah then asked about his half human side. He shrugs it off, though. He doesn't care enough about his past to bring it up. This makes Sarah ponder how negative his past could be, and asks if dismissing it is his way of not coming to terms with whatever his past is. "It is just not worth the worry, love."
"I'm not trying to push you, but everyone has a history." she grabs a handful of grapes, "hell, I know I do." Sarah takes this moment to become vulnerable, and decides to change the subject to something personal for her: Toby. This catches Jareth's attention as he urges her to continue.
She starts with the news of her father's sudden dive into Cancer and the toll it took on everyone. Out of everyone, Sarah believed that it affected her stepmother the most. Before her dad got sick, they disagreed, but they learned to appreciate one another. As her father started descending in health, Karen distanced herself. She admitted to Sarah that her father had been sick for nearly a year, and they chose not to tell Sarah until it got bad. Karan didn't speak a lot, and rarely kept Sarah in the loop with progress on her father. Robert's cancer was unique and ravenous. It took very little time to attack his body. He ended up dying right before Sarah's high school graduation, and this completely changes everyone.
As Sarah struggled to get herself ready for college, Karen was barely in Sarah's life, but she and her little brother always clung to one another. Karen dealt with grief in a more negative way, and Toby ended up relying heavily on Sarah to help him cope. This didn't sit well with Karen and she grew even more distant, and tried to encourage Toby to do the same. It was as if her stepmom was just letting Sarah crash in the house until it was time for Sarah to move out. No relationship existed. If Karen spoke to Sarah, it was in very little words. Karen even stopped asking her to watch Toby, as she became more of a homebody and even ended up working from home. Sarah went to college in a bit of a blur, and utterly alone.
She was lost in a sea of chaos. There was so much going on in the first few weeks of college, it felt like sensory overload. She was still coping with her father's death, and she had to take the burden of college work and socialization. Half way through the year, her dorm mate was so tired of seeing Sarah sulking around all the time, she ended up sneaking Sarah into a bar along with all her friends. They kept getting drinks for Sarah to "loosen her up" and all it did was worsen her depression.
Then, in comes in Lucas.
The love of Sarah's life.
Lucas was... kind, attentive, attractive, and in his thirties. Sarah wasn't even eighteen yet, and this man in the bar sits next to her and starts talking to her.
That was the one thing he did that no one else had done. He talked to her. He asked how she was. He was interested in her- at least he acted like he was. He caught her eye. She went from not saying a word to anyone for almost a year to dancing with this older man on the dance floor, tipsy on the endless alcoholic drinks he bought for her. Sarah faded from her deluded school crowd and plunged into a secret relationship with the man for about a month.
He convinced a very young Sarah to have sex before she was ready. He convinced as naïve Sarah that they didn't need protection. He convinced a stupid Sarah that the pull-out method worked every single time. But Sarah loved the attention. He showered her with gifts and would take her to expensive places. He acted like he really loved her...
...Until she became pregnant with his baby.
Sarah told him, and she told him that she wanted to keep it.
He told her he was married and told her to get an abortion.
There was a fight.
He eventually told her that he didn't have time for this and walked away from her, forever.
Sarah was scared and completely alone. Her father is gone, her real mother was overseas (or so she thought), the only other person she could go to made Sarah debate if she was worth going to at all, but she was desperate. She needed to try to go to Karen.
She didn't think she could feel any lower than the way that man made her feel, but Karen proved her wrong. After calling her things like "dirty whore" and "white trash", she kicked her out because she didn't want Sarah's devilish behavior to influence Toby. Karen was crazily possessive of her late husband's things. It took Sarah forever to get all of her things out of that house, and there definitely were a few fights in between visits. Sarah recalls how Toby would often run after Sarah as she would leave the house in tears. He always liked her better than his mom.
And that is where she found M's Orchid. That's where she found a window of opportunity, regardless of her mother's warnings. She found them because of her mom, and they were there exactly when she needed them. She then remembers her conversation with the twins when she learned about them knowing her past with Jareth, and her anger creeps out. Her emotions start to catch up with her as she radiates in the feeling of betrayal. They saved her life...They fucking saved anyone's life, if they are willing to sell their souls to a very real devil.
"But... through all of the bullshit, she was so worth it." Sarah says as she stares into space. There is a grateful smile plastered on her face as she eats the fruit at hand. "She..." Sarah reminisces on her daughter, "she is my everything."
"Would you do it all again?" He asks as he lounges back on his chair.
She chuckles as her gaze stays up in the clouds. "In a heartbeat." She suddenly turns her gaze to him. "One thing to remember about making mistakes is that they are what help you learn and grow. And like I said, she is worth it." Her smile is genuine, and shows a maturity that he had never seen in her before. "How about you?"
"What about me?" He asks back to her.
"Do you have any regrets?"
"I don't regret my actions as much as I regret other's."
"That's an interesting answer."
"I'm sure you would not be interested in a story like that."
"How much are you willing to tell?" She quips a brow to him. He is quick to diverge.
"How dark would you like the story?" He asks.
Her curiosity only grows. "Try me."
He accepts her challenge and travels back to the archives of his mind.
His mother, Goddess Áine, is a well known Fae Goddess in Gaelic Paganism. Her origin story stems back many a millennia. She was well versed with humans and their intriguing nature. She was fascinated by humans- still is- but she was much more youthful hundreds of years ago. She saw the good in humans, and wanted to grow the love that fueled her inside of everyone. She is a very loving Goddess, and rewards that she bestows to those who strive to love as she are truly bountiful.
There are many instances where that, said, love can be tainted in some humans, and that emotion is replaced with lust and sexual desire. There was a King of Ireland around the third century, with a name that Jareth does not know. He refuses to give the man a name, because he is not deserving of one. He was a pathetic excuse of a human male that raped Goddess Áine out of greed and thirst for power. She was very much offended that a mere human could do such a thing and can only imagine how other humans felt if they were submitted in such a way.
Sarah suddenly questions the mental health of his mother and asks if they should get her some help with such a traumatic experience. She had friends that worked with her who had to endure sexual abuse. She even admitted to what Montgomery had done to her the night that she and Jareth became handcuffed together. This news turns Jareth red with hatred, but Sarah tries to keep the focus on his mother. She doesn't want his mother to endure this on her own.
Although he is thankful for the thought of his mother's well-being, he explains that the Fae do not experience trauma as humans do. They are not human, and do not exactly understand how human psychology works. Goddess Áine felt more concerned than anything, mainly because she didn't want this happening to other humans. She knew she had to destroy him in order to make sure he never does anything like that to another one of his kind, but she is not a fan of killing. This is difficult for Sarah's mind to wrap her head around, but she tries to understand.
At that very young time in human politics, things were still quite raw. Humans were still learning to function as a society. Rulers were supposed to be perfect. They were to be complete from head to toe, and were known to be the ideal image of humanity. Knowing this fact, Goddess Áine, marched up to the King and bit off his ear.
"She... bit off his ear?"
"She sure did," Jareth smile in pride at his mother. "I believe she knew she was already pregnant with me when she did that. I'm sure the human chemicals inside of me gave her enough of a desire to inflict that kind of mutilation." He takes a sip out of a tea cup. "Oh, how I wish I could have seen it."
"Oh..." Sarah understands, now. "That's how you were born."
"Yes." He nods in agreement. She tries to look to see any negative emotions, or pause in this realization, but none comes to him. He doesn't seem to be phased by this circumstance at all. Sarah is puzzled by this.
With the King's imperfection, the land that he ruled overthrew him and he was left to survive the remainder of his days poor and struggling to survive. Goddess Áine doesn't like to kill out of the order of which death calls for her creatures. Everything does have a plan in the grand scheme of things, including life and death. It is not in Goddess Áine's soul to kill, and even if she did, death would have been too kind for him.
The grand finale of this story was when she learned that the former King was the ruler of over half of Ireland at the time, and when they forced him off the throne, they looked to Goddess Áine as being the new human standard, and asked if she were to rule in his place.
"I have heard people worship in the name of Áine." Sarah's jaw drops to the floor. "It's crazy to think that she is your actual mother."
"Aye," he nods, "and a mother is she to many."
"You have a close relationship with her." Sarah's voice takes a sad turn as she thinks on her own mother. "I'm very happy that you have that." She can't smile. "I'm glad you don't take her for granted."
He hears the sadness in her voice and takes this moment to learn close to her. "Part of meeting with the Matriarch today is coming up with a plan to find yours." His eyes are stern. "I promised you that I would make this a priority. I always keep my promises."
Sarah's eyes glisten with tears that threaten to shed. She shakes the feelings away as she changes the subject. "So- um... there are more of your kind?"
Jareth hears the plea in her voice to switch topics. He clears his throat to continue. "My mother loved humans, and they loved her back." He shrugs at the idea. "I was raised with a sea of half-bloods, all of whom shared the same mother as myself. It became the norm, and since I am the closest to my mother in age, we would often place bets with one another on when she would become pregnant again." He grins at the thought of his mother. "She has many half-human children." He sighs with a grin as he closes his eyes. "I am so grateful that her Maiden stage has finally passed and she can stop adding to the population."
"Are they here? Your siblings?" She asks in reference to this world.
"Yes," he nods, "they work with the humans that have been wished away throughout the years. Everyone has a position, here." He leans his head as his gaze starts to wander. "We help each other. We live in a state of utopia, not that we do not have our own issues. In truth, it has taken many centuries for Purebloods to accept us half-humans. But there is progress, and my being in the position I am in is helping to gain a good reputation for my people."
She leans in forward to draw nearer to him. "So, was taking this job more of an opportunity, for you? Was your acceptance something that you considered when you accepted this job?"
His brow rises at the question. Such a question requires a well throughout answer. "Yes and no." He finally days with a slow nod. "I initially agreed to help out my superiors. At the time, I had failed to see just how intrusive this job was going to be. Sure, I could blame it on my naïve age, but there are plenty of decisions that I would change if I had to do this all over again."
"Like what?" She crosses her legs in curiosity.
"Like... not being in the room during any of my other sibling's births." They both chuckle.
"How many siblings do you have?" Sarah asks.
"I am the first of 142."
"What?!" Sarah crosses her legs at the vision.
"Not an ideal number for you?" He chuckles.
Her eyes bulge at the insane number. She wonders how anybody, Goddess or not, can give that many births, but she tries to keep her cool. "Childbirth is... an adventure. That's for sure." Sarah recalls, her own experience. "But I can't imagine THAT pain 142 times. That's just physically impossible- for a human, anyway."
"Would you not have anymore children?" The question causes a different aura to pulsate through the room. Their eyes meet in the moment.
"That's not what I said." She deeply inhales as she thinks of her own child. "When I was single and alone, it is easy to ask "what do I want in the world," and "why am I going through this," and "why did this happen to me"? The world around me was always and only about me." Sarah's voice cause Jareth to sit back and listen. "Then this... Baby- this child- this human..." She pauses as she stares into space. "That is a human, a human I made. How insane is that?" She is still in awe, even after all these years. "I remember the first time I looked into her beautiful eyes... I remember gushing into tears the first time her little tiny hand held mine-" Jareth can see a small tear form at the edge of her cheek. "My world was no longer about me; It was about her. I went from loathing my entire life to dedicating it to this baby. I wanted to give her the mother that I never had. I wanted to give her the love that I knew she deserved. I wanted to shelter her and nurture her. I wanted to love her. I wanted her to love me-" Sarah stops before she bursts into her own tears. She gently inhales to compose herself. She blinks a few times to bring herself back to the present. Clearing her throat, she manages to continue.
"I must confess..." Jareth interjects as he sees Sarah composing her own thoughts. "This is not a side of humans that I see very often. Forgive me if I lack the understanding."
She manages a small smile. "Parenthood is different for everyone, but it took me on one hell of a ride." She looks directly towards him. "Having that baby saved my life. I would have killed myself in my loneliness. She completely transformed me from a hurting child with no home and no family to a strong and fighting woman who is making a life and a family of her own." She smiles among the turmoil of emotions in her mind. "She might have been created by an accident," Sarah's head shakes at the thought, "but giving birth to her was anything but." Her eyes look to Jareth's with intent and a plea of understanding. "I can only imagine what the next child will bring."
They both bathe in the emotion of the moment. Her words echo through the walls of the room. He resonates on the words of the wise mother and takes note of her earnestness. Her maternal instinct is a strong power that can be felt from within her core, he can feel it pulsing through her like a shock-wave. Such intensity draws him to her like a moth to a flame. The male Fae inside of him desires to enhance her maternal desire; such a desire is difficult for him to contain. Everything in him wants to make her his, and he is doing all he can to sustain himself.
Sarah can feel the same intense emotion, but it is more human. She feels very close to Jareth right now, and desires to be closer to him, but something inside of her is telling her not to be so hasty with her emotions and remains seated inside this pool of such heightened emotion that the aura of these newfound lovers have created.
Straightening his posture, he fidgets around in his seat as he finally starts to speak. "One thing that my mother told me before I ventured into that world of yours was to be careful around humans." His voice guides her to look towards him. ""You know the power that they do not know that they possess," she said, and I was prepared-" He stares off into space as his voice takes an irritated turn, "as a Fae at least." He releases a low sounding chuckle from deep within his throat. "But to be stuck as a human-" he remembers, "to be so... bewitched by-" he shakes his head at himself, "human emotion- I was not so prepared." He starts to rub his head at his own annoyance.
Sarah's chuckles reminds him that she knows that feeling all too well. "Human emotion is the bane of existence." Her words cause them both to chuckle. The tension eases a bit, and she uses this moment to lay a hand on his. This action catches him off guard as he flinches at her gentle touch. "But it can also be unfathomably wonderful."
With quick movements, he parts his hand from hers and stands to take some distance. "I think it is about time to wake up the humble wisher from her slumber." He cracks his neck of the tension surrounding its bones.
"You know," Sarah slowly stands to grab a tender hold of his arm. "keeping a child to improve her health and helping, said child with a healthy sleep schedule is quite the parental job." She hints at him.
He slowly shakes his head at her comment, "Sarah," he tries to tries to gently brush her away.
"So is getting a child gifts."
"Sarah..." he almost pleads. "please-"
Her optimism peeks through her grin. "Come to think of it, you have... a lot of experience caring for children." She is too nervous to look into his eyes, "It's almost as if-"
"No." His words are kind, yet firm as he lays his hand on hers.
She intertwines their fingers. "Jareth,"
"This... can't happen." The sudden change in his voice sent a tinge of sadness through her.
She sighs, not really knowing how to feel. "Listen," she says, hoping that he does exactly that, "I may not know much about the Fae inside of you," she envelopes her shirt covered arm around his. She can suddenly hear his heart beating like mad.
"You don't want to know." He says in a bleak tone.
"Oh, yes I do." Her words are stronger than his. "I... " She finally manages to look up to him. "I think I need to," she hugs his bare torso with a new kind of warmth.
"Why?" He asks as he feels her embrace tighten around him.
"Because-" his arms do not hug back, but his hands do hold her, as if his life depended on her answer, "because I think I love the human inside of you."
They stand in this position and in this moment for a very long time. There are no words shared, only the sound of breathing and the matching of hearts beating in rhythm. There is no sound other than the wind whirling in and out of the large morning window. The only communication between the two lovers is the tight of each person's grasp on the other. Neither wish to part, but there is work to be done, and they have taken up enough time.
Feeling magic overflow the area around them, Sarah parts from Jareth as she suddenly feels the fabric of a dress around her. She looks up to see a well dressed Goblin King, as if history ripped him straight out of a painting. With rustic colors of dark reds and browns, Sarah finally sees the true and regal Fae King in his glory, subsiding the human version of himself into a comatose for the days events.
"Her REM sleep has just about ended. Now would be the preferable time to witness the wake of her slumber, should you wish to be present." He says as he holds her hand on his arm.
"Please lead the way." She gently bows her head in respect, understanding that their intimacy has ended for the time being. "I'm ready to see my baby."
Sarah can only wish that they will be able to return to this bliss sooner, rather than later.
+x+x+x+
Watching Ellie wake to her mother is something unlike Jareth had ever seen. Never had he seen a tighter hug than that of a frightened child that is seeing her mother for the first time after nearly being taken away forever. For once, Jareth is not the cause of such a story, but rather responsible for the happy outcome, for which he admits is quite refreshing to see. He watches as Ellie holds Sarah's hands, arms, shoulders, and cheeks. She tears up making sure that her mother is actually there and that this isn't a dream. Sarah's eyes have long since teared up, and this action does not make things better.
"I did it, mama." Ellie's eyes gloss over to Jareth.
"Yes you did." Sarah combs all ten of her fingers through the little girls hair in a loving gesture. Ellie takes this moment to look to Jareth that stands at the foot of the bed watching the spectacle in front of him. This is the opposite of what usually happens when someone gets wished away.
Ellie stumbles out of bed and walks to Jareth with large steps. She remembers his familiar face and points to him. "You." She says.
Against all attempts on his end, he can't help but grin at the child. "Me." He responds.
"Yowr him." She says factually.
"That I am." He nods in agreement.
"Huh?" Her head slightly tilts in question.
Sarah chuckles as she kneels to the floor next to Ellie. "Sweetie, do you remember making a wish?" Sarah holds the child's shoulders. Ellie doesn't respond. "You made a wish. You wished from a wish in your book."
Ellie gasps. "Labyrinth!"
"That's right." Sarah says as she stands. Ellie watches her mom as she grabs Jareth's hand. "This is who you wished us to."
"The... Gobwin King...?" Ellie's eyes look sad and confused. "Jaweth..." She doesn't know what to make of this.
In this moment, Jareth slowly kneels to her, notacing the very watchful eye of the child. Ellie's eyes grow wide at his sudden drop. "Are you watching closely?" He asks as he takes one of his gloves off. She watches in surprise as his hand pulls a familiar necklace with a purple amethyst hanging from the bottom out of thin air, with tiny images of glittery fireworks appear from the magic at hand.
"Jaweth!" She glomps him in a tight hug around his neck, grateful to see him again. "Your hair!" Her eyes glisten as she feels his long tresses as they wisp by her face. "Yowr the Gobwin King."
"Indeed I am."
She backs away from him to get a better view. "I knew it!" She shouts in excitement as she looks to her mom. Jareth stands to meet Sarah's height. "It's real! The Labwinth is real!"
"Would you like to see it for yourself?" He asks with an impish grin.
Ellie's eyes somehow grow bigger as she starts to get excited. "Yeah- yeah- yeah- ye-"
"Perhaps I should have asked your mother, first." He looks to her as she responds with a less enthused look.
Ellie continues to jump in excitement. "Mommy, Can I- can I- can I- can I-"
"Wait, wait hold on." She tries to calm the child. "I'm not sure if I would exactly call that place child friendly."
"I suppose that would depend on the person in charge." He is smile never leaves.
"So you can baby proof the oubliette?" Her sass starts to show. Now it's definitely starting to feel right.
"Only for the ones I like." His brow twitches in endearment.
"Well I need to be caught up to speed on her heath before I will even think about letting her go running rampid in that magical jungle."
"She will be chaperoned, I assure you. And her health status is roughly about 75%, which can only improve if she is in the center of the magic that is keeping her well, mind you." He responds with some sass of his own, ready to take on any other questions that she might have.
"I don't know..." She recalls her own trip down memory lane.
"She will need a safe place to reside while we speak to the Matriarch about what we've found. No place is safer, especially for a girl who is being healed by the Labyrinth itself."
Sarah bites her lip in concern. "I don't want those firey little headless devils anywhere near her." Her voice carries warning.
Pulling a crystal out of thin air, it dances on his fingers. "She will be in the utmost care and safety." Ellie barely even has time to admire the magic before he drops the crystal as its magic envelopes them all and transports them to the outskirts of the Labyrinth, close to where Sarah began her journey.
As the glittery dust subsides, the familiar sandy air glides through Sarah's every sense. She digests all of its memorable smells and sounds as she basks in the unforgettable scenery of infamous Labyrinth, centered with the ever memorable Goblin City. The view is just as she remembered, almost as if she were in a surreal and lucid dream.
"Ooooohhh pretty!" Ellie says as she looks down to see that she is wearing a red glittery dress that twirls and twirls.
Sarah giggles at the child. "Deja vu,"
"Quite," He whispers to her, gathering her attention towards the gate that opens to see a very familiar fox with his trusty dog steed.
Shocked, Sarah double takes to make sure she knew who she was looking at. "Sir Didymus?"
"Aye, dear lass!" His voice is as yappy and formal as ever. "Glad to know ye hasn't forgotten this old dog." He dramatically bows as he leaps off his steed. Sarah's smile is childlike and refreshing as she kneels to his side. "And who might this little whippersnapper be?" He asks as she observes the child.
"I'm Ellie!" She says with a smile as she rocks back and forth on her heels.
"This is my daughter." Sarah says with pride.
"Well I say," Sir Didymus scratches his head at the news. "Tis... but only yesterday where you were but a babe, yourself, mi'lady"
"Time flies when duty calls. It is so good to see your friendly face." Sarah gently bows her head towards the veteran war fox.
"Ain't that the bitter truth!" He raises his cane to toast the air.
"Sir Didymus," Jareth gains the undivided attention of the fox-like veteran, "you have been chosen as sole protector of Miss Ellie Williams," he points to the child, "who is a personal guest to the crown of the Goblin Throne. I trust that you will keep her safe, while also showing her a proper tour."
"Aye, aye, sir." Sir Didymus solutes his majesty with the utmost respect. "Tis be an honor, Miss Ellie."
"Be polite, Ellie. Use your manners." Sarah says as Ellie starts walking with her familiar friend, a friend that Sarah is glad to see, and a friend that she is comfortable to have with Ellie.
"Yes ma'am."
"Don't wander into any walls. Stay with your guardian, and don't open any doors without permission-"
"Yes ma'am." Ellie's voice slowly fades as they enter the Labyrinthian walls.
"Watch for pitfalls! And don't touch the garbage people! They don't like it!" Sarah continues to shout past knowledge until her child could no longer be seen. She fidgets with nerves, wondering if she made the right decision to let her leave.
"Bird and nest syndrome, love?"
"She's three!" She whips her entire body around in rebuttal.
"Worry not, love. She will not remain far," Jareth says as he conjures a bubble to illuminate the image of her child walking side by side the trusted soldier. "I always keep a watchful eye of my runners." The bubble levitates towards Sarah, and stays to her side.
She nods in thanks as she stares into the image of her child. "Where to, now?"
He holds out his arm for her to take again. "The Matriarch."
+x+x+x+
Things are building for Jareth and Sarah, and they have quite the journey ahead. I am thrilled to be able to finally get it out of my mind and onto the internet so it never has to dance around my subconscious again. I have been listening to a lot of Michael Hoppe on Spotify while writing their scenes. I'm not really listening to a particular song, but The Serenity Album was the inspiration for the mood of this chapter. I do hope you enjoyed. I will update more within the month of July.
Until we meet again~