Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
No One Can Blame You
Chapter Six: "Lost And Lonely"
Veronica woke up the next morning to sunshine and birdsong. Her temporary bed was so comfortable that she didn't want to open her eyes, let alone leave the bed. Listening to a bird sing was all she wanted to do at the moment.
To Veronica, the bird's chirps sounded like "Too, too sweet! Too, too sweet!" **Even the birds here are unusual,** she thought.
"Too, too --"
"Ya gots it! Ya gots da birdie!"
"Quiet! Dat's da queen's bedroom!"
"Goblins," Veronica groaned, opening her eyes. "Jareth's right, they're not the most intelligent creatures."
"She ain't da queen yet. She's just da ... finance. Dat's it, she's da finance."
The "finance" couldn't help but giggle at the goblins' ignorance.
"She be da queen tomorrow, so ya'd better do somethin' about dat birdie you killed."
Her laughter quickly stopped. **I'll be Jareth's wife tomorrow, but not his queen, and certainly not his love. Why did I get myself into this? Why am I marrying a man who doesn't love me, who will never love me?**
"Squawk! Squawk! Squawk!"
"What the..." The ungodly noise was enough to force her out of bed, put on her silk robe over her matching nightgown, and go out onto the guestroom balcony. In the courtyard one story below her, she could see a trio of goblins squawking like a bunch of chickens. One of them still held the slingshot he had used to kill the songbird that lay on the ground near him.
"Would you three mind telling me what is going on here?"
The Goblin King's cold tone was enough to stop the goblins in mid-squawk. Trembling, all three turned to face him. Jareth stood before them with hands on his hips and murder in his eyes.
"Yer ... Yer Majesty," the shooter stuttered. "We wasn't doin' nothin'. We was just..."
"We was singin' for your finance," another one said proudly.
Jareth sighed painfully. **Could someone please tell me why I worked so hard to remain king of these half-wits?** "I am certain my *fiancee* would prefer not to be disturbed."
"She likes it," the third one said excitedly. He pointed to Veronica. "See, dere she is!"
Jareth looked up to see Veronica, and couldn't stop a small smile. **She looks lovely in that nightgown, very becoming.** Then, he remembered that he could've been marrying Sarah, and his smile quickly faded. He turned back to the goblins, hoping Veronica had missed his show of emotion. "If you are not gone from my sight in five seconds, I will toss all three of you into the Bog Of Eternal Stench."
The goblins fled, and Jareth returned his gaze to Veronica. "Have you had breakfast, my dear?" he asked civilly.
"Not yet," Veronica replied with a slight smile. "I got out of bed to hear my concert."
Jareth had to use a considerable amount of willpower to keep from smiling back at her. "Yes, a goblin's talent is equal to its intelligence. When you are ready, I will have breakfast brought up to you."
"Have you had breakfast already?" Veronica asked.
"No, I prefer to dine alone. You will soon find, Veronica, that I am a very solitary man."
"Then why are you throwing a party tonight?"
"My dear girl, this is not merely a party, this is a ball."
Veronica stared at the reflection in the mirror before her. The reflection was of a lovely young woman dressed for a formal ball. She wore a tea-length gown of pale pink with a v-neck, a line of pearlized buttons, and short sleeves. On her feet, she wore pale pink satin ballerina shoes. Her hair was in a loose French braid and tied at the end with a pale pink ribbon. Also, she wore a little bit of blush and pale pink lipstick.
"I don't even look like me," Veronica said, unable to stop staring at herself. "I look like..."
"A lady," a familiar voice said from behind her.
She turned to see Jareth standing there in what she assumed to be his formal outfit, or at least one of them. He wore a royal purple jacket with tails over a white silk shirt and black tights. A white linen cravat was tied around his neck and held in place with a gold pin. Jareth also wore a long gold scarf around his waist, his favorite black suede boots, and a pair of white gloves. There were royal purple streaks in his hair and glitter on everything.
It took her a moment to stop staring at him. "I'm no lady."
"On the contrary, you will not be a queen, but when we are married, you will become a noblewoman. How does Lady Veronica sound?"
"That sounds very nice," she said quietly. **But Your Majesty would mean more to me.** Veronica forced herself to get back into a better mood. **The whole world, especially Jareth, doesn't need to know how upset you are.** She smiled at him. "You look very handsome, Jareth."
"Thank you, my dear. Are you ready to go?"
"Yes, I'm ready."
"Wait, there are two things that outfit needs to make it perfect." Jareth waved his hand as a crown of pale pink silk roses appeared on her head.
Veronica glanced in the mirror and smiled softly. "I look like a fairy princess."
Jareth didn't respond to that. Instead, he pulled something out of an inside pocket of his jacket. "The finishing touch," Jareth said quietly, and held up a pale pink porcelain rose pendant on a delicate gold chain.
Veronica watched in the mirror as Jareth put the necklace around her neck from behind. He could not resist gently putting his hands on her shoulders. Veronica trembled with excitement, but Jareth took it as something else.
"I know you are nervous about tonight," he said, "but I will be there, as will my sister-in-law, Titania. She is kindness and gentleness personified. What she sees in Oberon escapes me, but she loves him nonetheless. Titania will make you feel welcome."
**Isn't that your job?** Veronica thought sadly. **No, your job is to give me this guestroom, the one farthest from your bedchamber, and practically forget about me. I can't wait to see what you have planned for our honeymoon.** "I'm sure I'll like her."
Jareth offered his arm. Veronica took it and they walked out of the room and down the stairs to the ballroom. She could hear music and laughter coming from behind the closed doors.
"It started without us?" Veronica asked, surprised.
"I wanted to make a grand entrance."
A nearby goblin opened the doors then stepped aside to let his king and the king's future wife enter the ballroom. All the guests stopped what they were doing to turn and stare at them.
Veronica tried hard not to let her jaw drop at the sight of such a beautifully decorated ballroom and richly dressed people. She noticed that all of the women were dressed in silk, satin, gossamer, and chiffon, while she was dressed in light cotton. **I should've worn that silk gown Jareth gave me, but I wanted to wear something that was more, well, me. He gave me so many beautiful clothes, but most aren't my style. I guess I'll get used to it, but I'll never get used to all these people staring at me.**
Jareth lead her to a very elegantly-dressed couple. Veronica recognized them instantly from Jareth's descriptions and from all the times she'd read "A Midsummer Night's Dream." She curtsied before them.
"Your Majesties," Veronica said.
Titania smiled warmly. "There is no need to be so formal, Veronica. I insist you call me Titania."
Relieved, Veronica smiled. "Then you can call me Ronni. Everyone does." She glanced at Jareth, who seemed to be in a silent battle of wills with Oberon. "Well, almost everyone."
After another moment or two of glaring, Oberon turned to Veronica. "You may call us Your Majesty."
Titania's profound embarrassment showed only as a slight blush. "My love, may I have a word with you?" She took his arm and practically dragged him away.
"Titania is just how I pictured her," Veronica said, smiling. "Oberon, on the other hand, is not exactly how I pictured him," her smile widened into a grin, "but I can definitely see the family resemblance."
Jareth's surprise lasted only a moment, when one noble couple after another asked to meet "the lady who finally tied down the Goblin King." Veronica had never met so many lords and ladies in her life, all of them regal, though none like Oberon.
Soon, the small orchestra started another waltz. Titania convinced Oberon to take her out on the dance floor, and gave Jareth an encouraging look. He turned to his fiancee.
"Would you like to dance?" Jareth asked reluctantly.
"No, but thank you."
**She is lying,** Jareth thought. **She wants to dance, so why did she refuse me?** He glanced at the dancers. **Perhaps she does not know how.** "I suppose a personal assistant does not have many opportunities to waltz."
"Most don't," Veronica agreed, "but I took ballroom-dancing lessons while I still wanted to be an actress. I helped the choreographer teach the extras how to dance for the 'Masquerade' scene."
"I am impressed," Jareth said. **So, she does know how to waltz. Then she must object to dancing with me.** "Would you like something to drink?" He gestured to the Fey waiters, who carried trays of champagne flutes. There was also a refreshment table that had a punch bowl and bite-sized pastries.
"No, thank you. I think I'll just watch the dancers," Veronica said. **Can't he see that I don't want to be around him when he's only talking to me because it's expected?** She walked over to one of the white silk-upholstered chairs along the wall and sat down.
**Even if I live to be 2,000,** Jareth thought, **I will never understand women.**
After the song was over, Oberon led Titania to the refreshment table. Titania took a petite four, while Oberon went straight to the punch bowl. When he found that the punch wasn't spiked, he called over of the waiters, picked up a glass of champagne, and drank it quickly.
"You should go easy on the champage," Titania said. "It would not do for you to be inebriated in front of all the Underground nobility, my love."
"Who cares about the nobility?" Oberon muttered, and one Fey lord who overheard him walked away in a huff. "I have lost the Labyrinth!"
"Keep your voice down, my love," Titania said. "The entire Underground does not need to know."
Instead of responding, Oberon simply started on another glass.
"That is very expensive champagne he is gulping down," Jareth muttered from his place beside Veronica's chair.
"I don't think he's doing it to spend your money," Veronica said. "He must be upset over losing the Labyrinth, and wants to drown his sorrows."
"If he wants to drown his sorrows, he can do it in the punch."
"Didn't I hear someone say the punch doesn't have any alcohol?"
Jareth muttered something unintelligble then looked up to see one of the Fey caterers gesturing to him. He turned to Veronica. "If you will excuse me, my dear." Making his way past the dancers, he approached the young man. "Yes?"
"The banquet is ready, Your Majesty," the man said, bowing.
"Thank you." He gestured to the orchestra leader, who stopped the waltz. Jareth addressed his peers. "My dear guests, if you will take your seats, the banquet will begin."
Everyone made their way to the tables. Jareth walked back over to Veronica and held out his hand. Veronica took it and stood up. He led the way to the head table and held out a chair for her as she sat down. Jareth sat beside her, and Titania and Oberon sat across from them. The four of them watched as dinner was served.
Jareth complained about the price of the champagne, but he spared no expense on dinner. Roast duck, pheasant, roast pork, spring peas, new potatoes, caviar, ambrosia, and, in addition to the champagne, three types of wine -- dandelion, strawberry, and mead.
After the food was served, Jareth rose and held up his goblet. "Lords and ladies, Oberon and dear Queen Titania, I thank all of you for coming. Tonight, we celebrate my impending marriage to this young woman," he turned to Veronica, "Veronica Marie Thomas of Earth. She has agreed to become my wife, and I consider myself a very fortunate man." Jareth held up his goblet in toast. "To Lady Veronica."
"To Lady Veronica," the guests echoed, smiling. Everyone applauded except for Oberon, and Jareth.
After dinner, the dancing resumed. Veronica finally accepted Jareth's offer to dance. Her heart was not in it, and it showed in her stiff movements. Jareth decided to ask her about her behavior after the ball.
Oberon had had a glass of each type of wine with dinner, and could barely walk, let alone dance. He sat with Titania at a corner table, nursing another glass of champagne. "This isn't an engagement ball, it's a victory party."
Titania was unable to keep the smile off her face. "Careful, my love, your contractions are showing."
The ball ended after two o'clock in the morning. By that time, most of the guests were tired and happy. Oberon had passed out and was snoring loudly. Titania had ignored him by talking to some of her friends, but knew it was time to bring him home. She said good-bye to Jareth and Veronica, and told Veronica to come to her if she ever needed help with anything. With that, the Fey King and Queen vanished.
Veronica, tired, footsore, and in a decidedly less than cheerful mood, knew it was well past the time that she should be in bed. She glanced at Jareth standing beside her. "It's a good thing the ceremony isn't till this evening. Otherwise, no one would be able to make it, including me."
"Most engagement balls do last most of the night," Jareth said. He was exhausted, but he tried hard not to let it show. "Come, I will take you to your room."
"No, I know the way," Veronica said. She yawned slightly. "I don't want to keep you from your bed. Goodnight, Jareth." She turned and walked out of the ballroom.
**By this time tomorrow,** Jareth thought, **that woman will be my wife.** The thought of that made his heart skip a beat, and he had no idea why. **I am only marrying her to save my kingdom. Anything else is inconsequential.** Still, he could not help remembering having his hands on her trembling shoulders. **Why did I feel the need to protect her? And why was she so distant while we were dancing?** He sighed tiredly. **She is more complex than the Labyrinth could ever hope to be.**
No One Can Blame You
Chapter Six: "Lost And Lonely"
Veronica woke up the next morning to sunshine and birdsong. Her temporary bed was so comfortable that she didn't want to open her eyes, let alone leave the bed. Listening to a bird sing was all she wanted to do at the moment.
To Veronica, the bird's chirps sounded like "Too, too sweet! Too, too sweet!" **Even the birds here are unusual,** she thought.
"Too, too --"
"Ya gots it! Ya gots da birdie!"
"Quiet! Dat's da queen's bedroom!"
"Goblins," Veronica groaned, opening her eyes. "Jareth's right, they're not the most intelligent creatures."
"She ain't da queen yet. She's just da ... finance. Dat's it, she's da finance."
The "finance" couldn't help but giggle at the goblins' ignorance.
"She be da queen tomorrow, so ya'd better do somethin' about dat birdie you killed."
Her laughter quickly stopped. **I'll be Jareth's wife tomorrow, but not his queen, and certainly not his love. Why did I get myself into this? Why am I marrying a man who doesn't love me, who will never love me?**
"Squawk! Squawk! Squawk!"
"What the..." The ungodly noise was enough to force her out of bed, put on her silk robe over her matching nightgown, and go out onto the guestroom balcony. In the courtyard one story below her, she could see a trio of goblins squawking like a bunch of chickens. One of them still held the slingshot he had used to kill the songbird that lay on the ground near him.
"Would you three mind telling me what is going on here?"
The Goblin King's cold tone was enough to stop the goblins in mid-squawk. Trembling, all three turned to face him. Jareth stood before them with hands on his hips and murder in his eyes.
"Yer ... Yer Majesty," the shooter stuttered. "We wasn't doin' nothin'. We was just..."
"We was singin' for your finance," another one said proudly.
Jareth sighed painfully. **Could someone please tell me why I worked so hard to remain king of these half-wits?** "I am certain my *fiancee* would prefer not to be disturbed."
"She likes it," the third one said excitedly. He pointed to Veronica. "See, dere she is!"
Jareth looked up to see Veronica, and couldn't stop a small smile. **She looks lovely in that nightgown, very becoming.** Then, he remembered that he could've been marrying Sarah, and his smile quickly faded. He turned back to the goblins, hoping Veronica had missed his show of emotion. "If you are not gone from my sight in five seconds, I will toss all three of you into the Bog Of Eternal Stench."
The goblins fled, and Jareth returned his gaze to Veronica. "Have you had breakfast, my dear?" he asked civilly.
"Not yet," Veronica replied with a slight smile. "I got out of bed to hear my concert."
Jareth had to use a considerable amount of willpower to keep from smiling back at her. "Yes, a goblin's talent is equal to its intelligence. When you are ready, I will have breakfast brought up to you."
"Have you had breakfast already?" Veronica asked.
"No, I prefer to dine alone. You will soon find, Veronica, that I am a very solitary man."
"Then why are you throwing a party tonight?"
"My dear girl, this is not merely a party, this is a ball."
Veronica stared at the reflection in the mirror before her. The reflection was of a lovely young woman dressed for a formal ball. She wore a tea-length gown of pale pink with a v-neck, a line of pearlized buttons, and short sleeves. On her feet, she wore pale pink satin ballerina shoes. Her hair was in a loose French braid and tied at the end with a pale pink ribbon. Also, she wore a little bit of blush and pale pink lipstick.
"I don't even look like me," Veronica said, unable to stop staring at herself. "I look like..."
"A lady," a familiar voice said from behind her.
She turned to see Jareth standing there in what she assumed to be his formal outfit, or at least one of them. He wore a royal purple jacket with tails over a white silk shirt and black tights. A white linen cravat was tied around his neck and held in place with a gold pin. Jareth also wore a long gold scarf around his waist, his favorite black suede boots, and a pair of white gloves. There were royal purple streaks in his hair and glitter on everything.
It took her a moment to stop staring at him. "I'm no lady."
"On the contrary, you will not be a queen, but when we are married, you will become a noblewoman. How does Lady Veronica sound?"
"That sounds very nice," she said quietly. **But Your Majesty would mean more to me.** Veronica forced herself to get back into a better mood. **The whole world, especially Jareth, doesn't need to know how upset you are.** She smiled at him. "You look very handsome, Jareth."
"Thank you, my dear. Are you ready to go?"
"Yes, I'm ready."
"Wait, there are two things that outfit needs to make it perfect." Jareth waved his hand as a crown of pale pink silk roses appeared on her head.
Veronica glanced in the mirror and smiled softly. "I look like a fairy princess."
Jareth didn't respond to that. Instead, he pulled something out of an inside pocket of his jacket. "The finishing touch," Jareth said quietly, and held up a pale pink porcelain rose pendant on a delicate gold chain.
Veronica watched in the mirror as Jareth put the necklace around her neck from behind. He could not resist gently putting his hands on her shoulders. Veronica trembled with excitement, but Jareth took it as something else.
"I know you are nervous about tonight," he said, "but I will be there, as will my sister-in-law, Titania. She is kindness and gentleness personified. What she sees in Oberon escapes me, but she loves him nonetheless. Titania will make you feel welcome."
**Isn't that your job?** Veronica thought sadly. **No, your job is to give me this guestroom, the one farthest from your bedchamber, and practically forget about me. I can't wait to see what you have planned for our honeymoon.** "I'm sure I'll like her."
Jareth offered his arm. Veronica took it and they walked out of the room and down the stairs to the ballroom. She could hear music and laughter coming from behind the closed doors.
"It started without us?" Veronica asked, surprised.
"I wanted to make a grand entrance."
A nearby goblin opened the doors then stepped aside to let his king and the king's future wife enter the ballroom. All the guests stopped what they were doing to turn and stare at them.
Veronica tried hard not to let her jaw drop at the sight of such a beautifully decorated ballroom and richly dressed people. She noticed that all of the women were dressed in silk, satin, gossamer, and chiffon, while she was dressed in light cotton. **I should've worn that silk gown Jareth gave me, but I wanted to wear something that was more, well, me. He gave me so many beautiful clothes, but most aren't my style. I guess I'll get used to it, but I'll never get used to all these people staring at me.**
Jareth lead her to a very elegantly-dressed couple. Veronica recognized them instantly from Jareth's descriptions and from all the times she'd read "A Midsummer Night's Dream." She curtsied before them.
"Your Majesties," Veronica said.
Titania smiled warmly. "There is no need to be so formal, Veronica. I insist you call me Titania."
Relieved, Veronica smiled. "Then you can call me Ronni. Everyone does." She glanced at Jareth, who seemed to be in a silent battle of wills with Oberon. "Well, almost everyone."
After another moment or two of glaring, Oberon turned to Veronica. "You may call us Your Majesty."
Titania's profound embarrassment showed only as a slight blush. "My love, may I have a word with you?" She took his arm and practically dragged him away.
"Titania is just how I pictured her," Veronica said, smiling. "Oberon, on the other hand, is not exactly how I pictured him," her smile widened into a grin, "but I can definitely see the family resemblance."
Jareth's surprise lasted only a moment, when one noble couple after another asked to meet "the lady who finally tied down the Goblin King." Veronica had never met so many lords and ladies in her life, all of them regal, though none like Oberon.
Soon, the small orchestra started another waltz. Titania convinced Oberon to take her out on the dance floor, and gave Jareth an encouraging look. He turned to his fiancee.
"Would you like to dance?" Jareth asked reluctantly.
"No, but thank you."
**She is lying,** Jareth thought. **She wants to dance, so why did she refuse me?** He glanced at the dancers. **Perhaps she does not know how.** "I suppose a personal assistant does not have many opportunities to waltz."
"Most don't," Veronica agreed, "but I took ballroom-dancing lessons while I still wanted to be an actress. I helped the choreographer teach the extras how to dance for the 'Masquerade' scene."
"I am impressed," Jareth said. **So, she does know how to waltz. Then she must object to dancing with me.** "Would you like something to drink?" He gestured to the Fey waiters, who carried trays of champagne flutes. There was also a refreshment table that had a punch bowl and bite-sized pastries.
"No, thank you. I think I'll just watch the dancers," Veronica said. **Can't he see that I don't want to be around him when he's only talking to me because it's expected?** She walked over to one of the white silk-upholstered chairs along the wall and sat down.
**Even if I live to be 2,000,** Jareth thought, **I will never understand women.**
After the song was over, Oberon led Titania to the refreshment table. Titania took a petite four, while Oberon went straight to the punch bowl. When he found that the punch wasn't spiked, he called over of the waiters, picked up a glass of champagne, and drank it quickly.
"You should go easy on the champage," Titania said. "It would not do for you to be inebriated in front of all the Underground nobility, my love."
"Who cares about the nobility?" Oberon muttered, and one Fey lord who overheard him walked away in a huff. "I have lost the Labyrinth!"
"Keep your voice down, my love," Titania said. "The entire Underground does not need to know."
Instead of responding, Oberon simply started on another glass.
"That is very expensive champagne he is gulping down," Jareth muttered from his place beside Veronica's chair.
"I don't think he's doing it to spend your money," Veronica said. "He must be upset over losing the Labyrinth, and wants to drown his sorrows."
"If he wants to drown his sorrows, he can do it in the punch."
"Didn't I hear someone say the punch doesn't have any alcohol?"
Jareth muttered something unintelligble then looked up to see one of the Fey caterers gesturing to him. He turned to Veronica. "If you will excuse me, my dear." Making his way past the dancers, he approached the young man. "Yes?"
"The banquet is ready, Your Majesty," the man said, bowing.
"Thank you." He gestured to the orchestra leader, who stopped the waltz. Jareth addressed his peers. "My dear guests, if you will take your seats, the banquet will begin."
Everyone made their way to the tables. Jareth walked back over to Veronica and held out his hand. Veronica took it and stood up. He led the way to the head table and held out a chair for her as she sat down. Jareth sat beside her, and Titania and Oberon sat across from them. The four of them watched as dinner was served.
Jareth complained about the price of the champagne, but he spared no expense on dinner. Roast duck, pheasant, roast pork, spring peas, new potatoes, caviar, ambrosia, and, in addition to the champagne, three types of wine -- dandelion, strawberry, and mead.
After the food was served, Jareth rose and held up his goblet. "Lords and ladies, Oberon and dear Queen Titania, I thank all of you for coming. Tonight, we celebrate my impending marriage to this young woman," he turned to Veronica, "Veronica Marie Thomas of Earth. She has agreed to become my wife, and I consider myself a very fortunate man." Jareth held up his goblet in toast. "To Lady Veronica."
"To Lady Veronica," the guests echoed, smiling. Everyone applauded except for Oberon, and Jareth.
After dinner, the dancing resumed. Veronica finally accepted Jareth's offer to dance. Her heart was not in it, and it showed in her stiff movements. Jareth decided to ask her about her behavior after the ball.
Oberon had had a glass of each type of wine with dinner, and could barely walk, let alone dance. He sat with Titania at a corner table, nursing another glass of champagne. "This isn't an engagement ball, it's a victory party."
Titania was unable to keep the smile off her face. "Careful, my love, your contractions are showing."
The ball ended after two o'clock in the morning. By that time, most of the guests were tired and happy. Oberon had passed out and was snoring loudly. Titania had ignored him by talking to some of her friends, but knew it was time to bring him home. She said good-bye to Jareth and Veronica, and told Veronica to come to her if she ever needed help with anything. With that, the Fey King and Queen vanished.
Veronica, tired, footsore, and in a decidedly less than cheerful mood, knew it was well past the time that she should be in bed. She glanced at Jareth standing beside her. "It's a good thing the ceremony isn't till this evening. Otherwise, no one would be able to make it, including me."
"Most engagement balls do last most of the night," Jareth said. He was exhausted, but he tried hard not to let it show. "Come, I will take you to your room."
"No, I know the way," Veronica said. She yawned slightly. "I don't want to keep you from your bed. Goodnight, Jareth." She turned and walked out of the ballroom.
**By this time tomorrow,** Jareth thought, **that woman will be my wife.** The thought of that made his heart skip a beat, and he had no idea why. **I am only marrying her to save my kingdom. Anything else is inconsequential.** Still, he could not help remembering having his hands on her trembling shoulders. **Why did I feel the need to protect her? And why was she so distant while we were dancing?** He sighed tiredly. **She is more complex than the Labyrinth could ever hope to be.**
