Heartcrash

Chapter Three:Thorn's Petals

Disclaimer:See chapter one. A/N: Oh,thanks soooo much, all of ya'all!!I'm so glad you like my humble story...You know,I've gotten more reviews on this one than any other I've written? I hope you enjoy this chapter!It's about the first ball Raina and Jareth attend, the night of her first day there.^_^ Please enjoy!

As they arrived at the Castle, Jareth felt some of is confidence return. This was HIS realm, his castle, his Labyrinth. He gave a slight smile, then turned to Raina. "You can't go around MY castle dressed like that...There's a room prepared for you in the tower, there should be a green ballgown laid out on the bed. I suggest you put it on immediately." Of course, it had been easy to set a room up with his magic, and he had chosen green for most of the clothing because of her eye color...And because of the sentimental value all of the things he was issuing to her held... 'Hmmm,the first test is upon me, I suppose.'

Raina was a bit perturbed by the way he ordered her around...After all, he might be saying 'Suggest' but the way he said it made her hear 'Command.' That gave her an uneasy feeling, but she sighed and nodded. "You'll have to show me to this 'tower,' though, for I do not know my way around your castle, 'O King." She testily said with a hint of sarcasm in her words.

Jareth nearly laughed. 'How very like me she is sometimes...and yet, how she reminds me of Sarah...' He inwardly shook his head. 'No,I won't think about her.' "Of course, how unthoughtful of me." He crooked his arm and waited for her to place her arm in his. She did so easily, smiling up at him. He wished she wouldn't act so kind and demure, it made him want her more, and he didn't need to have that feeling heightened any more than it already was.

Raina wondered-was it being back at his own castle, his own home, that made Jareth act so gentlemanly-or was it just something he was doing to get her to fall for him? Some form of seduction? She hoped not...Because if it was, it was working far too well...

As they reached her room, Jareth released her arm, took down an ornate key hung on a peg by the large, golden door. Fitting the key into the keyhole, he turned it, and the door swung silently open. The most beautiful room Raina had ever seen was revealed. Golden drapes hung over crystal-clear, arched windows. The bed was huge, made of wood with delicately carved roses adorning it. The sheets were a deep green, brocaded with golden thread. The armoire was beautiful, a carved wood piece that matched the bed. Expensive-looking rugs covered the floor, and tapestries featuring Jareth in many different time periods covered the walls, rich colors and perfectly sewn images enough to blind someone. On the bed was an absolutely gorgeous ballgown. It was long, so long that it would fall past Raina's feet, with an off-the-shoulder bodice. Its color was exquisite-the hue of lush grass. The dress was made of silk; the sleeves were poofy at the top, and short. From the bottom of the poofed sleeves were slightly lighter green, long, flowing sleeves. Beside the dress were several pieces of jewelry-an emerald ring set in the finest gold, an emerald necklace with over 14 of the gems set in fine gold. And last, a pair of dangling emerald and gold earrings. On the floor were emerald silk-covered slippers, adorned with golden trimming.

Raina gasped. It was all so...beautiful! She wondered where Jareth had acquired such a wonderful taste for these things, and decided it might be better not to ask. "It...It's..." She whispered, the words catching in her throat.

Jareth grinned, an almost wistful look in his eyes. "I see you like it...Good. Please...change by 13 o'clock, and meet me at the bottom of this tower. Don't be late." He absently nodded to her, not waiting for her to say a word, and vanished.

Raina sighed."He didn't even give me a chance to say anything...Wonder what he's so afraid of? I can tell he is afraid of something..." Shaking her head, she closed the door and began to change into the splendid clothing.

Later...

Raina stepped carefully down the last step of the tower...Ahead, she could see Jareth. As he turned and saw her, she smiled.

Jareth's breath caught as he saw Raina walking slowly towards him. He'd been right-the green dress and jewelry was absolutely STUNNING on her...Perhaps TOO stunning. He, the Goblin King, was at a loss for words.What to say, what to say? "Ah...you look...lovely, my dear." He said, smirking slightly at her. 'Ahhh,I'm acting like a child again...what a fool I'm becoming." He offered her his arm, trying to look cold. "Shall we go?"

Raina felt like laughing. The mighty Goblin King, stunned speechless by little old her. And that LOOK on his face! He was trying to act sooo cool, so frigid, but she could FEEL his eyes on her as she slowly walked up to him and took his arm. "Of course. By all means." She said calmly, giving him a grin. She felt him tremble at her smile, and suddenly felt very powerful indeed.

Jareth shuddered. He so wished that she wouldn't DO that. 'She does look so...so...so amazing in that outfit...It was always one of...of...SARAH'S favorites, too...I need to forget her...But how can I, when I am feeling something for a slip of a girl who so reminds me of her? And...how can I, when, if I do, I might find myself falling head-over-heels for another?...' He almost shook his head, then caught himself-that would lead to questions. Soon, they arrived at a pair of crimson double doors. He pushed them open and gently led Raina into the tremendous ballroom that lay beyond them.

The image that met their eyes was nothing short of fantastic. An extremely large, highly ornate and richly furnished room was filled with dancers of nearly every variety of Fae that existed. Almost all were in masks, and as they entered, Jareth whispered to her,"Don't worry about the masks,they'll all have them off soon enough, anyway." He remembered Sarah's first ball with him...she'd not stayed long enough to see everyone without their masks...such a pity, he remembered thinking. Glancing over at Raina, he could see wonder playing across her face as she nodded mutely at him. He almost laughed. Turning back to the scene before him, he saw that most had noticed him now, and were making way for him-and 'his lady'. He heard many whispers about her, and smirked. Most of the whispers were envious...It had been a while since he'd attended the balls in company of such a girl. He enjoyed the feeling.

Raina heard the whispers, but was too enthralled by the room and the sheer look of all the dancers to care. 'This is amazing...' She thought to herself, and as the music started, she felt her arms instinctively go into the waltz position on Jareth. Soon, he was leading her in a dance to a gorgeous melody that seemed to be coming from nowhere. She closed her eyes and rested her head against Jareth's chest for a moment.

Jareth was shocked when she closed her eyes and laid her head against him. 'Does she even realize what this is DOING to me?...No,I don't think she does...Oh,dear...' His heart began to beat faster...

Raina lifted her head and looked up at her dance partner, slightly perplexed. "Your heartbeat just got faster..." She whispered.

He nearly choked, and whispered back, in such a soft tone she could barely hear him. "I know...You really should think before you tease me like that."

She flushed. "T-tease? I wasn't trying to tease...Oh,forget it!" She pulled away, grabbed her skirts to keep from tripping and ran from him, from the ball, throwing herself out the doors. Jareth, looking alarmed, ran after her, leaving a room full of Fae whispering and gossiping.

Jareth finally caught up to her. 'She...she's...crying? Over ME? I wasn't trying to hurt her..Damn.' He thought frustratedly. Clumsily, he placed one hand on her shoulder and spun her around.

Raina, tears flowing freely from those bright green eyes, started pounding on Jareth's chest with soft blows. They didn't hurt him, so he stood awkwardly still. Finally, she cooled down, and started sobbing into his chests, arms balled up into fists resting between her cheeks and his chest. Still looking a bit disconcerted, he put his arms around her and let her cry. 'I feel really foolish now...if anyone I know sees me like this, they'll think I'm a big softie...Why'd she get so upset,anyway?Maybe she's tired...' Sure enough, when he looked down, her eyelids were drooping, and she was slumping in his arms. Sighing, he reached down and picked her up. Carrying her easily, he walked up the stairs to her room in the tower. Resting her on the bed, he pulled out a crystal and used it to change her into a very elaborate silver nightgown, and to stow the dress, shoes, and jewelry away in the armoire. Carefully, he tucked her into the huge bed. He leaned over her and gently placed a kiss on her lips, knowing it wouldn't wake her. As he walked to the door, he heard her mumble his name, and a grin came to his face. 'At least she dreams of me....but I have a feeling I'm going to regret acting like such a softie later...damn.' He sighed, and walked to his own quarters, a series of rooms as elaborate and stunning as the one he'd given to Raina. Though he hadn't told her, all of the things that populated that room had been Sarah's...Sarah had loved them so very much... 'Why am I tormenting myself?...and I'm so confused now...who will be in MY dreams...my long-gone wife, or the girl I feel so very attracted to, the girl whom I WILL make my lover...And why must the memory of Sarah continue to haunt me? Is it because Raina is so very like her? Yet...Raina is herself, too...and something about her makes her...SPECIAL...' He fell asleep in all of his finery, still musing over his past love and his present obsession...

And...The Goblin King dreamed of Raina that night.

To Be Continued in Chapter Four: Was it Just My Imagination?