Finding somewhere to eat was no problem. Every restaurant in town had a table available for the wealthy, popular Mr. King. Sarah rarely indulged in such extravagance, especially at lunch, but since Jareth was paying she ordered the lobster.
"You know, this interview seems rather pointless. I mean, you can't exactly tell me the truth and I know whatever I write is going to be a load of fiction." she told him.
He considered this for a moment, sipping his wine, then asked, "What does it matter?"
She looked surprised. "What do you mean? Of course it matters; what I'd be writing wouldn't be true!"
"Ah, journalistic integrity and al that I suppose."
"Well, maybe, but the bottom line is I've never been a very good liar" she told him, looking down at her salad as if she were embarrassed.
He reached across the table and lifted her chin up, forcing her to look in his eyes. He stared into them, as if he were searching for something, then slowly removed his hand.
"No, you're right. Everything's in your eyes. That's a very rare gift Sarah. Few people can claim what you have. It's a touch of..." and there he paused, searching for the right word, "innocence."
The arrival of their meal distracted them for a few moments. Sarah hadn't eaten all day and now she realized she was starving. 'He's going to think I'm a pig,' she thought, 'but I'm going to have to order dessert too just to fill up.' Fortunately, Jareth seemed to be just as engrossed in his food as she was with hers. Nothing was said until Sarah was almost done with her lobster, then Jareth suggested, "Why don't we skip the interview entirely? You give me a copy of the questions you had for me and I'll take care of it."
"What do you mean 'take care of it'? Just poof and it's done?"
"Done and sitting on your editor's desk Monday morning."
"That's...thank-you. That's very thoughtful of you, but why?" she asked.
His smile turned mocking, and for a second Sarah was a little concerned.
"Well, as you know Sarah, I can be generous, but I can also be cruel."
'Oh Lord, I've made a deal with the devil' she thought, but she squared her shoulders nonetheless and looked him in the eye before answering. "Yes, that was generous. So what's the catch?"
That mocking grin never left his face, but his eyes sparkled just a bit. "Even though you've gotten out of your duties as interviewer, you are still obligated to spend the rest of the afternoon with me. Does that sound like a fair trade?"
She took a long time drinking her wine, staring into the distance as if considering his offer very seriously. Finally she broke down laughing. "Geez, don't look so nervous, Jareth. If I really wanted to void you I would have walked out the minute you appeared behind that podium."
He looked a little irritated at that. "Hmph. No one 'walks out' on the Goblin King." he told her haughtily.
"Well I am not one of your subjects, nor am I just anyone, Your Highness. I require a reason to stay."
"That, my dear, sounds like a challenge."
"You know, this interview seems rather pointless. I mean, you can't exactly tell me the truth and I know whatever I write is going to be a load of fiction." she told him.
He considered this for a moment, sipping his wine, then asked, "What does it matter?"
She looked surprised. "What do you mean? Of course it matters; what I'd be writing wouldn't be true!"
"Ah, journalistic integrity and al that I suppose."
"Well, maybe, but the bottom line is I've never been a very good liar" she told him, looking down at her salad as if she were embarrassed.
He reached across the table and lifted her chin up, forcing her to look in his eyes. He stared into them, as if he were searching for something, then slowly removed his hand.
"No, you're right. Everything's in your eyes. That's a very rare gift Sarah. Few people can claim what you have. It's a touch of..." and there he paused, searching for the right word, "innocence."
The arrival of their meal distracted them for a few moments. Sarah hadn't eaten all day and now she realized she was starving. 'He's going to think I'm a pig,' she thought, 'but I'm going to have to order dessert too just to fill up.' Fortunately, Jareth seemed to be just as engrossed in his food as she was with hers. Nothing was said until Sarah was almost done with her lobster, then Jareth suggested, "Why don't we skip the interview entirely? You give me a copy of the questions you had for me and I'll take care of it."
"What do you mean 'take care of it'? Just poof and it's done?"
"Done and sitting on your editor's desk Monday morning."
"That's...thank-you. That's very thoughtful of you, but why?" she asked.
His smile turned mocking, and for a second Sarah was a little concerned.
"Well, as you know Sarah, I can be generous, but I can also be cruel."
'Oh Lord, I've made a deal with the devil' she thought, but she squared her shoulders nonetheless and looked him in the eye before answering. "Yes, that was generous. So what's the catch?"
That mocking grin never left his face, but his eyes sparkled just a bit. "Even though you've gotten out of your duties as interviewer, you are still obligated to spend the rest of the afternoon with me. Does that sound like a fair trade?"
She took a long time drinking her wine, staring into the distance as if considering his offer very seriously. Finally she broke down laughing. "Geez, don't look so nervous, Jareth. If I really wanted to void you I would have walked out the minute you appeared behind that podium."
He looked a little irritated at that. "Hmph. No one 'walks out' on the Goblin King." he told her haughtily.
"Well I am not one of your subjects, nor am I just anyone, Your Highness. I require a reason to stay."
"That, my dear, sounds like a challenge."