Chapter Two
* * * * * * * *
The days were endless,
We were crazy-we were young
The sun was always shining-
We just lived for fun
Sometimes it feels like lately-I just don't know
The rest of my life's been-just a show
* * * * * * * *
"I swear to you Frederick, she is nothing short of a goddess," Jareth stated, his
eyes taking on the far-away glint that had consumed him so often as of late.
The two young men, same in age and dashing stature, had taken to the forest for a
ride. Their steeds were coated in lather, after their wild run weaving between the tall
ancient trees of the Underground forest. Now, lingering among cool shadows, and the
filtering bits of sunlight, Jareth bestowed his newly acquired infatuation upon his closest
companion.
Frederick's dark ebony eyes flashed towards his friend, finely sculpted lips held
slightly agape at the revelation. His luxuriant mane of shining raven hair caught in the
breeze, drifting freely over his shoulders. The man was nearly as breathtaking as Jareth,
although his looks were darkly refined, easily distinguished from Jareth's pallor
appearance.
"The party has only just ended, and already you find a way to make the workings
of the world chaotic, my dearest Jareth" Frederick replied with a brief, sarcastic bout of
laughter. His voice was accented in an equally tantalizing way, though was not in the
same velvety lower range as his friend's.
Jareth joined in the laughter and then urged his horse into a slow, steady jog. He
glanced over his shoulder towards Frederick and then shrugged, unable to think of a
reasonable excuse for his actions, and the sudden presence of love.
"I cannot ignore the emotion, Freddie, nor can I accept it. It seems as if I am
stuck," Jareth mulled over his problem and then turned back about in the saddle.
Freddie jogged up beside his friend once more and then caught Jareth's fading
attention. There was moment of silence shared between companions, while their thoughts
were shared without words. Jareth nodded slowly and then smiled, desperation beginning
to pour forth from his every feature.
"Darling, we simply cannot speak of such things as this now. Perhaps your lovely
Shayna will be your future, but that is not for us to decide, nor is it for us to discuss. Shall
we?" Freddie questioned, and jabbed his steed quickly with his heels.
Instantly the lovely Roan which he road upon jolted onwards, powerful legs
beating in quick rhythm, as the hooves tore across the forest floor. Jareth watched this
sight for a second, and then urged his own horse onwards. The pale gray raced after the
fading outline of the first.
He raced around, beneath, and between the ancient trees, which reached far into
the mid-morning sky. The rhythmic sounds of the horses' pounding hooves were the only
noise to break the general silence found in the woods. Jareth could easily lose himself
here, amidst the forest animals, and the shadows lingering upon the dirt floor.
His mind was instantly snapped back into reality as Freddie came to a sliding halt.
The roan rose upon his hind legs and swiveled around, suddenly becoming quite light upon
his feet. Jareth reined in his own steed, scarcely missing the spooking horse.
"What got into him?" Jareth asked, coming to stand beside the fidgeting equine.
His own mount was overly aware of the surroundings, nostrils flaring and ears perked
straight ahead.
Freddie turned the horse in a tight circle, preventing the animal from rearing again.
His dark, obsidian eyes met with Jareth's, and the young noble noted a certain trace of
fear there. Something was not right.
"We shouldn't be here. Shall we away?" Freddie inquired, leaping from his mount
with lithe grace. Jareth followed suit.
Upon the ground Freddie was noticeably shorter than Jareth. Still, a presence that
dwelled around the darkly handsome man made him appear larger than life. His sleek
form was clothed in tight silken riding pants, black in shade. A poet's shirt, much the
same as Jareth's, but dark in color as well, dipped to the middle of his chest. Jareth
himself wore a navy, riding jacket over his cream, satin shirt.
"Well, why should we dismount?" Jareth asked, perturbed that they could not go
forth into the ancient woods, "and why shan't we continue further into the forest? I don't
believe I've been there before."
Freddie gathered his reins into hand and slowly led the nervous horse away from
the darkened, mysterious section of the woods. There was a definite change in the
atmosphere surrounding the forest in that area, by far less comfortable than the woodlands
nearer to the village.
Freddie once more looked at Jareth, just as a breath of wind caught his raven
mane, drawing it away from his aquiline features. The same fear was embedded in his
eyes, even as he glanced over his shoulder towards the distant section of the forest that
they had left.
"It is the Goblin Queen's forest, Jareth," Freddie stated solemnly and then abruptly
closed the subject by remounting his horse.
Jareth quickly leapt back atop his steed and jogged up beside Freddie, prepared to
get more information than had already been offered. This was quite an interesting subject,
and one he had not heard before.
"Who, pray tell, is the Goblin Queen?" Jareth questioned.
Freddie's gaze snapped back towards his friend. He began to laugh, a musical sort
of chuckle, before realizing that Jareth was serious about the question. The young noble
had never heard about the myths and legends surrounding the Goblin Queen.
"Darling, please tell me that... well this is quite the interesting tidbit of
information," Freddie remarked, raising his eyebrows slightly to insinuate his shock.
Jareth waited, but patience had never been his strong suit. Freddie's lengthy pause
only proved to aggravate Jareth.
"The Goblin Queen lives in a large castle, amidst those woods. She dwells alone,
with only her dearest attendants to wait upon her needs. She has quite the nasty temper,
and any who venture to her castle promptly disappear," Freddie grinned mischievously and
then leaned back a bit in the saddle, "Now tell me more about your darling girl."
Jareth shook his head, but couldn't help to keep the smile from his face. The mere
thought of Shayna brightened his entire outlook on life... Save the obvious problem of a
certain forthcoming marriage, but all could be solved... in time.
* * * * * * * *
The two friends ducked in unison beneath the arched, brick entrance to their
simple town. Low, overhanging strands of ivy swept across their heads, and against the
smooth flesh of their faces'. They were met immediately by a stable hand, taking the reins
from the young men as they dismounted their steeds.
"Ah, so the young princes have returned from cavorting in the forest, once more,"
proclaimed a hierarchical voice from down the street only a short distance.
Freddie turned instantly and mocked an overly shocked expression upon his
handsome face. He bowed, crossing his feet over each other in the process and sweeping
his hand in a half circle. Jareth erupted into laughter, watching the antics of his friend and
leant back against the nearest brick wall.
"My dearest master Rupert, we are so well graced by your presence, darling!"
Freddie chided as he rose and swept back his raven locks over his slender shoulders.
"To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?" Jareth inquired, his own
changeling eyes simply dancing with the mirth of the moment.
Rupert slowly approached the two... higher class of the town. He was tall, lean
like Jareth, but did not possess the general seductive appearance as the two he now faced.
Still, Rupert bore a sadistically maniacal grin upon his thin lips as his brown eyes flashed
from Freddie's amused face to Jareth's bored expression.
"Jareth, how is that fiancee of yours?" Rupert demanded, clicking his tongue as he
asked the question.
Jareth started momentarily and pushed himself away from the wall. He placed his
hands behind himself, in the small of his back, and began stalking, ever so slowly, around
Rupert. Surely such a show of superiority would cast the self-righteousness in Rupert to
the stones.
Nonetheless, the commoner remained, his grin overly evident on his pale face. A
fine sheen of sweat stood out on his brow, and glistened against his neck, making Rupert
appear almost sickly in the light of the strong afternoon sun. The heat was nearly
unbearable as they stood apart from the comfortable coolness offered by the shade.
"Prying in business that does not need your presence? What shall we do with
you?" Jareth asked, his two distinctly different eyes bore into his 'prey' and flashed with
an innate power.
"Nothing, for all your power and all your mind games you can do nothing! Or
would the world care to know about a peasant girl whom struck your interest during the
celebretory event concerning a certain arrangement for your marriage?!" Rupert's laughter
tore through his words like a knife, ready to slash away Jareth's previous grasp over the
situation.
Almost without hesitation Freddie was at his friend's side, his eyes narrowed and,
for one of the few times in his life, he was genuinely angry. Jareth himself had set his jaw,
and lightening flashed with chestnut highlights behind his darker eye, while the blue
swirled like unruly, churning waters. Rupert swallowed, and silently drew back the
statement he had only just put forth into the open.
"You are not wanted here.... dear," Freddie's face remained set, even with the
feminine addition to the end of his threat. There was no cocking of a grin, no musical
titter to accompany such a teasing remark. Instead, cold fury rose and dwelled behind his
serious expression.
Rupert backed down, as if a mongrel dog sensing his dismissal from the pack, and
leaving before the fight really began. There would be no victory for such a stray. The two
inseparable "princes", were stronger than any other in the town. The retreating fool nearly
tripped over his own shoes, and caught himself just in time to avoid complete
embarrassment. However, the sight of his lack of coordination sent the seriousness fleeing
from the situation.
"You'll regret this! Both of you!" Rupert threatened, turning about so that he
might make his retreat in a more timely fashion.
Jareth kicked a rock down the road, after the sight of the humbled boy. He scuffed
his toe into the dirt, briefly disturbed that others already knew about his little 'secret.'
"Very well, away with you... you naughty thing, you!" Freddie erupted into more
laughter, covering his mouth after the statement with the palm of one slender hand.
He turned to face Jareth, but was shocked at the worry evident on his friend's face.
Freddie reached out, tenderly, and grasped Jareth's arms with his hands, forcing the young
noble to look into his dark eyes. They stood there, in the middle of the road, the
stablehand silently leading their winded steeds to the barn, to be cooled down.
"I know, that I should not let it get inside so easily, but...," Jareth was silenced
quickly by a single hand placed over his mouth.
"We shall not consider the 'buts' for now," Frederick removed his hand and then
stepped back, allowing a sigh to break through his never-ending mirth, "I'm off, dear, take
care of your...."
Freddie raised his eyebrows with a smug grin, as his sentence broke off. Yet, even
without a word to complete the thought, Jareth could easily guess as to what was meant.
Then, spinning about on his toes, Freddie headed down the street, towards his large home
at the back of town. Jareth himself had but to turn a corner and find his estate, near the
stables.
He paused for a moment, dwelling on what had occurred in the street. If his
parents had ever discovered who had caught Jareth's heart without so much as a single
word.... he shivered as the thought completed itself through visual images in his vivid
imagination. Then, he walked up the brick stairs, shaking the ideas from his mind firmly.
Jareth opened the large wooden door, which led into his home. His riding boots,
soiled from the day of enjoyment, were left at the entryway. His mother was not
accustomed to dirt of any kind, especially within her house.
"Father, Mother?" Jareth inquired as to their where-abouts.
There was no answer, which signalled that he was alone there. Perhaps they had
gone into the marketplace. Or, the more likely possibility, they had traveled to Adriana's
comfortable dwellings with her family, to further discuss the plans surrounding their
engagement and eventual marriage.
"Marriage," Jareth scowled and quickly strode to his chambers, taking the brick
staircase to the second level of their large home.
The walls were adorned with colorful tapestries, depicting worlds and creatures
that Jareth had never guessed would exist. It all appeared so fantastic. Some days, when
life itself seemed to spite him, Jareth would sit in the passage way and gaze at these works
of art, placing himself into the pictures of serenity and ultimate joy.
Now, however, he had no time for any pointless daydreaming. His days were
numbered, since he had surpassed his nineteenth year. Twenty would signal his wedding
day, and his loss of freedom along with it.
"And my broken heart," he whispered, musing over Shayna's flawless face, crafted
from the purest alabaster flesh.
There was no question in his mind, for he had no choice in the matter. His heart
had decided what was to be done. He would find a way out of the marriage. Whether
insanity, death, or loss of all else was the result, he would be with Shayna in some way. A
life with Adriana was scarcely mediocre when compared to his goddess.
The fact did remain, however, that Shayna had only just offered her name when
she had risen fluidly to her feet, and had then rushed back into the darkness. He had
watched her retreat, as if frozen into place, had let her slipped through his fingers with that
sort of ease! Still, Jareth was determined to find her again, or else his life would be but a
hollow shell.
Jareth drew open the slightly less imposing door, which led to his chambers and
allowed it to slam shut behind him. The room was as grand as the home, with a ceiling
reaching many feet overhead. The bed occupied the center, canopied and oversized so as
to appear as if it could fit nearly ten people sleeping comfortably.
Yes, his life was cloaked in comfort and carefully placed excess. While his dear
friend, Frederick adapted quickly to life in the more monetary realm, Jareth himself found
no need for such trivialities. It had been but fate to place him in this noble home, and the
same fickle fate that had arranged the marriage to Adriana the day prior to his meeting
Shayna.
Now it was he would fight fate.... and only time would tell the victor.
* * * * * * * *
The days were endless,
We were crazy-we were young
The sun was always shining-
We just lived for fun
Sometimes it feels like lately-I just don't know
The rest of my life's been-just a show
* * * * * * * *
"I swear to you Frederick, she is nothing short of a goddess," Jareth stated, his
eyes taking on the far-away glint that had consumed him so often as of late.
The two young men, same in age and dashing stature, had taken to the forest for a
ride. Their steeds were coated in lather, after their wild run weaving between the tall
ancient trees of the Underground forest. Now, lingering among cool shadows, and the
filtering bits of sunlight, Jareth bestowed his newly acquired infatuation upon his closest
companion.
Frederick's dark ebony eyes flashed towards his friend, finely sculpted lips held
slightly agape at the revelation. His luxuriant mane of shining raven hair caught in the
breeze, drifting freely over his shoulders. The man was nearly as breathtaking as Jareth,
although his looks were darkly refined, easily distinguished from Jareth's pallor
appearance.
"The party has only just ended, and already you find a way to make the workings
of the world chaotic, my dearest Jareth" Frederick replied with a brief, sarcastic bout of
laughter. His voice was accented in an equally tantalizing way, though was not in the
same velvety lower range as his friend's.
Jareth joined in the laughter and then urged his horse into a slow, steady jog. He
glanced over his shoulder towards Frederick and then shrugged, unable to think of a
reasonable excuse for his actions, and the sudden presence of love.
"I cannot ignore the emotion, Freddie, nor can I accept it. It seems as if I am
stuck," Jareth mulled over his problem and then turned back about in the saddle.
Freddie jogged up beside his friend once more and then caught Jareth's fading
attention. There was moment of silence shared between companions, while their thoughts
were shared without words. Jareth nodded slowly and then smiled, desperation beginning
to pour forth from his every feature.
"Darling, we simply cannot speak of such things as this now. Perhaps your lovely
Shayna will be your future, but that is not for us to decide, nor is it for us to discuss. Shall
we?" Freddie questioned, and jabbed his steed quickly with his heels.
Instantly the lovely Roan which he road upon jolted onwards, powerful legs
beating in quick rhythm, as the hooves tore across the forest floor. Jareth watched this
sight for a second, and then urged his own horse onwards. The pale gray raced after the
fading outline of the first.
He raced around, beneath, and between the ancient trees, which reached far into
the mid-morning sky. The rhythmic sounds of the horses' pounding hooves were the only
noise to break the general silence found in the woods. Jareth could easily lose himself
here, amidst the forest animals, and the shadows lingering upon the dirt floor.
His mind was instantly snapped back into reality as Freddie came to a sliding halt.
The roan rose upon his hind legs and swiveled around, suddenly becoming quite light upon
his feet. Jareth reined in his own steed, scarcely missing the spooking horse.
"What got into him?" Jareth asked, coming to stand beside the fidgeting equine.
His own mount was overly aware of the surroundings, nostrils flaring and ears perked
straight ahead.
Freddie turned the horse in a tight circle, preventing the animal from rearing again.
His dark, obsidian eyes met with Jareth's, and the young noble noted a certain trace of
fear there. Something was not right.
"We shouldn't be here. Shall we away?" Freddie inquired, leaping from his mount
with lithe grace. Jareth followed suit.
Upon the ground Freddie was noticeably shorter than Jareth. Still, a presence that
dwelled around the darkly handsome man made him appear larger than life. His sleek
form was clothed in tight silken riding pants, black in shade. A poet's shirt, much the
same as Jareth's, but dark in color as well, dipped to the middle of his chest. Jareth
himself wore a navy, riding jacket over his cream, satin shirt.
"Well, why should we dismount?" Jareth asked, perturbed that they could not go
forth into the ancient woods, "and why shan't we continue further into the forest? I don't
believe I've been there before."
Freddie gathered his reins into hand and slowly led the nervous horse away from
the darkened, mysterious section of the woods. There was a definite change in the
atmosphere surrounding the forest in that area, by far less comfortable than the woodlands
nearer to the village.
Freddie once more looked at Jareth, just as a breath of wind caught his raven
mane, drawing it away from his aquiline features. The same fear was embedded in his
eyes, even as he glanced over his shoulder towards the distant section of the forest that
they had left.
"It is the Goblin Queen's forest, Jareth," Freddie stated solemnly and then abruptly
closed the subject by remounting his horse.
Jareth quickly leapt back atop his steed and jogged up beside Freddie, prepared to
get more information than had already been offered. This was quite an interesting subject,
and one he had not heard before.
"Who, pray tell, is the Goblin Queen?" Jareth questioned.
Freddie's gaze snapped back towards his friend. He began to laugh, a musical sort
of chuckle, before realizing that Jareth was serious about the question. The young noble
had never heard about the myths and legends surrounding the Goblin Queen.
"Darling, please tell me that... well this is quite the interesting tidbit of
information," Freddie remarked, raising his eyebrows slightly to insinuate his shock.
Jareth waited, but patience had never been his strong suit. Freddie's lengthy pause
only proved to aggravate Jareth.
"The Goblin Queen lives in a large castle, amidst those woods. She dwells alone,
with only her dearest attendants to wait upon her needs. She has quite the nasty temper,
and any who venture to her castle promptly disappear," Freddie grinned mischievously and
then leaned back a bit in the saddle, "Now tell me more about your darling girl."
Jareth shook his head, but couldn't help to keep the smile from his face. The mere
thought of Shayna brightened his entire outlook on life... Save the obvious problem of a
certain forthcoming marriage, but all could be solved... in time.
* * * * * * * *
The two friends ducked in unison beneath the arched, brick entrance to their
simple town. Low, overhanging strands of ivy swept across their heads, and against the
smooth flesh of their faces'. They were met immediately by a stable hand, taking the reins
from the young men as they dismounted their steeds.
"Ah, so the young princes have returned from cavorting in the forest, once more,"
proclaimed a hierarchical voice from down the street only a short distance.
Freddie turned instantly and mocked an overly shocked expression upon his
handsome face. He bowed, crossing his feet over each other in the process and sweeping
his hand in a half circle. Jareth erupted into laughter, watching the antics of his friend and
leant back against the nearest brick wall.
"My dearest master Rupert, we are so well graced by your presence, darling!"
Freddie chided as he rose and swept back his raven locks over his slender shoulders.
"To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?" Jareth inquired, his own
changeling eyes simply dancing with the mirth of the moment.
Rupert slowly approached the two... higher class of the town. He was tall, lean
like Jareth, but did not possess the general seductive appearance as the two he now faced.
Still, Rupert bore a sadistically maniacal grin upon his thin lips as his brown eyes flashed
from Freddie's amused face to Jareth's bored expression.
"Jareth, how is that fiancee of yours?" Rupert demanded, clicking his tongue as he
asked the question.
Jareth started momentarily and pushed himself away from the wall. He placed his
hands behind himself, in the small of his back, and began stalking, ever so slowly, around
Rupert. Surely such a show of superiority would cast the self-righteousness in Rupert to
the stones.
Nonetheless, the commoner remained, his grin overly evident on his pale face. A
fine sheen of sweat stood out on his brow, and glistened against his neck, making Rupert
appear almost sickly in the light of the strong afternoon sun. The heat was nearly
unbearable as they stood apart from the comfortable coolness offered by the shade.
"Prying in business that does not need your presence? What shall we do with
you?" Jareth asked, his two distinctly different eyes bore into his 'prey' and flashed with
an innate power.
"Nothing, for all your power and all your mind games you can do nothing! Or
would the world care to know about a peasant girl whom struck your interest during the
celebretory event concerning a certain arrangement for your marriage?!" Rupert's laughter
tore through his words like a knife, ready to slash away Jareth's previous grasp over the
situation.
Almost without hesitation Freddie was at his friend's side, his eyes narrowed and,
for one of the few times in his life, he was genuinely angry. Jareth himself had set his jaw,
and lightening flashed with chestnut highlights behind his darker eye, while the blue
swirled like unruly, churning waters. Rupert swallowed, and silently drew back the
statement he had only just put forth into the open.
"You are not wanted here.... dear," Freddie's face remained set, even with the
feminine addition to the end of his threat. There was no cocking of a grin, no musical
titter to accompany such a teasing remark. Instead, cold fury rose and dwelled behind his
serious expression.
Rupert backed down, as if a mongrel dog sensing his dismissal from the pack, and
leaving before the fight really began. There would be no victory for such a stray. The two
inseparable "princes", were stronger than any other in the town. The retreating fool nearly
tripped over his own shoes, and caught himself just in time to avoid complete
embarrassment. However, the sight of his lack of coordination sent the seriousness fleeing
from the situation.
"You'll regret this! Both of you!" Rupert threatened, turning about so that he
might make his retreat in a more timely fashion.
Jareth kicked a rock down the road, after the sight of the humbled boy. He scuffed
his toe into the dirt, briefly disturbed that others already knew about his little 'secret.'
"Very well, away with you... you naughty thing, you!" Freddie erupted into more
laughter, covering his mouth after the statement with the palm of one slender hand.
He turned to face Jareth, but was shocked at the worry evident on his friend's face.
Freddie reached out, tenderly, and grasped Jareth's arms with his hands, forcing the young
noble to look into his dark eyes. They stood there, in the middle of the road, the
stablehand silently leading their winded steeds to the barn, to be cooled down.
"I know, that I should not let it get inside so easily, but...," Jareth was silenced
quickly by a single hand placed over his mouth.
"We shall not consider the 'buts' for now," Frederick removed his hand and then
stepped back, allowing a sigh to break through his never-ending mirth, "I'm off, dear, take
care of your...."
Freddie raised his eyebrows with a smug grin, as his sentence broke off. Yet, even
without a word to complete the thought, Jareth could easily guess as to what was meant.
Then, spinning about on his toes, Freddie headed down the street, towards his large home
at the back of town. Jareth himself had but to turn a corner and find his estate, near the
stables.
He paused for a moment, dwelling on what had occurred in the street. If his
parents had ever discovered who had caught Jareth's heart without so much as a single
word.... he shivered as the thought completed itself through visual images in his vivid
imagination. Then, he walked up the brick stairs, shaking the ideas from his mind firmly.
Jareth opened the large wooden door, which led into his home. His riding boots,
soiled from the day of enjoyment, were left at the entryway. His mother was not
accustomed to dirt of any kind, especially within her house.
"Father, Mother?" Jareth inquired as to their where-abouts.
There was no answer, which signalled that he was alone there. Perhaps they had
gone into the marketplace. Or, the more likely possibility, they had traveled to Adriana's
comfortable dwellings with her family, to further discuss the plans surrounding their
engagement and eventual marriage.
"Marriage," Jareth scowled and quickly strode to his chambers, taking the brick
staircase to the second level of their large home.
The walls were adorned with colorful tapestries, depicting worlds and creatures
that Jareth had never guessed would exist. It all appeared so fantastic. Some days, when
life itself seemed to spite him, Jareth would sit in the passage way and gaze at these works
of art, placing himself into the pictures of serenity and ultimate joy.
Now, however, he had no time for any pointless daydreaming. His days were
numbered, since he had surpassed his nineteenth year. Twenty would signal his wedding
day, and his loss of freedom along with it.
"And my broken heart," he whispered, musing over Shayna's flawless face, crafted
from the purest alabaster flesh.
There was no question in his mind, for he had no choice in the matter. His heart
had decided what was to be done. He would find a way out of the marriage. Whether
insanity, death, or loss of all else was the result, he would be with Shayna in some way. A
life with Adriana was scarcely mediocre when compared to his goddess.
The fact did remain, however, that Shayna had only just offered her name when
she had risen fluidly to her feet, and had then rushed back into the darkness. He had
watched her retreat, as if frozen into place, had let her slipped through his fingers with that
sort of ease! Still, Jareth was determined to find her again, or else his life would be but a
hollow shell.
Jareth drew open the slightly less imposing door, which led to his chambers and
allowed it to slam shut behind him. The room was as grand as the home, with a ceiling
reaching many feet overhead. The bed occupied the center, canopied and oversized so as
to appear as if it could fit nearly ten people sleeping comfortably.
Yes, his life was cloaked in comfort and carefully placed excess. While his dear
friend, Frederick adapted quickly to life in the more monetary realm, Jareth himself found
no need for such trivialities. It had been but fate to place him in this noble home, and the
same fickle fate that had arranged the marriage to Adriana the day prior to his meeting
Shayna.
Now it was he would fight fate.... and only time would tell the victor.