For You
Part Two
Jareth held her hand tightly in between both of his. It was soft and smooth, but pale and cold as ice, and that worried him. He gently kissed her fingertips.
"What happened, Sarah?" He whispered.
He'd been in that room all day, sitting on the edge of his chair next to the bed he had placed her in. No one dared to find out what was wrong with their king. He had acted so strangely the night before, that most of his subjects considered his vigil by Sarah's bedside proof positive that he had gone off the deep end.
Last night had, well, Jareth didn't really know what last night had done to him. Surprised him, certainly. Confused him, definitely. Scared him, well, he couldn't say.
It had started out as just another night, spent screaming at one incompetent goblin after another. Never let it be said that being the goblin king was glamorous. Suddenly he felt a shiver run down his back. The throne room gave a sudden lurch, or perhaps it was Jareth who had shook so violently. He whipped out a crystal to survey the maze for any disturbances, when he heard it.
"Jareth!" Someone had called out very softly, but desperately, and it rang through the stone halls like a gong. He knew her voice in an instant, and appeared by her side without hesitation.
He found her crumpled on her kitchen floor, her face an ashen grey, and an empty Aspirin bottle beside her. Jareth's stomach turned as he remembered it. Without even thinking, he had gathered her frail-feeling body in his arms, and whisked her back to the Underground.
After hours of spells, hours of screaming, and hours of summoning every healer within five hundred miles, Jareth had done all he could. All that was left was waiting.
"What am I doing?" Jareth asked no one in particular. "She's just another girl. A girl that denied me no less!" He still held her hand. "I could have any other mortal I want." But do you want anyone else? He dashed the thought away, got up and started to pace.
"I'm the Goblin King! What's wrong with me? I haven't even thought of her since she left." That wasn't entirely true. "Haven't watched her, at any rate. The Goblin King doesn't offer his love twice." He proclaimed indignantly. But she was only a child. He glanced at Sarah's still form. She looked so innocent, indeed child-like, while she slept.
Jareth suddenly got the odd feeling that someone was watching him. But Sarah caught his attention.
"Toby?" Sarah murmured, stirring a bit in her sleep.
Jareth smiled, and brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes. Why did you call me? He wondered silently. Why did you do this to yourself? Finally he sighed, feeling the need for fresh air and some goblin beating.
"She is, after all, just another girl." He reassured himself, and walked out of the room.
"Jareth?" The frightened whisper tore from her lips. Jareth instantly turned on his heels and rushed back to the bed. His glimmer of hope was quickly crushed however; she was still only talking in her sleep. Sarah started to toss and turn more fitfully.
"Jareth!" She cried fiercely. "Jareth, please!"
"Sarah?" He murmured, lightly grasping her shoulders, trying to calm her down. Sarah brushed him off, and started kicking underneath the sheets.
"Jareth!" Sarah grabbed around wildly, clawing at the pillows, sheets, Jareth and finally herself. Ever asleep, she scratched her arm so viciously she drew blood.
"Sarah!" Jareth grasped in alarm, and he edged onto the bed beside her. He wrapped his arms around her, half comforting her, and half stopping her from inflicting any more bodily harm. "I'm here Sarah." He said gently, slightly shocked, stroking her hair as she struggled against his hold. Finally she slipped into a more peaceful sleep, but Jareth stayed where he was for a while, holding her tightly to him, and murmuring soft reassurances. Later on, Sarah didn't remember a thing. Jareth remembered it for the rest of his life.
***
Sarah awoke feeling like she had only slept a few minutes. She was immensely comfortable, surrounded by soft sheets and heavy blankets. She sighed and rolled over, hoping to fall back to sleep, when she saw him, sitting in a chair beside her, staring off into space.
"Jareth!" She gasped, wide-eyed. He turned to her just in time to see her faint again.
***
The second time Sarah awoke she felt slightly better. This isn't my bed. Sarah thought suddenly, looking around her. And it's not a hospital. Certainly not, it was a large, cold and lofty room, looking like it belonged in a castle. A castle? Sarah asked herself. That's not a good sign.
Propping herself up on her elbows, Sarah could see the Goblin King, out on a balcony connected to the room she was in. He was leaning against a stone ledge, staring out into the vast depths of his kingdom and the even vaster sky. His blond hair was slightly mussed, and his eyes held a strange look in them, perhaps he was tired?
"It's a lovely night." Jareth said suddenly, turning and walking towards her. "I was wondering when you'd wake up." Sarah just stared at him. He was the same as she remembered, his face never giving a clue to what he may be thinking.
"Am I in the Underground?" Sarah asked, pulling the blankets up tightly around her.
"You always were a bright one." Jareth remarked snidely. Sarah began to feel a familiar pounding in her head, something synonymous with her conversations with him.
"Perhaps you'd like to tell me what I'm doing here?" Sarah demanded.
"Perhaps you'd like to tell me why you called." Jareth returned. His glare was intense, and she quailed under it.
"None of your business," was all Sarah could think to say. She was beginning to notice how sore her stomach was. His stare made her nervous, and she felt fifteen again, afraid of the imperious goblin king. Then a thought occurred to her.
"Why'd you answer me?"
"I wasn't just going to let you die." Jareth shot back, scowling. "I may be a lot of things, Sarah, but a murderer isn't one of them."
Sarah wanted to say something spiteful back to Jareth, she really did. But she fell asleep before she could think of a comeback.
***
The third time Sarah awoke, she knew she wouldn't faint again. She felt better, but was aware of how physically drained she was. Sarah looked around the room she was in, in awe.
Lying in a grand four-poster bed, covered in midnight blue sheets and blankets, Sarah noticed elegant tapestries hanging on the wall, some imposing pieces of furniture, and an overall dark feeling that filled the room. Hesitantly she tried to crawl out of the immense bed, but ended up sinking to the icy floor.
"Can't even walk, can you?" Called a mocking voice from the doorway. The Goblin King strode towards her, and before Sarah could worry about what he was going to do, he had placed her back in the bed.
"Now then, do you think you can carry on a conversation without fainting?" Jareth chided her.
"Take me back." Sarah said in a whisper.
"Out of the question." Jareth said shortly, leaning against a wall, his arms crossed.
"You can't just keep me here, that's - "
"As much as I would love to get you out of my bed," Jareth interrupted, "bringing you home involves a lot more strength on your part then bringing you here did, and seeing as you can't even stand, the effort involved would probably kill you."
"What do you care?" Sarah shot back.
"I already told you I'm not a murderer. I can't say as much for you." Jareth's voice was very cold.
"What are you talking about?"
"You did try to kill yourself."
"That's –"
"Not fair?" Jareth grinned slyly.
"Actually, I was going to say that it's none of your business. When can I go home?"
"When you're better? If you're so bent on ceasing your existence, however, I can try and take you back now. Shall we see what happens?" Jareth stormed towards her menacingly, anger flaring in his eyes. Sarah shrank back, and he stopped dead in his tracks. I scare her. The thought surprised him.
"You know nothing about me!" Sarah cried furiously.
"I know more than you think." Jareth said sternly, before vanishing.
"I'm stuck here." Sarah whispered to herself, and she threw herself down on the pillows, not expecting to fall back to sleep.
In his throne room, Jareth glared at Sarah through one of his crystals.
"What an ungrateful girl!" He glowered. "I saved her life. I've always been so generous to her, and now…"
Generous? What have you done that's generous?