AN: Moving right along, here is chapter 5. Please let me know what you
think!
Meeting Half way
He had no idea how long he had been sitting at the table, his hand over his face. All he could think about was how she had dismissed him. There was no doubt in his mind now that she was just like all the others. She hated him and wished to return home. She would never love him. No mere mortal ever would. They would continue to see him as a monster no matter what he did. He heard the sound of whispering and footfall and looked up to see two goblins standing nervously by the table.
"Shall we take the dishes back to the kitchen, lord?"
Gazing across the table at the uneaten food, he felt anger. He tried to be nice to her, tried to make her see that there was another side to him. 'Yes take them away. I can't bear to look at them." But she had rejected him. He put his hand across his face while he waved the other at the table in front of him. The goblins nervously reached for the dishes.
"Wait! Please leave them."
Jareth bolted straight up in his chair and nearly toppled over. His eyes grew wide when he saw a figure standing in the darkness of the doorway. Surely his mind was playing tricks on him. He blinked but the figure was still there.
Samantha stepped into the light and watched with amusement as Jareth looked at her, astonishment drawn all over his handsome features. "We haven't had a chance to eat breakfast yet." She told the goblins.
The goblins looked up at their lord begging with their eyes what they dare not ask with their tongues. "Do as the lady says. Leave the dishes and go about your business." The goblins looked pleased and they scurried out of the room. Samantha continued to step into the room, taking in all that surrounded her with amazement. Jareth could only stare at her. What was she doing here? She had been bitter and angry with him, dismissed him and refused to eat with him and now she was changing her mind? * I will never understand women! * He stood quickly pulling his long coat down and gave himself a glance to make sure that he was presentable. She looked incredible. She wore her clothing from the aboveground. A pair of jeans and a long sleeve cotton top. She had brushed her hair and put on some make-up. *Careful Jareth, one intimate glance from her and it will be your undoing. * She finally stopped at the table and looked at Jareth with a nervous smile.
"I..I thought you were not joining me?" He looked puzzled.
"I changed my mind." She replied flashing him a teasing grin. Remembering his manners he rushed to the side of the table and pulled out a chair. He gestured with his eyes for her to sit and she did. Slowly he pushed the chair in for her.
"Um, the food is cold." He offered lamely. "But I can fix that, if you would like." He added.
"Whatever you want." She shrugged. A joy grew within him at having the chance to show off his magic to her in a non-threatening way. He waved his hands over the table and in moments the cold food was hot and looked like it was fresh from the kitchen. She smiled simply at him and he felt his breath catch in his throat. They had taken 10 steps backwards to get to this point and he dared to hope that they would now be taking a few steps forward.
They ate breakfast in silence. The only sound heard were utensils scraping plates. Jareth couldn't help but look up at her every few minutes. She was very involved in eating and hadn't noticed his intense stares. The anger he had felt less then an hour ago seemed to have gone and instead he felt relief. Things were not completely fine between them but this was a start. A start that he thoroughly embraced. The mask of arrogance he normally wore was hidden although it was on stand by should he need it. He would not let his guard down. He sipped at his tea and watched her. Suddenly she looked up at him and he grinned. She returned a grin of her own and then continued to eat her meal. *Gods, she's beautiful. * She looked so lovely with her hair cascading down her shoulders in bouncy curls. At times he couldn't understand his own fascination with this mortal woman, but when she was vulnerable like she was now, he understood it. Deep within he had a longing to protect her, care for her needs and stay by her side. He had felt a deep attachment to Samantha only after she had beaten him. She was so different from the other girls, so head strong and powerful in her own way. She was a perfect match for him and that was only half the reason he sought her. She had been losing touch with her dreams and desires. Life had been cruel to her the past few years. Mark had turned out not to be whom she originally thought. She'd been beaten, and changed forever by his touch. Josh was taken from her cruelly when she fell into depression. Losing Josh only caused her to become more unstable. Jareth had watched her. He had hoped that things would become better for her and they had, very slowly. The headstrong girl returned but not completely. He felt it was his job to bring out her full potential. He finally pulled his eyes away from her and began to pick at his plate, which was still nearly full.
Samantha watched him with curiosity. She had been unaware of how many times the Goblin King had stared at her while she ate. And now as he picked at his plate she regarded him. *God he's handsome. I don't know how any woman could ever resist him. How the hell have I been able to? Maybe because he's an evil Goblin King, duh. * She finally tore her eyes away from him to finish her own breakfast.
"Samantha." The sound of his voice echoed loudly in the quiet room. She looked up to see Jareth staring nervously at her. She was actually uneasy at the sight of seeing him unsure of himself. He was always in charge. "I know that things didn't go quite as planned for our reunion. Of course that's an incredible understatement." Was that an attempt at humor? "I know that I don't deserve it, but I thought I would ask anyhow." She nodded at him to continue. "I'd like to start over. We acted like children instead of adults. It appears that I've been around babes and goblins too much. I've lost touch with how to act in a mature manner."
"If that's an apology it's accepted. Besides you are not the one to blame here. I haven't been very nice to you. You haven't done anything to harm me, you've just disoriented me slightly. I'd like to start over too."
"Then it's settled. To start things off, why don't I give you a tour. There are many more rooms in the castle, and the Labyrinth does have some interesting places that few have ever see."
"Ok. I'd like that. But on one condition."
He hated stipulations. "Name it."
"You're to act like yourself." He gave her a blank stare. "You told me that you have been everything that I wanted. The cold, cruel evil sorcerer and you played the part very well. But I want to see what the real Jareth is like." He was about to open his mouth to speak but she waved a hand at him. "It's obvious you brought me here for a reason. I doubt it's to sit around and eat breakfast with you. You don't want me to leave, that much I know. I'm still trying to figure out why, but I'll make a deal with you."
"What is this a two for one deal?"
She chuckled at his words and he gave her a blank stare. "Sorry, Aboveground humor. Like I was saying, you act like yourself. I'll spend time with you and we'll go from there. No promises that I'm going to stay here." *What the hell am I offering?? * "If things go well I will think about it, but if I decide I want to leave, you must send me home."
This was much more then he had hoped for. They had moved ahead about 15 steps from where they were an hour ago. He gave her a wicked grin. "What if I don't accept this deal?"
'Then I make your life a miserable hell and believe me, you will WANT to send me home." He watched her for a moment and then rose from the table to stand beside her. He offered his hand to her, which she took into hers after a moment of hesitation.
"I agree to your terms on the condition that you give me a fair chance and enough time."
"Done." He nodded to this and slowly released her hand. He could feel the warmth of her right through his leather gloves.
"Ready for your tour?"
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be."
He watched her for a moment more. She was more unpredictable then he could have imagined. She was a challenge for him and he wanted desperately to prove himself worthy of that challenge. The possibility that she might stay with him was a feeling that overwhelmed him. No one had ever offered him this chance. They had all gone home without a backward glance, except for Samantha. Despite their rocky reunion he believed he had a good chance to show her how he felt and to tell her exactly what he wanted. He wanted her.
Meeting Half way
He had no idea how long he had been sitting at the table, his hand over his face. All he could think about was how she had dismissed him. There was no doubt in his mind now that she was just like all the others. She hated him and wished to return home. She would never love him. No mere mortal ever would. They would continue to see him as a monster no matter what he did. He heard the sound of whispering and footfall and looked up to see two goblins standing nervously by the table.
"Shall we take the dishes back to the kitchen, lord?"
Gazing across the table at the uneaten food, he felt anger. He tried to be nice to her, tried to make her see that there was another side to him. 'Yes take them away. I can't bear to look at them." But she had rejected him. He put his hand across his face while he waved the other at the table in front of him. The goblins nervously reached for the dishes.
"Wait! Please leave them."
Jareth bolted straight up in his chair and nearly toppled over. His eyes grew wide when he saw a figure standing in the darkness of the doorway. Surely his mind was playing tricks on him. He blinked but the figure was still there.
Samantha stepped into the light and watched with amusement as Jareth looked at her, astonishment drawn all over his handsome features. "We haven't had a chance to eat breakfast yet." She told the goblins.
The goblins looked up at their lord begging with their eyes what they dare not ask with their tongues. "Do as the lady says. Leave the dishes and go about your business." The goblins looked pleased and they scurried out of the room. Samantha continued to step into the room, taking in all that surrounded her with amazement. Jareth could only stare at her. What was she doing here? She had been bitter and angry with him, dismissed him and refused to eat with him and now she was changing her mind? * I will never understand women! * He stood quickly pulling his long coat down and gave himself a glance to make sure that he was presentable. She looked incredible. She wore her clothing from the aboveground. A pair of jeans and a long sleeve cotton top. She had brushed her hair and put on some make-up. *Careful Jareth, one intimate glance from her and it will be your undoing. * She finally stopped at the table and looked at Jareth with a nervous smile.
"I..I thought you were not joining me?" He looked puzzled.
"I changed my mind." She replied flashing him a teasing grin. Remembering his manners he rushed to the side of the table and pulled out a chair. He gestured with his eyes for her to sit and she did. Slowly he pushed the chair in for her.
"Um, the food is cold." He offered lamely. "But I can fix that, if you would like." He added.
"Whatever you want." She shrugged. A joy grew within him at having the chance to show off his magic to her in a non-threatening way. He waved his hands over the table and in moments the cold food was hot and looked like it was fresh from the kitchen. She smiled simply at him and he felt his breath catch in his throat. They had taken 10 steps backwards to get to this point and he dared to hope that they would now be taking a few steps forward.
They ate breakfast in silence. The only sound heard were utensils scraping plates. Jareth couldn't help but look up at her every few minutes. She was very involved in eating and hadn't noticed his intense stares. The anger he had felt less then an hour ago seemed to have gone and instead he felt relief. Things were not completely fine between them but this was a start. A start that he thoroughly embraced. The mask of arrogance he normally wore was hidden although it was on stand by should he need it. He would not let his guard down. He sipped at his tea and watched her. Suddenly she looked up at him and he grinned. She returned a grin of her own and then continued to eat her meal. *Gods, she's beautiful. * She looked so lovely with her hair cascading down her shoulders in bouncy curls. At times he couldn't understand his own fascination with this mortal woman, but when she was vulnerable like she was now, he understood it. Deep within he had a longing to protect her, care for her needs and stay by her side. He had felt a deep attachment to Samantha only after she had beaten him. She was so different from the other girls, so head strong and powerful in her own way. She was a perfect match for him and that was only half the reason he sought her. She had been losing touch with her dreams and desires. Life had been cruel to her the past few years. Mark had turned out not to be whom she originally thought. She'd been beaten, and changed forever by his touch. Josh was taken from her cruelly when she fell into depression. Losing Josh only caused her to become more unstable. Jareth had watched her. He had hoped that things would become better for her and they had, very slowly. The headstrong girl returned but not completely. He felt it was his job to bring out her full potential. He finally pulled his eyes away from her and began to pick at his plate, which was still nearly full.
Samantha watched him with curiosity. She had been unaware of how many times the Goblin King had stared at her while she ate. And now as he picked at his plate she regarded him. *God he's handsome. I don't know how any woman could ever resist him. How the hell have I been able to? Maybe because he's an evil Goblin King, duh. * She finally tore her eyes away from him to finish her own breakfast.
"Samantha." The sound of his voice echoed loudly in the quiet room. She looked up to see Jareth staring nervously at her. She was actually uneasy at the sight of seeing him unsure of himself. He was always in charge. "I know that things didn't go quite as planned for our reunion. Of course that's an incredible understatement." Was that an attempt at humor? "I know that I don't deserve it, but I thought I would ask anyhow." She nodded at him to continue. "I'd like to start over. We acted like children instead of adults. It appears that I've been around babes and goblins too much. I've lost touch with how to act in a mature manner."
"If that's an apology it's accepted. Besides you are not the one to blame here. I haven't been very nice to you. You haven't done anything to harm me, you've just disoriented me slightly. I'd like to start over too."
"Then it's settled. To start things off, why don't I give you a tour. There are many more rooms in the castle, and the Labyrinth does have some interesting places that few have ever see."
"Ok. I'd like that. But on one condition."
He hated stipulations. "Name it."
"You're to act like yourself." He gave her a blank stare. "You told me that you have been everything that I wanted. The cold, cruel evil sorcerer and you played the part very well. But I want to see what the real Jareth is like." He was about to open his mouth to speak but she waved a hand at him. "It's obvious you brought me here for a reason. I doubt it's to sit around and eat breakfast with you. You don't want me to leave, that much I know. I'm still trying to figure out why, but I'll make a deal with you."
"What is this a two for one deal?"
She chuckled at his words and he gave her a blank stare. "Sorry, Aboveground humor. Like I was saying, you act like yourself. I'll spend time with you and we'll go from there. No promises that I'm going to stay here." *What the hell am I offering?? * "If things go well I will think about it, but if I decide I want to leave, you must send me home."
This was much more then he had hoped for. They had moved ahead about 15 steps from where they were an hour ago. He gave her a wicked grin. "What if I don't accept this deal?"
'Then I make your life a miserable hell and believe me, you will WANT to send me home." He watched her for a moment and then rose from the table to stand beside her. He offered his hand to her, which she took into hers after a moment of hesitation.
"I agree to your terms on the condition that you give me a fair chance and enough time."
"Done." He nodded to this and slowly released her hand. He could feel the warmth of her right through his leather gloves.
"Ready for your tour?"
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be."
He watched her for a moment more. She was more unpredictable then he could have imagined. She was a challenge for him and he wanted desperately to prove himself worthy of that challenge. The possibility that she might stay with him was a feeling that overwhelmed him. No one had ever offered him this chance. They had all gone home without a backward glance, except for Samantha. Despite their rocky reunion he believed he had a good chance to show her how he felt and to tell her exactly what he wanted. He wanted her.
