AN: I'm glad that everyone is still enjoying this story. Please keep those wonderful reviews coming! Yay 101 reviews! You are all so great!! I'm afraid that this will be it until Monday. I have to work all weekend plus I have a paper due on Tuesday that I want to finish. I'll try to have the next chapter up Monday.
Disclaimers: This is getting to be an old song and dance. I don't own Sarah, Jareth or the Labyrinth. I own everything else though. : )
Esperance...
Sarah awakened feeling something warm beside her. Rolling onto her back and looking up she saw Jareth propped up on one elbow staring down at her.
"Good morning." He said quietly. He flashed her a warm smile.
She stretched her arms above her head. "Good morning." She snuggled closer to him and he gently smoothed her dark hair from her face. To her disappointment, he still wore his gloves.
They rested like this for a short time, just reveling in the feeling of being close together. Hearing each other's breathing and the soft murmur of heartbeats. One of the horses snorted and Sarah turned her head to see them. They were munching happily on tall grass that was growing by the entrance to the cave. The fire that Jareth had built the night before had died down to a few smoking cinders.
Sarah smiled thinking about the previous night. Jareth had been stubborn and protective and prepared to send her home. She had certainly shocked him and herself with her actions. It was as if the moment was perfect. She and Jareth both learned at the same time what she felt for him. She did love him, with all her heart. The thought of being sent aboveground never to see him again was more then she could deal with. She knew how Jareth felt now, because she would rather die then be separated from him.
He had been a complete gentleman with her last night. They had kissed a few times and held each other but nothing more. It was an unspoken understanding between them that anything more would have to wait until they were finished with Farris and his army. She wondered how Aiden was doing with preparing his army. She wondered what would happen over the next few days. She still didn't understand why she and Jareth had to hide. She was feeling stronger suddenly and fearless. She didn't want to hide in the mountains. She wanted to drive the Fae bastard out of Jareth's kingdom. The same Kingdom that might become hers one day.
"What are you thinking about?" came a soft voice. She looked up to see Jareth staring at her intently.
"A little bit of everything." She said with a smirk.
"You look so beautiful when you're deep in thought." He gently lowered his lips to hers and gave her a gentle kiss, which she returned. "Then again, " he said staring at her seductively. "You're always beautiful."
"Such a kiss ass." She teased and he grinned. "Jareth, I don't want to hide." She let out softly.
"Where is this coming from?" one brow rose and he looked concerned.
"I was just thinking, hiding in the mountains isn't going to make Farris go away. If he wants to get back at you, this isn't going to stop him."
"I know that." He replied softly. "The whole purpose of hiding is to allow my army to gather at the castle while Farris is out looking for me, to allow Aiden to prepare his army, which Farris doesn't know about and to get you to safety."
"Me to safety?" she asked confused.
"Yes, love. There is a temple in the heart of the mountains, very near the iron. I've sent Metta and Riley ahead of us. They will take care of you there as well as a few goblin guards. Only those not bothered by iron will be able to watch over you, which means that you will be safe from Farris. I won't be able to stay with you, because I'm Fae and very vulnerable to iron. I'll return to the castle to fight Farris. Aiden will be able to sneak around and together we will corner Farris. When all is safe, I will come back for you."
`How long is that going to take?" She moved closer to him and he smiled, running a hand over her soft skin.
`It could be a few days, maybe a few weeks. Farris has become powerful and he can't be underestimated."
"What if I don't want to stay at this temple? What if I want to go with you?" She sat up.
"You are going to the temple, that way Farris has no chance of getting his hands on you." She opened her mouth to speak and a gloved finger touched her lips, silencing her. "This is not open to negotiation. I just gained you and your love and I'm not going to lose you. I've already lost one to Farris, I will not lose a second and I will not let him act as if you are worth nothing. We will show the Fae court that mortals are important and equals."
"Why aren't you and Aiden like the others? Why don't you hate mortals?"
"I think my sense of honor and the belief that we are all equals came from Aiden and his father. Aiden despite being 50 years older then I and was very influential. He's very honorable and down to earth for a Fae, which is unusual. Most of us are pompous and arrogant." She flashed him a grin. "I looked up to him as a older brother and a best friend at the same time. If I had listened to him more in the past I would have saved myself a lot of heart ache." He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her knuckles. "But I would change nothing, because I gained you. And you are worth all the heartache I went though and more."
Jareth got to his feet and offered his hand to Sarah. She took it eagerly and he pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly. "I love you." He whispered into her ear. She looked up and him and he placed a kiss on her forehead.
"I love you too." She held him tighter and lost herself in the feeling of warmth that seemed to embrace them both.
"We should begin packing the horses. We have another day's ride and it's not going to be very comfortable. It will be rough terrain for the horses and the closer I get to the mountains the more my strength will fail me. I won't be able to stay with you long once we get there."
"The iron?"
He nodded, touching her face with one gloved hand. "Iron is deadly to Fae."
"That's why you brought the sword. Incase we ran into trouble."
"Yes. It's not 100% iron or I wouldn't be able to handle it. But there is enough that it can do serious damage to anyone stabbed with it." He reached for the scabbard he had abandoned the night before and pulled the sword from its sheath. It glittered in the light of the sun that was entering the cave. It was a beautiful sword with scenes etched into the blade and an ivory handle.
"It's beautiful." She commented.
"Beautiful and deadly. How ironic that they should go hand and hand."
"Where did you get it?"
He put the sword back into the scabbard and fastened it to his belt. "It was my father's."
"Your father?" She gave him a look of surprise.
`Don't be so surprised, I did have one." He placed a quick kiss on her lips and moved towards the entrance of the cave.
"Tell me about him." She said, folding the blankets they slept on, the previous night.
"There isn't much to tell. I never knew him very well. He died when I was a child. My father was a powerful lord and he was driven out of his land and murdered. No one knows who the murderer was. It could have been anyone. My mother was also killed. I was to be killed as well, but a gentleman saved me from destruction." He said as he saddled his horse. "This gentleman said he would take me under his wing, quite literally, for his other form is an eagle. A very noble and powerful bird. He wanted an apprentice and I was Fae and needed a teacher. My father's sword was found on the battlefield and this man kept it until I was I older and less bitter with the world before he gave it to me."
"Who was the man?"
"Aiden's father, King Varian. Aiden takes after his father. They are so much alike it is remarkable. Aiden even shares the same form as his father. An eagle."
"Wow. And you can turn into an owl right?"
"Yes, a barn owl. Certainly not the most majestic of birds but still a worthy form. It's better then being a raven like Farris. They are intelligent but sneaky."
"Aren't you curious to know who killed your family and about a land that should be yours?"
"I used to be, but King Varian told me it was best to leave it be. There were no clues as to who murdered my father and mother. To avoid further bloodshed my father's land was divided up amongst the most powerful from the court. I have my own kingdom now, I don't need to wage war to get back small chunks of land." He slipped the bridle over his horse's head and fastened the throat strap.
"I can't believe they would do that. Just divide up the land and not give any to you and not even look for the murderer."
"This isn't the Aboveground." Jareth told her flipping the reins over his horse's head. "Things work differently here. Justice isn't always served."
"Then what's the purpose of the court?" Sarah asked putting the blankets within the canvas on the packhorse.
"It doesn't have a good one. It's a group of male Fae who sit around, bicker and fight for power. I was a member of the court along side Aiden for 50 years. King Varian believed that the experience would be good for us. It didn't do me much good. I told you what the court did to me. They never truly thought that I was one of them. As far as they were concerned I was an orphan. It was only because of Aiden's father who claimed me as a son, that enabled me to join the court. Believe me when I say that being banished is no longer such a horrible thing to me. I don't miss the bickering, squabbling and back stabbing."
Sarah stood and just watched Jareth. He moved to her side, helping to pack a few things. She watched him, his long slender frame, his wild blond hair and those captivating eyes. "What is it love?" she had not stopped staring at him.
"How are you able to be so strong after all that has happened to you? Your parents, the court, Cyla, the betrayal, being tricked into becoming the Goblin King. You're the strongest person I've ever met."
"Don't give me so much credit. I was ready to give up on life, until you waltzed into mine. Only when I met you did I start living again." He claimed her lips in a kiss and moved to Velvet quickly saddling the mare. After he was finished, he mounted his horse.
Looking at the white stallion she remembered something Riley had said to her. "Jareth, what is your horse's name?"
"Esperance" He said simply. She gave him a blank stare.
"It's French. It means Hope." He gave the horse a kick with his heels and started off, with the packhorse following. Sarah watched him ride the horse out of the cave and leapt up on Velvet, following the Goblin King out into the sunshine of a new day.
Disclaimers: This is getting to be an old song and dance. I don't own Sarah, Jareth or the Labyrinth. I own everything else though. : )
Esperance...
Sarah awakened feeling something warm beside her. Rolling onto her back and looking up she saw Jareth propped up on one elbow staring down at her.
"Good morning." He said quietly. He flashed her a warm smile.
She stretched her arms above her head. "Good morning." She snuggled closer to him and he gently smoothed her dark hair from her face. To her disappointment, he still wore his gloves.
They rested like this for a short time, just reveling in the feeling of being close together. Hearing each other's breathing and the soft murmur of heartbeats. One of the horses snorted and Sarah turned her head to see them. They were munching happily on tall grass that was growing by the entrance to the cave. The fire that Jareth had built the night before had died down to a few smoking cinders.
Sarah smiled thinking about the previous night. Jareth had been stubborn and protective and prepared to send her home. She had certainly shocked him and herself with her actions. It was as if the moment was perfect. She and Jareth both learned at the same time what she felt for him. She did love him, with all her heart. The thought of being sent aboveground never to see him again was more then she could deal with. She knew how Jareth felt now, because she would rather die then be separated from him.
He had been a complete gentleman with her last night. They had kissed a few times and held each other but nothing more. It was an unspoken understanding between them that anything more would have to wait until they were finished with Farris and his army. She wondered how Aiden was doing with preparing his army. She wondered what would happen over the next few days. She still didn't understand why she and Jareth had to hide. She was feeling stronger suddenly and fearless. She didn't want to hide in the mountains. She wanted to drive the Fae bastard out of Jareth's kingdom. The same Kingdom that might become hers one day.
"What are you thinking about?" came a soft voice. She looked up to see Jareth staring at her intently.
"A little bit of everything." She said with a smirk.
"You look so beautiful when you're deep in thought." He gently lowered his lips to hers and gave her a gentle kiss, which she returned. "Then again, " he said staring at her seductively. "You're always beautiful."
"Such a kiss ass." She teased and he grinned. "Jareth, I don't want to hide." She let out softly.
"Where is this coming from?" one brow rose and he looked concerned.
"I was just thinking, hiding in the mountains isn't going to make Farris go away. If he wants to get back at you, this isn't going to stop him."
"I know that." He replied softly. "The whole purpose of hiding is to allow my army to gather at the castle while Farris is out looking for me, to allow Aiden to prepare his army, which Farris doesn't know about and to get you to safety."
"Me to safety?" she asked confused.
"Yes, love. There is a temple in the heart of the mountains, very near the iron. I've sent Metta and Riley ahead of us. They will take care of you there as well as a few goblin guards. Only those not bothered by iron will be able to watch over you, which means that you will be safe from Farris. I won't be able to stay with you, because I'm Fae and very vulnerable to iron. I'll return to the castle to fight Farris. Aiden will be able to sneak around and together we will corner Farris. When all is safe, I will come back for you."
`How long is that going to take?" She moved closer to him and he smiled, running a hand over her soft skin.
`It could be a few days, maybe a few weeks. Farris has become powerful and he can't be underestimated."
"What if I don't want to stay at this temple? What if I want to go with you?" She sat up.
"You are going to the temple, that way Farris has no chance of getting his hands on you." She opened her mouth to speak and a gloved finger touched her lips, silencing her. "This is not open to negotiation. I just gained you and your love and I'm not going to lose you. I've already lost one to Farris, I will not lose a second and I will not let him act as if you are worth nothing. We will show the Fae court that mortals are important and equals."
"Why aren't you and Aiden like the others? Why don't you hate mortals?"
"I think my sense of honor and the belief that we are all equals came from Aiden and his father. Aiden despite being 50 years older then I and was very influential. He's very honorable and down to earth for a Fae, which is unusual. Most of us are pompous and arrogant." She flashed him a grin. "I looked up to him as a older brother and a best friend at the same time. If I had listened to him more in the past I would have saved myself a lot of heart ache." He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her knuckles. "But I would change nothing, because I gained you. And you are worth all the heartache I went though and more."
Jareth got to his feet and offered his hand to Sarah. She took it eagerly and he pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly. "I love you." He whispered into her ear. She looked up and him and he placed a kiss on her forehead.
"I love you too." She held him tighter and lost herself in the feeling of warmth that seemed to embrace them both.
"We should begin packing the horses. We have another day's ride and it's not going to be very comfortable. It will be rough terrain for the horses and the closer I get to the mountains the more my strength will fail me. I won't be able to stay with you long once we get there."
"The iron?"
He nodded, touching her face with one gloved hand. "Iron is deadly to Fae."
"That's why you brought the sword. Incase we ran into trouble."
"Yes. It's not 100% iron or I wouldn't be able to handle it. But there is enough that it can do serious damage to anyone stabbed with it." He reached for the scabbard he had abandoned the night before and pulled the sword from its sheath. It glittered in the light of the sun that was entering the cave. It was a beautiful sword with scenes etched into the blade and an ivory handle.
"It's beautiful." She commented.
"Beautiful and deadly. How ironic that they should go hand and hand."
"Where did you get it?"
He put the sword back into the scabbard and fastened it to his belt. "It was my father's."
"Your father?" She gave him a look of surprise.
`Don't be so surprised, I did have one." He placed a quick kiss on her lips and moved towards the entrance of the cave.
"Tell me about him." She said, folding the blankets they slept on, the previous night.
"There isn't much to tell. I never knew him very well. He died when I was a child. My father was a powerful lord and he was driven out of his land and murdered. No one knows who the murderer was. It could have been anyone. My mother was also killed. I was to be killed as well, but a gentleman saved me from destruction." He said as he saddled his horse. "This gentleman said he would take me under his wing, quite literally, for his other form is an eagle. A very noble and powerful bird. He wanted an apprentice and I was Fae and needed a teacher. My father's sword was found on the battlefield and this man kept it until I was I older and less bitter with the world before he gave it to me."
"Who was the man?"
"Aiden's father, King Varian. Aiden takes after his father. They are so much alike it is remarkable. Aiden even shares the same form as his father. An eagle."
"Wow. And you can turn into an owl right?"
"Yes, a barn owl. Certainly not the most majestic of birds but still a worthy form. It's better then being a raven like Farris. They are intelligent but sneaky."
"Aren't you curious to know who killed your family and about a land that should be yours?"
"I used to be, but King Varian told me it was best to leave it be. There were no clues as to who murdered my father and mother. To avoid further bloodshed my father's land was divided up amongst the most powerful from the court. I have my own kingdom now, I don't need to wage war to get back small chunks of land." He slipped the bridle over his horse's head and fastened the throat strap.
"I can't believe they would do that. Just divide up the land and not give any to you and not even look for the murderer."
"This isn't the Aboveground." Jareth told her flipping the reins over his horse's head. "Things work differently here. Justice isn't always served."
"Then what's the purpose of the court?" Sarah asked putting the blankets within the canvas on the packhorse.
"It doesn't have a good one. It's a group of male Fae who sit around, bicker and fight for power. I was a member of the court along side Aiden for 50 years. King Varian believed that the experience would be good for us. It didn't do me much good. I told you what the court did to me. They never truly thought that I was one of them. As far as they were concerned I was an orphan. It was only because of Aiden's father who claimed me as a son, that enabled me to join the court. Believe me when I say that being banished is no longer such a horrible thing to me. I don't miss the bickering, squabbling and back stabbing."
Sarah stood and just watched Jareth. He moved to her side, helping to pack a few things. She watched him, his long slender frame, his wild blond hair and those captivating eyes. "What is it love?" she had not stopped staring at him.
"How are you able to be so strong after all that has happened to you? Your parents, the court, Cyla, the betrayal, being tricked into becoming the Goblin King. You're the strongest person I've ever met."
"Don't give me so much credit. I was ready to give up on life, until you waltzed into mine. Only when I met you did I start living again." He claimed her lips in a kiss and moved to Velvet quickly saddling the mare. After he was finished, he mounted his horse.
Looking at the white stallion she remembered something Riley had said to her. "Jareth, what is your horse's name?"
"Esperance" He said simply. She gave him a blank stare.
"It's French. It means Hope." He gave the horse a kick with his heels and started off, with the packhorse following. Sarah watched him ride the horse out of the cave and leapt up on Velvet, following the Goblin King out into the sunshine of a new day.