Thanks for all the reviews. I'll make this short as I'm sure that you just want to read on and find out what's going to happen next and I have the next chapter to get ready for posting. So please read and enjoy.
To What May Come
Chapter 25
Cold, she was so cold. Her body ached and she yearned for the comfort of a soft bed, to bundle up underneath thick blankets and know what it was to be warm and safe once again. Blue eyes blinking open, her vision was met with the gray stone floor that she laid upon. Shifting her vision away from the floor she inwardly groaned, as all she could see was the pitch-blackness that surrounded her lighted pillar prison.
Slowly pushing herself up off of the floor, she sat resting her head against the hard wall behind her. Her mind wondered absently how long had she been there, a few hours, days, weeks, a month? Oh God, it was maddening being locked within this place. Sarah's head throbbed and her eyes burned from the endless hours of tears that she had shed. She tried with all of her strength to keep it together, to not lose hope that she would get out of this alive.
Taking in a deep breath, she closed her eyes focussing on the events of before this nightmare had begun. Jareth's face came to her mind's vision and the love that he held for her within his eyes. His eyes, they were so expressive, able to hold you and see through you like no other. Sarah could remember his arms wrapping around her, his lips capturing hers in a sweet and intoxicating embrace.
She remembered how he had proposed to her, the words that he spoke. The way his eyes lit up when she said yes and how he had kissed her and spun her around with joy. She could hear his voice as he had called her his Queen. Her heart soared and fluttered at those sweet memories.
Eyes opening, she swallowed back the tears that wanted to spring forth once again. No, she would not cry any more. Angered at her situation, she pushed herself up from the floor, a determined expression written on her face.
"Jareth!" she called out, her voice edged with despair, "Please hear me!"
Stepping forwards, she yelled out his name once again, her eyes searching the darkness that surrounded her. Seeing that her cries were unheard, she crumpled to the floor, his name whispered from her lips. She felt so tired, so weak. Had Varden killed Jareth and just forgot to come and gloat to her about it? Had she been in this awful place for more than a month maybe? Was she doomed to die here alone in this place from starvation? How long did it take to starve to death and was it a painful and agonizing way to die?
Tears edging the corners of her eyes, she looked at the edge in front of her where the light ended and the darkness began. Would it hurt to fall to her death? Would it not be a better way to die than to stay within this place and slowly perish?
Arms wrapping around herself she whispered out, her voice horse from lack of drink, "Jareth, I need you!"
He quickened his pace along the cave's path as he felt an urgent need to hurry. Jareth had the sinking feeling that he had to get to Sarah before it was too late. Seeing an opening up ahead, he plunged forward and was immediately met with a cool greenish glow. The room was flooded with a soft green light.
The cave had opened out before him, the walls looking as if they themselves were glowing. At the room's center standing tall and powerful, was the object of his quest. The Dragon's Scepter was made completely of jade, golden carvings of ancient symbols decorating its length. At the top within its center glowed the Dragon's eye, the emerald that held the power in which he sought.
A powerful hum surrounded him, penetrating him to his core. So much power, so much power…Gloves balled into fists as he realized he was being mesmerized by the scepter. Concentrating on the task that he had come here for, Jareth stepped towards the staff until he stood an arm's length from it.
Willing himself to shut down all outward thoughts and to concentrate fully upon the power within, he reached out. Power shot through him like a tidle wave, almost sending him stumbling back but he held his footing.
Holding the Dragon's Scepter in hand, he concentrated on that power, the words flowing from him like water, "I call upon the Dragon's Eye. Help me to find that in which has been taken. Allow me to see where my sight has been blocked. Show me my betrothed, Sarah."
The emerald within the Dragon's Scepter brightened, as a spiral of green shot out from its core. The room was swept with a fierce wind, howling and gusting about him as if fighting the power that had been unleashed. As the circle of light hit the walls of the chamber, it shook violently. a vision blinding Jareth where he stood.
He could see her sitting within a small column of light surrounded by darkness. Jareth knew where she was, his mind enlightened to her whereabouts. The sting of his blond hair slapping against his face alerted him that the Scepter's task had been done. Smoothly, he let go of the Scepter, knowing that if he did not the power from it would consume him completely.
There it stood erect before him, as if it stood on its own will. Swiftly, it shot to the room's center, placing itself within the small grove in the floor where it had originally stood. The wind immediately died around him and he spared no time, as he formed crystal in hand, disappearing in a display of glitter and light.
Shakily, Sarah stood up, slowly edging closer to the light's edge. All she would have to do was take a step into the darkness; one step and she would be in oblivion's soothing embrace. Hugging herself, she knew that she could not go on like this any more, that surely Jareth was dead and soon she would be with him.
Appearing behind Sarah, Jareth cringed as he felt as if someone had ripped out his insides. He could see Sarah standing at the light's edge and could sense that beyond that light was an endless drop. Quickly shaking off his pain, an after effect of using the Dragon's Scepter to find her, he stepped towards her, "Sarah…"
Sarah whirled around, her eyes lighting up as her task was quickly forgotten and she ran to his open arms. She plowed into him, holding him to her, never wanting to let go. Finally within his arms she broke down into tears.
He felt whole again, as if a giant weight had been lifted from his heart, "It's all right, you're safe now."
Words not being even close enough to express his heart, gently yet urgently, he pulled her face up to meet his. His lips captured hers and he kissed her with all the love and passion that he held within. Pulling her closer as he deepened his kiss, he never wanted to part from her ever again.
Sarah was overwhelmed by this kiss, her body melding against his as they kissed. Hands quickly wove into his soft blond hair, oh to feel him again, to taste him, to be held by him…God, she never wanted this to end! She felt as if she were drowning in emotions as she felt desire, need, wholeness, love, lightheaded and warmed to the soul.
As they finally pulled away, their eyes looked deeply into each other. Jareth gently stroked her cheeks wiping away any tears that had remained. Cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her cheek, her eyes that fluttered closed, her other cheek, and then finally back to her lips.
Varden jerked up from his throne as he felt his connection with Fayla broken. Quickly willing a dark crystal in hand, he looked into the orb and her form was shown clearly, as she stood at the room's center. So, she had managed to break his link with her…It mattered not, she would still be too weak to do anything more.
A loud clang from the doorway of his throne room was heard as one of his followers stumbled into the room. The short elf stumbled into the room, out of breath from his sprint from his station, "My Lord, my Lord!"
Rolling his eyes, Varden allowed the crystal to vanish and looked to Enerk with a bored annoyance, "Yes, what is it?
Stopping in front of Varden, Enerk quickly fell to his knee bowing his head low, "The Goblin King, he has entered the trap!"
Standing, a grin formed, as he stepped towards the bowing elf, "Excellent, and the preparations?"
"All that follow you Lord are ready and waiting for your command."
"Then inform them that we leave within the hour." After Varden said this the elf quickly left to do his Lords bidding.
Varden's eyes darkened, his lips set into a sinister grin, as his revenge would soon be complete. The court should not have abandoned him like they had done so long ago. Now, he would make them all pay and take over it all. The fools were all gathered in one location and it would be all too easy to wipe them from the face of existence and replace them with those that would serve him well. They would indeed regret the day that they had listened to the Goblin King.