AN: Well... I've been banished to a not to be named town where I had no
access to a computer and the biggest news has been the opening of a Walmart-
for the last year. I wrote this chapter on post it notes, thank god I
numbered them as I went, and without encouragement or the use of a spell
checker, ikes! LOL... Anyway I got back and, to my surprise, had about
ten new reviews for various stories and my SM page's counter had climbed
past 6000 hits.
Cool.
Neway, keep those reviews, emails, hits coming. Hope you guys had a
safe and Happy New Year. Welcome to 2002!
Disclaimer: and ever and ever and ever....
********************Sacrifices: Chapter Seven********************
Sarah was quite totally, thoroughly, lost- a fact that she would
refuse to admit to any but herself. She had been walking for what
seemed like hours. She was hot, tired, dirty- even in Jareth's
tailored gown- and was quite conceivably the most furious she had EVER
been in her entire life. She fumed as she paced gardens that seemed
to lie at the heart of Jareth's maze like castle.
Sarah turned a hedge corner and cursed roundly. "Even his bloody
castle is a labyrinth!" Oh, she could end this farce. Sarah knew,
all she would have to do is call his accursed name, whisper 'Jareth'
for the traitorous breeze to take to his eager ears, and he would be
by her side, mocking, in a single breath.
But then he would gain the upper hand and damn it... Sarah wanted to
be in charge of one damn encounter, just once.
Jareth had seen her as many things... righteous, indignant,
triumphant, and lately humble. He had never seen her angry. He had
never seen her rage. There was a first for everything. God, how dare
he?! She had promised him her future, not forever. What use had a
thirty-five year old almost mother and fiancé for immortality? If she
met him now there would be no restraint, no meekness. Jareth would
meet a Sarah unchained, unhindered by politeness or fear.
Then... There was a sense of wind, the smell of magic, a ripple in
the air behind her. Sarah whirled, expecting the King of the Goblins,
and felt her jaw drop.
The being before her was like nothing Sarah had ever seen before, and
for a human Sarah had seen a LOT. It was, a woman... A tall woman,
taller than Sarah, taller than Jareth would be even. She was slim
with disproportionately long limbs that still seemed to fit her. Her
skin was gleaming, smooth, iridescent white. She was clothed in a
fanciful rove that hung half hazardly in vibrant, clingy, layers and
for some reason the lion like tail Sarah could see flickering absently
behind was less disconcerting than her face.
The creature's face was angular with a strong jaw, long features, and
widely set, oval eyes of reflective obsidian. It was the utter lack
of pupils that unnerved Sarah the most. As the being glided forward
her ivory, curling hair slid away to reveal a black star burst that
seemed to blaze from the middle of her wide brow. A faint,
condescending smile curved full, pale lips.
"So," the being said as blunted fingers touched Sarah's cheek
inquisitively. Sarah's anger melted away with the touch and, had she
any power to, she would have fled, would have even whispered HIS
name... But she was rooted, against her will, to the spot. "So
you're the one Jareth," and Jareth was a blemish, a mar of displeasure
on the creature's smooth face, "used such considerable power to bring,
and to conceal from me. I wonder why?
"I sense curiosity in you, and dreams... you're a dreamer... And
something else. Something's missing in you mortal... Wait, that's
it." Sarah flinched as if struck as the being smiled, savoring her
unintended but eventual victory.
"I always knew Jareth was a fool, but to make a human woman, a woman-
not even a child!- immortal... The Court will have a field day with
this. Immortality and..." The being drew back in surprise.
"You have tread the rich earth of Underground before. You smell of a
bog and of exploding crystals, shards of vanished dreams." The
fingers left Sarah's cheek, fell, and the being's transfixing spell
was broken. Sarah stumbled hurriedly backward.
The being advanced.
"You are the one, Her, the girl that Jareth, that the Underground,
shall never forget because you beat him, the best, though hardly the
brightest, of us all. You are Sarah Williams..."
"And she is mine." Sarah jumped as the voice, the cold, stern,
unforgiving voice spoke from directly behind her. She risked a looked
back. Jareth was standing several paces behind her, arms folded
across his broad chest, face a mask of imperious, imperial, anger.
"Your claim is presumptuous Jareth," the creature said, unconcerned by
the Goblin King's sudden appearance. Jareth's rage was a palpable
thing that radiated off of him in waves.
"Truly Evirey? Am I presumptuous? In my on realm, in my own castle,
am I presumptuous to claim something as mine?" The being, Evirey,
snorted.
"You claim a woman Jareth, not even a child. An immortal woman. This
is a matter to be decided by the Sidhe Court." It was Jareth's turn
to snort.
"Is it? Sarah..." Her name was a command, a command she had no wish
to disobey. Jareth was, to an extent, a known. He was the Goblin
King. He was the creator, the ruler of the Labyrinth. He was her
childhood dream. He was her adult nightmare. She had challenged him
once, long ago, and had won. She had given her loyalty, herself, to
him in exchange for the future of the only child she had ever loved.
Sarah turned and met his piercing blue and green gaze with her own
grave one. "Sarah, tell her who I am to you." There were a hundred
answers Sarah could have given but only one fit. Only one was the
absolute truth, whether she hated it or not. Sarah turned back to the
being, bowed deeply on instinct, rose, met obsidian eyes, and softly,
yet firmly, replied.
"Jareth..." Sarah swallowed, "Jareth is my King."
********************************************************************
Jareth sneered in triumph... Triumph over Evirey and, triumph in that
Sarah had named him her King. Not that it should be any other way and
yet, with Sarah one never entirely knew.
"We shall see," Evirey spat so vehemently that Sarah drew back another
pace until her hair, long locks of sable, were close enough to reach
towards Jareth. The Queen of the Unicorns promptly disappeared.
And just as promptly Jareth found a hand sailing towards his face.
Reflexes centuries gained saved him the humility of being slapped by
a human; his surprise was absolute.
Jareth held Sarah's wrist in a grip of steel as he stared,
dumbfounded, at the screaming woman. "Damn it let me go you
bastard!" Sarah cried as she tried, unsuccessfully, to wrench herself
away. Jareth's confusion was gone in an instant and was replaced by
amusement and, embers of a quickly called anger.
"The meaning of this attack is what exactly?" Jareth asked, voice silk
that hid daggers. Sarah hissed.
"Don't play with me Jareth- you know perfectly well why I'm mad."
Jareth's jaw clenched. Insufferable girl. He leaned closer, too
close- he could tell by the way she tried, unconsciously, to pull
away. Leaned close enough that he could see the blue sparks in
Sarah's dark gaze. Close enough that Sarah could see the pale fire in
his own.
"Am I a mind reader Sarah?" The question was delicately poised and
required a meek reply to avoid the promise of danger in the Goblin
King's face. Sarah surprised him once again. She was not cowed, did
not even fear what she saw in him... and Jareth had never seen Sarah
do that. Even twenty years ago, as a child, she had defied him to
cover the fear that made her tremble whenever he drew near.
"Does the word immortality mean anything to you?" she asked, her own
voice velvet and steel. Jareth didn't flinch but it was a close
thing.
Damn Evirey.
"Is it true Jareth? Did you, dared you?" He dropped her wrist and
stepped back to better study the woman before him. She did not waver
under his furious regard. Indeed, Sarah matched it.
"Jareth again? My we walk on dangerous ground." Sarah flushed but
said nothing. She raised her chin in defiance, in answer, and that
for Jareth was enough. "I do not answer to my subjects Sarah. What
King does?" Sarah swallowed and looked away as he took two quick
strides closer.
"If I infuriate you so, if you so disapprove of my ruling you," and
with this one gloved finger reached up and traced a trail from the
corner of one eye to her lips, "why did you name me your King? And
don't say because of the child you traded your life for. Don't lie to
me like that. You did not think once of the girl when you answered
Evirey. You did not speak as a mother then. You do not speak as a
mother now." It was Sarah's turn to step back and as she did Jareth
let his hand fall, mirroring Evirey's movement. Sarah licked her
lips, looked away for a long moment, and looked back, met Jareth's
gaze wholly, in an intimate, open way that not even Drevlyn would
quite dare, as she replied, words biting, harsh, painful.
"Because 'King' Jareth, if I must live in a hell for eternity it will
be a hell of my own choosing."
access to a computer and the biggest news has been the opening of a Walmart-
for the last year. I wrote this chapter on post it notes, thank god I
numbered them as I went, and without encouragement or the use of a spell
checker, ikes! LOL... Anyway I got back and, to my surprise, had about
ten new reviews for various stories and my SM page's counter had climbed
past 6000 hits.
Cool.
Neway, keep those reviews, emails, hits coming. Hope you guys had a
safe and Happy New Year. Welcome to 2002!
Disclaimer: and ever and ever and ever....
********************Sacrifices: Chapter Seven********************
Sarah was quite totally, thoroughly, lost- a fact that she would
refuse to admit to any but herself. She had been walking for what
seemed like hours. She was hot, tired, dirty- even in Jareth's
tailored gown- and was quite conceivably the most furious she had EVER
been in her entire life. She fumed as she paced gardens that seemed
to lie at the heart of Jareth's maze like castle.
Sarah turned a hedge corner and cursed roundly. "Even his bloody
castle is a labyrinth!" Oh, she could end this farce. Sarah knew,
all she would have to do is call his accursed name, whisper 'Jareth'
for the traitorous breeze to take to his eager ears, and he would be
by her side, mocking, in a single breath.
But then he would gain the upper hand and damn it... Sarah wanted to
be in charge of one damn encounter, just once.
Jareth had seen her as many things... righteous, indignant,
triumphant, and lately humble. He had never seen her angry. He had
never seen her rage. There was a first for everything. God, how dare
he?! She had promised him her future, not forever. What use had a
thirty-five year old almost mother and fiancé for immortality? If she
met him now there would be no restraint, no meekness. Jareth would
meet a Sarah unchained, unhindered by politeness or fear.
Then... There was a sense of wind, the smell of magic, a ripple in
the air behind her. Sarah whirled, expecting the King of the Goblins,
and felt her jaw drop.
The being before her was like nothing Sarah had ever seen before, and
for a human Sarah had seen a LOT. It was, a woman... A tall woman,
taller than Sarah, taller than Jareth would be even. She was slim
with disproportionately long limbs that still seemed to fit her. Her
skin was gleaming, smooth, iridescent white. She was clothed in a
fanciful rove that hung half hazardly in vibrant, clingy, layers and
for some reason the lion like tail Sarah could see flickering absently
behind was less disconcerting than her face.
The creature's face was angular with a strong jaw, long features, and
widely set, oval eyes of reflective obsidian. It was the utter lack
of pupils that unnerved Sarah the most. As the being glided forward
her ivory, curling hair slid away to reveal a black star burst that
seemed to blaze from the middle of her wide brow. A faint,
condescending smile curved full, pale lips.
"So," the being said as blunted fingers touched Sarah's cheek
inquisitively. Sarah's anger melted away with the touch and, had she
any power to, she would have fled, would have even whispered HIS
name... But she was rooted, against her will, to the spot. "So
you're the one Jareth," and Jareth was a blemish, a mar of displeasure
on the creature's smooth face, "used such considerable power to bring,
and to conceal from me. I wonder why?
"I sense curiosity in you, and dreams... you're a dreamer... And
something else. Something's missing in you mortal... Wait, that's
it." Sarah flinched as if struck as the being smiled, savoring her
unintended but eventual victory.
"I always knew Jareth was a fool, but to make a human woman, a woman-
not even a child!- immortal... The Court will have a field day with
this. Immortality and..." The being drew back in surprise.
"You have tread the rich earth of Underground before. You smell of a
bog and of exploding crystals, shards of vanished dreams." The
fingers left Sarah's cheek, fell, and the being's transfixing spell
was broken. Sarah stumbled hurriedly backward.
The being advanced.
"You are the one, Her, the girl that Jareth, that the Underground,
shall never forget because you beat him, the best, though hardly the
brightest, of us all. You are Sarah Williams..."
"And she is mine." Sarah jumped as the voice, the cold, stern,
unforgiving voice spoke from directly behind her. She risked a looked
back. Jareth was standing several paces behind her, arms folded
across his broad chest, face a mask of imperious, imperial, anger.
"Your claim is presumptuous Jareth," the creature said, unconcerned by
the Goblin King's sudden appearance. Jareth's rage was a palpable
thing that radiated off of him in waves.
"Truly Evirey? Am I presumptuous? In my on realm, in my own castle,
am I presumptuous to claim something as mine?" The being, Evirey,
snorted.
"You claim a woman Jareth, not even a child. An immortal woman. This
is a matter to be decided by the Sidhe Court." It was Jareth's turn
to snort.
"Is it? Sarah..." Her name was a command, a command she had no wish
to disobey. Jareth was, to an extent, a known. He was the Goblin
King. He was the creator, the ruler of the Labyrinth. He was her
childhood dream. He was her adult nightmare. She had challenged him
once, long ago, and had won. She had given her loyalty, herself, to
him in exchange for the future of the only child she had ever loved.
Sarah turned and met his piercing blue and green gaze with her own
grave one. "Sarah, tell her who I am to you." There were a hundred
answers Sarah could have given but only one fit. Only one was the
absolute truth, whether she hated it or not. Sarah turned back to the
being, bowed deeply on instinct, rose, met obsidian eyes, and softly,
yet firmly, replied.
"Jareth..." Sarah swallowed, "Jareth is my King."
********************************************************************
Jareth sneered in triumph... Triumph over Evirey and, triumph in that
Sarah had named him her King. Not that it should be any other way and
yet, with Sarah one never entirely knew.
"We shall see," Evirey spat so vehemently that Sarah drew back another
pace until her hair, long locks of sable, were close enough to reach
towards Jareth. The Queen of the Unicorns promptly disappeared.
And just as promptly Jareth found a hand sailing towards his face.
Reflexes centuries gained saved him the humility of being slapped by
a human; his surprise was absolute.
Jareth held Sarah's wrist in a grip of steel as he stared,
dumbfounded, at the screaming woman. "Damn it let me go you
bastard!" Sarah cried as she tried, unsuccessfully, to wrench herself
away. Jareth's confusion was gone in an instant and was replaced by
amusement and, embers of a quickly called anger.
"The meaning of this attack is what exactly?" Jareth asked, voice silk
that hid daggers. Sarah hissed.
"Don't play with me Jareth- you know perfectly well why I'm mad."
Jareth's jaw clenched. Insufferable girl. He leaned closer, too
close- he could tell by the way she tried, unconsciously, to pull
away. Leaned close enough that he could see the blue sparks in
Sarah's dark gaze. Close enough that Sarah could see the pale fire in
his own.
"Am I a mind reader Sarah?" The question was delicately poised and
required a meek reply to avoid the promise of danger in the Goblin
King's face. Sarah surprised him once again. She was not cowed, did
not even fear what she saw in him... and Jareth had never seen Sarah
do that. Even twenty years ago, as a child, she had defied him to
cover the fear that made her tremble whenever he drew near.
"Does the word immortality mean anything to you?" she asked, her own
voice velvet and steel. Jareth didn't flinch but it was a close
thing.
Damn Evirey.
"Is it true Jareth? Did you, dared you?" He dropped her wrist and
stepped back to better study the woman before him. She did not waver
under his furious regard. Indeed, Sarah matched it.
"Jareth again? My we walk on dangerous ground." Sarah flushed but
said nothing. She raised her chin in defiance, in answer, and that
for Jareth was enough. "I do not answer to my subjects Sarah. What
King does?" Sarah swallowed and looked away as he took two quick
strides closer.
"If I infuriate you so, if you so disapprove of my ruling you," and
with this one gloved finger reached up and traced a trail from the
corner of one eye to her lips, "why did you name me your King? And
don't say because of the child you traded your life for. Don't lie to
me like that. You did not think once of the girl when you answered
Evirey. You did not speak as a mother then. You do not speak as a
mother now." It was Sarah's turn to step back and as she did Jareth
let his hand fall, mirroring Evirey's movement. Sarah licked her
lips, looked away for a long moment, and looked back, met Jareth's
gaze wholly, in an intimate, open way that not even Drevlyn would
quite dare, as she replied, words biting, harsh, painful.
"Because 'King' Jareth, if I must live in a hell for eternity it will
be a hell of my own choosing."