AN: Been a few days huh? The next chapter should be out soon, like
tomorrow... Was going to make one super chapter but I have a head
ache and wanted to post something tonight. =) Thanks for the continued
reviews... LOL And as to the length of this story... Ummm... Maybe
around five more chapters... dunno. Don't look at me. This is the
longest fanfic I've ever written in terms of chapters. I don't have
any idea where all this is coming from either! LOL Hope ya'll have
been well.
Disclaimer: Hey buddy? Ever heard of sharing? Yeah that's right...
I'm just borrowing them so bugger off! *shoos lawyer away* ;)
***************Sacrifices: Chapter Sixteen***************
Sarah breathed deeply, eyes squeezed violently shut, as she leaned
against a cool smooth wall. Her head was reeling and she heard, as if
from far away, the sounds of light revelry, music, thousands of voices
blending together to form a kind of liquid noise that flowed over her
skin and warmed it from the cold that had been in the portal.
She jumped when Jareth's questing hand touched her elbow. Sarah
whirled on him and shoved his chest, trying to push him back, furious
at him for frightening her.
Trying.
Jareth caught her fisted hands in a grip of steel, his gloves like
shackles. They stared at each other for half a heart beat, Jareth's
gaze carefully neutral, Sarah's wild. The music faded from her mind.
"Never, NEVER," she said, voice low, violent, "do that to me again
without warning." Jareth pulled her closer, undeniable, until his
nose brushed hers and his hair fell against her upraised face.
"You fool," he whispered, voice no less fierce. Sarah shivered
though. There was a force of personality in the barest whisper of his
voice that she could never hope to match. "We've come here to prove
your loyalty, your fealty to me. You do not reprimand your King,
EVER, Sarah. Bite your tongue or I swear..." He left the threat
hanging, unsaid, and it promised pain much greater than the Oubliette
or Bog. Threat that stemmed from frustration, from a certain amount
of fear. Jareth did not want to lose her today.
She swallowed and disentangled herself from her King. Sarah stepped
back and bowed, not prostrate, but respectful, humble, though her eyes
burned. No one could give herself away but her. She had chosen
Jareth and damn it, the Sidhe Court would not take her away!
The Sidhe Court.
The music came back like a dim roar. Sarah spun, away from Jareth,
and looked out over the crowd of people of the balcony they stood on.
The room was huge, a feat of architecture held up and stable with
walls of white marble, high arches, and crystal pillars that stretched
from the full floor to the roof... the sky...
Sarah craned her head back and found that she couldn't see the
ceiling. Gently rolling mists obscured the true ceiling but it was
stories overhead at least. The giant room was lit by floating globes
the size of a desk globe. They looked like ornate paper lanterns but
gold decorated them and, they looked too fragile, even for paper.
The floor itself was covered with people, with human, or almost human
looking creatures. Sarah swallowed when she saw a being with wings
too realistic to be part of a costume. And everyone seemed to be in
costume. All were bedecked in finery, in flowing gowns that made
Sarah's simple elegance seem shabby, in gold and silver and touches of
bronze. And all wore masks.
Sarah froze and turned to the Goblin King, a question on her lips,
slight panic in her startled hazel eyes. Jareth watched her as he
solemnly procured a delicate face mask with a sleight of hand that he
was so good at. She looked at the glittered creation. It was a
mockery of masks from another dance, twenty years before. It was ugly
in a way, not grotesque, but the features were exaggerated, not
beautiful. Not even dusted silver, not even with jewels that were
very real sapphire glued prettily around the eye holes and temple.
Another mask appeared, a mirror of this first, this time in black. It
differed only in that it was more masculine, more regal, more, more
Jareth.
"Damn you, what's going on?" She swallowed again at Jareth's
predatory smile. Swallowed and stepped back until her back pressed
against the ornate rail of the balcony. The smile twitched and Sarah
fumed. He was enjoying this, the bastard...
"Come Sarah, take your present." He took a step forward and she
cursed the fact that she couldn't back up anymore. Cured the fact
that sometimes he still made her feel like she was fifteen.
"What's all this?" she demanded with one sweep of her arm, the motion
angrily encompassing the orchestrated chaos below them. The smile
grew and the charm, the seduction was back again. Jareth practically
glided forward. Sarah stood, silent, still, though trembling ever so
slightly as the Goblin King reached up and tied the half mask on her.
It settled, cool on her face. Jareth's hands lingered in her eager
hair for a moment before the leather gloved fingers absently caressed
her cheek and withdrew.
She did not meet his eyes. In fact Sarah made it a point to stare
quit pointedly at a blank part of the wall behind him, over his
shoulder. It seemed safest. She didn't know what the hell had gotten
into him. He had never been so commanding before.
But then she had never known that he had loved her. Or that he
claimed to love her... Sarah's hand burned and she looked down,
looked down and closed her pained eyes once again to block out the
sight of the angry scar, and somehow betrayed memories of Devon, of
Melanie.
She looked up after a moment of internal struggle. Jareth, masked but
not hidden, watched her, openly staring with an air of affected
possessiveness.
"What's going on?" The question, asked a second time, sounded
plaintive, small, even to her own ears. Funny how twenty years can
mean so little sometimes. The smile stretched, if possible, further
on the Goblin King's lips. Stretched and warmed into something almost
vulgar in its intimacy. Or maybe it was the heat in his eyes that
gave that impression. Damn him! The man wore so many masks! It was
impossible to tell which he chose were the truth!!
"Why Sarah, this is a Court, a Court of royalty, not just law and
order. We shall attend the Judgement Session and your fate, your
eternity shall be decided. That is the truth but first, first dear
Sarah, there is the Ball." She was numb, unresisting, as he gently
claimed one hand and guided her, the other gloved hand at the small of
her back, to stair she had yet to see that the side of the balcony.
Steps leading down into the throng of people, of beings... Of things
that she had never even dreamed of, let alone seen.
Her feet balked at the edge of the first step.
Jareth paused and glanced down at her, a hint of strain, of
exasperation cracking his veneer of suave Goblin King. "What's wrong
little one?" Sarah didn't answer the man beside her as she stared
down, suddenly dizzy with memories of another Ball, of different music
and laughing, jeering faces. She was shaking and didn't even know it.
She looked up in startlement when Jareth released her hand to touch
her chin. He read the memories, and the sudden fear in her gaze and
cursed to himself. He had not known that the Ball Room had effected
her that violently.
"Sarah... Sarah?" She blinked at her name and the shivering stopped.
"I... I've never cared for dancing much, not anymore," she whispered,
barely loud enough to be heard over the strains of music no human ear
had ever heard before, a wild, haunting melody that promised sorrow.
Much of the Sidhe Court did. A hiss tore itself from the Goblin
King's lips and he answered, answered and made her look at him, willed
Sarah to see the truth in his words, in his eyes.
"I will not leave you Sarah. I will not leave you here alone. I will
not leave..."
'Without you...' The last remained unspoken, as it should. She knew
of his heart, but she did not yet hold it. The Goblin King had been
burned once, he would do everything in his power to avoid it happening
again, unless it would win him her love.
He saw the war on her face, the indecision. But finally, finally, her
shoulders relaxed. Jareth smiled again as he reclaimed her hand and
lead her slowly, regally down the stairs.
It didn't look like it but every creature in the room was watching
their descent. The smile turned hard, feral, grim.
Good. Let them watch.
It was traditional that only Kings and Queens, only married monarchs,
walked down from balconies on the stairs. Every race had its own
balcony, its own set of stairs. It made entrances that much more
grand, having to descend from a height three stories up, and entrees
that much easier to identify. Costume balls produced some interesting
combinations...
It had been a statement to enter as they did. Sarah wasn't aware of
it but Jareth was. By all rights he should have called the portal to
life towards the back of the room and entered from there. He usually
did. He had no Queen, not yet.
His mismatched eyes flickered to Sarah's proud profile. She was
trying very hard not to be afraid. Twenty years had definitely not
harmed her beauty, and had only deepened her maturity, her strength,
and Jareth knew, she would need it all tonight.
He should have entered from the back but this, this was infinitely
better. They glided down the stairs together, the most powerful of
any of the High Sidhe, the Goblin King, and the woman he prayed, with
every thing he had, would one day indeed be his Queen.
Jareth had high hopes for eternity. If she was allowed to stay.
Unconsciously his grip on her tightened. Sarah stumbled a step with
the sudden change and Jareth forced himself to relax. Forced himself
to breath as the crowd at the base of the stairs parted and left them
space. Forced himself to maintain the cold, haughty, devilish smile
as he took both of Sarah's hands and prepared to dance the moment
their feet hit the floor.
She was his, by her promise, by his words. And Jareth protected his
own.
tomorrow... Was going to make one super chapter but I have a head
ache and wanted to post something tonight. =) Thanks for the continued
reviews... LOL And as to the length of this story... Ummm... Maybe
around five more chapters... dunno. Don't look at me. This is the
longest fanfic I've ever written in terms of chapters. I don't have
any idea where all this is coming from either! LOL Hope ya'll have
been well.
Disclaimer: Hey buddy? Ever heard of sharing? Yeah that's right...
I'm just borrowing them so bugger off! *shoos lawyer away* ;)
***************Sacrifices: Chapter Sixteen***************
Sarah breathed deeply, eyes squeezed violently shut, as she leaned
against a cool smooth wall. Her head was reeling and she heard, as if
from far away, the sounds of light revelry, music, thousands of voices
blending together to form a kind of liquid noise that flowed over her
skin and warmed it from the cold that had been in the portal.
She jumped when Jareth's questing hand touched her elbow. Sarah
whirled on him and shoved his chest, trying to push him back, furious
at him for frightening her.
Trying.
Jareth caught her fisted hands in a grip of steel, his gloves like
shackles. They stared at each other for half a heart beat, Jareth's
gaze carefully neutral, Sarah's wild. The music faded from her mind.
"Never, NEVER," she said, voice low, violent, "do that to me again
without warning." Jareth pulled her closer, undeniable, until his
nose brushed hers and his hair fell against her upraised face.
"You fool," he whispered, voice no less fierce. Sarah shivered
though. There was a force of personality in the barest whisper of his
voice that she could never hope to match. "We've come here to prove
your loyalty, your fealty to me. You do not reprimand your King,
EVER, Sarah. Bite your tongue or I swear..." He left the threat
hanging, unsaid, and it promised pain much greater than the Oubliette
or Bog. Threat that stemmed from frustration, from a certain amount
of fear. Jareth did not want to lose her today.
She swallowed and disentangled herself from her King. Sarah stepped
back and bowed, not prostrate, but respectful, humble, though her eyes
burned. No one could give herself away but her. She had chosen
Jareth and damn it, the Sidhe Court would not take her away!
The Sidhe Court.
The music came back like a dim roar. Sarah spun, away from Jareth,
and looked out over the crowd of people of the balcony they stood on.
The room was huge, a feat of architecture held up and stable with
walls of white marble, high arches, and crystal pillars that stretched
from the full floor to the roof... the sky...
Sarah craned her head back and found that she couldn't see the
ceiling. Gently rolling mists obscured the true ceiling but it was
stories overhead at least. The giant room was lit by floating globes
the size of a desk globe. They looked like ornate paper lanterns but
gold decorated them and, they looked too fragile, even for paper.
The floor itself was covered with people, with human, or almost human
looking creatures. Sarah swallowed when she saw a being with wings
too realistic to be part of a costume. And everyone seemed to be in
costume. All were bedecked in finery, in flowing gowns that made
Sarah's simple elegance seem shabby, in gold and silver and touches of
bronze. And all wore masks.
Sarah froze and turned to the Goblin King, a question on her lips,
slight panic in her startled hazel eyes. Jareth watched her as he
solemnly procured a delicate face mask with a sleight of hand that he
was so good at. She looked at the glittered creation. It was a
mockery of masks from another dance, twenty years before. It was ugly
in a way, not grotesque, but the features were exaggerated, not
beautiful. Not even dusted silver, not even with jewels that were
very real sapphire glued prettily around the eye holes and temple.
Another mask appeared, a mirror of this first, this time in black. It
differed only in that it was more masculine, more regal, more, more
Jareth.
"Damn you, what's going on?" She swallowed again at Jareth's
predatory smile. Swallowed and stepped back until her back pressed
against the ornate rail of the balcony. The smile twitched and Sarah
fumed. He was enjoying this, the bastard...
"Come Sarah, take your present." He took a step forward and she
cursed the fact that she couldn't back up anymore. Cured the fact
that sometimes he still made her feel like she was fifteen.
"What's all this?" she demanded with one sweep of her arm, the motion
angrily encompassing the orchestrated chaos below them. The smile
grew and the charm, the seduction was back again. Jareth practically
glided forward. Sarah stood, silent, still, though trembling ever so
slightly as the Goblin King reached up and tied the half mask on her.
It settled, cool on her face. Jareth's hands lingered in her eager
hair for a moment before the leather gloved fingers absently caressed
her cheek and withdrew.
She did not meet his eyes. In fact Sarah made it a point to stare
quit pointedly at a blank part of the wall behind him, over his
shoulder. It seemed safest. She didn't know what the hell had gotten
into him. He had never been so commanding before.
But then she had never known that he had loved her. Or that he
claimed to love her... Sarah's hand burned and she looked down,
looked down and closed her pained eyes once again to block out the
sight of the angry scar, and somehow betrayed memories of Devon, of
Melanie.
She looked up after a moment of internal struggle. Jareth, masked but
not hidden, watched her, openly staring with an air of affected
possessiveness.
"What's going on?" The question, asked a second time, sounded
plaintive, small, even to her own ears. Funny how twenty years can
mean so little sometimes. The smile stretched, if possible, further
on the Goblin King's lips. Stretched and warmed into something almost
vulgar in its intimacy. Or maybe it was the heat in his eyes that
gave that impression. Damn him! The man wore so many masks! It was
impossible to tell which he chose were the truth!!
"Why Sarah, this is a Court, a Court of royalty, not just law and
order. We shall attend the Judgement Session and your fate, your
eternity shall be decided. That is the truth but first, first dear
Sarah, there is the Ball." She was numb, unresisting, as he gently
claimed one hand and guided her, the other gloved hand at the small of
her back, to stair she had yet to see that the side of the balcony.
Steps leading down into the throng of people, of beings... Of things
that she had never even dreamed of, let alone seen.
Her feet balked at the edge of the first step.
Jareth paused and glanced down at her, a hint of strain, of
exasperation cracking his veneer of suave Goblin King. "What's wrong
little one?" Sarah didn't answer the man beside her as she stared
down, suddenly dizzy with memories of another Ball, of different music
and laughing, jeering faces. She was shaking and didn't even know it.
She looked up in startlement when Jareth released her hand to touch
her chin. He read the memories, and the sudden fear in her gaze and
cursed to himself. He had not known that the Ball Room had effected
her that violently.
"Sarah... Sarah?" She blinked at her name and the shivering stopped.
"I... I've never cared for dancing much, not anymore," she whispered,
barely loud enough to be heard over the strains of music no human ear
had ever heard before, a wild, haunting melody that promised sorrow.
Much of the Sidhe Court did. A hiss tore itself from the Goblin
King's lips and he answered, answered and made her look at him, willed
Sarah to see the truth in his words, in his eyes.
"I will not leave you Sarah. I will not leave you here alone. I will
not leave..."
'Without you...' The last remained unspoken, as it should. She knew
of his heart, but she did not yet hold it. The Goblin King had been
burned once, he would do everything in his power to avoid it happening
again, unless it would win him her love.
He saw the war on her face, the indecision. But finally, finally, her
shoulders relaxed. Jareth smiled again as he reclaimed her hand and
lead her slowly, regally down the stairs.
It didn't look like it but every creature in the room was watching
their descent. The smile turned hard, feral, grim.
Good. Let them watch.
It was traditional that only Kings and Queens, only married monarchs,
walked down from balconies on the stairs. Every race had its own
balcony, its own set of stairs. It made entrances that much more
grand, having to descend from a height three stories up, and entrees
that much easier to identify. Costume balls produced some interesting
combinations...
It had been a statement to enter as they did. Sarah wasn't aware of
it but Jareth was. By all rights he should have called the portal to
life towards the back of the room and entered from there. He usually
did. He had no Queen, not yet.
His mismatched eyes flickered to Sarah's proud profile. She was
trying very hard not to be afraid. Twenty years had definitely not
harmed her beauty, and had only deepened her maturity, her strength,
and Jareth knew, she would need it all tonight.
He should have entered from the back but this, this was infinitely
better. They glided down the stairs together, the most powerful of
any of the High Sidhe, the Goblin King, and the woman he prayed, with
every thing he had, would one day indeed be his Queen.
Jareth had high hopes for eternity. If she was allowed to stay.
Unconsciously his grip on her tightened. Sarah stumbled a step with
the sudden change and Jareth forced himself to relax. Forced himself
to breath as the crowd at the base of the stairs parted and left them
space. Forced himself to maintain the cold, haughty, devilish smile
as he took both of Sarah's hands and prepared to dance the moment
their feet hit the floor.
She was his, by her promise, by his words. And Jareth protected his
own.