AN: Hay ya'll! ;) One more chapter to go after this so get those reviews ready... LOL Hope
everyone has had a good week and yes, I will have the end posted very very soon (within the
next few days). Enjoy, peace, and, if you want to see a REALLY, REALLY good movie go see
'The Count of Monte Cristo'. It was, wow... The script was really well written... =)
************************ Sacrifices: Chapter Twenty Five **************************
"What will you do first, wed him or bed him?" Sarah glared good-naturedly at Drevlyn,
Dragon Prince. They were all in Jareth's quarters, though not his bedroom. The Goblin
King and the Dragon Queen were, despite evidence to both of their natures, playing.
Honestly playing almost a month after the Judgment Session...
Jareth was calling crystals that popped like rainbow colored bubbles as soon as Melani
caught them. Never mind that they had a mind of their own and were ricocheting around
the richly furnished room. The Goblin King's face was, while not unguarded, radiated a
kind of happiness, joy, a lack of heaviness. It made Sarah wonder if her Melanie would
have suffered unduly as Jareth's daughter.
"Both, neither, are you volunteering to take care of whatever need I might be squeamish
about?"
Drevlyn choked on his own laughter. "Having second thoughts?"
Sarah shivered, suddenly cold as her warm brown eyes dulled and focused on some inner
sanctuary far, far away. "Sometimes," she whispered.
"I want him so badly Drevlyn, don't get me wrong. Even twenty years ago I found him
beautiful, desirable, and I knew nothing of desire then, as a child. I see him now through
the eyes of a woman who has loved and been loved and... I never knew I had that kind of
will power. Never guessed that he did as well." Bitter laughter trailed after the last
confession.
"You want to wait for marriage." It wasn't a question but she affirmed it with a sharp nod
of her head, distant gaze settling restlessly on the man she herself proclaimed to love.
"You didn't wait for any of the men you loved Aboveground."
Anger stained Sarah's features, turned her mouth down, darkened her pale face. Drevlyn,
and perhaps even Sarah herself, didn't know if the sudden rage was directed at the Dragon
Prince, or the human immortal herself.
"None of the men I have ever loved have held the darkness quite so close to their hearts.
And I've never been so afraid of losing someone's love as I am right now." Ah, perhaps the
anger was aimed at neither of them, but at a certain Goblin King.
"You fear that if you give all of yourself, your heart and body, to Jareth before you are
wed that you'll be a mystery solved, an itch scratched, a thing discarded."
Sarah's gaze narrowed into a disgruntled, scathing, glare.
"To put it crudely yes."
Drevlyn's light laughter surprised her.
"Give him an eternity and I doubt that Jareth could figure out all of your puzzles, find
all of your surprises. Give him until Time ends and Above and Underground cease to be, give
him until consciousness fades into blissful night and I will bet all that I am and will ever
be that a certain Goblin King will never tire of your body or your beauty."
"Heavy assurances to be coming from your mouth."
"But truth none the less." She met his strange, flat yellow eyes and smiled softly,
painfully.
"Truth has very little to do with ruling the human heart Drevlyn." Drevlyn turned away from
those too wise eyes and shrugged harshly.
"You wish to wait for marriage, but you still hesitate when it comes to making Jareth your
husband."
Sarah swallowed and rubbed her ring finger. No engagement ring graced it. Devon's had been
left in a world all but unreachable and Jareth... The Sidhe's marriage traditions were
different from the ways of Above. The only ring she would wear would proclaim her as the
Goblin King's bride.
"I... I do. Not because I fear marriage but because... I know nothing of this place I claim
as home. How dare I be audacious enough, arrogant enough, to think that I could rule it? I
am not fit to be Goblin Queen.
"I am Jareth's partner, match, love, Queen, but not his people's. The Room of Fate did not
name me thus and I cannot in good faith do so either. What kind of Queen would I make? I'm
not as devious as Evirey, as heartless as Tortar, as powerful as Kym, or, or strong enough to
resist the wiles of Draculo."
Sarah whirled and grabbed Drevlyn's surprised, taloned hands. Her face was open and pain
filled. Regret and shame filled her tearful eyes. "Draculo, your race's most biter enemy
knows of Melani's existence because of me. Because I am a fool and a weakling." She bit her
lip and tore herself away from the Dragon Prince, self loathing evident. Drevlyn stared at her
as he fumbled for a response, yellow eyes glued to the immortal human's strong, vulnerable
profile.
"He'll try to kill her won't he? The Vampire King will try to destroy the Dragons, try to
destroy Melani, won't he?"
Drevlyn smiled bitterly and shrugged gracelessly before managing a quiet reply. "Yes. Too
much blood has been spilled on both sides... Too much hate has been fostered, festered,
encouraged, cultivated and grown. Draculo will seek our new Queen and he will try to kill
her. But he will not succeed." Drevlyn sighed heavily before continuing.
"You think her a child because you saw her birth, because your souls touched and yours
grounded and shaped hers and she is... She has been a child, lighthearted, happy, longer
then any other Queen I have ever heard of. And, thanks to you, she will never completely
loose her joy for life because your mind guided her and to you Sarah, once a mortal, all
life, all Time, is precious and beautiful and deserved.
"But she is Dragon. Melani has more magic, more strength, more potential then any other as
well. She can, and will, rule the Dragons. She will unite her people and we will once more
be a force to be reckoned with.
"And she will bring the Vampires to their knees. Understand this Sarah, you did not betray
my people."
"But Draculo knows..."
"Nothing!" Drevlyn snapped, interrupting. He went on, more softly, "He knows her face, her
existence, that a Dragon Queen draws breath. You are immortal but still only human Sarah.
You're right, you have no magic, but you have a will strong enough to resist a Vampire King.
"Any other would have broken beneath the weight of his mind. Would have been warped, twisted,
some part of them killed, maimed beyond repair. But he got nothing but a flash of a half
formed memory. You are human Sarah, not Sidhe, but you are fit to be Goblin Queen. Perhaps
not today, perhaps not this decade or this century, but you have the makings of a truly great
monarch.
"Marry Jareth Sarah, worry about marrying the Goblin King later. Allow yourself some
happiness. See where your life leads you because nothing is set or final. The Room of Fate
simply pointed you towards the right direction. The rest, as humans would say, is up to you.
After all, you have eternity."
She turned back to him, beautiful face still anguished. "Things aren't that simple," she
whispered. Drevlyn leaned closer and rested his brow against hers, cool blue skin against
her warm forehead.
"It can be. Just let them go, the worries, the doubts. Let it all go Sarah. You don't have
to be responsible, strong, all of the time. The world won't end. Love him Sarah, and let
yourself be loved in return like you deserve."
She drew back and unconsciously rubbed her scarred palm. Confused sable eyes darted from the
Dragon Prince to the King who, even now, was grinning as he conjured a globe sized crystal
and sent it spinning wildly away from the impatient and openly laughing Dragon Queen. Sarah
cocked her head and felt some of the tension drain from her shoulders as she watched.
Jareth, as if sensing her intense study, raised his face and met his eyes to hers, pale,
frigid flames that warmed her even as they chilled. The smile he sent her way was nothing
but heat, heat and the promise of things done behind closed doors and in darkened rooms.
"I'll try," she replied, both to herself, the man who held her bewildered aching heart, and
the waiting Dragon Prince.
Drevlyn's own gaze was drawn away from the human at his side. They warmed golden as they
rested on the care free Dragon Queen. "Good," he whispered in his own reply. "Good."
everyone has had a good week and yes, I will have the end posted very very soon (within the
next few days). Enjoy, peace, and, if you want to see a REALLY, REALLY good movie go see
'The Count of Monte Cristo'. It was, wow... The script was really well written... =)
************************ Sacrifices: Chapter Twenty Five **************************
"What will you do first, wed him or bed him?" Sarah glared good-naturedly at Drevlyn,
Dragon Prince. They were all in Jareth's quarters, though not his bedroom. The Goblin
King and the Dragon Queen were, despite evidence to both of their natures, playing.
Honestly playing almost a month after the Judgment Session...
Jareth was calling crystals that popped like rainbow colored bubbles as soon as Melani
caught them. Never mind that they had a mind of their own and were ricocheting around
the richly furnished room. The Goblin King's face was, while not unguarded, radiated a
kind of happiness, joy, a lack of heaviness. It made Sarah wonder if her Melanie would
have suffered unduly as Jareth's daughter.
"Both, neither, are you volunteering to take care of whatever need I might be squeamish
about?"
Drevlyn choked on his own laughter. "Having second thoughts?"
Sarah shivered, suddenly cold as her warm brown eyes dulled and focused on some inner
sanctuary far, far away. "Sometimes," she whispered.
"I want him so badly Drevlyn, don't get me wrong. Even twenty years ago I found him
beautiful, desirable, and I knew nothing of desire then, as a child. I see him now through
the eyes of a woman who has loved and been loved and... I never knew I had that kind of
will power. Never guessed that he did as well." Bitter laughter trailed after the last
confession.
"You want to wait for marriage." It wasn't a question but she affirmed it with a sharp nod
of her head, distant gaze settling restlessly on the man she herself proclaimed to love.
"You didn't wait for any of the men you loved Aboveground."
Anger stained Sarah's features, turned her mouth down, darkened her pale face. Drevlyn,
and perhaps even Sarah herself, didn't know if the sudden rage was directed at the Dragon
Prince, or the human immortal herself.
"None of the men I have ever loved have held the darkness quite so close to their hearts.
And I've never been so afraid of losing someone's love as I am right now." Ah, perhaps the
anger was aimed at neither of them, but at a certain Goblin King.
"You fear that if you give all of yourself, your heart and body, to Jareth before you are
wed that you'll be a mystery solved, an itch scratched, a thing discarded."
Sarah's gaze narrowed into a disgruntled, scathing, glare.
"To put it crudely yes."
Drevlyn's light laughter surprised her.
"Give him an eternity and I doubt that Jareth could figure out all of your puzzles, find
all of your surprises. Give him until Time ends and Above and Underground cease to be, give
him until consciousness fades into blissful night and I will bet all that I am and will ever
be that a certain Goblin King will never tire of your body or your beauty."
"Heavy assurances to be coming from your mouth."
"But truth none the less." She met his strange, flat yellow eyes and smiled softly,
painfully.
"Truth has very little to do with ruling the human heart Drevlyn." Drevlyn turned away from
those too wise eyes and shrugged harshly.
"You wish to wait for marriage, but you still hesitate when it comes to making Jareth your
husband."
Sarah swallowed and rubbed her ring finger. No engagement ring graced it. Devon's had been
left in a world all but unreachable and Jareth... The Sidhe's marriage traditions were
different from the ways of Above. The only ring she would wear would proclaim her as the
Goblin King's bride.
"I... I do. Not because I fear marriage but because... I know nothing of this place I claim
as home. How dare I be audacious enough, arrogant enough, to think that I could rule it? I
am not fit to be Goblin Queen.
"I am Jareth's partner, match, love, Queen, but not his people's. The Room of Fate did not
name me thus and I cannot in good faith do so either. What kind of Queen would I make? I'm
not as devious as Evirey, as heartless as Tortar, as powerful as Kym, or, or strong enough to
resist the wiles of Draculo."
Sarah whirled and grabbed Drevlyn's surprised, taloned hands. Her face was open and pain
filled. Regret and shame filled her tearful eyes. "Draculo, your race's most biter enemy
knows of Melani's existence because of me. Because I am a fool and a weakling." She bit her
lip and tore herself away from the Dragon Prince, self loathing evident. Drevlyn stared at her
as he fumbled for a response, yellow eyes glued to the immortal human's strong, vulnerable
profile.
"He'll try to kill her won't he? The Vampire King will try to destroy the Dragons, try to
destroy Melani, won't he?"
Drevlyn smiled bitterly and shrugged gracelessly before managing a quiet reply. "Yes. Too
much blood has been spilled on both sides... Too much hate has been fostered, festered,
encouraged, cultivated and grown. Draculo will seek our new Queen and he will try to kill
her. But he will not succeed." Drevlyn sighed heavily before continuing.
"You think her a child because you saw her birth, because your souls touched and yours
grounded and shaped hers and she is... She has been a child, lighthearted, happy, longer
then any other Queen I have ever heard of. And, thanks to you, she will never completely
loose her joy for life because your mind guided her and to you Sarah, once a mortal, all
life, all Time, is precious and beautiful and deserved.
"But she is Dragon. Melani has more magic, more strength, more potential then any other as
well. She can, and will, rule the Dragons. She will unite her people and we will once more
be a force to be reckoned with.
"And she will bring the Vampires to their knees. Understand this Sarah, you did not betray
my people."
"But Draculo knows..."
"Nothing!" Drevlyn snapped, interrupting. He went on, more softly, "He knows her face, her
existence, that a Dragon Queen draws breath. You are immortal but still only human Sarah.
You're right, you have no magic, but you have a will strong enough to resist a Vampire King.
"Any other would have broken beneath the weight of his mind. Would have been warped, twisted,
some part of them killed, maimed beyond repair. But he got nothing but a flash of a half
formed memory. You are human Sarah, not Sidhe, but you are fit to be Goblin Queen. Perhaps
not today, perhaps not this decade or this century, but you have the makings of a truly great
monarch.
"Marry Jareth Sarah, worry about marrying the Goblin King later. Allow yourself some
happiness. See where your life leads you because nothing is set or final. The Room of Fate
simply pointed you towards the right direction. The rest, as humans would say, is up to you.
After all, you have eternity."
She turned back to him, beautiful face still anguished. "Things aren't that simple," she
whispered. Drevlyn leaned closer and rested his brow against hers, cool blue skin against
her warm forehead.
"It can be. Just let them go, the worries, the doubts. Let it all go Sarah. You don't have
to be responsible, strong, all of the time. The world won't end. Love him Sarah, and let
yourself be loved in return like you deserve."
She drew back and unconsciously rubbed her scarred palm. Confused sable eyes darted from the
Dragon Prince to the King who, even now, was grinning as he conjured a globe sized crystal
and sent it spinning wildly away from the impatient and openly laughing Dragon Queen. Sarah
cocked her head and felt some of the tension drain from her shoulders as she watched.
Jareth, as if sensing her intense study, raised his face and met his eyes to hers, pale,
frigid flames that warmed her even as they chilled. The smile he sent her way was nothing
but heat, heat and the promise of things done behind closed doors and in darkened rooms.
"I'll try," she replied, both to herself, the man who held her bewildered aching heart, and
the waiting Dragon Prince.
Drevlyn's own gaze was drawn away from the human at his side. They warmed golden as they
rested on the care free Dragon Queen. "Good," he whispered in his own reply. "Good."