CHAPTER 7. "Yes, they are aren't they dear, I'm sorry about before but it was just after we were speaking about the Bog incident I've told you about in brief detail." Said Dursey, she smiled sweetly to her daughter. Jareth still looking at their arms interlocked in each other's. Jane pulled away when she saw the distressed look on his face. "I'm sorry, I feel quite hungry, I shall be back in a moment." She said and to her surprise she found herself in the kitchen at once beside the sink. How had that happened? Had Jareth materialised her there or had she done that herself? Jareth appeared a moment later. scorn in his eyes. "Did I just see that? Or was I just having a nightmare?" asked Jareth. He approached her silently but fire in his eyes heated her senses. "He approached me when I finished speaking with Casper, he offered his Arm and we walked into the Dining Hall together.. Jareth, please, you're scaring me." She said as she backed up against the sink, pressed flat against the tiling. She felt as if she couldn't sink further. She felt threatened by him; his eyes showed a fury within him that she thought never possible. "Is that all that happened, or did you wish something else to happen too?" asked Jareth. He was definitely the jealous type, and Jane didn't feel safe like this. "Why would I want him when I have you as a husband? My body stings when he is near, my spine hurts with unimaginable pain when he is anywhere near. But when you are you near, I am in Euphoria." She said, tears streaming down her cheeks. She held his shoulders and they materialised in their bedroom. She kissed him gently but pulled away soon afterwards. She had broke away from their embrace and walked towards the window that looked over the courtyard where Ivy stood. "Jareth, you scared me a moment ago, I never knew of such a fire that was burning in your eyes. I am yours, you know that, and I would never betray you, you have to believe me. I would never do anything that hurt you. But please, do not talk to me like that.. Ever. I was hurt once before; I do not wish to be hurt a second time by one I am falling in love with. Your power scares me, and I am scared that your power may suffocate and smoulder my own. If you bare such a grudge over me ..." she said. She hugged her herself, trying to release herself of the fear that crept up her spine. "What grudge? I just felt so intensely jealous when I saw your arm in his. You are my bride, I wish you to remember that at all times!" said Jareth. "Jareth, GET OUT!" she yelled at him, she flew her hand and the door opened as she looked at him with a piercing cold gaze. He stared at her with disbelief; she was ordering him to leave the room, their bedroom. "How dare you say that!" she said, "That's all I do think about, maybe It would have been best if we had not wed!" said Jane. She stood still, gazing out the window, waiting to feel his absence hit her like a tonne of bricks. He left the room without a word. It was the day after their wedding and they had already argued and shouted. Was this really what she had in mind of a perfect life? She stood there for half an hour, not moving, not speaking, not crying, just thinking, deeply, about what she had just said to the man she was falling in love with. She felt so insulted by the words he had spoken and so ashamed of herself for her own actions. What had possessed her to shout at him? He did scare her, that much was true, but she should expect that, a man with that much power gained respect from peoples fear. "I'm sorry," she whispered, but the words had not been left upon deaf ears as she had hoped. She felt a hand on her shoulder; it was warm with touch and as she winced by the appearance. She stood still, deep in thought and not wanting to face him with her puffy eyes and red cheeks. She felt another hand on her other shoulder and as she tightened her crossed arms she was pulled backwards and held close against his chest. She tried to pull away but her body didn't move, it didn't want to move away from his embrace. She moved her arms and turned around. "My arm was in his, because he offered his arm, and I didn't want to be rude. That's all it meant. I was being your bride, he was meant to be a friend. But I cannot trust my senses when he is near; I experience the worst pain possible when he is within even a metre of me. My spine, something will happen soon, I can feel it. I smiled weakly before, trying to hide the pain. I made my excuses and left as soon as I could. Please, don't punish me for something I could not control." She said, Jareth was looking deep into her eyes and saw the dark colour shine brightly in their core. "I believe you, I'm sorry I didn't trust you, I should control my anger, I couldn't control my feelings. They were spiralling inside my head and I was a mix of emotions. I'm sorry for what I said, I know, I was cruel. I can't believe what an idiot I was for saying that." Said Jareth. He kissed her gently and tried to hold her closer but she moved away before his grip tightened. "I cannot be just a plaything with you, all we do is argue or kiss. That is not what I had in mind for a relationship with such power." Said Jane. She walked towards the bed and lay down. "I do not consider you as just a plaything, you are much more than just that to me!" said Jareth. " I just want you to know how much I love you before we leave this place for my castle. It can feel so cold and isolated there that I wanted you to know that I am your friend as well as your lover. I know I am the first one to share your bed and I just wish that you knew how happy I am that I that person you gave yourself willingly and that you can rest assure. you are my first." Said Jareth. "But, I cannot rest.. You were like a monster before, your possessiveness showed a side of you that is more uglier than the bog of stench!" said Jane. A single tear ran down her cheek and she turned on her side, pulling her knees to her chest and hugging them tightly. "I'm sorry, my jealousy got the better of me. I guess that's what I should have expected waiting how long I have for a bride. I want to ask you. If it were to improve things somehow. would you leave this house now and travel with me to the castle. Blake and Ivy can stay here for a while longer. I promise.. We will not leave until you are ready." Said Jareth. "Yes, may we leave now, with all my belongings and clothing? Maybe then we may enjoy our honeymoon. I can't cope with all these interruptions." Said Jane. She sat up and ran a hand through her dark hair, untangling it from its previous restraints. "I shall walk downstairs with you to tell your parents." Said Jareth. He offered a hand and Jane accepted, she wanted terribly to feel the way she had about him this morning but she'd now seen a darker side to him. "Jane, I cannot excuse the way I spoke to you earlier, it was out of order, I hope that I may make it up to you soon, somehow." "I'm sure you will, but for now I need to leave this house.. Could we take a walk? I'd like to stroll the grounds. Maybe then when I've cleared my head, we may.. Talk again about leaving today. But not yet, I'd like to walk." She said and they materialised downstairs near the coat rail. She picked a long black cape and as she let it sit on her shoulders Jareth fastened the tie for her so it couldn't fall off. She smiled dazedly up at him and didn't see the usual leer he often used. But a sympathetic smile, one that was out of tension, stress, pain, strain, she could sense he was sincerely sorry about what was said before but "what's said is said, we cannot turn back time!" said Jareth, "I hope I can make it up to you soon. I hope we may be able to put the events of this afternoon behind us." "I hope so too, oh how do I hope so." Said Jane, she held his arm and they walked down the steps to the gardens. "Jareth, that pain I feel about Blake, I've never felt anything like it, I feel he and Ivy are not who they make out to be." She looked up at him and noticed he quite agreed with her. "If they aren't who they make out to be, who are they?" asked Jareth, he had one idea but wasn't sure how to rule it out. "I don't know, maybe it could be. you know who. Merrick!" said Jane; subtly she turned around to face him, planting a passionate kiss on his lips. "So.. Do you think I can perform a spell to defeat them? I mean if one of them is Merrick, I'll give you one bet, Ivy's a bad seed too!" "And you can perform spells to banish them? Take their powers and.. Defeat them?" asked Jareth, he looked at her in disbelief, could she really defeat them so easily? " I don't think it's Merrick but I think we should find out who they are exactly!" "How? I mean I don't exactly have my resources with me do I? And we can't wait much longer in case they plan attack on any one of us." Said Jane. "We can defeat them back at the castle, we just need to keep them occupied for now!" said Jareth. He picked her up and held her close, they kissed and materialised in the hallway in the big house.