Hey you all! *giant hug* Thank you to my reviewers thus far: Lady Dragon, Zabella, Chook, Lintrayel Riverdance and Bat Lady. I love all of my reviewers, especially the ones who give constructive criticism. *hint, hint* I would also like to thank Cormak3032 for helping me finally get my formatting straitened out.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. All though I really wish I did. Well, maybe just Jareth. I wouldn't care for all the Goblins to be running about my house. But Jareth…That's an entirely different story. Right now Jim Henson gets the credit. Bleh.
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Chapter 4
Jareth stood waiting impatiently in his private dining hall. He had chosen this room to have their dinner in instead of the main dining hall so they wouldn't have to be disgusted by the crude eating habits of the goblins. He straitened the high collar of his cape and tapped his foot. Maybe she was still not well enough to be out of bed? Could that be why she wasn't there yet? He was walking to the main doors when he saw the door creak open slowly. He held his breath and waited. As he saw who opened the door, he gasped.
She was dressed in the dark green dress that he had sent to her. It was embroidered with gold around the edges and had a very appealing low neckline. It reached the floor and had short cap sleeves. The tightness of the bodice showed that she was lithe, but not without her womanly curves. Now, more than ever, she reminded him that she had grown up a lot since she had ran his labyrinth. She looked beyond stunning. Her hair had been pulled up in some intricate way and a few loose tendrils of hair hung down in curls. He finally looked up into her face. She looked kind of nervous, as if she wasn't used to dressing In this way and having a king look her over as such. But then again, she wasn't. But he also had not missed her very slight look over of himself. He had dressed to demand such attention. He wore a white poet's shirt with a vest over it that was dark green with gold embroidery. It matched her dress perfectly. He remembered that she had come here to eat and not to be stared out so he stepped back and pulled a chair out at the small table. After she was seated he slowly walked around and took a seat opposite of her. For a second he just stared at her more until she cleared her throat.
"Ah yes, the meal." He produced a crystal and suddenly there were plated of food before them. He saw her shoot a distrusting look at the food. He slowly raised an eyebrow.
"What's wrong Sarah? Does this food not appeal to you?"
Sarah looked around her. The food looked fine it was just-.
"I'm just having a flashback from the last time I accepted food from you."
He allowed himself to grin. She was still so distrusting. But they would get around that. He would make her trust him and make her see that she had to stay in the Underground this time.
"I assure you that this food has not been tampered with by my magic, unlike that useful little peach I gave you." She blushed slowly then picked up a fork and began to eat.
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Dinner went by in silence until the end. Sarah had finished eating and looked up to see Jareth staring at her. The corners of his mouth tugged up into a smile, not a smirk, but a genuine smile. Sarah blushed again at the sudden attention and looked away.
"Sarah you look so beautiful. And that pretty blush on your face makes you all the more appealing." Sarah looked over at him, clearly startled by what he had said. He certainly wasn't acting like someone who hated her. She was confused. Why was he acting like this now? What did he want from her? Toby? He was almost acting as if, he liked her or something. She scoffed at the idea. A Goblin King isn't capable of love. Especially not this Goblin King. Was he trying to confuse her maybe? Suddenly she thought of how he had looked her over. She had read that Fae were very seductive, and lord knows, she felt that aspect of them.
"Maybe we should move into the library to discuss this?" Jareth spoke up, breaking her reverie. Sarah glanced at him confused for a moment, and then stood to follow him from the room. He led them out the main door and into a hallway, she could here the soft tap his boots made on the marble floor as he walked on towards the library. They finally reached their destination and she found herself in a large round room completely surrounded by books. He put his hand on the small of her back and guided her towards a small leather sofa. She hesitantly sat down and he sat down next to her. He cleared his throat and began to speak.
" I understand Sarah that you have many questions as to why I have brought you here, despite your illness. And why I have kept you here thus far. I am prepared to answer them, and when you are through, I will show you to your new chambers.
"New chambers?" Sarah asked puzzled.
"Yes you really didn't expect to stay in my room, did you?"
"Well no I didn't but how long am I going to be here?"
"Until I deem it that you may return home."
Sarah could feel her anger bubbling up inside her. "Until you deem it! What the hell is that supposed to mean Jareth!" He smiled mischievously.
"It means I can keep you here as long as I want to." As he spoke these words, Jareth knew that they would cause her to be even angrier with him than she already was. But she needed to stay here; She had to understand that he needed her.
"No it means you're keeping me here for the fun of it! I amuse you, do I?"
"Yes you amuse me Sarah, at least for now. But if you keep up this attitude, you'll find yourself down in the dungeons instead of in a comfortable bedroom. You will learn to obey and fear me. I DO have power over you."
Sarah's anger rose to dangerous heights. " I Belong to No one! Least of all a selfish arrogant Goblin King!" She claimed loudly, standing up quickly and moving away from the sofa. "You don't own me and you never will, so SEND ME HOME NOW!"
Jareth stood up shaking his head and slowly advanced on Sarah. "And you are the same childish ignorant girl that takes everything for granted and refuses to let herself see reality! I will not send you home. You shall stay here as long as I want you to. And I fear that, that shall be a very long time. Now, you will show me respect, as my position as your king deserves or you will not be treated with such comfort as I have shown so far!" By this time he was inches away from her, his eyes hard and cold and demanding for her to back down. But she would not. Sarah stood as tall as she could. Staring him, defiantly in the eyes. "I will not." And with that she turned and walked out the door. Her body shook with anger.
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Jareth sighed after she had slammed the door behind her. The evening had not gone as well as he had expected it to. He knew that she would not love him, not at first, but she must see that she has to stay, that she is bound by fate to stay here as his Queen. Maybe he should send her home as she wished. But no, Jareth had faced the Fae court before for defying their laws, he wouldn't do it again. He wished that there was some way for him to explain the situation in its entirety to her, but it was impossible. Telling her would only anger her further. That anger she felt, that she showed, the will and determination that she possessed, it was those qualities that attracted him to her, Not her looks, although they were a bonus. Beautiful Fae women were plentiful around here, but none of them possessed her spark, that fire that lit up her eyes. He thought briefly of following her, but brushed the idea aside. That would only upset her worse. He knew where'd she go, back down to his room, for that was the only room that she knew where it was. He growled at another night sleeping in the library. He walked slowly over to a desk that was off to the side of the room and sat down in the large chair behind it. He needed to do something to get her to trust him. Maybe something that could force her to spend time with him, to get to know him more, to get past the cold arrogant king she knew. He conjured a riding whip out of nowhere and lightly tapped it against his leg. He was deep in thought when suddenly he stared at the riding whip. He had an idea, but he didn't know if it would work. He'd never transported animals by magic before.
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Sarah groaned as she awoke, she hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. After her argument with the Goblin King, she had immediately rushed back to his chambers. Even though they were his, she doubted he'd want to go after her after the disrespect she had shown. The disrespect that he deserved, Sarah thought to herself. She had spent a long time pacing through the large chambers, silently fuming about what he had said to her. He talked of her as a possession, not a human he had taken from the aboveground. She heard a faint knock at the door and knew it must be Ardynn. "You may enter."
Ardynn stepped timidly into Sarah's room. She suddenly put on a horrified look as she took in Sarah's clothing and hair. She had been so angry from the previous night that she hadn't bothered to change out of the beautiful dress. It was now wrinkled and she realized she had torn part of the gown last night by all her pacing. She didn't have a mirror, but she knew her hair must look horrible right now. Ardynn just clicked her tongue at her lady and went to draw her a bath.
After her bath, Sarah had gotten dressed in a soft blue dress she had found waiting for her. She dressed quickly and left her hair for Ardynn to deal with. Ardynn yanked at the horrible tangles that had worked their way into Sarah's hair and finally left it loose, a rippling wave of obsidian night down her back. Sarah heard her stomach grumble and realized she was hungry. Ardynn must have heard Sarah's stomach speak for her, for she immediately ushered her out of her room towards the main dining halls.
At the breakfast table, Sarah immediately helped herself to some fruit, carefully avoiding any peaches. She was glad to see that Mr. High and Mighty wasn't there for breakfast. She didn't know what she would have said to him had he been there for breakfast, most likely something spoken out of anger and not her senses. She had realized the night before that when dealing with Jareth she must not let her anger get the best of her. She could handle this situation far better if she could keep her feelings under control. Not feelings, she thought to herself, just anger. When she was done eating she glanced up at Ardynn and asked that she show her around the castle. Ardynn's reply was hesitant.
"I'm sorry Milady, but His Highness has requested your presence in the throne room right after you are done eating."
"I have no wish to see him." Sarah objected coolly.
"Please Lady Sarah, if you don't I will get into trouble."
Sarah sighed. She really wasn't ready to face Jareth yet, but she couldn't do anything that would have harm come upon this little girl that she had grown fond of. "Alright Ardynn, show me the way."
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R/R Please? Pretty Please? I love hearing from readers! My chapters will get longer along the way, but right now the only time I have to write is during my Music Appreciation class. Soon, I'll have more time, mesa promises! ^_^