I believe any child who will be abandoned by its own mother or father will have a big trauma in his/her life later on. I mean, just look at the children whose the parents got divorced: some break down, some get out stronger than never. But still, the pain they went through had marked them. As for Sarah, I think living in a world of fantasy as she used to do when she was a child was a form of protection and in the middle of it, burst Jareth. Anyway, Sarah has a lot of suffering ahead, sorry about that, I know I promise not angst but it's necessary for her to go on.
By the way, Angii Himemiya, I LOVE YOU!!!!!! Thank you so much for your kind review!! (Hey, could you kick my macroeconomics teacher's ass? No, I'm just asking, I'm not hating him…well not really…)
Disclaimer: see chapter 1. I'm tired of writing them. (Who said lazy?)
A night to wonder. A night to wait.
Sarah snuggled closer to Jareth till her head was in the hollow of his shoulder, her arm around his waist and one of her leg firmly wrapped around one of his. The two of them were clinging to each other's side and resting silently within the deep red sheets of Sarah's bed.
Sarah sighed happily when Jareth dropped a kiss in her hair and asked him, lazily, slowly drifting to the peaceful land of dreams. "By the way, why did you come to my room in the first place?"
Jareth chuckled a little, before answering her, teasing her ."I wanted to show you something before bringing you to dinner, but you, obviously, had other plans for me…"
"Jareth!"
She slapped him playfully on the chest, eliciting more laughter from him.
Jareth grabbed her hand, laughing, his eyes twinkling with laughter and
happiness and rolled on her, pinning her under him. Sarah looked up at him. He
looked so happy. She had never seen him that
way before: when she was young, he was the regal Goblin King, high and
mighty, arrogant and cocky, a cold-hearted
bastard she had to best because he had stolen her baby brother.
"Sarah?" His deep voice startled her. "Am I losing my touch?" He teased her,
rubbing his nose against hers.
Sarah
blushed and wounded her arms around his neck, she smiled up at him and answered
him the best way she knew: she kissed him.
Some times later, the couple made its way towards the kitchen of the castle: it was still dark outside but Jareth, like Sarah, was starving to death and so the survival trip was decided. As Sarah wanted to go with Jareth but without any magic. They were sneaking in Jareth's castle, much to the amusement of the later, holding hands and grinning mischievously to one another. They avoided each guard and finally reached the kitchen. But, somebody had knew them too well: on the main table, laid two plates, with cold food, and water. Jareth laughed softly.
"It's Celia." He started to explain as he and Sarah moved around the table to sit down. He was talking in an ushered voice, not to wake anybody. "When I was little, sometimes, I'd throw some fits." Sarah didn't bother to hide her huge smile and Jareth just shook his head, rolling his eyes heavenward, but smiling too. "Once, one of them got my father mad and so he punished me: it was to be deprived of my dinner." He kept on, his voice turning nostalgic and his face softened. "Food didn't matter, but the fact of not being able to see my mother really chagrined me and that night, my mother knocked once on my door and slid a piece of paper under it, telling me to go to the kitchen when the castle would be silent." Sarah could imagine perfectly a small version of Jareth sneaking out of his chambers and ran down here.
"When I got here, my mother was there, waiting for me, with Celia, and food was laid on the table, just like that, ready to be eaten. My father knew it, of course, but he never said a word about it. I guess it was a way for him to tell me he had forgiven me." Jareth smiled sadly at her, remembering surely thousands of other memories and realization bit Sarah hard: once again, she had been shown how little she knew about the Goblin King and his world.
Sarah woke up the next day, in her bed, still in Jareth's embrace.
She was
sleeping on her side, Jareth holding her from behind, in a spoon like position,
his face buried in the small of her neck. Sarah turned around, in his arms, to
observe him: he was sleeping soundly, his fair hair falling on his eyes, his
mouth lightly agape. After their dinner, last night, or maybe this morning,
Jareth had led her to the baths where they had played in the water more than
bath. And the game led to another and to another one, which gave Jareth the
urge to transport them magically back to her rooms and bed, not that Sarah
minded, actually. She smiled at the
memory and brushed Jareth's bangs out of his eyes, to reveal his forehead,
which she kissed lightly. Jareth mumbled something in his sleep and snuggled
closer to her, tightening his hold on her in the same time. Sarah looked down at him.
So that's what my life would be like if I loved him. Do I? I let him make love
to me and I'll cherish every moment of it, but why can't I say I love him, when
it seems so easy for him?
Sarah lied down, on her side, facing Jareth. She held a hand to his face and
slowly cupped his cheek.
It was so easy to give in, to let my body rule my mind. But I feel so empty…
When Jareth finally decided to wake up, thanks to some shaking from Sarah's
part, he transported them, grumbling to Sarah's apartment. Sarah was back in
her jeans and gray tank top and she couldn't help but giggled all the way,
teasing Jareth as he obviously wasn't a morning person. It was around 10 'clock
when they arrived at Sarah's place.
"So, what are we doing?" Asked a yawning Goblin King.
"First,
find you some clothes. Then go to the mall find a present for my future sibling
and then I need to pack for the week-end." Sarah answered, taking him by the
hand and leading him in her bedroom. While she looked through her closet to
find any of shirt that would do on Jareth, the latter sat on the bed, dryly
asking her.
"I'll walk you to your parents' house but, what's wrong with my clothes?"
Sarah turned around. "Jareth," she started as if she was explaining things to a two-years old. "I don't think the world in general is read for the Goblin King in full mode high-and-mighty appearance."
Grunting, but seeing her point, Jareth answered bitterly, frowning at her. "Fine. But, I'm not wearing anything with a skirt." He stated matter-of-fact.
"A skirt?" Sarah repeated, dumbfounded.
"Last time I came here, in my humanoid form, some men were wearing skirts and high socks, I'm sorry, but I'm not wearing any of them!" He explained, crossing his arms over his broad chest, his voice slowly rising.
Comprehension
dawned on Sarah. "Kilt? Oh! Jareth, no, it's just a traditional thing from
another country! Don't worry, I won't make you wear any kilts." Sarah stifled a
giggle, but her smile said long on how she thought Jareth would look in a kilt.
"As funny as it sounds" A growl warned her to watch her tongue. "I promise I
won't." She concluded.
Satisfied, Jareth lied down on his stomach in her bed and looked around. "What's this?" He pointed out.
Sarah looked out of her closet and answered him absentmindedly. "A magazine." Sarah resumed her search, much to Jareth's annoyance. He didn't like being ignored so he sat up in the bed, grabbing Sarah by the waist and making her fall in the bed, next to him. "Jareth!" Sarah yelped but Jareth only smiled lazily back at her and showed her the magazine again. "Are there any men clothes in this?"
"Yes, but it only shows them-"
Jareth
cut her "Then, it should be enough. Choose something for me." He flopped on his
back, crossing his arms under his head and closing his eyes, he waited.
Sarah stared at him. "Jareth, you don't-"
Jareth cut her again, in a soft voice. "Just choose."
Sarah sighed heavily and turned the pages, trying to find something Jareth would like, maybe he had a trick in his sleeve with his magic. "Alright." She turned more pages, before finding something. "You'd look nice in that." She murmured almost to herself only but Jareth heard her and turned back to her.
He took a look at Sarah's choice and raised a delicate eyebrow. "Really?" He sarcastically asked her.
Sarah frowned at him, almost mad. "Listen, you asked me to choose and I chose," She pointed at the page again, "now if you're not happy-" She turned her eyes back on his slender form but she never got to finish her ranting.
Jareth
was wearing the outfit she had just found: a white and plain shirt under a
leather jacket that hung till his mid hip and a pair of black jeans. Casual but
still regal. He looked stunning. "Looks like you like it. Good. Shall we go
outside, now?" He smiled at her while she was busy staring.
"Yeah."
"Sarah?"
"Yeah?"
"It's not really polite to stare, you know."
"Yeah."
"Good, it was just to let you know."
"Yeah."
:::::-----:::::-----:::::----:::::----:::::-----::::::
They finally went out when the problem of Jareth's hair was checked. Sarah had managed to talk him into tying them into a ponytail at the base of his neck, but he had agreed only if she was the one who did it. He had been grumbling all the way when she was busy combing his hair, while he sat at her vanity, in front of her mirror.
When it was over, however, Jareth spun around, Sarah standing between his legs, his arms sneaking around her waist. He stole a kiss from her and Sarah managed to get Jareth out of her bedroom led by promising him a dozen kiss once they got back from the mall. Jareth had happily accepted and let Sarah drag him away.
On their way to the mall, Jareth couldn't help but eyeing suspiciously the cars around them, and Sarah had to laugh by his antics.
After a few hours of shopping, Sarah finally found a present for the baby. Jareth had been busy all day, trying to keep at least one hand in contact with her flesh: either around her waist, or playing with her hair, either holding her hand in his, or having an arm across her shoulders.
Sarah had found it quite disturbing at first and she had stiffened but either Jareth noticed it but said nothing, either he was too busy glaring other males away to notice the stiffness of her limbs.
But at times flew away, Sarah found herself missing Jareth's hand around her waist, or in the little of her back when they were separated by the huge crowd in the mall.
Sarah glanced at the big clock, hanging from the ceiling of the mall to see that it was almost 4 and that they haven't eaten all day. Feeling a little guilty she hadn't proposed it earlier she stopped Jareth. "Hey, aren't you hungry?" She inquired.
Jareth turned around, with a smile on his handsome face. "Of you? Always."
Sarah blushed and Jareth, enjoying himself immensely of her embarrassment, pulled her in his arms and stole a kiss from her.
When would she be the one who would steal kisses from him? His heart suddenly ached to know.
Sarah slapped him playfully on the chest and took him by the hand, leading him to small fast food restaurant to buy some sandwiches.
As they were eating, Jareth's arm on her shoulders, they passed by a library. In its window was Sarah's last released book. Jareth made them stop in front of it and stared at it. "What's your new book about?" He asked her, suddenly curious. Sarah looked up at him, swallowing slowly, pondering of if she should tell him or not…
"Well, it's a story that happens in the future, science is considered almost like a religion and the richest and those considered as useful for a scientific purpose live in domes. There's a mysterious project but, due to a catastrophe, people outside the domes were touched by a strange illness. And so, the scientists decide to find a cure but they need some bodies to experiment the medicine and that's where my hero steps in."
Sarah
stopped talking and looked up at Jareth, but he was listening to her. They
resumed walking around and Sarah kept on talking.
"He is headhunter for the domes,
nicknamed Thrones Master, as in the bible and also know as the Seventh's Pillar
of God. His name's …" Sarah hesitated before hastily saying. "Tristan."
Hoping that Jareth didn't notice her hesitation, Sarah quickly added.
"Anyway, he's a cold-hearted killer who
enjoys the hunt, as he calls it, and he likes to give in person the result of
his hunts to Althea, the head of the group D of the research groups. Results of
his hunts being the people outside he managed to trap and kill. He gives them
in person to Althea just to torment her because he had fallen in love with her
but apart from being harsh to her, he doesn't know how to react."
"Althea despises him because of what he does, because inside the domes, there
is a side of the scientists that don't approve the others methods and Althea is
one of those. Once she got trapped outside and she met some outsider people and
realized how mistaken they are in the domes, how scornful they are".
"When
Tristan saved her, she asked him why he came and his only response is because
he wanted to hear her voice. And the story developed from this part on Tristan
and Althea relationship and his secrets." Sarah concluded with a smile, rather
proud of her new story. So far, it was the darker she had ever written, but she
liked it.
Jareth smiled down at her, his eyes twinkling and he asked her. "What's Tristan real name?"
Taken aback, Sarah couldn't hide her surprise on her face and Jareth's smile widened. So, when she tried to deny, Jareth just waved her lie away. "Tristan is his real name."
Jareth shook his head. "Sarah, Sarah, Sarah… It's too late. You see, I've read all your previous books."
Sarah started to blush, knowing fully what he meant, and Jareth hugged her tighter. Against his chest, she murmured a name. "Jareth… His name's Jareth."
Jareth smiled again, "I knew it. You know why?" He bent his head, till his mouth was just over her ear. "Because at the backs of your books, it was written that it was your trademark: a character called Jareth, cold, high and mighty, scornful but powerful with a little temper. Were you thinking about me, these last years, Sarah?"
_________________________________________
Toby was scowling at the dirty dishes, lying in the sink. Grumbling, he took the first one and started to scrub it. He hated doing the washing, but he knew better than fight with his mother over that. Once, he told her he already did the washing up the day before and that it wasn't fair that it was his turn again, while she had merely raised an eyebrow and retorted that today too, he had eaten. Toby had shut up and did the washing but it didn't mean he was enjoying it.
His dad came by and patted his back amicably and without a word, he started to dry up the dishes with a towel. Toby shot him a glance and seeing his father's sad expression, no doubt his mother had asked him to help his son. Well maybe 'ask ' wasn't the best word to put it.
Smiling
to his father, Toby turned his eyes to the window, just above the sink to see a
brunette, walking toward the house, in the fading daylight. A tall man, dressed
in loose black jeans and white shirt under a leather jacket, with blond hair,
tied in a loose ponytail at the base of his neck was walking besides her,
holding a big sport bag. Toby narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out who the
woman was.
"Hey, Dad, isn't that… Sarah?" Toby asked, his sister name dying on his lips as
the tall stranger suddenly bent his head toward a familiar one of his big
sister and caught his sister's lips in a kiss.
His father had looked up and his eyes were becoming the size of his wife favorite saucer: Sarah was being kissed… no, devoured by a man!! His baby girl! Time froze and he never noticed the almost dry dish in his hands, falling on the ground in a cute, shattering noise.
Karen jerked from her chair in the living room as the sound of a plate falling on the ground. She quickly made her way to the kitchen, a little worried, and stepped inside. "Hey! Everything's…" But she found her husband and son staring something by the kitchen window, the two of them completely frozen. Startled, Karen approached and took a peer outside too.
Sarah was given a soul-shattering kiss by what seemed to be a gorgeous young man.
Karen clapped
her hands happily and smiled, joy twinkling in her eyes. The sound of clapping
hands jerked Robert from his frozen state and he whirled around, his eyes
promising the hell to the source of the noise, which turned out to be his wife.
Karen raised an eyebrow at her husband and understood the murderous glaze. She
stomped rather irritably and gave him a look, one that promised long, cold and
lonely nights on an uncomfortable couch: Sarah was an adult, for Pete's sake.
No need, now, at 25, of an over-protective, jealous, stupid father on her back.
Karen turned to Toby, to see, as expected, a mischievous smirk playing on her son's lips: he was going to tease Sarah merciless about her boyfriend… not if she could help it. Quickly, before Toby could snap out of his dirty plans to embarrass Sarah, Karen grabbed him by an ear, taking him completely by surprise.
"Alright,
you two," she spoke looking alternatively and fiercely at her husband first and
her son after, still pinching his ear, "no glares, no teasing, no remarks, no
snide comments or anything that could mention what had just happened outside
and on that young man. Is that clear? Otherwise, I'll be in the obligation to
punish the both of you."
Karen narrowed her eyes and added threatening. "One should never annoy the
woman who holds the pan, got me?"
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sarah watched Jareth disappear from her sight, before turning to her house. She lifted her bag on her shoulder and walked towards the door, a smile plastered on her lips. Even if she didn't feel like smiling, Sarah had to keep it up not to worry her parents.
Her father, Robert, slammed the door open before Sarah had a chance to take her keys out of her pocket. Sarah blinked, startled, "Heu.. Hello, dad." Her father said nothing and glared something past her. Surprised, Sarah turned around to see if something or someone was behind her, but none was there. She turned back to her father who grunted a greeting and took her sport bag from her shoulder and grumbled something about putting it in her room.
Sarah walked in the house, shrugging at her father's odd behavior and closed the door behind her. Then Karen arrived and greeted Sarah, a huge smile on her lips. "Sarah! You're finally here." The older woman took Sarah in a hug, which Sarah returned, her smile no longer a fake.
Sarah stepped back and looked at Karen's belly. "So, how long?" She asked her, an eyebrow lifted.
Karen laughed and rubbed her belly, where a new life was growing. "Well, the doctor said I'm already two months."
Sarah amazed cried out. "Two months! And you only told me two days ago!"
Karen laughed again. "Well, the reason is easy to understand, dear, because your father and i only got the good news three days ago." That was when Toby decided to make an appearance: he launched himself at Sarah and hugged the life out of her. "Sarah!!! Did you bring my present?"
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Because of Karen, Robert said nothing to Sarah about the man that kissed her during the whole evening but Karen cornered Sarah. The two of them were washing the dishes, basically catching up, while Toby and Robert were playing with Toby's new play station.
"Sarah, where have you been the last two days?" Karen suddenly asked, totally off topic, as they were talking about Sarah's last book. A bit taken by her sudden question, Sarah only manage to say, "I… I was at my place, why-" But, Karen cut her before she could complete her lie.
"Sarah, Thomas, your publisher called two days ago, asking how you were feeling. Your father doesn't know, because I answered the phone. I only told Thomas you were well, but I think I deserve some explanations, no?" Karen let a playful smile lit up her face. "Does it have anything to do with the gorgeous man I saw kissing you?" She raised an eyebrow cockily to Sarah.
Sarah sighed in surrender and dropped the towel she was using to dry the last dishes too close the door, so that their conversation would be unheard. "Yes, I was with him."
"Oh, Sarah." Karen couldn't help but feel a little betrayed as Sarah never told her anything about her new relationship. Sarah smiled, trying to apologize at Karen's hurtful tone and the two women sat down on the kitchen chairs.
"I met Jareth when I was a teenager." Sarah began. "At first, he wasn't what you could call a good friend, to sum up, we hated each others guts." Well, it's not totally true, but it's better that way. "And Jareth went back home, in… Great Britain."
"Anyway, the day you called me, I went out to buy a gift for the baby and I ran into him. He invited me for lunch, which I agreed, after all, it had been ten years. And Jareth told me he loved me…"
Sarah paused, still a little shocked that she was actually telling things of her heart like that to Karen. Staring completely out of space, not bothering to acknowledge Karen, Sarah let her emotions ran high, letting all her heart out.
"I was astonished, I couldn't say a word, all those years I was wrong, thinking he hated me. And, now, and now, I… I… I truly don't know what to do." Sarah almost broke down, her body went limp and her head bent, she tried to take some deep, calming breaths.
Karen asked her softly. "And, what do you feel for Jareth?"
Speechless,
Sarah jerked her head up to meet Karen's eyes. "I… I don't know. I mean, yes, I
found out that I like him… I mean, in a way, I already liked him when I was
fifteen, well, I was head over heels for him and when he left, it hurt like
hell but I managed to go on, and now… Oh, I just don't know what to do anymore,
Jareth is confusing the hell out of me!"
Karen suddenly interrupted her ranting, "Why are you so scared?" She asked.
"What?" Confused, Sarah looked up to observe Karen and understand what she meant but the older woman face was both angry and desperate.
"Sarah? You're scared. It's clearly written all over your face! Why are you scared of…" Karen marked a pause, pain in her eyes, "Love? You're in love with Jareth, that's as clear as bright daylight but you refuse to let go, why, Sarah? What's holding you back?" Karen looked like ready to burst in tears. She just couldn't see why Sarah refused to accept what that man was offering to her.
Sarah found her voice again and tried to answer, "Karen, I... I don't know what you mean…"
But Karen interrupted her again, almost snapping at her. "Yes, you do. That's the only question, Sarah, why are you scared of love."
Karen stood up and walked to the door, which she opened. "But, the answer is for you, and you only to find."
With a
last glance, Karen got out of the kitchen, leaving a very confused Sarah alone
with her thoughts and sat on the couch, next to her husband and son, unnoticed
by the two of them as they were busy playing with the play station Sarah had
brought along.
"I hate you, Linda. For destroying this child."
___________________________________
Sarah
just couldn't sleep.
She kept on tossing around in her bed, trying to understand what Karen meant.
After their chat in the kitchen Sarah had fled in her room, with an awkward
excuse on her being tired, and with a goodnight, shut herself out. But sleep
eluded her. Sarah sighed. Funny…it is the first night that I sleep alone since
Jareth's back in my life…
Sarah almost smiled and turned around. Since Jareth was back in her life. Her
life. Some much and so little had happened during these twenty-five years.
First, her mother left her behind to
pursue her acting career, not bothering to send a card or anything to let her
own daughter she was still alive. And then, her dad, her sweet daddy, the one
she had thought would be always there for her and her only, marrying someone
else, bringing another woman in her life without her being aware, and then
wishing Toby away and Jareth.
Sure, she settled with wishing Toby away, with Karen and her and even with Jareth, now, but not with her mother. No, never with her own mother, the one she was supposed to be the closest to. Not knowing why though, Sarah started to weep silently in her bed till she fell finally asleep.
Somewhere
else, in a glittering crystal ball, turning slowly in a gloved hand, her image
was being reflected. Jareth was
watching her.
"Stupid woman. How could you leave your own daughter and brings so much pain in
her life a so long time after?"
___________________________________
Galion
was asleep.
In his king-size bed, within the soft green sheets, lied the mighty War Lord of
the West, one of his arms under his head, used as a pillow, snoring softly.
When his wife died, Galion had refused to take another woman, not even for a
night but he couldn't bring himself to change their room. His bedchambers still
held the feminine touch of his late wife: tones of green and blue, color of the
trees and the skies, furniture made of wood.
Even her closet was still there, all her make-up on her vanity, some blond
strands of hair lingering in her brush. Sometimes, Galion would pick up some of
the perfumes that she had used the most, just to smell her.
When he was feeling desperately lonely and old, he'd open her closet and touch her dresses, imagining her in her favorite blue dress, or seeing her again in that deep red dress, made of velvet, running towards him.
He'd
still cry sometimes, but it was becoming less and less often with time. He had
cried, alone in the dark of his room, when they had thought Calandra would die
from an illness, he had cried, feeling hopeless and useless, but Calandra had
survived and his tears had dried. He had cried, in front of his children when
they had found their mother's wedding dress, the one she had kept for Calandra.
A slap on his head woke him up with a start.
"What?" Sleepy and groggy, the War Lord turned on his left to find his younger brother, next to him, sitting on his bed, his long legs crossed on one another, his black boots shining in the moonlight, his back against the top of the bed. Jareth was glaring at something in the dark, not looking at him. Galion sighed and rolled on his back, an arm on his eyes, waiting for Jareth to explain himself.
"She
still doesn't trust me." The Goblin
King started, his voice as had as his stony face. "I know she loves me, but she
can't bring herself to trust me. Why?" Jareth was livid.
Galion dropped his arm and looked up at Jareth, the scowl still on the
youngster face. "Jareth, talking with me won't make her trust you. By the way,
what are doing in my castle and on my bed, in the middle of the night?" Galion
asked, quite brutally, not really enjoying his brother's visit.
Jareth answered by a grunt and shrugged, refusing to look at his brother. Galion sighed again. It reminded him of the times when Sarah had left the Labyrinth for the first time: Jareth would pop out of nowhere, at any hours of the days or the nights and refuse to speak to days sometimes and then disappear without telling anyone.
"You know, the last time you crawled in my bed was because you had a nightmare and was afraid to go to sleep alone. You were barely eight."
"Shut up." A small chuckle filled the night, answering the Goblin King's dry comment. "And I wasn't scared." He added hastily.
"Yeah, sure. You know where your room is. I'm too tired to talk to you right now: I had to drag Calandra back here and threaten her to be grounded for the next month if she sneak out of the castle to see Sarah, without talking, of course, what I had to do and promise Nathan to convince him to go to bed. Get some sleep, Jar, I'm tired and so are you. And if you're not here when I wake up tomorrow morning, you'll be able to tell us what the bottom of that damn bog of yours looks like, got me?"
"Whatever."
The weight next to Galion suddenly vanished and Galion felt his heart grow heavy for Jareth, turning his head on the side, he observed the silver moon by the window, playing among the clouds. Sighing, as sleep evaded him, Galion suddenly remembered a song his mother used to sing before being taken away with illness. If he remembered correctly, it was a song about an unrequited love, about a human beast, which loved a woman who loved another, in a city of Aboveground.
|
Lune |
Moon |
___________________________________
Saturday passed like a blur to Sarah: she and Karen spent the whole day in the mall, buying a lot of stuff for the baby or just windows drooling. Sarah had managed to talk Toby in and thanks to her little brother's presence, Karen avoided bringing Jareth's topic on, to Sarah's great relief. Even if the day passed by smoothly, whenever Sarah would see a tall blond man, her feet would freeze and her heart would jump in her chest, murmuring his name.
Sarah's
father joined them for dinner, in a small Italian restaurant, next to the mall,
gasping at the number of bags his woman brought along. He sighed deeply and
told Toby, loud enough for the women to hear.
"My son, I think we'll have to tighten
our belts this month." Karen and Sarah laughed and Toby giggled.
On the way back home, Toby fell asleep in the car and Sarah felt like joining her little brother in the peaceful land of sleep. She gazed out the window at the moon
The
half-moon was playing hide and seek with the clouds and the stars was
glittering gently down on earth. Sarah found herself suddenly wondering if
Jareth could see the moon right now… this thought nearly brought tears to her
eyes but the gods were kind on her, tonight, as it was the moment that they
arrived home. Sarah almost ran to her bedroom after biding her parents
goodnight and threw herself on the bed, head hid in her arms, tears stinging
her eyes.
What the hell was wrong with her? Why
was she feeling cornered by Jareth? Why was she so dependant of him? Because it
could only result in pain for her, just like everybody else, he'd end up
leaving her behind. Yes, her father came back to her, yes, Karen turned out to
be nice, finally, yes, she loved Toby but they had already left her once, who
could prevent them for doing it again?
Sarah suddenly raised her head from her arms: she was scared of love because
she was scared of being rejected, just like with her mother.
The morning after, when Sarah woke up, she crawled to her mirror to see what a night of crying had done to destroy her face: as expected her eyes were the size of a ball, her cheeks were red while her nose could compete with a tomato.
Sarah sighed and went to the bathroom to try to restore the damages. However, it didn't truly worked, and when she went downstairs, she left the sunglasses she was about to put on, back in her bag and squared her shoulders. Hopefully, her father would still be asleep.
When she
got in the kitchen, she found Karen reading the papers before a cup of tea.
Karen looked up from her reading and stared at Sarah, without saying anything,
without her face revealing anything. She then sighed and stood up, taking
another teabag from the curtain and put it in a cup with some hot water.
Without a word, Sarah sat down and watched, without truly seeing, Karen prepare
another cup of tea. When Karen decided that it was enough, she, at Sarah's
surprise, threw hers and the new cup of tea away, keeping the teabags that she
put in a small plate, leaving the mugs in the sink.
"It's
still early," Karen said, in a low voice, "Toby and your father are still
asleep." With a soft smile, she handed Sarah the plate with the teabags, "Put
these on your eyes, it'll get them less…big." Sarah smiled bitterly and took
the plate from Karen and with a last smile went up in her room.
The teabags went wonderfully: it decreased Sarah's eyes size, but not enough to
go unnoticed by her father.
Around
noon, Sarah brought her sport bag down, ready to get back to her flat.
Toby shouted her a goodbye, see you next week from the living room where he was
playing with the play station she had bought and Sarah smiled, shaking her
head. Karen and her father walked her to the door and as Sarah thanked Karen
for everything, making the older woman shake her head in a 'no-need' matter,
Sarah's father decided that it was enough: he let his anger explode.
"Sarah!"
He almost yelled, making his wife and daughter jump out of their skins. "Who
the hell is that damned guy who's making you cry! For I swear on what's dear to
me, I'll skin him alive! Is it that bastard who kissed you on Friday?" A vein
was actually popping out of his forehead and he had a fist raised, while his
face was still not sure which shade of red it should take.
Unfortunately for him, his father outrage mode didn't work on the women and
they burst in laughter. Laughing, Sarah wrapped her arms around her father's
neck, feeling that a weight was suddenly being lifted of her heart, and told
him sweetly. "Don't worry, Dad, I'm still your little girl."
::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::-::
On, the top of Galion's castle, was a tower. A lone and cold tower, on which the winds battled, trying to bring it down, but the tower remained. At the top of this tower, was a room. Oddly enough, contrary to the tower looks, this room was cozy and warm, thanks to the huge fireplace, which heated up the whole room and the red and old carpets. Above the fireplace, was a painting.
A painting done with love, a painting of a woman with long blond hair and warm amber eyes. Anybody who'd look at this painting would instantly know how Calandra would age, as it was a painting of her mother, Emerald.
Leaning on the side of the fireplace, eyes lost in the fire, was Jareth.
His long cloak resting carelessly on the back of one of the two chairs in front of the fire, while in the other one was Galion.
Jareth was wearing a short, black jacket, on one of his poet shirt, tucked in his black pants. His silver medallion shifting to orange, passing by yellow to red, in the firelight. His hard profile and tight jaw showed Galion that his little brother was having an inner battle and whenever Jareth was brooding this way, all Galion could was to suffer in silence and wait for his brother.
Because Jareth was. His only remaining family: it didn't matter if they weren't brother by blood, no, what they went through together mattered, the good memories as the bad times, their fights like theirs laughs.
Almost smiling, Galion ran a hand over his jaw, where Jareth had hit him. It was still painful but Galion didn't heal himself as he had promised Nathan he'd let the little boy heal him, for practice.
Galion
was wondering how he could keep Calandra out of trouble for the next few days,
when Jareth's deep voice broke the silence. "I'm so weak when she's concerned."
He refused to turn around to look at his brother, but Galion saw the knuckles,
resting on the mantelpiece, turning white as Jareth held tighter on it. And
realization dawned.
"You slept with her." It was a statement, no need here of denial, because the
War Lord knew it to be true.
As if
somebody had hit him in the stomach, Jareth turned around, his face livid. His
tense shoulders and closed fists would have meant death for another one than
Galion.
However, Jareth managed to push through
his gritted teeth. "Nice way to put it, brother, thank you and yes, I did." He
walked to the other chair, facing the fire, next to Galion's and put his feet
on the small table, in front of them.
Galion suppressed a smile and shrugged. "Bah, I'm just calling a cat a cat. Why bother with stupid formulas?"
Jareth held an eyebrow at him and laughed a bit too joyfully to Galion's liking. "I can't wait the time when you'll have to explain the difference between girls and boys to your kids!"
Cold sweat suddenly ran down Galion's spine and he shivered madly, closing his eyes in distress. "Shut up. I'm already freaking out at the thought." He snapped.
Jareth's laughter slowly died, leaving the two men in a tense silence, each of them pondering on their problems: Jareth with Sarah, Galion with puberty and his children. Galion's eyes naturally flickered to Emerald's portrait and for maybe the thousandth time, wished that she was still by his side.
Still staring at his beloved face, Galion slowly broke the silence with his soft voice. "Jar, love can either be a strength either a weakness."
Jareth raised his eyes to watch his brother's face and saw him still staring at Emerald. Galion's voice dropped to a whisper, forcing Jareth to lean forward to actually hear when Galion was saying.
"Love can blind you and you'd hurt the others around you, without noticing it."
Galion's gaze left the painting to rest for a few seconds on Jareth's face and he caught just in time, the look on his brother's face. Both men, as if working under a silent truce turned their eyes back to the painting but when Galion's stayed, Jareth turned his head away.
"But, love can make you grow too: bringing out the best in you as the worse, to let you know yourself better. Love can be a plague like a blessing. And, Jar, it's up to you to decide in what your love is going to turn into." Galion finished slowly returning to face Jareth.
Jareth leaned back in his chair and massaged his forehead, eyes closed, as if he was having a headache. "Then, why do I feel weak?" He asked Galion, his voice sounding desperate.
Galion was truly surprised of Jareth's painful expression. "Really? Do you really feel weak, Jar?" He asked, surprise evident in his voice, making Jareth looked up. "If Sarah asked you, tomorrow to bring her the moon, what would you do?"
Without leaving the time to Jareth to find an answer, Galion kept on. "I know what you'll do: you'll turn this world into a living hell, if necessary, to bring her the moon. You'll do anything in your power to fulfill her wishes. Am I wrong?"
Jareth avoided his brother gaze, preferring staring at the dancing flames. "… No. " He finally answered, after a silence.
Galion smiled sadly and titled his head on the side, his eyes suddenly old and his whole body feeling suddenly heavy. "So, are you truly that weak, Goblin King?" He asked softly, an ironic smile on his lips.
Jareth burst in bitter laughter. "Can you believe it? Me, Jareth, the feared Goblin King, on his knees before a mere mortal, I who didn't know what the word 'weak' meant before meeting Sarah…" His laughter dried in his throat, and Galion could have sworn he saw some tears in the Goblin King's eyes. "She doesn't trust me." Jareth added, his head bent to the point it looked like it was resting on his chest.
"But she did sleep with you, didn't she?"
Jareth's body shook again with a bitter laugh and he answered his brother, slowly raising his head. "She offered me her body, but her heart is still out of my reach."
"I thought you wanted to wait till she loved you." Galion observed, thoughtful.
"I couldn't. I guess I overestimated my own willpower. "
"What about her?" Galion suddenly inquired.
Jareth turned his head to meet his brother's gaze, confused. "What?"
"Jareth, she's been here for two days."
Galion slowly explained, suddenly feeling cross at Jareth to be so dense. "And she fell in your arms on the first. Doesn't it prove you that she loves you? Because she does, brother, even if she tries to deny it." Galion tried to sound positive and sure of himself, even if deep down, he was still doubting on what Sarah truly felt for Jareth. Oh, there was so obviously some love, but something was holding her back. Even Calandra noticed it.
Jareth shook his head in denial and started, in an impersonal voice, as if trying to block the pain away. "When she was little, her mother abandoned her, her father remarried without even telling her and her stepmother didn't know how to handle her at first." Jareth looked miles away, talking about her, and a smile slowly crossed the king's lips. "Sarah, being who she is, rebellious, fiery and strong-willed, couldn't forgive her father and put all her anger on her stepmother and her baby brother."
"Then, she wished him away." Galion concluded.
"Yeah. And she learnt that she loved him. And things between her stepmother and herself went better and better, she forgave her father, but she never heard of her mother again."
"She's scared of being rejected again." Galion suddenly said, almost cutting Jareth.
Jareth stared at his brother for a long time. That could make sense. "But, how can I make her understand I won't push her away?"
Galion sighed and shrugged. "I never said I had the answers to everything, Jareth."
"Then, God damnit, what use are you?"
Hey, guys, have any of you a dad like the one I pictured for Sarah? I hope not, because it's scary. Really, you can believe me. Mine calmed down, but he took his time. -_-;
Mikim