Some people have been asking for another chapter. Hum. Here it is. I've always believe I was best at writing angst than WAFF. Ah, well. This part is rather dark, sorry.
It was another almost normal day in the Underground; the afternoon was coming closer to the night with the sun drifting slowly to the horizon. The city in general was happy and bets were getting quite high as the Queen was approaching her sixth month of pregnancy. Bets on the sex of the first child and Heir of the Goblin King. But, if his subjects were happily placing their money on his child, boy or girl, the Goblin King, himself, wasn't at the moment, sparing a thought to his incoming child as a splitting headache was cursing him, thanks to a little girl.
"Waah!!!!!" The squirming child bellowed as Jareth, King of Goblins, paced in his throne room. He no longer had a headache; no it was like somebody was ramming a burning sword inside his skull. Jareth moved his fingers in little circles on his temples, each time stronger. "Waaah!!" The howling kept on, but Jareth did his best to ignore it, as he collapsed more than sat on his throne.
The child was a small black haired girl and her curly hair could have fooled anyone, including him, Jareth thought bitterly. Her too young father had wished her away, and it was no wonder, for all she did was scream and yell and upset the others. Thus the reason she was here...hitting her little fists against Jareth's knees.
Usually, when a child was wished away, Jareth would come, pick it up, and then bring the little one to the playroom where almost all the wished away children were. That was also where he and Sarah spent half of their days.
Wishing a child away wasn't as exceptional as one could think of, in fact, it happened several times a day, in different countries and languages. So, the Labyrinth rulers had for long decided on a list of conditions for a child to be retrieved: first, the one who wished the child away had to be a member of the family.
Second, the child had to be no older than ten years old.
Third, the wish had to come from the heart.
Fourth, the King was allowed to test the one who had wished the child away to meet up with his or hers resolution.
And fifth and lastly, the King had the right, if accepted, to erase the memories of the one who had wished the child away.
Most of the time, Jareth would ignore the summoning, since some of them would fulfill all the conditions: Sarah had been an exception. His minions, bored shitless, had overlooked the third condition and that was why Jareth had allowed people to help her.
But, when the father of this one, Maria, he thought the girl was called, had wished the child away, Jareth had been puzzled by the sadness and need expressed in the summoning. From what Jareth had seen and heard when he had talked to the father, Maria was an unexpected birth and the mother, a younger girl, aged sixteen, had died in childbirth and the young father of eighteen, back then, had seen his own family turn its back on him.
Since then, he had tried to raise his daughter alone and was failing miserably. The young man, Josh, was said to be named, couldn't give Maria the family environment the child needed, but Josh just couldn't give up Maria to an orphanage. He had said he wanted a really loving family for his little girl, not someone who could just be after some easy money.
Jareth had asked him how he had found out the right words. And Josh had smiled sheepishly, returning an instant to the youth that he was, and said that Maria's mother used to read a lot of fantasies novels on how Fae people would come and snatch small human children for the ones they couldn't conceive. Josh's young chocolate eyes bore a hole in Jareth's soul as their gazes met.
Jareth could feel that Josh didn't really want to give up on Maria deep down, so he had given the young man a chance to win his daughter back. Josh had nearly refused but then, he had taken a look at Maria's sleeping face and had reached for the crystal, his face firm.
So that was why the young twenty-three year old, Josh Hampston was running through his Labyrinth. Jareth could no longer hear Maria, deep in thought. Josh had been desperate, desperate enough to call upon a Goblin King. Oh, he knew Aboveground people no longer believed in his kin, but Josh did. He believed and called. He had wished from the very bottom of his heart for his daughter to be taken away, even if it broke his on the way. Why? Jareth had asked. Josh had smiled. It's the best for her. He had answered.
He was a father too. Well, a father-to-be, but soon enough, Sarah would bring to the world his, their child, first if he could help it. Jareth smiled wryly, his thoughts getting back to Josh. Young or old, Josh had tried to be the best father for Maria. He had tried to bring her the best, but couldn't cope in his world. Nor could he seek the help of his own family and Jareth was sure he was probably banned from Maria's mother's family.
Jareth's eyes fell on Maria's form. The girl had stopped hitting on his knees and was now sitting at his feet, sniffling. At five, she was a feisty little one. Jareth smiled down on her but Maria didn't see it as she rubbed her little fists on her face red from crying. She would soon fall asleep and Jareth bent to gather her surprised little form in his arms and sat her on his lap, smiling reassuringly to her.
"How old are you, little one?" He asked, his voice gentle. Maria looked up, surprised and sniffled. Jareth chuckled and conjured a white tissue and helped her to wipe her nose.
"I'm like this, Papa said," Maria answered quietly, looking Jareth straight in the eyes, as if defying him, holding her little right hand opened, each of her fingers extended.
"Do you know how much it makes?" Jareth asked again. Maria nodded firmly but didn't answer, but rather kept her eyes locked with his. Surprising Jareth, she held up her chubby hand to put it just under his right eye.
"It's not the same." She remarked, pushing her pink little lips in a pout.
"No," Jareth agreed, prying her fingers from his face gently, "it's different."
"Mine are the same." Maria pointed out, gesturing to her own eyes.
"Yes, they are," Jareth answered just as gravely. "But, sometimes it happens that the color of your eyes are different from each other."
Narrowing her eyes, as if she thought Jareth was mocking her, the little girl pouted a bit. "Why?"
Jareth smiled fondly, despite the façade he had put up for Sarah when she had wished away Toby, the Goblin King cared for the children sent to him, although, he would never show it or even admit it, except to the children. "Well, look at your hair." Jareth said, taking gently one of her lock in his hand, brushing it against her nose, making her giggle. "It's all black and mine is all blond. It's the same for the eyes."
Maria looked up at him and Jareth was surprised to see her huge chocolate eyes to fill up with tears when a minute before she was giggling. No wonder why her father was so desperate if she had so many mood swings. "Papa says it's like Mama's," she said quietly and Jareth understood.
He smiled down at her again. "Really? Then your Mama must have been beautiful," he said softly.
Maria sniffled once more. "Where's Papa?"
Jareth's eyes softened as the question passed the barrier of her lips. He knew that was coming. Each of the children he had taken away had asked the very same question, some sooner than others but they all ended up asking while he'd answer without fail. "Do you like your Papa?"
Maria's sobs grew stronger and Jareth conjured another tissue. "Where's Papa? I want my Papa!"
Jareth made the little girl lean against his chest and before her eyes, made one of his crystals appear, quieting her sobs instantly as wonder took over her fear. "Here, look in this." He gestured the crystal closer to her face where she could see her father running inside the Labyrinth. "There is your Papa," he said gently.
"You put him in a ball?" Maria asked, narrowing her eyes once more, angry and Jareth restrained from laughing.
"No, little one, it's a… Like the television," he explained.
Maria nodded in understanding and called, her tears coming back. "Papa."
"Yes." Jareth conjured a blue blanket and wrapped it around her little shoulders.
"I want my Papa," Maria cried.
"Hush… Sleep tight, little one." Jareth whispered in her ear as he employed the sleeping spell. Maria was indeed amazing, he hadn't thought he would have needed one. But she had proved to be greatly attached to her father… With mood swings… And quite a nasty temper… And a loud voice… Josh must have suffered with this little monster between his legs.
Jareth smiled fondly at the little girl in his arms. She had caused him a splitting headache, but she had also taken it away. Jareth stood up carefully, Maria covered in the soft blue blanket in his arms, not that she would have woken up thanks to his spell, and strolled to the huge windows facing his throne. Soon, he'd have to set up the illusion for Josh. He'd have to ask to all the children to come to his throne room to play the Goblins. They all loved to play the Goblins, as they say, even if they didn't really know what the one they were fooling was seeing.
King of Goblins… The thought made Jareth smiled wryly. Rather King of Illusions, he corrected.
The goblins did exist but never would they let a High Fae rule them, nor work for him even if he paid them. But the Aboveground people believed he was their King, so to meet up to their expectations, he, like all the "Goblins Kings" before him, had set up an illusion making them see nasty goblins running around, making fools of them, being mean to each others while in fact, they were only children allowed to run around. When a challenger would reach the throne room, everything would change, even the light to his eyes: the castle would lose its color, turning moody and horrifying while the children in the throne room would turn into smelly green creatures.
To set up such illusions, Jareth needed a base and the children were it. Even if in reality they were only sitting on the ground, in the challenger's eyes, they were running around. The children. Jareth let a sigh escape him. They loved to set up such illusions. They thought it was funny. Sure, it was in their eyes, but straining in his point of view.
Absent-mindedly, as usual when he thought about them, Jareth extended his mind to check on his little fourteen boarders. Currently, they were all in the playroom, with Sarah. The eldest was seven and the youngest three months. They had been wished away less than two months ago, the time Jareth usually needed to find them suitable parents that Jareth trusted enough to give a child to. With the children were three other people looking after them, making sure that they wouldn't hurt themselves and entertaining them: Sarah, Meg, and her fiancé, Eli.
Jareth smirked as a memory flashed in his mind: the day he had explained to Sarah who Hoggle truly was, and the day he had explained everything was an illusion. Things were never what they seemed to be.
Hoggle truly existed, in fact he was one of Jareth's oldest friends, helping him to pick out families and following the evolution of each child he had taken from the Aboveground, but Hoggle had never looked like a dwarf. In fact, he was taller than Jareth with broad shoulders and midnight blue eyes that helped him with his tendency to flirt with every skirt walking by. He was a dark-haired young man with a dry and cynical humor that Jareth knew for maybe half of his life.
Since Sarah wasn't really meeting up with the conditions for him to take away a child, Jareth had asked his friend to be the base of a help he was allowing Sarah to have, or very little help in Sarah's point of view. This way she would realize how much she truly loved her brother by herself. Hoggle had just helped her subtly, implying things, leading her, helping her to sort out her feelings, but making sure she believed she was doing it on her own and it had worked.
Even if Sarah had been mad at Jareth for weeks after for deceiving her, Hoggle and Sarah were once more close friends. Sarah had learned to see through the illusions Jareth had cast on her to see the real Hoggle, which was something he had been greatly relieved and glad for, as Hoggle had been angry with Jareth for giving him a big head and a small body. Jareth shook his head, smiling. Hoggle wasn't at the castle today. He was out, checking out a new family for the baby of three months. As always, he wasn't there when he was needed. Jareth looked down at the small bundle sleeping in his arms and frowned. What was he going to do with Maria and her father?
Warm hands ran along his waist to finally encircle him with slender arms. Sarah rested her cheek against his shoulder and peeked over at the sleeping child. "Oh, Jareth, can't you just let Maria and her father go back together Aboveground?" she whispered, staring at Maria. Slowly, Jareth turned around and sat on the windowsill, placing Maria carefully against his chest again, and raised his eyes to meet hers.
Sarah was dressed in a long pastel blue dress, with long sleeves that she liked. Her long black hair was tied behind her neck with a loose blue ribbon. She looked exquisite, with her swelling belly and pale face framed by some loose black strands of her hair.
If there was a moment in the day that Jareth preferred, it was to watch Sarah dress every morning. How she would hum softly while choosing something in the wardrobe, or how she would ask for his opinion, knowing full well she wouldn't take it into account, or how she would brush her hair till it was glossy. He loved her hair, its odor, its color opposite to his and its smoothness under his fingers. He hoped their baby would have her hair.
"Why?" he asked her, whispering also. "To have him wish her away to me again?" His voice turned acid and Sarah obviously winced as she extended her arms to him, to wrap them around him again. "You know as well as I that if a child was wished away to me twice I would take it without any chance of bringing it back."
Jareth placed one of his hands on her swelling belly. It wasn't really huge yet, but he could feel his child's life pulse inside. Sighing, Jareth pulled Sarah closer by pulling gently on her dress till he could rest his cheek against her stomach.
"But, Jareth, she obviously loves her father dearly and he loves her too!" Sarah pleaded, looking at Maria between them, running one of her hands in his wild hair.
Jareth gritted his teeth. "If he conquers the Labyrinth then he'd go back home with his daughter in his arms." Sarah pulled away from his arms and stared down at him, unbelieving.
"Jareth!" she exclaimed, upset.
"You'll wake her," Jareth whispered urgently back at her. "How are the others?"
Sarah quieted down and scowled at him. "They were asking after you. Meg and Eli stayed with them."
The two of them remained silent for while and Jareth leaned on the window, Maria on his chest, while Sarah looked away, torturing her hands. The motion bewitched Jareth for a while, then he looked up to her face and asked her. "What is it?"
Sarah sighed and tried to find her words. "Jareth, what if our positions were reversed?" she finally asked him, not looking at him.
Jareth narrowed his eyes. He and Sarah were both in foul moods: she because she wanted Maria to go back with her father, and he because he too wanted deep down to send Maria back with Josh, but wouldn't do it because it was going against Josh's wish, and somehow, Jareth understood him. "What do you mean?" He knew they were going to have a fight. Hoggle was never there when he was needed.
"What if…" Sarah bit her lower lip. How was she going to formulate that? She was worried, she knew Jareth loved children, but they weren't his own and what about the little one currently growing in her? "What if Josh was the Goblin King and you, Maria's father…" Sarah took a deep breath and turned to face Jareth. "Wouldn't you wish for a second chance?"
Jareth's form was outlined by the fading daylight. His blond hair having a red aura and his broad shoulders took an even more impressive look. His face was partly in the shadows as the torches in the throne room weren't lit up yet but Sarah could see his mismatched eyes twinkling dangerously.
"That's what I'm giving him!" Jareth snarled angrily, his voice barely a whisper.
Sarah stomped her foot, he hadn't understood. "Jareth! That's not what I meant!"
Jareth growled and stood up, abruptly, causing Maria to groan in annoyance in her sleep. "Then, to answer your question, then yes, I would run the Labyrinth." How could she still doubt like this?
Sarah smiled. She had been worried for the last several days after talking to a midwife, asking her about the risks of childbirth, but despite the reassurances of the old woman Sarah couldn't help but think to herself that death for a mother could happen. Then, what would happen to her child? What would happen to Jareth? But his angry manner and his possessiveness at least cleared her mind. Even if she weren't there any longer, Jareth wouldn't give up their child. "How is he doing?" She didn't want to tell him of her fears, she knew she was a little silly as she wasn't going to be the first mother to give birth and it was extremely rare to die during childbirth, but at least, she knew that Jareth wouldn't give up.
Jareth looked behind him, through the window, looking at the sunset, leaving his mind to reach the Labyrinth and its challenger. "Not well. Besides, he only has nine hours left."
Sarah walked closer to him to place her hands on one of his arms. "Jareth…" She let her voice trail, looking up pleadingly at him, locking her gaze with his when he turned his head in her direction.
But, Jareth's answer was ruthless. "No. I bend the rules far too much for you, little one."
Sarah sighed, annoyed and stomped her foot a little. "When are you going to give up that habit of calling me 'little one'? It's rather annoying, you know!" She tried to light up the mood and was rewarded by a small kiss against her lips, followed by a quick whisper.
"If he fails, I will give him another chance," Jareth promised and hope rose in Sarah's chest.
"Really?" she asked, her eyes expectant, clapping her hands like an eager child.
Jareth let a smile cross his lips and shook his head lightly. "Not what you think."
Sarah's mouth opened in anger and she frowned. "What? Jareth! What is it?"
Jareth leaned against her again, resting his forehead against hers. "He's a believer, Sarah," he whispered urgently, his eyes twinkling. "He believes, like you do, in us, in my kind. No one does anymore, Aboveground, or very few."
Sarah's eyes widened in comprehension and she said, almost fearing. "You'll propose him to stay here."
"Well, why not?" Jareth straightened and looked down at Sarah who started to ponder his proposal. "Unlike the others, he didn't say the words out of anger but in despair. He didn't say them half-heartedly, he knew what would happen, but did it anyway and was ready to accept the consequences." At each of his arguments, he saw Sarah fall deeply in his point of view but she still questioned him.
"Is it fair?" she asked, sadly.
"Fair?" Jareth repeated. "Do you really believe it was fair when one of his own family members chose to ignore him and his daughter when they needed them?" His voice rose and Sarah backed away in front of him, frightened.
Jareth was losing his temper. He knew he had no right to yell at Sarah, but she wasn't the source of his problem. He was. He was scared of being a father. What if he did everything wrong? What if nothing went the way he hoped for his child? What if… So many questions and so little answers, Josh's desperation being only the match that lit up all his worries.
"Do you really believe it was fair of the child's mother's family to blame him for the death of their daughter?"
He couldn't stop himself anymore and each of the questions he was blaming Sarah with, were in fact directed against him.
"Or blame this child? Is your world really fairer than mine? Understand me, Sarah, I'm called upon several times a day or night."
He should stop. Sarah was scared of him and his accusations. He had no right, she was his wife, she was his love, how could her worry her more like that, how could he yell at her like that, how could he unleash all his pent-up feelings he had sworn to himself not to show, her fall on her like that?
But he couldn't stop either, it was like falling from the top of a waterfall and drowning slowly.
"I hear the mothers' cries, or the ones of the father, ordering me to come and take away a child. Have you seen the faces of the little ones in the playroom? Do you really believe they were happier Aboveground?"
Sarah broke into tears in front of Jareth, tears she had been fighting to keep hidden. Why was he so angry? "I… I don't know!" Her sobs grew stronger and with each of them, Jareth felt like a punch was sent in his stomach, crushing his anger and frustration.
He extended one of his hands towards her, and the other was secured under Maria, and he pulled her towards him. He hugged her gently and whispered in her ear. "Sarah…" he begged her, he couldn't stand her tears. "Sarah, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled on you like that, it was uncalled for, Sarah." He pleaded with her.
Sarah's sobs quieted shortly after, but sniffling, she raised her face to look up at him. "Oh, Jareth. It's just that, just that…" She hiccupped, unable to finish her thought.
Jareth kissed her on the lips gently, before whispering his eyes gentle, locked with hers. "What is it dear?"
"I…" Sarah stammered and wiped her tears away. "Would you… If you were in Josh's position, would you…" She couldn't bring herself to say it. In her eyes, it was the most horrible deed to do but in his it was a blessing for the child. Call it maternal instinct or whatever but she couldn't bring herself to even think of giving up her own baby.
"Would I wish our child away?" Jareth ended for her. "Josh believes Maria will have a better life here." He explained, before saying firmly, leaving her without any doubts. "Then, yes, I would. If I ever fell apart, if I no longer had you by my side, then I would try to save at least our child even if it kills me." He added in a hoarse whisper, his eyes burning with a fire she had learned to recognize of possessiveness and passion, a look he only reserved for her. Despite her puffy eyes from crying, Sarah smiled and kissed him on the cheek.
"I love you. I'll wait with you and I hate those temper swings the pregnancy is giving me," she added in a dry tone, which made Jareth chuckle.
He had, more then her, suffered those temper swings. She could be as sweet as a cat with cream on its whiskers, then change, in less than a second, into a raging tornado for nothing. She had always restrained herself when other people were around, but when they were alone she would unleash all her frustrations on him and he could only suffer in silence.
"Now, you shouldn't be on your feet. Let's get back to the playroom." He gently turned her around and pushed her in the direction of the door.
Sarah looked behind her, walking, and frowned. "But, Maria had upset the others earlier."
"It's okay, now." Jareth smiled, looking down at Maria. "She trusts me, she was just scared. It happens sometimes when the wished away child is loved."
They reached the hall and strolled down it. "How old is she?" Sarah asked, tucking a lock of Maria's hair out of her face.
"Five," Jareth answered slowly. For maybe the thousandth times of seeing Sarah taking care of one of the little boarders of his castle, Jareth wished the child was theirs.
Her green eyes turned shiny and sad as she asked aloud. "How could her grandparents turn their backs to this little angel?"
Jareth shook his head and stopped in front of the playroom door. "Why do I have so much wished away children rummaging my castle?" Behind it, he could hear the others running and laughing.
He willed the door to open and half bowed in front of Sarah, his hands holding Maria securely to his chest. "After you, milady."
Sarah stifled a laugh and curtsied. "Thank you, kind sir." She walked in the room to be quickly surrounded by a group of five little children, three boys and two girls. Those were the eldest of the whole in the playroom.
One of the boys noticed the King behind his wife and grinned, calling after him. "Uncle Jareth!"
A young man with black hair and glasses over his chocolate eyes came forward to restrain the young boy from jumping on Jareth. "Your Highness" he welcomed Jareth with a smile and a light bow.
Suddenly the others noticed Jareth too and they all gathered around him. "Uncle Jareth!" a girl squealed. Jareth held an important place in their hearts and new lives, as he was the one who had brought them there, soothing their fears away and playing with them almost everyday. Each night, he would also eat dinner with them, entertaining them to make them forget their ancient lives.
"Yeah!" Another one screamed happily. Jareth was always ready to invent a new funny game.
"Hey, brats," he greeted, tightening his hold on Maria as the little girl moved in her sleep.
One of the little girls, Emily, who was six, if he remembered correctly, came closer and pulled her thumb out of her mouth, asking Jareth suddenly. "Is she going to cry again?" Emily hugged the plush toy she was holding closer to her chest and frowned.
Jareth smiled down at her and looked around. The older ones were all around him, waiting for his reply and he told them, slowly. "Only if you are mean to her."
"I won't be!" Emily beamed and smiled quickly.
Jareth could feel Sarah's hands resting on his arms and he told the children who were chattering excitedly around them. "Now, leave her to sleep, okay? She's tired."
The children looked up at him and nodded. "Sure!" They all ran away as Jareth put Maria down on one of the old couches under a window. He sat next to her and carefully arranged the blanket around her shoulders, careful of not waking her up. The spell would soon face away and he'd have to explain to her again where her father was.
Sarah sat next to Jareth and he turned his attention back to her. Meg and her fiancé, Eli, were busying the children in a small game, and so, Jareth and Sarah were completely ignored. Sarah rested her head against Jareth's shoulder, and automatically, he brought one of his arms to encircle her shoulders.
"Jareth…" Sarah started slowly, her head bent. "I had to ask you because I'm…" She stammered before blurting out. "I'm scared. What if I… don't survive the childbirth." Sarah raised her head to meet Jareth's bewildered gaze. He had never thought of Sarah dying in labor. "You know I talked to the castle midwife and even when she assured me it was extremely rare, it happens." She pressed on. "I was scared, I'm scared of dying, of course, but if it's my time, then I'll be gone, but what would happen to you? And our baby? I…"
Sarah wanted to go on, but words failed her. She felt the tears coming again and she cursed her over-emotional state and the stupid hormones responsible for that state.
Jareth bent his head till his mouth was just over her right ear and whispered. "I'm scared too."
Surprised, Sarah looked up and met his gaze. "Jareth?" She asked, uncertain.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you." He said softly. "Josh's situation made me realize how life could twist despite all our efforts and hopes." He explained slowly. "I may be extremely powerful but what if… What if I fail to be a good father? What if we find ourselves in Josh's situation, completely lost, with no way out but giving up our child? I…" Before he could continue, Sarah cut him off.
"You'll be a wonderful father." She said matter-of-factly. "Just look around you." She gestured at the playroom. "These little monsters only obey you not because they fear you but because they love you." Sarah stressed on the last words to make her point and she saw Jareth's uncertain gaze slowly change. "I've never thought you'd be a bad father, quite the opposite in fact. Don't worry and treat our child like you do the others and everything will be fine." She assured him, smiling broadly.
Jareth let a small smile grace his lips and looked around him, at the little ones were playing a game of tag with Eli, and the babies in their cribs Meg was looking over, he let their laughs and excited talk reach him before turning to Sarah. "And you, I'm not allowing you to die in labor." He said gravely.
Sarah blinked in surprised, before a smile crept up. "Jareth." She admonished, shaking her head.
"No." He said firmly. "That's simple." He confirmed. "Our lives are longer than people's Aboveground and so will be yours since you've been living here for more than a full year, now. So, I won't allow to die of anything but old age in my arms." He smiled slowly. He would never tell her he was looking forward to that, to see her grow old in his arms, see the black of her hair turning gray as they aged together.
"Old age…" Sarah whispered, laughing a little. "When I was younger I believed you were immortal." She raised an eyebrow at him, pointing behind him and Jareth threw a casual glance over his shoulder. Three of his little boarders, the oldest trio: a girl and two boys were trying to listen to what they were saying.
Jareth smiled to Sarah and winked quickly before faking horror. "Dear Lords, no! An immortal life with those monsters running me mad? Are you crazy?"
Mark, the oldest boy, jumped in front of Jareth and whined. "Uncle Jareth! Mean!" He accused.
Jareth brought his attention to the boy and only smirked back. "That'll teach you, monster, to listen in on adult conversation when you're not supposed to." Jareth ushered the child and his two companions back to Eli and turned back to Sarah when the latter asked.
"How is Josh doing?"
Jareth didn't answer immediately, checking on the young man. "He'll be a great help to Hoggle, don't you think?" He asked casually. Sarah nodded in comprehension: Josh would never make it and hopefully, he'd agree to Jareth's proposition. No need to talk again about the possibility of a return Aboveground. "He seems responsible and knows what to give a child. It would be a great help." Jareth nodded to himself.
"How long?" Sarah asked slowly. Her gaze was focused on Maria, still sleeping blissfully next to them.
"Only eight hours left." Jareth said.
Sarah stood up and stretched, Jareth's eyes following her, roaming on her changing figure. "Time to feed the monsters." She noticed and Jareth only nodded, turning back to Maria. He placed one of his hands on her small shoulder and shattered the sleeping spell.
"Maria, wake up." He said softly.
Maria emerged slowly and sat up, rubbing her eyes and yawning she called. "Papa?"
"No, little one, but he will be with us, soon." Jareth promised her.
Maria stared at him for a while before saying. "I'm hungry."
"Yes, I bet, like half of the other monsters." Jareth grinned and stood up, extending one of his hands to her. Maria stood up too and extended her arms silently to Jareth. He picked her up and quickly deposited her on the floor before taking her hand in his, then he led her to the other children Meg and Eli were busy gathering while Sarah was checking upon the two sleeping babes. Meg left the children under Eli's care and came closer to pick up one of the babies, while Sarah picked up the other one.
Jareth neared Sarah, pulling a yawning Maria behind him. The little girl had taken the blue blanket with her and it was trailing behind her, like veil. Smiling down at her, Jareth put a hand on Sarah's back and whispered. "Let's go."
Hum, it is DARK I don't know what came over me. I'll write another part (and probably final too) but as I'm writing another story too, Wishes, you guys will have to wait until my muse strikes me back on this story.
Well, see you around,
mikim