A Necessary Deception
by Scattered Logic
Disclaimer: Jareth and Sarah belong to Jim Henson. Everyone else is mine.
Authors Notes: To everyone who has reviewed, thank you very much. Your criticism and praise is appreciated. And I do try to write faster for you!
As always, special thanks to Sara McGee, my beleaguered but very patient beta!
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While waiting for her to arrive, Ethain brought up the subject of Brennan's tutorage of Sarah.
"Were you aware, Your Majesty, that Sarah fences?"
Jareth was surprised. "No, I wasn't."
"She fences? Are you certain?" Brennan was skeptical.
"She certainly handled the sword as if she knew what she was doing. I was hoping that Brennan would have time to tutor her. It would help keep her occupied."
Jareth saw a great deal of merit in keeping Sarah busy. "Would this be agreeable to you, Brennan?"
His garrison commander looked doubtful. "I don't know. I've never taught fencing to a woman before. May I reserve my decision until I've had a chance to discuss it with her?"
"Of course." Jareth said. "Although, should you accept, you may soon regret it. She's particularly headstrong."
Ethain smiled slyly at Jareth. "I'm glad to know that you're not made uneasy by the idea of Sarah loose in the castle with a sword in her hand."
Jareth laughed. "On second thought, Brennan, I refuse my permission. My life may be at stake."
A soft voice interrupted. "Good evening, gentlemen. I hope I haven't kept you waiting."
Jareth turned to look at her and was astounded. Schooling his expression, he wondered when she had become so exquisite. The woman he'd seen last night, with her casual clothing and scrubbed face, had been so similar to the Sarah of nine years ago that he hadn't realized just how much she had changed.
He watched as she approached, her steps confident. She looked at him and her smile faded. She inclined her head and said, "Your Majesty."
Jareth caught the faintest trace of her perfume and was startled by an instinctive urge to lean into her. "Good evening, Sarah." He kept his tone neutral. "May I present Lord Brennan, our garrison commander."
Sarah gave Ethain a quick smile and then looked at Brennan. Brennan's eyes had brightened the moment Sarah appeared. Bowing, he kissed her hand. "I'm so pleased to meet you. I understand that I'm to be your fencing instructor."
Jareth gave a mental shake of his head and Ethain smothered a grin. Brennan could never resist a beautiful woman.
"I'll enjoy taking lessons again, but I'm very out of practice." Sarah warned.
Jareth gestured toward the linen-covered table set with china and silver.
"Perhaps we should continue our discussion over dinner?"
Sarah went to take her seat and Brennan was suddenly behind her, pulling out her chair. "Please, allow me."
The meal went as well as could be expected. Jareth wasn't surprised that Sarah refused to look in his direction and he was relieved when Brennan and Ethain kept up a steady stream of innocuous questions in an attempt to put her at ease.
They learned that she had decided to take up fencing after seeing a demonstration by local college students.
"My stepmother thought I was insane, but I asked for lessons and my Dad agreed. I liked it so much I kept them up. I even joined the fencing team in college."
Brennan made arrangements for her lessons to begin the next day. She would train an hour before the biweekly sparring sessions with Ethain and Jareth. "In addition to your lessons, perhaps you'll sometimes join us?" he asked hopefully.
'When pigs fly,' she thought. "Perhaps," she said noncommittally.
The conversation veered to her education and her degree in literature, and to her career as a junior editor at a publishing house. For the first time since the meal began, Jareth spoke. "What of your acting career? Wasn't that the dream you wanted so badly?"
Sarah finally looked at him. "I lost my taste for acting some time ago."
He affected an amused smile and an insolent tone. "Nine years, perhaps?"
She didn't reply, but he saw that her fingers tightened on the wineglass until their tips were white. For a moment, he feared the delicate goblet would shatter in her hand and he felt a strange pang at baiting her this way. Reinforcing his resolve, he gestured and dessert was brought out. A slice of cake, surrounded by fresh peaches, was placed in front of each of them and he noted that Sarah immediately tensed.
"This is a bit obvious, don't you think?" she asked, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.
He smirked. "Ah, but the combination of 'piece of cake' and 'peach' has an efficiency that appealed to me." He shrugged, "And I also wasn't certain you would appreciate subtlety."
Sarah's eyes narrowed. He watched as she carefully laid her napkin beside her plate and stood. Ethain and Brennan courteously rose, but he remained seated, keeping the smirk in place.
"If you'll excuse me, I've lost my appetite." Sarah turned to go.
"You're not excused." Jareth said flatly. She glared at him. He glanced over at Ethain and Brennan. "Stay and finish your dessert. Sarah and I have things to discuss."
He saw the first stirring of uneasiness in her eyes as he stood and offered her his hand. Normally he would have simply walked to the library, but he was concerned that she would try to bolt and he didn't want this to escalate into a physical confrontation. He had no doubt that she would try to fight him, even if she couldn't win.
"Take it," he commanded. Her lips pressed together into a tight line and she refused to move. "Sarah." His voice was a warning.
She lifted her hand. It was steady, he saw with surprise. He'd expected it to be trembling. Slowly, she placed her hand in his. His gloved fingers closed around hers and they vanished from the dining room.
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When the dizzying feeling faded, Sarah yanked her hand away and immediately took several steps away from him. Looking around, she found they were in what appeared to be a library. Lush rugs were underfoot, and comfortable chairs and side tables were scattered about the room. Book-filled shelves lined the walls and a large fireplace dominated one wall.
"I don't like being ordered around, and I'm getting a little tired of you just plopping me down wherever you want." Sarah said sharply.
He lifted an eyebrow and gestured toward chairs arranged in front of the fireplace. "Sit down. I believe that you have questions."
"Ethain explained about my friends, but it doesn't seem possible that I created them. And why is everything so different?" She settled into one of the chairs and looked up at him.
"To understand, you'll need a bit of a history lesson." He sighed and rested one arm on the high mantle. "Magic exists as a separate thing from the Underground or the Aboveworld. It lives without a will of its own. It may be drawn upon and shaped by whatever creature can control it. Human belief and dreams were the fuel for our control of that magic.
"As humans began to lose their belief in what they now deem fantasy, our control over the magic became more and more unstable. Ironically enough, humans, with their precious dreams, became the only creatures that could truly control it. They became the only ones who could shape it to their will with only a thought or a word, but to do that, they had to truly believe.
"I had all but given up hope of finding a solution when I was drawn to a mortal with such intense dreams and unquestionable belief that she burned in the darkness like a flame. And that was you, Sarah," Jareth said, pausing for a moment.
"I observed you for several weeks and devised a way to make use of those dreams. Your desire to become an actress was quite evident, and so I took a fable from your world, one that contained a few seeds of truth, and I prepared a gift for you. A book."
Sarah felt the blood drain from her face. "The Labyrinth," she said.
He nodded briefly. "I knew you would never be able to resist acting out the role of the heroine. The part was, after all, written especially for you."
Anger swept through her and she clenched her fists. "You manipulated me into wishing that the goblins would take Toby?"
He looked away, into the fire. "I did what I had to do. While I couldn't force you to say the words, I knew the probability. The story was fresh in your mind and the strain between you and your stepmother was very great. I did cast a spell to insure that should you wish it, it would certainly happen. All you had to do was call out to me.
"The Underground was deteriorating, the magic leaching out bit by bit. I had to find a way to stop that from continuing. I knew the strength of your dreams would shape the magic and compel it. The words of the final confrontation, combined with your belief, would again give me the power to shape the magic to my will."
"For my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom as great." She recalled aloud.
He looked at her. "Precisely. As strong and as great. The moment you uttered those words, my control became equal to yours. With that control, I was able to stabilize the Underground. It was a necessary deception."
The full implication of his words sank in and she jumped to her feet, anger overwhelming any lingering fear.
"You manipulated me every minute! There was never a chance of failing! All I did was play a part--a part you wrote for me. Everything here was a lie. And I was idiot enough to want to apologize..." She turned away from him. Her shoulders slumped slightly and then straightened.
When she turned back to him, she had gone through the heat of anger and into the ice of fury. She applauded mockingly, each clap of her hands sounding through the room like a gunshot.
"Congratulations, I have to admit that the balance between villain and seducer was a brilliant touch. You played your role very well. At the end of our little play, I honestly thought..." For a fraction of a second, her cold mask slipped, but it was quickly back in place.
"What did you think?" The firelight flickered over his face and concealed his eyes.
She ignored his words. "Why did you bring me back here? Why save my life? Was it a reward for having successfully played my role all those years ago?"
"You could say that." His voice was remote.
"So now I'm stuck here with no one. No family. No friends. The only person I know is you, and I don't really even know you." She started to walk away.
"Sarah..." he began, his voice quiet.
She whirled on him, eyes flashing. "No! Let's be clear on this--I don't like being used. I'm a guest in your home, so I'll be polite to you in front of anyone else. But don't ever threaten me again like you did last night. If you're going to hurt me, just do it and get it over with. Otherwise, Your Majesty, you can go to hell."
When she'd stormed out, she had been half expecting him to stop her, but he'd let her go without a word or a gesture. Halfway down the hallway, she realized that, in addition to being furious, she didn't know how to get back to her room.
Frustrated, she slammed her fist against the cold stone wall. It hurt badly, but helped diffuse some of the violent rage she felt. She began walking again, heels clicking sharply on the stone floor. He had used her and he had used Toby. And for what? At that, her anger started to fade as she began to truly understand what he had told her.
'The Underground was deteriorating...'
Her steps slowing, she considered what it must be like to watch your world crumble and feel helpless to stop it. Wouldn't you do anything to prevent that from happening? Even though her trip through the labyrinth had been a sham, she hadn't known it at the time and hadn't she been willing to do whatever it took to save Toby?
'I did what I had to do.'
"Well, shit." Sighing, she turned around and slowly walked back to the library, sifting the various images of the Goblin King through her mind.
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After she'd stormed out, Jareth sat in the chair she'd vacated, staring into the fire. Part of him realized that he should have stopped her. She shouldn't be allowed to speak to him in such a fashion. Her Goblin King certainly wouldn't have let it go unpunished.
But, he thought wearily, he wasn't her Goblin King. He disliked playing the villain in any case, but the feelings she had roused nine years ago had made it even more difficult. That had been the true reason he'd shortened her time through the labyrinth. Her "piece of cake" comment had merely given him a welcome opportunity. He hadn't wanted to continue for the full thirteen hours.
Jareth didn't delude himself. While cruelty wasn't his primary nature, he was certainly capable of it. When necessary, he could be merciless but he had never approved of using cruelty as a form of entertainment.
As for seduction? He admitted there had been a bit of that in it, but she'd been so young. Actually seducing her would have been contemptible. Still, deliberately keeping the clock visible to her in the ballroom had been more difficult than he had anticipated. Holding her in his arms, even in that dream state, had been too enjoyable and far too dangerous.
'If I had truly tried to seduce you, Sarah, you would never have left,' he mused.
His reverie was interrupted by the sound of her footsteps entering the library. He rose and faced her, bracing himself for another confrontation. She looked at him for a long moment and he waited, expressionless, for her to speak.
"Toby was never in any danger?" she asked, her tone restrained.
"No," Jareth replied. "I would never have allowed any harm to befall either of you."
"Do you have family in the Underground?" Sarah asked quietly.
He looked at her, surprised by the question. "Yes, my parents and the rest of my family live in another kingdom."
"This deterioration, it was effecting them, too?
"It was effecting everyone and everything," he said.
She nodded once. "Considering what was at stake, I guess manipulating a fifteen-year-old girl really wasn't such a big deal."
She began to walk away and then paused. Turning back to him, she said, "If you weren't going to hurt me then, why threaten me last night?"
His voice was unapologetic. "I am King, Sarah. I am unused to having my actions or my control challenged."
She looked unsettled. "I come from a place where everyone's opinion is valued equally. Maybe each opinion isn't always correct, but everyone has the right to express their thoughts."
"That won't work in a monarchy," he said gravely. "It would lead to chaos. Even in the Aboveworld, there are leaders."
"Elected leaders, yes, chosen leaders. You can't expect... It's not in my nature to give up my freedom without a fight." She looked at him steadily.
He shook his head. "You couldn't win that fight. Surely you understand that I could..."
Sarah interrupted him. "You could force me to do a lot of things. I'm gambling that you won't."
He lifted an eyebrow. "As you said, you don't really know me. How can you be certain?"
"I can't," Sarah replied, hesitating. "But you saved my life when you didn't have to. I can't believe that a bad person would do that."
"Perhaps that simply makes you naive," he said sharply.
She flushed. Without a word, she turned and began walking away.
"Sarah, wait," Jareth said, his voice softened. "Perhaps we could come to an understanding." He realized that if he had so disliked playing the villain for her nine years ago, he was going to be hard pressed to continue it for the rest of her life.
"You will have a great deal of freedom here. The only thing I ask is that you show me the respect that my title is due. That is more freedom than I grant anyone else in my kingdom."
She regarded him thoughtfully. "It's a deal," she said and held out her hand.
He saw that she meant to shake hands with him. Amused, he took her hand in his and was surprised to see her wince. Frowning, he examined her hand and saw that it was freshly bruised. Even now, blood continued to pool just beneath the skin.
"What happened?" He asked. She looked embarrassed and tried to pull away, but he refused to let go. "Sarah, what happened to your hand?"
"I, um, kind of... well, punched a wall." Her last words came out in a rush.
He blinked. It was only centuries of diplomatic training that prevented him from laughing. As it was, he could feel the corners of his mouth quiver.
She must have seen, nonetheless, because she flushed bright red.
"I have very little healing ability but this appears minor," he said. "Rather than send you back to Dorenil, I believe I can repair it."
He looked at her, his eyes silently asking for permission. She nodded warily and he took her hand between his palms and when he released her hand, it was unblemished.
"Thank you," she said, surprise evident on her face. She paused, obviously debating something with herself. "Would you help me with something?"
"If I can," he answered politely.
"Is there a map of the castle? I keep getting turned around and I'm not sure where my room is." It was apparent that she didn't like asking for help.
He smiled. "There are blueprints of the castle, but they're far too large for you to carry about in your pocket. However, I will see what I can do. For now, why don't I escort you to your room?"
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As they walked through the hallways, they passed a room that Ethain had pointed out to her, but hadn't gone into. Paintings hung along the walls. Her steps slowed and she glanced over her shoulder to get a better look. Jareth noticed and gestured toward the door.
"Would you care to see the gallery?"
She went inside and her eyes were immediately drawn to a double portrait prominently displayed on the far wall. She examined it carefully. The woman was extraordinarily beautiful, with ash blond hair and delicate features. The man was just as fair and very handsome, but it was his mismatched eyes that drew Sarah's attention.
"My parents," Jareth said, leaning casually against the doorway.
"I can see where..." she began, but trailed off. She'd almost said, "where you get your good looks" but decided that wasn't such a good idea. "I see the resemblance."
She glanced over at him and saw a mischievous gleam in his eyes. She had the sinking feeling that he knew exactly what she had been about to say. She looked over the other portraits.
"Are these your relatives?"
"Yes, various aunts, uncles and cousins," he said as he came and stood by her side.
The paintings had engraved silver plaques, but she couldn't read the language and didn't even recognize the lettering. Everyone portrayed was so gorgeous it was almost painful.
Finally, tucked into a corner of the room, was a portrait of a four or five year old boy. The child was dressed in white, lace frothing at his collar and cuffs. His blond hair barely touched his shoulders and his dual-colored eyes gleamed mischievously as if he knew a secret, but refused to tell.
"That's you!" Sarah exclaimed, looking up at him. "You were a kid once, after all. I would have guessed something along the lines of the birth of Athena. You know, sprung from the head of Zeus, fully grown and in armor."
"I'm flattered, but you overestimate me," he said with a smile.
"You must have been a holy terror," Sarah said as she turned back to look at the portrait.
"Terror, certainly," he said, still smiling. "But holy isn't a word my mother would ever use in association with me, I'm afraid."
She silently looked at the portraits and summoned up her nerve. "May I ask you something personal?"
He looked surprised, but nodded his permission.
"You're obviously not human. So, what are you?"
"I'm of the Leanan Sidhe." He said, watching her closely.
She glanced away, a tiny crease forming between her eyebrows as she tried to remember what she'd read of the Fae. The Leanan Sidhe were supposed to be extremely beautiful and seductive, virtually irresistible. Her eyes widened. 'Well, that explains a lot,' she thought wryly. When she looked back at him, he was smirking. He hadn't missed her reaction.
Slightly flustered, she gestured around the room, "No portrait of you as an adult?"
"No. I dislike having my portrait painted. I'll have it done when I become High King." He tilted his head, indicating the painting of his parents. "When my parents retire."
"High King?" Sarah asked, remembering the titles recited at the afternoon grievance hearing. "But you're King here already."
Jareth smiled. "There are many domains within the Underground. I rule the goblins currently. It's a difficult kingdom with distasteful duties. The Seelie Court considers it a sort of proving ground. Each future High King rules here prior to taking the throne. One day I'll rule the entire Underground."
Sarah hesitated. "Do you really take children or was that a lie, too?"
He looked at her steadily. "The basic facts of the story are true. I take unwanted children. Whoever wishes them away is given a chance to solve the labyrinth. If they fail, the child remains in the Underground."
"I do not turn them into goblins," Jareth said, not giving Sarah a chance to react. Judging by the way her face had paled, it wouldn't have been a pleasant reaction. "The children are found suitable parents here. The Fae have few offspring. There's always someone who wants a child to raise."
"But, people sometimes wish things that they don't truly mean," Sarah said slowly. "It's not fair to punish them for it."
"There is a balance between our worlds," Jareth said, smiling faintly at her words and then sighing. "Granting mortal wishes is a part of each kingdom of the Underground. We are not always allowed to grant the ones we would choose."
"Has anyone solved the labyrinth and gotten their child back?" she asked. "I mean, really solved it?"
"No," he said shortly. He gestured toward the door and Sarah walked slowly toward the hallway.
The trip back to her room was completed in silence. He left her at her door with a polite goodnight and Sarah went inside to get ready for bed. As she changed into her nightgown, she thought back over everything she had learned, but her mind was reeling. Something Jareth had said earlier nagged at her, but she couldn't quite remember what it was.
She brushed her hair and went over everything point by point, but the harder she tried, the more elusive the thought became. Giving up, she slid into bed and quickly drifted off to sleep.
She dreamt that she and Jareth were picking peaches from the largest tree she had ever seen. The branches spread out as far as the eye could see, filtering the sun and providing a comfortable shade. As she would pluck a peach from the tree, she saw that Jareth did the same, each of them carefully placing the fruit in a large basket on the ground. As soon as the peaches were put into the basket, they changed into crystal spheres.
She watched him pull a large, ripe peach from the tree and take a bite. He smiled at her and offered her the fruit. Shaking her head, she reached out to pick another peach from the tree, but his gloved hand on hers stopped her. Turning, she found herself face to face with him. His beautiful eyes regarded her solemnly and he slowly leaned down and kissed her. She could feel his soft lips moving on hers and could taste the sweetness of the fruit on his tongue.
Sarah awoke with a gasp, her eyes flying open. She sat up in bed; trembling fingers pressed to her lips as the phantom taste of peaches lingered in her mouth.
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