Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the "Labyrinth". When I am
rich, I might buy up some real estate there though.
Chapter 6
Morning stole over the sleeping couple and Jareth awoke with a start as Sarah stirred. He froze instantly, not wanting to wake her. Every moment he had her in his arms was a miracle as far as he was concerned.
Sarah rolled over and came into contact with something supple and warm.like leather. A memory stirred in the back of her sleep-drugged mind and her eyes flew open. Dear god, she was lying in the arms of the Goblin King.
Who was looking at her with a rather amused expression.
Clothes!! Where were her clothes? Oh! On her body! That was a good thing, right?
Sarah noticed that the king was lying on top of the covers instead of underneath the blankets next to her. So maybe he hadn't been planning to rape her after all. That made the powerful arm locked around her waist maybe not so bad.
"Good morning, love," he murmured intimately.
Suddenly Sarah felt like a fool. She'd tried to run last night. Of course he would watch her as closely as he felt he had to in order to prevent her escape. She tried to tug herself free of his arm and to her astonishment; he released her easily, still looking at her with that infuriatingly mocking smile.
"I'll give you some time to refresh yourself and then you'll join me for breakfast. I think we have a number of things to discuss - including the limits of my patience."
With that, he swept himself off the bed and into his own room, leaving Sarah staring after him, open-mouthed. Of all the.ooooooarrrgh! She wanted to smash something delicate and breakable, but decided that a cool head might go a little further in getting her out of this mess.
For Sarah, a cool head meant starting with a hot shower. Not that she expected any plumbing, but she hoped she could find at least a washbasin around and a well pump. To her delight, she found the bathroom connected to her room was fully modern - and enormous. The Jacuzzi tub looked positively decadent, but she opted for a shower since she was hungry and it would be a little quicker. The bathroom was filled with all sorts of scented soaps and lotions and Sarah forgot her fear for a little while as she luxuriated under a stream of steaming water.
After she finished toweling herself off, it occurred to Sarah that there had to be something else to wear besides her pajamas. If she was going to face down a Goblin King, she wasn't going to do it in some baggy flannel shirt and bottoms. She opened the doors to the wardrobe, hoping for something sensible and warm. The seasons of the Aboveground and Underground didn't seem to run on quite the same clock. At home it was already winter, but here it seemed to be closer to mid-autumn. From her window, Sarah could make out the brilliant colors of the different trees. The last time she had been here was midsummer and everything had still been green.
Sarah didn't know what she had been expecting to find inside the wardrobe, but certainly not this: gowns in every color sewn from the finest silks and velvets, jeweled, tasseled, and embroidered. She sucked in her breath admiringly as she fingered an impossibly sheer, silk overdress embroidered with butterflies.
Practicality got the better of her and she started searching for something warm - maybe one of the velvets? She found what she was looking for in a simple, silver-grey gown. The velvet material felt thick enough to keep away the chill and the skirt looked like it would be easier to manage if she had to run than any of the fuller ones. If she had to hide, the color would stand out less than any of the brilliant reds or sky blues in the available selection. She found a light cotton underdress to slip under the gown, laced up the front and then set about untangling her hair. On the vanity, she found some pins and a simple snood ornamented with moonstones to catch her hair up and away from her face. If she had the opportunity to escape, she had done the best she could with the clothes Jareth had provided for her to stay warm and move quickly.
If she'd had any idea of the effect the gown would have on Jareth when he saw her, she would have searched frantically for a sackcloth.
Sarah heard a knock on her door and opened it to see the Goblin King standing right in front of her. His mouth fell open when he saw her and he didn't seem to be able to speak for a minute. Did I put this on wrong? she thought, self-consciously smoothing her skirts.
Jareth couldn't believe his eyes. Well, maybe he could believe them but he certainly couldn't rip them away. The silvery velvet clung to the curves of the woman standing before him. Sarah's white cotton underdress modestly covered her breasts where the laced-up neckline of the gown would have been daringly low, but the thin cotton was still somewhat sheer. Her green eyes seemed all the more like emeralds for the neutral silver of the gown. The flashing moonstones in her hair shone softly, their contrast to her sable locks bringing out her pale, rose petal skin. As she stepped back from him, her skirts swirled gracefully with her movements.
She felt impossibly stupid.
Jareth stood before her, tall and imposing in a black shirt, black leather vest, and form-fitting black pants. His silver-blond hair was caught in a band at the base of his neck, the rest falling in wisps about his aristocratic features. Even simply dressed, he was every inch the imposing king and for a moment Sarah felt like she was fifteen again - unsure and staring at a man who frightened and intrigued her in the most confusing of ways!
His lips twisted mockingly. "I trust you slept well."
Sarah didn't think she'd blushed this much in her life before she came to the Underground.
"Well enough," she muttered, grudgingly taking his arm as he offered it to her. He led her down several short hallways to a room that appeared to be some sort of solarium. Glass walls revealed a lovely view of the autumn scene outside. A small table had been set for two and was covered with a delicious breakfast.
Jareth seated Sarah and when he saw that the food seemed to be to her liking, cut to the chase.
"Sarah, I realize that this is all very sudden for you, but there are some things you need to understand."
"Really?" she couldn't keep the sarcasm from dripping off her tone.
"You called me - "
"I didn't mean to!"
"Whether you meant to or not is not the point. You did. When I am called to take someone, the mortal I take is mine to keep. That is the law of the fae. You are bound to me and I have no intention of releasing you. In your brother's case, since he did not call me to take him and I came instead at your request, you were given the option of completing my labyrinth to win back your brother. Since you called me to take you on your own, there is no one who can champion you - not even the friends you have who are part of the Underground. Sarah, this is your home now. I suggest you accept it."
Sarah trembled with her rage. "If you honestly think you can keep me here like some kind of stupid pet-"
"I CAN keep you here, I DON'T think you're stupid and you're NOT my pet. You ARE my captive for as long as you remain here unwillingly. If over the years, you should change your mind and choose to stay here of your own accord, then you are no longer my captive, but rather my companion. You will live in the castle under my protection and be treated as royalty. Either way Sarah, you belong to me because you called me. That's simply the way it is."
Sarah wanted to scream that it wasn't fair, but she hadn't lived on her own in New York City since she was nineteen for nothing. She felt tears swimming in her eyes and gave herself a good mental slap. She had to try to reason with him. She decided to be blunt.
"Why in the world would you want to keep ME? You seemed eager enough to kill me off the first time we met and since I've been here, I think I've already proven myself to be far too much trouble! Plus," inspiration struck, "I AM mortal and that means I'll grow old and die before your very eyes. There's hardly any point in keeping me if I'll only be a bother to you and then up and die. We humans get terribly fragile and crotchety as we age. It seems so pointless, really. Best to send me on about my life Aboveground than to keep me to rot here in your castle. You'll only be bored to tears with me!"
"I certainly didn't find last evening with you to be dull." Jareth rejoined mildly. He wasn't worried at all about watching her age and die. The Underground had a way of rubbing off on people. Any mortals claimed by fae gradually became one of them. But he didn't think Sarah was quite ready for that piece of news yet.
Sarah bit her lip, racking her brains for any reason she could think of to convince Jareth that keeping her was a bad idea. His mention of Toby had brought her family to mind. People would know something was wrong when she didn't show up to run the next performance. If her family were notified, they would be frantic. She had to get home. Giving up was not an option.
As if reading her thoughts, Jareth said, "Sarah, I only caught you myself last night to make a point. Even if I'd slept straight through your attempt to escape, you would still have failed. The spell around you is born of the laws of the Fae - even I could not place so powerful a spell around you all on my own. You'd have found that every path you tried to take would lead you straight back to my castle. Every door you would have opened would have opened into your room. By all means, do try running away again today. You'll soon learn not to doubt my word."
Sarah had every intention of taking him up on the challenge, but since she was going to be trapped at least through breakfast, she decided to give rein to her curiosity. They ate in silence for a few moments as she gathered her thoughts.
"Jareth, since I am to stay here," she ventured, thinking she might as well humor him, "may I ask you a few questions?"
"I imagine you have a lot you'd like to know. Ask away," he said genially.
"Am I.the first adult mortal you've ever taken?"
"Mmmm.yes and no. You are the first adult mortal to have called on me by name and the first that I've specifically transported to the Underground to keep as my own. There have been others set to solve my labyrinth who failed and when I offered to send them back to their home world, they opted instead to stay here. The Underground really is a lovely spot."
"Are any of them.still living?" she asked hopefully. Even if the mortals who were here had chosen to remain on their own, she thought someone might take pity on an Aboveground woman trying to escape back to her family and offer her some help.
"Actually," Jareth laughed, "all of them!"
Sarah was confused. Surely mortals had been wishing themselves into the labyrinth for longer than only the past ninety years or so. "I don't understand."
"Sarah, all the mortals who have chosen to stay here are alive and well and under my protection as my minions. I guess I should tell you, but I thought it might be a bit much after last night."
She tingled inside to think of the events of the evening before. Sarah had been hysterical, but not so much that she didn't clearly remember the Goblin King soothing her and tenderly carrying her to her room. He'd kept murmuring over and over that she was all right, that he would never harm her, and that he would take care of her.wait a minute! Tell her WHAT?
"Just tell me, Jareth. Please. If I need to know.I'd like to hear it from you." She might as well. What choice did she have? If she was going to get out of here, she needed all the information she could get.
"No one from the Aboveworld can live here without absorbing some of the Underground. Anyone from your world who remains here eventually becomes one of us. One of the Fae traits you mortals seem to absorb most quickly is our longer life span."
"You mean, I'm going to become FAE!?" Sarah practically shouted.
"Is it so awful?"
Sarah had started shaking. Her pride went down the toilet as she felt a tear roll down her cheek. For pity's sake! How many times would she have to blush and cry in front of him?
Jareth had known this would be very hard for her, but he felt his chest contract painfully when he saw her tears. He wouldn't give her up, but he would do anything else to secure her happiness.
Sarah fought for her composure and raised pleading eyes to her captor. He would probably only laugh at what she had to say, but if her pride was already suffering she might as well throw it away completely. A chance to see her family, and if nothing else, let them know she was alive and well, was worth it.
"Jareth." her voice trembled. She tried again. "Jareth, I love my family. We're very close. They must be so worried." She drew a deep breath as another tear fell. Damn. Why did she have to keep crying like an idiot? "You've certainly given me everything I need to be comfortable here. It's not that I don't appreciate everything you've done for me, I just.I need them, Jareth. I need my family as much as I've needed my friends here in the Underground. Is there any way at all that I can see them?"
Jareth held his breath for a moment. There was a way. She wouldn't like it.
"Sarah.if you want to see your family again, there is one way and one way only that I can allow that to happen without breaking the laws of the Fae."
She looked up at him through her tears. Anything, she knew she'd do anything.
"I cannot release you. However, I can grant you the gift of traveling between our worlds on one condition - you must bind yourself to me for eternity by becoming my wife."
Sarah's fork clattered to the floor, but she was too shocked to retrieve it. "Your.wife?" she whispered.
"Yes. If you will agree to marry me, rule my kingdom with me, and share my life and my bed as my wife, you will be free to travel to your own world to visit your family. You won't be able to stay there for more than a week or two at a time. You are already becoming Fae and will need the Underground to sustain your life as much as I do to sustain mine. But if you take the vows of sacred and eternal Fae marriage with me, you can see your family regularly."
Sarah went completely still, her eyes distant, gazing unseeing at the breathtaking autumn view outside the glass walls. Jareth held his breath as he watched her. She hadn't run from the table screaming. Perhaps that was a point in his favor? He had expected an outright refusal, a livid shouting match at the very least. It was his turn to freeze in shock when Sarah finally flicked her eyes back to him and spoke.
"I know what I am here, Jareth, - a human with no magic that you can keep as your prisoner whether we're married or not. Would you truly take me as your wife? If marrying you means that I can see my family again, I need to know if this is an option that you're really offering me or if you're just mocking me before I'll even be able to consider it." She spoke her words slowly, her gaze locked with his.
Jareth was afraid he would shatter. In his wildest dreams, had had never thought that she might agree to marry him - hoped, prayed and cursed to that effect, daily - but after her resistance to coming to the Underground, he'd resigned himself to holding her as his captive for a good many years before he would even win her friendship. No one had ever offered him HIS dreams before. He felt like he had just been given a chance at the moon and had no idea what to do with it.
"I am not mocking you, Sarah," he said softly. "If you agree to be my wife, you can visit your family as often as you like. Will you consider my offer?"
Sarah was certain some crazy lady had taken over her body when she heard her voice say, "Yes. Yes I will consider it."
Sarah watched as a very strange expression crossed Jareth's features. She could have sworn Jareth's glass had been holding orange juice. Now the contents looked suspiciously like wine. She watched him tilt the glass up and drain it. When he looked up, his eyes were so intense that she started to feel very warm indeed. Flustered, she looked down to regain her composure. If she was going to marry an evil Goblin King tyrant, she didn't want to walk into it blindly.
"Jareth.there are some other things I need to know."
"Yes?"
There was something so eager and hopeful in his voice. Sarah was starting to get very confused indeed. Why would a king who had stolen her brother, mocked her dreams, and then abducted her treat her so nicely as his captive and then offer her marriage? There had to be a catch.
"You mentioned that you would expect your wife to rule by your side. I imagine that there is a great deal that goes into ruling your kingdom. Umm.I want to ask you about the things you expect from a wife. What do I need to know? Are there any special duties that I'll be expected to perform? Basically, I want to know what is required of a queen.um.so that I can be prepared and.and. not force the kingdom to war or anything by accident. Is there training for this?" Great. Her phrasing could not have been more graceful, she thought with a snort. Why did she have to be such a goob? Sarah felt suddenly awkward and inexperienced as the enormity of accepting Jareth's offer started to sink in.
At this he laughed, a genuine shaking belly laugh. She watched his face light up with humor and golden hair fall back. Her breath caught. He really was beautiful. For just one second, he even seemed likeable. He smiled warmly at her, eyes shining.
"My dear, I promise you, should you decide to be my wife, we would cover all matters of state in detail together before you had to do anything in front of my minions or on your own. I am happy to answer any questions you might have about what might be expected of you - in fact, if you like, we can start today. I realize that the sooner you are able to allay your family's worries, the better."
Jareth knew his last comment was a bit of a dig, reminding her of the pressure of her family's concern, but he forgave himself this once. The sooner she agreed to marry him, the sooner he could bind her to him for all eternity. He loved her completely, but was still the Goblin King.
Marriage to Sarah would not only make him the happiest man alive, but would also solve several other problems of a more political nature. His defeat at Sarah's hands had caused the Fae to question his power. Of course he was love struck and would never have seriously harmed the girl. The things he'd thrown at her in his labyrinth were only to frighten her off and he would have rescued her before any of his spells or minions would have caused her serious harm. His defeat had still come as an unpleasant surprise. He had underestimated the strength of Sarah's will and also her love for her brother. Now that she was his captive, he could save some face with his own kind. Taking her as his wife would bind her to him in a way that merely holding her prisoner would not - an ultimate demonstration of his power.
Marrying Sarah would also solve his concern about producing an heir. Once a notorious rake, Jareth had lost interest in chasing women ever since he'd fallen in love with Sarah. He had scarcely spared a glance for the string of lovely Fae princesses who had paraded themselves in front of him with an eye for becoming a queen. Now, he would have his queen, his heir, his power and the woman of his dreams.
Sarah drew in a shaky breath. Okay. She could do this. Besides she hadn't committed to anything yet. She was just scoping out her options, right?
"All right. Shall we start after breakfast then?"
"Actually I have some matters regarding the kingdom I need to attend to first. I had thought you might wish to see one or two of your friends this morning and then we could begin this afternoon? Hogswart actually knows my palace rather well. I thought he might show you around a bit and then you and I can have lunch and begin covering the duties of a queen after."
"Hoggle. Okay," Sarah nodded. She was only too happy to see one of her friends. Hoggle might not be able to rescue her, but if the Goblin King's spell preventing her escape worked as he said, maybe Hoggle would have information that would help her find a way to break it.
Jareth was elated. The 'matters of state' he needed to attend to were all wedding preparations. He planned to marry her within.oh.three days should be enough. Maybe sooner. Sarah would be very concerned about her family by then. There was nothing for it. The wedding dress would have to be completed within the day. Jareth showed Sarah to her room, promising her that Hoggle would join her shortly.
A completely mystified Sarah stared after Jareth as he walked away. Was he whistling?
Chapter 6
Morning stole over the sleeping couple and Jareth awoke with a start as Sarah stirred. He froze instantly, not wanting to wake her. Every moment he had her in his arms was a miracle as far as he was concerned.
Sarah rolled over and came into contact with something supple and warm.like leather. A memory stirred in the back of her sleep-drugged mind and her eyes flew open. Dear god, she was lying in the arms of the Goblin King.
Who was looking at her with a rather amused expression.
Clothes!! Where were her clothes? Oh! On her body! That was a good thing, right?
Sarah noticed that the king was lying on top of the covers instead of underneath the blankets next to her. So maybe he hadn't been planning to rape her after all. That made the powerful arm locked around her waist maybe not so bad.
"Good morning, love," he murmured intimately.
Suddenly Sarah felt like a fool. She'd tried to run last night. Of course he would watch her as closely as he felt he had to in order to prevent her escape. She tried to tug herself free of his arm and to her astonishment; he released her easily, still looking at her with that infuriatingly mocking smile.
"I'll give you some time to refresh yourself and then you'll join me for breakfast. I think we have a number of things to discuss - including the limits of my patience."
With that, he swept himself off the bed and into his own room, leaving Sarah staring after him, open-mouthed. Of all the.ooooooarrrgh! She wanted to smash something delicate and breakable, but decided that a cool head might go a little further in getting her out of this mess.
For Sarah, a cool head meant starting with a hot shower. Not that she expected any plumbing, but she hoped she could find at least a washbasin around and a well pump. To her delight, she found the bathroom connected to her room was fully modern - and enormous. The Jacuzzi tub looked positively decadent, but she opted for a shower since she was hungry and it would be a little quicker. The bathroom was filled with all sorts of scented soaps and lotions and Sarah forgot her fear for a little while as she luxuriated under a stream of steaming water.
After she finished toweling herself off, it occurred to Sarah that there had to be something else to wear besides her pajamas. If she was going to face down a Goblin King, she wasn't going to do it in some baggy flannel shirt and bottoms. She opened the doors to the wardrobe, hoping for something sensible and warm. The seasons of the Aboveground and Underground didn't seem to run on quite the same clock. At home it was already winter, but here it seemed to be closer to mid-autumn. From her window, Sarah could make out the brilliant colors of the different trees. The last time she had been here was midsummer and everything had still been green.
Sarah didn't know what she had been expecting to find inside the wardrobe, but certainly not this: gowns in every color sewn from the finest silks and velvets, jeweled, tasseled, and embroidered. She sucked in her breath admiringly as she fingered an impossibly sheer, silk overdress embroidered with butterflies.
Practicality got the better of her and she started searching for something warm - maybe one of the velvets? She found what she was looking for in a simple, silver-grey gown. The velvet material felt thick enough to keep away the chill and the skirt looked like it would be easier to manage if she had to run than any of the fuller ones. If she had to hide, the color would stand out less than any of the brilliant reds or sky blues in the available selection. She found a light cotton underdress to slip under the gown, laced up the front and then set about untangling her hair. On the vanity, she found some pins and a simple snood ornamented with moonstones to catch her hair up and away from her face. If she had the opportunity to escape, she had done the best she could with the clothes Jareth had provided for her to stay warm and move quickly.
If she'd had any idea of the effect the gown would have on Jareth when he saw her, she would have searched frantically for a sackcloth.
Sarah heard a knock on her door and opened it to see the Goblin King standing right in front of her. His mouth fell open when he saw her and he didn't seem to be able to speak for a minute. Did I put this on wrong? she thought, self-consciously smoothing her skirts.
Jareth couldn't believe his eyes. Well, maybe he could believe them but he certainly couldn't rip them away. The silvery velvet clung to the curves of the woman standing before him. Sarah's white cotton underdress modestly covered her breasts where the laced-up neckline of the gown would have been daringly low, but the thin cotton was still somewhat sheer. Her green eyes seemed all the more like emeralds for the neutral silver of the gown. The flashing moonstones in her hair shone softly, their contrast to her sable locks bringing out her pale, rose petal skin. As she stepped back from him, her skirts swirled gracefully with her movements.
She felt impossibly stupid.
Jareth stood before her, tall and imposing in a black shirt, black leather vest, and form-fitting black pants. His silver-blond hair was caught in a band at the base of his neck, the rest falling in wisps about his aristocratic features. Even simply dressed, he was every inch the imposing king and for a moment Sarah felt like she was fifteen again - unsure and staring at a man who frightened and intrigued her in the most confusing of ways!
His lips twisted mockingly. "I trust you slept well."
Sarah didn't think she'd blushed this much in her life before she came to the Underground.
"Well enough," she muttered, grudgingly taking his arm as he offered it to her. He led her down several short hallways to a room that appeared to be some sort of solarium. Glass walls revealed a lovely view of the autumn scene outside. A small table had been set for two and was covered with a delicious breakfast.
Jareth seated Sarah and when he saw that the food seemed to be to her liking, cut to the chase.
"Sarah, I realize that this is all very sudden for you, but there are some things you need to understand."
"Really?" she couldn't keep the sarcasm from dripping off her tone.
"You called me - "
"I didn't mean to!"
"Whether you meant to or not is not the point. You did. When I am called to take someone, the mortal I take is mine to keep. That is the law of the fae. You are bound to me and I have no intention of releasing you. In your brother's case, since he did not call me to take him and I came instead at your request, you were given the option of completing my labyrinth to win back your brother. Since you called me to take you on your own, there is no one who can champion you - not even the friends you have who are part of the Underground. Sarah, this is your home now. I suggest you accept it."
Sarah trembled with her rage. "If you honestly think you can keep me here like some kind of stupid pet-"
"I CAN keep you here, I DON'T think you're stupid and you're NOT my pet. You ARE my captive for as long as you remain here unwillingly. If over the years, you should change your mind and choose to stay here of your own accord, then you are no longer my captive, but rather my companion. You will live in the castle under my protection and be treated as royalty. Either way Sarah, you belong to me because you called me. That's simply the way it is."
Sarah wanted to scream that it wasn't fair, but she hadn't lived on her own in New York City since she was nineteen for nothing. She felt tears swimming in her eyes and gave herself a good mental slap. She had to try to reason with him. She decided to be blunt.
"Why in the world would you want to keep ME? You seemed eager enough to kill me off the first time we met and since I've been here, I think I've already proven myself to be far too much trouble! Plus," inspiration struck, "I AM mortal and that means I'll grow old and die before your very eyes. There's hardly any point in keeping me if I'll only be a bother to you and then up and die. We humans get terribly fragile and crotchety as we age. It seems so pointless, really. Best to send me on about my life Aboveground than to keep me to rot here in your castle. You'll only be bored to tears with me!"
"I certainly didn't find last evening with you to be dull." Jareth rejoined mildly. He wasn't worried at all about watching her age and die. The Underground had a way of rubbing off on people. Any mortals claimed by fae gradually became one of them. But he didn't think Sarah was quite ready for that piece of news yet.
Sarah bit her lip, racking her brains for any reason she could think of to convince Jareth that keeping her was a bad idea. His mention of Toby had brought her family to mind. People would know something was wrong when she didn't show up to run the next performance. If her family were notified, they would be frantic. She had to get home. Giving up was not an option.
As if reading her thoughts, Jareth said, "Sarah, I only caught you myself last night to make a point. Even if I'd slept straight through your attempt to escape, you would still have failed. The spell around you is born of the laws of the Fae - even I could not place so powerful a spell around you all on my own. You'd have found that every path you tried to take would lead you straight back to my castle. Every door you would have opened would have opened into your room. By all means, do try running away again today. You'll soon learn not to doubt my word."
Sarah had every intention of taking him up on the challenge, but since she was going to be trapped at least through breakfast, she decided to give rein to her curiosity. They ate in silence for a few moments as she gathered her thoughts.
"Jareth, since I am to stay here," she ventured, thinking she might as well humor him, "may I ask you a few questions?"
"I imagine you have a lot you'd like to know. Ask away," he said genially.
"Am I.the first adult mortal you've ever taken?"
"Mmmm.yes and no. You are the first adult mortal to have called on me by name and the first that I've specifically transported to the Underground to keep as my own. There have been others set to solve my labyrinth who failed and when I offered to send them back to their home world, they opted instead to stay here. The Underground really is a lovely spot."
"Are any of them.still living?" she asked hopefully. Even if the mortals who were here had chosen to remain on their own, she thought someone might take pity on an Aboveground woman trying to escape back to her family and offer her some help.
"Actually," Jareth laughed, "all of them!"
Sarah was confused. Surely mortals had been wishing themselves into the labyrinth for longer than only the past ninety years or so. "I don't understand."
"Sarah, all the mortals who have chosen to stay here are alive and well and under my protection as my minions. I guess I should tell you, but I thought it might be a bit much after last night."
She tingled inside to think of the events of the evening before. Sarah had been hysterical, but not so much that she didn't clearly remember the Goblin King soothing her and tenderly carrying her to her room. He'd kept murmuring over and over that she was all right, that he would never harm her, and that he would take care of her.wait a minute! Tell her WHAT?
"Just tell me, Jareth. Please. If I need to know.I'd like to hear it from you." She might as well. What choice did she have? If she was going to get out of here, she needed all the information she could get.
"No one from the Aboveworld can live here without absorbing some of the Underground. Anyone from your world who remains here eventually becomes one of us. One of the Fae traits you mortals seem to absorb most quickly is our longer life span."
"You mean, I'm going to become FAE!?" Sarah practically shouted.
"Is it so awful?"
Sarah had started shaking. Her pride went down the toilet as she felt a tear roll down her cheek. For pity's sake! How many times would she have to blush and cry in front of him?
Jareth had known this would be very hard for her, but he felt his chest contract painfully when he saw her tears. He wouldn't give her up, but he would do anything else to secure her happiness.
Sarah fought for her composure and raised pleading eyes to her captor. He would probably only laugh at what she had to say, but if her pride was already suffering she might as well throw it away completely. A chance to see her family, and if nothing else, let them know she was alive and well, was worth it.
"Jareth." her voice trembled. She tried again. "Jareth, I love my family. We're very close. They must be so worried." She drew a deep breath as another tear fell. Damn. Why did she have to keep crying like an idiot? "You've certainly given me everything I need to be comfortable here. It's not that I don't appreciate everything you've done for me, I just.I need them, Jareth. I need my family as much as I've needed my friends here in the Underground. Is there any way at all that I can see them?"
Jareth held his breath for a moment. There was a way. She wouldn't like it.
"Sarah.if you want to see your family again, there is one way and one way only that I can allow that to happen without breaking the laws of the Fae."
She looked up at him through her tears. Anything, she knew she'd do anything.
"I cannot release you. However, I can grant you the gift of traveling between our worlds on one condition - you must bind yourself to me for eternity by becoming my wife."
Sarah's fork clattered to the floor, but she was too shocked to retrieve it. "Your.wife?" she whispered.
"Yes. If you will agree to marry me, rule my kingdom with me, and share my life and my bed as my wife, you will be free to travel to your own world to visit your family. You won't be able to stay there for more than a week or two at a time. You are already becoming Fae and will need the Underground to sustain your life as much as I do to sustain mine. But if you take the vows of sacred and eternal Fae marriage with me, you can see your family regularly."
Sarah went completely still, her eyes distant, gazing unseeing at the breathtaking autumn view outside the glass walls. Jareth held his breath as he watched her. She hadn't run from the table screaming. Perhaps that was a point in his favor? He had expected an outright refusal, a livid shouting match at the very least. It was his turn to freeze in shock when Sarah finally flicked her eyes back to him and spoke.
"I know what I am here, Jareth, - a human with no magic that you can keep as your prisoner whether we're married or not. Would you truly take me as your wife? If marrying you means that I can see my family again, I need to know if this is an option that you're really offering me or if you're just mocking me before I'll even be able to consider it." She spoke her words slowly, her gaze locked with his.
Jareth was afraid he would shatter. In his wildest dreams, had had never thought that she might agree to marry him - hoped, prayed and cursed to that effect, daily - but after her resistance to coming to the Underground, he'd resigned himself to holding her as his captive for a good many years before he would even win her friendship. No one had ever offered him HIS dreams before. He felt like he had just been given a chance at the moon and had no idea what to do with it.
"I am not mocking you, Sarah," he said softly. "If you agree to be my wife, you can visit your family as often as you like. Will you consider my offer?"
Sarah was certain some crazy lady had taken over her body when she heard her voice say, "Yes. Yes I will consider it."
Sarah watched as a very strange expression crossed Jareth's features. She could have sworn Jareth's glass had been holding orange juice. Now the contents looked suspiciously like wine. She watched him tilt the glass up and drain it. When he looked up, his eyes were so intense that she started to feel very warm indeed. Flustered, she looked down to regain her composure. If she was going to marry an evil Goblin King tyrant, she didn't want to walk into it blindly.
"Jareth.there are some other things I need to know."
"Yes?"
There was something so eager and hopeful in his voice. Sarah was starting to get very confused indeed. Why would a king who had stolen her brother, mocked her dreams, and then abducted her treat her so nicely as his captive and then offer her marriage? There had to be a catch.
"You mentioned that you would expect your wife to rule by your side. I imagine that there is a great deal that goes into ruling your kingdom. Umm.I want to ask you about the things you expect from a wife. What do I need to know? Are there any special duties that I'll be expected to perform? Basically, I want to know what is required of a queen.um.so that I can be prepared and.and. not force the kingdom to war or anything by accident. Is there training for this?" Great. Her phrasing could not have been more graceful, she thought with a snort. Why did she have to be such a goob? Sarah felt suddenly awkward and inexperienced as the enormity of accepting Jareth's offer started to sink in.
At this he laughed, a genuine shaking belly laugh. She watched his face light up with humor and golden hair fall back. Her breath caught. He really was beautiful. For just one second, he even seemed likeable. He smiled warmly at her, eyes shining.
"My dear, I promise you, should you decide to be my wife, we would cover all matters of state in detail together before you had to do anything in front of my minions or on your own. I am happy to answer any questions you might have about what might be expected of you - in fact, if you like, we can start today. I realize that the sooner you are able to allay your family's worries, the better."
Jareth knew his last comment was a bit of a dig, reminding her of the pressure of her family's concern, but he forgave himself this once. The sooner she agreed to marry him, the sooner he could bind her to him for all eternity. He loved her completely, but was still the Goblin King.
Marriage to Sarah would not only make him the happiest man alive, but would also solve several other problems of a more political nature. His defeat at Sarah's hands had caused the Fae to question his power. Of course he was love struck and would never have seriously harmed the girl. The things he'd thrown at her in his labyrinth were only to frighten her off and he would have rescued her before any of his spells or minions would have caused her serious harm. His defeat had still come as an unpleasant surprise. He had underestimated the strength of Sarah's will and also her love for her brother. Now that she was his captive, he could save some face with his own kind. Taking her as his wife would bind her to him in a way that merely holding her prisoner would not - an ultimate demonstration of his power.
Marrying Sarah would also solve his concern about producing an heir. Once a notorious rake, Jareth had lost interest in chasing women ever since he'd fallen in love with Sarah. He had scarcely spared a glance for the string of lovely Fae princesses who had paraded themselves in front of him with an eye for becoming a queen. Now, he would have his queen, his heir, his power and the woman of his dreams.
Sarah drew in a shaky breath. Okay. She could do this. Besides she hadn't committed to anything yet. She was just scoping out her options, right?
"All right. Shall we start after breakfast then?"
"Actually I have some matters regarding the kingdom I need to attend to first. I had thought you might wish to see one or two of your friends this morning and then we could begin this afternoon? Hogswart actually knows my palace rather well. I thought he might show you around a bit and then you and I can have lunch and begin covering the duties of a queen after."
"Hoggle. Okay," Sarah nodded. She was only too happy to see one of her friends. Hoggle might not be able to rescue her, but if the Goblin King's spell preventing her escape worked as he said, maybe Hoggle would have information that would help her find a way to break it.
Jareth was elated. The 'matters of state' he needed to attend to were all wedding preparations. He planned to marry her within.oh.three days should be enough. Maybe sooner. Sarah would be very concerned about her family by then. There was nothing for it. The wedding dress would have to be completed within the day. Jareth showed Sarah to her room, promising her that Hoggle would join her shortly.
A completely mystified Sarah stared after Jareth as he walked away. Was he whistling?