As always a HUGE special thank you to my extraordinary beta, Scattered Logic. I'd be lost without her editing skills, her ideas and her encouragement. Also thanks is in order to The Hooded Crow and Lady Jamie for continuing to help with ideas and for sending me comments!
Chapter 15: The green monster…
Elizabeth straightened her gown, bounced her blond curls, put on her best smile and opened the door only to find that her preparations this morning had been in vain.
Sarah looked up from taking the last few bandages from Jareth's shoulder and smiled. "Good morning, Elizabeth."
Jareth edged a little closer to Sarah and grinned. "Elizabeth." He nodded in greeting.
Elizabeth grimaced. "I thought that you would be feeding the animals, Sarah." She bit back the urge to call her 'Pig Pen'. It wouldn't do well to her cause to insult Jareth's daughter right in front of him.
"I awakened early and fed the animals so that I could attend my father." She smiled and put the used bandages into a tin bowl.
"Oh, you suddenly care to attend him?" she allowed bitterly. Sarah had beaten her to the task for two days now and Elizabeth was growing tired of it.
"I always cared. I just had to get my priorities straight first." Sarah shot back.
Elizabeth watched as Sarah stared her down and then the brunette returned her attention to the shirtless man in front of her. Elizabeth stood for a moment hoping that Jareth would take a good look at the dress and hairstyle she had chosen, but he was far too busy looking at his daughter. Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and left the room with a huff.
Sarah laughed after the door slammed shut. "I think that she likes you. She's been working awful hard to get your attention."
Jareth tilted his head, his gaze far away. "She's just a silly mortal girl that I have no interest in."
Sarah lowered her head for a moment. Was that what he thought of her as well?
She tore her mind away from such questions and gently ran her fingers over the outer edges of Jareth's wound. He winced slightly at the first touch, but relaxed soon after. "Your injury is getting much better. It doesn't look so frightening and black anymore."
"The blackened flesh will peel away after time to reveal new skin. The effect of the iron penetrating my skin," Jareth told her. He glanced over his shoulder when she went quiet. She was still sitting on her knees behind him, her eyes drawn to the dark hole in his shoulder. He knew that she was blaming herself for this and he couldn't fault her, not after what he had told her. He sighed and turned his head from her as she began to put the ointment on him and bandage the wound.
"Are you still feeling weak?" she asked softly.
"I'm not weak….I-" he started testily.
"You're still in bed, that must mean something." Her brows rose as she glanced at him.
He lowered his head in acknowledgement .
She knew she had stuck him deep. To normally be a Fae of power and strength, and now be confined to a bed, having no strength or magic to aid him must be so alien to him.
"Another effect of the iron," he whispered softly. He raised his head and glanced out the window across the room, his gaze far away. "The iron seized my strength. It will return soon. I've been confined to this bed for days, surely it will return to me soon." He let out a sigh.
Sarah knew he was hopeful that his strength would return soon, as well as his magic, but he did not know when that would be and it had to frighten him. She didn't say a word. She simply draped a white shirt over Jareth's shoulders. Jacob had been kind enough to give a few shirts and pants to Jareth while he stayed at the house. While Jacob was slightly larger than Jareth, the clothing still fit fairly well and the gesture by Jacob had been a kind one.
Sarah stood and moved around the bed so that she could sit in front of Jareth. He still was not able to button his own shirt and Sarah did it wordlessly. She felt his eyes on her, his stare heavy. She glanced up at him as she buttoned the last button at his collarbone.
He looked as if he was in turmoil. Anger, fear and something else fought for dominance in the depths of his mismatched eyes.
Sarah moved off the bed and stood. His gaze was unnerving. "Get some rest. I'll be back later."
Jareth watched her collect the ointment and used bandages, and he was well aware that she didn't look at him once as she left the room.
He sat up for a long time, his gaze not focused on a particular object or place as his mind whirled with unanswered thoughts and questions.
* * *
It was mid afternoon when Jareth heard laughter outside. He had expected Sarah to return with lunch for him, but to his surprise it was Mrs. Henry who brought him food. She didn't say a word to him, she just gave him a good hard stare and then went on her way. He knew that she was still angry with him for not doing very much about Sarah's nightmares.
The thought of Sarah still having nightmares troubled him. They seemed to be fewer in number, but she was still vexed with them. He could hear her when she sobbed alone at night and the sound often made his heart ache. He would often spend hours awake after she had settled, fighting with himself for his traitorous feelings.
He could hear her laughter now, outside his window and it perked his interest and his curiosity. He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He reached for the chair at the desk beside his bed as leverage and it took several attempts to get himself to his feet. He finally managed it and using other pieces of furniture in the room, he made his way slowly and painfully across the room.
The door opened when he was over halfway there. "Jareth, what are you doing!"
The unexpected voice startled him. He lost his balance and fell to the side, slamming his injured shoulder into the bookshelf. He cried out in pain despite himself. He gripped his shoulder and ducked his head as a few books rained upon him from the impact of hitting the bookshelf, one of them hitting him right in the back of the head.
Elizabeth was at his side in an instant. "Oh, Jareth!" She gave him a worried expression and tried to steer him towards his bed, but he wouldn't have any of it.
One moment he was in terrible pain and the next the pain was forgotten as a male voice and laughter filled his ears.
Elizabeth had no choice but to help Jareth to the window, his obvious destination. She helped steady him, her arms around his waist as he blinked in the bright sunlight and looked down into the yard below.
His eyes focused on the scene below him. A chestnut horse trotting in a circle, a rope tied to the beast's bridle. Sarah sat on the back of the horse, her arms extended to her side as if she were about to take off in flight and holding the rope tied to the horse was Jacob.
"Jacob, I'm going to fall!" she laughed, trying to hide her fear. She had her feet in the stirrups of the saddle and Jacob wouldn't let her pick up the reins and steady herself.
"Stop believing that, you're doing splendidly. You have a wonderful sense of balance. Feel the rhythm of the horse's movements beneath you."
Sarah concentrated harder and soon she found a pattern to the horse's light trot.
"Good, now pick up the reins and use that same balance you've discovered. Give riding a try."
Sarah did as she was instructed and she was amazed to learn how much better she could ride the horse. Her body didn't jerk or feel uncomfortable, unlike what had happened when she and Jareth had stolen horses and she'd had no balance, no riding form and little idea of how to control a horse.
Jareth watched from his window, his body was tensed with sudden anger, but it lifted slightly. His lips curled into a slight smile as he watched Sarah ride. Her dark hair drifted behind her and the blue ribbons she had decided to wear that day trailed with her brown locks in the wind. She was smiling and laughing happily at the joy of being able to ride and she looked like she had been doing it for years.
Jareth was so busy gazing at Sarah that he hardly noticed Elizabeth's hand as it snaked up under his shirt to caress the flat of his back.
The smile faded from Jareth's face as Sarah pulled the horse to a stop and Jacob helped her down. Sarah flung herself into his arms with laughter. Jacob laughed with her and returned her embrace.
Unexpected anger and envy filled Jareth as he watched the scene. His eyes narrowed and his teeth gritted. He staggered away from the window, unable to watch anymore.
His movements surprised Elizabeth who snatched her hand from beneath Jareth's shirt and brought it to her side. A look of utter confusion appeared on her face as she helped him back to his bed. What had made him angry so suddenly?
"Jareth, are you all right?" she asked softly.
He said nothing.
Elizabeth watched him. His gaze was drawn to the blankets on his bed, his brows lowered harshly over his eyes. He looked positively frightening.
"Jareth?" she tried again.
"Leave me!" he commanded coldly and harshly.
Elizabeth didn't have to be told twice. She gathered her skirt and fled the room without looking back.
Jareth barely noticed that she had left. All he knew were the strange emotions that filled him… He'd felt anger and surprisingly, envy at seeing Jacob in Sarah's arms. For a brief moment his eyes closed, and he saw himself in Sarah's arms, her laughter filling his ears as he laughed along with her. Her arms tightened around him and he held her in return, reveling in the warmth of her against him. The image in his mind changed and he gritted his teeth as Jacob appeared in place of himself.
Jareth brows raised briefly and his breathing and heartbeat quickened as he put it all together.
His voice was hoarse as he spoke aloud. "By the Underground…I'm jealous…"
* * *
Jareth tried to keep himself still. His body was fighting with him to shake with anger, but he did not want Sarah to see how upset he was. She was here with him now, bandaging him for the second and final time of the day. What was worse than her very presence after discovering he harbored jealousy and care and concern for her, was the fact that Jacob had tagged along with her. He was leaning against the door, hands over his chest as he watched Sarah bandage her so-called father. Jacob's presence was like throwing salt into Jareth's wound and then stomping upon it.
Jareth watched as Jacob moved from the room for a moment. His mother had called him. Jareth jumped as he felt cool fingers graze his cheek. He jerked his head toward Sarah, finding her face mere inches from his own. He felt his heart begin to pound in his chest.
"Are you all right? You're so quiet and you're all tense." She brushed a few stray hairs from his face, feeling particularly bold.
Jareth cursed inwardly that she had noticed his tension. "I'm fine," he said, a little more clipped than he would have liked.
Sarah was about to open her mouth and say something when Jacob returned. He had a piece of paper in his hands.
"Sarah, my mother needs a few things from town. Would you care to join me?"
"Is that wise with what happened a few weeks ago?"
"I wouldn't see a problem if you accompanied me. I highly doubt that anyone will recognize you and if they did, I'd protect you." He smiled sweetly and Sarah couldn't help but smile in return.
"Well, if you're going to protect me then I guess it would be all right," she teased.
"Would it be acceptable if she accompanied me, Mr. Charles?" Jacob asked.
"Oh, you don't need to ask him. I'm nearly 18." Sarah told Jacob.
"Nearly 18 or not, I should still be a gentleman and ask permission from your father first."
"Go," Jareth spat.
Sarah turned to Jareth and frowned. Jareth stared her in the eyes, his own eyes deathly cold. Sarah felt herself shiver.
"Go," he told her and he turned over, unable to look at her any longer.
"I think we best leave him be," Jacob whispered to Sarah. Her eyes had not left Jareth's form and the frown had not disappeared from her face. Jacob knew that she was worried. He escorted her quietly from the room.
Jareth listened to their footsteps as they moved away and heard their hushed whispering. He sighed deeply and closed his eyes. He had not wanted Sarah to learn that he was upset but he had done a remarkable job of alerting her to his angry mood. An angry, jealous mood he should not have been feeling for a woman he didn't care for.
He exhaled loudly. It was her fault that he felt his way and he intended to get even. A wicked smile touched his lips as he heard a feminine voice from within the house.
* * *
The trip to town was informative by horse and buggy. Jacob pointed out places of interest and told Sarah who owned which house and gave a very brief history as to what the landowners were like.
Concord was a beautiful town, but the tension in the air was still very thick, putting Sarah on edge. She caught snippets of conversations while she and Jacob were at the General Store. His mother and father had given him a list of things to purchase. Items such as flour, sugar, 10 yards of blue fabric as well as nails, horseshoes and other odds and ends for the farm.
As Jacob loaded his arms with things to buy, Sarah stood around a table stocked with bolts of fabric and listened to people talk. The town people feared that the British would come down from Boston and would finish off the town. They talked of British soldiers hiding in the woods, just waiting to attack and slaughter everyone. There was a lot of fear and there was also a lot of anger. While women talked about being killed, men talked of fighting for their freedom and driving the British back to England where they belonged. Some people left the store once any mention of fighting was brought up. There was a small tiff at the back of the store as two men got into a heated argument over whether more action should be taken against the British.
Sarah felt Jacob's hand on her shoulder and he told her it was time to go. His arm went around her protectively as he escorted her out of the store to where two men were loading the buggy with the sacks of flour and sugar as well as the other things Jacob had purchased.
Once they left the store and were on their way again, Sarah asked why the town was empty. While the store had been crowded, much of the rest of the town was quiet. Some houses even had windows that were boarded while others had signs that said things like, "Moved to a safer place" or "Gone for good".
Sarah learned that it had only been about two weeks ago that many of the families had moved back into their homes. Jacob told Sarah that Concord was still missing many of its prominent families and he feared some of them would never return.
Jacob showed her the rest of the town by taking a different route home than the one they used to arrive. There was one place that they rode by that made Sarah shiver. A field, a road and a bridge. The place that she and Jareth had wandered to and had watched the start of the American Revolutionary war. She had watched men die in this place. The scenery was still scarred. The charred remains of a building that once stored weaponry, trampled and burned grass and far off in the distance, a small fenced in area that contained many wooden crosses.
Sarah lowered her head and turned away and Jacob, sensing her distress, turned the horse and buggy in a different direction.
Once they returned to the farm, Sarah waited while Jacob unhitched the horse and let it loose in a nearby field. They moved to the house, Jacob's arms loaded with supplies while Sarah only carried a bolt of fabric. He had refused to let her carry anything else. The sugar and flour were left in the barn for Jacob to fetch later.
Jacob opened the door to the house and both he and Sarah were surprised to see Jareth making his way down the stairs. What surprised Sarah further was the fact Elizabeth was helping him walk. She had her arms curled around his body and a triumphant grin was on her face.
"Jar-Father," Sarah started. She made her way toward him.
"Don't trouble yourself, Sarah," Elizabeth told her.
Sarah put the bolt of fabric on a nearby chair and then advanced further toward the pair. "It's no trouble to help my father."
"We're managing just fine without you," came Jareth's smooth reply. His grip on Elizabeth tightened.
Sarah had to keep her jaw from dropping. It was a surprise to see Jareth walking again, but for him to accept Elizabeth's help over hers was even more surprising. She watched as Elizabeth helped settle him on the couch and settled herself beside him. Sarah's eyes widened as Jareth put his arm around her.
Sarah suddenly couldn't breathe. She turned and rushed quickly from the room.
Elizabeth grinned as she watched Sarah flee the room. Sarah was old enough that she no longer needed her father but Elizabeth, on the other hand would do quite nicely with a handsome older man to show off to her friends. She smiled wickedly and rested her head on his uninjured shoulder.
Jareth smirked. Satisfaction filled him as he watched Sarah go. But it didn't last long. The sly grin remained only until he heard a masculine voice and then a grimace appeared instead.
"Sarah?" Jacob put down the sack of flour, having just brought the sugar to the kitchen moments earlier. He was certain that he had seen Sarah just move past the kitchen door. He moved to the doorway and saw her walking quickly toward the porch door. "Sarah, where are you going?"
She spun to face him, her face flushed. "I…I need some air…" she stuttered.
"There's air inside the house," he teased lightly.
"I need the air that's outside." She didn't allow Jacob to respond as she rushed quickly out the door.
Jacob frowned and immediately moved to follow her. He saw her rush quickly down the porch stairs. "Sarah, wait!" he called after her. She stopped and turned to face him and he made his way to her. "What is wrong? You flew out of the house like a timid animal fleeing for its life."
"I don't want to talk about it," she told him firmly through gritted teeth.
Jacob frowned. Something was very wrong, but he wasn't sure of what. "Then we won't talk. Take a stroll with me."
"Jacob, I'm not in the mood to go walking."
"A stroll through the woods will help clear your mind. I can be quite persistent at times and occasionally I will not accept no as an answer. This is one of those occasional times." He crossed his arms over his chest for emphasis and then smiled slowly.
Sarah sighed and felt herself nodding to him.
* * *
The walk through the woods cleared Sarah's mind for a time, but when she and Jacob returned to the house to find Elizabeth reading poetry to Jareth around dinnertime, Sarah politely excused herself, saying she wasn't hungry and that she was tired and wanted to rest.
She didn't leave room to have her mind changed and Jacob could only watch her retreating form as it moved up the stairs and out of sight. He sighed and wondered what had upset her so much today. Perhaps the tension in town had been too much for her. He should not have brought her.
He sighed and turned, beginning to walk toward the fireplace to start a fire. Halfway there, he heard soft laughter and he twisted to see Elizabeth laughing softly as she moved closer to Sarah's father. She was practically sitting on the man's lap. Jacob stared at them with disgust. He glanced back up the stairs. Sarah could probably use help and her father's would be ideal if she would not accept help from anyone else. Yet instead of going to see if she was all right, her father was allowing a much younger women to have her way with him.
He turned back toward the pair on the couch to find Mr. Charles glaring at him. The fair-haired man's eyes narrowed.
Jacob shook his head in disgust and then left the room. Sarah's father or not, Jacob didn't like the man much at all.
* * *
Days passed by in a hazy blur for Sarah. She spent many hours alone with her thoughts and still spent time with Jacob. They didn't talk much, even when Jacob tried to get information out of her. Sarah didn't know what to tell him because she was uncertain what she felt and why she felt it.
She didn't spend any time with Jareth for he never seemed to be alone. Elizabeth was always with him and when they were together, he gave his full attention to her, pretending that Sarah wasn't even there.
Sarah began to feel many emotions when she watched them together. Anger and hurt were among the strongest but sometimes envy would work its way in as well. She would often ask herself, 'What did it matter if Jareth grew to care for the girl?' More often than not, Sarah realized that it mattered a great deal to her for reasons she did not yet understand.
Jareth was walking a little more each day, his strength finally returning to him. Sarah noticed a tension between Jareth and Jacob anytime the two men walked into the same room, but no words were ever uttered between them. There were a few harsh glances and then they both went their separate ways.
As the days turned into a week, Sarah's stress increased. She barely ate a thing at meals; usually more interested in pushing her food around the plate than eating. Jacob and Mrs. Henry constantly made comments about her lack of an appetite but she evaded them with lame excuses.
She buried herself in whatever chores needed to be done and did what she could to isolate herself from anyone and everyone. She lived in a house full of people but she realized that she had never felt more alone in her life. Far from home, in a different time. These people couldn't relate to her life, not like Jareth could and he was too busy with another woman. She was truly alone.
One afternoon unbeknownst to Sarah, Jacob decided that things had gone on long enough. Jareth was walking slowly down the stairs with Elizabeth. As usual, Jacob's sister had her arms around Jareth as she guided him.
Jacob stood at the end of the stairs. "Mr. Charles, a word please."
Jareth was surprised that Jacob wanted to talk to him, they never spoke, but he hid his surprise. "I'm listening," he said only half interested.
"In private if you would."
Jareth did not hid his surprise this time at the request.
"Elizabeth, help him into the study and then you can leave us," Jacob ordered.
Elizabeth frowned but did as her brother instructed. She helped Jareth into the study and helped him sit in one of the leather chairs and then she left the room, sliding the glass and wooden doors together as she left.
Jacob sat at his father's desk and absently flipped through the pages of an open book. He allowed a silence to grow until it was thick with tension.
"What is this about? I don't have time for nonsense," Jareth let out coldly.
Jacob raised his head and slammed the book closed. His eyes bored into the older man's. "You have time if I say you do. This is more important than allowing my sister to gush over you."
Jareth's eyes widened in surprise and then narrowed.
"You really have no idea what I wish to talk about do you?"
Jareth said nothing.
"I thought as much. I don't know how she managed to become such a wonderful woman with you as her role model."
Jareth gritted his teeth. "You dare to insult me?"
"You make it quite easy when you act like a boy instead of a man," Jacob said callously. You really have no idea of the pain Sarah's in, do you? You're so caught up in yourself that you have no idea!"
"My daughter is none of your concern."
"She is my concern, because I care about her!" Jacob yelled. He slammed his fist on the desk in anger.
Jareth didn't make a sound. He only glared angrily at the young man in front of him.
Jacob put his hand to his forehead trying to calm himself. He sighed and took a deep breath. "She isolates herself from everyone, she's pushing herself to the limit with the amount of chores that she takes on. She isn't eating or sleeping. Something is wrong and she won't tell me what it is," Jacob said a bit more calmly.
"I understand that you are recuperating. You have been through a great deal as well, being shot, but ignoring your daughter I don't believe is helping either of you."
"You presume to preach to me?" Jareth spat out.
"Sometimes the image just appears in my head," Jacob said, his glance faraway.
Jareth's brows furrowed in confusion.
"Her dress stained with blood, her face full of fear, tears in her eyes. Sometimes all I can see is what I saw that morning nearly two weeks ago. A frightened woman, huddled close to her father who had been shot. Her only concern was protecting him." Jacob looked carefully at Jareth. The younger man's eyes glistened with unshed tears. Moments later, the tears were gone to be replaced once again with anger.
"She's in pain and you don't even care. You don't even notice. I don't know what happened between the two of you, but there must have been something that pushed you away from her or her from you. Are you that proud that you are not willing to mend the rift that is growing between you? Do you enjoy watching her suffer?"
Jareth ground his teeth together.
"You don't even say anything!" Jacob cried out. "What will you do? Nothing? Will you just watch her wither and die? If you don't do something, I will!" Jacob threatened.
The words seemed to get Jareth's attention and he looked outraged for a moment before his stony resolve quickly returned.
Jacob stood and moved to the window, glancing outside at the light rain that fell. "I've said what I needed to say. My words have obviously fallen upon deaf ears."
Jareth watched the younger man for a moment. He realized that he had been dismissed. He got shakily to his feet and left the room, feeling more like a reprimanded child than a Fae King.
Jacob heard him slide the study doors open. As soon as he had gone, Jacob leaned his forehead against the cool glass of the window and sighed heavily.
* * *
"Would you like some potatoes, Sarah?" Jacob offered her the bowl and she shook her head. "Sarah, you have hardly anything on your plate."
"I'm not hungry," she said quietly.
"Peas, Jareth?" Elizabeth asked sweetly.
Jareth shook his head slowly, his eyes still focused upon the one and only person he had glanced at while sitting at the table. Sarah looked thinner, dark circles were beneath her eyes and she looked as if someone had beaten the will to live out of her. What had happened to make a spirited, hot-tempered girl transform into a tired, depressed woman? Had this really been his doing?
"Carrots, Jareth?" Elizabeth noticed his attention on Sarah and she ran her hand slowly down his arm to get his attention.
Sarah caught the movement and let out a quick breath. Head bowed, she quickly got to her feet.
"Sarah, dear, are you all right? You look pale." Mrs. Henry gave a look of concern.
"I…I'm just tired. Please excuse me." She picked up her skirt and quickly fled the table.
Jareth and Jacob both got to their feet at the same time. They stared at each other with challenging glances.
Jareth didn't say a word as he moved away from the table.
Jacob watched as Jareth made his way slowly up the stairs.
Elizabeth stood, preparing to rush and help him, but Jacob grabbed her arm hard. "Ow! Jacob!"
"Let him go," Jacob told her and then he released her.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry gave each other confused glances. Thomas just looked up, his cheeks puffy from his overly stuffed mouth.
Elizabeth glared at her older brother and watched as Jareth disappeared up the stairs.
The door to Sarah's room creaked open and soft light from the lanterns in the hall was the only light which illuminated the dark room.
"Jacob, I'm not in the mood. Please just leave me alone."
The door closed quietly and slow steps could be heard. Sarah, who had been sitting on the wood floor got to her feet and spun to face Jacob. But it wasn't Jacob who stood there. It was Jareth.
She let out a hurried breath.
He lit a candle and took a good look at her without having to worry about prying eyes watching his every movement or expression. He stopped in front of her and Sarah jumped as his gloved hand lifted her chin.
She tore away from him and took a few steps back. "Leave me alone! Go back to your precious Elizabeth. I'm sure that she's lost at the table without you to hold her hand." Her voice quivered as she spoke but there was no mistaking her mood.
Jareth said nothing. He continued to stare at her. She was angry with him.
Sarah took a few deep breaths. Jareth's stare was unnerving. Why didn't he say something? Sarah felt herself losing control and the words tumbled forth before she could stop them. "I thought she was just a silly mortal girl! Is that what I am to you as well?" she spat at him.
Jareth looked at her for a moment, not understanding where her anger was coming from, but then it came to him.
"You're jealous." He grinned unable to help himself after learning this new information.
"I am not," she told him defiantly.
"Then why would you care if I spend time with Elizabeth?" One brow arched delicately over his blue eye.
Sarah cursed inwardly.
Jareth smirked. "Could it be that despite how you act, you care for me?"
Sarah snorted and the sound made Jareth's grin widen.
She narrowed her eyes. "And what about you?"
"What about me?" Jareth crossed his arms over his chest.
"Would you care to explain your attitude problem every time I just happen to be with Jacob? I've seen the looks you've given him. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that Mr. High and Almighty was jealous as well."
Jareth's expression turned icy.
"You told me that she was a silly mortal and that you had no interest in her. If you do have an interest in her, that's fine. You're entitled to feel what you wish for whom you wish. But why did you lie to me?"
"I told you the truth…" he whispered softly.
"Your actions tell of something different," she shot back.
Jareth raised his chin. "Now you know what it feels like."
"What?" Sarah gasped.
"Now you know how you made me feel."
Sarah let out a shuddering breath. "You bastard! How dare you try to pin what you felt on me!"
"It is because of you that a Fae felt guilt, remorse, envy and jealousy and all over a mortal! I had to seek revenge for such a crime."
Sarah's eyes widened in sudden comprehension. "You spent time with Elizabeth to upset me, didn't you?"
Jareth nodded, his head held high.
"All you ever want to do is hurt me." She took a shuddering breath. "I hate you!" Tears filled her eyes as she let the words stream forth.
Jareth shook his head slowly. "You don't hate me." He cut Sarah off as she was about to tell him otherwise. "If you hated me then you would not have felt jealousy. Just as if I truly hated you, I would not have felt the same." Jareth's expression suddenly turned from cold to vulnerable.
Sarah watched the transformation in Jareth. He had just hinted at something. Something that scared her witless.
To her horror, she began to cry. She buried her face into her hands and hunched over, unable to stop the tears from coming. The turmoil of the last few days finally came crashing down on her.
It was several minutes later before arms moved to trap her in their tight, protective embrace. She didn't fight them and she buried her face into the warmth and comfort of Jareth's chest.
He lowered his face into her hair and sighed.
Within him, two very different sides battled for control.
* * *
Some thanks is in order for some of my readers.
Thanks to:
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